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Happy Hour: St. Tropez

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:00:33 -0800

Ever since I got acquainted with Dubonnet, the old-school French aperitif has held a spot in my liquor cabinet. It also plays an important role in my drink of the moment.

I discovered the St. Tropez by reading the serving suggestions on the back of the Dubonnet label. With only two ingredients, it couldn't be more uncomplicated (in fact, the instructions for the drink are so casual that there are no measurements specified at all). Call me cheesy - and chalk it up to the cocktail's chic name, its effortless recipe, or the romanticism of European predinner drinks - but when I'm sipping on a St. Tropez, I immediately feel transported to the sun-soaked sands of the French Riviera.

I've enjoyed many variations of this at home and in bars, and found that I like it best with equal parts of the two ingredients. Find out what they are when you read more.

St. Tropez
Adapted from Dubonnet

Ingredients

2 ounces Dubonnet Rouge
2 ounces orange juice
Crushed Ice
Twist of orange peel for garnish, if desired

Directions

In a tumbler with crushed ice, pour Dubonnet, then add juice.
Stir to combine, and garnish with twist of orange peel, if desired.

Makes 1 drink.

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Happy Hour: Dubonnet Rouge

YumSugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:00:45 -0700

I've always been a complete novice to the category of spirits known as aperitifs. These old-school standbys - which include liqueurs, dry champagne, and fortified wines - rose to fame in Europe in the 1800s, and have remained popular ever since.

When I received a bottle of Dubonnet ($11.99), I decided to begin my aperitif studies. The French fortified wine, originally developed in 1846, is available in two varieties: rouge and blanc. Dubonnet is made from wine that's had additional alcohol added to it, which preserves the wine, makes it sweeter, and increases its alcohol content.

I've always thought of Dubonnet - a proprietary blend of herbs, spices, and peels - as something more fitting for my grandmother. But surprisingly, my first sip was warm and rich, and had a nose and flavor that reminded me of tawny port. It was sweeter than brandy, yet drier than a dessert wine, and incredibly smooth given its price tag.

I'm looking forward to drinking some again tonight and can't wait to experiment with Dubonnet in classic cocktails. If you've ever tried this aperitif, what are your thoughts on it? Have you ever tasted a spirit that was incredibly different from what you thought it would be?

Happy Hour: Quady Elysium

YumSugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:30:49 -0700

While hosting a spur-of-the-moment dinner two nights ago, I wanted something sweet to end our meal, so I invited my guests to enjoy a glass of liquid dessert: Quady Elysium ($15.99), made with black muscat grapes.

The concentrated, blackberry-hued wine is rich with both floral and fruity flavors, so I enjoyed it in little sips. Because it's so intensely sweet and full-bodied, it's easy to overlook the alcohol content. Although it's detectable on the nose, I was surprised to find it was 15 percent alcohol, and had to pace myself! The winery also recommends enjoying it on ice with equal parts tonic water and wine, with a squeeze of lemon - something I fully intend to try next time I want a sweet sip that won't get me sloshed.

I've been hooked on stickies made by Quady Winery, a Central California-based producer that specializes in fortified wines, ever since I sampled its other dessert wine, Electra. Have you ever enjoyed Elysium or Quady's other dessert wines?

Happy Hour: Campari Squeeze

YumSugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:00:15 -0700

I'm still rather novice to the category of spirits known as aperitifs. These old-school standbys - which include liqueurs, dry champagne, and fortified wines - rose to fame in Europe in the 1800s, and have remained popular ever since.

I'd made it my mission to educate myself in aperitif studies, and after professing my love for Dubonnet, I felt adventurous enough to move onto the Italian spirit known as Campari. Invented in 1860, this bitter, which is used in a slew of different cocktails, is made by infusing alcohol and water with fruit, bitter herbs, and aromatic plants. Campari on the rocks is far too bitter for me, but I loved its complex, fruity, slightly medicinal flavor in the Campari Breeze, a cocktail that's perfect for warm-weather days.

To cool off on a sweltering weekend, I doubled the recipe for a bigger thirst quencher, employing Party's advice to save the ice until last. To see the recipe, read more.

Campari Squeeze
Adapted from Danny Boome

Ingredients

Ice cubes
2 shots Campari
2 splashes red grapefruit juice
2 splashes club soda
2 orange peels

Directions

Add the Campari and grapefruit in a shaker with ice, and shake.
Pour into 2 glasses filled with ice. Top off with some club soda and garnish with an orange peel.

Serves 2.

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Trend Alert: Sherry

partysugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:15:02 -0700

Back in February I printed out a cocktail recipe from the Seattle Times that featured sherry as an ingredient. Like many recipes I print out, it got buried and forgotten. Until now, recently I've been noticing sherry everywhere. Could it be that the fortified wine usually associated with Spanish old men is set to make a roaring comeback?

According to an article in this month's Saveur magazine, sherry no longer seems outdated. With the renaissance of classic cocktail ingredients (bitters, whiskey, rye, etc.), the popularity of 60s-era drinking on Mad Men, and the food world's current obsession with all things Spanish, it's not surprising that Sherry is popping up on bar menus across the nation. For more on how Sherry is suddenly becoming trendy, read more.

San Francisco's Duggan McDonnell serves a sherry cocktail at his hotspot Cantina and several concoctions at New York's Milk and Honey feature the Spanish wine.

The ladies at the Kitchn point out that Sherry is incredibly versatile and it can be served with any dinner course. Sherry also makes a flavorful cooking wine. Sherry vinegar has been a long-time favorite for salad dressings, but it's pure form is also delicious in appetizers, chicken, and even granitas.

If you're interested in sipping a bottle, Chow recommends a briny La Gitana Manzanilla Sherry, while the folks at Imbibe prefer the brand Lustau.

I plan on making the aforementioned cocktail recipe as soon possible and have started to be more aware of the Spanish wine. How about you? What do you think of this trend? Has Sherry suddenly become more interesting to you?

Source

Happy Hour: Pfeiffer Rutherglen Muscat

partysugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:31:31 -0800

While I'm not crazy about a female oriented bottle of Port, I have recently been loving dessert wines. More specifically Chris Pfeiffer's Rutherglen Muscat. If you've never tried Muscat - a fortified dessert wine more luscious than Port - hurry and get your hands on this Australian import. Its smooth, fresh flavor and delicious raisin scent would pair perfectly with a Valentine's Day vanilla panna cotta. The body is voluptuous and the color golden. With a slightly nutty flavor, this wine would also make a wonderful hostess gift.

What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 09:00:06 -0700

My homemade ultimate Popsicle comes with an edible stick!
Before you chow down on that tuna sashimi, know that it might actually be red snapper.
We've got the 411 on making the perfect cocktail for a sunny Summer day.
PartySugar chats with NYC chef and new Food Network star Alex Guarnaschelli.
What do you know about the American favorite the banana split?
Learn more about sherry, a fortified wine that's making a comeback.
Get in on PartySugar's gourmet nacho bites.
We went behind the scenes of a book launch party and learned the secrets to making killer meatballs along the way.
If you're unfamiliar with preparing melon, check out our step-by-step guide to cutting cantaloupe.

Sunday Dinner: Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Orange Sauce

YumSugar — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 02:58:12 -0700

One of the first roasts I really enjoyed making was a recipe for Cornish game hens. The tiny little hens always make for a delicious simple, yet elegant meal. For this week's Sunday Dinner, I thought it would be nice to find a good Cornish hen recipe for everyone to try. So I dug up this one for Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Orange Sauce. The best part of roasting Cornish game hens is that, due to their dainty size, people are easily impressed by the simple elegance. This particular recipe uses Madeira (a sweet, fortified wine similar to sherry), but if you can't find it replace with Marsala wine, dry vermouth, sherry or stock. For the deceptively-elegant recipe, read more

Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Orange Sauce
From Sunday Dinner Seasonal Menus to Enjoy with Family and Friends
By Barbara Scott-Goodman with Mary Goodbody

Serves 6

6 Cornish game hens, halved along the breastbone
(approximately 1-1/2 pounds each)
Juice of 1 large orange
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
I small onion, chopped
1/4 cup Madeira
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Zest of one orange, coarsely chopped into 1/2 inch-long pieces

2 tablespoons Madeira
2 tablespoons chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1. To prepare the hens, rinse the halves tinder cold running water and put them in a large glass or ceramic baking dish.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the orange juice, oil, garlic, onion and Madeira, season to taste with salt and pepper and whisk well. Stir in the zest and then pour the marinade over the hens. Toss gently to coat, cover and refrigerate for at least S hours or overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 450F.

4. Transfer the game hens and the marinade to a large roasting pan and arrange in a single layer, skin side up. Roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F. baste and continue roasting for about 45 minutes or until the juices in the thighs run clear.

5. Remove the hens from the roasting pan and arrange on a large platter. Cover with aluminum foil and set aside to keep warm.

6. To prepare the sauce, strain the pan juices into a saucepan. Add the Madeira, stock, sugar and vinegar and stir well. Bring to a boil over high beat, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly thickened and the flavors blend. Stir well to combine. Bring to a slow boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the hens and serve.

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