Ginger Peach Julep
Time feels so fleeting in the summer. I always feel like a kid trying to hold sand in my hands, cradling my palms to my chest to keep the days from spilling out. Which is funny, because when I was actually a kid, summers felt interminable, as if all there was were lazy days and golden-scorched hills and melted popsicles. It felt like life had always been one long summer reverie.
And then I grew up and started working and realized, being confined indoors for 45 hours a week and all, that it’s the one season I’d like to stretch out like a slinky, maybe taking bits from January and February and even a little of March (but not my birthday). I also realized that summer cocktails are a great way of enjoying both the weather and the bounty of produce.
My favorite part about going out for cocktails is reading the menu. I love drinks that incorporate fresh fruits and herbs, interesting spices, anything with a bit of a twist. I’m also envious of all the people who are able to invent their own concoctions at home—like this, this, and this(!). Given my total lack of knowledge of alcohol, however, no such creativity has ever graced this apartment.
So, in the making of this drink, I decided to play it safe and follow the instructions faithfully. First you make a ginger syrup infused with a little cardamom (kind of the reason why I got so excited about this recipe in the first place). Then you muddle fresh peach slices and mint. While they’re releasing the most wonderful smell ever, because what epitomizes summer more than those two scents, you add in some bourbon, lemon juice, and the ginger syrup. Finally, in goes the ice (cubed, in my case. Where does the home drinkmaker get crushed ice? Or do most people just smash up their cubes?), and a generous pour of ginger ale to top it off.
Afterward, you sip at it slowly while reading a book, something lowbrow and thrilling preferably, with the a/c blasting. That, my friends, is how I’m savoring my summer.
GINGER PEACH JULEP
From Bon Appetit
Makes 4 drinks
Ingredients:
For the ginger syrup:
1 1″-piece of ginger, thinly sliced
1 whole cardamom pod, cracked, or less than 1/4 tsp ground gardamom
1/4 cup sugar
2 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
8 sprigs mint, plus more for garnish
8 oz. bourbon
4 oz. fresh lemon juice
12 oz. ginger beer (I used Reed’s)
Directions:
For the ginger syrup:
Bring the ginger, cardamom, sugar, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Let cool, then strain into a jar. Cover and chill.
For one drink:
Muddle 1/4 of the peach slices (1/2 a peach) and 2 mint sprigs in a glass. Add 2 oz. bourbon, 1 oz. lemon juice, and 1/2 oz. ginger syrup. Fill glass with ice, and add 2-3 oz. ginger beer. Garnish with a mint sprig.
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Churro Crepes with Homemade Dulce de Leche
Well, since every time I post a type of churro recipe, my blog buzzes with action, here is another one. Churro Crepes. I made these for my family one Sunday morning and I made some for the guys at my office. I received high compliments, so I thought I ‘d share the recipe. Crepes are so easy to make once you get the batter right. You don’t need any fancy equipment. My mom always made her crepes in a regular pan greased with good old Crisco. I prefer a non-stick pan coated with cooking spray. To each their own.
I did try two different dulce de leches with the crepes. The darker dulce de leche was made by a friend. She boils her unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in a pot on the stove for about 1.5 hrs, flipping it over half way through. It produced a darker, thicker, and more rich flavored dulce de leche. I cooked mine in a jar in the slow cooker for 10 hours (see how here). I ended up with a lighter, creamier and thinner dulce de leche. Each is equally good, it just depends on what you need it for. If you want to use it as a filling for a cake or cupcakes, the thicker one is better. If you want to pour it over ice cream or crepes, then the thinner one works better. I did like my homemade dulce de leche better with these crepes because the taste didn’t over power the cinnamon flavor and the light fluffy texture of the crepe. The thicker, darker dulce de leche was just to strong for this delicate treat.
For those who just don’t care and are really not interested in making their own dulce de leche, here is the brand I have used for other recipes. It is dark and thick like the one my friend made. You should be able to find it at your local Spanish market. If not, you can try La Salamandra brand on Amazon.com.
Churro Crepes
by The Sweet Chick
Prep Time: 5- 10 minutes
Cook Time: 18-20 minutes
Keywords: breakfast dessert dulce de leche cinnamon crepe
Ingredients (12 crepes)
For the crepes
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 whole egg
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the cinnamon sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
For the crepes
In a blender or with hand mixer, combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth.
Heat a nonstick skillet with flared sides over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter into skillet; lift and tilt the skillet to spread batter evenly across bottom of skillet. Return to heat. Cook about 1 minute or until light brown.
Flip crepe with a spatula and cook the other side for about 30 seconds. Remove from pan and place on a warm plate and cover to keep warm.
Repeat with remaining batter.
When all crepes are cooked, fill them with 3 tablespoons (or more if you like) of dulce de leche and either fold the side of the crepes into the middle or roll up the crepes.
For the cinnamon sugar
Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar over the top of each crepe.
Eat and enjoy!
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