Strawberries and Vinegar?

I recently came across this post from Serious Eats for a Balsamic Strawberry Smash cocktail.  At first, putting vinegar in my cocktail didn’t seem that appealing.  My childhood memory of smelling it whilst dyeing eggs at Easter time quickly flashed before me.  In recent months, however, I’ve had the delight of using it in a nice vinaigrette dressing on a spinach and strawberry salad.  So why not?

I refer you back to Serious Eats for the exact recipe, but this cocktail is surprisingly easy to make.  Most of your time will be spent making the strawberry syrup.  If any of you have experience making simple syrup at home, or better yet, your own real pomegranate grenadine, then you will find what I think is an easier way of doing things.

Instead of waiting days for the strawberries to lend their flavor to the syrup, I altered the process by adding a little water to my strawberries, lemon peel and granulated sugar.   I felt it was necessary because after two hours, they had not lent any of their juice to the pot.  I applied heat as directed and I came out with a thinner, albeit still on the rich side, strawberry simple syrup.  I might add that you may wish to make a bit more of this syrup.  Once you taste this cocktail, you will be having another.

I muddled four large, plump strawberries with a thin slice of lemon.  Adding my strawberry syrup (made the night before) to the fruit along with the balsamic vinegar and bourbon to a cocktail shaker, I was ready to shake the daylights out of this one.  I mean, you really have to shake a cocktail like this.  As I mentioned before, my strawberry syrup came out pretty thick…almost like honey or agave nectar, if that will give you a frame of reference.

After shaking, I poured the drink into a pre-chilled cocktail glass using my cocktail strainer and fine mesh strainer, which I find is apperopos to use on shaken cocktails presented this way as to catch the shards of ice.  However, you will need it for the simple reason, you don’t want fruit pulp in this cocktail, much less those little seeds from the strawberry.  I found it necessary to use my bar spoon to keep the strainer clear and aid in the filtering of drink.

All of this work was definitely worth the effort.  The balsamic seemed to accentuate the strawberry flavor and helped balance out the cocktail.  I used Buffalo Trace bourbon on this one, because it has worked well in sweet drinks in the past.  I like sweet drinks, but not my favorite.  This cocktail seems to get the balance right, pleasing those that prefer sweet over strong flavors and vice versa.

I’ll definitely add this one to my favorites list to make when having company over!

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First In Whiskey (Brave Spirits Part Two)

First In Whiskey should naturally be the first spirit reviewed from Brave Spirits, LLC.  The colors on the bottle remind me of the colors of the U.S. Marine Corps emblem, pictured here.  The Marines are usually the first ones on the ground during a conflict.  My understanding is that they are very proud of that fact.    The bottle resembles a soldier at attention.  This applies to all Brave Spirits products.  Of course, all labeling is done in the patriotic red, white and blue.  I would be remiss not to mention that all Brave Spirits products are made in the United States right down to bottle, cork, label and spirit.

Upon opening the bottle, familiar whiskey aromas hit my nose — nice, warm, and woody.  I pour a small amount in a glass and give it a swirl or two.  The taste is pleasant, echoing the aromas I got when first opening the bottle, along with a hint of coconut and vanilla, from the American Oak barrels which First In matures after distillation in the foothills of Kentucky.  With a splash of water, the taste mellowed and was quite lighter than I am used to in a whiskey.  I cannot call this whiskey a bourbon whiskey, which is what most of us in America are used to drinking, along with the occasional rye.  I’m not saying this isn’t a bourbon, it just doesn’t say so on the label.  What First In is not is merely a reflection of a whiskey.  This is whiskey in the fullest sense and stands on it’s own.

In my opinion, First In does not shine as well neat as some other American whiskeys. However, when mixing in a cocktail it gives a light, yet definite whiskey flavor to the cocktails without overpowering the drink itself.  The light flavor makes it a perfect substitute for a canadian whiskey when first initiating someone to the wonders of whiskey.  I received a few recipes from Brave Spirits.  One of these is featured here:

The First In Ginger: 2 oz First In Whiskey, .5 oz lime juice, and Ginger Ale.  I built this drink in the glass and gave it a quick stir after topping with Ginger Ale.  I used Reed’s Ginger Ale.  The end result was a delicious, light drink suitable for summertime or any time of the year.I am anxious to try it in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned.  I fully expect First In to work very well in those as well as any other drink calling for an American whiskey.

Cheers!

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