Wild Turkey American Whisky

By: dominic milner

One of the more intriguing aspects of bourbon’s revival is the way in which its stubborn old guardians have been proved right. None more so than Wild Turkey’s Jimmy Russell. A glance at the Wild Turkey distillery confirms that this place doesn’t abide by convention.

As other firms are tidying up their plants, the iron-clad, black-painted Wild Turkey sits teetering on the brink of a gorge, steam rattling out of various chimneys. It is one of those places which feels alive, as if the plant is humming with the measured rhythm of the staff. And, overseeing it all, is the avuncular Jimmy.

Take a walk with Jimmy through his distillery – it may be owned by Pernod-Ricard, but this is Jimmy’s place – and it comes alive. The swirl and changing colours of the ferment; the wheeze, hiss and whistle of the still – these are not inanimate functions, but part and parcel of a creative, living process.

No surprise, then, that he’s a firm believer in the human touch. ‘People are one of the most important things in making bourbon,’ he says. ‘It’s people who are doing the work here, people with generations of experience. All these proud people feel that Wild Turkey is part of them’.

He talks of understanding the meaning in the weird music of the still. ‘You have to have a stillman there, watching and listening to it. The sound tells him what is going on. We can hear a funny noise and know what’s happening. You can’t have that hands-on control with machines’.

Jimmy is no technocrat. His pride in his distillery and his whiskey springs from the heart. ‘There are things which you cannot prove scientifically. You can’t prove why copper works better than stainless steel, but you sure can taste the difference. So, for me, making whiskey is a craftsman’s process, an artistic process if you like. That artistic element is coming back as bourbon’s image improves, and small batch and single barrel brands appear. People are coming back to an old-fashioned way of making whiskey and old-fashioned flavours’.

This belief in flavour is a crucial factor in making Jimmy’s the tastiest bourbon of all. “Old-fashioned’ is often used in a derogatory sense, but when distillers such as Jimmy Russell use the term, they’re talking of a style of bourbon made before the ‘light is right’ brigade began to throttle the industry to death.

These days, people like him have been vindicated, as the whisky-drinking world (re)discovers flavour and complexity. They wanted us to go lighter and lighter, but we never did change,’ he smiles. ‘You’ll see more and more flavoursome, top-end bourbons in the future: but we didn’t have to change anything, we were already there!’

Everything in the production of Wild Turkey is done to maximize flavour. The mashbill is heavy on rye and barley malt, it’s distilled to a lower proof than any other bourbon and aged for longer than average. Jimmy also insists on using ‘the old, natural ageing process’, by rotating the barrels in the warehouses – taking the barrels from the hot top floors and replacing them with those that have started on the cool lower floors.

It gives a more even maturation profile for the Wild Turkey brands, though it’s the middle floors which provide the whiskeys that go into the small batch Rare Breed and single barrel Kentucky Spirit.

Superb though they are, it’s Wild Turkey 101° proof, 8-year-old which defines top-end bourbon. Uncompromising yet charming (like Jimmy himself), the fact that Hunter S. Thompson rates it as his favourite bourbon is no surprise, and speaks volumes about what to expect.

About the Author

Dominic Milner is a well known cyber chef with over ten years experience in the catering industry. Learn how to cook today with his top collection of online free recipes! Whether you want to cook up a meal for the family or bake with the kids he has the recipes for you.

(ArticlesBase SC #2366960)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Wild Turkey American Whisky

What Can I Get You

Found a great Cock Tail Database online that was pretty complete. Any kind of alcoholic mixed drink beverage you would like to try was right there. Easy to use and worth bookmarking for future use. So now, the next time someone asks you for a “Maiden’s Prayer” or a “Morning After” you’ll know where to go. You can make anything now!! Check it out here….   http://www.esquire.com/drinks/

Texas Style Barbecue For Everyone

‘Luscious’, ‘yummy’, ‘delicious’, … people just fall short of praises when speaking of Texas style barbecue. In fact, each time I put a tender slice of Texas style barbecue into my mouth, the juicy and flavorful piece of meat convinces me that the Texans where the only ones to perfect the BBQ art. Nonetheless, it is not just the taste factor, the Texas bar-b-qs enjoy equal acceptance as health food.

Like everyone else, if you are wondering what makes the Texas barbecues so special, I will tell you that it is almost everything. If you go on to make a list, the whole lot will feature in it – right from seasoning to cooking and smoking to presentation. Above all, you will require patience! If you falter there, you will spoil the barbecue.

To start with, we will be mentioning the cooking process. Texas style barbecue is not cooked in the standard grilling process. While BBQs in general are cooked over searing heat, the secret to grilling (rather smoking) melting soft and succulent Texan barbecues is to cook them slowly over low temperature and indirect heat. The lower the temperature (say, between 200-250 degree F) of the pit/grill, the lesser will be the moisture-loss and so the piece of meat will not get dry. Moreover, the steady and low heat will thoroughly cure the brisket, causing the collagen as well as connective tissues to break down and add to the tenderness of the meat. In fact, it is this prolonged process of cooking (around 6/7 hours) which renders even unusual and more difficult cuts like a brisket, shoulder or ribs utterly delicious.

Adding to this lusciousness, this deliciousness of the Texan style barbecues is the frequent use of mop sauce. After the meat has been smoke treated, say for the initial 2/3 hours, it is basted with a mop sauce containing bacon, beef broth, lemon, pepper, onions, etc. and turned every 30 minutes for another 3 to 4 hours.

The flavor is the other specialty, the ‘tang’ factor of a Texas style barbecue. Both seasoning and hardwood smoke contribute to the unusual flavor of Texan barbecues. Texans prefer dry rubs containing black pepper, cumin, garlic, red pepper, salt, sugar, etc. in powered form. People even use Marinades. There are lots of good dry rubs and marinades available in the market, which penetrates into the meat-cut when left overnight, tenderizing it and making it flavorsome.

Smoke from the hardwoods such as mesquite, pecan, hickory and fruitwoods give the Texan bar-b-qs a typical sweet flavor. Used with charcoal, they increase the food value of Texan BBQs. The much talked-about reddish colored smoke-ring that forms around the internal edge of the meat as a result of a chemical reaction between smoke and air (nitrogen) is another specialty of Texan style barbeques; it is usually considered that the bigger the ring, the greater is its penetrating power and consequently stronger favorable effects on health.

This speaks for the taste and health benefits of the Texan style barbecue, but what about its looks! Well, you can give an appetizing look to your Texas style barbecue by slicing each piece across the grain of the meat. Now, when you serve the Texas barbecues, your guests will be eager to enjoy the well-cooked aroma of the steaming barbeque cuts and will gather around the dining table to bite into the savory, succulent Texas BBQ.

Author: Reinaldo Finch

Want to find out about carbs in carrots and carrot allergy? Get tips from the Benefits Of Carrots website.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Texas Style Barbecue For Everyone

Cooking for the Holidays

Finding good recipes for Holiday fiests isn’t really a problem.  There are recipes all over the Internet that make it easy to prepare and serve your own delightful dinners, breakfasts, and party trays for the Holidays.  As a dinner club we have founf many different websites with many recipe collections but www.foodnetwork.com has always been my favorite.  They seem to have a recipe for every occasion and with all the contributing chefs and cooks that they have why wouldn’t they.  So if your looking for Holiday recipes start here  ” http://www.foodnetwork.com/holidays-and-parties/index.html“  and if they don’t have something to your liking you’ll just have to google it.

Stay Warm This Winter

Winter Warmer Recipes – Food to keep you warm through winter

The colder months have already begun and by now many of us will be feeling the cold, if we don’t be careful we could catch a cold also. Getting a cold at this time of year is never good, coming down with something can leave you tired and feeling run down which means you’ll struggle to get any work done and have low energy levels.

One way we can keep our energy levels up is by making sure we stay warm this winter, a great way to do this is by eating and drinking warm food and drink that will keep you warm. The only problem many people who are conscious of what they eat have is that in order to get high energy foods this can normally mean food that isn’t exactly healthy as it tends to be foods high in sugars and fats that hold most energy.

Fortunately there are quite a few recipes that have both high energy elements but also have a lot of vegetables or fruit in them making them overall good for us, in moderation of course. One such example of this is the perfect winter warmer, Beef stew. Beef stew has been around for an incredibly long time and is a very versatile dish which can have a lot of different vegetables and meat in it. Beef stew is typically made with stewing beef but many people add bacon pieces and a whole range of vegetables cut into chunks. A stew can be cooked slowly also so putting the ingredients into a crock pot in the morning will have a stew ready for you in the evening.

Another popular winter warmer is a bowl of hot soup; again this food is very versatile with a wide range of soups that are perfect for a cold winter’s day. The UK favourite tomato soup can be spiced up with red peppers or chillies depending on how hot you want to make it. Another favourite is pumpkin soup which is popular mainly due to all the pumpkin flesh left after carving pumpkins in October. In fact there are quite a few ways to make good use of the leftover pumpkin such as a pumpkin shake which is great as breakfast or a light dessert. Making good use of the pumpkin can be a good way to get children eating more fruit and vegetables.

There are many foods that can warm you up this winter that both give you energy but also are warmed up to keep you warm on even the coldest night.

Author: Phil Adams-Wright

About the Author:

There are a wide range of healthy food available to keep you warm this winter but also making sure that you don’t eat junk food. Check out the healthy recipes and diet tips available online.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Winter Warmer Recipes – Food to keep you warm through winter

« Previous Page — Next Page »