When making jam, do not: 1. Run out of sugar after you've pitted 6 pints of valuable organic sour cherries 2. Think powdered sugar is a suitable replace for that last cup of granulated sugar that you don't have 3. Forget that powdered sugar has cornstarch in it 4. Cry when … [Read more...] about Organic Sour Cherry Jam with Vanilla Amaretto
Cooking With Booze
Summer Sangria with Vanilla Amaretto, Red Wine, Oranges, Apples, Lemon, and Lime
I have an ingenious way of making sangria. Well, really it's an ingenious way of making boozy fruit. The first day you make it you need to wait a day, but after that it's daily sangria! Kind of self-watering containers where a lot of the work is done for you and you have a … [Read more...] about Summer Sangria with Vanilla Amaretto, Red Wine, Oranges, Apples, Lemon, and Lime
The Great Newfoundland Rum Taste Test
8 people, 5 rums, I winner. I have great friends who volunteer to come to my house to taste test the rums I brought back from Newfoundland. Business and pleasure is a great combination sometimes. The Brands: Cruzan Blackstrap Aged Rum Iceberg Gold Old … [Read more...] about The Great Newfoundland Rum Taste Test
Haitian Mango with Lime, Salt and Chartreuse Verte
I'm such a cheat, and not just on my fruit guy. All my locavore pride goes out the window when I buy Haitian mangoes. Walking into a fruit store at Jean-Talon for me is like waving a lit cigarette in front of a former smoker. I just can't resist. What's been stopping me mostly … [Read more...] about Haitian Mango with Lime, Salt and Chartreuse Verte
Finally! Angel Food Cake with Maple-Honey Dessert Wine Apricots and Honey Ice Wine Figs
Basically the whole concept of the 3rd Annual Volk/Watson Christmas Extravaganza started because I wanted to make Angel's Food Cake. To me, that's more than reason enough to have a party. The fact that it was Christmas came second. I've made this recipe before, and it's … [Read more...] about Finally! Angel Food Cake with Maple-Honey Dessert Wine Apricots and Honey Ice Wine Figs
A Newfoundlanders’ Shot of Chartreuse Verte
I did not make this. In fact, this is probably a heavily-guarded secret recipe. Chartreuse Verte is delicious (whatever it's made of) if you like strong liquor. It’s mildly sweet, a little herbal, and very alcoholic. It’s also translucent green. To me, these are all very good … [Read more...] about A Newfoundlanders’ Shot of Chartreuse Verte
Anniversary Honeywine
It was exactly one year ago today that I posted my first recipe story. That was 187 posts ago, not including my posts at Interculturiosity and Midnight Poutine. I made my own birthday cake from Alice Medrich's Chocolate and the Art of the Low-Fat Dessert. Made = messed up but it … [Read more...] about Anniversary Honeywine
Champagne (Spanish Cava) Chicken
I've made this before, but this time I did it much better. I never use actual champagne since it costs a fortune and there are some good alternatives. Instead of just using chicken breasts like the recipe calls for, I also used a whole chicken. I also let it marinate about 8 … [Read more...] about Champagne (Spanish Cava) Chicken
Banana Flambé With Watermelon and Dates
Okay, so this is kind of far out there, but it was one of the best things I've ever accidentally made. It didn't actually look like the picture above, but fire is a hard thing to catch in a photo. I took a banana flambé recipe that called for rum, brown sugar and pineapple … [Read more...] about Banana Flambé With Watermelon and Dates
Disaronno-soaked Dried Apricot Yam Loaf
Alice Medrich doesn't have a whole lot of non-chocolate recipes in her cookbook Chocolate and the Art of Low-fat Desserts but what she does include is unfalteringly good. When I first saw the recipe for Apricot Yam Loaf I quickly turned the page...compared to mousse, it's boring. … [Read more...] about Disaronno-soaked Dried Apricot Yam Loaf