HOW-TO

Today is National Candied Orange Peel Day. Yea, it exists. But why is this a holiday? Probably because we want an excuse to eat delicious (yet full of vitamins) treats. In celebration of this National holiday we decided to share with you a recipe to make your own! Epicurious has a great recipe for a simple candied orange peel and you don't need much to make it.

Ingredients:

• 2 large oranges, 1/4 inch of top and bottom cut off
• 4 cups sugar, divided
• 3 cups water

Breakfast is perhaps the best meal of the day. So good, in fact, that plenty of diners have all-day breakfast. Something about the eggs just brings a smile to almost everyone's face. This variation on the traditional steak and eggs breakfast is great for any time of day, though be sure to bring your appetite because this is definitely not for the faint of heart.

STEAK, FRIED EGGS AND SALSA with Sweet Potato Home Fries

Today, and every April 26th, the nation celebrates the absolute best on-the-go snack, the soft pretzel. This twisted treat is sold on practically every street corner of Manhattan, Philadelphia, and Chicago, is seen by many as the greatest food ever invented while drinking, and really, who goes to a baseball game and doesn’t buy a pretzel? Whether you enjoy savory or sweet, salty or buttery, stuffed with meats, cheeses, or vegetables there’s a pretzel with your name on it.

The origins of the pretzel aren’t necessarily clear but the general consensus is that the pretzel is centuries old with different variations and names throughout Europe. The first bakers of the pretzel were most likely Christian monks around 610 AD due to the theory that the pretzel resembles hands folded in prayer. Another theory of the pretzel’s origin is based on the bread being similar in design and shape of the pre-Christian symbol, the sun cross. Most commonly, the pretzel has become widely associated with Germany’s Bavaria region and Oktoberfest celebrations where visitors enjoy pretzels as large as their heads along with their beer steins full of fine Bavarian brew. In Bavaria, located in southern Germany, the brezel has long been associated with German bakers and were incorporated into the crest of baking guilds as early as the twelfth century.

Last week, after our class with Eben Freeman we shared our experience and recipe for a basic sour. Now, it is time to jazz up our cocktails by adding a modifier. This is a category that we simply call a 'modified sour' because it basically follows the same ratio rules, except this time we are going to use this one: 1 1/2 parts spirit, 1/2 part modifier, 1 part citrus and 1/2 part simple syrup.

A modifier is an ingredient that adds to the structure, flavor and keeps up the alcohol content without messing with your palate's path. Four examples of modifiers are Pama, a pomegranate liqueur; Chartreuse, an anise-like, herbal liqueur; Cointreau, an orange-flavored liqueur; and St. Germain, which perfumed scent comes from elderflower that is meant to add nuance to your drink. Note: Be careful not to add too much because it will take control of your drink and you will lose the flavor of the base spirit.

Yesterday, award winning chef Seamus Mullen of Tertulia released his first cookbook, Hero Food: How Cooking with Delicious Things Can Make Us Feel Better. The book demonstrates how to turn key ingredients into delicious dishes.

Seamus was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis a few years ago and has since discovered that basing his cooking on 18 key ingredient has vastly improved his quality of life. In his cookbook, he demonstrates how to prepare over 80 recipes featuring his 18 hero ingredients. What are these mysterious ingredients? Olive oil, dried beans, almonds, grains, anchovies, good eggs, good birds, sweet peas, parsley, berries, carrots, corn, stone fruit, good fish, squash, mushrooms, greens, and good meat.

Eben Freeman, the mixologist who used to work at WD50 and who is now part of Michael White's Altamarea Group, believes that mixology, even at its finest, is very simple and it starts by being able to group cocktails into simple families. For example: sours, modified sours, collins, modified collins, tiki drinks, all-spirit cocktails and sparkling cocktails.

Freeman believes that being a good mixologist involves having attention to detail, ability to copy those who have proven to be successful in their methods and setting up in a way that reflects your own way of working. A good bartender must put off this illusion that he has an incredibly easy job by focusing on small details and by constantly having a continuous silent dialogue in his head.

Some crave pancakes in the morning, while others like to enjoy something a little more savory for breakfast. Often turning to eggs and sausage with a side of home fries, we forget how easy it is to make batter for waffles or pancakes. It is so simple to whip together, it might be worth it to take the extra time to treat yourself to something different. We understand that many of us prefer salty over sweet. That is why, we have a solution for you. Waffles are made from a batter with baking powder and come in various shapes and sizes. They are usually served as a breakfast food and are typically sweet. This time we are leaving out the maple syrup and powdered sugar and adding some meat and vegetables.

Without fail one or more Easter eggs will be lost in a vase or in a potted plant this Sunday during a traditional hunt for techno-colored eggs. The egg will be left forgotten until you tear apart your house, desperate to find where that rotten egg smell is coming from. Thankfully, the majority of your dyed eggs will make it back safely to the security of their basket full of plastic grass. Most people turn their leftover hard boiled eggs into enough egg salad to feed their entire neighborhood but there are other options for taking your leftovers to the next level. Revamped Easter eggs are the equivalent of the turkey sandwiches you have for lunch on Black Friday.

At cocktail lounges, it’s often the case that a series of non-descript glass bottles filled with assorted liquids will decorate the bar, giving it mystique and intrigue. A well-trained bartender will be grabbing for one of these potions the way a witch grabs for “eye of newt” or “toe of frog” to add to her brew. There are many possibilities as to what could be filling these bottles: flavored syrups, infused spirits, fresh juices… But what’s becoming more and more likely is that some contain house-made bitters.

In the much talked about history of cocktails, bitters play an interesting side-role. They were traditionally used as early as the eighteenth century for medicinal purposes, a sort of herbal cure-all. Until recently it seemed the only type of bitters that existed was Angostura, with its constantly oversized label. Now, however, there are hundreds of producers and flavors ranging everywhere from blueberry, to chocolate, to lavender. It’s hard to imagine modern mixology without the help of these potent little flavor providers.

This Sunday, April 8th, is National Empanada Day!

An empanada, meaning pie, is a Spanish or South American pastry, similar to a turnover, calzone, or hot pocket, filled with a variety of savory ingredients. In an empanada you may find meats, vegetables, cheese, fruit, or all of the above. An empanada can either be fried or baked with dough made of corn or wheat.

New York City has an abundance of great street carts, food stands, and restaurants to celebrate your love of empanadas at. Try out these three empanada restaurants this Sunday or whenever you get the craving for a meat-filled pastry!