Okay, here we go, the first lemonade. Lesse, if my post will come through without too much mangling. edit: not too bad, as a bonus, here is a pic of 15 of the flavors: (http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/1030001928-300x225.jpg)
Lemonade Insanity: 1. Lemonade Prime (http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/?p=312) (http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lemonadelogo1.jpg) (http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lemonadelogo1.jpg)
Sandwiches aren’t the only thing I do. This summer I discovered the superiority of home made virgin lemonade. Virgin means that the ingredients are simple and pure: lemons, sugar, and water. I let my friend Jennifer try some and she was so impressed she made some of her own and took it up a notch or three; we ended up making 18 different flavors of lemonade! I’m going to share them over the coming weeks.
Lemons: (http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lemonade1c-regular-300x259.jpg)The most important thing is the lemon juice has to be squeezed from the lemons directly and used right away. Lemon juice takes on a different flavor after about twelve hours from squeezing, so freshness is important. You can use a reamer or a juicer to gather your juice in a large container. Tip: toss your lemons in the microwave for a few seconds per lemon and roll the lemon to get the most juce. We used a wire mesh strainer to keep out the seeds. This also keeps out the pulp, so if you like pulpy lemonade toss some back in the lemon juice when done. I typically add 1 tablespoon pulp per 1 cup of lemon juice.
Sugar: (http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lemonade1a-regular-300x256.jpg) (http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lemonade1a-regular.jpg)
Sugar in its granulated form takes a lot of stirring to mix into Lemonade, otherwise you end up with a layer of sugar in the bottom of the pitcher. The best solution is to make simple syrup. All it takes to make simple syrup is one part water to one part sugar in a sauce pan on low heat. Once all the sugar is dissolved, the syrup is ready to use. I like to add a few scrapes of lemon zest (rind of the lemon) to the simple syrup to give it a nice lemony smell. Not too much, about a quarter of the lemon for 1 cup, depending on the fragrance of your lemons
Water: (http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lemons-225x300.jpg)
So, what I’ve found to be the best ratio for Lemonade is one part lemon juice, one part simple syrup, and six parts water. That means one cup of juice and 1 cup of syrup will give you two quarts of lemonade, or four decent sized glasses. always pour your lemonade into a cup filled with lots of ice, the colder the lemonade is the better. Some people use about four parts water to their lemonade, but I’ve found that to be much too strong. You can always add ice to you pitcher if it is still too intense.
Straight up Lemonade will last about five days in the fridge, but it tastes the best the first day. The flavor will grow stronger the next day, both the lemon and the sweetness will intensify.
(http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lemonade1d-regular1-300x277.jpg)
So there you have it, the first lemonade of my series. It’s pure and simple, easy to make and it tastes great. There is a weird feeling of accomplishment I feel after making a batch of lemonade. I hope there are other people out there that are as passionate about lemonade as we are. Check back in the coming weeks for more flavors of lemonade we have tried.
The Ingredients:
- 1 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup simple syrup (lemon zest to taste)
- 6 cups water
Hey Mop, here is the strawberry lemonade you was asking about.
Lemonade Insanity 3: Strawberry Lemonade (http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/?p=357) (http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lemonadelogo1.jpg) (http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lemonadelogo1.jpg)
(http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/strawberries-225x300.jpg) (http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/strawberries.jpg) Strawberry Lemonade is probably the most common form of flavored lemonade, it is a popular virgin drink at restaurants and juice bars. Its popularity is deserved though, because it tastes great!
One of the most important things to remember about berry lemonade of any sort is a little goes a long way. The strawberry flavor can quickly overpower the lemonade taste. Some people like it that way, but I like a nice balance between the two. Also, don’t use strawberry jam or syrup. It will add too much sweetness to the lemonade.
If strawberries aren’t in season, you can use frozen strawberries, they taste almost as good but they are generally a little sweeter.
To make our strawberry lemonade you will need a food processor, cause we want to grind the strawberries to a nice paste. a generous half cup of strawberries should be enough for a two quart batch of lemonade.
(http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lemonade3a-strawberry1-300x294.jpg) (http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lemonade3a-strawberry1.jpg) Core out the stems, throw the strawberries into the mixer and make your paste. Next, grab a mesh strainer and pour in your strawberry paste. Use a spoon to push it through and filter out the seed and big chunks. What is left over is a lovely pink color.
Add about a quarter cup of the strained strawberry paste to your 2 quarts of lemonade and stir. The lemonade turns a nice pinkish hue.
It tastes delicious! It will be a little stronger the next day, so don’t overdo it on the strawberries. If you like the pulp, you can throw in the strawberry paste without straining it, but keep in mind you will have a fruit film floating on top.
(http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lemonade3b-strawberry-225x300.jpg) (http://www.extreme-sandwiches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lemonade3b-strawberry.jpg)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Lemon Juice
- 1 cup simple syrup (lemon zest to taste)
- 6 cups water
- 1/4 cup strawberry paste
I have made these burritos (http://talkbacker.com/talkbacker/talkbacker-burritos/id=21319) a couple of times now and they are really great. Highly recommended. It's not my recipe but it's damn good.
I will attempt a copy/paste of the recipe here too in case the link doesn't work. It can be finicky for some reason. The pictures and format won't work and all that but at least you will have the recipe.
Talkbacker Burritos[/size][/size][/color][/size][/font][/size][/color]Talkbacker Burritos (aka Willard’s Incredible Burritos!)First things first: I’m not messing around here. These burritos take a long time to make and they demand care and attention to detail. And they will absolutely kick your ass when you eat them, so if you decide to try to make these for yourself, please, proceed with some fucking respect. End preamble.Okay, this is a recipe that I have developed over a few years of trial and error. It started as a way of making a better frozen burrito — I used to eat a lot of frozen burritos before it occurred to me that they’re mostly disgusting. Many of the techniques I use/choices I make are most assuredly not what an actual chef or a cook would do. I don’t know what an actual chef would do. They probably never touch ground beef, for starters, and would certainly avoid any pre-packaged seasonings like the plague. It’s important to note too, that these are not meant to be authentic. But, if you follow this recipe to the letter, I can pretty much guarantee that your taste buds will yell “hooray!”, and that’s all that counts.
YOU WILL NEED:
2 medium onions, variety optional (but Yellow work nicely)
Several cloves of garlic, depending on tolerance, up to an entire head
Some butter and some olive oil (and please, spend a couple of bucks on your olive oil, will ya?)
1 cup high-grade Basmati rice* (the cultural incongruity here is irrelevant)
750 – 1000 grams (1 1/2 – 2 lbs) extra-lean ground beef
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups V8
1/2 cup Guinness Draught (the remainder of the can is consumed by the chef as a bonus)
Hot sauce to taste. This can include Tabasco, Frank’s, or whatever you have on hand really. If you want to be fucking professional, however, you will get yourself some Cholula sauce.
La Costeña** Taquera sauce
1 can (546 ml) La Costeña Refried Pinto Beans
1 package Old El Passo Burrito mix. This must be the Burrito package. The Taco or Fajita ones will not do. I’ve tried them and they fail.
1 – 2 packages Casa Mendosa*** large flour tortillas (they come in packs of ten, and this recipe will yield approx 12-15 burritos)
1 tbsp (approx) chili powder
1 tsp brown sugar
Salt and pepper (fresh ground) to taste
Old cheddar cheese, shredded
*Getting good rice is important. I have had disastrous experiences with cheap grocery store “Basmati”. I recommend Elephant Brand first, followed by Suraj. Both good brands sold in distinctive burlap sacs. There are probably other fine brands if you ask around or know how to google things.
**La Costeña is a brand imported from Mexico that makes various canned and bottled Mexican convenience foods. They sit in the isle next to the Old El Paso, for less than half the price and more than double the quality. I highly recommend them.
***Casa Mendosa Large Flour Tortillas work far better than almost anything else. Most wraps will break if you try to fold them. These work beautifully. If you cannot find them, I hope you know of another option. Not all tortillas are created equal, I will tell you that.
Stage One: RiceThe rice will be a brighter shade of red than it appears to be in this photo. Camera phones.This is a quasi-Spanish rice that I invented in a fit of whimsy. I call it Willard’s Incredible Quasi-Spanish Rice. Preparation of the rice is a two-stage process. There is the rice itself, the preparation of which sounds odd but actually works, and secondly, there is a mix of onion and garlic that will be combined with the rice to arrive at the final product.
Start by adding one cup of rice to a medium-sized pot. Then, add 1 cup of chicken stock, 1 cup of V8, a smear of butter, 1 (very approximate) tbsp chili powder, and as much hot sauce as you think you can handle (salt is not necessary as it is typically present in the stock), and bring just to a boil. Immediately turn the burner as low as it will go and cover the pot (if it’s boiling too fiercely, give it a moment to simmer down before covering it to avoid a boil-over. This isn’t an issue on a gas stove, but might be on an electric or smooth-top). Leave it alone for 20 minutes, then remove from heat and let it sit without removing the lid. After 5 minutes, remove lid, and give it a good stir to mix it all up — a lot of the saucy mix mix will have settled on the top.
In the meantime, chop an onion as finely as your hands are capable. Also chop as much garlic as you feel you can reasonably stand. If you have any balls, you will chop at least 4 or 5 cloves, but there’s no shame in only doing 3 if you think you can’t handle it. Any less, and your burritos will begin to suffer, but I understand some people just hate garlic. In an absolute worst-case-scenario, I will permit you to use freeze-dried or minced garlic from a jar. Chop ‘em as fine as you can. Add these to a large skillet, and fry with a very liberal dose of olive oil and some butter (more olive oil than butter). I’m not really sure of the amounts as I always eyeball things, but use more than you would think you need. The reason for this is that you are transferring all of that garlic and onion flavour into the oil, and the oil will coat the rice when it’s ready. Fry this for a good 10 minutes or so on medium heat, along with a good dash of salt and and a heavy sprinkling of coarsely ground pepper. When it looks done (the onions are clear), add the rice. Mix well, and voila! Willard’s Incredible Quasi-Spanish Rice.
Stage Two: Beef & Bean Filling1) Beef and onion. So Willard. 2) The liquid stage. 3) Evaporate fully. 4) Add beans.Next is the beef and bean mix. Brown the beef in a large skillet, and by brown, I mean really fry the snot out of it. You don’t want grey meat. You want brown meat. Get it so you have little brown crusties of burnt meat goodness on the bottom. Then add your onion, garlic, fresh-ground pepper, salt, and continue to fry for a few minutes, until the onions soften up. Add 1 cup chicken broth, the Guinness, 1 cup V8, hot sauce, the Old El Paso Burrito mix, the brown sugar, and mix thoroughly. Simmer at medium heat. This will take a little time to simmer down, so drink the remainder of the Guinness and enjoy yourself. You want to evaporate out all of the liquid, especially since we’ve added the Guinness. I can’t tell you exactly what adding dark ale does to a dish, but it does something. However, that can be ruined by not boiling out all of the booze. So allow it to simmer until the mixture is firm. Turn off the heat, add the can of refried beans, and mix it all up. This might look a little unappealing, but it’s all going inside the burrito so that’s not an issue. And there you have your beef and bean mix.
Stage Three: Building Your Tasty BurritoKeep the filling in the bottom half so it will fold, and don’t fill too full.Throw that sucker right on the flame, and get a thin layer of sour cream going.Now we make the actual burritos. Take your tortilla, and heat it up. You need to do this for two reasons: first, it makes it more pliable, and secondly, in the method I describe, it makes it taste better. If you have a gas stove, this works great, just turn on a burner and lay the wrap over it for a second or two, right over the flame, moving it around quickly to get it evenly warmed. A little bit of black is great, this will improve the flavour of the wrap quite a bit. If you don’t have a gas stove, you can just use a pan. I don’t know how well that will work, though. I have a gas stove. (Although, I have had good results from a glass-top. Just lay it right on there and flip with a metal spatula after a moment.) Next, lay it flat and spread about a spoonful of sour cream evenly over the entire surface of the tortilla. This will act as the glue when we wrap it up. Now, in the bottom half of the tortilla, add about a quarter-cup of the beef and bean mixture, in a bit of an elongated shape (like a burrito!). Cover this with as much cheese as you like, followed by a little less rice than the amount of the beef mix that you added. Pour over a little taquera sauce (or whatever salsa you can find), and wrap it all up by folding the bottom half up and tucking it under, then folding in the sides, and completing the turn. Go ahead and make yourself a couple of these, and then plate ‘em up and nuke them for about a minute on high, to make sure the cheese is melted. Let sit for a minute, and then dig in, adding hot sauce as desired. You now have yourself some Talkbacker Burritos!All we need now is a musket and we’re ready for shenanigansA quick note here: If properly constructed, these burritos should be considered finger-food. No fork required. They hold together quite nicely and should not spill any fillings out onto the plate. Very nice if you plan on eating them whilst reading the Dojo.
Bon appétit![/color][/size][/font][/color][/size][/font][/size][/color]