Yuppie Moonshine Diary: Chapter 2 (The Chocolate Experiments)

Three more concoctions were sealed up in jars yesterday. Some girls have a closet full of shoes, some have a closet full of booze...

My first recipe called for a whole coconut. I had never cracked a coconut before. This did not go well. I'm positive this is NOT how it should look when you "tap it with a hammer along the equator and pry it apart with your hands." (Sounds simple, right?) This is the result of whacking away at it with a hammer (both sides of the hammer!) like a mad woman and then struggling to pry it open further and failing. I don't even want to admit the amount of time it took me to get this little coconut into pieces in a jar. (Hour and a half, maybe two. Yikes!) 



CHOCOLATE COCONUT LIQUEUR 

750 mL vodka 
1 whole coconut 
1 cup cacao nibs 


The inspiration for this one is Zico's Dark Chocolate Coconut Water. I crave that stuff day and night, it's a little ridiculous. 

The plan for this is to let it steep for 8 days. Then, I'll make a simple syrup with vanilla and add it to taste. Excited for this one! 






CHOCOLATE CHAI LIQUEUR 

750 mL vodka 
6 tbspn chai tea 
1 cup cacao nibs 
2 cinnamon sticks 

I realized I made a mistake right after I poured the vodka into this jar. Tea isn't supposed to steep for very long but the cinnamon and cocoa nibs need more time. So, after a day I strained the mixture through a coffee filter and added new cinnamon and nibs. 

In a week I'm going to split it up and try a few different creme liqueur versions - testing out heavy cream/milk with simple syrup, sweetened condensed milk and dulce de leche to see which works best.  



CHOCOLATE JALAPENO TEQUILA 

375 mL silver tequila 
2/3 cup cacao nibs 
1 jalapeno

This one gets a lot of funny faces. It's admittedly a little strange but I have high hopes for it. I got the idea when I discovered Tanteo's "Cocoa" tequila. I've never tried it but it gave me hope that it could be great! They also have a "Jalapeno" flavor... so I added that too. I may have gone too far with that part. We'll see. If all goes as planned this will make a legendary Mexican Coffee Cocktail. 

With these, I now have five spirits in the holding chamber (my closet). A little more time, some final tweaks and I'll deliver the (hopefully good) results along with some fantastic food and drink recipes for them! 

Battle in Seattle: Red Mill Burger v.s. Katsu Burger

Do I really need to type an introduction to a burger post? I think not. 

Red Mill Burgers

1613 W Dravus St
(between W 16th Ave & W 17th Ave)
Seattle, WA 98119

Let's start with the positive: 

There are a lot of milkshake options. 

The sauce they use is like In 'N Out's famous house sauce but with a slightly spicy kick. It's a great side to dip your fries in. 

The veggies on the burger were crisp and fresh. 

BACON! A BIG PILE OF BACON FRYING ON THEIR PAN WHEN YOU ENTER!









The negatives: 

My burger barely dripped. I like my burgers to bleed. 

The fries were seriously lacking. They reminded me of bowling alley fries. 

The meat bum ratio was off on mine. I somehow managed to eat the patty all the way before the bun, which is a turn-off. 

The bun tasted like a grocery store bun. 

When I ask a local, "What's your favorite burger joint?" about 90% of the time the answer is "Red Mill". There was great expectations on this place and while it was very good, I wouldn't say it's "the best". Sorry, majority of Seattle. 


Katsu Burger
6538 4th Ave S
(between Michigan St & S East Marginal Way)
Seattle, WA 98108

First off, Katsu Burger is next door to a liquor store has this epic sign. So... yeah, SODO isn't the best area of Seattle, but Katsu Burger makes it worth the purse hiding. 















The burgers here are influenced by Japanese cuisine. I ordered the appropriately named "Godzilla Attack" burger. The burger patty is crusted with panko and then deep fried. This was the first time I have had a fried patty and although it doesn't drip, it's juicy and crispy in one bite. 

The burgers come with shredded cabbage, tomatoes, pickles and onions. Mine also came with jalapenos, pepper jack, spicy mayo and tonkatsu sauce. The bun wasn't grilled as much as In 'N Out, but it was still fresh tasting. I also got a side of curry fries which were the best fries I've had in a long time. 







AND THE WINNER IS: 

KATSU BURGER! 

Stay tuned for the next battle: Zippy's v.s. Burgermaster

RECIPE: Vegetarian(?!) Stuffing

I love stuffing. It’s a Thanksgiving staple and my recipe roster for this dish is strong. At least I thought it was until my brother-in-law hit me with “Can you bring the stuffing?... And make it vegetarian?” Sorry vegetarian friends, I love you but I must admit that from the other end of the phone I did the full eye roll into a back head tilt as I replied “Of course!” Don’t get me wrong, I love many vegetarian dishes but stuffing? Do you have any idea how many different kinds of meats, not to mention seafood, can go into stuffing and how incredible each and every one of them makes it taste?! I do love a challenge though, so the search began.

A simple solution would be to simply eliminate the meat, change the broth to vegetable. I kind of hate this conversion method though. To me the dishes just end up tasting like sad versions of themselves. I wanted something new and interesting that would stand alone as a great dish you wouldn’t dream of ruining with meat. Here’s what I came up with, a fabulous combination of recipes found online (this one being the main influence) that has now secured a spot on my “favorites” list… 

AMAZING VEGETARIAN STUFFING

1/2 cup dried tart cherries

(1) 1-pound loaf wheat bread

1/4 cup olive oil

4 tsp chopped fresh sage

3 large garlic cloves, minced

6 tbsp unsalted butter

4 mini Portobello mushrooms, sliced thin

1 finely chopped yellow onion

3 celery ribs, sliced thin

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

2-1/2 cups vegetable broth, heated

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Boil water, remove from heat and add cherries. Let the cherries sit in the water for about 15 minutes.

Cut bread into small cubes and place in a large bowl.  Add oil, sage, and garlic then toss. Spread out on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until toasted then place the bread cubes back in the bowl.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and mushrooms and sauté until soft.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter your baking dish. Heat vegetable broth.

Add vegetable mixture, cherries and hot broth to the bread cubes and mix. Put the stuffing mix in your buttered baking dish a little at a time, crumbling goat cheese between the layers. Cover with foil.

Bake until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is crispy, about 25 minutes longer.

Enjoy! 

Time to Ketchup!

Wowza. It's been a while since my last post! I've been all over the West Coast auditioning, shooting and visiting friends and family. Below is a re-cap of my gluttonous adventures.

Bunk Sandwiches
211 SW 6th Ave
Portland, OR 97205

Say hello to my little friend. This is the Pork Belly Cubano. Ham, swiss, pickles, mustard and pork belly. Also comes with fresh fried kettle chips for only $9. 

This isn't one of those "keep Portland weird" spots. It seems to be popular with the lunch and mom crowds. It wasn't on par with the Swinery's BLT, but a very good effort. 

Tat's Delicatessen 
159 Yesler Way
Seattle, WA 98104

Tat's is located in Pioneer Square, so it's over-crowded with Seahawks fans. It's a little loud but the energy is fun. They are known for their Philly Cheesesteak, you are given an option of cheeses, but it's considered "authentic" if you go with Cheez Whiz. Yup, canned Cheez Wiz that I loathed as a child. I pretty skeptical to try this since the "food in a can" mentality usually disgusts me, but I was wrong. 
The Cheez Whiz melts beautifully their thin sliced beef and fresh Italian roll. I added sweet peppers to mine as well for a kick. The fries were also fresh tasting and reminded me of the now closed Ford's in Sacramento. 

BONUS - The left-overs heat up great the next day!

Pioneer Hot Dogs 
Outside Qwest and Safeco Field
Seattle, WA 98134

I was promoting Miller Lite and I learned about the tailgating culture. Tons of football fans invade the vacant Safeco Field (since it's football season) and relish in beer and food. There were a lot of food stands tailored for the junk food junkie. 

I tried the "Seattle Dog" which is grilled with onions and cream cheese. Honestly this was a bit overrated. I'm not a fan of raw onions, so I wish mine were cooked more. Also the dog itself tasted a little burned. Maybe they were busy listening to the game when they cooked it? 

NOTE: I DID NOT EAT ALL OF THE ITEMS BELOW MYSELF. I SHARED WITH MY FABULOUS CO-WORKER BRE, WHO IS A FAT MAN DISGUISED IN A RUNWAY MODEL'S BODY. IT'S UNFAIR SHE LOOKS THAT GOOD...

Po Dog Hot Dogs
1009 E Union St
(between 10th Ave & 11th Ave)
Seattle, WA 98122

This establishment is located next to a bar that plays a lot of indie rock, so it's fun to people watch here. They have lots of options to wash the dogs down and there's plenty of seating. What separates this place from other hot dog stands/spots is the bun. It's made in house (not Rainbow brand!) and reminds me of a softer, sweeter pretzel that accommodates the dogs beautifully.  
To my left is the PB dog, a hot dog topped with peanut butter, bananas and topped with more peanuts. I know what you're thinking, it sounds awful but it was actually amazing. I like I made Elvis proud eating this. 

Fried pickles are easy for a place to screw up. First off, I despise the pickle chips. They don't keep the vinegar flavor and the crust slides off too easy. Second, most places that serve fried pickles don't have many options for sides, you're stuck with either ketchup (BLEH) or Ranch (DOUBLE BLEH!). 

At Po Dog, they are fried as spears, the coatings actually stays on the pickle. Also, there are a lot of options for dippings. We got the wasabi and house aioli which was a nice switch from the usual condiments. 

This is the Deep Fried Danger Dog. Oh boy. A hotdog wrapped in peppered bacon and deep fried to perfection, topped with sauteed onion and a chilli sauce. This is heartburn in a bun, but it's so worth it. I don't think the two of us could eat this in one sitting but it was delicious trying. 


Po Dog does offer a Seattle Dog, which is topped with cream cheese and scallions. We didn't try it but it gives me an excuse to come back and I will let you know when I do.

Happy eatings! 

Yuppie Moonshine Diary: Chapter 1 (Ginger Brandy + Vanilla Fig Bourbon)

My new obsession = Homemade Liqueurs & Alcohol Infusions

This is the result of a recent fascination with Discovery’s “Moonshiners” + the discovery of some fabulous homemade liqueur recipes on Pinterest. I’ve made Limoncello a couple times for Christmas gifts with much success for very little effort so I’m back at it and upping my game.

DIY GINGER LIQUEUR 

from Serious Eats 

4 oz. ginger, sliced thin + vanilla bean, split
add to 3 cups water, 2 cups sugar. boil then simmer, 20 min. 

zest 2 oranges, add to sealable glass container

once cool, add ginger syrup to zest

add 3 cups brandy (I added 4, we'll see how that goes), seal and shake.
place in a cool, dark spot.

still to do: 

remove vanilla bean on day 2

strain mixture through a coffee filter on day 3 

taste on day 4! 

VANILLA FIG-INFUSED BOURBON 

from Bourbon and Toast

1 pound fresh figs

750mL bottle bourbon

1 vanilla bean, split

figs are out of season so I'm trying dried, stems removed. we'll see. 

pour bourbon over figs and vanilla bean, seal.
place in a cool, dark spot. 

still to do: 

check to see if it smells like figs on day 14. if it doesn't, check again on day 21.

when it smells like figs, strain it through a small sieve and enjoy!

I'll report back about how these concoctions turn out and share my favorite recipes to use them in. In the meantime, check out our Pinterest page for more liqueur & infusion inspiration! 

What's Better Than Chocolate Chip Cookies?

Chocolate chip cookies stuffed with candy! 

Traditionalists may disagree but these are definitely a fun twist on an already amazing cookie. I got the idea from Pinterest, a blogger posted a fantastic recipe for Giant S'mores Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies. I decided to experiment with Rolos, Reese's and my own S'mores version...

Rolos and Reese's in Dough

Results!

Graham Crackers (I used Cinnamon Grahams) and Marshmallows in Dough

The (Massive) Results

For the cookie dough I just go with the recipe on the bag of chocolate chips, adding a little more vanilla and chocolate chips. I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet chips for these. My best advice is to use parchment paper instead of just the ungreased baking pan most recipes recommend. Your cookies will look better because they'll slide right off the paper and if you're a messy baker like me you'll be happy you don't have to scrub the pans too! 

A City and it's Brunch

Brunch is the highlight and kick off of Austin weekends. Whether it is a post run taco stop, a late brunch after sleeping in, or a kick off to your weekend activities. Austin does brunch, we do it well, and we take it seriously.

Tacodeli

tacodeli.com

The line out the door proves my point. 

Breakfast tacos will inspire a big debate among many Austinites. Everyone has their own opinion on who has the best breakfast taco. My favorite and dare I say the best in town are at Tacodeli. 

Organic Eggs, Papas, Portobella, on Corn

Tacodeli prides themselves on serving local and organic produce, meats, and seafood. They have great specialty tacos, but my favorite combo is grilled portobella mushrooms, Papa's (creamy mexican mashed potatoes), and eggs all piled on a corn tortilla. I have experimented with other combos, but my addiction to this creation is bordering on an obsession. After running, this is what I crave. It may not look pretty, but it is delicious. 

      

Yellow Jacket Social Club

yellowjacketsocialclub.com 

Yellow Jacket Social Club is an eastside bar with a great vibe, a tree covered patio, and live music on the weekends. In the morning they are back in action slinging Bloody Mary's, Mimosas, and cooking up a delicious brunch. The chef here blows me away with his Shrimp and Grits.The grits are made with homemade shrimp stock. I would say these are now the best grits in town.

Tofu Scramble

Deviled Eggs

Then there is Perla's…
perlasaustin.com
Beautiful atmosphere, amazing oysters, fresh seafood flown in daily, and amazing brunch cocktails. Its definitely my favorite celebration brunch spot.                                                                                                                     

Lobster & Egg White Fritatta

Oyster Shooter with Tito's

Lobster Stock, Cheddar, & Green Onion Grits

Hush Puppies

Lobster Omelette

The Filibuster

Salted Butterscotch Pots De Creme