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Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whiskey Review

Posted by roodonfood on November 4, 2012 in Beer and Wine Reviews, Food Adventures, indian
Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whiskey

Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whiskey

It’s hard to imagine but my brother and sister in law have a baby on the way due in February or March. The bump is visible and so is the waddle (my sister in laws words, not mine). Family, friends and co-workers are all now in the know.

It’ll be exciting to be an Uncle but selfishly it means less time to spend with my brother. Because of this pending life change we’re making an effort to spend time together. I visited last weekend to attend Durga Puja with them in Bayonne and stayed for the weekend. We had a great dinner at a famous restaurant called Moghal post-Puja. Politicians such as Bill Clinton and Chris Christie among others visited the restaurant in the past. Afterward we settled in for a nice night with Netflix and a relaxing drink.

I’m a big fan of whiskey and scotch but never thought I’d get to try Amrut Fusion because it retails for an impressive $85. $85? What do I look like, a banker? My brother though knows a guy who knows a guy who owns a liquor store.

I’d read a few months back about Amrut, India’s first single malt whiskey in the newspaper, India Abroad. Hailing from perpetually hopping Bangalore, it uses a mix of Indian and Scottish barley along with peat, hence the name. The initial scent is that of vanilla. Fusion provides the palatable oakiness and smokiness you want from a good single malt. Also of note are hints of caramel and vanilla flavor. The finish is smooth and satisfying and very enjoyable on the rocks. Consider watching Anchorman while consuming. (I realize Amrut isn’t technically Scotch). All around an impressive debut. Here is a great write up on the popularity of whiskey in India as well as a favorable review of Amrut products. Here is a second one.

“I Love Scotch” Source: Myles B.

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Vitarroz Plantain Chips (Lightly Salted) Review

Posted by roodonfood on November 2, 2012 in gluten free, Snacks, vegan
Vitarroz Plantain Chips (Lightly Salted)

Vitarroz Plantain Chips (Lightly Salted)

Plaintain chips are a relatively new discovery for me. If you’re curious to try them Vitarroz is a good way to start because they sell them in modest size packets of 3.5oz (99grams, strange that it’s not 100g) and are priced at around $1. Another product with simple ingredients, they contain only green plantains, palm oil and salt. They’re imported from Costa Rica.

The one pictured is lightly salted. Other flavors include Chili Jalapeno and Lemon & Salt. These fall somewhere around a 7 on the crunch scale. They taste much heartier than straight up potato chips. These chips favor savory over sweet. These aren’t a particularly nutritious food though they have no trans fat or cholesterol. The fat content is 12% DV per 28 chip serving. Plantain Chips are a welcome addition because they add variety for those who are gluten free or for anyone who likes to mix it up.

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Hurricane Sandy Relief

Posted by roodonfood on October 31, 2012 in Uncategorized

If you’re interested in helping out with Sandy by either volunteering or by donating, please check out this list from WNYC which includes the Red Cross and Jersey Cares among others.

 

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Hurricane Sandy Meals

Posted by roodonfood on October 30, 2012 in gluten free, vegan
Peanut Butter Jelly Sandwich with Udi's

Peanut Butter Jelly Sandwich with Udi’s

Glued to the news all day we worried constantly about family in the tri-state knowing how much larger this hurricane was over Irene. Among our family everyone is okay though most are without power. We got lucky with Hurricane Sandy because our power didn’t go out in South Park Slope.

In the aftermath many stores are closed so we have no choice but to open our disaster foods including the previously mentioned Udi’s Cinnamon Raisin gluten free bread. I’m happy to report that it’s quite tasty. Toasted in a pan, the sweetness of the bread and raisin really come through. Alongside the sandwich we heated Adamba brand Borscht soup.

Adamba Polish Style Red Borsch Soup

You just boil water and add in the contents of the packet. A product of Poland, the ingredients are refreshingly simple: beet powder, vegetable fat, sugar, salt, citric acid – no gluten ingredients. It’s usually only around only $0.99 at Polish groceries such as Eagle Provisions or Jubilat. The natural earthiness and sweetness of the beet pairs nicely with the added salt. It’s a wonderful brothy soup, great for a cold day. With the conditions outside and the effects of Sandy on people all over I feel particularly thankful for the meal. Please keep your fingers crossed that power will be back shortly especially in New York, Jersey and PA.

Peanut Butter Jelly and Borsch Soup

 

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Hurricane Sandy Provisioning

Posted by roodonfood on October 29, 2012 in Snacks

Stay safe fellow East Coasters during Hurricane Sandy. Here in South Park Slope, Brooklyn we’re on lock down till it passes. Luckily we’re not in the evacuation zones.

My pantry is stocked with 4 or 5 days worth of non-perishable provisions should power and gas go out. I hope this Udi’s Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread is good for peanut butter jelly sandwiches. We also picked up some canned beans, canned tuna, clif bars, tortillas, candy bars, a Moon Pie and lots and lots of crunchies like Doritos. Here is a list of suggested foods from FEMA/Ready.gov

What are your disaster preparedness foods? Lets keep our collective fingers crossed that this thing is overblown especially for folks on the Jersey Shore.

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In Defense of Candy Corn

Posted by roodonfood on October 27, 2012 in Pop Culture, Snacks

This has been a banner October for me in terms of embracing horror. I’ve seen at least 10 movies via Netflix. They’re mostly terrible but a few are noteworthy or at the very least watchable. The latest decent one was “The Ward,” a fun John Carpenter movie taking place inside a mental health facility.  My favorite part of Halloween though, even as an adult is the candy. The season provides RoodonFood a yearly excuse to buy favorites like “fun size” Milky Ways, variety packs of Hershey’s but most noteworthy is candy corn.

Candy Corn

Candy Corn

I’m a big fan of the stuff. The creamy fondant flavor practically melts in your mouth. The colour and the shape in addition to being a great album by the Foo Fighters, is unique. Multi-colored and molded to look like corn? This is very appealing to the kid inside. And for once it makes sense to use corn syrup as a sweetener. In fact, why doesn’t it say “made with real corn?” It’s the only candy I buy which contains no less than 4 food dyes. Here’s looking at you yellow 5, yellow 6, red 3 and of course blue 1. Conversely, it’s partially sweetened with real honey, something which is written prominently on the front of the Brach’s bag.

People feel strongly about candy corn. You need only check the twitter commentary to see that the haters and lovers are legion. Yes, they can be waxy if you get a bad batch but isn’t that half the fun? So spend the $2 and enjoy chewing the creamy goodness of corn shaped, 3 color, artificial flavor containing candy corn, if only for once a year. After all, it’s a tradition dating back to the 1880s.

 

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Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (New Zealand)

Posted by roodonfood on October 22, 2012 in Beer and Wine Reviews

Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2009One of the kooky things about central heat is that it works too well sometimes. Rather than wearing layers of pajamas, sweaters and socks while drinking a red wine I’ll occasionally find myself in shorts sipping white wine. I had such a day recently and it called for Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand ($8.99).

It goes without saying that having monkey in your name and in your logo will guarantee sales. In fact, it’s arguably cheating.  That said, Monkey Bay is at least a  real place in New Zealand. The site explains the origin as follows:

Legend has it that in the late 19th century, an Englishman visiting the Marlborough coast of New Zealand’s South Island reported seeing a monkey cavorting near a small bay. Locals were sceptical because monkeys are not indigenous to New Zealand.

Might the little imp have escaped from an American whaling ship that docked in Marlborough after stops in Africa or Indonesia? Or did the Englishman, addled by too much sun, or too much drink, mistake the native kiwi bird for a chimp? Whatever the real story may be, the idyllic spot became known as Monkey Bay – and so it is called to this day.

My local liquor store had the good sense to keep several bottles chilled. The flavor is a perfect balance of sweet to tart. I wouldn’t call it crisp but it’s certainly effervescent with great zing. Quite a few fruit flavors are present, most prominently, grapefruit. The finish is clean. This is a highly drinkable wine and a favorite from the Marlborough region. This is a great wine to have on a genuine hot summer day or in the microclimate of a centrally heated building.  Here is another review appreciative of the wine. 

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Despite Jim Gaffigan’s Warnings, Snoop Dogg Lion Endorses Hot Pockets.

Posted by roodonfood on October 19, 2012 in Pop Culture

In what’s probably not a rebuttal to comedian Jim Gaffigan’s signature bit, Snoop Dogg is now endorsing the Hot Pockets. His recent ad remixes “Drop It Likes It’s Hot” 2004 #1 single into “Pocket Like It’s Hot.” The viral video shows Snoop rapping about the joy of eating the microwavable stuffed pastries once you get the munchies. An anthropomorphic Hot Pocket in a leopard spotted robe is seen doing a jig around dancing girls. Clearly the company is focused squarely on its stoner demographic.


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Two Vines Columbia Crest 2009 Merlot (Washington State)

Posted by roodonfood on October 17, 2012 in Beer and Wine Reviews

Day 1: At first this one reminded me of a Pinot oddly. It’s very smooth and thin with a clean finish. It features strong cherry notes with purposeful but not overpowering tannins. There is also a subtle hint of oakiness.

Day 2: Still delicious. Even more cherry and tannin chewiness is detectable on day 2. Don’t judge me but it tasted quite good chilled despite being a red.

The Two Vines Columbia Crest 2009 Merlot is definitely on RoodonFood’s short list for inexpensive, quality merlots.

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The Importance of Weekend Coffee

Posted by roodonfood on October 16, 2012 in Uncategorized

It matters not whether week or weekend my daily coffee consumption remains a constant 12 to 16 oz. A sacred beverage, coffee provides two equally important services. Firstly, it helps me focus on the tasks at hand. Secondly it’s a preventative medicine because it causes me not to punch anyone in the face on a bad day.

Chock Full O Nuts

During the week the preference is for smokier, darker flavors. I frequently buy Colombian and French roast which fall in the medium range. The best Colombian is probably Chock Full of Nuts. This is a known fact to the company because it’s the only style that never goes on sale. I also enjoy their French Roast as well as the one from Folgers.

On the weekend after the Farmer’s Market at Grand Army Plaza, it’s coffee time. Usually the weekend blend is a mix of two types of coffee, a regular one and a flavor. I always do one more scoop of regular to flavor. For example, this weekend it was a French roast (5 scoops) to 4 scoops of Dunkin Donuts Hazelnut. I like it because you get the smokiness and higher caffeine from the darker roast and the sweet, aromatic notes of the “flavored” coffee. When I’m not doing a blend, I appreciate Porto Rico’s house coffee: Auggies, and Empire Coffee’s Breakfast blend. Protip: Even if a deal is not advertised at Dunkin Donuts they’ll often give a deal of buy 3 get 1 free or 4 for $27ish. It will usually work out to $5-$7 per pound. I recommend getting a dark roast, original roast, vanilla and a hazelnut.

What are your weekend food and drink rituals?

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