It’s been a while, still cooking Zero
It has been so long, I don’t even remember when I stopped blogging. I just kept on cooking and found chances to make mocktails here and there, early in the mornings and it is still so much fun. I love the precision in this book and the flavor combinations that they came up with. Also, learning the filtering techniques.
Grapefruit Jicama Champagne - which is a re-do, so good!!! The grapefruit is there but not dominant, the jicama juice is slightly astringent and gives a great backbone to the drink. Very nice!
Truffled cherry - not my favorite. It was good, of course, these all are good. I would say maybe it’s my fault, maybe I did not make it right, but this is such a simple drink, I don’t know where I could have messed up.
Grapefruit turmeric shrub - I thought it was vinegary. I am not sure it was worth getting the fresh turmeric root or sugar cane vinegar.
Banana chai - ok, so I do not have access to the rare tea cellar wild banana chai tea. So I just used Chai tea. Since there are already 5 roasted bananas going in the drink, I figure we will be all bananaed out. I loved the milk filtration on this drink, it works so well. I did leave it in the fridge for 2 days, and all the solids were floating in a raft, very easy to remove and then use the curds to filter the already very clear liquid. This resulting liquid needs to be sweetened, which I forgot to do, I just realized… So I will have to do this one again and scratch my tasting notes, which said “too watery”.
Cardamom port - delivers a dark rich flavor, in which the most intriguing is the guajillo chiles and sun dried tomatoes. Don’t laugh, it really works well. I did not have red cardamom pods, so I used the black ones. I think it tastes great. The chilies leave a long lasting finish in the mouth. Simple, complex, tasty!
Room for dessert - was liked by all. The chocolate and coffee flavors come forward, from coffee bean and chicory, as well a homemade white chocolate syrup. I bought a really good blood orange puree on Amazon. And this coffee orange white chocolate concoction turned out really well.
Rose champagne - well we must like champagne, because this was a hit. I can’t find the Rare tea cellar wild red rose tea, and I don’t really want to use rose water, which is is my source for rose petals, because it is so strong. I defaulted to using rosehip, not the same but close. Adding yeast to the mixture is genius, it really gives this drink a yeasty bready flavor. Filtering it with beer fining agents really works well too. 10 out of 10
Sun dried - I had dried figs, but not black mission figs. The drink turned out great just a bit lighter in color. I love the use of spices in these drinks, specially now that I bought them all… and I can just go and grab what I need. I am giggling a bit that this recipes calls for a special southern ingredient : Dr Pepper. That’s exotic!
Spiced blueberry shrub - ok, so I am going to go out there and say it, i don’t like shrubs. Too acidy for me, the flavor is fine but I can’t judge this. I used smoked tea instead of the rare cellar black canadian smoked ice wine tea, which I can’t find. Blueberry juice came from the juicer. Plan a four hour cook time in sous vide to flavor the vinegars. Not for me.
Lychee champagne - delicious like an Asian fruit punch, sparkly, perfect to do as a grapefruit mimosa with a little grapefruit juice added like on page 48. The best way to juice lychees is with the masticating juicer.
