Author Archives: 2eat2drink

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About 2eat2drink

Advertising photographer from Rochester, NY

Bourbon Tasting at the Lake

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Admittedly, as fall is approaching, I’m a bit behind in getting this post out. Our good friend Stuart came to visit and we decided to do a small bourbon tasting at the Keuka Lake cottage. There is nothing quite like sitting on the front porch of the cottage, looking at the scenic vista of a Keuka Lake sunset. Add four bourbons to the mix and it all gets better!

Our four bourbons, waiting to be tasted. Which one to try first?

We started with the Black Maple Hill Kentucky Straight Bourbon. It had a sharp start with a surprising touch of vanilla and a nose of sherry. This led into hints of pepper and spice. The finish had a taste of tobacco, but was very smooth.

Next was the Willett Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The scent was of oranges and caramelized honey. The taste was very sweet to start, with a touch of vanilla, pepper, and tobacco. The vanilla carried over to the finish with strong notes of molasses and dark honey.

We then tried the Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey. There was a strong scent of vanilla mixed with apricot, cherry, and almonds. Overall, this bourbon was more refined and sweeter most of the way through with the taste of sweet tea, vanilla, butterscotch, and apricot. It had a smoky oak and tobacco finish.

Last up was Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky. The nose is sharp and smoky. It is fairly sweet with a taste of molasses and a hint of vanilla. The details are slightly blurred on this one, but by all accounts, this is considered a good “starter” bourbon. It could easily be a staple on most bars as a great mixer.

Stuart taking in the sunset with his favorite, the baby bourbon.

Four vastly different bottles, each with its own unique taste and character.

The Hudson Baby Bourbon is hand-numbered.

Not having tried many bourbons before all at the same time, I was impressed with the subtle differences that set each one apart. Both Stuart and I gave the Hudson Baby Bourbon a slight edge as the most complex and refined, but I wouldn’t hesitate to indulge in any of these bourbons again.

Cheers to a Keuka Lake sunset!

The peaceful view from the porch.

Longing for the French Countryside

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We haven’t been to France, but this combination of wine and cheese definitely brought the French countryside into our home. We actually looked at plane ticket prices. OK….we didn’t look them up, but it did make us discuss a possible visit…someday. Pié d’Angloys is a marvelous example of a cheese that you can’t stop eating. Some friends stopped by while I was shooting this, and (once the shots were done) we finished it in under 5 minutes! Sinful. This cow’s milk cheese is creamy, buttery, mild and delicious with a touch of earth. Although the cheese is from the Burgundy region of France, and I would normally pair it with a red or white Burgundy….. I thought our trip should include the Bordeaux region as well. Thus our wine choice of Monsieur Touton. The wine was crisp, light, had a nice amount of acidity and was an excellent pairing. Bon appetit!

Pié d'Angloys, crusty bread and a French white Bordeaux.

Not only is it sinful, it comes in a cool box!

Monsieur Touton white Bordeaux wine.

Peter vs. Stewie. Chocolate vs. Vanilla. The Oreo war!

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Many years ago, I remember having the dilemma of which Oreo to choose. Today, the debate still lingers. There are moments I crave them both. However, they usually seem to accompany a tall glass of milk. Now…It’s up to you! Please comment to cast your vote for your favorite.

Stewie is backing the vanilla Oreo. You will bow to him!

Peter is backing the classic chocolate Oreo. HEHEHEH!

A morning treat, all the way from Scotland!

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I love my job! For many reasons….but one of the little side perks is photo shoot leftovers! I recently had to photograph a side of Scottish salmon, and had a little left to sample. I brought it home and Heather and I had a nice breakfast treat the following day. It was absolutely marvelous! We will most definitely be picking more of this up soon. It’s good for your heart, your brain , and your taste buds!

Scottish smoked salmon, with cream cheese and red onion ....on a bagel. YUM!

The double triple!

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Mellage….from the French verb meaning “to mix”. Three become one.  Cave Aged Mellage is made with a blend of sheep’s, goat’s and cow’s milk by Carr Valley Cheese. This cheese won 1st Place in its category at the 2005, 2006 and 2011 American Cheese Society competitions.  Cured in specially designed aging caves, it develops the flavor complexity of sheep’s milk cheese with the mellowness of cow’s milk, and has a slight goat finish. Its creamy texture and mild flavor went very well with the almonds and thinly-sliced pears with which we paired it.

Since the cheese is made from a blend of three milks, we decided to have it with a wine made from a blend of three varietals. The 2007 Acquagiusta Rosso is 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 30% Syrah. This full-bodied Tuscan wine has a fruity aroma (particularly of dark berries), velvety texture, flavors of black cherry and spice, and a dry finish. It was given a 92 point rating by Wine Spectator, and we could see why! This blended wine went extremely well with our blended cheese, making for a delicious snack.

Cave Aged Mellage, made from a mix of cow, sheep, and goat milk.

Mellage served with pears and almonds.

2007 Acquagiusta Rosso.

Who says rhubarb is only for pie!?

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I’ve been meaning to do this post for some time. Ever since I saw the Rye and Rhubarb recipe in the Finger Lakes Distilling newsletter, I’ve been looking forward to making this drink!  Waiting for the rhubarb to grow in the garden and tracking down the Fee Brothers rhubarb bitters were the main reasons for the delay. It was worth the wait! The McKenzie rye whiskey is great on its own. It’s aged in new charred quarter casks and finished in sherry barrels from local Finger Lakes wineries. What a great base for this cocktail, which has a very unique blend of sweet and sour. Even Heather, who is not a big fan of whiskey based drinks, thought it was excellent!

McKenzie Rye and Rhubarb

  • 2 oz McKenzie Rye Whiskey
  • 2 oz Rhubarb Simple Syrup **
  • 3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
  • Dash of Fee Brother’s Rhubarb Bitters
  • Dash of salt

Shake ingredients and pour over large ice cubes in a glass.  Garnish with a twist of lemon and use a small stalk of rhubarb as a stir stick.
** For the rhubarb simple syrup…Bring one cup each of sugar, water and chopped rhubarb to a very light boil while stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let rest for an hour, strain and chill.

Fee Brothers is a fourth generation manufacturer of cocktail mixers and bitters located in downtown Rochester, NY. You can find the slogan “Don’t squeeze use Fee’s” on their website. Bartenders all over the world follow their advice. Did I mention they are in Rochester, NY? I know I did, but I thought it was worth highlighting since I don’t think many people are aware that such a distinguished operation is located right here. I thought it was cool that we saw a couple bottles of Fee Brothers bitters on the bar at the Green Goddess in New Orleans. I think that says a lot. While I was getting the rhubarb bitters I picked up a few other flavors, and even got an offer to go on a tour from Ellen Fee! I’m looking forward to seeing the whole operation…as well as trying out some new recipes.

McKenzie Rye and Rhubarb, for your sipping pleasure.

McKenzie Rye, from Finger Lakes Distilling.

Fee Brothers bitters. Just a sampling of all they have to offer.

Rhubarb simple syrup brewing in the pan.

Happy Birthday, Big Poppa!

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You may not know it, but that’s Rich’s nickname around here. And you also may not know that yesterday was his birthday! It was a wonderful, wacky day, despite the constant rain clouds and occasional complaints from the boys about it being the last day of summer vacation. Regardless, we made the most of it! Between showers, we even found time to fire up the grill. For his birthday dinner, Rich wanted tuna steaks, which we had with basmati rice, diced jalapeños and shitake mushrooms. As for a salad, we went totally unconventional and had watermelon topped with spring greens, queso fresco, cucumber julienne, chopped green onion, grilled tomatillo (as a sauce), sea salt & crushed pepper, and red chili olive oil. Oh, and the boys had macaroni and cheese (though two of them consented to try the tuna, and actually liked it!) We paired our tuna with a 2009 Burgans Albariño. We kind of love Spanish wine, and this was a very good one. It’s quite fruity (in a peachy/apricot way) without being overly sweet. It has a nice, crisp finish, and went beautifully with the meal. For dessert, a chocolate dome. I once made the mistake of referring to this particular dessert as a “chocolate boob” in front of the boys, and thus it shall always be known in our household. In between photo shoots, Rich found time to play Black Ops with the boys, and later, to cuddle on the couch with me. Yeah, it was a good day!

Watermelon queso fresco salad.

2009 Burgans Albariño.

Seared tuna steak...ready for its close up.

Tuna by candle light.

The chocolate, um, dome.

A frosty mug of root beer at Mac’s Drive-In.

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Hurry! I hear Mac’s closes after Labor Day weekend. So with a week to go, it’s time to head out and grab yourself a frosty mug of root beer and a cheeseburger basket. I recently had an opportunity to photograph a 1954 Chrysler Newport in Waterloo, NY. We stopped at Mac’s Drive-In on Rts. 5 & 20 to grab a few shots, and ended up staying for an early lunch as well. What a quaint little place for an excursion in your classic car or hot rod.  Classic car night is every Wednesday, featuring (as they do every day) the full menu via drive-in service, root beer floats, ice cream and Pabst Blue Ribbon on tap. Hope you make it!

The signature meal....the burger basket.

The '54 Chrysler by the drive-in bays.

Mac's Drive-In, Waterloo, NY.

Campfires and the double marshmallow, Special Dark chocolate s’more!

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The campfire. A summertime ritual that must include the s’more! Really, what is the purpose of going to the trouble of making the fire, if you’re not going to toast a marshmallow (or two), and eat it between layers of graham craker and gooey chocolate!? I’ve found my s’more happy place using the Hershey’s Special Dark bar. And, since s’mores are not just for kids, bring along a bottle of Trader Vic’s Macadamia nut liqueur. The warm, nutty, smokey  flavors pair up perfectly!

Some of you are probably wondering why Cha! Cha! the Rainforest Cafe frog is in the picture with our boys. They had discovered a photo contest with a grand prize trip to Disney World! And given my last post and our love of all things Disney, they asked if we could enter. I obliged and thought I’d ask a favor…please vote for our entry here:

EDIT: Since the contest is over I removed the link, but thanks for voting!

All jokes aside….I think I need to go make some…more….s’mores.

The double marshmallow, dark chocolate s'more.

Cha Cha joined us for the campfire.

Once the boys each had a s'more, Heather and I got our turn.

I'm a believer in the nicely toasted, not burned, marshmallow.

Trader Vic's macadamia nut liqueur, an awesome pairing for s'mores!

The magic of all things Disney!

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Disney World! Yes, we were lucky enough to spend a week there this June. (I’m a touch behind on my post!) Though this blog is about food and drink, our trip was definitely not; it was a chance for our 3 boys to have the time of their lives after a busy school year! While there are many fine dining choices at Walt Disney World, our fare on this trip mainly consisted of “quick service” meals and ice cream snacks, squeezed in between the amazing rides, shows, and parades that had us all spellbound. There are just so many wonderful attractions, we were constantly on the go, and found time for only one table-service meal during the entire week!

Thanks to my wonderful in-laws, who accompanied us on the trip, Heather and I did get a kid-free evening to take a journey around the world in Epcot. While strolling through the World Showcase, we stopped at the Rose and Crown Pub in the United Kingdom pavilion for a quick bite and a drink. We noshed on the Scotch Egg, which is a hard-boild egg wrapped in sausage and fried to a golden brown, then served with mustard sauce and mixed greens. The house-made potato crisps were a nice addition. As for drinks, Heather went with the classic Pimm’s Cup, and I opted for the Single Malt Scotch flight, which included Glenkinchie 12 year, Oban 14 year, and Lagavulin 16 year Scotch whiskeys. The Oban was my favorite, but more research is needed and I’ll be working on a Scotch post soon!

If you’ve never been to Walt Disney World, we hope this post will inspire you to make the trip. If you have been there before (and if you’re anything like us!), it just might make you want to go back again and again! There truly is nothing quite like the magic of Disney.

Cinderella's Castle had fireworks every night!

Who can resist Mickey-shaped ice cream treats?!

The Rose and Crown Pub. Homemade potato crisps, a very large flight of Scotch, and a Scotch egg!

The magic of all things Disney! (via the iPhone)

Our tired-yet-excited group on the first night!

Cheers.....to our next Disney trip! (note Mt. Everest in the background)