Pimm's Cup Redux

I've had several Pimm's Cups over the summer and still find them amazingly refreshing. I couldn't capture the flavor at home until I was making tzatziki and the thought struck me - grated cucumber!

Perfect!

Pimm's Cup 

2 ounces Pimm’s No. 1

4 ounces lemonade (I used Tropicana)

1 heaping teaspoon grated cucumber

Ginger Ale

Cucumber spear

Peel, remove the seeds and grate one cucumber. Mix together Pimm’s and lemonade in a 12 oz glass. Stir in cucumber. Top off with Ginger Ale and ice. Stir. Garnish with cucumber spear.

Cure - New Orleans Cocktail Bar

Lively Freret Street is not just for dinner anymore. These days, along the busy street can be found a number of cool nightspots like Cure, a New Orleans Cocktail Bar.

They do make it difficult to find, though. There is no sign and the street number (4905) is a bit hard to read when navigating the narrow street and busy traffic. I only had to go around the block once and then I luckily scored a great parking place.

I arrived just as they opened and found a great seat, although it did face a humongous poster of a bug. As they didn't decorate with an insect theme, I'm not sure why it was there but, whatever. Within 20 minutes, the bar was full and by six o'clock on a Friday evening all the other seats were taken and people were standing in the center aisle. Quite the happening place!

I started with the server recommended tequila based cocktail with an orange peel that was a nice combination with which to end the work week. For nibbles, I ordered  the Moroccan spiced nuts appetizer. Unfortunately, there were a lot of walnuts in the mix and my mild allergy kicked in so I wasn't able to enjoy it fully.

My friend arrived and barely glanced at the menu before ordering a champagne cocktail. We quickly got down to brass tacks and, in no time at all, we finished our discussion of board business and were able to think about refills and food options. 

She ordered the Shrimp and Snapper Ceviche served with sourdough crisps that looked very good. 

I was still full from lunch, so instead of ordering a small plate, I went straight for dessert. I ordered the Dark Chocolate Layer cake with a glass of Tawny Port. It was a moist, dark cake with a nice frosting that tasted like it had a hint of bourbon. I did eat the candied pecans but left the apple slices on the plate.

The server was very busy but she still made enough trips around our area that we never had to look for her. She was knowledgeable of the menu and made good recommendations.

Very much a cool place to wind down from work. A bit hip and trendy but the cocktail and wine selection means that there is a drink for every taste.

Bloody Eight Blow'd Up!

Early this morning, construction workers imploded the Palace Hotel. Located at Canal and Claiborne, its heyday was the 1950’s. By the time of the levee breaks after Hurricane Katrina, it was renting rooms by the hour. While several contractors had tried to get funding to renovate it, years of neglect had taken too large a toll.

I joined with a couple hundred intrepid citizens for the early morning event. I’m posting here the series of pictures that I took. The first is what the building looked like after the majority of the façade and internal construction materials were removed.

There was a loud crack and then several smaller explosions right at 8 o’clock. This next picture is as it starts to come down.

All that is left is smoke.

I took the final pictures as we all started to walk away.

I marked the occasion with a quart and half of my version of Bloody Marys. I use V-8 juice instead of plain tomato juice, so I call them Bloody Eights. This is the single serving version.

Bloody Eight

1 tsp horseradish

1 to 2 oz of vodka

Ice

2 dashes Tabasco (I prefer the Chipolte Pepper Sauce)

1 oz lime juice

2 dashes Lea & Perrins Worcestershire

1 5.5 fluid oz can of V8

Celery seed and kosher salt

Use a lime wedge to dampen the rim of the glass. Roll it in a mix of celery seed and kosher salt.

Combine horseradish and vodka, mix well. Add ice, Tabasco, lime juice, and Worcestershire. Pour into rim salted glass. Fill remainder of glass with V-8. Stir. Garnish with a lime wedge, celery stalk and pickled okra and green beans. Might as well have a salad with your sipping!

Mint Julep

As you prepare for the Kentucky Derby, it is important that you have the proper adult beverage. Whether you are watching the most exciting two minutes in sport or sitting on the veranda watching the world go by, this mint julep recipe will hit the spot. I make sure to always have mint on hand by growing my own. As I don't want it to take over the rest of the garden, I keep it in containers.

Mint Juleps are traditionally served in silver cups but don't sweat it if you haven't got a set that's been passed down in your family for generations. Instead, use a highball glass.

Mint Julep

Mint leaves

Crushed ice

2 tablespoons mint simple syrup (see recipe below)

2 tablespoons water

2 ounces good-quality Kentucky bourbon

Crush or muddle a few mint leaves in the bottom of an 8-ounce Mint Julep Cup or a highball glass with the back of a spoon until mixture forms a paste.

Then fill the Mint Julep Cup or glass 1/2 full with crushed or shaved ice. Add prepared mint syrup, water, and bourbon. Stir well.

To serve, garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.

Mint Simple Syrup

1 1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cup sugar

A large handful of mint (leaves and stems)

Place the water and sugar in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil. Pour over the mint and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Remove mint and strain. Store in the refridgerator in an airtight container.

Mint simple syrup can also be used to sweeten and flavor iced tea and to make a killer mojito.

Bayou Beer Garden

Bayou Beer Garden is on Jeff Davis in Mid City. More than just a neighborhood bar, it has a good sized interior but the real selling point is the back covered deck area, perfect for watching a game on TV or just enjoying a few rounds with some friends. Beyond the cocktails at the bar, they have a sizeable selection of bottle beers from around the world.

I was there after a Board meeting to meet up with a friend on her birthday. I enjoyed a spicy Bloody Mary and a shot of Praline liquor--quite yummy with a nutty and sweet flavor. I also ordered some of their disco fries. These are French fries covered in melted cheese and debris gravy and they made me swoon. The sweet potato fries were good, too, but couldn't compete with the disco fries!

While I might not go there for a Saints game, this place has just become one of my favorite Mid-City hangouts.

Pimm's Cup

Carnival season in New Orleans lasts from Twelfth Night (January 6) to Fat Tuesday. Today was Mardi Gras and it was quite warm, so I took the opportunity to work on my Pimm's Cup. I really like the version served at Napoleon House in the French Quarter but wanted to have a version that I could recreate at home. After a few attempts of trying to strike a balance between sweet and sharp, I think I've come up with a delicious version



Pimm's Cup - Recipe Revised 10/21/2012

2 ounces Pimm’s No. 1
4 ounces lemonade (I used Tropicana)
1 tsp grated cucumber
Ginger Ale
Cucumber spear

Remove the seeds and grate one cucumber. Mix together Pimm’s and lemonade in a 12 oz glass. Top off with Ginger Ale and ice. Stir. Garnish with cucumber spear.

Hot Mulled Apple Cider

When the Mardi Gras season is chilly and damp, I make a crock pot full of hot apple cider, mulled with spices and citrus zest. My crock pots holds three quarts so I usually buy a quart and a half of unfiltered apple juice and then make up the remainder with the cheapest apple juice I can buy. Make sure you're buying 100% apple juice and not a blend.



Per one quart of apple juice:
One stick of cinnamon
Twenty whole black peppercorns
Three whole cloves
Two tablespoons honey (or brown sugar)

In addition to these four ingredients, use the zest from half a lemon, lime, or lemon-sized orange for each quart of apple juice.

Toast the cinnamon, peppercorns and cloves in a saucepan. It will only take a couple of minutes for them to release the oils. Pour in apple juice and the sweetener to dissolve. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Pour through a strainer into the crock pot and simmer for 1 hour. Turn low and it will be good all day.

To adultify—add a half ounce of blood orange liquor or limoncello to the mug. Stir with a cinnamon stick.

Mint Limoncello Champagne Cocktail

Ringing in the New Year with a new drink:

Mint Limoncello Campagne Cocktail

½ cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup limoncello
2 T sugar, plus more for dipping
lemon peel strips from 1 lemon
4 tsp fresh lemon juice plus lemon wedge
1 cup champagne

Place mint, limoncello, 2 T sugar and lemon strips in blender. Blend until mint is finely chopped, about 10 seconds. Strain into a jar. Refrigerate until midnight.

Run lemon wedge around rim of champagne flutes. Dip into sugar. Divide limoncello mixture between flutes. Top with champagne.

Toast!

Halloween Drinks

Happy Halloween!

I'm enjoying a Bee's Knees on my front porch while I wait for the Trick or Treaters to arrive.

Halloween candy is good and all but the holiday isn't complete without an adult beverage!

Candy Corn Martinis

For the infused vodka:
1/2 cup candy corn
1 1/2 cups vodka

Drink recipe
2 ounces orange liqueur like Triple Sec
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Candy corn, for garnish

Infuse the vodka: Combine the candy corn and vodka in an airtight container; set aside for at least 3 hours, then strain. Store in the refrigerator.

Make the Candy Corn Martinis: Add 4 ounces of the candy corn vodka, the orange liqueur and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into 2 chilled martini glasses and garnish with candy corn.

Bee's Knees

2 oz gin
1 oz honey syrup
1 oz fresh lemon juice

Make honey syrup by putting 1 cup of honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly stir in 1 cup of water. Let come to a boil, stirring regularly. Store in the refrigerator.

Make the Bee's Knees: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

If you're making a pitcher of drinks or filling a punch bowl, consider tossing in a few dismembered hands:

Ghostly Floating Hands

To make ghostly hands that float, fill surgical gloves (or rubber gloves) with plain or colored water and tie at the opening. Freeze. Cut off gloves from ghost hands and place in filled punch bowl.

Columns Hotel

I got together with a few friends for drinks last night and we decided to visit the Columns Hotel. Sitting right on St. Charles Avenue between Napoleon and Louisiana, it is fun going to enjoy the stately ambiance, sit on the porch or go inside to the Victoria Lounge to watch the streetcars rumble past. I went to their Sunday Jazz Brunch a couple of years ago and I understand that it is still outstanding. They are known for their sazarac but their bartenders will pretty much work their magic on any alcohol. I left it up to the bartender and he served up a refreshing rum drink with limoncello. Very worth it for an intimate, romantic meet up or for our fiery political discussions as the tables are widely spaced and the waitstaff discreet.

12 Mile Limit

Not so much a restaurant as a dive bar, 12 Mile Limit is located in Mid-City. They serve barbecue, cocktails and cupcakes, so that is why I included them here. The cocktails are pretty fancy but without the fancy price. The cupcakes come regular size and as a DoBite which usually comes paired with a cocktail or a shot. The BBQ comes in cow and pig and is fork tender. The mashed potatoes were out of this world--creamy with cheese, green onions and a bit of potato skin left in.

All in all a perfect neighborhood bar to relax after a day of work. They even have some board games in addition to the video of poker for folks to make a night of it.