Bloody Mary Burrata – An Experiment in Liquefying Salads

I don’t think there’s actually a difference between a liquid salad, and a cold vegetable soup, but if there is, I’d like this Bloody Mary Burrata recipe to be considered the former. Especially since I already posted a gazpacho this summer. But regardless of what you call this strange hybrid, it really was delicious, fun to eat, and very refreshing.

I was recently gifted some homemade Bloody Mary mix by a couple of new friends, Clayton and Linda-Marie, which unfortunately I haven’t been able to enjoy yet. However, the combination of seeing that on the counter, along with a tub of burrata cheese in the fridge, led to this rather odd attempt. While the Bloody Mary part of the equation completely dominated the tomato and mozzarella salad element, I still found this thoroughly enjoyable to eat, which at the end of the day, is all that matters.

I’m not exactly sure how best to serve this, but a small portion as a starter would seem to make the most sense. Or, maybe a larger serving, paired with a crusty hunk of bread as a brunch item. Vodka sold separately. So, whether you’re going to take this idea and run with it, or you’re just going to do the first part, and make some real Bloody Marys, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions of Blood Mary Burrata:

2 pounds fresh vine-ripened tomatoes

1/3 cup sliced celery

1/4 cup sliced hot or mild red peppers

1/2 clove garlic

1/2 cup water

juice of one lemon

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, or to taste

2 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste

2 tablespoons hot prepared horseradish, or to taste

2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

For Service:

1 cup Blood Mary Burrata base

2 ounces burrata cheese, or fresh mozzarella

sliced olives, celery, and cherry tomatoes to garnish

freshly grated horseradish root for the top

freshly ground black pepper and olive oil to finish, optional

-->

Beer Floats – Fizzy Insult or Carbonated Classic?

Depending on whom you talk to, making ice cream floats with beer is either a genius idea, or a horrible mistake. In fact, I remember hearing one food writer describe a local beer float tasting as “fizzy insults,” which is a clever phrase, but not necessarily true, if the pairing is done properly.

The key is to choose a beer that’s on the toasty, malty, sweeter side, and stay away from beers that are too hoppy, dry, and bitter. But fair warning, even using a sweet, mellow brew, this is quite a different experience, which is why I suggested having some regular root beer around, just in case.

As far as the ice cream goes, there are as many flavors as there are choices of beers, but the safest, and probably most effective option would be plain, old vanilla, especially if using a fruit-infused brew. The exception to that would be if you were pouring a dark beer that features chocolate and coffee notes. In that case, a chocolate or coffee ice cream might be just the thing.

But no matter what beer you decide to pair with which ice cream, I’d make a small test glass first, to make sure it works for you and your palette. And if it doesn’t, don’t feel bad, since you’re still going to be eating ice cream and drinking beer, just not together. Either way, I really do hope you give these beer floats a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for an Ice Cream Beer Float:

1 cup of appropriate beer (something sweet and/or fruity, but not too bitter, dry, or sour)

1/3 cup vanilla ice cream

-->

The Perfect Margarita, According to Me

Mastering the Margarita requires a certain amount of practice, which is the good news and the bad news, but once you dial-in your perfect ratio, it’s a really easy cocktail to replicate. The classic recipe is three parts tequila, two parts triple sec, and one part freshly squeezed lime juice, and you should probably start off pretty close to that, but my personal favorite proportions are 4-3-2, as you’ll see listed below.

For the best results, be sure to use fresh ice, and of course fresh limes, as well as a nice bottle of triple sec, like Cointreau. That’s my favorite, but if you browse other recipes, you’ll see there are many fine choices. You’ll also want to use a decent white tequila, like the Don Abraham's Single Estate Blanco Tequila I enjoyed, but having said that, feel free to use one with a shorter name.

The other big tips here are shake your cocktail mixer until frost forms on the outside, and then strain it over fresh ice. The ice we use to make the drink will melt too fast in the glass, and so a large, still frozen cube is the way to go. By the way, Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow, so check those ice cube trays before bed.

So whether you’re going to make these for the 5th of May, or another time this summer when you feel like sipping on one of the most refreshing, and delicious adult beverages ever invented, I really do hope you give this Margarita a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 1 Perfect Margarita:

2 ounces white tequila

1.5 ounces triple sec

1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice

1 thin slice of lime

- Some like to add a dash agave nectar for a little extra sweetness, but I do not.

Horchata – No Tigers Were Harmed in the Making of this Drink

When it comes to delicious, unique, and refreshing summer drinks, it’s hard to beat horchata. There are countless ways to make this, but my preferred method is easy, relatively quick, and doesn’t require any tigernuts, whatever those are.

Apparently, that’s what the original Spanish version contained, among other things, but we’re doing a Mexican-style horchata, which is done with rice and almonds. The result is something that sort of looks like milk, but is much lighter, and pairs perfectly with all your favorite summer foods. I know, summer’s almost over, but not here in San Francisco, where our hottest weather is just ahead.

Depending on your tastes, you can alter the amount of sugar, as well as the ratio between rice and almonds, but what you can’t alter is the need to strain this before serving. Unless you like gritty drinks, you’ll want to pass this through a very, very five sieve, multiple layers of cheesecloth, or both. I hear a plain white, cotton t-shirt also works nicely, but I’ve never tried.

As you saw, I tested a nut milk bag, which allowed a little too much sediment through for my tastes, but regardless, do not skip this step. It’s especially important if you’re not leaving the mixture to sit overnight, since the particles won’t have as long to soften. Other than that, there’s not much that can go wrong, and I really do hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes about 2 quarts of Horchata:

1 cup long-grain white rice

1/4 cup raw almonds

1 cinnamon stick, or 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup white sugar

7 cups cold fresh water (4 cups to blend rice, 3 cups added after)

ground cinnamon to garnish, optional

Note: Once blended, let sit overnight before straining, if possible. This way the water has plenty of time to leach out the goodness from the rice and almonds. The four-hour method does work, but you don't get quite the same flavor. Along the same lines, many horchata "experts" actually prefer to not blend immediately, but rather let the mixture sit overnight to soften, before blending the next day. If you like how this comes out, feel free to experiment, and test for yourself.

Homemade Sports Drink – Because Greaterade > Gatorade

Michele was listening to sports radio a while back, and heard a story about how the Golden State Warriors, also known as the greatest basketball team in history, had banned Gatorade, and other similar drinks from their gym. 

Knowing that the latest science shows drinking large quantities of sugar water is a terrible idea for your body and brain, they started making their own “sports drink,” featuring Himalayan pink salt.

My first thought was, “That’s soooo Northern California,” but the more I thought about it, the more I realized what a great idea that was, and it inspired this video for what we’re calling, “Greaterade.” All the ingredients in this are easy to find, and the whole procedure only takes minutes. Really, the only “work” involved is coming up with the perfect formula for your own personal tastes.

The amounts given here will get you very close to the commercial stuff, although it will not be as sweet, so feel free to experiment. With apologies to the big drink companies for all those lost sales, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 9 cups of Greaterade:

8 cups fresh cold water

3 tablespoons honey, or other sweetener to taste

1/2 teaspoon fine *Himalayan pink salt (mine was coarsely ground, so I used a rounded 1/2 teaspoon), or sea salt (or any pure salt)

3/4 teaspoon calcium magnesium powder (this is the one I used)

pinch cayenne

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 lemons, juiced

2 limes, juiced

* Note: this is NOT the pink salt we used for the ham video

Homemade Instant Hot Chocolate Mix – Special Last Minute Edible Christmas Gift Idea!

So, you didn’t exactly get your Christmas shopping done early this year. In fact, it’s Christmas Eve, and you haven’t started yet. Well, you’re in luck, because there’s such a thing as this homemade instant hot chocolate mix. We really shouldn’t be rewarding you for procrastinating, but that’s exactly what we are doing here. 

Not only is this stuff way better tasting, and contains no “how do you pronounce that?” ingredients, but it also takes just seconds to make, and you may already have everything you need in the pantry. Just make sure one of those things is a very high quality cocoa powder.

I’m linking to the same exact Dutch-processed “cocoa rouge" that I used here, so that you can get all the particulars, and hopefully find something very similar. The better the cocoa, the better the hot chocolate. Or is it hot cocoa? Either way.

By the way, this will be the last video of the year, and we’ll be taking a little break until the New Year. Whether it includes homemade hot chocolate or not, I want to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! And, as always, enjoy!

Makes enough for about 20 cups of hot chocolate:

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon fine salt

pinch of cayenne

- Use 2 tablespoons per cup of hot milk

Christmas Eggnog – Maybe I Do Like It

I’ve never been a big eggnog person, and that’s putting it kindly. It’s too thick, too sweet, and way too artificially nutmegy. I even did an anti-nog tweet recently, just for a few cheap, seasonal laughs, but then I realized I was being unfair to this iconic Christmas drink.

I was basing most of my hating on the stuff in the carton from the supermarket, which features no booze, and a nutrition label you seriously don’t want to read. The homemade stuff I’ve had was significantly better, and so I decided to film this rather easy process, since I get so many requests this time of year.

This recipe does feature raw egg whites, so there’s a very, very tiny chance of a foodborne illness. If you’re concerned, please feel free to use pasteurized eggs, or Google, “how to safely use raw eggs,” or just make something else.

Freshness is the key here. The freshest eggs, milk, and cream you can get, and don’t even think about using pre-ground nutmeg. Maybe this recipe will be the one that finally has you going out to buy that jar of whole nutmeg and grater, but it really is the key. I hope you give this luscious liquid custard a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 6 servings:

(recipe based on Alton Brown’s famous version)

For the custard base:

4 egg yolks

1/3 cup white sugar

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

cook to 170-180 F. , then add;

2 to 3 ounces bourbon whiskey

3/4 teaspoon freshly and very finely grated nutmeg

For the meringue:

4 egg whites

1 tablespoon white sugar

- Add meringue to cold custard base, mix, and chill until very cold. Whisk thoroughly before pouring.

Chef John’s "Sunset" Michelada – I Only Refer to Myself in the 3rd Person When I Drink

About halfway through this video production for how to make a Michelada, I realized I was getting paid to drink beer, which made the experience that much more enjoyable, and that’s saying a lot.

This spicy, savory, tangy, amazingly refreshing beer-based cocktail is considered one of the best hot-weather, adult beverages ever. I’ve heard it described as “Bloody Mary meets Mimosa,” which makes me never want to go to brunch again, but it’s also kind of accurate.

While that may not sound like something you would enjoy, most people do, and very much so. And the hotter it is, the more they enjoy, both literally and figuratively.  There’s something about how that slightly bitter, effervescent beer works with the sweet-sour-spicy profile of the other ingredients.

Even though they may seem like odd additions, things like the soy and Worcestershire are very important here, since they bring savoriness, or “umami” as the foodies would call it, to the drink.

I would never wish a horrendous heat wave on anybody, but, if one were to come your way, I hope you give this delicious, and restorative, Michelada “beertail” a try soon. Enjoy!

For Each Michelada:

lots of ice

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp hot sauce or to taste

1/8 tsp soy sauce

juice from half a lime (use other half to rim glasses with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and chili pepper)

1/4 to 1/3 cup tomato juice or homemade vegetable juice (see below)

1/2 bottle ice-cold Mexican lager (6 oz)

lime slices to garnish

For the vegetable juice (makes about 3 cups):

2 pints sweet cherry tomatoes, washed, drained

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

salt and pepper to taste (unless you use a ton on the rim like I did)

Coconut Oil Coffee?

My friends at Allrecipes.com posted this very intriguing video for what they’re calling “Coconut Oil Coffee.” As some of you may know, I’ve recently admitted to having a coconut oil and coconut milk obsession, so I really want to try this, but before I do, I thought I’d find out if any of you have tried this strange brew yet. Well, have you? If so, I’d love to hear what you thought. I’ll probably try it anyway, but thought it’d be fun get some of your opinions first. Thanks in advance!

Beast Mode Vodka? I’ll Take an Anchor Steam!

My friends at Allrecipes.com created this unique drink to celebrate the Seattle Seahawks, their garish team colors, and their borderline-insane running back’s favorite candy. Seattle is well known for having the loudest, craziest fans in the league, and if this drink catches on, it will certainly prove the later.

I live in San Francisco, and will be rooting for the Niner’s, so there won’t be any of this freaky fluorescence flowing at my Super Bowl party, but if you are a ‘Hawks supporter, I invite you to watch the video and give “Beast Mode Vodka” try. That way, if your team loses, at least you’ll have a horrible hangover to look forward to! Enjoy!

Watermelon Agua Fresca – It’s Like Water, But Fresher!

“Agua Fresca” translates to “Fresh Water,” which is kind of funny, since it’s made mostly from fresh fruit. Sometimes I do extensive research into why something has a certain name, but this time, because it's too nice to stay inside surfing on a computer, I’m just going to speculate.

I’m guessing that back in the day before modern plumbing and refrigeration, water may not have always been the best tasting beverage around. Drinking wine and beer all day is a fantastic alternative, but not necessarily when you have things to do, and empires to build.

So, they took some stale, tepid water, and freshened it up with some nice cold, sweet fruit. You have to admit, that sounds pretty plausible. Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. The bottom line is, there’s really nothing quite as restorative and refreshing on a sweltering summer day. I hope you give this delicious agua fresca a try soon. Enjoy!

To make 2 quarts Watermelon Agua Fresca:

5-6 cups freshly scooped watermelon

2 cups cold water

enough simple sugar syrup to sweeten to taste (recipe as follows)

Simple Syrup:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

(you can make any amount by simply using a 1 to 1 ratio, and heating until the sugar dissolves)

View the complete recipe

“Red Hot” Liqueur – Nicer AND Quicker

There’s an old Valentine’s Day saying that goes, “Candy is nicer, but liquor is quicker.” It’s really a lovely sentiment, but implies you have to choose one or the other. Hopefully this beautiful and delicious homemade cinnamon liqueur will prove that you can use both.

This is dead simple to make, and I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious it came out. As I mention in the video, the candy’s spicy cinnamon flavor and sweetness really mellows the burn of drinking straight 80-proof booze. This makes for some very smooth sipping, but at the same time demands at least a modicum of restraint.

I enjoyed mine neat, but imagine this would be great over ice, maybe with a splash of soda. I’m also wondering how it would be in a mug of hot cider, and by wondering, I mean obsessed with finding out. Stay tuned.

I’d like to extend a very special thanks to my friend, and fellow food blogger, Sean Timberlake. Sean publishes Hedonia and Punk Domestics, and he’s the one who turned me on to this brilliant elixir. His only request was that I use the knowledge for good, and not evil. Sorry, too late!

Anyway, giving edible gifts like chocolate is very traditional on Valentine’s Day, so why not a drinkable gift? And if you do decide to bottle some up, don’t forget your own customized warning label, as it will really show how much you care. I hope you and your Valentine give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes about 2 1/2 cups of “Red Hot” Liqueur 

1 cup Red Hots candy
2 cups cheap vodka

Affogato and the Magic of Cold Brewed Coffee

Michele and I are still in steamy Chicago, where the temperature is about 95, but the humidity makes it feel more like the sun. Man, could I go for an iced coffee right about now. I’ve been interested in trying this cold-brewed coffee technique for a while, but it was this lovely post on An Edible Mosaic that moved me into action.

Of course, the glamor shot (formally referred to as the “money shot”) is of an Affogato – the ultra-simple, Italian coffee dessert – but the real star here is the amazingly easy iced coffee concentrate recipe.

Apparently, since the flavors are extracted without heat, the results are a smoother, less acidic, less bitter product, which supposedly offers a purer coffee experience. All I know is that it made the best tasting iced coffee I’ve ever had. This would’ve been a complete success just for that fact alone, but that it also made possible this incredibly refreshing affogato, puts it way over the top.

You can use the coffee concentrate straight on ice cream or gelato, or dilute it with an equal part water for iced coffee. Of course, the purists will tell you that affogato is made with hot espresso, but the cold coffee works really well. The ice cream melted more slowly, and seemed to be even creamier than the standard technique.

Anyway, this only takes about five minutes to make, there are no special tools or equipment needed, and one taste is all you’ll need to become a believer like me. I hope you give this a try soon…while it’s still hot. Enjoy!

Cold-Brewed Coffee Concentrate (makes about 2 3/4 cups)

3 cups cold water

2/3 cup very freshly ground coffee (I used the medium grind on my espresso machine)

*Mix water and coffee in a large glass container. Cover and let it sit at room temperature for 12 hours. Strain though coffee filter or paper towel, and serve!

For the Affogato:

1 or 2 scoops vanilla ice cream or gelato

as much coffee concentrate as you like (I like equal parts)

shaved dark chocolate

Cold Strawberry Soda on a Hot Summer Day

Michele and I are still mid-remodel, so this easy, breezy, strawberry syrup recipe was a welcomed addition to the video schedule. I have my friend Jen Yu from Use Real Butter to thank for that, since it was her gorgeous post that inspired this answer to all those “summer drink” food wishes I’ve been receiving lately.

Jen publishes one of the best blogs around, and if you want to see how this beautiful beverage should really be photographed, check out her original post. Jen's fine food blogging prowess is only eclipsed by her photography skills. Speaking of which, don’t miss her photos of the recent eclipse!

I can’t think of many summer drinks this wouldn’t be great in, but for me it doesn’t get any better than a simple strawberry soda. Give me a big icy pitcher of this blush brew, an Adirondack chair, a little SPF 100 for my bald spot, and I’m ready to happily take on any heat wave. Of course this is only going to be as great as the strawberries you use, so bide your time until you come across those perfect pints.

By the way, the long-lasting aroma that will envelop your home is so enticing, so heady that the syrup almost seems like an added bonus. Michele walked in just as the berries had finished simmering, and couldn’t believe how wonderful the flat smelled. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Strawberry Syrup (makes about 1 quart)

Original recipe from Marisa McClellan’s highly regarded Food in Jars.

2 lbs very ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
3 cups cold water
2 cups white granulated sugar

Chocolate, Egg, and Cream? Fuggeddaboutit!

This chocolate egg cream video was inspired by our recent trip to New York City, where my wife Michele and I enjoyed them on several occasions. As I watched the expression on her face while she sipped this unique treat, I knew I had to film a quick how-to as soon as we returned.

Contrary to the name of this New York City soda fountain classic, chocolate egg creams do not contain any eggs or cream. What is does contain is Fox's "U-bet" chocolate "flavor" syrup.

This uniquely American ingredient hails from Brooklyn, New York, and despite the picture of the woman on the label (why is she looking at me like that?), I love the flavor of this syrup. If you can't find it, I'm sure a certain brand from Pennsylvania will do just fine.

Along with the chocolate come the simple additions of milk and seltzer water. The magic of this drink is how the minimalist design produces such a rich, yet refreshing chocolate beverage. In fact, one of the reasons the beverage was so popular in its time, it was considered a cure for indigestion!

There are all sorts of arguments about the origins of this drink (when it comes to sports and food, New Yorkers do seem to enjoy a good debate), but most chocolate soda fountain drink historians think this was invented somewhere in Brooklyn, in the 1920's.

The technique is very simple, and as I suggest in the video, you'll want to adjust the trio of ingredients to the ratio that you find most satisfying. Some prefer this very light and frosty with extra milk, others go for the darker, flatter and richer.

Enjoy!



Ingredients per glass:
1-2 oz chocolate syrup
1-2 oz cold milk
8-10 oz very cold seltzer water

As the Night Falls at the Chateau de Grey Goose

The media cannot live on heritage breed meats and sustainably farmed vegetables alone. While I was primarily in Aspen to collect and share content regarding the all-star line-up of chefs, and their dizzying array of food, it was a perfectly made cocktail that may have left me with my most enduring taste memory.

The cocktail was called As the Night Falls, and was being served exclusively at Chateau de Grey Goose, Grey Goose Vodka's beautiful Aspen lair. I was invited to a cocktail party to meet its creator, François Thibault (pictured here with Dimi Lezinska, left), and taste the intriguingly named concoction.

In the spirit of full-disclosure, let me say that I'm not a vodka drinker, nor do I regularly frequent cocktail parties. My wardrobe and personal style pair much more naturally with beer, but as I stood in front of the marble bar watching my As the Night Falls being muddled, measured and mixed, I was getting genuinely excited to taste this drink.

It was love at first sip – a delicious combination of Grey Goose L'Orange vodka, fresh grapefruit juice, and an exotic spice blend, including ginger and pink peppercorns. As I tipped the frosty glass for a second sip, François asked me what I thought.

It's moments like that where I really wish I spoke French, so I could have given him a compliment worthy of this brilliant formula – but I don't, so I said, "it's really good, I like it." Stupid English.

Happily, Grey Goose was mixing drinks at events and parties throughout the Food & Wine Classic, and thanks to my As the Night Falls experience, I consumed not a single beer. Thanks to François, and his French vodka, I had become a cocktail party guy.

Anyway, below I've included the recipe for the As the Night Falls, as well as another cocktail I had a few of (five), called the Pear Flower. I don’t know if I'll be running out to buy the box set of Sex in the City anytime soon, but thanks to Grey Goose and François, I have decided to expand my drinking horizons.

If you have any questions you can check out Grey Goose's website site which has lots of recipes and information. Enjoy!

Grey Goose L'Orange As the Night Falls

2 parts Grey Goose L’Orange Flavored Vodka
1 part white grapefruit juice
2 coriander (cilantro) leaves
7 red peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp white sugar
Small piece of ginger
whole star anise to garnish

Add the peppercorns, ginger, and cilantro to the bottom a cocktail shaker. Muddle slightly (means to crush a bit with a blunt wooden dowel) to release the flavors in the spices. Fill the shaker with ice and add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and shake vigorously. Double strain into chilled coupette or martini glasses. Present a whole star anise floated on top to garnish. Learn French (optional).


Pear Flower

1 1/2 parts Grey Goose La Poire Flavored Vodka
1/2 part St. Germain® Elderflower Liqueur
3/4 parts freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1/3 part freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 part sugar syrup
very fine granulated sugar

Rub a lemon wedge around the rim of a cocktail glass. Roll the moistened glass in the sugar. In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients. Shake well and double strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a pink grapefruit zest.

Making Margaritas for Fun and Profit

When I was in culinary school, I worked at a Mexican restaurant called Casa del Sol (Spanish for Casa "of" Sol). I was a line cook, but on weekends the owner let me get some extra hours working behind the bar on the restaurants outdoor patio (you can see the umbrella in the old photo below).

I didn’t have any bartending experience, but luckily 95% of the orders were for beer, simple mixed drinks, and the Casa del Sol's famous margarita. The food was very, very good - the owner had actually sent the chef down to Mexico for a month before opening to taste the real thing - but, the restaurant's claim to fame was its perfectly concocted margarita.

Like many bars that feature the margarita as the signature drink, the recipe was a secret. Not only was the recipe a secret, but the owner, Harry Tucker, would make the mixture across the street in his home, and carry over a bucket to the bar when needed.

It was quite a show (done intentionally, no doubt) - we would "run out" of margarita mix, and everyone would sit, wait, and watch, as the mix-master himself walked across the street to return a few minutes later with a 5-gallon bucket of his secret potion. Sloppy clapping and drunken hoots of joy would fill the air. Good times.

Here is my "secret recipe" for margaritas, presented in a video recipe I recently did for About.com. Remember, I can't embed the video, so when you click on the video, a new window will open. Enjoy!

Casa del Sol Photo (c) bunksplace.com