Get Excited About Apple Today...The Kind You Can Eat

Apple, one of the world's largest technology companies, is expected to unveil new iPhones today, possibly a watch and other consumer electronics products. Their September product announcement has become an annual event followed enthusiastically by technology reporters, Apple fanboys (and fangirls) and anyone else clamoring for a new device with cool features.

Sure, the new iPhone may have more gigabytes than the last, but September is also a time to procure bites from another type of Apple, the kind you can eat!

Apple season will be in full swing soon. I've got a whole week of apple-themed posts planned for the week of September 22. To help build excitement about apples (either the electronic or fruit variety), here are some of my favorite apple recipes.

Deluxe Applesauce with Bacon, Caramelized Onion, Walnuts and Maple. Apple's electronics are high-end purchases--not kiddie stuff--and neither is this applesauce. "This Ain't Your Baby's Applesauce," I declared with this recipe, a grown-up version of the popular cooked apple puree, which augments its sour-sweet flavor with smoky bacon, the richness of caramelized onion and the earthy sweetness of maple syrup.

Apple Pie with Vodka Crust. Apple strives to make its products intuitive to use. What's not intuitive, is why adding a touch of vodka is the secret to perfect pie crust. In short, the evaporation promotes flakiness. Who knew? Apparently the folks at America's Test Kitchen where I got this recipe. It makes classic apple pie even better.

Apple, Arugula and Cheddar Sandwich. The beauty of Apple's devices is that they are (generally) simple to use, and simple is often best when it comes to assembling a good sandwich. When you have good ingredients, a great sandwich doesn't have to be a complicated thing. In this sandwich, a ripe apple, something a bit sweet like a pink lady or honeycrisp, pairs nicely with sharp ingredients like peppery arugula, Dijon mustard and sharp cheddar cheese, all built upon a crusty freshly baked baguette.

Baked Apples with Fennel and Onion. Apple pie is de rigeur for Thanksgiving dessert, but working apples into the meal earlier, such as this savory dish, may come as a nice surprise at the holiday table. Not at nice surprise at the holiday table--your iPhone--put it away and enjoy your meal and company!

Apple Custard Pie with Gingersnap Crust. One of Apple's greatest strengths is its innovation, not necessarily wholesale invention but taking preexisting elements and fashioning and/or combining them into something new and extraordinary. That's not unlike what happens in this pie, which melds elements of apple pie and pumpkin pie together into one irresistible treat.

Apple Margarita. There's a certain euphoria some people experience when they get a new Apple product. I'll admit, I was pretty excited to get my first iPod, iPad and iPhone. I don't know if drinking these awesome Apple Margaritas will bring that euphoria back, but they might make you a little bit tipsy, which could be just as fun.

Corn Crackers with Brie and Apple Butter. About 10 years ago, before Apple electronics were everywhere, they talked about the iPod as a potential gateway to other apple products. That proved to be true for me: my first Apple device was the 4th generation iPod, and now my computer, phone and a host of other things are Apple. Here's another type of gateway: a really great appetizer to kick off a great dinner.

Kale, Fig and Apple Salad. If you're like me, the apps on your iPad or iPhone includes a mix of productivity-oriented tools like Numbers and iPhoto, as well as mindless distractions like Candy Crush. Similarly, this salad is an unusual mix, but the flavors blend well to create a satisfying whole.

Apple Brandy Cocktails. Apple products generally work pretty well. But there are those nights when that rainbow pinwheel just won't stop spinning. For those nights, you might want to mix one of these great apple brandy cocktails to help ease the frustration while waiting for the day, like today, that an even better device will come along.

Dallas Drinks: The Kristin

Dallas Drinks is a co-creation with Dallas Decoder, honoring the characters of the television show Dallas--both the classic series and the newer TNT Dallas, which continues the Ewing family saga. See all of the Dallas Drinks here.

Kristin Shepard is, notoriously, the answer to Dallas' most important trivia question. Dallas Decoder has a rundown of her greatest moments. In designing the drink, I wanted a refreshing highball--something relatively light that you could imagine Miss Shepard sipping at an outside Dallas cafe as she plots her next move. I also wanted to connect the drink to three characters: her sister, Sue Ellen; her lover/bullet-holder, J.R.; and her biological son, Christopher.

With The Sue Ellen cocktail, the Kristin shares its pale pink color from the grenadine (a subtle nod to J.R.'s blood). With The J.R. Shot, the drink shares the flavor of mint, which I also used because its vivid green color reminded me of the Italian sportswear Kristin favored on the show. The drink shares the most ingredients with The Christopher, Bobby and Pam's adopted son, but also Kristin's biological son with Jeff Farraday, most notably its use of peppercorns and ginger to give the drink a nice spicy kick in fitting with Kristin's fiery personality.

Dallas Drinks: The Kristin

1/2 tsp. pickled green peppercorns (with brine)
12-15 spearmint leaves
1/2 oz. ginger liqueur
1 oz. American dry gin
1/2 oz. grenadine
4 oz. Italian lemon soda (Limonata)
Mint sprig garnish

Add the peppercorns, mint leaves and ginger liqueur to a cocktail shaker. Muddle the ingredients. Add the gin and grenade and fill the shake with ice. Shake until cold, then strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Top with Italian soda and garnish with mint sprig.

Giant Stuffed Zucchini

See the vegetable pictured below? A coworker brought me one recently and asked me if I could identify what it is. Based on its color and the texture of its skin, I said "some kind of zucchini," which turned out to be right, although I'd never seen a large, round zucchini before. It makes sense they would exist though; zucchini is a type of squash, many of which are round and about this size (about the size of a typical acorn squash).

Giant round zucchini, next to iPhone for size comparison

I wanted to find a great way to prepare, something other than what you'd normally do with the cucumber-size zucchini. I decided I wanted to stuff and bake it. Turns out, this was a good thought, as the stuffed zucchini was really tasty.

I was worried the zucchini might get too soft, but it stayed quite firm, even after I pre-baked it to soften it a bit. Since getting the timing and temperature right for stuffed dishes to have the stuffing and that-which-is-stuffed both optimally cooked is very difficult, I partially cooked the zucchini ahead of time and also fully cooked the stuffing ingredients. The second baking then finishes cooking the zucchini while warming through the stuffing.

Giant Stuffed Zucchini

Makes 4 servings

2 giant round zucchini, washed, any protruding stem parts removed
Extra-virgin olive oil (for brushing or spraying on zucchini)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 oz. uncooked Italian chicken sausage, removed from casings
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
Red chili pepper flakes
1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp. fresh chopped sage leaves
1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
1 cup fresh bread crumbs (see note)
1 cup cooked white rice (see recipe for perfect white rice)
1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Note: To make fresh bread crumbs, cut the crust from a hunk of good bread and pulse in a food processor until ground to a coarse crumb.

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut each zucchini in half around the equator (so that the stem end is part of one half, and the non-stem end is the other half). Scoop out and discard the seeds and other soft inside parts (this will leave a shell about 1/2-inch thick). Spray or brush the cut side of each zucchini with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool (may be refrigerated if making ahead of time).

2. Heat a large sauté pan or frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and sauté until cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate. Add olive oil to pan. When hot, add the onion, red pepper and garlic. Season to taste with salt and a pinch of red chili pepper flakes. After about 5 minutes, add the thyme and sage, then sauté for about another 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened and the herbs are fragrant. Combine with the cooked sausage and set aside. At this point, the sausage-vegetable mixture may be cooled and refrigerated if making this ahead of time.

3. Reheat oven to 350 F. Place the pre-baked zucchini halves on a rimmed baking sheet, cut-side up. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of the sausage-vegetable mixture with the shredded gruyere cheese, bread crumbs and cooked rice. Stuff about 1/4 of the mixture in the cavity of each zucchini half, leaving the stuffing slightly mounded. Spoon 1 tbsp. of grated parmesan on the top of each mound of stuffing and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Bake in the oven until the mixture is warmed through and lightly browned on top, about 35-45 minutes. Serve warm.

Restaurant: Kapnos (Washington, D.C.)

I love Greek cuisine, and there isn't a lot of it to be found in D.C. I was saddened by the loss of Yanni's Greek Taverna in Cleveland Park a few years ago, a place that Chris and I frequented for lunch on weekends.

So I was pleased with last year's opening of Kapnos, the latest in the expanding local portfolio from chef Mike Isabella. While Isabella may be best-known outside of D.C. for his appearances on Top Chef, around here he's the guy behind the wonderful downtown Italian restaurant Graffiato, which wows us each summer with sweet corn agnolotti and year-round with pepperoni sauce (itself a dish made famous on Top Chef), among other delights.

With Kapnos, Isabella steers close to the cuisine he first became known for in D.C. while working as executive chef at Zaytinya, the José Andrés outpost serving small-plate Mediterranean fare. While some dishes, like the wonderful spreads, may bring Zaytinya to mind, Kapnos' Greek-inspired fare charts its own creative course.

Kapnos, or closely καπνό, means "smoke" in Greek, and many dishes incorporate smoke or char, bringing to mind the smoke-kissed cooking at Del Campo. Take the dolmades, for example. The favorite treat of grape leaves stuffed with grains and nuts is nicely done with traditional flavors but comes with a surprising side of smoked grapes.

Other surprising flavors appear during our dinner, even in our cocktails. The Blame It on The Rain (I suppose named after Milli Vanilli's biggest hit) melds vodka, ginger liqueur, lemon, grilled fresno chili pepper and burnt cinnamon--making the drink "spicy" in three different, complementary ways. We preferred it to the Mustachio, a mix of pisco porton, maraschino liqueur, ginger beer an bitters that isn't bad but wasn't as memorable as the super-chilled metal cup it was served in.

One of the many spreads with freshly grilled flatbread is a great way to start. If you order the smoked eggplant spread expecting to receive something akin to gaga ghanoush, you'll be surprised, as the Melitzanosalata is a totally different game, featuring roasted peppers, walnuts and feta. The spread is really good, but the flatbread is wonderful: nicely charred on the edges, warm and chewy. We ordered an extra piece just to have some to wipe up the sauces from our plates. Shortly after the spread and dolmades arrived, we received a delicious smoked beet salad with yogurt and citrus, a nice balance of earthy, sour and smoky flavors.

Like a lot of restaurants serving a menu of mostly small plates, the food arrives fast-and-furious, and Kapnos did a good job of pairing what we ordered into courses of sorts. It's definitely a busy place, but despite that, I felt our server did a good job of making sure our needs were seen to.

The second half of our dinner kicked off with Greek fries, made with ground chickpeas instead of potatoes. The soft fried discs arrive with a sprinkle of mizithra cheese. A plate of loukaniko sausage served with oranges, white bean puree and shaved radishes disappeared so fast I can't quite recall what the sausage was like, but we must have liked it!

I do, however, fondly remember my favorite dish of the evening. Kapama is the Saturday special: a hearty, homey pasta dish of orzo with spicy tomato sauce upon which rests tender braised lamb shank. Chris remarked that the spices in the dish tasted like Christmas, and I can't disagree that its blend, which included clove, puts you in the mood for the holidays, even in the late summer.

Lots of peppercorn--in an assortment of colors--showed up in our dinner: our fries were dusted with ground black peppercorn, our almond and apricot baklava's accompanying ice cream was made with pink peppercorn and, in a cool twist, our beet salad came with green peppercorn meringues, wafery, delicate pieces that melted in your mouth. As I'm a major fan of all things peppercorn, I welcome this kitchen's interest in it.

The Kapnos interior is dark, but by no means cavernous. I really like the fresh design by D.C.-area firm Streetsense, a subdued mix of olive walls, warm wood floors and elegant light fixtures. We were seated close to a large window that looks into the kitchen, which provided me lots of entertainment during the evening.

Kapnos interior (photo by Greg Powers).

Kapnos is the third restaurant in Mike Isabella's burgeoning D.C. restaurant collective, and the most welcome since his original, Graffiato, charmed the city (me included) when it opened 3 years ago. In addition to drawing from similar influences as Isabella's former haunt Zaytinya, Kapnos' executive chef, George Pagonis, is an alum of Graffiato, as well as Zaytinya where he worked under Isabella. Pagonis is definitely somebody worth knowing: he'll be competing in this fall's season of Top Chef (the season is already taped, so don't worry about the chef being absent from the kitchen). It's worth noting that Kapnos is attached to G by Mike Isabella, a sandwich shop by day and tasting-menu restaurant by night. A sister restaurant, Kapnos Taverna, is due to open this fall in Northern Virginia. Isabella is clearly a guy with a lot of ambition. Thankfully, it's accompanied by continued great execution.

Kapnos, 2201 14th Street NW (at W Street NW), Washington, D.C. (U Street Corridor/Shaw). (202) 234-5000. Reservations: Open Table.

The Feed: September 3, 2014

It's September: time to eat some great apples.

The Feed is my weekly round up of interesting food-related stories from newspapers, magazines, blogs and websites.

Washington Post: “Unearthed: Small Vs. Large: Which Size Farm Is Better for the Planet?” by Tamar Haspel.
Haspel returns with another unearthed column, which is always a thought-provoking read. In an era where Big Ag is the Darth Vader to small, local farms’ Luke Skywalker, she dares to ask, which is really better for us. Not surprisingly, she finds reasons to root for, as well as change, both camps.

Washington Post: “Wine: 4 Bargain Bottles for Summer Sipping,” by Dave McIntyre.
McIntyre offers suggestions for four interesting wines, available in stores around the D.C. area for $10 to $17. Sounds like a good deal. The Merlot-Corvina blend from Italy sonds particularly interesting.

Washington Post: “Decoding Your Restaurant Menu,” by Steven Levingston.
Do you order your coffee “decaf” or “decaffeinated?” If the menu offers the latter, it’s probably charging you more for it, according to an analysis by linguist Dan Jurafsky, who studied restaurant menus and found that restaurants whose menus feature longer descriptive adjectives tend to charge more. Levingston’s article serves as a sort of preview for Jurafsky’s forthcoming book, The Language of Food, which I’m definitely getting excited to read.

New York Times: “Rethink Your Definition of ‘Salsa’,” by Mark Bittman.
“Salsa,” as Bittman points out, may mean “sauce” in Spanish, but it’s come to mean so much more in the food world, where it can describe a thick, liquidy puree to a chunky tumble with little moisture. Along with 12 great recipes divided into four salsa styles, Bittman also offers the line of the week: “A salsa is like pornography: You know it when you see it.”

NPR: “There's Much More to Apples Than Meets the Eye,” by Beth Novey.
By now, I think most of us are aware that there are plenty more apples to be had than just the red and green kinds—gala, honeycrisp and pink lady, for example, are pretty ubiquitous now. But there are many more types of heirloom apples out there. With apple season just starting to his us now, Novey’s article, which also details the apple’s great history, is a great reminder to try a new apple this season.

NPR: “Cutting Back On Carbs, Not Fat, May Lead To More Weight Loss,” by Allison Aubrey.
Given that the low-fat diet fad died a long time ago (to be replaced by the low-carb diet fads of the last decade), you’d think this wouldn’t constitute as “news.” However, since I’m much more a fan of science than fads, I appreciate that real research is now showing what many people (including me) have found through personal experience: if you want to lose weight, forgo the bread before the butter. Aubrey’s article suggests this strategy is also better for your heart.

NPR: “Real Vanilla Isn't Plain. It Depends On (Dare We SayIt) Terroir,” by April Fulton and Eliza Barclay.

I’m totally on board with ending the practice of equality “vanilla” with “boring,” when the complex spice is nothing but. Fulton and Barclay examine its globe-trotting history and also taste-test ice creams made with varieties grown in Madagascar, Tahiti and Mexico.

Bloomberg Businessweek: “This Is How Much Salad Burger Chains Sell,” by Vanessa Wong.
It’s no surprise to me that fast-food burger chains sell few salads. Despite the fact that these restaurants sometimes tout the existence of said salads to show their dedication to healthy eating, who are they kidding? I’d no more walk into a McDonald’s to order a salad than I would go to an ice cream parlor in search of a banana. What did surprise me—and isn’t really the point of the article—is how fewer than 10 percent of all restaurant orders include either a main or side salad.

Wall Street Journal: “McDonald's Faces 'Millennial' Challenge,” by Julie Jargon.
I eat fast food all the time, but I haven’t stepped into a McDonald’s (or Burger King) in over a decade. Like a lot of people I know, I go to places like Chipotle and Sweetgreen. And I’m not alone, especially among Americans in their 20s and 30s, which Jargon writes are abandoning the golden arches for “fast-casual” concept restaurants.

Rehoboth Beach, Del. Dining Guide (Part 2)

[2106 update: Espuma has closed. 2015 update: Corner Grille has closed.]

It may seem odd to put out a beach town dining guide after Labor Day; however, 1) we didn't get to beach this year until the end of the summer, 2) it's still beautiful at the beach and less crowded, so why not go now?

Thus, I present part 2 of my Rehoboth Beach dining guide, based on restaurants we visited this year. Check out part 1 from 2 years ago, which includes many favorites we've since revisited, including Dos Locos (still serving great fajitas and margaritas) and Grotto Pizza, our traditional first stop upon arriving in town. I also recommend a(MUSE), which we ate at last year.

Salt Air pork chop, crab deviled eggs and grilled peach salad (our favorite meal of the week).

Salt Air

I've wanted to check out Salt Air for a long time. The handsome space, divided into multiple rooms with large windows that all look out onto Wilmington Ave., is always hopping and they take only limited early reservations. But we got lucky recently when we found a night where they weren't as busy (by that, I mean that pretty much every table was full but there wasn't a line down the block). I'm so glad we did, as the food was really quite good. Our entree was fabulous: a grilled sweet-tea-brined pork chop served with smoky bacon beans, collard greens, cornbread and charred scallion honey-butter. The pork chop was cooked through but still tender and juicy, the collard greens had just the right texture and the smoky beans were sensational. Only the cornbread disappointed, as I thought it was too sweet (more like a dessert); however, I'll point out that Chris really liked it. Our crab deviled egg starter and grilled peach salad with goat cheese were also quite tasty. With a good wine list and friendly service, Salt Air is a place we'll definitely be working into our regular rotation of restaurants. It was our favorite new beach dining experience this year.

Espuma filet of grass-fed beef with shortrib-stuffed potato skin, wild mushroom puree, rapini and squash. 

Espuma

Espuma caught my attention 2 years ago when its chef, Jay Caputo, was a semi-finalist for the James Beard Award for Mid-Atlantic chef, a list generally dominated by talent from Washington, Philadelphia or Baltimore. We finally made it into Espuma this summer and were not disappointed by the restaurant's creative presentation and flavors. The Bacon & Egg starter features its namesake ingredients two ways: separately, as bacon bits nestled into a salad of local greens and a "crisp" duck egg (presumably lightly battered and fried after being soft-cooked for a runny center), and together as smoked bacon "brûlée"--imagine creme brûlée custard made with bacon. The cherry tomato-grilled corn salad was another nice way to start the evening with a lot of fresh flavors. Sous vide has been all-the-rage in food circles lately, but I haven't tried it much, so I couldn't resist ordering the spicy sous vide 3-days pork. The tender meat was accompanied by a vegetable strata and tomato emulsion. Extras from the kitchen aren't essential for a great dinner, but I did enjoy that we started the evening with a taste of gazpacho and bread with three spreads, including roasted garlic, which I haven't had spread on bread in a long time.

The Back Porch Café's salad of golden beets, oranges, black olives, arugula, fennel, sherry vinegar and olive oil. 

The Back Porch Café

The Back Porch Café was a late-breaking substitution for a restaurant we had reservations at but canceled after a frustrating evening the previous night trying (unsuccessfully) to order wine in their bar. We overheard on the beach that The Back Porch was the best restaurant in Rehoboth (amazing how many good tips come from "overheard on the beach"), so we decided to check it out. While I wouldn't go as far as saying it's the town's best, it's certainly an enjoyable experience. One of its greatest pluses is the romantic ambience, a product of abundant outdoor seating under leafy trees, gentle live music and, once the sun goes down, soft lighting from lamps and candles. The food is pretty good too. I enjoyed my roast guinea hen was deliciously moist with a crisp skin and well-accompanied by butternut squash, rapini and a chanterelle ragout. Chris was excited to order a molé-rubbed pork tenderloin with black beans, corn and sweet potatoes, since we both love molé. Although the meat was nicely cooked, it was surprisingly lacking in molé flavor. However, I really liked the mingling of the fresh flavors in the beet salad with fennel, oranges, olives and arugula micro-greens. Chris's watermelon and strawberry salad was also a great flavor combination, although I would have preferred it served with pieces of fresh mozzarella and torn basil leaves rather than the large chunk of cheese and clump of herbs that were served.

Everything but anchovy pizza from Nicola Pizza.

Nicola Pizza

When it comes to pizza, although we're big fans of Grotto Pizza, it's not the only game in town. Nicola Pizza engenders a similar loyalty and, like Grotto, has been around for decades and has multiple locations (well, just two, and they're just around the corner from each other). If you're hoping I'll report that we became Nicola converts, you'll be disappointed. We did, however, greatly enjoy the pizza, which is thicker than Grotto's pizza. We ordered the Everything No Anchovy pizza, which comes with pepperoni, mushrooms, extra cheese, sausage, ground beef, sweet peppers and onions, a similar mix of topping to our beloved Baker's Choice at Grotto. On tap to help wash down the pizza is locally made Dogfish 60 Minute IPA (which, I'll point out, Grotto has on tap too).

Corner Grille

For years, finding a good breakfast in Rehoboth has been a challenge. Several of our favorite places closed--one of which was swallowed by Sammy's Kitchen, a restaurant with food so mediocre that I wonder why it remains popular. Royal Treat does have good pancakes, but not good enough to justify the wait. Although I mentioned Corner Grille briefly in my 2012 dining guide, I think it deserves more copy, as it's since become our favorite breakfast place in Rehoboth. The cafe serves a mix of Greek and American foods. Get the best of both worlds with the Greek omelet, which comes with gyro meat, tomatoes and feta cheese (I think an addition of onion make it even better). I also found their western omelet, a standard mix of ham, onion, bell pepper and cheese, to be about as perfectly executed as I've ever had a diner omelet. In addition to a selection of omelets, they have pancakes, waffles and French toast. With prompt, friendly service and reasonable prices, we felt little need to find other breakfast options this year.

Treats

Last time, I focused my treats section on ice cream--and stand by my recommendations for Kohr Bros. if you want good soft-serve and Royal Treat for incredible traditional ice cream like the vanilla-peanut butter swirl. But there are other great treats to be had on the boardwalk as well. I didn't expect to be into Thrasher's fries, but I agreed to try some this time, and they are definitely satisfying fries: warm, freshly made, just salty enough and perfect with a few squirts of apple cider vinegar. Another great boardwalk treat is the caramel popcorn at Dolles, which you can buy by the tub. They may be better know for their saltwater taffy, but I'll take the burnt-sweet crunch of caramel-coated popcorn over taffy any day.

It's always sad to head home after never-enough time at the beach. We're grateful to leave with many happy memories and, always, very satisfied appetites. (Full details of the restaurants below.)

The Back Porch Café, 59 Rehoboth Avenue (between 1st Street and the boardwalk). (302) 227-3674. Reservations: call the restaurant.

Corner Grille, 11 S 1st Street (at the corner of Wilmington Avenue). (302) 227-7653.

Dolles, 1 Rehoboth Avenue (at the boardwalk). (302) 227-0757.

Espuma, 28 Wilmington Avenue (entrance on S 1st Street), Rehoboth Beach, Del. (302) 227-4199. Reservations: Open Table.

Nicola Pizza, 8 N 1st Street (between Rehoboth and Balitmore Avenues), Rehoboth Beach, Del. (302) 227-6211.

Salt Air, 50 Wilmington Avenue (between 1st and 2nd Streets), Rehoboth Beach, Del. (302) 227-3744. Reservations: limited availability for early hours (call the restaurant).

Thrashers Rehoboth, 101 South Boardwalk (at the corner with Wilmington Avenue), plus two other locations on Rehoboth Avenue.

Dallas Drinks: The Jock

Dallas Drinks is a co-creation with Dallas Decoder, honoring the characters of the television show Dallas--both the classic series and the newer TNT Dallas, which continues the Ewing family saga. See all of the Dallas Drinks here.

All of the Dallas Drinks for Ewing men related by blood contain bourbon, so of course, The Jock does too, balanced with the herbal sweetness of Benedictine and the bitter sweetness of sweet vermouth, representing Jock's ability to be both a nurturing father and a hard-ass. A float of Islay Scotch to finish the drink makes it smoky on the nose, a reminder of Jock's critical stature as the founder of Ewing Oil.

Dallas Drinks: The Jock

1 1/2 oz. bourbon
3/4 oz. Benedictine liqueur
1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1/4 oz. Islay Scotch
Lemon peel

Combine bourbon, Benedictine, sweet vermouth and bitters in a cocktail mixing glass. Add ice and stir until chilled and diluted. Strain into a rocks glass with a single large ice cube. Float the Islay Scotch on top. Squeeze the lemon peel over the drink and then drop it in.