Switchel

The old-fashioned farmer's refresher mixed with spirits at Brooklyn's Prospect restaurant

While learning how to properly brine and prepare a Thanksgiving turkey during a cooking class at the new Prospect restaurant in Brooklyn we also had the pleasure of discovering Switchel, an “American heritage” beverage from Vermont. The restaurant serves up this variation of the vaguely sweet, vinegar-based refresher as a mixer—it pairs best with rum—and the beverage’s enigmatic blend of refined ginger, apple cider vinegar, …

Widow Jane Whiskey

Kentucky bourbon from a Brooklyn distillery

In addressing the challenge of producing a Kentucky bourbon whiskey in Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood, Cacao Prieto distillery looked to the Widow Jane Mine in Rosendale, NY. Heavy in minerals and naturally filtered through limestone, the water makes an uncanny pair with the aged spirit. The mine also provided a bit of legacy for the fledgling distillery, as it is notable for supplying stone in …

Holiday Recipes: Pumpkin Muffins

Sweet and spectacular confections from Thomas Keller's newest cookbook

In anticipation of the various gatherings that occur around this time of year, we’ve pulled together five of our favorite cookbooks from recent months. Each day this week, CH will feature a different cookbook and a recipe, the sum of which will make up a complete holiday meal. Our final recipe: a sweet finish from “Bouchon Bakery.” From the boulangerie-style outpost in star chef Thomas …