Day 150.5 - Homemade Lemonade Pie

This recipe was inspired by a song I dreamed about last night. Yes, I know, I'm nuts, which by now, has been well established and documented. It is said that "the dream is the dreamer", and although I have no idea who said it, I believe this to be true. Therefore, not to do something creative with the vivid imagery and song in my waking hours would be to ignore whatever it is my dreamy subconscious was trying to work out. So work it out I will - in the kitchen, naturally.

I often dream songs, and Judy in Disguise (which I thought was Judy in the Sky when I was kid), by John Fred and his Playboy Band, contains some of my favorite, albeit obtusely psychedelic lyrics. Makes me kinda wonder what John Fred and his Playboys were doing when they wrote these trippy lyrics:

Judy in disguise, well that's what you are

Lemonade pie and a brand new car

canteloupe eyes, come to me tonight

Judy in disguise, with glasses.

If you watched the video, then you understand how I came to make Lemonade Pie. Now, Although there are many, many fine recipes for lemonade pie, all of them (that I could find) call for canned frozen lemonade and Cool Whip (including the one I adapted below), which is fine, except that I'm one of those freaks who derives absolute pleasure from making as much as I can from scratch. Admittedly, there are plenty of things I simply can't make because they're way beyond my bandwidth - still, I do like to try. But, seeing as I don't especially care for Cool Whip (except when Stewie on Family Guy says it) and since I know I can approximate frozen lemonade, I set out to make this pie from scratch, which I think I did.  Behold - Lemonade Pie I think John Fred and his Playboys would dig with or without glasses.

Juice Lemons and Make Candied Lemon Zest

Make Graham Cracker Crumb Crust

Make Filling

Freeze Pie Overnight

Lemon Simple Syrup and Candied Lemon Zest (this is a 2-for recipe)

3 lemons
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (strained through a fine sieve)
2 cups sugar

1. Cut lemons in half and squeeze juice through a fine sieve.
2. Gently scoop out as much of the pulp and and white inner layer as you can using a sharp pairing knife and/or spoon.
3. Slice into strips, then trim away as much of the remaining white pith from the zest as possible.
4. Bring water and lemon juice to a boil in a small non-reactive pan, add lemon zest.
5. Boil for about 5 minutes, until lemon peels are tender to the touch.
6. Remove zest from water and stir in sugar.
7. Bring syrup to a boil, add zest and boil until translucent.
8. Drain zest and spread out on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.
9. Allow to air-dry before storing in an airtight container (depending on humidity 3-24 hours)
10. Place syrup in a freezer safe container (uncovered) and freeze until very thick and slightly slushy (it won't completely freeze).

Use leftover lemon simple syrup in martinis, margaritas or for sorbet or sherbet.
Use left over candied zest in cakes, scones, ice cream or anything else that calls for candied citrus zest.

Homemade Lemonade Pie (Adapted from a recipe by the Neelys on Foodnetwork.com)

Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 2 packages)
1/4 cup sugar
7 Tbsp, sweet unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a food processor, whirl graham crackers until finely ground (I used a resealable bag and rolling pin and crushed them with the same result and no clean-up)
3. In a medium bowl, combine cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press firmly on bottom and up the sides of a pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes and let cool completely.

Lemonade Filling
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
2 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 cup slushy lemon simple syrup (recipe above)
1 tsp. candied lemon zest

1. In a medium bowl, whip cream  and 2 Tbsp. sugar until soft peaks form. Add chilled sweetened condensed milk.
2. Gently fold in frozen lemonade syrup-slush, until blended.
3. Pour mixture into pie crust and freeze overnight.
4. Garnish with candied lemon peel.

(C) 2010-2011, What's Cooking in Your World?/ Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved 

Day 150! Thailand - Durian Ice Cream - Up Next, Saint Lucia

A rich, butter-like custard highly flavored with almonds, but intermingled with wafts of flavor that call to mind cream cheese, onion sauce, brown sherry and other incongruities. The more you eat of it, the less you feel inclined to stop. 

~Alfred Russell Wallace, 19th century Naturalist

Bread Fruit

The plan was to make a meal from Saint Lucia using breadfruit. After days of scouting, sourcing and sleuthing, I finally got a line on breadfruit at HMart (think BJ's or Cosco but Asian) from my go-to-foodie-friend Ben. With the kind of adrenaline rush gamblers must experience when they hit a jackpot, I hurried into the huge produce section, scanning each bin for the spiky fruit. Unable to find it, I asked one of the produce guys, but he said he'd never heard of it. Still, I persevered. Suddenly I spotted jackfruit, an immense, watermelon-sized fruit with spikes and right next to it, a freezer case of durian (which I mistakenly thought was another name for breadfruit)! Totally psyched, I picked up the mesh bag that held the fruit, and instantly impaled my finger on the porcupine-like quills, which just added to the durian drama of finding this exotic fruit.

Durian

Once home, I decided to spend a little more time researching durian, only to discover that durian and breadfruit are not one and the same at all. It turns out that durian is quite specific to Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, while breadfruit, which is round, smaller and less dangerous, makes its home in the Caribbean islands. A big shout-out to my Facebook friends who helped me sort out the Durian v. Breadfruit confusion. Special thanks to longtime friends, Lynette and Lulu,  for locating breadfruit in one of Boston's tropical markets. I hope to cook a Lucian meal with Breadfruit later on in the week. Phew!

So...since I'm totally improvising due to the fact that I have durian (imported from Thailand and very perishable) - not breadfruit, I decided to jump ahead to the beautiful country of Thailand and make durian ice cream - plus it's 95 degrees with matching humidity, so I just can't turn the stove on. A quick word about the smell of durian (aka The King of Fruits). It is reported to have a strong, acrid odor, especially to westerners. I personally didn't find it offensive, although it is unique and does permeate the house. The smell definitely doesn't hint at the sweet fruit that is so well guarded by the spiky armor exterior. The flesh is creamy and custard-like in appearance and texture, and has a lovely sweet, delicate, somewhat nutty flavor, which is imparted to the ice cream. The addition of cream and just a tiny bit of sugar makes it rich and decadent - again hard to compare to anything I've had before. For most westerners, durian ice cream will probably be an acquired taste, but I highly recommend abandoning your western sensibilities, and giving this incredible fruit a try.

Located at the center of the Southeast Asia, Thailand's existence dates back 40,000 years to Paleolithic times. Officially, the country is known as the Kingdom of Thailand, and borders Burma, Laos, Cambodia, the Gulf of Thailand, Malaysia, and the Andaman Sea. The country is governed by a constitutional monarchy, where the king holds the titles of Head of State, Head of Armed forces, Upholder of Buddhist Religion and Defender of Faiths. Seventy-five percent of the country is ethnically Thai, 14% Chinese, 3% Malay, the remaining being Mon, Khmer and hill tribes. Known as an exotic tourist destination, the country also attracts a fair number of ex-pats The official language is Thai and 95% of the country are Buddhist.

Thai cuisine is grounded in the philosophy that food should be lightly prepared and balanced so that all the taste senses should be experienced in a meal: sour, sweet, salty and (optionally) bitter. Thai food tends to be hot as well. Dishes vary by region, geography and climate, and are influenced by neighboring countries such as Burma, the Chinese Province of Yunnan, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. Aside from a huge variety of vegetables and exotic fruits too numerous to list, Thai cuisine uses a diverse array of herbs and spices to season food, including, but not limited to: Thai basil, mint, lemongrass, cilantro, Kaffir lime, shrimp and fish sauces and paste and Thai chili peppers. Rice, noodles and seafood are staples in the Thai diet as well.

Cut open the durian with a very sharp knife

Separate the seeds from the flesh

Blend the flesh in a mixer to break up the fibrous fruit, then force through a sieve

Make the custard

Blend in an ice cream maker until set, then freeze in an airtight container

Durian Ice Cream (Adapted from a recipe on About.com)

1 large durian, cut, pulp and seeds removed and separated
2 large egg yolks
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar (or more to taste, although Durian is already quite sweet)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk

Cut the durian down the middle and remove the seeds and pulp.
Put the pulp in a blender and puree until smooth.
Press the pureed paste through a fine sieve - you should have about 4+ ounces. Then chill.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the vanilla extract and sugar.
Bring the milk and cream to a near boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the egg mixture, stirring constantly to thicken. Take care not to let the mixture boil, or the milk will curdle. (if bubbles form at the edge, remove from stove).
Allow the custard to cool for at least 4 hours.
Gradually whisk the durian paste into the custard mixture, a tablespoon at time until completely blended.
Add mixture to ice cream maker and blend until set.
Freeze in an airtight container to avoid crystallizing.

(C) 2010-2011, What's Cooking in Your World?/ Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved 

Cooking Competitions

Imagine eating 16 plates of beef. In a row. A few years ago I judged my first cooking competition and it was the National Beef Cookoff. While I'd like to tell you everything about it, some cooking competitions are serious business and in that particular case, I was sworn to secrecy.

This month alone I am judging three cooking contests–the Bacon Takedown was last weekend and this weekend is the Bay Area BBQ Championship and the Lamb Jam. Last month I judged one of the Bravo Top Chef Tour "quickfire" competitions that was part of their road tour.


(Sorry to say it, but Fabio lost, using Red Bull in a salmon dish was probably not such a good idea)

If you're guessing I rarely pass up a chance to be a judge, you're right. I like trying different dishes, evaluating and conferring with the other judges. While it might seem like work, the truth is, it's actually a lot of fun.

At Matt Timms wild and wonderful Takedown competitions it's a combination of amateurs and professionals so you never know what you're going to find. The judge's choice for first place this time around was Ivy Something who made Bacon Fried Chicken with Sweet Potato Biscuits and Tipsy Maple Gravy. Ivy has Southern roots and a gravy blog. Yup. A gravy blog. I do hope she blogs the recipe.



The Bay Area BBQ Championship is a big deal competition compared to the others. It's being held at the Oakland Coliseum creekside lot and when you buy a ticket, you also get to see a double header A's game. Nice. This competition is particularly important to me because it benefits Alternative Family Services one of the most well-respected foster care agencies in the country and the founder and Executive Director is a very close family friend. There are 32 teams competing, including Food Network champions the Bad Boyz of BBQ, the Q Masters, Bad S BBQ (featuring Iron Chef Contestant Ric Gilbert), and the Oakland Fire Department. Tickets are still available! Buy one for yourself or just donate a ticket so a kid can see a ball game. Tickets must be purchased in advance, no sales the day of the event.

Finally the Lamb Jam will have restaurant chefs competing against one another. This sold out event is being sponsored by the American Lamb Board, who are responsible for getting the message out about lamb. Did you know American Lamb is hormone free and is available as all-natural products that are antibiotic free? You probably do know that sheep are grazing animals and help to maintain a healthy ecosystem.

I'll be curious to see what the chefs will be cooking up, all weekend long. What cooking competition would you most like to judge?

Day 149.5! Homemade Raspberry Lime Rickey

Of all the refreshing summer drinks that exist in this world, my favorite ever is the sweet/sour/syrupy beautiful Lime Rickey. Jewel-red-pink in color, fizzing with soda water, its sweetness cut by a tangy squeezed lime, just one sip instantly transports me to Brigham's or Bailey's in Harvard Square. Back in the day, .50 cents got you a large soda fountain drink. Vanilla Cokes were a close second, but not nearly as refreshing or summery.

So, yesterday, when my awesome friend and neighbor offered to let me pick "as many raspberries as you want" from her gorgeous garden, she didn't have to say it twice. Basket in hand, I must have eaten at least half of what I picked (while picking, because warm raspberries off the cane are truly blissful), but not so many that I didn't have enough left to make raspberry simple syrup for my very own Lime Rickey. Ahhh, to be 10 again, walking down Mount Auburn Street on a hot summer day, two quarters in hand, sure to run into friends, Hari Krishna's, street musicians, jugglers and any number of Cambridge characters.  I know I can never really go back there, and Brigham's and Bailey's are long gone, but on this steamy summer day, Lime Rickey in hand, that's where I'm going...until my glass is empty.

Homemade Raspberry Lime Rickey

(Makes a large pitcher -Adapted amounts for smaller or individual servings serving)

12 ounces homemade raspberry syrup (recipe below)

Juice of 8 large limes

32 ounces cold club soda

1. Fill a large pitcher or 8 glasses.
2. Pour 12 ounces of raspberry syrup and lime juice over ice, then top with club soda.
3. Stir to mix, and garnish with lime wedges, frozen raspberries and/or mint.

Raspberry Simple Syrup

4 cups raspberries
3 cups sugar
2 cups water

1.  Boil all the ingredients together for 10 minutes
2.  Strain through a double layer of cheese cloth, squeezing as much liquid as you can.
3.  Let cool.
4.  Refrigerate and use to add to Lime Rickey, ice tea, lemonade or anything your sweet heart desires.

(C) 2010-2011, What's Cooking in Your World?/ Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved 







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Day 149! Saint Kitts and Nevis - Curried Goat and Blackberry Jam Cake - Up Next, Saint Lucia

Our new kitten, Finn - not too sure about the ginger!

There are three things that must be known about tonight's meal representing Saint Kitts and Nevis: 1) I never, ever  pass up an opportunity to make curried goat, even if I've made it before, because it ranks among my top 10 favorite dishes. I simply can't help myself. 2) I made a teeny, little mistake while making the Jam Cake...I neglected to add the jam into the batter, thinking instead that it was meant to be icing between the two cake layers. But by the time I'd realized my error, the cake was already in the oven. However...sometimes mistakes lead to great things, and despite this little glitch, jam between two layers of spicy, dense cake can't be a bad thing - and it wasn't. I'll just have to make it again. 3) If you choose to make the curried goat, buy more than the recipe calls for, as once you've trimmed the fat/gristle and bone from the meat, you have far less that you thought you had, which you'll want to avoid because seconds are a no brainer.

Located in the Leeward Islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis is a federal two island nation in the West Indies.There are twodistinct islands in this Federation, namely St Kitts and Nevis. The smallest sovereign state in the Americas in area and population, the country was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493 when the island was populated by the Kalinago Indians. Due to the island's strategic location in the sugar trade, it was colonized by the Europeans in l 1623. Editorial comment from which I usually refrain: aside from "discovering", CC was an evil dude who mostly did way more harm than good to the land and people he exploited for his own gain.

Many of Saint Kitts and Nevis' culinary traditions have their roots in West African cooking as a result of the slave trade population brought in during the Colonial era. The country's rich soil supports a wide range of fresh produce and agriculture, as well as plentiful seafood from the Caribbean and Atlantic Oceans. Goat and poultry are staples and are prepared using typical West Indian spices such a curry, chutney, ginger and garlic. Some of the more popular dishes are Goat Water Stew, which uses bread fruit, pawpaw and droppers (dumplings) - which I would have made, but I couldn't get bread fruit today; Pelau, Conkies (like tamales but with a sweet potato filling, wrapped in banana leaves), rum and tropical fruit.

 Curried Goat - Buy more than the recipe calls for - curry, onions, ginger and chutney flavor the gravy

Jam Cake

Curried Goat (Adapted from Caribbean Choice)

2 lbs. goat, trimmed and cut into cubes
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. turmeric
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
2 tsp. grated ginger
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 tsp. cooking oil
1/4 cup tomato paste or ketchupt
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vinegar
3 Tbsp. chutney

Season the meat with garlic, salt, vinegar and hot pepper. Refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least one hour or overnight.
In a large heavy dutch oven, heat oil, add curry powder, then meat and brown.
Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer over a low flame until meat is tender - about 1-1/2 hour. Adjust seasoning and serve on a bed of rice.

Saint Kitts and Nevis Style Black Berry Jam Cake (Adapted from Caribbean Choice)

1-3/4 cups flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup seedless blackberry jam
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs

Mix all ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle (or by hand with a wooden spoon).
Pour into greased and floured 9-inch cake pans and bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes

Caramel Icing (optional)

1 stick sweet, unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup cream
1-1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

Combine the first 3 ingredients ans bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Sift the confectioner's sugar and beat into the mixture.

Final Assessment: How do I love thee, West Indian cuisine? I wish we had left over curry goat, because I'd have it for breakfast and lunch tomorrow. The cake - except for the jam confusion, it's a wonderful spice cake, of which there's only one piece left after a hoard of hungry teenagers stormed though the house an hour ago.


(C) 2010-2011, What's Cooking in Your World?/ Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved