Weekend Cooking: The Abrams Dinner Party

As I type this, I have my fingers crossed my computer will last one more day. Well, actually, just a few more hours. My new laptop is on a UPS truck somewhere nearby, and I can't wait to get it and set it up.

What does this have to do with Weekend Cooking? I decided to give myself a break this week and tell you about an exciting opportunity I have to work with Abrams Books over the next year.

I've been invited to the Abrams Dinner Party! I'm thrilled to have the chance to share their entire food and drink catalogue for an entire year. I won't necessarily be posting a detailed review of every book, but each one will be featured here, on Twitter, on Instagram, on Facebook, and/or on Litsy. I have permission to share scans of photographs and recipes from the books, and I'm looking forward to a year of learning and discovery.

So how does this affect my opinions and reviews? Don't worry, I'm not getting paid, and I fully intend to provide you with my honest opinion of any book I review, whether here or on Litsy. Because of FTC rules, whenever I write about an Abrams Dinner Party book or post a photo on any social media, I am required (by law) to disclose my association with Abrams. I've  decided to use the suggested hashtag #ad because it's small and unobtrusive.

Remember: #ad means I received the book because I'm a member of the Abrams Dinner Party program. I'm not getting paid, and I will always give you my true opinion.

The first book this year is Acid Trip: Travels in the World of Vinegar by Michael Harlan Turkell. This is a beautiful book with matte pages that's part cookbook, part culinary history, and part travelogue. There's a ton to read and absorb, and I've only cracked the surface. Quite a few of the recipes call to me, such as Tomatoes with Raspberry Vinegar (perfect for right this moment), Old Dog Shandy (a drink for a football weekend), Brown Butter Balsamic Mushrooms with Hazelnuts and Sage (holiday dinner fare), and Chimichurri (fire up the grill!).

I love to try new dishes, but I'm really looking forward to making homemade flavored vinegars. Many years ago I experimented with concocting my own herbal vinegars and found it easy to do and fun to use and give as gifts. Here's a simple recipe from Acid Trip you could make tonight.

Apple Vinegar
From Derek Dammann, Maison Publique, Montreal, Canada
Makes about 3 cups (720 ml)

• 2 Gravenstein apples
• 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Cut the apples into quarters and place them in a nonreactive container. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Pour the hot liquid over the apples and place a plate on top of the apples to keep them completely submerged. Cool to room temperature and store covered in the refrigerator for at least 6 weeks before using.

In Acid Trip, the vinegar is then boiled down to make a variation on snow candy. If I make the vinegar this month, it will be ready use when the snow starts falling. If you can't wait for snow or live in a warmer local, you can crush ice into a fine powder and use it as substitute.

I'm looking forward to sharing more recipes and books and photos with you over the coming year. Welcome to the Abrams Dinner Party!

NOTE: Mr. Linky sometimes is mean and will give you an error message. He's usually wrong and your link went through just fine the first time. Grrrr.

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

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