SQIRL Los Angeles

By Kevin Posey Published January 22, 2013

We first came to know Jessica Koslow, the mastermind behind SQIRL as a producer for American Idol. How she transitioned from the role of producer to genius purveyor of jams and preserves is pretty straight forward: do what you love with integrity, pride, and talent and success will follow. SQIRL (pronounced squirrel) works with organic farmers closely located to the kitchen in the truest sense of farm to table freshness as well as sustainable happiness for the land they farm.

With jams and jellies made in small batches in flavors like wild blueberry & tarragon or blackberry & Meyer lemon, to name a few, you are bound to find something to your liking and surprise your tastebuds in the process. Our personal favorite is an apple butter that reminds us of the kind of jam grandmama used to make.

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SQIRL is the ‘jam’ (we couldn’t help it) but it isn’t only just about that – they serve up some of the greatest breakfasts and lunches in LA: poached egg on a bed of roasted brussels sprouts or a tomato rubbed prosciutto sandwich are just a sampling of the ever changing menu. Jessica personally teaches classes on the art of making preserves as well as she told us, “Everyone should know what preservation means as a craft.”

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Born in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, at the eastern most tip of the state of Kentucky, Kevin's love of music…

Food & Drink

The angels took the largest share of this new Chichibu whisky

People will be clamoring to get their hands on renowned distiller Chichibu's latest release

Whiskey in a glass on a table

Every whisky drinker knows the phrase "the angel's share," which refers to the amount of whisky which evaporates each year during the aging process. The barrels in which whisky ages are porous, which is important so that the wood can breathe and expand and contract due to the weather. But that means that a small amount of volume is lost over time -- typically around 2 to 5% per barrel per year. This amount was traditionally considered an offering to the angels.

Now, a new Japanese whisky is being released which celebrates that theme. Spirits of Salud is debuting its Chichibu "Angels Favourite" as a highly limited release. When distiller Chichibu, based in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, went to look in the cask for this particular whisky they were shocked to find that almost three quarters of the cask was empty, and all that remained was enough for 75 bottles.

Food & Drink

Taste a devil and an angel on each shoulder with this pair of tequilas

A pair of aged tequilas from Tequila Cayéya with an angelic and demonic theme

tequila cayeya angel devil cay ya

One of the distinctive features of aged tequila is its color, which is typically a rich amber brown that comes from its time spent in oak casks. But there is a type of aged tequila called Añejo Cristalino which is aged like an Añejo, but then filtered through charcoal to return it to crystal clear. The idea is to keep the intensity of flavors achieved through aging, whilst maintaining the clarity of an unaged tequila.

The brand Tequila Cayéya is now releasing a new Añejo Cristalino tequila, and this one is part of a paired set with an angels and devils theme. The El Diablo’s Elixir is aged for eighteen months in a three step process, beginning with six months in an American White Oak cask, before being moved to a French Oak cask for a further six months, and then transferred back to American White Oak for its final six months. It's then charcoal filtered to achieve clarity. It's nicknamed after the devil due to its 6-6-6 aging process.

Food & Drink

Angel’s Envy Releases Special New Mizunara Cask Whiskey

Mizunara Cask Whiskey

In celebration of the tenth anniversary of Angel's Envy's Founder's Day on August 19, the distillery released a new bourbon finished in Japanese Mizunara oak casks. This blend of four-year-old and nine-year-old whiskey spent an additional two years in these new charred oak casks, made from 200-year-old trees, during which it picked up a bouquet of floral notes including sandalwood, coffee, and a bit of smoke. "We chose this release for the tenth anniversary because my dad, having taken on several consulting roles in Japan during his career, always had a deep appreciation for the country and its distilling community," said cofounder and chief innovation officer Wes Henderson in a prepared statement. "This release, finished in Mizunara casks made from this rare, 200-year-old wood, felt fitting for such a special milestone for Angel’s Envy.”

This is a first for the distillery, and it really stands out in terms of flavor from its core range that is finished in port and rum barrels. "When we set out on this project, we knew where we wanted to end up, but we also knew we might not wind up there," said Henderson in a recent Zoom meeting. His son and production manager Kyle detailed the difficult and lengthy process of getting ahold of these barrels, which he said are extremely limited and tightly controlled by the Japanese government. It took about five years in total to procure them, and 18 months of that time was spent on a waiting list.