mizchef

posted by admin on Aug 6

August 6 is National Root Beer Float Day, and if you have a sweet tooth, there’s nothing easier than a root beer float. There are some fancy schmancy recipes out there that call for eggs, vanilla extract, and some other ingredients, but the original, and purest, recipe calls for only two ingredients: vanilla ice cream and root beer.

mccormick.com

Ice cream sodas in general were invented by Robert M. Green in 1874, when he ran out of ice for his sodas and decided to use ice cream instead, hoping it would pass unnoticed. Needless to say, it went over pretty well. Credit for the root beer float is generally given to Frank Wisner of Cripple Creek, Colorado. The story goes that he was drinking a glass of root beer and the full moon illuminating the snow-capped Cow Mountain inspired him to drop some vanilla ice cream into the root beer, which is why it’s also sometimes called a ‘”brown cow.”

So here is a simple, but excellent, recipe for a classic American root beer float.

Root Beer Float

Vanilla ice cream
Root beer

posted by admin on Jul 11

Chicagoans, sadly, have had to say good bye to Trader Vic’s, the original tiki bar palace. The Chicago Tribune reported it on July 6. Victor Bergeron opened his Polynesian-themed restaurant in Oakland, CA, in 1936 and in 1944 created what would become the quintessential, iconic island drink: the Mai Tai.

The tiki concept, wildly popular in the 1940s through the 1960s, began a shame-filled descent into cheese-land and many of the Trader Vic’s locations have closed over the last several decades.However, it seems that tiki-themed restaurants and bars are returning to reclaim their cheesy glory!  There are 14 in New York City alone. And for you nostalgia-lovers out there, there are still Trader Vic’s restaurants to be found, from Sarasota, FL, to the United Arab Emirates, and even in Kiev, Ukraine, where it’s called the Mai Tai Lounge. For a list of locations, go to the Trader Vic’s website HERE. And I am not ashamed to admit that I own a copy of Trader Vic’s Tiki Party.

So, in honor of Trader Vic’s, as Chicago bids a sad aloha ‘oe to it, here is Trader Vic’s original Mai Tai recipe. Just in time for summer. Enjoy!

Trader Vic’s Original Mai Tai

2 ounces 17-year-old Jamaican rum
1/2 ounce orgeat (almond syrup)
1/2 ounce orange curacao
Juice of one fresh lime
1/4 ounce simple syrup*

Lime slice for garnish

Sprig of mint for garnish

1. Shake ingredients and pour into an ice-packed glass.
2. Garnish with lime and a sprig of mint.

Makes 1 serving.

*Simple Syrup

posted by admin on Jul 3

Hey, all. I just wanted to wish you all a safe and happy Fourth of July. Let’s all try to remember how lucky we are to live in a country where we can stand up for what we believe in and demand our rights as human beings. Sometimes it takes a while to get those rights, but nothing can stop us from fighting for them. People in some other countries are not so lucky. In many countries, groups of people are abused and oppressed–women, children, “minorities,” and even entire populations by their own governments.

We have a long way to go in this country but I’m grateful every day that I, as a woman, am allowed to vote, hold office, pursue the job of my choice, can wear whatever I please, and have legal recourse if any of my rights to the above choices are violated. The extent of those rights and the success of any legal action can be argued, but at least I’m not forced to walk around in a burqa.

On that note, have a great holiday. Here are some Fourth of July recipes from

FoodNetwork.com

FoodNetwork.com. The one below is for a Watermelon Cooler by Paula Deen. Enjoy!

Watermelon Cooler

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds (4 cups) sliced seedless watermelon, rind removed
• 1 cup lemon sorbet
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• Watermelon wedges and mint, for garnish

Directions

posted by admin on Mar 25

Hi, all. This past week at school we had bean and grain practicum, as well as the Biochemistry of Fats and Oils. That was exactly what it sounds like—a science class. We learned about carbon chains, hydrogen atoms, and double bonds. What does any of that have to do with cooking? Well, that all lead into the construction of fatty acids and what makes them saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated, and what causes a fatty acid to become a trans fat (hydrogenation). Science was never one of my best subjects, so my brain hurt a little bit from all this information. But I can sleep at night now that I know the molecular structure of a trans fatty acid. J

Anyway, a couple of weeks back, a classmate brought in a batch of homemade kombucha, which generated interest in some of the other students. Another classmate got really excited because she’d found a source to get an organic kombucha starter culture (called a “Scoby” and also referred to as a “mushroom” or “mother”) for a really good price. Most starters will run from about $20 to $50. Local Harvest has them for $12.95 each, including shipping. If you’re not up to making your own, it’s also available commercially.

For those of you who don’t know what kombucha is, it’s a “living” beverage made by fermenting tea with sugar and a starter culture. Seedsofhealth.co.uk describes the flavor as “something between sparkling apple cider and champagne.” It’s been around for centuries and is believed to originate in either East Asia or Russia. It’s known to have many beneficial health properties, and two things that it’s considered particularly good in fighting are cancer and candida. Some people have touted kombucha as a miracle beverage.

Once you have your kombucha, you can drink it straight or use it in recipes. Here’s one for Kombucha Banana Strawberry Smoothie, courtesy of DrinkHealthyDrinks.com.

Kombucha Banana Strawberry Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces orange juice
• 4 ounces Kombucha tea.
• One piece of fresh Kombucha colony (sized to palate)
• 5-6 large fresh strawberries
• 1-2 large banana

Blend all ingredients at high speed in your blender until smooth.

For more detailed information about the history and health benefits of kombucha or how to make your own, go to

Mayo Clinic

Kombuchacultures.com

Seeds of Health

Wikipedia

posted by admin on Aug 20

Hi, gang. Well, here it is, August 20, and I’m left wondering where the summer has gone. Despite the fact that this was one of the hottest seasons in recorded history—according to some sources, the hottest—I haven’t complained too much because, all too soon, the freezing cold will be upon us. Well, unless you live in a warm climate, which I don’t.

This week, I was on a lychee kick. An Asian market near where I work had bags of beautiful, colorful lychees and I simply had to have some. But other than eating them straight out of hand, I didn’t know what to do with them. They are yet another food item that I did not grow up with and only became familiar with at the end of some Chinese meals. So, I set out to find some good lychee recipes. But first, a little info…
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posted by admin on Jul 31

Hi, gang. How’s everyone’s summer? I know, I know. Hot. Apparently, it doesn’t matter where you live—it’s just hot. When it gets really bad for you, just remind yourself of the long, cold, bitter winters we’ve been having and maybe the heat won’t bother you as much.

Anyway, if you’ve visited my blog before, you know that I like to pick up random things sometimes and just give them a go. Well, this time it was soda. Specifically, Goya coconut soda. To some of you, it may sound strange. To others, it may sound yummy. It’s kind of both.

This coconut soda is part of Goya’s line of tropical soft drinks, and like other Goya sodas,  it comes in a long-neck bottle and has a rather tropical (of course) logo. It gives you (okay, me) the illusion that you’re drinking a beer. It’s clear in color and lightly carbonated.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, but how does it taste? Like carbonated, sweetened coconut water. And like coconut water, the coconut flavor is very light, rather than overpoweringly “coconutty.” For people who like natural coconut flavor, I think you’ll like this. For those who like a strong coconut flavor, it may seem weak. The nice thing about it is that it’s not overly sweet, either.

Don’t misunderstand me. When I say “natural coconut flavor,” that doesn’t mean that it’s a natural soda. Nope. It still has high-fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors. I’m not a big soda drinker and it wouldn’t be the first thing I’d reach for, given a choice of beverages (I’d much rather drink alcohol). But I do enjoy a glass of cola with lime once in a while, and the occasional experiment with something “exotic.” To people in the Latino community, coconut soda is hardly exotic, but coming from a culture (Italian) that doesn’t use coconuts that often in its cuisine, I consider it unusual and different. Next on my Goya list is guaraná and cola champagne.

So, that’s it for this week, my friends. I hope everyone has a great (and comfortable) weekend. Ciao for now.

posted by admin on Mar 26

Hi, kids. Hope your week was good. It’s time to plan spring and summer trips and things to do.

If you ever find yourself in Boulder, CO, consider a tour of the Celestial Seasonings factory. Yes, the tea company.

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posted by admin on Jan 8

Hi, all. I hope that the first week of the new year has been good to you. I know a couple of people who have lost people very close to them this week, so my heart goes out to them. It’s not an auspicious way to start the year, but one can hope that things can only get better from here.

Let’s get drinking…

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posted by admin on Dec 19

Hi, gang. Well, the holidays are upon us. This past week was Hanukkah and this coming week is Christmas. Then, on December 26, begins the 7 days of Kwanzaa. Whether you celebrate one of these holidays or the winter solstice or nothing at all, we’re all confronted with the same thing: lots and lots of food. We have those family dinners to attend and/or have our own gatherings. And even if you avoid both those events like the plague, chances are that you have to attend your company soiree. So, very few of us escape the trap of delicious, tempting food.

www.countryliving.com

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posted by admin on May 15

You might think from the title of this blog that I’m some kind of lush. Far from it. I advocate safe, responsible drinking. I’m often the designated driver and I always check to make sure friends are in the proper condition to drive. I also respect recovering alcoholics’ need to stay away from the stuff.

Having said that, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with enjoying the occasional libation. And with the resurgance of cocktail culture and the emergence of the mixologist—which is basically a bartender schooled in chic and complex drink making, versus a bartender, who may not know what to do with Chartreuse (a liqueur made in France by Carthusian monks) but will make you a wicked dry martini—you can really have a lot of fun trying out all different kinds of concoctions, from wild and crazy to sophisticated and classy.

Join the party…
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