Category: Food & Drink (Page 44 of 82)

The Drinks of Hollywood Blvd, or TCM 2013: A Booze Odyssey

Booze and the movies go way back. From the self-medicating part-time hooker heroine of 1931’s “Safe in Hell” — a highlight of 2013’s Turner Classic Movies Festival — to the lovable dipsomaniacs of “The Thin Man” and “Harvey” and on into more recent times with such frequently soused superheros as James Bond and Tony Stark, the movies have glamorized alcohol. When Hollywood wanted to, it could make habitual drunkenness charming, funny, and, of course, sexy.

While the movies once celebrated cigarette smoking as well, modern day Hollywood Boulevard makes it tricky for smokers to indulge in their passion, give or take some hookah bars and a medical marijuana “clinic.” Booze, however can be obtained with great ease. All you need is plenty of ready cash or a clean credit card or two and you can have your fill of cocktails.

And that’s exactly what I did between classic, near classic, and merely really interesting movies the weekend of the 2013 TCM Fest. What follows is a (relatively) brief journal of the drinks I found going up and down the boulevard we call Hollywood the final weekend of April.

Now, I should add that this listing is my no means exhaustive and is, with one exception, limited to cocktails one can purchase on Hollywood Boulevard proper, no side streets allowed, within an easy walk of Sid Grauman’s old Chinese and Egyptian Theaters and the legendary Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, the heart of Hollywood and the home base of the TCM Fest.

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Drink of the Week: The Brancamenta Giulebbe di Menta

The Brancamenta Giulebbe di Menta. So, yeah, last week we hit Cinco de Mayo pretty good here at DOTW central, and we pretty much ignored Derby Day, but better late than never as we’ve got a very nice Mint Julep variation with a bit of an Italian or perhaps Argentine twist. I’d love to also make a connection to Mother’s Day somehow. Well, if mom likes bourbon and mint, we’ve got something for her, too.

This week’s drink comes to us via the good folks at Four Roses bourbon as well as the manufacturers of Fernet Brancamenta, the lesser known mintier, sweeter cousin of the world’s most hairy chested herbal cult liqueur, Fernet Branca.

There are times when I wonder why I get so much free stuff, as I’m actually pretty honest about how I feel about things in my own polite way. If I seem fairly positive for the most part, it’s probably that most widely marketed premium products taste pretty good, I suppose. Also, if I’m likely to really dislike something I tend to ignore the pitches. At the same time, something that doesn’t wow me on its own might working amazingly well in a cocktail and sometimes, it’s kind of the reverse.

This weeks’s products, however are definitely, right on the money. I’m still trying to figure out what else can be done with the Branca Menta, but I can tell by tasting it that it has great possibilities. The folks in Argentina love it with Coke, I’m told. And Four Roses Yellow Label is just a very good, basic bourbon. Ain’t nothing wrong with that. This week’s cocktail is also pretty good, despite not having any bitters, and it might have been a complete revelation if only I was able to master the art of cracking ice.

Part of the problem is that I tend to make these drinks relatively late at night. It turns out that it takes more to properly crack ice than to simply wrap some ice up in a towel and give in a solid tap. Apparently, you’ve got to whack it with all of your might. Well, I was too afraid of A. Waking somebody up and B. Destroying kitchen linoleum with my little meat tenderizing hammer to give my ice the throttling it needs and deserves. The result was perhaps not as ice cold as it should been. One of these days I’m going to have a julep that’s practically a bourbon Slurpee, and I’m going to love it.

Still, we make do.

The Brancamenta Giulebbe di Menta

2-3 ounces Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon
2 teaspoons of sugar
12 fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon Fernet Branca Menta
Perrier or other soda water/club soda
Mint sprigs and orange slice (garnish)

Place sugar, mint leaves, and maybe a splace or two of your Perrier or other soda in the bottom of a chilled, tallish glass — Tom Collins or what not — or one of those metal julep cups if you’ve got one.  (I don’t.) Lightly muddle the mint and the sugar. You don’t want to muddle the mint too hard or it might get a tad bitter. You also might have better luck working with the sugar if you use superfine sugar, like I do. (Simple syrup might well work just as well here.)

Add lots of ice — as cracked as you can make it — as well as your bourbon, adjusting a bit for taste between 2 and 3 ounces, and a teaspoon/bar spoon of Brancamenta. Add just a little bit more soda, too. Stir well and throw in some additional mint leaves and a orange slice for a garnish if you like. I think the orange slice helps a bit with the taste.

Once your drink is ready, if you can think of something that’s Italian or Argentinian  and also Kentuckian (for the bourbon), toast it by all means. Make sure it’s good and cold, and drink up.

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This is where I usually comment about different brands and what not, but there’s only one Brancamenta  that I know of. I can’t stop you from trying different bourbon brands with this. It’s a free country and all that. Still, the relative lightness of Four Roses, which is the rare premium bourbon that’s only 80 proof, works well here.

2013 Mother’s Day Gift Guide

The key to shopping for your mom, wife or anyone else on your Mother’s Day list is to put some thought into the gift. Even if you’re just getting flowers, you should go the extra mile with a card that makes it seem like more than just a routine gift.

We’ve put together some product suggestions below, but you’ll see many of them involve the kitchen, which is great for a woman who enjoys preparing food but obviously isn’t so good for a woman who sees it as a chore.

There are tons of Mother’s Day gift guides out there along with this one, so browse several of them and you’ll hit on an idea that works for you.

T-Fal ActiFry

actifry

Now that healthy living has become a bigger priority in most households, it’s nice to see products like the T-Fal ActiFry come along that allow you to enjoy foods like French fries and wings without feeling guilty about it. The ActiFry can cook vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood and dessert using a patented heat pulsing action that evenly cooks the food at a constant 338˚ F while an aluminum paddle stirs the food. Most dishes require little to no oil, with one of the biggest selling points being that you can make crispy and delicious homemade fries with only a teaspoon of oil. Though the removable non-stick pan isn’t big enough for creating large family meals, it’s still great for cooking up quick snacks or dinner for two. The ActiFry is a beast of a machine that takes up a ton of counter space, but it feels every bit as durable. It also dissembles fairly easily and is dishwasher safe, making cleanup a breeze, and the machine stays cool to the touch throughout the cooking process. That might not sound like a big deal, but for mothers with nosy kids, it’s almost as important as the healthier dishes it produces.

T-Fal Ice Cream Maker

ice_cream

Artisanal ice cream may be the latest crave with foodies, but there’s no point in paying per scoop at your favorite shop when you can make whatever gourmet concoction your heart (and taste buds) desire in the comfort of your own home. The T-fal Ice Cream Maker is incredibly affordable and easy to use, and although it comes with a handful of suggested recipes, you can pretty much make anything you might find in a cookbook (we suggest the one by Ohio local Jeni Britton), on Pinterest or anywhere else on the internet. Though most people will instantly notice how rich and smooth it makes ice cream (and with very few ingredients, too), the machine can also produce gelato, sorbet and frozen yogurt. And the best part is that since you’re in full control of what goes into the mixture, health-conscious folks can still make delicious ice cream without worry about what they’re putting into their bodies.

KRUPS Egg Express

egg_express

If we’ve learned anything from watching reality cooking shows over the years, it’s that being able to cook a perfect egg is the sign of a good chef. But even with lots of practice, it can still prove difficult to do, which is why the Egg Express from KRUPS is our new favorite toy in the kitchen. In addition to being relatively small in size (making it easy to store), the Egg Express performs two simple tasks. It can boil up to seven eggs – either soft, medium or hard boiled – or poach two eggs in the removable plastic trays, all within a matter of minutes. This little guy produced some of the best eggs to come out of our kitchen, and it’s a real time-saver too, thanks to a power indicator light and bell sound that indicates the end of cooking. That means that instead of hovering over the oven, you can get other stuff done while the Egg Express takes care of business. Unless you don’t like eggs, this is something that every household needs.

KRUPS Universal Grill and Panini Maker

panini

For quick, indoor grilling, it’s hard to beat George Foreman’s line of electric grills, but for those who want something a little sleeker that still won’t break the bank, the KRUPS Universal Grill and Panini Maker is a pretty good substitute. Though it’s better used to make Italian-style sandwiches and bruschetta, the grill can cook a variety of things, including hamburgers, chicken, fish and steaks. The top and bottom grilling plates make cooking twice as fast; the machine’s floating hinge system automatically adjusts to a food’s thickness for even grilling; and there’s even a regulator light that switches off when the proper cooking temperature has been reached, so you don’t have to second guess yourself whether the food’s ready or not. Additionally, the chrome finish adds a nice touch of class and the safety locking latch on the handle allows for convenient upright storage, perfect for any mother whose kitchen isn’t as spacious as she’d like.

Cricut Mini

cricut_mini

We featured Cricut’s flagship die-cutting machine, the Expression 2, in last year’s holiday gift guide, but for those looking for a cheaper alternative, the Cricut Mini fits the bill. It may be noticeably smaller (although that helps with storage issues) and require an internet connection to work, but this budget version does just about everything its big brother can, cutting up to 8.5 x 12-inch paper, cardstock, vinyl, fabric and more. In addition to access to Cricut’s vast online image library, the Mini can also use any of the physical Cricut cartridges by linking them to your Cricut Craft Room digital account. The size limitations aren’t ideal for veteran arts and crafts enthusiasts, but the Mini provides a great introduction to the world of die-cutting, and that includes Cricut’s newest line of iron-on products. Available in two styles and a variety of colors, the iron-on material opens up a whole other avenue of customizability by allowing users to create the kind of DIY fashion and home décor projects that most mothers only wish they could accomplish before now.

Spa Day Gift Certificate

We include this every year because it’s such a great gift that so many women will appreciate. Moms in particular will appreciate time to themselves where they don’t have to worry about kids or their spouse. Make sure to find a spot that’s convenient for her, and find out if she has a favorite place, or focus on a new place that she hasn’t tried yet. This one is always a winner.

Perfume

If you’re shopping for your wife, you can be a little adventurous here and look for something new and trendy that she may not have tried yet. L.I.L.Y. by Stella McCartney is one of the hot, new perfumes on the market, and anything from designer Stella McCartney should go over well. You can also browse her online site for other ideas, which includes everything from jackets, to handbags, to boots and more.

Drink of the Week: The Casa Noble Margarita

The Casa Noble Margarita. Can you feel the excitement in the air? Or, maybe it’s just the sound of boxes of bourbon and tequila being shipped all across the country as we approach Cinco de Mayo this Sunday and Derby Day tomorrow. If you’re both a devout Southwestern partier and a horse racing fanatic, you’ve got a busy weekend ahead.

I, however, have a decision to make. As a native Southern Californian, I very definitely would have been a son of Mexico had I been born, say, 115 years earlier. So, this year, the Mexican-American holiday defeats Derby Day in terms of which big day gets highlighted here on DOTW.

I therefore present a Cinco de Mayo treat that has benefit of being really, really simple and containing some truly outstanding booze. In fact, this is a rare case where I might like one of our featured freebie boozes a bit more than the actual cocktail, which is a very minor variation on a latter day mixological masterpiece.

Award winning and widely acclaimed, Casa Noble Tequila isn’t new. We’re told it’s history goes back to the 1700s, though Lord only knows exactly how long the modern day brand of Casa Noble Tequila Crystal — their white or “silver” tequila — has been on the market. Nevertheless, at any age I can tell you it’s delicious, with vegetable and pleasantly mineral notes that make this tequila pretty delightful straight up. That might have little to do with the fact that Casa Noble is one of three organic tequilas in the world, or that it’s partially owned by rock  legend and lifelong (Baja and Northern) Califorian Carlos Santana, but it sure doesn’t hurt.

The Casa Noble Margarita

2 ounces Casa Noble Crystal
1 ounce Grand Marnier
1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice

Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a glass. Toast the nation that gave the world the world not only tequila, tacos, and Santana, but Cantinflas, Salma Hayek, Carlos Fuentes, Anthony Quinn, and the world’s most interesting form of professional wrestling. No salt rim required

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The first time I tried this drink, I hadn’t gotten the memo about not adding salt to the rim, and so I did as one would usually do with a Margarita. I have to admit I liked it better that way, but salt is still not a part of the official recipe. Aside from substituting Grand Marnier for the usual orange liqueurs, triple sec or Cointreau, the lack of salt is about all that distinguishes this margarita from the classic margarita, which I wrote about back in 2011 and I still think absolutely requires salt.

In any case, I have to admit that I actually prefer the standard version, what with the salt and triple sec, to this classier but somewhat standoffish variation. On the other hand, I can’t wait to try a standard margarita with Casa Noble, maybe for actual Cinco de Mayo, because that stuff is very, very good.

The Bulleit Rye Mint Julep for Derby weekend

Bulleit Rye Mint JulepWe love celebrating the Kentucky Derby, and one critical component has to be enjoying a Mint Julep which is the drink you’ll see everywhere during Derby weekend.

Here’s a great recipe:

Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Bulleit Rye
2 oz. Stirrings Simple Syrup
Fresh mint leaves

Preparation: Muddle mint leaves, Stirrings Simple Syrup and crushed ice in rocks glass. Add Bulleit Rye and fill glass with ice. Pour into cocktail shaker, shake vigorously and serve in rocks glass with fresh mint garnish.

Of course, a big part of Derby weekend is betting on the race, and the folks at Bulleit teamed up with professional handicapper Tony Gold to give us six tips on picking a Derby winner:

1. Peaking performance: The most important rule of all is to find the horse that will peak in the Derby meaning, look for horses who improved with each race with either a strong first, second or third finish after a long layoff, with more room to improve. You can eliminate half the field simply by doing this.
2. Age factor: If the horse is two years old and hasn’t raced, the chances of it winning are slim. These are not fully mature horses and getting to a mile and a quarter requires much conditioning.
3. Time comparison: Log resulting times from each horse’s last prep race with the rest of the board.
4. Prep race outcomes: Look at what prep races historically produce the most winners.
5. Jockey experience: Consider the jockey’s skill set from previous races. The derby is a large field and a good experienced jockey can position a horse well early and avoid trouble, which can make or a break a horse’s chances.
6. Tactical speed: A Derby winner will jump early and can be found somewhere from mid-field to the second or third place by halfway around the course.

Of course, your girlfriend might do better just picking based on a cool name, but that’s what makes this race so much fun. Enjoy!

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