A 2 Hour Delay

One peak through the window and I knew I would be putting myself on a 2 hour delay! Yes, this picture was taken through the window; I haven't muster up enough courage to venture out just yet.

Maybe later this afternoon (if I survive the bumper car game to and from work) I'll bundle up for a walk and try to get a few "artsy" pictures of the snow. It is pretty, I just can't drive in it. My next car will definitely be an all-wheel drive.

Love to my family in Florida... miss you and your sunny holiday season!

Woodford Reserve Distillery

I hope everyone had a terrific Thanksgiving with lots of family and friends and delicious food! This year I tried a new turkey recipe that called for soaking the turkey overnight in a brine. I was nervous that the bird would come out horribly salty but I think it was actually the best roast turkey I’ve ever tasted. It was super juicy and flavorful (check it out here).  My daughter was in charge of the desserts and made a pumpkin pie to die for (sorry, I don’t know the secret for that one, something about NOT using condensed sweetened milk), plus a fabulous pecan pie and an apple pie. Desserts are always my favorite part of the holidays!

I never shop on Black Friday. I just can’t handle the crowds. Personally, I’ll spend a little more money just to avoid the hassles of searching for parking places and standing in long lines. I’ve sworn off the big box stores anyway. I prefer to seek out the unique shopping venues like fu-fu coffee shops or museum stores.

So, instead of battling it out at Walmart, I went to the Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, KY. It was a beautiful day with blue skies and temps in the 40’s. The drive down was enjoyable once you left the highway… typical rolling hills and horse farms of Kentucky’s Bluegrass region. Unfortunately, I got to the distillery too late to get a tour, so I had to be content with wondering around the grounds on my own and trying a free sample of their bourbon. I’ll have to get an earlier start next time and do the tour so I learn how bourbon is made. I’m told that all bourbon is whiskey but not all whiskey is bourbon, and the folks here say that with pride. Kentucky has seven major distilleries within a hundred miles of each other and another seven craft distilleries sprinkled around the state. They even have bus tours if you want to visit them all. It’s quite the tourist operation. And why not? Horse racing and bourbon making, Kentucky’s got it going on!

A distressed-steel-and-whiskey-barrel horse sculpture, by James N. Burnes, greets you at the property entrance. I learned that the distillery also owns thoroughbred stables, which were established with the attempt to foster a relationship between bluegrass whiskey makers and bluegrass race horse breeders. It began in 2006 with a filly cleverly named "Distill My Heart". Unfortunately, according to the tour guides, Burnes’ statue was the only horse she ever beat during her racing career. Maybe they should stick to bourbon!

Here is the distillery as seen from the welcome center. Next time I’ll get a peek inside.

Brandy Alexander

I tried a yummy new drink over the weekend, and since the weather kept me from getting outdoors and snapping some beautiful scenery pictures, I’ll share an inside picture.  I know drink recipes have nothing to do with the Midwest, but heck, not too many of my other posts have had anything to do with the Midwest either, so why worry now.

  

The recipe is to fill a shaker with ice, add:

2 oz Brandy

½ oz Dark Crème De Cocoa

½ oz heavy cream

Shake, and then strain into a martini glass, top with a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Somehow, I never seem to have the correct ingredients on hand when making recipes (never stops me though).  When I made my drink, as pictured here, I only had Light Crème De Cocoa, which is why my drink looks nearly white.  I also only had 2% milk, not heavy cream.  It really tasted great, color doesn’t seem to affect flavor and the use of milk over cream probably saved me a few calories… not that this comes anywhere close to being low-cal.

I think it looks festive too.  I recommend whipping up a batch while decorating the Christmas tree! 

 

Midwest Weather

Florida has hurricanes and California has wild fires.  So, what does the Midwest have?  Tornadoes!!!  And if you are living without a basement (or even a ground floor - I’m in a third floor condo and my daughter is in a second floor apartment), what can you do?  Hunker down in a closet and play games on your iPhone, I guess.  Thankfully, Kentucky was spared the worst of the damage.  Folks in Illinois and Indiana are hurting this morning.  The weatherman said 75 tornadoes touched down across the region yesterday afternoon. 

So that settles it, if I do move, I will not be moving farther north because I want no part of “lake-effect” snow, and I will not be going farther west because of these darn tornadoes!!!  I think I need to push deeper into Bluegrass Country and buy a house with a basement… well, that’s my thought for today at least.  

Hope everyone else is safe and happy, and I wish a speedy recovery for those worst hit by Mother Nature yesterday.