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by Twin Tastes

Post-Holiday Cocktails: Candy Cane Affogato

While taking down our window wreath, putting away Frank Sinatra’s Christmas album and downing our last bit of eggnog, we were left with an abundance of candy canes. While there are only so many sheets of peppermint bark you can make and cookies to bake, we started brainstorming ways to use the red and white spiraled confections in a sweet and soothing dessert.

While traveling through Italy, we remember sitting at a café on the bank of the Arno River in Florence in the mood for an indulgent afternoon sweet. Our charming waiter suggested affogato (“drowned in coffee”) which traditionally is a scoop of gelato with a shot of hot espresso poured on top. The espresso cooled slightly when it hit the cold gelato and created a melted medley of swirled flavors.

Back in our cozy Boston apartment, we decide to crush our collection of candy canes and sprinkle the flurried bits atop our version of affogato. To add a kick, we top the overflowing liquid with a bit of peppermint schnapps, so we could spoon and sip our nightcap and dessert all in one.

Peppermint Affogato

by Twin Tastes

Horror Movies, Here We Come: Halloween Popcorn and Cocktail

With Halloween falling in the middle of the week this year, and a Frankenstorm a-brewing, it’s definitely time for a classic horror movie fest. You’ll need Kubrick’s The Shining, Spielberg’s Jaws, and any Hitchcock film—plus a big bowl of popcorn and some frightfully delicious cocktails to get into the spooky spirit.

Our take on an espresso martini is inspired by the delicious version we order at Lucca on Hanover Street in Boston. It’s a combination of vodka, espresso, slightly sweet Kahlua and a splash of velvety Baileys Irish Cream. While sipping the eerily dark libation, we nibble on decadent sweet and salty popcorn that incorporates two of our favorite guilty pleasures: peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. The combination of the nutty, sticky sweet crunch of the popcorn with the exhilarating zing of the drink is the ideal combination for any movie gathering, especially on a chilly weeknight.

Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Fluff Popcorn

by Twin Tastes

Oktoberfest for Everyone: Beer Braised Chicken

Come Autumn in Germany (and basically all over the world nowadays), crowds celebrate their inner Bavarian spirit and love of all brewed beverages during the 16-day Oktoberfest beer festival. While we have never experienced Oktoberfest in its country of origin, we can only imagine how fun it would be to gather around long tables in rustic beer gardens, chow down on bratwurst and pretzels, and sing and dance along to live oompah music.

For now, a more realistic approach to celebrate Autumn—and beer—is to put our own Boston twist on a dish braised in Sam Adams Octoberfest beer. The brew’s robust, caramel flavor adds a complexity when simmered slowly with chicken, thyme and root vegetables.

Oktoberfest Beer Braised Chicken

in Fowl / Recipe 1 comments

by Twin Tastes

Squash on Fire: “Spaghetti” Puttanesca

On a recent trip to a local market we were greeted by a gorgeous array of orange pumpkins and irregular gourds. Instead of heading straight for the quintessential Halloween symbol, we simultaneously reached for the oblong, sunny spaghetti squash. When roasted, the bright yellow squash is transformed into pasta-like strands, so we thought it was only appropriate living, in the North End of Boston, a historic Italian neighborhood, to use it like spaghetti.

While in Italy, we were big fans of the famously pungent and spicy Puttanesca sauce. The deep, rustic red sauce with bursts of green briny capers transforms any pasta, or in this case, the subtly sweet squash ribbons. With the addition of earthy eggplant, a sprinkling of fresh chopped basil and Parmesan cheese, it’s our fresh, seasonal take on an Italian classic.

Spaghetti Squash Puttanesca

in Cheese / Fish / Recipe / Veggie 4 comments

by Twin Tastes

Cocktail O’Clock: Waquila

One of the best things about summer is buying a big, ripe striped green watermelon on a scorching afternoon. While a few slices are great, the remaining bright pink interior remains, calling to you on the kitchen counter. So what do you do with it? Make it booze!

Last summer, we decided to feature the leftover fruit in a cool and refreshing cocktail, pureeing the watermelon with tequila and a splash of lime. Our friend, Kristen thought of the clever name, ‘Waquila.’ It has since become a summer staple for us, perfect for any summer fiesta.

Waquila

in Drinks / Endless Cocktails / Recipe 1 comments

by Twin Tastes

Beach Paella

At a recent beach gathering, instead of bringing the common potato or pasta salad to accompany burgers and hot dogs, we decided to really go for the wow factor with a one-dish meal: Paella.

We used a recipe that we adapted from an old friend from Spain. The dish is a burst of colors, flavors, and textures that can be made ahead of time, enjoyed at room temperature, or thrown on the grill to add a bit of heat. If you have the paella pan, it is quite the display and the handles on the pan allow for an easy transport. Because you can eat it at room temperature (it does not have to be super hot), you can place it on a picnic blanket or table for people to dig in!

Seated in beach chairs and covered in blankets, with a fork in one hand and a glass of sangria in the other, we dig in.

Beach Paella

in Fowl / Recipe / Red Meat 1 comments

by Twin Tastes

Cocktail O’Clock: Spiked Coconuts

Sitting in the sand, we sipped our spiked coconuts while sampling grilled mussels, pulled pork tacos, and assorted kebabs, and taking in the vast ocean views. Yep, coconut is yet another food that’s even better with booze.

The best thing about this beverage is that it’s beach-friendly: it can rest upright in the sand without tipping or getting sandy inside. Also, even if you’re not at the beach, one strawful of the subtly sweet spiked juice transplants you to a coastal town on the South Atlantic Ocean.

Directions:

Using a small drill bit or screwdriver, punch a hole through the exterior of the coconut until you reach the center. Insert a small funnel into the hole and pour 1 shot of vodka inside. Cap with a small cork or whittled piece of wood, and refrigerate. The longer you let the coconuts steep, the stronger!

in Drinks / Recipe 0 comments

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