Red Velvet Stout & Champagne Cocktail …from the Happy Hour BarHow you doin’? Sadly, the 2020 Oktoberfest (in Munich) was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic and according to the official Oktoberfest.de website, it is cancelled again this year for the same reason. What a shame for beer lovers throughout the world. You may not know it, but Oktoberfest strangely starts in September, however, when Oktoberfest began in 1810, it did take place entirely in October—from the 12th to the 17th. As the festival got larger and longer, the starting dates were moved into September because the days were longer, and the weather was warmer. The festivities still end on October 17th with a horse race. Germany's passion for well-made, delicious beer is well-known the world over. Many German brewers still make beer in accordance with the Reinheitsgebot (Beer Purity Law) of 1516, which states that beer may only be made with water, barley, and hops. The existence of yeast was unknown at the time. It wasn’t until 1993 that brewers were legally allowed to add yeast and malts to their beers. If you are planning on celebrating Octoberfest in the U.S., you might get lucky and find one of these top German beers in your favorite pub, corner tavern, nearby bar or in the comfort and safety of your own home. If you can’t locate some of the beers here in the States, you can purchase some of the beer-drinking paraphernalia offered from these companies. Germans are renowned for their beer for good reason, and any trip to Germany is incomplete without a sampling of these top 10 brews. 1. Weihenstephan Hefe Weissbier Hefeweizen, a cloudy, Bavarian-style wheat brew, tops the list of beers to try. A light, yeasty sweetness (which some liken to bananas or bubblegum) makes it an extremely refreshing beer to drink before a meal or with a light dinner. As the oldest brewery in the world, Weihenstephan has been producing phenomenal hefeweizens since 1040. 2. Erdinger Kristall Erdinger is the world’s largest wheat beer brewery, and Kristall is one of its best-loved beers. A crystal-clear version of the traditional Hefeweizen, Kristall is the perfect thirst quencher on hot summer days. Serve it with a lemon wedge and enjoy after a long bike ride. 3. Spaten Oktoberfest Traditionally brewed in March and served in Autumn, around the Oktoberfest celebration, Spaten Oktoberfest is a sweet, brown beer with a mildly malty taste and roasted notes. It’s surprisingly crisp for such a sweet beer but has a round, earthy finish. Spaten’s Oktoberfest is only available from August until October or November. 4. Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier This beer is a little harder to find than most, but it’s well worth it if you can snag a bottle. The Schlenkerla brewery, located in the hills of Bamberg, was founded in 1405 and still brews this sweet, malty beer. Its distinctly smoky aroma — reminiscent of leather or even beef jerky comes from exposing the malt to intense, aromatic beech smoke. You can best enjoy a glass with a hot meal served in the brewery’s beer garden when travel permits. 5. Paulaner Salvator Doppel Bock Paulaner is a major player in the German beer world, and their Doppel bock is a fine example of this bottom-fermented beer. Darker and richer than a regular bock, Doppel bock is full of big flavor, but still clean, with aromas of toasted spice, caramel and burnt sugar. Dark barley malt gives it its characteristically malty taste. 6. Schneider Weisse Aventinus Eisbock Eisbock is a type of beer made by freezing off a portion of water in the brew and removing it. The resulting beer is super-concentrated, increasing its body, flavor and alcohol content. The Schneider Aventius is heavy and malty with nutty, caramel notes and a hint of ripe plum. It pairs extremely well with buttery cheeses like brie or gouda, as well as with chocolate. 7. Augustiner Hell Despite the name, this isn’t a place bad people go to roast, but an extremely cool beer made by the oldest brewery in Munich. Mild, sparkling, refreshing and dry, this easy-to-drink beer is a go-to for city dwellers, who grab a bottle from the local Späti (late night store) and wander the streets before heading to a party. 8. Gaffel Kölsch If you’re ever in Köln (Cologne) (one of my favorite cities), you’ll see patrons at numerous outdoor cafés ordering round after round of Kölsch, a light, refreshing beer brewed only in and around the eponymous city. Less bitter than a pilsner, Kölsch is moderately hoppy and gently fruity. Don’t be surprised at the small 200 ml glasses in which it’s served — that’s the only way you’ll get it. 9. Berliner Kindl Weisse A classic summer drink in Berlin, Berliner Weisse is a tart, tangy beer which gets its characteristic flavor from deliberately soured grains. It’s traditionally served in a large, boule-like glass and often colored green with a shot of sweet woodruff syrup or red with raspberry. 10. Radeberger Pils A classic German pils in every way. This palatable beer is clean and refreshing and makes a nice, easy accompaniment to any meal. A predominant hop flavor gives the beer a verdant, herbal finish. Though there’s nothing out of the ordinary about this beer, it’s on the list for this reason because even the most standard of German beers is made to such high standards. German beers are great, but you will be able to find some great artisan beer right here in the America. Small boutique breweries have pop up all around the country. Most of the brew pubs also offer German Octoberfest foods as a special treat. When you're get tired drinking boots full of beer, I've got a simple and delicious cocktail that will help keep you in the spirit. Red Velvet Champagne Cocktail This velvety smooth sparkler is topped with stout beer then finished with a pinch of ground espresso and an orange twist as a garnish. Full of chocolatey notes from the beer, this tasty concoction could be a stand-in for dessert. Prep time: 2 minutes Yield: 2 cocktails Ingredients Sparkling rosé wine or pink Champagne Stout beer Small pinch ground espresso Orange twists Directions
ChefSecret: You can substitute a pinch of instant espresso powder instead or ground espresso beans—but just a small pinch. Quip of the Day: Get some roosters for eggs and raise some bulls for milk... then you’ll discover gender matters. Especially around milking time.” ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- 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 #Oktoberfest #Rose #Champagne #Stout #Espresso #Cheers# QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021
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…from the California KitchenHow you doin’? The things you learn about people. Joan and I have been business partners for over 30 years and I never knew she was so “hot” for Orzo--anything with Orzo. When you think of pasta you usually think of it as a culturally Italian food—it isn’t! It is a close relative to ancient Asian noodles. The more common belief about pasta is that it was brought to Italy from China by Marco Polo during the 13th century. How did the ancient Romans survive without spaghetti? The truth is that noodles predated Marco's trip to China. One might suggest that Pasta al Limone is a classic, simple, comfort pasta dish made with lemon juice, butter and Parmesan cheese. Joan’s recipe gets a fresh look substituting orzo instead of the spaghetti, resulting in a dish that’s somewhere between a risotto and macaroni and cheese. Orzo cooks very quickly so you must be careful not to overcook it. You want to cook it just below al dente so that it doesn’t turn into a big pot of goo. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 1 lemon (for zest and juice) 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 1 cup orzo 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 cups water (or chicken stock) 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about), plus more for serving 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling Directions
Quip of the Day: “People will give all kinds of advice on how to live to 100. You may be able to live to be a hundred if you give up all those things that make you want to live to be a hundred.” ------------------------------------------- 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. #Entrees #Orzo #Parmesan #Italian #China #MarcoPolo #Microplane #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 …from the California Kitchen How you doin’? Are you dying for a little afternoon chocolate fix? My Chocolate Ganache Mini Tarts are a chocolate lover’s dream. I make a homemade flaky crust—not store bought—and fill it with an irresistible chocolate ganache that’s so easy, you won’t believe it. Chocolate Ganache Mini Tarts are perfect for almost anytime you have a chocolate craving. And so seriously easy, it will become your go-to chocolate dessert recipe. While any tart crust works, yes, even store-bought, this decadent, chocolate mousse-like filling and flakey, tender crust make this tart very special. Be sure to coat hands well with flour when putting the dough into the pastry cups. Prep time: 30 minutes Bake time: 20 to 25 minutes Tart Cool time: 5 minutes Chill time: 20 minutes Yield: 24 mini tarts Ingredients For the flaky pastry 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 3 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 cup all-purpose flour For the ganache filling 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream For the optional garnish Whipped cream, fresh raspberries and confectioners' sugar Directions To make the tart shell
Quip of the Day: “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you'll ever know.” ------------------------------------------- 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. #Desserts #Baking #Chocolate #ChocolateGanache #ChocolateTarts #SemisweetChocolate #MilkChocolate #Snacks #Sweets #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 …from the Happy Hour Bar How you doin’? Goodfellas is a 1990 American biographical crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Nicholas Pileggi and Scorsese, and produced by Irwin Winkler. It is a film adaptation of the 1985 nonfiction book Wiseguy. The movie starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino, narrates the rise and fall of mob associate Henry Hill and his friends and family from 1955 to 1980. Scorsese initially titled the film Wise Guy and postponed making it; he and Pileggi later changed the title to Goodfellas. To prepare for their roles in the film, De Niro, Pesci and Liotta often spoke with Pileggi, who shared research material left over from writing the book. According to Pesci, improvisation and ad-libbing came out of rehearsals wherein Scorsese gave the actors freedom to do whatever they wanted. The director made transcripts of these sessions, took the lines he liked most and put them into a revised script, which the cast worked from during principal photography. Goodfellas premiered at the 47th Venice International Film Festival on September 9, 1990, where Scorsese was awarded with Silver Lion for Best Director, and was released in the United States on September 19, 1990 by Warner Bros. The film was made on a budget of $25 million, and grossed $47 million. The critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes calls it "arguably the high point of Martin Scorsese's career." The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, with Pesci winning for Best Supporting Actor. Goodfellas is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, particularly in the gangster genre. My Goodfellas Cocktail is arguably one of the best cocktails served in bars around New York, New Jersey and Las Vegas. Ingredients 1 large round ice cube 1 ounce Pimms Cup No 1 1 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters 1 ounce cognac 1/4 ounce simple syrup Directions
ChefSecret: This drink presents best with one large round ice cube as pictured. Quip of the Day: I was recently told, “Being 20 in the 70’s was much more fun than being 70 in the ‘20s.” ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- 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 #Cognac #PimmsCup #AngosturaBitters #Goodfellas #HenryHill #Scorcese #Cheers# QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 …from the California Kitchen How you doin’? Chicken Parmesan! Ahhhh, a taste of old Italy, right? Wrong! It’s a taste of Little Italy in New York City. Chicken Parmesan has the potential to achieve that rare dinner feat: Pleasing everyone. I think I know why. The dish, also known in restaurant slang as Chicken Parm, actually originated in the northeast United States from Italian immigrants and became a popular staple in restaurants serving Italian-American cuisine. Upon arriving in America, Italian immigrants began to take advantage of America's affordable meat market, incorporating chicken into parmigiana. In the United States Chicken Parmigiana is served as a main course, with a side of pasta. Because of its simplicity, home versions grew in popularity to a once-a-week status. A recipe was published in the 1953 issue of the New York Herald Tribune that used frozen fried chicken patties or fillets along with other pre-processed foods—Yuk!—to make a version of the dish at home. In 1962 a scratch recipe for Chicken Parmigiana was published in The New York Times. Why is it so popular? This may very well be the most crave-worthy food for adults that kids also love. If you look at it deconstructed, Chicken Parmesan is simply comprised of three fan-favorite foods that kids actually want to eat: chicken tenders, cheese pizza and spaghetti with tomato sauce What do the Italians eat in Italy? Chicken Pizzaiola in Venice or Melanzane alla Parmigiana, a dish using breaded eggplant slices instead of chicken. There are other similar dishes in Italy that use meat. Carne Pizzaiola is a dish derived from the Neapolitan tradition that features meat topped with cheese and often cooked with tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and white wine. Beef is used most often but it can be made with chicken or pork as well. A similar dish using veal is known as Cotoletta alla Bolognese, which excludes tomato sauce but includes melted parmesan cheese and prosciutto. Costolette Parmigiana is another similar veal dish, but in Italy it is generally served without sauce or cheese. My version of Chicken Parmesan is a little different than most in that I don’t want to drown the fried chicken breast in tomato sauce giving the dish a crispier texture. Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Additional time: 15 minutes Allow a full hour for best results Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 large eggs + 2 tablespoons of cold water 1 cup seasoned panko or traditional seasoned breadcrumbs, more as needed 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, more if needed 1 cup olive oil for frying 1 cup prepared tomato sauce (I prefer Rao’s Marinara Sauce) 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 1/2 cup shredded provolone cheese 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon olive oil Directions
Cook's Note: Use high-quality prepared tomato sauce for a better end result. You may substitute pesto or dried Italian herbs of your choice for basil or omit entirely. If using fresh mozzarella, cut it into cubes instead of shredding it. ChefSecrets: Ed’s Top Tips for Making Great Chicken Parmesan
------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- 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 #ChickenParmesan #Chicken #Parmesan #Italian #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 |
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