Autumn has officially arrived and I love the idea of a warm, cozy sip that uses locally grown apples with bourbon and smoky mezcal. This one is delicious for a swanky cocktail party but also works just fine in a red solo cup next to a bonfire or on a hayride.
The dog days of summer require something cool, strong, and slightly sweet - this one is just the ticket. Quick and easy to whip up…but impressive as a pre-dinner cocktail or for just sippin’ on the back porch. Feel free to increase the amount of vodka depending on your day -
Something magical happens when goat cheese is paired with summer tomatoes and juicy ripe peaches. This super quick salad works well as a starter course, but also equally impresses as an appetizer when served with our firecrackers or buttery grilled toast. We especially love the bright green nuance of fresh basil and mint from the garden, even though added bits of zesty arugula or watercress would make this the summer salad to end all summer salads….
Nothing on the planet is more delicious than fresh tomatoes steeped in olive oil, basil, and fresh garlic. Our SUMMER TOMATO TOAST is simple, but promises to be the belle of this year’s Fourth of July pool, lake, or river party. The tomatoes gain sweet complexity the longer they sit…so prep about an hour before guest arrival to ensure maximum flavor…and guest adoration.
I abhorred baked potatoes when I was a kid growing up in Missouri; my parents leaving me at the dinner table until I had eaten every last brown skinned, starchy bite. They quite literally made me gag, especially cold and flabby after everyone had left the table. At some point, I discovered the secret of embellishing the root vegetable with an obscene amount of butter, sour cream, with salt and pepper. Suddenly, they became one of my favorites…and are still to this day
1 cup Heavy cream
1 cup Whole milk
6 Egg yolks
1/2 cup raw Paw Paw fruit
1/4 cup Sugar
1 Clove of Star anise
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of JR Ewing bourbon
Technique
Preheat the oven to 340F. In a small sauce pan; then combine and heat milk, cream, star anise, and cinnamon along with the paw paw fruit on low heat until simmering, but not boiling. Remove star anise clove.
Allow to simmer for a few minutes, and take off heat and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile whisk together eggs with the sugar and salt, until well blended.
Slowly add, whisk warm cream mixture into the eggs until well blended. Finally, add the bourbon until fully incorporated.
Pour this mixture into 6 ramekins; place ramekins in a deep baking dish filled with warm water - halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover with parchment or foil and place into oven.
Cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until custard has properly set..Remove and chill for at least two hours. Serve accordingly with coffee or cordials of JR Ewing Bourbon.
This recipe is simple, and can be completed in about 1 1/2 hours if you’re short on time - I prefer the 2 1/2 hour version if you have a enough time to let the dough rise twice, which is optimal, but as mentioned above, not necessary if you’re in a hurry. I hope you enjoy; and please be forewarned: Your home is about to smell MAGICAL.
Please note that I exclusively use chicken thighs, but you may certainly add legs if you should so desire…however, I would avoid white meat of any kind since it will most certainly result in a drier, less flavorful, less enjoyable experience. Also, if you wish to exclude the croutons I’ve described below, I implore you to refrain from ever looking at this recipe again; and please gainfully, joyfully move onto another source for coq au vin - your kind will not be tolerated, let alone understood whilst on this website or in my general vicinity. Besides, the buttery, satisfying crunch of the toasted bread is nothing short of culinary nirvana.
