2013年6月25日火曜日

22 Excellent Reasons to Drink Whiskey from Buzzfeed.com

For a while now.  I have been a whiskey fan.  When I was younger, I did not care for whiskey.  Since I have gotten older, I getting the chance to appreciate the different complexities that whiskey brings to the table.  Recently, I was buzzfeed.com, and I saw an excellent article listing the various reasons to drink whiskey.  Here is what I found.

22 Excellent Reasons To Drink More Whiskey

As if you needed any.

1. Whiskey is low-carb and fat-free, so your thighs will thank you.

Whiskey is low-carb and fat-free, so your thighs will thank you.
One shot has zero fat and .04 carbs, guys…so you can wear your skinny jeans and drink a highball too.

2. The word whiskey means “water of life.”

The word whiskey means "water of life."
Whiskey comes from the Gaelic word “Uisge Beatha,” which means “water of life.” That phonetically became “usky,” and eventually was pronounced as “whiskey.” Drink that water, friends!
Source: web.stagram.com

3. In frontier country, whiskey was as valuable as gold.

In frontier country, whiskey was as valuable as gold.
In 18th century Pennsylvania, the favored currency was whiskey — which was used for cooking, medicine, and drinking, among other things. That whiskey loyalty would eventually lead to the 1794 Whiskey Rebellion, where farmers fought against the taxes that threatened their liquor livelihood. That’s a fight worth fighting, if you ask me.

4. Whiskey can help prevent cancer.

Whiskey can help prevent cancer.
In 2005, Dr. Jim Swan, speaking at the EuroMedLab conference in Glasgow, said, “Research has shown that there are even greater health benefits to people who drink single-malt whiskies. Why? Single-malt whiskies have more ellagic acid than red wine.”
That ellagic acid, also found in most fruits, is an antioxidant that may absorb rogue cancer cells in the body. More research needs to be made to make this conclusive, but let’s drink up and hope Dr. Swan is correct.
Source: imgur.com

5. Drinking whiskey can lower your risk of having a stroke.

Drinking whiskey can lower your risk of having a stroke.
To be clear, drinking large amounts of alcohol is related to a higher incidence of stroke. However, if you can master the art of moderate consumption — meaning one drink a day — that may provide protection against an ischemic stroke. In fact, having one drink per day is better than no drinks per day when it comes to protecting against ischemic stroke.
Source: imgur.com

6. It also may reduce your risk of developing heart disease.

22 Excellent Reasons To Drink More Whiskey
A 1998 study found that a big shot of whiskey can help protect against heart disease, and boost the body’s defenses against disease by raising the body’s level of antioxidants.
Source: imgur.com

7. Drinking one to six glasses of whiskey a week can lower an adult’s risk of dementia.

22 Excellent Reasons To Drink More Whiskey
A 2003 case study with the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that the odds of incident dementia were lower among those adults who consumed moderate alcohol, rather than none at all!
Source: imgur.com

8. Hillary Clinton chugs whiskey on the regular.

Hillary Clinton chugs whiskey on the regular.
And we all wanna be like Hil.
Source: vh1.com

9. Winston Churchill drank whiskey and water for breakfast…and lead a nation through World War II.

Winston Churchill drank whiskey and water for breakfast...and lead a nation through World War II.
The whiskey soda washed down his eggs and cigar, naturally.
Image by Keystone / Getty Images

10. And Jack Donaghy uses it to help him rule over Kabletown.

And Jack Donaghy uses it to help him rule over Kabletown.

11. Oh, and did I mention that Mark Twain was a big fan?

Oh, and did I mention that Mark Twain was a big fan?
Source: pinterest.com

12. A closed bottle of whiskey will be good for 100 years.

A closed bottle of whiskey will be good for 100 years.
And after you open a bottle of whiskey, a half-full bottle will remain good for five years.
Source: web.stagram.com

13. Drinking whiskey is the American thing to do; Tennessee and Kentucky are two of the world’s primary whiskey-distilling regions.

Drinking whiskey is the American thing to do; Tennessee and Kentucky are two of the world's primary whiskey-distilling regions.
Bourbons like Maker’s Mark and Wild Turkey are made in Kentucky, while Tennessee is home to Jack Daniel’s.
Source: web.stagram.com

14. There are over 5,000 types of single-malt whiskey, and they’re not going to try themselves.

There are over 5,000 types of single-malt whiskey, and they're not going to try themselves.
We all have a lot of drinking to do.
Source: web.stagram.com

15. Whiskey might be the smartest investment you’ll ever make. Probably.

Whiskey might be the smartest investment you'll ever make. Probably.
Unlike wine, whose taste deteriorates in the bottle, the fact that whiskey lasts almost forever means its value can appreciate in a big way. So, instead of that 401k plan, just buy a couple of rare bottles and watch their value soar! (It’s a whole lot more fun that way too.)
Source: web.stagram.com

16. George Washington, the father of America, also founded one of the country’s largest whiskey distilleries..

George Washington, the father of America, also founded one of the country’s largest whiskey distilleries..
So whiskey-drinking is basically in the Constitution.
After his term as the first president of the United States ended in 1797, Washington’s Scottish farm manager encouraged him to build a whiskey distillery. It was the largest of its kind in America, producing 11,000 gallons of whiskey in 1799.

17. Whiskey was originally crafted only by monks, making it a holy spirit.

Whiskey was originally crafted only by monks, making it a holy spirit.
(LOL, SPIRIT, get it?) That practice changed in 1541, when King Henry VIII dissolved all of their liquor-ridden monasteries. Poor sober monks.

18. Cold is no match for whiskey; even below-freezing temperatures won’t freeze it.

Cold is no match for whiskey; even below-freezing temperatures won't freeze it.
Nothing proved that more than when a crate of 100-year-old whiskey was unearthed in Antarctica. And even though it suffered through the -30 Celsius temperatures, the bottles and liquor were all in great condition.
Source: project-404

19. Whiskey is measured in “fingers” — your body is the only pouring tool you need!

Whiskey is measured in "fingers" — your body is the only pouring tool you need!
To measure out whiskey, all you have to do is hold your finger horizontally against the glass and pour out a finger’s width. Or two, if you’re feeling frisky.
Source: mhaithaca

20. Did I mention that whiskey looks GREAT on bars?

Did I mention that whiskey looks GREAT on bars?
Source: web.stagram.com

21. Especially if it’s served with a bacon garnish.

Especially if it's served with a bacon garnish.
Source: chicagoist.com

22. But let’s be honest: The very best reason to drink whiskey is because it’s delicious.

But let's be honest: The very best reason to drink whiskey is because it's delicious.
Simply put. If you’re still looking for your perfect go-to bottle, scope out our eight favorite (cheap) whiskeys over here.
Here is the link to the story: http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/excellent-reasons-to-drink-more-whiskey

Next time you are at a bar or a liquor store, pick up a whiskey and see for yourself that wonderful times that whiskey can bring to your drinking experiences.  

2013年6月24日月曜日

Dining Dojo Drinks: Kentucky Tea!

Recently, Suntory released another product in the Tory's line of whiskey.  Tory's is considered an economical line of products in terms of price when compared to the other Suntory products.  Tory's recently became popular with drinkers of whiskey highballs.  For the last few years, highball styled drinks have becoming popular amongst the Japanese public.  Tory's has released highball drinks in cans for easy convenience.  Also, Tory's released a line of flavored whiskeys ranging from honey to sweet tea versions.  These versions should not be considered  a part of the whiskey line.  Tory's whiskey comes in at 40% ABV, while, the honey and sweet tea products are 20% ABV.  Also, they are classified as liqueurs.

When I bought the Tory's Sweet Tea for the first time, I decided to have taste the drink by itself on the rocks with a little water.  When tasting alcohols for the first time, it is wise to taste them on the rocks (not too much ice) and some water.  The water will allow the drink to expand and release more its flavor.  The flavor profile of this drink is interesting.  The essence of the tea comes out.  Also, you will notice the distinctive Tory's whiskey smell.  Tory's has a strong alcohol burn when nosing it.  The Tory's Sweet Tea is sweet.  I believe this helps mask the strong Tory's whiskey flavor and brings out the tea a little more.

On the side of the bottle, Tory's lists different ways in which you can enjoy the product such as having it on the rocks, with hot water, or in a highball.  After trying the product on its own, I decided to make a cocktail using it.  I wanted to combine the Tory's Sweet Tea with a bourbon whiskey in order to bring out the sweetness of the product with a bourbon that could compliment the drink without overpowering it.  I decided to use Maker's Mark bourbon whiskey as the base in the cocktail.  Maker's Mark has balanced sweet note in the drink.

Also, I decided to use lemon juice in the drink to bring out the flavors more in the drink by bringing a sour note to the drink.  Plus, lemon is a great compliment to tea. Additionally when I was deciding on the garnish to this cocktail, I decided to use a lemon twist to bring more lemon flavor to the drink.  When initially drinking the cocktail, the first flavor that will hit your nose will be the lemon oils that were expressed by the lemon twist.

This cocktail combines the great flavors of tea, lemon, and bourbon in one drink.  If you are looking for a new bourbon cocktail that is a little sweet and tart with a hint of tea, this drink is for you.

Kampai!!

Kentucky Tea

2 oz. of Maker's Mark Bourbon Whiskey
1 oz. of Suntory Tory's Sweet Tea
1/2 oz. of lemon juice
Lemon twist for garnish

1.  Combine the Sweet Tea, Maker's Mark, and lemon juice to a shaker tin.
2.  Add ice to the shaker and shake the drink.
3.  Strain into a cocktail glass.
4.  Garnish with a lemon twist.

2013年6月16日日曜日

Dining Dojo Drinks: Get curious with Castro with a Curious Castro!!

    Recently, it has been hot and humid.  I been wanting to drink something refreshing but a little different.  I have been a fan of the the Cuba libre (basically a rum and coke with a squeeze of lime) for a a while now.  However, I wanted to try something new.  I have been experimenting with different flavors and tastes.  
 
    With that being said, I want to the store and picked up a bottle of Fentiman's Curiosity Cola.  If you have never had this before, give a this a try.  After drinking this, you will not be drink Coke for a while. The Curiosity Cola combines the flavors of cola, ginger, and some other botanical properties that give this cola a unique spicy twang. 

   I was recently thinking on how to improve on the Cuba libre.  Then, a thought hit me:  why not add Curiosity Cola instead of Coke to the drink and see what happens.  The ginger and botanical notes of the cola really compliment the lime and the rum in the drink.  The distinctive flavors of the cola become pronounced in the drink. 

If you are looking a spicy Cuba libre, give the Curious Castro a try.  Here is the recipe for the Curious Castro.

1 oz of Havana Club rum
3 oz of Fentiman's Curiosity Cola
1/4 oz of lime juice.
A lime wheel for garnish

Put ice in a glass.  Pour the rum and the cola into the iced glass.  Squeeze the lime juice over the drink.  Stir to cool and dilute the drink.  Garnish with a lime wheel.  Enjoy!!

While drinking the the Curious Castro, consider listening to this song.

2013年6月7日金曜日

Dining Dojo Drinks: Kinshachi Green Tea Draft Beer!!

On this episode of Dining Dojo Drinks, we are going to the answer the question of what happens when you mix green tea and beer. 

Recently on a trip to one of my favorite stores, Yamaya, I saw a very interesting beer, the Kinshachi Matcha Draft.  This really surprised because I have never seen or even heard of a beer that is made with green tea.  Needless to say, I was intrigued by this product.  So, I decided to pick it up and do a tasting of it.

Here is what I found.

First of all, this beer is brewed by the Kinshachi brewery, a local brewery in the Aichi Prefecture.  The actual brewery is located in Inuyama City.  Also, Kinshachi is owned the Morita Group.  Morita is a well known brewery of nihonshu (sake to those not living in Japan).  Kinshachi makes a number of number of beers ranging from lagers flavored with miso to outstanding pale ales.  (BTW...you might be wondering what is a kinshachi?  Kinshachi are ornamental sea creatures that are placed on top of castles to ward off fires.  The kinshachi is a symbol of Nagoya due to Nagoya Castle having golden kinshachi on its roof instead of the regular stone ones.)   

Second, lets talk about the look of this beer. This beer according to the Kinshachi website (http://www.kinshachi.jp/beer_catalog.asp) is a free style light ale.  The beer is a light brown in color.  Light comes through the beer.  When poured into a glass, the head of the beer dissipates rather quickly.  There are few if any alcohol legs in this beer.  The ABV of this beer is at 5%. 

Third, the smell of this beer is amazing.  The beer has a unique smell due to the green tea used in this beer.  The brewers took pride in making this beer because they used the green tea that is grown in Nishio, Aichi, Japan.  Nishio is a famous city in Aichi for green tea.  The amazing light aroma of the green tea comes through the light ale.  If this was a regular ale, the delicate aroma of the green tea would have been lost in the beer.  The other smells of this beer are usually associated with light ales such as a light bready note due to the malt and wheat used in making of the beer.  It is a great smelling beer.

Fourth, the taste is uniquely familiar and different at the same time.  At the front of the mouth, the light malty taste of the beer will hit your taste buds.  Then in the middle of the mouth, you will find hints of the green tea laden throughout the beer.  At the end of the mouth, you will find a hint of bitterness due to the hops.  This is not by no means an overpowering beer.  The light beer really accompanies the green tea rather nicely.

If you are looking a for a unique drinking experience, give this beer a try.  This beer would be great on a cool summers night. 

Cheers!!  Enjoy the video!!

2013年6月5日水曜日

Dining Dojo School Lunch!!

School is now in session.  Are you curious to see what Japanese students and teachers eat for school lunch.  Below is another video showcasing some of the school lunches that I ate when I was at work. 

Japanese school lunches are relatively healthy.  When the people in charge of making the school lunches think about the type of dishes that are going to make, two things seem to come into mind: cost and health.  Japanese cities play a heavy role in the school lunches that the children eat.  Caloric intake is always on the mind of the preparers of the school lunch.  Most cities have a dietician that supervises the school lunch menu.  Also on most school lunch menus, the amount of calories and the ingredients are always listed. 

Enjoy the video.  Also, think about how these school lunches are different and similar to ones that you are used to eating.  Itadakimasu!!

2013年6月3日月曜日

Cage Fighting in America ( a great documentary)

As you may already know, I practice mixed martial arts.  I, also, love watching MMA fights online and on TV.  Recently, I watched an interesting documentary on MMA that looks the behind the scenes of up and coming fighters and the stories.  The video features a segment of a pastor of church who preaches fighting and the Bible.  Yes, this place really does exist.  Also, it shows ordinary people trying to become professional fighters and their coaches who fight in order to put money on the table.  If you are fan of MMA, a fighter, or a person who is thinking of doing MMA, watch this video.

2013年6月2日日曜日

Dining Dojo Local Eats and Drinks!! Grillman!!

Introducing a new Dining Dojo segment, Dining Dojo Local Eats and Drinks!!  This feature will focused on local restaurants and drinking establishments in and around Nagoya, Japan (where I am currently living).

If you are living in or around Nagoya and are interested in going to new restaurants, bars, and events with like minded individuals, then check the Nagoya Supper Club and the Nagoya Adventure Club!! 

Two days, the Nagoya Supper Club went out for dinner at a relatively new restaurant in Nagoya called Nagoya Craft Beer and Wine Grillman.  The main focus of restaurant is to celebrate local food and beer.  This place has a nice selection of local Japanese beers and wine.  Plus, the food is well thought and is a great partner to the great beverages.  They have a great selection of steaks, salads, and two great hamburgers.

The hamburger that I ate was the Grillman burger.  The Grillman is a thick burger served with cheese and various toppings on a soft brioche bun.  One of my friends had the Nagoya burger.  The Nagoya burger is the Grillman's take on tebasaki, Nagoya's famous chicken wings.  Essentially, this burger is a chicken burger.

As for the beer, they have a great selection of local beers from all over Japan.  I tried the Ginga Kogen African Pale Ale from Nagano.  This a great tasting beer.  It is a variation of the classic India Pale Ale.  The citrus pine tasting hops will hit your nose and tongue with surprise and great pleasure.  It is not an overly hoppy beer.  The other beer that I had tasted was the Hitachino Nest White Ale from Ibaraki, Japan.  Hitachino Nest is a popular microbrewery that can be found in Japan and, also, in America.  Their White Ale is a great tasting white ale that reminds of a Belgium white ale.  If you are fan of Hoegarden, then this beer would be for you.

The design of the restaurant is welcoming and inviting.  On cool summer nights, the front windows are completely open.  The wooden interior really adds character to the restaurant.  Also on one side of restaurant, there is huge bookshelf that runs the length of the restaurant.  It adds a modern cafe edge to the restaurant.

I will be definitely be returning to Nagoya Craft Beer and Wine Grillman.

The restaurant is located between Sakae and Fushimi Stations on the Higashiyama Subway line.  Here is some more info on the restaurant.
http://www.bar-and-restaurant.com/en/grillman.html

Here is the video!!  Enjoy!!