Archive for January, 2010

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Two Bogs ~ One Meal

Recipes

Arrow
30 Jan
2010

chicken_bogWe’ve explored the possibilities of mixed drinks using Blenheim Ginger Ale and now we have a drink recipe for the whole family using Good Ole Blenheim, South Carolina’s native soft drink. We will also talk a bit about a Grand Strand and Low Country traditional meal that would go great with our drink.

Bog punch is a popular non-alcoholic party drink, suitable for kids and adults alike. It’s a refreshing, zippy blend of fruits, juices and ginger ale. We think substituting Blenheim Old #3 instead of your usual boring ginger ale will brighten up the taste even more!

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 oz. Cranberry Juice
  • 8 oz. Pineapple (Chunks in juice)
  • 8 oz. Sugar
  • 4 oz. Lemon Juice
  • 1 pint Apple Juice
  • 1 pint fresh Cranberries
  • 1 pint Water
  • 1 bottle Blenheim Ginger Ale- #5 for a bit of extra kick, #3 to really punch it up


INSTRUCTIONS

Bring the cranberries, the sugar and the water to the boil, then let simmer until the cranberries are soft and the sugar has dissolved. Strain and let the juice cool. Then mix the juice with the remaining ingredients and chill. Serve in punch cups and garnish with lemon slices.

This bog punch would be a right at home beside another type of bog, a Low Country chicken bog. There is a festival dedicated to the chicken bog in Loris, SC every October. Many people outside of the Grand Stand and Horry County have never had the pleasure of eating this spicy blend of smoked sausage, chicken and rice. This dish, as well as Blenheim Ginger Ale, is unique to South Carolina. Celebrated Southern chef Paula Deen’s recipe shows how this easy one-pot stew can be tasty time-saver for a busy cook.

So this weekend, try out some new recipes for the family. Put a chicken bog on the stove; then brew up batch of bog punch to enjoy while your meal cooks. And don’t forget the Blenheim Ginger Ale to give your bog punch and your dinner a South Carolina kick of ginger goodness.

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ginger_rootFor over a century now, Blenheim Ginger Ale has been a powerful cure for everything from an unquenchable thirst to a bad hangover. The mineral springs located in Blenheim, South Carolina have been renowned for their soothing effect on upset stomachs since the 1800’s. To tame the strong taste of the spring water, a local doctor added Jamaican ginger root to the water as a flavor enhancer and as a healing boost. This heady potion would go on to become the Blenheim Ginger Ale we all know and love today.

My first encounter with ginger’s healing properties came over 15 years ago. I worked at a Chinese restaurant in college, and anytime I felt a bit under the weather, nauseous or hung-over Mrs. Wang would come to my rescue with her special ginger soup. It was a mix of sugar, water, broth and plenty of ginger slices boiled together for a bit. She explained to me that ginger had been used for thousands of years in Chinese herbal medicine as a treatment for stomach ailments. The earliest written record of use in Chinese medicine came more than 2000 years ago. The Chinese certainly had it figured out a while ago. That warm, spicy soup would always bring me back to life and have me feeling right in no time.

Many Moms and Grandmothers in the South have known for generations about ginger and ginger ale’s ability to calm an upset stomach. Now modern research has shown Dr. Mom had the right prescription all along. Studies have shown ginger to be an effective way to prevent seasickness and motion sickness. The popular “Mythbusters” TV show on the Discovery Channel did an episode about home remedies, and confirmed that a ginger pill would cure seasickness without the drowsy side-effects of drugs. A different study found that ginger would solve the terrible “morning sickness” that many pregnant women experience. There have even been some studies that suggest ginger may ease the symptoms of chronic arthritis.

You must admit Mom sure knew what she was talking about when she handed you a Blenheim Ginger Ale. She recognized its blazing ginger heat and zesty taste would relieve the grumbling and rumbling in your belly, and tickle your taste buds at the same time. So always keep plenty of Good Ole Blenheim Ginger Ale on hand during this cold nasty winter season to warm you up, ward off those evil colds, and keep your tummy happy.

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