22 November 2012

Flavour of the Week



The flavour of the week is persimmon. Persimmons are the edible fruit of a number of species of ebony trees in the genus Diospyros., however not all species of ebony trees bear edible fruit. In color the ripe fruit of the cultivated strains range from light yellow-orange to dark red-orange depending on the species and variety. They similarly vary in size from 1.5 to 9 cm in diameter, and in shape the varieties may be spherical, acorn, or pumpkin-shaped. The ripe fruit have a high glucose content. The protein content is low, but such as it is, it has a balanced protein profile. Like the tomato, persimmons are not popularly considered to be berries, but in terms of botanical morphology the fruit is in fact a berry.
Persimmon fruit have been put to various medicinal and chemical uses. The astringency of dried persimmons help to prevent diarrhea and stop the bleeding associated with hemorrhoids. The fruit also helps to prevent cancer thanks to its high content of beta-carotene, sibutol and betulinic acid. A new study in Japan seems to have established that persimmons actually slow the aging process due to the presence of proanthocyanidin, a compound that resides in the fruit’s skin.

There are two types of persimmons: astringent and non-astringent.
As novice persimmon eaters often belatedly discover, the astringent persimmon has two personalities. When ripe, it possesses a rich, sweet, spicy flavor. The unripened fruit, however, tastes so bitter that biting into it causes the mouth to pucker. However as the fruit ripens and softens, the tannins become inert and the astringency disappears. You can wash a Fuyu persimmon and eat it like an apple, either whole or cut into slices or wedges. The thicker-skinned Hachiya can be messy to bite into, and is easier to handle if halved lengthwise and eaten from the skin with a spoon. Persimmons are excellent blended into margaritas or in an autumnal version of a bellini.

20 November 2012

Harold McGee Does it Again!


 We here at Drink Factory love Harold McGee. First of all, he's brilliant. Secondly, you could not find a more lovely, humble man on the planet. So imagine our chagrin when we found ourselves a little, well, angry at the man. We now have to rethink the way sugar cooks and caramelises?? It would appear so... Thanks, Harold for once again shifting the paradigm. Read the article that will change the way you think about sugar FOREVER below.




http://www.curiouscook.com/

06 November 2012

MurrayAid

Murray Stenson has been serving people for over three decades (36 years to be exact) from behind Seattle's most esteemed bars. Now, he has a heart ailment that prevents him from working in the profession to which he has given so much. This online fund, MurrayAid, has been established to raise money for his medical expenses.
Go to the MurrayAid Facebook Page for up-to-date information on progress, photos, and Murray anecdotes (everybody has at least one), and watch this page for a comprehensive list of upcoming events and ways to help our friend who has brought so much joy and laughter to so many people. Click on the link below to donate now and look out for a benefit to be organized at 69 Colebrooke Row later in the year.
http://murrayaid.org/

05 November 2012

The Art of Scent at the Museum of Art and Design



If you are lucky enough to be in NYC anytime from  November 13, 2012 to February 24, 2013 do yourself a favor and go see this exhibit at the Museum of Art and Design.
"The Art of Scent 1889-2012 is the first major museum exhibition to recognize scent as a major medium of artistic creation and fifteen artists who work in this medium.
The exhibition focuses on twelve works made between 1889 and 2012, and will include Jicky, created by Aimé Guerlain in 1889; Ernest Beaux’s Chanel N° 5 from 1921; Jean-Claude Ellena’s Osmanthe Yunnan from 2006; and Daniela Andrier’s Untitled, created in 2010.
Each scent was selected by curator Chandler Burr to reveal the evolution of aesthetics in the medium or to illustrate major innovations in scent design. Among the innovations was the introduction of synthetic raw materials, which appeared in the late nineteenth century. Before then, the creation of scents was limited to only natural ingredients; synthetics transformed artisanal products into works of art."

The Absinthe Depot- Berlin


 
The last time we were in Berlin we stumbled upon a little shop with a lot of beautiful bottles in the window. Upon closer inspection we realized all the bottles were absinthe. Peering in, we saw tables with young hip looking people perched on stools, smoking, and drinking what appeared to be absinthe. Clearly, we went in the door.
Inside was a dizzying array of absinthes and wonderful German and Swiss eau-de-vies, many of which you simply can’t find outside of those countries. The staff is knowledgeable and more than willing to give you a taste of something if they have it open before you commit to buying.
I put a few questions to Hermann Plöckl, the proprietor of the Absinthe Depot. Next time you are in Berlin go and check it out. (Just make sure to behave yourself…)

1.How many absinthes do you carry?
"We have about 150 different Absinthes, most of them in different sizes."
2.How long has the shop been open?
"We have been open since the early 1990s, and have focused on absinthe since the late 1990s."
3.Do you get mostly locals or tourists coming in?
"The locals buy, the tourists take pictures. But they both come in."
4.What are a few of your favourite absinthes?
"Angelique, La P´tite, Butterfly"
5.Do you have any amusing story or anecdote about absinthe you like to share?
"Sorry, the behavior and the questions of some of the visitors might be considered as amusing, but in reality it’s more depressing."

So there you have it! Absinthe Depot is a lovely spot with a stunning range of absinthes. Just remember to behave yourself and don’t take pictures and you and Hermann will get along just fine…

Location:

Weinmeisterstraße 4  10178 Berlin, Germany
030 2816789