You Had Me At Bacon!

Bacon is the ultimate in sinful epicurean delight. It is definitely one of the "soup de jours" of the flavor world right now. There are practically every kind of bacon enhanced food product and non food product available. Today's post is about some of our favorites here at The Paisley Peppercorn. Here is our top ten favorite ways to enjoy the amazing, the fabulous, the unmatched, the machismo of flavor, the pig!

10. Lets start with our love to share these days. We share everything from what we eat, where we ate, and the silverware choice we eat it with. We also love to advertise it on the clothes we wear. So for number 10 lets start with our favorite t-shirt designs that share our common love with the pig!

It's true we condone advertising to the world your love of bacon! We say if your gonna go, go big!

9. Number 9 is an actual food product that just seems to be the perfect condiment for the bacon lover. It is sure to make your BLT even more B than LT. It's a dressing, it's a spread, it's creamy bacon tasting goodness. It's Baconnaise.

The ultimate bacon flavored spread you never knew you needed to try!

8. The next favorite we are going to talk about is for the rushed breakfast cook. It allows you to have a your bacon and toast too, but without having to cook the bacon on the side. It's Bacon Jam. If you thought Bacconaise was great, well add this to your flavor tool kit and savor the goodness.

Sweet , tangy , spicy or all of the above, there are so many variations but the common deliciousness is bacon!

7. Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, some genius came up with chocolate covered bacon. Chocolate and bacon, a gastronomic marriage that should have happened years ago and the proof is in the sales, chocolate covered bacon is one of the fastest growing enterprises of the decade.

If you haven't tried it, you're missing out!

6. Ok this may be a rose of a different scent but stay with me here, Bacon Brownies are indeed chocolate and bacon together but yet another delicious way to eat two of Americas favorite flavors. Our favorite recipe here at The Paisley Peppercorn is a gorgeous combination of bourbon, bacon and chocolate of course.

5.This next top tenner is actually so versatile. Its great for cooking eggs, steak, chicken and well maybe even pork chops. Bacon Olive Oil just sounds divine to us and we are sure you will think it is just as tasty as we do!

4. Being of a artistic persuasion we love the vintage inspired art and decor that has come out of our love affair with this amazing swine. We love even more when it is useful art, these dish towels are just to die for!

We found these flour sack tea towels featuring a portly pig, silk screened onto the towel with earth-friendly, water-based inks. Each hand printed towel is a 100% cotton flour sack that measures 28" x 29". Washable and reusable. They are available very reasonably at www.scoutmob.com.

3. Ok the next choice is a shout out to our well... male video game fanatic team members here at The Paisley Peppercorn. Apparently bacon has infiltrated our lives so deeply that it has even made it into cyber-gaming. You too can personalize your weapon cash with a Bacon Personalization Pack!

I know, I know you can't wait to get it!

2. Number 2 may be a little self serving it's true, but understand that it was our undying, deep devotion to the pork tradition that inspired our creation and subsequent product plug. Please join us in the enjoyment and flavor savoring of Bacon Salt. We here at The Paisley Peppercorn definitely found ourselves enchanted by the combinations of bacon and bacon seasonings. What better way to finish a dish than with a lovely Bacon Finishing Salt.

　

　

1. The final choice for this article today is again a little self gratifying but well.....it's just amazing! Just when we didn't think it could any better with the whole Bacon Finishing Salt thing we added the ultimate little extra touch. Maple!!! Yes, yes it's true just a touch of Maple and little sweet with organic cane sugar to open up every taste bud you posses. You simply must try it on brussel sprouts, taste bud nirvana baby! Oh and do not we repeat DO NOT pass up vanilla ice cream with just a sprinkle of this crazy dessert concoction!



　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　 

I Always Invite Ms. Mary To Sunday Brunch

Thank you Ernest Hemingway for saving the beloved Bloody Mary from obscurity.  Here at The Paisley Peppercorn there are only two drinks really meant for the morning brunch scenario, either a divine Mimosa or the coveted Bloody Mary.  The drink is a meal in itself and can contain more ingredients than an entrée at a restaurant.  But it's that complexity that makes it so appealing.  Depending on your personal penchant for spice you can notch it up a bit or keep it a well balanced combination of vibrant flavors.

For us here at The Paisley Peppercorn its all about spice and nothing brings out the flavors and heat like horseradish.
Here is our take on this brilliant Sunday starter:


1.  Start with a nice tall glass, no sense kidding around here!

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2. Use a little lemon wedge to moisten the rim of your nice tall glass

 





3. Rim the glass with our favorite Bloody Mary Rimming Salt: Mad Mary Salt Blend.

 

 

4. Add at least 1/2 tsp of fresh plain horseradish.  This is the trick you really must try it!

 





5. Squeeze the juice from that lemon wedge in the glass.

 

 

 

6. Pour about 4 or 5 glugs of Worcestershire Sauce into the glass.  Do not skip this step!

 

 

 7. Sprinkle just a dash of our Bloody Mary Salt Blend into the glass, not to much, just a little!

 

8. Ok crucial step...add atleast 3 or 4 hearty shakes of Tabasco brand Chipotle Hot Sauce!  This is my "secret sauce".

 

9.  Vodka time and be generous unless you need to pace yourself lol!  I usually poor to about the 1/3 mark.

 

 

10. Now finish off the glass with a poor of a really good Bloody Mary Mix. If I can find it I love to use Sting Ray Spicy Bloody Mary Mix.  I will be honest though and tell you that I use Spicy V-8 veggie juice pretty often and it tastes great! Stir it up and add any or all of the traditional garnishes that go along with our amazing Ms. Mary!  And remember the immortal words of Ernest Hemingway "Whole trick is to keep it very cold"! 

 

 

Some of my favorites are:

 

So enjoy my foodie friends and make sure to invite Ms. Mary to your next Sunday morning!

Wishing you kitchen adventures,

MJ

 

 

There Is Nothing Vanilla About Vanilla

Vanilla Beans, the second most expensive spice in the world only behind saffron. Incredibly fragrant these precious beans have the power to add intense flavor to a variety of dishes. Vanilla Bean cultivating and harvesting is a tedious task of hand polinating each flower on the vine to ensure that it produces a bean and then after 7 to 10 months they are hand harvested and then stored for another 9 to 10 months before being packaged and exported to kitchens around the world. Because vanilla beans are so expensive, it's not uncommon for them to be stolen just before harvest. To prevent this, farmers have started painstakingly branding each bean using a cork and pins.

Vanilla beans are indigenous to Mexico, so it's no surprise that Mexican beans are the most prized. Madagascar, or bourbon, vanilla is another great choice; it's often used in vanilla extract. Indonesian, West Indian and Tahitian vanilla beans are less desirable and often used in combination with imitation vanilla, or to make perfume.

Gourmet Madagascar vanilla beans are the traditional favorite of discriminating pastry chefs, and gourmet-conscious home cooks and bakers. Depending on the year, Madagascar exports anywhere from 65% - 80% of the world's supply of vanilla.

A Few Vanilla Facts For Your Tool Kit:

　
Storage: Vanilla Beans should NOT be refrigerated. Store them sealed in a cool, dry, dark place at
ROOM TEMPERATURE. After some time the beans may dry out. This is a normal change.
Reconstitute them by soaking them in a liquid to be used in your recipe.

Varieties:

There are 110 varieties of vanilla only two varieties are used commercially, Bourbon and
Tahitian.

Tahitian vanilla:
 Tahitian vanilla is the common name for Vanilla Tahitensis. This variety originates from
Bourbon plant stock taken to Tahiti, Vanilla Tahitensis mutated in the wild and now
regarded as a different species. It's appearance is smaller and it's flavor is
considerably different than Bourbon vanilla. Tahitian vanilla is sweet and fruity and
contains less natural vanillin. It has a floral fragrance and the bean is fatter and
moister than Bourbon vanilla.

Bourbon vanilla:
Bourbon vanilla is the common name for Vanilla Planifolia. Vanilla Planifolia
originates from Mexico. Bourbon vanilla cuttings were taken from Mexico to Reunion
Island 1000 miles east of the coast of Africa in the 1800's and grown by the French on
large plantations. Reunion was then known as the Ile de Bourbon from which this
variety takes it's name.


Bourbon vanilla has the familiar vanilla flavor that we have come to savor in desserts
and in ice cream. We here at The Paisley Peppercorn have fallen in love with the savory opportunites of use in vanilla. One of our favorite ways to enjoy its sweet aromatic qualities is in our Madagasgar Vanilla Bean Baking Salt. It is a perfect finish to a pan of brownies before you bake them or sprinkles on Salmon for a beautiful balanced sweet savory favor that brings out the best in the fish.

The Holiday Bar is Open

This cheery season is filled with parties and events that bring the spirit of the season out in everyone. With so many holiday events on the horizon and always wanting to take part in the festivities I find myself reviewing my holiday favorites and getting out the shaker so that I can well start shakin...

Here are Team Peppercorns favorite picks for the season:

1. The Pointsetta is a holiday favorite among many and for us here at The Paisley Peppercorn it's no exception. Our spin on it is a little different than some of the recipes out there but boy do we love what we did with it!

1 oz of unsweetened Cranberry Juice ( must be unsweetened)
1 oz of Grand Marnier
1 Sugar Shot (available at The Paisley Peppercorn) we recommend the Raspberry Lemon flavor
Prosecco

Combine the Cranberry juice, Grand Marnier and sugar shot in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously until combined completely and pour into a champagne flute or a nice tall narrow glass and top off with the Prosecco.  The Prosecco gives a nice bubbly finish and this easy to drink cocktail will surely be a favorite among friends. Garnish with a fresh lemon slice and fresh cranberries.

2. The Jack Frost

 

1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup blue curaçao
1/2 cup light rum
1/2 cup cream of coconut
ice
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and serve in a rimmed Martini glass
We rimmed our with our vanilla rimming salt.

3.  The Cherry Whiskey Smash– made for the girl who’s a little bit sexy and a little bit punk, a style that’s perfectly hardcore hot. Can you handle it?

1 oz jack daniels
1 oz cherry juice
1/2 oz amaretto
1/2 oz ginger brandy
2 ozs cherry cold
3 maraschino cherries
1 cherry lime sour sugar shot

Add cherries and sugar shot to the bottom of the glass and muddle until smashed.
Add ice.
In a cocktail shaker add jack daniels, cherry juice, amaretto and brandy, shaking for 15 seconds – to combine.
Pour over ice, then top off with cherry cola and stir.
Serve with additional cherries if desired.

Now you’ve got your signature drink in hand, it's time to get your holiday on!.

4. The Christmas Kiss  we have chosen this name cause after a couple of these your going to want to find someone to kiss!

Start by muddling 3 fresh or frozen strawberries in the bottom of a shaker with our Strawberry Lemon Sugar Shot until well combined
The pour 1 oz of citron vodka and 1/2 oz of fresh lemon juice into the shaker and combine well.
Pour into a high ball glass and top off with your favorite sparkling wine (we love New Age Bloody Rose from Argentina).
Final step find your special someone and share a kiss!

5. The Grinch!  All though we believe after you have just one of these yummy libations you can't help but get into the holiday spirit!

1 oz. Peach Schnapps

1 oz. Malibu Coconut Rum

1 oz. Melon Liqueur

2 oz. Pineapple Juice1

1-Georgia Peach Sugar Shot

2 oz. Sprite (Diet)

Pineapple chunk and Cherry for garnish

Combine all of the liquids (except the Sprite) into an ice filled cocktail shaker. 

Cover, shake well, and pour into your favorite cocktail glass. 

Top with the Sprite, add your garnish and a straw, and start getting your "Grinch" on!

Sweet Tooth No More...Welcome To The Salt Tooth!

It's true that little details make a big difference. Take salt for instance. Gone are the days of grabbing the salt shaker on the table and haplessly salting what ever was in front of you. With globalization comes and entirely new way to look at seasoning. It's a fact that salt is 98% sodium chloride but it's the other 2% that can really play with your taste buds. Salt is an essential nutrient for human beings. This prized mineral offers nutritional support to our body while heightening the flavor profile of foods.
Not only does salt enhance the taste of most foods, it is also used to preserve foods, age or brine meats, and for making ice cream. Fleur de sel, Himalayan Sea Salt, Hawaiian Volcanic Sea Salt, Flaked Salt, Kosher Salt, Fine Salt ...is your head spinning yet? There are so many selections with an equal amount of uses and it can be overwhelming to say the least. But it should be noted that with a little imagination and fearless living you could open a whole new door to taste bud nirvana. Salt is an easy way to elevate your cooking, and every decent cook should have several in the kitchen at all times.

Here is another head spinning conundrum, some would argue that it is not flavor that is the greatest contribution salt makes to any given dish, rather it is the texture that it brings.
A coarse, crunchy fleur de sel will add a muscular bite to the flavor of the meat. It is primal and rustic.
Flake salt crackles in your mouth when you eat it, creating the impression of a brittle, crunchy crust on the meat. It’s a little bit more refined a feeling, like remembering campfire eating without actually being outdoors.
Fine grain sea salt, like the Italian fiore di sale, will rest on your steak like snow on a sunny day. It will offer just the slightest zing of saltiness as it dissolves. This is white-linen dining, darlings.

Cooking with culinary salts can take family-favorite recipes to a new level or add a twist to your favorite beverages. Let's take a look at the different types of culinary salts, along with their characteristics and uses.

Finishing Salts
Finishing salts are like the icing on the cake. They bring a new dimension of flavor to the dish which they accompany. Since salt dissolves, finishing salts are added moments before serving so diners can experience the tiny bit of crunch.Finishing salts have great texture and flavor and deserve to be served at the table. Let it touch your tongue to set up the perfect taste experience. When the right salt is paired correctly to a dish, ecstasy happens.

Infused Salts
Infused salts can open up a whole new culinary experience. These delectable seasonings can be infused with spices, herbs, and flavorings such as espresso coffee and even merlot wine. Some incredible infused sea salt selections available are: Aged Balsamic, Espresso Brava, Lemon Twist, Roasted Garlic, Sun Ripened Tomato, Vanilla Bean and Spicy Curry, to name a few.

Dessert Salts
Desserts prominently featuring salt have become nearly as common as panna cotta at high-end restaurants, and almost every confectioner has done his or her own take on the classic French fleur de sel caramel. Calling it a current event or trend is probably a mis-guided designation. Salted Carmel is believed to have been around for more than 400 years. Its really true that everyone loves sweet ,salty, fatty foods. Some decadent flavors used in desserts are : Rose Petal Salt, Green Tea Infused Salt, and Vanilla Salt.

When your ready to expand your palette and move to the next level of culinary exploration an ingredient as pedestrian as salt may be just the ticket you need to go on an extraordinary adventure. So before you grab the old table salt shaker think twice and explore the many options now available for your table.

Wishing You Kitchen Adventures,
MJ