What were some of my favorite food-related items of the past year?
Let me continue my collection of lists of my best recommendations and favorites of the past year, 2012. Yesterday, I provided a list of my Favorite Restaurants of 2012 and now I want to address my favorites for other Food-Related Items, from markets to books, from cheese to candy. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of memorable matters I have experienced and posted about over the past year.
This is also a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. But all of the items here have earned my strong recommendations and I hope you will enjoy them as well. For more food-related items, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.
Favorite Food Magazine: For the second year in a row, Lucky Peach easily prevails as my favorite. This quarterly magazine is eclectic and irreverent, with fascinating articles, essays, recipes, and more. I eagerly devour each issue when it is released and its quality has remained consistent. It entertain and educates, as well as providing much to ponder. Their recent Chinatown themed issue was very cool. If you love food and are not reading Lucky Peach, then shame on you.
Favorite Ethnic Cookbook: If you enjoy Chinese cuisine, then you should read Feeding The Dragon by Mary Kate Tate and Nate Tate. The book is a combination travelogue and cookbook, broken down into regions of China. Each regional section begins with interesting essays about that area and then provides about 10-15 recipes, spanning the range from appetizers to desserts, and including several beverages too. The book is a fascinating culinary survey of China with a sampling of recipes that provide some authenticity for home cooks. It is aesthetically pleasing, with numerous beautiful photos of not only the dishes, but also of the people, places and items of China. An excellent read.
Favorite Food Trade Event: For the second year in a row, I have selected the International Boston Seafood Show (IBSS) as my favorite. It is a massive trade event, a three day event showcasing purveyors of seafood and related vendors. You'll find tons of free seafood samples and learn plenty, from sustainability to cooking. It is an engaging event and I wrote over a dozen posts about the show this year. It is a compelling on many levels and I look forward to attending the next IBSS in March 2013.
Favorite Cheese Shop: The Concord Cheese Shop has a huge and diverse selection of local, domestic and imported cheeses, including many small production and unique cheeses. Local cheeses are one of their specialties. In addition, they sell a good selection of wines and other gourmet foods. A one-stop store to stock up for any party. The staff is very helpful and it is in a good location, where you can also check out many other intriguing shops. Make it a day and visit Concord and the Cheese Shop.
Favorite Cheese Event: Each summer, the Vermont Cheesemakers' Festival is held at Shelburne Farms and I have attended many of their events, always enjoying myself. This year, the event showcased over 40 Vermont cheesemakers, with over 200 cheeses for sampling, a smorgasbord of dairy pleasures. There was a vast diversity of cheeses, from chèvre to blue cheese, from cheddar to mozzarella. Besides all these cheeses, there were other foods as well, from candy to croutons, breads to hot sauces. In addition, there were local wines, beers, ciders, spirits and other drinks. It does get crowded, but it is still well worth attending.
Favorite Cheese: I love cheese, in all of its forms, and it was not easy to select just one to be my top favorite for the year. However, I made my selection, the Grafton Village Cave Age Truffled Bismark. The Bismark, named for a legendary Vermont ram from the late 19th century, is a sheep's milk cheese that has been aged for at least three months. The Bismark has an intriguing taste; nutty and creamy with a delicious earthiness due to the addition of white and black truffles as well as some truffle oil. This would be a perfect cheese for an umami rich Sake, like a Kimoto or Yamahai. An amazing cheese with such a depth of flavor and complexity. Highly recommended.
Favorite Seafood Treat: Bacon? How about Salmon Bacon? Yes! I enjoyed two different salmon bacons, and they were significantly different. Though I liked both of them, my preference was for the MacKnight Salmon Bacon as it seemed more like bacon rather than just smoked salmon. It still had a salmon flavor, but was thinner and crisper and I would eagerly place it on any breakfast plate. It is even supposed to be healthier for you than pork bacon.
Favorite Pickled Food: It seems that almost any food can end up pickled and this year I was especially impressed with Pickled Willys seafood. They currently have four different types including Wild Ling Cod, Wild Sockeye Salmon, Alaskan King Crab Tail, and Halibut. They use only sustainable, wild Alaskan seafood and it is prepared with organic vinegar, cane sugar, and a blend of pickling spices. The end product is delicious, the fish still having a firm flesh and the light pickling enhances the taste. The salmon was my favorite though I enjoyed all of them.
Favorite Japanese Ingredients: At the International Boston Seafood Show, there was a Japanese pavilion, showcasing numerous food products. The Shinmarusyo Co. Ltd. produces dried bonito and also makes dashi, kind of a fish stock. Dashi is very important in Japanese cuisine, and is a common base for many dishes. Their dashi can be used to make a savory soup, which is rich in umami, that was subtle but complex flavors. In addition, they make a couple soy sauces, including the Shiro Dashi Soy Sauce, and Katuobushiya Dashi Soy Sauce. The Shiro is a light colored soy sauce with dashi and fermented seasonings. A nice depth of flavor and though like many other soy sauces in some respects, it also possessed its own exotic and unique nature. The Katuobushiya is made from dried bonito and Rishiri seaweed. It has a deeper flavor, more like regular soy sauce, but more intense and with a greater umami.
Favorite Mac n' Cheese: Though I had mixed feelings on some of their other dishes, I was impressed with the Mac & Five Cheese Gratin at GEM Restaurant & Lounge. Cooked perfectly, with a crispy top of buttered breadcrumbs and rich, cheesy noodles, this was the perfect comfort food, elevated to a high level. Nice levels of flavor, this bests many other mac n' cheese dishes you will find elsewhere. It is only a side dish, but you could easily make a meal out of it.
Favorite Frozen Food: Though it is generally best to get fresh baked goods, there are times a frozen product can satisfy your cravings. Gagne Foods, located in Maine, produces both fresh and frozen products, including sweet potato biscuits, cinnamon rolls, cream cheese biscuits and more. The sweet potato biscuits were fantastic and I enjoyed all of their products. The frozen biscuits are easy to cook and your guests might even believe they were fresh. Try the sweet potato biscuits and become a convert.
Favorite Local Ice Cream Shop: In West Concord, you will find Reasons To Be Cheerful, a dessert cafe that makes ice cream in small batches using a natural, hormone free, 14% butterfat ice cream mix from a local dairy. Their flavors vary from the common vanilla and chocolate chip to more unusual flavors like sweet azuki and ginger. They even make several ice creams using alcohol such as the Milk Chocolate Guinness and the Dark & Stormy. I found the various flavors to be rich, prominent, and well balanced so that you receive exactly the flavor you desired. The Dark & Stormy was one of my favorites.
Favorite Dessert Sauce: I have raved before about the goat's milk caramel sauces from Fat Toad Farm and this year I tasted a new flavor, their Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce. It lived up to my expectations, with a sweet, creamy flavor complemented by a salty element and the vanilla notes from the bourbon. Pure heaven. You must try their this sauce or any other of their caramel sauces.
Favorite Candy: Speaking of goat milk, Big Picture Farm is producing some compelling goat's milk caramels. I tasted two of their hand-made caramels, the Chai and Vanilla & Sea Salt. The Chai was spicy, with a nice cinnamon and nutmeg kick, and it was not overly sweet. My favorite though was the Vanilla & Sea Salt, just bursting with creamy flavor, prominent vanilla, that great salty contrast and just the right amount of sweetness. These are very addictive.
Favorite Fruit: Chef Jose Duarte of Taranta introduced me to a new fruit, lucuma. It is a Peruvian fruit which is also known as egg fruit because its flesh seems to resemble the texture of a hard boiled egg. Chef Duarte prepared a dessert using lucuma, a smooth and creamy pudding-like item that reminded me of a delicious butterscotch pudding. Peru is a country rich in exotic food products and I hope more of them make it to the U.S. if they all can be as delicious as lucuma.
Favorite Cupcakes: I am very picky about cupcakes, and am often disappointed by the myriad cupcake stores that have spread throughout the area. However, I found a bakery, Cakes For Occasions, which makes very satisfying cupcakes. Properly moist, the cupcakes are topped by a creamy and light frosting, and the flavors are compelling. These are cupcakes that have earned my recommendation. The bakery sells many other baked goods, such as delicious whoopie pies, cakes, cookies, pies and more. Check out the bakery, get some cupcakes and see what else tantalizes your taste buds.
Favorite Healthy Snack: Kind Healthy Snacks makes all natural whole nut & fruit bars, which have natural protein, fiber and 5 or less grams of sugar. They have plenty of different flavors, including a number with chocolate. My favorite was the Almond & Coconut, which contains almonds, dried coconut, honey, non-GMO glucose, puffed rice, chicory fiber, and soy lecithin. Plenty of delicious coconut flavor, a mild sweetness, nutty accents and a nice chewy texture. It didn't taste healthy and is going to please any dessert lover.
Favorite New Food Market: A short ride away, in Salem, New Hamphire, is the new Tuscan Market, a large artisanal market, which is a one-stop shopping spot for Italian food and ingredients, as well as other quality items. Many of the foods are prepared on premises while others are purchased locally or imported from Italy. Fresh baked breads, wines, cheese, produce, meats, seafood, desserts, prepared foods and much more. There is also a 65-seat café where you can grab a bite, from pizza to pasta. This is a compelling culinary destination and you should be shopping there.
Favorite Food Contest: My inner carnivore roared in approval at the East Cambridge Rib Fest, where over 20 restaurants prepared their own version of ribs. I was even more fortunate as I was one of the judges and got to taste nearly all of the various ribs. So many tasty dishes, including beef and pork ribs, both dry and wet, savory, sweet and spicy. There was live entertainment, local beers and the weather cooperated well. I can't wait to attend this event again next year and highly recommend everyone else go as well.
Favorite Food Controversy: Once again, one of the most important, and sometimes controversial, food issues I addressed this year was seafood sustainability. I have tried to cover a variety of issues, seeking to delve behind the science and rhetoric. The importance of this matter cannot be underestimated, but it is sometimes difficult to get to the truth behind the issues. Last year, the Legal Sea Foods blacklisted dinner made headlines but this year I followed up with Roger Berkowitz (see Part 1 and Part 2) to assess the dinner's impact and Legal's continued efforts. Some of my other posts addressing seafood sustainability include: Stop Eating Cod, Tuna & Salmon, A Sustainability Primer, Verlasso Farmed Salmon, State Of Fisheries Address, How A Restaurant Becomes Sustainable, Aquaculture & Cobia, Consumers Purchasing Sustainable Seafood, Can Bordeaux Save The Sharks?, Eat More Seafood Especially Local, and Bluefin Tuna Stocks Recovering?
My Biggest Personal Food Issue: Last January, I announced that I had been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, which required some adjustments to my lifestyle, including more exercise and watching my diet. I have fortunately been successful and brought my blood sugars back to normal levels, also losing a significant amount of weight. It is a health issue that will require ongoing attention but it can be managed. Thanks to everyone who supported me in my efforts and I will continue to make this a priority in my life.
My Food Prediction For 2013: A few restaurants have been experimenting with seafood charcuterie this past year and I predict that it will become an even more popular and prevalent dish in 2013. Charcuterie has been huge, with many restaurants making their own sausages, chorizo, pates and more from a variety of meats. As chefs are often looking to innovate, I feel they will move from pork, beef, poultry and other meats toward seafood. The few examples I have tasted this past year have been delicious and I think seafood charcuterie has great potential.
What were some of your favorite food-related items this year?
2012: Favorite Restaurants
What were some of my favorite restaurants of the past year?
I have already posted several of my drink-related Favorites' lists and and now I want to concentrate on my Favorite Restaurants of the past year. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of memorable matters I have experienced and/or posted about over the past year. You will even find Favorites from outside Massachusetts as I traveled some this past year.
There is also a section later in this post called Consistent Favorites, and it includes a list of a number of restaurants which have been my favorites for subsequent years. Restaurants which are consistently good certainly deserve recognition, and I have tried to note some of those places to which I return again and again. I hope you enjoy all of my recommendations.
Favorite High-End Restaurant: Superb cuisine, an amazing wine list and impeccable service combine to make L'Espalier a Boston treasure. I have dined there before, and always been impressed, and this past year I attended an amazing Barons de Rothschild Champagne lunch and Cheese Tuesday. The restaurant can transform even the simplest of dishes, such as roast chicken, into a wonder. It is well worth the splurge.
Favorite North End Restaurant, Old School: Lucia Ristorante, with a second location in Winchester, opened in the North End back in 1977 and recently celebrated its 35th anniversary. It is very much old school yet the food is actually quite tasty. Their chef's skill was quite evident at a fantastic polenta dinner and their anniversary celebration also emphasized their culinary skills. You may not consider Lucia when selecting a North End restaurant, but you should give it some consideration. Their Winchester location also carries excellent pizzas.
Favorite Italian Restaurant Outside the North End: For some of the most creative Italian fare in Boston, you can't go wrong with Erbaluce, Chef Chuck Draghi continues to impress with his unique take on many traditional Italian dishes and the restaurant also has a compelling Italian wine list. How many other restaurants in Boston make fried sunflower heads? His dishes, generally prepared without butters and creams, are often lighter yet still full of flavor. Dine there and check out their ever changing menu or attend one of their compelling events.
Favorite Spanish Restaurant: Chef Deborah Hansen of Taberna de Haro in Brookline continues to invest great passion into her Spanish cuisine. The restaurant has recently expanded in size, nearly doubling, and have added a bar. They are also adding more Spanish wines to their already expansive wine list, including more Sherries. One of their newest culinary events is Roasted Sucking Pig Tuesdays, which I haven't yet attended but plan to do so soon.
Favorite Mexican Restaurant: Chef Joe Cassinelli of Pizzeria Posto, one of my favorite Italian spots, opened a second restaurant, The Painted Burro, which offers Mexican cuisine. The food I tasted during my two dinners and brunch there have all impressed, including the Yucatan Meatloaf. I am usually not a meatloaf fan but this opened my eyes to the potential and I cannot recommend it enough. The Burro also has an extensive list of tequilas and mezcals, with plenty of tasty cocktails. A great addition to the local area.
Favorite Suburban Restaurant, Italian: Italian restaurants are ubiquitous in the suburbs, but too many of them are simply average. However, the new A Tavola in Winchester, the second restaurant of Chef Vittorio Ettore (who also owns Bistro 5 in Medford) rises above the masses. Lots of Piattini, small plates, make a great way to start your dinner from their homemade charcuterie to seafood dishes. Then you can move onto their killer pasta, their exceptional risotto, smoky Porchetta and more. It is an intimate restaurant, showcasing the culinary genius of Chef Ettore, and can compete with any Boston restaurant.
Favorite BYOB Restaurant: In the suburbs, you can find a number of BYOB restaurants and one of them is my usual go to spot when I want to bring my own wine or Sake. Kyotoya, in Stoneham, is an inexpensive Japanese restaurant with delicious food, such as superb tempura, and they do not charge a corkage fee. I have dined there numerous times, usually bringing wine or Sake, and those I have introduced to the place have all very much enjoyed it.
Favorite New Hampshire Restaurant: Moxy, situated in Portsmouth, would shine wherever it was located. Chef Matt Louis, with an impressive culinary resume, has created a superb restaurant which emphasizes Spanish inspired tapas, using local ingredients and a New England flair. The food is excellent and the menu concept works well. They also have a good drinks program, from wine to cocktails and including numerous local beers. I would even stop there just for their desserts, such as mini-Whoopie pies. It gets my highest recommendation and I eagerly look forward to my next visit.
Favorite Connecticut Restaurant, Casual: At the Mohegan Sun Casino, there are plenty of restaurants but which one should you select? For amazing fried chicken, in a casual atmosphere, check out Big Bubba's BBQ. The restaurant serves BBQ and southern cuisine and the plates are quite large, stacked high with food. The Finger Lickin Fried Chicken plate included two large chicken breasts and two wings, more than enough chicken to satisfy any craving. It was superb, perfectly cooked, with a nice crispy and well seasoned coating and very moist, tender white meat.
Favorite Connecticut Restaurant, High-End: If you are seeking something more elegant for dinner at the Mohegan Sun, then Bobby Flay's Bar Americain would be a good choice. It has a menu of American favorites, some with a southern flair, as well as plenty of fresh seafood. The food is delicious, well prepared, and worth the high prices. Enjoy their Buttermilk Fried Chicken or Duck with Dirty Wild Rice, Pecans, & Bourbon. I would also highly recommend ordering a side of Hot Potato Chips with Blue Cheese Sauce, a decadent delight with crisp chips and a creamy, tangy sauce.
Favorite Louisville Restaurant, Casual: Sometimes you stumble upon a restaurant and end up having a delicious meal. Seeking a quick lunch, I stopped at the Bluegrass Burgers in Louisville, Kentucky, knowing nothing about it beforehand. This burger joint prides itself in serving mostly local ingredients, from their meats to their produce. The Kentucky Grass Fed Bison Burger, topped by local Bleu-Gouda cheese, was an excellent burger, moist with plenty of tasty flavor and the cheese added an intriguing and compelling element. Their sweet potato fries were also addictive, with a bright sweet potato flavor and a crisp exterior. I wish we had a burger place like this in the Boston area.
Favorite Louisville Restaurant, Mid-Range: Another restaurant dedicated to local ingredients, Harvest has huge portraits of the farmers they use on their walls. The food, from the Buttermilk Fried Chicken to Crispy Pork Confit, is tasty and reasonably priced. And for dessert, their Bourbon Bread Pudding was amazing, one of the best bread puddings I have tasted. It has a casual ambiance, a good wine list and service was excellent. A great choice in Louisville, Kentucky.
Favorite Louisville Restaurant, High-End: After attending the Kentucky Derby, a group of us went to Corbett's for a special post-Derby prix-fixe menu. From a Smoked Salmon Parfait to a Creekstone Tenderloin, the food was exquisite, with killer wine pairings and superb service in an intimate dining area. The cuisine could compete with any high-end restaurant in Boston.
Favorite Nova Scotia Bakery: While visiting Dartmouth, my hotel was just around the corner from the Two If By Sea Cafe, where I had heard they made exceptional croissants. I found that was not an understatement. They are heavier than the usual croissant, containing far more layers, and probably weigh at least twice as much than the usual croissant. Yet they remain flaky and soft throughout the croissant, each bite a pure delight. Their prosciutto & cheese was my favorite, the prosciutto adding a salty flair to the croissant and some of the ham that stuck out the ends was satisfyingly crispy. This is one of the best croissants I have ever tasted, putting to shame so many meager ham & cheese croissants. Highly recommended.
Favorite Nova Scotia Restaurant: In Halifax, Chives Canadian Bistro offers a menu based on seasonal produce from local farmers, artisan cheese and meat producers, and sustainable seafood. The cuisine offers contemporary Canadian bistro dishes rooted in European culinary history. It is an intimate place, with cool decor, and the food and wine impressed. General Tao's Bacon, New Orleans Po' Boy Sandwich, Lobster Tagliatelle and more. The chef has won numerous awards and they are well deserved.
Favorite Carnivore Dinner: It is no secret that I love meat. When I traveled to Tuscany, I had a dinner that would have satiated even the most demanding carnivore. At the Officina della Bistecca, famed butcher Dario Cecchini offers an incredible prix fixe meal, which includes five courses of beef. All of the meat was superb, especially the beef tartare, which melted in my mouth. Cecchini uses high quality beef, simply prepared, and the flavor fills your mouth with joy. Seated at communal tables, dinner is more of an experience than simply a meal. My highest recommendation.
Favorite Dessert: At the Red Lantern in Boston, their Pineapple Bread Pudding, with coconut ice cream, was superb, a perfect blend of tropical flavors. The bread pudding had a nice firm, but soft, texture and it was bursting with fresh pineapple flavors. I really think an enterprising baker should open a bread pudding dessert shop, offering a variety of different bread puddings. Forget cup cakes, let us see more bread puddings.
Consistent Favorites
Favorite Brunch, Traditional Fare: For a third year, the winner is AKA Bistro in Lincoln.
Brunch, Traditional Fare-Honorable Mention: For a third year, my choice is Tupelo in Inman Square.
Favorite Brunch, Non-Traditional Fare: For the fourth year in a row, the winner is Myers & Chang in the South End.
Favorite Suburban Restaurant: For the third year in a row, the winner is AKA Bistro in Lincoln.
Favorite Japanese Restaurant: For a third year, the winner is Oishii in the South End.
Favorite Chinatown Restaurant: For a third year, the winner is Gourmet Dumpling House.
Favorite Somerville Restaurant: Last year, Bergamot was my Overall Favorite Restaurant and it continues to be worthy of kudos. I haven't been there as much this past year but need to remedy that in the new year. My highest recommendation.
Favorite Underappreciated Restaurant: For the third year, the winner is T.W. Food in Cambridge.
Favorite Asian Buffet: For a fourth year, the winner is Taipei Tokyo Cafe in Woburn.
I have already posted several of my drink-related Favorites' lists and and now I want to concentrate on my Favorite Restaurants of the past year. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of memorable matters I have experienced and/or posted about over the past year. You will even find Favorites from outside Massachusetts as I traveled some this past year.
There is also a section later in this post called Consistent Favorites, and it includes a list of a number of restaurants which have been my favorites for subsequent years. Restaurants which are consistently good certainly deserve recognition, and I have tried to note some of those places to which I return again and again. I hope you enjoy all of my recommendations.
Favorite High-End Restaurant: Superb cuisine, an amazing wine list and impeccable service combine to make L'Espalier a Boston treasure. I have dined there before, and always been impressed, and this past year I attended an amazing Barons de Rothschild Champagne lunch and Cheese Tuesday. The restaurant can transform even the simplest of dishes, such as roast chicken, into a wonder. It is well worth the splurge.
Favorite Restaurant Comeback: My last visit to Avila Modern Mediterranean had been a few years ago and my dinner was disappointing. A few others who I spoke to at that time had also reported less than pleasant experiences. However this year, I recently attended a Glenmorangie Scotch dinner at Avila and was surprised at the high quality and creativity of the food. It was an amazing meal with such compelling items like goat cheese croquettes, creamy corn soup, chicken liver ravioli, and braised Waygu beef cheeks. It seems Avila has greatly improved and I will definitely return.
Unfortunate Tragedy to a Favorite Restaurant: Prezza, in the North End, has been one of my favorite high-end Italian spot but this past July the restaurant suffered a kitchen fire. For the last six months, they have been closed as they have conducted extensive repairs and remodeling. This has been a great loss to the community but fortunately it appears the restaurant is set to reopen any day now. When they reopen, please dine there and give them your support. Their food is exceptional and I am sure you will enjoy whatever you order. Good luck to Chef/Owner Anthony Caturano and all his staff.
Favorite Local Food Dinner Series: Numerous Boston area restaurants are emphasizing local ingredients but special kudos must go out to Post 390 for their monthly Farm to Post dinner series. Each month they emphasize a different local purveyor, from farmers to fishermen, and not only use their products but also bring in the purveyors to talk to diners. That helps diners better understand the sources of their food and it also helps immensely that the food is creative and delicious. Check out their Farm to Post dinners.
Unfortunate Tragedy to a Favorite Restaurant: Prezza, in the North End, has been one of my favorite high-end Italian spot but this past July the restaurant suffered a kitchen fire. For the last six months, they have been closed as they have conducted extensive repairs and remodeling. This has been a great loss to the community but fortunately it appears the restaurant is set to reopen any day now. When they reopen, please dine there and give them your support. Their food is exceptional and I am sure you will enjoy whatever you order. Good luck to Chef/Owner Anthony Caturano and all his staff.
Favorite Local Food Dinner Series: Numerous Boston area restaurants are emphasizing local ingredients but special kudos must go out to Post 390 for their monthly Farm to Post dinner series. Each month they emphasize a different local purveyor, from farmers to fishermen, and not only use their products but also bring in the purveyors to talk to diners. That helps diners better understand the sources of their food and it also helps immensely that the food is creative and delicious. Check out their Farm to Post dinners.
Favorite North End Restaurant, Old School: Lucia Ristorante, with a second location in Winchester, opened in the North End back in 1977 and recently celebrated its 35th anniversary. It is very much old school yet the food is actually quite tasty. Their chef's skill was quite evident at a fantastic polenta dinner and their anniversary celebration also emphasized their culinary skills. You may not consider Lucia when selecting a North End restaurant, but you should give it some consideration. Their Winchester location also carries excellent pizzas.
Favorite Italian Restaurant Outside the North End: For some of the most creative Italian fare in Boston, you can't go wrong with Erbaluce, Chef Chuck Draghi continues to impress with his unique take on many traditional Italian dishes and the restaurant also has a compelling Italian wine list. How many other restaurants in Boston make fried sunflower heads? His dishes, generally prepared without butters and creams, are often lighter yet still full of flavor. Dine there and check out their ever changing menu or attend one of their compelling events.
Favorite Spanish Restaurant: Chef Deborah Hansen of Taberna de Haro in Brookline continues to invest great passion into her Spanish cuisine. The restaurant has recently expanded in size, nearly doubling, and have added a bar. They are also adding more Spanish wines to their already expansive wine list, including more Sherries. One of their newest culinary events is Roasted Sucking Pig Tuesdays, which I haven't yet attended but plan to do so soon.
Favorite Mexican Restaurant: Chef Joe Cassinelli of Pizzeria Posto, one of my favorite Italian spots, opened a second restaurant, The Painted Burro, which offers Mexican cuisine. The food I tasted during my two dinners and brunch there have all impressed, including the Yucatan Meatloaf. I am usually not a meatloaf fan but this opened my eyes to the potential and I cannot recommend it enough. The Burro also has an extensive list of tequilas and mezcals, with plenty of tasty cocktails. A great addition to the local area.
Favorite Suburban Restaurant, Italian: Italian restaurants are ubiquitous in the suburbs, but too many of them are simply average. However, the new A Tavola in Winchester, the second restaurant of Chef Vittorio Ettore (who also owns Bistro 5 in Medford) rises above the masses. Lots of Piattini, small plates, make a great way to start your dinner from their homemade charcuterie to seafood dishes. Then you can move onto their killer pasta, their exceptional risotto, smoky Porchetta and more. It is an intimate restaurant, showcasing the culinary genius of Chef Ettore, and can compete with any Boston restaurant.
Favorite BYOB Restaurant: In the suburbs, you can find a number of BYOB restaurants and one of them is my usual go to spot when I want to bring my own wine or Sake. Kyotoya, in Stoneham, is an inexpensive Japanese restaurant with delicious food, such as superb tempura, and they do not charge a corkage fee. I have dined there numerous times, usually bringing wine or Sake, and those I have introduced to the place have all very much enjoyed it.
Favorite New Hampshire Restaurant: Moxy, situated in Portsmouth, would shine wherever it was located. Chef Matt Louis, with an impressive culinary resume, has created a superb restaurant which emphasizes Spanish inspired tapas, using local ingredients and a New England flair. The food is excellent and the menu concept works well. They also have a good drinks program, from wine to cocktails and including numerous local beers. I would even stop there just for their desserts, such as mini-Whoopie pies. It gets my highest recommendation and I eagerly look forward to my next visit.
Favorite Connecticut Restaurant, Casual: At the Mohegan Sun Casino, there are plenty of restaurants but which one should you select? For amazing fried chicken, in a casual atmosphere, check out Big Bubba's BBQ. The restaurant serves BBQ and southern cuisine and the plates are quite large, stacked high with food. The Finger Lickin Fried Chicken plate included two large chicken breasts and two wings, more than enough chicken to satisfy any craving. It was superb, perfectly cooked, with a nice crispy and well seasoned coating and very moist, tender white meat.
Favorite Connecticut Restaurant, High-End: If you are seeking something more elegant for dinner at the Mohegan Sun, then Bobby Flay's Bar Americain would be a good choice. It has a menu of American favorites, some with a southern flair, as well as plenty of fresh seafood. The food is delicious, well prepared, and worth the high prices. Enjoy their Buttermilk Fried Chicken or Duck with Dirty Wild Rice, Pecans, & Bourbon. I would also highly recommend ordering a side of Hot Potato Chips with Blue Cheese Sauce, a decadent delight with crisp chips and a creamy, tangy sauce.
Favorite Louisville Restaurant, Casual: Sometimes you stumble upon a restaurant and end up having a delicious meal. Seeking a quick lunch, I stopped at the Bluegrass Burgers in Louisville, Kentucky, knowing nothing about it beforehand. This burger joint prides itself in serving mostly local ingredients, from their meats to their produce. The Kentucky Grass Fed Bison Burger, topped by local Bleu-Gouda cheese, was an excellent burger, moist with plenty of tasty flavor and the cheese added an intriguing and compelling element. Their sweet potato fries were also addictive, with a bright sweet potato flavor and a crisp exterior. I wish we had a burger place like this in the Boston area.
Favorite Louisville Restaurant, Mid-Range: Another restaurant dedicated to local ingredients, Harvest has huge portraits of the farmers they use on their walls. The food, from the Buttermilk Fried Chicken to Crispy Pork Confit, is tasty and reasonably priced. And for dessert, their Bourbon Bread Pudding was amazing, one of the best bread puddings I have tasted. It has a casual ambiance, a good wine list and service was excellent. A great choice in Louisville, Kentucky.
Favorite Louisville Restaurant, High-End: After attending the Kentucky Derby, a group of us went to Corbett's for a special post-Derby prix-fixe menu. From a Smoked Salmon Parfait to a Creekstone Tenderloin, the food was exquisite, with killer wine pairings and superb service in an intimate dining area. The cuisine could compete with any high-end restaurant in Boston.
Favorite Nova Scotia Bakery: While visiting Dartmouth, my hotel was just around the corner from the Two If By Sea Cafe, where I had heard they made exceptional croissants. I found that was not an understatement. They are heavier than the usual croissant, containing far more layers, and probably weigh at least twice as much than the usual croissant. Yet they remain flaky and soft throughout the croissant, each bite a pure delight. Their prosciutto & cheese was my favorite, the prosciutto adding a salty flair to the croissant and some of the ham that stuck out the ends was satisfyingly crispy. This is one of the best croissants I have ever tasted, putting to shame so many meager ham & cheese croissants. Highly recommended.
Favorite Nova Scotia Restaurant: In Halifax, Chives Canadian Bistro offers a menu based on seasonal produce from local farmers, artisan cheese and meat producers, and sustainable seafood. The cuisine offers contemporary Canadian bistro dishes rooted in European culinary history. It is an intimate place, with cool decor, and the food and wine impressed. General Tao's Bacon, New Orleans Po' Boy Sandwich, Lobster Tagliatelle and more. The chef has won numerous awards and they are well deserved.
Favorite Carnivore Dinner: It is no secret that I love meat. When I traveled to Tuscany, I had a dinner that would have satiated even the most demanding carnivore. At the Officina della Bistecca, famed butcher Dario Cecchini offers an incredible prix fixe meal, which includes five courses of beef. All of the meat was superb, especially the beef tartare, which melted in my mouth. Cecchini uses high quality beef, simply prepared, and the flavor fills your mouth with joy. Seated at communal tables, dinner is more of an experience than simply a meal. My highest recommendation.
Favorite Dessert: At the Red Lantern in Boston, their Pineapple Bread Pudding, with coconut ice cream, was superb, a perfect blend of tropical flavors. The bread pudding had a nice firm, but soft, texture and it was bursting with fresh pineapple flavors. I really think an enterprising baker should open a bread pudding dessert shop, offering a variety of different bread puddings. Forget cup cakes, let us see more bread puddings.
Consistent Favorites
Favorite Brunch, Traditional Fare: For a third year, the winner is AKA Bistro in Lincoln.
Brunch, Traditional Fare-Honorable Mention: For a third year, my choice is Tupelo in Inman Square.
Favorite Brunch, Non-Traditional Fare: For the fourth year in a row, the winner is Myers & Chang in the South End.
Favorite Suburban Restaurant: For the third year in a row, the winner is AKA Bistro in Lincoln.
Favorite Japanese Restaurant: For a third year, the winner is Oishii in the South End.
Favorite Chinatown Restaurant: For a third year, the winner is Gourmet Dumpling House.
Favorite Somerville Restaurant: Last year, Bergamot was my Overall Favorite Restaurant and it continues to be worthy of kudos. I haven't been there as much this past year but need to remedy that in the new year. My highest recommendation.
Favorite Underappreciated Restaurant: For the third year, the winner is T.W. Food in Cambridge.
Favorite North End Restaurant, High End: For a third year, the winnner is Prezza.
Favorite North End Restaurant, Moderate: For a third year, the winner is Nebo.
Favorite North End Restaurant, Fusion: For a third year, the winner is Taranta.
Favorite Italian Restaurant, Somerville: For a third year, the winner is Pizzeria Posto.
Favorite North End Restaurant, Moderate: For a third year, the winner is Nebo.
Favorite North End Restaurant, Fusion: For a third year, the winner is Taranta.
Favorite Italian Restaurant, Somerville: For a third year, the winner is Pizzeria Posto.
Favorite Suburban Steak House: For a fourth year, the winner is Beacon Grille in Woburn.
Favorite Fried Seafood: For a third year, the winner is the Clam Box in Ipswich.
What were some of your favorite restaurants this year?
What were some of your favorite restaurants this year?
2012 In Review: A Collection of Lists
The lists do not necessarily address the "Best" of anything, as I have not partaken of everything in any category so cannot pass such judgments. However, every item on these lists gets my strongest recommendations and I have faith that they should strongly appeal to most of my readers. Kudos go to all of those who are listed in my Favorites as they have well earned the accolades.
This post collects links to all of my 2012 Favorite lists.
I hope you enjoy.
2012: Top Ten Wines Under $15
2012: Top Ten Wines Over $15
2012: Top Wines Over $50
2012: Favorite Wine Related Items
2012: Favorite Spirits & Drink Related Items
2012: Favorite Restaurants
2012: Favorite Food-Related Items
2012: Favorite Sake Items
2012: Favorite Spirits & Drink Related Items
What were some of my favorite spirits and drink-related items of the past year?
Let me continue the lists of my best recommendations and favorites of 2012. I have already posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, Top Ten Wines Over $15, Top Wines Over $50 and Favorite Wine Related Items lists. This post will now concentrate on some of my Favorite Spirits and Drink Related Items. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of compelling and memorable matters I have experienced and posted about over the past year.
This is also a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. But all of the items here have earned my strong recommendations and I hope you will enjoy them as well. This is the first year that this category has been given its own post because I have tasted and reviewed a far greater amount of spirits, cocktails and other drinks this year. For more spirits and drink related items, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.
Favorite Spirit & Cocktail Event: The first Boston Cocktail Summit was held this past October, a three day event dedicated to a great diversity of spirits and cocktails. Though there were a few logistical issues, which are common with most large, first time events, there was much to like about this summit. A myriad of interesting and informative seminars and discussions, three spirit tasting rooms, plenty of parties and much more. I had tons of fun, learned lots, consumed copious amounts of delicious spirits and cocktails and met plenty of cool people. I eagerly look forward to the next Summit and encourage everyone to check it out as well.
Favorite Spirits Trip: Last May, I visited Louisville, Kentucky to see the Kentucky Derby but also made plans to explore the world of bourbon. I got to hang out with my good friend Fred Minnick, who also put us up in his home for part of our trip. In addition, Fred helped me with some of my bourbon plans. I visited the distilleries of Four Roses and Buffalo Trace as well as met the owners of Jefferson's Bourbon. At different restaurants and bars, I sampled a myriad of bourbons, both straight and in cocktails (like Mint Juleps), as well as savored several foods prepared with bourbon, including a killer bourbon bread pudding. I had an exceptional time in Louisville and highly recommend it to anyone who loves bourbon. You should also check out my two Bourbon 101 posts, Part 1 and Part 2.
Favorite Bourbon: It is simply too difficult to choose a single favorite out of all the bourbons I tasted this year. There were too many bourbons that impressed me with their complexity, flavors, texture and more. So I will just list a handful of the bourbons which especially intrigued me, including: Elijah Craig 18 Year Old, Four Roses Japanese bourbons, Jefferson's Bourbons, Van Winkle Special Reserve, and Eagle Rare Antique. The bourbon world has much to offer and is well worthy of an exploration. Your palate will thank you.
Favorite Unusual Bourbon: If you like Bailey's Irish Cream, you will be amazed by the Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream Liqueur. It is made with real cream and has a rich, creamy and sweet taste, just pure hedonistic pleasure. I even tried some mixed with some root beer, which was kind of like a float without the ice cream, and it was delicious. Sadly, this is currently only available at the distillery but we can hope that they will distribute it outside Kentucky in the near future.
Favorite Spirits Dinner: Dinners paired with spirits and cocktails are starting to make their presence in Boston and I am a big supporter. The Glenmorangie Distillery Dinner at Avila was an exceptional event, with plenty of superb food and scotch. The distillery has a diverse portfolio of scotches, each presenting a unique flavor profile, and the pairings worked quite well. My favorite was their 18 Year Old, which is finished in Oloroso Sherry casks. The dinner, from the Goat Cheese Croquettes to the Wagyu Beef Cheeks, impressed me, especially as my last experience at the restaurant, years before, had been less than stellar. I hope the trend of spirit paired dinners continues to grow in 2013.
Favorite Scotch: Again, this was a tough choice but I felt there was one Scotch that eeked out a win against the others, though the race was extremely close. The Glenlivet Nàdurra is a 16 year old Scotch, which is unfiltered and left at cask strength, so it has an alcohol content of 54%. I found the Nàdurra to possess very intense and complex flavors, a harmonious collection of spice, herbs, honey and much more. You really need to sit with a glass of this and sip it slowly, to better understand its nuances. Though there is some heat from the alcohol, it is much more balanced than you might think.
Favorite Blended Scotch: The blended Scotch, Pig's Nose by Spencerfield, received its name from an old saying: "Tis said that our Scotch is as soft and as smooth as a Pig's Nose." It certainly lives up to its name, presenting a silky smooth mouth feel that caresses your palate. It is a blend of oak-aged Speyside, Islay and Lowland malts with Invergordon gentle grain whiskies. Its flavors run the gamut from caramel to nuts, from dried fruits to subtle smoke notes. A very easy drinking and delicious blended Scotch, it is something to savor and enjoy.
Favorite Irish Whiskey: This category was a tie between the The Irishman Single Malt and the Jameson Black Barrel. The Irishman is produced from 100% malted barley, triple distilled and then matured in first-fill bourbon and sherry oak casks. It is a more serious whiskey, being complex, subtle and intriguing. There is less sweetness and more spice than their Original Clan and the finish is even longer and more pleasing. This is definitely a whiskey to slowly sip and savor, and will appeal to all whiskey aficionados. The Jameson was created to make a sweeter style whiskey and I believe they succeeded in their objective. The Black Barrel is a blend of pot still whiskey and small batch grain whiskey, and they use virgin bourbon casks for aging. It has a sweet aroma, actually reminding me a bit of a nice bourbon, and on the palate, there is plenty of sweetness, yet not cloying. There were creamy tastes of vanilla, caramel, honey and even toasted marshmallow. It was mellow and smooth, with a lengthy and pleasing finish. A fine sipping whiskey, especially on a chilly autumn or winter evening.
Favorite Rye Whisky: Whistlepig Straight Rye Whiskey is made from 100% Rye, which currently comes from Canada, and it is aged and bottled at a farm in Vermont. The rye is 100 proof and has been aged a minimum of 10 years, seven in new, charred oak barrels and three more in used bourbon barrels. The aroma is a complex melange of appealing spice notes, all which present themselves up front on the palate, including some clove, anise, nutmeg, as well as hints of vanilla and caramel. It is the lengthy finish though that is even more impressive, silky smooth with a rich and compelling taste of butterscotch, vanilla and mint. This is definitely a fine sipping whiskey, something to slow savor with good friends.
Favorite Local Rums: Rum is once again being produced in Massachusetts and the new micro-distilleries are creating some tasty products. My two favorite local rums include a white and an amber. Andrew Cabot of Privateer Rum produces the compelling Silver Reserve White Rum, made only from cane sugar and brown sugar, without any molasses. It is 80 proof, and had a very appealing nose, smells of tropical fruit, such as banana, with herbal accents. Both come out on the palate as well, especially the herbs, such as anise and fennel. It actually presents a fairly complex taste, very different from many other white rums, and I very much enjoyed its herbal elements. In addition, it is fairly smooth on the palate, with only a mild bite on the finish, and I could easily drink it on its own. On the other hand, Turkey Shore Distilleries makes an impressive amber rum, Old Ipswich Tavern Style Amber. I was really enamored with this rum, which had plenty of complexity and depth, and interesting flavors of vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, herbs and a subtle smoky aspect. It actually reminded me of a whiskey in some regards, and I would certainly drink this on its own rather than mix into a cocktail.
Favorite Domestic Rum (Non-Local): Made in Colorado, the Montanya Distillers Oro Dark Rum is produced from water, sugar cane (from Maui, Hawaii), yeast and honey. It is aged in a fresh, American oak whiskey barrel that previously held Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey. The Oro was a fine sipping rum, with a pleasant blend of flavors, including vanilla, honey, caramel, and mocha hints. Nice complexity, great flavors and a satisfying finish.
Favorite Spiced Rum: The good folks from Turkey Shore Distilleries have made a limited edition Old Ipswich Golden Marsh Spiced Rum, basically a blend of 80% of their White Cap rum and 20% of their Tavern Style Amber with the addition of ten different spices. The rum presents a bright, golden yellow color and a spicy aroma, which will bring to mind autumn and cool weather. It has a smooth taste, with delicious fall spice notes and hints of orange peel. This is definitely a rum to enjoy now, either on its own or in a cocktail. Try it with some hot apple cider.
Favorite Flavored Rum: The Dunc's Mill Elderflower Rum is an intriguing flavored rum made in Vermont. It is created with Vermont elderflower blossoms and Austrian elder essence, which is infused into a light rum. I was impressed with this rum, which possessed a delightful floral aroma, and on the palate was smooth, clean and dry with a prominent, but not overwhelming, taste of elderflower. It was a well balanced spirit which reminded me somewhat of a dry version of St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur.
Favorite Vodka: I am very selective when it comes to vodka but Cariel Vodka was able to appeal to me. Made in Sweden, it is created from Swedish winter wheat and barley, as well as glacial water from Lake Vattern. I found the vodka to have an almost subtle sweetness to the aroma, with an intriguing and smooth taste, elements of herbs, grain, and subtle peach flavors. It is definitely not a tasteless vodka but rather presents an enticing melange of subtle tastes. Great on its own or in a cocktail.
Favorite Flavored Vodka: I am generally not a fan of flavored vodkas, but I did like the Cariel Vanilla Vodka, which sees the addition of vanilla from Southern India and Madagascar. It had a big, bold vanilla aroma and flavor, yet it remained only mildly sweet, not cloying or artificial like many other flavored vodkas. I can see this working well in the right cocktail.
Favorite Tequila: The Tanteo Jalapeno Infused Blanco Tequila is a blanco tequila infused with hand-sliced, organic jalapenos which are mixed in a 10,000 gallon tank with the tequila. On the nose, there are some grassy notes as well as the typical agave, and on the palate, the tequila flavor was very prominent up front. On the finish, rather than the usual tequila bite, you ended up with a spicy and delicious jalapeno burn. It was not overly spicy, but very noticeable and I loved that heat. I could easily enjoy this on its own though it would make great cocktails as well.
Favorite Pisco: The Macchu Pisco La Diablada is intended to be a high-end Peruvian Pisco and is currently not available in the U.S. but that will hopefully change soon. They only make 1000 bottles so even when it becomes available, it will be in very limited supply. La Diablada is a blend of 3 Pisco grapes: Quebranta, Moscatel and Italia that is rested, not aged, for about 18 months and sees no oak. It is very aromatic with a smooth taste of herbs and fruit, with some underlying spiciness. A complex taste with a lengthy and pleasing finish. Though many know of the Pisco Sour, this is a Pisco that you might want to enjoy on its own, rather than as the base for a cocktail.
Favorite Mezcal: Delirio de Oaxaca is a traditional palenque in Matatlan, Oaxaca, producing Mezcal by Master Distiller Fernando Santibanez. The Mezcal Joven is double distilled in copper alembics from 100% Agave Espadin and only 10,000 bottles were produced. It had an intriguing smoky nose with a prominent taste of agave fruit and a mild smokiness. Quite tasty and I could drink it on its own or in a cocktail. The Mezcal Reposado has been aged for about 4 months in lightly toasted American oak and only 5000 bottles were produced. It had a lighter nose of smoke, and on the palate it was softer and more subtle, with the same delicious fruit flavors and hints of smoke. Again, another winner. My preference between the two, by a slim margin, is the Reposado.
Favorite Simple Cocktail: In the hot Douro region of Portugal, the Port and Tonic cocktail is very popular. I had the Fonseca Siroco White Port, a dry Port, with some added tonic in a tall glass on the rocks, with a lemon slice. It reminded me of a vodka & tonic, but with more citrus flavors and a slight nuttiness. It was a clean and refreshing cocktail, perfect for a summer day.
Favorite Cocktail: Post 390 has created two similar cocktails, the Peach n' Pig and the Fig n' Pig. The Peach n' Pig was bacon infused and made with house-smoked Bulleit Bourbon, Punt E Mes, homemade peach simple syrup, homemade bitters, and a grilled peach garnish. It was a well balanced drink, smoky with a mild sweetness and nice vanilla and peach flavors. The Fig n' Pig was similar, but with Fig instead of the Peach, and it pleased me even more, with a greater depth of flavor. Both also paired well with food, especially pork dishes.
Favorite Margarita: The Masa restaurant, with locations in Boston and Woburn, infuses their own Reposado tequila to make a Habanero Watermelon Margarita. I love the taste of watermelon and this cocktail presented a nice watermelon taste, not too sweet, with a tequila undertone and a very spicy finish. If you love fiery heat, then you should check out this Margarita.
Favorite Frozen Cocktail: I think there is a pattern here as I am once again raving about another spicy cocktail, this time the Burro Colada from the Painted Burro. The Burro Colada is a frozen cocktail made with Ron Virgin, Cream of Coconut and Cayenne Pineapple Juice. The addition of the cayenne elevated this cocktail, providing a delicious spicy kick on the finish, balancing out the initial chill. A great variation on the traditional Pina Colada.
Favorite Restaurant/Bar For Cocktails: Though there are plenty of excellent places to get cocktails in the Boston area, I want to highlight three places which especially impressed me this year. The Painted Burro, with its huge list of tequilas and mezcals and intriguing cocktails and margaritas. Post 390, with its fresh ingredients and innovative cocktail creations like the Fig n' Pig. ArtBar, with a constantly changing list of intriguing and well made cocktails (plus killer sweet potato tots).
Cocktail Cupcakes: Cupcakes are another trend which I wish wasn't still saturating the market. However, there are still a few standouts worthy of recognition. Cakes For Occasions, in Danvers, has created their Cupcakes After 5, where they use alcohol to make a variety of cupcakes. First, the cupcakes were compelling, all properly moist while the frosting was light and creamy. Second, some of the flavors were impressive, including the Rum & Coke, Sam Adams Cream Stout, and the Bailey's Irish Cream. They showcased the flavors of the alcohol without overwhelming the cupcakes. These cupcakes are still relatively new and they are continuing to hone the flavors, creating new ones all the time.
Favorite Hard Cider: The Woodchuck Farmhouse Select Original '91 is a small batch hard cider made with Vermont apples and Belgian beer yeast. The '91 simply reflects the year that Woodchuck started production, and does not indicate the year of brewing. It has an alcohol content of 6.9% and is unfiltered, so it looks a bit cloudy and there are tiny pieces of apple still in it. It is primarily dry with a fascinating and complex taste of apple and spice notes. It is absolutely delicious, well balanced, and once you have a glass, you will desire another. Some hard ciders are simple but tasty drinks while others attain for higher heights, to be something to slowly savor and enjoy. This Farmhouse Select reaches those heights.
Runner-Up Hard Cider: Made in Somerville, the Bantam Cider also impresses. It contains only fermented pressed apples, honey and sulfites. The apples are a mix of Cortland, Empire, Macintosh and green apples, all from western Massachusetts. They use a sparkling wine yeast and ferment it dry, adding the honey later more for body than sweetness. It has an alcohol content of 6%, is gluten free and is mostly dry, with only a light sweetness. There are lots of tasty apple flavors, hints of some floral elements and a fuller body than some other hard ciders. It was refreshing and the type of hard cider that you can easily drink a few bottles on a nice summer day.
Favorite Beer: I am generally not a beer guy so you rarely see beer reviews on my site. But this year I tasted a beer which did appeal to me, the Innis and Gunn Rum Cask. Innis and Gunn is a Scottish brewery, established in 2003, and they oak age their beers. This limited edition beer is aged in old rum barrels. This beer has a deep reddish color and the taste is compelling, a melange of tropical fruit and spice with a very mild beer flavor. It reminded me of the Caribbean, and I could see it also being food friendly. Even if you dislike beer, you should give this a chance.
Favorite New Alcohol Column: This year, I started a new series on my blog called Authors, Alcohol & Accolades. There are currently six installments of this series, each containing interviews with four different authors, asking them about their favorite drinks, alcoholic and nonalcoholic. In addition, each of the authors has written books which I enjoyed so I also provide book recommendations in these posts. It has been a fun series, and it has been cool to learn what some of my favorite authors like to drink.
What were some of your favorite spirits and drink related items this year?
Let me continue the lists of my best recommendations and favorites of 2012. I have already posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, Top Ten Wines Over $15, Top Wines Over $50 and Favorite Wine Related Items lists. This post will now concentrate on some of my Favorite Spirits and Drink Related Items. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of compelling and memorable matters I have experienced and posted about over the past year.
This is also a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. But all of the items here have earned my strong recommendations and I hope you will enjoy them as well. This is the first year that this category has been given its own post because I have tasted and reviewed a far greater amount of spirits, cocktails and other drinks this year. For more spirits and drink related items, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.
Favorite Spirit & Cocktail Event: The first Boston Cocktail Summit was held this past October, a three day event dedicated to a great diversity of spirits and cocktails. Though there were a few logistical issues, which are common with most large, first time events, there was much to like about this summit. A myriad of interesting and informative seminars and discussions, three spirit tasting rooms, plenty of parties and much more. I had tons of fun, learned lots, consumed copious amounts of delicious spirits and cocktails and met plenty of cool people. I eagerly look forward to the next Summit and encourage everyone to check it out as well.
Favorite Spirits Trip: Last May, I visited Louisville, Kentucky to see the Kentucky Derby but also made plans to explore the world of bourbon. I got to hang out with my good friend Fred Minnick, who also put us up in his home for part of our trip. In addition, Fred helped me with some of my bourbon plans. I visited the distilleries of Four Roses and Buffalo Trace as well as met the owners of Jefferson's Bourbon. At different restaurants and bars, I sampled a myriad of bourbons, both straight and in cocktails (like Mint Juleps), as well as savored several foods prepared with bourbon, including a killer bourbon bread pudding. I had an exceptional time in Louisville and highly recommend it to anyone who loves bourbon. You should also check out my two Bourbon 101 posts, Part 1 and Part 2.
Favorite Bourbon: It is simply too difficult to choose a single favorite out of all the bourbons I tasted this year. There were too many bourbons that impressed me with their complexity, flavors, texture and more. So I will just list a handful of the bourbons which especially intrigued me, including: Elijah Craig 18 Year Old, Four Roses Japanese bourbons, Jefferson's Bourbons, Van Winkle Special Reserve, and Eagle Rare Antique. The bourbon world has much to offer and is well worthy of an exploration. Your palate will thank you.
Favorite Unusual Bourbon: If you like Bailey's Irish Cream, you will be amazed by the Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream Liqueur. It is made with real cream and has a rich, creamy and sweet taste, just pure hedonistic pleasure. I even tried some mixed with some root beer, which was kind of like a float without the ice cream, and it was delicious. Sadly, this is currently only available at the distillery but we can hope that they will distribute it outside Kentucky in the near future.
Favorite Spirits Dinner: Dinners paired with spirits and cocktails are starting to make their presence in Boston and I am a big supporter. The Glenmorangie Distillery Dinner at Avila was an exceptional event, with plenty of superb food and scotch. The distillery has a diverse portfolio of scotches, each presenting a unique flavor profile, and the pairings worked quite well. My favorite was their 18 Year Old, which is finished in Oloroso Sherry casks. The dinner, from the Goat Cheese Croquettes to the Wagyu Beef Cheeks, impressed me, especially as my last experience at the restaurant, years before, had been less than stellar. I hope the trend of spirit paired dinners continues to grow in 2013.
Favorite Scotch: Again, this was a tough choice but I felt there was one Scotch that eeked out a win against the others, though the race was extremely close. The Glenlivet Nàdurra is a 16 year old Scotch, which is unfiltered and left at cask strength, so it has an alcohol content of 54%. I found the Nàdurra to possess very intense and complex flavors, a harmonious collection of spice, herbs, honey and much more. You really need to sit with a glass of this and sip it slowly, to better understand its nuances. Though there is some heat from the alcohol, it is much more balanced than you might think.
Favorite Blended Scotch: The blended Scotch, Pig's Nose by Spencerfield, received its name from an old saying: "Tis said that our Scotch is as soft and as smooth as a Pig's Nose." It certainly lives up to its name, presenting a silky smooth mouth feel that caresses your palate. It is a blend of oak-aged Speyside, Islay and Lowland malts with Invergordon gentle grain whiskies. Its flavors run the gamut from caramel to nuts, from dried fruits to subtle smoke notes. A very easy drinking and delicious blended Scotch, it is something to savor and enjoy.
Favorite Irish Whiskey: This category was a tie between the The Irishman Single Malt and the Jameson Black Barrel. The Irishman is produced from 100% malted barley, triple distilled and then matured in first-fill bourbon and sherry oak casks. It is a more serious whiskey, being complex, subtle and intriguing. There is less sweetness and more spice than their Original Clan and the finish is even longer and more pleasing. This is definitely a whiskey to slowly sip and savor, and will appeal to all whiskey aficionados. The Jameson was created to make a sweeter style whiskey and I believe they succeeded in their objective. The Black Barrel is a blend of pot still whiskey and small batch grain whiskey, and they use virgin bourbon casks for aging. It has a sweet aroma, actually reminding me a bit of a nice bourbon, and on the palate, there is plenty of sweetness, yet not cloying. There were creamy tastes of vanilla, caramel, honey and even toasted marshmallow. It was mellow and smooth, with a lengthy and pleasing finish. A fine sipping whiskey, especially on a chilly autumn or winter evening.
Favorite Rye Whisky: Whistlepig Straight Rye Whiskey is made from 100% Rye, which currently comes from Canada, and it is aged and bottled at a farm in Vermont. The rye is 100 proof and has been aged a minimum of 10 years, seven in new, charred oak barrels and three more in used bourbon barrels. The aroma is a complex melange of appealing spice notes, all which present themselves up front on the palate, including some clove, anise, nutmeg, as well as hints of vanilla and caramel. It is the lengthy finish though that is even more impressive, silky smooth with a rich and compelling taste of butterscotch, vanilla and mint. This is definitely a fine sipping whiskey, something to slow savor with good friends.
Favorite Local Rums: Rum is once again being produced in Massachusetts and the new micro-distilleries are creating some tasty products. My two favorite local rums include a white and an amber. Andrew Cabot of Privateer Rum produces the compelling Silver Reserve White Rum, made only from cane sugar and brown sugar, without any molasses. It is 80 proof, and had a very appealing nose, smells of tropical fruit, such as banana, with herbal accents. Both come out on the palate as well, especially the herbs, such as anise and fennel. It actually presents a fairly complex taste, very different from many other white rums, and I very much enjoyed its herbal elements. In addition, it is fairly smooth on the palate, with only a mild bite on the finish, and I could easily drink it on its own. On the other hand, Turkey Shore Distilleries makes an impressive amber rum, Old Ipswich Tavern Style Amber. I was really enamored with this rum, which had plenty of complexity and depth, and interesting flavors of vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, herbs and a subtle smoky aspect. It actually reminded me of a whiskey in some regards, and I would certainly drink this on its own rather than mix into a cocktail.
Favorite Domestic Rum (Non-Local): Made in Colorado, the Montanya Distillers Oro Dark Rum is produced from water, sugar cane (from Maui, Hawaii), yeast and honey. It is aged in a fresh, American oak whiskey barrel that previously held Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey. The Oro was a fine sipping rum, with a pleasant blend of flavors, including vanilla, honey, caramel, and mocha hints. Nice complexity, great flavors and a satisfying finish.
Favorite Spiced Rum: The good folks from Turkey Shore Distilleries have made a limited edition Old Ipswich Golden Marsh Spiced Rum, basically a blend of 80% of their White Cap rum and 20% of their Tavern Style Amber with the addition of ten different spices. The rum presents a bright, golden yellow color and a spicy aroma, which will bring to mind autumn and cool weather. It has a smooth taste, with delicious fall spice notes and hints of orange peel. This is definitely a rum to enjoy now, either on its own or in a cocktail. Try it with some hot apple cider.
Favorite Flavored Rum: The Dunc's Mill Elderflower Rum is an intriguing flavored rum made in Vermont. It is created with Vermont elderflower blossoms and Austrian elder essence, which is infused into a light rum. I was impressed with this rum, which possessed a delightful floral aroma, and on the palate was smooth, clean and dry with a prominent, but not overwhelming, taste of elderflower. It was a well balanced spirit which reminded me somewhat of a dry version of St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur.
Favorite Vodka: I am very selective when it comes to vodka but Cariel Vodka was able to appeal to me. Made in Sweden, it is created from Swedish winter wheat and barley, as well as glacial water from Lake Vattern. I found the vodka to have an almost subtle sweetness to the aroma, with an intriguing and smooth taste, elements of herbs, grain, and subtle peach flavors. It is definitely not a tasteless vodka but rather presents an enticing melange of subtle tastes. Great on its own or in a cocktail.
Favorite Flavored Vodka: I am generally not a fan of flavored vodkas, but I did like the Cariel Vanilla Vodka, which sees the addition of vanilla from Southern India and Madagascar. It had a big, bold vanilla aroma and flavor, yet it remained only mildly sweet, not cloying or artificial like many other flavored vodkas. I can see this working well in the right cocktail.
Favorite Tequila: The Tanteo Jalapeno Infused Blanco Tequila is a blanco tequila infused with hand-sliced, organic jalapenos which are mixed in a 10,000 gallon tank with the tequila. On the nose, there are some grassy notes as well as the typical agave, and on the palate, the tequila flavor was very prominent up front. On the finish, rather than the usual tequila bite, you ended up with a spicy and delicious jalapeno burn. It was not overly spicy, but very noticeable and I loved that heat. I could easily enjoy this on its own though it would make great cocktails as well.
Favorite Pisco: The Macchu Pisco La Diablada is intended to be a high-end Peruvian Pisco and is currently not available in the U.S. but that will hopefully change soon. They only make 1000 bottles so even when it becomes available, it will be in very limited supply. La Diablada is a blend of 3 Pisco grapes: Quebranta, Moscatel and Italia that is rested, not aged, for about 18 months and sees no oak. It is very aromatic with a smooth taste of herbs and fruit, with some underlying spiciness. A complex taste with a lengthy and pleasing finish. Though many know of the Pisco Sour, this is a Pisco that you might want to enjoy on its own, rather than as the base for a cocktail.
Favorite Mezcal: Delirio de Oaxaca is a traditional palenque in Matatlan, Oaxaca, producing Mezcal by Master Distiller Fernando Santibanez. The Mezcal Joven is double distilled in copper alembics from 100% Agave Espadin and only 10,000 bottles were produced. It had an intriguing smoky nose with a prominent taste of agave fruit and a mild smokiness. Quite tasty and I could drink it on its own or in a cocktail. The Mezcal Reposado has been aged for about 4 months in lightly toasted American oak and only 5000 bottles were produced. It had a lighter nose of smoke, and on the palate it was softer and more subtle, with the same delicious fruit flavors and hints of smoke. Again, another winner. My preference between the two, by a slim margin, is the Reposado.
Favorite Simple Cocktail: In the hot Douro region of Portugal, the Port and Tonic cocktail is very popular. I had the Fonseca Siroco White Port, a dry Port, with some added tonic in a tall glass on the rocks, with a lemon slice. It reminded me of a vodka & tonic, but with more citrus flavors and a slight nuttiness. It was a clean and refreshing cocktail, perfect for a summer day.
Favorite Cocktail: Post 390 has created two similar cocktails, the Peach n' Pig and the Fig n' Pig. The Peach n' Pig was bacon infused and made with house-smoked Bulleit Bourbon, Punt E Mes, homemade peach simple syrup, homemade bitters, and a grilled peach garnish. It was a well balanced drink, smoky with a mild sweetness and nice vanilla and peach flavors. The Fig n' Pig was similar, but with Fig instead of the Peach, and it pleased me even more, with a greater depth of flavor. Both also paired well with food, especially pork dishes.
Favorite Margarita: The Masa restaurant, with locations in Boston and Woburn, infuses their own Reposado tequila to make a Habanero Watermelon Margarita. I love the taste of watermelon and this cocktail presented a nice watermelon taste, not too sweet, with a tequila undertone and a very spicy finish. If you love fiery heat, then you should check out this Margarita.
Favorite Frozen Cocktail: I think there is a pattern here as I am once again raving about another spicy cocktail, this time the Burro Colada from the Painted Burro. The Burro Colada is a frozen cocktail made with Ron Virgin, Cream of Coconut and Cayenne Pineapple Juice. The addition of the cayenne elevated this cocktail, providing a delicious spicy kick on the finish, balancing out the initial chill. A great variation on the traditional Pina Colada.
Favorite Restaurant/Bar For Cocktails: Though there are plenty of excellent places to get cocktails in the Boston area, I want to highlight three places which especially impressed me this year. The Painted Burro, with its huge list of tequilas and mezcals and intriguing cocktails and margaritas. Post 390, with its fresh ingredients and innovative cocktail creations like the Fig n' Pig. ArtBar, with a constantly changing list of intriguing and well made cocktails (plus killer sweet potato tots).
Cocktail Cupcakes: Cupcakes are another trend which I wish wasn't still saturating the market. However, there are still a few standouts worthy of recognition. Cakes For Occasions, in Danvers, has created their Cupcakes After 5, where they use alcohol to make a variety of cupcakes. First, the cupcakes were compelling, all properly moist while the frosting was light and creamy. Second, some of the flavors were impressive, including the Rum & Coke, Sam Adams Cream Stout, and the Bailey's Irish Cream. They showcased the flavors of the alcohol without overwhelming the cupcakes. These cupcakes are still relatively new and they are continuing to hone the flavors, creating new ones all the time.
Favorite Hard Cider: The Woodchuck Farmhouse Select Original '91 is a small batch hard cider made with Vermont apples and Belgian beer yeast. The '91 simply reflects the year that Woodchuck started production, and does not indicate the year of brewing. It has an alcohol content of 6.9% and is unfiltered, so it looks a bit cloudy and there are tiny pieces of apple still in it. It is primarily dry with a fascinating and complex taste of apple and spice notes. It is absolutely delicious, well balanced, and once you have a glass, you will desire another. Some hard ciders are simple but tasty drinks while others attain for higher heights, to be something to slowly savor and enjoy. This Farmhouse Select reaches those heights.
Runner-Up Hard Cider: Made in Somerville, the Bantam Cider also impresses. It contains only fermented pressed apples, honey and sulfites. The apples are a mix of Cortland, Empire, Macintosh and green apples, all from western Massachusetts. They use a sparkling wine yeast and ferment it dry, adding the honey later more for body than sweetness. It has an alcohol content of 6%, is gluten free and is mostly dry, with only a light sweetness. There are lots of tasty apple flavors, hints of some floral elements and a fuller body than some other hard ciders. It was refreshing and the type of hard cider that you can easily drink a few bottles on a nice summer day.
Favorite Beer: I am generally not a beer guy so you rarely see beer reviews on my site. But this year I tasted a beer which did appeal to me, the Innis and Gunn Rum Cask. Innis and Gunn is a Scottish brewery, established in 2003, and they oak age their beers. This limited edition beer is aged in old rum barrels. This beer has a deep reddish color and the taste is compelling, a melange of tropical fruit and spice with a very mild beer flavor. It reminded me of the Caribbean, and I could see it also being food friendly. Even if you dislike beer, you should give this a chance.
Favorite New Alcohol Column: This year, I started a new series on my blog called Authors, Alcohol & Accolades. There are currently six installments of this series, each containing interviews with four different authors, asking them about their favorite drinks, alcoholic and nonalcoholic. In addition, each of the authors has written books which I enjoyed so I also provide book recommendations in these posts. It has been a fun series, and it has been cool to learn what some of my favorite authors like to drink.
What were some of your favorite spirits and drink related items this year?
Thursday Sips & Nibbles
I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1) Executive Chef Eric Gburski and Owner Brian Poe are rolling out weekend brunch at Estelle’s and Gburski will be serving up some Southern-inspired homestyle attractions.
For starters, options include: Spicy Smoked-Chicken Liver Deviled Eggs ($3.95); Estelle’s House Pickle Plate (a variety of seasonal pickles with a pickled egg & buttermilk ranch sauce - $6.25); “No Tomatoes, No Beans & No Crying” Authentic Texas Chili (spicy beef & beer chili with cheddar cheese, sour cream & cilantro - $7.95); Buttermilk Biscuits & Sausage Gravy ($6.95); and, Crispy Fried Chicken Livers (with orange marmalade, garlic seared greens & tobacco onions - $6.95).
Gburski is also serving up eight signature brunch plates with selections like: Pain Perdu (Louisiana French toast with sweet battered brioche with orange marmalade & molasses grilled banana - $8.95); Stuffed French Toast “Monte Cristo Style” (smoked turkey, Tasso ham & Gruyère cheese crispy fried with spiced fries - $12.95); Wings Over Waffles (buttermilk fried chicken wings with cornmeal Belgian waffles & dried cranberry gastrique - $10.95); Brisket & Sweet Potato Hash (with cheesy scrambled eggs, buttered toast & house jelly - $12.95); and, Frank’s Brunch Burger (topped with a single runny egg, cheddar cheese, tobacco onions & spicy aioli with house cut fries - $12.95).
Estelle’s will offer a variety of side orders such as: Molasses Grilled Banana ($4.25); Watermelon Radish Salad ($3.25); Garlic Seared Greens ($3.95); Red Beans & Rice ($4.25); and, “Hot as Hell” Scotch Bonnet Sausage ($4.95). To wash it all down, there are three specialty cocktails ($8.95 each): Mimosa; South End Screwdriver; and, Bloody Estelle’s.
Estelle’s will serve weekend brunch from 11am-3pm.
2) The Beehive is hosting its first-ever holiday Gospel Concert featuring The Roxbury Presbyterian Praise Team on Wednesday, December 19th, from 8pm-12am. Guests can enjoy their favorite holiday melodies while enjoying food and drink including specials from the evening’s sponsor, Bulleit Rye.
The evening’s entertainment will be led by Aaron Bellamy, who has put on many jazz-induced funky performances at The Beehive as co-leader of the Funky Abs. He is the go-to bassist for funk in Boston, but on December 19th he will show his talents in the gospel genre as he leads his band and four singers from his regular Sunday appearance at The Roxbury Presbyterian Church in taking the stage to perform soul-inspired Christmas classics.
The Beehive’s professional bartender team will be serving up some of their highly acclaimed cocktails from the from sponsor Bulleit Rye including the El Chicano, made with Bulleit Rye, Kahlua, Coffee Bitters and a Dash of Illegal Mezcal Joven, $12.50, and other specialty cocktails available that night only.
For dinner reservations or for more information please call 617-423-0069. No cover charge, cash bar, reservations recommended.
3) In the holiday spirit, next week's Cheese Tuesday at L’Espalier will be a very special one for fromager and maitre d’ Louis Risoli – host of the evening – as he celebrates “An Italian Holiday” family tradition with guests, featuring his favorite Italian cheeses and a three-course holiday feast prepared from his family's generations-old recipes.
On the menu, guests will find dishes that Louis’ aunts, mother and Nonna prepared every Christmas and Easter, all served with complementary wines (the family is from Piacenza, Italy, so Parmigiano Reggiano is sure to be a star ingredient). This is a Cheese Tuesday near and dear to Louis’ heart, as he and Chef de cuisine Matt Delisle recently spent an entire day learning to prepare this holiday meal with Louis’ relatives. Enjoy this meaningful meal as Louis shares family stories, and end the evening with an unforgettable “cheese song”.
Cheese Tuesday is hosted by Fromager and Mâitre d’ Louis Risoli and Sommelier Erich Schliebe who offer a tasting event that combines wine and cheese in a casual setting with commentary about each course and its wine pairing, respectively. Cheese Expert Louis Risoli has defined the role of Grand Fromager across the East Coast, is a speaker at national cheese conferences, and is well versed in worldwide cheese varietals and culinary cheese trends. He is one of the few individuals in the country to recently receive certification as an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional ™.
Sommelier Erich Schliebe loves wine because a good bottle has everything he loves about literature: history, geography, sociology, economics, science, and psychology. He can be found comparing wine characteristics to famous artwork, martial artists, and rock bands, making the extent of his wine knowledge approachable and fun.
An "Italian Holiday" will be held on Tuesday, December 18, at 7pm. The cost is $85 per person, not including tax and gratuity. Reservations are required and can be made by calling L’Espalier directly at (617) 262-3023.
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1) Executive Chef Eric Gburski and Owner Brian Poe are rolling out weekend brunch at Estelle’s and Gburski will be serving up some Southern-inspired homestyle attractions.
For starters, options include: Spicy Smoked-Chicken Liver Deviled Eggs ($3.95); Estelle’s House Pickle Plate (a variety of seasonal pickles with a pickled egg & buttermilk ranch sauce - $6.25); “No Tomatoes, No Beans & No Crying” Authentic Texas Chili (spicy beef & beer chili with cheddar cheese, sour cream & cilantro - $7.95); Buttermilk Biscuits & Sausage Gravy ($6.95); and, Crispy Fried Chicken Livers (with orange marmalade, garlic seared greens & tobacco onions - $6.95).
Gburski is also serving up eight signature brunch plates with selections like: Pain Perdu (Louisiana French toast with sweet battered brioche with orange marmalade & molasses grilled banana - $8.95); Stuffed French Toast “Monte Cristo Style” (smoked turkey, Tasso ham & Gruyère cheese crispy fried with spiced fries - $12.95); Wings Over Waffles (buttermilk fried chicken wings with cornmeal Belgian waffles & dried cranberry gastrique - $10.95); Brisket & Sweet Potato Hash (with cheesy scrambled eggs, buttered toast & house jelly - $12.95); and, Frank’s Brunch Burger (topped with a single runny egg, cheddar cheese, tobacco onions & spicy aioli with house cut fries - $12.95).
Estelle’s will offer a variety of side orders such as: Molasses Grilled Banana ($4.25); Watermelon Radish Salad ($3.25); Garlic Seared Greens ($3.95); Red Beans & Rice ($4.25); and, “Hot as Hell” Scotch Bonnet Sausage ($4.95). To wash it all down, there are three specialty cocktails ($8.95 each): Mimosa; South End Screwdriver; and, Bloody Estelle’s.
Estelle’s will serve weekend brunch from 11am-3pm.
2) The Beehive is hosting its first-ever holiday Gospel Concert featuring The Roxbury Presbyterian Praise Team on Wednesday, December 19th, from 8pm-12am. Guests can enjoy their favorite holiday melodies while enjoying food and drink including specials from the evening’s sponsor, Bulleit Rye.
The evening’s entertainment will be led by Aaron Bellamy, who has put on many jazz-induced funky performances at The Beehive as co-leader of the Funky Abs. He is the go-to bassist for funk in Boston, but on December 19th he will show his talents in the gospel genre as he leads his band and four singers from his regular Sunday appearance at The Roxbury Presbyterian Church in taking the stage to perform soul-inspired Christmas classics.
The Beehive’s professional bartender team will be serving up some of their highly acclaimed cocktails from the from sponsor Bulleit Rye including the El Chicano, made with Bulleit Rye, Kahlua, Coffee Bitters and a Dash of Illegal Mezcal Joven, $12.50, and other specialty cocktails available that night only.
For dinner reservations or for more information please call 617-423-0069. No cover charge, cash bar, reservations recommended.
3) In the holiday spirit, next week's Cheese Tuesday at L’Espalier will be a very special one for fromager and maitre d’ Louis Risoli – host of the evening – as he celebrates “An Italian Holiday” family tradition with guests, featuring his favorite Italian cheeses and a three-course holiday feast prepared from his family's generations-old recipes.
On the menu, guests will find dishes that Louis’ aunts, mother and Nonna prepared every Christmas and Easter, all served with complementary wines (the family is from Piacenza, Italy, so Parmigiano Reggiano is sure to be a star ingredient). This is a Cheese Tuesday near and dear to Louis’ heart, as he and Chef de cuisine Matt Delisle recently spent an entire day learning to prepare this holiday meal with Louis’ relatives. Enjoy this meaningful meal as Louis shares family stories, and end the evening with an unforgettable “cheese song”.
Cheese Tuesday is hosted by Fromager and Mâitre d’ Louis Risoli and Sommelier Erich Schliebe who offer a tasting event that combines wine and cheese in a casual setting with commentary about each course and its wine pairing, respectively. Cheese Expert Louis Risoli has defined the role of Grand Fromager across the East Coast, is a speaker at national cheese conferences, and is well versed in worldwide cheese varietals and culinary cheese trends. He is one of the few individuals in the country to recently receive certification as an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional ™.
Sommelier Erich Schliebe loves wine because a good bottle has everything he loves about literature: history, geography, sociology, economics, science, and psychology. He can be found comparing wine characteristics to famous artwork, martial artists, and rock bands, making the extent of his wine knowledge approachable and fun.
An "Italian Holiday" will be held on Tuesday, December 18, at 7pm. The cost is $85 per person, not including tax and gratuity. Reservations are required and can be made by calling L’Espalier directly at (617) 262-3023.
Thursday Sips & Nibbles: New Year's Eve Edition
I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently. This is a special New Year's Eve edition, showcasing numerous options for that holiday.
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1) This New Year’s Eve, Belly Wine Bar welcomes 2013 with tunes, dancing, wine (in both magnum and boxed form), cured meats and offal. With two different start times for both the early and late-night inclined, the folks at Belly are entertaining until the clock strikes 12, in a celebration complete with marrow bone luges and music mixed by DJ Just Joan. Price is $70 per guest for entry between 6pm-7pm, and $85 per guest for entry between 9pm-10pm.
2) If you’re anything like the folks from Central Bottle Wine + Provisions, you know there’s no better way to kick off a party than good food and great wine. This year, the Central Bottle team continues their annual New Year’s Eve tradition with $1.00 Island Creek Oysters and a line-up of bubbly from 5pm-9pm. Guests are invited to raise a glass and sling back bivalves before heading out on the town to celebrate 2013.
3) Ring in the New Year in Kenmore Square with Eastern Standard’s regular menu of American brasserie fare as well as a selection of festive specials. Whether you’re dining with someone special or gathering with friends, a celebratory sparkling wine menu with a variety of bubbles available by the glass, bottle, magnum and jeroboam offers the perfect toast to 2013. In addition to regular breakfast and lunch service, ES will serve dinner until 12am, with the late night menu offered until 1:30am and drinks at the bar until 2am. And with The Hawthorne and Island Creek Oyster Bar under the same roof, you ought to get yourself a room at the Hotel Commonwealth and make a night of it.
4) In the heart of Harvard Square, Grafton Street will offer a three-course prix fixe specially created by Executive Chef Eric Gregory ($48 per person with a $10 discount for reservations before 6:30pm). An optional $18 beer or wine pairing will be available to enhance the celebration. From 5pm-9pm, guests can order the prix fixe menu or order a la carte and from the bar menu. The bar menu will be available 9pm-11pm for pre-midnight munching. After dinner, dance your way into 2013 as DJ Axel Foley spins tunes and enjoy a complimentary champagne toast when the ball drops at midnight. Tickets for the late night party are $20 in advance and $30 at the door from 9pm-2am.
5) Lumiere rings in 2013 with a three-course prix fixe feast crafted by six-time James Beard Award nominated Chef and Owner Michael Leviton. As the Board Chair of Chefs Collaborative, Chef Leviton puts his sustainable stamp on the celebratory feast with local/seasonal ingredient-heavy dishes like Hand-Harvested Maine Sea Scallops, Rainbow Ranch Grass-Fed Beef Tenderloin and Apple & Cranberry Maple Almond Crisp. Cost is $80 per person plus $30 for optional wine pairings. Regular dinner service will run from 5:30pm-11:30pm, followed by a celebratory toast at midnight.
6) New Year’s Eve is a breeze at The Grafton Group’s newest destination in the heart of Harvard Square. In addition to free parking and no cover (score!), PARK offers the full menu alongside Executive Chef Mark Goldberg’s one-night-only a la carte options, including “Hot & Cold” Katama Oysters, Grilled Filet of Beef with a side of Béarnaise sauce and Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta. At midnight, noise makers, hats and tiaras will add an extra dose of cheer as PARK welcomes 2013 with a complimentary champagne toast. Dinner will be served from 5pm-10pm, the late night menu will be available from 10pm-12am and the bar will pour drinks until 2:00am
7) Gather in Harvard Square with friends and family at Russell House Tavern for a celebratory three-course prix fixe menu featuring special seasonal fare from Executive Chef Michael Scelfo ($59 per person, with a $10 discount for reservations before 6:30pm). To enhance the festivities, Bar Manager Sam Gabrielli has selected toast-worthy beers and wines for an optional $18 pairing. The prix fixe menu will be served from 5pm-10pm and the tavern menu will be available until midnight.
8) Ring in 2013 at Temple Bar with Executive Chef Greg Boschetti’s three-course prix fixe menu ($55 per person, with a $10 discount for reservations before 6:30 PM) featuring decadent dishes like Lobster Egg Benedict, Slow Braised Venison Osso Bucco and Mexican Chocolate Bread Pudding. Guests can toast to the year ahead with optional wine pairings, champagne and specialty cocktails, available for an additional charge. The prix fixe menu will be served from 5pm-10pm. For additional New Year’s noshing, the late night menu will be served 10pm-12am and the bar will pour drinks until 2:00am.
9) Aura Restaurant at the Seaport Hotel will celebrate New Year’s Eve with an elegant five-course prix fixe menu, from 5:30pm-10pm, accompanied by the musical stylings of the Lance Houston Ensemble and a midnight champagne toast. For the amuse course, Executive Chef Robert Tobin will serve Hash & Eggs (short ribs, potato, egg). For the first course, there are three options: Kabocha & Chestnut Soup “En Cocotte”; Classic Fish Soup; or, The French Salad (frisée, lardoons, quail egg, warm vinaigrette). For the second course, revelers will choose: Mushroom Flight (soup, steak and Napoleon); Chicken Mousse (piccalilli, pretzel bread); or, Crispy Pork Belly (hot & sour soup, kale chips). Seafood-themed third course selections include: Crispy Cod (cabbage, parsnips, romensco); Braised Bass (Guinness, root vegetables); or, Seafood Paella (orzo, calamari, scallops, lobster, mussels, clams). Moving onto the fourth course, another three options: Surf & Turf (filet & lobster, potato gratin, carrots); Slow Roasted Duck (Seaport honey, crispy cottage pie); or, Lamb Shank (mostarda, citrus, vanilla, squash). The grand finale of the evening is a Trio of Desserts (Grand Mariner Brûlée; Chocolate Ganache Cake; Braised Cherry Tart with brown butter filling). The cost is $98 per person.
10) For New Year's Eve, from 5pm-11pm, Avila Modern Mediterranean's Executive Chef Rodney Murillo will serve a four-course prix fixe in addition to his regular menu. Available with optional wine pairings, the menu will be presented as follows. For the first course, there is Seared Foie Gras (roasted honey, crispy apple, port wine). Moving onto the second course, enjoy Hand-Rolled Potato Gnocchi (winter mushrooms, truffle cream). For an entrée, guests will have their choice of Beef Tenderloin (parsnip ravioli, lobster béarnaise) or Seared Red Snapper (littleneck clams, root vegetables, creamy fish fumet). For dessert, Pasty Chef Tom Ponticelli will serve up an array of selections. The cost is $65 per person; $85 w/ wine pairings.
11) Legal Harborside will celebrate New Year’s Eve under the stars at Liberty Wharf this year from 9:30pm-1:30am. Hosted atop the roof in a glass-enclosed space at Legal Harborside, it is the closest one comes to being in a snow globe. At this celebration bidding adieu to 2012 and welcoming 2013, revelers will enjoy the winter scene – complete with Legal Harborside’s copper-clad fireplace – and will eat, drink and be merry with a bird’s eye view of First Night’s midnight fireworks over Boston Harbor. In addition to being supplied with festive noisemakers and hats, tickets to this sky-high soiree include live music and a midnight toast with Gosset "Excellence" Brut NV bubbly. Legal Harborside will also offer table reservations to this year-end celebration. Cost is $45 per person; $400 per couch/table (up to six people).
12) This New Year’s Eve, guests can wine, dine and ring in 2013 with a rendezvous at Tryst in Arlington. Executive Chef Paul Turano will offer a special three course, prix fixe New Year’s Eve menu featuring some of the most popular dishes served over the past year. Guests can begin with favorites such as the Grilled Prawn & Maine Crab Cake with red grapefruit, avocado & pepper aioli and the Duck & Scallion Dumplings with pickled ginger vinaigrette before “getting serious” with entrees such as the Pig Under a Brick, slow roasted pork shoulder, sweet potato polenta, cranberry-pomegranate mostarda & Swiss chard, Miso Glazed Sea Scallops with braised Brussels sprouts & butternut squash risotto and the Slow Braised Lamb with potato puree, watercress salad & harissa roasted vegetables. Toast the New Year with Tryst’s craft cocktails including the Luce Del Sole, Ketel One Citroen, Aperol, & splashes of lemon, orange & grapefruit juices, The Parisian Pear, rosemary & pear infused vodka, Belle de Brillet Brandy, & lemon, and the Falls in Love, Bourbon, cherry liqueur, lemon & maple syrup.
Tryst’s New Year’s Eve menu is $45 per person (tax, gratuity and alcohol not included) and will be offered exclusively on Monday, December 31, from 5pm-11pm. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made by calling 781-641-2227.
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1) This New Year’s Eve, Belly Wine Bar welcomes 2013 with tunes, dancing, wine (in both magnum and boxed form), cured meats and offal. With two different start times for both the early and late-night inclined, the folks at Belly are entertaining until the clock strikes 12, in a celebration complete with marrow bone luges and music mixed by DJ Just Joan. Price is $70 per guest for entry between 6pm-7pm, and $85 per guest for entry between 9pm-10pm.
2) If you’re anything like the folks from Central Bottle Wine + Provisions, you know there’s no better way to kick off a party than good food and great wine. This year, the Central Bottle team continues their annual New Year’s Eve tradition with $1.00 Island Creek Oysters and a line-up of bubbly from 5pm-9pm. Guests are invited to raise a glass and sling back bivalves before heading out on the town to celebrate 2013.
3) Ring in the New Year in Kenmore Square with Eastern Standard’s regular menu of American brasserie fare as well as a selection of festive specials. Whether you’re dining with someone special or gathering with friends, a celebratory sparkling wine menu with a variety of bubbles available by the glass, bottle, magnum and jeroboam offers the perfect toast to 2013. In addition to regular breakfast and lunch service, ES will serve dinner until 12am, with the late night menu offered until 1:30am and drinks at the bar until 2am. And with The Hawthorne and Island Creek Oyster Bar under the same roof, you ought to get yourself a room at the Hotel Commonwealth and make a night of it.
4) In the heart of Harvard Square, Grafton Street will offer a three-course prix fixe specially created by Executive Chef Eric Gregory ($48 per person with a $10 discount for reservations before 6:30pm). An optional $18 beer or wine pairing will be available to enhance the celebration. From 5pm-9pm, guests can order the prix fixe menu or order a la carte and from the bar menu. The bar menu will be available 9pm-11pm for pre-midnight munching. After dinner, dance your way into 2013 as DJ Axel Foley spins tunes and enjoy a complimentary champagne toast when the ball drops at midnight. Tickets for the late night party are $20 in advance and $30 at the door from 9pm-2am.
5) Lumiere rings in 2013 with a three-course prix fixe feast crafted by six-time James Beard Award nominated Chef and Owner Michael Leviton. As the Board Chair of Chefs Collaborative, Chef Leviton puts his sustainable stamp on the celebratory feast with local/seasonal ingredient-heavy dishes like Hand-Harvested Maine Sea Scallops, Rainbow Ranch Grass-Fed Beef Tenderloin and Apple & Cranberry Maple Almond Crisp. Cost is $80 per person plus $30 for optional wine pairings. Regular dinner service will run from 5:30pm-11:30pm, followed by a celebratory toast at midnight.
6) New Year’s Eve is a breeze at The Grafton Group’s newest destination in the heart of Harvard Square. In addition to free parking and no cover (score!), PARK offers the full menu alongside Executive Chef Mark Goldberg’s one-night-only a la carte options, including “Hot & Cold” Katama Oysters, Grilled Filet of Beef with a side of Béarnaise sauce and Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta. At midnight, noise makers, hats and tiaras will add an extra dose of cheer as PARK welcomes 2013 with a complimentary champagne toast. Dinner will be served from 5pm-10pm, the late night menu will be available from 10pm-12am and the bar will pour drinks until 2:00am
7) Gather in Harvard Square with friends and family at Russell House Tavern for a celebratory three-course prix fixe menu featuring special seasonal fare from Executive Chef Michael Scelfo ($59 per person, with a $10 discount for reservations before 6:30pm). To enhance the festivities, Bar Manager Sam Gabrielli has selected toast-worthy beers and wines for an optional $18 pairing. The prix fixe menu will be served from 5pm-10pm and the tavern menu will be available until midnight.
8) Ring in 2013 at Temple Bar with Executive Chef Greg Boschetti’s three-course prix fixe menu ($55 per person, with a $10 discount for reservations before 6:30 PM) featuring decadent dishes like Lobster Egg Benedict, Slow Braised Venison Osso Bucco and Mexican Chocolate Bread Pudding. Guests can toast to the year ahead with optional wine pairings, champagne and specialty cocktails, available for an additional charge. The prix fixe menu will be served from 5pm-10pm. For additional New Year’s noshing, the late night menu will be served 10pm-12am and the bar will pour drinks until 2:00am.
9) Aura Restaurant at the Seaport Hotel will celebrate New Year’s Eve with an elegant five-course prix fixe menu, from 5:30pm-10pm, accompanied by the musical stylings of the Lance Houston Ensemble and a midnight champagne toast. For the amuse course, Executive Chef Robert Tobin will serve Hash & Eggs (short ribs, potato, egg). For the first course, there are three options: Kabocha & Chestnut Soup “En Cocotte”; Classic Fish Soup; or, The French Salad (frisée, lardoons, quail egg, warm vinaigrette). For the second course, revelers will choose: Mushroom Flight (soup, steak and Napoleon); Chicken Mousse (piccalilli, pretzel bread); or, Crispy Pork Belly (hot & sour soup, kale chips). Seafood-themed third course selections include: Crispy Cod (cabbage, parsnips, romensco); Braised Bass (Guinness, root vegetables); or, Seafood Paella (orzo, calamari, scallops, lobster, mussels, clams). Moving onto the fourth course, another three options: Surf & Turf (filet & lobster, potato gratin, carrots); Slow Roasted Duck (Seaport honey, crispy cottage pie); or, Lamb Shank (mostarda, citrus, vanilla, squash). The grand finale of the evening is a Trio of Desserts (Grand Mariner Brûlée; Chocolate Ganache Cake; Braised Cherry Tart with brown butter filling). The cost is $98 per person.
10) For New Year's Eve, from 5pm-11pm, Avila Modern Mediterranean's Executive Chef Rodney Murillo will serve a four-course prix fixe in addition to his regular menu. Available with optional wine pairings, the menu will be presented as follows. For the first course, there is Seared Foie Gras (roasted honey, crispy apple, port wine). Moving onto the second course, enjoy Hand-Rolled Potato Gnocchi (winter mushrooms, truffle cream). For an entrée, guests will have their choice of Beef Tenderloin (parsnip ravioli, lobster béarnaise) or Seared Red Snapper (littleneck clams, root vegetables, creamy fish fumet). For dessert, Pasty Chef Tom Ponticelli will serve up an array of selections. The cost is $65 per person; $85 w/ wine pairings.
11) Legal Harborside will celebrate New Year’s Eve under the stars at Liberty Wharf this year from 9:30pm-1:30am. Hosted atop the roof in a glass-enclosed space at Legal Harborside, it is the closest one comes to being in a snow globe. At this celebration bidding adieu to 2012 and welcoming 2013, revelers will enjoy the winter scene – complete with Legal Harborside’s copper-clad fireplace – and will eat, drink and be merry with a bird’s eye view of First Night’s midnight fireworks over Boston Harbor. In addition to being supplied with festive noisemakers and hats, tickets to this sky-high soiree include live music and a midnight toast with Gosset "Excellence" Brut NV bubbly. Legal Harborside will also offer table reservations to this year-end celebration. Cost is $45 per person; $400 per couch/table (up to six people).
12) This New Year’s Eve, guests can wine, dine and ring in 2013 with a rendezvous at Tryst in Arlington. Executive Chef Paul Turano will offer a special three course, prix fixe New Year’s Eve menu featuring some of the most popular dishes served over the past year. Guests can begin with favorites such as the Grilled Prawn & Maine Crab Cake with red grapefruit, avocado & pepper aioli and the Duck & Scallion Dumplings with pickled ginger vinaigrette before “getting serious” with entrees such as the Pig Under a Brick, slow roasted pork shoulder, sweet potato polenta, cranberry-pomegranate mostarda & Swiss chard, Miso Glazed Sea Scallops with braised Brussels sprouts & butternut squash risotto and the Slow Braised Lamb with potato puree, watercress salad & harissa roasted vegetables. Toast the New Year with Tryst’s craft cocktails including the Luce Del Sole, Ketel One Citroen, Aperol, & splashes of lemon, orange & grapefruit juices, The Parisian Pear, rosemary & pear infused vodka, Belle de Brillet Brandy, & lemon, and the Falls in Love, Bourbon, cherry liqueur, lemon & maple syrup.
Tryst’s New Year’s Eve menu is $45 per person (tax, gratuity and alcohol not included) and will be offered exclusively on Monday, December 31, from 5pm-11pm. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made by calling 781-641-2227.
2012: Favorite Wine Related Items
What were some of my favorite wine related items of the past year?
Let me continue the lists of my best recommendations and favorites of 2012. I have already posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, Top Ten Wines Over $15 and Top Wines Over $50 lists. This post will now concentrate on some of my Favorite Wine Related Items, which are not specific wine recommendations. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of compelling and memorable matters I have experienced and posted about over the past year.
This is also a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. But all of the items here have earned my strong recommendations and I hope you will enjoy them as well. For more wine related items, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.
Favorite Discount Wine Stores: Once again, this past year has been an economic challenge and wine prices have been on everyone's mind. Consumers want bargains, excellent value wines which won't stretch their wallets. You can buy the cheap wines which can be found in almost any wine store or instead, you can seek out excellent, value wines which put to shame those cheap wines. Certain discount wine stores provide not only excellent prices but also an interesting selection and good service. I want to highlight two such stores which do an especially good job, places where I go to seek bargains: Bin Ends in Braintree and Wine Connextion in North Andover. These stores have remained consistent over time, offering diverse and interesting bargain wines and you won't go wrong checking either of them out.
Favorite Suburban Wine & Cheese Store: Though I have visited the Concord Cheese Shop in prior years, I hadn't been there for at least a year or so until visiting it a couple of times this past year. I was reminded once again why it is an excellent destination for wine, cheese and gourmet foods. The wine selection is diverse, prices are good and you will find some wines here that many other stores do not carry. And all of their cheeses, a myriad of dairy pleasures, will please everyone. This is another shop you should patronize.
Favorite Wine Stores: This is a list of nine wine stores which consistently impress me with their selection and service. Each shop is worthy of your patronage and wine lovers should make the effort to visit these places if you have not done so yet.
Lower Falls Wine Company in Newton Lower Falls.
Winestone in Chestnut Hill.
The Reserve Bin in Foxboro.
Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose.
Vintages: Adventures in Wine in Belmont.
Spirited Gourmet in Belmont.
Wine-Sense in Andover.
Wine Bottega in Boston's North End.
Central Bottle Wine & Provisions in Cambridge.
Favorite Wine Magazine: For the fourth year in a row, Decanter, a British wine magazine, continues to impress me with its extensive coverage, including many less common wine regions, often ignored or marginalized in other wine publications. Plus it has an amusing wine cartoon in every issue. This is a magazine that consistently delivers fascinating articles and I always look forward to each issue. If you are not reading it, you should be.
Favorite Wine Book: Last year, my Favorite Wine Book was the first volume of The Drops of God, a Japanese manga, a comic book, about wine. Besides entertaining, the book also educated people about wine, helping to reduce the intimidation factor. In addition, some of the language it uses, especially in describing wine is quite poetic. During the past year, three more volumes have been released and once again I have selected it as my Favorite Wine Book. Check out my reviews of Volume 2, Volume 3 and New World. Every wine lover should read this series. Unfortunately, more volumes may not be published unless the books start generating more sales. Give this book a chance and you won't regret it.
Runner-Up Favorite Wine Book: The New York Times Book Of Wine offers an excellent selection of over 125 articles, written by about 28 different authors. It is not a collection of boring tasting notes but rather many thoughtful pieces on a great range of wine topics such as Spanish Sherry, the Japanese Koshu grape, serving alcohol to your children, Txakolina, Madeira, and natural winemaking. These are articles that everyone can enjoy, from those new to wine to the knowledgeable wine geeks. These articles will educate and entertain, and may even getting you thinking about wine in different ways.
Favorite Introductory Wine Book: For someone new to wine, Kevin Zraly's Windows On The World Complete Wine Course is an excellent choice. It presents a nice overview of the world of wine without deluging a reader with too much technical information. Though I have some issues with the presentation of certain wine information, it is still one of the best introductory books available. It is a fine starting point for a wine education.
Favorite Wine Dinner, Domestic: Indigenous and uncommon grapes, compelling wines, superb food, and great people all combined to create an exceptional wine dinner. Legal Harborside hosted Alessio Planeta of Planeta Wines, which owns six wine estates on Sicily. From a Sparkling wine made from Carricante to a red made with Nerello Mascele, many of the wines were fascinating and delicious, while the food, such as Ricotta Gnocchi with truffles and the Lobster Soup were amazing. It was fun and informative, tasty and stimulating.
Favorite Wine Dinner, International: This was an easy choice for a meat lover such as I. While in Chianti Classico, I had the honor of dining at the Antica Macelleria Cecchini, the renowned restaurant of Dario Cecchini, the signing butcher of Panzano. Dario is an extraordinary butcher and offers a prix fixe dinner with five courses of beef, some of the best beef you may ever eat. The steak tartare was simply prepared yet was outstanding, showcasing the taste of the quality beef and not hiding it behind lots of other ingredients. Plus, Dario is a true showman and made it an enjoyable experience. I could have dined here every night while I was in Tuscany. If you visit Tuscany, you must dine here at least once.
Favorite Single Winery Tasting: For the second year in a row, the same winery is involved in this category, though the location was different. As I mentioned last year, the wines of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region can be amazing, and Chateau La Nerthe is a stellar producer from this area. Last year, I tasted the wines at a superb lunch at L'Espalier and this year the lunch was held at Bistro du Midi. From the compelling Tavel Rosé to the 2009 Chateau La Nerthe "Clos de Beauvenir" Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, the wines did not disappoint. They paired well with delicious dishes such as the Coral Infused Chitarra Pasta with Maine Lobster. These are wines worth a splurge.
Favorite High-End Wine Tasting: The Vintus Tour presented 26 wineries, from all over the world, showcasing many higher end wines that reflected terroir, many which are also sustainable, organic or biodynamic. This was a stellar collection of wines, presenting many unique wines which impressed me, and it was a pleasure to get to chat with many of the wine makers. As it was a portfolio tasting, closed to the public, it was not overly crowded so you had the opportunity to take your time with the wines and ask the wine makers questions. Several of these wines ended up on my Top Wine lists.
Favorite Private Wine Tasting: My friend Adam, of Wine Zag, hosts a monthly blind tasting event which is always fun and interesting. Recently, he held a fascinating blind tasting of 90+ Cellars wines against a group of wines he handpicked to compete against them. This was an intriguing challenge and the results were enlightening. Plenty of great people attended the tasting and everyone enjoyed themselves. Unpretentious and casual, it was the type of wine tasting which would appeal to wine lovers of any knowledge levels. I look forward to Adam's next blind tasting event in January.
Favorite Wine Trip, International: Though it was also my only international wine trip this year, my visit to the Chianti Classico region was excellent, with great food, wine, scenery, people and more. Compared to other wine trips I have taken, it was certainly one of my favorites. My trip generated a dozen blog posts and several of the wines I tasted ended up on my Top Wine lists this year. Tuscany is so beautiful and the people were extremely nice. The food was often simple yet made from high quality and delicious ingredients. And so many delicious wines, from traditional Chianti Classico to compelling Vin Santo. It is a region I highly recommend.
Favorite Winery Visit: While in Chianti Classico, I was fortunate to get to visit the Isole e Olena winery, owned by Paolo di Marchi, the Philosopher-Peasant of Chianti Classico. I have met Paolo before but this was my first visit to his winery and it lived up to my expectations. You can read my thoughts in a two-part post (Part 1 and Part 2), but in short, the wines were superb, Paolo was fascinating and I learned much about the winery and the Chianti Classico region in general. I could have easily spent the entire day with Paolo, soaking in his knowledge and experience, while enjoying his amazing Cepparello.
Favorite Mega-Wine Event: Due to their size, large wine exhibitions can have their issues, especially due to the great crowds they generate. My favorite this year of these mega-events was the Mohegan Sun Wine Fest. Besides wine, they also present spirits, beer, and cider as well as plenty of food. The aisles between the tables are wide, there are two floors in the Grand Tasting and they seem to accommodate the crowds better than other events. In addition, besides a Grand Tasting, the Wine Fest has other excellent events such as an Elite Cru Tasting and a Celebrity Chef Dine Around. Several wines from this event ended up on my Top Wine lists this year and I look forward to this event next year.
Favorite Local Wine Bloggers: Locally, there is only a small number of blogs dedicated 50% or more to wine, being far outweighed by hundreds of local food blogs, some which occasionally touch on wine. But of that small group, there are a number who deserve praise for their devotion to wine. I see many of these people at local wine events and they have become good friends too. Kudos to Adam of Wine Zag, Robert of The Wellesley Wine Press, Rob of Fringe Wine, Jason of Ancient Fire Beverage, Todd of Vermont Wine Media and Marie of The Life of Vines. Please check out their wine blogs.
Top Wine Controversy: During the past year, I have ranted, usually on Mondays, about a variety of wine issues. But one of the most popular rants addressed the question of why a number of restaurant reviewers ignore wine in their reviews? It befuddles me that a restaurant review, which should comprehensively address the offerings of a restaurant, would ignore an important element such as the alcohol program. In my rant, I used the Boston Globe to illustrate this issue, showing how their main reviewer often ignored or gave short shrift to the wine and alcohol programs of most of the restaurants reviewed during the summer. I never received any response but plenty of others voiced their agreement that reviewers did a disservice by ignoring restaurant beverage programs.
Favorite Wine History Post: History intrigues me and I very much enjoy researching and writing histories about wine, though I often try to reach quite far back into history, to see the true roots of a wine and its region. This year, I wrote a four part series on The Origins of Port, extending back to the Phoenicians and proceeding through the formation of the nation of Portugal. Many other histories of Port begin much later, like during the 17th century but I felt the true origins lay many centuries earlier. I learned much in my researches and hope my readers benefited from it too.
Favorite Local Wine News: In 2011, a new law allowed local wineries to sell their wines at farmers markets and festivals. I saw that as very positive for local wineries and a later study showed its success. In 2011, sales of Massachusetts wines increased by an amazing 66%, primarily due to their ability to sell wine at the markets and festivals. Great news for local businesses during these tough economic times. Let us hope their success continued into 2012.
Kudos For Sherry Love: I love Spanish Sherry, from Fino to Oloroso, Manzanilla to Palo Cortado. Unfortunately, that places me in a tiny minority as Sherry, especially dry Sherry, is very much a niche beverage in the U.S. But locally, Sherry is gaining more love, especially by two restaurants, Tres Gatos and Taberna de Haro. Tres Gatos, in Jamaica Plain, now hosts Sherry Tuesdays, where you can sample sherries with pinchos. Taberna de Haro has recently expanded their restaurant and now carries 27 different Sherries, and will be adding more too. Both restaurants deserve big kudos for their passion and support of Sherry.
New Wine Job: Last February, I started a new endeavor, a part time job at the Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose. It has been fun and educational, helping customers select wines, providing recommendations and more. It provides an interesting glimpse into the mind of the wine consumer and has also fueled a number of blog posts. Stop by the store some time and let me help you choose some wines. Besides the wine, the store also stocks some delicious gourmet and artisan foods, so you have one stop shopping for a party.
What were some of your favorite wine related items this year?
Let me continue the lists of my best recommendations and favorites of 2012. I have already posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, Top Ten Wines Over $15 and Top Wines Over $50 lists. This post will now concentrate on some of my Favorite Wine Related Items, which are not specific wine recommendations. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of compelling and memorable matters I have experienced and posted about over the past year.
This is also a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. But all of the items here have earned my strong recommendations and I hope you will enjoy them as well. For more wine related items, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.
Favorite Discount Wine Stores: Once again, this past year has been an economic challenge and wine prices have been on everyone's mind. Consumers want bargains, excellent value wines which won't stretch their wallets. You can buy the cheap wines which can be found in almost any wine store or instead, you can seek out excellent, value wines which put to shame those cheap wines. Certain discount wine stores provide not only excellent prices but also an interesting selection and good service. I want to highlight two such stores which do an especially good job, places where I go to seek bargains: Bin Ends in Braintree and Wine Connextion in North Andover. These stores have remained consistent over time, offering diverse and interesting bargain wines and you won't go wrong checking either of them out.
Favorite Suburban Wine & Cheese Store: Though I have visited the Concord Cheese Shop in prior years, I hadn't been there for at least a year or so until visiting it a couple of times this past year. I was reminded once again why it is an excellent destination for wine, cheese and gourmet foods. The wine selection is diverse, prices are good and you will find some wines here that many other stores do not carry. And all of their cheeses, a myriad of dairy pleasures, will please everyone. This is another shop you should patronize.
Favorite Wine Stores: This is a list of nine wine stores which consistently impress me with their selection and service. Each shop is worthy of your patronage and wine lovers should make the effort to visit these places if you have not done so yet.
Lower Falls Wine Company in Newton Lower Falls.
Winestone in Chestnut Hill.
The Reserve Bin in Foxboro.
Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose.
Vintages: Adventures in Wine in Belmont.
Spirited Gourmet in Belmont.
Wine-Sense in Andover.
Wine Bottega in Boston's North End.
Central Bottle Wine & Provisions in Cambridge.
Favorite Wine Magazine: For the fourth year in a row, Decanter, a British wine magazine, continues to impress me with its extensive coverage, including many less common wine regions, often ignored or marginalized in other wine publications. Plus it has an amusing wine cartoon in every issue. This is a magazine that consistently delivers fascinating articles and I always look forward to each issue. If you are not reading it, you should be.
Favorite Wine Book: Last year, my Favorite Wine Book was the first volume of The Drops of God, a Japanese manga, a comic book, about wine. Besides entertaining, the book also educated people about wine, helping to reduce the intimidation factor. In addition, some of the language it uses, especially in describing wine is quite poetic. During the past year, three more volumes have been released and once again I have selected it as my Favorite Wine Book. Check out my reviews of Volume 2, Volume 3 and New World. Every wine lover should read this series. Unfortunately, more volumes may not be published unless the books start generating more sales. Give this book a chance and you won't regret it.
Runner-Up Favorite Wine Book: The New York Times Book Of Wine offers an excellent selection of over 125 articles, written by about 28 different authors. It is not a collection of boring tasting notes but rather many thoughtful pieces on a great range of wine topics such as Spanish Sherry, the Japanese Koshu grape, serving alcohol to your children, Txakolina, Madeira, and natural winemaking. These are articles that everyone can enjoy, from those new to wine to the knowledgeable wine geeks. These articles will educate and entertain, and may even getting you thinking about wine in different ways.
Favorite Introductory Wine Book: For someone new to wine, Kevin Zraly's Windows On The World Complete Wine Course is an excellent choice. It presents a nice overview of the world of wine without deluging a reader with too much technical information. Though I have some issues with the presentation of certain wine information, it is still one of the best introductory books available. It is a fine starting point for a wine education.
Favorite Wine Dinner, Domestic: Indigenous and uncommon grapes, compelling wines, superb food, and great people all combined to create an exceptional wine dinner. Legal Harborside hosted Alessio Planeta of Planeta Wines, which owns six wine estates on Sicily. From a Sparkling wine made from Carricante to a red made with Nerello Mascele, many of the wines were fascinating and delicious, while the food, such as Ricotta Gnocchi with truffles and the Lobster Soup were amazing. It was fun and informative, tasty and stimulating.
Favorite Wine Dinner, International: This was an easy choice for a meat lover such as I. While in Chianti Classico, I had the honor of dining at the Antica Macelleria Cecchini, the renowned restaurant of Dario Cecchini, the signing butcher of Panzano. Dario is an extraordinary butcher and offers a prix fixe dinner with five courses of beef, some of the best beef you may ever eat. The steak tartare was simply prepared yet was outstanding, showcasing the taste of the quality beef and not hiding it behind lots of other ingredients. Plus, Dario is a true showman and made it an enjoyable experience. I could have dined here every night while I was in Tuscany. If you visit Tuscany, you must dine here at least once.
Favorite Single Winery Tasting: For the second year in a row, the same winery is involved in this category, though the location was different. As I mentioned last year, the wines of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region can be amazing, and Chateau La Nerthe is a stellar producer from this area. Last year, I tasted the wines at a superb lunch at L'Espalier and this year the lunch was held at Bistro du Midi. From the compelling Tavel Rosé to the 2009 Chateau La Nerthe "Clos de Beauvenir" Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, the wines did not disappoint. They paired well with delicious dishes such as the Coral Infused Chitarra Pasta with Maine Lobster. These are wines worth a splurge.
Favorite High-End Wine Tasting: The Vintus Tour presented 26 wineries, from all over the world, showcasing many higher end wines that reflected terroir, many which are also sustainable, organic or biodynamic. This was a stellar collection of wines, presenting many unique wines which impressed me, and it was a pleasure to get to chat with many of the wine makers. As it was a portfolio tasting, closed to the public, it was not overly crowded so you had the opportunity to take your time with the wines and ask the wine makers questions. Several of these wines ended up on my Top Wine lists.
Favorite Private Wine Tasting: My friend Adam, of Wine Zag, hosts a monthly blind tasting event which is always fun and interesting. Recently, he held a fascinating blind tasting of 90+ Cellars wines against a group of wines he handpicked to compete against them. This was an intriguing challenge and the results were enlightening. Plenty of great people attended the tasting and everyone enjoyed themselves. Unpretentious and casual, it was the type of wine tasting which would appeal to wine lovers of any knowledge levels. I look forward to Adam's next blind tasting event in January.
Favorite Wine Trip, International: Though it was also my only international wine trip this year, my visit to the Chianti Classico region was excellent, with great food, wine, scenery, people and more. Compared to other wine trips I have taken, it was certainly one of my favorites. My trip generated a dozen blog posts and several of the wines I tasted ended up on my Top Wine lists this year. Tuscany is so beautiful and the people were extremely nice. The food was often simple yet made from high quality and delicious ingredients. And so many delicious wines, from traditional Chianti Classico to compelling Vin Santo. It is a region I highly recommend.
Favorite Winery Visit: While in Chianti Classico, I was fortunate to get to visit the Isole e Olena winery, owned by Paolo di Marchi, the Philosopher-Peasant of Chianti Classico. I have met Paolo before but this was my first visit to his winery and it lived up to my expectations. You can read my thoughts in a two-part post (Part 1 and Part 2), but in short, the wines were superb, Paolo was fascinating and I learned much about the winery and the Chianti Classico region in general. I could have easily spent the entire day with Paolo, soaking in his knowledge and experience, while enjoying his amazing Cepparello.
Favorite Mega-Wine Event: Due to their size, large wine exhibitions can have their issues, especially due to the great crowds they generate. My favorite this year of these mega-events was the Mohegan Sun Wine Fest. Besides wine, they also present spirits, beer, and cider as well as plenty of food. The aisles between the tables are wide, there are two floors in the Grand Tasting and they seem to accommodate the crowds better than other events. In addition, besides a Grand Tasting, the Wine Fest has other excellent events such as an Elite Cru Tasting and a Celebrity Chef Dine Around. Several wines from this event ended up on my Top Wine lists this year and I look forward to this event next year.
Favorite Local Wine Bloggers: Locally, there is only a small number of blogs dedicated 50% or more to wine, being far outweighed by hundreds of local food blogs, some which occasionally touch on wine. But of that small group, there are a number who deserve praise for their devotion to wine. I see many of these people at local wine events and they have become good friends too. Kudos to Adam of Wine Zag, Robert of The Wellesley Wine Press, Rob of Fringe Wine, Jason of Ancient Fire Beverage, Todd of Vermont Wine Media and Marie of The Life of Vines. Please check out their wine blogs.
Top Wine Controversy: During the past year, I have ranted, usually on Mondays, about a variety of wine issues. But one of the most popular rants addressed the question of why a number of restaurant reviewers ignore wine in their reviews? It befuddles me that a restaurant review, which should comprehensively address the offerings of a restaurant, would ignore an important element such as the alcohol program. In my rant, I used the Boston Globe to illustrate this issue, showing how their main reviewer often ignored or gave short shrift to the wine and alcohol programs of most of the restaurants reviewed during the summer. I never received any response but plenty of others voiced their agreement that reviewers did a disservice by ignoring restaurant beverage programs.
Favorite Wine History Post: History intrigues me and I very much enjoy researching and writing histories about wine, though I often try to reach quite far back into history, to see the true roots of a wine and its region. This year, I wrote a four part series on The Origins of Port, extending back to the Phoenicians and proceeding through the formation of the nation of Portugal. Many other histories of Port begin much later, like during the 17th century but I felt the true origins lay many centuries earlier. I learned much in my researches and hope my readers benefited from it too.
Favorite Local Wine News: In 2011, a new law allowed local wineries to sell their wines at farmers markets and festivals. I saw that as very positive for local wineries and a later study showed its success. In 2011, sales of Massachusetts wines increased by an amazing 66%, primarily due to their ability to sell wine at the markets and festivals. Great news for local businesses during these tough economic times. Let us hope their success continued into 2012.
Kudos For Sherry Love: I love Spanish Sherry, from Fino to Oloroso, Manzanilla to Palo Cortado. Unfortunately, that places me in a tiny minority as Sherry, especially dry Sherry, is very much a niche beverage in the U.S. But locally, Sherry is gaining more love, especially by two restaurants, Tres Gatos and Taberna de Haro. Tres Gatos, in Jamaica Plain, now hosts Sherry Tuesdays, where you can sample sherries with pinchos. Taberna de Haro has recently expanded their restaurant and now carries 27 different Sherries, and will be adding more too. Both restaurants deserve big kudos for their passion and support of Sherry.
New Wine Job: Last February, I started a new endeavor, a part time job at the Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose. It has been fun and educational, helping customers select wines, providing recommendations and more. It provides an interesting glimpse into the mind of the wine consumer and has also fueled a number of blog posts. Stop by the store some time and let me help you choose some wines. Besides the wine, the store also stocks some delicious gourmet and artisan foods, so you have one stop shopping for a party.
What were some of your favorite wine related items this year?
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