Crop To Cuisine » Eat / Drink

100 Yr. Old Scotch Found Chilling in Antarctica

C2C — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:26:34 +0000

A crate of Scotch whisky that was trapped in Antarctic ice for a century was finally opened Friday — but the heritage dram won’t be tasted by whisky lovers because it’s being preserved for its historic significance.

The crate, recovered from the Antarctic hut of renowned explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton after it was found there in 2006, has been thawed very slowly in recent weeks at the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island.

The crate was painstakingly opened to reveal 11 bottles of Mackinlay’s Scotch whisky, wrapped in paper and straw to protect them from the rigors of a rough trip to Antarctica for Shackleton’s 1907 Nimrod expedition.

Though the crate was frozen solid when it was retrieved earlier this year, the whisky inside could be heard sloshing around in the bottles. Antarctica’s minus 22 Fahrenheit (-30 Celsius) temperature was not enough to freeze the liquor, dating from 1896 or 1897 and described as being in remarkably good condition.

This Scotch is unlikely ever to be tasted, but master blenders will examine samples of it to see if they can replicate the brew. The original recipe for the Scotch no longer exists.

Read the full story at NPR.org

Summertime Chicken uncovered

C2C — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:19:47 +0000

Summer just isn’t quite summer without some chicken. Its smell, its taste, its texture, all combine to create a perfect summer sensation.

With today’s stronger focus on healthy eating, chicken is perfect for converting our older, fattier recipes into lighter, healthier dishes, which can be done simply by removing its skin.

Yes, skin can make a big difference, a difference that is well worth your bother.
Take your average chicken leg. Removing its skin can drop calories from 264 to just 181. Total fat drops from 15 grams to just 8; saturated fat drops from 4 grams to just 2 and cholesterol falls from 105 grams to just 89.
Chicken thighs calories dive from 240 to just 110. Fat dips from 4 grams to just 1.7. Saturated fat falls from 6 grams to just 1 and cholesterol drops from 115 grams to just 85.

Breast calories reduce from 249 to just 110. Total fat falls from 13 grams to just 2. Saturated fat drops from 4 grams to just 0.5 and cholesterol sinks from 93 grams to just 65.

These are significant reductions that, if done on a regular basis can and will make a huge impact on losing the extra weight many of us carry.

Get more tips on healthier chicken choices, as well as recipes for

Crisp ‘n’ delicious chicken, Chinese Chicken & Hot Legs at The Sturgis Journal

Egyptian-Asian fusion debuts in Sonoma

C2C — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:09:41 +0000

If you happen to be driving into Geyserville, you might notice a new addition to the landscape – a life-size Egyptian mummy perched on the roadside at the southern entrance to town. She is the official greeting Goddess for a new restaurant, offering an entirely unexpected dining experience for wine country.

Mummy’s Kitchen, a partnership between “Lady Loreon” Vigne and Chef Yaa’ Holwell, has just opened, serving Egyptian-Asian fusion cuisine, in a colorful café tucked away on the grounds of the Isis Oasis Sanctuary spiritual retreat and spa.

The two worked together to meld Vigne’s trove of Egyptian recipes with Holwell’s Thai signatures. One result is the Mummy Wrap ($6), presented Egyptian style with hummus, baba ghanoush and falafel wrapped in lavosh with tahini sauce; or Asian style, bringing rice paper stuffed with purple cabbage (purple is Isis’ royal color, Vigne notes), carrot, watercress, mint, lettuce and peanut sauce.

Other creative takes include the ostrich patty with sliced eggplant on a toasted bun ($14), Tom Ka Gai soup ($5), vegan Egyptian stew with couscous ($12), red pumpkin chicken curry ($12, lunch/$14, dinner), and “Mummy Yummys” like homemade coconut “isis cream” with seasonal fruit ($5).

Currently, Mummy’s Kitchen is open for dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, and for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays (stay for the complimentary temple tours after lunch). Longer hours and an expanded menu are in the works, Vigne says.

Brazil’s Caipirinha considered the Ultimate World Cocktail

C2C — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:47:32 +0000

Leblon, producer of Brazil’s handcrafted Cachaca, is touting the Caipirinha (pronounced kai-pur-EEN-ya) as the perfect companion to dishes across the globe. The drink, made from Cachaca, Brazil’s national spirit distilled from fresh sugar cane juice, together with muddled lime and sugar,has long dominated the Brazilian restaurant scene. Today it is winning fans among restaurateurs, chefs and consumers around the world.

Read more about the caipirinha, and get food pairing suggestions here.