TasteFood

Elderflower Syrup

 
We are spoiled with nature in Northern California, but one thing missing in our garden landscape is elderflowers. Elderberry bushes are prolific in North America and Europe, growing in gardens and the wild. The ripe berries are often used to make wine and marmalade. But, in my opinion, the best part are the flowers which peak in the early summer weeks. The blossoms can be harvested and left to macerate with sugar and lemon for several days to make a syrup which imparts a soft floral and honeyed flavor to drinks and desserts. Dilute a few spoons of the syrup with water for a soft drink, or with champagne or wine for a cordial. The flowers may also be dipped in a light batter and fried, serving as a light dessert. 

When we lived in Denmark, elderberry bushes were everywhere. They grew in our garden and along the paths we walked into town. In June, after a welcome warm spell, we picked baskets of elderflowers and made the concentrated syrup that we would enjoy throughout the season. So, naturally, when we return to Denmark on visits, if the timing is right we continue the tradition of making elderflower syrup. 
 

Elderflower Syrup
Makes 2 quarts  

40 elderflower sprigs
4 untreated lemons with skin, cut in slices
4 pounds granulated sugar
3 ounces food grade citric acid 
2 quarts boiling water

Thoroughly rinse the elderflower sprigs. Place in a large pot with a lid. Add lemon slices. Add sugar and citric acid. Pour water over elderflowers. Stir to ensure the sugar dissolves. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 4-5 days. Strain syrup through a fine meshed sieve or cheese cloth. Pour into sterilized bottles. Refrigerate until use. (Syrup may also be frozen in ice cube trays.)

To serve, mix a small amount of syrup with water, white wine or champagne to taste. 
 

If you like this, you might enjoy these other recipes from TasteFood:

Grilled Nectarines and Apricots with Yogurt, Honey and Thyme

Crème Brûlée

Double Affogato

Lemon Curd and a Lemony Recipe Roundup

When life hands you a crate of lemons what do you make? I reflected on this question recently, since I was handed a crate with 100 lemons. They were leftovers from a middle school outing in which I participated as a kitchen assistant. Aside from spending time with my daughter and her class in beautiful Mendocino, this crate of lemons was a highlight of the trip. For me, 100 lemons are far more than leftovers - they are a gift.

The first recipe I tackled was Lemon Curd, one of my favorite food products. Lemon Curd is delicious as a garnish with fruit, meringues, cakes and breads. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, and also freezes beautifully. I like to make my curd especially lemony, and manage to slip in an entire cup of freshly squeezed juice, as well as a heaping tablespoon of zest. I prefer to keep the sugar content on the conservative side so that the citrus can sparkle.

6 lemons down, 94 to go.
 

   

Lemon Curd
Makes about 2 cups

8 large egg yolks, whites reserved for another use
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

Combine egg yolks and sugar in a heavy noncorrodible saucepan and whisk together. Add sugar, lemon juice, butter and salt. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. As the butter melts continue stirring until the curd begins to thicken. Do not let the curd boil; if it begins to give off steam, briefly remove pan from heat, stirring constantly. Once the curd thickly coats the back of a wooden spoon, strain the curd through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl and cool. The curd may be refrigerated up to two weeks, or frozen up to 2 months.
 

What else can I make with lemons? Here is an inspiring recipe round-up from the foodblogs showcasing many possiblities: 

Greek Lemon Chicken from Kalyn's Kitchen
Pan-Fried Lemon Chicken Nuggets from Just Bento
Chinese Lemon Chicken from A Year of Slow Cooking
Chicken Pasta with Lemon Parmesan Sauce from Dianasaur Dishes

Baked Salmon with Lemon Caper Vinaigrette from Life's Ambrosia
Shrimp Linguine with Lemon Basil Sauce from Dine and Dish
Tilapia with Lemon and Dill from For the Love of Cooking 
Pan-Fried Sea Bass with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce from Greedy Gourmet
 
Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta from Smitten Kitchen
Indian Lemon Brown Rice from Lisa's Kitchen
Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Garlic from A Veggie Venture
Potato, Green Bean Salad with Lemon and Basil from FatFree Vegan Kitchen 

Popcorn with Brown Butter, Rosemary and Lemon from Andrea's Recipes
Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette from Herbivoracious
Lemon Aioli from Panini Happy
Limoncello from Local Lemons

Lemon Lavender Cookies from Elana's Pantry
Vegan Lemon Bars from Wasabimon
Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes from Two Peas and Their Pod
Rosemary Lemon Cookies from Pete Bakes!
Lemon Granita from Pinch My Salt
Triple Layer Lemon Cake from Use Real Butter

And more from the TasteFood archives:
Asparagus with Lemon and Olive Oil
Pearl Couscous Salad
Blueberry Lemon Crostata
Lemon Cheesecake with Strawberries
Lemon Crème Brûlée
Grilled Lamb Loin Chops with Lemon Mint Salsa Verde
Lemon Curd Tart
Smoked Salmon Tartare
Seared Sea Scallops with Cilantro Gremolata and Pea Purée
Spring Pea and Ricotta Torta with Lemon and Mint
Moroccan Spiced Chicken under a Brick
Bruschetta with Mixed Spring Greens, Lemon and Ricotta Salata

Double Affogato

 

Affogato means "drowned" in Italian. It's also the name of a dessert typically found in cafés and restaurants throughout Italy.  An affogato consists of a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream or gelato, with a shot of hot espresso poured over it. The ice cream is "drowned" in the espresso and you end up with a lovely dessert - or food group, depending on your mood.

Now, if you wish to elevate this dessert even further, this recipe would be considered a Double Affogato.  My Belgian friend, Jenny, showed me this variation at our favorite Italian café back in Denmark.  While she's not Italian, she speaks the language fluently and is a true connisseur of the cuisine and wine.  The extra shot might be considered her Flemish stamp on the recipe, and in the spirit of the EU, I am happy to consent.   She called it a Double Affogato, and requested a shot of Galliano liqueur as an accompaniment to the espresso, therefore doubly drowning the dessert/food group, which at this point might also pass for a decadent meal.

Thank you for the inspiration, Jenny, and I haven't forgotten my promise to treat you to a lunch Double Affogato when I visit again this summer.

Double Affogato
Serves 1

2 scoops of high quality vanilla bean ice cream
1 shot of espresso
Splash of liqueur such as Galliano or Frangelica

Optional garnish: a dollop of whipped cream and/or dark chocolate shavings (I prefer to omit the garnish and let the 3 ingredients steal the show.)

To Make:
In a goblet or glass add 2 scoops of ice cream. Pour espresso over. Pour liqueur over.
Top with optional garnishes.  Enjoy!

 

Related Dessets from TasteFood:

Chocolate Terrine with Orange Crème Anglaise and Gran Marnier Oranges

 

Tiramisu











Are you liking the idea of coffee and alcohol pairing up in a dessert? 
Then see these recipes:  Irish Coffee from 101 Cookbooks

                                     Espresso Kahlùa Brownies from Fun & Food Blog
                                     Black Chocolate Espresso Cake from Baking Bites

                                                                            

 

Gløgg Season

One of the best things about the month of December is that it's the beginning of gløgg season.  Gløgg is the Scandinavian version of spiced mulled wine, also known as vin chaud in France and glühwein in German.  Picture Tyrolean chalets, horse-drawn sleighs, Christmas markets and lots of snow.  Then picture the end of a day skiing, or after walking in the forest collecting holly and branches.  Then imagine a roaring fire, food simmering and a glass of gløgg in hand.  Now you might understand why every year I look forward to gløgg season.
  

Gløgg

There are many pre-made mixes for gløgg, but the best way to make it is from scratch. It's easy to do and requires an inexpensive dry red wine.  When you make the gløgg, the aroma of simmering spices and wine will fill your home with winter cheer. 

Makes 8-10 servings

For the garnish:
1 cup raisins
1/3 cup Cointreau or rum
1/2 cup whole almonds

For the gløgg:
1 1/2 cups Port wine
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup Cointreau or Gran Marnier 
1/3 cup brown sugar  
zest of 2 oranges, cut in strips
10 cloves 
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bottles dry red wine

 Fresh orange slices

Prepare the garnish:
Combine the raisins and Cointreau in a small bowl. Let sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours. (Raisins can be prepared up to one week in advance.  Cover and refrigerate until use.)  
Toast the almonds in a dry skillet on the stove. Remove from heat and coarsely chop in large pieces.

Prepare the gløgg:
Combine all the ingredients except the 2 bottles of red wine in a heavy large pot with a lid, . Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered until reduced to 2 cups, 12-15 minutes. 
Add red wine and warm over low heat with the lid on the pot. Do not boil.
Add a spoonful each of raisins and almonds to a glass or mug.  Strain gløgg into glass.  Garnish with fresh orange slices. 

Thanksgiving Football Beverages: Tequila Spiked Cider with Cranberry and Lime

In the spirit of lifting our spirits and enjoying the Thanksgiving weekend, what better way than enjoying the big football game with friends, family and warm Tequila Spiked Cider?  After a day of turkey, a little communal couch-potato action sounds like the ultimate recuperative get-together, while digesting, relaxing and cheering on the favorite team.  Post-Thanksgiving, try a pot-luck in the food department, enjoy leftovers from your turkey feast, or, if you desperately seek menu suggestions that are (thankfully) not associated with turkey read here.  

As for beverages, aside from the requisite beer, here is a cider recipe that should help spike up the ambience.  Not for the faint of heart, this cider is fortified with tequila and triple-sec, creating an autumnal version of a margarita.  Yet, served warm it's a perfect harvest concoction.  Got thermoses for the tailgating party?

Tequila-Spiked Cider with Cranberry and Lime

Serves 6-8

5 cups apple cider
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
4 cloves
1 cup cranberry juice cocktail
1/2 cup tequila
1/4 cup triple sec
Lime slices for garnish

In a medium saucepan, stir together cider, cinnamon and cloves.  Simmer covered 10  minutes.  Remove cinnamon and cloves.  Add cranberry juice and heat until hot, without boiling.  Remove from heat.  Stir in tequila and triple sec.  Pour into mugs or thermoses.  Garnish mugs with lime slices.

Tasting Tequila

Ever since we moved to California, I have become aware of the wide, wide world of tequila.  When we moved from Europe in 2006, we were advised not to pack any liquids in our container, due to customs restrictions and security.  If even a tiny bottle of olive oil came up on the radar screen, we ran the risk of having our container flagged, opened, searched and re-packed - all at our own expense.  So, in September of 2006, Christmas came early in Copenhagen as we gave all of our liquid items to our kind friends who offered to use and consume them for us.  This included household products, lotions, cleansers,  and cooking ingredients.  This also included our wine cellar and liquor cabinet.

Once arrived and installed in our new home in Northern California, we found ourselves in a period of unfurnished limbo while our container slowly took the scenic route across the Atlantic. We reconciled ourselves to waiting for the sofa, but decided no time would be lost re-stocking a wine cellar and liquor cabinet.  After all, if we had to eat on the floor, we might as well enjoy the experience with a bottle of Russian River Cabernet. 

Slowly the spirits followed, especially when I would need a Cognac or Cointreau for cooking or baking. And, one warm day when we were grilling we decided to make margaritas, so I headed to the liquor store to get a bottle of tequila.  Now, in Europe we have a choice of tequila:  It's either Jose Cuervo White or Jose Cuervo Gold.  Expecting the same selection, nothing prepared me for the tequila shelf in the store.  In fact it wasn't a shelf - it was a department.  There must have been over 30 tequilas to choose from, starting under $20 a bottle and topping off near $100.  I was so overwhelmed, I had to leave the store to go home and think about it, but not before meekly taking a bottle of Jose Cuervo Gold just so we could make our margaritas. 

When we threw a party a few months later, I knew I had to go back. I was calm about providing food for 30 people, and I was collected about the decor and ambience I had created, but I was a nervous wreck about the tequila.  We had to have a good one!  Everyone likes tequila here!  (Really, they do - or is it just our friends?)  Anyway, we spent a pretty penny on a bottle of Patron (should we get gold or silver and what's the difference anyway?)  But only the best for our friends, and the bottle was actually quite beautiful.  In fact, so beautiful that I plan on keeping it even when it's empty.  Considering what it cost, I'm keeping something.

And, tonight we are going to a tequila tasting.  Yes, they exist here.  I think everyone at the event, except my husband and I, will have a pretty good idea of what they are tasting and look forward to it as a social event.  I actually hope to learn something - don't laugh; this should be interesting.  And, by the way, how exactly do you "taste" tequila?  Are you supposed to spit it out after you have swirled it around your mouth?  Do you daintily sip it or throw the whole lot down your throat?  Do you really suck on a lime? And when do you acknowledge the fact that once you have tasted one or two, you are well on your way to very merrily enjoying any and all of them?  Luckily, there will be food, and I have been asked to bring a cheese platter.  This is something I enjoy creating, and I am grateful to support the nourishment aspect of this party.  Something tells me we will need it.

Summer Solstice Danish-Style

Denmark is the land of the (nearly) midnight sun. The sun sets just before 11:00 in the evening, only to begin its ascent again in the wee hours of the morning. In a land where the winters are long and very dark, it is no wonder that celebrations, and even a God or two, have been delegated to give thanks and perhaps curry favor with the fiery powers that be. Summer Solstice, or Sankt Hans Aften (which means the eve of St. John the Baptist Day), is the height of these jubilations, as it celebrates the longest day of the year. Bonfires are lit, and food and drink are plentiful, as the Vikings of yesteryear, and in spirit, party and feast until dawn.

This year we will attempt our own celebration on a nearby beach.  We will light a bonfire and have a picnic dinner as the sun sets.  It is likely that we will forego the authentic tradition of burning an effigy over the fire, as that may not go over too well with the local residents and could quite possibly get us arrested.  (Proper solstice tradition would have a straw witch burned over the fire.  This symbolizes the riddance of problems, worries, and threats from people's lives.)

Food typically associated with the solstice celebration is simple picnic fare: grilled fish or meat, fresh boiled local crayfish (which can be a party unto itself) and remoulade sauce, potato salad, green salad.  All of this would be accompanied, Viking-style, by beer, snaps and wine throughout the evening.

For dessert, something making use of the fleeting yet prolific Danish strawberry season would be appropriate and always welcome. 

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Serves 8-10

For the topping:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in small cubes

Mix the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon together in a bowl.  Cut in the butter, and work it with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Refrigerate until use. 

For the fruit:
4 large or 6 small rhubarb stalks, washed and sliced 1/2" thick
2 lbs. strawberries, stemmed and cut in half
1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a large bowl, toss rhubarb, strawberries and sugar gently to combine.
Arrange evenly in a rectangular baking dish.
Cover the fruit with topping.
Bake in oven until rhubarb is tender and the topping is golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.