drinks

For those of us not from the land of latti, there’s no need to be intimidated anymore. Here’s a list to help you out the next time you’re ordering more than a cup o’ joe –

Americano:
A coffee made with two shots of espresso and hot water.

Breve:
A latte made with half-and-half.

Cappuccino:
A drink made with espresso and equal parts steamed milk and thick foam. It has a stronger espresso flavor than a latte.

Chai:
A coffee alternative- black tea mixed with exotic spices, steamed milk, and honey.

Con Panna:
Italian for “with whipped cream”

Demitasse:
French for “half cup” – it’s the little cup used to serve espresso.

Doppio:
Italian for “double”, but used only when referring to a two-shot espresso. (One orders a doppio espresso con panna, but a double latte).

Double:
Two shots of espresso in a drink.

Dry:
More foam, less milk.

Espresso:
Coffee’s purest, most intense form.

For-Here Cup:
A ceramic cup for enjoying your drink in the store.

Half-Caf:
One shot of regular and one shot of decaf.

Latte:
A drink made with espresso and steamed milk, with a thin layer of foam on the top.

Light:
Less of something in a drink, such as “light syrup” or “light whip”.

Macchiato:
Italian for “marked” or “stained”. Just a little milk.

Misto:
Italian for “mixed”. A combination of drip coffee and steamed milk.

Mocha:
A drink made with espresso, chocolate, and steamed milk.

One Pump (or, Two Pumps):
Indicates the amount of flavored syrup (ie: vanilla or hazelnut) you want added to your order.

Personal Cup:
A reusable cup you bring to the store.

Quad:
Four shots of espresso in a drink.

Ristretto:
A short pull of espresso.

Shaken:
Iced tea or coffee mixed with ice in a shaker.

Single:
One shot of espresso in a drink.

Skinny:
Made with nonfat milk.

Solo:
One shot of espresso by itself.

To-Go Cup:
The paper cup used for coffee to go.

Triple:
Three shots of espresso in a drink.

Unleaded:
Decaffeinated.

Wet:
More milk, less foam.

Whip:
Short for whipped cream.

With Legs:
To go.

With Room:
Space to add milk in a drink, usually an americano or brewed coffee.

PLUS…:

Dead Eye:
A cup of American coffee with three shots of espresso in it.

Crazy Eye:
A cup of American coffee with four shots of espresso in it.

Blind Eye:
A cup of American coffee with five or more shots on espresso in it.

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We are not Southern gals, but we do appreciate the rich culture, history, and traditions of that region’s cooking. Every year we are invited to a good friend’s house for a Kentucky Derby party. The occasion is low-key, with barely much thought or effort put into the planning. We simply know that we are supposed to be there at the “starting gate” for a cold drink and a little bite to eat. You can make these nearly-effortless mouth-watering sandwiches a day in advance and spend the rest of the time buying napkins for when you eat them and perfecting the mint juleps you’ll be sipping.

Recipe: Pulled Pork Sandwich with Barbeque Sauce

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We have tried them individually, but a recent visit to a local Scandinavian restaurant inspired a vodka tasting . Samplings included: cardamom, black currant, rosewater, and chili. Served icy cold in small glasses, a platter was placed in the middle of the table for all to try. It was a refreshing alternative to the before-dinner, showy cocktails that are so often seen. Our favorite was cardamom, but the possibilities are endless.

How to Infuse Vodka: Homemade infused vodka is a technique of long tradition in Scandinavia and one of the simplest drink experiments you can try in a home kitchen. Buy some good everyday vodka (Skyy or Absolut), pour it in a jar, and add fruit, berries, or herbs. We’re trying recipes for pomegranate lime, spiced orange, or cardamom ginger.

A Perfect Hors d’oeuvre to Accompany a Vodka Tasting:
Traditional Gravlax with Dill Mustard Sauce

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Try this smooth cocktail before dinner or for brunch.

Guinness stout
Brut champagne

Half fill a Collins glass, champagne flute or wine glass with stout and top off slowly with champagne. Stir gently with glass rod.

Tip: For a more elegant look, fill glass first with stout then pour champagne over the back of a spoon to create a dark and light effect. Don’t mix.

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Party Fun

December 13, 2007

If you are looking for a good drink to serve for the holidays, discover Esquire Magazine’s revamped Drinks Database. This well-stocked catalog includes everything from new recipes, upgrades of old favorites, amusing drinking lore, and the convenient “What Can You Make? feature, which lets you plug in the odd assortment of ingredients you’ve got on-hand to help you come up with a crafty new cocktail.

We suggest trying the Air Mail, a popular 1940s cocktail from back when airmail was as hip as email. This drink gets you there fast…

Recipe: Air Mail
1 jigger (1 1/2 oz.) oak-aged rum (try Mount Gay Eclipse or Bacardi Anejo)
1/2 oz. lime juice
1 tsp. honey
5 oz. champagne

Mix rum, lime juice, and honey in a glass to dissolve. Place mixture in a chilled cocktail shaker, add crushed ice, and shake. Pour unstrained, into a highball glass (9 oz) and add champagne. Stir and serve.

Tip: If entertaining, you can make a larger mix of the rum, honey and lime juice ahead so you are ready to serve. A lime peel �twist� for a garnish adds an elegant touch.

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It’s not as though you need a reason to lug home an entire watermelon, but we were happy to see that our latest Cook the Book pick added another reason to buy one. Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamins A, B6 (good for energy production), and C (one cup provides 24.3% of your daily requirement). This sweet juicy fruit is also jam-packed with some of the most important antioxidants in nature – beta-carotene and lycopene. The high nutrient density of watermelon, due in part to its high water content (watermelon is 92% water) and low calorie content (only 48 calories per cup), delivers more nutrients per calorie than most any other food — a fantastic health benefit.

Recipe: Watermelon Juice

1/2 seedless watermelon
1 tsp. sea salt, preferably a fleur de sel (optional)

Remove the rind from the watermelon and slice the flesh into large chunks. Place in a blender and puree until smooth. Add salt, mix. Refrigerate overnight, or serve over ice — but be sure to serve very cold. (Frozen, this juice makes for great popsicles as well).

Note: When looking for watermelon ripeness, slap the side of the melon; if ripe, it will resonate with a hollow thump.

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Blueberry Smash

July 6, 2007

It’s date night on a summer evening in the city. Instead of sitting at a table, why not sit at the bar? Knees knocking, intimate conversation, and there is the added bonus of chatting up the bartender.

On one such evening at Michel Richard’s terrific DC brasserie, Central, we asked our bartender which of the special house-made cocktails he preferred – something light and not too sweet. He wowed us with this:

Recipe:

Fill a tall glass with ice cubes.

1/4-1/3 c. blueberries
1 oz. (pony) lemon juice
1 oz. simple syrup
1 1/2 oz. (jigger) Stoli Blueberi Vodka
Pink champagne
Several blueberries, for garnish.

In a separate glass, muddle the blueberries. Add lemon juice and simple syrup. Stir. Pour into ice-filled glass. Add blueberry vodka. Stir. Fill glass to top with pink champagne. Mix. Top with several blueberries.

Serve with a straw.

Note: A traditional jigger is a double sided device. With a large measure on one end, and a smaller one on the other. The larger measure is usually (but not always) 1-1/2 ounces, and is called a “jigger”. The smaller side is usually (but not always) 1 full ounce, and is referred to as a “pony”.

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Mango Lassi

June 21, 2007

A mango lassi (blended mango nectar with plain yogurt and cardamom) will do well to cool and focus the mind.

1 c. plain yogurt
1 c. peeled and chopped, ripe, sweet mango or 1/2 cup mango pulp
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom (optional) or lime juice, to taste
Several ice cubes

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth in a blender. Strain through a sieve, pushing as much liquid as possible, to make smooth. If the pulp has been used there is no need to strain. Pour in glasses and serve.

TIP: You can use Kefir instead of yogurt if you like. Kefir and yogurt are both cultured milk products, but Kefir is slightly different in that it is fermented, tastes more sour compared to yogurt, has a bit of a thinner texture and contains more active bacteria. We love it.

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Mint Julep

April 26, 2007

This Saturday the Kentucky Derby runs. With it comes the ritual of drinking a Mint Julep – a celebration of style and taste.

A distinctly Southern drink, popular since ante bellum times, the Mint Julep has been Churchill Down’s signature drink for 60 years. The classic version is made with just four ingredients: finely crushed ice, a little sugar water, fresh mint and fine Kentucky bourbon. Served in silver julep cups (which do have other uses -stuffed with roses, toothbrushes, or pencils), it is as much a ceremony as it is a drink.

Many years ago, a Kentucky General wrote a letter to his friend describing the custom of making a Mint Julep: “Propose a worthy toast, raise the goblet to your lips, bury your nose in the mint, inhale a deep breath of its fragrance…Being overcome with thirst, I can write no further.”

Classic Mint Julep

The day before:
1. In the freezer, place julep cups (9 oz. is a good size; sterling silver, pewter, or glass highballs).

2. Make a simple syrup. Place 1 c. sugar and 1 c. water in a saucepan and bring to a boil until sugar is completely dissolved. While syrup is cooling, place 1/2 c. mint leaves in a glass jar or cup and pour syrup over the leaves. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or longer. When ready to use, strain the mint leaves. Note: this makes about enough syrup for a dozen drinks.

To serve:
1. About 30 minutes before serving, fill cups and pack tightly with crushed ice. Return to freezer.

2. Pour 3 oz. of bourbon and 2 tsp. of mint syrup over ice. Do not stir and hold cup by the rim so as not to disturb the frost. Insert a sprig of mint and serve immediately.

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Making the Mojito

March 20, 2007

According to legend and half-truths, the mojito most likely originated in Cuba in the late 19th century and gained popularity in the 1930s (Ernest Hemingway, Brigitte Bardot, Pablo Neruda, Nat King Cole and Errol Flynn fancied them at La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana in the heyday of the 1940′s).

12 fresh spearmint leaves
2 tablespoons simple syrup (see note)
2 oz light rum
juice of one lime
Splash of club soda
Lime wedge and mint sprigs for garnish

In a highball glass, gently crush the mint leaves and the sliced lime with a muddler or the back of a spoon. Add syrup, and fill glass with ice (preferably crushed). Add rum and top with club soda. Stir to mix. Garnish with lime wedge and a few sprigs of mint. Makes 1 serving.

Note: Make simple syrup by heating 1 part sugar with 1 part water until dissolved; cool before using. You may substitute 4 teaspoons superfine sugar.

For a “faux-jito”: combine all the ingredients except for the rum to make a non-alcoholic version of this drink.

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