Cocktails At The Burn Pit -- 4th of July Edition

You know how there are some blogs you follow because your friends follow them, or Elle Decor says you should follow them, or they once wrote something you liked and haven't really cared since then but you hate to unfollow them... and then there are those blogs who are always fun and you have been known not to read them for a while so that in the event of a really crappy day you will have a post to lift your spirits?  My favorite blog for hording and savoring is Rowley's Whiskey Forge. The Rowley is one Matthew Rowley who is always erudite, funny and authoritative and, when you remind him of this, he is always humble. 

Matthew quite literally wrote the book on moonshine entitled, Moonshine!.  He may be one of the only people this side of the Schlesinger Library with more cookbooks than I.  In recent days he has discussed mid century glass making, George Orwell's essay on picking hops, and he previewed his talk for the 13th annual Tiki Oasis celebration; a talk entitled, Squirrel Whiskey, Monkey Rum, and Sweet Spirit of Cats a'Fighting: The Taming of American Moonshine.   

His last post was on cobblers, of the liquid variety; specifically, a Blood Orange Cobbler with Lillet.  The drink is a winner.  First there is blood orange liqueur.  Then there is Lillet.  Finally there is marmalade.  As a big preserve maker, I look for every chance to add a bit of jam to my drinks.

That being said, for the Fourth of July, I needed a big jug of something to quench the crowd while I cooked (and washed dishes, and set up the fireworks!)  I was margaritaed out!  While I was preparing for the arrival of guests, I ran across a large bottle of Italian Blood Orange soda that had been moved to the back of the larder, so I set it out.  One of my guests had traveled with an orange that landed on the counter.   Last summer at the beach, I had picked up a bottle of Dogfish Head's blood orange vodka.   Of course there was a big bottle of blood orange bitters, so the drink made itself.  I was looking for a zippy name, but I just told the crowd it was a blood orange punch -- hey it packed a punch!

Blood Orange Punch

1 bottle of Italian Blood Orange soda
2 cups blood orange vodka
10 to 12 shakes of blood orange bitters

Mix and pour over a big block of ice and sliced oranges.

It is insufferably hot here so we have made the air-conditioner the official summer burn pit.  Grab a drink and settle in.  In the meantime, check out Rowley's Whiskey Forge.  Matthew Rowley is definitely someone you want around your burn pit.

Crazy Cat Lady

While I love my cats, I swear I do not own that house coat. Get you very own Crazy Cat Lady Action Figure at Amazon. Amazon has everything but cats!

 

Moving Day

 

You know how it is.  You want to move a lamp from this table to that.  But, it is heavy, the cord gets tangled, the outlet doesn't work, you need an extension cord and on and on.  Well, the next time that happens, think about my friend, Catherine.  One of her many jobs is moving the Alexander Calder stiable, Gwenfritz, from the front of the Smithsonian to the side of the Smithsonian. 

ASIDE ABOUT THE SIDE: The "Smithsonian" is not one big thing as many tourists might believe, but a whole bunch of big things scattered from hell to breakfast. The Gwenfritz sits beside the National Museum of American History which was formerly the Museum of History and Technology which is just one part of the gigantic Smithsonian.  

ASIDE SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU ARCHITECTURE FANS:  The National Museum of American History, formerly the Museum of History and Technology was the last building designed by McKim, Mead and White.

Anyway, the Gwenfritz weighs in at 35 tons which is comprised of 75 pieces held together with 1,270 bolts.  After 50 years sitting outside, they are going to need a river of WD-40 for all those bolts!  Once disassembled, it will be cleaned, repaired, repainted, moved and re-assembled on the side of the Smithsonian which is technically the West Front.  (Pity those poor tourists who thought they were just going to one big ol' building -- now they find that the Museum of American History has four fronts.  (Clearly, telling someone to meet "in front of the Smithsonian" holds the potential of being lost forever, but I digress...)

According to Ewing Cole, this is what the site will look like upon completion.

During the dedication, a soft-spoken Calder said, “I call it the Caftolin.”   At that moment a plane flew overhead. (It was the olden days when flying over the Mall was allowed.)   Since Calder's voice was drowned out, Gwen Cafritz who paid for the sculpture, stood up and announced loud and clearly that it was called the "Gwenfritz"  and since she paid for it the name stuck.

Read more about the move here.

The New Kroger

We all know that woman who cannot bear to pass up a shoe store without stopping.  I admit that I am the proud owner of over 40 pairs of Converse Chucks.   I am the woman who never met a grocery store she didn't want to visit.

Several years ago Wegman's opened a store in Virginia in what was a gigantic open field.  I arranged to spend the night at my friend Ann's who lived just a short drive from that field, to go to the Wegman's opening.  I wanted to leave the house at 7:30 A.M.   Ann, not believing in the power of the grocery store, thought that was stupid.  At about 10:00 A.M. we headed off to the Wegman's.   About three miles from the new Wegman's, traffic stopped.  Literally stopped.   By 11:00 we had made it to the parking lot.  There one would simply wait until a car pulled out and then park there, no matter where "there' was.  The gigantic field is now a bustling metropolis.

That is a long story to tell you that Kroger just bought Harris Teeter.   Harris Teeter is a good old Southern grocery.  That meant that one could go into almost any Harris Teeter and find Tab and Durkee's mayo.  There is no Tab at my Kroger, though they do occasionally have Duke's mayo.   Oh well.

10 Things To Think About Re: Paula Deen

Guys at the Camellia Grill from Kitchy Cooking

 1. Paula Deen is nearly 70 years old and raised in the deep South.  One would be hard pressed to find a 70-year-old Southerner (or 60 or 50 or 40 for that matter) who hasn't used a racial slur in some form or another.  (It is not right, but it is a fact.)

2.  All week "brand" consultants said Deen should have just lied under oath.  (That is the kind of brand one wants, the kind that lies under oath.  Though most Southerners would be inclined to lie about it.)

3. The woman who caused Deen to be deposed offered to drop her harassment suit... if Deen would pay her 12 million dollars.  (Who's harassing who?)

4. While Deen was being dropped by the Food Network, Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich, and Graham Elliot, the three judges on Masterchef were accused by several female contestants of sexual harassment.  This was not featured on CNN.  P.S. Masterchef is thinking of dropping the segment that it filmed with Paula Deen.  (As an aside, Masterchef is show about home cooks.  Most of the people on the show are like Paula Deen, they are trying to find a way to improve life for their family.  Many are single parents.  Recently, Joe Bastianich stood next to his mother and threw food at one of the contestants because he didn't like his pasta.  (If Bobby Deen had thrown food at someone, I'll just bet his Mama would have slapped him!)

5.  Speaking of the Food Network, it seems a bit ironic that they are "horrified" by a racist comment but rarely feature African-American chefs on any of their shows.  Only one of their regular programs is hosted by African Americans.  As Mama might say... Deeds not words.

6.  The Camellia Grill in New Orleans has all male, predominately African-American waiters.  The dress code is white jackets and black bow ties.  Hooters employs and all female waitstaff who are required to wear short shorts and skintight Hooters shirts.

7.  Edward Lee spoke out about Deen.  He had filmed a show for her and was not glad that it would not air.   He said of Paula Deen,

"In my infinite innocence, I was excited for it. I was flattered that Mrs. Deen would even ask me on her show. I felt like we connected the Old and New Southern values through a dialogue of food – albeit in light-hearted and sugar-coated cooking skits. I dare say, I felt proud. In light of all the noise that surfaced this week, I realize there is still a deep ravine between the two and the opinions of many this week was an exercise in tearing apart rather than building bridges. Mrs. Deen was gracious, friendly and funny. Unfortunately, none of those qualities trumps racism."

I am sure Lee is in no way innocent.  He learned to cook from a Korean grandmother and if he is honest, he heard some pretty racist things in his kitchen.  Clearly instead of gracious, funny, friendly, Deen should have shouted obscenity at Lee and thrown pasta at him.  Then maybe she would be respected.

8.  If the "N" word is the most horrific pejorative in the English language, why do people in their teens, 20's, 30's use it so often?  For weeks I hear Kanye West and Jay-Z sing Niggas in Paris. At the 55th Grammy Awards the song won best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song.  Perhaps if the word is so offensive EVERYONE should stop using it.   (I do understand the intellectual argument for reclaiming, but Jay-Z wins a Grammy?)

9. In case you missed it because you were too busy watching Paula Deen, the United States Supreme Court struck down the Voting Rights Provision and sent Affirmative Action back to the lower court.  Chief Justice John Roberts will, however, keep his job.

10.  There is no dialogue about race in America because no one wants to be called a racists. Because it easier to fire someone from the Food Network (who admits to telling the truth) than it is to look at the racial makeup of the Food Network. Because using the "N" word can get you fired or win you a Grammy.  Because the South is hotbed of lingering racist behavior if you cook there, but if you vote there, it is one big melting pot devoid of any racism.

The Score:

Fired

Paula Deen

Still Working

Gordon Ramsay

Joe Bastianich

Graham Elliot

John Roberts

Antonin Scalia

Anthony Kennedy

Clarence Thomas

Samuel Alito

Kitty Grooming Day

Sunday is Kitty Grooming Day at Doe Run Farm.   We ALL have mixed emotions about it.   This Sunday, Trick decided to go with a new center part.  It looks quite lovely.

Happy Sesquicentennial

Today is the sesquicentennial of West Virginia.   Our 150th Birthday.

West Virginia has the distinction of being the only state to secede from the Confederacy!

Their first choice for a state name was Kanawha.  No one liked it.  Nor were they fond of Allegheny, New Virginia, Augusta, Columbia nor Western Virginia, so finally they decided on West Virginia.


Check out Bootstraps and Biscuits:  300 wonderful wild recipes from the hills of West Virginia at Cookbook Of The Day.

AN ASIDE:

I just love the word "sesquicentennial" and one must wait 150 years to use it and then it's over. The prefix "sesqui" translates to one and one-half.  It forms one of my other favorite words (one that can be used on any occasion)  "sesquipedalian."   Coined by Horace in his Ars Poetica it literally translates to a foot and half long, but it means to use big words, like "sesquicentennial."

Party Time

Southerner love to throw a party.   We can turn virtually anything into a a gigantic celebration.   We have many a homegrown holiday to celebrate, like Decoration Day and Mardi Gras.   Take a look at the Kentucky Derby for example.   The actual running of the Derby is over in roughly three minutes. Secretariat ran the fastest Kentucky Derby at 1:59.40.  In that case, the whole thing is over in under two minutes!  Now ask yourself how long is the party for the Kentucky Derby?   Louisville starts parting a full two weeks before the race.  That equals a week of parties for each minute of the actual race.   That sounds about right.

Gone With the Wind would have been a much shorter book and movie if the law of diminishing party returns had been fully explained to Scarlett.

Scene:  The Picnic at Twelve Oaks.  Scarlett and Melanie sit talking.

SCARLETT

Of course we will win the war.  Our uniforms are prettier.

MELANIE

But Mr. Butler says we have no canon forges.

SCARLETT

Fiddle Dee Dee.

MELANIE

 But if all the men go to war, who will we dance with at the cotillion?  It will just be us at the barbecue. You and me at the tea dance.   No debutant balls, no....

SCARLETT

Mammy!

MAMMY

Yes, Miss Scarlett.

SCARLETT

 Gather all the slaves.

Scene:  Scarlett and Melanie got to the upstairs balcony and look out at the gathered slaves below.

SCARLETT

 Y'all all free.   Pick up your checks on Friday.  Now get back to work.

MELANIE

We should have a party!

SCARLETT

 We should have two weeks of parties.

THE END

When Yankees arrived at Fort Sumpter, they would have been in time for the big Emancipation Dinner Dance.


And what of today's festivities?   Yes boys and girls, today is:

National Bourbon Day

And you foolishly went to work!   Leave now, there is ice to crush, lemons to peel, bitters to buy.

Generally, as big Jack Daniels drinkers, we favor the Tennessee whiskey to the Kentucky Bourbon, but today is Bourbon Day, so we are breaking out the Woodford.  And maybe the Maker's Mark or that old school Elijah Craig.

While all bourbons are whiskey, not all whiskey is bourbon.   Here are some fun facts to impress your friends for National Bourbon Day.

Elijah Craig is sometimes credited with being the originator of Kentucky bourbon, but probably not.  P.S. Craig was a Baptist minister, who'd a thunk it.

In 1964 President Lyndon  Johnson signed an Act of Congress that designated bourbon as “The Official Spirit of America.”  And you thought it was Diet Coke!

There is no such thing as "French " bourbon.  Bourbon must be made in America with Kentucky being the bourbon epicenter.

Bourbon is made from a mash which is mostly corn, giving it its nickname "corn whiskey."   The ratio of corn must be at least 51% but no more than 79%.

Bourbon is aged in American White Oak barrels that have been charred inside.  

Bourbon must be aged two years.


So now you know pretty much everything you need to know for National Bourbon Day.


We suggest two things  --  Bourbon and ice.

Fine! If you insist on complicating the whole thing try a Boulevardier.  Its basically a bourbon Negroni.

Boulevardier

1 1/2 ounces Bourbon
3/4 ounce Campari
3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
a cherry for garnish

Put the liquors in a shaker of ice.  Stir, strain and serve with the cherry on top.

Go forth and drink.

But do not drive!!!

Full Disclosure:  We took the photo from Saveur and believe it might be some sort of Manhattan, but it resembled a Boulevardier, and we are writing before our actual drinking begins.

Technical Help???

 

Does anyone blog using an iPad??  I thought my iPad would make it much easier, but I tend to get bogged down and just not post.  I tried Blogsy but it didn't like to post anything over a few sentences.   I would be interested in your comments, ideas, apps or whatever.

Mint Julep

                          

                                       

    

  Yes, there is a whole lot of cocktails going on.   Not the traditional silver julep cup, but then not your traditional julep.  We headed over to Todd Thrasher's new foodie emporium, Society Fair.  We left a big jug of Mint Syrup.  Yes, we could have made our own but this was just so easy.

                                                    

                                         

       

So, just grab some ice, a sprig of mint, your favorite bourbon, and the mint syrup and a drink is just around the burn pit.