If It Bleeds, We Can Grill It

I've bought a grill. It's a Char-Broil Commercial series 2-burner propane-fired grill. I don't intend to get into the gas/charcoal debate here (they both have their merits.) But this is sincerely the most exciting thing to happen in my culinary life for some time.

Rowan's Creek Bourbon

Tonight's after-dinner drink is Rowan's Creek bourbon by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers. I'm having it neat, with a small bar of 72% cacao chocolate.

The aroma is very light and mellow, just a whisper in the glass. The flavor is smooth and sweet, with butter and cinnamon that just drawls. Delicious.

Into The Dragon's Den/Drake's Glen Chocolate

Tonight for dessert I'm digging into my Christmas presents.

Spicy Dark Bar by Drake's Glen Creations of Humboldt County, California. I have paired the bar with a shot of Bulleit Bourbon, neat.

Drake's Glen is an artisan chocolatier, distributing their numerous treats around Humboldt County and online. I was given three of their bars for Christmas, and being a lover of dark chocolate, I went straight for the richest bar.

If the gold foil wrapper is a symbol of riches, the drake is right to guard this hoard. Spicy Dark has 72% cocoa solids, and is seeded with tiny pieces of crystallized ginger. The chocolate is smooth and dry, right in my sweet spot of taste. I have a very modest relationship with ginger, but the ginger here gives just a hint of spice and citrus to keep you from succumbing completely to the darkness. I do recommend taking a chaser of your preference, to get the full impact of each bite.

I plan to give the two milk chocolate bars their due very soon. One has cranberries and almonds!

Gnawin's, Part 1

A few weeks ago I set out to Louisiana with little notice and only the vaguest notions of where I would wind up. The lucky thing is I've received numerous suggestions from some of the natives on where to go and what to eat in New Orleans. I was excited, but really had no idea of how hard I would fall for this town. Despite the usual expectations that surround the infamous Bourbon Street, I enjoy the casual, upbeat atmosphere around the French Quarter. I could easily spend a week or two here, eating the city, if my trip allowed it. Unfortunately due to my schedule I've had to make some hard choices about where to spend my time. So I've opted to seek out the best.

Last Saturday night I dropped into the Bourbon House. They pride themselves on delicious seafood and a broad selection of choice bourbon. Work had me in the mood to treat myself, so I knew this dinner would be no-holds-barred.

Appetizer:

Raw oysters on the half-shell, bourbon and soda.

What do I really need to say here? Rich, tasty morsels from beneath the waves, with sides of ketchup, horseradish, and lemon, with Tabasco at the bar. You either love them, or you're eating somewhere else.

Main Course:

Seafood Boulibase.

Shrimp, squid, mussels, and scallops mingling with creole tomatoes in a lovely saffron broth. I usually try not to make a big scene while I'm peeling my shrimp, but this is honestly wonderful stuff.

Dessert:

Chocolate-stuffed bread pudding, Eagle Rare 10-year bourbon neat.

This finisher had me floored. A layer of rich, dark chocolate nestles itself into the syrupy pastry. The Eagle Rare was the restaurant's bourbon of the month, and it's warm strength helped open up my taste buds even wider. I could easily forgive being served this in a foam take-out box; I think it was late and the dishwasher wanted to go home.

Bourbon in Eureka's Old Town

A week ago, at the beginning of this visit to Humboldt, my stepmother notified me of a bourbon-tasting dinner in Eureka's Old Town district. Tonight was the big night, and I'm still reeling from it all. Considering the food and the booze served, this would have made for a damn good Saturday, if it weren't Monday. These two gentlemen were running the show and pouring the shots:


They made sure to mention at the beginning of the night that bourbon is officially classified as being made from at least fifty per cent corn (besides other grains such as rye or barley.) It was good info for the uninitiated such as myself. But the real education came in the eight-bottle taste test that followed. It's a good thing they served dinner:

Onion soup with a Parmesan crouton

Barbecued chicken and beans

Beef fajita with tomato, onion, and guacamole (well-seasoned with salt and lime, but the tortilla could use a little grilling)

Finishing with a flavorful peach pie and vanilla ice cream. You might have noticed that at each course there is a shot of rich, golden bourbon. Despite the photos, I don't want to under emphasize that as the main attraction at this dinner. We were allowed to sample each of the eight bottles in turn, giving due time and attention to their unique attributes. I'd especially like to point out a few outstanding examples:

• The Eagle Rare single barrel - spicy and aggressive, heavy on the rye and barley
• The Four Roses Small Batch - seventy per cent corn with a delightful sweetness, it had a rich and lasting fruity flavor, one of the night's best - I could have it on pancakes
• The Elmer T Lee - nice and smooth, creamy, it's gentle but not weak, sweet but not syrupy
• Blanton's -The first single-barrel made in the US, it starts with a mellow sweetness, and slowly builds into a surprisingly spicy finishing punch. They rye comes out well, and it lingers nicely on the tongue.

My father and I enjoyed it all quite well...