Epic Portions

Author: John

  • The Most Expensive Alcohol That Ever Existed

    As a regular drinker of whatever’s cheapest, such as Burnett’s Vodka and Mickey’s Fine Malt Liquor, I think it’s safe to say that when it comes to alcohol I do not enjoy the finer things in life..  Every now and then maybe I’ll indulge on some Patron or wine, but spending that much money on some alcohol is just a bit crazy to me.  Oh, and I’m poor and can’t afford any of that stuff too.  That might have a hand in it as well.  While browsing around on the internet, I came across a list of the most expensive alcohol that ever existed..  This is crazy.

    The $54,000 Rum

    The Wray and Nephew Rum that was displayed at Rumfest, Europe’s first Rum festival has been dubbed the most expensive rum of all time. This bottle of rum, made by the Jamaican distillers was one of the four unopened bottles at the time. It was bottled back in 1940. The reason this rum became so rare is because the supply ran out following the then famous Mai Tai cocktail (1934) which used 17 year old Wray and Nephew Rum. The managing director of the Rum Festival at the time said that it was too tempting to leave it unopened. We are not sure if it has been opened yet.

    The $75,000 Whisky (Whiskey)

    Before I write any more on this section I apologize to anyone who might take offense to me using the word “whiskey” instead of “whisky.” It is just a personal preference. Anyway, for a whooping $75,000 dollar The Macallan 1926 Fine and Rare steals the show as the most expensive whiskey of all time, at least at the moment. You certainly won’t be able to find this particular whiskey at your local bar or the liquor store.

    The $225,000 Tequila

    The highest amount ever paid for a bottle of tequila is $225,000. The platinum and gold plated bottle of Ultra Premium Tequila Ley .925 was bought at an auction in Mexico city in 2006. The tequila in the gold and platinum plated bottle is triple-distilled mix of 8-, 10- and 12-year-old agave plants and is produced by Hacienda La Capilla Distillery in Los Altos, Jalisco.

    The $275,000 Wine

    With a price tag of $160,000 1787 Chateau Lafitteis is considered to be the most expensive wine of all time. The bottle originally belonged to the US President, Thomas Jefferson whose initials are etched into the bottle. Thomas Jefferson was an avid wine collector and some lucky (rich) wine collector paid $160,000. Besides the age, Thomas Jefferson’s initials etched into this bottle made it even more of a rare find and is considered to be the most expensive wine ever bought and sold.

    The $1,060,000 Vodka

    When it comes to vodka, the first thing that comes to mind is Russia. Surprisingly, the most expensive vodka comes from the lands of Scotland. The Diva Vodka is the world’s most expensive vodka which almost looks like a perfume bottle. Every bottle of the Diva vodka contains precious and semi-precious stones, including diamonds.The vodka is triple distilled and then passed through a sand of crushed diamonds and other gems.

    The $2,000,000 Cognac

    Well, seems like cognac which is considered to be one of the most expensive drinks in the world takes the crown. Henri IV Dudognon Heritage which costs around $2,000,000 is the most expensive alcohol in the world. This particular cognac was aged for 100 years in barrels that were air dried for five years before use. The final product is 41% alcohol (82 proof). Besides the content, the bottle itself has quite a few characteristic. The bottle is dipped in 24k gold and sterling platinum and adorned with 6,500 brilliant cut diamonds.

  • Epic Portions Does Detroit – Part 1

    If you don’t know a lot about who runs this site, we are actually a two man team.  John, who is currently writing this, lives in Ann Arbor, MI and Todd lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  This past weekend we came together and decided to head to Detroit, which hosts many delicious restaurants.  Our hotel was in Greek Town, so many of our adventures took place there.  If you are not familiar with Greek Town, it is a district in down town Detroit that is home to over 20 great restaurants (ranging from fine dining to authentic Greek fare), pastry shops and the Greektown Casino.  The New Hellas Cafe was once featured on Emeril Live.  If you are ever in the Detroit area, I highly recommend stopping by and checking it out.  I will be posting many pictures and stories from our stay over the next day or two.

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    Our first stop was Cyprus Taverna.  This is one of the less touristy restaurants in the area, and is serving some great authentic Greek food for a very reasonable price.  It was only right that we began our meal with Saganaki, or flaming Halloumi cheese.  This always goes great with the bread, and is flambeed at your table by your waiter or waitress.

    We then moved on to our appetizer, which was the fried calamari.  I have a huge fan of calamari but it is difficult to find people who can properly cook it.  Often you get a dish that is so fried that you can not actually taste the delicious calamari.  Cyprus Taverna’s calamari is lightly fried which gives you a crispy exterior and a delicious interior.  You can actually taste the calamari and the outside has a nice crunch.  This was definitely some of the best calamari I have ever tasted.

    We then moved on to our entrees.  Our waitress was a delightful Greek woman who grew up in London and had many recommendations for our meals.  Todd decided to go with the lamb, which Cyprus Taverna is known for.  His girlfriend, Ghazaleh, picked a stuffed pepper and tomato, and one original John went with the Greek Trio with a spinach pie, Moussaka, and one other selection that I can not recall.  Sadly I did not write down or remember what everything was served with so I can not explain our dishes in much detail.

    All in all, Cyprus Taverna is definitely making some of the best food in Greek Town.  It is reasonably priced, the service is great, and it is less touristy than other locations.  If you are ever in Greek Town, Epic Portions highly recommends you stop in for dinner.

    Cyprus Taverna
    579 Monroe St
    Detroit    , MI 48226
    (313) 961-1550

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  • What I’m Cooking Tonight

    Not sure if I’m feeling fancy or something, but I just found out what I’m cooking tonight.  Lemon Chicken with Rice. This recipe is pretty simple, but it has a gravy-and-bechamel hybrid sauce over the top of everything that sounds amazing.  If you’re looking for something that looks delicious and is rather easy to make, I think you found your dish right here.

    Ingredients

    4 chicken breasts
    2 tablespoons butter
    4 tablespoons flour
    4 cups chicken broth
    1 cup milk or half-and-half
    1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
    pinch cayenne pepper
    3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    1 cup rice

    Procedure

    1. Rinse the rice and combine with 2 cups of the chicken stock in a medium pot. Bring to a boil then simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, adding water if necessary. Add peas, if using, towards the end of cooking.

    2. In the meantime, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the foam subsides. Add the flour and whisk into the butter, breaking up any clumps. Add the chicken stock, whisking. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 10 minutes.

    3. Add the milk, nutmeg, cayenne, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer an additional 5 minutes.

    4. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and saute over medium heat until cooked through (alternatively, they can gently poach until cooked).

    5. Add the final tablespoon of lemon juice to the rice and taste for seasoning. Slice the chicken and serve on the rice smothered in the sauce.

    From Serious Eats