Stampede 2020
Where all my Stampeders at?!
Bit of shame this year we won’t be able to crack cold ones, cheer on the chucks and dance on Nashville North’s sticky floor, but there’s always next year.
If you have no idea what I’m talking about the Calgary Stampede is truly the greatest outdoor show on earth and for the first time in 100+ years it will not be held, in the traditional sense that is, this year due to COVID-19. However, the city in true, Stampede Spirit, is rallying to do as much as possible to keep it alive. This includes pancake breakfast, food truck drive thrus and fantastic fireworks.
I don’t know about you but my favourite thing next to dancing the night away to country music is eating my way through the grounds.
**Pro tip: If you live in Calgary invest in some good cowboy boots…you won’t regret it**
This year I have decided to create my own artery clogging diet, including Corn Dogs, Fried Pickles, Oreo Popcorn, Doughnuts, Caesers and a Stampede Cocktail.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Pilsbury Cresent Rolls
Pilsbury Grands Flaky Biscuits
Hot Dogs (or Vegan Dogs)
Baby Pickles
Oreos (2 Packages)
Popcorn
Eau Claire’s Stampede Gin
Sweet Vermouth
Campari
Orange
Tomato (or Clamato Juice)
Gin or Vodka
Pickle Juice
Worchester Sauce
Tabasco
Ice
Lemons
Water
Sugar
(or Pre Made Lemonade/ Lemonade Mix)
And any condiments you so desire.
Lets start with the “faux” corn dogs and fried pickles. I’m sure there are plenty of pinterest ways to create your own batter and deep fry hotdogs to make them legit corndogs, however this is the quick and easy guide so you can get back to socializing and sipping cocktails. This Portion I would say serves 2 Very Hungry People or 3 Lighter Eaters or Snacks. Makes 12 Baby Pickles & 4 Hot Dogs
Step 1: Set the Oven to 375
Step 2: Unravel the Cresent Rolls, take 4 of the triangles and cut them into 3 (so you have 12) then take your pickles, dry them off with paper towel then roll them in the triangles. I personally like the “homemade” look aka not all are symmetrical however for social media purposes it doe looks nicer.
Step 3: With the remaining 4 full triangles wrap the 4 Hotdogs/Veggie Dogs and when oven gets to temperature place in the oven for 15mins. Heads up the package says 10-14 mins so check after 12, we found that 15 gave it the golden brown texture.
Oreo Popcorn, I thought I’d share this with you even though we are still working out the kinks are the porportions aren’t balanced but it still tastes delicious! To keep it balanced you’ll need 2 Packs of Oreos (edit OR use 1 Pack Mega Stuffed Oreos!), 1 Bag of Popcorn.
Step 1: Scrap off all the icing from the sandwich cookies into a pyrex bowl and place the cookies in a ziploc bag.
Step 2: Pop the popcorn and place in bowl
Step 3: Crush up the Cookies in the Ziploc bag and sprinkle 1/4 of the Cookies in the Popcorn bowl.
Step 4: Melt incing over a double boiler then pour over cookie/popcorn mixture. We found that it thickened quickly so you may need to add some butter or oil to loosen it.
Step 5: Quickly mix together and lay flat on a baking tray, freeze for at least 2 hours.
While the popcorn is in the freezer let’s get started on the doughnuts! This was the trickiest bit and you really need to keep an eye on things to make sure you don’t get that burnt/raw mix.
Step 1: Pre-heat oil to 350
Step 2: Open up the Flaky Biscuits and Cut Out Doughnut holes, we used an apple corer. I found that the full sized biscuits were a bit big for a doughnut so I split them in half.
Step 3: Once the oil had reach temperature TURN DOWN, or else it will keep heating then you end up with what will call trial 1. As typical doughnuts they don’t need a lot of time and they will tell you when they are ready to be flipped as they will float to the top and the bottoms will turn golden.
We started with the Doughnut holes so we could test out the timing and temperature…kind of like the first pancake method.
Step 4: Once you have all you doughnuts flipped and drying off from the oil set out a plate with Icing, for the cookies and cream affect we used almond milk and icing sugar, a plate of the cookie crumbs and a plate of cinnamon/sugar mix. Then alternate doughnuts either Milk & Cookies or Simple Sugar Coating.
Onto the Bevies! While a classic cold beer is always a crowd pleaser, I thought I’d step it up a bit and create some cocktails as I’m not spending 7.50/can this year. Negroni with a smoky stampede twist and a not-so classic caeser
If you’ve been around the block you will know that I love a good gin based beverage, typically over stampede this switches to bourbon as I feel it fits the theme. This year a local distillery Eau Claire released their own Special Stampede Barrel Gin which has smoky and caramel notes. Which when substituted with a classic gin in a Negroni really kicks it into the next level with the spicy hit of smoke on the lips and the sweet after taste it’s like both worlds collide.
If you don’t know the Classic Negroni it 1:1:1 Campari, Gin, Sweet Vermouth, over ice with a orange twist.
I can’t wait to keep playing around in the kitchen with this and see what other flavours come out.
It’s only been recent that I have come to like a Caeser, even then I still like it on the bloody mary side of things (tomato juice instead of Clamato, still can’t get past the clam juice thing). I know that Caesers can really be left up to the imagination and I have seen all sorts and while I haven’t quite got the artistic styling down like Cleaver in Calgary or Flipside in Nashville I did push it out and add a tablespoon of Pickle Juice to the mix and it was quite delicious not going to lie!
Here’s What you’ll need, 2oz of either vodka or gin…first time I had it with Vodka I was like not for me, changed it with gin and opened up a whole new world. Red Juice (Tomato or Clamato), Worchester and Tobasco Sauce, Glass of Ice. Shake as much Spice into the glass as you like add your booze, top it up with the juice and add the splash of pickle juice, you are done…don’t forget to stir or else you could end up with a very spicy shot of gin (or vodka).
There you go, a kick start to your at home stampede!
