The Washington Post
Recent guests on The Washington Post’s weekly food chat included columnists Cathy Barrow and M. Carrie Allan. Recipes whose names are capitalized can be found in The Post’s Recipe Finder.
Q: I’m newly pregnant and missing my not sweet drinks. I used to drink beer or Manhattans or something herb-infused, but it seems like every safe-for-pregnancy drink is sweet. Hoping you have a fun mocktail idea (or two) for me.
A: I’ll be covering this topic soon, but in the meantime: Try the line of sodas called Dry (they make a terrific juniper soda that is reminiscent of gin and not too sweet) and dress them up with sprigs of fresh herbs.
You also might play with some of the Italian bittersweet sodas such as Pellegrino’s Chinotto and Stappj (both often available at Italian markets and also online). Check out the nonalcoholic Seedlip line, too — subtle tastes, not overwhelmingly sweet. There’s a newish book about booze-free drinks called “Dry: Non-Alcoholic Cocktails, Cordials and Clever Concoctions,” that has lots of good suggestions.
— M. Carrie Allan
Q: In the Poblano, Mushroom and Refried Bean Tortas recipe, why do you scrape the gills from the mushrooms? It seems like too much work for a sandwich.
A: With portobellos particularly, it keeps them from staining everything black — but you can skip if you want. (It’s actually pretty quick — takes five minutes, tops.)
— Joe Yonan
Q: I wanted to let you know about another great way to make the Simple Cinnamon Coffee Cake: Add 1½ cups of fresh cranberries to the cake along with the cinnamon and sugar. My new Thanksgiving cake is born.
A: That is such a great idea! I might have to try that for all our out-of-town guests.
— Becky Krystal
Q: My son loves bacon, egg and cheese bagels and breakfast burritos. I’d like to make a bunch and freeze them. I don’t think I really need a recipe, but I’d love some suggestions on how to prepare, freeze and then heat them in the morning. Is there a certain way I should cook the eggs that’s better for freezing? What about salsa in the burrito — will that be OK in the freezer?
A: I’ve been working on a recipe for bacon, egg and cheese handpies. Here’s what I’ve learned: The eggs can so easily become overcooked and rubbery. To overcome that tendency, I scramble the eggs with water, never milk, so they stay pillowy. They should be very slightly undercooked. Chop up the bacon and stir it into the eggs at the last minute, because big pieces are hard to manage in a bite. Chill the filling before forming your sandwiches or burrito, then wrap in foil and freeze. I can’t estimate the time to reheat yours, but I can reheat cooked pies in the toaster oven (at 350 degrees) in about 25 minutes from frozen. Add the salsa after they’re fully cooked.
— Cathy Barros
Q: I’d like to spice up devil’s food cupcakes. Adding cinnamon helped last time, but I suspect chili powder would be even better. Do you have any suggestions? Should I use the cinnamon too?
A: I’d go with chipotle powder or a spicy smoked paprika (maybe a quarter to half of a teaspoon). Or a touch of ground cayenne. Use the cinnamon, too.
— Kara Elder
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