CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 10: Grey Goose Cellar Master Francois Thibault and Jessica Chastain at the ‘355’ cocktail party, with DIRECTV and The Hollywood Reporter on the Grey Goose Terrace on May 10, 2018 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for The Hollywood Reporter)

According to DISCUS, sales of super premium vodka account for over $1.1 billion in annual revenue. But 25 years ago, nobody was paying $30 for a bottle of clear, odorless spirit. The liquid was coveted for its value, not its quality. So, when Grey Goose launched in 1997, it was nothing short of revolutionary. Cellar master Francois Thibault was plucked from the world of cognac, by booze impresario Sidney Frank, and tasked with creating a vodka that was well-textured and expressive of its ingredients. The rest is history.

Today, bottles of super premium vodka crowd backbars and bottle shops. And Grey Goose continues to exert its dominance in the space. It’s not just one of the first examples to exist; it remains one of the best.

The most recent validation of this come’s by way of Taster’s Club—an online subscription service, curating boxes for spirits enthusiasts. Earlier this year, the company ranked its vodkas out of hundreds of selections available on the site. Grey Goose came out on top.

Remarkably, not much has altered for the brand since its initial introduction to the market. Thibault continues to use the same formula of winter wheat, procured from Picardy, France, and Gensac-La-Pallue’s spring water. This meticulous recipe goes through a five-column distillation process, yielding a mild and rounded liquid with subtle hints of orchard fruit and anise. It’s crisp and unequivocally able to hold its own as the main ingredient in a vodka martini.

Speaking of vodka martinis, Grey Goose recently introduced a range of ready-to-drink options in the bottle. But how can the brand maintain its quality and consistency in this new format? And why is this particular spirit ideal for this specific preparation? We conducted an interview with Thibault to get the answers.

Vodka can be distilled from virtually anything, so why did you choose French wheat for Grey Goose?

Francois Thibault: “When Sidney Frank approached me to conceive a vodka, he requested that I thoroughly research the category. I found out that the primary ingredient used to make vodka in Eastern European countries was wheat, not potatoes. My subsequent thought was that we couldn’t possibly source these ingredients from elsewhere when we had this magnificent bread supply directly in our own country. I met farmers in Picardy who had been in the business for generations. However, they weren’t growing it for vodka production; they were cultivating it for bread and pastries.”

So, the same component that’s key for world-class pastries—like croissants and baguettes—can enhance vodka as well?

FT: “Absolutely.”

So, why step into the RTD field?

FT: “When we observed the U.S. market, we noticed that customers crave a sophisticated drink while out, but prefer something simple, yet high-quality at home. So, we aimed to design a simple martini consumption method, while still allowing users flexibility to add their own spin—whether that’s shaking it, stirring, or adding their favorite garnishes. Once it’s out of the bottle, it has a 35% ABV and will need some dilution. Personally, I’d recommend stirring it with ice. But an alternate method could be storing it in the freezer, then pouring it directly into the glass.”

What was the method behind achieving the perfect measurements for the cocktail?

F.T: “We conducted thorough market research to gather consumers’ feedback, as everyone has a different definition of the perfect martini. For some, a drier martini works, however, from a French perspective, it’s not usually very dry. We have found that approximately 20% of the bottle being vermouth works best.”

Considering vermouth can deteriorate over time, how do you maintain its longevity on the shelf?

F.T: “Vermouth by its nature does alter over time. The colour in particular may change, but this does not necessarily impact its quality. It’s part and parcel of Vermouth’s lifespan. However, when mixed with vodka, in this case, Grey Goose, it is well-preserved.”

And what makes Grey Goose in particular, so well suited to the martini format?

FT: “It’s like when you’re cooking in the kitchen. You need a symbiosis between the ingredients. And that’s one of the great abilities of Grey Goose is to make the vermouth and the garnish shine. There’s an alchemy of flavors. When you have good ingredients together, 1+1 can equal three.”

Mumbai, INDIA: Grey Goose Maitre De Chai (Cellar Master) Francois Thibault raises his glass at the launch of Grey Goose Vodka in Mumbai,19 January 2006. Thibault demonstrated the art of tasting Grey Goose vodka and mixing cocktails. The vodka is made from 100 percent fine French wheat from the Beauce of France, with a five-step distillation process, and has a largest market in the United States. AFP PHOTO/Sebastian D’SOUZA (Photo credit should read SEBASTIAN D’SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images)

Don Q Reserva de la Familia Serralles from Puerto Rico reigned supreme at the rum world’s most prominent night. Once a year, the rum community congregates in the Caribbean to rejoice over both molasses-based drinks and high-end rhums agricoles throughout the Caribbean Rum Week. To conclude the celebrations, the sixth annual Caribbean Rum Awards presented the year’s most distinguished bottles and producers with the highest accolades.

The best bottle of 2023 is Don Q Reserva de la Familia Serralles, a unique creation that came into existence in 1994. The Serralles family matured a special variety of rum in burnt American white oak barrels. Out of 36 barrels, the finest samples were selected to produce this extraordinary batch.

The runners up included the gold-winning Neisson Zwetol, named after the Creole term for star and wrapped in Jura wood; the silver winner Mount Gay Single Estate, emphasizing sugar cane harvested from specified fields; and bronze winner Papa’s Pilar Ernest, a liquid tribute to Ernest Hemingway.

“This year’s edition of Caribbean Rum Awards St Barth was an astounding success,” mentioned Alexander Britell, who is both the editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal and the co-founder of the Caribbean Rum Awards St Barth. “The exceptional variety was a testament to the amazing diversity and excellent quality of rums available in the Caribbean.”

The function wrapped up a week filled with parties, taste testing, expert classes, and paired dinners throughout the island of St Baths. The final competition was held at the Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth resort.

The most honored brand of the year is Rhum Neisson from Martinique, securing double gold in not one but three different categories. The Best Gold Rum of the year was awarded to Trinidad’s Island Company Rum. Flor de Cana was the winner for the best branding category. The accolade for the rum maker of the year was given to Yves Assier de Pompignan from Martinique.

In an effort to expand from the previous years, the Caribbean Rum Awards have introduced a brand new category in competition: cane rum, emphasizing on rums produced from cane juice. To celebrate this new category, Renegade Rum Single Farm Origin Dunfermline from Grenada was bestowed with a double gold award.

“The Caribbean rum world has never been more exciting, particularly in rhum agricole” said Guy Britton, managing editor of Caribbean Journal.

In the Rhum Blanc Guadalupe category: Rhum Karukera 50 won double gold, Reimonenq Coeur de Chauffe won gold, Rhum St Barth 50 won silver, and Damoiseau 69 won bronze.

In the Rhum Blanc Martinique category, Rhum A1710 La Perle won double gold, Neisson Dekolaj won gold, Baie de Tresor won silver, and Rhum JM 50 won bronze. Over in Vieux Agricole, Rhum Neisson Vieux Bio won double gold, Rhum Karukera L’insolite won gold, Longueteau Vieux won silver, and Damoiseau Vieux won bronze.

In the Premium Molasses Rum category, La Marielita won double gold, Mount Gay XO was awarded gold, and John Watling’s Paradise rum and Worthy Park Single Estate won silver and bronze, respectively. Full results can be viewed here.

“We had some great rums and new distilleries visiting and presenting their rums along with several established agricole producers,” mentioned Christopher Davis, founder of Rhum Room St Barth and co-founder of the Caribbean Rum Awards St Barth. “It was a memorable week and we are excited about the plans for 2024.”

Panelists consisted of Alexander Britell, co-founder of the Caribbean Rum Awards and editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal; Guy Britton, managing editor of Caribbean Journal; Christopher Davis, a decorated rum connoisseur and founder of the Rhum Room St Barth; Peter Berntsen, COO of Empire Social Lounge in Miami; Myssi Davis, founder of Rum Traveler; Jose Antonio Hernandez-Solaun, head of the Miami sector of the International Wine and Food Association; rum aficionado Ivan Jivkov; Simons Chase, editor of Cuba Journal; and the globally acclaimed Chef Guy Ferdinand.

Cocktail lovers are likely familiar with the versatility of whiskey. It’s the star of several popular beverages such as the Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, and Manhattan. However, whiskey isn’t just for drinking; it’s also a valuable ingredient for cooking. Whiskey can impart a rich and smoky depth to sauces, marinades, and even desserts, elevating the flavors of various dishes in unique ways.

There are many types of whiskey, each with a distinctive flavor profile. For instance, bourbon, an American whiskey, is made primarily from corn mash and has sweet, oaky, and warm spice notes. While rye whiskey, made from rye grain, is more peppery and herbal. There are also Scotch, Irish, Canadian, and Japanese whiskeys, to name just a few. With such a range of flavors, whiskey offers a multitude of culinary possibilities, making it a valuable ingredient for any creative home cook or professional chef.

Read more: The 25 Best Bourbon Brands, Ranked

There’s a reason why homemade vanilla extract is often made by steeping vanilla beans in bourbon whiskey. Vanilla and bourbon have similarly complex notes of sweetness, spice, and rich, woody undertones. Although most store-bought vanilla extracts are made with ethyl alcohol and not bourbon, it’s clear that the two ingredients share many of the same qualities.

Fortunately, when you’re out of vanilla but have some bourbon handy, it can serve as an effective vanilla extract substitute in most baking recipes. Use an equal amount of bourbon in place of the vanilla extract and likely no one will notice the difference. Not to mention, vanilla extract is notoriously expensive. Using whiskey in its place will not only replicate a similar flavor in your baked goods, but it’ll also save you money.

The exception to this substitution is when vanilla is the primary flavor, such as a vanilla frosting or vanilla ice cream. In those cases, while bourbon will still produce a tasty result, it will create a noticeable difference in flavor.

Whiskey tends to pair well with meats such as pork and chicken. If you’ve ever finished cooking a pork chop or chicken breast and wondered what you could use to make a quick yet flavorful sauce right in the same pan, you may want to reach for a bottle of whiskey.

Pan sauces are made by deglazing the pan you used to cook your meat. This works by removing the cooked meat and pouring a liquid into the hot pan. Then, you scrape the flavorful browned bits on the bottom of the pan, known as the fond, which will release and help create a sauce

along with the liquid.

Wine, often the go-to choice for deglazing, isn’t the only suitable option. Whiskey, with a plethora of flavors to offer, can add its unique touch to your dish. It’s crucial to match the whiskey’s flavor profile with your recipe—for dishes that will benefit from a hit of pepper, rye whiskey is a good choice. However, if you’re looking for a lighter, fruitier note, Canadian whiskey might fit the bill. Garlic, herbs, and butter can help fine-tune your whiskey sauce before it’s draped over your meat, ready to be served.

A must-try for chocolate aficionados who relish a robust whiskey essence is the no-bake Kentucky bourbon balls. Ideal for parties, holiday seasons, and as gifts, these delightful Southern treats marry bourbon with nuts, chocolate, and graham cracker crumbs, yielding a scrumptious, alcoholic delight.

Bourbon balls, akin to rum balls in design, are simple to prepare and require no baking. Toasting the pecans—which are then steeped in bourbon for peak whiskey flavor—is the only cooking required. These ingredients are mixed to form a dough, which is then molded into balls and bedecked with cocoa powder and sugar. With nearly three dozen balls from one batch, they’re perfect for sharing.

The final creation is a quirky blend of a cookie and a cake. While attractive to children, these bourbon balls are better kept for grown-ups—as the whiskey retains its alcohol content due to the no-bake process. Tasty and spirited, these are sure to be a hit.

Glazed carrots are a classic side dish and yet another instance where the addition of whiskey can elevate a basic recipe. The sweet and earthy flavor of carrots would match up beautifully with the herbal and citrus notes of an Irish whiskey to create an irresistible dish for serving everywhere, from a weeknight dinner to the spread at your holiday table.

In these honey-glazed carrots, you can add a splash of whiskey to the pan along with the other glaze ingredients. The alcohol will mostly cook off while the carrots roast in the oven, but the flavor of the whiskey will remain and have your dinner guests pondering your secret ingredient.

Aside from Irish whiskey, you may want to consider bourbon. While Irish whiskey can provide a fresh taste, bourbon, with its caramel notes, can enhance the natural sweetness of the carrots. Which whiskey you select may depend on the time of year and the other foods you’re serving.

No one enjoys a flavorless pickle, but with whiskey added to the brine, that won’t be an issue. Boozy pickles have grown in popularity in recent years and there’s good reason. It’s a creative way to infuse the flavor of your favorite alcohol into crunchy, tangy fresh vegetables. These moonshine pickles are just one instance of the trend.

To infuse your homemade refrigerator pickles with an exciting element, incorporate a shot or two of rye whiskey in your brine formulation. Wait for several days before tasting the pickles to get the best flavor effect. But if you cannot make your own pickles, you may just remove a portion of brine from a jar of store-bought pickles and replace it with whiskey for a similar taste.

After eating up the pickles, the boozy brine shouldn’t go to waste. You may either add more vegetables into the jar and create more tasty pickles, or utilize it to prepare a pickle juice cocktail.

A tasty barbecue sauce hinges on a sophisticated and well-balanced blend of flavors. One method to rapidly enhance complexity in your home-produced sauce is by adding whiskey. The smoke and oak characteristics of bourbon can help neutralize the spiciness of peppers, as demonstrated in this bourbon-chile barbecue sauce. The end result is a barbecue sauce that’s smoky, spicy, and sweet.

When adding whiskey into your barbecue sauce, make sure to select a type that complements the rest of the ingredients. This ensures you attain the ideal balance of flavors. Note that barbecue sauces can vary vastly depending on your location and individual tastes. Hence, it’s crucial to use a whiskey that suits your preferred style.

Starting off with a small quantity of whiskey makes sure the barbecue sauce isn’t too potent. The sauce should be tasted throughout the cooking process, with more whiskey being added if needed. Be mindful of the fact that the longer the sauce is cooked, the more intense the flavors will become.

Bourbon whiskey carries a unique flavor profile with undertones of caramel and toffee, making it an excellent ingredient for creating custom caramel sauce. Whether you want to pour the sauce on ice cream, use it to fill pastries, or add it to coffee, using whiskey can take your recipe a notch higher. Adding bourbon into your caramel sauce introduces notes of oak and vanilla, producing a distinct and sophisticated flavor profile.

Aside from enhancing the taste, bourbon can counterbalance the sweetness of caramel sauce. If you find caramel sauces excessively sweet, whiskey can lend a bit of bitterness and smokiness, creating a balance in the flavors. The rich, smooth taste of bourbon-spiked caramel can significantly enhance your desserts and add an elegant touch to your recipes.

Just like blended whiskey, chocolate has a variety of flavors and complex layers. The two can be paired in numerous ways; why not try combining them in your next hot fudge sauce recipe? Adding a couple of tablespoons of whiskey to your chocolate sauce enriches the flavor and contributes to creating a smooth texture in the mouth.

Before preparing your chocolate sauce, it’s important to ensure that your combined whiskey and chocolate share similar or complementary flavours. Try tasting your chocolate followed by a sip of whiskey to decide if they pair well. If you have multiple options of chocolates or whiskies, continue tasting until you find a good match.

For a standard one-cup chocolate sauce recipe, begin by incorporating two tablespoons of whiskey with the other elements of your recipe. Sample it and add more until the whiskey flavour stands out. Note that you might need to let your sauce simmer for a little longer than recommended to account for the additional liquid and to allow the sauce to thicken in consistency.

Whether it’s canned or homemade, cranberry sauce often doesn’t quite earn rave reviews. Common criticisms include the cranberry sauce being too sweet or lacking any real flavour. Thankfully, whiskey can work wonders in these situations and bourbon, known for its subtle oak and caramel notes, is an excellent choice for enhancing this traditional holiday dish.

If you’re keen to improve canned cranberry sauce, simply empty a can into a bowl and mix in a little bourbon. Taste it and add more if necessary. This method works best with the loose version of cranberry sauce rather than the jellied variety, which is usually eaten as it is. Remember though, that the alcohol won’t have a chance to evaporate and will remain fairly strong upon serving.

Making homemade cranberry sauce, on the other hand? Consider adding bourbon to the water while simmering the cranberries. This method differs from merely combining the bourbon with canned cranberry sauce, as it provides the alcohol ample time to evaporate and permeate the berries, creating a more intriguing and tasty sauce.

Fruit pies might not always meet expectations, especially if the fruit used is not fully matured or fresh. Nevertheless, whiskey can be a game-changer in such cases. It intensifies the fruit’s flavor and introduces nuanced undertones, rendering the pie more full-bodied. Additionally, if your fruit filling is too sugary, whiskey assists in creating balance.

Choosing the appropriate whiskey to match the other ingredients in your recipe is essential. As an illustration, apples, peaches, and cherries work well with bourbon or Scotch whiskey, whereas raspberry and blueberry pies might favor a single malt or Irish whiskey. You should also consider any seasoning or additional flavoring you may be incorporating.

When incorporating whiskey into the fruit filling, kick off with 2-4 tablespoons, modifying the quantity according to your personal tastes. If your filling is already abundant with liquid, it’s advisable to use less whiskey to prevent a runny pie outcome.

Enhancing the flavor of your beef stew can be achieved excellently by deglazing the pan subsequent to searing the meat. Elevate the taste even more by utilizing whiskey as your deglazing fluid. As you continue cooking, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan, infused with the whiskey and the succulent meat and vegetables, all flavors merge together splendidly.

The choice of whisky could greatly influence the eventual savor of the beef stew; the selection can bring a smoky, sweet, or woody undertone, each offering their unique ways of enriching your stew. Starting off, pour about ½ cup of your favoured whiskey into the pan for deglazing to help remove the caramelized fragments. Continue following your recipe guidelines, allowing the alcohol to evaporate amidst the simmering process. This will allow the deep and rich whiskey flavors to impart a tantalizing aspect to your stew.

Make your homemade whipped cream even more outstanding by intensifying it with unique flavors; whiskey, for instance. Adding whiskey to your whipped cream not only adds to the overall flavor of your desserts but also introduces an elegant touch suited for special occasions.

Your choice of whiskey for the whipped cream is dependent on the flavor you desire. A thick and rich bourbon infused whipped cream complements pumpkin or pecan pie excellently, while a smooth Irish whisky flavored cream would be perfect for chocolatey desserts like pudding.

It’s crucial to remember that you shouldn’t use more than 1-2 tablespoons of whiskey in your whipped cream. Using too much can result in a watery or grainy texture. For optimal whipping, all ingredients, including the whiskey, must be chilled. Begin by whipping the cream until it starts to thicken, then gradually incorporate the whiskey and sugar. Continue whipping until the cream achieves stiff peaks. Be cautious not to overbeat the cream as it can turn grainy and unpalatable.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.

CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 10: Grey Goose Cellar Master Francois Thibault (L) and Jessica Chastain at the ‘355’ cocktail party, with DIRECTV and The Hollywood Reporter on the Grey Goose Terrace on May 10, 2018 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for The Hollywood Reporter)

According to DISCUS, sales of super premium vodka account for over $1.1 billion in annual revenue. But 25 years ago, nobody was paying $30 for a bottle of clear, odorless spirit. The liquid was coveted for its value, not its quality. So, when Grey Goose launched in 1997, it was nothing short of revolutionary. Cellar master Francois Thibault was plucked from the world of cognac, by booze impresario Sidney Frank, and tasked with creating a vodka that was well-textured and expressive of its ingredients. The rest is history.

Today, bottles of super premium vodka crowd backbars and bottle shops. And Grey Goose continues to exert its dominance in the space. It not just one of the first examples to exist; it remains one of the best.

The most recent validation of this come’s by way of Taster’s Club—an online subscription service, curating boxers for spirits enthusiasts. Earlier this year, the company ranked its vodkas out of hundreds of selections available on the site. Grey Goose came out on top.

Most impressive for the brand is that little has changed since it first hit the market. Thibault still relies on the same recipe of winter wheat, sourced from Picardy, France, and spring water from Gensac-La-Pallue. This exacting recipe is run through a five-column distillation process and results in a soft and round liquid, which carries subtle clues of orchard fruit and anise. It’s clean and indelibly capable of standing firmly at the center of a vodka martini.

And speaking of vodka martinis, Grey Goose recently launched a line of ready-to-drink offerings in the bottle. How can the brand deliver quality and consistency in this format? And just why, exactly, is this specific spirit so well-suited to this particular preparation? We sat down with Thibault to find out.

Vodka can be distilled from absolutely anything. How did you land on French wheat for Grey Goose?

Francois Thibault: “When Sidney [Frank] came to me and asked me to create a vodka, he asked me to do extensive research on the category. And what I learned is that the first ingredient used to make vodka in Eastern European counties was wheat. It wasn’t potatoes. The next thought I had was that there’s no way we’re going to fetch those ingredients from outside of France, because we have this incredible bread basket right here in our own country. I found farmers in Picardy that had been doing it for generations. But they weren’t growing it for vodka. They were growing it for bread and pastries.”

Is it possible that the same ingredient that makes world-class pastries like croissants and baguettes can also produce superior vodka?

FT: “Yes, it’s true.”

What drew you to the Ready-To-Drink (RTD) market?

FT: “While conducting market research in the United States, we observed that consumers prefer complex, artisanal drinks when they are out. However, at home, they lean towards high-quality but uncomplicated beverages. This inspired us to design a straightforward way to enjoy a martini. Our product provides the flexibility to the consumer to customize it to their liking, by shaking, stirring, or adding any garnish. Right out of the bottle, the alcohol content is 35%, so it does require some dilution. I advise stirring over ice. Alternatively, you can place the bottle in the freezer and serve it directly from there.”

What was the process behind determining the exact drink proportions?

FT: “To find out what consumers would prefer, we conducted rigorous market research. Everyone has their own unique martini preference. Some may like theirs dry, whereas in France, a dry martini isn’t as popular. Around 20% of the bottle tends to be vermouth.”

Considering vermouth can degrade over time if left on the shelf, how do you ensure it stays fresh?

FT: “While it’s true that vermouth can change over time, such as its color, it doesn’t necessarily affect its quality. This alteration can be considered as part of the vermouth’s lifecycle. However, when it’s mixed with vodka in the bottle, the Grey Goose helps in its preservation.”

And what makes Grey Goose in particular, so well suited to the martini format?

FT: “It’s like when you’re cooking in the kitchen. You need a symbiosis between the ingredients. And that’s one of the great abilities of Grey Goose is to make the vermouth and the garnish shine. There’s an alchemy of flavors. When you have good ingredients together, 1+1 can equal three.”

Mumbai, INDIA: Grey Goose Maitre De Chai (Cellar Master) Francois Thibault raises his glass at the launch of Grey Goose Vodka in Mumbai,19 January 2006. Thibault demonstrated the art of tasting Grey Goose vodka and mixing cocktails.The vodka is made from 100 percent fine French wheat from the Beauce of France,with a five-step distillation process,and has a largest market in the United States.

There’s no stopping Krista Horton. This influencer based in California achieved a dream when she introduced her premixed rum cocktail brand, Horton Rum. 

“The goal was just accomplishing it; bringing it to life, and enjoying it myself. To then see others sip it and take pleasure in it. That, for me, is the coolest aspect,” reveals Krista, 37, in an exclusive interview with Life & Style regarding Horton Rum. She describes it as her “labor of love”. “I’m not doing this specifically for – of course, it’d be great if it ends up being a thriving business – but the main aim was because this is something I’m deeply passionate about. It felt like my dream project.”

For her nearly 2 million Instagram followers, Horton Rum was unexpected from someone who had been dubbed the “Malibu and Diet” queen. Despite developing her own “Diet Kola” flavored coconut rum cocktail, her love for Malibu Rum remains strong. 

“I will never, ever, ever stop loving Malibu. I will continue to drink it, I will continue to adore it,” she exclaims. “I just felt that we needed something fresh and I am extremely pleased with how everything came out.”

According to Krista, she was warned multiple times to avoid the liquor industry with many calling it “the hardest thing you’ll ever do,” but she was determined to see her dream realized. While it took two years of work behind-the-scenes to perfect the recipe and have a finished product in hand, Krista’s dream began long before that. 

“I was always like, it’d be so cool if we could just put Malibu and Diet in a can, which I would’ve loved to do with them, but I was like, I don’t think they need me. I don’t think they want me,” she says. “We were just wanting to do it, but then expand it too to other flavors because not everybody loves coconut rum with diet. So I was like, we got to make other flavors so that we appeal to everybody. And I feel like with the other two flavors, we did just that.”

Horton Rum is currently available in three flavors, Diet Kola, Pineapple Soda and Lime Soda, with more flavor options in the works. “We’re already sampling new flavors and we have next year planned out for the new flavors we’re going to have coming. They’re already turning out so good,” Krista says.

As a busy mother of three, adding a liquor company to her already-full plate was no small feat, but Krista has no plans to slow down. “I feel like we’ve just been going, going, going, but that’s what we do. That’s what I live for,” she says of her family’s active lifestyle.

“[My husband] Bryce [Horton] tells everybody, he’s like, ‘If she didn’t make a penny off of this, she would still be posting every single day.’ I truly just love it. I think it’s so fun. So yeah, no, I think even when I am 70 years old, me and Bryce will still be cracking jokes at each other and posting about it, and I’ll be sharing my outfits or something,” she says of the idea of retirement. “I’m sure as long as Instagram’s around, I’ll be there.”

If there’s one place you won’t find Krista and fam, however, it’s on reality TV. The Bakersfield, California, native tells Life & Style she’s “happiest” on social media.

“I’ve kind of thought about [reality TV] for other people, not myself. I just feel like with the kids especially too, they’re such a big part of our every day that I wouldn’t want them in it. I wouldn’t want to push them into something like that, and I wouldn’t want to do it without them,” she adds. “I don’t think I would want to do it at all. I don’t know, I’m such an oversharer that I’d probably get myself in trouble.”

Krista – who got her start nearly 10 years ago as a stay-at-home-mom to her son Boston and winning brand ambassador searches for various small businesses – admits that she’s already begun filtering what she shares on social media when it comes to her children. In addition to Boston, 10, Krista shares daughter Kollyns and son Kampbell with Bryce, 35.

“Some days I feel like I’ll post and I’m like, I didn’t even show them at all in my stories. I feel like because they are, they’re just getting older and kind of doing their own thing,” she explains. “I definitely always ask them, is this okay to share if it’s something funny that they’re doing or whatever. Kolly gets embarrassed so easily.”

While their mom and dad make a living off social media, Boss and Kolly, 8, are not allowed to have their own accounts. “It’s going to be no time soon,” Krista says. “I see the bad sides of it that I don’t want them anywhere near that. I know at some point there’s going to be a conversation about it. But I don’t know, it just doesn’t seem worth it at this point.”

Cocktail aficionados will no doubt appreciate the flexibility of whiskey. It takes center stage in many well-known drinks such as the Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, and Manhattan. However, whiskey isn’t solely for consumption; it also proves valuable in cooking. Whiskey contributes a rich, smoky complexity to sauces, marinades, and even desserts, enhancing the taste of various meals in unique ways.

There are numerous kinds of whiskey, each with a distinct flavor profile. For example, bourbon, a type of American whiskey, is primarily made from corn mash and possesses sweet, oaky, and warm spice notes. In contrast, rye whiskey, made from rye grain, has a somewhat peppery and herbal quality. Among others, there are also Scotch, Irish, Canadian, and Japanese whiskeys. Given such a variety of tastes, whiskey presents countless culinary opportunities, making it an essential ingredient for all imaginative home cooks or professional chefs.

Discover more: The 25 Top Bourbon Brands, Ranked

The preference for creating homemade vanilla extract by steeping vanilla beans in bourbon whiskey is no coincidence. Vanilla and bourbon share intricate notes of sweetness, spice, and rich, woody undertones. Even though most commercially available vanilla extracts are made with ethyl alcohol instead of bourbon, it’s evident that the two ingredients have numerous shared characteristics.

Fortunately, when you’re out of vanilla but have some bourbon handy, it can serve as an effective vanilla extract substitute in most baking recipes. Use an equal amount of bourbon in place of the vanilla extract and likely no one will notice the difference. Not to mention, vanilla extract is notoriously expensive. Using whiskey in its place will not only replicate a similar flavor in your baked goods, but it’ll also save you money.

The exception to this substitution is when vanilla is the primary flavor, such as a vanilla frosting or vanilla ice cream. In those cases, while bourbon will still produce a tasty result, it will create a noticeable difference in flavor.

Whiskey tends to pair well with meats such as pork and chicken. If you’ve ever finished cooking a pork chop or chicken breast and wondered what you could use to make a quick yet flavorful sauce right in the same pan, you may want to reach for a bottle of whiskey.

Pan sauces are made by deglazing the pan you used to cook your meat. This works by removing the cooked meat and pouring a liquid into the hot pan. Then, you scrape the flavorful browned bits on the bottom of the pan, known as the fond, which will release and help create a sauce along with the liquid.

Wine is often a go-to for deglazing, but whisky can serve as a fantastic alternative. It has the potential to infuse your dish with a range of unique flavors. For a recipe that would benefit from a touch of peppery notes, a rye whisky might be your best bet. For a more light and fruity flavor, consider a Canadian whiskey. Add some punch to the whisky sauce with garlic, herbs, and butter and drizzle it over your meat.

If you adore chocolate and have a preference for robust whisky flavors, no-bake Kentucky bourbon balls might be up your alley. These delightful Southern sweets, ideal for social gatherings, holidays, and as gifts, pack a punch with bourbon, nuts, graham cracker crumbs and chocolate.

The recipe for bourbon balls is akin to rum balls’ and is easy to whip up since there’s no baking involved. The only cooking process here is the toasting of pecans that are later doused in bourbon for deep whiskey flavoring. The ingredients then come together to make a dough, which is rolled into bite-sized balls and dusted with cocoa powder and sugar. You can get nearly three dozen balls in one batch, making these perfect for sharing.

These bourbon balls tread the line between cookies and cakes. They might be mouth-watering for kids but they’re more suitable for grownups, as the whisky content remains uncooked due to the absence of baking. It’s a heady blend of delicious and boozy.

Glazed carrots are a classic side dish and yet another instance where the addition of whiskey can elevate a basic recipe. The sweet and earthy flavor of carrots would match up beautifully with the herbal and citrus notes of an Irish whiskey to create an irresistible dish for serving everywhere, from a weeknight dinner to the spread at your holiday table.

In these honey-glazed carrots, you can add a splash of whiskey to the pan along with the other glaze ingredients. The alcohol will mostly cook off while the carrots roast in the oven, but the flavor of the whiskey will remain and have your dinner guests pondering your secret ingredient.

Aside from Irish whiskey, you may want to consider bourbon. While Irish whiskey can provide a fresh taste, bourbon, with its caramel notes, can enhance the natural sweetness of the carrots. Which whiskey you select may depend on the time of year and the other foods you’re serving.

No one enjoys a flavorless pickle, but with whiskey added to the brine, that won’t be an issue. Boozy pickles have grown in popularity in recent years and there’s good reason. It’s a creative way to infuse the flavor of your favorite alcohol into crunchy, tangy fresh vegetables. These moonshine pickles are just one instance of the trend.

To give an extra kick to your next homemade refrigerator pickles, you can introduce a dash of rye whiskey into your brine concoction. Allow the pickles to brew in the refrigerator for a few days before consuming, to make sure the flavour is well absorbed. If making pickles seems like a chore, you could purchase a jar from the store, scoop out some brine and substitute it with whiskey for a comparable outcome.

After savouring the pickles, the spirited brine need not go to waste. Replenish the jar with more veggies to pickle or put it to use in creating a pickle juice cocktail.

A lovely barbecue sauce owes its popularity to the fusion and equilibrium of multiple flavours. An easy way to bring complexity to your homemade sauce is by adding whiskey. The bourbon’s smoky and oaky undertones help neutralize the strong flavour of peppers, like in this bourbon-chile barbecue sauce. The resulting sauce has a smoky, spicy, and sweet taste.

When including whiskey in your barbecue sauce, ensure it complements the other elements to bring about a harmony of flavours. Bear in mind that barbecue sauces considerably differ based on regional and personal tastes. Therefore, opt for a whiskey variant that matches your preferred style.

Beginning with just a splash of whiskey can keep your barbecue sauce from getting too overpowering. As it simmers, taste it and see if more whiskey is needed. Be aware that the longer the sauce cooks, the stronger its flavors will become.

The unique flavor profile of Bourbon whiskey, with whispers of caramel and toffee, makes it a perfect addition to your homemade caramel sauce. Planning to pour caramel sauce on ice cream, use it as a pastry filling, or add a dollop to your coffee? Incorporating whiskey can lift your dish a notch higher. Swirling bourbon into your caramel sauce results in the infusion of oak and vanilla tones which offer a unique and intricate depth of flavor.

In addition to enhancing flavor, bourbon serves to counter the excessive sweetness of caramel sauce as well. For those of you who find caramel sauces cloyingly sweet, introducing whiskey to the mix imparts a tinge of bitterness and a smoky essence which can balance out the flavors. Indulging in the rich, smooth taste of bourbon-spiked caramel is an elegant way to amplify your desserts and add a dash of finesse to your culinary repertoire.

Like blended whiskey, chocolate presents a multitude of flavors and complexities. The two combined have endless potential for pairings. Consider partnering them in your upcoming hot fudge sauce recipe. Stirring a few tablespoons of whiskey into your chocolate sauce not only augments its flavor but also lends a velvety smoothness to the palate.

Before embarking on your chocolate sauce venture, it’s first necessary to ensure that the flavors of your blended whiskey and chocolate are either similar or complimentary. I recommend tasting both your chocolate and whiskey together to ascertain their compatibility. If you happen to possess a variety of chocolates or whiskeys, indulge in a tasting session until you find a combination that aligns with your taste preferences.

For a conventional one-cup chocolate sauce recipe, you may kick off by incorporating two tablespoons of whiskey into your mixture of ingredients. Taste the concoction and add more whiskey until you can discernibly taste its flavor in the sauce. However, this might imply that you’ll need to simmer your sauce for a slightly prolonged duration to allow the sauce to thicken, compensating for the increased amount of liquid.

Regardless of whether it’s homemade or procured from a can, cranberry sauce often tends to receive a rather mediocre reception. Some people often find the sauce to lack flavor or perceive it as excessively sweet. Luckily, whiskey can be a game-changer here, and particularly, the bourbon variety, owing to its subtle notes of oak and caramel, could potentially enhance this quintessential holiday relish.

If you intend to enhance your canned cranberry sauce, pour the contents of the can into a bowl and infuse it with a dash of bourbon. Savour a spoonful, and if needed, add an extra splash of bourbon. This trick typically works best with the non-jellied type of cranberry sauce, not the jellied variant, which is supposed to be consumed as is. However, remember that since there’s no chance for the alcohol to evaporate, its taste will be rather potent and noticeable when served.

Making homemade cranberry sauce can become an interesting affair when you mix in some bourbon in the water while simmering the cranberries. This method is quite distinct from simply mixing bourbon with canned cranberry sauce. This is because it allows adequate time for the alcohol to cook off and infuse into the berries. This results in a more flavor-packed sauce that is not just your ordinary cranberry sauce.

Due to factors such as the fruit not being fully ripe or fresh, fruit pies might sometimes not meet your expectations. In such scenarios, whiskey can be a fantastic solution. It not only boosts the fruit’s flavor but also introduces delicate undertones, thereby enhancing the overall taste of the pie. Furthermore, it also helps strike the perfect balance in cases where the fruit filling is excessively sweet.

Selecting a whiskey type that complements the other ingredients in your recipe is of utmost importance. For instance, bourbon or Scotch whiskey goes well with apples, peaches, and cherries. On the other hand, you might want to consider a single malt or Irish whiskey for raspberry and blueberry pies, keeping in mind any spices or other flavorings you might be using.

When it comes to whiskey quantity, initiating with 2-4 tablespoons and then altering based on personal preferences is recommended. If your filling boasts a lot of liquid, it’s wiser to lean towards using lesser amounts of whiskey to prevent a runny pie.

Enhancing the taste of a beef stew is quite simple, and an excellent method involves deglazing the pan once the meat has been seared. If you incorporate whiskey as the liquid for deglazing, not only does the dish’s flavor get a notch higher, but the taste combines wonderfully with the stew’s tender meat and vegetables too. When you mix the brown bits stuck at the bottom of the pan, the dish becomes even more delicious.

The type of whiskey you choose for your beef stew can greatly impact its overall taste. With different whiskeys, you can achieve a variety of flavors; smoky, sweet, or woody, and elevate your stew’s taste even further. Begin with adding approximately half a cup of your chosen whiskey into the pan for deglazing, this way the caramelized bits get released. Proceed with the recipe you have, allowing the alcohol content to simmer off in the process. The robust flavor of the whiskey and its complexity leave your stew irresistibly tasty.

Whipped cream made at home is not just a tasty and flexible topping, but it can also be made more enjoyable by adding unique flavors like whiskey. The taste of the desserts will not only have an extra layer, but a whiskey flavored whipped cream can also add certain sophistication, especially during particular events.

When you are trying to select the correct whiskey for your whipped cream, the taste you are trying to achieve is an important factor. A rich bourbon-flavored whipped cream can add a pleasurable complementary taste, particularly to desserts like a pumpkin or pecan pie. Meanwhile, chocolate desserts like pudding will taste splendid with a smooth Irish whiskey-flavored whipped cream.

It’s important to note that you don’t want to use more than 1-2 tablespoons of whiskey in your whipped cream. Use too much and you may end up with a watery or grainy texture. To ensure a good whipping, all ingredients should be chilled, including the whiskey. Start by whisking the cream until it begins to thicken, then gradually add the whiskey and sugar. Continue whisking until the cream forms stiff peaks. Be careful not to over-whip the cream, as it can become grainy and unappetizing.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.