Skip to main content

"And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey in rye..."

By
I can't remember the last time I had Scotch or Whiskey or Bourbon. Heck, I don't even think I know how to differentiate those. So, when Jake and I sidled up to the bar in Restaurant 1833 last night, having just dropped the boys off at their aerodynamics workshop for a few hours, I was more than a little surprised that he sat right down and asked Michael, the bartender, which Scotch he would recommend. What?!? Who was this man sitting beside me? Michael said that there were 10, 12, 18, and 25 year options. He ordered a 12-year Scotch.

But since I'm always up for learning something new. I swirled it, sniffed it, and took a swallow. I think what I actually did was more of a sip - and a timid one at that. I was expecting something harsh and was taken aback at how smooth it was. It rolled off my tongue, soft and warm, reminding me of pearls and cashmere. Okay, that's not a very manly image and Scotch is the quintessential Good Ol' Boys drink, right? But what I mean is that it was an elegant drink. I was surprised.

And, as I always do when I encounter something with which I am unfamiliar, I do some research. I found this article illuminating: The Art of Manliness Guide to Scotch Whisky though I'm not convinced that I fully understand these distinctions. Forgive any inaccuracies. And if you'd like to clue me in on something about whiskey, Scotch, or bourbon, feel free.



The differences between Scotch and Whiskey are geographic, ingredients, and spelling. On that side of the Pond, the Scots spell it whisky (no 'e') while the Irish spell it with an 'e': whiskey. Scotch is Scotch whisky made in Scotland; Whiskey is whiskey bourbon made in the U.S., mainly Kentucky. If you order a whiskey in the United Kingdom, you'll get a Scotch. Scotch is made mostly from malted barley while whiskey is made primarily from corn. Tennessee whiskey and bourbon are different because after distillation the former is run through a sugar maple charcoal. Add 'Rye Whiskey' - made with over 51% rye in its mash - to the mix. Oye. I am still, hopelessly, confused. But I'm happy to hum a few bars of Don McLean's American Pie and drink whatever's being poured. Cheers.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Quick Pickled Red Onions and Radishes

By
If you've been reading my blog for even a short amount of time, you probably know how much I love to pickle things. I was just telling a friend you can pickle - with vinegar - or you can ferment - with salt - for similar delicious effect. The latter has digestive benefits and I love to do that, but when I need that pop of sour flavor quickly, I whip up quick pickles that are ready in as little as a day or two. I've Pickled Blueberries , Pickled Asparagus , Pickled Cranberries , Pickled Pumpkin , and even Pickled Chard Stems ! This I did last night for an upcoming recipe challenge that requires I include radishes. Ummmm...of course I'm pickling them! Ingredients  makes 1 quart jar radishes, trimmed and sliced organic red onions, peeled and thinly sliced (I used a mandolin slicer) 3/4 C vinegar (I used white distilled vinegar) 3/4 C water 3 T organic granulated sugar 1 T salt (I used some grey sea salt) 6 to 8 grinds of black pepper Proce
1 comment
Read more

Aloo Tiki {Pakistan}

By
To start off our Pakistani culinary adventure, I started us off with aloo tiki - potato cutlets. I'm always game for tasty street food. I found a couple of different recipes and incorporated those together for this version. Ingredients 6-8 small red potatoes, scrubbed 1 T cumin seeds 1 T fresh chopped parsley 1/2 t ground coriander 1 t minced garlic Procedure Boil the potatoes until they are tender. Drain and let cool. Mash the potatoes. Traditionally they are mashed without their skins. I left the skins on. In a small pan, toast the cumin seeds on high heat until the begin to give off an aroma and begin to darken. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate to keep them from cooking any more. Blend all of the spices into the mashed potatoes, then shape into small patties. If you wet your hands, the potato mixture won't stick to them. Heat a splash of oil in a large, flat-bottom pan. Dip each patty into beaten egg and carefully place in the oil. P
9 comments
Read more

Hot Chocolate Agasajo-Style {Spice It Up!}

By
photo by D For my Spice It Up! kiddos this week, I was looking for an exotic drink to serve while we learned about saffron. I found a recipe from food historian Maricel Presilla that mimicked traditional Spanish hot chocolate from the 17th century where it was served at lavish receptions called agasajos . When I teach, I don't always get to shoot photos. Thankfully, D grabbed my camera and snapped a few. Ingredients serves 14-16 1 gallon organic whole milk 3 T dried rosebuds - or 2 t rosewater 2 t saffron threads, lightly crushed 3 T ground cinnamon 3 whole tepin chiles, crushed 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise 1 C organic granulated sugar 1 lb. bittersweet chocolate Procedure In a large soup pot that can hold a gallon plus, combine milk, dried rosebuds (or rosewater, if you are using that), saffron threads, ground cinnamon, chiles, vanilla beans, and sugar and warm over medium heat till it steams. Whisk to dissolve sugar, then lower heat an
183 comments
Read more