…from the Happy Hour Bar  How you doin’? I love ice cream! Who doesn’t? There used to be an old fashioned soda fountain in a drug store in West Los Angeles when I was growing up. My ambition at 11-years old was to become a soda jerk.
When we were getting ready to open the first Customs House Restaurant, I changed the bar plan to incorporate a soda fountain with a liquor license, with all the spigots, scoops and ice cream freezers. Now I must tell you bartenders hate frou-frou drinks of any kind—it’s a lot easier to just pour a scotch on the rocks, but our guests loved them. Our menu even include some X–rated cocktails… the Menage a Trois, a Cherry Buster and a Frozen Slippery Nipple. But I digress… So here we are in 2021 and it's a hot summer day and ice cream sounds oh so good. Why not make it more interesting and turn that cool and creamy treat into a boozy indulgence? That's right, it's time to mix up a tempting ice cream cocktail. Many of these cocktails can be blended with fruit, chocolate, and your favorite liquors and liqueurs. Others are soda floats and even easier to make because no blending is required. All are a creamier alternative to frozen margaritas and daiquiris. Ready for summer fun? Let's dive into a few ice cream cocktail recipes. Frozen Kappa Colada Cocktail When you switch from rum to brandy you turn the popular Piña Colada into a Kappa Colada. It's a wonderful change of pace and a brilliant way to enjoy brandy on hot summer days. The Kappa Colada is one of the few frozen cocktails to use brandy. It works very well against the Piña Colada's pineapple and coconut flavor, adding a darker background to the bright tropical fruits. And it is absolutely brilliant frozen. Prep time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cocktail Ingredients 2 ounces brandy 1 ounce cream of coconut 1ounce freshly squeezed lime juice 1/2 cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks, plus more for garnish 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream 1/2 cup ice (generally 3 ice cubes or measure out 1/2 cup of crushed ice) Maraschino cherry, for garnish Directions
ChefSecrets: If the mix is too thick for your taste, add an extra splash of lime juice or cream of coconut. If it's too thin, add more ice or ice cream and blend again. The brandy doesn't have to be from your best bottle. A good mid-range brandy that you'd pour into a brandy Alexander will do just fine. Cream of coconut is a sweetened, richer, and thicker version of coconut cream and the preferred ingredient for Piña Coladas. Rum and Coke Ice Cream Float This is without a doubt one of the easiest ice cream cocktails to make. Ingredients 1-1/2 ounces rum 4 ounces Coca Cola 3 to 4 scoops of vanilla ice cream Directions
Frozen Banana Split Cocktail A banana split is a yummy dessert, but a liquid banana split spiked with chocolate and strawberry vodkas is even better. When you're ready for a tempting, boozy milkshake, look no further than a fun Frozen Banana Split Cocktail. This recipe features two flavored vodkas; it's dominated by chocolate and uses strawberry vodkas as a back note. Add a frozen banana, a splash of pineapple, and a healthy dose of ice cream and you're ready to blend up this liquid treat. It's quite simple. You'll pour the vodkas into your blender, add a whole banana, some pineapple juice, and finish it off with ice cream and milk. Blend it all up and enjoy the creamy taste. Prep time: 5 minutes Yield: 2 cocktails Ingredients 1-1/2 ounces chocolate vodka 1 ounce strawberry vodka 1 medium frozen banana, sliced 1 scoop vanilla ice cream 4 ounces (1/2 cup) milk 1/2 ounce pineapple juice Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and a maraschino cherry on the top. Directions
ChefSecret: Want a thicker drink? Add another scoop of ice cream while it is still in the blender. For a thinner drink, add a splash of milk. Blend it up and continue making small adjustments until it has reached the right consistency just for you. When making frozen cocktails with bananas, it's best if you peel and freeze the banana before adding it to the blender. This creates a slightly creamier drink than you would get from the banana sitting on your kitchen counter. S’mores Boozy Milkshake It's time to indulge in your campfire dreams and there's no need for a fire or to even be outside. This boozy S'mores Milkshake recipe can be enjoyed anywhere and is filled with all the delicious flavors found in those gooey s'mores. To begin, choose your favorite marshmallow vodka and chocolate liqueur. The Drambuie adds a honey flavor that imitates graham crackers, and RumChata puts the "milk" in the milkshake. Add a little ice cream, blend it up, then dress it with toasted marshmallows, chocolate and broken graham crackers. It's a wonderful mix that is anything but boring and is definitely for adults only. Prep time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cocktail ChefSecret: Okay, light a little fire and invite a few friends over and get roasting, toasting and blending. Ingredients 1/4 cup finely crushed graham crackers, for glass rim Chocolate syrup, for optional garnish 1-1/2 ounces marshmallow vodka 1 ounce chocolate liqueur 1 ounce Drambuie liqueur 1/2 ounce RumChata liqueur 2 scoops vanilla ice cream 1 toasted marshmallow, for garnish Chocolate shavings, for garnish Directions
Death by Chocolate This cocktail's name "Death by Chocolate" should clue you as to what's going on inside. Not one, but three chocolate ingredients get whipped up and if you want to add even more, grab a bottle of chocolate vodka. Chocolate ice cream, syrup, and liqueurs pile into the blender for this recipe. Add a shot of vodka (your choice of flavor) and some coffee liqueur for contrast, then blend away. Deck it out with tempting toppings and sit back and taste the magic. This cocktail is guaranteed to kill your sweet tooth craving! Prep time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 to 2 cocktails Ingredients 1 ounce vodka 1 ounce coffee liqueur 1 ounce dark crème de cacao liqueur 2 scoops chocolate ice cream 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup 1 cup crushed ice Garnish with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry Directions
ChefSecret: While the recipe recommends dark crème de cacao, the white version of the liqueur will work just fine. It will not affect the color or taste of the drink. Quip of the Day: “I watch the news every evening and I’m exhausted with how stupid everyone’s getting.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. 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. #Cocktail #IceCreamCocktails #KappaColada #RumAndCokeFloat #FrozenBananaSplitCocktail #SmoresBoozyMilkshake #DeathByChocolate #SummerCocktail #Cheers #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021
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…from the California Kitchen How you doin’? Buckle… what a strange name for a dessert. No, it has nothing to do opening your belt a notch to make room for more Blueberry Buckle. A Blueberry Buckle is called “buckle” because while it bakes the batter rises, but the berries and crumb topping weigh it down causing the surface of the cake to buckle while baking as it rises—make sense? Having said that, it looks very much like a coffee cake. And that works, too…but a “real” buckle has berries and streusel on top.
This recipe comes from a friend who lives in Nova Scotia, Canada where blueberries grow wild and abundantly each summer. It really gets cold up there and this is the kind of fresh-baked coffee cake that makes a chilly morning a great morning. There are lots of recipes for fresh fruit buckles, but this one is my favorite... just cake, berries and crumble topping! Prep time: 15 minutes Bake time: 35 minutes Cooling time: 20 to 30 minutes Yield: 9 servings Ingredients For the cake 1 cup all-purpose flour 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup shortening (I prefer Crisco) 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1/3 cup milk 2 cups fresh wild blueberries (see ChefSecret) For the topping 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened Directions
ChefSecret: I prefer to use wild blueberries if they are available. Wild blueberries are smaller and irregular in size. Farmed blueberries are large and pretty much the same size. If you can’t find either you can try to use frozen blueberries providing that they are thawed and well drained to remove as much of the moisture as possible or your crumble will be wet and soggy. Quip of the Day: "Never in my life would I imagine that my hands would consume more alcohol than my mouth." ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. 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. #Baking #Dessert #CoffeeCake #Blueberry #WildBlueberries #BlueberryBuckle #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 …from the California Kitchen How you doin’? Pork can be a challenging meat to cook, and many people over-cook it out of an abundance of caution. When over-cooked it can have the texture of pig jerky. No one should do that to a beautiful pork tenderloin. It should be a fast, easy, flavorful and delicious succulent dish. The secret is in the marinade. If you’re rushed for time, you can do a quick marinade for only 15 minutes. Got more time? Leave it to marinate overnight. Either way it will produce a wonderful flavor.
I’ll bet you have most of the marinade ingredients in your pantry--light brown sugar, whole grain mustard and back notes of rosemary. That’s all it takes to enhance the flavor from the pork’s rich, meaty notes. Here’s the best part—just ten minutes under the broiler, and it caramelizes and chars, giving the tenderloin a decadent crust, but leaving the inside tender and juicy. No more over-cooked pork in your house! Why do so many people overcook pork? Because of trichinellosis. Pigs used to be raised and slaughtered under less than sanitary conditions. I believe that the forbidding of pork in the kosher diet was the result of illness and deaths caused by the ingestion of undercooked pork from dirty animals. Many Jewish people say it was a commandment from God and written in the Talmud, but there must have been underlying health related reasons for that. Muslims who follow a halal diet believe the same is true. Trichinellosis is uncommon in the United States today. It used to be more common however infection is now relatively rare. During the years 2011–2015 only 16 cases were reported per year. Here are some reasons to keep this juicy pork in your repertoire of recipes. It’s safe and delicious. It’s also a one-pan meal. I usually cook 2 tenderloins and roast some precooked potatoes and Brussel sprouts in the pan with them. You get a nice well-rounded meal, plus plenty of pork tenderloin leftovers. Prep time: 10 minutes Marinade time: 15 minutes up to overnight Cook time: 10 to 12 minutes Rest time: 5 minutes (before cutting) Yield: 4 servings, plus leftovers Ingredients 6 tablespoons light brown sugar 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, divided 2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided 1 tablespoon dry red wine (or port) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (I prefer Wright’s brand) 2 pork tenderloins (about 2-1/2-pounds total) 8 ounces potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 6 ounces Brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved Directions
ChefSecret: I use the top level in the broiler but keep an eye on it to prevent the tenderloin and vegetables from burning. Quip of the Day: “Everyone has told me Covid-19 is part of history. I just wish it was history already!” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. 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. #Entrees #PorkTenderloin #RoastedPotatoes #BrusselSprouts #WrightsLiquidSmoke #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 …from the Happy Hour Bar  How you doin’? It’s Friday--Happy Hour recipe time on the Survival Guide. I wanted to offer something memorable and these recipes are perfect for accomplishing that mission. The drink is the Manhattan Cocktail—a simple mixed drink that satisfies. The garnish is Homemade Maraschino Cherries—something that is perfect for preserving the fleeting summer harvest of sour cherries in a boozy bath of sweet liqueur.
Popular history suggests that the Manhattan Cocktail originated at the Manhattan Club in New York City in the mid-1870s, where it was invented by Iain Marshall for a banquet hosted by Jennie Jerome (Lady Randolph Churchill, mother of Winston) in honor of presidential candidate Samuel J. Tilden. The difference between a Manhattan and an Old Fashioned is that an Old Fashioned is made with whiskey (bourbon or rye), bitters and sugar; a Manhattan is traditionally made with American rye whiskey and substitutes sweet vermouth for the sugar. A "Perfect Manhattan" adds yet another twist—half sweet vermouth and half dry vermouth. Manhattan Cocktail While rye is the traditional whiskey of choice, other commonly used whiskies include Canadian whisky, bourbon, blended whiskey, and Tennessee whiskey. Ingredients 2 ounces American rye or Canadian whiskey, 3/4 ounces sweet red vermouth Dash Angostura bitters 1 maraschino cherry, garnish (homemade cherry recipe to follow) Directions
Homemade Maraschino Cherries The sickest I’ve ever been was at a Boy Scout camp where I was working as a cook’s assistant. I found the Maraschino Cherry Bowl in the back of the walk-in and proceeded to finish about a pound of them. I paid for it over the next 3 days. When I looked at the ingredient declaration, I was surprised at how many ingredients were not familiar to me… one was—formaldehyde--used for embalming dead pithed frogs and over-indulgent cook’s assistants. I felt like I was going to die and wished I had. The solution—make your own Maraschino Cherries. The secret to cinching this recipe, is finding and pitting fresh sour cherries. Sour cherries are more tart, fragile and complex than their sweeter cousins. They also have a particularly short growing season. While frozen sour cherries hold up beautifully for baked desserts like pies and crumbles, they don’t work for “maraschino-ing” cherries—fresh tart cherries yield superior results. To preserve the shape of both the maraschino cherries and your sanity, get a cherry pitter (available at your local market or Amazon) before you begin. Save some of the pits to perfume the boozy soaking liquid with their almondy aroma. Prep time: 1 hour Yield: about Nine (9) 8-oz. Jars. Ingredients 4-1/2 pounds (about 11 cups) sour cherries, stemmed and pitted (pits reserved) 1 750-mL bottle Luxardo Maraschino liqueur Instructions
ChefSecrets: Luxardo has become the gold standard of maraschino liqueurs, so much so that it's uncommon to see a bar without a bottle on a shelf. Luxardo is an Italian liqueur that comes wrapped in an unmistakable straw jacket. It is an authentic maraschino made with an 1821 dated recipe using the Marasca cherry. It is aged for two years in Finnish oak vats. What does Luxardo taste like, you ask? It's sticky and sweet, but it has layers—a hint of alcohol burn, some vanilla and almond sweetness in the background of the cherry fruit and a slight bitter back note that's like licking a cherry pit. Quip of the Day: “Some days the supply of curse words is not sufficient for the situation.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. 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. #Cocktail #HappyHour #Manhattan #Rye #Whiskey #MaraschinoCherries #Luxardo #SummerCocktail #Cheers #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 …from the California Kitchen How you doin? The first time I made Brioche it was at the Cordon Bleu in France. We were told that it was the original “French recipe.” That recipe is like the one included in Julia Child’s book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking II. As I remember it you were supposed to allow two days from start to perfection. These days, I don’t have the time or patience for that kind of baking. For my cookbook, Stolen Secrets, I developed a less time-consuming and less-intimidating recipe that still makes an outstanding Brioche.
Where did this great bread originate? When studying the anthropology of food there are many conflicting stories. It’s not like discovering artifacts in an ancient Egyptian burial vault—it is mainly handed down by word of mouth, generation to generation. And so it is with Brioche. Brioche is believed by some to have been adapted from a classic Norman recipe, but some people argue that it's of Romanian origin, because in Romania there's a very similar holiday bread. In France, The Viennese Bakery made this bread well known. I personally believe that Brioche is a bread of French origin that is similar to a highly enriched pastry whose high egg and butter content gives it a rich and tender crumb. It is best described as light and slightly puffy, more or less fine texture, according to the proportion of butter and eggs. It has a dark, golden, flaky crust, frequently highlighted by an egg wash applied after proofing and before baking. The high fat and protein contents of these ingredients is what makes the bread so special. Brioche is considered a Viennoiserie because it is made in the same basic way as bread but has the richer aspect of a pastry because of the extra addition of eggs, butter, liquid (milk, water, cream, and, sometimes, brandy) and occasionally sugar. Brioche, along with pain au lait and pain aux raisins—which are commonly eaten at breakfast or as a snack—form a leavened subgroup of Viennoiserie recipes. Brioche is often baked with fruit or chocolate chips and served on its own, or as the base of a dessert with many local variations of added ingredients, fillings, or toppings. This recipe is versatile enough to make doughnuts to dinner rolls and everything in between. Prep time: 30 minutes Proof time: 1-1/2 to 2 hours Bake time: 20 minutes for minis and 30+ minutes for the loaf Yield: Makes about 1 dozen 3-1/2-inch brioches or one 9-inch loaf. Ingredients 1/4 cup warm whipping cream (about 105°F) 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1 package active dry yeast 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 3 large eggs at room temperature 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted and cooled 2 large egg yolks 2 tablespoons whipping cream Directions
ChefSecret: The word “Viennoiserie” is French for “things from Vienna.” It is described as a whole category of pastry that includes croissants, pain au raisins and brioche. These products, traditionally associated with France, tend to bridge the gap between boulangerie and patisserie in traditional pastry school philosophy. Quip of the Day: “Quarantine taught me why dogs get so excited about something moving outside and going for walks and car rides. I’ve now taken to barking at squirrels climbing trees.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. 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. #Baking #Brioche #Bread #Rolls #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 |
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Copyright © 2021 Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC | Henderson, NV 89052 | 310-477-8877
Copyright © 2021 Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC | Henderson, NV 89052 | 310-477-8877