From the orchards of Normandy, France comes Calvados, at its simplest an apple brandy. But it is the best apple brandy (or more precisely eau-de-vie*) in the world.

Once fer­men­ted, apple juice becomes cider, and, once dis­tilled, the cider becomes a cider eau-de-vie.

The cider that begins thew process is pressed from specially grown cider apples, sometimes with cider pears added (see Calvados Domfrontais, below).

The apples range from bitter to tart to sweet. They are different from eating apples and are grown specifically for cider.

Calvados is one of the three brandies produced in the Calvados département of Normandy. Calvados is produced from apples while the other two, Armagnac and Cognac are produced from grapes.

Today, there are three controlled appellations:

 
In all appellations, the fruit is harvested and pressed into a juice that is fermented into a dry cider. It is then distilled into eau de vie.

After two or three years of aging in oak casks, it can be sold as Calvados. Like other types of brandy, the longer it is aged in casks, the smoother the spirit becomes.

> October is World Calvados Day.

> The history of Calvados is below.

> For a fall cocktail or mocktail, check out this recipe.

> You can also add Calvados to sangria. Check out this recipe.

> If you like your beverages to sparkle, here’s a recipe for Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria with Calvados.
 
 
CALVADOS FOOD PAIRINGS

First, to drink: Calvados is great over ice as an apéritif and can be found in numerous cocktail recipes. It is a popular ingredient in hot toddies.

As a palate cleanser (to awaken the palate) between fish and meat courses, a small liqueur glass of Calvados with a small scoop of sorbet hits the spot.

For those who want more than one palate cleanser, consider le trou Normand (the Norman hole), a small drink of Calvados taken between courses of a multicourse meal, sometimes with apple or pear sorbet.

As an after-dinner drink, a snifter of Calvados is as welcome as any fine brandy or Cognac.

Calvados can also be enjoyed throughout an entire meal when a few small sips will delight the palate and bring out the fla­vor of many dishes.

You can sip Calvados with:

 
For dessert, pair Calvados with any dishes that include apples and pears, grapes, and in summer months with stone fruits (apricots, nectarines, peaches, plums).

Crowd favorites include anything chocolate, Tarte Tatin and other fruit tarts, and tiramisu.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF CALVADOS

While apple orchards and brewers date to centuries B.C.E., apple orchards and brewers of apple cider are mentioned as far back as the 8th century by Charlemagne himself. The mild climate of Normandy led to the planting of more apple trees there than anywhere else in France [source].

Before water safety measures in modern times, many people drank beer or hard cider, the production of which killed off harmful bacteria.

The 12th through 18th centuries. The Arabs, who invented distillation, had intro­duced Europeans to it in the 12th cen­tury. The first known record of distillation in Britain appears in 1553, and the guild for cider distillation was created about 50 years later in 1606.

Until the 17th century, the dis­til­la­tion of cider was used solely for local and per­son­al con­sump­tion. In the 17th cen­tury, the repu­ta­tion of distilled cider began to grow [source].

Calvados is one of the original 83 departments of France created during the French Revolution in 1790, named after a group of rocks off its coast**. Today it is incorporated into the region of Normandy.

But before then, the eau de vie de cidre was already made and called Calvados in common usage.

The 19th century. In the 19th century, production grew thanks to distillation technology during the Industrial Revolution. The 1860s saw the creation of the first indus­tri­al dis­til­lery [source].

At the same time, the fashion for Café-Calva† grew among the working class (photo #3). Today many people have re-adop­ted the tra­di­tion.

Starting around 1860, a tiny yellow aphid called phylloxera began to decimate Europe’s vineyards. France is considered to have been worst affected [source].

As the vineyards of France were devastated, Calvados, experienced a golden age. Orchards were not affected by phylloxera.

The 20th century. During World War I (1914-1918), cider brandy was requisitioned to make explosives for the armament industry due to its high alcohol content.

After the war, many cider houses and distilleries were reconstructed and gave rise to the thriving industry of today [source].

Prohibition (1920-1933) led to a rise in the pop­ular­ity of cock­tail drink­ing, and Calvados was one of the most pop­u­lar ingredi­ents for many cock­tails. Ernest Hem­ing­way helped make the Jack Rose famous in “The Sun Also Also Rises” [source]. The recipe is in the footnote*** below.

[1] It may look like brandy, but brandy is most often made from grapes‡‡‡. Calvados is made from apples (photo © Maison Lecompte).

[2] While a snifter is fine, Calvados is best served in a tulip-shaped glass, which con­cen­trates and reveals its full char­ac­ter, bringing out oaky and car­a­mel notes and (photo © Père Magloire).

[3] Café Calva adds a shot of Calvados to a cup of coffee (photo © Calvados Drouin).

[4] Trou Normand can be served as a separate glass of Calvados with a dish of sorbet, or all-in-one, shown here (photo © Mathilde Boclet | Normandie Tourisme).

[5] Pork Loin with Apples, Cider, and Calvados. Here’s the recipe (photo © Saveur).

Calvados almost ceased to exist as a result, swal­lowed up by the alco­hol quotas required for the war effort.

A 1942 decree established the Appel­la­tions d’Origine Régle­mentée (A.O.R) for apple and pear cider eau-de-vies from several regions in Normandy, and these became exempt from the requis­i­tion.

There were 10 of these AORs in total: Calvados du Calvados, Calvados du Dom­fron­tais, Calvados du Perche, Calvados du Merlerault, Calvados du Cotentin, Calvados de l’Av­ranchin, Calvados du Pays de la Risle, Calvados du Pays de Bray, Calvados du Mor­tainais, Calvados du Pays du Merlerault.

This recognition marked the start of a new era for Calvados. Pro­du­cers were obliged to adhere to a strict set of spe­cific­a­tions, tightly-reg­u­lated pro­duc­tion methods, and spe­cif­ic ter­min­o­logy with which to label their products.

In 1984, the 10 offi­cial AORs were grouped together under the “Calvados” appel­la­tion.

Today, all the Calvados dis­til­ler­ies are organized within the IDAC (Inter­pro­fes­sion­al Asso­ci­ation of Cider-Based Controlled Appel­la­tions).

There are also cider works engaged in the pro­duc­tion of Pom­meau de Nor­man­die and AOP/PDO ciders and perries…but that’s for another article.
 
 
__________________

*Eau-de-vie (“water of life”) is the French term for brandies made from a fruit other than grapes.

**More precisely, Calvados was derived from calva dorsa, meaning bare backs, which referred to two sparsely vegetated rocks off its shore.

***Jack Rose Cocktail Recipe: Per drink, combine 2 ounces of Calvados, applejack, or apple brandy with one ounce of lemon or lime juice and 1/2 ounce of Chambord (substitute crème de cassis or other blackcurrant liqueur). Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a stemmed cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

†Café-Calva is the practice of pouring a little Calvados into one’s cup of coffee. It has enjoyed immense popularity in farms and bistros of Normandy since the 1880s.

‡Why is it called a hole? According to La Confrérie du Trou Normand, it references its alleged therapeutic qualities. As the Calvados graces the palate, its fruity and invigorating qualities cleanse and awaken the taste buds, preparing them for the next dish [source]. Why is this a “hole?” We believe that something is lost in translation!

‡‡Perry is cider made from pears.

‡‡‡Brandy: Although most often derived from grapes brandy can be made from apples, apricots, peaches, and other fruits. While brandy can be made anywhere in the world, particular regional styles are the best-known: Armagnac, Calvados, Cognac, grappa, and pisco.
 
 

[1] A green Margarita with a black salt rim (photos #1, #2, and #3 © Twang).

[2] Don’t forget the eyeballs!

[3] Buy the salt here.

[4] Flakey black sea salt (photo © Osmo Salt).

Cast a spell with a seasonal spooky Margarita, using a black salt rim and melon liqueur instead of orange liqueur.

For Halloween and Día De Los Muertos approaches, Twang-A-Rita employs its Black Salt to snazz up the holidays.

Cheers to spirited sips and otherworldly adventures!

> The different types of salt.

> The history of salt.

> About beer salt: A NIBBLE review.

> More Halloween cocktail recipes.
 
 
RECIPE: MONSTER MARGARITA
 
Ingredients Per Drink

 
With National Pasta Day on October 17th, our Top Pick Of The Week is Sfoglini Pasta, a brand of fine artisan pasta that’s Italian in heritage but all-American, made in the Hudson Valley of New York State with the finest organic golden semolina* and three specialty grains from North American farms: einkorn, hemp, and rye.

The current lineup of beautiful pasta shapes is below.

Sfoglini works with local flour mills to source organic, non-GMO, whole-grain flour.

If you love pasta enough to want the best, take a look at Sfoglini† (sfo-LEE-nee), a line made in the Hudson Valley of New York State.

Like the finest artisan pastas from Italy, the flour is mixed into a dough. The dough is then extruded through bronze dies and slow-dried. Watch pasta being extruded in the video below.

 
The result, per Sfoglini (and we agree):

 
Everything is done to enhance the overall eating experience. Sfoglini says that “it’s quality you can taste from the field to the bowl.”

We agree. Try some for yourself, and give them as gifts.

While an individual box of this exciting-looking pasta is a nice little gift, there’s a Pasta of The Month Club that gives the joy of great pasta every month.

> Check out all of the Sfoglini shapes in the next section.

> Get your Sfoglini pasta.

> The history of pasta.

> The different types of pasta: a glossary.
 
 
SFOGLINI SHAPES

Sfoglini specializes in short-cut pasta or short shapes, as opposed to the long form, ribbon, or strand pasta that includes everything you can twirl around your fork—from the most narrow, angel hair to the widest, pappardelle (plus lasagna sheets).

Sfoglini shapes are works of art. Not your basic elbows and butterflies.

Check up this lineup, which lets you make creative and interesting pasta dishes, and visit the website to see each shape.

Organic Wheat Pasta

 
Whole Grain Organic Wheat Pasta

 
Organic Einkorn Pasta

 
Organic Hemp Pasta

 
Organic Rye Flour Pasta

 
Sfoglini pasta is a premium product and is priced higher than mass-produced supermarket brands.

However, if you appreciate fine food, the quality and taste are well worth the cost.
 
 
GET YOUR SFOGLINI PASTA

The line is carried at specialty food stores, gourmet food markets, and online.

For the full line, head to the Sfoglini website.

Scroll down to watch pasta being extruded.

Note #1: The video shows different shapes of pasta. While it may appear that one bronze plate makes all of the shapes, this is a composite video: Each is made with its own specially-shaped bronze die.

Note #2: The video has a lively soundtrack, so turn it down in advance if you wish.

[1] Cascatelli pasta. flat strip and a pair of ruffles parallel to each other. The name derives from the Italian cascate, which means waterfall (photos #1, #2, and #3 © Farm To People).

[2] Cavatelli pasta. The name means corkscrew.

[3] Reginetti pasta is also called mafaldine pasta. The name means “little queens” in Italian. It was named in honor of Princess Mafalda of Savoy, who met a tragic end‡ in World War II.

[4] Zucca, meaning pumpkin in Italian, are pumpkin-shape hollow pasta with openings at the top and bottom for sauce to nestle (photo © Sfoglini).

[5] A plate of cascatelli pasta, a short pasta shape with a flat strip and a ruffle on each side. The name comes from Italian cascate meaning waterfalls. Cascatelle means little waterfalls (photo © Quinciple).

*Semolina is the coarsely ground and granular endosperm of durum wheat. These round golden kernels are the base of most American, and all Italian, dry pasta. Semolina is granular like sugar, not powdery like most other flours. Homemade fresh pasta is generally not made from semolina, but from general-purpose flour that is lower in gluten. Preparing semolina dough requires industrial mixers or several hours of kneading the granular mass. As a result, homemade pasta cooks much more quickly, often in half the time, and can overcook easily if the pot is not watched. In general, properly cooked, top-quality commercial artisan pasta is as good or better than what most people can make at home.

†A sfoglina (feminine form, plural sfogline) or sfoglino (masculine form, plural sfoglini) is someone who makes sfoglia, sheets of fresh pasta. A sfoglina is historically seen as a middle-aged woman who rolls and stretches out the dough with a rolling pin (mattarello) on a large wooden pastry board (taglieri). Here’s more about it. At Sfoglini, two men, the sfoglini, carry on the tradition: Sfoglini chef Steve Gonzalez and creative director Scott Ketchum.
 
‡Princess Mafalda of Savoy, a daughter of King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, married Prince Philipp of Hesse, a grandson of German Emperor Frederick III. Prince Philipp was a member the Nazi Party. In 1935 she was present at an informal diplomatic dinner given by Adolf Hitler in the Reich President’s House in Berlin (she sat next to Britain’s Prime Minister Anthony Eden). Hitler disliked her, and during World War II, Hitler chose to believe that was working against the war effort. She was arrested and transported to Buchenwald concentration camp where she died. Here’s more about it.

‡‡The cascatelli shape was developed by Dan Pashman, who switched the “e” at the end the word for waterfalls, cascatelle, to “i” to conform with the endings of other pasta shapes. Here’s more about it.
 

[1] A fun milkshake for Halloween (photo © Half & Half Magazine).

[2] Use your favorite vanilla ice cream (photo © Talenti Gelato).

[3] Add your favorite chocolate milk (photo © Fairlife).

[4] If you haven’t had stroopwafels, thin Dutch cookies with a caramel filling, here’s more about them (photo © 3 Bros Cookies).

We received this fun Halloween milkshake from Kemps Dairy, which in turn received it from Half & Half magazine, a publication of Dairy Farmers of America), the nation’s leading milk marketing cooperative.

While the recipe uses vanilla ice cream and chocolate milk, you can adapt the flavors to your favorites: coffee, mint, strawberry, what you will.

> More milkshake recipes.

> The history of Halloween.

> The history of the milkshake.

> Also below is the difference between a milkshake, float, malt, and thick shake.

 
 
RECIPE: HALLOWEEN CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE WITH A WITCH’S HAT

You can save time by purchasing a witch’s hat sugar cookie, but it won’t look as cool as the one you can bake.

You can also use chocolate ice cream for a deeper chocolate flavor.
 
Ingredients For A Large Shake

For The Chocolate Milkshake

 
For The Whipped Cream

 
For The Witch’s Hat

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the witch’s hat. Place the chocolate in a shallow bowl, and heat in the microwave in 20-second intervals until fully melted.

2. CUT the tip off the sugar cone and dip in the melted chocolate. Place the tip back on the cone at an angle. Freeze for a few minutes until set.

3. DIP the bottom of the sugar cone in the chocolate and place it in the center of the round stroopwafel or thin cookie. Freeze for a few minutes until set.

4. SPREAD an even layer of chocolate on the hat and immediately sprinkle the black sanding sugar all over it. Freeze again for a few minutes until set.

5. TIE a purple ribbon around the hat and set the hat aside until you’re ready to assemble the milkshake.

6. MAKE the whipped cream. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, whisk the heavy cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Set aside momentarily.

7. MAKE the milkshake. Combine the ice cream, chocolate milk and chocolate syrup in a blender until smooth.

8. DRIZZLE the chocolate syrup on the inside of a milkshake glass, then pour the chocolate milkshake into the glass.

9. TOP with homemade whipped cream and the witch’s hat. Enjoy!

Are you looking for a new recipe for the fall season? How about a Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies recipe? We just finished baking it as our weekend baking project.

Even if there’s no room for the other desserts on your Halloween or Thanksgiving table, these freeze beautifully for snacking and dessert when the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone.

We love fusion food (here, cheesecake x brownies). A layer of pumpkin swirl cheesecake sits atop a brownie.

Thanks to Bea and Marco from El Mundo Eats for the recipe.

“Our secret is we add lots of pumpkin purée in both the brownie and cheesecake layer for the optimum delicious pumpkin flavor,” say Bea and Marco.

Check the El Mundo Eats website for more wonderful recipes.

> The history of pumpkin.

> The history of cheesecake.

> The history of brownies.
 
 
RECIPE: PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BROWNIES 
 
Ingredients For 12 Servings

For The Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer

 
Ingredients For The Brownies

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the pumpkin cheesecake layer. Beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the pumpkin, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Add the egg yolks, beating just until combined. Set aside.

2. HEAT the oven to 325°F. Line a greased 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper; grease the paper.

3. CREAM the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each until well combined.

4. COMBINE the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder in another bowl. Gradually add to the butter mixture, beating each addition until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

5. SPREAD half of the brownie batter in the pan. Drop spoonfuls of reserved cheesecake mixture over top. Spoon the remaining brownie batter into four lines over the top of the cheesecake layer; swirl the batter with a toothpick or knife.

6. BAKE for 43-47 minutes or until the top is just set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. (Do not overbake.) Cool completely on a wire rack.

[1] A layer of pumpkin swirl cheesecake sits atop a layer of brownie. What could be better (photos #1 and #2 © El Mundo Eats).

[2] A close-up on seasonal deliciousness.

[3] Make the pumpkin cheesecake with pumpkin purée and cream cheese (photo © Jessica Gavin—check out her latest recipes).

[4] Cream cheese, the key to yummy cheesecake (photo © F.A. Martin | Wikipedia).