Category: Grapefruit

Bruléed Grapefruit

I am not normally a breakfast person.  If I am super organised I throw some granola and yogurt into a bowl and eat that once I get into the office.  Or I will grab a bagel on my way.  But usually, my breakfast is a coffee (or two).  Nowadays, maybe because I am walking my dogs early in the morning or because I am at home and surrounded by food, by about 10:30 I am HUNGRY!   Bruléed grapefruit, which many of you will recognise as the darling of the 1970’s diet book has become my breakfast of choice.

Why?

  • It can be made in stages so easy to do between calls
  • So tasty!
  • All those 1970’s diet books can’t be wrong  – this is kind  of healthy for you!
  • Using a culinary blowtorch is fun!
  • It looks so pretty and colourful, it cheers me up (all these days we need all the cheering up we can get!).

Bruleed Grapefruit 1

How are you all coping with life in social isolation?  I am in week three of work from home and oh boy, it’s a rollercoaster.  I woke up with a sore throat the other morning and immediately assumed I had the ‘rona. Which I do not. The days seem to drag even though my work has seemingly doubled.  And how can I go from looking totally respectable in my bathroom mirror to looking like trash 5 minutes later on a video call?   But I’m still working which is something to be very grateful for when there are so many people being laid off so the vortex of ugly between my bathroom and my computer  seems like a small price to pay!

Bruleed Grapefruit 2

Variations

I like to top my bruléed grapefruit with some coyo and usually either some granola or chopped pistachio nuts.  Of course on the day I decided to take photos I had neither in the house.  So, I topped it with a maraschino cherry.  Which was delicious!

Other toppings could include:

  • Greek or Flavoured Yoghurt or whipped cream
  • Berries or other fruit
  • Nuts or seeds of your choice
  • Vanilla ice cream (hey, you’re working from home, who’s going to know!)

Another way to mix this up is to vary the flavourings in the sugar:

  • Add some cinnamon for a warming and sweetly spicy effect
  • Adding lavender or other flower infused sugar will bring out the floral notes in the grapefruit
  • Give it an Asian twist by adding a little chilli, some chopped up  crystallised ginger and a dash of salt

Hmm…my recipe plugin is not working at the mo so here is recipe old school style

Bruléed Grapefruit

  • 1/2 ruby red grapefruit
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • A large dollop coconut (or other) yoghurt
  • 1 Maraschino cherry

Place the grapefruit cut side adown on kitchen paper and leave for around 5 minutes to drain any juice from the top.  The drier it is, the better it will brulée.

Sprinkle the sugar on the cut side of the grapefruit.

Set your blowtorch to high and move to and fro over the grapefruit to caramelise the sugar.  (If you do not have a blowtorch, set your grill (broiler) to high, wait until it is hot and set your grapefruit under it until the sugar caramelises).

Serve immediately with a dollop of yoghurt and a cherry on the top!

Bruleed Grapefruit 4

I have no stories since it is week 3 in the house but I thought it might be interesting if we started to share how we are entertaining ourselves during social distancing.  This is what I’ve been up to:

Doing

This puzzle again….Arrgghhhh…what is wrong with me?

Watching

I watched Dare Me on Netflix which I really liked.  I am about halfway through The Haunting of Hill House which I am loving but I can only watch in small doses because it scares the hell out of me.

For film club I need to watch The Martian and Stand By Me.

Hmm…maybe we all need to watch The Martian…

Reading

I am reading Two Can Keep a Secret which is the sequel to One of Us is Lying which I loved!!!!  As well as an Agatha Christie for the next Dining With The Dame.

 

What are you reading, watching doing during lockdown?  I would love to get ideas for new things!

Stay home, stay safe, eat grapefruit for breakfast!

Nakatomi Towers Cocktail

Yippy Ki Yay People of the World!   I joined a film club.  And, to celebrate,  I made a very down low version of Jane Rocca’s Nakatomi Towers cocktail.  The original recipe contains fancypants ingredients like Shochu and yuzu but two days before Christmas,  I have enough to do without trying to source either of them so we’re going basic.  And you know what? My version is delicious!

Nakatomi Towers1

So, my work team decided to form a film club!  One of my work buddies had 12 themes for films and there are six of us, so we each got randomly allocated a theme and a time.  Turned out…I was up first.  With the theme of “Blockbuster”.   It was actually one of the easier themes.  I flirted with Home Alone for the seasonality, and Inception because it made the bucks.  But when we talk blockbuster and this time of year?  There can only be one!

Ah, Die Hard…I had not seen Die Hard for many a year and, truth be told, I was wondering whether it would stand the test of time.  It does!  I made some popcorn and spent a rainy Sunday afternoon totally absorbed in the antics of John McLaine, Hans Gruber and co.  So absorbed that I then watched A Good Day To Die Hard which is the only one of the franchise I own.  Don’t do that, it’s terrible.  But Die Hard the original – awesome!

Then, during the week, I happened to be flicking through the pages of Jane Rocca’s The Fashionable Cocktail (I can thoroughly recommend it) and I came across the recipe for a cocktail called Nakatomi Towers…and this post was born!

This is the original recipe but the shops at this time of year are a hot mess and even if I was willing to brave the great unwashed, given I have never seen a yuzu in my life, my chances of finding one on the eve of Christmas eve were slim.  My tiny local bottle-o had Sake so that was going to sub in for the Shochu and I had a grapefruit in the house. I also don’t see the reason for simple syrup if you are going to add lemonade so we can cut that step out too…It’s Christmas, we’re all busy, let’s not take time consuming steps unless they are absolutely necessary right??

I do like the thought of muddled apricots though!

Apricots2

Okay Hans, sure whatever.  Calm the farm down dude. It’s Christmas! Have a cocktail and enjoy!

Nakatomi Towers3

Let’s get to the recipe shall we?  Are we good to go?

 

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Nakatomi Towers

A delicious cocktail celebrating the blockbuster “Die Hard”

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 Apricots
  • 45 ml Sake
  • 45 ml red grapefruit juice
  • Lemonade
  • Ice Cubes

To Garnish

  • Apricot slice
  • Grapefruit wedge
  • Maraschino cherry

Instructions

  1. Muddle the apricots in your shaker.
  2. Add some ice cubes, the sake and the grapefruit juice to the shaker.
  3. Shake it like a polaroid picture.
  4. Put fresh ice cubes into a glass.
  5. Strain the apricot / sake mixture into the glass.
  6. Top with lemonade.
  7. Garnish with a slice of apricot, a wedge of grapefruit and a maraschino cherry.
  8. Take a sip and murmer “Yippy Kay Yay!”

I really like the kind of funkiness the sake brings to the Nakatomi Towers.  It works really well against the sweetness of the apricots, the tanginess of the lemonade and the bitter of grapefruit.  For a cocktail that I “dumbed” down the flavours are quite complex.  And not heavy on the booze so if you want to have more than one it’s….

So tell me… What movie would you have chosen given the theme “Blockbuster”?
And where do you stand on Die Hard being a Christmas movie?
For the record? In my opinion – it’s a movie set at Christmas, not a Christmas movie. But let the debate begin!

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone!

Tanis Inspired Cocktails #3 – The Navigator

The huge reveal of Tanis Episode 209 was that The Navigator is…

Yeah right, as if  I’m going to spoiler that!

No way!  You have 21 fascinating  episodes of murder, madness, conspiracy and stray right feet washing up on beaches before you can get to that reveal.  Having said that, there’s no need to be daunted, the Tanis back catalogue is still small enough that you could binge listen to it all in a weekend.

So get onto it. It is actually one of those things that is also worth a second (or third ) listen.

You could have a Geoff Van Sant moment and grab a beer while you listen. Or, even better,  make this super dry, super citrussy cocktail called The Navigator.

the-navigator3The Navigator & Clues to Tanis

The Navigator is to Eld Fen what the runner is to Tanis. Basically,  to get there you need one.  And you also need a map.

the-navigator4But maybe not a map like this.

Because even when you have a Navigator / Runner, you can only get to Eld Fen / Tanis when the stars don’t align.

As soon as I heard about the stars not aligning my first thought went to the line from  Space Oddity,  “And the stars look very different today”.   I don’t think it’s at all relevant but except maybe for the writers tipping their hat and giving a little nod to the late, great Mr David Bowie.  I hope it’s that and the twist about to come is not aliens.

The Navigator Cocktail

I found this on the ever reliable, always excellent Difford’s Guide.

Dry Gin, Limoncello and Pink Grapefruit Juice…three of my favorite things!  I added some additional lemon juice to mine.  I figured that if I was going to cut open a lemon from the garnish, I may as well use some of it in the drink too!

the-navigatorThis is so good!  The stars all align with The Navigator.  It is:

  • Lipsmackingly dry from the gin
  • Sweet from  the limoncello
  • Sour from the lemon juice
  • Bright with a hint of bitter from the grapefruit.

It’s like a flavour explosion in your mouth.

The Navigator could easily become one of my favorite cocktails!

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The Navigator

A refreshing dry and tangy citrus cocktail

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 shots dry gin
  • 3/4 shot Limoncello
  • 1 1/4 shot freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
  • 1/2 shot freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Lemon wheel to garnish

Instructions

  1. Shake all the wet ingredients with ice.
  2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
  3. Garnish with the lemon wheel.
  4. Enjoy!

Tanis Speculation

I have no doubt Nic is about to go into the forest again but with whom? Per the first series, you need four.  So, Nic, The Navigator and two others.

If I was Nic, I’d take Geoff Van Sant and MK.  But then, given the choice, I’d probably take GVS and MK anywhere with me.  They’re the best.  I think GVS is my secret podcast crush.  What can I say, I happen to have a thing for guys with messy hair and alert eyes who like a drink or two.  And in my head he looks like Paul from Orphan Black.  And that is never a bad thing!

And MK is just the best.  She may also be my secret podcast crush!

I can’t wait…the series two final is fast approaching….I will try to align my fourth (and final) cocktail with that happening!

Breaking News!

Ladies of the PNW who need a thrilling secret conspiracy to liven up their lives?  GVS is trying dating again.  Why not have a beer with him?

‘kay people of the internet, we’re done.

Keep looking!

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History Happy Hour 1764 – The Leland Palmer

It’s baaaaacckkkk!

And what a way to bring it back, even if I do say so myself.  Today we a celebrating the 1764 birth of a British Lord, with a drink inspired by our favourite filicidal maniac!

Leland Palmer1Charles Grey, born 13 March 1764 was the Second Earl Grey and the Prime Minister of Britain from 1830 to 1834.  And yes, he is THE Earl Grey that gave the tea it’s name.

 

Earl Grey Tea, which is traditionally black tea flavoured with bergamot, is reputed to have been made for the Earl by a Chinese Mandarin to offset the taste of the dodgy water at the Earl’s ancestral home.

And today we are celebrating the Earl with my version of a drink named after Leland Palmer, which in turn is a twist on the Arnold Palmer.  I know, it’s like going down a rabbit hole isn’t it?

For those of you not of a certain age, Leland Palmer is a character from the tv show Twin Peaks.  He is the father of Laura Palmer and ****spoiler alert***** (if you can still have spoilers on something that is 25 years old) later revealed to have killed her whilst under the possession of an evil entity called Bob.

The Leland Palmer cocktail is the creation of Daniel Boelte who was inspired to make it after being hungover at his girlfriend’s house and watching an episode of Twin Peaks.  The original Leland Palmer uses jasmine tea, whilst, in honour of the day, I used Earl Grey Tea –  as well as being Charles Grey’s Birthday, it’s also my wedding anniversary.  So I guess I can switch up my cocktails however I want.

 

So, did my twist on the Leland Palmer result in unleashing a Bob of cocktail?  I am totally, utterly may be slightly biased but I think not.  This was delightful!

Leland Palmer 3

The bergamot in the Earl Grey combined beautifully with the fresh citrus and the limoncello.  The herby notes of the tea also works really well with the botanicals in the gin.

The bitterness in the grapefruit and the tea is balanced by the sweetness of the honey and the limoncello with the lemon adding some zing.

Leland Palmer 4

This is totally gorgeous.  Everything balances beautifully and you can add as much or little soda as you like depending on your needs.  We drank them quite long (ie with lots of soda) over a summer afternoon and it was perfection however I can also envisage drinking it with just a splash of soda in winter in colder months.

Leland Palmer 2Happy Birthday Charles Grey, Happy wedding anniversary to me and the fussiest eater in the world, thank you Daniel Boelte for the original recipe and to Leland Palmer for inspiring you to make a drink.

Here’s the recipe!

Have a wonderful week!

Signature 1 Vintage Valentine Quick as Wink2;

 

 

The Salty Gin Hound

As you may already know, in our family we have a scent hound, Lulu and a half greyhound, Oscar.

Oscar Lulu 2

And now we have a third.  Welcome the Salty Gin Hound!

Salty Gin Hound

Mmmmm….the 6 week no alcohol challenge is over.  Welcome  back booze!   Possibly.  To be honest, I think having that break has changed the way I feel about alcohol and certainly the way that I want to re-engage back with it.  Oh, and we went to the dog beach, so whilst I prattle on about my six weeks of ahem “no” boozing whilst I sip my Salty Gin Hound, how about I show you some photos of our day at the beach?Dog Beach 280220162

The challenge was a lot easier to do than I thought it would be – I did take Valentine’s Day weekend off and I had the wine I spoke about last week which were both good breaks.  The February Fast website says that quitting alcohol can help you to increase focus, sleep better and lose weight. I  experienced all of that albeit not nearly as much weight loss as I would have liked  – primarily due to a dodgy foot that has limited my ability to go to the gym.

Dog Beach 280220163I felt really good not drinking – fitter, healthier, more focussed.  Having said that, I think it also made me a bit more moody.  I think feeling more in control of myself made me less tolerant towards people around me acting like dicks – whether they were drinking or not.  I feel it also made me a bit more introspective – which, you know,  it’s not like I wasn’t already halfway there to start off with!

I also really started to think a lot more about events from my past and try to resolve a few unanswered questions.  For instance, I spent way too many hours thinking about my first boyfriend, the one I spoke about in the Valentine’s Day post – why did he dump me?  How has that impacted the rest of my life and the choices I have made since then?  Etc, etc.  Ad nauseam.   It’s not like I came to any life changing (or even just any) conclusions about any of the things I was navel gazing about.  Except maybe that I’m ok with not knowing and I am totally ok with the way things have turned out.

Dog Beach 5Another thing I noticed after the sneaky vinos with my friend Aiden was how much alcohol can depress me.  Not in a way that makes me sad or maudling but just sucks my energy and motivation.  That evening I was like a zombie.  I had no energy or drive to do anything except veg out in front of the tv.  Not that I am averse to vegging out in front of the tv but I guess I want to do that when I choose to not because I can’t be arsed to so anything else.

Dog Beach 6

Another benefit was that we returned to one of our favourite  restaurants.  It is an Indian/Pakistani restaurant which, last year decided to become an alcohol free zone.  I  like to have a glass of wine when I go out for a meal; I think it helps to add to the ambience and the enjoyment of the meal, so we had not been there for some time.  Not drinking was the perfect opportunity to head back there for some of the best tandoori in Melbourne.

Dog Beach 7One of the tough points for me was cooking. Particularly on the weekend, if  I need to add some wine to a sauce or something, I will generally pour a glass for me.  Then we would have a glass or two with our meal.  Not pouring that “glass for the cook” was really hard the first few times!

Socially was also hard. Going out for meals or even to people’s houses for a meal. There was one evening we went to my mum’s and everyone else had a glass of wine with their meal and I had a Fanta, like a six year old.  Othertimes, I felt like I had to explain why I wasn’t drinking.

Next time maybe I’ll be cooler about it.

Dog Beach 10Because there will be a next time.  The benefits far outweighed the negatives.  I’m thinking I might do a four- six week stint every season.

Oscar & Lulu Dog BeachYou might  be wondering why, given the obvious benefits why I am not quitting altogether.  One reason is that I do enjoy the social aspect and I love doing the research and making the cocktails for history happy hour.

However, I think that I will be a lot more mindful about how I drink from here on in.

Dog Beach 17

Speaking of which….let’s talk about the Salty Gin Hound!

Gin, grapefruit juice and lemon with a splash of sweet vermouth!  Yum!  That is the Gin Hound.

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I had an awesome merlot salt which I used to rim the glass making it a Salty Gin Hound.  I also increased the lemon from the initial recipe, just cos that’s how I like it.

Dog Beach 19The Salty Gin Hound was delicious.  Just the right blend of sweet, salty, bitter.  So refreshing for a hot summer day!   It would have been perfect down at the beach with that tang of salt air on the breeze.

And speaking of salty hounds…we had the two schnooziest of schnoozers on the way home.  So tired after so much fun!

Dog Beach 20Salty Gin Hound 2Salty Gin hound 4

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Salty Gin Hound

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3/4 cup fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
  • 2 tablespoon lemon Juice
  • 4 ounces gin
  • 1 ounce sweet vermouth
  • Vintage Merlot or other salt to rim the glass

Instructions

  1. Sprinkle the salt on a plate.
  2. Wipe the rim of your cocktail glass with the lemon rind.
  3. Swirl into the salt to rim.
  4. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
  5. Add the gin, lemon and grapefruit juices.
  6. Shake, baby, shake.
  7. Pour over ice.
  8. Add a splash of sweet vermouth.
  9. Enjoy!

Have a wonderful week!

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