HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - Chef Patrick Evans-Hylton chats with Coast Live and shows off a fun springtime strawberry cocktail!
CHEERS TO LIQUID HISTORY - AND SPRING - WITH OUR VIRGINIA FIZZ
One of the best ways to learn more about history is by raising a glass. A great drink with historical roots is the Virginia Fizz, from our book “Virginia Distilled: Four Centuries of Drinking in the Old Dominion.” This is a take on a classic fizz, a variation on a sour cocktail, but crafted with the addition of carbonated water, hence its signature name. With a nod to spring, fresh Virginia strawberries are used in the drink, and though Gin is the traditional alcohol used, our Virginia Fizz uses Chesapeake Bay Distillery’s "Spirit of the Blue Ridge" vodka.
Here’s how to make it:
- Wash, hull and dice 3-4 fresh strawberries. Add to an old fashioned glass.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon superfine sugar on top of strawberries and muddle until berries are well mashed.
- Add 3 ounces Virginia whiskey - in this cocktail we are using Chesapeake Bay Distillery’s "Spirit of the Blue Ridge" vodka - and 1 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Add ice cubes about three-fourths up the side of the glass and top with club soda. Garnish with a whole strawberry, and mint if desired.
- Spirits come from Chesapeake Bay Distillery
- Buy an autographed copy of Virginia Distilled VirginiaDistilled.com
BON APPETIT TO STRAWBERRIES WITH OUR SASSY STRAWBERRY SALSA
It’s strawberry season in Coastal Virginia, so try our Sassy Strawberry Salsa for a fresh treat! This salsa is perfect as a topping on grilled chicken or seafood, spooned over a green salad, or on turkey burgers and other sandwiches. We also love this topping on freshly-shucked oysters on the half-shell, like the offerings from First Landing Seafood Company. These oysters are full of flavor and rich in history, and are available at the Shore Drive Farmers Market in Virginia Beach.
Here’s how to make the salsa:
- Cap, hull and dice one pint fresh strawberries and toss with the juice of one freshly-squeezed lime.
- Add two seeded and chopped plum tomatoes, one seeded and minced jalapeno, two cloves of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of coarse sea salt.
- Toss to mix and coat.
- Cover and refrigerate for two hours before serving.
Learn more about First Landing Seafood Company at FirstLandingSeafood.com
For more, visit VirginiaEatsAndDrinks.com
EATS, DRINKS + DOS: YUM-azing Strawberry Tips + Tricks
Strawberries are fresh and delicious! You can find them at many markets across Coastal Virginia - our pick is Westside Produce and Provisions in Norfolk - or out to u-pick farms and grab your own right off the vine. But there are some important things to keep in mind when you get those berries home. Here are a few of our Five Essential Berry Storage Tips:
- Do not wash berries until you are ready to use them; this will help prevent rot.
- If you are not going to use berries right away, remove any damaged/rotting fruit and store the in several small containers to prevent overcrowding and refrigerate covered loosely with paper or cloth towels.
- If you need to prep berries for use within a day or so, wash gently under cool running water and place on paper towels to dry. Cut off the caps and store in a loosely packed bowl in the refrigerator covered loosely with paper or cloth towels.
- If you need to store berries for a longer term, freeze them. To freeze so that berries retain their shape, wash gently under cool running water and place on paper towels to drain then before freezing pat dry. Do not freeze too many berries at once or it will overtax the freezer; place berries on a lipped baking sheet evenly space and, once frozen, transfer to airtight freezer bags or containers. Continue until all berries are frozen.
- You can freeze berries in bulk by washing them gently under cool running water and place on paper towels to dry. Cut off the caps and slice or crush the fruit and place in a bowl. Add sugar to taste, stir to incorporate and transfer to airtight freezer bags or containers.
If you’d like our Five Essential Berry U-Pick Shopping Tips and our Five Essential Berry Picking Tips, email Chef Patrick at PatrickEvansHylton@gmail.com with “Strawberry Tips” as the subject.
FOR MORE VIRGINIA EATS + DRINKS
Get all the information from today’s Virginia Eats + Drinks on Coast Live segment plus more: giveaways, recipes, tips, and tricks on our Facebook group. Join today at facebook.com/groups/VirginiaEatsAndDrinks.
