A true classic drink in every sense of the word. Legend holds that the Collins fellow whom the drink is name after was one of the first superstar bartenders in London. The "Tom" part probably refers to Old Tom Gin, which is a quasi-defunct style of gin sweetened with sugar to take the (then) razor's edge off of it.
A good intro to mixed drinks for the uninitiated or something really thirst quenching on a hot and/or long day.
Tom Collins:
2 oz. gin
1 oz. lemon juice (fresh squeezed of course)
1/2 oz. simple syrup
2-3 oz. soda water.
Combine over ice in a ........wait for it...........Collins glass. Garnish with lemon slice, wheel or twist.
I feel this naturally leads into the Gin and Tonic, one of my all-time favorites, which I'll discuss at greater length later.
Cheers.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Salmon Uniliateral
Salmon Unilateral:
The play the University of Washington runs where they toss to the TE if the sideline looks to be open.
Actually, what I like to cook when I'm alone for the evening.
Straight, easy to do, tasty and with a great French name.
All you need is a 6-8oz salmon fillet with the skin still on. Be sure and use good quality salmon for this because the center will remain rare.
Clean the salmon, pat dry and coat the skin side with a thin layer of oil. You could brush on olive oil. I use Pam cooking spray.
Heat 2 tbsp. butter and 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until the butter melts and foams out.
As soon as the foaming subsides, add the salmon to the center of the pan, SKIN SIDE DOWN. Then just leave it there. Don't touch it for 1-2 minutes. After that, pick up the pan (be careful, it may spit at you a bit) tilt to the side and collect the hot butter/oil in a spoon and baste it over the salmon. Alternate laying it on the heat, and raising and basting for an additional 6-7 minutes, or until the side of the skin begins to char. You never turn the fish, ever.
Take the salmon out of the pan with a large spatula and salt and and pepper to taste. Acid also works here, so I usually either give it a good squeeze of lemon or a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Serve with a side salad, steamed vegetables, garlic bread, or my favorite, lemony couscous.
Parings: Pinot Grigio, dry Chardonnay, a light Pinot Noir, ESB, a medium-strength IPA or full bodied Pale Ale, a Lemon Drop or Gimlit cocktail.
The play the University of Washington runs where they toss to the TE if the sideline looks to be open.
Actually, what I like to cook when I'm alone for the evening.
Straight, easy to do, tasty and with a great French name.
All you need is a 6-8oz salmon fillet with the skin still on. Be sure and use good quality salmon for this because the center will remain rare.
Clean the salmon, pat dry and coat the skin side with a thin layer of oil. You could brush on olive oil. I use Pam cooking spray.
Heat 2 tbsp. butter and 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until the butter melts and foams out.
As soon as the foaming subsides, add the salmon to the center of the pan, SKIN SIDE DOWN. Then just leave it there. Don't touch it for 1-2 minutes. After that, pick up the pan (be careful, it may spit at you a bit) tilt to the side and collect the hot butter/oil in a spoon and baste it over the salmon. Alternate laying it on the heat, and raising and basting for an additional 6-7 minutes, or until the side of the skin begins to char. You never turn the fish, ever.
Take the salmon out of the pan with a large spatula and salt and and pepper to taste. Acid also works here, so I usually either give it a good squeeze of lemon or a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Serve with a side salad, steamed vegetables, garlic bread, or my favorite, lemony couscous.
Parings: Pinot Grigio, dry Chardonnay, a light Pinot Noir, ESB, a medium-strength IPA or full bodied Pale Ale, a Lemon Drop or Gimlit cocktail.
Kindred Spirits: Q Gin
Ok, this is one I've been meaning to try for a while now. One of the more widely distributed newcomers to the top-shelf Gin market, it was always on the "To Get Someday" list, but never in the bag when I walked out of the store. Probably because I am not exactly rolling in money to drop on spirits and the $38 price tag scared me off a bit.
Turns out White Rock Distilleries felt my pain, or at least the Super Liquor IV did, and knocked $18 of the price this past week. Ok, at $20, I had to strike.
First impressions: Ohh, shiney bottle. ( Seriously, people. Marketing helps. I avoided Bols Liqueors for the longest time because it looks like off-brand salad dressing from the 70s with those bottles and labels.)
Straight Up/On The Rocks: Crystal clear. Nose of light juniper and pepper. Not a strong smell at all. Smooth taste, first note is citrus, like orange peel. This goes quickly to a short, peppery finish. Not too complicated of a gin. The juniper is really understated. You could easily convince someone this is herbal vodka (well, all gin technically is, but I think you get my meaning). Very nice straight up.
Martini: Ok, this is where Q really seems to shine. I made my standard martini (2 1/2 oz. gin, 1/4 oz. dry vermouth, three olives, shaken not stirred) Again, the smoothness really stands out. It's got a mouthfeel that I can only describe as "supple". The brine of the olives is the first initial taste, kinda washing out the citrus, but as it lingers, the pepper of the gin starts the second half. Finally, the juniper comes in at the end to finish the flavor profile out. Strangely, I got more "juniper" out of the martini (w/ vermouth and olives) than I did drinking it straight. Again, this is an excellent gin for "people who don't like gin", but in a good way. You could use this as an excellent introduction to gin martinis for people who have been seduced by vodka.
Gin and Tonic: This gin would be wasted on gin and tonics. In my normal recipe, all I got was the tonic water. Go with something stronger, like Tanquerey or Gordon's.
Overall: A quality, lighter gin. Probably not worth the original price, but perfectly reasonable at what I paid for it. Good on the rocks and makes an excellent martini, would quaff again.
Final Score: 3.5 out of 5.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Not Dead Yet.
Ok, sorry that posting has been scare to my literally tens of readers. Work troubles and traveling distract from writing. I've got several new spirits to review and a few ad hoc recipes to note on, so that's whats coming up shortly, I assure you.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Happy Independence Day, Y'all.
Grilling Leg O' Lamb with a rosemary garlic mint paste. Sipping some Jim Beam Rye on the rocks.
Damn proud to be an American.
Have a safe and happy Fourth of July.
Damn proud to be an American.
Have a safe and happy Fourth of July.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Asian Chicken Stir-Fry with Sesame Salad
Ok, first thing off, this is one of the more generic names I think one could possibly come up with for a dish. Second, this was a fabulous summer supper that I somehow managed to ad-lib my way through. Third, it's an opportunity to show off one of my new favorite ingredients; Chinese Black Vinegar.
The heat and humidity finally made their way north to Michigan last week and it was pretty stickyhot. Now, I'm used to all this, being from Georgia, but that doesn't mean that one enjoys it. When I think "light" suppers, two of the things that leap out at me are "Stir-fry" and "salads". Yes, the menu planners at TGI Fridays would be so proud, but they work well for a reason. In fact, they work very well together, if you put them together correctly.
Plus, its something to do with the ubiquitous boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Asian Chicken Stir-Fry w/ Sesame Salad:
Basics:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
~4-5 cups mesculin (or 1-2 bag salads of your choice)
Marinade:
1/2 cup toasted sesame oil
2/3 cup Chinese black vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp. Japanese Seven Spice blend
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp yellow mustard
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
Prepare marinade in 1 gallon ziploc bag and set aside.
Cut chicken breasts into 1/2 inch wide strips of various lengths. no need for uniformity.
Add chicken to marinade and refridgerate for at least one hour.
After an hour, pull out your favorite wok or skillet (mine is a high-carbon steel one that I found at a Korean grocery store for about $10) and add about 1 tbsp. of canola or other high-heat oil and coat the bottom. Put over high heat.
As the skillet is heating, make the sesame salad dressing, which is a paired down version of the marinade.
Sesame Dressing:
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp black vinegar
1 tsp. Japanese Seven Spice
1 tsp. yellow mustard
Whisk well to combine.
Drain the chicken from the marinade and introduce it to the wonderful world of thermal conductivity. It will make quite a sizzle as it hits the wok, but that's what we're going for. As hot as your range-top can get it.
Stir constantly!
The chicken is "done" when it firms up and gives good resistances to pokes from your spoon. This will vary depending on your heat level; for me, it took about 8 minutes. Remember to keep stirring!
Dispense chicken to a serving plate and allow to cool for a moment. Now, we prepare the plates with the salad base, drizzling on a bit of the dressing, enough to coat the leaves, not drown them in a puddle.
Now, this part is optional, but it makes it look oh so fancy. Sprinkle on a mixture of white and black seasme seeds. They'll add a lot of ritz and a bit of nutty crunch to the salad. Toast them if you really want to show off.
When the chicken is no longer rocket hot, plate over the center of the salad and serve.
Recommended pairings: Any good wine for a stir-fry would work here, like a dry Riesling or pinot blanc, but honestly, I'd just as soon have a good Asian beer like Asahi or Sapporo. Your call.
Hope you like it.
The heat and humidity finally made their way north to Michigan last week and it was pretty stickyhot. Now, I'm used to all this, being from Georgia, but that doesn't mean that one enjoys it. When I think "light" suppers, two of the things that leap out at me are "Stir-fry" and "salads". Yes, the menu planners at TGI Fridays would be so proud, but they work well for a reason. In fact, they work very well together, if you put them together correctly.
Plus, its something to do with the ubiquitous boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Asian Chicken Stir-Fry w/ Sesame Salad:
Basics:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
~4-5 cups mesculin (or 1-2 bag salads of your choice)
Marinade:
1/2 cup toasted sesame oil
2/3 cup Chinese black vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp. Japanese Seven Spice blend
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp yellow mustard
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
Prepare marinade in 1 gallon ziploc bag and set aside.
Cut chicken breasts into 1/2 inch wide strips of various lengths. no need for uniformity.
Add chicken to marinade and refridgerate for at least one hour.
After an hour, pull out your favorite wok or skillet (mine is a high-carbon steel one that I found at a Korean grocery store for about $10) and add about 1 tbsp. of canola or other high-heat oil and coat the bottom. Put over high heat.
As the skillet is heating, make the sesame salad dressing, which is a paired down version of the marinade.
Sesame Dressing:
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp black vinegar
1 tsp. Japanese Seven Spice
1 tsp. yellow mustard
Whisk well to combine.
Drain the chicken from the marinade and introduce it to the wonderful world of thermal conductivity. It will make quite a sizzle as it hits the wok, but that's what we're going for. As hot as your range-top can get it.
Stir constantly!
The chicken is "done" when it firms up and gives good resistances to pokes from your spoon. This will vary depending on your heat level; for me, it took about 8 minutes. Remember to keep stirring!
Dispense chicken to a serving plate and allow to cool for a moment. Now, we prepare the plates with the salad base, drizzling on a bit of the dressing, enough to coat the leaves, not drown them in a puddle.
Now, this part is optional, but it makes it look oh so fancy. Sprinkle on a mixture of white and black seasme seeds. They'll add a lot of ritz and a bit of nutty crunch to the salad. Toast them if you really want to show off.
When the chicken is no longer rocket hot, plate over the center of the salad and serve.
Recommended pairings: Any good wine for a stir-fry would work here, like a dry Riesling or pinot blanc, but honestly, I'd just as soon have a good Asian beer like Asahi or Sapporo. Your call.
Hope you like it.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Cocktail of the Hour: Gimlet
Having been reading various books on the subject, including a wonderful little tome called "How's Your Drink?" by Eric Felten, I've regained a big appreciation for the classic highball known as the Gimlet. Perhaps the only thing on this planet that Rose's Lime Juice (actually a lime syrup, but they've been around longer than truth-in-labeling laws) is good for, it is quite tart and refreshing. The traditional recipe for one is as follows:
The Gimlet:
Equal parts gin and Rose's Lime Juice. (2oz. of each would make a standard size)
Stir over rocks in a highball glass. Garnish (if desired) w/ lime wedge.
Now, this makes a fine drink, but it's a bit too tart for me, so I like to change things a bit and decrease the amount of the lime.
Hunter's Gimlet:
2 parts gin
1 part Rose's Lime Juice
If you want to stretch the drink a bit, move to a Collin's glass, increase the Rose's Lime Juice and add Club Soda.
Gimlet Fizz:
2 oz. Gin
3 oz. Rose's Lime Juice
Add to Collins glass w/ ice.
Top with Club Soda or Seltzer (~3 - 4 oz.)
Stir and serve.
For people looking for ridiculous ways to cut calories, I imagine that something along the lines of this would work well.
The GimLite:
2 oz. Gin
4 oz. lime flavored Seltzer.
Add to Collins glass w/ ice.
Stir and serve.
Crisp, refreshing and all but sugar-free.
One more thing. Eric Felten raises an excellent point in his book. This drink, along with Gin and Tonics (but that's another post) benefit from what he calls an "unapologetic" gin. One that perfumes the room with the smell of juniper when you open the bottle. And you know what, he's dead on. This is a drink that needs powerful flavors to cut through the tartness. This is not a drink to savor the nuances of the botanicals. No, if you could wring out juniper sap as an ingredient, I'd recommend you do that. (Actually, with Juniper berries increasingly availabe, you probably could. Note to self: investigate further). One step above bathtub gin lies my personal favorite for these type of drinks; Gordon's London Dry. If it was good enough for James Bond, it's good enough for you. [Bombay London Dry works fine too, as that's the other gin I try to keep on hand at all times].
So, find room in your fridge next to the crappy fake Grenedine for some Rose's Lime and enjoy one of the perfect cocktails that you don't have to be fussy over.
Cheers!
The Gimlet:
Equal parts gin and Rose's Lime Juice. (2oz. of each would make a standard size)
Stir over rocks in a highball glass. Garnish (if desired) w/ lime wedge.
Now, this makes a fine drink, but it's a bit too tart for me, so I like to change things a bit and decrease the amount of the lime.
Hunter's Gimlet:
2 parts gin
1 part Rose's Lime Juice
If you want to stretch the drink a bit, move to a Collin's glass, increase the Rose's Lime Juice and add Club Soda.
Gimlet Fizz:
2 oz. Gin
3 oz. Rose's Lime Juice
Add to Collins glass w/ ice.
Top with Club Soda or Seltzer (~3 - 4 oz.)
Stir and serve.
For people looking for ridiculous ways to cut calories, I imagine that something along the lines of this would work well.
The GimLite:
2 oz. Gin
4 oz. lime flavored Seltzer.
Add to Collins glass w/ ice.
Stir and serve.
Crisp, refreshing and all but sugar-free.
One more thing. Eric Felten raises an excellent point in his book. This drink, along with Gin and Tonics (but that's another post) benefit from what he calls an "unapologetic" gin. One that perfumes the room with the smell of juniper when you open the bottle. And you know what, he's dead on. This is a drink that needs powerful flavors to cut through the tartness. This is not a drink to savor the nuances of the botanicals. No, if you could wring out juniper sap as an ingredient, I'd recommend you do that. (Actually, with Juniper berries increasingly availabe, you probably could. Note to self: investigate further). One step above bathtub gin lies my personal favorite for these type of drinks; Gordon's London Dry. If it was good enough for James Bond, it's good enough for you. [Bombay London Dry works fine too, as that's the other gin I try to keep on hand at all times].
So, find room in your fridge next to the crappy fake Grenedine for some Rose's Lime and enjoy one of the perfect cocktails that you don't have to be fussy over.
Cheers!
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