Mission Accomplished!

Hello, Babies. Welcome to Earth.

Welcome Jasper Elliott Prince

September 29, 2008

Congratulations Seth and Amy!

Riversong Ginger Crinkles

I don't have a sweet tooth.

True, I might have asked - ok, begged - Seymour to hit the neighborhood bodega in search of dark chocolate ice cream just the other night. True too, that I almost wept this morning to discover the neighborhood Starbucks is dealing in Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate. But generally I'm happiest with a crisp little baguette slathered in sweet cream butter.

How then to explain my constant and cruel craving for Riversong Ginger Crinkles? Perhaps it's an effort to usher in those crisp Autumn days that - in today's 90 degree heat - seem so far away. Whatever the reason, it was a pleasure to spend the morning baking - and the afternoon sharing - my efforts (and a box of new crop apples) with some local seniors.

For the record, I think these are the best ginger-molasses cookies around. I found the recipe, wedged between two wooden beams, while working as a camp cook in Alaska. Fueled by these cookies, strong coffee and growing, um, respect for wild brown bears, I spent my Alaskan nights reading the books my mother sent and watching the river float by.

RIVERSONG GINGER CRINKLES

These spicy gems are the perfect accompaniment to Lemon and Mascarpone Gelato. Be sure to let them chill before baking as that is the key to a picture-perfect crackle. They will keep for two weeks in an air-tight mason jar.

1/2 pound of butter
1 and 3/4 cups of granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup molasses
2 and 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 and 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
sugar in the raw for rolling

Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt together in a medium bowl.

Cream the softened butter and sugar together in the bowl of a mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add egg and beat until it is incorporated into the butter mixture. Add the molasses and continue beating until the butter is an even light color, 30 seconds more. Add the dry ingredients all at once, beating slowly to make a soft, smooth dough. The dough will be very soft. Cover the dough and put it in the refrigerator until firm, about 20 minutes.

Pour some raw sugar into a small bowl. Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, portion the dough into equal amounts then roll them, by hand, into balls. Roll the balls in the raw sugar and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Be careful! These cookies will spread during baking. Put them back in the refrigerator and let them chill again, about 20 minutes.

Bake in a 375 oven until the tops are crackly and the insides are still soft, about 15 minutes.

Give Her Even the Fruit and She Swings

With a nod to Sweet Potato Queens everywhere, the ladies of GLUPEC chose the Sazerac as February's cocktail of the month. Courtesy of Gumbo Pages, GLUPEC offers you this Sazerac primer. Cheers!

The History. It is said that this drink was invented by Antoine Amadie Peychaud, a Creole apothecary who moved to New Orleans from the West Indies and set up shop in the French Quarter in the early 1800s. He dispensed a proprietary mix of aromatic bitters from an old family recipe, to relieve the ails of his clients, and around the 1830s he became famous for a toddy he made for his friends. It consisted of French brandy mixed with his secret blend of bitters, a splash of water and a bit of sugar. Before long, the demand for this drink led to its being served in bars throughout the city (euphemistically called "coffee houses" in those days).

Around 1870, a gentleman by the name of Thomas Handy took over as proprietor of the Sazerac House, and the primary ingredient was changed from cognac to rye whiskey. Eventually the now-banned absinthe has been replaced by the locally-produced pastis called Herbsaint (although you may substitute Pernod).

The Drink. This is an absolutely exquisite cocktail. As you sip it, you come across layer after layer of flavor -- the warmth and glowing burn of the rye, effused with the flavors of spice and honey, the bite of the bitters balanced with the sweetness of the sugar, with the subtle yet complex flavor of the anise underneath and the perfume of the lemon oil from the twist feel like a symphony inside your mouth. This is also a drink that warms up well, revealing even more flavors. Sip it very slowly. Savor it. Take your time with it.

The Recipe. 1 teaspoon of simple syrup, 3 - 4 dashes Peychaud's bitters, 2 ounces Old Overholt Rye whiskey, 1/4 teaspoon Herbsaint (or Pernod), and a twist of lemon.

The Method. Pack a 3-1/2 ounce old fashioned glass with ice. In a cocktail shaker, moisten the sugar cube with just enough water to saturate it, then crush. Blend with the whiskey and bitters. Add a few cubes of ice and stir to chill. Discard the ice from the first glass and pour in the Herbsaint. Coat the inside of the entire glass, pouring out the excess. Strain the whiskey into the Herbsaint coated glass. Twist the lemon peel over the glass so that the lemon oil cascades into the drink, then rub the peel over the rim of the glass; do not put the twist in the drink.

The Verdict. Perfect winter treat. Five out of five shots.

True to the Mission

Once upon a time, somewhere back East, some Classy Ladies got together and poured themselves a drink. From that drink, and some cocktail gossip, LUPEC was born.

"In a post millenium world of beer and prepackaged Chex Mix, LUPEC (LADIES UNITED FOR THE PRESERVATION OF ENDANGERED COCKTAILS) works tirelessly to breed, raise and release cocktails that are endangered or even believed to be extinct. The collecting on anachronistic recipes by women, and the resulting creation of endangered cocktails in an all woman setting is intended to achieve the following goals: Create a secular "coven-like" atmosphere in which Classy Broads of today can invoke and honor the spirits of their Forebroads; To continue the 150 year American tradition of dangerous women calling themselves Ladies and getting together in groups, clubs and societies to work undercover while they chipped away at the patriarchy; To protect the collective Joie de Vivre of LUPEC members by assuring them at least one good party a month; To encourage the accumulation and use of vintage serving and barware."

Thirsty, and inspired by LUPEC's heroism, an intrepid group of Northwest Ladies have decided to follow in their footsteps. We are true to the mission and dedicated to the cause. However, we also realize that sometimes the consumption of alcohol brings with it a fierce case of "Hey Cowboy-itis" (the female equivalent of Beer Goggles) and we should take precautionary measures, lest we lose our single sisters to the Reel 'Em In Tavern and it's happy hour buffet of chicken and jo-jo's. So we let the boys play, and call ourselves GLUPEC to honor our (as of yet non-existent) constituency of Gentlemen. The meetings are not yet monthly (what do you expect from a group whose main focus is the consumption of alcoholic beverages?), but the broads are classy, the drinks strong and there are always delicious, high-fat nibbles to soak up the sauce.

Coconut Curry Macadamia Nuts

Each year, well after the first snowfall, the staff of The Asylum for Indigent Bohemians find themselves making preparations for the annual holiday party. These preparations involve much more than moving ping pong tables and hanging the proverbial boughs of holly; the staff must also gather, en masse around a cold basement table, to wager on how much beer will be purchased for the party by the Warden and, more importantly, determine how they can beat the townsfolk to it. This is more difficult than it might at first seem, for the Warden is crafty and aspires only to create a frosted mug illusion of plenty. No actual beer should be consumed to the point of pleasure.

At the Asylum, my job was to provide party vittles substantial enough to thwart the Warden's ability to detect beer consumption and to fuel the post-party trip to the local pub. The repast of choice for beer drinking schemers? Nuts! Coconut Curry Macadamia Nuts to be exact.

You could, I suppose, open a copy of Martha Stewart's latest, 'Appetize This!' (or what have you), to get a recipe, but do you really want to offer your lovies party edibles from a convicted felon while celebrating the birth of Jesus? No, you don't.

I suggest, instead, you use my recipe. It's tastier by way of more salt (to make you thirstier for beer) and more sugar (to fuel that holiday hangover). Also, it doesn't require parchment paper because, let's face it, this is a recipe created for delinquents and delinquents don't do parchment.

To start, mosey down to your local grocers and come home with the following:

macadamia nuts (enough to satisfy)
unsalted sweet cream butter
brown sugar

fleur de sel

madras curry powder (or your own blend)

cayenne pepper (if you dare)

flaked coconut

beer (lots)

Home from the store? Put on some music, pop open a beer and preheat your oven to 325. Yes, I know Martha says 350 but I'm telling you it's 325. On the stove top, in a small pan, melt the butter. How much? Enough to barely coat all of the nuts you bought - - let's say one quarter of a stick for 5 cups of nuts. To the butter, add a couple spoons of curry powder. You want to do this because curry loves fat and fat loves curry. They make eachother sing. Stir it around a bit until the room smells like a Bollywood set. Throw your nuts in a bowl (*insert rude joke here*), and then the butter/curry mixture on top. Mix well. Really, really well.

Now, the tricky part . . . you want to add some brown sugar, but it's gotta be soft and (real important) you have to add a little bit at a time and mix well after each addition (actually, I'm not sure this is so important but I felt like I needed to be official and it's what I do so proceed at your own risk). Again with questions? I'd say about one quarter of a cup of sugar will do you right. Add the coconut, and a bit of cayenne if you are so inclined, and mix it up. Spread on a baking sheet lined with foil and throw it in the oven. Toast the nuts until the smell starts to drive you crazy with desire (about 15 minutes - stirring on occasion). Sprinkle with fleur de sel, cool and enjoy.

Martha says her nuts last one week in an air-tight container. Possibly. But mine are better and if you don't trade 'em for cigarettes, I'd say two days tops.

Be Still My Heart

We're So Glad You're Here Sweet Adeline!