Posted via email from Ines yet again

The best cocktail for hot summer afternoons. Originally conceived by Jocelyn Etherington 2007

Ingredients

• 85ml white rum
• 30ml fresh lime juice
• 40ml Wild Hibiscus Syrup
• 2 chopped Wild Hibiscus Flowers
• 2 halved lime wheels
• 2 Stems mint
• Soda water

Method:

1. Fill a high ball glass with crushed ice
2. Muddle in 1-2 stems of mint, lime wheels and chopped Hibiscus…

Read more
http://www.sevafrica.com/HealthWellness/WildHibiscus-Mojito.shtml

There was a projection art show on the Town Hall on Friday at 7.30pm so I went along. It wasn’t really an art show more a projection of Christmas ephemera. It was kind of weird the square was deserted and there was no one watching it except about five people who seemed to be listening to a group of carolers. Everyone left at 8pm, except the projectionist she continued on, so I don’t know if the singing was part of the spectacle. It’s on again next Friday if you’re curious.

Watching a projection art show makes you thirsty so we decided to go to Maya for a cocktail.

The Town Hall is flood lit quite well so it was difficult to see the various images being projected on it.

Maya’s cocktail bar is above the restaurant and has big windows looking down on to the street. It’s on the left at the top of the stairs in a long room with a padded red bench seat running the length of one wall with small tables and stools dotted along. Everything is decorated in red tones = nice, but the glowing blue lights in the bar fridges seem out of place. They’re the same colour as those UV lights used in toilets that stop junkies shooting up.

The cocktail menu is themed which is great… makes for more interesting drinks, I liked the Jaffa and the Mojito. However, it took the bar man 15-20 minutes to make our drinks no exaggeration. Not that he didn’t have the skills he made our drinks quickly and very well. It just took him that amount of time to get to our drinks order. The bar was empty but it also serves the restaurant downstairs and you have to wait for a mixed drink.

Almost forgot to say there’s bar snacks as well, we had wagyu beef samosas. They were sooo nice, great pastry, crisp not greasy.  I’m going to Maya for dinner next week and I’ll have them again and maybe another Jaffa.

Maya Cocktail List

A few weeks ago Mizuho and I enjoyed a (very) rare night out, and headed, inevitably, for Chinatown (the only game in town). We decided to check out Manifest, one of a few significant new openings in the past year. It’s a beautiful spot, the kind of space that Honolulu needs even more of. A comfortable blend of cafe, bar and gallery. A sense of style, but not unapproachable. I had to order a Mojito to see how it measured up against 39 Hotel’s masterful rendition. It didn’t, but was good enough. There was a white reggae artist (you know the guy, dreads and a fondness for Jah – he’s everywhere) strumming out some very kind BGM. Not much of a crowd, but it was a Saturday and we were out early. Go there.

Today I attempted to make my own bitters.  We will all know in 25 days if it turned out to be a success or not.  I’ve seen homemade bitter on all of the respected cocktail lists around the city and I thought to myself that I could not be the last one on the wagon. 

What is bitters anyways?  A bunch of herbs and grain alcohol?  As started googling I realized that it is so much more.  Angostura, you deserve a metal.  I found out that bitters is an herbal infusion of sorts.  The catch is, all herbs and fruits infuse at different rates.  So, cut to my office where you will find 15 different jars filled with different herbs and everclear all neatly labeled with their contents.

I wanted making bitters to be fun however, I feel like the fun will start when I have an eye dropper of this sauce finishing my much-anticipated adult beverage.

I was recently given the task to recreate classic cocktails to have a renaissance twist.  The bitters will actually be a blood orange bitters to accompany a champagne cocktail.

The cocktail will be made with blood orange bitters to replace Angostura bitters, and a toasted sugar paper will be used to replace the sugar cube.

This is also the first time I’d made sugar paper and this WAS fun.  Many drinks will call for sugar.  Mojiots, mint julips, old fashioneds.  Mostly, bartenders will open a packet of white sugar and muddle it with fruit or herbs.  However, I hate this.  More often than not, your left with a harsh drink with one last sip of pure sugar at the bottom. A way to avoid this would be to use simple syrups which can be found in plenty at our bars.  However, I though it would be fun to go about it another way.  I toasted white sugar over medium heat until it all melted and turned a light amber color.  Then, I quickly poured the sugar out onto parchment paper and in one quick spread, fanned the hot sugar out to make a very thin translucent sheet of sugar.  The sugar is then simply broken into rustic pieces and then it floats atop any drink.  The drink may be strong at first but wait a couple of minutes and the paper should gracefully melt into the drink.

You can start to enjoy a tasting portion of this cocktail for $1 at Meract a la Planxa in the Blackstone Hotel January 1st 2010!

As, for the bitters….I’ll keep you all posted!

Organic, shaken and stirred
Hip highballs, modern martinis, and other totally green cocktails
by Paul Abercrombie

Looking to entertain your guest with “organic cocktails”, if so, you have got to try these wonderful drinks. Pure, natural, organic cocktails, creative drinks that use organic, natural spirits and mixers.  This book has opened my eyes to a whole new way of creating beautiful and very tasty drinks.  The author begins by introducing us to producers of organic vodka, tequila, gin, and many other spirits.  He provides us with tips to set up your own green bar, while providing other tips on how to techniques, the ingredients and equipment needed.  The beautifully delicious color photos will leave your mouth watering for more. The book is loaded with wonderful recipes.  Most of the recipes involve an organic simple syrup and the author has provided the recipe for making the organic simple syrup. My favorite section is the lush and fruity, from the watermelon aguafresca, the blackberry mojito,  the kiwi envy, to the voluptuous. The next favorite section is entitled “from the garden” coming up roses (uses fresh organic rose petals and organic rose water) to the spiked blueberry-thyme lemonade.  Who am I kidding, I love each and every section, and I am going to enjoy making all these drinks.  Every summer we love having friends over for drinks around the pool, this year I will be able to knock their socks off with some of these green friendly “beautiful and delicious drinks”. The watermelon cooler and frozen berry bellini – yum-yum.

I was so excited and pleased when I received this book, I immediately opened and began reading; interesting and superbly done.  The photographs, by New York food photographer Jerry Errico, are beautiful works of art.  The best I can say is that I am in love with this book and plan on trying each and everyone of these drinks.  This would make a great Christmas gift! Enjoy! Tis the season to be Jolly!!!

Got this in an e-mail, so I thought it would be cool to do it here. You can use it if you like, of course you have to replace all the answers though. Lol

1.  What is your occupation right now? Psychologist for private practice
2.  What color are your socks right now?    to hot for socks lol
3.  What are you listening to right now?   Lil Wayne – No Ceilings
4.  What was the last thing that you ate? beef pot roast
5.  Can you drive a stick shift?  DUH, all my rides are stick, except for one lol
6.  Last person you spoke to on the phone?  one of my best friends
7.  Do you like the person who sent this to you?  shes cool I guess :-p
8.  How old are you today?  HA, wouldn’t you like to know
9.  What is your favorite sport to watch on TV?  Moto GP
10.  What is your favorite drink?  Mojito
11.  Have you ever dyed your hair?  Yup
12.  Favorite food?  pizza
13.  What is the last movie you watched?  StarTrek 2009
14.  Favorite day of the year?   my b-day DUH
15.  How do you vent anger?  kill people of course….on ps3 LOL
16.  What was your favorite toy as a child?  my 4ft bugs bunny stuffed animal…which I still have lol
17.  What is your favorite season?  toss up, winter and spring
18.  Cherries or Blueberries?  is both an option? but blueberries
19.  Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? sure
20.  Who is the most likely to respond?   hell if i know
21.  Who is most likely not to respond?  same as above lol
22.  Living arrangements? me, myself, and i. few dogs, and a cat lol nuff said :p
23.  When was the last time you cried?  march
24.  What is on the floor of your closet?  heels, heels and more heels LOL. plus clothes and other crap
25.  Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to?  hmmm
26.  What did you do last night?  played Borderlands on ps3
27.  What are you most afraid of?  rejection
28.  Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers?  spicy!
29.  Favorite dog breed?  pitbull
30.  Favorite day of the week?  mondays, cuz everyone else hates monday lol
31.  How many states have you lived in? 15
32.  Diamonds or pearls?  well diamonds are a girls best friend, i guess lol. plus ive never owned any pearls
33.  What is your favorite flower?  dragon lily

Matt’s belated birthday party was last night… gosh i don’t think i’ve ever drunk so much… 2 glasses of wine, a lychee martini and a mojito… so didn’t sleep well…

The Girls...

Antes de começar o post, quero deixar aqui registrada minha decepção comigo mesma por não ter sido capaz de editar um vídeo que gravei pra colocar aqui. Nem o Movie Maker eu tive paciência de aprender a usar, então vou ilustrar o post com um vídeo já pronto e editado e lindo que fizeram no evento da Bacardi que participei. hahaha

Esse post é o segundo com o tema “RECEITA” aqui no meu blog. Mas dessa vez não é coisa de menininha, doninha de casa boa pra casar não! Nããão, nananinanão! Muito pelo contrário! É de garota baladeira bêbada animada que se joga na balada e ahaza! Hahaha brinks..Mas enfim, vamos parar de enrolar e chegar logo onde interessa!

Introdução: eu sempre fui fã de cerveja. Sempre fui a garota da cerveja, vou pro bar só tomo cerveja, vou pra balada só tomo cerveja e bababi bababá. Bebidas destiladas não são o meu negócio. Não curto aquele gosto de bebida alcoólica que fica na boca, sabe? Só escolhia tomar destilados quando queria ficar triloca [ou seja, quase nunca]. Até que um dia, me chamaram pra fazer figuração num comercial pra internet da Bacardi Mojito. Achei mega divertido fazer, tinha bebidinhas de graça, muita gente bonita e azaração! Foi lá que eu experimentei, pela primeira vez, um mojito de qualidade. Aquele que você toma e sente um gosto bom, não uma ânsia de vômito [que é o meu caso as vezes]. Depois, rolou uma festinha no Sonique da Bacardi Mojito, e lá eu tive um mini curso de bartender. Não foi bem um mini curso, eu só aprendi a fazer mojito e, como ficou uma delícia e eu viciei totalmente nessa bebida, resolvi passar a receita pra vocês, pq coisa boa a gente tem que dividir casamiga né? hahaha

Ingredientes para Mojitar-se:

50 ml de Bacardi Superior [eu coloco a gosto pq não gosto se ficar muito forte]

7 folhas de hortelã [bonitas, tamanho médio]

1 colher de sopa de açúcar [não muito cheia, mas também a gosto]

15 ml de suco de limão [eu expremo meio limão e ta ótimo]

Água com gás [pra completar o copo - e pelo amor, não usar bebidas de limão tipo Sprite, fica doce e horrível!]

Exprema o limão no copo, coloque a colher de sopa de açúcar e as folhas de hortelã. Marece a hortelã bem de leve, sem deixar ela se moer e despedaçar. Coloque bastante gelo no copo junto com o Bacardi Superior e mexa bastante, de preferência use uma coqueteleira. Depois, coloque no copo e decore com umas folhinhas de hortelã por cima [pq além de gostoso, tem que ficar lindo né?]

Aqui estou eu fazendo meu super mojito delicioso na festa da Bacardi:

E ah! Se você quiser ver o comercial que eu participei, é só entrar no site Mojita-se com Bacardi, que ficou bem bacana. Lá tem outras receitas de mojito também! Depois me contem se me acharam no meio da figuração na propaganda! hahaha

Como bien sabéis los que habéis asistido durante los últimos años, la fiesta de Avenida 55 es la mejor Fiesta de Nochevieja que se organiza en Madrid. Más de 2.000 personas en los últimos 5 años no pueden estar equivocadas, siempre ha sido un éxito y desde el primer año los organizadores siempre intentaron dar mejor el servicio al mejor precio posible.

El primer año se aseguraron barra libre de primeras marcas, desayuno para todos en el local, reportaje fotográfico… y este año además se ofrecerán Mojitos! Ver info completa de la fiesta de Nochevieja en Avenida aqui

Los Mojitos están de moda, todas las marcas sacan versiones para su lanzamiento y en Avenida 55 se darán por el mismo precio en la Fiesta de Nochevieja 2009- 2010. Os dejo con algunos vídeos de fiestas Mojito:

Another exciting episode in my Spring 2010 series commences!

Christian Cota;

Forgive me if this entry isn’t entirely up to par with my previous one. I finished a whole section of Christian Cota (complete with pictures!) when my internet browser closed on me and the drafts were lost. I was disheartened but came back to rewrite. ):

Sweetly innocent and simply alluring, Christian Cota’s Spring 2010 collection attracted my attention because of how real it was. “Real” in the sense that his looks are the closest to the real “norm” of suburban life, come what may. Tried and true silhouettes and a surprising lack of accessories are the main subjects being taught here. When I perused through this collection, it struck me that he was designing for a wide range of women and ages, thus making his designs much more accessible and wearable. I say this because of the obvious contrast between the lolita-esque babydoll dress, the negligee cover up, the demure bolero, and the business-like coupling of blouse and skirt (among others).  Cota’s vision also has a slight vintage tint and and an amazing use of print. His print of choice is what seems to be a yarbled mix of  colors and shapes to form flowery accents. (It rather reminds one of a psychedelic kaleidoscope adventure.) But what’s interesting here is that he isn’t confined to one decade throughout the collection; many different era-elements are sprinkled here and there for our enjoyment. For example, on the surface of things I see the 30s, the 50s, the 1900s, the 70s, and the 80s. Absolutely refreshing. (Versatile is the key word here.) Some of my favorite looks below:

Costello Tagliapietra;

Costello Tagliapietra’s airy Spring 2010 collection left me with a taste of chilled citrus and mint in my mouth–not unlike a mojito. Never a fan of the leather and bondage look, I guess it was only natural for me to gravitate towards C.T.’s line. What I love about this is that the models look like they are healthy, living creatures that can breathe and eat (at long last!). Costello and Tagliapietra has got it down; the fabrics chosen look soft and luxurious, the hemlines are short but not crude, and not to mention the obvious absence of constricting zippers. (Might I add that several models look bra-free? ah, to remove the constrictions of modern society–wonderful.) And the color palette is cool and refreshing; silvers, lavenders, blues,  light olives, and surprising bursts of orange, gold, and yellow-green.  My favorites are as follows:

Pity that they didn’t do more with the beautiful melon colored fabric. I would have loved to see one or two more looks in that. Also, I am lovin’ the beautiful brown oxfords. Who says a love for shoes must be justified?

So here’s to you, Christian Cota, Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra! I tip my fairly empty mojito glass to you for an absolutely refreshing and (dare I say it?) minty time!

Yours truly,

Lili Darling

Acordo quase cinco horas da tarde, sem arrependimentos. Se eu não tivesse dormido, ficaria cansada pelo resto da viagem. Uma fome pungente demora cinco, talvez dez minutos para se pronunciar. O bom de se hospedar em hotéis grandes é que geralmente eles suprem boa parte das necessidades de um turista. O Meliá deve ter uns quatro restaurantes e é um desses que eu vou.

Opto pelo italiano. É elementar que comida italiana é melhor na Itália, mas acho que é uma das poucas que dão margem para pouco erro ao redor do mundo. Macarrão é universal. Peço um espaguete ao molho pesto. Está aceitável, suficiente para matar a fome. O garçom do bar da piscina se aproxima e avisa que haverá doses duplas de drinques entre 18h e 19h. A proposta parece muito animadora, mas infinitamente mais viável para a Rita do que pra mim. Do jeito que passei mal, prefiro não arriscar.

Voltamos ao quarto para tomar banho. Para minha surpresa, o céu fechou em Santiago e cai uma chuva respeitável. Venta frio e o clima muda de infernal para agradabilíssimo.

O hotel parece meu e da Rita. Exceto por uma mesa com cinco ou seis pessoas, somos as únicas a desfrutar da rodada dupla. Rita aproveita para experimentar pela primeira vez um mojito autenticamente cubano. O garçom se compadece da minha obrigação de sobriedade e sugere um mojito virgem. Que humilhação. Tenho nas mãos um drink sem rum, sem alma.

Rita e eu conversamos muito. Apesar de nos conhecermos a pouco tempo, nos damos muito bem e temos muitas coisas em comum e outras tantas radicalmente diferentes. Isso significa que conversa nunca falta. Combinamos em aspectos básicos, como valores, educação, respeito, aspirações de vida, o que bloqueia picuinhas e atritos grosseiros. A melhor coisa que um viajante pode ter é boa companhia e quanto a isso, tirei a sorte grande.

Um show intimista

Quando a rodada acaba, nos mudamos para o lounge do hotel. Arrisco tomar uma Cristal entre um café e outro, assim não fico mal. O piano de calda diz a que veio. Um quinteto, que hoje está sem um integrante, começa a tocar músicas cubanas e internacionais. É emocionante a relação que o cubano nutre com a música. Qualquer pessoa parece nascer com o dom de dedilha e cantar maravilhosamente bem. O violonista e cantor principal se aproxima, pergunta se estamos gostando e se desejamos ouvir algo em particular. “Dos gardenias”, peço e eles todos se aproximam da nossa mesa e cantam essa obra-prima da música com toda a exclusividade do mundo. “Dos gardenias” para mim. Um sorriso involuntário estampa meu rosto. Penso em minha avó, que me apresentou os ritmos latinos e me deu de presente a música cubana como legado de seu requebre insuperável. Acho que puxei a relação visceral que tenho com a música dela. Ganhei dela o primeiro disco do Sinatra, do Ibrahim Ferrer, a primeira ópera (Carmem, de Bizet). Rita pede uma música brasileira e eles fazem a versão cubana de “Garota de Ipanema”, o hino brasileiro universal. Danado Jobim.

Antes de se despedir, o cantor oferece o cd e Rita compra com gosto. Eu, pirata, vou copiar. Seguimos na conversa, regada a muita cerveja (para Rita) e variáveis não alcoólicos (para mim). Uma mulher se senta ao piano. Seu violão está sobre o piano, ela, por enquanto, não canta nada. Aos poucos, uma voz preciosa vai tomando conta do hall e não consigo mais conversar. Norma é uma cantora gorda, baixinha, cujo talento se esconde atrás de um par de óculos embaçados. Perco a conta de quantas vezes sinto meus olhos encharcarem de emoção com a voz e o violão. Quando ela pára, não resisto e grito “Bravo!”. É bravo mesmo. Seu repertório vai de “Quizás, quizás, quizás”, passando por “Yolanda” e “Dos gardenias” (momento em que me debulho em lágrimas), até chegar em “El dia que me quieras”. Sabe, não está sendo nada mal passar a noite toda no hotel. Ela faz uma pausa e faço questão de conhecê-la e comprar seu cd, que ela autografa com carinho. Quando descobre que somos brasileira, se rasga em elogios a nossa música e declara seu amor por quem? Roberto Carlos. Ainda bem que eu também gosto do Rei. Caso contrário, iria passar por alguns apertos aqui. Aí, ela diz uma coisa que parece unificar a voz dos cubanos em relação ao Brasil. “Pergunte a qualquer cubano, qualquer um, qual é o primeiro país que ele quer conhecer. Todos vão responder: Brasil.” Sou arrebatada por um orgulho nacional que se eclipsa facilmente quando volto ao meu país e agora me dou conta de preciso combater meu complexo de inferioridade a todo custo. “É verdade, Norma. O Brasil é um país abençoado”, respondo. Tiramos fotos e ela volta a tocar e todo o tempo seria pouco. Ditado besta, mas sábio. Tudo que é bom realmente dura pouco.

A fome já veio novamente e é claro que o que resta para comer a essa hora é o maldito bocadito de jamón y queso, a praga onipresente. Já está ficando engraçada essa história. Fico com um birra e bato o pé em desespero, o que faz a Rita rir, como ela sempre ri da minha agonia, e não tenho opção. Que venha el jamón.

É impressionante quando o tempo voa enquanto você fala da vida. Já falamos de frustrações, saudades, amigos, amores, família, desejos e mania e ainda assim, temos pano pra quantas mangas forem necessárias. Agora já são mais de duas horas da manhã e Rita já está bebinha, bebinha. A música já acabou e já estou cansada. Amanhã será um longo dia explorando Santiago. Sei que não saí do hotel, mas já amei essa cidade.

A preferida de Hemingway

Um letreiro amarelo no fim da rua Empedrado, em Havana Velha, contém as palavras mágicas: Bodeguita Del Medio. O minúsculo estabelecimento ficou famoso por servir o mojito preferido do escritor americano Ernest Hemingway. A música precede a Bodeguita. Uma salsa envolvente emana das janelas. Olho de fora, o local está entupido. Seguimos para a Plaza de la Catedral antes de entrar na Bodeguita, na esperança de que, na volta, haja lugar para nós. Pra variar, a catedral está fechada, mas não faz mal. A praça inteira transpira arquitetura gótica. Gostaria de poder voltar aqui de dia, mas ficará para a próxima vez.

...

Conseguimos dois bancos no balcão da Bodeguita. Desça o mojito, senhor. Viemos aqui pra isso. O lugar continua muito cheio e é culpa da música. A música entra por debaixo da sua pele e não há pé neste bar que não acompanhe o compasso das maracas. De repente, duzentos jovens italianos invadem o bar e puxam uma tarantela. Os músicos acompanham, generalizando a bagunça. Todos batem palma e cantam junto. Quando termina, pirraço, enciumada: “Y para brasileños, no hay nada?” “Para brasileños, la música cubana”, responde o contrabaixista. Tudo bem, o senhor está certo.

Rita e eu seguimos conversando, quando de repente a banda

...

começa a tocar “Garota de Ipanema”. Ah, meu sangue corre quente, me levanto, vou para o lado da cantora. Fazemos um duo, eu cantando em português, ela em espanhol. Não resisto e exibo meu samba sem o menor pudor. Rita faz o mesmo. O bar inteiro pára para nos ver. No momento de lucidez que tenho, vejo que todo mundo está olhando para nós, com suas câmeras em punho. “Garota de Ipanema” é um hino, não é uma música qualquer. Quando a música termina, todos batem palma, eu e a Rita somos as artistas! Claro que estou suando em bicas, mas valeu à pena. Compro um cd e peço para autografarem, o que a bela cantora faz com carinho. Voltamos ao nosso posto e três argentinos nos elogiam, dizem que dançamos muito bem. Converso com eles por um tempo, sobre futebol, sobre política e Cuba, mas paro quando as brincadeiras começam a assumir um tom mais sério. Como eu falei antes, rixa é rixa em qualquer lugar.

Acho que esta noite, temperada com salsa, bossa nova e mojitos, foi o melhor jeito de me despedir de Cuba.

What is it in your eyes

What is it in your touch

What is it in every caress

that makes me turn back to yesterday and wait for minutes ahead

It is the look in your eyes

It is the radiance in your smile

It is the warmth of your presence

Everything in you is the substance of mystery

Encore

What is it in your eyes

What is it in your touch

What is in the smoke

What is in the Mojito Magic

That makes me turn back to yesterday (when i drove you down to airport)

and wait for minutes ahead (for your long distance call)

It is the look in your eyes

It is the warmth of your embrace

It is the joy of your laughter

Everything in me is bedazzled by you

13 Nov 2009  01:15

Saturday, November 14, 2009
Cuban Martini

Saturday, November 14, 2009
Dirty Vodka Martini

The Cuban Martini is made with 6 parts rum, 1 part dry vermouth, a granulated sugar rim and a lime twist for garnish.  Prior to this I don’t think I associated Cuba with rum.  Cigars, check.  Fidel Castro, check (aka skanky old guy who looks like he’s been living in the same military uniform since before I was born?  Check).  Ricky Ricardo, check.   I guess maybe the Mojito, but that’s such a recently trendy drink and personally I never cared for them.  I don’t like stuff “muddled” in my drink.  Maybe I’m weird that way.  Olives, lemon twists, etc. – okay, that’s different.  I don’t want loose shit floating around in my booze.  It’s like dunking cookies into milk or a donut into coffee.  Nope.  Not for me. 

Only these guys could make satin evening jackets look this good.

But back to Cuba.  My favorite thing to associate with Cuba is Armand Assante in The Mambo Kings.  And really good jazz music from that same 50’s era.  Now I never quite got the whole white dinner jacket thing especially when it always looked hot there, but Armand and, to a lesser extent, a young Antonio Banderas, made sweating look good.  They also made wearing hats, wife-beater tank tops, and smoking cigars look good.   They probably could have made drinking a Cuban Martini look good.  Or, hopefully, Armand could have whipped one up for me while wearing one of those tank tops, preferably after extinguishing his cigar outside.  Yeah.  That works.  Where was I?

Oh yes, the martini.  Very nice concoction, the dry vermouth balances out the sweetness of the rum just enough so it isn’t too much, and the sugar rim and lime twist are a nice tropical/exotic contrast to the drink without being all in your face with a huge pineapple slice and an umbrella.  Probably akin to the contrast in my mind between, say, Jamaica and Cuba.  Jamaica to me is pina coladas and some hottie dreadlocked bartender (similar to Christine Baranski’s paramour in Mamma Mia) playing steel drums, and Cuba shall be slick, evening-jacketed 50’s dudes offering me cool rum-based martini drinks.  Such as this.  4 stars for the Cuban Martini. 

Now being a gal like me who loves dirty martinis, you wouldn’t think a martini could get TOO dirty.  And in truth, I haven’t met one yet that is.  However, I did just meet a martini that was too WET.  I believe technically the dryness of a martini doesn’t necessarily refer to the quantity of vermouth but to using dry vermouth vs. the sweeter variety.  But for the sake of argument I’m going to use wet to refer to a martini with too much vermouth.  The Dirty Vodka Martini recipe from The Martini Book is just such a drink.  6 parts vodka, 2 parts dry vermouth, 1 part olive brine, and a cocktail olive for garnish.  I’ll have to ask Sue what she thought of the dirty gin version she was supposed to have, maybe all that vermouth goes better with gin than it does (at least for me) with vodka.  All I could think of when I sipped it was that it was spoiling a healthy glass of vodka!    I’d give this 3 stars.  When I was about halfway through the drink, I poured in probably another 2 parts’ worth of straight vodka to thin out the vermouth taste, and that was much better.  Were I not following the recipe, I’d use about twice as much olive brine and about 1/4 as much vermouth.  I like my martinis naughty (i.e., dirty), but I also like ‘em dry. 

Cheers,
Cathy

Posted via web from Ines yet again

The Crone finds herself in Bonita Springs, FL, on the Gulf of Mexico. She is staying in the very lap of luxury–a hotel where they insist on giving her a glass of champagne every time she passes reception. The hotel has 3 outdoor pools although so far the Crone has found only two of them, possibly because the third is nowhere near reception.  Last night the hotel hosted 3 weddings and a Bat Mitzvah and still managed to pay individual attention to every need of the Crone. A mojito. Some ceviche. The works of George Gershwin rendered by a singer and double bassist. (Check them out here) None of it was too much trouble.

This morning, the Crone ventured out into the environs of the Estero bay to discover that all around the luxury resorts are trailer parks.  The super-rich and the staff who serve them live hugger mugger–talk about a service economy.

The area is famous for mangroves and manatees.  The Crone saw neither but did bump into eccentrics at every turn.

Up bright and early to go to the Fleamarket (budgies, golf balls, shamwows, gold chains by the yard, knives, guns, fruit and vegetables,  vintage t-shirts, a Doo-Wop band–although this last was not for sale), the Crone stopped at Dolly’s for breakfast  and was quickly joined by an elderly gentleman: “You all by yourself honey? Mind if I sit down? These high seats are easier for me to get out of…”  In Crone world this passes for a pick-up line. Her breakfast companion, a man of at least 75, then proceeded to tell the Crone that he had been on active service in Iraq but had had to come back to get his knees replaced 6 months ago.  He went on to share that he was in the CIA (which surely they’re not supposed to mention?), that his son had worked for Tip O’Neill (ahhh, still sentient enough to work that old Irish connection…) and that his wife had died 8 years ago after winning $50,000 at a casino so she would leave him well off. “She spoke to God and he told her what machine to go to. She went straight to it and put in 4 quarters and won $50,000 dollars. ” His wife didn’t last long after that ”An angel came and got her. She said she’d seen this angel and she got me to get all the kids together and then she sat her in seat and put out her arms and the angel came and took her. Now what do you think of that?”  Truly the Crone didn’t know what to think. She told him to take care of himself when he went back to Iraq (“I’ll serve as long as they need me” ) and went on her way. And bumped right into Master Bait and Tackle, a fine emporium meeting all South West Florida’s fishing needs.

The owner came out to chat when he saw the Crone stop to take a photo. As you can see, he is very proud of his store. The Crone didn’t ask him what he says when he answers the phone…

Recuerdo con melancolia este pasado verano cuando mi excusas para no escribir era “no me pasa nada interesante”. Luego mi excusa cambio a “tengo que mudarme de pais, bastante lio de papeleos y kilos (de la maleta) tengo ya”. Luego empezo la de “acabo de llegar a otro pais y tengo que adaptarme a estar rodeado de ingleses (done), encontrar un sitio para vivir (done), sacarme la tarjeta de socio del cine (done) y lograr que me paguen (WIP)”.

Por supuesto, ahora ninguna de esas excusas es valida, de hecho, la unica que podria utilizar es “no tengo tiempo” (pero si me seguis en twitter sabriais que eso es una vil mentira).

Tengo que escribir sobre la aventura que esto esta resultando para mi, sobre mi adiccion a la cherry coke y lo que me encanta estar viviendo en una ciudad  lo bastante grande como para que no salgas a la calle y todo el mundo sepa quien eres, y donde siempre hay algo que hacer. Podria deciros la de maravillosas tiendas que he encontrado callejeando en barrios nuevos, o lo curioso que resulta que en España nunca comiera chorizo y ahora me haga sandwiches con chorizo español del tesco. Deberia hablar de lo emocionante que fue ir a la hoguera el cinco de noviembre. O lo que me encanta y aterroriza vivir en un barrio que espanta a la gente. Tendre que hablar de la genial idea que es tener una tarjeta que por un miserable precio te permite ir al cine de manera ilimitada.

Pero todo eso no podra ser hoy, porque hoy es la I noche de tortilla española y mojitos, y aunque es @killerkotek  (si, K. se ha creado un twitter) el que esta pelando patatas (sabeis que yo soy alergica a todo lo que se parezca a cocinar) tengo que ir a ofrecer apoyo moral. O a preparar listas de Spotify. O algo.

If you’ve spent even 15 minutes cooking in your kitchen and at least one meal, I’m sure you’ve sprinkled at least salt & pepper on your meal to make it more savory.  There are tons of fun spices out there that you could experiment cooking with.  Like basil, for example.  Very popular in Italian dishes, my favorite being bruschetta, basil is  a great source of vitamins A, C,  calcium, and iron and is beneficial to your cardiovascular system.  If you bought basil fresh you can keep it on your counter in a jar of cool water with a plastic bag loosely on top.

Cardamom is a spice you’ve probably never used, believe me I know, I had to look this one up.  Usually used in sauces and chai and specifically curries, cardamom can certainly allow you to expand your horizons.  You can buy this spice whole pods, seeds, or powdered.  There is green and black cardamom- green is used in curry and Indian sweets and the black cardamom is smoky and used in meats.  If you’ve ever had Szechuan or Vietnamese dishes I’m sure you can now put your finger on that taste.  Although you may try to incorporate cardamom in cooking, a lot more information out there is in regards to using this spice as a medicinal effort.  The green cardamom is used in Ayurvedic medicine as an aid for digestion and flatulence and the black kind is used in Chinese medicine for stomach conditions.  If you happen to have bad breath, chewing on a few of cardamom seeds will do the trick.

Cumin may be another spice that is collecting dust in your spice rack.  Let cumin make its way to your test kitchen in chili for Tex- Mex recipes including chile con carne, casseroled pork, and enchiladas with chili sauce.  Speaking of chili sauce, chili powder has ground cumin in it and this is what makes Mexican meals pop .  If you don’t feel like experimenting just roast some cumin seeds with your potatoes or add toasted cumin to your mashed potatoes.  Cumin is also a great spice with roasted meat as well.

Fennel has won the blue ribbon top award in my house.  You might know this spice for its licorice smell and its notoriety in Italian sausage.  In my house, I throw fennel seeds in spaghetti sauce and meatloaf (my husband always notices when I forget to add fennel).  Fresh fennel can be used as a bed for roasting fish and as a garnish in soups or salads.  You can use fresh fennel fronds as a rub for roast pork by chopping the fronds and adding lemon zest and crushed garlic.  I’ve even made fennel rolls to go with a fancy dinner, so this goes to show that fennel can be very versatile.

Mint literally grows rampant right out my front door and I wouldn’t do any justice to that spice if I didn’t incorporate those little buggers in my meals.  We are big lamb fans and I am always looking for mint recipes to compliment our rack or leg.  I’ve attempted to make mint apple jelly before, unfortunately I haven’t won my battle with the whole pectin concept, but I will keep trying.  I have settled for a mint sauce that is comparable though: stir 1 cup of chopped fresh mint leaves into 1/2 cup of boiling red wine vinegar, then add sugar til the taste is right.  If you have a surplus like I do, you could always freeze the leaves in a little bit of water in an ice tray and throw them in iced tea or a homemade mojito, perhaps?

Have you ever bought too much of an herb or just don’t get around to using it all?  Freezing herbs is a great way to keep your spices and to also reserve flavor. Lay leaves from the stems flat on a baking sheet in the freezer for about an hour then pack away in freezer bags for future use.  A note: certain spices darken after being frozen, like thyme and rosemary.   If you want to freeze herbs but keep the same bright color, like basil to use later for pesto, for example, blanch the leaves first.  To do this, boil in water for a couple of seconds and then throw in water and ice til cold.  Then drain on paper towels before packing them in freezer bags for the freezer.

You can air dry spices as well by bundling in 3/4 inch bundles and hang up-side down with any string or twine you have.  It only takes 7-10 days to have nicely dried herbs.  Don’t have the time to air-dry?  The microwave can be a fast alternative to drying spices.  Put spices in between two paper towels and microwave for a minute.  Then keep microwaving at 30-second intervals til the leaves look like they are going to crumble.  This process will only take 2-4 minutes.  Keep your dried spices in an airtight container and they will be ready for when you get an itch to experiment.

Extra herbs can be used to decorate your table when you are waiting to use them.  Put herbs like oregano, mint, sage, or thyme in a nicely decorated vase and voila- instant bouquet.  To keep the freshness even longer at night put the vase in the refrigerator with a plastic bag on top.

Christmas is coming up and infused vinegars can make a great home-made gift.  Rinse herbs such as basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, tarragon, or thyme, put in bottles and fill with vinegar.  The formula is 3 cups of vinegar with 4 sprigs of herbs.  You can use any herb by itself or mix any two, or three, or four together.  It takes about 3 weeks in a dark cool place for the mixture to mesh the flavor together but the vinegar will last for 4 months.  If your herb decomposes during the process pour the vinegar through a fine strainer and it should look gift-ready again.

So, go have fun with spices and experiment with the ones you hardly touch.  Spices can be a great way to add flavor, to decorate, or to give as gifts.  Which one are you cooking with tonight?