The Pink Greyhound

A deliciously refreshing and vibrant cocktail, the Pink Greyhound is a cross between a gin and tonic, a greyhound and Negroni. If you love grapefruit, nothing makes the flavour come out more than Pink Grapefruit-infused vodka and gin. The floral bouquet of Hendricks Gin and Aperol, an Italian aperitif similar to Campari, really adds a lovely layer of sophistication to this drink.



Pink Greyhound
Serves 4

4 oz Pink Grapefruit Vodka 
4 oz Hendricks Gin
1 oz Aperol
6 oz pink grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
1 pink grapefruit, segmented — save 4 slices for garnish
12 basil or lime leaves, plus 4 for garnish
3 oz lime juice
3 oz simple syrup

Simple syrup:
1 part water
1 part white sugar

To make the simple syrup, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until completely dissolved. In a tall mixing glass, muddle the grapefruit segments and basil leaf with the lime juice and simple syrup. Add the vodka and gin. Top with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with a basil or lime leaf and slice of grapefruit.

The Original Trader Vic's Mai Tai & Pupu Platter

The Mai Tai was not invented in either Hawaii or Tahiti, but in California. Drink recipe creator, Victor Jules 'Trader Vic' Bergeron came up with the original recipe for a Mai Tai in 1944 while working as a bartender in the service bar of his Oakland restaurant, Trader Vic’s. Victor pulled a 17-year-old J. Wray Nephew Jamaican rum off the shelf and decided to use it because of its golden colour, medium body and rich pungent flavour. With the rum, Victor added fresh lime juice, orange curacao from Holland, a dash of Rock Candy Syrup and a dollop of French Orgeat, to give the drink a subtle almond flavour. He then added a generous amount of shaved ice and shook the whole drink vigorously by hand. The drink was then served in a 15-oz glass, garnished with half of the lime and a branch of fresh mint.

 “Trader Vic” Bergeron

At the time the drink was created, Vic had a couple of friends visiting from Tahiti who happened to be sitting at the bar. Ham and Carrie Guild were the chosen guinea pigs for Victor’s new rum drink concoction. Apparently, Carrie loved the drink so much that she exclaimed in Tahitian, "Mai Tai-Roe Ae!" which when translated into English means "Out of this world — The Best!" It was at that moment that the Mai Tai had not only been born, but named.

The original Trader Vic's menu

The original Trader Vic's Scorpion served in a special bowl 

with a bunch of straws for sharing

In 1953, Victor brought his wildly acclaimed Mai Tai to the Hawaiian Islands when he was asked by the Matson Steamship Lines to design their cocktail menu for the bars at their Royal Hawaiian, Moana and Surfrider Hotels. The Mai Tai was one of the many new drinks to be included in the bar service along with Trader Vic's famous Polynesian-style appetizers, which were known as Pupu, adopted from the Hawaiian word pū-pū, which meant a relish, canapé, or hors d'oeuvre. Served on a platter with a hibachi in the middle, the original pupu platter included Crab Rangoon, BBQ Spareribs, Crispy Prawns and Beef Car Siu.

Trader Vic's Tiki Party cookbook with great tropical cocktails and classic pupu

Inspired by memories of visiting Trader Vic's in London during the 70' and 80's, and visions of throwing my own Tiki Terrace Party next summer, I splurged and bought the Trader Vic's Tiki Party cookbook with lots of the restaurant’s best-loved tropical cocktails and after-dinner drinks and lots of recipes for pupus, tidbits, finger food, entrées, and desserts. All I need now are the grass skirts, Tiki lanterns and Don Ho's recording of Tiny Bubbles!

The Original Trader Vic's Mai Tai 
Serves 4

8 oz 17-tear-old J. Wray Nephew Jamaican rum
2 oz French Garnier Orgeat
2 oz Holland DeKuyper Orange Curacao
1 oz Rock Candy Syrup
Juice from 4 fresh limes

Hand shake all of the ingredients and garnish with half of the lime shell inside the drink and float a sprig of fresh mint at the edge of the glass.




Modern Mai Tai
Serves 4

4 oz light rum
2 oz triple sec
1 oz lime juice
6 oz pineapple juice
6 oz orange juice
1 tbsp grenadine
2 oz dark rum
4 maraschino cherries and slices of fresh pineapple for garnish

Pour all the ingredients except the dark rum into a shaker with ice cubes and shake well. Strain into old-fashioned glasses half filled with ice. Top with the dark rum and garnish with maraschino cherries and a spear of fresh pineapple.

Trader Vic's Scorpion
Serves 8

1 1/4 cups silver rum
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 oz orgeat syrup
2 oz brandy
2 cups ice cubes, plus additional crushed ice
8 gardenia or orchid blossoms, for garnish

Combine rum, brandy, orange juice, lemon juice, orgeat syrup and crushed ice in an electric blender and pulse for a few seconds, until uniformly combined. Pour into a large pitcher. For each serving, fill a double old-fashioned glass with crushed ice, pour the mixture over top and stir well. Garnish each cocktail with the gardenia or orchid. Or to be true to the original Trader Vic's presentation, and serve the drinks in one big bowl with straws!

Trader Vic's Crab Rangoon
36 pieces

1/2 cup fresh cooked crabmeat, drained and chopped
1/2 lb cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 tsp A-1 Steak Sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 dozen wonton wrappers
1 egg yolk, well beaten
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
Chinese mustard
Chinese red sauce

Combine the crabmeat with cream cheese, steak sauce and garlic powder in a medium bowl and blend to a paste. Refrigerate if not using right away.

Set out 6 wonton wrappers at a time and place a heaping teaspoon of filling on each. Moisten edges of wrapper with egg yolk and gather corners at the top. Pinch edges together gently to seal.

Heat oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Heat oil in wok or deep saucepan to 375°F. Add wontons in batches and fry until golden brown, turning often, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to the prepared baking sheet and place in warm oven while frying the remaining wontons. Serve hot with Chinese mustard or red sauce for dipping.

Trader Vic's Rumaki
Makes 8

This addictive appetizer is apparently of Japanese origin, but it first achieved popularity in Hawaii—and is now considered a "Polynesian" specialty.

4 slices bacon, halved crosswise
8 canned water chestnuts, drained
4 chicken livers, cut in half
Soy sauce
1 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tbsp. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lay bacon on a cookie sheet and bake until cooked but not crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and drain off any fat, then blot bacon and pan with paper towels. Place 1 water chestnut in the middle of each piece of bacon, then top each with half a chicken liver. Place a drop of soy sauce, a pinch of ginger, and a sprinkle of brown sugar on top of each liver. Wrap bacon around water chestnuts and livers and secure with a skewer. Return pan to oven and bake until bacon is crisp and golden.

Trader Vic's Barbecued Spareribs
8 servings

The secret to these succulent spareribs is curing them quickly with a simple salt-and-sugar mixture. It makes the meat moist and juicy and, as an added bonus, gives it an attractive bright pink color. Baby-back ribs, as opposed to longer spareribs, are the perfect size for cocktail party nibbles.

Ribs:
4 lb pork baby-back ribs - 2 racks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp salt

Glaze:
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Thai-style sweet chili sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted

To prepare the ribs, combine the sugar and salt in a resealable plastic bag and shake to mix. Cut the racks into halves or thirds to fit inside the bag. Add ribs to bag and toss to distribute sugar mixture evenly. Seal bag and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.

To prepare the glaze, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, chili sauce, garlic, ginger, sugar, sesame oil and pepper in a bowl, whisking until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Remove ribs from the sugar mixture, pat with paper towels then arrange them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush both sides of the ribs with about 3/4 cup of the barbecue glaze, then cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes, then remove the plastic and bake, basting with the pan juices every 30 minutes, until tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. If the pan gets too dry and the juices begin to burn, add up to 1 cup water, scraping and stirring to dissolve the caramelized juices. Remove from oven and let sit, covered with aluminum foil, until ready to grill.

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium and grill the ribs, turning and brushing with barbecue glaze, for about 25 minutes or until they become dark golden brown. Check often, as the sugar in the sauce can burn quickly. Transfer ribs to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.

To serve, cut the racks into individual ribs and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Arrange on a platter or banana leaf, and decorate with some fresh tropical flowers for a Polynesian flair. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

COOK'S NOTE: Prepare the ribs and bake as directed up to 24 hours in advance. Let cool and store in refrigerator. Let come to room temperature before grilling.

Crawfish Etouffée: Celebration of the Mudbug

Crawfish, also known as the crawdad, mudbug and crayfish, are the pride of the marshland country of southern Louisiana. Like mussels, they're manna from nature — self reproducing, self sustaining, easy to capture and pleasing to the palate. Crawfish look like little lobsters, and have a flavour that's very similar, but they're half the price. In the little Cajun town of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, there's a historical marker proclaiming it 'La Capitale Mondiale de l'Ecrivisse' — the Crawfish Capital of the World. It's no hollow accolade, for within a fifty-mile radius of the town, more crawfish are produced than in any other area of the world. Twenty million pounds a year to be exact. 

The Annual Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival

Breaux Bridge's restaurants were the first to offer crawfish on their menus, and it was here that the insanely delicious Crawfish Etouffée was created. And every summer, thousands of hungry people flock to the tiny town to be part of the Annual Crawfish Festival and enjoy the sound of authentic Cajun, Zydeco and artists such as Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band!

Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band

Fortunately, you can enjoy classic Creole cuisine without having to boogie down to the Bayous, because frozen crawfish tails are available in specialty food markets here in Toronto, in shops like Diana's Seafood, the Seafood Depot and the St Lawrence Market. Crawfish is also the main ingredient in the Creole classic Ecrivisses Cardinale, a modified version of Crawfish Etouffée, which is said to have been invented at Antoine's many years ago. The 'Cardinale' comes from the fact that, although not the deep red of a cardinal's hat, the dish is pink. Both recipes are usually served over rice, but can also be served in puff pastry or poured over Crawfish Cornbread, whatever you like. This is the land of mudbugs and the 'big easy'. Laissez le bon temps roulez!

Antoine's Ecrivisses Cardinal
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Chef Michael Regua of Antoine's, New Orleans

1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1/2 cup white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 oz melted butter
Pinch of thyme
Pinch of basil
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 lb crawfish tails, steamed
16 oz half-and-half cream
3 oz blonde roux - equal parts butter and flour
2 tbsp white wine
2 tbsp brandy
salt and pepper to taste

Sauté first four ingredients in melted butter until limp, but not brown. Add thyme, basil and tomato paste. Then add crawfish. Cook until very hot. Add white wine and brandy, reduce until the alcohol is cooked off. Add roux and cream. Simmer until it thickens, but isn’t thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley and green onion and serve over rice.

Crawfish Etouffée in Puff Pastry
Serves 6
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Legasse

1 package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup minced shallots
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp Cognac or brandy
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 lb boiled crawfish tails, or cooked peeled medium shrimp
Finely chopped green onions, garnish
Finely chopped parsley, garnish
Paprika, garnish
Watercress, well rinsed and spun dry, garnish

Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each pastry sheet to an 11-inch square. Using a 4-inch puff pastry cutter with middle insert, cut 3 rounds from each sheet, saving the scraps for another use. If you don't have a cutter with a middle insert, you can cut out 4-inch circles and then use a 2 1/2-inch cutter to remove the middle round.

Place the pastry rounds 2-inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently lift off the top and reserve the top. Scoop out and discard the soft inner pastry. Return the shells to the oven and bake until starting to crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove and let cool.

In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and stirring constantly, cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the cream, brandy, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne, and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the crawfish tails and cook until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste.

Arrange the puff pastry rounds on 6 plates. Divide the crawfish cardinale among the pastry shells and place the tops slightly off center. Garnish each plate with the green onions, parsley and paprika, with watercress on the side.

Breaux Bridge Crawfish Cornbread with Cheddar & Jalapeno 
Serves 8 
Recipe courtesy Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival Association

1 cup white cornmeal 
1/2 tsp soda 
1 tsp salt 
1/4 cup cooking oil 
1 can cream-style corn 
2 eggs
1/2 lb grated cheddar cheese
3 chopped jalapeno peppers
1 cup chopped onions
1 lb chopped crawfish

Combine all of the ingredients into a large bowl, and mix thoroughly. Pour into a lightly greased baking pan. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Serve sliced with Crawfish Etouffée or Cardinale.


Breaux Bridge Crawfish Étouffée
Serves 6-8
Recipe courtesy of Café des Amis in Breaux Bridge

According to Acadian cooks, étouffée—which was invented in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, in the late 1920s—is the most celebrated crawfish creation of all time.

1⁄4 lb butter
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup celery, finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic, peeled and minced
1 tsp salt
1⁄2 tsp. cayenne
2 cups hot Fish Stock
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 lbs crawfish tails, peeled
1⁄4 cup scallions, finely chopped, for garnish
1⁄4 cup parsley, finely chopped, for garnish

Melt butter in a large, heavy pot. Add onions, peppers, celery, garlic, salt, and cayenne, and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add 1 1⁄2 cups of the stock. Stir cornstarch into remaining 1⁄2 cup stock and add to pot. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Add crawfish tails and cook until warmed through, 2–3 minutes. Garnish with scallions and parsley. Serve over rice.

Oysters Rockefeller: A Lifelong Love Affair

Nothing encapsulates fresh seafood like raw oysters straight from the sea, and nothing says culinary excess like Oysters Rockefeller. The first time I ever tried them was at the Oak Bay Marina in Victoria BC when I was 9 years old, and it was love at first bite. The appetizer, oysters topped with a mixture of finely chopped greens and copious amounts of butter and cheese and then baked in their shells, was considered so rich that it had to be named after the richest man of the day, John D. Rockefeller. A few years later, no self-respecting restaurateur would be without their own version on the menu, even in Oak Bay, and even to an innocent nine-year old.

Oak Bay Marina, Victoria BC

Look at those little sweeties....okay I was six

Jules Alciatore, the creator of the original Oysters Rockefeller recipe and founder of Antoine’s, took the original recipe with him to the grave, so any version of the recipe that exists today is only an assumption, based on descriptions of the original dish. While many have achieved the trademark green colour of the original, easily acheived by using spinach, it's said that few actually get the actual flavour of Antoine's recipe exactly right. The chefs at Antoine’s insist that there's no spinach in the recipe, but many imitations, including this one, does contain the green leafy upstart. Opinions differ on the other green ingredients but guess at them being parsley and watercress that are puréed and then added to the mix, while others support the notion that the primary ingredients are parsley, celery, scallions, chives, olive oil and capers.

Antoine's cookbook compiled by Roy F. Guste, the fifth-generation proprietor, 

features hundreds of recipes from the Antoine's tradition

Although the original recipe still remains a closely-guarded Antoine's secret, you can still order Huitres en Coquille a la Rockefeller, with the original Rockefeller sauce, when you're next at Antoine's in New Orleans. In the meantime, there are many recipes to choose from, including my favourite Oysters Rockefeller recipe, which is the closest I've come to reproducing the rich and delicious bivalves I enjoyed when I was a little girl. Enjoy.

The spinach, onion, celery and cream mixture is spooned over the oysters

Fresh crumbled bacon is sprinkled on top

Then a flurry of finely chopped fresh Italian parsley...

And finally a generous amount of Parmesan

Baked in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes and voila!

Oysters Rockefeller 
Makes 24 appetizers

2 dozen oysters, shucked
5 tbsp butter, unsalted 
1/2 bag fresh spinach leaves, stems removed and finely chopped 
1/2 onion, chopped 
3 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped 
1 stalk celery, finely chopped 
1 garlic clove, minced 
3 tbsp cooked bacon, chopped
2 tbsp white wine 
2 tbsp heavy cream 
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Swiss cheese
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp Pernod
Rock salt
Lemon wedges for garnish


Using an oyster knife, pry open the oyster shells and remove the oysters, reserving the oyster liquor. Discard the top and loosen each oyster from the base of its shell. Set aside and keep cool.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spread a 1/2-inch thick layer of rock salt on a large baking sheet and arrange the oyster shells on top, making sure they're all level. The rock salt will stabilize them. Pour a little of the reserved oyster liquor on top of each shell. 

Finely chop the onion and celery. Melt three tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan over medium heat, and add the celery and onion and cook one minute. Add the chopped spinach and the remaining butter, and cook another minute or two until the spinach has wilted. Add the white wine and Pernod and cook another two minutes, stirring constantly. Add the cream and stir to combine. The mixture may be made ahead of time up to this point, and refrigerated until ready to use, up to 3 days.

Remove the chilled Rockefeller topping from the refrigerator, and beat the mixture with an electric mixer to evenly distribute the butter and infuse air into the topping. Spoon the spinach mixture evenly over each oyster, spreading it evenly out to the edge of the shell, then top with the crumbled bacon and a sprinkle of chopped parsley. Combine the Parmesan and the Panko and scatter evenly over the oysters, with a dot of butter if you wish. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, watching carefully, until the edges of the oysters begin to curl around the edges and the topping is bubbling and lightly browned.

Using tongs or a spatula, carefully transfer the hot shells to a salt-covered presentation platter, or individual serving plates, and serve immediately with lemon wedges, bubbly and a big grin.

'The Oyster Gatherers of Cancale' by John Singer Sargent.

Asian Curried Coconut Tomato Soup with Crab

This gorgeous Asian-inspired saffron coloured Curried Coconut Tomato Soup is a spectacular way to feature the dishes main attraction: Dungeness Crab. Delicious served hot or cold, this fragrant and spicy curried soup gets a kick from its aromatic Asian cousins — Thai red curry paste, Sambal Oelek, fresh ginger, garlic and coconut milk — which combined with canned Roma tomatoes, becomes a rich and complex elixir, producing a fusion of exotic flavours and brilliant colours that positively shine. Rich and satisfying, Curried Coconut Tomato Soup with Crab can be prepared ahead of time, and would be delicious served as part of any Asian-inspired feast, such as Pad Thai noodles or vegetable spring rolls. A spectacular dish that would look dazzling served in hollowed-out coconut shells, is sure to impress any guests.



Asian Curried Coconut Tomato Soup with Crab
Serves 8 to 10 

1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1/2 tsp of sambal oelek chili paste
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 bay leaves
2 1/2 cups minced yellow onion 
3 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp Thai Red curry paste
1 1/2 cups canned Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup chicken broth
16 oz bottled clam juice
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
1 1/2 lb cooked Dungeness crabmeat
Jalapeno or Thai red chilis for garnish


Combine the garlic, ginger, sambal oelek chili paste and two tablespoons of water in a blender and purée.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. When hot, add the cinnamon and bay leaves and sauté for 5 seconds. Add the onion and sauté until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ginger mixture and sauté until aromatic and the water has evaporated. 

Add the curry powder, turmeric and red curry paste plus one to two additional tablespoons of water and stir. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes longer until aromatic. Add the tomatoes, cilantro, remaining water, coconut milk, chicken stock, clam juice and salt. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Season to taste with salt.

When cool, purée the mixture in batches until very smooth then chill. The soup can be prepared the day before and refrigerated until ready to serve either cold or hot. To serve, ladle the soup into individual bowls and top with a dollop of crabmeat and garnish with some chopped cilantro and a slice of jalapeno or Thai red chili.

Lemon Posset with Lemon Pistachio Shortbread

Lemon Posset is a traditional British dessert that was based on a drink popular during the Middle Ages, when access to lemons was a sign of wealth and power. Known simply as Posset, it was originally made ​​with milk beaten with eggs, sugar, and spices and curdled with ale or wine. The curdled milk rose to the top, the eggs created a custard mid-layer, and at the bottom was a warm spicy alcoholic drink, served from the spout of a posset pot.

English Posset Pot, circa 1695

Over the centuries, the word posset has come to mean a simple pudding, and although this recipe is over five hundred years old, the hallmark of any great dish that has stood the test of time is simplicity, and Posset is no exception, containing just three ingredients: heavy cream, sugar and lemon juice. Simple, elegant and deliciously tangy, Lemon Posset delivers great results with very little effort. Similar to Italian panna cotta which is made with milk, a posset is made ​​with cream for a more velvety, rich and smooth texture.

An old recipe for Lemon Posset from 1764 by cookery writer Elizabeth Moxon

This is the science of desserts at its finest. First you cook the cream which must be sufficiently fatty — no lower than 35% — with granulated sugar. Once warm, you take it off the heat and add the lemon juice. Made in a matter of minutes, then left to chill, this rich tangy and creamy lemon curd-style dessert is delicious garnished with a dollop of whipped cream, fresh Ontario wild blueberries, and a flurry of lemon zest. Serve with one of the great pleasures of life — buttery Lemon Pistachio Shortbread. 



Lemon Posset
Makes Four 4-oz servings
Adapted from a recipe by Gordon Ramsay

1 1/3 cup English double cream (48%) or whipping cream (35%)
1/3 cup caster sugar
2 lemons, juiced

Pour the cream and the sugar into a small saucepan over a low heat and bring to the boil slowly, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar. Once it comes to the boil, let the cream bubble for three minutes, stirring continuously. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the juice of 1 lemon, stirring the mixture thoroughly as you do so. It should start to thicken instantly. Taste the mixture and add a little more lemon juice if it’s not tart enough. The posset should be sweet, tangy and creamy.

Allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then pour into individual glasses, pots or decorative bowls. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight. If the possets are very firm, take them out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving to soften. Serve with lemon pistachio shortbread cookies.

Lemon Pistachio Shortbread
Makes about 40

2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 lemons, finely grated zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups + 1 tbsp all purpose flour, sifted

1/2 cup pistachios, finely chopped
2 tbsp cornstarch, sifted
2/3 cup icing sugar for garnish, sifted

Place the butter and icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 8 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add the lemon juice, zest and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the flour and corn starch and beat just until a smooth dough forms. Add the chopped pistachios and mix until well blended. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Divide the dough into two parts, and roll each into a log about 2-inches in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and referigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. When the dough is chilled, use a sharp knife to cut 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thick disks from the log. Bake on a parchment covered baking sheet for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool about 5 minutes, then gently toss the warm shortbreads in the extra icing sugar and allow to cool completely on wire racks.

Banoffi Pie: The Original Hungry Monk Recipe

As the story goes, Ian Dowding and Nigel Mackenzie are credited with the 'invention' of Banoffi Pie, which they first served at their award-winning Sussex gastropub The Hungry Monk restaurant in Jevington, East Sussex. Developed in 1972, the dessert was inspired by an American dish known as Blum’s Coffee Toffee Pie, which consisted of smooth toffee topped with coffee-flavoured whipped cream. Dowding adapted the recipe to instead use a soft caramel toffee created by boiling a can of condensed milk, and worked with Mackenzie to add a layer of bananas, calling the dish “Banoffi” — a blend of the words 'banana' and 'toffee'. It was an immediate success, proving so popular with their customers that they couldn’t take it off the menu. 

The picturesque Hungry Monk in Jevington, Sussex

The restaurant, originally four monks’ cottages, was built in the 14th century and combined into one building at some point. Unfortunately, The Hungry Monk closed its doors for the last time in January 2012 due to increased running costs, but not before Mackenzie erected a blue plaque on the front of The Hungry Monk confirming it as the birthplace of the world's favourite pudding.

Most famous as the birthplace of the original recipe for Banoffi Pie back in 1972, 

the much loved The Hungry Monk, cited economic pressures for its closure earlier this year

The restaurant published a number of cookbooks, but the original recipe for Banoffi Pie first appeared in The Deeper Secrets of the Hungry Monk, which is now sadly out of print. However it was reprinted again in their later cookbook, In Heaven with the Hungry Monk, which is still available on Amazon. Since then, Ian Dowding has put his original recipe online because he's pedantic about the correct version, and says that his pet peeves are biscuit crumb bases and "that horrible cream in aerosol cans".

The Hungry Monk cookbook

Dowding's original recipe called for boiling the cans of condensed milk, however there was always a danger of the tins exploding if the water ran dry. Funnily enough, a friend of mine, who initially introduced me to Banoffi Pie, once left the tins unattended in boiling water while she went out for a round of golf. When she returned, the water had boiled dry and the tins had exploded, painting her kitchen with caramelized toffee! Dowding has since amended his original recipe with a much safer oven-cooking method. 

The secret to Banoffi Pie is condensed milk, which cooks down to a 

creamy smooth toffee, also known as Dulce de Leche

If you're just discovering Banoffi Pie, you're in for a treat. The decadent combination of buttery crisp shortbread pie crust, Dulce de Leche toffee and slices of sweet bananas, all covered with lashings of whipped cream, is rumoured to have been one of Margaret Thatcher's favourite puddings and also among the more popular treats served at Buckingham Palace.

The Original 'Hungry Monk' Banoffi Pie
Serves 8-10
Recipe courtesy of Ian Dowding of 'The Hungry Monk'

For the pastry:
9 oz plain flour
1 oz icing sugar
4 1/2 oz butter
1 egg & 1 egg yolk

For the Banoffi toffee sauce:
1 1/2 tins condensed milk - 13.5 ounces each
5-6 firm yet ripe bananas
1 1/2 cups double cream - whipping cream or crème fraîche work well too
1 tsp instant coffee
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp freshly ground coffee

For the pastry, place the flour and sugar in a bowl, cut the butter into cubes and then rub the mixture together until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Work the egg into the dough to form a paste, then cover and chill for half an hour. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

When ready, lightly grease a 10-inch x 1 1/2-inch deep loose bottomed tart tin, and line with the pastry thinly rolled out. Prick the base all over with a fork, line with parchment paper and weigh down with dry beans. Bake for 15 minutes then remove the beans and parchment. Put the pastry case back into the oven and cook until its evenly golden. Remove from the oven and cool.

For the toffee sauce, start by placing the unopened tins in a deep pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil on the stovetop. Cover with a lid and transfer to a preheated 285°F oven for 3 1/2 hours. Lift the tins from the water and allow to cool completely before opening. Note: The longer they cook, the darker and thicker the toffee will be.

To compose the pie, carefully spread the toffee over the cooked pastry, then top with peeled and sliced bananas. Whip the cream, sugar and instant coffee granules, until thick and smooth. To finish, spoon the cream over the bananas, up to the edge of the pastry, then lightly sprinkle with freshly ground coffee, and garnish with some sliced bananas on top, just before serving.

COOK'S NOTE: The caramel-toffee sauce is a great addition to many dishes such as ice-cream and poached pears. 

Individual Banoffee Tarts - an updated recipe
Serves 6

For the toffee sauce:

1 13.5 oz tin condensed milk

For the base:

1 1/2 cups digestives biscuits or graham crackers

10 tbsp butter, melted
1 1/4 cup whipping cream
3 bananas, sliced
Cocoa or chocolate shavings

For the toffee sauce, start by placing the unopened tins in a deep pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil on the stovetop. Cover with a lid and transfer to a preheated 285°F oven for 3 1/2 hours. Lift the tins from the water and allow to cool completely before opening. Note: The longer they cook, the darker and thicker the toffee will be.

For the base, crush the digestive biscuits or graham crackers and mix it with melted butter in a food processor. Using the back of a spoon, press the mixture into 6 pre-greased mini loose-bottomed tart tins. Chill the crust in the refrigerator for at least one hour. 

Meanwhile, whip the cream until it’s stiff, then fold in the sliced bananas or save them to be layered under the cream, once the tarts are composed. Spread a layer of toffee sauce on top of the crust and top with the banana cream, or one layer of bananas, then topped with the cream. Sprinkle with cocoa or dark chocolate shavings and serve with an additional drizzle of toffee on top, for a final flourish!