Today was a day to relax. (Not that I haven’t already been doing that, but I’ve got a good thing going here.) Michael decided he’d be falling down on his Big Brother Duties if he didn’t get me a little sloshed while I’m out here on vacation. So ta-daaa! Tabor’s Dirty Gimlets, here we come!
Tabor’s Dirty Gimlets (makes two):
Pour 2 oz. of fresh-squeezed lime juice and 2 oz. of vanilla-flavored simple syrup over ice in a cocktail shaker. Add 3 shots of Absolut Pear Vodka. Shake to chill, strain into martini glasses, and garnish with a compressed rosemary sprig. (To compress rosemary: place the sprig in your palm and clap once—hard. It releases the scent.)
You have not lived until you’ve had one of Tabor’s Dirty Gimlets. I’m seriously going to have to do some shopping when I get home.
For dinner, Camille showed me how to make her homemade pizza. There’s a little forethought involved, but it’s well worth it.
Use ready-made dough. Wegmans sells it near their café or bakery section. On the morning of pizza night, rub a light coat of olive oil on the dough ball and place it in a bowl. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap. The oil keeps it from sticking to the bowl and wrap. Leave it at room temperature to rise. When you get home from work, it’ll be ready to go.
Preheat the oven to 425°. Shred some Pecorino Romano. Dice up some fresh whole-milk mozzarella. Camille uses the pre-sliced kind because it’s just easier.
Flatten the dough into a 13x9 baking sheet. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but aim for a uniform thickness so it bakes evenly. Spread the dough with Rao’s Homemade Pizza Sauce. Michael has conducted extensive taste-testing, and this one is the winner. (I can confirm Hunt’s and Ragu are not in the same league.)
Spread the cheeses generously over the sauce, then top with sliced Margherita pepperoni. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the crust turns golden brown.
As I discovered, it also reheats beautifully! Just place a slice on parchment paper on a baking sheet, put it in a cold oven, and turn it to 350°. By the time the oven reaches temp, the pizza is nearly ready to eat.
