Monthly Archives: October 2009

Witch’s Blood

October 30, 2009 | by Ben 0

This has a fairly complex flavor courtesy of the sage.

Witch’s Blood
(makes one drink)

1 1/2 oz. vodka 1 1/2 oz. pomegranate juice scant 1/2 oz. triple sec scant 1/2 oz. sage cordial (or other herbal liqueur)

Shake everything together with ice and strain into martini glass.

It seems only fitting for a Halloween drink that a central ingredient comes from a recipe courtesy of Gourmet (R.I.P.). I doubled the amount of sage in the recipe to stengthen the flavor.

If anyone’s interested, my band, Hastings Refrigerator Company, just put up recent recordings on Reverbnation. We’re likely (hopefully) playing the Grog Shop in December.… continue reading

Bacon and Black Pepper Bread

October 27, 2009 | by Ben 3

We polished about a third of this off straight out of the oven. 

Bacon and Black Pepper Bread

2 1/2 cups bread flour 1 cup whole wheat flour (or more bread flour) 1 1/2 t. instant yeast 1 1/2 t. salt 2 t. — 2 TB. freshly ground black pepper (to taste), plus more for bread crust 1/2 — 1 lb. bacon, preferably thick sliced black pepper bacon

(1) Combine 1 c. bread flour, 1 c. wheat flour, yeast, 3/4 t. salt and black pepper in food processor or stand mixer with paddle attachment. Add about 1 1/3 cups water and mix until mixture resembles a smooth pancake batter, adding more water if necessary.

(2) Let stand at room temperature, covered, overnight (at least 8 hours) to develop a slightly sour sponge.

(3) Right before step 4, chop up bacon and sautee until most of the fat has rendered. You don’t want it too crisp as it will be rendering slightly while baking.

(4) Add remaining flour to sponge along with enough water to make a tacky (but not sticky) dough. Mix … continue reading

Dogfish Head Beer Dinner

October 23, 2009 | by Ben 1

As part of Cleveland Beer Week, I went to Dogfish Head’s Beer Dinner at the Bedford Heights Winking Lizard Party Center. I am a longtime admirer of Dogfish Head (Sarah says the “off-centered stuff for off-centered people” slogan fits me perfectly), and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

We started with the 60 minute IPA as an apertif. This is the best tasting, most complex and most balanced IPA you can find, at least where I shop. If you haven’t tried it, you should.

The Château Jiahu followed along with a duck crêpe. The hawthorne fruit was dominant in the beer’s aroma, and the fruitiness of grapes and honey (based on an 9,000 year old recipe) were very much brought out by the crêpe. I am not generally a fan of duck, but the beer pulled everthing together and made for an excellent starter.

The next beer was the Theobroma, a beer based on an ancient Inca recipe. While cocoa and ancho chillies are in the beer, the dominant flavors … continue reading

Le Petit Triangle

October 5, 2009 | by Ben 7

After looking on Urban Spoon for a good local restaurant we had yet to visit, Sarah decided on Le Petit Triangle Café. I generally like French, so it seemed like a good choice, plus it looked like a fairly unique establishment.

We started out with the pissaldiere. Like everything else we ordered, it was a perfectly executed mix of contrasting flavors: briney olives, sweet carmelized onions, capers, and gooey rich melted cheese. Even Jonathan liked it.

To drink I had a Duvel, a Belgian beer named for its a devilishly (and deceptively) high alcohol content. It’s one of the best beers you can buy–rich, slighly sweet and nutty– and a bargain for $6 at a restaurant.

I ordered a smoked salmon buckwheat crêpe. The earthy smokiness of the salmon paired wonderfully with rich, garlicky boursin cheese, with everything kicked up a notch by fresh dill and capers. The nuttiness of the buckwheat added a nice touch as well, and makes for a heartier meal than plain white flour. 

Sarah ordered the Chicken Croissant, which … continue reading