Sad But True

 

Women Who Whiskey: Nautical Edition

Women Who Whiskey reconvened for a long-awaited summer event: 

Women Who Whiskey: Nautical Edition!

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I'd been looking forward to planning a nautical even for a while, and I finally found a day that worked for everyone. 

Unfortunately our first event got rained out, but we promptly rescheduled for the following week. 

WWW: Nautical Edition was held on the Manhattan Yacht Club Floating Clubhouse: The Honorable William Wall Barge. 

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During the winter the barge is docked at the North Cove marina, but in the summer--between May and October--the barge is anchored in the middle of the Hudson River off the coast of Ellis Island. 

The location is a short boat ride away (boats to the barge only leave every 30 minutes, free for Manhattan Yacht Club members and $10 round trip for everyone else--More detailed instructions can be found here) and offers a splendid view of both downtown Manhattan and the sunset over the New Jersey coast.

The bar is fully stocked--and the prices are quite reasonable, considering the clientele is captive--and you can even bring your own food for a maritime picnic.  

In honor of the event, I donned my navy and white nautical dress, and learned about a sailor's (unfortunately non-whiskey, but still delicious) cocktail: Rum tonic and lime. 

It sounds awful, but it's actually quite good--and I don't usually love rum--and it served its purpose on the high seas! 

Tonic (quinine) for malaria, lime for scurvy, and rum because that's what's available when sailing around the New World (full of sugarcane plantations). 

You learn something new every day.

 

We spent a wonderful evening drinking, chatting, and enjoying the beautiful sunset in true Women Who Whiskey spirit. 

Old Fashioned (Bourbon & Orange) Ice Cream

For those hot summer nights when an Old Fashioned on the rocks isn't enough to cool you down...

Old Fashioned Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 6 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 5 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 teaspoon orange zest from 1 orange
• Dash Angostura bitters
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Maraschino cherries (optional)

Procedures

1. In a heavy saucepan, whisk egg yolks and sugar together until pale in color and thickened. Slowly whisk in cream, then milk. Once fully incorporated, put over medium heat and whisk frequently until a custard forms on the back of a spoon but a swiped finger across the back leaves a clean line.
   
2. Remove from heat and pour base through a strainer into an airtight container. Stir in bourbon, orange zest, bitters, and salt. Cover and rest in refrigerator overnight.
   
3. The next day, churn in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Optional: For a flawlessly smooth ice cream, pour base through a strainer again to remove bits of orange zest before churning. I never bother.
   
4. Serve immediately as soft serve or transfer to freezer for at least three hours to harden. For full Old Fashioned effect, top with a spoonful of maraschino cherries. 
   
   

   

   
   
   

Cocktail 101: Cocktail Making in Theory & Practice

[Photo credit: Jenniver Hess]

Read on for a detailed introduction to cocktail making, by Michael Dietsch.

For the Women Who Whiskey Clubhouse

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9 Healthiest Alcoholic Drinks

You'll be glad to hear that as lovers of Whiskey, we're also lovers of health!

Whiskey and Gin

Ingredients: Various
Guess what? Flavor isn't bad for you! Forget the vodka. Bourbon generally ranges between 97 and 110 calories per 1.5 ounces (depending on the brand). In other words, you get fifty times more flavor for a small handful more calories. It'll be a way more satisfying experience, and it won't leave you hollow and empty (like the vodka-soda). Gin's caloric averages are right in the same range. Now, there's not much nutrition here, and a daily heavy dose of bourbon or gin will certainly kill you. And be careful with is what you mix it with—use super sugary mixers and you defeat the purpose. Go neat or on the rocks, with a soda back. (Note: most hard liquors share the same properties. Tequila, light rum, etc. You're welcome.)

 

Wine

Ingredients: Grapes

A bit of wine is actually pretty good for you. Red wine packs in a ton of nutritional value. It contains four to nine precent of your DRI of iron, 9.4 percent for potassium, and five percent of magnesium. But it is also filled with antioxidants. According to Robinson, these include "flavanoids and nonflavanoids. Resveratrol (a nonflavanoid) has been shown to reduce blood clots and lower 'bad' cholesterol in rats." Calories tend to range from about 110 to 130 for a five ounce glass, which ain't bad at all.

Manhattan

Ingredients: Bourbon, Sweet Vermouth, Angostura Bitters

Now we're talking! One of the most delicious, flavorful cocktails is actually pretty healthy. Let's break it down.

• Bourbon: See above.
• Vermouth is a fortified wine. Its flavors have been altered by macerating various herbs over a few weeks, and usually a hard liquor is added. Vermouth typically contains about 45 calories per ounce.
• From Robinsion, "Angostura bitters are alleged to have restorative properties. It was reported to be a remedy for hiccups and also can be used as a cure for an upset stomach."

Read on, to learn about the other healthiest alcoholic drinks!

Whiskey Burgers

For those hot summer grill days...

 

Whiskey Burgers

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup finely chopped scallions, plus 1/3 cup
• 1/3 cup whiskey, plus 2 tbs
• 1/4 dry bread crumbs
• 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce, plus 1 1/2 teas
• 2 tbs butter, melted
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teas seasoning salt
• 1/4 teas crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teas freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lbs ground beef
• 1 lbs ground pork
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• Lettuce, onion, tomato for topping
• Hamburger buns
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce

Preparation:

In a large bowl combine 2/3 cup green onion, 1/3 cup whiskey, bread crumbs, 2 tbs Worcestershire, melted butter, 2 minced garlic cloves, seasoning salt, red pepper flakes, and ground pepper in a bowl with the ground beef and pork. Shake into 16 1/2″ thick patties.

Make the cheddar-whiskey filling: In a food processor combine the cheddar cheese, 1/3 cup green onions, 2 tbs whiskey, 1 1/2 teas Worcestershire, and 2 minced garlic cloves. Pulse until nearly smooth.

Place 1 tbs of the cheddar filling in the center of 8 patties. Top with the remaining patties and pinch together the sides.

Preheat grill to medium heat. Place patties on grill, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Flip each patty, cover and cook an additional 5 minutes. Open grill and top each burger with the remaining cheese mixture (I just used slices), cover and continue to cook for 5 minutes more.

Spread barbecue sauce over buns, layer on a burger and desired toppings and serve.

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How to Make an Old Fashioned

Thanks to Serious Eats, here's a video on how to properly make an Old Fashioned:

Be sure to try this at home!