Smart Talk: Lancaster County planning; Holiday cocktails

What to look for on Smart Talk Friday, December 2, 2016:

Lancaster County is treasured by visitors and locals alike, for its rolling farmland, natural areas, and urban places. But with a growing population and more demands on its open spaces, what will it look like 25 years from now?

If current trends continue, county planners project the amount of undeveloped land will fall from about 8,300 acres today, to just 93 acres in 2040.

Scott Standish of the Lancaster County Planning Commission appears on the show to discuss its major initiative, Places 2040.

And December has arrived, which means holiday parties. Steve Wood of Luca will offer up holiday drink ideas and discuss the evolution of the local cocktail scene.

Got a cocktail question for Steve? Email him directly at: conduitcraftcocktails@gmail.com

 

Steve’s holiday cocktail recipes:

Murphy Family BOILO

A traditional Yuletide drink from the coal region of Pennsylvania

(Makes between 2 and 3 750ml bottles)

Ingredients:

8 Oranges​

4 Lemons​ ​      ​

(Use peeler on 4 oranges and 2 lemons in order to remove zest in one long ribbon)

1 lb Honey

Cinnamon sticks (to taste)

4 Queens Whiskey (1 bottle)

Roasted Red Pepper Flakes (to taste)

Cloves (to taste)

Directions:

Juice oranges and lemons into a large bowl and add zest ribbons, honey, cinnamon sticks, red pepper and cloves.

Bring all ingredients to a simmer for 10 minutes, add whiskey and simmer for another 10 minutes, be sure not to boil!

Remove from heat and strain one or two times through a chinois to remove pulp, seeds, cloves & flakes and carefully pour back into into clean bottles.

Serve warm, (don’t over warm or the whiskey will evaporate) and garnish with cinnamon stick and cloves.

Some variations:  add juice of one or two grapefruits, add ginger ale to soften whiskey flavor, the variations are endless!!

“30-Minute” adaptation (for when you just don’t have time to juice all the oranges!)…..

8 juiced oranges yields about 5 cups of orange juice, so buy really fresh (not from concentrate) juice and use that instead of doing all the juicing..do it to your taste!

Enjoy! (and share with friends)

La Prima Volta (adapted from recipe at Luca)

In a shaker with 2 ice cubes add:

1.25 oz Elijah Craig Bourbon

.75 oz Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur

.5 oz Zucca Rabarbaro (use Ramazzotti as a substitute)

.5 oz Menta Branca (Alternatively use .25 Creme de Menthe and .25 Fernet Branca)

.5 oz Alessio Vermouth Chinato (alternatively use Carpano Antica)

.5 wood fired lime juice (or just lime)

1/8 oz ginger juice (we use ri juice)

Pinch of salt

1 egg white

Dry shake until cubes have dissolved, add ice and shake again, strain into a coupe or modified coupe glass.

Garnish with lime wheel, grated cinnamon, and bitters design.

EMAILS

on Lancaster County planning:

–  In 1910 Lancaster County had a great trolley network. Is there any chance that can be revived?

Development on high value ag land ( limestone) should be stopped and confined to existing Ugb-vgb’s. Is that possible?    – Jay

–  Please discuss traffic in all of this growth. 2 lane roads with 6-lane traffic.  Come to Lancaster County and see where the Amish used to live…        – Steve

on Holiday Cocktails:

–  My wife is a huge fan of layered drinks. I enjoy making them, but sometimes, my taste and hers are… off. We are hosting a holiday party and my wife wants me to try making some kind of candy cane inspired layered drink like a pousse café. Can you make any recommendations that would be like a candy cane pousse café?     –  Manuel