Maple syrup pie
The natural drink of celebration is a tall, elegant flute of something sparkling. But uh, what specifically sparkling? There’s no wrong answer, but I figure there’s no harm in handing you an answer key to the sometimes undifferentiated wall of options at your local wine store.
Champagne, according to many sommeliers, is the little black dress of drinks: it goes with everything, everywhere. That’s reason enough to serve it. And it really is the creme de la creme of sparkling wines. But you shouldn’t feel limited to it, especially since the average bottle of true Champagne (which I assume you know the criteria for: we’ve all seen Wayne’s World, right?) starts at about $40. If you want to serve something Champagnesque, here’s a little cheat: there are many white sparkling wines made with the same grapes, by the same vintners, but on cheaper real estate. You pocket the difference and you’ll still be drinking sparkling wine made by Mumm, Taittinger, Bollinger, and other potent notables. Brillat-Savarin, one of the first food writers, is who gave us the idea that champagne goes with everything, and he has a cheese named after him. That’s good inspiration: think classic, French, and extravagant. Champagne goes wonderfully with a Gallic cheese plate, especially one with a creamy brie (the wine’s bite contrasts the cheese nicely), dried fruits, fancy nuts, and some little cornichons on the side.
Why not prosecco?
Why not, indeed? Despite being as tightly regionally controlled as champagne (to a little village outside Trieste), something about prosecco just feels easier. It’s a lighter drink, drier, and even a little crisper than the average sparkling wine. It’s also a lot cheaper. We think prosecco’s chiefest virtue is how well it plays with others, though. It’s great to pick out if you’d like to have it on its own, but we think it’s even better with a friend: in a sparkling wine cocktail, that is. It’s famous in the Bellini and the Spritz, but for fun, absolutely vary your mixers to experiment. Try a fallish pear nectar Bellini rather than the usual peach, or mix and match amaris in your Spritzes. Swap out Aperol for a classic like Campari or a newcomer like Cynar. That menu sounds like it could use a bit of ballast to soak up the booze. Think Italian: they know what they’re doing. Prosecco’s light touch goes well with the intense and varied flavors of a traditional spread of Italian hors d’oeuvres: prosciutto wrapped around melon, and crackers, sharp sheep’s cheese, and other treats from the northern part of the boot.
Ingredients for the maple syrup cake
flour, 290 gsoft butter, 115 gsugar, 100 geggs, 1 whole and 1 yolkMaple syrup, 230 ghot water, 115 gginger powder, half a teaspoon (2/3 g)baking powder, 10 gbaking soda, half a teaspoonsalt, 2 gMaple syrup icingpowdered sugar, 180 gmilk, 50 ml
To decoratewalnuts or hazelnuts, toasted and chopped, 100 g
Method
In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger. In another bowl, beat the butter with a whisk for 30 seconds. Add the sugar and whip for a few minutes. Add the eggs and maple syrup as well. Whip for another minute. Decrease the speed of the whisks to minimum and alternately add the flour and hot water. Pour into a buttered and floured donut mold and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 45 minutes. Do the test with a stick or spaghetti, it should come out dry. Let cool for 10 minutes and turn upside down on a tray. Let it cool completely. In the meantime, prepare the icing. Whip the butter for a few minutes, add the milk and syrup. Add the sugar a little at a time and mix until creamy. Pour the icing over the chilled cake and sprinkle with chopped walnuts or peanuts.
The natural drink of celebration is a tall, elegant flute of something sparkling. But uh, what specifically sparkling? There’s no wrong answer, but I figure there’s no harm in handing you an answer key to the sometimes undifferentiated wall of options at your local wine store.
Champagne, according to many sommeliers, is the little black dress of drinks: it goes with everything, everywhere. That’s reason enough to serve it. And it really is the creme de la creme of sparkling wines. But you shouldn’t feel limited to it, especially since the average bottle of true Champagne (which I assume you know the criteria for: we’ve all seen Wayne’s World, right?) starts at about $40. If you want to serve something Champagnesque, here’s a little cheat: there are many white sparkling wines made with the same grapes, by the same vintners, but on cheaper real estate. You pocket the difference and you’ll still be drinking sparkling wine made by Mumm, Taittinger, Bollinger, and other potent notables. Brillat-Savarin, one of the first food writers, is who gave us the idea that champagne goes with everything, and he has a cheese named after him. That’s good inspiration: think classic, French, and extravagant. Champagne goes wonderfully with a Gallic cheese plate, especially one with a creamy brie (the wine’s bite contrasts the cheese nicely), dried fruits, fancy nuts, and some little cornichons on the side.
Why not prosecco?
Why not, indeed? Despite being as tightly regionally controlled as champagne (to a little village outside Trieste), something about prosecco just feels easier. It’s a lighter drink, drier, and even a little crisper than the average sparkling wine. It’s also a lot cheaper. We think prosecco’s chiefest virtue is how well it plays with others, though. It’s great to pick out if you’d like to have it on its own, but we think it’s even better with a friend: in a sparkling wine cocktail, that is. It’s famous in the Bellini and the Spritz, but for fun, absolutely vary your mixers to experiment. Try a fallish pear nectar Bellini rather than the usual peach, or mix and match amaris in your Spritzes. Swap out Aperol for a classic like Campari or a newcomer like Cynar. That menu sounds like it could use a bit of ballast to soak up the booze. Think Italian: they know what they’re doing. Prosecco’s light touch goes well with the intense and varied flavors of a traditional spread of Italian hors d’oeuvres: prosciutto wrapped around melon, and crackers, sharp sheep’s cheese, and other treats from the northern part of the boot.
Ingredients for the maple syrup cake
flour, 290 g
soft butter, 115 g
sugar, 100 g
eggs, 1 whole and 1 yolk
Maple syrup, 230 g
hot water, 115 g
ginger powder, half a teaspoon (2/3 g)
baking powder, 10 g
baking soda, half a teaspoon
salt, 2 g
Maple syrup icing
powdered sugar, 180 g
milk, 50 ml
To decorate
walnuts or hazelnuts, toasted and chopped, 100 g
Method
In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger. In another bowl, beat the butter with a whisk for 30 seconds. Add the sugar and whip for a few minutes. Add the eggs and maple syrup as well. Whip for another minute. Decrease the speed of the whisks to minimum and alternately add the flour and hot water. Pour into a buttered and floured donut mold and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 45 minutes. Do the test with a stick or spaghetti, it should come out dry. Let cool for 10 minutes and turn upside down on a tray. Let it cool completely. In the meantime, prepare the icing. Whip the butter for a few minutes, add the milk and syrup. Add the sugar a little at a time and mix until creamy. Pour the icing over the chilled cake and sprinkle with chopped walnuts or peanuts.
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