We’re Having a Heat Wave…

Kay:

Wow, it’s hot in Texas right now. In North Texas we are having record temps. So Lynda suggested we cool off with cold fruity, tropical or Tiki cocktails. I came up with three that I would actually drink (I’m not much on sweet cocktails), but I was willing to make a sacrifice in the name of research.

For the first one, I chose a Beachcomber. I was out running around in the heat on Saturday and stopped by a local bar for drinks. I decided I would see if the bartender could make me one. He wasn’t sure what a Beachcomber was, but we looked it up and once he knew the basic ingredients he took a shot at creating the cocktail. Shout out to bartender, Micah Moore, not only a great bartender but an arts advocate for the city of Dallas. Check out his venture to educate everyone on the public art in Dallas, exploredallasart.com . The bar didn’t have Maraschino Liqueur, so Micah substituted maraschino cherry juice. This gave the drink a pretty pink color. It was very refreshing and tasty. A perfect improvisation. When I got home I tried out the original recipe that called for Maraschino Liqueur which is clear. I have to say I liked Micah’s better. It was more balanced than the one I made. They were both good, but if you don’t want to spring for a bottle of Maraschino Liqueur, the maraschino cherry juice was a good substitute.

BEACHCOMBER

2 ounces light rum

3/4 ounce triple sec

3/4 ounce fresh lime juice

3 or 4 bar spoons of maraschino liqueur or maraschino cherry juice

1/4 ounce simple syrup

Glass – Rocks

Build ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake. Strain into a chilled rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a paper umbrella for the Tiki effect.

My second tropical Tiki drink is a Painkiller. It is said this cocktail was originally created at the Soggy Dollar Bar at a 1970’s hot spot on the British Virgin Islands. The bar had no dock and patrons had to swim to shore getting their money wet in the process—hence the name. As the cocktail’s name indicates it can be categorized as a potential “hair of the dog” drink. So next time you are nursing a hangover give it try. Better yet skip the hangover and just have one out on the patio or by the pool

Painkiller

2 ounces dark rum

4 ounces pineapple juice

1 ounce creme of coconut

1 ounce orange juice

Garnish – Grated Nutmeg

Glass – Large coupe

Build this cocktail in the shaker, fill with ice, shake vigorously. Strain into large chilled coupe. Sprinkle with grated nutmeg. Throw in the paper umbrella (mine is attached to a straw) and enjoy.

Next I decided on a old favorite, Pina Colada. If you saw our previous post on adult popsicles, you know I like this flavor combination. FYI—If you have leftover popsicles they can be used to make Pina Coladas. You can’t go wrong with the pineapple and coconut flavor profile if you are looking for a great Tiki cocktail. You do need a blender for this one. Proper glasses and the right kind of ice (crushed) are essential to being successful at creating a great looking and tasting cocktail. We’ll cover that in more detail in a future blog.

PINA COLADA

2 ounces white rum

I cup pineapple chunks (fresh or frozen)

2 ounces coconut creme

1/4 cup pineapple juice ( enough to help blend smooth)

3/4 ounce agave (or simple syrup)

Glass – double rocks

Place all ingredients in the blender when blended add enough crushed ice to make a smooth creamy cocktail. Too much ice will make it icy instead of creamy and dilute the drink quickly as it melts so add your ice in stages, about a cup at a time until you have the consistency you like. (Sonic ice is great for blending cocktails and in Texas they will sell you a bag).

Accompaniments

I don’t know about Lynda, but at my house I am always looking for snacks that don’t require heating up the oven. For years I have gone to a little tea room on the square in our county seat. They have the best chicken salad (gosh must be time to visit there, I’m craving two of their signature dishes) but that is not what I tried to recreate for you here. My version is not exactly the same but it is my take on a Dill Dip. The tea room always served this with their chicken salad sandwich and Sun Chips. Mine is spicier and no oven required.

SPICY DILL DIP

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon dill ( I bought it on the spice aisle, but feel free to use fresh)

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you like things)

In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk buttermilk, mayonnaise and sour cream until smooth. Add dill, celery seed, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and cayenne whisk again until all is combined. Chill 3-4 hours to let all the spices meld together.

Serve with Sun Chips or your favorite chip. Pita chips also work very well.

Finally, I wanted to challenge Lynda to a guac-off. If you are a fan of Tex-Mex cuisine then you know good guacamole is a must. So I’m putting Charlotte’s guacamole up against Lynda’s. Charlotte made her version for me. I know Lynda is putting her recipe out there and I think they are really different recipes.  There are so many (there are about a million mexican food restaurants in Texas and that’s not much of an exaggeration) and each one has it’s own version guacamole. For an appetizer that requires no cooking this Tex-Mex Dip is unbeatable no matter how you make it. Lynda it is on! Here’s Charlotte’s recipe for guacamole, and I have to say people love it !!!

GUACAMOLE

Serves 2-3, I would say 4 but this is Texas!

2 large avocados {I prefer Haas}

1 1/4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Start with ripe avocados (see photo for the perfect ripe avocado). Cut the avocado in half as shown, remove the seed, scoop the avocado meat out of the skin with a spoon into a medium bowl. Mash with a fork until there are no large chunks, you can make this as smooth as you like. Add the lime juice and all the spices and stir. Chill and serve with tortilla chips.

Good luck Lynda, this one is pretty good!!!

Lynda

My idea of tropical drinks doesn’t really require a specific recipe. Years ago on a Windjammer cruise in the British Virgin Islands, I learned about a Rum Swizzle. Every afternoon on the boat a different crew member stirred up a batch. Swizzles consisted of whatever kind of fruit juice the crew member liked and a good measure of local rum. There are rum distilleries all over the British Virgins. You can take your own bottle and they will fill it up for you. The British Virgin Islands (probably anywhere in the Caribbean) has the warmest ice I’ve ever had. In the Rum Swizzle, you were lucky if you got two rapidly melting cubes but a squeeze of lime is a great way to make a drink seem cooler.

In case you need a bit more direction here’s a general recipe for my version of a Tropical Drink.

2 oz. rum—dark, white, coconut, even vodka works

Fruit juice—orange, pineapple, cranberry

1 oz. creme de banana

Lime wedges

In a tall ice-filled glass, add the rum and creme de banana, top off with fruit juice. I used half pineapple and half orange juice in the drinks pictured. Add a generous squeeze of lime and stir. The small plastic cup in the picture is the way the Rum Swizzles were served on the Windjammer cruise. That one is just rum, cranberry and orange juice with precisely two ice cubes.

And beware, lest your hula girls become hula flamingos!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guacamole Challenge

Hey, I’m always up for a good challenge. Here’s my version of guacamole. I’ve also been making my own hummus lately. It’s been a big hit and is super easy.

Guacamole

I’m with Kay, this might serve 4 anywhere else but 2-3 is a safer bet in Texas!

1 large or 2 small avocados

1 Roma tomato – chopped

3-4 green onions – chopped

Cilantro to taste – chopped

1/2 to 1 fresh lime, juiced

1 tablespoon or so of your favorite salsa

Salt and black pepper

Cut avocado in half, remove seed, peel and chop. In a large bowl, add avocado and a generous squeeze of lime. Then mash the avocado. I use an old fashioned potato masher and leave the avocado a little chunky. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. I serve mine with homemade tortilla chips. Simply brush corn tortillas with a little canola oil, cut into triangles and put on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes (ovens vary so keep an eye on the chips). Sprinkle with salt.

Chipotle Hummus

1-15 oz.can garbanzo beans

1/4 cup water (or liquid from the beans)

1/8 cup tahini paste (sesame seed paste- usually in the Asian section of grocery)

1/8 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 Chipotle (canned in adobo sauce)

1 Clove garlic

Drain the beans (reserve the liquid). Rinse the beans in a colander. Add the beans and other ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. If the hummus is too thick, add liquid a little at a time until it’s the right consistency.

That’s it for this week. Stay cool everyone and let us know if you try the guacamole recipes. Vote for your favorite in the comments.