Violet
One of the first signs of Spring here in Austin is the first sighting of a blooming Mountain Laurel tree. You can learn all about the Sophora secundiflora if you follow that link, but what’s critical are the words “showy,” “fragrant,” and the phrase “The fragrance of Texas mountain laurel flowers is reminiscent of artificial grape products.” In other words, the beautiful purple flowers smell like Grape Kool-Aid. Exactly like Grape Kool-Aid.
We saw these yesterday, at The University of Texas during their Explore UT! event. The kids love to trek from table to table, touching sheep lungs, hearts, brains and eyes, watching things blow up in the Chemistry Circus, having their names written out in many languages, and enjoying the 40-acre campus which their parents attended oh-so-many years ago.
If you go, and you see a Mountain Laurel flower for the first time that season, you might want to come home and make a cocktail reminiscent of the color, if not the flavor. If you haven’t had an Aviation, but you like gin and the sourness that comes from fresh-squeezed lemon, this is one you should check out for sure.
The Maraschino Liquor, in case you’ve not had it before, is not sickly sweet, as you might suppose if you conjure up those horrible red maraschino cherries you used to get in your Shirley Temple. No, this liquor is very dry, and is made from Marasca cherries, including the crushed pits. They are distilled in a similar process as is brandy, and mixed with cane syrup, then aged and filtered. The Creme de Violette is, as its name suggested, made from violet flowers, and only recently became available in the States after decades off the shelves. It’s a critical component of the Aviation, giving it that slight lavender hue and whiff of violet which marks the drink.
Aviation
2 oz. Gin
1 oz. Lemon Juice
1 barspoon Maraschino Liquor
1 barspoon Creme de Violette
Shake with ice and strain.
Who Dat?!
While my neighborhood is tiny, it skews heavily in former Louisiana inhabitants – at least five households have members who have lived in or are from there, and yes, I’m counting my own. I spent almost two years in the Northshore area, and went to two – three? – schools during Middle School. Why yes, that was awkward. At any rate, I’ve got a passing familiarity with all things New Orleans, and my neighbors have far more than that, so it was only natural that we got together last night for a Super Bowl Who Dat party.
I hosted the pot-luck event, because, as my invite put it, I didn’t want to have to “schlep home drunk on a Sunday night in February.” You can bet I was glad I only had to crawl down the hall after I enjoyed the Hurricanes my friend & neighbor mixed – loaded with fruit juices, including, I think, pineapple and mango, they were far too easy to drink.
We had wings, Nigella’s Cocktail Sausages (my sister and her children won’t come unless we have them, so now we have her make them), queso, guacamole, salsa, thousands of chips, baked potato salad, Kristina‘s incredibly tasty Rocky Road S’Mores Bars (Nigella again), plenty of raw veggie crudites so we could feel healthy, and homemade King Cake.
I’d never made a King Cake before, but I recklessly promised to do so on Saturday, and figured it couldn’t be too hard – yeast, eggs, milk & flour, right? Plus tons of sugar? Totally do-able! I put out a call on Twitter and Facebook for any pro tips, and received the following words of wisdom:
- Don’t forget the baby
- Don’t use a real baby
- Use LOTS of sugar
San Antonio’s Restaurant Insignia and a Bourbon Aperol Sour
I’ve been in San Antonio for the last couple of days. I lived there for a year or so when my oldest daughter was born, and I still come down pretty regularly for work. I’ve got plenty of favorite restaurants – Las Palomas, Rosarios, Silo, Biga, & Sorrento’s, to name a few – but I wanted to try something new this trip. Also, given my recent fascination with cocktails, I wanted to find a place with some tasty drinks.
I had to dig around a bit before I could find a place to try. I asked around at work, but when I said “cocktails?” I received blank stares, or recommendations for the best margaritas. Now, don’t get me wrong – I love a margarita – but that’s not what I was after. I finally found a reference to the Fairmount Hotel’s new Restaurant Insignia on Yelp, and when I realized it was next door to my hotel, my plans were made.
The Diamond & The Flaw
One of my fatal flaws – you can have more than one fatal flaw, right? – is the perpetual clash between my intentions, plans & desires vs. the reality of my available time & energy. I’m speaking specifically of the intentions etc. for the kitchen, although this theory could certainly be applied more broadly.
Out for dinner with a friend last week (more on that later), I listened with awe as she related what she’d prepared for her family that night: warm lentil salad, toasted bits of bagel, and I think a canned soup. It sounded delicious, perfect for a cold week-night, easy – and completely out of my grasp. I just can’t conceive of simple, delicious dishes like that. My husband also has that gift to pull a meal out of the pantry, and it’s one I covet.
Bounty
Today’s haul – I went to both Saturday markets, because I could, and because I didn’t get everything I wanted at the first one (Downtown).
Lots of good finds today – huge, beautiful carrots, with which I plan to make Amanda Hesser’s Carrots & Calvados. I’ll pair them with her orange roasted chicken (sh, don’t tell Jesse about the orange), and a potato gratin using small red potatoes, sweet potatoes, thyme from the garden, and fresh, local shallots.
I also visited the Kocurek stand for the first time today, and picked up a container of pork rillettes. It will keep in the frig, and is great to have on hand for snacking and guests.
I found beautiful shiitake mushrooms – we’ll have them with the Bok Choy I also got, Nigel Slater’s Chicken Patties, and rice.
One night we’ll do Orecchiette pasta with fresh Broccoli Rabe – sauteed with anchovies and chili pepper flakes, this is one of my winter favorites.
What else – I picked up some ground beef, so we’ll have spaghetti bolognese once..or twice…and for my husband, a 1/2 lb. bag of Co-Op Coffee’s Cast Iron roast.
A carton of eggs and two lovely lettuces round out my purchases today, and they’ll round out our meals equally well this week.
Happy New Year!
It’s January 1st, and I’m in Texas, so those must be Black-Eyed Peas.
They couldn’t be easier – simply sauté an onion in a tablespoon of olive oil. Throw in a bay leaf or two for flavor. Once the onion is softened – not brown – add the beans, and some cubed ham. Add water to cover – I used 8 cups for two packs of peas.
While they cooked, we enjoyed apéritifs and nibbles – a Martinez for me, a Manhattan for Smith, and a Prosecco & Grenadine cocktail for Kristina.
When the cornbread was ready, we served it with the beans and garlicky sautéed spinach, and Jesse and I switched to Newcastle. A perfect meal to kick off the new year.
