Holiday Guide 2014

I don't know about where you are, but here, it's snowing.  Again.  It probably won't let up for another six months, so the only thing left to do is embrace it.  Luckily, with it comes the Holidays.  And even though Holiday shopping can be a stress, trust me, there are worse things you could be doing in the snow.  There's no reason to fret for the soda maker on your list. I've got you covered.

For The Nostalgic
You know the type, always wishing it was the 1950's again.  He's always wishing he could pop a nickle in the vending machine and get an ice cold glass bottle of CocaCola, wondering what happened to the fountain in the corner drugstore.

-Vintage Diner Stools

 

Nothing says nostalgia like a an old style soda shop or 1950's diner.  If you're making soda in your home and especially if you have a home bar space, serve your soda to your guests in style with this Retro 3-Piece Chrome Bar Stools and Table Set.

 -Vintage Bottle Cappers

Why buy a new plastic bottle capper when you can buy something that has stood the test of time.  I bought a brand new bench capper and while I'm pretty happy with it, I shortly thereafter realized that there are some nice sturdy vintage cappers to be found and put to good use.  Ebay always has a  

Selection of Vintage Bottle Cappers at various prices.

-Soda Pop! Book

 

For the book shelf.  As a sodamaker, it always helps to know your roots.  Soda Pop!: From Miracle Medicine to Pop Culture is an interesting read that looks at the history of soda pop in general as well as the history of a few specific flavors and brands.  

For The Copycat
So what do you pickup for someone that's like a chameleon?  Someone who is always copying what other people do.  Mimicking the classics down to the last detail.  Give her something to copy.

-Root Beer of the Month Club

One thing that a copycat needs is something to work from.  Some inspiration can be found in the selection of many root beers available.  Signing up for a Root Beer of the Month Club is one way to bring fresh inspiration on a regular basis. The Root Beer Store based in Washington State has a monthly subscription that can be cancelled anytime.  Beverages Direct offers a 3 month subscription for either root beer or gourmet soda, and they also offer various sampler packs.

-Copycat Recipe Books

 

My own Making Soda at Home has some copycat recipes for Mt. Dew, Dr Pepper, Cola and a few others.  Another book that's been around a while that has a handful of soda recipes among other drink recipes is Top Secret Recipes--Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits, and Shakes.

For The Fermenter
For someone who doesn't mind blurring the lines between soda making and homebrewing, there are a number of options.  Usually the homebrew store has a plethora of options, though some homebrew stores don't cater much to soda makers, and some places simply don't have homebrew stores.  Here are some sure bets.

-Ginger Beer Kit

There are a few different fermentation soda kits out there.  This year Williams-Sonoma has jumped on the band wagon with kits for Ginger Beer, Root Beer, and Hibiscus Lime.

-PET Bottles and Caps

Mr. Beer has been around for a number of years and they have various beer kits and at least one root beer kit.  For fermenting soda, all you need is the bottles.  If you don't want to reuse commercial soda bottles, Mr. Beer offers different sets of new PET bottles including some  740 mL PET Bottles and additional sets of Plastic Caps for fermenting safely.


For The Health Nut
The health nut jumped into home soda making for obvious reasons.  You control what you put into it.  You can sweeten with natural sweeteners, or you can put in no sweeteners.

-Stevia Sweetener

Stevia extract is a great way to sweeten without sugar, and it's considered all natural.  This Stevia Liquid Extract is easier to work with than the powders, using only a few drops per cup.  If using for larger amounts of soda, the powders work fine as long as you measure them precisely.

-Water Filter

While there's usually nothing wrong with your usual tap water.  It does typically have residual chlorine.  I don't often notice it in plain tap water, but I can taste it in carbonated water for some reason.  Though it's more of a flavor choice than a health choice, an activated carbon filter is sure to get rid of any off flavors that might be in your tap water.  A filtering pitcher is fine, but a Whole House Water Filtration System is surprisingly inexpensive, especially considering the capacity of how much it can filter.

Book Signing: Barnes & Noble at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA

Once again I'm hitting B&N with a book signing.
The Barnes and Noble at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA has graciously invited me for a book signing where I will be signing books, serving samples, hosting a demo and answering questions about my book.

Click to add to your calendar:

 

For everyone attending, here is what I have planned: I will be presenting a demonstration showing how to make the Jamaica (Hibiscus) Soda on page 80.  I will also be serving up some bottled samples of flavors including Ginger Ale (p. 88), Caramel Apple (p. 121).

Feel free to stop by and chat, buy a book, drink a soda, or just hang out!

When: Saturday Nov. 15, 2014,  2:00pm to 5:00pm
Where: Barnes & Noble at Bucknell University 400 Market St. Lewisburg, PA

Mauna Loa Luau Chili

Fall seems to be the season for chili cook-offs.  I entered this one twice, making it initially sort of on the fly, and it ended up placing both times.

Let me preface this by reminding everyone that Mauna Loa is a volcano, so yes, it's hot.  (Even though Mauna Loa hasn't erupted for quite some time, I am told it is still active.)

Putting this recipe together, the theme was exotic ingredients.  While pineapple isn't exactly the most exotic thing you can throw in a recipe, it's not very common in chili, so I built it from there.

I've never been to an actual Luau, but I imagine the things that might be served there would include pork, something spicy, and there would be lots of fire and grilling.

Here's what you'll need -

To be grilled:
1 lb of pork chops, boneless is best
1 can pineapple in heavy syrup
1/4 medium red onion diced
2 cloves garlic
1 or 2 small habeneros (depending on how deathly hot you want it and the strength of your habeneros)

For the chili:
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
flake red pepper
1/4 c soy sauce
1 Tbsp corn starch
dash black pepper
dash garlic powder
1 1/2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1 c water

It seems like a long list, but it's easier than it looks.

Start by straining the pineapple, saving the syrup in a saucepan.  Throw them on on the grill with the garlic and onion in a grill basket or sheet of foil.  If you're using a gas grill, get some smoke pellets for flavor.

 Get them nice and toasty before you start grilling anything else.  The pineapple is very moist, so it takes the longest to start to brown.

While the fruits and veggies are grilling, go back to your saucepan.  Mix the syrup with the soy sauce, corn starch, black pepper, garlic powder, brown sugar, and red pepper.  Bring it to a boil as you whisk until it thickens, then add the water.

Back on the grill, throw on the pork chops and the habenero(s).  You want some black on the peppers and the pork to be cooked thoroughly.

 You don't have to grill the habeneros on the pork, it just looks really good that way.

 After grilling, dice up the pork, and the peppers.  I like to really mince the pepper so they blend well with the rest of the chili.  Add the diced meat, peppers, beans, and your pineapple/onion blend to the saucepan.  Let that simmer for about five minutes so everything is nice and hot (temperatue and seasoning).

Dish it up and serve.  And remember it tastes like a volcano.