Looking for a creative use for our wintry Balsamic Vinegars?
Look no further: AllSpicers Chris B and Anna van M have made a little holiday martini how-to video, featuring Cara-Cara Orange Balsamic:
Chris’s Cara-Cara Orange Martini Recipe:
2 ounces vodka
1 ounce Cara Cara Orange white balsamic
Vanilla Paste
Chill martini glass. Mix vodka and balsamic in a glass with a spoon dipped in vanilla paste. Strain into a glass and serve!
AllSpicer Anna here! As someone who does eat meat, but primarily cooks vegetarian, I understand the frustration with calling things that are decidedly not bacon, bacon.
But hear me out: these carrots are crazy good. So while this may not be a recipe for the “real deal”, these carrots are wonderful in soup, tofu scrambles, and even BLTs!
INGREDIENTS
Base
1 carrot, cut into thin strips lengthwise*
1 Tbsp Mild Olive Oil
1/2 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari sauce
1/4 tsp Sea Salt, Fine
1/4 tsp Smoked Black Pepper, Ground
Variations
Traditional
1/2 tsp Paprika, Smoked Bittersweet
1/2 tsp Worcestershire Powder
1/4 tsp Cumin, Ground
Smokey
1/2 tsp Paprika, Smoked Hot
1/4 tsp Roasted Garlic, Powder
1/4 tsp Smoked Black Pepper, Ground
Maple
1/2 tsp Maple Sugar Powder
1/4 tsp Paprika, Smoked Sweet
STEPS
Preheat oven to 320 degrees.
In a small bowl, toss together base ingredients. Add additional spices and toss until evenly mixed.
Place the strips on a parchment covered baking sheet, making sure they don’t overlap.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until carrots reach your desired crispiness!
*I use a vegetable peeler for this because I like mine extra thin and crispy. If you want your bacon a little chewier, you can a mandoline for thicker slices.
This post is one of a series of profiles of the AllSpice staff. We’re proud of our talented and eclectic crew.
Name: Anna Van Maanen
When did you start working at AllSpice?
Fall 2014
How did you come to be at AllSpice?
I was looking for a change of pace, so I applied to several local businesses. Rory hired me for the holiday season, and then afterward, I just never left. Fortunately, no one seemed to really mind.
What do you do at AllSpice?
Post to our social media pages [like our Instagram account], jar, and generally cause trouble.
What is your favorite ingredient at the store?
Chile-Coffee Rub for chicken; Black Currant Balsamic Vinegar for vegetables.
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If the throngs of un-schooled kids roaming the neighborhood were not a big enough clue, ninety-five degree temps on Tuesday were surely the hint you needed: summer is coming.
Brace yourselves.
We asked AllSpicer Anna (pictured) about her go-to treats for these hot summer days.
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Recipe courtesy of AllSpicer Anna, who is a big, big Game of Thrones fan. She says that these are Sansa’s favorite cakes.
INGREDIENTS
4 Tbsp Lavender flowers (You can use more depending on your taste)
1/2 Cup granulated sugar (plus more for dusting)
2 eggs, whites and yolks separated
3 Tbsp plus 1 tsp all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
2/3 Cup buttermilk
2-1/2 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh is best)
Zest of 1 lemon (Our lemon zest is dehydrated and coarsely ground. Still replete with citrus oils, this lemon zest is stronger than fresh peel – use perhaps one-third the called-for amount in your recipes – perhaps 1 tsp instead of 1 Tbsp fresh).
STEPS
Preheat oven to 300 degrees, while you coat 6 individual 4oz ramekins with butter and sugar. Sprinkle the bottoms of the ramekins with lavender flowers. Set aside.
Separate the eggs, and beat egg whites with a whisk on high speed until they form soft peaks. Set egg whites aside. In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: sugar, flour, and salt. Set aside.
Using a mixing bowl and a mixer with a whisk attachment, combine the buttermilk, lemon juice, egg yolks, and lemon zest. Once the batter is smooth, gradually add the flour mixture.
Using a wooden spoon or spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the lemon batter, being careful not to “de-fluff” them. This takes some time, stick with it. The resulting mixture will be lumpy, and that’s okay.
Fill a medium size pot with water and bring it to and almost boil.
While the water heats, divide the batter amongst the prepared ramekins. Arrange the batter-filled ramekins in a deep casserole dish. Fill the dish with the boiling water until it comes half way up the outsides of the ramekins (this helps them bake evenly).
Cover the ramekin-filled casserole dish with tin foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove tin foil and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the cakes are firm and slightly browned.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
To plate, place a dessert-sized plate on top of a single ramekin and flip it over. Tap lightly and they should slide right out! For an added kick, drizzle with your favorite flavored balsamic. I usually go with pomegranate or lavender!
Adapted from official Game of Thrones Production Blog.
Tips from AllSpicer Anna:
(I learned only after royally destroying my first batch):
Buy buttermilk. Don’t try to sour your own. It won’t work in this case.
If you don’t have ramekins, use a muffin tin. It will make more because the cups are smaller but everything else is the same.
Fill the pan with water after you’ve placed it on the oven rack. Almost-boiling water is still pretty hot.
If you let the cakes cool in their water bath, they slide out easier!
