How do you like them apples?

19 Nov 2011 4 Comments

by Gwen in food, recipes Tags: , , , ,

I’ve updated you folks on just about everything I can in the garden week, so I was wondering what I should post about, drinking a nice cold glass of apple cider after work today.  And then it hit me!

Drinks are nice, right?

I went searching for some apple cider cocktail recipes, since I think it would appeal to  both the folks experiencing the wonderful colors of autumn in the northern hemisphere and the folks down under gearing up for summer.

Cider on the left, juice on the rightI need to point out some things before we get started.  In the US, the apple cider I remember drinking when I was young didn’t taste anything like the liquid I’m drinking here in New Zealand.  One of the fondest memories I have of being a teenager is going camping at a renaissance faire — one of the first Harvest Faires, and drinking hot apple cider to keep warm.  It rained the entire weekend, but we didn’t care! :) I don’t remember it containing alcohol…

I did some googling and found out that in the US, the only difference between juice and cider is that cider is unpasteurized, and cider is non-alcoholic, unless it’s  ‘hard cider’, which has fermented.

Which led me to search for how to make your own apple cider or hard apple cider.  Check out that link if you want to find out how!  Also, cute dog footage in the video there, too.

New Zealand Apple CiderHere in New Zealand, the apple cider you can buy in stores contains alcohol, but not a huge amount!  It won’t be knocking me on my behind anytime soon.  It’s also more of a summer drink, as far as I can tell.  Some of the local breweries often put out a summer beverage and an apple cider in the spring here.

I’m drinking an Incider while I’m writing this — the whiskey wasn’t getting consumed any other way, really.

Here are the drinks I’d like to try!

Cold apple cider cocktails:

Apple Pie Martini (via ask.com by way of )

1 1/2 parts vanilla liqueur
1 part vodka
2 parts apple cider
1 tsp cinnamon
squeeze of lime

Pour all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice & shake well.  Strain into a chilled martini glass & serve.

Apple Breeze (via Bar None Drinks)

3 oz. Malibu Rum
5 oz. Apple Cider

Mix together in a highball glass & serve (I’d probably have mine with ice).

Incider Cocktail (via Bar None Drinks)

1 1/2 oz. Blended Scotch Whisky
Apple Cider

Pour into an old-fashioned glass and fill with cider. Garnish with a slice of apple. YUM! :)

Hot apple cider drinks:

I can’t wait to try some of these when it gets cold out!

Hot Apple Toddy – sounds perfect for when you’ve got a sore throat!

2 oz whiskey or apple brandy
1 tsp sugar
hot apple cider
lemon wedge for garnish
cinnamon stick for garnish
2-3 whole cloves for garnish

Coat the bottom of an Irish coffee glass (or whatever glass) with honey.  Add the whiskey or apple brandy.  Fill with hot apple cider & stir well.  Garnish with the lemon, cinnamon stick and cloves.

Hot Buttered Cider (via Flora’s Drink Hideout)
Makes 10 serves

7  cups  Apple cider or apple juice
1/3  cup  Brown sugar, packed
4    stick cinnamon
1  teaspoon  Whole allspice
1  teaspoon  Whole cloves
1    Lemon peel, cut into strips
1 1/2  cups  Rum
5 tsp Butter or margarine for garnish
Thin apple slices to garnish
Natural cheesecloth to make spice bag

Combine apple cider or apple juice and brown sugar in a large saucepan & add the spice bag made from your cheesecloth containing the spices and lemon peel.  Bring cider mixture to boiling, then educe heat and simmer, covered, for 15 min.  Remove and discard spice bag.  Stir in rum.  Pour cider mixture into mugs (make sure they can take the heat).  Float about 1/2 tsp butter or margarine on each.  Top each serving with one or two thin apple slices & serve!

Mulled Cranberry Apple Cider (via Tammie from Carolina Heartstrings )
Makes 4-6 serves

4 cups cranberry juice cocktail
2 cups apple juice or apple cider
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp brown sugar

Mix all the ingredients together in a large saucepan.  Cook over medium heat to boiling point.  Stir to blend the spices.  Remove from heat, ladle into a mug and enjoy!  Also, read Carolina Heartstrings, it’s great blog! :)

Do you have any apple juice/apple cider drink recipes to share?

Picture credit

Quick spring couscous salad

27 Oct 2011 2 Comments

by Gwen in food, getting healthy, recipes Tags: , , , ,

I don’t think I’ve actually shared any recipes yet!  This salad works great as a main meal (serves 3ish) or as a side (serves 4-5) if you take the tuna out.  I’ve been eating this a lot lately (since it’s gotten warmer out, at least) and love eating the leftovers for lunch the next day :)  The best part is it takes about 5-10 minutes  to prepare and tastes really fresh & light.

Spring couscous saladIngredients:

  • 100g dry couscous
  • 185g can of chunky tuna, drained
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 100g fresh or frozen veggie mix
  • 1T good extra virgin olive oil
  • juice of 1 lemon (fresh is best)
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • Whatever chopped fresh herbs you have around, I prefer cilantro!  Parsley would work, too.

I usually start by putting my water jug on to boil and measuring out my couscous.

Place your dry couscous into a bowl that you can fit a plate on top of to seal in the steam from your boiled water.  I usually put my couscous into the bowl I’ll be eating my salad in, so I don’t create extra dishes.  Once your water has boiled, pour enough into the bowl containing your couscous to cover it by about 3-5mm, or whatever the package suggests.  Place a side plate (or large plate if you’re using a larger bowl) on top of your bowl.   If you can’t create a good seal using a bowl & plate, just use plastic wrap (I avoid using plastic wrap usually).

While your couscous is rehydrating, heat up your veggies in a small pot or in the microwave (I tend to use the microwave if I’m just using a frozen veggie mix).  If you would rather have a cold salad, pre-blanched veggies work fine!  Just make sure your veggies have a crunch to them still.

Drain your tuna, & cut up your avocado.  Place these ingredients into a medium-sized mixing bowl along with your veggies of choice.

Your couscous should be done by now!  Fluff it up with a fork and add to your mixing bowl.

Squeeze your lemon juice in, drizzle your olive oil, and get your salt & pepper in there and gently mix, so you don’t smoosh your avocado chunks into a paste!  Top off with your fresh herbs and you’re done!  I usually scoop mine out into the bowl I had my couscous in and put the rest into containers to eat for lunch the next two days.

You can pretty much substitute anything in this recipe for something else, except the couscous of course!  I tend to use whatever I’ve got in the pantry, fridge and/or freezer.

If you’ve got fresh garden veggies, peas give a lovely crunch, or if you want a more mediterranean feel, pitted olives & fresh tomato works a treat!

If you don’t like avocado, half of a small can of bean salad or about 130g of a bean & feta mix from the deli section in your local grocery store tastes lovely in this as well.  Substitute the tuna for shrimp or prawns and you’ve got a lovely seafood starter!  The possibilities are endless, really.

Couscous works with so many ingredients.  Have fun creating your own favorite couscous salad! :)

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 216 other followers

%d bloggers like this: