Laphroaig and orange pancakes (Recipe)

 

I saw this on Friends of Laphroaig and thought I would share since Simon is telling me TODAY is the true Pancake Day.

Happy Fat Tuesday everyone.

Laphroaig and orange pancakes

Preheat oven to gas mark 325F/170C.
To make the pancakes sift the flour and salt into a large bowl.
Then make a well in the centre break in the eggs steady the bowl on a damp tea towel and whisk with one hand (an electric whisk is best).
Then gradually pour in the milk with the other hand until you have a smooth lump free batter.
Halfway through run a spatula round the edge of the bowl to dislodge any lumps that have clogged there.
Lastly add the oil and give another whisk.
To cook the pancakes you need a heavy frying pan not more than 18cm in diameter.
Get the pan really hot and swirl a knob of butter around to coat the base and then tip out the excess melted butter on to a saucer to use when you next need it.
Pour 2 tablespoons of batter into the hot pan swirl it round evenly and as soon as it looks golden on the underneath edge flip it over and brown the other side.
Then fold it in half then in half again and place in a shallow gratin dish.
Now repeat until all the pancakes are made; you should get about 12 overlapping each other in rows in the dish.
For the sauce melt the butter stir in the sugar and simmer this for 5 minutes.
Then add the orange and lemon juice and zest and bring all this up to simmering point then add the Laphroaig and simmer for 3 more minutes.
Next pour the sauce over the pancakes it will look too much at this stage but fear not the pancakes are going to soak up and absorb the sauce.
Now place the dish in the oven for just 10 minutes.
If you want to make this in advance you can re heat it from cold in about 15 minutes but do not put the sauce over the pancakes until ready to re heat.
Makes 10 12 pancakes

This Day in History–“Scotty” was born

On this day in history, March 3rd 1920, the person to play one of the most memorable characters in Star Trek, James Doohan, was born.

While we all know of his exploits as Scotty, not many also realize that the Irish-Canadian Actor was a also a WW2 Veteran, who got his first combat experience on Juno Beach during D-Day.  During the invasion, he was wounded by friendly fire, being shot 6 times (four in the leg, one in the chest and one hand causing him to lose a finger).  The potentially mortal shot was deflected by a silver cigarette case…..who said smoking would kill you?

Even though he had many other acting roles in his career, of course he will always be remembered as Scotty, the Scottish Engineer aboard the USS Enterprise.  Through this role, he inspired countless young techies (yours truly included) and taught us WHO really ran things behind the scenes. 

He enacted Scotty Principle, that was best defined in the STNG Episode Relics -

"You told him how long it would actually take you? How do you expect to be considered a Miracle worker if you tell them how long it will really take."

This is a principle that I still use to this very day.

James went on to pass away on July 20th 2005 of pneumonia….on the the Anniversary of Apollo 11 lunar landing.  Fitting, if you ask me.

I will always have a soft spot in my heart for him (especially since he reminds me of my own father), so please join me in raising a toast on his birthday.

Cheers Scotty……Thanks for making life fun and being an inspiration.

 

<Ed Note- Sorry for the poor quality of the vid, it was the best I could find>

Yesterday in History

 

Ok, I admit I was lazy and therefore missed the very important day in history Yesterday.

On May 31st, 1910, Glenmorangie distilleries received what is believed to be the first order of Single Malt for the US, an order destined for the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver.

Starting at the Glenmorangie Distillery in northern Scotland, it took several months going by sea from Liverpool to Galveston Texas, and then by train to Denver.

It’s hard to believe how far we have come since those first two 36 gallon kegs set out 100 years ago.  But it is a journey I am glad was made.

Raise a glass tonight and toast this (belated) historic day.

Old Masters

I’ve been sitting on a bottle of Scotch for some time.  Actually, I started out with two, but you know how that goes…..anyway, this bottle in question is Old Masters from Lombard Distilleries.

I got this scotch shipped to me over 6 months ago and I think my sending a note to Br. Chris Hodapp caused him to pick some up too and write THIS post (of which I will be stealing a few pieces of content).

Old Masters is packaged as a Masonic Scotch, with many symbols of Freemasonry displayed on the label.

IF you can find it, it makes a great gift or wonderful bottle to break out if a Brother Mason comes over….which is exactly what happened last night.

TG from Days of Booze came over and we sat outside drinking scotch, enjoying a couple of CAO Gold Maduro Cigars and watched the horse go crazy.

Old Masters is one of the few blends I drink, but I wouldn’t check it off as a Novelty Scotch.  Yes, the esoteric symbols on the bottle are cool….but the whisky is actually DAMN FINE.

Technically available in the US only through Vici Wine and Spirits, it seems impossible to get it from them.

Br. Hodapp emailed Vici and got this response from Chuck Squires:

"Unfortunately, it is illegal for us to Import that product. There was a lawsuit started by the Free Mason Society."

Br. Hodapp then points out:

I find that explanation questionable, since there is no national Masonic group that could do that, and courts have long held that the square and compasses, as a generic symbol and not a specific copyrighted piece of artwork, is much like a cross in its ubiquity.

Finally, his blog sources another Email that sheds some light on the subject:

Brother Ruben J. Levy in Panama contacted Mr. Richard Lombard-Chibnall at Lombard's in Scotland, and was given this somewhat more encouraging response:

"Old Masters gain(ed) USA Federal label approval on Friday, so we are certainly looking to move forward in a positive direction

As you can see, there is hope….but it doesn’t appear to be anytime soon.  I do plan on picking up 3-4 more bottles on my next UK trip…just for those special occasions.

This does leave some of you in the lurch if looking for it yourselves, although The Whiskey Exchange carries it and you run the gauntlet of importing bootleg booze (now I would NEVER do that <Wink>), that is IF they have it.

Nose- Floral (reminds me of wildflowers) with a fruity sweetness. 

Color- Light gold, great legs on the glass.

Taste- Smooth mouthfeel, the fruit (I get oranges out of it) comes out when splashed with water. There is very little bite, as to be expected with blends, and only a slight hint of peat.  The true flavors brought forward is caramel and malt.  Not overly bold, but definitely well-rounded. 

Finish- A dry and oaky finish with a hint of wild mint and black pepper. 

Overall, a very nice blend and one I would not be ashamed to serve.

I would give it 4 out of 5 based on taste, and 5 of 5 on presentation.  In addition, I would like to say that this scotch doesn’t pair as well with cigars as most “peat bombs”.  I envision this to be a more relaxing evening drink vs a smoky room type.  This is not a downcheck, you just need to know how to pair it…..I personally think this would pair awesomely with chocolate or fruit plate.

Booze in the News

A few stories in the news this week that I thought I would touch on real quick.

What is going on in Pennsylvania? Maybe Chris C. can shed some light on this, but I really don’t get it.

First we have Troopers raid popular bars for unlicensed beers, where Excise Police raid a series of Pubs (Owned by the same people) and confiscate $7200 worth of stock.  Beer that had been legally purchased from licensed Pennsylvania distributors and had paid all the necessary taxes.  What was the crime?  The brewers and/or importers failed to register the proper names of the brews with the State and pay a $75 fee.  I’ll let you read the rest of the story yourself, but needless to say…I would be up in arms over the lack of respect for property rights (the beer will probably go off by the time this is settled) and failure to face their accuser.  Thanks for submitting Rex.

In the next story, we have Distributors responding to a proposal to allow grocery and convenience stores to sell beer in in PA.  The use fear tactics such as loss of jobs, going out of business, more underage drinking and finally more problem drinking because beer will be more readily available.  Seriously, WTF.  Other states have allowed this to happen, and we are not drunken underage slobs who are on welfare (well….not ALL).  This is just another case of politicians trying to maintain their stranglehold. 

Again, what is up with PA?

Also today, we have news that Glenmorangie launched a new website for their brand Ardbeg Rollercoaster.  I haven’t seen it here locally, and again the US Government tries to prevent us from buying liquor via the internet (particularly from other countries), so it might be some time before we get a review of this one.  What is particularly interesting on this one…..they increased sales by £500,000 in  a week.  This is huge for the Scotch market and a great marketing decision on behalf of Glenmorangie……vs this one by Thee Olives.

Finally, we have something a little different.  A man built a home from trash and a million beer bottles.  Vid below.

Another Laphroaig Cocktail

 

I can’t swear on this one, as it requires some exotic ingredients that I have (nor would I want pay extra for something that just sits around).  Perhaps someone else wants to try it and report back below in the comments section.

Laphroaig Project

1 ounce Green Chartreuse
1/2 ounce (the recipe calls for Laphroaig Quarter Cask, but I used 15-year-old Laphroaig, which worked just fine)
1/2 ounce Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
1/4 ounce Yellow Chartreuse
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
2 dashes Fee Peach Bitters

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, fill with ice cubes and shake vigorously. Strain over rocks into a double old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/dailyloaf/2010/02/26/scotch-on-the-sand-bourbon-branchs-laphroaig-project-whisky-cocktail-recipe/

Tips on tasting whiskey

 

Tips on tasting whisky for the novice drinker:

* Tasting whisky, like wine, is done principally with the nose. As strange as that sounds, 80 per cent of what we perceive as taste actually comes from our sense of smell, however our tongue detects the sensation often referred to as "mouthfeel," or texture of the liquid. Pungency is particularly apparent in very strong spirit, which may sting your nose and tongue and induce numbness. So you have to be careful when nosing whisky at full strength.

* Use a glass with a wide bowl and a narrower opening (like a tulip shaped wine glass but without the stem). This style of glass allows the aromas to be released from the liquid and captures them within the glass thus allowing your nose to really smell the whisky before it dissipates into the air.

* Add a couple of drops of water to release even more aromas from the liquid; this enables your nose and your palate to smell the wonderful layers of subtle characteristics.

The chemical interaction between the water and the alcohol forces the aromas out in the open. The production of many nuances of aromas often indicates a good quality whisky.

* When nosing the whisky (aka smelling), always consider the complexity. You should hold the glass beside your nose on an angle of 45 degrees moving vertically from your nose to your mouth. First, try it with your mouth closed, and then try it again with your mouth open. You should see a big difference. The aromas travel through our mouth to our olfactory receptor cells directly, thus giving us a greater depth of smell.

* Reflect on the finish of the whisky. A good quality whisky will leave a smooth, pleasant and lingering taste, and you will want to take another sip!

A Monkey on my back (a whiskey review)

While in London, we stopped by The Whiskey Shop,  near St. Paul’s Cathedral.  The shop is tucked back in an alley, and one that I’ve wanted to visit for some time.  The shop is great and I would I highly recommend stopping by while there.

Anyway, while there, I picked out several bottles to bring back and the first to be reviewed is Monkey Shoulder.

I will admit, my eye was initially caught by the marketing….with a name like Monkey Shoulder jumping right out at me.  A further saying on the bottle, “Don’t be a drunken monkey, drink responsibly” further convinced me that this bottle would be MINE.

I was glad none of the bottles broke in transit, especially this one…..the coveted first review.

Monkey Shoulder is a small batch blended Scotch from three Speyside whiskeys (I would love to know which ones), that is then matured in bourbon casks prepared and maintained by their own coopers (a dyeing art).

The actual maturation and cask selection appears to be a pretty guarded secret (aren’t they all these days) and only two people are involved in the selection of the 27 casks used for each blended batch.

Their website is actually really nice, although a little “Flash-tastic” for my tastes.  This caused some load delays, but returning to the site 10 minutes later improved performance.

At the site, you can; get a little background, learn about events and see some of their recipes for mixed drinks.  Not being one to use scotch as a mixer (aside from the Islay Margarita), I initially gave this only a quick glance…..but after tasting, I might give a Monkey Manhattan a try at a future date.

So, I am sure you are wondering…….how was the drink.

I tried it two different ways, neat and splashed with water.

NOSE – Both with and without water, the nose carried a scent of caramel with orange overtones.  I was reminded of those chocolate oranges you get every year at Christmas (with only a hint of dark chocolate).  When splashed with water, the nose became a little more subdued….smoother (if a scent can become “smooth”).

Color– The color reminded me of the Clover Honey my parents raised when I was a child, and the whiskey didn’t have any “legs” on the glass like some of the “heavier” whiskeys (such as Balvenie) and was instead very smooth in the glass.

TASTE – I was caught somewhat off guard by the initial sweetness of the drink (Honey),  and overall it was very smooth and creamy.  There were
notes of smoke and oakyness, but nowhere as pronounced as some of the peat-bombs I normally drink.  

FINISH – The finish was very smooth, almost melting down the back of my throat , with a hint of sea salt and lingering fruityness (orange again). 

Splashed water brings out the caramel in the tasting, smoothes some of the rough spots (bringing it into the range of some non-scotch drinker palettes) and (IMO) brings out the fruityness.  I actually got a hint of coconut this way.

Overall I was really impressed with this blend and would highly recommend it to to anyone (even non-scotch drinkers….I’m looking at you Charlie). 

If I were to rate it, I would give it a B+

As an added bonus, it appears they have sponsored one of my favorite bands, the Red Hot Chili Pipers, and have a video of them on their website.  That is always a plus.

I have included a YouTube of the band to maybe get you in the mood for a scotch tonight.

Until next time….Cheers

8 Manly Drinks that every guy must try

Thanks to Crash for sending over THIS LINK to the “8 Manly Drinks that every guy must try”.

Now, I won’t copy the article verbatim, but shall instead do what the article didn’t do, crosslink each on on the list so you too can learn about them yourselves.

8 Jefferson’s Reserve Bourbon

7 Legacy’s Euphoria Ale (Caution….Dead Link)

6 Sauza Hornitos Tequila – Neat website, one of the few where you input a date and it didn’t take July 4th 1776 as a valid birthday.  I was also caught off guard by the sliding peephole. 

5 Spiced Rum with Apple Cider – Link is to a video on how to make…after watching, I have no idea how this made the “Manly List”

4 Manhattan – Link to the recipe

3 Knappogue Castle

2 Grimbergen – The only beer on the list.  The site is in Belgian and French…no English.  Does this mean we can’t get it in the US?

1 Laphroaig Scotch – Of course the NUMBER 1 Manly Drink is my favorite Scotch. 

The Highland Margarita

I was going to append this to my How to Celebrate Margarita Day, but then thought...hell no! Anything called a Highland Margarita deserves it's own thread.

Cheers

Highland Margarita recipe

1 1/2 oz Tequila
1/2 oz Grand Marnier orange liqueur
1/2 oz Laphroiag Scotch whisky
sweet and sour mix

Pour the tequila, Grand Marnier, Drambuie and sour mix (to taste) into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Pour into a salt-rimmed margarita glass, garnish with a slice of lime, and serve.

How does Scotch get the peaty taste

If you have drank scotch with me, you know I like the peat bombs.  Of them, Laphroaig is one of my favorites.  Neat, with just a splash of water (just like in the vid), never goes wrong.

Well, Modern Marvels ran an episode on distilleries….and they filmed at the Laphroaig.

Enjoy, Learn Something and pour a dram or two :)

Scotch Tasting

Last night we had our Scotch Tasting at Grand Cru. A good time was had by all.

Glenn and I arrived early, and knew it was going to be a long night when the waiter remembered both me and Debi (Blueberry Cha?) from the last time we were there.

I opened with a classic Laphroig (Neat) because I knew we were dealing with Speysides tonight and I wanted to get my "Peat Bomb" in early.

Glenn went with a Gimlet based on my past Gin Article, and I recommended Hendrick's Gin. He seemed to like it, and the next round I ordered the same while he sampled a different Gin, Old Raj from Cadenhead. He immediately said he like Hendrix better, so we swapped.

Old Raj was interesting, more of a traditional style of Dry Gin vs the crystal clear stuff you see today (like Bombay). The color reminded me of Gordon's and it had a very unique (spicy)taste, which I learned is due to a unique ingredient...saffron. The addition of the saffron is undertaken personally by the Company Chairman, in order to ensure a consistency in flavor and color each time Old Raj is bottled. Another interesting thing about Old Raj, it is bottled 55% ABV vs the 40% ABV or less of regular gins...so you know it packs a punch.

Debi, Jennifer and Jason showed up and we had another round (I have to do something about Jason always drinking Jack and Coke) before the tasting.

What stood out from this tasting was the fact that it wasn't put on by a distributor , but instead by a representative of William Grant & Sons. Impressive.

Tim Burckhart walked everyone through the basics of scotch and had interesting tidbits of information through the night. He was very knowledgeable (I told you Debi they were all Speysides) and willing to take a few minutes to talk about the various brands. If you see him out and about, buy him a drink.

We actually tasted 5 Scotchs, although the 5th addition was a last minute and I missed the name/year. I think it was the Glenfiddich 21 year old and if Tim happens to lurk into the blog, perhaps he will share what it was.

Here are my notes and thoughts of the others:

Balvenie 12 year old double wood - This Scotch had a very creamy texture and you could really distinguish the Barley and Vanilla flavors. Initially the nose smelled of Almonds, but when I added water I was reminded of those chocolate oranges you get at Christmas.

Balvenie 17 year old Madeira finish - The oaky nose left me totally off guard for the sweetness of this one. Sugary is what I deciphered from my notes, and I could definitely see this one being part of a dessert service.
Glenfiddich 15 year old - Smooth coat of whisky on swirling. Not many legs forming, although Debi taunted me for doing it....saying all drinks have legs. Medium-to-light peat smoke taste and water brought out the honey flavors and a citrusy nose. This would probably be the one I would pair with a cigar at the end of an evening.
Glenfiddich 18 year old - A darker color than I expected from a Glenfiddich, the Oak flavor really comes out in this 18 Year Old, probably due to the aging process...20% of which is done in Spanish Oloroso wood casks and the remaining time in the traditional American oak casks. The taste was good, a Spiced Apple with a cinnamon finish, but was a little lacking in peatyness for me.

Overall, I came away with a great liking for the Balvenies, particularly the 17. It's a little pricey, at $125, but well within my drinking budget. It was noted around our table that Balvenies seemed almost "Personal" while the Glenfiddich had a mass produced feel. I know it seems odd to say about a Scotch, but it's the only way to describe it. I will add that I had become accustomed to Glenfiddich 12 (the Green Bottle), so this was an eyeopener with regards to the rest in their range and will definitely be looking at 21 Year Old.

The night was a great success....I want to thank Grand Cru and Tim for a great production.

I cant wait for the next one :)

Paddy Malone's

Last night I surprised my wife and went to Paddy Malone's in Jefferson City with our Friends Jason & Jennifer.

I had never been there, but it had great reviews from other friends.....plus Jennifer had never been to an Irish Pub Environment (other than McNally's in Columbia), so it was looking to be an adventure.

The pub itself is really easy to find, and going to the front door gave a great view of the Capitol Building

Inside didn't disappoint either. The pub is a cross between an Authentic Irish Pub and an Americanized one....but with the flavor very tastefully done. My personal favorite was in the Pub Proper....where all the tabletops had a hand painted "logo" for an Irish City .


Paddy Malone claims to have the best Guinness in Missouri (with great attention to detail), so I decided to kick the night off with that. Debi also went with Guinnes, while Jenn was drinking Amaretto Sours and Jason was having Whiskey and Coke. We also ordered appetizers (Chips and Cheese with Guinness Cheese Sauce, Loaded Tator Tots and the Fried Portabella Mushrooms). We were originally going to work through those and then order real food....but the waitress advised that we wait until we got through the portion size.

The drinks arrived, and I was casually amused with the Shamrock in the foam. I know you are wondering, did the Guinness live up to the hype? I don't know of the best in MO, but I'm pretty sure it's right up there. Perfect temp and very creamy head. When I drank it, the glass striated very well and it arrived ready to go (no waiting for the beer to settle). Since Guinness is my favorite beer on tap.....I know it well, and I was inpressed. Debi said "Very Tasty".

Jenn and Jason liked their drinks (although I can't remember the whiskey in Jason's). Jenn thought the bartender was pretty liberal with booze in her, so that always brings high marks.

Before our food arrived, I followed the Guinness up with a Harp. Again, great temp and very crisp. Service (IMO) was very fast and the waitress was friendly and joked with the table.

When the appetizers arrived, I'm glad our server "scared us off" because there was a lot of food. We all sized an area, I started with the Mushrooms, and dug in. All I can say is Mmmmmm Mmmmmmmm Mmmmmmm (Barak Hussein Obama). Mine was great, the Cheese Sauce was VERY good (with the fries crispilly delicious)and the Tots were not bad. Debi made an astute observation that everyone's favorite was what they started with....so opinions might have been skewed. I tend to think that was the case.

Next round was a Smithwick's, one that I believe I've only had once before. Very good, with a nice Carmel finish. It was hoppier than I expected and that caught me off guard. I loves me some hops....so that was a definite two thumbs up.

After eating, Jason and I explored the patio for cigars. I went with a Gurkha Exotica De Oriente and he had a Crusado from my stock. The patio is the only smoking area of the Pub, but they went to great lengths to accommodate smokers. It is covered, heated and service didn't drop off. They even went out of their way to keep our drinks on our inside tab vs making us run two.

I reviewed their Scotch list, and it too was impressive. I instantly saw Laphroiag and knew what I was drinking for the remainder of the night. I will say, Laphroiag is not for the faint of heart...it is a Peat Bomb in a bottle, and if you are not prepared it can scare you off scotch for life. Jennifer was impressed that adding just a little bit of water smooths out the liquor and really activates the nose. I was in heaven.

Coming back in from Cigars, I went looking for the bathroom...only to find the other section of the bar, where a pickup Irish Music group were playing. Rounding up everyone, we migrated into there and settled in for a couple of sessions. The group was fun to watch and they covered the "Classics". Jenn was in awe, her only forlay into Irish Music had been what is experienced on St Patrick's Day and this was totally different. I did notice that they tended to cover the Chieftains quite a bit, but hey....that doesn't bother me any, and the lead singer tried to always give an explanation of the meaning of each song. Reels, a few hornpipes and some good singing really rounded out the night.


A quick note about the decor of the side room. It's VERY Irish, and is currently being painted with art inspired from the Celtic style, mostly derivatives of animals from the Book of Kells . It's a tight environment and I think this really inspired the guests to participate with the songs. When the room is done, it will be a really nice addition.

Overall, the night was a total success. Good Music, Drinks and Friends made for a great evening. The bill for all four of us was really reasonable (less than $150 with tip, and that is with me drinking a LOT of top shelf scotch) and I would go back again in a heartbeat. If I were to make one recommendation in Jeff City, it would defiantly be..........Paddy Malone's.

Johnnie Walker - Still Walking

What more can I say about this video......Bagpipes, Scotland, Bagby and Booze.

This has inspired me to do a Johnnie Walker tasting soon. Maybe I can get Crash and TommyGee to join in and write reviews.

Cheers!