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I Dig DikinDurt!

Posted on March 4, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

We recentlyenjoyed a tasting of DikinDurt Distillery of Herkimer at Valley Wine and Liquor,  also in Herkimer.  We have enjoyed DikinDurt Moonshine on many other occasions and were happy to sip a little more.

Good stuff!

We also had a nice time chatting up Elizabeth Stack, one of the proprietors of  DikinDurt.  We have met her at numerous tastings as well as at the distillery itself.  You know me, I am always ready to taste!

I had to persuade Elizabeth to let me get a picture of her and Steve.

Of particular interest was their bourbon, a non-moonshine choice.  I have only recently started to like bourbon, and I quite enjoyed this one.  Elizabeth gave us some recipes, using the bourbon and the various flavors of moonshine.  Perhaps a moonshine cocktail party is in our future!

Sometimes I like other things than wine.

We purchased the Honey Buzz Moonshine, which is made with local honey.  I am looking forward to making a few hot toddies with that!  We also talked about making another trip to the distillery.  For one reason, I would like to bring my sisters there.  I think they would enjoy the moonshine and the bourbon.

DikinDurt Distillery is located at 115 Smith Rd., Herkimer, NY.  Their tasting room is open 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday.   You can also purchase their delicious product at Valley Wine and Liquor, 326 S. Caroline St., Herkimer.

 

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My Expected Non-Sequitur Thursday Post

Posted on June 28, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

I did say this was going to be Non-Sequitur Thursday,  didn’t I?  I tried to get a few things done, but nothing leaps to the foreground as a bloggable adventure,  so I am just going to blather on for 200 or so words.  That usually works out for me.

I did not go running this morning but spent an hour working on my yard.  Remember what I said about I fought the lawn and the lawn won?   Happened again.  But at least I got some good exercise and a vase of daisies for the telephone table (yes I still have a land line, I thought you knew I was old).

Flower arranging is not my forte.

I went ahead and took the picture with all my mess, because I thought some people might like to feel better about their own less than pristine houses.  Oh, I know, either your house is pristine or else you are so secure you don’t need my help to feel good about yourself  (the imaginary readers I talk to in my head certainly are a smug lot, aren’t they? ).

As long as I was taking pictures I thought I’d get a shot of the new sandals I mentioned yesterday.  Once again, I did not scruple to include a little mess in the background.

Hmm.. my legs are not as sexy as I thought they were.

Realizing it was not supposed to rain this evening, I put in a load of laundry, so I could hang it on the clothesline.  How I love the smell of things hung out on the line!  While the clothes washed,  I brought up and cleaned off the metal parts of our deck chairs (The cushions are upstairs in the library).  I SO want to sit out on the deck!

After walking to the post office to mail a letter I wrote yesterday (more exercise!), I took a nap, because I had a headache.  The nap didn’t help much, but the iced coffee I drank afterwards did.  After taking the laundry off the line (I folded it at the same time), I went to Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer for a bottle of wine.  While there, I sampled two vodkas and some tequila (no, not enough to impair me for the drive home!  Sheesh!).

It is another warm night, as is to be expected this time of year.  I am hot flashing, as is to be expected at my time of life.  This blog post is over 400 words, which I did not expect on a Non-Sequitur Thursday.   Score!

 

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The Happy Birthday Tasting

Posted on June 11, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

Saturday  I attended Valley Wine and Liquor’ s 5th Birthday Tasting.  It was fun!  And it has taken me three days to write a post about it.  But here it is:.

Everybody got into the spirit of the day!

The statue is of Jack Daniels.   I could not back up far enough to include the base.  My husband Steven, friend Kim and I walked around the store,  enjoying 10 tasting stations.

Full disclosure: first station, last picture.

We started with Adirondack Winery, which we have tasted before.  Lisa, the lady pouring,  said she’d wondered if she’d see us. Kim and I are kind of known for going to tastings.

“Of course we were going to be here!”  I said. I said I would only try the dry wines but changed my mind and also tried the Sangria. I loved the Baco Noir and the Pinot Gris.  I left my friend Kim tasting the sweet stuff and went on.

Fisher’s Island Lemonade is a cocktail in a can.  It comes from a family owned business off Long Island Sound.  They own a bar, which originally mixed the drink from scratch for their customers.  Then the daughter got the idea of canning and selling it.  It is yummy!  I’m afraid it would do me dirt, however, because it tastes like just good lemonade.

I backtracked to the Knob Creek booth and tried the Smoked Maple bourbon.  They were doing free engraving if you bought a bottle, which a lady was doing just before I tasted.  What a great present,  if you’re buying for someone who likes bourbon.

At hhe Barcadi and Patron station, I tasted Paloma and Barcadi Lime.  Both were nice.  Then it was on to Cupcake wines, which I know are tasty and moderately priced.  I tried Sauvignon Blanc, Rose, Red Velvet, and Chardonnay .  The Rose was a little sweet for me, but the others were tasty.

Next I sampled The Crusher, a California vineyard I had not encountered before.  I was quite taken with the Pinot Noir and the Merlot. I tried both Chardonnays, soaked and unoaked.  I liked both, which surprised me,  because in general I prefer my chardonnay aged in stainless (doesn’t that make me sound like a real connesiour?   It is one of the few bits of wine knowledge I possess).

When I saw 19 Crimes, I exclaimed, “My favorite!”  Kristina, the woman pouring asked did I mean her or the wine.  I said both, of course.

Nice pourer and nice wines.

I tried the Hard Chard, the Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Banished, and liked them all.  Full disclosure:  I already knew I liked them. The next booth was the 1800 Tequila,  poured by Mallory.  I took two pictures.

She was very friendly, as were all the pourers.

I tried the Ultimate Margarita with jalapeno and lime, which was yummy!   I also liked the Mango Margarita, but it lacked the bite of the jalapeno version.  I got a free pen, and Kim got a necklace.

Two lovely ladies.

Next was DikinDurt Distillery, based right here in Herkimer, NY. I loves me some DikinDurt moonshine!  I tasted Mohawk Valley Fire and Toasted Maple, although I already knew I liked both.  I purchased the Mohawk Valley Fire, then went back and got wines from The Crusher and Thousand Islands Winery.   I could have bought a lot more, based on all the times I wrote “yummy” in my tasting notes.

Kim at the distillery.

I close with a picture of DikinDurt Distillery.   This was taken some time ago, when Kim and I visited the source.  Another trip there might be in our future!   In the meantime,  I think I have finally finished my blog post about the Birthday Tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer.

 

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Then Again, At Least I Posted Something

Posted on June 9, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

So there I was (actually,  here I am,  since I haven’t moved, but “there I was” sounded better in my head), making my blog post about a tasting I attended at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer.  I took a few pictures as well as copious notes. And I just don’t feel up to making a good blog post about it now.

I guess this makes this a Slacker Saturday post.  I tried not to slack too much today.  I worked on the lawn for what seemed like a long time.  I tried to make further progress in the house.  I mostly felt like hanging out,  knitting,  and watching television.   Or movies.   I can be flexible to that extent.

My question now is, have I worked hard enough all week to deserve a Slacker Saturday?   Probably not.  Then again,  who am I to decide what I do or do not deserve? I would not make such a judgement on somebody else.   Why should I treat myself with less consideration than I would treat some purely hypothetical stranger?

Now we are getting into half-baked philosophy more suitable for Lame Post Friday.  Then again, I did not successfully pose any such philosophical questions yesterday.  Why should I not philosophize (half-bakedly or otherwise) on any day of the week?  Discuss amongst yourselves.

In the meantime,  Happy Saturday,  and I hope to post about that tasting soon.

 

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Dinner Indecision on Lame Post Friday

Posted on April 21, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Full disclosure:  I was supposed to cook.  Well, with one thing and another (one thing being working out after work, another being going to a tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor with my friend Kim), I wasn’t ready to start cooking till about 20 minutes before Steven was due home.  Only I didn’t feel like cooking.  I wondered if Steven would be interested in going out to dinner.  I kind of thought he would not be.  I wasn’t sure I was.  I had put on a cute outfit to go to the tasting (although I daresay I flatter myself), but I was also looking forward to the bra off, sweats on portion of the day.  And the wine drinking portion of the day.

At least I could do something about the latter.  I poured myself a glass of Chardonnay, put Snapped on the television, and awaited events.  In due course, Steven came come.  He didn’t mind that I had not started cooking but did not immediately commit to going out.

“Let’s have a glass of wine and think about it,” he suggested.

“I’ll make a quick blog post,”  I said.

He said, “A blog post about whether we’re going out to dinner or not?”

So that is what my blog post is about.  I think we are going to Salvatore’s in Herkimer.  As soon as I finish my wine and Steven gets changed.  I hope he puts on a cute outfit.

 

 

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Moonshine for Me!

Posted on December 15, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Steven and I just got back from Valley Wine and Liquor, where we sampled the wares of DikinDurt Distillery of Herkimer.  I had tried their stuff before, having visited the distillery and written about them for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  I want to bring Steven out to the distillery, but we have not found a chance yet, so I was happy he could have a chance to try their moonshine.

First we sampled my two favorites from when I tried them before: Toasted Maple and Mohawk Valley Fire.  I described the latter as “cinnamony” in my article.  Perhaps it is not a word, but I stand by it.  I still think the Toasted Maple would taste good in coffee.  However, I will not get to test that theory yet, because we purchased the Mohawk Valley Fire.  I will let you know how that tastes in coffee, as soon as I find out.  As a final sample, we tried the clear stuff, which I had not tried before.  That was good too, but we preferred the flavored stuff.  We must go to the distillery sometime, though, because I have yet to try the berry flavors: raspberry, blueberry, blackberry.

We had a nice chat with Elizabeth Stack, one of the owners of the distillery.  She remembered me from when my friend Kim and I visited the distillery.  She said they had gotten a great response from the article.  That was nice to hear. We agreed that it was a great magazine.

For more information about DikinDurt Distillery, you can visit their website at https://www.dikindurt.com/.

 

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Moonshine Monday

Posted on October 3, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Full disclosure:  It is not really Moonshine Monday.  I did not nor will I drink any moonshine today.  I’m a little sorry about that.  Today is one of those posts I make in haste before rehearsal, having once again failed to write anything earlier today.  I think it will be long on pictures and short on words.  That may be a good thing.  Let’s see what I can come up with…

I went to DikinDurt Distillery in Herkimer, NY  a while ago, so I could write about it for Mohawk Valley Living Magazine.  That issue came out today.  Noting that they did not use all the pictures I took, I thought I could use them here.  If you want to read the article, and the rest of the magazine, which is a wonderful publication, you can find them online: http://www.mohawkvalleyliving.com/.

Wouldn’t you love to have this in your house, with or without the moonshine?

This and the next picture were in the magazine.  However, I like them, I downloaded them, I’m sharing them.

Elizabeth Stack and Eric Boyer, co-owners of DikinDurt Distillery.

No, I did not have a sample from all those bottles of moonshine.  For one reason, they are only allowed to give you three 1/4 oz. shots.  The rules for distillery tasting rooms are much more strict than for winery tasting rooms (who me, sample every possible wine at a sitting?  Say it ain’t so!).

Kim suggested this shot, as it included the logo.

My friend, Kim, came with me when I visited.  We must return sometime soon with my husband, Steven.  For another reason, I might like to taste three different moonshines.

You can look through a window at where it all gets made.

 

I would also like to get a t-shirt.

I purchased a coffee mug when we were there.  The next time, I’ll probably buy some moonshine to put in my coffee, possibly Toasted Maple or Mohawk Valley Fire.

Kim did not fear the clear.

I close with another picture of Kim, because when you have a beautiful blond friend, it is nice to put her picture in a blog post.

DikinDurt Distillery is located at 115 Smith Rd., Herkimer, NY, phone number 315-868-1563, www.dikindurt.com.

 

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Late, Lame, But at Least Local

Posted on September 23, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m not even that late but thought I would throw that in, in the interests of alliteration (“In the Interests of Alliteration” would make a good title for a future blog post; I wonder if I will remember it).

It’s Friday, and I’m kind of glad it is, not that I expect the weekend to be any great shakes.  That’s OK, though, because I have been moving and shaking a bit too much on the weekends these days (see what I did there?).  However, I did a couple of things tonight to get my weekend started right.

First we went to a tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor.  I thought they were tasting 19 Crimes wine, one of my favorites, but it turned out to be High West Whiskey.  So we tried a little whiskey.  We had apple cider with Campfire Whiskey, lemonade with Double Rye, and American Prairie Bourbon all on its own.  I liked the last one best, but that may be because I prefer my whiskey straight, on the rocks or in a cup of coffee.

Next Steven and I went to dinner at Salvatore’s Pizzeria and Restaurant.  I had a Mediterranean Panini with eggplant, roasted red pepper, spinach, provolone, and pesto mayo.  Steven had a fried fish sandwich with fries.  Yum!  While we ate, we enjoyed watching the workers behind the counter making pizzas.  They were very busy yet so cool and competent.

I guess this is not a proper shout-out to either business.  Still, if I put in links, I think it’ll do.  What do you want from me on lame Post Friday?  Happy weekend, everyone.

 

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