black holes and gray matter. in one thousand tangos.

             
How to Turn Your Christmas Tree into Spruce Beer | NPR

“Ancient Scandinavians and their Viking descendants brewed beer from young shoots of Norway spruce, drinking the beer for strength in battle, for fertility and to prevent scurvy on long sea voyages,” according to the second edition of the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America. […] 

This recipe for spruce beer appeared in the first American cookbook published, American Cookery: Or the Art of Dressing Viands, Fish, Poultry and Vegetables, by Amelia Simmons, published in 1796:

“For brewing Spruce Beer. Take four ounces of hops, let them boil half an hour, in one gallon of water, strain the hop water, then add 16 gallons of warm water, two gallons of molasses, eight ounces of essence of spruce, dissolved in one quart of water, put it in a clean cask, then shake it well together, add half a pint of emptins [baker’s yeast], then let it stand and work one week, if very warm weather less time will do, when it is drawn off to bottle, add one spoonful of molasses to every bottle.”

Roquefort-and-Pear Eggnog 3 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 4 eggs, separated 1 tablespoon sugar ¼ cup poire William, or other pear brandy ½ teaspoon kosher salt. 1. One to two days before making the eggnog, combine the cheese and cream in a container and refrigerate for 36 to 48 hours. 2. In a mixer fitted with a whisk, combine the egg yolks, sugar and poire William. Beat until pale yellow and emulsified. Chill for 2 hours. Line a sieve with cheesecloth, and strain the cream-and-cheese mixture. 3. Whip the cream to stiff peaks, then fold into the egg-yolk mixture. Beat the egg whites until fluffy, then add the salt and continue beating to stiff peaks. Fold into the cream mixture. Chill for 1 hour. Serve in small cups with a spoon. Serves 10. Also: Cedar-scented Eggnog from NYT: Winter Drink Recipes

Roquefort-and-Pear Eggnog

3 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

4 eggs, separated

1 tablespoon sugar

¼ cup poire William, or other pear brandy

½ teaspoon kosher salt.

1. One to two days before making the eggnog, combine the cheese and cream in a container and refrigerate for 36 to 48 hours.

2. In a mixer fitted with a whisk, combine the egg yolks, sugar and poire William. Beat until pale yellow and emulsified. Chill for 2 hours. Line a sieve with cheesecloth, and strain the cream-and-cheese mixture.

3. Whip the cream to stiff peaks, then fold into the egg-yolk mixture. Beat the egg whites until fluffy, then add the salt and continue beating to stiff peaks. Fold into the cream mixture. Chill for 1 hour. Serve in small cups with a spoon. Serves 10.

Also: Cedar-scented Eggnog from NYT: Winter Drink Recipes

©2011 Kateoplis