Creme De Violette


Creme de Violette

Creme de Violette hasn’t been available in America for decades. My father used to complain that he couldn’t get it for his Pousse Caffe recipe. Well, it’s back and quite a few brands are being imported into the US.  

Creme de Violette


Aviation
Creme de Violette is an essential ingredient for an Aviation. A cocktail invented in 1916 in New York that gets the name from its cloud-like color.

Creme de ViolettePut all of the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

 


Creme de Violette Pousse Caffe

Creme de Violette

 Starting from the bottom up – 

Slowly and carefully pour each ingredient down the side of a narrow glass.

Creme de Violette


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Christmas Punch

Christmas Punch

My Christmas Punch is adapted from Duffy’s 1956 edition of the Official Mixers Guide

Christmas Punch
Mix and chill first 5 ingredients and strain into a punch bowl over a block of ice with citrus fruit slices frozen inside.* Add chilled wine and chilled club soda just before serving.
Christmas Punch
* FruitBerg
If you chill the punch with ice cubes, they’ll melt and dilute it. It’s better to use a large chunk of ice. It’s more interesting if you add some fruit and make it colorful.
Slice various citrus fruits. Place a few slices of each in a small (sandwich size) zip-lock bag. Add enough water to cover the slices and hold them together when frozen. Make about 4 or 5 bags and freeze them. When frozen, place the contents of each bag into a larger zip-lock bag or a Tupperware container, add more water and freeze to make a large block of ice and citrus slices – a fruitberg.
Christmas Punch
Christmas Punch

David Benoit – A Charlie Brown Christmas

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Sfincione – Sicilian Pizza

Sfincione – Sicilian Pizza (adapted from Frabrizia Lanza’s recipe)

Real Sicilian pizza, Sfincione, (sfeen-CHO-neh) isn’t covered with gooey melted mozzarella. It has a simple sauce flavored with a little onion, some grated pecorino, and breadcrumbs – with or without anchovies, it’s up to you.

Sfincione - Sicilian Pizza

(if you want to make your own dough click here – I get mine in a pizzeria)

Sauté the onion in oil with black and red pepper until it’s translucent. Add ½ cup of water and raise heat until it almost evaporates. Add the tomato puree and bring to a simmer. Allow the sauce to cool. When cool add the bread crumbs, cheese, and anchovies. Taste for seasoning. The cheese and anchovies can be salty so you may not need any additional salt.
Pre-heat the oven to 400o. Spread the dough in an oiled 9 by 13 baking sheet. Spread the sauce mixture over the dough in an even layer leaving about ½ inch of the dough exposed around the edges.Sfincione - Sicilian Pizza
Drizzle it with 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil and bake for 30 minutes. When it’s done sprinkle with oregano.Sfincione - Sicilian Pizza

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Pan Fried Ham and Red Eye Gravy

Pan Fried Ham and Red Eye Gravy

There are lots of different recipes for red eye gravy. Some people thicken it with flour or mix in mustard, ketchup, or Tobasco. I add some molasses. Try it and see what you think, then experiment.

Add bacon fat and butter to a frying pan. Cast iron works best. Cook the ham steak on medium-high and brown it on both sides. Place the ham in a serving platter.
Add coffee, water, and molasses to the pan and bring it to boil. Deglaze the pan, lower heat and cook for a few minutes while whisking in the last pat of butter. Pour the gravy over the ham steak. This goes well with grits or biscuits.

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