Cocktail Friday: Pimms + Ginger Beer

My grandmother has always been a believer in prayer. Any time anyone in the family lost something, she would say a prayer to St. Anthony.

St. Anthony, St. Anthony, please come around. Something's been lost and cannot be found.

Somehow, each and every time, whatever is missing turns up not long after saying this prayer. Personally, I think my grandma must have a special relationship with St. Anthony; some kind of deal, maybe. Because as no-fail as it is for her, I still seem to legitimately lose things that are never, ever found. Somewhere out there is a collection of cards, dollar bills, glasses, and ear buds never to be found again.

One thing that seemed to be lost until recently was a season called spring. But finally it seems that spring has arrived complete with thunderstorms, birds chirping, and fresh, green grass. I was reminded the other day of the spring festival that took place around this time at the school where we worked in Tokyo. Many countries were represented and served food and drinks like lamb from New Zealand to Caipirinhas from Brazil. We would stand outside and eat and drink and laugh, our shoulders and cheeks turning pink with the first sunburn of the season. It was always such fun and felt like a celebration of everything that had happened in the months leading up to that day.

The first time I attended the festival, I was introduced to Pimm's No. 1, a liqueur from England. It was served in clear plastic cups with loads of diced apples, cucumbers, and mint. The pleasant, refreshing flavor was something I didn't realize existed in the world of cocktails. When Pimm's wandered into my mind a few days ago, I new I needed to have a bottle in my at-home bar collection.

Mint Leaves

While I love the flavor and appearance of all the diced fruit that goes into a Pimm's Cup, I decided to simplify a bit. When you're making a cocktail for one, it seems like a lot of work to chop a bunch of stuff, doesn't it? Especially if it's been one of those weeks where the dog had to get the "cone of shame" because of a paw injury and the toddler has been practicing his climbing skills by dancing on the coffee table. And the cone-head dog always joins in. At the end of a week like that, you want something that requires little effort but has a big payback.

Pimm's Cocktail

Yes, ginger beer is quite strong but in the proper proportions, it works well with Pimm's. The spicy ginger kick is actually really wonderful with the light fruit and herb flavor of the iced-tea colored liqueur. A little fresh mint and lime juice and you've got a daper drink indeed.

What are your go-to methods for retrieving something that is lost? I think St. Anthony came through when it came to the case of the Lost Spring, but I'm always looking for backup ideas for when I lose my keys. Or my glasses. Or whatever it may be.

Cheers!

Pimm's + Ginger Beer

2 oz. ginger beer

2 oz. Pimm's No. 1

1/2 oz. lime juice

4-5 large mint leaves, plus extra for garnish

Muddle the mint leaves and lime juice in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the Pimm's and stir to combine. Strain into a short glass filled with ice. Top with the ginger beer and stir lightly to combine. Garnish with mint leaves and/or a lime wedge. Serve and enjoy!

Asparagus + Black Sesame

I’ve heard stories from Brad and my in-laws about asparagus hunting in Iowa. Brad’s grandparents live there and have been known to pull their car over at the sight of the green asparagus stalks reaching upwards from the depths of a ditch. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the opportunity to partake in this activity but I love hearing about it. What is more wonderful than the idea of foraging for food because you found it growing where it naturally wants to be at the proper time of year without having traveled hundreds of miles to be wrapped in two thick rubber bands and placed in the produce department in a grocery store chain.

Asparagus & Black Sesame

Spring seems to have finally settled in for most of us, making this the perfect time to enjoy asparagus. There are so many wonderful asparagus recipes out there right now, so I wanted to bring something different to the table. This beautiful Japanese method of preparing asparagus results in a bright, flavorful dish that is as wonderful to eat as it is to look at. The bright green becomes more vibrant with the black specks of sesame seeds that coat each spear.

I love this recipe because of the flavor and appearance but also because it gives me an excuse to break out my suribachi. A suribachi is a Japanese mortar and pestle that has an unglazed, textured surface. Using a wooden pestle, the sesame seeds in this case are rubbed against the grooves in the bowl until they look like black sand. Then, mirin and soy sauce are added making the mixture look a lot like wet potting soil. Riley loves soil. Therefore, he was very interested in “helping” me get the black sesame mixture out of my suribachi using the bamboo brush.

Suribachi Helper

This is a very easy way to prepare asparagus and works perfectly as a side dish to salmon and rice, or even topped with a fried egg. If you don't have any asparagus on hand, you could also prepare green beans using this method. Just as beautiful and tasty!

Asparagus with Black Sesame

Asparagus + Black Sesame

Recipe adapted from Elizabeth Andoh's Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen

*Don't worry if you don't have a suribachi. You can use a food processor or spice grinder to grind the sesame seeds, then just transfer them to a small bowl and stir in the liquid ingredients.

• 1 bunch of asparagus (thinner is better, but you can use whatever is available)
• 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons mirin
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While the water heats up, break the woody ends off of your asparagus by holding onto each end and bending it until it naturally breaks. The bottom portion is the woody stuff that you don't want to use. Next, cut the asparagus into 1 1/2 inch pieces on an angle. Put the asparagus tips in a separate pile. When your water is boiling, add the asparagus except for the tips. After one minute, add the tips and continue cooking for another minute.

Drain the asparagus and transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature.

While the asparagus cools, toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium high heat. Once you start to smell the nutty scent of the seeds, remove them from the heat and transfer them to a suribachi. Grind the seeds until some are still intact and others are completely ground. Add the mirin and soy sauce and continue to grind until the mixture resembles wet soil. If needed, add a touch of water.

Scrape the black sesame mixture into the bowl with the asparagus and toss gently to coat. Mount the asparagus on small plates and serve room temperature or cold.

Tomato Scallion Shortcakes + Whipped Goat Cheese

My days are typically spent, as one might imagine, doing all sorts of mommy things. Stopping toddler from pulling place mats with stuff on them off the table. Stopping toddler from poking the dog in the eye. Stopping toddler from drinking dog water. Stopping toddler from reaching for my morning coffee. Having a dance party with said toddler to the tune of The Most Wonderful Thing About Tiggers. Singing You Are My Sunshine before nap time as toddler sings along with the sweetest sounding “doo” as he snuggles his blankie. Somewhere in there do laundry, cook, clean, photograph, write, and maintain some level of sanity.

Despite the overwhelming nature of parenting a tiny human, I adore all of these busy moments because they are fleeting. Riley goes through stages so quickly and I just know...I know...that one day I’ll be wishing I could experience all of these things again. Even the dog water part. Probably.

Tomato & Whipped Goat Cheese Shortcake

Even though I love these moments, it is the most fantastic feeling to sit down to a simple, adult meal. Sometimes this means sitting down with some of my favorite cookbooks in search of a meal that is easy, satisfying, and out of the ordinary. These tomato scallion shortcakes from Smitten Kitchen fit these requirements perfectly and are now a favorite in our house. Brad, who isn’t actually much of a tomato person, loved them. Riley, lucky boy that he is, got to taste the biscuits fresh out of the oven. They were “ho-T” in his words.

Tomato Shortcakes Smitten Kitchen

Let's just talk about the biscuits for a second: they were SO light and flaky I almost didn't know what to do with myself. As they baked, the tops became a lovely golden brown and they puffed up like a dream. I'm not sure that anything could be better and more comforting than a buttery, warm, flaky biscuit just out of the oven. And these were no exception.

Cherry and Pear Tomatoes

The tomatoes are dressed lightly with olive oil, vinegar (the recipe called for red wine vinegar, but I used Champagne vinegar because it's what I had), salt and pepper. Then, they are scooped onto half of a biscuit. Immediately the bread begins to absorb the lovely vinaigrette and tomato juices. Then, the tomatoes are topped with a light, creamy whipped goat cheese before being capped with the top half of the biscuit. Beautiful.

We enjoyed our shortcakes on the patio as the sun slowly sank, leaving the air crisp and cool. The sweet, juicy tomatoes with the creamy, tangy goat cheese and flaky biscuits created the perfect balance of textures and flavors. Add white wine and a nice salad and you’ve got a fantastic meal. It was the perfect way for us to end a very busy day/week.

I know I'll be making various versions of this recipe throughout the summer- adding basil to the tomatoes, using bunches of chives in the biscuits, or maybe even dill, and perhaps sprinkling a little crispy prosciutto over the top (Brad's current wish). I've been thinking about what a great first course this would be for a spring or summer dinner party, too. It's so easy,  wonderfully colorful and elegant.

Here's the deal: if you haven't already purchased Deb's cookbook, get on it! It is full of beautiful recipes like this one and will no doubt become a family favorite.

Have you tried any cookbook recipes lately that you can't wait to make again and again? I'd love to hear about them in the comments below! I'm always looking for new books to add to my collection, much to my husband's dismay...

Tomato Scallion Shortcakes with Whipped Goat Cheese

Recipe very slightly adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Scallion Biscuits

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon table salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen for about 30 minutes (I'll explain later...don't worry)

2 scallions, thinly sliced (I added more because, well, I love scallions)

1 cup whole milk

Tomato Salad

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons champagne vinegar

1/8 teaspoon course salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound cherry tomatoes in assorted colors (I used cherry and pear tomatoes)

Toppings

3 tablespoons whipping cream

4 ounces goat cheese, softened

Preheat the oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients for your biscuits. Now, take your frozen butter and use a cheese grater to grate it into your dry ingredients. Use your fingers to evenly distribute the butter so the mixtures forms course crumbs. Stir in the sliced scallion(s), then add the milk and stir until the mixture is just evenly wet. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat to 3/4 to 1 inch thickness. Use a round cutter, about 3" in diameter, and cut 6-8 biscuits. Place each biscuit on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the biscuits have turned goden brown on top.

While the biscuits are baking, combine the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Cut the tomatoes into halves or quarters, depending on their size, and add them to the bowl tossing lightly to coat. Set aside.

In another bowl, whip the cream using an electric hand mixer until soft peaks form. Add the softened goat cheese and continue to beat the mixture until it is fluffy. Set aside.

When the biscuits are done, allow them to cool on the pan for 2 or 3 minutes until they are still warm but comfortable to handle. Cut each biscuit in half and put on a plate. Top the bottom half with a scoop of the tomatoes, then a dollop of the goat cheese and cover with the top half of the biscuit. Garnish with additional scallions if desired. Serve immediately!

Cocktail Friday: Pineapple + Honey Margarita

What a week. Did your week feel as completely crazy as mine? Keeping track of a very busy toddler who has learned to climb on the furniture and go on a nap strike in the same week has my head spinning. However, as I write this, life is quite peaceful. I'm sitting at my dining room table and, despite the snow that fell yesterday, the sun is spilling through the west-facing French doors, giving the whole room a beautiful glow. Dinner is in the oven and I'm listening to a radio station on Spotify based on Blossom Dearie. Glass of Sauvignon Blanc next to me. Riley and Brad playing in the other room. The dog curled up at my feet. This is my favorite time of day. It makes me feel refreshed, which I often need by early evening.

Pineapple Top

While I love the wine that I'm drinking (Stratum Sauvignon Blanc...you can find this and a whole list of my favorites under $20 by clicking here), I would love to be sipping one of these delicious pineapple and honey margaritas right now. The tart sweetness of the pineapple makes for a mellow, tropical take on the typically citrus-based margarita. I love a good, classic margarita, but it's fun to play around a little, don't you think? And pineapple makes everyone think of a sandy beach in Hawaii. Can't complain about that, can you?

Pineapple

Did you know that pineapples are in season right now? Yep. This is the time! My favorite way to eat pineapple is the Thai way: sprinkled with sugar and red pepper flakes. It's absolutely fabulous. Now I'm thinking about how great that little hint of spice would be in this margarita. You should do that. Add just a few red pepper flakes and blend those in. For real. If you aren't brave enough to add a little spicy kick, that's fine. This pineapple margarita is anything but boring and will get you in the Cinco de Mayo spirit in no time. I did add some lime juice, just to make it more margarita-y. Yep. That's a word. On Fridays, words like that are allowed.

Pineapple Margarita Recipe

Do you know what else is allowed on Fridays? Umbrellas in your cocktail. A little tacky? Sometimes. But mostly they are just awesome.

Cheers to the weekend!

Pineapple Margaritas

Makes 2 margaritas

• 2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into pieces
• 4 oz. silver tequila
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• Margarita salt

Rub a little of the lime juice on the rim of each glass. Turn the glass upside down in the salt to coat the rim.

Combine 1 cup of crushed ice with the pineapple, tequila, honey and lime juice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into prepared margarita glasses and garnish with an umbrella. Just do it. You won't regret it.

Dinner Parties + Miso Ice Cream Pies

With images of a warm, summery weekend still in the back of my mind and the remains of a little sun burn on my shoulders, I’m trying to wrap my head around what is happening outside right now. It’s snowing. Big fat flakes that are piling up fast. It’s May 1st and we are expecting somewhere between 5 and 10 inches. Personally, I love it but I am worried about the light blue bird egg that recently appeared in one of my hanging baskets. I didn’t bring it inside because I want to make sure the birds continue to take care of the little egg. Here’s hoping both the egg and the plant survive...

Over the weekend, not only were we able to enjoy some pretty amazing weather, we also brought out some of our treasures from life in Japan that we have been saving for a dinner party. We had collected some fun stuff for hosting a Japanese dinner party and hadn’t had the chance to break them out until now. It was time. We have an antique kimono panel that we use as a table runner:

Table Settings

And little Dachshund-shaped chopstick holders that were handmade in Kyoto...

Chopstick Dogs

Place setting

And we hung lights outside, even though it was a bit cool once it got dark to sit outside. Still, the glow added a nice, festive feel to the evening.

Party Lights

When it comes right down to it, the table was a bit eclectic between the dishes and decorations, but that is actually quite fitting for a Japanese-inspired table. Often times, dining out involves many small dishes piling up at the table. If you’re dining in a really small, traditional izakaya, those dishes often do not match. But there is an endearing quality to all the different patterns and shapes that litter the table top as you devour skewers of yakitori, plates of gyoza, and glasses of Kirin beer.

For our dinner party this weekend, I served my favorite Japanese-inspired dishes to 8 diners. We began the evening by making a toast with sparkling saké and nibbled on edamame crostini flavored with lemon and mint...

Edamame Crostini

Next, we enjoyed the lovely, mild flavor of scallop and corn gyoza with spicy sriracha sauce. Match made in heaven.

Scallop-Corn-Gyoza

Then moved on to perfectly grilled (by Brad) chicken yakitoriwith a fresh, flavorful yet light Asian slaw...

Chicken-Yakitori

Roasted salmon with miso butter and peas (apologies for the iPhone photo- I posted this on Instagram)...

Salmon with Miso Butter

And finally, a dessert with some umami, miso ice cream served on top of brownies. My original idea was to make mini ice cream pies, but after making the first 4 pies, my crust crumbled like sand when I tried removing it from the mini molds. So, I made an emergency batch of brownies and topped it with a scoop of brown sugar miso ice cream. If you haven’t tried this recipe that I posted on Tokyo Terrace a while back, you really must. It is the most lovely ice cream- different enough to mix up your usual ice cream routine without being totally weird. Sweet, white miso is my favorite, but you could experience with other shades of miso as well.

We enjoyed the 4 successful mini ice cream pies last night with Brad's parents. They were wonderful and will definitely become a frequent rotation in my entertaining repertoire.

Ice Cream Pies

I won’t post the recipe I originally used for the chocolate cookie crust, since it obviously did not work very well for me. But here is another one from Food & Wine that I have had a lot of success with in the past. I’d stick with that.

The crisp chocolate crust with the creamy ice cream and rich whipped cream make a decadent, elegant dessert with layers of subtle flavor that guests will love. I especially love that you can make this in advance. Just assemble the pies, place on a cookie sheet and wrap well with plastic wrap before putting them in the freezer. They will last about 3 or 4 days this way. And if you aren’t interested in making your own ice cream, find your favorite store-bought flavor and use that in place of the miso ice cream in this recipe. Strawberry, salted-caramel, mint chocolate chip...they would all work beautifully!

What are you favorite dinner party recipes? I'd love to hear what you all make for company!

Mini Miso Ice Cream Pies

Makes 4 individual pies using 4-inch molds, a or one 8-inch or 9-inch pie or tart

1 quart brown sugar miso ice cream (click here for recipe), chilled in the freezer and then softened so it can be easily spooned into the crust

1 recipe chocolate cookie crust (click here for recipe)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Begin my making the crust. Once it has chilled, spoon the ice cream evenly into the 4 mini crusts, or your one larger crust. Place the pies on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for about 3 hours. If you are going to wait a few days to serve them, wrap them in plastic wrap after the 3 hours and leave them in the freezer until you are ready to serve them.

Before serving, place the whipping cream in a medium bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on medium high speed until the cream begins to thicken. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to mix until soft peaks form. Spread a spoon full or two on each pie. Serve immediately.

Preserved Lemon Relish

The first time I made preserved lemons was in the tiny kitchen of our second Tokyo apartment. In the end, we lived in three separate apartments during our 4 years in Japan. I had a particular fondness of the kitchen in the second apartment because in the afternoon and early evening sunlight poured through the windows. There is something about the time between 3 and 7 that I just love. The light is simultaneously soft and bright, bringing a little something special to what can sometimes be the hardest time of day. I may not have had any counter space to speak of, but at least I had light. Fair trade, if you ask me.

Preserved Lemon Relish Ingredients

As I packed lemon wedges into a jar during this maiden voyage to the land of preserved lemons, I remember wondering what on earth I would do with them when the salt had sufficiently infused the rinds, making them soft and salty. Somehow, I managed to use most of them in meals for one because Brad didn't care for them. I also found that I enjoyed them in homemade hummus, which helped to use up a few at a time. But this preserved lemon relish, which I only discovered a short time ago, is the ideal way to utilize this unique Moroccan ingredient. And I should mention that Brad loved this relish! Thank goodness.

Preserved_Lemons

The briny flavor from the lemons is off-set by the fresh, sweet flavor of dill and the gentle bite of shallots. A generous amount of black pepper is added along with a healthy drizzle of olive oil. Stir it all together and you have something magnificent. Spoon it on top of freshly roasted salmon, then use it the next day as an appetizer by topping a cracker with your remaining salmon and a dollop of the relish. You could even use the relish as a topping for hummus.

Preserved Lemon Relish Appetizer

The relish is wonderful after sitting in the refrigerator overnight as the flavors have the opportunity to cuddle up with each other and really meld. But it is perfectly wonderful served moments after stirring everything together. If you don't want to make your own preserved lemons, you can buy them at specialty stores or online. But if you have the time, I recommend making your own at least once. It isn't complicated and the results are fantastic.

Lemons, Salt, Bay Leaves, Peppercorns

Preserved Lemon Relish

Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes

• 1/2 cup chopped preserved lemon, flesh and seeds removed (recipe for preserved lemons below)
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
• 1/4 cup shallots, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir. That is all.

Preserved Lemons

I've read many recipes for preserved lemons and have taken all I learned from them to make this recipe. It's easy and has never turned out badly for me!

• 6-8 small/medium sized lemons
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves

Begin by sterilizing your jar and washing the lemons well.

Cut the lemons in wedges by cutting them along the equator first, then cut each half in half again. Continue until you have 12 wedges from each lemon. Keep them in a large bowl at your work station.

Next, put 2 tablespoons of salt, a few peppercorns, and 1 bay leave in the bottom of the jar. Place a layer of lemon wedges on top of the salt. Now, put another 2 tablespoons of salt over the lemons, along with a few peppercorns but no bay leaf. Continue with another layer of lemons, then salt and peppercorns until the jar is filled. For the last layer, top the salt and peppercorns with another bay leaf.

Make sure to press down firmly on the lemons after each layer to release some of their juices. When you finish, the lemons should be covered in liquid. If they aren't, you can add a touch of water.

Put the lid on your jar and place it in the refrigerator where it will stay for the next 2-3 weeks or until the rinds have softened. For the first few days, turn the jar upside down and right side up to evenly distribute the salt and juices.