Brokers Gin

In my search for affordable but delightful Gins, I have discovered Brokers on the shelf of my local package store,

and a fine package it is!

This gin is made in old copper stills. It has a nice round, full flavor with juniper up front; peppery with citrus notes. This is an old fashioned Gin, not as sweet as Bombay Saffire and without noticeable angelica. At $25.00 a fifth is it more than a bargain. Great for G&T's and will hold its own neat or in a Martini.

Summer Delights

Your Tippler has been pretty busy with other things this summer. One of my favorite regional delights is our simple but delicious Hatteras Clam Chowder

12 chowder clams chopped of 1 pint of shucked clams
1 Onion, diced
1 slice of smoked jowl or 2 slices dry cured hickory smoked bacon
6 potatoes, chopped
5 cups of water
a pinch of Thyme
salt & pepper to taste

Fry up that smoked pork, add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the pinch of Thyme, salt and pepper and stir. Add in the clams (juice and all), potatoes, and water. Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat for an hour.

This is best served with saltine crackers and maybe some corn bread. A good hoppy beer is an appropriate accompaniment as well.

Boodles Gin

In looking at the top shelf Gins available in my area's state stores, I came across this Gin.

One thing that attracted me to it was that it states it has been distilled four times. This includes a triple distilled base of English Wheat. A clean liquor is a good liquor and those hearts are close to mine.

The other thing that attracted me was the price, which was almost $10.00 below Bombay Saffire and the Tippler, while a picky, picky eater and drinker, is a painfully penurious penny pincher. That said, I found this to be a very nice, high quality Gin; invitingly herbal and woodsy with an initial aroma of sage, nutmeg and cassia bark. Nice nuanced but present juniper behind the assertive spice and herb flavorings. This Gin is much like the Saffire but lacking in the Angelica root.

It works well with that Ramos Gin Fizz as well as with Q Tonic. Quite nice in the torpid heat of a Southern summer.

Avocado Soup

I've been too distracted lately to post and too hot to cook. I've been preparing cold meals of different kinds and remembered a wonderful Avocado crab soup I used to enjoy at a neighborhood Mexican style restaurant long gone.

Needing to play in the kitchen in spite of the heat I came up with this delicious version.

Avocado Crab Soup

Ingredients:
2 Ripe Avocados
2/3 cup Yogurt
2/3 cup Milk or Almond Milk
1 1/2 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
2 Artichoke Hearts (bottled)
1 tbsp minced Onion
2 tbsp chopped Cilantro
1 tsp ground Roasted Cumin
a pinch of Cayenne
a pinch of ground Chipotle
a dash of Tequila
1/2 cup of chicken stock
Lump Crab Meat
Pico de Gallo
Salt to taste

Blend all of these ingredients except the Crab in the blender. Garnish with crab meat, about a tablespoon or 2 per bowl, and top with Pico.

I served these with fish tacos and Tequila Espolón on the rocks with a lime wedge. I delightful summer combination.

An Oldie but a Goodie

Many arcane pre-prohibition cocktails are, in my opinion, superior to the overly sweet juice-heavy concoctions of today which use such things as flavored Vodka. One such cocktail is the Ramos Gin Fizz demonstrated here.

Eye Openers

This delicious breakfast will impress, if not certainly wake up your overnight guest.

Ojo Rojo, or Huevos Avocado

Take one not quite ripe Avocado, slice in half and take out the seed. Dig out a little extra space for this or use a small egg. I had to separate a bit of the white before placement.
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Place the egg in the pit you made in the Avocado.
Sprinkle a little Cayenne and a little Chipotle powder artfully around the yolk. This can be done after cooking but I did so before to lock in the flavors. Add a sprinkle of Salt
Sprinkle shredded Manchego or Chihuahua on top.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until your egg is sufficiently solidified. A teaspoon of salsa may be added artfully as well before serving.

This can be accompanied by a nice cold Chihuahua--
a shot of Tequila in a glass of Grapefruit Juice or a Tequila Screwdriver -- As shot of Tequila in a glass of Orange Juice.

Bon Appetit and here's lookin' at you, kid.

Cooking with Absinthe

This is my recipe for Escargot Montmartre



1 stick of unsalted sweet cream Butter
1 can of Escargots (snails) washed
4 cloves of Garlic, minced
Morels, truffles, or sliced Crimini Mushrooms
Pinch of Dill
Pinch of Tarragon
½ cup of Absinthe (verte)
Salt to taste

Divide butter in thirds. Soften two thirds, blend with Dill and Tarragon and set aside. On a medium heat, melt the remaining third in a skillet and saute mushrooms. Toss in Garlic and Escargots and toss around for a few minutes. Add Absinthe and simmer until it is reduced with the alcohol being cooked off.

If you want to get fancy and impress your guests, you might briefly flammbé but be sure to have a pot cover ready. When reduced, mix in your herbed, softened butter and turn off the heat. The Butter will combine with the reduced absinthe and thicken a bit. This can be garnished with fresh Italian Parsley. I like to serve this with Penne Pasta.

Of course this is best enjoyed after a few goblets of the Green Fairy and goes will with a fine Pinot Noir.

Another recipe, and a classic is Oysters Rockefeller, This is the classic absinthe recipe, invented in 1899 by Jules Alciatore, son of Antoine Alciatore, the eponymous founder of Antoine’s in New Orleans. This popular dish was reportedly named for John D. Rockefeller because it's so rich!

2 dozen oysters on the half shell, drained
4 pans rock salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup finely chopped cooked spinach
6 Tbsp. very finely chopped watercress leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh scallion tops
2 Tbsp. finely chopped celery
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. ground anise seed
1/4 cup absinthe

Combine all ingredients (for sauce) in a stainless steel or porcelain bowl and cream with a wooden spoon. Complete mixing with a whisk or blender at medium speed. Shape sauce into oval patties about 2.5 x 2 inches and 0.5 inches thick by scooping about two Tbsp. of sauce from bowl and pressing it into your palm. Set on a platter and refrigerate while you prepare the oysters for baking.

Preheat the oven to 260 C (500F). Wash the oyster shells thoroughly and dry. Place a drained oyster on each shell and set them 6 to a pan on the rock salt. Cover each oyster with a patty of sauce and bake 14-16 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and is lightly browned on top. Allow to cool 3-6 minutes before serving.