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Peaches ‘n’ Cream Parfait

July 13, 2011 / / 0 Comments

How can you improve on a fresh, juicy peach?  Layers of peaches, cream, and rich, buttery macadamia nuts, of course! Try this easy parfait recipe for a refreshing treat in the midst of the dog days of summer…

Peaches ‘n’ Cream Parfait

Serves 2 (large parfaits) or 4 (small parfaits)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup honey roasted macadamias, halves and pieces*
  • 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup vanilla yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons  confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 cups sliced fresh peaches
  • 1/2 cup honey roasted macadamias, extra, for garnish*
  • mint leaves (optional), for garnish
  1. Using electric beaters, whip together the ricotta, yogurt, vanilla and sugar until thick and fluffy. 
  2. Place a layer of the peaches in parfait glasses (or one large dish), top with some of the ricotta mixture and sprinkle with the roasted macadamias.  Repeat layers  (make as many layers as desired), finishing with a layer of the ricotta mixture.  Sprinkle top with the chopped honey-roasted macadamias and garnish with mint, if desired.

*Note: Macadamia nuts make a truly exotic, decadent parfait, but feel free to use your favorite nut (cashews, pecans, etc.) or coconut (toasted). Be creative!

The Arizona Highland Celtic Festival, July 16-17: Food and Beverage

July 13, 2011 / / 0 Comments

By Ray Pearson

“I love coming to this event. It’s like taking my tummy on a tour of foreign countries. The desserts are my favorite”, gushed 10-year old Ernie Ripko, from Southern California, at last year’s Arizona Highland Celtic Festival. Celtic snacks, entrees, and desserts are the culinary main attractions at this annual event. This year’s festival takes place July 16 and 17 at Foxglenn Park in Flagstaff.

For the Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society, Celtic (“kel-tik”) refers to a celebration of the culture of eight regions in Western Europe, created in Roman times. In today’s world, they are the countries of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, the regions of Cornwall (England), Brittany (France), Asturias and Galicia (both in Spain), and the Isle of Man.

 

 

“It’s very important to us that our food vendors present authenticity and the highest quality of foods representing the Celtic regions”, says Jude McKenzie, president of the society.

Available to festival goers is a variety of hearty meat and shepherd’s pies, sausage rolls, corned beef, beef burgers from the shaggy, long-horned Highland “coos”, and shrimp, chicken, or fish, all served with a side of chips (French fries). The Scottish conundrum known as haggis is also available. Despite major eye-rolling of (usually uninformed) naysayers, haggis is a tasty, hash-like meat dish (best enjoyed with a single malt Scotch). When it comes to those desserts young Ernie is so fond of, he’s in good company. Welsh cakes, cooked on a griddle and served warm, are made in various flavors including raisin, cinnamon, and lemon, topped with sugar. Shortcake, a cousin of Scottish shortbread, is served with strawberries and whipped cream. Reminiscent of the way special ice cream treats that are served throughout the UK, the ice cream vendor serves soft ice cream with tangy flavors, colorfully swirled around the outside of the cone or dish.

When it comes to beverages, McKenzie lights up. “We believe we are the only Celtic festival that serves alcoholic beverages representing all eight regions. At two locations on the field, we present ‘Spirits of the Celtic Regions’, served by knowledgeable staff.” Whiskies, wines and brandy represent most of regions. Perhaps the most unusual drink comes from the Isle of Man. ManX Spirit is actually a proprietary blend of various Scotch and Irish whiskies, with the color removed. Three different Irish beers, along with soft drinks, round out the drinks available at the festival.

 Click here for more information about the Arizona Highland Celtic Festival such as location, hours, and activities.

Curry Chicken & Mandarin Orange Pita Salad

July 11, 2011 / / 0 Comments

This recipe is direct from Heidi’s cookbook, ‘Cook This!’ Become an ITS member to download a free copy!

In her own words… “I’ve been makin’ this sandwich long before anyone ever thought of combining oranges and curry – well, maybe not THAT long… However, none of my [charter yacht] guests had tried this flavor combo  – must have spread the word.”

Curry Chicken & Mandarin Orange Pita Salad  

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • _ 3 lg. boneless chicken breasts – par boiled
  • _ 10 oz. mandarin oranges – canned and drained
  • _ 3/4 C. Mayonnaise
  • _ 3 T. Curry Powder, divided
  • _ 2 Green Onions – chopped on the bias
  • _ 1/3 C. Celery – small dice
  • _ 16  Leaves Butter Lettuce (optional)
  • _ 4 Pita Pockets – halved
  • _ Salt and Pepper to Taste
  1. Heat a large pan of water to a boil, reduce heat just a little and add the chicken breasts (skin on optional), 1 tsp of salt and 1 Tbsp of the curry powder. Cook, turning occasionally, until done, about 10 minutes (165 degrees for 15 seconds with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast means it’s done). Remove from the pan and pat dry with paper towels.
  2.  In a separate bowl, combine the mayo, the remaining 2 Tbsp of curry powder, oranges, onions and celery (set aside a few oranges and some onion for garnish). Let the mayo mixture sit in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
  3. When chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into bite sized chunks and add to the mayo mixture. Taste for seasoning.
  4.  Halve the pita pockets and open carefully. Lay a butter lettuce leaf or two inside each pita and add enough chicken mixture to fill. Garnish with onions and oranges.
  5. You can also make this an entrée salad by eliminating the pita.

 

The Weekly Whet: The Montanya Rum Distillery’s Peach Mojito

July 8, 2011 / / 0 Comments

Courtesy of Ray Pearson

Ray Pearson is a seasoned traveler and well-versed in most spirits–especially whisky (he’s a certified expert!). His travels often allow him to try an unusual cocktail or two. Here’s a recipe he picked up while traveling in the ruggedly beautiful little mountain town of Silverton, CO.

Ingredients

  • sugar (enough to rim the glass 1/2 way)
  • 1 spoonful peach jam
  • ½ lime
  • 2 oz Platino Rum
  • 5-6 muddled mint leaves
  • 3-5 cubed peach pieces
  •  Soda water

1.) Pour the peach jam, lime juice, and rum in a cocktail shaker

2.) Muddle mint leaves in a cocktail glass and add peach pieces

3.) Shake contents of shaker for 30 seconds, and pour contents of cocktail glass

4.) Top off with soda water and give it all a good stir. Enjoy!

Photo Tips for Shutterbugs

July 7, 2011 / / 0 Comments

By Ray Pearson

It’s summertime in America, and the open road beckons. Whether you prefer wandering quaint country roads, rushing down interstates, or tracing Route 66, one thing is certain – the trusty camera is a wonderful co-pilot on such adventures.

Fast forward a bit, to when travel season is but a fond memory, and those friendly (but in all honesty—frightening) invitations to “C’MON OVER AND LOOK AT OUR VACATION PICTURES!” start filling up the voicemail box. Really, why didn’t they just buy post cards? I don’t care how cute your kid is eating a drippy ice cream cone; 12 pictures of the experience is excessive.

Here are ten suggestions to make your photos the most sought-after show in the neighborhood:

  1. Photograph in less-than-ideal weather – oncoming storms are awesome

 

 

2.) Photograph at dawn and at night – immediately “something different”

 

 

3.) Include people you encounter – especially if they are doing something exciting

 

 

4.) Photograph especially colorful food or restaurants 

 

 

5.) Photograph from different perspectives – get down to kid level

 

 

6.) Be willing to pull over when something unusual pops up – road trips are great for this

 

 

7.) Include an interesting foreground – this leads the eye to the main subject

 

Interesting foreground gives the picture depth of personality

 

Uninteresting foreground

 

8.) Photos do not have to be tack sharp to be interesting – blurring conveys action

 

 

9.) Include special activities from your vacation – it’s an exciting world

 

 

10.) Include details from unusual accommodations – rustic B&Bs are great for this

 

 

About Ray

Ray is a nationally recognized single malt Scotch expert. He recently retired after 16 years within the spirits industry, including four as Glenfiddich U.S. Ambassador. Ray currently presents educational whisky seminars and tastings for corporate events, destination management companies, and national whisky shows. He is a photographer and member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association.

For more articles from Ray, you can visit his blog:

whiskymeister.wordpress.com

And of course check out all of his Whisky 101 articles right here at intotheSoup.com.

Chef Kelly Fletcher’s Grilled Corn Vichyssoise with Haboob Corn Dust and Ancho Powder

July 6, 2011 / / 0 Comments

Heidi has a new friend and his name is Kelly Fletcher.  Kelly is the Executive Chef at one of my favorite spots in town–“House of Tricks“.  We met formally (or rather, very informally) when I hosted the ‘Challenge to the Chefs’ at the Scottsdale Culinary Festival last April.  While soup wasn’t on the menu that day, he prepared a recipe especially for us and the “Biblical Proportion Dust Storm” that rampaged through Phoenix last week.  

Grilled Corn Vichyssoise with Habub Corn Dust and Ancho Powder

Ingredients:

  • 5 ears of summer corn (shucked and silked)
  • 3 leeks julienned (white part only, washed thuroghly)
  • 2 med. yellow onion julienned
  • 2 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1″ cubes
  • 8 cloves minced garlic cloves
  • 2 T. sherry vinegar
  • 1/2 lb unsalted butter
  1. Grill the ears of corn until a few of the kernels have taken color on every side of the cob. Remove from the grill and allow to cool to the touch.
  2. With a serrated knife remove the kernels from the cobs and place the cobs in a med. stock pot and add water to cover the cobs by a few inches, bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 20~30 minutes. Reserve kernels for later..  Meanwhile in a seperate pot melt 4 oz. of butter over medium heat and add the onions, leeks, garlic and corn kernels and sweat for 4-5 minutes or until the onions are transluscent.
  3. To this pot you can now add your potatoes and prepared corn stock from the previous pot, discarding the cobs, they won’t be needed any longer. Bring the soup to a boil and reduce to a medium heat and simmer until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife.
  4. When your potatoes are ready use a slotted spoon to place about 1/3 of the soup solids into a blender and add enough of the soup liquid to cover then add 4 oz. of cold butter, place the lid on and tightly hold in place while you buzz the soup to the desired consistency. Pour the soup into a large bowl and the continue this process until you have blended all of the solids and the soup is the consistency you want. Fold the sherry vinegar in and add salt and white pepper to taste.. place the bowl into the fridge and chill over night. Adjust the thickness with a touch of milk the next day if the soup is to thick.
  5. Prepare your favorite cornbread recipe and allow it to cool all day so that you can crumble it into a fine powder.. use this to garnish your chilled vichyssoise with a touch of ancho chili powder and snipped chive.

 

 Click Here for More Soups of the Week

 

 

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