The Friday after Thanksgiving I saw Sidney. It was the third year in a row I saw him the day after Thanksgiving. Even though he now resides in Reno, it was the second time I saw him in November.
We went to The Bruery in Placentia. They have a lot of sour beers. While that is great for people like Sidney who enjoy them, I did not like them.
These are the beers I had in my flight with my comments:
Loakal Red - Oak-aged American red ale (good, but not great)
Bryeian - hoppy cascadian dary rye ale (good, not great)
Oude Tart - Flemish style red (No)
Humulus Wet: Centennial - fresh hopped pale ale (nothing special)
6 Geese-a-laying - spiced dark ale with gooseberries (OK for a holiday brew)
I also had another beer. I do not remember the name, it was an Ebony & (something).
After enjoying the beers there, we went to Hopscotch in Fullerton. I enjoyed a duroc pork butt with apples, pickled red onion, garlic, and roasted root vegetables. I had a Dudes' Grandma's Pecan brown ale to go with it. I liked the ale, while I usually avoid brown ales.
Then we went to The Night Owl Cafe.
Music and more
A week later on Friday I was at StillWater in Dana Point. I was there to watch my friend who sings and plays modern blues music. When he texted me about the show at 2 that afternoon, I was not planning on going. Finals were the following week, and I had a programming project, two lab reports, and a research paper all due on Tuesday. However, my friend Romeo said he was going, so I decided to go as well. I did not want him to drive the 45 minutes down to Dana Point and watch the show by himself. Also, Romeo is my new best friend. I met him in the spring at Beach Newman and saw him at a few meetings. Then he was in my technical writing class this semester. Many of the Mondays I saw him in class I had just seen him that weekend.
While I was at StillWater, I had a one of their cocktails, a Bulleit creek tea. It was Bulleit bourbon with lemon, Angostura bitters, and some other stuff. It was on their menu, but must be too secret to put on their website. I would not order it again, so it is no big loss. I was only planning on staying there to watch my friend, who started playing at 8:30. However, the performer after him was really good, so we stuck around past midnight. Since I was around for a while, I enjoyed a Trestles IPA from the Left Coast Brewing Company.
This Friday Frank and Sabrina are having a Sinterklaas party. If it were not for my Advanced Math for Electrical Engineers final today things would be great.
Showing posts with label Drinks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Drinks. Show all posts
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Posts from the Past
I was looking through my draft posts and realized I have some great things that need to be shared. Today I have fragments of two posts I wrote in May and June of last year.
In the post from May, there was a recipe for a margarita. It is nothing revolutionary, but you can try it.
Margarita
1 1/2 oz tequila
1/2 oz triple sec
dash lime juice
3 oz sour mix
If you want to make a margarita presidente, just add a dash of brandy to the above.
One advantage of posting this recipe a year later is that I have since shared my recipe for sour mix.
Now a draft from 6/28/11:
Last week I went on a trip to Berkeley and the Bay Area. Over the trip I saw many of my regular and semi-regular readers. Every idea, comment, story, and future plan of mine I would blog about was heard by at least one person. In fact, I told some of the same stories multiple times.
While I was in San Francisco, I went bar hopping with Linda and my Associate. One of the places we ended up at was The Buena Vista. They are known for creating the first Irish Coffee in the United States. Making it is simple, pour coffee, stir in two sugar cubes, add a jigger (1.5 oz) of Irish whiskey, and top with whipping cream. It is something like this.
Irish Coffee
1.5 oz Irish Whiskey (rumor online is The Buena Vista uses Tullamore Dew)
4 oz Hot Coffee, or a little more or less depending on size of your glass
2 Sugar Cubes
Lightly Whipped Whipping Cream
Take a glass and preheat it. Do this by pouring hot water into the glass and letting it sit. After 20-30 seconds, dump out the water. Add the hot coffee and stir in two sugar cubes. After they are dissolved, add the Irish whiskey and top with the whipped cream. The idea is to layer the cream on top, so be gentle and consider pouring the cream onto the back of a spoon just over the coffee.
My favorite part of the Irish coffee story is how the creators were having a problem getting the cream to layer. They asked the mayor of San Francisco, who was a dairy farmer, for help. He suggested using cream that was aged for 48 hours and frothed up to the right consistency. This worked perfectly and the drink became a success. Those were the good old days, when elected officials knew useful things. Now too many people holding public office are career politicians.
The most striking feature of the day was the heat. When I was getting on BART at 11 that night it was still warm enough out I did not need a jacket. My conclusion is I bring the heat when I travel. When I visited Washington D.C. four months earlier it was over 70 degrees in February.
Since my last trip there, the Bear's Lair closed. However, I spent some time at Jupiter's, which is becoming my official post-graduation Berkeley hang out. While there I enjoyed beers such as a Red Spot, Quasar, Frances Drake, Prohibition, and another Francis Drake.
EDITOR'S NOTE: With my vantage point a year later, I am glad to say the Bear's Lair reopened. However, I also know Raleigh's burned down.
In the post from May, there was a recipe for a margarita. It is nothing revolutionary, but you can try it.
Margarita
1 1/2 oz tequila
1/2 oz triple sec
dash lime juice
3 oz sour mix
If you want to make a margarita presidente, just add a dash of brandy to the above.
One advantage of posting this recipe a year later is that I have since shared my recipe for sour mix.
Now a draft from 6/28/11:
Last week I went on a trip to Berkeley and the Bay Area. Over the trip I saw many of my regular and semi-regular readers. Every idea, comment, story, and future plan of mine I would blog about was heard by at least one person. In fact, I told some of the same stories multiple times.
While I was in San Francisco, I went bar hopping with Linda and my Associate. One of the places we ended up at was The Buena Vista. They are known for creating the first Irish Coffee in the United States. Making it is simple, pour coffee, stir in two sugar cubes, add a jigger (1.5 oz) of Irish whiskey, and top with whipping cream. It is something like this.
Irish Coffee
1.5 oz Irish Whiskey (rumor online is The Buena Vista uses Tullamore Dew)
4 oz Hot Coffee, or a little more or less depending on size of your glass
2 Sugar Cubes
Lightly Whipped Whipping Cream
Take a glass and preheat it. Do this by pouring hot water into the glass and letting it sit. After 20-30 seconds, dump out the water. Add the hot coffee and stir in two sugar cubes. After they are dissolved, add the Irish whiskey and top with the whipped cream. The idea is to layer the cream on top, so be gentle and consider pouring the cream onto the back of a spoon just over the coffee.
My favorite part of the Irish coffee story is how the creators were having a problem getting the cream to layer. They asked the mayor of San Francisco, who was a dairy farmer, for help. He suggested using cream that was aged for 48 hours and frothed up to the right consistency. This worked perfectly and the drink became a success. Those were the good old days, when elected officials knew useful things. Now too many people holding public office are career politicians.
The most striking feature of the day was the heat. When I was getting on BART at 11 that night it was still warm enough out I did not need a jacket. My conclusion is I bring the heat when I travel. When I visited Washington D.C. four months earlier it was over 70 degrees in February.
Since my last trip there, the Bear's Lair closed. However, I spent some time at Jupiter's, which is becoming my official post-graduation Berkeley hang out. While there I enjoyed beers such as a Red Spot, Quasar, Frances Drake, Prohibition, and another Francis Drake.
EDITOR'S NOTE: With my vantage point a year later, I am glad to say the Bear's Lair reopened. However, I also know Raleigh's burned down.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Now is it Summer
On Wednesday I had my last final for the semester at Long Beach. With two finals on Tuesday night and one Wednesday afternoon, I had all my finals within 24 hours. The good news is I had strong grades in all three classes going into the finals. One of them was harder than I expected, but the professor admitted after he made it that it was harder than he intended it would be. Since it was a lot of multiple choice, I think I did well enough for an A.
I spent a lot of time preparing for my finals. I did a lot of practice problems and spend a lot of time at the library. This is in sharp contrast to when I made a Facebook album like I did my last year at Berkeley (see I should be studying for finals).
Now summer is upon me. I want to make the most of it.
These are three of my priorities for the summer.
Some of my drink recipes have mentioned sour mix (or sweet and sour mix, which are the same thing). While there are many premade mixes available, the one below is what I make and use myself. Since I recently learned of a reader who made a drink that required sour mix, I am sharing a recipe.
Sour Mix
(short for sweet and sour mix)
18 oz water
12 oz Real Lemon lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
Mix the above ingredients and keep in the fridge. Real Lemon brand is highly recommended, unless you have a bunch of lemons. However, I do not have a largess of lemons lying around.
My mom found this recipe online, but I do not know where. Some person on the internet deserves credit for it.
I spent a lot of time preparing for my finals. I did a lot of practice problems and spend a lot of time at the library. This is in sharp contrast to when I made a Facebook album like I did my last year at Berkeley (see I should be studying for finals).
Now summer is upon me. I want to make the most of it.
These are three of my priorities for the summer.
- Turning my volunteer worker position with the City of LA into an internship. I will go there two or three times a week and treat it like an internship. I will also work on a few specific projects I can talk about when I apply for a real internship next summer or a job. Right now they want me to design and build a solar turbine and figure out how a dual compound spraying machine works.
- Upgrading my amateur radio license. After working with radio stuff for the Baker to Vegas race, I am inspired to take a couple of tests and get the highest level of radio license I can from the FCC. I currently have a technician class license, which has only basic frequency privileges. All I have to do is learn some things and take two multiple choice tests.
- Do something different and fun every week. There are a lot of things to do around Orange County and into LA I have never looked into. I want to combine this with seeing people I do not see as often as I would like. This is also where you can get involved. If you are nearby and want to go somewhere or do something, let me know.
Some of my drink recipes have mentioned sour mix (or sweet and sour mix, which are the same thing). While there are many premade mixes available, the one below is what I make and use myself. Since I recently learned of a reader who made a drink that required sour mix, I am sharing a recipe.
Sour Mix
(short for sweet and sour mix)
18 oz water
12 oz Real Lemon lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
Mix the above ingredients and keep in the fridge. Real Lemon brand is highly recommended, unless you have a bunch of lemons. However, I do not have a largess of lemons lying around.
My mom found this recipe online, but I do not know where. Some person on the internet deserves credit for it.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
CO2 Laser, Medicine Man, and Saturdays at 4
I wrote most of this post in October, but neglected to finalized and publish it then. It talks about two Saturdays where I was out until around 4 in the morning. One day it was working on the engravings below, the next I was at a football game with some awesome alumni before going to my friend Ryan's party.
As mentioned before, I am helping restart a retreat program at church. To raise money for it, some people had the idea we should make crafts and sell them. The women who were leading this effort spent their time making rosaries, bracelets, and blankets. However, Peter (my friend from church) and I thought all of their crafts were too flowery. Peter thought we should turn their craft fair into an industrial craft fair. We would have wood and metal works available for sale, not just beads and cloth.
Unfortunately, the metal works did not work out. Both of us were learning how to use the CNC machine with disastrous results. Below are some examples of what we did using a carbon dioxide laser engraver.
For this project, I learned how to use a CO2 laser engraver. A computer views the laser engraver as a printer. Just send it a file to print, select the laser speed, power, and pules per inch and it will start engraving. The biggest problem was getting everything from different file formats into one program that would successfully engrave the material.
The laser could print in two different ways. It could rasterize and act like a traditional printer: it would print everything in dots when it went left to right, printing one small line at at time. Alternatively, it could engrave in vector form: it would use a continuous beam and move to trace out the letters. The vector printing was great for boarders, straight lines, and script fonts. It was exciting to watch.
In one of my classes in college, I did an experiment that measured the spectrum of a CO2 laser. Sean and I had to set up the equipment, align the mirrors and lenses, start a water cooling system, monitor the gas pressure, and try to avoid blowing a fuse in the power supply. That laser only went up a little past 1 watt. This laser engraver goes up to 25 watts.
Football in Pasadena
The game (Cal at UCLA) was horrible, but the people I watched it with were good. I saw such exciting alumni as Sidney, Melissa, Eric, and Cameron. There was even a guest appearance by Monica. Afterwards Sidney and I went to the apartment of the newly married Cameron and Eric. They made pizza and served fine cocktails. One of them was a Medicine Man. The recipe Eric used is from Serious Eats, which I have summarized below. It is an interesting drink I need to recreate myself.
Medicine Man
2 oz white rum
3/4 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz maple syrup
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
4 sage leaves, divided
Shake the above ingredients (minus 1 of the sage leaves) over ice. Strain into a glass and garnish with the last sage leaf.
After that, there was still enough time to stop by Ryan's Halloween party. Ryan and his girlfriend both had good costumes. They were Woody and Buzz Lightyear.
As mentioned before, I am helping restart a retreat program at church. To raise money for it, some people had the idea we should make crafts and sell them. The women who were leading this effort spent their time making rosaries, bracelets, and blankets. However, Peter (my friend from church) and I thought all of their crafts were too flowery. Peter thought we should turn their craft fair into an industrial craft fair. We would have wood and metal works available for sale, not just beads and cloth.
Unfortunately, the metal works did not work out. Both of us were learning how to use the CNC machine with disastrous results. Below are some examples of what we did using a carbon dioxide laser engraver.
For this project, I learned how to use a CO2 laser engraver. A computer views the laser engraver as a printer. Just send it a file to print, select the laser speed, power, and pules per inch and it will start engraving. The biggest problem was getting everything from different file formats into one program that would successfully engrave the material.
The laser could print in two different ways. It could rasterize and act like a traditional printer: it would print everything in dots when it went left to right, printing one small line at at time. Alternatively, it could engrave in vector form: it would use a continuous beam and move to trace out the letters. The vector printing was great for boarders, straight lines, and script fonts. It was exciting to watch.
In one of my classes in college, I did an experiment that measured the spectrum of a CO2 laser. Sean and I had to set up the equipment, align the mirrors and lenses, start a water cooling system, monitor the gas pressure, and try to avoid blowing a fuse in the power supply. That laser only went up a little past 1 watt. This laser engraver goes up to 25 watts.
Football in Pasadena
The game (Cal at UCLA) was horrible, but the people I watched it with were good. I saw such exciting alumni as Sidney, Melissa, Eric, and Cameron. There was even a guest appearance by Monica. Afterwards Sidney and I went to the apartment of the newly married Cameron and Eric. They made pizza and served fine cocktails. One of them was a Medicine Man. The recipe Eric used is from Serious Eats, which I have summarized below. It is an interesting drink I need to recreate myself.
Medicine Man
2 oz white rum
3/4 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz maple syrup
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
4 sage leaves, divided
Shake the above ingredients (minus 1 of the sage leaves) over ice. Strain into a glass and garnish with the last sage leaf.
After that, there was still enough time to stop by Ryan's Halloween party. Ryan and his girlfriend both had good costumes. They were Woody and Buzz Lightyear.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Symphony, St. Patrick's Day, and Juleps
This is the story of three Thursdays gone by.
Before I get to that, the screen on my phone stopped working over the weekend. A new one has been ordered, but until then I would recommend against calling me (unless you are going to keep calling until I pick up) and certainly do not text me.
The Passion of Philip Glass
Three weeks ago I went to a performance of the Pacific Symphony. The honorable Aden had an extra ticket and invited me to the concert. The program was titled The Passion of Philip Glass and consisted of works by this current composer.
The main piece was The Passion of Ramakrishna which included the orchestra and the Pacific Chorale choir. I tried to imagine how difficult it was to write the music for the instruments and the choir. I enjoyed it. During the performance Mr. Glass was in the audience and came on stage for a short Q & A and to accept applause. To learn more about the performance you can check out the program notes or an audio interview with Mr. Glass. There is also a review of it by the Los Angeles Times.
When I told one of my friends about the performance, he immediately knew who Glass was and talked of how he liked his music. He then told me about the film Koyaanisqatsi which Glass scored and sent me a YouTube clip from it.
Saint Patrick's Day
The next Thursday was St. Patrick's Day. If you are out on St. Patrick's Day, it might be expected you run into someone with a name like O'Brien. When I went out I met up with Ngo and Nguyen.
In the afternoon I saw Larry who was on spring break from school in Arizona. We went to The Block where I picked up a book at 40% off at Borders. While I later determined I already had all of the text in that book in another book, I have yet to meet a person who had too many Shelby Foote books. With the addition of Stars in Their Courses I currently have five.
Later that night I ran into Kim, who was in town for work. I head the latest news of her life and what it is like working for a medical device company. It seems some people do not read the directions to medical devices and then file complaints when the product performs exactly as it was designed to. They assume any difference between the way they expect the device to work and how the product actually works must indicate a broken or defective unit.
The place we went had a menu with St. Patrick's Day themed items like Guinness, Irish Car Bombs, corned beef sliders, and corned beef sushi. Right before we left the bartender gave us these containers with green stuff in them. They hold just over a shot of liquid. He said he mixed them up the night before. When I asked him what they contained he said "That is for me to know and you to find out."
What do you think it looks like? I thought it could be the ooze, but I did not have any turtles to test that on. Also, the viscosity did not look right; it had the consistency of water. From the way the bartender talked, I though it would be hazardous if I drank it before I drove.
When I got home I drank it. The green stuff tasted like an A.M.F., which gave me an idea. For next year I will make a concoction like this. The recipe will start like an A.M.F., but creme de menthe will replace the blue curacao and the soda will be skipped. I plan to update you on my results in time for next St. Patrick's Day.
Silver Cups Arrive
Recently I ordered some silver mint julep cups. A mint julep is a strong drink that is mostly bourbon. They are popular in the South during summertime and traditionally served in silver cups. On Thursday I tested my cups. I had three different mint julep recipes but they varied on some key points. I combined the recipes and this is what I did.
First I heated (but did not boil) one cup of water and two cups of sugar on the stove to make some rich simple syrup. Then I poured the warm syrup over some mint leaves from my back yard. After muddling the mint leaves in the syrup, I closed the jar and put it in the fridge overnight. The next morning I removed the mint leaves. I added two tablespoons (or one ounce) of the syrup to three ounces of Early Times Kentucky Whiskey and mixed them in a mixing glass. In a silver cup I put some crushed ice (I used a bag and meat tenderizer to crush it), a mint sprig, a straw, and then the mix.
These are so good I have consumed over half a dozen mint juleps since Thursday. I had to put the cups away so I would stop making and drinking them.
Before I get to that, the screen on my phone stopped working over the weekend. A new one has been ordered, but until then I would recommend against calling me (unless you are going to keep calling until I pick up) and certainly do not text me.
The Passion of Philip Glass
Three weeks ago I went to a performance of the Pacific Symphony. The honorable Aden had an extra ticket and invited me to the concert. The program was titled The Passion of Philip Glass and consisted of works by this current composer.
The main piece was The Passion of Ramakrishna which included the orchestra and the Pacific Chorale choir. I tried to imagine how difficult it was to write the music for the instruments and the choir. I enjoyed it. During the performance Mr. Glass was in the audience and came on stage for a short Q & A and to accept applause. To learn more about the performance you can check out the program notes or an audio interview with Mr. Glass. There is also a review of it by the Los Angeles Times.
When I told one of my friends about the performance, he immediately knew who Glass was and talked of how he liked his music. He then told me about the film Koyaanisqatsi which Glass scored and sent me a YouTube clip from it.
Saint Patrick's Day
The next Thursday was St. Patrick's Day. If you are out on St. Patrick's Day, it might be expected you run into someone with a name like O'Brien. When I went out I met up with Ngo and Nguyen.
In the afternoon I saw Larry who was on spring break from school in Arizona. We went to The Block where I picked up a book at 40% off at Borders. While I later determined I already had all of the text in that book in another book, I have yet to meet a person who had too many Shelby Foote books. With the addition of Stars in Their Courses I currently have five.
Later that night I ran into Kim, who was in town for work. I head the latest news of her life and what it is like working for a medical device company. It seems some people do not read the directions to medical devices and then file complaints when the product performs exactly as it was designed to. They assume any difference between the way they expect the device to work and how the product actually works must indicate a broken or defective unit.
The place we went had a menu with St. Patrick's Day themed items like Guinness, Irish Car Bombs, corned beef sliders, and corned beef sushi. Right before we left the bartender gave us these containers with green stuff in them. They hold just over a shot of liquid. He said he mixed them up the night before. When I asked him what they contained he said "That is for me to know and you to find out."
What do you think it looks like? I thought it could be the ooze, but I did not have any turtles to test that on. Also, the viscosity did not look right; it had the consistency of water. From the way the bartender talked, I though it would be hazardous if I drank it before I drove.
When I got home I drank it. The green stuff tasted like an A.M.F., which gave me an idea. For next year I will make a concoction like this. The recipe will start like an A.M.F., but creme de menthe will replace the blue curacao and the soda will be skipped. I plan to update you on my results in time for next St. Patrick's Day.
Silver Cups Arrive
Recently I ordered some silver mint julep cups. A mint julep is a strong drink that is mostly bourbon. They are popular in the South during summertime and traditionally served in silver cups. On Thursday I tested my cups. I had three different mint julep recipes but they varied on some key points. I combined the recipes and this is what I did.
First I heated (but did not boil) one cup of water and two cups of sugar on the stove to make some rich simple syrup. Then I poured the warm syrup over some mint leaves from my back yard. After muddling the mint leaves in the syrup, I closed the jar and put it in the fridge overnight. The next morning I removed the mint leaves. I added two tablespoons (or one ounce) of the syrup to three ounces of Early Times Kentucky Whiskey and mixed them in a mixing glass. In a silver cup I put some crushed ice (I used a bag and meat tenderizer to crush it), a mint sprig, a straw, and then the mix.
These are so good I have consumed over half a dozen mint juleps since Thursday. I had to put the cups away so I would stop making and drinking them.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Posts unfinished and Words not said
I like to tell complete stories in my posts. In the last week I finished reading a book, got a letter in the mail, and started a program to learn a skill. However, I do not want to make posts about any of these things because there is still important stuff yet to happen. The book I read has a sequel, the letter leads to a 2-3 week wait period, and the new skill I am learning I have started to learn twice before but never followed through to the end.
I bring this up because I have a lot of ideas that have been partially written but not posted. Right now there are 32 posts in draft form on the blog.
These drafts take on a variety of forms. Some are earlier versions of posts I have made that should be deleted. A few have complete stories in them, but are not relevant to anything I am doing now or connected to something meaningful. There are four posts that talk about books I have read with space set aside for stories I have yet to read. Many drafts are the seeds of ideas that never sprouted and should be ploughed under. However, a few of them are nearly complete ideas and could be posted with a minor amount of editing.
One of the harder things in writing is removing good stories, interesting coincidences, and funny asides from my drafts. If I kept in everything I thought of my posts would become unnecessarily long and meandering. I do not mean to hold back entire posts covering interesting and fun things, but some posts and ideas are not at the point where I am happy with them. However, having 32 draft posts is too much. I need to clean them up and start publishing.
Fixing this
As part of my effort to publish these posts, here is a drink I wrote about in November. I found this drink when I wanted to do something with half and half. As soon as I saw a recipe that used blue curacao I was excited. Up until that point I had only used blue curacao for making the A.M.F. I found this on the wonderful site Barnonedrinks.com.
Valium
1 oz. Blue curacao
1 oz. Half and half cream
1/2 oz. Amaretto
1/2 oz. Dark rum
1/2 oz. Irish cream
1/2 oz. Kahlua
1/2 oz. Light rum
Combine all the ingredients (ice is not necessary) and enjoy.
This drink has a rich pharmaceutical color.
I bring this up because I have a lot of ideas that have been partially written but not posted. Right now there are 32 posts in draft form on the blog.
These drafts take on a variety of forms. Some are earlier versions of posts I have made that should be deleted. A few have complete stories in them, but are not relevant to anything I am doing now or connected to something meaningful. There are four posts that talk about books I have read with space set aside for stories I have yet to read. Many drafts are the seeds of ideas that never sprouted and should be ploughed under. However, a few of them are nearly complete ideas and could be posted with a minor amount of editing.
One of the harder things in writing is removing good stories, interesting coincidences, and funny asides from my drafts. If I kept in everything I thought of my posts would become unnecessarily long and meandering. I do not mean to hold back entire posts covering interesting and fun things, but some posts and ideas are not at the point where I am happy with them. However, having 32 draft posts is too much. I need to clean them up and start publishing.
Fixing this
As part of my effort to publish these posts, here is a drink I wrote about in November. I found this drink when I wanted to do something with half and half. As soon as I saw a recipe that used blue curacao I was excited. Up until that point I had only used blue curacao for making the A.M.F. I found this on the wonderful site Barnonedrinks.com.
Valium
1 oz. Blue curacao
1 oz. Half and half cream
1/2 oz. Amaretto
1/2 oz. Dark rum
1/2 oz. Irish cream
1/2 oz. Kahlua
1/2 oz. Light rum
Combine all the ingredients (ice is not necessary) and enjoy.
This drink has a rich pharmaceutical color.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Grilled Turkey and a Gold Rush
My Mom found some comments online about grilling a turkey. I followed those for Thanksgiving and it worked out well.
As described online, the cooking uses indirect heat. Part of the grill is turned on, but the turkey is placed over the other part with no heat underneath it. The top is kept closed so the heat can cook the turkey like an oven. It took around 4 hours to cook our 18 lb. bird.
I did have one problem. The big barbecue fork I used to rotate the turkey could not handle the job without bending. What good are barbecue tools if they can't handle an 18 lb. turkey?
As with any turkey cooking method, seasoning the bird is very important. The grilling turned out OK, but was lacking a lot because very little seasoning was done.
This is Mom at the table before everyone ate.
I also enjoyed a drink I recently read about in the Wall Street Journal. There is a video that explains how to make a Gold Rush that I recommend. The recipe is transcribed below. While there are several different recipes online, I can only attest to trying this version from the Lambs Club in New York City.
Gold Rush
2 oz Bourbon
3/4 oz Honey mixture (in a 3 parts honey to 1 part water ratio to lower its viscosity)
3/4 oz Lemon juice
Since this is the first drink I have made that involves honey, I skipped the dilution and put in slightly less than 3/4 oz honey. I had trouble mixing the honey with the rest of the drink. My solution was to mix the honey with the bourbon first before adding the chilled lemon juice and ice. I served this and it was well received.
As described online, the cooking uses indirect heat. Part of the grill is turned on, but the turkey is placed over the other part with no heat underneath it. The top is kept closed so the heat can cook the turkey like an oven. It took around 4 hours to cook our 18 lb. bird.
I did have one problem. The big barbecue fork I used to rotate the turkey could not handle the job without bending. What good are barbecue tools if they can't handle an 18 lb. turkey?
As with any turkey cooking method, seasoning the bird is very important. The grilling turned out OK, but was lacking a lot because very little seasoning was done.
This is Mom at the table before everyone ate.
I also enjoyed a drink I recently read about in the Wall Street Journal. There is a video that explains how to make a Gold Rush that I recommend. The recipe is transcribed below. While there are several different recipes online, I can only attest to trying this version from the Lambs Club in New York City.
Gold Rush
2 oz Bourbon
3/4 oz Honey mixture (in a 3 parts honey to 1 part water ratio to lower its viscosity)
3/4 oz Lemon juice
Since this is the first drink I have made that involves honey, I skipped the dilution and put in slightly less than 3/4 oz honey. I had trouble mixing the honey with the rest of the drink. My solution was to mix the honey with the bourbon first before adding the chilled lemon juice and ice. I served this and it was well received.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
It's all happening at the zoo
Last month I went to the San Diego Zoo. I went there with the Vietnamese Crew.
As I started organizing my pictures, I remembered I never shared any of my pictures from an earlier great zoo adventure. So here is a picture from a trip to the Oakland Zoo in Spring 2008.
Bonus points if you can name the people in the picture.
Now to my recent San Diego Zoo trip. I will skimp on the descriptions as most of the animals could be identified by a competent kindergardener.
At a nearby gift shop they had paper made out of elephant dung for sale. If you ever get a letter from me you should be glad I refrained from buying it.
I waited in line to see the pandas. It was a disappointment. First, the name "giant panda" is misleading; I could almost throw one in my backpack. Second, they just sit around and eat. They have the digestive track of carnivores but eat bamboo all day. Third, they look like bears with black and white fur. If you want to see something different and not wait in line check out our friend below.
This last one is less well known; it is an okapi. If you are not familiar with these cousins of giraffes ask the Unnamed Geniuses to learn more. There is a great history of how European scientists heard stories of okapi but thought they were mere myths until some evidence of them was collected. If you want to learn more about the process check out Cryptozoology.
Here we have Larry making friends with an expert who looks like Brandon.
After the zoo we went to Dave & Buster's to eat and wait for the traffic to subside. Along with dinner many of us had drinks while it was still happy hour. Larry was heavily pushing AMFs. On that topic, I have another drink recipe.
A.M.F.
1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Rum
1/2 oz Tequila
1/2 oz Blue curacao
2 oz 7-Up
2 oz Sweet and sour mix
Mix the first six ingredients and then top with 7-up. While the drink usually goes by its initials, its full name is Adios Motherfucker. After you have a few of them you will know why. The alcohol in this is almost the same as a Long Island Iced Tea, except blue curacao replaces triple sec.
As I started organizing my pictures, I remembered I never shared any of my pictures from an earlier great zoo adventure. So here is a picture from a trip to the Oakland Zoo in Spring 2008.
Bonus points if you can name the people in the picture.
Now to my recent San Diego Zoo trip. I will skimp on the descriptions as most of the animals could be identified by a competent kindergardener.
At a nearby gift shop they had paper made out of elephant dung for sale. If you ever get a letter from me you should be glad I refrained from buying it.
I waited in line to see the pandas. It was a disappointment. First, the name "giant panda" is misleading; I could almost throw one in my backpack. Second, they just sit around and eat. They have the digestive track of carnivores but eat bamboo all day. Third, they look like bears with black and white fur. If you want to see something different and not wait in line check out our friend below.
This last one is less well known; it is an okapi. If you are not familiar with these cousins of giraffes ask the Unnamed Geniuses to learn more. There is a great history of how European scientists heard stories of okapi but thought they were mere myths until some evidence of them was collected. If you want to learn more about the process check out Cryptozoology.
Here we have Larry making friends with an expert who looks like Brandon.
After the zoo we went to Dave & Buster's to eat and wait for the traffic to subside. Along with dinner many of us had drinks while it was still happy hour. Larry was heavily pushing AMFs. On that topic, I have another drink recipe.
A.M.F.
1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Rum
1/2 oz Tequila
1/2 oz Blue curacao
2 oz 7-Up
2 oz Sweet and sour mix
Mix the first six ingredients and then top with 7-up. While the drink usually goes by its initials, its full name is Adios Motherfucker. After you have a few of them you will know why. The alcohol in this is almost the same as a Long Island Iced Tea, except blue curacao replaces triple sec.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Long Islands and Small Celebrations
I was at BevMo last week. The trip was to restock on many good things that were dwindling if not completely gone from my residence. I also checked if there were any good wines left at the end of the 5 cent wine sale.
Aside from the alcohol, one item I purchased was a double jigger. This is used to measure ingredients for cocktails. Normally I use a shot glass labeled with half ounce increments for measurements, but I wanted to upgrade to a classic jigger and avoid using a breakable shot glass.
The packaging for the item was labeled as measuring 3/4 oz on one side and 1 3/4 oz on the other. This was surprising to me as I would expect one side to be twice the size of the other from the name jigger and double jigger. I did a test when I got home and discovered the item actually measures 3/4 oz and 1 1/2 oz. The packaging lied to me.
On the topic of using 3/4 oz as a measurement, I have a recipe.
Long Island Iced Tea
0.75 oz Vodka
0.75 oz Gin
0.75 oz Rum
0.75 oz Tequila
0.75 oz Triple sec
Cola
Mix equal parts of the five alcohols and then top with cola.
There are many different variations with different liquors or sour mix instead of cola, but this is the only version I have made at home. Whenever I go to Las Vegas I like to order a Long Island at every different casino they offer me drinks at. While I did not write down what place used which mixer, I enjoyed all of them. I think the Bellagio and Wynn used sour mix, while the Las Vegas Hilton used cola. You should know a Long Island Iced Tea is one of the stronger drinks you can order.
One of the many liquors I bought was Pimm's No. 1. This is great for a summertime drink popular in the UK.
Pimm's Cup
1.5 oz Pimm's No. 1
Ginger ale
Mix the two ingredients and enjoy. The ginger ale can be replaced with lemonade or champagne (becoming a Pimm's Royal Cup). A little history of Pimm's Cup is available from the Unnamed Geniuses. Pimm's No. 1 has a base of gin and is infused with spices and stuff. There are also a few variations listed at the Webtender.
Drifting from drinks to a dessert, my neighbor sent me the following recipe from an email. I tried and enjoyed it.
5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake
4 Tbsp flour
4 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa
1 egg
3 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp chocolate chips
Small splash of vanilla extract
Add the flour, sugar, and cocoa to a large microwave safe mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract and mix some more. Put the mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
This is perfect for any occasion you want to celebrate at the last minute. If you can't think of one immediately, my next post will give you a reason to celebrate.
Aside from the alcohol, one item I purchased was a double jigger. This is used to measure ingredients for cocktails. Normally I use a shot glass labeled with half ounce increments for measurements, but I wanted to upgrade to a classic jigger and avoid using a breakable shot glass.
The packaging for the item was labeled as measuring 3/4 oz on one side and 1 3/4 oz on the other. This was surprising to me as I would expect one side to be twice the size of the other from the name jigger and double jigger. I did a test when I got home and discovered the item actually measures 3/4 oz and 1 1/2 oz. The packaging lied to me.
On the topic of using 3/4 oz as a measurement, I have a recipe.
Long Island Iced Tea
0.75 oz Vodka
0.75 oz Gin
0.75 oz Rum
0.75 oz Tequila
0.75 oz Triple sec
Cola
Mix equal parts of the five alcohols and then top with cola.
There are many different variations with different liquors or sour mix instead of cola, but this is the only version I have made at home. Whenever I go to Las Vegas I like to order a Long Island at every different casino they offer me drinks at. While I did not write down what place used which mixer, I enjoyed all of them. I think the Bellagio and Wynn used sour mix, while the Las Vegas Hilton used cola. You should know a Long Island Iced Tea is one of the stronger drinks you can order.
One of the many liquors I bought was Pimm's No. 1. This is great for a summertime drink popular in the UK.
Pimm's Cup
1.5 oz Pimm's No. 1
Ginger ale
Mix the two ingredients and enjoy. The ginger ale can be replaced with lemonade or champagne (becoming a Pimm's Royal Cup). A little history of Pimm's Cup is available from the Unnamed Geniuses. Pimm's No. 1 has a base of gin and is infused with spices and stuff. There are also a few variations listed at the Webtender.
Drifting from drinks to a dessert, my neighbor sent me the following recipe from an email. I tried and enjoyed it.
5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake
4 Tbsp flour
4 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa
1 egg
3 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp chocolate chips
Small splash of vanilla extract
Add the flour, sugar, and cocoa to a large microwave safe mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract and mix some more. Put the mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
This is perfect for any occasion you want to celebrate at the last minute. If you can't think of one immediately, my next post will give you a reason to celebrate.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Enjoy a Belmont Breeze at the Stakes
This post is over a month late, but I want to complete my series talking about the Triple Crown and the races' drinks (here are the first and second parts). The Belmont Stakes is the longest of the three Triple Crown races at 1.5 miles (12 furlongs). This year was the 142nd running of the Belmont Stakes and occurred at Belmont Park in New York. The Run for the Carnations as it is called is older than either the Derby or the Preakness.
Official Recipe
This is the recipe as it was listed on the official website and the way it was made at 2010's Belmont Stakes.
1.5 oz Woodford Reserve bourbon
2 oz Lemonade
1 oz Pomegranate juice
Shake vigorously with ice and serve in a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with red cherry or lemon twist.
Original Recipe
The recipe above is not the original recipe for a Belmont Breeze. The drink was originally created for the race and debuted at the 1998 race. The recipe below is from Kingcocktail.com, the website of Dale DeGroff. I am inclined to give this recipe creditability, since Dale did invent the Belmont Breeze.
1 1/2 ounces Makers Mark Bourbon
1/2 ounce Dry Sack Sherry
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 simple syrup
Splash fresh orange juice
Splash cranberry juice
5 mint leaves
1 mint sprig
1 orange zest
Assemble the first six ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with orange peel and mint sprig.
Another Variation
Somehow people have contrived another recipe. This is copied from another site. When I made the drink last year at home this is how I made it.
1 1/2 oz. Seagrams 7
3/4 oz. Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry
1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz. Simple Syrup
1 1/2 oz. Fresh Orange juice
1 1/2 oz. Cranberry juice
1 oz. of soda
1 oz. of 7up
fresh strawberry
lemon wedge
(you may substitute 1 oz. of Sweet & Sour mix for the lemon juice and simple syrup although fresh ingredients are best)
Shake first 6 ingredients with ice and top with half 7up and half soda, approximately one ounce of each. Garnish with fresh strawberry, a mint sprig, and a lemon wedge.
I have not tried all of these variations. If you are interested in a Belmont Breeze I would suggest you go with whichever recipe you like best. As long as you understand the origin (original recipe, one used in 2010, etc.) it should be fine.
White Carnation
This was the official drink of the Belmont until it was displaced by the Belmont Breeze in 1998. The great thing is almost everyone agrees on this recipe.
2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
1 splash Cream
2 oz Orange Juice
Club Soda
Stir and pour over ice. Garnish with orange slice.
Official Recipe
This is the recipe as it was listed on the official website and the way it was made at 2010's Belmont Stakes.
1.5 oz Woodford Reserve bourbon
2 oz Lemonade
1 oz Pomegranate juice
Shake vigorously with ice and serve in a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with red cherry or lemon twist.
Original Recipe
The recipe above is not the original recipe for a Belmont Breeze. The drink was originally created for the race and debuted at the 1998 race. The recipe below is from Kingcocktail.com, the website of Dale DeGroff. I am inclined to give this recipe creditability, since Dale did invent the Belmont Breeze.
1 1/2 ounces Makers Mark Bourbon
1/2 ounce Dry Sack Sherry
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 simple syrup
Splash fresh orange juice
Splash cranberry juice
5 mint leaves
1 mint sprig
1 orange zest
Assemble the first six ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with orange peel and mint sprig.
Another Variation
Somehow people have contrived another recipe. This is copied from another site. When I made the drink last year at home this is how I made it.
1 1/2 oz. Seagrams 7
3/4 oz. Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry
1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz. Simple Syrup
1 1/2 oz. Fresh Orange juice
1 1/2 oz. Cranberry juice
1 oz. of soda
1 oz. of 7up
fresh strawberry
lemon wedge
(you may substitute 1 oz. of Sweet & Sour mix for the lemon juice and simple syrup although fresh ingredients are best)
Shake first 6 ingredients with ice and top with half 7up and half soda, approximately one ounce of each. Garnish with fresh strawberry, a mint sprig, and a lemon wedge.
I have not tried all of these variations. If you are interested in a Belmont Breeze I would suggest you go with whichever recipe you like best. As long as you understand the origin (original recipe, one used in 2010, etc.) it should be fine.
White Carnation
This was the official drink of the Belmont until it was displaced by the Belmont Breeze in 1998. The great thing is almost everyone agrees on this recipe.
2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
1 splash Cream
2 oz Orange Juice
Club Soda
Stir and pour over ice. Garnish with orange slice.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Some Computer Issues
A few weeks ago some computer problems popped up. In the hope of helping you when your computer goes bad, I will relate my experience here. If you make it past all the specifics of my stories there are two drink recipes at the end.
One day I was using Internet Explorer (do not use Internet Explorer, try Firefox or Chrome instead) and the Java nameplate came up as if I had just started a Java application. Since I did not start any Java program, I knew immediately my computer was infected with some kind of maleware. After a fake anti-virus scanner (fake because the despicable people who wrote the program attacked my computer to get me to buy their product) popped up, I could not even Ctrl-Alt-Del out of it. The fake anti-virus would not even let me open any of my anti-virus or anti-malware programs.
I started my Windows XP machine in Safe Mode by pressing F8 multiple times after the BIOS loaded. Using Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, I found the infection and removed it. I also ran Spybot-Search & Destroy and it found one other problem and it removed.
My next problem was getting back online. When I opened Chrome, it said the website was not found and might have moved. It said this for every website. Internet Explorer could not connect to the internet; I think it said there were connectivity problems. All of this mystified me, because I was able to update all of my anti-malware programs. My computer could connect to the internet, but neither Chrome nor Internet Explorer could grab a website.
For some reason I clicked on Firefox. For an even stranger reason it worked perfectly.
Using this working web browser, I googled my problem. I tried one of the fixes posted in a several year old thread. In Internet Explorer, I went to Tools -> Internet Options -> Connections tab where I played with a setting (I think it was LAN Settings -> uncheck use a proxy server). The problem was fixed. Both Internet Explorer and Chrome worked perfectly. I would think each browser would be independent of the settings in another browser, but that was not the case.
What you need to know
This is a good time to say a few things you should do to protect yourself from viruses/malware/other problems.
RAndoM Problems
Last October I wrote a long post telling the story of some problems I had. I never published the post, so I will give you the relevant points here.
I discovered RAM can go bad. The symptoms are some programs will not open, some files will not copy correctly, and running a diagnostic program from the computer manufacturer will indicate a RAM problem. It looked like my hard drive was dying, but it was only the RAM.
The fun highlights of my story include watching Stargate SG-1 (episode 4 of season 7, Orpheus to be exact) until the video froze up (the first indication of trouble), going to Fry's Electronics, buying and installing a new hard drive I did not need, and enjoying a Jagerbomb.
Jagerbomb
1.5 oz Jagermeister
can of Red Bull (or other energy drink)
Fill a shot glass with Jagermeister. Fill a larger glass half full of energy drink. Drop the shot glass filled with Jagermeister into the energy drink and immediately consume the drink.
This is not directly related, but it is a drink you should try.
Guinness Punch
12 oz Guinness stout
0.5 cup sweetened condensed milk
raw egg
cinnamon
nutmeg
Mix all the ingredients with a whisk or in a blender. Garnish with additional cinnamon and nutmeg if desired. Some recipes include cocoa as well as cinnamon and nutmeg.
In the past Derek has watched my consumption of raw eggs with mixed feelings. If you try this drink you should let him know the wonders it does for your health.
I hope you learned something useful about fixing computer problems or making drinks.
One day I was using Internet Explorer (do not use Internet Explorer, try Firefox or Chrome instead) and the Java nameplate came up as if I had just started a Java application. Since I did not start any Java program, I knew immediately my computer was infected with some kind of maleware. After a fake anti-virus scanner (fake because the despicable people who wrote the program attacked my computer to get me to buy their product) popped up, I could not even Ctrl-Alt-Del out of it. The fake anti-virus would not even let me open any of my anti-virus or anti-malware programs.
I started my Windows XP machine in Safe Mode by pressing F8 multiple times after the BIOS loaded. Using Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, I found the infection and removed it. I also ran Spybot-Search & Destroy and it found one other problem and it removed.
My next problem was getting back online. When I opened Chrome, it said the website was not found and might have moved. It said this for every website. Internet Explorer could not connect to the internet; I think it said there were connectivity problems. All of this mystified me, because I was able to update all of my anti-malware programs. My computer could connect to the internet, but neither Chrome nor Internet Explorer could grab a website.
For some reason I clicked on Firefox. For an even stranger reason it worked perfectly.
Using this working web browser, I googled my problem. I tried one of the fixes posted in a several year old thread. In Internet Explorer, I went to Tools -> Internet Options -> Connections tab where I played with a setting (I think it was LAN Settings -> uncheck use a proxy server). The problem was fixed. Both Internet Explorer and Chrome worked perfectly. I would think each browser would be independent of the settings in another browser, but that was not the case.
What you need to know
This is a good time to say a few things you should do to protect yourself from viruses/malware/other problems.
- Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware- This is the first program I go to when I think there is a problem. It is available for free so download it now. Even if you do not have a problem currently, install it now so it is there when an infection happens and you need it. Like all anti-malware programs, always update it before you run a scan so the latest definitions are loaded.
- Program updates- Java and Adobe Reader are often accessed to open materials online. As such they can also be accessed by malicious programs which exploit weaknesses to harm your computer. Java can be updated by going through the Control Panel (using Classic View, click the Java icon). I am not sure how to update Adobe Reader. I have the professional version of Acrobat instead and that program updates through its help menu.
RAndoM Problems
Last October I wrote a long post telling the story of some problems I had. I never published the post, so I will give you the relevant points here.
I discovered RAM can go bad. The symptoms are some programs will not open, some files will not copy correctly, and running a diagnostic program from the computer manufacturer will indicate a RAM problem. It looked like my hard drive was dying, but it was only the RAM.
The fun highlights of my story include watching Stargate SG-1 (episode 4 of season 7, Orpheus to be exact) until the video froze up (the first indication of trouble), going to Fry's Electronics, buying and installing a new hard drive I did not need, and enjoying a Jagerbomb.
Jagerbomb
1.5 oz Jagermeister
can of Red Bull (or other energy drink)
Fill a shot glass with Jagermeister. Fill a larger glass half full of energy drink. Drop the shot glass filled with Jagermeister into the energy drink and immediately consume the drink.
This is not directly related, but it is a drink you should try.
Guinness Punch
12 oz Guinness stout
0.5 cup sweetened condensed milk
raw egg
cinnamon
nutmeg
Mix all the ingredients with a whisk or in a blender. Garnish with additional cinnamon and nutmeg if desired. Some recipes include cocoa as well as cinnamon and nutmeg.
In the past Derek has watched my consumption of raw eggs with mixed feelings. If you try this drink you should let him know the wonders it does for your health.
I hope you learned something useful about fixing computer problems or making drinks.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Race for the Black-Eyed Susans
Tomorrow is the 135th running of the Preakness Stakes. People will be making their way to see the horses run at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Two weeks ago my post about the Kentucky Derby opened this series.
Will the Derby winner Super Saver win the second crown? Or will he be beaten by Lookin At Lucky who is almost equally favored in the odds? Calvin Borel rode Rachel Alexandra to victory in last year's Preakness, can he repeat the feat with Super Saver? All these questions will be answered tomorrow in the 1 3/16 mile race.
The race website has many race traditions chronicled. There is the singing of "Maryland, My Maryland" and the painting of the winner's colors on the weather vain on the Old Clubhouse cupola.
Also online is the official drink recipe. It is reproduced below, but I use whatever vodka brand I have at hand. In case you are wondering, the Black-Eyed Susan is a flower. It is the state flower of Maryland and the winner of the Preakness is presented with a blanket of the flowers. This lends the race another name, the same way the Kentucky Derby is the Run for the Roses.
Black-Eyed Susan
1 1/4 oz Early Times Kentucky Whiskey
3/4 oz 42 Below Vodka
3 oz Sour Mix
2 oz Orange Juice
Combine and garnish with orange slice and cherry.
I will take this opportunity to add to my post from the Derby a couple of weeks ago. I made some Derby Pie and it had a full stick of butter.
Derby Pie
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 unbaked pie shell (the recipe insisted upon Pillsbury, but I used Marie Calender's)
Preheat oven to 350. Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and melted butter. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Pour into pie shell and bake for 30-40 minutes. Let cool to set.
Will the Derby winner Super Saver win the second crown? Or will he be beaten by Lookin At Lucky who is almost equally favored in the odds? Calvin Borel rode Rachel Alexandra to victory in last year's Preakness, can he repeat the feat with Super Saver? All these questions will be answered tomorrow in the 1 3/16 mile race.
The race website has many race traditions chronicled. There is the singing of "Maryland, My Maryland" and the painting of the winner's colors on the weather vain on the Old Clubhouse cupola.
Also online is the official drink recipe. It is reproduced below, but I use whatever vodka brand I have at hand. In case you are wondering, the Black-Eyed Susan is a flower. It is the state flower of Maryland and the winner of the Preakness is presented with a blanket of the flowers. This lends the race another name, the same way the Kentucky Derby is the Run for the Roses.
Black-Eyed Susan
1 1/4 oz Early Times Kentucky Whiskey
3/4 oz 42 Below Vodka
3 oz Sour Mix
2 oz Orange Juice
Combine and garnish with orange slice and cherry.
I will take this opportunity to add to my post from the Derby a couple of weeks ago. I made some Derby Pie and it had a full stick of butter.
Derby Pie
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 unbaked pie shell (the recipe insisted upon Pillsbury, but I used Marie Calender's)
Preheat oven to 350. Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and melted butter. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Pour into pie shell and bake for 30-40 minutes. Let cool to set.
Friday, April 30, 2010
A Taste and Some Sips
This past weekend was the Taste of Huntington Beach. It is an annual fundraiser to support the children's part of the Huntington Beach Public Library.
Local restaurants have booths where they give samples of their foods. Some wineries and breweries also participate by pouring their products. People pay to enter the event and try all this food and drink. The profits of the event then go to buy books or other necessities for the children's library.
I bring all this up because my parents were involved with planning the event. I spent a lot of time make signs, picking up donations, and doing other stuff to be helpful. This is also part of the reason for my recent paucity of posts.
On the day of the event I had an interesting job. I was one of the official beer judges. There were seven breweries that came to the event, so I had to try the products all of them brought. This does not mean I tried seven different beers. Many of them brought multiple types of beer so I ended up drinking twenty different beers. These were all two ounce sips or less, at least they were supposed to be.
Earlier last week
While I am on the topic, there are a couple of other food related stories I will present.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Blizzard, Dairy Queen had a special: buy one Blizzard and get one for 25 cents. By buying a couple and bringing them home to share, I enjoyed the wonderful flavors of midnight truffle, Oreo cookie jar, chocolate covered strawberry, and Georgia mud pie.
A 7-Eleven opened a few months ago a few blocks from my house. To get people in the store, they have put out some good coupons. Last week I had a coupon for a free quarter pound hot dog. Since the clerk had trouble ringing it up (he originally charged me for the hot dog), he gave me a free donut. I walked out with a Big Gulp of Dr. Pepper, a hot dog loaded with onions, chili, and cheese, and a donut for the bargain price of $1.49.
Last week I went to Steve's Charburgers. While I have lived a block away from it for over nine years, I only ate there for the first time last week. I have been missing out, it was great.
In writing this post, I decided to look Steve's up online. One of the negative reviews was from a person who saw a complete disregard for health codes. Even after reading that, I am still looking forward to my next tasty trip there.
When reading these reviews, I was reminded of Arnaud. He is a student from France who was studying abroad at Cal my senior year. He would talk about the poor food quality at a couple of the Chinese restaurants in Berkeley. Arnaud talked about the rotten meat these places served. He would say all this as we were walking to eat there. When we got to the restaurants, he would eagerly order and eat the food. These were his favorite places to eat, even though he verbally trashed them until he finished walking through the door to order.
Arnaud's favorite place to eat was 145 Chinese (Chinese Express) across Channing from Unit Three. On my last trip to Berkeley in January, I discovered it had closed :(
I drank some beer earlier today, but I will need another post to erect the explanation behind that.
Local restaurants have booths where they give samples of their foods. Some wineries and breweries also participate by pouring their products. People pay to enter the event and try all this food and drink. The profits of the event then go to buy books or other necessities for the children's library.
I bring all this up because my parents were involved with planning the event. I spent a lot of time make signs, picking up donations, and doing other stuff to be helpful. This is also part of the reason for my recent paucity of posts.
On the day of the event I had an interesting job. I was one of the official beer judges. There were seven breweries that came to the event, so I had to try the products all of them brought. This does not mean I tried seven different beers. Many of them brought multiple types of beer so I ended up drinking twenty different beers. These were all two ounce sips or less, at least they were supposed to be.
Earlier last week
While I am on the topic, there are a couple of other food related stories I will present.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Blizzard, Dairy Queen had a special: buy one Blizzard and get one for 25 cents. By buying a couple and bringing them home to share, I enjoyed the wonderful flavors of midnight truffle, Oreo cookie jar, chocolate covered strawberry, and Georgia mud pie.
A 7-Eleven opened a few months ago a few blocks from my house. To get people in the store, they have put out some good coupons. Last week I had a coupon for a free quarter pound hot dog. Since the clerk had trouble ringing it up (he originally charged me for the hot dog), he gave me a free donut. I walked out with a Big Gulp of Dr. Pepper, a hot dog loaded with onions, chili, and cheese, and a donut for the bargain price of $1.49.
Last week I went to Steve's Charburgers. While I have lived a block away from it for over nine years, I only ate there for the first time last week. I have been missing out, it was great.
In writing this post, I decided to look Steve's up online. One of the negative reviews was from a person who saw a complete disregard for health codes. Even after reading that, I am still looking forward to my next tasty trip there.
When reading these reviews, I was reminded of Arnaud. He is a student from France who was studying abroad at Cal my senior year. He would talk about the poor food quality at a couple of the Chinese restaurants in Berkeley. Arnaud talked about the rotten meat these places served. He would say all this as we were walking to eat there. When we got to the restaurants, he would eagerly order and eat the food. These were his favorite places to eat, even though he verbally trashed them until he finished walking through the door to order.
Arnaud's favorite place to eat was 145 Chinese (Chinese Express) across Channing from Unit Three. On my last trip to Berkeley in January, I discovered it had closed :(
I drank some beer earlier today, but I will need another post to erect the explanation behind that.
The First Crown at Churchill Downs
Tomorrow is the first Saturday in May. This will make it the 136th running of the Kenturcky Derby.
There are a lot of traditions associated with the Derby. These include playing Stephen Foster's "My Old Kentucky Home" and draping the wining horse with a garland of roses. To celebrate this event that happens at Chruchill Downs, enjoy an official Kentucky Derby Mint Julep. The recipe is quoted below.
If you do not have a silver julep cup, any small cup should work. For a cold frosted look, place the cup in the freezer first.
If that is too much alcohol for you, try an Oaks Lily instead. From the official site again:
Once again, it is doubtful anyone has the mentioned glassware. While the Kentucky Oaks is tonight and the Kentucky Derby is tomorrow, these drinks are suitable for anytime.
Two weeks from now I will talk about Pimlico Race Course and the Blacked-Eyed Susan.
There are a lot of traditions associated with the Derby. These include playing Stephen Foster's "My Old Kentucky Home" and draping the wining horse with a garland of roses. To celebrate this event that happens at Chruchill Downs, enjoy an official Kentucky Derby Mint Julep. The recipe is quoted below.
Early Times Mint Julep Recipe
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Sprigs of fresh mint
Crushed ice
Early Times Kentucky Whisky
Silver Julep Cups
Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with six or eight sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate overnight. Make one julep at a time by filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon mint syrup and two ounces of Early Times Kentucky Whisky. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
If you do not have a silver julep cup, any small cup should work. For a cold frosted look, place the cup in the freezer first.
If that is too much alcohol for you, try an Oaks Lily instead. From the official site again:
The Oaks Lily®
1 oz. Vodka
1 oz. Sweet and Sour Mix
3 oz. Cranberry Juice
Splash of Triple Sec
When the ingredients are mixed, place the pinkish cocktail in an official Oaks Lily® glass (stem-less wine glass) with crushed ice, add a straw and garnish with an orange wedge and cherry.
Once again, it is doubtful anyone has the mentioned glassware. While the Kentucky Oaks is tonight and the Kentucky Derby is tomorrow, these drinks are suitable for anytime.
Two weeks from now I will talk about Pimlico Race Course and the Blacked-Eyed Susan.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
More posts, a word press, and a monster
This is my 34th post of this year. In the last two and a half months I have made as many posts as I did in from April to December of last year. I am pleased my habit of regular posting is developing. For this year I am averaging once every 2-3 days.
As an update to an earlier post, someone can be taken off of the online milk carton. His blog is back up and I am adding Grano De Mostasa to the sidebar. I met David through church a long time ago. Now he is one of those all too prevalent law students. He did the Jesuit Volunteer Corps so he is currently in his first year. When you are at his blog make sure you see what places he identifies as Paradise Lost and Welcome to Hell.
This drink has a name that sounds like it is fun for the whole family.
Jager Monster
1 oz Jagermeister
1/2 oz Amaretto
1 tsp Grenadine
Orange Juice
Combine everything in the same glass. The addition of the Amaretto is something I got from the The Bartender's Black Book by Stephen Kittredge Cunningham. It is a good reference with a lot of drinks and I would recommend picking it up if you want to make any amount of mixed drinks. I have one at home and it is often consulted.
As an update to an earlier post, someone can be taken off of the online milk carton. His blog is back up and I am adding Grano De Mostasa to the sidebar. I met David through church a long time ago. Now he is one of those all too prevalent law students. He did the Jesuit Volunteer Corps so he is currently in his first year. When you are at his blog make sure you see what places he identifies as Paradise Lost and Welcome to Hell.
This drink has a name that sounds like it is fun for the whole family.
Jager Monster
1 oz Jagermeister
1/2 oz Amaretto
1 tsp Grenadine
Orange Juice
Combine everything in the same glass. The addition of the Amaretto is something I got from the The Bartender's Black Book by Stephen Kittredge Cunningham. It is a good reference with a lot of drinks and I would recommend picking it up if you want to make any amount of mixed drinks. I have one at home and it is often consulted.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Irish Cocktail and Corn Casserole
In the past week I have read 100+ pages in three different books and over 30 pages of a textbook, but have not yet finished any of them. (Actually, since I wrote that line yesterday I finished one. A post will be forthcoming.)
As an update to a previous post about GRE scores, I have my actual report to share. My Analytical Writing score was 3.5 out of 6 which is in the 23rd percentile. For the other two sections, the percentiles are exactly what I guessed in the previous post, Verbal 90th and Quantitative 62nd.
As I said before, I know I can do much better on the test. While ETS says people who retake the test usually do not see a significant change in score, I have some personal experience that differs. Once upon a time back when Writing was a separate SAT II subject test (May 2003), I took it. The first time I got 520, which is the 21st percentile (from a chart I found). Before the test I had a lot of literal drama and trauma. It was one of the craziest and most surreal weeks of my life. When I took the test a second time without the extenuating circumstances, I scored 760 (or 92nd percentile). If I ever do retake the GRE, I will be preparing and aiming for 90th percentile or higher in all three sections.
Now for the next installment of Chris's Cocktails & Casseroles.
Plain and Fancy Corn Casserole
1 can creamed corn
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup cut up pepper
Little cut up onion (I used half an onion, but use less if you like it less)
2 tbsp melted butter
1/2-1 cup shredded cheese, divided
2 egg yokes
Combine and place in an ungreased (I do not believe in ungreased, but you can try if you want to) casserole pan. Top with more cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
I doubled this recipe and added a can of whole corn. It was delicious.
This recipe was on a card in my Mom's recipe box at home. The title of Plain and Fancy comes from the TV show of the same name in Buffalo many years ago.
Even though St. Patrick's Day has passed, there is nothing wrong with enjoying this next cocktail year round.
Irish Car Bomb
Bottle Guinness beer
0.75 oz Jameson Irish whiskey
0.75 oz Baileys Irish cream
Fill a large glass half full with Guinness. Then take a shot glass and fill it half full with whiskey and then float the cream on top of that. If you want to be fancy, slowly pour the cream on the back of an inverted spoon into the already half full shot glass. Next, take the shot glass and gently (or aggressively if you don't mind a mess) drop it glass and all into the glass with the Guinness. Immediately chug the drink, as the reaction of the ingredients will start to curdle.
As an update to a previous post about GRE scores, I have my actual report to share. My Analytical Writing score was 3.5 out of 6 which is in the 23rd percentile. For the other two sections, the percentiles are exactly what I guessed in the previous post, Verbal 90th and Quantitative 62nd.
As I said before, I know I can do much better on the test. While ETS says people who retake the test usually do not see a significant change in score, I have some personal experience that differs. Once upon a time back when Writing was a separate SAT II subject test (May 2003), I took it. The first time I got 520, which is the 21st percentile (from a chart I found). Before the test I had a lot of literal drama and trauma. It was one of the craziest and most surreal weeks of my life. When I took the test a second time without the extenuating circumstances, I scored 760 (or 92nd percentile). If I ever do retake the GRE, I will be preparing and aiming for 90th percentile or higher in all three sections.
Now for the next installment of Chris's Cocktails & Casseroles.
Plain and Fancy Corn Casserole
1 can creamed corn
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup cut up pepper
Little cut up onion (I used half an onion, but use less if you like it less)
2 tbsp melted butter
1/2-1 cup shredded cheese, divided
2 egg yokes
Combine and place in an ungreased (I do not believe in ungreased, but you can try if you want to) casserole pan. Top with more cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
I doubled this recipe and added a can of whole corn. It was delicious.
This recipe was on a card in my Mom's recipe box at home. The title of Plain and Fancy comes from the TV show of the same name in Buffalo many years ago.
Even though St. Patrick's Day has passed, there is nothing wrong with enjoying this next cocktail year round.
Irish Car Bomb
Bottle Guinness beer
0.75 oz Jameson Irish whiskey
0.75 oz Baileys Irish cream
Fill a large glass half full with Guinness. Then take a shot glass and fill it half full with whiskey and then float the cream on top of that. If you want to be fancy, slowly pour the cream on the back of an inverted spoon into the already half full shot glass. Next, take the shot glass and gently (or aggressively if you don't mind a mess) drop it glass and all into the glass with the Guinness. Immediately chug the drink, as the reaction of the ingredients will start to curdle.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
An Introduction to the Manor Farm
On Sunday I finished reading Animal Farm by George Orwell.
Why I picked it up at the time I did: When I read some things about Jack London it linked his dystopian novel The Iron Heel to Nineteen Eighty-Four. That put Orwell in my mind. Later when I went to the library and was reading God is not Great, it mentioned Animal Farm and asked why heaven hates ham? In light of my earlier posts about BBQ, I knew I had to read the book immediately.
Under the original title Animal Farm, A Fairy Story, it was written by Orwell to express what he saw happening in Russia after the revolution. The promises and subversions of the revolution leaders are examined by the actions of animals who take over a farm. If you have not read the book, it is short, easy to understand, and enjoyable.
If possible, you should read Orwell's purposed but originally unpublished introduction to the novel. There is a copy of the introduction available online. It summarizes his struggle to find a publisher and is a tract for freedom of the press. Also floating around out there is Orwell's introduction to the Ukrainian edition of the novel. It basically introduces Orwell as the author, establishes his involvement in the Spanish Civil War, and why the story is important to him. However, reading the previous paragraph of this post is more introductory material than you need to reap the knowledge of the book. These are both good introductions, unlike the one in front of the edition I read.
A word on Introductions
Why do publishers put writing in the front of books and call them introductions if they give away details of the plot and slant viewpoints of the readers? Are works really so hard to understand or people so stupid that they need to be told the lessons and points of the story before it begins? An introduction that comes before a work (novel, short story, etc.) should respect the plot and actions of what is to follow.
As a person who writes things and tells stories, I would be offended if my work was preempted by spoiler type information. Surprise, contradiction, and sudden plot twists can be used to great effect. However, if a publisher has given away the farm with dissemination of details up front the reader is robbed of the full force and experience of reading the work.
In Animal Farm, when something bad happened to one of the characters at the end of the book, I knew it was going to happen because the introduction had already hinted at it. Any feelings of outrage or betrayal I felt were tempered, because I knew what was coming long before the end.
There is something called an afterword. It is placed after the work and read after the work. As such, it can give a fuller discussion of the book and mention any details of the plot it wants to.
As I have said before, I will not carelessly reveal any details of books or other works on this blog that could take away from experiencing the works themselves for the first time. The following image does not tell anything about the story or what will happen to any of the characters so I will post it. It is what I imagined the flag to be like when I was reading the book.
Now it is time for something else.
Drama Queen
2 oz Rum
1/2 oz Peach schnapps
Orange juice
7-up
After combining the rum and peach schnapps, fill with half 7-up and half orange juice. I found this drink at Bar None Drinks.
Why I picked it up at the time I did: When I read some things about Jack London it linked his dystopian novel The Iron Heel to Nineteen Eighty-Four. That put Orwell in my mind. Later when I went to the library and was reading God is not Great, it mentioned Animal Farm and asked why heaven hates ham? In light of my earlier posts about BBQ, I knew I had to read the book immediately.
Under the original title Animal Farm, A Fairy Story, it was written by Orwell to express what he saw happening in Russia after the revolution. The promises and subversions of the revolution leaders are examined by the actions of animals who take over a farm. If you have not read the book, it is short, easy to understand, and enjoyable.
If possible, you should read Orwell's purposed but originally unpublished introduction to the novel. There is a copy of the introduction available online. It summarizes his struggle to find a publisher and is a tract for freedom of the press. Also floating around out there is Orwell's introduction to the Ukrainian edition of the novel. It basically introduces Orwell as the author, establishes his involvement in the Spanish Civil War, and why the story is important to him. However, reading the previous paragraph of this post is more introductory material than you need to reap the knowledge of the book. These are both good introductions, unlike the one in front of the edition I read.
A word on Introductions
Why do publishers put writing in the front of books and call them introductions if they give away details of the plot and slant viewpoints of the readers? Are works really so hard to understand or people so stupid that they need to be told the lessons and points of the story before it begins? An introduction that comes before a work (novel, short story, etc.) should respect the plot and actions of what is to follow.
As a person who writes things and tells stories, I would be offended if my work was preempted by spoiler type information. Surprise, contradiction, and sudden plot twists can be used to great effect. However, if a publisher has given away the farm with dissemination of details up front the reader is robbed of the full force and experience of reading the work.
In Animal Farm, when something bad happened to one of the characters at the end of the book, I knew it was going to happen because the introduction had already hinted at it. Any feelings of outrage or betrayal I felt were tempered, because I knew what was coming long before the end.
There is something called an afterword. It is placed after the work and read after the work. As such, it can give a fuller discussion of the book and mention any details of the plot it wants to.
As I have said before, I will not carelessly reveal any details of books or other works on this blog that could take away from experiencing the works themselves for the first time. The following image does not tell anything about the story or what will happen to any of the characters so I will post it. It is what I imagined the flag to be like when I was reading the book.
Now it is time for something else.Drama Queen
2 oz Rum
1/2 oz Peach schnapps
Orange juice
7-up
After combining the rum and peach schnapps, fill with half 7-up and half orange juice. I found this drink at Bar None Drinks.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Dessert Recipes and a Drink
Hurry Up Coffee Cake
This is an easy one I got from my Mom.
1 package yellow cake mix
1 cup flour
1 can fruit pie filling (can be cherry, peach, apple, or any kind you like)
4 eggs
Combine the cake mix, flour, and eggs. Cut up any large chucks of fruit in the pie filling.** Stir the pie filling into the mixture. This can be put into a bread pan (I think it can fill two) or a 9x13 pan. Either way grease the pan throughly.
Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. If it is a 9x13 pan, it can take 5-10 minutes less. Use a toothpick to see if it is baked throughout. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done.
**If my Grandma is making this with cherry pie filling, she likes to leave the cherries whole and gently mix them in. This way when the finished cake is eaten the cherries are still individual cherries.
Pumpkin Delight
This recipe came from one of my Mom's friends. Even with the high price of pumpkin recently this is worth making. How can this not be good? It has two sticks of butter!
1 large can pumpkin (not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
3 eggs
1 package yellow cake mix
1 cup butter, melted
Mix the first five ingredients. Dump into a greased 9x13 pan. Then lightly and evenly sprinkle the yellow cake mix over the top. Drizzle the butter over the top and bake at 350 for one hour.
A variation is to add 1 1/2 cup chopped pecans between the cake mix and butter.
Glorious Revolution, or 1688
This is a drink I created myself. However, I am still looking for another alcohol to add to it.
1 oz Gin
1 oz Scotch
1 oz Irish whiskey
1/2 oz Triple sec
Fill with club soda.
I drew upon English history for inspiration for this drink. The alcohol represents England (gin), Scotland (scotch), and Ireland (Irish whiskey). If I knew of something I could use for Whales, I would include that as well. The triple sec (an orange flavored liquor) represents William of Orange who was invited to take over the crown of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
If you want the complete summary of the history, check out what the unnamed geniuses have written.
This is an easy one I got from my Mom.
1 package yellow cake mix
1 cup flour
1 can fruit pie filling (can be cherry, peach, apple, or any kind you like)
4 eggs
Combine the cake mix, flour, and eggs. Cut up any large chucks of fruit in the pie filling.** Stir the pie filling into the mixture. This can be put into a bread pan (I think it can fill two) or a 9x13 pan. Either way grease the pan throughly.
Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. If it is a 9x13 pan, it can take 5-10 minutes less. Use a toothpick to see if it is baked throughout. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done.
**If my Grandma is making this with cherry pie filling, she likes to leave the cherries whole and gently mix them in. This way when the finished cake is eaten the cherries are still individual cherries.
Pumpkin Delight
This recipe came from one of my Mom's friends. Even with the high price of pumpkin recently this is worth making. How can this not be good? It has two sticks of butter!
1 large can pumpkin (not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
3 eggs
1 package yellow cake mix
1 cup butter, melted
Mix the first five ingredients. Dump into a greased 9x13 pan. Then lightly and evenly sprinkle the yellow cake mix over the top. Drizzle the butter over the top and bake at 350 for one hour.
A variation is to add 1 1/2 cup chopped pecans between the cake mix and butter.
Glorious Revolution, or 1688
This is a drink I created myself. However, I am still looking for another alcohol to add to it.
1 oz Gin
1 oz Scotch
1 oz Irish whiskey
1/2 oz Triple sec
Fill with club soda.
I drew upon English history for inspiration for this drink. The alcohol represents England (gin), Scotland (scotch), and Ireland (Irish whiskey). If I knew of something I could use for Whales, I would include that as well. The triple sec (an orange flavored liquor) represents William of Orange who was invited to take over the crown of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
If you want the complete summary of the history, check out what the unnamed geniuses have written.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Cocktails and Casseroles
When I was in Northern California at the end of September, Derek gave me a few ideas.
It started Saturday morning in the hotel room. I mentioned how I remember Derek watching cooking shows on Saturday mornings senior year. There were a few things that stayed with me from the shows, like the line "If Yan can cook, so can you!" After finding and watching these shows on TV, Derek suggested I start a career as a cooking show host. In the episodes I could explain how to make one of my casseroles. Unlike other shows that gloss over the baking time, I could use it to demonstrate how to make a different alcoholic drink. It would be Chris's Cocktails & Casseroles.
I liked the idea. A good first step would be a series of online videos. However, since I do not have access to a second camera and competent cameraman (or camera person to be politically correct), there are technical issues. Until they are resolved, I will post here.
Yorkshire Chicken
A couple of weekends ago I made Yorkshire Chicken. I have made it several times before and following this easy plan you too can enjoy it.
4-5 chicken breast with ribs
(boneless will work as well, but the cooking time will need to be cut)
1/4 cup oil at most, just enough to coat the bottom of the 9x13 pan
1/3 cup flour
2 tsp salt
1/4 pepper
1.5 tsp sage
Yorkshire Pudding Ingredients:
1 cup flour (the original recipe says sifted flour, but I don't sift)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 tsp parsley flakes
1.5 cup milk
3 eggs
Remove the skin and excess fat from the chicken. Coat the outside with the flour, salt, pepper, and sage. The amounts are not vitally important, just sprinkle some of the salt, pepper, and sage on it and coat with flour. After using the oil to coat the bottom of the casserole pan, place the chicken in and bake at 400 for 40 minutes.
Mix up the Yorkshire Pudding by combining the flour, baking powder, salt, and parsley. Add in the eggs and milk, removing all the lumps by mixing.
After the chicken has been in the oven for 40 minutes, pour the Yorkshire Pudding mix into the oil at the bottom of the pan.
Return the chicken and Yorkshire to the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the Yorkshire Pudding is puffed up and a desired tint of brown.
I always remove the skin before baking so there will not be too much oil in the bottom of the pan. Too much liquid will make for a soggy Yorkshire Pudding, which I can attest is no fun.
Now onto the drink to make and enjoy.
Japanese
2 oz Brandy
0.5 oz Orgeat syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Combine ingredients with ice, stir, strain, and serve with a lemon twist.
A couple of months ago I bought a book, The Pocket Recipe Guide: Museum of the American Cocktail which has 100 drink recipes. The cocktails use a wide range of items. I had the proper ingredients at home to make 10 or 15 of the 100 drinks in the book. This is one of them.
If any of these directions are unclear, questions and comments are welcome and encouraged. For an immediate response, you can call me during the preparation if something does not look correct.
It started Saturday morning in the hotel room. I mentioned how I remember Derek watching cooking shows on Saturday mornings senior year. There were a few things that stayed with me from the shows, like the line "If Yan can cook, so can you!" After finding and watching these shows on TV, Derek suggested I start a career as a cooking show host. In the episodes I could explain how to make one of my casseroles. Unlike other shows that gloss over the baking time, I could use it to demonstrate how to make a different alcoholic drink. It would be Chris's Cocktails & Casseroles.
I liked the idea. A good first step would be a series of online videos. However, since I do not have access to a second camera and competent cameraman (or camera person to be politically correct), there are technical issues. Until they are resolved, I will post here.
Yorkshire Chicken
A couple of weekends ago I made Yorkshire Chicken. I have made it several times before and following this easy plan you too can enjoy it.
4-5 chicken breast with ribs
(boneless will work as well, but the cooking time will need to be cut)
1/4 cup oil at most, just enough to coat the bottom of the 9x13 pan
1/3 cup flour
2 tsp salt
1/4 pepper
1.5 tsp sage
Yorkshire Pudding Ingredients:
1 cup flour (the original recipe says sifted flour, but I don't sift)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 tsp parsley flakes
1.5 cup milk
3 eggs
Remove the skin and excess fat from the chicken. Coat the outside with the flour, salt, pepper, and sage. The amounts are not vitally important, just sprinkle some of the salt, pepper, and sage on it and coat with flour. After using the oil to coat the bottom of the casserole pan, place the chicken in and bake at 400 for 40 minutes.
Mix up the Yorkshire Pudding by combining the flour, baking powder, salt, and parsley. Add in the eggs and milk, removing all the lumps by mixing.
After the chicken has been in the oven for 40 minutes, pour the Yorkshire Pudding mix into the oil at the bottom of the pan.
Return the chicken and Yorkshire to the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the Yorkshire Pudding is puffed up and a desired tint of brown.
I always remove the skin before baking so there will not be too much oil in the bottom of the pan. Too much liquid will make for a soggy Yorkshire Pudding, which I can attest is no fun.
Now onto the drink to make and enjoy.
Japanese
2 oz Brandy
0.5 oz Orgeat syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Combine ingredients with ice, stir, strain, and serve with a lemon twist.
A couple of months ago I bought a book, The Pocket Recipe Guide: Museum of the American Cocktail which has 100 drink recipes. The cocktails use a wide range of items. I had the proper ingredients at home to make 10 or 15 of the 100 drinks in the book. This is one of them.
If any of these directions are unclear, questions and comments are welcome and encouraged. For an immediate response, you can call me during the preparation if something does not look correct.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Since there were two phone calls today
It is time for some practical advice on what to do when your internet connection is not working. Today two of my Mom's friends called to ask questions about how to fix a broken connection. The steps are straight forward and worked for both people, even if one of them did not call back to say it was working and be thankful for the solution.
Step One: Unplug the power to your modem (the box where the TV or phone line goes in and the cat5 computer cable goes out).
Step Two: If you have a router (the box where all the cables for different computers go), unplug it.
Step Three: Wait thirty seconds and reconnect the power to the modem.
Step Four: Wait for the lights on the modem to return to normal (usually all the lights are solid green) and then reconnect the power to the router.
Step Five: Wait for the lights on the router to return to normal, then retry the internet connection.
It is important for the router and modem to be off before reconnecting either of them. I have learned about this from personal experience on the telephone talking to Comcast service personal while dealing with irate roommates. Why someone was angry at me when it was not my responsibility to manage the internet is another story.
Also in the practical knowledge category, I have another drink recipe.
English Highball
1 oz brandy
1 oz gin
1 oz sweet vermouth
Fill with club soda
Step One: Unplug the power to your modem (the box where the TV or phone line goes in and the cat5 computer cable goes out).
Step Two: If you have a router (the box where all the cables for different computers go), unplug it.
Step Three: Wait thirty seconds and reconnect the power to the modem.
Step Four: Wait for the lights on the modem to return to normal (usually all the lights are solid green) and then reconnect the power to the router.
Step Five: Wait for the lights on the router to return to normal, then retry the internet connection.
It is important for the router and modem to be off before reconnecting either of them. I have learned about this from personal experience on the telephone talking to Comcast service personal while dealing with irate roommates. Why someone was angry at me when it was not my responsibility to manage the internet is another story.
Also in the practical knowledge category, I have another drink recipe.
English Highball
1 oz brandy
1 oz gin
1 oz sweet vermouth
Fill with club soda
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