Monthly Archives: August 2012

  • Weekly Cocktail #23: The Daiquiri

    August 3, 2012

    24 Comments

    The Daiquiri.

    If you are at the beach, and we are, there are few better flavor combinations than rum, limes and sugar. A simple trio, but one with many variables, and a canvas for almost endless experimentation. Rum comes in many styles, as does sugar, and it seems that almost all are used in some combination with lime to form an original cocktail. Rhum Agricole, cane syrup and lime gets you a Ti’ Punch. Cachaca, sugar and lime make a Caipirinha. Jamaican rum, lime and sugar (and sometimes bitters) forms a Planters Punch. And on it goes…

    Rum, lime sugar. Simple, but good.

    And if you start with white rum, add lime juice and a touch of simple syrup, you get the Daiquiri. The Daiquiri is probably the most famous of the rum/lime/sugar drinks, and perhaps rightfully so. While many will develop tastes that lean towards the funk of Cachaca or the richness of Jamaican rum, everyone must start somewhere- and the Daiquiri is a very good intro to this class of cocktails. Tasty, refreshing and simple to make, the Daiquiri is a perfect summer sip and an easy way to produce some smiles. Don’t take it from us, the Daiquiri was a favorite of both Hemingway and JFK. They knew how to party have a good time.

    As for the history of the Daiquiri, it is better documented than most cocktails. The Daiquiri is named after a beach in Cuba and was invented by Americans there after the Spanish-American war. The Daiquiri remained somewhat of a regional specialty until the late 1930’s, when it gained popularity in the states. The 1940’s brought more popularity for the Daiquiri, as rum was more available than many other spirits during the Second World War. And after the war the Daiquiri remained a cocktail staple.  (Note: There is a good recurring joke in the 1958 movie “Auntie Mame” about Daiquiris improperly made from honey. Lots of booze and bad judgement in that movie, if you like cocktails and parties it is worth renting 😉 .

    While the history of the Daiquiri is relatively well-known, there are some questions on how the make one. You would think it’s simple; white rum (Bacardi is a fine), lime juice and simple syrup (no honey, please), but the proportions are a challenge. Most recipes call for at least 2 oz. white rum, 1/2 – 3/4 oz. fresh lime juice and just a few dashes of simple syrup. While that may work for many, some (most?) will find the drink too sour. We suggest you play around until you find proportions you like. If you make your simple syrup in large batches, you will have plenty to experiment with. Our base recipe is 2 oz. white rum, 3/4 oz. lime juice and 1/2 oz. simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water), a bit sweeter than the traditional recipes, but the lime still leads the drink.

    And if you like the basic Daiquiri, there is plenty of room to experiment and expand. Different rums, liqueurs and sweeteners all make for easy variants of the Daiquiri, and many are very, very tasty. The Hemingway Daiquiri is also a very good cocktail (IMHO). So if you want an into to rum/lime/sugar drinks, or just a good summer sip, the Daiquiri is a great place to start.

    The Daiquiri:

    Note: To make simple syrup, combine 1 cup white sugar with 1 cup water and bring to a boil until sugar dissolves. Chill and store in the fridge. If you add 1/2 oz. of vodka to the syrup (off the stove) it will keep longer.

    Ingredients:

    • 2 oz. white rum
    • 3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
    • 1/2 oz. simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water)
    • Lime wheel, for garnish (optional)

    Assemble:

    1. Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake thoroughly and strain into a chilled cocktail glass or coupe’. Garnish with lime wheel, if you like. Serve.
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  • Quail Hill Farm: CSA? Heaven? Both?

    August 2, 2012

    15 Comments

    Flower at Quail Hill CSA.

    The rules.

    While we miss our own farm, it is hard to be sad here on the east end of Long Island. We are on some of the best farmland in the world, next to some of the best beaches in the world. And where you don’t have vacation homes, you still see many productive farms. And farm stands selling fresh produce are just about everywhere. The corn, potatoes, zucchini, squash, berries and stone fruit are all great this year. Yum.

    Today’s lineup.

    Your map.

    But there is one very special farm, Quail Hill, that is more than just some tasty produce. It shows the true potential of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) to benefit an entire community. Quail Hill is a CSA on 30 acres of donated land and is supported by over 200 member families. The member families pay for a share of the produce and harvest a few times a week (anyone can visit, you just can’t harvest). The staff run the farm and have an apprentice program to educate future farmers. Farmland is preserved, new farmers are trained, families get access to a “real” farm. Oh, and the produce is awesome. Good land, great weather and hard work get you a good crop.

    Garlic for the taking.

    Fennel. We caramelized this and served with the steamed clams. Good match.

    Lots of squash and zucchini.

    While we aren’t members, our friends Chad and Monica are, and we got to visit for a Tuesday harvest. The farm is beautiful and bucolic, but also a place of work. Everything at the farm is there for a reason. While many people (including us) wax poetic about growing food, somebody has to spend some time in the dirt. But it is certainly good dirt. Good dirt makes a good farm. We will let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

    Huge herb garden- take what you need.

    The herbs for the steamed clams.

    Orchard- mostly stone fruit.

    Peaches.

    Rows of tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and eggplant.

    A little of the weekly haul. Continue reading →

  • Steamed Littleneck Clams: Summer In A Shell

    August 1, 2012

    27 Comments

    Steamed littleneck clams.

    We will cook many recipes during our time at the beach, but this dish will be served at most of our meals. Appetizer, starter, main dish- no matter, just good stuff. Littleneck clams, with a touch of cured pork, onion, herbs, bacon and wine might be the most tasty, and easy, summer dish we make. And if you have good hardshell clams, you need to make this dish, just invite some friends.

    Just a few ingredients.

    The key to this dish, like many seasonal recipes is what you don’t add, rather than any extra ingredients or technique. It is very, very simple- and sometimes (most of the time?) simple is good. Brown some tasty cured pork (bacon, pancetta, chorizo if you like spicy, etc.) then add some sweet onion and herbs, add some seasoning to taste and soften the onion. It will smell good. Then add some wine, bring to a boil and add the clams and cover the pot. Shake the pot every few minutes. It will smell even better. You will find yourself popular. Steam the clams until they open (or if uneven size, remove the clams from the pot as they open). Remove from the pot, garnish with lemon and parsley and serve. The whole thing will take 10-15 minutes.

    Chop your bacon and onions.

    Brown your bacon.

    It may almost seem like cop-out to say this is a world-class dish, but it is. There are only so many fresh clams in the world. A good cook lets them shine.  You may want to add some cherry tomatoes, breadcrumbs, or red-pepper flake, but go easy. The clams do the work for you. Briny and meaty, but tender (if you pull them from the heat when they open) the clams are a treat. And they even give you a tasty broth for bread-dipping. Nice.

    Add onions and herbs. Soften the onion.

    Add wine and clams. Steam the clams.

    When the clams open, they are done.

    We use littlenecks because they are small enough to cook quickly and are more tender than larger cherrystones and chowder clams. We serve 4-6 clams per person as a starter and 8-12 per person as a main course. Everything cooks in one pot (and you can even serve from the pot, if you like) so this is a great dish when entertaining. So if you have access to some good clams, try this dish out and be ready to make a few new friends…

    Steamed Littleneck Clams:

    Notes Before You Start:

    • Make sure to use fresh clams and get them from a trusted source. All clams have tags that show when and where they were harvested, if you have any doubts ask to see the tag.
    • Clams open when they are cooked. Remove them from the pot when they open to get tender clams. It is just a bit of extra work.

    What You Get: An easy, but incredibly tasty seafood dish that works at almost any meal (except breakfast, I guess).

    What You Need: No special equipment required.

    How Long? 15-20 minutes. Anytime dish.

    Ingredients:

    (serves 4 as a starter)

    • 2 dozen littleneck clams, rinsed of sand or dirt
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil (or butter, if you prefer)
    • 2-3 slices of bacon, cut into lardons
    • 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
    • 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs like thyme or tarragon
    • 1/2 cup dry white wine
    • Salt and pepper
    • 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for garnish
    • 6-8 sprigs Italian parsley, form garnish

    Assemble:

    1. Rinse the clams. Chop the onion and herbs. Slice the bacon into lardons.
    2. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and then add the bacon. Brown the bacon until crisp, about 2-3 minutes. Add the onion, herbs and a touch salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is soft, another 2-3 minutes.
    3. Add the wine and allow it to come to a boil, then add the clams. Stir the clams in the wine and then cover. Steam the clams until they open, about 8-10 minutes. If some clams open early, remove them from the pot and place them in a separate bowl. Taste broth and season, as needed. Discard any clams that don’t open.
    4. When clams are done, pour clams and broth to a serving bowl. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley. Serve with crust bread, if you like.
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