Had a craving for an old family favorite from a 1968 cookbook called “The Panhellenic Cookbook: Meats.” Recipes from all of the sororities who were part of the Nat’l. Panhellenic Conference at the time. My mother was a Kappa Kappa Gamma via Adelphi University, and while she doesn’t have anything in the cookbook, she cooked from it quite often.
When I moved out on my own in the late 70s, one of her sorority sisters was cleaning out her cache of cookbooks and Mom got it for me, as I’d copy down recipes from her copy any time I was visiting her. The cover on both sides has ripped away from the spiral bound cookbook, but it’s still one of my most treasured cookbooks, even though I rarely cook from it now.
Chicken Diable is a simple recipe, with lots of memories…a baked chicken with a glaze/sauce comprised of butter, honey, mustard, s/p, and curry powder, basting every 15 minutes for 45 minutes. I served it on Basmati rice with peas and corn alongside. And wine.
Side note: I noticed several bottles of Gray Whale. I won’t ask you how it is since you clearly enjoy it, but what kind of notes does it have? Good for a dry martini, gin & tonic, something else? All of the above?
I usually stick to Beefeater and Bombay (both regular and Sapphire) for their versatility in martinis and with tonic (they are exactly what I look for in a gin, especially at the price point). Hendrick’s is for special occasions. Bluecoat a couple times a year as well. Aside from those few, I find myself being consistently disappointed in pricey “craft” gins, if I can call them that. They usually try to do too much and end up being way too herby and peppery.
I think I told this story before, but my mom went to Vermont several years ago and brought me back Stonecutter Gin. I think she said she paid $60 for it (750 ML). I only asked the price of a gift because I needed to know…because it was AWFUL. I didn’t tell her that, of course! LOL It was like drinking literal Pinesol. Nice bottle, and a nice nearly full bottle it remains in my bar’s front row.
Have had conversations with others here on HO about such gins. Malfy Gin (an Amalfi Coast lemon-based gin) comes to mind ($30ish for 750 ML), which I know someone here had also tried it and thought it was horrendous. Admittedly, I only bought it for the accompanying glasses in the gift set!
We enjoyed another outstanding dinner at Fiorentini Restaurant in Rutherford, NJ, including amazing short ribs with root vegetables and sunchoke chips; crispy skinned wild red snapper with carrots and buttered cabbage; awesome short rib agnolotti with crunchy mushrooms; baccala mantecato with chickpea panisse, and cacio e pepe stuffed gnocchi (not pictured). It all went great with an excellent cabernet.
Well #$@!%, the 49ers are not going to the Super Bowl, at least there will be a West Coast team to root for.
Roasted pork with fig chutney, fennel, carrots, onions and garlic. Salad of baby greens, snap peas, baby bell, celery, onion and honey mustard dressing.
Agree with @gcaggiano, and @BeefeaterRocks about the gins, but will add that Tanqueray never disappoints, (me) anyway. Also, maybe a year or so ago, the subject of New Amsterdam Stratosphere Gin came up, and I think both Gregg and @mariacarmen recommended it, especially at it’s price point. I did pick up a bottle a few months back and I was actually amazed how acceptable it was. Gordon’s works in a pinch too. Hendricks I like but think it needs a little more juniper, could be something else.
How could I forget Tanqueray? Of course, that’s up there in my rotation as well.
And you are correct about New Amsterdam Stratosphere Gin. It’s no London Dry and quite citrusy, but for $11 a bottle it’s not bad if you can find a cocktail for it.
Finally made the rest of my Indian dinner, to go with the sarson ka saag paneer @small_h turned me on to. To go with, today I made butter chicken, coconut red dal with spinach, roasted spiced cauli, raita, cilantro chutney, and basmati. Had to veto the BF making his wonderful puris, it was just going to be too much food. The chicken and the dal were both made in the IP, but just about everything had spices that had to be toasted/ground up, and a ton of ginger mincing/grating happened too. My friend’s mom had gifted me the spiced groundnuts a couple of years ago (they were in the freezer) so I got to use those too. The dal turned too mushy in the instant pot, but other than that, I was really pleased all of it. Ghee in the basmati was fab! Leftovers for the week and beyond.
@small_h - the saag paneer was phenomenal! still my favorite dish!
i don’t think it was me, i’ve never tried Amsterdam. Will have to look for it.
Tanqueray was my go-to for about 15 years - i, too, was addicted to the juniper! until i discovered the Hendricks series. Followed shortly by St. George Botanivore, and i’ve been trying all different kinds since. I really love Bluecoat but haven’t found it near me lately.
The Gray Whale has a citrusy/briny thing going on, which I love. very fresh tasting. and yes, it goes well in both those applications.
I love Tanqueray and have been buying their Sevilla gin during the pandemic. I love Bluecoat but can’t get a hold of it anymore!
too bad about the Stonecutter! I recently bought a vermouth - Drink Me 93 - that I ended up hating - first time that’s happened! it’s made with rhubarb but tastes cherry cough syrupy to me. i can’t bring myself to pour it out, though…
Why not. I’ll try again to cook fried chicken. I have messed this dish up so many times . Lol.
I tossed all recipes. Dry brined the chicken legs with salt and pepper. Looked in the cupboard. Why not toss in t)hese dried ingredients. Mixed with flour . Matzo meal. And looked over at the bag of cheese flavored sun chips. It went Into the breading after crushing.
Fantastic with leftover beans . And sauteed yellow squash. Mae Ploy for dipping. Cheers . Was it good .Yes . Tonight l will be on Amazon looking for one of those small counter top grease fryers. I might use it 4 times a year. I have a lot of tools I use which are the same.
