Beancooker

I was hungry and looking for dinner. I have a lot of "stuff" in the fridge, but no meal. Within the last few days, I have made a huge batch of tuna garlic salad, some arugula pesto and focaccia bread. So I took the focaccia bread, sliced it into 3/4" slices. Heated 4ish tbsp. olive oil until it was close to burning, and dropped them in. Took them out, added more oil, and repeated for the other side. I now have some delightfully crisp crostinis. Out comes the tuna garlic salad. I scoop out enough to cover the crostinis with about 3/4" of tuna. I top that with some 2 year aged sharp cheddar cheese (grated finely). Throw under the broiler long enough to melt the cheese, but not heat the tuna. Take out, spread a thick layer of arugula pesto on top and enjoy. In case you want the recipes: Tuna: 4 cans tuna, enough mayo to make standard American tuna salad, 4-8 cloves garlic depending on size, 1/2 tsp extra hot red chili flakes. Mix all ingredients and let sit for 24 hours. Stir well before use. Arugula pesto: 1/4 C pine nuts (Toast under broiler shake pan 1/2 way through), 1 C olive oil, 6-10 cloves garlic (depending on size), 3 cups arugula leaves, 1/4 C parm. In a blender, mix the oil, toasted nuts, cheese and garlic. Blend until smooth. add the arugula, and blend until near smooth.

Yeah. When you pick them, and they sit in your car, it gives it a strong cherry scent on the ride home. I would guess that the scent would add to the taste, and smell of the Guignolet.

Bottled it up tonight. What an amazing flavor that I have created. I am extremely happy. I had a few glasses, and it is phenomenal. This will be great to have with some pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, or with some crème brûlée.

There is no forum for "Cordials" so I figured this was more appropriate than wine. If I am incorrect, would a Moderator be so kind as to move it. Okay, so I had a glass of Guignolet at a friend's restaurant. It was one of the best things to have graced my palate. I used the recipe that he gave me, which is also the same one in the book "Aperitif". 1 Bottle dry red wine 3/4 C Vodka 1/3 C sugar 60 leaves from the cherry tree 10 cherries I used sweet cherries, and leaves from a sweet cherry tree as well. Since it is the end of the season, I decided to make a ten fold batch, so I will have enough to last all year, hopefully. I filled the carboy last week, and am waiting. I still have a week to go, and am getting impatient. I tasted some last night, and it is pretty awesome. I'm sure some more of the cherry flavor will come to life in the next week.

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I tried Guignolet for the first time this last Saturday. My friend who owns a restaurant made some. Now I'm not a big fan of most wines. He pulled out a wine bottle, and I was already thinking I'd rather drink something else. What he poured into my glass was the nectar of the Gods. I had to make some. I got the recipe that he used, which happens to be Georgianne Brennan's recipe from her book Aperitif. Since cherry leaves won't be green but for a couple of weeks, I make a ten fold batch. So in about 15 days I will have to update you all on how it came out.