December 2012 Sake

Jonathan did a fine job presenting sake. His employer and clients should certainly give him a chance to sell, especially since he can make a successful pairing with shrimp and grits. Apparently sake is the new black and goes with anything.

Here are the Sakes:

December Tasting

Saturday December 29th

Sake & Seafood
Jit is bringing the sake since he's developing a sake presentation for work. Thanks for practicing on us!

November Team N

TYKUSOJUTy

So we didn't really mean to get "diet" liquor. We were looking for Ichiku, served at Keichii in Denton, TX and couldn't find it at Paradise or Goody Goody so we came home with this. Not as good as Ichiku, but not bad either...

Ty Ku Soju
1/2 the Calories and Twice the Taste of Vodka. Asia's best kept secret, Soju (also known as Shochu) is the #1 distilled spirit in the world. TY KU Soju updates this ancient spirit by producing an unbelievably smooth beverage that is lower in calories* and more versatile than vodka. Its superiority is the result of expert small batch distillation & cold filtration, utilizing 100% premium barley. TY KU Soju is crafted from the finest all natural ingredients with no additives, no preservatives and no sweeteners. TY KU Soju is best sipped chilled and enhances the natural flavors of fresh fruits and juices without the need of added sugar, creating better balanced, better tasting and lower calorie* premium cocktails.


and we paired it with a recipe a friend suggested a few ago

http://farmhousetable.wordpress.com/2010/11/18/asian-pork-meatballs-with-braised-winter-greens/

(the photo is from the website)

November Tasting

After taking a break in October to birth babies and run races we're
on for November 24th.
This time it's a free for all to get us back in the game.
Bring any type of booze and any type of food. Should be fun!

Team N September

Blueberry, Basil and Goat Cheese Hand Pies

Ingredients

For Thomas Keller's Buttery Pastry Shell
(via Smitten Kitchen)

2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour, divided + extra for dusting
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks / 225 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into small dice
1/4 cup (60 ml) ice cold water

For Filling

1 pint (about 2 cups) blueberries
1/4 cup goat cheese
1/4 cup buttermilk
3 Tbsp honey (or to taste)
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
small pinch of salt
about 2 Tbsp flour to thicken

For Assembly

1 egg
1 Tbsp whole milk
raw sugar, for sprinkling

Cooking Directions

Prepare pastry crust. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix 1 cup of the flour with all of the salt. Then, with the machine on low speed, add the bits of butter, a handful at a time, until the butter is completely incorperated. Add the remaining flour until just blended, then the cold water until thoroughly incorporated. Dump dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, divide it equally in two, and form each piece of dough into a flat, round disc. Wrap them with the plastic and chill for at least one hour and up to two days. It can also be frozen for up to three months.

Heat oven to 400° F.

Prepare filling. Mix blueberries with all of the ingredients except the flour. Sprinkle flour gradually over top and mix well until desired consistency is reached and mixture is smooth. Cover and chill while you roll out the pastry.

Generously flour your work surface. Place one chilled, unwrapped dough on the flour and flour the top of the dough. Keep the other disk refrigerated while you work. Gently roll your dough out from the center until about 1/8 inch thick. Re-flour your surface as needed, continually lifting and rotating your dough to make sure no parts are sticking. If the dough becomes difficult to work with at any point, chill for a few minutes in the freezer on a baking sheet before continuing.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut an even number of circles in desired size using a floured biscuit cutter or the base of a small bowl. (I made 4" pies using the base of a rice bowl.) Lay circles on parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly beat egg with milk for wash in a small bowl.

Top half the circles with a small amount of filling, brush edged with egg wash, top with another round, and seal edges by crimping with a fork. Brush top with wash, sprinkle with raw sugar, and cut to vent. When completed place in the refrigerator to chill and repeat with other disc of dough and remaining filling.

When second sheet of pies are formed, put in fridge and remove the first sheet. Bake for the first batch for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and bottom. Repeat with second batch, allowing all pies to cool on a rack. 

and the link to give credit where credit is due:
http://localmilk.blogspot.com/2012/07/blueberry-basil-and-goat-cheese-hand.html


Served with Francis Ford Coppola Director's Pinot Noir

Recipe List

Ok, so I have shared this with some of you previously and it includes many of the recipes from the tasting plus many others found by our group.

I am not smart enough to figure out smarter ways to do this but here is a link to the list of recipes. I think if this works correctly it should be a read-only way to read all of the ones that have been updated.

If you want to have access via the actual client and add/modify more recipes of your own feel free to contact me.

Here is the link, one of these days perhaps I will do more research and figure out cooler smarter options. I think there are ways to have blog posts created by posts here and/or have blog posts automatically post to the evernote format.

https://www.evernote.com/pub/deloziej/recipes

If anyone has cool ideas or anything feel free to reach out to me on it. 

John

Team N's August Contribution

Caribbean Food and Drink you would find on a Cruise Ship

Mangospacho
we halfed the recipe and served 12pp

8 cups (1kg) peeled and finely diced mango (about 12 mango)

1 cup (250ml) water

1 cup (250ml) ginger ale

1/2 cup (125 ml) rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup (125 ml) light olive oil

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and finely diced

1/2 cup (70 g) finely diced red onions

3/4 cup (100g) chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a blender or food processor, combine half the mango with the water, ginger ale, vinegar, oil and sugar. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the soup to a noncreative bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold (about 4 hours)

2. In another noncreative bow, combine remaining 4 cups (560g) mango, cucumber, red onion and 1/2 cup (70 g) cilantro. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

3. To serve divide the cucumber mixture among chilled soup bowls that are each sitting in a bowl of crushed ice. Ladle the soup over the cucumber mixture and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 (35 g) cilantro. Serve immediately.

Courtesy of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

Caribbean Lemonade

fresh squeezed Lemon

All Spice and candied ginger SImple Syrup

     Boil sugar, water, all spice and candied ginger until boiling. Remove from heat and 

     let sit for one hour

Add water to taste

Serve with a shot of Bacardi Limon

Courtesy of NIcole Probst

Team K: Cuban Mojito Cake and El Presidente!

For the month of August, Team K diverted from our normal "pork" path to make a dessert  We made a Cuban Mojito cake and served it with Strawberry Mint Lemonade with Ron Matusalem Rum (El Presidente!).

Cuban Mojito cake

Serves: 12-24

Cake Ingredients

20 ounce can crushed pineapple, un-drained
Juice of 1 lime
1 (1 lb.) box angel food cake mix
8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup limeade from concentrate
0-4 tablespoons powdered sugar — I used 4 tablespoons
1 teaspoon rum extract
8 ounce tub Cool Whip Lite (a little over 3 cups)
1/3 cup shredded sweetened coconut
Zest of lime
Mint leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13×9 inch metal pan with cooking spray. If you use a Pyrex dish, reduce the heat to 325 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the pineapple, lime juice and angel food cake mix. Pour the mixture into the pan and bake it using the following cook time - about 25 minutes for a 13×9 inch pan. Let cool completely in pan.

In mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and limeade concentrate. Check for sweetness. Add sugar if you feel you need it. Beat in rum extract, then fold in Cool Whip Lite. Spread over cooled cake. Sprinkle with coconut and lime zest. Top each serving with mint leaves.

Source: Larry's Mojito cake recipe from TasteofCuba.com

El Presidente Ingredients

Serves: 8-12

2 1/2 Cups of Fresh Strawberries chopped

1 cup Fresh Mint, chopped
1 1/2 cups Fresh Lemon Juice  (8 lemons)
1 cup of sugar
Zest of 1 Lemon 

Place 1/2 the Mint, sugar, and 1/2 cup of the Strawberries into a medium sauce pan with 11/2 cups water. Heat over medium heat for 3 minutes, cover and remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes.

Strain this mixture into the Lemon Juice and mix well Place the remainder of the Lemon Zest, Strawberries and Fresh Mint into a pitcher and pour the Lemon Mixture over the Strawberries and Fresh Mint.Add 2 cups of water, 1 cup of Rum, stir and let set for twenty to 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.

Source: A slightly modified version of The Brown Bag Special's version.
(http://brownbagspecials.blogspot.com/)

September Tasting

Date: Sept 22
Booze: Red Wine from either America
Food: Anything that goes well with your wine
Time: 7/7:30

August Tasting

September 1st

Food - Caribbean
Booze - mixed drinks you would find on a cruise
Time - TBA

Team N's Combo Contribution

July's alcohol that started from grapes from South America or Australia because we rolled a wild card Tasting

We decided to marry both the South American and Australian region with our Appetizer and Alcohol pairing.
For the booze we served Barefoot Dry Sparkling Wine from Australia with a splash of El Presidente Brandy from Mexico. For food we served a Kiwi Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips.

Kiwi Salsa

served 10

Ingredients

• 2 mangos diced
• 4 kiwi, peeled and diced
• 3 nectarines, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 tablespoon lime juice
• 3 green onion, chopped
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 pinch salt

Directions

1. Combine everything into a bowll; gently stir to combine.

Team BJ - June

• This was the prepared meal from Team BJ. It was paired and prepared with a Bushmills 10 year. The one variation to the recipe below was the addition of planking which is also what likely altered the cooking times.

  Roasted Salmon Fillets With Irish Whiskey

  By Elly in Canada on March 25, 2008
  
  

  Photo by **Tinkerbell**
  1 Reviews
  • 
  • Prep Time: 1 hrs
  • Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
  • Serves: 4, Yield: 4 fillets

  About This Recipe

  "Salmon fillets marinated in Irish whiskey and honey!! The cooked fillets will have a glazed look and a superb taste and texture. Irish whiskey has a slightly peppery taste. I have not tried this yet, will update later. Source: Food & Drink magazine Chef Lucy Waverman"

  Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Irish whiskey
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 salmon fillets, 6 oz ( 175 g)

  Directions

  1. Mix together honey, vinegar, whiskey, thyme, lemon zest, oil, salt and pepper. Pour over salmon and marinate 1 hour on the counter, or 4 hours refrigerated.
  2. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
  3. Remove salmon from marinade and place on a rack over a roasting pan.
  4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, basting once with the marinade or until golden and white juices are just beginning to appear.
  5. Place on 4 plates and serve.

Team N June Tasting

We infused McClelland's single malt lowland Scotch Whisky with Pistachios and served it alongside Pavlova. A meringue dessert similar to Pavlova was already popular in Europe but when Pavlova toured Australia and New Zealand this particular recipe came about and was named after the graceful ballerina. I can't believe we forgot to take a picture, Nathan did such a good job. It was as tasty as it was beautiful!

Corey Byrne's Mum's Pavlova Recipe

5 Egg Whites
1 1/2 Cups of superfine Sugar
1 Tsp. White Vinegar
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cups Whipped Cream
1  1/2 Cups Raspberries
4 Passion Fruit

Yield: 4 servings

---

Preparation

---

Whisk Egg Whites to a Soft Peak. Slowly add Sugar and Continue Whisking . Whisk in Vinegar and Vanilla.

lace on a Greased Plate/Tray and Bake for 2 1/2 hours on 220 degrees Fahrenheit .

When time is finished leave Pavlova in oven to cool.

Push in the Top of the Pavlova. Fill in the hole with Whipped Cream. Top with raspberries and passion fruit

July Tasting

That's right we rolled a Wild Card and in honor of Jit being present, we let him choose. Inspired by John, he decided on alcohol that started with grapes from South America or Australia.
Friday July 27th at 7pm.

July Tasting Info

Next tasting is on Saturday June 30th at the Delozier's, though Becca will be out of town. We are tasting European Whiskey, cuisine can be European as well. Time: 7pm.

The Show Malbec Wine
The Show Wine Labels
The Hatch Show Print
With so many Malbecs on the table at the Ancient Ovens Tasting Team N thought we would let you know why we picked ours.
The Show Wines are certainly tasty but really it's all about the label. At a couple of Student Design Conventions I went to, I had the pleasure of hearing a designer from Hatch Show Print talk about their print shop. In the heart of Nashville Hatch Show Print creates infamous concert posters, political posters and anything else you can think of. All of their work is printed on presses from the 19th century and all of the type plates they use are original to those presses. A pretty amazing shop that still makes history with its work.

-Nico

May tasting - Ancient Ovens and Southern Hemisphere Wines

Team N - The Show malbec 2011 with country style bread and spinach artichoke dip
Team K - Silvertop malbec 2010 with Italian olive tear drops
Team D - Casillero del Diablo malbec 2011 with dark chocolate hazelnut calzones
Team BJ - Coyam blend Emilina vineyards 2008 with various pizzas

Morroccan Lamb Kabobs - African Whisky

Morroccan Lamb Kabobs

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes

 15 Jalapeno peppers

 2 Red Onions

 1 large can pineapple chunks

Combine spices in bowl and mix well. Rub combination onto lamb cuts until throughly covered. Let sit 30 min - 1 hour to allow the spices to infuse

Peel onion and drain pineapple chunks prepare the skewers in any order with jalapenos onions pineapple alternated with lamp cubes

Roast on open flame for approx 10 minutes each, longer for more well done meat

Our combination with this dish was a South African Whisky: Bain's

Team PS

April - Australian White Wines

We are continuing our traditional (2 years is tradition right?) of an April brunch tasting.  This year our theme is Australian white wines. See you all fro brunch at 11am April 29th.

Team N April's Brunch Tasting

Team N will be serving Yalumba Viognier

http://www.yalumba.com/content.asp?p=213

Paired with the following recipe from allrecipes.com

Lemon Lavender Avocado Bread

Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed avocado
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons dried lavender
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Beat in the avocado and lemon juice with the last egg. Pour in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in the lavender and lemon zest; mixing just enough to evenly combine. Pour the batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool

and thanks to Martha:

Martha Stewart Living, May 1995

Honey Lavender Ice Cream

• YieldMakes about 1 quart

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup dried lavender
• 1/3 cup honey
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine milk, lavender, and honey. Bring to a gentle boil, cover, and remove from heat. Let steep for 5 minutes. Strain mixture, reserving milk and discarding lavender.
2. Combine egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until very thick and pale yellow, 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, return milk to a medium saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
3. Add half the milk to egg-yolk mixture, and whisk until blended. Stir mixture into remaining milk, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
4. Remove from heat, and immediately stir in cream. Strain mixture into a medium mixing bowl set in an ice-water bath, and let stand until chilled, stirring from time to time. Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Store in an airtight plastic container up to 2 weeks.