Tag Archives: drink

11 reasons to like this post….

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I couldn’t resist the post title given today’s date….11/11/11. And it’s 11:11!  Despite all that ….this truly was an awesome treat!

1. A bottle of blue agave nectar!

2. Gooey drips of agave nectar!

3. Agave nectar is roughly 1.3 times sweeter than suger, but has a lower glycemic index, and  it absorbs more slowly into your system.

4. Light and creamy ricotta cheese!

5. Gently grilled crusty baguette!

6. Wine in a blue bottle, to go with the blue agave!

7. Ricotta cheese spread with an antique spreader on the grilled baguette!

8. Don’t forget the pepper!

9. More specifically…Finger Lakes wine!

10. Swedish Hill 2009 Vidal Blanc. The wine has a little sweetness to pair with the agave nectar, and it was nice and crisp with pear and peach notes.

11. The great photos! 🙂

This was a great appetizer on a recent warm fall weekend, but would be great anytime of the year. I hope you get to try some later today, to make your 11/11/11 better. Cheers!

Grilled baguette topped with ricotta and blue agave nectar. Oh my!

Swedish Hill 2009 Vidal Blanc. Yum!

Blue agave nectar. A very sweet treat!

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.

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.

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)

Yes, I really did drink prehistoric plant matter deposits.

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Blackwater. A high tech private security company, not something you would normally choose to drink. I have to say I was intrigued by the packaging of the blk.blackwater bottle. And growing up in the Star Wars era, how can I resist the reference? (Score one for the design team! Maybe the same team that designs the wine that you buy for the cool label?) So, despite the fact that blk. is Canadian spring water infused with fulvic acid (prehistoric plant matter deposits)….I bought two bottles to bring to Watkins Glen International for my upcoming driving school! Fulvic acid and balancing my ph level may help me learn more car control, and drive my M3 smoother. What? Seriously…what was I thinking? OK…I was really thinking….the cool package will make a fun shot and I get to talk about driving at the Glen! I didn’t actually notice an improvement in my driving, but I did feel hydrated. There was definitely a mineral infused taste, but I’m intrigued by the idea of balancing the ph level of your body. I’ll have to do more research, but blk has a 9.0+ ph level, which is very alkaline and helps to balance the acid produced in our bodies from such things as (among many) cheese, chocolate, meat, beer and pasta. Given my blog, you know I eat all of those…..so I may need more blk.

Side note: If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to actually control your car, rather than just gently guide it where its going, sign yourself up for a high performance driving school.  It’s highly educational, a safe environment to discover the limits of your car (and you), and unbelievably fun! Let me know if you have a question.

blk. bottles full of blackwater on the rear wing of the M3.

It was fun seeing the 6 Ferraris out on the track with me. (Giving them a point by.)

The BMW E36 M3 is a super fun car!

Tires are a very important part in controlling your car.

I want Mahón!

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Nutty, smoky, earthy, deep fruit goodness. Wow, sign me up to do this post again! Spanish cheeses have always been on of my list of favorites, Mahón among them. It is a cow’s milk cheese (a rarity for Spain), that is only produced on the island of Menorca. Heather and I actually got to meet the daughters of a Menorcan cheese maker at the Disney Food and Wine Festival a couple of years ago. That was a treat and we got a personal lesson in the pronunciation of Mahón (ma-own). We had the soft, fresh version at Disney, but I found the aged version at the store the other day. They are very different, but both excellent. The aged cheese is firm, flaky and light with a nutty, woody taste. The fig almond cake (pressed dried figs with almonds) was a great match.

With the addition of a Rioja Tempranillo, your trip to taste bud heaven will commence! The Viña Zaco Tempranillo Rioja 2006 was an incredible pairing for the Mahón. It’s an earthy, slightly spicy, medium to full bodied wine, with hints of dried cherry, smoke, and maybe cloves. Did I mention it was a great pairing? I’m going back for more. Cheers!

Mahon, almond fig cake and tempranillo. Wow!

Viña Zaco Tempranillo Rioja 2006.

A little more watermelon avocado salsa, please.

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Summer calls for lighter meals and this was an excellent example! Most fish falls in the category of lighter fare for me. The corvina (from the Pacific coast of South America) was no exception;  meaty, but extremely light in flavor, flaking off in large chunks. It looks and tastes like a cross between mahi and red snapper.

The watermelon avocado salsa was a last minute addition (luckily remembering the watermelon and avocado were sitting on the counter). Our meal was postponed for a half hour to let it chill, but it was worth the wait! A serving for 2 included half an avocado (chunked), the juice of 2 limes, 2 diced slices of watermelon (mini seedless variety), some very thinly sliced white onion, mint and cilantro, salt and pepper to taste, and a touch of extra virgin olive oil. Serve on top of the fish, in many heaping spoonfuls, for a nice contrast to the silkiness of the corvina.

Pink wine! I have to say (due to previous experience some years ago), I had a preconceived notion that pink wine is sweet and not very good.  However, I’ve been hearing excellent things about rosés (especially from the Finger Lakes), and wanted to give one a try. The Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Rosé is actually quite full bodied, and dry, as per the name. It had very slight hints of floral notes, as well as apricot and raspberry. The acidity paired well with the fish and the lime in the salsa. I love finding a Finger Lakes wine I will purchase again!

As it hit 100˚F in Rochester yesterday…….happy hot summer to everyone! Hope you get a chance to enjoy this meal soon!

Corvina topped with watermelon avocado salsa!

Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Rosé. Pink wine is good!

Mid-summer watermelon is wonderfully refreshing.

Fresh basil from the garden! Sliced super fine.

Just a few paper thin slices of onion.

An avocado just looks like summer.