Citrus Golden Sangria

I told'ja I'd see you around New Year's, didn't I? Here I am. For starters, how about we have a rapid-fire round of questions before we close this year's posts? Here we go!

Ever had a sip of a drink and wanted to jump into it and live in there forever? Ever wanted to go all the way and make your own drinks for guests rather than just pick up readily available wines, beer and soda? Ever wanted to quench your thirst with something home-made, yet with the right amount of 'hiccity-hic'? Ever wanted to feel like it is summer when it is bone-chillingly cold outside with some cheery looking drink?

Sangrias are the answer! Inviting hues ranging from blood red, fiery oranges, pretty pinks, golden yellows and clear whites - These are down-right amazingly flexible wine based drinks. And talking about color, let me mention to you that I bring to your party this drink only because of the Free-Spirit Bloggers (pun totally unintentional).

This winter, FSB-ite Mridhubhashini decided to throw more than a snow-ball at all of us. The chirpy young lady gave us a theme fit to liven up any occasion. It being New Year's and all, she made this one really vibrant. She randomly assigned colours of the rainbow to numbers and asked us to pick one each. Next she said, go ahead and make food/drinks which would finally look that colour that we picked. We FSB-ites sure love such games. And, it was my turn to paint it orange!

Many on-board FSB have chosen to make a three course meal using the colour they picked, but I decided to make just a drink, not due to shortage of orange coloured foods, but simply due to shortage of time and some other reasons (which I will fill you in shortly).

And so...yes, Sangria! They're basically wine punches supposed to have originated from Spain and Portugal and have found their way into pitchers across the world. Fresh fruit, wine, sweetener, soda and a hint of brandy if you like, is all it takes. Oh and yes, about a day for all these wonderful flavors to get to know each other well in your refrigerator.

Coming to a wee bit of news from my end - We're moving back to India for good from the US sometime early next year. So this might well be the last post from me for a long while now, unless I sneak in some sit-down-and-write time amidst all the packing that's going on. I'll certainly see you all back, but for now, I'll be taking a break. So, until next time, here's sending you and yours good luck, best wishes and good health in the coming New Year and always.

For now, go ahead and finish that pitcher of Sangria!

Caramel Macchiato

You knew something on these lines was coming, didn't you? If I've made caramel, then I was going to use it somewhere! Okay...Okay! You win this one time. But, there's a little thing you don't know. Ah! Now I have you're attention. So, read on.

You're aware of the Free-Spirit Bloggers by now. Well, as cliched as it may sound but time has flown by since this group of bloggers was founded. It's been a good six months. We had our share of fun making interesting appetizers, challenging bakes, imitation food and nostalgic entrees to mention a few themes from the past. This time I suggested to my buddies on the group that we should kick back and take a break. A coffee break, at that! And that was the basis of my theme.

What better way than to put all our heads together and come up with coffee based drinks served up at your favorite coffee-shop? I named this theme 'Cafe Casa', to mean that you bring the Cafe to your Casa (home) and invited all my FSB pals to bring on their best coffee-based drinks!

You will find that some of them made a snack to accompany the drink, too, so they create a very cafe like ambiance. Also, I shared this website with my friends to give them various ideas on the kind of drink they can make. But, knowing this group of bloggers, I don't think they even needed this kind of an heads-up!

So, that pretty much rounds up the theme that we FSB-ites had for September - Cafe Casa!

Here's my part of the story. Once, I am done with this, I will share links of all the other drinks (and snacks, if applicable) that all other Free-Spirit Bloggers have come up with.

I'm not sure about you, but every time I hit the lines of modern day coffee-shops my eyes are rolling all over their menu wondering and wandering like a deer that wanted to stroll in the well-known limits of the wilderness but lost its way and was left bewildered in the middle of New York City.

So, for all those wide-eyed mob of deer out there, gaping at the coffee shop menu, this month the Free-spirit bloggers are here to solve a few mysteries. Mysteries of the coffee shop! Join us as we recreate the coffee shop drinks at home without any fancy equipment. Welcome to Cafe Casa!

I'm not big coffee drinker myself. But, being raised in Bangalore, I've had my share of 'filter kaapi', especially after downing a large, butter-laden masala dosa at the next-door restaurant all my childhood. Coffee took a backseat when tea entered my life. But, all of last month I lost count of the number of coffee cups I gulped down just to make this one drink that I so love in my favorite coffee shop - Starbucks. Oh yea, S.T.A.R.B.U.C.K.S!! So fancy, so accessible and so very compelling to all of your senses. Hot or Cold. Drenched in whipped cream or just a simple latte. They have it ALL.

Over the last couple months I kept hopping in and out of every Starbucks cafe I passed by, trying different drinks they offered. Here's what pleased me the most - Caramel Macchiato. This drink is served both cold and hot. I tried the hot one on a unusually cold day in late summer and was in love with it. Light coffee (which pleases someone who likes milky coffee), sweet notes of caramel and warm frothy milk. Bliss!

So, before we jump into how to make this surreal temptation, let's get down to some history and science. First up, history.

Caramel Macchiato is a variant of the original drink called Cafe Macchiato, caramel being the extra factor (X-factor, tee hee!). Macchiato in Italian literally translates to 'stained', which refers to the way coffee/espresso is 'stained' with steamed/frothed milk.

Now, let's move on to the science of this drink - The steamed or frothed milk. Did you know steaming or frothing milk is an art that baristas across coffee-shops have to know like the back of their hands? Oh yeah. It is the very basis of a plethora of coffee based drinks. So, yes the equation for this drink is simple. Caramel + Espresso + Steamed Milk = Caramel Macchiato.

Before you conclude that you can simply whip this up in no time, think again. It took me a good gallon of reduced fat milk and about 3 weeks until I figured out the exact way to get that froth you see on top of that cuppa. Still, I'm not too satisfied with it.

I made Caramel Sauce at home, to give this drink a complete 'Homemade' tag. If you've missed that recipe, read it here. So, like I said, I was trying hard to get the foamed milk on my coffee, which means I had to first start off by learning to make Lattes, which are a combination of espresso and steamed milk.

Once, I mastered the steamed milk to a certain extent (as far as possible it was without any equipment at home), I made my first caramel macchiato which you see below. I hated why I poured it in that wine glass. It was the only one I found (before I bought what you see above) and I decided I will sip out of it anyway!

If you ask for this drink at Starbucks, they serve it with their signature caramel crosshatch on top of the foamed milk. This was something I was unable to recreate. I fumbled, stumbled and fell on my face in despair. But, well, there's always a next time!

I'll get down to the recipe now. So, now that you know this is very much a do-it-yourself fancy coffee drink, what's stopping you?

Fizzy Raspberry Lemon Cooler

When God gives you lemons, don't just make lemonade. Get on your feet and go hunting for raspberries. Oh and yes, on your way back make a pit-stop at the grocery store and pick up a bottle of lemon-y soda/Seltzer water. What next? Oh come on, make yourself this fizzy raspberry lemon cooler, kick up your feet and chill on your patio.

Would you believe where I got the inspiration to make this drink? The radio! Hum Desi radio, a popular radio station that caters to Indians in the US has show where they give out recipes. How cool is that? I happened to listen to a portion of this recipe just before I pulled up at the parking lot to pick up my son after his school. I just built upon whatever I heard and came up with this super cool beverage. You just gotta try it!

Strawberry Lemonade To Celebrate The First Year!

Time flies! Yes, that is probably the most under-rated statment made by everyone at least once in their lifetime..but it is true. I cannot believe it is one year since I started blogging out here on Some Salt To Taste. One year since I decided that I too could provide my two cents to the already brimming-with-talent food blogosphere. So, here is thanking each and every one of you who have been avid readers of all that I put down here...and to those of you who continue to inspire me with your work!

And, this time around I decided that I will celebrate it by sharing with you all a newly discovered summer favourite. We happened to chance on this drink at an American restautant not too long ago...and it is everything the word 'yum' can describe! Soothing and satisfying, perfect for the upcoming hot summer days - Here's presenting the Strawberry Lemonade!

Oh and yes, Cheers to Some Salt To Taste!

This recipe is courtesy Food Network. I did a lot of research online and I found this (One of Emeril Lagasse's recipes on the Food Network's website). He has included sparkling water in his original recipe, which is how I had mine at the restaurant. I made it without the same since I did not have any on hand. Try out both versions and see which suits your taste buds! Either ways its a great drink.

Ingredients

A dozen strawberries, Washed and hulled

Juice of a medium sized lemon (or about 4 tbsp)

2tsp - Lemon zest

4-6 tbsp Sugar (adjust if you need more sweetness)

5 Cups Water

Mint leaves and lemon slices, to garnish

Method

- Set water to boil in a large saucepan

- Once it bubbles, add sugar and allow to boil until the sugar melts

- Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and take off from the heat 

- Allow it to come to room temperature

- Strain into a large pitcher

- Now, puree the strawberries and add this to the completely cooled 'lemony' water and stir

- Place in refrigerator until chill

- When you are ready to serve, fill glasses with ice and pour strawberry lemonade over them. Garnish with mint leaves and a slice of lemon

I made this and stored it in my fridge for about a week. I had a refreshing glass every day! So I would say this makes around 5 to 8 glasses of strawberry lemonade depending on how much ice you add.

Am sending this glass over to Radhika Subramanian's Fun N Sun event. 

Chill. Enjoy!

Roasted Oat-Almond Smoothie

Smoothie and Lassi lovers rejoice - for your favourite drink has now scaled new heights.

I happen to love oatmeal. Yogurt finds its way into my daily diet, too. And invariably when we go grocery shopping my eyes do not miss out on the flavoured yogurt and frozen treats section. Key-Lime Pie flavoured yogurt caught my attention at once. It did taste good but had me thinking way beyond just eating flavoured yogurt. So, this luscious drink was born. It is thick and creamy with delicious notes of oats and almonds to make your taste buds dance.

Here's a drink that you can comfortably do a bottom's up without your guilt going up, too!

Ingredients
1/2 Cup Yogurt/Curd (I've used the low-fat variety)
1 tbsp Almonds
2 tbsp Rolled Oats
1 tbsp Sugar (You can opt to use honey or artificial sweetners, too)
2 tbsp Chocolate Syrup (Optional)

Method
- Roast the almonds and oats on a low flame until fragrant
- Blend to a powdery texture
- Whip this roasted oat-almond powder into the yogurt
- Add sugar and whip to a smooth texture
- Pour the chocolate syrup at the base of a glass
- Top with oat-almond smoothie
- Serve chilled

SERVES 1

A healthy drink to start your day if you do not mind skipping the chocolate! And, if you do use chocolate, make sure it is sweet because some syrups can be bitter. Add sugar/honey to sweeten the same to make a perfect snack-time drink or dessert. It is great to serve kids too!



This smoothie is travelling the miles from New Jersey to Namma Bengaluru to participate in Madhuri's Serve me Some...Juices, Shakes, Smoothies event. I hope you like this one, gurl!

Sunset Slush

I originally wanted to call this one Strawberry Slush on Orange Rocks. But, by the time I assembled it and took this picture, it all began steadily melting and reminded me of a beautiful sunset lending golden hues to the earth. If you are beginning to think I am outta my mind whipping up slushes when the weather-man is still predicting snow... hang tight! I made this for my friend Madhuri who is hosting the 'Serve Me Some....Juices, Shakes, Smoothies' event on her blog. She happens to be located in Bangalore, my hometown, where people are apparently perspiring buckets already - And, summer has just begun! This one is to cool off all my Bengaluru Jana!

And Madhuri, this one is for you too! It's a edible drink - In the sense that you start off eating the icy strawberry slush and as it melts you begin drinking it. How cool is that? And, its simply perfect to end a long, tiring day. Make sure you have someone do the prep work (It's a breeze, trust me) at home after you head off to work to enjoy your cold treat when you return at dusk. Hmmmm...Another good reason to call it the Sunset Slush. Go on and try it.. for this one is no great 'shakes'!

Ingredients
3/4 Cup Orange Juice (You can opt to make fresh juice using fruit. I used Tropicana)
3-4 Fresh Strawberries
1 tsp Sugar (Optional/Replace with honey, if you want sweetness sans the sugar)

Method
- Pour the Orange Juice in a freezer safe dish and freeze
- Blend the strawberries and sugar/honey, with very little water (just enough to cover it in the blender) to a smooth paste/pulp
- Pour this in another freezer safe dish and freeze too
- Every hour just scrape the contents of the strawberry pulp bowl every one hour to make it 'slushy'
- After about 4 hours you should have a pretty frozen slushy strawberry pulp
- When you are ready to drink (or eat!) your slush, assemble as below:
a) Crush the frozen orange juice and place at the bottom of your glass
b) Add some water to make the strawberry pulp tad bit fluid, but not too much, and pour over the orange 'rocks'
c) Dress it up with funky shaped ice cubes and strawberries and your Sunset Slush is ready!!

The above method is a bit long drawn and is applicable if you DO NOT have the Ice Crush option on your blender/mixer. If you do then you can opt to go on adding ice cubes to the strawberry pulp in the mixer for an instant slush. All you will need to do is freeze the orange juice to make things rock!

SERVES 1 (You can actually split it with a friend, too!)