I had dinner at the newly opened Maydan near U Street recently. Following a growing trend of new D.C. restaurants opening in alleys, Maydan is at the end of an alley off of Florida Avenue. Its markings are subtle, making it somewhat difficult to spot on a recent very cold evening in D.C. But we were immediately rewarded upon entry with a very large fire pit, conveniently located next to the bar. And what a very nice looking bar it is:
Despite the cold weather and the somewhat early hour of 7 p.m. there was a thick crowd at the bar. Nevertheless, we were able to find a spot and obtain a menu in short order.
The restaurant explains that its “food tells the story of our own travels, from Tangier to Tehran and Batumi to Beirut.” Its cocktails do the same, incorporating ingredients with roots in the same parts of the world:
Ed.: I’m very excited to introduce Julia of the Gose Girls duo (check them out on Instagram at @yougosegirl), who is writing her first post for the blog about slivovitz, an Eastern European plum-based liqueur that you can make yourself at home. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did. Merry Christmas Eve!
I am, at best, a casual homesteader. While our fridge is often stocked with quick pickled jalapeños and red onions, I’m rarely motivated to put in the work in August to put up summer produce for December. But while I may be an amateur pioneer woman, I definitely know how to infuse alcohol. I’ve expanded my repertoire from the Peachie-O’s and gummy bear infused vodka I made in college (which was well received at the time, but not the kind of thing one could package up for, say, a boyfriend’s parents for the holidays). Citrus is an easy addition to nearly anything – orange and whiskey is a favorite, or lemon and gin for my G&T-loving mom.
This year’s DIY booze gift was inspired by an overzealous purchase of Italian plums, also called prune plums, from Woerner’s Orchards (find them in DC at the USDA Farmers Market) in mid-September. After two Marian Burros plum tortes and plenty of snacking, I was left with three pounds of beautiful fruit.
A quick search turned up a Washington Post article about slivovitz, an Eastern European plum schnapps, accompanied by a DIY recipe for vodka infused with plums, lemon peel, and cinnamon. I loved the idea of a homemade treat that was a step up from a solely citrus (or candy aisle) concoction and called back to my family’s roots in Hungary, Serbia, and Croatia.
Making Slivovitz at Home
This recipe takes about 10 minutes of prep, and 3-4 months of steeping. Start the process in August or September when these plums are at their prime. Pierce the plums to the pit or halve them. Add the fruit and pits to a vessel with the base spirit (I used a mid-shelf vodka) and the rest of the ingredients. For two weeks, shake the bottle occasionally to dissolve the sugar, then let it steep for at least three months. The recipe recommends keeping the mixture dark and cool. I used a dark growler and kept it in the pantry with a label reading “DO NOT OPEN UNTIL XMAS!!!”.
I eagerly decanted the growler on my first day off for the holidays. The end result is a beautiful dark purple – jammy, smooth, slightly spiced, and sweet. Next year, I might add another cinnamon stick or a few cloves. It’s delicious served chilled in a port glass, or topped with soda and lemon as shown below for a lighter beverage. It would make a wonderful addition to mulled wine, and Max Falkowitz at Serious Eats swaps it into a hot toddy with honey and lemon.
Slivovitz and soda
Find the Washington Post recipe for slivovitz here.
I’m excited to share this with my family by the fire, and hope my ancestors are smiling down on our holiday drinks. Next August, I’ll buy the extra pound of plums with abandon.
Cold weather season kicked off in the District this weekend with an inch or so of snow. It didn’t really turn the city into a winter wonderland, but it did mark a shift to colder temperatures. That means we have fire in the fireplace for the first time this year. I love a good fire on a winter weekend night, and to celebrate I decided to concoct a new cocktail. The result: the Fireside Fizz.
Now, when I think fire my mind often goes to whiskey, and if that’s your speed you should check out my Decorator’s Drink from my last post if you haven’t already. This time, I wanted to make use of a Douglas fir pine syrup I received as a gift recently, and I didn’t want to use a liquor that would overpower the the infused pine taste.
So I turned to St.-Germain, that elderflower liqueur that supplies a sweet floral taste, and Suze, an aperitif with an earthy flavor, both of which I thought would complement a pine syrup nicely. To balance out the sweetness, I also used freshly squeezed lemon juice. I shook these over ice and strained into a coupe and, for a fizzy finish, I topped it with sparkling wine. For garnish, I used a part of the lemon rind, a freshly cut sprig of rosemary, and frozen cranberries. And boom, I had a new fireside companion:
Ultimately, despite my efforts not to bury the pine flavor, it was quite subtle in the finished product. But I went back at sampled the syrup by itself and, even alone, the pine taste is not strong. Nevertheless, the drink was delicious, and the rosemary brings up the pine flavor at least a little bit.
