Category: Alcohol

Chili Infused Honey Othererwise Known as Kiss Me Spank Me Honey

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This is a cheater post for me. It’s so simple and I can’t take the credit for it, but want to share it with you! Some back story… I have a friend, who we are going to call The Alchemist. She has invited me to make Mead with her. It’s long process, that we initiated on October 31. Stay tuned for the post ,when  the Mead is complete. So far its going very well. We racked it last week.

Mead is a honey based wine made from fermenting honey with yeast. It’s history can be traced back to many cultures ( Europe, Asia, and Africa) and is considered the first  traceable fermented drink. I have heard it refereed to as the drink of the Gods.

Anyway, as The Alchemist acquired quite a bit of honey from her mentors apiary, she decided to to make a tiny stash  of a Chili infused honey. The tip was  was the brain child of beeboy on this wonderful site devoted to Mead. Bee Boy was making Mead with heat spiced honey. I bet that was incredible! The Alchemist infused her honey for only two days and the heat was intense and blended perfectly with the sweetness. A tip The Alchemist gave me was to turn the jar upside down so when you take a  spoonful, it’s without the hot pepper slices floating. I wanted to figure out a clever play on words with  this concoction.Honey Chile came to mind, but The Alchemist calls it Kiss Me Spank Me Honey. The title alone is going to bring a lot of weird traffic to my site as I already Googled the term (Laughing out Loud).

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Kiss Me Spank Me Honey (Chili Infused Honey)

Needed:

  • 1 clean mason jar with lid
  • Runny Honey
  • A few of our choice variety of hot chili peppers (Piri Piri, Serrano, etc>). I suggest 2 peppers per pound of honey.

Process:

  1. Slice peppers with seeds.
  2. Add to honey in jar.
  3. Seal.
  4. Let sit and infuse for at least two days.

Applications:

  • Makes cool gifts for the Holidays in your own special bottles.
  • As a glaze for beef , pork, or chicken.
  • On fried chicken.
  • In salad dressings for some sweet heat
  • In your hot cold remedy with lemon.
  • Someone suggested Biscuits

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Hot Buttered Rum with Apple Cider… A Witches Brew for the Great Hallow Tweet

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There was an old cabin in the woods. It was rumored that there lived an witches coven who blended magical brews in their cauldrons.  It was only on  Hallows Eve that the town folk were fearless. The aromas of cinnamon and spice filled the air  and beckoned anyone in their vicinity to their door. Taking the young ones trick or treating left most exhausted and the siren call of a warm fire and a hot drink could not be turned down. Upon entry one is greeted by other townsfolk who were lured by the promise of warmth and hospitality.

“Yummm, There is no Eye of Newt or  Toe of Frog in this brew!” a guest proclaimed.

” Oh, There was some bubble, bubble, but it really wasn’t much of a toil and trouble to make. Would you like the recipe?” asked the witch?

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Hot Buttered Rum With Apple Cider

Serves  4 small cups or 2 big mugs

  •  2 cups Apple Cider
  • 1 cup Dark Rum or more depending on taste
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 tablespoons  Brown sugar
  •  a  few cloves to taste
  •  1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • Whipped Cream
  1. In a saucepan  melt butter with brown sugar. Do not burn sugar.
  2. Add cinnamon, nutmeg,  cloves and cider.Heat until almost a boil.
  3. Add rum and lower heat to simmer a few minutes.
  4. Strain while pouring into cups.
  5. Top with with whipped cream.

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Art Wine Project at Three Peas Art Lounge

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I love to promote my adopted home town Chicago. In fact I feel more an affinity for this city in which I lived in for a decade than my true Hometown , Washington D.C. It was love instantly and Chicago really is my type of town. Chicago leaves you wanting for nothing culturally and food and wine wise. So its with pleasure I want to introduce you to a favored spot of mine. Three Peas Art Lounge. You may remember Three Peas Art Lounge donated their space for Stir It 28. Small and cosy in South Loop, Three Peas mission is to “support artists ‘ in atypical formats”.

Last week Maya and Chrishon invited me to their Press event to launch the Art Wine Project. I love these young ladies as they boldly have combined a gallery and social spot in an innovation setting. Keeping the innovation going they have created the Art Project. Three Peas now has private label wines featuring specially commissioned art work  on their labels byHebru Branltey and Krista Franklin. There are two varietals , a  2010 Cabernet Sauvignon featuring Hebru Brantley’s work and a  2010 Riesling featuring Krista Franklin’s work. I sampled both and they are excellent. When you purchase a case you get a signed print of the artwork.Individual bottles will be available for retail as well. The Art Wine Project installation actually runs from August 7- September 30. So there is still time to see these artists great works.

Here’s a clip about Hebru who tells me he makes a mean Macaroni and Cheese. Anytime you want to stop over to Coco Cooks come on over Hebru!

I will be taking a tiny break for a few weeks. But I may drop in with a post or two if time permits. Thanks for reading.

Tastes of Summer…Cherry and Apricot Ideas

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Most of us in this hemisphere are reveling in the beautiful bounty of summer. I don’t know about you but my eyes get bigger than my stomach and I want to buy up the whole  farmers market, yet can’t  eat the produce quick enough. Here are some ideas for summer fruits. Enjoy!

Apricots in Brandy

Brandied fruits were and still are considered a delicacy. Alcohol paired with sugar preserve the fruits year round.Peaches, berries, plums all work well. Use your imagination. The longer the period to ripen and mellow (a few months), the better. So start now.

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Apricots in Brandy

Makes 2  1/2 liters

  • 2 punnets of apricots halved and stoned ( peeling or unpeeled optional)
  • 1 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 3/4 cup of Water
  • Brandy  to fill half of each jar
  1. Prepare and sterilize your jars and lids.
  2. In a heavy sauce pan  make a heavy syrup of sugar and water. Boil and reduce a bit .
  3. Neatly pack apricot halves decoratively in sterilized jars.
  4. Pour brandy until it comes up half way.
  5. Pour in hot sugar syrup to fill the other half. Make sure apricots are covered .
  6. Seal with lids.
  7. Process in a water batch for 10 minutes.
  8. Allow to cool and store.

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Michigan Sour Cherry Syrup

Confession. This was a delicious mistake. My intent was to make a pectin free cherry jam, as I could not find any pectin, nor had any apples laying around. I used the method of lemon juice and sugar,  yet couldn’t get it up to jelling stage for various reasons ( too much water mainly). I didn’t want to waste my beautiful Michigan cherries that were bursting with ripeness.  So a syrup was born. It is on the sweet side with a huge sugar content. But goes well mixed with fresh blueberries on pancakes. I also suggest adding a spoon or two to your next vodka or bourbon based cocktail. Ice cream, cheese cakes, the possibilities are endless.

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Michigan Sour Cherry Syrup

  • 2 punnets of cherries, washed and pitted
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1  cup water
  • Brandy or Rum optional
  1. Bring cherries , water, and sugar to boil.To about 210 degrees.
  2. Pack into sterilized jars.
  3. Top with brandy or rum *optional
  4. Seal.
  5. Allow to cool.
  6. Store.

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Brandy Alexander Tapioca Pudding

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I love tapioca. But it has  reputation of one either loving or hating it. In the right base Tapioca can soar. Think of fun fruity and ever so popular bubble teas. And tapioca is apt to find its way on the higher ends menus these days in sweet and savory applications. So this clear translucent starch doesn’t have to limited to stodgy plain, but good desserts any longer. Rather than make a traditional pudding recipe with whipped egg whites, I decided to use whipped cream as I was mimicking one of my favorite dessert type cocktails, the Brandy Alexander. Tapioca cooked with egg yolks, vanilla paste,sugar,cocoa, and brandy.Then allowed to chill and folded into more brandy spiked whipped cream. All topped with fresh grated nutmeg, and served in coco rimmed containers. Rich, light, decadent, and just plain good.
 Brandy Alexander Tapioca Pudding
Serves 4
2 hours plus chilling time
1/3 cup small pearl tapioca
2 3/4 cups milk (set aside 3/4 for soaking)
2  large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup Brandy plus 1 tsp for whipped  cream
1cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp sugar
cocoa powder and brandy for rims
fresh nutmeg for grated garnish
Soak the small pearl tapioca in 3/4 cups milk in a heavy bottomed sauce pan.
Allow to soak for 1 hour. 
While waiting you can whip 1 cup whipped cream with 1 tbsp of sugar in your stand mixer. Add 1 tsp of brandy and cover to chill. 
On a low to medium heat slowly cook tapioca and milk until it starts to bubble/boil.Check and stir periodically.While waiting for this which can take 10-15 minutes, whisk egg yolks, sugar, cocoa in bowl.Once Tapioca starts to cook/boil on low heat add egg yolk mixture and whisk to incorporate. Slowly simmer on low medium heat stirring  constantly until the tapioca pearls starts to expand and become translucent. This will take another 20 minutes or so. If its cooking to fast adjust heat, so tapioca can cook completely. At final stage add vanilla and 1/4 cup of brandy. Whisk in and set aside. Allow to cool, covered  before chilling for at least 4 hours.
After completely chilled, fold in whipped cream.
Take serving glasses and dip rim a saucer of brandy. Then dip in a  saucer of cocoa powder.
Carefully spoon in pudding. Grate fresh nutmeg on top and serve.

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