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A Good Dish

making food simpler

White Sangria Is Light, Fruity And Refreshing – Pretty Much The Perfect Summer Drink

August 11, 2021

White Sangria in porcelain tumblers
with crystalline glazes
by Gwendolyn Yoppolo

We have been pretty lucky heat wise on the East Coast this summer although farmers might have preferred hot and dry to flooding. Now, as temperatures and humidity are rising, I think less about cooking and more about drinking. Because I am primarily a social drinker, I haven’t been drinking a lot this year but lately have had a craving for something light and fruity to sip. Last summer I mostly drank an Americano, a vermouth and Campari blend. Still wanting something low alcohol and wine-based, my thoughts rambled onto sangria.

Fruity and refreshing

All of the sangria I have made or drunk over the years has been of the common red wine variety. I’ve seen white sangria on menus but never tried it so in the spirit of educating myself (and because a bottle of Prosecco has been on our counter calling my name all summer), I decided to explore and experiment. What I discovered is that almost any decent white or rose wine (still or sparkling) will make a tasty drink and you can use fruit juice to sweeten in place of added sugar, if you prefer sweeter, or add a little sweet white vermouth. 

Cut a rainbow of fruit into bite-sized pieces

Brandy is the most commonly added liquor but I think it is too strong for a white sangria—save it for the red sangria. I had some St-Germain so I used that and it was delicious. A wide variety of alcohols, including Grand Marnier, Cointreau, Triple Sec or any fruity Schnapps will do, depending on your preference or what you have on hand. I think citrus fruits and berries are particularly good in sangria and, at this time of year, I would use peaches, nectarines, apricots and plums over apples, grapes and pears, which are more typical. Mango and kiwi add a lot of sweetness. My husband thinks all these choices are too confusing but sangria really is completely adaptable to personal taste. My recipe is just an outline or guide. Most importantly, start with a wine you like as the base. I used a Sauvignon Blanc but I would also be happy with a white Rioja, Pinot Grigio, Riesling or Gruner Veltliner. Then whichever fruit you choose, make sure it is plentiful and whatever mixture you concoct, be sure to chill it thoroughly. Last suggestion–if you choose to use sparkling wine or sparkling water, add it just before serving so it stays bubbly. 

Prosecco or Cava full of fruit also make a good sangria

WHITE OR BLUSH SANGRIA 

  • 1 bottle white or rosé wine
  • 1/2 cup St. Germain (or liquor of choice, see above)
  • 1 cup orange juice (strain if you don’t like pulp) optional
  • 1 orange, sliced thinly and quartered
  • 1 lemon, lime or grapefruit, sliced thinly and quartered
  • 1 cup berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries or sliced strawberries all work)
  • 1-2 peaches, nectarines, apricots or plums, sliced and halved 
  • 1 mango, cut in bite-sized chunks
  • 1-2 cups chilled sparkling water, optional

Cut fruit bite sized and put in a large pitcher or half gallon jar.

Add wine, liquor and juice. (If using sparkling water or wine, don’t add until just before serving)

Chill for at least a few hours. Serve with straw spoons, if you have them, or just spoons to get up all that fruit.

Porcelain tumbler
by Gwendolyn Yoppolo

Simply put, Gwendolyn Yoppolo is a glaze wizard – she experiments tirelessly and her results are a true pleasure to behold and use. The colors of her crystalline matte glazes are soft yet intense and the colors run over the rims onto the pearly white interiors, making visible what you are drinking while framing it. Yoppolo’s tumblers are cinched and ribbed at the waist, making them comfortable to hold. The lips are thoughtfully undulating and compressed in a way that keeps your eye moving yet ensures ease of drinking. It isn’t that easy to find her work for sale so keep an eye on the “upcoming” section on her website.

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Filed Under: Drinks, Fruit, Recipes

Turmeric Latte Surprised Me When I Finally Tried It – I Liked It!

March 30, 2021

Generously large and beautifully painted mugs for a turmeric latte
by Natalie Reed-Goehl/Muddy Paws Pottery

I came late to the turmeric latte or golden milk trend. I’d read about and ripped out recipes for a few years without ever making one. This winter, in a week when all our coffee beans tasted bad to me, I decided it was time to try something different. There in my pile of untested recipes sat three for turmeric latte and I knew it was time. Now it has become an almost daily hot drink.

A flavorful caffeine alternative

Turmeric/Curcumin is one of those recent fad health discoveries but has been used for centuries in Asian cultures. It is purported to cure everything from indigestion to arthritis and other inflammation with some debated results. I am more interested in the culinary applications, both flavor and color, but am happy it has some health benefits. Tejal Rao, the LA-based food writer, makes a version with black tea (which adds a layer of flavor and jolt of caffeine) and discusses its origins as an Indian home remedy. We appropriate all kinds of recipes from India and this tarted up cup (the basic medicinal version is known as Haldi doodh) is another in a long line. Pretty sure this is a cool weather drink because all the spices in it might be too warming on hot days but maybe, like spicy food, it could cool you. Perhaps it would make a good shake or smoothie. I guess that remains to be tested this summer.

Dry spices measured out and ready to mix and bottle

The list of ingredients in the latte varies from recipe to recipe. Some are very basic, using just turmeric, cinnamon or ginger and honey or sugar while others have long ingredient lists including many spices. I took the middle road, using several spices and sweetened it with whole dates. (You can use fresh turmeric (and ginger) roots but if you are like me, your hands will be yellow-orange for a week from grating it). So as to avoid measuring out all the ingredients every time, I mix a big batch and keep it in a glass jar at the ready. The best dried turmeric (and other Indian spices) I have found is from Diaspora Co. – fresh, flavorful and fairly sourced. You can use any sweetener you like (the most common are honey and maple syrup but I use dates or stevia) and your milk of choice (cow, soy, nut, oat and coconut all work) and can be diluted with water). A jar of turmeric latte mix would make a nice house present (when we start visiting again) or a gift for a home bound friend. Oh, wait – that would be almost everyone!

Different turmerics taste slightly different
Diaspora is a great supplier

Turmeric Latte
Large Mug by Natalie Reed-Goehl/Muddy Paws Pottery

TURMERIC LATTE MIX

Mix together:

  • 1/2 cup turmeric powder
  • 2 TBs cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 TBs ground ginger
  • 1 TB ground coriander
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Put in a glass jar with a tight lid. Label with ingredients and directions.

To use, add 1 rounded teaspoon to 1 1/4 cups milk or 1 cup milk plus 1/4 cup water. Add 1 pitted medjool date or 1 spoon of honey or whatever sweetener you prefer. Whir in a blender until smooth and frothy.

Other possible ingredients (all ground):

  • Star anise
  • Cloves
  • Lemongrass
  • Ashwagandha
  • Vanilla powder

Jars of Turmeric Latte Mix with instructions

 

Spring springing

 

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Filed Under: Drinks, Recipes

Food And Drink Are One More Way To Stay Connected In These Short Days Of Winter

December 20, 2020

Wine and Vermouth are easy pours
Earthenware cups by Scott Lykens

The dark days are upon us. Not only is it the darkest week of the year with the shortest days and longest nights, but we are isolating in the midst of the pandemic. Usually this is a cheerful time of year with musical events, parties and window gazing. On a normal solstice night, we would be making a stone soup, lighting tables full of candles and concocting a festive drink to share with our neighbors. We would be going to studio sales, singing along to the tubas at Rockefeller Center, having friends over for meals and getting ready to travel to an annual family gathering. This year we can’t physically celebrate together so we have to find other ways.

Low Rider
Earthenware cup by Scott Lykens

Monday is the winter solstice, the beginning of the days getting longer. Even if we have to light the darkness and physically at a distance, we can include our people. We have technology on our side – phone calls, emails, texts, FaceTime and WhatsApp are just a few of the ways to connect and celebrate in a contagious world. But how to share a meal? Cook extra and drop off a care package to friends or family if they are nearby. Last week, for example, I made a big pot of spicy posole and packed up a few portions alongside some homemade focaccia for friends who live nearby. They gifted us some delicious turkey chili in return. My mother-in-law, while ordering dinner from a restaurant for herself, thoughtfully also arranged to have some dinner delivered to our son. My cousin in LA has socially distanced drinks weekly with her condo neighbors. Even across or in another country, you can send out a recipe, make it separately and eat together virtually. Bake your favorite fruitcake (yes, some are delicious) or cookies and ship them to someone you miss. Call and have coffee or a cocktail with a pal, colleague or relative. I’ve been having an early morning coffee with a friend in Bangkok while she has her first beer of the evening on a regular basis. It isn’t as satisfying as really being together, but it is better than nothing. And this year is all about good enough, right? Connection—written, aural or virtual—is a way to brighten the dark.

Happy solstice!

EASY WINTER DRINKS TO SHARE

Averna and Cider make a great cold weather cocktail
Soda fired cup by Tom Jaszczak

http://www.agooddish.com/?p=1766

Botticelli Cocktail with lemon
Porcelain Tumbler by Silvie Granatelli

http://www.agooddish.com/?p=1720

Mulled wine
Porcelain cups by James Makins

http://www.agooddish.com/?p=1449 (Just divide recipe by 3)

Warming Ginger Tea
Mug by Ayumi Horie

http://www.agooddish.com/?p=52 (For an alcohol free warm drink)

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Filed Under: Drinks, Recipes

A Light, Breezy Lillet/Campari Cocktail For The End Of An Intense, Stressful Summer

August 31, 2020

Lillet/Campari cocktail
Soda fired earthenware by Tom Jaszczak

Light, tasty, easy to make, quaffable and refreshing – the description of the perfect summer cocktail. Just as a warming, muscle relaxing concoction does the trick mid-winter, a lighter, not too boozy sipper is what I want on a warm summer evening. Gin lightened and enlivened with tonic, Aperol blended with soda water and Prosecco and cranberry juice spiked with vodka all fit this breezy drinks category. With summertime parameters in mind, I am happy to suggest a different but delightful drink made with Lillet and Campari, soda and tonic water and lime on ice.     

I used lime but lemon or orange would work, too

3 parts Lillet to 1 part Campari

Lillet Blanc is an aromatized or fortified wine, mostly white Bordeaux varietals mixed with fruit liquors in oak casks. It makes a great summer sipper all on its own over ice with a slice of citrus. For some people, it can be too sweet by itself. With that in mind, I tried adding Campari and fresh lime juice for balance and zipped it up with the brightness of soda water and tonic. The resulting drink checks all the required boxes: light, tasty but not overly sweet, easy to make and drink, low ABV and, last but certainly not least, refreshing. It can be varied using different citrus juices (grapefruit might work well) and using all tonic or all soda water by preference. We mixed up a half gallon jar full for an outdoor distanced cocktail hour and we came home with it empty. Now if only we could think of a catchy name….

Lillet/Campari cocktail
Soda fired earthenware by Tom Jaszczak

LILLET/CAMPARI COCKTAIL

  • 3 oz Lillet
  • 1 oz Campari
  • 1 oz Soda Water (or more to taste)
  • 1 oz Tonic Water
  • 1 oz Lime Juice (or Lemon or Orange depending on sweetness desired)

Mix together and pour over ice. Add a slice of lime. 

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The Americano Cocktail -Just When We Need An Easy and Refreshing Summer Drink

July 10, 2020

3 versions of an Americano cocktail
Kurinuki yunomi by Carey Nathanson

It was a long, difficult spring and summer is looking rough. The pandemic is far from over and we can’t let down our guard or our masks yet. We have much work ahead to learn to be more activeIy anti-racist and we must do all we can to push for change in November as a start. I don’t know about you but I need a drink. I actually felt too stressed to do a lot of drinking this spring but as I start to take some deeper breaths, I am craving some slightly buzzy refreshment. I have two requirements for summer cocktails – they need to be lighter than those we drink in cooler weather and they must be easy to make. Summer days get so warm that anything we imbibe needs to be cold and refreshing and when you are trying to stay hydrated, the last thing you need is an alcohol bomb. Save those for longer, colder nights. As for easy, keep it simple; You don’t want a long list of ingredients to measure out when you are already hot and thirsty!

Americano Ingredients

Vermouth heavy Americano
Porcelain yunomi by Carey Nathanson

My favorite summer drinks are heavy on tonic, soda water or some kind of citrus juice, cut with Prosecco or a light amaro and rarely include whiskey (which at other times of the year would be my base liquor of choice). One great summer cocktail is an Americano, equal parts Campari and sweet vermouth with fizzy water and a slice of citrus. The bitterness of the Campari is balanced by the sweetness of the vermouth (and vice versa) and the soda water lightens and brightens up the whole thing. The vermouth you choose will determine the flavor as some are sweeter and more one-dimensional while others are more layered and distinctive. My current faves are all Spanish: Atxa (complex and herbaceous), Priorat Natur (balanced and rose-like) and Vermut Lustau (sherry based and full of botanicals) although good old Martini & Rossi works just fine in a mixed drink, if that is what you have on hand. You can play around with the proportions depending on whether your preference, the classic being a one to one ratio. I tend toward more vermouth while my husband likes more Campari. If you want less bitter altogether, substitute Aperol for the Campari (although just plain Aperol and sparkling water is delicious, especially with a big wedge of orange). You can also vary the amount of soda water from a splash to a generous pour.  And I wouldn’t say no to a sprig of mint for freshness. What could be more American, in a good sense, than an eponymous drink composed from imported ingredients which, when combined, create a whole that is greater than its parts? And if you happened to squeeze the orange, lemon or lime slice/wedge before adding, so much the better. To healthier and cooler days ahead!

Campari heavy Americano
Stoneware yunomi by Carey Nathanson

Aperol and vermouth with soda water
Stoneware yunomi by Carey Nathanson

Americano cocktail
Stoneware yunomi by Carey Nathanson

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Welcome to A Good Dish

Here you will find recipes and ideas for easy to make and tasty meals, sources for interesting dinnerware on which to serve those meals and resources for ingredients, classes and food related travel. My goal is to make daily cooking simpler and to inspire you to try different recipes beyond the handful you already make repeatedly. I hope that relaying my experiences will enhance yours. Follow along and let me know about your own cooking and food journeys.

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