Drinks

It’s been incredibly hot out there, which meant two things:

1) Working in the kitchen has been challenging.

2) There was a great need for cooling treats and beverages.

With that in mind, I decided to re-post this Russian concoction from my archives – it is perfect for this weather.

Despite its French name, this is technically a Russian treat, although I never actually had it during my old life.

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This here is effectively a coffee float, and it’s delicious beyond words.

Here’s how to make it:

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Here we’ve got ourselves ice-cream, heavy cream (half-n-half is for sissies), coffee, sugar, and salt.

Note: these days I use sweetened condensed milk in my coffee, which is a whole lot more delicious than any dairy product to have ever emerged directly from a cow, and this is what I would use now instead of the cream+sugar combo above.

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Add 3 t of sugar to 1 C of coffee – increase or degrease the amount of sugar to taste.

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A few grains of salt… NOT THIS MUCH. This is for demonstration only.

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A serious dash of heavy cream…

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Now whisk it all together.

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At this point, Cyrus wakes up from a nap and toddles into the kitchen.

Note: This is Cyrus today (dressed by his sister):

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Isn’t it amazing how much my boy changed in a little over a year?

Also, he no longer naps.

Also, I since learned how set the white balance on my camera manually, improving my weird cast situation dramatically.

Also, I since learned how to shoot in full manual.

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Next, add a scoop or two of slightly softened vanilla ice-cream to the vessel from which you intend to drink this divine, caffeine-loaded concoction.

Note: I used to love Alden’s, but last week I up and bought an ice-cream maker and never looked back. These days I would use homemade vanilla ice-cream.

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You can tell I have some decision-making issues in the vessel-choice department. That’s how I generate so many dirty dishes.

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Next, and I bet you didn’t see this one coming, pour the coffee mixture right on top.

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At this point, Cyrus hears the sound of a truck going down the road. It’s all over his face.

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“A twuck! A twuck!”

Note: Cyrus no longer mangles words and instead recites clearly and profusely from Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein, as well as makes up his own rhymes.

But he’s still obsessed with trucks.

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Done! And while some of you may be mentally counting the calories, remember – animal fat is your friend!

Animal fat means prosperity, happiness, and a productive life.

And plenty of breast milk – Cyrus will be the first one to tell you that.

Note: Cyrus, who at the ripe age of two-and-a-half still helped himself to the lacto-producing machine I will not mention directly, no longer partakes of said fine beverage. But the machine itself is far from being out of commission. This is why:

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Keep that dairy coming!!!

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Homemade rose syrup, how about that?

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Rose, or “golden flower” in Azerbaijani, is traditionally used as flavoring and jam material in both my native Azerbaijan and the surrounding countries, and both rose water and rose syrup can be purchased from Middle-Eastern ethnic grocers. Being the kind of snob person that I am, I made a batch of homemade earlier this summer with the petals of the incredibly-fragrant roses from my prolific climbing bush, thereby bypassing the shipping charges and the potential preservatives. The results were simply spectacular, if I do say so myself.

How is one to use rose syrup, you might wonder? In a variety of ways! You can pour it over your pancakes, use it as a mild sweetener, drizzle it over ice-cream, or reduce it to the soft-ball stage for some rose-flavored French buttercream.

Myself, I envisioned it as a kind of a drink concentrate that could be added in small quantities to a pitcher of water I put on the table at suppertime, much like throwing in cucumber slices or lime wedges or a bunch of mint. My kids absolutely love this “roseberry juice.”

As far as preparation, the process couldn’t be more straightforward – just pick a few handfuls of unsprayed rose petals, throw them in a pot with sugar and water, bring everything to a simmer and cook for about five minutes before adding lemon juice (important for both the color and the flavor!), removing from heat, and allowing everything to infuse overnight. All you have to do the next day is strain it.

Alternatively, you could leave the petals in and reduce the syrup-petal mixture to a spreadable consistency, giving you rose jam. Although I haven’t done it this time, the taste of rose jam is still one of my most persistent childhood food memories.

If, after straining your syrup, you decide that you would like it a little more viscous, simply put it back in the pan and reduce it to your desired consistency (just remember that hot syrups and jams are much thinner than they would be after cooling – run a freezer test by drizzling a small amount onto a plate and sticking the plate in the freezer for a few minutes to cool it quickly and give you an idea of the final result).

While the absolute exact proportions are less important than the method itself, here is what I used:

  • approximately 3 cups loose, unsprayed rose petals
  • 5 cups cold water
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Just follow the above directions and enjoy!

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My Favorite Recipes of 2011

January 2, 2012
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Well, the 2011 is over folks! It’s been a good year around here, and I hope it’s been a good one for you too! Here I put together a list of my favorite recipes from 2011, just to sabotage your New Year’s resolutions: 1. Black Forest Sheet Cake with Chocolate Mocha Frosting – I baked [...]

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Homemade Tom & Jerry Mix

December 19, 2011
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Are you familiar with Tom & Jerrys, folks? The warming holiday cocktail made with eggs, sugar, two types of dairy, spices, and either brandy or rum (or creme de cocoa, if you are me)? This ain’t like anything I grew up with in the old country, but it can sure be nice on a cold [...]

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How to Make Kombucha (a.k.a. Tea Kvass)

November 4, 2011
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Disclaimer: This post is not meant to provide any medical advice with regard to the safety or health benefits of consuming kombucha tea. If you have any kombucha-related questions or concerns, consult your physician. When I was growing up in the Soviet Union and later independent Azerbaijan, kombucha (or “tea mushroom,” as it was known [...]

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How to Press Apple Cider

October 7, 2011
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Every year, our family makes apple cider, and the way we do it is using a cider press. Here is what one looks like, but it is missing some parts in this photo (see below). The big wheel has a handle and cranking the handle leads to the chopping-up of the apples thrown into the [...]

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Homemade Raspberry/Blackberry Juice Concentrate

August 16, 2011
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Between the bumper crop of raspberries we had this year and the blackberries we were invited to pick on our neighbor’s land, I had to get creative with using it all up, and after some lovely batches of leather and a few quarts of jam, I wanted to find something that would allow me to [...]

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Café Glacé (Coffee with Ice Cream)

March 1, 2011
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Despite its French name, this is technically a Russian treat, although I never actually had it during my old life. This is effectively a coffee float, if I can use that term, and it’s a high-brow cousin of latte. And it’s delicious beyond words. We’ve got here ice cream, heavy cream (half-n-half is for sissies, [...]

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Maple Eggnog

November 29, 2010
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With Christmas just around the corner, it’s time to turn our attention to the rich, comforting winter classics, and eggnog is one of them. It is, however, worth noting that I’ve never encountered eggnog (or winter, for that matter) until I got to the United States, so in my early days of eggnog frenzy, I [...]

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Paradise Found Strawberry Milkshake

June 22, 2010
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Because it’s summer, and the strawberry season is upon us, it’s awfully nice to cool off with a rich, filling, extravagant strawberry or raspberry milkshake. Without further ado, let me show you how I make mine. Expect to get uncomfortable. Just kidding! Expect to get very, very comfortable. Too comfortable to go back to work [...]

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