post off: do you keep a well-stocked bar?
Growing up, our house didn’t have a bar per se, more of a shelf in the entryway closet with booze of unknown antiquity and a handful of bottles of homemade Kahlua (that I occasionally snuck from… shhh! don’t tell mom). As an adult, I’ve grown to appreciate the art of a well-made cocktail — specifically, the Negroni. I’ve taken such a liking to them, I decided to bite the bullet and stock my home bar with the components. Dry Fly Gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth are now proudly on display, along with my assortment of Fee Brothers Bitters and a couple of vintage cocktail shakers. I’m sure I’ll add more to it eventually, but for now, it’s all I need. Those bottles and shakers all arranged make me feel so fancy and grown up. How about you? Is your home bar spartan, like mine, or does it look more like the (impressive) photo above? — Megan B.
photo courtesy of flickr user Rennett Stowe
4Comments
real life test kitchen: black bean salad
As soon as it gets close enough to summer that I can find decent sweet corn, I start making this summer salad. While it’s definitely better in July when the corn and tomatoes are local, I can’t bring myself to wait. You can try my adaptation, after the jump, or Rachel Ray’s recipe that uses frozen corn and a different mix of veggies. — Sarah L.
click for the recipe, after the jump!
new obsession: purslane
If it looks like a succulent to you, that’s ’cause it is! Purslane, native to India & the Middle East originally, is an edible succulent that is often viewed as a weed. It can grow in most any soil, will spread like wildfire, and is drought and “black thumb” tolerant. The benefits keep on coming: Purslane, in addition to being delicious (kinda tart and juicy) is naturally high in vitamin C and other minerals along with omega-3 fatty acids.
I’m planting quite a bit this year, so I’ll be doing my usual Summer salad bonanza with a healthy dose of Purslane for sure. It’s popular in Greek cuisine, so pairing it with feta, kalamatas and olive oil is an option — but you can cook it down too, and it will actually thicken soups. Crazy! Have you tried it? Any recipes to share? — Megan B.
in five: frozen banana ice cream
Ever since first laying eyes on the Yonanas banana ice cream maker in the June issue of In Style magazine, the simple idea of churning a frozen banana into a quick dish of creamy, soft ice cream has been cropping up everywhere. The recipe is beautifully self-explanatory: Peel a banana. Cut it into sections and freeze. Drop frozen pieces into a food processor, blend and enjoy! A little trick with a big fan base, the recipe met with rave reviews when featured a couple summers ago over at The Kitchn, and has been a trick of the trade for vegan, raw and gluten-free dieters for years. Add a spoonful of peanut butter, honey, cocoa powder or simply enjoy alone for a sweet, healthy and easy summer treat! — Sarah C.
Image: Faith Durand for The Kitchn
real life test kitchen: make your own whole-grain mustard!
I have a serious condiment addiction, and my latest can’t-get-enough craving is for mustards. Sweet, yellow, brown, honey … and most recently, grainy. I love to make dressings and marinades with it, top a Chicago dog, and mix into mac n’ cheese. Surprised at the lack of options in my local grocery, this past weekend I decided to make my own. After doing a little internet research I found out the process is actually ridiculously easy! There are lots of variations, but I tried a very basic recipe and am really excited about the results. Here’s my recipe:
Grainy Mustard
• 1/2 cup yellow mustard seeds
• 3 tablespoons brown mustard seeds
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
In a glass or plastic (not metal) bowl I soaked mustard seeds in vinegar and water at room temperature for 1 1/2 days (if you try this and the seeds aren’t fully submerged, add enough additional water to cover). After soaking, I puréed the mixture with a hand blender with honey and salt until the texture was medium-coarse (which took about 2 minutes). Then, I then thinned it with a little additional water and adjusted the salt to my taste. That’s it! It turned out awesomely grainy with a nice tang, and should mellow out in a week. Next time I might try a variation like:
• Using beer, ale, or wine instead of vinegar
• Adding dried fruit such as apricots, cherries or raisins to the soaking
• Adjusting the ratio of seeds (brown seeds make for a spicier spread)
• Using smoked or flavored salts, sugar, or maple syrup to season
• Adding herbs and spices such as tarragon, thyme, paprika, or Chinese 5-spice powder.
Have you ever made your own condiments? — Rebecca F.
Photo: Rebecca Firlik
