Masala Chai

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Bob and I don't normally drink tea. It's simply not our beverage of choice. That, however, changed, at least temporarily, while we were in India. Brewed coffee was extremely difficult to find and, rather than have a cup made from instant granules, we switched to tea. Our tour guide introduced us to Masala Chai at a rest stop en route from Delhi to Agra. It wasn't bad. Better still, he shared his family recipe for the tea with us. While it's a bit more work that your standard cuppa, the recipe is really simple and nearly foolproof. Use a teaspoon of tea leaves for each cup of tea you want to brew and don't forget to add another for the pot. Spice and sugar up or down as personal taste dictates. Indian Chai tends to be very sweet, but you can cut back if you like. The tea is good enough that the recipe should not be kept a secret. I hope you'll give it a try. It's a great alternative to English tea.

Masala Chai...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 cup water
4 teaspoons Darjeeling or other loose black tea
2 to 3 crushed cardamom pods
1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, smashed
2 cups milk
3 to 6 teaspoons sugar

Directions:
1) Place water in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a simmer.
2) Add loose tea leaves to water. Stir in crushed cardamom pods and smashed ginger.
3) Add milk and bring mixture to a rolling boil. Simmer, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes.
4) Add sugar to taste. Simmer for 1 minute longer, or until sugar is fully dissolved.
5) Strain mixture through a strainer into cups or tempered glasses. Yield: 3 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
How Do I Love Tea? Let Me Count the Ways - Home Cooking Rocks
How to Make A Perfect Cup of Tea - Noble Pig
Homemade Mystic Chai Mix Powder - My Favorite Recipes
Chocolate Chai Pie - The Sensitive Pantry
Mugi-Chai: A Japanese Twist on Masala Chai - La Fuji Mama
Chai Shortbread - Don't Forget Delicious
Chai - Simply Recipes
Chai Tea Cupcakes - Sunny-Side Up Recipes

Red Hot Cinnamon Apple Cider - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I wanted to feature a fall holiday drink that can be enjoyed by children and adults who do not use alcohol. This one is very easy to do and only a witch's brew could be more seasonally appropriate. The drink has two ingredients: really good apple cider and cinnamon red hot candies. The two are heated together until the candies melt. That's all there is to it. This is tastiest when served warm.

Red Hot Cinnamon Apple Cider...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 quart apple cider
1/4 cup cinnamon red hot candies

Directions:
Place apple cider and cinnamon candies in a large sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until candies have melted. Serve warm. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Apple Cider Milkshake Recipe - Amanda’s Cookin
Pumpkin Spice Hot White Chocolate Recipe - The Luna Cafe
Hot Caramel Apple Drink Recipe - Real Mom Kitchen
DIY Sparking Beverage Recipe - Elana’s Pantry
Pumpkin Chai Smoothie Recipe - Group Recipes
Warm Cacao with Cinnamon Recipe Made With Almond Milk and Agave - Rawmazing Raw Dood

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Not Your Mama's Lemonade - Pink Saturday

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I know you need no reminders to schedule your mammogram. Early detection is currently the greatest weapon we have in fighting this insidious disease. I think you'll enjoy any of the drinks that appear below. Pick one and join me in a toast to the cure. Recipes for the drinks can be found by linking to the source that's listed to the right of each photograph. Here's to the cure!





Taylor Takes A Taste













Mike's Hard Pink Lemonade










Southern Living













The Intoxicologist










Life's Ambrosia











Better Recipes












Coastal Living












Food












Gal's Stuff













Whole Living











Country Living











Kraft Recipes














Pink Lemonade






This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Sweet Raspberry Tea - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...For many of us this weekend marks the end of summer. Calendars and alarm clocks are waiting to reclaim their rightful places in our lives, but before we cede territory to them there is still time for one last barbecue or a trip to the beach. Bob and I plan to head to the coast and enjoy the lovely sea breezes on what promises to be a gorgeous weekend. I suspect polar expeditions have made it to the top of the world with fewer provisions that we pack for our trek to the ocean. I've just filled a thermos with our favorite sweet tea and thought you might enjoy it as well. It really is easy to make and if you prefer a more adult version of this old favorite, I can heartily recommend the addition of a splash or two of orange vodka. One caution. Be sure to strain the tea before serving. Raspberry seeds can spoil the tea. Here's the recipe.

Sweet Raspberry Tea...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite
Ingredients
5 bags raspberry zinger tea
6 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 pint raspberries
1 lime, cut into wedges
Mint sprigs or stemmed cherries


Directions
1) Place tea bags in a 2-quart bowl. Bring 6 cups water to a boil and pour over tea bags. Let sit until water is room temperature. Discard tea bags.
2) Meanwhile, combine sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add raspberries and allow syrup to come to room temperature. Strain syrup into tea. Put ice into 4 (12-ounce) glasses. Squeeze a lime wedge into each glass. Pour sugared tea over ice cubes. Garnish with mint or cherries if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Watermelon Sweet Tea - The Runaway Spoon
Peach and Mint Iced Tea - The Comfort of Cooking
Blackberry Iced Tea - Jane Deere
Blue Green Iced Tea - Taylor Takes a Taste
Herbal Iced Tea - Pham Fatale
Lemongrass Iced Tea - Served with Love

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Watermelon Smoothie - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I found myself alone for lunch today and didn't really feel like cooking. I wanted to stay away from sandwiches and thought a smoothie would be filling enough to carry me through the afternoon. I had a large piece of watermelon sitting in the refrigerator and decided to use it as the base for a smoothie. I have, in the past, found the National Watermelon Promotion Board to be a great source of recipes and, sure enough, they had a recipe for a simple smoothie that was just what I was looking for. There are a lot of recipes floating in cyberspace that sound more like milk shakes than smoothies and I really was looking for something lighter and more healthy. I liked the recipe because it uses yogurt as a thickener. It took five minutes to assemble this version of a watermelon smoothie. It was time well-spent. It's a delicious drink when made with ripe watermelon. I look forward to having it again. I think you might enjoy it as well. Here's the recipe.

Watermelon Smoothie...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of the National Watermelon Promotion Board

Ingredients:
2 cups seeded watermelon chunks
1 cup cracked ice
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1-2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in blender container. Blend until smooth. Yield: 2 to 3 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Watermelon, Cucumber and Tomato Salad - One Perfect Bite
Iced Watermelon Drinks - One Perfect Bite
Watermelon, Black Bean and Corn Salsa
Watermelon and Feta Salad - Two Peas and Their Pod
Watermelon Gazpacho - The Perfect Pantry
Strawberry Watermelon Slush - Real Mom Kitchen

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Coconut Bubble Tea

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We spent the day panning for gold. Really! Each year the town of Cottage Grove holds a Bohemia Mining Day celebration to commemorate the discovery of gold in the area. The event is much like a county fair and it's a wonderful family activity. What is less known, is that while the mine is closed, there are still active claims in the area. That makes it possible for the more adventurous to pan for gold. Ever up to a challenge, Bob and I trekked into the area and did some panning. We found no gold, but had a wonderful day and burned a lot of calories. That, of course, meant a special sweet treat could be enjoyed without any feelings of guilt. We decided to spend the expended calories on large glasses of bubble tea. Now, I can't begin to tell you how a day in a Bohemian community led to a drink of Chinese origin. It just did. The drinks are cold and frothy and they just seemed like a perfect way to end the day. Bubble tea was created in Taiwan in the 1980's. It spread across Asia and made its way to Canada before finally reaching the United States. While the drink has a frothy texture, its called bubble tea because it contains pearl-sized tapioca balls, bobas, that are dispersed throughout the drink. The balls have very little flavor, but they are gummy and are sipped through an oversize straw to be chewed between sips of tea. The base of the drink is tea and it can have milk or fruit flavors added to it. I prefer the milk-flavored version. The tapioca pearls have little flavor of their own, so they are soaked for about 30 minutes in sugar or honey after being boiled. I found a recipe at the New York Times: Dining and Wine site that can be used to make a really nice bubble tea at home. If you're curious you might want to give it a try. Here's my version of the recipe.

Coconut Bubble Tea...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, adapted from The New York Times: Dining and Wine

Ingredients:
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 cups tapioca pearls (1/4-inch wide)
For each bubble tea:
1/2 cup chilled tapioca pearls
1 cup crushed ice
1 cup coarsely chopped mango
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup milk
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Directions:
1) Combine sugars and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Torn off heat. In a second pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add tapioca and cook until tender using time suggested on box. Drain. Mix tapioca with sugar mixture and chill.
2) To make a drink, spoon pearls into a large glass. Place ice, mango, coconut milk, milk and lime juice in a blender jar. Puree. When frothy, pour over pearls and stick in a wide straw. If straws are not available, serve with a spoon.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Ginger Tea - One Perfect Bite
Homemade Vanilla Chai Tea - The Mother Load
Indian Chai Hot Chocolate-Tea Recipe - Tea Escape - Tea Blog
Russian Friendship Tea - Bake It Pretty
The Ultimate Iced Tea Recipe - Cooking By the Seat of My Pants
Lemon Almond Iced Tea - Elite Tea
Herbal Iced Tea - Oprah.com
California Iced Tea - Lifestyle Food.com

Sangria

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm an observer by nature. As we travel, I love to watch new parents caring for their infants and young people caught in the first flush of love. Custom and tradition differ from one country to another but the tenderness they share is unmistakable and knows no borders. We had a whirlwind day today. Chance placed us in disparate spots where we watched two very different types of weddings. One was a homemade affair, held beneath a bower in a public rose garden. The other was far more grand, held in wine country at the King Estate. Both brides were lovely and the tenderness in the eyes of their new husbands was unmistakable. I would be hard pressed to say which bride will have the most pleasant memories of the day. The tonier wedding had food that you are all familiar with. The simpler feast was a truly homemade affair. The bride made her own cake and the sandwiches which were served to her guests. The groom whipped up the brew just before the ceremony began. They obviously had me in their camp the moment they said "I do." As I watched him make a punch that looked surprisingly like sangria, I knew exactly what would accompany our dinner tonight. Sangria is a wine punch that comes from Spain. I've made this sangria for better than forty years and it is, without a doubt, my favorite version of this wonderful summer drink. The original recipe belongs to Dione Lucas. She was the first woman to graduate from Le Cordon Blue and was a respected chef and restaurateur. She predated Julia Child on television, but lacked Julia's camera presence and thus was history writ. She was a marvelous cook and wrote many terrific cookbooks, one of which I still use today. I must warn you that this sangria is like a rum drink. It really packs a punch and gangs up on the unsuspecting very quickly. It is very easy to make. Here's the recipe.

Sangria...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Dione Lucas

Ingredients:
1 large lemon, sliced
1 large naval orange, sliced
1/2 cup Cognac or good brandy
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups soda water
1 bottle (fifth) Rioja or other dry Spanish red wine

Directions:
1) Place lemon and orange slices in a large pitcher. Add brandy and sugar. Sitr well with a wooden spoon. Let mixture stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
2) Just before serving, add wine and lemon juice. Stir well. Add ice cubes and soda water. Stir contents well, adding more ice cubes if necessary to chill sangria. Yield: 2 quarts.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Limoncello - One Perfect Bite
Cranberry Cocktail - One Perfect Bite
Iced Watermelon Drinks - One Perfect Bite
Sangria - Foodista
White Sangria - Delish
Basil Sangria - YumSugar

Limeade Concentrate

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There is in cyberspace a remarkable site called Cooking for Engineers. It's written by Michael Chu who features wonderful recipes with instructions that clearly explain how and why things within his recipes are done. While the site is a technocrat's dream, it's designed and written in such a way that everyone can read and enjoy it. I recently paid the site a visit to search for recipes that used limes. I have a weakness for quantity buying and managed to return from a warehouse store with enough limes to serve the needs of a small country. Having made lime curd and sundry other treats, I still had limes to deal with. Lots of limes. Fortunately, Michael had a recipe for limeade concentrate that you can find here. The concentrate is made using fresh lime juice and a simple syrup. You'll need six to eight good-sized limes to extract a cup of juice. That cup of juice is mixed with three cups of a simple syrup to form a limeade concentrate that can be frozen. When you're ready to enjoy a cool and refreshing beverage, the concentrate is reconstituted using two parts water to one of the concentrate. We love bubbles in our summer drinks, so I reconstitute our limeade with club soda. Ginger ale or a lemon-lime drink would also work well. Here's the recipe for the concentrate and the limeade.

Limeade Concentrate...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Michael Chu

Ingredients for concentrate:
1 cup fresh, strained lime juice
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups water

Directions for concentrate:
Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Cool. Add lime juice. Refrigerate or freeze. Yield: 1 quart concentrate.

Ingredients for limeade:
1 cup limeade concentrate
2 cups water

Directions for limeade:
Combine concentrate and water in a pitcher. Stir to dissolve. Yield: 3 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Homemade Ginger Ale - One Perfect Bite
Iced Watermelon Drinks - One Perfect Bite
Blue Lemonade - One Perfect Bite

The Last Best Egg Cream in New Jersey

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...He was an old man. He survived two wars, one left him with a gimpy leg, the other with a numeric tattoo. He rarely spoke of either. He came, without family, to the United States in the late 40's. He opened a small shop, called Jack's, where he sold convenience items and made breakfast and lunch for the neighborhood. The store was positioned on a street that served as an artificial barrier between neighbors in Montclair. While it was one of the first integrated communities in the country, there were areas of the town that seemed to be separated by color. In truth, the barriers were economic, rather than racial. Flanked by palaces on his right and bungalows and apartments on his left, Jack served coffee to all and was incredibly good with the neighborhood children. No one in his purview went to school hungry and it was not unusual to see a child spinning on a stool next to a Senator or ball player who was trying to read the morning paper. The shop was also a mecca for editors and writers who commuted to their jobs at The New York Times. There were so many of them that locals, had if fact, named a stretch of the town the Times Ghetto. Jack rarely smiled but there came a Monday when he beamed for most of the day. The Sunday New York Times Magazine had, in an article, named his egg cream the best in New Jersey. I learned today that Jack had passed. I will, of course, say my prayers for the dead, but he was not a religious man and would smile at my foolishness. I wanted to mark his passing in a way that would please him. I remembered the article and his smile that day. Now, my egg cream will never be a match for his, but wherever he is, he'll know I'm thinking of him. L'chaim, Jack. Shalom.

The Last Best Egg Cream in New Jersey...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Fox U-Bet or Hershey's chocolate syrup
Whole milk
Seltzer or club soda

Directions:
1) Pour 1 inch of U-Bet syrup into a soda or cola glass.
2) Gently pour 1-1/2 inches of milk on top of syrup.
3) Fill glass with seltzer or club soda and leave some room at top so it doesn't overflow.
4) Stir vigorously to get most of the chocolate from the bottom and sides of glass. Egg cream should have 1 to 2 inches of foam at top. Serve immediately.

You might also enjoy this:
New York Egg Cream - How to Make an Egg Cream - What's Cooking America
Egg Cream - Wikipedia
Can the Egg Cream Make a Comeback - New York Times
Foodie Pregnancy: The Mighty Egg Cream - Saint Tiger Lily
Egg Creams and Candy Stores - Hub Pages
The Egg Cream Lives - Jeremiah's Vanishing New York

Po Cha and Clues to Our Destination

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The suspense is over. Our holiday plans have been finalized. Selection of a location was really difficult this year. Bob and I had different adventures in mind and the final decision was made in the only fair way possible. We quite literally pulled a photo from a stack spread like playing cards of the table. There was a randomness to it that made the whole thing seem more fair than might otherwise have been the case. I'm happy to report we are both happy with the decision the gods of chance made on our behalf. It will be an adventure and I'll be counting the days until it actually begins. October is a ways off but that gives us time to get visas and study more about the places we'll be visiting. I'm going to keep you in the dark for a while longer. I've put together some photos of people and places we'll be visiting to see if you can identify the three countries we'll be touring. I'm also including one recipe associated with the most remote of the places on our itinerary. We have promised the children, who don't like the words trek or safari used in the same breath as their parent's names, that this is absolutely, positively our last visit to remote locales with sometimes fragile political systems. They are dubious. Seems I said that last year as well. I really meant it, but the back and legs and brain have held up well and this seems like the right thing for us to do. At any rate, here is the recipe for a drink that really should be made with yak milk and butter. I must say it is a real challenge to the palate even when made with cows milk and butter from a local creamery. I don't always do well with foods that fall into the acquired taste category. It took me years to enjoy a martini. I comfort myself with the knowledge I tried it, and who knows, it may taste better in country. Here's the scoop for other brave and kindred souls.

Po Cha......from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
5 -6 cups water
3 black tea bags or 2 tablespoons loose black tea
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk, half-and-half or 1 teaspoon milk powder

Directions:
1) Bring five to six cups of water to a boil. Reduce heat. Add tea bags or loose tea and simmer for several minutes more. Remove tea bags or strain loose tea.
2) Pour steeped tea, salt, butter and milk or milk powder into a blender or chandong, a type of churn. You can also shake the tea in a thermos bottle. Churn, blend or shake the mixture for 3 to 5 minutes. Our into cuos and serve piping hot: Yield: 4 servings.

















You might also enjoy these recipes:
Ginger Tea - One Perfect Bite
Blueberry Tea - One Perfect Bite
Himalayan Salted Butter Tea - Not Quite Nigella
Yak Butter Tea - The Greedy Glutton

This recipe is being linked to:
Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

Homemade Ginger Ale and Candied Ginger

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm usually careful with my purchases, but ginger root got the better of me and I ended up far more of it than could normally be used. I can't bare waste. My search to avoid the compost pile led to a few interesting alternatives and I decided to make candied ginger and use the syrup in which it steeped for ginger ale. I've made candied ginger in the past, but never saved the syrup for other uses, so this was a bit of an experiment for me. There are three types of simple syrup and each is identified by the ratio of water to sugar in the mix. Thin simple syrup is used to glaze cakes and cookies and has a ratio of 3 parts water to 1 part sugar. Medium simple syrup is used to make beverages and sweeten ice tea and has a ratio 2 parts water to 1 part sugar. Thick simple syrup has a ratio of 1 part water to 1 part sugar and it's used as a base for cold drinks and to glaze candied fruits. I'm not fond of overly sweet drinks, so I decided to go with a medium simple syrup. This process requires a lot of ginger and a bit of straight forward knife work or a mandoline. All told, you'll need 1-1/2 cups of peeled, thinly sliced ginger. Quick work can be made of this if you use the edge of a spoon to scrape the ginger clean. Try to keep the slices of ginger uniform in size for even cooking. A thickness of an eighth to a quarter of an inch is ideal. Time takes care of the rest. I was really pleased with how well the ginger ale turned out. It has a really fresh sharp taste that's missing from its commercial counterpart. I added slices of fresh lime to ours and can happily report this would make a wonderful warm weather beverage. Here are the recipes.

Homemade Ginger Ale and Candied Ginger...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups ginger, peeled and thinly sliced in 1/8 to 1/4-inch slices
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided use
2 cups water
1 quart club soda
1 lime cut in wedges
Optional garnish: lime slices, mint sprigs

Directions:
1) To make ginger ale: Combine ginger, 1 cup sugar and water in a saucepan. Simmer slowly for 1 to 2 hours, until sugar is dissolved and ginger is softened. Strain warm syrup and allow to cool. Save the ginger pieces to make crystallized ginger. Fill a tall glass with ice, add mint sprig and lime slices, 2 ounces ginger syrup and 6 ounces of club soda. Squeeze lime wedge into glass. Use more syrup if desired. Stir. Yield: 4 servings.
2) To make candied ginger: Line a cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper. Place a cooling rack on top. Place reserved 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Toss ginger in sugar and dry on rack for 1 to 2 days. Store in airtight container or a zip lock bag for up to 3 months.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Candied Orange and Lemon Peel - One Perfect Bite
How to Make Candied Ginger - David Lebovitz
Homemade Ginger Ale - Simply Recipes

Limoncello - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I make Limoncello as a gift for friends. Lemons, bought in quantity, are relatively inexpensive throughout the year, so I'm not seasonally tied to its preparation. I have several recipes for the liqueur, but I usually end up using one developed by Giada De Laurentis because it is simple to make and is ready to drink in days rather than months. While many drink Limoncello out of hand, I prefer to dilute it and serve it over ice. Its main purpose in our house is to use as an ingredient in cheesecake and other lemon desserts. I am "brewing" a bottle now to use in a cheesecake that I plan to make for the Easter holiday. If you like Limoncello you know the only thing that can spoil it is too much sugar. I've cut back on the amount of sugar that was called for in the original recipe. I also use 100 proof vodka. Anything less than that will freeze and you don't want that to happen. Here's the recipe that I use to make homemade Limoncello. You might want to consider it as an aperitif for Passover or Easter.

Limoncello...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Giada De Laurentis and others

Ingredients:
10 large lemons
1 (750-ml) bottle 100 proof vodka
3-1/2 cups water
2 cups sugar

Directions:
1) Using a vegetable peeler, remove peel from lemons in long strips (reserve lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim white pith away from lemon peels; discard pith. Place lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour vodka over peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep for 4 days at room temperature.
2) Stir water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour sugar syrup over vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. Strain limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard peels. Transfer limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month. Yield: 7 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Blue Lemonade - One Perfect Bite
Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur - One Perfect Bite
Cranberry Cocktails - One Perfect Bite


This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Cranberry Cocktails - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There was a time when I'd have blanched if asked to bring wine or drinks to a party. In my mind, there was always something about that request that indicated incompetence or the inability to cook. I'm no longer quite so proud and was delighted when asked to supply libations for a party we'll be attending this Sunday. We live on the West coast, so, for us, the Academy Awards begin and end at a human hour and allow us plenty of time for people watching and raucous rounds of applause or cat-calls. We do eat, but on this occasion fancy drinks become slightly more important than they might otherwise be. One of the drinks I've planned is designed specifically for the gals. While it's served in martini glasses there is nothing about it, save vodka, to tie it to its more potent cousin. It's a great, if strong, drink for luncheons, showers and other special occasions. Be forewarned, the snake oil salesman in me is about to surface. Ready? It's also good for you because of all the calcium rich cranberry juice that's used to make it. I also sell bridges and oil wells if you're in the market. This is really simple to do and cranberry flavored syrup can be made several days before using if it's refrigerated. Here's the recipe.

Cranberry Cocktails...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
Cranberry Syrup
Finely grated zest of 1 large orange
Finely grated zest of 1 large lime
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup water
2-1/2 cups plain cranberry juice
.
12 ounces vodka

Directions:
1) Combine orange zest, lime zest, sugar and water in a medium pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cool slightly. Place cranberry juice in a 1-quart jar that has a lid. Add sugar syrup and close jar. Shake to combine. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
2) To make one drink, combine 1/2 cup of cranberry syrup and 2 ounces of vodka in an ice filled cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain into a cold martini glass. Yield: 6 drinks.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Poinsettia and Champagne Cocktail - One Perfect Bite
Hot Mulled Cranberry and Apple Cider - One Perfect Bite
Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur - One Perfect Bite


This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Guinness Bloody Mary - Foodie Friday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Happy New Year! My greeting comes with special wishes for your health and happiness in 2010. I thought it might be fun to start the new year with a new drink, so I've bumped my scheduled post to share this one with you before the holiday officially ends. None of you will need a drink to cure "the hair of the dog", but in case you know someone who does, or are entertaining this weekend, you might find this twist on a Bloody Mary interesting. Years ago, it was believed that the best antidote for rabies was a drink brewed with the hair of the the dog that caused the rabies. Certain drinks, like the Bloody Mary, are believed by some to cure the symptoms of a hangover. While there is no medical proof to support that claim, the hypothesis is tested on a regular basis by revelers. The drink was first served in Chicago at the Bucket of Blood Club. Fernand Petiot, while working at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, France, was asked to create a drink like that served at the Bucket of Blood by a waitress called Bloody Mary. Hence, the name. Interestingly, the Guinness Bloody Mary also has its roots in Chicago. I had the drink at a brunch in Austin and was able to find a prototype for the recipe on the Tabasco Foodservice website. If you are looking for a new brunch drink, this one might be perfect for you. It really is delicious, but be forewarned - it does pack a punch. Here's the recipe.

Guinness Bloody Mary...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
4 cups tomato juice
Juice of 2 limes
4 shots good vodka
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon celery salt
Tabasco sauce to taste
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Coarse salt for coating rims of mugs
1 (12-oz.) bottle Draught Guinness
Optional: Limes or olives for garnish

Directions:
1) Combine tomato juice, lime juice, vodka, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, Tabasco sauce, and salt and pepper in a large iced filled pitcher.
2) Dampen the rims of 4 mugs with water and dip them in a bowl of coarse salt. Fill each mug with an equal portion of tomato juice mixture. Float 3 ounces of Guinness on top of each mug. Serve immediately. Garnish with lime slices or olives if desired. Yield: 4 drinks.


This recipe is being linked to:
Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

Cranberry Glogg - Merry Christmas

On this day of wonder and delight, I'd like to propose a toast to you and other absent friends.



May there always be friends at your fire, family at your table, blessings in your home, and joy in your heart.



From our home to yours, come warm wishes for a Happy Christmas. Blessings to you all...Mary

Cranberry Glogg...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Beatrice Ojakangas

Ingredients:
1 (28-ounce) bottle white table wine, or 4 cups white grape juice
4 cups cranberry juice
8 whole cloves
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar

Directions:
1) Combine wine, cranberry juice, cloves, ginger and cinnamon in a large bowl. Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.
2) Pour into a large stockpot and heat until almost simmering. Glogg should be 150 to 170 degrees F for serving. Ladle into small, warmed cups and serve. Yield: 10 servings.

This recipe is being linked to:
Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

Poinsettia Champagne Cocktail

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope your day is warmed by glowing embers and the embrace of family and friends. Eat well and enjoy the comforts of this special day. Know that I count you among my blessings. Thank you for a wonderful year.



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love to serve this elegant cocktail for special breakfasts or brunch during the holiday season. It's simple to make and the Champagne lends a festive air to a morning celebration. Ginger ale can be used to fashion a similar drink for any children at the table. Bubbles will be more pronounced if you serve the cocktail in a Champagne flute and add the wine just before serving the drinks. Any good sparkling white wine can substitute for the Champagne.

Poinsettia Champagne Cocktail...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2-ounce Cointreau or triple sec, chilled
Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled
3-ounces cranberry juice, chilled

Directions:
Pour Cointreau and cranberry juice into a chilled Champagne flute. Stir well. Top with Champagne or sparkling wine. Yield: 1 cocktail.

Hot Mulled Cranberry and Apple Cider - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's been a very good week and, if you'll forgive the pun, "everything's coming up roses" for One Perfect Bite. Saveur has given us another nod and our recipe for Pumpkin Butter is featured on their site. I also have to thank the folks at FriendsEAT.com for listing One Perfect Bite as one of their choices for the top 25 foodie blogs. I'm thrilled to be included in the company of such fabulous food bloggers. Click here to view the 25 blogs they've featured on their site. You and I know I don't belong there, but let's keep that our little secret and hope they don't catch on. Now it's back to work. I wanted to make some special, yet simple, today and this recipe came to mind. It's a slightly different take on the mulled cider that's served so often at this time of year. As you can see, it's a thing of beauty and I'm happy to report it's also delicious. Cider is a relative of wine and it was common in England well before the birth of Christ. As a matter of fact, there was a time when English peasants, pagans of course, considered apple trees to be sacred and worshipped them. That might be explained by the fact that the cider they drank was allowed to ferment and had alcohol in it. Fast forward with me to America and the founding of the New England colonies. Apple cider was enormously popular here as well. It was a favorite drink of the pilgrims who would denounce hard spirits while they sipped their cider, which was allowed to ferment and, of course, had alcohol in it. Who knew? Today's recipe combines a sparkling apple cider, cranberry juice and a few mulling spices. It gets an assist from a small amount of brandy which takes it up a notch or two. There are no tricks or special tips to making a good mulled cider. The only caution is to never let it boil and to be sure to strain the finished cider through cheese cloth or a coffee filter. The cider can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. I always warm it before serving.Here's the recipe for an almost effortless holiday treat.

Hot Mulled Cranberry and Apple Cider...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 bottle (25.4-oz.) sparkling apple cider
1-1/2 cups cranberry juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brandy
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
Grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
Garnish: Apple slices and fresh cranberries

Directions:
1) Combine cider, cranberry juice, sugar, brandy, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon stick, lemon zest and orange zest in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, just to combine flavors; do not boil.
2) Strain and serve warm. Garnish with apple slices and cranberries if desired.
Yield: 6 servings.

You might also like these cider recipes:
Savory Sweet Life - Spiced Hot Apple Cider
Delish - Fireside Mulled Cider
The Way the Cookie Crumbles - Mulled Cider

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

Irish Moonshine - Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur

When Irish eyes are smiling there's usually a reason. Could it be Bailey's Irish Cream? The liqueur has been available since 1974 when Gilbey's, an Irish distillery, discovered how to emulsify whiskey and heavy cream. The liqueur is uniquely Irish and is a balanced measure of Ireland's agricultural and distilling heritage. However important that may be, it's the amazing taste that has made the liqueur famous. If you're a devotee of Bailey's Irish Cream, perhaps in Irish coffee or straight-up over ice, today's recipe will have you smiling, too. It's easy, fast and inexpensive to prepare and it's great for a party. It also makes a nice hostess gift. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. A recipe for a dairy free Irish cream can be found here. Sláinte.

Irish Cream Liqueur

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups whiskey (i.e. Jameson's Irish whiskey)
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:
1) Place all ingredients in a blender jar. Pulse to combine.
2) Pour into a serving container and refrigerate until ready to use.
3) Serve over ice in a glass. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 weeks. Yield: 5 cups.