Tis the season… to drink! And to do other things too, of course. But today I want to talk about drinking. I love a festive holiday-flavored beverage, especially when it’s nice and boozy. So when Eureka sent me their recipe for a gingerbread old fashioned, I was super into it. Now I can pretend I’m Don Draper and Santa Claus, all at once! (Sorry, is that really creepy? Probably.)
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Two years ago, I made some gingerbread biscotti that looked like this.
I was so darn proud of myself. Not only had I made a holiday treat that was just sweet enough and could be enjoyed all day, but they were beautiful, too. A little bit of icing, and I felt like the Queen of Christmas baking.
Then, the next four or five times I made them, they looked like this:
Still delicious, sure, but decidedly unattractive. Lumpy and crumbly, they were just too embarrassing to be shared with all but the closest of friends. Fortunately, my son was teething around the time that I was turning out batches of gingerbread blobs, so he took care of quite a few of them.
This year, I decided that I had had enough. I decided to do something bold. Something that I love to do when cooking, but greatly fear when it comes to baking: I changed the recipe. (Gasp)
The main problem seemed to be that the dough was too dry. My first instinct was to add water, but I remembered a time from my youth when doing just that had led to miserable results, so I rethought. I seemed to recall my mom saying that the best way to change a recipe is to increase or decrease the existing ingredients, not introduce something totally foreign (like water). I took a deep breath and gave it a go. I added an additional egg and just a tad more oil, plus I decreased the flour by a quarter cup. In truth, I fully expected an epic failure, something for which I am probably developing a reputation for around here.
But no! It worked! Before I could forget what had caused this miracle to occur, I made sure to record the changes right on the recipe. This was a success that I am determined to repeat. And, lucky for you all, it’s one that I am oh-so-happy to share.
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, you know what ES has up our virtual sleeves for you…a holiday cocktail! Or seven!
OK, fine, we don’t actually have a Kwanzaa cocktail (Sandra Lee…where aaaaare you on this one?) but from peppermint to gingerbread, there’s something on this holiday cocktail list everyone can get behind.
3/4 oz. Godiva® Liqueur
3/4 oz. Coconut rum
1/2 oz. Butterscotch Schnapps
1/2 oz. Partida Anejo Tequila
1/4 oz. Frangelico
1/2 oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream®
1/2 oz. Amaretto
Garnish rim of a martini glass with crushed cookie crumbs. Shake all ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into martini glass.
From: W Retreat & Spa, Vieques Island
1 750ml bottle red table wine
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole cloves
¾ teaspoon whole pink peppercorns
2oz honey
2oz vodka
1oz triple sec
.5oz soy lecithin
Cinnamon powder
Warm all ingredients except soy lecithin in a saucepan at a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not allow the temperature to exceed 140°F / 60°C (If mixture starts to boil, lower the heat.) Seal and chill. Take ¼ of your mixture and use an electric hand blender to mix in soy lecithin to create an airy topping. Pour in liquid mixture to fill half of a glass mug or teacup, top with mulled wine, air, and lightly dust the top with cinnamon.
3/4 oz. Partida Blanco Tequila
1 oz. Peppermint Schnapps
3/4 oz. Godiva® Liqueur
1-1/2 oz. Cream
Rim martini glass with chocolate syrup and crushed candy canes. Shake ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into martini glass.
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Howdy! So, how’s everyone coming with those holiday gifts and such? I am being a big giant procrastinator this year, for sure! I usually make gifts for peeps because 1) I like to get my craft on and 2) I’m super cheap. That didn’t sound right. I’m frugal. Better word choice.. Anyways, I’ve only bought about 25% of my list (eek!) and haven’t made a darn thing yet. Not panicking, not panicking…breathe.
OK, so seeing as how I have a lot on my proverbial plate, I don’t have a lot of time to make a yeast dough with rise time and blah blah blah. Clearly, I don’t even have time to construct proper sentences.
So here’s a quickie recipe to brighten your holidays!
Oktoberfest kicked off on September 17th in Munich, Germany. Unlike last year, I won’t be in attendance this time around. But in case you will be (or will be attending one of America’s faux celebrations), I want you all to be prepared with my professional tips.
If you’re traveling to Munich via train, you might find yourself in a car with 10 men from the same “village” who have multiple kegs, loud music and an underage 15-year-old. They will all be offended if you don’t drink beer and/or take shots with them, so just do it. Don’t plan on resting up during this voyage.
Look around. What are the old men and the bavarians in leiderhosen eating? Order that, no matter how good everything else sounds. If you can’t figure out the German menu, ask for an English version. They have them.
You will not find anything like this in America no matter how hard you try. Plus, you’re going to need some carbs to aid with the 10 liters of beer you will inevitably drink.
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