Brioche

Tried Ciril Hitz's recipe for brioche this time. He adds lemon zest, which gives a nice citrusy smell, but I find it doesn't make for a meager amount of butter. Peter Reinhart would probably call this "poor man's" brioche. All is not lost, however, because brioche makes excellent French toast.

Elijah Craig

It's Memorial Day weekend, so of course I am drinking the most American of drinks: bourbon. Elijah Craig's 12 year old is my choice for the evening. It weighs in at 47% alcohol by volume, but it doesn't overpower you with the alcohol. The color is a dull copper, or perhaps a light caramel. The nose is quintessentially sweet corn, barely any nose tickle despite its undiluted power from the bottle. There is also some vanilla, but not too much, despite the amount of time this spent in a barrel in hot weather. The taste is full and sweet, almost like bubble gum. I would expect more woody favors given the age, but I don't detect it. This is a finely balanced bourbon, and worth drinking as is. I have had it with some water and it is more subdued, but still excellent.