Vampire Ritual

There are a few versions of this cocktail. One uses beet syrup in replace of blueberry. Supposedly it gives this cocktail a more earthy taste. It has a very dark sinister colour that one can assume is supposed to mimic blood therefore, apart from the name, it's vampiric  implications are pure. 

Vampire Ritual

---------------------------------------------

makes 1 cocktail

1 1/2 to 2 oz gin

1/2 oz triple sec

1 1/2 oz blueberry syrup/juice

10 - 15 fresh blueberries

3/4 oz lemon juice

Muddle the blueberries and syrup/juice together, the pout the mixture and all the other ingredients into a cocktail shaker, with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass. 

Notes: to make the syrup, just boil equal part of water and sugar, add some fruit, in this case blueberries, strain out the chunky bits and use the liquid. 

Halloween is almost here. Have a fabulous weekend everyone! - JD 

The Best of Lodge and Trail

This cookbook was in part a fund raising project for Cross Country, Alberta. The Best of Lodge and Trail, Favourite Recipes from Alberta and the Canadian Rockies, gives you a unique opportunity to sample a bit of a broad spectrum of recipes from well established places such as The Rocky Mountain Lodges + Resorts, Purcell Lodge, Emerald Lake Lodge, Lake O'Hara Lodge and the Skokie Lodge. 

Printed in 1994 the recipes entice and may hold their place on culinary tables around the world, at home, or in restaurants, with very few alterations. It's 11 chapters, 127 pages, of regional cuisine. Whether or not you ski, or are a purveyor of the great outdoors the recipes are diverse. Offering meat, vegetable, savoury and sweet dishes plus there is even a Iced & Warming drinks chapter; which has a recipe called Heat of the Night. This one is definitely going on our cocktail list to try. 

Although the Date Loaf is tempting the Chocolate Beet Cake is very enticing. Since Valentine's Day is upon us I thought I would share that recipe from the book.

Chocolate Beet Cake

-------------------------------------------------------

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

19 oz. canned beets (drained and puréed in blender)

6 tablespoons cocoa

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Prepare one 9-inch cake pan with buttered parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the beets and sugar until well incorporated. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Bake in 350ºF oven for 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before setting out in wire rack to cool completely.

Slightly exotic in a herbal way however if you can find some rose hips perhaps you may enjoy this recipe too.  

Nyponsoppa (Rose Hip Soup)

------------------------------------------------------

2 cups rose hips (blossom ends and stems removed)

1/4 cup wildflower honey

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon potato flour

8 cups water

1/4 cup almond (slivered and roasted)

In a large kettle or pot, boil rose hips in water for 2 hours. Stir in sugar to dissolve.

Transfer about 1/4 cup of soup into a cup and add potato flour. Smooth into a paste. Slowly add back to the pot and simmer until thickened slightly.

Remove soup from heat. Stir in almond extract and garnish with slivered almonds.

Have a Happy Valentine's Day everyone! - JD  

  

The Astrological Cookbook

Here we are half way through the first month of 2015 and people are making healthy choices and decisions that will last throughout the whole year. Which implies that the food we eat may give us balance towards our inner well being, our minds and sometimes our spirit. Therefore making the old adage "You are what you eat", verifiably true.  

The Astrological Cookbook offers a culinary guide to celestial harmony for every sign of the zodiac. Many special recipes and specific spices associated with each sign reiterate the harmonious balance between food and body. According to the author many of those recipes have been passed down through the years and some created using age-old astrological principles. We know food nourishes our physical bodies however this cookbook suggests that our desire or need to be in harmony with the universe and with those around us, including ourselves, are through our culinary choices. 

To pick one recipe from this cookbook is hard considering that they are put together for each individual sign. That being said there are some universal recipes like Ham Casserole, Pork Tenderloin, Stuffed Red Peppers, Cauliflower au Gratin, Lima Bean Soup, Meat Loaf, Lamb Pot Roast, Stuffed Eggplants, Potato Soup and Risotto ai Funghi. That could please any astrological sign, consequently at the cookbooks defeat.  

I wanted to share the Summer Squash Casserole recipe and even though we are in our winter months here in E-town I am sure you can swap the summer squash for winter squash instead. Regardless the idea of summer squash gives us something to look forward to. 

Summer Squash Casserole

-------------------------------------------------------

2 summer squash

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

4 tablespoons cream

2 tablespoon minced ham

dry roaster sunflower seeds or cashews

Peel the summer squash. Cut into small pieces and cook for 20 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain, mash and add the butter, cream and minced ham. Remove to utility dish. Sprinkle top with the dry roasted sunflower seeds or cashews. Bake at 350ºF until the top is brown. Serves 4. 

Since we are still in Capricorn I will include the recipe for Beet Soup.

Beet Soup
--------------------------------
1 can beets
1/2 cup water
1 cup chicken bouillon
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
celery salt
whipped cream
finely minced parsley

Mince beets fine, reserving juice. Add water to the juice. Simmer the beets and liquid 10 minutes. Strain. Add the chicken bouillon, milk and salt. Dust with celery salt. Add whipped cream to the top of each serving. Sprinkle with minced parsley. Serves 4.

Enjoy! - JD