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| “Pizzazz!” |
Do you celebrate Christmas indoors
or out?
or out?
That may seem like a silly
question to those of you sipping hot cocoa as you hang your stockings from the
fireplace mantel in anticipation of Santa’s arrival.
question to those of you sipping hot cocoa as you hang your stockings from the
fireplace mantel in anticipation of Santa’s arrival.
But here in Florida, we hang our
stockings from the air conditioning vents. Santa might as well quit looking for
a chimney and ring the doorbell instead.
stockings from the air conditioning vents. Santa might as well quit looking for
a chimney and ring the doorbell instead.
I just hope we hear him ring because
we’ll most likely be on the back patio. We’ve finally hit the sweet time of
year when we can enjoy a little fresh air and sunshine without risk of roasting
like a Christmas goose.
we’ll most likely be on the back patio. We’ve finally hit the sweet time of
year when we can enjoy a little fresh air and sunshine without risk of roasting
like a Christmas goose.
As a result, our idea of a holiday
toddy is more icy than spicy. So when we invited friends for a pre-Christmas
dinner the other night, we thought some chilly home-made sangria would add a
festive touch.
toddy is more icy than spicy. So when we invited friends for a pre-Christmas
dinner the other night, we thought some chilly home-made sangria would add a
festive touch.
Of course, it had to be Armenian
sangria.
sangria.
The idea came to us while we
wandered down an aisle in the fruit section of our local farm market and came
upon a display of pomegranate wine from Armenia.
wandered down an aisle in the fruit section of our local farm market and came
upon a display of pomegranate wine from Armenia.
Fresh fruit+wine=Duh! Even I could put that together.
In addition to fruit slices, I
added a splash of orange juice and a double splash of pomegranate juice. Then
we let it blend and chill overnight before serving it to our great friends and
favorite odar taste-testers, Bonnie Gross and her husband David Blasco.
added a splash of orange juice and a double splash of pomegranate juice. Then
we let it blend and chill overnight before serving it to our great friends and
favorite odar taste-testers, Bonnie Gross and her husband David Blasco.
“I love this recipe,” David said.
“It’s better than regular sangria. The
pomegranate really adds pizzazz.”
“It’s better than regular sangria. The
pomegranate really adds pizzazz.”
There’s a word you don’t hear
every day!
every day!
You can trust David, but you may
not be able to trust the weather. So we have an alternative suggestion to
generate a bit more heat for those of you in colder climates: coffee with
Armenian brandy. (See complete recipe below.)
not be able to trust the weather. So we have an alternative suggestion to
generate a bit more heat for those of you in colder climates: coffee with
Armenian brandy. (See complete recipe below.)
Sure, you could use garden
variety brandy but I find that the right holiday spirits make an important
contribution to my holiday spirit.
variety brandy but I find that the right holiday spirits make an important
contribution to my holiday spirit.
I considered using traditional Armenian coffee but I wanted to sip a while on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and I can only
sip so much Armenian coffee before my hands would be shaking too much to pour
more brandy.
sip so much Armenian coffee before my hands would be shaking too much to pour
more brandy.
So I poured an ounce of Armenian brandy
into an eight-ounce mug and filled the rest with American-style coffee. I added half-and-half and a little sugar to lend the richness and sweetness I’m
used to in Armenian coffee. Then I poured in the brandy and topped it with
whipped cream because—what the heck? It’s Christmas.
into an eight-ounce mug and filled the rest with American-style coffee. I added half-and-half and a little sugar to lend the richness and sweetness I’m
used to in Armenian coffee. Then I poured in the brandy and topped it with
whipped cream because—what the heck? It’s Christmas.
Final touch: I dusted the cream
with freshly ground cardamom, which to me is what always gives Armenian coffee its
special flavor. An additional dash of the cardamom in the coffee works even
better.
with freshly ground cardamom, which to me is what always gives Armenian coffee its
special flavor. An additional dash of the cardamom in the coffee works even
better.
And as if that weren’t enough
fun, we munched on some nazook while we drank our coffee—a perfect pairing.
fun, we munched on some nazook while we drank our coffee—a perfect pairing.
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| Nazook |
What an Armenian Christmas this
is turning out to be, and it’s not even Armenian Christmas yet. I need to sip
slowly to make sure I’m still standing when it finally comes around.
Recipe
for Armenian sangria
for Armenian sangria
1750 ml. bottle of Armenian pomegranate wine
1
small apple, cored and sliced thin
small apple, cored and sliced thin
1
medium orange, pitted and sliced thin
medium orange, pitted and sliced thin
Four
ounces of orange juice
ounces of orange juice
Eight
ounces of pomegranate juice
ounces of pomegranate juice
Pour
the wine into a glass pitcher and add the fruit slices. We chose a tart-sweet
apple because it complements the pomegranate (a pear would also work well), and the orange adds traditional citrus tang.
the wine into a glass pitcher and add the fruit slices. We chose a tart-sweet
apple because it complements the pomegranate (a pear would also work well), and the orange adds traditional citrus tang.
Then add the
orange juice and pomegranate juice, more or less of each to your liking. Or
none at all if you’re OK with a stronger sangria. Cover and chill over night before serving.
orange juice and pomegranate juice, more or less of each to your liking. Or
none at all if you’re OK with a stronger sangria. Cover and chill over night before serving.
Recipe for coffee with
Armenian brandy
Armenian brandy
Freshlybrewed American-style coffee
1
ounce Ararat brandy (more or less to preference)
ounce Ararat brandy (more or less to preference)
1
teaspoon sugar
teaspoon sugar
2
teaspoons ½ and ½ or milk
teaspoons ½ and ½ or milk
cardamom
(freshly ground if possible)
(freshly ground if possible)
whipped
cream
cream
Pour
the brandy into an 8-ounce coffee mug. Add the sugar and milk and stir. Then
pour in the coffee, leaving a bit of room at the top. Add a dash of cardamom if
you like, then top with whipped cream. Dust the cream with a bit of cardamom and
serve while the coffee’s hot and the whipped cream is firm.
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