Quinoa Trend Peaks, Results In Whiskey

Quinoa is the perfect example of the insane journey food trends travel. Someone catches wind of a great ingredient -- like quinoa, which has been a Peruvian staple for centuries before making its way into our health food stores -- markets it heavily, the product explodes, and before you know it, said ingredient shows up everywhere and in everything. It happened with arugula, which clearly peaked when it showed up in President Obama's speech during a 2007 campaign event. It happened with kale to the extent that the world collectively groans when another restaurant puts this leafy green on its menu. And it has happened to quinoa, in a really big way.

Quinoa has shown up in our pancakes. It can be bought as cereal. And now it's being used as a base to make spirits. The Corsair Distillery, a Tennessean company, has taken quinoa and turned it into whiskey -- officially taking this grain too far. Corsair is known for making spirits with unusual ingredients, with successful results too. The whiskey they've made out of quinoa has won awards and has gotten great reviews. But that doesn't mean it's okay, guys.

Don't get us wrong -- we have nothing against quinoa. And we definitely don't have qualms with whiskey. And when it comes to culinary experimentation, we are 100 percent supportive. But there are limits, and quinoa whiskey may have pushed them too far. Just because something is trending doesn't mean it should be inserted into everything, especially when the boom has serious economic ramifications. What are your thoughts on quinoa whiskey: yay or nay?

As you ponder the philosophical dilemma of this new product, sip on these cocktails made with regular whiskey.


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