Road Trip To Bourbon Country

Liquid Sunshine

To celebrate Bourbon Heritage Month (and my birthday), I made the pilgrimage to prime bourbon country - Kentucky. Not necessarily the first place folks consider for a tourist destination, it was certainly every bit pastoral, relaxing, and idyllic as the beaches all the Labor Day road-trippers swarmed to. The next few weeks will see me posting about my experiences at the different distilleries along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Not a bourbon drinker especially, I found the trip to be highly educational. Learning about the distillation process, the history of the drink and its importance in American (particularly Southern) culture, and some surprising culinary uses for it were among the highlights for me.

For those interested in planning a similar trip, a few observations to share:

• Every town I visited (Bardstown, Frankfort, Lexington, Loretto, Louisville, Versailles) was incredibly clean and the people were very friendly
• Meal prices, gas, etc. were all affordable and on par with national averages
• Distilleries varied by location, but most offered free or low-cost ($5-7) entrance fees and usually included a taste or two of their product for those over 21; photos were always allowed and all had gift shops and no-hassle parking
• Driving was super-easy to navigate, even in rural areas, due to great signage, well-paved roads, and accurate mileage markings - getting lost was hard to do
• While most of the distilleries and attractions I visited were family-friendly, kids and teens might get bored with the all-adult content, and tasting rooms that prohibit those under 21 from sitting closer than 10 feet from the area of alcohol consumption
• Small towns still close early, on Sundays, and major holidays! It was disappointing to have to eat at a chain restaurant on Labor Day because I didn't plan ahead better

More to come! First stop: Maker's Mark Distillery in Loretto, KY. 

Coffeehouse Culture and Mischa's Mocha Java

One of the things I miss most about the Pacific NW is the coffee culture. It's so pervasive, growing up there, you pretty much just assume everywhere (and everyone) is just as addicted as you are. At one point during college on the University of Oregon campus, I think my roommate and I counted no less than 14 different places you could get a cup of coffee on one single block. Sigh. *Nostalgia*

Why East Coasters have not come to be so intravenously linked to the bean drink like they are out West is completely baffling to me. Don't get me wrong...there's more than enough Starbucks to go around, but I'm surprised there aren't more independent coffee houses that embrace the funky literary culture that the cozy warm drink seems to inspire. There are a few upstarts in the area, like Murky Coffee, Mayorga Coffee Roasters, Tryst, Mad City Coffee, The Bean Hollow, and Fell's Grind come to mind...but many are also bars and you kind of have to seek them out. It strikes me that perhaps in Portland coffee is comfort and a philosophy, in DC it is fuel. Maybe not. Go figure. Anyway...

One of the coffee shops I like here is Mischa's Coffeehouse and Coffee Roaster down on Patrick St. in Old Town Alexandria, VA. It's funky culture reminds me of home and I go there to perk myself up on occasion (pun intended). Recently, however, I stopped in to get a pound of whole bean coffee to go, and selected the Mocha Java flavor for $12.99. Never been disappointed with Mischa's before, but honestly it was quite a bitter roast and I'm no slouch when it comes to liking strong, dark, rich blends. Maybe it was just me? Maybe I need to educate my palette more on what that type of bean is supposed to taste like...but I think next time I will opt for something closer to their [Mischa's] House Blend.

Blueberry Basil Margarita

Recently got intrigued by this recipe over at Saveur magazine for a Blueberry Basil Margarita, and *just. so. happened.* to have the ingredients on the shelf (yes, including the agave syrup, which I know you can get in several places but I pick mine up here when I'm nearby). Result: OMG. Apart from the fact that mine looked waaay more cloudy, and a darker purple/pink hue than the gorgeous magazine photo version, it turned out fabulous. Margaritas are hit or miss for me as they can be overly saccharine or syrupy for my tastes, but having made the "mixer" from scratch this time, and with the freshness of the berries - nicely complimented by the basil - this drink had great balance and a refreshing quality that made me want to seek out a patio, put my feet up, and bask in a tasty reverie. Made it 2x since then, too...looks like it's a keeper!