Happy Thursday Day, Whiskey Lover!

Photo by Marie Rodriguez Photography

Sometimes, you just have to brag. Especially when someone from the Bourbon team travels to an out-of-town cocktail competition and takes home the prize! That's exactly what happened recently when our very own Head Bartender/Bar Manager/Overall Badass, Kat Hunter, competed in the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Experience in Charleston. After coming in second place the last time she competed, Kat went into this year determined to crush it, AND SHE DID! Her matcha-infused cocktail wowed the judges and clinched her entry into the national competition in Kentucky next month! We'll be featuring her winning cocktail soon on the special menu, so be on the lookout! In the meantime, wish her luck!! 

Well...three things I love. I honestly didn't ask anyone else ;)

Red Boat Fish Sauce - Want to know the secret behind most dishes that make your mouth sing? It's "umami", considered the fifth way your tongue "tastes" things along with sweet, salty, bitter and sourness. It's also called savoriness if you prefer. Either way, it's what adds a richness and depth of flavor to dishes and is found in such ingredients as Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, soy sauce, caramelized onions, and FISH SAUCE! While you may turn your nose up at it, you'd be surprised at how many delicious dishes you've had that included fish sauce. It's one of my favorite additions, and after a few uses, I'm sure you'll agree. Red Boat is our choice, as well as the choice of most chefs. The brands you find in most Asian grocery stores are usually watered down versions or include ingredients other than simply anchovies. Again, don't turn your nose up at anchovies. Try this stuff. You'll be amazed.  Get yours HERE through Amazon

Takii Umami Powder  - Okay, since we're on an umami kick, here's another I keep next to my range at all times. Takii Umami Powder is simply dried shii-take mushroom powder and salt, and adds that depth of savoriness that other umami-boosters add, but with more subtlety of flavor. This stuff is perfect for sprinkling over any sauteed or stewed vegetables, or into your soups and stews and sauces and I could go on and on. You'll find its more granular than powdery, so if you need it to be finer, just run it through your spice grinder. This is a MUST HAVE in your pantry, but do yourself a favor and put it in a salt well next to your range so its within reach when you cook. ORDER HERE through Amazon

Joule Sous Vide Circulator - If you aren't familiar with the wonders of sous vide (soo veed) cooking, you need to be. The basic premise is to cook vacuum sealed items at a lower, extremely accurate temperature in a water bath for much longer times than normal. For tough meats, this method tranforms all of tough fibers into soft, chewable ones without loss of moisture. With vegetables, you can infuse them with butter and herbs and cook them til done without losing flavors that would normally be leeched out by boiling. While I used to use cheap scientific circulators for this, the cost of ones made specifically for cooks has come down to the point where its more attractive to use them over the industrial scientific ones. My favorite is the Joule by ChefSteps. Not only is it a workhorse, but it also connects to you phone via wi-fi or Bluetooth for exact control and alerts. Also, the ChefSteps website is a veritable cornucopia of information and recipes! GET ONE HERE via Amazon

That's all for today!  I hope to see you at Bourbon or one of our events soon!