I’m a huge fan of Rukmini Iyer and am revisiting an old favorite Dinner’s in the Oven: Simple One-Pan Meals (Chronicle Books 2018; $19.95), featuring wonderfully easy sheet-pan recipes that always wow people when you bring them to the table. Hah! Little do they know how quick they are to assemble and cook. But we’ll let that be a secret between us.
First of all, the cookbook is beautiful as would be expected as Iyer, who is based in London, is a food stylist and has worked for such businesses as Fortnum & Mason, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, Macmillan Coffee Mornings, The British Heart Foundation, Phaidon, Quadrille Books and Kyle Books, the latter three are three publishing companies known for their cookbooks. Her other cookbooks include Vegetarian Dinners in the Oven: One-Pan Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes, the Roasting Tin series which have sold over 1.75 million copies to date, and the recently released India Express: Fresh and Flavorful Recipes for Everyday.
The great thing about her recipes is that once made they look sophisticated but are extremely easy. But to make it even better, Iyer has composed the book so that it starts off with the easiest recipes first so you learn as you move more forward plus she shows how we can make adaptations and provides charts on how to do so.
“The nicest thing about oven-made meals is that they are versatile and forgiving,” Iyer writes in the introduction to her book, adding that the recipes require the barest minimum in terms of effort—a little light chopping to start, then tasting and adjusting the salt or lemon juice at the end. “Most importantly, they leave you free to do something else while dinner looks after itself—have a bath, help the children with their homework, or, my preferred option, flop on the sofa with a glass of wine.”
Iyer describes the French Tomato and Mustard Tart with Tarragon as one of the easiest and most satisfying dishes in the book in her book.
“The paprika gives it a wonderful smokiness,” she says, “but you could easily use a combination
of honey and mustard as an alternative. It’s that simple.”
Whether you like apple and cinnamon or something nutty and chocolatey, award-winning George Dickel Bourbon is the ideal base for any cocktail. Craft up The Roosevelt or The Buckeye Manhattan cocktails the next time you’re craving a seasonal sip.
BUCKEYE MANHATTAN
1.5 oz Dickel Bourbon
0.75 oz Peanut-infused Sweet Vermouth (see recipe below)
2 Dashes of Cocoa Bitters
Stir ingredients over ice in a mixing glass and strain into a rocks glass over large format ice; garnish with a cherry and a buckeye
*To prepare infusion: Pour 8 oz of sweet vermouth into a jar, add 0.25 cup of crushed raw peanuts. Stir well for one full minute. Place in the refrigerator and allow to sit for 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and pour vermouth through a coffee filter-lined strainer. Bottle and store in the refrigerator.
ROOSEVELT
1.5 oz Dickel Bourbon
0.25 oz Apple Cinnamon Ginger Maple Syrup (see recipe below)
1 Dash Aromatic Bitters
3 Dashes Red Gentian Bitters
Absinthe (for rinsing glass)
Stir all ingredients and pour into an absinthe rinsed small rocks glass; garnish with an apple chip.
*Apple Cinnamon Ginger Syrup
250ml Apple Juice
2 Sticks Cinnamon
2 Thumbs Ginger, Chopped
250g Sugar
125g Maple Syrup
Mix all ingredients minus the sugar and maple syrup, bring to a boil and simmer covered for 10 min.; strain and add remaining ingredients.
Looking for a convenient way to enjoy George Dickel without sacrificing quality? Winner of the Chairman’s Trophy at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, the Social Hour Harvest Whiskey Sour is made with 13-year-old George Dickel Whiskey, Honeycrisp apples, maple, Meyer lemon, cinnamon, and cardamom. Uncarbonated and 20% ABV, the Harvest Whiskey Sour is a luxurious, slow-sipping cocktail that can be served hot or over ice.
Garnish Suggestions: Apple slices, rosemary sprig, toasted marshmallows.
Both cookbook and memoir, Deepa’s Secrets introduces breakthrough slow carb and gut-healing recipes that are simple to make and nutrient-packed, all without sacrificing its rich South Asian flavors. On a mission to demystify and make healthy an “exotic” cuisine, Deepa shares shortcuts and techniques that will make “New Indian” everyday fare.
The following recipes are courtesy od Deepa’s Secrets published by Skyhorse Publishing.
Avocado, Tomato, and Plum Salad
My mother used to say, “Intelligence is the capacity to adapt to the unexpected.” (She still managed a frown at my bad report cards.) That’s the plum in this dish—I’d never had one until I came to this country. The unexpected ingredient wakes up the palate in this smart little salad.
SERVES 4
Dressing:
½ teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
½ yellow onion, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon wild honey
1 jalapeno, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 avocados, sliced
1 large tomato, sliced
1 plum, sliced
Crowning flavor:
2 tablespoons cilantro, stemmed and finely chopped
4 mint leaves, roughly torn
1 teaspoon chaat masala
1 cup toasted crumbled walnuts
Whisk dressing ingredients together in a glass bowl. Check seasoning and set aside.
On a platter, mix tomato, avocado, and plum slices gently. Drizzle the dressing on top.
Crowning flavor: Sprinkle chopped cilantro, mint leaves, and chaat masala on top of the salad. I sometimes sprinkle with Go Nuts! or a handful of toasted crumbled walnuts.
Mango Lassi
A lassi is the perfect summer refresher. In New Delhi, they were usually savory—yogurt-based with smashed cumin seed, fresh curry leaves, a little salt, served on the rocks. You can get a sweet lassi in India, but this recipe is a closer cousin to the American smoothie.
Mango Lassi
·4 cups fresh or canned mango pulp
2 cups Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon rose water
1 tablespoon wild honey
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon salt
SERVES 4
Mix all ingredients in the blender. (If you’re using fresh mango and they are not sweet enough, ad
Deepa’s Secrets
Crowning flavor:
2 tablespoons cilantro, stemmed and finely chopped
4 mint leaves, roughly torn
1 teaspoon chaat masala
1 cup toasted crumbled walnuts
1. Whisk dressing ingredients together in a glass bowl. Check seasoning and set aside.
2. On a platter, mix tomato, avocado, and plum slices gently. Drizzle the dressing on top.
Crowning flavor: Sprinkle chopped cilantro, mint leaves, and chaat masala on top of the salad. I sometimes sprinkle with Go Nuts! or a handful of toasted crumbled walnuts.
Mango Lassi
A lassi is the perfect summer refresher. In New Delhi, they were usually savory—yogurt-based with smashed cumin seed, fresh curry leaves, a little salt, served on the rocks. You can get a sweet lassi in India, but this recipe is a closer cousin to the American smoothie.
4 cups mango juice
2 cups Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon rose water
1 tablespoon wild honey
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon salt
SERVES 4
Mix all ingredients in the blender. (If you’re using fresh mango and they are not sweet enough, add a little extra wild honey.) Enjoy!
A travel guide for the intellectually curious, Tony Burton’sWestern Mexico: A Traveler’s Treasury provides an insider’s entry to this extraordinary region of Mexico. The book, published by Sombrero Press and now in its fourth edition is less about logistics and instead focuses on the myriad of reasons–historical, ecological, cultural, and/or scenic–that make each place featured in this well-written and well-researched book both special and worth visiting.
Burton, an award-winning travel writer, educator, and ecotourism specialist, who was born in the United Kingdom and has an M.A. in geography from the University of Cambridge and a teaching qualification from the University of London, moved to Mexico in 1979 and subsequently was granted Mexican citizenship, looks for the road less traveled.
And in this book, he encourages us to explore the smaller, lesser known community with their many local customs, seasonal celebrations, sites, and events, places that, in his words, “offer a glimpse of the Mexico behind the mask; they are places where Mexico has retained her ancient culture and her ancient traditions.”
Besides that there are ecological wonders, such as Manantlán, the monarch butterflies, the old mining towns of Angangueo and Bolaños, coastal communities like Barra de Navidad and Puerto Vallarta, Angahuan and other Indian villages, and a host of others. He delves into Pueblos Mágicos, designated as Magic Towns by the federal government in recognition of their cultural, historical, and/or ecological significance, their nearness to major cities, and the facilities they offer visitors.
This is a travel guide but of the most intimate kind. We drive with Burton along the lovely road to Tamazula, settled from pre-Columbian times, conquered by the Spanish in 1524, and a vital silver mining town and hacienda center until the mines were worked out by the end of the 18th century. As for its name, well, interestingly enough, it translates to “place of frogs.”
Where to stay when there? Burton recommends Hotel Real de la Loma with its spacious and comfortable rooms and pool and two person tubs in the room filled from a hot-water spring at the foot of a hill. The views from the hotel are of the Tamazula River and its valley made green with sugar-cane. A good time to go for many is during the two-week Our Lady of Sagrario festival.
We learn that Mazamitla is “one of the prettiest towns in all Jalisco. It is a graceful, charming town of cobblestone streets, adobe walls, wooden balconies, old doorways and red-tile roofs, one of Mexico’s Magic Towns. Among its many attractions are the fresh air and scenic beauty of the surrounding countryside, some fine restaurants specializing in Mexican food, and the chance to shop for fresh cream, cheese, and home-made preserves. As befits a mountain town, its inhabitants also make lovely woolen sweaters and ponchos, for sale in the local shops.”
Burton, who has lived in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Jocotepec, has traveled widely, leading educational excursions and specialist ecological tourism groups to both well-known areas such as the Yucatán and Copper Canyon as well as little-known ones like Manantlán and Tingambato. At the former, at the Manantlán Biosphere Reserve visitors can experience the astonishing diversity of plant and animal life found in a cloud forest, one of the rarest types of vegetation anywhere in the world. In the latter, located near the major archaeological site of Tinganio, is one of the few sites in Western Mexico where there are genuine pyramids.
Larger than the previous editions there are dozens of new destinations and each chapter contains new material, updated travel directions, and redrawn maps.
Divided into parts, one and two are within three hours of driving time from either Guadalajara (Mexico’s second city) or nearby Lake Chapala, a popular retirement center for Americans and Canadians making them perfect for day trippers.
Parts 4 to 9 are longer journeys such as the trip to Jungapeo, where director John Huston filmed scenes from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre starring Humphrey Bogart. Here, in this small village, you can stay at Agua Blanca Canyon Resort which dates back to the 1940s. According to Burton, it is a charming spa-hotel with just 20 rooms arranged in the Purépecha Indian style around three sides of the greenest lawn in Mexico. Its pools and lawns overlook the deeply carved valley of the River Tuxpan.
“Many butterfly visitors, after the cool and dusty atmosphere in the fir forests want nothing more than a long soak in a warm tub and this is the ideal place,” he writes.
And, of course, there are the Monarch butterflies. Every winter, some one hundred million monarch butterflies fly into Mexico from the U.S. and Canada. On arrival they congregate in a dozen localities high in the temperate pine and fir forests of the state of Michoacán.
For me, a definite-not-to-be-missed is Zitácuaro, where my culinary hero Diana Kennedy lived. Famous for her cookbooks on Mexican cuisine, she made her home outside of Zitácuaro. And here again, is how deep Burton drills down into his destinations. Kennedy lived near the Rancho San Cayetano, a small, exclusive hotel on the road towards Huetamo and the Del Bosque reservoir.
“The San Cayetano’s charm lies not only in its comfortable rooms but also in its first rate cuisine,” he writes, asking if there could be a better recommendation for the food served there than the fact that Diana Kennedy regularly brought friends to dine in the hotel?
For aficionados of Mexican food, there are several outstanding restaurants to put on the list of where to go.
“Neither of my two favorites is well known to tourists, hence their inclusion here,” writes Burton. “Next to the gas station in Pátzcuaro, where the highway from Morelia and Quiroga enters the town, is the Camino Real restaurant where Sopa Tarasca, a local specialty which is a bean-based version of tortilla soup, has to be tasted to be believed.
Whatever you choose in this unpretentious restaurant, you will not be disappointed,” he writes. “The Camino Real has a sister restaurant, the Real del Cobre, in Santa Clara del Cobre.
My other favorite is an hour’s drive away, in the unpretentious town of Tacámbaro. Near the entrance to the town is the Hotel-Restaurant El Molino (The Mill), housed in a museum-piece nineteenth century flour mill, complete with grinding wheels. Simply and artistically decorated and furnished, this hotel-restaurant’s fixed-price comida features slightly finer cuisine than that of the Camino Real, with more subtle sauces and a more varied menu.”
Whether your interests are in art, architecture and/or archaeology; fiestas and folklore; unusual sights and natural wonders, or in Indian villages and indigenous handicrafts, Burton’s book is your guide to Western Mexico’s many hidden treasures.
Burton, author of many books about Mexico includingIf Walls Could Talk: Chapala’s historic buildings and their former occupants; Lake Chapala: A Postcard History; and Mexican Kaleidoscope: Myths, mysteries and mystique, is currently editor-in-chief of MexConnect, Mexico’s top English-language online magazine. He says the inspiration for writing this book came about with the “realization that it was impossible for me to personally introduce readers to many of the places and things I consider most rewarding to find and appreciate. Of the truly spectacular, I have yet to find anyone who ever forgets the magic of visiting the Monarch Butterflies in one of their overwintering sites. By sheer good fortune, I happened upon them the first time in 1980, several years before their locations became widely known or any organized tourist excursions to them had begun.”
Burton encourages opening up to new places and experiences.
“With an open mind ‘gems’ can be found everywhere in Western Mexico,” says Burton. “My greatest hope is that my book encourages readers to explore and find their own hidden gems.”
Pati Jinich’s Sopa Tarasca
½ of a medium onion
1 Cubanelle or Anaheim pepper stemmed, seeded chopped
⅓ cup chopped red bell pepper
⅓ cup roughly chopped cilantro
6 cloves garlic, peeled
3 oz. lime juice, freshly squeezed
2 oz. orange juice, freshly squeezed
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. dried oregano
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper to taste
½ cup olive oil
1 ½ lbs. flank steak
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 large green plantains
canola oil for frying
mayonnaise
8 slices of American cheese
8 slices of ripe red tomato
Shredded head lettuce
Add the first 13 ingredients to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. With the motor running slowly drizzle in the oil.
Put steak in a glass baking dish or large Ziplock bag. Pour marinade over steak. Marinate refrigerated for at least 2 hours or overnight.
When ready to grill, build a hot hardwood charcoal fire or preheat gas grill. Remove steak from marinade, removing excess. Grill over high heat for about 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile make tostones. Heat about an inch of oil in a large skillet to 350°F.
Cut the ends off plantains. Cut the peel along a seam lengthwise then peel starting at the cut. Cut plantains in half crosswise and then again lengthwise so there are eight equal pieces.
Fry plantains for about 4 minutes until cooked through, remove to paper towels.
Place a plantain piece on a cutting board covered with waxed paper. Fold paper over the plantain and smash flat with another cutting board or heavy skillet. Flatten all eight pieces.
Return plantains to hot oil and fry until crisp, about another 4 minutes. Remove to paper towels, season with salt.
Make garlic butter by melting 2 tbsp. butter, then stirring in 2 tbsp. minced garlic. Garlic is meant to be raw.
Thinly slice flank steak on a bias, against the grain.
Spread 4 tostones generously with mayonnaise. Layer on sliced steak. Top each with 2 slices of cheese, two slices of tomato and shredded lettuce. Top each sandwich with remaining tostones and spoon a little garlic butter over the top.
Now as fall changes the landscape into a kaleidoscope of jewel colors, it’s time to move on from the drinks of summer and enjoy cocktails made with Merlet’s premium liqueurs including their award-winning pear, apricot and triple sec which recently gold medals at the International Spirits Challenge in London.
Combine all the ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into the glass. Shake vigorously for proper chill and dilution. Strain into a chilled coupette cocktail glass. Add a lemon zest for garnish.
Serafin
By Tony Conigliaro
½ oz Merlet Crème de Poire William, Pear Liqueur
2 oz White Tequila
1 oz Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
½ oz Simple Syrup
Ginger Beer to top
Pour all ingredients in tumbler glass filled with ice, top with ginger beer. Stir for few seconds. Garnish with a lime wedge.
October is National Seafood Month and in celebration of what’s best about Lousiana and Coastal Alabama seafood cookery get to know the chefs who continually are making outstanding contributions to the local seafood industry, put their skills and knowledge to test in culinary competitions, and walked away with a real crown. These chefs, respected leaders within their communities, are passionate about the bounties of the local waters and its impact on their region’s culture. Who are these royals? Mindy Bianca and her staff at Mindy Bianca Public Relations did the hard work of rounding up their “e-fish-cient” list. And I’m reporting on what they discovered here.
Though she grew up in the southwest United States, Chef Amanda trained and worked extensively in Europe during her culinary journey. She received her Cordon Bleu training in Surrey, England, and worked in restaurants across England and Ireland – perhaps most notably serving as head chef for a Michelin Star chef’s pop-up restaurant in Dublin – before setting down roots in Lake Charles. Her international experience shines through at The Terrace, where Italian influence meets Louisiana flavors. In June 2022, she helped break glass ceilings as she was named the Queen of Louisiana Seafood – only the second ever in the 15-year history of the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off. Her winning dish? Pan-seared red drum over tomato polenta with a crawfish cream sauce.
Favorite Seafood Dish to Make: Oysters – in any style!
Though he’s famous for his delicious Lane Cake, the state dessert of Alabama, Chef Jim is also known for being a voice for sustainable and local food education. When he served as Executive Chef for the State of Alabama, he focused on sourcing local Alabama ingredients and supporting farmers and fishermen.
In 2011, Chef Jim was dubbed King of American Seafood and traveled the country introducing people to the world of sustainable seafood. He has continued his advocacy efforts as he’s moved forward in his career … and that included representing the U.S. Seafood Industry in this year’s National Geographic Traveller Food Festival in London and appearances in multiple seasons of “Top Chef.” Now he’s the executive chef at Hummingbird Way, sharing his love for local seafood with every diner who walks through his doors. Prior to 2023, he was the only Alabama chef who had ever taken home the crown of King of American Seafood, which leads us to our next chef.
Favorite Seafood Dish to Make: Tiradito (Peruvian take on sashimi with citrus sauce)
Home to the National Shrimp Festival, Experience the Oyster seafood festival, and other notable seafood events, the twin beach cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama, are certainly the place to be if you want to find some of the best seafood along the Gulf Coast. With more than 20 years working in the seafood industry, Alabama native Chef Brody has definitely made his culinary mark.
He continues to impress diners across the five restaurants and banquet facilities he oversees at the Perdido Beach Resort. He embraces the culinary ways of the Gulf Coast, putting the freshest and best locally sourced ingredients on every plate. Besides the numerous Chef and Restauranteur of the Year awards he has earned throughout his career, Chef Brody is now the newest “royal” in the roundup.
In August, he was crowned King of American Seafood in the Great American Seafood Cook-Off, bringing the title back home to Alabama for the first time since 2011, when Chef Jim Smith (above) earned the honor. With saltwater catfish, mole crabs and Gulf shrimp in his winning dish, how could he not wow the judges?
Favorite Seafood Dish to Make: Seafood Stuffed Flounder
Besides the crown he received for becoming the Great American Seafood King in 2019, Chef Nathan wears many hats, including professor, private catering business owner and volunteer firefighter … which means he knows how to (safely) turn up the heat in the kitchen! Though he moved to Europe to cook in France and Italy after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, Louisiana remained in his heart. Chef Nathan returned to work at restaurants throughout the American South and settled back in Thibodaux, Louisiana, a few years ago, ready to embrace the Cajun lifestyle once more. When you’re surrounded by the pantry of fresh ingredients that the bayous of Louisiana provide, it only makes sense to cook what you know.
Chef Nathan’s winning cook-off dish was a crawfish and goat cheese king cake, complete with Cajun caviar.
Favorite Seafood Dish to Make: Louisiana Seafood Gumbo and Pan-Fried Speckled Trout with Capers and Lemon
Chefs Keith and Nealy, a husband-and-wife team, were forced out of New Orleans in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit, and came to settle in the nearby Northshore. Though they’d both held prestigious restaurant chef positions, they had always dreamed of owning their own restaurant. Thus, LOLA was born. Housed in a historic train depot with the restaurant kitchen tucked away in a caboose, this unique dining establishment keeps it local with fresh ingredients sourced from local farmers and seafood suppliers.
In 2012, the pair was proclaimed King and Queen of Louisiana Seafood. A year later, Chef Nealy placed second in the popular cooking show “Chopped.” The couple has continued to represent St. Tammany Parish and Louisiana seafood in both their culinary travel and work at LOLA.
Chef Nathan Richard’s Crawfish and Oyster Boudin
Makes 6 links
1 pound crawfish tail meat
1 pound oysters
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup green onion, green and white finely chopped
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup poblano peppers, finely chopped
1/4 cup jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cups cooked long-grain white rice
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
3 tablespoons green onion, tops only sliced
8 ounces prepared hog casings
In a large bowl, combine crawfish, oysters, salt and peppers. Set aside. In large skillet over medium heat, add canola oil, and cook onions, peppers, celery, garlic and tomato paste until softened, about 5 minutes. Add crawfish/oyster mixture, and cook 15 minutes more. Remove from heat, and fold in rice, parsley and green onion tops.
Stuff casings while filling is still hot, twisting into 4-inch links. In large pan, add crawfish boudin links, and cover with water. Cook over medium-high heat, keeping just below a simmer; cook until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain. In a large skillet, cook boudin links over medium-high heat until golden brown on all sides
For extra kick, season the bread crumbs, with salt, pepper or cayenne, if you like.
Shrimp & grits were made famous in the South Carolina Low Country, where it’s been a favorite on-the-boat breakfast for shrimpers for years. This dish was famously brought to the nation’s attention when New York Times legendary food writer Craig Claiborne, a Mississippi native, had dinner with Chef Bill Neal at Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, NC. At Tupelo Honey they take our shrimp and grits very, very seriously but aren’t afraid to mix it up by adding goat cheese to the grits as their own signature twist.
Shrimp & Goat Cheese Grits with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Recipe
2 Tbsp. plus 1.5 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. large uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red bell pepper
2 Tbsp. Creole Spice (recipe below)
1/4 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
3 Tbsp. unsalted cold butter
Goat Cheese Grits (recipe below)
Creole Spice Recipe
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. sugar
5 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. white pepper
Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on high heat. Add the shrimp and garlic and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the shrimp begins to turn a little pink.
2. Add the bell peppers and creole spice and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the peppers are heated through. Add the wine and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the shrimp turns pink.
3. Remove from the heat and add the butter, swirling the pan to combine all the liquids. Serve the shrimp over the grits and top with the warm sauce left in the skillet.
*Makes 4 servings.
Creole Spice Recipe
Directions:
Combine the following ingredients:
*Makes 1/4 cup.
1 cup yellow stone ground grits
2 cups water
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1.5 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup goat cheese
Finely ground cornmeal
Goat Cheese Grits Recipe
Taking their love of goat cheese to the next level, you can make this recipe in two ways. One of for a traditional dish of grits and the fry is to fry the goat cheese grits after coating them in cornmeal. The outcome? Grit croutons and grit cakes!
Read on for the recipes. And for more Tupelo Honey recipes click here.
Directions
1. Combine water and salt in a stock, put on high heat, and bring to a boil.
2. Add butter and grits at the same time and stir for a couple minutes to prevent clumping or sticking. DO NOT ADD THE BUTTER AT THE BEGINNING WITH THE WATER. Adding the butter and grits at the same time, and NOT melting the butter while the water heats up, is imperative to a creamy final product).
3. Bring grits, salt, water and butter back to a boil. Add heavy cream.
4. Bring to a boil again, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-35 minutes until thick and creamy, stirring occasionally. Add goat cheese and black pepper and taste for seasoning.
*Makes 4-6 portions of delicious goat cheese grits.
5. When complete, pour cooked grits into an 8×8 baking pan, ensuring even distribution, and allow to cool for at least 12 hours.
6. When completely cool, turn baking pan over and allow grit “cake” to fall out onto a cutting board.
The email popped up in my inbox three days before we were going to continue our trip in Arizona, traveling through the mountain towns lining the eastern edge of the state up through the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park. We would continue along the original Route 66 and into Navajo land where the towns had names like Mexican Water (population 730) and Mexican Hat (population 34) and every menu had a variation of fry bread tacos.
My biggest regret of the trip was not buying a baseball-style cap inscribed with Mexican Hat, Utah.
The email was an invitation to meet Mark Wahlberg at Bottled Blonde in Scottsdale where he and his business partner, Aron Marquez, would be pouring their Flecha Azul Tequila. I must be on their “D” list, as the event was the night after next, the night before we were leaving.
As one of the only new world tequila brands with authentic Mexican roots, Flecha Azul was founded by Mexican-born Marquez and first-generation Mexican-American pro-golfer Abraham Ancer.
Shared core passions and friendship brought Mark Wahlberg to join the team in 2022, building upon their efforts and desire to share additive-free Flecha Azul Tequila with friends around the world.
But still, how often do you get to have Mark Wahlberg pour you drinks? When I told my husband we were invited to meet Mark Wahlberg and taste his various tequilas, he said didn’t know who Mark Wahlberg was. So I started naming movies. Wahlberg starred with Will Ferrell in “The Other Guys,” “Daddy’s Home,” and “Daddy’s Home 2.” He also was in “The Departed” with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson and Matt Damon that won not only an Academy Award for Best Picture but also best director (Martin Scorsese). And then there is “Ted,” the rather naughty but very funny movie about Mark and a toy bear. There’s even a casino slot game named after the movie plus a “Ted 2.”
No, my husband said he didn’t know those movies.
Well, I said, if you Google “Mark Wahlberg movies” you’ll get a list of 45 or so films he’s been in.
“What about “Entourage?” I asked about the award-winning television series that ran from 2004 to 2011 based upon Wahlberg’s life after he moved to Hollywood with his three hometown friends and hit the big time. Wahlberg didn’t star in the series, but he was an executive producer.
No, John hadn’t heard of “Entourage,” but he did know about Wahlburgers, the hamburger chain that Mark and his brothers had started.
And he did like the 1965 Lincoln Continental convertible that was parked in front of Bottled Blonde. I explained it was the car the guys from “Entourage” tooled around in L.A.
Though we arrived early, the bar was already crowded and people were lined up to get their photos taken with Wahlberg.After photos, he went behind the large oval-shaped bar and started pouring Flecha Azul Tequila.
Then he and his friends headed toward the door, stopping to shake hands with those who were close by and saying thanks for coming. When it was my turn, I put my glass of tequila down so I could shake hands and before I could reclaim it, someone had whisked it away. What I tasted, though, was very smooth and good.
Flecha Azul Tequila offers a wide variety of tequilas. Their Blanco is rested for two months in stainless steel so it mellows; Reposado is aged six months in ex-bourbon American oak barrels giving it hints of praline, vanilla, sandalwood and a subtle baking spice; Anejo ages for 18 months in ex-Bourbon barrels – six months longer than the industry standard for Anejo – and has rich maple and caramel characteristics along with pineapple cream soda, and black pepper.
Then there’s the extra Anejo with its notes of almonds and vanilla. It ages for 36 months in ex-bourbon American oak barrels, and Cristalino rests for 18 months in ex-Bourbon barrels, a process that imparts vanilla, coconut and subtle baking spice.
The goal of Fletcha Azul Tequila is to produce a premium drink that’s much smoother and complex than the types of tequilas college kids down as shots. Tequila is made from the hearts of the agave plants that grow in the Mexico state of Jalisco.
If it isn’t made there, it can’t be called tequila. I’ve been to the blue agave fields outside of Santiago de Tequila, the heart of the tequila industry. It’s where many tequila producers – both big and small – have their headquarters.
On a tour, I watched the jimadors (workers) dig up the large blue agaves and, using a coa, a long, machete-like blade on a long wooden handle, remove the heart or pinas which are then loaded onto a truck. From the fields the pinas are taken into Santiago de Tequila where they are placed in hornos, which are ovens built of either clay or brick.
Baking pinas releases the sugars necessary for fermentation. All tequila is aged between 14 to 21 days. Silver or blanco tequila is typically aged for the minimum time. For aged tequilas, reposado is rested or aged for two months to one year, anejo is aged for one to three years, and extra anejo is aged for more than three years.
Aging tequila in used oak barrels that were used for resting bourbon gives the drink a golden color.But back to the Wahlberg and the Bottled Blonde. Out on the street, Wahlberg and his friends climbed into the Lincoln Continental, posing as if they were going to drive away, but that was just for the press and fans and photos.
When all the photos were taken, the group headed across the street where their real rides – two large black SUVs – were waiting. But before they got there, Wahlberg was waylaid by a man who wanted him to sign the front hood of his car. Now this wasn’t like the Camry I drive. It was an Audi R8 with a starting price of over $200,000.
Yes, starting price.
So Wahlberg took the black marker the guy handed him and wrote on the hood of the car.
“I’m never going to wash it,” the car’s owner said to me.
“What are you going to do if it rains?” I asked him.
“It’s a permanent marker,” was his reply.I wondered if having Mark Wahlberg sign your car added to its value or not.
The following recipes are courtesy of Flecha Azul Tequila.
Cherry Filthy Flecharita
1 1⁄2 ounces Flecha Azul Blanco Tequila
1⁄2 ounce fresh lime juice
1⁄2 ounce Filthy Black Cherry Syrup
1 ounce sparkling water
Garnish with 3 Filthy cherries
Fill a shaker with ice and combine tequila, fresh lime juice and black cherry syrup.Shake vigorously and strain into a coupe glass. Top off with sparkling water and garnish with Filthy Black Cherry.
Paloma
2 ounces Flecha Azul Tequila Blanco
1 ounces fresh grapefruit juice
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce cane syrup
Soda
Mix and then top off with a splash of soda
Spicy Pineapple Margarita
2 1/4 ounces Flecha Azul Reposado Tequila
1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce cane syrup
3 jalapeno slices
Muddle jalapeno slices in a cocktail shaker, add ice and all remaining ingredients. Shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass with ice.
Green with Envy
2 ounces Flecha Azul Blanco Tequila
2 ounces fresh green juice
To prepare green juice, combine the below ingredients into a juicer:
1 apple
Bunch of kale
1/2 cup of fresh pineapple
Juice of 1 lemon
5 coins of fresh ginger (peeled and cut into circles)
Combine all ingredients into a shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a highball glass and add fresh crushed ice.
The Ancer
2 ounces Flecha Azul Blanco Tequila
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
Mix ingredients together and then to off with Topo Chico, a sparkling mineral water sourced from Monterrey, Mexico. Or go with another brand of sparkling mineral water if unable to find Topo Chico.
