Not even Krupnik is safe

Burning Maple Forest

12oz maple syrup
2/3 Cup brewed smokey tea, hot (I used one that I dubbed "Burning Village," an uncomplicated, Chinese smokey black tea)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 green cardamom pod
4 sticks cinnamon
lemon and orange zest (about 2 strips of each)
2 Cups cheap vodka

empty bottle
no fuss double boiler (pyrex measuring cup in a saucepan of hot water)

Don't use good vodka. If you buy something in a 750ml bottle and have an extra bottle of equal size, make a double batch. It will use everything perfectly. You won't need to measure the vodka. Just pour half of the full bottle into the empty one.

Pour the vodka into an empty bottle. Start steeping your tea. (1 tsp of leaves in 190F water)

Using a double boiler method, warm the maple syrup. (Heat a saucepan with enough water to make a bath for the glass measuring cup, no deeper than 3/4 the height of the cup deep.) Add the nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, and zest. Allow to infuse on low heat for 5 minutes.

Carefully remove the measuring cup from your saucepan. Pour the warm maple syrup infusion into the bottle with the vodka. Pop the citrus zest and cinnamon into the bottle, but do not add the cardamom pods. (It should not age with the cardamom in it.) Pour your brewed tea into the measuring cup, then add to the bottle. If there is any space left, top off with hot tea.

Cap. Do not touch for at least 2 weeks. It will improve if left longer.

This is a variation on Krupnik, which uses honey, plain water, 2 whole cloves, no cardamom, double the cinnamon, and one whole vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or 1 tsp vanilla extract).

Roasted Parsnip Soup

It started with this recipe for spicy parsnip soup: Jamie Oliver's soup.

Tired of the repetitious paring of coconut milk with curry seasoning and appalled by a recipe that makes enough soup to swim in, I restructured the whole thing. It becomes vegan very easily.

2 parsnips
2 TBL butter or high-heat oil (suggestion: sunflower oil)
1/4 tsp salt

1 TBL olive oil
1 Cup Vegetable stock (homemade)
1 can (15 oz) Coconut milk (Trader Joe's light coconut milk)
1 small red onion (about 1 Cup, chopped)
1/4 C celery
2 cloves of garlic (at least), chopped
1/2 a carrot
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp fresh parsley


Onion, garlic, and herbs are to taste. Feel free to use fresh herbs if you have them on hand.

Preheat your oven to 425F. Peel your parsnips (you don't have to, but it will make the soup prettier) and slice into thin (1/4") circles. Cut each circle again into 4. The faster way to do this is to cut each parsnip in half, then split the half lengthwise, then cut two longs at a time as if you were cutting half-circles. You want an end result of confetti sized pieces that will roast quickly.

A 9"x12", 1" deep pan is the perfect roasting pan size. Put butter and parsnip confetti into the pan and into the oven for 2 to 5 minutes, until the butter is melted. If using oil, skip to the next step. Remove, and stir the parsnips around so that they get a good coating of butter. Sprinkle with salt. Set a timer for 20 minutes and let those beauties roast. Give them another stir up during the roasting if you like. They should be tender but should not be soft; think "al dente".

Chop your onions, garlic, and parsley. Slice the celery. Cut the carrot into thin (1/8") coins. Half a carrot is plenty; just eat the rest! Proceed when the parsnips are roasted.

In a medium saucepan, saute the onions & celery in oil until the onions start to become clear. Add your garlic, and saute one more minute. Lower heat. Add your roasted parsnips. Add your sage, rosemary, thyme, and carrot. (If you are using dry or frozen parsley, add it now.) Add with vegetable stock and coconut milk. Stir.

Cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes (already on the timer, how convenient!). Check your parsnips for tenderness. If they are not soft enough for your taste, allow another 10 minutes of cooking on low heat.

Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

From Food

This photo does not do this soup justice. Peeling and roasting the parsnips makes the soup a creamy golden tone, and the carrot coins create accent points of color without being flavor bullies.