Signature Element

Introducing Whiskey Elements by Time & Oak, the oak stave that is the answer to all of life’s biggest questions.  Well, maybe that is an overstatement, but to downplay the Whiskey Element in the least would be to deprive yourself of great barrel-aged product without waiting years to enjoy it.

Simply drop an Element into a fifth of whiskey (or rum, or tequila, or bourbon, or scotch, or even soy sauce) and let sit for 24-72 hours.  Stir occasionally for best results.  After 24 hours, taste the product periodically to avoid over-aging—the longer you leave the Element, the deeper the color and woodier the flavor.  When you are satisfied with the outcome, remove the Element by pouring the liquid into a decanter.

Top shelf taste in 24hrs

Barrel-aged cocktails are a big trend in bars and restaurants, and bartenders around the country are using this method to create cocktails that are richer, better rounded, and just plain delicious.  For example, the classic Manhattan uses 2 parts whiskey, 1 part sweet vermouth, a couple of dashes of bitters, orange peel, and a cherry.  Barrel aging would require a bar tender to pour the ingredients for several of the drinks and age them together for 5-6 weeks.  With Time & Oak Whiskey Elements, though,  creating stylish libations has never been easier:  simply combine ingredients, drop in the element, “age” for 24-72 hours, and then enjoy.  Less time required to enhance the flavor of your favorite cocktails can in turn enhance your profits.

Houston’s is now carrying the Whiskey Element by Time & Oak.  The Elements come in a carded package of two, perfect for storing in your bar or restaurant for convenient use, or for retail sales.  The two-pack also makes a great holiday gift!  How will you use your Whiskey Element?  The possibilities are endless!

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In 17^th century New York the island of Manhattan was covered with oyster beds and the salty shellfish was enjoyed by rich and poor alike, and by the 19^th century oysters could be enjoyed from the street carts of the city, in saloons, or in elegant dining establishments on the island—scalloped oysters, fried oysters, oysters dipped in butter, pan roasted oysters, and even oyster stew.  Shards of shells could be found gleaming from the streets, and the calcium-rich shells fertilized gardens across the city.  Although the love affair with oysters waned considerably after the 1800s, they are making a strong comeback and harvests along the east and west coasts have been growing steadily since 2006.

Raw oysters are all the rage. Photo Credit: Giuseppes Ferratore

Where oysters were once relegated to fine dining menus, or maybe at a few casual independent restaurants, lately the oyster bar concept has been thriving.  Again we find young diners setting the trend, using food as a means to impress, and oysters seem to be the perfect fit for the adventuresome twenty-somethings.  For restaurants and bars alike, raw oysters are seen as a “loss leader,” an inexpensive lure to drive alcohol sales.

And let’s face it; if you know nothing else about oysters, you probably know that they are an excellent accompaniment to alcohol.  Pair with luxurious champagne, with an ice cold beer, with an elegant glass of wine.  Or be really adventurous and try your oysters with a dirty martini or a gin gimlet—Americans, after all, pioneered the pairing of spirits with their oysters.  And experts say that if you really want to experience a match made in heaven, try the bivalve with a side of absinthe (now legal again in many US states)—the briny oysters pair extraordinarily well with the soft fennel and mint flavors of the liqueur.  Some bars even serve many varieties of absinthe for pairing with many varieties of oysters.

Chefs show their artisanal talents with their oyster creations. Photo credit: Sharon Ang

Raw oysters seem to be all the rage, but cooking them gives chefs a place to showcase their artisanal talents.  For example, Melissa Kelly, chef at Primo in Rockland, Maine, “offers Oysters Three Ways:  raw with Prosecco mignonette, roasted with marrow butter and garlic chips, and fried with scallion aioli” according to NRN in Survey: Oysters becoming more popular among younger consumers.  Some establishments serve them with just a simple cocktail sauce, some with kimchee, some grilled with garlic butter.  There are myriad ways to prepare this single food item, and chefs are cashing in on their creativity.

And then there are the connoisseurs of all things oyster—those masters who can taste the subtle distinctions between the waters in which they were cultivated, who talk about things like hints of melon, cucumber, and finish.  Like locally sourced foods, knowing the origin of your oyster is a talking point, and a point of connection between the provider and the consumer.  Simply being an east coast oyster or a west coast oyster is no longer enough; customers now want to know about the oyster farm, about the owner, about the conditions in which the oysters were raised.

Oysters must be eaten alive or cooked alive.  If the shell is open and stays open even after being provoked by a tap or a poke, toss the bivalve out.  Also, if a shell doesn’t open after cooking it also should be tossed.  Oysters with shell damage should not be consumed.  There are some experts who believe oysters are safe even if they don’t open after cooking, but a strong word of caution:  just don’t do it.  Eating a bad oyster can leave you feeling lousy, if not very sick.

Whether you think of oysters as innovative, as adventurous, as elegant, or as something you would never ever in a million years sink your teeth into, the fact is that the trend seems to be in it for the long haul.  As a low-cost loss leader to drive traffic or as a delicate entrée at your favorite posh restaurant, the oyster continues to gain in popularity with no indication of slowing down.  Have you tried oysters?  How were they prepared?  Will you eat them again?  We’d love to know your experience!

The post Adventure on the Half Shell appeared first on Houston's Blog.

908 Commercial Blender. Photo courtesy of Hamilton Beach.

How many blended beverages does your establishment concoct each day? If the answer is “About one to fourteen” then do we have the blender for you!

The tried and true Hamilton Beach 908® Commercial Bar Blender is a no-frills, well-made blender that is recommended for blending one to fourteen beverages per day. Compact yet sturdy, the 3/8HP motor easily blends smaller ice cubes with liquid ingredients, blending up daiquiris and other frozen beverages in just 25 seconds. Two speeds allow for precision blending and versatility—go from high speed to low speed with one easy flip of the toggle switch. The perfect choice for your bar or coffee shop.

Photo courtesy of Hamilton Beach.

The unit comes standard with the base, a break-resistant 44-ounce polycarbonate container with easy-to-read measurements, Sure Grip™ feet, and stainless steel blade assembly—everything you need to start whipping up amazing drinks for your guests. The 908® Commercial Bar Blender is backed by a 1-year parts and labor warranty. All this at a comfortable price that will fit your budget beautifully.

Hamilton Beach also offers replacement parts for the 908® Commercial Bar Blender—so you can replace the parts without having to replace the entire unit.

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