Luxe Beat Magazine OCTOBER 2014 | Page 55

Epicure Cocktail Recipes from Moonshine Nation The Art of Creating Cornbread in a Bottle If you’re looking for your first introduction to Moonshine, why not try it in a cocktail! Here are a few recipes from Moonshine Nation Apple Pie Manhattan Blueberry Basilito 4 basil leaves 2tsp sugar 2tbsp sparkling-water 1 ½oz frozen blueberries 1 ½oz Midnight Moon Blueberry 2tbsp lime juice Place basil, sugar, and sparkling water in a highball glass and muddle lightly. Add blueberries, crush and stir. Add ice, Midnight Moon Blueberry, and lime juice. Stir gently and serve with a straw. Howling Bloody Moon 1 ½oz Howling Moon moonshine 8oz Bloody Mary mix pickled okra green olives lemon and lime wedges Mix moonshine and bloody Mary mix together in a highball glass with ice and stir. Garnish with okra, olives, and citrus. RECIPE COURTESY OF HOWLING MOON RECIPE COURTESY OF PIEDMONT DISTILLERS About the Book: Moonshine is corn whiskey, traditionally made in improvised stills throughout the Appalachian South. While quality varied from one producer to another, the whiskey had one thing in common: It was illegal because the distiller refused to pay taxes to the US government. Many moonshiners were descendants of Scots-Irish immigrants who had fought in the original Whiskey Rebellion in the early 1790s. They brought their knowledge of distilling with them to America along with a profound sense of independence and a refusal to submit to government authority. Today many Southern states have relaxed their laws and 3 parts MB Roland Apple Pie Kentucky Shine 1 part MB Roland True Kentucky Shine ¼ part sweet vermouth cherry, apple slice, cinnamon stick, or ground cinnamon, for garnish. Combine ingredients in a shaker over ice. Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with cherry, apple slice, and cinnamon stick and/ or sprinkle of cinnamon powder. RECIPE COURTESY OF MB ROLAND now allow the legal production of moonshine— provided that taxes are paid. Yet many modern moonshiners retain deep links to their bootlegging heritage. Moonshine Nation is the story of moonshine’s history and origins alongside profiles of modern moonshiners—and a collection of drink recipes from each. About the Author: Mark Spivak is an award-winning writer specializing in wine, spirits, food, restaurants, and culinary travel. He was the wine writer for the Palm Beach Post from 1994-1999, and was honored by the Academy of Wine Communications for excellence in wine coverage “in a graceful and approachable style.” Since 2001 he has been the Wine and Spirits Editor for the Palm Beach Media Group, as well as the restaurant critic for Palm Beach Illustrated. His work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Robb Report, Art & Antiques, Men’s Journal, the Continental and Ritz-Carlton magazines, Arizona Highways, and Newsmax. A broadcaster for many years, he is currently working with Matrix Media to host Quench!, a weekly podcast that reveals the untold stories behind everyone’s favorite alcoholic beverages, available on iTunes and at webtalkradio.net.