Some Holiday Cheer With Prairie Organic Vodka

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We are knee deep in the holiday season. This time of year is all about fabulous cocktails to go with great food. Just as we are concerned about the quality of what we eat, we should  apply that criteria to our our wines and spirits. If you are like me , I love to roam the aisles and see all the exciting new brands in spirits category. Its refreshing to see innovative, creative and organic brands sharing space and competing with the more mainstream brands. Prairie Vodka has caught my eye this holiday season and is a favorite of the actor Jeremy Piven (Chicagoan’s have great taste). I have provided  some cocktails for your guests this holiday.Cheers and  Enjoy ! I shall be back back with some cookie posts and a giveaway or two soon.

Actor -Jeremy Piven-as an advocate for green and sustainable living Piven recently contacted Phillips Distilling Co. about his affection for Prairie and that his Malibu home’s bar is completely stocked with their vodka.

Prairie Organic Vodka is made with great respect for people and communities; the result of a unique partnership between a fifth-generation distilled spirits company and a co-op of over 900 Minnesota farmers who are stakeholders in the brand.Taste:

Prairie Organic Vodka is beautifully smooth. With hints of melon and pear on the nose, creaminess on the palate, and a bright, smooth finish, it rivals most luxurious vodkas in the world

Organic:

Prairie Organic Vodka begins with certified organic #2 yellow corn raised by the farmers who own the distillery. In order to be certified organic by the USDA, the growing process cannot use genetically modified seeds, artificial fertilizers, hormones, weed controllers, or pesticides. It’s a lot more work for the farmers at a much steeper expense. In fact, Prairie’s organic corn costs more than twice as much as conventionally farmed corn but the result is well worth it; a natural and ideal base for making luxury organic vodka.

Kosher:

Prairie Organic Vodka is one of a handful of spirits certified kosher by The Orthodox Union and organic by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) which requires that the entire process, from the field all the way to the shelf, be completely free of synthetic chemicals, pesticides and genetically modified seeds and enzymes.

  • Sustainable Production key points:
    • Corn kernels are removed, dried, then milled and blended with water.
    • The leftover cobs and other biomass are converted to biogas energy for heating the stills.
    • Natural enzymes are added to convert starches to sugar, then natural yeast converts the sugar to carbonic acid and alcohol.
    • Alcohol is removed via column distillation, and leftover distillers grains are returned to farms for re-use as feed

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Recipes:

Red Hawk

  • 2 parts Prairie Organic Vodka
  • 2 parts pomegranate juice
  • A squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Shake over ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a fresh mint leaf.

Lady Killer

  • 2 oz        Prairie Organic Vodka
  • .25 oz     Aperol
  • .5 oz       Fresh Grapefruit Juice
  • .75 oz     Fresh Lemon Juice
  • .75 oz     Simple Syrup
  • Dash     Fennel Extract

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with frozen pomelo tossed in honey & ouzo.

The Prairie Cranberry Ginger Martini

Ingredients

  • 3 oz. Prairie Organic Vodka
  • 2 oz. cranberry ginger puree
  • 1 squeeze fresh lime

Directions

Combine ingredients and ice in a shaker. Shake well, strain into a martini glass, garnish with a few cranberries. Cranberry Ginger Puree: Combine 2 cups frozen cranberries, 2 tbsp fresh ginger; 4 cups water, 1 orange, juiced and zest; 1 cup sugar; 1 pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes; remove from heat and let cool. Blend until smooth and strain.

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Krumkakes… A Saveur Cookie Challenge

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Krumkake has been on my radar for years. The only thing preventing me making some was the lack of equipment. On Ebay I found a old school cast iron Krumkake iron  and won the the bid for $16 plus shipping. The price coming in far less than a new  electric Krumkake maker.

Krumkakes are a crisp Norwegian cookie that according to my friend Becca is a the predecessor to the waffle cone. At this time of year, especially in areas full of Norwegian descendants, they yearn for Krumkakes , just like Grandma used to make. Well my grandmothers weren’t Norwegian, but Nigerian and American,but I can understand the longing. After the initial fail rate of badly burnt Krumkakes, I got the hand and managed to to make some pretty respectable cookies. Lacking the cone shaped Krumkake former, I used cannoli tubes and a pointed turkey baster. I got a more cannoli shaped cookie.

The intricate designs didn’t transfer as strong as I would have liked. I’m assuming this was due the age and wear and tear of the iron. But nevertheless, I was very satisfied. I filled my cookies with Whipped Cream infused with Apricot Brandy and stabilized with Dr. Otekers Whip It. Don’t fill your Krumkake until you are ready to eat. The shells keep for a few days in a airtight container.

As I said before . dont get discouraged. After a few you will get the hang of it. See.They are really delicious and just crumble in your mouth. So delicate, so be careful.

The cardamon scented batter is quite thick and all you need is tablespoon full per cookie.

Click here for the recipe and enjoy! Be sure to check out my other baking friends. We have been through Gourmet, and Bon Appetite. This year we chose a cookie a week from Nick Malgieri’s choices at Saveur.

Check out the other Smart Cookies in our Holiday Baking Pursuits.

Holiday Punch With Talenti Sorbetto…Sparkling Roman Raspberry Punch

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This post is long overdue, but I wanted to create something special with the Talenti Sobetto and Gelatos I received a while back. Certain Someone and I have been enjoying this terrific product immensely since receiving them.

…perhaps many of your readers may be interested in a refreshing cold dessert that is free of dairy, but still decadent and delicious.Talenti Hill Country Peach Champagne Sorbetto is made with the purest of ingredients such as peaches, purified water, cane sugar, champagne, oranges, lemons and white wine. After which the Talenti family incorporates the gorgeous ingredients using the artisanal methods made famous in Italy. Talenti Peach Champagne Sorbetto has zero saturated fats, zero trans fats and is cholesterol-free.Talenti Hill Country Peach Champagne Sorbetto is wonderful for people with dairy sensitivities, because it is not made from dairy by-products of any-kind.  Talenti Sorbettos come in a variety of flavors and are sweeping the nation as one of the top luxury cold desserts of choice.

I received about thirteen gelatos and sorbets . The flavors are incredible.My favorite being the Dulce de Leche. But other than eating them , I brainstormed what more I could do with them. Talenti suggested the classic Bellini.

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Talenti Bellini:

  • Talenti Sorbetto
  • Prosecco, Champagne or Sparkling Wine
  • Champagne Flute

Directions:  Simply dollop a spoonful of your chosen flavor of Talenti Sorbetto into the bottom of a champagne flute and top off with chilled Prosecco, Champagne or Sparkling Wine.  Serve and Enjoy!

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…But when the holidays come around I think of my mother. She was known for her punches. No holiday, birthday, or gathering wouldn’t be complete without a punch of hers. At her memorial service her good friend eulogized about Jackie and her punch bowl. It was beautiful. So inspired by her her, I give you Sparkling Roman Raspberry Punch made with Talenti Sorbetto. Plus the art of Punch seems to making a comeback.Happy Holidays!

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Sparkling Roman Raspberry Punch

  • Roman Raspberry Talenti Sorbetto
  • 2 bottles Sparkling Apple Cider
  • 1 16oz bag of frozen raspberries
  • 1 cup good rum
  • 1 cup Cointreau

In a punch bowl place frozen raspberries. Add rum and Cointreau. Muddle. Add Sorbetto. Mash it up a bit. Add Sparkling Apple Cider. mix to dissolve the sorbetto. Serve.

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*Roepke Public Relations contacted Coco Cooks and arranged for the delivery of Talenti samples. My opinions are given freely and are unbiased.

Caramel Crumb Bars…Cookies We Love, A Saveur Cookie Challenge

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Can it be that time of year again? A year ago, our group of bakers were challenging ourselves  for a second year of  12 Days of Cookies . At the beginning its all fun, but midway one starts to run out of steam with all of the other holiday demands. For that reason we didn’t decide until last minute to do it again. It’s a love hate thing with the cookies, but we do miss it so. It wouldn’t be the holidays without baking. Rather than add any more pressure or calories, to our already busy lives, we are keeping it light and easy this year. We love  Nick Malgieri’s Smart Cookies From Around the World, in Saveur, we are going to just do a cookie a week for the month of December.The option to do more if desired, is always open.

So to begin , I’m starting off with a favorite from New Zealand, Caramel Crumb Bars. A bar type cookie built on shortbread, with a spread of caramel , and then more crumble.Buttery, crumbly, and chewy with a rich caramel, they are simply sensational. I’m tempted to make another batch with nuts perhaps. I could easily eat the whole tray. Click here for the recipe. I found the recipe easy to throw together. Just be mindful of the instructions, as you will not be using all of the butter or flour at the same time. While I worked on the caramel, I chilled my sheet pan in the freezer. The only other word of caution I can give is to watch that caramel and keep stirring. But all in all this is simple recipe with maximum flavor.

Check out the other Smart Cookies in our Holiday Baking Pursuits.

Hummingbird Cake from Tates Bake Shop Cookbook and a Giveaway

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I love success stories such as Kathleen King’s from Tate’s Bake Shop in South Hampton. Her fans are legion from Gwyneth, Rachel Ray and Ina Garten, who wrote the forward for the Tate’s Bake Shop Cookbook.  From tasting the cookies,reading about her and Tate’s, I see Kathleen King is a perfectionist. Her baked goods are Americana, simply. For all the macarons, financiers, and elaborate tortes, there is a simple perfection in American Pastry that cant be rivaled. Tate’s cookies are crisp and buttery , and taste like something I would bake myself. And that’s what won me over.

Thumbing through Tate’s Bake Shop Cookbook with a foreword from Ina Garten, I knew I had to make the Hummingbird Cake. I have heard of this cake only recently and was intrigued. A Southern favorite similar to carrot cake , but composed of bananas, pineapple,pecans, and in this particular recipe coconut. It’s a simple,wholesome cake that any banana fan,will love. I took extra liberty and added some rum  to the cream cheese frosting , as these ingredients screamed for it in my opinion.

According to Kathleen…

“All the recipes in this book should take less time to make than it would to go to a store to buy a commercially prepared baked good…”

The Giveaway

I am offering a giveaway for one lucky reader in the United States.Please leave a comment to be eligible.I will chose one winner from a random drawing by Saturday December 4, 2010.

You will have an extra chance of winning if you become a fan of Tate’s on Facebook. Please let me know on your comment here if you did join their Fan Page .

You will receive a gift box of Tate’s Cookies and The Tate’s Bake Shop Cookbook.

All of my readers can use this discount  code  “cookie” until December 31 for 15% off any tatesbakeshop.com purchase.

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Tate’s Bake Shop Hummingbird Cake

adapted from Tate’s Bake Shop Cookbook by Kathleen King

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups of very ripe mashed bananas
  • 1 8z can crushed pineapple drained
  • 1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut (Angel Flake can be used if other item is unavailable)
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla

* I decorated my cake with ground pecans

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Grease two 9×2 inch cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment.
  3. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon , and salt.
  4. In another large mixing bowl , beat together oil and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well.
  5. Scrape down the sides.
  6. Add the mashed bananas, pineapple, coconut, and pecans, and vanilla.
  7. Mix well.
  8. Add the flour mixture, and scrape down sides to ensure all is mixed well.
  9. Divide the mixture evenly between both cake pans. Fill until almost full, as this cake batter does not rise too much.
  10. Bake cake for 40-45 minuted or until a cake tester or toothpick stuck int eh center comes out clean.
  11. Cool cake in pans for 10 minutes.
  12. Turn them out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
  13. Ice with cream cheese frosting or whipped cream.

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