Rhum Agricole

Last night my friends and I had the great pleasure of attending a special dinner to showcase Rhum Clement and Rhum J.M. Both are brands of rhum agricole, a type of rum distilled from freshly-squeezed sugar cane juice rather than from molasses like most rums. Only recently have these brands jumped through all the necessary hoops to find their way onto the shelves of Washington liquor stores, and on this night we were lucky enough to have them shaken up for us by some of Seattle's top mixologists then paired with five incredible courses made by the chefs at Spur Gastropub.

Pairing cocktails with food works surprisingly well. As with wines, cocktails can span every flavor profile from sweet to acidic, from earthy to mineral, from smoky to herbaceous to floral. The key difference between the two is that, when making a cocktail, a bartender has the opportunity to take a variety of different flavors and mix them together at different ratios on the spot. While I won't argue that nothing is more awe-inspiring than a flawless wine and food pairing, there is something impressive about a mixologist who's skilled and knowledgeable enough to blend the perfect libation to go with an already perfect dish. This was my experience last night:

First

Tuna Tartare

wrapped in avocado with chili and lime "chips".

Saint Pierre

Clément Primier Canne, ginger, champagne vinegar, lime bitters.

by Cale Green

Throughout the dinner we were brought our cocktails first, followed by the food. This course was my favorite pairing because, at first sip, this cocktail came across as a little too sharp and acidic. Once I was able to try it with the food, however, I found it to be balanced as the ginger and vinegar elements in the cocktail helped to cut through the rich flavors of avocado and raw tuna.

Second

Sous Vide Pork Belly

with cabbage, pineapple, and creole mustard.

Carley’s Conundrum

Rhum J.M Gold, lemon, orgeat, demerara, boker’s bitters.

by Nathan Webber

Both of these would be just as good on their own as they were together. The complex and sweet flavors of the orgeat (an almond and infused syrup flavored with rose or orange flower water) and the demerara (a golden raw sugar) in the cocktail mirrored those of the soft pork belly and cooked pineapple on our plates.

Third

Smoked King Crab

on braised greens with butternut squash soup and pecans.

Calypso King

Brown Butter infused Rhum J.M Silver, falernum.

by Craig Schoen

As the bartender was describing his cocktail to us he proposed something I’d never heard of before: we were to dip or smoked king crab into the cocktail. Equally fun and delicious, the browned butter flavors infused into the rhum paired expectedly well with the crab, and the bite of alcohol in the finish served to cleanse the palate. 

Fourth

Beef Cheeks

with raw, braised, and pureed carrots, curry demi-glace, and horseradish foam.

Chimenea

Clement VSOP, rye, cynar, punt e mes, hickory syrup, orange bitters.

by Marley Tomic-Beard

This cocktail seemed to get mixed reviews from those sitting around me, but all agreed that it was much better with the food than on its own. The strong notes of hickory smoke and cynar (a bitter apéritif flavored with artichoke) were too much to handle alone, but the beef cheek sauced with curry demi-glace did much to help these potent flavors find there place.

Fifth

Rhum Walnut Sponge Cake

topped with a dehydrated banana-juice chip, paired with praline ice cream and banana panna cotta drizzled with caramel. 

Rhum Clément Cuvée Homère and Clément X. O.

For our final course we were given two blended barrel-aged rhums, served neat. The first, Cuvée Homère, was a marriage of the brand’s best rhums over the last fifteen years: 2001, 1999, and 1997. The second was a rare blend of very old aged rhums including the highly regarded vintages of 1976, 1970, and 1952. It was a great opportunity for all to see the incredible range of character that rhum agricole can have. After all, wasn’t that the point of the entire meal?

Oh Boy!

Richard Oh, a California winemaker and self-proclaimed "all-around dude" has recently released his first distilled product: Ohzone. The liquor is best described by Richard himself, so here's an excerpt from his website: http://www.ohzonespirits.com/

"Made from first quality grapes via cold distillation, extraction and filtration, Ohzone is an entirely new category of spirit, so ask for it by name – it’s the only one of it’s kind. It’s not a vodka or gin or rum or tequila or brandy or moonshine or anything else out there…By itself, Ohzone tastes smooth and clean, with a hint of grape. And as the primary spirit in a never-ending, whirlwind tour of cocktails, infusions, culinary recipes – and in anything else the imagination may imagine – Ohzone transforms a spirit into the spiritual."

On my recent trip down to California I had the chance to give his new liquor a try at a small release party in Pacific Grove. He talks a big game, but the product surely speaks for itself. While Ohzone's mild nature will do just fine in familiar drinks like the cosmo or lemon drop, the sublte flavor lends itself much better to a more classic take on the cocktail that's becoming increasingly popular. I managed to get a bottle sent back up to Seattle for me to play around with. Give this one a try, if you're lucky enough to find a bottle of your own.

PomOhgranate Sour

• 2  oz. Ohzone
• 1 oz. homemade sour mix (recipe follows)
• 1/2 oz. pomegranate juice
• 1/2 oz. egg white

Fill shaker with ice and shake ingredients vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon.

Homemade Sour Mix

Nothing ruins a good drink faster than a bad sour mix. There are several premade sour mixes on the market, but I have yet to find a national brand that does justice to a quality cocktail. This simple recipe is a much better option. It can be made in large batches and keeps in a refrigerator for at least two weeks. Don't bother with store bought juices here; just squeeze the fruits yourself. The end result will be well worth the extra effort.

• 1 part granulated sugar
• 1 part water
• 1 part fresh lemon juice
• 1 part fresh lime juice

Combine water and sugar in a pan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until water is simmering and sugar has disolved, doing your best not to let the mixture boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool in the refrigerator, then combine with fresh juices and store refrigerated in large bottles or jars.

Variations: If you don't care for (or for some reason can't find) pomegranate juice you can make the drink plain by omitting it and increasing the quantities of Ohzone and sour mix by 1/4 oz. Also, I've found that this cocktail works quite well with my homemade blackberry liqueur taking the place of the pomegranate juice. If you're really in a pinch you can use bottled sour mix instead of the homemade version, just don't tell anyone you got the recipe from me.

The Legendary Rum of St. Croix

Last night I attended an exclusive dinner put on by Cruzan Rum to kick off their new advertising pitch "The Legendary Rum of St. Croix." Of the 25 in attendance were some of the best and brightest in Seattle's bar scene. Needless to say I felt a little out of place, but that didn't stop me from enjoying six couses of tropical seafood dishes accompanied by seven delicious rum-based cocktails. The lighting was too dim for good photos, but hopefully seeing some of my favorites from the menu will serve to evoke a little jealousy.

Tandoori Coconut Prawns - Tandoori marinated, coconut crusted white prawns served with tropical fruit chutney and rum plum sauce.
Paired with Single Barrel Cider.

Crispy Pan Fried Hawaiian Snapper - Opakapaka marinated in light rum and pan seared served with quinoa cakes, citrus salad and rum infused passion fruit-coconut sauce.
Paired with a Hemingway Daquiri.

Rum Battered Fried Banana - Banana battered with rum-ginger ale tempura and fried. Served with rum caramel sauce and ginger bread ice cream.
Paired with Bananas Foster in a Glass. 

Of all the cocktails the one that stood out the most to me was the Single-Barrel Cider. The combination of ingredients would also work well if served hot, and the good people at Cruzan were kind enough to provide me the recipe.

Single Barrel Cider

1 1/2 oz. Cruzan Single Barrel

3/4 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

1 oz. Simple Syrup

2 oz. Apple Cider (Fresh, cloudy kind)

Freshly grate Cinnamon on top.

Rain Hat

It rained all week, then all day Saturday. Finally, it gave us a break on Sunday. When the weather gets like this I always find myself craving a cozy bar and some warm food. That's how I ended up at Hattie's Hat on Friday. A self-proclaimed "dive bar" this place has been in Ballard since the dawn of time. The bar itself is four-times my senior, and the food and decor would definitely be considered "classic", but sometimes it has exactly what I need; Chicken-fried Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Spinach Casserole, a Pabst, and a Wild Turkey on the rocks. It was just the trick to keep me warm on my walk home in the rain. It hit the spot so well, in fact, that I decided to reconstruct it here as something a little more updated, while still retaining its classic charm. This dish can be easily made for 1-2 people or multiplied to serve more, and is much faster to prepare than the original.

Pan-Fried Pork Chop with Spinach and Crushed Potatoes

Here I used boneless pork chops instead of chicken breast, and only dusted dusted them with flour rather that full-on breading them. The spinach I used was from the farmer's market and was large enought that it had to be cut up, but generally when using store-bought this wont be necessary. Finally, while I've seen the technique before, this is the first time I've prepared potatoes this way. The result is crispy and flavorful, not unlike homefries or hashbrowns.

Crushed Potatoes 

• 1 small bag baby potatoes, golfball sized
• 2 Tbsp butter
• salt and pepper to taste 

Pork Chops 

• 1 Tbsp Canola oil
• 2 thin cut boneless pork chops 
• salt and pepper 
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour 
• Parmigiano-Reggiano (for garnish)

Sauteed Spinach 

• 1 small onion, julienned 
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard 
• 1/4 cup buttermilk 
• 1 bunch (or bag) spinach 
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan. Add salt generously and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and cook at a low boil until they are tender enough to slide a knife in easily, aproximately 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and refrigerate.

Heat canola oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Measure flour into a shallow dish. Season each pork chop with salt and pepper then lightly coat with flour. Place chops into preheated pan and cook 2-3 minutes per side. When both sides are nicely browned remove chops from pan and cover with foil to keep warm. Return pan to heat and add butter.

At this point the potatoes should be cool enough to handle. On a cutting board gently crush each potato with the bottom of a glass, season liberally and set each gently into the pan. Cook two minutes per side, remove from pan, and add the onions. Allow these to brown and soften, 3 minutes, then stir in mustard and buttermilk. Add spinach and toss to wilt. Portion spinach onto plates, top with crushed potatoes and pork chop, and garnish with large shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano.