Recipe Buzz: V-Day

It’s bitterly cold outside, so let’s stay inside on this Valentine’s Day.  Here are a few recipes to share with your lover, date or single’s party:

*Recipes and images courtesy Rare Review! Original Culinary Spirits.

Ale-Infused Cheese Fondue

Serves 4

Cheese Sauce
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, halved
1 ½ cups Rave Review! ™Original Culinary Hops™
1 dash hot pepper sauce

For Dipping
Bread and cooked meat, cut into pieces

Directions
Combine cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, flour, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Rub cut side of garlic clove around bottom and sides of fondue pot. Pour Culinary Hops into fondue pot and slowly bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes. Gradually add cheese while stirring, until cheese is melted and blended (for about 10 to 15 minutes).   Add hot pepper sauce and stir. Serve with bread or meat pieces.

Chocolate Rum Fondue

Serves 6-8

Chocolate Rum Sauce
½ cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 oz. semisweet chocolate
2 tsp. Rave Review!™ Original Culinary Rum™
? tsp. grated orange zest

For Dipping
1 pint fresh strawberries, washed, dried and hulled
1 pint fresh raspberries
2 bananas, peeled, cut into 2 to 2 ½ -inch slices
12 oz. thick, salted pretzels
4 oz. dried apricots
6 oz. roasted, salted almonds

Directions
In a medium saucepan over low heat, bring the cream, sugar, cinnamon and butter to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and stir until the chocolate melts.  Add the Culinary Rum and stir in the orange zest before serving. Arrange dipping food on a platter. Serve with warm chocolate rum sauce.

Karamel Kiss

1 oz. Sobieski Karamel Vodka
½ oz. crème de cocoa dark
¾ oz.  rum
½ oz. whipped cream
½ oz. vanilla syrup
Chocolate syrup
Caramel syrup

Swirl chocolate and caramel syrup in a martini glass. In a shaker with ice, add Sobieski Karamel Vodka, crème de Cocoa dark, whipped cream, rum and vanilla syrup. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a cocoa sprinkle.

CAMUS Passion

1 ½ oz. CAMUS VS Elegance Cognac
¾ oz. sweetened condensed milk
¾ oz. passion fruit concentrate

Combine all ingredients with ice in a shaker and shake. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with an edible flower.

Cupid’s Arrow

1 oz. Lucid Absinthe
1 oz. raspberry liqueur
1 oz. lemonade or sour mix
2 oz. ginger ale
1 lemon wedge for garnish

Fill a shaker with ice and add raspberry liqueur, Lucid Absinthe and lemonade. Shake vigorously. Pour into a glass and top with ginger ale.  Add a lemon wedge and serve.

Tags: dc, recipes, Valentine's Day, Washington

Category: Alcoholic beverages, Dessert, dips, finger-foods, holiday cooking, Recipes, vegetarian, Washington D.C.