My fashion-forward roommate reads Nylon Magazine, and I was flipping through it the other day when I came across the drink of the month: the Grapes of Wrath martini. The Grapes of Wrath is one of my favorite novels, but to see it as a martini? I'm not so sure how I feel.
It would be one thing if the magazine had designed a martini around a book like The Great Gatsby (I'd actually bet there are many), but The Grapes of Wrath? I mean, it takes place during the Great Depression -- none of the characters go near anything like a martini, especially not one featuring Belvedere Vokda, grapes, apple juice, elderflower cordial, and a dashes of lemon juice and sauvignon blanc. Is it blasphemous, or am I reading too far into a name?
But the whole thing got me wondering about other novels, and whether they have drinks named after them. I found a Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With the Wind (another personal favorite), which consists of peach liqueur, cranberry juice and a lime wedge. That's appropriate enough -- though I'd have loved to see something perhaps with a touch of sour mix! I found a Monte Cristo with coffee and orange liqueurs, hot coffee and whipped cream, though the drink could be named after one of the various cities by that name and not the book The Count of Monte Cristo. Anyone know of any others? Extra points for books you read in high school English and for drinks that are wildly inappropriate for their respective novels.
Have you heard about this? I think this is one of the funniest stories I've heard all day. Absolut Vodka pulled an advertisement it was running in Mexico because it offended some people in the US.
According to Reuters, the ad shows a map of the US and Mexico from before 1848, when Mexico lost a war and lots of territory to the United States, with the text "An Absolut World." It seems that some Mexicans are still a little sore about this, so the advertising makes sense in that country. Still, if you know the history, I suppose I can see why Americans would be offended.
I think it's pretty funny. I don't really know the history very well, and to me what's done is done. I am having trouble seeing what all the fuss is about, but I'm pretty entertained by Absolut's advertising woes.
After a long, hard workout, women just want to settle down to a nice refreshing salad and a glass of vodka. That's the scene that one vodka manufacturer in Russia is trying to sell to the upwardly mobile ladies of the country. The vodka, which comes in lime, vanilla, almond and original flavors, is being heavily marketed to women, in an attempt to convince them that they deserve a vodka designed especially for them.
This is concerning Russian doctors, as alcoholism is rampant in Russian. There are 2.5 million registered alcoholics in the country, but experts estimate that the real number of alcoholics in that country is closer to 10 percent of the nation's population. So far, sales of the Ladies Vodka have been brisk, but what does that mean for the health of that country's women? I guess when it comes to sales and marketing, the bottom line is always more important than the health line.
The more crazy stories I hear about the goings-on in Texas, the more I want to go. Apparently a business proprietor in Palo Pinto County has been arrested for selling alcohol without a permit and possessing it with the intent to sell.
Well, what he intended to sell was vodka, each bottled with a 10" rattlesnake. The owner of Bayou Bob's Brazos River Rattlesnake Ranch could face up to a year in jail and $1000 in fines for the 411 bottles that he had on the premises.
The police said that they had received a tip, and that the rattlesnake booze had to be asked for - it wasn't out. They believe the liquor was intended for sale in Asia, where apparently they drink all kinds of alcohol with snakes and lizards in it. This kind of beverage supposedly induces hallucinations.
I have never heard about this kind of thing, except that some tequila's have worms in them. I don't think I'd even try liquor with some kind of reptile or insect in it. What do you think - regular or snake flavored?
Van Gogh Espresso Vodka is 35% abv. / 70 proof and is made by Dirkzwager Distilleries in Holland. Van Gogh Vodka makes dozens of different flavors and this is the first one I have tried.
The aroma is exactly that of a very sweet shot of espresso with a hint of vanilla. It's very rich and thick smelling.
The taste is a light and clean vodka, with just a dash of espresso and sugar. I thought that the flavor would be thick and overwhelming, but that isn't the case. Instead it is refreshing, mild, and smooth. I got a batch of these flavored vodkas as samples and wasn't expecting much. Most flavored vodka's aren't that good, but this one certainly is and I am favorably impressed. You could drink this as cold shots, on the rocks, or use it in cocktails. Just please call them cocktails, not "martini's."
I was watching an episode of some Emeril show recently in which Emeril adds chili-infused vodka to his Bloody Mary. I remember thinking that I just HAD to do this, but by the time I turned off the TV, I had forgotten the steps and lost my motivation. This happens frequently, which is why I love the Food Network web site.
I may be primarily re-inspired, however, by a how-to post over at WIRED about vodka infusion. The process described works with number of fruits and vegetables, and I think it would be fun to try a bunch at once and do some taste testing. At any rate, attempts will likely surpass the one made by some friends last spring to infuse vodka into a watermelon (though I've seen it work before, I'll bet the process goes a lot smoother when you infuse the fruit into the drink, and not vice versa).
Anyone have vodka infusion success (or failure) stories to share? Fruits or veggies that work especially well?
Hamptons Vodka is 40% abv. / 80 proof and is a four column distillation, quadruple filtered, from 100% American yellow corn.
The aroma is light and that of ethyl alcohol with a hint of pepperiness, none of the sweetness or mellowness I have come to expect in a corn based vodka. There isn't much going on here in the aroma besides the hint of pepper and the faintest touch of menthol.
The taste is light, relatively smooth with a slight bite or sharpness on the tongue. Basically it tastes like ethyl alcohol to me. I'm always leery when I see that a vodka is many times filtered because it means very little taste. In this case, that is very true. This tastes like any of the big, commercial vodka's, basically clean, light, and characterless. This isn't a sipping vodka and I would use it for cocktails and highballs where the mixers will be the main flavor.
X Rated Vodka is 40% abv. / 80 proof and is a seven times distilled French Vodka made from Wheat and Baies Roses, also called Roseberry Grain or Pink Peppercorns. It is micro-oxygenated, which means that oxygen is bubbled up through the spirit, to speed up the mellowing process and make the spirit smoother.
The aroma is very light; just a touch of alcohol, yeasty bread, and a hint of spice and floral notes. The taste is also very light with a pleasant peppery bite and taste to it, with some floral tones. If you like a vodka that is both smooth, but has a bit of peppery bite, then you will like X Rated Vodka.
Stir the vodka, vermouth and ice cubes in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a cocktail glass and dribble the Curaçao Blue over the cocktail. Xellent Heaven is refreshingly heavenly. More recipes after the jump.
Xellent Swiss Vodka is 40% abv. / 80 proof and is distilled and bottled in Switzerland using pure glacier water. It's won numerous awards and mention over the past few years. Xellent is made from 100% Swiss, alpine grown rye.
I really enjoy rye based vodka. No matter how well rectified it is, the character of the grain comes through. The aroma is medium light, spicy, fragrant, with a hint of floral tones. Underneath you have a hint of grains and light bready notes. An interesting combination of warm and cool sensations in the nose. I find the aroma very enjoyable.
The taste is slightly spicy and breadlike, light, complex. It develops character as it sits on your tongue and smoothly trickles down your throat. This is one of the first vodkas I had where I said to myself "this actually has flavor to it!" Which led me to finally getting over my prejudice about vodka. Xellent works great straight cold in shots with dinner, on the rocks, and in cocktails of all types.
Here are a few cocktail recipes for Rehorst Premium Milwaukee Vodka
Rehorst Raspberry Smash Created by Jason Neu
7 fresh raspberries ¼ oz simple syrup ½ oz DiSorrano Amaretto 2 ½ oz Rehorst Premium Milwaukee Vodka Lemon twist
-Muddle 6 raspberries and simple syrup in the bottom of a mixing glass. Add DiSorrano and Rehorst Vodka, fill shaker with ice. Shake well and double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with 1 raspberry and a lemon twist.
Rehorst Premium Milwaukee Vodka is 40% abv. / 80 proof and made by the Great Lakes Distillery in Milwaukee, WI. The first distillery to open in the state since prohibition and the only one so far.
The aroma is light, faintly floral and soft; with hints of peppery spices and the slightest sweet and buttery tones I associate with premium wheat based vodkas. There are some additional light notes that are very complex, unique, and enjoyable that come through after the vodka has opened up for a few minutes that are reminiscent of wild flowers, sweet fruit, and grassy herbs.
The taste is very light and clean with just a hint of grains and sharp pepper; with the bare suggestion of sweetness topped with the faintest hint of butter. Rehorst vodka is a great vodka to use for cocktails, highballs, and mixed drinks; where you want a vodka with some character, without having too much that would interfere with the other ingredients. Vodka drinkers who like peppery and floral notes will also enjoy it served ice cold in shots or on the rocks.
Tito's Vodka is 40% abv. / 80 proof and is made in Austin, Texas from 100% corn distilled six times in pot stills. The aroma is very light and clean with the barest hint of sweetness and corn. If I hadn't tried several corn vodkas and liquors recently I might not have been able to pick that up, but once I did it was recognizable and added greatly to the aroma. Balancing and smoothing out the light, clean scent.
The taste is also very light and clean, almost all the flavor has been distilled out, maybe too much for my personal taste. What is left is clean and very smooth, with just a vague hint of sweetness and a very slight peppery finish. I like vodka's with a bit more flavor to them, but if you want a very nice, clean, light tasting, smooth vodka to have on the rocks, or in a highball or cocktail, then Tito's is for you. It's exceptionally well made and the low to mid price range makes it a good buy as well.
Vermont Spirits Gold is 40% abv. / 80 proof and is made from Vermont Maple Syrup. Vermont Spirits makes three types of vodka. The Gold is from ample syrup the Vintage Gold from maple sap, and the White is made from milk sugar. They are small batch vodkas made in wood fired, steam heated distillers and the Gold is limited to 1,000 cases a year.
The aroma is graceful and delicate, full of maple and hints of butter; with a nice warm alcohol base. The taste starts slightly sharp and peppery and then quickly has maple and buttery notes come through. These last a long time with a slight sweetness joining in. The body is full with an enjoyable oily-silkiness that slides along your tongue. It finishes with a cool-warm tongue and lip tingling.
Created by Duncan Holiday, an anthropologist, it is his answer to using local resources and products in a new way. This is definitely a vodka that you want to sip straight, cold, or on the rocks. Mixing this with much of anything will overwhelm the delicate flavor.
Here's a cocktail that is actually good for you. Chock full of anti-oxidants from the Sence rose nectar, cranberry juice, and pomegranate juice. Recipe courtesy of CocktailAtlas.com.
Rosy Pom
The Rosy Pom was crated for the Erotic Café inside the ZUMANITY Theatre at New York-New York in Las Vegas. Zumanity is a provocative cabaret-style production with a Cirque du Soleil twist. This playful cocktail, made with SEX Vodka and rose nectar, is the perfect drink to get you in the mood for a sexy show.
1.5oz Sex Vodka .5oz Sence Rose Nectar .5oz Cointreau 1oz Cranberry Juice Splash of POM pomegranate juice
Combine ingredients with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a rose petal.
My fashion-forward roommate reads Nylon Magazine, and I was flipping through it the other day when I came across the drink of the month: the Grapes of Wrath martini. The Grapes of Wrath is one of my favorite novels, but to see it as a martini? I'm not so sure how I feel. 
Have you heard about this? I think this is one of the funniest stories I've heard all day. Absolut Vodka pulled an advertisement it was running in Mexico because it 
The more crazy stories I hear about the goings-on in Texas, the more I want to go. Apparently a 
Van Gogh Espresso Vodka is 35% abv. / 70 proof and is made by Dirkzwager Distilleries in Holland. Van Gogh Vodka makes dozens of different flavors and this is the first one I have tried.
I was watching an episode of 
Hamptons Vodka
X Rated Vodka
Xellent Swiss Vodka is 40% abv. / 80 proof and is distilled and bottled in Switzerland using pure glacier water. It's won numerous awards and mention over the past few years. Xellent is made from 100% Swiss, alpine grown rye.
Here are a few cocktail recipes for Rehorst Premium Milwaukee Vodka
Rehorst Premium Milwaukee Vodka is 40% abv. / 80 proof and made by the 
Tito's Vodka is 40% abv. / 80 proof and is made in Austin, Texas from 100% corn distilled six times in pot stills. The aroma is very light and clean with the barest hint of sweetness and corn. If I hadn't tried several corn vodkas and liquors recently I might not have been able to pick that up, but once I did it was recognizable and added greatly to the aroma. Balancing and smoothing out the light, clean scent.
Here's a cocktail that is actually good for you. Chock full of anti-oxidants from the Sence rose nectar, cranberry juice, and pomegranate juice. Recipe courtesy of 
A fraking amazing Battlestar Galactica cake
Iced Tea 101
Pierogies + cheese + onions + kraut = Parmageddon!
