Sweet Escapes: Cooking SVM Style

Bookies the world over got the news from Charlaine Harris that we have all been longing for and dreading at the sametime. Dead Ever After was complete… with just some editing to do. I truly find this news exciting! I know many of us bookies are still not ready to say goodbye to Sookie or Eric. This is why we are Celebrating the SVM here at ESL through till its release in May 2013!

Now I am sure you have seen our “Raising the Dead” posts, in which we are looking back on each of the books and how they made us feel as we read them. Next up will be our thoughts on Club Dead, which should be coming to you in August

. It has been great taking this stroll down memory lane, and it has sparked many a discussion between us with a quick “What did you think of this part?”.

To continue on our “Celebrate the SVM” theme, I was inspired by The Sookie Stackhouse Companion and the Julie/Julia movie directed by the late Nora Ephron. The movie was based on a project where Julie Powell started cooking her way through Julia Childs “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and blogging about it . For those who have not read the Sookie Stackhouse Companion, there is a section called “What is Cookin’ in Bon Temps” that contains 32 recipes. They range from Breakfast, Lunch, Supper, Sides, Desserts, and Drinks. So to help Celebrate the SVM… I will be cooking my way through the companion… and blogging about it!

This should be entertaining to all as we experience cooking southern style cuisine together. I am a transplant to the south so this will expand my palate. Add in the fact that my normal style of cooking is defrosting a frozen meal or cooking-by-dialing with the occasional throw-it-in-a-slow-cooker meal for variety. The hilarity factor will be amped up as I attempt to learn how to use my kitchen properly. Who is with me so far?

For my first foray into cooking with a recipe, I thought I should keep it simple and try the Sweet Tea. Now, this is considered a delicacy down here in the South… the “southern wine” if you will… and something that I can’t order in a restaurant due to my no caffeine restriction unless I want a migraine. Plus, it’s been a hot hot summer and a who wouldn’t enjoy some iced sweet tea?

The recipe in the book calls for for me to have 1 qt of water, 1 cup of sugar, 5 tea bags (yes, 5), and ice… for later. I was to fill a 2 quart pot half way with the water, bring it to a boil while mixing in the sugar till its melted… much like one of my chemistry experiments. My chem teacher from way back when would be soooo proud

. Any way, after the sugar and water became sugar water, I removed the pot from the heat and started steeping the 5 tea bags. I probably would have been fine with 2-3 but I wanted to follow the recipe exactly to get the full effect. Which turned to a lovely dark shade of brown after a few minutes. Since it was to hot to drink even with ice, I poured the tea into a pitcher to do what I really wanted to be. Chill.

I admit I am not a patient person, plus I was thirsty. So I waited… and waited…till it cooled enough to pour over ice. After my first sip, I learned Sweat Tea really does live up to its name. Ironically, the sweet tea cured my sweet tooth for a bit

. Next time I make it, I may just try to garnish with fresh mint… as recommended.

I call my first foray at recipe following a success! I boiled water without burning it! Now I’m not saying I’m ready for the Cordon Bleu, but I may be ready to take on trying out one of the Supper recipes! What do you think?