Okay, this wasn’t where I intended to go this morning, but on the way to a study of regional barbecue sauce styles, I got waylaid by bacon-infused (baconed) bourbon. This is Americana to the “Nth” degree, so I figured what the hell?
Why would a person do that?!! Bacon is bad!! Bourbon is alcohol, and its bad, bad, bad!! Let’s go have a tofu mocha and go for a jog. . . . Good, now they’re gone, and the rest of us adults, who are not deluding ourselves into thinking we’re gonna live forever, can talk. Apparently the idea is old. People have been infusing alcohol with fruits and all manner of things for centuries. It probably went along the lines of “Hmmmm, bacon is good. Bourbon is good. Hey, dude, you ever put bacon in your bourbon???”
The “Benton’s Old Fashioned” has become all the rage in the trendiest bars from San Francisco, to the Big Apple, and on to London, and Tokyo. Reportedly, asking for one in Edinborough can get your ass kicked, but all the bartenders there know how to make one anyway. Scots are loyal bastards, and they will not forgive America for bourbon any time soon. They’re also a lot tougher than most of us, so while there, keep your mouth shut and enjoy the single malts.
But elsewhere, the bacon does add a really nice smokey essence to a good bourbon. So, maybe we should start with what is a good bourbon. I did a little bourbon history lesson on this blog in June, 2009, when I put up the recipe for bourbon cake. Seven of the guys who laughed at me, later tried the bourbon cake and now they are making their own. (I’m just sayin’ . . .) However, since then, people have opined on occasion about bourbons left off the list, so at the end of this article, I will add some of their suggestions.
Once you make your bourbon selection, plan on adding one ounce of liquid bacon fat, rendered from a really good, smoky bacon, to 750 ml of bourbon, in a big wide mouth glass jar. You want the bacon fat cool, but not starting to solidify. Then seal it up and let it sit at room temperature for a minimum of four hours. It’s a taste thing, you’ll have to experiment to find the exact time on this. Ohhh, poor you!!!
Now put the jar in the freezer for at least two hours. The fat will congeal, and can easily be removed. You can run the bourbon through a strainer, and or a coffee filter to remove any residual fat solids.
So now you have baconed bourbon. What are ya gonna do with it? Well, from San Francisco to New Orleans, to New York, to London, to Tokyo and with a side trip to the Flagstaff House in Boulder, Colorado (one of the drop dead, hands down, best restaurants in the country), if you order a Benton’s Old Fashioned, this is what they are going to serve you.
2 oz baconed bourbon
1/4 oz maple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Stir with ice and pour into a cracked ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a twist of orange. In San Francisco, they often rim the glass with bits of sweet, smoky bacon, fried up crisp. Enjoy.
Good bourbons? Here is a consensus from a survey taken of professional bartenders from all over the country and reported in Outdoor Life magazine. Pick your poison and have a bacony good time.
Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old
Richer than molasses, this deep, dark bourbon checks in at an easy-sippin' 107 proof. If you want to respect your elders, there's no need to add water or ice. Just kick back, put your feet up and let Pappy do the rest.
Buffalo Trace
The flagship bourbon of the heralded Buffalo Trace distillery starts off with vanilla mint spiciness and mellows on the palate with a deep molasses finish. Keep a bottle of this in your liquor cabinet at all times and call it your 'house bourbon' and you'll be sure to impress your connoisseur friends.
Woodford Reserve
The official bourbon of the Breeder's Cup and Kentucky Derby, this 90.4 proof bourbon walks the line between complexity and mixability. You can enjoy its notes of corn, caramel and oak in a rocks glass by itself or you can use it in a mint julep or Manhattan.
Booker's
Aged six-to-eight years, this heavy duty bourbon is not for the light of tongue. At 121 proof it can be a little more intense than your average bourbon. But its notes of vanilla, tobacco and oak help you ride the long, intense finish.
Knob Creek
Sweet and rich, this 100-proof bourbon has hints of brown sugar and toasted nuts. It's aged nine years and was named National Whiskey Champion by Wine Enthusiast.
Eagle Rare 10 Year Old
This 90-proof well balanced bourbon is brimming with vanilla and toasted nut flavors which garnered it a double gold at the prestigious San Francisco spirits competition. If you're feeling flush, pick up a bottle of the even rarer Eagle Rare 17-year old.
Bulleit
Incorporating more rye into its mashbill than most other bourbons, Bulleit gives your palate an added spicy kick. The bottle that houses this 90-proof tipple was designed in tribute to the old-fashioned brown medicine flasks.
Maker's Mark
These distinctive wax-dipped bottles are like snowflakes-each one is different. But on the inside, each bottle contains the same smooth signature 90-proof bourbon that starts off with sweet corn and leather notes and sits on the palate with a long, rich caramel finish.
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
The Thunder Chicken got its name after a distillery executive used to bring this bourbon on turkey hunting trips. This 108 proof bourbon is a blend of six, eight and 12-year old barrels that gives it hints of citrus, caramel and sweet tobacco.
George T. Stagg
The grand daddy of all bourbons, this 140+ proof bourbon has been nicknamed 'Hazmat' because of its high alcohol content. Add a little water to this 15-year old and it will open up the coffee, citrus and oak flavors.
June 6, 2010
June 5, 2010
Cookie Science
Okay, so last night I was sitting in bed, munching on a bedtime cookie (yeah, like you’ve never done that . . . .)
And while enjoying the chewy little devil, I started thinking about the texture and why it was nice and chewy, instead of brittle and crunchy. (I think about stuff like this a lot, I don’t know why . . .).
So, I decided to spend some time studying the chemistry of cookies to see if I could unearth the answer to that question. Turns out it can be based on a number of variables, so I thought I would collect them and write them down.
Obviously, the ingredients are the primary factor. So, lets take a look at them individually.
First, we’ll talk about flour. The majority of cookie recipes use all-purpose or pastry flour. But bread flour, which has a high protein content, and cake flour, which is high in starch, both produce cookies that tend to keep their shape and not flatten out or “spread” in the baking process. This is because of the gluten in the bread flour and the absorbant starch in the cake flour, which act to produce a similar results.
Next, we’ll add fat. Fat has an important role in the spread of a cookie. All things being equal, the more fat you use, the flatter and crispier your cookie will be. Using less fat results in cookies that are puffier, or “cake-like”. The majority of cookies are made with either butter, margarine or shortening. Whipped spreads should not be used for baking. (I know, they’re “healthier”, but they are primarily whipped water, will reduce to nothing in the baking process and end up tasting like crap. If you have to sit and worry about every morsel of butter that goes into your system, you have bigger issues than butter and you shouldn’t be baking cookies anyway.)
Of the three, shortening and margarine tend to be more temperature stable, and will help cookies keep their original unbaked shapes. Butter melts at right about 99 degrees fahrenheit –which is a much lower temperature than the melting point of other solid fats--resulting in a “melt-in-your-mouth” burst of flavor (because that just happens to be your own body temperature, give or take a few tenths of a degree).
But, cookies made with butter tend to spread out. Since butter is an essential ingredient for some cookies, such as shortbreads, if they are not holding their shape, you should lower the amount of butter in the recipe. You can also get the same result by lowering the, amount of sugar, or baking soda in the recipe.
Then there are baking powder and baking soda to consider. Baking powder and baking soda are used as levening agents in cookies. (You can also use stiffly beaten egg whites in some delicate cookies, but you have to blend it in gently so you don’t ’break” the foam.) Baking soda is actually bicarbonate of soda. Baking powder is a combination of bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar. Why? Because Cream of tartar is acidic and sometimes you want your dough to be acidic. Baking soda neutralizes the acidity of the dough, which is what allows the cookies to brown in the oven. When you use baking powder, it does not reduce the acidity in the dough. So the cookies will turn out to be puffier and they will not brown as much.
Okay, now we’ll add the sugar. Sugar liquefies during the baking process. But the type you use will alter the product coming out of the oven. White sugar makes a crisper cookie than brown sugar or honey. Cookies made from brown sugar will absorb moisture after baking, helping to ensure that they stay chewy. Most chocolate chip cookie recipes contain both brown and white sugars. If you lower the amount of sugar called for in a cookie recipe, the final baked cookie will be puffier than its high-sugar counterpart.
You add eggs (or other liquids) to the cookie dough to act as an agent to bind the dry ingredients.. Liquids can either cause cookies to puff up or spread. If you use egg , you end up with a puffy, cake-like texture. If you use a tablespoon or two of water or other liquid instead of egg, it helps the cookies spread into flatter and crisper rounds. If you use only egg yolks to bind the dough, you end up with a rich tasting cookie with a generally crisper texture. If you use only egg whites, you end up with a cookie that is dry and cakey. You can alter this by adding extra sugar, but it ends up being a really sweet cookie, like a macaroon.
You can also alter your finished product by the mechanical processes you use.
Mixing
Mixing is important to the finished product. Some recipes call for you to cream the fat and sugars together until light-colored and fluffy. Other cookies call for almost a sandy texture, which you accomplish by cutting the fat into the flour. If you over-mix, you will add too much air into the dough. When that goes away in the baking process you end up with a big, flat cookie. The best route is to follow the recipe instructions. Or if you’re winging it, like I do, make sure that once you get all your dry and wet ingredients together, mix until just combined.
Temperature
Unless the recipe says differently, ingredients should be at room temperature before mixing. However, once its mixed, cookie dough can be chilled before baking so it holds its shape better. Rolled and cut-out cookies should be refrigerated before baking for sharper, clearer edges. Drop cookies, such as chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies, can be at room temperature before baking; the spoonfuls of dough will spread and flatten out to the desired result.
Equipment and Baking
Different baking sheets and ovens produce different results. Thin baking sheets convey to much heat and the cookie bottoms will brown too fast. Special insulated baking sheets allow air movement and help cookies bake much more evenly. Jellyroll pans (semi-thick rimmed baking sheets) are a really good baking tool. No matter which type you use. You have the choice of greasing the baking surface, using parchment paper or a nonstick pan liner. Each of these last two choices makes cookie removal and clean-up really easy.
Baking Temperature
Follow the recipe guidelines for baking temps. But cookies are usually baked in at a medium temperature of 350 degrees F. And only for eight to twelve minutes, depending on the size of the cookie. Then if you wish to enjoy chewy cookies, allow them to cool on the pan for three to five before transferring to a cooling rack. For crispier cookies, let them cool for only one minute on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
Hope this helps you understand more about cookie science. Now, go make some cookies.
And while enjoying the chewy little devil, I started thinking about the texture and why it was nice and chewy, instead of brittle and crunchy. (I think about stuff like this a lot, I don’t know why . . .).
So, I decided to spend some time studying the chemistry of cookies to see if I could unearth the answer to that question. Turns out it can be based on a number of variables, so I thought I would collect them and write them down.
Obviously, the ingredients are the primary factor. So, lets take a look at them individually.
First, we’ll talk about flour. The majority of cookie recipes use all-purpose or pastry flour. But bread flour, which has a high protein content, and cake flour, which is high in starch, both produce cookies that tend to keep their shape and not flatten out or “spread” in the baking process. This is because of the gluten in the bread flour and the absorbant starch in the cake flour, which act to produce a similar results.
Next, we’ll add fat. Fat has an important role in the spread of a cookie. All things being equal, the more fat you use, the flatter and crispier your cookie will be. Using less fat results in cookies that are puffier, or “cake-like”. The majority of cookies are made with either butter, margarine or shortening. Whipped spreads should not be used for baking. (I know, they’re “healthier”, but they are primarily whipped water, will reduce to nothing in the baking process and end up tasting like crap. If you have to sit and worry about every morsel of butter that goes into your system, you have bigger issues than butter and you shouldn’t be baking cookies anyway.)
Of the three, shortening and margarine tend to be more temperature stable, and will help cookies keep their original unbaked shapes. Butter melts at right about 99 degrees fahrenheit –which is a much lower temperature than the melting point of other solid fats--resulting in a “melt-in-your-mouth” burst of flavor (because that just happens to be your own body temperature, give or take a few tenths of a degree).
But, cookies made with butter tend to spread out. Since butter is an essential ingredient for some cookies, such as shortbreads, if they are not holding their shape, you should lower the amount of butter in the recipe. You can also get the same result by lowering the, amount of sugar, or baking soda in the recipe.
Then there are baking powder and baking soda to consider. Baking powder and baking soda are used as levening agents in cookies. (You can also use stiffly beaten egg whites in some delicate cookies, but you have to blend it in gently so you don’t ’break” the foam.) Baking soda is actually bicarbonate of soda. Baking powder is a combination of bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar. Why? Because Cream of tartar is acidic and sometimes you want your dough to be acidic. Baking soda neutralizes the acidity of the dough, which is what allows the cookies to brown in the oven. When you use baking powder, it does not reduce the acidity in the dough. So the cookies will turn out to be puffier and they will not brown as much.
Okay, now we’ll add the sugar. Sugar liquefies during the baking process. But the type you use will alter the product coming out of the oven. White sugar makes a crisper cookie than brown sugar or honey. Cookies made from brown sugar will absorb moisture after baking, helping to ensure that they stay chewy. Most chocolate chip cookie recipes contain both brown and white sugars. If you lower the amount of sugar called for in a cookie recipe, the final baked cookie will be puffier than its high-sugar counterpart.
You add eggs (or other liquids) to the cookie dough to act as an agent to bind the dry ingredients.. Liquids can either cause cookies to puff up or spread. If you use egg , you end up with a puffy, cake-like texture. If you use a tablespoon or two of water or other liquid instead of egg, it helps the cookies spread into flatter and crisper rounds. If you use only egg yolks to bind the dough, you end up with a rich tasting cookie with a generally crisper texture. If you use only egg whites, you end up with a cookie that is dry and cakey. You can alter this by adding extra sugar, but it ends up being a really sweet cookie, like a macaroon.
You can also alter your finished product by the mechanical processes you use.
Mixing
Mixing is important to the finished product. Some recipes call for you to cream the fat and sugars together until light-colored and fluffy. Other cookies call for almost a sandy texture, which you accomplish by cutting the fat into the flour. If you over-mix, you will add too much air into the dough. When that goes away in the baking process you end up with a big, flat cookie. The best route is to follow the recipe instructions. Or if you’re winging it, like I do, make sure that once you get all your dry and wet ingredients together, mix until just combined.
Temperature
Unless the recipe says differently, ingredients should be at room temperature before mixing. However, once its mixed, cookie dough can be chilled before baking so it holds its shape better. Rolled and cut-out cookies should be refrigerated before baking for sharper, clearer edges. Drop cookies, such as chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies, can be at room temperature before baking; the spoonfuls of dough will spread and flatten out to the desired result.
Equipment and Baking
Different baking sheets and ovens produce different results. Thin baking sheets convey to much heat and the cookie bottoms will brown too fast. Special insulated baking sheets allow air movement and help cookies bake much more evenly. Jellyroll pans (semi-thick rimmed baking sheets) are a really good baking tool. No matter which type you use. You have the choice of greasing the baking surface, using parchment paper or a nonstick pan liner. Each of these last two choices makes cookie removal and clean-up really easy.
Baking Temperature
Follow the recipe guidelines for baking temps. But cookies are usually baked in at a medium temperature of 350 degrees F. And only for eight to twelve minutes, depending on the size of the cookie. Then if you wish to enjoy chewy cookies, allow them to cool on the pan for three to five before transferring to a cooling rack. For crispier cookies, let them cool for only one minute on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
Hope this helps you understand more about cookie science. Now, go make some cookies.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
