BEst Guide - luxuries and amenities

Black Enterprise, June, 2001 by Sherri A. McGee

Indian cardamom, the second most expensive spice in the world, imparts a heady aroma to Benedictine and B&B Liqueur. Ceylonese cinnamon adds mild, warm spicy notes. Powerfully aromatic cloves and nutmeg are imported from the Comoros Islands. The orange-like aroma of Mediterranean coriander is a subtle, yet, distinctive element in the bland. Genger from southern Asia lends a certain pepperiness. Sweet and aromatic, blue-black juniper berries give B&B Liqueur a hint of woodiness; the master distiller insists upon French juniper berries. From Sri Lanka comes mace, the bright red, lacy covering of the nutmeg. Madagascar vanilla--preferred by chefs worldwide--smooths and mellows the mix. Saffron, the world's most expensive spice, is used as a final flavor infusion in the manufacturing process.

The Herbs

The leaves of the aloe plant yield a bitter extract that is used to flavor alcoholic beverages, Benedictine and B&B among them. The herb with the heavenly name--angelica--has the faintest aroma of licorice; it is imported from Armenia. Bee balm, a flower garden favorite, is fragrant and sweet. Hyssop, the somewhat neglected member of the mint family, adds a pungent note. Melissa, also known as lemon balm, was cultivated by medieval monks to attract bees to abbey hives; it adds a fresh, herbal quality to Benedictine and B&B Liqueur. The sharp, slightly piney accent of thyme melds beautifully with the complex array of flavors in Benedictine and B&B Liqueurs.

SAVORING THE BEST ...

Pear Betty (Cobbler)

3 bosc pears (sliced)
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1/3 cup dark rum
1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Lime juice - strained (of a whole lime)
1/2 stick butter
2 bulbs of anise
star

Crust: Pillsbury dough (available at local super markets) Medium saucepan Ceramic baking dish

Wendell Price, Chef to the Stars: This Houston-based celebrity chef is the master behind Carl Lewis's Cafe Noir and Isaac Hayes's upcoming Hot Butter Soul restaurant in Miami. Wendell is scheduled to host cooking classes at the Viking Culinary Arts Center (downtown Memphis). Wendell, anticipating demand from the unique cuisine offered at the Ivy Bistro, notes that he looks forward to providing Memphis with some of his most creative dishes ever.

DESTINATIONS

We own luxury yachts and private jets. We bar hop in Barcelona. Ride camels in Cairo. Make love in Milan. We have the disposable income to enjoy second homes in Martha's Vineyard and in the Hamptons and still find time to visit family down South. Should the agenda call for a few days away, we understand that getting there is equally as important as being there.

On airplanes we're sitting forward of the blue curtain and we've clocked enough frequent flier miles to take several excursions around the world. We are among the major airlines' top fliers and whether we travel for business (as we do in record numbers) or for pleasure, what a pleasure it is to travel in first-class style.

Our getaways complement our varying lifestyles. From golf vacations at Our Lucaya Golf and Beach Resort in the Grand Bahamas to sunning in St. Barts, and holiday-ing in the South of France, we're in search of the unusual and finding it in places like Les Sources de Caudalie, a vinotherapy spa set among the vineyards of Bordeaux, France, or at Mirival Life in Balance Spa in Catalina, Arizona. And because you cannot possibly know where you are going until you first understand where you've come from, we're heading home, to the Motherland, and embarking on African safaris to Kenya, Tanzania, and Egypt. Skiing in Aspen, Colorado and scuba diving in the Cayman Islands have also become a few of our daring departures.