Stitch Fix #22 Review - June/July 2016

Stitch Fix Review - June/July 2016

Note:  This point contains affiliate links to support my blogging addiction!  :)

Summer is in full swing, and I'm excited to share this latest fix with all of you!  I received some beautiful and colorful items!  One thing that I love about summer is that I can ask my Stitch Fix stylist for things that are NOT work appropriate.  Ha ha.  It's a nice change.  Around the middle of August, I'll be back on campus and my tune will change . . . .I'll enjoy it while I can!

If you're reading this, you're probably familiar with Stitch Fix, but if not, read on for a brief description of my history with Stitch Fix (and a couple of other clothing-by-mail services) and a short explanation of how the whole thing works:

I became a member of Stitch Fix in January of 2015, and I am definitely a fan!  My closet has improved 1000% since then.  I've found that fashion can be addicting, though.  In October of 2015, I tried Golden Tote, another clothing-by-mail service!  I may never see the inside of a mall again!  :)

If you've never heard of Golden Tote, you can follow the links below to any of my reviews and get the scoop on this other great service.  It's a little different than Stitch Fix, but I've found it equally fun!  I've gotten six totes so far, along with a couple of mystery totes.  (Those weren't quite as successful, but what can you do?)  It's addicting!  Anyway, here are my Golden Tote reviews if you're interested!

Golden Tote Review - April 2016
Golden Tote Review - March 2016
Golden Tote Review - February 2016
Golden Tote Review - January Mystery Totes
Golden Tote Review - December 2015
Golden Tote Review - November 2015
Golden Tote Review - October 2015

Before I get on with Stitch Fix, I have to post one more link.  O.o

This is a little embarrassing, but there is another clothing box service called Trunk Club that I recently tried.  Why?  I don't know.  Because it was there.  That's all I can tell you.  Ha ha.  It was fun, though I ended up sending most of the items back.  Here's my review of that experience (this one includes a link-up):

Trunk Club #1 Review and Link-Up - April 2016

I also got a second trunk a few weeks ago, but I'm still editing pictures and putting that post together.  It should be coming soon!

OK.  Back to Stitch Fix!

To get started, you go to their website and fill out your style profile!  That gives you a chance to show your stylist your measurements, usual sizes, how you like things to fit, and the styles that generally appeal to you.  If you're interested in checking it out, please consider following my link to schedule your first fix!  (I just recently joined Stitch Fix's affiliate program, which means I get a small commission for anyone who signs up using my link.  However, my opinions are always my own and I pay for all of my own fixes!)

When you order a fix, you pay $20.00 to have your own personal stylist look at your style profile and preferences (which can include a Pinterest board).  They will choose five clothing and/or accessory items specifically for you.  They are shipped right to your doorstep!  You have three days to try the items with other things in your own wardrobe and decide if you want to keep them.  The $20.00 styling fee is credited toward any items that you decide to purchase, and you receive a prepaid shipping envelope to return anything that you don't want.  If you happen to keep all five items, you receive a 25% discount on the whole box!  You can choose to receive fixes every month, every few weeks, or only once in a while.  Here are some links to my previous reviews, if you'd like to check them out:

May/June 2016 - #21
April 2016 - #20
March 2016 - #19
February 2016 - #18
February 2016 - #17
January 2016 - #16
December 2015 - #15
November 2015 - #14
November 2015 - #13
October 2015 - #12
September 2015 - #11
Stitch Fix Keepers
September 2015 - #10
August 2015 - #9

It is possible to peek (using Stitch Fix's mobile app) at what you're getting in your fix once it has shipped.  I have to admit - in the past, I usually have.  I think I'm over it, though.  It's more fun when I don't peek!  I've gotten pretty good at resisting the temptation!

One of the nice things about Stitch Fix is that they send you a style card with ideas for each of the items that you receive.  If you're clueless about fashion (as I can be sometimes), it's nice to see a couple of different ways to wear a new style.

Lauren was my stylist again!  :)  I was happy to see that, because I have enjoyed each and every fix that she has styled for me, even I haven't kept everything!  Here's her note to me:

Sounds promising, right?

Well . . . here we go!  Here's what I got:

1. See U Soon Michels Embellished Top - $68.00

This top is one that I recently added to my Pinterest board.  I think the black and white makes it a perfect edgy/boho combination - right up my alley!  The beaded embellishment is just beautiful!  

Unfortunately, the fit wasn't quite right for me.  This top had absolutely no stretch to it (obviously, with the beads), so it wasn't very forgiving.  It was super tight in the top and chest.  You can see how the stripe pattern in the front didn't flow nicely.  It got all spread out and weird looking because the top is just too small.  

It is my style.  I emailed Stitch Fix customer service to see if they had a larger size.  They did, and I almost went for it, but there was another problem.    

In the pic below, you can see the cut-out in the back.  Cute, but it went down so low that my strapless bra was exposed.  I don't mind wearing a strapless for a cute top, but if that doesn't even work?  Sorry.  I have to wear something!  Ha ha.  I thought there was a good chance that the large would expose the strap even more.  In the end, I thought going for the large would be iffy.  I decided to pass.  Too bad!  It's so cute!  

Verdict:  RETURN

2. Renee C Ventura Keyhole Top - $48.00

Here's another top that I had pinned to my Pinterest board.  Unfortunately, it was also on the small side.  Let me tell you, this fix was not good for my ego.  Ha ha.  Obviously, I tried it on for the picture, but I had a hard time finding an angle for a photo that would not show how small the top is on me.  

Aren't the colors beautiful, though?  I really did love the top, but there was no way I could keep it.  When I emailed Stitch Fix about the See U Soon top, I also asked them about this one.  Luckily, they had a large available!  I was pretty confident that it would work, so I agreed to keep it if they would do the size exchange.  

The next question that came to my mind was . . . should I change my size preferences?  That's a fair question.  Well, I don't think so.  I'm a larger medium, but I think I would have the same issue with large tops.  Some of them would be too big!   ???  I'm just tall and I have very broad shoulders.  I'm glad Stitch Fix is so great with size exchanges.  

I have a confession to make.  I've been dragging my feet a little bit on this blog post.  I've actually already received and worn the large.  It works much better than the medium.  Unfortunately, I only recently noticed that it is 100% rayon.  Those tend to shrink on me!  I love the top, so I'm hoping that if I wash it in cold and hang it to dry (inside; not in the sun), I'll be OK.  After my last fix, I did ask for a note on my profile to state that I wanted to avoid 100% rayon items, but was told that it couldn't be guaranteed.  Well, I should have checked the tag before I decided to keep it.  I'm hoping for the best, though!  :)

Verdict:  KEEP (with a size exchange)

3. Renee C Cassandra Maxi Dress - $68.00

I have mixed feelings about this maxi dress.  I loved the colors - so beautiful!  Now that I look at the pictures, I almost wish I would have kept it!  (Spoiler - I sent it back!)  It does look better in the pictures than it did in real life, though.  I need to remember that!  :)

I just didn't love how it fit me.  It was OK.  It was strapless bra-friendly, so that was a plus.  However, there were some weird gaps in the back.  You can't really see them in the photos.

It was nice and long.  That's a plus, considering I am on the tall side.  The skirt was lined, though.  "Lined" and "summer" just don't go together for me.  I really think it would have been OK without the liner.  Two layers of fabric are pretty much a no-go right now.

Since joining Stitch Fix, I've been trying to improve my fashion sense, but on a super-hot day in a ridiculously casual town, my attire can easily consist of a brewery t-shirt, denim shorts, and a ball cap.  Ha ha.  I just didn't think I'd wear this dress very often.  I have a couple of cute summer dresses in my closet that I haven't worn yet, so . . . I had to pass.

Sigh.  Love the colors.  Love the pattern.  I might have made a mistake!  O.o

Verdict:  RETURN

4. Dolce Vita Lettie Cross Strap Wedge - $120.00

I've had pretty good luck with Stitch Fix's shoes!  I've received a couple of great pairs, and I'm always happy to see them in my fix!  On the surface, these seem like a good choice.  I have developed a fondness for wedges.  Coral/orange is my new favorite summer color.

I almost kept these.  I'm picky about shoes, though.  I don't like them to be loose.  The straps around my ankles did not fit tightly enough for me.  There were gaps, and I felt that they would only get worse as I wore these shoes.  Plus, they are expensive!  If they were 30 or 40 dollars, I might have taken my chances and hoped for the best.

I just didn't think I'd wear these enough to justify keeping them!

They're kind of cute, though!  I'll probably have regrets about not keeping these shoes to wear with the maxi dress (that I also didn't keep).  Oh, well.

Verdict:  RETURN

5. Daniel Rainn Feruko Lace Detail Top - $74.00

This shirt could have easily worked for me.  I have a couple of other Daniel Rainn tops.  In general, they've been good purchases.  

I love navy.  And lace detail!

The other two Daniel Rainn tops that I own have built-in camisoles.  I feel like this top could have used one.  It's very sheer.  Unless a person happens to have a navy bra/camisole on hand, whatever is worn underneath will stand out.

I wore a white bra and camisole.  Maybe not the best choice.  I get that.  What to wear, though?  I could have worn a strapless bra, but the whole shirt was sheer.  I still would have needed a camisole.  I just didn't feel like I had anything flattering to wear under it.  The white straps peeking through both the front and the back just looked . . . weird.

Plus, the fit was a bit weird.  The arm holes seemed kind of roomy.  I didn't love the top, and it's an expensive one.  I decided to pass.

Verdict:  RETURN

Well, there you have it!  I'm happy with the one top that I kept, and I'm really looking forward to my next fix!

I requested to keep Lauren as my stylist for next time!  The weird thing about this fix was that, even though I kept only one thing, I loved everything!  It didn't all work on me, but you never know until you try!

By the way, if you'd like an easy way to see Stitch Fix items that other people have received, you can check out some other great Stitch Fix reviews by clicking on the link below and visiting a great linkup.  It's hosted by Maria of Crazy Together.  I always enjoy seeing her fixes and joining in the fun  with other Stitch Fix fans!  :)

http://crazytogether.com/july-stitch-fix-review-38-giveaway-link/2/

Please comment!  Did I make the right calls?  Have you received any of these items?  What did you think?

Thanks again for reading!

Individual Apple and White Cheddar Galettes

This post contains affiliate links to support my blogging addiction!  

I don't know how you all felt, but I found myself wanting to get a little crazy in the kitchen on the 4th of July.  Holidays are great excuses for indulging - at least in my book!

I try to be healthy . . . most of the time.  I do stay active and I try to cook almost all of our meals so we're not eating junk.  Unfortunately, I have gotten pretty good at making homemade junk.  Ha ha.

Anyway, I had a blast flipping through cookbooks and searching online for the perfect recipes.  I settled on a bison burger recipe from this Bobby Flay cookbook:

I'm definitely a Bobby Flay fan.  I have a few of his cookbooks.  Some of the recipes are pretty labor intensive, but I've almost always loved the results!

To go with the burgers, I decided on a recipe for Hot and Smoky Baked Beans that I found on Epicurious.  I had made it once before, so it knew it was a winner.

To round out the plate, I picked this macaroni salad recipe from The Pioneer Woman.

Yes, I know the plate kind of needs a vegetable.  Well.  It's going to be too full as it is.  There is some slaw on the burger and roasted red pepper in the salad.  How's that?  :)

We've been trying to steer clear of dessert.  We can go through periods where I make baked desserts (like brownies) and we'll have a piece with ice cream every night until it's gone.  O.O  That can't be good.  I figured I could give us a pass on the Fourth of July, though.  Shouldn't we have something American?  Like apple pie?

I was just going to rummage through a cookbook until I found a pie recipe that I liked, but I was still hesitant about having 3/4 of a pie left.  There are only two of us, so pie tends to hang around for a while.  I finally decided to design my own recipe for free-form apple galettes.  What are galettes?  A fancy word for free-form pies, I guess.  That's what I thought.  However, Wikipedia says that a galette is more like a cake.  Well, call it what you want.  Tart?  Mini-Pie?  Galette?  They all work.

I wanted to include some cheddar cheese in the mix.  I saw an apple pie on MasterChef the other day that had a lot of cheese in it.  That one didn't look so good, but I could see how, under the right circumstances and with the right balance of ingredients, it could work.

Anyway, this is a great recipe if you're just serving two or four (though it would be easy to double).  I got four large galettes.  We had two for one night, and two to save for later.  I can deal with that much leftover pie!  :)

These were great - not overly sweet, and with just enough savory cheese flavor in the flaky crust!  Here's the recipe:

Individual Apple and White Cheddar Galettes

Makes 4 galettes

Ingredients:

For the white cheddar crust:

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup butter (salted or unsalted, your preference)

1/4 cup shortening

1/2 cup finely shredded white cheddar cheese

4 to 6 tbsp. cold water

For the apple filling:

3 to 4 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (I used a mix of Granny Smith and Jazz.)

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. lemon zest

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

A pinch of salt

1 egg
1 tbsp. whole milk

A tablespoon or two of butter for dotting the finished galettes

Additional brown sugar for sprinkling

Parchment paper

Two large baking sheets

Ice cream of your choice (optional)

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  

2.  Make the crust:  Mix the flour and salt together in a medium bowl.  Cut the butter and shortening into small pieces and add to the bowl.  (If you think of it, you can chill the shortening first.  I didn't.  The butter was cold, though.)  Using your fingers, rub the butter and shortening into the flour until it resembles large crumbs.  Here's mine:

Add the grated cheese and stir with a fork until combined.  Add the cold water, 1 tablepoon at a time,  while stirring, until the dough just begins to come together.  Using your hands, gather the dough together and form a ball.  It should hold together, but it shouldn't be sticky.  Pick it up and knead it a few times.  Wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for about an hour.

3.  Prepare the apples.  Toss the apple slices with the lemon juice and zest in a medium.  In another small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Add that mixture to the apples and toss everything until well-combined.

4.  Assemble the galettes:  Cut four sheets of parchment paper.  Each one should be at least 10 inches square - big enough to fit the dough for each galette after you roll it out.  Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut it into four equal pieces.  Roll each piece into a ball and then place it on one of the parchment pieces.  Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a rough circle around 8 inches square.  (Remember, you're going to have to handle it still, so don't let it get too thin.  Mine was around 1/8 inch thick, or maybe a bit more.)  After all of the dough is rolled out, divide the apples evenly between the dough rounds, leaving a border of 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches.  After I divided the apples, I also divided the small amount of liquid that had collected in the bottom of the bowl by pouring it over each pile of apples!)

Fold the edges of the pastry over the apples, leaving a small amount of uncovered filling in the middle.  It's totally fine if it overlaps and looks ragged.  That's part of the charm (and part of the reason why I love to make galettes)!  They don't have to look pretty!  :)  Cut the excess parchment paper away, leaving a border of an inch or two around each galette.  Transfer them (on the paper) to two baking sheets.

5.  After you have formed the galettes, beat the egg and milk together in a small bowl.  Brush the galettes liberally with the egg wash.  Place a few dots of butter in the center of each galette and sprinkle it with a little bit of brown sugar.  

Yes, I know.  I was kind of sloppy with the egg wash.  Oops.

6.  Place the galettes in the oven and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes (switching the position of the pans halfway through), or until the pastry is done and the apples are tender.  The time really depends on your oven.  I have a convection oven, so you may need to bake yours a little longer (or bump up the heat by 10 degrees or so).  There's nothing worse than raw pastry, so I lifted one off the paper to make sure it was nice and golden on the bottom!  By that same token, if your oven runs hot, you'll need to keep an eye on them so they don't burn.

7.  Remove from the oven and transfer the galettes to cooling racks and allow to cool.

The sugar got a little toasty, but that didn't bother us a bit!  :)

Serve the galettes slightly warm or at room temperature.  If you like, top each one with a scoop of ice cream!  Enjoy!

This picture turned out shockingly yellow, for some reason.  Hmmm.  They're not that yellow.  :)

Well, in short, these hit the spot!  They were just what I wanted - something to feed that apple pie and cheese craving, but not leave us with lots of leftovers!  These turned out to be pretty big, though!  I asked my husband if he wanted to split one and he looked at me like I was nuts.  Ha ha.  We got through it, and we're looking forward to polishing off the last two tonight!

Another good thing about this recipe is that it is also pretty easy!  I don't know about you, but I'm not great with pie crusts.  I can make a good pie, but the crust always looks a little . . . rustic.  O.o  Galettes are very forgiving.  And parchment paper can be a lifesaver!  

I could taste the cheese in the pastry.  I used a pretty sharp white cheddar.  I wanted to taste the cheese, so that worked out well for me.  Actually, we both loved the pastry.  It turned out tender and flaky . . . perfect!

When I saw the volume of the sliced apples, I chose to use only three.  I probably will throw in the fourth apple when I do this again (and I will).  They shrink up a little bit anyway, so I think it would have been fine.

It's pretty much impossible for us to have apple pie without ice cream.  I wasn't sure if it would go with the whole cheese thing, but it did.  It was a perfect sweet treat with some nice savory undertones.  I really wanted to use cheesecake ice cream, but I couldn't find any.  We just got French vanilla.  If you can find some kind of cheesecake ice cream or gelato, I think it would be even better!  :)

 Well, that's it.  I hope you enjoy these.  We sure did.  Oh, I almost forgot to post a picture of our dinner!  You know, all those recipes that I mentioned above?  We enjoyed them - I would recommend that you check them all out!  

Please feel free to leave comments!  Did you try these?  How did they turn out for you?  Did you also find the crust to be much easier than pie crust?  Thanks for reading!

75. Tempeh Chorizo and Egg Tacos with Pepper-Jack Cheese and Green Onion Pico de Gallo

This post contains affiliate links to support my blogging addiction!  

It's been a couple of weeks since I posted a taco recipe.  If any of you have been following my posts at all, you might know that I am in the middle of a taco recipe creation project.  It's been interesting.  I've had my ups and downs with it.  I've been putting off posting this recipe (I made the tacos a day or two after my last one), because after I post it, I have to move on.  To the next one.  And the next one.  Ha ha.

I think I just needed a mental break.  I'm just about ready to start up again.  However, it's become clear to me that I am not going to finish in a year.  I have twenty-five more recipes to go, and just over a month left in my original timeline.  That's almost a recipe a day.  I suppose I could finish it if I let it take over my life, but . . . no.

I'm not a quitter, so it annoys me to modify my original plan.  It's funny, though - I came up with the original plan on a whim, and it's amazing to witness the degree to which it has affected our lives.  I have to think back to my original reasons for deciding to take on such an extended project.  I suppose I did it to jump-start my blog.  Well, it's done that.  I've learned a ton in the process.  I don't regret it at all, but we have to reclaim our sanity around here!  Ha ha.  Sometimes I just want to post about . . . other things.

So, consider this the raising of my white flag to the taco gods.  I'll finish my recipes, but it might be a year and a month.  Or something like that.  It doesn't have quite the same ring to it, but, hey . . . this is real life.  100 recipes.  In . . . a little over a year.  :)

Oh, right.  I was going to post a recipe!

I won't go on and on about these.  I'll get right to it.  They're very good.  They're vegetarian!  They would be great brunch tacos, though we had them for dinner!  

Here's the recipe:

Tempeh Chorizo and Egg Tacos with Pepper-Jack Cheese and Pico de Gallo Salsa

Serves 3-4 (about 8-12 tacos with extra salsa)

Ingredients:

For the green onion pico de gallo salsa:

2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 to 2 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
One clove of garlic, pressed through a garlic press
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp. salt (plus more to taste)

For the tempeh chorizo mixture :

One 8 oz. package tempeh

1 tbsp. olive oil
One clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. chipotle chile powder
1 tsp. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. New Mexico chile powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika (hot)
1 tsp. Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
Juice of 1/2 lime

3 or 4 eggs

12 high-quality crunchy taco shells (I used Trader Joe's brand.)

A few ounces of finely grated pepper-jack cheese

1.  Make the pico de gallo:  Place all of the salsa ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Set aside.

2.  Make the tempeh mixture:  Crumble the tempeh into a medium skillet.

Add enough water to partially cover the tempeh.  Bring to a simmer and gently cook for about 12 minutes, or until most of the water has been absorbed.  Drain any remaining water.  Add the olive oil and all of the remaining ingredients except the lime juice.  Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture is well-combined, about four to five minutes.  Add a splash or two of water if it gets too dry.  Add the lime juice and remove from the heat.  Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.  Keep warm.

3.  Cook the eggs:  Scramble the eggs in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat it over medium-low heat.  When it is hot, cook and stire the eggs until they reach your desired level of doneness.  We like ours on the soft side!  Set aside and keep warm.

4.  Heat the shells:  Toast briefly (a minute or two) in a 350 degree oven until hot and fragrant.  Watch them - they can go from toasty to burned pretty quickly!

5.  Assemble the tacos:  For each taco, place a taco shell on a plate.  Fill with some of the tempeh mixture.  Top with a small amount of the scrambled eggs and a sprinkle of cheese.  Finish with a spoonful or two of the pico de gallo.  Enjoy!

These might have made better brunch tacos than dinner tacos, but we didn't care!  They would be good anytime!  :)

The tempeh chorizo mixture was super spicy!  It was fine for us, but if you don't like heat, you might want to cut down on the chile powder, especially the chipotle!

I thought all of this went together really well, and it was a great way to get the effect of chorizo and eggs without all the grease of the "real" version.  Sometimes I forget about tempeh - it's very versatile and makes a great taco filling!

As in the past, my little taco holders helped to make a nice, neat presentation.  Here's a link to some that are similar to mine if want to try them.



It definitely helps if you want to post some taco pics on Instagram to make all of your friends jealous!  :)

Well . . . on to the next one.  I'm ready!  Only 25 more!

Feel free to comment on this recipe!  Did you try them?  What did you think?  :)

Thanks for reading!

Rosemary White IPA

This post contains affiliate links to support my blogging addiction!

I haven't brewed a batch of beer in quite a while.  My last one was my Juniper-Rye Christmas IPA.  That was a great one - one of my favorites!

I always have mixed feelings when my holiday beer is a triumph.  I give most of it away (which I love doing), but we're often left with just a few bottles.  There's always a sense of, "Man . . . I wish there was more of that!"  Ha ha.

Well, we're not in gift-giving mode right now, so if I make a batch, it's all for us!  Well.  Mostly.  I'll still give some to my family.  Just because I like them a lot.  Even when it's not Christmas.  :)

Brewing beer during the summer has its own challenges.  It's HOT here.  It's been really hard to keep our room temperature under about 78 degrees.  That's not really an ideal temperature for fermenting beer.  There are certain styles that can do well with a warmer fermentation temperature (such as hefeweizens), but those aren't necessarily our favorites.  If I have learned anything over the last four years about brewing beer, it's that you should brew the style(s) of beer that you like to drink.  Yeah.  I think I still have several bottles of that chocolate-mint stout languishing in the fridge . . .

O.o

We like hops.  And more hops.  Therefore, it's in our best interest if I brew mostly pale ales and IPAs.  I'm fine with a little extra something to add some novelty, but I don't want to work really hard and end up with something that no one wants to drink.  Ha ha.

I got the idea for this recipe from my youngest sister.  I asked her what kind of beer I should make and she didn't even hesitate.  "Rosemary White IPA!"  All right, then.

A few weeks ago, I asked her for some taco recipe inspiration and she gave me the idea for these fun Big Mac Tacos.  That worked out well.  I trust her.  :)

This is an all-grain recipe.  It includes the ingredients and some basic instructions, but it's not a complete process for brewing beer.  If you've never done that before, I would check with your local homebrew store and get a basic brewing kit to see how the whole process works.  It took me a few batches (and some extra equipment purchases) to work up to an all-grain recipe.  There is a store called Brewer's Connection with locations in both Tucson and Phoenix.  That's my go-to spot when I want brewing supplies.  They ship!  :)

There are also a couple of great books that I would recommend if you want to learn more about brewing beer.  This one is a great overview of the basics:



This next one is an interesting read about lots of different beer styles!  It includes recipes!  Some of the beers are pretty out there, but I've gotten a lot of great ideas from this book - it's one of my favorites!

Anyway, on to the recipe!  What could be better than brewing beer on the back porch on a warm June day?  (It was June 12th, to be precise!)

I used rosemary leaves from a bush that we have in our backyard.  I was really conservative about the amount, because I read (in the Radical Brewing book mentioned above) that rosemary can overpower a beer if you're not careful!  I love rosemary, but . . . O.o.  I figured I could always add more during the dry-hop process if it wasn't enough!

I thought hops of the citrusy/fruity variety would complement the rosemary, so that's what I picked.  I added a punch of Arizona mesquite honey for some flavor and a little ABV kick.  That never hurts.  :)

Here we go!

Rosemary White IPA

For a 5-gallon batch (about 50 bottles)

Ingredients:

For the mash:

4 lbs. pale ale malt
4 lbs. malted wheat
4 lb. pilsner malt
1 lb. quick-cooking oats (I just used Quaker!)
1/2 lb. rice hulls (recommended, but I forgot to buy them and had no problems)

For the boil:

1 lb. mesquite honey

1 oz. Comet hops (at 60 minutes out)
1/2 oz. each of Comet and Kohatu hops (at 15 minutes out)
1/2 oz. Comet hops (at 5 minutes out)
1 tsp. Irish moss (at 5 minutes out)
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves (at 5 minutes out)

1/2 oz. Kohatu hops (at flameout)

Yeast:

I used a Wyeast smack-pack (1272 American Ale Yeast II)

Extra Hops:

1 oz. each of Kohatu and Galaxy hops for dry-hopping

Instructions:

1.  Mash all grains for one hour at about 152 degrees.  (With all that grain, I used about 5 gallons of water.)  Mine started pretty hot (about 158!), but went down to around 148 over the course of an hour, so I'm hoping it'll be OK.

2.  Sparge at 170 degrees.  (I sparged with an additional 2 gallons of water.)  I was worried about getting a stuck sparge since I had forgotten to buy rice hulls, but it worked out just fine.  If you can get them, I would recommend doing so just to be safe.

3.  Add the honey to the wort and do a one-hour boil adding the hops, Irish moss, and rosemary as indicated.  I don't worry too much about losing volume, as I start with more liquid than I need.  I also add some ice during cooling, so it's OK with me, if it reduces a bit.

4.  Cool the wort as quickly as possible.  (I add a 7 pound bag of ice to the wort to kick-start the process.  Some people don't recommend that due to a possibility of contamination, but . . . that wort's pretty hot.  I haven't had a problem yet.  That also adds volume, but with the amount of liquid absorbed by the grains and boiled off during the boil, I still ended up with only about 5.5 gallons.)

Here's a couple of photos of my setup (taken when I made my holiday beer).  Don't laugh!  I have a copper wort-chiller, and I siphon ice water through it using my bottling bucket.

5.  Pitch the yeast at about 70 degrees (or in the low 70s if that's the best you can do).

6.  Ferment at 70 (ish) degrees.  During the summer, I place my fermentation bucket in a plastic tub.  I fill the tub with cool water.

I keep my beer in a spare closet while it's fermenting.  We installed a small fan above the tub so we can keep air running on the water.  This allows the temperature of the water/beer to stay around 70 to 72 degrees, which is slightly cooler than our room temperature.

I used to put a wet t-shirt over the bucket, but it's so dry here that the t-shirt would just end up drying out, so I'm not sure if it helped.  I decided to go without it this time.

OG - 1.064
FG - 1.012
Potential ABV - 6.8% (ish)

As I said before, I brewed this beer on June 12th.  On June 20th, I placed the extra hops in a small (sanitized) mesh bag and threw it in the wort.  I also included a couple of sanitized marbles to help it sink.  I decided against racking into a secondary fermenter.  This is going to be a quick and dirty brew.  I don't care if it's cloudy.  :)

I tasted it, and I thought the rosemary amount was just perfect.  I decided against adding any more.

My plan is to bottle this batch a few days from now.  I might use some more of that mesquite honey as priming sugar.  (I'm always up for another way to add flavor!)  I'll let it sit in the bottles for about two weeks and then refrigerate some of it.  If we end up leaving town after that point (and turn off our A/C), then I'll refrigerate all of it.  We're going to drink this one young!

I'll post an update and let you all know how it turns out.  In the meantime, I can't guarantee what you'll get if you make this.  I have high hopes for it, though.  So far, it's pretty tasty!  I can see it being a fun, refreshing summer IPA.

I'm already looking ahead to my next batch.  I think a strawberry saison would be fun.  I would even have a bit of alliteration going on with that one.  Let's see . . . could I add another "s"?  Strawberry-Sambuca-Saison?  Hmmm.  :)

Please feel free to comment!  Be kind, though - I'm not a master brewer!  I'm more like a hipster-taco-chef.  :)

74. Smoked Pork Shoulder Tacos with Ancho-Bourbon Sauce and Fresh Peach-Habañero Salsa

This post contains affiliate links to support my blogging addiction!

I've been wanting to do a pork taco with peach salsa for a couple of weeks now.  I don't know . . . it just sounds like a great summer taco, doesn't it?

I finally had a chance to make a Whole Foods run.  I wanted to use high-quality pork shoulder and ripe peaches, and our local supermarkets generally don't have either of those things.  I almost never buy peaches, even in the summer.  They're just . . . sad!  There's nothing worse (at least in terms of produce) than a mealy, flavorless peach.  Ugh.  I've had pretty good luck with the tree-ripened peaches at Whole Foods, though.

Hmmm.  What goes with pork?  And peaches?  Bourbon - of course!  (Well, maybe not "of course", but you can see how my mind works!)  I wanted a spicy, rich, slightly sweet sauce to cover the pork and I decided that bourbon was just the ticket to make it pop!

Here I go with the stovetop smoker again.  I almost braised the pork in a Dutch oven, but once I thought about smoking it, I just had to do it.  Pork shoulder, peaches, and bourbon?  Why wouldn't you want a little smoke in there, too?  If you don't have a smoker, you can still make this.  In that case, I would just brown the pork on all sides in some olive oil and then proceed with the recipe.  You could even add a little bit of liquid smoke if you felt like it.  If you don't have one, though, consider clicking the link below and ordering one!  It's well worth it.  We've had ours for about four years and we use it all the time!  If you'd like more details about it, check out this review that I wrote a couple of months ago:  Cameron's Original Stovetop Smoker - A Review.



I also highly recommend the following cookbook, which has a lot of recipes that feature this type of smoker, along with a lot of basic instructions for cooking all kinds of different foods, including vegetables!



Anyway, since I need to start another taco recipe in about an hour (which will be number 75), I'll just get right to it.  I need to finish this post!

Here's the recipe:

Smoked Pork Shoulder Tacos with Ancho-Bourbon Sauce and Fresh Peach-Habañero Salsa

Serves about 4 (about 8 tacos, depending on your pork shoulder) 

Ingredients:

For the smoked pork shoulder with ancho-bourbon sauce:

2.5 lb. pork shoulder, generously seasoned with salt and pepper

1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 peach, peeled, pitted, and coarsely chopped

2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. bourbon
A couple of sprigs each of fresh parsley and thyme
1/2 tsp. salt

For the fresh peach-habañero salsa:

2 ripe medium tomatoes
2 ripe peaches
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 habañero chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped

1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Four scallions, cut into taco-size lengths

A few oz. grated or crumbled cheese, your choice (I had leftover queso fresco, so that's what I used!)

8 to 16 corn tortillas, depending on their size and whether you plan to double them up

Instructions:

1.  Start the pork shoulder:  Place the seasoned pork shoulder in a stovetop smoker.  Rather than using the lid, cover tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil.  Smoke over medium-low heat (with 2 tbsp. oak or hickory chips) for about 40 minutes.  Start timing when you can see wisps of smoke.  Remove the smoker from the heat, and allow the pork to cool a bit on a heatproof surface in a ventilated area (preferably outside).  Preheat the oven to about 275 degrees.

2. While the pork is smoking, make the sauce:  Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.   Add the onions, lower the heat to medium low, and cook until they are soft and somewhat browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.  Add all of the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer.  Cook gently for about 20 minutes, or until the mixture has reduced slightly and thickened.

Remove the woody stems of the thyme sprigs, trying to leave behind as many of the leaves as possible.  (The parsley stems are fine.)  Blend the mixture with a hand blender until fairly smooth.  If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can carefully transfer the mixture to a high-powered blender (or regular blender) and blend until very smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings and set aside.

3. Finish the pork:  After the brisket has smoked, cut it into two large pieces and place it in a shallow baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray  Smother it in the sauce.

Cover with foil and bake for about 2 and 1/2 to 3 hours, or until very tender.  Remove from the oven and set aside to cool a bit.

4.  While the pork is cooking, make the peach salsa:  Place all of the salsa ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Set aside.

5.  Prepare the tortillas to your liking:  There are a few different ways you can do this.  When I am making tacos with soft corn tortillas, I heat a dry cast iron skillet over medium high heat.  I place a large sheet of aluminum foil near the pan.  I heat each tortilla in the skillet for about a minute or so on each side, or until it softens and begins to brown.

After each one is done, I place it on the foil and immediately start the next one.  I stack them on top of one another as I work.  When I'm done with the whole batch, I wrap them completely in the foil and place them in a 250 degree oven until I'm ready to assemble the tacos.  

6.  Transfer the pork to a cutting board and slice/pull into small pieces, discarding the fat.  Return to the sauce.

7.  Assemble the tacos:  For each taco, place a tortilla on a plate.  (You can double them up if your tortillas are thin.)  Top each tortilla with a piece of scallion.  Place several pieces of the pork down the center of each tortilla (on top of the scallion).  Spoon on some of the salsa.  Finish with a sprinkle of the crumbled (or grated) cheese.  Enjoy!

We loved everything about these!  The sauce was just what I wanted - lots of flavor, some spice, a hit of sweetness . . . :)

The salsa was pretty simple, but I think it was a perfect complement to the pork.  I almost added some shredded cabbage, but I'm glad I didn't.  I really liked the way that the pork and salsa were both able to shine.  The little crunch from the scallion and the sprinkle of mild cheese was just perfect.  Nothing else was needed!

My only issue with these was, once I got rid of the fat, there wasn't as much meat as I had hoped.  I guess that's what you get with pork shoulder.  Oh, well.  I threw a lot of fat away.  We could have served two more people, but that's about it.  I got enough pork for about eight (filling) tacos.  You could do this with pork loin and you'd get more meat, but it would also be leaner and potentially a little tougher.  I guess it's a trade-off, right?

They were delicious, though.  The recipe took some time from start to finish, but none of the steps were difficult.  It would be a fun project for a weekend afternoon.  There was lots of downtime!  

So . . . I had to try a little nip of bourbon on the side.  Ha ha.  I knew it would be the perfect accompaniment.

Yes, that's the bourbon I used in the recipe, much to my husband's dismay.  Ha ha.  Well . . . what can I say?  We didn't have any bad bourbon.  Now, I wouldn't be ridiculous and use Pappy's (if you're lucky enough to have some), but you can use whatever you've got on hand.  Standard well bourbon of some kind would probably be fine.  :)

I would highly recommend these.  Next year, I might even make them on Derby Day!  Now, there's an idea!

Feel free to comment on this recipe!  Did you try them?  What did you think?

Thanks for reading!