Wow! It feels like forever since I have done a recap post. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed the extra day (if you got one).
Nick and I ventured to hill country in Texas to stay at a friend’s lake house for Memorial Weekend. The weather was gorgeous, and we got to enjoy some time on the boat, lounging outside, and watching storms roll in.
Saturday was my 29th birthday, and it was great to celebrate with friends. My friend got me the book above. Hilarious title. It’s a good book for someone who has just been diagnosed with Celiac or gluten intolerance, but also makes for a great coffee table book =).
Even though it was my birthday (and I started my day with mimosas), I still tried to eat as healthy as possible. For lunch, Nick and I cooked everyone chicken kabobs. We stacked seasoned chicken with onions, zucchini, red bell pepper, and pineapple on skewers and grilled until done. So easy for a large group, and super yummy!
My birthday dessert was vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries and blueberries on top. Simple, delicious, and healthier than eating a whole cake (which would have happened if I had baked one)!
On Sunday before heading home, we stopped at the Garrison Brothers Bourbon Distillery. I had been wanting to tour a distillery for a while now. Mostly, I was just curious about the process since the distillation kills the gluten. Bourbon for everyone!
First, it was so pretty out here. We really were in the country. There was a storm rolling in as we walking on our tour. When you first arrive, you can grab a glass of tea or lemonade, and they will add a shot of bourbon to it so that you have something to sip on during the tour.
The first stop was where they make the mash. They used corn, wheat, and barley in their mash. They were handing out samples, but I obviously didn’t join in. Most people said it tasted like a strange breakfast oatmeal or cream of wheat.
We then headed to the distillation process, where they heat the mash up to create steam, then process the steam back into the pure alcohol. Clearly, there is a more technical way to describe this, but most importantly, this is where the gluten goes to die!
After aging in oak barrels for a long time, the bourbon is pulled, tasted, and bottled. Sadly, since it was a Sunday, we couldn’t bring any back with us, BUT we did purchase one of the barrels they had used! I’ve wanted one for a while, and I think this will be a cool decoration to add to our house.
If you have the chance to stop by here, definitely do it! It was so fun to both see how really good bourbon is made, and also venture out into the country and get away from the busy day to day.
What did you all do with the long weekend?
Ashley
ashleyanchored 