There are certain flavors that find their way into the kitchen during the holidays. We utter the words “pumpkin and cranberry” quite often, “fruit cake” and probably “eggnog” less often. Rich, creamy and custard-like, it’s a real shame that eggnog is rarely consumed outside of the holidays.

So it’s only natural that we got to thinking about “egg-and-grog” or “nog” (Old English word for strong beer or “noggin”) and its various forms. So much so that we recently took the iSi Creative Whip for a spin to see what we could do to make it even more memorable. The only question: homemade or store-bought? We wondered which gave us better results? Let the battle begin!

The skinny (we love irony!): homemade eggnog trumps store-bought. Why?

• - The taste is absolutely superior: the richness of the cream and warmth of the bourbon are traits the store-bought versions lacked by a mile.
• - The texture is pure velvet.
• - The volume, when whipped, surpassed that of the store-bought versions. While the store-bought eggnog had a lighter texture initially than the homemade version, it did not maintain its volume.

As for the downsides regarding the homemade version, time and labor are the obvious factors. The homemade eggnog involves a bunch (separating the eggs, mixing and measuring, just to name a few) and unfortunately the shelf life is shorter thanks to no preservatives. At least by using the whipper, you save yourself some time and effort by whipping the egg whites right in the base unlike the traditional approach that calls for whipping the whites separately only to be folded back in later just before serving.

But while you could debate the time versus money spent, just think about how often you tipple with eggnog. Why not give it a whirl and whip some up?

CREAMY DELICIOUS HOMEMADE EGGNOG*
Ingredients for 1 pint Creative Whip
6 large eggs, separated**
1 cup superfine sugar
2 cups whole milk
3 cups heavy cream
½ cup bourbon, such as Maker’s Mark
Freshly whipped cream (optional)
Freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish

Procedure:
In large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks until thick in consistency and pale in color. Slowly beat in sugar. Whisk in egg whites, then milk. Stir in two cups heavy cream, then bourbon. Pour 2 cups of the mixture, reserving the rest, into a 1 pint iSi Creative Whip and screw on 1 iSi cream charger and shake vigorously. Chill for at least 30 minutes. To serve, dispense into cups or mugs and top with whipped cream if desired with a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg. If mixture seems a bit thick, add a little more cream to reach desired consistency, utilizing that third cup of cream.

Note: You can refrigerate unwhipped egg yolk mixture up to one day in a sealed container or up to 5 days charged in the whipper.
**Since the egg yolks and whites are raw in this recipe, be careful about serving this recipe to pregnant women, small children, the elderly, and anyone with health issues.

* recipe adapted from December 2008 issue of Martha Stewart Living

Post and photo of eggnog by Bao Ong

Additional photo adapted from Christmas Vacation

How do we know it’s fall? You can smell it for sure: the scent of just-fallen leaves, the smoky aroma from a nearby chimney… Then there’s the deep aroma of rich fall foods you’ve secretly been waiting to eat since summer, like short ribs braising in red wine, a roast chicken. Maybe there’s a pecan pie in there. The list truly is endless.

While you may be craving some of the more serious comfort foods for dinner & dessert, let’s consider breakfast for a moment. How about a hot bowl of steel-cut oatmeal? Bland maybe, boring never, especially if you consider it a blank canvas for any sort of accoutrement you may wish. Our team here at iSi suggests adding another delectable touch with a dollop of cinnamon cream. Not only does this cinnamon cream recipe below pair well with the nutty flavor of the oats, there’s a touch of sweetness that’s perfect with any fruits you may wish to add. Plus it adds a dose of decadence that provides additional texture and a richer mouthfeel. Go ahead, those colder mornings give you the perfect excuse.

CINNAMON CREAM
Ingredients for 1 pint Creative Whip
2 cups chilled heavy cream
1/4 cup Monin cinnamon syrup

Procedure:
Pour heavy cream and syrup into a 1 pint iSi Creative Whip. Screw on one iSi cream charger and shake vigorously 3 to 5 times, depending on desired consistency. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 10 days until needed.

While we’ve paired this cream with a bowl of steel-cut oatmeal topped with fruit and nuts, it’s a very versatile recipe and pairs well with just about anything. Try it on your hot chocolate, your morning stack of pancakes, or on a slice of well-deserved pecan pie.

By now, you’ve probably felt slight hints of autumn creeping about. Don’t let those cool nights fool you: summer is still in full swing, and with it, the ever abundant supply of fresh produce and herbs. If you have a garden or belong to a CSA, you’re more than likely giving away your tomatoes and zucchini in gift baskets by now.  And at your local green market, vendors are showcasing their best selection of the year.

Vegetables aside, it’s hard to ignore that basil plant that has grown a whole two feet over the summer. And what about all those other herbs?  Pesto sauce to the rescue!  Pesto is a natural solution. You can use heaps of those fresh herbs, and the sauce keeps for weeks in the fridge. Best of all, pesto isn’t limited to the holy trinity of basil, olive oil and pine nuts. Feel free to innovate with parsley, arugula, rosemary or even thyme. In the recipe below, we’ve combined the traditional method and matched it with the iSi Creative Whip, which adds an unctuous, creamy texture to your sauce. Enjoy!

HERB PESTO CREAM SAUCE
Ingredients for sauce
1 clove of garlic
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup packed parsley leaves
½ cup packed basil leaves
½ cup thyme leaves
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup whole milk
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Procedure:
In a food processor, chop the garlic and pine nuts. Add parsley, basil and thyme and when combined, slowly add the olive oil while the food processor is running.  Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat milk and cream.  Bring mixture to a slight boil, lower the heat and blend in the cheese until well incorporated. Let sauce cool before adding the pesto and combining well. Pour into a 1 pint iSi Creative Whip and screw in a cream charger and shake vigorously. Refrigerate.

Serve with pasta, vegetables or cooked poultry. Note: you can easily switch up the herbs in this recipe.

Post by Bao Ong. Photo by Herb Garden Passion.

Summer is tailor-made for grilling. It’s the time of year when you turn to burgers, slabs of marbled meat and ears of sweet corn. You fire up the grill because it’s easy and convenient – and who wants to heat up a kitchen? Unfortunately sometimes, it can mean you fall into a rut. After all, a nice, simple burger cooked just right is just that: nice and simple.

The iSi Creative Whip can help you shake things up a bit while keeping it easy. You don’t have to invest in fancy artisanal ingredients or stick with the old tried and true: ketchup or bottled barbecue sauce. In the recipe below, we spice up a traditional cream-based sauce with chipotle peppers.  It has a kick to it that keeps the flavor interesting with a bit of heat, and adds a creamy texture to boot. The sauce is quite versatile as well, and you can use it as a vegetable dip at parties.

Summer grilling is meant to be fun and easy. Just remember, with a little creativity, your dinner can taste better than just good (and expected)!

WHIPPED CHIPOTLE SAUCE
Ingredients for 1 pint Creative Whip
½ cup of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced
1 cup cream cheese
½ cup heavy cream
Juice of one lime

Procedure:
In a blender or food processor, puree chipotle peppers with cream cheese until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve and stir in heavy cream and lime juice. The mixture should have a creamy consistency. Pour into a 1 pint iSi Creative Whip. Screw on one iSi cream charger and shake vigorously. Chill for at least one 30 minutes before serving.

This sauce will go well with burgers.

Post by Bao Ong. Photo by Gregor Halenda Photography.

A Tasty Recipe for Creamy Asparagus Soup

If you’re a locavore-minded cook, you’re probably sick of root vegetables and heavy meals.  But now that spring is here, the choices can become overwhelming.  Enter the asparagus.

Even though it’s sold throughout the season, asparagus is at its best in the later stages of spring.  From pencil thin to tube-shape varieties, they offer a refreshing hint of the warmer weather to come.  An added bonus?  Late spring also means the stems aren’t as tough AND you can score the best deals at grocery stores.

While there are plenty of ways to cook up asparagus, the iSi Creative Whip gives you endless options.  We’ve tested an asparagus foam soap that’s easy to make but full of flavor and simple to execute.  Using the cream charger gives this soup a light consistency (something you’ll crave as the weather warms up) while maintaining some of that comforting, velvety texture we associate with soul-soothing soups.  Take advantage of these spring days!

ASPARAGUS FOAM SOUP
Ingredients for soup
1 pound asparagus
1 ½ cups vegetable stock
½ cup heavy cream
1 small shallot, diced
1 tablespoon clarified butter
1 clove garlic, minced

Salt
Pepper

Procedure:
Cut all asparagus spears into 1/2-inch pieces and cook in a pot of salted boiling water until tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer cooked asparagus with a slotted spoon to a food processor and purée with 1 cup cooking liquid.

In a wide saucepan, sauté the shallots and garlic in clarified butter. Add the asparagus puree and vegetable stock. Mix well before blending in food processor. Pass through a sieve and season with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate.

Pour the heavy cream and then the soup into the 1 pint iSi Creative Whip. Screw in 2 cream charges and shake vigorously after each charge. Dispense into soup cups or bowls and serve chilled.

Post and photo by Bao Ong.

Horseradish Sauce Recipe Helps You Turn Easter into a Gourmet Feast

Easter was all about the candy and sweets when you were a child. Now it’s become more about the food. You can just picture (and taste) the perfectly roasted racks of lamb and toasty hot cross buns. How could you not turn Easter into a gourmet feast?

The iSi Creative Whip can help make it even better. One of the most traditional ingredients in Easter dishes, especially in Poland and other eastern European countries, is horseradish. And because you’ll undoubtedly want to serve some lamb or some variation of lamb, it’s one ingredient you won’t want to overlook.

We’ve tested out a horseradish sauce that pairs well with your main dish. Not only is it easy to make, it also doesn’t take much time and you can make it in advance. The horseradish gives it a kick but it’s not too spicy by any means. The milk and cheese give it a silky quality, and you’ll want to lap it up.  Enjoy!

CREAMY HORSERADISH SAUCE
Ingredients for sauce:
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup double cream cheese
1/2 cup creamy horseradish
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Salt
Black pepper

Procedure:
Bring milk to a boil. Lower heat to a nice simmer and add all the remaining ingredients. Stir well and season to taste. Pass through a fine sieve and let cool to room temperature or chill to serve cold. Transfer sauce a 1 pint iSi Creative Whip. Screw in 2 iSi cream chargers, shaking vigorously after each one.

Note:
The sauce goes also goes well with smoked meat or ham.

Post by Bao Ong. Photo courtesy of Michelle Tay.

A Shamrock Shake Topped with Peppermint Whipped Cream

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! If you’re not so into corned beef and cabbage, may we suggest a Shamrock Shake to satisfy the Irish in you today.

While you could certainly trek on down to your local McDonald’s to find this seasonal shake, how about making your own version at home with mint chocolate chip ice cream (a little chocolate makes everything taste better) blended smooth with milk and topped with fresh peppermint flavored whipped cream made easy in an iSi Creative Whip for a little extra minty zip!

SHAMROCK SHAKE RECIPE
Makes 2 servings
1 pint good quality mint chocolate chip ice cream
1 cup milk, less if you like a thicker milkshake
2 tablespoons sugar

Procedure:
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Mix until smooth. Pour into glasses and top with peppermint whipped cream.

Note: If your mint chocolate chip ice cream comes untinted, just add a drop of green food coloring to put it in the St. Patrick’s Day spirit.

PEPPERMINT WHIPPED CREAM RECIPE
Ingredients for 1 pint Creative Whip:
1 pint (2 cups) chilled heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoons peppermint extract or Monin peppermint syrup

Procedure:
Add sugar, peppermint extract, and food coloring (if adding) to heavy cream and swirl or stir to dissolve completely. Screw on one iSi cream charger and shake 3 to 5 times, depending on desired consistency. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 10 days until needed.

Note: Granulated sugar can be substituted. However, with all granular sweeteners, make sure to stir until the sweetener is completely dissolved into the cream before pouring in the whipper. Other natural sweeteners, artificial sweeteners, flavored syrups or liqueurs can used as well. Sweeten to taste. If using Monin peppermint syrup, no additional sugar is needed in the recipe.

Click here to see a fun, retro video about MacDonald’s Shamrock Shake posted on Serious Eats.

Post by Judiaann Woo. Photo courtesy of Gregor Halenda Photography.

Welcome to our home at the International Home + Housewares Show 2011!

The show sold out this year and opened its doors in Chicago on Sunday to 60,000 attendees. We’re one of 2,000 exhibitors from over 35 countries. Fifteen thousand buyers from the U.S. alone are joined by 6,000 international buyers from 100 countries on six continents (maybe next year there’ll be a buyer from Antarctica).

It’s a heart-racing temporary city filled with colorful booths, packed with the newest trend-setting gadgets and iconic products, all in a blur of action.

The show ends tomorrow, on Mardi Gras this year, and in honor of the holiday New Orleans made famous we’ll be serving Bourbon Vanilla French Toast Sticks with Maple Whipped Cream for breakfast, Mini Shrimp Po’ Boys  – with wild Gulf shrimp – Creole Dressed Slaw at lunch, and sparkling drinks from our hot new Twist ‘n Sparkle all day.

We’ll demo how to dispense the French toast batter from our Gourmet Whip, the maple whipped cream from the Easy Whip, the shrimp tempura-like batter from a Gourmet Whip again, and the Creole dressing from our Creative Whip.

If you’re at the show please come by and see us at Booth S1224!

(That’s Rick Agresta, our President, CEO, and awesome good guy at iSi North America, modestly modeling in front of our booth!)

Crispy. Sweet. Sour and a little salty. And…warm?! Yes friends, a good fried pickle is certainly something to love. At Flip Burger Boutique found in Atlanta, GA and Birmingham, AL, fried pickles are one of the most popular items on the menu. The secret to their success? Chef Andrew Nix of Flip tells all in the Birmingham News blog post, utilizing an iSi Creative Whip to create his vodka-tempura batter. The result is a lighter and crisper fried pickle – no soggy or greasy gherkin found here! While Chef Nix prefers to create his batter with an iSi cream charger, other chefs go for the soda charger.  Naturally, we had to test it both ways:

Fairly simple in execution, there are the basic rules to remember: Don’t overmix your tempura batter and keep in mind basic frying 101 rules (keep the heat consistent)!

The results? Yes, there are some differences in the batter, but the differences were subtle. The batch made with the soda charger produced an especially light and airy tempura batter that tasted almost grease-free. However the batch made with the cream charger seemed a bit heavier, producing a grainier, more bread-like texture.

Which do you prefer? Either way, these babies will put a smile on your face. After all, who doesn’t love a good fried pickle?

FLIP BURGER’S FRIED PICKLES RECIPE
Ingredients for tempura batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rice flour
1 cup light beer
¾ cup vodka
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon honey

Combine all-purpose flour and rice flour together in mixing bowl and slowly add in liquid ingredients. Pour into a 1-pint iSi Creative Whip and screw on an iSi soda or iSi cream charger. Shake and let stand 10 minutes.

Ingredients for fried pickles:
1 cup bread and butter pickles, sliced thinly (about ¼ inch)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup tempura batter (see recipe above)
1 teaspoon dill, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Place pickles into mixing bowl, straining first. Toss pickles into all-purpose flour, shake off excess flour and place in clean, mixing bowl.  Spray tempura batter lightly on pickles and toss until thoroughly covered. Shake off excess tempura batter and drop into fryer set at 325F. Fry until golden brown and crisp.

To serve:
Once pickles are done, place pickles into clean mixing bowl (you can line it with a paper towel to help absorb excess grease) and season with salt and pepper. Add dill while pickles are still hot.

Post by Bao Ong

Photos courtesy of Tom Henning

Will we see you at the International Home + Housewares Show 2011? We’ll be there and we’re so excited! The industry-only event runs March 6 through 8 in Chicago. We’ll be serving sweet and savory bites, including mini Easy-iSi-Cheese Burgers. Our recipe  is made with real, aged cheddar cheese and was inspired by our friend, Top Chef All-Star finalist, Richard Blais and his Cheese Wizard recipe. Richard stopped by our booth last year!

This year we’ll be on the lookout for even more celebrity chefs in the house, including Emeril; Iron Chefs Masaharu Morimoto, Cat Cora, Michael Symon, and Marc Forgione; Food Network stars Paula Deen and Guy Fieri; Top Chef Master Rick Bayless; beloved PBS chefs Sara Moulton and Ming Tsai; Australian chef (and one of People’s Sexiest Men Alive!) Curtis Stone – and many more.

We’ve been working on the menu throughout the year, perfecting recipes at work and home, with family and friends, for holidays and every day.

Our Home + Housewares Show 2011 menu includes:

Belgian Waffle Bites with Coffee Whipped Cream
Easy Cheese Sliders
Donut Holes with Mocha Mousse
Coconut Milk Pancakes with Banana Cream
Andouille Sausage & Mash
Angelic Devil’s Food Cake with Cinnamon Cream
Raisin French Toast Sticks with Maple Whip
Tiny Tot Shrimp Po’ Boys with Creole Dressed Slaw

Every item will feature live demos of the Creative Whip, using cream and soda chargers, as well as our Easy Whip, Gourmet Whip, and Fill It injector tips – to stuff those cream puffs.

We hope to see you at the show, but even if you can’t make it let’s meet back here where we’ll share our insider peek during the event and wrap up with more recipes you can make at home!