Admiralty Distillers in Port Townsend, WA

I recently had a chance to check out Admiralty Distillers here in Port Townsend, WA for a marc brandy tasting.  Marc brandy is made in the style of grappa, and I am a huge fan of grappa, so of course I had to go check this place out!  The distillery also offers a lovely apple eau-de-vie.  

While chatting with the maker of these awesome brandies, Jake Soule, I decided my two favorites (of the 5 brandies I sampled) were the Grenache and the Port marc brandies.  The Grenache is perfect for after dinner due to its herbal notes, and the Port would be fantastic with dessert with the vanilla notes that come through.

Tasting are held most Saturdays from 12 - 5 pm at the distillery located at 820 Lake St., Port Townsend, WA 98368.

Find out more about Admiralty Distillers at:

Website:  http://www.admiraltydistillers.com/home.html
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/admiraltyjake/

Port and Chocolate Pairings for Valentine's Day, or any Day

By:  Victoria Cooksey

Quite often port and dark chocolate is recommended as a great pairing, and it is, but which chocolate goes with which port exactly?  That part is often skipped.  I've found through tasting several different chocolates with the three ports pictured that some chocolates work, and some just don't with certain ports. Sometimes it's a texture thing, sometimes the port, or the chocolate, cancels the other out, but sometimes the pairing is fantastic.  Below I will give a quick description of each of these ports, and a chocolate pairing recommendation for each one.  

Ruby ports tend to be more fruit forward in taste with notes of berries. I found this particular ruby port pictured to have flavor notes of black cherry, blueberries, cardamom, and even some concord grape flavor.

Chocolate pairing:  Equal Exchange 80% Extra Dark.  This pairing really brings out notes of plums, and figs, and a pleasant bitterness.

LBV( Late-bottled vintage) ports are from a single vintage which will have taste notes that reflect that specific vintage.  I would describe this particular port pictured as a touch sweet, subtle, fruity, and sweet cherry jam.

Chocolate pairing: Green & Blacks Organic 70% Dark Chocolate bar with this LBV.  The acidity in both the port, and the chocolate compliment each other well in this pairing.

While tawny ports are not always necessarily sweeter they tend to convey flavors associated with sweetness like butter, toffee, and caramel.  In my opinion this port pictured has mild to medium acidity, dry, some tannins, buttery, and I got a touch of barnyard as well.

Chocolate pairing: Ritter Sport Alpine Milk Chocolate 30% Bar.  Yes, I broke away from dark chocolate this time because it is both a fantastic pairing, and some people prefer milk to dark chocolate. This pairing brings out fruitiness in the port, and brings out hazelnut flavors in the chocolate, along with notes of dark honey.

Whether it's Valentine's Day, a 1st date, or you just want to add extra romance to any day port and chocolate is a win, win combo.  You just need the right combo, and now you know.  Enjoy!!

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Happy Holidays!  Hope you have some bubbly this month, and more to bring in the New Year right!  

Here is a quick video on some of my current sparkling wine recommendations for New Year's Eve.  

Enjoy, and let me know what you're drinking!

Victoria Cooksey

https://www.instagram.com/victoria.cooksey/
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Coffee Shops on the Peninsula by Victoria Cooksey

One of my favorite things with living in Washington State is the amazing amount of locally owned coffee shops that exist here.  

First up are my favorite places to get coffee in Port Townsend, WA ( the town I live in on the Olympic Peninsula).  

Better Living Through Coffee has hands down the best mochas around.  Often mochas are super sweet and block out the espresso taste, however BLTC mochas have dark chocolate in them, and aren't sweet.  Love them!  Plus, this place has an amazing water view too!  They are also just a short walk away from the ferry dock.  http://www.bltcoffee.com/

Another of my favs is Sunrise Coffee.  This is definitely where the locals go, and with just a few visits the gals here learn what your usual drink is.  Sunrise also has some of the best prices in town on coffee and lattes.  They also roast and sell their own coffee.  http://www.sunrisecoffee.net/

I often get my coffees to go and walk out on one of the many piers here.  The views of town, or of the water, are lovely!

In a hurry?  No problem!  Mean Bean is a drive through coffee spot (up the hill near QFC grocery store).  They have some of the best coffee and lattes in town, and very reasonable prices.  I love that they give you two chocolate covered coffee beans with your drinks.  They also have a buy ten get a free drink punch card available as well. In the summer I often get my latte blended because it's like a Frapp, but you control the sugar level.

On Saturdays April - December check out Gypsy Coffeehouse at the Port Townsend farmer's market. Thier lattes are dark, and rich.  Love them!  The owners are very sweet, and they are a valuable source of info on what's going on locally for entertainment/festivals.  https://www.facebook.com/Java-Gypsies-269635213075854/

Not pictured is a coffee shop called Velocity.  Thier lattes have the perfect foam. https://www.facebook.com/velocityporttownsend/

Moving on to Poulsbo, WA.  I always have to stop into Hot Shots Java.  This is another place that sometimes gives a chocolate stick, or chocolate covered coffee beans with drinks.   (Grab a doughnut from Sluys Bakery, a coffee here, and then walk over to the water view).  https://www.facebook.com/Hot-Shots-Java-138706162838054/

When you are driving in the other direction on the peninsula to Sequim, WA visit the Rainshadow Coffee Roasting Company.  Love their lattes! http://www.rainshadowcoffee.com/

Next time you are in Port Townsend, WA grab a coffee and head out to the water.  You never know, I might see you there!

Find me at:

https://www.facebook.com/victoriacookseysrandomdish/?fref=ts

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Note:  I've also tried decaf lattes at every single shop mention, and they are fantastic too!

Lion's Mane Mushrooms

I just wanted to say a huge Thank You to everyone for watching my lion's mane mushroom video.
1,000+ views as of today!! Woo-hoo!!!

One day I was cooking with these, and on a whim decided to make this video that day.  I had no idea it would become my most watched video so far.  Be sure to keep an eye out for these in your grocery store, farmer's market, or local Co-op.  (I buy mine at the Co-op in Port Townsend, WA).

Thanks again for watching!  Be sure to check out both of my youTube channels for even more cooking videos.  Be sure to watch, like, share, and subscribe! Enjoy!!!

My YouTube channels:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm-lp-lF_wB2oX_592jK9UQ

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvGYozoGjCmRQXZmxFiGFpg

Victoria Cooksey

Want awesome, approachable wine and beer knowledge?  Then check out my husband's new blog:

http://grapejuiceandbarleysauce.blogspot.com/

Thanks!!

Victoria

Northwest Chocolate Festival in Seattle, WA Part 3:  My picks for the best bars (and a truffle) at the show, and a survival guide for tasting that many chocolates. 

This final post on the Northwest Chocolate Festival may just be my favorite because it's time to talk about my picks for best chocolates at the show.  

And the winners are:

Well, first off, I have to say that I always find Valrhona to make amazing chocolates, however, I really wanted to focus on what I found to be the best chocolates there that I either barely knew, or I had never tried.

My vote for the #1 truffle goes to the Rosemary Olive Oil Truffle by Smitten Artisan Truffles. Fantastic balance with the rosemary in this truffle.   Rosemary has the potential to overpower everything else, but it shines just right in this truffle. This is a lovely example of the rosemary trend being done right. http://www.smitten-truffles.com/c 

My pick for #1 dark chocolate bar goes to Very Dark 71% by Equal Exchange.  This gave me exactly what I'm looking for in a dark chocolate bar, and each time I eat this bar I get more flavor notes out of it including cinnamon (and it doesn't have any cinnamon in it).  Since the show I've tried some of their other bars, and hot chocolate mixes, and they are all fantastic, and at a good price too.
http://equalexchange.coop/products/chocolate

Next up (in no particular order now) is Videri Chocolate Factory's 70% bar.  You actually get two bars in one package.  What I liked about this item was the herbaceous notes in the aftertaste.   I don't often get a vegetal finish in a bar, so I found this one interesting.   https://viderichocolatefactory.com/

This Brown Butter Milk Chocolate bar by Fruition is so yummy with flavor notes of caramel, and nuttiness.  I've been noticing some bakeries are making brown butter chocolate chip cookies too. 

http://www.tastefruition.com/

This 60% bar by Escazu Artisan Chocolates is made with goat's milk.  You can definitely taste the goat's milk which lends an earthiness to this bar, along with this chocolate having that milk/dark taste. http://www.escazuchocolates.com/

I haven't forgotten about you white chocolate lovers out there!  This Balsamic Vinegar in White Chocolate by Gusto Chocolates gives subtle hints of the vinegar as you eat it, along with a bit in the finish. What it does is add pleasant acidic notes which white chocolate doesn't normally have.
https://www.facebook.com/Gusto-Chocolates-179853495487053/

I love, love, love this Milk Chocolate with Blue Bottle Coffee by TCHO.  They accomplish what few bars with coffee do by making a truly coffee taste without actual grounds in the bar, so the finished product is velvety smooth.  https://www.tcho.com/

Bonus Pick:  My #1 caramel pick (not pictured) is Jonboy Caramels Absinthe Black Salt Caramel. Unusual done well!!  http://jonboycaramels.com/

Now we all need to take a moment to go eat some chocolate...pause...breathe in the chocolatey aroma...ok...now we may continue.  

Chocolate Festival Survival Guide: 

The upside is that there are so many chocolate samples at this event.  The downside is that there are so many chocolate samples at this event.  This means you can't try them all.  Sorry, but your tastebuds will blow out before your desire to eat all the chocolate will.  Here are a few tips to allow you to try as many as possible.

1.  Drink water between each sample to help cleanse the palate between bites.

2.  Don't try to taste every sample at each both (many booths had around 10 samples).  Pick 1 or 2            that interest you the most.  

3.  Attend a couple of lectures/demos throughout the day to give your tastebuds a break.

4.  Bring savory protein snacks to eat a few times in between sampling. 

5.  If at all possible get a 2 day pass ticket, so you can really keep those taste buds going!

One more thing, in case you hadn't guessed, all the booths sell the bars they have out to sample, so be prepared to shop! (Discounts were often given when purchasing 4, or more, bars).  

Chocoholics unite!!!

Victoria :)

Northwest Chocolate Festival:

http://nwchocolate.com/

https://www.facebook.com/nwchocolate?fref=ts&ref=br_tf

Victoria Cooksey:

https://www.facebook.com/victoriacookseysrandomdish?fref=ts

https://instagram.com/victoria.cooksey/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm-lp-lF_wB2oX_592jK9UQ