"peels" news and stories

The very essence of citrus is captured in its peel. There's something so elegant about its simplicity, about the volume of flavor hidden a part of the fruit that's typically discarded.

Once you carefully remove the bitter white pith, you're left with pure rind, and the culinary options unfold: julienne it for marmalade or candied zest, finely grate it for salads or pastas, or cut wide swaths of it to infuse cocktails or stews.

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Peels is a brand of alcoholic mixed drinks that, unlike most others in their category, are made with real fruit juice. Like so many mixed drinks, they are aimed a women, but their flavors - Blueberry Pomegranate, Cranberry Peach and Strawberry Passion Fruit - should appeal to anyone who likes fruity flavors. For this holiday season, the company has released a new flavor, Spiced Apple. The drink is made with 100% natural ingredients and tastes similar to a classic spiced cider, with the crisp taste of apples and the warming scent of cinnamon. It can even be heated up, although the rest of the Peels drinks are generally meant to be served cold. It contains 5% alcohol by volume and the company says that it is "perfect for a girls' night-in, a seasonal party or just enjoying in front of the fire."

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I just posted about my holiday leftovers soups. Now it's time to discuss what I did with all the odds and ends I saved while making my soups and other entrees and side dishes. I had all the saved trimmings from the veggies, as well as the nasty ham ends, fat, gristle, and the meaty bone. This was a great start for making a demi-glace of sorts. Something I like to do whenever I have assorted veggies and roasted bones lying around.

I filled a stockpot with the ham remnants and veggie peels and topped it off with water. I brought this to a boil and then lowered it to a bare covered simmer. This I then cooked off and on for two days, while adding water as necessary to keep it topped off. I then strained the broth from the ends and put the broth back into the stockpot. I then threw away the now flavorless bones and ends. I boiled the stock uncovered, watching closely, until I had reduced it to a very thick concentrate. It was now a ham demi-glace, full of intense flavor. I then let this cool and froze it in ice cube trays for later use. This demi-glace is now available for me to use as a starter in soups, for making sauces and gravies, or adding flavor to almost anything I cook.