BABICKA WINS ANOTHER MEDAL.

Babicka has won a bronze medal at the 2008 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
This is the third medal for Babicka which is still in its first year of business. The two previous awards are a Gold Medal / Best Alcoholic Beverage at the 2007 Australian Food Challenge Awards and a Silver Medal at the 2007 International Wine & Spirits Competition.

www.babickavodka.com

Vodka, Broccoli & Cheddar Soup

I know not everyone loves broccoli as much as I do. But give this hearty soup a try one cold evening with a crusty loaf of bread and these much maligned little cancer-fighting buds might surprise you. Of course, a little vodka makes everything (and everyone) more attractive.

1/2 pound (.25 kilograms) broccoli, trimmed and tough stems peeled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped bacon
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups Vodka Chicken Broth (p.XX)
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup Lemon Peel Vodka (from The Vodka Cookbook) or lemon-flavored vodka
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup aged sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
salt & white pepper to taste

Reserve 10-12 small florets from the broccoli; coarsely chop the rest.
Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over a high heat until well-browned – about 3-4 minutes; remove the bacon and set aside. Reduce heat to moderate and add the butter and onion and sauté until brown – about 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir – cook for about a minute more. Slowly whisk in the broth (gently loosening the food bits stuck to the bottom of the pan).
Return the bacon to the pan; add the chopped broccoli, thyme and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until broccoli is tender – about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan filled with lightly salted water to a boil. Add the reserved florets and simmer until just tender – about 2-4 minutes.
Purée the soup in a food processor or blender; return the soup to the pan, stir in the vodka and milk and bring to a simmer over a low heat.
Sprinkle about 3/4 of the cheese into the soup and stir until cheese melts and is completely incorporated. Season to taste with salt & white pepper.
Serve garnished with broccoli florets and a few shreds of cheese.
SERVES 2
You can also serve in small hollowed loaves of bread.
(by John Rose, author of The Vodka Cookbook)

via: http://cookingwithvodka.blogs.com/

Another Wormwood Story.

Philip Philips , of St. Gregory’s, was indicted for stealing a Silver Spoon, and 12 Shillings in Money, from the Person of Elizabeth Booth , on the 28th of Feb. last.
The Prosecutor depos’d, That the Prisoner and another Person came to her House on the Day aforesaid, and drank a considerable Quantity of Gin and Wormwood, which raising the Prisoner to a more than ordinary Elevation, he offered Rudeness to her, and perswading her over the Way to his own House, would there have been more familiar than her Modesty would admit of; after this he came home to her House. again, and continued his Rudeness, insomuch that the Prosecutor lost her Pocket and the Money mentioned in the Indictment: But it appearing to the Court that his Design was only on her Charity, and not on her Property, the Jury acquitted him

Old Bailey 5th July, 1727

George Deportal , was indicted for stealing on the 17th of Oct. 1 cask fill’d with spirituous liquors called wormwood cordial, value 10 s. 1 cask of plague water, val. 10 s. 1 of brandy, val. 8 s. 1 of rum, val. 8 s. the goods of Noah Bernard . Acquitted
Old Bailey 9th December, 1747.

In the archive there is also the very sad tale of one Catherine Townsend who died August 26th 1718. The court heard how previously she had “teach’d her self a Pint of All-fours (i.e. Carraways, Wormwood, Angelico and Anniseed Water) which she drank, and afterwards let down he Stairs”

via: http://czechabsinthe.wordpress.com/category/wormwood/