Liquid Inspiration

For whatever reason, I've never been one to use a lot of alcohol or liqueurs in desserts. I guess they just don't immediately come to mind when constructing a palette of flavors. And though I'm a fan of wines and beers, and I appreciate the odd bourbon, pastis, or even grappa, I'm just not much of a cocktail kind of guy in general. For better or worse, a lot of that stuff just doesn't make my radar, if anything simply as a result of my own ignorance. But I have a huge respect for the craft of mixology, especially the new breed of "molecular" mixologists, like Tailor's Eben Freeman, whose work matches the creativity of that restaurant's chef Sam Mason. And there are aspects about the history and traditions of spirits that I find fascinating, as I do of the stories behind any number of foods. Perhaps it's those products that are either rare or artisanal that pique my interest the most, which is how I came to know Eric Seed.

Based in Minnesota, Eric is known in the world of spirits as a detective of sorts, unearthing lost or little known items, then making them available to the greater number of us. His first big project was the importing of two spirits from Austria: Zirbenz, flavored with the fruit of a particular indigenous pine, and Lauria, a cream liqueur from wild Alpine pears. It wasn't just the unique flavors that immediately made me a customer of Eric's, but also because of his own love of the products; he spins tales of scaling trees high up in the mountains during stone pine harvest just so that he could learn more about how it was made. It's with a similar passion that in the years since, he's introduced other rare products through his importing company, Haus Alpenz, such as a violet liqueur, and newly available spirits like falernum and allspice dram. Two of my favorites, along with the Zirbenz, have been the Nux Alpina, from green walnuts, and Batavia Arrack, an aromatic rum-like product from the East Indies. While I've already confessed to a lamentable alcohol apathy, I did find immediate inspiration to experiment with these three in particular, using chocolate as a vehicle.

Zirbenz is produced by macerating the fruit of the Arolla Stone Pine, which grows at the upper reaches of the Alpine tree line, in a neutral eau-de-vie. A few years ago, when Eric showed up in the kitchen with his tiny vial of Zirbenz, the notion of cooking with the flavor of pine had certainly become common in certain circles. Another early supporter of Eric's was Will Goldfarb; while at NYC's too-short-lived Room 4 Dessert, he wittily dubbed a Zirbenz based cocktail the "Mr. Clean", which also incorporated lemon and Champagne. In my mind, the pleasing herbal pine flavor of the Zirbenz best pairs with a good milk chocolate, taming its edge without overpowering it. On the rare occasion I have access to young, unsprayed pine needles, I would also give this ganache a boost by infusing a pinch of them into the cream beforehand.

Among the few liqueurs that have always held my interest, most have some sort of herbal component- Herbsaint, Chartreuse, Amaro, and others, not to mention bitters. Not only do I enjoy these intense flavors, but I also appreciate, again, their origins and unique ingredients.I especially enjoy Eric's walnut liqueur as a digestif, particularly during these colder months. With every sniff and sip, I try to isolate the different components that make up its complex flavor. Such intensity will stand up to a dark chocolate; here a ganache spiked with the Nux Alpina is in the "old school" form of the traditional muscadine, usually flavored with Cointreau or Grand Marnier. The ganache is piped into thin lines, then cut, dipped, and rolled into cocoa powder.

One of Eric's investigations involved the spirit Batavia Arrack, which in recent years was limited to a cult following of bartenders and classic cocktail aficionados. Originally produced in Java, and traded far and wide by the Dutch, this sugarcane and rice spirit gained popularity during the 18th and 19th centuries as an integral ingredient in various punches. Often flavored with citrus, sugar, and spices, such beverages were the drink of choice, not only in Europe (Swedish punch being one of the most celebrated), but also in the quickly developing New World. As Eric was researching Batavia Arrack and planning its distribution here in the US, he discovered that its current primary market was that of European and Japanese chocolatiers, sought for its ability to heighten aromatics.

To my palate, the Batavia Arrack has a wonderful aroma like that of molasses or palm sugar, and in general, I've found that it works well as a replacement for rum in many recipes. Here, I've tried to recreate the idea of a classic punch, but in the form of a white chocolate ganache, flavored with citrus zest, clove, cardamom, and vanilla, along with a healthy dose of the Arrack. The sweet, neutral white chocolate harmonizes the flavors of this ganache, which has been molded and garnished with dried orange zest and cinnamon.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is not only discovering, and then sharing such products, but also getting a chance to meet the people behind them. Whenever Eric comes to town, I know there will always be a new flavor, and a new story, sealed in one of his tiny bottles.

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For general notes on the recipes posted here, please read About the Recipes. And for hard to find ingredients or equipment, please refer to Resources.

 

Comments

[Rick Tramonto from, Tru in Chicago]

Michael,

It has been a long two years
for me with four restaurant openings and two books to write,
and this blog has been truly uplifting, inspirational and has kept me going when my food spirit gets weak. I just want to thank you for your sweet light.

God bless,
Rick Tramonto