Bartending with JG: The Second Trimester

JG's been spending a lot of time in the lab lately.  He says his research is going well, but the other night he came home rather frustrated because the computer he was using to run his experiments died and he was going to have to take some time away from his actual research to calibrate a new one.

The man needed a nice drink.  Martinis and Manhattans have always been our friends, but the recent infrequency of hard alcohol consumption in our apartment had left the bar a little understocked.  We had no gin, so the martini was definitely out (we don't believe in vodka martinis here).  We had rye whiskey but no sweet vermouth or Angostura bitters -- and at this point I think JG might have been on the verge of saying something unkind about our hybrid.

BUT we did have Peychaud's and a blanc vermouth we'd randomly purchased a while back because it was unfamiliar (verdict: possibly sweeter than sweet vermouth).   JG made himself a new drink he calls "The Second Trimester." It's not quite the same as a Manhattan, but it's still tasty.
[Yes, I tasted it and it was delicious.... I couldn't put a recipe up I haven't tasted, could I?]

A note about the cherries. I think maraschino cherries are foul and always omitted them from my Manhattan.  Then, ~5 years ago, I happened to have a Manhattan at a place called The Pegu Club in Manhattan and they served it with the most wonderful, dense, dark, richly flavored and not-too-sweet amarena cherry.  It took me a bit of research to figure out what they were  -- a small preserved sour cherry from italy -- and even longer to find them in a specialty store but they are _so_ worth it. [You can easily order the pictured Fabbri brand online, but they're a little sweeter.] Their flavor is wickedly decadent.  If maraschinos are The Monkees, amarenas are The Rolling Stones, know what I'm sayin'?

Recipe:  The Second Trimester [or 2nd Tri]

Gazpacho for Grownups

The tomatoes are finally ripe here in Yankee Land.  I think I understand why eating green tomatoes is such a Southern thing.  Up here you only get one big crop that takes forever to ripen... eating any before they're ready is just wasteful.

I bought ~8 pounds of heirlooms at the farmers' market this week and we've been eating them in:
in paella, with our last chunk of cured venison sausage
as a raw salad, with herbs from the garden
as bruschetta, with homemade rosemary bread
with hummus plates, which reminds me I need to ask JG if I can post his recipe
stuffed full of taggelio (a riff on these), which was fine, but not amazing
and -- my favorite-- as light gazpacho, with ceviched bay scallops added to the individual soup bowls.
[The scallops were actually too tender and mild to add interest, but the soup was still fantastic.]

A couple days later I was sipping a little of the leftover gazpacho straight from the storage container. [It was cold and I was thirsty; don't tell JG.] It was just a little spicy from the poblano I'd used in lieu of bell pepper and it was so refreshing to drink! It occurred to me that the only thing that would make it better [like so many things] was a shot of alcohol, using the gazpacho as a base like a lighter alternative to a bloody Mary.

I mixed 2 parts gazpacho to 1 part vodka [I'm keen on Tito's], shook it with a little ice, and garnished with a pick-full of olives and a big fat caper berry... and it was sublime.   It was also little dangerous, because it goes down so very, very nicely.  The flavors of the pepper and cucumber were present without asserting themselves and the olives and made a nice brine-y counterpoint.  [I also salted the glass rim, but I'm not sure it's necessary.]

I kept calling it a gazpacho martini, which I know is a misnomer as it contains neither gin nor vermouth; I guess it's just a "gazpocktail", which doesn't sound nearly refined enough for its sophisticated flavor. Whatever its name, it'll definitely be the belle of my next brunch.

Agua Fresca

I know I've seen plenty of other recipes out there for aguas fresca,"fresh waters" so if you read food blogs and you haven't made them yet, I probably won't convince you to try.

However.

They're super tasty. I personally never liked cantaloupe until I tried it as an agua fresca. The melon/lime combo works amazingly well. I consider my first taste of agua fresca to have been a life-altering event.

They're refreshing. Because the fruit used to make them isn't quite as sweet as orange juice and the puree is further adulterated with water and lime juice, they don't leave you with that cloyingly sweet mouthfeel you sometimes get with OJ, but they do linger longer than a gulp of iced tea.... and they'll actually cut the heat of spicy foods, which makes them perfect for a fiesta.

They're interchangeable. The ratios work with any melon you want to try. Watermelon is another personal favorite [and who hasn't bought too much watermelon at some point and had an awkwardly-shaped hunk o'leftover dominating their fridge?]. In the height of summer, when grocery stores get all those different varietals (musk, tuscan, canary... etc.) you can explore the various flavors via fruit drink and not feel like you're eating melon _all the time_... and then you can try various melon medleys! The fun never stops!

They're adaptable. Equal parts agua fresca and sparkling water makes for a nice light spritzer, better than an Italian soda. A shot of rum, vodka, or tequila turns it into a unique adult beverage welcome at any outdoor party. Seriously, folks; the possibilities are endless with these things.

Recipe: Agua Fresca

Whole-Grain Chocolate Almond Biscotti

I realize I have a biscotti problem -- obsession, really -- but once I gave up coffee I haven't been able to commit to a single flavor. The latest batch were from Joy of Baking, and I followed it pretty closely [except for substituting 1 cup white whole wheat and 3/4 cup oat for the called-for A.P. flour] but I had a little timer problem:

I didn't realize it until I was sitting at the computer and a toasty smell wafted toward me. I looked at the clock, then ran to the kitchen, half-expecting to find biscotti charcoal. They were deeply brown around the edges but just shy of burned, which actually gave them an amazing roasted marshmallow-esque flavor. I'm making a note to add another 15 minutes to the second bake on this recipe. [I think it was actually closer to 20 but they were just a shade away from the trash can, so it's best to undershoot and monitor, know what I mean?]

Cerveza Preparada: The Bloody Mary of Beers

I'm not a rabid football fan, but I enjoy a solid afternoon of NFL games from time to time. On such occasions, I've noticed that it's very easy to consume vast quantities of light beer without really noticing. While I've done it many times, I'm getting old [and wise?] enough to prefer a drink that was tasty enough to remember drinking. There is a way, however, to turn light beer into a special occasion cocktail: the cerveza preparada [or Michelada, for reasons I haven't uncovered], and it'll be a hit at your next playoff party.I used to think of them as a low-octane margarita alternative for tacos and fajitas -- more of a summer thing -- but last weekend I had an epiphany: It's The Bloody Mary of Beers and perfect for when you're starting your beer consumption early. Recipes for micheladas are always written in "dashes" of this and that, but JG and I have been tinkering around with them and have finally come up with a reliable, measurable recipe. They're just salty and spicy enough to to sip at a more moderate pace without overloading your salty tastebuds... 'cause you'll need those for the snacks, right? All in all, the cerveza preparada is the perfect way to kick off a big game... Try 'em!*

Recipe: Cerveza Preparada
You can do these with any beer you like, but I prefer them with something light. It's best to serve these setups with the beer on the side and invite each person to pour their own. Amounts for a larger batch are below the first recipe.

2 Tbs kosher salt [optional for rims]

Per Glass:
ice
1 lime
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
2-4 dashes of hot sauce to taste [I prefer Cholula]
cracked black pepper

Additional lime slices to garnish, if desired.

Salt rims of pint glasses [if desired] by wetting rim with water and swirling in a plate of kosher salt.

Fill glass 2/3 full of ice, juice lime and pour sauces over ice. Crack a little black pepper over it all, garnish with a slice of lime, and serve with the opened bottle.

Premixed setups:
per 4 beers

1/2 cup lime juice
1 Tbs plus 1 tsp worcestershire
1 Tbs plus 1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp hot sauce to taste [I prefer Cholula]

Put ice and cracked black pepper to 4 glasses. Pour in a scant shot or 3 scant tablespoons into each.

*In the interest of beer science, I have tried and do not recommend drinking the Budweiser "Cheledas." If you do try one, you will wonder how this ever caught on. [Sorry, Mike.]

Fat-Free Butterscotch Syrup?

Is that possible? Using real butter?

Yes. Yes, it is.

It's dipping into the warm drink zone here in Yankee Land. We have a particular favorite to coincide with the beginning of apple cider season: ButterBeer.


Yes, this is the name of a drink from the Harry Potter series. We first had it at an Alamo Drafthouse screening and the server described it at spiced cider, butterscotch syrup, and a shot of rum. [I imagine it's a take off of a Betty Crocker-type butter rum cider.] We've bought Monin syrup and made it that way, but I dislike ingredients called "butterscotch flavor." Real butterscotch sauce isn't hard to make, -- butter, brown sugar, cream -- and substituting water for heavy cream makes it a syrup instead of a sauce. I also happen to know a secret for taking the fat out of butter in a syrup base.

You ready?

Recipe: Butterscotch Syrup
yields~1 cup

1/4 c (4T) butter
1/2 c brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 c water
1/2 tsp vanilla

Melt butter until foamy with first hint of browning. [If it starts to smell burned, it is. Dump it and start over.] Whisk in sugar and stir occasionally until sugar dissolves and mixture is bubbly. Slowly pour in water while whisking continuously. The mixture will foam and sputter. Don't flinch.


Pour into a heatproof bowl or measuring cup (Pyrex is good) and stir in vanilla. Freeze until butterfat forms a solid layer on top. Scrape off the fat and store for another unwholesome purpose or discard. Let syrup come to room temp, if sugar is still grainy, bring to a boil again (nuke) until sugar dissolves completely. [It shouldn’t be, but these things sometimes happen.]

Bottle syrup and store in the refrigerator. [I have squeeze bottles, but you can reuse a [clean] honey or maple syrup bottle]

Mint Tea

This one is super simple and super refreshing.... well it was actually simpler when I had my own herb garden, but it still only takes a brief pause in the produce section next to the leafy greens. I've done it with many variations... lemon verbena is great [particularly if you throw in a bag of orange- or peach-enhanced black tea] and thyme and lavender are lovely in small doses... but mint is my favorite.

Recipe: Mint Tea
I usually use a tea pitcher, but I don't have one at the moment and the rinsed milk jug works just fine. You can use just a leaves [5-10ish?] in a smaller pitcher

handful of mint [~1/3 of a $1 bunch, 1/2 of a $.50 bunch]
1 gallon of water, filtered if your tap water has a funky flavor

Crush mint without tearing [or you'll end up with bits in you glass] into chosen receptacle. Fill with water and cover. Let stand at room temp until water takes on light color. Refrigerate.

You can refill the water in the pitcher or jug after pouring out a few servings and the mint will continue to steep more slowly in the fridge. After 3-5 days, the tea will get as strong as it's going to get and it's best to strain the tea into another container and dump the solids.