Passport for Your Palate-Tim Tam Slam

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Let’s begin with what a Tim Tam is. It is Australia’s most delectable little chocolate-covered biscuit and legendary snack. It would be purely sacrilegious to visit Australia and not eat one of these treats. The biscuit has been around since 1964 and has been an Australian diet staple ever since. It has the original cookie, but Aronott’s, the creator, also has other options, including gluten-free, double chocolate, caramel, dark mint, and more! And the excellent news for you is that you can purchase them in the United States at various grocery stores. 

Now, here is the fun part: enjoying a Tim Tam Slam. A Tim Tam Slam is where your cookie becomes a straw for your hot cocoa or coffee. How does this cookie become a straw? My children and I were fortunate to have my dear Aussie mate, Melissa, demonstrate and teach us the art of a Tim Tam Slam one New Year’s Eve several years ago. And, this holiday, after receiving a box of Australian chocolate treats, my daughter Greta and I had to give it another go. 

Tim Tam Slam

What you Need:

  • Tim Tams-purchase at your local store or online.
  • Beverage-select and make your beverage Hot Chocolate, Coffee, Tea, or Port. It can be any drink that is not too thick that you enjoy.
  • Napkins

How to Slam:

Tim Tam Slam

  1. Remove one biscuit from the wrapper.
  2. Hold the biscuit on a diagonal.
  3. Take a smallish bite off one corner of the biscuit.
  4. Take another small bite diagonally off the other end of the biscuit. (be careful that neither of these bites is too large, as tempting as it might be)
  5. The final piece is one seamless move. Have your drink close. You are going to use your altered Tim Tam as a straw. Put your mouth on one bitten end and place the other into your drink. Suck the liquid up through the cookie, then once the liquid comes through, pop the entire cookie into your mouth for an incredible chocolate flavor bomb. 
  6. Use a napkin to dab up any chocolate fingerprints. 
  7. Repeat. 

For the most fun, add friends!  

Tim Tam Slam


Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI. 

She has been a professional travel consultant since 2008 and specializes in Australia and the South Pacific. Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, and Cook Islands are among the specialist certificates she holds.  Her agency’s focus is on creating custom itineraries with their client’s wants, desires, and budgets in mind.  She and her planners believe in getting to know the traveler to ensure they have a vacation to remember.  With each planner specializing in a different market area, Boomerang Escapes can offer a wide variety of leisure vacation planning.

Lisa RossmeisslPassport for Your Palate-Tim Tam Slam
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Passport for Your Palate-Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

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Fall is truly one of my favorite seasons. The colors, crisp air, earthy smells, and comfort food. This is the time of year when winter squashes are ready for harvest. Your pumpkin, acorn, butternut, hubbard, and so on. Winter squashes are so versatile, making great additions to soups, stews, casseroles, and as a simple side dish. However, one of my favorite parts of these squashes is the seeds. 

It is a tradition in our house during pumpkin carving to roast the seeds. Even with my kids, who are now young adults, we love to get a pumpkin for the seeds. Roasted pumpkin seeds are easy to do and make a delicious, nutritious snack. This method can be followed with any of the winter squashes. 

Here are the simple steps to roasted pumpkin seeds:

Ingredients:

  • Pumpkin seeds (seeds from a pumpkin)
  • Olive oil or melted butter
  • Salt (optional)
  • Seasonings of your choice (e.g., garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, etc.)

Instructions:

Remove the Seeds:

    • Start by removing the seeds from a pumpkin. You can do this by cutting the pumpkin open, scooping out the seeds and any stringy bits, and placing them in a bowl. Rinse the seeds in a colander under cold water to remove any remaining pulp, and pat them dry with a paper towel.

Preheat Your Oven:

    • Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C).

Season the Seeds:

    • In a bowl, toss the cleaned and dried pumpkin seeds with a little bit of oil, about a teaspoon for a cup of pumpkin seeds. This will help the seasonings stick and make the seeds crispy. 
    • Experiment with your choice of seasonings. Common choices include salt, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, or any other spices you prefer. You can buy a pre-made season salt as well. (The seeds pictured have salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. The ratio of spices will depend on your taste, but I used about 1/2 teaspoon of paprika, garlic powder, salt, and a 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.)

Spread on a Baking Sheet:

    • Spread the seasoned pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Make sure they are evenly distributed and not crowded to ensure they roast evenly.

Roast in the Oven:

    • Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast the pumpkin seeds for about 15 minutes. You should check on them every 5 minutes and give them a little stir. You will know they are done when you smell them and see they have become golden brown. Be careful not to overcook them.

Let Them Cool and Enjoy:

    • Once the pumpkin seeds are done, remove them from the oven and cool them on the baking sheet. They will become even crispier as they cool down. Once cooled, you can enjoy or store them in an airtight container for about two weeks. Though they are likely to last only a short time. 

I love eating roasted pumpkin seeds as a snack or sprinkling a handful on a salad. They are a tasty treat and nutritious treat. Do you roast your pumpkin or squash seeds? What are your favorite seasonings? We would love for you to share. 


Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI. 

She has been a professional travel consultant since 2008 and specializes in Australia and the South Pacific. Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, and Cook Islands are among the specialist certificates she holds.  Her agency’s focus is on creating custom itineraries with their client’s wants, desires, and budgets in mind.  She and her planners believe in getting to know the traveler to ensure they have a vacation to remember.  With each planner specializing in a different market area, Boomerang Escapes can offer a wide variety of leisure vacation planning.

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Passport for Your Palate-“Garbage” Fried Rice

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Fried rice has to be one of my favorite go-to recipes. It is perfect to use leftovers, especially after large holiday meals. I always whip up a batch around then, but it works so well anytime you have foods to use up from your refrigerator, thus the name “Garbage” Fried Rice.  

While my standard fried rice always has bacon, egg, green onion, and typically peas and carrots, you will find almost any protein or combination of vegetables in it at any given sitting. I do a lot of meal planning, so I throw this recipe in near the end of the week to use up any remaining items in the fridge. 

“Garbage” Fried Rice

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups rice
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 3 eggs
  • vegetable oil, if needed
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger. You can substitute powdered ginger. Only use about a 1/4 tsp if using powdered. 
  • 8 green onion or about 1/2 regular onion
  • Veggies, chopped into small bite-size pieces. The photo has carrots, celery, cauliflower, and peppers. 
  • 8-16 ounces protein, again whatever your leftover meat is. In the image, I used chicken.
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce. I eyeball this based on the color the rice turns. 

Instructions:

  1. Cook rice in the steamer. Typically the rice will be one cup dry to two cups of water placed in the steamer. 
  2. Cook the bacon in a wok or large skillet. Stirring often and until crisp. Remove bacon and reserve drippings from wok.
  3. Whisk the eggs and pepper in a small pyrex measuring cup. 
  4. Add a bit of the reserved drippings to the wok. Pour 1/3 of the egg mixture into the wok. Tilt pan, so it covers the bottom. Do this over medium-high heat until the egg is set. Remove egg “pancake” to cutting board. Repeat process twice more. If you don’t have enough reserved bacon fat to add about 1/2 tablespoon for each egg, substitute vegetable oil. Chop up the cooked eggs on the cutting board and reserve for later. 
  5. Heat another 2 tablespoons of bacon grease or vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add rice, cook, and stir for 5 minutes. Stir in your veggies, protein, eggs, bacon, onion. I add one at a time, adding the one that needs the most cooking or heating back up first. When all items are mixed in, finish with adding the soy sauce. Cook and stir until heated through.
  6. Serve.

Makes roughly 8 servings.


Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI. 

She has been a professional travel consultant since 2008 and specializes in Australia and the South Pacific. Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, and Cook Islands are among the specialist certificates she holds.  Her agency’s focus is on creating custom itineraries with their client’s wants, desires, and budgets in mind.  She and her planners believe in getting to know the traveler to ensure they have a vacation to remember.  With each planner specializing in a different market area, Boomerang Escapes can offer a wide variety of leisure vacation planning.

Lisa RossmeisslPassport for Your Palate-“Garbage” Fried Rice
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Passport for Your Palate-Heuvos Rancheros

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Bring the hearty taste of Heuvos Rancheros to your breakfast table.

On a recent visit to Austin, Texas, I ordered one of my go-to Mexican dishes at this great little diner, Joann’s Fine Foods, Heuvos Rancheros. Heuvos Rancheros or Ranch Eggs was a breakfast dish created for the work hands on the ranches in Mexico. After hitting the land early, the workers would be ready for another meal or a second breakfast by 11 am. It consists of eggs done any style, tomato salsa sauce, refried beans (you can serve this in paste consistency or leave the beans more whole), tortillas (flour or corn), and avocado or guacamole. It is a hearty dish making it perfect for a late breakfast or brunch on the weekends. 

It is pretty simple to replicate at home. The key is the salsa or sauce you serve over the eggs and can sop up with your tortillas. It tastes best if created with fresh ingredients, but you can speed preparation using canned or prepared ingredients as substitutes. They come in handy, especially when items might not be in season. It is one of those dishes I like to try when visiting a new Mexican restaurant for comparison.

How to Make Heuvos Rancheros

Ingredients:

2 brown eggs or farm fresh

1 cup refried beans or canned beans

2-3 corn or flour tortillas, warmed

1/2 avocado sliced or 1/4 cup mashed into simple guacamole (optional)

Queso Fresco (optional)

Cilantro (optional)

For sauce:

1 medium jalapeno chile

2 large vine-ripened tomatoes

1 medium-sized white onion 

3 large garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon oregano (Mexican oregano if you have it)

1/4 cup water

Pinch Pink Himalayan Sea Salt 

1 teaspoon olive oil 

To make the sauce/salsa:

You want to roast or blister your vegetables. You can do this over a flame on the grill or under a broiler. Char the chile and tomatoes until blistered all over. You can then let them cool in a brown paper bag. Peel, seed, devein and chop the tomatoes. The jalapeno can be chopped with seeds or remove seeds for less heat. 

The garlic and onion can be pan-roasted and then minced and chopped, respectively. The roasting and blistering is the real kicker here. I do this with a lot of my salsa and even the ingredients I use in my guacamole. 

In a bowl, mix your roasted ingredients with the remaining sauce ingredients. Warm it or serve at room temperature. Makes roughly 2 1/2 cups. Set aside.

Now that your tomato salsa is ready, you can prepare your eggs and other accompaniments. I like to have mine over easy.  

To plate. You can either use the tortillas as a base or serve on the side for wiping up the fantastic combinations. Place the two eggs on the plate or top the tortillas. Pour salsa over the eggs leaving the middle yolk area visible. Place the beans and avocado on the plate alongside the eggs. Garnish with Queso Fresco and fresh cilantro. You can add sides such as hashbrowns, chorizo, or bacon to make it even heartier. 

To quicken things up, I would use canned tomatoes with chile or add canned chopped jalapeno to the canned tomatoes. After roasting them, I would still use my chopped onion and garlic and add the tomatoes with chile right into the pan—warm through and season with the cumin, oregano, and salt. 


Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI. 

She has been a professional travel consultant since 2008 and specializes in Australia and the South Pacific. Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, and Cook Islands are among the specialist certificates she holds.  Her agency’s focus is on creating custom itineraries with their client’s wants, desires, and budgets in mind.  She and her planners believe in getting to know the traveler to ensure they have a vacation to remember.  With each planner specializing in a different market area, Boomerang Escapes can offer a wide variety of leisure vacation planning.

Lisa RossmeisslPassport for Your Palate-Heuvos Rancheros
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Passport for Your Palate-Avocado Toast

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Where did Avocado Toast come from?

If you look up the history of avocado toast, you will see various claims from Sydney to New York and a few places in between, saying they were the first to bring this Instagram sensation to the table. There are even notes pointing to the origin in Mexico, where the growth of avocados is most known for and started as avocado on a tortilla. No matter where this creation began, which we can assume was more than a century ago; the delicacy has become a favorite worldwide. I often order it from the menu and certainly duplicate it at home. In fact, it is one of my youngest daughter’s daily routines to begin her day with avocado toast. 

Avocado toast can is either with a mash or sliced bits of this smooth, creamy fruit. It may have eggs on top or stand on its own. It can be fancy with additional details of seeds, sprouts, truffles, and so much more. There doesn’t seem to be a wrong way to enjoy it. 

At home, we like to make it with a mash and add the eggs. I know I will always have these basics on hand, and when I go out, I sample all the incredible chef creations. I recently had an avocado toast in Austin, Texas, that had sprouts and pepitas with goat cheese topped with eggs over easy. The toast pictured was eaten in Washington, D.C., and used quail eggs and truffles. I’ve eaten it in Europe and of course my beloved Australia. Today, I will share our simple, quick take that will have you seated and eating in minutes. 

How to Make Avocado Toast

Ingredients:

1 small to medium ripe avocado

1-2 slices of bread. We use gluten-free due to my daughter’s dietary needs, but your favorite bread will do. I prefer thick multi-grain bread with seeds in it. 

1-2 large brown organic eggs. If you have fresh from the farm eggs, that is even better. 

Coarse ground black pepper

Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Lemon Olive Oil. We use California Meyer Lemon Olive Oil.

Directions:

  1. Bring a small pot of water to boil. Add the eggs and cook for 5 minutes. You can opt to poach or fry, but we like a quick, easy, soft boil. Run under cool water and set aside. 
  2. Cut the avocado in half. Remove the pit and scoop out one-half of the avocado into a small bowl. Mash the avocado with the back of the fork or an avocado masher—season with sea salt and pepper.  
  3. Toast your bread. While bread is toasting, gently peel your eggs. 
  4. Spread toast with your mash. Drizzle lightly with some of the lemon oil. Place egg on top of toast and cut the egg in half to expose the yolk. Hopefully, it is nice and runny. 
  5. Season with additional salt or pepper as desired. Or add some of your other favorite seasonings, such as hot red pepper flakes or seeds. 

Enjoy! It serves 1 to 2 depending on how much you want to indulge. 


Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI. 

She has been a professional travel consultant since 2008 and specializes in Australia and the South Pacific. Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, and Cook Islands are among the specialist certificates she holds.  Her agency’s focus is on creating custom itineraries with their client’s wants, desires, and budgets in mind.  She and her planners believe in getting to know the traveler to ensure they have a vacation to remember.  With each planner specializing in a different market area, Boomerang Escapes can offer a wide variety of leisure vacation planning.

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Passport for Your Palate-Lobster Roll

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Seafood is in my blood. After spending near a third of my life in New England, I am no stranger to the delicacies of the sea. Lobsters and clams were something I grew up with.  I learned how to play cards during clam boils, and it was a ritual to have lobster and steak every year for my dad’s birthday.  As I grew older, visits back to New England almost always meant I would get boiled lobster as a treat.

Of course, there are various ways to eat lobster, but one of my favorites is to make a lobster roll when I am not just eating straight from the shell.

A recent visit to Quincy’s Original Lobster Rolls in Cape May and alerts from my Cousins Maine Lobster have this treat on my mind.  While I typically order them versus make them, they are easy to make at home.

While lobster is harvested year-round in New England, it is typically a summer food. Making these sandwiches a perfect cool yummy treat paired with some pickles and chips.

How to Make Lobster Roll

  • You will need some quality lobster meat. You can cook your own lobster or buy fresh lobster already cooked from your local seafood store, or even used thawed frozen. I prefer to cook my own.  The best meat is the meat in the claws though you can use other parts of the shellfish.
  • You will want good-quality rolls but can use hot dog buns in a pinch. Since my daughter has celiac, we have found a couple of brands of rolls that work well for her. You can always do a carb-free option and serve the meat in romaine lettuce boats.
  • You will want some butter, lemon, seasonings, and a bit of mayo to bind the meat for your roll.  The mix of these is up to your personal taste. I prefer to go light on the mayo.

Ingredients:

3-4 oz of cooked lobster meat.  (about 3 claws)

1 tsp Lemon juice

1 Tbsp Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp melted butter, plus additional butter for your bun.

1 tsp Chive or scallions

Pinch Himalayan Pink Sea Salt

Pinch Black Pepper

Roll ( use gluten-free rolls or romaine lettuce as other dietary options)

Cilantro or another favorite herb for garnish (optional)

Directions:

  • Rinse and pat your meat dry.  Separate it into large chunks.
  • Mix the mayo, lemon juice, scallions, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Adjust amounts to taste.
  • Place the butter in a pan to melt and toss lobster meat in the butter. Warm for about 2 minutes.  Remove the lobster meat with a slotted spoon and toss lightly into the bowl with the mayo mix.
  • Spread butter on the inside of your roll and lightly toast on a grill pan, grill, or wipe out the skillet from lobster.
  • Load your bun with the coated lobster meat.
  • Garnish with favorite herb

Serves 1


Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI. 

She has been a professional travel consultant since 2008 and specializes in Australia and the South Pacific. Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, and Cook Islands are among the specialist certificates she holds.  Her agency’s focus is on creating custom itineraries with their client’s wants, desires, and budgets in mind.  She and her planners believe in getting to know the traveler to ensure they have a vacation to remember.  With each planner specializing in a different market area, Boomerang Escapes can offer a wide variety of leisure vacation planning.

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Destination Spotlight-Cape May Food Tours

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Are you a food lover? Do you love design? Does the history of a place intrigue you? If you answered yes to any of these, then keep reading. I want to share a fantastic activity you need to include when visiting Cape May, New Jersey.

Be sure to block some time on your weekend docket for Cape May Food Tours.

 

Cape May Food Tours fits the bill to all three of these questions. It is a food tour that delivers the history and points out the unique architecture this town is famous for. In just a half-day, you will enjoy some of the best eats along with some fascinating discoveries.

The tour recently re-opened on June 19, 2021. The creative director, Mary Ockrymiek, has taken what used to be a favorite past-time with visiting friends and expanded it to the public. Mary and her guide Susi Bithell, are excellent at sharing their knowledge and passion for the area. I had the pleasure of taking a mini custom tour along with a handful of other agents. And we all agreed definitively that this is a must when visiting Cape May.

The tour currently runs on Saturdays and Sundays. The length of the tour is approximately 3 hours. They have a Historic Downtown tour and West Cape May option. Visitors may also book a private tour. The maximum group size is 8. This activity is great for celebrations, clubs, family reunions, girl’s getaways, and more!

To learn more about booking this tour or an east coast beach vacation, email us at info@boomerangescapes.com.



Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI. 

She has been a professional travel consultant since 2008 and specializes in Australia and the South Pacific. Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, and Cook Islands are among the specialist certificates she holds.  Her agency’s focus is on creating custom itineraries with their client’s wants, desires, and budgets in mind.  She and her planners believe in getting to know the traveler to ensure they have a vacation to remember.  With each planner specializing in a different market area, Boomerang Escapes can offer a wide variety of leisure vacation planning.

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Passport for Your Palate-Jalapeno Infused Vodka

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Recently, I was in Cape May and visited Nauti Distillery. We were fortunate to arrange a tasting with probably one of the best mixologists I have met, “Rita on the Rocks” The distillery makes rum, gin, and vodka. Vodka is definitely my preferred choice of poison!

After a complete flight sampling of shots, we moved onto their signature cocktails. I fell in love with the “Krabby Patty” made from their jalapeno-infused NS Vodka, lime, and orange-oleo Saccharum. And don’t forget to ask for the Old Bay Rim.

I, of course, bought a bottle of the NS Vodka to bring home, but unfortunately, they did not have the jalapeno-infused vodka yet bottled and ready for sale. Rita did share a simple way for me to make this wonderfully tasty infusion at home.

How to make Jalapeno Infused Vodka

-Grab your vodka. I highly recommend you visit and grab a bottle of Nauti. Some of the smoothest I’ve tried.
-Slice your jalapenos. At the distillery, Rita said they use about 24 per 750ml and include the seeds. You can remove seeds and/or use fewer jalapenos, depending on your personal heat level.
-Put your vodka and jalapeno slices into a bowl or other container that is larger than the bottle and seal.
-Let sit. The length of sitting time will vary depending on the desired heat level. Rita recommended you check it every few hours, but they tend to let theirs sit 24hours or more.

Some like it hot, hot, hot, and if you like a bit of spice, I highly recommend not only a visit to the distillery in Cape May but trying this with your own vodka at home.


Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI. 

She has been a professional travel consultant since 2008 and specializes in Australia and the South Pacific. Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, and Cook Islands are among the specialist certificates she holds.  Her agency’s focus is on creating custom itineraries with their client’s wants, desires, and budgets in mind.  She and her planners believe in getting to know the traveler to ensure they have a vacation to remember.  With each planner specializing in a different market area, Boomerang Escapes can offer a wide variety of leisure vacation planning.

Lisa RossmeisslPassport for Your Palate-Jalapeno Infused Vodka
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Passport for Your Palate-Grapefruit Vodka Soda

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My favorite go to spirit is vodka and while I usually keep it very simple with just some soda and lime, I do love to play around from time to time. This particular combination was inspired by my oldest daughter, Greta.  We were doing one of our almost weekly chats at the end of the work day. I believe that evening it happened to be National Tequila today.  I was like dang, I don’t have any tequila in the house, just my vodka. She herself had now become busy grabbing a stool and was making a search through the cabinet in the kitchen that house the liquor.  She immediately chimed in with what had become the most recent poolside libation this summer with her and my friends in Tennessee.

 

“Mom, we have been doing vodka, grapefruit juice, and club soda.”

I was like I actually have some grapefruit juice on hand that I’d grabbed for a recipe I can’t recall.  It turns out she never found any tequila that night either and we both ended up with this light refreshing drink perfectly suited for a hot summer night.

 

It turns out, I’ve discovered, that I am not the only one on my back balcony that enjoys this cocktail as it has attracted the hummingbirds.  I was quite startled the first time the buzz and blur came right into my face as I lifted the glass for a sip.  I am guessing it is the beautiful color of the drink that draws the bird as I can’t say it is super sweet.  Though I’ve included some variations you can try as well below.

 

Grapefruit Vodka Soda or aka a Greyhound

1 glass

 

1.5 ounce favorite vodka, give or take. My current go to is Broken Shed.

6-8 ounces ruby red grapefruit juice.  I am an OceanSpray fan.

1-2 ounces club soda.

Lime wedge, option garnish

 

Fill glass with ice.  Pour in vodka, then grapefruit juice, then top with club soda. I use a highball glass.  Usually a plastic one right now as this is something to take poolside.  Stir.  You could opt to shake in a mixer as well, but I keep it easy peasy when I am at home..

 

Variations

  • You can substitute gin for the vodka
  • Add salt to the rim and make it a Salty Dog (traditionally this would have gin instead of vodka)
  • Want to take some bitterness out of the grapefruit consider adding sugar to the rim or adding a touch of maple syrup to the mix. For me it has to be real Vermont Maple Syrup.
  • I made my own fun twist by using an ounce or two of Pad Thai Sauce in the mix.

 

Give my summer buzz a try. Let me know if the birds come by. Happy Sipping!


Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI. 

She has been a professional travel consultant since 2008 and specializes in Australia and the South Pacific. Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, and Cook Islands are among the specialist certificates she holds.  Her agency’s focus is on creating custom itineraries with their client’s wants, desires, and budgets in mind.  She and her planners believe in getting to know the traveler to ensure they have a vacation to remember.  With each planner specializing in a different market area, Boomerang Escapes can offer a wide variety of leisure vacation planning.

Lisa RossmeisslPassport for Your Palate-Grapefruit Vodka Soda
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Passport for Your Palate-Pad Thai

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Thailand is the “Land of Smiles.” It offers the complete package when it comes to an unforgettable vacation and one of the reasons is it’s great cuisine. This dish I am about to share is sure to put a smile on your lips when you taste it.  Being in the travel industry has provided me with a plethora of incredible opportunities and experiences. Despite our current Covid-19 situation, Thailand Tourism, Down Under Answers, and Ayara Thai were able to provide not once, but twice a fun and tasty evening event where Chef Vanda led us through how to create Pad Thai in our own kitchens via Zoom.  What is even better is that her restaurant packages a kit for your purchase that provides all the authentic ingredients such as the Pad Thai sauce, rice noodles, shrimp paste, pickled radish, paprika, crushed peanuts, and roasted chili powder.  You then only need to go pick up a handful of items from the store to make this fantastic plate.   It is super easy and quick.  TIP: Cut up all your ingredients and have them ready to go before cooking!

Throughout our cooking lesson Chef Vanda interjected with stories and cultural practices of her home, Thailand.  If I didn’t already have Thailand on my “to  go” list, it would be now.  I have actually been eating Thai food for years.  I love to grab lunch locally with one of my agency owner friends and when I do get the opportunity to visit my folks in Vermont, my dad makes some mean Thai cuisine. There is a lovely restaurant called Thai Basil, located in Manchester, Vermont,  we often go to for celebrations because they have a lot of gluten-free options for my daughter.

So let’s get cooking!

All of the cooking is done in one pan or wok.  Chef Vanda does recommend a wok with flat bottom, but a cast iron pan will work as well.  You are going to be heating the pan up on high heat, so everything cooks fast.  She also says if there is something you are allergic to or don’t care for you can leave it out.  And one last thing, typically Pad Thai is not spicy and it is up to your discretion on the use of the chili powder for the heat at the end.

Pad Thai Recipe

Serves 1-2 people

Ingredients:

3-4 oz Ayara’s Pad Thai Sauce

2 bundles of rice noodles, soaked in room temp water for 15-min

2-3 oz chicken, sliced

1 oz tofu, cubed

1-2 eggs (personal preference)

2-tbs soybean oil or vegetable oil (do not use olive oil)

1-tbs garlic, chopped

1-tbs shrimp paste

Pinch pickled radish

1/2 tsp paprika

1 lime cut into wedges

Roasted peanuts, crushed

Roasted chili powder

1 handful of beansprouts, for cooking

1 handful of beansprouts, for garnish

1 green onion, cut into 1-inch lengths

Cilantro, garnish to taste

Instructions:

  1. Place a wok/pan over high heat. Once hot, add oil and cook chicken and tofu.
  2. Once chicken is almost cooked, add egg and garlic
  3. Once egg is cooked, add noodles. When noodles begin to soften, add shrimp paste and pickled radish.
  4. Once mixed, add Pad Thai sauce, beansprouts, green onions, and paprika
  5. Taste, add more sauce if needed.
  6. Transfer to serving dish. Garnish with beansprouts, lime, peanuts, chili powder, and cilantro to taste.

Additional Cooking Tips:

  • Her noodles come with a tie around them. This is to let you know when they are ready to take out of the water. When the noodles easily slip out of the tie they are ready to go.
  • When you put the eggs, you want to let them set a bit. Then once set break them up into larger chunks. You don’t want to scramble them.
  • She prefers to use Pressed Tofu.
  • To eat this, you take a fork and spoon, toss all the ingredients that you have on the plate together. You than use the fork to push bites onto your spoon and eat from your spoon.  That is how they do it in Thailand.

I recorded myself live this past cooking class. You can see it here. Mind you there were some camera issues, but it was all for fun.  To get your own Pad Thai Recipe kit from Ayara Thai, click here. 

Happy Cooking!

#padthai


Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI. 

She has been a professional travel consultant since 2008 and specializes in Australia and the South Pacific. Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, and Cook Islands are among the specialist certificates she holds.  Her agency’s focus is on creating custom itineraries with their client’s wants, desires, and budgets in mind.  She and her planners believe in getting to know the traveler to ensure they have a vacation to remember.  With each planner specializing in a different market area, Boomerang Escapes can offer a wide variety of leisure vacation planning.

Lisa RossmeisslPassport for Your Palate-Pad Thai
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