Post by cjm on Feb 19, 2014 5:11:05 GMT
Your favourite poison
Basically, there is nothing like water for stretching alcohol, and the long drink of whisky, bourbon or light brandies diluted with water almost makes one believe that alcohol is thirst quenching. But heed the saying: “When I drink a whisky I become another man, and this other man needs a whisky.”
Finally, one can always neutralize alcohol with sugar, letting a sweet tooth
compound one’s indulgence. Thus we have the sugar lump dipped in brandy,
West Indian punch and an endless series of cocktails and liqueurs.
Out of sheer curiosity, I have drunk numerous spirits throughout the world,
ranging from Arrack with the mezze in Beirut, to Ouzo in the Greek tavernas,
Pisco, the cold Muscat grape brandy in Peru and Chile (which both lay claim to
its invention), and saké, a rice—based spirit, from tiny cups in Tokyo. It is in
Mexico, however, that I came across the most original way of enjoying alcohol.
Mexican Tequila is a brandy obtained by distilling the fermented juice of the
agave plant; it has little aroma and its taste is particularly sharp; its fiery character is therefore avoided by a contrast of flavours. Just before downing the spirit you bite into the segments of a lime or lick a few grains of salt off the back of your hand, and the Tequila, thus tamed, tastes softer and sweeter.
As you can see, man has contrived all sorts of ways of making his favourite poison attractive and inoffensive.
Peynaud p229
Basically, there is nothing like water for stretching alcohol, and the long drink of whisky, bourbon or light brandies diluted with water almost makes one believe that alcohol is thirst quenching. But heed the saying: “When I drink a whisky I become another man, and this other man needs a whisky.”
Finally, one can always neutralize alcohol with sugar, letting a sweet tooth
compound one’s indulgence. Thus we have the sugar lump dipped in brandy,
West Indian punch and an endless series of cocktails and liqueurs.
Out of sheer curiosity, I have drunk numerous spirits throughout the world,
ranging from Arrack with the mezze in Beirut, to Ouzo in the Greek tavernas,
Pisco, the cold Muscat grape brandy in Peru and Chile (which both lay claim to
its invention), and saké, a rice—based spirit, from tiny cups in Tokyo. It is in
Mexico, however, that I came across the most original way of enjoying alcohol.
Mexican Tequila is a brandy obtained by distilling the fermented juice of the
agave plant; it has little aroma and its taste is particularly sharp; its fiery character is therefore avoided by a contrast of flavours. Just before downing the spirit you bite into the segments of a lime or lick a few grains of salt off the back of your hand, and the Tequila, thus tamed, tastes softer and sweeter.
As you can see, man has contrived all sorts of ways of making his favourite poison attractive and inoffensive.
Peynaud p229