Enjoying Wines

Archive for the ‘Pairing Food and Wine’ Category

If the Absinthe revival has made a curiosity in you to try Absinthe, then you will be searching “from what site can you purchase Absinthe?”. Well, bottled Absinthe can be quite costly, over $100 sometimes, and it may not be delivered to your country. It is hard to find real wormwood Absinthes because some countries legislation prohibits wormwood as it contains thujone. without wormwood Absinthe is nothing.
So, what is the answer?

AbsintheKit.com is a great site with an online store and shopping cart. AbsintheKit.com sell Absinthe essences, containing real common wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), both to the Absinthe industry and to general customers. You can have a 20ml bottle of essence for between $3.95 and $4.95 to produce one bottle of Absinthe or you can purchase a kit that makes 14 bottles for between $29 and $39 – an amazing price!

Absinthe Essence Kits

The Absinthe kit from AbsintheKit.com include everything you need to make real Absinthe:-

A 280ml bottle of Absinthe essence is required to make 14 bottles of Absinthe.
– A measure made up of high grade plastic to measure out the essence.
– Artistic labels to decorate and label your finished bottle of Absinthe.

If you want to make your very own bottle of the Green Fairy, mix 20ml of essence with 730ml of neutral alcohol such as vodka or Everclear and add some sugar (about 75g) if you want a smoother Absinthe. Shake the bottle until the sugar has dissolved and there you have it, your very own Absinthe.

Essences in stock

AbsintheKit.com sell 4 different Absinthe essences which all contain real wormwood and the other traditional Absinthe herbs such as aniseed and fennel. To give you a top quality essence, these essences are manufactured by using a high carbon dioxide distillation process.

The Four essences are:-

– Absinthe Classics Essence – For green Absinthe with a thujone content of 35mg.

– Absinthe White Essence – People who like the clear Blanche or La Bleue style Absinthes. It always louches beautifully. Each bottle of Absinthe contains 35mg per bottle of Absinthe.

Extra ingredients of orange oil is added in Absinthe Orange Essence which gives a lovely orange flavor and a yellow-orange colored Absinthe. The Absinthe will louche more easily because it has an extra essential oil in it. With 35mg of thujone, Absinthe can be made.

– Absinthe 55 Strong – This essence makes a darker green Absinthe with a stronger wormwood flavor. Suitable for those who prefer that exciting wormwood bitter taste. A bottle of Absinthe made with this essence will contain 55mg of thujone.

AbsintheKit.com ship products world wide, as long as you are over 18, and have customer support that provides answers to any questions regarding your order or about using the essences. You can further find information with respect to their products and instructions on the website itself. AbsintheKit.com also sell the most beautiful replica Absinthe glasses and spoons such as a Pontarlier style glass and Eiffel Tower spoon – which is great to use with your homemade Absinthe.

The ritual observed

After you have produced your Absinthe you will be required to know how to prepare an Absinthe to drink. Generally Absinthe is consumed after diluting it with water. This is how you can prepare the perfect Absinthe

– Fill 25-50ml of Absinthe into your Absinthe glass.
– Rest your slotted spoon or cuillere over the glass and place a sugar cube onto it.
-Slowly pour or drip iced water over the sugar to prepare an Absinthe with a ratio of 3:1 to 5:1 water to Absinthe.
– Watching the Absinthe louche as the water mixes in to the Absinthe is real pleasure. there are some essential oils in the beverage which are not soluble in water is the main cause of louching. They cause the Absinthe liquor to go milky or cloudy – a beautiful thing to watch.
– Enjoy now the real wormwood Absinthe drink.

So, from what site can you purchase Absinthe? You have to decide whether you want to buy a $100 bottle from a liquor site or make 14 bottles from $29!

When you are passionate about wine you start to collect it … and when you begin collecting it you need a place to store your wine collection.

A closet can readily be converted into a mini wine cellar to store a growing wine collection.

Before you begin converting your closet into a wine cellar consider the position of the closet relative to the rest of the house.

Try not to convert a closet against an outside wall into a wine cellar. The outer walls of your home can be subject to wide seasonal temperature fluctuations in temperature. Ideally, choose an internal closet where your wine will be able to be stored at a more constant temperature.

The speed and degree of any temperature changes are critical in successfully storing and aging wine. A gradual change of a few degrees between from winter to summer won’t matter. A similar change each day will certainly cause harm to your wines by ageing them too quickly.

The most important rule when you are storing your wine is to avoid wide fluctuations in temperature. Damage of this type will be evident immediately from the stickiness that often forms around the capsule. Over time, the continued expansion then contraction of the wine will damage the integrity of the cork. It’s just like having the cork removed and replaced every day. When this occurs, tiny quantities of wine may be pushed out along the edge of the cork – between the cork and the neck of the bottle – allowing air to seep back in. Once the air comes into contact with your wine the process of oxidation begins and your wine will be ruined.

At 55º to 58ºF the wine will age gracefully, enabling it to fully develop as the winemaker intended. Higher temperatures will age wine more rapidly and cooler temperatures will slow down the ageing process. The damage done to your wine will be irreversible if it is stored at a temperature above 82ºF for even a month.

The most difficult part of creating a mini wine cellar in a closet can be finding other places to store the original contents of the closet! Don’t hesitate … remove all the present contents (move them elsewhere / give away / auction them) and start out with an empty closet!

Purchase inexpensive wine racks from an online retailer, hardware store or storage shop and you’ll have a simple but effective mini wine cellar.

Wine rack designs vary greatly in bottle density; price variations have more to do with the aesthetic appeal of the racks than their efficiency.

Individual racks makes it easy to select bottles. If you place racks against only one wall of the closet you may still have space available on the floor or shelves to store wines purchased by the case.

A special occasion like an anniversary or birthday that requires the giving of a gift is the ideal time to consider a wine gift basket. They make elegant gifts for anyone who enjoys wine and the frequently include additional treats besides wine. You could also include such treats as cheese, chocolates, fruit, nuts and wine accessories like corkscrews and bottle openers, drip stoppers, foil cutters or whatever else you decide to add to the basket. You can purchase them already put together or you can make your own for a very special gift-giving touch. All you need to know is the style of wine the receiver enjoys, or you can create a surprise basket.

Where To Buy Prepared Baskets

If you’d rather buy a wine gift basket pre-packaged, stop into your local liquor store to see if they have a selection available. Liquor stores will often sell wine gift baskets, especially at holiday times. You should be able to choose which wine you’d like to include in the basket and then add accompanying products.

Shop Online For Wine Gift Baskets

The internet is the first place to search for customizable gift baskets. Start by ordering one or more bottles of wine, then begin adding gourmet products from the wide range available. Similar products that could be included are smoked salmon and caviar, cheese crackers or other savory bites, small dairy cheeses, cheese platters and knives, nuts, whole grain mustards or regional honeys … there’s no limit to what you can add.

The online business will then deliver the packaged gift basket to you or to the gift recipient. This is an easy option if you are choosing a corporate gift or to thank a staff member.

Create Your Own Gift Baskets

Creating your own wine gift basket gives allows you to add that additional personal touch. Begin by purchasing an attractive basket. You don’t need an expensive basket because you can decorate it yourself with fabric, paper or flowers. Buy your wine of choice or choose champagne for a special celebration, add some additional products depending on the preferences of the gift recipient. For example, you don’t need to limit your basket to wine and wine-themed gifts. You could include handicrafts for someone interested in arts and crafts, or a book about wine for a wine lover who is also interested in the history or the making of wine. Select some gourmet food products to accompany the wine, tuck everything into the decorated basket and wrap the whole thing in clear cellophane.

If you are able to, deliver the gift basket to the recipient personally so you can see their joy when they receive it. If you’re very lucky the receiver might even share the bottle of wine with you.

You can still assemble a stunning gift basket for a non-wine drinker. A coffee drinker might enjoy a gift basket that included freshly roasted coffee beans from different coffee-growing regions, coffee mugs, gourmet cookies, caramels and nuts. And don’t forget the tea drinkers. They may appreciate a selection of fine teas, a teapot with a strainer and a teacup of fine china. A tea or coffee gift basket could, in fact, be packed onto a decorated tray rather that a basket. And again, you can wrap the whole package in clear cellophane and add a bow.

Let your imagination run free when creating a gift basket.