I don’t know about you, but I’m so (like, so so so so) happy that summer’s coming. This winter was a long, snow-filled one in New England, and everyone I know is happy to see the thermometer finally rising a little.

Which brings me to thoughts of summer plans. Which brings me to barbecues and picnics. Which brings me to (you guessed it) all those homemade goodies you can pack into a picnic basket.

Now, when it comes to condiments, if they sell it in a store, chances are that I’m going to try to make my own version at home. If you have a blender (or food processor) and a stove, it’s easy as pie to make your own ketchup.

This ketchup comes from Saveur. It’s a great base recipe that you can customize to suit your tastes. You can also make it thicker or thinner by adjusting the cooking time up or down.

This is definitely ten steps up from most bottled ketchups, which tend to be laden with sugar and corn syrup.

This ketchup is fragrant with ground clove and ginger, and gets the tiniest bit of sweetness from a few spoonfuls of brown sugar. Half a fresh jalapeno adds just a little heat.

A brief history of ketchup

Ketchup finds its origins in the ancient Chinese sauce ke-tsiap, a spiced, pickled fish sauce that was probably more akin to a soy sauce than the thick tomato-y sauce we know and love today. It became kechap in Malaysia, and ketjap in Indonesia.

English sailors brought it west in the seventeenth century. By the eighteenth century, tomatoes found their way into the brew.

In 1876, Heinz started to bottle it and distribute it to the masses. The rest, you could say, is history.

A note about ingredients

For the mustard powder, I like Colman’s mustard. You can find it in the spice aisle of most major grocery stores in the U.S.

For the cider vinegar, I used Bragg’s, which I always have in the kitchen. Love the flavor. It’s also one of those folksy elixirs that’s reputed to help keep you full of life. Read more about its health benefits here (note that cooking will probably kill some of them).

The dreaded “pinch”

OK, so the spice measurements in this recipe are all in “pinches,” which I know frustrates some people.

I think the idea is to give you a good guideline for which spices to use, and let you decide how much of what you want to add. Add more or less of the ones you like/dislike. (For example, we love clove at The Mouse House, so I added a little extra ground cloves.)

If you’re not sure what to do, just add equal pinches of each.

For you scientific types out there, a pinch is generally considered to be a little less than 1/8 of a teaspoon.

What are San Marzano tomatoes?

This recipe calls for one 28-oz. can of tomato puree. Use the best tomato puree you can find. If you grow & can your own, use that. It will be even better.

I used San Marzano tomatoes, a variety that’s widely considered to be one of the best for sauce. San Marzanos are pointier and thinner than traditional plum tomatoes. They’re also slightly less acidic, with thicker flesh and fewer seeds.

The puree is really silky, a little sweet, and very, very tomato-y.

A can is going to run you more than the average tomato puree, but I think it’s well worth the extra buck. If you can find them on sale, grab a few and stash them away.

That said, use the tomato puree you like best. I usually use Pastene, which would be really good, too.

Don’t forget the mustard…

If you want to deck out your table with matched homemade condiments, try the Guinness Mustard I made a while back. It’d go really well with this ketchup.

The short version of the recipe goes like this

Grab all your fresh ingredients. Toss them into your blender with the tomato puree. Blend. Transfer to a pot. Add the spices and simmer over medium heat for 45 minutes to an hour. Cool and bottle.

Here’s what that looks like, step-by-step.

Homemade Ketchup

Recipe from Saveur

1  28-oz. can tomato puree
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1 clove garlic, crushed and peeled
1/2 fresh jalapeño, stemmed and seeded
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 cup water
Pinch cayenne
Pinch celery salt
Pinch dry mustard
Pinch ground allspice
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch ground ginger
Pinch ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Yields about 4 cups of ketchup (that’s about 3 1/2 pint jars)

Blend up the tomato base

Grab your jalapeno. If you’re super sensitive to spicy stuff, use rubber gloves when you handle the little guy.

Whack him in half and nip off the stem.

Slice out the ribs and seeds (where most of the heat is).

This is what you’ll wind up using.

Peel your garlic clove. A fast, easy way to do this is to lay your knife blade down on top of the garlic clove…

…then carefully press down on your knife really hard. You’ll smoosh the meat of the garlic, and you’ll almost always be able to pull the wrapper off in one or two large pieces.

Peel your onion, then cut it into about 8 pieces. Basically, you want to chunk it up so it’s easier for your blender to deal with.

Toss the tomato puree in your blender or food processor.

Toss in the jalapeno, garlic, onion, and brown sugar.

Cap your blender and puree for about a minute, until it’s smooth.

Now that you’ve liquified the solids, it’s time to add the liquids. Toss in the cider vinegar…

…and the water.

Puree until the mixture is uniform.

It will be a little on the thin side, but it’s going to reduce as it cooks, so that’s just fine.

Cook the ketchup

(Say that 10 times fast, eh?) Transfer the contents of your blender into a medium-sized heavy bottomed pot. I used my 4-quart copper pot.

Toss in the spices. (See my note above about “pinches” as a measurement.)

Whisk to incorporate. Give it a quick taste to check the seasoning. If you think it needs more spices, add them. (Remember though: Flavors intensify as sauce reduces.)

Set the pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally.

When the mixture starts to boil, knock the heat down to about medium. Basically, you want the sauce to just hold a simmer. Cook uncovered for about 45 – 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When is it done?

That, to me, is a loaded question. At least where matters of tomato-y sauces are concerned. It comes down to how you like your ketchup…on the thinner side, on the thicker side, or somewhere in between.

How to test your ketchup

To test what your ketchup will be like when it’s chilled, stick a small plate in the freezer for about 15 minutes. (This will be familiar to all you jam makers out there.)

When you think your ketchup is done, put about a teaspoon on the cold plate. Stick it back in the freezer until the ketchup is cold. Then, taste it and see if you’re happy. The consistency of the ketchup on your plate represents about how the entire pot would be once it’s chilled.

If you like it, take the pot off the heat. If you want it thicker, simmer it for another 5-10 minutes, then do the cold plate test again.

When you’re happy with your ketchup, take it off the stove.

Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Cool it to room temp on the counter, then bottle and refrigerate.

Bottle & enjoy!

My finished ketchup was kind of a medium thickness. Thinner than Heinz. Thick enough to slather on a burger or hot dog. It was the consistency of a thick, fresh tomato sauce (hey, go figure, right?).

I packed mine up in a few pint jars. One for our house, two for friends.

Storage

Keeps well in the fridge for about a month. Happy picnicking!

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I mean, you take regular ole butter, mash in your favorite herbs and spices, roll it up and refrigerate, and…presto! Instant flavor. On hand. When you need it.

This is one of my all-time favorite blends. It’s full of warm, toast-y winter flavors. Scotch. Maple syrup. A hint of smoke from a little smoked paprika. Chinese 5-spice powder, with a little extra clove, anise, and cinnamon thrown in. (Mmmm…)

This is one of those things that I make en masse and keep in the fridge for the holiday season. It’s great on everything from French toast to roasted chicken. Use it to garnish a thick, char-grilled steak. Crown a steaming bowl of creamy mashed potatoes with a few slices and some minced chives.

Like I said: Instant flavor. You get the picture.

Warning: This recipe makes a somewhat obscene amount of butter.

It’ll keep for about a month in the fridge…if it lasts that long, of course. The recipe is also really easy to scale, if you want to make a smaller batch.

This is the butter that we used for this year’s Thanksgiving bird, The Angry Chef’s Whiskey Glazed Turkey.

Spicy Holiday Compound Butter

1 lb. butter, softened
2 Tbls. good scotch, (we used Johnny Walker Black)
1 Tbls. grade B maple syrup (grade A will work, too…grade B has stronger maple-y flavor)
1 Tbls. Chinese 5-spice powder
1/4 tsp. star anise
1/4 tsp. ground clove
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. kosher salt

Yields slightly more than 1 lb. of compound butter. Keeps about 4 weeks.

Flavor the butter

Grab your butter. (In the U.S., one pound of butter = 4 sticks, which is usually one box.)

Slice it up and leave it to soften on the counter for maybe 20 minutes. Basically, you want it soft enough that you can mash it easily with a fork.

When it’s soft, mash it up.

Add the scotch and the maple syrup.

For the maple syrup, I used the Grade B syrup that the good folks at Vermont’s Smith Maple Crest Farm were kind enough to send me. (Thank you, guys!!!) Their syrup has great flavor, and they sell it online. Get some for yourself here.

Toss in the 5-spice powder, anise, clove, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and kosher salt.

Mash it all up with a fork to combine well.

Give it a taste. Add more of salt or spices if you think it needs it.

Wrap and roll

Grab a large sheet of waxed paper. For this amount of butter, you’ll need about a foot-and-a-half or so.

Scoop the butter onto the waxed paper.

Roll it up, tucking the butter under as you roll, just like you would with a burrito or an egg roll.

You want to wind up with a long tube of butter, like this.

Twist the ends like a piece of hard candy. Pop it into the fridge for at least a few hours to harden up. (You can cheat and try to speed it up by putting it in the freezer, just keep an eye on it to be sure it doesn’t freeze solid.)

Slice off as needed. Enjoy!

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OK, kids: This is coffee. In solid form.

It’s been sweetened with condensed milk and booze-ified with a healthy dose of Kahlua—then rubberized into a blissful, cocktail-hour finger food thanks to the magic of gelatin.

(If you know me, you know how much I love coffee, so you can imagine how excited I was when I came across the recipe.)

Now, you have to like Jello, or Jello-like food, for this to work. If you do, you’re in for a treat.

Huge thanks to The Food Librarian for sharing their deliciousness. I tweaked her recipe, and will definitely be making them again.

(If you haven’t checked out the Food Librarian’s blog, you should. She does some amazing things with jello—not to mention other yummy stuff.)

So, years ago, I had several meals that ended with Classic American Jello Mold Torture. You know the kind I’m talking about. Those domed, gelatinous creatures swimming with fruit that seem like they should be on the table at a science fair—not in your dining room.

This is not that jello.

This jello is the short and stout cousin of Vietnamese iced coffee, that fabulous concoction of espresso and condensed milk.

This is jello that you could serve to your foodie friends. If you’re me, this is also your midnight-snack jello. And since I added a good dose of Kahlua to them, I guess they’re also kind of like Jello Jigglers for grown-ups.

This stuff is silly. This stuff is good. Go make some. You’ll see.

The short version of the recipe goes like this

Bloom the gelatin (i.e. mix it together with water) for about 10 minutes. Make some coffee. Add it to the gelatin, along with the condensed milk and Kahlua. Pour it into a pan and pop it into the fridge until it sets.

That’s it.(Really.)

Read on for step-by-step instrux of what that looks like.

Oh, be sure to get sweetened condensed milk (which is milk that’s been cooked down with sugar) NOT evaporated milk (which is unsweetened).

Drunken Coffee Jello Squares

Adapted from The Food Librarian

1/2 cup cold water
1 3/4 cups strong coffee, hot (I brewed 8 Tbls. French Roast with 2 cups water)
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
3 packets of Knox unflavored gelatin
3 Tbls. Kahlua or other coffee liquor

8-inch x 8-inch glass baking pan

Brew the coffee

Make the coffee the way you normally would at home. The goal is to wind up with 1 3/4 cups of strong coffee. For me, I used 8 Tbls. French Roast to 2 cups of water.

Make the gelatin mixture

Grab your gelatin. I used regular old, unflavored Knox gelatin. You can find this in the baking aisle of most major U.S. grocery stores.

Put the water in a large bowl.

Toss in the gelatin. (Normally, I like to measure gelatin out, since the packages can have a varying amount of gelatin in them, but I went with the Food Librarian’s directions, and it came out just fine.)

Give it a stir to mix. It should immediately start to thicken and suck up the water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. (This process is called “blooming” the gelatin. Basically, you’re rehydrating it.)

After 10 minutes, it should be rubbery but still fairly soft.

Add the hot, brewed coffee to the gelatin.

Whisk it gently (gently!!! see below…) to break up the gelatin and incorporate it with the coffee.

Pour in the condensed milk. Whisk gently to combine.

Add the Kahlua. (If you don’t fancy Kahlua, definitely swap in your favorite liquor. Anything you’d normally put in coffee should work. Amaretto, Frangelico, etc.)

Whisk to combine.

Now, I goofed here, I think. I whisked a little too vigorously, which created a lot of froth on the surface of the mixture. As the gelatin sets in the fridge, those bubbles will set on the surface. To avoid bubbly gelatin, mix gently.

Pour it into your glass pan. (No need to grease or line the pan. Jello won’t stick to glass.)

Refrigerate until set

Pop it into the fridge and refrigerate for a few hours, until set firmly. (If you do wind up with those bubbles on the surface, let it sit for about 20 minutes in the fridge, then yank it out and skim the top layer off.)

Slice, inhale, enjoy!

When your Drunken Coffee Jello Squares have set up, they should look about like this:

Slice them into squares (or cut them into shapes with little cookie cutters) and serve. The Food Librarian served them in little paper muffin cups, which sounds like a great idea to me.

Now that I have the basic method down, I think I’m going to try these next with tea! I’ll let you guys know how it goes…

Hope you guys are having a nice summer!

We’ve been spending a lot of time chasing after Miss. Penelope. I’ve also been puttering around in my herb garden, which seems to be very happy on our back porch.

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You know me: If it’s got Guinness stout in it, chances are, I’m gonna love it. This mustard is no exception.

It’s earthy, salty, and tangy—and totally my new favorite thing to spread on sandwiches and burgers. I think it would be great in BBQ marinades, too.

Thank to the good folks at Saveur magazine for the recipe. It’s definitely a keeper.

The process couldn’t be easier. It takes two or three days to make, but there’s about 15 minutes of active cooking time (if that).

Basically, you combine all the ingredients, then let them sit on the counter for one or two days to mingle. During that time, the mustard seeds soak up all that good stout and vinegar, which softens them up.

Then, you whizz the whole mess up in the food processor for about 3 minutes to thicken it, and…voila! Homemade Guinness mustard.

Your beer loving friends will think you’re a hero.

Warning: This recipe makes a lot of mustard

As in, three-and-a-half cups of it.

For comparison, a regular-size jar of Grey Poupon holds 8 oz.—or one cup—of mustard.

So, if you don’t think you’re going to go through it (or don’t plan on passing out your homemade concoction to your friends), I’d recommend cutting the recipe in half.

That said, it does last. The mustard will keep for about six months in the fridge. I packed mine into a couple pint-sized canning jars.

About mustard seeds

OK, there’s more to it than this, but here are the basics about mustard seeds.

There are three main types of mustard seeds: White (sinapis alba, often referred to as yellow), brown (brassica juncea), and black (brassica nigra).

Most grocery stores will carry the yellow type. Use the yellow or the brown to make this mustard. If you can’t find them in person, Penzey’s is a great source for spices.

Mustard in history and legend

• In Latin, the word mustard is “mustum ardems,” which means  “burning must.”
• The mustard plant is in the same family as wasabi, watercress, horseradish, and arugula—all of which get their burn from a group of chemicals known as isothiocyanates. The plant is really hearty, and can thrive almost anywhere.

• Mustard has been used medicinally since ancient times. Mustard plasters can increase breathing for a congested person and also relieve swelling by increasing blood flow to the surface of the skin.
• Young mustard greens add a sharp bite to salads and sandwiches.
• The Chinese considered mustard to be an aphrodisiac.
• German women sewed mustard seeds into the hems of their wedding gowns to help assure they’d keep the upper hand over their husbands.

Alrighty! Let’s get to it!

Spicy Guinness Mustard

Adapted from Saveur

1 1/2 cups Guinness Extra Stout
1 1/2 cups yellow mustard seeds (about 10 oz.)
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Makes about 3 1/2 cups of mustard

Make the mustard mixture

Crack open your Guinness. (Mmmm…)

Use the extra stout, the regular kind, or substitute your favorite stout.

Measure it out.

One thing to note: Check your measurement once the foamy head subsides a little bit to be sure you have an accurate amount.

(Liquid to solid proportions are important in this recipe, because they govern how thick/thin your mustard will be. Too much beer = runny mustard. Not enough beer = super thick.)

Pour it into a medium-sized, non-reactive bowl. (“Non-reactive” means that your bowl is made out of a material that won’t react with acid. Use ceramic, glass, enamel, or stainless steel. Avoid aluminum.)

(You know I didn’t let that leftover Guinness go to waste…)

Add your red wine vinegar to the bowl. I used Colavita brand, but any will do. As with most condiments and sauces, the better flavor your ingredients, the better flavor your end product.

Toss in the salt, pepper, and all the spices.

This recipe makes a nicely—but not overly—spiced mustard. Adjust the spices up or down (or add others) to suit your taste.

Whisk together gently (the stout will still be nice and bubbly and you don’t want a mess…) until the mixture is fairly uniform.

Toss in the mustard seeds.

And whisk to incorporate.

Let the mustard age for a few days

Cover with plastic wrap. Set the bowl on your counter and let it sit, undisturbed, for one or two days. (I let mine age for 2 days.) This is to let the seeds soften up so you can pulverize them.

Process the mustard

After a day or two, your mustard seeds should have soaked up a lot of the liquid. That’s just fine. (In fact, that’s what you want. It means that the seeds are softer now.)

Toss the contents of your bowl into your food processor. I’m guessing you could also do this, in batches, in a good (i.e. powerful) blender, though I haven’t tried it.

Process for about 3 minutes.

As the seeds break down, the mixture will get thicker. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, if need be.

Stop a few times to check the thickness. When you’re happy with how thick it is, stop.

I was aiming for a very thick mustard, like this:

Package and enjoy!

Spoon the mustard out into prepared (i.e. very clean) jars or a bowl. Keep the mustard in the fridge. It’ll be good for about six months. That is, if it lasts that long.

Enjoy!

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Ever indulge in a little too much tequila? Raise your hand. (I won’t tell.)

You know the time I’m talking about. Those margaritas on the roofdeck of your favorite cantina. Or those shots after midnight at that hole in the wall just past the city limits. Oh, or that frat party near the end of your senior year.

Regardless of the details, seems like everyone has at least one Epic Tequila Story. (Except me, of course. I swear.)

And, of course, that’s not remotely the kind of tequila experience I’m talking about today.

In the last ten years or so, tequila has come a long way, graduating from sloppy sorority girl to polished socialite. Forget those neon green margaritas. I’m talking about tequila that you’d sip, well, like scotch.

Much like the explosion of microbrews and artisan whiskies, smaller tequila makers have been sprouting up left and right, giving good ole Jose Cuervo a run for his agave.

His blue agave, to be exact. That’s this stuff (wouldn’t want to run into one of these spiny beasts in a dark alley, eh?):

Blue agave (Agave tequiliana Weber) is actually a member of the lily family, even though it looks like it’d be more at home on the cactus family tree. It’s grown in certain parts of Mexico, and the plants—which can grow up to 15 feet tall—take 8 – 12 years to mature before they’re ripe for harvesting for tequila.

Partida Tequila, the brand we sampled for this article, is actually one of the few tequilas that qualifies as “estate grown.” This means that they own all the land that their agave is grown on, so they’re able to keep a close eye on quality and consistency.

Sounds about right to me. Their tequila was great.

Premium tequila vs. mixto

Tequila is closely regulated by the Tequila Regulatory Council (no joke) and tagged with appelation-of-origin status, just like wine and cognac.

To be considered a premium tequila, the spirit must be made with 100% blue agave, with no artificial flavors or colors added. Anything else is just mixto. Literally.

Tequila that has additives, but is at least 51% agave, is considered “mixto,” or mixed. Mixto tequilas showed up in the 1930s, as a way to stretch agave during a shortage.

Different types of tequila

When you’re at the liquor store, keep your eyes out for the five basic types of tequilas. Here’s a quick guide:

Gold—Any tequila labeled “gold” is usually mixto (not premium), which means it’s had caramel color and/or flavors added to it. This is the kind of tequila that usually shows up in mixed drinks.

Silver / White—Premium tequila that hasn’t been aged, so it’s clear in color and pure in flavor, so you can taste the agave.

Reposada—“Reposada” means rested, and that’s just what this tequila has done: It’s aged in barrels (whiskey, cognac, wine, etc.) for two to twelve months. It gets flavor and a light golden color from the barrels.

Anejo—This is tequila that’s been barrel aged for one to three years. The barrels give it deep, woody notes and a deeper, almost amber color.

Extra Anejo—A relatively new tequila classification, this tequila has been aged for three years or more. It’s deeply flavored, and dark amber in color.

Tequila in the mail = A happy day at The Mouse House

So, like I said, the good folks at Partida Tequila were kind enough to send me a few small, complimentary bottles of their brew to sample. (Thank you, Partida!).

We consulted the pros

Not being a very educated tequila consumer, I pocketed the bottles and The Angry Chef and I headed over to the headquarters of the cocktail experts at SeeMyDrink.com. The senior staff over there has years of experience tending bar, so we were eager to get their opinion on the Partida.

Sidebar: More on these guys soon. SeeMyDrink.com is an awesome company and one of our newest partners here at The Hungry Mouse. Think cocktails meet Facebook and Flickr. They’re just getting ready to launch their beta, and we couldn’t be more excited. Stay tuned.

Alrighty, to the bar!

Here are our tasting notes, along with a little info on each from Partida. (I’m a sucker for a good bottle. I saved all three of them to use in future kitchen projects.)

Partida Blanco

What we said
Clean taste. Easy on the palate. Nice aftertaste. Doesn’t taste cheap. A little floral.

What Partida says
Distinctive notes of blue agave, citrus, tropical fruit. Suggested retail is $50.

Our verdict
We liked it, and all agreed that, of the three tequilas, this would be the one we would shake up in a cocktail.

Partida Anejo

What we said
Stronger than the Blanco, bordering on harsh. Hints of pepper and peppermint. Fiery on the front of your palate and the tip of your tongue. Smokey and woodsy.

What they said
The smoke and wood we picked up were likely from the one-pass Jack Daniels barrels that Partida uses to age their Anejo. Suggested retail is $67.

Our verdict
Definitely a sipping drink for folks who like strong tequila with complex flavors.

Partida Reposado

What we said
Sweeter than the Blanco and smoother than the Anejo. Really nice, slow heat. Smells a little malty. Hints of vanilla and hazelnut. Long aftertaste. No smoke.

What they said
Their richest and smoothest tequila. A rich finish topped off with scents of vanilla, hazelnut and almond. Suggested retail is $58.

Our verdict
Our favorite. Really great flavor—and really easy to drink. Best of both worlds. Who can complain?

The bottom line?

If you like tequila, definitely try Partida. It’s good stuff, and well worth the cost.

Oh, and if you want to go all out, they also sell bottles of their top-of-the-line Elegante for $350.

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