Where Local Flavors ‘Shine in Handcrafted Cocktails
Bloomery Plantation’s Premiere Mixologist Eric Bell shares some of his favorite handcrafted cocktail recipes for the holiday season. The New Old Fashioned 1/2 SweetShine Ginger 1/2 Bourbon Splash of Black Walnut SweetShine Shake. Serve on the rocks in an old fashioned glass. Add a cherry. Enjoy. The Berry Merry ‘Tini 1/3 Gin 2/3 Raspberry Lemon SweetShine Dash of Grapefruit Bitters Shake with ice. Serve in a martini glass. Optional: Add fresh mint and rim the glass with colored sugar. Limoncello Martini 1/3 Vodka 1/3 Limoncello 1/3 Hard Lemonade Shake with ice. Strain into a martini glass. Or serve on the rocks. Optional: Serve with a sprig of cedar, rosemary or lime. Pumpkin Pie Cocktail 1/2 Pumpkin Spice SweetShine 1/2 Apple Cider or Hard Cider Splash of Spiced Rum to taste Splash of Ginger SweetShine to taste Shake with ice. Strain into a glass rimmed with cinnamon sugar. Garnish with cinnamon or nutmeg. Decadent Chocolate Dessert Martini 1/2 Double Espresso Vodka or Vanilla Vodka 1/2 Dark Chocolate Raspberry SweetShine Shake with ice. Strain into a cocoa rimmed martini glass. Garnish with shaved chocolate. Or shake without ice and serve warm in a coffee cup. Garnish with sweetened whipped cream. Mix it up to make it your own unique cocktail, says Bell. For the perfect party, set out several mixers from the SweetShine collection. A few staples are Limoncello, Raspberry Lemon, Pumpkin Spice, Chocolate Raspberry, Black Walnut, Hard Lemonade and Peach. Add bourbon, whiskey, flavored vodkas, sparkling wine (Prosecco), club soda, apple cider. Garnishes can include rosemary sprigs, lemons, limes, cherries, slices of clove studded oranges, whipped cream, peppermint sticks, shaved chocolate, spices such as cinnamon, ginger, anise, cardamom, colored or sparkling sugar. To find cocktail shakers, glasses, stirrers, ice buckets and decanters, visit flea markets, thrift shops and antique malls. Also pick up some cocktail napkins, quirky or elegant. Place olives, nuts, a selection of salami, cheese and crackers on trays. Let your guests be creative. Write up some recipe suggestions and place them on the server €“ then you can be a guest at your own unforgettable cocktail...
Fall soup to warm your soul
Sausage, Bean & Pasta Soup with Spinach Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 40 mins Total time: 55 mins Serves/Yield: 4-6 Ingredients Canola or olive oil 2 fresh Italian or chorizo sausage (hot or mild) 1 onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 cups water 1 cup dry fusilli or other small pasta 14 oz can tomato sauce or diced tomatoes 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock 1 tsp dried oregano or basil Salt and pepper (to taste) 2 cups fresh spinach, loosely packed, or 1 cup chopped kale 2 cups cooked white or red kidney beans, or a 19 oz can, rinsed and drained Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving Instructions In a large saucepan set over medium heat, heat a drizzle of oil and sauté the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is browned. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft. Add the water, pasta, tomato sauce, stock, oregano, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the spinach and beans and cook the soup for another 3 to 5 minutes. If it seems too thick, thin it with a little extra stock, tomato juice, or water. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with grated Parmesan while still...
Treat everyone to an autumn favorite
With the autumn on the horizon, foodies are starting to think about the bevy of fresh foods that seem to symbolize the season. From squash to apples to aromatic seasonings, foods cooked in the fall are awash in flavor. Autumn can be the perfect time to handpick foods from a nearby farmer’s market or orchard. Pumpkin picking is a favorite this time of year, and those impressive orange spheres are more than just jack-o-lanterns. Freshly picked pumpkins can be used to make muffins, breads and, of course, the ubiquitous pumpkin pie. The following recipe for “Ultimate Pumpkin Pie With Rum Whipped Cream” from Ina Garten’s “Barefoot Contessa Foolproof” (Clarkson Potter) is a spirit-infused take on the classic pumpkin pie recipe. The recipe can be prepared with fresh pumpkin puree or the canned variety found at stores. Ultimate Pumpkin Pie With Rum Whipped Cream Serves 8 to 10 1 unbaked Perfect Pie Crust (recipe follows) Dried beans for blind baking Filling: 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pie filling) 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons grated orange zest 3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup whole milk 2 tablespoons dark rum, such as Mount Gay Rum Whipped Cream (recipe follows) Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line an 11-inch pie pan with the unbaked pie crust and place it on a sheet pan. Line the crust with parchment paper. Fill the paper three-quarters full with the beans and bake the crust for 15 minutes, until the edges start to brown. Remove the beans and paper (save the beans for another time), prick the crust all over with the tines of a fork, and bake for another 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, orange zest, eggs, cream, milk, and rum. Pour the filling into the baked pie shell. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the filling is just set in the middle and knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Set as side to cool completely. Serve with the rum whipped cream. Rum Whipped Cream (Serves 8 to 10) 1 cup cold heavy cream 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon mascarpone or creme fraiche 1 tablespoon good dark rum, such as Mount Gay 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Place the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the...
Excitement ¦ challenges … possibilities.
P51 Opens at Eastern Regional Airport By Joanne Cooke These words come to mind when your life is changing – especially when your business life is changing. Recently opening P51 at the Eastern Regional Airport has brought many changes, challenges and possibilities to my life, the lives of my employees, and my family. The excitement of my business model changing and the possibilities this brings tops the list. Adding the event space, P51, raises my company’s profile to another level when clients hire us. We can now offer not only exquisite food but also an amazing space to host their next function. P51 at the Eastern Regional Airport overlooks the runway where you can watch those spectacular C5 cargo planes take off and land. This site is truly something to see. Challenges are faced by everyone everyday and the challenges we face are not unique to my business but experienced by business owners worldwide. Having the new space and working out all of the kinks are issues most business owners face throughout their business’s life cycle. Blending work obligations and family needs are also not a surprise but a common theme that weaves through most everyone’s lives these days. We are not different in that respect. We are different, however, in the fact that our possibilities are endless as to what we can do for our clients now. There are many occasions where you are looking for event space to host an intimate dinner party for your special clients, or an anniversary party with family and friends. P51 is your destination. But if you have a guest list of 400, with an event that is hosted offsite, we are the full service catering company that can make it happen. Give us a call at 304-268-6664. Check out our Facebook page: www.goumetcooke.com. Come out and see our new space. Sit, relax, and watch the planes. Let us delight your palate and take your event to new...
Identity Crisis Results
After a fabulous night of great food and drinks, music and friendship, Tara Sanders-Lowe presented a check to Breast Cancer Awareness-Cumberland Valley Inc. for $7,000. Accepting the check for the organization was Executive Director, Joan Fell, along with Betty Snyder. Snyder was diagnosed with breast cancer eight years ago. Her conviction that no woman should go through this disease alone is evident in what Breast Cancer Awareness-Cumberland Valley does on a daily basis. Betty credits her husbands’ love, devotion and support to her survival. BCA—CV wants to be there for women that don’t have a support network. From free mammograms and ultrasounds for prevention, to money for wigs, clothing and wraps for radiation and chemotherapy, BCA—CV offers everything from preventative care to all levels of support to survive. The BCA—CV supports women from south central Pa. to Washington County, Md. and the entire Eastern Panhandle of W.Va. According to Fell, 40 percent of their funds go to the Eastern Panhandle. Both Fell and Snyder were as excited as the sponsors and Tara Sanders-Lowe, the organizer of the Identity Crisis Event. Party attendees lit up the town, including Matt Fisher with a wonderful lighting of the Yellow Brick Bank. Ken and Mary Lowe, owners of the Yellow Brick Bank, played a huge role. Ken, the ever-gracious host, dressed as Hugh Hefner for the event and turned the restaurant into the “Bunny Club.†Downtown restaurants Devonshire, Domestic, Mecklenburg Inn, opened their doors to guests and donated a portion of their proceeds to the cause. Susan Wolcott at Yarnability in Shepherdstown presented a check for over $450 in silent auction proceeds. Angie Johnson from Blackwell Property Management sponsored a photo booth for the added change your identity touch. Tara and everyone send a special thank you to everyone who participated to make the night a phenomenal success. And a special thanks to Christopher “Cricky†and Michelle Shultz for opening their beautiful home, Wild Goose Farm, for a pre-party celebration. Valley Homes & Style looks forward to next year’s...
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