Saké-too-me! Cucumber ginger sakétini

I'm wishing all those Canadians home from work and school today a very happy snow day. I'm enjoying this lovely weather from the comfort of my in home office. Yes my life is pretty good! This is a requested post coming from a client of The Fooding Company who I recently chef'ed a dinner party for. I created a signature cocktail for the Asian themed menu. We served the very famous Korean charred beef & slaw dish you all know and love as well as some other delicious dishes that have yet to be blogged about. This cocktail is refreshing and super delicious.  

For those of you scratching your heads thinking "what the heck is saké" it's actually a delicious fermented rice (alcoholic) beverage . Most non Asians think saké is rice wine, which isn't technically true. Wine and saké have very different fermenting processes. Wine is created by fermenting sugar and saké is a brewing process much like beer, but still it is unique only to it's self.

Cucumber ginger Saketini: The break down is pretty easy: 1spoonful of cucumber ginger puree, 1 part plum wine, 2 parts sake, top off with ginger ale (Canada Dry brand is the best) add a spritz of fresh lime juice & garnish with a cucumber slice. - Follow the order to create the perfect layered cocktail.

INGREDIENTS: 
Plum wine
Coarse filter sweet sake (pink bottle)
cucumber/ ginger puree
ginger ale
lime juice
cucumber slices

FOR THE PUREE: 
Peel and blend 1 English cucumber along with 2 inch knob of fresh ginger, 1tsp of sugar - strain 1/2 of the mixture (I like to leave a little bit of texture, it goes nice with the creaminess of the coarse filter sake).  

Enjoy your weekend everyone and perhaps a tasty cocktail... 乾杯 (kan-pai) which means dry the glass or cheers ;)

Gastropost: Chill out treat = watermelon slushy

I don't know what it's been like in your neck of the woods, but in Toronto it's been a scorching summer. Pretty stunning actually, with a few periods of extreme heat and humidity conveniently when the AC in my building wasn't working (obviously). Torontonians are funny about the weather, maybe it's even Canadians in general but we complain no matter what. It's too hot, it's too cold, it's too dry, it's too rainy - we find fault in every season. For my second GASTROPOST I'm going to let you in on a delicious heat wave treat - The Watermelon Slushy. I recently saw a recipe like this somewhere I don't remember where but I remember the easy details... freeze watermelon & blend was the gist of it. For my version add some lime, mint, a splash of white rum if you're of the age and feeling frisky and voilà a perfect chill out beverage. 

INGREDIENTS:
seedless watermelon - cubed & frozen
1 - 2 limes juiced
mint leaves or basil - for garnish
pinch of fresh cracked pepper
1.5 oz (per 1 cup of slush) white Jamaican rum

Per 1 cup of frozen watermelon add 1 juiced lime. Blend on low until the slushy consistency is to your liking, about a minute. If you are lucky enough to have a Breville blender there is actually a "shave" setting which is perfect for this. 

Gastropost: What does Canadian food mean to me? A refreshing clam beverage known as the Bloody Caesar

For my first Gastropost mission I'm going to tell you about an amazing cocktail that always makes me think of home. The iconic Bloody Caesar goes back to 1969 in Alberta, Calgary.  Restaurateur Walter Chell concocted this masterpiece in honour of a new Italian restaurant launch. The Caesar is said to be inspired by the famous Italian dish spaghetti alle vongole which in English means spaghetti and clams. Mmmm pasta & seafood. In the last 40 some odd years the Caesar has become one of Canada's most exclusive and beloved elixirs. It is virtually unknown by the rest of the world, which makes it a perfect candidate for my contribution to a Canadian food post. When I think of a bloody Caesar I think of summer, sitting up north at a cottage with good friends enjoying Ontario's beautiful weather. It's really one of the most perfect aperitifs since it is both both a drink and a snack. I've really kicked up this aspect of the cocktail in my version which uses the clamato juice to poach a stunning jumbo shrimp. Definitely the perfect garnish along side a pickled bean & some celery shavings.  Not too shabby for a pre dinner snack. I like to use the regular clamato juice and use my own spice blend of horseradish, Montreal steak spice, Frank's Red hot & worcestershire sauce of course.

INGREDIENTS:

Motts clamato juice

2 oz (frozen) vodka - your preference 

2 tbs fresh grated horseradish 

pinch Montreal streak spice - for the rim & to the drink as well 

splash of pickle, olive or bean "juice" 

dash of Franks red hot sauce 

lemon wedge - for garnish

lime wedge - for garnish

celery - shaved with a vegetable peeler 

raw jumbo zipper back shrimp - for garnish

Matt & Steve's "The Extreme Bean" - for garnish

TO POACH THE SHRIMP: Cut the spine of the shrimp to remove the shell leaving the tail behind. In a small pot bring a cup or so of clamato juice to the boil then turn off the heat. Place the raw shrimp in the liquid for 3-5 mins until they are firm and pink. Remove from the liquid & place in a small bowl in the fridge until ready to assemble your beverage.

This refreshing clam beverage beats out the bloody Mary any day! Try using the clamato poached shrimp in a salad with a citrus vinaigrette for a light tasty summer dinner. Chow for now!

Mega Mint Mojito

Since it's gorgeous out today and probably one of the last days of summer we have left.  I decided to send you off into the weekend with an iconic Cuban cocktail.  My mega mint mojito is the perfect way to enjoy a sunny Friday afternoon. If you don't have a muddler a mortar and pestle or molcajete will do. If you don't know what those things are then you're totally screwed and will not be abel to make this drink... Just kidding. Simply rough chop the mint place it in a bowl. Then pour the liquor over it and beat it with a wooden spoon. If you do not have a wooden spoon use a mettle spoon. If you do not have a spoon chew up the mint with your teeth, spit it into your glass and proceed! 
INGREDIENTS: 
limes - juice and slices for garnish
mint - the more the merrier 
sugar, stevia agave whatever floats your boat - to your taste
ice
white rum - 2-3 oz per cocktail 
club soda 
* soda can be replaces with sprite or seven up but if you use flavored soda please discount the sugar in the recipe. 
DIRECTIONS: Muddle mint (bruise the mint so it releases it's oils and flavor) in a glass with 1 tbs of less  of sugar, and lime / lime juice (i use 1/2 lime per drink or more) add ice to the glass and pour desired amount of liquor over the ice. Fill the remainder with soda. If you prefer a less icy drink chill your rum before hand, and use less ice. There's really no rules for making this drink. Just enjoy life while you sip, if you are so inclined light up a fat Cohiba cigar, put your feet up and blare some Buena Vista Social Club. 
Cheers!

Sibling Rivalry Sangria

Sangria is a delicious wine punch sort of concoction perfect for summer. It is commonly found in Spain, Argentina and Portugal although it has become popular all over the world.  Traditionally sangria is made using red wine but mine is a light delicious and refreshing white.When I saw Sibling Rivalry on the shelf on the LCBO I just had to try it.  I just loved the branding and the concept. Three brothers and three grape varieties per wine. The white is a wonderful blend of Riesling, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer  just perfect for my fabulous sangria. 
INGREDIENTS: 
2 mangoes (I prefer the flat yellow ones as they have less of those tough stringy hairs and a smaller pit) - chopped
4 white peaches - skin removed &chopped
4 yellow peaches - skin removed &chopped
1 bunch green grapes - halved
2 firm apples - chopped I used Cortland
2 oranges - juiced
1L Gingerale 
2 Bottles fruity white wine or Sibling Rivalry white if you can find it. 
Vodka - a few shots (optional) 
sugar - a few tbs (optional) I used 1 tbs
ice


PREP: Add all chopped fruit to a bowl with about a cup of vodka and sugar. Let this mixture sit in the fridge all day if possible. 

* to remove peach skins you will have to blanch them: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Keep a large bowl of ice water close by. Cut a small X in the bottom of the peaches. Place peachen in the boiling water for 1 minute then quickly transfer them to the ice water to spot the cooking. When they are cool the skins should easily peel off. 


ASSEMBLE: (2 parts wine to 1 part Gingerale) In a large punch bowl or in a pitcher add 1/2 bottle of white wine, ice, a few heaping scoops of the fruit mixture and about 1 cup of gingerale. Taste mixture and see if you want more or less soda. Enjoy!