America's Test Kitchen Taping w/ Chris Kimball & Bridget Lancaster

My tour of America's Test Kitchen was priceless! 

America's Test Kitchen is located in Brookline, MA.  The entire season is filmed over 3 weeks during the month of May!
I was excited to receive an invitation to attend the tour of the kitchen and a taping session.  Tours are scheduled for the public throughout May.

There are several segments taped throughout the day.  This was for the Carrot Layer Cake show.

Here are some cool pictures:

The Library of Cookbooks

There are 300 cookbooks in library used to develop recipes and for research. The library is divided by types of cuisine. 
The products and equipment recommended are actually used on set.

There are 30 test cooks.  They work on one recipe for weeks and each can make it 40-100 times before it's perfected.  They only change 1 ingredient at a time.  There are 21 taste panel testers who will sample the raw ingredients (e.g. sweet condensed milk) followed by the finished product (e.g. flan) using the different brands.

America's Test Kitchen Enterprise:

Magazines

• Cook’s Illustrated
• Cook’s Country

Websites

• CooksIllustrated.com
• CooksCountry.com
• TestKitchenSchool.com

TV & Radio

• America’s Test Kitchen TV
• Cook’s Country TV
• America’s Test Kitchen Radio

Manhattan Cocktail Classic, LUPEC Boston Mother's Day Event, Matriarchs of Modern Distilleries, @NY Distilling Company, Brooklyn, NY

Inspiration at its best!

A few of the ladies:  
Me, Allison Evanow (Founder/CEO of Square One Organic Vodka), Danette St Onge (My friend & Editor for Cooks Illustrated), Cathy Erenzo (Tuthilltown Spirits), and Samantha Katz (Founder of LOAD: Ladies of American Distilleries)

LUPEC (Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails), LUPEC Boston Chapter is known to host fabulous events around Boston.  On Mother's Day 2012, as part of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic festivities, LUPEC Boston, LUPEC NYC, and Ladies of American Distilleries collaborated to host a fabulous event!

The event was held at the NY Distilling Company, Brooklyn (Mrs. Samantha Katz is the proud wife of Mr. Alen Katz, Owner).  The event was labeled "A Mother's Day Salute to the Matriarchs of Modern Distilleries".  The ladies sitting on the panel were phenomenal in that they founded or are Xth generation leaders in the spirits industry.

Several delicious amuse bouche were provided by Rachel Graville of Iris Cafe...the spicy deviled eggs were MAJOR!!!

....as were the Russian tea cakes afterwards...

Me & Abigail Gullo, Bar Chef @ Sobou New Orleans

The Beautiful NY Distilling Company

The Panel Featured Ladies from American Fruits Liqueur, Bulleit Bourbon, George Dickel Tennessee Whisky, Laird's Applejack, New York Distilling Company, SquareOne Organic Vodka, Tuthilltown, Macchu Pisco, Zacapa Rum, and Perfect Puree.

Each cocktail tasting featured one or more of the companies' products listed above.  All cocktails featured tea by In Pursuit of Tea and Perfect Puree.

Abigail Gullo, Bar Chef at Sobou-New Orleans

The Q&A reception MC'd by Kitty of LUPEC Boston, allowed attendees to gain insight into the world of ladies thriving in a male-dominated industry.

Allison Evanow, Founder & CEO of Square One Organic Vodka stated, in reference to how she began, "I saw a need for more organic spirit companies as the options were limited."  Allison expressed this to her husband who countered, "Well, if you don't do it, somebody else will do it and you'll be really mad at yourself for not doing it."  Allison goes on to say, "There's a second level to it.  I really wanted to go after this new niche, if you will, of not really what you'd expect from a flavored vodka."  Square One Organic Vodka was some of the best I've had the pleasure of tasting!  It's amazing in content and flavor with floral and herbal notes that are unique and really stand out! 
I can't wait to host a tasting for friends in Boston!

 


Hollis Bulleit says (in regards to working in the family business), "You have a lot more at stake when your name is on the bottle."  Hollis and a few of the other ladies also expressed how frustrating and commonplace it is to be challenged at events by men who insist on attempts to "Stump the Master".
Something tells me these fiery women can stand their ground!

Lisa Laird Dunn (Laird & Company-Applejack), Allison Evanow (Square One Organic Vodka), Samantha Katz (NY Distilling Company & LOAD), Lorena Vasquez (Ron Zacapa Rum), Allisa Henley (George Dickel Tennesee Whisky), Hollis Bulleit (Bulleit Bourbon), Cathy Erenzo (Tuthilltown Spirits), and Erika Grizzanti (American Fruits Liquers)

Lisa Laird Dunn (9th generation with Laird & Company) says, "It's always been a male-dominated (industry).  (Entering the business) was not expected of me, it was my decision, which was nice!"  She says with pride, "My daughter says she'll be the next Big Boss!"

Lisa was described as the woman who "paved the way".  She shares how in the past, she would visit various accounts and was told "I don't buy my whisky from a woman".  Lisa goes on the say that the biggest challenge for woman in this industry is, "That I'm here to stay!"

Me & Misty Kalkofen of LUPEC Boston

Another challenge the women face is balancing motherhood with an industry centered around evenings and weekends.

There's nothing like spending time with successful, confident, truly happy women who also recognize the value of beautiful shoes...

All-in-All, these women are phenomenal, entrepreneurs, mothers, wives, mentors, trailblazers, fashionistas, and beyond!!!

Please click on the links above and try these amazing products!  A visit to the NY Distilling Company/The Shanty Bar is a must-do as well.  It's a beautiful space with a wonderful back story!

And if you get a bit warm after trying NY Distilling's amazing product, head next door to the firehouse, they are more than willing to help a girl out...