> The history of orange juice.

> The history of oranges.
 
 
USES FOR ORANGE JUICE

1. Basting Liquid. Orange juice adds delicious flavor to beef, pork and poultry.

2. Cake Mix. Replace the water in the recipe with orange juice in vanilla/white/yellow and chocolate cake cake mixes.

3. Cocktails. There are many, including the Mimosa, Sex On The Beach and Tequila Sunrise. But the classic is a Screwdriver: 1.5 ounces of vodka and 6 ounces of orange juice, with an orange wheel garnish.

4. French Toast, Pancakes & Waffles. Add a tablespoon of juice to your batter. This works best with an added teaspoon of orange zest—and is a reason why you should zest citrus rinds and freeze the zest before throwing out the pulp.

5. Ice Cubes. Freeze the juice in ice cube trays—plain or with an added berry, cherry or snippet of sweet herb (basil, rosemary, thyme).

6. Ice Pops. Freeze the juice plain in an ice pop mold, or mix with vanilla yogurt for a Creamsicle effect. You can also make granita or sorbet.

7. Marinade. Add 1/4 cup of orange juice to your regular marinade. For a basic marinade, start with 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 cloves chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon each of two different chopped herbs (parsley and thyme go well with everything), and for some heat, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.

8. Salad Dressing. For a green salad or fruit salad, substitute orange juice for half the vinegar. You can also use one or more tablespoons of juice to thin the mayonnaise in a chicken salad, coleslaw, or any salad that’s bound with mayo.

9. Smoothie. Add 1/4 cup of orange juice to your regular smoothie recipe; or whip one up with 1/4 cup orange juice, 1 cup fresh fruit and 1 container (6 ounces) of your favorite nonfat yogurt.

10. Spritzer. Enjoy OJ with fewer calories. Dilute orange juice with club soda (try 1/3:2/3, then 1/2:1/2) for a refreshing soft drink, with an optional squeeze of lemon or lime.

What are your favorite ways to use orange juice?
 
 
 
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] Baste your chicken with orange juice (photo © Melina Hammer). See more of her beautiful food photography and her award-winning cookbook at MelinaHammer.com.

[2] Add some orange juice to your vinaigrette (photo © Foods & Wines From Spain).

[3] Pour OJ into ice pop molds for orange ice pops (photo © Williams Sonoma).

Punch is a festive and easy way to serve a
crowd. Photo courtesy El Jimador.

If you’re expecting a large crowd on Cinco de Mayo, a bowl of punch can make your life easier. It holds a large amount and guests serve themselves, sparing you from the mixologist job. And, guests love a good punch.

Here are two punch recipes, including a frozen Margarita punch. Separately, here are 10 punch making tips.

The first punch recipe is courtesy El Jimador tequila. It combines tequila with bubbly—in this case, Prosecco.

PUNCH #1: CINCO PUNCH

Ingredients

*You can pick up a plastic punch bowl at a party store for around $10.00. Or, you can use a large pitcher.

Preparation

1. MAKE ICE. The best ice for punch bowls is lump or block ice. It melts slowly, keeps the punch much colder for longer and reduces the dilution. Make it by filling a balloon with water; tie off the balloon and place it in a bowl in the freezer the night before.

2. PLACE BOWL. Place the punch bowl on the table you intend to serve from. A full punch bowl is very heavy to move (not to mention, it sloshes).

3. ADD ICE. Place ice carefully into the punch bowl.

4. ADD LIQUIDS. Next, add all the liquid ingredients. Stir gently but thoroughly.

5. GARNISH. Garnish with raspberries, pomegranate seeds, lime discs and pink grapefruit discs.

HONEY SYRUP INGREDIENTS

Like simple syrup, honey syrup is made in a 1:1 proportion of sugar/honey to water. There are about 3 cups in 750 ml.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. In a small saucepan, heat honey over low-medium heat.

2. Add water bit by bit, whisking until fully incorporated.

3. Cool, then refrigerate until ready to use. Bring to room temperature before adding to punch.

PUNCH #2: FROZEN MARGARITA PUNCH RECIPE

Turn the staple frozen Margarita into a punch with this recipe.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. MIX. Combine the limeade, water, orange liqueur and tequila. Freeze at least 8 hours, stirring twice during the freezing process.

2. THAW. Remove from freezer 30 minutes before serving.

3. ASSEMBLE. Break into chunks in punch bowl. Add soda and stir until slushy.

3. GARNISH. Garnish with lime and orange slices and berries.

Some of our favorite brownies are made by artisan bakery, BT Baking.

Moist and fudgy—but never cloying or “too rich”—the brownies are made in four fab flavors:

 
Read the full review, or head to BTBaking.com.

Love Brownies?

Check out the history of brownies.

[1] A tall, cold michelada is begging for your attention on Cinco de Mayo (photo courtesy Bohemia Beer).

[2] A chelada cup (photo courtesy Clamato).

July 12th is National Michelada Day. If you like beer and tabasco, it’s a drink you should try.

A michelada (mee-cha-LAH-da) is a traditional Mexican beer cocktail (“cerveza preparada,” in Spanish). It consists of beer, lime, and hot sauce served over ice in a salt-rimmed glass.

The history of the michelada is below. Thanks to Bohemia Beer—one of our favorite Mexican beers—for these michelada recipes.

The history of the Michelada is below, as well as second Michelada cocktail.
 
 
MICHELADA #1: CHIPOTLE MICHELADA

Ingredients

 
________________

*You can use any lager you have on hand, but Mexican beer celebrates the spirit of the holiday.
________________

Preparation

1. Use a piece of the lime wedge to wet the rim of a tall glass. Dip the rim of the glass into the chipotle rimming salt.

2. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lime pieces into the glass and then add all the lime pieces. Stir in the chipotle hot sauce or puréed chipotles in adobo. Fill the glass with ice.

3. Pour in the beer. Mix gently. Garnish the glass rim with a notched cucumber slice. Serve.

Chipotle Rimming Salt Recipe

Thoroughly mix 2 tablespoons coarse (kosher or sea) salt and 1 tablespoon ground chipotle chile powder in a small bowl. Pour out onto a small plate to use for rimming beer glasses.

Short for michelada, the chelada is a michelada variation with sauce, spices and chile. This version uses the fixings of a Bloody Mary.

 
Preparation

Pour the ingredients into a tall glass filled with, ice and stir.
 
 
MICHELADA HISTORY

The Michelada dates to Mexico in the 1940s or early 1950, when ice cubes became commonly available in bars. There are two widely legends about the origin of the name, plus our third choice, the most likely version.

 
________________

†Maggi Sauce, made by Nestlé, is a seasoning of salt, spices and pepper. The recipe varies around the world, based on local tastes. You can substitute soy sauce and freshly-ground pepper.
________________
 
 

You don’t have to have great cake decorating skills to make an impressive cake at home. Just acquire an impressive cake topper.

In this case, chocolate truffles were used to decorate the cake. If you have a box of chocolates, you can use them to equally good effect. Instead of piling them in the center, space them out around the rim of the cake.

To take it one step further, use a spatula to apply chopped pistachios or other favorite nut to the sides of the cake.

You can purchase chocolate truffles, or use this recipe to make them.

If you want to send the cake to Mom for Mother’s Day, head to CaramelSwirls.com. We haven’t tasted it, but it’s made with fine ingredients: bittersweet chocolate, evaporated cane juice, butter, cage free eggs, cocoa powder, pistachios, chai tea, Earl Grey tea, Grand Marnier and vanilla extract.
 
What’s Your Favorite Cake?

Pick it out in our luscious Cake Glossary.