My Memory is a Bit Shaky!

The drink may have originated in New Orleans but for this girls palate it originated in San Francisco back in 1982. My mother and I had planned a trip to visit family in California and a friend of mine who was born and raised in China Town San Francisco
suggested a few must try, must see things for our itinerary. One of the places that my friend Doris highly recommended was; “The Saloon” on Grant Street in North Beach, CA
She said not only are they known for their Ramos Fizz’s but it is one of the few buildings that survived the 1906 earthquake. It was fascinating being there, you could still see the cracks and seizures in the walls. The Ramos Fizz was wonderful, the addition of orange flower water and egg whites had a significant effect on the flavor and texture of the drink as compared with a regular Gin Fizz.
If you are worried about the safety of using a raw egg white you may substitute the powdered egg whites that are used for baking.

San Francisco Ramos Fizz

1 heaping tbsp. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
2, 3, or 4 drops of orange flower water
White of 1 egg
1 shot glass of gin
2 shot glasses of cream
2 shot glasses of seltzer water
1/2 glass crushed ice

Shake well and strain into a tall glass, enjoy.

Sciurus/Flickr

Cool Cookies

This has got to be one of the easiest cookie recipes ever with each batch turning out perfectly light and moist. What I like is the variety of flavors that you can make given all the new cake mix flavors that keep popping up. I have done these using the lemon cake mix and they were wonderful, I added a little lemon zest for an added burst of flavor.

Cool Whip Cookies

1 egg

1 box cake mix, any flavor, any brand

1- 4 ounce container of Cool Whip

Blend dry cake mix with Cool Whip; beat in 1 egg and bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes until set, do not over bake.

One Persons "Latkes" is Another Persons "Kugelis"

I just tried one of the most amazing side dishes called; Kugelis. It is a Lithuanian recipe for creamy potato pudding casserole. It is rich, and creamy a very comforting addition to the family meal. When I saw that they traditionally served their Kugelis with apple sauce or sour cream it reminded me of the Latkes that I had growing up.

Kugelis

5 Russet potatoes, grated
3 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tbsp. cream of wheat or flour
2 slices bacon, diced
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 cup of milk

Fry diced bacon until cooked; then remove from skillet and cook onions in the drippings until soft, add bacon, onions and drippings to grated potatoes stir in eggs, salt, pepper and cream of wheat and milk. Mix well and pour into greased 1-quart baking dish.
Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 1/2 hour then lower heat to 350 degrees and continue baking another 1/2 hour until top is nice and brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Traditionally Kugelis is eaten with apple sauce, sour cream, or crumbled fried fat (bacon or pork belly) if there are any leftovers, slice and fry the next day.


Photo courtesy of Cizauskas/flickr

Tennis Tea, Anyone?

The talk seemed to revolve around the tennis match at the nursing home on Saturday. The woman that lives in the room next to my mother said that she had an aunt who use to make this ice tea that they actually called; Tennis Tea. No one seems to know how it got that name but the tennis match conjured up the memory and the recipe.

Tennis Tea

10 tea bags, preferrably a black tea such as Lipton but any tea will do
6 cups of water
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 small can of frozen lemonade
1 small can of frozen orange juice

Brew water with tea bags for approximately 15 minutes, mix sugar, lemonade and orange juice with tea. Pour into a gallon container and fill with water.

Have it With the Works This Fourth of July

We have always loved that hot sauce that many hot dog and hamburger joints offer as one of their toppings. That rich red sauce with the tender little bits of hamburger, onions, peppers and spices that they pour over your sandwich. Well, my uncle and cousin liked it so much that they started making their own and is it ever good.

This sauce freezes really well so make a double batch and have plenty on hand for all your summer grilling.

Hot Dog and Hamburger Chili Sauce

1 pound of ground beef

1 med. onion, chopped fine

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. cumin powder

1/2 tsp. ground red pepper

1/2 tsp. chili powder

2 beef bouillon cubes crushed

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

3 1/2 c. water

In a big pot brown hamburger and mash fine add rest of ingredients and simmer on low heat for 2 to 3 hours. The longer it simmers the more it will reduce and concentrate the flavors.
Check every now and then and give it a stir.

photo/nikaboyce/flickr

Saffron Crocus a Flower in Good taste

Yesterday my grandmother brought out a cookbook that my aunt had given her. The cookbook was all about cooking with different herbs and spices. There were so many recipes that we wanted to try once we got the ingredients. There seemed to be a great many dishes that called for saffron, which most of us have had at one time or another. We agreed that if we ever made a recipe requiring saffron that we would all chip in seeing that saffron is about $80.00 an ounce, not that we would need an ounce more like a pinch. Luckily saffron’s powerful flavor goes a long way as well as the brilliant color it imparts to all the food that it touches.

FYI- The reason why saffron is so expensive is it estimated that it takes some 14,000 Crocus stigmas (each crocus only has three stigmas) to produce only one ounce of saffron threads.
The taste is that of bitter honey and the color it releases is an intense yellow.

Saffron Risotto

5 cups of chicken broth (canned works just fine).

1/2 a stick of butter, plus 1 more tablespoon for later

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 cup of pearl rice (Arborio)

1/2 cup of dry white wine

1/8 tsp. of saffron

1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

Bring broth to slow simmer. Heat butter in heavy, deep pan, sauté onions until golden. Stir in rice; sauté until well coated. Add white wine and cook until evaporated. Begin adding broth 1/2 cup at a time--add broth again when you need more liquid 1/4 cup at a time.
After 15 minutes of cooking, add saffron and continue cooking adding 1/4 cup of broth until rice is tender but firm to the bite. Total cooking time is 30 to 35 minutes.
Just prior to serving, add cheese and remaining tablespoon of butter. Salt to taste, serve with more cheese.

Feeling in High Spirits

Seeing the sunrise five days a week reminded me of one of my favorite mixed drinks.
In my younger days of clubbing I would frequently order a Tequila Sunrise, they were just so darn pretty to look at and not so bad to drink either. I haven’t had one in years and watching the sunrise every morning from the window of where I am working until 6:00AM inspired me to start drinking them again, preferably at sunset!

Tequila Sunrise

1/2 cup orange Curacao
1 oz good quality tequila
2 1/2 oz. orange juice
1/2 oz grenadine syrup
Seltzer or club soda
ice

Fill an 11 oz Collins glass (any glass will do) with soda water and ice until half filled, top with 1/2 oz. of grenadine syrup. Shake remaining ingredients together in a cocktail shaker and pour into glass.