As I launch into my 36th year on this planet (don’t even get me started about my lifetimes on other planets), I’d like to take a moment and say thanks for all the great friends I am fortunate to have in my life.  I salute your humor, irreverance, loyalty, wit, charm and passion.  Continue to wave the geek flag high and to be generous with your spirits…Cheers to you all!  

Oh, and I bought myself a few liquid treats to kick off the new year.  Stop by for a dram; I’ll leave the light on for you.

It’s only right that the cocktail world now has one.  This is Shit Bartenders Say:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB2aVzmPxxM

I’d like to officially welcome these fine specimens into my collection.

But to get away from the booze for a moment, they serve a ridiculously tasty Mac N Cheese that reminded me why this humble dish should never be overlooked as “un-exciting”.  But then again, theirs is done with Pork Belly and Chicharrón, so you know its something special.  (In fact, watching a backwaiter trying to explain to a woman in butchered English that Chicharrón are fried pig skin was a highlight of my meal).

Aficiao
Karlsson’s Vodka, Basil, Passion Fruit, Lemon Juice, Pasteurized Egg Whites, Orange Bitters.  (Made by Miguel Maldonado, house mixologist)

Matador
Heradura Blanco Tequila, Lime Juice, Jalapeno Syrup, Cucumber, Mint.  (By Alex Valencia – Yerba Buena Perry, NY, NY)

Seriously, dude?  And before 9 am?  I need a fuckin cup of coffee.

A couple of weeks ago, I was fortunate to go on a journey.  A journey deep into the heart of darkness. 

In the world of beer geekery, few names elicit such awe as Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout.  A rather new offering to the scene, it shot straight to the forefront of our collective, suds-filled, hearts and minds.  Within days, bottles were going for $100 and up.  Mayhem ensued.  Parents locked their doors, curfews were enforced.  It was nigh time I got my hands on some.

Jonathan Moxey, friend and Beer Scribe for Serious Eats: Drinks showed up at my doorstep with a cornucopia of Founders Stouts to get to the bottom of the hype.  Oh, and did we ever.   My house still smells like sweet, sweet stout. 

Today, his great round-up of the tasting came out:
“Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout is Worth the Hype” by Jonathan Moxey

Riesling Spätlese Feinherb, Leiwener Laurentiuslay, St Urbans-Hof, 2008.

Happy Holidays, everyone.

Being pregnant sucks.  Well, let me rephrase that…being pregnant is beautiful…but not being able to savor the fine intracies of a well-balanced cocktail blows goats.  But rest assured, ladies-of-the-bump: a good mocktail can satisfy that craving, and not leave you with a sauced fetus.

We recently checked out the new Astoria haunt, The Astor Room.  In a way, that’s the OLD Astoria haunt as this place served as the original commisary for Kaufman-Astoria Studios where, in the 1920′s and 1930′s, hundreds of silent film stars and starlets munched and sipped between takes.  In fact, history seemed to repeat itself, as we sat across from Philip Seymour Hoffman all night.

We asked our crafty barkeep for a mocktail for my very preggers wife.  He produced.  And then some.  It was delicious and, in fact, better than my cocktail.  I could have sworn it had alcohol in it…but that’s not the point.  It was impressive because of its complexity, its balance and its downright tastiness.

I’ve begun mimicking it at home to great success.  Here’s the rough attack plan: in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the following:

-3 parts Pomegranate Juice
-2 parts Pineapple Juice
-1 part Lemon Juice
-2 dashes of Orange Bitters

Shake till blue in the face and strain into a chilled martini glass.  You should be left with a nice band of foam across the top that looks like its been shaken with egg white.  Enjoy, ladies, enjoy; you deserve it.  (And back off, Mr. Hoffman, she’s mine).

In happier times: Pancho and Jay (pic courtesy of Jim's Loire)

Jay Miller is out at Wine Advocate.  Claiming innocence in a payola scandal that has rifled through the rolling hills of Spain and the wine community as a whole, Mr. Miller has stepped down from his role as editor of Spain, South America, and the Pacific Northwest.  It’s a fascinating story of claims of strong-arm tactics, little-known-wine-regions looking to ascend to the world stage and the power of the blogosphere.

Englishman/blogger/flame shirt-wearing/wine sleuth Jim Budd (pic courtesy of blog.winetravelguides.com/)

The story in a nutshell?  A string of emails released by blogger Jim Budd of Jim’s Loire, supposedly blew open the doors on some of the behind-the-scenes negotiations between Pancho Campo and the D.O. Vinos de Madrid to arrange for Jay Miller, internationally acclaimed wine critic, to stop in and taste some wines in the hope he’ll shine his big old spotlight on some of Spain’s newest vino talent.  Such passive-aggressive, near-thuggish comments were used to sell the deal as “Private visits off the set agenda, as this would be, rarely take place, and not for a price below 40,000 euros. The fact that Jay has agreed to stay 2 days more, and for half the usual price, is a miracle and an opportunity that Madrid will find it difficult to have again.”

There’s big money involved–to the tune of € 20000 ($25,980.77)–so these allegations aren’t simply over peanuts.  Wine Advocate is one of the more respected chapels of wine writing and this threatens its principles to the core.  This is not likely to go away any time soon…

A number of wine bloggers picked up on the story right quick and now its shot straight up the media ladder.  As a beverage writer/blogger, myself, I’m stoked to see the community ignited by a passion to get to the truth behind the accusations but it’s become a white hot pile-on.  Are the accusations overblown? –”Wait, Miss Abigail, now that you have our attention, WHAT did you see Mr. Proctor do?”  In fact, I’ve been a little surprised by all the attention the Wine Advocate scandal has been getting lately.  I guess it makes sense in the grand scheme of celebrity hierarchy, though: we love to build them up, and then we love even more to tear them down.  And if the Advocate is going to sit on the catbird seat of wine criticism, then they’re going to have to expect to be under the microscope…especially in today’s age of information saturation.

A round-up of just a few of the internet articles dealing with the scandal:

• NY Times: “A Parker Reviewer Departs After Questions About Payments” by Eric Asimov.
• Jim’s Loire: “Campogate: No Pay – No Jay ” by Jim Budd.
• Vinography:” ‘Big Jay’ Miller Departs Wine Advocate in Wake of Scandal” by Alder Yarrow.
• Decanter.com: “Jay Miller’s resignation: The background” by Decanter staff.
• The Gray Report: “Dear Robert Parker: You MUST address the latest Jay Miller scandal” by W. Blake Gray.
• Terroirist: “The Jay Miller Scandal Gets Weirder” by David White.
• Gawker: “Professional Wine Snob in Booze Junket Payola Scandal” by Hamilton Nolan.

You want more?  Simply google: “Jay Miller Scandal” and it’s on.  And so, even in the world of rarified wine criticism, we get to see what happens when the media blows up in a maelstrom of drama.  We’ll see how it all pans out…

Will a nugget of gold await Jay Miller?  Or will he be washed away in the tailings of time?  Stay tuned for next week’s episode of “Media Rush: Wine Scandal!”

Jay Miller (courtesy of 1winedude.com)

Pic by Joshua Bright for the article, "Raw Whiskey Finds New Craftsmen and Enthusiasts" NY Times, 5/4/10

I have to admit, I don’t understand white whiskey.  As someone who oversees a bar program, I find myself confused as to how it fits into the mix.  Is it a sipping spirit?  Can it stand on its own?  Or is it simply something bound for a cocktail and that’s the end of it?

To me, white whiskey seems like an incomplete product.  Like a piece of white bread slathered with peanut butter and thrown into a Glad sandwich bag before your mom had time to jelly up the other slice.  You sit down, eagerly open your lunch bag and wonder, “Mom, what the fuck?  Half a sandwich?  And only peanut butter?   What am I supposed to do with this?  Aargh.  Hey, Timmy, you want to swap that celery spear for a peanut butter schmear?  No?!  Well, fuck you too!”

White Dog from House Spirits (pic courtesy of ThereWillBeBourbon.net)

This is strange to me.  Just yesteryear, raw whiskey (also known as “White Whiskey” or “White Dog”) was the hottest new thing the spirits world had seen.  Everywhere it seemed to pop up.  Small-batch distillers like Tuthilltown, Death’s Door, Buffalo Trace and House Spirits all seemed to be rushing to get them on the market.  Robert Simonson even did an ode to them in the NY Times.  It was on.  The fad begins!  Line up, junior, and get your dose of moonshine!

The thing is, though, no one quite knew what to make of it.  It’s basically an unaged Bourbon.  Seeing no oak–or in most cases, something ridiculous like two hours of oaking (some strange governmental requirement)–it is a colorless spirit like gin or vodka.  But on the nose, its something unique.  I’ve tried those that smell of fresh baked corn (Finger Lakes’ Glen Thunder) or like juicy fruit gum (House Spirits’ White Dog).  The thing is, while I can appreciate the cleanness, the pureness, the distiller’s art laid bare, I’m not drawn to them.  Is it just me?  Am I missing something?  There’s something incomplete, like a half-painted portrait that the artist hadn’t quite finished before the finishing bell required he present it to the public.

I’ve seen this confusion play out over the last couple of years.  While there are a number of hardcore spirits geeks out there whose ears perk up when they see you have one on the spirits list, who is ordering this stuff at the bar?  I know if I was offered a Single Malt Scotch, a Small Batch Bourbon, an Aged Rum or a two-ounce pour of raw whiskey, I sure as hell ain’t picking the clear stuff…

I’ve expressed this confusion to my sales reps or the brand ambassadors from the distilleries, themselves.  ”I’m a little confused by it,” I say.  To which they inevitably thrust a page of twenty odd cocktails to be made with it.  But, you mean its only for cocktails?  ”Well, no, but it finds nice expression that way.”  So, its incomplete then?  This doesn’t usually go over well…no salesman or saleswoman wants to be told their wares are incomplete.

So, I remain confused.  I think a spirit should stand on its own.  Sure, you can make a martini or a manhattan with your vodka, gin or whiskey, but essentially, I want to taste that spirit first and foremost.  Is this something we want to, no, yearn to taste on its own?  What am I missing?

After months of being on allocation, six bottles of Cantillon Fou’ Foune finally arrived today at Hearth.  I might as well just stash them deep in the recesses of the beer room under the East Village for my own personal sipping.  Maybe, just maybe, I’ll decide to let them see the light of day and share them with the world…

If you’re even questioning the rareness, the uniqueness, the downright life-changing power of this brewery, then you ain’t seen THIS.

St. Nicholas de Bourgueil (100% Cabernet Franc), La Mine, Yannick Amarault, 2008, Loire Valley

Southampton Publick House, Vic (antique porter aged in oak), New York

Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge (100% Pinot Noir), Phillipe Colin, 2008, Côte de Beaune

B.R. Rolya, my rep from Shelton Brothers Importers, stopped by Hearth today with a cornucopia of new beers for me to try for the winter season.  Hot damn, on days like this when everything that hits my palate snaps me to attention, I’m reminded of three things:

1) I love beer.
2) There is a huge treasure trove of beers out there to explore the world over.
3) I want to be Michael Jackson (not that one, silly) and make a life out of traveling and tasting.

That chick (or stud) you’ve been eyeing at the office won’t stand a chance if you show up to the holiday party with one of these in hand (from left to right):

• HAANDBRYGGERIET HESJEØL (MULTIGRAIN HARVEST ALE) (Norway)
• DE RANKE NOIR DE DOTTIGNIES (Belgium)
• KULMBACHER EISBOCK (Germany)
• BRASSERIE CASTELAIN MALTESSE (France)
• BRETAGNE SAINT ERWANN (France)
• BLAUGIES LA MONEUSE (Belgium)
• MAHR’S DER WEISSE BOCK (Germany)

First Friday night in the new apartment.  Still surrounded by a sea of boxes but after a long work week and late nights of cobbling together furniture, it’s time to put the dogs up and kick it Repasado style.  ¡Salud!