Cocktail Saturday: Orange Maple Leaf

What kind of cocktail do you make when you have an abundance of citrus and a growler of maple syrup….try a new cocktail.

This is  a spin-off of the Maple Leaf cocktail that replaces lemon juice with fresh squeezed orange juice. 

  The original Maple Leaf is believed to have first appeared in The Artistry of Mixing Drinks by Frank Meier and has had several adaptations since its publication  in 1936. While the original version is hard to beat- the Orange Maple Leaf was pretty delicious. Especially this time of year when oranges are abundant and lemons are a bit pricier. 

Orange Maple Leaf

2 oz Rye

2 tsp maple syrup

½ oz fresh squeezed orange juice

Shake all ingredients over ice. Serve with an orange peel garnish. 

Cocktail Friday: Rhubarb Tom Collins

This is a delicious twist on the classic Tom Collin’s using rhubarb that is just now in season and the very first of Cindy’s mint crop. This drink is perfect for spring because it is light and refreshing. 

As most of you know we are big supporters of local products so if you aren't lucky enough to have a rhubarb plant in your backyard check out your farmer's market. 

This drink turns out to be a beautiful pink color! 

Cheers!

Rhubarb Tom Collins

Makes 1 Cup

Prepare Rhubarb Simple Syrup

2 cups chopped rhubarb 

( to prepare rhubarb wash and discard any leave

Chop into 1/2 in pieces)

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

3 TBSP Fresh Squeezed Lemon or Lime Juice 

(We recommend not using concentrated lemon juice because the flavor isn't as strong)

Place all ingredients in a sauce pan and slowly bring to a boil. Reduce temperature to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Remove from burner and let cool for 20 minutes. You can speed up cooling time by placing in the refrigerator. Once the syrup is cooled strain the mix through a fine sieve or cheesecloth to remove large rhubarb pieces. 

**Don't discard the Rhubarb. It is delicious mixed into yogurt! 

Now for the drink!

2 oz high quality gin 

1 oz rhubarb simple syrup

1/2-1 oz. fresh lemon juice

ice

splash of tonic water

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice add gin, rhubarb simply syrup, and lemon juice. Shake and pour into a Tom Collins glass. Top with a splash of tonic water. Garnish with a sprig of mint. 

Enjoy!

...And if you are interested in how a Tom Collin's got its name read this short article. 

Ladies' Valentine's Day Party

Before we get too much farther behind we didn't want to forget to share a few photos and a few recipes from our Ladies' Valentine's Day Party!

Valentine's Day is one of our favorite holidays. Not because of the bad candy, the ridiculous stuffed animals, and all the other overdone items you find stocking the shelves but just because we really love the holiday. We especially like to celebrate it with some of our favorite ladies.

Gold Sugar Rimmed Champagne Glasses

What is the holiday without some delicious drinks? We started the night with a strawberry basil martini. We followed that up with some Brut Rose champagne in flutes rimmed with gold sugar.

Strawberry Basil Martini

The martinis take a little advance prep but they are worth every last drop.

Strawberry-Basil Martini

• First make the strawberry-basil sauce.
• 1 lb. strawberries, washed, hulled & sliced
• ¼ cup sugar 
• ¼ cup water
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 6-10 basil leaves 
• Combine all the ingredients in a small pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil; turn down to a simmer and add basil leaves. Simmer 20-30 minutes. Allow to cool and then blend in your food processor.

For the cocktail- 

2 oz good vodka or gin

2 oz strawberry basil syrup

1/2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice. 

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake and then serve straight-up in a martini glass. Garnish with a basil leaf. 

The night started with small bites including a cheese and fruit plate and homemade crab dip. Dinner was homemade fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp, salad, and baguette. The night ended with fresh fruit, baked banana wontons, and pound cake dipped in milk chocolate fondue. 





It is always fun hanging out with your best girls. 

Katie has been begging for the pasta recipe so here it is! Now, it is definitely not a diet dish, but it is worth a splurge once and a while! Please do not try to substitute ingredients either. That will just lead to disappointment.

Homemade Alfredo

1 stick butter

2 cups heavy cream

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp white pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 pound fresh fettuccine pasta

1 pound baby salad shrimp from the seafood counter, thawed and drained

Melt butter over medium heat. Add cream, pepper, garlic, and simmer 12 minutes stirring constantly. When mixture reaches desired consistency stir in cheese. Keep stirring! 

Cook pasta according to directions. You can also use dried pasta but we prefer fresh pasta. 

Toss pasta with sauce and gently stir in shrimp. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until warm. Serve immediately.

FCM Book Club: Where'd You Go Bernadette?

Jamie was a wonderful host to our discussion of the book Where’d You Go Bernadette, by Maria Semple. We loved the book and her meal!


A Seasonal Ale Perfect for the Antarctic Setting

Delicious Stuffed Mushrooms

Bacon Wrapped Chicken and Greens with Basil Infused Vinaigrette

The main dish was fabulous! A chicken breast pounded flat and stuffed with whipped chive cream cheese, wrapped in bacon and broiled in the oven. Find a similar recipe here. If you can not find whipped cream cheese make your own like Jamie did with her electric mixer. The salad  was topped with a dressing that included a basil infused extra virgin olive oil. Just remember to use fresh greens not bagged when serving a light dressing. Jamie served a warm apple crumb cake for dessert. We could not help but have two servings!

Blue Curaçao Liqueur Gives a Glacial Color

The cocktail of the evening was a Cry Baby Blues which you make by combining:

·         4 1/2 oz strawberry guava juice

·         1 oz Blue Curacao liqueur

·         1 oz triple distilled vodka of your choice

Shake in a cocktail shaker.

The Ladies...Poppy too.

Thanks to our good friend, Glen Tulloch, for the recommendation! We could all use a little of Bernadette’s spirit......Glen's too. 

Cocktail Friday: A Little Irish Luck, Homemade Baileys Irish Cream

In celebration of St. Patrick's Day, we decided to make homemade Irish Cream. It is incredibly simple to make and once you have had the homemade version you will never buy it again. Several recipes said you can replace the whiskey with vodka if you prefer but we decided to stick with Irish whiskey.

In about 5 minutes you will have your own bottle of homemade Irish Cream. Start with your favorite Irish Whiskey, add in some cream, sweetened condensed milk, instant coffee, chocolate, and vanilla. Blend for a few minutes and you are done! Serve over ice or splash a little in your coffee. 

Homemade Baileys Irish Cream

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2 Teaspoons Instant Coffee

2 1/2 Tablespoons Chocolate Syrup

14 oz Sweeten Condensed Milk

1 2/3 Irish Whiskey

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Bean paste (you can also use good extract)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and serve over ice or in coffee!

Cindy's cute St. Patty's Day decorations.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Cocktail Friday: Maple Bourbon Ciders

While the ground isn't covered in snow it sure is chilly outside. These Maple –Bourbon Ciders are a sure bet to warm you up on the cold winter days.

We love anything with real maple syrup in it…especially a cocktail!

Maple-Bourbon Cider 

Makes 2

6 ounces Bourbon

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

4teaspoons pure maple syrup to taste

1 cup spiced apple cider

apple slices for garnish

ice

Directions:

1. Fill two old fashion glasses with ice. In a pitcher or cocktail shaker, add bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup, and apple cider; shake vigorously.

2. Strain into glasses and garnish each with a slice of apple.  Enjoy!

The Elegance of the Hedgehog: November Book Club

Abbie hosted November’s book club. Her book selection, The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, can be difficult to get through. She may have known it was going to be a tough one before we even started because she offered a prize to anyone that finished. Of course the best part of book club a lot of time is not the book but the food and drink.

Abbie made delicious Pomegranate Martinis and while not everyone finished the book everyone finished off their martini. 

Dinner was a salad with homemade French dressing and a cassoulet. No dinner is complete without dessert! The dessert was tarte aux pommes (which is just an apple tart in French) served with French press coffee.

If you manage to make it through the book the ending of the novel really is beautiful and worth the struggle.

Abbie also provided Thankful journals at the beginning of November so everyone could write down a few things they were thankful for. It is always important to remember all the things we have to be thankful for.

Cocktail Friday: A Fall Fig

Figs are in season and these are the perfect cocktail for fall! Figs can be found in specialty food stores throughout the fall. Their intense sweetness are perfect for a rich cocktail. These beauties made it, barely, over 20 miles of dirt road to cocktail Friday in Atlanta, Idaho.

Cocktail
2 oz Bourbon we went with Buffalo Trace
3/4 oz Brown sugar + fig simple syrup
1/4 Lemon juiced or more if desired
2 Dashes orange bitters

Spiced Fig Simple Syrup
4 Figs
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup water

Make the simple syrup a head of time, even a day or two. The longer the syrup sets the more flavorful it becomes. Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan on medium heat. Stir and cook until all of the sugar has dissolved and the figs are mushy. Mash with a fork while it is cooking. Do not let the sugar boil or burn!

Once you have your simple syrup made and cooled, add all cocktail ingredients together in a shaker with a cup full of ice. Strain it into a glass over ice. Add more fresh lemon juice to taste.

Infused Simple Syrup

Try the Fall Fig! It is a perfect way to warm up this season!

Cocktail Friday: Absinthe "la Fee Verte"

Absinthe, once banned in many countries, has gained in popularity in recent years. It is an anise flavored spirit that was once favored by artists and writers in late 19th and early 20th century France due to its ability to heighten the senses. Absinthe was banned in the U.S. in 1912 because it was believed to lead to alcoholism and insanity! It is now available in the U.S. However, the Absinthe of today is not at all like what was consumed by the likes of Edgar Allen Poe, Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh. This is because, even though they contain wormwood, today's Absinthes contain very small traces of thujone. Thrujone is the chemical compound thought to have produced the hallucinations and clarity of mind of pre-ban Absinthe. Enough with the history and science lesson!

How to serve it:

Traditionally, Absinthe is served by pouring iced cold water over a sugar cube that is placed on a slotted spoon. Use one part spirit to three parts water. The sugar cube cuts down on the bitterness and the water produces an effect known as louching, where the substance turns an opaque green.

Sugar Cube on Slotted Spoon

Slowly pour ice cold water.

The Absinthe Louche

You can find many cocktail recipes that include the use of Absinthe but we prefer to enjoy it the traditional way. Santé !

Start Fall Off With a Peartini

Pears are in season right now and while they are juicy and delicious all by themselves they also make a tasty cocktail. When making this cocktail you are going to want to start off with ripe pears otherwise your cocktail won’t have much flavor. Pears are a unique fruit that ripen best off the tree. Pears shipped and sold in grocery stores are often fully mature but not ripe. To tell if a pear is ripe, press on the neck of the fruit — if it gives slightly, it is ripe. To ripen pears, store at room temperature until slightly soft, then store in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Now that you have ripe pears you need only a few more ingredients for this delicious cocktail- lemons and pear vodka. 

We decided to use Absolut pear vodka in our recipe but if you would like to use regular vodka you can do that as well. It will definitely make the drink less sweet. 

Pear Martini (Makes 2)

1 large ripe pear (peeled, cored and sliced)

1/2 cup cold water

2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 Tsp. Simple Syrup 

3 oz Absolut Pear Vodka or similar

Add all ingredients (besides vodka) into a food processor or blender and whirl until smooth. Pour into a cocktail shaker and add vodka and shake. Serve in a martini glass. If you don't like the pear pulp you can strain your drink before serving.

This only serves two. We recommend doubling recipe from the start because you will want more than one!

Poppy dressed for the occasion.