The Cheese Stands Alone

As cheesy as an old school pick-up line

Beer goes extremely welll with cheese, be it macaroni, nachos, pizza, or any other carbohydrate-rich vessel for melty goodness.  However, your beer should NEVER taste like cheese on it's own.  Enter the last beer defect I will mention in a while.

5) A cheesy flavor in beer is caused by isovaleric acid.  The presence of this chemical means something in the brewing process has messed up big time.  The taste threshold is approximately 1ppm in beer, but there are variations in perception between individuals.

Isovaleric Acid (3-methylbutanoic acid)

There are two major causes of this defect, the most common being improper storage of hops. An alpha acid with an isovaleryl group can become oxidized if the hops are old.  The wild yeast Brettanomyces can also cause these cheesy aromas, and are responsible for other undesirable flavors.

One day my partner-in-crime devised a diabolical scheme.  Indeed, a diabolically delicious scheme.  He was determined to create the ultimate selection of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.

The menu was as follows:

Steakhouse Grilled Cheese - Steak, blue cheese, and horseradish.  Blue and rare.

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese - Cream cheese, cheddar, and jalapeno peppers.  Just like what you get at the bar.  Except better.

Mac n' Grilled Cheese - Boxed KD and bacon between two slices of bread.

Sushi Grilled Cheese - Smoked salmon, cream cheese, avocado and wasabi.

Breakfast Grilled Cheese - Bacon, cheddar, and a fried egg between two waffles.

Not surprisingly, the jalapeno-popper grilled cheese evolved to include bacon.

And for dessert...

Not yo' mamma's grilled cheese.

Strawberry Angel Grilled Cheese - Strawberries and brie between two slices of angel food cake.

Black Forest Grilled Cheese - Cherry pie filling and chocolate cream cheese between two slices of chocolate cake.

The worst thing about grilled cheese is that it's difficult to have several ready (and still hot) at the same time.  This makes cooking for a large party difficult.  However, the finished product is worth standing over a hot grill in a crowded kitchen for several hours.  Why bother with Kraft singles when there are so many more possibilities.

Black Forest Grilled Cheese

Equally delicious with peanut butter and banana

For the cake:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup stout beer (room temperature)
1/3 cup oil or melted butter (unsalted)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp vinegar

For the sandwich:
1 (250g) package chocolate cream cheese (Philadelphia)
1 can cherry pie filling
Butter or margarine for grilling

To Make Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. Sift dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda) together in large bowl.
3. Make three depressions in the mound of dry ingredients.
4. Pour oil or melted butter in one depression, vanilla in another, and cider vinegar in the third.
5. Pour stout all over ingredients and stir until blended.
6. Pour batter into lined pan and bake until a tester stick or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
7. Allow to cool 5 minutes before removing cake from pan by carefully lifting the parchment.
8. Allow to cool for an additional 15 minutes.  Transfer to fridge and cool, uncovered for several hours or overnight.  It will be easier to add fillings if the cake is slightly dry.
9. Cut loaf into approximately 12 slices.

Assembling the Sandwich:

1. Spread one slice of chocolate loaf with the cream cheese.
2. Top cream cheese with a scoop of cherry pie filling and another piece of chocolate loaf.
3. Spread a thin layer of margarine on each side of the sandwich and gently place on in a heated frying pan or panini grill.
4. Grill until loaf is slightly crispy and cheese has begun to soften.
5. Cut in half and serve.

Easy as Pi

Green apple is a flavor you might taste in beer, but is not typically desirable.  The compound that causes green apple flavor in beer is acetaldehyde, a precursor to ethanol formed during fermentation.  This same chemical also gives yogurt that “tangy” taste, and is added to soft drinks and candies.  If you like the green Jolly Ranchers, you have acetaldehyde to thank for your candy’s flavor.

Almost all beers contain trace amounts of acetaldehyde, between 1 – 4 mg/L.  However, higher concentrations (5-15 mg/L) can be unpleasant.

Acetaldehyde

High concentrations of acetaldehyde form in beer when the yeast aren’t given enough time to convert it into alcohol after fermentation.  This often happens when the beer is racked too early, and the beer is said to be too “green”.  Proper conditioning of the beer and a longer aging period gives the yeast time to metabolize the compound and convert it into ethanol or acetate.

Éphémère, verb: Existing only for a short time.

Appropriately named.

However, one brewery has used acetaldehyde to their advantage.  Unibroue from Quebec has devised a brew called Éphémère, a refreshing light-bodied wheat ale with notes of green apple.  It's not overly sweet for a fruit beer, and yet the tartness is not overpowering.

Last week I celebrated my favorite March holiday.  No, it wasn’t St. Patrick’s day.  Although I welcome any excuse to drink beer, my family is from the another British isle.  I’ll save my pint for Robbie Burns day, and celebrate my ¼ Scottish heritage instead.

I’m talking about pi day.  Without this noble number, it would be impossible to measure the circumference of a cask.  Or the area of a keg.  Or the volume of beer in a glass bottle.  Or the quantity of pie I have yet to eat.

I have included a recipe for a dessert pie I made a while ago as well.  Try to wrap your head around this: an apple pie INSIDE an apple.  Pie-ception.  Next time, I might poach them in Éphémère or a sweet and spicy ginger beer, for another layer of flavor.

Chicken, taters, gravy, bacon, and biscuits.
Comfort food doesn't get any comfier.

Chicken Pot Pie

with Bacon Cheddar Beer Biscuit Crust

2 cups chicken, chopped

1 tbsp canola or olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium sweet potato, roasted and diced

1/2 cup corn kernels, frozen or canned

½ red pepper, diced

2 tbsp butter

4 Tablespoons flour

1 ½ cup chicken stock

½ cup 2% milk

1 tsp dried rosemary

½ tsp thyme

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter, cut into tablespoons

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

6 strips bacon, cooked crispy

½ cup beer

1 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 425F degrees.

For Biscuits:

1. In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Add the ¼ cup butter in pieces.  Cut with a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly.
3. Add the cheese, bacon, beer, and milk, stirring until everything is moistened.
4. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until a rough dough is formed.
5. Roll out the dough to 3/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter or glass, cut out about 12 biscuits.

For Pot Pie:

1. Heat oil in a medium frying pan. Add the onions and garlic to pan with a pinch of salt, and sauté until translucent (about 5 minutes).  Set aside.
2. Melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan.  Add flour and whisk to form a roux.
3. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and milk to the roux. Bring to a boil.
4. Once the stock is boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Combine chicken, onion mixture, sweet potato, and corn in a large casserole.  Pour stock and milk gravy over all ingredients and toss to coat.
6. Arrange the biscuits to cover the surface of the pot pie. If you have extra biscuits, they can be baked separately on a baking sheet.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown and chicken filling is bubbly.

Serves: 6-8

Hot from the oven and melting my honey heart.
And hopefully my honey's heart.

Apple Pie-ception

An apple pie...inside an apple. 

Mind blown.

5 granny smith apples

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 c brown sugar

½ package refrigerated pie dough

OR Pilsbury Crescents

OR use ½ recipe of your own home-made pie dough

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cut off the top of 4 apples off and dice edible portion of caps.  Also slice a small piece off the bottom so the apples will stand on their own.
3. Remove the inside of each apple with a spoon or melon-baller very carefully, salvaging as much as you can for the filling.
4. If you can’t save enough of the apple interior, peel and dice the fifth apple for the filling.
5. Toss diced apples with sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
6. Gently fill the apples with the diced and spiced apple filling.
7. Roll out pie crust and slice into ¼ inch strips. Cover the top of the apple in a lattice pattern with pie crust strips.
8. Place apples in an 8×8 pan. Add just enough water to the cover the bottom of the pan.
9. Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes.
10. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Mash Sparge Boil.  Home Brew Off Flavors: Acetaldelhyde. July 6^th, 2011. http://www.mashspargeboil.com/home-brew-off-flavours-acetaldehyde/

The Brewing Technology Blog. An A – Z of beer flavour – Acetaldehyde. Sep 17^th, 2010.  http://blog.cara-online.com/2010/09/acetaldehyde-in-beer/

Chicken Pot Pie recipe adapted from Chocolate Moosey http://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2013/01/20/chicken-pot-pie-topped-with-bacon-cheddar-biscuits-for-retro-sundaysupper/

Apple Pie recipe adapted from Just a Pinch http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/pie/apple-pie-baked-in-the-apple.html

Sugar Bowl

Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. Awesome.  Sugar Bowl’s slogan doesn't mince words.

Daily and weekly specials on the board.

Last week I was granted two great excuses to visit this place.  Once for a reunion with some friends I met while studying abroad, and later in the week for a friend’s birthday.  Though I live very close, my bank account (and no doubt my liver) are grateful for the infrequency of my visits.  Not only does Sugarbowl have what is perhaps the best beer list in town, but the food is equally reputable.  The menu is short, but rife with unique dishes you would never come across elsewhere.

The Sugar Bowl is always filled to the brim with an eclectic mix of students, professors, and other colourful Strathcona County folk.  Be warned – you will wait in line for a table.  No matter what time you visit.  I have usually been met with friendly service, though entrees take their time in arriving during a dinner rush.  One could argue it as an excuse to have another beer.

The perfect sweet and spicy shareable.

I used to be fond of the cheese plate as an appetizer.  Sometimes all I want with my beer is a cheese to pair it with.  However, I found during my recent visit that the variety of cheeses had decreased, as did the portion size.  The smoked cheddar I received the first time was sorely missed.

Cheese aside, the best beer snack that Sugarbowl offers is definitely the Smoked Paprika Popcorn.  Served with a wedge of lime, this shareable is the perfect combination of sweet, salty, and spicy with that addictive crunch you crave.

Though I usually make an effort to try different things on the menu, I find myself coming back to two particular meals: 

Chicken and Waffles was the first item I ordered off the menu many years ago.  At one time, the fried chicken was served in little pieces, though it is now offered thinner and wider cutlets.  I prefer the newer serving style, as I can more easily distribute the chicken amongst the entirety of the waffle.  Though I have ordered this dish for both brunch and dinner, I tend to prefer it for the latter because of its sugary, buttery, richness.  I simply must save room in the morning for part of a cinnamon bun – they’re usually sold out by eleven.

So many beers...so little time!

My other favorite is the Lamb Burger, served on a Kaiser with a generous dollop of goat cheese.  One bite into the patty releases a , followed by a hit of acid from the pickle and the tangy goat cheese.  The Guinness mustard ties it all together.  It’s a satisfying treat, and was even voted one of the top 25 things to eat in Edmonton in 2011 for Avenue Magazine.  See below for the recipe revealed.

The wine is fine, and cocktails are classic, but beer is the thing to drink here.  There are X premium drafts and Y rotating taps, with an enticing discount during happy hour from 3-8pm.  Choose from more than 50 different pilsners, wheat beers, stouts, and ales. There’s even a “Hipster” section, where you can order yourself a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon.  If that’s how you roll.

Sugar Bowl is also known to host many Cask Nights for Alley Kat.  An unfiltered beer is matured in the cask from which it is served, and often undergoes secondary fermentation with additional hops or flavor agents.  The result is a less carbonated, yet incredibly flavorful brew.

Change can be a good thing, in moderation.  Though the cheese plate could use more generous portions, most of the menu adjustments have the intention of improving the overall experience.  While the beer list remains, my allegiance to the Sugarbowl will persevere.

CBC Edmonton has somehow gotten a hold of the recipes for two of my favorite items on Sugarbowl’s menu.  Now you can make their lamb burger at home, as well as the best cinnamon buns in town.  I know I could never do them justice.

Sugar Bowl Cinnamon Buns

Get 'em before they're gone!

Ingredients:

12 cups flour

1 Tbsp salt

1 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp instant yeast

3/4 cups brown sugar

1 cup cinnamon

1/2 cup melted butter

(more for inside buns)

3 eggs

4 cups tap water

Topping (optional):

Melted butter

Brown sugar and cinnamon to taste

Directions:

1. In a small bowl dissolve 1 tablespoon sugar with the yeast in a bit of water. Let it stand until bubbles, about 10-15 minutes.
2. In a large bowl combine the yeast mixture with the eggs, flour, melted butter, water and salt. Mix well, using a mixer or spoon until dough forms.
3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured, flat surface. Roll out into a rectangle. The size really depends on how large or small you want to make the buns.
4. Brush the flattened dough with melted butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
5. Starting at the long side, tightly roll up the dough and brush with a bit of melted butter. You can sprinkle the buns with brown sugar if you like, or omit this if you want it less sweet. You can also sprinkle extra cinnamon on top if you want.
6. With a serrated knife cut the dough into 12 pieces.Place the buns, cut side down, in greased rectangular baking pan.
7. Cover and let rise for one hour or until it doubles in volume. Keep in a warm place (like above your stove) to help with rising.
8. Pre-heat oven to 375F degrees and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Enjoy!

Sugar Bowl Lamb Burger

Ingredients:

1 kg     Ground lamb

2 tbsp   Rosemary, fresh, chopped finely

2 tbsp   Thyme, fresh, chopped finely

2 tbsp   Garlic, minced

1 lemon, zested

2 tbsp coriander (powder)

1/2 cup bread crumbs

Pinch of salt and pepper

Brioche buns

Toppings:

Tomato slices

Pickles slices

Organic spring mix or lettuce

Garlic mayo

Guinness mustard (see below)

Goat's cheese

Caramelized onions

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and gently mix until everything comes together.
2. Form into thick patties/burgers. Heat your griddle pan or barbecue until it is hot and grill the burgers 3 minutes on each side.
3. Just before removing from grill, top the burger with a slice of goat's cheese and carmelized onions.
4. Spread one side of the brioche bun with mustard (at sugar bowl we use a homemade mustard made with Guinness beer), and spread the other side of the bun with garlic mayonnaise.
5. Layer the burger on the bun with pickle slices, tomato slices and a few leaves of organic spring mix. Enjoy!!!

Guinness Mustard

1  12-oz. bottle Guinness Extra Stout

1 1⁄2 cups brown mustard seeds (10 oz.)

1 cup red wine vinegar

1 tbsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1⁄4 tsp. ground cloves

1⁄4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1⁄4 tsp. ground allspice

1. Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1–2 days so that the mustard seeds soften and the flavors meld.
3. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor and process, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, until the seeds are coarsely ground and the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a jar and cover.
4. Refrigerate overnight and use immediately or refrigerate for up to 6 months. (The flavor of the mustard will mellow as the condiment ages.)

 Makes 3 ½ cups

Sugar Bowl Edmonton  www.thesugarbowl.org 

Saveur http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Spicy-Guinness-Mustard

CBC Edmonton http://www.cbc.ca/edmontonam/columnists/restaurantrecipes/2011/09/12/recipes-revealed---sugar-bowl-cinnamon-buns/

Wild Rose Brewery

I've been posting on an approximate bi-weekly schedule.  Or whenever I do something beer-related.  I still have a few more of the most common beer defects to share.  I will also relate my adventures at the Wild Rose Brewery from a recednt trip to Calgary.

3. Did you just skin your knee?  Or is your beer spoiled by chlorophenols?  These compounds contain a benzene ring bound to a phenol molecule, and possess an aroma that may remind you of disinfectant, or “that Band-Aid smell”.  Chlorophenols are formed by yeasts when chlorine and chloramine are present in the water.  Most water is treated with chlorine or chloramine to kill harmful bacteria.  It’s really easy to dechlorinate your water though, with Campden tablets (sodium metabisulphite) or using an activated carbon filter.

2,3-Butanedione
Pronounced "Die-ass-a-till"

4. Diacetyl is the chemical responsible for a buttery flavor in some of your favorite foods.  Sour cream, sourdough bread, and many cheeses are fermented foods that would be substantially less delicious without diacetyl.  This flavor can be pleasant at low levels in some oak-aged beers, but will make your beer will taste like movie popcorn at high concentrations.  This defect is usually caused by an infection with Lactobacillus spp. or Pediococcus spp.; however, diacetyl is a natural by-product of yeast fermentation.  To remove it, brewers do a “diacetyl rest”, and leave the beer in fermenter for two or three days, allowing the yeast to re-absorb any remaining diacetyl.

You won’t find either of these problems with Wild Rose beer.  On a recent trip to Calgary I had the good fortune to go for lunch with my partner in crime and a new friend.  The three of us are all avid beer enthusiasts, and were looking for an appropriate location to catch up.  We couldn’t have chosen a better place.

Wild Rose was established in the fall of 1996 in Calgary's Foothills Industrial Park, and began bottling their beers in flip-tops in 2002.  They have been at their current location in a large Quonset at the Currie barracks since 2006.  However, word is on the street that the lease of Building AF23 will not be renewed and they will soon have to relocate.

Wild Boar Meatloaf Sandwich

Customers are welcomed to look about their equipment and see how it’s made, and the brewery offers drop-in tours on Saturdays.  Instead of mini-kegs, they sell large quantities of beer in “Party Pigs” which provide the equivalent of 25 bottles of beer.  These large glass are self-pressuized, have a refrigerated shelf life of four to six weeks, and make a unique attraction for your next party, at $50 plus a refundable deposit.

Gravlax cured with Velvet Fog

The six signature beers include an IPA, Brown Ale, Wred Wheat, Velvet Fog, SOB (Special Old Bitter...I know what you were thinking), and Wraspberry Ale (a wheat ale with a hint of raspberry).  However, there is always a seasonal variety of unexpected character.  I began my meal with a short glass of the current seasonal, a dark smoky porter with just a hint of cherry.

The menu contains many items that incorporate beer as an ingredient, including the pulled pork sliders drenched with apple Brown Ale BBQ sauce.  Pretzels are served as an appetizer, with two beer mustards – a grainy Dijon prepared with the oatmeal stout, and a spicy Dijon made with an India Pale Ale.  Entrees could be paired with a variety of sides including the oatmeal stout baked beans, and the salad with Wraspberry wheat ale dressing.  I’m indecisive to begin with, but such a wide variety of creative items made it very difficult for me to choose.

The Best 'Wurst

My partner in crime ordered the Wild Boar Meatloaf Sandwich, a patty made with ground beef, pork and wild boar wrapped in bacon served on a whole wheat Kaiser bun with a variety of condiments.  My new friend chose the salmon gravlax, cured with Velvet Fog ale and served on a bagel with fresh dill, cream cheese, red onion, and capers. I went for “The Best 'Wurst”.  This plate was a bit of everything - two free-range pfefferwurst pork sausages from Two Old Country Sausage shop, served with Oatmeal Stout baked beans, sauerkraut, apple-braised cabbage, grainy mustard, and freshly baked bread.

I bought a souvenir glass for my vast collection, and left the Quonset extremely satisfied.  If you are ever in the area, drop by for a pint and a bite to eat.  You won’t be disappointed.

Steuven, Richard. Beer Me: Down With Diacetyl. April 2003. http://beerme.com/diacetyl.php

Beer Geeking May 26^th, 2011. http://beer-geeking.blogspot.ca/2011/05/water-chlorine-chloramine-and.html

Wild Rose Brewery http://www.wildrosebrewery.com/index.html

The Dog Days are Over

Why does my beer taste weird?  Kind of like...corn.  Whether you’re a home-brewer or not, there are some key beer defects you should look for.  I’ll share a few of the most common ones over the next few weeks so you know what to look for.  Although none of these chemicals will kill you, you deserve better.  Have a little dignity and look for something else to imbibe.  Life’s too short to drink substandard beer.

X gon' give it to ya...wait, DMS?
Thought you said DMX!

1) A cooked corn or cabbage flavour is cauased by dimethylsulfide, often abbreviated DMS.  More common in ales, it is a sign of a grain infection or improper chilling of the wort.  In darker beers this flavor may also remind you of tomato soup.  The typical flavor threshold is around 35ppb.

2) Does your beer smell or taste of rotten eggs? Or is grandma perming her hair in the kitchen sink again? Volatile sulfur compounds like sulfur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are produced in small amounts during mashing, but are usually driven off with a vigorous boil. When the smell of sulfur is overwhelming, this can indicate some serious contamination by the yeast. However, a subtle whiff of sulfur (like a burned match) can be desired by some brewers.  This is a famous trait of many beers brewed in Burton-on-Trent in the United Kingdom.

If your beer tastes like corn, you have a problem.  But if your corndogs taste like beer, I wouldn’t complain.

I’ve waited a long time to try this recipe.  I had great ambitions of conquering my shear terrier of the deep-fryer.  I failed in the latter respect, and used a frying pan with only 2 inches of oil instead.  They didn’t turn out too ruff.

I paws-ed only a moment to make this special ketchup, and holy shih-tzu is it good!  It would give some other tiresome foods a new leash on life.  Burgers, fries, or mac n’ cheese. Unless you’re a mac n’ cheese purist and don’t believe in ketchup.  I respect that.

Enough with the dog puns.  Schnauzer chance to make some corn dogs!

Beer Battered Corn Dogs

The dog days are over.  I won't be making these again for a while.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

 11/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 pinch cayenne pepper

2 eggs

1/2 cup beer

1/2 cup buttermilk

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

12 hotdogs, cut in half

Chipotle ketchup, for dipping

1. In large bowl, combine of the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, salt and cayenne pepper.
2. In a smaller bowl, combine together eggs, beer and buttermilk; whisk into dry ingredients. Set aside.
3. Pour enough oil into deep-fryer or Dutch oven to come 2 inches (5 cm) up side. Heat until deep-fryer thermometer registers 375ºF (190ºC).
4. Meanwhile, in bowl, toss hotdogs in remaining flour until coated. Insert thick wooden skewer two-thirds of the way into each for handle and tap off excess flour.
5. Pour batter into a tall glass or deep bowl.  Dip hotdogs into batter to coat, adding 1 to 2 tbsp water if too thick.
6. Gently add hotdogs to oil. Fry in batches until golden brown (about 1-2 min), turning halfway through.  Drain on rack or paper towel to blot oil.

Makes 24 mini corn dogs

Chipotle Ketchup

1 cup ketchup

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp chipotle pureé

1. Combine ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
2. Mix vigorously to combine.
3. Serve with corn dogs or other foods.

Beer Sensory Science. June 2^nd, 2011.  http://beersensoryscience.wordpress.com/category/defects-and-taints/

Drinking Made Easy. The 10 Most Common Beer Defects.  October 19^th, 2012. http://drinkingmadeeasy.com/booze-in-the-news/the-10-most-common-beer-defects/

Frederick’s Original Ale Makers (FOAM) http://f-o-a-m.org/beer_off_flavors.php

Recipe adapted from Canadian Living Magazine, June 2012

http://www.canadianliving.com/food/beer_battered_corn_dogs.php

Feliz Navidad

Masa harina - corn flour dough for tortillas.

There’s nothing wrong with a white Christmas.  However, some people often forget that other cultures celebrate Christmas too.  Even those without access to spruce trees and snow.  This year, I had no problem hopping on a plane and leaving behind Edmonton’s -20 degree Celsius temperatures.

I spent this Christmas on a beach.  In Mexico.  Huatulco, to be exact. This region is in the state of Oaxaca, and is home to nine beautiful bays, soft white sand, and coral reefs.  And some spectacular food.

Street food - a lucrative enterprise

The state of Oaxaca is famous for its cuisine.  They are known for seven different “moles” – rich sauces often made with chocolate.  The region is also rife with delicious street food – these foods are often cheap, quick to assemble, and easy to eat on the fly.  Street food is a pivotal component of many cuisines, from Mexico to Mumbai.  Tacos are the best example of Mexican street food, and are a lucrative business requiring a few ingredients and some form of transportation.  One savvy individual had established a lucrative business in the back of a well-preserved Ford Gremlin in Santa Cruz.

Salsa verde with avocado, smoked chili salsa,
and pico de gallo.

The Chiles and Chocolate cooking class was held in Santa Cruz at Cafe Juanita, a tiny bistro popular among locals and tourists alike.  We made corn tortillas from raw masa, watching them puff up on a terra cotta disc called a “comal”.  The tacos were filled with .  Queso Oaxaca or “quesillo” – a stringy cheese wrapped like a ball of yarn – was used to fill several small quesadillas.  We made two kinds of tacos: a typical breakfast variety with zucchini, mushrooms, and sour cream; and a lunch taco with shrimp, tomatoes, and a cactus called “nopale”.  Garlic, tomatoes, tomatillos, and chiles of various types were assembled in various combinations to create four different salsas to serve with each dish.

Warming tacos on the comal.

When I returned to my Canadian climate, I tried to recreate the experience at home with store-bought instant masa harina (corn flour).  I was horribly disappointed at the results.  Not only was I lacking some necessary equipment (a tortilla press and a comal), but I sorely missed Mexico’s high humidity.  My dough dried out in minutes, and I was left with taco shells that were dry and torn.  I’ll try again once I am better equipped, and can deal with Alberta’s cold, dry climate again.  It’s gonna take some getting used to.

I did however invent a delicious way to cook shrimp to fill store-bought tacos.  With beer, of course.  And a lil’ bit of tequila.  Don’t add to much, or it might “ta-kill-ya”.

See This is Why I’m Hot for Pico de Gallo and Guacamole recipes.

Beer-garita Shrimp Tacos

Buen apetito!

 1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 clove garlic, finely minced

¼ cup Onion, finely diced

Shrimp

¼ cup beer

 2 tbsp Tequila or Mezcal

8-10 corn tortillas (6” taco size)

2 cups chopped cabbage

Guacamole

Pico de Gallo

Cheese (optional)

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and garlic.
2. Season with salt, and cook until onion begins to sweat, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the tequila and beer, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate any browned bits. Return the pan to heat.
4. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink, about 3 minutes.
5. Remove pan from heat and stir in the lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve as tacos with cabbage, pico de gallo, guacamole, and cheese as desired.

Note: Cheddar cheese has no place in Mexican food.  As soon as you add it, your meal becomes “Tex Mex”.  Just don’t.

Spice Up Your Life

Home, sweet home!

Ginger has been used as a folk medicine for over 3000 years to treat indigestion, motion sickness, and to relieve fatigue.  Approximately 90% of the world trade in spices is accounted for by ginger, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cassia, mace, nutmeg, pimento and cardamom – all potential ingredients in holiday baking.

ɑ-Zingiberene

The pungent flavor is due to a variety of compounds in the root, which include gingerols, shogaols, essential oils, and sesquiterpene derivatives (ɑ-zingiberene) obtained from the rhizomes (the underground stem of the plant).  Ginger oil is used in many foods and beverages, including ginger ale, ginger beer, and various desserts.  The oil is also used in other industries as an ingredient in cosmetics, perfumes, and pharmaceuticals.

I am far from crabby when I
get my hands on a Crabbie's.

Not to be confused with ginger ale, ginger beer is a spicy beverage – far more potent than the stuff you’re given on an airplane to fend off motion sickness.  Crabbie's has had great success marketing their alcoholic ginger beer, and often sells out at my local liquor store when I am especially in need.

Sushi's new best friend.

In the past, the Phillips brewery out of Victoria, BC released Gentleman Jim’s Real Ginger Ale in 2009, a sweet seasonal cooler.  However, their most recent Ginger beer is entirely different.  This is in fact a true hopped beer, with the raw ginger flavor adding an extra kick.  This brew is especially good with sushi, clearing your palate much like the pickled pink stuff they put next to the wasabi.  Am I the only one that eats that stuff?

Just as the coffee companies bring out the gingerbread lattes at Christmas time, there are seasonal gingerbread.  Yukon Brewing company released a Winter Spice Ale for their ADD series, while Big Rock and Paddock Wood produce similar beers when the season hits.  The molasses flavor of a rich stout lends itself especially well to the spices used in Christmas sweets.

Why not switch up your contribution to this year’s Christmas potluck?  Skip the rum-spiked eggnog and the fruitcake, and bring these cupcakes instead.  Your family will thank you.  Sincerely this time.

Ginger Beer Cupcakes

"Yo, tell me what you want,
What you really really want!"
- Wannabe, Spice Girls 1996

¾ cup ginger beer or stout

½ teaspoon baking soda

⅔ cup mild molasses

¾ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting pan)

2 tablespoons ground ginger

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon table salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper

2 large eggs

⅓ cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease or line two 12-cup muffin tins (20 wells).
2. Bring beer to a boil in medium saucepan over medium heat.
3. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda - the mixture will foam.  Be really careful that the mixture doesn’t escape from the saucepan and stick to your lovely clean stove.
4. When the foaming subsides, stir in the molasses, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.  Stir until dissolved.  Let cool and transfer to a large bowl.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and black pepper.
6. Whisk in the eggs, oil, and grated ginger to the stout mixture until well combined.
7. Gradually whisk the dry mixture into the stout, stirring vigorously until smooth after each addition.
8. Carefully pour the batter into the prepared wells (20) ¾ full.  The batter will be very thin – you WILL miss the pan, I guarantee.
9. Gently tap the pan against the counter to dislodge any large air bubbles.  Fill the 3 empty muffin wells with water and place pans in oven.
10. Bake until the top of the cake is just firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean from the center – about 22 to 25 minutes.
11. Cool the cupcakes 10 minutes before removing from pan.  Set aside until completely cool before frosting.

Makes 20 cupcakes

Eggnog Butter Icing

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp eggnog

1 ½ cups icing sugar

1 tbsp rum (OR ½ tsp rum extract)

¼ tsp nutmeg

1. In large bowl, combine butter with 1 tbsp eggnog.
2. Beat in sugar alternately with eggnog and rum until evenly blended.
3. Beat in rum extract and nutmeg.
4. Fill piping bag with icing, pushing it down to the tip of the bag.  Pipe icing in a spiral motion from the outside to the middle.
5. OR if you’re lazy (like I usually am), spread the icing on with a knife.  It doesn’t look as pretty, but it tastes the same.  Trust me.
6. Top with chopped crystallized ginger, Christmas sprinkles, or mini gingerbread cookies.

Ginger, the Genus Zingiber.  CRC Press 2004. Edited by K . Nirmal Babu and P . N . Ravindran.

Photo courtesy www.thedrinksbusiness.com