I think my first memory of perfect lemonade was from when I was a kid (I had to have been 7 or 8) at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and in an effort to stave off the DC summer heat, tried a hand-shaken lemonade for the first time. There’s something about freshly squeezed lemon juice that can’t ever be duplicated with concentrate – after that first taste, I was sold. Lemon, sugar, water – that was it.
My francophile mom eventually turned me on to the art of the citron pressé – the French imbibe the same drink in cafés as a DIY drink. You get a glass of ice with the juice of a lemon, a small pitcher of water, and a dish of sugar. Depending upon how tart or sweet you’d like your drink, you add the sugar and water to your liking. As my sister would say, “sassy and classy!” Ok, maybe just sassy in this case. Continue reading Basil Lemonade→
Called goi cuon in Vietnamese, these fresh rolls offer a light and refreshing alternative to their oil-laden spring roll cousins. Although these are traditionally made with steamed shrimp and slivers of roasted pork, I like mine vegan with lots of crunchy veggies and no meat or seafood. I even spike them with a few shitake mushrooms sauteed in a bit of oil and then cooled – this addition makes the rolls even more filling as a main dish. Complete the non-meat meal with a tasty dip in some peanut sauce (find a version with no fish sauce) or hoisin sauce. Welcome to the ultimate in coolness.
You’ll note that there are no amounts in this recipe – fill the rolls to your liking with the veggies of your choosing and dunk away. It’s your show and you get to cast the characters. That means you’re cut, bean sprouts! Continue reading Summer Rolls (Goi Cuon)→
