…from the Happy Hour BarHow you doin’? Cool refreshing cocktails are perfect as we go into the Labor Day weekend. There is nothing better than “cool” cocktails made with the essence of summer fruit. In my restaurant bars, we would make our own special vodka… peach, watermelon and strawberry vodkas (check our Blog Recipe #78 on our website). Well, now the makers of Grey Goose Vodka have come out with a line of vodkas infused with fruit and herbs. These make amazingly exotic and refreshing end-of-summer cocktails. These flavored vodkas include Watermelon-Basil, Strawberry-Lemongrass and White Peach-Rosemary. You can make vodka cocktails without the bother and mess of trying to make your own infused vodkas. Another great benefit is they are consistent in flavor and don’t depend on the ripeness (or lack thereof) and flavors of seasonal fruits. To my taste, refreshing watermelon is one of the best cocktail mixers you can try, so please give this easy-to-make, low-calorie cocktail (only 73 calories)—Watermelon-Vodka-Basil & Soda a try. It’s perfect as an aperitif, for brunch or just any warm weather season. Prep time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cocktail Ingredients 1-1/2 ounces Grey Goose Essences Watermelon & Basil 4-1/2 ounces soda water Garnish with fresh basil, a small wedge of fresh watermelon and a lime twist Directions
ChefSecret: If you’re out in the backyard or near the pool use plastic cocktail glassware! Quip of the Day: The best new word of 2021 “Airgasm—the intense pleasure of leaving a public space and removing your mask.” ------------------------------------------- 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. ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021
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…from the California KitchenHow you doin’? I love using fresh cherries and fancy words. Frangipane is named after 16th century Italian nobleman Marquis Muzio Frangipani, who, while living in Paris, invented a bitter almond-scented fragrance that was used to perfume gloves. French pastry chefs were inspired and invented the recipe, which became a classic. A galette resembles a type of single crust, free-form pie with a fruit filling and the crust folded partway over the top of the filling. Cherries are named for cherries—did you expect a better story? Here it is, cherries have a filial relationship with almonds—they’re kissing cousins. What is Frangipane you ask? It is a sweet almond-flavored custard used in a variety of cakes and pastries. It was originally designated as a custard tart flavored by almonds or pistachios; it came later to designate a filling that could be used in a variety of confections and baked goods. It is made of butter, sugar, eggs and ground almonds… some of my very favorite things! On Epiphany, the French celebrate with a King Cake—a round cake made of frangipane layers into slices to be passed by a child known as le petit roi (the little king) who is usually hiding under the dining table. The cake is decorated with stars, a crown, flowers and a special bean hidden inside the cake. Whoever gets the piece of the frangipane cake with the bean is crowned "king" or "queen" for the following year. Prep time: 20 minutes to 30 minutes Bake time: 45 minutes to 50 minutes Yield: serves 6 to 8 (1 galette) Ingredients 1/2 batch Cream Cheese Dough (see recipe below), rolled out to a 10-inch round that's about 1/8-inch thick 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1 large egg 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 1/2 cup almond flour 2 teaspoons tapioca starch 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for the egg wash 1 pound fresh, sweet cherries, pitted 2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar or packed brown sugar, for the cherries 1 large egg (for egg wash) Pinch of salt 1 tablespoon large-crystal sugar for sprinkling Directions
Cream Cheese Dough Yield: One 9-inch or 10-inch double-crust pie Ingredients 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon brown rice flour 1/3 cup potato starch 1/2 cup tapioca starch 1-1/2 cups oat flour 1-1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup cream cheese, very cold 1 cup unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices Cornstarch or tapioca starch, for rolling Directions
ChefSecret: Before starting, make sure you have a cherry pitter which you can easily buy for under $20. I like the OXO Good grips multi-cherry pitter. Quip of the Day: “I’m not sure which is harder on a relationship—sharing a bathroom with 1 sink or sharing an iPhone charger for an hour.” ------------------------------------------- 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. #Desserts #Gallette #Cherry #Frangipane #Baking #Sweets #Snacks #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 |
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