Category Archives: spirits

Keeping it Simple with Staples

Posted on December 1, 2009 by | 2 comments

Every gal with a penchant for entertaining should have a few stand-by cocktails up her sleeve that can turn a simple get together into something a bit more special with the help of a few basic ingredients. Over the past few months, I’ve been working on growing my collection of what I refer to as Staple Cocktails. These drinks offer something more than, say, your basic vodka tonic or scotch and soda.

My Staple Cocktails have a few requirements.

  1. Ingredients must be readily available. So, if you never have OJ as a fridge-staple, then a screwdriver is clearly not a Staple Cocktail for you. Staple Cocktails are as unique as the liquors and mixers in your kitchen.
  2. Assembly must be minimal – these are cocktails that can be prepared at a moment’s notice. Anything requiring a blender or food processor is automatically out of the running.
  3. The flavors must be popular people-pleasers. Any “controversial” flavors – say, coffee or anise liqueur – are a no-no.
  4. A Staple Cocktail must have a great name.

This week, I discovered a new cocktail to add to my simple, satisfying and growing library of Staple Cocktails. This particular drink came to fruition when I was faced with some stock ingredients which I hoped to transform into a special cocktail for friends, without an extra trip to the liquor store or grocery. Some quick googling resulted in what I found to be a delectable bourbon drink: the Brown Derby.

The sources of – and ingredients for – this particular cocktail are a bit sketchy. Some say it comes from the famous Hollywood institutional restaurant of the same name. Some say it calls for rum, others say bourbon. I had some Jim Beam on hand so opted for the latter, and replaced the recommended honey with my perennial fave, agave nectar.

Brown Derby
Serves one.

  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • 1 ounce grapefruit juice (I only use Simply Grapefruit or fresh juice)
  • 1 squirt agave nectar

Mix ingredients in a cocktail shaker (if you can, do mix up a large batch using a fabulous, oversized, graphic vintage shaker like the one pictured here, a fantastic birthday gift for Miss Mojito). Pour over ice cubes in a tall glass.

Miss Mojito wants to know: What are your favorite Staple Cocktails?

Posted by Miss Mojito.

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Shades of Fall and Aperol

Posted on November 13, 2009 by | 1 comment

Miss Mojito was excited to meet a new-to-her aperitif during Richmond Restaurant Week. Aperol is an Italian liqueur that sings strongly with both sweet and bitter notes. In particular, you’ll notice a strong orange flavor that’s tempered by hints of rhubarb and herbs.

I encountered Aperol in a fantastic cocktail called the Hummingbird at IMG_0904Acacia Midtown (check out the fun presentation in the photo at right – I love the mini pitcher that accompanies the glass). Unfortunately, Miss Mojito was not the best reporter this particular evening, and so I’m blanking on ingredients. What I do recall is fresh pineapple juice. I’m thinking a mixture of Aperol, tequila, pineapple and agave might be right on the mark. But if you’re looking for something a bit less experimental, I might steer you in the direction of the Aperol Spritz, which I found over at the fantastic-but-soon-to-be-extinct-Gourmet.com.

Aperol Spritz
Serves one

  • 1 1/2 ounces Aperol
  • 2 ounces Prosecco
  • Sparkling water
  • Lemon twist

Pour Aperol and Prosecco in a champagne flute and top with sparkling water. Garnish with lemon twist and serve.

Aperol is easily recognized by its distinctive, burnt orange color, and since that color is a harbinger of fall, I thought this would be the perfect opportunorange_shoeity to highlight some autumn-inspired shoes.

(Top) Lovely People Ambrose Open-Toe Platform Bootie, $119 at Piperlime.com

(Middle) Samanta T-Strap Q Pump, $96 at Endless.com

orange_shoe2(Bottom) Nine West Elkie Sandal, $89 at NineWest.com

orange3

Posted by Miss Mojito.

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Live with Top Chef–or–Nigella Says

Posted on November 12, 2009 by | 3 comments

We’re skipping our usual Top Chef recap/drink pairing, and blogging about this week’s show in real time.

—————————–

I’ll start with the obvious — this has to be Robin’s week to go, right?

For the Quickfire Challenge — it is breakfast in bed with Padma and Nigella Lawson. Eli describes Nigella as a “modern, updated, less French version of Julia Child.” Kevin tells us that Gordon Ramsey named a turkey after her, so she is legit. I’ve always had a thing for Nigella — I think she is totally girl-crush-worthy.

Nigella calls Eli’s reuben benedict a “great hangover breakfast.”

Jennifer makes cream chipped beef. Interesting choice.

Least favorite dishes: Bryan — Nigella couldn’t cope with vanilla and king crab in the same dish. Robin — she was a little too “one note.”

Favorite dishes: Kevin’s steak and eggs and Eli’s reuben benedict. Eil wins. There’s no immunity, but he gets a nod in the next Top Chef cookbook.

For the Elimination Challenge — Padma says they will celebrate the “crown jewels” of Las Vegas – the Strip. It goes something like this:

  • Bryan Voltaggio: Mandalay Bay
  • Eli: Circus Circus
  • Michael Voltaggio: New York, New York
  • Kevin: Mirage
  • Jennifer: Excalibur
  • Robin: Bellagio

Michael Voltaggio says he will pay tribute to firefighters in his dish. Jennifer visits the “Tournament of Kings,” and says she has no clue what to do. Bryan Voltaggio visits the Shark Reef for inspiration, and buys his son a shark plush toy. I predict he is either going to rock it or go home this week.

I’m ignoring Robin. Kevin says a bunch of thoughtful sh*t about his take on food. Sounds like tropical oasis will be the focus of his dish. I love Kevin. Eli visits Circus Circus and appears to be confused. And, he’s kinda scaring me with his peanut, apple, popcorn soup.

Jennifer’s “sword and the stone” dish is not well received by Nigella. She says she is ready to be in “winch mode.” Yikes.

Judge’s like Kevin’s salmon, compressed vegetables and tomato water.

I don’t know why Robin even bothers to show her unusable sugar stained glass.

Micheal cooks a boneless chicken confit with a blue cheese dressing. Not sure about his firefighter connection, but the judge’s like it.

Bryan’s halibut has “fantastic balance” says Nigella.

Toby says that Eli, like most people who come to Vegas, “has gambled and lost.” It sounds like Jennifer may be safe.

At the judge’s table — Kevin, Michael and Bryan are the top three. Michael wins with his fancy take on the buffalo chicken wing.

TC-chickenwing

Michael Voltaggio’s Boneless Chicken Wing Confit
with Curry and Blue Cheese Disc

That leaves Jennifer, Robin and Eli on the bottom. Nigella says: Every part of Jennifer’s dish was disappointing;  panna cotta is “child’s play,” and Robin should have known how to make it; and finally, she would rather eat sawdust than Eli’s dish. I think I’m renaming this post “Nigella Says.” I could listen to her all night.

Wow. Robin does go. While I think she deserved to get the boot weeks ago, I’m not sure how Eli survived this round.

—————————–

For the drink pairing — since Michael’s inspiration was New York, sobrooklynlager is ours. Brooklyn Brewery is one of our favorite beer makers. They have a great range of beers for you to fill your glass. Core brands include the brown ale, pilsner, pale ale, among others. Seasonal beers include their potent monster ale, black chocolate stout, oktoberfest, and more. Brooklyn Lager is their award-winning flagship beer. As with most lagers, it is versatile with food, and the fine balance of malt (for sweetness) and hops (for bitterness) make it a refreshing match for spicy chicken.

Author’s note: Blog post updated with pictures and links after the show. Also corrected a few grammatical errors.

posted by Ms. S&C

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Dark ‘n’ Stormy

Posted on November 9, 2009 by | 1 comment

It was a dark and stormy night….Ms. S&C was busy preparing sweet potato skins (with bacon, marshmallows and molasses) for a friend’s annual Halloween bash. She kept watching the clock. The dish was looking good, but there was still a lot to do. And, what about a cocktail? There was no time! No time for simple syrups. No time for punches. She couldn’t show up empty-handed. She’s Ms. S&C! She didn’t want to disappoint. She spotted an almost-full bottle of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum in her cabinet (leftover from last year’s holiday party eggnog). She wondered if she could use it for something. What about the Dark ‘n’ Stormy? Yes, it is a Bermudan cocktail, but it has a spooky name…

goslingsrumSurprisingly, Ms. S&C has never tried a Dark ‘n’ Stormy before (rum is usually not her first choice of spirit). But, she’s heard good things. Read good things. And, she’s seen it on plenty a cocktail menu.

reedsgingerbeerThe zesty combination of the sweet rum and spicy ginger brew (only use the good stuff), and the easy breezy preparation — the Dark ‘n’ Stormy will undoubtedly have a regular spot in Ms. S&C’s cocktail rotation. Not to mention, it is great drink for any time of the year — a Bermuda bash or a Halloweeen fest — the ingredients are always available. And they’re always tasty.

Dark ‘n’ Stormy
serves two

Ingredients:

  • 4 oz. Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
  • Bottle of Ginger Beer (Ms. S&C prefers Reed’s Extra Ginger Brew)
  • Lime wedge

Directions:

Fill a collins glass with ice. Add 2 oz. rum. Top with half of a bottle of ginger beer. Garnish with lime wedge. Repeat.

posted by Ms. S&C

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Posted in dark rum, fall/winter cocktails, spring/summer cocktails

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Vegging out

Posted on November 4, 2009 by | 2 comments

Last week’s Top Chef episode was all about vegging out, in one way or another.

For the Quickfire Challenge, the cheftestants created a TV dinner, inspired by an iconic television show. Kevin won the challenge with his Soprano’s meatballs with polenta.

For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs created vegetarian dishes for guest judge Natalie Portman. Kevin, Michael Voltaggio and Eli were the faves. (Mike Isabella was not.) Kevin won again. And, Micheal Voltaggio came off looking like an ungracious jerk. Even Tom Colicchio thought so. Read his blog for great behind-the-scenes insights.

kevin_vegKevin’s Vegetarian Dish: Duo of Mushrooms, Smoked Kale,
Candied Garlic and Turnip Purée

Kevin’s vegetarian dish reminded me a lot of Moosewood Cookbook‘s Warm Salad, which I make at least once or twice every winter — and, I drinkfairhillsred red wine with it every time. True, I drink red wine with most dinners, but I particularly love it with hearty kale and mushrooms. Since eco-friendly Natalie Portman was guest judge for this episode, and since October was Fair Trade Month, I’m going with the Fairhills Bus Stop Red for the drink pairing. I picked up a bottle at Whole Foods for less than $10. It was also highlighted on the Whole Foods blog, telling us that the wine is a product of one of the world’s largest Fair Trade projects, a joint venture between exporter, Origin Wine, Mendoza Vineyards in Argentina and Du Toitskloof Winery in South Africa.

The Fairhills Bus Stop Red is a dryish, medium bodied wine, with aromas of berry fruit and chocolate and hints of plum. Meatballs or kale, it should go great with either of Kevin’s dishes.

And, what makes the wine taste even better? Proceeds are dedicated to purchasing a school bus for the children of the over 800 farm employees and communities of San Martin, Lavalle and Medrano in Mendoza, Argentina.

posted by Ms. S&C

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Getting Spoooooky

Posted on October 30, 2009 by | 1 comment

Ghosts, ghouls and goblins bring with them a host of exciting cocktail possibilities to usher in the spookiest of holidays. And with Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, those opportunities for celebrating are all the more plentiful.

Here are Miss Mojito’s thoughts on some festive cocktails that might help get you in the Halloween spirit.

  • Go Orange and Black: Mix orange curacao liqueur, white rum and lime; garnish with a licorice stick
  • Go Creepy: Take a nod from Yumsugar.com and mix up a terrifying batch of Eyeball Highballs.
  • Go Spooky: Mix espresso, orange vodka and coffee liqueur for a brooding, macabre and delicious martini.

Shoe-wise, I think something equally black and broodIMG_0894ing is in order. Luckily, I came across these fantastic sandals at Nine West. The hardware toughens up the feminine shape. I’ve been eyeing this particular pair for a while now and am delighted to add them to my collection!

Posted by Miss Mojito.

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Anything but revolting

Posted on October 26, 2009 by | 1 comment

The Restaurant Wars episode is easily the most anticipated challenge of Top Chef. The judges said that this season was the best they’ve seen in TC history. I don’t think the caliber of the cheftestants has ever been higher. And, having said that, I was so glad they didn’t have to bother with the whole decor planning part this go round.

Here’s a much too lengthy recap (but it was such a good ep):

  • The Quickfire Challenge was a tag-team relay/cook-off (which may become the most anticipated Quickfire Challenge). It was super fun. The chefs were separated in teams of two, blindfolded, and had to cook one dish total — with each of them cooking for 10 minutes, one right after the other, not allowed to talk, and obviously not able to see what the chef ahead of them was doing. Yes, this is confusingly written, I know — let’s just say, it was much better watched.
  • The Blue Team (with Jennifer, Kevin, Mike Isabella and Laurine) won with Sablefish, Sauteed Mushrooms, Shitake Broth and Radish Salad. I thought the Read Team (with the Voltaggio Brothers, Eli and Robin) made a tactical error in having the two weakest chefs (Eli and Robin) start off. As opposed to the Blue Team, where perfect-planner-Jennifer started and perfect-closer-Kevin finished.
  • The Blue Team’s tactical mistakes came when their overconfidence let their $10,000 prize ride, and they chose not to make a dessert for the Restaurant Wars (RW) Elimination Challenge.
  • For the RW, the cheftestants took over guest judge, Chef Rick Moonen‘s restaurant, rm Seafood. The Blue Team became “Mission,” (think clean, San Francisco-style), and took over the white tablecloth section of rm. The Read Team became “REVolt,” (think rebellious and play on initials, rather than revolting and disgusting), and took over the more rustic-looking section.
  • REVolt won convincingly, and Michael Voltaggio won $10,000, for his Pressed Chicken with Calamari Noodles, Tomato Confit and Fennel Salad. He shared his earnings with his teammates.
  • I was shaking in my boots, thinking Jennifer would be sent home for her fish dishes. Instead, Laurine was given the boot, for her poor front-of-the-house performance, and not stepping in when Kevin didn’t properly cook her lamb.

TC_pear-des

Robin’s Pear Pithivier with Vanilla Ice Cream and Elderflower Syrup

For the drink pairing, it was hard not to use Robin’s pear pithivier dessert for inspiration, particularly because of the elderberry syrup. I found the Gigi, a pear elderberry cocktail over on Chow.com, which sounds just about perfect (and slightly reminiscent of the S&C celebratory Elderberry Spritz). According to Chow, Jackie Patterson, former mixologist at Le Colonial in San Francisco, created this stiff cocktail, combining three French spirits. When I try at home, I will likely cut back on the liquor portions, and possibly substitute the pear vodka for pear simple syrup. Or, just find a way to add more pear.

Gigi Cocktail
Courtesy of Jackie Patterson, from Chow.com

  • 2 parts Lillet Blanc
  • 1 1/2 parts St-Germain elderflower liqueur
  • 1 part Grey Goose La Poire vodka (or other pear-flavored vodka, if available)
  • Ice
  • 1 part brut rosé champagne
  • 1 pear slice, for garnish

Combine Lillet, St-Germain, and Grey Goose in a cocktail shaker and top with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Float champagne on top of Lillet mixture. Garnish with pear slice and serve.

posted by Ms. S&C

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Pigging out

Posted on October 21, 2009 by | Leave a comment

The Pigs & Pinot episode of Top Chef made things easy for Ms. S&C’s recap and drink pairing. During this show, the cheftestants drew knives to select a part of a pig to use for a dish, then paired it with a pinot noir — all for a Charlie Palmer (who also was guest judge) and Food & Wine charity event.pigI was pleased as punch that my favorite four chefs created the four best dishes. You know who they are by now: Jennifer, Bryan Voltaggio, Michael Voltaggio and Kevin. If these are not the last four chefs standing when this season comes to an end, then there’s something wrong in the world. (Ash was the chef sent home, but how cat-food-pork-rillette Laurine survived, I don’t know.)

Kevin, (who loves pork so much that he has a pig tattoo), won the challenge with his pork leg pate. The wine he chose to pair with the dish was the 2006 Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, from the Willamette Valley, in Oregon.

TC_porkpateKevin Gillespie’s Pork Leg Pate with Mushroom Salad
and Pickled Cherries

I’ve personally always loved pinot noir (even before watching the movie Sideways). It is often my go-to red wine, mostly because I think you can abandon the age-old tradition of pairing red wine with red meat, and drink it with fish and poultry dishes. When researching the Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, I was happy to discover that the wine was $36.99. While that is still quite a bit more than I typically pay for a bottle that I’m drinking at home (usually I go for something in the $12, or less, range),  it is an acceptable price point for a special  occasion dinner at home. Wine.com highlights the wine’s black cherry, raspberry, truffles and cola/mocha components. Considering Kevin’s pork dish includes cherries and mushrooms, it appears he made a smart and tasty decision. But, that’s the kind-of chef he is.

posted by Ms. S&C

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Unexpected Mixes

Posted on October 17, 2009 by | 4 comments

I do love a chance to sample a new cocktail menu, and last evening I did just that at a friend’s birthday celebration. Lemaire, the restaurant in the historic Jefferson Hotel, is something of a Richmond institution. But that institution recently received a facelift, complete with a posh new bar. Plenty of marble fills the space, along with modern glass chandeliers that look more like sleek lucite. It’s a chic and comfy spot for some post-work imbibing.

While I haven’t sampled the eats at Lemaire, I did partake in their delectable and creative cocktail menu. My pick was IMG_0888the new-to-me Lady Astor, which combines Patron Tequila, Woodford Reserve Bourbon, house-made grenadine, lime juice and agave. I was intrigued by the combo of tequila and bourbon, and the results were fairly delightful and even fruity. It takes its name from Nancy Langhorne Astor, who was the first lady elected to British parliament. According to the cocktail menu, “she was a complex lady, and we think this drink represents her well.” The mix of tequila and bourbon was certainly complex, but I might have a lighter hand on the sweet agave when I remake this cocktail at home.

I wore a pair of basic black booties for the evening’s festivities, but when I return I’ll go with something a bit more festive. And since the Lady Astor is an unexpected mix of bourbon and tequila, my pick is an unexpected mix, too. This fun print from Nine West does it for me: from a distance, the heel resembles a cheetah pattern while the toe looks a bit more floral. Call it complex or call it crazy, but I call it too cute.

pl581035-14viv01

Posted by Miss Mojito.

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Top Chef keywords

Posted on October 13, 2009 by | Leave a comment

During last week’s Top Chef episode, the cheftestants played a slot machine to choose three keywords, which they used as inspiration for a dish. The keywords were words like –> Stressed, Hot N’ Spicy, Asian. Those happen to be the ones Kevin selected for his winning Quickfire dish. Here’s another keyword for you –> Unbearable. And, that happens to be Mike Isabella.

After the slot-machine-keyword challenge, the chefs partnered up for a family-style-dinner-party challenge. Their dinner party guests were members of Macy’s Culinary Council: Tyler Florence (also guest judge), Tom Douglas, Nancy Silverton, Govind Armstrong, and Takashi Yagihashi. –> Strategic Marketing

Here’s how it went down:

  • Mike Isabella was partnered with Robin.  –> Sweet retribution
  • Micheal Voltaggio was almost sent home because he overcooked halibut.  –> Whew
  • Ash compared Michael V to Picasso, and said he’d be willing to wash his brushes. –> Embarassing and Uncomfortable
  • Ashley undercooked precious prawns and had a role in oversalted gnocchi. –> Eliminated
  • Jennifer and Kevin served the best dish of the night: Korean style barbeque, and Jennifer was crowned the overall winner. –> Dream Team

TC-kobe-beefJennifer and Kevin’s BBQ Kobe Beef with Cardamom, Tomato
and Ginger Broth

When I’m dining on Asian food, I usually drink a lager style beer or hitachino-alewhite wine. I’m afraid to experiment, as I don’t want anything to conflict with the flavors in my often-spicy food. When considering the drink pairing for Jennifer and Kevin’s dish, I checked out Takashi Yagihashi’s drink menu at his Chicago restaurant, and ran across the Hitachino Nest White Ale. Hitachino, from a Japanese brewery (Shuzou), is a white ale, similar to many Belgian whites, with hints of coriander, nutmeg, and orange peel. Jennifer and Kevin’s dish includes flavors and ingredients such as: orange zest, ginger, fennel, and I think the Hitachino would compliment nicely. Not to mention –> Refreshing.

Ms. S&C wants to know: What keywords would you use to describe the Top Chef contestants and their dishes?

posted by Ms. S&C

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