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Holiday Foods and Cocktails

We visit Clarks Summit’s Ryan Fonash, sommelier from Vintage Imports, who demonstrates how to prepare a sumptuous Ricotta Cheese Crostini Appetizer, uniqu...

We visit Clarks Summit’s Ryan Fonash, sommelier from Vintage Imports, who demonstrates how to prepare a sumptuous Ricotta Cheese Crostini Appetizer, unique holiday cocktails, and choosing perfect wines for your celebration. You may email ryan at: rfonash@vntgimports.com

Ricotta Recipe:
4C good quality whole milk
2C good quality heavy cream
dash salt
4T lemon juice (meyer lemon preferred)
Combine milk, cream, and salt in heavy saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring to make sure you don't have any scorching on the bottom. Watch carefully, because once it starts boiling, it will quickly boil over. As soon as you reach boil, remove from heat and add lemon juice while stirring.
Allow to sit for about 5 mins while curds form and the mixture cools slightly.
Line a colander or sieve with 2 layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a deep pot or bowl. Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined vessel, being careful not to burn yourself with the hot mixture!
Allow the whey to drain from the curds for between 1 and 4 hours, until the ricotta has reached your desired consistency; longer time will give a thicker and richer end result.
Serve the ricotta immediately or within the next 48 hours at most. Transfer to a bowl and cover tightly if not serving right away.
Crostini Recipe:
1 french baguette
EVOO
Salt and pepper
Turn on your oven's broiler to HI. Allow it to get nice and hot.
Slice the baguette on a bias, approx 1/2" thick slices. Arrange on cookie tray, drizzle with EVOO, then sprinkle all with salt and pepper.
Place the tray under the broiler, and allow it to toast until the bread is a golden brown with a few patches of dark brown.
Putting it together:
Spread the finished ricotta on the crostini. Top with good quality local honey, preserves, figs, caramelized fennel with reduced balsamic vinegar, crushed toasted or candied nuts, or really anything you can dream of.
Cider cocktail:
1 sprig fresh thyme
2t superfine sugar
1.5oz bourbon
4oz apple cider
In a rocks glass, add the sugar and thyme. Using a muddler or a wooden spoon, crush the thyme into the sugar to release the flavor and aromatics. Fill glass with ice, add bourbon and cider. Stir and serve.
Variations: serve as a warm beverage using hot mulled cider, or prepare a pitcher of the cider-thyme-sugar mixture and allow guests to add their own bourbon (or enjoy on its own as a mocktail).
Winter Collins:
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1.5 oz gin
4oz FRESH squeezed grapefruit juice (trust me, it's worth the work)
splash club soda
Slap the sprig of rosemary in your palm several times to release the essential oils. Toss into a highball glass, and fill with ice. Add gin and juice, and top with a splash of club soda or seltzer. Stir and enjoy!
Wines:
Riesling - St. Urbanshof "Ockfenner Bockstein" Kabinett - Mosel, Germany - $21.99
Chardonnay - Talbott "Kali Hart" - Monterey, California - $19.99
Pinot Noir - Decoy by Duckhorn - Sonoma, California - $24.99 (on sale through December for $21.99)
Red Blend - Bogle "Essential Red" - California - $12.99 (on sale through December for $10.99)
All purchased at Clarks Summit store; should be available at any of the PLCB luxury stores or at www.finewineandgoodspirits.com

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