You can’t go wrong with Petaluma’s Lagunitas Brewing Company’s Brown Shuggah’ and Chico-based Sierra Nevada’s Celebration Ale, as well as seasonal favorites from San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing and 21st Amendment Brewery. Closer to home, Tied House in Mountain View sells a Mule Tide by the grolwer or the keg, and Gordon Biersch brews Winter Bock, available by the bottle. For Mexican beer aficionados, Noche Buena is a fun alternative thanks to its gold foil label with a festive red poinsettia and old-time Christmas lettering. December 2015/January 2016 71 simmer for 30 minutes. Puree. Add cream if desired. Finish with salt, pepper and whole butter. ROAST GARLIC CUSTARD From John Bentley, John Bentley’s Restaurant, Redwood City. Wow your guests with this unusual cracker or crostini spread. Serves six. ½ cup roast garlic puree 2 ½ cups cream 5 whole eggs Salt Pinch of cayenne pepper • Mix all ingredients together and portion into 4 ounces ovenproof ramekins. Bake in water bath at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes. For the port wine, shiitake mushrooms and caramelized pecan sauce: 1 teaspoon chopped shallot Pinch of freshly chopped thyme 3 ounces ruby port • In a saucepan, burn off alcohol. Then add: 8 ounces veal stock ½ cup sliced shitake mushrooms ¼ cup caramelized pecans • Simmer 10 minutes; salt and pepper to taste. Serve over custard with toasted croutons. GINGERBREAD, SOFT CREAM/SATSUMA TANGERINES From Jeffrey Stout, Orchard City Kitchen. Here’s a delectable tabletop treat for a sit-down affair or bite-size bits that look yummy stacked on trays. Satsuma Tangerines • Roast tangerines on sheet pan at 350 for five minutes. Peel all skin and pith as much as possible. Poach in simple syrup and allow to cool in the simple syrup. Gingerbread 20 cups all purpose flour 6 teaspoons ground cinnamon 4 teaspoons ground cloves 5 teaspoons black pepper 5 teaspoons salt 7 ½ cups molasses 7 ½ cups grapeseed oil 7 ½ cups sugar 7 ½ cups water 5 tablespoons baking soda 5 cups chopped ginger fresh 20 eggs beaten at room temperature • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. • Whisk together flour, cinnamon, cloves, pepper and salt and sift. In a bowl, whisk the molasses, oil and sugar until smooth. In a saucepan bring water to a boil and whisk in baking soda then molasses mixture until combined. Remove from heat. Stir ginger into molasses mixture. Next, whisk dry ingredients a little at a time into the batter until just combined. Stir in eggs until combined. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Let cool. Soft Cream: 4 cups heavy cream 1 cup powder sugar 1 teaspoon ground cardamom Pinch of salt. • Blend or whip until soft peaks. NOT SO TROU, NORMAND From Jimmy Marino, Lexington House, Black Sheep Brasserie. An ideal way to mix international flavor in a thoroughly modern manner. 1 ¼ ounces Calvados ¾ ounce Amontillado Sherry ¾ ounce Kronan Swedish Punsch ¼ ounce cinnamon syrup (recipe below) • Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir for 20 seconds. Then, strain into a glass with one large ice cube. Cinnamon Syrup 1 part unrefined sugar 1 part water cooked down a bit with cinnamon sticks WINTER SPICED SOUR From Stephen Shelton, Lexington House, Black Sheep Brasserie. A Bourbon-infused delight that can be served individually or scaled up for a crowd-pleasing punch. 1 ¾ ounces whiskey (Buffalo Trace, Maker’s Mark, etc.) 3/4 ounces lemon juice ½ ounce spiced cinnamon syrup (See recipe below.) 2 dashes of orange bitters ½ ounce egg whites (optional, but the frothy look is great for the holidays) • Combine all ingredients in shaker with ice. Shake hard for 15 seconds and pour into a cocktail tumbler filled with fresh ice. Grate fresh cinnamon on top as garnish. • For punch: multiply how many drinks you plan to serve and combine appropriate measurements together into a big container, then chill. Make a cool ice block—decorate with cinnamon sticks and orange slices for effect. The optional egg whites can be added later when punch is poured into punch bowl. Be sure to whisk the egg whites into froth before adding to the punch for look and effect. If you want to “batch” the cocktail for quicker service, then just combine all of the non-alcohol ingredients into a pitcher and chill. When ready, pull out and measure right amount (total of juice, syrup, bitters and optional egg whites), combine with the measured whiskey and shake. Spiced Cinnamon Syrup 1 cup of sugar 1 cup of water 3 cinnamon sticks 10 peppercorns • Combine all ingredients in a pot, put on stove and bring to boil. Remove and let cool; then, strain into syrup bottle. It will keep for up to 3 weeks. Increase the recipe as needed for number of drinks you plan to make. HOLIDAY FLIGHT From Stephen Shelton, Lexington House, Black Sheep Brasserie. Transport guests with this festive twist on the classic Air Mail cocktail. 1 ½ ounces cognac ½ ounce lemon juice ½ ounce honey shrub (Use recipe below or favorite purchased variety.) 2 dashes of angostura bitters 1 ½ ounces sparkling wine/ champagne—floated on top after mixing cocktail. • Combine all ingredients except sparkling wine into shaker with ice, shake well, strain into chosen cocktail glass and float the sparkling wine on top. This one can also be batched (see above). Honey Shrub 1 cup honey ½ cup sugar ½ cup apple cider vinegar ¼ cup water • Combine all ingredients in a pot, bring to a slight boil, remove and let cool. Strain into container of choice. n MICHAEL SOO
South Bay Accent - Dec 2015/Jan 2016
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