Little Souse on the Prairie

Remember the TV show “Little House on the Prairie?” They raised their own food, there were no chemical or artificial colorings or flavorings. Everything was organic because it came straight from nature. With today’s renewed interest in living a healthy life ‘close to the earth’ we seek out organic, seasonal food – so why wouldn’t we do the same with our cocktails?

Prairie vodka is distilled from organic #2 yellow corn, and over 900 Minnesota farmers are stakeholders in the brand. In addition to all that home-grown goodness, it is certified both organic and kosher.

What does it mean to be “organic”? In order for a spirit to be deemed “certified organic” by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) the entire process, from the growing of the grains to bottling must be free of chemical pesticides, herbicides, genetically modified seeds and artificial fertilizers or enzymes.

What does it mean to be “kosher”? Being kosher means that the sources of all ingredients in a spirit are documented and approved, and that the distillation and bottling facilities are clean and hygienic, and all equipment has been properly sterilized prior to the production of each batch of vodka. This ensures that everything from the ingredients to distillation to bottling meets kosher standards for purity and cleanliness.

The flavor is smooth as corn silk with hints of summer and fall fruits such as cantaloupe and pear. Prairie also received a Gold Medal Spirit Award at the 2008 Los Angeles International Wine & Spirit Awards.

Without actually going to the distillery to witness this for myself, I’m relying on the press release with came with the sample for this information: “Leftover corncobs are converted on-site to biogas energy for powering the stills. In addition, the Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS), a co-product of distillation, is returned to farms for reuse as feed. Prairie is packaged in an unfrosted, recyclable glass bottle, packed in a cardboard box produced from sustainable forest wood pulp, employs organic inks on its paper labels and, since it is crafted many thousands of miles closer to home than imported brands, requires significantly less petroleum to bring to market.”

The September 2007 harvest yielded enough corn to craft approximately 29,000 cases. And, the nice thing about not actually living in the little house on the prairie is that we can simply drink the vodka and leave the growing, fermenting and distilling to the people who do it for a living.

LA-Based Modern Spirits

A Labor of Love

It’s a typical Hollywood story: Boy meets Girl. Girl doesn’t like vodka. Boy infuses vodka with all sorts of creative ingredients. They get married, live happily ever after and run a successful business together. The end.

Russian / Armenian Melkon Kohsrovian explains that in his family, every occasion is toasted with vodka. Litty, his then future bride, would put her glass down after toasting and not touch it. Taking it upon himself to make his national drink more alluring to his lady love, he infused it with enticing flavors.

Not only did the thoughtful libations win her over but his family and friends started requesting bottles of it. Today, Modern Spirits is sold in specialized markets around the country, with Melkon and Litty (a freelance journalist by trade) at the helm. From choosing top-quality ingredients to distillation and flavor control, the pair are hands-on throughout every step of the process.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Modern Spirits’ infusions is their natural ability to pair with food. So intriguing, in fact, that the husband and wife team have been invited to present a vodka dinner at the James Beard House (in New York), in September.

Melkon explains that as high-end American cuisine evolves, chefs are looking to ingredients from the ethnic subcultures in their cities. He points out that in a balanced dish, fat ‘amps up’ exotic flavors but leaves residue in the mouth. In his words, “It’s like putting 5 coats of paint on a house.” Kohsrovian sees vodka as a natural accompaniment to today’s culinary explorations due to both the flavor-enhancing and palate-cleansing effects.

For non-believers, Melkon suggests trying an experiment at home: Place four creamy cheeses on a plate and pair them with wine. By the fourth one, Melkon surmises, the tastebuds will be so coated with fat that the ability to taste the cheese is diminished. Now, do the same with a distilled spirit. Because it can cut through the fat, the flavor of the last cheese will come through as clearly as the first.

(Note to self: cheese, wine, vodka… yes, this is a taste test I will try. Purely for scientific research, of course.)

Another interesting aspect of Modern Spirits products is that with flavors like truffle, ginger and chocolate orange, when chilled, they make wonderful sipping vodkas – without even being part of a cocktail.

Last night, Jason and I experienced a Modern Spirits tasting dinner at Brass Cap in Santa Monica. Here’s the line up:

First Course:
Four Cheese Ravioli with Summer Truffles
-or-
Fresh White Asparagus with Morels and Truffles
Paired With: Modern Spirits Black Truffle Vodka

Second Course:
Bluefine Tuna Tartare with Caviar
-or-
Sea Scallops Carpaccio with Sea Urchin
Paired With: Modern Spirits Celery Peppercorn Vodka

Third Course:
Muscovy Duck Breast with Polenta and Green Tomato Marmalade
-or-
Japanese Wagyu
Paired With: Modern Spirits Three Tea Vodka

Dessert:
Pain Chocolat (Chocolate Bread Pudding)
Paired With: Modern Spirits Chocolate Orange Vodka
-or-
Hot Apple Tart with Caramel Ice Cream
Paired With: Modern Spirits Grapefruit Honey Vodka

I am very happy to have had Jason as a dinner partner. Not only because he is my husband but because we could order one of each from every course and try all the pairings!

My review?

• The delicate flavor of the truffle vodka lingers lightly in the mouth, which made it a heavenly complement to the white asparagus.
• The celery peppercorn vodka holds up to the strong flavor tuna tartare and saltiness of fish eggs. It was nice with the creamy scallops and sea urchin, too - although, a softly aromatic sake would work equally well with that dish.
• The aroma of the three tea vodka is slightly floral, which plays stupendously well with the duck.
• The hot apple tart was incredible with the grapefruit honey vodka. The chocolate bread pudding paired with the chocolate orange vodka would be a chocolate lovers dream. Personally, I prefer a chocolate dessert with big, bold, spicy red wine.
  

We also indulged in a ginger vodka after dessert. Oh. My. God. That went directly on this week’s shopping list. I'm also adding the pear lavender, which I did not try last night (LA freeways, and all...). Brass Cap carries the full range of Modern Spirits should you like a sampling.

I strongly encourage you to check the Modern Spirits website for upcoming pairings in your area. I’ve been aware of Modern Spirits for a year or two, now. My only regret is not trying their products sooner.