two brews with one (bermuda) stone

Seek not, and ye shall find, An (local) end to my quest?!

A fifth of Black Seal and two cans of Barritt’s! A Dark N Stormy Kit!

The proportions are rather odd - enough rum to make twenty-five drinks, but alas, ginger beer for four…

(maybe I’ll have to try the cran/orange/rum drink also on the package - 2 oz of each juice, 1.5 of rum)

though, after months of searching and waiting, I’ll take it! (and found about a half-hour from home) I don’t think I need to “save it.” But Oh, I’ll savor it!

now, I’m off to find a lime!

in case you don’t want to scroll back (or google) the recipe:

1. take a tall beer glass, fill 2/3 with ice.
2. Squeeze lime juice (1/2 lime) over the ice
3. add 2 oz. Dark rum (Black Seal, Baby!)
4. add 6 oz. Ginger Beer (Barritt’s if you’ve got it, won’t vouch for any others i’ve tried to date, still looking…)
5. add a slice of lime
6. try to drink just one!

 

mocha moocher

Ever since our daughter has been able to talk, when she’s asked what kind of ice cream she wants, it has always been the same, “vanilla!”. Put chocolate sauce on top and she’s in Heaven.

Still, it didn’t take us long to realize that she never ate very much. So we stopped asking and resorted to sharing a little of our own with her - my wife’s mint chocolate chip and, occasionally, my mocha chip. It wasn’t her good ol’ vanilla, but she was happy. And, again, she never ate a ton.

We took our Sweetie out for ice cream today. My wife changed gears and got a thick chocolate frappe. Considering Sweetie’s love for chocolate smoothies, we thought she would be thrilled with the choice.

Our daughter did admit that the frappe was “yummy”, but she was much more interested in what I brought to the (picnic) table. She climbed up to my side of the bench and sat next to me to more easily share my mocha chip waffle cone. Sure, a few licks - no problem! (The “Daddy’s Little Girl” shirt helped a little)
However, in a matter of minutes she had inched closer, and in no time I found myself looking at the back of her head. The little mooch was between me and my ice cream! Yes the plan was to share, but never has she had so much.

“Do you like Daddy’s ice cream, Sweetie?”

“Yeah. It’s yummy yummy yummy!”

Three “yummy”’s to Mommy’s one. Houston, we have a convert.

Next time, I’m getting a large.

 

Second breakfast Sunday - Granola!

The kitchen, and the rest of the house, managed to get back down to a reasonable tempurature this weekend. We opened the windows, gave the AC a break (and traded in my shorts for pants).

This morning for breakfast I attempted a frittata. Well intentioned, but I overcooked it, and it was tolerable at best. So, while things were still relatively cool, and more importantly, not humid, I dragged out more of my bounty from last week’s excursion to Whole Foods. Granola was on the menu, and I wasn’t going to mess that up.

Sweetie joined me in the kitchen to “help.” She counted off the cups of oats - and then asked of every ingredient - “Should I try that?”

She liked the almonds, dates and wheat germ as-is. Apparently, though, the rolled oats “needs salt,” and the shredded coconut “needs celery.”

An hour and a half later, I had plenty of granola (22 cup’s worth) - should last a little while (If I can keep someone out of it). It seemed to cool/dry up nicely and didn’t get soft or worse, like it surely would have had I attempted this on a more humid day.

I’ve tried several versions of granola over the years. The first recipe I tried, probably the healthiest, has always been my favorite. Apple juice concentrate replaced any sugar, honey, maple syrup and most of the oil in other versions I’ve found/tried.

Unfortunately, in the past year I misplaced that recipe. I thought I got it from one of my Mom’s cookbooks, but, still, I couldn’t find it. Yet a search of the internet, plus remembering key amounts of certain ingredients, found one that was close. So I took that one and adapted it to more closely resemble my older recipe. Viola, a new favorite was born…. thanks to the addition of brown sugar. (just like I knew it would.)

In large bowl combine:

• 7 cups of Rolled oats
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• 1 cup almonds

In small bowl combine:

• 1/2 cup veg oil
• 1 cup applejuice concentrate, thawed
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (opt)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Mix wet with dry,
2. spread out on baking sheets,
3. bake in 325 degree oven for 90 min.
4. Stir every 30 minutes, adjust temp if browning too quickly.
5. Sprinkle 1 cup dates, chopped, on granola for last 20 min. of cooking.
6. Cool, store in airtight container

I generally make a double batch, (I’d make more, but it already maxes out my biggest bowl) and substitute almonds for the sesame seeds if I’m out. The original recipe called for 1/2 cup honey and 1/2 cup boiling water (and 1/4 cup brown sugar) if you don’t have any apple juice concentrate. Oh, and the celery, that’s optional, but not recommended.

 

Vacation, Day 1 - baked and creamed

Last weekend we headed down into Boston for a picnic, and just happened to drive by the Whole Foods in Cambridge. I stopped in to grab a cookie for the ride home… and basked in the joy that only a store full of natural and organic foods can bring.

I normally make a yearly pilgrimage to the one nearest home (about an hour’s drive) in the fall, so I can spend a weekend or two making soups and the like, to prepare for the winter. I’d try to get down more often, but the commute, and pocketbook, usually dictate otherwise.

This week we’re on vacation. But it’s not slated to be a vacation week in the traditional sense. Thankfully, that’s scheduled for October. No, as always, this week is about the house.

I’m finally going to put new windows in the master bedroom, finish up what the May and June rains put off in the landscaping department, and, time permitting, scrape the clapboards and prep for a new coat of paint. Not to mention I’ll be helping my father tackle a few small projects - finish a basement, frame out and install a bead-board ceiling on my in-law’s screen porch… and time permitting, relax a bit before I go back to the grind.

But those two minutes in Whole Foods continued to beckon me back. If you’ve never been, it can only be described as a Food Mecca.

Suddenly, all I wanted to do was toss the rebuilding and constructions plans, and instead spend vacation in the kitchen. Naturally, a trip to the beach today just had to include a pilgrimage to my beloved green grocer.

So, will I be cooking all week? Yes, and no. I just dug out some easy favorites. Not soups or any heavy cooking. Just some creative salads, sandwiches, and pasta dishes. Nice, easy summer fare… but enough to satisfy my cooking “fix.”

Otherwise, I’ll still be home repairing and helping Dad out for the next few days… but I already know what’s on the lunch menu - It’s cooking as I type.

As you can tell from recent posts, I’ve been on an Alton Brown kick lately… so, tomorrow I’ll be sampling his roasted vegetable spread, prepared in a sandwich… how can you go wrong with roasted summer vegetables and cream cheese? It just has to be good. It also is about the easiest thing to prepare. Chop, bake, puree, done.

Then later this week I’ll be making my granola again! A double batch should last about a month. I’m also planning on cranking out a double batch of Baked Tomato Sauce. I might can some for the winter - take advantage of what’s in season while I can… that is, if I can dig up some good looking Romas at the neighborhood farmstand. WF only had conventional, and I prefer everything organic whenever possible. If I’m going to do something big, or for the long haul, I’m going to do it right.

Just a bit of the bounty from today’s haul. Millet will become some whole grain waffles, Organic rolled oats, dates and coconut will become granola, along with applejuice concentrate, sliced almonds and a few other things. And the Tiger Balm? - well, I’m definitely going to need that, too.

(recipes and reviews to come)