Taste of Summer…Homemade Root Beer and Floats

It’s hard to believe summer has come and gone. I sit here on Labor Day grilling a turkey breast and anticipating Fall, yet cherishing the memory of a brief fleeting summer vacation, I enjoyed. All the while driving through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I spied Birch Trees and couldn’t wait to start a home brewing project of root beer. I love the idea of root beer, a natural soda devised as a sort of medicinal tonic from our earliest settlers. I saw an article on Serious Eats while checking my emails on my XYBoard, during lunch, and knew this project was for me. I wasn’t put off  on finding the ingredients. My XYBoard lead me to a  neighborhood herb shop for sassafras, birch bark, and sarsaparilla, as well a local home-brew shop for ale yeast and great advice. I really don’t know how I survived without this nifty new tablet. The smart phones are great , but I get that same ease of portability, clearer larger pictures taking, fonts, voice controlled key board options, navigation, and heaps of smart technology “on the go”. So its indispensable in the kitchen, traveling, and living everyday life. All of the root beer snaps were taken with the XYBoard to record the process.

I brewed up this recipe for root beer  but I tweaked it a little with the addition of a handful of  dried cherries and  a few juniper berries. Rather than spend $22 for a case of plastic bottles for soda, I purchased a case of water which I used the contents of, and saved the bottles for the brew. Because of the carbonation process, the thin  water bottles swelled , and I believe the more expensive bottles would have alleviated that issue. But , next time I know better. Be careful with glass bottles, as the pressure may cause them to explode. I could have pushed my carbonation one more day before retarding the yeast, by refrigeration.

One more note… Commercial root beer these days not contain Sassafras  roots due to safrole, which the FDA has  banned in commercial production  and labeled  as causing liver cancer .However some  extracts are used for culinary purposes with the safrole having been removed.The  safrole oil is used  to make Ecstasy. The consumed amounts needed  to be carcinogenic , would be large. But if we look to history,and the Native Americans, they used it to cure many ills. So the message is everything in moderation. Many soda makers, home brewers and hobbyists aren’t deterred in their use of sassafras.

 

So there you have it. Summer is just about over.  So what better way to go out than sipping on a homemade root beer with a few scoops of vanilla  ice cream to make a float? A Root beer float is  old-fashioned, simple, and the essence of summer.

Thank you Verizon for making my summer a little easier.

Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Wireless Midwest Savvy Gourmets program and have been provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

Kumquat Confit and Kumquat Pistachio Palmiers

The other day I was in Stanley’s and saw a nice punnet of kumquat’s staring at me. Do you look at some foods and think back to your first taste, which may or may not have been pleasant? That’s how I felt with kumquat’s. I wanted to love the cute miniature citrus fruit , but a distant memory of just eating one raw off someones little tree, as child always held me back. Well I’m a big girl now, 43 years of age, to be exact and it was time to acquaint myself with Kumquats again. Surely if  I cooked them down to a confit , almost candy like, they will go down well? And yes they did. Talk about a burst of sunshine and citrus finished with a hint of bourbon and cinnamon. The kumquats picked me up and tickled my tongue, as I ate it on hot buttered bread and black coffee. Preserved kumquat’s are better than orange marmalade in my opinion.The flavor more pronounced, as it’s really all concentrated in the peel.

Certain Someone is not a big jam , preserve type. He loves his  charcuterie, black coffee , good bread and butter on lazy weekend mornings. So while I made a small batch, I wanted more applications for my confit. I had small sheets of commercial puff pastry in my freezer and nuts in the cupboard.

I took my kitchen shears and cut up a small amount of the candid kumquats  to smaller pieces, as the confit was made from kumquat halves. I spread them over the defrosted puff pastry, added a mixture of pistachios and  raw sugar which had been blended to a coarse crumb, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I then carefully rolled them up on either end, to meet in the middle.  The rolls were sliced and dipped in more of the pistachio sugar crumb and baked on a parchment lined baking sheet at 375 degrees until golden. Careful not to burn the bottoms as the sugars from the confit and  sugar crumb will caramelize. Remove from oven and let cook. You will have a nice tea or coffee time snack.


Kumquat Confit
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Candied preserved Kumquats
Author:
Recipe type: condiment, preserves
Ingredients
  • 1 lb of kumquats, washed, halved, and seeded.
  • 2 cups of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon of Bourbon
  • * apple core
Instructions
  1. Halve and seed the kumquats.
  2. Place in a heavy bottomed pot with apple core.
  3. Add sugar.
  4. Slowly bring up the temp and stir and mash the fruit into the sugar until it starts to liquify slight. You don't want to burn the sugar or cook to fast.
  5. Stir in cinnamon.
  6. Cook on med heat until all the ingredients start to liquify and boil.
  7. Reduce heat until the boil is more like a simmer. Stir periodically and cook for several minutes until the fruit becomes more transparent and candied. This may take about 10 minutes more or less.
  8. The longer the cook time, the more candied the fruit. You want to make sure its spreadable and not to thick.
  9. Turn off the heat.
  10. Remove apple core.
  11. Stir in the Bourbon . The confit will sizzle a bit with the addition of the liquor.
  12. Place in clean jars.
  13. Let cool and cover
  14. Keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Notes
The apple core, loaded with natural pectin aides the thickening.

 

Cocktail Hour with Espolon Tequila

First off I want to thank you all for the comments on my last post. The Jassn Ceramic knives are so beautiful and fun to work with. They are making my kitchen chores go by so swiftly with beautiful clean and swift cuts. I wish everyone could win, but there can only be one winner. Don’t forget my readers get a 15 percent discount with the code Coco Cooks. So click on to the Jassn advertisement on my sidebar and order away! The winner is Milaxx! Congrats and enjoy preparing your vegetarian fare with them.

 

Now are you ready for cocktail hour? Tequila! I have had some crazy experiences with Tequila. Like most people years of drinking inferior stuff made me ill or do things I perhaps shouldn’t have. I recall years ago while in school in Paris , naively starting the night off with Champagne , then moving on to Margaritas with some friends. All I remember in one moment I was the rest room checking my lipstick and the next on a cafe chair curbside passed out about to have some water thrown on me to wake up. I had no idea how I got out there. So needless to say for years I avoided the stuff. Until I started working on and off in the restaurant industry and was able to try the better brands and see the distinction between fine Tequilas and other brands that will not be named. Now I know there are smooth, affordable tequilas like the award winning Espolon. I was lucky enough to receive  samples  of both the Tequila Blanco and the Tequila Reposado and create some cocktails. I found these two were smooth enjoy and sip alone, but worked well in cocktails as well.

ESPOLÓN™ TEQUILA
Handcrafted with 100% pure Blue Agave, Espolón is an award-winning collection of super-premium
tequilas that celebrate real Mexico and highlight its storied culture through classic 19th century Mexican
artistry and iconic imagery. Espolón’s label illustrations portray the stories of characters Guadalupe,
Rosarita and Ramón, a proud rooster and symbol of national pride, as they relive significant moments in
Mexico’s rich history.
ORIGIN
Espolón Tequila is distilled and bottled at Destiladora San Nicolas, an artisan distillery in the Los Altos
(Highlands) region of Jalisco, Mexico. San Nicolas sets the standard for tequila production and was
awarded the “Best Tequila Factory in Mexico” by the School of Architects and Engineers of Jalisco.
Master distiller Cirilo Oropeza brings decades of expertise and careful craftsmanship to the creation of
Espolón Tequila, applying as much artistry to the liquid as you will find on the label.
CRAFTING ESPOLÓN
PRODUCT RANGE AND TASTE PROFILE:
Espolón favors craftsmanship over mass production—to extract richer, more intense flavors, they cook
their agave piñas for 18 to 20 hours (versus the industry average of 12), and their distilling process lasts
5½ hours (versus the industry average of 3½). Two award-winning expressions are now available in
select US markets, Blanco and Reposado, each with a unique label featuring Guadalupe, Rosarita and
Ramón:
Espolón Tequila Blanco
Inspired to the bone, Guadalupe and Rosarita join Father Miguel Hidalgo in his brave campaign for
Mexican independence from Spain. As depicted in this label’s scene the couple fight fiercely, and
with undying passion. As Ramón the Rooster crows his shrill battle cry, the brave army of
revolutionists clash against tyranny, against the cruel caste system, willing to sacrifice everything
for the cause. And although their bold efforts would fall short, this movement set the stage for
Mexico’s eventual independence.
Espolón Tequila Blanco
 Unaged – direct from distillation.
 Clear in color with a platinum cast.
 Delicate, sweet agave; floral, tropical fruit and lemon zest aromas with a hint of pepper.
 Soft mouth-feel, light to medium-bodied palate with bright agave flavor; notes of pepper,
vanilla bean and grilled pineapple.
 Elegant, clean finish that ends with a hint of spice.
Espolón Tequila Reposado
Spain’s Hernando Cortés captured the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, conquering its people and
building Mexico City in its place. As illustrated in this label, Guadalupe and Rosarita revel in the
markets of this new metropolis, yet a pair of devilishly toothy grins hint at their true intentions.
Driven by a passion for Aztec civilization—as their spirits had once played a role in this complex
culture—our couple scheme to infuse elements of Aztec culture into every market in the country.
Guided by Ramón the Rooster, they vow that generations would remember this great fallen
society’s impressive achievements.

 

My favorite soda is a Mexican brand called Jarritos Grapefruit Flavor or Toronja and I made a classic Paloma , Mexcios favorite cocktail with the Tequila Blanco. Crisp refreshing and light .

With the Tequila Reposado I had some fun. I made a cocktail with some Goya frozen Passion Fruit Pulp. I will call Passion Buzz.

Paloma Cocktail and Passion Buzz with Espolon Tequila
 
Cocktails with Espolon Tequila
Author:
Recipe type: Cocktails
Ingredients
  • For the Paloma
  • 1 shot Espolon Tequila Blanco
  • Jarritos Toronnja or other Grapefruit Soda
  • Ice
  • For the Passion Buzz ( 1 pitcher)
  • 1 package Goya Frozen Passion Fruit Pulp ( keep frozen)
  • 1 cup simple syrup
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 cup Espolon Tequila Reposado
  • Sparkling water or Soda
  • ice
  • Colored sugar for rim
Instructions
  1. For the Paloma
  2. In a glass with ice our 1 shot of Espolon Tequila Blanco .
  3. Top off with Jarritos Toronja soda.
  4. Garnish with a lime.
  5. For the Passion Buzz
  6. In a blender add the frozen Goya Passion Fruit Pulp broken into chunks.
  7. Add simple syrup, Espolon Tequila Reposado, juice of 1 lime and few more ice cubes.
  8. Blend to a puree and it should be icy and slushy.
  9. Taste and add sparkling water to suit your tastes . Mix
  10. Dampen rim of glass and dip in colored sugar .
  11. Pour cocktail and enjoy.

 

 

 

 

Turning Honey Into Wine…The Art of Making Mead

In life you can have many types of friends that each fit into a type of box. I met The Alchemist ten years ago at a French Wine tasting class.The class was composed of five women, who to this day are still in contact, even though we are scattered geographically and politically. I wouldn’t say any of us are best friends, but we are there for each other  and always bond over a bottle or two of wine and great food , which is what brought us together in the first place. Out of all the women, The Alchemist is the one I’m closer to and encourages my culinary dreams, when I cant see the potential inside myself. I get so so busy that I sometimes just need to accept an offer of something creative and unique.

“Wanna make some Mead?”, the Alchemist said.

My first thought was , that was the stuff she goes on about at the Renaissance Festivals. And then I started to think of the whole hippy dippy culture that converges onto the annual Renaissance Festival at the border of Wisconsin. I remember tasting the honey based fermented wine once on an extremely hot day with her, and don’t remember being wowed by it.Exaggerated images of her drinking Mead in Renaissance garb popped into my head. It’s hard  for me to commit to a lot of things socially , but I blocked off October 31st in my calendar. I really didn’t give a thought to the date having any significance. As the Alchemist has more disposable income than myself, she invested in the wine making equipment. The first Mead was going to be a Pumpkin Pie Mead an I was going to bring the spices of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg along with some label designs. The Alchemist had piles of noted from conversations with Mead experts.Mead making is an exact science with no room for bacterial contamination or error. All of the ingredients were laid out on her granite counter.On her counter sat fifteen pounds of cloudy Wisconsin honey from her mentors own apiary, waiting to be clarified.Earlier The Alchemist  had filled cases of old wine bottles, which we would recycle to bottle with water from her parents spring fed lake.We proceeded to  boil and sterilize the water,  then filter .While clarifying the honey , and heating, and filtering the water, we plotted out a flavor profile and I suggested a few black peppercorns to blend out the flavor.

“Come here”, she beckoned as she stood over the steaming hot water we were about to filter. “It smells like the lake”, she enthused. “It smells like the earth”, I acknowledged.

Mossy and flinty, I understood at that very moment what Terroir in wine making is all about. The flavors of the land infused in your wine. We pondered if filtering would erase that scent that wafted through our nostrils and the sweet pumpkin, honey, and spicy herbs will all converge.

“I will pitch the yeast at the strike of 11:11 “, she said as she sprinkled bee pollen and golden raisins to our Must, the combination  of heated water and honey.

The pumpkin would be added  later on in the process. She then measured the density of the solution. Still warm from the hot honey, we had to wait for it to reach the proper level. I had noticed she mentioned pitching the yeast at eleven before. But like many things she says I really didn’t gather the significance. The Alchemist then went on to explain the significance of the Samhain or the the date and auspicious Grand Trine timing of the pitching of the yeast. It was  all about the Autumnal equinox and this was to be  her first series based on the  midpoint  season of the year. So it wasn’t  about cutesy pumpkins on Halloween , but more about  paying tribute to our local harvests, resources and respecting the cycle of nature. I took my last appreciative swig  of an Apple Mead we drank while working. At the end of the end of day I had new found appreciation for the  for the process and the beauty of Mead, the drink of the Gods, and glad I could share a unique moment with my brilliant , scientific, if not quirky friend. I could not wait for the fermenting to succeed and for us to rack our beautiful golden liquid , which be ready by the New Year. We ended up doing a total of three rackings  and finally bottled it January 31st to make way for The Alchemist’s new red Mead project. The wine is still young, and a bit dry. By Fall it should be ready to consume befitting it’s theme of Pumpkin Pie. The cycle of nature truly at work. Take a look at the slide show and video for more on the three month process.


Comfort In the Windy City…Chalet Nights at The Peninsula Hotel Chicago

Thank You all for the support and love you have shown since last week. As my dining companions said last night , stop saying you were not terminated or eliminated, you are in transition. And if the offers , outreach, and opportunities I have received this week are anything to go by, my future is going to be high style.

One outreach  extended towards me, was from the The Peninsula Hotel in Chicago. Their PR department invited me along with with several other  influential Chicago bloggers to experience Chalet Nights at their charming European restaurant/cafe/wine bar Pierrot Gourmet. The recently refreshed  ski lodge themed restaurant is offering Chalet Night devised  by their new Chef de Cuisine Tony Schmidt, who had worked at such other fine institutions as Blackbird, Everest, and Trio.

Each Thursday until March 31 a special Swiss themed menu will be offered for $19 per person ( 2 person minimum) featuring a three cheese fondue( Gruyere, Appenzeller, and Fontina), mountain bread,  a Juniper berry smoked Speck ham , house pickled vegetables, and salad with a Dijon vinaigrette. The meal is finished off with Pear flavored Eau de vie.

Having had my share of fondues both at home and in Switzerland, the meal was excellent. and elegantly presented. A comforting buzz ran through the table and I realized  I forgotten how fun and sensational Chicago can be with it’s various offerings.  Did I mention how exquisite the desserts were? Pierrot Gourmet has a French born Pastry Chef that makes the most incredible variety of flavored macarons that are not too sweet . If you don’t have time for a sit down meal or coffee, the takeout option is there.

Afterward we went over the John Hancock Observatory at the invitation of Zach , the Director of Operations there who partners with The Peninsula Chicago. At the Observatory  we were treated to cocktails, and more nibbles at Lavazza’s Expression Cafe before taking to the indoor ice rink. Imagine all of this 1,000 feet above the city! Great fun. The SKYY High Cocktail ( SKYY Raspberry vodka, Blue Curacao, and Lemonade) and The Hawks Cup ( Makers Mark, fresh ginger, muddles blackberries, and lemon sour) must be tried along with numerous other drinks, and hot and cold coffee drinks. After that, I was most definitely too buzzed to skate, but enjoyed watching the others.

Thank You Peninsula Chicago & John Hancock Observatory for reminding me what I love about my city Chicago.

Peninsula Hotel/ Pierrot Gourmet

108 East Superior Street at the corner of Rush and Superior