Bourbon Sugar Brûléed Wild Salmon

Sweet and savory. Hard and soft. This dish revels in juxtaposition. Candied fish? With Bourbon? Yes- it works! For the rub: 1 part bourbon of choice (We used Woodford Reserve) 2 parts sugar Mix both well, spread out over a baking sheet, and allow to crystallize – exposed. Take this mixture and cover: 4-6 oz… Read more »

 
Aquavit Baby Artichokes

Sooner or later, I have to set something on fire! Here I pair the softer flavor of baby artichoke with the back-nuance of caraway-laced Linne Aquavit. Aggressive in approach, after the flambe’ the dish balances out quite well. ¼ pound butter, cut into slices 8 baby artichokes, cleaned of excess leaves- stem on ½ cup… Read more »

 
To Build a Vinaigrette

This recipe is a raw utilization of a spirit. The rhubarb infusion is unexpected in that is doesn’t drink sour, like the raw product tastes. Instead, like a gin, it has a vegetal profile. Go figure. Here we build a vinaigrette, so you will not see exact proportions, instead I will explain the concepts behind… Read more »

 
Bourbon Escargot

In this recipe, I use just a slight amount of bourbon to affect the nuance. Normally, when spirits are cooked with, they are flamed in order to reduce alcohol prevalence. Here I adjust the proportions so that they provide that same nuance without the prevalence (and flammability). By the way, I found some excellent petite… Read more »

 
White Dog Martini

A great expression of the drink, this variation isn’t bound to gin profile. It instead relies upon the quirky-roundness of a rye white dog vs. vodka for its nuance. Unusual, yet very tasty! Wash a cocktail glass with Wasmund’s Fox Rye Spirit Stir 2 oz.  Neutral Vodka, (use Crystal Head Vodka, Ketel One or Russian… Read more »

 
Wild Turkey Cocktails Celebrating National Bourbon Heritage Month

September is National Bourbon Heritage Month, which means you have an even better reason to celebrate Bourbon for an entire month. At BourbonBlog.com, we do it every month and we encourage you to as well. Wild Turkey tells us that have put a unique take on three of the most iconic whiskey cocktails–the Manhattan, the… Read more »

 
DeGroff Delight

DeGroff Delight, by Dale DeDeGroff Ingredients: Chopped Peaches (about three chunks) 2 slices of lemon fresh mint dash of simple syrup 1 and 1/4 oz. Maker’s Mark Bourbon Instructions: Shake very hard. Pour over ice in a rocks glass and garnish with a sprig of mint. This recipe was originally created to celebrated Maker’s Mark’s… Read more »

 
The Smoked Vessel

Glass, while appearing to be smooth and impermeable, has microscopic valleys that can be used to hold flavoring elements. Bartenders regularly use this concept, washing with Absinthe, Vermouth or other spirits. This technique holds smoke, affecting the nose of the cocktail. Mis-en-place: ¼ lb Smoking wood of choice, in a heat-resistant plate. Brulee torch Cocktail… Read more »

 
“Big Red” Onions Recipe

Kentuckians like Texans and vice versa. Perhaps it’s because we gave them Daniel Boone at the Alamo, or that they gave us chili (the average Kentuckian’s favorite [it’s not Kentucky burgoo] meal.) I’d honestly bet that it’s because we share the same soda- Big Red. This stuff has traditionally been released to select states, yet… Read more »