Kitchen Kapers

How I found the Skinny Ginny in Sunny Florida.

Last week I did some much needed chillin’ on the beautiful shores on the Gulf of Mexico. The weather was picture perfect. We enjoyed constant sunshine and gentle breezes. Not too hot and with the welcome absence of humidity we wiled away the first few days on a variety of beaches on the west coast of central Florida.

Calm blue-green waters that were already warmer than I’m used to at the South Jersey shore in the peak of summer and sand that resembled refined sugar welcomed us each morning. Our favorite beach was at Howard Park. A state park near Tarpon Springs, the wide but smallish beach was adorned with majestic palm trees. The beach also offered little nooks to hide out in, rocks to climb and bask in the sun on and calm, clear waters. It was a lazy and quiet afternoon. Here we let our troubles float away.

We were staying with friends in Palm Harbor in a lovely bungalow with even lovelier grounds so we didn’t venture out for dinner until day four. We settled on a small restaurant in downtown Dunedin called The Living Room.

It had an inviting and open interior with a good-sized bar area and ample seating outside. The live music was an added bonus. We settled into a small high-top outside under the awning to get a respite from the formidable Florida sun.

While it seemed the perfect opportunity for a Bombay (gin) and tonic, one of their drink specials caught my eye, the Skinny Ginny. This interesting cocktail features Hendricks gin, muddled cucumber and basil with a touch of agave nectar and the kiss of fresh lime juice. What an absolutely fabulous tall, cold and refreshing cocktail. The perfect antidote to the hot sun. I have already purchased the Hendricks gin and agave nectar in anticipation of the arrival of 80 plus degrees here at home, outside Philadelphia.

When the thermometer starts to climb try this refreshing and unusual cocktail for yourself!

The Skinny Ginny - based on the version at The Living Room in Dunedin, Florida

Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber (seeded)
• 3-4 shredded fresh basil leaves
• 2 oz of Hendricks gin ( of course you can use any gin you like, but Hendricks takes this summer cocktail over the top)
• 1/4 oz of fresh lime juice
• 3/4 oz of agave nectar (I would imagine you could substitute simple syrup if you had a hard time finding agave nectar, but it really added a nice subtle and interesting flavor to the cocktail)
• ice

What you’ll need:

• Cocktail Shaker
• Shot Glass
• Muddler
• Citrus Press
• Optional - King Cube - silicone ice cube tray for perfectly square ice cubes!

Preparation:

• Slice 3 slices of cucumber.
• Muddle the cucumber slices, basil, lime juice and agave nectar in the cocktail shaker.
• Add ice, gin and shake vigorously.
• Pour into a tall glass
• Add a few more cucumber slices then fill with ice.
• Garnish with a cucumber slice and a basil leaf.

If you ever find yourself near the Clearwater, Florida area I would definitely suggest you make the short trip up north to Dunedin, grab a table outside at The Living Room on Main and order a Skinny Ginny. And, their pork carnitas aren’t bad either!

Here’s another variation I found online.

Cucumber-Basil Gimlet
Total Time: 4 1/2 hours to make the simple syrup
Hands On Time: Less than 5 minutes

Ingredients:

For the basil simple syrup: Makes 2/3 cup

• 2/3 cup agave nectar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves

For the cucumber juice: Makes 1/2 cup


• 3 to 4 medium cucumbers (English cucumbers would work well)
• 1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar

For the cocktail: Makes 1 cocktail


• 4 to 5 fresh basil leaves
• 2 ounces Hendricks or another London dry gin
• 3/4 ounce cucumber juice
• 3/4 ounce basil simple syrup
• 1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• Ice

Instructions:

For the basil simple syrup:

• Whisk together water and agave in a small saucepan then place over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
• Remove from heat, add basil, and set aside at room temperature to cool, at least 30 minutes.
• Pour through a fine mesh sieve, discard basil, then cover simple syrup, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours. (Can be made up to 1 week ahead. Store refrigerated in an airtight container.)

For the cucumber juice:

• Combine cucumbers, lime juice and agave nectar in a mini food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
• Strain through a mesh sieve, pushing on the back to extract juices (you should have about 1/2 cup). (Can be made up to 4 days ahead. Store refrigerated in an airtight container and shake before using.)

For the cocktail:

• Reserve one basil leaf for garnish then place remaining basil in a shaker and bruise a few times with a muddler.
• Add remaining ingredients (except that basil leaf for garnish) and add ice.
• Shake until chilled then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
• Smack reserved basil leaf between your hands over the glass (to release essential oils) then float on the cocktail’s surface and serve.

CHEERS!

I am so excited. Why? We just received copies of The Bonne Femme Cookbook, and I finally got to peruse it. I’d heard some buzz about this cookbook, but didn’t really understand how fantastic it is until I was able to read through it. I have to be honest. I haven’t been this excited about a cookbook in a while. The author, Wini Moranville, has done something really special with this book. She relates how her love for French food started at an early age and how her own cooking style is modeled after that of the bonne femme or “good wife” style of cookery that’s common in households throughout France. This concept of simple, delicious food made with love is what permeates the book and every recipe, tip and trick in it. Wini’s instructions are clear and she gives helpful advice on how to make substitutions when authentic French ingredients can’t be found. Reading through the recipes, I was inspired. I didn’t think that authentic French homecooking could really be this simple or that it could be easy and still as delicious as it sounded. Spurred on by my salivating tastebuds, I decided to try her recipe for Chicken Calvados. I followed the recipe nearly to the letter, except I substituted some local applejack in place of the Calvados. I served it to my family alongside some sauteed broccolini and steamed carrots. The Chicken Calvados was a huge hit. Everyone in my family loved it and I will definitely be making it again.

Chicken Calvados - Makes 4 Servings

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large shallot, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup Calvados or apple brandy or 1/2 cup apple juice or cider and 1/2 cup white wine (I used Laird’s Applejack, an apple brandy made in New Jersey)
2 small tart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley or chives, or a combination

1. Place the chicken breasts, one at a time, between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4-inch thickness. (Alternatively, you can halve each breast horizontally, or butterfly them, as described on page 107.) Season both sides with salt and pepper.

2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the chicken (in batches, if necessary) and cook, turning once, until no longer pink inside, 6 to 8 minutes (reduce the heat to medium if the meat browns too quickly). Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.

3. Stir in the shallot and saute briefly, until translucent. Remove the pan from the heat and add the broth and Calvados, taking care not to let the liquid spatter. Return the pan to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring with a wire whisk to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the apples. Let the mixture boil until the liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, turning the apples occasionally–this should take about 4 minutes, depending on the heat and your pan size; it will take closer to 7 minutes if you substitute apple juice and wine for the Calvados.

4. Stir in 1/4 cup cream and boil until the sauce thickens and the apples are crisp-tender. For a creamier sauce, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue to boil until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken on four dinner plates, spoon the sauce and apples over the chicken, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve.

I have been drinking a lot of tea lately. Spring in New Jersey has been particularly strange this year, as we’ve had temps ranging from the 40s to the 70s all in the same week. Personally, I am not a fan of drastic temperature changes. They tend to wreak havoc on my sinuses and the warmth of a hot cup of tea is the perfect remedy. I think part of the comfort that comes from a nice hot cup of tea is actually due to the ritual of it and all of its accoutrements. Brewing a pot of tea can take a little time, giving you a few minutes to collect your thoughts before rushing off to start your day. I’ve been brewing a pot in the morning when I can and enjoying a cup with a little sweet, like a biscuit or a scone. Of course, I don’t always have time in the morning to savor a proper cuppa though, and that is actually how these muffins came to be. They have tea in the batter, along with tea-soaked raisins and a bit of orange zest to bring out the nuances of the tea giving them the flavor of a cup of Lady Grey without the morning time commitment. You can bake up a batch tonight and have yummy muffins for breakfast (or elevenses, if you please) all week long. So why don’t you go and put the kettle on?

Lady Grey Tea Muffins

Ingredients
3 Lady Grey tea bags, 2 opened, 1 for steeping raisins
1/3 cup raisins
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest of 1/2 an orange
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon orange juice
1 teaspoon water

Instructions:
Steep 1 of the Lady Grey teabags according to the directions on the packaging. Add raisins to steeped tea and set aside to sit until raisins plump up, about 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375° F.

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk until incorporated. Add contents of the 2 opened Lady Grey tea bags and the orange zest to the flour mixture and stir well. Strain the rehydrated raisins from their steeping liquid and add them to the dry ingredients. Toss just until raisins are coated with flour. In a seperate bowl, combine the buttermilk, melted butter, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla, and egg and mix to combine. Create a well in center of the dry mixture bowl. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Don’t overmix or your muffins will be tough!

Line a 12 cup muffin pan with liners. Using a cookie scoop, divide the batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer to the oven to bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, confectioner’s sugar, orange juice, and water and stir until smooth. Drizzle evenly over muffins and serve. Makes 12 muffins.