Oscar Cocktails: Her

In the film Her, recently separated Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) acquires a new smartphone with a hyper-intelligent operating system that he names Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) and forms a romantic attachment to. The movie is nominated for five Academy Awards, including Picture, Original Screenplay and, for its beautiful vision of a futuristic Los Angeles, Production Design.

One of the things I love most about Her is the film's colorful visual design. The sets, props and costumes in every scene are like a perfectly composed color palette. Thus, the Her cocktail is inspired by the colorful look of the film, as well as its refreshing take on human connection.

Oscar Cocktails: Her

1 oz gin
½ oz Aperol
½ oz Campari
½ oz ginger liqueur
2 oz. Italian lemon soda (San Pelligrino limonata)
Lemon wheel
Rosemary sprig

Combine gin, Aperol, Campari, ginger liqueur, and lemon soda in a rocks glass with ice. Stir to combine. Garnish with lemon wheel and rosemary sprig.

See all of this year's Oscar Cocktails.

Dallas Desserts Valentine's Day Edition: John Ross's Brownie-Blondie Sundae

Dallas Desserts is a collaboration with Dallas Decoder, the top fan site for classic Dallas and TNT Dallas. 

At the end of the second season of TNT's Dallas revival (which returns for its third season February 24), John Ross is really living up to his reputation as a bad boy. He'd just married Pamela Barnes, daughter of longtime Ewings' foe Cliff Barnes, but could not resist getting a little sugar on the side from Emma Ryland, daughter of his uncle Bobby's wife, Ann. He's his daddy's son through and through.

Along those lines, this is John Ross's perfect Valentine's Day sundae: anchored by a rich chocolate brownie with roasted peanuts...and a decadent peanut butter blondie with chocolate chips. With this sundae, the heir to the Ewing Oil legacy can have his cake and eat it too. Topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, dark chocolate sauce, chopped peanuts and whipped cream, this is as rich and delicious as the young Mr. Ewing himself.

John's Ross's Brownie-Blondie Sundae

1 3-inch square fudge brownie with peanuts (see recipe below)
1 3-inch square peanut butter blondie with chocolate chips (see recipe below)
1 generous scoop of vanilla ice cream
Drizzle of dark chocolate sauce (see recipe below)
1/4 chopped roasted peanuts
Sweetened whipped cream (see recipe here)

Place a brownie in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Top with a blondie (heat in the microwave for 20 second if desired). Place a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of the blondie. Drizzle the whole thing with chocolate sauce. Scatter chopped peanuts over the sundae and top with a generous dollop of freshly whipped cream.

Fudge Brownies with Peanuts
Adapted from Peanut Butter and Fudge Brownies with Salted Peanuts, Bon Appétit

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish
7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
4 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 13 X 9 baking dish with aluminum foil and butter the foil.

2. Heat 3/4 cup butter in a heavy large saucepan (at least 2 1/2 quarts) over low heat. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in sugar, vanilla and salt. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking to combine after each addition. Fold in the flour, then the nuts.

3. Spread batter evenly into prepared baking dish. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Place a rack to cool then cut into squares.

Peanut Butter Blondies
Adapted from a recipe by Jen's Favorite Cookies

1/4 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/3 cup (3 oz.) peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Combine butter, peanut butter and sugar in the bowl of stand mixer. Beat on medium-high until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until mixed well. Add salt and flour and beat on low speed until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

3. Line a 9 X 9 square baking dish with aluminum foil and brush with butter. Press dough into the baking dish. Bake until the top and edges are brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool then cut into squares.

Dark Chocolate Sauce
Adapted from The Best Chocolate Sauce Recipe, David Lebovitz

1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Whisk together water, sugar, corn syrup and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat. When the mixture just boils, remove from heat and stir in the chopped chocolate. Continue stirring until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Allow to cool and store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Oscar Cocktails: The Wolf of Wall Street

Director Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street unabashedly immerses itself in the vulgar, corrupt and greedy world of late 1980s Wall Street, based on the true-life story of Jordan Belfort. The film is nominated for Academy Awards for Picture, Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill), Director and Adapted Screenplay.

For The Wolf of Wall Street, I wanted a cocktail that the businessmen in the film could drink while closing deals. Inspired by the vodka martini, I used green chartreuse to represent money, lemon juice to signify the undervalued stocks (i.e. "lemons") Belfort's company peddles and powdered sugar to stand in as the, um, powder that also fuels the film's main characters.

1 1/2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. green chartreuse
1/2 oz. dry vermouth
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1 tsp. powdered sugar
Lemon twist (garnish)

Combine vodka, green chartreuse, dry vermouth, lemon juice and powdered sugar in a shaker with ice. Shake until cold and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with lemon twist.

See all of this year's Oscar Cocktails.

The Feed: February 12, 2014

Love hoppy beer? You really need to visit Oregon and try beers like these.

The Feed is my weekly round up of interesting food-related stories from newspapers, magazines, blogs and websites.

Washington Post: “Valentine’s Day tributes to the Food and appliances we love,” the Food section staff.
The whole gang gets into the act on this one: essays about their favorite food and kitchen appliances. I’m with Jim Webster (“there is nothing — nothing — I want for dinner more than a huge bowl of pasta”). Loved Jane Touzalin’s story about the only argument she ever won with her father because she could identify butter over margarine. And Bonnie Benwick’s commercial refrigerator is sure to stir jealousy in any home cook who ever brought home too much food to fit in the fridge.

Washington Post: “Hops: The beer ingredient (most) drinkers love,” by Greg Kitsock.
I’ll admit it, I’m a hophead. I love my beer with the biggest, bitterest hop kiss possible. Chris does too. I’ll bring home those craft beers with pictures of hops on the labels and he’ll declare them not hoppy enough. Kitsock looks at the rise in popularity of the little green cones in flavoring beer, which weren’t always the prize attraction they are today.

Closet Cooking: “Beef Wellington Tarts with Mushroom Blue Cheese Sauce,” by Kevin Lynch.
Beef Wellington is a Christmas tradition in our house, but I didn’t make it this year because I wanted to try something different. Shame this Closet Cooking recipe for a deconstructed version hadn’t come along, or I’d have definitely made it. This looks amazing. I love that he incorporated greens into the dish. Lynch offers this as a possible Valentine’s Day dinner for two. Sounds perfect.

Thrillist: “A Field Guide to Regional BBQ Styles in America,” by Adam Lapetina.
This is the best region-by-region explanation of the different types of barbecue, complete with signature dishes and examples of prime purveyors. I’d never heard of Alabama barbecue before (or the mayonnaise-based sauce popular in that iteration). Makes my mouth water just reading this.

New York Times: “If It’s Chili, It’s Personal,” by Jennifer Steinhauer.
Who doesn’t love chili? I made a whole week’s worth of chili recipes last year. Here, Steinhauer provides a good 101 on the subject, complete with recipes.

New York Times: “Why Can’t You Find That Wine?,” by Eric Asimov.
Asimov looks at why it’s hard to find certain wines—it has to do with distribution being different in every state—and offers helpful suggestions for those dedicated to finding a certain bottle, like Wine-Searcher.

Wall Street Journal: “Melted Cheese's Delicious Secret,” by Sarah Nassauer.
Cheese is great. But melted cheese is really something special. This distinction isn’t lost on foodmakers. Nassauer looks at the allure of melted cheese and efforts to capture it.

NPR: “Thank You, Shirley Temple, For The Original 'Mocktail',” by Eliza Barclay.
Child star Shirley Temple Black passed away this week. Barclay has a nice tribute to the actress and her namesake mocktail, which she didn’t invent but was apparently protective of.

Oscar Cocktails: 12 Years a Slave

The movie 12 Years a Slave begins in 1841 when Solomon Northup, a free man from Saratoga Springs, New York, is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Taken from his life and family, he spends 12 years working on several Louisiana plantations, subjected to increasingly cruel conditions. The deeply affecting film is nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Actor (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Supporting Actor (Michael Fassbender), Supporting Actress (Lupita Nyong'o) and Director (Steve McQueen).

As my starting point for the 12 Years a Slave drink, I used the Saratoga cocktail, a classic mix of brandy, whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters and lemon peel that was invented in the 19th Century in Saratoga Springs, New York. From there I modified the drink in ways to represent Northup's journey. Apple brandy is made in Virginia, near where Northup is kidnapped in Washington, D.C. I also rinsed the glass with Absinthe as a nod to the Sazerac, a classic cocktail invented in New Orleans where Northup is sold into slavery.

Oscar Cocktails: 12 Years a Slave

Absinthe, scant amount
1 oz. rye whiskey
1 oz. sweet vermouth
1 oz. apple brandy
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1/2 lemon wheel (garnish)

Rinse a chilled coupe glass with absinthe. Combine whiskey, sweet vermouth, apple brandy and angostura bitters in a cocktail mixing glass with ice. Stir until combined and chilled, then strain into the chilled coupe. Garnish with lemon wheel.

See all of this year's Oscar Cocktails.

Smoky Winter Salad

One of my favorite combinations for a winter salad is apple or pear with nuts (walnuts or pecans) and blue cheese, plus greens. Here I've taken that combo and put a smoky spin on it.

Three ingredients contribute smoky flavor to this winter salad: smoked salt for seasoning the chicken, smoked paprika in the dressing and smoked blue cheese.

Smoky Winter Salad

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
12-14 oz. chicken breast cutlets
Generous pinch of smoked sea salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 walnuts, coarsely chopped
4 cups baby arugula leaves
1 pink lady or honey crisp apple, peeled, cored and cubed (may substitute another type of apple or a pear)
2-3 tbsp. crumbled smoked blue cheese (such as Moody Blue or Rogue)

Dressing:
1 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 or 2 tsp. maple syrup (use the real stuff, not maple-flavored corn syrup)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Pat chicken cutlets dry with a paper towel and add to the pan. Season with smoked salt, garlic powder, fresh rosemary and black pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, turning halfway through until lightly browned and cooked through. Set aside to cool a bit then cut into strips.

2. Heat a small frying pan over medium-low heat and toast walnuts until fragrant (be careful they don't burn). Remove from pan to cool before adding to salad.

3. Combine the walnuts, arugula, apple and blue cheese in a large bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients, pour over salad and toss to combine. Serve topped with strips of chicken.

Oscar Cocktails 2014

When it comes to hobbies, cooking is my #1, but good movies are right up there as well. I follow the Oscars intently every year. I never miss the nominations announcement, where the inevitable surprises and snubs are revealed. I like to predict the winners (lately in a betting pool that includes only me and my husband). And of course, I watch the Academy Awards, which will air this year Sunday, March 2 on ABC.

And like last year, I'm creating cocktails to celebrate this year's slate of Best Picture nominees.

It's a great crop of movies, stronger even than last year I think. If there's a theme that runs through most of these pictures this year, it's separation: Solomon Northup from his family and his freedom in 12 Years a Slave, Philomena Lee from her long-lost son in Philomena, Richard Phillips from his crew during his abduction in Captain Phillips, and Ryan Stone from anything earthly in Gravity. A secondary theme I'd call the big hoax or swindle also runs through several films, notably American Hustle, Nebraska, The Wolf of Wall Street and also 12 Years a Slave. Then there's Her which, although it seems like it could be a film about isolation, or even a hoax, actually has a lot to say about human connection.

As I post the drinks in the next few weeks, I'll update this page with links to them. Just like last year's line-up, they range in complexity and style, including a beer cocktail and a dessert cocktail. Several are riffs on popular drinks while others are wholly new inventions. No complicated equipment is needed to make them, but there is an interesting homemade syrup and a vodka infusion. There will also be a bonus cocktail for a film that isn't a Best Picture nominee but is up for several other awards.

American Hustle: Looks and even tastes like a Pimm's Cup but is actually a forgery made with other ingredients.

Captain Phillips: (Captain) Morgan Rum plus (Phillips) Screwdriver ingredients is the formula for this cocktail sweetened with a Somali-spiced syrup.

Dallas Buyers Club: Barrel-aged gin & tonic inspired by Ron Woodruff's quest for treatments to support better health and longer life.

Gravity: Made to look like outer space with enough booze to make you feel weightless. 

Her: Gin cocktail inspired by the film's colorful production design and refreshing take on modern relationships.

Nebraska: Beer cocktail with moonshine and other ingredients inspired by the film's namesake state.

Philomena: Cold dessert cocktail inspired by Irish coffee and the film's Ireland and U.S. connections.

12 Years a Slave: Saratoga cocktail modified to represent Solomon Northup's journey from freedom to slavery.

The Wolf of Wall Street: Like a shady business deal, this is a vodka martini tinted green like money and sweetened with a little powder (sugar, that is).

(Bonus) Blue Jasmine: Jasmine tea-infused vodka martini with blue curaçao inspired by the film's title and Jasmine's love for Stoli martinis.

Want just the recipes for reference? They're all here in one post.

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