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The Foodies Run for the Roses

5/29/2018

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Foodies Run for the Roses
The Foodies drawled and y'alled at our Kentucky Derby Day dinner -- we ate and drank well too!
The Foodies are a group of friends who love to cook, eat, drink, and laugh together at themed dinner parties. Our friends and family tell us they enjoy living vicariously through tales of our feasts so we’ll share the stories, pictures, and recipes here on the blog from time to time. Click here for previous Foodie Group posts, and here for the group’s origin story.
Sometimes the dinner party themes emerge naturally, spurred by a current event or, in this case, a date on the calendar. Once this dinner date was set (many months ago) the theme immediately revealed itself – the Kentucky Derby or Derby Day Dinner. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
Foodies Run for the Roses
Foodies Run for the Roses
Foodies Run for the Roses
To set the mood as you read on, please enjoy the playlist which includes musicians and bands that are from Kentucky as well as horse- and racing-related songs. There’s a fair bit of country and bluegrass tunes plus a few surprises as well.

​Giddy-up and enjoy!

In addition to preparing sumptuous courses, per usual, our friends were asked to wear FABULOUS hats (all-caps intentionally deployed) and to pick their pony. Our group achieved the hats requirement with style and flair but no one predicted the winner.

Good thing none of us is pursuing a professional gambling career. Allegedly.

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
So what was served? Here’s the menu:
​
  • Drinks – Greg and Dan: The Carrot Stick and Run for the Roses cocktails; assorted Rosé wines (ahem, run for the rosés) and others with equestrian-inspired names
  • Appetizers – Kathleen and Karen: Deviled Eggs; Benedictine Tea Sandwiches
  • Main Course – Ilise and Ann: Hot Browns; Green Salad with Peaches, Pecans, and Bourbon Vinaigrette
  • Dessert – Ellyn: Chocolate Pecan Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream
Run for the Roses cocktail
The Carrot Stick cocktail
Deviled eggs and Benedictine tea sandwiches
Hot Brown
Chocolate Pecan Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream
PictureSuch a pretty color!
Now let’s dig a little deeper.

The Drinks. I fully expected we would be sipping classic mint juleps on Derby Day, but the guys surprised us once again, in the best possible way. Seeking to buck tradition, they created two cocktails from the horse’s perspective. So what do horses like? Carrots and apples.

​Cocktail #1 featured bourbon and carrot juice plus a few additional ingredients. Served in highball glasses with carrots as swizzle sticks, this was a tasty twist on a julep – naturally sweet from the carrot juice without being overly sugary. Delish!
​
Cocktail #2 was a sensation for the eyes as well as the taste buds. The flavors included apple, elderflower, and hibiscus tea which also contributed a beautiful crimson color to the glass. Greg added a red rose petal to each glass and dubbed the drink a Run for the Roses. I would gladly trot around the track for another one of these lovely tipples! Click the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

The Carrot Stick cocktail
The Carrot Stick cocktail
Run for the Roses cocktail
Run for the Roses cocktail
The Appetizers. When one thinks of Southern appetizers, deviled eggs come to mind – at least to mine, as I am a huge fan of the impish eggs. In keeping with the theme of the day, Karen and Kathleen mixed HORSE-radish into the egg filling. Thematically appropriate AND damn delicious!

Accompanying the deviled eggs was another tasty appetizer – Benedictine tea sandwiches, which are native to Kentucky and with quite a history behind this traditional Derby Day treat. Here’s an account from National Public Radio: 
​
​Cream cheese, cucumber juice and a touch of onion. That may sound like an unlikely combination, but Benedictine is a Kentucky favorite. […] [T]his creamy, cool cucumber spread has persisted in Kentucky ever since Jennie Benedict, a famous Louisville caterer, invented it around the turn of the 20th century. Benedict opened a tearoom on downtown Louisville's South Fourth Street in 1911.

[…] Susan Reigler, a former restaurant critic for Louisville's newspaper, The Courier-Journal […] says Benedict's role in the city's culinary history was huge and that the roots of many of the city's flavors can be traced back to her recipes.

[…] One source of contention among Louisville chefs is whether to include the two drops of green food coloring that Benedict used in her recipe. The dye lets people know that it's not just a plain cream cheese spread, but the practice is no longer popular with chefs.
​
[…] Some cooks serve Benedictine as a dip, others as tea sandwiches with the crusts cut off. However you serve it, Benedictine is best accompanied with another Kentucky signature: bourbon.

​Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
Deviled eggs and Benedictine tea sandwiches
Deviled eggs and Benedictine tea sandwiches
Deviled eggs and Benedictine tea sandwiches
The Main Course. As hosts for the evening’s meal, we selected the theme and knew we would go with a classic interpretation of Kentucky Derby Day treats. (Sometimes our themes get a bit ‘out there’ but this provided a rare opportunity to take a straightforward approach.) A famous and beloved Kentucky delicacy is the Hot Brown sandwich, created by the cooks at The Brown Hotel in Louisville in the 1920s. As the story goes … well, let’s hear it straight from the horse’s mouth (so to speak):
​
Louisville's culinary legend, The Hot Brown: With so much to boast about —award-winning dining; breathtaking turn-of-the-century architecture; attentive, caring service—some may wonder: "Why the Hot Brown?" Here is the history behind this now legendary dish.
​
In the 1920's, The Brown Hotel drew over 1,200 guests each evening for its dinner dance. By the wee hours of the morning, guests would grow weary of dancing and make their way to the restaurant for a bite to eat. Sensing their desire for something more glamorous than traditional ham and eggs, Chef Fred Schmidt set out to create something new to tempt his guests' palates. His unique dish? An open-faced turkey sandwich with bacon and a delicate Mornay sauce. The Hot Brown was born!
Hot Brown
The famous Kentucky Hot Brown (we added extra tomatoes to the plate)
For our version of the Hot Brown, we turned to chef Bobby Flay’s recipe, a slight variation on the original, which uses more cheese, less cream, and sears the tomatoes. Yum! We deviated even further by using a loaf of Pullman style bread for toast rather than the egg-dipped bread that Bobby uses. Still yum and a bit less work. Make that a day-yum! Here is Bobby’s recipe:
Print The Recipe- Kentucky Hot Brown
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Kentucky Hot Brown
Recipe source: Bobby Flay for Food Network

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 turkey breast, about 4 to 5 pounds
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted soft butter
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce:
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups grated sharp white Cheddar
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the egg bread:
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • Salt
  • 8 (1/2-inch) thick slices good day old white bread (recommended: Pullman or Pain de mie)
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
For assembly:
  • Egg battered bread
  • Roasted turkey breast, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
  • 3 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices and griddled until slightly charred and just cooked through
  • 1 1/2 cups grated sharp white Cheddar
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 16 thick slices slab bacon, cooked until crisp
  • Finely chopped fresh chives
  • Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS:
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Rub entire turkey breast with butter and season with salt and pepper. Place in a small roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 155 degrees F, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
  • Melt butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, bring to a boil and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and the flour has cooked out, about 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk in cheese and cook until the cheese has melted. Season with nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Whisk together the eggs, milk and salt in a medium bowl. Dip each slice of bread in the mixture and let sit about 30 seconds, or until completely soaked through.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook 4 slices of the bread at a time until golden brown on both sides. Remove and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bread.

For assembly:
  • Preheat broiler. Place the egg bread on a baking sheet, place under the broiler and heat on both sides for 20 seconds just to warm through.
  • Top each slice of bread with 2 to 3 slices of turkey and 2 slices of tomato, ladle sauce over the top and divide the cheddar cheese and Parmesan over the top of each slice. Place under the broiler and cook until bubbly and the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven, top each slice with 2 slices of bacon and sprinkle each slice with chives and parsley.
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
Making Hot Browns
Making Hot Browns
Making Hot Browns
Making Hot Browns
Making Hot Browns
Making Hot Browns
Making Hot Browns
Making Hot Browns
Making Hot Browns
Hot Browns for dinner
Green salad with bourbon vinaigrette
Foodies Run for the Roses
The Dessert. I assumed that Ellyn would arrive with a traditional Derby Pie, and we all know what happens when one assumes. Believe me, no one was disappointed in the slightest with her Chocolate Pecan Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream. Mmmmm! Dense, chocolatey filling chock full of flavorful pecans. Fluffy whipped cream scented with bourbon. What’s not to like, I ask you?! 
Chocolate Pecan Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream
Chocolate Pecan Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream -- ooh so good!
When the 2018 Kentucky Derby was run and done, the 3-year old colt Justify had persevered over rainy conditions and a muddy track. He went on to win the Preakness Stakes a few weeks later, and now looks forward to the Belmont Stakes and an attempt at the American Triple Crown.

However we Foodies were content to put our hooves up and store our party hats for another festive occasion. Our race to the finish line concluded with empty plates, full tummies, and Dan ‘resting his eyes’ on the couch. We were all winners that evening. 

​For more stories about the Foodies click here. 
Foodies Run for the Roses
Now let's get another look at that hat. Yes, those are mint sprigs tucked into the Makers Mark label!
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Afternoon Dance Break - Keep it Moving

5/9/2018

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Old Man Dancing to Techno
Old Man Dancing to Techno - image by Kevin Christopher Burke
Afternoon Dance Break is a recurring feature that invites you to get up from the desk, crank up the tunes, and dance your fool head off for a few minutes before resuming the daily grind. Want more dancing? Find past ADBs here.

Get up, get down, twirl it around, touch the ground. It's time for a dance break -- just two songs to let loose, release some stress, get silly, and put a smile on your face. Go on, you know you want to, it's time to dance!

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Sweet Bites: Earl Grey Tea Cookies

5/8/2018

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Earl Grey Tea Cookies
The perfect little treat at tea time or anytime -- Earl Grey Tea Cookies
Drinking tea while nibbling tea cookies made with tea. There’s a satisfying circularity in that. Plus the cookies are darn delicious – also satisfying! 
The caveat is you must like Earl Grey tea. I do, I do, but also know more than a few tea lovers who recoil from that distinctive flavor (psst, it’s bergamot, a variety of orange). I'm sure you could make these cookies substituting another flavor of tea.
The Occasion: Tea time is Me time. Or perhaps it’s tea for two you have in mind. Or high tea for a handful of high society ladies and gents. These Earl Grey Tea Cookies will raise a smile from all who choose to indulge. 
The Recipe: There are many Earl Grey Tea cookie recipes out there in the world. This one is extremely easy, tailor-made for make-ahead scenarios, and oh by the way the cookies taste great! The recipe comes from kitchn, a very popular website with cooking lessons, kitchen tips, product reviews, and yes, user-friendly recipes. Check it out!
Vintage tea service and Earl Grey Tea Cookies
For a closer look at the vintage tea items, click the photo to visit Entertaining Vintage
​Table Tip: Treat yourself with the eyes as well as with your taste buds. Bring out the good china or your favorite vintage cups and plates. Even if it’s “just you,” who deserves a special moment more? 
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
Earl Grey Tea Cookies
Earl Grey Tea Cookies
Earl Grey Tea Cookies
Earl Grey Tea Cookies
Earl Grey Tea Cookies
Earl Grey Tea Cookies
The Verdict: Delicious! Not too sweet, but plenty of flavor. The Earl Grey Tea Cookies are easy, tasty, and perfect alongside a cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of milk. Enjoy!
Print The Recipe- Earl Grey Tea Cookies
File Size: 257 kb
File Type: pdf
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Earl Grey Tea Cookies
Recipe source: Faith Durand for kitchn
Makes approximately 2 dozen

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 
  • 1/4 cup sugar 
  • 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar 
  • 1 tablespoon Earl Grey tea leaves (OK to cut open tea bags, good texture to the tea leaves)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt 
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS:
  • Pulse together all the dry ingredients in a food processor until the tea leaves are pulverized.
  • Add vanilla, water, and butter. Pulse together until a dough is formed.
  • Form the dough into a log onto a piece of wax or parchment paper. Wrap the paper around and roll the log smooth.
  • Freeze now, or chill for at least 30 minutes.
  • If baking cookies now, preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • When chilled, slice the log into 1/3-inch thick pieces. Place on baking sheets and bake until the edges are just brown, about 12 minutes.
  • Let the cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.
Earl Grey Tea Cookies
What's your favorite kind of cookie? Tell us in the comments, please.
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Drinkies: Lemon Rhubarb Cocktail

5/4/2018

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Lemon Rhubarb Cocktail
This Lemon Rhubarb Cocktail says "Welcome to the weekend!"
I’ve spent more than a few minutes trying to come up with a catchy name for this truly magnificent cocktail that House Bar Chef Ilise concocted not long ago. Sweet & Sour Spritz? Lemon-Rhubarb Refresher? Then I took a few sips and decided not to worry about it, everything will be juuuuuuust fine exactly the way it is. 
Yes, this is an easy-sipping drink, light and refreshing, made for enjoying on the deck or poured from a thermos on a picnic. In fact, the best name for this tasty tipple might be the Spring into Summer Cocktail, because I’m pretty sure this will be your drink of choice for the entire warm weather season.  
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
Lemon Rhubarb Cocktail
Lemon Rhubarb Cocktail
Lemon Rhubarb Cocktail
Lemon Rhubarb Cocktail
Here is the recipe intermixed with Ilise’s comments and helpful hints: 

​Lemon Rhubarb Cocktail
Recipe by Ilise Goldberg
Makes one cocktail

 
INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 oz Gin (Ilise says: Preferably one with less juniper and more floral and fruit notes such as Nolet's Silver Dry Gin)
  • 1 oz Rhubarb Simple Syrup (recipe below) or Rhubarb Hops Syrup
  • ½ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
  • Bitter Lemon Soda
  • Rosemary Sprig for Garnish

DIRECTIONS:
  • In a doubles glass, mix together the gin, rhubarb syrup, and lemon juice.  And several medium ice cubes to the glass and stir.
  • Top with bitter lemon soda and gently stir. Add a sprig of rosemary to the glass for a garnish and to provide additional aromatics.
 
Ilise’s Note: I normally make my own simple syrup, but we were given a hostess gift of the Rhubarb Hops Syrup a couple of years back and it seemed like the time was finally right to make a cocktail with it.  The syrup is tasty, although when I make my own it is a much brighter shade of pink as I try to find the reddest stalks. Here’s the recipe to make your own simple syrup:

Rhubarb Simple Syrup:
  • 5 large rhubarb stalks, washed and trimmed
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup sugar
 -----------------
  • Cut the rhubarb into one-inch pieces. 
  • Combine the water and sugar in a pan over high heat until the sugar dissolves. 
  • Add the rhubarb chunks and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Remove the mixture from heat and allow it to cool.
  • Strain the syrup into a container. Store the syrup in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  If making far in advance, the simple syrup freezes well. 
Print The Recipe- Lemon Rhubarb Cocktail
File Size: 203 kb
File Type: pdf
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Lemon Rhubarb Cocktail
Cheers, dears!
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What’s for Dinner? Springtime Risotto

5/1/2018

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Springtime Risotto
Celebrate Spring with two kinds of peas in a creamy risotto, with microgreens and bacon crumbles on top
OMG Spring has finally sprung! It’s been a long time coming (to my neighborhood, at least) and we’re so thankful the weather is now cooperating for windows flung wide open, jackets left at home, and meals eaten outdoors.

I’m thankful as well for the abundance of gorgeous, fresh spring vegetables in the market. Today’s featured dish – Springtime Risotto – makes the most of them.
The Occasion: Springtime Risotto is a dish that seems fancy, tastes luxurious (oh that creamy mouthfeel!), and is surprisingly simple to prepare. We served this to our good friends C & K for a casual dinner one recent Friday evening. It would work equally well as a starter course for a more formal dinner party. 
Springtime Risotto
Two plates of Springtime Risotto are better than one!
The Recipe: Cooking Light bills this recipe as Double Pea Risotto and that’s exactly what it is. We like our moniker better, but either way this dish is super-delicious and easy to make thanks to the recipe’s clear instructions. I read many food blogs and food/lifestyle mags but always come back to Cooking Light as a reliably good source for tasty and healthy meals that are usually quick and easy to prepare.

What Makes it Special? Fresh spring veggies and herbs make this risotto special. Personally, I find risotto special and magical full stop. It surely must be magic that turns a mix of rice, broth, and only the smallest amount of cheese into the rich, creamy ambrosia that I savor by the spoonful. 
Kitchen Tip: This recipe is easy but also a time-suck. Well, that’s not quite accurate, we’re only talking 30 minutes (once everything has been prepped) BUT it is hands-on for the entire time – stirring, stirring, stirring. Oh hey, how about a little more stirring!

So my kitchen tip for you is to have good friends around to talk with and/or an awesome playlist to keep you company.

Here’s one now, timed at just the right length to accompany all that stirring!

​It's a springtime mix of jazz and pop and country and - my favorite category - other. I do hope you enjoy it.
Serve With: We enjoyed a green salad and crusty bread alongside this risotto. As noted, you could serve the risotto as a starter or side dish for an entrée of grilled or roasted lamb, pork or chicken. 

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
Springtime Risotto - ingredients
Springtime Risotto - keep warm broth ready
Springtime Risotto - begin cooking the rice
Springtime Risotto - continue cooking the rice
Springtime Risotto - add veggies
Springtime Risotto
The Verdict: Everyone at our house agreed – the Springtime Risotto was a hit! It is a dish that celebrates contrasts. The still-crisp sugar snap peas and garnish of lightly dressed micro-greens plays so well against the rich and creamy rice – heavenly! Be sure to use arborio rice, yes, it does make a difference. And be ready to sit down and eat as soon as the risotto is cooked. It’s best served hot and melty. Mmmmmm. 
Print The Recipe- Springtime Risotto
File Size: 240 kb
File Type: pdf
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Springtime Risotto
Recipe source: Ann Taylor Pittman for Cooking Light, posted as Double-Pea Risotto
 
INGREDIENTS:
  • 4 cups unsalted chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 bacon slices, chopped
  • 1 large shallot, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut crosswise into thin slices
  • 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen green peas
  • 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated (about 1/4 cup)
  • 2 ounces microgreens (about 2 cups)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
 
DIRECTIONS:
  • Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high (do not boil). Reduce heat to low, and keep the stock warm.
  • Heat a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil; swirl to coat. Add bacon; cook until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon; drain on a paper towel.
  • Add shallot and garlic to drippings in pan; cook, stirring often, 2 minutes.
  • Add rice; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
  • Add wine; cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
  • Stir in 1 cup warm stock; cook, stirring often, until liquid is nearly absorbed, about 3 minutes.
  • Add 2 cups stock, 1/2 cup at a time, and cook, stirring almost constantly, until each portion of stock is absorbed before adding the next.
  • Add snap and green peas and 1/2 cup stock; cook, stirring constantly, until snap peas are crisp-tender and liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
  • Remove from heat; stir in tarragon, salt, pepper, cheese, and remaining 1/2 cup stock.
  • Combine microgreens, lemon juice, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a medium bowl; toss to coat.
  • Divide risotto evenly among 4 bowls; top with microgreens and bacon.
Springtime Risotto
What is your favorite springtime vegetable? Tell us in the comments, please.
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