… from the Happy Hour Bar How you doin’? As spring turns to summer with hotter weather on the way, it’s now open season for backyard barbecues, lounging by the pool or just sitting outside on the porch swing to watch the sunset. Of course, warmer weather calls for an updated bar menu, so here are a couple of cocktails to get you started. Get into the summer Spirit! Summer breezes call for more refreshing drinks and you will want to stick to clear spirits. This doesn’t mean you can’t have brown spirits (dark rum, whiskey), but be aware of the downsides. Being out in the heat and sweating can already make you dehydrated and drinking any alcohol without enough water can lead to hangovers or worse. In case you didn’t know, darker spirits are more likely to provoke longer and more severe hangovers the next day. Calorie-wise, there isn’t any significant difference between dark or clear liquors. The caloric content of any hard liquor is mainly a function of the liquor’s proof. Since 1 gram of alcohol contains 7 calories, the higher the proof, the higher the calorie content. If you’re watching calories for your diet, you’re better served by paying attention to your mixers, which usually are filled with sugar and empty calories. Here are a couple of tried-and-true drinks that we’ve all heard of. These are familiar to most people, require only a few ingredients, and are quick to make. While they may not satisfy a curious professional mixologist, they can still provide a lot of refreshment for your lazy summer weekends. Although this is traditionally a gin drink, there are some who prefer vodka. With vodka, this drink tastes mostly of the grapefruit juice, while the gin version has more depth and complexity (if you like gin, of course). Although not an especially common drink, it’s simple to make and is bright and refreshing for sipping outside on a hot summer day. The Salty Dog is a variation on this drink with salt on the rim. Ingredients 2 ounces gin 1 tablespoon coarse salt (for glass rim) Ice cubes 4 ounces grapefruit juice 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 spring of thyme (for garnish) Directions
Dark and Stormy (It’s Hurricane Season Down South) Although most of these drinks use clear spirits, this one is an exception. The Dark and Stormy is made with dark rum, but don’t let that scare you away. It’s a great drink for sitting out on the porch and listening to a summer thunderstorm roll through. This is also the easiest drink to make since no real mixing is involved. Ingredients 1/2 ounce lime juice 4 to 6 ounces ginger beer 2 ounces dark rum 1 lime wheel (for garnish) Ice cubes Directions
Paloma Paloma is Spanish for “dove,” and while the margarita may be the most famous tequila-based cocktail, it’s not necessarily the only one or the best. Grapefruit soda may seem an odd ingredient in a tequila cocktail, but the citrus works well with tequila and the carbonation gives it a wonderfully light bubbly effervescence. Ingredients 1 tablespoon coarse salt 2 ounces Blanco tequila 4 to 6 ounces grapefruit soda (Fresca, Jarritos or Squirt are the most popular brands) 1 teaspoon lime juice Ice cubes 1 lime wheel (for garnish) Directions
ChefSecret: When salting a glass rim, use coarse margarita or kosher salt. Quip of the Day: “It’s summer and time flies when you’re having a good time. Remember, there are only 27 weeks, 3 days until Christmas.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading. #Cocktail #HappyHour #SaltyDog #Greyhound #DarkAndStormy #Paloma #Rum #Gin #Tequila #SummerCocktail #Cheers #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021
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… from the California Kitchen How you doin'? This recipe is “Shreveport-style” stuffed shrimp because I believe this style originated in the kitchen of the Freeman & Harris Café in Shreveport. That gives these stuffed shrimp appetizers historical significance--Hey, mom—I’m making history. All of this is to say that these are more than just fancy shrimp. They’re history on a plate. A very delicious history. When you go to Shreveport, you’ll find stuffed shrimp can be a little different from restaurant to restaurant. However, there is a little historical argument as at least three restaurants that claim to be serving the “original, correct recipe.” So now I will add to the complications and add my own touch—bacon. Bacon-Wrapped Crab-Stuffed Shrimp will knock your socks off! Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 40 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 finely chopped green onion, top and bottom 1/4 cup finely chopped red, yellow or orange bell pepper 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 2-1/2 teaspoons heavy cream 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1/8 teaspoon cayenne 1/4 cup breadcrumbs 1/8 cup mayonnaise 1 large egg 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 pound crab meat pieces 8 extra colossal shrimp, peeled, de-veined, tails on 8 slices bacon, thinly sliced basil cream sauce (recipe below) Directions
For the basil cream sauce 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1/2 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/4 cup diced onions 1/4 cup white wine 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon chicken or lobster base (I prefer Better-than-Bullion) 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon roux, (see ChefSecret) To make the basil cream sauce
ChefSecret: Roux is roux: the ratio is always the same—1 part flour, 1 part butter and that doesn't change. As with all Mother Sauces, roux is the thickener used in bechamel and how much of it you use depends upon how thick you want the sauce to be. I called out thinly sliced bacon to wrap the shrimp—the thinner the better. This ensures that the bacon will become cooked sufficiently—the flavor will be better, too. If you can’t find can’t find extra colossal sized shrimp, go down to the next size and increase the number of shrimp (and crab patties and bacon slices) for each guest. Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “This pandemic has the tendency to prematurely age people. You know you’re turning into your parents when one minute you were young and fun, and the next you’re turning down the music to see the road better.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading. #Appetizer #CrabStuffedShrimp #BaconWrappedShrimp #Crab #Shrimp #Bacon #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 …from the California KitchenHow you doin’? There’s no business like food business or so it plays on Broadway. Maybe they’re referring to show biz, but I’ve done both businesses and food is a lot more fun. One of the things I really love is that when you travel to a foreign and somewhat exotic country you can be immersed into the indigenous foods of the region, including taking cooking classes. In Thailand, Joan and I took cooking classes at the Bangkok Oriental Hotel to learn new Thai cooking techniques. You may have thought that curry dishes were just found in India, but that’s not so. The first evidence of curry was recently discovered in India, dating back to around 2500 B.C., but curries can be found in many different countries. The word "curry" is actually an Anglicized version of the Tamil word "kari." As settlers and traders came to India from as far away as Japan, China, Portugal, Spain, and France, they disseminated recipes for curry throughout southeast Asia, each with a different national twist. There are many different Thai curry techniques. Thai country curry is boiled with a little water to open the spicy flavors; it is a lighter, soupier curry. The city curry is fried with a little oil to bring out the full flavor of the curry spices and produce a thicker curry, but it’s not that simple. Thai people refer to dishes that are known as "Thai Curries" in the Western world as kaeng. The first Thai dictionary from 1873 CE (2416 in the Thai Buddhist calendar) defines kaeng as a watery dish to be eaten with rice and utilizing shrimp paste, onions or shallots, chilies and garlic as essential ingredients. Coconut milk was not included in this definition and many Thai curries, such as kaeng som and kaeng pa, do not feature it. Curries in Lanna (northern Thai) cuisine, with only a few exceptions, do not use coconut milk because coconut palms do not grow well there, if at all, in the climate of the Thai highlands. The spiciness of Thai curries depends on the amount and kind of chili used in the making of the paste. Even within one type of curry the spiciness can differ widely. Although "kaeng" is defined as being watery, the thickness of the sauce can vary considerably by the preparations from broth-like to that of a thick stew. It can even be a completely dry dish. Dry curries, dishes which are stir-fried with a curry paste, are phat phrik khing and khua khling. Kaeng som and keang pa are the more broth-like curries. Matsaman and kaeng khua resemble stews. Ho mok (a fish curry "soufflé"), kaeng kradang (curry aspic from northern Thailand) and noodle dishes such as khanom chin nam ngiao are also seen as Thai curry dishes as they all use curry pastes in their preparation. Most curries are eaten in combination with long-grained jasmine rice in central and southern Thailand; with sticky rice in northern and northeastern Thailand; and with noodles such as khanom chin (fermented rice noodles). Certain curries can also be eaten with roti, the Thai version of the Indian-style fried flat bread from Malaysia called roti canai. Curries in Thailand mainly differ from the curries in Indian cuisine in their use of ingredients such as herbs and aromatic leaves over a mix of spices. My Instant Pot Thai Red Curry chicken is a quick and delicious version with chicken, onions, and bell peppers. Enjoy it hot over jasmine rice. If you like, add Thai basil leaves for additional brightness. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Natural release time: 10-20 minutes Yield: 5 servings Ingredients 1 tablespoon cooking oil 2 tablespoons red curry paste, or more to taste 1-1/2 pounds thin, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips 1 (14 ounce) can unsweetened light coconut milk 1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce, or more to taste 1 tablespoon palm sugar 1 cup sliced yellow onion 1 cup sliced red bell pepper 1 cup sliced yellow bell pepper 1 cup sliced orange bell pepper jasmine rice for serving Thai basil for garnish Directions
ChefSecrets: If you prefer a thicker curry, add only a half can of coconut milk. If you are using thicker chicken breasts, thighs or duck legs, increase cooking time to 4 to 6 minutes. Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “I’ve been shopping more on the internet than ever before. The hardest part of the transaction is getting my fat butt off the couch to get a credit card to pay for it.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading. #Entrees #InstantPot #ThaiCurry #Chicken #OrientalBangkok #Red Curry #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 …from the Happy Hour Bar How you doin’? When summer days become endlessly hot and muggy, those of us who enjoy an “occasional” summer cocktail often reach for lighter spirits such as gin, vodka and the ubiquitous rosé. But warmer weather doesn't mean your American whiskey needs to get relegated to the back of your bar cart. No, not ever! There are countless summertime bourbon cocktails that you can mix up. American Bourbon is very versatile and the whiskey of choice for many drinkers, so it's no wonder that it makes an appearance in so many impressive recipes. From iconic drinks like an Old-Fashioned to new recipes that explore interesting flavor pairings, there are many ways to enjoy your favorite bourbons. Here’s one that’s “almost” Hawaiian. Aloha! Cocktail prep time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cocktail Ingredients 3⁄4-ounce pineapple juice 1⁄2-ounce coconut syrup 1⁄2-ounce fresh lime juice 1⁄2-ounce Green Chartreuse (yes, it is archaic, but it works) 1⁄2-ounce Linie aquavit 1⁄2-ounce American Bourbon 1⁄4-ounce Velvet Falernum 3 dashes Angostura bitters Pineapple fronds or pineapple spear, to garnish Directions
ChefSecret:
Quip of the Day: “Despite what you think, insanity does not run in my family. It strolls through, taking it time getting to know everyone personally.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading. #Cocktail #HappyHour #PinaColada #Bourbon #Chartreuse #LinieAquavit #VelvetFalernum #AngosturaBitters #SummerCocktail #Cheers #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 …from the California Kitchen How you doin’? As you know by now, I’m an Instant Pot aficionado, but even I never realized you can make a great steamed burger in the Instant Pot. In some parts of the country, this may not seem the least bit strange. But for the rest of you, a steamed burger sounds just plain weird. If you’ve ever had a White Castle burger… it was steamed! If you’ve ever been to a burger joint where they put a lid on the grill to melt the cheese, you’re getting a steamed burger. Instant Pot Hamburgers are so easy to prepare at home and compare well to those famous burger chains that make steamed burger patties. Instant Pot burgers are simple and fast and are a great option for those who don’t have backyard grills or don’t want to clean a messy stove top or oven broiler. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients For the Instant Pot 1-1/2 cups water (for a 6-qt. pot) For the meat block 1-pound ground beef (80/20) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional) 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons liquid smoke (Wright’s brand) For the burger builds—build to your taste 4 hamburger brioche buns 4 slices American cheese (I like the way it melts) 4 tomato slices lettuce (shredded or whole leaves) Other toppings (as desired) Thousand island dressing BBQ sauce Mayonnaise Ketchup Mustard Directions
9. Carefully remove the patties from the pot using tongs. Then let them rest for 5 minutes before you unwrap them. 10. Unwrap them on a plate to catch the drippings, add the cheese atop the burger so it melts while you’re preparing your bun with condiments. Then build your burger with all your favorite toppings! ChefSecret: Here are some handy secrets for making hamburgers in the Instant Pot. You can figure, the thicker the patty, the longer the cook time. If you like very round patties, they will need to cook a couple minutes longer than thinner, flatter patties—if you like a very thin patty, you should reduce the cook time a little. Making a thumb sized indent in the center of one side of the burger patty helps reduce puffing up as well as shrinkage. Planning a party? This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. Quip of the Day: “I went to see my doctor this morning. “Someone decided to graffiti my house last night!” I raged. “So why are you telling me?” the doctor asked. “I can't understand the writing,” I replied. “Was it you?” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to send a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading. #Entrees #InstantPot #Burgers #Cheeseburgers #BriocheBun #WhiteCastle #Condiments #WrightsLiquidSmoke #AmericanCheese #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 |
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