Those of you who have followed me for a while know that I love visiting wineries and vineyards, sipping wine, and pairing them with cheese. However, I bet that most of you don’t know that I also love bourbon! When I’m out with friends and desire a cocktail, I love a good Old Fashioned. When the Blogger Union reached out to invite me to an exclusive cocktail and cheese fondue-making virtual event, I jumped at the opportunity to watch and participate so that I could host an event with my friends later. The event was sponsored by Coopers’ Craft Brand Ambassador Fitz Bailey and special guest Chef Ashley Thomas.
I am originally from Columbus, Ohio, so I am familiar with many bourbon brands. This was my first time trying Coopers’ Craft Straight Bourbon, and I enjoyed it. For my bourbon lovers out there, it’s 41.1% alcohol with 75% corn, 15% Rye, and 10% Malted Barley.
On the nose: Honey, grain, vanilla, oak, citrus, and some floral notes.
Taste: Upon the first sip, I tasted cinnamon, caramel, vanilla, and a bit of honey. The aftertaste starts a little oaky (which I love), and then there is a burst of sweetness – that’s where the fruity/ flavors come in. It’s a delightful sip, in my opinion – but I am not a Bourbon connoisseur by any means.
Di Bruno Brothers provided the cheeses and accouterments in Philadelphia, and I must tell you – it is some of the BEST cheese I have ever had! I almost didn’t want to make fondue with it; I just wanted to eat the cheese, haha! I’ll give you the deets on the cheeses I tried in the fondue recipe later.
After watching the live event, I immediately set up a time to do this with friends. I picked two of my friends who enjoy dining at the Melting Pot Restaurant, so I knew that I’d like this activity.
On the day of the activity, we made the Coopers’ Craft cocktail first on a rooftop. It was a beautiful, breezy day in DC – I felt like I was in Miami. It was perfect for a cocktail by the fire until it got so windy that all my items started to blow away, and we had to move the party inside. ARGH.
Ingredients:
- Two-parts Coopers’ Craft 82.2
- One-part fresh Lime Juice
- Top with ginger beer
- Any seasonal fruit (I used berries)
- Lime wheel or Fresh Mint Sprig (for garnish)
Instructions: Combine Coopers’ Craft 82.2 with lime juice. Add ginger beer and serve over ice. Garnish with lime wheel and mint sprig. Add seasonal fruit – I chose berries. Muddle fruit in a shaker, add ice, lime juice, and Coopers.’ Shake, strain, and enjoy.
The cocktail was delicious even though we didn’t follow the recipe. Again, I’m a bourbon drinker, so I added a bit more than the recipe suggested. Unfortunately, my poor choice in putting almost double the amount of bourbon in my cocktail made fondue, making, let’s just say, challenging. Ha!
Bourbon Cheese Fondue Ingredients:
- 1⁄2 lb. Reading Raclette
- 1⁄2 lb. Seven Sisters
- 1⁄2 lb. Cabot Cloth Bound Cheddar.
- 2 tbsp. Cornstarch
- 1 cup Dry White Wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
- 1⁄2 Cup Coopers’ Craft Bourbon
- Few Drops of Pickle Juice
- 1 tsp. Mustard
- Black Pepper
Optional: Any accompaniments like bread, salami, veggies, or anything else you’d like to dip in the fondue.
Instructions:
- In a bowl, lightly coat the cornstarch into the cheeses
- Then, over medium heat, add the wine, 1⁄2 of the bourbon, and the pickle juice.
- Gradually add the cheese stirring all the time.
- Once the mixture is smooth, add the mustard, black pepper, and the remaining bourbon
Cooper’s Craft and Di Bruno Brothers provided the ingredient list and the recipes. When they made the fondue during the online event, the other bloggers seemed to enjoy the recipe. I think I misstepped somewhere. The next time I create fondue, I would add less bourbon. For some reason, the taste of the bourbon overpowered the cheese. I think I would also add flour and butter instead of cornstarch, as it took a long time for the cheese to thicken up. I would purchase the cheeses for this recipe all over again, though.
My friends and I had such a great time making both the cocktails and the fondue together – despite us messing up the recipe. We laughed a lot and then invited a couple more friends over to enjoy the cocktails on the roof by the fire. Cheers!
