Getting Figgy With It
Article Source: Club Life Magazine
Author: Mark Fadden
What better way to honor cooling temperatures, football season, leaf-peeping, sweaters and cozying up in front of the fire than by celebrating the season with a few drinks of distinction?
These three spirits are nothing if not unique. The first one is something you probably never had before. The second one you probably have had and didn’t even know it. The third one is a drink you know you’ve had before — possibly many times — but you’ve probably forgotten just how versatile it is. I hope you get the chance to try all three of these spirits both this fall and beyond.
“Cocktails are society’s most enduring invention.”
More importantly, I hope that once you try them, you get a chance to share them with someone you love — or even like a lot. Because that is, after all, why cocktails are so great. The late Elsa Maxwell, known for the grand parties she threw for royalty and high society, once said that “cocktails are society’s most enduring invention.” I sincerely hope that the cocktails inspired by the spirits below help make that quote sustain us all season long.
Flavor It With Figs
Figs are one of the oldest fruits consumed by human beings. Before sugar was widely used in nearly everything we ingest, figs were used as a sweetener in our ancestors’ desserts and sweet treats. Figs originated in northern Asia and spread with the Greeks and the Romans throughout the Mediterranean region. Sumerian stone tablets dating back to 2500 B.C. also record the culinary use of figs, and remains of fig trees were found during excavations of Neolithic sites from 5000 B.C. Some historians consider figs the first of the domesticated crops.
While figs have a long and involved history, it’s only recently that they’ve been introduced into the spirit world, to produce one of the most versatile liquors on the market today. “Figenza represents the essence of the Mediterranean soul as the fig-vodka market leader,” says Mike Arons, director of marketing at Carriage House Imports. “Figenza is made with hand-picked Mediterranean figs from Greece and Italy and is distilled six times to create one of the world’s most sophisticated and innovative vodkas. From the very popular Mediterranean Mule and the Fig Sangria that will help refresh you in the summer to the Gentleman’s Fig and Snow White Cosmo that are more aligned with the fall and holiday seasons respectively, Figenza fig vodka is a great stand-alone drink or can be used to put a unique spin on a classic cocktail throughout the year.”
But Figenza’s influence doesn’t stop at the bar. It’s also used to spice up food recipes. “From spicing up main-course recipes like using Figenza black-bean sauce with sea bass, to a drizzle for ice cream and gelato, to being infused into baked desserts such as cheesecake, professional chefs and at-home cooks are finding more and more ways to use Figenza fig vodka to take their favorite recipes to the next level,” Arons says.
The Perfect Partner
Ahh, Chambord! Just saying the name makes you feel a little fancy. But while it’s a unique liqueur packaged in a distinctive orb-shaped bottle, it can go with almost everything; think equal parts thoroughbred and workhorse. Chambord makes whatever it’s paired with better. “The beauty of Chambord is that it pairs well with virtually any spirit — gin, tequila, vodka, whiskey, etc.,” says Emma Briscoe, senior brand manager for Chambord Liqueur in the United States. “Some of our favorite cocktails are a black raspberry margarita or a bramble. Both are light, refreshing cocktails that really allow Chambord to shine.”
Besides making your cocktail hour better, Chambord can also be the key ingredient at the end of your dinner. “Chambord is also a fabulous ingredient to use in baking. Substitute Chambord wherever you would use vanilla extract and you’ll immediately level up your favorite dessert,” Briscoe says. “Chambord can be used in a variety of baked-goods recipes including tiramisu, chocolate mousse, cakes and so much more, as the black raspberry flavor works with a variety of different ingredients.”
Spicing It Up
