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June 1st, 2020

Anniversary

By Dahni

   Sometime ago, I started writing a cookbook called, ‘The Gathering Place’ “Holidays & Special Occasions Entertaining”. My goal is for you and anyone to be enabled to turn your own home into a 5,6, or 7 star restaurant. I’m not sure a 6 or 7 exists, but I think you get the point. It is to include step by step instructions and pictures for:

appetizers, salads, main courses, desert, decorating, table setting, deserts, garnishing and the whole package from full-course gourmet meals— breakfast, lunch and dinner

   Along the way I thought, beverages should be included, alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Over the last few years I have built quite a collection. My wife Susan is a beneficiary as we have enjoyed these together. Many of the names are named after her and her words and emotional response have been the cause of the names for others. I have named this collection of drinks, ‘Sip’s with Susan’ as almost daily, in the morning, we likely gather on our enclosed front porch to converse over morning coffee or in the late afternoon, for Happy Together Hour, with adult libations.

   I have named other drinks to honor other people. I have shared some as private messages, by email, on my Facebook timeline, FB pages, blogs (like this one), Instagram and other social media publicly. Several people have asked why, do I  give these away, instead of selling them as a drink or bar book. Well, I just want to share with others and these may still appear in my book, as a stand-a-lone book or both, in the cookbook and separately. I probably should at least make up one for myself. There are so many, I can’t remember them all, even though I made them up. I have more than a hundred original drinks, but somehow, they got out of sequence. So, I started numbering them from 1-100 saying, I would stop when I hit.100 Today, is that day.

   I forwarded advance recipes of #98 and #100 to several people, including my sister who told me, “the last two (#99 and #100), “had better be over the top!” I believe they are. I shared #98 on this blog, on May 31st, 2020 and this one (#100), today, June 1st, 2020. I will share #99 ‘Flag Day’ on Flag Day, June 14th, 2020.  🙂

   But for this one (#100), I thought of gold and golden, like an “anniversary”. I decided to make this drink with real edible gold and to celebrate its completion. I call it, ‘Anniversary’. It seems apropos or fitting to me. It is also to honor or celebrate four important events, to me.

• My sister’s 45th Anniversary of graduating from High School, in 1977
• Our Grandma that we three grandchildren affectionately called ‘Nanny’, passed away on the same date, May 30th, 1990, so this is to honor her as she has ended her labor and is awaiting the return of Jesus Christ. This marks the 30th Anniversary, of this event.
• On June 1st, 2020, my brother, Richard & his wife Susan, celebrate (I believe their 44th), wedding Anniversary
• On June 1st, 2020, My Susan and I, celebrate the completion of, ‘Sips with Susan’, as its 1st Anniversary.

   Having a name (‘Anniversary’), and deciding to use edible gold, I started to envision what I could do with this. Champagne or sparkling wine came to mind, then those skinny flutes, often seen in mid-morning weddings, toasts, brunches and other celebratory events and ‘anniversaries”. Then I thought about, why not some kind of mimosa-like drink? I did not want to use the typical equal parts of Champagne (or sparkling wine), and orange juice. So, then I went on a journey to discover. Please come along. There is a drink (recipe), waiting for you at the end. 🙂

Note: ‘Anniversary’ may also be called, an ‘Anniversary Mimosa’ or a ‘True Mimosa’. A True Mimosa is prepared with equal parts of a pink citrus or pink colored liquid and champagne.

   What you may or may not be familiar with is, the one that appears orange and is made with equal parts of orange juice and champagne. Confused? There is no need to be. Both drinks derive their name from the Mimosa Tree (so-called). One has yellow to orange blossoms and the other has pink flower puffs that have the appearance of silk threads, tipped in light pink, darker pink or even white. Only one is a true Mimosa and the other is just called, a Mimosa. Though both may grow as tall as trees, many refer to them as weeds and both are invasive. Neither is related to the other. They only share the name of mimosa and fern-like leaves. Are you really confused now? Not to worry! Lets us begin discovery to understand, by the drink name of, Mimosa.

   There exists an unproven theory that the Mimosa (drink), first appeared in some hotel, someplace in the Mediterranean in, 1900. So, we are looking at least in Europe. Now Spain, for centuries, has been making drinks with oranges and sparkling wine. Only if approved by France and from the Champagne region of France can it be officially called Champagne, unless it is made in California USA? They somehow get to call their sparkling wines, California Champagne. Everyone else, must just call them, sparkling wines. Carbonation naturally or by adding CO2 is what causes the fizzy-bubbles that people like and others do not, for the same reason, fizzy-bubbles.

   Next, let’s look at the name, Mimosa.

   The generic name is derived from the Greek word μῖμος (mimos), an “actor” or “mime”, and the feminine suffix -osa, “resembling”, suggesting its ‘sensitive leaves’ which seem to ‘mimic conscious life’. Some varieties (the True Mimosa), have leaves which are known to close up if touched and at night when the sun goes down. So this is where the idea that it is conscious and alive. In first light of the sunrise, these fragile silk-thread-like blossoms will appear to dance, refracting first-light. When the blossoms fall and if upon water, they will shimmer and appear to dance again, but will sink below the water’s surface, when the sun sets. For a time, they will appear as if alive again, when they rise to the water’s surface again, when the sun returns.

   Out of the many species, let’s look at two. Actually, they are similar, but not the same. To add even more potential confusion, there is the following:

“The Mimosoideae are trees, herbs, lianas, and shrubs that mostly grow in tropical and subtropical climates. They comprise a clade, previously placed at the subfamily or family level in the flowering plant family Fabaceae (Leguminosae). In previous classifications (e.g. the Cronquist system), Mimosoideae refers to what was formerly considered the tribe Mimoseae. Characteristics include flowers in radial symmetry with petals that are valvate (twice divided) in bud, and have numerous showy, prominent stamens. Mimosoideae comprise about 40 genera and 2,500 species.”

Excerpt from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimosoideae

Albizia julibrissin

   The ‘True Mimosa’, is part of the above. Albizia julibrissin, the Persian silk tree or pink silk tree, is a species of tree in the family Fabaceae, native to southwestern and eastern Asia. The genus is named after the Italian nobleman, Filippo degli Albizzi, who introduced it to Europe in the mid-18th century, and it is sometimes incorrectly spelled, Albizzia. The specific epithet julibrissin is a corruption of the Persian word gul-i abrisham (گل ابریشم) which means “silk flower” (from gul گل “flower” + abrisham ابریشم “silk”).

   Albizia julibrissin is known by a wide variety of common names, such as Persian silk tree and pink siris. It is also called Lenkoran acacia or bastard tamarind, though it is not too closely related to either genus. The species is called Chinese silk tree, silk tree or mimosa in the United States, which is misleading, because acacia is not a true Mimosa, even though it is called a mimosa. Grown all over the world now,  it prefers a southern or tropical climate and does not long survive in areas that drop further in temperature, than a mere frost. Native to the Middle East and Asia, this True Mimosa was brought to this country in 1785, by the famous French botanist, Andre Michaux, who planted it in his botanic garden, in Charleston, South Carolina. Some describe its fragrance to being similar to a light scent of gardenia. I read of one lady that loved this growing up in Alabama (it spread that far). But now, if she was asked how to care for them her response is, “whenever you have a good chainsaw!”

Acacia dealbata

   Acacia dealbata, the silver wattle, blue wattle or mimosa, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae, native to southeastern Australia in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory and widely introduced in Mediterranean, warm temperate, and highland tropical landscapes. The flowers are produced in large puff-like balls which are made up of numerous smaller globe–like bright yellow or orange flowerheads of 13–42 individual flowers. In moist mountain areas, a white lichen can almost cover the bark, which may contribute to the descriptor “silver”. The Latin specific epithet dealbata also means “covered in a white powder” Acacia dealbata appears to be most closely related to A. mearnsii, A. nanodealbata and A. baileyana. While some consider A. dealbata to be a variant of Acacia decurrens. Acacia dealbata is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in warm temperate regions of the world, and is naturalised in some areas, including Sochi (Black Sea coast of Russia), southwestern Western Australia, southeastern South Australia, Norfolk Island, the Mediterranean region from Portugal to Greece and Morocco to Israel, Yalta (Crimea, Russia), California, Madagascar, southern Africa (South Africa, Zimbabwe), the highlands of southern India, south-western China and Chile. It is hardy down to 23 °F), but does not survive prolonged frost.

   My theory is that someone saw a True Mimosa (pink flowered tree), and where they lived there was another plant/tree that had fern-like leaves and puff balls of silk-like flowers of yellow or orange blossoms. Spain, having consumed sparkling wine with orange juice for centuries, someone saw this somewhere and decided to name the drink, a mimosa. By the way, a most favored variety of orange for juice is, the Valencia Orange. Is there a connection with Valencia, Spain?  🙂

   A mimosa (the drink), is generally equal parts of citrus juice and sparkling wine, Champagne or California Champagne. If you live where this plant/tree/ flourishes and the flowers are yellow or orange, this would be a mimosa to you. But if you live where the True Mimosa plant/tree flourishes (pink flowers), red grapefruit, perhaps blood orange or a splash of grenadine with lemonade (spiked or not), with sparkling wine, would be a mimosa to you.

   In the fall, many mix apple juice, cider or hard cider and call this a apple mimosa. But I don’t suppose apples are a citrus fruit and citrus is typically used for a mimosa.

   And just so you know, all the tree/plants we have been discussing here are invasive. They take over the canopy. They choke out other plants and they spread wildly, widely and grow quickly. Their roots have compromised concrete and block wall foundations. They are considered weeds is many areas. Many parts of the world outlaw their plants and vehement seek to eradicate them with extreme prejudice.

   Call these drinks (however you find them), order them in what colors are available to you and call them whatever you like. They are popular for mid-morning weddings, brunches (between breakfast and lunch), and anything celebratory like, “anniversaries”.

   For myself, in the spirit of a true mimosa (the tree), and the mimosa (the drink), I am using citrus and something red to make the drink pink in color. For mine, I’m’just calling this, ‘Anniversary’
______________________________

Anniversary

Libatious’ #100 (stopped now that I’ve hit 100)

By Dahnini or Dahnitini
Spirits Alchemist
Bon Devant

Use tall glassware with long stems
Dip rims of champagne 🥂 flutes into lemon juice and holding the stem of the glass in your hand at an angle, slowly turn, making a full circle, sprinkling edible gold dust on lemon juiced rims
Add a little grenadine to the bottom of each glass (about ½”)
Place a pink heart-shaped💕 ginger sugar cube, into the bottom of each glass
Chill the flutes until ready to serve

1 jigger of lemon 🍋 simple syrup
1 jigger of ginger liqueur
A splash of grenadine syrup for color (pale pink)

Pour into hand shaker
Add ice
Shake

“Shaken not stirred!” -007, Bond, James
Bond-😂

Pour strained into chilled champagne 🥂 flutes
Top with champagne 🍾
Sprinkle a little edible gold dust over top of bubbles

Makes 2 lovely libations. One to share and one for you 😀

ENJOY! 😉 Drink your ‘Anniversary’ responsibly! 😂

Note: You would need to purchase the book or collection when published, to receive the recipes how to make lemon simple syrup and what I call ‘ginger juice’, to make the ginger sugar cubes. In the pictures above they appear to be floating at the bottom, but size prevents from sinking to the bottom and weight does not allow them to float to the top. A small silicone candy mold was used to make the heart shapes. Red food coloring was used to make them pink. Edible gold should be 23K – 24K gold with no other metals, alloys or additives. Edible gold does not have any known nutritional benefits and it is consider safe and is excreted or eliminated from the body. You don’t really taste this per se, it just looks beautiful. Edible gold dust is available at many places online as, Amazon.com 

By Dahni & I-Magine
©️ 2020, all rights reserved

From my Work in Progress: ‘The Gathering Place Cook Book’,
under the category of: beverages, ‘Sips with Susan’