Month: June 2016

This could properly be called a switchel- slightly fermented alcoholic drink that is used to quench thirst when people are out in the heat. Most Switchel recipes are not very pleasant to modern palates, so this is a variation.  Lemons are a staple in our kitchens, but 100 years ago they were an expensive exotic fruit.  Anna is more likely to  have flavored  hers with mild  vinegar, made from apple cores.  Carter would tie a cord around the neck of the bottle and lower the bottle into a quickly moving stream to chill it. On the off chance that you dont have a swiftly moving creek in your kitchen, the fridge will work just fine.

1 cup of whiskey

2 cups of very strong black tea(use 4 tea bags for two cups of boiling water)

2/3 cup of honey. – you will really taste the honey here, so it’s worth it to sample different nice honeys- this is not the place for the plastic bear….

1 thinly sliced lemon

stir honey into the still hot tea.   Add a sliced lemon allow to cool to room temperature and stir whiskey in.  This is best served very cold when someone else is driving you home.

This is a great potato salad for a picnic- since it doesn’t contain any mayo it’s less likely to harbor salmonella… And it’s hard to not like that.

1 LB of small potatoes, skin on- red skinned or small yukons- cut into small pieces

8 cloves of garlic

1/2- 2/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives (try the olive bar of your most expensive/crunchy supermarket, to score some already pitted)

olive oil

grainy mustard

sturdy greens(arugula, radicchio, baby kale- or a mix)

Drizzle potatoes and garlic with olive oil- In a cast iron pan, or a baking sheet roast in hot oven (400*) until the potatoes are brown and cooked through. Remove garlic from pan and set aside.   In your food processor combine mustard(start with 3 TB,)  1/4 cup of olive oil and the garlic. Pulse.  When the dressing is smooth(ish) Add the olives and pulse until they are chopped.  While the potatoes are still piping hot, combine the potatoes and the dressing.  This can be served at room temperature, or chilled.  Mix the  dressed potatoes with several handfuls of sturdy greens. If you are picnic bound, spoon into mason jars and screw lids on.

https://casscooks.com/2016/06/07/a-picnic-with-friends/

  https://casscooks.com/2016/06/07/a-picnic-with-friends/https://casscooks.com/2016/02/07/beas-roast-beef-sandwiches/

Sunstrokes is available!!!  

http://blushingbooks.booklikes.com/post/1416506/are-you-blushing-yet-new-free

To celebrate I’ve planned a picnic-perfect for the fourth of July. I’ve whipped up some of Hazel’s roast beef sandwiches, Meredith and Paolo brought Tiramisu parfaits, Dom and Heidi brought along a roasted potato salad. Carter and Anna contributed a whiskey punch-

I cannot suggest that you invest in some mason jars enough. Seriously. They are easy to pack, and can be used over and over again for all sorts of jobs.   they are breakable, but they are pretty darn sturdy, so as long as you don’t fling one onto the sidewalk you should be ok.   Buy some inexpensive dish towels to use as napkins- they are big, absorbent and add a touch of color.Those little wooden spoons can be found anywhere- Target and Jo Ann’s both carry them. Somehow taking  dirty cutlery home to wash seems like drudgery, I’m sure there is something profound in there about how spoiled I am, but I have been sampling the whiskey punch and cannot go there.