At a recent family gathering my relatives clamored for a traditional dish made from cornmeal, of which my father is the acknowledged master: fried cornmeal mush. Mush has a long tradition in American regional cooking, as well as in the cuisine of immigrants. While my father’s family eats mush in a Yankee kind of […]
Pepper Vodka recipe in July 8th “Drink” column
Rosie Schapp, the New York Times Magazine “Drink” columnist, is featuring one of my vodka infusion recipes (for hot pepper vodka) in her wonderful July 8th column devoted to drinks of Poland and Ukraine! Here’s the link: “Drink: Hurts So Good” The photo at left is the only bottle of pepper vodka I currently […]
Vyshnivka update
Every year when the dark sweet cherries come in I think about vyshnivka, a delightfully rich, deceptively easy-to-drink flavored vodka made by soaking cherries in strong vodka (usually 140 proof) for a couple of months, after which the alcohol is drained and reserved and sugar is added to the cherries, which sit some more. The […]
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