When I think of Halloween, one specific food memory immediately comes to mind – the smell of Halloween candy. If you used to trick or treat with a plastic pumpkin bucket, you know what I mean. All of the chocolate, gummy, sweet, sour smells mingling together as one were a child’s dream.
Blood oranges are like fresh figs. They appear suddenly in the produce section of your local grocery store, then the next thing you know, they’re gone. This year, when I saw the blood oranges appear, I eagerly put several of them in my cart so that I could use them in a new recipe. And as fate would have it, I had tequila on my grocery list that week, so one thing led to another, and this sweet and spicy cocktail was the result.
I like to use silver tequila which is usually clear and un-aged, where the true flavors and intensity of the Agave are present. What’s nice about the blood orange juice is not only does it add beautiful color to the drink it’s sweeter than a naval orange, so the natural sugar keeps the heat from the jalapeno under control.
I’ve never understood the name for the cocktail called a ‘Bloody Mary.’ Some say its origin is about a spirit conjured to reveal the future by calling her name in a mirror three times, others say it’s about the legend of Mary Tudor who had hundreds of Protestants murdered in the name of Catholicism. There’s even a story about the drink first being called a ‘Red Snapper’ before it was changed to what we call it today. Regardless, it’s one of my favorite cocktails.
When it comes to the flavor of a traditional Bloody Mary, however, any true foodie would agree that vodka and tomato juice tend to be pretty flavorless ingredients, so they need a big flavor boost to make them tasty. What’s my favorite version? I add an elevated zing using my favorite trio of charred veggies, spicy peppers, and habanero-infused vodka.
The holiday season is almost here, which means it’s time to start thinking about ways of showing your family and friends how much they mean to you. And what better way to do that than by giving them something you’ve made yourself?
Here’s a very simple recipe for making homemade coffee liqueur. It’s the perfect gift for the folks on your nice list who would enjoy adding it to their coffee, pouring it over their ice cream, or just slowly sipping it in front of a crackling fire.
Make this now, and it will ready in time for Christmas!
Ice water is the perfect thirst quencher on a hot summer day, but there are times when I have a taste for something that has a little more flavor, like a tall, refreshing glass of iced tea.
Since the basil plant in my herb garden has been growing faster than I can use it this year, I decided to take advantage of my surplus and play around with a few ingredients. So instead of brewing the traditional tea flavors of lemon and sugar, I tried this sweet and savory version steeped in organic black tea leaves, muddled blackberries and fresh basil leaves. As it turned out, the flavors paired beautifully together and the deep rich color was so inviting, before I knew it, it was gone!