Happy in a Snap: Friday Cocktails

This weekend is the Kentucky Derby, which means big bets, even bigger hats and mint juleps all around. Mint juleps are traditionally served in pewter cups overflowing with shaved ice. If you, like me, don't own proper julep cups, just grab something fancy from your parents' stash of crystal. It is the very fashionable derby, after all. No plastic solo cups allowed.

The Perfect Mint Julep (From Sara Moulton)

Ingredients

• 4 cups bourbon
• 2 bunches fresh spearmint
• 1 cup distilled water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Powdered sugar

Directions

To prepare mint extract, remove about 40 small mint leaves. Wash and place in a small bowl. Cover with 3 ounces bourbon. Allow the leaves to soak for 15 minutes. Then gather the leaves in paper toweling. Thoroughly wring the mint over the bowl of whisky. Dip the bundle again and repeat the process several times.
To prepare simple syrup, mix 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of distilled water in a small saucepan. Heat to dissolve sugar. Stir constantly so the sugar does not burn. Set aside to cool.
To prepare mint julep mixture, pour 3 1/2 cups of bourbon into a large glass bowl or glass pitcher. Add 1 cup of the simple syrup to the bourbon.
Now begin adding the mint extract 1 tablespoon at a time to the julep mixture. Each batch of mint extract is different, so you must taste and smell after each tablespoon is added. You are looking for a soft mint aroma and taste-generally about 3 tablespoons. When you think it's right, pour the whole mixture back into the empty liter bottle and refrigerate it for at least 24 hours to "marry" the flavors.
To serve the julep, fill each glass (preferably a silver mint julep cup) 1/2 full with shaved ice. Insert a spring of mint and then pack in more ice to about 1-inch over the top of the cup. Then, insert a straw that has been cut to 1-inch above the top of the cup so the nose is forced close to the mint when sipping the julep.
When frost forms on the cup, pour the refrigerated julep mixture over the ice and add a sprinkle of powdered sugar to the top of the ice. Serve immediately.

More From Napa

Happy Birthday (Cupcake)!

My lovely roommate, Christine, celebrated her birthday this week. To mark the occasion, I baked her petite cupcakes in pink polka dot paper liners. Christine is a pink cupcake kind of girl. I feel so lucky to have met her. We are great roommates and quickly turning into even better friends.

The recipes I used were Beatty's Chocolate Cake and That's the Best Frosting I've Ever Had.

Beatty's Chocolate Cake (from Barefoot Contessa at Home)

Ingredients

nocoupons

• Butter, for greasing the pans
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Directions

Chocolate Buttercream, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Frosting (from Tasty Kitchen)

Ingredients

• 1 cup Milk
• 5 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 cup Butter
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar (not Powdered Sugar!)

Directions 

Bake your favorite chocolate cake and let it cool.

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. (If I’m in a hurry, I place the saucepan over ice in the sink for about 10 minutes or so until the mixture cools.) Stir in vanilla.

While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then add the cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

Grab a spoon and taste this wonderful goodness. If there is any left after your taste test, spread it on a cooled chocolate cake. Cut yourself a piece and put it on a pretty plate. Grab a fork and prepare to experience the most divine pairing you can imagine. This frosting on chocolate cake is to die for. Sure, the recipe sounds strange — it has flour in it — but it’s sublime. Try it, you’ll see. You’ll love it so much you won’t go back.

The Magic Valley

For the last three years, my family has visited Napa for a weekend in late April. To say it's something I look forward to is an understatement. Our trips to Napa, California and to Bar Harbor, Maine easily top the list as highlights of my year.
The Napa Valley is magical in every sense with its superb wine, magnificent dining options and a lifestyle that is easy to get used to. Though it is tempting to get caught up in Thomas Keller and Michael Chiarello sightings and fancy resorts (The Poetry Inn, Auberge du Soleil) the little details Napa has to offer are often the best. The flowers and plant life in Napa are lush and enormous. I'm not talking about the grapes. California garden roses seem to be the most fragrant flowers I've ever smelled. Rosemary and thyme grow like weeds. Driving along the Silverado Trail and watching the golden sun reflect on the perfectly pruned vines is breathtaking. Standing at the top of a hill, like the one Lindstrom is located on, and overlooking the valley will make you never want to leave. In case you're not convinced, Napa also is home to an outpost of In-N-Out, which for my older brother beats eating at Bottega or Mustard's Grill any night. I spent a bit of time on our trip discussing schooling options offered through CIA at Greystone with chefs at a few of the wineries. The trip was, in a word, delightful. I can't wait for next year.

Updating A Classic

I love a good Caesar salad. Tangy, homemade sauce lightly coating crispy bright green romaine lettuce and shaved parmesan adding salty bite to it all. This variation, with the addition of crisped pancetta and roasted tomatoes, is a welcome change. I am not a huge fan of croutons, so I am happy to go without.

Caesar Salad with Pancetta (from The Barefoot Contessa Parties!)

• 3/4 pound pancetta, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large heads romaine lettuce
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

For the dressing:

nocoupons

• 1 extra-large egg yolk at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 8 to 10 anchovy fillets (optional)
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups good mild olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the pancetta into 1/2-inch cubes and cook it in a skillet over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until browned and crisp. Remove to paper towels and drain.

Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until soft.

Wash the lettuce leaves carefully and spin-dry in a salad spinner. Stack the leaves on a cutting board and cut them crosswise into 1 1/2-inch slices. Place them in a large mixing bowl.

For the dressing, place the egg yolks, mustard, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until smooth. With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube (as though you were making mayonnaise), until thick. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and pulse 3 times.

Toss the lettuce with enough dressing to moisten well. Add 1 cup grated Parmesan and toss. Divide the lettuce among 6 or 8 plates and sprinkle with the pancetta roasted tomatoes. Serve at room temperature.

I Heart Macs

The truth is, I've been reading macaron recipes since 2007. It's true. I discovered these little cookie wonders while studying abroad in Paris. What a wonderful introduction it was, courtesy of the likes of Pierre Hermé and Ladurée. In almost every little patisserie in Paris, perfect little meringue cookie sandwiches line the shelves in every color of the rainbow. The crunchy exterior gives way to a soft, chewy center and some flavor of buttercream or jam or gooey caramel. I started doing research on the internet about macaron recipes. How do I make these culinary jewels? At the time, there weren't many foolproof recipes available. Lots were offered in different languages or were designed for mass quantities (70+ macs!). Fast forward to three years later and the internet is saturated with macaron recipes, everyone with different tips and tricks for mastering the macaron. I used many sources for my first foray into macarons, but I will credit Tartelette for most of my tutorial. If you can, print out her article, "Demystifying Macarons." Then, just go for it. If you fail, try again. You won't regret it.

So, you need a scale for these. Sorry, there's not really any way around it. Just buy one. They're pretty affordable and you will use it for more applications than just macarons.

90 grams of aged egg whites. 

Trial 1, macaron shells.

For the second trial, I used blanched almonds. The result was finer, lighter powder.

Fold it into the whipped egg whites.

Trial 2, macaron shells.

Trial 1, baked.

Trial 2, baked.

Trial 1, underbelly.

Trial 2, underbelly.

Not perfect, but pretty good.

For the filling, I made salted butter caramel buttercream.

Salty caramel...mmmm.

Look at my macs!

I like it with the flower.

Delish.

I am not going to post a recipe, mostly because I don't trust myself to give you the perfect foolproof recipe. Do some of your own research.

Snacking on Luxury

Not too long ago, I visited West End Bistro, one of Eric Ripert's restaurants. One of the options diners have is to order from the bar menu, a collection of small plates. Sliders, a cheese plate, and ahi tuna tartare are among the offerings. The dish that I found most memorable, however, was also the most simple, Truffled Popcorn with Shaved Parmesan. The combination of these flavors is both decadent and full of depth. I have since recreated this snack at home with great success.

This is a Whirley Pop. It pretty much makes the best popcorn ever. I pour about a tablespoon of truffle oil into the popper and then add the kernels. 

It pop, pop, pops up in minutes.

Then, just drizzle a touch more truffle oil (you don't need much!). Shave some salty parmesan on top, as much or as little as you'd like. Top with freshly cracked black pepper.

Can you imagine snacking on handfuls of this, rather than that microwave stuff at your next movie night?

Truffled Popcorn with Shaved Parmesan

1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of truffle oil

1/3 cup popcorn kernels

1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Cook popcorn, using 1 Tablespoon of truffle oil, according to popcorn maker's factory instructions. Drizzle popped corn with 1 teaspoon of truffle oil. Sprinkle shaved parmesan on top. Season to taste with cracked black pepper and salt. Serve immediately!

Happy in a Snap: Friday Cocktails

This cocktail came straight from the pages of Self magazine. A health magazine that includes recipes for cocktails is my kind of reading material. Actually, they have an awesome feature in this month's issue of healthy recipes created by José Andrés, of Jaleo and Minibar fame. This sangria is light and satisfying. If anything, it's a little on the sweet side. I would use half as much grape juice and perhaps squeeze a fresh lime or two into the mix. Salud!

Sangria Blanca (From Self Magazine)

• 10 green grapes, halved
• 4 fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1 peach, pitted and sliced
• 1 bottle (750 milliliters) Cava (or dry sparkling wine)
• 1 1/2 cups white grape juice (I would use more like 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup Licor 43 (found at liquor stores)
• 2 sprigs fresh mint 

Fill a large glass pitcher halfway with ice; add fruit. Tilt pitcher and pour Cava very slowly down side (to preserve bubbles). Add juice and liquor; stir gently. Stir in mint.

When serving, pour glass 3/4 full and top off with Cava. This ensures that the sangria will have effervescence. 

I Scream, You Scream

When I was in the 9th grade, I worked at Lazy Sundae and scooped out gallons and gallons of ice cream into cups and cones and shakes. Though I consumed my fair share of the cool dessert in a rainbow of flavors, there was one flavor that I loved (and still do) above all else, Mocha Chip. In fact, when we bought this ice cream maker a decade or so ago, mocha chip ice cream was the first flavor we made. We've toyed with lots of recipes, but I found my favorite recipe from David Lebovitz, author of The Perfect Scoop. This ice cream is intense and rich. There's no mistake that this is coffee ice cream, which I dig. The chocolate chunks are a great addition.

Coffee Ice Cream 

1½ cups whole milk
¾ cup sugar
1½ cups whole coffee beans
Pinch of salt
1½ cups heavy cream, divided
5 large egg yolks
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon finely ground coffee or espresso powder
1 bar of bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Combine the milk, sugar, coffee beans, salt and ½ cup of the heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Once the mixture is warm and just begins to bubble, remove from the heat and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.  

After steeping, return the saucepan with the coffee mixture to the burner over medium heat.  Pour the remaining 1 cup heavy cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top.  In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.  Once the coffee mixture has become warm again, slowly pour the mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.  Return the egg-coffee bean mixture to the saucepan over medium high heat. 

Cook the mixture, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula or spoon.  Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream.  Press on the coffee beans in the strainer to extract as much of the coffee flavor as possible, then discard the beans.  Mix in the vanilla and ground coffee or espresso powder. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator and then freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In the last five minutes of churning, add chopped chocolate. Transfer ice cream to an air-tight container and freeze for at least two hours.