Mixology Monday: Dizzy Dairy and Homemade Irish Cream

organic heavy cream from the Straus Family creamery

No, you didn't miss it – the hosts were just running late this month, which is just fine with me considering that I seem to be late for everything. This month's theme, hosted by eGullet, centered around all things dairy and it was a bit of a challenge for me. It's not quite the season to be thinking about creamy drinks like eggnog, and most dairy drinks that come to mind tend to be heavy. I'm not quite brave enough to add cheese into the mix, and egg white just sounded kind of boring. But then I remembered the House-Made Ingredients bar class that I attended during SF Cocktail week at Absinthe (that I never wrote about because I was too lazy). We got a crash course on how to make your own Irish Cream liqueur at home, minus the yucky stabilizers. Now, it has been a while since that class, and my notes were jotted down in the anticipation of being rewritten shortly after the presentation. Of course this never happened, so the result of my first try might not have been my ideal version of Irish Cream – but it wasn't a failure either. Below you'll find the adjusted recipe and a list of tips you'll want to read before making it for the first time.

Homemade Irish Cream

8 oz heavy cream
8 oz whole milk
1/3-1/2 cup coarsely ground coffee
¼ cup loose black tea
6-8 oz Irish whiskey, such as Bushmills
vanilla syrup, simple syrup or honey, to taste

1. In a medium saucepan, steep the ground coffee in the cream/milk mixture on low heat for several minutes, tasting occasionally and stirring constantly. When satisfied with the coffee flavor, add the tea and continue to steep for another 2 minutes. Taste again, and if the desired flavor profile has been reached, remove from heat.
2. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, let cool, then add the whiskey. Taste the mixture and then begin adding sweetener of choice until the liqueur is to your liking.
3. Filter again, using cheesecloth if you desire a smoother mouth-feel.
4. Pour your homemade Irish Cream in a container and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

A few important hints:

1. Do not let the cream get too hot, and definitely don't let it boil.
2. Stir constantly while steeping the mixture.
3. Add the coffee first, then the tea, being careful not to over-steep the tea (it can become bitter very quickly).
4. If you're using a strong tea such as Earl Gray (like I did), be careful that the flavor doesn't overwhelm the mixture. Either lessen the amount, or cut it with a milder black tea.
5. Use fresh, high quality coffee, just as if you were making a cup in the morning.

Norwegian Ridder Cheese

Here's a cheese that will get you in the Oktoberfest spirit: Norwegian Ridder. Though clearly not German, it's a cheese you might serve in Stinky Beer Cheese 101 -- something to get the palate warmed up. The reason I'm so excited about this cheese, the reason that I have decided it's my new favorite cheese in the world, is that it's exactly what I want when I have a hankering for some pungent cheese to accompany a big krug of German beer. Unwrap the cheese and take a big sniff--you'll know exactly what I mean. Cheese wimps might be put off at first and think, "you should get "ridder" that cheese." (I've been waiting a long to time to use that pun....) The flavor however, proves to be a bit more subtle. The Ridder stands up to IPAs, yet it's also mild enough to accompany a white wine like a Riesling. For the past two months I've gone to Berkeley Bowl every week, sometimes twice a week, and plowed through the maddening Berkeley crowds to get my paws on a piece. It's certainly worth the effort. You'll want to serve this at your Oktoberfest get-together instead of Limburger this year. Stay tuned for more Oktoberfest treats....

Stank Meter-4.5

1-snooze
2-mild, but not boring
3-has a flavor
4-hints of stinky
5-now we're talking
6-next stop, stankville

Tiny Bottles: Fernet Branca and Biscotti Liqueur

I like things in tiny packaging, not just because it allows you to sample a product, but because I just like tiny things. I have currently been scouring the liquor store for little airplane sized bottles of liquors that I’m not prepared to invest big bucks in before I know what they're all about. The last two I picked up were Fernet Branca and Faretti Biscotti Famosi, both Italian spirits.

Fernet Branca

If you're at all familiar with Fernet Branca's reputation as an extremely bitter digestive, then you at least know what to expect going in. Sip it plain and you are brave. Mixing it up in a cocktail is a better way to get to know Fernet. I made a Fernet Branca Cocktail (gin is the base) and took a few sips, made a few faces, then sipped some more. Beta Wife and I agreed that it tasted like something you might find in your great-grandma's medicine cabinet. It may not be love at first taste, but it will certainly grow on you.

Fernet Branca Cocktail

1 oz gin
½ oz Fernet Branca
½ sweet vermouth

Stir well (with ice of course) and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. I prefer to garnish the drink with a sizable piece of flamed orange peel.

*The Fernet Branca Cocktail is not to be confused with the Hanky Panky cocktail—they're quite similar, but with slightly different proportions.

Hanky Panky Cocktail

1 ½ oz gin
1 ½ oz sweet vermouth
2 dashes Fernet Branca

Stir well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange peel or a twist.

Faretti Biscotti Liqueur

Usually i'm not too keen on sipping an overly sweet liqueur after dinner. I typically opt for scotch, schnapps, or a eau de vie. I liked this one because it was well balanced, pleasantly bitter to match the sweetness. With strong notes of anise and almond, this liqueur would be great over ice cream, with dessert, or just on its own.

David Lebovitz Speaking at Emeryville’s Charles Chocolates

Bay Area foodies with a sweet tooth might want to stop by Charles Chocolates next Thursday to hear pastry chef David Lebovitz talk about his latest book. He’ll be appearing at the Emeryville chocolate company as part of a guest speaker series. Lebovitz, for those of you who aren’t familiar, worked in the pastry department of Chez Panisse for over 12 years and is the author of several books including a guide to homemade ice cream, The Perfect Scoop. It includes lots of great recipes and some amazing photography. He’s currently promoting his latest book, The Sweet Life in Paris. To make reservations go to Brown Paper Tickets—admission is free.

In the mean time, check out Lebovitz’s blog, http://www.davidlebovitz.com/. And be sure to read his post on candied bacon ice cream.

Where:
Charles Chocolates
6529 Hollis St.

When:
Thursday, September 24th
6-8 pm

Russian River Wineries Part II

What an excellent idea it was to venture out on Labor Day weekend with the Bay Bridge closed to go and check out wineries! Apparently about a million other people had this bright idea too, and we all got to know each while sitting in long lines of traffic. Yay! Every winery and restaurant we encountered in wine country appeared to be at full capacity--even the dinner scene in Santa Rosa provided more excitement than we'd hoped for. Luckily we stumbled on a couple of great places. My idea was to center our trip around a brewery and hit some wineries around it, then grab some chow and a nice local beer. I chose the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa because of its reputation, though I'm sad to say we never got a chance to try the beer, but I'll get to that later. So thanks to the crowds of wine-tasting tourists who helped us find some awesome places we might not have found otherwise, by forcing us to abandon our plans. And if you're skimming for the highlights, I always save the best for last--in this case, the Harvest Moon Winery.


The Touristy Wine Spot That I'm Almost Ashamed to Mention

We should have known better than to stop at Kendall-Jackson, which is of course a well-known, nationally distributed label that almost everyone who drinks wine has had at some point in their lives. (Admit it.) And while they may not be famous for quality, it still seemed like a good place to start when we really didn’t have any definite plans. Also, I was really hoping to poke fun at them, and fortunately I still get the chance, though I never got the opportunity to sample their wines. They were too crowded to accommodate the afternoon rush, and though they have a massive space, most of it is devoted to gift shop rather than a tasting area. We decided not to wait 20 minutes to taste four wines (for $5), any of which you could get at your local grocery store. (Yes, my palate breathed a sigh of relief.) I'm fairly certain they pipe that money into the pretty landscaping and charming, decorative stucco columns on the building (don't be fooled, those things are hollow.) So we moved on...


DeLoach Vineyards

Since we were already in the area and I’m already a fan of Hook and Ladder, I wanted to try DeLoach. Both vineyards were founded by Cecil DeLoach, a San Francisco firefighter who later became a winemaker. In 2003 the vineyard was purchased by French winemaker Jean-Charles Boisset, who operates the family-run winery using eco-friendly practices.

They were also extremely busy when we showed up, with what was probably their last late afternoon rush, and that included the people who left their two kids and a dog in the car while they enjoyed a nice sampling. It was either going to be some excellent wine or a tasting room filled with people completely lacking good judgment. Despite being filled to capacity, we met a warmer welcome at DeLoach than at our previous stop. Instead of completely ignoring us the busy folks pouring wine actually greeted us and ushered over to a side table. Yep, they actually made room for us. We tasted some great wines, most notably the 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Because we bought some wine, or because they were really nice, the tasting fee was waived. My favorite part of the winery: the giant bunny rabbit sculpture sitting outside that was made from boxed wine cartons. They scored major points with that one.

Harvest Moon Winery

We stopped at Harvest Moon because we were short on time and wanted to take in one more tasting before we hit the brewery. It was convenient and on the same road, and it turned out to be our favorite of all the wineries we've had a chance to visit. Let me tell you why I was so impressed. First, they had a resident dog, which I know has nothing to do with our topic, but it makes a good first impression. Next, the tasting staff was friendly and had a good sense of humor and the winemaker, Randy, was behind the bar chatting, pouring, and answering questions. He was young, probably in his mid-thirties, and full of enthusiasm. The wines were fantastic, and being a huge Zinfandel fan, I was pleased by their wines favoring that varietal. I was also impressed by Randy the winemaker's interest not just in the craft of wine making, but in growing the grapes as well. Needless to say I was sold. Beta Wife and I signed up for their wine club and are eagerly waiting to pick up our first two bottles next month. After getting home, I did a little research on Harvest Moon Winery and discovered that they have quite a cult following; it's not hard to see why. Of all the wineries I've ever visited, this one had the youngest and most enthusiastic staff I've ever seen, and that passion is infectious. In short, they are awesome. But don't expect to find them in stores—when these folks say small batches, they're serious. You'll just have to go to the source to your fix.


Harvest Moon Wine Favorites:
Pitts Home Ranch Estate Zinfandel-2007
Gewürztraminer-2008
Ice-Style Dessert Wine (Gewürztraminer)-2008

Road Trip to Santa Rosa

Alas, we waited and waited for service in the Russian River Brewing Co., but it never came. I was disappointed because I had heard such praise—not just for their beer, but also their pizza. At some point they'll get a second chance. So instead we backtracked to the Puerto Rican restaurant we'd passed on the walk into town. El Coqui served some mighty fine food and had a few decent beers on tap. They're a new restaurant, still working out some problems, no doubt, but the chow was delicious and I plan on going back again. Recommends: empanadas and fried plantains for appetizers—Cuban sandwich, and thinly sliced steak with beans and rice for mains. You will either love or hate the bad dance videos they pipe in on the TV behind the bar at El Coqui, reminding you that the Macarena existed and that Gloria Estefan had giant 80's hair.

Eat Real (food) Festival

This past weekend Beta Wife and I decided to check out the Eat Real Festival in Oakland's Jack London Square. The theme: East Bay street food that's "real." That means the myriad food carts and kiosks were selling food that came from locally sourced goods, lots of it even organic. You could think of it as sustainable fast food. There were tacos made with Niman Ranch beef and ice cream from the Straus Family Creamery--locally roasted coffee and locally brewed beer. Did I mention local? And with more than 30 vendors that were part of "Street Eats" you could find every kind of food, from clam chowder to paella, and all of it priced from $1-5. The reasonable food pricing allowed us to try a lot of different things. Of course with all that food, we had to come back for a second visit on Sunday, if only to use the rest of our beer tickets. Even with a second trip, our late arrival caused us to miss places that had run out of food. Next year we're showing up early, and maybe this time I'll plan ahead and prepare by fasting.

And that's really saying something, considering that I have a longstanding dislike of street festivals in general. They always seem to be crowded, dirty, and typically boring; I have had my share of disappointments. So needless to say, I was really not expecting much, and I was prepared to be underwhelmed and even slightly annoyed, ready to leave with more proof that no good can come from large groups of people wandering the streets in search of food and entertainment. But the Eat Real set-up was well planned. Vendors were spread out, allowing for lines to form comfortably, and there was plenty of room to sit and enjoy your food despite the huge turn out. (Unfortunately, a few particularly long lines caused some places to be overlooked. Maybe next year.) It was like a huge picnic in Oakland and everyone was invited. I think more foodie events could learn a thing or two from them.

Festival Favorites:

The Beer Shed

When I was reading about the Beer Shed on the Eat Real website, I found myself picturing a large tent filled with a few kegs of local beer, surrounded by bearded homebrew enthusiasts sipping from plastic cups and discussing various strains of yeast. In reality, the shed was more like a refreshment station with four separate areas, each with a different selection of local beers. To get beer, you bought tickets (and an optional souvenir mason jar) and away you went. $25 got us a glass and four 8oz tastings and we had the opportunity to taste some amazing beer. The best part--you didn't have to stay in one place with your drink. We were free to wander the festival area with our brew, and standing in a long line doesn't seem so bad when you have a cold beer to keep you company. Discoveries included: Drakes IPA, Blue Frog's IPA and Thirsty Bear's Irish Coffee Stout.

Chop Bar (favorite vendor)

I have to admit, I almost didn't give them a try because of the pig's head sitting on the table. I mean, I know the point of this whole "real" food thing is to know where your food is coming from, but honestly, I don't like it when my bacon tries to stare me down. But after seeing a few people walk away with oversized flatbreads filled with large, moist chunks of pork, I decided to be brave and try the whole-roasted pig from Chop's kiosk. The flat bread was made fresh right in front of us, the dough shaped into perfect little rounds that became soft, warm, chewy shells for the meat. The pork itself was tender and moist, and was cut to order. We topped ours with a spicy pepper-based sauce and it was delicious. By the time we decided to go back for another, they had sold out. Hands down, the best food I tried over the weekend. And all from a restaurant that hasn't even opened its doors yet. I would keep an eye out for the Chop Bar to open in September, in Jack London Square.

I also really enjoyed the pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches from Zella's Soulful kitchen. They really hit the spot in ways that only comfort food can. The sauce was sweet and smoky, and the BBQ was topped with a creamy, spicy coleslaw. A squishy white burger bun sealed the deal. For a full list Street Eats participants and their links go to http://eatrealfest.com/streeteats.