Bottoms Up: Ginger Tipples

We've talked a fair bit about ginger--its value as an ingredient in a variety of dishes, its medicinal properties, and even its potential as a love potion--but how about as a beverage?    We explored the alcoholic forms of the root, from  ginger beer to ginger infused vodka and finally our newest discovery, Snap.  We uncovered a treasure trove of possibilities and chose a few that showcase a variety of cocktails. 

Ginger Beer
We tend to associate Ginger Beer with tropical locales--the Caribbean and parts of Africa--but believe it or not, it originated in Jolly Olde England in the mid-18th Century.  British soldiers, desiring a taste of home, brought bottles of Ginger Beer with them to their posts in  farflung colonies.  When the Brits left, the beverage stayed and became a local refreshment.   Brits tend to view Ginger beer in the same way they regard Marmite...they either love it or hate it (kind of like Coors Light or Scrapple to us Yanks).  One thing we can guarantee you, you're going to love the following cocktail cabinet collection of ginger-based libations...

Dark and Stormy

2 oz rum
3 oz ginger beer
lime wedge (optional)

Pour rum and beer into a highball glass filled with ice.  Garnish with lime if desired.  Variation: For a Moscow Mule,  substitute vodka for the rum.

When Life Gives You Lemons....

Use them to make this ginger-licious drink.    This comes from our friend Rodney VanNesse, cook extraordinaire and gifted mixologist.  (This serves one, but even if you are solo, make more; these things are gooood. )

2 oz Ginger-infused vodka (see recipe below)
2 oz fresh lemon juice
1 oz simple syrup
3 basil leaves

Muddle the basil in vodka and lemon juice.  Add ice and simple syrup.  Shake and strain into martini glass. 

For ginger-infused vodka:  Chop  4T fresh ginger.  Add to 2 cups of your favorite vodka (Grey Goose or Ketel One recommended)  Let soak several hours.  Strain and enjoy.


This next pair comes from our friends who make Snap, that lively and lovely ginger liqueur that combines the yumminess of a cookie with the warmth of a good cordial.

                                                                                    
                                                                                    Oh, Snap

1 oz 
2 oz sparkling wine
lemon twist (optional)

Pour Snap into champagne flute.  Top with sparkling wine and garnish with lemon twist if desired.





Snap Happy
1 1/2 oz snap
1 1/2 oz bourbon
orange wedge (optional)

Shake Snap and bourbon with ice.  Strain into martini glass.    Garnish with orange if desired.

Good thing this research took place heading into a holiday weekend...Cheers! (Hiccup)

Marilyn Monroe's Secret Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

We've all heard the old adage "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." And all we know Marilyn Monroe liked it hot--just check out her the steamy rendition of Happy Birthday.

But who would have thought that the glamorous film star actually did toil over a hot stove?

We are taking a brief break from ginger today to acknowledge Thanksgiving, this wondrous American observance of gustation and gratitude.  As we contemplated what to share on this momentous occasion, we came across the rather shocking news that American icon Marilyn Monroe (she keeps popping up, doesn't she?) was a real cook.  Thanks to friend Dana Hall for sending us the fascinating New York Times article on Marilyn's stuffing recipe--just in time for this week's feast.  Here's a link to the full article, which contains a more legible version of the recipe.

Marilyn's Handwritten Stuffing Recipe c. 1955

The ingredient list, which includes pine nuts, raisins and Parmesan cheese suggests a nod to then-husband Joe DiMaggio's Sicilian heritage.  The complexity of the process,  the sketchiness of the instructions, and the imprecise amounts written in her own hand suggest that Marilyn knew what she was doing and only needed rudimentary notes to execute the  recipe. 

Wonder what else she knew.....

Ginger Blondies Have More Fun

Inspired by Paula Fein's excellent advice to include various type of ginger into desserts, we gave it a whirl, worthy, dare we suggest, of Ginger Rogers herself.

Here's our foray into ginger as a sweet:

"More Fun" Ginger Blondies--Makes 16 squares

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 eggs
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
2 Tbsp SNAP liqueur (Ginger-flavored spirit--if not available substitute 1 tsp vanilla)

Heat oven to 350.  Grease a square 8 x 8 pan.  Mix all ingredients thoroughly.  Pour into pan and bake for 20 minutes, til just set in center.  Cool and cut into squares.  Enjoy. (Have more fun!)

We can't invoke the adage about blondes and fun without a nod to the ultimate fair-haired icon, Marilyn Monroe. Here she is in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes looking like she's having a grand old time.

Ginger: Insider Baking Tips from Paula Fein

Paula Fein, loyal Reading Terminal Shopper since 1992 (pictures don't lie) is our go-to-girl on all things ginger. She is a former apprentice pastry chef at Le Bec Fin,  a serious foodie, baker extraordinaire, and ginger aficionado.

"Ginger is one of my favorite ingredients.  I use it to spice up dessert.  It adds heat and an interesting depth to sweets, which after a while can become one-dimensional and a bit boring.   I generally include various types of ginger in one recipe:  crystallized, fresh, powdered and stem ginger in syrup."  I use ginger in many savory dishes, too.   Ginger, soy and garlic form the basis of my family's dinner several times a week.  Because it is a flavor combo that everyone enjoys and no one calls "gross" (or worse), the ginger/soy/garlic theme is a repeat performer in the Fein household.  (Watch  for future post featuring Fein's Friday Night Flank Steak.)

Paula suggests the following ginger-centric, quite impressive, seriously no-fuss dessert:  chop a few pieces of  Stem Ginger in syrup, sprinkle over vanilla ice cream, drizzle some syrup from jar, stick a wafer cookie in the side.  Delicious and deceptively simple. Paula confesses to swiping the oh-so-irresistible pieces of stem ginger straight from the jar when she needs an indulgent pick-me-up in the midst of a trying day.  Personally, I go for a spoonful of Nutella. 

What's your guilty secret food vice when no one is looking?

For a ginger-tastic selection of ginger in all its various guises, stop by speciality grocer, Jonathan Best, at the Reading Terminal today.

Ginger Cookies for Kids of All Ages



Catherine's Cookies


Our friend Catherine's son Harry, a budding chef at the ripe old age of 5,  helped make these fine-looking cookies.  My own son, well into the terrible teens, consumed his fair share at the historic Eagles vs Colts game last week (not to rub it in, but what a game).  He gave them a huge thumbs up too.  Perhaps he should have shared a cluster of cookies with actor Vince Vaughn who high-fived same son that night at the game.  Life doesn't get any better...regardless of your age.

We've called this recipe "kid-friendly" for a couple of reasons.  For starters, it  results in a soft, rather than a "snappy" ginger cookie,  which can challenge youngsters who lack front teeth.   Secondly, it uses ginger powder rather sparingly -- which means no spicy aftertaste to burn tender palates.  And finally, the recipe is simple enough that tykes truly can help bake them.  

Catherine and Harry's Ginger Snaps:

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 & 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Mix the first four ingredients using an electric mixer; then combine all the dry ingredients together, then pop this dry mixture into the electric mixer and combine everything.  Take spoonful size bits of the dough, roll them into little balls, and then roll them in sugar.  Cook for 9 to 11 minutes at 375 degrees.

Remember how much fun you had learning to cook?   La Cucina in Reading Terminal Market offers frequent and varied classes where you can rediscover that joy.  Give one (or five) a try!   Whether you pass your lessons on to your kids is up to you.  We recommend avoiding knife skills and techniques for the youngest chefs.

And lastly, here's a "snap" of Vince Vaughn from The Wedding Crashers, demonstrating his own brand of touch football.  Aren't we glad he doesn't play for the Eagles?

Ginger -- In the Mood for Loooove...





Ginger Rodgers and Fred Astaire strut their stuff, accompanied by the late, great entertainer and pianist Liberace.  Ginger is definitely "In the Mood for Love."

You'd never guess to look at it that ginger (the root, not the dancer) has quite a past.  Dating back to ancient times, and spanning continents, this knobbly root has been reputed to increase lustful yearnings, stimulate libido, enhance erotic performance, and generate feelings of love, lust and attraction.   

Way back in 500BC, Confucius touted it.  Roman physician Pliny and Greek Doc Discorides (writing in the first century AD) determined that ginger had a positive effect on the male equipment.  Fast forward to 18th Century France.  Mme. DuBarry, favorite mistress of King Louis XV, was known to serve generous portions of ginger to her lovers.    The legend goes that this practice would drive her men to a state of complete and utter submission.  Her amorous power enabled Madame du Barry to rise into the French royal class--literally sleeping her way to the top, perhaps with the help of a spicy root. 

Men in the South Pacific Islands, Melanesians to be precise, use ginger to gain the attention and affection their objects of desire.    Portuguese slave traders fed ginger to their captives in the hope that they would reproduce and generate more profits.

But what of ginger today?  Well, I can personally attest to its efficacy on the other end of the love spectrum.  When the inevitable result occurs and morning sickness rears its ugly head, ginger is there for you again.  I sipped many a cup of ginger tea as I battled through first trimesters and it proved to be a relatively powerful weapon against nausea.  


Ginger tea for one (who is drinking for two)
1 cup boiling water
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp honey
Mix all, let steep for 2 minutes.  Strain if desired.


The multi-talented ginger root is even reputed to ease the pain of arthritis. 
What can't it do?

Guess it can't play piano like the larger than life Liberace





 

One Way to Fight the Winter Blues.....

What are your go-to feel-good foods to chase away the blues?  Chocolate?  Sushi?  Merlot?

When we saw our friend Karen Banos's Facebook posting that read:   "Getting rid of the pre-winter, Eastern Standard Time blues with the smell of a pumpkin cheesecake in the oven" we knew she was a kindred soul.  

 Karen graciously shared the recipe and photo of her delectable creation.  You can imagine the FB commentary following her post--lots and lots of friends invited themselves to her home that evening, including one from San Francisco who said she was grabbing a fork and boarding a plane.  (We understand that she never arrived; doubtless she was detained by the TSA for carrying said utensil.)

Should you wish to emulate Karen's culinary anti-depressant, here's how:

 Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 c. graham cracker crumbs
3/4 c. + 1TBS sugar
6 TBS melted butter
16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 16 oz. can of pumpkin
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs
TOPPING:
1 pt (2 c.) sour cream
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla
----------------------------
Preheat oven to 350
Melt the crumbs with 1 TBSP sugar and butter
Press into thebotom of a springform pan and bake for 8 minutes. Cool the crust
Beat cream cheese + 3/4 c. sugar until well blended
Beat in pumpkin, spices and salt
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition
Pour into prepared crust
Bake at 350 for 50 minutes and remove...
While pie is baking, prepare topping (mix the topping ingredients)
When you remove the cheesecake after the 50 minutes, raise oven temperature to 400 and pour the topping over the cheesecake.
Bake the pie with the topping at 400 for 8 minutes
Cool overnight.....

Next day, eat, and feel waaay happier.

If any of our male readers are feeling neglected by this stage, we stumbled across this little known fact about Pumpkin seeds, also known as Pepitas: To put a zip in your zipper, consider the magical properties of pumpkin seeds; this wonderfood allegedly has anti-inflammatory properties and may contain cholesterol-reducing phytosterols.  (Thanks to whfoods.org for this information.).   If we're in danger of losing you because we're beginning to sound like a public health service broadcast...more to the point, pepitas are loaded with zinc -- the mineral that is credited with ensuring everything is in working order.  ("Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more...")
If pumpkin seeds aren't your thing, then why not stop by Pearl's Oyster Bar at Reading Terminal Market.  After all, oysters are the food source with the highest concentration of zinc, hence their reputation as an aprodisiac.

How on earth did we get from Pumpkin cheesecake to Oysters?  Via Monty Python of course; the following video is not for the faint of heart.