Whisk e(?)y

Some facts about the brown stuff:

1. The "w" word comes from the Celtic word meaning "water of life".
2. Water of life is uisgebeatha(sounds like whiskeybaugh) in Irish, "whiskey".
3. Water of life is uisgebaugh in Scottish, "whisky".
4. Both countries have peat bogs and use peat for fuel, but the Scottish use it in Scotch.
5. Whisky is smokey.
6. Whiskey is malty.
7. They are both mostly blended.
8. Both countries mostly agree either liquid should be drunk straight, with water, or with soda.
9. If it's made in the USA by an ATF directive it was to be "whisky" as the official U.S. spelling. However, in the USA it is spelled with a "y" if it has Scottish lineage or and "ey" if Irish.
9 & 1/2. Pluralsof the words are "whiskies" and "whiskeys"
10. Canada, Japan, and Wales also like the "y".
11. In many Latin-American countries, "whiskey" is used as a photographer's way to get you to smile, instead of "cheese".
12. Both are combined to make the 69th Regiment Punch, a pre- Spanish-American war cocktail. Presumably drunk in mass, by people with backgrounds from both countries, helping our country win a war.

69th Regiment Punch
from Jerry Thomas' The Bon Vivant's Companion 1862

1/2 wine glass Irish Whiskey
1/2 wine glass of Scotch Whisky
sugar
a piece of lemon
2 wine glasses of hot water

made in an earthen mug


Please don't drink anything green next week.

The appeal of Repeal Day, December 5th 2008

So as everyone who is trying to be someone knows Friday December 5th is the 75th anniversary of Repeal Day. Yes, the day the United States Government took away the almost 14 year ban on alcoholic beverages in the country. What a good reason to celebrate!

I am pondering the appeal of it this year. We, as knowledged alcoholic beverage supporters, have taken a greater pride in promoting Repeal Day this year.

For more in depth information try these sites to start:

http://www.repealday.org/
http://inebrio.com/thescotchblog/?p=842#more-842
http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/
http://www.theliquidmuse.com


Prohibition took us through the great depression and stock market crash. Now when the economy is over the toilet and very hungover from too much partying. I see great similarities in history. I suppose because a good drink is a relatively inexpensive luxury these days for most people, as it would have been during prohibition. Studies show that in times of economic hardship alcohol sales boom.

So have a drink. Support the economy and celebrate the fact that this time around it's legal to have a drink in honor of a similar time in history when it was AGAINST THE LAW TO HAVE A COCKTAIL.

That is very appealing. I will be tending a Christmas party for the working class on repeal day, very fitting I think. Cheers!

Truly America's Empire

I found this so astounding I had to list it for all to admire. At Jimbeam.com
You can find a treasure trove of history. I highly suggest, especially if you bar tend, checking out this site thoroughly. Here's the basic facts:

The Beam Dynasty

7 Generations

30 People descending from Jacob Beam

66 named products throughout history

Here's the list that is "Touched by Beam"

Old Jake beam
Old Tub
Pebbleford
Jefferson Club
Jim Beam
Bonded Beam
Beam's Choice
Booker's
Knob Creek
Basil Hayden's
Baker's
Beam Rye
Old Bardstown
Carl's Choice
Heaven Hill
Evan Williams
Henry Mckenna
JW Dant
Cabin Still
Ezra Brooks
J.T.S. Brown
Elijah Craig
F.M. Head
Head & Beam
Old Trump
J.T. Pottinger and Co.
Pride of Nelson
Old Trump
Richwood
Very Old Barton
Kentucky
Early Times
Clear Springs
Tom Moore
Dan'l Boone
Queen of Nelson
Mattingly & Moore
Old Baker
Antique
Old Pirate
Monsamim Sour Mash
Mammoth Cave
Old Fitzgerald
Sam Clay
Old Happy Hollow
Kentucky Dew
Cherokee Spring
Yellowstone
Four Roses
Lucky Star
Old Nectar
Woodford
Old Lewis Hunter
Kessler
Benchmark Four Roses
Eagle Rare
Sir Thomas
Old Oscar Pepper
Old Kennebac
Jim Perkins
Michter's
Honey Dew
Paul Jones
Kentucky Triumph
Old Stomping Ground
T.W. Samuels

HOLY SMOKES that's a lot of corn!

Visit the site:

www.jimbeam.com

to be amazed.

Syrup of Hibiscus and other uses

I've used packaged syrup and jam product in drinks before. I've had some success with it but not quite what I am looking for.

I have also had Hibiscus (also known as Chinese Rose, Rose of Sharon, Roselle to name a few) plants of 4 different types in my yards at one time or another in my life. I found a recipe or two online I thought I'd share and I'll post more of my results when I have time. We currently have our eyes turned towards the tropics as 3 different storms are brewing.

Red Hibiscus is high in vitamin C and said to relieve cold and cough.
In Haiti they steep 3 fresh flowers in hot water for 5 minutes for a tea. Filipinos place 10 dried blossoms in 2 cups of water and boil down to 1 cup for a cold remedy. Cubans steep 3 green leaves for 5 minutes to calm the nerves.

In Africa, they are cooked as a side-dish eaten with ground peanuts. They may be used for stews, sauces, pie filling or jellies and may be almost like cranberry sauce in taste. It is not necessary to add pectin to make a firm jelly. The calyces have pectin and, in Pakistan, have been used as a source of pectin for the fruit-preserving industry. In the West Indies they drink a lemonade-like beverage made from the calyces. In Egypt, the same drink is enjoyed cold in the summer, hot in winter. In Jamaica, a traditional Christmas drink is made with calyces and a little grated ginger and sugar to taste, pouring boiling water over it and letting it stand overnight. Then served with ice and often rum. A similar spiced drink has long been made in West Tropical Africa.

The young leaves and tender stems are eaten raw in salads or cooked as greens or with other vegetables, meat, or fish. They are also added to curries. The seeds have been ground to a meal for food in Africa and have also been roasted as a substitute for coffee. Nutritionists have found calyces to be high in calcium, niacin, riboflavin and iron.

After some research it seems that all hibiscus are eadible. I have also found this warning:

"Due to the diuretic action of this herb the following drug interactions are possible: increased risk of toxicity with anti-inflammatory analgesics; if hypokalemia occurs possible antagonism with antiarrhythmics and potentiation of muscle relaxants; antagonizes antidiabetic (hypoglycemic) drugs; may potentiate and/or interfere with antihypertensives; may potentiate lithium therapy; when taken with corticosteroids there is a risk for hypokalemia; may potentiate other diuretics and increase the risk of hypokalemia. Due to the antihypertensive (hypotensive) action of this herb the following interactions are possible: when taken with anesthetics an increased hypotensive effect; potentiation of antihypertensives; when taken with diuretics difficulty with diuresis and hypertension may result; antagonism of sympathomimetics".

Source :

http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Hibiscus+diversifolius

You do what is best for you. My children, myself, and our dog have all eaten the petals right off the bush in our back yard and we personally have had no problems. I think they taste very mild almost of a citrusy, minty, subdued, onion. You can use the leaves or flowers (calyx). There are many varieties with single double and triple petalled blooms.

Please make sure you know what you are using for sure is a hibiscus.

You can purchase dried hibiscus petals from health food stores as well. As with any fruit or vegetable, wash it well before use, then making an incision around the tough base of the calyx remove seed capsule or stamen. Hibiscus generally open in the morning and close at night. The blooms only last 24 hours. I suggest getting blooms in the morning and refrigerating them before they open. They will open when you bring them out of the fridge. Flowers can be added to salads for color. Flowers can be frozen whole into containers of water and floated in a punch bowl. (I'm thinking Hibiscus ice cubes.)

Hibiscus Syrup (Microwave Method)

• Petals of 10 large hibiscus flowers chopped slightly
• 1/4 cup of fresh lemon or lime juice
• 1 cup of boiling water
• 1 cup of sugar (maybe I'll try some honey)

Cover petals with lemon or lime juice in a deep bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes on high. Place the sugar and water in a saucepan, stirring continuously, heat until boiling and sugar is all dissolved. Add the petals that have been cooked with the juice to the sugar mixture. Stir well. Cook until reduced by 1/3 - about an hour. Strain or double strain to remove petals until syrup is free of debris. The syrup keeps for a year, unopened.


Hibiscus Syrup

• 5 cups sugar
• 4 cups water
• 4 cups calyces, chopped

Heat the sugar and water in a large saucepan until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the calyces and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently until the volume of liquid is reduced by a third. Remove from the heat and strain. Bottle the syrup while still hot into clean bottles and seal. The strained calyces can be eaten. This syrup will keep for at least a year. Once opened, it will keep for months if refrigerated.

Hibiscus Tea

• 6 cups water
• 4 oz. dried hibiscus flowers
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• sugar or honey to taste

Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat. Add hibiscus blossoms and allow to steep, covered. When cool, add sugar or honey to taste, and lime juice. Drink hot or chill.


I am working on this. I think it may be a great new liquor in fusion as well. I will update as soon as I get results I like and as my crop allows.



All of my info is from these sites.

http://www.hibiscus.org/index.php

http://newcrop.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/roselle.html

If you are interested, they have a lot more information check them out.