Singer/songwriter Bob Dylan is the latest celebrity to create his own brand of alcohol. The Nobel Prize winner worked with bourbon maker Marc Bushala to create Heaven’s Door. The small-batch whiskeys come in three varieties: a straight bourbon, a straight rye and a double-barreled whiskey. “Dylan has these qualities that actually work well for a whiskey,” Bushala told The New York Times. “He has great authenticity. He is a quintessential American. He does things the way he wants to do them. I think these are good attributes for a super-premium whiskey as well.” The whiskey is only available at the online store for Heaven’s Door, but it will be available in mid-May in stores in select states. Dylan joins a crowded market of celebrity-branded or -owned spirits, as seen below: • Drew Barrymore — Barrymore wines. The actress has a partnership with Jackson Family Wines that’s produced Pinot Grigio, Pinot…
How to avoid getting gouged on wine at restaurants
If you’ve ever glanced at a restaurant wine list, you know adding a bottle of red or white can inflate your bill pretty quickly. You may be left wondering how you can buy an entire bottle of Merlot at the state store for under $15, but a single glass is going to run you the same price at a mid-range restaurant. Of course, we expect there will be a markup on any type of alcohol, but why so high with wine? Sommelier Mark Oldman clues us in. In his book “How to Drink Like a Billionaire,” Oldman writes that the typical restaurant will markup a bottle of wine at least 200 percent, so that $15 brand you’re familiar with, quickly becomes a $45 bottle — or in extreme cases, even 400 percent with a $75 price tag. “The need to cover glassware, staff wages, rent, inventory — the reasons are sundry for why wine is marked…
Hidden Valley creates most expensive bottle of ranch dressing ever
We’re not sure if Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have this item on their wedding registry. In an obvious publicity stunt (and it worked!), Hidden Valley Ranch will send the newlyweds a jewel-encrusted bottle of ranch dressing … valued at $35,000. “Hidden Valley Ranch is honoring the great pairing of a fellow famous American with British royalty, as well as those who royally love ranch, with a diamond, sapphire and 18 carat white gold encrusted glass bottle – the only way to serve America’s favorite ranch to royalty,” according to a press release. There’s also a Twitter contest where fans can win another blinged-out bottle. For a chance at winning, check out the @HVRanch Twitter account. (As of March 15, the post had almost 12,000 retweets.) Hidden Valley hasn’t been confined to plastic squeeze bottles either. Just last year, the company manufactured a five-liter keg that cost $50 and provide…
19 Fun facts about champagne
Champagne is synonymous with celebration, and nothing says New Year’s quite like popping a bottle of bubbly. Throughout the year it might be seen as slightly snobbish, but on December 31 Champagne becomes holiday revelers’ drink of choice in countries all over the world. It seems that simply letting those bubbles fly sets the tone for a festive celebration, but what do you actually know about this fizzy favorite? Here are 19 fun facts about Champagne you likely never knew. 1. There are about 49 million bubbles in a 7500ml bottle of Champagne. 2. A standard-sized glass emits 30 bubbles every second. 3. France has the largest Champagne market (of course). The French consume 162.5 million bottles every year, or about 52 percent of the entire world production of Champagne. 4. Champagne has 3 times more carbonation than beer. 5. The pressure in a Champagne bottle is about 3 times the amount of pressure…
Tips to help prevent that horrible champagne hangover
If you’ve ever thought that a glass of champagne hits you faster than, say, beer, you’re not imagining it. It turns out there’s a reason why a single toast at your friend’s wedding can leave your head spinning. Boris Tabakoff at the University of Colorado, Boulder, told NPR, “Some of the dizziness you can feel after champagne is due to both the brain getting [a little] less oxygen and also the [effects] of the alcohol at the same time.” Blame it on the bubbles. All of those bubbles in sparkling wine and champagne are nothing more than carbon dioxide. C02 competes with oxygen in our bloodstream, explains Tabakoff, a researcher on the effects alcohol has on the body. The science behind it is pretty simple. Carbon dioxide increases the pressure in your stomach, which in turn, forces the alcohol out through the lining of your stomach where it’s absorbed right into your bloodstream — faster…
Italian roasted veggies make for simple vegetarian, vegan meal
I first had roasted tomatoes at a wedding where they served this veggie blend family style, surrounding a tender roasted chicken. The way the crinkled tomato skin slipped off and the insides burst made them oh-so craveable. I skipped most of the meat and loaded my plate with these flavorful veggies. Sure, they’re a great accompaniment to your favorite protein, but I like this dish all on its own. This combo is entirely too easy to prep for how delicious it is. Just wash the veggies to remove any dirt, and you’re almost done. I buy the bagged cauliflower to save time breaking off the florets myself. And it’s up to you if you slice the mushrooms or leave them whole. Onions are really great in this mix too. Just chop up one medium onion and add in with all the other veggies. (Baking time might need to be adjusted a few minutes longer.) Italian Roasted Veggies Ingredients…
Proper dinner party Etiquette tips for our high-tech times
When Emily Post wrote her first book, Etiquette, in 1922, she could have hardly imagined the types of dining-related topics we’d be disputing today. Selfies during dinner? Asking the hostess for wi-fi access? What would Ms. Post think of our table manners in the age of technology? Luckily, Lizzie Post, great-great granddaughter of Emily Post, author, and co-president of the Emily Post Institute, has carried on her famous ancestor’s etiquette empire. Lizzie offers a fresh perspective on whether our modern day dinner party habits are acceptable or faux-pax. Here’s how she recommends handling a few of the high-tech situations you’re likely to find yourself in this holiday season: Facebook RSVPS If you get a Facebook party invitation and either forget to respond or don’t see it until the last minute, don’t fret. Lizzie says that sending Facebook invites is definitely more for casual holiday parties anyway, and it’s common for guests to overlook…
Groom’s Cakes You Have to See
If you’re attending weddings this year, chances are you’ll come across a groom’s cake on display next to, or near, the traditional wedding cake (okay, the bride’s cake). You may be wondering where this custom came from. Well, back in the day of Victorian England, favors were simple. Guests were sent home with a slice of wedding cake. During that time period, single female guests would take their piece of cake home and place it under their pillow. Legend said, the ladies would dream of their future hubby that night. This is where the name “groom’s cake” came from. But brides and grooms had to buy a second cake to make sure there was plenty to go around. The extra cake was kept in the kitchen and would have to be sliced, boxed and wrapped to go — adding additional costs to the affair. Brides and grooms realized that if they were going to spend…
Add some sparkle to your snacking with trendy unicorn treats
If you have the choice between a regular macaroon and a unicorn macaroon..
Ent-icing dessert designs by local cake artist
Cathy Burnheimer is turning the cake world upside-down. Her innovative cake designs push the boundaries and defy gravity. “We’ve done chandelier cakes that have hung inverted,” said Cathy Burnheimer. “One was at the Omni William Penn for a wedding. It was a five-tier cake that hung from the chandelier.” The Omni William Penn is a 23-floor hotel located in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The grand hotel has been host to many visiting luminaries including John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama, Mick Jagger and Ewan McGregor—just to name a few. Brides and grooms and other “high society” events regularly rent the famous balconied Grand Ballroom. The hotel was designed in a Renaissance Revival style—which means ornate, Classical details everywhere and tall, interior arches. Impressively decorated ceilings and cornices set the scene for a formal affair. (If you’re lucky enough to visit, be sure to look up!) “To have the Omni as my inspiration…