Sunday, July 26, 2009

Pear Sunrise


The sun isn't quite up yet, but I'd sure like it to be!


Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup tequila
- 1/2 cup cored, pared chopped fresh USA pears
- 2/3 oz passion fruit juice from concentrate
- 1/4 oz pomegranate juice
Garnish: orange wedge

In blender, combine all the ingredients and puree until smooth. Pour into chilled glass and serve.

Alex's Sourdough Starter Is A Lot Like This



I am terrified of Alex's sourdough starter. I find the bread he makes from it to be quite delicious, though.

More Food Trivia!


-- Beer has a bitter taste and slightly pungent aroma because of lupulin, a substance found in hops.

-- Africa's 8,000-year brewing history began with ancient Egyptian commercial brewing dynasties and still includes handmade tribal beers.

-- Pineapples are classified as berries.

-- The apricot can be traced back to China at least four thousand years ago, and it first appeared in Greek mythology as the "golden apple."

-- Two-thirds of the world's coffee comes from Brazil.

-- One pound of tea can make nearly three hundred cups to drink.

-- Whiskey was first brewed in the United States in 1640. It was made from a mixture of corn and rye.

-- Vanilla is the extract of fermented and dried pods of orchids.

-- Chewing gum was created by the Mayans over 300 years ago. They boiled the sap of the sapodilla tree and chewed it.

-- Milk is actually considered to be a food and not a beverage.

-- In the Middle Ages, chicken soup was believed to be an aphrodisiac.

-- Cheese is the oldest of all man-made foods.

Punch Drunk? Drunk Punch? I Forget!


No, those don't seem right, either one. What was it?

Oh. Right.

RUSSIAN PUNCH! I knew it was some kind of punch.

ice cubes
1/2 shot of creme de cassis
1 shot fresh lemon juice
2 tbs. sugar syrup
2 shots vodka
chilled Champagne, to top up

Fill a sling glass (tall and slender) with ice cubes. Pour in the lemon juice, creme de cassis, and sugar syrup, add the vodka and Champagne together, and stir.

Nearly there!


Just five hours to go! And in 19 hours, I've gotten a lot accomplished:

-- Interesting breakfast (it was really tasty!)
-- Twelve course meal, two posts per recipe to allow for proper prep and cooking.
-- Cheerful, happy nattering as people came and went today, sampling whatever dishes were ready to try.
-- Cheerful, happy nattering from my Kitchen Crew
-- Ridiculous trivia.
-- Happy nostalgia, thanks to YouTube. I'm so happy I can still see my old favorites, even though they've all passed on.
-- Wrangled the Monsters into cleaning the kitchen!
-- Thus far have raised $823 for a cause near and dear to my heart.

Everyone who has contributed - either with money, linking, commenting - you're all fantastic, and I appreciate every one of you.

Jeff Smith Cooks with Firefighters

When Alexander was just a wee little Monster, there were three things he loved more than anything in the world: Sesame Street's Elmo, Firemen, and Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet.

I managed to find two of those in one place! Well, two, but it's one show.





We often poke Alex about his childhood obsession with "The Froogie", and we're pretty sure that's what drew him to the Culinary Arts - he would sulk mightily if he didn't get to watch his favorite chef!

Julia Cooks Tableside

I remember watching this as a young child, and being completely fascinated with it. Cooking at the table? Really? Steak Diane sounded so elegant and inviting, too.



Julia's attitude towards booze in her cooking was always one of her most endearing traits. "A few drops of cognac never hurt anything!" Her course by course wine suggestions are spot of - as if they wouldn't be! - and serve as a terrific guide for even the novice cook.