Cosmopolitan Cocktail

The Cosmopolitan, like any great fashion icon, has gone in and out of popularity over the years.  After suddenly being launched into the lime light, then inevitably cast aside as being passé, this potion should always remain a staple of your cocktail wardrobe.

Originally made with Citron Vodka, this head-turning beauty owes its start to similar drinks like the The Cape Cod (aka The Cranberry Martini made with vodka, cranberry juice and lime) and the Kamikaze, made with vodka, triple sec and lemon juice.  Personalize your fashion statement by adjusting the amount of juice in the mix.  A ruby glow always looks stunning in a martini glass, but it’s worth noting that the original recipes describe a barely there pink lemonade hue.

Cosmopolitan Cocktail

Reuben Sandwich

In 1914, the Reuben was reportedly created in New York by restaurant owner Arnold Reuben, Jr. for a hungry actress named Annette Seelos.  The Reuben was also supposedly invented in 1925, when Omaha grocer and poker player Reuben Kulakofsky made this sandwich for his fellow poker players, one of them being Charles Schimmel who added it to his Blackstone Hotel menu.

Why are there at least two different Reuben origin stories?  Everyone wants to take credit for a great sandwich, of course.  Corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing piled up on rye bread and then grilled – it’s legendary.

Reuben Sandwich

Reuben Sandwich

Earl Grey Infused Gin Cocktail

Infusing spirits with herbs, fruit, tea and other flavorings is a great way to add your own signature to a drink. Although many infusions can take days to weeks to really develop, using a concentrated infusing agent like a flowery Earl Grey tea speeds up the process and provides remarkably full flavors in just a few hours.

Inspired by a cocktail we had at a London pub recently, Paul reinvented this Earl Grey steeped gin cocktail that provides you with a surprising sense of relaxed sophistication – an afternoon of croquet in the garden followed by cucumber sandwiches.  Crusts cut off, please and thank you.

Damask Rose Tea Buds

Earl Grey Infused Gin Cocktail

Harrods Flower Earl Grey Tea

Damask Rose Buds and Harrods Earl Grey Tea

Damask Rose Buds and Harrods Earl Grey Tea

Earl Grey Infused Gin

Scotch Eggs – Click here to see more Food Photography

Scotch Eggs are a common menu item in England, and despite their name eluding to a different origin, actually did first appear in England. London department store Fortnum & Mason is credited with “inventing” them in 1738 and helping increase their popularity in the 18th century. This meat-wrapped, breaded and fried hen’s egg (or quail, duck or goose egg) was easy to transport and handle without utensils, and they became a popular nosh for travelers and picnickers. Different regions lent their unique twist to the recipe such as blood sausage or lamb meat and today they are still a favorite at bars and pubs in the UK.

During our recent assignment in Cornwall and London, we had the opportunity to try Scotch Eggs at a few different pubs and restaurants, and found them missing something. We quickly figured out it was sausage. Many establishments skimp a bit on the sausage coating, and they are often served cold, so after we got home we did some research on “authentic” Scotch Eggs and decided to try our own hands at making these outrageously indulgent meaty egg bombs. Try to just have one – this is a “once in a while” treat. For each additional one you eat you’ll need to add three extra miles to your daily run and eat nothing but low fat plain yogurt the next day. Still, it will probably be worth it.

Scotch Eggs – Click here to see more Food Photography

Smoked Salmon Plate with Cornichons and Capers – Click here to see more Food Photography

A recent assignment in England gave us plenty of opportunity to enjoy this classic appetizer of smoked salmon, cornichons and brown bread. We often make it at home paired with regular Irish Soda Bread, but Irish Brown Bread, made with a mix of regular and whole wheat flour, sweetened with a little molasses or honey is a great balance to the salmon and tart pickles. To make chive butter, chop some chives into some softened butter and allow to chill and firm up again before serving. Decorate the plate with some microgreens to add a touch of spring and enjoy this as a St. Patrick’s Day or Easter appetizer.

Corned Beef & Cabbage – Click here to see more Food Photography

Corned beef and cabbage is one of the food traditions most closely associated with the celebration of Irish ancestry each year on Saint Patrick’s Day in the U.S., though oddly enough it’s not really an Irish national tradition.

In 17th century Ireland, salted beef was widely produced but it was very expensive and only accessible to the wealthy.  Mid-19th century Irish emigrants to America however discovered that corned beef was very affordable and, along with cabbage which was also a staple of the working class, they readily adopted this into their cooking.

This recipe I make every year, also known as a New England boiled dinner, smiles with the addition of carrots, petite potatoes, turnips and parsnips.

As an appetizer, serve Smoked Salmon on Irish Soda Bread, or a Smoked Salmon Plate with cornichons and capers.

Corned Beef & Cabbage – Click here to see more Food Photography

Chabichou du Poitou – Click here to see more Food Photography

Chabichou du Poitou is a French goat cheese from the Poitou-Charentes region, a cheese which according to legend dates back to the mid 700s.  As old as this cheese is however, it was only in 1990 that it was granted Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) protecting the authenticity of its origin.  The soil is chalky in this area, imparting its terroir to the natural rind of this cheese which is not surprisingly slightly chalky and pasty.  The cheese itself is firm and creamy, with a sweet and tangy flavor that is perfect for after a meal.

The Poitou-Charentes region, which lies between Paris and Bordeaux, is also the origin of one of my earliest documented ancestors on my Father’s side, dating back to 1609, so finding this cheese was a special treat.

A beautiful cheese inside and out, especially with its distinct and contrasting buttery layer that forms closest to its unique and wrinkly rind, it pairs well with white wines like Sauvignon or Chenin Blanc, or perhaps even a glass of champagne.  We of course recommend two glasses for best results.

Chabichou du Poitou – Click here to see more Food Photography

Chabichou du Poitou – Click here to see more Food Photography

Blood Orange Margarita – Click here to see more Food Photography

‘Tis the season for Blood Oranges.  The holidays are long over and out of the way making room for us to celebrate peak citrus season.  Dating back to the 15th century, Blood Oranges were first cultivated in the Mediterranean in Southern Italy and are a natural mutation of the sweet orange.  In the US they are now grown in California and Florida, and even Texas and Arizona.  Benefitting from a warm invigorating sun during the day followed by cold sobering nights, the fruit continue to develop their color, sweetness and juiciness until harvest time.  Here on the Eastern Coast of the US they seem to start appearing in markets by January, with some sightings being reported through March and as late as April.

This radiant margarita features homemade Blood Orange purée blended with tequila, lime juice and agave nectar, making this an excellent mid-winter spirit lifter and a timely Valentine’s Day indulgence.

Blood Orange Margarita – Click here to see more Food Photography

Cassoulet – Click here to see more Food Photography

This is not the proper way to make Cassoulet.  This recipe will however get cassoulet on your table in about 30 minutes – 45 minutes if you’re a procrastinator or are styling ingredients for a photo shoot.  With Languedoc origins from the Southwest of France, historically cassoulet is not a quick meal to prepare and it is said the best cassoulet can only be made by a farmer’s wife.

The word cassoulet comes from the earthenware casserole dishes it is often baked in and, as with many old recipes, there are many variations that evolve over time and distance, leading to debates regarding the “right way” to properly capture history in your kitchen.  Depending upon your recipe source, you begin with soaking the traditional haricots Tarbais overnight.  These are big, white, sometimes hard-to-find and expensive heirloom beans from the Tarbais region of France, which can withstand a lengthy simmering time without turning into unidentifiable mush.  Don’t forget that if you’ve opted for duck confit in your recipe – and why wouldn’t you – you’ll need to start that 2 or 3 days before you’re ready to serve.  Roast pork, sausage or goose are other meats you might find in the pot, adding dimensions of texture and flavor.

Wanting to make a cassoulet for fun, for the portfolio and of course for dinner, but not really keen on waiting days or even hours, I turned to Jacques Pépin’s recipe in his book Fast Food My Way.  This book has become one of our favorites lately.  J.P. uses ham, canned cannellini beans, and Italian and bratwurst sausages, simmered with garlic, onion, chopped mushrooms and fresh tomato.  Since it’s winter, I even went a step further into the “fast food” factor and used canned diced organic tomatoes instead of fresh, which I often do anyway to get better color in photos.  We made this in a big pot, but afterward heated and served our portions in personal sized cast-iron cocottes (little pots) that kept everything nice and warm at the table.  Our cookware obsession behooves me to mention that these are very special black cocottes of a particular size, shape and brand that we agonized over finding ever since being served cassoulet in almost the exact same vessels years ago in a Bistro during our Paris honeymoon.

This photographer’s wife was able to make a satisfyingly simple yet still luxurious version of this classic comfort food, or so the photographer said, as we lingered at the table enjoying our subject matter after wrapping up this very enjoyable photo shoot.

Cassoulet – Click here to see more Food Photography

Cassoulet – Click here to see more Food Photography

Shrimp and Arugula Spaghetti – Click here to see more Food Photography

Arugula is also known as rugula, rucola, rocket and roquette and is a spicy, peppery and nutritious salad green. Originating in the Mediterranean it has long been used in Italian cooking, and the ancient Romans not only ate it for good luck but also as an aphrodisiac.

Shrimp and pasta is a perfect vehicle for this revved up ancient green, and Paul has really become an expert at making this classic dish.  Inspired by a recipe from one of our favorite chefs Jamie Oliver, Paul boldly doubles the garlic listed in the original recipe and also cleverly replaces the white wine with a full cup of french Noilly Prat dry vermouth.  Our potent dried homegrown cayenne peppers give a warm, but not too hot boost to the shrimp and pasta that is balanced by the acidity and sweetness of the lemon juice and sun-dried tomato.

Pair this fired up Rocket Shrimp and Spaghetti with a glass of fruity white wine or a dry Martini.