I made a new baking discovery last weekend. As I sat inside, cozy and warm, watching the snow fall (finally!), I had the urge to whip up something delicious.  Looking through my rather bare cabinets, I briefly lamented that the season would not lend itself to a pretty tart brimming with fresh strawberries or blueberries, but I also knew that type of summery dessert would not serve to satisfy my snow day cravings.

Nope, I needed something a bit heartier, and I found the answer: bread pudding, made with bananas and a heavy splash of bourbon. And with that, I think I might have found the perfect mid-winter dessert.

If this recipe looks a bit familiar, it’s because I used the same basic framework from my Blueberry Bread Pudding last summer. As I said then, I thought it would be a great base for future seasonal interpretations, suggesting that it would be fantastic with apples and warming spices in the fall, which I completely forgot to do. (I will NOT make the same mistake next October!) Happily, this winter version popped into my head, and I have been enjoying the fruits of my labor all week long.

Rich, smooth, and studded with banana, this simple dessert was a very welcome treat on a cold and snowy day. I wasn’t the only one who thought so—every time I went to sneak a slice, it was clear that others had been there first.

Did I mention that the recipe includes bourbon?

Try topping it with vanilla ice cream, a bourbon caramel sauce (there I go again), warm maple syrup (a breakfast treat?), or drizzled with hot fudge. Enjoy!

Bourbon Banana Bread Pudding

Yields 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of brioche or challah bread, torn into pieces (about 4-5 cups)
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups cream
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons Bourbon
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 bananas, sliced
• 1 tablespoon butter, to coat the dish

Topping Ingredients:

• ¼ cup raw (turbinado) sugar*
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Gently heat the cream, milk, sugar and salt in a heavy bottomed pot until it is just about to boil. Remove from heat.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the eggs, vanilla, bourbon and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. Slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture, stirring constantly so that the eggs don’t scramble. Add the torn bread pieces and the banana slices to the custard and toss together well.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and butter a large baking dish (mine was about 9 ½ inches round with tall 2 inch sides)**
5. Pour the bread pudding mixture into the dish. Sprinkle the pudding with the cinnamon and raw sugar mixture. Cover the pudding with foil and bake for 45 minutes, until the center is set.
6. Remove the foil and cook for another 25-30 minutes, or until the pudding is set in the center. At the very end, put the pudding under the broiler for another 1-2 minutes to crisp up the top. Let the pudding sit for at least a half hour before serving.

* If you only have regular white sugar, that’s fine. The raw sugar creates a better crunchy crust, but it is not a big enough difference to deter you from making this recipe!

** The pudding puffed up a great deal while baking, I would recommend using a large baking dish, and putting a baking sheet underneath to catch any wayward pudding.

All photos styled and taken by Shelby Larsson.

Eat Boutique is a site + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local and comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send a gift box of handmade food today.

When Maggie reached out last week to see if we would be interested in sampling a preserved lemon syrup from Morris Kitchen, the polite thing to do was say, YES!  I have been dying to get an opportunity to introduce Morris Kitchen to our liquor cabinet, ever since reading about their spicy ginger syrup.  Visions of spicy cocktails are still swirling around my head.

Morris Kitchen is the brain child behind brother and sister duo, Tyler and Kari Morris.  They believe the same thing we do;  the best food is fresh and local.  Tyler has been cooking in kitchens, from Sonoma all the way to New Year, for the past thirteen years.  Kari has a background in art but is savvy around the restaurant business, as well.  Together, they knew what was missing from the foodie scene, a simple syrup made with innovative flavors such as ginger and preserved lemon.

When I read about the hints of cardamon and pink peppercorn that would be in a bottle of preserved lemon syrup, I instantly thought of Mezcal.  It did seem a little odd to break out Mezcal in the middle of “winter”, but what the heck, it’s fun to be a little dangerous in the kitchen.  I found some gorgeous Mary Ellen limes at the market, and I plucked some Meyer Lemons from our yard, I just knew they would be a great addition, and off I went.  As soon as I unscrewed the cap to the syrup, I could smell sunshine.  Slightly floral with a hint of the sea.  I really enjoyed the subtle taste of salt that lingered on my tongue after the first sample;  there would be no need to salt the rims of our glasses.  The smoky Mezcal was perfect with salty citrus;  slightly tart and slightly salty.  It was a perfect marriage:  sweet Mary Ellen limes holding hands with smokey Mezcal.

Nice way to spend a lazy Saturday;  don’t you agree?

Preserved Lemon Cocktail
Makes two cocktails

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces of Meyer Lemon Juice
• 2 ounces of Mary Ellen Lime Juice (or use regular limes)
• 3 ounces Mezcal
• 1 ounce Morris Kitchen Preserved Lemon Syrup
• 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
• Ice
• Lemon slices, for garnish

Directions:

1. Juice fresh lemons and limes for this cocktail;  makes a huge difference.
2. In a shaker, filled 1/4 of the way with ice cubes, add all ingredients.  Shake like crazy.
3. Pour over ice in a cocktail glass.  Garnish with a lemon slice.
4. Serve.  Drink.

All photos styled and shot by Denise Woodward.

Eat Boutique is blog + market that celebrates the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Order a gift box of food today.

KALE is one of the most nutrient-rich leafy green you could ever eat, and we’ve been eating this super food every which way possible, all in an effort to take better care of our body and soul in 2012. When Maggie asked me to do a post on a winter salad, I knew it had to be kale.

Not only is kale a winter-hardy veggie to grow in your backyard (yes! it will survive winter with very little help), we are even growing kale “micro-greens” and sprouts indoors.

Sorry for the slight detour, but it’s so great to be puttering in my “garden” while it’s snowing outside. Who needs to wait till spring to be growing fresh greens again?

Now back to the salad… Cut your kale into bite-size pieces. Be sure to trim off the tough center stem (and feed it to your critters).

Thinly slice a small radicchio and finely chop half of a shallot.

Shred a large carrot and cut up a blood orange. I love citrus in a salad; look at that color! Toss it all in a large salad bowl then make your dressing.

This dressing is creamy, rich and big on flavor. Combine equal parts of tahini, miso paste (I used red, but you can use any kind), and ginger syrup. We’ve been loving the ginger syrup from Eat Boutique’s gift box (thank you, Maggie!). If you don’t have, then substitute with honey and a bit of grated fresh ginger instead.

Add a little water and a squeeze of citrus to thin it down to a thick pourable consistency. Wasabi almonds found in the back of my fridge added a nice crunch to this salad.

This winter salad is heavier than your typical light green summer salad. It is chewy, “meaty” and hearty enough to be a main meal, or a perfect side to grilled salmon or chicken. This would be phenomenal in a fish taco with some fresh cilantro thrown in.

Winter Salad with Miso & Ginger Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1 small bunch of kale
• 1 small radicchio
• 1 small shallot
• 1 large carrot
• 1 blood orange
• Sprinkle of almonds

Dressing (start off with 1 heaping tablespoon of each):

• 1 part miso paste
• 1 part tahini
• 1 part ginger syrup (or honey with 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger)
• Water and squeeze of citrus juice to thin

Directions:

1. Wash, slice, chop and trim your salad ingredients and place in salad bowl.
2. In a small bowl, thoroughly mix dressing ingredients together, adding a squeeze or two of citrus juice, and water to thin to a thick pourable consistency. Pour over the salad, toss and serve.

All photos styled and photographed by Jill Chen.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send a gift box of handmade food today.

I love using homemade simple syrups in our cocktails.  Once I mastered the base recipe for simple syrup, I began experimenting with flavors.  You may be wondering, how does one “master” making simple syrup.  Isn’t it sugar and water?  It may be only made with these two ingredients, but different sugars, as well as the amount that is used, make all the difference.  All sugars are not created as equals when it comes to making simple syrups.

The past few times I have been using demerara sugar and am really pleased with the results.  Lots of depth, complexity, and not overly sweet.  Did I mention the gorgeous amber color?  While most recipes call for a 2:1 ratio with ingredients, I added a little more sugar, which I felt was key to taking the recipe over the top.  The flavor was richer, and the texture was a bit more syrupy.

For this year’s holiday cocktails, I have been making a cranberry simple syrup, using the same basic ingredients but adding fresh cranberries to the mix.  You have to use fresh berries here, frozen are not the same.  Most frozen fruit has been processed with some sweeteners as well as some added moisture.  The simple syrup does not come out the same using frozen berries.  I have put a few bags of fresh cranberries in the freezer but have yet to try using them in this recipe.

This is a lovely champagne cocktail to serve your guests as it is festive as well as seasonal.  Happy Holidays!

Cranberry Simple Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons demerara sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh cranberries

Directions:

1. In a saucepan over low heat add the sugar and the water;  stir.  Cook until the sugar is dissolved, about 8 minutes.  Do not bring to a boil, keep at low heat.
2. Add the cranberries, stir, and remove from the heat.  Let cool.  Bottle and then store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Cranberry Champagne Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1 oz cranberry simple syrup
• Kaffir lime
• Champagne
• Fresh cranberries for garnish

Directions:

1. In a champagne flute put the simple syrup and the juice from 1/4 of a kaffir lime.
2. Using the rind that you just squeezed juice from, lightly rub around the rim of the flute.
3. Top the simple syrup with Champagne.
4. Thread some fresh cranberries onto a cocktail stirrer and garnish.  Serve.  Sip.

All photos styled and shot by Denise Woodward.

Eat Boutique is blog + market that celebrates the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Order a gift box of food today.

I’m no stranger to infused booze. In fact, during a month when I’ve spent every free moment (quite happily) packing holiday gift boxes and planning our winter tasting programs, you could say that infused booze and I are best friends forever.

My cocktail of choice these days is either straight Champagne or little more than anything strong served ice cold in a neat glass. Fruity mixed drinks that please me all summer are basically no match for the colder months. Give me Washington cherry-infused bourbon, rhubarb flavored vodka or this very simple recipe for organic American vodka colored by fresh figs and vanilla. It’s straight alcohol, all the time.

A couple week’s back, Heidi visited to continue our sparkling cocktail planning adventures. You should really be a fly on the way during those photo shoots, just to mock us for falling in love with our on the spot creations. After five or twenty sips, each recipe is better than the last. This was the last recipe we shot and I almost made it as an afterthought, just to fill up some extra film, but we both kinda love these photos.

I’m giving these jars out to friends this month and getting them involved in the action. All they have to do is strain out the figs and vanilla bean and sit a pretty bottle of flavored happiness on the kitchen shelf. Tied with some twine and a handmade label, celebrating the season was never quiet so simple.

Happy *almost* Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s!

Fig and Vanilla Vodka

Recipe adapted from Sweet Paul’s Holiday Issue

Ingredients:

• 1 liter jar
• 1 liter good organic vodka
• 1/2 pound (8 ounces) of fresh or dried figs
• 1 vanilla bean

Directions:

1. Clean and sterilize a 1 liter glass jar.
2. Clean and slice figs. If using fresh figs, slice into quarters. If using dried figs, slice in half. Place in the jar.
3. Sliced a vanilla bean pod in half, exposing all the pretty beans. Place it into the jar with the figs.
4. Poor vodka over the figs and vanilla bean. Seal and let sit for one week.
5. Strain and serve chilled just as it is or, ideally, in your own pretty cocktail creation.

All photos styled by Maggie Battista and Heidi Murphy and photographed by Heidi Murphy/White Loft Style.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send a gift box of handmade food today.

A few years ago, I met up with a few friends at one of the girls’ home in New Hampshire. It was a beautiful fall weekend, and we took full advantage of the gorgeous setting and great company. After a long hike in the woods, we headed to a nearby orchard to pick apples and to simply enjoy that golden afternoon sunshine. We picked and picked until each of us was laden with bushels of apples, and headed into the orchard store to pay up, not realizing that Poverty Lane Orchard was also home to Farnum Hill Cider.  Up until that point, I had only experienced cider in two forms: the unfiltered apple juice that you buy by the jug and the cider you buy in a bar, like Magners or Strongbow. That afternoon, in the cabin-like tasting room, I tried apple cider that was like nothing I had ever tasted—more like a dry champagne made from apples than the sweet, fizzy stuff I had previously known as cider. As I tasted each offering, I fell more and more in love. We each bought a bottle (or two) and later that night, we all managed to have a rip-roaring good time in front of the fire.

While I wish I could get up to that beautiful part of the world every fall (and see those friends more often), I keep those nice memories alive by buying the same cider here in Boston. Farnum Hill Cider offers up a few different types of cider, from their more casual Farmhouse or Dooryard ciders, to the Extra-Dry (which really is comparable to a Brut Champagne), to their unique and earthy Kingston Black. And, as it turns out, these ciders pair wonderfully with my other favorite fall treat: cheese.

With that in mind, I decided to throw a bit of a fall cheese and cider party this season. With a bit of prior research, a lot of nibbling, and the expertise of others (including my friend Jess and the guru behind the counter at my favorite local cheese shop), we pulled together a great-tasting fall cheese plate. I wanted to share a bit of what I learned.

The first cheese that usually comes to mind when serving cider is always include a hearty cheddar, such as Vermont’s venerable Cabot Clothbound Cheddar. Created at Cabot, but aged to perfection at the smaller Cellars at Jasper Hills, this English-style cheddar is nutty, sweet and savory and goes with just about anything. One of the reasons why the Clothbound Cheddar goes so well with Farnum Hill Cider is because it is made within an hour from the orchards at Poverty Lane in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

With that in mind, we also tried a cheese from Landaff, NH (also called Landaff), which is located about sixty miles to the north. This semi-firm cheese is similar to cheddar, but features a milder taste, allowing for the grassy, herbal flavor to come through. We loved tasting the Landaff’s almost buttery quality against the bubbles of Farnum Hill’s extra-dry sparkling cider.

In my goal of having a well-rounded cheese plate, I knew I would have to mix it up with a goat cheese. Lucky for me, the helpful man at the cheese counter suggested the Sainte-Maure Belgique, which is probably the smoothest, tastiest goat cheese I have ever had the pleasure of eating. I had begun to think that all goat cheese was becoming crumbly and tangy, which made me shy away from goat cheese in recent years. Not this stuff. Light, mild, and oh-so-creamy, this is the type of goat cheese you dream about.

We also tasted a really nice, almost-stinky Camembert and a semi-hard, mild cheese from the Basque region of France that was really lovely alongside the cider (makes sense as France makes some incredible cider). And of course, I had to add a good quality aged Gouda to the mix (as I’ve discovered, if Lady Gouda doesn’t bring gouda to a cheese party, we’ve got a problem!) I’ve fallen in love with the aged Goudas—wedges of darker orange cheese, dotted with those little white specks of calcified salt. SO good. These great Goudas are getting easier to find, and I’ve seen them frequently at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and in my local grocery store. This is always a great cheese to add to any cheese plate.

But guess what? You need more than cheese to make a truly great cheese plate. The following are a few suggestions of what goes well with these fall flavors, bringing out the most in your cheese:

• A savory, crunchy side, like these sweet and spicy nuts with rosemary, from an Ina Garten recipe.
• A solid side dish, like the pear and ham crostini that Jess and her husband made while we were sipping cider. They started by toasting up quality bread in a warm oven, then spread each crostini with homemade honey-mustard, thin slices of salty ham, and then topped with pear slices.
• A few choices of additional little spreads or jams, such as good local honey, fig jam or apple butter.
• An assortment of fruit, such as pear or apple slices, or a bunch or two of beautiful fall grapes, such as inky-black Concord grapes.

And my favorite addition to our fall cheese plate was this Apple Compote. Made with local apples, minced shallot, mustard, bay leaves and the same cider that we were drinking, this fall chutney was a lovely addition to our little party.

Final words on putting together a fall or holiday cheese plate: No matter which cheeses you choose for your fall cheese plate, try to find a good variety and let them come to room temperature before you serve them. Most cheese needs about 45 minutes to an hour to warm up enough to impart its full flavor. Don’t be afraid to ask for help at your local cheese shop or at your market’s cheese counter. They are there to help!  For more information on the cheese I mentioned above, or to specially order your own, Formaggio Kitchen has a fantastic and knowledgeable guide on their website.

More about cider:

I’m not the only one who has fallen for these new (old) hard ciders. The beverage that was once the most popular drink in America is now experiencing an incredible re-birth, led by small farms from New England to Michigan to Washington state. While I first fell for Farnum Hill, I am excited to taste cider from these orchards:

• West County Cider, from Western Massachusetts
• Bellwether Cider, from upstate New York
• Tandem Ciders, from Michigan
• Alpenfire Cider, from Washington

For more information, see these articles:

• What Would John Adam Drink? Get ready for the rebirth of Cider in America, from Slate
• Our Favorite American Hard Ciders, from Bon Appetit
• The Next Wine Bar: Will Apples Supplant Grapes at Your Favorite Bar? From Tasting Table
• The Hard Cider Buzz, from Food & Wine

All photos by Shelby Larsson.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send a gift box of handmade food today.

Pot de Creme is simply a little pot of creme that is served in a lidded cup.  Or as we like to call it, a little pot of heaven.  This recipe is so delicious, that we made it two weekends in a row.  Pretty self-indulgent, but worth every creamy bite.

We picked up two sugar pie pumpkins during our weekend excursions recently, and had all intentions of making savory soups and roasted side dishes to serve with some meat heavy dishes.  Fortunately for you, these little fall gems never made it that far.

Instead of simply steaming the pumpkins, we like to roast them.  Roasting pumpkin will add a great depth to savory dishes as well as desserts, that call for pumpkin puree.  A little added time to prepare, but well worth it.  We started with the smallest sugar pie which only gave us a small amount of puree, so we decided it would be best as a sweet dessert.  We tossed around ideas of muffins, breads, flans and cookies.  After spying some gorgeous brown eggs and heavy cream in the fridge, we knew what we had to make:  petite Pots de Creme.  We have not had a decent Pot de Creme since we were in France, and mischievous smiles quickly crept across our faces.

While Lenny gently warmed some heavy cream and milk, I went about whisking eggs, sugar, and pumpkin puree in the food processor.  Once the mixture was light in color, and the milky mixture was warm, I poured creamy ribbons into the food processor, while it was running to create a thick custard.  We decided to bake the pot de cremes in little yogurt jars that we brought back from France.  Small baking dishes are perfect, as this dessert is rich, and you only need a couple bites to satisfy your hunger.

This recipe may seem simple to you;  but, it is easy to mess it up.  The key to making the perfect Pot de Creme is the baking and waiting time.  The center of the custard should be a bit loose, at the end of baking.  Do not over bake the custard, or it will become rubbery.  The delicious aroma will have you diving for a spoon, immediately after removing from the oven, but don’t.  You do need to let the pot de cremes sit for 24 hours in the fridge.  The wait will be well worth it.

Pot de Creme

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin puree or you can use canned

Directions:

1. Heat the oven 300.
2. In a heavy saucepan gently heat the cream and milk;  do not bring to a boil.
3. In a food processor add the yolks, sugar, pumpkin puree, and vanilla;  mix until light in color and well combined, about 1 minute.  With the food processor running, slowly add the milk mixture, and then mix for another minute.
4. Pour the mixture into 6 small baking ramekins.  Place the ramekins in a large glass baking dish, fill the baking dish with boiling water.  Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until the middles are still jiggly.  The actual time will depend on how big your ramekins are.
5. Cool 1 hour on the counter then in the fridge 24 hours.

Maple Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Directions:

1. Whip cream in a mixer until soft peaks form.  Add the syrup, and gently whip until stiff peaks form.  Do not over whip or you will have butter.  Making whipped cream only takes a couple minutes.

All photos styled and photographed by Denise Woodward.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Order a gift box of food today.

Heidi contacted me a few months ago. We met up for lunch, with cocktails of course, and the rest is history. She now photographs our gift boxes and, as a wedding photographer, knows how to capture such perfect moments in food too. I’m so happy to know her, and to have her share her family history with Concord grapes. Please say hello to her in the comments! -Maggie

My grandparents were transplants from Pennsylvania Dutch country and my childhood was filled with all sorts of tradition that revolved around food.  I spent much time with them in the days of clotheslines, aprons, vegetable gardens, canning, and Sunday suppers.  It was a time when if something was broke, you fixed it and when you needed something, you built it.  They had Concord Grapes that grew on their property and when there was a good harvest, the bushel baskets came out of the basement, grape picking ensued, and jelly and juice making followed.

My grandparents are now gone along with the vines, and every early Fall that passes, I regret not finding the grapes again.  With determination, I decided that this would be the year.  After many futile online searches, I found Autumn Hills Orchard in Grafton Massachusetts – when the grapes were ready, off I went with my Mum for an afternoon of picking on an unusually warm and humid September day.  We returned home with over 40lbs of grapes, a Ball canning guide from 1974 from my Mum’s kitchen, and fueled with memories from a time gone by.

After rinsing the grapes in one batch in a large tub in the yard, we rinsed them again in the kitchen sink – sorting the grapes into two bowls – one for jelly and the other for juice.  The grapes selected for juice, were ripe but still firm, and not split or blemished.  For the jelly, it really didn’t matter so everything smushed-sweet-yummy was set aside whether it was whole or not.

We used the Ball jelly and juice recipes as a guide and made modifications as we went – especially in regard to the sugar.  Our grapes were really flavorful and sweet so we cut our sugar by at least half.  Also, most of the grapes were so ripe that they crushed in transport so it was difficult to determine “2 quarts” as so many grapes were no longer whole.  We estimated the quantity as best we could and determined the ratio of sugar-to-grape, by taste.

Concord Grape Jelly

Yield: approximately 3 pints

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts stemmed Concord grapes
• 6 cups of sugar

Directions:

1. Briskly boil grapes on stove top until whole grapes “pop” under the pressure of a spoon.
2. Transfer to a canning sieve and press the pulp.
3. Squeeze the remaining pulp through cheese cloth – the grapes were so amazing that we didn’t want to waste a drop, so we added this extra step.
4. Add the thick juice to a saucepan and add sugar, cooking slowly until dissolved.
5. Rapidly boil until jellying point. We used the “plate test” to determine when the jelly was ready.
6. Pour jelly, boiling hot, into prepared canning jars – leaving ½ inch head space per recommendation for Weck jars.
7. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Concord Grape Juice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Concord Grapes
• ½ to 1 cup sugar – adjust to sweetness of grapes
• Enough boiling water to top-off each jar
• 1-quart jars – ultimately, we utilized the classic Ball quart jar – the same that my Mum always used.  I intended to use the Weck 1 liter juice jars but once in my kitchen, found that the Weck jars did not fit in my water bath.  I have since hunted for a pot that would fit the jars but have not had any luck thus far.

Directions:

1. Prepare jars and add 1 cup grapes to each.
2. Add your sugar, adjusted to the sweetness of your grapes – I used just a ½ cup.
3. Top with boiling water, leaving ¼ inch head space.
4. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
5. After completely cooled, transfer to cool dark space.
6. Store for 2+ months and strain into a chilled pitcher when ready to enjoy.

We’ve always let our grape juice sit a couple of months before drinking – with the first quart coming out of our basement at Thanksgiving.  As a kid, I remember climbing on empty flour buckets to retrieve the juice from the wooden basement shelves – carrying the precious cargo upstairs like treasure. This juice was a mainstay on our table throughout the Fall and Winter holidays – the reminder of all things sweet and simple.

All photos styled and photographed by Heidi Murphy.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Order a gift box of food today.

Yesterday was National Food Day, and we had a lovely time participating in the Boston Food Swappers‘ community-sourced potluck in Boston. I was one of the judges, and everything was just delicious. I hope the winner enjoyed our Eat Boutique gift box! Still, I couldn’t get my mind off of this Pear Liqueur made all the way on the other coast by Denise. I’m certain I’ll find some ripe fruit to make this recipe soon, and I can’t wait to take a peek at my Seckle Pear Liquor I started last Fall. -Maggie

Eau de Vie is a delicious pear liqueur that is made with fermented fruit.  The first time I had a sip was years ago during a trip to France.  I fell in love with the tradition of having a small glass before dinner, nightly, during that trip.  Once I settled back home, and slipped into my routine, I quietly forgot about my love affair back in France.

It wasn’t until I was playing with a new recipe that called for pear liqueur that I remembered this delicious beginning to my French meals.  After failed attempts at finding it in my area, I resorted to trying to make my own.  Since I do not have the resources nor space to be able to properly ferment as well as distill traditional Eau de Vie, my version is not true to the name.  Instead, I refer to it as Pear Liqueur.

I have found that the finished liqueur is cleaner when I use 100% vodka instead of 80% vodka.  It is challenging to find, but if you go to a liquor store they should be able to direct you to a couple options.  No need to go with the most expensive brand;  they are all basically the same.  If you cannot find 100% vodka regular vodka is fine to use;  the only difference will be that the liqueur is not as smooth.  Honestly most people will not be able to tell the difference.

I use the ripest pears I can find, and I always peel them.  You will see some recipes out there that do not ask you to do this step.  Do it!   The nectar from the ripe pears is exactly what you want to flavor the vodka.  I also add a couple crushed cardamon pods, as well as a strip of lemon peel;  it adds a lovely warm depth to the finished liqueur.

The hardest part of making pear liqueur is waiting for the week to end.  You may be tempted to go sneak a peek.  Don’t!  Remember, good things come to those who wait.  The finishing process is ridiculously easy.  Simply mash your pears into the vodka, strain the mixture a couple times, and then bottle.  You can enjoy a glass immediately or store it in the freezer until ready to enjoy.

Pear Liqueur
Makes 1 quart size mason jar

Ingredients:

• 3 pears, ripe
• 2 cardamon pods crushed
• 1 2” strip of lemon peel
• Vodka

Directions:

1. Peel the pears and slice into thin slices.  Gently put into the mason jar. Add the cardamon pods and lemon peel.  Fill with vodka.  Tighten the lid onto the jar.  Gently shake a couple times.  Set aside in a dark and cool cupboard for 1 week.
2. After a week, remove from cupboard.  Pour the pear mixture into a mixing bowl and gently mash using the back of a fork.  Strain into another bowl, using a colander that has been lined with cheesecloth. Repeat this process a couple times, depending on how filtered you want your liquor.  Bottle in sterilized bottles.  Serve.  Drink.

All photos styled and photographed by Denise Woodward.

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