Shaker Spiced Grape Drink for Summer

I'm intrigued by old Shaker recipes, which is probably not a surprised considering how often I post them on the blog. (Shaker Squash Rolls and Chilled Strawberry-Mint Soup for example.)

Ever since my stint as a Canterbury Shaker Village tour guide, I’ve had an interest in the cuisine created by the sisters. Of particular interest is their skill at adding herbs and spices to dishes in ways that may not seem obvious to everyone. This Spiced Grape Drink is a good example.

One hot summer afternoon, many years ago, I paid my first visit to the Village. The grounds were so peaceful and beautiful, with the gardens in full mid-summer form.

To cool off for a bit, I took a break in the shade of a huge tree with a glass of icy spiced grape drink. It was a revelation! Cool, refreshing, and restorative. The perfect summer drink for both kids

and adults.

The Village has a decades-long tradition of serving visitors grape juice. The late Eldress Bertha Lindsay wrote in her book Seasoned with Grace: My Generation of Shaker Cooking:

“Many times in the summer, in the earlier days, our guests—the tourists who came here—would be served a quart of our grape juice. We didn’t expect them to pay for it either; they were given the drink because it made a delightful, cooling beverage in hot weather, and we were very happy to have them enjoy the fruit of the vine as we did.”

This recipe was adapted from one I found in The Shaker Kitchen by Chef Jeffrey S. Paige. The spiced-filled juice tastes wonderful on its own over ice. However, for a more grown-up taste, top it off with bubbles, such as club soda, seltzer, or sparkling wine.  

Keep a batch in the refrigerator and you will be set for summer.

Shaker Spiced Grape Drink

Adapted from The Shaker Kitchen by Chef Jeffrey S. Paige

Makes 2 quarts

As the Shaker’s did, I recommend using Concord grape juice for this recipe, preferably organic.

2 quarts Concord grape juice

1/2 cup sugar

12 whole cloves

4 cinnamon sticks

3 tablespoons whole allspice

Put all of the ingredients into a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to barely a simmer and let it cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the juice through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into a bowl or pitcher to remove the spices. Allow the juice to cool to room temperature, and then refrigerated until well chilled.

Serve juice over ice. Add club soda, seltzer, or sparkling wine, if desired.  

Choco-Cherry Cookies

I adore the flavor combination of chocolate and cherry, even more so than chocolate and strawberry, orange, or any other fruit flavor.

My eyes light up at the sight of Black Forest Cake.

I love the burst of cherry when biting into one covered in chocolate.

I’m instantly a kid again when I order a Choco-Cherry Love Blizzard at Dairy Queen.

So, when needing to satisfy a cookie craving, it makes sense I reached for the cocoa powder, chocolate chips and dried cherries in my pantry to create these wonderful cookies. The rich chocolate flavor is delightful, and each surprising bite of dried cherry is

a tasty treat.

I ate these cookies warm from the oven.

I ate them while watching television.

Yes, I even ate a couple for breakfast.

Thank goodness I left a bunch on the hallway table by the elevators for my neighbors. Otherwise, I may have eaten them all!

Choco-Cherry Cookies

Makes about 5 dozen

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s.)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli.)

1 cup dried cherries, rough chopped if too large

1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, brown sugar, sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Add the eggs and beat until well combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple of times. Add the chocolate chips, dried cherries and nuts (if using) and mix for just a moment to combine.

Drop rounded teaspoons of the cookie dough onto the baking sheets. Place in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, turning the cookie sheets and swapping shelves halfway through baking. Take the cookies out of the oven and allow them to sit on the baking sheets for two minutes. Then place them on racks to cool. Store in an air-tight container.      

Chilled Strawberry-Mint Soup

I love when strawberry season arrives. While I occasionally buy organic berries at the supermarket (I feel they have the best flavor), my favorite place to get them is at the Saturday morning downtown farmer’s market. If you have only eaten berries from the store, please do yourself a favor and find a freshly picked pint. It will be life-changing! When the season arrives, I always purchase one container to eat right away and one or two extra to freeze for later in the year.

One of my favorite strawberry recipes is this chilled strawberry-mint soup that I first tasted at the Canterbury Shaker Village in New Hampshire. This soup is the perfect remedy for a hot, humid summer day. I bought the strawberries, spearmint, and honey all at the farmer’s market. A batch can be made when the berries are fresh, and then frozen to enjoy all summer long.

Chilled Strawberry-Mint Soup

Serves 6 to 8 people

Adapted from The Shaker Kitchen by Jeffrey S. Paige.

This recipe needs to chill at least 8 hours before serving, so plan ahead. Note: If using frozen strawberries, measure or weight them first, and then allow them to thaw. Be sure to include any juice that comes from the thawed berries into the recipe.

1 cup sugar

1 cup loosely packed spearmint leaves

2 pints (20 ounces) fresh strawberries, washed and hulled

3/4 cup honey

1 quart (32 ounces) plain yogurt

For garnish: Plain yogurt, sliced strawberries, and spearmint leaves

           

Place the sugar and spearmint leaves into the bowl of a food processor. Whiz together until the leaves are very finely minced. Add the strawberries and honey and process until smooth.           

Pour the strawberry mixture into a bowl. Add the yogurt and whisk until smooth. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Serve cold. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt, a couple of strawberry slices, and mint leaf.  This soup can be frozen to serve at a later date. Just allow it to unthaw in the refrigerator before serving.

My Mom

I call my mom every day. She once told me, “You don’t have to do that. I know you’re busy.”

I replied, “But I want to!”

My mom is my first best friend. She is my biggest fan (though The Picky Eater gave her a run for her money.) She never scoffed at my dreams and always supported me in any adventure.

When Dad wanted me to go to college in my home state of Missouri, Mom understood my need to venture outside of my childhood area. When I would leave school for periods of time to work as a nanny along the East Coast, she understood my desire to see parts of the world I only knew from books and television. When I wanted to spend five weeks exploring Great Britain, Mom understood, even though it meant returning to school mid-semester.

When I settled down in New England for almost 20 years, she understood. When I went years between visits home, she understood. When I felt the need to move back to the Midwest but chose Kansas over Missouri, she understood.

And in this past year, the darkest year of my life after loosing The Picky Eater, she understood. She offered support—both moral and financial—as I waded through my grief and started to move forward in life once again. She did all of this while dealing with her own grief after loosing Dad.

I am who I am because of my mom.

A nasty virus is keeping me from visiting Mom this weekend, but I’ll be there in a couple of weeks to celebrate her birthday. However, my heart, thoughts and prayers are with her daily.

If you’re thinking about a treat for your mom, may I suggest my mom’s favorite angel food cake. It is easy to prepare and delicious.

Yes, Mom, I’ll bring one with me when I come!  

I love you!