Archive for ‘50 Shots of America’
31 items.
Sep03
Pretzel Dip
On May 29, 1848, Wisconsin brought our state-count up to a nice, even 30. Known as the Badger State, it might surprise some to learn that name didn’t come from the bustling fur trade of the early-settled territory but of the miners (whose industry replaced pelts in the economy’s hierarchy) that had the badger-like habit of seeking shelter in holes they’d dug.
We’re not entirely sure what the name Wisconsin means (though we know it’s not ‘people who where foam cheese on their head’) but one possible etymology concentrates on its red rocks, like those found in the Wisconsin Dells. I wonder, then, is that why Republican States (founded in Ripon, Wisconsin, on March 20, 1854) are painted red on political maps?
America’s Dairyland is actually not the total agrarian state that such a name conveys. It became dairy-central because early agriculture was pursued to the detriment of the land. While it’s regained some of it’s croplands and the forests, the service industry plays a far larger part in the state these days while still leading the nation in cheese production (2nd in the US for milk and butter).
Pretzel Dip
1 oz Wisconsin Ale
1 oz Cranberry Juice
1 tsp Brown MustardCombine over ice and shake like a Barbie(1) and a troll(2) riding a Harley(3) around the center ring(4). Strain into a chilled cordial glass and sip.
Breweries are big in Milwaukee and the state is a major producer of cranberries (among other crops). This drink may sound strange (Todd certainly thought I was stretching it a bit) but it’s totally drinkable and does remind me of a big. soft pretzel dipped into berry-laced stone-ground mustard. Give it a shot before you judge it unfairly, and remember that it usually takes 2 sips before you get the full flavor of a drink.
The other references are as follows:
- Barbie-creator Barbie Millicent Roberts is from Willows, Wisconsin.
- Mount Horeb, Wisconsin is, apparently, the Troll Capital of the World. It’s also home to the Mustard Museum which houses over 2300 specimens of mustard.
- Harley Davidson Motorcycles are headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
- Ringling Brothers Circus got it’s first show in Baraboo, Wisconsin, in 1884.
And, hey, as we head into Labor Day weekend, if you’re in the neighborhood of Prairie du Sac check out the State Cow Chip Throwing Contest.
2 Comments
Aug27
BioFuel
One day shy of a year after the admission of Texas via treaty, Iowa becomes the 29th state on December 28, 1846.
Though considered mainly agricultural (it is in the midst of the Corn Belt, after all), manufacturing makes up the greater part of industry in the state with food production being the largest portion of that–General Mills, ConAgra, Heinz, Hostess, Quaker Oats and Blue Bunny (just to name a few) are all headquartered in the Hawkeye State.
But if agriculture isn’t their main focus, what do they do with all that corn? Iowa happens to be the national leader in ethanol production and a strong proponent of renewable energy sources, be it in sustainable fuels or wind energy. Which is where our drink-of-the-week inspirations comes from.
BioFuel
1 oz Whiskey (Jack Daniels or Jim Bean, we’re going for the corn-liquor, here)
1 oz Honey
Caffeinated SodaCombine the whiskey and honey over ice and shake like your settling a border dispute. Strain into a chilled cordial or tall shot glass and top with the ice-cold caffeinated soda of your choice. Swig it down and get ready to forge ahead and accomplish things!
You may recall that Iowa was on the other side of that border dispute known as the Honey Wars with Missouri. If not, it’s okay, I forgive you, and Iowa probably would, too. Iowans tend to be front runners in a lot of things–civil rights, women’s lib, renewable resources… it’s not a bad trait, you know? And, if (like me) you can’t have caffeine, substitute as necessary and call it Unleaded 
One last thing: the state is also home to Electrolux/Frigidaire who, along with Kelly Ripa, are raising awareness and funds to support ovarian cancer research through their Ultimate Banana Split campaign. Head over to Kelly Confidential to create your ultimate banana split by September 7, 2010. $1 for every submitted split will be donated to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.
~~~oOo~~~
Cocktails for a Cure
And speaking of good deeds! Just a reminder that I’m participating once again in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk and, like last year, offering a couple incentives to my supporters. There’s this years print of a cocktail created in support of the walk plus I’m donating 22% of all Character Cocktails ordered by October 15, 2010, to the cause (and you get the print, too). More information can be found on my Cocktails for a Cure page.
Aug20
Miss Independent
It’s fitting that this week’s state is Texas as I was planning to be in the Lone Star State this weekend for the Dallas Webcomics Expo, but scheduling issues (and that little trip to Nebraska in June) put a kink in this month’s travel plans. Ah, well, such is life! But because of that, I want to dedicate this week’s cocktail to all the Independent artists and creators out there making their own way!
Miss Independent
1 oz Tequila
1 oz Tomato Juice
1/2 oz Pepper Vodka
dash Worcestershire Sauce
Celery Salt and Celery Stalk for garnishCombine liquid ingredients over ice and shake like you’re facing the double loops of the Shock Wave coaster. Strain into a chilled cordial glass, sprinkle with celery salt and stir with the celery stalk.
Six Flags Over Texas is not just a theme park–it’s the number of flags that have flown in governance over the current state’s boundaries: Spanish, French, Mexican, the Republic of Texas, itself, the US and the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. In fact, the only reason they gave up their hard-won independence was their inability to defend against Mexico’s continued advances. Smart move, making an alliance and becoming a state via treaty (December 29.1845).
Oil and cereals don’t make for good cocktails, so we’re going with the Tex-Mex influence and making, essentially, a Tequila Mary. The pepper vodka adds kick, even at such a low amount, and a flavor almost as large as our second largest state. (And, yes, the name is both a reference to the former republic status of the state and the song by Texas native Kelly Clarkson.)
http://www.novusvinum.com/pairings/main.htmlWine & Appetizers/Snacks
ANTIPASTO
Pinot Gris, (Dry) Chenin Blanc
, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Gamay Beaujolais, Barbera
ASPARAGUS
Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, (Dry) Riesling, Vidal Blanc
CARPACCIO (BEEF)
Barbera, Cabernet Rosé, Rhône Blends
CARPACCIO (TUNA)
Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, Vin Gris
CAVIAR
Brut Sparkling Wine
CLAMS (RAW OR CASINO)
Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, Brut Sparkling Wine, (Dry) Chenin Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Seyval Blanc
COLD MEATS
Vin Gris, Riesling, Gamay Beaujolais, Barbera, Seyval Blanc, (Dry) Vignoles, Chambourcin Rosé
CRUDITÉS
Pinot Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Gamay Beaujolais
FOIE GRAS
Brut Sparkling Wine, Late-Harvest Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Noir
NICOISE SALAD
Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc
NUTS AND/OR OLIVES
Brut Sparkling Wine
OYSTERS (RAW)
Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, Brut Sparkling Wine, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, (Dry) Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Chenin Blanc
PASTA SALAD
Sémillon, Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, (Dry) Chenin Blanc, (Dry) Riesling
PASTA WITH CREAM SAUCE
Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc
PASTA WITH SHELLFISH
Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, Chardonnay
PASTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE
Barbera, Sangiovese, Zinfandel Rhône Blends
PASTA WITH VEGETABLES
Pinot Blanc, Dry Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Gamay Beaujolais, Barbera
PATÉS
Gewürztraminer, Seyval Blanc, Gamay Beaujolais, Riesling, Brut Sparkling Wine, Cabernet Franc, Vin Gris
PROSCIUTTO AND MELON
Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Late Harvest Riesling or Gewürztraminer, Muscat
QUICHE
Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Gamay Beaujolais
SCALLOPS
Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, Chardonnay, Brut Sparkling Wine, Pinot Noir, Sémillon
SMOKED FISH (TROUT, HERRING)
Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Brut Sparkling Wine
SOUPS
Usually none, or (Solera) Sherry
Wine Pairings: Seafood
Large scallops with cream sauce and parsley
Whether you’re at a restaurant
or hosting a dinner party, it can be difficult to select the perfect wine to sip with your meal. A good pairing will bring balance to the dish and enhance the flavors of both the food and the wine. Following are our expert suggestions on what to pair with seafood, from lobster to sushi.
CLAMS (RAW OR CASINO)
Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, Brut
Sparkling Wine, (Dry) Chenin Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Seyval Blanc
CRAB
Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, Brut Sparkling Wine, Chardonnay, Sake, White Rhône Varietals (e.g. Roussanne, Marsanne)
LOBSTER
Brut Sparkling Wine, Chardonnay, Sake, White Rhône Varietals (e.g. Roussanne, Marsanne)
MUSSELS
Chenin Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc
OYSTERS (RAW)
Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, Brut Sparkling Wine, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, (Dry) Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Chenin Blanc
RED SNAPPER
Chardonnay, Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc
SALMON
Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sémillon, Vin Gris
SALMON TARTARE
Brut Sparkling Wine, Pinot Gris, Sake
SASHIMI, SUSHI
Brut Sparkling Wine, Semi-Dry Riesling, Sake
SCALLOPS
Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, Chardonnay, Brut Sparkling Wine, Pinot Noir, Sémillon
SHRIMP
Pinot Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, Chardonnay, Colombard, Vidal Blanc
STRIPED BASS
Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Viognier, (Dry) Vignoles
SWORDFISH
Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, Brut Sparkling Wine, Vin Gris, Pinot Noir
TUNA
Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Vin Gris, Chardonnay
OTHER WHITE FISH
Chardonnay, Viognier, Dry Riesling, Sémillon
Wine Pairings: Meat & Poultry
A juicy cut of steak
Whether you’re at a restaurant or hosting a dinner party, it can be difficult to select the perfect wine to sip with your meal. A good pairing will bring balance to the dish and enhance the flavors of both the food and the wine. Following are our expert suggestions on what to pair with meat and poultry, from steak to duck.
CHICKEN
Chardonnay, Vin Gris, Riesling, Merlot, Gamay Beaujolais, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, (Lighter) Cabernet Sauvignon
CHICKEN SALAD
Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc
CHICKEN (SMOKED)
Vin Gris, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel
DUCK
Pinot Noir, Merlot, Rosé Sparkling Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel
FRANKFURTER
Riesling, (Chilled) Gamay Beaujolais
HAM
Vin Gris, Gamay Beaujolais, Merlot
HAMBURGER
Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Syrah, Chancellor, Barbera, Zinfandel, Rhône Blends
LAMB (GRILLED, BROILED)
Meritage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Marechal Foch, Chancellor, Zinfandel
PHEASANT
Pinot Noir, Syrah
QUAIL
Pinot Noir
RABBIT
Riesling, Pinot Noir, Barbera, Merlot, Zinfandel
SAUSAGE
Riesling, Brut or Rosé Sparkling Wine, Barbera, Gamay Beaujolais, Norton or Cynthiana, Syrah, Zinfandel
STEAK (GRILLED, BROILED)
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rhône Blends, Zinfandel, Meritage, Norton or Cynthiana, Syrah, Brut Sparkling Wine
TURKEY
Merlot, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Gamay Beaujolais
VEAL
Chardonnay, Barbera, Merlot, Cynthiana
VENISON
Syrah, Rhône Blends, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Norton, Chancellor, Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine Pairings: Other Main Courses
A freshly baked pizza with shaved truffles
Whether you’re at a restaurant or hosting a dinner party, it can be difficult to select the perfect wine to sip with your meal. A good pairing will bring balance to the dish and enhance the flavors of both the food and the wine. Following are our expert suggestions on what to pair with other main courses, from pizza to couscous.
COUSCOUS
Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Rosé Sparkling Wine, Syrah, Vin Gris
CURRY, FISH or CHICKEN
Riesling, (Chilled) Gamay Beaujolais, Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, Zinfandel
MOUSSAKA
Merlot, Sangiovese, Barbera, Zinfandel
PIZZA
Barbera, Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Brut or Rosé Sparkling Wine, Cabernet Rosé
SPICY CHINESE
Dry (and off-dry) Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Brut or Rosé Sparkling Wine, Merlot
SPICY MEXICAN
Dry (and off-dry) Riesling, Vin Gris, Chenin Blanc, (Chilled) Gamay Beaujolais
THAI
Chenin Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Brut or Rosé Sparkling Wine
Wine Pairings: Cheeses
A selection of hard and soft cheeses with grapes
Whether you’re at a restaurant or hosting a dinner party, it can be difficult to select the perfect wine to sip with your meal. A good pairing will bring balance to the dish and enhance the flavors of both the food and the wine. Following are our expert suggestions on what to pair with soft, medium and hard cheese.
GOAT
SOFT: Brut or Rosé Sparkling Wine, Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir
HARD: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon
COW & SHEEP
MEDIUM: Pinot Noir, Petite Sirah
HARD: Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Port Blue, Late-Harvest Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Zinfandel
Wine Pairings: Desserts
Chocolate ice cream cake with chocolate sauce and fruit
Whether you’re at a restaurant or hosting a dinner party, it can be difficult to select the perfect wine to sip with your meal. A good pairing will bring balance to the dish and enhance the flavors of both the food
and the wine. Following are our expert suggestions on what to pair with desserts, from apple pie to tiramisu.
APPLE PIE, TART & BAKED
Late-Harvest Riesling, Various Ice Wines, Muscat, Demi-sec Sparkling Wines, Blueberry Wine
BERRIES
Brut Sparkling Wines, Demi-sec Sparkling Wines, Late-Harvest Riesling, Muscat, Zinfandel
CHOCOLATE
Late-Harvest Riesling, Raspberry Wine, Black Muscat, Cabernet Sauvignon
CAKES
Demi-sec Sparkling Wines, Late-Harvest Riesling, Muscat, Various Ice Wines
CREAMS, CUSTARDS, PUDDINGS
Demi-sec Sparkling Wines, Late-Harvest Riesling, Muscat, Various Ice Wines
FRESH FRUIT
Late-Harvest Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Muscat
ICE CREAM, SORBETS
Usually none, perhaps fruit wine or fruit liqueurs
NUTS
Port, Brut Sparkling Wine, Angelica
TIRAMISU
Angelica
Wine Pairings: Red Wines
A glass of red wine in a California vineyard
Whether you’re at a restaurant or hosting a dinner party, it can be difficult to select the perfect wine to sip with your meal. A good pairing will bring balance to the dish and enhance the flavors of both the food and the wine. Following are our expert suggestions on what foods to pair with red wines, from Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot.
BARBERA
Antipasto, carpaccio (beef), cold meats, pasta with tomato sauce, pasta with vegetables, pizza, hamburger, rabbit, sausage, veal, moussaka
CABERNET FRANC
Paté, Couscous
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Chicken, steak, duck, lamb, venison, hamburger, soft or hard goat cheese, hard cow and sheep cheese, chocolate, berries
CHANCELLOR
Lamb (grilled or broiled), venison, hamburger
CHIANTI
Pasta with tomato sauce, pizza, most Italian foods
GAMAY BEAUJOLAIS
Chicken, ham, turkey, sausage, antipasto, cold meats, crudité, pasta with vegetables, paté, quiche, hamburger, frankfurters, curry (chicken or fish), spicy Mexican foods
MERITAGE
Steak, lamb
MERLOT
Chicken, steak, turkey, tuna, duck, ham, lamb, rabbit, veal, couscous, moussaka, spicy Chinese foods, soft or hard goat cheese
NORTON
Steak, venison, sausage
PETITE SIRAH
Venison, couscous, medium and hard cow cheese, medium and hard sheep cheese
PINOT NOIR
Salmon, tuna, scallops, swordfish, chicken, duck, lamb, pheasant, quail, rabbit, venison, foie gras, soft or hard goat cheese, medium cow and sheep cheese
SANGIOVESE
Pizza, moussaka
SYRAH
Steak, sausage, venison, hamburger, pheasant, couscous, hard goat cheese
ZINFANDEL
Chicken, steak, turkey, duck, lamb, rabbit, hamburger, sausage, venison, curry (chicken or fish), moussaka, pizza, hard cow and sheep cheese
Wine Pairings: White Wines
A glass of white wine with a dinner roll
Whether you’re at a restaurant or hosting a dinner party, it can be difficult to select the perfect wine to sip with your meal. A good pairing will bring balance to the dish and enhance the flavors of both the food and the wine. Following are our expert suggestions on what foods to pair with white wines, from Chardonnay to Riesling.
CHARDONNAY
Shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops, red snapper, striped bass, other white fish, tuna, oysters (raw), pasta with shellfish, pasta with clam sauce, crudité, chicken, turkey, veal
CHENIN BLANC
Chicken, shrimp, oysters (raw), clams, mussels, antipasto, crudité, quiche, pasta salad, Thai foods, spicy Mexican foods, hard cow and sheep cheese
COLOMBARD
Shrimp
CYNTHIANA
Steak, sausage, veal
GEWÜRZTRAMINER
Foie gras, paté, prosciutto, smoked fish (trout, herring), chicken salad, Thai foods, hard cow and sheep cheese, fresh fruit
MARSANNE
Crab, lobster
MUSCAT
Foie gras, prosciutto, hard cow and sheep cheese, berries, custards, puddings
PINOT BLANC
Shrimp, striped bass, mussels, smoked fish (trout, herring), clams, oysters (raw), antipasto, pasta with cream sauce, pasta with vegetables, crudité, prosciutto, chicken salad, spicy Chinese foods, Thai foods
PINOT GRIGIO / GRIS
Salmon, salmon tartare, oysters (raw), mussels, antipasto, spicy Chinese foods
RIESLING (DRY)
Chicken, white fish, smoked fish (trout, herring), oysters (raw), rabbit, sausage, pasta salad, pasta with vegetables, paté, prosciutto, quiche, frankfurters, curry (fish or chicken), spicy Chinese foods, spicy Mexican foods, Thai foods
RIESLING (SEMI-DRY)
Chicken, sausage, sushi, sashimi, smoked fish (trout, herring), quiche, asparagus, cold meats, paté, prosciutto, rabbit, chicken salad, curry (chicken or fish), spicy Chinese foods, spicy Mexican foods, Thai foods
ROUSSANNE
Crab, lobster
SAUVIGNON (FUMÉ) BLANC
Salmon, shrimp, swordfish, tuna, red snapper, mussels, crab, scallops, clams, oysters (raw), pasta with shellfish, pasta with vegetables, pasta salad, Nicoise salad, asparagus, antipasto, foie gras, curry (fish or chicken), soft goat cheese
SÉMILLON
Salmon, scallops, white fish, pasta salad
SEYVAL BLANC
Clams, cold meats, paté
VIDAL BLANC
Shrimp, asparagus
VIGNOLES
Cold meats, striped bass
VIN GRIS
Chicken, salmon, swordfish, tuna, ham, cold meats, paté, couscous, smoked chicken, spicy Mexican foods
VIOGNIER
White fish, quiche, pasta with vegetables
Wine Pairings: Other Wines
A glass of Rose
Whether you’re at a restaurant or hosting a dinner party, it can be difficult to select the perfect wine to sip with your meal. A good pairing will bring balance to the dish and enhance the flavors of both the food and the wine. Following are our expert suggestions on what foods to pair with Rosé, ice wine, sake and more.
BRUT SPARKLING WINE
Lobster, crab, scallops, caviar, oysters (raw), clams, swordfish, smoked fish (trout, herring), sushi, sashimi, salmon tartare, steak, sausage, pizza, foie gras, nuts, olives, paté, spicy Chinese foods, Thai foods, soft goat cheese
CABERNET ROSÉ
Pizza, carpaccio (beef)
ICE WINES
Pies, cakes, most desserts
RIESLING (LATE HARVEST)
Desserts in general, foie gras, prosciutto and melon, hard cow and sheep cheese
ROSÉ SPARKLING WINE
Duck, pizza, couscous, spicy Chinese foods, Thai foods, soft goat cheese
SAKE
Sushi, sashimi, crab, lobster, salmon tartare, Japanese foods
Aug06
Liquid Sunshine
Oh, hey, did you think we were done with the East Coast? That we were at least finished with the Southeast, moving as we are through the Midwest and all?
Not exactly.
See, while the rest of the country was becoming locally-owned, the Spanish were still holding on to Florida with a pretty good grip until after the First Seminole War in 1818 and, even then, only lost the Eastern portion. West Florida wasn’t signed over to the US until 1819 for $5 million and the understanding that the US would give up any of it’s Texas holdings. (And how long did that last, you wonder? The fact that *spoiler!* Texas is next week’s state */spoiler!* should give you a clue.)
Still, Florida didn’t have the oomph to become a fully-fledged member of the Union until 1845 (March 3rd, to be exact) and we’ve grown to be the 4th most populated state with our eye on New York to take 3rd place sometime soon.
Lots of folks retire to Florida for the lovely weather we have. News flash, folks: Florida is hot. And it’s a wet, sticky, humid heat that there is no escaping from. I remember 106-degree summers with no air conditioning as a child and wonder how we survived. Winter (with a few notable exceptions) is reserved for a week or so in January or February. We wave as something spring-like passes by on the fast-track to summer and hurricane season and again as a fall cool-snaps hits in October but heads for the hills just in time to make choosing Halloween costumes difficult since it could be 70s or 90s that day.
We’re also prone to afternoon precipitation that can range anywhere from lightening and thunder-storms with a side of hail to out-of-nowhere rain from a practically cloudless sky, the latter known as sun-showers or, you guessed it, liquid sunshine.
Liquid Sunshine
1 oz Lemon-Lime Gatorade
1/2 oz Rum
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/4 oz Cointreau*Combine over ice and shake like your running through raindrops. Strain into a chilled shot or cordial glass and try and cool off.
*I don’t normally specify a specific brand but you really don’t want to use a basic Triple Sec for something like this (or many other things, really)–it’s prone to overpower and you just don’t have room for that in a small drink like this.
Florida is, of course, known for it’s oranges and grows more than half of the nation’s citrus fruit (oranges, tangerines and grapefruit). Sugarcane, tomatoes, strawberries and celery round out our many agricultural achievements.
In addition to the natural juice we produce, all those fitness drinks on the market? Yup, they all started with one–Gatorade–developed by the coaching staff and physicians in 1965 at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL, whose mascot is the Gator.
And if you’re not feeling the mixed drinks, you can check out the amazing San Sebastian Port available from the monks in St Augustine (the oldest European settlement in North America). The grapes are grown and processed in central Florida at the Lakeridge Winery (excellent tasting tours available pretty much any time–ask for Christy, if she’s there!) and finished up in St Augustine. It’s an amazing cherry Port in a bottle whose design dates back to the Middle Ages.
Jul30
Talk to the Hand
On the cruise last January one of the couples we shared our dinner table with was from Michigan. The demonstrated exactly where by holding up their right hand and using it as a visual aid. Apparently this is a regular thing for Michiganders as the lower peninsula does resemble a mitten. (The UP–Upper Peninsula–is sometimes considered the bridge.) Because of this, the name for today’s cocktail came before anything else:
Talk to the Hand
4 fresh Cherries, 3 stemmed
3/4 oz Vanilla Vodka
1/4 oz Kirschwasser
1.5 oz Ginger Ale*Muddle the 3 stemmed cherries with the vodka and kirsch in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake like your trying to keep warm while ice-fishing. Add the ginger ale and stir a few times to combine and allow the ginger ale to cool, then strain into a chilled cordial glass. Garnish with the remaining cherry.
*Use Vernor’s for authenticity. Next best would be some ginger beer for flavor, last on the list being the dry-er (read as, less sweet) ginger ales from the grocery store. Still acceptable if that’s all you can find, though.
Even though the first European settlers of The Great Lakes State were French Catholics (a nice, peaceful trio of Jesuit missions that actually got along fairly well with the Native Americans of the time) who helped establish the peninsula as a major fur-trading center, Germans have become the largest single ancestral group in the centuries since then. They’re also the largest producer of cherries in the country–hence the kirsch.
My research turned up the fun fact that a Michigan pharmacist was the guy behind Vernor’s ginger ale. Thanks to progress you can find it outside it’s original area (even down here in Florida from time to time). What made Vernor’s different was the extra fizziness, the sweet taste and the souped-up ginger taste. It was even an integral part of the ice cream soda known as the Boston Cooler (which has nothing to do with town in Massachusetts): ice cream and Vernor’s. Yum!
Jul23
Granny's Baked Apples
Arkansas, our 25th state as of June 15, 1836, is no longer The Land of Opportunity.
No, seriously, they changed their motto to The Natural State back in the 1970s to boost their tourism profile.
What they are the land of is national parks, mountains, hot springs and agriculture–they’ve got poultry, beef and pork down pat!
They also have a high number of dry counties throughout the state: 42 of the 75 do not allow alcohol to be sold within their boundaries! And the counties that do sell it get the privilege of collecting loads of extra taxes–4% to start plus an additional 10% on cocktails and wine at restaurants!
Since we haven’t done a non-alcoholic drink in a while, now seems the appropriate time, doesn’t it?
Granny’s Baked Apples
1.5 oz Apple Juice
1 barspoon Sweetened Condensed Milk
splash of vanilla
sprinkle of cinnamonCombine over ice and shake like you’re prospecting for gems in Crater of Diamonds State Park. Strain into a chilled cordial glass and top with cinnamon.
The primary inspirations for this drink are the state flower being the apple blossom and the state beverage being milk. I suppose if you just couldn’t hang with the lack of alcohol, you could always dash in some vanilla vodka instead of the plain vanilla.
And with this recipe we’re halfway through the 50 States!
Jul16
Meet Me at the Fair
Now, if you were paying attention last week when Maine was added to the Union as part of the Missouri Compromise, then you’re probably not surprised that the Show-Me state is taking it’s place as #24 at the bar this week!
And speaking of that nick-name (unofficial–they don’t have an official one!), what does it mean?
While no one is 100% sure, the strong favorites are
- the requirement of workers being shown, rather than told, how to do a particular job (lots of immigrants, maybe a language barrier thing, too); or
- a speech by Congressman Vandiver in 1899 where he basically said “frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I’m from Missouri, and you have got to show me.”
Basically, actions speak louder than words, in Missouri.
So let’s just head over to the cocktail shaker, shall we?
Meet Me at the Fair
1 Tea bag
1 bottle German beer
1/2 oz Honey
1/2 oz Irish creamCold-steep the tea bag in the beer a minimum of 20 minutes. Combine 1 oz of the tea-beer, the honey and Irish cream over ice and shake it like your mixing up some instant pancakes. Strain into a small sugar cone and drink it before the cone dissolves.
The explanation:
The name comes from the song (and movie of the same name) Meet Me In St. Louis
Oh, and the pancake reference? Aunt Jemima pancake mix was the first of it’s kind, invented in St Joseph in 1889.
Jul09
Have a drink with Louie the Lobster (a leftover party favor from my 30th birthday party where he and his buddies were Crawfish Impersonators--it was a Bayou-themed party)
The Pine Tree State became the 23rd state of the Union on March 15, 1820, as part of the Missouri Compromise in order to balance the number of slave and free states. Before that, Maine was part of Massachusetts.
Edna St. Vincent Millay, the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, was a native of Maine and wrote one of my favorite poems ever (and I’m not much for poetry)
First Fig
My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends–
It gives a lovely light!
It described me well, then, when I first read it in high school and still fits pretty well. Anyone who “likes to stay busy,” sometimes to the point of exhaustion, can probably relate.
She isn’t, of course, the only poet or author or “somebody” to live in or be from Maine, (the list is long and includes Stephen King, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Andrew Wyeth, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Dempsey, and a whole bunch of folks whose names I don’t recognize but probably should) but she’s probably my favorite so far.
Bitter Berry
3/4 oz Gin
3/4 oz Cranberry Juice
1/2 oz Blueberry-infused Vanilla Vodka*
1 drop Angostura Bitters*Soak a heaping tablespoon of dried blueberries in 4 oz Vanilla Vodka for a minimum of 2 hours. Muddling some of the berries increases the finished flavor.
Combine over ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cordial glass and garnish with three of the plumped blueberries on a toothpick.
I normally don’t go for garnishes on these little drinks but the blueberries are significant as well as the toothpick itself: Maine is the main exporter of both blueberries and toothpicks, producing 20 million of the latter each day at the Strong Wood Products in Strong, Maine.
And don’t be fooled by the name–this drink isn’t actually bitter. Tart, yes, with a strong flavor from the gin, alone, but Bitters tend to enhance and warm the flavor of a drink. Plus, there’s a common ingredient between Angostura Bitters and the state beverage, Moxie: gentian root. I would have named the drink Wild Moxie but the company sued a neighboring state’s soda company for infringement for having the name Modox–I’m just not going to go there!
Jun25
East Avenue South--the background photo is from my trip to Birmingham, its the lane leading down to an amazing restaurant, Cobb Lane
Passing through French, British & Spanish hands, the town of Mobile, Alabama was finally captured by Andrew Jackson and claimed for the US free and clear. Now that it had some beach-front property, statehood proceedings were completed and it became the 22nd state of the Union on December 14, 1819.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized I had quite a few memories of the Heart of Dixie: touring the USS Alabama as a sullen teen, making my Mom nearly fall off the ladder from laughing at me after I ran my head into an opening I failed to duck for; the honeymoon trip to visit my second husband’s father in Pell City and waking up to hear some deadly storms has ripped through Dixie Alley during it’s secondary tornado season while we slept; scrapbooking and comics conventions in Mobile; the summer trip spent at Auburn University during high school and… oh, yes.
Birmingham is known as the Magic City–it was the one city to boom during the Great Migration of the early 20th century when so much of the population left for opportunities far to the north. It’s railroads, mining and related refining industries created opportunities not readily available in the state. Most mining has ceased (except for coal) but Birmingham continues to be a hub for manufacturing as well as southeastern headquarters for multitudes of national corporations. It also boasts a significant food culture.
Finishing my Culinary degree required a semester’s internship and I’d been able to garner an interview with the head of the chef’s association there. It was my first weekend trip entirely on my own–both a lonely and exciting opportunity! I visited restaurants my boss had recommended (having lived and worked in the area for 1o years), wandered (and got followed through) the beautiful Linn park and the nearby museums, and hung out in Five Points South.
I also got lost.
This is less than news as I have no natural-born sense of direction but the circumstances were interesting and worth sharing. Downtown Birmingham (where 90% of my activity was focused) is laid out in a grid–couldn’t be simpler, right? Everything is marked North and South with Avenues running one way and Streets and Alleys crossing them. My hotel was on 3rd Avenue South (or something like that) and I was coming home from Five Points and got turned around. I found 3rd Avenue North and just figured I’d take it south a ways and I’d get where I wanted to go.
I found myself in a train yard something, turned around and found myself almost on UAB campus and _finally_ retraced my steps and got back to my hotel. On Sunday, as I was leaving and looked at that same gridded map for the umpteenth time it finally hit me:
The Avenues of Birmingham run East-ish/West-ish, they’re named North and South in relation to where they are above or below the railroad tracks!
No wonder I didn’t find my hotel on the first try, that night!
And now we drink!
East Avenue South
3/4 oz Peach Schnapps
1/4 oz Amaretto
1 oz Orange JuiceCombine over ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cordial glass.
Obviously this is a nod to the Alabama Slammer cocktail but we’ve amped up the orange juice and ditched the sour mix and sloe gin/vodka/southern comfort whatever else folks opt to put in there. It’s sweet–almost unctuous –and tastes similar to a fuzzy navel but retains that hint of almond in the background.
And, absolutely, make 2 and share 
