Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Single Islay Malt Whiskies. Lagavulin, means “the hollow where the mill is”. Its water arrives by way of a fast flowing stream from the Solan Lochs in the hills above the distillery.This water picks up plenty of peat on its way. The barley used is from the nearby Port Ellen, and it too has a strong peat aroma. Lagavulin receives the slowest distillation process of any Islay malt. This gives it a rich, smoky, peaty, character.
From Jackson’s Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch: “Colour: Full amber. Nose: Sea Spray, peat smoke. Stings the back of the nose. Body: Full, smooth, very firm. Palate: Peaty dryness like gunpowder tea. As the palate develops, oily, grassy, and in particular, salty notes emerge. Finish: Peat fire. Warming. A bear hug.“
Rated 95 by Jackson.
Another Batch of Herbs
We picked another batch of Rosemary and Basil. There is nothing like cooking with fresh herbs. I decided to grow five different types of Basil this year. Each has its own distinct characteristics whether it is flavor, shape or size. Summerlong, Spicy Saber, Thai Siam Queen, Greek, and Sweet Basil are this year’s selection. All were grown from seed. I usually get the majority of my seeds from Burpee. They were founded in 1876 by a teenager and by 1915 were mailing out over 1 million catalogs a year. They also guarantee every product they sell, including the seeds.
Oregon Dunes
I took this at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Here, the ocean currents deposit large amounts of sand. With the help of the wind, the dunes here can grow to 500 feet above sea level. I wanted to capture how strange the day was. It seemed as though the sun and the clouds were fighting it out all day.
Rainy Sunday Afternoon
After breakfast, we went over to my mother’s to drop off a gift. We spent the rest of the rainy Sunday afternoon there drinking coffee and eating freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.
Country Corner Cafe
This morning we ate at the Country Corner Cafe. There are two of these in Saratoga. The one downtown on Church Street has been there for over 15 years. The place is small, so it gets crowded quick. April of last year, they opened up another on High Rock Avenue due to the overwhelming popularity of the original cafe. We ate at the one of High Rock.
Wild Thyme Whole Foods & Tea Co.
This afternoon, we stopped at Wild Thyme Whole Foods & Tea Company located just outside of Saratoga in dowtown Ballston Spa. This is where I buy all of my teas. They have the best selection of loose leaf teas in the area. They keep all of their teas and herbs in tightly sealed opaque containers minimizing the negative effects of air and light. They also have a great selection of natural foods as well.
Nothing beats a good cup of loose leaf tea. To make brewing easier, Adagio Teas created the IngenuiTEA Teapot. This thing is absolute genius. Just place the water and tea into the teapot. When the time is up, place the teapot on top of a cup. The tea flows through the wire mesh on the bottom, keeping the leaves in the teapot. This is a must have. Pick it up at Wild Thyme or order it online. It’s under $20.
A.H. Hirsch 16 Year Old
Last night we ate at the Sushi Thai Garden. Afterward, we went to 9 Maple Ave for some after dinner drinks. Here, I tried the A.H. Hirsch Reserve 16 Year Old. It was America’s first 5 star bourbon. It is was made using a Pot Still, which is unique among American whiskey distilleries.
From the Beverage Testing Institute: “Brilliant burnished amber hue. Lush toffee, dried fruit, a rich entry leads to a dense medium-to-full-bodied palate with burnt caramel, mellow brown spices, and deeply toasted American oak flavors. Finishes with a balanced wave of spicy pepper. Wonderfully poised with a distinctly even, round quality.“
Rated 94 by the Beverage Testing Institute.
Climbers in Zion
I took this picture in Zion National Park on one of our road trips. See the rock climbers in the lower right corner? Sometimes it can take even experienced climbers a couple of days to ascend these walls. So at night they must set up in a portaledge. If your in the canyon after dark, look up. You might see lights hovering over head of climbers catching a nights sleep.
Birds of Prey
All week long, Wild Birds Unlimited of Saratoga has been celebrating its third anniversary. Today they had several booths and displays set up in front of the store. There were representatives from the Glens Falls Saratoga Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club and Southern Adirondack Audubon Society. Beth Bidwell of The Wildlife Institute of Eastern New York brought some “birds of prey” that have been rescued from life threatening injuries and can no longer live in the wild. She started by showing the crowd an American Kestrel, one of the most colorful falcons in North America. Then she brought out a Peregrine Falcon, which can reach record speeds of over 200 mph while in its hunting stoop. A Red Shouldered Hawk was next, followed by a Red Tailed Hawk, the most common hawk in North America. She ended the presentation with two nocturnal hunters, the small Eastern Screech Owl, and a Barred Owl.
This is hands down the best birding store in the Saratoga area. The quality of their feeders and houses can’t be beat. My feeders have survived two bear attacks. The owners, Lois and Nancy, always make you feel welcome. Check the place out and tell them Andrew sent ya!
Breakfast at the Racetrack
This morning we ate breakfast at the Saratoga Racetrack. Every race day, the breakfast buffet is served on the Clubhouse Porch from 7:00 am to 9:30 am. Admission is free during breakfast. The experts talked about the horse’s morning workouts while we ate. We watched the trainers warmup the horses and the racetrack staff prepare for a busy day.
