I'd like to tell you about a couple of my new passions. The first is the Inspired Water pitcher from Mavea. I've been selling them over at Williams-Sonoma in Short Hills for the past couple of months and find that the water that comes out of the filter just screams Absinthe. I'm not sure why, but every time I drink water from the pitcher at work and especially from the pitcher at home, all I think about is Absinthe.
This is strange. There is something about the quality of the water that just screams, Inspired Water.
Tonight I poured a nice shot of Tenneyson Absinthe into one of my favorite glasses. I then added a bit of the famous- Royal Rose Simple Syrup of Strawberries and Fennel.
Then I dropped four drops of the Bitter End Mexican Mole' Bitters over the Absinthe and the simple syrup.
Finally I dribbled pure inspired water over the top of the Absinthe and the syrup, bitters mix. No ice, just love.
Tenneyson Absinthe is marvelous liquor from France. Distilled with natural ingredients, this sumptuous slurp is not meek, rolling in at 107 proof!
I'm always astonished to the power of this Absinthe. Magical stuff. It makes me shiver with anticipation to the eventual buzz. Add to the Tenneyson a healthy splash of Royal Rose simple syrup, then the fire driven bitters to finish.
Drizzle, dribble, leak, drip, whatever method you desire. I want the water to go over the top s l o w l y.
A louche forms. cloudy yet touched by the darker syrup of strawberries. Mysterious turns to magic, the wolves in the forest awaken. All is suddenly electric, aroused, alive with lust and possibilities.
Did I say that I love Tenneyson? Sure. It's very approachable. It doesn't perplex you with artificial color. No blue, yellow or green color dye is added. This is the real thing folks.
Today I was twitting with the International Culinary Center. Quite out of the blue I offered up a cocktail that inspired me.
I named it after my former teacher Alan Richman, who tried so very hard to inspire me not to write like a "Southern Boy" but like myself. Thank you Alan, I've been doing pretty well for myself.
It's also possible that my writing has become dangerous and subversive.
After my trip to New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail this year, I'm sure it has.
The Alan Richman Cocktail
Ingredients for two extremely potent mind erasers, just the thing when Alan calls you to task over your food writing or lack thereof.
Royal Rose Simple Syrup of Strawberry and Fennel
Bitter End Mexican Mole' Bitters
Preparation:
To a Boston Shaker add 1/4 with ice
Add Tenneyson Absinthe- 2-3 shots
Stir to chill fully, but don't chip the ice (dilluting the drink, bad, very bad...)
Add Ice and water to a favorite glass to chill, toss out after 3-4 minutes
Add the chilled Tenneyson Absinthe to the chilled rocks glass
Add 4 drops of the Mexican Mole' Bitters from Bitter End over the top of the Absinthe
For each cocktail use a 3:1 ratio of 3 parts Mavea Inspired Water to 1 part Tenneyson Absinthe in each glass
Add 3 Tablespoons of the Royal Rose Simple Syrup
Stir again and garnish with a sprig of tarragon in each glass
Be careful!
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Today I had a lovely conversation with Moiz Ali. This former attorney turned Craft Spirits retailer uses the internet and social media to sell his mostly handmade-certainly passionately produced craft spirits. I love their easy to navigate website and certainly their selection, many I have written about. It's nice to see my writing in uncommon places! An honor!
Moiz activated a special code for my Foodista readers so that you can get a good look at the site. It's well designed and very crisp. I'm a fan!
From Moiz: I've also activated invite code "FOODISTA" so your readers don't have to go through the normal invitation process. They can simply go to www.caskers.com/register and use invite code "FOODISTA" to access Caskers immediately.
Take a look and let me know what you think about Caskers. I'm very interested in knowing your thoughts.
About Caskers
Caskers introduces you to unique, small-batch spirits that aren’t available at your local liquor store. Our experts work to bring you the finest artisanal spirits, which are sourced from fresh, local produce, and are a celebration of the passion and dedication of the master distillers who make them by hand.
The way it works is that we work with our team of mixologists, master distillers and industry experts to find the best craft spirits being distilled today. When we find an amazing craft spirit, we market it on Caskers, telling the story behind the spirit, the distillery and the master distiller who makes it. The products we feature on Caskers are available for sale through our website in limited quantities (the distilleries are small-batch, after all) and for limited periods of time.
By curating and marketing craft spirits, we introduce customers to great products and remove the clutter that currently fills the shelves of liquor stores.
Co-founders
Moiz Ali and Steve Abt
Moiz Ali is co-founder of Caskers. Previously, Moiz was an attorney with the law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. Moiz grew up in Sarasota and earned a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.A. from the University of Florida.
Steven Abt is co-founder of Caskers. Previously, Steve was an attorney with the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and an investment banker with the technology group of Credit Suisse. Steve was raised in Philadelphia and earned a J.D. from Harvard Law School and an A.B. from Princeton University.
Products we’re going to be featuring shortly:
Catocitin Creek Roundhouse Rye
(http://www.foodista.com/blog/2012/02/01/twisted-ti-punch-named-for-moonshine-cate)
Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
Wahaka Mezcal, which will be featured next week
(http://www.foodista.com/blog/2012/05/22/wahaka-mezcal-this-is-not-that-cheap-worm-in-the-bottle-stuff)
Products we have already featured or are currently featuring:
St. George Breaking & Entering
(http://www.foodista.com/blog/2012/01/19/5-bottles-of-bourbon-never-to-see-ice-or-water)
(http://www.foodista.com/blog/2011/12/11/perfect-bourbon-and-coffee-for-breakfast)
McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt
(http://www.foodista.com/blog/2008/09/28/clear-creek-distillery)
Seven Fathoms Rum, which is aged underwater
(http://www.foodista.com/blog/2011/08/15/why-rum-is-uniquely-delicious-when-its-raw-outside)
Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whiskey
Few Bourbon Whiskey
Charbay Release S Whiskey
This is our first exclusive product - it isn’t available anywhere else yet except through Caskers
Spirit brands are sold on average only 10-14 days.. Then they're gone. Caskers is in 35-42 states at present.
Press Release:
CASKERS LAUNCHES TO BRING UNIQUE CRAFT SPIRITS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO ITS MEMBERS
New York, June 18, 2012 -- Caskers [http://www.caskers.com], an invitation-only membership site for craft spirits, announced today the public launch of its website. With its launch, Caskers will increase the reach of the growing community of craft distilleries that have sprouted up around the world in recent years.
Craft distilleries struggle to gain meaningful distribution outside of their local area, and accordingly, fail to generate brand-recognition despite their excellent quality. In addition, consumers are inundated with brand-name, “corporate” spirits at most local retailers. These factors make it nearly impossible for the average consumer to find and try the terrific craft spirits being made today. Caskers solves this problem by working with craft distilleries and other experts across the industry to source and curate the finest craft spirits, and then markets and makes them available for purchase on Caskers' website. Distilleries are able to reach new markets, while consumers are able to access the best craft spirits, regardless of where they live.
The number of craft distilleries has exploded in the past decade, from fewer than 25 in 2000 to over 300 today. Spirits also represent a growing segment of the nearly $60 billion U.S. alcohol industry, accounting for nearly 34% of all sales, with approximately 1,800 new spirits products introduced in the past three years alone, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.
“It’s an exciting time to be in the craft spirits business,” said Bill Owens, President of the American Distilling Institute. “Caskers is ideally placed to help continue the fast growth of the craft spirits segment, while introducing fantastic products to new customers across the country.”
Founded by Steven Abt and Moiz Ali, two former corporate attorneys who were classmates at Harvard Law School, Caskers is an invitation-only membership site.
