Author: jstv

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Strong Drink

This summer, on the northern edge of Yellowstone National Park, as we set up camp along the Gallatin River, a significant addition was made to our camping / fishing kit …

The Flask or more to the point, a flask of whiskey.

And so the evening cocktail hour was initiated and has now become a cherished tradition.

The term ‘whiskey’ can encompass a diverse number of spirits. Bourbon, Scotch, Rye, Canadian, and Irish are all types of whiskey and each has its own taste. What they share is a mash build much like our other favorite beverage (beer). The variations come in how the beverage is treated in the distillation and aging process.

Bourbon, the most american whiskey, has a mash build primarily of corn (50% or more) and it is aged in charred aged oak barrels. This tends to be our spirit of choice, though we’ve found some variations on that theme that are equally tasty.

Want a deep dive check out the Whiskey Tribe on YouTube they have some over the top videos but great information.

A recommendation? Try “Oregon Spirit” which is not just a good bourbon but also distilled in Bend, Oregon. Anything out of the Michtner’s Distillery is great … the American Whiskey (though technically not a bourbon) is excellent. However, you really need to do some tasting because there are so many variations. There are also a lot of craft distillers, one just might be near you.

There is no right way to drink whiskey. That said your first taste really should be un-adulterated, followed by the addition of a splash of water or a cube of ice. The taste will change … you’ll be amazed.

As for cocktail? Might we suggest a classic, “the Manhatten” … our version of the classic drink.

      1. Drop a cube of sugar (20g) in a glass then add three shakes of bitters.
        Muddle these to combine.
      2. Cut a strip of orange peel and expell the oils over the muddled sugar.
      3. At this point I like to add 2 ounces of sparkling soda (dry soda) but you can skip that part.
      4. Add 2 ounces of bourbon and a small handful of ice.

Stir and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

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Gear Up … a new type of post

Something we are now adding to the blog is a quarterly list of favorite “gear.” We plan to include things we love using, some old standards, and new things we have discovered. We think you might find these items useful as well.

Now if there is something you’ve found hard to get along without, add a link in the comments. We’d love to know. As this is going to be a regular addition to the blog, you can also point us toward things that we might like to add to the list.

Thanks in advance.

Snow Treads
This is something we wish we’d discovered living on the east side of Multnomah County. East winds and ice storms were a major hazard in those parts … walking was nearly impossible on ice covered streets.

To the rescue are these “Trax.” Basically chains for your boots. Some use coiled wire as the grip, however the ones we use have metal studs in the rubber frame and are super easy to put on. They make walking on hard pack snow and ice much, much easier.

Simms Mittens
This is a well trusted name in fishing apparel and we have lots of their gear, from waders to sun shirts.

This winter we added a set of mittens for JQ. These convertible mittens / fingerless gloves have proven invaluable with her photo work.

Warm when you need them to be, but with a few quick snaps your fingers are able to manage the iPhone photo work.

Float Toy
Tip is a fanatical stick fetcher. I’m sure you’ve seen our many videos featuring the little guy endlessly chasing balls, sticks and now a floating toy. The trouble with sticks in the river is they can be hard to see.

The Lunker from RuffWear is a highly visible, very buoyant (even floats on snow) soft, stuffed fabric toy. The rope handle makes it easy to pick up and easy to throw. Most importantly Tip has no problem spotting it and retrieving it safely.

Yeti Mugs
We’ve been fans of Yeti products for years. They just make really well insulated coolers and beverage bottles.

This Christmas we splurged on some new insulated coffee mugs with monograms. If you watch their web site there is a free monogram offer a couple of times a year.Yeti products carry a premium price tag, but they hold temp better than anything else we’ve tried.

Cocoa Packets
A go to addition for the Yeti mug is a packet of Nestle hot cocoa mix … we like the *Rich Chocolate flavor*.

This is great as a winter warming beverage. We started using it to improve the flavor of instant coffee.

Basically you split a package between two mugs, add the regular measure of instant coffee, hot water and mix. On extra chilly days you can splash a bit of whiskey from the flask for an even better belly warmer.

Coat Rack
Winter in Central Oregon comes with lots of variety in weather. One week we bundle up against sub-freezing temps, the next week we’re in rain gear.

Our front entry becomes the staging area and this coat rack system has really made it easy to have coats, hats, scarves and dog leads at hand.

Wireless Temp Gauge
As I said, there is a wide range of weather. We love this about the area. It can be cloudy or sunny, windy or wet. But that’s not always an indicator of the outside temperature. To help us figure it out, we put in a wireless temperature gauge. You can see it’s windy, but how cold is it really?

There are two parts. One sits by the front door the other is tucked under the eaves on the front porch. We don’t go out without knowing what the weather has in store and this makes it easier to judge how many layers you are going to need.

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Going Green … Tea

We’ll never give up the morning coffee routine. However, as part of an overall healthier lifestyle we’ve started to substitute green tea for those extra mugs of coffee in the afternoon. Not to worry, most green teas have caffeine.

Tea isn’t new to the pantry. On the contrary, there are numerous bottles of loose leaves and mesh bags. Green tea is just a better choice, loaded with antioxidants its a healthy alternative.

The compounds in green tea can have powerful effects on your health. Among them … boosted metabolism, increased fat burning, and lowered blood sugar levels.

Our green tea of choice is Long Jing Dragonwell. A well known tea from China, it has a sweet, rounded flavor … full, nutty, buttery texture … and dry finish. We order from a great online shop with a huge selection and great prices. ‘The Cozy Tea Cart’ is one of the few places that stocks another favorite, Evening in Missoula.

BREWING

You don’t use boilng water as green teas should be brewed around 85ºF. Let the water cool a bit. Use that hot water to preheat your mug or pot. If you’re using loose leaf measure, use a scant teaspoon per cup of brewing water. And if brewing in a teapot, always add a teaspoon for the pot.

Allow tea leaves to steep for two minutes and enjoy.

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Snow Boots

Right after the holidays Central Oregon got a huge boost to the snow pack.  In the few years since moving here we’ve grown accustomed to these “foot in a day” dumps of snow. The scene outside our front door can change dramatically in a matter of hours.

Luckily the neighborhood gets a regular snow plowing and our Subaru has it’s winter boots on. We’re basically ready for winter’s inevitable challenges.

As pointed out numerous times in our blog, morning walks with Tip is how we start the day. The addition of a layer of snow means you need to add traction devices to boots and boots to paws.

The latter can be a bit of a challenge. Tip doesn’t mind wearing boots, however they do add to prep time. Then there is the occasional occurrence with boots coming off in deep snow.

Often the walk will start with boots on and end with them in pockets … we’ll get the hang of this eventually. For now we don’t let it interfere with the morning’s activities.

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Simple Vegetable Soup

January is national soup month and one of our favorites is this broth-based vegetable soup. Its packed with vegetables, freezes beautifully, and is low in calories.

This recipe makes a big pot of soup. We have several meals during the week and always freeze some for those days you “just want to have soup,” or need something for a last minute meal.

Print Recipe

Simple Vegetable Soup

A healthy, filling soup full of vegetables, but low in calories. 1 1/2 cups is only 225 calories.
Course: Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 med onion chopped
  • 2 med carrots chopped
  • 12 oz fresh green beans cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 8 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock low sodium
  • 2 cans cannellini beans 15 oz cans
  • 4 cups kale chopped
  • 2 medium zucchini chopped
  • 4 Roma tomatoes seeded and chopped
  • 2 tsps red wine vinegar

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, green beans and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes more.
  • Add white beans, kale, zucchini, tomatoes, vinegar, salt and pepper. Increase heat to return to a simmer; cook until the zucchini and kale have softened, about 10 minutes.

Notes

This recipe should make a dozen or more servings depending on your serving size. We ladle 14 oz of soup into deli cups, cool in fridge, and then freeze. Stored this way the soup can keep for months and is very easy to thaw and re-heat for a quick dinner.