Pears left a message on the Workshop Machine

Pears called again this morning. It had been weeks since the Workshop had to ask Pears to stop calling several times a day "just to check in" and see if the Workshop had any other ingredients on the work bench. You have to admire the hard work that Pears put in though. Pears made it into a Visual Guide on Epicurious. You have to admit, Pears is looking good. Real good, but it could never work in the end. Especially not with Lemons in the picture right now.

Well anyway it is worth a look, if you want to see our old friend once more.

When the text is this color it is a link, in case you have not yet noticed.

Another Dish with Gremolata (Gremlin-lata)

As was mentioned in an earlier post about Gremolata, it can be used in things other than just risotto. In this case it was mixed in with some pasta to make a light accompaniment to the rest of the meal.

The Raw Gremlin-lata ready for surgery

The ingredients post surgery, ready to mingle

The mingling in full swing

General Notes:
Preparation Time: 20- 30 minutes depending on stove and knife skills
Servings: 2 as a main, 4 as a side
Notes: Angle hair works nicely but is not the end all be all of good pasta for this dish. Do some experimenting.

Equipment:
Pot for Boiling Water
Knife, Cutting Board, bowl
Zester, or grater, or peeler, or steady hand and a knife
Saute Pan (optional)

Ingredients:
Gremolata
Zest of 2 lemons, grated or chopped fine
4-6 Garlic Cloves, depending on how Garlicky you like it
1 -2 tbsp Fresh Ginger, grated or chopped fine, depends on how much you like ginger
1 - 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped fine
1 - 2 tbsp Fresh Mint, chopped fine
2- 4 tbsp Olive Oil
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
Kosher Salt to Taste

Pasta
1/2 pound (1/2 box) Angel Hair pasta
Water for boiling
Salt

Written Instructions:

• Set a pot of water to boil
  
• Combine all the ingredients for the Gremolata and set aside
• Add salt to the boiling water, and let boil uncovered for 2 minutes (sanitary reasons)
• Add Angel Hair and boil until pasta is al dente (cooked but not mushy), and drain
  
• Optional Step, heat saute pan over medium low heat and add 3/4 of the prepared Gremolata to pan to cook briefly. Then add cooked and drained pasta to pan and toss to coat
• Return Angel Hair to pot and add 3/4 of the prepared Gremolata
• Stir to coat the pasta and move to you favorite serving vessel
• Garnish with reserved Gremolata and make it happen in your tum tum
  

The Lemon Czar (aka what to drink when you have too much Amish Lemonade and want to enjoy a cocktail)

Wondering how to make your Amish Lemonade a little less Amish, maybe a little more Russian? Well adding some Vodka is always a good place to start. Is it a little tangy and harsh for you now? Okay then add in some Cointreau to smooth that out. A little too sour still? Okay, fine, time to pull out the fancier guns, put a sugar rim on it. Delightful and refreshing right? Now go and dance, dance, dance.

Arty shot of the finished product in front of the ingredients

General Notes:
Preparation Time: 3 -5 minutes depending on how fast you can sugar a rim
Servings: 1
The workshop makes drinks pretty strong as a house policy, so decrease the booze if you need to. Also, use the best quality alcohols that you can afford, the difference is incredible.

Equipment:
1 12 ounce glass
Stirrer or shaker
Jigger, or shot glass

Ingredients:
1.5 ounce (1 shot, big side of jigger) Good Quality Vodka ( the Workshop is currently using Stolichnaya Elit, because the best Southern Wine and Spirits rep in the country, Dan Crockett, delivers free goods to the Workshop occasionally)
.5 ounce (small side of jigger) Cointreau, or Grand Marnier, or Triple Sec
Ice to fill glass
Amish Lemonade to fill the glass
Small amount of sugar to rim the glass
Lemon Slice

Written Instructions:

• Get the various ingredients together
• Rub the slice of lemon around the rim of the glass
• Invert the glass into the sugar and spin the glass or generally just try and rub the sugar onto it
• Add the booze to the glass and stir
• Add ice to the glass to fill
• Add the lemonade to the glass to fill
• Stir again
• Make it happen in your tum tum
• Put on some Smokey Robinson and Dance, Dance, Dance