Wild Foraged Mushrooms from Pittsboro, NC ...recipes to follow.

The Secret Recipe for Coca-Cola...

This was just too good to ignore. The amount of writing, conspiracy theories, hidden notations in previosuly long-lost notebooks is endless when it comes to 'Merchandise 7X' or to the non-executives and consumers 'Coca Cola'.

Ira Glass is one of my favorite journalists and the amount of traffic his story generated on the web crashed his site.

Here is the recipe by the founder of Coca-Cola, John Pemberton who was a close friend of Joe Jacob:

More fascinating to me was the 'de-cocaine-ing' of the coca leaves that still occurs TODAY. Shipments of the coca leaf come into NEW JERSEY. Surprise, surprise. Once arrived they are brought to the de-cocaine-ing warehouse. No convicted felons working there I imagine. Then after their journey from illegal to legal, the leaves are used in the flavoring. You can buy Coca leaves online very easily.

I think we all owe it to ourselves to give this recipe a shot.

Ingredients:
*7X Flavor
Grain Alcohol (Everclear) - 8 oz
Orange Oil - 20 drops
Lemon Oil - 30 "
Nutmeg Oil - 10 "
Corriander Oil - 5 drops
Neroli Oil - 10 drops
Cinnamon Oil - 10 drops


F.E. Coca(Fluid Extract of Coca) 3 drams = 4 oz
Citric Acid - 3 oz
Citrate Caffeine - 1 oz
Sugar - 30 lbs. !!!
Water - 2.5 gal
Lime Juice - 2 pints
Vanilla - 1 oz
Caramel - 1.5 oz or more to color Color sufficient

***Use 2 oz flavor (above) to 5 gals syrup

How to Make This Recipe

As we said in the radio story, this recipe includes two parts. The recipe for the syrup, and the recipe for the 7X flavoring formula. You can scale down the recipe for the syrup if you don't want to make gallons of the syrup. You will need one ounce of syrup mixed with 5 ounces of carbonated water to make a serving of soda.

When you buy your ingredients be careful that you buy FOOD GRADE. There are lots of things you can find on the Internet that can be used in this recipe that are not food grade and will make you sick.

1) Make the 7X flavor. To make this, you'll want food grade essential oils at 100 percent strength. They can be found by searching for food grade essential oils in the grocery section of Amazon.com and other places (this orange oil, for instance).

For a home recipe, you can get an eyedropper and count drops the old-fashioned way, but if you want to be more precise, Steve Warth at Sovereign Flavors says he estimated each drop was .025 grams, which means you want 0.5 grams of Orange Oil, 0.75 of Lemon Oil, 0.25 grams of Nutmeg Oil, 0.125 grams of Coriander Oil, 0.25 grams of Neroli Oil, 0.25 grams of Cinnamon Oil (historian Mark Pendergrast says the original Coke recipe was made with a kind of cinnamon called Cassia).

Combine those with 8 ounces of food grade alcohol. This ingredient, we'll be frank, will be kind of a pain in the ass to find. Important: Do NOT use Ethyl Rubbing Alcohol or Rubbing Alcohol or Denatured Ethyl Alcohol. These will make you sick. You need food grade ethyl alcohol. Sometimes people swap Everclear or other neutral grain spirits for this, and our beverage guys suggest this as an easy, cheap substitute.

2) Make your fluid extract of coca. Buy whole leaf coca tea. Instructions for making coca extract from this can be found online. You don't need much. The recipe calls for 3 fluid drams, which is equivalent to 1/8 of a fluid ounce or – an easier measurement for a home kitchen – 3/4 of a tablespoon.

3) Make the syrup. Once you have your 7X flavor, and your fluid extract of coca, you are ready to mix them with your other ingredients to make the syrup. Mix your ingredients in this order: water, sugar, then coloring, then coca extract, then vanilla extract, then caffeine, then lime juice and citric acid.

Several Notes:

-- If you do not want to make several gallons of the syrup, you can adjust the recipe by reducing all ingredients by the same rate -- one half the original amount, one quarter, and so on.

-- Another important thing about this step, as we said in the radio story about the recipe, the Sovereign Flavors chemists concluded that in order to compensate for the intensity of contemporary essential oils (125 years of advances in food technology means it's possible that they're much stronger than the oils Pemberton used in his lab in 1886) the 7X flavoring addition should be reduced by 75 percent. That means, if you make the full size batch, you should only use 1/2 ounce of 7X formula instead of the 2 ounces specified in the original recipe.

-- You might want to cut down on the caffeine. We all got a strong buzz from the soda we made with the recipe, and then one of the beverage professionals pointed out that it was because it had five times the amount of caffeine of a modern soda.

-- Some ingredients are measured in fluid ounces, others are measured in ounces by weight. The team at Sovereign Flavors says if an ingredient is liquid -- coca extract or vanilla extract -- it should be measured in fluid ounces. If it's a dry ingredient, like citric acid, it should be measured by weight.

4) Make the soda. Once you have mixed the syrup, it should be combined with carbonated water at a ratio of 1-to-5 (one part syrup to five parts bubbly water) to make the soda.

Legal language we have to include here: If you're making this soda, it's entirely at your own risk. The soda companies and radio stations involved in this story make no claims about the safety of this old recipe.

-'How to Make' reprinted from 'This American Life'


Its a big batch...for your next potluck party maybe?

Tomatillo Cilantro Chili

Its been a while since my last post. A lot has happened. Alycia and I relocated to the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. I will be starting up a mobile food truck to service the Durham area. Ideally, to be launched in September of 2011. In the meantime, ruminations on recipes and wine...

Tomatillo's are delicious. I didn't know how delicious until I found them in a grocery store for a salsa verde. I grilled pineapples, diced them, tossed in some cilantro sauteed onions and garlic. I then sauteed the Tomatillos and was instantly hooked. They are now an official obsession. Eggs in the morning with salsa verde, the above salsa on any meat (mostly pork) and now this chili. I was recently in White Salmon, WA watching my two cousins. One in particular is a classic growing boy that consumes food and milk with an insatiable appetite. He needed to be stopped. A big bowl of chili was in order; I could ladle this stuff endlessly. However, they expected more from me than just any old chili. It had to be different. Enter the tomatillo, this would be the substitute for the usual red chili they were used to. It was also Sunday and my uncle Frank had friends coming over; lots of mouths to feed. I also whipped up a homemade french onion dip that I remembered Jennifer Nelson making for a super bowl party. Perfect game day grub.

Recipe:
2 lbs. of Tomatillo's, diced
1 large Onion, diced
2 small Jalapenos, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 Can White Navy Beans
1 Lbs. Ground Pork
1 Bunch of Cilantro, diced
1/2 Tbsp Ground Fennel
2 Tsp. of Dried Oregano
1/2 Tbsp of Ground Cumin
1/2 Cup Chicken Broth/Stock
Salt to taste

Grated Cheese for garnish (I used Parmesan since it was in the fridge, cheddar is obvious but great, monterey jack with red pepper flakes...)

Serves 6 healthy portions

Procedure:
1. The dicing is the bulk of the work. Use anyone close by to help. After that, drizzle some oil at the bottom of the pot and place the tomatillo's, onion, garlic, bell pepper, chx broth and jalapenos into large stock pot, creuset, sauce pan or other 3.5-5 quart pot.
2. Put the cover on and cook at medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Stir.
3. Add pork, navy beans and all the spices. Increase temperature to med-high and stir. Cook for 10 minutes.
4. When the Chili is finished, turn off the heat and add the cut cilantro. Always do this last. Cilantro cooks and wilts quickly and its best served fresh. The minute this herb hits heat the flavors start to dissipate. Top with grated cheese and go at it.

Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower originated in Cyprus and was introduced to France from Italy in the middle of the 16th Century. Louis XIV's mistress, the Comtesse DuBarry, asked the king's chef to make it so much that he named all the dishes with cauliflower in it after her. Whenever you see "DuBarry" in the title of a french dish, you know which vegetable is the primary ingredient. It can be colorful, fractal (as the Romanesco, and always delicious. It also doesn't need anything fancy. I roast cauliflower at least once a week. Olive oil, salt and 2 pinches of curry. I have to roast it until the tiniest florets are brown and crispy. Its just that much tastier. The cauliflower will reduce in size by about half when you roast it hard. Which means if you like picking while you're cooking, the amount you end up with could be a lot less.

2 Heads of Cauliflower
Olive Oil
2 Tspn Salt
2 big pinches of curry (substitute lemon if you don't like curry)

1. Preheat oven to 450F
2. Pick apart the florets into small pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Add enough olive oil to coat the florets, salt and curry.
3. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place the florets on it.
4. Roast for 25 minutes. Rotate the cookie sheet and roast for another 5-10 minutes depending on how brown the florets are.

Pan-Seared Red Snapper with a Roasted Corn Succotash

“Succotash” comes from the Native American word “msikwatash” or “msickquatash”, which means "broken into bits" or "boiled corn kernels" and can refer to any cooked mix of vegetables with corn and beans in it. ‘Tis the season for fresh, local produce so be creative with your vegetable blends. The tart bite of arugula and the acid from the roasted red peppers soaked in vinegar add texture and depth of flavor to the roasted corn. Smoked Paprika is one of my favorite flavors; smoky, like bacon. This dish took a total of 30 minutes from start to finish.

2 pcs of Striped Bass Filets

4 Cobs of corn
2 Roasted Red Peppers
1 ½ Cups of Arugula
2 Tbls of Greek Yogurt
2 Tbls of Olive oil
2 pinches of Smoked Paprika
Salt & White Pepper

1. Husk all 4 cobs of corn. Boil two for 3-4 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 400F. Shave off the kernels of the other two cobs with a chefs knife in a vertical motion. Place the shaved kernels in a large mixing bowl. Add smoked paprika and olive oil. Mix together and spread out evenly in a roasting pan. Cook until the kernels start to brown – 10 minutes approximately.
3. Dice up the roasted red pepper and arugula. Set aside in a mixing bowl.
4. Shave off the kernels of the cooked corn and place in a food processor. Add yogurt and ¼ cup of water. Puree.
5. Combine corn puree, roasted kernels and yogurt into the red pepper/arugula mixture. Stir and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more paprika here if you like a strong smoky flavor.
6. The hard part is over. Just pan sear the fish. A crispy skin is always delicious and a great textural addition. Coat the fish with some vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Heat a skillet with some oil until the oil begins to ripple. Sear skin side down for 6 minutes depending on the thickness of the filet. Flip and sear for a 1-2 minutes. Plate.

Almond Encrusted Banana Corn Flake Cakes with Homemade Caramel and Vanilla Ice Cream

I do not put many desserts on this website. I try, like the rest of the country not to eat many sweets. I had to come up with a dessert that worked quickly and was cooked on a grill. I cheated on the grill part (skillet on the grill) but this is one of the most delicious desserts I’ve ever tasted. The majority of the people at the cook-off thought so too. I am sorry there is no picture. The cakes are pan-seared and hot so the ice-cream melted before I could take a good picture. These are pretty simple to make. I used store-bought Haagen-Daazs Vanilla; sometimes time and travel requirements just don’t allow you to make homemade ice cream. The Corn Flakes act as a thickening/binding agent to the bananas. The Corn Flakes were an improvisation, I originally wanted to use Almond Flour but its hard to find it at the average grocery. I feel like Corn Flakes is enjoying a Renaissance because of David Chang’s pastry chef, Christina Tosi. The trickle down effect is amazing; I see cornflakes at least once in every food magazine lately. SO here is one more to add to the tasty expanding pool. These banana cakes are a summer time treat not to be missed.

2 Bananas
2 Cups of Corn Flakes
1 ½ Cup Slivered Almonds
Olive Oil

1 cup of Sugar
½ cup of Cream
3 Tbls of Unsalted Butter

Vanilla Ice Cream

1. Add the bananas and corn flakes into a food processor. Puree. Roll into palm size balls. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
2. Toast the slivered almonds, in a skillet, until golden brown. Set Aside.
3. Make the caramel. Pour the sugar into a skillet that is being heated on high. When the sugar starts to brown around the edges of the skillet, stir the sugar with a wooden spoon. Let the sugar brown a bit more evenly then slowly add in two tablespoons of cream and 1 tbls of butter. Stir vigorously. When the butter and cream are incorporated add the remaining amounts and stir. Keep warm.
4. Add vegetable oil to a large skillet and place over med-high heat.
5. In a mixing bowl add olive oil, banana balls and toasted almonds. Coat the banana cakes with the almonds. Place in the skillet, flatten into patties and brown on each side for about 4-5 minutes.
6. Plate: Drizzle the caramel on the plate in whatever fancy design comes to you. Plate the cake and add a dollop of ice cream to the top.

Cocktails for the Summer

These drinks were featured in the Summer 2009 issue of 'Elegant Bride.' The Jewel of the CondeNast bridal group.


“Remembrance”

Canton Ginger Spirit – 1 oz
Blood Orange Juice - 2 ozs
Rosemary Simple Syrup – ½ Tspn
Triple 8 Vodka – 1 oz
½ Lemon – juiced
Splash Club Soda


1. Rosemary simple syrup: add equal parts sugar to water. Dice up a long sprig of rosemary into ultra fine pieces. Add everything to a pan and heat up until all the sugar has dissolved. Let infuse for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and reserve.
2. In a martini shaker combine all the ingredients, except club soda and shake. Pour into a martini glass and add club soda.

Garnish: Rosemary sprigs OR red sanding sugar

“Lavender Sweetheart”

Lavender Tea – 2 ozs
Beefeater Gin – 1 oz
St Germain – 1oz
Lime Zest
½ Lime – Juiced

1. Bring 4 ounces of water to a boil and infuse with 1 Tbsp. of lavender. Steep for 5 minutes, then strain. Let cool.
2. Zest half a lime and reserve.
3. Add all the ingredients except the zest into a highball glass, stir.
4. Sprinkle zest on top

Garnish: Oversize or Regular Lavender Ice cubes OR Lime Pinwheel

“French Cuffs”

6 Ozs.Champagne
½ Oz.Aperol
½ Oz. Elderberry

1. Pour Champagne into fluted glass.
2. Pour the elderberry over the bottom of a soup spoon slowly into the champagne. This will create the layers for the desired look.
3. Pour the Aperol over the spoon slowly.