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Private Notes
Fruit Of Africa
With its roots deep in the heart of the sub-Saharan bushveld, the Marula tree has ancient ties to South Africa’s indigenous people - and animals. As the Marula fruit ripens and falls to the ground, its fragrance is carried on the African breeze and picked up by eager, voracious elephants. They will walk for days to gorge themselves on its luscious fruit. Throughout history the Marula fruit has been used for medicinal purposes, fertile ceremonies and local rituals. Today, six South African companies are creating marula beers and marula cream liqueurs. Such is the popularity of marula cream liqueurs that they are now the world's number three selling cream liqueur behind Bailey's and O'Darbys. Our own Thirsty Traveler embarks on an amazing journey of discovery, revealing ancient tribal customs, exotic animals and the delicious enigma of the Marula.
Marvelous Mescal
There's a popular saying in Mexico that goes, "Para Todo Mal, Mezcal y Para Todo Bien Tambien", which translated means, "For everything bad, Mescal, and for everything good, too!" Here in Mexico's torrid southern state of Oaxaca, mescal has been a part of the indigenous Zapotec culture for more than an thousand years. Long considered the rough, unsophisticated cousin to tequila, mescal is, in fact, its predecessor and equal. What rye whisky is to scotch, mescal is to tequila. The difference lies in the process. While tequila piñas - the sugar-rich heart of the agave - are baked or steamed in above-ground ovens or autoclaves, mescal piñas are baked in a conical, rock-lined pit oven (palenque) over charcoal, and covered with layers of palm-fiber mats and earth, giving mescal a strong, smoky flavor. Join the Thirsty Traveler as he battles the stifling heat and investigates the strong character behind the myriad of mystical and savage flavors that is mescal.
This is So Soju
From soccer to music to food to soap operas, Korea is overtaking Japan as Asia's pop-culture capital. And riding this new wave of Korean "Kim-Chic" cool is the traditional Korean table spirit - soju. Introduced from China in the late 13th Century, soju quickly became the preferred toast of the upper classes and royalty. Unlike sake, soju is made from rice, barley and sweet potatoes along with a host of taste modifiers. But just like sake, soju is enjoying a huge spike in popularity across North America and is now one of the biggest selling spirits in the world. So what's the scoop on soju? Come along with the Thirsty Traveler as he ventures into the soul of Seoul on a fearless quest to find the answers.
A Mouthful of Vermouth
It's that secret ingredient in that secret agent's favourite drink; vermouth is what makes a martini the classic cocktail it is. But just what the heck is vermouth? Why is it so popular around the world? And what makes it so special? To find the answers, our intrepid Thirsty Traveler plies his way through the sun-drenched Mediterranean and discovers the many pleasures of many vermouths. From exquisitely dry French vermouths to the sweet yet sophisticated Italian versions - both red and white - this is a journey of delicious discovery filled with 200 years of cocktail concoctions and culinary surprise.
That's Whiskey With an 'E', Boyo!
If the castle-crowned crags lining the coast of Northern Ireland could speak, they'd tell tales of nomadic boatmen and Christians and Vikings, of Normans and giants and ghosts and banshees wailing through the sea mist. And of a certain Thirsty Traveler prowling through the world's oldest licensed distilleries - distilleries that produce Ireland's famed Irish Whiskey! The Irish have been making their own distinct whiskies for nearly 500 years. What better remedy to the chilly sea air than a healthy dram or two of Irish Whiskey? The Thirsty Traveler will most certainly find out.
Catch a Kiwi If You Can
New Zealand has long been famed for its stunning, unspoiled landscape. And equal to the international acclaim for its beauty is that for its fine wines. Here in the land next door to the Land Downunder, climate, geography and human skill have combined to produce highly distinctive, premium quality wines, such as their Sauvignon Blanc - now considered the world benchmark. Of course, you can count on the Thirsty Traveler to meet up with a few colourful Kiwi characters who will help him explore the very best of New Zealand's wonderful wines - and the best from the Kiwi kitchen.
ALL ABOUT ABSINTHE
Perhaps no other spirit sports a reputation as notorious as absinthe. The intoxicant of choice for many decadent fin-de-siecle Paris-based artists including Vincent van Gogh, Paul Verlaine and Oscar Wilde, absinthe, or as it was known back then, “La Fee Verte” -The Green Fairy - was highly sought after for its perceived opiate-like intoxicating qualities. How will the Thirsty Traveler react to this green goblin’s concoction? Join him as he ventures into central Europe to harvest wormwood - the mysterious root responsible for absinthe's mysterious properties - and helps to create a new batch. Of course, much sampling is necessary to appreciate the pleasures of absinthe.
Bitter Beers of Britain
The British are famous not only for their love of all things Royal, but also for their love of bitter beers. Across the Mersey River lies the working class city of Manchester, home of famed footballers and renowned bitter brewers. Originally brewed to a lower alcohol level to quench the thirst of hard-working men fresh from their shift in the local factories, bitter beers have been brewed in England for at least 600 years. The traditions continue in modern-day Manchester - a vibrant, raucous city where good music and good times are as easy to find as the corner pub. Join the Thirsty Traveler as he wanders the streets of Manchester in search of the perfect pint of bitter beer.
Ga-ga for Cognac
There are fine wines, and there is champagne. There are also fine brandies. And then there is cognac. Perhaps epitomizing the grape's journey from ground to glass, cognac stands royally tall as the preferred drink of princes and powerbrokers around the globe. With a thousand years of history behind it, the Cognac region of France is home to this very special spirit, and the Thirsty Traveler draws yet another lucky card as he explores Normandy's ancient castle towers, vast aging cellars - and a king's kitchen - in this ultimate quest for cognac.
If it cooks – it must be Madeira! For more than 500 years, Madeira has been pouring its heart and soul into making the unique fortified wines that are named after this sub-tropical island. Madeira’s mountainous vineyards skirt the island in terraces high above the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of North Africa. As The Thirsty Traveler discovers, Madeira producers today won’t mess with an old trick. Madeira was a popular port of call for the early traders who stocked up on the Island’s wines destined for the colonies. They found that the further south they traveled, the hotter it got. The wine was literally cooking in the barrels but instead of a fiasco, the result was fantastic. Why it was even used to toast the signing of the American Declaration of Independence! Today, they don’t send the wine to the Equator to ‘cook’, they use the Estufa (Hot House) Method to maintain Madeira’s distinct flavour. And if you ever wondered about the origins of Madeira Sauce ... well, don’t miss this trip!
Sparkling Wines of Carneros
Nestled between the Sonoma Mountains to the west and the Napa River to the east lies California's much-lesser known county of Carneros. But this small, sparkling jewel creates some of the world's finest sparkling wines. Here in Carneros, the maritime influence of the Pacific Ocean and San Pablo Bay are overwhelming, bringing cool temperatures, fog and wind that increase the acidity of the Pinot Noir grapes - so necessary to produce a world-renowned sparkling wine with structure and finesse. Join the Thirsty Traveler as he rides the rails to Carneros county and lights up the dark Champagne Caves with glass after glass of vintage sparkling wine.
Ogopogo & Okanagan Wines
Nestled between the Cascade Mountains to the west and the Monashee Mountains to the east, is the 124-mile stretch of Lake Okanagan that begins in a true desert and moves through a variety of micro-climates. It’s Canada’s hot spot for wine lovers, producing French and German vinifera grapes from big, ripe reds to fresh, cool whites. And The Thirsty Traveler can’t leave the valley without a boat trip on the lake to catch a glimpse of the legendary Ogopogo - maybe a little wine for the journey is in order!
The Sweet Scent of Sambuca
They say that Rome wasn't built in a day. Neither was the secret recipe for Sambuca, one of Italy's - and the world's - most popular beverages. The medicinal properties of anise have been known for thousands of years. And the ancient Etruscans were among the first to infuse aniseed into a delicious, medicinal spirit. Today, it's said that Sambuca gets its name from Sambucus nigra, the scientific name for elderberry, another of this sweet licorise-flavoured liqueur's key indredients. It's here in Rome that the Thirsty Traveler experiences his first sweet sip before catching the "Buca Train" in search of elderberry groves, sambuca stills, and the very best in Italian cuisine.
