Rhubarb Cocktails (Review)

People are often impressed that I can bake.  Remember the yellow cake I made for one of my ESL students' 60th birthday? "You made this? Wow!" said the birthday girl after she realized that it was a real cake and not a plastic one. I have no idea why she thought I would bring a plastic cake, but hey, who knows? Maybe she received a plastic cake in the past!

A few weeks later, it was another student's birthday. Since I made vanilla the first time, I decided on chocolate cake with a Texan flair: Texas Sheet Cake from the Homesick Texan. I left out the chile powder because I wasn't sure how well that would go over. I assumed they would like it because 11 of the 12 students are from Central and South America. But, what if the birthday girl didn't like spicy food?

Really, they can be a tough crowd! We were learning adverbs this week and I was trying to think of an example of an annual event to teach the word "annually." Trying to give a relatable example, I used the World Cup assuming that my students were soccer fans. Plus, I'd walked away from the USA-Ghana game to go teach, so it was the first thing that popped into my mind. "El Copa Mundial!" I said, hoping to get a "VIVA MEXICO!" or "VIVA HONDURAS!" out of someone. Maybe if my argentinos had been there I would have gotten a stronger response; instead, I heard crickets chirping. Then I realized that the World Cup is quadrennial and well, I changed the subject. Thankfully, one of my students threw out "Rodeo." Whew! Since someone was able to give a better example than I was, I knew that they understood the word.

The moral of that story is that I can't make assumptions when it comes to my students. They are adults ranging in age from 25 to 60 with real life experiences. They certainly aren't the caricatures of people used as examples in my high school Spanish textbooks. They don't all love soccer and they probably don't all love spicy food. Instead of chile powder, I went heavy on the cinnamon. "Canela, no?" one of my students asked. "You made this? Wow," said my 60 year-old student, "You can get married."

Where am I going with all of this? I'm getting there. Whenever someone is impressed that I can bake, I tell them that baking is mostly about recipe selection. Baking differs from cooking because, for the most part, you can't taste and add along the way. What you put into your dough or batter and your baking parameters are going to dictate the outcome (well, that and the ambient temperature, humidity, amount of stirring, precision of measurement, etc.). I don't find baking challenging because baking is all about following the recipe. Sure, you can go on to adapt recipes or create your own, but for the novice baker, your goal is to follow the recipe exactly. Maybe that's easier said than done. I'm a scientist, so that's my job. Baking is a lot like chemistry lab (but hopefully only microbiology lab if you're using yeast or starter).

What I do find challenging is mixing drinks. C is a drink-mixing all-star. Really, I think he could make or reproduce anything. And if I mess something up, he can taste it, tweak it, and fix it into something delicious.

For the summer solstice, I wanted to make a summery cocktail. Enter the Rhubarb & Strawberry Collins. I muddled and poured and stirred. Exit a boozy rhubarb milkshake. My highball ended up watered down and lacking flavor. C was on call at the hospital (his last call shift for at least 13 months!!), so it was up to me to do the tweaking and fixing. I tried salvaging it by adding more rhubarb syrup but it wasn't quite right. Inspired by Rhubarb Floats from Not Without Salt, I added ice cream. It wasn't a knock-your-socks-off kind of drink, but I was happy to drink it.

Why rhubarb? I bought a half pound of rhubarb on a whim with the intention of baking. Instead, we (well, C) made it into rhubarb simple syrup. Basically, chop up your rhubarb (we used 3 stalks), add enough water to cover it and add an equal (or half for a longer infusion) portion of sugar, simmer 20-30 minutes until the rhubarb becomes mush and the liquid becomes a syrup, strain, and chill. Save the mushy "compote" for something else and use the syrup for cocktails. There aren't a ton of rhubarb cocktails to choose from, though it's not hard to find a rhubarb version for most of the classic cocktails. It's a little trickier to use than say grapefruit juice because the juice and flavor are in the simple syrup, so balance is key.

Our Rhubarb Cocktail Recommendations:

C's vote: Ginger Rhubarb Bees Knees from The Bonjon Gourmet
Ingredients: muddled ginger, rhubarb syrup, gin, lemon juice, and orange bitters, shaken with ice.
Tweaks: more lemon juice.
Flavor: tart and fruity, like a rhubarb drink should be (according to C).

A's vote: Rhubarb and Rose Ramos from Food52
Ingredients: London dry gin, lemon juice, lime juice, rhubarb syrup, cream, and rosewater, stirred then topped with ice and soda water.
Tweaks: left out the egg white for lack of pasteurized eggs.
Flavor: rhubarb ice cream in drinkable form.

Obviously the quality of the base spirit and liqueurs plays a role, but I think the secret to mixing drinks is the selection of ingredients: pairing flavors and picking up on the subtleties of each component. For example, I used the wrong base spirit when trying to make a melon infusion. I picked an aromatic, herbal gin instead of a milder dry gin, so the juniper and herbs overpower the melon. I suspect the other secret is practice by way of trial-and-error. I'm still a novice drinker let alone drink-mixer. Because I don't drink much and and I don't drink often, I'll probably just stick to baking! Anyway, I already have a resident "mixologist!"

My highball attempt. Note the beautiful rhubarb syrup!

Espresso Milkshake from Summermoon (Austin, TX)

One Saturday in late March, we ditched Houston and headed to Austin. It was a beautiful sunny morning with hardly a cloud in the sky; there was enough of a breeze to stay comfortable in the 80°F weather. We saw plenty of bluebonnets and wildflowers along the highways and I even convinced C to stop for pictures along highway 36. I was shocked he stopped after we'd spent a whole Saturday the prior weekend driving around looking for bluebonnets, with success!

Just like our first trip to Austin, our first stop in town was at Summermoon Coffee Bar. Last November, C had a "golden weekend," those coveted two days off in a row that only come around every few months, so we visited his best friend from high school who lives in Austin. As soon as we arrived, we stopped at a coffee shop for a "study date" so that C could knock off a few sets of practice questions for his third (and final) medical licensing exam (which he passed! Woo hoo!). While he studied, Elliot and I goofed off.

At one point, Elliot disappeared and returned with an espresso milkshake for C. I'm not a coffee drinker (nor is Elliot), but  C convinced us to try it. It was amazing. Creamy, but not from ice cream, sweet, ever-so-slightly chocolatey, with an earthy, coffee flavor. Summermoon fire-roasts their coffee in-house, so their coffee has a distinct woodiness. Every time I bring up that milkshake, C laughs at me because I claim that I don't like coffee. He also got a kick out of me finishing all of his lattes in Guatemala. Ok, I'll admit it: coffee is growing on me. Now, can I have another espresso milkshake, please? I set off to recreate it at home.

This second time we were at Summermoon, I watched the barista make the milkshake. First, he put ice cubes and a tiny bit of moon milk in the bottom of the blender. He grabbed a to-go cup and drizzled in chocolate syrup. Then, he poured hot espresso into the blender. After that, I got distracted, but I'm pretty sure he added more moon milk (and maybe more ice cubes), blended it, and poured it into the plastic cup. I started drinking it, and the rest is history. It was gone by the time we made it to the Barton Creek Green Belt for our walk.

According to Summermoon's Facebook page, an espresso milkshake is "espresso, moon milk and ghiradelli sweet ground chocolate, blended with ice." So, what is moon milk? Summermoon's top secret, homemade creamer/milk made of 7 ingredients. Coupled with the wood-fired coffee, moon milk gives their drinks a uniquely delicious flavor that their devotees can't get anywhere else. Though many of their patrons are convinced it's made of crack cocaine because it's so addictive, I have the impression that moon milk is made of cream, sweetened condensed milk, other milks and vanilla.

Materials
ice cubes
sweetened milk?
espresso
chocolate syrup

Methods
1. In a blender, combine the ice cubes and milk. Pour in the hot espresso. Blend.
2. Drizzle chocolate syrup into a cup and pour in the milkshake.

Ok, that's not a helpful recipe. I don't even know what one of the ingredients is. So, I tried another route. I stopped at Whole Foods and picked up a jug of double espresso iced coffee with almond milk. I tried blending it with both ice and ice cream but neither gave me the desired result. To be fair, I wasn't digging the flavor of the coffee (I like almond milk, but apparently not with coffee). When I told my mom about the experience she asked, "Why do you always try to recreate things? Why not make it a treat for yourself whenever you're in Austin?" Though I don't want to, I will listen to her. Next time you find yourself in Austin, Texas, head over to Summermoon and try their milkshake!

Interested in making an espresso milkshake on your own? Here's the closest recipe I could find based on the ingredients I saw added (though it uses espresso powder instead of espersso). Give it a shot (pun intended) and report back!

Almond Milk Horchata

Horchata is that thick, sweet, cinnamony drink you'll find in a large jug at most Mexican restaurants. It's generally  made with ground rice or sometimes nuts like almonds. It often has a thick, chalky texture (kind of like Pepto-Bismol), especially when made with rice. I keep trying to order it, but have finally given up. For me, horchata is too hard to drink. It's a little too sweet and thick to swallow.

Have you heard of RumChata? RumChata is a delightful rum-based cream liqueur from Wisconsin that tastes like horchata. Unlike traditional horchata, RumChata is made with real cream. (Of course it's made with real cream! It's produced in the state that has previously banned the use of margarine to protect butter/dairy sales). I don't know if RumChata has become popular throughout the United States, but it's definitely a popular drink among my friends and family back in Wisconsin. One of my friends even used it to make RumChata cupcakes, which she said were delicious!

I first learned about RumChata from my mom when I went home to visit during graduate school. After dark, with our bare feet resting on the bricks of the firepit, gazing over the placid lake, we chatted and drank RumChata on ice out of yellow plastic cups with smiley faces that my mom bought "to make you feel happy in the morning!" A few months later, she gave me a bottle of RumChata as a gift. It was mostly full when I moved to Houston, but I finished it a few months ago. I contemplated buying another bottle but decided against it because I didn't want the pressure to finish it by August and it definitely won't last in storage for a year. So, I decided to try to make my own. That was a failure (to me, rum, even high quality rum, kind of tastes like plastic, so it was not at all enjoyable), but the horchata alone was delicious. I'll leave the RumChata to the experts.

Objective
Make a simple horchata with less sugar than the real thing.

Materials
4 cups vanilla almond milk* (or plain + 1 tsp vanilla)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
splash of vanilla
ice cubes
cinnamon (for garnish)

Methods
1. In a blender, combine the almond milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Pulse a few times to mix or until the sugar dissolves. Alternatively, whisk until the sugar dissolves (this works particularly well for a single serving so that there is less cleanup).
2. Pour 1 cup into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Strain into a glass with a fresh ice cube. Repeat with 3 more glasses to serve 4 or store the rest in the fridge.
3. If desired, sprinkle with cinnamon prior to serving. To be extra fancy, garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Results
Yum! This is not at all thick. As you would expect it's the consistency of almond milk. The flavor isn't too sweet with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon. Though a little more creaminess would be ok, this is my ideal horchata!

Discussion and Future Directions
I've definitely had my fair share of horchata since I first made this recipe. I've also been good about sharing it with others. C was skeptical to try it after our first attempt at homemade horchata (we started with rice) failed miserably. This one, he was happy to sip!

I used almond milk because I like the flavor and texture. This could easily be made with other alternative milks like soy or rice. To make it richer and creamer, you could use dairy (maybe 2 cups almond milk and 2 cups whole milk or  3 cups almond milk and 1 cup half-and-half). Use whatever you've got on hand. Cheers!

*Update 5/4/14: I recommend using Almond Breeze almond milk. I just tried Silk's vanilla almond milk and it's incredibly sweet. If you are using Silk, you might want to omit the sugar...

Gin & Ginger Mule

I've never posted a drink recipe before. The main reason is because I'm a Two-Sip Sally, so I don't drink often. Also, I'm not the mixologist-wannabe in our household, that's C. I really want to open a bakery/brewery with him called "The Baker and The Brewmaster." Unfortunately, he wants to be a Distiller and that ruins the alliteration. Alas, we shan't be opening a bakery/brewhouse. I guess I'll keep doing science. Bummer.

Now, onto what seems like a very irrelevant story, but is not.

My first interaction with C was almost your stereotypical guy-meets-girl-at-a-party story. Girl walks into a Halloween party. Guy approaches her and says, "What are you supposed to be?" "Taylor Swift," she replies. "Doesn't she have long, curly, blonde hair?" he asks skeptically, noting her short, semi-wavy, brown hair. "Yes," she responds out-loud while thinking to herself "well, at least I'm not the one dressed as a cow." Guy asks if he can get Taylor Swift a drink. Girl declines, "No thanks." "Are you sure?" prods the cow. "Yes, I only drink alone." Guy starts having flashbacks to his medical school lectures on the signs and symptoms of alcohol dependency, and trying to understand, asks, "Excuse me?" "Trust me, I'm a lightweight. It's best if I only drink at home, alone," girl reassures guy, thinking that it's normal behavior. Guy thinks girl is a little weird. Girl thinks guy's a little cranky after he calls the party over and kicks everyone out.

Fast forward five months to a bachelor party in Denver, Colorado. Over a round of Moscow Mules, guy asks his good friend and groom-to-be if Taylor Swift will be at his wedding. Gears start turning in the groom's head. Girl hears about nothing but guy dressed as a cow at the Halloween party/best man for the month leading up to the wedding. Guy and girl are reintroduced before the wedding. Guy offers girl ice cream instead of a drink and they fall madly in love over a shared bowl of ice cream and a deck of microbiology flashcards.

And here's where this all becomes relevant: Guy still thinks girl is a little weird because of her drinking habits. Guy makes girl one of his favorite drinks with raspberries, mint, and bourbon. Girl takes two sips and is done. Girl is drunk and guy understands exactly why she has such strange drinking habits. Over the next year or two, girl takes sips of guy's drinks. Girl discovers she loves the Moscow Mules guy makes with homemade ginger syrup in place of ginger beer. Then girl learns she likes them even more with gin, hence the Gin & Ginger Mule.

This is C's creation and it's really, really delicious. So delicious in fact that I joined a "Drinking and Social Club" at the restaurant Down House (located in a dry part of town--thus patrons must join the club in order to drink) so that I could try their version with basil, cucumber, gin, vanilla syrup, lime and orange. Heck, we were there, so I figured, "Might As Well!" Our friend Doc Brown found it so out of character that she took a picture of me with my drinking club member card! Here's C's recipe:

Gin & Ginger mule

Juice 1 lime into a copper mug.
Add 2 oz. homemade ginger simple syrup,  

2 oz. The Botanist Islay Dry Gin,

3-4 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters, and

a splash of club soda.

Swirl to mix. Add ice cubes and serve cold.

Cheers!