Bartender's Choice: Employees Only

What to order at Employees Only, one of Women Who Whiskey's favorite bar. 

Manhattan

Mata Hari

Provençal

Bourbon Sweet Potato Cupcakes

Bourbon Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Candied Pecans

Bourbon Sweet Potato Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup whole milk
1 cup cooked sweet potatoes
1/3 cup bourbon

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line cupcake trays with 24 baking cups.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a large bowl.
• In another large mixing bowl, mix brown sugar, butter and eggs until fluffy.
• Add sweet potatoes and vanilla. Mix well.
• Add 1/3 of flour mixture to sugar mixture until combined. Add bourbon. Add second 1/3 of flour mixture. Add milk. Add final 1/3 flour mixture.
• Mix well with each addition.
• Fill baking cups.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes or until done.
• Cool completely.

Candied Pecans
sugar
water
pecan halves

• Add equal parts sugar and water to a pot. (I used 1 cup each.) Add pecans. Simmer for about six minutes. Drain syrup off.
• In a deep fryer at about 375 degrees add pecans to oil. Heat for about 30 seconds to a minute or until frying noise stops. Be careful. The first attempt I made with these, I burned my pecans to a crisp. I guess my oil was too hot.
• Lay on parchment paper lined tray and cool slightly.
• Sprinkle some extra sugar on top to make them prettier.
• Allow to dry completely.
• Note: These rocked! They can be made by themselves and served as a sweet snack.

Vanilla Glaze
2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 Tbsp butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
3-4 Tbsps milk

• In a medium bowl, mix sugar and butter. Add vanilla.
• Add milk 1 Tbsp at a time until you get the desired consistency. (Adding more milk will make it thinner.) Mix until smooth.
• Transfer glaze to a small, deep bowl and you can just dip the tops of your cupcakes in it.

Bourbon Syrup/Glaze/Frosting Concoction
1 1/2 cup sugar (book says 1 cup)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp butter
2 tsp vanilla (book says 1/2 tsp)
2 Tbsp bourbon

• In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil.
• Boil for five minutes and add remaining ingredients. Cook until a syrupy consistency.

• Then, I removed it from the stove and let it cool for a minute. I added 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar and 2 Tbsp milk to get it more like the consistency of the vanilla glaze. Either dip the tops again or spoon it on top so you can see the vanilla glaze underneath. Add one candied pecan to each cupcake if you don’t eat them all first.

Cupcake and glaze recipes amended ever so slightly from the cookbook, Bundt Classics

Spiced Bourbon Apple Pie

Spiced Bourbon Apple Pie

Just in time for autumn! 

Ingredients:

3-4 sour apples, 1/2 cup milk, 1 tablespoon corn starch, 2 tablespoons bourbon, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional).

Directions:

Peel and thinly slice the apples. As you can see from the photo I believe in very thinly sliced apples. The thinner your slices the more area for the spiced bourbon coating to stick to. I use a Mandoline and highly recommend them. It's one of my favorite kitchen tools. Set aside your apples and in a small bowl whisk together the milk, corn starch, bourbon, cinnamon and sugar. Pour over the apples and gently mix them up so that all slices get coated. Add in the pecans if using. Roll out your pie crust and lay in your prepared baking dish. Pour in the filling and lay on the top pie crust. Make sure to add a few slits to the top pie crust to allow steam to escape as baking. I crimped my edges using the side of a fork and I added a little label using Alphabet Cookie Cutters. Brush the top with an egg wash and bake at 375 F for an hour.

Oscar Wilde

As seen at On The Rocks

5 Best Cocktail Bars in Chelsea

As someone who lives on the Upper West Side, I'm always marginally annoyed when I hear of "this great new bar" and it's either on the Lower East Side or in Brooklyn.

I'll usually go anyway, but it's kind of a hike to get home.

So when I come across lists of great bars on the West Side, I get really excited--both to try a new bar and to not have an hour trip home.

The Derek Smalls cocktail from The Tippler. (credit: thetippler.com)

Here are a few choice locations in Chelsea.

DBar

The Tippler

PH-D

Raines Law Room

Bathtub Gin

For the reviews, click here!

History of Scotch Whiskey

Women Who Whiskey has inadvertently placed an emphasis on Whiskeys of the American variety. Most bars--especially speakeasy revivals--focus on Bourbons and Ryes because that's what was being made here during Prohibition, and it's what was being sent down from Canada.

Not to mention that Scotch--when done properly--it a very expensive habit.

But we still decided that writing off a whole genre of whiskey--one which many call the best--just because we didn't know enough about it was unwise. So a few of us ladies decided to brush up on our knowledge of Scotch by taking a class at the Brooklyn Brainery.

History of Scotch Whiskey

The instructor was a positively charming Scotsman, David McNicoll, who knows Scotch better than I know my own family (which says a lot) and was full of humorous anecdotes and quips. The class was engaging, instructive, and we finished off with a Scotch tasting... yum!

"Whisky is the national drink of Scotland, and the most popular spirit in the world: it is a multi-billion dollar industry employing thousands globally and one of the UK’s leading exports. Yet, it is more, much more than this; it’s a story – a story of a drink, a culture, a people, a land and a way of life. From the humblest of origins, to the glamorous world of ‘Mad Men’ Scotch has come a long way, and it is a fascinating tale.

So, with glass in hand we will begin that journey and explore the origins of spirit, its eventual arrival into Scotland and how the process was refined and perfected to the malts and blends we enjoy today. We will also stare through the looking glass of time to the people who made whisky so popular; the fight against government and taxmen; halcyon days and the dark days; its global reach with roots still firmly planted in the hills and glens of rural Scotland.

I’ll explain how the stuff is actually made, where it is made and how geography as well as history has had a part to play in whisky’s development. How is Scotch different to Bourbon or Irish, and how have their stories differed and related to our saga? There are quirky stories, interesting characters and the mystery of the lost distilleries to illuminate us as we unravel the secret of the Water of Life. Oh, and you get to sample some too!"

For more information, or to sign up, click here!

Bourbon Old Fashioned Glazed Pecans

Bourbon Old Fashioned Glazed Pecans

...for pairing with an Old Fashioned

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup bourbon whiskey
• 1/4 cup dried cherries
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/ 4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cups raw pecan halves
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon zest from 1 small orange

Procedures

1. Combine the bourbon and the dried cherries in a small bowl and set aside to soak for 30 minutes. In another small bowl, combine the brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and stir until well-combined. Set aside.
   
2. Place the pecans in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until they just start to brown and smell toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the butter to the pan and stir until the butter is completely melted and the pecans are coated.
   
3. Add the sugar and spice mixture to the pan and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and immediately pour in the cherries and bourbon. Stir for 1-2 minutes more, off heat, until everything is well incorporated.
   
4. Return the pan to medium heat and continue to stir everything in the pan until the liquid thickens and a glaze forms on the pecans, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the pecans to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.
   
5. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, separate the pecans and spread them into an even layer on the parchment paper. Allow the pecans to cool completely. Once the pecans have cooled, zest the orange over the pecans. Transfer the pecans to a large bowl and serve.
   
   

   

5 Best Bars Near The Highline

The Highline is one of my favorite places in New York.

Every time I have friends visiting I'm happy to take them there, even if I've been a thousand times (unlike Times Square, which I categorically refuse to set foot in in a touristy capacity; sometimes it's inevitable transportation-wise).

It has a beautiful view of the Hudson River and the west side of lower Manhattan, and the history of the Highline is also really cool.

Plus the park itself is dotted with food and ice cream trucks, art installations, and even a wine bar.

But the wine bar--although delicious--gets a bit crowded, and the focus is Riesling, so if you're in the mood for something else it's not the place for you.

Enter, some suitable alternatives for the thirsty Highline walker:

{photo: Julia Ritz Toffoli}

5 Best Bars Near the Highline

Brass Monkey

Biergarten at the Standard

The Park

DBar

Frying Pan

For more information, and reviews of the bars, click here!

DIY: Homemade Elderflower Syrup

Who doesn't love St. Germain?

The sweet, unique taste of Elderflower is a popular favorite, perfuming cocktails of all kinds, and now you can make it at home!

Homemade Elderflower Syrup

(Originally in Polish, recipe translatable into English using Google translate)

Peach Shortcake With Whiskey Brown Sugar Cream

For those deliciously fresh summer peaches...

Peach Shortcake with Whiskey Brown Sugar Cream

SCONES:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 5 tablespoons heavy cream
• Additional whipping cream for brushing scones
• Additional granulated sugar, for sprinkling
PEACHES:
• 3 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
WHISKEY-BROWN SUGAR CREAM:
• 1 cup chilled heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons whiskey
TO MAKE THE SCONES:
1.  Preheat oven to 425˚F.  Line a small heavy baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt.  Pulse until blended.  Add the butter and pulse again until the butter is the size of small peas.
2.  In a large bowl gently whisk together by hand the egg, milk and 5 tablespoons heavy cream.  Add the flour-butter mixture and stir together with a fork just until combined.  Gather dough together and on a lightly-floured work surface, pat the dough into a round about 3/4 of an inch thick.  Try to work the dough as little as possible.  Using a 3-inch round biscuit cutter, cut 4 rounds and transfer to a parchment-lined heavy baking sheet.  Gather together the remaining dough and cut 2 more rounds.
3.  Brush the tops of the 6 scones with the 1 tablespoon heavy cream and sprinkle with  sugar.  Bake in the middle of the oven for approximately 14 minutes or until golden.  I found, the 2 times I baked these scones, that the bottoms will become quite dark.  A heavy baking sheet is recommended.  Cool the scones briefly on a wire rack before splitting and filling with the peaches.
 
TO MAKE THE PEACHES:
1.  Gently stir together the peach slices, lemon juice, and brown sugar.  Set aside at room temperature for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
 
TO MAKE THE WHISKEY-BROWN SUGAR CREAM:
1.  Combine the heavy cream, brown sugar, and whiskey in a medium bowl.  Whip until soft peaks form.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator until filling the shortcakes.
 
TO SERVE:
    To serve, slice the scones in half and spoon some of the peach juices onto the bottom halves; top with the sliced peaches, whipped cream and other half of the scones.
    The scone are best eaten the day they are made.