orange juice

Sippity Sup’s Hangover Remedy (guaranteed to possibly work- maybe)

Green Tea and Orange Juice with Ginger. A Hangover Remedy
By jgreghenry Published November 21, 2011
Prep time: 15
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 c water
  • 1 green tea bag
  • 2 thin slices of fresh ginger
  • 2 oz fresh orange juice
  • 3 oz chilled club soda
  • 1 slice orange, as garnish (optional)

Directions

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add the tea bag and ginger slices. Cover the pan and let steep about 5 minutes.

Let the mixture come to room temperature then strain the mixture into an ice-filled highball glass. Add the orange juice and club soda. Garnish with the orange slice (optional). Drink slowly. Then go back to bed.

Persimmon Rum Punch

Persimmon Rum Punch
By jgreghenry Published October 12, 2011
Prep time: 5
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 (750ml) bottle gold rum
  • 4 persimmons, halved and then sliced
  • 2 c water
  • 4 cinnamon stick
  • 2 c sugar
  • 1 oz fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 0.5 oz dark rum
  • 2 ds orange bitters
  • 1 pn nutmeg, freshly grated, to taste

Directions

To make the infused rum: Combine the persimmon slices and rum (keeping the rum bottle) in a large wide-mouthed jar. Seal and place in a dark area for 3 days (or more), gently shaking daily. Once the flavor is bold enough for your taste, discard the persimmon slices and strain through a funnel double lined with cheesecloth back into the liquor bottle. Refrigerate the extra rum.

To make the cinnamon syrup: In a small saucepan add water and cinnamon and bring to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, and strain out cinnamon sticks. Bring water back to a boil, add sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved, lower heat and simmer about 10 minutes until syrupy in consistency. Refrigerate the extra syrup up to one week.

To make the rum punch: In a cocktail shaker half filled with ice cubes, pour together 2 ounce persimmon infused rum, 1/4 ounce cinnamon syrup, orange juice, dark rum and orange bitters, shake vigorously. Strain into an ice-filled glass; garnish with extra persimmon slices and a fresh grating of nutmeg.

Why I Hate Cookies: Confessions of a Curmudgeon

07 Sep 2011
lace cookies

I don't really hate cookies. In fact of all the simple sweet treats I like cookies best. The bestest in fact. But cookies are potent symbols for everything that bugs me about Internet food writers. Especially when it comes to chocolate chip cookies. Do you know how many recipes there are on the web for "perfect" chocolate chip cookies? Quite a few it turns out– but nowhere near as many as the phrase "the best" chocolate chip cookies.

Of course we can't blame food bloggers entirely for taking the phrase "the best" and editorially pissing all over it until it means absolutely nothing. Because the revered New York Times may have started this war of the superlatives back in 2008 when it dubbed one recipe the "perfect" chocolate chip cookie. In fact they suggested sainthood for Madame Toll House herself. Talk about effusive!

The recipe I refer to is by Jacques Torres. You can find it just about anywhere. Simply type in the phrase "the best chocolate chip cookies– EVER" and you'll find it. So I won't bother to reproduce it here. Besides I am not really talking about chocolate chip cookies. In fact cookies in general are just the metaphor I choose to use.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Black Sesame Lace Cookies

Black Sesame Lace Cookies
By jgreghenry Published September 6, 2011
Prep time: 300
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 100 g unsalted butter
  • 100 g granulated sugar
  • 100 g light brown sugar, packed
  • 75 g all-purpose flour
  • 80 g fresh orange juice
  • 3 T black sesame seeds

Directions

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer or a wooden spoon), cream the butter until creamy and light, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and continue to beat on medium speed for about 1 minute, or until combined. Turn the speed down to low and add the flour and mix until well combined. Slowly drizzle in the orange juice and mix for about 30 seconds; the mixture will look a little broken, which is okay. Mix in the sesame seeds. Transfer the batter to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or for up to 1 week. When ready to bake cookies, position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F for convection). Line a very flat baking sheet with parchment paper. (This batter spreads like crazy, so you have to use an extremely flat baking sheet in order for the cookies to bake in circles and not amoeba-like shapes.) Pinch off rounded tablespoon-size balls of dough and place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until the cookies are completely golden brown throughout. Let cool completely (they must be firm to the touch) on the baking sheet on a wire rack. Gently remove the cookies from the parchment. The cookies can be stored, in layers separated with sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Source: Adapted from the cookbook "Flour" by Joanne Chang

Crabcakes Pure and Simple (with Orange Scented Cocktail Sauce)

15 Aug 2011
crabcakes

It's summer and I can hear you humming a certain tune in your head and that little ditty is crabcakes.

It's a song we all know, but New Englanders claim to have written it.

But out here in California we have a pretty toe tappin' version ourselves. And I am talking about Dungeness crabcakes. Dungeness crabs are the sweet and delicious. Of course all crab is sweet and delicious but I hold a special place on my taste buds for dungeness. It is a sustainable west coast choice and it is regularly found at the Hollywood Farmers Market.

Now people hold some pretty strong opinions about crabcakes, and I fully endorse that. At their best crabcakes should be very crabby, we all agree with that. The traditional cakes of the Chesapeake Bay area are often lump (blue) crab and very little else. But that sort of gem is not commonly found because it can be tricky getting it into the pan, while still holding shape. Which just brings up even more questions. Should you roll crabcakes in breadcrumbs or add breadcrumbs to the mix? Some people cross themselves and turn away just at the mention of breadcrumbs. See what I mean? What about egg? Is that cheating? Well in my mind both the breadcrumb and egg discussions are valid, because they both address texture. But you have to be careful, too many ingredients make a wet, sticky mixture. Which may mold easily and hold its form quite well, but once fried up, you get something close to a hockey puck. It may look beautiful, but its virtues end there.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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