Anejo Cornbread

1 cup yellow or white plain cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon melted butter or vegetable oil or olive oil
1 and ½ tablespoons baking powder
3 tablespoons Anejo Original Red
1 cup diced red and green peppers and onions, all together
1 and ½ cups milk (not skim)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 whole eggs

This makes one 10” iron skillet. Grease the skillet well and place in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes to pre-heat. Saute the peppers and onions, add to and mix ingredients in a separate bowl. If the mix seems a but thick, add more milk. It should pour like pancake batter. Remove the skillet from the oven and pour the mix in. Replace the skillet in the oven for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the cornbread clean. Cut wedges and serve with plenty of soft butter.

I learned this recipe from a wonderful lady named Miss Katy Christian. I was a twenty-something catering chef from Maryland, and she was an eighty-something colleague from Nashville. When she saw me trying to look up a cornbread recipe, she slapped the book out of my hand, instructed me to “step back, baby” and then proceeded to drill the simple recipe above into my head (minus the peppers and onions and Anejo sauce). I’ve used it ever since, along with her instructions concerning the preparation of collard greens, black-eyed peas and numerous other soul-food preparations over the years. Thank you Miss Katy, I miss you.

Anejo Bloody Mary Mix

1 46-oz. Can plain tomato juice, well-shaken
¾ cup Anejo Original Red sauce
Juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon celery seed (optional)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce

Mix up a pitcher of this mix—this recipe will make just shy of half-a-gallon– and watch it disappear at brunch. I like to fill a big glass, like a heavy 24-ounce tumbler, with ice, 3 shots of 100-proof vodka, and finish to the brim with the above mix. Then, sit back, enjoy the company of friends, and above all, take my time finishing this beautiful, refreshing monster of a drink. Two notes: forget about all that crazy garnishing that folks think they need with a bloody mary—just throw a lemon wedge in it and go from there; also, don’t fool around when it comes to Worcestershire sauce. Lea and Perrin invented the stuff; it’s theirs or nothing if you want the real thing.

Anejo Verde Mayonnaise

This is easiest with an immersion blender, one of those high-speed hand-held stick devices. Use a cylindrical container, or a water glass where the end of the blender will fit all the way into the bottom. You can also use a mixer, but it will take a little longer, since you will have to be careful to slowly drip the oil into the mix as it comes together, otherwise it will break.

2 large egg yolks, separated
3 tablespoons Anejo Verde Sauce
¾ cup all-purpose vegetable salad oil

Place the egg yolks in the bottom of the cylinder, and add the Anejo Verde on top of them. Use the immersion blender on high-speed setting, if it has one, until the yolks and sauce are well blended. While still blending, add a pencil-thin stream of the vegetable oil until the mix begins to thicken, just like mayonnaise from the grocery store. If it seems too thin, continue to add a small amount of oil until it thickens further. Spread on sandwiches and use in recipes just like regular mayonnaise.

Spicy Cold Noodles

I love Vietnamese and Thai foods, especially noodle dishes. While most of what I crave is served steaming, this is a great and simple item for hot days and cold beers. It’s wonderful as a picnic item, something that can travel well when visiting friends for a potluck, or just an afternoon snack with a punch.

12 ounces dry, or a good handful, Asian-style wheat noodles, round or flat (preferably quite thin)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves (alternately, Italian flat parsley for those who don’t like cilantro)
1 teaspoon quality soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Anejo Habanero XX sauce
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, roughly chopped (don’t mince, leave in chunks)
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

It doesn’t get any easier than this: Boil noodles in rapidly-boiling water for three minutes, until just soft; drain and throw into ice water bath immediately. Once cold, rinse thoroughly and place in a bowl. Meanwhile, saute chopped garlic in the sesame oil, until nicely browned, but not dark. Use a slotted spoon to remove the garlic from the oil and place on a paper towel to rest, reserving the oil. In a small bowl, whisk together the warm oil, the soy sauce, and the Habanero XX sauce and pour the mixture over the cold noodles. Use your hand or chopsticks to stir the noodles and sauce mix, coating the cold noodles well. When serving, place the noodles in nice bowls, with chopped cilantro, the now cooled sauteed garlic, and sesame seeds for garnish. Serve with chopsticks and a cold lager or vino verdhe.