Hershey's Chocolate Brownies | CopyKat Recipes
This recipe is from from Maida Heatter’s Book of Great American Desserts. She is known for delicious desserts. Why use a box mix when you can make this one so easily?
1/2 C. flour
1/3 C. cocoa
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick butter or (1/4 lb.)
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
1 C. walnuts, broken into pieces
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9″ square pan with foil and butter the foil. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Melt butter in a 10 – 12 c saucepan over moderate heat. Stir in sugar and vanilla, and add eggs one at a time. Stir in dry ingredients, and stir in nuts. Spread smoothly in prepared pan. Bake 20 – 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center just barely comes out clean.
Cool in pan 15 minutes. Cover with rack and turn pan over. Remove pan and foil lining. Cover with a cutting board and turn back over again.
Let stand until cool. Cut into 16 squares.
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe ... Ever | CopyKat Recipes
Few things are better than a freshly baked warm chocolate chip cookie that comes fresh out of the oven. This recipe was originally published by Jaques Torres in the New York Times. The unique key to this recipe is that you refrigerate the cookie dough for a minimum of 24 hours before you bake the cookies. The New York Times suggests that allowing the chocolate chip cookie makes the cookie dough have the perfect level of moisture to make the perfect cookie. I feel like I have tried many chocolate chip cookies in my lifetime and I can honestly say, these are the best chocolate chip cookies …. ever.
New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Jacques Torres
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)
Sea salt (your best)
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day
Pumpkin and Tofu Red Curry
2 cups pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1” cubes (butternut squash, kabocha squash, or calabaza would work just as well)
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
½ teaspoon salt, divided
7 oz firm tofu, cut into 1” chunks
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons red curry paste (I like this brand)
¾ cup coconut milk
¾ cup water
½ teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons basil chiffonade
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Heat the oven to 400° F. In a resealable plastic bag, toss the pumpkin with 1 tablespoon of the oil and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Arrange the pumpkin in a single layer on one side of a baking sheet that has been lined with foil and lightly greased. Toss the tofu in the same bag, and arrange it on the other side of the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven. After 20 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and remove the pumpkin from the pan. Return the tofu to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. (You can prepare the pumpkin and tofu a day in advance.)
In a medium-sized pot, heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the red curry paste and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the salt, coconut milk, water, pumpkin, and tofu. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the lime zest and basil and stir to combine.
Serve with jasmine rice.
Hyderabadi Subz Biryani Recipe by Snigdha | ifood.tv
Ingredients:
Chopped Mixed Vegetables (such as Carrots, Red, Green and Yellow Peppers/Capsicums, French Beans, Green peas, Potatoes, Corn Kernels) - 3 cups
Basmati/Long Grain Rice - 4 cups (cup = rice cooker cup)
Mint (Pudina) - 1 bunch
Cilantro (Coriander) - 1 bunch
Onions - 2 large julienned
Yogurt - 2 cups
Juice of lime - 2 tbs
Clarified Butter/Ghee - 1 tbs
Milk - 1/4rth cup
Spices
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Bay leaves - 6
Cinnamon Sticks - 4 medium sized
Cloves - 8
Shahi jeera/Royal Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Saunf/Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Whole Black Cardamoms - 2
Green Cardamoms - 3
Star Anise - 3
Mace - 3
Saffron - a few strands
Nutmeg - 1/4rth piece of a whole nutmeg or 1/4rth tsp of nutmeg powder
Dhaniya (Coriander) powder - 2 tsps
Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tsps
Turmeric powder - 2 pinches
Salt and Chilly powder - to taste
Instructions:
Chop the veggies and marinade them in yogurt, turmeric powder, salt, chilly powder, ginger garlic paste, juice of lime, dhaniya powder, garam masala powder, nutmeg powder, ground shahi jeera and saunf (grind the royal cumin and fennel seeds into a fine powder) and set aside for 30 minutes.
Finely chop Mint and Coriander. Keep aside
Julienne 2 large onions. Heat 6 tbs oil in a deep vessel, fry onions until brown. Remove onions. Keep aside.
In the same vessel, heat 1 tbs clarified butter/ghee. Add bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon sticks, whole cardamoms, green cardamoms, star anise, mace. Saute until bay leaves turn light brownish. Remove the spices. Keep aside.
Wash Basmati Rice, add the fried spices. Add water, let the rice soak for at least 30 minutes and then cook either in rice cooker or on stove.
In the same deep vessel used previously, add another 3 tbs oil/ghee (clarified butter - if you don't mind the calories). Add the marinaded veggies along with yogurt etc, cover with lid and cook until the veggies turn tender. Remove lid and continue cooking until almost 3/4rth of the water evaporates, And do leave some gravy with the veggies. Keep aside.
Once the basmati rice is cooked, you can remove the spices if you want to, else keep it. (I prefer to keep them).
In the deep vessel, at the bottom spread a layer of veggies with gravy and top it with some fried onions and chopped mint and cilantro. Spread some cooked rice over this layer.
Again spread a layer of the remaining veggies with gravy and top it with some more fried onions, chopped mint and cilantro. Spread the remaining cooked rice over this layer. Top it with the remaining fried onions.
Warm 1/4rth cup of milk and add saffron to the warm milk. Mix until color is released (rubbing the saffron between your thumb slightly before dropping them in warm milk helps to release the color). Pour this mixture over the rice. (around the inner rim/corners of the vessel and also in between the vessel)
Cover tightly with lid. Do not let any steam escape. (I usually wet a cotton cloth & tie it tightly around the lid of the vessel, also sealing the lid with wheat dough helps.). Cook on very low flame for 15 minutes. Remove from flame.
Serve Hot with Raita.
Garam Masala
Ingredients:
1 stick cinnamon
1 whole nutmeg seed
1 1/2 tablespoon cardamom pods
1 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 1/2 tablespoon peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon cloves
Directions:
1. Toast everything in a pan one at a time until fragrant.
2. Grind everything in a grinder.
Indian Recipes & Dishes from Martha Stewart\'s favorite local Indian restaurant, Bombay Bar & Grill and Fine Indian Dining
Garam Masala (Makes 7 1/2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon cardamom pods
1 dried bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 stick cinnamon
1/2 whole nutmeg
RECIPE
Toast all spices for garam masala in small sauté pan, over medium heat,
about 5 minutes until fragrant. Allow to cool in the pan. Transfer contents to a
spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.
BHINDI MASALA (Serves four)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Course salt
2 whole tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder, or more to
taste
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
1. Grind ginger into a paste using a small food processor.
2. Heat oil in large skillet, over medium heat, add onions, and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and salt; cook, stirring 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, chili powder, okra, and green peppers. If mixture appears dry, add 1/4 cup water. Add garam masala, and cooked covered, 15 to 20 minutes.
edible diaries: Recipe: Blue Cheese Stuffed Celery & Walnuts
10 celery stalks cut in half (total 20)
1/3 cup of blue cheese
2/3 cup of light or regular cream cheese
¼ cup of toasted walnuts (or 10 whole)
Yield: 20 stuffed celery halves
In a food processor blend blue cheese and cream cheese until blended.
HINT: You might want to add a teaspoon of milk to soften up the mixture.
Take a knife and spread into celery halves. Top each celery with a couple of walnuts.
Ashtangis Cook: insalata lino
avocado,tomato,fresh mozzerella,basil,italian sea salt, pepper, italian balsamic & high quality olive oil. simple. healthy. delicious.
named after my yoga instructor lino miele
who is from rome.
Ashtangis Cook
7 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons minced garlic and sauté until golden, about 1 minute. Transfer garlic mixture to blender. Add blue cheese, white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, sugar, hot pepper sauce, salt, pepper and remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil; blend well. Transfer vinaigrette to bowl. Mix in chopped basil. (Vinaigrette can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
this recipe can be altered, use gorgonzola instead, leave out sugar or hot sauce, substitute chives for basil, etc. very easy to make. best made at least several hours before using, as the flavors improve in the fridge. i think it's important to keep it in a glass jar, too.
How to Make Curry Powder
No one recipe exists for curry powder. In fact, in India, the composition of a curry powder depends on the region in which it is made and what ingredients are readily available. You can follow an exact recipe or experiment to find your perfect combination.
Curry Ingredients
- Fenugreek seeds (almost always included)—a sweet, yellow seed to be used with caution
- Caraway seeds (optional)—strong anise flavor
- Fennel seeds' (optional)—weaker licorice flavor than anise, slightly sweet
- Cinnamon (optional)—sweet and flavorful; cassia is sometimes sold as cinnamon, but not as flavorful as the real thing
- Cumin—strong, earthy aroma important to the overall flavor of the curry powder
- 'Pepper, red or white—white pepper is made from the same plant as black pepper but has a milder flavor; red pepper is made from dried chili peppers
- Cardamom (optional)—expensive member of the ginger family with a sweet, flowery aroma
- Coriander seeds—lightly sweet with hints of citrus and mint
- Turmeric—brightly yellow with an earthy bitterness
- Ginger (optional)—sweet and spicy, best to use fresh
- Cloves (optional)—strong, distinct flavor; to be used in small amounts
- Mace (optional)—made from same plant as nutmeg with lighter flavor
Toast Your Spices
Some recipes suggest toasting certain spices before including them in the mixture. Cardamom pods must at least be husked to obtain the seeds before use, if not toasted. You may also want to bake the other seeds you intend to use or toast them in a saucepan. You can also dry roast your chili peppers.
1. To bake:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Put seeds and cardamom pods in an oven-safe container.
3. Bake seeds for up to 7 minutes.
2. To dry roast:
1. Put seeds and cardamom pods in a pan.
2. Heat on medium burner, stirring to prevent scorching, until well toasted.
Create a Base
Once you've toasted any spices you choose, you can begin composing your curry powder. Start by including the most common ingredients.1. Start with a tablespoon each of coriander, cumin, and turmeric, as well as 1/2 tablespoon of fenugreek.
2. Add a couple teaspoons each of dry mustard or mustard seeds and ground pepper. Many recipes call for red chili pepper flakes, while others use ground white or black pepper.
3. If you know what optional spices you want to include in your powder, add them now. Some typical additions include:
1. 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
2. 1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds
3. 2 teaspoons ginger
4. 1/2 teaspoon cloves
4. Variations on curry powder less commonly call for:
1. 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
2. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
3. 1 teaspoon mace
Grind Your Spices
If you aren't using pre-ground spices, you'll need to grind your spices to create a powder. Use one of the following items to do so. Make sure that whatever instrument you use effectively grinds the hard seed shells.1. Coffee grinder or
2. Spice grinder or
3. Blender or
4. Mortar and pestle
Adjust Your Mixture
Compare your mixture to a curry powder that you've tried and liked. Hopefully, you'll like your own mixture at least equally well. If not, try to determine what the commercial mixture has that you like and your mixture lacks.1. Consult a reference such as McCormick's Enspicelopedia for the properties of different spices.
2. Smell and taste different spices singly to decide if you want to add more of them to your mixture.
3. If your mixture isn't spicy enough, try adding some more pepper or ginger.
4. If you want a sweeter mixture, try adding ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, or fennel.
5. To make your powder more yellow, try adding turmeric, cumin, or mustard.
6. You can always add more of the base ingredients as well.
Use Your Curry Powder
Once you've created the perfect curry mixture, it's time to put it to use in a delicious recipe.Conclusion
Once you've made your first curry mixture, you can make different curries for different recipes. Perhaps you find certain spices work best when currying lamb, while others are perfect for curried chicken. Keep your curry mixture, either in powder form or un-ground, in an airtight jar. Your unground mixture should stay fresh for 6 months, while your ground powder will only last for two.
Curry Spice Mix - Vegetarian Recipes Around the World
Serving Size: 1
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Stir well. Store in an airtight container.
Use to season vegetables, sauces, soups, etc.
Pav Bhaji Masala Recipe
Ingredients:
- 50 grams red chili,
- 50 grams coriander seeds,
- 25 grams cumin seeds,
- 25 grams black pepper,
- 25 grams cinnamon,
- 25 grams clove,
- 4-5 black cardamom,
- 25 grams dry mango powder,
- 10 grams fennel seeds,
- 1 tbsp. turmeric powder.
Directions:
- Roast all the ingredients separately. When cool, grind it. Shift them and mix dry mango powder, turmeric powder and fill in the bottle.
Home-made Pav bhaji Masala « cookadoodledoo
Ingredients:
Coriander seeds 2 cups
Red chilli powder 2 cups
Cumin seeds 1 cups
Amchur(Dry Mango) powder 2 tsp
Green Cardamum 25 gm
Cassia Cinnamon 25 gm
Cloves 25 gm
Black Cardamum 20 gm
Black Peppercorns 10 gm
Fennel seeds 2 tsp
Bay Leaf 2 no
star Anise 10 gm
Caraway seeds(shahi jeera) 25 gm
nutmeg and mace a pinch
Black salt 1 tsp
Method:
Dry roast all ingredients except the powders then blend all the ingredients to get a powder.
Serves 4-6 people.
Celery Juice Recipes
Try these healthy and delicious Celery Juice Recipes to beat the heat. They are not only nutritious, but also easy to make.
Pink Paradise Celery Juice Recipe:
Enjoy this pleasing pink celery juice that comes with the goodness of carrots and apples. Feel in the “pink of health” with this mouth-watering juice.
Required:
1. Celery stalks with leaves- 3
2. Carrots- 3 medium sized
3. Apple- 1
Method:
1. Clean the ingredients. Do not remove the leaves from celery.
2. Slice the fruits and vegetables into a size that is comfortable for the mixer/juicer.
3. Add sugar, if needed.
4. Juice and serve chilled.
Green Delight Celery Juice Recipe:
The fresh green color of this green celery juice is enough to make you feel rejuvenated. It has ingredients that are a sure mix for a healthy you.
Required:
1. Celery stalks- 3
2. Apple (Green might be better)-3
3. Broccoli- 1 stem
4. Lemon juice- 1/2 tablespoon
Method:
1. Clean the ingredients. Do not remove the leaves from celery
2. Slice the fruits and vegetables into a size that is comfortable for the mixer/juicer.
3. Add sugar, if needed.
4. Add lemon juice.
5. Juice and serve chilled.
Curried Celery Soup with Apple
A great dish to make if you have a lot of celery on hand is a curried celery soup. This recipe is wonderfully balanced and quite tasty. You might think that celery doesn’t have much taste, but in combination with curry, cumin, apple and of course onion, carrot and potato, this soup is quite flavorful.
The curry hints in the background and is not overpowering and the apple lends some sweetness. We also utilized celery leaves which lends some nice crisp color. Once this soup is blended it will take on a beautiful green shade.
2 servings:
Ingredients:
* vegetable oil
* ½ onion, diced
* 1 carrot, peeled and diced
* 3 celery stalks, diced
* 1 potato, diced
* 1/2 cup celery leaves, chopped
* 1 large garlic clove, minced
* ½ apple, diced
* 2 cups of broth (I used water and 1 bullion cube)
* 2 teaspoons curry powder
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon thyme
* salt and pepper
Method:
Sauté the onion, carrot and celery in some vegetable oil for about 10. Add the potatoes, sauté for another 5 minutes. Add the garlic, the apple and the spices, continue to sauté for a few more minutes.
At this point add the broth, scrape the bottom of the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for another 10 minutes and then add the celery leaves and cook for another 5 minutes. Now blend the soup (or parts of it if you like chunks.) Salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Rice Pudding
Starchy Italian rice gives this dish extra creaminess.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup short-grain rice for risotto, such as Arborio
- 2½ cups whole milk
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp butter, plus more for the dish
- pinch of ground cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg
Directions
1. Lightly butter the dish. Rinse the rice under cold running water, then drain well. Combine the rice and the milk in a bowl and let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Stir the sugar into the rice. Pour into the dish, dot with butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 2–2½ hours, or until the top is golden.
Variation
Turkish Rice Pudding
Cook the rice in 3 cups boiling water for 5 minutes, drain. Simmer with the milk for 15 minutes. Stir in the sugar and ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract. Cool and serve with ground cinnamon sprinkled on top.
Homemade Ginger Ale
Fermentation has been used by mankind for thousands of years for raising bread, fermenting wine and brewing beer. The products of the fermentation of sugar by baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (a fungus) are ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide. (Here is a page on the chemical reactions involved in glycolysis and fermentation.) Carbon dioxide causes bread to rise and gives effervescent drinks their bubbles. This action of yeast on sugar is used to 'carbonate' beverages, as in the addition of bubbles to champagne).
We will set up a fermentation in a closed system and capture the generated carbon dioxide to carbonate our home made ginger ale. You may of course adjust the quantities of sugar and/or extract to taste. Note that the lemon called for in step eight is optional. And if you want a spicier drink, you can increase the amount of grated ginger. As with any yeast fermentation, there is a small amount of alcohol generated in the beverage (about 0.4%).
Click all images to enlarge.
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clean 2 liter plastic soft drink bottle with cap (not glass: explosions are dangerous.) funnel Grater (preferably with fine "cutting" teeth 1 cup measuring cup 1/4 tsp and 1 Tbl measuring spoons |
cane (table) sugar [sucrose] (1 cup) Freshly grated ginger root (1 1/2-2 tablespoons) Juice of one lemon fresh granular baker's yeast (1/4 teaspoon) cold fresh pure water |
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1) Lay it out all the listed ingredients and equipment. |
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2) Use fresh ginger root (purchasable at most large supermarkets, or Asian food shops). |
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3) Add 1 cup sugar to the 2 liter bottle with a dry funnel. (Leave the funnel in place until you are ready to cap the bottle.)
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4) Measure out 1/4th teaspoon fresh granular active baker's yeast. (Fleishman's etc. We buy ours in bulk from the health food store.) |
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5) Add yeast through funnel into the bottle, shake to disperse the yeast grains into the sugar granules. |
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6) Grate the ginger root on a fine "cutting" grater to produce 1 1/2 Tablespoon of grated root. (Look at the large picture of the grater. This style of fine "cutting" teeth works MUCH better than the style with the sharp pointy piece of metal which crumble food. The design is also less likely to shred your knuckles. I have had to look far and wide to find a fine "cutting" grater. Mine says "Stainless Steel Denmark" on its handle...) |
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7) Place grated ginger in the cup measure |
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8) Juice a whole lemon. (Lemon is optional, giving a little tartness to the ginger ale. Try it both ways to see which you prefer. I like them both.) |
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9) Add the juice of a whole lemon to the grated ginger. |
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10) Stir the lemon juice and grated ginger to form a slurry. |
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11) Add the slurry of lemon juice and grated ginger to the bottle. (It may stick in the funnel. Don't worry, the next step will wash it into the bottle.) |
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12) Rinse containers with fresh clean water. |
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12) Add the rinsings to the bottle, cap and shake to distribute. |
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13) Fill the bottle to the neck with fresh cool clean water, leaving about an inch of head space, securely screw cap down to seal. Invert repeatedly to thoroughly dissolve sugar. (The ginger root will not dissolve, of course.) |
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14) Place in a warm location for 24 to 48 hours. (Do not leave at room temperature longer than necessary to feel "hard." The excess pressure may cause an eruption when you open it, or even explode the bottle!) |
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15) Test to see if carbonation is complete by squeezing the bottle forcefully with your thumb. If it dents in as in the picture, it is not ready. |
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16) Once the bottle feels hard to a forceful squeeze, usually only 24-48 hours, place in the refrigerator. Before opening, refrigerate at least overnight to thoroughly chill. Crack the lid of the thoroughly chilled ginger ale just a little to release the pressure slowly. You do not want a ginger ale fountain!
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17) Filter the ginger ale through a strainer if you find floating pieces of ginger objectionable. These are found in the first glass or two poured, and, since most of the ginger sinks to the bottom, the last glass or so may require filtering too. Rinse the bottle out immediately after serving the last of the batch. |
NOTE: There will be a sediment of grated ginger and yeast at the bottom of the bottle, so that the last bit of ginger ale will be carry ginger fibers. Decant carefully if you wish to avoid this sediment.
Note that the gas will develop faster in ginger ale than in home made root beer, presumably because there are more nutrients in it than in root beer extract.
Return to Fankhauser's Cheese Page
Brew Sun Tea
Sun tea is quite possibly the most perfect drink for the summer. Lemonade is a classic, but it can be a little too tart for the hot days. Juices are too sugary, so they'll dehydrate you and cause a sugar crash halfway through that softball game. Water? That's just plain boring.
Step 1: Pick a container. Gallon-size pickle jars or gallon pitchers work best. Wash the container thoroughly with soapy water. This is important even if it already appears clean. Leaving dirty dishes in the sun can promote bacterial growth.
Step 2: Fill the container with a gallon of cold water. If you prefer sweet tea, remove about 25% of the water from the container, add sugar, make sure it's dissolved, and fill the container again. Kool-Aid sweetness requires 1 cup of sugar per half-gallon of water. However, sugared beverages don't quench your thirst; they make you thirstier. Unsweet tea is an acquired taste, but one that's well worth acquiring.
Step 3: Put in the tea bags. You can use any kind of tea. However, we prefer black tea for its caffeine, antibacterial properties and its dozens of other benefits. Our method: Tie three Lipton tea bags on a chopstick or wooden spoon, straddle it across the top of the container, and dangle the tea bags in the water. Add some sprigs of freshly-washed mint to the mix for a cooler taste.
If you're making tea in a jug of spring water, hold each tea bag sideways, and tap it gently so that the tea mostly ends up in the lower side of the tea bag. Fold the bag, and insert it through the neck of the jug, allowing the string to remain outside the bottle. When you finish - five bags of Red Rose tea will give you tea very similar to what the Five Brothers burger restaurants offer - grasp the tags on the strings, leaving most of the string inside the jug, and close the lid. Cheesecloth keeps flying insects out, but not airborne yeast, bacteria, mold, and other nasties.
You can make sun tea with virtually any tea bags. Jasmine tea (easily found at an oriental grocery) is interesting, but like many specialty teas, it doesn't wear well. Your favorite orange pekoe and pekoe-cut black tea will probably remain your favorite for sun tea as well.
Step 4: In the morning, place the pitcher in a sunny spot like a windowsill. The sun's heat will brew your tea all day long. Put a screen or a piece of cheesecloth over the pitcher to prevent bugs from flying in and drowning.
Don't worry if the sun isn't shining. Five hours in a dark closet is just as effective as 8 hours in the sun. If you don't use enough tea, you'll be tempted to brew the tea too long, which extracts more tannin, making the tea rather bitter. You might as well use hot brewing if you're going to do that.
Step 5: When you come home, pour over ice and enjoy.
Pouring room-temperature tea over ice tends to make the tea "brighter" in flavor than tea which has been refrigerated. You'll want to drink the tea right away, however. Whether you refrigerate it or not, tea precipitates a sediment within about 2 days, and will have a "muddy" flavor thereafter.