THE SIP

by Gena Chreiteh

 

Happy Fall, y’all. Been “pumpkin spiced” to death yet? I have, and I feel

like the coffee industry owes the pumpkin farmers and consumers an

apology. I mean who could take a

perfectly healthy, respectable

vegetable (yes, technically it’s a fruit

but culinarily regarded as a

vegetable) and create such a spiced

monster of it? I say it’s time to get

back to the pumpkin basics: pie,

bread, soup, and beer! Yes, beer.

History lesson #1 - The colonists

landed in America full of hope and

dreams, but with limited provisions.

In order to craft a proper beer

without depleting all of their brewing

ingredients, the colonists added

locally available ingredients to the

mash such as acorns or pumpkin.

I’m guessing the acorn brew may

not have been as popular as the pumpkin as it’s not on the shelves or

available at the growler shops. Pumpkin stouts and ales are usually

available this time of year at Ace Growler Newnan or Gremlin Growler

in Peachtree City by the bottle or on tap, while supplies last. My favorite is

Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale (8%). This beautiful orange ale offers

a little bit of spice and pumpkin flavor without being too hoppy or heavy.

Are you familiar with shrubs? Of course, we all have shrubs lining the front

of our dwellings, but I’m not talking about boxwoods or azaleas. Nope, I’m

talking about drinkable, infused vinegars that incorporate herbs, fruit, and

spices to mix with your favorite adult beverages, plus a little muddled stuff

to create a seriously wonderful cocktail. I know, I know...I wrinkled my

nose at the thought of drinking vinegar, too. But let’s think about this a

minute.

History lesson #2 - Shrubs date back to the fifteenth century when the

English concocted fruit soaked elixirs for “medicinal” purposes. A few

centuries later over in colonial America, shrubs were used as a means to

preserve summer fruit without citrus, which was likely absent from the

settlers’ gardens. This method of preservation lasted until the advent of

refrigeration.

Like all things old, shrubs are new again. Over the last couple of years,

shrub based cocktails are back in vogue and the reason is simple because

of a simple culinary principle: vinegar brightens the flavors of almost

everything it touches!

The Cellar in downtown Newnan has mastered the art of shrub cocktails

and creates new drinks daily. With 9 or so different shrub flavors and 10

flavors of bitters, the cocktail world is their oyster! On a recent visit, I

sampled a Peachy Twist: a lovely cocktail made from peach shrubs, muddled

orange, sugar, strawberries, OJ, and

vodka. Nice! You would never know

that there was vinegar in your

cocktail. Next, I sampled a Blackberry

Basil Shrub made from muddled basil,

lime, and sugar plus blackberry

peppercorn shrub, vodka, and club

soda. Yum!

I’m happy that shrubs have migrated

from the city down to Newnan, and

I’m even happier that Cellar’s

talented bartender/mixologist Sam

knows what she’s doing! Stop in and

let her create your new favorite

cocktail!

This is a special time of year for all of

the wine junkies out there. The 2015 Nouveau Beaujolais releases the third

Thursday of November at 12:01 a.m. each

year with a cult following unlike any other.

Grown in the Beaujolais region of France,

the pink-purple gamay grapes are pressed

after only 3 days and the juice is only aged

for 6-8 weeks which makes it a “new” or

“nouveau” wine.

History Lesson #3 - What began as a local

phenomenon soon spread throughout

France, then Europe and the rest of the

world. French authorities decided to get

involved (because basically that’s what they

like to do) in 1938 to regulate when,

where, and how Beaujolais Nouveau was

released; but it was not until 1951 that the

wine was officially recognized as a French

wine. Should you try it? Absolutely! Look

for a bottle at your grocery store on

November 19, 2015, (Beaujolais Nouveau Day) when 1 million cases are

released to public. In France, the day is marked with fireworks, music, and

festivals. BN’s soft, fruity flavor makes it the whitest tasting red wine on the

shelf, so it’s a good place for novice red wine drinkers to start. It’s also a

nice white-to-red transition wine at a dinner party or at Thanksgiving dinner.

It’s only available for a limited amount of time, so get it while you can.

And now, something new...to Newnan - RPM Bar & Grille recently opened

for business in downtown to great hoopla. I first tried the rejuvenated gas

station for a weekday lunch break (from work), so it wasn’t the best time to

try one of the specialty cocktails or craft beers on the menu that sounded so

appealing. The weather was perfect for an al fresco lunch, but,

unfortunately, our meal did not match the

weather - service was really slow and food

o.k. My next visit on a Saturday afternoon

was better. I sampled a seasonally available

Caramel Apple ‘Tini and French Dip

Sandwich. While neither complimented the

other, both were very good and service had

picked up a bit.

Please understand, as we do, that this is a

work in progress. Owner Joe Rizzo

welcomes any and all feedback and we truly

want him to be a success!

Let us know what you think!

 

Email Amy @theforc.com

 

Cheers!