Many brown spirits benefit from a barrel aging long before bottling, so returning them to a cask along with fellow cocktail components means added spice notes like cinnamon and nutmeg, as well as occasional hints of butterscotch and caramel, depending on the type of barrel that’s been used.

With white-spirit-based cocktails, the proper amount of barrel aging lends a more prominent base note to the proceedings. And I find that, no matter what the ingredients, a stint in the barrel often allows the many disparate components to marry better than they do in the shaker or glass, resulting in a smoother, more texturally appealing drinking experience.

(As far as doing this at home, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it… unless you have plans to consume copious quantities of cocktails. If you are undeterred, however, start off with a whiskey-based drink; manhattans are a good place to start, as the barrel-aging will allow the vermouth and whiskey to come together, but the wood itself won’t change the flavors too overtly.)

Washington DC’s BLT Steak barrel ages both its Brooklyn — made with rye, amer picon and maraschino — and its increasingly popular Pegu Club, which is made with gin, Cointreau and lemon juice. A few blocks from there, Graffiato lets both its Martinez and its Negroni age in barrels. The latter, a classic blend of Plymouth gin, Campari and Carpano Antica, picks up smoky, nuanced notes to balance its classic bitter notes. In Miami, The Cypress Room ages The Old Pal, a beautifully composed blend of bourbon, Campari, Carpano Antica and vermouth. The result is layered, complex and seriously gulpable.

Death + Company in New York uses whiskey barrel-aged bitters in its Cobrafang cocktail — a trend that I expect we will see more of in coming years as more consumers become increasingly familiar with bitters and their many variations.

Of course, barrel aging doesn’t always benefit a cocktail, just as it’s not always best for every wine. Rather, it is an option, yet another tool in the utility belt of serious mixologists all over the country. And it undoubtedly adds a layer of excitement to our already riveting national cocktail scene. No matter where you live.

Polenta with Eggplant and Peppers

As we pay greater attention to where our food comes from, our health and the health of what we’re consuming, even the most carnivorous eaters are taking a break from meat – at least occasionally. Of course, it can be challenging to follow Meatless Monday, the international campaign to eat vegetarian on Mondays. So we’ve turned to chefs for a little inspiration. Today, try polenta with eggplant and peppers from Farmers Fishers Bakers in Washington, DC.

Polenta with Eggplant and Peppers

Ingredients

• ½ pound eggplant (approx. 1 medium-large eggplant)
• ½ pound butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 pints grape tomatoes
• 2 tbsp sugar granulated
• ¼ cup sherry vinegar
• 2 red bell peppers, stems removed, seeded, sliced thin
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 ¼ cup yellow onion, sliced thin
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 ½ tsp fresh thyme, picked and chopped
• 2 tsp fresh sage, julienne
• 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp capers
• 1 quart vegetable stock
• 1 cup yellow corn meal
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 tbsp Earth Balance spread
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil

Directions

1. In a large pot, bring stock to a boil. Slowly add corn meal then add salt and pepper to taste and continuously stir vigorously to avoid clumping.
2. Continue cooking over very low heat for approximately 10 minutes, stirring almost constantly until texture is not gritty. Remove from heat.
3. Add minced rosemary and Earth Balance spread and using a spoon, combine well.
4. In an 8″ square casserole dish, spread polenta mix to an even ¾ inch thick layer, using a rubber spatula. Place in refrigerator, uncovered, to slightly chill. Once firm and slightly chilled, cut into 4 even square pieces.
5. Peel strips off eggplant so skin and peeled flesh are alternating. Cut into 1 ½ “ cubes and toss gently with ½ tsp salt. Allow to rest so salt can draw out moisture from eggplant. Gently press/squeeze to remove excess liquid.
6. In a saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and saute eggplant in a single layer until lightly browned and cooked through. Set aside on a sheetpan to cool.
7. In a very hot pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and saute squash in a single layer until browned and cooked through. Set aside on a sheetpan to cool until later use.
8. Bring pot of water to a boil and boil grape tomatoes for approximately 5 minutes or until skins crack and begin to pull apart. Drain and allow to rest until cool enough to handle. Remove skins and set aside for later use.
9. Combine sugar and vinegar, simmer until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Set aside for later use.
10. In a saute pan over medium heat, heat 3 tablespoons of oil. Saute peppers, onions and garlic until very soft, approximately 10 minutes. Mixture will lightly caramelize but should not brown or gain too much color.
11. Add peeled tomatoes, bay leaf, salt and ½ teaspoon thyme. Gently toss to combine and cook an additional 10 minutes. Mixture should not be too wet.
12. Add cooked eggplant and squash, remaining thyme, sage, parsley, capers, and vinegar/sugar reduction. Gently toss to combine keeping eggplant and squash as intact as possible.
13. Remove bay leaf. Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary.
14. Cut each polenta square in half lengthwise, yielding 2 thinner squares each, for a total of 8 squares.
15. Cut 4 of the squares into 2 triangles.
16. Sear the all polenta pieces in a nonstick pan in oil until nice and brown and crusted on either side.
17. In a separate saute pan, warm the pepper/eggplant mix until nice and hot. Place a seared square of polenta in the center of each plate and top with ¾ cup of eggplant and pepper mixture.
18. Place the second seared polenta triangle, leaning at an angle, on top of both sides of the eggplant/pepper topping. Serve with your favorite salad on the plate.

Ling Tan

Ling Tan is Southeast Asia’s first supermodel. Though ethnically Chinese, she was born and raised in Malaysia. She changed the face of fashion with her exotic beauty, walking runways worldwide for designers like Giorgio Armani, Christian Dior, John Galliano, and Alexander McQueen among many others. The masters of fashion photography have captured her in their work, including Steven Meisel, Irving Penn, Annie Leibovitz, Peter Lindbergh, Mario Testino, and the legendary Richard Avedon, who photographed Ling for the prestigious Pirelli calendar. Ling has appeared in the pages of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, as well as in the campaigns of brands like Issey Miyake, Yves Saint Laurent, and Estee Lauder. Add to this a career in television (she appeared on Sex and The City and Blue Bloods after appearing on CNN’s Style Network) and you’ve got a mere sampling of her incredible resume.

What’s your favorite summer cocktail?
My all-time favorite cocktail is a Bellini from Harry’s Bar in Venice and Cipriani restaurants.

How would you describe your food-style?
I’m very health conscious. I like food that has natural flavors, is fresh, low-fat, low-sodium and high in vitamins, nutrients, minerals and fiber. My daily diet comprises of seven different color groups of fruits and vegetables.

What did you have for breakfast today?
Today I had breakfast at the Ubud Hanging Gardens in Indonesia at 8am. I had fresh papaya, orange, and watermelon juice, dragon fruit, pork rice soup, mie goreng (fried noodles), an omelette with bell peppers, tomatoes and onion; baby potatoes; croissants with pineapple, tamarillo and papaya jam.

Lunch?
At 4pm, for afternoon tea, I had Indonesian sweet coconut rice wrapped in banana leaves, banana cake, pastries and biscuits.

Do you identify as a “foodie”?
No, because I don’t own 20 different kinds of salt. That will be an “extreme foodie.” But I have lots of chef friends and everybody around me is obsessed with food. I always ask local friends for a “must eat” list before I arrive in each city. Many of my friends work in the food business or are traveling journalists, so they can help. I like to plan food-centric trips in every city whenever I travel.

What’s your hands-down favorite restaurant?
I was born and rised in Kuala Lumpur — the greatest street food not just in Asia, but the world. My favorite restaurants are the the hawker food stalls in Petaling streets, Jalan Alor, Jalan Imbi and Jalan Ipoh in Kuala Lumpur. These casual stalls are usually outdoors, under big trees, and have been around for more then 50 years. They’re run by 2nd and 3rd generation owners. When I was very young my parents took me to these food stalls, and my grandparents took my parents when they were young too. Every dish retains its authentic quality since these stalls were established in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.

What’s your go-to snack for mid-day cravings?
Kaya toast, roti canai (Indian flat bread) with chicken curry potatoes, Hainanese chicken rice, Din Tai Fung Dumpling Xiao Long Bao, and homemade durian ice cream with blue glutinous rice.

Have you ever tried a fad diet? 
I’m always on an “Asian diet.”

What’s in your fridge right now?
For foods, I have kaya jam, apples, oranges, papayas, pears, carrots, beets, tomatoes, pumpkin, dragon fruit, eggplant, edamame, asparagus, pretty much every color bell pepper, yellow corn, lemons, spinach, cauliflower, cucumbers, onions, okra, mushrooms, organic whole ground flaxseed meal, raw walnut, raw almonds, craberries, tea, balance nutrition energy bars, ginseng roots, homemade fruit rum cakes and homemade durian ice cream.

Also, non-foods: lip balms and lipsticks, liquid foundation makeup, eau de toilette, eye lubricants, eye, face and boy creams, facial spray, face masks and sun screens.

What’s one newly opened restaurant or bar in the city that you’re psyched about?
Recently, I’ve been psyched about delicious vegan foods in general, as well as vegan desserts and bakeries. Vegetarians live longer than meat-eaters, according to a study published on Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine, a Journal of the American Medical Association.

On a global spectrum, where does your favorite food (or food culture) reside?
I like all Asian food, but my favorite is Malaysian cuisine.  It represents culinary diversity originating from Malaysia’s multi-ethnic and multi-cultural country. Malaysia’s culinary style is a mixture of Malays, Chinese, Indians, Nyonya (Peranakan) and Sarawakian Cuisines.

Any food you want to try but haven’t yet?
Burmese, Iranian, Iraqi, Tajik and Palestinian cuiseine.

What’s your go-to spot after a long day?
I’ll go to a good Malaysian restaurant in Chinatown.

What’s one thing you simply won’t eat?
I don’t eat raw seafood, raw meat or raw eggs (raw egg can contain salmonella bacteria). I won’t eat insects, worm and balut. Balut is a three weeks old developing duck embryo that is boiled and eaten in the shell.

You’ve got a reservation at your favorite spot tonight with a group of friends.
Describe your outfit from top to bottom.
It depends which neighborhood I’m going to and what the weather will be. I like comfortable clothes and shoes. If I go to dinner with a group of friends in Chinatown, Korean Town, the East Village, or Brooklyn, I’d wear a simple casual dress and ballerina flats. I’d also carry a recycled canvas bag, because I always buy some desserts for my mid-night cravings before we go to dinner. If I’m going somewhere upscale, I’ll wear an elegant gown, Manolo Blahnik heels and my Louis Vuitton black handbag.

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If you were to open your own restaurant or cafe in the city, what would it look like? The theme? Your specialty dish?
I am always hungry, so it’d be a 24-hour kopitiam (Hokkein dialect for coffee shop). I’d fill it with my favorite delicious Asian street food dishes, lots of vegetables and vegan options, fresh fruit and veggie juices, smoothies, non-alcoholic drinks, soups, teas and desserts.

Mermaid at Réunion
Photo Credit: Will Vaultz

With over 3,000 restaurants in NYC and only three meals a day, how do you choose your food wisely? We’ve foraged through the five boroughs tasting everything we can get our mouths on, and these are The Ten favorites (for right now).

In the heat of NYC summers, there’s nothing more refreshing than a boozy frozen beverage. To whet your thirst for the heat that’s bound to come around in the next couple of weeks, we’ve compiled a collection of our favorite frozen cocktails in the city. Frozen margaritas are a dime a dozen, so we’ve omitted them from this list (though we do include a mezcal-avocado cocktail).

Réunion’s Mermaid
This spin on a frozen mojito is named Mermaid (pictured above) because the tiny pieces of mint leaves shimmer in the cocktail like a mermaid’s tail does in water. The staff blends traditional mojito ingredients — Santa Teresa Claro rum, lime juice and fresh mint — then serves the mix in a tall glass with a sugarcane swizzle stick.

Otto’s Shrunken Head’s German Chocolate Cake
Coconut rum, vanilla ice cream, hazelnut liqueur and chocolate syrup are blended with ice to create Otto’s signature frozen cocktail. At this tiki bar, it’s served in what else, but a tiki glass.

PKNY’s Piña Paradise
Known for their impeccably fresh ingredients and skilled bartenders, PKNY spikes fresh pineapple, grapefruit, orange and lime juices with two types of rum, finishing it all off with Angostura bitters, demerara syrup and house-made orgeat syrup.

The Tipsy Parson’s Bourbon Creamsicle
There’s just one rotating frozen cocktail on this menu, and it always features bourbon. The current offering is a Bourbon Creamsicle, made with bourbon, orange juice, triple sec and vanilla ice cream.

Macondo’s Aguacate + Mezcal
The name says it all – avocado and mezcal (tequila’s smokier cousin) are blended with agave nectar, lime and Agwa de Bolivia (an herbal blend of coca leaves and 37 other herbs).

The Rusty Knot’s Spiced Colada
The classic piña colada gets a twist from spiced rum. Served in a plastic coconut cup, it’s as close as you can get to a beach, while hanging around the West Village.

BLT Burger’s Wake Up Call
Next time you wake up with a hangover, don’t bother with the bloody marys or mimosas. Instead, kill two birds with this one stone of Jameson, Bailey’s and coffee ice cream. It’ll provide you with both the hair of the dog and your much-needed caffeine kick.

Momofuku Noodle Bar’s Yuzu Palmer Soju Slushie
Noodle Bar’s Slushies are mini soju-based frozen cocktails made with a rotating selection of fruits. The Yuzu Palmer is a take on the Arnold Palmer, a combination of iced tea and tart yuzu, and spiked with soju, of course.

Sky Room’s Pearapple
Fruity, with a distinct pear flavor, this drink blends Grey Goose La Poire, apple liqueur and pineapple and orange juices to create a sorbet-like cocktail that can double as a dessert.

Brooklyn Bowl’s Bourbon St. Shake
Brooklyn Bowl has the finest food a bowling alley can have, thanks to Blue Ribbon. Their vanilla-ice-cream- and Nutella-based milkshake is enough to make any chocolate fan go wild, but the shot of bourbon makes it even sweeter.

Sometimes life calls for a cocktail — especially on a Friday. While you can’t go wrong with a simple vodka and soda, there are times when you want to really shake things up. We turn to area restaurants and bars for inspiration. This week, try New York restaurant Left Bank pays homage to our northerly neighbors with the Canadian Trilogy.

Canadian Trilogy

Ingredients

• 1½ oz Applejack brandy
• 1½ oz Canadian club whiskey
• 1 Dash citrus bitters
• 1 tsp of Crown Maple Syrup

1. Shake all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker.
2. Serve up, garnished with an apple slice.

Nadia G. is the rocker-chic host of Bitchin’ Kitchen, a comedy cooking show on the Cooking Channel. The Canadian hosts segments like “Recession Recipes,” “Impressing the In-laws” and “Break-up Brunches.” Busy as she is, she still finds the time to cook. Nadia was kind enough to let us in her fridge in her West Hollywood, CA, home and share with us the secrets to dishes like Rack of Lamb with Moroccan Couscous.

I’m sure you have an insane schedule, do you find the time to cook at home?
My schedule ranges from “crazy” to “lounging on a beanbag writing songs such as ‘Don’t Tell Your Boyfriend You’d Sleep With Ryan Gossling When You’re Drunk.’” Since I’ve been in a writing phase, I’ve been cooking like crazy these days! But that’s all gonna change as of next week when I hit the road for my new comedy-travel series, Bite This.

Bite This?
Think Spinal Tap meets No Reservations – minus the gizzard-eating. And better shoes.

What do you usually make? Do you lean towards Italian?
My cooking style is pretty eclectic. Yesterday I made a fluffy potato-spinach-gruyere frittata, the night before: rack of lamb with Moroccan couscous. A few days back: fettuccine Bolognese. I also recently baked some crappy coconut cupcakes. I’m not much of a baker, so I decided to mine the interwebs for a recipe. These “cupcakes” turned out to be hard flour balls. I guess I should have read the comments which stated, “these cupcakes turned out to be hard flour balls.”

Organic low-fat yogurt and low-fat milk. Do you tend to purchase low-fat dairy?
I always buy organic meat and dairy — not a fan of nasty hormones. Sure it’s a bit more pricey, but I believe animal products should be enjoyed on occasion, like cheesecake or blackouts. As for the low-fat milk and yogurt, I’d rather get my fat from a slice of cherry pie, or a cheeseburger. Pick your battles, I guess.

Tips for the home cook?
Don’t be afraid to experiment and make a recipe your own. Unless you have no taste, then stick to the recipe. Also, sauté your onions for a little longer until they get some golden, crispy bits — mmm, onion-y, crispy bits.

Any food items people can find in Canada that they can’t get in the States? Or vice versa?
Well, maple syrup is cheaper in my hometown of Montreal, and foie gras is easier to get — it’s illegal in LA. Attention Armchair Activists moaning about cruelty: Think about that factory-farmed bacon you just schkoffed. Fun fact: Pigs have the intelligence of a human three year old. Buon Appetito! Although I miss some hometown favorites, I have to say there’s a bigger variety of food here in LA. The produce is fresher/ locally grown. The junk-food aisle is awe-inspiring.

Jes Hudak, showing off her serious coffee-drinking skills | Darcy Fray

Welcome to Sound Bites, where we meet rock musicians at the crossroads between music and food.

Digital Dossier
Twitter Handle: @jeshudak
Facebook: Jes Hudak Page
Official Website: JesHudak.com

If the Grammy Awards had a category for “Most Likely to Succeed in the Music Business,” singer-songwriter Jes Hudak would probably win.

A few years ago, Hudak was one of the singer-songwriters chosen to compete on Bravo’s short-lived Platinum Hit, an American Idol-like reality show with a catch: Contestants actually wrote their own songs, played them on an instrument and performed them live. Featuring judges Jewel and former Idol panelist Kara DioGuardi, the series didn’t pan out, but the concept worked well for Hudak, who we think of as a quadruple threat: She sings, writes hooky pop songs, plays the piano and has performed worldwide. (She reached the show’s finals, coming in a close second.)

Since then, Hudak has built a deep portfolio, sharing stages with Gavin DeGraw and Maroon 5, touring as a backup singer to Enrique Iglesias and releasing the non-album single, “Different Worlds,” which blew up in Australia. CityEats caught up with Jes to talk about her bazillion music projects and what it’s like to be gluten-free.

Fill us in on what’s going on in your music career right now.
Last year I had a song take off in Australia thanks to its placement in a commercial for The Voice Australia, so while I’m waiting to get Down Under and tour, my electronica/soul duo — Bang, You’re Dead (which is me and producer Quickie Mart) — have an album in the works. And I’m producing the debut EP for my ukulele/keytar cover band, Powerfox and Ponymane.

You’ve lived in Los Angeles. Where did you go out to spoil yourself?
My favorite restaurant in L.A. is Hugo’s. They have fresh, organic ingredients, and any place that puts a “gluten-free” code on their menu makes my life so much easier. It’s also one of the best places to see celebrities eating salads and bean bowls.

So you’re gluten free. Does that hamper what you can eat when on tour?
Being gluten-free can be such a pain. When places don’t have a separate menu or a code next to each item, I basically just become best friends with the server and ask a lot of questions. Chains like P.F. Chang’s have an entire menu just for folks like me (spicy chicken!).

Back in 2010, you played the rebooted Lilith Fair, which included Sound Bites veteran, The Weepies. Any memorable moments — involving food? — from the festival?
The most memorable moments from Lilith Fair have to be the press conference I did (my first ever) sitting next to Emmylou Harris and Sarah McLachlan, and singing into a mic with Miranda Lambert for the finale. The food-tent highlight has to go to my mom, who was just sitting there eating, when Emmylou Harris sat down at the next table, rendering my mother speechless.

What is your favorite food city to visit in the world? Can you recommend a few spots?
New York City. There is a spot that I cannot live without called Palà, an Italian restaurant that happens to share a wall with my favorite music venue in the world, Rockwood Music Hall. It’s destiny! Palà makes the best wood-fired, gluten-free pizza, arancini, meatballs and flourless chocolate cake I’ve ever had.

Enjoy the complete Sound Bites series on CityEats here.

What’s in your fridge or freezer that would surprise people?
A salt-cured calf’s heart – it’s kind of a long story.

Last meal you cooked for yourself?
Fussili with sausage, chili and broccoli rabe.

Last meal on earth?
Pho with brisket and tripe.  I can never have enough.

Which six people – alive or dead – would you choose to attend your ultimate dinner party? What would you serve?
Working in kitchens allows you to develop some strong relationships with your coworkers. I think it would be fun to bring to together some of my favorite cooks and chefs that I have worked with over the years to share stories. Oh yeah, and Bob Dylan. We would eat copious amounts of oysters, charcuterie, simple roast chicken, and cheese, to finish.

What non-food-related things do you do for fun?
Anytime I can spend with my sons is the most fun I can ask for. I could play my three year old for hours. He’s amazing.

What’s on your DVR?
All of the Toy Story movies and The Soup.

If you could go anywhere on vacation, where would you go?
I want to experience the tastes and smells of Morocco first hand.

What’s your dream dining destination and why?
France. I haven’t been in a long time.  Since I have in a way adopted its cuisine as my own I would want to connect with the place.

Besides your own restaurant, where would you send visitors to eat in your city?
Casa Mono.  Every time I am there the food is so solid.  Gywnett St. is also very good.  I really like what they do.

Saffron Risotto from Almond

As we pay greater attention to where our food comes from, our health and the health of what we’re consuming, even the most carnivorous eaters are taking a break from meat – at least occasionally. Of course, it can be challenging to follow Meatless Monday, the international campaign to eat vegetarian on Mondays. So we’ve turned to chefs for a little inspiration. Today, enjoy saffront risotto with peas, asparagus and arugula from Almond in New York.

Saffron Risotto with Peas, Asparagus and Arugula

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 sprig each of parsley, thyme & sage
• 1 Bay leaf
• ½ tsp saffron threads
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cups arborio rice
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 cup of blanched English peas
• 1 cup of blanched asparagus tips
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
• ½ pound cleaned arugula
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of ½ a lemon

Directions

1. In a heavy 3- to 4-quart saucepan, cook the onion, garlic, herbs, bay leaf & saffron in 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat until it’s translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring about 2 quarts of water to a simmer in a separate pot (you won’t need all of it).
3. In the saucepan with the onion and herbs, stir in the rice and cook it over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add the wine and 2 cups of the hot water. Turn the heat to high until the water comes back to a simmer and then adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed, stirring constantly.
4. Add another cup of water and keep cooking, stirring, and adding more water until the rice is al dente but not raw or grainy in the middle.
5. When the rice is ready, stir in the Parmesan cheese. Add a little more water to give the risotto the consistency you like (from fairly tight to almost soupy). Off the heat, stir in the remaining 6 tablespoons butter, the peas and the asparagus. Season with salt and pepper and then ladle it into heated plates or bowls.
6. Quickly toss the arugula with the olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper. Garnish each dish with a bit of the arugula.

Sometimes life calls for a cocktail — especially on a Friday. While you can’t go wrong with a simple vodka and soda, there are times when you want to really shake things up. We turn to area restaurants and bars for inspiration. This week, shake up New York restaurant Whiskey Park‘s Strawberry Smash.

Strawberry Smash

Ingredients

• 3 Medium strawberries
• 4 Lemon quarters
• ½ oz. Simple syrup
• 1 ½ oz. Hennessy VSOP

1. Muddle strawberries, lemon and simple syrup.
2. Add ice and Hennessy VSOP, then shake vigorously.
3. Top with ginger ale, and garnish with a strawberry.