Blog Archives - Page 15 of 154

These Two New Cocktail Cookbooks on Tequila and Bourbon will Make You Both Thirsty and Hungry

If you love good spirits, especially Bourbon or Tequila, then today is your lucky day. These two cocktail cookbooks will keep you in the kitchen (or the bar) making a plethora of tasty recipes that give you a really good excuse to both eat and drink, and drink and eat.

Bourbon Is My Comfort Food

Not only truly gorgeous, Bourbon Is My Comfort Food is also a lot of fun… and mysterious. The texture, printing, layout and photographs are quite lovely, far more than most books on beverages present. It is also fun, especially in its celebration of the Bourbon lovers’ lifestyle in photos and in various titles throughout the edition, ranging from “Cask and You Will Receive,” to “Ice: The Most Important Ingredient (Besides Bourbon.” Heather Wibbels delivers a first class homage and ambassador to the Bourbon spirit.

It’s mysterious because, well, there’s apparently a lot of people having fun with Bourbon about whom we are just now learning, and that’s very mysterious. Someone send us an invite!

Bourbon Is My Comfort Food reveals the delicious beauty of bourbon cocktails and the joy of creating them. Whether readers are new to bourbon or steeped in its history and myriad uses, they will gain the knowledge to make great bourbon cocktails, share them with friends and family, and expand their whiskey horizons―because the only thing better than bourbon is sharing it with a friend.

From building your home bar to basics on cocktail technique, Heather Wibbels showcases more than 140 variations on classic bourbon cocktails―like the Old-Fashioned, the Manhattan, Whiskey Sours, Highballs, Juleps, and more―in approachable ways. The book also features several Cocktail Labs, which invite readers to explore classic cocktail elements and experiment with flavors, textures, infusions, syrups, and garnishes.

Bourbon Is My Comfort Food is a celebration of ten years of bourbon education and cocktails by Bourbon Women, the first group dedicated to women and their love of the spirit. Wibbels celebrates with cocktails from the Bourbon Women leadership team, branches across the nation, and winners from the group’s annual Not Your Pink Drink contest. Get out your cocktail shaker and explore the wide world of bourbon cocktails with Heather Wibbels and Bourbon Women!

Publisher : University Press of Kentucky
Hardcover : 288 pages

FIND IT HERE ON AMAZON

The Tequila Diet: Exploring Mexican Food & Drink with the World’s Greatest Spirit

People often joke that they are on a liquid diet, and if you are a Tequila fan, that can be pretty close to the truth. The flavor of tequila has a miraculous way of adding nuances and enhancement to not only drinks like a Margarita, but also to food. Chef Dave Martin’s Tequila Diet book is a perfect blend of both culinary and mixology creations.

Created by Top Chef Alum Dave Martin, the Tequila Diet is made from a collection of recipes influenced by Dave’s adolescent years growing up in Southern California, combined with his adult adventures traveling throughout Mexico.

The Tequila Diet: Exploring Mexican Food & Drink with the World’s Greatest Spirit pays mucho respect to a great spirit and is a guide to popular and classic foods of Mexico. The recipes range from cocktails that can be shaken by a novice bartender to authentic Mexican dishes that can be prepared by the home cook or aspiring chef.

Readers can enjoy simple Salsas & Ceviche or attempt your own Homemade Empanadas or Triple Chile Enchilada Sauce (pasilla, chipotle & guajillo). Learn how to recreate regional favorites like Mole Negro (a chocolate & chile based sauce), Birria (slow braised beef, goat or lamb) or Posole (a stew of pork, hominy & pinto beans). There are lighter takes on traditional dishes that will please even the pickiest eaters. Pan Roasted Fish Tacos, Tequila Braised Carnitas and Baked Chile Rellenos are packed full of flavor and friendlier to the waistline.

Paperback : 176 pages

FIND IT HERE ON AMAZON

Maltese Designers Charles & Ron Spring/Summer at New York Fashion Week

These Two Olive Oils are Some of the Best from California

When you are looking for great Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) to taste, use, or to gift, don’t miss Wild Groves and 43 Ranch. They have recently been named two of the best from California, the leading extra virgin olive oil producing region in the United States.

The California State Fair announced the winners of this year’s California Commercial Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition. A panel of 12 certified sensory analyst judges gathered at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds, to swirl, sniff, sip and analyze samples of olive oil from producers all over California. The annual competition celebrates the olive-growing and olive oil producing industries in California, and is open only to Extra Virgin and Flavored Olive Oils made from 100% olives which are grown, pressed and packaged in California.

This year 468 shining, new bottles of olive oil lined the cellar shelves of Cal Expo. Each of the 117 entries arrived with the hope of their producers that their care, expertise and hard work would result in a coveted Best of Show Golden Bear Trophy.

This competition honors Olive Oil producers at all production levels. The Best California Extra Virgin Olive Oil by a Large Producer (more than 5,000 gallons annually) went to Arbequina by Wild Groves of Newcastle, California. Wild Groves won several additional honors, as did Central Coast producer 43 Ranch, which included “Best of California”.

WILD GROVES

Dewey Lucero and family are the fourth generation of Lucero olive farmers, producers, and blenders, with over a century of tradition. Their groves in Corning, California are some of the oldest in the country, where they produce extra virgin olive oil, Certified 100% by the California Olive Oil Council (COOC).

Awards from the California Commercial Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition:

Wild Groves Arbequina EVOO Single Variety Delicate Arbequina Best of California Large Producer
Wild Groves Arbequina EVOO Single Variety Delicate Arbequina Gold
Wild Groves Foxy EVOO Single Variety Robust Any Other Cultivar Silver
Wild Groves Robust Blend EVOO Blend Medium Any Other Cultivar Silver
Wild Groves Ascolano EVOO Single Variety Medium Ascolano Silver

43 RANCH

43 Ranch is produced by fifth and sixth generation farmers from the southern Salinas Valley, whose terroir is similar to that of Old World olive growing regions, and where they however use state of the art equipment.

Awards from the California Commercial Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition:

43 Ranch Picual EVOO Single Variety Robust Any Other Cultivar Best of California
43 Ranch Miller’s Choice EVOO Single Variety Delicate Koroneiki Best of Class
43 Ranch Picual EVOO Single Variety Robust Any Other Cultivar Best of Class
43 Ranch Miller’s Choice EVOO Single Variety Delicate Koroneiki Gold
43 Ranch Picual EVOO Single Variety Robust Any Other Cultivar Gold
43 Ranch Helen’s Blend EVOO Blend Robust Any Other Cultivar Silver

Competition Head Judge Orietta Gianjorio

Competition Head Judge Orietta Gianjorio enlisted the talents of an exceptional group of skilled and experienced judges, some with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Gianjorio commented on the judging event, “It is always an honor to participate in the California State Fair Olive Oil Competition. All judges are incredibly talented and gifted tasters, deeply committed to the industry and high quality. The excitement in the room is palpable. After a couple of years of absence, we are all very happy to finally taste together and share our passion for California Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We are all thrilled to share our comments and taste amazing oils produced from this wonderful state of California.”