The Kyoto Cocktail

Chef Lynne's Kyoto Cocktail was such a hit this weekend, we thought we'd share the recipe with those of you not lucky enough to have had a taste. It was so refreshing, we wish we could drink it every day!

Kyoto Cocktail

Ingredients (serves 4-6, depending on how thirsty you are!)

3 T fresh thyme, finely chopped

2 T fresh grated ginger

4 Meyer Lemons (add one for garnish)

1/2 C Stirring's Blood Orange Bitters

3/4 C Black Currant Fruit Syrup or Black Currant Liqueur (Creme de Cassis would work, too)

1 1/3 C Saké

1 bottle Prosecco

Chili Oil (optional)

1. Juice lemons and mix with thyme, ginger, Saké, blood orange bitters, and black currant syrup. Mix well and allow mixture to settle.

2. Pour Prosecco and lemon-sake mixture into serving glasses in equal proportions. Stir well.

3. Drizzle with chili oil and stir (optional).

4. Garnish with slice of Meyer lemon and enjoy!

And a few tips we learned while making this marvelous creation:

• It's best to make the lemon-Saké mixture ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours to let the flavors settle in. If you do so, you can strain the mixture before serving--it gets rid of the little leafy bits and ginger pulp, and you still hang on to all the flavor.
• After straining, add whole sprigs of thyme for some extra aroma.
• Some people love ginger, others don't. If you're a lover, heap it on--an extra tablespoon won't hurt (and throw in the chili oil, too, if you're really daring!) If not, feel free to reduce the amount.
• When mixing, we suggest equal proportions of the Prosecco and lemon-sake mixture, but experiment with it--you might find a small splash of the mixture is just right for you. Or, you might want just a touch of fizz with your lemon-Saké-ginger juice.

The Real Balsamic

A few days ago, we found ourselves running low on dessert, so we called Dad at the store and asked him to bring home some ice cream. We were more than a little dismayed, though, when he showed up with a pint of vanilla in one hand, and a pint of chocolate chip in the other. Dad has a fantastic palate, as many of you probably know, but his taste in ice cream can be a bit boring. We were looking forward to something a little more…exciting.

So what topping did we reach for to add some pizzazz to our vanilla ice cream? Vinegar, of course!

Yes, you read that right. But not just any vinegar. Balsamic vinegar. And not just any balsamic vinegar. Real balsamic vinegar. (OK, mostly real balsamic vinegar. But I’ll get to that in a minute.)

Real balsamic vinegar differs from the stuff you find on supermarket shelves in a number of ways, but the most important one that I want to focus on here is obvious: the taste.

You've all had the supermarket stuff before—it's thin and acidic, maybe a little sweeter than the red wine vinegar. We all love it for dressing salads, but it isn't good for much more than that.

Real balsamic is other-worldly: it is thick, syrupy, and highly concentrated. Sweet and tangy, it has complex aromas of dried fruit, wood, caramel, mushrooms, and spices, and is absolutely mouthwatering. My first taste of it was literally a life-altering experience in terms of my career as a foodie.

Making real balsamic is a very complex and expensive process, though, and prices on authentic, certified Modena Balsamic Vinegar are high ($150 for 3.5 ounces is not uncommon). Fortunately, a few producers in Italy have begun adopting the traditional methods of making balsamic vinegar and paired them down a bit to reduce the cost. While these vinegars don’t have the depth and concentration of flavor that the real stuff has, they come awfully close, and are much more affordable, usually in the $40 to $50 range for an 8.5 oz bottle (don’t forget—this is still highly concentrated stuff, so a little goes a long way!). This vinegar is much beloved at Shubie's, and we always make sure to keep it on our shelves. Rubio and Villa Manadori are the two main players in the “faux balsamic” market, and are almost always in stock. This is, of course, the "mostly real" balsamic vinegar we sprinkled over our vanilla ice cream.

Ice cream isn’t the only use for this super-condiment. I’d suggest serving it drizzled over grilled meats or seafood, sprinkled on top of a tomato-basil-mozzarella salad or some strawberries, or tossed into a pasta dish. And lately, our chef Lynne Aronson has been making some roasted heirloom tomatoes with Rubio balsamic that are just to die for. She’s also come up with a cocktail recipe that’s as surprising as it is delicious. Make a cocktail with balsamic vinegar for your friends some time, and they’ll be impressed. Enjoy!

-Bill Shube
Shubie's Food and Wine Guy

The Balsamico
1 oz Vodka
4 oz Soda water
1 tsp Rubio Balsamic Vinegar or equivalent
Simple syrup or sugar to taste

Stir well. Garnish with basil leaf (optional). Sip, relax, enjoy (required).