San Francisco was host to the NASFT Winter Fancy Foods Show this past weekend and WOW!! what a spread. There was miles of cheese, chocolate, oils, dips, coffee, liqueurs, ice cream, sauces, dips, salts (lots of salts) and a ton of other fancy food products from all over the world.

My favorite Irish Cheddar, spiked with whiskey or ale is pictured below:

Among the thousands of products on hand there was plenty for the bar. We found garnishes, rimmers, buckets of margaritas, syrups, fresh juices and even a hangover cure from France.

In the French pavilion, we even found the P&M whisky range (pictured). Distilled in Corsica, P&M makes two blends and a single malt.

Among the rows and rows of enthusiastic entrepreneurs I kept finding hidden cocktail culture gems. It was truly an International experience with Pisco from Peru, espresso infused Sambuca from Italy, and a hangover cure from France.

I discovered a Sence Rose Nectar, Q Tonic - a natural Quinine tonic sweetened with agave nectar, and chocolates filled with Jack Daniels, Baileys or Jose Cuervo. There were also several mass produced ‘cocktail’ mixes and kits that seem to glow. At least the Appletini tasted ‘like’ apple.

For the first time this year, The Fancy Food Show featured a Craft Brewers Pavilion with some great beers from the 21st Amendment, Stone Brewing, Sam Adams (yep that one) and Kona Brewing. Shockingly, this was one popular spot!

Garnishes and rimmers were popular. I found a nice array of pickled veggies and some boozy one’s as well. I even found “real” maraschino cherries, sans electric red coloring! On the chocolate front we found a neat little product the ‘choc-tail’ sipper, essentially a straw filled with chocolate beads. Made by local chocolate maker Bridge Brand, a drinker sips a drink and the chocolate adds flavor to the it.

Even with all this food, I found that I got quite a workout walking the endless aisles of amazing culinary products.

National Asociation for the Specialty Food Trade

The playoffs are in full swing, so why not an easy drink to enjoy during the game. Sure this drink if just a whiskey & cola, but add a lemon slice and use Canadian Club and you have a Quick Kick.

Now isn’t that more fun?

Quick Kick

1 1/2 parts Canadian Club Whisky
4 parts cola
Slice of lemon

Pour ingredients into a tall glass with ice. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

more Football Cocktails

Courtesy, Canadian Club Whisky®

New from The Glenlivet comes a unique single malt created from a single-source grain Triumph Barley. Distilled non-chilled filtered and then aged 18 years in Speyside, this is The Glenlivet’s first ever single-varietal scotch.

The Glenlivet Nàdurra Triumph 1991 single malt has a light golden hue. It’s nose is extremely smooth with a slight fruitiness and tones of butterscotch.

Aged 18 years, The Glenlivet Nàdurra Triumph 1991 is like velvet on the tongue. It has wonderful initial warmth with bursts of fruit followed by nothing but a mellow oak finish. The non-chilled filtering causes the whisky to retain a bit more of the woody flavors from the cask.

This is special occasion scotch, yet reasonable at ~ $85. I did find it at K&L for $70. I recommend treating yourself.

for more The Glenlivet

I was mulling over different ideas for a end of year post and landed on this fun list while looking at the years site activity. This list is as democratic as they come, it basically the top cocktails determined by views. The biggest surprise? The sidecar at #1, glad to see. It was always Rachel’s favorite. It knocked the much derided Appletini from the top spot (it’s #2 this year), a spot it had held for several years.

So here it is with out further ado - the top 10 cocktails Drink of the Week readers looked at most in 2009.

1. Sidecar
2. Appletini
3. Bahama Mama
4. Tom & Jerry
5. Witches Brew Punch
6. Mai Tai
7. Manhattan
8. Margarita
9. Flirtini
10. Long Island Iced Tea

December Cocktail

1 1/4 oz. Chivas Regal 12 yo
Dash Cinnamon Syrup
2 oz. Apple Juice

Build all the ingredients in an Old Fashioned glass and add ice cubes. (Cinnamon Syrup can be made by mixing equal parts of powder sugar and warm water. Heat with a stick of Cinnamon and let rest until cold, when the Cinnamon will have infused fully).
Garnish with a pinch of Cinnamon powder, flamed.

Vanilla Hazlenut Blazer

2 oz. Chivas Regal 12 yo
2 tsp Brown Sugar
2 Hazelnuts
2 drops Vanilla Essence

Heat a brandy balloon over hot water with the whisky, sugar, vanilla and nuts. Set liquid aflame and twist glass to soften ingredients (about 30 seconds). Meanwhile, fill an Old Fashioned glass with ice. Pour flaming liquid over the ice. Garnish with 2 Hazelnuts & 2 Almonds.

courtesy Chivas Regal

We were recently asked to taste two amazing whiskies head to head - Johnnie Walker Blue Label vs. Chivas Regal 18

Chivas Regal 18

Chivas Regal 18 includes over 20 of Scotland’s rarest single malt whiskies

Quite strong on the nose with a slight oakyness.

The color is a rich dark amber.

On the tongue Chivas 18 is smooth, fruity and warm with caramel accents. Every sip is smooth, velvety and wonderful.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label

This is one of the most storied of all blended scotch whiskies, most would be happy for a mere sip. Blue Label is a bland of some of the rarest scotch Johnnie Walker can find all presented handsomely in a numbered bottle and fancy box.

It is a light amber in color, I’d say it looks like autumn. It is lighter when compared to the Chivas.

This rarest of blends is very slight on the nose, with just a hint of smokiness.

The tongue is smooth almost muted, almost the opposite of the Chivas. The Blue Label has notes of honey, rose and chocolate and has an amazingly warm finish. It sneaks up in you. (in a good way)

While some might say the Chivas has more character, which it might, the Blue Label wins hands down. Why? It’s the velvety smoothness that wraps around your tongue and warms from within. Whereas the Chivas has just a touch of boozy harshness. While the are both amazing, the Blue lives up to its reputation as a must have blend. Of course, the Chivas 18 retails for about $60, while the Blue Label is about $200 ( I did find it for $160 ). So maybe a touch of harshness isn’t so bad.

Chivas Regal 18
Johnnie Walker Blue Label

Winter Slumber

1 part Whiskey or Bourbon
1/2 part Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice Liqueur
1/4 part Chai
1-1/2 part Heavy Whipping Cream
Cinnamon & Sugar for Rim Garnish

Place liquids in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake to blend and chill.  Strain into a cocktail glass rimmed with cinnamon and sugar. 

Rocky Mountain Ginger Crisp

1 part Premium Whiskey
1/2 part Hiram Walker Gingerbread Liqueur
1-1/2 part Apricot Nectar
1-1/2 part Sparkling Sake
Skewered Crystallized Ginger Round Garnish
 
Combine whiskey, Hiram Walker Gingerbread Liqueur and apricot nectar in a mixing glass.  Stir.  Pour into a highball glass over ice.  Top with measurement of Sparkling Sake.  Garnish with skewered crystallized ginger.

Minted Snowfall

1 part Espresso Vodka
3/4 part Hiram Walker Peppermint Schnapps
1 part White Chocolate Liqueur
1 part Heavy Whipping Cream
Crushed Peppermint Rim
Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Stick Garnish -optional

Rim Old Fashioned Glass with white chocolate liqueur. Dip rim of glass in crushed peppermint.  Set aside.  Combine liquids in cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake to blend and chill.  Strain into peppermint rimmed old fashioned glass over fresh ice.  Garnish with chocolate dipped peppermint stick.

recipes created by Cheri Loughlin courtesy Hiram Walker