I am a language fan, and subscribe to at least 3 “word a day” newsletters.  Today’s Wordsmith message contained this gem:

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.

-Alice May Brock, author (b. 1941)

Happy Friday!

This is what fruitcake aspires to be – moist, fruity, and flavorful, without a hint of gummy, odd-colored candied bits. I love experimenting with different teas in this recipe – Earl Grey for a hint of bergamot, chai for extra spice, and herbal lemon teas have all been successes for me (although not all at once!)

When Mer tried this bread, she thought it tasted like something that the British Colonialists would enjoy when doing business in Colonial India: from that point on, we’ve called this our “Imperial bread”.

Dried currants can be found in the grocery store with the raisins and other dried fruits, and they’re a great pantry staple – I like them in place of raisins in oatmeal and other hot cereal.

Tea and Currant Breakfast Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar (dark or light)
• 1 1/2 cups strongly brewed tea of your choice (chai or other spiced teas work well)
• 3/4 cup dried currants
• 2/3 cup raisins
• 2 teaspoons brandy or rum
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• heavy pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and line two loaf pans. In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar and hot tea until sugar is dissolved. Stir in currants, raisins, and rum, and allow to set for 2 hours or until fruits are plump and mixture hass cooled. Add butter and egg, mixing well. Set aside.

Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well to combine. Pour wet mixture into dry and stir until just incorporated. Divide evenly between prepared pans and bake for 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting.

Serves 12-16.

Image by Cathy G

It seems only natural to end “Drunk Week” with a bevy of cocktails – screwdrivers, to be exact. There are endless variations on the standard screwdriver cocktail; I’ve listed the most common ones below. I hope you all enjoyed this week as much as I have – I’m off to find the orange juice!

The CTS Ultimate Screwdriver Compendium

To your basic screwdriver (whatever ratio of orange juice to vodka suits your fancy), add:

• 1 ounce Southern Comfort for a Comfortable Screw
• 1 ounce peach schnapps for a Fuzzy Screw
• 1 ounce sloe gin for a Slow Screw
• A splash of galliano for a Screw Against the Wall
• A splash of amaretto for a Screw with a Kiss
• Ice for a Cold, Hard Screw
• Lemon-lime soda for a Screw Up

Combine any of the above to make “compound screws”. For example:

• Slow Comfortable Screw with a Kiss (sloe gin, Southern Comfort, amaretto)
• Cold, Hard Screw Up Against the Wall ( ice, lemon-lime soda, galliano)

You could, of course, combine them all into a Slow, Comfortable, Fuzzy, Cold, Hard Screw Up Against a Wall with a Kiss, but I can’t imagine it would taste very good.
If you have a favorite variant that I missed, let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it to the list!

In keeping with the Hawaiian theme from yesterday and today, here’s a drink recipe from that same catering file, doctored up a bit for the cocktail hour. Enjoy!

Luau Lemonade

Ingredients:

• 2 parts lemon juice
• 2 parts simple syrup
• 2 parts pineapple juice
• 3 parts ginger ale
• 1 part apricot brandy

Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry or pineapple chunk (and an umbrella, of course.)

I enjoy collecting old cookbooks, and pick them up at yard sales and flea markets whenever I can. Each Saturday, I post excerpts from my collection. Today’s post comes from the Sergeantsville Methodist Episcopal Church 1922 Cook Book. This flavorful, crisp, and refreshing drink may be the perfect summer afternoon beverage.

Gingerade

Juice of three lemons, one quart water, one bottle of ginger ale, sugar to taste. Serve ice cold. A delicious drink to serve with wafers in warm weather.

Image by Don Lavange

When I was 19, I worked late nights in a diner, where one of the chefs liked to surprise me with random yumminess to get us both through the long hours. One of his dishes was a low-brow take on the Greek classic Saganaki, made in a cast-iron fish-broiling pan with what he had on hand, served with stale dinner rolls. This recipe for Chris’ “Midnight Saganaki” has remained in my head and heart for the last decade.

Midnight Saganaki

Ingredients:

• 2 cups feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 2 lemon wedges
• bread, for serving

Place cheese in a shallow cast iron (or other broiler-safe) dish and top with butter. Sprinkle with paprika. Place directly under broiler and cook until cheese bubbles and begins to brown. Squeeze lemon wedges over cheese and serve immediately with bread to scoop up the cheese.

Serves 2 as an excellent midnight snack.

In my late teenage years, my best friend Topher and I frequented the local Olive Garden; we were such regulars that we had a favorite waitress. (A decade later, the “Hospitaliano!” pin she gave us is still pinned to lapel of my leather jacket.) Their Sicilian Splash was my beverage of choice, and served as a nice refreshing balance to the heaviness of the entrees. I picked apart the flavors for years before I finally hit on this combination of ingredients. I don’t know if they still serve this drink, but the “impostor” recipe below is close enough to my memories that it takes me right back to those lazy afternoons spent with a dear friend.

Citrus Sparkle

Ingredients:

• 3 cups ice cubes
• 1 1/2 cups white grape juice
• 1 1/2 cups orange soda or orange sparkling water
• 2 cups club soda
• Lemon wedges for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a tall pitcher and stir gently. Pour into tall glasses and garnish with lemon. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.