After Dinner Drinks

Ending a good dinner with an after dinner drink rather than a sweet desert has become the “in” thing to do. After dinner drinks are sweet and satisfying while saving you the intake of a whole bunch of calories and forcing the letting out of a belt a few notches for the men, or an extra dress size for the women. As a public service, we took a look at this “weighty” problem and came up with some after dinner drink suggestions, some of which you may not be familiar with.

Fonseca 10 Year Old Tawny Port ($30.99). Probably the most popular after dinner drink is Port, a powerful; sweet red wine that has proven perfect as an after dinner drink or as desert. It is a wine that approaches the limits of the allowable alcohol level for a wine, roughly 20%. Fonseca Tawny Port was been held in barrels for 10 years, to mellow and develop greater depth and has the beautiful brownish hue that identifies it as a Tawny Port. While still sweet, it is drier than most other Ports and has a spicy and nutty flavor coupled with a positive oak and caramel background and a perfect way to end a meal.

Grand Marnier Navan ($) From the ancient and well respected house of Grand Marnier comes the latest affirmation of its greatness; Navan, a very fine Cognac that has been flavored with vanilla. Smooth is a term often used to describe higher alcohol beverages. Unfortunately most of them are the exact opposite of smooth and often make you feel as though you esophagus was being forcibly ripped out. To learn the true meaning of the word smooth it is necessary to try Navan. Whether it is the quality of the cognac or the vanilla, there is not even the slightest hint of roughness. Vanilla aroma rises from the glass when it is poured and entices one to take the first sip and that first sip will make a total convert out of you. If we have gone a bit overboard on Navan, we must admit that we have and after you try it, you will too.

Grand Marnier ($21.99). Grand Marnier also makes an orange based cognac from a blend of French cognacs and the essence of bitter orange. This too is a fabulous way to end a meal but it also has an added extra use; in cooking. Prominent in Sheila’s collection of cooking herbs and spices is a bottle of Grand Marnier, which she uses when she wants to introduce an orange flavor to food such as duck a la orange or various chicken and seafood dishes.

Rosenblum Cellers Désirée ($17.99). Désirée is a chocoholic’s vision of heaven; a fine desert wine infused with chocolate. The rich fruit flavor of the wine intermingles with a delicate chocolate and combines to make a beverage that it totally unforgettable. There are no words that can describe Désirée, it MUST be tried

Stone Hill 2007 Missouri Port ($17.99). Don’t let the term “Missouri Port” fool you; this is a world class Port that can hold its head up with the best of them. The fruit flavor is bright and crisp, as is the acid, while the body is on the moderate side, true to the style. This wine is perfectly balanced with a striking aromatic concentration, a rich structure and a medium body, making it not as heavy as other, more familiar Ports. This lighter body allows this Port to be served with foods that utilize a sweet sauce such as glazed ham, as well as a desert.

Patrón XO Café ($22.99/750ml). Patrón XO Café is a blend of premium Tequila and the concentrated essence of the finest coffee. The taste is off-dry, and the higher proof accentuates the flavor of the coffee. Patrón XO Café is an excellent aperitif tequila as well as a perfect base ingredient for a cocktail or alone as an after drink.