I have something to share about myself that will probably surprise you. But before I divulge this information, I must tell you about a small success I had recently. I was in a liquor store in search of an ingredient for my latest drink. I know, I know...this flies in the face of the resolution I made in the Kitchen Gods post, but hopefully you will ultimately be on my side with this decision. Anyway, there I was searching among all the different bottles when I overheard the store employee helping a woman find some brandy for cooking. She pointed her towards a type that came in a bottle far larger than your airplane variety, and the woman said, "Yikes, that's big. Are there any drinks you can make with brandy?" Other than suggesting a Brandy Alexander, the employee was kind of stumped. And so I stepped up and offered up my sidecar recipe, history and all. I kind of shocked myself, to be perfectly honest. I'm not the type to remember a joke, even ten minutes after it's been told, but apparently I am the type to remember a drink recipe. Not quite sure what that says about me, but I did enjoy this small bit of success.
Now, on to secret information. I love football. I kid you not. Not professional so much, but I am very happy to sit down on a Saturday and watch teams I have absolutely no affiliation to whatsoever. This probably has a lot to do with my dad who took me to many, many Stanford games while I was
growing up. While a freshman at the Naval Academy, he had to learn fight songs to all sorts of schools around the country, so while watching games on tv, he would always sing along with the marching band. Football was on all the time at my dad's house. Saturdays, Sundays, college, professional -- he watched 'em all. For years we had these little juice glasses with football team logos that my dad collected when filling his car up with Shell gasoline. They seemed pretty tacky at the time, even to me as a teenager, but it would be great to have one now as a memento. I thought I had cornered the market in my family for football viewing, but my sister's now in on the gig, too. Dad is looking down every fall weekend and smiling.
A few weekends ago my mother-in-law called to offer up two tickets to see the Washington Huskies play Cal. I immediately made the assumption that I should go with my son and leave my husband at home. I felt a little guilty knowing that it was his true alma mater, but only for a minute. I was excited to soak in the atmosphere of college football again in person. The night was beautiful and the home team won, but when the experience was over, I said to Nelson, "I must be old-fashioned because I prefer the college football experiences I had as a kid -- no large-screen video and flashing lights, music that came from marching bands, not piped in and loud enough to require ear plugs, and spectators that sat through the game instead of standing. The whole feel of the game was different, and the experience left me longing for the past.
Around this time I was also pondering drink options for my next blog post. I seldom have ideas lined up, so it's always interesting how future posts take shape. This one, apparently, was in the stars and just required a shake of the Magic Eight Ball. When I made my comment to Nelson about feeling old-fashioned, the drink by that same name started to come to mind. I have looked at this drink recipe in the past, but it has honestly never appealed. Something about bourbon does not grab me. The tie-in with my football divulgence, however, seemed too appropriate to pass up. And then more signs began appearing, tying together my future and bourbon. First, the November issue of The Atlantic magazine arrived in my mailbox with an article all about bourbon whiskey, the main ingredient in an Old-Fashioned. And then this past weekend, as I finished reading the New York Times' Sunday Magazine, I came upon an article devoted solely to the Old-Fashioned. Was I destined to write about this 200-year-old drink? All signs pointed to yes.
I realize I've kept you a while already, but spare me a few more moments so I can teach you about the spirit in the Old-Fashioned. Bourbon is an American whiskey made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn and takes its name from Bourbon County, Kentucky. The remaining grain is either wheat or rye. Bourbon is not to be confused with the two other types of American whiskey: Tennessee and Rye. Unbeknownst to me, until The Atlantic arrived, there is quite a science to the distilling process, particularly the details related to the oak barrels the ingredients must sit in to age. The story in the magazine tells of a distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky that was struck by a tornado in 2006. The building took a huge hit but not a single barrel was damaged. Repairing the warehouse took several months, however, and during this time the barrels on the upper floor were exposed to rain, heat, and sun. But when these barrels were opened five years later, the bourbon that came out was the some of the finest the company had ever made. Ever since that time, the company has worked tirelessly to figure out just exactly which variable created the change. Even if you never asked for a chemistry set for Christmas, the article is compelling reading.
To my untrained taste buds, bourbon is harder to like than Tennessee whiskey. I learned in my research that Tennessee whiskey is slowly filtered through ten feet of sugar-maple charcoal before going into barrels to mature. I assume that's why it is slightly sweeter and more appealing to me. Nevertheless, I now have a bottle of bourbon in my liquor collection, forcing me to seek out drink recipes. Today, it's the Old-Fashioned. Tomorrow, who knows. I will say that after I shared with Nelson my yearning for times gone by (as far as college football games are concerned), he actually concurred and agreed that the good old times must have been pretty good (as far as college football games are concerned). Maybe I'm not as old-fashioned as I thought.
Old Fashioned
(adapted from Dale Degroff who would probably cringe at my added touch)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 dashes Angostura bitters
2 orange slices
2 Amarena cherries
soda water and Orangina
2 ounces bourbon
In the bottom on an old-fashioned glass, muddle the sugar, bitters, one orange slice, one cherry, and about an ounce of soda water. Remove the orange and add the bourbon and 4-5 ice cubes. Fill with equal parts of soda water and Orangina. Garnish with the remaining orange slice and cherry. Why Orangina? I found the added sweetness balanced the bourbon well. Return to my recipe for a whiskey sour to refresh yourself on the wonderful Amarena cherry. Put on a little bluegrass, watch a horse race on tv, drink an Old Fashioned, and savor that Kentucky bourbon. Cheers!
Now, on to secret information. I love football. I kid you not. Not professional so much, but I am very happy to sit down on a Saturday and watch teams I have absolutely no affiliation to whatsoever. This probably has a lot to do with my dad who took me to many, many Stanford games while I was
growing up. While a freshman at the Naval Academy, he had to learn fight songs to all sorts of schools around the country, so while watching games on tv, he would always sing along with the marching band. Football was on all the time at my dad's house. Saturdays, Sundays, college, professional -- he watched 'em all. For years we had these little juice glasses with football team logos that my dad collected when filling his car up with Shell gasoline. They seemed pretty tacky at the time, even to me as a teenager, but it would be great to have one now as a memento. I thought I had cornered the market in my family for football viewing, but my sister's now in on the gig, too. Dad is looking down every fall weekend and smiling.
A few weekends ago my mother-in-law called to offer up two tickets to see the Washington Huskies play Cal. I immediately made the assumption that I should go with my son and leave my husband at home. I felt a little guilty knowing that it was his true alma mater, but only for a minute. I was excited to soak in the atmosphere of college football again in person. The night was beautiful and the home team won, but when the experience was over, I said to Nelson, "I must be old-fashioned because I prefer the college football experiences I had as a kid -- no large-screen video and flashing lights, music that came from marching bands, not piped in and loud enough to require ear plugs, and spectators that sat through the game instead of standing. The whole feel of the game was different, and the experience left me longing for the past.
Around this time I was also pondering drink options for my next blog post. I seldom have ideas lined up, so it's always interesting how future posts take shape. This one, apparently, was in the stars and just required a shake of the Magic Eight Ball. When I made my comment to Nelson about feeling old-fashioned, the drink by that same name started to come to mind. I have looked at this drink recipe in the past, but it has honestly never appealed. Something about bourbon does not grab me. The tie-in with my football divulgence, however, seemed too appropriate to pass up. And then more signs began appearing, tying together my future and bourbon. First, the November issue of The Atlantic magazine arrived in my mailbox with an article all about bourbon whiskey, the main ingredient in an Old-Fashioned. And then this past weekend, as I finished reading the New York Times' Sunday Magazine, I came upon an article devoted solely to the Old-Fashioned. Was I destined to write about this 200-year-old drink? All signs pointed to yes.
I realize I've kept you a while already, but spare me a few more moments so I can teach you about the spirit in the Old-Fashioned. Bourbon is an American whiskey made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn and takes its name from Bourbon County, Kentucky. The remaining grain is either wheat or rye. Bourbon is not to be confused with the two other types of American whiskey: Tennessee and Rye. Unbeknownst to me, until The Atlantic arrived, there is quite a science to the distilling process, particularly the details related to the oak barrels the ingredients must sit in to age. The story in the magazine tells of a distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky that was struck by a tornado in 2006. The building took a huge hit but not a single barrel was damaged. Repairing the warehouse took several months, however, and during this time the barrels on the upper floor were exposed to rain, heat, and sun. But when these barrels were opened five years later, the bourbon that came out was the some of the finest the company had ever made. Ever since that time, the company has worked tirelessly to figure out just exactly which variable created the change. Even if you never asked for a chemistry set for Christmas, the article is compelling reading.
To my untrained taste buds, bourbon is harder to like than Tennessee whiskey. I learned in my research that Tennessee whiskey is slowly filtered through ten feet of sugar-maple charcoal before going into barrels to mature. I assume that's why it is slightly sweeter and more appealing to me. Nevertheless, I now have a bottle of bourbon in my liquor collection, forcing me to seek out drink recipes. Today, it's the Old-Fashioned. Tomorrow, who knows. I will say that after I shared with Nelson my yearning for times gone by (as far as college football games are concerned), he actually concurred and agreed that the good old times must have been pretty good (as far as college football games are concerned). Maybe I'm not as old-fashioned as I thought.
(adapted from Dale Degroff who would probably cringe at my added touch)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 dashes Angostura bitters
2 orange slices
2 Amarena cherries
soda water and Orangina
2 ounces bourbon
In the bottom on an old-fashioned glass, muddle the sugar, bitters, one orange slice, one cherry, and about an ounce of soda water. Remove the orange and add the bourbon and 4-5 ice cubes. Fill with equal parts of soda water and Orangina. Garnish with the remaining orange slice and cherry. Why Orangina? I found the added sweetness balanced the bourbon well. Return to my recipe for a whiskey sour to refresh yourself on the wonderful Amarena cherry. Put on a little bluegrass, watch a horse race on tv, drink an Old Fashioned, and savor that Kentucky bourbon. Cheers!
I love the nostalgia of your football times with your dad. I too remember football games at Shea stadium but the best part was the meticulously packed lunch by dad. Of course, he and mom enjoyed their special whiskey sour and I ate peanut butter on bread with crusts cut off:) There was also soup in the old fashioned thermos too. My husband LOVES bourbon but this is a recipe I would try so I'll get back to you!!
ReplyDeleteYes, those Jets games with Joe Namath are certainly etched in my memory bank too!! My dad loved those tv segments when they replayed the glory days of the team. I can hear Howard Cosell's voice all over again:) I'd love to know what your husband's favorite bourbons are. When I drink it, I feel transported back in time -- it just has a very old-fashioned flavor that reminds me of our parent's generation. But he, like Dale Degroff would probably scoff at my alterations on the recipe. Just trying to ease my way into bourbon's unusual flavor!
DeleteYou like football?! What a well-kept secret, my friend! You know, I've had bourbon in eggnog and I found it rather likeable. I know rum is more common, but Bill is not so much a fan. There are some possibilities for December.
ReplyDeleteRum and eggnog -- sounds interesting and far more appealing that an eggnog latte!!
Deleteand today we have Richie Incognito! Where did you go, Joe?
ReplyDelete5 comments -- that's a record. I'm going to ignore that 2 (and now 3) are my own. Progress must often come in small increments! And how, by the way, does one get the last name Incognito??
Delete