OMG a Recipe: Makin' Drunk Whoopie (and other delights)

Makin' drunk whoopie PIES, that is. Get your mind out of the gutter and into the trash with the rest of us! Inspired by booze-infused baked goods, I thought I'd share some recent baking shenanigans. While this features a gluten-rich chocolate whoopie pie adapted recipe, I'm also including a gluten-free chocolate cake recipe that you could make some decent whoopie with. So let's get it on -- start the Barry White/mood music playing!

That's what you get for makin' whoopie (pies) - Photo by Wasabi Prime

OMG a Recipe: As Drunk on TV

Two vital things you should know about me --  (Vital I) I like my cocktails and (Vital II) I like my nerdy TV shows. A nicely-balanced drink in one hand, DVR remote in the other... PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER. Actually, don't do that. It would be messy. But what you can do, is be inspired to mix up some cocktails and/or get your genre-based serialized drama-watching on! No Spock-ears required, I PROMISE.

Carry on my Wayward Son, there'll be peace when you are done (with this drink) - Photo by Wasabi Prime

OMG a Recipe: Bourbon Whisky for Dessert

There's nothing wrong with a little hair o' the dog after a day in the saltmines of cubicle-land. There's also nothing wrong with a touch of sweetness at day's end. So let's put our hands together for making it a little less socially awkward to say you're having whiskey for dessert.

Who says you can't have whisky for dessert? - Photo by Wasabi Prime

We always have a bottle of Maker's Mark around the house. No, not stashed in the sock drawer or places where the late night ads ask a bunch of questions to determine if you have a problem or not. We keep it around the kitchen because it's as handy for sipping as it is for cooking. I add a little to the cheap vodka that's steeping vanilla beans for vanilla extract -- you can also draw from this to mix cocktails. I deglaze pans with a splash of it and some chicken broth, making a nice little sauce to go with some seared chicken paillards. It's a good bourbon whisky, more expensive than other brands, but the flavor is nice, and you don't need much to add its caramel, lightly smoky taste to things.

So of course I wanted to incorporate some liquor when I made a bourbon-themed dessert of ice cream and pie. Duh, who wouldn't? The pie was a basic apple pie, which I added pears in, just because I had them -- thanks, CSA box. The pie crust is, as always, Wasabi Mom's vinegar pastry crust. The filling was a basic apple pie -- about 2 or 3 pounds' worth of cored apples (and pears, in my case) sliced thin and tossed with a couple of teaspoons of ground cinnamon, a teaspoon of fresh nutmeg, a quarter cup of sugar, a tablespoon of flour to help absorb any excess fruit juices, and I saw this on a food show -- a dash of Angosturra bitters. A pie shop in NYC was being profiled (sorry, I can't remember their name!!) and they mentioned their use of bitters in their pie filling, to balance out the sweetness and give it a nice balance. Brilliant! I had to try it. For this pie filling, I also folded a bourbon caramel sauce with the seasoned fruit -- it added more volume and liquid to the mix, which I wasn't in love with, so I'd skip the caramel sauce in the filling or maybe drizzle the top with it. That part needs re-working, so I'm not listing details until I get something that's worth sharing, and it was likely just gilding the dessert-lily anyways, since I made ice cream to go with the pie.

There's always time for pie - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Bourbon in ice cream = Winning. I used my standby basic ice cream recipe, and added about a tablespoon or two of good maple syrup. And I mean the real stuff, not in the squeeze bottle shaped like a bad racial stereotype. I put a little less than a shot of whisky, so about an ounce, while the milk/sugar/vanilla/maple mixture was simmering. I do this before the eggs, as I want some time for the liquor to burn off. I know -- what's the point?! I don't want the alcohol content too high to where the ice cream won't set properly. I doubt a shot of booze would keep the ice cream from doing its thing, but I also like to keep the ice cream available for 21 and under. You still get the little bite of whisky, but the flavor is heightened with the extra vanilla and the maple really compliments it. On its own, it's a great alternative to a typical vanilla, but on a pie of any kind, it's ridonkulously good. And yes, that's a real word. An awesome one.

Ice cream and pie, best looking couple ever - Photos by Wasabi Prime

One of the reasons I was playing around with bourbon in desserts was because I was working on a dessert for Drink Me Magazine. I liked the combo of maple and bourbon so much, I developed a maple bourbon cheesecake for the latest issue that's out now. There's a kick of spice to it, so it's not all sweet, which I prefer with desserts. Cheesecake isn't a quickie dessert, it needs a little love, but it's worth the time and I'm particularly pleased with the brulee top. Giving it a smoky, candied sugar crunch adds a pleasant texture against the creaminess of the cheesecake. And it's fun to shout out, "Let's kick the tires and light the fires!" as you hand torch the crap out of the top of a whole dessert.

Behind the scenes on a photo shoot day - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Head to Drink Me's site to check out the whole magazine online, or if you're in the San Francisco area, printed copies are available. You can also check out their new look, they've been doing some fun things with the magazine and I look forward to developing more recipes. It's always a challenge to try and incorporate wine, beer or liquor into things on a plate, versus a glass. Hope you like the recipe, or if nothing else, the notion of mixing your drinks with food!

Mixed Plate: I Ain't Old, Just Well-Seasoned

A month of birthdays reminded the Prime of the pleasures of slowing one's roll and how the benefit of time really does improve things, namely, alcohol. And a white oak barrel doesn't hurt, either. A LUPEC meeting brought me back to the Woodinville Whiskey Company, but it was a previous visit 'wot truly done me in, as I'd visited earlier for a drive-by pickup of one of their age-your-own mini whiskey barrels, but more on that in a moment. Because it's time to sit back, relax, and let the good times pour.

Me and Mr. Peabody Jones at LUPEC meeting at Woodinville Whiskey Company - Photo by Wasabi Prime

So first off, I realize the Seattle chapter of LUPEC (Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails - yes, this group exists, and it is awesome) meeting was earlier in May, but egads I've been backlogged on posts! For all the best reasons, of course -- it's been a buffet line of too much good stuff. And the benefit of belated LUPEC-related posts is, it's a good reminder that there's always a meeting every month if you're in the Seattle area. You can keep up with the ladies on their blog, or get updates via their Facebook page. This last meetup in the Wood-hood of Woodinville was to sample the spirits of Woodinville Whiskey Company, and get a sample taste of an early draw from their barrel-aged whiskey. Jealous yet? You should be.

Orlin Sorensen and the ladies of LUPEC, celebrating good spirits - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Co-owner Orlin Sorensen was on-hand to be master of whiskey ceremonies, giving a tour of the facility, showing off the impressive Wall o' Whiskey, as well as a resident mixologist, pouring tastes of the spirits and mixing up a special cocktail using their unaged Headlong white dog whiskey. Orlin summoned the Wondertwin Powers of Tom Cruise and Bryan Brown, a la Cocktail, and mixed up a drink called the Green Trellis that combined flavors of fresh cucumber, mint and apple -- sort of like a Washingtonian mojito, which went marvelously with their Headlong, as it has a crisp, clean flavor that hasn't taken on the smoky-vanilla notes from a barrel (yet). They serve this drink at Trellis, the restaurant downstairs from the Heathman Hotel in Kirkland -- one of my favorite spots. But Trellis isn't the only place that has Woodinville Whiskey Co's spirits -- next time you take a look at the bar's cornucopia of boozeahol,don't be surprised to see both the Headlong white dog whiskey, as well as their Peabody Jones Vodka, another nicely-made spirit, which I find very smooth and almost creamy. Fine on its own, but plays so nicely with other ingredients in the cocktail sandbox.

It wasn't just drinks -- LUPEC ladies like to be educated, with a glass in hand. Orlin described all the unique aspects of what makes whiskey such a signature spirit and why bourbon is so gosh-darn all-American, given its requirements that include its production needing to be in the States, a grain mixture with a minimum of 51% corn and use of new/charred white oak barrels (which don't have to be American, interestingly enough).

Sampling an early taste of barrel-aged goodness, and a way to age whiskey at home! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

But of course -- what about the real Good Stuff? We saw the floor-to-ceiling collection of barrels aging whiskey, which in my mind, I heard the 2001 Monolith theme in my head. Just needed some monkeys freaking out, beating the ground with femurs. But the payoff was being able to get a little taste of the whiskey, straight from the barrel. Awww yeah. Even though it's not quite ready to graduate and sit on the shelf of liquor cabinets everywhere, the color was a gorgeous caramel, you get a lovely whiff of vanilla, and everything about it whispers great promise. It needed a little shot of water to simmer down the shout of, "Yo, we're still workin' here!" from the alcohol heat that hasn't quite tamed down yet, otherwise it feels like Mr. Whiskey just punched you in the face. But yes indeedy, there's potential in them thar oak barrels, and Orlin said to keep an eye on the cocktail horizon, as they should be seeing an official release in the near future.

Why, yes, that is meat wrapping paper with my baby booze barrel - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Woodinville Whiskey Co wisely created the coolest birthday/anniversary/holiday present ever, the Age Your Own Whiskey Kit, which includes two sipping glasses, a wee white oak barrel, and two bottles of melt-your-face-off high proof white dog that will eventually be tamed into warm, fuzzy, puppy love. I bought one of these fancy numbers for Mr. Wasabi's birthday, which unfortunately had to hide in my car for three days when he was home sick with a cold, before I snuck it into the house and then wrapped with paper printed with meat. When you care enough to send the very best, say it with alcohol and beef-decorated packaging.

Mini cooper(age) - Photos by Wasabi Prime

It's a pretty easy process, as all the complicated steps were taken care of by the distillery, they're just providing the unique tools that let you take over the finishing process of barrel-aged whiskey. Did they contract the Keebler elves to put together a cooperage to produce such ridiculously cute bitty barrels? Possibly. The crafting of these miniature barrels is pretty dang sweet, and the size is what also speeds up the aging process, as it increase the surface ratio of alcohol being in contact with the wood, so you don't have to wait forever and a day to get a roasty-toasty vanilla-y glass of whiskey. The instructions that come with the kit are pretty simple, so just read through it before immediately pouring your precious white dog into the barrel like a fool. Soak the barrel for a few days. Brock let his sit in the laundry room sink for 3-4 days, letting the wood grain swell and create a watertight seal for when the whiskey is added. When the barrel is ready, empty the water and swap with the firewater, and place in a spot where you're not tempted to poke at it or uncork the top every few hours, asking, "Is it ready yet??"

Mini barrel atop fridge says, Ignore me! IGNORE ME! But we can't resist an early sip - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Our resting spot of choice was above the fridge, which has a cacophony of magnets and crap on it to keep one's attention fully focused away from what's sitting atop it. But we couldn't help take a sneaky-peeky at the whiskey two weeks into the process. It's amazing what just two weeks can do. The color was developing -- not a rich caramel yet, but the light amber tones were encouraging. You could already pick up notes of vanilla and it was starting to suggest a creaminess that you knew would only develop further with more barrel time. So what if we peeked at the presents before Xmas, just more to celebrate when the big day arrives. Will definitely do a post when that truly happy hour comes along, likely in another month or so. Stay tuned!

FoodTrek: The Days of Wine and Whiskey in Woodinville

For those who are familiar with the area, it's an understatement to say that the city of Woodinville has just a few wineries and tasting rooms. You can't drive very far on a weekend without seeing great clusters of signs offering wine tastings (there's even a mead place or two!), but did you also know there's a couple of distilleries? The Prime put on her wine n' whiskey goggles recently and took on the very difficult task of sampling some local wine and spirits from Elsom Cellars and the Woodinville Whiskey Company. Oh, the great pains I take, slaving away for this blog!!!!!!

Welcome to Elsom, saddle up to the bar for a taste of Washington - Photo by Wasabi Prime

If you're a Washington State n00b, Woodinville is a city about forty minutes east of Seattle (minus traffic; if traveling east during rush hour, double that and breathe deeply as you sit in the parking lot that is 520). I've mentioned this city several times on the blog, usually regarding other local wineries as there are quite a few. The latest to add to the Wasabi Winelist is Elsom Cellars. It's a family business, crafted with love by Jody and John Elsom, who were on-hand at their recent 2008 release party, where three of their very hearty reds were premiered: 2008 Lewis Vineyard Cab Sauvignon, 2008 Malbec and the 2008 Isabella Columbia Valley Red. I'm not a wine-nerd, I can come up with some official-sounding terms, but at the end of the day, if I like something, I just like it. And I liked that these were wines had a hearty presence -- not to offend any vegetarians, but these were downright meaty! You definitely wanted a big steak with the Cab Sauvignon and I thought the Isabella was almost a little peppery, so I wanted to enjoy that with something comforting and rich, like a lamb burger. Sampling the wines, the best description was that they were definitely Washington wines -- we ain't shy with our flavor and the love of a good red.

Ain't no party like a West Coast wine party and the West Coast wine party don't stop - Photos by Wasabi Prime

I attended the release with my friend and wine aficionado, Ms. Radish. If you know bloggers, we're usually one of the first to show up to anything because in our minds, we're thinking: pictures. Much appreciation to the Elsom crew for letting us wander and take photos before the party hit full swing. They had the lovely Melissa Peterman of Honey Bee Sting cater the event, offering the exact things you'd want to enjoy with wine -- rich, flavorful dried fruits, assortments of cheese and savory nuts. When you try their reds, you really do wish you were on a picnic out in the Tuscan sun, with a basket of all those rustic goodies, along with a heavy-crusted bread you just tear with your hands. Is that even a wine term? A tear-the-food-and-eat-with-your-hands kind of wine? I'll never be a sommelier, but that's what I thought when sampling the food with the wine.

Not just for show, they really do make wine here. For reals. - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Elsom's space is great -- cool marbletop tasting bar, heavy wood furniture and a little sitting area of plush seats, with the backdrop of the winery in all its glory. You see the barrels and equipment, and you get that this is a functional space, which I love. One of the things I like about the smaller wineries like this is that you never forget that they are getting the work done right there. Independent wineries like Elsom are just that -- independent, usually family-run, and it's always powered by a passion for good product. They also have a wine club where membership is free -- a lot of other wineries offer the same, but with a joining cost, so this is especially nice. You get a 10% discount on every bottle, 20% discount on a case or more, you choose amounts ranging from a half to two cases of wine, and you get on the list for additional discounts and events. There's no direct signup on the site, but their contact page should get you in touch if you want to sign up.

My intrepid liver and I kept exploring Woodinville (don't worry, Mom, it was on a separate night), and found my way to the Whiskey After Dark event at the newly-opened Woodinville Whiskey Company.

A little hair of the White Dog, presented by owner Orlin Sorensen - Photo by Wasabi Prime

This event was an opportunity to sample both their Peabody Jones Vodka and Headlong White Dog Whiskey -- both organic, so you can unleash the Kraken, with nature's blessing. I know what you're thinking or shouting to the screen right now: "Vodka, I get -- but white whiskey?!" Woodinville Whiskey Co. recently opened, as in just last year, so these are literally newborn spirits. White Dog is made using a whiskey bourbon mash recipe, so it has all the elements of the corn and grains, distilled through their beautiful copper stills that made me think of saxophones, but it's not yet barrel-aged, which will further develop those distinctive flavor notes of  smoky caramel and vanilla, along with giving it that signature golden hue. That's not to say it's not flavorful -- upon sampling White Dog, it was a bit like having a reposado tequila, with a young, lightly floral flavor, tasting a bit like banana. Have no fear, they have their whiskey aging in white oak barrels, but their White Dog is a unique chance to peer (and taste) into the distilling process and see how whiskey is made.

Knowledge is Power from master distiller David Pickerell - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The Whiskey Jedi Master guiding their spirits along is David Pickerell, whose career as a master distiller spans over a decade. He's graced the delicious halls of Maker's Mark working his Whiskey-Fu skills along with an understanding of chemical science, and now works with Woodinville Whiskey Co., mentoring the development of these new spirits with owners Orlin Sorensen and David Carlile. Over the weekend, David Pickerell was the star attraction of a presentation over the whiskey making process, going into great detail over the differences between whiskey and bourbon, dispelling myths, and the significance of ten seconds in the char of a barrel. You wouldn't think a few seconds of extra flame on a white oak barrel would make a difference, but Pickerell went into great detail over how he specifies 30 second char, not a "number 3" barrel when he's visiting his cooper. And he had a great way of describing the aging process of whiskey in a barrel, comparing it to a steeping tea bag. Since wood is porous, it can take in all the elements of the air and temperature around it, even as it's giving off its water and alcohol, furthering the aging process of the whiskey. I particularly liked the comparision, as it was a nice visual. I always think of barrels as hard and unyielding, but I realize they were living things, still vital with the active spirit within, breathing in and out.

Big Trouble in Little Woodinville - Photos by Wasabi Prime

I think I woke up with a knowledge hangover from the Whiskey After Dark event. So much information, and it was all fascinating, so I can't wait for another bender, hearing about the myth and facts of distilled spirits. Woodinville Whiskey Company will be having more events like this in the spring, so keep an eye out on their website. They've got a beautiful tasting room open to visitors, so definitely head out east for a sip of their vodka and whiskey, and  just to see their stills in person, as they are just beautiful. It's a rare treat to see a small craft distillery in its early stages, releasing young spirits that really "make their bones," as it were, proving that even without the barrel age, the "white" whiskey has complex flavor notes and truly embodies the spirit of promise.