Tag: lime

Cocktail, Recipes, Vegetarian/Vegan

Bantha Blasters

June 16, 2019 By No Comments

Bantha Blasters are first ordered during Episode 24. They’re pink and green, and pop and fizz. Our real life version uses watermelon for the pink, melon liqueur for the green, and Pop Rocks for some great popping and fizzing.

Finished drink and a small bowl of Pop Rocks
A good ol’fashioned Bantha Blaster

This recipe uses seedless watermelon, vodka, simple syrup, lime juice, Midori melon liqueur, and, finally, Pop Rocks.

All the ingredients laid out
Bantha Blaster in the making.

Now, we had some real trouble finding Pop Rocks in our local grocery stores and ended up buying a few packages online. Sadly, the online packs did not have the flavor we wanted: Green Apple. The Green Apple is preferred for its green color, but other flavors will work if you also have trouble finding them.

First, cut up the watermelon into cubes and put them in a blender along with the vodka, simple syrup, and lime juice. Our watermelon was a little under-ripe so we used 2 ounces of simple syrup. Use less if your melon is nice and ripe.

A clear pink blender canister filled with watermelon and other ingredients.
And yes, this is blender was once used at a certain coffee chain.

Blend everything up until smooth. There will be watermelon “foam” at the top and more of a juice at the bottom.

Two tall glasses filled with ice cubes, each with a small amount of melon liqueur at the bottom.
The first layer.

Fill 2 highball glasses with ice and pour 1 ounce of midori into each glass. Using a fine mesh strainer or something similar, strain the watermelon mix between the 2 glasses. This will remove the foamy pulp so that you’re left with a smooth juice.

Two tall glasses filled with ice cubes, each with a small amount of melon liqueur at the bottom, and the watermelon mix on top.
Getting ready for those popping rocks.

Very carefully pour 1 package of pop rocks onto the top of each drink. Very carefully! If your Pop Rocks are particularly “fresh” or you live in a fairly dry environment the Pop Rocks might, well… pop quite vigorously when they hit the liquid. When we first made this drink a while back the Pop Rocks exploded everywhere and made a bit of a mess. For this photoshoot the house was humid and since the candy had to sit out while everything was made they didn’t react quite as violently.

A top down shot of the finished drink, topped with red Pop Rocks.
Shown here with Watermelon Pop Rocks.

Bantha Blasters [serves 2]

2 cups fresh seedless watermelon, cut into cubes about 1/2-inch in diameter
4 ounces vodka
1-2 ounces simple syrup, depending on how sweet your watermelon is*
2 ounces lime juice
2 ounces midori
1 small package Green Apple Pop Rocks**


Place watermelon, vodka, simple syrup, and lime juice in blender. Process until smooth. Fill 2 highball glasses with ice and pour 1 ounce of midori into each glass. Strain the watermelon mix between the 2 glasses. Very carefully pour 1 package of pop rocks onto the top of each drink.

*Simple Syrup recipe found here
**Or whatever flavor you can find.

Food, Recipes, Vegetarian/Vegan

Lime Ice Cream

May 30, 2019 By No Comments

In episode 23 the crew treats themselves to some ice cream. They get pistachio, lime, and salted caramel. Pistachio and salted caramel are easy enough to find in the grocery store, but lime can sometimes be tricky to get (outside of sherbet and sorbet). So today we’re making lime ice cream and using coconut milk as the base. This adds a wonderful hint of coconut flavor, and keeps the recipe vegan.

Waffle cone bowl with scoops of lime ice cream topped with coconut flakes and a lime slice.
Scoop into a waffle cone and top with coconut flakes!

The ingredients for the recipe laid out on a cutting board.

This ice cream uses coconut milk and coconut cream in place of traditional dairy. Coconut cream and milk have higher fat contents than many other non-dairy alternatives and will give your ice cream a smooth, creamy taste.

Cornstarch and xantham gum are used as thickeners and binders. They will keep the coconut fat from separating out of the mixture and make the base thicker which will create a richer mouthfeel.

Xantham gum is a soluble fiber and bags of it can usually be found in the baking aisle. Most grocery stores I’ve been to carry the Bob’s Red Mill brand. If you can’t find it, or don’t want to buy a whole bag for one recipe you can leave it out.

Coconut milk and cornstarch being mixed in a small bowl.
Tiny whisk not required.

In a small bowl or cup pour ½ cup coconut milk. Whisk in the cornstarch until completely combined. Mixing the cornstarch into a small amount of liquid will make it easy to combine and prevent clumps.

This will get set to the side to be used later.

A saucepan with coconut milk and cream and lime zest being whisked together.

In a saucepan combine the coconut cream, remaining coconut milk, and lime zest. 

Over medium heat bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

An R2-D2 kitchen timer set to 30 minutes with a covered saucepan in the background.
R2 units are quite helpful in the kitchen.

Remove from the heat, cover, and tell your R2 unit to set a timer for 30 minutes.

This will infuse the coconut milk with all the flavor in the zest.

A fine wire strainer atop a metal pitcher.
Any sort of fine wire strainer should work.

Strain the zest out of the coconut mix. At this point the zest has given up its flavor and removing it will give a smoother texture to the ice cream.

Return to a clean saucepan with the xanthan gum, salt, and sugar, and any optional extract or food coloring.

a bottle of lime extract, "leaf green" food coloring, and "lemon yellow" food coloring.

Adding a little bit of lime extract will create a very strong, punchy lime flavor. If you want a more mellow, smooth flavor leave it out.

Naturally this ice cream will have off-white, barely there green color. If you want a more colorful lime green color you can add some food coloring.

A little ceramic bowl with 3 drops yellow food coloring and 1 drop green. A tiny spoon is in the background.
Tiny spoon not required.

If you can’t find “lime” food coloring, you can make your own by using 3 parts yellow, 1 part green.

I mixedg mine in a little sauce bowl, 1- for the photo and 2- because I want just a hint of color and 4 drops would be too much for that.

But if you want a strong green color go ahead and add 3 drops yellow and 1 drop green directly to the mix.

A small ceramic bowl with mixed food coloring and tiny spoon.
Look at the beautiful color!

This is the finished “lime green” food coloring mix. I used about a fourth of the mix.

Ice cream base before food coloring. Off-white, barest hint of green.

Before

Ice cream base after food coloring. A very pale lime green.

After

Ice cream base boiling in a saucepan.

Stir the ice cream mix over low heat until sugar has fully melted and mixture is warm.

Gradually stream the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan while whisking non-stop. Once everything has been incorporated, whisk continually until the mixture comes to a soft boil.

The ice cream base in a metal pitcher with plastic wrap pushed against the surface of the ice cream base.

Strain the mixture into a large measuring cup or pitcher to remove any lumps. Stir in the lime juice. The lime juice is getting added at the end here to keep it bright and tart.

Press plastic wrap against the surface of the mixture so a skin does not form.

The metal pitcher on a shelf in a fridge.
Maybe there’s too much yogurt.

Place in the refrigerator next to all your yogurt cups and fully chill. You want the ice cream mix to be as cold as possible so when it goes into the ice cream maker it’ll freeze faster, which will make smaller ice crystals which means a smoother texture.

A Cuisinart ice cream machine on a counter with the metal pitcher beside it.

Churn in an ice cream maker, following the machine’s instructions. You could make this recipe and use a “no churn” or “no machine” method, but the result won’t be as airy and smooth. An ice cream machine will freeze the mixture faster, creating smaller ice crystals, and churning will introduce air, making the ice cream lighter.

Ice cream being churned.
Look at that creaminess.

Once out of the ice cream maker, place in an airtight container, cover, and freeze for at least 3 hours to allow it to further firm up.

Ice cream in a reusable ice cream quart container.
Use a reusable ice cream container or a tupperware.

Lime Coconut Ice Cream [makes about 1 quart]

1 400-ml can coconut milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 400-ml can coconut cream
3 tablespoon lime zest (from 2-4 limes)
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
¼ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1-3 limes)
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon lime extract
Optional: lime green gel food coloring (or 3 parts yellow + 1 part green)

In a small bowl or cup pour ½ cup coconut milk. Whisk in the cornstarch until completely combined.

In a saucepan combine the coconut cream, remaining coconut milk, and lime zest. Over medium heat bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for 30 minutes.

Strain the zest out of the coconut mix. Return to a clean saucepan with the xanthan gum, salt, and sugar, and any optional extract or food coloring. Whisk to combine. Stir over low heat until sugar has fully melted and mixture is warm.

Gradually stream the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan while whisking non-stop. Once everything has been incorporated, whisk continually until the mixture comes to a soft boil.

Strain the mixture into a large measuring cup or pitcher to remove any lumps. Stir in the lime juice. Press plastic wrap against the surface of the mixture so a skin does not form. Place in the refrigerator until fully chilled.

Churn in an ice cream maker, following the machine’s instructions. Once out of the ice cream maker, place in an airtight container, cover, and freeze for at least 3 hours to allow it to further firm up.

Waffle cone bowl with scoops of lime ice cream topped with coconut flakes and a lime slice.

Cocktail, Recipes

Starship Juice

September 20, 2018 By No Comments

Appearing in episode 10, the Starship Juice is a delicious, fruity tiki drink that packs a punch.

This tropical themed drink has three types of rum, lime and grapefruit juice, pimento dram, and a honey syrup.

 

The pimento (or allspice) dram can be a little difficult to find, but any larger liquor store should carry it.

It adds a wonderful hint of spice that would be hard to replace.

 

We got our Star Wars tiki glasses from ThinkGeek, if you were wondering.

 

Starship Juice [serves 1]

1 ounce blended lightly aged rum (we used Mount Gay Eclipse)
1 ounce blended aged rum (we used Real McCoy 5 year)
1 ounce black blended rum (we used Goslings Black Seal)
1 ounce honey syrup
1 ounce grapefruit juice
1 ounce lime juice
¼ ounce pimento or allspice dram

Combine in a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a rocks glass or tiki glass with crushed ice.

Little umbrella optional.

 

Honey Syrup

1 cup water
1 cup honey

Add water and honey to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the honey has fully dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

Cocktail, Recipes

Flameout

September 6, 2018 By No Comments

Ah, the Flameout. While Sabos’s (RIP) favorite drink has made it into a few different episodes this drink is originally from the Extended Universe (or Legends). It has been described as “producing sensations similar to a scalding of the tongue and a freezing of the throat”.  After a bit of thinking we decided on a variation of a Moscow Mule, with the spice of pepper and the bite of ginger to “scald the tongue” and the cooling effect of mint to “freeze the throat.”

 

 

Flameout in a copper mug, with garnishes

 

This drink is spicy. This drink is intense. This drink is… not for the faint of heart. It combines a pepper infused vodka, a ginger-mint syrup, and ginger beer to create a truly unique drink. While some of the squadron actually enjoyed the flameout, others declared it “heinous” and “an affront to nature.” Whether you enjoy this drink depends entirely on how much you enjoy high spice levels and strong flavors.

 

This drinks involves a bit of prep to make properly. First, the Serrano Infused Vodka: serrano peppers are cut in half and left to sit in vodka for at least 24 hours, but up to a week. How long you let them sit will directly affect the heat level. We wanted to try the Flameout at its most intense, so we let it infused for a full 7 days.

The infused vodka could, realistically, be made with any pepper you have on hand, but we preferred the brightness of serranos.

 

The Ginger Mint Syrup is a little more involved than other syrups we’ve featured in the past, but it’s still incredibly easy. Ginger and water are combined in a saucepan. When it begins to boil, sugar is added. Once the sugar is dissolved the mint is added and removed from the heat. After 12 hours the ginger and mint are strained out, leaving a delightfully strong simple syrup.

 

 

Flameout [serves 1]

1 ½ ounces Serrano Infused Vodka (recipe below)
½ ounce Ginger Mint Syrup (recipe below)
4 ounces ginger beer
Garnish: lime wedge, mint sprig

Pour the vodka and syrup into a copper mug or rocks glass. Fill with ice and pour in the ginger beer.
 

Serrano Infused Vodka

16 ounces vodka
2 serrano peppers, sliced

Combine in a glass jar and let sit for 24 hours up to 1 week. Strain out the peppers and store in an airtight container.

Ginger Mint Syrup

½ cup peeled and thinly sliced ginger (about 100 grams)
¾ cup packed mint leaves (about 25 grams)
2 cups sugar
1 cup water

Add ginger and water to a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the sugar and stir until fully dissolved, about 1 minute. Add the mint. Remove from the heat. Let sit for 12 hours. Strain before using.

 

 

Cocktail, Mocktail, Recipes

Ithorian Bellows

July 12, 2018 By No Comments

The Ithorian Bellows! Ordered by members of the crew while at the Gooberfish. It was described as a creamy blue-green drink in a tall glass. With it being summer and ridiculously hot where we are (it’s suppose to be 100F/37.8C later this week) we decided to go tropical.

 

This delicious drink combines coconut milk drink, coconut rum, blue curaçao, and lime juice (with a little bit of food coloring). It’s sweet, but not overly, with a tang of citrus, and a wonderful creaminess from the coconut. 

 

The mocktail version is just as good. The rum is replaced by a tiny bit of coconut extract and the blue curaçao with orange juice and blue food coloring. We made both versions and both were gone within minutes. 

 

A small note to make: this drink uses coconut milk drink, the kind in a carton sold with the other dairy alternatives, not the canned variety. However, if your store doesn’t sell coconut milk drink you can make canned coconut milk work. Make sure to shake the can very well and then combine it with 28 ounces (3.5 cups) of water, a pinch of salt, and 1-4 teaspoons sugar or other sweetener.

 

 

While not described as having a little umbrella, we felt like they made sense. If we ever do a full retcon, the first thing we’ll do is add more cocktail umbrellas.

 

Ithorian Bellows [serves 1] 

8 ounces coconut milk drink (or other dairy alternative, or dairy)
2 ounces coconut rum
1 ounce blue curaçao
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 small drop green food coloring*

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain in a highball glass.

 

Ithorian Bellows Mocktail [serves 1] 

11 ounces coconut milk drink (or other dairy alternative, or dairy)
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce orange juice
1/4 teaspoon-1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
2 drops blue food coloring*
1 small drop green food coloring*

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain in a highball glass.

 

*We used a store-brand gel food coloring. Depending on what type and brand you use, you may need to use more.

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