Non-alcoholic Gin Lime Rickey with cilantro

This is my 1000th post so we are celebrating with a COCKTAIL!  Today is a Rickey. Rickey is a name for a cocktail served in a highball glass made from gin or bourbon, half of a lime squeezed and dropped in the glass, and carbonated water. Little or no sugar is added to the rickey. 

Originally created with bourbon in Washington, D.C. at Shoomaker's bar by bartender George A. This version uses the added flavor of cilantro and a fake gin (see below) and adds a bit of sugar, because gin is naturally bitter, sugar is often used with gin, but rarely with bourbon.

We make Mocktails like this in a demonstration lecture Crafting Mocktails, it is a popular program so if you are in the northern Illinois area and would like to see the program check out the UPCOMING PROGRAM page to see where we will be next.

To make the Fake Gin you follow these simple directions:

Using a quart glass canning jar place the following items in the bottom:

2 tsp juniper berries

Peel of one entire lemon (no pith)

Peel of one orange

1 star anise

1 tsp coriander seed

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp savory

Add 2 cups cold water


Place a cover on the jar and infuse in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours before using. Strain out the solids.  No need to strain out the citrus early, that bitterness from the peel is desired.

We make a kit for crafting this Faux Gin in water for a nonalcoholic version or vodka as an alcoholic version.

Once you have the Fake Gin, then you can make the Lime Rickey

Gin Lime Rickey with Cilantro
1 cup water
Juice of 3 limes
1 cup Fake Gin
3 tablespoons sugar
1 small bunch cilantro
2 limes, quartered
3 cups club soda

Directions:
Combine water, lime juice, fake gin, sugar, cilantro and lime in a pitcher. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. To serve, add club soda. 

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018. 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)

Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes (PastaFeb)

March 2019 - Edible Flowers (FlowerMar)

April 2019 - Seafood Recipes (SeafoodApr)

May 2019 - Cajun And Creole (C&CMay)

June 2019 - Vegetarian Dishes (VegJun)

July 2019 - Zucchini Recipes (ZucJul)

August 2019 - National Mustard Day – mustard recipes (MustardAug)

September 2019 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2019 - Crock Pot meals (CrockOct)

November 2019 - Pies (PieNov)

December 2019 - Mocktails (MockDec)

Final Theme Recipe a Zucchini Dessert!

The theme this month has been Zucchini recipes because you always have an abundance and never know what to do with it.  If you want to see all the things we posted just search ZucJul to find all of this month's zucchini recipe posts.

We are wrapping up the month with Zucchini as a dessert.  This wonderful sweet is great served with ice cream and easy to make!

ZUCCHINI COBBLER

Filling:

8 cups chopped zucchini, seeded and peeled

2/3 cup lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. BYP Cinnful Dessert Blend (or cinnamon)

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Crust:

3 1/2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups butter

1 tsp. BYP Cinnful Dessert Blend (or cinnamon)

Filling: Cook zucchini with lemon juice 20 minutes over medium heat, then add sugar, Cinnful Dessert Blend and nutmeg. Cook one minute more to melt sugar. Set aside.

Crust: Combine flour, sugar, butter and Cinnful Dessert Blend. Blend to make coarse crumbs. Stir 1/2 cup crumbs into cooked zucchini mixture. Press half of the remaining crumbs to make crust in a greased 10-by-15-inch pan or two 8-inch pans. Spread zucchini mixture over crust, then sprinkle remaining crumbs. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

Serve with ice cream.

—adapted from a recipe by Mary Egolf, Hereford, PA  through the The Morning Call a Tribune publication.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018. 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)

Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes (PastaFeb)

March 2019 - Edible Flowers (FlowerMar)

April 2019 - Seafood Recipes (SeafoodApr)

May 2019 - Cajun And Creole (C&CMay)

June 2019 - Vegetarian Dishes (VegJun)

July 2019 - Zucchini Recipes (ZucJul)

August 2019 - National Mustard Day – mustard recipes

September 2019 - Quiche

October 2019 - Crock Pot meals

November 2019 - Pies

December 2019 - Mocktails

Midwinter Body Wash - Monthly Bath Blend

This body wash has a cool, crisp scent that isn't too overpowering. Not to mention, it is full of ingredients that are actually good for your skin during the drying winter months!

1 cup Castille Soap
½ cup Lavender Hydrosol
½ cup Rosemary Hydrosol
1 Tablespoon Jojoba oil
1 Tablespoon Aloe Vera Gel
10 drops Douglas Fir essential oil
5 drops Lavender essential oil
5 drops Nutmeg essential oil

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a jar or bottle with a tight lid, close, and shake well.

To use: shake to mix ingredients and then squirt onto a wash cloth, loofah, or bath puff. Lather and rinse.

Celebration of Roman Goddess Felicitas

On this day, Ancient Romans celebrated Fausta Felicitas, an ancient Roman Goddess of good fortune and lucky happenstance. Her name is essentially two words of the same meaning, likely doubled up for emphasis, for fausta in the Latin is the adjective "favorable" or "auspicious", while felicitas is the noun meaning "luck", "good fortune" or "happiness"; Her name can be translated as the nicely redundant "Lucky Luck"Felicitas, the goddess of good luck, on this day. 

Felicitas was shown on coins of the Empire in a variety of poses, usually holding the caduceus, or herald's staff (an attribute of Mercury or Hermes, said to represent peace) and the cornucopia, or horn of plenty. She could also be depicted holding a patera (offering dish), or with a rudder, ship's prow, or globe, all of which are also attributes of Fortuna.

Create your own special celebration of the Roman goddess Felicitas by making a list of the good fortune you have experienced in the past month. If you're not feeling so lucky, here are a few herbs that might help.  You can plant them or wear them.

• Allspice promotes luck, health, and happiness.
• Chamomile is the gambler's lucky herb. In Rome, gamblers washed their hands in chamomile for luck.
• Thyme is the traditional herb of courage, and was often used as an ingredient in teas, soups, and as a main ingredient in tokens and sachets to encourage good luck in battle, in overcoming shyness, and in 'winning the day'. The word thyme may well derive from the Greek thymon, which means courage.
• String nutmegs, star anise, and bits of sandalwood in a lucky necklace.
• Peppermint (Menta Piperita), love and protection are this plant’s best uses. Softens roads and relationships, and makes a wonderful addition to healing, prosperity and luck amulets. A fairy attractor when planted.
• Plant hen and chicks (Sempervivum) on your roof to bring good fortune.
• Plant rosemary by the door for luck. 
• Spearmint has been used as protection against curses or to attract money.
• Honeysuckle brought into a home will help ensure a good marriage for the people who live there. Grow honeysuckle near your home to attract love, luck and wealth and to protect your garden from negative influences.

Rhubarb Chutney - Weekend recipe

This is an awesome sauce over a grilled salmon or chicken fillet.

3 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white balsamic vinegar

1 cup finely chopped onion

¾ cup golden raisins

1 Tbls. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp minced fresh gingerroot

1 tsp salt

¾ tsp curry powder

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

2 medium pears, peeled and diced

2 Tbls. minced fresh mint

In a large saucepan, combine the rhubarb, brown sugar, vinegar, onion, raisins, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, salt, curry and nutmeg.  Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil.  Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes or until rhubarb is tender, stirring occasionally.  Add pears, simmer uncovered 10 to 15 minutes longer or until pears are tender.  Cool to room temperature.  Stir in mint.  Transfer to a bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.  May be stored in the refrigerator up to 1 week.  Makes 4 cups.