Educational
Why Rye?
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The comeback of the beloved cocktail has been woefully overdue and, in the process, many people have forgotten about the spirits that actually made these drinks great. While Gin and some brandies are enjoying the limelight again, Rye Whisky gets lost in he shadows. Everybody knows its good, but does anybody really know what it is? Not likely. Unfortunately, there is not much rye made, it is not regulated by the government, and, frankly, it’s unlike anything else.
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A little something about ...Sake
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In the same way it takes a special kind of grape to produce a good wine, making excellent sake requires a special kind of rice. The secret is to have a variety of rice that boast high starch content in the core of the grain. This way the grain will stay longer during the brewing process, enabling excess oil and protein to be removed. The polishing away of rice grains (milling), removes fat and protein that impede fermentation and cause added flavors.
The five elements involved in sake making are:
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Union Square Greenmarket
category: Featured, Educational0 comments
Today, Greenmarkets around the city (and an ever-expanding number of outer-borough locations) are busy, popular venues for farmers, purveyors, and shoppers alike to access fresh, local, seasonal products native to our region. Today, some 150 farmers participate in Greenmarket's programs, and, as of July, 45-50 Greenmarkets will offer local produce to Manhattan and the outer boroughs. The Greenmarket at Union Square, the biggest Greenmarket in the city, is one you shouldn’t miss.
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Liquid Smoke
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Every Scotch is different. Scotches offer flavors and aromas that are as complex and varied as the wines of the world. All single malt scotch must be made from 100% malted barely, distilled in copper pot stills, matured in oak casks for a minimum of three years, and at least 40% alcohol by volume. There are several factors that can ultimately affect the final flavor profile—the size of the still, the water, and the type of cask used. Yet there is one singular component that has been used in one way or another for centuries and has astounded the most advanced palates in the world: Peat.
Peat is compacted organic matter, somewhere between top soil and coal. In its dried form it is a highly efficient fuel source, however, when burned the residual smoke has a potent smell, often referred to as “peat reek.”
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