When
I was a kid, the thought of a gazpacho ice pop would have terrified me. Now,
I’ll give it a shot. With peach daiquiri or white Russian pops, you can
literally “give it a shot.”
You
can hardly go wrong with fudge and sweetened-condensed milk, but where Andrew
Chase will truly surprise you is his takes on tea, coffee and vegetable
variations. He’s apparently tried even more combos than beet and cucumber,
avocado and chocolate chile, because in this Robert Rose book, he offers “200
Best Ice Pop Recipes.”
Creamed
corn with brown butter and nutmeg or sweet potato pie sound adventurous, but
you can sure shake a little wooden stick at something with lemon, all manner of
fruits and honey and caramel. Adults will have fun with these, but he’s got a
whole section on less-drip blends for the youngest of pop lovers. Gelatin
powder is the secret. Here’s one of the 200 that is very easy and should prove
very popular this summer:
Peanut
Butter Ice Pops
Blender
2
ripe bananas, sliced
½ cup
smooth peanut butter
½ cup
water
¼ cup
sweetened condensed milk
Pinch
salt
1.
In
blender at medium-high speed, puree bananas, peanut butter, water, condensed
milk and salt.
2.
Pour
into molds and freeze until slushy, then insert sticks and freeze until solid,
for at least 4 hours. If you are using an ice pop kit, follow the
manufacturer’s instructions.
Moon
Shine’s done right on left coast
Fog’s
End Distillery makes spirits distilled from corn that pack a powerful punch.
California Moon Shine boasts it is “made right on the left coast.” While this
“no-cook, traditional sour-mash whiskey” white corn concoction is nearly clear
and comes in a narrow-necked bottle, it serves beautifully in Mason jars.
I
just mixed up a couple of jars and sat on the stoop and turned on the radio to
hear Port Arthur’s own Janis Joplin singing her heart out. I think she would
have enjoyed that southern summer night.
Fog’s
End Primo Agua Ardienteis is a spirit distilled from corn and cane sugar with
chili pepper added. I’m hearing its’ great with an equal amount of horchata.
But
here’s what I did: I snipped a stalk of lemon grass from my doorway garden,
pounded the root and steeped it in hot water with brown sugar. When it cooled I
gave it a shot of corn liquor and served it iced in the Mason jar. It took on a
pale yellow-green hue with an ever-so-light kiss of spice. Here’s another idea
for corn spirits:
Moonshine
Mojito
2
oz California Moonshine
2
oz lime juice
1
teaspoon sugar
6
whole mint leaves
2 oz. soda water
Put juice and
sugar into a highball glass and stir until dissolved.
Rub mint leaves
on inside of the glass and discard.
Fill with crushed
ice, MoonShine, and then stir. Top with soda water and garnish with a sprig of
mint.
Licorice
and dairy
I
really thought I needed to change my eye wear when I read the label on some
nice Virgen del las Nieves Artesones Tempranillo 2011 Red. “Intense cherry
color….fully ripened fruit such as blackberry…. Nice fruity finish,” it all
made since. I thought I saw the tasting notes to read licorice and dairy. They
actually did. I’m I really becoming an expert, because when I breathed in the
aroma, I thought I got a sense of the dairy. At any rate, it paired really well
with a Christopher Walken movie. Here’s why: It’s from Castilla-La Mancha, said to be the
most expansive wine-producing region in the world. The limestone clay and a
variety of subsoils is good for the grape vines.
Wine
lovers, if you try this one, please let me know if you picked up on the dairy.
ddoiron@panews.com
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