"Cool Liquid Refreshments"
July 22, 2010 - Volume 1, Issue 10
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Drink up Summer!
| It's hot outside. Even the rising
morning sun has an intensity that finds us searching for the shade. The
handkerchief stays on-call for the glistening brow, and the desire for
some type of thirst-quenching relief grows stronger as the day wears on.
The hand seeks a tumbler of a favorite summertime drink.  It's time for some
summer survival strategies -- time to stay hydrated and cooled, even if
only for a moment. It's time for something cold, very cold, in fact, . .
. ice cold.
IN
THIS ISSUE, we celebrate summer with a focus on cool liquid
refreshments. We remind you of some fantastic thirst quenchers and
discuss one of our favorite summertime kitchen tools, the blender. We
conclude with three smoothie recipes sure to get you started on your way
to some summertime relief.
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Ken's Notes:
|  Cooking classes have started! We held our first class last Monday and it was a great success. French and Italian loaves, English muffin bread, Irish soda bread and a number of toppings were made and sampled.  It seems that everyone had a good time with lots of back and forth discussion with the teacher and each other. As I write this we still have a few seats left for John Rossi's Pasta Class on July 26th and Emad Al-Masri's class on August 2nd. Visit www.thecooksshop.com for more details.
 If you watch WTAP or Fox TV you may have seen the ad that we did to publicize Gordon Ramsay's new program Master Chef. Go to www.wtap.com/fox and find the link to "Cooking Up Fun" and register for the drawing. On July 26th WTAP will choose 5 names at random for a supermarket sweep type run through The Cook's Shop. The winner gets to keep the merchandise they grab along with a few other nice prizes. We'd love to see one of our customers win - you only have a few days to sign up so don't delay!
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Thirst Quenchers
| Water comprises 55-60% of the human
body. A good water balance is key to maintaining good health year-round,
but especially so during hot weather where our bodies compensate for
the heat by releasing moisture through our skin. Unlike food that can be
stored in our bodies, water cannot be stored; it must be replenished
frequently. Use these options to stay hydrated.
 Ice Cold Water- Keep ice-cold water handy. There's been a lot of recent press about
bottled water vs. tap water. The jury seems to be in - tap water in a
reusable container is just as good and healthy as bottled water and
reduces one-use disposable packaging. Choose reusable water bottles that
are BPA-free.
 Make Lemonade -
A hands-down favorite, lemonade satisfies our thirsts. The combination
of sour, just a little sweet, and a lot of cold, works its refreshing
magic. There's no substitute for fresh-squeezed lemons when making
lemonade. For 6 servings, squeeze enough lemons to make 1 cup of fresh
lemon juice. Make a simple syrup by heating 1 cup of sugar in 1.5 cups
of water just until the sugar dissolves completely, then cool. Mix the
lemon juice, simple syrup, and add 4 cups of cold water. Choose clear,
tall glasses, pour over ice, and garnish with a slice of lemon and a
sprig of mint.
 Sip Sweet Tea -
The southern tradition of sweet tea has been successfully exported to
all regions of the country. Like lemonade, sweet tea is based on a
simple syrup of 1 cup sugar and 1.5 cups water heated until the sugar is
dissolved. Steep 3 tea bags (or 4 tablespoons of loose tea in a
diffuser) in 2 quarts of cold water for 30 minutes. Add the simple
syrup, a squeeze of lemon, if desired, and pour over ice. Some recommend
adding the smallest pinch of baking soda to the steeping tea to remove
any hint of bitterness.
Blend
Smoothies - Available as a premium drink in many different
specialty shops, smoothies offer cool liquid refreshment and many
nutritional choices. Smoothies require no formula, just the seasonal
inspiration of fresh fruit and vegetables. Smoothies might include milk,
yogurt, whey powder, or any number of ingredients. For pennies on the
dollar, smoothies can be yours everyday at home. A blender is
indispensable for smoothie making. (See the three smoothie recipes
below).
Launch
Floats - Bring soda fountain
pleasures to your family and guests. Drop a scoop of ice cream into a
glass of fizzy soda, and add a straw. Soda fountain glasses complete the
picture. Rediscover float classics such as root beer with vanilla ice
cream, a brown cow, (root beer with chocolate ice cream), or orange soda
with vanilla ice cream.
Crush Slushies- Like a smoothie, a slush can take many forms, but is always marked by
shaved or crushed ice. Somewhere between solid and liquid, a slush
accepts flavors easily. Concentrate your flavor choices if your ice
cubes are made of water. Or to control dilution, freeze half your mix
into ice cubes keeping the other half as liquid. Use a blender to make
slushies, never a food processor (see Q & A below).
Craft Sparkling Sodas - Fizzy
bubbles offer special refreshment. There's something about the
carbonation that tickles the mouth in an invigorating way. Effervescence
comes from the gas, carbon dioxide, being injected into liquid. The
carbon dioxide gas is stored under pressure. Once the pressure is
released, the CO2 bubbles form and levitate.
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Blender Basics
| On the summertime kitchen counter,
(next to the ice cream maker), is our blender. In less than sixty
seconds, a blender creates cold relief in all flavors and styles; it's
an indispensible tool for summer. Becoming comfortable and adept with
your blender is accomplished easily with a few of these tips and tricks:
 Blenders Need Liquid- To operate, a blender needs liquid to create the tornadic motion that
forces food chunks to come into contact with the whirring blades. Use
1/2 - 1 cup of liquid to get things moving.
Blenders Crush Ice - Use a blender (or
a ice crushing machine) to crush ice. Fill the carafe two-thirds full
of ice, add about 1 cup of liquid, and let the blades work their magic.
Always Use a Cover - You only need to
forget this step once. The blender blades effectively move liquid and
food very fast. The lid keeps all the contents safely inside the carafe.
Remove the center cap insert to add ingredients during blending.
Blender Safety - As with any
appliance, take proper safety precautions. Position the blender
securely, check the assembly, always use the lid, and NEVER poke at the
food in the carafe with a utensil while the blades are whirring.
Year-Round Usefulness -- Of course, a
blender's usefulness extends all year long in soup and sauce making,
on-the-go breakfasts, and a host of other tasks.
Choosing Blender Features - A good
blender will perform well and last for many years. Today's blenders are
more powerful and durable than older units - it may be time to update
your appliance. Consider these features when choosing a blender:
Carafe Size - Choose a blender whose jar size matches
your needs. Blenders are available from 42 - 56 ounces. Remember,
blenders are so fast that it is easy to do multiple batches in
succession; you may not need the largest size.  Comfortable Controls- Blender operations may be designed with a dial, touchpad, or buttons.
Practice operating the controls to see that their operation is
comfortable for you. Non-skid Base - Blenders with "non-skid feet" will help
keep the appliance in place during use while protecting your
countertops. Multiple
Speeds - A variety of blender speeds are helpful when matching
the tool to the task. However, a blender with dozens of speeds is not
necessarily superior to a blender with just a few choices. Professional
bar blenders are content with only "low" and "high" speeds. Durable Motor -
The blender's power comes from a durable motor. Check the warranty
available for the unit. Ease of Cleaning - To be used frequently, an appliance
must be easy to clean. Practice disassembling and reassembling the
blender to ensure that it is a comfortable process for you. 
Specialized Blending
Machines - Cousins to the standard blender, these appliances are
also workhorses in the kitchen:
Professional Bar
Blenders - These blenders are built with durability and frequent
use in mind. They often have only two speeds, high and low. The bases
are quite sturdy, the cap doubles as a one-ounce measure, and the carafe
is thick and strong.
Margaritaville - Billed as a "frozen concoction
machine," and not just for margaritas, this appliance shaves ice and
blends ingredients in one easy cycle. Add ice to the top reservoir,
ingredients in the receiving jar, and press a button. |
Smart Summer Beverage Tips
| Tip #1: For a
quick and simple temporary clean up, rinse the blender's jar. With
about a half cup of water, "blend" at high speed for a few seconds.
Rinse again. Any food residue is dislodged in the churning and can be
rinsed away. Thoroughly clean the assembly when finished for the
day.
Tip
#2: One of our favorite ways to eat watermelon
is as a watermelon slush. Place equal parts seeded watermelon chunks and
ice cubes in a blender, add a teaspoon or two of sugar, and blend.
Garnish with a wedge of watermelon.
Tip
#3: Invest in summer drinkware that fits your
lifestyle. Tall beverage glasses, 16 ounces in size, are perfect for
drinks destined to be served with ice cubes, or for seasonal smoothies.
Purposely "misappropriate" specialty glassware for some funky, fun
presentations.
Tip #5: Help
young, inspired entrepreneurs who bravely set up lemonade stands by
buying a glass or two and wishing them good luck.
 Tip #4: Turn
any leftover morning coffee into ice cubes. Blend the "coffee cubes"
with milk and sugar, (or sweetened condensed milk), for an iced coffee
slush. If you choose, add a generous drizzle of chocolate syrup, and you
have Iced Mocha.
Tip
#6: For crystal-clear ice cubes, use
mineral-free, distilled water; this will prevent little white specks
from appearing. Boiling the water prior to freezing will release any air
bubbles that might also cloud the cube during freezing
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Q & A's
|  Q: Can ice cubes become stale?
A: Most
certainly yes! An off-tasting ice cube can affect the drink's flavor
disproportionately. Ice, like any food in the freezer, picks up odors
from surface dehydration and reformation of condensation crystals. Keep
ice cubes covered or packaged; use quickly or replace with fresh ice
periodically.
Q: Can
a food processor be used to make crushed ice drinks?
A: No.
Ice will damage a food processor's blade edge and may scratch the
workbowl. Use a blender or a specific ice-crushing machine. 
Q: How
can I keep my drinks from becoming diluted and watery tasting?
A: The
taste strength of beverages can be maintained in several ways: (1) If
serving the drink over ice, mix at a more concentrated level, (2) Make
ice cubes out of the beverage, e.g., lemonade ice cubes for lemonade,
(3) Use a pitcher with an ice core that efficiently imparts maximum
chill without any dilution.
Q: Are sports drinks necessary for summer
hydration?
A: For most of us, any water-based drink is
adequate for hydration. Sports drinks have a small amount of sugar and a
few essential salts. The sugar provides instant energy without
overwhelming the body with too much sugar at once. The salts help the
body absorb and retain fluids while replacing essential elements lost
through sweating.
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| Cookbook Review |  The Blender Bible by Andrew Chase
and Nicole Young. Published by Robert Rose, Inc., Toronto, Ontario,
Canada. Copyright 2005.
While our current emphasis is on the
blender as a summertime tool, this cookbook provides the blender a
ubiquitous role in the kitchen year-round. Showcasing more than 500
recipes, this cookbook expands the blender's role with chapters on
Appetizers and Condiments, Soups, Entrées, Side Dishes, Drinks, and
Cocktails. A special 80-page chapter on baby food is perfect for young
parents and grandparents; it's helpfully organized by the baby's age.
The recipes are streamlined for taste and speed - a few ingredients
combined efficiently. The authors highlight the distinct features of
blenders noting that a food processor just can't do everything that a
blender can do, and vice versa. If your blender has been relegated to
the back of the cupboard, the combination of this book and summertime
will have it front and center in your kitchen in a short time.
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Three Cool Drinks
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Grape Blueberry Fizz
View & Print
Blueberries combine
with Concord grape juice in this smoothie spiked with sparkling water
and vanilla yogurt. Both blueberries and grapes are known for their high
antioxidant values. The rich, natural purple color was surpassed only
by its taste. Healthy never tasted so good!
Nectarine Dream
View & Print
Just in time for
nectarine (or peach) season, this smoothie delivers a healthy dose of
fruit. Along with the nectarines, bananas and strawberries meld their
flavors together in a milk base. Almond milk, soy milk, or rice milk
would be equally delicious in this concoction.
Cucumber Yogurt
Smoothie
View & Print
This
smoothie reminded us of tzatziki sauce in its flavor. Based on the tangy
taste of plain yogurt, cucumbers, mint, sparkling water, and ice cubes
are blended together. (We added a pinch of salt and a couple splashes of
hot sauce, too!). Totally refreshing without any overdone sweetness.
Recipes
from The
Blender Bible by Andrew Chase and Nicole Young. Published by
Robert Rose, Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Copyright 2005. Reprinted
with permission. All rights reserved.
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| Pour your favorite thirst quencher,
put your feet up, relax, and stay cool! |
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