the arugula files

Morris Kitchen Ginger Syrup Makes Delicious Moscow Mules

 

Woodberry Kitchen, the tastiest restaurant in Baltimore, makes a drink that's a spin on the Moscow Mule.  Dubbed the Gov't Mule, it uses house made ginger beer, lime-ginger syrup, and Prairie organic vodka.  I would love to recreate this drink.

What's their secret? From what I've gleaned online  from the mixologist at Woodberry Kitchen,  "We make a spicy and citrus-y ginger beer for the drink, which sets it apart and makes it our own."

Foodie Xmas Gift} Grandpa Goode's Homemade Kahlua

 "Careful, man, there's a beverage here!"  --The Dude protecting his drink of choice, the White Russian

If there is any time to indulge in The Dude's favorite drink, it's the holidays.  And if you are mixing a White Russian with anything but Grandpa Goode's homemade kahlua, then you are missing out.  Seriously.  

Who is this Grandpa Goode?  My sister-in-law Denise's grandpa. That's who.  According to his granddaughter, Roy Goode was a talented chemist who invented liquid soap, worked to save elephants from African poachers, won the best garden in Louisville, sang in his church choir, was a member of the Rotary Club, had the best basement full of trinkets, and with out a doubt, knew how to craft a "goode" drink. 

Denise and my sister recently treated their wedding guests to sips of his delicious liquor.  Unlike conventional versions, you can taste the deep coffee  and chocolate notes in this homemade brew.  It's such a treat.  

I asked Denise for the recipe so I can share Grandpa Goode with all of you.  You can make enough for yourself and store it in a growler or bottle it in flasks to share as holiday gifts.  The aging process takes two weeks, so plan ahead.  I'm including these awesome labels that my sister designed.  Grandpa Goode says keep the buzz going!

"I do" Menu: Hooch (Strawberry and Rhubarb Infused Vodka)

"I blame the hooch," said my friend, Dave, who slept until 4:00 pm the day after my wedding.  The hooch he was talking about was a special concoction I learned from my sister: infusing vodka with strawberries and rhubarb.  It goes down fast and smooth (either shaken with ice or with a splash of club soda over ice), making it the perfect signature cocktail for our wedding. It's also seasonal.

Making hooch is not a task for the instant gratification crowd (i.e., me).  It takes a minimum of two weeks, feeding the vodka oodles of strawberries and rhubarb, but it's worth it: you end up with a sweet, pink drink that tastes more like strawberry juice than strawberry vodka. That's an endorsement as much as a warning.  Remember that this sweet nectar is actually vodka, so don't drink it all at once, or else you'll end up like my friend Dave: sleeping the day away.

Summer Drinks around DC

Damn, it's hot out.  Drinks are in order, and I've had a few tasty ones this summer.  Here're a few places to head for after work:

It's not exactly outdoor patio weather, but, if you dare to venture to a restaurant with outside seating, Rockland's BBQ has refreshing, fruity mason jar cocktails.  At a recent blogger party, I tried the icy peach tea (vodka, peach schnapps, sprite, and cranberry juice) with some tasty BBQ pork egg rolls. 

If you need air conditioning, I had the best drink of my life (not hyperbole) at Firefly.  It was a martini caprese made from basil infused vodka and tomato water.  It tasted like a giant tomato salad THAT YOU DRINK.  Way better and lighter than a bloody mary.  Shimmy up to the bar, order this cocktail and a plate of mac and cheese.  You can thank me later. 

Looking for a bargain? Try my favorite DC happy hour: Taberna del Alabardero, a spanish tapas restaurant downtown.  You can sit inside at the bar or on the outside patio; either way, Taberna offers 50 percent off tapas (try the artichokes, chorizo, and garlic shrimp) and sangria pitchers.  I like the blond version best.

It's a long haul up the hill, but if you walk up 18th street you'll soon come to my favorite bar: the Black Squirrel.  Try the white ale and order a plate of organic fried chicken.

Had a great summer drink?  Tell us where in the comments.

Blueberry Margaritas

I'm not one for mixed drinks.  Hand me a glass of Pinot Grigio and I'm happy.  But with a freezer full of  blueberries, you have to be creative. And what better way to use blueberries than in a margarita?  

Oat and Honey Vodka

This treat is from my sister, Noel.  She made it for an Iron Chef type gathering; the secret ingredient was honey.  I have to be honest: I didn't try it, but Noel said it was so delicious that it was my blogging duty to run to the top of the self publishing mountain and tell everyone about it.  Okay, maybe she didn't say that.  I made that part up.  My point is: I'm thinking of you.  You need more tasty vodka based drinks in your life.  I know I do.  At some point, when every woman I know isn't pregnant, I'll make it to share with some friends.   Meanwhile, you should make it and let me know how it goes.

Glogg

My friend Jesse recently made Glogg for a small gathering of family and friends.  Glogg is a traditional Swedish mulled wine.  This nonalcoholic version was warm and quite tasty.

Ingredients
10 whole cloves
7 cardamom pods, crushed
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2" piece ginger root
2 cups water
10 whole almonds, cut into halves
1 3/4 cups raisins
1 cup pitted prunes
1 orange, cut into quarters
2 gallons apple juice or apple cider
1/3 cup sugar

Directions
Tie cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger in cheesecloth bag. Heat spice bag, water, almonds, raisins, prunes and orange to boiling in Dutch oven, crock pot or large pot. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 45 minutes. Remove spice bag, prunes and orange. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and heat until mixture begins to bubble. Ladle almond half and a few raisins in to each cup before filling with hot Glogg.

Recipe from epicurean.com

P.S. If you NEED an alcoholic version, check out this recipe.

Quickfire Challenge: Mixology

I want to be on Top Chef.  However, until Bravo dedicates an entire episode to delusional fans, I have to run my own Quickfire Challenges using my friends as contestants and me playing the role of Tom Colicchio. Generally speaking, making drinks is easy--unless there are no mixers.  This Quickfire challenge was to make a tasty, original, and good looking drink....in fifteen minutes.  These are the ingredients:

The contenders:

Skittles were the main ingredient in the first drink.  The second drink featured peanut butter cups, the third used cinnamon candies around the rim, and the last drink-- which looked like a bloody mary--was made primarily from ketchup with cayenne pepper and salt around the rim.  It was by far the tastiest and the winner of the challenge.