Shooting StarMosa

I can't think of a better way to start the day than with a cold, frothy mimosa (preferably served in bed).  Lately, I've tried a few variations of mimosas and this is one that works perfectly for a sun-filled summer morning.  Christian turned me on to this version which is inspired by a fresh-squeezed, vitamin boosting juice served at Northstar Cafe in Columbus.  The Shooting StarMosa is a light, subtle and sparkling twist on the classic brunch boisson.

Shooting StarMosa

1 Part Orange Juice
2 Parts Carrot Juice
Topped off with Champaign

In a glass, mix the orange and carrot juices.  Top with Champaign and swirl to combine.

5 Drinks to Spring You Into Summer!

Hello world!  It's been ages since my last post.  I apologize.  I hope you've been cooking and eating wondrously since we last spoke.  My busy life has gotten the better of me lately, but I'm back and ready to share some more approachable, impressive and delicious recipes!

Since summer has just started, I thought a series of refreshing drink recipes would be a good way to enjoy the new season.  In my opinion, everyone should be armed with several go-to beverages for their summer parties.  These recipes are simple, easy to personalize and thirst-quenching.  Happy drinking!


5.  Basil Bloody Mary

Bloody Mary’s are a staple at any worthwhile brunch.  They are a classic that rarely get enough attention, let alone a makeover.  Now, I know everyone makes them differently.  In fact, I know people who throw Bloody Mary parties with a bar-ful of ingredients, flavors and accoutrements.  To me, the Bloody Mary should be simple, fresh and crisp.  To achieve this, I employ basil ice cubes.  New, unique and unexpected, this Basil Bloody Mary will make you reconsider any reservations about tomato juice.  

Basil Bloody Mary 

1 C. Tomato Juice (I prefer the spicy kind)

1 Basil Ice Cube (recipe follows)

½ T. Worcestershire Sauce

1 Shot of Vodka

Squeeze of lemon juice

Pepper, if desired

Basil, celery & lemon for garnish

In a blender, combine tomato juice, basil ice cube, Worcestershire and lemon juice.  Pulse to combine.  Add the shot of vodka and season to taste.  Pour into a tall glass and garnish with fresh basil, celery and lemon.  Enjoy.

Basil Ice Cubes

Unique.  Flavorful.  And yeah, a little badass.  Give these basil ice cubes a try.  They're perfect blended into tea or juice, as a surprising garnish in H2O or as the new chill factor for your vodka.

2 lbs. Basil leaves, cleaned
Water

Place the cleaned basil leaves in a large bowl of cool water.  The water helps provide more juice than the basil leaves would give by themselves.

Put the basil through a juicer, a handful at a time.  I juice the basil twice because I find that not all the juice comes out the first time.  Add water along with the basil as needed.

Immediately pour the basil juice into ice cube trays and set in the freezer.  Check back later this week for new recipes and ideas for Basil Ice Cubes!



4.  Blue Basil Vodka

Continuing with my rant on basil ice cubes, here’s another drink that highlights their unusual crisp, fresh flavor.  I actually made this drink a year ago and it was a total flop.  I blended blueberries and basil in a food processor and then froze them.  The mixture didn’t come out of the ice trays and when you took a sip, you had to chew the small pieces of berries and herbs.  Needless to say, it was a disaster.  So, this new version has been perfected and it’s impressive, if I do say so myself.  Pair the basil ice cubes with premium vodka and fresh blueberry juice for a provocative summer-inspired beverage.

Blue Basil Vodka

3 oz. Blueberry Juice

1 oz. Vodka (I use Finlandia)

1 Basil Ice Cubes

Combine the blueberry juice and vodka (shaken, never stirred) and pour into a martini glass.  Gently add the basil ice cube on top.  As the basil cube begins to melt, the drink changes its flavor and color subtly.  

3.  White Chocolate Milk

In this mix of heavy hitting summer drinks, I felt that we needed some whimsy.  So, take a break from your overwhelming everyday and regress to a simpler time with a cool glass of white chocolate milk, littered with coffee ice cubes.  

4 t. white cocoa powder or melted white chocolate

2 C. Whole Milk

Coffee Ice Cubes (a pot of cooled coffee frozen in ice cube trays)

Fill a glass with coffee ice cubes.  In a measuring cup, stir the drinking chocolate into the whole milk.  Pour the chocolate milk on top of the coffee ice cubes and give it a stir.  Revel in sweet, delicious simplicity.



2.  Coconut Thai Iced Tea

Everyone loves Thai Iced Tea.  I’ve posted about it before and I’ll post about it again.  It’s such an exotic take on an afternoon tea (or latte, for that matter).  Why not take it to the next level?  Add some coconut to your next Thai iced tea for something truly remarkable.  Thanks to my friend Kye who gave me some fantastic suggestions on Thai tea leaves!

Coconut Thai Iced Tea

2 C. Water

1/4 C. Thai Tea leaves
1/4 C. Sugar

2 C. Half & Half

Coconut Milk Iced Cubes (frozen coconut milk in ice cube trays)

Tip:  Don’t let the leaves steep in hot water for more than a few minutes or your tea will be bitter.  Thanks, Kye!

Fill a tall glass with lots of coconut ice cubes.  Pour the cold Thai tea over the ice, almost all the way to the top.  Gently pour a splash of half and half on top and let it cloud down.  

1.  Raspberry Rosemary Blended Iced Tea

Last, but not least.  My dear Kateryna introduced me to an amazing Brazilian Iced Tea during our visit in New Hampshire earlier this spring.  I was hooked after the first sip I took and I felt so inspired by its unique flavors that I had to experiment with them at home.  This recipe is my spin on the outstanding concoction from Pao Cafe. My Blended Iced Tea with Rosemary and Raspberry is sweet, frothy and herbaceous and a brilliant new thirst-quenching delight.

Raspberry & Rosemary Blended Iced Tea

2 C. Hibiscus Tea, chilled

The juice of ½ a lemon

1/3 C. frozen raspberries
2-3 T. Rosemary Simple Syrup (recipe follows)

In a blender, combine the hibiscus tea, lemon juice, frozen raspberries and simple syrup.  Pour into a chilled glass and escape. 

Rosemary Simple Syrup

1 C. Water
1 C. Sugar
5 Rosemary Sprigs, finely chopped

In a small saucepan, heat the water, sugar and rosemary over medium heat.  Stir gently until the sugar dissolves.  Remove from the heat and cool.  Strain the mixture and discard the rosemary.  

Sparkling Limeade

As many of you know, Sean and I have decided to make a BIG change and move to Columbus, Ohio.  We will miss our friends and family very much, but we're ready for a new adventure - one with slightly cooler summers and 4 seasons.  I hope you'll wish us luck!  Natural Sugar's posts will continue like normal, so stay tuned as we drive across the country and adopt some Midwestern flair.  

As an ode to Arizona and the southwest, today's recipe is for a sparkling, quenching beverage that is perfect for hot summer days.  [Technically, this recipe is from Mexico, but who's counting?  Close enough, I say].  Several years ago, my family took a summer vacation to Mazatlan, Mexico.  We spent wonderful, long days on the beach, by the pool and eating delicious Mexican specialties like Molcajete.  One of my favorite recipes that I brought back from the vacation is this sparkling limeade.  My dad and I actually spent weeks perfecting it so we could drink this amazing and refreshing concoction at home.  It will always remind me of good memories near the border.  

Surprisingly persnickety for such a simple mix of ingredients, this beverage will impress you and your entire pool party.  Adjust the sweetness and acidity to please your own palate and spike it with a shot of Tequila if you need an extra kick. 

Equal parts of sugar and water 

Lime zest

Juice from 8 limes (only use fresh, the bottled kind does not work well for this recipe)

Club Soda

Lime slices, garnish

Shot glass, to measure

In a small saucepan, combine equal amounts of water and sugar.  When mixture has dissolved, remove from heat and add the zest of 2 limes.  Allow mixture to cool and set in refrigerator.  Squeeze 8 limes and strain juice.  In individual glasses, place a slice of lime and fill with ice.  Separately, combine 1 shot of lime juice, 2 shots of simple syrup and 1 C. of club soda.  Stir to combine and pour over the ice.

Raspberry Sorbet with Pinot Noir Sauce

I don't know about you, but I have lists upon lists of recipes.  And by lists, I mean an exorbitant number of files and folders, pictures, links, URL's, ideas, ingredients, menus, magazines, etc.  It's ridiculous really!  Sometimes I scare myself.  If I removed all of the food-related documents from my computer, I don't think I'd have anything left.  I tell myself though, that one positive thing about all of these food-related paraphernalia is that I will truly never go hungry.  

Some of the ideas I keep stock-piled away, take a v-e-r-y long time to come to fruition on the blog.  This post is a perfect example of that long process.  I've had Raspberry Pinot Noir Sorbet on my mind for a couple years now - (crazy, I know!) - and it has finally made it's way through "the process" onto the blog.  Don't get me wrong - sometimes I will just run to the supermarket and buy it, but that really takes all the fun out of it.  

Process:  

        [idea spark]  +  [ingredients]  +  [sketch]  +  [experimental disaster]  +  [2nd attempt]  +  [plating perfection]  +  [photograph]  +  [excerpt/story]  =  acceptable blog post  

*2 spelling mistakes - goes to show how long perfection really takes ;)

For some reason, I've never been a huge ice cream lover.  I'll have the occasional scoop with birthday cake or an affogato on a special occasion, but I'd much rather have gelato (less heavy cream & fat) or sorbet.  I like the texture of these much better as well as the fresh fruit flavors.  Today's recipe pairs sweet raspberry sorbet with the rich flavors of Pinot Noir and chocolate.  It's a refreshing and seductive combination of flavors.  

The sauce is a bit thin, so I may work with it a bit more to thicken it up, but the flavors are wonderful!

Store-bought raspberry sorbet

Pinot Noir, cheap bottle is fine as long as you'd drink it
1 T. Berry jam or preserves

Melted chocolate, for garnish

In a small sauce pan, combine 1 C. Pinot Noir with the jam or preserves.  Bring this mixture to a boil and allow to reduce by half.  Set aside and allow to cool.

Drizzle your melted chocolate on your plate making sure to close off whatever shape you choose, so that the sauce can stay inside the chocolate.  Place a scoop of the sorbet on top.  

Cherry Limeade

This is one of my favorite drinks of all time.  It reminds me of my brother Spencer, with whom I’ve shared many of these quenching boissons.  It is sweet and tart with just the right amount fizz.  To make it truly authentic, buy your ice from the local Sonic drive-thru.  For spike, vodka or tequila works best.  

Juice from 8 limes

Lemon lime soda

Maraschino cherries and juice (or grenadine)

In a pitcher, combine the lime juice and grenadine in a 1:2 ratio.  Add lemon lime soda on top and stir to combine.  Adjust measurements to taste.  Garnish your glasses with a lime slice and lots of ice.  

Fizzy Piña Colada

This weekend, Sean and I reunited with my “work family” for a pool party in Gilbert, AZ.  We had a great time catching up on everything from new jobs and crazy coworkers, to summer vacations and baby stories.  We had delicious food – the biggest sandwich I’ve ever seen & my friend Lisa’s husband Darrin’s creamy guacamole.  I brought a drink that my dad taught me to make – and it was a HUGE hit!  I figured this was good timing, since today is father’s day. 

My dad’s been making this drink for 30 years and I know why.  I couldn’t even find a thing about it to change.  It’s perfect.  I just added some vibrant garnish for looks.  Thanks dad for this incredible summer staple and for always being my go-to guy for advice, help and a grounded, objective opinion.  Happy Father's Day!

This drink’s got the pineapple and coconut flavor that you expect from a Piña Colada, with a tart fizziness that everybody loves.  It is frothy and icy and temptingly refreshing.

1 12 oz. can of frozen lemonade concentrate

12 oz. pineapple juice

½ C. cream of coconut*

¼ C. clear rum (or to taste)

Lemon lime soda

Raspberries

Lemon wedges

*Cream of coconut can be found in the liquor section, although it’s not alcoholic

In a freezer-safe container, whisk together the frozen lemonade, cream of coconut, juice and rum.  Make sure these ingredients are well combined, without lumps, and place the container in the freezer for at least 12 hours.  It will form a sorbet-like mixture.  Don’t worry – it’s not supposed to harden completely, because of the rum. 

Drench a glass of ice with the lemon lime soda, leaving just a smidge of room at the top.  Scoop a healthy (read: extra large) spoonful of the sorbet into the soda and stir until it’s completely combined.  Complete this drink with a wedge of lemon, some raspberries and a place by the pool for an amazing tropical getaway in a glass. 

Blackberry Caipirinha

I first tried this drink in Jyväskylä, Finland, with my friend Alla.  Funny, really, because it’s actually from Brazil.  I imagine it’s just as refreshing though, no matter where you are in the world. 

My visit to Finland seems like a lifetime ago now, and an entire world away.  Alla was gracious enough to invite me for a week to her land of the midnight sun.  And it truly was a midnight sun – I remember one night in particular, staggering out of a bar at 4 in the morning with the sun shining bright overhead – a confusing and unmistakably delightful memory.  

Alla introduced me to wonderful, foreign things like cucumber and Munster toasts, Finnish sauna, and her family’s summer cottage.   We had such a blast.  I wish I could do it all over again.  One of my favorite memories of Finland though, is how Alla tried to teach me to say “Hooray, Finland!” so that when my plane landed in Helsinki, I could shout it out.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t pronounce it correctly, and it came out “Whore!  Finland!”  My apologies to the shy, Finnish men and women on the plane.  Kiitos, Alla, for the unforgettable visit!  

 Alla and me outside of our apartments in Albi, France.

I’ve tried to order a Caipirinha many times in the U.S., but it’s hard to find.  So, I bought a bottle of Cachaça and made my own version.  A Caipirinha is normally made from lime, muddled with raw sugar and topped with rum.  My version adds some fizz and blackberries for color.  Try to find Ypioca rum – it’s the best.  

Cachaça Rum (Ypioca is best)

Lime

Sugar

Lemon lime soda

Blackberries

In a martini shaker, muddle together half of a lime with 1 T of sugar and 3 blackberries.  Add two measures of Cachaça and shake to combine.  Strain and pour into a glass of ice and top with lemon lime soda.  Garnish with a lime wedge.  

The view from Alla's summer cottage.

 Me, all ready for the wilderness outside Alla's summer cottage.

Apple Gorgonzola Salad

Have you ever said to yourself, “man, I could really go for some lettuce!?”  I didn’t think so.  Let’s face it - salads can be boring.  A bag of chopped iceberg.  Maybe some slivers of carrots.  Smothered in Ranch dressing.  No wonder we don’t crave them. 

Let me help reintroduce you to the “composed salad.”  My aunt Carrie once made a most delicious salad comprised of spinach, strawberries, nuts and poppy seed dressing.  A simple and beautiful combination of delightful and healthy flavors hiding amongst a spectrum of leafy greens.  I forgot all about those bags of shredded lettuce and branched out.  Dried fruit, fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, cheeses, croutons, meat and even fish can transform and complete any bowl of lettuce or spinach or arugula.  Be creative and try something unusual.  You'll be surprised by how fresh and satisfying a bowl of salad can be. 

This salad is a simple version of what I see in restaurants all the time.  It’s fresh, sweet and exotic with just the right amount of umph.  To make this salad a meal, add some shredded chicken.  And please, throw away that bag of “garden salad” that you have in your fridge.  Right now. 

1 Fuji apple, very thinly sliced

Gorgonzola cheese

Candied walnuts

Mixed greens (the darker green, the more nutritious)

Marsala Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Place a handful of mixed greens on your plate and top with each ingredient.  Drizzle with vinaigrette. 

Marsala Vinaigrette: 

Marsala wine

Vinegar

Sugar

Mayonnaise

Salt & Pepper

Wisk all ingredients together until thoroughly combined.  Season to taste.  

Asian Iced Tea

Sean is a coffee-addict.  Seriously.  But once in awhile, when his veins (and of course, mine, by mere proximity) are too full of coffee, we opt for Thai tea.  It can be found at any Thai restaurant worth its salt or at some indy coffee shops.  If you haven’t ever tried one, hunt one down immediately!  You’ll love what you find.  The way the cream clouds down through the orange tea is my favorite part.  This sweet drink will perfectly accompany your next spicy dish or replace your afternoon latte. 

2 quarts of water

10 packets of Asian or Thai tea (Masala works well)

1/2 C. sugar

Half & half

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan on the stove.  Add the sugar and dissolve.  Once the sugar has dissolved, add the tea bags and steep for about 5 minutes.  Allow tea to cool completely. 

Fill a tall glass with ice and pour the tea almost all the way up.  Top with a splash of half and half and let it cloud down.