Saxtons River Sapling Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned w. Orange Air
Saxtons River Sapling Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned w. Orange Air
Ingredients:
2 oz Saxtons River Sapling Maple Bourbon
.25 oz Simple Syrup
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
3 Dashes Orange Bitters
Orange Juice
Soy Lecithin
Dried Orange Wheel
Make 1 Serving
The Old Fashioned is just that, an old fashioned mainstay beloved by whiskey lovers. Dating back to the late 1800s this cocktail has stood the test of time. In modern day mixology we see many unique iterations of this beverage as bartenders and bar owners battle it out to stay ahead over the curve when it comes to innovative and imaginative cocktail menus. This version is unique in that it uses a maple flavored bourbon and also includes the addition of orange air.
Orange Air Instructions:
Add 800 ml of orange juice in a wide and deep dish. Add 1 generous teaspoon of soy lecithin granules.
Using an immersion blender, whip air into the orange juice. This takes a few minutes but the result will be a stable foam which can hold its shape for up to an hour. Once you are happy with your air, set it aside and assemble your cocktail.
Notes: When adding the orange juice to the vessel that you will be blending in, make sure that the liquid is not too deep. There should be no more than 1-2 inches of liquid in your container. You also do not want to fully submerge the immersion blender.
Maple Old Fashioned Instructions:
Add bourbon, simple syrup, orange bitters, and angostura bitters into a cocktail stirring glass and fill with ice. Stir for about 45 seconds or until you notice that the ice has begun to melt in the glass.
Pour mixture over fresh ice in a rocks glass.
Top with orange air and a dried orange wheel.
Enjoy!
Winter Workshops
Winters here mark a time of renewal. Our couples of the the 2022 wedding season are gone and married, and now we turn our focus toward our 2023 couples. We are also given a chance to catch our breaths a bit, and to reconnect with our loved ones. As we reset, we think about creative ways to continue our outreach and community engagement. This year, Frank and I have been putting on workshops at various locations, like Willow Brook and Saxtons River Distillery.
There is a lot of thought and time put into each event. I want to make sure that it feels personalized and thoughtfully put together. For Instance, My first workshop was making dried floral wreaths. I foraged grapevines from our property and wove them into circles. I sourced dried flowers from Great Meadow Farm, which is located right here in Westmoreland (source locally when you can!!). I also had my own selection of dried flowers that I preserved myself. I foraged interesting fungi and mosses to add to the wreath as well.
Some Poppin’ Polypores
Dried flowers provided by Great Meadow Farm of Westmoreland, NH
I love seeing the ideas that everyone comes up with. I start by giving a demonstration, but I only use a tiny portion from the items available to everyone. These workshops leave room for participants to come up with their own design concept that is unique to the person!
My next round of workshops will be making terrariums! I plan to do a blog post on this subject before the workshop, to give my participants ideas ahead of time on personalized touches they can bring along with them.
This whole time, I have yet to mention Frank’s portion of these workshops. We often offer a dual workshop, where you learn 3 cocktails from Frank, followed by a workshop with me. You can get an idea of what to expect from Frank by looking back at our previous blog posts, which share his cocktail recipes he taught earlier on.
Arrange and Sip at Willow Brook in Westmoreland, NH.
If you are interested in attending a workshop, you can do so by heading to our events page. This will give you information on upcoming workshops and how you can purchase your tickets. Also, please feel free to comment on any workshops you would like to see that we aren’t already offering! I hope to see you there!
Kristen's Espresso Martini
Kristen’s Nitrogen Infused Espresso Martini
Ingredients:
2oz Vodka
2oz Espresso
2oz Creme de Cacao
Coffee beans
Makes 2 Servings
Everyone loves an espresso martini! Rich, creamy, and lightly sweet this brewed blunder packs a kick of caffeine which any good time girl can rely on. In fact, this beverage was created for just that by mixologist Dick Bradsel in 1980’s London for a young model who needed a liquid companion to uplift her spirits. As simple as it is, I think it is nearly perfect and does not need much in terms of creative infusion. For that reason I am keeping it simple with just the substitution of coffee liqueur for creme de cacao and a nitro-infusion for a little modern flare.
Here’s how to make Kristen’s Espresso Martini:
Instructions:
Add vodka, espresso, and creme de cacao in a shaker tin and fill with ice. Shake for 10 seconds.
Double strain and pour the mixture into the nitrogen infusion canister.
Dispense equally into two martini glasses. Top each with 3 coffee beans.
What is nitrogen and why is it in my cocktail?
Nitrogen is one of the most abundant elements on the planet. It is a gas that is odorless and tasteless. To add nitrogen to a liquid it requires pressure (provided by the steel canister) and cold temperatures (ice) to dissolve. When dispensed the infused gas first tries to escape the glass by rushing downward to the bottom. The nitrogen then travels upward releasing around the rim of the glass. The result is a light and creamy textured foam which forms on the top of the beverage.
Love is in the Air - Elderflower Margarita with Citrus Air
Elderflower Margarita w/ Citrus Air
Ingredients:
3 Ounces Silver or Reposado Tequila
1.5 Ounce Lime Juice
1 Ounce Simple Syrup
1 Ounce Elderberry Flower
800ml Ounces Orange Juice
1 Teaspoon Soy Lecithin
.5 Teaspoon Beet Powder
Dried Lime Wheel
Makes Two Servings
Citrus air was the inspiration for this cocktail. Citrus air is a light bubbly substance that is created by whipping citrus with an emersion blender. The goal is to froth the citrus juice in combination with soy lecithin to create a very light foam that will hold its shape. The airy foam will then be used to accent our cocktail as a flavor and color contrasting topper. Soy lecithin is derived from soy and can be used for many purposes, some of which include acting as a food stabilizer (our purpose) and a nutritional supplement.
Making the citrus air is easy. Follow these two steps:
Citrus Air
In a wide bottomed bowl or dish add the orange juice, soy lecithin, and beet powder.
Use an immersion blender or frother to whip the mixture until it creates an air like foam. Make sure not to completely submerge the blender as you need to be sure that you are whipping in air.
Helpful Tips:
The citrus mixture should be shallow in its dish. Since you need air to whip the mixture it is best to have the most surface area possible.
Prep the air before making your cocktail as the soy lecithin helps the air hold its shape for up to an hour!
Use contrasting or complementary flavors for your cocktail for a more complex flavor.
Elderflower Margarita with Citrus Air Build Instructions:
In a shaker tin combine tequila or mezcal, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, elderflower cordial, and ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds or until ice starts to form on the outside of the shaker tin.
Pour your margarita into a rocks glass and fill with ice.
Top the margarita with your citrus air and garnish with a dried lime wheel.
Taking the Hard Path
Time and time again, I am asked what Frank and I do during the winter months. I know that the majority of farmers living in a cold climate experience this as well. First off, there are a multitude of duties to perform while our soil rest. We have seeds to start, dahlias to bring back to life, plugs to tend to, and not to mention maintaining friendships.
Currently, we are dealing with one of the most grueling winter tasks: protecting our low tunnels and hoop house. Yesterday we woke up to a collapsed low tunnel. We got our snow pants on and got to work. With the low tunnel’s hoops being made of PVC, the house bounced right back up as we removed the snow. One piece did snap, but that is an easy fix. Our low tunnels are 3 years old and this is the first problem we have had! After shoveling the wet, heavy snow, I knew that my hilltop hoop house could be in peril.
We built our hoop house this past summer in a recently logged spot at the highest point our family’s land. The hoop house was not a kit; it came in a million pieces from a fellow Westmorelander for $300. We had no instructions to go by, just the information my farmer friend volunteered. The final outcome is in fact a working hoop house, but I will admit there are a lot of mysterious extra pieces still lying around. So here we are, our first winter with a hoop house, in a location with no road access, surrounded by trees.
I took a video to show you my journey up to the greenhouse. In the summer months, the hike leaves me gasping for air. Yesterday, I did this trek in snow gear, through 18 inches of snow. I am glad I did, though! There was heavy snow building up on both ends of the hoop house’s roof. The sides of greenhouse were piling up as well. The weight of the heavy, wet snow was pushing in on the greenhouse plastic.
End result: The hoop house lives to see another day! But I must remember, while I won this battle, there is no certainty that I will win the next. I will remain vigilant and guarded as I await the next storm’s arrival… which is tomorrow.