distillation Tag

It's the not so silent hero of so many of our favorite drinks, dishes, and desserts, but why does citrus pack such a punch? Find out. Okay, picture this: you’re slow-braising some gorgeous chicken thighs (skin very much on). After having the thighs marinate overnight, you transfer those leggies into a stockpot, browning each side, and then proceed to make a sauce by pouring in some thick and flavorful chicken stock leftover from a whole bird you made last week and a handful of spices. After bubbling for a few minutes, you taste the contents of the stockpot and see that there’s a secret ingredient missing, one that brightens every dish, forcing the existing flavors into stark relief, and no it’s not salt (though that’s very important too)—it’s CITRUS! The hero for bartending, distilling, and baking alike (alongside cooking), citrus is such a key component in our food and drink. But...

The country of Italy is an extremely gorgeous peninsula jutting out deep into the Mediterranean Sea, meaning it has loads of coastline and very moderate climes. Its food, people, and scenery are all beautiful enough to have a person questioning whether or not they should ever return to whatever country they’re visiting from. In that very small and specific way, a trip there can feel almost bittersweet. Bassano del Grappa, a city in the northern region of Veneto, is a particularly appealing slice of Italian pie and happens to be home to grappa. After finding ourselves there in February of this year, Colton, Florian, and I took a couple of hours to visit the Poli Grappa Museum so that we could learn more about this quintessential Italian spirit. Grappa has a long and interesting history, which the museum did a wonderful job of illustrating in various formats. This distinct spirit has been...