Pear and thistle

Several weeks ago, I was in new york, and, among other adventures, joined my sister and friends for late night cocktails at Jean Georges.  They knew I would select the Pear and Thistle, a mixture (per the Internet) of  Glenlivet, pear and cremant de bourgogne.  Delightful, and no headache.  So, I decided to try my mixology skills at home.  For weeks I look for cremant de bourgogne to no avail. One day, I am at the checkout at Trader Joes, and Looking around, there is an end cap advertising cremant de bourgogne!  I jump off line, read the laBels, and grab a bottle.
So, tonight I try to recreate the drink.  
First, I go to our stash to see what scotch is available.  I pull a15yr Glennfidduch.  My husband vetoes that, seeing as we should enjoy that neat,  so we open a bottle of less pedigreed Glenfidduch - a highland being a highland.  Then, I whir  a sliced, peeled pear with a squeeze of lemon, shake it with ice and a jigger  of scotch and cardamom, strain, and top with the bubbly in a martini glass.  After 3 tries, I got the texture, if not the taste.  I am missing the depth of the spices, I think, as the recipe uses star anise, which is not in my pantry.  But, it was a yummy way to spend a Friday evening the day before the solstice. 

Lemon lavender frozen yogurt

We've had nothing but the kind of weather for al fresco dining.  Unheard of in June in Seattle!  Of course that means grilling.  Greg was reading one of his grilling cookbooks and I found this green bean salad recipe in Martha Stewart Living.


Followed by Lemon Lavender Frozen Yogurt.
I made the Lemon Curd - my first time, and so easy - and would recommend that the lavender blossoms are steeped in the Lemon curd, to subtly diffuse the lavender flavor.

Scallion Pancakes

I should NEVER have learned to make Scallion Pancakes.  It's all because Kaiti said she was going to see Tracy and Lou, and they were going to Ollie's for dinner!

    

Do:

1. use the food processor 

2. allow the dough to sit for the 30 min

3. roll as thin as possible without tearing

 

Don't:

Make the full recipe for only 3 people, even if they really love these!  This will serve 4-6 people without over indulging.

 

Squash Bounty

This is why I am always on the lookout for good squash recipes:

Here is one I found that is delicious:  Squash Casserole with West Coast Twist

For the gremolata, I substituted some basil for the parsley, since the deer seem to like the parsley and nibble most of it to the ground!

Fresh Lavender

The lavender is blooming in my garden, and Sara wanted a project.

I like lavender sodas she said, so we decided to make simple syrups - both Honey Lavender and Blackberry Lavender.

Mix with ice and club soda . . . Ahh.  Delicious!

We made more syrup and are freezing it into cubes to drop directly into soda.
Honey Lavender Syrup
Place 1 c water, 3/4 c honey and 5 to 6 sprigs of lavender blossoms in saucepan.  Bring to simmer, remove from heat.  Steep, cool, strain, store.
Blackberry Lavender Syrup
Place 1 c water, 1 c or less sugar, about 1/3 to 1/2 cup blackberries, and 5-6 sprigs of lavender blossoms.
Bring to boil, remove from heat and cool.  Strain and smash berries through strainer.  Chill.

Going to Hawaii

Getting in the spirit for our upcoming vacation, I made a coconut ice cream.  After looking at several recipes, I put this together: In a saucepan, stir 1/2 cup sugar with 1 can coconut milk until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and stir in a half can almond milk (unsweetened vanilla flavor) and 1/2 can of 1/2 and 1/2, and 1 tsp vanilla.  Chill, then freeze in ice cream maker.   Unfortunately, I misplaced the coconut that I intended to toast and add.  I made up for it with chopped chocolate and sliced almonds, added in the last few minutes of churning. 

Easter brunch

What a lovely day!  Kaiti, Sydney and Marissa organized yet another fun brunch with their families and some friends.  Supporting the usual quiche were some great salads.  And lots of desert!

I contributed a chard salad, brioche loaf with a Almond cream filling and marmalade filling, brioche rolls with chocolate ganache filling, and Martha Stewart's Raspberry Macaroons

My take on the chard salad:

Julienne younger rainbow chard

Peel and croswise slice and section some oranges

Chop pistachios 

Make dressing and toss with chard

Add oranges and pistachios and arrange to suit your style

dressing:

1 teaspoon grainy mustard
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon white pepper
pinch of salt1/2 cup olive oil

My version of Almond Cream in Sunset Magazine (March 2013).  I have been thinking of this treat almost everyday since I read the recipe:

1c Almond meal

1/2 c sugar, divided

2/3 c butter

1/4 t kosher salt

1 large egg

2T 1/2 and 1/2 or milk

1/2 c Orange marmalade that I made.

After rolling out brioche dough into rectangle, cover with almond cream and marmalade.  Roll up from long site.  Allow to rise for about an hour, then bake at 350 for 40 minutes or so.  Slice and eat!