Rich Creamy Chocolate for Your Valentine!

Caution:  Bill says this could be fatal!

Chocolate is a major food group to just about everyone ~ but not me ~ I definitely wouldn’t go out of my way for it.  I do have a sweet tooth though, it’s just not for chocolate like it is for my family members and friends.

So when the most chocolate-covered day of the year, Valentine’s Day, rolls around again ~ that day when everything seems to be slathered in chocolate ~ it’s the perfect time to make a delicious dessert.

Chocolate is everywhere, it’s universally loved.  Apparently, according to research done by Dr. David Lewis, letting chocolate dissolve slowly in your mouth produces as big an increase in heart rate and brain activity as a passionate kiss ~ except that the effects of the chocolate lasts four times longer. 

Therefore, truly, chocolate must be the food of love.

If you’re looking for a creamy, very rich chocolate treat for your Valentine, this Chocolate Pudding Cake by exclusive French pastry chef, François Payard, who launched several eponymous patisseries in New York City, is for you!  

The creation is not exactly quick to make, it takes a good bit of freezer time, 6 hours at least, but it’s worth the effort to make for your Valentine!

Believe me, this is a decadent dessert, so I’m told ~ smooth, creamy, rich, particularly luscious and velvety, a sinfully delicious chocolate treat!

Just a sliver will do it!


Françoise Payard’s Chocolate Pudding Cake
Printable recipe

Ingredients:
1¼ cups finely chopped semisweet chocolate
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, optional*
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sugar, divided
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon. pure vanilla extract
Cocoa powder for dusting

Method:
1. Place the chocolate, espresso powder and butter in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Combine the milk and all but 1 tbsp. of the sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stop stirring and cook until the milk begins to bubble around the edge of the pan. Remove from heat.
3. Whisk together the egg yolk and the remaining 1 tbsp. sugar in a small bowl. Pour half of the hot milk over the yolk mixture, whisking to combine. Return the mixture to the saucepan, and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and just begins to bubble around the edges (reaching 183° on an instant-read thermometer).
4. Immediately pour the mixture over the chocolate and butter. Whisk until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in the vanilla.
5. Scrape the batter into a 6-in. round springform pan, and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer for at least 6 hours or overnight.
6. Remove cake from freezer, and let sit for 10 minutes before unmolding. Invert the cake onto a serving platter, and lightly dust the top with cocoa powder. Allow the cake to stand at room temperature for 45 minutes before serving.
notes

*This is the slightly adapted recipe of Chef Payard's. I added espresso powder for a darker richer flavor.
It doesn't taste like coffee, it just enhances the chocolate flavor.




 Enjoy! 

Ring in the New Year with a French 75!

Even though it may sound like a dainty little drink, this potent marriage of gin and bubbly is name after a giant gun ~ the French 75mm gun  ~ used in the First World War.  Evidently the cocktail was rumored to have such a kick that it felt like being shelled with the powerful field gun right in the gut.  

The Canon de 75 modèle 1897 the source of the name of the cocktail

Simply named 75 (Soixante Quinze in French), the original recipe differed slightly in that it was served over cracked ice in a tall glass, similar to a Tom Collins, with champagne replacing the soda. 

An early form of the French 75 was created in 1915 at the New York Bar in Paris.  Years later in 1942, it was popularized in America at the Stork Club in New York City, and appeared in the cult classic movie “Casablanca” that same year.   It is referenced twice in the John Wayne films A Man Betrayed (1941) and Jet Pilot (1957.) 

Combine gin with fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, champagne, and cracked ice; shake and strain into a champagne flute, top with champagne, add a lemon twist for garnish, and…

Voila! 

A French 75! 

Ring in 2018 with this classy cocktail!

Cheers!

Author: Pam

French 75

A potent marriage of dry gin and bubbly.

ingredients:

• 1½ OUNCES London dry GIN
• ¾ OUNCE LEMON JUICE
• ½ OUNCE SIMPLE SYRUP
• 3 OZ CHAMPAGNE

instructions:

1. Combine the first three ingredients in a cocktail shaker with cracked ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds and strain into a champagne flute.
2. Top with 3 oz of champagne and serve with a lemon peel for garnish.

Have a safe

&

Happy New Year!

Woo hoo! Oyster Dressing Time is Near!

This recipe appears here every Thanksgiving, 
because 
it's delicious!

If you love oysters, this is the way to go:  oysters, oyster liquor, Club Crackers, BUTTER, half and half, and salt and pepper.  Needs no more, no less. 

This is always a hit at Thanksgiving and disappears as quick as a flash!

As I’ve said before, when Mom made this every Thanksgiving and Christmas, we called it oyster dressing.  Technically, it’s probably scalloped oysters…

Anyway, sadly, it doesn’t make a pretty picture, but it’s the perfect side on the Thanksgiving table, “oyster dressing!”

Author: Pam

Mom's Oyster Dressing

Thanksgiving dinner is not complete until this dish is on the table! Use butter, use half and half!

prep time: 15 MINScook time: 45 MINStotal time: 60 mins

ingredients:

• 2 pints, shucked oysters, reserving liquor
• 1 stick butter
• 2 sleeves Club Crackers*
• 3/4 to 1 cup half and half
• Salt and pepper, to taste

instructions

1. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish liberally.
2. Crumble cracks into chunks.
3. Spread half of the crackers in the baking dish.
4. Top with one pint of oysters.
5. Slice butter and dot with 1/2 stick.
6. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Repeat layers.
8. Pour reserved oyster liquor over top.
9. Pour half and half over all,  just to top of layers, do not cover completely.
10. Bake in 375° oven till bubbly and top is brown, about 30-45 minutes.
11. *Use less crackers for a crisper dish.

Enjoy!

In Honor of Veterans Day...

Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary marking the end of World War I.  Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938.

U.S. Army Private Bill 1965

President Dwight Eisenhower signed legislation in 1954 to change the name to Veterans Day as a way to honor those who served in all American Wars.

As of 2016, there are 18.5 million veterans living in the United States, according to the Census Bureau.  A large proportion of the veteran population, 9.2 million, are aged 65 and older, while 1.6 million are younger than 35.

Odds are that someone in your life has served the military, and my someone is my dear husband, Bill.  He proudly served in the United States Army from 1965-1968, with most of his service time in Bamberg, Germany, ending in Ft. Leonard Wood, MO as Sgt. E5, Machine Gun Instructor.

Sgt. Bamberg, Germany, Sept., 1965

Sgt. E5, Machine Gun Instructor Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo.  1968

Many thanks to Bill and all veterans across the country, who served in defense of our great country, protecting our freedom.  God Bless you all…

Happy

Veterans

Day!

The Fourth, John Adams and a Mamie Taylor Cocktail, the Original Moscow Mule (?)

The Fourth of July, John Adams...

In a letter to his wife Abigail, John Adams wrote:  "The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America."

Adam's prediction came as the result of Richard Henry Lee's motion for independence being approved by the Congress on July 2, 1776.  It was Lee's motion that officially separated the thirteen America colonies from Great Britain.

John Adams, 2nd President of the U. S.  1797 to 1801

It turned out Adams was 2 days off from his prediction.  On July 4, the day after writing Abigail, Adams and his colleagues approved the Declaration of Independence, a document that eloquently proclaimed the reasons why the colonies had separated from the British Empire.

An elated and confident Adams declared in his letter to Abigail:

"I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.  It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty; it ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."

Even though John Adams spoke these words over 200 years ago, it describes exactly our Fourth of July celebrations to this day!
 

By the way, our older son, Bill, Jr. (Bubba here on my blog) has great respect for John Adams, has read a plethora of books about, or by him, and has visited his home in Quincy, MA.  Maybe both being born on October 30 has something to do with it! 

Update:  Bubba just reminded me that John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both passed away on the same day, July 4, 1826.

With this, our great country, pomp and parade and fireworks, here's a cooler for the 4th of July...

Word is, that circa 1899, coolers ~ refreshing fizzy drinks made with ice, a spirit and soda water ~ became popular throughout the country. 

Ginger ale, lime and a spirit, is known by a plethora of names:   If the spirit is rum, it’s a Dark and Stormy.  A shot of tequila?  Call it a Mexican Mule ~ if it’s made with vodka, it’s a Moscow Mule.

And then there’s the Mamie Taylor, made with Scotch, the progenitor of the Moscow Mule!

Mayme Taylor was an actress; the soprano prima donna of an opera company playing at Ontario Beach, near Rochester, New York, in 1899.  

She and members of the company were sailing on Lake Ontario on a hot breezy summer day, when they became rather heated.

Back at the resort, Miss Taylor was asked what cooling drink she’d like to quench her thirst. The barman couldn’t fill her first order, and swapped instead a gingery, smoky, citrusy concoction of Scotch, lime and ginger ale for her to sip on.  She was sold, she loved it:  the easier to spell, 'Mamie' Taylor cocktail was born!  The drink was the insanely popular cocktail of its day, before fading away in the early 1900’s.

Prima donna, Mayme Taylor

However, apparently bartenders became sick and tired of mixing Mamie Taylor’s so they hiked up the price of the cocktail to discourage customers from ordering it.  Or maybe it faded away because of Prohibition (1920-1933), and never recovered…

Today, not many remember this cocktail, and even more so, Miss Taylor, yet this drink has led to many variations that we do recall.

In the early 1940’s, after Prohibition, the Moscow Mule became the popular drink, and remains popular to this day.

There’s not enough flavor in a Moscow Mule for me ~ however, by replacing the vodka with scotch, and mixing a Mamie Taylor cocktail, it's transformed into a great little mixed drink to sip on!

The drink has quite a unique flavor combination with the smokiness of the scotch, the spiciness of the ginger, brought together with the unifying lime juice.

For a spicy smackdown on your tongue, heat it up by using Blenheim Old #3 Hot Ginger Ale - Red Cap!  If it's a touch too much for your taste, try a tamer version of Blenheim's ginger ale.

Spicy hot Blenheim Old #3 Hot Ginger Ale - Red Cap

The Mamie Taylor cocktail is effervescent and cool ~ it's a unique summer-time refresher on a hot summer day!

As for Mayme, by 1906, the actress was reduced to performing in San Francisco matinees of “a playful satire on New York fads and fancies.” 

The Mamie Taylor was thought of as a fancy drink back in its heyday.  It's easy to understand why, as Ted Haigh reiterates:  "The scotch soothes the soul, while the ginger excites the heart, and the lime keeps it all in perspective."  

It should be better known!


Cheers!

Yield: 1 servingAuthor: Pam

Classic Mamie Taylor Cocktail

It should be better known!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 ounces blended Scotch, such as Dewar's
• Juice of half a lime
• 6 ounces spicy ginger ale or ginger beer (try Blenheim Old #3 Hot Ginger Ale - Red Cap)
• Lime wedge, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add several ice cubes to a highball glass.
2. Pour in scotch, squeeze in lime juice and fill with ginger ale or ginger beer.
3. Stir with a barspoon and garnish with a lime wedge.
4. Serve

Created using The Recipes Generator

HAPPY SAFE 
FOURTH OF JULY 
TO YOU ALL!

Let Us Honor Memorial Day, and Kick Start Summer with a Cucumber, Mustard and Dill Salad

Get out your white shoes, and let's celebrate the start of summer by honoring our nation's veterans!

Let us pay tribute to all veteran's who have given their lives to our nation's wars...

Gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery decorated with American flags on Memorial Day

On Monday ~ Memorial Day ~ according to the "The National Moment of Remembrance Act," passed in December, 2000, we Americans are encouraged to pause wherever we are at 3:00 p.m. local time, for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to our nation.  

It's a way we can all help put memorial back into Memorial Day.

Now for the cucumber salad...

It's super quick, super easy and, you guessed it:  super good and tasty!

You won't find a fresher-tasting salad than this simple stunner.

It's a Cool, Refreshing, Summertime Salad!


Cucumber, Mustard and Dill Salad

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt

1½ teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large seedless cucumber, peeled
1 small white onion, sliced thin

2 tablespoons chopped dill

Method:

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, salt and sugar. 

Add oil in a slow stream, stirring constantly.

Halve cucumber lengthwise, cut halves crosswise into ⅛"-thick slices.

Toss cucumber with onion, dill and vinaigrette.

Serves 4 
Printable recipe

Enjoy!

Here’s wishing you all

a

Safe and Happy

Memorial Day Weekend!