BEER FOR ST. PATRICK'S DAY.

I was just brainstorming what to post today for St. Pat's Day... Previously I posted a recipe for Irish Soda Bread, and another time I posted a vintage postcard.  I could do another post of an Irish recipe; or I could do another post of vintage postcards, or something entirely different.  I decided on the vintage postcards, with a twist.  This time the theme will be beer, since many of us associate St. Pat's Day with green beer (or, for some, any beer at all!).

Micro brew beers are a hugely trendy thing at this time with thousands of small brewers making the news.  But, many years ago, we had only very large breweries, many in this area because of the large number of Germans who immigrated here.  

Fox Head Brewing Company, originally located in Waukesha, Wisconsin was one of the smallest breweries in the area.  Opening in 1946 in a building formerly run by a number of other breweries, by 1960 it was allegedly owned by the mob.  In 1962, the brewery was purchased by Heileman Beverage Company, LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and the Waukesha operations were closed.

On the back side of this postcard it says:
"City Keg and Bottle Beer Exchange,
1638 N. 12th Street
M I L W A U K E E"

Once the largest brewing company in America, the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company was founded in 1849, and had a huge presence in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.   In 1902 it achieved status as the largest brewery in America.  During Prohibition it changed its name from "Brewing Company" to "Beverage Company" and adopted the slogan - "The Drink that Made Milwaukee Famous."  A 76-day worker strike in 1953 resulted in the company moving to second-place status, and other problems over the years caused additional declines.  Finally, a worker strike in 1981 led to the sale of the company to Stroh Brewery Company of Detroit, Michigan.  According to Wikipedia, what remained of the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company products was sold to American Entrepreneur Eugene Kashper and TSG Consumer Partners in 2014.

Miller Brewing Company, was originally organized in 1855 and is still in operation with headquarters in Milwaukee.  In September, 1956 a series of sales led to partial changes in ownership of the company, first to the conglomerate W. R. Grace and Company, then to Philip Morris, then to South African Breweries, and finally, to Molson Coors, some of which companies continue to own interests in the Company today.

This shows the Administration Building of Miller Brewing Company in Milwaukee.

One of the more interesting and famous breweries, Anheuser-Busch, began operations in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1852.  Following a long and interesting history, today Anheuser-Busch operates 12 breweries and some of the largest theme parks in America,  including Busch Gardens in Florida and Virginia, SeaWorld, and LegoLand,  

On the back of this postcard it states:
Home of Budweiser, Lager Beer
With 5,000,000 square feet of floor space, it covers 52 city blocks - an area larger than the famous downtown 'loop' district of Chicago.  It has an annual brewing capacity of 5,000,000 barrels of the world's finest beer.  The annual overall taxes exceed $54,000,000. "

On the back:
Thousands of visitors are welcomed and entertained here each year during visits through the huge plant, made up of 110 individual buildings, covering 70 city blocks, which is the home of BUDWEISER and other fine Anheuser-Busch beers.

This is a fold-out postcard.

 BEER OR NO BEER, HAVE A FUN ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS - Vintage Postcard - COCA COLA

Ahhhh... Holiday Shopping!  What to get everyone?!?  Check out this vintage postcard for a few ideas.

Okay, I can understand some of these ideas... Fruit Cake, for example.  Not everyone likes it, though I do!  But can you imagine buying a case of Coca Cola for that special person on your list?  I'm hoping Kevin has other ideas for my gifts.  LOL!  

COLD BREWED COFFEE...SO SMOOTH AND RICH!

A good friend of mine has been making cold brewed coffee for years and I have always enjoyed having coffee at her home.  For ages I've been saying that I'm going to start making coffee her way and I finally did! Now I will never go back to hot drip coffee; cold brewed is significantly more smooth (non-acidic), and has a deep coffee flavor.

To begin, I went to Amazon.com and bought the "Toddy Cold Brew System" which cost about $35 with extra filters.

The Toddy System comes with the white brew container, 2 rubber plugs for the bottom of the brew container, the carafe and its lid.

 The System that I purchased also came with extra filters.

Of course, coffee should be made to taste and if you try out this system (which I hope you will!), you will want to adjust the amounts of coffee and water to suit your own taste.  Here is my "recipe."

1.  Place the plug in the bottom outside of the Toddy brewing container.
2.  Place the filter in the bottom inside of the container.
3.  Into the container pour one cup of fresh cold water.
4.  Coarsely grind just under 3 cups of coffee.  We use Kirkland/Costco brand coffee.  Pour the coffee into the container, gently leveling out the top.
5.  Gently and slowly drizzle 3 cups of fresh cold water over the coffee grounds in a circular manner, wetting the entire surface.
6.  Coarsely grind another slight 3 cups of coffee and pour it into the container, gently leveling out the top.
7.  Wait 5 minutes, then gently and slowly drizzle 4 cups of fresh cold water over the coffee grounds.

Here is what it will look like:

8.  Leave this on your countertop and wait 24 hours for the coffee to steep.
9.  Remove the lid from the carafe and place the brew container just above the carafe, pull the plug from the bottom of the brew container in order for the coffee to drip into the carafe.   It will take about an hour for all of the coffee to drip into the carafe.

Here the water has run out of the brew container, leaving only the grounds.  These go into my garden beds!











The coffee now in the carafe is actually a coffee CONCENTRATE.  To make coffee from the concentrate pour about 1/4 cup of the concentrate into your coffee cup, then add boiling water to the concentrate for a rich, flavorful cup of coffee.  I have found that one carafe of the concentrate makes about 32 cups of coffee.
Here are some of the benefits of cold brewed coffee:
1.  It's about 67% less acidic than hot brewed coffee, and you can distinctly notice the difference.
2.  The coffee has a deep, rich flavor.
3.  Making coffee for me is a once-a-week endeavor rather than a daily production.
4.  My husband drinks fully caffeinated coffee and I drink decaf.  Making a carafe of decaf for me and a carafe of caffeinated for him means we are both drinking the coffee we prefer, no compromises.
Thus, the Toddy cold brew system gets four thumbs up in this family!

RED SUNSET SANGRIA

We had a few neighbors over the other night for dinner and I thought it would be fun to offer sangria in addition to the ubiquitous wine.  I only made one batch (10 servings) since I assumed that there would not be many takers.  Instead, that was the first thing to go, and I never got a taste.  I know, I should ALWAYS taste things before I serve them to others.  Since the sangria got favorable reviews, I felt the need to make a new batch to try out on my own.  That was on my to-do list today; and Kevin and I enjoyed the fruits (joke) of my labor this evening during a little "happy hour."  Here is the recipe.

RED SUNSET SANGRIA.*    Makes 10 (1/2 cup) servings.
*  3 cups dry red wine (I used a Cabernet Sauvignon but you can use whatever red wine you would most enjoy.)
*  4 to 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
*  3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice
*  3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice (Next time I will use less.)
*  1 lemon, thinly sliced
*  1 orange, thinly sliced
*  1/4 cup brandy
*  6 ounces club soda
In a large pitcher, combine wine, sugar, fruit juice, fruit slices and brandy.  Chill several hours, stirring occasionally.  Add club soda just before serving.

Here is the set up.

I used very small lemons.  Next time I'll add orange juice and orange zest which is more to my liking.  I will also probably use a different wine.  Perhaps a Spanish rioja.  In my opinion, the cabernet savignon was too dry and not "fruity" enough.

Be sure to remove the seeds from the fruit slices.

Here is our happy hour.   The pecans were toasted with herbes de Provence; the Spanish cheese was marinated in olive oil, rosemary, thyme, and black peppers.  I learned that to marinate cheese one should use a relatively soft cheese as it will absorb flavors more readily.  For the dinner party, I took a peach/nectarine wedge, added a basil leaf, and wrapped the wedge in proscuitto.  Next time, I will prepare the peach appetizer early in the day in order for the flavors to meld.

A final shot of a little flower arrangement on our screen porch.

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*  Recipe Source:  Portland's Palate, A Collection of Recipes from the City of Roses by the Junior League of Portland, Oregon.  As an aside, this is a very good book.  I've made a number of the recipes and they have all been very good.

AQUAVIT - FLAVORED VODKA by ANDREAS VIESTAD

If you're looking for gift ideas that "come from the heart" because they are homemade, you may want to try out this recipe.  Aquavit is a great gift for your drinking friends.   Per Wikipedia:  "kvavit or aquavit  (ˈɑːkwəviːt/; /ˈɑːkvəviːt/; also akevitt in Norwegian) is a traditional flavored spirit that is principally produced in Scandinavia, where it has been produced since the 15th century.  Akvavit gets its distinctive flavor from spices and herbs, and the main spice should (according to the European Union) be caraway or dill."

Following is a slightly revised recipe for aquavit from "Kitchen of Light:  New Scandinavian Cooking with Andreas Viestad".  Here is what you will need to make enough for four (4) "gifts":

     
     Start with a very large jar.  Add to the jar:
6 teaspoons caraway seeds
3 teaspoons fennel seeds
6 teaspoons dill seeds
6 star anise (or less if you don't like the "licorice" taste)
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
3 whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks (3-inches long)
13 cups of your favorite vodka
     Cover the jar tightly and place it in a cool, dark place for about three (3) weeks, shaking every 3 or 4 days.  After about 2 weeks, taste it to see if you want the flavors to continue to develop.  When it's as strong as you like, strain it through a sieve lined with cheesecloth, throw out the seeds, and transfer the aquavit into four (4) gift bottles.  I found perfect bottles for this purpose at Pier One Imports.  Bag up the aquavit and give bottles of it to your friends.
     Prior to serving aquavit, place it in the freezer.  In fact, find a place in the freezer and keep it there at all times so that it is ready, at the perfect temperature, for impromptu serving.  Typically, aquavit is served in a 1 ounce tall glass which can also be pre-chilled.  Although it is meant to be drunk quickly in a shot glass, since it is simply flavored vodka, I also use it to make sweet, flavored martinis.  I've read that it makes a good apertif (served before a meal to stimulate the appetite), and also a good digestif (served after a meal to aid digestion).
     No matter how you use this, I hope you will enjoy it!!!

CIDER CITRUS SPARKLE PUNCH

Here is a really easy, yet very good, non-alcoholic party beverage.  I have had it many times and most recently served it at our cooking club holiday luncheon.

CIDER CITRUS SPARKLE PUNCH.  Makes 24 (4 oz.) servings.
*  2 quarts (8 cups) apple cider, chilled
*  6 oz. can lemonade concentrate, thawed
*  28 oz. bottle ginger ale, chilled
Ice cubes or mold.
     In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine cider and lemonade concentrate.  Add ginger ale and ice; stir to blend.  If desired, garnish with apple or lemon slices.

How easy is that?!?

P.S.  It is now December 26 and I've been going through some of my holiday cookbooks to put together a brunch menu and to find an appetizer recipe for New Years Eve.  In that process, I came across the recipe above for Cider Citrus Sparkle Punch and can now give you the source:  Pillsbury Classics No. 13, "Festive Holiday Recipes."   Thanks, Pillsbury, for a great recipe!!

GRAPE JUICE

Today we brought in our first grape harvest of the season.  Four years ago we planted a Bluebell grapevine and it's been a good producer.  Bluebell is a table grape and, unfortunately, it has seeds, making for more work.  Last year I used our entire harvest to make grape sorbet.  Delicious!!!  This year we have a lot more to harvest so the first thing I made, today, was grape juice.   Here's the process.

MAKING GRAPE JUICE
*  Pick the ripe grapes off the stems,  and put them in a large pot.  Mash them with a potato masher.  This was my first problem  - I don't have a potato masher.  Not a big problem though,  I simply put the grapes into my old vintage ricer, crushed the grapes, then dumped the crushed grapes into the pot.

*  The next step is to cook the grapes.  Put the pot on the stove, cover the pot, and bring the heat up to a simmer.  Simmer for ten (10) minutes.

*  Next, the mixture needs to get strained.  This was my second problem.  I planned to use cheesecloth over my pasta strainer, until I looked for my cheesecloth and realized that I had used it up.  So, I got out my large sieve with a fine mesh  and slowly strained the mixture into a bowl.  When that was done, I put it all into a large jar to refrigerate it for use.

The juice is delicious and sweet without adding any sugar.  It is organic and healthy.  This would also be a good base to make sorbet.  That will be my job for the next grape harvest.

P.S.  After posting this I bought a potato masher and made another batch of the grape juice.  The potato masher is the way to go!

MAYO CLINIC NEWSLETTERS & AGUA FRESCA

There are so many websites dealing with health and medical issues but one, in particular, stands out - MayoClinic.com.  I subscribe to their free on-line newsletter called "Housecall" which covers a wide variety of interesting topics.  There is also a "symptom checker" that can quickly lead to excellent information on particular maladies.  The newsletter also offers healthy recipes including the following recipe for an agua fresca.

WATERMELON CRANBERRY AGUA FRESCA.  Serves 6.

Dietitian's tip:Aguas frescas are popular fresh-fruit drinks in Mexico. Although water is a standard ingredient, this undiluted version is a thirst-quenching refresher whether accompanying spicy foods or sipped in the sun.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds seedless watermelon, rind removed and diced (about 7 cups)
• 1 cup fruit-sweetened cranberry juice (sometimes called cranberry nectar)
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 lime, cut into 6 slices

Directions

Place the melon in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Pass the puree through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl to eliminate the pulp and clarify the juice. Pour the juice into a large pitcher. Add the cranberry and lime juices and stir to combine. Refrigerate until very cold. Pour into tall chilled glasses and garnish each with a fresh lime slice.

Nutritional analysis per serving

Calories	94	Sodium	5 mg
Total fat	0 g	Total carbohydrate	23 g
Saturated fat	0 g	Dietary fiber	0 g
Monounsaturated fat	0 g	Protein	1 g
Cholesterol	0 mg

APPLE & WATERMELON SMOOTHIE - WATERMELON MIMOSA

I just received an email from a foodie friend in Alaska.  She sent two recipes that sound so good, I'm posting them without even trying them.  Here's the challenge for you.  Test out the recipes and leave a comment for the rest of us.  If you made changes, let us know!

APPLE & WATERMELON SMOOTHIE.  Serves 2.
1/2 pint concentrated apple juice
1 watermelon quarter, diced
1/2 cup of ice, optional (Note:  Crush ice before blending as large chunks may harm blades.)
Blend all ingredients together until smooth.  Very refreshing on a hot summer day!

WATERMELON MIMOSA.  Makes 2 to 3 cocktails.
1 cup watermelon juice (pureed, strained)
1/2 cup light champagne (preferably not Brut, but rather Asti or similar)
Divide watermelon juice among 2 to 3 champagne flutes.  Fill with champagne and Enjoy!
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Thanks Debra!  Just in time for watermelon harvest!

YERBA MATE

An ubiquitous sight in parts of South America is people drinking out of gourds.  The gourds are rather small, so people also carry thermoses filled with water to continually add to the gourd to extend the tea.  It is also tradition that the beverage is shared; and it is delightful watching people in public share their beverage with their friends.  Our guide in Buenos Aires told us about the beverage "yerba mate" (pronounced "yurba matay").

"Traditionally, yerba mate tea is drunk from a gourd, called a mate, in which it is prepared by steeping the processed dried yerba mate leaves in hot, but not boiling, water.  It is then sipped through a metal straw called a bombilla which has holes in it to let the liquid come through, but filters out the leaves.  The gourd is traditionally a natural gourd such as calabash."*

Curiosity got the best of me and our guide, Mariella, helped me purchase a mate and bombilla.  After curing the mate over the past two days, today I got my first taste of yerba mate.  I would characterize the taste as herbal, slightly smoky and smooth, and I will continue drinking it until it is gone.  I'm not sure if I can buy yerba mate locally, but it is easily available on-line.

YERBA MATE AND BOMBILLA.

BOMBILLA.

LADDY WAS VERY CURIOUS!  I BET HE THOUGHT THERE WAS CATNIP IN IT! 

THERE ARE SO MANY MATE OPTIONS BUT I LIKED THIS ONE.  IT LOOKS LIKE KEVIN AND ME DOING THE TANGO - A METAPHOR FOR OUR TRIP TO SOUTH AMERICA.

* http://www.yerbamate.us/What-is-Yerba-Mate-s/159.htm

RHUBARB MARTINI ON A VERY HOT DAY!

My niece mentioned that she had seen alot of recipes for rhubarb on the site http://www.foodgawker.com/.  It's an interesting site with beautiful photos of food.  One thing led to another and in no time I was in the kitchen making a recipe I found on the site for a rhubarb martini.  Long story short... here is the recipe I found:

Chop up 12 ounces (about 5 stalks) of rhubarb.  Cook with 1/4 cup of water over medium heat about 5 - 10 minutes until the rhubarb softens.  Mix in 1/4 cup (or to taste) of sugar.  Push the mixture through a strainer to end with a smooth puree.  To make a rhubarb martini, mix 3 ounces of the rhubarb puree with 2 ounces of vodka in a shaker with ice.   Rim a martini glass with sugar, pour in the martini and garnish with mint leaves.

There were all sorts of problems with the above recipe, most of which were evident at the start.  Thus, here is the recipe I developed:

RHUBARB MARTINI. 
*  12 ounces rhubarb (about 9 stalks), well chopped
*  1 cup water
*  1/2 teaspoon vanilla
*  1/4 teaspoon cardamom
*  1/4 cup sugar (I used Splenda)
     Add the rhubarb, water, vanilla and cardamom in a large sauce pan; cover pan and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the rhubarb is soft.   Use a blender to puree the mixture, then add sugar to taste, about 1/4 cup.   This makes enough puree for about 6 - 8 martinis. 
     To make a martini, add to a shaker:
*  3 ounces of rhubarb puree
*  2 ounces of cranberry juice
*  2 ounces of Absolut Citron Vodka
Shake very, very well... the longer the better.  It will be much colder and the ice will break down somewhat into fine crystals.  Pour into a martini glass and enjoy!

It was about 6:15 p.m. when I sat down to enjoy my rhubarb martini.  The outside temperature at the time was 102º.   Seems that summer has arrived!

HERBS & SPICE - WINE PAIRINGS

The food/wine pairings "widget" in the upper right side of my blog is pretty comprehensive but following is another little "cheat sheet" to help you pair foods with wine.  Of course, for reasons too numerous to list, there are no hard and fast rules for these pairings.

HERB/SPICE WINE PAIR
Anise - Cabernet Sauvignon
Basil - Zinfandel
Chive - Pinot Grigio
Cinnamon - Riesling
Dill - Sauvignon Blanc
Garlic - Sauvignon Blanc
Ginger - Pinot Noir
Nutmeg - Riesling
Oregano - Merlot
Parsley - Cabernet Sauvignon
Black Pepper - Merlot
Rosemary - Sauvignon Blanc
Sage - Chardonnay
Tarragon - Pinot Noir
Thyme - Pinot Grigio
White Pepper - Syrah

RECIPE ARCHIVE

It is time to revamp my site somewhat.  Having a recipe archive doesn't work as well as simply posting the recipes on a regular basis.  Since I am now eliminating the archive, below are the recipes that had been in that tab.  See my new tabs above.  Click on the tabs to enter the new pages.

AFTERNOON PICK-ME-UP TEA. Serves 1. When your energy is low this is an easy "tea".  
Mix together a teaspoon each of grated fresh ginger, honey, and turmeric powder, then stir the mixture into a cup of hot water. Both ginger and turmeric are anti-inflammatory.

CHICKEN a' l'ORANGE. Serves 4. A simple weeknight dish. I served this with couscous into which I added chopped red pepper, onion and garlic. Would be good with wild rice.
* 2 oranges, peeled and sliced into 1/2" rounds
* 2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur
* 2 whole chicken breasts, skinned, halved and boned
* 1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder
* Salt & white pepper to taste
* Grated peel of 1/2 orange (1 to 2 tablespoons)
* Juice of 1 orange (1/3 to 1/2 cup)
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Heat oven to 350º. Sprinkle orange slices with liqueur; let sit at room temperature while chicken cooks. Rub chicken on all sides with curry powder, salt & pepper. Arrange chicken in baking pan. Combine orange peel, juice, honey and mustard. Pour over chicken. Cover and bake about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer. Top chicken with orange slices and cook 2 minutes longer.

CROSTINI WITH PECORINO, HONEY AND ORANGE ZEST.
Cut a baguette into 1/4" slices; brush with olive oil. Arrange on baking sheet and bake in 400ºF oven until crisp. Cut the pecorino into thin slices and arrange on the toasts. Drizzle a small amount of honey over the cheese, and top with fresh orange zest and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.

PINK PEPPERCORN THYME SODA. Makes 8.  Served at Green Zebra Restaurant in Chicago.
* 8 whole star anise
* 2 tablespoons whole pink peppercorns plus additional for garnish
* 1 tablespoon whole cloves
* 3 cups water
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup fresh thyme sprigs plus 8 additional sprigs for garnish
* Ice cubes
* 4 cups chilled club soda
     Toast anise, 2 tablespoons peppercorns, and cloves in small skillet over medium-high heat until aromatic, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Wrap spices in triple layer of cheesecloth; tie shut. Pound with rolling pin to crush spices lightly. Bring 3 cups water and sugar to boil in medium saucepan. Add spices in cheesecloth. Remove from heat; cover and steep 15 minutes. Add 1/2 cup thyme sprigs; cover and steep 10 minutes longer. Strain syrup into medium bowl. Chill until cold. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.
     Fill 8 tall glasses with ice. Divide syrup among glasses. Add 1/2 cup or more to taste soda to each glass. Garnish with thyme sprigs and peppercorns.

ZUCCHINI, CORN AND TOMATO SIDE DISH.   Serves 8.  No work, a lot of flavor, and healthy.
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
* 1 can corn, drained
* 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano (or Mexican style if preferred)
* salt & pepper to taste
Heat oil in pan, add onion and saute until translucent but not browned. Add oregano and zucchini and continue to saute until zucchini begins to brown. Stir in remaining ingredients; heat to boiling; lower heat, then simmer about 15+ minutes until zucchini is tender. Serve.