Recently in Restaurants Category
Last night I went to a really great Mexican restaurant. We'd been in the pub first, then when we got to the restaurant there were no tables so while we waited I asked for frozen margaritas. Slush puppies with alcohol. Yum.
First a classic frozen margarita which we drank while we waited for a table. Then once we were at the table, 1 litre of frozen peach margarita between the two of us. And we could still ride bicycles home!
Anyway, it got me thinking about the Zimbabwean and South African booze recipes I know.
There's the Dom Pedro. It's a mixture of ice cream and Kahlua, whiskey or Amarula. You can vary the amount of liquor, but it's usually a double shot and a couple of scoops of ice cream per serving. You can add cream too but I don't think I ever saw it being added. Maybe if you want to then go ahead and add a couple of tablespoons full. Blend it all 'til it's foamy and drink it out of a big glass with a straw. I can remember being allowed to have these from when I was about 13 or so if we went to a restaurant. Extra fancy with chocolate shavings on top.
In the daytime one had to be proper so it was Malawi Shandy for those under the age limit. This is non alcoholic and it's a mixture of a shot of orange cordial, dash of bitters, lots of ice in a pint glass then half lemonade and half ginger ale. Sometimes half ginger ale half ginger beer. I think I remember the glass being decorated with sugar and an orange slice, but I could be wrong. Anyone know? There's a variant with grenadine, but I can't remember how it's made or what's in it or what it's called. I just remember the colour. Another one where if you know what this is please let me know in the comments.
My mom just reminded me of another Zimbabwean drink that's great on a sunny day - the Rock Shandy. Not sure if this is entirely a SA/Zimbabwe thing or if it comes from somewhere else and got transplanted. Anyway, it's half lemonade, half soda water and a hefty dash of bitters over heaps of ice. I prefer the Malawi Shandy because it's sweeter, but either are good. I remember drinking these at Carribbea Bay at Lake Kariba.
Another 70's throwback recipe - alcoholic punch! Mom's recipe:
1 lemon, I lime and 1 orange, squeezed
1 big bottle (I assume 1 litre) soda water
375 ml brandy
1 bottle red wine
4 tbsp sugar
mint leaves to float in the top
You have to try the Dom Pedro recipe and the other's are pretty good too. Give them a try and let me know.
Comments are open again.
First a classic frozen margarita which we drank while we waited for a table. Then once we were at the table, 1 litre of frozen peach margarita between the two of us. And we could still ride bicycles home!
Anyway, it got me thinking about the Zimbabwean and South African booze recipes I know.
There's the Dom Pedro. It's a mixture of ice cream and Kahlua, whiskey or Amarula. You can vary the amount of liquor, but it's usually a double shot and a couple of scoops of ice cream per serving. You can add cream too but I don't think I ever saw it being added. Maybe if you want to then go ahead and add a couple of tablespoons full. Blend it all 'til it's foamy and drink it out of a big glass with a straw. I can remember being allowed to have these from when I was about 13 or so if we went to a restaurant. Extra fancy with chocolate shavings on top.
In the daytime one had to be proper so it was Malawi Shandy for those under the age limit. This is non alcoholic and it's a mixture of a shot of orange cordial, dash of bitters, lots of ice in a pint glass then half lemonade and half ginger ale. Sometimes half ginger ale half ginger beer. I think I remember the glass being decorated with sugar and an orange slice, but I could be wrong. Anyone know? There's a variant with grenadine, but I can't remember how it's made or what's in it or what it's called. I just remember the colour. Another one where if you know what this is please let me know in the comments.
My mom just reminded me of another Zimbabwean drink that's great on a sunny day - the Rock Shandy. Not sure if this is entirely a SA/Zimbabwe thing or if it comes from somewhere else and got transplanted. Anyway, it's half lemonade, half soda water and a hefty dash of bitters over heaps of ice. I prefer the Malawi Shandy because it's sweeter, but either are good. I remember drinking these at Carribbea Bay at Lake Kariba.
Another 70's throwback recipe - alcoholic punch! Mom's recipe:
1 lemon, I lime and 1 orange, squeezed
1 big bottle (I assume 1 litre) soda water
375 ml brandy
1 bottle red wine
4 tbsp sugar
mint leaves to float in the top
You have to try the Dom Pedro recipe and the other's are pretty good too. Give them a try and let me know.
Comments are open again.
'But to you, I give my affection, right from the start.' - Joan Armatrading, The Weakness in MeThe other day, when I was looking for Small World online, I found Underwater Amsterdam. Fab website, look at all these restaurants I can visit. Been to four on the list, de Bakkerswinkel, Bazar, 11 and of course Small World. Didn't like 11 at all! The food was overpriced and horrible. I was there for lunch when I went to the Andy Warhol exhibition and I wasn't impressed.
I liked Bazar, but I really need to go again to write a real review and of course, there are so many many others. Week before last I went to Vinomio. That was nice. An excuse to drink (and eat) because food goes with wine, or so they say. It's one of those 'be there to be seen' places, which kind of alarm me, and I didn't taste the food so I can't comment. Guess I might just have to go back and see if food really does go with wine. What do you think?
This weekend I went to Casa di David in Utrecht with a friend. Lovely lovely food, wonderful company. I had an amazing ravioli, can't remember what my friend had, but I know I wasn't sharing mine at all! It's in a beautiful location, just along the Oudegracht. To enter the restaurant you walk through thick velvet curtains which somehow makes you feel like you're entering some kind of medieval chamber. Very romantic. There's even a house cat who purred and wound herself around my legs when I went to the bathroom and then refused, haughtily, to come any closer to me after that.
I start work tomorrow. Expect abbreviation.
'Another runs away' - Audioslave, Be YourselfOh my god, I died and went to heaven. I had the best coffee I've had in a million years and the most absolutely fucking amazing sandwiches I think I've ever eaten.
Spicy salami, grilled courgette and taleggio on ciabatta. D had turkey breast, bacon and mayo on focaccia and we shared half each.
The staff there are fabulous, it's like walking into someone's house and chatting with a very old friend. The carrot cake and muffins looked amazingly attractive. Good thing I have such steadfast willpower.
Absolutely brilliant. Do yourself a favour. GO!
Small World is at Binnen Oranjestraat 14, off the Harlemmemerstraat.
