Spice Dish

Time To Look Back

Happy New Year to you all! For me New Year's is more of a looking back than forward. I'm not a resolution maker, clean-slater. I'm one who asks how the past years have made me who I am going in to the new year. This past year has me thinking very much about my home and family. I absolutely love the city I live in and my family.... well they're my family. Of course I love them. 

Several weeks ago, my mother and I went walking around and I took her to the Mission Dolores cemetery. It's one of those places in the city that doesn't seem real. It's quiet, calm, green and serene. The headstones are very old and have a personal feel to them. They are so un-uniform. So un-polished. 

While talking to my aunt at Christmas and telling her about our visit she offhandedly asked if I stopped by my great-great grandfather's grave... I had no idea. My family has been in the Bay Area for generations but I had no idea that one of my family was buried in this tiny treasure of a place. It just solidified the idea that no matter what happens in your life, past, present or future... your home and family make you who you are this day. 

I'm sure that's a no-brainer for many, but I know that it's something I temporarily forget. This is the time of year for me to remember that. Happy New Year. Happy Old Years. 

EB

How Do You Know It's Christmas in San Francisco?

You Know it's Christmas in San Francisco When:

1. You're watching men frolic in tights.

2. You're dodging drunken Santas.

3. You're trying to figure out just how many NYE house parties you can hit before you will be too drunk to go on.

4. You're listening to SomaFm's Xmas in Frisko.

by MooHaHa
5. You're asking your father to buy you a month's garage parking as your big Christmas gift. 

Happy Holidays!

EB

Here Comes Gingerbread... Here Comes Gingerbread....

Photo by DNAMichaud

This is a holiday ice cream recipe I came up with when I was invited to a friend's house for Thanksgiving. It was a good thing I brought ice cream, because it was no less than 79* that day. Ahhh California living. Now that there's snow on the ground, and a chill in the air, this recipe still screams out 'holiday'! It's creamy, laced with booze and spiced up with gingerbread. This is one of the most well-received ice creams I've ever created. Give it a shot yourself this holiday. You will not regret it.

Bourbon-Gingerbread Ice Cream

3 cups half & half

5 large egg yolks

1 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground clove

3 tbs bourbon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup broken gingerbread cake or ½ cup gingerbread cookie pieces

 

Warm 2 cups of the ½ & ½ , sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Pour the remaining ½ & ½ into a large bowl and put a mesh strainer over the bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yolks. Slowly add some of the warmed mixture into the yolks and whisk vigorously. Slowly combine the two mixtures until completely combined, then return the mixture to the saucepan. 

Constantly stir the mixture as it warms over medium heat. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pan, until the mixture coats your spoon. Pour the cooked mixture through the strainer, into the remaining ½ & ½. Mix in the spices, bourbon, and vanilla. Cool over ice.

Chill the batter completely! Once it is chilled through, churn it in your ice cream maker according to the instructions. 5 minutes before it is finished add your gingerbread. Let finish freezing in the freezer.

Enjoy!

EB