Review- Terhune Orchards Winery

I recently visited Terhune Orchards in Princeton, NJ to sample their farm made wines. They offer a large variety (over 20) wines made from fruits grown in their farm/vineyard. The selection includes wine made from grapes, apples, cherries, peaches, blue berries, and other seasonal offerings.

If you are in the neighborhood I definitely recommend a wine tasting in the barn/art gallery. You can purchase a sampling of five wines for only $5. The winery tasting room is open Friday and Sunday from noon to 5pm. Bottles  are available in the farm store daily

Amongst my favorites were;
Just Peachy- Aromatic peach, blended with our own Apple Wine (made from Terhune Orchards Apple Cider).

Front Porch Breeze - Blush wine, semi-sweet and fruity with a taste of strawberry. A blend of Vidal Blanc, Orange Muscat and hint of Niagra grapes.

Rooster Red - Semi-sweet red wine with dark cherry aromas. Just enough sweetness to be pleasant with a round finish. Soft and appreciable and similar to pinot noir. 100% Estate Grown. Silver medal -NJ State Wine Competition 2011, Bronze medal 2012

Chambourcin - Medium body red, dry wine with a clean finish, light taste of cherry. Bronze medal-NJ State Wine Competition 2011.

Apple Wine - Made from Terhune Orchards own apple cider, refreshing dry wine. Bronze medal - NJ State Wine Competition 2012

Terhune Orchards
330 Cold Soil Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
609.924.2310

Review - Jersey Artisan Distilling "Busted Barrel Rum"

"We aren't doing anything different, just better."

Jersey Artisan Distilling is a relatively new distillery located in Fairfield, NJ. It is the first distillery in NJ since prohibition ended. Their main focus is using the freshest ingredients found locally in NJ. The molasses however comes from Louisiana, simply because NJ does not have any molasses producers.

Currently they only have Busted Barrel Rum available in stores, but will soon offer vodka and gin. In 2015 they plan to expand to bourbon and whiskey production. By US definition Rum can be made a number of ways using a variety of different ingredients, look for new and different types of rum coming out of this distillery in the future.

I sampled the Busted Barrel Rum in a Caipirinha drink, which is basically lime juice, simple syrup, and rum. It was the best Caipirinha I have ever had. Fresh ingredients are definitely the way to go! I also enjoyed drinking the rum straight, but it is a tad strong with an Abv of 40% and 80 proof.

For a list of locations where Busted Barrel Rum is available please check their website, the list grows daily.
http://www.jerseyartisandistilling.com/#!where/c19j8 

Review - Papa's Pillar Rum

Papa's Pilar Rum is based on the life and spirit of Ernest Hemingway. It embodies his love for life and adventure. The name comes from the name of Hemingway's 38 foot motorboat, the "Pilar." I tried both the 24 Solera blended Dark Rum and the 3 Solera blended Blonde Rum. The Dark Rum was my personal favorite, I liked drinking it straight. It has hints of vanilla, caramel, anise, and cherries; this is a great Dark Rum that goes down smooth.

I also enjoyed the Blonde Rum, both of which are finished in a Spanish Sherry Cask, giving them a unique flavor. This Rum was very smooth and I would recommend it for mixing as the flavoring is not as strong as the dark rum.

For more information visit the Papa's Pilar website www.papaspilar.com

 The Pillar

Hemingway's House in Key West, Florida

Cocktails with Lauren

I had the pleasure of taking two cocktail classes with "Lauren" from www.cocktailswithlauren.com. I took Green Market Cocktails and All in for Gin. First off, I was very impressed with Lauren's knowledge of both the drinks and alcohol. She really knows her stuff, which she should as a bartender at Raines Law Room in NYC, a speakeasy type bar which specializes in prohibition and pre-prohibition drinks.

We listened to a brief lecture, which included directions to make your own simple syrup and Chili Agave syrup. Then watched Lauren make the cocktails, and then were given directions to make our own. Green Market cocktails featured drinks make with fruit, and a punch bowl. What a great idea for your next party, have guests serve themselves. All in for Gin also featured a punch, a Martini, and Tom Collins. We learned about different brands of Gin, and I discovered Perry's Tot Gin, a very strong Gin made in New York by the New York Distilling Company. I definitely recommend trying it if you consider yourself a Gin aficionado. 

Lauren is available for private parties and corporate events. She has experience leading cocktail classes with Rains Law Room and The Astor Center. She has presented at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, Tales of the Cocktail, and Appetite: Food and Wine festival.

If you are interested in planning your next event with Lauren please email her at LaurenDavis118@gmail.com.

Sugarush - Guinness and Champagne cupcakes

This was my second time trying sugarush cupcakes. I am in love with these mini cupcakes coming in a variety of flavors. I sampled chocolate, carrot cake, and red velvet; chocolate with peanut butter frosting was one of my favorites. I was really intrigued by the Guinness and Champagne cupcakes, both of which are seasonal. They are also available for custom orders. If you are looking for "NJ's best cupcake" give them a try.


sugarush: a sweet experience
37 East Front Street
Red Bank, NJ 07701
732-414-9044
www.experiencesugarush.com/