Bluegrass Sundown ~ The Cocktail

Tags

beverage, Bluegrass Sundown, bourbon, cocktail, cream, hot, Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Kentucky Proud, Southern

On our recent tour of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, we visited Town Branch Distillery in Lexington. In addition to their Town Branch bourbon and Kentucky Ale beers, they also make Kentucky Sundown, a coffee flavored liquor with a bit of bourbon and sugar infused for additional layers of flavor. The back of the bottle features the recipe for a deliciously warm cocktail perfect for the rainy fall days the weatherman is predicting will come later this week.

Bluegrass Sundown ~ The Cocktail

• 2 ounces of Bluegrass Sundown
• 4 ounces of boiling hot water
• Heavy cream

Shake the Bluegrass Sundown well and measure out into a glass. Add the boiling water and stir. Tilt the back of a spoon touching the liquid and gently pour the heavy cream over the spoon. This allows the cream to float on the top. As you drink, the hot mixture will flow through the cold cream. The contrast is as divine as the flavor. Makes one cocktail.

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Fish Chowder

Tags

chowder, cod, cream, fish, gluten free, soup, tilapia

The hubby usually is not a soup fan. “It is not heavy enough,” he says. This chowder, however, did manage to get a stamp of approval.

Fish Chowder (a variation of this recipe from NPR)

• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, microplaned
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 8 to 10 baby potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices or 1/2-inch dice
• 3 cups fish or shrimp stock
• 2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless fish fillets
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cook bacon in a heavy soup pot, over low heat, stirring, until beginning to crisp. Add the butter, onions, bay leaves, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring, until the onions are tender but not browned.

Add the potatoes and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the fish fillets and cream. Simmer (do not boil!) until the fish is cooked through and beginning to flake, 8 to 10 minutes. The fish will come apart in large chunks. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with the parsley. Serves 6.

Frozen Honey Cream

Tags

cream, dessert, food, honey, Kentucky Proud, summer

My beekeeping friend Lelia inspired me to with all her talk of harvesting to look for more recipes using honey. I came across this beauty. I only wish I had had time to make some shortbread cookies to accompany the honey cream.

Frozen Honey Cream

• 1 3/4 cups cold heavy cream
• 2/3 cup wildflower honey
• 4 large egg yolks

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat heavy cream to stiff peaks, then refrigerate. In a small pot, bring honey to a boil over medium-high and cook 2 minutes. In another medium bowl, using mixer, beat egg yolks until pale yellow. With mixer running, add hot honey in a slow, steady stream. Beat on high until mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 5 minutes. With a rubber spatula, fold in whipped cream. Transfer mixture to a 5-by-10-inch loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze until set, 2 hours (or up to 1 week).

Coconut-Crusted Chocolate Cream Pie

Tags

chocolate, coconut, cream, dessert, gluten free, pie

This is the perfect recipe…

Excellent flavor, a small ingredient list (4 to be exact), a short prep time (max 20 minutes of hands on time), and a great presentation. What more could you ask for?

And it is gluten free! My friend Jason bemoans the lack of desserts he can eat since most bakery treats contain gluten. I am super excited to find this recipe because it is lovely in the eyes of most beholders.

Coconut-Crusted Chocolate Cream Pie

(originally from Martha Stewart’s New Pies and Tarts)

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 11 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghirardelli’s 60% cacoa chocolate)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a food processor, process butter and one-third of coconut until mixture forms a ball, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Sprinkle remaining two-thirds coconut over mixture and combine with your fingers.

Press coconut mixture into bottom and up sides of pan to form crust, leaving top edges loose and fluffy. Place a foil ring over edge to prevent burning. Bake until center begins to brown, 10 to 15 minutes; remove foil and bake until edges are browned, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer pie plate to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bring cream just to a boil in a small saucepan; pour over chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Let sit 10 minutes, then stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is combined. (I used a whisk to combine mine better.) Pour into coconut crust. Refrigerate until filling is set, 1 hour or up to 1 day.