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Or-
Online at Long Island Arts Alliance
This 18th century dish from Great Britain hales from Wales and is made with melted cheddar cheese sauce over toast. Think fondue-like only more of a pub-ish lunch; ideal and comforting during cold weather.
Making Rarebit
A béchamel or white sauce can be spiced up with a pinch of cayenne pepper, or hot sauce, 1/2 cup IPA (or another good ale), 1 teaspoon prepared English mustard, and pinch of paprika.
Finish the sauce off with 1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese. Whisk in and simmer just until the cheese is melted. Serve a couple tablespoons of sauce over a slice of good wheat toast. Serve as is, or you may want to place the 'rarebit' under a broiler for 30 seconds to brown lightly. Top with chopped chives or green onion. I've also topped this with a slice of good ripe tomato + sweet onion. Enjoy.
A Light Béchamel Recipe | ChefGeorgeHirsch.com
1 Tablespoon sweet butter
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 cup half & half (can use milk for a lighter version)
In a small sauce pan over low heat add butter and flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. With a wire whisk add in milk and allow to simmer until slightly thickened.
If using béchamel for rarebit, continue adding ingredients as above and simmer for 5 minutes while continuing to stir.
Whether you spike or not, it's known as ait de poule from the French; which literally means hen milk; or an egg flip by the British. Here's 2 cents worth of the backstory on the flip. With low taxed rum easily available from the caribbean it was a way for the British to inexpensively extend their dairy. Here in North America it's known as eggnog. The popular yuletide beverage received it's popularity with the colonies in the 18th century with the large amount of dairy available in the new world. As corn and rye became a staple in the colonies, whiskey and bourbon became the common dairy stretcher to the traditional British egg flip. So you could say Americans gave rum the flip, so to speak, as whiskey and bourbon found its way into glasses in North America.
There is good reason why rich and delicious eggnog is limited to being served-up only during the holiday season. Is it possibly the caloric intake? Or is it just reason to reserve it to be one of those nostalgic beverages you look forward to toasting with each and every year? Maybe just a bit of both. One thing is for sure, if I am toasting with it, it might as well be spiked! Cheers!
Hirsch's Traditional Eggnog
Recipe by Chef George Hirsch | Makes 4 Servings
6 egg yolks, save the whites *see below
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup bourbon, or rum
1/4 brandy
1/2 cup pure cane sugar, or Turbinado
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated orange rind
Using a mixer with a whip attachment on medium speed; whip the egg yolks until light in color, about 4-5 minutes. Add sugar and mix until completely dissolved. Set aside.
In double boiler, combine the milk, heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange rind and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and combine, while tempering the hot milk-cream mixture into the egg-sugar mixture.
Return all ingredients to double boiler and heat constantly stirring with a spatula until the mixture reaches 160 degrees (well below simmer), eggnog begins to resemble custard.
Remove from the heat, stir in the bourbon, and brandy. Pour into a bowl, cool and refrigerate for at least two-four hours. Best if refrigerated overnight.
Serve in cups with a shaved chocolate, or unsweetened cocoa powder dusted on top.
Optional Toppings: with a dollop of *meringue (made from all the left over egg whites), or ice cream, or whipped cream.
Directions to make Meringue:
To Make Meringue
6 egg whites, 1 Tablespoon pure can sugar, or Turbinado
Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. With the mixer running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
Sip warm herbal tea from the wassail bowl while enjoying crisp flatbreads at the wood burning oven before sitting down to a family style dinner prepared by a creative Team of chefs. Conversation and conviviality is the way of bringing back the tradition of Sunday's past, when family and friends gathered around the table.
Join us for Sunday Supper + Our Christmas Gathering, Sun Dec 4th.
the Sunday Supper menu begins fresh from the farm field. here @ Seps Family Farm
Carry the Good Word!
Gather ‘round the table with family & friends at our next Sunday Supper as we celebrate the wonder of the Christmas season and the joy of sharing a meal and conversation. For December we take the farm & cheers indoors for our supper.
Join us to enjoy servings of savory dishes and seasonal entree favorites as featured on PBS’s George Hirsch Lifestyle. Also, just-picked vegetables, farm salads & sides, fresh baked dessert and herbal tea. Craft beer & wine, sold separately.
Growing up, Sunday was the one day our family set aside all other activities to break bread as one. We are recreating this tradition with our extended community. Guests at our Sunday Supper will enjoy a traditional family dinner, Sep’s Farm fresh picked produce and some of our families’ favorite dishes. - chef g
Amazing Day of Community Love, Sunday Supper + Autumn Farm Experience Oct 23, 2016
