Usually, I don’t like my bourbon mixed with anything besides ice cubes. However, I’m turning over a new leaf I like to call Learning to Embrace Inevitable Change, and it starts, I imagine, with baby steps like modifying your drink of choice.
For example, I recently tried the Beurre Noisette cocktail over at Noir. There, there, there, I said to myself after taking my first tentative sip, that wasn’t so bad, was it? No, it wasn’t. Apple cider, bourbon, Stoli Vanilla, BROWNED BUTTER? There is absolutely nothing wrong with that equation. I stood up on my chair and declared it to be my new favorite drink. (For the record, no one seemed to care.) But I was wrong. Dead wrong. The best cocktail ever is at Hungry Mother. The #2: Maker’s Mark, amaretto, sorghum syrup, and two boiled peanuts. Sounds gross, huh? ‘Tis not. I’m drunk and happy. And now I have to sit on this post at least overnight so I don’t find out later that I blogged about something incriminating.
And speaking of sorghum, I don’t really know what it is, but the fried cornbread at Hungry Mother was absolutely slathered in it. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s actually sweet liquid meth. Why don’t we hear more about this sorghum? I resolved to do some serious research, but, so far, it has consisted solely of the following conversation with my friend as we were exiting the restaurant after I had had perhaps one too many #2s:
Her: Isn’t sorghum like corn?
Me: I think it’s like corn, but not corn.
Her: Soy, then. Maybe it’s more like soy?
Me: No, I think it’s its own thing. Sorghum. Like that.
Her: Oh.
Me: Is this an okay place to throw up? (pointing to corner of restaurant)
Her: No, don’t...
Me: You’re right. That would be a waste.
Turns out sorghum is awesome. Can we grow it here in New England? Please?
I just went to Hungry Mother and it was amazing! We did, er, have some drinks, but the cornbread was really what made me want to kidnap the chef and chain him to my stove.
Posted by: Sarah | February 19, 2009 at 11:38 PM
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but New England is too cold for sorghum.
I want to try this Beurre Noisette. I could go for one right now.
(Yes, I know it's only 10:30 in the morning. I just had Fed Tax class. That should explain everything.)
Posted by: adele | February 20, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Sorghum is a grain. Like molasses, it's boiled down and used as a sweetner. My father's parents grew it on the farm in southern Iowa and used sorghum exclusively as a sweetner. They even had a bowl of it on the table to put in their coffee. I remember it as VERY strong tasting. I didn't really like it at all. You can buy it at the store - look where they sell molasses. Here is the Wikipedia entry for sorghum: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorghum
Posted by: Sally | February 20, 2009 at 11:39 AM
Great - now you have us doing your research for you: http://www.ca.uky.edu/NSSPPA/sorghumfaqs.html
If you follow the link, definitely scroll down to health benefits - there are HEALTH BENEFITS! Time for a few more #2s - wait, that doesn't sound right. :)
I also had to laugh out loud reading the last line of the section on How to Use Sorghum. A-W-E-S-O-M-E.
Posted by: andrea | February 20, 2009 at 01:04 PM
andrea: I know, if only I could get you guys to do my research BEFORE I write my posts. Thanks for the link! I think my favorite part was: "there is hardly a food served today that sorghum will not improve."
Sally: So you've got sorghum in your blood. No wonder you're so A-W-E-S-O-M-E.
adele: You'll need two Beurre Noisettes in that case.
Sarah: I know. What was UP with that cornbread. I tried to figure it out, but I was too busy having impure thoughts about the bartender.
Posted by: Tammy | February 20, 2009 at 10:03 PM
Sorghum molasses was gifted to me and I never knew what to do with it. A Southern fried told me to eat it on those hot buttermilk biscuits, with butter. Glad I listened.
Posted by: Jacqueline | February 21, 2009 at 04:10 AM