Tag Archives: gin

Toast Tuesday: Gin

14 Tuesday Jun 2016

Posted by in Toast Tuesday

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I’m going to tell you honestly, I really didn’t read this chapter in the book. I just looked in my liquor closet and followed my tastebuds. I have three gins and a genever in my collection.

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When New Deal began making gin, I was certain I didn’t like gin. What I soon realized was I hadn’t had any good gins. I’d only had old school gins that tasted only of rubbing alcohol and juniper. New gins were a beautiful balance of flavors and different notes that just juniper.

When New Deal was experimenting with the gins, we’d pour them in the tasting room to get people’s feedback. We made two gins; one of the gins is a little more traditional, and the other something very unique and herbaceous, that really took folks by surprise.  I fell in love with Gin No, 1, the weird kid.  Before I moved I stocked up on #1. It has a soft green hue and is quite versatile.  It is great for a martini, in a Bloody Mary, or with savory elements.  I know the thing you are scratching your head about there is the Bloody Mary, but a good bloody has layers of spice, and so does No. 1.

Another gin that is great in a bloody is the barrel aged Abernathy Gin from Tenn South Distillery.  This is made in the New American style where juniper is not the only flavor element.  This has a soft hints of floral and citrus.  I knew at first sip this was going home with me.

The other thing I drank this week was Bols Genever. Genever is the precursor to the gin we know now, first made by the Dutch. It’s very malty, both on the nose and the pallet. You can make an interesting Old Fashioned with it. What I did was the Improved Gin Cocktail and followed cocktail historian David Wondrich’s tasting notes and mixed it with maraschino liqueur and bitters.  The maltiness came through and made a delicious little cocktail.

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I also made a cocktail called the Jasmine, that I found I had saved in my drinks file a couple years ago and again last week.  Clearly if I’ve saved it twice, it was time to make it.  I used Martin Miller’s Gin.  This is my favorite commercial gin a soft juniper flavor and citrus flavor.

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This week I am hosting my ladies group for my Happy Hour at home. I’ve really struggled with what to serve this week. I want to make classic cocktails that are intended to be savored and sipped. Most of these ladies want koolaid that can be sucked down in a flash. So as a compromise for myself, I’m making one classic cocktail, one simple cocktail, and one fluffy, but interesting, cocktail.  oh the decisions…

Be sure to see what Meg drank this week.  I’ll keep you posted on how the ladies fare with the gin.

Here’s to another great Tuesday and drinking adventurously!

Our guide

Our guide

lady lavender’s lovely libation

18 Monday Jun 2012

Posted by in cocktails, recipes

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I raise a glass in honor of the bounty of summer my garden keeps bestowing on me and my 100th follower.

I can’t recall which blogger I was reading lately who said we write these blogs for our readers and our followers.  I’ll agree somewhat.  I am delighted that 100 people out there follow me in their reader and in their in-boxes.  I am honored that people I don’t know take the time to think about what I’ve written and some even then actually make a recipe I’ve talked about.  That’s high praise.  And I thank you.

On the weekends at the distillery we serve mini cocktails.  We make 2 very different, but incredible gins.  Gin #3 is bright and crisp.  Gin #1 is big and round.   This weekend (and next, in case you want stop by) we served a Lavender, Gin #3 & tonic. This drink is quite tasty and perfect for summer since my lavender is in bloom.

There was time, not too long ago that I did not like gin.  A few years ago, I was visiting my mutha and step-father.  He asked who wanted a martini before dinner.  I gleefully chimed in.  I took one sip and was immediately horrified.  Not only was I expecting vodka, but I certainly wasn’t expecting the mass produced gin in a jug they served me.  I just know it was undrinkable.  Really, I poured it down the drain.

When we began our gin experiments, I wasn’t the first to rush and try it out. But our distillers sort of sneak stuff in.  Taste this.  What is it?  Just taste it.  Oooooh that’s tasty.  That’s gin.  The gins that are being produced by the microdistilleries are delicate and balanced unlike the commercial gins, which I find harsh or overly perfumed.

Lavender, Gin #3, and Tonic… dedicated to Sybarite Sauvage for being my 100th.  (kinda makes me sound like a slut 😉 )
3/4 – 1 oz lavender simple syrup
1 1/2- 2 oz Gin #3
Pour over ice in a rocks glass topped with your favorite tonic.

lavender simple syrup
1 cup lavender (leaves, stems & buds rough cut with scissors)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Bring to a boil and let simmer 5ish minutes, remove from heat and let sit another 5 minutes and strain.

enjoy a cocktail on your porch!  and in case you’ve missed some of my other garden cocktails, check here and here.

How does your garden grow?

23 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by in cocktails, garden

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Does what you grow in your garden get used on your plate, in your bath, or around your house?  How about all of the above?  or not at all?

I’ve been playing with herbs and essential oils for years.  I’ve got book shelves lined with all sorts of information.  I’ve even got a mad scientist laboratory of oils, waxes, chemicals, and components in my basement.  I’ve been told I have the best smelling basement ever.  I can’t smell it anymore I’m so accustomed to it all.  But when I need to take a relaxing bath or have a mud mask, I trot down the stairs and whip something up.

A few years ago, when I began tightening the budget belt, I thought about how to make the most of what I do spend.  I didn’t plant a tree that magically made money, but what I did plant gets used in so many ways around my house.  I have herbs that I can cook with or turn into aromatherapy and I have veggies growing for food and because they are pretty.  I came up with a workshop series called Pantry Pampering: how to pamper ourselves with what we have on hand.  Over the next little bit, I’m going to share some of these with you.

To kick this off, I’m going to start this pantry party as any good party should start, with a cocktail.  Thanks to Cocktail Remedy for reminding me to finish the fresh grapefruit juice in the fridge.  I’m making his Grapefruit Thyme Cocktail. (without bottling,  I’ll save bottling for another day)

You can make your cocktails uniquely yours with interesting flavored simple syrups.  When you buy commercial sodas they have so much sugar in them.  One way to cut that sugar is by making your own soda.  Half an ounce to an ounce of your homemade simple syrup* topped with a little club soda makes a nice simple soda.  But add a little vodka or gin to your new soda and you have a fancy cocktail.  Your flavors are limited only by your imagination.

I started with fresh thyme from the yard and made my simple syrup a bit stronger than he did.  He started with 5 sprigs and I used about 10.  I’ve mentioned before I’m into big flavors.  I’ve changed the proportions a touch, but this is a nice summertime spritzer.

1.5z Gin Recipe 3
1.5z fresh pink grapefruit juice
1/4z fresh lime juice
1/2z thyme simple syrup (increase if you want)
top with 2z club soda

Another yummy for summertime BBQ’s!

 

* Simple syrup is generally a 1:1 ratio of water and sugar in which you’ve dissolved the sugar.  Boiling the sugar and water combo versus making a room temperature simple syrup is a source of great debate, but I prefer the boiling method.  One versus the other is a conversation for another day.

TGIF

06 Friday Apr 2012

Posted by in girlfriends, just a thought

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I just have to say… what the FUCK happened yesterday??  Really…  I don’t get that cosmic crap, retrograde whatnot (sorry CM).  but thursday was one of those days where I really question the universe.

Myself and 3 other girlfriends had supremely crap-tacular days.  All completely random and not connected in the slightest, but horrible, I got kicked in the crotch kinda day.

It is generally my goal to be as invisible as possible as work.  I fly under the radar.  I do not volunteer to make presentations or to teach classes.  I’m known as that friendly girl.  now where do we know her from?  she’s so nice.  I smile and talk to everyone (mostly tongue in cheek, but some genuine).

I hate my job at the fat farm.  But I hate to admit, I do it well.  so thursday, when they said here’s the list of people who will now be doing xyz, I ASSUMED I was going to be on that list.  I assumed this because I rock my job.  I talk shit all day to people who hate me and end up loving me (80:20).  And NO.  because I haven’t been doing this long enough, I don’t get to do xyz.  Excuse me?!

What made this day better was an evening with the girls watching Mad Men.  I made a HUGE pitcher of martinis and a couple of my pizzas.  The day got much better.  That was until I went to sit in my big chair and it slid from under me.  I looked like a taco between the ottoman and the chair.  We all had a good laugh.  A much needed laugh.  I felt like the universe slipped back into equilibrium.  Kinda like Coe, when she does the collar shake, and puts things in their place.

Rant over.  It’s Friday.  I am a firm believer there is NO SUCH THING as a bad Friday.  It’s Friday.

Good Glorious Morning.  I made it to the end of another week.  Thank you to my guardian angel and whomever else is looking out for me.

*caveat: sorry if this is slightly emotional and rambling, it’s because I’m still pissed.  Feeling better about the universe and my place in it, but still pissed.

Thirsty Thursday: Luc Lac

05 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by in cocktails, restaurants

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I have a new favorite happiest hour. There’s a new Vietnamese restaurant, Luc Lac, near my office. Everything I had heard was outstanding. Then by chance I met the bartender at an event. Just one more reason to check this place out.

The space is open and the decor is great. Whenever I walk by on my lunch there’s always a line. I had some trepidation going for happy hour on a Friday. But, I walked in and grabbed a table with the greatest of ease. And a table for 6 to boot! Should I be concerned that it is this empty?

Happy hour stayed sorta quiet. That may be because it was spring break, but I’ll never stray from this place. All the dishes on the happy hour menu were $2 and $3 and just about everything we had was great!

The signature dish Luc Lac, seared beef with greens was divine. We ordered several of those. I had the pork and shrimp salad rolls and could have easily eaten a few more. There was a repeat order of meat skewers and cream cheese wontons. The only thing I had that wasn’t worthy of a reorder was the sugarcane shrimp. Not terrible, just not great.

My drink was worthy of an Oscar. I had the O Mai with gin, ginger syrup, lemon and herbsaint. I’d been playing with some of the same flavors at home, but this may be my summer cocktail.

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If you are downtown and need a snack or a meal, this is a great place to check out. The woman at the table next to us said it was the best Pho (pronounced phuh) she has ever had. She confessed it was her 6th time there this week. If you stop in tell Lacy I said hello.

Good Green Day

17 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by in photography

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In honor of St Paddy’s Day, I will celebrate my favorite color as I saw it around town this week.

Nothing makes me happier than daffy-dills.  Well, bacon is a very close second.

Kate Spade is a genius.  How I love her so…

My dream car is a 64 1/2 Mustang.  I won’t own one until I have the time and money to work on it myself.  Until then, the new Mustang has gorgeous lines.

Bonus that it is in gorgeous LIME green!

Numero Uno times 2

Bond, Jane Bond

25 Tuesday Oct 2011

Posted by in cocktails, new deal

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In the 1953 Casino Royale, our hero Mr Bond invents a new drink.  The Vesper.

“A dry martini,” Bond said. “One. In a deep champagne goblet.”

“Oui, monsieur.”

“Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?”

“Certainly, monsieur.” The barman seemed pleased with the idea.

“Gosh, that’s certainly a drink,” said Leiter.

Bond laughed. “When I’m…er…concentrating,” he explained, “I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink’s my own invention. I’m going to patent it when I can think of a good name.”

—Ian Fleming, Casino Royale

Bond tells the barman, after taking a long sip, “Excellent … but if you can get a vodka made with grain instead of potatoes, you will find it still better.”

I couldn’t agree more.  I do like a grain vodka.  I also prefer an olive over a twist. So here’s my take…
1 part New Deal Vodka
2 parts New Deal Gin #3
3 olives
As Mr Bond said, I like mine ice-cold, shaken hard and served up.

I had already eaten an olive when I thought to snap this shot.

Cheers!

 

wednesday workout

05 Wednesday Oct 2011

Posted by in beans, cocktails, dinner, take it outside

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My day started with a walk to the park.  Coe was pretty adamant.  Now that it is cooler and wetter, she’s in heaven.  A true Oregonian she is.  If she weren’t so darn pesky, I would have been very happy to stay snug in bed until the very last minute.

We bottled Gin 3 today.  For you who don’t know, it a beautiful bright gin.  All the while we were bottling, I kept thinking about the grapefruit, lemon and lime juice in my fridge.  I squeezed it on Sunday when the girls were over for my non-alcoholic option.  More on this in a minute…

When I got home and started thinking about dinner, I’ve been wanting to make the Homesick Texan’s Basic Black Bean recipe.  I checked the recipe and the pantry and there were a few holes.  I started with 11 ounces of dry black beans, her recipe called for 16, so I scaled.  Since it was 3pm, clearly I didn’t do the overnight soak.  I did as she suggested and covered with water, brought to a boil and shut off.

Coe and I set off on walk #2, this time it included the gro-sto.  Home again, home again, jiggety jig.  I sauteed my onions, carrots and garlic.  Added the beans, omitted the epazote, added only 2 chipotles in adobo (now wish I had added 3) and added 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro.  Realized at this point she mentions later in the recipe to add remaining, but there’s no such thing as too much cilantro, so I added another huge handful at the end as well.  I scaled the liquid as well, but think I could have used less.  I let it reduce quite at bit at the end.

Where’s the workout of this Wednesday you keep asking?  Well, after I started the pot of beans, I went off for my Take it Outside ass-kicking.  New month, new classes.  Real Women Train with Balls! (hehehehehe balls)  We trained on exercise balls doing push-ups, butt lifts and lots of arm work with weights.  I love Kristin and I’m so gonna hurt tomorrow.

Dinner was mostly ready when I got home.  I served these yummy beans over cheesy grits with a dollop of Darigold Mexican sour cream.  Ain’t terribly pretty, but it was pretty tasty!

Now back to Gin 3.  Dessert is served.  I wasn’t positive grapefruit and gin would work.  But Gin 3 works beautifully with citrus and this didn’t disappoint.  The  sharp grapefruit was calmed by the gin and they married nicely.

Happy hump day!