One Hundred Eggs

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Cooking Chickpeas

Part of the reason I never cook beans is because I lack foresight. I never think about soaking them overnight, partly because I never want beans hard enough. Overnight pizza crust, I can do; but then, I kinda love bread.

Also, you’re somewhat tied to the kitchen when you have a pot of beans on. Sure, you can do other things around the house, but you really can’t leave. What if they need more water? When will they be done (and you know they always take longer than expected)?

So why the hell did I decide to bring home a pound of dried chickpeas the other day, instead of just buying a can or two? *shrug*

I left them sitting on my counter to remind me to cook the stupid things, instead of shoving them into the pantry and promptly forgetting about them. So with a tiny mountain of chickpeas eyeballing me balefully, Google and I got on that stick. And I was reminded of a trick I’ve recently heard. It’s two words, and it will change your bean-cookin’ life:

Baking soda.

Oh yes. One teaspoon of baking soda will not only soften one pound of beans to perfection — no hard, gritty centers here — but it also eliminates the need to soak overnight. And they cook faster than usual. I’m dead serious.

I don’t remember exactly where I first heard about this trick, but let’s just say it was Harold McGee. Him, or Cook’s Illustrated; it’s got to be one of them, right?

It’s the perfect lazy-man’s method. I didn’t even bother rinsing the chickpeas. I literally just dumped it all together in a pot. And for extra flavor, I tied up some leeks and pork bones in a sachet (to make removal super-easy) so that it made its own quick stock while it simmered away.

When things are too simple and easy like this, I tend to assume that it’s not going to taste good. And I was never happier to be wrong.

Because man cannot live on chickpeas alone, I paired some with mustard greens, onion, and garlic. On top is a little fromage blanc, which looks a bit like a poached egg. (That would also be amazing.) Nothing fancy, but it was very, very good.

I might have to start cooking beans more often.

Chickpeas and Mustard Greens

Yield: A million chickpeas; the greens will serve 4

Chickpeas and Mustard Greens

Forget everything you've ever heard about cooking beans. Add salt at the beginning. Don't soak overnight. Just use a little baking soda. Perfect.

My chickpeas were well done at the 2 hour mark, even a little softer than I'd intended. Depending on how old yours are, you might need to let them cook longer. I like leeks in the sachet, but if you'd rather, a quartered onion will do just as well.

I specify mustard greens, but clearly you can use whatever greens you prefer. I used mustard greens so that I didn't have to remove the ribs, because my god is that a pain sometimes.

Ingredients

For the Chickpeas:

1 pound dried chickpeas
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pound bones (chicken, pig, or cow)
2 big leeks, washed well, cut into 3 or 4 pieces
4 bay leaves
1 large sprig thyme

For the Greens:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 to 3 cups cooked chickpeas, plus cooking liquid
1 bunch mustard greens, cut crossways into 1-inch ribbons
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Chickpeas:

1. Put the chickpeas in a large Dutch oven. Add enough water to cover by about 3 inches, and add the salt and baking powder. Bring to a boil over high heat (covering the pot will make the process go faster).

2. Meanwhile, tie the bones, leeks, bay leaves, and thyme up in a piece of cheesecloth so that you have a nice little sachet. Put the sachet in the pot with the chickpeas.

3. When the pot comes to a boil, reduce the temperature to low or medium-low, to maintain a simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 2 to 3 hours, or until chickpeas are soft. Remove sachet (so easy!), and enjoy a wealth of chickpeas. (They will freeze beautifully.)

For the Greens:

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven. Stir in the onion, sprinkle with salt, and cook until just translucent, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute, or until fragrant.

3. Stir in the chickpeas and cooking liquid, and pile the mustard greens on top. Cover the pan, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender, at least 15 minutes.

4. Taste, and correct the seasoning as needed with salt and pepper. Serve with a lovely drizzle of olive oil for good measure.

https://onehundredeggs.com/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-cooking-chickpeas/

Five Minute Photo Shoot: Panko-Fried Eggs and Soldiers

A little post-election night breakfast while getting to work: fried eggs, arugula, and soldiers for dipping.

I’ve taken to frying eggs over some toasted panko, an idea picked up from the Zuni Café cookbook. Your eggs get all crunchy and amazing. Couldn’t be easier, either: pan over medium-high heat, olive oil, panko, stir until just barely golden, a little more oil, crack eggs into pan on top of panko. Salt and pepper. Add some dried herbs if you want bonus points. Over easy is best, so you can serve them panko-side up, and it’ll all stay crisp.

egg_n_soldiers_02 — something’s missing…

Runny egg yolks 4 life.

That right there is some luxury.

Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Pepita-Cilantro Pesto

I’m deeply aware that the way I cook on a weeknight is a skosh more involved than the way most of America cooks. One might even go so far as to call it convoluted. Or even flat-out crazy. Exhibit A. Exhibit B. Exhibit C.

But I figure that, given my job, it’s justified. It’s all just necessary practice, right?

Sure it is. Until I get busy, that is, and I need exactly what the rest of America needs: something resembling food, and fast.

Which is where this recipe comes in. It’s meant to be made in the time it takes to boil water and cook pasta. And I think all but the very busiest of people has time for that on a weeknight.

sammin_03 — …we could not keep certain individuals out of the shot.

Having said that, this recipe does still live up to my standards of excellence. All proof that fast food ain’t always bad, and great food ain’t always slow.

You’re welcome.

sammin_04 — he wouldn’t leave it alone. still didn’t get any, though.

Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Pepita-Cilantro Pesto

Yield: 4 servings

Adapted in part from Bon Appétit Magazine

You can toast the pepitas if you feel like it. Or don't. Either way it'll be fine.

The panko on top is optional, but I love a little crunch on top of my pasta. If you have time, go for it. If not, no one will ever know.

Ingredients

1/2 pound linguine (or pasta of choice)
Half a large bunch of cilantro (about 1 cup packed)
1/2 cup pepitas
2 cloves garlic
Juice of 1/2 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
Salt and pepper, as needed
1/3 cup panko (optional)
8 ounces smoked salmon

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Gather all ingredients before starting to boil the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

2. Meanwhile, roughly chop the cilantro and place in the bowl of a food processor with the pepitas, garlic, and lime juice. Purée, scraping the sides as needed, until well blended. With the motor running, drizzle in about 1/4 cup olive oil. Stop the motor, scrape the sides, and taste. Correct the seasoning as needed with salt, pepper, extra lime juice, and olive oil. Set aside.

3. Optional step: mix the panko with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small pan, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Toss over medium-high heat until well-browned and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Set aside.

4. Cut the salmon into thin strips. Set aside.

5. When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, and drain. Return to the pot, and toss with the pesto. Thin with some of the reserved pasta water if needed to help coat the pasta. Mix in half the salmon.

6. Serve hot, garnished with the remaining salmon and the breadcrumbs divided evenly among the plates.

https://onehundredeggs.com/pasta-with-smoked-salmon-and-pepita-cilantro-pesto/

Cauliflower, Sausage, and Crawfish Soup

Fall, amirite?

Seriously, though, let’s never speak of the weather again.

Here are some phrases you won’t see me using on this site (and if I do, you are please requested to reprimand me):

1. “nip in the air”

2. “crunch of leaves” (that goes double if used in conjunction with the word “underfoot”)

3. “days getting shorter”

Am I cynical? Probably. Mostly, I’m just bored with seeing the same themes and phrases pop up over and over on food blogs across the nation. It’s Fall, and it’s happening to everyone. We get it. Talk about the food already.

My corner market had some “homegrown” cauliflower, and I had no reason to doubt the claim because the leaves were still on the heads. I’m talking huge heads of cauliflower, with all the leaves. The two of us ate one head for an entire week, no joke.

So, oh my god, what does one do with cauliflower when one has had it nine hundred ways already, and even saved the leaves because they’re edible and one can’t bear to throw out anything edible?

The answer is always soup.

Clean out the freezer, find that amazing sausage that your Old Kentucky Grandmother sent you, and the crawfish tails that you really should’ve used by now. Let it all simmer on the stove until your eyes fall out from using the computer too much. Soup!

Serve this with beer and the requisite crusty bread. And ignore what’s happening outside.

Cauliflower, Sausage, and Crawfish Soup

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

For the sausage, I used some incredible breakfast-type sausage that my grandmother sent me. I think just about any kind would work here, as long as it would go well with crawfish. Or heck, omit the crawfish and use whatever sausage you darn well please.

My cauliflower was of the homegrown sort, so it had a ton of leaves still on it. If yours doesn't have any leaves, don't sweat it. Omit it, or use some other hardy green like chard or kale instead.

Ingredients

8 ounces sausage of choice
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
5 bay leaves
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, to taste
A few sprigs fresh thyme, or about 1/2 teaspoon dried
8 cups stock or water
1 small head cauliflower, about 1 pound, with leaves if possible ( see headnote )
8 ounces cooked crawfish tails
Salt and pepper, as needed

Instructions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook the sausage until browned. If there isn't much fat that has rendered out, add a splash of olive oil or a knob of butter. You should have a tablespoon or two of fat in the bottom of the pot.

2. Stir in the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and cook until just translucent, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the garlic, bay leaves, cayenne, thyme, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring occasionally.

4. Add the stock (or water), increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil.

5. Optional step: if you have the leaves from your cauliflower, strip the center ribs out (leave them on the smaller, more tender leaves), and slice the leaves crosswise into very thin ribbons. If using chard or another green, you can leave the center ribs in; slice crosswise into very thin ribbons. Add to the pot.

6. Stir in the cauliflower, and return to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.

7. Add the crawfish, and simmer for another minute or two, just enough to warm them without overcooking.

8. Serve hot with plenty of crusty bread.

https://onehundredeggs.com/cauliflower-sausage-and-crawfish-soup/

Five Minute Photo Shoot: Leftovers

What do you do with a whole bunch of leftover roasted Delicata squash?

1. Boil some long pasta. Toss with chunks of roasted squash and leftover avocado sauce. Top with wodges of goat cheese, ultra-toasted panko and pepitas, and leaves of Spicy Globe Basil. Red wine.

2. Sauté chopped Tuscan kale. Add chunks of roasted squash. Pour some beaten eggs over and make a little frittata. Top with goat cheese and ultra-toasted panko and pepitas. Beer.

And exactly how many of my dinners involve using up bits of leftovers?

[A: Almost all of them. Somehow.]

Roasted Delicata Squash with Avocado Sauce

Good lord, I love the colors this time of year.

There’s a whole lotta green still, but you turn a corner and WHAM, there’s the most brilliant orange lit up in the crisp sunshine.

If you happen to get my personal chef newsletter (ahem shameless plug), you saw that I featured pumpkins this month. Such a novel idea this time of year; I’m so innovative.

And of course, because I got all into pumpkins, I had to cook some. Running errands yesterday, I happened to park literally across the sidewalk from a small farmers market, where I saw the most adorable little Delicata squash. Kismet.

Using the super-simple recipe for Avocado Sauce I recently developed for a client’s dinner party (I can never get enough avocado), the goat cheese still banging around in the fridge, and what I hope isn’t the last of my spicy globe basil, I had a Fall Fantasie on my plate, all orange and green and golden brown.

There happened to be both hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds in the pantry, either of which would have been equally good here. I chose hazelnuts because I am a creature of free will, and for no other reason. Yes, I dropped on a few miserly drops of truffle oil. It didn’t need it, but it did gild the lily.

This dish is so pretty and so flavorful, I can see a long tray of it served at Thanksgiving, but it’s certainly nutritious enough for everyday dining. Don’t forget to serve it with a little salad and some crusty bread.

Roasted Delicata Squash with Avocado Sauce

Yield: 4 servings, plus extra Avocado Sauce

If you tend to have sensitive skin like I do, you might want to consider donning a pair of rubber or latex gloves while preparing raw winter squash. Delicata might not cause the same reaction, but after cutting a butternut years ago and dealing with "Elmer's glue hands" for a week, I don't take any chances.

Ingredients

For the Squash:

2 Delicata squash (look for ones that have more orange or yellow color to them)
2 tablespoons softened bacon fat, butter, olive oil, or a combination
Salt and black pepper, as needed
5 to 10 bay leaves (optional)

For the Avocado Sauce:

1 avocado
1 small shallot
3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
Water, as needed
2 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream (optional)
Salt and pepper

To finish:

Goat cheese (4 to 6 ounces should do it for 4 servings)
Toasted and chopped hazelnuts (about 1/4 cup)
Fresh basil
Extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
Truffle oil (optional)

Instructions

For the Delicata Squash:

1. Preheat oven to 375º F, and position a rack in the middle.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (optional, but absolutely prevents any sticking).

3. Slice the squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds (either roast those separately or discard). Halve the squash with a diagonal cut, and then again, cutting each squash into 8 long triangles. You can, of course, cut it any way you like, as long as the pieces are about the same size.

4. Put the squash on the prepared pan, and rub the pieces with the softened bacon fat (or whatever you're using) until evenly coated. Sprinkle generously with salt and black pepper. Scatter the bay leaves around the squash.

5. Roast for 45 to 60 minutes, or until browned on the edges and the flesh is soft (check by piercing with a sharp knife; it should meet no resistance). Let cool slightly.

6. While the squash roasts, prepare the Avocado Sauce, and toast and chop the hazelnuts.

For the Avocado Sauce:

1. Roughly chop the avocado and shallot. Purée with 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice in a small food processor, scraping the sides as needed.

2. While the processor is still running, drizzle in the melted butter. If the sauce looks very thick, add water by tablespoons as needed to thin.

3. The sauce will taste a little flat and tart at this point. Sample it, and add salt, pepper, and/or additional lemon juice to taste. Add a spoonful of crème fraîche or sour cream if you have it, and the mood strikes you.

4. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps. You may need a spatula to force it through. If making a day or so in advance, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. If you want a warm sauce, or if it becomes too thick in the fridge, gently heat it in a small saucepan over low heat, or in the microwave on short bursts.

To finish:

1. Put a few pieces of squash on a plate. Spoon some avocado sauce over the top, and crumble the goat cheese over that. Scatter the hazelnuts and basil leaves (torn into small pieces if large) around the plate, and drizzle with olive oil if you like.

2. If using truffle oil, carefully drop on a very few drops (only a VERY FEW please!). The focus isn't truffle here, so please use it judiciously. I'm talking 4 or 5 drops on the whole plate. It's potent stuff.

https://onehundredeggs.com/roasted-delicata-squash-with-avocado-sauce/

Stupidly Simple Salad

You know the old trope, “write what you know”. And most of the time, the things closest to you are too close to notice. There are those things that you do and see every day, and you’re too familiar with them to even notice what they are anymore, let alone that they might be special or interesting outside of your narrow view of them.

So it is with this salad.

It’s so stupidly simple, I’m almost embarrassed to tell you about it. But I eat it nearly every day with dinner, I adore it, and I thought I should probably mention it sometime.

It’s three ingredients: arugula, olive oil, salt. And, as is the case with such simple food, the quality of each of those is important. But don’t let that hold you back.

I’ve made this salad with some seriously on-the-way-out arugula, all fainting and half-yellow, and the cheapo olive oil I cook with. It was fine. Was it better with the aquaponically-grown hyper-local arugula, and the Very Special and Very Pricey olive oil in the tiny bottle? Of course. But y’all, it’s just salad. Let’s not overthink things.

We’re all using Kosher salt, yes? Lovely. Do you happen to have some sort of fancy-pants special salt, from some exotic provenance? Maybe something flavored? Even better. I’d avoid table salt, though; it tastes a little… dirty, somehow.

There is no vinegar in this salad. You can add some if you feel awkward eating an acid-less salad, but I prefer it without. Stupid. Simple. It’s my favorite.

arugula_03 — top view, in case you needed another look

Stupidly Simple Arugula Salad

Yield: some salad

Do you really need a recipe? Here.

Ingredients

Arugula
Olive oil
Kosher salt

Instructions

1. Get a bowl.

2. Put the arugula in the bowl.

3. Put some olive oil on the arugula.

4. Put a pinch of salt on top.

5. Eat that salad.

https://onehundredeggs.com/stupidly-simple-salad/

Peach Bacon Jam

Bacon jam, yawn. So last season. Peaches and bacon? Getting warmer, but I’m starting to see it everywhere.

Peach and bacon jam? Disco.

This is a fever-dream of a recipe that came to me during a meditation practice. No joke. Kind of annoying, too. You’re sitting there, trying to focus only on breathing, and wham you either have to stop and get a pen and paper, or just let those thoughts accumulate and blow up and take over. And then you have to go get some bacon.

Can you still find peaches? Awesome. Make this at once.

Are peaches gone? Save this recipe for next year. In the meantime, substitute figs. Or apples, pears, grapes, what-have-you. Dried apricots. Frozen blueberries.

What do you do with it? Here’s some of my brainstorm:

* Serve it neat with crusty bread and apples
* Make canapés with goat cheese, bacon jam, and arugula pesto, in that order
* Use in a grilled cheese with manchego and hot peppers
* Spread on crisp toasts and use to garnish a raw fennel and watercress salad with a buttermilk vinaigrette
* Dot on a pizza with shaved fennel, mozzarella, and arugula

It’s fairly sweet, so take that into consideration when dreaming up new ways to use it. It’s not quite a chutney, not quite a pâté, not exactly a jam, but somewhere in the middle of all three. It’s awesome.

Peach Bacon Jam

Yield: about 2 cups

Peach Bacon Jam

I wanted a rustic texture, so I chopped everything as small as possible and let it do what it was going to do. The onions and peaches more or less melt into the jam, but the peach skins might be an issue if you don't cut the peaches into very small pieces (and I couldn't be bothered to peel them). Feel free to take the easy way after cooking and whizz everything up in a food processor for a smoother result.

Ingredients

1/2 pound bacon, preferably thick-sliced
1 medium onion, diced
1 pound very ripe peaches, diced
1 teaspoon Serrano chile pepper
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
1 to 2 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until browned and just barely crisp, 10 to 15 minutes, flipping the bacon as necessary. Pour out all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat. Chop the bacon finely, and set aside.

2. Add the onion to the fat in the Dutch oven, and cook over medium heat until softened, 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the peaches, chile, wine, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Stir to combine.

4. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, low to medium-low heat. Stirring occasionally, cook until the mixture has thickened to a jam-like consistency and no longer looks soupy, 30 to 45 minutes. You will need to stir more towards the end of cooking to prevent scorching, lowering the heat as needed.

5. Stir in the bacon and lemon juice, and taste the jam. Correct the seasoning as needed with additional salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice. Let cool, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

https://onehundredeggs.com/peach-bacon-jam/

Red Pumpkin Tahini Soup

Show of hands: who has a half-full (or empty) jar of tahini banging around the fridge?

I thought so.

I managed to accumulate three (three!), and I’m sick of looking at them. Here’s a recipe that accomplishes three goals:

1. It isn’t hummus.

2. It uses up tahini.

3. It’s frickin’ awesome.

Warmly spiced, slightly nutty, tangy, full-flavored, and filling. It’s everything I want soup to be. Pumpkin seed garnish is optional; crusty bread is not.

Red Pumpkin Tahini Soup

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Red Pumpkin Tahini Soup

If you're firmly against using canned pumpkin (why, I have no idea), feel free to use any sort of winter squash, sweet potato, or what-have-you. Me, I'm just trying to get dinner together.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons bacon fat (or butter or olive oil)
1 large onion (or 2 small), diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin (ground or whole seeds)
1 large bay leaf
5 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Serrano chile, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 can pumpkin
12 ounces red lentils, rinsed
8 cups stock or water
1 cup tahini (about 5 ounces)
1 cup buttermilk

Instructions

1. Heat the bacon fat in a large stock pot or Dutch oven, over medium to medium-high heat.

2. Add the diced onion, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and stir to coat with the fat. While the onion cooks, dice the celery. Add the celery to the pot. Stirring occasionally, cook until just beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare or gather the remaining ingredients.

3. Stir in the curry paste, oregano, cumin, bay leaf, garlic, Serrano, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Take care to not let the spices burn (decrease heat or add a splash of water if necessary to prevent scorching).

4. Add the pumpkin, lentils, and stock, stirring to combine. Increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook uncovered until the lentils have completely fallen apart, anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes.

5. Remove the bay leaf, and add the tahini. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup in the pot until completely smooth. (Alternatively, purée the soup in a blender, being extremely careful when blending any hot liquid.)

6. Stir in the buttermilk. Taste, and correct the seasoning as needed with salt and pepper. Serve at once, drizzled with a little olive oil if you like.

https://onehundredeggs.com/red-pumpkin-tahini-soup/

Strawbalsamic, and the Cocktails It Hath Wrought

A few weeks ago, I posted a salad recipe that I had developed for a client. That recipe, as so many of my recipes often do, involved the use of a Very Special Ingredient: Strawberry White Balsamic Vinegar. Or, as it’s now commonly referred to ’round these parts, “strawbalsamic”.

™.

That vinegar is so smooth and sweet, you can practically drink it. So let’s drink it already.

These two cocktails are in the spirit of the shrub renaissance that’s been sweeping the bars and blogs of our nation lately. Our strawbalsamic, though, is much less sweet and less complicated than many of those shrub syrup recipes. Because with cocktails, there’s no time to mess around. Simplicity is key.

I mean, there wasn’t even time for a garnish. We’re on a tight schedule around here.

Could you make that salad without strawbalsamic? Yes, absolutely. Can you make these cocktails without it? I don’t recommend it.

Making the vinegar (recipe here) will take ten minutes of your time (including washing the strawberries, plus the hands-off time needed to steep), and will reward you for weeks: in cocktails, in green salads, to brighten up grain-vegetable mélanges, or anyplace you might use lemon juice and don’t mind a bit of fragrant strawberry.

The vinegar recipe calls for a food processor, which I used because I have one; but I imagine you could get the same effect by smashing the hulled berries with a potato masher or fork. Or shoot, just chop them up with a knife. Don’t let a lack of power tools scare you off. This one’s too good.

My Old Kentucky Strawberry

Yield: 1 cocktail

My Old Kentucky Strawberry

If you're a purist (or don't have a cocktail shaker), you can stir this drink together over ice, then strain into a glass. I like my drinks shook.

I tried this with both rye and Bourbon, and thought they were both delightful. Use something that has some personality to it. The Bourbon version is a touch more sweet, but not at all in a cloying way.

Ingredients

1 jigger Bourbon or rye whiskey
1/4 jigger white creme de cacao
1/4 jigger Strawbalsamic (recipe here)
1 dash orange bitters

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

2. Shake vigorously, and strain into a rocks glass. Serve.

https://onehundredeggs.com/strawbalsamic-and-the-cocktails-it-hath-wrought/

Strawberry Bullet

Yield: 1 cocktail

Strawberry Bullet

Again, if you've got something against drinks being shaken, then stir and strain it. There's no judgement here.

I specify Hendrick's here, because when I tried making this cocktail with a more subtle gin (Broker's), it seemed a bit flat. I'm sure whatever your preferred gin, it will be a-okay.

Ingredients

1 jigger Hendrick's gin
1/4 jigger Strawbalsamic (recipe here)

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

2. Shake vigorously, and strain into a martini glass. Serve.

https://onehundredeggs.com/strawbalsamic-and-the-cocktails-it-hath-wrought/