By Alexia Elejalde-RuizChicago Tribune

I’ve never met a whiskey that didn’t make me gag a little.

But after years of drink-ing mostly flavorless clear spirits, I wanted to venture to the dark side. So I traded in my vodka tonics for Ken-tucky straight bourbon.

There’s something rugged about bourbon, something sexy in a cowboy sort of way, and apparently I’m not the only convert.

“A lot of folks are going from the lighter spirits to wanting to try the whiskeys out there,” says mixologist Angie Jackson, herself a bourbon aficionado.

Growth in bourbon sales has been driven by super-premium brands, for which sales more than doubled between 2002 and 2009, mir-roring an industry trend to-ward premium liquor. Even during the recession, when some other pricey spirits took a dive, fancy bourbon, a relative bargain, stayed strong.

“For the same price as a cheap scotch, you can get a good bourbon,” says Chuck Cowdery, author of “Bour-bon, Straight: The Uncut and Unfiltered Story of Ameri-can Whiskey.”

For a bourbon novice, Jackson recommends Mak-er’s Mark ($24), an 80-proof that is milder than some

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Wednesday, May 26, 2010 • The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus • B1

‘The Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto’

All you need for great gelato and sor-betto is a handful of simple, fresh ingredi-ents, a standard ice-cream machine and your imagination.

The magic of this book by F.W. Pearce and Danilo Zecchin

is that once you learn how to make just one easy custard or simple syrup base, you can dream up an infinite number of flavors.

In addition to being able to re-create award-winning favorites like Key Lime With Graham Cracker Gelato or Hazelnut Biscotti Gelato, you’ll be able to invent your own combinations and mix and match more than 100 desserts.

— GateHouse News Service

THE DISH

Laura Fraembs(309) 757-4943 • lfraembs@qconline.com

EDITOR

Preserve food from your gardenThe Rock Island County Extension is offering a series

of classes where you’ll learn a variety of preservation methods you can use to store food from your garden to enjoy throughout the year.

Classes will meet from from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. or from 5:30 to 7 p.m. (you can choose to attend an afternoon or evening session each day) at Rock Island County Extension, 321 W. 2nd Ave., Milan. Cost is $5 per class. Register online at extension.uiuc.edu/rockisland or call (309) 756-9978, ext 10.

Upcoming classes are:uMay 27, salsa making: Learn how to make several

easy varieties of salsa.uJuly 6, zucchini: Too much zucchini? Shred some of

your extra zucchini to use in bread, cakes, or meatloaf. Make relishes or pickles, or cook as a side dish or in a main-dish casserole. uJuly 13, tomatoes: Get tips and advice for using

fresh tomatoes in recipes. Learn the best ways to core and peel, and get lots of tomato recipes.

Kid-friendly recipies featured in Machine Shed kids cooking class

The Machine Shed, 7530 Northwest Blvd., Davenport, will host a kids’ cooking class from 6 to 7 tonight. Chef Bryan Tyler will lead parents/guardians and children in making kid-friendly recipes. Each participant will receive a certificate of excellence at the end of class.

The class is free to the public, and an adult must attend with the child. This class will be offered the last Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. Call (563) 391-2427 for more information.

A LA CARTE

BRIEFLY

INSIDEReveal brother’s secret daughter B2

Distillers trying to revive absinthe B3

Use a skillet to save a step B4

Make a moist chicken burger B4

GateHouse News ServiceYou will find hundreds of dessert recipes inside this book by F.W. Pearce and Danilo Zecchin.

Would You Buy It? IHOP Pancake Stackersu Product: IHOP Pancake

Stackers.u Details: Crustless

cheesecake sandwiched by two buttermilk pancakes, covered with whipped topping and choice of strawberry, blueberry or cinnamon-apple compote.u More information:

ihop.comu Availability: At IHOP

restaurants nationwide through June 20.u Suggested retail price: $2.99 a la carte. It can be or-

dered as part of a combo meal with eggs, hash browns and meat.u Comments: Although the taste of the strawberry-

topped dish we tried was pleasant, we don’t like the idea of mixing breakfast and dessert. “I’d rather have a stack of pancakes or a piece of cheesecake.” “The cheesecake filling isn’t as firm as real cheesecake.” “It’s pretty sweet, but so is candy, and I like that.”u Would you buy it?: It’s worth a try, but no, not a

second time. — State Journal-Register (Springfield, Ill.)

Associated PressIHOP’s Pancake Stackers are available now at res-taurants nationwide.

Grill the perfect burger

uStruggle with dry chicken burgers? Try chicken chunks, B4

GateHouse News ServiceWhen it comes to meals

served on Memorial Day weekend, many Americans will be dining on the same thing: grilled burgers.

It’s not surprising, for the classic hamburger is simple, convenient, tasty and rela-tively inexpensive.

Brad Turasky, vice presi-dent of Turasky Meats in Springfield, Ill., fields a lot of questions about prepar-ing a perfect grilled burger. He recommends using 80/20 beef; that is, ground beef that is 80 percent lean beef and 20 percent fat.

“When people get ground round or sirloin, it will make it lean, but it will tend to be dry and chewy and not as tender,” said Turasky.

Confused by ground meat labels in supermarkets? Here are guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agricul-ture:uGround chuck: 80 to 85

percent lean/15 to 20 percent fat.uGround round: 85 to 90

percent lean/10 to 15 percent fat.uGround sirloin: 90 to 92

percent lean/8 to 10 percent fat.

Another mistake ama-teurs make, Turasky said, is overhandling the ground beef.

“Ball it up and gently push down on the center. When it’s on the grill, don’t smash it with a spatula or the juices will run out,” he said.

Cook the burger over direct heat until the internal temperature reaches at least 160 degrees.

Test with a meat ther-mometer inserted sideways into the burger or look for the juices to become clear. Meat color is not a reliable indicator of ground-beef doneness.

The time will vary de-pending on the thickness of the burger and the intensity of the heat.

“Once it’s down, don’t move it around. Direct heat will give it a sear. When it gets little bubbles on top, that’s a good sign that it’s time to flip it,” said Turasky.

Practice food safety. Keep raw meat separate from oth-er foods both in the refriger-ator and during preparation. Wash hands, all utensils and surfaces in hot soapy water after contact with raw meat. Never place cooked meat on platters that held raw meat. Use clean serving platters and utensils. Serve cooked food promptly and refriger-ate immediately after serv-ing (within two hours after cooking).

Place burger on a bun and top with cheese, ketchup, pickles, onions or your favorite

Photos: GateHouse News ServiceThe Olympian Burger is topped with feta cheese and a Greek yogurt spread.

The Lean Mean Cheeseburger is a lighter twist on a classic cheeseburger.

Quick tips, easy recipes just in time for Memorial Day

uTop ToppingsA survey of Americans by the Arlington, Va.-based Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association revealed: uKetchup is the favorite burger condiment (66 percent), fol-lowed by mustard (62 percent).uAdding cheese to a burger is preferred by 66 percent of re-spondents.uWomen are more apt than men to add veggies such as lettuce, onion and tomato to their burgers (80 percent vs. 68 percent).uTo complete a burger, 70 percent prefer a plain bun as op-posed to no bun or some other kind of bread.

uTips for sensational grilled burgersuKeep beef refrigerated. Grilling times are based on beef being taken directly from the refrigerator to the grill. Shape burgers in advance, cover and refrigerate until the grill is ready.

uGrilling temperature matters. Grilling over medium heat en-sures even cooking and flavorful, juicy meat. If beef is grilled over too high heat, the exterior can become overcooked or charred before the interior reaches the desired doneness.

uWatch the charcoal. Never grill while the coals are still flaming. Wait until the coals are covered with gray ash (approximately 30 minutes), spread in single layer. To check cooking temperature, cautiously hold the palm of your hand above the coals at cook-ing height. Count the number of seconds you can hold your hand in that position before the heat forces you to pull it away; approximately 4 seconds for medium heat.

uKnow your gas grill. Since gas grill brands vary greatly, consult the owner’s manual for information about preparing the grill for medium heat.

uTurn properly. Use long-handled spatulas for burgers. A fork will pierce the beef, causing loss of flavorful juices.

uUse a thermometer. The best way to determine doneness of burgers is to use an instant-read meat thermometer, inserted horizontally from the side to penetrate the center of the meat. Allow 10 to 15 seconds for the thermometer to register the inter-nal temperature.

-- National Cattlemen’s Beef AssociationSee uBurgers, B4

McClatchy NewspapersSliders, cupcakes and

100-calorie snack packs are examples of the downsiz-ing of America. Learning to estimate portion size is an important visual cue that can keep us from overeating:uDeck of cards or the

palm of your hand (minus fingers) equals a serving of meat, chicken or fish.uTennis ball equals a

serving of fruit or veg-etables.uSix dice equals a serv-

ing of cheese.uCompact disc equals

one serving of a pancake or waffle.uGolf ball or large egg

equals 1/4 cup of dried fruit or nuts.uComputer mouse

equals the size of a small baked potato.uTip of your thumb

equals a teaspoon of pea-nut butter.

And when it comes to dessert, bakeware compa-nies have been quick to supply mini pans for itty-bitty cupcakes, baby Bundt cakes and tiny tartlets.

Mini-dessert recipes like this one for Mini Choco-late Chip Angel Cakes are a smart way to curb your cravings.

Shopping tip: Why buy cake flour if I already have all-purpose flour? The fin-er texture and high starch content give baked goods a

fine, tender crumb.Serving tip: For a nicer

presentation, remove pa-per bake cups from cakes, slice cakes in half horizon-tally and fill with fresh, sliced strawberries.

Mini Chocolate Chip Angel Cakes 11 egg whites1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake

flour1 1/2 cups sugar, divided1 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar1/2 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon vanilla extract3/4 cup mini chocolate chips1 cup confectioners’ sugar2 tablespoons 1 percent milk

Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl and allow to stand at room tem-perature 30 to 60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line regular-size muffin tins with paper bake cups; set aside.

Sift together three times flour and 1/2 cup sugar; set aside.

Beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Beat until soft peaks form. Add vanilla. Add remaining sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, to egg-white mixture, beating well after each addition. Beat until glossy, stiff peaks form. Fold flour mixture into egg white mixture 1/2 cup at a time. Fold in chocolate chips.

Place about 1/3 cup batter into each paper cup. Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until light brown and cakes spring back when lightly touched. Remove to wire rack immediately to cool.

Whisk together confec-tioners’ sugar and milk until smooth. Brush onto cakes. Let stand at room temperature until set.

Makes 3 dozen cakes.

Nutrition information per cake: 85 calories (12 percent from fat), 1 gram total fat (1 gram saturated), trace cholesterol, 17 grams car-bohydrates, 2 grams protein, 49 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber.

Smaller portions allow guilt-free splurges

McClatchy NewspapersMini Chocolate Chip Angel Cakes can allow you to splurge without overindulging.

See uBourbon, B3

Recession boosts bourbon sales