Thursday, September 16, 2010

Berry Compote

(made this in garde manger class today and it was a HUGE hit)

Yield: 1 Pt

Ingredients:
  • 1 pt. Berries, fresh or frozen
  • 4 oz. Granulated sugar
  • 2 Oranges
  • 3 fl. oz Honey
  • 1 Cinnamon Stick
  • 3 Tbsp. Brandy
  • Ice cream - as needed for garnish
  • Poundcake - as needed for garnish
  • Whipped cream - optional

Directions:

Select an assortment of fresh or frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and cherries).

Place the fruits and sguar in a nonreactive saucepan. Finely grate the zest from one orange and set aside. Add the juice from the 2 oranges to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat; cook until the fruits are soft but still intact.

Strain the mixture, saving both the fruits and the liquid. Return the liquid to the saucepan. Add the finely grated zest from one orange and tehh oney, cinnamon and brandy.

Bring to a boil and reduce until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Remove the cinnamon stick. Gently stir the reserved fruits into the sauce, cover and chill. Serve with ice cream or poundcake and whipped cream (optional).

Verde Snakey

After attempting to save the injured gartered snakes... I got that itching to get another reptile. I love my iguana but I have a certain place in my heart for snakes. Checked Petco and instead of getting garters/ribbons in today they had a green snake. Meh - boring. Brushed it off.

Went to look at bamboo shrimp - must have one when out of quarantine. They have 6? fan-like hands they pick up sludge from bottom of fish tank and nom it. Let me know when I can buy 4 for my house cleaning, please.

Moving on - found reptile lady (Jenn - who is amazing) and started talking to her about different snakes, what I was looking for, def. couldn't have them eating mice/rats etc etc.


Asked her to show me the green snake JUST FOR SHITS AND GIGGLES.

Well if you could pour a green highlighter into a beaker and mix some snake extract in - you would get this snake.

------------------------>

Immediately fell in love. Very vibrant. Full of energy. Extremely long and skinny. Cute teenie little head. Not sure what I'm going to name him/her yet but I am open to suggestions.




O.O




Fall Seasonal Brews





Cottonwood Pumpkin Ale

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/354/6101


A+ - very pumpkin pie and nutmeg








Jack's Pumpkin

Spice Ale

http://beera

dvocate.com/beer/profile/29/26234

A - delicious










Saranac Pumpk

in Ale

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/99/25608

B+ - more like pumpkin pie










America's Original Pumpkin Ale

Buffalo Bill's Brewery

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/205/643

B- more spices, no real pumpkin flavor










Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/seasonal-brews/punkin-ale.htm

B - more beer flavor













Ichabod

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/335/1567

C- ... too much beer - gross (the boys liked it)













Samuel Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/35/45844

















Brooklyn Brewery's Post Road Pumpkin Ale

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45/74/

B- ... very bitter