Food Trends March 20, 2018 The 8 drink inventions we could never do without It's easy to get caught up in what's new and happening in the world of drink: what's the newest wine or varietal to sweep the nation? What's the newest craft beer to make waves? What's the cocktail we need to be dreaming about to get through the work day to happy hour? But we often forget just where our drinks come from. It's the little inventions that basically made our world of drinks explode into the endless variety of beverage options we have today. Without refrigeration we wouldn't have such access to drinks that spoil fast, like milk; without tea bags, the art of making a cup of tea may have been lost; without the straw... OK, we just really love a good straw. While we ommitted perhaps the discoveries that made our drinks possible — fermentation for wine and beer, distilling for spirits, carbonation for sodas, even filtration for drinkable water — it's the inventions that have made drinking into a convenience. Whether it's as small as a cork or as big as your refrigerator, we're taking a few steps towards the past to thank our lucky stars for the inventors who gave us well, all the drinks.
Celebrity Chefs March 20, 2018 5 strangest celebrity-owned booze brands Whether they’re buying and operating a vineyard, slapping their name on online apparel stores, or designing mountain bikes, Hollywood’s finest oftentimes double as venture capitalists. Alcohol, being relatively easy to market, not necessarily having to be “good,” and having the ability to double as a collector's item, make it a homerun for celebrity-endorsed products. Unlike a futile shot at the fashion industry, celebrities can come up with an alcohol brand and people will buy it, if only to say they’ve tried it. Here are the five strangest celebrity-owned alcohol brands out there. Some are strange because the pairing is odd, and some because, well --some celebrities are just strange.
Exotic Drinks March 20, 2018 5 cocktail trends you need to know before you order a drink Handcrafted cocktails have been all the rage for years now. Farm-to-table ingredients are more important than ever and bartenders are mixing exotic drinks with as much attention as a James Beards-rated chef. The fourth annual Manhattan Cocktail Classic drew to a close this week in New York City, but results from the mixers and shakers who flocked to stir, sip, and speculate on what’s next behind the bar may well be coming to a glass near you. And what may be the most notable and welcome trend has more to with attitude than aperitifs. “What’s exciting is the trend of bartenders getting over ourselves,” laughs Tobin Ellis, president of the Las Vegas-based BarMagic, a high-end cocktail and bar-design consulting firm. “There’s been a backlash, and I’ve been waiting for that to happen for a while.” What Ellis is referring to is a bit of preciousness that’s entered behind-the-bar decorum, where some bartenders prefer to be called mixologists and take 20 minutes to make you a drink. “Trends come along and people geek-out on them – but we have a lot of people who are excited about flavors and who are very talented, but have no business being behind a bar. It shouldn’t take 16 minutes to make a Sazerac,” says Ellis, a near 20-year veteran of the hospitality and cocktail industry. “Every bartender should be able to use fresh ingredients, make classic cocktails, be innovative, and also help people have a good time. Give them the experience they want, not the one you want.” With that in mind, the innovation part appears to be alive and well in cocktail culture. During the classic, Ellis hosted an event called Social Mixology: Unchained. The event was a challenge to several prominent bartenders to come up with never-seen-before cocktails. There was the science-geek wizardry of Dave Arnold, owner of David Chang's Booker + Dax, who used nitrogen to muddle fresh herbs and turn them into a potent powder for use in drinks and that wouldn’t oxidize over time. Then there was the venerable Don Lee, creator of the cocktails and spirits program for Momofuku Ssam Bar, who used technology similar to that of a humidifier to turn liquor liquid into a heady mist (although, of course, this might not be particularly satisfying to the very thirsty – but it is pretty cool). While these might not be your everyday cocktails, these nationally acclaimed drink specialists worked with some of the latest trends in cocktails. What else is on deck? Although less “ta-da!” than the above, and more “it’s about time,” keep your eyes peeled and your shakers ready for the following:
Classical March 20, 2018 Top 10 cognacs Wine culled from the chalky soil of France’s Cognac region has a tendency to be acidic, thin and unpalatable. This might have doomed the terroir to gastronomic obscurity, had the region’s vintners not been fortunate enough to discover that this wine was excellent for distilling. It so exemplified this ability, in fact, that the region’s brandy varietals gradually assumed the name of their otherwise-maligned home and Cognac became a beverage of choice the world over. Produced from the combination of various white wines (known as “eaux de vie”), Cognacs are aged to maturity in barrels before bottling and distribution. In the course of its centuries-long life Cognac has been considered a drink for the poor, an exclusive property of upscale gentlemen’s clubs and a symbol of hip-hop excess. At present, Cognac distillers draw from all facets of this varied past to create some of the finest tasting and most exclusive liquors on the planet.
Exotic Drinks March 20, 2018 Delightful Kentucky Derby drinks The Kentucky Derby kicks off May 4. While the usually excitement surrounds the horses and some gambling, silly hats and Southern cocktails are also a perennial highlight. Not all of us can make it to Kentucky for this time honored tradition, but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate at home. Here at FoxNews.com we have compiled a list of our favorite derby themed cocktails. So mix one up at home, turn the television to the races, and put on your favorite goofy hat.
Exotic Drinks January 30, 2018 Bar introduces gruesome 'black margarita' with feral pig eye Here’s looking at you, pig.
Exotic Drinks October 17, 2017 John Daly officially releasing alcoholic version of the 'Arnold Palmer' At long last, Daly is finally releasing an official version of the alcoholic beverage his name is already associated with.
Exotic Drinks August 17, 2017 Scantily-clad 'bikini baristas' in Washington spark state battle Boob and baristas do mix.
Extreme Foods August 17, 2017 Bull testicle beer to be sold nationwide later this month A Colorado brewery that created a limited-run beer flavored with bull testicles for a beer festival is making the ballsy move to offer it all year round.
Exotic Drinks July 5, 2017 How to make a meal out of a bloody mary This isn't your typical boring breakfast cocktail.
Extreme Foods June 22, 2017 Woman's head set on fire while taking flaming shot The bar patron's head is seen engulfed in flames.