Eat First

Mixology 101: Shaking things up at the Savvy Wine Cellar, Camillus

Watch a bartender make a cocktail these days and you might be left thinking you need a lot of fancy ingredients and equipment -- and a degree in chemistry -- to pull off cocktails at home. But all you really need is the RIGHT ingredients, a measuring glass, metal shaker, a jigger or shot glass, some simple math skills (2 ounces x 2 ounces = 4 ounces), a little confidence and a willingness to taste and experiment. 

 

I signed up for a workshop called Mixology 101 at the Savvy Wine Cellar, in Camillus, last month.

James Reed, bar manager at Pastabilities in downtown Syracuse, walked our group of 20-plus guests through four hand-crafted cocktails: a Margarita, Cosmopolitan, French 75 and Mint Julep. Each was very tasty (even the Julep; I'm not a bourbon fan) and easy to make. No powdered or liquid mixes, no blenders required.

Reed got things started with a Margarita, one of his favorites, "often done so incredibly poorly." He prefers his Margaritas on the rocks, minus salt on the rim. For both the Margarita and Cosmopolitan, Reed used freshly squeezed lime/lemon juice. "Rose's (bottled lime juice) is where a lot of people go wrong,'' he said.  See Reed's Margarita recipe, below.

 

For the Cosmopolitan, Reed used citrus vodka and Cointreau (orange flavored liqueur). You could substitute Grand Marnier, but stay away from Triple Sec, Reed said. "It's worth it to splurge.'' Reed's Mint Julep was loaded with fresh mint, and he didn't muddle the mint. "Just throw it in there, shake it up and let the mint do it's work,'' he suggested.

 

The big surprise of the evening was the French 75, a sparkling wine cocktail with gin as its base. It's a fizz-style drink -- Reed described it as an adaptation of a Tom Collins. It was light, crisp and refreshing, and would make a great brunch drink or recipe for a crowd to get a porch party or barbecue started. It's made with just four ingredients: gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and sparkling wine.

 

Reed selected middle shelf liquors, as opposed to "top shelf" liquors, to work with: Sobieski cytron vodka from Poland, Beefeater London Dry Gin (England), Espolon Tequila Blanco (Mexico) and Woodford Reserve bourbon whiskey.

 

The Savvy Wine Cellar, owned by Dale Record and Allison Palermo-Record, is at 5316 W. Genesee St., Camillus. The Records offer wine tastings at the tasting bar on Fridays and Saturdays each week, as well as frequent events, like wine and food and holiday meal pairings. Their sixth anniversary tasting event is coming up April 18. CLICK HERE for more information on Savvy Wine Cellar events.

 

Single-Serve Margarita (from bartender James Reed)

 

2 ounces tequila blanco

3/4 Cointreau (or Grand Marnier)

1/2 ounce lemon juice

1/2 ounce lime juice

3/4 ounce raw agave nectar

Salt for glass rim (optional)

 

Add ice to shaker set base, then add tequila, Cointreau/Grand Marnier, juices and raw agave nectar. Shake well. Pour through bar strainer and serve over ice in a glass. Makes one serving.

 

Macaroni and Cheese for Grown-Ups

My friend Peg Roblin Maroney, weathering the winter in Buffalo, has it right: "This abominable weather calls for the delicious cheesy comfort of a great mac and cheese,'' she said recently on Facebook.

It's March now, and while we might have had our fill of soups and stews and casseroles, the weather still calls for comfort. As I type this, the snowbanks are so high you can't see out of some windows. And it's snowing. Again. March brings "wintry mix."

This recipe, from the Canal House restaurant in New York City, is featured in Marian Burros'  2003 cookbook, "Cooking for Comfort: More Than 100 Wonderful Recipes That Are as Satisfying to Cook as They Are to Eat'' and was included in The Post-Standard Food section some years back. A friend reminded me about it. She said her kids didn't care for it, but that she liked to make this mac and cheese for herself and her husband.

 

Hence the nickname "Macaroni and Cheese for Grown-Ups." The flavor punch comes from extra extra sharp Cheddar cheese and a spoonful of Dijon mustard. It's really good. I mean REALLY good. Hard-to-eat-just-one-serving good.

 

Use the sharpest aged cheddar you can get your hands on and cavatappi instead of the usual macaroni elbows. We used four-year-old Great Great Grandad cheddar from Jewett's Cheese House, in Earlville.

Enjoy!

Canal House Macaroni and Cheese

(from "Cooking for Comfort,'' by Marian Burros)

1 cup diced onion
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups low-fat milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
10 ounces extra-sharp aged white Cheddar, grated, plus 2 ounces, grated
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
8 ounces cavatappi or other corkscrew pasta
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs, toasted on the stove (optional)

In a large saucepan, cook the onion over low heat in the melted butter until the onion is soft but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the flour. Remove from heat and whisk in the milk until thoroughly blended. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in mustard, 10 ounces Cheddar, salt, pepper, nutmeg and hot sauce.

Meanwhile, cook the cavatappi according to package directions until just al dente. Drain but do not rinse. Stir immediately into prepared cheese sauce until well blended. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Spoon the mixture into a 9-by-9-inch buttered baking dish. Top with the remaining 2 ounces of Cheddar and the Parmigiano-Reggiano, then top with the toasted panko breadcrumbs (if using). I recommend using them. They add a nice bit of crunch.

Place oven rack in the bottom third of oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake for about 30 minutes, until the mixture is hot, bubbling throughout, and golden. Makes 4 generous main course servings.

Note: The finished casserole can be refrigerated before baking. To serve, let the dish return to room temperature and bake as directed.