Tricks and Treats

Trick or treat?



This attractive-looking beverage is a margarita (with a serious twist) in disguise. It could be mistaken for a "girly drink", but it is more treat than trick for adults over the age of 21 (18 in some states) of any gender. Zach mentioned this drink is "better than any margarita he's ever tasted". It reminds me of a $16 custom-made drink I loved one time with dinner at a super-hot LA restaurant, The Bazaar (with wonderful company, of course!). The drink I had at the Bazaar was a kind of cucumber (for cool), jalepeno (for bite), lime (for kick) margarita. It was just the most interesting and delightful flavor. I had that same experience with this drink. I would call it the milder version of that drink: you've got the cilantro for bite, pomegranate (for cool), lemon (for kick).



I spotted this idea in my latest issue of Sunset Magazine. It was one of three delicious-looking ideas, and I plan on trying them all. They all involve making your own simple syrup with sugar, water and some kind of herb to infuse it (like cilantro or a vanilla bean). I imagine you can become very creative with this simple syrup base, infusing all sorts of refreshing herbs like mint, basil, rosemary.

For those of you who are not fans of Halloween, here is something that is no trick...just treat:



I just had to share because this is outrageous! Those are both red seedless grapes in the picture above. One is a regular-sized grape. The other is the biggest grape I have ever seen. I need you to know, this is not a fluke grape in a bunch. If that were the case, I would probably be afraid to eat it. It was part of a whole crate or two at whole foods of huge, ping-pong-ball-sized red seedless grapes. Now, I have been a huge fan of grapes for a long time, but I have never seen anything like these grapes. They look more like small plums if you ask me. It initially made me uncomfortable to think about the extent to which these grape must have been mutated (basically beyond recognition. However, when I bit into one, I remembered that genetic mutation in fruits is my friend because they tasted sooooo good. There was so much grape flesh just bursting out of the firm skin. I was waiting to hit a seed or a core or something, but it was all flesh. I was as surprised as I would have been biting into a nectarine and never coming across a core.

I apologize I cannot provide a recipe for you for these huge mutant grapes, but I know you will happy with my disguised margarita instead! Happy Halloween!



Pomegranate Cilantro Margarita

(recipe from Sunset Magazine)

tequila
fresh lemon juice
pomegranate juice
white sugar
water
cilantro

Make the simple syrup by mixing equal parts water and sugar, and bring it to a boil. Turn heat off, and add a large handful of cilantro sprigs.
Allow cilantro to steep to taste.
Set syrup aside to cool.

In a shaker mix:
3 parts tequila
1 part pomegranate juice
2 parts lemon juice
2 parts cilantro simple syrup

Pour in a glass with ice and garnish with a sprig of cilantro.

Enjoy!