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  • in Recipes

    Why I Love OXO’s Garlic Press

    Kitchen ToolsOne Simply Terrific Thing

    Garlic presses get a bad rap, but if you find a good one it’s an incredibly useful, helpful tool. The OXO garlic press beats all others!

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    Photography Credit: Sheela Prakash

    Welcome to One Simply Terrific Thing, our ongoing series highlighting the small tools and kitchen goods that make life better!

    For a long time, I was very anti-garlic press.
    I used to think a garlic press was the #1 most unnecessary kitchen tool, and I would get on my imaginary soapbox and share my strong feelings to anyone who would listen.
    But just a couple of months ago, I found myself retracting this bold statement after using the OXO Good Grips garlic press.
    WHY THE OXO GARLIC PRESS IS THE BEST
    My encounter with OXO’s garlic press was quite unplanned.
    After years of growing up with a constant stream of useless garlic presses, I’d always felt this tool never worked as well as it claimed to, and was a pain to clean. I promised myself I’d never own a garlic press.
    But when we went to stay with my dad a few months ago near the start of COVID quarantine, one night during dinner prep he pulled his own garlic press –the OXO one– out of the drawer. I grumbled, but when he insisted it actually worked, I gave it a try.
    It turned out OXO magically solved every single qualm I’d had with the garlic presses of my past.
    What’s ingenious about the OXO garlic press is you don’t have to peel the cloves. Slip one, two, or even three cloves into the press (yes, it conveniently holds multiple cloves), squeeze it using the comfortable, rubber-gripped handles, and the sturdy press efficiently pushes the garlic pulp out of its large hole.

    To clean it, simply flip the handles around and a red rubber strip pushes out the papery skin and any pieces of garlic that remain in the press. After that, it’s usually already pretty clean enough that a good rinse or a gentle wash is all it needs. If you don’t want to do that, you can toss the press right in the dishwasher.
    Since I’ve been using this garlic press at my dad’s over the past few months, I’ve become a total convert – so much so that after years of putting my foot down, I’ve already ordered one for myself to finally add to my own kitchen.
    Cheers to good tools!

    This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.

    Sheela Prakash
    Sheela Prakash is a food and wine writer, recipe developer, and the author of Mediterranean Every Day. Her writing and recipes can be found in numerous online and print publications, including Kitchn, Epicurious, Food52, Serious Eats, Tasting Table, The Splendid Table, Culture Cheese Magazine, Clean Plates, and Slow Food USA.Sheela received her master’s degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy, holds Level 2 and Level 3 Awards in Wines from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), graduated from New York University’s Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, and is also a Registered Dietitian.
    More from Sheela LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Sidecar Cocktail

    The sidecar is a classic cocktail made with Cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice. It’s equally appropriate at a backyard barbecue or a fancy dinner party! Try some of our favorite variations, too!

    Photography Credit: Sam Schick

    Spiritous, bright, and as popular today as the day it was created, the Sidecar is a classic sour cocktail made with cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice. It’s traditionally made to be on the slightly sour side of balanced, occasionally served in a glass with a sugared rim, and is always the life of the soiree.

    WHAT’S THE HISTORY OF THE SIDECAR?
    The most well-known descendant of the Crusta—a delightful, sugar crusted sour that was one of the first great drinks published by legend Jerry Thomas in 1862—the Sidecar made its debut early in the Roaring Twenties. It appeared in both Harry MacElhone’s Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails and Robert Vermeire’s Cocktails: How to Mix Them in 1922. Like the Crusta, the Sidecar was built on Cognac (a brandy), lemon juice, and an orange liqueur, streamlined without the Crusta’s Maraschino accent.
    Instead of the Crusta’s sugared rim, sugar syrup is added directly to the mix. This gives you more control over the drink’s sweetness, tempering the bite of the lemon and providing a balance between the tartness and the high-strength orange liqueur.

    BRANDY, COGNAC OR ARMAGNAC?
    Cognac and Armagnac are both types of brandy made from white wine grapes in the very regions for which they’re named. While Cognac goes through two rounds of distillation in a pot still, Armagnac undergoes but one, with fewer of its “impurities” filtered out.
    What does that mean for their taste? Cognac will be slightly more subtle in flavor (after more extensive distillation), while Armagnac will have a fuller, more complex flavor.
    So which should you choose?
    If what you have is a basic brandy, go for it; you’re still in the right place.
    Cognac will be better still, with more character and elegance.
    Argmagnac will either be more difficult to find, or not entirely worth the higher price tag it might command, though you may still find it has more personality.
    In this recipe, we’re going with Cognac VSOP (indicating it has been aged for 4 years) for its affordability and quality.
    TRIPLE SEC OR COINTREAU
    The orange liqueurs Triple Sec and Cointreau have a relationship similar enough to that of brandy and Cognac: Cointreau is triple sec, which like curaçao, is made from the skins of bitter and sweet oranges.
    While relatively interchangeable in most recipes, Cointreau is better balanced between bitter and sweet, typically of higher quality than your average Triple Sec, and at 40% alcohol (against Triple Sec’s 15% – 30%), Cointreau better compliments the structural strength of the Cognac.
    Another option would be Grand Marnier, an orange-flavored liqueur with a brandy base, and a similarly high ABV, or strength.

    ANY FUN VARIATIONS ON THE SIDECAR?
    Bourbon Sidecar: 2 oz Bourbon, 1 oz Cointreau, .5 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 tsp simple syrup
    Champs-Elysees, or Chartreuse sidecar (Chartreuse was sometimes used in early daisies, another type of sour cocktail): 1.5 oz Cognac, .5 oz Green Chartreuse, .25 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice, .25 oz simple syrup, 2 dashes angostura bitters
    Parisian Sidecar, created by Simon Difford: 2 oz Cognac VSOP, 1.25 oz St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, 1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
    Chelsea Sidecar / White Lady, replacing the Cognac with gin: 2 oz dry Gin, 1.25 oz Cointreau, 1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice, .25 oz simple syrup
    Between the Sheets: 1 oz white rum, 1 oz Cognac VSOP, 1 oz Cointreau, .75 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
    Margarita (a tequila sidecar!): Replace the Cognac with tequila, and the lemon juice with lime
    Chocolate Sidecar, created by Wayne Collins: 1 oz Cognac VSOP, 1 oz Darke crème de cacao liqueur, 1 oz Tawny port, 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice, .5 oz simple syrup
    TRY THESE OTHER CLASSIC COCKTAILS!

    Sidecar Cocktail Recipe

    If you’d prefer the aesthetic pleasures of a sugar-crusted rim, scale back or leave out the simple syrup. The drink may come off as slightly less balanced, but may also feel (and look) like more of a treat.

    Ingredients
    2 ounce Cognac (Rémy Martin V.S.O.P.)
    3/4 ounce Cointreau
    3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
    1/4 ounce simple syrup
    Lemon twist (for garnish)

    Method

    1 Shake: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice, and shake until cold to the touch.
    2 Strain: Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass
    3 Enjoy! Garnish with a twist of lemon

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    Sam Schick
    Sam Schick is a designer and drinks historian living in Seattle, WA with his joy Megan Gordon (our Marketing Director!) and their two small kids. There he helms the design firm Neversink, savors every quiet last sip of an Islay Scotch, and tirelessly works on new chartreuse recipes.
    More from Sam LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    September’s Most Popular Recipes

    Did September fly by for you the way it did for me? It’s always a busy month getting back into the school routine, and this year is like no other.
    My two school-aged boys are in virtual classes, which means there has been a lot to adjust to this month. Regardless of where school is held these days, having easy meals is essential for easing into the fall season.
    And this month, you loved refreshed classic dinners, brushing up on the basics, drinking fancy cocktails and eating pie for breakfast. Well done. I couldn’t agree more! LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Drink

    Episode 166 – Give me Liberty and Give me a Drink with Jarrett Dieterle

    “The tradition of getting absolutely hammered is as old as civilization itself. Commercial breweries date back to ancient Mesopotamia, proving that alcohol is essential to human achievement. But where there’s good beer, there are always crappy beer laws. The Code of Hammurabi limited how much beer citizens could receive each day, and to this day, our right to crack open a cold one is subject to various restrictions. Until recently, Nebraska required brewers to physically hand off their beer to a distributor for a certain amount of time–known as an “at rest” law–and then essentially buy it back in order to sell it at their own taprooms. The law was mercifully reformed, but Nebraska still remains one of several states that completely prohibits breweries from directly sending their own beer to outside retail locations, even if they’re right down the street.”
    So, now that you’ve got yourself a cheeky classic cocktail riff and a small sample of the silly laws that inspired it, let’s turn our attention back to the interview.
    SHOW NOTES
    Jarrett Dieterle is a resident senior fellow studying alcohol policy at the R Street Institute, a think tank in Washington, D.C. His book, Give me Liberty and Give me a Drink, was published on September 15, 2020. It details the ironic, comical, and often extraneous booze-related laws enforced in the United States. Dieterle humorously assigns an inspired cocktail to each regulation, bringing an air of comedy to his writing as well as a clever way to expose the idiocies of these policies. His goal, as he states, is to give people bite-sized access to a wealth of information on the topic of alcohol policy which they may have previously taken for granted. He emphasizes that these idiosyncrasies are not bound to one state; they expand over the entirety of our country, rooted in Colonial times. 
    The one thing Dieterle hopes a reader will take away from Give me Liberty and Give me a Drink is that they begin to question their surroundings. Give me Liberty and Give me a Drink takes something which functions in the background of awareness and systematizes it, transforming it into a cohesive existence which prompts the question of why? Why do these laws exist? Why do we need them?
    The age-old dichotomy between freedom and security is often brought up in the argument of alcohol regulation. The negative externalities are obvious. Jarrett is not trying to deny that drunk driving, alcohol abuse, and illicit alcohol are issues that need government supervision. However, it becomes nonsensical when we focus on Prohibition-era laws which have prevailed past the 21st century. For example, the Massachusetts “Blue Laws,” which prevent the purchase of alcohol on Sundays and require businesses to pay compensation if they wish to continue sales. There is no discernable pattern in their data that the Blue Laws have impacted drunk driving, and yet the regulations stay in place.
    Some other rather infamous laws include: LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Texas Sheet Cake

    A chocolate sheet cake the size of Texas! This thin cake is blanketed with a warm, pourable frosting and topped with pecans. It’s definitely a crowd-pleaser!

    Have you ever had Texas Sheet Cake? It’s made up of a thin layer of moist chocolate cake topped with a layer of warm, poured chocolate icing and sprinkled with pecans — an easy, unfussy cake to make for a crowd!
    Video! How to Make Texas Sheet Cake

    Where Does Texas Sheet Cake Come From?
    The origins of this cake are murky. Some sources say it may have first shown up in a Texas newspaper, which is why it’s called “Texas” sheet cake, while others claim the name comes from the fact that it’s the size of Texas.
    Regardless of its origins, this cake is truly a crowd-pleaser—I sent one version to my husband’s office and there was a legit line of people waiting to snag a slice.

    WHAT MAKES AN AUTHENTIC TEXAS SHEET CAKE?
    When researching this classic cake, three common characteristics for “authentic” Texas sheet cake turned up again and again:
    Natural unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Hershey’s)
    Buttermilk
    Pecans
    There are some versions that swap out the buttermilk for sour cream (I tried it and didn’t think it changed the final result). Instead of water, some recipes use coffee, which enhances the cocoa flavor and makes for a richer tasting cake. Feel free to use it if you have some on hand.
    Some versions also left the nuts out altogether, though I think they add a much appreciated crunch so I kept them in my version. I also tried a version topped with half toasted coconut and half mini chocolate chips; both were delicious so give them a try if you like!
    BAKE IN A SHEET PAN—OR CHANGE IT UP!
    The classic recipe is meant to be very thin and is baked in a 13×18-inch sheet pan (technically a “half-sheet” pan). This will make about 36 slices.
    This said, you can also make this cake in a 9×13-inch pan to make a thicker cake, or you can make it into 24 cupcakes. The baking time will be about 10 minutes longer for the 9×13-inch cake and slightly shorter for cupcakes; bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

    BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVER-BAKE THE CAKE
    While the frosting helps keep this cake ultra-moist, make sure not to over-bake the cake. It is so thin that it can quickly dry out if left too long in the oven.
    Bake just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back to the touch.
    HOW TO FROST A TEXAS SHEET CAKE
    The frosting should be poured onto the cake while both are warm; this way, some of it soaks into the top layer of the cake and creates a glazed top.
    However, it’s crucial that the cake not be too hot. I tried pouring the frosting right when the cake came out of the oven, and that was a mistake—the cake ended up mostly absorbing it. On my next attempt, I let the cake rest a few minutes while I prepared the icing and then poured it on.
    A couple of minutes made all the difference between the cake top looking like the cratered surface of the moon versus a nice shiny glaze.
    Also, be sure to sprinkle any toppings you want as soon as the icing is poured, as it starts to set almost immediately into a thick glaze—similar to that on a donut, with a matte finish.

    SERVING AND STORING TEXAS SHEET CAKE
    After frosting, you can serve this cake immediately, or a day or two later. To slice, serve the cake straight from the pan. Slice it with a thin, sharp knife and use a thin, flexible spatula to transfer each slice to a plate.
    Store slices of leftover cake on the counter in an airtight container with a lid or covered in plastic wrap.
    This cake also freezes well, too. Just be sure to wrap it well in plastic once the icing is completely set and dry to the touch (otherwise the plastic will stick to it). Loosen the plastic wrap and bring it to room temperature on the counter for a few hours before serving.
    MORE CROWD-PLEASING CHOCOLATE DESSERTS LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Editors’ Picks: Baking Pans

    When that first chilly gust of wind hits your neck sometime in late September and makes you reach for a sweater, do you know what time it is? “Fall,” you say. Yes, fall. But more importantly … it’s the beginning of baking season!
    While not an official day on the calendar, it might as well be. Summers have their berry pies and fresh fruit muffins, but fall is baking’s dream date. Give me your falling leaves and chilly evenings, it says, and I will give you every way to bake an apple, pear tarts and pear cakes, decadent chocolate cakes, cheesecakes, pumpkin pies and pecan pies, oatmeal muffins, and Brookies. (Because they’re wonderful year-round).
    If you want to be set to bake this season, check out our list of essential, editor-approved baking pans. This collection will enable you to bake almost anything your tastebuds desire! LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Banana Streusel Bread

    Why yes, banana bread will Bundt! Thanks to Nordic Ware’s Anniversary Bundt Pan, our banana bread is an inverted Bundt beauty with plenty of crunchy cinnamon streusel topping that proves more addictive with each serving. You can find more Anniversary Bundt recipes our new September/October 2020 issue!

    Banana Streusel Bread

    3½ cups (438 grams) plus 4 tablespoons (32 grams) all-purpose flour, divided
    1½ cups (330 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (28 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar, divided
    1⅓ cups (267 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (24 grams) granulated sugar, divided
    1¾ teaspoons (3.5 grams) ground cinnamon, divided
    4 teaspoons (20 grams) unsalted butter, cubed
    2 cups (476 grams) mashed ripe banana
    1 cup (214 grams) vegetable oil
    4 large eggs (200 grams), room temperature
    ⅔ cup (160 grams) sour cream, room temperature
    1 tablespoon (13 grams) vanilla extract*
    2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
    1¼ teaspoons (6.25 grams) baking soda
    1¼ teaspoons (3.75 grams) kosher salt
    ½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cloves
    ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

    Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
    In a medium bowl, stir together 4 tablespoons (32 grams) flour, 2 tablespoons (28 grams) brown sugar, 2 tablespoons (24 grams) granulated sugar, and ¾ teaspoon (1.5 grams) cinnamon. Add butter; using your fingers or 2 forks, work butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs or slightly wet sand. Set streusel aside.
    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat banana, oil, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, remaining 1½ cups (330 grams) brown sugar, and remaining 1⅓ cups (267 grams) granulated sugar at medium-low speed until well combined, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
    In a medium bowl, whisk together baking powder, baking soda, salt, cloves, nutmeg, remaining 3½ cups (438 grams) flour, and remaining 1 teaspoon (2 grams) cinnamon. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to banana mixture, beating until combined and stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
    Spray a 15-cup Nordic Ware Anniversary Bundt Pan with baking spray with flour. Pour batter into prepared pan. Tap pan on counter a few times to evenly spread batter and release any air bubbles.
    Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with streusel, and bake until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking and loosely covering with foil to prevent excess browning, if necessary. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
    Using a small offset spatula, loosen cake from center of pan. Slowly invert bread onto a wire rack placed over a rimmed baking sheet. (Some streusel will fall off.) Using a large, flat plate or a cake lifter, turn bread streusel side up, and place on wire rack; let cool completely.

    3.5.3251

     

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  • in Recipes

    Garlic-Herb Monkey Bread

    Looking for something savory to add to your brunch spread? Or maybe a little something extra to accompany dinner? Our garlic- and herb-packed pull-apart bread is made in Nordic Ware’s Anniversary Bundt Pan, which makes it the perfect centerpiece to any table! You can find more Anniversary Bundt recipes our new September/October 2020 issue!

    Garlic-Herb Monkey Bread

    3¼ to 3½ cups (406 to 438 grams) all-purpose flour, divided
    ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
    2½ teaspoons (7.5 grams) kosher salt, divided
    1 (0.25-ounce) package (7 grams) instant yeast*
    ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    1 cup (240 grams) whole milk
    ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
    1 large egg (50 grams)
    ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
    1½ tablespoons (7 grams) finely chopped fresh chives
    1½ tablespoons (6 grams) finely chopped fresh tarragon
    1½ tablespoons (6 grams) finely chopped fresh parsley
    1 teaspoon (2 grams) garlic powder
    ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
    Grated Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling

    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1¼ cups (156 grams) flour, sugar, 2¼ teaspoons (6.75 grams) salt, yeast, and nutmeg; beat at low speed until combined.
    In a medium saucepan, cook milk and softened butter over medium heat until butter is melted and an instant-read thermometer registers 120°F (49°C) to 130°F (54°C). Add warm milk mixture to flour mixture; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add egg; beat at medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With mixer on low speed, gradually add 2 cups (250 grams) flour, beating until combined.
    Switch to the dough hook attachment. Beat at medium-low speed until a soft, somewhat tacky dough forms, 6 to 8 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl and dough hook; add up to remaining ¼ cup (31 grams) flour, 1 tablespoon (8 grams) at a time, if dough is too sticky. (Dough should pass the windowpane test; see Note.)
    Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until doubled in size, 40 minutes to 1 hour.
    In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, chives, tarragon, parsley, garlic powder, red pepper, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.
    Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
    Punch down dough; let stand for 5 minutes. On a clean surface, divide dough into 36 portions (about 24 grams each); gently shape each portion into a ball, pinching closed any seams if needed. (Keep dough portions covered with a sheet of plastic wrap while working.)
    Spray a 15-cup Nordic Ware Anniversary Bundt Pan with baking spray with flour.
    Dip dough balls in butter mixture, turning until well coated; arrange evenly in prepared pan, pressing dough balls gently into each other and grooves of pan. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until doubled in size and dough holds an indentation when pressed, 25 to 35 minutes. Reserve remaining butter mixture.
    Bake until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted near center registers at least 190°F (88°C), 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes; invert onto a serving plate.
    Reheat reserved butter mixture, if necessary; brush all over warm bread. Sprinkle with Parmesan; serve immediately.

    Test the dough for proper gluten development using the windowpane test. Pinch off (don’t tear) a small piece of dough. Slowly pull the dough out from the center. If the dough is ready, you will be able to stretch it until it’s thin and translucent like a windowpane. If the dough tears, it’s not quite ready. Beat for 1 minute, and test again.

    3.5.3251 LEGGI TUTTO