worcestershire

the holidays are here! we had a fabulous thanksgiving with friends filled with way too much good food & wine, julian plenti live & late night bowling here, this exhibit at moma and a cozy winter meal with everyone here. this recipe from last year was a big hit again but we added a third cheese and a little bacon to make it even more decadent! another hit were the homemade bloody marys we sipped while playing dominoes to work up an appetite in the afternoon. after reading this article in the ny times and finding an old recipe in saveur, i decided about a month ago to try making worcestershire sauce from scratch. it turned out delicious and was the perfect addition to the best bloody mary mix from bon appetit. this drink would be a great addition to your new year's day football watching - just don't forget the mean beans.

Worcestershire Sauce

makes 2 cups

2 cups white vinegar

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup tamarind concentrate

3 tbs salt

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

1/2 tsp curry powder

5 cardamom pods, smashed

3 chiles de arbol, chopped

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 stick cinnamon

2 anchovies

1 onion, chopped

1 1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled & chopped

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbs water

combine all ingredients except sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. meanwhile, cook sugar with water in a skillet over medium-high heat until it becomes dark and syrupy. add caramelized sugar to vinegar and whisk to combine. cook sauce for 5 minutes more and transfer to a glass jar. let cool, cover and refrigerate for 3 weeks. after 3 weeks, strain to remove solids and return to jar. refrigerate for up to 8 months.