Recipe: Grapefruit Brulée

Halve each grapefruit crosswise and cut a thin slice of peel from the bottom of each half to stabilize the pieces. Remove all seeds from the grapefruit and loosen the segments with a paring knife. Sprinkle each half evenly with sugar and a pinch of salt. Broil in an oven on high to form a golden brown and crispy surface. Serve immediately. △

Recipe: Kale and Potato Pancakes with Gravlax and Nordic Yogurt

Alpine Modern Executive Chef Ellory Abels created this dish for your New Year's brunch—or any Sunday morning of the new year. Yield: 2 portions/6 cakes Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

1 cup chopped kale ¼ cup minced red onion ½ cup shredded chef potatoes 2 whisked eggs ½ tsp dill 2 tbsp brown rice flour ½ tsp lemon zest ¼ cup of preferred frying oil 6oz Gravlax ¼ cup nordic yogurt 1 lemon sliced salt and pepper to season

Tools

Medium Bowl Non-Stick Pan Spatula Whisk Zester Knife Cutting Board

Method

Combine chopped kale, red onion, potatoes, eggs, dill, flour, and  lemon zest in bowl.

Mix together and season to your liking.

Use non-stick pan with frying oil and heat up on medium heat. Once oil is smoking put make medium size cake and cook till crisp on each side.

Finish with a dollop of nordic yogurt on each cake with gravlax and a squeeze of some fresh lemon juice and enjoy! △

Recipe: A Modern Gingerbread House

Gingerbread houses are an annual holiday tradition with my children. Baking the gingerbread makes the house smell like Christmas, and there is nothing more fun than decorating with frosting and candy.  Every year, we imagine what it would be like to live in such a delicious, cozy home. We have always made houses that look like Hänsel and Gretel could have wandered into them, but this year, in honor of Alpine Modern, we made one that Don Draper might have rented for a ski weekend.

Recipe: Gingerbread House

Makes 1 house

INGREDIENTS

Gingerbread

(Based on a recipe by the Food Network)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup molasses 1 tbsp cinnamon 1 tbsp ground ginger 1 1/2 tsp ground cloves 1 tsp baking soda 2 cups all purpose flour 2 tsp water

Frosting

1 lb (4 cups) powdered sugar 1 tsp cream of tartar 3 egg whites

Candy

Gumdrops, Lifesavers, Licorice, Dots, Mike and Ikes, and Candy Canes work really well.  (Candies with a coating, such as M&Ms or Skittles, usually leak into the frosting and don’t look as pretty.)

STEPS

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and baking soda, until the mixture is smooth. (A stand mixer comes in very handy here.)

Blend in flour and water to make a stiff dough. Chill at least 30 minutes or until firm. (I often make the dough a day or two ahead, wrap it in foil and keep it in the freezer, until I am ready to bake it.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Use graph paper and cut out the following paper patterns for the gingerbread house:

Front and Back 

Left side: 4 1/4” or 22 graph squares

Right side: 3 1/2” or 18 graph squares

Bottom: 7” or 36 graph squares

Top: use a ruler to draw a line slanting down from the top of the left side to the top of right side

Door: 1 1/2” or 8 graph squares wide, 2” or 13 graph squares tall

Door location: 7 graph squares from the L side

Window: 1 3/4” or 9 graph squares wide, 1 1/4” or 6 graph squares tall

Window location: 7 graph squares from the L of the door, at the same height as the door

(Only cut out the door and window for the front side of the house.)

Sides

3 1/2” or 18 graph squares by 4 1/4” or 22 graph squares

Roof

6 1/2” or 33 graph squares by 11 1/2” or 58 graph squares

Roll out the gingerbread dough to a little thicker than 1/4”. Place patterns on top of dough and cut out with a large, sharp edged knife. Cut two “Front and Back” pieces, 2 sides and 1 roof.

Bake at 375 degrees F for about 12 minutes. Leave house pieces on the baking sheet for ten minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Do not try to assemble the house until the house pieces are completely cool to the touch.

Mix all three ingredients for the frosting in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Continue mixing until the frosting is quite stiff.

Glue sides, front, and back of the house together, directly onto a rectangular plate. The side piece on the left should be in a portrait position, and the side piece on the right should be in a landscape position. Be generous with the icing on the inside of the house. I usually place a large scoop into each corner and up the inside seams to bolster the construction. Let the frosting harden completely.

Decorate the frame of the door and window with frosting and candy before adding the roof.  Frost the top edges of the house and the underside of the roof. Again, be generous with the amount of frosting on the underside of the roof so that it will attach firmly to the house. Let the frosting completely harden.

Frost the top of the roof and decorate with candies. Add the candy cane pillars last, when all of the frosting is hardened and the house is structurally sound.

Enjoy! △

A Winter’s Feast

The season of winter feasting creates a cornucopia of holidays: Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, the Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, the New Year, plus birthdays and anniversaries. These celebrations inspire us to gather friends and family together for a memorable meal. But these days, with our busy lives and family and friends often flung to the far corners of the world, getting a dozen people around your table for a dinner party can present a challenge—along with a measure of intimidation.

Menu planning, creating or finding the right recipes and foods, setting a beautiful table, cooking and timing the courses all require considerable skill and energy. Additionally, there’s a feeling of vulnerability—having people in your house, seeing how you live. Entertaining and orchestrating a special meal takes the host through the whole gamut of human emotions.

Flavors of entertaining

Entertaining has many faces. It can be simple, like soup and bread, or a sumptuous banquet. It can be planned months in advance or spontaneous and spur of the moment. There are as many styles of entertaining and hosting as there are personalities.

And that’s what creates the individual flavor and enjoyment of it—visiting someone’s unique home and seeing how they live, along with the types of food they like, their décor, artwork, and lifestyle. The best meals and get-togethers focus on togetherness rather than technique or perfection. Having guests help with some of the preparation sets the tone—even if it’s minimal like slicing the bread, tossing the salad, or helping to set the table.

The very human act of gathering

What is the true meaning of gathering and entertaining, really? Again, there are as many reasons and styles as there are days in the year.

Gathering to celebrate special occasions, birthdays, holidays, family, and community rituals may prompt us to investigate the practical, traditional, philosophic, spiritual—and perhaps even mystical—nature of entertaining and hospitality. What are some of the deeper primal undertones of this very human act of gathering together?

Dongzhi, or the Chinese Winter Solstice Festival, celebrates the coming of the cold weather and the return of the sun with feasting and festivities. Originating with the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 220), the Winter Festival pays homage to the ancient yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony in the cosmos. The philosophy holds that the yang, or muscular, positive energy, increases daily after the shortest day—so should be celebrated. Family get-togethers involve the making and eating of tangyuan, a sweet soup with balls of sticky rice, which symbolizes reunion.

Worldwide, changing seasons—the arrival of spring, midsummer, the autumn harvest, and especially the winter solstice—have historically been special times to celebrate and feast. Humankind has venerated the return of the sun’s light at the winter solstice throughout history and prehistory. Feasts have been held, and monuments have been painstakingly constructed and dedicated to it.

On a chilly night, we gathered for a winter feast that Colin and Sarah Kirby graciously hosted at their modern Boulder, Colorado, home to celebrate good food, camaraderie, and hospitality. According to Chef Colin, hospitality at its simplest is taking care of people, treating people well. The flavor of a host’s hospitality conveys a certain way of looking at the world, through food, drink, and its presentation.

"The flavor of a host’s hospitality conveys a certain way of looking at the world, through food, drink, and its presentation."

Perfect moments to remember

What happens when it all comes together? That moment when it all works really well? Reunion—as with the Chinese Dongzhi celebration. Communion. The creative and thoughtfully prepared meal is an emotional and spiritual experience. In addition to enjoying delicious food, guests feel a warm and deep appreciation for the host’s labors and generosity, and for each other. It’s truly a celebration and labor of love.

Some people, like our host, specifically design their homes with entertaining in mind. Colin’s cleverly repurposed and beautifully refinished Douglas fir floor joists–turned–dining table perfectly seats a dozen guests, as he intended. Set alongside an open kitchen, the broad table invites participation and observation.

As our host chef concludes, “Cooking is the only art form that engages all five senses.” And like any art form, an exquisitely conceived and executed meal inspires, elevates, educates, and enlivens.

In addition to the shared ritual of emotional and physical nourishment and sustenance, a special dinner or feast also offers the chance to learn about new foods and recipes, perhaps the favorites of the host. Special recipes from family or friends carry memories and significance, and enrich the experience of others who replicate them.

“Cooking is the only art form that engages all five senses.”

Recipes can hold special meanings for people, especially when passed down through generations or created for a unique event. Here, we are sharing some recipes our host, Colin Kirby, served at Alpine Modern’s Winter Feast that we hope will inspire you to take up the wooden spoon, start cooking, and gather some hungry souls around your table in celebration of togetherness. △

---

Recipes for a winter's feast

Tomato-Braised Leg of Lamb

The headliner. Braised in the oven for hours before your guests arrive, making this lamb dish will fill the house with a savory fragrance that will draw everyone into the kitchen. Go to recipe »

Braised Leeks with Black Truffle

An elegantly simple vegetable side for any festive dinner. Go to recipe »

The Alpine Glissade

Luscious Holiday libation: A festive cocktail based on cold-drip coffee. Go to recipe »

Recipe: Tomato-Braised Leg of Lamb

INGREDIENTS

boneless leg of lamb:   3 2.5 lb legs, trussed with twine salt pepper

TOMATO BRAISING LIQUID

garlic:   2 bulbs, minced carrots:   6 yellow onions:   3 leeks:   3 medium-sized fennel:   2 bulbs, shaved salt red wine:   1 bottle San Marzano tomatoes:   3 cans fennel seed: 3 T, ground chili flakes chives Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Leg of lamb

Season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a grill or cast-iron pan. Sear the lamb legs on both sides on high heat until nicely seared, 8–10 minutes total. Reserve to later place in the tomato liquid.

Tomato braising liquid

Preheat oven to 300° F (150° C). In a large pot or rondeau heat a small amount of grape seed oil. Once hot, add the garlic and sauté until translucent. Add the small diced carrots, onions, leeks, and fennel. Season the vegetables with salt and let them sauté until nearly tender. If the pan begins to brown, this is a good thing.

Once the vegetables are ready, deglaze the pan with the bottle of red wine. Let the alcohol cook out of the wine (about 5 minutes). Add the tomatoes, fennel seed, and chili flakes. Add the seared lamb legs to the tomato sauce. The lamb should be submerged in the liquid. Put the lid on the pot and braise in the oven until lamb is tender, about 6 1/2 hours, checking every 2 hours.

Remove the braising pot from the oven and allow the lamb to cool completely in the sauce. Gently reheat and serve, adding cut chives and Parmesan on top. Serves 10. △

---

This recipe is part of Alpine Modern's big Winter Feast, which we will publish here this week.

Recipe: Braised Leeks with Black Truffle

INGREDIENTS

leeks:   12 small, cleaned and trimmed black truffle butter:   8–10 oz (227 to 283 g) *or regular butter with high-fat content salt pepper red radish:   1

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Also, prepare an ice bath. Remove the root end of the leek and trim the green leaves so roughly 6 inches (15 cm) of the leek is available. Then, cut in half lengthwise. Set aside. Place the leeks into the blanching water for approximately 6 minutes or until nearly tender. Remove from pot and place in the ice bath until cool to stop the cooking process.

In a large sauté pan on medium, heat a small amount of grape seed oil and gently arrange the cooked leeks so they fit in one layer. Once the leeks are hot and begin to sear slightly, place a piece of circular parchment paper on top of the leeks to help them cook evenly (see photo). Add the black truffle butter. Once the butter is melted, season with salt and pepper and serve, on the table, out of the sauté pan. Shave the red radish on a microplane and top the cooked leeks with it for added texture. Serves 10. △

---

This recipe is part of Alpine Modern's big Winter Feast, which we will publish here this week.

Recipe: Germknödel with Plum Filling

Germknödel are a classic lunch favorite at ski huts in the Austrian alps. The fluffy, steamed yeast dumplings are so filling, this comfort food can be a main dish all on their own. The traditional filling is Powidl (a thick spiced plum mousse), which can easily be substituted with plum jam. Germknödel are topped with melted butter and a generous heaping of a mixture of ground poppy seeds and powdered sugar. Recipe by Austrian top chef Martin Reiter, Hotel Kitzhof, Kitzbühl,Tyrol

INGREDIENTS

Makes 6 Germknödel

250 gr flour, divide 15 gr fresh yeast 25 gr butter, softened 1/8 liter warm milk 25 gr powdered sugar 2 egg yolks 1 tsp vanilla sugar (if you can’t get the little sachets, substitute with 1 tsp sugar mixed with 1/4 tsp vanilla extract) lemon zest a dash of salt 6 tbsp plum jam for filling

Topping

90 gr melted butter 90 gr ground poppy 50 gr powdered sugar

STEPS

Dissolve yeast in warm milk, stir in 50 gr of the flour, then sprinkle some flour on top, cover, and let rest in a warm place. This is called the Dampfl.

Heat water in double boiler pot set.

Add softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, egg yolk, lemon zest, and salt into double boiler and beat until foamy and warm.

Knead Dampfl with the remaining flour and butter mixture into a smooth dough.

Divide dough into 6 parts, form balls, cover with cloth, and let rest for 30 minutes.

Once the dough has risen, flatten each ball and set 1 tbsp plum jam in the middle. Fold edges up and pinch together so dough closes around the plum filling. Set on floured surface with pinched closure facing down, cover with cloth, and let rest once more until dumplings have risen by half of their volume.

Meanwhile, bring water to a simmer in large pot.

Carefully drop dumplings in the water and simmer for 15 minutes with the pot lid half on, flipping the dumplings over half way through.

Meanwhile, mix ground poppy seeds and powdered sugar for topping.

Place each hot dumpling on a plate and top with melted butter and poppy seed/powdered sugar mixture (the locals heap it on).

For a less traditional yet heavenly delicious variation, top Germknödel with warm vanilla sauce instead of the melted butter, sprinkle with poppy seeds and sugar.

An Guadn!

Recipe: The Alpine Glissade

INGREDIENTS

Alpine Modern Cafe cold-drip coffee:   1.5 oz (45 ml) filtered water:   0.5 oz (15 ml) Bonal Gentiane Quina:   0.75 oz (22 ml) Campari:   0.25 oz (8 ml) Licor 43:   0.25 oz (8 ml)

DIRECTIONS

Combine ingredients and pour over ice. Quick stir in glass. Garnish with orange peel. Serves 2. △

---

This recipe is part of Alpine Modern's big Winter Feast, which we will publish here on Saturday.

Recipe: Muscovy Duck Breast with Chanterelles, Pickled Radish, and Foie Gras Gastrique

INGREDIENTS muscovy duck breasts: 2 breasts salt pepper grapeseed oil chanterelles: 113 g (4 oz) shallot: 1, diced butter: 28 g (2 T) thyme: 3 sprigs

GASTRIQUE

reserved apple liquid: 236 ml (1 cup) from Whiskey Preserved Apples recipe shallot: ½, diced bay leaf black peppercorns apple cider vinegar: 118 ml ( cup) rendered foie gras fat: 30 ml (2 T)

Duck Breast

Preheat oven to 180° C (350° F). Carefully score the skin with a sharp knife. Season tempered duck breast generously with salt and pepper. On medium-high heat, heat grapeseed oil until the oil is hot. Sear, skin-side down, until skin is nicely golden brown. Place pan (with the duck in it) in the oven until the duck breast reaches 54.4° C (130° F). Remove duck from the pan, let it temper for a few minutes before slicing. Finish sliced breast with sea salt and set aside.

Chanterelles

Carefully clean the mushrooms to remove excess dirt. Once clean, heat a pan, add a small amount of grapeseed oil, and add diced shallot. Once the shallot is translucent, add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3–5 minutes. Add a knob of butter and a few sprigs of thyme. Once butter is melted and mushrooms are coated, remove from pan and set aside.

Gastrique

Remove half of the liquid from the cooked apples (see recipe). Place in a saute pan with diced shallot, bay leaf, and black peppercorns. Reduce liquid by half, add apple cider vinegar. Reduce the liquid another quarter (total time 8‒10 minutes). Strain and return to cleaned sauté pan. Add a tablespoon of rendered foie gras fat for flavor. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and set aside.

Pickled Radish

See recipe for Red Wine Pickling Liquid. Set aside 3‒5 wedges.

To serve

Place the sliced duck, chanterelles, and pickled vegetables on a plate and pour the gastrique on top. Serves two.

Other garnishes include

Pickled gooseberry, green strawberries, pickled cherries. It’s easy to substitute any of these as need be. △

---

This recipe accompanies "Preserving Traditions."

Recipe: The Alpinist's Larder

INGREDIENTS

pickled cherries: 3 pieces preserved whiskey: 60 ml (2 oz) leopold bros. three pins herbal liquor: 20 ml (0.7 oz) lemon juice: 20 ml (0.7 oz) honey syrup: 20 ml (0.7 oz)

DIRECTIONS

1  Combine all ingredients into a shaker 2  Gently muddle the cherries 3  Shake with ice 4  Double strain over ice 5  Garnish with cherries, mint, and lemon peel.

---

This recipe accompanies "Preserving Traditions."

Recipe: Alpine Hot Toddy

INGREDIENTS herb bundle: Thyme, marjoram, sage, lemon peel, mint, sorrel whiskey preserved apples: 30 g (1 oz), diced violet flowers preserved whiskey: 60 ml (2 oz) leopold bros. three pins herbal liquor: 20 ml (0.7 oz) lemon juice: 20 ml (0.7 oz) hot water: 1 pitcher

DIRECTIONS

1  Place all ingredients into a heat-resistant pitcher 2  Add hot water to steep (1‒2 minutes) 3  Strain into a heated mug or glass 4  Garnish with apples and lemon peel.

Photo by Ashton Ray Hansen

Boulder bartender Jon Watsky making the Alpine Hot Toddy / Photo by Ashton Ray Hansen

---

This recipe accompanies "Preserving Traditions."

Recipe: Whiskey Preserved Apples

INGREDIENTS Honeycrisp or Gala Apples: 2 peeled, quartered, and cored Rye or Bourbon whiskey: 300 ml (10 oz) Honey syrup: 60 ml (2 oz)—1:1 ratio honey:water Thyme: 1 sprig Sage: 1 sprig Lemon Peel: 2 peels Orange Peel: 2 peels Fennel Seed: 3 g (⅔ tsp, 0.1 oz) Clove: 3 g (⅔ tsp, 0.1 oz) Cinnamon Stick: 1 small

DIRECTIONS

1  Blanch (for 2–3 minutes) and shock the apple quarters. 2  Place all contents into a cryovac bag and seal. 3  Using an immersion circulator, poach the contents for 3 hours at 48° C (118° F). 4  Save liquid for the Alpine Hot Toddy recipe.

---

This recipe accompanies "Preserving Traditions."

Preserving Traditions

Preserving fresh foods so they will provide lasting sustenance through the cold season has been the stuff of daily life since the beginnings of human civilization—nowhere more so than in the mountains and other places where winter lingers.

Cured, dried, smoked, and salted meats and fish. Buttermilk, kefir, and cheese from fresh milk. Wine, spirits, beer, and cider. Pickles, krauts, jams. Tea, coffee, and kombucha. Many of our favorite foods and drinks are created through preservation and fermentation.

Cultured heritage

Passed down through generations, these basic methods served as important tools for surviving lean times. They also served, and can still serve, as familiar rituals that weave and strengthen family and community ties—and enliven our palates, hearths, and communal tables.

Your grandmother may have canned, but with the industrialization of food in the past half-century, many of us have lost touch with this inherited knowledge. Today, people around the world are paying more attention to what they eat and where it came from, tuning in to seasonal foods grown where they live, and reclaiming the simple labors and rewards of growing, preparing, and preserving some of their own food.

Sour beers, probiotic-rich fermented foods, and artisan pickles and preserves are now mainstays at craft breweries, farm-to-table eateries, even grocery stores. In many ways, it’s the rebirth of a more handcrafted, gastronomically rich world, one you can share with your family and generations to come.

"In many ways, it’s the rebirth of a more handcrafted, gastronomically rich world, one you can share with your family and generations to come."

Craft, quality, and connection

Everyone is evidently busier than ever these days. So why this nostalgic look backward at earlier ways of life and at “slow-food” traditions? Amidst the rush, we intuit the importance of slowing down every once in a while to can, pickle, or bake a pie... or to savor a nice bottle of wine or a great cup of coffee. It’s the only way we actually live in the moment. Instant gratification is rarely authentic and ultimately without value.

Preserving basic foods is often done when there’s a surplus of a food: peak season or a bumper harvest. Gathering in a kitchen with a group of people committed to one project, like jarring ramps or canning tomatoes, is a good source of inspiration. Making your own food and creating foods you can’t easily find elsewhere creates a potent connection. People will always gravitate toward craft and quality.

"Making your own food and creating foods you can’t easily find elsewhere creates a potent connection."

Flavor alchemy

Preserved foods are transformed through alchemical processes that yield bright, distilled flavors that shift, soften, and deepen over time. They are living, breathing things. You never know exactly what you’ll get when you open the jar or the bottle.

"[Preserved foods] are living, breathing things. You never know exactly what you’ll get when you open the jar or the bottle."

Food pros like Boulder-based Chef Colin Kirby (El Bulli, Spain, 2008) know a secret: Preserving makes foods more interesting. Done right, simple methods add new life to the most basic ingredients. For instance, savory fruits pickled with varied vinegars make inspiring elements of a complex dish. The key? They create a balance between fat and acidity, a too-often-forgotten flavor component.

Here, the minimalist chef introduces a few techniques:

White Balsamic Pickling Liquid

INGREDIENTS white balsamic vinegar: 2 parts sugar: 1 part salt: 1 part

DIRECTIONS Heat all ingredients to 82° C (180° F) or higher to dissolve sugar. Let cool and set aside

Red Wine Pickling Liquid

(for Cherries and Radishes)

INGREDIENTS red wine vinegar: 1152 g (38 oz) water: 535 g (19 oz) sugar: 254 g (9 oz) peppercorn bay leaf

DIRECTIONS Heat all ingredients to 82° C (180° F) or higher to dissolve sugar. Let cool and set aside

Apple Cider Pickling Liquid

INGREDIENTS apple cider vinegar: 2 parts sugar: 1 part salt: 1 part

DIRECTIONS Heat all ingredients to 82° C (180° F) or higher to dissolve sugar. Let cool and set aside

Rice Wine Brine

(for Green Strawberries and Gooseberries)

INGREDIENTS rice wine vinegar: 340 g (12 oz) sugar: 340 g (12 oz) water: 200 g (7 oz) lime juice: 90 g (3 oz) bay leaf mustard seed peppercorn

DIRECTIONS Heat all ingredients to 82° C (180° F) or higher until sugar is dissolved. Let cool and set aside.

A note on processing, storage, and safety

The vinegar and spices in these recipes make all the difference. They give fruit and vegetables new life and provide inspiration to any chef. Pickling unique ingredients such as green strawberries and gooseberries gives great acidity and texture to classic dishes like duck and chanterelles.

The vinegar also allows for processing (boiling and sealing the jars to prevent spoilage) to occur, and it ensures the pH is below 4.6. This is very important. When any of these recipes are used for long-term storage, please follow basic canning rules: Sterilize jars and lids, test the pH (general rule is below 4.6), and carefully boil the jars before setting aside. Once these rules are followed, start canning. △

---

Recipe: Muscovy Duck Breast with Chanterelles, Pickled Radish, and Foie Gras Gastrique

A fine duck dish starring mushrooms and pickled garden gems preserved from summer. Go to recipe »

Recipe: Whiskey Preserved Apples

Bag summer a little while longer. Go to recipe »

Recipe: Alpine Hot Toddy

Enjoy a warming drink in memory of the summer harvest. Go to recipe »

Recipe: The Alpinist's Larder

A preserved whiskey drink spiked with the taste of the summer passed. Go to recipe »