Posted by Lucy Baker, July 1, 2008 at 6:15 PM
Flavored, blended margaritas are a dime a dozen. Laden with fruity syrups and loaded with added sugar, they often taste more like convenience store Slurpees than sophisticated cocktails. After more than one mango madness-induced migraine, I've learned to order mine plain and on the rocks, thanks.
But today's Cook the Book recipe for Watermelon-Ginger Margaritas, excerpted from Margaritas, Mojitos, & More, is different. Author Jessica Strand uses fresh, puréed watermelon and a combination of fresh and crystallized ginger to create a drink that is sweet, refreshing, and infused with a subtle, spicy heat.
This drink is a gorgeous, festive shade of pink. While the recipe makes only one drink it's a snap to multiply. Whip up a pitcher or two for your 4th of July celebration.
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Posted by Paul Clarke, June 6, 2008 at 5:30 PM
Let's start the weekend right—with a cocktail recipe from Paul Clarke (The Cocktail Chronicles). Need more than one? That kinda week, eh? Here you go. Cheers!
In the world of mixology there are a handful of those Tracy-Hepburn combinations that just work magic. Gin and vermouth; rum and lime juice; whiskey and bitters. As long as a drink has one of these combos as a backbone, it’s hard to stray too far off course.
Add to this list tequila and crème de cassis. Really, who’d a thunk that the zippy New-World spirit from the agave would match so well with a demure liqueur flavored with an Old-World fruit? But there's just some kind of romance between the two that defies explanation; all you need to know is that separately, they can be very entertaining, but together, they’re dynamite.
Lime juice is also an old friend to tequila, one that helps keep the relationship between these made-for-each-other ingredients fresh; top the mix with a little ginger ale (or, if you’re feeling like living fast, a spicy ginger beer), and you have something worthy of sipping during a long, warm late-spring evening. Measure carefully, mix with respect, and sit back and enjoy the fireworks in the glass.
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Posted by Jenn Smith, December 13, 2007 at 3:00 PM
Before he was an Iron Chef, before challenging other cooks to a Throwdown, before planning an upscale burger joint, Bobby Flay was a cook with a passion for the flavors of the Southwest—smoky, spicy, fruity. He translated this love of chiles, honey, and mesquite into the menu for his first restaurant, Mesa Grill.
In the 16 years since it opened, the menu has evolved, but the core ideas and the Mesa classics that bring the color and energy of the "contemporary Southwest" to diners in New York and Las Vegas year after year are still present.
Today Flay is everywhere, including on the bookshelves (he's written six previous cookbooks). This is his first restaurant-related cookbook, but the translation of food created in the professional kitchen into recipes useful to the home cook is pretty successful.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, September 10, 2007 at 4:15 PM
For those not quite convinced, it is fun to light things on fire—especially when you get to eat the contents afterwards. I found this easy Gourmet recipe that is quick and simple and offers a good introduction to igniting your food. I just made sure I knew the location of the closest fire extinguisher before proceeding.
I had all the ingredients on hand except the shrimp and was able to whip this up quickly after purchasing them. And It was fun, even if the flavors didn’t exactly meld. The unmistakable whiff of tequila haunts this dish. But it’s hard not to long for the tequila in its more enjoyable cocktail form. Perhaps I was just sad to see it all disappear into thin air.
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Posted by Paul Clarke, July 27, 2007 at 5:10 PM
Let's get this weekend started right. Here's a cocktail to kick things off. Need more than one? Here you go. Cheers!
If you were to take a pop quiz on mixed drinks, the average cocktail enthusiast would be able to rattle off at least a half-dozen gin libations; ditto for rum, and quite possibly for whiskey.
Tequila? Not so much. Go ahead and take a point for the Margarita—that’s an easy one; and then there’s the Tequila Sunrise, with its aura of floral shirts and Jimmy Buffett. Dedicated mixologists may cite the cassis-laden goodness of the Diablo, while others may guiltily offer up a Freddie Fudpucker or a Long Island Iced Tea. It’s OK; we’ve all been there at one time.
To this small list, add a delightful contribution to the summer-satisfaction arsenal: the Paloma. Commonly found in regions where tequila is produced as well as consumed, the Paloma seems deceptively simple. In truth, this drink manages to cover the bases when it comes to flavor receptors, and its lively taste and gentle effervescence make it a great seasonal refresher. You may have to hunt down one of the ingredients (depending on your proximity to the nearest bodega), but trust me—you’ll find more happiness with the Paloma than with any drink named Freddie.
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