January's All Inclusive Best of Tasting Info

January 19th 7pm

We thought it would be fun to initiate an annual Best of Tasting to be held every year in January. This tasting will include a favorite food and beverage from each Tasting Participant from the previous year. Since this is the first one we will be able to choose from the inception of 2dbooze, May 2010.
This year each participant pulled a sheet out of a hat with another participant's all inclusive list of:
A. recipes
B. food
The participant will then prepare their favorite recipe from the list and bring their favorite booze. They do not have to pair the food with the alcohol, we will mix and match pairings based on what is contributed to the tasting.
EX: Team N drew recipes from Team K
        and booze from the list that included the Gibbons, Rob and Richard
        We will bring Team K's Carnitas Tacos and one of Jonathan's sakes
TaDa!!
this should be fun....

December Tasting Food

Due to the theme of next month's tasting (information worthy of it's own post) we have reinstated the importance of tracking the items contributed to each tasting.
so here goes:

Team K's Awesome Salmon

Team D's Crab Stuffed Shrimp

Team BJ's Shrimp & Grits

I think Becca has the picture of Team N's Spring Rolls

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/shrimp-and-mango-summer-rolls-recipe/index.html

so she can add it here....

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