Ina Garten’s Simple Upgrade for Better Penne alla Vodka
Penne alla vodka is a simple dish with an unexpectedly rich flavor, and Ina Garten’s version gets its depth from an unusual step: roasting the sauce in the oven.
Rather than preparing vodka sauce quickly on the stovetop, Garten lets it cook slowly for about 90 minutes. The extended roasting concentrates the tomatoes’ sweetness and gives the sauce a fuller flavor. The recipe is inspired by the version served at Hamptons restaurant Nick & Toni’s.
How the sauce comes together
Start by sautéing yellow onions in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic, crushed red pepper, and dried oregano, then pour in the vodka. The vodka helps bring the sauce’s flavors together and temper the tomatoes’ acidity. It also helps the cream blend smoothly into the sauce later.
Once the alcohol’s aroma has faded, add two 28-ounce cans of whole peeled tomatoes, drained and crushed by hand. Season with salt and pepper, cover the pan, and roast the sauce in the oven for about an hour and a half. Save the drained tomato juice to loosen the sauce later, if needed.
When the tomatoes have cooked down, blend the sauce until smooth and return it to the pot. Stir in heavy cream, which softens the flavor and gives the sauce its familiar rosy color. Add al dente penne and let it finish cooking in the sauce so the pasta absorbs its flavor. Finish with freshly grated Parmesan for richness and a savory edge.
The process takes longer than a quick stovetop sauce, but the concentrated flavor makes the extra time worthwhile. The recipe also makes a generous batch, so you can freeze some for another meal.
RUM Group (RUM) Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
RUM Group reported record third-quarter 2026 revenue of $96.6 million, up 290% from a year earlier, and said it achieved its first positive adjusted EBITDA quarter as a public company. The company’s newly combined AI infrastructure business, Quake AI, generated more than 70% of revenue in its first full quarter as part of the group.
CEO Christopher Pavlovski said Quake AI operates about 22,000 GPUs, with utilization at 85%. Management expects tight supply and strong demand to support higher rates as contracts renew. Most of the company’s H100 contracts are due to roll off by the end of the first quarter of 2027. Executives said current market rates for H100s are above $2 per hour, while declining to provide specific pricing guidance.
The company recorded $4.4 million in adjusted EBITDA, compared with losses of $15.1 million in the third quarter of 2025 and $16.6 million in the second quarter of 2026. Quake AI contributed $68.2 million in revenue and $23.5 million in adjusted EBITDA, a margin of about 34%. Rumble Video generated $28.4 million in revenue, up 15% year over year, and reported an adjusted EBITDA loss of $12.1 million.
RUM Group’s net loss reached $91.7 million, including $85.8 million in depreciation and amortization. That amount included $39 million tied to the accounting fair-value increase of Northern Data assets. The company ended the quarter with $142.3 million in liquidity, including $134.4 million in cash and cash equivalents and 94.68 bitcoin valued at $7.9 million.
For the fourth quarter, management forecast revenue of $88 million to $94 million. Third-quarter revenue exceeded the company’s previous guidance range of $87 million to $93 million, but included more than $3 million from an accelerated customer barter arrangement that is not expected to recur. Excluding those items, the company said third-quarter revenue was roughly at the high end of its forecast.
Data center plans and financing
Management said recent difficulties in financing data center and AI infrastructure projects have prompted lenders and investors to scrutinize projects more closely, including their power access, permitting and operating teams. The company is discussing an alternative plan with a customer for its Maysville site, which executives said could be easier to finance while retaining attractive economics.
RUM Group is also working toward delivering a planned 250 megawatts of capacity. Management said some of that capacity may shift beyond 2027, though it still expects a portion to come online that year. The company did not provide project-specific timelines or capital spending guidance.
Executives said customer prepayments could fund a substantial share of the equity needed for future projects, with debt financing providing another potential source. They emphasized a disciplined approach to capital and said the company is prioritizing its existing GPU fleet and the 250-megawatt pipeline over its longer-term goal of reaching one gigawatt of capacity.
Changes to Rumble Video
Rumble began a cost-reduction effort in the third quarter, including workforce reductions and other cuts to recurring expenses. Management described the targeted operating expense reduction as more than 20% on a run-rate basis and said savings should begin to appear through 2027.
The company is also shifting its creator compensation model. Its new Partner Program offers eligible creators up to a 90% revenue share on video ads, including host-read sponsorships. Executives said automation through Rumble Studio and revised creator economics are intended to make the video business more efficient and support growth.
Management said Rumble Video was gross-margin positive in the quarter and expects that to continue, while aiming to improve profitability further. The platform also plans to develop a marketplace where creators could license real-world and video content as data for AI and robotics companies. RUM Group is targeting a launch in late 2027, with further updates potentially coming earlier that year.
Pavlovski said the company views its video platform as strategically important to Quake AI, providing a large library of creator content that could support future AI-related products and revenue opportunities.
The full earnings-call transcript is available online.
Breckenridge Distillery Launches the 2 Mile High Whiskey Club for Rare, Hard-to-Find Whiskey
Breckenridge Distillery has launched the 2 Mile High Whiskey Club, a membership program offering limited releases, special cask finishes and single-barrel selections that may not be available in stores.
For $199 per quarter, members receive two 750-milliliter bottles selected from a rotating collection of the Colorado distillery’s whiskeys. Membership is open to adults 21 and older, with a limited number of spots available each quarter.
The club also includes virtual tastings and cocktail sessions tied to each release, updates from the distillery, preferred access to events, and discounts: 10% off at the Breckenridge Distillery Restaurant and 15% off merchandise and bottles at its two retail stores.
Planned early selections include Breckenridge Holiday Blend, a Merlot Cask Finish Whiskey and a Master Distiller’s pick of Breckenridge Powder Hound Whiskey.
Founder and CEO Bryan Nolt said the club is intended to share special whiskey releases and give members a closer look at the distillery’s work. Future offerings may include private tastings, educational sessions and opportunities for members to help choose a single-barrel release.
More information and membership details are available at the 2 Mile High Whiskey Club website.
The Worst German Beer You Can Buy in the US?
Germany’s long brewing tradition has helped shape American beer culture. Many early U.S. beer brands were founded by German immigrants, but popularity and heritage don’t necessarily guarantee quality. In a ranking of popular German beers sold in the U.S., Beck’s came in last.
The beer received a score of 65 on BeerAdvocate, despite being one of the list’s better-selling options. Reviews often describe its flavor as mediocre or unremarkable. One reviewer summed up the experience bluntly: “Looks good. Smells horrible. Tastes the way it should, but it’s still not for me.”
A reviewer from A Beer Snob’s Cheap Brew Review called Beck’s “a 12-ounce bottle of disappointment.” The reviewer pointed to the brand’s move from Germany to St. Louis, arguing that the change in water and ingredients altered its flavor. Rather than tasting like a premium German pilsner, the beer came across as a generic mass-market lager.
The lawsuit behind Beck’s low ranking
Beck’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, shifted production from Bremen, Germany, to St. Louis in 2012. But bottles continued to feature phrases such as “German Quality” and “Brewed under the German Purity Law of 1516.” Some customers felt the packaging implied they were buying an imported beer when it was being brewed domestically.
A class-action settlement followed in 2015, with the company expected to pay more than $20 million in consumer refunds. The criticism, as the article frames it, was not that Beck’s had German roots, but that its American-made bottles continued to emphasize German credentials.
Other U.S. beers with German immigrant connections take a different approach. Hamm’s calls itself “America’s Classic” beer, while Pabst Blue Ribbon makes no claim to German origin on its packaging. Shiner Bock, founded by German and Czech immigrants, proudly identifies Shiner, Texas, as home.
Discover the 2026 Luxury Bourbon & World Whiskey Advent Calendar from Cask Cartel
Cask Cartel has announced its 2026 Luxury Bourbon & World Whiskey Advent Calendar, a 25-day tasting collection aimed at bourbon fans and whiskey collectors.
The calendar includes 25 individually packaged 30ml pours, a Glencairn tasting glass and online tasting videos. Featured American spirits include Weller Special Reserve, Eagle Rare 10 Year Old, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, E.H. Taylor Small Batch and Sazerac Straight Rye, as well as selections from Four Roses and 1792.
The collection also brings together whiskies from around the world, including Lagavulin 16 Year Old and Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old from Scotland, Teeling Small Batch from Ireland and Akashi Sherry Cask Whiskey from Japan, alongside bottles from England, India, Denmark and other countries.
For a limited time, purchases include a complimentary full-size bottle of Buffalo Trace Bourbon, while supplies last. The calendar is available through Cask Cartel; the company says in-stock orders ship the same day or the next day, and quantities are limited.
The calendar is an independently curated, third-party product. It is not an official Buffalo Trace Distillery product and is not sponsored or endorsed by the distillery. It is intended for adults of legal drinking age; shipping restrictions and promotional terms apply.
Super Tuscans: The Wines That Changed Tuscany Forever | COMMENTARY
A recent glass of Chianti brought back memories of the rise of “Super Tuscan” wines—blends that challenged Italy’s strict winemaking rules and helped reshape the region’s wine industry.
The movement began before the term itself took hold. In Bolgheri, Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta planted Cabernet Sauvignon at Tenuta San Guido and made Sassicaia for his own cellar. Meanwhile, producer Piero Antinori objected to Chianti regulations that restricted the use of international grape varieties and required white grapes in Sangiovese blends.
Antinori defied those rules with the 1971 release of Tignanello. Officials classified it as ordinary table wine, but international critics praised it, helping spark wider interest in unconventional Tuscan blends. By the 1980s, wines such as Ornellaia and Masseto had joined Sassicaia and Tignanello among the region’s most sought-after labels.
Regulations eventually caught up with the changing styles. Tuscany introduced the IGT designation in 1992, giving winemakers more freedom to use international grapes. The Bolgheri DOC followed in 1994, permitting Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Sassicaia later received its own DOC, the only single-estate appellation in Italy.
The original wines remain expensive, but they opened the door for many more affordable blends. Their quality varies, and the phrase “Super Tuscan” was never an official wine category—it began as a catchy description and later became a marketing term. Today, the once-rebellious style has become part of the Tuscan landscape, even as producers continue to take pride in native grapes.
Several producers offer less costly wines alongside their famous bottlings. Antinori’s Santa Cristina Rosso sells for about $15, while Ornellaia’s Le Volte dell’Ornellaia is around $30 and features Merlot. Guado al Tasso’s Il Bruciato blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Petrolo’s Sangiovese-led Il Torrione costs about $35.
Other recommendations include Frescobaldi’s Tenuta Perano Chianti Classico Riserva, a Sangiovese and Merlot blend priced at about $25. Avignonesi’s Grifi IGT, made with Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, is around $33. Its unblended Desiderio IGT Merlot costs about $57, while the winery’s 50&50 IGT—a collaboration with Capannelle—combines equal parts Sangiovese and Merlot.
Côtes du Rhône
The Côtes du Rhône region in southern France stretches along the Rhône River from Montélimar to Arles. Its red wines are typically based on Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, and many offer good value at prices in the teens or low $20s. They are generally ready to drink when purchased; serving them slightly chilled can bring out their fruit.
Three recent tastings included:
- Maison du Midi Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes 2024 ($15): An 80% Grenache blend with Syrah and Mourvèdre, showing strawberry and cherry with soft tannins.
- Olivier Ravoire Côtes du Rhône Banderet 2025 ($15): A Grenache-Syrah blend aged in concrete, with cherry and berry flavors in a somewhat bolder style.
- Gabriel Meffre Saint-Mapalis Plan de Dieu Côtes du Rhône Villages 2024 ($15–$19): The darkest and fullest of the three, with plum, berry and black-pepper notes. It should age well for three to five years.
Wine picks
- Miguel Torres Andica Rosé 2025 ($15): An organic Chilean blend of Pinot Noir and Mourvèdre, with bright red-fruit flavors, fresh acidity and a touch of residual sugar.
- Bricoleur Kick Ranch Vineyard Viognier 2025 ($45): From Sonoma County’s Fountain Grove District, this Viognier offers stone-fruit and honeysuckle aromas, melon, peach and mango flavors, and a crisp, mineral finish.
- Vietti Barbera d’Alba Vigna Scarrone 2023 ($55): A structured single-vineyard Barbera with black cherry, plum, tobacco and anise notes. It pairs well with beef and could benefit from up to a decade of cellaring.
Arkansas Beer Production Stays Flat as Brewers Face Rising Costs and Cash-Strapped Customers
Arkansas beer production was nearly unchanged from 2024 to 2025, as breweries contended with rising operating costs and customers who had less money to spend.
The statewide total masked differing fortunes among breweries. Springdale-based Core Brewing and Distilling Co. increased production by more than 4,000 barrels in 2025—an increase of more than 25%.
Come Over October Wraps Up Its Wine Advocacy Campaign
Come Over October, a campaign encouraging people to connect over wine, has ended after three years. The initiative was created by Come Together: A Community for Wine and generated 3.8 billion media impressions, 7.5 million social media interactions, and participation in more than 2,000 retail stores, reaching an estimated 14 million U.S. consumers.
Launched in 2024, the campaign offered the wine industry free promotional materials and a platform to present wine as a way to bring people together. Hundreds of wineries, distributors, retailers, trade groups and media organizations took part. More than 200 wineries joined Come Over October and its sister initiative, Share & Pair Sundays. Major retailers including Kroger, Total Wine & More and Albertsons also participated.
The campaigns were funded through contributions from the wine industry, including donations as small as $500. The organizers said they are ending because funding has run out, but campaign materials may remain available to the industry at the founders’ discretion.
The founders said they hope the invitation to gather and share wine will continue beyond October and the holiday season. Learn more about the campaigns through the original announcement.
Watch This Before Buying Crystal Head Vodka
Crystal Head Vodka is hard to miss on a liquor-store shelf. Its distinctive skull-shaped bottle and colorful designs make it stand out, but the brand’s story is notable for another reason: it was created by former Saturday Night Live performer Dan Aykroyd.
Aykroyd entered the vodka business in 2008, launching a distillery venture that would take him in a very different direction from his comedy career. The brand’s unusual packaging helped it draw attention, while its vodka developed a following of its own.
3 Cocktails to Make with Costco’s Kirkland Signature Single Barrel Kentucky Whiskey
Costco’s Kirkland Signature Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon is a high-proof whiskey with flavors often described as caramel, oak and vanilla, followed by a spicy finish. Made by Barton Master Distillers, the 120-proof bourbon typically sells for around $30.
Its strength and bold flavor make it suited to cocktails that might overwhelm a lower-proof whiskey. Three good matches are the boulevardier, the paper plane and the revolver.
Boulevardier
A bittersweet cousin of the Negroni, the boulevardier combines bourbon, Campari and sweet vermouth. The cocktail dates to 1920s Paris and was first published in Harry MacElhone’s 1927 bar guide, Barflies and Cocktails.
Campari and sweet vermouth have assertive flavors that can overpower a standard 80-proof bourbon. The Kirkland single barrel’s higher proof gives it enough backbone to remain noticeable, while its spice helps balance the drink’s sweetness and bitterness.
Paper plane
Created by bartender Sam Ross in 2008, the paper plane brings together bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Aperol and lemon juice in equal proportions—traditionally three-quarters of an ounce of each.
The citrus and distinctive liqueurs call for a bourbon that can hold its own. The Kirkland whiskey’s higher proof helps it stand up to the lemon juice and dilution from ice, while complementing the herbal notes of Amaro Nonino and the rhubarb-orange character of Aperol.
Revolver
The revolver is a bourbon-forward Manhattan variation developed by San Francisco bartender Jon Santer in 2004. It replaces sweet vermouth with coffee liqueur and uses orange bitters in place of Angostura bitters. Its bourbon-to-coffee-liqueur ratio is typically four to one.
A robust bourbon keeps the coffee liqueur’s rich sweetness from dominating the drink. The Kirkland single barrel’s high proof and spice provide contrast, while its oak notes pair well with the coffee flavors.