Going Home Again?

My 20's in a nutshell

I have another opportunity to go home to Ireland thanks to Irish whiskey!  This time it is a cocktail competition with Tullamore D.E.W.  The last time I had any experience anything from Tullamore was with a lad in the backseat of his boss's Cadillac.  

Here's hoping this experience is more satisfying!

Come out and cheer me on!

Monday, August 3rd

2:00pm

Finn Mc Cools

3701 Banks Street

New Orleans, LA 70119

Punch Parties!

Those dog days of summer are here and who wants to shake and stir cocktails all night?  Make it easy on yourself and whip up these fine punches and rest your weary dogs.  Enjoy the party! 

Iberian Punch

Named for the European peninsula that contains Portugal, Spain and parts of France, this party drink packs its punch with wines and grape based spirits from that region.

¼ cup Madeira (if you can find the Rare Wine Historic Series New Orleans, you’ll thank me.  The Savannah series is great too)

¼ cup Ruby Port (I use Sandeman)

1 ½ cups amontillado sherry (try Lustau Los Arcos)

¼ cup Grand Marnier

2 chilled 750-ml bottles sparkling wine (Spanish Cava works well, Champagne is you are feeling fancy)

1 ½ cups Cognac (I use Pierre Ferrand 1840)

8 lemons

1/2 cup light raw sugar

Block Ice

Apple slices cut into festive shapes and frozen grapes

Fresh Grated Nutmeg (the fresh nut is a must)

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the lemons, and try to only remove the peel as the with pith can be bitter.

Muddle the peels in a bowl with the sugar and set aside for an hour to let the flavors combine.

Juice the lemons to make about 8oz of lemon juice. Add lemon juice to the bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Strain the mixture, without the lemon peel into your punch bowl.

Add all the wines and liqueurs except for the Bubbles (save that for right before you serve) and add a block of ice (this can be made days before with a silicone baking dish)

For Garnish: Freeze individually picked grapes.  Right before serving, cut apples going from top to bottom and cut out festive shapes like stars, circles and trees with cookie cutters.  Add sparkling wine right before serving and grate fresh nutmeg over the entire punch bowl.

Irish Channel Punch

Satsuma is a local Louisiana citrus in season in the fall.  Its bright and bitter citrus flavor is perfect match with the subtle golden spiciness of the Irish whiskey.

Satsuma Punch

MAKES 9½ CUPS
 

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. fresh satsuma juice, plus zest
8 oz. fresh lemon juice, plus zest
8 oz sugar
750 ml strong Assam tea
1 (750 ml) bottle Irish whiskey
2 oz. Amer Hiver (Bitter orange and cinnamon liqueur)
1 oz. rosewater syrup*
Freshly grated nutmeg, for serving
Satsuma peel, for garnish
 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large punch bowl, toss the satsuma zest and lemon zest with the turbinado sugar and muddle well. Let sit for one hour.
   
   2. Add satsuma juice, lemon juice, tea, whiskey, liqueur, and rosewater syrup; stir until sugar has dissolved. Strain, chill, and serve with a dash of grated nutmeg. Garnish with satsuma peel, if you like.

Rosewater syrup can be found in some specialty stores.  Or you can make a simple syrup and ad a few drops of rosewater to taste.

Apple Pickin’ Punch

Upstate New York, where I am from, has a fine tradition of picking apple in the autumn.  This punch would be the perfect refresher after spending a crisp fall day in the orchard with the rye giving it a nice spice.

SERVES 15-20

INGREDIENTS

8 cups apple cider
3 cans (about 750ml) of dry hard cider (such as Crispen)

1 750ml bottles of ginger beer (such as Gingeroo) 

1 750ml bottle Rye Whiskey (such as Willett or Bulliet)
4 oz lemon juice

Several dashes orange bitters
1 orange sliced into rounds, and apples into Stars for garnish
Cinnamon sticks, star anise for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the ciders, ginger beer, whiskey, lemon juice, and bitters in a large punch bowl or pitcher. Stir to combine. Top with orange slices and cinnamon sticks. Ladle into ice-filled punch glasses.

Whiskey

Santa Baby, slip this whiskey under my tree?

Just to let you know how far we have come in our selection of Whiskey...

Last night I was at a new music venue to see The Black Crowes.  PS, Amazing show, my first time seeing one of my favorite rock bands...Finally!  They played Twice as Hard and I was 17 again, driving those country roads in Virginia in my pick up truck names Elvis again.

But I am not 17 anymore, and thank goodness because now I can drink at rock shows!  And drink I did.

I started with a really fine Tennessee whiskey cocktail.  No, not Jack...they had George Dickel!  They made a delicious Old Fashioned with honey and Boston bitters.  Well done, Civic.  They teamed up with my dear friend Neal Bodenheimer of Cure and Bellocq to make easy and delicious cocktails using small batch and organic spirits.  The batched cocktails look clean and inviting in lovely glass bottles.  I will go back to try them all, but I decided I was on a whiskey adventure.

So next stop on my whiskey safari was Islay.   I had some Organic Bruichladdich scotch.  A treat but I had to!  I have been to that distillery, so I slurred to the bartender as he called it a Bourbon!  No!  Its a scotch.  And a mighty fine one too.

I slowed down and next just poured some Rye Whiskey from my Punch Brother's flask over some fresh rocks.  I assume its some Bulliet Rye.  Tastes good.

They I ended my whiskey parade with some Micheal Powers Irish whiskey.  I had heard rumors that this Whiskey had been discontinued.  Better drink it up before its gone, I guess.

Tennessee, Scotch, Rye, Irish.  So many whiskeys available on a single night.  Whiskey is back.  We are living in a new golden age.  Golden brown honey spicy smokey age.  Yum.

Bourbon for Breakfast?

Whiskey Primer

Whiskey under a Microscope: Cool, FSU!!!

Since I got back from Ireland and Scotland, a lot of people have been asking me about Whiskey production. I have a much better sense of it now that I have been to the great distilleries of Islay (its still a lot of waiting though and I am not a patient girl). But my dad has sent me a wonderful little primer from the BBC, always a great source of news. So check this out if you are still confused about Whiskey or Whisky or its place in the world.

Thanks Dad!

Travelwise: A guide to the lingo and history of Whiskey
[BBC.com]