Blog-Ruptcy

In his book The Art of Non-Conformity, Chris Guillebeau offers a suggestion for what to do when email has just become too much to deal with.  He says that, when all else fails, you should declare email bankruptcy.  That is, delete every message in your inbox, and send out something like, "Hey, I just declared email bankruptcy and deleted everything in my inbox.  If I missed replying to your message, please forgive me."

Extreme and scary, maybe, but effective.

So, The Frugal Hostess has decided to do something similar on this here blog.  FruHo is declaring blog-ruptcy.  What does that mean?

1.  No more ads.  After almost two years, TFH has made less than $20 in ad revenue.  Not worth the ugliness, IHHO (in her humble opinion).  So they're outta here.

2.  No more product reviews.  FruHo often gets sent free books and cooking equipment and all kinds of other stuff.  So much stuff, in fact, that it is overflowing from a giant box under her desk.  She will never get around to writing about all that free loot, and the guilt is killing her.  So, no more.  (Note to publishers, et al: feel free to keep sending free stuff; just know that, unless it is SPECTACULAR, it won't be making an appearance here.)

Listen, there is nothing wrong with trying to make money from your blog, and The Frugal Hostess has a number of projects up her sleeve that she hopes will do just that.  These are just not the methods she wants to pursue any longer.  FruHo will continue to post Amazon affiliate links to books and products that come up in the course of posts, because they aren't obtrusive and make it easy for a reader to find something.  And, you know, if you'd like to send a check, feel free.

OK, blog-ruptcy has been declared.  TFH feels so much better now!

Gremlin Book Review + Cocktail Recipes

Well, The Frugal Hostess keeps getting sent these amazingly beautiful books about cooking and drinking. For free.  It just keeps on happening.  Amazing.

Seriously, man.  Check these out.

The first, Organic, Shaken and Stirred by Paul Abercrombie, has some amazingly creative ideas for drinks, whether you're a freak about organic ingredients (as you should be) or not.  The book takes a chef's approach to cocktails, incorporating ingredients like radish, purple basil, and simple syrup infused with beet juice.  Some ingredients are a little esoteric or expensive for The Frugal Hostess's taste - organic saffron threads, anyone?  But even the least attainable of the recipes contains an idea or two that you can replicate.

Here's an example.

Roasted Red Pepper Julep

Ingredients

4 sprigs of mint

1 oz. simple syrup [TFH often uses agave syrup in place of simple syrup.]

2 oz. roasted red pepper puree [There's a recipe for this in the book, but, really, just puree roasted red peppers.]

2 oz. bourbon

2 oz. sparkling water

Directions

1.  Muddle mint with simple syrup.

2.  Add ice.  FruHo recommends crushed ice for juleps, if you can get it easily.  [Also, she suggests adding only half the ice, followed by the rest of the ingredients, and topped with the remaining ice.  That just makes it easier to stir.]

3.  Add remaining ingredients, stirring slowly.

4.  Garnish with mint.

Isn't that just an intriguing recipe?

Gizmo Moments: Really cool, innovative takes on traditional cocktails, plus new ideas.  Focused on organic ingredients.  Very balanced drinks, with savory ingredients and herbs evening out the sweetness of simple syrups and sugars.  Great punch ideas!  When The Frugal Hostess was looking for punch ideas for her Mardi Gras party, she really could have used these ideas!  Also, gorgeous, plentiful pictures.

Stripe Moments: Some ingredients are hard to find or expensive, and TFH wishes that there were a few more stories included with the recipes, either personal ones from the author or more details on the history of the drink.  That is clearly not the point of the book; FruHo just thinks it would've been a cool addition.

Then there's Champagne Cocktails by A.J. Rathbun (this one isn't out yet, so no link to buy - sorry!).  Who has this many ideas for drinks based on bubbles?  The book starts with versions of the classics (think Kir Royale and Mimosa), and then follows up with a ton of other interesting ideas.  A particularly creative one is the Caprese Cocktail, which uses molecular gastronomy favorites, sodium alginate and calcium chloride, to create gels out of balsamic vinegar and ketchup.  These gels are in turn made into "caviar," which sit in the bottom of the champagne glass.  Amazing, right?  Unfortunately, there's no picture of this drink in the book, so it's hard to tell if this is worth the trouble of making it.

Gizmo Moments: Champagne cocktails are a really good way to make cheap wine seem more festive, and there are so many creative ideas in this book.  Plus, once you see how Rathbun has combined different ingredients, it's easy to come up with your own ideas.  Also, for those restaurants with only beer and wine licenses (this may be a Florida phenomenon), this can help spice up their offerings.

Stripe Moments: There are not enough pictures in this book.  Now, look, The Frugal Hostess is not illiterate, but she really prefers a lot of photography in any kind of cooking (or cocktailing) book.  How else do you know what you're getting yourself into?

Here is a final drink, inspired by both of these books.  

Rosemary Citrus Champagne Cocktail

Ingredients

Fresh rosemary, finely minced

Zest of one lemon or lime, or half an orange

Agave syrup (or sugar and water, or a packet of Splenda or stevia sweetener)

Splash of  water 

Bubbles

Directions - fast version: 

1.  Put the rosemary, zest, splash of water, and 1 oz. (or packet) of sweetener into a cocktail shaker, and shake like mad.  

2.  Pour into two champagne flutes and top with bubbles.

Directions - slow version:

1.  Combine one cup of sugar, one cup of water, several sprigs' worth of finely minced rosemary, and the zest in a saucepan.  

2.  Heat until sugar is completely dissolved.

3.  Let your rosemary-citrus simple syrup cool.  [FruHo likes to store simple syrups in squeeze bottles, like the kind the diner uses to store ketchup, in the refrigerator.  This is the least sticky method.  But it's still very sticky.  Duh, it's sugar.]

4.  Add an ounce or so of the syrup to each glass, and then top with champagne (or prosecco, or cava, or whatever is cheapest!).

5.  Garnish with a short sprig of fresh rosemary and a twist of citrus peel.

Wanna win one of these books?  Leave a comment about your favorite non-alcoholic beverage, and, if you win the random drawing, you'll have your choice of either Book 1, Book 2, or a Prize Package put together by The Frugal Hostess.  How will you ever have the nerve to request anything but the latter???

Gremlin Book Review: Farmer Jane

The Frugal Hostess has a HUGE stack of books that need to be reviewed.  Like Gremlins sprinkled with water, as soon as she finishes one, two more pop up to take its place!  Thus, a new semi-regular column is born.

Book: Farmer Jane by Temra Costa

Subject/Synapsis: Subtitled "Women Changing the Way We Eat," this book is about women who run farms and are participants in the sustainable food movement.  It profiles 30 different women in the industry, describing their agricultural business models. Topics include how to start a CSA, how to get involved in food policy-making, and how to finance renewable energy initiatives.  Costa worked for the Community Alliance with Family Farmers in California on the Farm to School and Buy Fresh Buy Local programs.

Gizmo moments: The cover is really cool, and there are some awesome people featured in the book. This book fits right in with TFH's beliefs about food: that it should be good, clean, and fair.  It also gels with her feminist side.   Costa does a great job of explaining that cheap food is cheap because of the hidden costs: illegal labor gets paid poorly; government subsidies are expensive; and shortcuts to drive profits result in food scares and recalls.

Stripe moments: This is a well-written, well-researched book, which occasionally results in an academic tone.  In other words, it's a little dry.  But sustainable food is a serious issue, so maybe that's to be expected.  There's also a tinge of the brand of feminism (used to be called eco-feminism, but FruHo is old so don't hold her to that) that claims women are somehow more connected to the earth and thus better-suited than men to be its steward.  That is crap, according to The Frugal Hostess, who is far more connected to her couch than she is the earth, truth be told.

Giveaway instructions: To win the review copy of this book, tell us about a time when you felt close to, or far away from, the earth.  Just kidding; say whatever you want - it's a random drawing.  As a bonus, TFH will throw in a copy of Minnie Rose Lovgreen's Recipe for Raising Chickens, which would be perfect to use with kids if you have a backyard coop.

Whew, that's a lot of pictures in one post!

The Frugal Hostess invites you to share the love on the Fast Company Influencer Project.