On Life, Lemons, and Limoncello

What should one expect when expecting a lemon? Do I need to find a citrus doula and book a lake view suite at Prentice?

I've had a lemon tree for four or five years, and my first fruit is highly anticipated. The tree has produced lots of flowers over the years but the little fruits were weak, jumping from the branch like lemmings when touched by even the gentlest breeze. The problem, I think, was due to general plant weakness from scale. Repotting, pruning, thorough descaling, and regular washing got rid of the scale enabled the tree to gain strength. Most people call this sort of activity gardening. I called it getting all up in a tree's business. Whatever you call it, it worked. Over the summer, its newfound confidence and strength enabled my tree to hold onto one of its fruits.  The lemon is nearly full term now, ripening from a deep green to light green, and taking its sweet time. It's going to be hard to cut into it. The tree has at least twenty flowers on it right now but I'm not expecting a bumper crop, or even a second lemon.

The saying goes, when life hands you lemons, vodka, and 151-proof grain alcohol, you make Limoncello. In possession of all three this past fall, I sought a recipe and embarked on a 16-week curing and bottling experiment. I'm told by my father that it was successful endeavor. I couldn't tell you myself because I cannot stand limoncello - too much alcohol in one place. My dad and step-mom were the inspiration and principal beneficiaries for this project. They both love limoncello and since their birthdays are in the fall and winter, they were both on my heart throughout the project.

Want to make it yourself? Here's the recipe I followed. And here's some pictures from the adventure:

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Trending: the Pimm's Cup

Last summer I posted on three favorite cocktails: Hendrick's Gin & Tonic, the Moscow Mule, and the Dark & Stormy. Now I have a new one to share: Pimm's Cup. I'm not sure where I caught onto this trending historic cocktail, but I'm guessing it was probably in New Orleans in July. I picked up a bottle of Pimm's at Binny's and we've been bringing out the Cups for guests - and ordering them off of cocktail menus - ever since. One reason I love it: it employs both English cucumber and ginger beer, both of which are always on hand chez moi. The other reason: it has all the delight (and no cloying nada) of my 2011 Summer Cocktails but with a perky twist.

The Pimm's Cup (aka Pimm's Fruit Cup) heralds from England.  I had never heard of a fruit cup so I did a little digging. To my yankee ears it's a silly moniker, akin to referring to Coca-Cola as "pop." Anyway, a fruit cup is also known as a summer cup and is usually gin-based. Oh, and it is traditionally garnished with a bit of a fruit salad (strawberries, fresh mint, orange) but I don't go that route.

The cocktail was created by James Pimm in the 1840s in his London bar and is based on his fruit- and herb-infused gin, Pimm's No. 1.  At one time there are seven Pimm's products but only Cups Nos. 1, 3 and 6 are still available (No. 1 is the only one on the shelves at my local Binny's). The difference between the seven is the base alcohol.

From the Wikipedia entry:
Pimm's No. 1 Cup is based on gin. Can be served both on ice or in cocktails.
Pimm's No. 2 Cup was based on Scotch whisky.
Pimm's No. 3 Cup is based on brandy. Phased out, but a version infused with spices and orange peel marketed as Pimm's Winter Cup is now seasonally available.
Pimm's No. 4 Cup was based on rum. 
Pimm's No. 5 Cup was based on rye whiskey.
Pimm's No. 6 Cup is based on vodka. Only produced in small quantities.

Sidebar: There is a difference between whiskey and whisky. Read about it here.

Preparing a Pimm's Cup is simple: Pour a splash of Pimm's over ice, add a jigger of Hendrick's Gin, squeeze in half a lime and top with ginger beer. Garnish with cucumber, and enjoy. You can get jiggy and first muddle the cucumber (save some to use some as a garnish). Gary Oldman made it this way at Acadia and it was wonderful. Here's our recipe:

Pimm's Cup
Print recipe only here

Makes 2

INGREDIENTS
Splash Pimm's No. 1
2 jiggers (about 3 oz) Hendrick's gin
2 jiggers Ginger Beer (Goslings or Barritt's are good choices)
Fresh squeezed lime (barely half a lime)
English cucumber, cut into thin rounds for garnish
Ice cubes

METHOD
Add Pimm's, Hendrick's, lime juice and some ice to shaker, cover, and shake vigorously 20 times. Fill two highball glasses with ice. Strain mixture into glasses and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a few thin rounds of cucumber and serve.

Read more:
1. From the New York Times
2. From Pimm's 
3. From Bon Appetit

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Get Thee To Acadia (and La Fornette, too)

I am blown away by two new places. The first is new French bakery called La Fournette, located on Wells just south of North Ave. I've been anticipating their arrival since I first sampled their bread at Dominique Tougne's bistro, Chez Moi. We went this morning and sampled some croissants and their Country Bread. Lovely. I'm going tomorrow to pick up a Miche. La Fournette, which means little oven, I think, features patio seating and every traditional French bakery item: macarons (the color was too bright, deterring consumption), homemade preserves, crepes, boulangerie sandwiches, and a wide selection of classic pastry.

Last night we had a delightful meal and amazing cocktails at Acadia in the South Loop. Chef/proprietor Ryan McCaskey was the guest chef at James Beard House in NYC earlier this week and we sampled a few of the dishes he presented in New York. Equally compelling were the cocktails, prepared by a Gary Oldman doppleganger. Presentation was exquisite and featured house made ginger bear, tonics, and cucumber ice cubes, just to name a few. A lovely bar menu would satisfy anyone.

Have you been anywhere new? Do tell!

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Three New Summer Cocktails (or Sippin' on Gin and Cukes*)

This summer we've been enjoying a rotation of three cocktails that we've never made before. It was high time for some new drinks. The margarita lost her appeal years ago, followed by the mojito. Pierce Brosnan ruined the mojito for me. He ordered one in Die Another Day and his affected Latin accent zapped allure right out of the drink. Plus, it's rare to find a mojito that compares with  Honga's, especially the Piña one. Mmmm.

The number of ingredients in a cocktail is inversely proportional to my enjoyment of same but correlates to hangover intensity. The reason for the latter has to do with sugar. I love the eight-ingredient make that ten-ingredient Mai Tai but there's just too much juice in there. Makes my head hurt. Three is the magic number of ingredients in the Summer of 2011 cocktails.

They are...

Hendrick's Gin and Tonic. What I love about it: the cucumber garnish and essence in the gin itself makes for a very clean drink. If spas had bars they would all serve these.

To make a HGT: fill a 10 ounce glass with ice. Pour in one shot of Hendrick's. Top with tonic. Stir gently. Add three round, thin slices of English cucumber. Serve and enjoy.

I've been meaning to dig out a tool one of my cooking school teachers gave me - it's a channeling tool, used commonly to remove dark green ribbons from a lime. You can also use it to carve out the edges of a cucumber so that, when you slice it, the circles have fancy ridges.

The Dark and Stormy - What I love about it:  the spicy kick of ginger. Spend any time in the Caribbean, or pal around with anyone who has, and you'll end up with one of these in your hand. This was the case when we bare boated a few winters ago in the BVIs. That trip set us off on a goose chase for a sufficiently spicy ginger beer. Goslings, sold in Chitown at Binny's, does the trick tho not quite as well as some of the Caribbean microbrewers.

To make a DNS: Fill a 10-ounce glass with ice. Pour in a shot of Goslings Black Seal dark rum, then fill the rest of the way with Goslings Ginger Beer. Squeeze a wedge of lime into the glass, then drop the wedge in. Stir gently and serve.

Moscow Mule - What I love about it: the simple 1-2-3 proportions. And the lime. I am a sucker for a fresh squeezed lime juice.  Also, the vessel. If you wanna be truly authentic about you drink out of a (fairly large) copper mug. A drink with a dedicated vessel? Awesome.

To make an M2: Search online for a copper mug. Quit when you realize it's silly/extravagant/stupid to make said purchase. Make a mental note to buy them as a hostess gift for someone. Squeeze lots of limes, like a dozen. You drink M2 in the company of lots of friends, so you're going to need lots of juice. Fill any sized glass with ice. Top with one shot vodka, two shots of fresh lime and three shots of ginger beer. The proportions are 1-2-3. Stir and enjoy.



* If only Dynamite Hack would do a version of this song, clad in crisp country club whites holding Gin and Cukes!


That's all.

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Puff Pastry, Day 2

PREVIOUSLY ON PINCH:

• You transformed a pound of butter into a thin-ish slab and refrigerated it overnite.
• You made the détrempe, cut a number-sign into the top and refrigerated it overnite.
• You realized that the dude who played Ethan on 24 should get the ball rolling on a made for TV movie in which he could star as John Boehner. Oh, that was me. Nevermind about that.

I'm glad you're back! You will be so pleased with yourself for having done this.

So, first thing, get set up.

1. Remove the détrempe and butter block from the fridge.
2. Clean your counter
2. Set out a rolling pin and a some flour for dusting
3. Get a ruler if you will need one to assess the size of the dough
4. Read through all directions before starting, so you know what to expect and can troubleshoot on the spot if necessary.

NOTE: Make sure to use dusting flour very sparingly. You don't want to end up with too much flour in your pastry. 

First, we're going to roll out the détrempe. You want to end up with a large square, about 14"x14"

Dust the counter with a tiny bit of flour and start rolling - don't dust the top of the dough. Too much flour will make the détrempe just slide around. If it is sliding around too much, just flip it over and don't use any additional flour.



Once you've got a nice large square, unwrap your butter. Determine which side of the dough has more moisture (the side that was floured will be the drier side) and plop the butter in the center of that side. Fold the pastry dough up around it, forming a neat package.





Now, dust the counter with another little bit of flour and, with a gentle firmness, start rolling. You want to keep the integrity of the shape without letting the dough upwrap itself. It will gradually get easier, as the butter inside softens. Just start with less pressure and add more. You can flip the dough over while rolling it out - this  both makes rolling a little easier and allows you to check the surface of the dough. On occasion you will get fissures in the dough, little butter blowouts from counter pressure. If this happens, don't panic, just sprinkle the spot with flour and continue a little more gently.

Roll the square out into a rectangle, about 24"x13". Now, you're going to do the first of five book-folds.

Take the right and left sides of the rectangle and fold them in, meeting in the center, like this:



Now, fold in half, one side over onto the other. It will look like this:



Dust the counter again, a little more generously this time. Start rolling again, this time with extra care as from this point on, butter blowouts are more common. Just be gentle and slow, and turn the dough frequently to check both sides, adding flour to blowout spots as needed. Roll the dough into another rectangle, pushing it wider and longer until it measures about 32"x9"

Do another book fold, then wrap well in plastic and retire it to the fridge to rest and chill, for 2 hours minimum. At this point you'll notice your dough looks much smoother than it did after the first book fold.



Congratulations! You now have a 16-layer dough. After two more book folds you will have 256 layers.

You will do three more book folds to get to the 1,000 layers. Honestly, I get a very puffy pastry with four book folds. I'm going to play the fifth fold by ear today. Either way, repeat the above process, rolling out a large thin rectangle, and book folding two more times. Then refrigerate for another two hours. If you want to do the fifth fold, do so after two hours of chill time.

I'll add the finale with images in a third post later.

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An Epiphany: It's time to make puff pastry

La  Fête des Rois is the French celebration of Epiphany (a/k/a Three Kings Day or the day your true love sends you twelve drummers drumming). At La Fête one eats Galette des Rois. I haven't made a Galette in a few years. If you want to join me in making one you'll need to start soon; L'Épiphanie is this Thursday, January 6. You need to source some good butter and allow enough time to make the puff pastry. (This is another one of those Yes You Can! posts.)

Puff pastry is one of the first things I made when I became an apprentice in the sweet kitchen. Just weeks into a job for which I held no credentials my boss told me she was going to teach me how to make it. I was beyond thrilled. I snuck off to call my husband to share my excitement. Oh, I was such a rube - I thought I was going to make phyllo dough.

The first thing to know is that making puff pastry involves some down time. On Day 1 you make the détrempe (the dough that is folded between layers of butter) and prep the butter layer. On Day 2 you do the rolling which turns the two into mille feuille, or 1,000 layers. This is achieved by the basic act of a series of folds - five, to be exact - each fold quadrupling the number of layers.

So...good butter. European butters have a higher butterfat content - and lower water content - making them a better choice for puff pastry. I picked up a pound sized block of Plugra and recommend you do the same. If you're  in Chicago you can find Plugra at Treasure Island. Trader Joe's used to carry it at a much better price but hasn't had it in awhile.

Once you've got your butter in hand you're ready to start. Day 1 is very short and simple. Follow the first part of the recipe and meet me back here for Day 2.

Puff Pastry
Print recipe only here

Makes about 3 pounds of puff pastry

INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 cups All Purpose flour
1 T plus 1 t salt
2 ounces cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 to 1 1/4 cups ice water

1 pound unsalted butter, best quality, ideally in a solid one-pound block.

METHOD - Day 1
Prep butter
Remove butter from fridge and cut lengthwise into two slabs. Line up the slabs on a large sheet of plastic wrap and form into a square, pressing the edges together as close as you can smush them. It should look like this:



Wrap with plastic wrap, leaving some room for the butter to stretch into. Then take a rolling pin and beat the heck out of the butter package, really solidifying the butter into one thin square, about 1/2-inch tall and about. You can use the pin to roll the butter out, too.



When you've got to about 7x7 and about 1/2-inch tall, retire it to the fridge overnite, wrapping it in an extra piece of plastico if the first piece ripped anywhere.

Make the détrempe
Fill a 2-cup liquid measuring cup with ice and water. Reserve.

Combine flour and salt in a mixer using the paddle attachment.

Add the 2 ounces of cold, cubed butter and mix until the butter has disappeared into the flour. With mixer running at a low speed, slowly add 1 cup of the ice water. If you need to add more water to make the dough come together do so, but go slowly. The moisture content of flour can differ. Sometimes you will need more water and sometimes you won't. The idea is just to watch the bottom of the bowl and add water VERY SLOWLY, adding just until it comes together in a large clump or two. The détrempe should be soft but not sticky. If it is a little sticky, don't worry. It will absorb some moisture overnite and you can always work more flour into it on Day 2.

Bring the détrempe into a looose, lumpy ball and place on a piece of plastic wrap. Using a large knife or bench scraper, cut a # into the dough, like this:




Then, wrap the détrempe well in plastic and retire it to the fridge overnite.

Bonsoir!

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Summertime Sangria

I love those moments when you need to make something last minute and miraculously have all the ingredients on hand. It must be that I’m still affected by the all the years I lived in a remote mountain town. Even though most everything you could ever need was available in town it was hard to justify a town trip (which included a round trip elevation drop and climb of 2500 feet) just because you needed a lemon. To this day my pantry looks like it was stocked by a survivalist, and I now live within two blocks of an epicurean swap meet.

It was the case yesterday, when I endeavored to make sangria, that I was pleasantly surprised to have nearly everything Emeril said I needed. I adapted his recipe by reducing the sugar, increasing the Grand Marnier and omitting the Brandy. My liquor cabinet was not stocked by a survivalist - no brandy, cognac or grappa to be found. The resulting drink was light and refreshing. Now I want to have a tapas party...

Summertime Sangria
Print recipe only here

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS
1 (750-ml) bottle red wine
1/3 cup Grand Marnier
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 T sugar
1/2 orange, thinly sliced
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
1 apple, cored and cut into eighths, and sliced
1 (750-ml) bottle sparkling water, chilled

METHOD
Combine everything but the sparkling water in a large plastic container or glass pitchers. Stir well, cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours. When ready to serve, add the sparkling water.

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Liquid Assets: Simple Syrup

I recently began keeping simple syrup in my fridge. It's stored in a recycled Bonne Maman jam jar (my kosher salt occupies an identical residence stoveside - I just love those jars!). But after seeing a long-necked bottle of simple syrup the other day at Trader Joe's I realize a need a new jar, something that will dispense the syprup more easily. A recycled vinegar bottle might be perfect, especially one with a pour spout.

Simple syrup is just sugar water (who remembers the scene in Men in Black where the alien in the Edgar suit asked for sugar water?!?). To make it you bring equal parts sugar and water (you can play with the ratio) to a boil and simmer until the sugar is dissolved.

Simple syrup is handy for a variety of summer beverages and cocktails including gimlets, fresh lemonade, and as a sweetener for iced coffee or tea. It's also used frequently in the sweet kitchen as a soaking syrup, dry cakes being a pastry chef's nightmare. Previously, I just made some whenever I needed it. For the summer, at least, I'll keep it stocked.

Simple Syrup

In a medium saucepan:
2 ½ cups water
2 cups sugar

Bring to a boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes or until the sugar is completely dissolved. Cool to room temperature and store in a glass bottle, recycled if possible.


Related posts:
How to Sweeten a Cocktail (The Atlantic)

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Drinks: Lemon Basil Gimlet

For years I thought a gimlet was something you had to be over age 70 to order. It sounds so old-fashioned! Then, I had the world's best at Matchbox. They do vodka infusions at Matchbox (pineapple and ginger) and mix it with fresh squeezed lime juice and a splash of sugar syrup. It's the best summer drink, ever.

Chicago is having a mid-winter heat spell (high of 63 predicted for today!) The thaw is greatly appreciated. There will be more cold and snow, to be sure, but for now, we celebrate!

My husband, the resident expert saucier and drink maker, made this gem for me the other night. It was perfect: refreshing, clean, and gorgeous.

Lemon Basil Vodka Gimlet
Print recipe only here

Serves 2

YOU WILL NEED
fresh basil
lemons
vodka
powdered sugar
ice
sugar syrup or superfine sugar
muddler or wooden spoon

METHOD
Moisten the rim of two highball glasses.

Sprinkle 1-2 T powdered sugar on a small plate and dredge the rim of the glass in the sugar. Set aside.

In a shaker, combine:
Zest of one lemon (peel a lemon using a vegetable peeler, being careful to just peel the top yellow layer, without the white pith)
4 fresh basil leaves
1 T sugar (preferably superfine)

Muddle together. If you don't have a muddler, use the handle of a wooden spoon to smash the basil and lemon zest into the sugar so that the essential oils are released.

Add to the shaker:
3-4 shots vodka
3-4 shots fresh squeezed lemon juice
6 icecubes

Shake vigorously. Taste and adjust if necessary (I don't like anything to be too sweet - you may prefer yours with a bit more sugar than indicated here).

Add 4 ice cubes to each sugar-coated glass and strain gimlet into each. Top with one fresh basil leaf and serve.

For an alternate preparation see Well Fed Blog's Lemon Basil Vodka Gimlet

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Yes You Can: Almond Croissants

Croissants are hard to make. You need loads of time, counter space, and expertise. And butter. No one really has any business trying them at home. That’s what great bakeries are for. Sadly, there’s a dearth of excellent pastry out there. And no item is more poorly done than the croissant.

I’ve discovered it’s possible to - in the immortal words of Kanye West - Make a Benz Outta that Datsun by turning a plain store bought croissant into a nearly homemade almond croissant. The croissants I used were from Costco. Surprisingly, these are better than most of what I’ve tasted at Chicago bakeries and cafés. They are sold by the dozen, natch, but this works well as the recipe calls for freezing them.

Make these the next time you’ve got lots of hungry people in your home in the morning. You will make them very happy. Here’s how:

Almond Croissants
Print recipe only here

YOU WILL NEED
For the filling:
• 1 dozen plain croissants, frozen
• 8 ounces almond paste
• 4 ounces butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 ounces almond meal (roughly ½ cup)
• 2 ounces flour (scant ½ cup)

Also:
• Simple syrup (½ cup water and ½ cup sugar, 2-3 strips of orange peel (just use a regular vegetable peeler) and a piece of vanilla bean if you have it. Bring to a boil and cook 4 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved.
• ½ cup sliced almonds, raw
• powdered sugar for dusting

METHOD
1. Prep almond cream:
• In a mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and almond paste together, 5 minutes.
• Add eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly between additions.
• Add almond meal and flour, and mix well, scraping the bottom of the bowl to ensure the butter is well incorporated.

2. Prep simple syrup, keeping warm.

3. Preheat oven to 300° convection or 350° standard.

4. Remove croissants from freezer and slice in half, crosswise.

5. Brush or squirt simple syrup on the inside of both halves.

6. Spread a layer of almond cream on the bottom of each croissant. Replace top half and spread a very thin layer of almond cream on the top half.

7. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and press on gently so they stick.

8. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until nicely golden, rotating pan halfway to ensure even color.

9. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar (a mesh tea-immerser does this trick nicely).

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When Life Hands You Lemons

If there’s one thing I know it’s that no one leads a charmed life. Everyone gets lemons, some more bitter than others. It’s our reactions that differentiate us.

Today I'm thinking about smaller lemons. Lemons we might one day laugh about. Lemons that can be turned into lemonade.

What about when a spoonful of sugar isn't quite enough? My good friend was a teetotaler until she had children. I bet every mother can relate to the image of a perfectly capable woman overpowered by two average toddlers. I sure can. No mother is practically perfect in every way like Mary Poppins. How did Ms. Poppins unwind after tucking in Jane and Michael each evening?

I’m easily amused by drinking references. The above exaggeration of being driven to drink to combat parenting stress makes me chuckle. I have two other favorites, one absurd: “Would it be bad for our marriage if I started drinking in the morning?” the other a bit wise: “When life hands you lemons, get some tequila and invite me over.”

To be sure, teetotalitarianism* has its place. And spiked lemonade won’t mend a broken heart, improve a bad situation or help you navigate the toddler years. The suggestion that it could is laughable. Having a friend to invite over who will listen to your sad story, commiserate and then encourage you to get back in the game is the ticket.

Tequila won't really help with lemons. But it does make me laugh.

________________
* Tee•to•tal•i•tar•i•an•ism [tee-toh-tal-i-tair-ee-uh n-ism]
1. A made up word to describe a government that does not consume alcohol or tolerate parties of differing opinion.
2. How Pinch would characterize the presidency of George W. Bush.

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The Must Have Item for the Summer Kitchen

I have a small fleet of juicers ranging from the hydraulic Norwalk to my most recent acquisition, the Amco Enameled Lime Squeezer, pictured above. This newest one will replace two lesser performers. I also have the orange model - slightly larger to accommodate, yes, oranges - on order from Amazon.

This tool is way more efficient than I ever imagined it to be - reducing a robust lime to an inverted puck with a gentle squeeze of the handles. It's similar in efficiency to the Zyliss Susi Garlic Press.

This juicer has been recommended before but I didn't get it until I saw Rick Bayless use it at a cooking demonstration a few weeks ago. Chefs often scorn kitchen gadgets, so I knew this thing had to be good when he whipped one out and sung its praises.

Since receiving my lime juicer I've done a bit of singing myself, only I've discovered most of my friends are way ahead of me. I've been repeatedly patted on the head and told, yeah, those are great - I've had one for several years.

Last night I made Kung Pao Chicken and used it to squeeze fresh orange juice for the sauce. The result: best Kung Pao, ever. Of course I had the quarter the oranges to fit them in my lime juicer - Hurry, Amazon, hurry! - and it took longer than I would have liked to generate one half-cup of OJ. But, damn! It was worth it.

Still not convinced? Here's a list of five other things you will use it for:
1. Mojito
2. Mai Tai and the lesser known but more potent 'Tai Bull (Mai Tai cocktailed with Red Bull - takes you to the Dark Side quicker than the negative thoughts you have about the economy)
3. Guacamole
4. Caesar Salad Dressing
5. Aioli for artichokes

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