Blood Orange & Ginger Shrub
Blood Orange & Ginger Shrub- we are talking about an odd sounding, old fashioned beverage that has nothing to do with gardening or hedges. The shrub was a popular drink in America during the colonial times, and referred to a vinegared fruit syrup mixed with water, alcohol or sparkling water, also called a drinking vinegar. The British have their own version of a shrub, a fruity alcoholic cordial, without the vinegar. Recently, shrubs have had a revival in bars and restaurants, and for good reason, they are refreshing, tangy and delicious! Shrubs are easy to make, and have only three ingredients, fruit juice, sugar and vinegar. They can be made in two ways, hot or cold, and in our recipe for Blood Orange & Ginger Shrub, we opted for a slightly modified cold version. This recipe is adapted from Food in Jars.
Yield: 1 1/3 cups shrub, serves 6-7
Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh blood orange juice (we used juice from 5 blood oranges and 2 regular oranges)
- 3 inches peeled fresh ginger, chopped into 4 pieces
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup cider vinegar
- Sparkling water (optional for serving)
Steps:
- Add the orange juice, ginger and sugar to a medium bowl or large measuring cup. Stir to combine. Let the liquid sit until all the sugar is dissolved and no crystals are visible, about one hour.
- Remove the ginger, strain the liquid if you would like a clearer color. Add the vinegar, mix, cover and refrigerate. The shrub will keep up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
Serving suggestions:
- Drink it- mix 3-4 tablespoons of the Blood Orange & Ginger Shrub with sparkling water, or in a boozy drink.
- Mix it-with salad dressings or sauces
- Drizzle it- on ice cream or brownies
Fresh Coconut Pancakes in the rainy season
A quick trip out to get ingredients can be a big ordeal here in Haiti, especially this time of year. May marks the start of the rainy season. We’ve seen torrential downpours almost daily for several weeks now here in Port-au-Prince. These heavy rains wash out main roads, swell the region’s rivers, overflow the sewers, and cause flash floods which can destroy the fragile homes that line the city’s narrow ravines. Add to this near daily political protests, that bring traffic to a halt with barricades and can shut down whole sections of the city. Recently, two of the three main bridges to the north (on our side of the city) have been out of commission after one collapsed when critical bolts were pilfered. So when I woke up this morning, craving a hearty pancake breakfast, convincing Paul to brave the traffic for butter, milk, or any other breakfast staple was a no-go. This recipe emerged from the bounty of our backyard; toasted coconut from our coconut tree and fresh-as-they-come eggs from Paul’s chickens. These Fresh Coconut Pancakes are absolutely delicious, custardy, and with just the right amount of chew, a perfect start to a rainy day.
Haitian Ginger Tea, Te Jenjanm
Hello dear readers and Happy New Years Eve from the Caribbean! To round out 2018, we wanted to share this bold and spicy Haitian Ginger Tea, Te Jenjanm, a distinctive brew from our adopted home in Haiti. Ginger is traditionally known in many places for its curative and restorative powers. Te Jenjanm, has a spicy kick that soothes the throat and warms the body. It’s a favorite drink during the cooler months, and every Haitian household has their own version. This distinctive ginger tea is made more complex with additions of star anise, lemongrass, and cinnamon. During these cold months, share a cup of Haitian Ginger Tea with your friends and family.
Ginger Sesame Green Beans
We celebrated Labor Day in Connecticut with Paul's brother and sister-in-law with lots of amazing vegetarian food. We left salty breezes behind and arrived back to the hot, humid jungly hills of Pittsburgh last night to a barren fridge yielding a dinner of either hotdogs or green beans. We opted to continue the vegetarian theme of the weekend, and whipped up a batch of these Ginger Sesame Green Beans we have been loving all summer. Spicy, tangy and gingery, these green beans are addictive! Check out our summer bounty round-up for other ideas for summer vegetables.
Blackstrap Molasses & Fresh Ginger Cake
Blackstrap Molasses and Fresh Ginger Cake is a dark, moody, and moist dessert masterpiece. Warm spices are on prominent display with fresh ginger, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, and the rich and smoky tones of blackstrap molasses. This cake is a great foil to a rich frosting (stay tune for Paul's salted maple buttercream next week), but has the verve to stand alone as simple seasonal dessert. Blackstrap Molasses and Fresh Ginger Cake is crowd favorite whenever we make it and is a stunning high holiday treat. We've adapted this recipe from one of our favorite dessert authors, David Lebovitz. Check out our review of his cookbook at our Bookshelf.
Apple Walnut Bundt Cake with Caramel Glaze
Thanks for following along with our new adventures! We recently moved from Pittsburgh to Haiti where we are starting a 5 year volunteer assignment with a non-profit relief and development organization. We will be in transition for the next few months as we complete our in-country orientation, language study, spend time living with host families in both the countryside and capital... and lest we forget, have our first baby somewhere in there as well! Please bear with us as we will not have ready access to internet or a kitchen throughout this time. We will continue to share new recipes that we've prepared in advance, and updates on our new life in Haiti as often as we are able.
As much as we love the tropical fruits and Caribbean flavors of our new home in Haiti, we are nostalgic for the apple and spice combination, so classic to this time of year in North America. We love this old-fashioned Apple Walnut Bundt Cake with Caramel Glaze, pungent with cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and ginger, glazed with a salty caramel.
