The Green Fairy

July 21, 2011 by 8 Comments

                        

I’ve always been taken with the 1992 version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, especially  the scene where Gary Oldman as Dracula seduces Mina (Winona Ryder), the apple of his eye, with a drink of Absinthe, reciting the following lines as he takes young Mina’s mortality: “Absinthe is the aphrodisiac of the self. The Green Fairy who lives in the Absinthe wants your soul. But you are safe with me.”


 
Sure Gary (I mean Dracula), we believe you….

Absinthe is a highly alcoholic spirit made from various herbs with a natural green color (hence the moniker “green fairy”). It has the distinct taste of anise (licorice) and is classically served diluted with water and a sugar cube.

You may have heard about the hallucinogenic Absinthe of the Van Gogh era, often called the “green fairy” because it supposedly made people see things that weren’t actually there.  In the 1800 and 1900s, Absinthe was made with an additive called wormwood; this was what caused it to be a hallucinogenic.  Because of its mind-altering effects, this spirit of lore came to be banned in the early 1900s, worldwide.

Today’s Absinthe no longer contains wormwood. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, many European countries began legalizing the production and sale of Absinthe and the United States followed suit in 2007.  In recent years, Absinthe has reincarnated itself as a new and highly sought spirit in the cocktail world and has become a premium alcohol in the current cocktail craze.  Old-style and Prohibition Era cocktails are wildly en vogue.

Absinthe can be mixed with other spirits or flavors like Champagne, Vodka, elderflower, grapefruit juice or ginger, among many other combinations. When preparing an Absinthe cocktail, remember that it has an incredibly strong anise flavor, so mix accordingly.

To serve authentically, you will need a traditional Absinthe spoon, cold water, a sugar cube, and of course a glass filled with Absinthe. To serve you simply rest the spoon on the glass of Absinthe, place the sugar cube on the spoon and drip the cold water over the sugar cube so that the water melts the sugar and it flows into the Absinthe, making it cloudy and slightly diluted.

                         

Here are a few,  sip-sational,  Absinthe cocktails……

ABSINTHE CURACAO FRAPPE
1 shot Absinthe Original
1/2 shot Curacao
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons orange juice
1 thin slice of orange

Stir ingredients and pour over crushed ice in a deep-saucer champagne glass. Add orange slice.

 

ABSINTHE BOLLYSIDE
1 part of Absinthe Original
1/2 part of Jack Daniels
1/2 of gin
1/4 of Archers Peach Schnapps
1 part of Red Bull
Drop of cranberry juice.

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into ice filled collins glass.

 

WHARF RAT
1 part of white rum
1 part of Grenadine
1 part of Absinthe Original
1 part of Apricot brandy
3 parts of orange juice

Mix with crushed ice and top it up with absinthe.

 

ABSINTHE MINDED
3 oz Bombay Sapphire gin
1/2 oz Absinthe Original
1/2 oz Grand Marnier orange liqueur
dry vermouth
1 orange peel

Properly chill 1 cocktail glass. In mixing glass with ice, pour gin and absinthe, and stir. In your cocktail glass, roll 1/2 oz of dry vermouth and throw away the excess. Strain other ingredients into cocktail glass and float 1/2 oz of Grand Marnier over top. Garnish with orange peel.

My suggestion?  Try one on a stormy, rainy night while watching the Dracula DVD!

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Hot & Wordless Wednesday!

July 20, 2011 by 3 Comments

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Tasty Tuesday – Zuppa di Pesca

July 19, 2011 by 7 Comments

 

                                          

Cioppino is a grand San Francisco seafood dish modeled on the traditional Italian “Zuppa di Pesca” (Soup of Seafood) prepared as village specialities along its coasts, some of which bore names that sounded like “Cioppino”.  San Francisco’s fishermen have been Italian and Portuguese for generations; this recipe comes from their traditions, the  restaurateurs of San Francisco and the wonderful variety and quality of seafood that the coastal waters there provide.

Note that Cioppino is typically served with the shellfish still in their shells, making for somewhat messy eating. It’s a lot of fun for an informal gathering. Have plenty of napkins available and don’t wear white.

                                  

                                   Cioppino

Seafood

  • 3 pounds halibut, sea bass, or other firm white fish, cut into inch-long cubes
  • 1 large (2 lb or more) cooked Dungeness crab (hard shell) or a cooked lobster
  • 1 pound (or more) of large shrimp
  • 2 pounds little neck clams, mussels, or oysters or all three

Sauce

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (1 large onion)
  • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper (1 large green bell pepper)
  • 3 coves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 28 ounce can tomatoes
  • Broth from the mollusks
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 2 cups tomato juice
  • 2 cups fish or shellfish stock
  • An herb bouquet of bay leaf, parsley, and basil wrapped in a layer of cheesecloth and secured with kitchen string
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup minced parsley for garnish

Optional seasonings: a dash of Tabasco sauce and or Worcestershire sauce

Steam mollusks (clams, mussels, oysters) in a small amount of water (about a cup) until they just open. Set aside. Strain and reserve the cooking broth.

If using crab, removed the crab legs from the body and use a nut cracker to crack the shells so that the meat can be easily removed once it is served (leave the meat in the shell). Break the body in half, and then cut each half again into either halves or thirds. Keep the top shell of the crab for making stock.

If you are using lobster, cut the tail in pieces and reserve the body and legs for making stock.

Note you can use prepared fish or shellfish stock, or you can make your own. If you are not making your own stock, you can discard the crab top shell or lobster body. If prepared shellfish stock is not available, you can combine some prepared fish stock (available at many markets, including Trader Joe’s) with clam juice.

Split the shrimp shells down the back and remove the black vein.  The easiest way to do this, without removing the shell, is to lay the shrimp on its side and insert a small knife into the large end of the shrimp, with the blade pointing outward from the back (away from the shrimp and your hands). Once you have split the shrimp shells, you can turn the knife toward the shrimp, and cut in a little to find the black vein. Pull out the vein as much as you can. You can probably also use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the backs of the shrimp.

Alternatively, you can shell the shrimps and devein them. Shell-on imparts more flavor; shell-off is easier to eat.

In a deep 8-quart covered pot, sauté onions and green pepper on medium heat in olive oil until soft. Add the garlic, sauté 1 minute more. Add tomatoes, broth from the mollusks, red wine, tomato juice, fish or shellfish stock, the herb bouquet, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove herb bouquet. Taste and correct seasoning.

Add the fish and cook, covered, until the fish is just cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the steamed mollusks, crabmeat, and shrimp. Heat just until shrimp are cooked (just 2-3 minutes, until they are bright pink). Do not overcook.

Serve in large bowls, shells included. Sprinkle with minced parsley. Serve with crusty French or Italian bread and a robust red wine. Have plenty of napkins available, a few extra bowls for the shells, and nut crackers and tiny forks for the crab.

Serves 8.

 

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