Recipe Mutiny steals recipes from food blogs and recipe sites. Then we publish them. With credit (Naturally).
Monday, February 26, 2018
Chicago’s Punch Bowl Trend Is So Much More Than a Pitcher of Kool-Aid
Although the mention of punch often conjures visions of cheap handles of booze mixed with red 40-dyed Kool-Aid, it actually has a storied past that goes back centuries. In 2010, cocktail historian David Wondrich published “Punch: The Delights and Dangers of the Flowing Bowl.” Thanks in good part to this seminal text, mixologists across America are now making the beverage in lovely antique punch bowls rather than five-gallon coolers at frat parties.
Chicago is very much a part of the national punch-drinking revival, and perhaps there’s nowhere the drink is more celebrated than at Punch House or Punch Bowl Social, where drinkers can buy it by the glass, carafe, or by the bowl.
Visitors to Punch House, located in Thalia Hall in Pilsen, find themselves surrounded by 1970s-inspired decor, complete with an aquarium and giant trophy fish on the wall. Whatever you do, don’t let the Life Aquatic environs fool you: There’s some damn good punch being served within these wood-paneled walls.
A traditional punch usually has only five ingredients—alcohol, sugar, lemon, water, and tea or spices—and it is best served communally. Worth noting is that while a proper punch is certainly boozy, it shouldn’t necessarily pack a punch. Due to its alcohol being diluted with water, tea, and lemon oil (as well as juices in modern variations), the drink is meant to be served in small punch glasses and savored with friends over the course of an afternoon or evening.
Three Dots and A Dash
Punch House’s classic Garrick Club Punch, a recipe from the mid-1800s, has just the right combination of sparkling water, Luxardo maraschino, lemon, sugar, and Old Tom Gin, a style of gin that was popular during the pre-Prohibition era. Also worth trying is one of the bar’s punches with a modern twist, Chile, With Love, which is a delightful amalgamation of pomegranate, linden flower, lime, sparkling wine, and Control C—a thrice-distilled pisco made in Chile’s Limarí Valley. A bowl of either will set you back $66.
There are countless variations of punch, and those unfamiliar with the stuff might be surprised by clarified milk punch, which is a silky, often crystal clear drink that involves, of all things, straining curdled milk. Punch House’s ice-cold version, for example, adds a touch of nutmeg.
Meanwhile, Punch Bowl Social’s It’s a Mer-Man’s World punch is nothing short of perfect, mixing Old Forester bourbon, Teakoe’s pineapple and papaya tea, Bacardi eight-year-aged rum, lime, and cardamom syrup for $72 (serving eight). The “Social” adds innovative ingredients to many of its punches and cocktails, including fennel seed and watermelon shrubs. Punch Bowl Social has locations across the country, including one in the suburb Schaumburg, and later this year it’s opening one in Chicago proper.
Bars with “punch” in the name aren’t the only establishments in Chicago that are serving punch. The Violet Hour, a bar in Wicker Park that serves artisanal cocktails, has a gorgeous marble bar, crystal chandeliers, and candlelit tables. The bar has a long list of rules, including no cell phones, Grey Goose, Cosmos, or baseball hats, and asks that visitors not bring anyone who they wouldn’t bring to their mother’s house. Classy pretentiousness aside, there’s often a line to get into The Violet Hour, and the establishment’s signature punch ($55.00 for a bowl), with various labels of rum, cognac, dry Curaçao, lemon, and orange Oleo-saccharum—an ingredient often used in 19th century cocktails—can’t be beat.
For a punch that’s a little less traditional, head to Three Dots and a Dash, just below River North. This tropical tiki lounge offers an array of rums, distilled spirits, and house-made allspice, cinnamon syrups, and falernum, and serves up a strange and wonderful assortment of punch-like drinks. The Chief Lapu Lapu for Two ($28.00) blends Aged Demerara Rum, dark Jamaican rum, passion fruit, lime, and tangerine. Feeling fancy? For $385 you can get Treasure Chest, a bold combination of Dom Perignon, rare rums, and fresh fruit for six to eight people.
Chicagoans wanting to get right shnockered can probably still find cheap punch at a host of slightly seedier joints, but it’s worth spending a long evening sipping on the stuff with style. In addition to the establishments mentioned above, honorable mentions go to Apogee Lounge and The Loyalist, each of which serves a number of punches or punch-inspired communal drinks.
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Moms Actually Do Hide the Best Snacks, According to Survey
In news that shouldn’t surprise anyone, mom has been hiding cookies again. A survey conducted by dried fruit manufacturer Crispy Green showed that 66 percent of American woman admitted to hiding their favorite snack to avoid sharing them with their partner and children. Hear that, kids? Always double check mom’s desk drawers for an extra bag of potato chips!
The survey, which polled 2,000 women between the ages of 21 and 45, also found that cars and the bedroom were the most popular spots to eat snacks in private, which makes sense. After all, peace and quiet are the ideal circumstances for enjoying an extra cookie. Everything tastes better in the sweet relief of silence.
Angela Liu, founder and CEO of Crispy Green had this to say, “It comes as no surprise that moms eat in secret. With such a hectic and busy lifestyle, moms need their secret snacks stashed nearby so they can grab them at any moment.” I would expand this statement to say all people, not just moms. Who could survive life without snack time?
But here are some sadder statistics. Seven out of ten women admitted to feeling guilty for indulging in a snack while in incognito mode. And 42 percent even felt embarrassed about doing so. But we’re here to absolve you of the guilt. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking time to enjoy a mid-meal treat all by yourself. Feel no shame in not sharing the ice cream!
At least a majority (58%) didn’t feel guilty about their overall eating habits. Though in an ideal world that number would be higher too.
In terms of favorite snacks, these were top ten picks according to the survey takers. It’s hard to argue with candy and chips. We’re actually pretty shocked fruits and veggies made it in the top five:
- Chips
- Candy
- Cookies
- Fruits/Veggies
- Nuts
- Popcorn
- Crackers
- Ice cream
- Yogurt
- Pretzels
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Dunkin’ Donuts Is Selling Girl Scout Cookie Coffee
Sometimes the only thing better than eating Girl Scout Cookies is drinking them. That’s what Dunkin’ Donuts wants you to believe, at least. The company has partnered with the Girl Scouts of the USA to combine three of your favorite cookies into coffee beverages.We’re definitely wondering what took so long for this combination to finally come to fruition, because naturally the results sound unsurprisingly amazing. It almost makes up for them eliminating nearly a dozen items off their menu earlier this year. Yes, we’re still bitter that the flatbreads are gone.
The three new flavors include Thin Mints, Coconut Caramel, and Peanut Butter. Thin Mint obviously incorporates the mocha mint goodness of the Thin Mint cookie (a.k.a. the BEST one, even though—let’s face it—there’s nothing thin about it). Coconut Caramel is a riff on Samoas. And Peanut Butter will evoke the taste of Do-si-dos and Tagalongs. Also, good news for those who are allergic to peanuts. The peanut butter flavor is free of any actual peanuts or tree nuts, as well as soy allergens. Though that does make us wonder about what actual ingredients it contains. Hmm, we’ll drink it first and ask questions later.
According to a press release, “All of Dunkin’ Donuts’ coffee flavors inspired by Girl Scout Cookies are available in the brand’s full lineup of hot or iced coffees, lattes, macchiatos, frozen coffee, and frozen chocolate.” That’s a lot of variation. We can’t wait to try them all!
The national rollout of these flavors starts today, Feb. 26, and will last throughout the spring. And if you want to support the Girl Scouts even more, select Dunkin’ Donuts locations will even be selling boxes of the cookies themselves. Because what goes better with cookie coffee than actual cookies? We’ll be hoarding up while supplies last.
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Easy Chicken Mac and Cheese
As I’ve grown as a home cook, prioritizing flexibility in recipes is something I’ve learned to truly cherish. Especially now that I’m a busy parent, I find myself asking a series of questions any time I approach a recipe:
Can I substitute leftovers for an ingredient in a recipe I want to make? Can I serve this meal in a variety of ways? Is it doable to make this on a weeknight, or can I change it a bit to make it special for a weekend dinner party?
When it comes to this Easy Chicken Mac and Cheese, the answer to all of those questions is “yes!”
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