Creative Sanctuary

Archives for December 2018

Creative Spirits: Maple Pecan Tea Toddy

By Allison

maple pecan tea toddy

Do you have a few neglected bottles of liquor gathering dust in a cabinet?  Since I like the idea of spirits more than I actually like to sip them, my tiny selection of whiskeys and liqueurs is neglected most of the time.  This winter, I’ve decided to get creative with the spirits languishing on my bar cart, and I’m inviting you along for the ride! In the next few months, my Creative Spirits series will provide straightforward beverage recipes made with accessible ingredients.  For those of us who aren’t likely to serve stronger alcohols, I will develop recipes that incorporate modest amounts of whiskeys and liqueurs to complement other ingredients in the drinks.  This is not a time to pull out your finest bourbons.  Aim for reliable middle-of-the road spirits that are appropriate for mixing, rather than your expensive bottles that should be saved for tasting.

Let’s begin with my Maple Pecan Tea Toddy.  I suggest serving this as a soothing dessert on a chilly night.  I begin by preparing Southern Pecan Black Tea and adding maple syrup, a little bourbon, and finishing it off with a cinnamon stick.  Easy as pie.  Happy Holidays!

Maple Pecan Tea Toddy

Created by on December 24, 2018

maple pecan tea toddy Tiny white chocolate chips add a creamy sweetness to Elmwood Inn’s Southern Pecan Black Tea.  I add a touch of maple syrup to this Tea Toddy, which pairs well with the caramel notes of Kentucky Bourbon.

Ingredients

  • 4 fl oz brewed Elmwood Inn Southern Pecan Black Tea
  • 1/2 fl oz wheated bourbon, such as Maker's Mark
  • 1 tsp. maple syrup, or to taste
  • 1 cinnamon stick, optional

Instructions

  1. Add bourbon to hot tea, then add maple syrup, stirring to dissolve. Serve with cinnamon stick, if desired.

Inspirations

Having fun with iced tea garnishes

Sparkling Apple Spice Tea Cocktail

 

Timeless Strasbourg

By Allison

strasbourg petite franceAll moments, past, present and future, always have existed, always will exist.
–Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five

Strasbourg, France is one of my moveable feasts. Years on, my glorious and trying stint in Strasbourg moves with me and through me. The city has accompanied me in my successive endeavors. I protect Strasbourg. I revel in Strasbourg. I share Strasbourg. On occasion, I return to this cherished touchstone city.

Last night, when tragedy struck in my old stomping grounds, I realized that a part of me still inhabits Strasbourg. If I’ve kept this place with me through the years, I now understand that I also left a slightly younger, more naïve self in the stunning city on the banks of the Ill River. Removed from time, I still gaze at the pink sandstone cathedral in the center of town, I wander the uneven pedestrian ways of La Petite France, and I frequent the Marché des Producteurs on Saturday mornings. I pop into chic boutiques, and I track down the flakiest baguette in the city.

The Christmas market violence that rocked Strasbourg also shook me.  It rattled all of us who entrust our more innocent, wide-eyed selves to this timeless place.

Inspriations

On Love graffiti in Paris

A favorite Strasbourg tea spot

Color Crush

By Allison

creamy vegetable dipsI love a beautiful cheese board. I love savory and toothsome charcuterie. This holiday season, though, I’m making a departure from my savory standbys. This year, I want bright, crisp vegetables to take the place of the denser, fattier meats and cheeses that I usually serve.

As much as possible, I’m keeping fresh, chopped vegetables on hand—endives, bell peppers, celery, and cucumbers. And I’m experimenting with creamy and delectable vegetable dips that get their heft from tahini, nuts, or dairy. I am not depriving my guests or myself! My colorful combos make for a sturdy snack or a pleasing appetizer. They can also stand in for salad at dinnertime.

So what’s my strategy? I pull out the food processor and whip up a few dips. Since I keep my food processor in a storage closet, I make good use of it and prepare a few dips at once that will keep for several days in the refrigerator. I aim for different colors and textures in my vegetable and dip boards. Endives are a favorite dipper, due to their shape and their mild bitterness. Sliced bell peppers are always in the rotation. Everyone reaches for the whole wheat pita triangles.  I favor under-appreciated celery.

I’ve found so many recipes for vegetable-based dips—all perfect in their own way—that I have yet to develop my own recipes. Below, you will find the links to three of my favorites, all of which will keep in the refrigerator for at least 4 days. Just make sure to give them a good stir and to freshen them with a little salt, pepper, or olive oil, if needed.

Roasted Butternut Squash Dip, Bon Appétit

Greek Goddess Dip, New York Times

Muhammara, New York Times (there are so many recipes for this Syrian spread on the internet!)