Food for Thought: Lemon Basil Martinis: this is my last post but it's a good one.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Lemon Basil Martinis: this is my last post but it's a good one.

This lemon basil martini sure seems like an Easter party drink to me. My sister-in-law J. says it is the best martini she has ever had , and she is the expert party-girl after all.

I am a fan of martinis. The recipe for this version of the classic cocktail is taken from Friday Night Dinners by Bonnie Stern. I expect my sisters S. and P. along with Niece #1 to thoroughly enjoy it as we meet together during the upcoming holiday weekend.

This drinks recipe represents my last post on 'Food for Thought'. Spring seems like the perfect time to start something new. The recipes will remain available to anyone who wants to access them via http://princessbubba.blogspot.com. The blog has been a great short-term hobby that has reflected my fondness for both food and writing, (and things that I ate as a kid apparently). It is probably best if I move on to something like exercizing and improving my mind at this point. Plus my hand-model Dave and his girlfriend want me to teach them how to cook this summer, so that will take some time and thought. When I asked what they specifically needed to learn, Dave indicated that they want to know how to cook appetizers, entrees and desserts; specifically, everything I guess.

My hope is that this blog has not only been of interest to fledgling cooks like Dave, but to more experienced cooks as well. Cooking is easy and fun and fulfilling, and we are lucky to be able to do it.

Let's raise a glass to good food, friends and family this holiday weekend.

Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 and 1/2 cups of vodka
- ice

In a saucepan bring the water and sugar to a boil. Add the basil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Strain this basil syrup and chill. Combine the syrup, lemon juice and vodka in large pitcher and chill. When ready to serve, bring out the martini glasses and pour over ice. I can hardly wait.

Love,
Bub

3 comments:

Anonymous said...: Oh dear.... I must say, I'm slightly devastated that this blog will not continue. I fear it's partly because I never sent you my recipes and pictures from my dinner party months ago!!! (Although I doubt I had that much influence over this. ;)
I have greatly enjoyed reading all of your posts, and will definitely refer back to them in months/years to come! I'll look forward to hearing about your new adventures.

Kim; April 1, 2010 at 12:36 AM
The Editor said...: bubba,

I just saw your final recipe and am pleased to know I will actually try one on Sunday.

For your future travel info, I had the BEST martini I have ever had at Harry's restaurant and bar in Bermuda. The food was actually pretty fabulous too, and the service was topnotch. It was only and block and a bit from the Rosedon, so that was wonderful too.

P.; April 1, 2010 at 7:06 AM
The Editor said...: The above comment was taken from an email message from my sister who was recently in Bermuda.; April 1, 2010 at 7:12 AM

'To Cut the Mustard'

Meaning: To succeed; to come up to expectations.

Origin: Why cutting mustard was chosen as an example of high quality is unclear. Some possibilities allude to the literal difficulty of cutting mustard;for example: - Mustard seed, which is hard to cut with a knife on account of being small and shiny. - Mustard plants, which are tough and stringy and grow densely. - Culinary mustard, which is cut (diluted) and made more palatable by the addition of vinegar. - Dried mustard paste, which was reputedly used to coat meat and then dried to form a crust.

The love of olive oil...

I finally figured it out...why I love olive oil so much. It was the television programming I was exposed to as a child. See the following description, from the online Encylclopedia Britanica, of a character I admired. I lusted after the large boxes of chocolates she would consume in one sitting.

Tall, gangly, big-footed Olive Oyl, whose black hair was almost always tied back in a bun, first co-starred with her brother, Castor Oyl, in 1919 in the newspaper comic strip Thimble Theatre. For the strip’s first 10 years, she was the girlfriend of Castor’s layabout pal, Ham Gravy, and her jealousy over his wandering eye fueled many comedic episodes. However, soon after the introduction of Popeye in 1929, Ham was written out of the strip as Olive found true love with the salty sailor. In this coupling, she was the more fickle character, as from time to time she became drawn to suitors with more education and refinement than the scrappy, wisecracking Popeye, though he always won her back. Popeye rescued Olive Oyl hundreds of times from the nefarious bully Bluto.

A Funky Review of a Funky Cookbook by a Funky Girl

“Bite me speaks to more than your stomach,” reads an excerpt on one of the first pages of the newly released cookbook, Bite me, by sassy sisters Julie Albert and Lisa Gnat. From the tongue in cheek, retro photographs that grace many of the pages to the aptly chosen, often perfectly crude quotations; Bite me is a cookbook that also speaks to your sense of humour and playfulness.
The book is decidedly un-pretentious, which is exactly what the sisters had in mind when creating the book, and exactly what appeals to me as a twenty something with not much experience in the kitchen. At the book’s launch on October 6th at an Indigo location in Toronto, Julie was the first to boast that many of the props in the self-published book came from the dollar store. The price- perfect. The look- genius. The props convey just the right amount of kitsch and comedy.
Heather Reisman, CEO of Indigo and famous as Heather of ‘Heather’s Picks’ obviously saw the same genius in these first time authors. The book is now the first cookbook to ever be chosen as a ‘Heather’s Pick’ at Chapters and Indigo stores nationwide.
I personally know Julie Albert, as I tutor her adorable, charming son Benjy, here in Toronto, Ontario. Julie is most often seen looking flawless, but approachable- laid back in jeans or yoga pants, shuffling her kids from one activity to another. She is exactly the involved Mom who wants delicious, easy, home cooking with a twist, to feed to her family. That was the goal for the sisters- no mushroom foam, no truffle scented this or that. Just fun, easy variations on your favourites- using simple ingredients with a dash of wit, and some of Lisa and Julie’s own kitchen secrets. Oh- and a man with his head stuffed down a woman’s shirt. You have to buy the book to take a look at that last one.
I am buying the book for all the cooks in my family this Christmas. Even for a cook with many books, this one is a standout- almost more coffee table material than shelved with other cookery bibles.
If you need a giggle- go buy it. If you need a recipe for pecan crusted lime chicken- buy it. To the self-professedly “not so sweet, tiny-bit salty” sisters- great job. I forkin’ love it.

Jessie Bass-West

Link to Bite me http://www.bitemecookbook.com/

Pages

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Lemon Basil Martinis: this is my last post but it's a good one.

3 comments: