Call for Recipes: the Mixologist’s Favorite Cold Beer Accompaniment

"This past December TILife’s copy editor, Elspeth Naismith, presented "Call for Recipes!" The article showed a tea towel that hangs proudly in her kitchen and which provides the ingredients for a "Traditional 1000 Islands Shore Dinner," written by the late Les Cook, renowned Canadian fishing guide.  Elspeth suggested that our River communities have many farmers, restaurants, store keepers, and yes, both year round and summer residents who have favourite recipes that all have special River meanings.

Elspeth wrote:  . . . "Thousand Islands Life" is asking our readers to share their favourite River recipe with us. Tell us about the recipe, why it’s special, and why it reminds you of the River. Is it something that you only make at a specific time of the year? Is it a dish that you only make when you’re on the River?"

This month we have a submission."

The Mixologist's Favorite Cold Beer Accompaniment

The “guru” suggests that this treat is enjoyed to the fullest with a cadre of highly excitable friends, while watching highly competitive baseball, football, hockey, or basketball on the establishment’s 72-inch screen.

The beer should be served in ice cold glasses or steins.

The bar itself should have complimentary peanuts, potato chips, or any other “salty” finger snacks, thus inviting refills of the above-mentioned beer.

While his establishment’s most popular is Blue Light, he is willing to serve any other brand without making critical comments about its inferiority.

House rules: no cuss words if ladies are present within 50 yards; smoking allowed only on the outside deck; no sissy drinks served; Miss Helen Waite is the credit manager—for credit go to Helen Waite . . .

Here is his recipe for what he calls the pièce-de-resistance, which he sheepishly admits is his own (minimal) adaptation of common Pickled Egg recipes readily found on the internet!

Gourmet Spécial Oeufs Marinés du fleuve Saint-Laurent

Ingredients:

12 large brown eggs, as fresh as possible (If you can’t find brown eggs, any shell color will do)
1 cup white vinegar
½ cup spring water (must be sourced from a US or Canadian spring)
1 medium yellow or white onion, sliced (can be combination of both, if small in size)
3 teaspoons coarse Morton’s salt
3 heaping tablespoons pickling spice
black peppercorns (no more than eight)

Do This:

Place eggs into a large pot and cover with the cold spring water. Bring water to a boil, then remove from the heat. Cover pot and let eggs stand in hot water for 12 minutes.

Place eggs in a strainer and place under cold water for one minute. Return eggs to the pot; fill with cold spring water and let sit until eggs are cool enough to handle, 2 to 3 minutes. Peel the eggs and carefully place in a 1 quart, wide-mouth Mason jar.

Combine the vinegar, water, all but a few slices of the onion, salt, pickling spice, and peppercorns in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, then pour over the eggs in the jar. Place the remaining onion slices on top and seal the jar. Cool to room temperature, about 1 – 2 hours.

Transfer the jar to your icebox for 3 – 4 days before displaying it to beer drinkers.

Covid / Public Hygiene Notice:  Do NOT reach into the jar with your fingers; use a soup spoon to remove individual eggs!

[The chef wishes to remain anonymous.
He prefers to be known as the St. Lawrence River “Guru of Mixology!”]

Contributed by Cary Brick
on behalf of The Guru of St. Lawrence River Watering Holes

By Cary R. Brick

Cary Brick is a retired Congressional Chief of Staff and former Clayton Associate Justice who became a Thousand Islander in 1952 at the age of seven. His wife, Janet, is a former Clayton Town and Village Justice. He is a frequent contributor to Thousand Islands Life. See some of Cary's TI Life articles.

[Illustration by Marie-Anne Erki, ©2024, Kingston, ON]

Posted in: Volume 19, Issue 3, March 2024, Recipes