Weekly Dish

Here in the Northern hemisphere, I think it’s safe to say that it’s hot everywhere. Southern Louisiana is certainly no exception. Salads are great and all, but I find myself in need of better ideas to help me (and anyone I happen to invite over for dinner or deck-sitting) keep cool, particularly ideas that come in the liquid and alcoholic variety.

So, I’m asking for your help. I’d like to compile a running list of favorite summer drinks as a reference, and I’ll keep it posted here in case anyone else is interested. If you’ve recently posted about a cool, refreshing beverage and you’d like me to include your link, you can leave a comment or send an email to weeklydish AT gmail DOT com. Tell me who and where you are, where you blog, what your drink is called, and at what permalink we can find it, and I’ll add your favorite beverage to the list.

So far, I’ve tried:

Kate’s Thai Mojitos: These will knock your sweaty little socks off! I had to omit the ginger because the piece I found hiding in my crisper was moldy and sadly had to leave us. Even without it, these are refreshingly herby and not-too-sweet. (Pie in the Sky, New York City).

Sweetnick’s Frozen Lemonade Cocktail: If you have any frozen strawberries left from strawberry season (or if you’re lucky enough to still get fresh ones), I highly recommend this yummy frozen drink for the poolside. (Sweetnicks, New Jersey).

UPDATES:

Another cocktail in a pretty color comes courtesy of Erin: she mixes the juice of blood oranges, mint, and vodka to make a gorgeous (and quite potent-sounding) Minty Citrus. I love all of the herbs that keep appearing in these recipes, especially since my little herb garden out back is overflowing! (Erin’s Kitchen, Los Angeles)

Please take note of Alotta Errata’s comment about her chocolate-banana smoothie! What a perfect cool and delicious lunch without much fuss. I think I’m having one tomorrow. (Melissa writes Alotta Errata from–and I quote–”West of the middle of suburbia, Connecticut.”)

Jenn, a writer in Solana Beach, California, recommends a Brazillian cocktail called a caipirinha. I’ve never had cachaca, the spirit the recipe calls for, so I’m intrigued! Check out Jenn’s comment below for further instructions on making this a perfect drink. (Jenn blogs at aka JeSais, and the recipe comes from Maria’s Cookbook at Maria-Brazil.)

I love the idea of strawberry and basil as a flavor combination, and Vanessa has created a drink that features both. Her Strawberry Basil Baumers not only sound like a delicious addition to any party, but they’re such a pretty pink that I can only imagine how well they would compliment a little black dress. For a simpler pink cocktail, Vanessa also recommends pink lemonade and rum. (Vanesscipes, Williamsburg, Brooklyn)

Alanna, at A Veggie Venture, offers us a lovely virgin beverage in a delicious shade of green. I am completely intrigued by her Cucumber Lemonade and must make some immediately. Who doesn’t have an abundance of cucumbers this time of year? What a perfect way to use them up! (A Veggie Venture, St. Louis, MO)

Sangria!: Mooncrazy over at Peanut Butter Etouffee makes a mean pitcher of sangria with an extra kick of brandy and fresh fruit. Several people have been on a quest for a perfect sangria; I can’t wait to try this version. (The three women of PBEtouffee write coast to coast, from southern California to Florida).

Megan in Paris has posted a classic French take on cool and refreshing: Kir and Kir Royale, an easy and classy way to dress up an ordinary glass of wine or champagne. Plus, it makes for such a pretty color! Also, check out Megan’s instructions for how her husband makes a perfect gin and tonic. (Chez Megane, Paris, France)

WARNING: VERY CHEESY HUMOR TO FOLLOW.

Blame it on the Mardi Gras vacation we’ve enjoyed this week, or the silly star-struck-ness that I feel towards the Academy Awards (or perhaps on the drink you see above…), but David and I decided on a whim yesterday to throw ourselves an Oscar party. This is sort of a tradition for us–last year, I even dressed up in an old bridesmaid’s dress (because my close friends sometimes read this blog, I won’t disclose which one!) and a plastic tiara to cook our party food and enjoy our evening with the stars.

I’m a total sucker for the Hollywood glam, and David and I are both movie fanatics, so I guess it’s no surprise that we watch the Oscars every year. This year, though, we’re taking our celebrating to a whole new corny level. And for some reason, I felt inclined to share our corniness with you. So, without further ado, I present the evening’s menu, and the recipe for the dessert cocktail pictured above.

To kick off the evening, we shall be having Constant Garden Salad, for which no illegally obtained pharmaceuticals will be used. We promise. For the main course, Brokeback Ribs glazed with a Chipotle-Marmalade sauce will be accompanied by Pimp’d Out Sweet Potatoes (the kind that someone like Terrence Howard might sing about). For our dessert cocktail, a Chocolate Mint Crash Martini demonstrates that liquor of all shades can reside in harmony.

And, the recipe for the martini represents my first-ever contribution to Weekend Herb Blogging over at Kalyn’s Kitchen. Please give a big round of applause for…

Chocolate Mint!

To make the Crash Martini, you will need:

1 ounce of heavy cream
1 ounce of caramel or chocolate flavored cream liqueur, like Cask and Cream or Godiva
1 ounce of vanilla vodka
2 or 3 sprigs of chocolate mint

Smash the mint leaves and vodka together with the handle of a wooden spoon or other blunt instrument (I’m sure there’s a proper bar tool for this). This process, of infusing the mint into the vodka, is called muddling, I’m told. Let the minty vodka sit while you prepare the rest. In a martini glass, pour in the cream first and then the cream liqueur, carefully so that the colors mingle but don’t mix entirely (this requires a bit of a steady hand). Remove the mint leaves from the vodka and top off the martini with the vodka. Enjoy and try to concentrate on how well those flavors get along. Hopeful, isn’t it?

This is really more like dessert than a cocktail, but I bet it would make a fabulous addition to ice cream or coffee too.

The rest of tonight’s recipes are to follow next week…stay tuned!

I grew up in a house where medicine was practically non-existent. My mother believed in the power of orange juice to cure a sore throat, a Sprite-and-crackers diet to get rid of a stomach bug. Looking back, it seems as if food cured many ailments–if I had a bad day at school, we baked cookies. If I broke up with a boyfriend, I ate mint-chocolate chip ice cream for dinner…or breakfast. Often, when I was in college, my mom would drop off homemade muffins just to say she missed me. 

Perhaps in light of my upbringing, then, food for me has not only the power to sustain, but also to heal, to comfort, and to cheer me up. People in the South often talk of “comfort food,” and this time of year, when the outside world starts to appear lifeless and cold, I find myself standing over the stove to warm myself and my husband with the healing power of food.

This week, I offer recipes that I have turned to at one time or another for comfort, either for me or for a loved one, in hopes of spreading food’s magical, healing power. Of course, in order for these recipes to be effective, you must also sprinkle in a healthy dose of care and love. Believe me, people can taste it.

This first recipe belongs to my mom. Anyone that has ever been to her house in the winter knows about Mom’s Spiced Tea. For as long as I can remember, she kept this warm drink on hand during the cold months to offer to guests and to drink on dreary afternoons. When David and I were dating, it became a running joke: whenever he came to visit, she offered him spiced tea until he finally said yes (sometimes 4 or 5 times in the course of 1 visit!). He eventually learned just to accept on her first offer, for his drinking spiced tea was inevitable.

Since we’ve been married, I have followed her tradition of keeping this warm drink on hand. This very day, you’ll find a big pot of it on my stove, and late in the afternoon, David and I will probably take a break from our studies, and let ourselves be rejuvenated by Mom’s Spiced Tea.

Mom’s Spiced Tea

4 quarts water

2 cinnamon sticks

2 dozen whole cloves

3 family-size or 7 regular tea bags

3/4 - 1 cup sugar

1 46-ounce can pineapple juice

1 12-ounce can frozen orange juice

1 12-ounce can frozen lemonade

Fill a large stock pot with the water, and add the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Bring to a boil, and boil for 15 minutes. The aroma of this step alone is worth making the tea! Add the tea bags, turn off the heat, and steep, covered, for 15 minutes. Sweeten with the sugar (I usually end up adding closer to a whole cup, but I add 3/4 to begin with and then taste after I’ve added the other ingredients. You can always add more later), stirring to dissolve. Turn the heat to low, and add the juices, stirring to combine. At this point, you can taste it and adjust the sweetness. I leave it in the pot on my stove because our house is old and drafty, so it stays very cool. If you live in a well-insulated house, you may want to refrigerate it. To serve, just reheat and stir well (all the pulp settles to the bottom). It has been known to cure many a cold in my family, but that could be purely psychological. Which is fine by me.