Tamarindo: The Mexican School

In a former professional life, I spent a great deal of time in Central America. Largely not the Central America of luxe places like Cabo (for all the Mexican it isn't); lovely though, for sure.

Anyway.

It was my job to run around in the outlying areas negotiating for things that would constitute factories and workforces and for a time I hung about it some rather unsavory tribal areas of the Mexican states which were great (for the food) but also challenging (regarding personal safety). I tried to think of the former and pretend to have little knowledge of the latter.

Fast forward, supermarket: Anywhere, USA. The person behind me inevitably wants to know what I have and secondly what I am going to do with them: Garam masala. Coconut milk. What have you.

Yesterday, it was the tamarind pods. There were huge baskets of them in the store, fresh and beautiful. "Tamarind. For drinks." I answered.

"Wow." She said, "Like another language."

"Right." I said with a raised eyebrow, you know, because it is. Lordy.



Moving on. I use Rick Bayless's books on Mexican food because his cooking is the closest I have found to true Mexican (which has no relationship with your local Chili's, trust me on this) regional cooking. Much of the food is spicy and hot-flash inducing so, it is helpful and kind to roll out cooling drinks and cocktails.

Aguas frescas, as a drink class in Central America, were the precursor to sodas and remain the wealthier, better looking, more amusing cousin from out of town which sells itself in street stalls all over in its hometown. Essentially, they are drinks easily prepared in the traditional way by mashing fruit with a fork before mixing it with water and sugar. There is a long list of varieties, but the bigs are lime, melon, hibiscus flower, guava, and tamarind.

Refreshing, yes. But, more importantly, they make sense with the food the way red wine makes sense with smoked fresh mozzarella and sage in Tuscany. Somethings were made for one another: agua fresca tamarindo and the blazing Northern ancho chili dishes; and it does not matter if you are watching a snowstorm from a window in Middleburg, Va. Oreo = milk. And that, is just the way it is.

Agua fresca tamarindo and the accompanying cocktails take a couple of hours of inactivity depending on the freshness of the beans. Leave at least an hour, but better if it is two, for the beans to soak. Your patience will be rewarded. Once you have made the master recipe for the water, you can put it in the fridge and use it the next day, the cocktails below are loose, delicious additions to agua fresca tamarindo.

I suggest you make something spicy and authentic and find yourself a good blizzard in which to enjoy these as alternatives to margarita's (which cannot say for themselves that they are high in vitamin B and calcium like the tamarind fruit if you needed one more reason to start steeping exotic pods).

Agua fresca tamarindo

1 pound fresh tamarind pods
Sugar (about 1 cup)
Water to cover

*these ingredients may be reduced in proportion

Rinse tamarind pods. Bring 2 quarts water and the sugar to a boil in a medium pot and add pods. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until just tender and the water is brown, about 15 minutes. Mash the pods, seeds, and pulp gently with a fork. Allow to sit steeping for at least an hour, if not two.

Strain through a fine sieve, pressing hard on the tamarind to extract as much essence as possible, into a 3-quart pitcher.

Taste and adjust the sweetness to your taste but go easy, it should be tart and sweet all at once. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve and stir before pouring.
I prefer mine over ice with a lemon wedge.

Blushing's Virgin Tamarindo
for one cocktail

2 parts agua fresca tamarindo
1 part ginger ale
1 wedge of lemon

I don't stir or shake, but you know your rights; you can do what you want.

Blushing's Tamarindo
for one cocktail

2 parts agua fresca tamarindo
1 part dark rum
Splash ginger ale
Twist

Combine the agua fresca tamarindo, rum, and ginger ale in a cocktail shaker with two ice cubes. Shake quickly and pour into a rocks or martini glass and garnish with a twist.

Blushing's Dark and Stormy Tamarindo
for one cocktail

Lime wedge
2 parts agua fresca tamarindo
1 part dark rum
Splash ginger beer

In a double old fashioned glass, muddle the lime gently only to extract juice. Add a few ice cubes, the agua fresca tamarindo, dark rum, and ginger beer. Stir gently. Garnish with more lime if you wish.

Etiquette Challenge: Final Strokes

Blushing,

Can I call you "Blushing"?

I wondered what you do in those last ten minutes before the guests arrive? My Mother contends they are the most critically spent entertaining minutes.

Very truly,
Ash
Vicksburg



Dear Ash,

Certainly. I respond to "Blushing," also "Hostess," and on one particular notable blog, "Blushtess." Frankly, given two of my professional lives, I've been called far worse, but thank you kindly for asking.

Although I had not previously given one iota of a thought to it, seems to me, your Mama is right. Some people were in for a birthday lunch this past Saturday and, per your request, I made a few notes:

1. I penned up the dogs, making sure to insult the Cairn twice because I was still hot over his trying to viciously attack me in my sleep.

2. I applied more blush and some lipstick, then made a clicking sound with my tongue and front teeth because I still could not locate my big cuff bracelet (that dog may or may not have had something to do with that issue, too).

3. I uncorked two bottles of wine, one red, one white, expertly slicing my thumb wide open on the foil of the latter then squeeeeeeeeeealing like a stuck pig and feigning a dramatic swoon while holding my arm aloft and applying pressure to my bicep. Then I wrapped the whole thing in yards of paper towel and quickly poured myself a glass. I took a seat for a moment panting after this harrowing episode while I pondered whether these obvious talents with survival skills and entertaining would make a good reality show: The Entertaining Survivalist, "Roughing it with Cannibals" or something gracious like that...

4. Then, off I went into the guest bath and gave the hyacinth a good shake, which everyone knows makes hyacinth powerful enough to scent Yankee Stadium. Then the same in living room. I believe in flowers not Febreeze. Best to stay away if you have an allergy.

5. I illuminated the faux candles (it was a first birthday party).

6. I noted the time.

7. I took a paper towel to a spot on the floor.

8. I heard the doorbell, dramatically ripped the paper towel bandaging from my (entire) arm, smiled, and opened the door.

Right then, it was seven minutes before the appointed hour. I would have to add to your Mother's caution that those ten minutes are the most important perhaps, but in truth, they begin twenty minutes before the party. There is always an early bird.

And Ash, I love a Vicksburg tomato sandwich.

Now, I leave you with the readers who will certainly have anecdotes to share.

Best,
Catherine
aka, Blushing

Absolute Boston

This is the new black tea and elderflower infused Absolute vodka inspired by Boston. Proceeds will benefit the Charles River Foundation. It is as good reason as any to indulge curiosity if you have been party to the St. Germain craze.

"Everyone loves elderflower — you can’t turn around in a bar without getting hit by a bottle of St. Germain — but the addition of tea is what makes this vodka so intriguing. Yes, elderflower is strong at first sip, but the tea component comes along quickly after, and in fact starts to dominate the vodka within a few seconds. The finish offers a lightly bitter black tea character, which makes you rush back for another sip to get that sweet elderflower back onto your tongue."

- drinkhacker.com

I would love to hear the thoughts of those who have tried it while we try to locate a bottle here in the arctic tundra.

Host style: I fell in love with a duck

In the fall of 2009, this men's boot hit my radar. I thought, so, we'll see. Then, Duckie Brown for Florsheim had a season like this:







Then came this most recent fashion show at Duckie Brown. I became hopelessly entranced by the pebbled leather boots, the nod to the paddock boot, and the hip way Duckie is kicking it old-school with Florsheim (yes, Florsheim, my Grandpa just rolled over). I am trying not to gush: There are reasons to hold back, the clothing -was there any? Who even knows.

But look, I am in love with a duck who wears boots and we should go forward with that understanding.









Duckie Brown by Florsheim, florsheim.com

Saturday Beauty: Balenciaga

The famed cantilever cut of Cristobal Balenciaga in silk gazar with dye to match feathers for cocktails, ca. 1959.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, Costume Institute
Cristobal Balenciaga (French, born Spain, 1895–1972)
Gift of Louise Rorimer Dushkin

What they ate: The wedding reception of Beyonce and Jay-Z

Her 2010 Grammy's dress seems to be able to start a furor all on its own.



But another furor was the couple's absolute lock down on details related to their 2008 nuptials. Although a couple of guests were willing to dish on parts of the seven course menu including beluga caviar, shrimp scampi, and buckets of Popeye's fried chicken.

After all, serve what you love, you might even get to eat it.

Yes, there is an app for that

From the "will wonders in my phone never cease" file.

Pantone has an application for color matching shades which appeal to you, advising you on color trends and forecasts, and gathering palates around things you like. It interests me, but the part of me that was the color lab-dip queen of 7th Avenue for a year would want to see a lot of field testing.

In any event, this seems a great deal safer than other applications now available: An off-match on the capri pant or sofa versus my app discovery of last week: The CPR App.

Yes, there is an app for that too.

Hand of a master

A rare glimpse into the plans of the master artist behind some of the greatest faces created for American runways: The cosmetic profiles for Fall, 2010 in the hand of Bobbi Brown.

1930'3 Egypt at Tahari. Velvety, dewy, soft naturals at Tibi. Artfully disheveled walk-of-shame faces at Rachel Roy. All documents I would love to have framed on a wall in my office someday.

Enchanted, I'm sure

The very sophisticated magic of childhood, immortalized.



Tree houses. Secret gardens. Indian realms. Deep forests full of mysterious startlers.



A dream world, as great as any tea party Alice might have imagined.



On cream porcelain with inspirations culled from the sepia engravings of François Houtin.

The twenty-one piece service set, by La Table D’Hermès will be available to your inner child this spring.

Farewell, El Bulli

Long favored as the greatest restaurant in the world, and sadly one I missed, Ferran Adrià has announced El Bulli, located in Roses, Spain, will close in 2012 and reopen two years later as a culinary school.



One of my most prized possession is the book, a weighty photographic essay, by the same name, which I will treasure so much more now that rumor has it even reservations are full until closing night in 2012.



I've always noted the juxtaposition of the sleek, state of the art kitchens and their rigorous and advanced product with the relative humbleness of the traditional dining space.



It was long accused of being the temple of an egomaniac.



That word is often used to describe the best. They should pay no mind, their achievement surely moves past words and on to transcendent perfection.



It will be interesting to see who and what emerges now.

Photos: here.

Farewell, enfant terrible

Rest in peace, Alexander McQueen.

House of Worth returns

No longer is the ever-mourned French house of Worth relegated to the halls at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The couture house of Worth has taken its first steps to a modern rebirth in introducing a collection in Paris which has met with rave reviews. Worth is, as it was then, made-to-order haute couture.


The eternally successful fragrance Je Reviens, from the house of the 19th-century couturier Charles Frederick Worth, seems to be living up to its name — "I’ll be back."

Giovanni Beden’s style for the house of Worth. The Worth collection that Giovanni Beden showed Tuesday, a first step toward relaunching a couture line, focused on the Edwardian corsets for which Worth was famous.

But these 2010 confections of feather and lace, richly decorated and shapely, had a cute new look: Tiny tulle skirts turned the historical crinolines into a racier and more modern shape. The task now is to lure clients back for these made-to-order pieces.

- Suzie Menze, for The New York Times

Saturday Beauty: The Dancer

The magnificent Danielle Izzo as photographed by Marc Abrahms.

Please send me your last pair of shoes, worn out with dancing as you mentioned in your letter, so that I might have something to press against my heart.

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe




Copyright: Danielle Izzo by permission only.

The Bachelor Entertains

A tramp, a gentleman, a poet, a dreamer, a lonely fellow, always hopeful of romance and adventure.
-Charlie Chaplin

Earlier this week, we looked over a few suggestions for the bachelor pad of a modern, artistic, fearless guy. I received a request for my thoughts on what the same sort might have on hand for entertaining and while not an interiors person, I am happy to stumble around clumsily in chairs and tables until we come to the china patterns; then we are back in my yard.

When it comes to masculine tables, my thoughts always return to this table of Campion Platt's at 2009's Dining by Design.

And this, by Marc Blackwell.

A couple of other rooms which, although grander than the nature of the request, are inspiring:




And now for a few entertaining items: Masculine, elegant pieces for those evenings in.

Items in this set:
Solid Dinnerware - The Horchow Collection
Dinnerware Under $300 Dinnerware - The Horchow Collection
Gump's San Francisco - Twist Coaster Set, $130
Gump's San Francisco - Fine Malt Scotch Glasses, set of 2, $75
Gump's San Francisco - Horn Corkscrew, 4"L, $38

Photo credits: Traditonal Home 1, 4, 5. Blushing Hostess, 2,3