July 4th: Sub Rosa Tarragon and Saffron Vodkas

By JULIETTE ROSSANT What is more fun than trying a new flavor of aperitif? It's a grown-up version of the latest ice pop or candy bar. And when is the best time to try a new drink? July 4th of course. After all, you'll be creating a feast with fresh summer dishes, hanging out with friends, and celebrating the birth of our Nation. Skip the beer and say cheers with Sub Rosa Tarragon and Saffron vodkas. Think of these flavors as you would a whiff of tempting perfume or an intense jolt of flavor in an amuse bouche. The vodkas are the creation of Oregon artisanal distiller Michael Sherwood and Linda Lausmann. The name, Sub Rosa means secret. Michael wrote Super Chef to explain: Running a distillery has the aura of secrecy with a bit of sorcery thrown in, so the name fits. The 'Emblem' on the bottle carries Latin phrases that translate into 'Seek the truth' and 'Dare to be wise'. Does Latin make food more intense? Perhaps – just think of your July 4th meal as your own Satyricon. But the real reason these vodkas are so delicious and inspiring is that they taste clean and dry and unconfused. These are not candy-sweet concoctions. Try the Tarragon vodka ice cold first and you can taste the grassy spicy flavor of tarragon, a bit of fennel and mint. It is not sweet, but more like a powerful, 90 proof, rich taste, that begs to be matched with amazing food. Michael suggests that the saffron vodka can be used in any mixed drink you might use tequila, but they are fine over ice. Try a Tarragon martini with lemon. Saffron vodka is actually made up of eight spices that are separately infused and then blended. Michael writes of his Saffron vodka: With toasted cumin, lemony coriander, earthy ginger, some heat from the black, white and red peppers, the exotic galangal wrapped around the aromatics of the saffron... it's a heady distillate. It is like drinking the hot, spicy scents of a dish of Persian or Indian food, but ice cold. It is soft yellow as if sunlight were streaming threw the strands of saffron, ginger, cumin and coriander. Michael grows both the tarragon and the saffron and likes to mix in mango juice or make a marquerita with the Saffron vodka. Super Chef prefers to keep them savory - save the sweet stuff for dessert. The old adage is that beer is just liquid bread – then Sub Rosa vodkas are the fine flavors of spices and herb we add to our meals, but in liquid form. If these vodkas mirror, intensify, and capture the best in herbs and spices, then Super Chef challenges chefs to create meals with dishes that mirror the vodkas. Michael only makes 50 cases of each type of vodka a month, so there is only a limited supply by mail-order or from selected retailers on the Sub Rosa website. Previous articles: July 4th: Knork It! 4th of July 2006: Benjamin Franklin 4th of July: East Meets West July 4th: Paul Galer's Gourmet Burger July 4th: Celebrate with Chef Tattoos [Products & Endorsements - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef