Tag: bourbon

Rhubarb Bourbon Sour

Rhubarb Bourbon Sour // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler

Sometimes you have a week that is hard, but also totally reviving. The beginning of last week was tough, but things quickly got better: good food was made and fun was had and cocktails were made. And an old friend from college came to visit, which always is exciting and soothing at the same time. Isn’t it nice when people who knew you when (“when” being just a few years ago in this case, but still) can kind of ground you and make everything seem ok? That happened. It was nice.

But before she came to visit, and before there was weekend and all that, there was this cocktail. I had finished the actual rhubarb from the dessert I made for Passover, but I had a bunch of this sour syrup left over. And I had bought a bottle of Bulleit bourbon. So, you know, rhubarb bourbon sour time it is. With a little research and a little improv, Jonah and I whipped up this drink. If you don’t have sour rhubarb syrup laying around, you can make it pretty easily by following a rhubarb simple syrup recipe like this one or this one, but I would cut the sugar so that the tang of the rhubarb can really shine.

Rhubarb Bourbon Sour

Makes 1 cocktail

Ingredients

1 shot (1.5 oz) bourbon
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 tsp powdered sugar (or half a shot of simple syrup) – Note: if you are making rhubarb simple syrup from one of the recipes above, you can nix this sweetener part, or add it to taste.
1/2 shot rhubarb syrup
1 egg white

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a shaker without ice, shake for about 10 seconds. Add ice, shake thoroughly. Pour into glass. Sip and enjoy. Yeah, it’s that easy.

Weekend Finds 1:12:14

I am writing this at 10 pm on Sunday night. I am failing at weekend finds. Oof.

But hey, my mom and sister were here this weekend (we had a fantastic dinner at my place of work, Firehouse), I celebrated Jonah and our roommate Johnny’s birthdays, and worked. So you know what? It’s ok that I’m writing this at 10 pm on Sunday. That’s just fine.

1. Note to Selfie

Note to Selfie article on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
The picture that will always remind me of my friend’s New Year’s Eve wedding in Seattle.

I really liked this article about documenting our lives by John Dickerson on Slate. I feel like people get and give a lot of flack (including myself, all the time) for tweeting/facebooking/texting/instagramming, and while I understand a lot of the point – those people who are on their phones for an ENTIRE MEAL are ridiculous – there is something to be said for allowing people to observe and think and be present in their own way. I often feel embarrassed about photographing food, and very judged for it, but I want to remember those little moments, and sometimes a picture of a croissant reminds me of a frosty morning with my family.

2. Where the locals eat in Portland

"Where the Locals Eat in Portland" on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Eat like we eat.

A short article with a short list of “where the locals eat in Portland” from USA Today. I’d call it correct – I love all of these places. Specifically, if you haven’t been to Ned Ludd or Aviary, go sooooooon! (Also see cheap eats in Portland under $10.)

3. Cardamom Roasted Plum Ice Cream

Cardamom Roasted Plum Ice Cream on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Doesn’t this make you want summer, too?

Is it summer yet? Ughhhhh. I want to make this ice cream from Fork Spoon Knife. Right now. Now now now.

4. 10 Best Budget Bourbons

10 Best Budget Bourbons list on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
It’s time to get my (budget) bourbon on.

I think, tentatively, I have become a whiskey drinker. These days, I prefer bourbon, and while I’d love to go buy some really nice stuff to drink, I’m still a beginner. And cheap. So I’ll stick to this list of budget bourbons over on Serious Eats, thanks.

5. Grown up tater tots

Grown Up Tater Tots on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Yum grown up tater tots!

These grown up tater tots look really wonderful. Tom Douglas serves something similar at one of his restaurants (maybe more than one, I can’t remember) in Seattle, Lola. I’ve always wanted to try making a version, and this might be my ticket. Also, I love their suggestion of pairing this savory, garlicky snack with a sweet beverage like cocoa.

The Rattlesnake: a cocktail

The Rattlesnake // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler

Sometimes, when you’re spending all day cooking, it’s important to spoil yourself with a cocktail break. And sometimes you are given an all access pass to someone’s liquor cabinet, and you have lots of cocktail blogs to choose from (There Will Be BourbonSpirited Alchemy5 o’clock cocktails…), and you finally pick one called the Rattlesnake, and whip up a batch for all the chefs in the kitchen. Just sometimes.

This cocktail is creamy and light, tasting kind of like a grown up lemon curd/lemon meringue drink. Adapted from There Will Be Bourbon, the recipe below makes enough for 6 drinks. When I’m making that amount, I like to use a trusty tupperware with a good seal instead of a shaker… it means you have to do less work by making all the drinks in one batch.

The Rattlesnake

Makes 6 cocktails

Ingredients

9 oz. bourbon
5 Tbl freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbl sambuca (the recipe called for absinthe, but you can use any anise-liqueur)
2 Tbl powdered sugar (or simple syrup, if you’ve got some around)
3 egg whites

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients in a tupperware (or cocktail shaker, if you’re only making 1 or 2) with ice. Shake it up! Until the egg whites get nice and frothy. If you want more froth, you can add more egg whites. I wasn’t initially going to add any but when I tasted it without them, it was VERY bourbon-y. So I added half as many as the original recipe called for (which is 1 per drink). I never really realized what egg white did to a drink other than create that frothy foam, but it really mellowed out the flavors. Add bits of whatever you like until it tastes how you want. Strain into glasses filled with ice. If you’re feeling fancy, you can garnish with a lemon peel, or a sprig of mint or rosemary.