03 March

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March 15, 2022

Posca

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Posca

(Roman Beverage)

March 15: Ides of March

Highlander’s Mum is nearly 90 as of this blog post date. Her elixir for longevity is apple cider vinegar. She drinks that stuff to stay healthy and feel youthful. We tried to drink it daily like her but it is a strong taste that we just did not personally acquire. This ancient Roman beverage called posca is less harsh, with its simple yet healthy 3-ingredient mix—water, honey and red wine vinegar—which we made to mark the Ides of March.

Thanks to her vinegar drink (plus prayer, good genes and healthy habits), Highlander’s Mum is considered lucky with longevity. The Roman general and politician Julius Caesar was not so fortunate as his fate was being stabbed to death in 44 B.C. In high school literature class, we read about him in the classic Shakespeare tragedy (for those who forgot or do not know the story, do a simple search online for short summaries).

Try posca on the Ides of March. But beware of its briny-sweet mix taste.

Recipe
(Adapted from The Hamilton Spectator)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions

In a measuring cup, pour water. Stir in honey until dissolved. Stir in the red wine vinegar. Pour into glasses. Serve. 

Notes

  • Honey is harder to dissolve in colder water (ancient Romans did not have refrigerators or ice so we guess that they drank posca at room temperature).
  • Try other Roman recipes in our blog, such as saltimbocca alla Romana (veal Roman-style) and in ovis opalis (Roman boiled eggs).
 

March 2, 2022

Borscht

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Borscht

March 2, 2022: Ash Wednesday (Worldwide Day of Prayer and Fasting for Ukraine)

This post is dedicated to our friend Olga W. whose family is fighting for survival in Ukraine. Olga was Islander’s classmate when we lived in Illinois. We join others around the world in praying for peace in her country. We also pray for the Russians who do not support their government’s war with their neighbor; sometimes hatred is misplaced on the people because of their political leaders’ actions.

Borscht, which is believed to have originated in Ukraine (see Notes), is a vibrantly colored vegetable soup made with beets, cabbages, carrots, onions and potatoes. It was a dish that Olga would cook when Islander came to visit and stay with her in Indiana during spring break, which often fell on Lent Fridays. This budget-friendly soup is suitable as a meatless meal on Ash Wednesday as well. As the season of Lent begins, cook borscht as a sign of solidarity and support for Ukrainians and continue to pray for peace around the world.

Recipe

Inspired by Olga W.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 cup shallots, chopped finely (may substitute for onion)
  • 2 large red beets, peeled and grated
  • ½ head of green cabbage, sliced finely
  • 2-3 carrots, peeled and grated
  • 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 6-7 cups water
  • Sour cream 
  • Dill, chopped (optional garnish)

Directions

Chop the shallots, grate the beets and slice the cabbage.

Grate the carrots and cube the potatoes. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Sautee the shallots until softened, around 5 minutes, being careful not to burn the bottom of the pot.

Stir in the beets, cabbage and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are softened, around 15 minutes. Stir in the potatoes. Season again with salt and pepper. Pour in the water, bring to a boil, stir then simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Ladle into soup bowls and serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and dill.

Notes

 

March 17, 2021

Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Bailey’s Irish Cream

Chocolate Chip Cookies

March 17: Feast Day of St. Patrick

Our local Walmart FINALLY stocked Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Baking Chips in the store. We thought people were panic-purchasing. But perhaps these new chip additions were just that popular and novel so they sold out fast. Of course, when we saw them on the shelves for the first time (luck of the Irish?!) we had to buy and try them, too, especially for a St. Patrick’s Day dessert.

We baked half a batch of the classic cookie recipe on the back of the package so we could snack on the restso we could make something else the next time (see Notes below). The morsels tasted mostly like chocolate chips with a bit of Bailey’s Irish Cream (without the booze buzz). We also used an Irish butter for a richer recipe. Yes, the cookies were yummy as expected—Bailey’s chips did not make a familiar and favorite treat taste boring!

So splurge on these special baking chips and make Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies for a festive Feast Day of St. Patrick.

Recipe

(Adapted from Clabber Girl)

Ingredients

  • 1 stick (½ cup) butter, unsalted, softened (we used Kerrygold Irish butter)
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 ¼ cup sugar, granulated white
  • 2 eggs, large
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 ¼ cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 package (1 ½ cups or 12 ounces) Bailey’s baking chips

Directions

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with brown and white sugar.

Beat in the egg and add the vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking powder and salt. Gradually mix this in with the butter mixture.

Fold in the Bailey’s baking chips. Use a small cookie scoop to place dough rounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Lightly flour the bottom of a flat glass. Press to flatten the cookie dough. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for about five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in airtight containers. Yield: Approximately 4 dozen cookies.

Notes

  • Clabber Girl company offered two free digital cookbooks so people can try recipes using their Bailey’s baking chips. It is a clever marketing technique. Download them here.
  • We halved the recipe for just the two of us and also shared some cookies with our friends to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
  • Search our blog for other St. Patrick’s Day recipes.

 

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