In the midwest, sometimes winter feels endless. The long spans of subzero temperatures and endless grey skies are depressing enough to make the idea of picking a fresh tomato or a spicy chili out of the front yard far from reality. Despite any temporary doubts, summer always manages to come and renew my faith as well as offer a bounty of delicious and fresh ingredients to not only cook with, but also drink.

While I would never consider myself a learned mixologist, I do know that the base of a great cocktail is great ingredients, and by utilizing the summer's ripest fruits, the results tend to border on magical. It just so happened that I had gallons upon gallons of beautiful strawberries in my garden at the time of photographing this recipe, so that is what I built the rest of beverage around.

I would suggest growing or foraging for berries, rather than relying on supermarkets. Berry seasons are generally fairly short and only span several weeks at a time throughout the summer, depending on when you are harvesting fresh berry options may include strawberries, mulberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, grapes, huckleberry, currants, and service berries just to list some of the more popular wild and cultivated berries. If you plan on utilizing a berry other than strawberry for this recipe I would suggest fresh raspberries, mulberries, blackberries, or serviceberries, make sure to puree and then pass through a mesh strainer or cheesecloth to catch seeds and berry skins.

In a cocktail meant to embody summer a diverse spirit is required in order to pair with the fresh berry puree and the intensity of the mint oil. I believe that whether spring, summer, autumn, or winter, Bourbon is always an appropriate choice. I've developed a healthy appreciation for Bourbon, both as an ingredient in recipes and poured directly into a shot glass. Bourbon must be aged in charred oak barrels, and this process actually enhances the oaks natural chemical compound vanillin, the same distinct compound found in vanilla beans. (320, Guymon & Crowell). Bourbon is not a direct substitution for vanilla bean or vanilla extract, however for this purpose it works beautifully.

The star of this cocktail and what I would consider the most unique ingredient is the dandelion wine. Dandelion wine is made from the fermented pedals of the common dandelion. I could not think of a better way to utilize the aggressive weed than turning it into a a delicious wine which wine master Jack Keller describes as "light and invigorating". Dandelion wine is sweet with a honey-like flavor, I often serve homemade dandelion wine as a dessert wine, and guests often ask for a second glass.

The primary issue with dandelion wine is that the window in which to actually pick the dandelion pedals is fairly small, in addition the physical collection of dandelion pedals is labor intensive and time consuming. Although, this could be a fun family activity, but for those without the patience or time I have provided links to two commercial dandelion wines. You might want to check out Breitenbach Winery's Dandy Wine or Maple River Winery's Dandy Wine.

Let me know if you have any favorite summer cocktails through e-mail or the comment section below.

Early Summer Cocktail

Ingredients

• 1 & 1/2 oz Bourbon
• 1 & 1/2 oz Dandelion wine
• 1 & 1/2 oz Strawberry Puree
• 6 Mint leaves, muddled
• (Optional) Club soda

Cooking Directions

1. Puree a small portion of strawberries, either freshly picked or store bought.
2. Add mint into a small glass, and muddle with the end of a wooden spoon.
3. Pour one shot of good quality Bourbon, dandelion wine, and strawberry puree over the muddled mint.
4. Add 2-3 ounces of club soda and stir. Finish with several ice cubes.

Total Time: 5 min

Citations and Further Readings:

• Brown, Jared. "The surprising history of the cocktail." The Telegraph. The Telegraph, 13 Dec. 2012. Web. 
• Guymon, James F., and Edward A. Crowell. "Separation of vanillin, syringal—Dehyde, and other aromatic compounds in the extracts of French and American oak woods by brandy and aqueous alcohol solutions." Qualitas Plantarum et Materiae Vegetabiles 16.1-4 (1968): 320-333. 
• Keller, Jack. "Dandelions." Winemaking. N.p., 2 Nov. 2000. Web.

Beverage Cocktail Summer

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

I'll be the first to admit this "recipe" is not much of a recipe at all. Adding fruit to water is a pretty "been there, done that" recipe scenario, but flavoring water with Buddha's Hand citron really is muti-purposeful. This particular citrus is fairly uncommon and unbelievably fragrant, I'm talking stop you in your tracks wonderful, therefore I wanted to help encourage public awareness because they have recently started showing up in more super markets across the United States. The second purpose of using an infused water recipe is to encourage substituting more processed beverage options. I am a huge proponent of making refreshing beverages at home, which are always customizable unlike mass produced soft drinks, which are often much more harmful to the human body than homemade alternatives. Check out my recipe for Pecan Lemonade for more information on this.

Buddha's Hand citron is a an odd looking cultivated variety of the citron that appears to resemble a hand. The fruit was cultivated in the Yangzte valley in China, and modern day Chinese farmers grow up to 6 different varieties of the Buddha's Hand citron. (Smith) The fruit is popular in both China and Japan, and given as gifts around new year to bring good fortune upon a home. (Karp)

Citrons of various varieties have long been valued throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East, and East Asia for both traditional and culinary purposes. The citron came to the Middle East from the Himalayan foot hills around 700 BCE and the Mediterranean around 300 BCE, The peels of citrons have long been candied, pickled, and used to perfume rooms in Asian and Jewish religious ceremonies (McGee, 373).

I would highly suggest picking up one of these citrons if you happen to see them in your super market, the seasons in which they may appear are late autumn to early spring. If you don't wish to use this citron for a culinary purpose, just cut it open, and leave it to fill the room with its essence, it is one of those simple pleasures everyone should experience.

Buddha's Hand Citron Infused Water

Ingredients

• 1 Buddha's Hand citron
• 1 Pitcher of filtered water

Cooking Directions

1. Slice the citron into 1/4" circles, place in the pitcher of water, and place the pitcher of water in the refrigerator overnight.

Total Time: 12 hours

Citations and Further Readings:

•  Karp, David. "Buddha's Hand Citron." Flavor & Fortune 1998: 5-6. Print.
• McGee, Harold. On food and cooking: the science and lore of the kitchen. Simon and Schuster, 2007.
• Smith, K. A. "What the Heck Do I Do With a Buddha's Hand? Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/what-heck-do-i-do-buddhas-hand-citron-180949871/#GOYYMtt6RUop4cU6.99 Give the gift of Smithsonian ma." Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian, 24 Feb. 2014. Web. 1 Mar. 2015. <http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/what-heck-do-i-do-buddhas-hand-citron-180949871/?no-ist>.

Beverage Infusion Vegetarian Winter

Monday, March 02, 2015

When life gives you lemons, you might as well make pecan lemonade. I have loved lemonade ever since I was a kid. All too often I was exposed to lemonade in powder form or dispensed out of a soda machine. Lemonade was meant to be sweet, tart, refreshing, and an embodiment of all that is good in the summer time. And the truth is it is so easy to make!

Fresh lemonade is a significantly healthier option to a soda. "The health benefits of lemons are due to its many nourishing elements like vitamin C, vitamin B, phosphorous, proteins, and carbohydrates. Lemon is a fruit that contains flavonoids, which are composites that contain antioxidant and cancer fighting properties. It helps to prevent diabetes, constipation, high blood pressure, fever, indigestion and many other problems, as well as improving the skin, hair, and teeth. Studies conducted at the American Urological Association highlight the fact that lemonade or lemon juice can eliminate the occurrence of kidney stones by forming urinary citrate, which prevents the formation of crystals." (Organicfacts.net) While people who drink 1 to 2 cans of soda every day have a 26% increased chance for type 2 diabetes. (Harvard School of Public Health) Have you put your soda down yet?

Besides the health benefits, lemonade just tastes great. I wanted to put my own interesting savory twist on lemonade for this article. I did this by including a pecan flavor in the syrup making process. Lemon's and pecans have been paired in countless desserts, why not lemonade? The pecan flavor is quite subtle, but leaves a lingering nutty note. It's unique fun and at the end of the day still a great lemonade.

I believe that the key to a good lemonade is good lemon juice. Feel free to use fresh squeezed lemon juice of good lemons. However, I used a bottle of reliable lemon juice from Santa Cruz Organic. It is acceptable to use juice from concentrate, but I personally feel Santa Cruz Organic offers the best easily accessible lemon juice.

You can also use this recipe as a template for your own lemonade concoctions. Replace the pecan syrup aspect of this recipe with anything. Infuse herbs into the syrup, fruit's, most anything you can think of.

Pecan Lemonade

Pecan Syrup

Ingredients

• 1 c Cane sugar
• 2 c Water
• 1 c Pecans

Cooking Directions

1. 1. Bring sugar and water to a simmer, whisk until combined.
2. 2. Bring temperature down to under a simmer and add pecans to syrup.
3. 3. Dump syrup into a pitcher with a strainer to separate pecans from syrup.

Pecan Lemonade

Ingredients

• 3 c Pecan syrup
• 1 gallon Water
• 2 c Lemon juice (not from concentrate)
• 1 t Kosher salt

Cooking Directions

1. Combine all ingredients into a pitcher and whisk. Chill in a refrigerator then serve.

Total Time: 30 min

Citations and Further Readings:

• "Health Benefits of Lemon." Organic Facts. Organicfacts.net, n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2014. <https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-lemon.html>.
• "Soft Drinks and Disease." Nutrition Source. Harvard School of Public Health, n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2014. <http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/soft-drinks-and-disease/>. 

Photos by Jordan Henline

Beverage Infusion Nuts Summer Vegetarian

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

There are few experiences more ideal to me than taking in a summer's evening in the comfort of my own front yard. Imagine sitting outside in your garden or front porch with twilight approaching. Good food, good company, and a refreshing beverage is a must for my perfect summer evenings. Sure, a cold crisp beer is often great and fully warranted, but sometimes something else is needed. I have found few drinks really are as refreshing as Mexican aguas frescas.

“Aguas frescas (literally, “fresh water”) are refreshing coolers or drinks that fall somewhere between sodas and juices. They’re made from fruit, seeds, grains, nuts, herbs, or a combination of ingredients and are usually sweetened with sugar (from sugar cane). “ (15 Gerson)

“Aguas frescas are sometimes made with certain plants and seeds that have medicinal properties. For example, agua de nopal, made with cactus pads, is good for the kidneys; agua de papaya helps circulation; agua de coco is said to increase sperm count; and agua de mango is used for eye disorders and throat infections.” (16 Gerson) Certainly aguas frescas have more of a health benefit than any common soda or lemonade. Aguas frescas are a wonderful choice for the family all summer long, and when using ingredients out of the garden or from a local farmer's market, the drink contains all the vitamins and nutrients from the actual ingredients. No artificial flavors are used here.

The health benefits are not the only noticeable thing about this Mexican beverage. The flavors are huge but the drink can be as watered down or sugary as desired. This beverage proves that a few common garden cucumbers, garden mint, and limes can go a long way. If you are looking to turn this into a quick adult beverage add 2 oz of your favorite tequila or rum to 6-8 oz of the Cucumber Lime Mint Agua Fresca.

Cucumber Lime Mint Agua Fresca

Ingredients

• 2 Cucumbers
• 1 Lime
• 3 & 1/2 c Water
• 1/4 c Sugar
• Sprig of Mint

Cooking Directions

1. Peel the skin and seed two cucumbers, then reserve.
2. Place the reserved cucumbers in a blender with three cups of water
3. Strain the mixture into a bowl. Discard the pulp or freeze with sugar for about an hour for a quick sorbet.
4. Make a simple syrup by combining 1/4 c of sugar and 1/2 c of water into a sauce pot, turn the heat to medium high and wait until the water boils and the sugar disappears. Turn off the heat and throw in mint to infuse.
5. Add syrup and lime juice to cucumber juice mixture, chill and then serve.

Total Time: 15 min

Citations and Further Readings:

• Gerson, Fany. Paletas: Authentic Recipes for Mexican Ice Pops, Shaved Ice & Aguas Frescas. N.p.: Ten City Press, 2011. 15-16. Print.

Photos by Jordan Henline

Beverage Cocktail Infusion Mexican Summer Vegetarian

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

I have a shameful that secret I need to admit. Bloody Mary’s never made sense too me. Why would anyone want to drink tomato juice and vodka with the random olive or celery stick mixed in to garnish? The idea of creating a Bloody Mary that makes sense to me seemed like a worthy challenge.

I wanted to bring acidic and pungent elements into this cocktail so the sweet tomato juice wasn’t so one-dimensional. The juice from the lemon brightens up the cocktail. The pungent elements come from exploiting the heat of the capsaicin found in chili peppers and the pungent sulfur kick from raw garlic is due to allicin.

These compounds have health benefits too, allicin is known to reduce blood pressure and helps reduce some forms of cancer while capsaicin potentially helps with weight loss, has potential preventative cancer properties, and can help relieve pain. (WebMD) Basically there’s a physiological reason that the burn feels so good and your body will end up thanking you. That being said, if you have a low tolerance to spice, start out by infusing a more mild pepper such as a Jalapeno which contains roughly 5,000 SHU to the Habanero’s 100,000-350,000 SHU. Pepper Scale is a great source for Scoville information.

In order to load up this cocktail while avoiding chewing on raw garlic or catching habanero seeds in the back of the throat, we infuse the vodka with the raw chili and garlic then simply transfer and strain the infused vodka for a Bloody Mary or later use.

So here it is, a Bloody Mary will put a kick in your step and fire in your belly. A perfect hair of the dog if you need a quick pick me up. Or a spicy drink to sip on during a cool night.

Garlic Habanero Bloody Mary

Ingredients

• 1/2 c Tomato juice
• 1/4 c Garlic habanero infused vodka
• 1 Habanero chili
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 2 T Lemon juice
• 2 dashes Hot sauce
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pinch celery salt
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 1 pinch chili powder

Cooking Directions

1. Slice 1 habanero and 2 garlic cloves, put into a mason jar.
2. Pour vodka into the mason jar with habanero and garlic slices.
3. Let sit for 4 hours, shake the mason jar once every hour.
4. Fill pint glass with Ice.
5. Add tomato juice, vodka, lemon juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and spices into a cocktail shaker filled with Ice.
6. Shake for 30 seconds.
7. Strain the Bloody Mary mix into the pint glass and enjoy.

Total Time: 4 hour 15 min

Citations and Further Readings:

• MacPherson, Lindsey J., Bernhard H. Geierstanger, Veena Vinswanath, Michael Bandell, and Samer R. Eid. "The Pungency of Garlic: Activation of TRPA1 and TRPV1 in Response to Allicin." Current Biology 15.10 (2005): 929-34. Print.
• Pepper Scale. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 July 2014. <http://www.pepperscale.com/>.
• WebMD. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 July 2014. <www.webmd.com>.

 Photos by Jordan Henline

Beverage Cocktail Infusion Winter

Saturday, July 19, 2014