Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/343109
DEPARTMENT HEADER july 2014 / the tasting panel / 71 percent Spring and Winter rye from the U.S., Canada and Europe, with malted barley from Montana and Minnesota. Moreover, the distillery, MPG in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, rejects over 45 percent of the rye sent to them, thus ensuring that only the finest ingredi- ents are used, in accordance with the original Templeton recipe. The finished whiskey is then sent to a recently completed distillery in Templeton for aging in charred American oak barrels. But aside from the lemon-oak and slightly smoky candied cherry small batch rye whiskey that will eventually emerge from those barrels, it is the rye- rich Templeton spent mash that holds the key to the Heritage Pork Project. This mash is mixed with other nutrients, including corn, soybean meal, salt, trace minerals and vitamins to produce a healthy and flavorful diet that—and this is meant with the utmost respect—only a pig would love. "The difference with what we are doing as compared to Scotland," says Bush, "is that we are using the specific mash from our one product to feed specific pigs. It fits squarely in the farm-to-table movement. It is a way to introduce culinary enthusiasts who may be mostly wine-focused to the wonders of rye whiskey." Once the pigs are processed by craft processor Lynch Livestock in Waucoma, Iowa, their meat, tagged as Templeton pigs, will be sent to top chefs in 18 states. There, restaurants will prepare specialty dishes and mixologists will create Templeton cocktails to pair with Templeton pork. "I think the most interesting part is that the pigs are being fed the same ingredients that are used to make our whiskey," says Bush. "It should be really interesting to taste the pork and whis- key together and see how they pair." Of course, this is only Phase I; Phase II, which starts with sourcing more Templeton-worthy piglets, is already underway. All of which gives a new and gastronomically pleasing meaning to the phrase: "Eating and drinking like a pig." A Templeton pig, that is. For more information, please visit one of the following websites or contact your Infinium Spirits representative. www.templetonrye.com www.templetonryeporkproject.com www.infiniumspirits.com www.bootleggerssociety.com This Little Piggy Took Manhattan The old maxim goes that if you can make it in New York City, you can make it anywhere. Nina Lubin, New York Brand Ambassador for Templeton Rye, and American Whiskey's Beverage Director Jon Howard, verify this is the case for both Templeton Rye and its Heritage Pork Program. They heartily agree that this partnership reconciles both the bar and the kitchen, and the homespun appeal of Iowa's ingrained farm-to-table culture. "New York is on the forefront of whiskey consumption and cocktails," assesses Lubin. "People are more open-minded to changing up their palates and trying new things. This allows me to make suggestions in my Brand Ambassador role, freeing Jon to be as creative as he wants." Howard says that his team's responsibility behind the bar is to start an interesting conversation with their customers about new gastronomic experiences by serving them something they won't find anywhere else. "By getting them to ask questions, customers are going to be inclined to come back and try new things—especially with something like Templeton Rye," he says. "If we accomplish this, we're doing our job." -Elyse Glickman PHOTO: DOUG YOUNG At American Whiskey in New York, Beverage Director Jon Howard makes his Smokehouse Luau. Smokehouse Luau by Jon Howard, American Whiskey, New York, NY ◗ 2 oz. Templeton rye ◗ 1 barspoon pineapple syrup ◗ 3 dashes Heritage Pork bacon bitters ◗ In a glass mixing vessel, add Rye, bitters and syrup. Stir until cold and strain into a rocks glass over a two inch smoked ice cube. Garnish with small bits of bacon.