A Couple in the Kitchen

Heart to Heart Champagne and Romance Dinner Dance

2012-02-25T10:55:00.004-05:00

Valentine's Day may have come and gone, but romance is forever, right? That's what Faith Middleton, public radio personality, host of the weekly food talk show The Food Schmooze, and local celebrity, would have us think. On Thursday, February 23rd, she hosted the Heart to Heart Champagne and Romance Dinner Dance, and we were there with fellow foodie friends L and C.

Mushroom duxelles in a parmesan cup

Pulled shortrib and taleggio grilled cheese

The candlelit night of luscious foods, fine wines, sophisticated company and live music (with dancing!) took place at Belle Terrace at Avon Old Farms, a historic inn in Avon, Connecticut. The space itself, perfectly elegant, exudes romance, and the incredible dishes created by Connecticut's finest culinary masterminds surely helped. Giddy from champagne (Pol Roger White Foil Brut) and passed hors d'oeuvres (like mushroom duxelles in a parmesan cup, and pulled shortrib and taleggio grilled cheese) set amidst elaborate flower displays, we took our seats and waited expectantly for more.

The table was lavishly set with five sets of silverware and countless wine glasses (always a good sign). Each setting also had little gifts - a bottle of hot sauce made by the folks at the Pond House, who were also resonsible for the delightful hors d'oeuvres, and a box of truffles from Carol Monnerat in Branford, CT. The band played, a couple of speeches were given, and the food started to arrive. Without further ado, we offer you our photos of the culinary splendors of CT:

Course One (not too bad for someone who despises mushrooms, nice sweetness and very creamy): from Deniz Yalim of Zula (Hartford): Mushroom Cappuccino, paired with 2010 Hugel Gentil.

Course Two (very tasty with good crunch and lots of lobster): from Chris Prosperi of Metro Bis (Simsbury): Metro Lobster Salad, paired with 2010 Rocca del Dragone Falanghina della Campania.

Course Three (plenty of crab meat, crunchy slaw, interesting green-hued wasabi cream): from Stefan Drago of Belle Terrace (Avon): Sesame Crusted Crab Cake, Nappa and Jicama Slaw, Mango-Wasabi Coulis, paired with The Connecticut Blue Blood Cocktail (a sweet-tart mixture of Absolut Berri Acai vodka, ginger liqueur, fresh lemon juice, honey syrup, and cinnamon dusted flax seed - shown being held by another guest at our table).

Course Four (the pastry was nice, but escargot are maybe an acquired taste?): from Arlene Ghent of 1249 Wine Bar (Waterbury): Escargot with Chanterelle mushrooms and white truffle cream, en croute, paired with 2010 Olivier Leflaive Les Settiles

Course Five (for most of the table, this was the winning dish: tender, juicy, loads of flavor and we loved that sliver of potato cake): from Manuel Romero of Ibiza (New Haven): Braised Short Ribs, Parmesan Potato Cake, Dark Beer Ginger Soy, paired with 2010 E Solo Montepulciano

Course Six (the most disappointing dish of the night, slightly overcooked and lacking seasoning): from John Brennan of Plan B (we never knew which one - it's a small chain): Petite Lamb Shank braised atop Black Truffle with Asiago Polenta, Roasted Shallots, Asparagus, and a Duet of Blood Orange and White Balsamic Reduction, and Pomegranate and White Balsamic Reduction, paired with 2009 Michel Torino Don David Malbec.

Dessert: (this one gets a big "Wow, this is a-MA-zing!"): from Jordan Stein at Pond House Cafe (West Hartford): Baby Banana Split: Maple Cream Gelato, Caramelized Baby Bananas, Sweet & Spicy Walnuts, Chantilly Cream, paired with choice of Churchill’s Tawny Port or Zebo Moscato

Incredible, right?

In addition to all that, the true romantics danced to the siren's song in between courses. Unfortunately, as we learned early on in our courtship, we don't dance well together; we both try to lead, which leads to much stepping-on-toes and tripping-over-hems, so we decided to remain spectators. Therefore, we spent most of the evening at the table revelling in the food and wine, two of our most favorite things.

As all things must, the evening slowly wound to an end. As we made our way out the door, satiated and smiling, a couple of guys from The Farmer's Cow (which just so happens to be our super-ultimate-favorite local dairy provider) gifted us a can of their brand-new coffee and quarts of their half-n-half for the following morning. Since it was a school night, and we didn't get home until about 11:15, we were happy to have them! Here's to wine and romance, even on a school night, and to the little bit of snow that caused a 2-hour delay of school opening the next morning.

Mardi Gras Madness

2012-02-21T00:01:00.027-05:00

Saturday night was our 9th Mardi Gras Madness party. Amy used to live in New Orleans, and misses it very much, especially around Mardi Gras. In an attempt to ease her (second)-homesickness, we started having a Mardi Gras party when we moved into our house. It has grown so much over the years that on Saturday night, we had (by our count) 101 people attend (including the two of us). And our house is only about 1400 square feet, so...yeah.

Mardi Gras consumes our lives for about 2 weeks every year. It's a lot of work to have that many people over! There's the buying and the prepping and the decorating and the cleaning, and since it's winter here, there's the building of "Tent City" - one assembled insta-tent under which the turkeys are fried, and one giant tarp covering our back deck to provide heat and warmth since not everyone can fit inside the house. Luckily, we have plenty of friends, family and neighbors who pitch in. Those that do are known as the "Krewe" and are given special krewe-beads, different ones each year, to honor their efforts. Special thanks to Krewe 2012!

But since you're reading our blog, you're probably more interested in the menu. Chris is in charge of the fried turkeys (this year, 90 pounds of it) and spends most of the night in the driveway where many of the guests watch in awe as each perfectly seasoned crispy fried turkey is lifted from the vat of hot peanut oil (right). It is quickly brought into the house to the carving station (a cutting board set on top of our washing machine) where one hard-working guest volunteers to do the honors. (Thanks, Chipper!)

Amy makes a few other dishes, some appear each year, and others depend on her mood. One traditional dish is the Coca-Cola Ham, a spiralled ham cooked in cola and topped with a molasses-brown sugar-mustard glaze. Then this year she also made Pepper-Jack Gougeres (left); Bacon-Walnut Pralines; Muffuletta Pasta Salad with steamed shrimp; and in honor of our local moonshiners, Drunken Piggies in the Blanket (andouille sausage marinated in garlic mustard and Onyx Moonshine and wrapped in crescent dough). As we do every year, we provide the hurricanes (made with Pat O'Brien's Hurricane Mix of course) (this year, about 15 gallons' worth) and a little bit of beer and wine, soda and water. And enough Mardi Gras beads to go around. "Throw me somethin', Mister!"

You're probably wondering how that is enough to feed everyone? Well, it isn't, of course. That's the best part about our Mardi Gras party. Just about everyone brings a dish, and just about every dish is homemade. On Saturday, there was jambalaya, deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail, jalapeno-meat poppers, Cajun nacho dip, three-bean dip, Cajun meatballs, regular meatballs, mashed potato-stuffed tomatoes, chili cheese dip, veggie pizza, stuffed peppers, American chop suey, stromboli, stuffed mushrooms, spicy mac-n-cheese, Buffalo wings, and much, much more. Then there was the desserts, which included paczkis, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, anise cookies with Mardi-Gras-colored frosting, brownies with walnuts, and plain brownies, among others.

People brought beer, wine, and liquor to share, consume, or offer as gifts. Awesome neighbor J, saint that she is, made 400 (that is not an exaggeration, but an actual number) purple, green and gold (well, yellow), Jello shots. Which are all gone. And her daughter, B, made us a delicious quiche for us to heat and eat the morning after.

There's always room for Jello shots!

Where are all the rest of the pictures, you wonder? Where's all the "food porn"? Amidst the chaos of prepping, cooking, cleaning, decorating, serving, hosting, drinking, eating and enjoying everyone's company, there just isn't any time for that. So, enjoy the few that we have, but you'll have to use your imagination (and yes, you can let it wander - it's Mardi Gras after all). Maybe next year we'll hire a photographer. Until then, laissez les bon temp rouler, and Happy Mardi Gras to all of you!

Louie and Newfie enjoy the festivities

Roasted Garlic Soup (Secret Recipe Club)

2012-02-20T12:00:00.016-05:00

It's February's Secret Recipe Club reveal day! In the Secret Recipe Club, members are assigned a food blog from which we are to choose and make a recipe, then we all blog about it and reveal our posts at the same time. Right now there are 212 members in the SRC; we are divided into four groups so that every Monday is a new reveal day. Since we're in Group C, today is ours, and the blog we were assigned is Heidis Verden (in English, it's "Heidi's World").

Heidi is from Denmark, and she loves to bake breads, cakes, ice creams and other desserts, but she also makes savory dishes of all kinds. Her blog is in Danish, but if you go to the page "Important: For Foreign Visitors!" you can find out how to view it in English (hint: it's much easier if you are using Firefox rather than Internet Explorer). Once we did that, we had a hard time choosing a recipe because there were so many and they all sounded so good. While we really wanted to try one of her ice creams, we thought we'd come back to those when it's a little warmer out. We didn't have a whole lot of time, so we chose not to bake anything. Since it was blustery and cold here, we zoomed in on the soup section and finally decided to make her Roasted Garlic Soup.

The most important ingredient: roasted garlic

We've made a similar recipe with garlic and potatoes, and were curious as to how this one would compare. We made a couple of minor adaptations based on what we had around the house, most importantly substituting madeira for Heidi's preference, sherry. The soup was fantastic, and even better when we had it again for lunch the following day. The texture was light, silky smooth yet it was completely filling and satisfying. The flavors from all of the alliums made it something that could be enjoyed year-round, and the madeira offered a unique hint of sweetness. There was a nice deep flavor that we guess came from roasting the garlic first. We even ~~surrendered~~ offered a small portion to Joanne who pronounced it "restaurant-worthy" and wrote about it on her blog. Yeah, even with its garlic-breath side effect, we loved this soup. Thanks, Heidi!

Cook the roasted garlic, onions and leeks...

...until they look like this.

Add flour to thicken the soup.

Stir in the warm broth and madeira wine.

Blend

Swirl in the cream and allow to simmer.

Roasted Garlic Soup

Ingredients:

4 heads garlic

1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups chicken broth

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 leeks, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/3 cup madeira wine

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon lemon juice

kosher salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut off the top 1/4 inch of each garlic head. Place in a small, shallow baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until golden, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool slightly. Press the individual garlic cloves between thumb and finger to release, then chop the garlic. Pour the chicken broth into a small saucepan and set over medium heat to warm. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add garlic, leeks, and onion; saute until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Gradually add flour, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in warm broth and madeira. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Puree soup using an immersion blender. Swirl in the cream, then simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with lemon juice, salt and white pepper. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chives. Serve crusty bread on the side and enjoy.

Wordless Weekender: Carbonara One Day, Frittata the Next

2012-02-18T14:09:00.000-05:00

"Festa Romana" at Bricco Trattoria, Glastonbury

2012-02-17T17:23:00.004-05:00

Local celebrity Chef Billy Grant opened Bricco Trattoria in Glastonbury in 2010. Since then it has become, like his other restaurants, a Connecticut hot spot. At this particular location, Grant offers simple, fresh, polished Italian, from imported salumi and cheeses to housemade pastas and thin-crust pizzas. While the menu tends to change often, depending on season and availability of ingredients, last week there was a special menu offered for three nights only called "Festa Romana," to celebrate "the spirit of Rome." Since Rome is Amy's favorite place in the whole universe, how could we not go? We made it a double date with friends J and M, whom we don't see often enough, and what a great meal we had. Between us, we tried everything offered (each diner choosing one of the two choices per course), so here it is, with accompanying photos (which again, aren't great because they were taken on our phone...sorry). This was an authentic Roman meal that truly celebrated the spirit of Rome, which could be encompassed by the chef's favorite saying, "Eat and live well always."

PRIMI

Artichokes Fritti

with lemon, capers and parsley

Verdict: light, crispy, tangy, delicious

Braesola

with rocket arugula, EVO, parmigiano

Verdict: fresh, peppery, smoky, needed more cheese

SECUNDI

Spaghetti Vongole

with manila clams, parsley, garlic olive oil

Verdict: perfectly al dente, garlicky, very good

Sheeps Milk Ricotta Ravioli

with guanciale, San Marzano tomatoes, chilies

Verdict: fluffy, pillowy, luscious, we all wanted to lick the sauce off the plate,
the winning dish

TERZO

Whole Grilled Branzino

with fennel, radish and lemon

Verdict: flaky, flavorful, some inconsistencies in the cooking (overdone/underdone areas)

Veal Saltimbocca alla Romana

with proscuitto, lemon and sage

Verdict: perfect thinness, great flavor, really nice dish

IL DOLCE

Warm Chocolate-Filled Cornetto

Verdict: crisp, flaky pastry, but the chocolate inside was not melted,
the losing dish

Zuppa Englese Gelato with Biscotti

Verdict: creamy, delightful, perfectly Italian

Flourless Chocolate Walnut Torte with Pinot-Noir-Laced Strawberries

2012-02-16T05:52:00.003-05:00

Valentine's Day is synonymous with chocolate. Heart-shaped boxes of it, faux-roses shaped from it, kisses and various red and pink and white candies made from it. Yes, we had to have chocolate in our Valentine's Day dessert. And for good measure, something needed to be red. So when Amy spotted this recipe from Dean and Deluca in an old folder on her computer, she knew it was The One, since it had all the necessary V-Day requirements: chocolate, strawberries and red wine. Perfect.

Amy entered into making this dessert a bit hesitantly, having suffered some baking fails in recent memory. And this one seems, at first glance, to be complicated. However, it's not so much complicated as it has several steps, none of which are very difficult, especially if you've made meringues before. Which we have.

Amy poured the berries out of the container and they formed a heart!

(okay, that didn't really happen...)

Use a nice bottle of pinot. You can drink the rest!

Strawberries, pinot noir and sugar

Start to finish, this recipe took about an hour, then it needed time to cool. We didn't bother with the whipped cream, but sprinkled each slice with a light dusting of confectioner's sugar. The torte was light as air, with lots of crunch from the nuts and hints of chocolate that weren't too overpowering. The pinot-noir-laced berries were divine, with their intense berry-sweetness. We loved it, neighbors B, D and J loved it, and Joanne loved it. This one's a real keeper!

Egg yolks mixed with sugar until pale yellow in color

Egg whites mixed with sugar, until stiff glossy peaks form

Fold ingredients together and pour into prepared springform pan

The finished product

Flourless Chocolate Walnut Torte with Pinot-Laced Strawberries

slightly adapted from this recipe found on epicurean.com

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup Pinot Noir

1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and halves (reserve a couple for a garnish!)

5 eggs, separated

1/2 cup plus 5 tablespoons sugar

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

8 ounces chopped walnuts

confectioners sugar

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and Pinot Noir. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Add the strawberries and allow to sit for 2-3 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks until pale in color. Gradually beat in the 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until the mixture is thickened. In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in the 5 tablespoons of sugar into the egg whites, one tablespoon at a time. Continue to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Alternately fold the chopped chocolate, chopped walnuts and egg white meringue mixture into the yolk mixture by thirds until well blended. Pour into the parchment-lined springform pan and bake about 30 minutes, until the torte is firm to the touch, does not jiggle when shaken, has risen to the top of the pan, and has turned golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool inside the pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, run a knife around the edges of the pan to detach. Invert onto a plate and peel off the parchment paper. Invert again onto a serving plate. Cut the torte into wedges and top with strawberries and a dusting of confectioners sugar.

Valentine's Surf and Turf

2012-02-15T17:58:00.094-05:00

We are products of that era of cooking in which surf-and-turf was the end-all, the epitome of gourmet cuisine, the go-to meal for all special occasions (except those at which Chateaubriand was served, of course). Perhaps that is why we chose it for this year's Valentine's dinner, because something in each of our brains is wired to think "Surf-n-turf equals romance." Whatever the reason, we didn't want to come up with anything extraordinary, nothing molecular or involving strange or hard-to-find ingredients. Yes, we went retro with that oh-so-classic combination: surf and turf.

Melted butter, garlic, shallots, cayenne, salt and pepper...

...whisked together

The "surf" was two 1 1/4-pound lobsters, flash boiled, picked, then returned to the (cleaned out) shell to be baked in a garlic, shallot, pepper and cayenne compound butter. These were moist, succulent and completely drenched in spicy, garlicky buttery yumminess.

Spread butter into the clean lobster shells...

...and fill with bite-sized pieces of par-cooked lobster meat.

The "turf" was two 6-ounce filet mignon steaks, generously seasoned with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, seared to perfection, tender, juicy and delicious in their simplicity.

Nicely seasoned and seared filet mignon

The side dish was red potatoes tossed in olive oil and herbs de Provence, then baked at 425 for a half hour.

The dessert? Well, you'll just have to check out our next post to find out about that.

The outcome? Classically romantic.

Hope your Valentine's Day dinner was just as wonderful, shared with the one you love the most.

Valentine's Day Surf and Turf

The Side:

Ingredients:

4 red potatoes, cut into a large dice

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons herbs de Provence

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Spread onto a baking sheet and place in oven to roast.

The Surf:

Ingredients:

2 1 1/4-pound lobsters

3 tablespoons kosher salt

6 quarts water

1 stick unsalted butter

1 tablespoon chopped shallots

4 small cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup plain breadcrumbs, divided

In a large pot, bring salted water to a rolling boil. Put the lobsters in head-first, cover and cook for 3 minutes only. Remove the lobsters from the water and let cool enough to handle. Pick the lobster meat and cut it into bite-sized chunks; set aside. Clean out the empty body and tail shells and place in a baking dish. Put the butter in a glass bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, until mostly melted. Add the shallots, garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper, and whisk to incorporate. Spread 1/4 of the butter into the bottom of each lobster shell. Fill each tail shell with 1/2 of the lobster meat and the head of each lobster with 1/2 of the breadcrumbs. Top the lobster meat and breadcrumbs with the remaining butter. Set aside until the "turf" is ready to go into the oven.

The Turf:

Ingredients:

2 6-ounce filet mignon steaks

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Generously season each steak with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast iron pan over high heat until very hot. Add the olive oil and quickly swirl it around the pan. Place the steaks in the pan and sear over high heat until nicely browned, about 4 minutes each side.

The Finish:

Place the baking dish holding the lobster and the cast iron pan holding the steaks into the oven (in which the potatoes are still roasting - check them for doneness). Bake for 6-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the steaks and how you like them cooked. Plate and serve with a nice bottle of wine, candlelight and lots of love and romance.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Buttermilk Fried Quail

2012-02-11T10:50:00.000-05:00

Chris enjoys game meats, and takes advantage of various opportunities each season to enjoy a game dinner with friends or family members. In fact, he has gone hunting in the past, mostly for birds, in particular pheasant and quail, just not recently. Still, when we found a half dozen of these little birds at the market, we bought them. Inspired by an episode of Chef John Besh's New Orleans, we attempted to make Buttermilk Fried Quail. However, we couldn't find his actual recipe, and we no longer had the show on our TiVo, so we did it by (our somewhat failing) memory.

The hard part was deboning the quail. Chef Besh made it look easy (but we didn't have the episode handy, remember). So we did what any normal people would do...we Googled it. We found a great video of Jacques Pepin deboning quail. He, too, made it look easy. Apparently when you do something a gazillion times, it's easy to make it look easy. Too bad Jacques wasn't in our kitchen, because it's not very easy to debone quail. Chris did his best, but the first 3 or 4 (of the six) got a little mangled. The last one was pretty, though! That's the one in the pictures (naturally...).

After the hard part (see previous paragraph), we simply dipped each quail in buttermilk and then in flour we had seasoned with kosher salt, and Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning, which is definitely a staple in our house. Then we fried them in vegetable oil inside a cast iron pan until they were golden brown (about 3 minutes each side). That's it.

It was an okay first attempt. The quail were crispy without being greasy, had good flavor (they tasted like fried chicken) and were pretty tender on the inside. We served them with a side of wilted Swiss chard. But overall, the result was not really worth the effort. Since then, we've (finally!) purchased John Besh's My New Orleans: The Cookbook, and we've read the real recipe, and we've realized exactly how off base we were. So we're not going to give you "our" recipe here...it will only steer you wrong.

To sum up, here's our advice: Buy the book and make it yourself. The right way. Or just order quail next time you see in on a restaurant menu. That would be easy.

The Hidden Vine Wine Bar and Lounge, Newington, CT

2012-02-09T16:11:00.001-05:00

Before you read, sorry about the photos. We forgot the camera and only had a phone.

Dining out is a gamble, a risk, a roll of the dice. There is a cost involved, and these days it's getting harder and harder to find that extra money to do extra things with. That's why we love to take advantage of Groupon, Living Social, and other discount offers, because we love to go out to eat. Usually these don't cover the entire check, however, so the remaining balance is where we place our bet: will the meal be an excellent one or not?

Those truly amazing, and therefore memorable, dining experiences are like winning the jackpot. But that doesn't happen as often as we'd like. Typically, the answer is something in between: not amazing, not awful, but just good enough. That's what we got at The Hidden Vine Wine Bar and Lounge in Newington. The Groupon offer was $20 for $40 worth of food and drink. We had been at a late afternoon meeting in nearby Wethersfield, so figured we'd go ahead and make a night of it.

"Hidden" is a fitting name for this cute restaurant; although the address is on Main Street, it is located in the back of the building facing the back parking lot. There is a patio that must be great in the summer, and the interior space is warm and cozy, with decorations inspired by the wine theme. We were led to a small table and our smiling server brought us a basket filled with bread knots. There was olive oil for dipping already on the table; it was very light and not particularly flavorful but a little salt and pepper helped.

Bread knots

The menu consists of five basic categories (appetizers, bruschetta, paninis, salads and entrees). In each section, one can find typical Italian fare such as fried calamari, Caesar salad, and chicken marsala. However, there are also some surprising offerings as well, like gorgonzola stuffed dates, roasted beet salad, and homemade gnocchi a la cognac. And then there were the night's specials which were the most intriguing.

Since we were having an Italian meal, we had hoped to share a bottle of Montepulciano, but they were out, so we let the server suggest a Malbec that was comparable in price and while it wasn't great, it was good enough. We then ordered the night's special appetizer, arancini. Six small lightly-breaded-then-fried balls of risotto were delivered on a plate coated in a gorgonzola sauce that was drizzled with balsamic glaze. The sauce was creamy and velvety, with the balsamic offering a much needed acidic balance. Overall, it was a decent start to the meal.

Arancini

More risotto may seem redundant, but the chicken francaise, served with risotto and a sundried-tomato caper butter sauce sounded good to Amy. The batter was eggy and light but the chicken breast itself was slightly overcooked and therefore was rubbery. The medium-sized scoop of risotto was the star of the plate, cooked al dente and with plenty of tangy, salty parmesan cheese. The sundried tomatoes were cut too large and overpowered most bites, so most of them ended up left on the plate. And we could have done with either the squash or the asparagus - both was overkill.

Chicken Francaise

Since Amy doesn't eat much fish other than shellfish, the night's special fish dish immediately attracted Chris; it was wild striped bass served with mussels and bay scallops in a tangy tomato brodo. The bass was cooked just right, and was light and flaky. Bay scallops, however, being so small, are easy to overcook, which many of them unfortunately were. The broth was deliciously flavorful, though, and there was plenty left to be sopped up with those buttery bread knots.

Striped Bass in tomato brodo

There were ups and downs, and overall, the meal, like the wine, while not excellent, was good enough. Nonetheless, in this economy, we're reminded of that typical teacher adage: good enough never is.

A Couple in the Kitchen is Branching Out!

2012-02-08T18:57:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed that you can now follow A Couple in the Kitchen on Facebook and Twitter?

Yes! We're branching out, entering the 21st century, becoming social media moguls (okay, moguls might be pushing it).

Don't miss a single post!

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Thanks for reading!

Mini Upside-Down Lobster Pot Pies, or Celebrating New England for the Super Bowl

2012-02-07T17:34:00.001-05:00

We'll be the first ones to admit that we aren't sports fans. ESPN has been deleted from our TV channel grid. We don't own any football jerseys or foam fingers or can koozies. Sports are simply not on our radar. But now and then, we are invited to a sports-viewing soiree. It is then that we take it upon ourselves to choose a side (usually based on any current or past residence, sometimes based on color of ~~outfits~~ uniforms), and make a dish that celebrates that particular city/state/region (see our recent LSU vs. Alabama post).

Which brings us to Super Bowl Sunday. When we got a text from our friends D and J inviting us to their Super Bowl party, we knew we'd have to represent New England, both of us being born and raised here. And what food is more quintessentially New England than Maine lobster? Unfortunately, there is no money tree in our yard, and it's tough feeding lobster to a crowd (even a small one), when live lobsters cost about $9.99 a pound, and much of that is the (heavy) shell. A little brainstorming was all it took to come up with a solution that pleased all involved: 12 mini upside-down lobster pot pies.

What makes them upside-down? They are served in a puff-pastry cup instead of a puff-pastry or pie-crust top. Fun, right?

Mise en place

Shallots softened in butter

Add a little brandy

And a little flour to make a roux

Saturday afternoon, we purchased four small lobsters, steamed them and picked them. We netted one pound of lobster in the end (accounting for the occasional picking while picking). As the lobster meat chilled, we made our own lobster stock by placing all the shells in a large stock pot, covering them with water and boiling them for an hour, then straining the stock and reducing it until we had about two cups of lobstery liquid. An hour before the party, we set out to make our pot pie mixture that we based on Emeril's recipe, slightly adapting it to suit our tastes. For the shells, we cut puff pastry sheets into squares and placed two squares in a regular muffin tin to form a cup. Pricking the bottom all over with a fork reduced the "puffage" and voila - puff pastry cups to fill with lobster pot pie mixture!

Pot pie mixture with milk, cream, herbs and spices

Forming puff pastry cups

Golden-brown, puffed-up pastry cups

Mini Upside-Down Lobster Pot Pies

Makes 12

Ingredients:

4 1 to 1 1/4-lb. live lobsters

water for stock

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup minced shallots

1/4 cup brandy

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup frozen green peas

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 tablespoons chopped chives

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

flour for work surface

cooking spray

To cook the lobster and make the stock:

Fill a large pot about two inches high with water. Add a small handful of kosher or sea salt. Bring the water to a rolling boil, and put in lobsters, one at a time. Cover tightly, return to a boil and steam for 8 minutes per pound, adding 3 minutes per pound for each additional pound thereafter (so about 17-18 minutes for four 1-lb. lobsters). Your lobsters are done when the outer shell is bright red and when the meat is white, not opaque; remove them carefully and discard the steaming water. Allow the lobsters to cool then remove the meat from the shell (pick them). Cut lobster meat into bite-sized pieces, set aside to cool completely, then refrigerate. Place all the shells back in the large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, then strain out and discard the shells. Return the stock to the heat and simmer for 2 hours until reduced to about 1 1/2 - 2 cups.

To make the pot pie mixture:

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add the brandy and cook until almost completely evaporated. Sprinkle the flour over the top of the shallots, stir to combine well, and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups lobster stock and the milk, and whisk until smooth. Continue to cook until thickened. Add the heavy cream, green peas, salt, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, and thyme, and cook for 15 minutes, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and the flavors have come together. Set aside until cooled. Add the lobster meat, chives and tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To make the puff pastry cups and assemble the pot pies:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put pot pie mixture in a saucepan over medium heat to warm through. On a floured work surface, lay out the puff pastry sheets and cut them into 3-inch squares. Spray a regular size muffin tin with cooking spray. Lay two puff pastry squares overlapping in 6 of the muffin cups (alternating every other), allowing room for the pastry to puff around the sides of the cup. Prick the bottom of each muffin cup all over with a fork, then bake at 400 for 18 minutes, until puffy and golden brown. Remove puff pastry cups to individual bowls and fill with warm pot pie mixture. Repeat the entire process to make a total of 12.

Wordless Weekender: Chocolate Waffles with Elizabeth

2012-02-04T10:35:00.003-05:00

Please "Like" Our Grilled Poundcake with Balsamic Berries

2012-02-02T15:50:00.001-05:00

We've entered our Grilled Poundcake with Balsamic Berries into the California Strawberry Commission's 2nd Annual Most Romantic Recipe Contest. Please go here, scroll down to find our entry, and LIKE it or COMMENT on it. Thank you!!!

Super-Easy Super-Crispy Baked Chicken

2012-02-02T15:06:00.002-05:00

Let's start off by saying that if you are concerned about your salt intake, read no further. Those of you with high blood pressure, look away. If salt gives you cankles, please proceed to the next blog.

If you're still here, we'll continue.

This is one of Amy's favorite recipes from childhood, one from her Mom's twice-a-month-or-so repertoire. It's a go-to dinner when Amy is either PMS-ing (read: craving salt) or feeling run down or just generally in need of comfort food (as most childhood dishes are). Well, this week, it's all of the above, so salt be damned, we went for it.

This chicken is soooo very tasty, with its super-crispy, salty, herby skin and moist, tender meat. The house smells of Italian seasoning and garlic as it cooks, and, to get that just-like-Mom's-ness, we always have it with Near East Rice Pilaf (original flavor only) (and yes, we know that means more sodium) and canned (that's right) cranberry sauce on the side. Just like Mom.

Bonus? It's so easy, it can be prepped in about 3 minutes with a cooking time of about 45, depending on the size of your chicken pieces. Go on, you know you want to try it. But beware, once you try it, you'll be back for more.

Chicken goes into the pan.

Spices come out of the cabinet

Spices go onto the chicken; the oven does the rest.

Super-Easy Super-Crispy Baked Chicken

Ingredients:

Number of chicken pieces needed to serve number of diners

(we usually use legs, thighs, or, like this time, quarters)

onion salt, to taste

garlic salt, to taste

Italian seasoning, to taste (preferably without added salt ha ha)

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Lay chicken pieces in a baking dish. Sprinkle generously with onion salt, then garlic salt, then Italian seasoning. Place chicken in oven and bake at 450 for 30-45 minutes (depending on size of chicken pieces), until chicken is cooked through and skin is nice and crispy.

Chocolate Stout Chili

2012-01-28T10:57:00.060-05:00

When two people cook a 4-pound spoon roast, there's bound to be leftovers. And when that particular spoon roast has been cooked in chocolate stout, those leftovers are destined for chili. We know that chili is all about creating layers of flavor and letting them simmer together, so we set out to do just that with chipotles, spices, tomatoes, dark cocoa powder, unsweetened chocolate, beef, beans and of course, the most important ingredient - Thomas Hooker Brewery Chocolate Truffle Stout. The fact that the beef had been cooked in the stout was just another added layer of flavor. It was a blustery cold weeknight, and the result was a chocolatey, deeply dark brown, and very spicy chili that made our noses run and our brows sweat. Can't stand that much heat? Leave out one (or both) of the chipotles.

Chocolate Stout Chili

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons ancho chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 28-ounce can stewed tomatoes

1 tablespoon dark cocoa powder

1 28-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups cooked beef, cut into bite-sized pieces (we used leftover spoon roast cooked in the chocolate stout)

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 1/2 cups chocolate stout (divided)

1/2 cup tomato puree

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute onion, garlic and chipotle peppers for 2-3 minutes stirring often, until onions start to brown and garlic becomes fragrant. Add chili powder, cumin, tomato paste, salt and pepper, and continuing to stir, cook for another 2 minutes so spices bloom. Stir in stewed tomatoes, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan well. Add the cocoa powder, beans and beef. Stir in the unsweetened chocolate until it melts. Stir in 1 cup of chocolate stout, turn heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 2 hours. After 2 hours, stir in the additional 1/2 cup of chocolate stout and the tomato puree. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Simmer another 1/2 hour and serve hot with a pint of chocolate stout to cool off with.

Chocolate Stout Spoon Roast

2012-01-24T17:06:00.002-05:00

Last Friday, we attended what may be the best party (at the best price!) in town: the Thomas Hooker Brewing Company Open House. Happening on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of every month from 5-8, this happy hour shindig takes place right in the brewery in Bloomfield, Connecticut and costs a mere $10. In exchange for your tenner, you get a little plastic cup and access to two bars, with four taps each, flowing freely with the freshest beer around. There are pizza slices on sale (proceeds go to charity) for when you need sustenance, and oh, did we mention you get to take home a souvenir pint glass? Hollah!

On this particular Friday, the beer everyone was buzzing about was Hooker's brand new seasonal brew made with another Connecticut favorite, Munson's Chocolates. Hooker is using Munson's proprietary cocoa blend to create a smooth, luscious "Chocolate Truffle Stout" that is a dark, delicious, easily drinkable beer with hints of chocolate and coffee and a surprising lack of bitterness. We loved it so much, we purchased a growler ($11 new, $8 to refill) with every intent to use it in our cooking.

Wash, slice and dice the veggies. Aren't those purple carrots gorgeous?

Season, flour and brown the roast

Let the roasting magic happen

The very next morning it was starting to snow. Undeterred, we carefully drove to the nearest market where we picked up a 4-pound spoon roast (a top sirloin cut) and some vegetables. That afternoon, we seasoned, seared and cooked the roast and veggies in a cup of the chocolate stout and served it with creamy mashed potatoes (with a pint of stout to wash it down with, naturally). While the wonderful chocolate flavor of the beer wasn't very pronounced in the dish, the meat was especially tender and the carrots, celery and onions had a dark flavor and color that we could only attibute to the stout. Now what to do with the leftovers? Check back in a couple of days for our own "Chocolate Stout Chili."

Hooker Brewer is located at 16 Tobey Road in Bloomfield, CT. They also have tours and tastings on Saturdays. Their Chocolate Truffle Stout should be hitting grocery and liquor store shelves in the beginning of February, just in time for Valentine's Day. Drink local!

Chocolate Stout Spoon Roast

Ingredients:

1 3-4 lb. spoon roast

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 sweet onion, chopped

3-4 cups vegetables (we used celery and carrots), chopped

1 cup Hooker Chocolate Truffle Stout

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Season the roast with salt and pepper and sprinkle it all over with flour. Heat olive oil in a roasting pan and sear the roast on all sides until nicely browned. Remove roast and set aside. Place vegetables in the pan and saute for a minute or two, until onions start to caramelize. Return the roast to the pan, on top of the vegetables. Pour the stout into the pan. Cook at 425 for 15 minutes. Turn heat down to 325; cover or tent pan with aluminum foil and continue to roast at 325 for one hour, or until internal temperature reaches 130 for medium rare. Remove roast from pan and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. In the meantime, stir the vegetables and stout and continue to cook to reduce and thicken slightly. Serve vegetables on the side of slices of roast topped with "stout gravy."

Shanghai Chicken and Shrimp Stir Fry

2012-01-23T19:11:00.001-05:00

Happy Chinese New Year! Chinese New Year is a celebration of the lunar new year, and this year is the Year of the Dragon, year 4710 of the Chinese calendar. Amy has had an affinity for all things Chinese since she was a little girl and had Chinese neighbors who shared with her their language, culture and various celebrations. So of course we had to celebrate this new Year of the Dragon with a proper meal.

In Chinese culture, certain foods are symbolic, and this is especially apparent at the New Year's dinner which is meant to feature foods that will bring health, wealth and prosperity in the coming year. We kept our own hopes for the new year in mind when we thought up the auspicious ingredients of this dish, which we are calling Shanghai Chicken and Shrimp Stir Fry.

First are the noodles themselves, which symbolize long life, as long as they are left uncut, which we did. Slurping them from the bowl is a must. Next is the chicken, symbolizing happiness, marriage and prosperity. The word for prawn in Cantonese is "ha" which of course is reminiscent of the sound of laughter and happiness. (We are using regular shrimp, but maybe it's the thought that counts?) The color red is an especially important part of the celebration, so we chopped up a couple of dried red chiles to add color and spicy heat (like the fire of the dragon!) to the dish. Finally, we garnished the dish with chopped peanuts, which symbolize long life, good health, and good fortune. For dessert, we ate a couple of clementines, which are a variety of mandarin orange, and are considered to be good luck to the Chinese.

So here's to hoping this Year of the Dragon is one filled with all good things, including more delicious dishes such as this one!

Shanghai Chicken and Shrimp Stir Fry

Ingredients:

12 ounces Chinese wide lo-mein noodles

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspooon sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

3 green onions, chopped

1 star anise

3 dried red chilies, chopped* (see cooks' notes)

1/2 pound boneless chicken breast, cut into thin strips

1/2 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cups snow peas, trimmed

2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

Notes: we had "dragon" on the brain and bravely put in three (chopped) dried red chilis, which made this dish pretty darn spicy. We suggest doing 1 1/2 to 2 unless you love love love the heat.

Prepare noodles according to package directions. Rinse under cold water, drain well and toss with sesame oil to coat evenly; set aside. Combine soy sauce, sugar and cornstarch slurry in a small bowl; set aside. In a wok or large saute pan, heat vegetable oil over high heat. Add ginger, garlic, green onions, star anise, and chilies, and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add chicken strips and stir-fry until mostly cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add shrimp and snow peas and continue to stir fry until shrimp turn pink and snow peas are cooked but still crunchy, about 2 minutes. Pour in soy sauce/slurry and stir for 30 seconds. Toss in noodles and stir until all ingredients are well combined and noodles are coated with sauce. Serve in large noodle bowls topped with chopped peanuts.

Our New Favorite Gadget: The Food Loop

2012-01-22T21:59:00.003-05:00

Last summer, during our annual family vacation to Maine, we purchased The Food Loop. It has been sitting in the depths of our "baking-stuff" drawer until last week when we used it to truss the M. Jacques Armagnac Chicken for French Fridays with Dorie. That's what that hot pink thing tied around our chicken was, for those of you who were wondering.

According to the product's website, The Food Loop is: made from silicone; food safe; heat resistant to 675 degrees; non-stick; flexible; reusable; and it can be used on the stovetop, oven, freezer and microwave. You simply slide one end of the cord into the other, pull it to desired tightness - from a 1-inch to a 4-inch loop - and snap it in place. It comes packaged as six "loops" inside a little mesh bag that can be used for storage or for washing them in the dishwasher.

Used for trussing a chicken

We know we're sounding a little bit "As Seen on TV" here, but if you are sick of struggling with kitchen twine, you should really get this thing. We loved it so much that we used it again only a few days after the chicken, when we made a pinwheeled pork roast. Look, ma, no knots!

Used for tying up a pinwheeled pork roast

Yup, The Food Loop is our new favorite gadget. For now anyway.

Guest Post: Garlicky Spinach Soup by Joanne

2012-01-18T18:09:00.001-05:00

While we rest on our (teensy weensy) laurels, we invited bestie and fellow blogger Joanne of I [heart] Arugula to share her love of soup, in particular, her love of Garlicky Spinach Soup in this guest post.

Joanne writes:

I love soup. (And I love to share soup with Amy, who shares the love!) As much as I experiment with new recipes, there are a few I go back to over and over like this one for garlicky spinach soup. As you’ll see, it’s beyond easy and requires very few ingredients.

Because it’s so simple, the clear but flavorful broth lends itself to easy variations. I’ve made it with gyoza and a hint of ginger (very yummy), and plan to try it with rice noodles next. Mushrooms would be a nice addition (though not Amy-approved), and vegetable broth might substitute nicely without chicken as a vegetarian dish.

Modify as you like, but start here with this basic recipe. Enjoy!

Garlicky Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken broth

4 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced

6 ounces baby spinach

1 cup chicken breast, shredded in bite size pieces (from rotisserie chicken)

pinch sugar

1 tbs butter

1 tbs olive oil

Heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ¼ cup of the broth so that garlic can cook without burning. Add pinch of sugar and let cook 3-4 minutes. Garlic will become very fragrant.

Add remaining broth and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and remove from heat. Add spinach, stirring until just wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add shredded chicken to bowls and pour soup over chicken.

Makes 4 1½ cup servings.

A Couple in the Kitchen, Recently Spotted at...

2012-01-18T15:00:00.026-05:00

This week, our recipe for Steamed Clams with Linguica is being featured at Simple Recipes. And we just found out that our recipe for Caprese Quiche is on the Eggland's Best website. And we found out that the Caprese Quiche recipe has been chosen by Wegmans (a supermarket chain in MA, MD, NJ, NY, PA and VA) to be printed up on a recipe card that will be available to customers in all 80 (and counting!) of their stores. Pretty cool, huh?

Steamed Clams with Linguica

Caprese Quiche

We are most excited about these recent developments, and want to say "Thanks!" to the Fullers at Simple Recipes, and the folks both at Eggland's Best and Wegmans.

Wordless Weekender: Warm Honeyed Brie with Grapes and Crackers

2012-01-16T17:41:00.000-05:00

Moonshine Sticky Wings

2012-01-15T11:57:00.003-05:00

Okay, so maybe this week has been all about cooking with liquor. What can we say? We are madly in love with Onyx Moonshine and since we already tried a sweet dish, we wanted to do something savory with it. Thus we give you Moonshine Sticky Wings. A dozen wings, a little honey to pick up the honey notes in the moonshine, some soy and sesame oil, and of course, the moonshine itself. Pretty good stuff, but a few notes on this one since it's not yet perfect. We baked them in the sauce then broiled them for a few minutes to attempt to get some crispiness, but next time we're gonna go ahead and fry these things. We suggest you start there. Also next time we'd add more moonshine because, well, why not?

Lay wings out in baking dish;

sprinkle with garlic salt

Combine these ingredients to make the sauce

Pour sauce over wings then bake and broil

Moonshine Sticky Wings

Ingredients:

1 dozen chicken wings

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons Onyx Moonshine

2 cloves garlic, pressed

sesame seeds for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay wings out in a large glass baking dish. Sprinkle with garlic salt and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Pour evenly over wings. Bake at 450 for 25 minutes, then broil on high for a few minutes to brown and crisp. Garnish with sesame seeds.

M. Jacques Armagnac Chicken (French Fridays with Dorie)

2012-01-13T05:32:00.005-05:00

We haven't been able to participate in French Fridays with Dorie for some time for a variety of reasons. But last Sunday, when we purchased a super-fresh chicken (processed the day before!) from GourmAvian, a local farm, and we realized that this week's FFwD recipe was for M. Jacques Armagnac Chicken, we knew the timing was just right.

This recipe, which can be found in Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table, was soooo super easy. And while this incredibly satisfying, hearty, deliciously roasted chicken dinner (in one pot!) was roasting, the most amazing cooking smells emanated throughout our entire house. Dorie calls this particular recipe "un petite marveille" and we must concur. With about 15 minutes prep time and only an hour of cooking, the results were truly magnifique!

Add vegetables
(we used carrots, onions, potatoes and one change to the recipe - a turnip)
and herbs to a large pot

The pretty turnip

Truss and season chicken with kosher salt and white pepper,

then place in pot atop vegetables. Pour in armagnac (or brandy), cover and cook!

Now, a little anecdote about armagnac. Dorie's recipe obviously calls for armagnac (a distilled spirit made from three different grapes), and we do have a bottle. Here's the story. Back in 2007, Amy organized a school trip to Paris and Rome and Amy's mother, who had never been abroad before, came along. A very nice (read: expensive) bottle of armagnac was on our list of things to buy, but we had bought and packed so many bottles of wine in Rome already, we couldn't fit it in our luggage. So we asked Mom to pack the armagnac in her bag. Easy enough, right? Well, everyone's bags were checked and as we stood in line to be screened through to the gates in Paris, we realized...Mom has the bottle in her carry-on. And there was that little problem of no liquids more than 3 ounces being allowed on the plane. Oh the humanity!We suffered through that line trying in vain to come to terms with the fact that our gorgeous armagnac was going to be confiscated (and probably consumed!) by the airport workers, but miraculously, it wasn't! Huzzah!

So, although we do in fact have a bottle, a very nice bottle actually, of armagnac, we just couldn't use a cup of it to cook a chicken, as good as that chicken might be. So we used brandy. And the chicken was still incredible. The end.

Connecticut Moonshine Pecan Pie

2012-01-12T18:10:00.003-05:00

After experiencing the epicness of Onyx Moonshine, made here in Manchester, CT, we knew we had to try cooking with it. The opportunity presented itself on Monday night, when we made dessert for the LSU-Alabama game: Connecticut Moonshine Pecan Pie. Although it was slightly overcooked, and maybe we used a few too many pecans (as if that could be a bad thing!), it came out pretty good. We've had some baking fails in the past, and while this wasn't the perfect pecan pie, we wouldn't count it among the "fails." In addition to the uniqueness of the moonshine in this recipe, you'll also notice we added some nutmeg, since CT is the Nutmeg State. It was sweet and rich, nutty and flavorful, with hints of vanilla, and a depth that we think came from the moonshine. If it can be done with bourbon, it can be done with moonshine!

Melt butter and combine with

corn syrup, molasses and a pinch of salt.

Boil until frothy with a caramel consistency.

Beat together eggs, vanilla, Moonshine and nutmeg.

Fold in pecans, preferably from Louisiana

Pour pecan pie mixture into prepared pie shell

Connecticut Moonshine Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

1 prepared pie shell, uncooked

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

1/4 cup molasses

pinch of kosher salt

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons Onyx Moonshine

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 cups pecan halves (although we'd reduce this to 2 cups next time)

Lay pie shell into greased pie plate and prick it all over with a fork. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the corn syrup, molasses and a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat until it boils and becomes frothy and has a caramel-like consistency. Set aside to cool slightly. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add the vanilla, moonshine and nutmeg and beat to combine. Add a small amount (about 1/4 cup) of the caramel into the eggs and stir to temper the eggs. Slowly add the remainaing caramel mixture into the eggs and combine well. Fold in the pecans and pour the pecan pie mixture into the prepared shell. Protect the crust with pie shields and bake at 350 for about one hour. Let cool before serving, preferably with a dollop of freshly whipped cream (of which we, sadly, had none).

Makin' Moonshine in Manchester, CT

2012-01-11T16:14:00.001-05:00

Adam von Gootkin and Peter Kowalczyk are living the dream. When they met years ago at a party, they recognized some sort of entrepreneurial spirit in one another and knew they were destined for great things. Well, one of those great things is taking shape right now – the two have founded Onyx Spirits and are making moonshine in Manchester, CT. Inspired by Connecticut’s grand history of bootlegging during the Prohibition era, and using an authentic recipe from those times (slightly tweaked), these guys are making history by founding a company whose products “go against the grain” (pun intended), and they are doing it all in a historic setting - the Hilliard Mills, site of America’s oldest woolen mill.

Many people have a certain idea about moonshine. Frankly, we did too. We have tried that stuff that smells like gasoline and burns from the second it touches your lips to the moment it sloshes into your gut. There’s not a whole lot of pleasure to be had in the drinking of that type of moonshine. However, Adam and Pete thought to themselves, “Why isn’t there an excellent moonshine being made in America?” and then they set out to do just that. We're here to tell you, they succeeded, creating a liquor they call Onyx Moonshine that is literally a category unto itself – not a whiskey, not a vodka, not a grain alcohol, but a smooth “Distilled Spirit Specialty” liquor made of 50% corn and Connecticut spring water with flavor notes that can include wood, honey, botanicals and sweet corn.

Onyx, pineapple and blue curacao
(Maybe they can call it "Blue Heaven")

Living up to their Latin motto “Labora dure, lude durius,” which means “Work hard, play harder,” Adam and Pete met us at Manchester’s favorite burger bar (that just happens to carry Onyx Moonshine), Corey’s Catsup and Mustard, to talk about and of course, taste their product. Bartender Stacy was thrilled to meet the two moonshiners, saying he can’t keep Onyx on the shelf. He said most people prefer to sip it straight or on the rocks, but this enthusiastic master mixologist spent the evening delivering up some of the most delicious concoctions we have had, all made with Onyx Moonshine.

Chicken 'n Waffles Sandwich

Over yummy sandwiches (namely, the “chicken ‘n waffles” – crispy fried chicken with jack cheese with maple mayo sandwiches between two waffle squares, and the grilled Texas toast turkey club), we talked and sipped and enjoyed the company of these two upstarts. Naturally, our very first taste was Onyx on the rocks, which we found to be a smooth, tasty sipper of a drink very similar to a good whiskey. It really set the tone for the night to taste the pure flavor of the moonshine on its own.

But Stacy had mixing on his mind. He made these drinks on the spot, so we don't have their "official" names, but believe us, we spent much of the night brainstorming possibilities (see photo captions). First, a candy-apple-red drink made from moonshine, Apple Pucker and a splash of cranberry that tasted like a crisp fall day in a New England orchard. Next, moonshine with pineapple and blue curacao – sweet and heavenly and very, well, blue. How about mixing Onyx with pomegranate, tonic and a little lime juice? Sparkly and tart and luscious. Or with Bailey’s and a touch of Goldschlager? Spicy, creamy, and perfect for after dinner. Each sip was fantastic, and the moonshine mixed as well as any vodka could. Plus, the drinks went well with the food. As Stacy aptly put it, “You can’t pair a restaurant and a liquor together better than Onyx Moonshine and Corey’s!” We wholeheartedly agree.

Onyx, pomegranate juice, tonic and lime
(Maybe they can call it "Sparkling Moonshine")

Staying local and true to Connecticut is so important to Adam and Pete that the Charter Oak is featured on every bottle that comes out of Onyx. They’ve also created a CT-inspired drink - The Charter Oak Cocktail, which offers a deliciously authentic taste of New England. Here’s the recipe, shared with us by Peter:

In a crockpot, warm one part Onyx Moonshine with two parts Connecticut-made apple cider. Add a cinnamon stick or two, some Clementine slices, and two teaspoons of brown sugar and allow to simmer for two hours. Serve garnished with freshly whipped cream and, since Connecticut is the Nutmeg State after all, a sprinkle of the spice.

So what does the future hold for Onyx Spirits? Adam tells us that for now, quality control mixed with slow and controlled growth is the key. They are not doing any advertising or marketing as of yet, but still they managed to sell out a couple of times in December while trying to meet holiday demands. As of early January 2012, they are putting out eighty cases of moonshine a day and delivering their product to over 150 restaurants, bars and liquor stores in Connecticut alone. Rumor has it that, in true moonshine tradition, people from New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts are crossing state borders to get their hands on a bottle. Adding to the widespread interest in the product, Onyx Moonshine went national when it was included in the “swag bags” given to performers at the 45th Annual Country Music Association Awards.

Onyx, Apple Pucker and a splash of cranberry
(Maybe they can call it the Adam's Apple?)

All of which is to say, making moonshine is keeping these guys pretty busy, so at this point in time, it is the only liquor being produced at the old Manchester mill. Nevertheless, future plans include creating limoncello and vodka, at the very least. In the meantime, though, Onyx Moonshine has definitely won us over. We plan to keep a bottle on our shelf at all times. And we will certainly be keeping our eyes on Onyx Spirits, a true Connecticut success story. Head over to their website or Facebook page for more information about Onyx Spirits.

Adam, Stacy and Peter

We wish Peter and Adam the best of luck! And a big "Thank you" to everyone at Corey's Catsup and Mustard, particularly Stacy!

And, in the next few days, be sure to come back to A Couple in the Kitchen for some food recipes made with love and Onyx Moonshine.