Winter Dark And Stormy Food

EXTRA DARK AND STORMY

Steps:

• Combine ginger and sugar in a highball glass and muddle. Add lime juice and crushed ice; top with rum and amaro and stir.
• Peel off a long strip of zest from orange. Using tongs, wave it over a gas flame or a lit match. Roll orange strip so it resembles a rosebud; skewer and serve with cocktail.

DARK AND STORMY

Steps:

• Fill a highball glass or large wine goblet with ice cubes. Add the lime juice and the golden rum. Top off with the ginger beer and stir lightly. Float a layer of the dark rum on top by pouring it over the back of a wide, flat spoon. (Don't worry if it doesn't float; it tastes great either way.) Garnish with the lime wheel. Drink.

VANILLA DARK AND STORMY

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups dark rum, such as Gosling's, with 3 cups ginger beer (not ginger ale), the juice of 4 limes and a tiny splash of vanilla extract in a pitcher. Serve on the rocks with lime wedges.

DARK AND STORMY

Steps:

• Take 2 cups of the ginger beer and fill an ice cube tray with it. Place in the freezer until firm.
• Combine the remaining 6 cups ginger beer, the rum, lime juice, simple syrup and sliced limes in a pitcher; cover and refrigerate until cold. Add the ice cubes just before serving in tall glasses.

DARK AND STORMY

Steps:

• For the quick ginger beer: In a large saucepan add the grated ginger (along with any juice), allspice berries, cloves, sugar and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat. Add the lime zest and let steep while it cools, about 30 minutes. Strain into a pitcher and stir in the lime juice. Fill with sparkling water. Serve over ice within one day or use in a dark and stormy cocktail. Makes 5 cups.
• For the dark and stormy: Fill a highball glass halfway with crushed ice. Add the rum and 5 to 6 ounces ginger beer. Top with lime juice, stir and garnish with lime slices. Serve immediately.

DORIE'S DARK AND STORMY COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together in small bowl; set aside. Beat the butter until smooth in bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed. Add the sugars, vanilla and salt; beat 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add the flour mixture, mixing until incorporated but still crumbly, and being careful not to overwork the dough. Stir in the chocolate pieces.
• Turn the dough out onto a smooth work surface; squeeze it so that it sticks together in large clumps. (If you need to, it's OK to lightly flour the work surface.) Gather the dough into a ball; divide in half. Shape each ball into a log 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap logs in plastic wrap; chill at least 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Gently slice logs into 1/2-inch rounds using a serrated knife (some will crumble; simply press broken bits back onto cookie). Place 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
• Bake, one sheet at a time, 14 minutes; cookies will not look done or be firm. Cool on pan 5 minutes; transfer to cooling rack. Cool to room temperature.

CIDER DARK AND STORMY

Steps:

• Combine cider, rum and lime juice. Stir with long handled spoon.
• Top with ginger beer and garnish with lime wedge.