0. Culinary Ideas 1. Recipes granolas | green velvet soup | butternut and chile stew rainbow for your health pie bourbon-maple yogurt | beet sorbet | sherry cake | emerson fritter xocolatl | emerson park bourride | guajillo salsa | chile colorado 2. Ferments vegetables: sauerkraut beans: tempeh dairy: yogurt sugar water: kombucha, ginger beer, ale 3. Cocktails & Infusions --CULINARY IDEAS-- pepper/cumin/cinnamon/ancho-encrusted tempeh fried in sesame oil seared tuna with a sake/blood orange reduction tofurky beer brats in a red wine/stout stew sauteed kale and leeks canned tuna + masaman curry paste + coconut milk = delicious curry! canned tuna + sauerkraut + good tomato salsa + lime + avocado = ceviche! chopped(cucumber + avocado + mango + red onion + mint + basil) + blueberry salad (in lemon juice) vegetable maki, temaki, nigiri sushi with raw red bell pepper & cucumber & avocado, gingered raw carrot slivers (marinated in pickled ginger juice), shoyu-sauteed spinach & shiitake mushrooms butternut squash/pepita/ancho chile/soyrizo stuffing black pepper/nutmeg savory french toast w/parmesan broiled salmon marinated in tandoori sauce: yogurt, sake, red thai curry paste, pomegranate molasses, coriander, mustard seeds, ginger, turmeric, cayenne chanterelle pizza w/ red onion, goat cheese & gremolata --DARK GRANOLA-- (adapted from a recipe from Michele Bremer, via Joan Dye Gussow) preheat oven to 275F. mix in large bowl: 3 lbs rolled grains (oats, wheat, barley, rye) 3 cups sesame seeds, flax seeds, hazelnuts, pepitas, sliced almonds, walnuts 1 cup blend of wheat bran / whole wheat flour 1 tsp salt warm together: 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses 1 cup honey 1 cup canola oil 3 Tbsp spices (cinnamon,cloves,nutmeg,allspice) fresh grated ginger root 2 tsp vanilla extract Stir everything together, spread at most 1/2 inch thick on cookie sheets and bake at 280 approximately 1 hour or until golden brown. Stir frequently while baking to keep edges from burning. Cool and store in an airtight container. --LIGHT GRANOLA-- (adapted from a recipe from Melissa Clark via Wayne Miller) 2/3 cup maple syrup 2/3 cup olive oil 1/2 cup brown sugar 4 cup rolled grains (2c oats, 2c wheat/barley/rye) 1 cup nuts and seeds (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, sesame) 2 tsp powdered ginger 1/4 tsp cardamom 1/2 tsp salt Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Mix together the first three ingredients. Put the grains and nuts/seeds in a large mixing bowl; pour the olive oil-maple syrup mixture over and stir until well coated. Add spices; stir. Spread the granola mixture in a thin layer over a baking sheet. Bake until the granola is golden brown, about 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. (The edges will cook faster than the center, so try to stir from the outside in.) Cool and store in an airtight container. --GREEN VELVET SOUP-- (from Amy Morris) 1 onion, chopped 2 stalks celery, sliced 2 potatos, scrubbed and diced 3/4 cup split peas, rinsed 2 bay leaves 6 cups water or stock 2 med zucchini, diced 1 med stalk broccoli, chopped 1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and chopped 1/2 tsp basil 1/4 tsp black pepper pinch cayenne 1 1/2 tsp salt Place the onions, celery, potatoes, split peas and bay leaves in a large kettle with water or stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove bay leaves Add zucchini, broccoli, spinach, basil, black pepper and cayenne and simmer for 20 minutes. Transfer to a blender in several small batches and blend until smooth, holding the lid on tightly. Return to kettle and heat until steaming. Add salt to taste. (brent's modifications, patterned after amy's modifications: add several cloves of garlic with onions substitute 5 lg leaves fresh basil for dried basil substitute tamari to taste for salt substitute cayenne for black pepper add splash of cider vinegar & white wine) --BUTTERNUT AND CHILE STEW-- (adapted from October 2004 Cooking Light) chiles: 1 green bell, 2 red bell, 2 (dried) anchos 1 tsp aniseseed 1 3-inch cinnamon stick 3.5 cups chopped onion 4 garlic cloves, minced 10 cups (2-inch pieces) peeled butternut squash 4 cups vegetable broth 2 cups water 3 Tbsp honey 1/2 tsp salt crema mexicana (or plain yogurt) pepitas Roast fresh chiles: cut in half and remove seeds/membranes, broil until black, place in ziplock bag for 15 minutes, peel. Chop. Grind spices. Saute onion until browned. Add garlic (1 minute), then spices (1 minute), then everything else. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Roast pepitas. Serve drizzled with crema/yogurt and sprinkled with pepitas. --RAINBOW FOR YOUR HEALTH PIE-- make a pie crust with enough surplus to lay over the top, like a lattice only whole. take a lot of swiss chard (red,green,whatever) or kale or brassica greens or spinach or any other intense green leaf of your choice and steam it in white wine / freshly cracked pepper / herbs of choice (I recommend sage, rosemary and thyme). squeeze out a little excess water in a towel. roast some potatoes and sweet potatoes and garlic and onions with herbs. mush them up a bit and layer them with kale and cheeses of choice in the pie crust. bake for 30 minutes at 375. --BOURBON-MAPLE YOGURT-- 1 quart 2% milk bourbon maple syrup 1 vanilla bean Scrape vanilla bean into milk, then use the recipe below to transform it into 1 quart of vanilla yogurt. Culture it for 8-10 hours so it's not too tart. After refrigeration, strain the yogurt for as long as possible. Meanwhile, reduce the bourbon: heat it on the stove, to below the boiling point of water, until you've evaporated a little less than half. Stir maple syrup into warm reduction, cool, blend into strained yogurt. Serve cold. Optionally, top with Carmelized Corn Flake Crunch: 3/4 cup corn flakes 3 tablespoons nonfat milk powder 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted Heat oven to 275 degrees. Put cereal in a large bowl and crush lightly with your hands. In a small bowl, stir together milk powder, sugar and salt. Sprinkle mixture over crushed flakes and add melted butter. Toss to coat cereal evenly. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or a nonstick baking mat) and bake 20 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside to cool. (Topping adapted from NY Times, adapted from Christina Tosi, Momofuku Ko) --BEET SORBET-- 16 medium beets (raw) 3 cups water (approximately) 7 tbsp sugar of choice (I like 1/2 white and 1/2 brown) cut the beets into appropriately sized chunks and juice them in a motorized juicer. this should result in approximately 3 cups of beet juice. skim off any beet fluff and add an equal amount of water. stir in sugar and heat to boil, stirring periodically. remove from heat and chill. once cold, use a motorized ice cream maker to freeze the mixture. voila, beet sorbet! --GRANDMA BETTY's PLUM PRESERVES-- (for 3 pints) 3 lbs plums 1 lemon 3/4 cups water 3 cups sugar Clean & seed fruit. Heat water to simmer. Add sugar. Squeeze deseeded lemon halves. Heat until reaches 250 degress. Add fruit - mash by hand as you add it to the boil. Bring to slow boil, stirring with wooden spoon. Place small dab on plate & turn to test viscosity -- shouldn't run off edge of plate. Jar with 1/2 inch head space. Sanitize for 5 minutes in water bath @ 212 degrees. --GRANDMA BETTY'S LEBKUCHEN-- (from her Aunt Lala) 1 1/3 cups molasses 2/3 lbs (1 1/2 cups) brown sugar 2 eggs 1/3 tsp baking soda in 1/6 cup water 1/3 tsp cinnamon 1/3 tsp cloves 1 tsp nutmeg 1 1/3 tsp anise 2/3 cup chopped walnuts scant 1 1/2 lbs (4-5 cups) flour Mix all ingredients, then let dough rest at cold room temperature for one day. Roll out to 1/4" thick, cut in rounds. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Ice thinly with: 1 cup sugar + 3/4 cups milk, boiled until thick (5m) without stirring. Let cool, then age for a while in a closed tin with a cut apple to soften. --CECILY'S SHERRY CAKE-- (from Cecily Elias via my mom) 1 yellow cake mix 1 package instant vanilla pudding (3 oz) 4 eggs 3/4 cup oil 3/4 cup sherry (oloroso or amontillado) 1 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated) Blend ingredients and pour into a greased & floured bundt pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes in preheated 350 degree oven. --EMERSON FRITTER- (by Kevin & Brian 9/13/07, Santa Cruz, California) 4 local apples (quartered and chopped small) 1/4 C fresh ground flax 1/4 C walnuts, broken 1/4 C Tbsp pumpkin seeds spices & vanilla to taste 2 eggs, separated 1/3 C sweetener (2/3 maple syrup, 1/3 brown rice syrup) 1/3 C rhubarb wine (or brandy or other locally made fruit wine) 3 Tbsp applesauce 1 C whole wheat flour pinch sea salt 1 tsp baking powder non-GMO canola/safflower oil for frying powdered sugar (optional) In a small bowl toss the apples with the sweetener and wine/brandy. Let marinate for 1 hour. Drain and reserve liquid. In a medium bowl beat the egg yolks, reserved liquid and 3 tablespoon applesauce. Stir in the flour, nuts, salt, baking powder and spices. In deep fryer or deep skillet heat at least 1 inch of vegetable oil to 365-375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold beaten whites into batter and then fold apples into batter. Spoon large tablespoon of batter into the hot oil and fry until golden on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Fry about 3 fritters at a time. Remove with a slotted spoon and let dry on paper towels. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve hot. This recipe serves 4-6 and makes 12 small/medium size fritters. --XOCOLATL-- 5 cups water 2 dried mulato chiles 3 Tbsp (creamy, roasted) almond butter cocoa powder sufficient to reconstitute (60%->2Tbsp, 80%->1Tbsp, 100%->none) 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla 7 oz bittersweet dark chocolate (60%-100% cocoa content) Boil water. Wash chiles under cold running water, removing stems, breaking them open and removing the seeds. Place the chiles in a large bowl, and cover with 2 cups of the boiled water. Let soak 30 minutes. Blend mixture (in blender or with hand mixer) with almond butter, cocoa powder, cinnamon and vanilla until no large particles remain and mixture has a light creamy consistency. Add in remaining 3 cups of water and heat to a light simmer, whisking frequently. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate. (Sweeten to taste with brown sugar if you don't like it bitter.) --EMERSON PARK BOURRIDE-- fish stock 1 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 shallot, thinly sliced 3 stalks fennel, thinly sliced 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced 1 fresh bay leaf 1/8 cup roughly chopped parsley leaves & stems 1 Tbsp peppercorns 3/4# halibut bones 2 Tbps dry white wine 1 quart very hot water kosher salt to taste garlic aioli 2 tsp fresh lemon juice 1 clove garlic, minced 1 egg yolk, at room temperature 1/4 cup canola oil 1/2 cup olive oil kosher salt to taste 2 large leeks, white parts only, sliced 1 bulb fennel, halved lengthwise, cored and thinly sliced lengthwise 4 medium shallots, thinly sliced 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 chile de arbol 1 fresh bay leaf (same one used for stock) 1.5 cups canned tomatoes (with juice) 1 tsp finely grated orange zest 1.5 cups dry white wine 3 cups fish stock 1/2 tsp saffron 1 1/4# mussels, scrubbed well, beards removed 3/4# clams, scrubbed well 1/2# shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed 1/2# white fish (rockfish/halibut/etc), pinbones removed 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped kosher salt to taste olive oil Make fish stock: melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add shallot, fennel, carrot, bay leaf, parsley, and peppercorns, and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until the vegetables become very soft without browning, about 8 minutes. Place the fish bones evenly on top. Pour in the wine, cover the pot tightly, and let the bones sweat for 10-15 minutes, or until they have turned completely white. Add the water. Give the mixture a gentle stir and allow the brew to come to a simmer. Remove bay leaf and set aside. Simmer for 10 minutes uncovered, carefully skimming off any white foam that comes to the surface. Remove the pot from the stove, stir again, and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and season lightly with salt. Make aioli: Whisk lemon juice, garlic, egg yolk, and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until thick, 2-3 minutes. With immersion blender with whisk attachment, drizzle in canola oil until emulsified, then olive oil. Heat olive oil over moderately high heat. Pat the fish dry, season with salt and pepper, and sear on all sides until golden, about 2 minutes total (fish will not be cooked through). Set fish aside. Heat olive oil over medium heat and saute leeks, fennel, shallots, garlic, chile, and bay leaf until vegetables soften and begin to brown, 4-6 minutes. Add tomatoes and orange zest. Stir. Add wine and simmer until reduced by half, 4-5 minutes. Add stock, bring to a simmer, and cook until broth is slightly reduced, 12-15 minutes. Strain broth and return to a saucepan over medium heat. Add saffron. Poach shellfish in broth: first mussels (for a few minutes, removing a bit after they open), then clams (6-10 minutes, removing as they open), plating into bowls. Poach shrimp and fish; cook until fish is firm and shrimp are pink (2-3 minutes), then plate into bowls. Stir parsely into broth, season with salt, and pour into bowls. Serve with levain, toasted and rubbed with garlic. --GUAJILLO SALSA-- 16 guajillo chiles 4 cloves garlic, peeled 2-4 cups hot water 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon mexican oregano 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Remove the stems and seeds of the dried chiles and toast briefly in a dry medium-hot cast iron skillet. Transfer toasted chiles to a saucepan and add garlic cloves. Pour hot water over the chiles to cover, bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 minute, then turn off the heat. Allow the ingredients to soak for 15 minutes. Notice how the chiles have absorbed water and changed color after the have reconstituted. Transfer chiles and garlic to a blender. Reserve cooking liquid. Add salt, spices, and cilantro. Blend until smooth, adding cooking liquid until salsa reaches desired consistency. (Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken in the next step.) Strain the mixture into a bowl. Press the remaining pulp firmly with the back of your spoon to release all of the flavor. Discard the pulp that remains in the strainer. Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the strained chile puree and cook, stirring, up to 30 minutes, until the salsa has thickened and flavor has deepened. Adjust seasoning and consistency if needed with additional salt, spices, and chile cooking liquid. Let the salsa rest for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to come together. --CHILE COLORADO-- 6 guajillo chiles 6 chipotle chiles 3 cups beef broth 1/2 white onion 3 garlic cloves 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp mexican oregano 2 lbs beef stew meat De-seed chiles and toast them in a pan. Add 2 cups beef broth, bring to low boil, turn off heat, cover and cool. Once cool, add onion, garlic, cumin, and oregano; puree and strain. Brown the meat. Add strained sauce, deglaze, and cook until slightly thickened. Add 1 cup of broth (enough to cover meat) and simmer, covered, for about 1.5 hours, until meat is tender. Remove meat and increase heat to reduce sauce, adding (smoked) salt and pepper to taste. Re-combine with meat. Serve with chopped cilantro and corn tortillas. --A FROZEN DESSERT PRODUCT-- 2 cups yogurt 1 can coconut milk 1/3 cup cane sugar Warm coconut milk until smooth, whisk all ingredients together. Freeze. Serve with fruit: blueberries, brandied peaches, razzleberries. --SAUERKRAUT-- 2 heads cabbage (one green, one red/purple) ~3 Tablespoons salt per 5 pounds cabbage (optional: 1/2 green apple, 1 tsp caraway seeds, 1 tsp dried juniper berries) Thinly chop cabbage and layer handfuls of green, handfuls of red, and dashes of non-iodized salt into a large cylindrical glass or ceramic container. Blend and crush cabbage with the salt until a watery brine emerges. Cover the cabbage with a plate or smaller container, weighted to expel brine enough to cover cabbage, and cover with a towel. Periodically check to make sure cabbage remains covered by brine. After ~7 days, pack sauerkraut into quart jars and refrigerate. --TEMPEH-- (adapted from Sandor Ellix Katz's recipe) 2 1/2 cups (dried) soybeans 2 Tablespoons vinegar 1 teaspoon tempeh spore 1-2 zip-lock bags poked with fork-holes every few inches Soak beans overnight in a large pot, then bring to a boil to loosen their hulls. Allow to cool, then knead the beans underwater to pop off their hulls, and skim or water-winnow the hulls away. Boil the hulled beans until they are just barely soft enough to eat (90 minutes). Do not cook them as soft as you would want them to be for eating. After cooking the beans, strain them and spread them (or a portion at a time) onto a clean towel. Use the towel to dry them until most of the surface moisture has been absorbed into the towel. Place the cooked and dried soybeans in a bowl. Make sure they are no warmer than body temperature. Add the vinegar and mix well. Add the spore and mix well. Both should be evenly distributed around the soybeans. Spoon/pour the mixture into the zip-lock bags, spreading it evenly. Seal the bags and incubate at 85-90F until the fungus has spread throughout the mat and large patches of white/grey are visible, but before many black patches form (24 with no temperature interruptions, 30 hours otherwise). Remove from culture bag, refrigerate to cool (without stacking) and then re-bag in clean zip-lock bags for storage. --YOGURT-- 1 gallon organic milk from grass-fed cows 4 tablespoons yogurt (one you want to clone, with live active cultures) Heat milk to 190F to pasteurize, then quickly cool it to 115F in a sink of cold water. Add yogurt. Culture at 110F for 9 hours, then refrigerate overnight before disturbing. --KOMBUCHA-- 2 quarts water 1 cup cane sugar (1/2 light sugar and 1/2 dark brown/succanat is good) 2 bags black tea (your favorite kind, a little flavoring is okay) 1 cup mature acidic kombucha kombucha culture 2 tsp ginger juice Bring water & sugar to boil. Remove from heat, add teabags and steep tea 15 min, then remove teabags and cool to room temp. Pour tea into your glass fermentation vessel and add kombucha/culture. Cover with a cloth. After 5 days in culture at room temperature, separate out 1 cup liquid and the kombucha culture for the next batch. With the remaining kombucha: add ginger juice and pour/funnel gently into three 16 ounce screwtop glass bottles. Bottle-condition for 2 days at room temperature, then refrigerate bottles. Notes: (1) This recipe makes 48 ounces of kombucha per week [6 8oz servings, a healthy weekly intake for 2] plus an extra cup or so you can give away to friends with the kombucha babies your culture produces, so they can start their own culture. (2) The 5 days [primary fermentation] / 2 days [bottle conditioning] cycle seems to produce a nicely acid/sweet/carbonation-balanced kombucha at 72+ degrees F. If your "room temperature" is closer to 68, the culture will take longer to ferment -- I use a 6 days/3 days cycle in this case. If you keep your home colder than ~68 or substantially warmer than ~72, you may need an even longer or shorter fermentation cycle. (3) I think the ginger juice in this recipe adds a very complementary flavor, but you can of course leave it out for pure kombucha. Or add other interesting flavors (lemon/lime juice, raspberry juice, spices). But it's very important that the tea you use is _black_ tea (not green or herbal), the sugar you use is _cane_ sugar (not honey or maple syrup or corn sugar), and that flavors or juices aren't added until the bottle-conditioning phase, thus keeping the kombucha culture in an environment that's very clean and healthy and stable for it. --GINGER BEER-- (for 2.5 gallons) -2 cups honey, 2 cups light brown sugar, 2 cups white sugar, 6 cups water -20 oz ginger, peeled and finely chopped -juice of 3 lemons -1 tsp champagne yeast (lalvin ec-1118) & 1 cup water (98 deg) -2 gallons water (cold from tap) cleaned & sterilized: 15 22oz bottles & caps boil honey, sugar, and water to dissolve. add ginger and simmer for 20 minutes. dissolve yeast in its water (at 98 deg) and set aside for at least 5 minutes. add lemon juice to ginger/honey mixture; strain into and sparge with cold tap water, then add hydrated yeast. bottle ginger beer & cap. store standing up at room temp (70deg) for 42 hours (no more). refrigerate 2 days (no more). serve ice cold! --EMERSON ALES-- visit http://oxhouse.org/food/emerson-ales.txt --A COLD BREW RECIPE-- 150g (~1.5cups) medium roast beans, coarsely ground (a coffee you love!) cold water to fill a 1/2 gallon jug/jar (~1750g / 7.5 cups) Steep for 48 hours in 1/2 gallon jug/jar in refrigerator. Strain large coarse grounds, then clarify by gravity or filtration. Yields 48oz (4-6 servings). --COCKTAILS AND INFUSIONS-- the deakin fizz: crushed raspberries, gin, ginger ale the deakin smash: crushed fresh garden tomatoes, chopped rosemary, vodka (strained) the deakin tonic: fresh pomegranate juice, lime, gin, fresh mint (strained) the deakin noir: milk, kahlua, cocoa powder, brown sugar, fresh mint, cayenne (strained) garnished with toasted almonds margotini: lemon vodka, chocolate liqueur, half-and-half margot 75: Sea Dog Bluepaw Wild Blueberry Wheat Ale (from Maine) with a splash of Hendrick's Gin (a handcrafted gin with traditional botanicals--juniper, coriander, and citrus peel--and a special infusion of cucumber and rose petals, creating a unique and unexpected flavor) served in a flute with wild blueberries yogi kava soda: kava yogi tea syrup (honey dissolved in kava yogi tea brewed quad-strength or stronger) chilled and mixed 1-to-1 with sparkling water over ice seasonal cocktails based on fruit, herbs, camelia sinensis & the hegelian dialectic: (SUMMER) beltane bellini: puree of strawberry/fresh tarragon/brown sugar in prosecco marco polo: strong sweet black tea (quad-strength or stronger black tea with dissolved honey), bourbon, strong ginger ale mayflower: puree of strawberry/fresh tarragon/brown sugar, black tea syrup, strong ginger ale, vodka, splash of cointreau (over ice) (AUTUMN) nocino: green walnut liqueur (serve neat) [recipe below] fire in the orchard: fizz [recipe below] made with lapsang souchong infused cognac (1 tsp tea in 4 oz brandy for 4 hours) autumn flower: lapsang souchong infused cognac, laphroaig, nocino, kirchwasser, (shake shake shake!), served up with several brandied sour cherries (but whither the drink of equal parts cynar/laphroaig/rye + bitters?) (WINTER) the fruit loop: oregon whiskey, fresh hood river apple cider, accompani mari gold amaro, oregon pear eau de vie, (4-3-2-1), shake shake shake! the desert moon: mezcal joven, strong sweet white tea (quad-strength or stronger tea with dissolved white sugar), sprig of rosemary nightflower: pear eau de vie, white tea syrup, nutmeg, beaten egg white (SPRING) bergamotcello: bergamot liqueur (serve very cold, neat or in sparkling wine) first flush: strong sweet green tea (quad-strength or stronger tea with dissolved honey), aromatic gin, tonic water spring flower: bergamotcello, green tea syrup, aromatic gin, lime juice, bitters, shaken & served up --BERGAMOTCELLO-- 750mL grain vodka 4 bergamots 250mL simple syrup (1:1 sugar/water ratio) Infuse peeled rind of bergamots into vodka for 1 week or more. (If ambition suffices, add a few miscellaneous green/herbal aromatics from a neighborhood wandel: spruce & fir tips, rosemary sprig, bay leaf, etc.) Strain, then blend with simple syrup. --NOCINO-- 750mL 190-proof neutral spirit (e.g., everclear) 23-27 green walnuts (ca. june 24 = st. john's day or the summer solstice = june 20) 1/2 vanilla bean, hulled & scraped 2 star anise 6 allspise berries 6 peppercorns 1/2 cinnamon stick peel of 1 lemon somewhat simple syrup made of 1 cup water & 1 cup golden brown sugar Infuse green walnuts in spirit for ~4 months. Strain out the nuts and discard. Allow to rest for a week without shaking (so sediment settles). Separate liquid (discarding sediment) and add aromatics. Infuse for one week. Separate liquid (discarding sediment) and strain out spices. Add simple syrup. Allow flavors for meld for one week (just in time for Halloween, Dia de los Muertos, All Saints Day, Samhain) to many years. --VIN D'ORANGE-- (adapted from Samin Nosrat) 3 L (4 bottles) french rose wine (very pink!) 600 mL vodka 14 oz sugar 1 vanilla bean, split 7 seville oranges 1 orange 1 lemon Rinse and sixth the fruits. Mix everything together in 3 half gallon glass jars (place a weck glass lid inside the top to hold the fruit under liquid) and infuse in a cool place for 35 days (say, from Valentine's Day until the Spring Equinox). Strain, filter, bottle, age. --HORSERADISH VODKA-- 750 mL potato vodka 1/2 oz (weight) peeled fresh horseradish root, cut into matchsticks Infuse for 3 days in quart jar. Strain/filter back into bottle. --BOULEVARDIER-- (for 2) 100mL rye whiskey 50 mL carpano antica 50 mL campari Stir, serve on a giant rock, preferably with a borage flower on top. --EMILY GETS THE LAST WORD-- (for 2) 50 mL mezcal joven 50 mL maraschino luxardo (generous) 50 mL green chartreuse (scant) 50 mL lime juice Shake shake shake! Serve up in a glorious champagne coupe. --PORTLAND-- 2 oz Bull Run Pinot Noir Finished American Whiskey 3/4 oz Ransom Sweet Vermouth 1/3 oz Sfumato Rabarbaro Amaro 1 dash of Portland Bitters Project Woodland Bitters Stir, serve on a giant rock, garnish with a fresh doug fir tip. --CREAMY GOLDEN SEA SMOKE (a whisky sour)-- 2 oz Laphroaig 3/4 oz maple syrup 3/4 oz lemon juice white of 1 egg Shake shake shake, dry! Shake shake shake, with ice! Double-strain into a very attractive up glass. --IMPROVED FIZZ-- 2 oz gin or brandy 1 oz fresh lemon juice 3/4 oz maple syrup white of 1 egg 1 oz sparkling wine Shake shake shake first 4 ingredients, dry! Shake shake shake, with ice! Double-strain into a Nick & Nora glass, finish with bubbles. --IMPROVED G&T-- 3 oz very botanical/savory G (e.g., The Botanist) 6 oz very botanical T (e.g., Fever Tree Mediterranean) very sparing splash of lemon or lime --SNOWMELT(thesis)-- snow leopard vodka (from freezer) a few drops woodland bitters chunks of icicle you've been saving in the freezer since last winter --SNOWMELT(antithesis)-- a gin martini, made with st george terroir gin, frozen ransom dry vermouth (stirred or shaken with chunks of icicle you've been saving in the freezer since last winter) served up, very cold, with a twist of lemon arranged around a thin icicle tip --SNOWMELT(synthesis)-- 1.5oz snow leopard vodka (from freezer) .5oz terroir gin (from freezer) whisper of green chartreuse whisper of woodland bitters 4oz perrier mineral water serve a double in a collins glass with a 4 inch length of 1 inch diameter portion of icicle you've been saving in the freezer since last winter --MUGGISH-- 1 oz empress 1908 gin .5 oz green chartreuse 1 drop woodland bitters pinch of spirulina Shake & serve up, very cold, in a coupe. --FORTIFIED EGGNOG-- to 1 cup excellent store-bought eggnog, add: 1 oz whiskey (bourbon or peated scotch) 1 oz brandy .5 oz rum Add 3 ice cubes, top with freshly grated nutmeg. --IMPROVED BLACK MANHATTAN-- 2 oz rye whiskey 1/2 oz amaro montenegro 1/2 oz cynar 1 dash angostura bitters