Caipirinha – My Happy Drink during The World Cup

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Brazil national drink, cachca, caipirinha, cocktail, FIFA, football, soccer, World Cup

I can still hear it in my mind. The Sunday morning football games transmitted through the radio, live from Italy. My dad would sit at the kitchen table, his Neopolitan tomato sauce simmering on the stovetop, listening to the games, pen in hand. He kept a tally on the performance of each Italian team. And as the aroma of his sauce, the sweet smell of tomatoes, garlic and basil, wafted through our house, I could hear the Italian commentators give my dad a play by play of his favourite team.

And then every four years, the FIFA World Cup. Oh, the excitement! Ever since I could remember, I have loved, loved, loved watching the World Cup. And whether we were watching at home, with friends and family shouting and cheering, or out in a cafe or bar, the air was permeated with hope and excitement. And the proudness of being Italian.

The World Cup. Football at its finest. I truly believe that football is a beautiful sport. Beautiful as in…a sport that translates all over the world. Beautiful as in the acrobatic moves the players display, especially the goal keepers as they twist their bodies, like a contemporary dancer might, and give it all they’ve got to make that brilliant save. And how players dance with the ball, weaving in and out and all around anyone that stands in their way, with graceful balletic movement. I am convinced that football players practice ballet. Clearly, they would deny every word of it. Beautiful as in watching the teams remove their shirts at the end of a game and exchange them with one another. Not because I enjoy watching those bare, pumped up chests, but because win or lose, watching them exchange their shirts as a keepsake of this historic game they have just played is a beautiful thing. Beautiful as in the amazing Adidas commercials. Love them! Beautiful as in David Beckham chasing his Range Rover through the streets of LA…in his underpants. And how about those players from the Italian soccer team in Dolce & Gabbana underwear? Sorry, I got carried away there… But have a look and tell me football is not a beautiful sport.

And so, with my Italian flag hooked up to my car window, billowing in the wind as I drive throughout the streets of Montreal, and a bigger flag dangling from my living room window, so that when my neighbours hear shouting and moaning coming from my home, they don’t think I’ve gone mad, I continue the tradition of watching the World Cup with fervour. And what better way is there to watch the World Cup than sipping on Brazil’s national drink. The Caipirinha. Sweet, tart and strong, strong being the operative word here, the caipirinha is made with a Brazilian spirit known as Cachaça. A distilled spirit similar to rum, which is made from molasses, Cachaça is made from fresh sugarcane, giving it a more pure taste. Mixed with sugar and fresh limes, it makes for a most refreshing summer drink. After just one, I was feeling quite happy. Hence, my Happy Drink!

I am hosting 2 lovely girls from Mexico who are here studying English and French. They presented me with a Mexican flag on the first day Mexico played and won. And what a win! Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa: Brilliant! Uruguayan forward Luis Suárez: Animal! Referee Marco Rodriguez, he who oversaw the Italy – Uruguay game yesterday: Shameful! I continue to drive through the streets of Montreal with my Italian flag billowing in the wind. And although my ❤ will always belong to Italia, I’ve got my eye on Mexico. Hope you are all enjoying the games as much as I am. Viva Italia!

Caipirinha

1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
2 shots of Cachaça
Ice cubes

Place the lime wedges and sugar in a glass. Using a muddler, pound the lime wedges so that the juices are released into the sugar. Add the Cachaça and give it a good stir. Throw in some ice cubes and enjoy!

You can also use raw sugar, or turbinado sugar as I did and call it a Muddy Caipirinha!

 

 

Bourbon & Maple Syrup Fusion

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bourbon, bourbon and maple syrup cocktail, bourbon and maple syrup drink, bourbon cocktail, maple syrup cocktail

My eldest daughter is officially a teenager. Yesterday, we celebrated her 13th birthday. 13!! I have no idea where the years have got to, but here we are. I am the mom of a teenager! I think I’ve been a wonderful mom so far. I mean, how could I not? They’re little and cute, they’re sweet and want to hang out with you ALL the time! They are constantly asking me questions because they truly believe that I know everything! And most importantly, they don’t have attitude or answer back.

Now, it’s a whole new ball game. I’ve been wondering what kind of mom I’ll be to a teenager. Will I still be cool and fun enough for her to want to hang out with ALL the time? Will she still ask me all kinds of questions, or will she just assume that she knows it all? Will she be sweet and cuddly, or will she push me away when I need a hug?

In her birthday card, here were my words of wisdom to her…

My sweet Charlotte! You’re 13! I don’t know where all the years have gone but I have truly enjoyed watching you grow into the “teen” that you have become today. I want you to know that it’s a great big world out there and if you put your mind to it, you can do anything you want! Anything! EXCEPT… get a tattoo, have attitude and answer back!! I love you my Charlotte! Happy, happy birthday!

I mention it here in case she loses that card or forgets what I’ve told her. If that “I told you so” day ever comes, she cannot deny it. This will be a constant reminder! And who knows, this could lead to a new blog: “The trials and tribulations of a teenager’s mom.” Or, “How I ended up in an asylum.”

So while the teenagers were hanging out in the basement doing whatever it is that teens do, I was upstairs doing what every teen’s mom does…enjoying this most delicious cocktail! I do hope that none of her friend’s parents will read this… Oh! How could I forget? One of the mom’s WAS here. Sue made sure to come back for cocktail hour when she discovered what I was concocting!

I mentioned in my last post, Cabane à sucre Au Pied de Cochon, that I had a very yummy cocktail at this restaurant. So yummy in fact, that I tried to recreate it at home. And recreate it I did! Oh wow! It was fantastic! I began by making maple syrup jelly. That’s right, maple syrup jelly! Oh! So! Yum! I mean, REALLY yum!

Sprinkle a small package of unflavoured gelatin, about 2 teaspoons, over 1/4 cup of water in a small bowl. Set aside while you proceed with the next step. In a small saucepan, stir 1 cup of water with 3/4 cup of pure maple syrup. Bring to a boil and stir in the gelatin. I wanted a layer of about 1 inch/2.5 cm thick, therefore I poured it into 2 separate glass dishes. Refrigerate until solid, about 3 to 4 hours. You can either try and get the whole thing out in one piece and chop into little cubes, or you can cut cubes right out of the dish. If you could refrain from eating it all before you use it for your drinks, good on you!

Drop the chopped maple syrup cubes into a whiskey glass. Using Kentucky Bourbon, I poured about 2 tablespoons/30 ml (or 1 1/2 oz) into the glass, along with the same amount of carbonated water (I used San Benedetto, but you could also use Perrier or even club soda). Add about 2 teaspoons of pure maple syrup. Give it a taste and adjust to your liking. Add a couple of ice cubes and an orange slice, slightly squeezed. Blood orange adds the perfect colour to it, don’t you think? Slurp it up and enjoy!

Here’s To Healthier Breakfasts: Pear, Kefir & Honey Smoothie

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breakfast smoothies, kefir, kefir and honey smoothies, kefir smoothies, pear and kefir smoothie, pear smoothie, pears, smoothies, smoothies for kids

You know how breakfast is supposed to be the most important meal of the day? A well-balanced breakfast should consist of protein, carbohydrates and fibre. I did say should. It seems that I’m breaking all the rules at my breakfast table because my idea of a well-balanced meal first thing in the morning is a caffè-latte, loads of carbs and fat. In lieu of a low-fat protein with a whole-grain carb and fresh fruit, I opt for a bowl of espresso with hot milk, toasted bread, preferably white baguette or rye, slathered with salted butter. And that’s it! Nothing more. After that, I’m really not up to having fresh fruit or low-fat protein. Dipping my toasted baguette into my scalding caffè-latte brings me joy and comfort first thing in the morning. Unfortunately, this is also the ideal breakfast for my girls. Minus the caffè. Although there are times that Emma requests a nice caffè-latte and I oblige. With lots of latte and a few drops of espresso. Just enough to taint the milk. And with the chaos of getting lunches ready in the morning and the girls out the door so they won’t be late for school, quite frankly we don’t have time for anything else. It’s usually toasted bread of some kind or a bowl of cereal.

Happily, Spring Break is here. No more waking up in the dark, rushing through breakfast and scrambling out the door at high speed. We can wake up at our leisure. Lie in bed with a good book. Make time for well-balanced, healthier breakfasts. Just for this week.

We begin the week with a delicious Pear, Kefir and Honey Smoothie. I make this for the girls as an afternoon snack. But today, it served as our breakfast. And a yummy one it was! I usually use Bosc pears but after having been given delicious Anjou pears from my brother, I put them to good use. Any ripe pear in season will do. Also, there is no exact measurements to making a smoothie. I use about 2 pears per person, maybe a 1/2 cup to 3/4 cups of Kefir per person, honey to your liking. We sip our smoothies through a straw so it shouldn’t be too thick. If it is, just add a little more Kefir. Too thin, add another pear. Adjust the honey to your taste. I usually add about 1 tablespoon per person.

Kefir comes from the Turkish word “keif”, which translates to “pleasure” or “good feeling”. I could definitely start my morning with some of that! Kefir is a fermented, probiotic milk product which originated centuries ago in the Caucasus Mountains in Russia. They used to consider it as a gift from the Gods. One might think that Kefir is like a fizzy or sparkling yogurt drink. This is due to its natural carbonation. The taste is mildly sweet and pleasantly tangy. The benefits of Kefir range from positive effects on tummy and bone health, to regulating the immune system. Not only is it good for you, it tastes good too! Give it a try and see for yourself.

Pear, Kefir & Honey Smoothie

Pears, skin on and cored

Kefir

Honey

Flax seeds, optional

Put the pears in a blender. Add Kefir and honey. Sometimes, I will throw in some flax seeds. High in fibre and with many health benefits, the girls don’t even notice them in there. Blend until smooth. Adjust honey to your taste. Serve and enjoy!

Mexican Hot Chocolate

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hot chocolate, Mexican chocolate, Mexican hot chocolate

“Perhaps I am a bear, or some hibernating animal, underneath, for the instinct to be half asleep all winter is so strong in me.”

-Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1971

I’ve already mentioned how I feel about winter. I came across this quote and quite frankly, it describe me to a T. It is our instinct to go within and seek warmth. Because it is so dark and grey in the winter, we tend to turn within for that light. And what we find within is that need to cocoon. It gets stronger for me in the winter. And that’s fine. It brings me comfort. Which is why I welcomed the girl’s day off from school the other day. How comforting to stay warm underneath the blankets with our books and our kitties.

Until Charlotte’s friend called and asked us to go tobogganing. Unlike me, Charlotte feels absolutely no need to cocoon. And because I don’t want my daughters to dread winter the way I do, I concurred. Reluctantly. And when the time came for us to start getting ready, as in putting on a double pair of socks, a warmer sweater, snow pants, our jackets, hats, scarves, mittens, boots… OH, how I love summer where you just slip into a pair of shorts, a T, sandals and off we go! But, I digress. So, when the time came for us to get ready, I asked Charlotte if I could drop them off and come back home to my book. She wouldn’t have it. So I went along and made the best of it.

The “best of it” part is when we returned and I made us some hot chocolate. With Mexican chocolate from Oaxaca. To return some of that warmth and inner light that had been robbed by old-man winter. And the great thing about this chocolate is that it’s dark and already sweetened with sugar. Made especially for hot chocolate. Pour the milk into a pan, a little more than a cup per person. I used whole milk, for a richer and creamier hot chocolate. Add a disk of chocolate per person, heat on medium-low and stir every now and then until the chocolate has melted. Sip slowly while reading a good book and feel that inner light return!