Libation of the Week: Mandarin and Seville Orange Jigger

Name: Mandarin and Seville Orange Jigger

 

Brand: Fentiman's

Place of Purchase: Wegmans in Syracuse, NY

Country/Region of Origin: Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

Tasting Conditions: Chilled in a glass 

Price in New York: $1.99 for 275mL

Description: Botanically brewed fermented orange drink with ginger and herbal extracts

Flavor:  Like a mimosa with added ginger
 

Mouth-feel: Crisp and clean

Aroma: Citrus and effervescence

Notes: I like the Fentiman's products.  I sought out their Ginger Beer because it had been banned in the next state.  The ginger beer had 0.5% alcohol, hence the ban.  The amusing thing is that most soft drinks have some fermentation involved in every batch.  So, 0.5% in a sparkling beverage is not really a big deal.

Since then, Fentiman's has added steps to remove any residual alcohol after the fermentation process.  This particular drink is refreshing and uniquely flavored.  The crisp orange flavor is is the foreground, along with ginger.  There are herbal notes and the slight shock of fermented compounds, like a mild kombacha.  This isn't a hot summer day soda, however.  Be prepared to drink it very chilled, and very slowly.  It's the only way to enjoy the bouquet.

Cheese of the week: Miti Cana de Oveja

Name: Miti Cana de Oveja

Brand: None listed

Place of Purchase: Wegman's in Clay, NY

Country of Origin: Spain

Price in New York: $14.99/lb.

Milk: sheep

Processing: Similar process as Bucheron.  Ripened sheep cheese pressed into logs and covered with cultures.  Sliced into rounds when mature (aged 3 weeks).

Texture: soft to semi-firm

Color: cream white to bone white

Rind: Bloom

Aroma: strong dairy; sweaty feet

Taste: mild diary.  Tart.  buttery

Mouth-feel: Silky near the rind, crumbly towards the center

Notes:  This is a completely different cheese than the Bucheron.  Even though the only major difference is milk and region of production, the Miti Cana is a much stinkier cheese.  You get used to the aroma once you taste the tart, buttery paste, but when you first open the round is smells like an old gym bag.  The round is more mature on the outside, near the rind.  The closer you get to the center, the more it becomes a mellow, sheep's milk cheese.  The exterior is tart, almost piquant, and silky.  The Bucheron had a looser, more creamy paste in the outside ring.  The Miti Cana is firmer, but obvious has a higher milkfat content.  If It had to choose one over the other, for myself, the Miti Cana is my favorite.  However, if I was going to serve one, I'd go with the milder smelling Bucheron for my guests.

Libation of the Week: Natural Cabana Premium Tropical Mango Lemonade

Name: Premium Tropical Mango Lemonade

 

Brand: Natural Cabana

Place of Purchase: Namaste in Rochester, NY

Country/Region of Origin: Colorado

Tasting Conditions: Chilled in a glass bottle

Price in New York: $1.99 for 591mL

Description:  Fruit-infused lemonade

Flavor:  Real mango and sweet lemonade
 

Mouth-feel: Clean and light

Aroma: Citrus and mango

Notes: This is an excellent product.  All natural, flavored with actual fruits, and lower in calories and sugar.  Pulse beverages makes this product and they take care to create healthy and refreshing drinks.  These lemonades have lower calories/carb count than similar beverages, using real can sugar and stevia.  The mango variety, sold at one of my favorite Indian grocers, is a personal favorite.