liquor - Blogs - Tripatini2024-03-28T12:15:03Zhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/liquorMamajuana, the Dominican Republic’s Boozy Cure-allhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/mamajuana-the-dominican-republic-s-boozy-cure-all2013-08-11T19:31:06.000Z2013-08-11T19:31:06.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell16<div><p><a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/iStock_000010738692XSmall.jpg" target="_blank"><img width="292" class="align-left" src="http://passportto.iberostar.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/iStock_000010738692XSmall.jpg?width=292" alt="iStock_000010738692XSmall.jpg?width=292" /></a>As I travel around the <strong>Caribbean</strong> (and to some extent this is true in Latin America, too), I find nearly every island has some kind of homegrown hooch (often rum-based) that purports to be “medicinal” (and sometimes certainly tastes the part), often including revitalizing, curative, and even aphrodisiac qualities. And if you visit the <strong>Dominican Republic</strong>, you may well come across the Dominican variation on this type of esteemed elixir.<br /><br />The name <strong>mamajuana</strong> (Spanish for “Mama Jane”) is thought to derive from <em>Dama Juana</em> (Lady Jane), which referred to a traditional kind of large glass jar with a short, narrow neck. Although there is increasing commercial manufacture of mamajuana, it’s still mostly a homemade potion, and everyone has a different recipe. Basically, though, it usually involves botanicals – sticks, leaves, bark, roots, herbs – essentially pickled in 40-proof rum and sometimes leavened with other flavors and sweeteners such as honey, cinnamon, molasses, vanilla, or red wine. And that’s not even counting the animal parts some people add – snails, octopus, and sea turtle penis, anyone?<br /><br />And honestly, most of the time the resulting brew can look a bit, well, nasty. But most the the versions I’ve tasted actually come across a bit funky – a little hard to describe, actually, but ranging from not bad to downright appealing, and the commercial brands increasingly found on store shelves can be downright silky (one good one is called Kalembú). And while traditionally the drink is imbibed straight or on the rocks, in recent years it’s been finding its way into cocktail culture, either in versions of popular tipples like mojitos, bloody marys (bloody juanas?), and cosmos, but also new inventions like the <em>motoconcho</em> (mamajuana mixed with vodka and rum, garnished with a couple of cherries).<br /><br />And that “medicinal” part? Mamajuana is held to help with headaches, colds and flu, to help get pregnant or keep from getting pregnant – and of course the ol’ libido (some have taken to referring to it as “liquid Viagra”). Honestly, on that last point I can’t say I noticed much difference, but what the hey. For me it will always evoke warm memories of the Caribbean – particularly the beautiful corner of the Caribbean known as the <strong>Dominican Republic</strong>.<br /><br /><em>¡Salud!</em></p>
<p><br /><span class="font-size-1"><em>Photo | Cristian Lazzari/iStock Photo</em></span></p>
<p></p></div>Classic & Vintage Spirits Showcased in Pop Up Tour Across the USAhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/dswe-classic-vintage-pop-up-tour2012-10-25T13:40:56.000Z2012-10-25T13:40:56.000ZSteve Mirskyhttps://tripatini.com/members/SteveMirsky964<div><p><a href="http://gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/DSWE-Founders-105x300.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-left" src="http://gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/DSWE-Founders-105x300.jpg?width=105" width="105" alt="DSWE-Founders-105x300.jpg?width=105" /></a></p><p>In 1999 Paolo and Allison Domeneghetti departed careers in the fine and culinary arts to focus on a unified passion of</p><p><a href="http://gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/spicypaloma1-e1350700607325-300x300.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-right" src="http://gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/spicypaloma1-e1350700607325-300x300.jpg?width=210" width="210" alt="spicypaloma1-e1350700607325-300x300.jpg?width=210" /></a></p><p>bringing the best spirits to market using sustainable partnerships with producers and suppliers. Since then they haven't looked back adhering to their philosophy that culture, art and science are equally expressed through wine and spirits. The craft of production reveals just as much heritage as the way it may taste on the palate. Time honored traditions and just the right ingredients produce wine and spirits that unleash a vast array of aromas, textures and flavors....all the more so when paired with foods.</p><p>Paolo and Allison founded <a href="http://www.domaineselect.com/">Domaine Select Wine Estates</a> (DSWE) to effectively import top-quality wines and spirits that uniquely reflect their origins...both terroir and cultural influences...like the <a href="http://www.excelliatequila.com/home.php?page=14&lang=EN">Excellia Blanco</a> in the Spicy Paloma and the Averna Amaro in the Black Manhattan cocktails deftly concocted at the first stop of <a href="http://www.domaineselect.com/page_templates/news.cfm?id=939">DSWE's Popup Tour</a> in NYC's <a href="http://www.kenandcook.com/">Ken & Cook</a>.</p><p><a href="http://www.excelliatequila.com/home.php?page=14&lang=EN">Excellia Blanco</a> tequila is mellow yet ripe with fresh agave. By resting a few weeks in grand cru Sauternes wine casks<a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008732667,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008732667,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="258" height="258" alt="9008732667?profile=original" /></a> and cognac barrels, it benefits from a light infusion of brandy and sweet wine yielding a faint golden hue. You get a complex mix of spices, vanilla, and fruits on the nose with a finish that’s long on the palate peppered with dried spices and faint jasmine notes.</p><p><a href="http://www.avernausa.com/home.html">Averna Amaro</a>, a popular Italian bitter with a deeply complex flavor profile, is still made with all natural ingredients using the original 1868 recipe created by Salvatore Averna. Yes even in this modern world of expiration dates & requisite preservatives, Averna is simply comprised of herbs, roots, and citrus rinds soaked in a base liquor before caramel is added for sweetness. That’s it, no artificial “enhancements”! Enjoy straight either before dinner (<em>apéritif</em>) or after (<em>digéstif</em>). I found that sipping it straight came in handy after a few other cocktails served up at the Ken & Cook bash.</p><blockquote><em>Photos courtesy of Steve Mirsky and DSWE<br /></em></blockquote></div>Riding The Whiskey Trail in Scotland's Speyside at the Macallan Distilleryhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/riding-the-whiskey-trail-on-the-speyside-at-the-macallan2014-05-19T14:08:03.000Z2014-05-19T14:08:03.000ZNicholas Kontishttps://tripatini.com/members/NicholasKontis<div><p><img alt="" src="http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/40854839.jpg" width="500" height="375" /></p><p><br />Growing up and living in the cultural mecca of San Francisco, and having a wife who makes palatable, refined wine as a hobby. I'm drawn to the travel destination that also produce a delectable spirit.</p><p>In early November I embarked on the one hour Easy Jet flight from London Gatwick to Edinburgh to make my first visit to Scotland, and finally live the dream of my first sojourn to the Whiskey Trail, and taste the amber "nectar of the gods," in its native land, the destination that had eluded me in a life of travel.</p><p><a href="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Macallan-Distillery-Barrels1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6907" alt="" src="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Macallan-Distillery-Barrels1.jpg" width="1024" height="768" /></a></p><p>Barrels of Liquid Gold</p><p>Everyone has a favorite food, wine, or spirit. Mine just happens to be a fine single malt whiskey, and one of my favorites is The Macallan. Having only 6 days in Scotland forced me to get my priorities straight. I clearly could not see the whole of Scotland in a few days, and knowing that Scotland consists of four scotch whiskey producing regions: The Lowlands, Islay, the Highlands, and Speyside, I could only travel to one area. I chose to visit the Speyside region as here I would experience many of the flavors I enjoy in a refined single malt which can be found in the terrain in the Speyside region. I wanted to experience first-hand the scents and flavors of the region, and learn more about the whiskey's citrus, vanilla, dried fruits, apple, spices and what makes Macallen's so flavorful. The greatest concentration of Single Malt Scotch Whiskey distilleries can be found in the Speyside region of Scotland.</p><p><a href="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Macallan-Distillery-Tour1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6909" alt="" src="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Macallan-Distillery-Tour1.jpg" width="1024" height="768" /></a></p><p>Macallan Distillery Tour</p><p>High on a hill overlooking the river Spey in Craigellachie, just outside of Abelour, with magnificent views of Ben Rinnes, lies my main reason for my Scotland sojourn, ‘The Macallan.’ Yes, this trip was about Scotch whiskey , the essence of life, a fine single malt. The area, between the cities of Inverness and Aberdeen, sweeps from granite mountains down to fertile countryside and is universally acknowledged as the heartland of malt whiskey distillation. Speyside Single Malts are noted in general for their elegance and complexity, and often a refined smokiness. The question would be, would I get to visit any whiskey houses, after all, I was arriving at the Whiskey Trail after October and many of the distilleries are closed for the winter months. As good fortune would prevail, The Macallan is open all year long.</p><p><a href="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Macallan-House.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6900" alt="" src="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Macallan-House.jpg" width="1024" height="768" /></a></p><p>The Macallan House, Easter Elchies</p><p>I learned that the Macallen Estate and Easter Elchies House was built in 1700. Today, the Macallan Estate covers 370 acres, compromising of land to grow their own barely. The Macallan and pasture is also home to sheep and cattle , and the mown grassland attracts many species of birds. The river Spey, one of Scotland's most famous salmon rivers, borders the Estate to the south and south-east. The scale and diversity of the Estate is unique among distilleries and is managed in harmony with the beautiful landscape. The Macallan Estate lies in an area of great natural beauty and is farmed sensitively in harmony with the environment. 95 acres are sown in March with The Macallan Estate’s Minstrel barley (a variety exclusive to The Macallan is harvested in late August / early September for malting. The Estate farmland is very fertile, with light, alluvial soils, ideal for barley growing. A single acre will produce nearly two and a half tons of Minstrel barley, which will yield about 1,800 bottles of The Macallan.</p><p><a href="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Macallan-Grounds.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6901" alt="" src="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Macallan-Grounds.jpg" width="1024" height="768" /></a></p><p>Manicured Grass on the grounds of The Macallan Distillery</p><p>Macallan’s was not bottled as a single malt until the late 1970’s and is now recognized worldwide as one of the finest and most sought after whiskies in the world. Much of this liquid gold is matured in sherry casks from Jerez, Spain, although more recently The Macallan also uses other casks as well. Macallan uses the smallest spirit stills on the Speyside. Today Macallan is the third largest selling Scotch single malt whiskey only behind Glenfiddich and Glenlivet. Macallen can be found primarily in 12 and 18 year old bottles, but also can be found in 10 years, and the rare and most expensive 25 year old, and even a 30 year old.</p><p><a href="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Macallan-Proudly-Displayed-Bottles.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6905" alt="" src="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Macallan-Proudly-Displayed-Bottles.jpg" width="1024" height="768" /></a></p><p>The Final Product Proudly Displayed</p><p>The commitment and craftsmanship of the Macallan Masters has been a labor of love producing whiskey perfection for two centuries. So, it would be on an overcast November day that I would visit “liquid heaven.”</p><p></p><p></p><p><em>About the Author: Nick Kontis - Travel Expert and Founder of the World Travel List</em></p><p><em>Nick Kontis started out as a world traveler at an early age traveling back and forth between California and Greece every summer. But it was a backpacking trip around the world at age 24 that proved to be a life changing experience. After traveling by car, train, , plane, bike and, boat around the world, it would be this trip of a lifetime that would lead to a life as a travel entrepreneur and world traveler. Nick has been on both radio and television. Featured on Arthur Frommer’s television show, and referred by Lonely Planet writers. Frequently mentioned as the “father of around the world airfares.” Arthur Frommer once said, “If Jules Verne were alive today he would use Nick to go around the world in 80 days.” Nick and his various travel companies have sent over 10,000 people taking their dream trip through airfare discounts of as much as 50% off the airlines published fares. Now Nick promotes travel through his World Travel List and ‘Trip Rambler’ by World Travel List. Having traveled to over 80 countries Nick hopes to inspire others to travel the world</em></p></div>On Crete, Locals Greet Fall with the Tsikoudia Festivalhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/crete-greece-tsikoudia-festival2013-10-23T16:16:14.000Z2013-10-23T16:16:14.000ZCorina Maneahttps://tripatini.com/members/CorinaManea<div><p> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tsoumplekas/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008800460,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" alt="9008800460?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tsoumplekas/" target="_blank">Christos Tsoumplekas</a></em></span></p>
<p><br />Last weekend the final two races of the <a href="http://www.cucup.org/en" target="_blank">Cretan Union Cup Regatta</a> took place off Agios Nikolaos – the first event of this kind celebrating 100 years of <a href="http://www.visitgreece.gr/en/greek_islands/crete" target="_blank">Crete Island</a> union with mainland <a href="http://www.visitgreece.gr/" target="_blank">Greece</a> and to honor the Cretan culture.</p>
<p>Cretans have a lot history and modern-day culture to be proud of and, once again, they’ve proven the Minoan’s spirit is still alive on the Island. As November and fall come to Crete, these Islanders prepare for autumn activities: grape gathering, wine and tsikoudia making, among others.</p>
<p>Starting the first week of November, Tsikoudia, a local spirit also known as raki, is the subject of yet another great Cretan festival in Voukolies, West Crete.</p>
<p>Tsikoudia or raki is a local Cretan strong distilled spirit with approximately 37% alcohol per volume (it’s similar to Scotch whiskey or gin), it’s produced from must-residue of the wine press. After the grape harvest, when the vines have been pruned, the remaining crushed grape skins comprising seeds, pulp and stems are distilled to produce Tsikoudia. The entire process is a family and friends celebration, where everyone brings food to share while sampling the drink as it is being made.</p>
<p>This is the Cretan’s way of paying tribute to gods for giving them fertile soil, as least historically. Research into the history of Tsikoudia tells us it was the favorite drink of ancient Minoans and Myceneans, and accompanied each of their meals. Though the Minoans diet was quite different from the nowadays Mediterranean diet (included meat and the fish was the last on their list), it is thought Tsikoudia was always present at mealtime.</p>
<p>Every autumn, Cretans celebrate the end of the grape harvesting by drinking tsikoudia. The name tsikoudia is also unique to Crete, as the rest of Greece tends to drink a similar spirit called tsipouro. This clear and fragrant liquor is offered to visitors as a welcoming gesture, or at the end of a meal, and it is served straight, in shot glasses, usually well chilled.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/62963259@N05/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008800086,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008800086?profile=original" width="750" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/62963259@N05/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Manos Perakakis</span></a></p>
<p><br />So this fall the warmth and friendliness Cretans are famous for is once again played out at the local level. Villagers and townsfolk, always willing to share with visitors the best of their culture, are welcomed once again to the Voukolies. So if you are on the Island, or intend visiting, be sure and share in the festivities.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.greeka.com/crete/chania/chania-villages/chania-voukolies.htm" target="_blank">Voukolies</a> is a little over half an hour South and West of Chania by car or bus. Be sure not to miss the Saturday market the village is noted for, too. <strong><br /> <br /> </strong></p></div>