kahlua

50 Shots of America–Washington

Sips

The countdown of the last 10 states in the series continues with the northwest corner of the contiguous 48…

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Caramel MacchiappleDid you know that when the powers that be in the Washington Territory petitioned for statehood in 1885, they wanted to be known as the state of Columbia? Congress, however, thought it would be too easily confused with the District of Columbia, the Nation’s capital. It’s ironic, then, that they didn’t have a problem naming it the State of Washington, don’t you think?

It might be a pretty big state, but around 60% of it’s residents are cluster in the Seattle metro area, and is home to some serious heavy-hitters in tech: Amazon, Google and Microsoft. It’s known for it’s apple orchards, boasts actual rain forests and is the birthplace of a little, hardly known coffee company 😉

I know not everyone is a fan of Starbucks. I love shopping local, including for my coffee beverages, but oh… oh I love the crazy caloric rush that is the Caramel Macchiato (Caramel Latte almost anywhere esle). And, like some sort of a joke, my coffee order is a bit complex: Venti Decaf Soy Caramel Macchiato.

 

The More Complicated the Coffee...

The More Complicated the Coffee...

But would coffee and apples taste good together?

Caramel MacchiApple

1 oz Coffee Liqueur
1/2 oz Sour Apple Schnapps
1/4 oz Caramel Syrup

Combine all ingredients over ice and shake like Mount St Helens getting ready to blow. Strain into a chilled cordial glass (or demitasse) and sip.

The tart of the apple goes extremely well with the smooth caramel and coffee mixture. The Swedish Fish-garnish is a nod to another local landmark: Pike Place Market where the fish go flying.

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Only 8 more states to go!

50 Shots of America–Rhode Island

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Seems to like all Rhode Island ever wanted was to be left alone and they just never stood a chance. An early haven for seekers of religious tolerance it was later the Switzerland of New England during the American Indian wars of 17th Century (even though no one really honored their wish to remain neutral. Strong feelings of independence made it a major player in the American Revolution, hosting the first official bloodshed of the war in Providence.

The last of the original 13 colonies to ratify the Constitution on May 29, 1790, it was in the forefront of the Industrial Revolution when Moses Brown helped create the first textile mill in the country. They were the first to send troops to Lincoln’s aid in the early days of the Civil War, even housing the Union Naval Academy during that time–all the while despite their heavy part in the slaves-sugar-rum trade with the Caribbean and Africa. That might be a significant reason they never ratified the 18th Amendment!

The Ocean State’s official beverage is a concoction known as Coffee Milk–milk mixed with a coffee syrup available throughout the state. So that leads us to…

Pandora’s Glass

1 oz cold milk (not fat free, at least 2%)
3/4 oz coffee liqueur
1/4 oz golden rum

Combine over ice and shake like you’re releasing all the evils of the world. Strain into a cordial glass.

For the unfamiliar, the myth of Pandora is that she was created as a revenge on man (for stealing fire from the gods) and sent with a box (or jar) containing disease and all manner of misfortune. Her curiosity got the best of her and all the evils were released, leaving hope alone at the bottom of the box.

Rhode Island’s motto is, simply, “hope.” And there is always hope, even if it’s just the hope of another cocktail

A Touch of the Irish

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Most people who have encountered Irish Cream liqueur have done so favorably and come away fans. While it does well as a single spirit, over ice or neat, it also pairs with a whole laundry list of others. There are some notable exceptions, however: like the lime juice that tops it in a Cement Mixer and, from personal experiments, strawberry liqueur–the consistency is, well, they call it a Cement Mixer for a reason. Blech!

Back to happier combos! Vodka seems to pair especially well with this spirit and, of course, anything chocolate or coffee. If you treat it as cream with a kick, you can hardly go wrong! This is what gets us such gems as the B52 and the Mudslide, but the cocktail I want to bring you today is a little newer, to me anyway, and with my own twist (mostly due to substitutions to match my current inventory of alcohol). Based on the cocktail known as the Oreo Cookie, I now present to you

The CHF Double-Stuff

1 oz Vanilla Vodka
1 oz Coffee liqueur
1 oz Irish Cream liqueur
1 oz Chocolate liqueur

Combine in a cocktail shaker over ice and then pour into a chilled glass. Makes 1 large cocktail or 2 double shots; after all, it’s good to share!

My love affair with the vanilla vodka continues, as you can see, and my other substitution was Godiva liqueur for creme de cacao. Creme de cacao, from my quickie research, is a lighter chocolate liqueur with a touch of vanilla, so my substitutions seemed incredibly logical. The first sip, according to my co-taster, was very chocolate but then leveled out whereas I got more of the Kahlua and Irish cream. It probably depends on the individual taste buds involved but we both agreed that it blends and mellows with each sip.

While it’s certainly no substitute for a real cookie, it’s a nice treat when you’re not actually hungry but craving something sweet.

Coffee Liqueur

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Mmmmm, coffee goodness condensed into a rich liqueur, what could be better?

I’m a devotee of the coffee drinks (lattes and the like) but not so much an actual coffee drinker, so Kahlua and others of it’s ilk are right up my alley. One little hiccup: I’m not supposed to have any caffeine. Granted, it’s tough to avoid ALL caffeine and it’s not like I’m allergic, but I try to keep as much as possible out of my system. Which leads one (me) to ask, how much caffeine is in coffee liqueur?

Apparently I’m not the only one to wonder but the information is just not out there for public consumption. Thankfully, Ted Carnahan not only asked the question, but asked it of the source and got an answer:

Kahlua actually has very low levels of caffeine, (approximately 4.85 mg in each 1.5 oz drink).

Which, compared to a cup of coffee that has 100mg or more caffeine, means that there’s virtually none in a shot and therefore safe for us decaf drinkers and anyone who wants a nightcap in their nightcap without the potential insomnia.

Now, what to DO with the liqueur… that’s the real question. I was going to post the recipe for Mudslide (probably my favorite coffee liqueur drink) as compiled by AJ Rathbun in his book,Good Spirits, but then I read the note. The note suggested that maybe using a chocolate vodka would be a nice touch. Me? Add chocolate to a cocktail? How could I resist?

I didn’t have chocolate vodka but I did have Godiva liqueur on the shelf so I figured a 3:1 vodka to Godiva would probably yield the same results (if not better). Plus, I happened to pick up some vanilla vodka during my last supply run so I thought I’d give that a whirl while I was at it. The result? Mmmmmmm. It was like drinking a rich, mocha milkshake (I actually got out the blender for this one).

CHF Mocha Mudslide

1 cup ice
1 oz coffee liqueur
1 oz Irish cream liqueur
3/4 oz Vanilla vodka
1/4 oz chocolate liqueur

Blend all ingredients together until smooth.

Enjoy the holiday weekend, folks! Have fun and be safe!