Bourbon bliss

I started to grasp the power of the American Dream on the evening that my friend Gertrude introduced me to Kentucky Bourbon.  It was early December, cold, a small group of us was crammed around the small table in the nook between her kitchen and study.  Azules the cat was tip-toeing between our wine glasses.  The TV was tuned to a PBS mystery no one was watching.  Every spoon was mismatched but silver.  Every serving dish a pottery piece.  And there was bright-eyed five-foot-tall seventy-something Gertude pouring golden liquor over an oversized fruitcake.

- "Eat some," she said.  "It'll warm you up from the inside."

Where else on earth could women enjoy each other's company with such impunity?  I've been hooked on Bourbon since.

- "How do you take your Bourbon?" the bartender at the Last Concert asked me the other day.

- "Straight up."

- "That's the spirit."

Indeed. 

I am too small to drink much more than an ounce, I might as well lick every drop of it.   The only exception is when I cook.  I have used Bourbon instead of Grand Marnier in cakes, with good results even though my grandmother would disapprove.  Tonight I experimented with a batch of Bainbridge Buttermilk & Bourbon Hotcakes. 

Oh my! 

I had meant to eat just two pancakes for dessert and keep the rest of the batter for breakfast, but I couldn't get over how well the crunch of the cornmeal marries with the Bourbon flavor.  I abandoned all restrain, topped those babies with fresh raspberries, drizzled with Agave juice and went for the gold.

Bottom line: six pancakes.  Six!  For dessert!  I didn't even know my stomach could ingest that many pancakes. 

And then I had to have a dash of Bourbon to wash it all down, because hard liquor aids with digestion and the bottle was open.

Oh well...vive l'Amerique.  Yee-haw!!

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Buttermilk & Bourbon hotcakes

Beat one egg white until soft peaks.  In another bowl, beat egg yolk, 3/4 cup of buttermilk, one tablespoon of salad oil and  2 tablespoons of bourbon until frothy.  Mix in 2/3 cup of flour, 2 tablespoons of cornmeal and 1/2 teaspon each of baking powder and baking soda.  Add 1/4 teaspon of salt.  Fold in the egg white.

Pour batter on a hot griddle.  Do you thing.  Eat.  It'll warm you up from the inside.