Come Fly With Me

Today Alan and I ventured to Inglewood Farm for their weekly Saturday market, and what did we discover but a bumper crop of gorgeously juicy Meyer lemons. Tonight before dinner as we were listening to some old Sinatra, we decided to fix something that reminded us of the slightly hazy winter sky and the fresh, floral flavor of that tantalizing citrus.

The Aviation Cocktail

Combine together in a shaker:

1.5oz Gin

1.5oz Fresh-squeezed lemon juice 

3/4oz Maraschino Liqueur

1/2oz Creme de Violette Liqueur

Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into chilled coupe glass. Rim glass with a lemon twist. 

New Year, New Orleans

A festive guide to a romantic New Years Eve in the Big Easy

To fill you in, Alan and I met when I was living in New Orleans. To keep it short, our love was hatched over Old Fashioned cocktails and raw oysters in some of the best little restaurants hidden in that town. This year, we decided we'd return to our "roots" for New Years Eve and explore the city that's changed so much in two short years, and check off some restaurants on my list of places to dine. Don't worry, we'll never quite reach the end of that list.

At Cochon in 2014

Rule #1
Avoid Bourbon Street (unless 70-year-olds chain smoking in crop tops is your thing)
Look, I do have love for Bourbon Street. I just wouldn't characterize it as charming or romantic. It's got it's own feel, and for this night, we left it out. Our key words were "intimate" and "delicious."

Rule #2
Find a decent place to stay
And for the love of the 'hood, avoid AirBNB unless you personally know the owner. AirBNB's model is phenomenal, but it's also ruining the great neighborhoods of New Orleans for everyone, even tourists. That's a whole other post, but do us a favor, and stay at a cute boutique hotel or BnB that pays taxes and has a business license, ok? Look toward the Marigny, Warehouse, Lower Garden, or French Quarter neighborhoods.

Rule #3
Don't drive!
Aside from obvious facts like drinking, parking is a nightmare, and you're likely to get stuck in some construction maze. How unromantic is road-rage? Do everyone a favor, and call an Uber or a taxi.


We were fortunate enough to have good friends that live in a loft in the warehouse district. They were out of town for the holidays, and allowed us to stay at their place. That saved us a ton of cash, and put us right at the start of our "dinner map" so to speak.

Stop 1 - 4:00pm: Martin Wine Cellar
On our way into town, we stopped at the Baronne Street location (though Metairie will also suffice) and picked up some great small-production vintage champagne to sip on while we spruced for the evening. Martin is one of very few retailers in the nation that direct import and retail incredible French, Spanish, and Italian wines. While here, do yourself a favor and pick up a few bottles.

Champagne Gaston Chiquet Special Club 2007

Stop 2 - 6:00pm: Sac-A-Lait
This was our first restaurant stop, literally 200 feet from the bed we were sleeping in. It's been around for nearly a year now, and it's specialties are esoteric south Louisiana country eats with a gourmet twist.

Our stand-out dishes and drinks:

The wines by the glass list was impressive and offered great choice and variety. I had the Gamay. Raw oysters are always delicious, but the house-made sauces really hit them home. The creamy horseradish was our favorite. The Alligator and Mirliton dish was incredible, and believe it or not, I think the Mirliton mash with Remoulade sauce was the star. I will be attempting to make that myself.

Stop 3 - 8:15pm: Angeline
Located in the old "Stella" property, this restaurant is away from the street and quite intimate. We requested to dine at the bar, which has a total of 5 seats. The service was impeccable, and the food was phenomenal. Some of the best we've had recently. We will definitely be back.

Our stand-out dishes and drinks:

This is really tough. Everything we had was dynamite. Old Fashioned - great, French 75 - great. But the best I think was the drink called the Last Aviator, which is a mix of the Last Word cocktail and an Aviation. Gin, Creme de Violette, Campari, honey, and lime are showcased. I am attempting to replicate this myself, but I've not succeeded in breaking the code. For food, the Georgia Clams and Wild Boar sausage was a knock-out, though if you have a salt sensitivity, don't do it. Definitely briny.

Stop 4 - 9:15pm: Cane and Table
This restaurant is described as European-colonial meets proto-Tiki. What I think is that it's definitely what Louisiana tasted like in the 1700's. Brainchild of cocktail wunderkind Nick Detrich, we've been here quite a few times and always return, though the brand of cocktails and food is not for everyone. Simple, heirloom cocktail recipes and classily antique new-world flavors are the mainstay.

Our stand-out dishes and drinks:

Drinks are the name of the game. The cocktail list here is nearly two pages. But for us, the best things were the Labat's Planter's Punch, a potent mix of 3 rums and lime (recipe from 1693) and the Bottled Silk, which is an enchanting concoction of Cava, fino Sherry, and Birch Snaps. The Crispy Suckling pig was sinful, with slow-roasted texture and juices that seeped into the rum-soaked bread that it rested on. Believe it or not, the Brussels Sprouts blew us away. A bit spicy, but perfectly crispy, this is exactly what tipsy Alan and Wallace wanted from Brussels Sprouts. 

Stop 5 - 10:30pm: Beachbum Berry's Latitude 29
To continue the proto-Tiki trend into a mod-50's Tiki moment, we finished up with this place. Equal parts New Orleans and Trader Vic's, it's a great place to end the night and a phenomenal vantage point for fireworks!

Our stand-out dishes and drinks:

Dumplings. Dumplings everywhere. Knock yourself out. The Dumpling Burger does not dissapoint. For drinks, we chose a communal option. Upscale parent to Bourbon Street's fishbowl cocktail, the one we chose was the Lapu Lapu, a 60's drink based on rum, lime, and juice. We finished up our drink just in time to step out the front door and catch the fireworks.

After settling up and sealing midnight with a kiss, we took an easy stroll back toward our abode for the night, not more than 3/4 a mile. It was quite a way to seal such a big year in 2015, and though we were unsure if we still "had it" to make it through 4 restaurants, we found out that not only are we still with it, we can do it with impeccable timing!

Courtesy Hotel Monteleone

Christmas Eve Champagne Punch

I'm sort of a Christmas junkie. I get my decorations up the week after Thanksgiving (hey, I'm no monster) and they don't come down until 12th Night at the earliest. We've been working long and hard on our house this past year, and to show off our latest achievement (a complete master bedroom renovation), we hosted a cozy Christmas Eve party. To put everyone in the holly, jolly spirit, we put together this Champagne Punch, which after crowd-sourcing reviews, was a big hit. Here's how to do it.

Christmas Eve Champagne Punch
2 cups Rosemary Simple Syrup (recipe below)
2 cups orange liqueur, preferably Grand Marnier
1tbsp Angostura bitters
1/4 cup lime juice
2.5 bottles (750mL) sparkling wine (choose something traditional method, such as Cava, Prosecco, or Cremant)

In a punch bowl, combine first 4 ingredients over ice. Pour on sparkling wine, combining gently so as not to release too much bubble. For the best ice to use, see the "ice wreath" note below. Cubes are NOT ideal.

The aftermath of our punch

Rosemary Simple Syrup
2 cups sugar
3 cups water
6 rosemary sprigs, coarsely chopped
Bring water to a simmer on the stove, and stir in sugar. Once dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the rosemary sprigs, bruising them a little as you stir. Let cool, then funnel into large mason jar or bottle with lid. Allow to steep at room temperature for two days, gently agitating a few times a day to reincorporate rosemary. Strain before serving.

Ice Wreath
As I mentioned before and will iterate again, ice cubes are NOT desirable as they melt very quickly, and therefore don't do much for cooling. Plus, they end up watering things down. Instead, try creating a fancy ice wreath for this festive holiday punch. In an attractive bundt pan, layer sliced limes and oranges. Fill 1/3 full with water, sprinkle in some cranberries and rosemary sprigs, and allow to set in the freezer for two hours or so. Once hardened, create another layer and freeze thoroughly. Allow to sit 5 minutes at room temperature before inverting over your punch bowl. The wreath should fall right out! As it melts, the fruit will begin to float around the bowl; continuing to flavor your punch!

Mama's Creamy Artichoke Soup

Every holiday feast when I was growing up started the same way-- the first thing in people's mouths was my Mama's Cream of Artichoke Soup. It began as an adaptation from The Plantation Cookbook, and eventually ended as her own recipe. My mother is no longer with us, and so this holiday season, I've taken up the Artichoke Soup and am now reinventing it as my very own. Consider this recipe a translation of a translation.

Mama's Creamy Artichoke Soup

Ingredients

1 (14oz) can artichoke hearts, mashed(I use Reese)

6T butter

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced celery

6T flour

5.5 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup lemon juice

salt 

pepper

1/4 tbsp fresh Thyme

1/4 tbsp fresh Rosemary

1/4 tbsp Worcestershire

2 eggs

2 cups evaporated milk

1/4 cup dry sherry (I recommend Lustau Palo Cortado)

Method

In a stock pot, melt butter and saute onion and celery until translucent. Add flour, stir to coat, and cook for one minute. Add stock, artichokes, lemon juice, Rosemary, Thyme, and Worcestershire as well as salt and pepper to taste (appx 1tsp each). Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, beat two eggs, then combine with evaporated milk. Take soup off heat, and puree either in food processor or with immersion blender until smooth. If necessary, strain with a slotted spoon to make sure all chunks have been removed. Working carefully to temper your egg/milk mixture, take a ladle-full of pureed soup and incorporate it into your egg/milk mixture. Continue slowly until egg/milk mixture has been brought up in temperature and eggs have not scrambled (approximately 5-6 ladle-fulls of soup). Then, pour egg/milk mixture into the remaining soup puree and stir to combine. Return to heat, add sherry, salt, and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes. 

Tradition is to serve it in coffee mugs and consume lazily standing around the kitchen getting in people's way while they cook.

Down South Gift-Giving Guide for Foodies & Drinkies

Down here we love to cook. Almost as much as we love to drink! Give us a chance and we'll incorporate both into any event that we can!

This list is a compilation of my greatest holiday gift-giving hits for people who enjoy crafting both great food and drink.

Great Books:

The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine by John Folse
$70
Folse is a renowned southern writer and chef, and in his best-selling work, he takes you through the ins and outs of crafting classic southern cuisine. An absolute must for any gourmet chef (or wannabe) in your life.

   

But Always a Fine Bourbon by Sally Van Winkle Campbell
$75
A lovely pictorial jaunt through the history of one of the world's most famous distilleries. A gorgeous table book that also gives great insight into the inner-workings of the First Family of Bourbon.




Cooking in High Cotton by The Junior League of Monroe

$25

A southern gal's best friend, Junior League cookbooks are the gold standard for regional specialties. This one is a delicious and sumptuous production for all senses. If you're looking for Aunt So-and-so's best recipe for Cream Puffs, look no further. 

Gifts for Grub:

Cellar Salt Co. Gulf Sea Salt

$9 for 1.4oz jar

A small chef/owner run salt company based in Lafayette, LA that specializes in sea salt from the Gulf. On occasion the company also produces specialty salts from other regions that they fancy, such as oyster beds.

Holiday Fried Pecans

$8 for 1/4lb sack

Brainchild of Keith Holiday and based on a rediscovered family recipe, this sweet, salty, crispy treat is the perfect snack as you await the Christmas dinner to finish cooking. Fantastic for cooking, and great alone, these pecans are 100% organically farmed in Colfax, Louisiana by the Holiday family.

The Oyster Bed Oyster Plate
$70 for Half-Dozen (Le Petite) plate
Developed by an idea hatched over seafood and family, this item was specially designed and crafted by legendary forgery Wilton Armetale. The resulting plate is light, durable, and can withstand temperatures of 1000 degrees. Plus, and proceeds from each sale go to directly repairing oyster habitats in the Gulf. Did I mention they are also gorgeous pieces of work?!

For your Special Sippers:

Garden and Gun Mercantile Co. Stirrers (Horse or Dog sets of 10)

$20

Add a bit of whimsy to your next stirred (not shaken) cocktail with these whimsical sets of horse or dog cocktail stirrers. Each is different, so choose your steed wisely! This cute gift can turn any day into derby day.

Rhino Coffee 1lb Bags (rotating selection)
$12.99/lb
Rhino coffee is a small independent coffee house and roaster established in Shreveport, LA. The blends are diverse and delicious, and bring out the long history of coffee's journey to the American south from the "horn" of Africa.

Pink House Alchemy Infused Syrups and Shrubs

$13/16oz

A curious offshoot from the University of Arkansas Food Science program, these lovely flavorful cocktail mixers fill an important niche in the southern booze-scape. Our current favorite is the Blood Orange & Clove simple syrup. Their line-up is delightfully seasonal, so there's always something new.

Easy One-Hour Cable-Knit Headband

Everyone appreciates something homemade for the holidays, and when cold weather hits, soft knits are always in fashion. A scarf is always nice, but the gals in your life will really adore you for a cozy knit headband that keeps their ears warm and also looks super cute.

In addition, what's better than a stylish headband that you can make in an hour?!

Cable-Knit Headband Knitting Pattern

• Size 8 knitting needles
• 3 buttons (1 inch)
• Cable knit hook
• 1 skein yarn (4 weight) I used Vanna's Choice.

Cast on 24 stitches. 

First row knit all, second row purl all. Repeat 3 more times until you have 8 rows on your needles. 

Working pattern:

Row 9:   K4, P6, K4, P6, K4

Row 10: P4, K6, P4, K6, P4

Row 11: K4, P6, K4, P6, K4

Row 12: P4, K6, P4, K6, P4

Row 13:K4, P6, K4, P6, K4

Row 14: P4, K6, P4, K6, P4

Row 15:K4, P6, K4, P6, K4

Row 16: TURN ROW

Turn Row:

P4, slip 3 stitches onto cable knit hook, and be sure to hold stitches in front of work. Knit the following 3 stitches not on the hook. Taking care not to twist the stitches, knit the 3 stitches on the cable knit hook. This becomes your first cable. P4. Repeat slipping 3 stitches onto cable knit hook, knit the following 3 stitches off needle, knit 3 stitches off cable knit hook (again, making sure not to twist work), P4.

Repeat working pattern until work equal 20in.

K entire row, P entire row, K entire row.

Now to create your button holes:

P3, bind off 4 stitches, slip final bound off stitch loop back onto left needle, P3, bind off 4 stitches, slip final bound off stitch loop back onto left needle, P3, bind off 4 stitches, slip final bound off stitch loop back onto left needle, P3. 

K3, cast on 4 stitches in work (see below for video), K3, cast on 4 stitches, K3, cast on 4 stitches, K3.

See above for casting on while in the middle of working

P entire row, K entire row, P entire row. Bind off.

Using quilting thread, sew on your center button first, making sure it aligns with your buttonhole, and is on the right (cable) side of the headband. Using this first button as a guide, center and sew the two other buttons on either side.

Ta-Da! Your very own comfy, cozy, hand-made head warmer that you can make yourself in the span of a Disney movie!

The Satsuma Sidecar

Recipe makes two cocktails!

sat·su·ma

satˈso͞omə,ˈsatsəmə/

noun.    a tangerine of a hardy loose-skinned variety, originally grown in Japan. Also grown commonly in the American Southeast.

Satsuma Syrup 

*A modification of Ina Garten's Marmalade Recipe

Yield: 8 (10oz) jars

2lb ripe Satsumas

2 lemons

8 cups water

8 cups sugar

Special Equipment:
8 (10oz) Mason Jars with lids (sterilized)
Jar Funnel and Tongs (sterilized)

Method:
Cut satsumas and lemons in half crosswise, then into very thin half moon slices. Discard any seeds as you go. Place the sliced fruit and their juices into a stainless-steel pot. Add 8 cups water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Cover and allow to stand overnight at room temperature.

The next day, bring the mixture back to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 2 hours. Turn heat up to medium and boil gently, stirring often for 30 minutes, and skimming off any foam that forms on top.

Remove from heat, and ladle into sterilized jars and seal. The heat from the syrup should cause the lids to seal, but if not, boil completely sealed and submerged for 5 minutes. Once sealed the syrup is shelf-stable for up to one year.