Summertime Cocktail - Ginger Juno

Yep. It's summer. Hundred degree weather is here and while some folks don't like it, I get excited to be warm, to not have to carry a sweater or a jacket and to have a tan, a pool and an adult beverage.

I recently went to the River City Marketplace and saw some cool stuff and learned some new things and met some clever people.

One of my favorite vendors there was a gentleman named Gabriel Aiello. Cool dude, makes cool stuff. Since we are in the farm to fork capital he has capitalized on the foodie nature of our town. He makes shrubs, soda mixes, syrups and cocktail mixers under the Burly Beverages title!

I brought home my very own Burly Beverages Ginger Soda Syrup and Gabriel and I had a lovely talk about the Feverfew herb.

The Ginger Juno

 It was a delicious thing. I say was, because it was gone in just about 2 days. In that 2 days, though, I was able to make a serious cocktail from the Ginger Beer Syrup; I call it the Ginger Juno. It's a "burly" girly drink, hence the nod to Juno (protector of women), it's pretty, it's tasty and it's easy to make.

Ingredients:
Burly Beverages Ginger Beer Syrup
Sparkling Water
Strawberries (for muddling and for garnish)
Gin (I like Hendricks) or
Vodka (some people do not like gin)
1 vanilla bean

Directions:
In a cocktail shaker-
2 oz. gin or vodka
1 oz. Burly Ginger Beer Syrup
Shake well with lots of ice

In a large glass, muddle strawberry
Empty the seeds from a vanilla bean but keep the seeded bean for garnish
Add a huge ice cube to the glass and pour shaken mixture over ice and muddled strawberry and vanilla.
Add a splash of sparkling water - I mean it's like giggling water - what's not to like?
Garnish with a cut strawberry and the vanilla bean.
Drink it and follow it with another and then another.
Enjoy!

Strawberry Shortcake Torte

So here is a little ditty of which I am quite proud. (Tara, that's the good English). I call it a Strawberry Shortcake Torte. When I make it again, I will tweak a couple of things in the recipe. For haste, I used Pillsbury Pie Crust. Next time I'll use my mother's short crust recipe (still hasty) and I'll make it taller, much like my Peanut Butter Cocoa Torte.  But for my first go at an "in my mind, made up recipe," it turned out tasty and (bonus) Bulent loved it.

Mom's Short Crust Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cups butter, softened

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

very cold water

Directions:

1. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a food processor (Mom never sifts, she just throws it in there). Pulse once.

2. Add butter and shortening. Pulse until crumbly.

3. Add water just until ball forms - *caution - do not make the dough too wet.

4. Roll dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

5. Roll out and line the bottom (and sides) of a spring form pan.

6. Bake at 375 F for roughly 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it though. And remove it from the oven when it is toasty and golden.

If you prefer a sweeter crust for your fruit pies and tarts, you know what a fan I am of Add A Pinch -and her sweet short crust is excellent - so you can use this one instead if you want. I will use Mom's as an homage and because it's easy for both sweet pies and savory treats.

Strawberry Filling

Ingredients:

4 oz. cream cheese
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
2 cups sliced berries
1 pkg. Strawberry Jello
1/2 t. Almond Extract
1/2 t. Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Slice strawberries and squeeze lemon on them, set aside in the fridge.
2. Cream sugar and cream cheese together until smooth.
3. Add 1 cup cream and extracts to cream cheese mixture, combine.
4. Pour cream cheese mixture into baked, cooled short crust. Put in freezer for quick set.
5. Prepare Jello using directions on box. Add a splash of heavy cream to make it pink.
6. Add strawberries to Jello.
7. Pour jello mixture onto cream cheese mixture in the short crust gently.
8. Refrigerate until set.
9. Whip the rest of the heavy cream.
10. Remove the set tart from the refrigerator and garnish with whipped cream, mint and a berry.