One Sip At A Time

My Kinda Town...

2011-12-04T11:53:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I know... corny opening. Can't imagine how many times that line has been used as an introduction to an article about Chicago. But it is my first trip, wanting to visit since the early '90s. Finally, 20+ years later, my brother invites me to the windy city for his bachelor party, and I have the opportunity to visit the city that has affected me with both it's cocktail and culinary influence. So please allow me this one trite opening and read on...

Through Priceline I was able to book flight and hotel for 2 nights for under $300, and I was on my way.

First night there was regular bachelor party fair. I arrived at 9am (after working 'til midnight the night before and catching a plane at 6am) and met up with my brother and his friends. We drove to Wicker Park for lunch and after much searching and indecisiveness we settled on a barbecue spot called Lillie's Q.

Offering a nice selection of all the barbecue greatest hits, we stumbled upon a highly rated barbecue joint that also specialized in Moonshine cocktails. And, as this was a bachelor party, we decided to start imbibing at lunch. I had a the Morning Lillie to start with, a version of Bloody Mary made with moonshine. The moonshine added a subtle sweetness to the drink that worked well with the contrasting spicy and savory characteristics.

Second round was a M&M&M which stood for moonshine, Maker's Mark and mint syrup. The mixologizing at this small pub was evidence of how the cocktail culture was becoming entrenched in even the simplest bar set-ups in Chicago. Another well balanced delicious cocktail, as was the next one Lillie Q Rita; Margarita with moonshine and barbecue smoky sauce added. Finally, I had to try the Lillie's Oyster Shooter. That was just the pick-me-up on-your-way closing act I needed to help me forge ahead into the evenings festivities; moonshine, bloody mary mix, fresh oyster shooter.

After lunch we regrouped at the hotel room. Drank some Bud Lite, played some caps and readied ourselves for Bachelor Party Battle. The evening was typical bachelor party fare; bars, pool halls, Guinness, Harry Carey's for dinner, a bottle of Chapoutier Le Bernadine 2008 Chateauneuf-Du-Pape, Maker's Mark on draft at our own private table.

Amid the calamity of a bachelor party, there was a bright spot when we visited my friend Fred Sarkis at Sable, a glorious new cocktail bar in the heart of Chicago that was dedicated to the art of mixology. While the V.E.P. Green Chartreuse shot was happily accepted, the stop off was bittersweet. I did not have the opportunity to fully engage this amazing temple built to the gods of carefully crafted cocktails. Walls of liqueurs, liquors, bitters, and bourbons greeted us, but our destiny, if only for this one night awaited us elsewhere.

After the pool halls and Irish pubs I bid adieu to my companions, ending the night with a drunken subway ride back and forth, completely lost in the city, riding the rails by myself at 2am, finally finding my way back to my hotel overlooking Grant Park and a restful night, to gather my strength for the following day.

My brother and his friends had left early the next day, but I had planned my trip to take in more of the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of this city which had so long eluded me, by booking another night at the Chicago Essex Hotel. I woke up around 10 and made a few calls to friends who were living in the area. Most importantly my good friend Claire who was a dear friend from college and even a bridesmaid at my wedding. I wanted to revisit Wicker Park, after having spent a few hours there the day before and seeing all the great places to visit. So I was back on the train and headed west.

The day before as we looked for lunch, I had texted Claire for recommendations, and so I used those recommendations today, as I wandered around Wicker Park area. First stop was Big Star a taco bar that's part of One Off Hospitality Group (kinda like the Big Burrito Restaurant Group of Chicago) There stellar family includes Violet Hour, Blackbird, Avec and more. I just wanted a taco. Which apparently everybody in Chicago on that Sunday morning wanted as well. There were no tables and an hour long wait. So I moseyed up to North Ave and walked around for awhile, did some window shopping, priced some Mallort, before returning to Big Star. Still a wait, but at this point I was getting hungry so I headed to a place I'd seen that interested me called Piece.

It was a pizzeria and brewpub emulating the '60s hippie counter-culture. I found a spot at the bar and ordered a single pie and some house brew. The Red Sox were playing the White Sox on the big screen TV, and as I was in enemy territory I silently rooted on my home team and enjoyed my lunch. As much as we love our wives and husbands, there is a secret thrill in traveling alone, and being able to order that green olive, garlic and pepperoni pizza that your wife will never let you eat at home.

That and a cold glass of Piece's Top Heavy Heffe Weizen made for a perfect lunch. Piece has a limited back bar selection, but why would they need it when the beer was this good? Tattooed staff and chalkboard menus adorned the walls and I was sad to leave, but there was so much more to experience.

I headed to Big Star again, and yes, again, they were on an hour wait, with no room even at the large circular bar which was the centerpiece to the restaurant. So I was back on the train and headed downtown.

I retraced our step from the previous night and took a walk along the river, and was about to head back to the hotel when Fred Sarkis called. Wanted me to meet him for a late lunch/early dinner. Back on the train.

I met Fred at a restaurant called Avec, which was right next to the also famous Blackbird. Fred was seated at the end of the bar. I was still a little full from lunch, so wasn't expecting to eat much. I ordered a glass of wine, a Spanish white, and Fred went ahead and ordered some food to share. As I said, I was not particularly hungry, but when the food came out and I had the first bite of each dish, well, a second and third bite soon followed.

We had crispy pork belly crostini with peaches, marinated kale and white beans. We got marinated hangar steak with summer squash, asparagus, apricot and bone marrow. Fred got an octopus special which was cooked as tenderly as I'd ever had octopus. And the star of the set was chorizo stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon and pequillo pepper-tomato sauce.

The sweetness of the dates combined with the spicy chorizo and smokiness of the bacon, acid from the tomato-pepper sauce... my mouth waters thinking back to that dish. The location was very utilitarian, one long bar (or dining countertop) stretched the entire length of the restaurant, with long communal tables opposite the bar. 3 people worked the kitchen which was exposed and shared space with the end of the bar. It was impressive how few people they needed to put out such mind-blowing dishes.

After Avec, Fred brought me across the street to Sepia, which he said is one of his favorite bars in Chicago (he may have even said "favorite"). Sepia had a lot of exposed wood and antique varnish with numerous photographs throughout the restaurant which were all... you guessed it sepia toned. The space was warm and inviting but also winked an eye at modern craftsmanship through it's use of space. Apparently it had been a print shop in a prior incarnation. We were full from Avec, but the Manager insisted on sending out a cheese plate,

which we could not pass up. I needed a strategy for choosing what to drink from the massive cocktail lists I'd been presented at every stop. So I started my strategy of picking cocktails that had Green Chartreuse in them. I figured I'd get the most varied results by sticking with one modifier liqueur. And the strategy paid off immediately at Sepia. I got the Boston Martha to complement our cheese plate, a terrific blend of magnolia and oolong tea infused Bushmill's Irish whiskey, Yellow Chartreuse, honey, lemon, egg white and orange bitters. Great mouthfeel, just the right amount of sugar vs. bitter, with some subdued floral notes. The whiskey was definitely the work horse, though.

It was time to meet Claire. We had originally planned on going to Aviary, Grant Aschaltz new cocktail kitchen. I had been excited to try it out, as I'd heard great praise from both the media and from friends, but apparently in the last few weeks they had discontinued Sunday service. I was disappointed, but that only gave me an excuse to return to Chicago at a future time.

Fred had offered to drive me back to Wicker Park, where Claire and I had settled on Violet Hour as a place to meet. Violet Hour was a destination for me on this trip, and while Claire had had reservations about going, due to a past poor experience, she complied and we were to meet up soon... after 12 years of not seeing each other!

Fred knows everybody! So it was no wonder he knew the doorman at Violet Hour and we chatted outside for awhile before gaining access to one of the premiere cocktail lounges in the world. Violet Hour is directly across the street from Big Star (which was still on a 2 hour wait). The front of the building looks like a long brick factory wall, painted yellow, with a tiny doorknob for an entrance. No signage, no logo, no windows... nothing! And if I hadn't been with Fred, I no doubt would have missed it completely. We entered the door into pitch blackness. A sign hung on the inside of the door which I neglected to see which read, among other things "no cellphones... no baseball hats... proper attire requested". I was in violation of 3 of the basic house rules. Cocktails and munchings at Avec & Sepia had cut into my planned sprucing-up-before-the-big-night-on-town. So I showed up at Violet Hour in my fanciest Green Lantern t-shirt and a classy Pittsburgh Steelers ball cap adorning my shiny scalp. Later I would break out my phone and start snapping photos of the cocktails we consumed. Fred was too much of a gentleman to point out my egregious faux pas.

Once we passed down an unlit hallway, through velvet curtains, we entered into an enormous warehouse that was redesigned into a luxurious house of cocktology with beautiful large backed chairs in circles around short tables, the length of the old storage house seperated by large velvet curtains as the ones we'd passed through to enter, and fully stock bar running the length of the building housing every obscure potable you could find under one roof. The entire lounge lit only by candlelight, it took awhile for our eyes to adjust, but once they did it was amazing how well we could see in the dimmest lighting I've ever been engulfed in.

Finally Claire arrived and we ordered some cocktails. I stuck with my Chartreuse strategy and firstly ordered the Fang's Out; a blend of Junipero, Antica Carpano Formula Vermouth, Green Chartreuse and Cynar. The Green Chartreuse stuck out alongside the sweet vermouth and bitter Cynar, while the gin gave a solid foundation for which the other components could build upon. The next cocktail was my favorite of the two: The Pusher Man, Lunazul Blanco tequila, pineapple, egg white and Green Chartreuse. Something about tequila, pineapple and Chartreuse... it really does work so well together. Sweet, herbaceous, smoky, peppery all frothed up and made lighter and heavier at the same time with the egg white. Claire had the famous Juliet & Romeo, and it changed her opinion instantly about Violet Hour. The bartender shared a shot of Chartreuse with us and again we were moving to a new location. Claire mentioned Big Star and I laughed out loud.

But, sure enough, as one of the premiere yoga instructors in Chicago, Claire also knows everybody, and the hostess at Big Star was no exception. We were seated within 15 minutes! Claire was a regular at Big Star and recommended a few dishes which followed our cokctail deliveries. I started with the Pine Belt Punch; Lunazul Blanco, Green Chartreuse (again?), cucumber and lime. Light, refreshing and perfect Chicago patio cocktail.

Then, I made the switch. I was off the Chartreuse, and I went for the Rio Bravo. While there was no Chartreuse, this cocktail had other enticing ingredients that I could not pass up; Sombra mezcal, Lunazul Blanco tequila (remember I said that Big Star was part of the One Off Hospitality Group, which explains why I was drinking so much Lunazul Blanco), strawberries and Gosling's ginger beer. It was a good choice (could've been made better if Chicago had access to Natrona Bottling Company's Jamaican Ginger Beer) that pared well with Claire's food choices; Taco de Pescado and the almost famous

Taco de Huitlacoche: roasted corn, corn truffles, fresh oregano, chipotle, avocado and cojita cheese. Even Fred had mentioned thus earlier in the day when I had told him about my numerous attempts to eat there. It was well known and the praise was well deserved. At $3 a taco I could have eaten a dozen if I hadn't already gorged on Chicago cuisine all day.

The night ended, Claire and I said "goodbye" and I was back on the train to the hotel. I felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment, as well as an overwhelming sense of satiation. In one day I was able to visit Piece, Avec, Sepia, The Violet Hour and Big Star. I was able to revisit old friends, and spend some time with my brother before he takes the great leap into marriage.

Chicago is an impressive city, on the cutting edge of culinary and cocktail culture. Every corner seemed to boast a unique, enticing kitchen, a knowledgeable bartender plying the trades of his exotic well-stocked back bar. Innovative, enterprising, experimental... Chicago truly is my kind of town, and I can not wait for the next visit.

The Last Days of Mio Kitchen & Wine Bar, an insiders point of view

2011-06-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

When the Chef calls you into the office, it's never good news.

On this particular day, at 10pm, service was slowing down and Chef Matthew Porco had just come in from the newly opened pizza shoppe just down the street. He was covered in flour, head to toe. It followed him through the upstairs hallways, an ashen monkey doppelganger clinging to it's host. I was leaving for vacation the next day, and thought he just wanted to discuss the upcoming week with myself and Cara Moody, the server who would be handling all managerial duties while I was on leave. When we got to the office, however, the topic of discussion turned out to be very different.

"I've got bad news... Mio is closing. We're gonna run through the next two weeks and close on Saturday, August 28th."

My first thought and subsequent response was "Shit. I wish I didn't just spend $2,000 on our wine inventory." My next thought, which I kept to myself for the time being, was "How is this going to affect my vacation?"

Chef talked a little about options he had on the table which he'd hoped could pan out before we actually had to shut the doors, but I think he knew it was over. Confiding in us with the news was the last piece of the puzzle to complete the portrait of Mio as a sun setting over the Allegheny.

"I feel terrible. Sean you are the classiest manager I've ever had here. I wish I'd hired you 3 years ago. Cara, you are like a sister to me, and I hope you know if there's anything either of you ever need, you can always call me." and with teary eyes and a cloud of baking flour left in his wake, Matt returned to Mio Pizza, and Cara and I returned to the floor to announce the news to the unsuspecting staff.

It had been apparent from the beginning of my short tenure at Mio that the restaurant was not doing well. Although when I took the position the Chef had just been named "Pittsburgh Magazine's Chef of the Year", and deservedly so. Hailing from Veritas in New York, Matt had wanted to bring New York city style fine dining to his hometown of Aspinwall. (Interesting side note: Mio was closing it's doors on the same night that Veritas was closing it's doors in NYC) A lofty ambition that succeeded greatly for the first year or so, but as the economic woes started to deeply affect Pittsburgh's dining culture, the cash slowed, the service staff was cut down to 1 server 1 bartender on the weekdays, and the wine cellar quickly diminished leaving only the higher priced bottles and shortages of medium value wines.

I came on in April and went immediately to work on the wine list which had been grossly overpriced, putting NYC price tags on an Aspiwall cellar. We ran with a tight crew throughout the lean days of summer. I brought in servers I had worked with in the past, the line in the kitchen basically ran on a 3 person staff with two on the grill & saute and one garde manger/dessert. One dishwasher, sometime 2 on weekends was all it took to support the line. A Saturday expo/food runner was added for FOH support. In all we had just over 10 on staff to operate what was considered one of Pittsburgh's top 10 Restaurants.

But what a staff we had!

Front of House we had Cara Moody who I referred to as "The Boss". Cara was the veteran, and the one who called me when the GM position opened and gave me a stellar recommendation. She knew the ins-and-outs of Mio better than anybody and helped me settle into my new position with great ease. Cara and I had worked together at Casbah 3 years earlier, along with my first two hires Eddie and Angela F. Upon starting I was introduced to Alyssa & Dana, both of whom I grew to love as fellow family members. Such is the small restaurant life.

We had many cameo appearances throughout the summer, including Joanne (Casbah again), Maggie (bartender from Eleven), Angela D. (who I worked with at Firehouse Lounge), Rachel (a terrific college kid working through the summer), and the one-night-only return of Raj to help us close on a high note.

Back of House was equally talented, if not doubly-so. Ephraim and I worked together at Casbah as well, and he helmed the ship as Exec Sous Chef. With a poorly tuned song in his heart and a Will Ferrell quote on his tongue, he kept the kitchen tight and consistent until he left us in July for the new restaurant Elements.

Derek stepped into Ephraim's shoes without hesitation, and, quite frankly, caught us all off guard with his talent. We worked together well, and I had very high hopes for the future with him and I, as a team, running Mio.

Sara came from Kaya and was quite at home in the spaciousness of the line, after being stuck in the Kaya cubicle of a kitchen for so long. Always smiling, always cheery, she was the pixie sprite fairy of the Mio kitchen line.

I fell in love with Megan immediately when she took over the garde manger position and we regaled in our commonalities which we shared: Thundercats, Mountain Goats, a game of pool, and deepening regard for Chartreuse. In the last week there Megan & I collaborated on the taste sensation that became Green Chartreuse Sorbet. She even took it a step further, creating Yellow Chartreuse Gummi Bears which she promises to make for me whenever I beckon.

The heart of any kitchen is always the dishroom. It beat strong at Mio pulsing freshly polished silverware, glassware and pots & pans through the veins of our little restaurant. Gi was master of this domain and he kept spirits high in down times with a half thought through joke or ribbing, mingled with Buddha-like sage wisdom.

On the weekends, his cousin Lou would come in to help. Much rougher around the edges, with street wisdom masked amidst vulgarities. I imagined him as a reflection of Gi, 20 years earlier, though you could never tell him that. There was no way you couldn't love Lou.

So these were the people all out of jobs in 2 weeks. But nobody was too distressed. When everyone on staff is as talented as this crew, we all just kinda shrugged our shoulders and said "onward". Before the end of the night everybody had a backup plan, including myself. After securing my job at Firehouse/Embury back, I had one plan: to join my family in Tionesta, sit in a river all day and not think at all about Mio. And that's what I did for week #1 of the two week closing period.

On my return we were faced with a few obstacles to hurdle. Mainly fielding angry calls from customers about redeeming gift certificates, calling all reservations for after Aug. 28th, recreating the menu daily to move through the last of our supplies, and answering the same question over and over and over and over again "Why are you closing?"

Now I can appreciate that each guest can not possibly be aware that I just answered that question 2 minutes ago and 2 minutes before that... and just got off the phone with somebody who wants the number for the pizza shop "oh, and did I hear you were closing?"... but please, do not ever ask a restaurant manager why their restaurant is closing and follow it up with "That's too bad. I love this place even though I haven't eaten here in years." Because, quite frankly, THAT's why we're closing.

My favorite was "I'm so sorry you're closing. This is my first time here. I can't believe you're closing, the food is delicious. What happened?"

Sometimes it can be very difficult not to strike a fellow human being.

The true frustration with that question is that it's not an easy answer. No one thing ever happens to a restaurant or any business that forces them to close. There was a different answer for every table. And by answer, I mean the individuals version of what they THINK actually happened. For Mio, it was the economy, it was the price perceptions, it was Route 28, it was the pizza shop, it was the huge staff turnover, it was the hot summer weather, it was the location, it was the fact that Pittsburgh has so many great restaurants, it was the fact that so many great restaurants opened over the summer... these all contributed to the demise of Mio. But what it really boils down to is that people were not walking in the door and spending their money there.

So after fielding all the inevitable calls, it's time for service. And here's were the professionalism of Mio's staff really shined. Running out of food daily, juggling hours and shifts, knowing there is no silver lining in the week following, where most would lose any sense of pride in their work place, Mio put out the best last week of business it possibly could. Booked all week with Gift Card redeemers and 1/2 off bottle of wine seekers, there was not a step missed or a gracious smile not given. It was beyond business as usual. It was "let's go out on the highest note we possibly can." And we succeeded.

Some highlights from that week included:

Serving Allen Chen from Tamari, and his family the last order of sweetbreads
Megan's concocting of my Green Chartreuse Sorbet idea
Casbah night where I called up the reserves of Casbah employees and the whole FOH that night was Casbah employees circa 2006-7
Raj lighting each candle in the restaurant for each past employee of Mio on the last night..."and this candle is for Bob Flood..." Survivor style.
The chef cooking the very last order of short ribs for me.
The final, heartfelt toast at Mio given by Chef Matt Porco thanking everybody for their dedication and loyalty.

After opening a few choice bottles and sharing some stories, it was time to go.

I was the last to leave. I shut off the lights, turned off the stoves locked the front door, headed to the back and added one more item to the 86 Board... "Mio"

Punch

2011-05-03T11:44:00.000-07:00

I remember punch.

Mom and Dad's Christmas parties in my hometown of Norwell, Massachusetts. Guests would fill our colonial home, sharing the warmth of the wood burning fireplace complete with traditional bread baking hollow. Everyone dressed in their cocktail gowns and best suits while the snow blanketed the tranquil New England countryside. The punch bowl had been waiting patiently on the back porch to chill, and often freeze, a few days before the party. Various strange, unrelated fruit swam amidst the brightly red colored elixir. Berries, melons, bananas... The alcohol drowning in sweet nectar of pineapple, orange, grapefruit... whatever juice was on hand to hide the boozy flavors. Often accompanied by another bowl full of traditional eggnog.

I remember punch.

At Wittenberg University, November 2nd, 1991. My 21st birthday. It was Halloween weekend, I was dressed as a Shakespearean Romeo. The house was called "The Tabernacle", an all girls house/party destination. It was my first time there, later in the year I would begin a relationship with one of the tenants who was kind enough to share those fleeting college romance days with me. For now, I was finally of legal age to imbibe of the libations offered by our most gracious hostesses. Following numerous shots of Hot Damn Cinnamon flavored liqueur, I found myself in the basement where 3 large garbage cans were filled with "punch". Everclear and Hawaiian Punch (I may not be accurate with the recipe, though I doubt the ancient "laws" of punch making were being rigorously abided). 3 cups of this "punch" and I would not be drinking again for the remainder of the week. I spent the rest of the night lighting Everclear bottles with matches. The blue flame staying lit purely on the ethers of the moonshine.

And then I discovered Punch.

It started at Embury, where we made a variation of Philadelphia Fish House Punch called "Firehouse Punch". Here I learned the ancient techniques of punch making. The oleo saccharum, the water saturation, the liquors most appropriate for traditional punch, the balance, the booziness... the foundations were being laid. When the bar was 3 deep, and we couldn't service our guests in a timely enough manner, that was when we broke out the Firehouse Punch. A drink in each customers hand let us return to the tasks at-hand; making drinks for those waiting, washing dishes that had piled up, and congregating for "team meetings" (staff shots of Green Chartreuse).

Through my studies I noticed that punch was being used as more of a driving influence in bars across the country, rather than the "call-in-the-reserves" status that it had been appropriated to in our small wonder bar. I started colecting recipes for punches that included Dale DeGroff's Rainbow Room Punch, Martha Washington's Punch, a Negroni Punch, and selections from David Wondrich's book Imbibe.

We used many of these recipes at Pittsburgh's very first informational gathering and membership drive for the United States Bartenders Guild. We decided a Punch Social was the best way to meet and greet and share info, so no one member of the Executive Staff would be stuck behind a bar making cocktails when that time could be better spent introducing Pittsburgh bartenders to the benefits of a USBG Pittsburgh Chapter.

One of the highlight punches was my own creation, which started out as a Swedish Punch recipe I found online, but quickly became a bitch's brew of unmeasured additions of liquors and juices to try to correct my earlier errors. Thus was the "Sean D. Enright Garbage Pail Punch" born... and lost to time. I was too busy trying to "fix" the punch I didn't write down any recipes. It was VERY well received, but alas can never be replicated.

Then David Wondrich printed his second book (or the second book I'm aware of, to follow Imbibe) called Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl. A historical biography of punch complete with recipes and techniques for the Punch enthusiast. I put down Les Miserables (again... been reading that book for over 10 years) and consumed every oz. of Punch. http://www.amazon.com/Punch-Delights-Dangers-Flowing-Bowl/dp/0399536167

As I read through I noticed there were certain rules to proper punch making that would make repeat appearances throughout the ages. Punch gained momentum in the 1600's and remained a drink of choice through the 1800's where it became the father of the modern cocktail. It seemed, from my interpretation of the book, that punch had certain fruits that were preferred; citrus and later the occasional pineapple, liquors that were preferred; rum and brandy... maybe some champagne additionally, sugar and water were as important as the base liquors (if not more so) and punches were served hot or cold depending mostly on the climes and seasons in which they were served.

With this punch knowledge in-hand I set out to create my first punch for our second USBG Pittsburgh event (and 1st unofficial/official USBG Pittsburgh meeting). I wanted to take the most intriguing elements I found in the book Punch, but also add some modern touches and elements that may not have been as readily available to our forefathers as they discussed revolution in whispered voices over bowls of punch. I also decided to write down the recipe this time.

Here is the recipe for what I've decided to name the Pittsburgh Craft Cocktail Guild Punch... or PCCG Punch, in memory of the original cocktail guild concept that has turned into Pittsburgh's first opportunity to have a USBG in support of the passionate bartenders who have appeared on the Pittsburgh scene over the last few years.

PCCG Punch:

Makes 1 Gallon (plus one glass)

1 Liter Rhum J.M. Agricole Blanc

750ml Laird's Applejack Brandy

1/2 cup Averna Amaro

1/2 cup St Elizabeth Allspice Dram

1 cup Averna Limoni Di Sicilia

1 quart Green Tea (I used Liptons)

20 dashes Peychaud's Bitters

5 Oranges

2 cups cold water

12 ounces Florida Crystal Organic Pure Cane Sugar (available at Giant Eagle)

Directions: First, make green tea, heating 1qt water in the microwave for 2 minutes and adding 3 Lipton Green Tea packets to the water and setting aside. While the tea bags steep, you must make what is called "oleo saccharum" by peeling the skin off the five oranges, making sure not to get any pith. Peel gently to just take off the top layer of the orange peel. This will help the oils from the peel escape. Place peels in a non-reactive bowl and add the Florida Crystals sugar. Muddle the sugar and the orange peels with a flat or rounded end muddler (do not us a barbed muddler, you do not want to break up the orange peel, you just want to press the oil out of the skin to saturate the sugar). Set your sugar and peels to the side and let stand for 15 minutes to release more oil into the sugar. Take your tea bags out of the tea and set the tea aside. Juice the oranges making sure to get every drop out of them. Strain your juice through a tea strainer to keep out the pulp, and you may refrigerate the juice if you'd like. After fifteen minutes has passed, stir the orange peels and sugar one last time, then add the green tea. Stir until all the sugar has melted. Add the juice from the oranges and 2 cups of cold water. Through a sieve, strain this mixture, separating the orange peels from the sluice. To this mix you may now add your Rhum, Applejack, Amaro, Allspice Dram, Limoni & Peychaud's Bitters. Let stand for 1 hour so the flavors may integrate. Pour into a punch glass filled with ice and enjoy. This is a hearty blend, not for the week of heart. Be careful, this drink will creep up on ya.

Be sure to read David Wondrich's other book Imbibe!: From Absinthe Cosktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to "Professor Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399532870/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0399536167&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0NE89CRGRVZZR68V2AC0

oleo saccharum

Run for the roses...

2010-07-23T11:26:00.000-07:00

I love Rosès!

There I said it.

I am, without a doubt, a red wine drinker, but when this summer heat finds me standing under a sprinkler in the backyard, at 2 in the morning, there's nothing I'd rather sip on than a chilled glass of Rosè.

Every year, at every restaurant I work at, I continue my personal crusade to introduce customers to the joy of a good Rosè. What turns them off? Perhaps the disco pink color reminiscent of that utter bastardization of wine known as White Zinfandel. Maybe it's just

unfamiliarity with how good a good Rosè can be.

My favorites co

me from France & Spain. France is well known for Rosè in it's Tavel region in Rhone which offers pink hued blends of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre & Cinsault (to name but a few) which lend themselves well to a Rosè. Perhaps that's why Spain also makes a beautiful Rosè using the Grenache varietal as well, only in Spain it's called Garnacha or Garnatxa.

If you're looking for something different than your typical white, which a littel more complexity and earthy characteristics that you so love about red wine, I implore you to give Rosès a try this summer. They are a great accompaniment to chicken, seafood and veggies off the grill. And with most priced $10 and under, they can be a great bargain as well. Serve ice cold, sit back and enjoy

Here are some of my personal favorites:

http://www.wine.com/V6/Ch-de-Segries-Tavel-Rose-2008/wine/99988/detail.aspx

http://www.winechateau.com/vsku1522585_VOLTEO-GARNACHA-ROSE-750ML-2008?

utm_source=Google%20Products&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=VOLTEO%20GARNAC

HA%20ROSE%202008

http://www.wespeakwine.com/index.php?p=product&id=2463&parent=1

Embury cocktail lounge

2010-05-21T10:24:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've posted to this blog. My apologies. But with good reason, I might add. Where this post started as a forum to share thoughts on wine that I, as a prominent Wine Director in Pittsburgh, had many opportunities to taste throughout the years, after losing that position I found myself employed by the one place I soooo badly wanted to write about: Embury Lounge located at 2216 Penn Ave, Strip District, Pittsburgh.

The original blog would have begun "I have found my new home! A classic cocktail bar in Pittsburgh! Hosted by a true cocktail craftsman Fred Sarkis..." and gone on to lavish Fred and Embury with praise upon praise for raising the bar (no pun intended) on cocktail culture in da 'Burgh. However, before I could even start that article, I found my self unemployed and quickly hired by the very establishment that I wanted to dote on.

Not that that was a bad thing.

I spent the last 9 months learning how to prepare classic cocktails. Techniques, recipes, new liquors, the joy of gin, better whiskey, Pickle Backs and Chartreuse consumed my every waking hour. Classic cocktailing is not an occupation, it is an obsession. Fred & Geoffrey both took me under their wings and taught me how to make a proper, well-balanced libation. In turn, I was given the opportunity to introduce hundreds of Cosmopolitan or Jack & Coke drinkers to the joy of a perfectly designed tipple.

But, alas, all good things must come to and end. And last night was my final shift at Embury. Moving on to Mio Kitchen & Wine Bar in Aspinwall (http://www.mio-pgh.com/) where I will take over duties as General Manager (more on that later). I leave Embury with a heavy heart. As much as Fred started the trend for Pittsburgh craft cocktailing, I can't help but think I added a special touch to the place, and after only 9 months helped fortify a steady clientele who will continue to imbibe there long after I'm gone. There's nothing like the look of honest satisfaction on a customers face when they take that first sip of an Embury cocktail.

What this means to you? Well, I'm back in the wine game and will be sharing more tasting notes with all my readers in the months to come, BUT, I will also take the cocktail knowledge I've gained and share thoughts and comments regarding trends and tastes in the cocktail kingdom as well.

What I've learned at Embury:

1) Jalapeno makes an excellent addition to a cocktail recipe

2) Chartreuse has to be one of the greatest liqueurs ever created by man or God

3) Gin is king when it comes to mixing a cocktail

4) Vermouth is good. Vermouth is, in fact, great! Dolin, Punt A Mes & Antica Carpano

5) Absinthe, Scotch, bitters from a tincture dropper can change the whole profile of a drink

6) Ice cubes matter. Get yourself a rubber tray and start making your own good cubes

7) Bourbon is the best whiskey, followed closely by Rye. Try 'em both out.

8) Patience is not a virtue but a necessity when waiting to a good cocktail.

9) Always double strain a shaken drink through a fine mesh tea strainer. And shake HARD!

10) Beer can be a great mixer for a cocktail. Try a Michelada this summer and tell me I'm lying.

11) Stir drinks that are all alcohol. Shake drinks with juice. Dry Shake drinks with egg before adding ice for a second shake.

12) Measure EVERYTHING. There is no "counting" in classic cocktailing. Recipes are precise.

What I drank at Embury: Aperol, Vieux Carre Absinthe, Eagle Rare Bourbon, Old Pogue Bourbon, Maker's Mark Mint Julep, Rittenhouse Rye, Rhum Barbancourt, Sazerac Rye, Green Chartreuse, Yellow Chartreuse, Shot of Jameson followed by shot of pickle juice, Aviations, Amaros, Velvet Falernum, Navy Grog, Benedictine, Cynar, Antica Carpano Formula Vermouth, Flaming Bijous, Ginger/basil/honey/strawberry-habanero syrups, Blackstrap Rum, Maraschino Liqueur, Bluecoat Gin, Bacon bitters, Firehouse Punch, Buffalo Trace, Peychauds Bitters, Sazeracs, Faust Pacts, Guilty Roses, Pepper Delicious, Bitter Slings and Death's Comebacks.

That and so much more. What an education!

I leave you now with a few cocktail creations I designed in my time at Embury. Slainte!

Rusted Root

1 oz. Root Liqueur

1 oz. Drambuie

1 oz. Famous Grouse Scotch

Glass: Rocks

Ice: large cubes

Garnish: Orange Peel

Fill mixing glass with Root, Drambuie and Scotch. Add 2 large ice cubes. Stir until the outside of the glass get cold. Strain liquor into a rocks glass. Using a peeler, peel a 4 inch strip of orange peel (no pith). Squeeze oils over the drink and add peel to glass. Add 2 new large ice cubes. Laugh at the sun.

Crisis Car

1 oz. Cognac
.5 oz. Absinthe
.5 oz. Grand Marnier
.5 oz. Lemon Juice

.5 oz. Simple Syrup

Garnish: 4 drops Angostura Bitters

Glass: Coupe

Mix all ingredients, except the Bitters, in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously. Strain through a fine mesh tea strainer into a cocktail coupe. Add four drops of Angostrua bitters to 4 corners of the top of the drink, using a tincture dropper filled with the bitters. Swirl Angostura drops with a straw to make a pretty design. Lay low.

http://www.firehouse-lounge.com/Firehouse%20Lounge/EMBURY.html

http://community.post-gazette.com/blogs/firstbites/archive/2009/04/28/embury.aspx

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09190/982550-389.stm

http://boringpittsburgh.com/boring-pittsburgh/embury-1920s-style-bar-in-the-strip-district/963/

the magic mixer elixir... (pt 2.)

2009-11-05T12:01:00.000-08:00

Vermouth!

The idea of vermouth has been so demonized in contemporary "bar culture" that it has been relieved of duty in just about every vodka martini requested by patrons... which is a sincere shame. On the other hand, vermouth has seen a huge resurgence in

"cocktail culture" as better educated mixologists have realized that with a better vermouth comes a better crafted cocktail.

Vermouth is, for all intents & purpose, a fortified wine flavored with aromatic herbs & spices. There are 3 basic types of vermouth, dry & sweet (which are the most popular) and blanc or white. Dry & blanc vermouths are clear in color (while blanc may have a little more straw coloring) and sweet will be a dark reddish color that will be difficult to see through. Vermouth is a primary component in classic cocktails such as Martini, Manhattan or Rob Roy. Typically the lighter vermouths are used in the lighter colored cocktails (ie; gin or vodka based liquors) where sweet (or red) vermouth is used in more brown liquor based cocktails, though this was not always the case.

There are two reasons for the decline of vermouth in martini's.

1) most bars use cheap vermouth... the cheapest they can find. One of classic cocktailian David Embury's primary principles of drink mixing is "use good quality liquor". Certainly, the idea of using the best quality liquor with a substandard mixer defeats the purpose of using that mixer to enhance the flavor of the cocktail.
2) Vermouth is wine, and as such needs to be treated as a delicate libation, rather than as a high alcohol well-pour that can withstand the deteriorating effects of air and heat. Vermouth SHOULD be kept in coolers overnight, and pumped with a vacu-vin everyday. I'd say 99% of all vermouth used in bars and restaurants today never receive this kind of care.

Now, onto the good news! As I said earlier, most cocktail culture bartenders are getting hip to the notion that vermouth is an integral part of most cocktails. AND better vermouths are finding their way onto the shelves of better establishments. These newer vermouths may be difficult to find... however they are well worth the search. I've been able to find most online. My recommendations for the best vermouths out there with links to purchase, are as follows:

Dolin Dry Vermouth: $13.99

.750ml. http://www.winespecialist.com/ecart/product.asppID=5046&cID=62&utm_source=Vinquire&utm_medium=WineFeed&utm_content=Dolin%2BVermouth%2BDry&utm_campaign=base&c=52141

Dolin Vermouth Blanc: $10.99

.375ml.

http://www.grandwinecellar.com/vsku1548573.htmlutm_source=Google%20Products&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=DOLIN%20VERMOUTH%20DE%20CHAMBERY%20BLANC

Carpano AnticaFormula Vermouth: $25.95

1L.

http://www.napacabs.com/Carpano-Antica-Formula-Vermouth-1L-P4059.aspx

My favorite recipe with these new vermouths is to do a 50/50 split between vermouth and gin. When you've got good vermouth, why wouldn't you want to taste it?

I call this the Prohibition Martini. Vermouth was used heavily during prohibition to cut the flavor of bad bathtub gin. Now with exceptional gins and exceptional vermouths, the opportunity for a delicious gin martini is in your all-to-capable hands:

Prohibition Martini:

1 1/2 oz. Cadenhead Old Raj Gin
1 1/2 oz. Dolin Vermouth Blanc (I've also used Dolin Dry to some excellent result)
1 preserved lemon zest and goat cheese stuffed olive (if you don't have the time or patience to preserve some lemons... a simple lemon peel works well. Try to peel with no pith)

Cheers!

Art is wine & wine is art

2009-10-05T12:37:00.000-07:00

You ever wonder why wine is served at art gallery openings or poetry readings? There is an intrinsic value to wine as an alcoholic consumable that you just can't get from a beer or a shot of whiskey. As an art promoter in years past, I was asked by a reporter why I entered into the Wine Director world after years of promoting local artists with a variety show entitled yawp Carnival Poetica. I told him "wine is poetry".

My band played the other night, for the first time in 6+ years, a percussive poetry performance that was created as an alternative to the dry, coffeehouse poetry readings I had attended. It got me thinking again about the new role I had taken in life, and how poetry evolved into a wine position. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmQtIRkAcmc

As much as I believed that photography has a poetic element to it, I've always felt that wine has the same aspects of poetry that you might find in a photograph. There are levels of enjoyment you can discover with each sip from the same bottle, that may not strike you immediately, but the more you consume, the more flavors and characteristics attack your senses. A poem, which differs from prose in that it gives you snippets of a story or conversation, allows the listener to build a complete image reflecting partly on their own personal reference point. Wine's enjoyment will also be built upon the foundations of the drinker's own personal experiences with wine.

The winemaker is a poet. He/she carefully designing what is, for all intents and purposes, an alcoholic beverage, to produce a product that transcends it's aforementioned lot in life. From a fermented grape juice we can find the most varied list of taste profiles, ie; tobacco, chocolate, berries, mint, citrus, herbs, caramel, stone, grass... the list goes on and on...

dare I throw cat urine into the mix?

The point is wine is a natural accompaniment to art. Not because it has always stood beside artistic gatherings simply as a staple beverage, but because it is a consumable that makes us think about what we're drinking and gets the creative juices flowing to examine everything around us with an interpretive eye.

Pittsburgh has an amazing art scene, as I imagine most readers will agree their hometown does as well. Think about what you're drinking when at local art events and consider that there is a reason those glasses of wine are being offered with alongside the artists work which hangs on the gallery walls.

For other art events I'm including a list of what you might want to consider drinking. If you have any recommendations I'd love to hear them as well.

Steelers game = beer. Preferably Iron City, Yuengling or Straub. Rolling Rock if absolutely necessary
Punk rock concert= see above but there has to be copious amounts of whiskey shots (Jack Daniels or Maker's fro the truly discerning)) also included between sets.
Jazz concert = Nothing like a well made martini. I prefer gin with a good quality vermouth (good luck with that one) but a dirty vodka martini with blue cheese stuffed olives performs quite nicely.
Poetry reading = in honor of Charles Bukowski, I'm going to recommend a nice whiskey cocktail like a Manhatten or Old Fashioned. Also recommend Absinthe for all the 19th century poetry lovers. Why not mix both, cover all your basis. Absinthe rinse, muddle some bluberries with bitters and a little simple syrup, splash or Grand Marnier, fill with Makers Mark, top with soda (very little soda)
Pop Concert = Margaritas. They're easier to make than you think. Forget about the blender. There's nothing better than a margarita on the rocks. Thinking Dave Matthews to Jimmy Buffet. Tequila, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, triple sec (or Grand Marnier) http://video.about.com/cocktails/How-to-Make-a-Margarita.htm
Traditional Irish music concert = duh? Gotta be a Guinness! And don't forget that Guinness is a mandatory substitution for regular beer at any Irish-punk show as well... here substitute Jameson for your shots of Jack.

I await your recommendations.

For my favorite Pittsburgh band check out Salena Catalina video I shot the other night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VuCGmivegI

Western Pennsylvania Consumption Society

2009-08-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

Every season we meet with about fifteen friends, old and new. The guest list includes restaurant folk, wine directors, chefs, teachers, bartenders, hairdressers, bankers, photographers... etc. Every guest brings one entree item and 2 bottles of wine to match with that item (sometimes, Lexi will bring a bottle of vodka and just mix some martinis to start the night). Each event is themed, from Mediterranean to Party Appetizers to Cooking with Alcohol. It's a great opportunity to take the time out of our hectic lives and agree on one day when a whole group of us can get together and enjoy each others company.

This last Saturday was Cooking with Alcohol, and what a great selection of menu items we enjoyed! Chef Monique Ruvolo made a spicy grilled calamari & shrimp dish using vodka which was reminiscent of the famous Cafe Allegro appetizer, only sprinkled with crumbled goat cheese which was a nice touch. Ex-Cafe Allegro Wine Director and current server at Table 22, Jim Kwiecinski prepared Steamed Mussels cooked with white wine and Pernod, adding some peppers and onion as well. Jim also brought a bottle of Regaleali which was the perfect accompaniment. Bartender at Harris Grill and lead singer of Salena Catalina, Lexi Rebert made Mango Margarita Seviche with tilapia & corn chips. We paired with some Vouvray that our hosts Dan & Jess Lukac had had on hand. My dish was a Grand Marnier Cheesecake which I paired with Churchill's White Port, which I felt was a little too hot for this dish. Expected the cheesecake to be dryer in flavor, hence the white port, but I think it's sweetness would have been better matched with a sauternes? All in all a great evening had by all.

I certainly recommend collecting five of your best friends (kinda have to have a little "foodie" blood in them) and ask them to invite a pair of friends each, and start your own supper club.

WPCS Dinner

Saturday August 1st

Cooking with Alcohol

1st Course

Mussels in White Wine & Pernod

wine selection: Regaleali

2nd Course

Spicy Grilled Calamari & Shrimp with Goat Cheese Crumble

wine selection: Vouvray

3rd Course

Mango Margarita Tilapia Seviche

wine selection: Vouvray

4th Course

Spaghetti with Garlic, Garden Tomato & White Wine

wine selection: Meritage

5th Course

Penne Pasta with Red Wine & Pancetta

wine selection: Meritage

Desserts

Rum Soaked Grilled Fruit Compote Over Grilled Angel Food Cake

Grand Marnier Cheesecake with Honey Drizzle

wine selection: White Port

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Grand Marnier Cheesecake

Crust

Amount Measure Ingredient

-------- ------- --------------------------------

1/4 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs

unsalted butter for pan

Butter bottom and sides of an 8-by-3-inch pan (if you use a

springform, it will have to be a very tight fitting one that won't

leak). Sprinkle crumbs into pan and turn pan carefully to coat

bottom and sides. Coating will be very thin and spotty. Refrigerate.

Filling

Amount Measure Ingredient

-------- ------- --------------------------------

2 lbs cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup whipping cream

4 Tbl Grand Marnier (liquor available at most liquor stores)

1 Grated rind of 1 large orange (orange part only)

4 eggs, large

1 3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

honey for drizzling over the top when finished

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Place cream cheese, cream, Grand Marnier,

orange rind, eggs, sugar, and vanilla in bowl. Beat slowly on low setting

until ingredients bland, then increase speed to high. Beat until

ingredients are smooth. Pour into pan and tap pan gently to level batter.

Bake for 1 or until top just starts to brown. Take out of oven and let sit for 5 minutesbefore moving to refrigerator cool for 2 hours. seperate from wall of ban by sliding a knife along the edge, then unmold. Cut into slices and drizzle the top with honey.

Hangtime Pinot Noir

2009-05-21T23:19:00.000-07:00

A wine I'd highly recommend...

To anyone who is drunk at 2 am... watching the Highlander, after drinking three rum and colas (that's Gosling rum, Moxie cola with a splash of lime juice) after a ten hour day on your feet from 2-12:30...

I remember this wine as offering so much more, 10 years ago when I started tasting it. So disappointing now. After a phenomenally rich aroma. the palate was flat and completely unrefined. Where the nose gave notes of toasted berry fruit, the palate left me wanting.

Thank god for The Highlander, the rum and the Queen soundtrack to keep me entertained. The Hangtime performed well as a guzzling wine to keep moving through the film.

Is it me or does Ramirez look exactly like Joe Barsotti?

Pittsburgh Wine Festival 2009

2009-05-01T13:10:00.000-07:00

Chef Eric "Spudz" Wallace, radiant as ever

Guests line up for glasses of the good stuff

Too little time to sample all the fine wines

The absolute highlight of the wine festival is the chance to once again taste Chateau D'Yquem. 2006 from Bordeaux, France. The best way to describe this wine is to say it's like licking the nipple of God. I go back to this table again and again. Nothing like a good Sauternes, and D'Yquem is the king. The only white wine to deserve 1st Growth status. This is the wine referred to when referencing "the nectar of the gods".

The magic mixer elixir... (pt 1.)

2009-04-27T12:11:00.001-07:00

As important as your base liquor for any cocktail, is the addition of your mixer. I've been tasting a slew of new products lately that have reminded me of how important your choices for mixing agents are. I mean, come on... this is the stuff we're diluting our liquor with, right?

Top of the list, for me, is your bitters. What ever your cocktail preferences, you should alwasy have a bottle of bitters on hand. Recommended mostly for addition to brown liquors (whiskeys, rums) bitters is an herbal blend that is actually alcoholic. Used primarily in a Manhattan, Old Fashioned or Rob Roy, I recommend it for one of my favorite cocktail concoctions which has undergone many different name changes depending on which restaurant I'm selling it from (ie; Donerion, Make Mine Fluffy, Whiskey Tango) which is comprised of 3/4 Makers Mark, 1/4 Grand Marnier & splash of Angostura bitters. Shaken over ice.

Bartenders across the country are playing with in-house bitters. In Pittsburgh, resident "bar-crafter" Michael Mincin has created a Blood Orange Bitters used in his "Badlands-hatten" at the bar of Eleven Contemporary Kitchen. http://bigburrito.com/eleven/eleven.shtml

Along the same lines as bitters, is the "official state soft drink of Maine" known as Moxie Cola. Anyone can tell you I am an avid proponent of Moxie Cola. Moxie used to be called "Moxie Nerve Food" or "Moxie Original Elixir", which apparently cured everything from imbecility to "lack of manhood". Moxie waned in popularity when the newly formed FDA decided that the beverage could not advertise itself as a food... and lacked many of the curative qualities it purported to possess. In the 60s when one of Moxie's leading ingredients; sarsaparilla, was banned Moxie lost roughly 50% of its fan base, and now is difficult to find even in the New England states which are it's home base. http://www.moxiecongress.org/

Every year I return to Pittsburgh with 20+ cases of Moxie Cola... enough to get me through the year. It brings me great pleasure to share this soda with my bartender and chef friends who invariably all love it. Moxie and a lime are the perfect accompaniment to a nice rum. Stay away from spiced rums, the flavors tend to compete, but a nice rum like 10 Cane or Zaya make a perfect match for this soda who's maine ingredient (yeah, I spelled it "maine") is now gentian root... the same ingredient found in Angostura bitters.

Another great pairing for your summer rum drinks is Ginger Beer! The spicier the better! There's nothing like a dark & stormy (rum, ginger beer & lime) on a hot summer day by the water. Dark & stormy tradition dictates that Gosling Dark should always be the rum of choice. I'd agree it is one of the best matches for this cocktail, though I have had equally impressive success with spiced & flavored rums as well. Combining two cocktails; the mojito and the dark & stormy, can add a whole new world of Caribbean flavors to your summer party.

Muddle some fresh mint with sugar in the raw and a dash of simple syrup. Add 1 & 1/2 oz. rum (for this cocktail recipe I recommend Khukri rum from the Himalayas in Nepal), 1 oz. of Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur, juice from 1/2 a lime and shake. pour over ice into a tall collins glass and top with ginger beer. There is only one ginger beer I will recommend (though there are plenty of good quality ones on the market) and that is Natrona Bottling Company Jamaica's Finest Ginger Beer, pictured here.

(to be continued...)

Watchmen

2009-03-06T07:31:00.000-08:00

Geeks and nerds the world over celebrate the opening of Watchmen in theatres world-wide.

While Superman, Batman & the X-Men may be well known comic book characters to the layman (non-geek)... Watchmen is, without argument, the most significant comic graphic novel ever written, to the true comic book connoisseur. It's release as a movie has both segregated and united comic-geeks the world over.

Alan Moore's (Swamp Thing, V For Vendetta, From Hell) public dismissal of his own literature scripted to silver screen, and the debate between FOX and Warner Bros (yeh, said BROS) has attracted much attention from the media regarding the movie's release.

But I'm here to tell it straight. Watchmen is the best comic ever written, and the movie was an excellent adaptation of the book. Whether moviegoers who've never read or heard about the book will be as entertained by the movie as I was, is hard to say.

Okay!

Let's talk about cocktails!

For our opening weekend I recommend paying homage to both Zack Snyder and Alan Moore with this selection of different drink choices:

1) The DR. MANHATTEN : A Manhattan with Dr. Pepper (too easy)

A Manhattan with Vodka (sub 4 Bourbon) and Blue Curacao

2) The Rorschach: A White Russian (kahlua added after Vodka & milk shaken)

- SHOT - White Sambuca (dark sambuca added after settling of

white sambuca)

So enjoy your "cock"tails (No limit of blue genitalia in our subversive little script) and toast Zack for staying true to the medium, and Alan for presenting us with a truly luminary, literary gift ... the likes of which the comic fanboy world has since seen, and shall forever be indebted.

for more cocktail recipes check out:

http://www.isotopecomics.com/2009/03/watchmen-inspired-cocktails.html

Wild Rosemary

2009-03-05T10:02:00.000-08:00

My dining compatriot, Monique (who co-founded the Western Pennsylvania Consumption Society with me) called and said Gloria had opened a new restaurant called "Wild Rosemary" (WR) in Upper Saint Claire/Mount Lebanon, and we must go! http://www.wildrosemary.com/

"Gloria" was Gloria Fortunato, Chef at Cafe Allegro. Gloria was the finest cook I'd ever worked with. She had an intuitive sense of flavor that was well displayed in the cuisine she prepared for hundreds of Cafe Allegro patrons each week. I hadn't seen Glo for close to five years, since she'd left Cafe Allegro. I knew whatever she was cooking up at WR would be exceptional, and agreed to set up a dinner date, without hesitation.

We hastened to call other fellow Allegrites and WPCS members, while we were careful not to overbook our little party, as WR only seats 8 parties at any given time due to it's limited seating capabilities. Apparently the entire restaurant is set up in a recently renovated pizza joint... perfect for Glo's needs. No wine cellar, no bar, no staff. Just Gloria in the kitchen, our other friend Cathleen Enders managing the FOH, and Cathleen's niece serving to the dining area.

We decided on February 16th, since most of us worked Valentine's Day. We figured it would be a good Post-VD celebratory dinner to share with our loved ones & friends.

Roll call was Colpo, Michelle, Lexi, Nico, Lee, Dave, Monique, Heather and I. Reservations were for 8:00.

Heather and I had time before the reso, to go get a drink and Molly MacQuires in Dormont. MM is a great little "Irish Pub" trying very hard to replicate the old country charm of a traditional pub, while conceding to the American difficulties of opening such an establishment (ie; The Allegheny County Health Department, The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board). Such government sponsored food & bevvy nazis make it very hard to copy the homey feel of a true Irish pub, with it's carpeted interior, wood tables and bar, dirty smoke-filled air and publican (who typically owns the building, bar & apartment upstairs where he sleeps between shifts). But Molly MacQuire's does as good as a job as a few other American establishments in staying true to form.

I had a Guinness (naturally) while Heather had a Magner's Cider, after a recommendation from my NYC drinking buddy, Paige Wentworth. She'd told me about Magners awhile back, but I had never heard or tried this product. Heather enjoyed it immensely.

After our drinks we headed down to Wild Rosemary. We arrived early, had to wait only while the table was reset. Once seated, the other guests started to arrive, Colpo last to show-up as he got turned around a little by the change in address numbering at a certain point on Bower's Hill Road, that I must admit, almost had Heather and I pulling a U-turn as well.

The menu had seven entree choices which included Barramundi, Lamb Loin, Veal Medallions, NY Strip, Pork Tenderloin, Chicken, and Scallops. No appetizers, no salads, no dessert menu (and as I said before, no wine cellar - hence no wine list).

I had brought two bottles to this cozy little BYOB. Louis Latour Ardeche (chardonnay) and Domaine Ligneres Aric 2007 (carignan blend) http://www.familleligneres.com/aric.html.

I love the Aric, it is a phenomenal Rhone blend of carignan, mourvedre and syrah. Full bodied, with a little of that French terroir, but not as much as you'd typically find... almost tastes like a New World style wine. There's a lot of different flavors you can extract from this wine the longer it lingers on your palate, including coffee, anise, blueberry & plum. I've served this wine as a feature, and as a wine choice on many special menus, and it never fails to amaze, and tonight was no exception... it was the first bottle drunk dry.

Gloria immediately came out to see all her old friends and share some info about her last few years while away. We'd all seen major changes in all of our lives and were happy to share with our old friend.

I ordered the Grilled Veal Medallions with polenta/sundried tomato tart with roasted garlic aioli, arugula on side. A few of us opted for this item (I should note they were out of the Barramundi, didn't make the shipment, Gloria's attitude was refreshing... she shrugged her shoulders and said "Oh well. Shit happens, nothing to get excited over."), while Mo went for the NY Strip (I know this because she was sitting next to me and graciously shared) and Heather had the Sea Scallops in Saffron Cream, with shallots, crushed red saffron, mascarpone, roasted tomatoes, spaghetti and parm reggiano.

Before dinner we were served a plate of bruschetta with a ricotta cheese blended with herbs and roasted cherry tomatoes, and mediterranean olives... I could not stop pounding this delicious, abundant, "amuse-bouche" down. More an appetizer than an "amuse" it was the perfect start to dinner, immediately staving off Heather's hunger pangs, and allowing us to relax, lean back and enjoy the ambiance that Cathleen had designed in this comfortably close space.

Food came out shortly, and our eyes alighted to the feast presented us. The plates were stacked with entrees of our choosing and a heaping mound of salad on the side.

My veal dish was cooked perfectly to temp. No small feat for a chef in a tiny kitchen, preparing every side accompaniment along with the main dish, to 9 guests. The salad on the side also, surprisingly, stood out as more than a garnish, and was as meticulously prepared as the rest of the meal.

Heather's dish, the Seared Scallops, was a enlightened! Where saffron can so often be overused and overtake a dish, Gloria created a dish that was perfectly seasoned, and the addition of citrus zest gave it a fresh, light flavor that uplifted the saffron spaghetti to the perfect frame from which to display the masterpiece that was the scallops, and allow them to shine on their own.

We shared each others entrees and there was not one hesitation from anyone in the group in exclaiming that Gloria had truly found her niche and achieved a perfect oasis from which to share her joy of cooking with the Pittsburgh culinary scene. Immediately added to the top of my favorite Pittsburgh dining spots, alongside Vivo, Bonaterra, Casbah and Umi.

Unfortunately, as all thing do, our meal came to an end, and it was time to head home and relieve Gramma from babysitting duties. The ride home my wife commented on the quietness between us. I agreed it was unique for us not to utter a word for the 20 minute car ride, but the evenings meal had literally left me speechless, save for a deep smile, spread across my face, which spoke volumes.

http://www.wqed.org/mag/columns/dish/2009/0309-wild-rosemary.ph

Bacon-Infused Bourbon

2009-02-04T12:26:00.000-08:00

Probably, the most comments I ever got on my facebook account, were from people questioning my sanity when I posted that I was making Bacon-Infused Bourbon for the restaurant.

There were some mixed reactions. I think when I originally heard about this concoction, from Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, my initial reaction was similar to my facebook families. A quick revulsion, followed by contemplation and then the epiphany. "This could possibly be the greatest idea, ever!!!"

The actual recipe was found in an article from the New York Magazine, credited to New York City bartender Don Lee from PDT (please don't tell, a widely acclaimed NYC speakeasy). http://nymag.com/restaurants/recipes/inseason/45776/

We followed the original recipe, though we traded the bourbon they were using, with Knob Creek. a) because the bourbon they listed was unknown to us, b) because Knob Creek was an item we could possibly get help from our liquor distributors to bring the cost down.

The Knob Creek did not work as well as we had anticipated. The high alcohol seemed to cover up the bacon smokiness we were expecting to taste. There was some obvious smokiness added to the Knob, that gave the whiskey a mellower flavor, with some slight sweetness notes, but where was the bacon.

So I brought the bottle home and infused more bacon fat into the 1.5L bottle... 'bout 16 strips (where originally we did 8) So now we sit and wait. See what this concoction provides. If overly bacony, I can always add more bourbon to balance out the flavor (which is easier to do than cooking up bacon over and over again, straining, chilling, scooping out fat and sediment).

Next round I'm going to go with a lighter alcohol, sweeter bourbon that I feel may take on the bacon flavor better; Woodford comes to mind.

You have the recipe, now for the PDT version. Make some at home. Share with friends. They'll be amazed by your bravery and creativeness. After all the posts I received about my own attempts at this unique cocktail, I can pretty much guarantee you'll be the talk of the next dinner party for months to come.

Here's the recipe again for y'all;

http://nymag.com/restaurants/recipes/inseason/45776/

You may also be wondering why there's a mini-keg of Heineken in the picture? Well this was my Super Bowl celebratory beer (Really, Sean? No Iron City? Or even Penn Pilsner? At the very least Yuengling?) Well, I always wanted to try one of these things, and Heather isn't fond of too many beer flavors, so while we sat back and watched our Championship winning Steelers bring home another Super Bowl trophy, we shared this mini-keg between us (and between shots of Makers Mark to help rally our boys - Heather, who DOESN'T ever drink whiskey kept right up with me, shot-for-shot... I was so proud of her). I gotta say, I really enjoyed this mini-keg experience. It was fun to have this cute little green guy, hiding out in our fridge, and the beer tasted great. Fresh and refreshing. I'd recommend for anybody who has as much trouble as I do trying to pack a stuffed fridge with a case of bottles for the big game.

Cheers Big Ears!

Some moderately priced easy drinkers, with a little Spanish thrown in for good measure

2009-01-22T16:00:00.000-08:00

Enjoyed two wines this week that were very well priced and great value.

The first was Montevina Barbera. An amador county barbera, you ask? Well yes. Actually the second barbera from California that I've tried. Renwood being the other. Both were/are exceptional representations on this varietal typically found in Italy.

The Montevina had a lot going on for a $10 bottle of wine. Black cherry aromas lead to chocolate, some tobacco-vanillan, full berry fruit on the palate. light citrus zest bookmarks both the opening and closing of this wine... very light. Great quaffing wine, could easily recommend for a bottle to share between you and your loved ones, sitting in front of a crackling fire.

The second bottle is in-hand as I write this review. From Sardon Del Duero in Northern Spain, came this lovely bottle of Rivola. Light on the tongue, splash of crisp raspberries and strawberrys on the fore palate. The Spanish earthiness is there, and the sun-ripened fruit gives a tease of heavy extracted berry flavor, but it never follows through (I mean that in the best possible way) and it leaves you with a refreshing, drinking red. A very well-rounded, well constructed bottle.

Rivola should come in around $15, but there are plenty of deals online, to be found.

Speaking of Spanish wine, I should mention my fastest growing favorite region for wine making; Priorat.

I'm loving Priorat wines, and nobody else seems to be hip to them yet. Which for you means that your store may carry a great selection that has been passed over by other wine shoppers. Prices may have gone down? Or, as in PA, you might find the state putting a few on display with it's "Chairman Select" program.

Priorat blends are standout, in that they combine two of the greatest wine regions with masterful blending. Typically a Priorat wine will be a combination of French and Rhone varietal: cab, merlot, malbec, petite verdot, cab franc & syrah, grenache, mourvedre, carignan (in Spain: carinena) . Look for Vall Llach. I have a bottle of both their Embruix & Idus storing in my cellar. They are just great to open now, but my intuition tells me, a few years in the cellar will mellow out the tannins a little, and deliver a robust powerhouse wine. Both are $35 and up, but I've bought mine, both, at under $20 on the aforementioned "Chairman's Select". Happy hunting!

The bastardization of fine cuisines

2009-01-21T12:24:00.000-08:00

Well, I have accomplished the unaccomplishable... (?)

Okay, maybe not completely true statement there. But I'm very excited for my newest culinary bastardization of two of my favorite new cooking techniques (?)... Asian cuisine + Buffalo Chicken wings. (somewhere - probably in DC - Don Bistarkey is groaning in dismay)

Last night saw the culmination of a dream. A dream that came to me about two weeks ago when the wife and I made our first egg rolls. Sausage and coleslaw egg rolls. They were so delicious, and so easy to make, that it got me thinking. Why not Buffalo chicken egg rolls?

After contemplating for a week or so, I came up with a preliminary recipe to test it out. Buffalo wings have always been a specialty of mine... Buffalo wings, burgers and chili are three items I have raised to haute cuisine level after years of repetitive experimentation. But Buffalo wings are the kings of my repertoire.

I have a very simple way of preparing Buffalo wings, and I have never tasted a better wing in my life. It all started almost 20 years ago in college, at one of our first house parties (the SEWER house for those in-the-know) when I decided to add a little ranch dressing into the sauce to cool it down slightly. Over the years the recipe has evolved to include a little soy, sriracha hot pepper sauce, twice baking the wings instead of deep frying, and blue cheese dressing has replaced the ranch (although my wife still prefers ranch, so I always make a separate batch for her).

Anyhow, this prep was a little different, and still in the experimental stages (so I certainly would accept any recommendations or pointers from some of my more accomplished chef friends).

Basically, stage one was baking the wings. mixed the wings, some cayenne powder, sea salt, garlic powder, veg oil and pepper in a big bowl and placed on a baking sheet. Baked at 350 for about an hour and a half. cut some celery into thin slices, to give the texture of water chestnuts, and julienned some carrots. once the wings were done baking, I took out of oven and let sit for 1/2 hour to cool off, covered with some aluminum foil. In a pan I sauteed the carrots and celery with a little butter. I then took the chicken meat, with some skin, off the wing bones, added to the sauteing carrots and celery, added my hot sauce mixture (Frank's Red Hot, Soy, Blue Cheese dressing, splash Sriracha hot pepper sauce) and cooked down slightly until the sauce was absorbed by the chicken and veggies. The trick is not to use too much sauce, didn't want the egg rolls to be overtaken by the heat. Once heated through, I used a soup spoon and stuffed one egg roll at a time while I waited for my oil to heat up. Into the oil and all done in about three minutes.

They were delicious, with a little ranch for dipping. I was very happy with the end result. More experimentation to come, and again, would appreciate any instruction to help me perfect this dish.

Oh, and since this is a drinking man's blog... what goes great with egg rolls? Foster's beer, of course. When funds are tight and there is some beer drinking at home to be done, I'm either picking up a case of Sam Adams (again, Don groans), Heineken, or Fosters.

The Fosters tasted just right for this Pan-Amerasian dish.

Christmas Eve

2008-12-24T19:37:00.000-08:00

So I'm sitting, drinking a bottle of wine, waiting for the kiddies to have those "visions of sugarplums". waiting... and waiting...

Might as well let you in on what 'Santa' is consuming... 'cause it's a pretty nice repertoire.

Started with one of my favorite cheap bottles. Woop Woop Shiraz from Australia. This nice inexpensive bottle can be found for $8-9. And it's great. Some serious framboise flavor jumping out, heavy vanillan notes. Just can't beat it for the price. It's my "go to" bottle, when funds are short.

We drank the bottle with a pre-Santa prep dinner of filet and sauteed asparagus that my wife prepared.. and prepared well... with a little lemon juice and olive oil... yum!

As the kids eyes grew heavy, and the winter blankets beckoned. I received my annual gift from the wife. A Christmas eve tradition, a DVD to watch while we wait for the coming Claus. This year's selection was "Wanted". Apparently based on the comic book of the same name... but I'd have to say so loosely based, that the only familiarity laid in the name alone, and perhaps some VERY loose plot derivations.

Finally, the kids are in bed and it's time to set up the tree and gifts. I break out a bottle of Glenmorangie Port Wood Finish 12 year scotch. A bottle I'd been holding onto for the last 4 years. I restrain myself from chugging this good stuff down, and break it out for special occasions. This Scotch is discontinued now, and the distillers have changed their brewing process to non-chill filtered whiskey which the distillers felt gave the whiskey a more authentic flavor. And that may be true. I just happen to prefer the Glenmorangie port wood finish that I grew to love. The bastardized version, if you will... but I love it, and I cherish my last bottle.

So with a glass of scotch in hand, the wind blowing outside, and the toys set and displayed under the tree... I bid you all a very merry Christmas!

iphone, ipod, itouch

2008-12-21T13:26:00.001-08:00

Just got this new ipod (itouch... iphone minus the phone) and the greatest thing about it (well, maybe not the greatest... really happy to have all my music on one compact portable player) is the "Wine Guide" app.

clicking on the app I can get just about every bottle of wine with a brief explanation with current vintage, cost and rating from Wine Enthusiast... after choosing the vineyard and then the proper bottle.

I believe the app actually comes from Wine Enthusiast, and have already spotted some notable missing bottles; Orin Swift The Prisoner is a prime example. Basically, anything Wine Enthusiast has not rated will be missing from the app. But there're still thousands of choices to look up. This is gonna make my job much easier. Whether talking to vendors, shopping at the State Store or talking to tables... it'll be a nice utensil to have.

On another note... tried a bottle of Michael and David Vineyards Petite Petit, blend of petite sirah and petit verdot. Was a little disappointing. I usually like these guys wines. Often big, powerhouse bottles... this one was a little lacking, too soft... not much there. Some cranberry on the nose led to a tarter taste in the glass as well. It's odd though, because I recalled liking this wine at the Pittsburgh Wine Festival when I tasted it in May. It didn't taste off or oxidized however, maybe my recollections from May had been obscured by the hundreds of other glasses of wine I'd tasted leading up the the Petite Petit. For the same price, I'd rather drink the Earthquake Petite Sirah from the same company.

Holiday party wines

2008-12-14T19:16:00.000-08:00

Made a trip to the liquor store Saturday, with daughter in-tow. I'm getting more and more impressed with our current PLCB chairman's (Patrick J. Stapleton III) selections, and the Shadyside store director's (Ron Dreshman) purchases. Some great Holiday gift giving ideas... and some equally great value wines for all those office parties your wife may end up dragging you to.

If you're not familiar with Pennsylvania liquor laws, then you're one lucky summabitch. In PA, we are limited in what we can buy, by what the state agrees to bring in. We are beholden to the state to make the correct purchasing decisions and offering choice wines, which so very often they fail in their ability to provide. However, it's getting better. While we may never see the vast selection that other states offer, at least PA seems to be making a concerted effort to keep up with the current wine trends.

In my shopping experience I came across a few gems I was familiar with, from offering in one of the many restaurant I purchased for. I thought, maybe, to share some of these picks with you.

The first one, that can regularly be found across the country, and is one I often buy in New Hampshire when on vacation up there, is Big Tattoo Red from 2 Brothers. Big Tattoo Red is a Cab/Syrah blend (50/50) from Chile. It's a nice, value friendly, bottle of wine that I enjoy cracking after a fewer bigger bodied and bigger priced bottles. It's easy drinking and reliable... and it's only $9.99. This wine isn't gonna knock your socks off, but I think for the price you may be fairly impressed with the quality. I like this wine as a gift for the Holidays as every bottle sold donates 50 cents to the Arlington, Virginia Hospice and a breast cancer research foundation in the name of Liliana S. Bartholomaus. Introduced in the Winter of 2002, sales from BIg Tattoo Wines has raised over $850,000 for charity. It's my feel good wine!

For a bigger body, huge extracted fruit, and just plain delicious bottle... I recommend the Earthquake Petite Sirah from Michael & David Vineyards in Lodi, California. This is a wine to give to the unsuspecting host/hostess at the office Christmas party. It's a closet wine that will "wow" the receiver. I cracked one of these at the last Halloween supper club I hosted and the bottle was the house favorite... gone within the first ten minutes of attendees arriving. Where most wine descriptors will halt at "blueberry" or "coffee" Earthquake takes these flavor profiles a step further with "Up front blueberry syrup, black cherry and coffee bean shake up the senses, finishing with warm cigar box cedar and vanillan flavors." At $18.99 you're getting every penny's worth!

For a more classically styled wine I noticed the Pennsylvania Wine and Spirits Store is now offering Catena Malbec from Argentina at $23.99 a bottle. This is one of the finest expressions of malbec I have encountered (for the price) from Argentina. Malbec is THE varietal of Argentina, though some equally fine malbecs are being produced in Cahors, France... and of course, malbec is one of the blending grapes in the wine capitol of the world Bordeaux (so obviously, you'll also find malbec in most meritage blends). It has a distinct plum-like flavor, and less distinct hint of anise which is helpful in rounding out the highly tannic cabernet of Bordeaux blends and filling out the softer merlot. Argentina has perfected this grape and produced some of the best 100% malbecs in the world. Quickly gaining in popularity, this is a nice gift as a substitute for a cab or merlot offering.

My favorite selection, however, and the one I ended up bringing to my wife's office party, was/is Rumball Sparkling Shiraz from Coonawarra Australia!

You're saying to yourself "What! Sparkling shiraz? I've never heard of such a thing." Or, possibly, you're more sophisticated palate than I've given you credit for is saying "Waitaminnit! I've had sparkling shiraz and it's always insipidly sweet... you can't really recommend such a disgusting mutation of this beautiful Australian varietal?"

I have tried dozens of Sparkling shiraz, and only one has ever made the cut for my lists and my home, and that is Rumball. Inky black, earthy and grapey, Rumball does a magnificent job in creating a varietally correct sparkling shiraz. At Casbah we put it on our brunch menu as a "Black Mimosa". the mixture of citrus and dark, spicy chocolatey shiraz gives your mimosas a whole new depth of flavor. You'll shock and delight your gift receiving friends with this choice bubbly. It goes great with meat! The gamier the better. Also, highly recommended with a nice stinky blue cheese! YUM!

Hope this helps with Holiday shopping! May you and yours have a very Happy Holiday! Cheers!

http://www.rumball.com.au/
http://www.lodivineyards.com/
http://www.bigtattoowines.com/

Stan The Wine Man (Part 2)

2008-12-01T19:50:00.001-08:00

Onto the reds... the lifeblood of Stan's list.

When Stan first came calling 10 years ago at Cafe Allegro, he was smart enough to bring me, what has since turned into one of my top ten favorite wines... Gli Occhi Blu Di Sabrina Amarone. I was hooked! After that, every wine he tasted me on was a "must-have", though often a "can't-afford." I mean I can only sell so many $100 Italian wines, right?

Coming to Soba, I was careful with my picks. The light, fresh, lively flavor profiles in Soba's food, and the subtle crisp flavors of Umi, do not lend themselves to big, hearty, tannic wines. So with that in mind I chose the best of the best that I had been familiar with from past vintages: Palari Faro & Rosso Del Soprano, Poderi La Collina Labbra Di Giada, Cecilia Monte Incognito, and San Rustico Gli Occhi Blu Di Sabrina Amarone.

Start off with the Labbra di Giada (Italian for "lips of Giada": read http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/wine_labbra_di_giada.htm for a somewhat accurate portrayal of how this wine got it's name). This is a dolcetto di dogliani (dolcetto=grape, dogliani=region in Piedmont). Typically a dry, tannic wine with medium fruit and acid levels, Stan's dolcetto, however is a fruit driven, deep purple colored, easily drinking glass that pairs well with food, but stands well on it's own for those guests looking for an Italian glass that's not to tongue-drying. Retails for $29.42, which makes it a reasonably priced bottle on any restaurant list (mark-up would be anything from $69-$88... I sell it at Soba for $60)

Next up for the staff was the Cecilia Monte Incognito. Incognito is actually a Barbaresco, 100% nebbiolo grape as you'd find in a Barolo, as well as Barbaresco. The high price needed to call this wine a Barbaresco for exporting, persuaded Stan to find an alternate form of marketing this wine... hence "Incognito", so he could sell a Barbaresco at a 1/2 way reasonable price. This is a dynamite Barbaresco at $41.39. Typical flavor profiles of mint, licorice, blackberry and black cherry are all here in this steal of a Barbaresco. I would imagine, a Barbaresco of this quality, if it had the proper DOC (Denominazione di origine controllata: Italy's bureau of wine quality and regulation) designation of Barbaresco, it would fetch a price of anywhere from $70-90 bottle.

The last two we tasted were Palari's Rosso del Soprano (named after the popular HBO series... jus' kiddin') and Faro. The Rosso del Soprano is the poor man's Faro ($42.95) with the same grape sourcing of up to 8 different varietals from Sicily... it's the stepping stone to it's big brother. Dry and dusty, tannic (but not overbearingly so) with some light brick tones and balanced fruit it's a fine bottle... but can not compare with... FARO! When tasting wines with so many different palates as my staff demonstrated, it was no surprise that votes on the "best red" were divided between the Faro and it's contender, San Rustico Amarone. Faro is for the pinot noir lovers in our midst. Gambero Rosso compares it with a "...Chambolle Musigny or a Vosne Romanee from the Burgundy heartlands." The comparison is not lost on any of our palates however. A gentle, feminine red consisting of Sicilian varietals dominated by nerello mascalese and nerello cappuccio, with smaller quantities of nocera, cappuccio tignolino, cor’e palumba, acitana, galatena, calabrese and more. Never heard of any of these varietal? Don't be embarrassed, most are unfamiliar to me as well... the important thing to know is that this wine is a stunner. Don't believe me, well Gambero Rosso (again, the Wine Spectator of Italian wine) named the Faro "Wine of the Year". If you're looking for a wine experience that is subtle & complex, graceful, artistic and elegant, than look no further. But it'll cost you at $92.25. Well worth it, when you consider other Italian wines, without the "Wine of the Year" title can fetch upwards of $200-$300 and much higher.

Time to end our little discussion on Italian red wine with my favorite wine in Stan's portfolio: San Rustico Gli Occhi Blu Di Sabrina Amarone, from Veneto. Gli Occhi Blu di Sabrina is Italian for "the blue eyes of Sabrina", who was the winemaker's daughter. This wine is not only my favorite in Stan's portfolio, but one of my top ten favorite red wines, year after year. This is THE wine experience. Every time I've recommended this wine to a guest, I relish the pure ecstasy they find in the bottle and gratitude they afford me for the excellent recommendation. Given time, I prefer to decant this bottle, pour the first glass, and return again and again to the table to revel in their excitement at how much the wine has changed and gotten better and better with each passing hour. Typically amarone is made from corvina, rodinella and molinara grapes which have been "raisinated" in the sun to concentrate the grapes natural sugars before going to press. It leads to a very sweet, prune or raisin fruit flavor that I adore, but in Stan's amarone the balance is perfected to give a great extracted fruit flavor without overly sweetening the wine. Great balance, hearty fruit... just a beauty of a wine. Springer Wine Review rated this wine 100 points (for what that's worth to ya). At $84.82 you can't afford not to have a six pack delivered to your front door immediately! This will forever be a favorite of mine. I hope you get the chance to try this masterpiece as well.

Now these wines are not your everyday bargain wines, but for the quality I'd certainly recommend every one for special occasion dining. Each has tremendous aging potential. As a gift, it will be one remembered for a long time. You can always write to me, anytime, for my home address when you decide to ship these bad boys out to me... until then, I'll keep waiting for new restaurants to work in, so I can hold another Stan "the Wine Man" staff training session, and linger on that last glass of amarone...

To order these wines, you may have to go straight to "the man" if you can't find them in your local wine and spirits distributor. Address to follow:

Stan "The Wine Man"® Lalic

1201 Woodbourne Avenue

Pittsburgh PA 15226-2315

TELEPHONE: (412) 341-9463

FAX: (412) 343-8466

e-mail: stanthewineman@hotmail.com

CELL: (412) 736-7017

Stan The Wine Man

2008-11-30T13:23:00.000-08:00

Just had our first wine training at the new restaurant Soba, with the new staff. The topic of discussion; Italian Wines. The guest speaker; Stan "THE WINE MAN"® Lalic.

I've been a big fan of Stan's wines ever since I got into this crazy game. Every wine is distributed in the U.S. by Stan alone. Each wine is 90+ points, with a few reaching 100 points or tre bicchieri from Gambero Rosso (the Wine Spectator of Italian wines). As soon as I started at Soba I noticed a complete disregard for Italian wines on the list, and instantly called up Stan. Some of his whites were perfect for the Pan-Asian cuisine, and the reds are just too delicious to turn down. In a restaurant that serves cabernet with sushi (that's mostly due to customers preferences... not the recommendation I would make), I thought there was a definite need for a few dolcettos, barbarescos, and my favorite; amarone.

Stan brought us 10 bottles to taste with staff: Manni Nossing Kerner, Borgosan Danielle Pinot Grigio & Arbis Blanc, Volpe Passini Zuc di Volpe Pinot Bianco, Rosa Bosco Sauvignon Blanc, Palari Faro & Rosso Del Soprano, Poderi La Collina Labbra Di Giada, Cecilia Monte Incognito, and San Rustico Gli Occhi Blu Di Sabrina Amarone.

Now, before you get all frightened by the funny names in Italian, don't fret... I'm gonna walk you through this bottle by bottle, and demystify some of these labels for you.

Let's start with the whites. Manni Nossing is the winemaker of the first bottle from Alto Adige, which is in the northern part of Italy, right on the border with Austria. The cooler climate makes for great white wines like this crisp varietal, actually called "kerner". You're not going to find much kerner in the U.S. This particular one is priced at $27.97. Crisp apple, notes and a slight anise (that's anise... like licorice flavor, smart-ass) lingering in the fore palate. Nice quaffing wine and perfect with shellfish.

Next wine should be one you're familiar with, though have probably never tasted when it's done as well as Borgosan Danielle's product; pinot grigio. At $36.95, this pinot grigio had better be good, right? Well Borgosan Danielle's pinot grigio does not fail to impress. It's a heartier wine than the insipid dry white that has inundated the U.S. Forget everything you think you know about pinot grigio. This wine is full of sweet fruit, a hearty backbone from oak aging. It is a great food wine, pairing well with everything from strong fish to chicken... and I dare say it would be a great pairing with any pork dish, as long as the sauce was not too rich.

Borgosan Danielle also produces the Arbis Blanc which is a blend of tocai friulano, pinot bianco, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. Mellow, yet full-bodied. Honey and butteriness you'd expect from a chard, but the sweetness of the tocai balances it out and gives it a nice round flavor. Heavy on the tongue and highly drinkable with some great minerality from the sauvignon blanc. $38.50. Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchierri (three glasses) Award. 95-100 Points... for what that's worth to you...

And... the staff's favorite... Volpe Passini Zuc di Volpe Pinot Bianco at $33.95. Springer Wine review says it far more eloquently than I could... and every word rings true for this beauty "gushes with white peach and ripe mango with hints of papaya and pineapple which coats the palate with fruit-filled creaminess from its partial barrel fermentation. All this is placed in a framework of highly structured and perfectly balanced acidity... dry, medium-bodied, rich and opulent and clearly designed to accompany food. This wine should be served just slightly chilled to experience its layered, creamy texture and complex, exotic fruit." This was a wine that I wasn't particularly interested in when Stan broke it out of the carrying case for me to sample. What could I really need a pinot bianco on this limited list for, anyhow... but once I tasted the intricate, incredibly well balanced finesse of this wine, I ordered her up for our list. When asked by Stan "If you were stuck on a dessert island with only one of the white wines, which would you pick?" Majority of the staff raised their hands for this beauty.

I stayed my hand for my favorite of the whites; Rosa Bosco Sauvignon Blanc. This is a powerhouse sauvignon blanc from Italy ("a sauvignon blanc from Italy... you must be crazy!"). Reminiscent of the Bordeaux whites. Built on the powerful sauvignon blanc foundation there is a creaminess you're not likely to find from any other sauvignon blanc purveyor. The highly acidic varietal finds a wonderful balance here between cotton candy, confectioner sugar and yeasty champagne dryness. I loved the many different layers of intricacy I found in this wine... with a lingering palate that touched the senses with faint brushes of vanilla. A far cry from the tart, grapefruity "sauv blancs" that tend to be the current craze. This baby goes for $47.38 . A more impressive "sauv blanc" I have yet to find (though I will say, Orin Swift's Velladora comes pretty damn close).

(TO BE CONTINUED... WITH THE REDS)

To order these wines, you may have to go straight to "the man" if you can't find them in your local wine and spirits distributor. Address to follow:

Stan "The Wine Man"® Lalic
1201 Woodbourne Avenue TELEPHONE: (412) 341-9463
Pittsburgh PA 15226-2315 FAX: (412) 343-8466
e-mail: stanthewineman@hotmail.com CELL: (412) 736-7017

Why?

2008-11-14T21:27:00.000-08:00

Okay, back to the original question; "Who is Sean D. Enright?" (and I think we've just scraped the surface of that query, enough so that you know what my credentials are) and "Why should we care about his wine picks?"

Second question can be summed up by the timeless phrase "practice makes perfect". My wife likes to say that we are "functioning alcoholics". She says this tongue-in-cheek of course, but I'd like to take the notion a step further... I like to refer to myself as a "professional drunkard!"

Let's put it this way... I drink EVERY day. I drink, perhaps a dozen different wines, liquors, beers, daily, as part of my job. I then judge whether I (or my staff) can sell this alcoholic (though I do love dabbling with non-alcoholic beverages as well... one of my favorite restaurant projects was compiling a non-alcoholic soda menu for my more sober patrons) beverage at the price that a restaurant mark-up would necessitate. I taste thousands of wines a year. And, while I don't have a rating system which major publishing market houses refer to for their critical reviews, I do have a very simple rating system, which is my customers and my staff's appreciation of my choices. Sometimes I fail their expectations, but more often than not (and my restaurant sales will reflect this) I "wow" and excite my guests with new interesting varietals and styles that they're not going to read about in the major trade mags.

I will not sit here and tell you that I'm a classically trained Sommellier or UC Davis Grad. I am a simple, humble servant to the god Bacchus. My goal is to keep the subject of wine light, lively and conversational. I will not sit here and tell you I know everything there is to know about wine, far from it. And fuck the guy who tells you he does know everything there is to know about wine. That douche-bag is straight-up lying to you. The world of wine is too vast. It takes an army of magazines, bloggers, wine store clerks, websites, TV personalities to help us choose which bottle would be the absolute BEST bottle to drink with this evenings dining selection tandoori barbecued shrimp.

I have a simple approach to wine tasting, buying and selling. If I (or you) like the wine... it's a good wine! I don't care what Karen MacNeil says. That's my mantra, and I stick by it "If you like the wine, it's a good wine." We all get introduced to different levels of wine quality the more we consume. Your tastes will evolve. But there is no wrong or right wine... hell, it's all just fermented grape juice. Sure it takes on a magical quality that transcends mere alcoholic beverage. But the more mystique we add to the simple act of drinking wine, the more enjoyment we deny ourselves.

The wine world is too full of ego, conceit, misdirection and marketing... I'm gonna give it to you straight. I'll be tasting wines, and passing my thoughts onto you. And you'll give me plenty of feedback, I hope. And we'll all share in the wonderful joy of wine together, without the constraints of rating systems, trade mags, marketing power brokers, and wine-snobs.

I want you to get comfortable, sit back, pour a glass, relax... and know that whatever it is you've got in your glass, if it makes you happy... well, that can't be all that bad, huh?

(side note: I certainly use a little levity when describing my persuasion toward the drink, but I want to note that alcoholism and substance abuse are no laughing matter. I've seen to many friends die from heroin, and I watched my grandmother struggle with alcohol until her untimely death. I don't take addiction lightly, and if you or someone you know suffers from addiction, the best thing you can do is confront the disease. Some support groups to help: http://www.aa.org/, http://www.drug-addiction.com/)

Who is this guy? (Part 3)

2008-11-09T11:49:00.000-08:00

After years of designing and selling an award winning wine list at Casbah, and revving up our sales both at the bar and on the floor, the "powers that be" asked if I'd be adverse to the idea of moving to sister restaurant Soba/Umi. Soba is the Pan-Asian specialty restaurant of the BbRG, while Umi is, by far, the finest sushi bar/restaurant within a 300 mile radius. The argument has been made by regular and new guests alike, that Umi, with Executive Chef Mr. Shu, is one of the finest sushi restaurants in the country. I will leave that debate to the experts. Either way, I would say Umi is the finest restaurant, not only in BbRG, but in the city of Pittsburgh... and I've eaten at all of 'em.
After some personal contemplation, I decided I would give Soba/Umi a chance. I loved what I was doing at Casbah, but was also eager to learn a whole new cuisine.
Moving to Soba/Umi has required me to retrain my palate to find complimentary wine pairings for more brighter, crisper flavors from Asia, where my entire culinary experience up to this point had always been richer, heartier dishes inspired by French and Italian cuisine. I was anxious to test my ability, and learn new cooking styles and techniques from a part of the world that has it's own classic style of cooking that is completely outside the realm of anything I'd ever attempted, at home, before.
And here I stand today. Discovering new wines to compliment the lighter styles of cuisine I now have the pleasure of working with. At home cooking Thai, Japanese, Indian & Chinese cuisine. Discovering the wonderful worlds of soy, teryaki, ponzu, mirin, hoisin, tandoori... AND SAKE!

That's basically my background for reference... next I'll discuss exactly why my experience leads us to wine recommendations from yours truly... and then... we get to the good stuff!

Who is this guy? (part 2)

2008-11-05T15:04:00.000-08:00

Eventually Jim moved on from Cafe Allegro, and, after a few shaky managerial transitions, I was asked to take over the position of bar manager, which included revitalizing our dying wine program. I brought my palate and a sincere dedication to my profession as I reinvigorated our wine and cocktail lists. Quickly, Cafe Allegro made a comeback - our list was once again recognized by Wine Spectator, and we started seeing our accomplishments honored by local press with numerous awards and high critical praise. Within a few years I took over as General Manager at Cafe Allegro.

During the last couple years leading up to the GM position, I had also been producing, promoting and performing in a small poetry/performance art/music showcase called yawp Carnival Poetica. We featured local poets and musicians and artists in a 4+ hour program which was tied to a small press 'zine that I and friend, fellow editor, Eric Bliman, were publishing. It was a huge success which explored the rich artistic diversity of Pittsburgh at the time. I mention this because I've always felt that wine was, in many ways, very similar to poetry & art. There is an intrinsic value to wine, where a great bottle can have both physical beauty which we are exposed to through our palate rather than through our ears or eyes, and our criticisms are based on our unique perspectives which will always be different from person to person.

After a seven years at Cafe Allegro, among some of the finest professional servers in the city of Pittsburgh, It was time to move on, and I was asked to join the staff at the Big Burrito Restaurant Group's (BbRG) Mediterranean Kitchen and Wine Bar: Casbah. I had always admired Casbah and when my friend Jennifer (then Catalina) called and told me there was a server position opening up, I jumped at the opportunity to work for BbRG. I saw the move as an opportunity to spread my wings and learn other restaurants management techniques. At Cafe Allegro, as a small family establishment, managers pretty much had to train themselves. I looked forward to having some official corporate training in restaurant management, and where better than the largest local restaurant chain; BbRG. http://www.bigburrito.com/

I worked briefly as a server (2 mos.) before being promoted to Wine Director. Casbah was one of the largest wine buyers in Pittsburgh, my inventory from Allegro to Casbah quadrupled. So I was really able to branch out and experiment with different wine & liquor product from around the world, with a focus on European varietals and styles. Under my direction, working hand-in-hand with our GM Jennifer (now Fisher), the Casbah bar and wine program took off. Recognition came from local press, as well as national tourism groups such as AOL Cityguide. Most notably as one of the Top Ten Wine Bars in Pittsburgh in an article by Elizabeth Downer for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06236/715790-46.stm.

We had a great run for 3 1/2 years, Casbah and I. Casbah was a unique restaurant that was extremely dedicated to it's wine program. The list was constantly changing, evolving, growing. And our customers responded ecstatically to the cool new varietals that I was bringing in. We tasted (tested) our staff monthly. The staff was excited and knowledgeable (a great combination for a wine bar... no doubt!).

My tastes started leaning to more obscure, off-the-wall styles. Sure, we had the chardonnays, cabernet sauvignons, merlots & pinot noirs that were the standards and absolutely essential, but we also turned our guests on to Douro style red wines, good roses (my own personal crusade), Bordeaux blends, Priorat blends (Rhone & Bordeaux mixes), Lagrein, and the aforementioned Lemberger which I brought with me to Casbah as well.

They were heady times, and our clientele appreciated the introduction to varietals and styles they'd never seen or tasted before.

(to be continued)

Ciao, Cafe Allegro!

2008-10-26T16:27:00.000-07:00

A brief interlude from the "who is this guy?" epic...

Saturday night saw my very last dinner at Cafe Allegro. It was a bittersweet celebration with close friends who I have worked alongside, or been dining partners of, in the past. All of whom had to get one last taste of the AMAZING grilled calamari, and other Allegro signature dishes.

The news about Allegro's closing came a mere two weeks ago, and the last night of service is scheduled for Nov. 1st. I grabbed the people I wanted so badly to share that last meal with; my wife; Heather, friends Colpo, Lexi, Nico, Joe Stile, Joanne & Lexi's boyfriend Lee . I wanted to share the moment with my favorite ex-Allegro sous chef Monique, but scheduling could not permit.

I made my bones at Cafe Allegro, started as a busser, moved to waiter - bartender - bar manager to General Manager over the course of seven years. It was a magical place for those of us who worked there. We were a tight knit family, who looked out for each other, played hard and shared in many sorrows. We were pirates at sea in the murky waters of the South Side of Pittsburgh. Like family, we often fought claws bared, and fangs exposed, but there isn't a single f**ker in that place that I didn't love with all my heart.

In my time there, I raised my son, started yawp magazine, helped open the Club Cafe, and started to learn everything I could about wine. It was with a very heavy heart that I ever left there, but always thought they'd weather the storms of a failing economy without me. 3 years later and the news broke.

So we made a reservation for 8 and after a quick martini at the bar - Grey Goose martini up, dry, dirty - were shown to table #51. The same table where years earlier I had waited on Norah Jones (before she was famous... and yes, she tipped horribly). For appetizers, of course, grilled calamari. The calamari is seasoned with a spice similar, yet completely different, than Old Bay, tossed in a salmoriglio (sp?) sauce (which basically consists of orange juice, olive oil, and fish stock) thrown on the grill whole brushing beautiful grill marks all over the squid body. After grilling they take the body off the grill and cut it into the nice calamari rings so familiar to the average calamari diner. They then toss the rings again in the sauce and then throw the whole plate under a salamander (sorta like a kitchen broiler). Garnished with a lemon and lime for squeezing over the nummy bites before digging in. There is no better calamari (and I may venture to say "food") in the world. I had two plates!

I had brought a bottle of Albert Bichot Chablis Grand Cru Moutonne from Burgundy, 1999!!! It was a great start, with a crisp apple acidity, and a mellowed caramel flavor that really shone through. I was worried it might have been spoilt, as it had only recently come into my possession, but it was perfect.

The discussion turned from Will Ferrell quotes to the set list for our upcoming performance, lounge band "Rich Mahogany and the Leather Bound Books"... Soon we were talking old Allegro experiences. Most of them related to some experience with a celebrity. Richard Gere's criticism of Johnny Cash's American Recording Cd's saying "It seems a little forced." the server responded "Like a gerbil, or like 'Runaway Bride?". The night Sinnead O'Conor poured another customer's scotch over Peter Gabriel's head as the couple broke up mid-tour in our restaurant. Matthew Broderick's down to earth kind, quality, and good humor.

And of course we mentioned the highlight of my serving career when the hostess, Allana, called me at home and told me to come down to the restaurant because 100 people from the local filming of '10th and Wolf' had just invaded the restaurant, and we had 3 servers on. I rushed down, on my day off, in jeans and a white button down shirt to try to maintain some form of control. We pulled it off, the actors were very forgiving, as we had been a dry spot out of the brewing storm that lashed at their trailers parked outside. But the highlight for me was the Chef, passing me a pork chop, and asking me to serve it to the first table on the "patio". I obligingly ran the food out to the table, placed it down, and who's looking up at me thanking me with a gigantic cigar hanging off his lower lip??? Dennis (fuckin') Hopper... and I, in a dirty white shirt, jeans and sneakers... the night ended with Giovanni Ribisi and Piper Parabou (sp?) just hanging out with me at the host stand trying all our different wines, scotches and ports.

Uproarious laughter ensued as all the stories unfolded

We followed the Bichot with a Louis Latour Puligny-Montrachet 2006 (also a chardonnay, also from Burgundy, France) which was certainly younger, but still had many similar flavor profiles, enough to carry us through our second course... I chose a favorite... the shrimp and lobster bisque.

Dinner progressed through a bottle of Clos Apalta 2003 from Chile (funnily enough from the same company that makes Grand Marnier... Casa Lapostelle... for anyone who loves the orange flavored liqueur as much as I do). The Clos Apalta showed great full fruit. It was aged perfectly, the tannins were wonderfully balanced, we drank this as a quaffing wine... needed no food. It was the perfect wine to drink here, as I had discovered the carmenere grape within these sacred culinary walls. I purchased the Clos Apalta originally, years before for the restaurant. About three months later Wine Spectator named it one of the top 3 wines of it's annual top 100 report. It was a crowning achievement for me. I love carmenere for the history. It was originally one of the Bordeaux blending grapes alongside cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petite verdot and malbec, but the phyloxera louse of the late 19th century completely wiped it out of Bordeaux. The grape was thought lost to the sands of time until a century later when DNA testing on a Chilean varietal, that was thought to be merlot, proved to be the missing carmenere grape. Apparently it was transplanted in Chile long before the phyloxera struck, and thrived in the phyloxera free wine growing regions of Chile. So cool!

For my entree I had a veal cutlets in a fig and red wine reduction that was out of this world. The reduction was gooey and rich. Very rustic dish, a reminder of where Cafe Allegro always shined, in hearty, rich provincial style flavors. With this dish I finally opened a bottle of 2000 Chateau Reignac which I had been saving for 2010, but, still having one bottle left, I decided to try it out tonight and see how this wine was aging. It was beautiful. Wet terroir murky flavors of Bordeaux were mingling beautifully... however a little more aging won't hurt that last bottle which I'll be holding onto for a precursor to my 1990 Chateau Lynch-Bages that I'll be drinking on my 40th in 2010.

The night ended with a glass of Fonseca port, an espresso, and Cafe Allegro's famous "Berry White"; a blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry tart covered with melted white chocolate. We got four and everyone shared.

Dinner was over, and sadly so were the memories. We paid our bill, said goodnight to all the staff... our friends... but couldn't linger on long goodbyes, as they still had customers to serve, and another week of strong business to contend with.

So I say it here, now... goodbye Cafe Allegro. I raise a glass to all the friends and family I have had the distinct pleasure of serving alongside over the years... the friendships which continue today, and continue tomorrow. There will never be a place that holds such a huge part of my heart and soul as that little spot on the Southside that shone like a beacon of culinary light.

To Marco, Paula, Joe, Antoinette, Gloria, Monique, Stevo, Colpo, Jim K, Vogt, Jay, Paco, Ziad, Dale, Will, DC, Chmill, Sam, Jamie, Chris, Aaron, DD, Freddie, Kevin, Scott Brady, Johnny Star, Josh Nicholas, Stiles, Dave, Lou & Mary Jean, Cedric, Marko, Dustin, DJ, Phyllis, Don Bistarkey, Lexi, DJR, Laurend, Mullet & Nik, The Hardy Boys, Allana, Shon Kelley, Eric, Rudi, A.C. and all the other Cafe Allegro all-stars... cheers! ...and God bless!

Article by Post-Gazette: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08304/923779-34.stm

Who is this guy?

2008-10-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

"Who the fuck is Sean D. Enright, and why the fuck should I give a shit about his stupid wine picks?"
Okay... that's a reasonable question to ask (though I'm not sure all of the explicit language was completely necessary).
Who and why?
Who am I, tied into why should you care, but also why am I writing a wine blog?
Let's start with "who is Sean D. Enright".
Well, I was born and raised in Norwell, Massachusetts. A short drive from Boston. I spent my youth along the colonial sea coast of the South Shore. I was schooled in the hills of Vermont and the rolling plains of Ohio. I've hiked the Himalayas, squatted in London, settled in (for) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
I've toiled as a yacht club maintenance worker, late night gas station attendant, clothing store manager, Indian & Nepalese clothing importer, dive bar bouncer, beer & pizza delivery driver, cook, dishwasher, usher, newspaper photographer, small poetry 'zine editor, graphic designer and concert promoter... all leading up to my first Front Of House (FOH) restaurant position as a busboy at one of Pittsburgh's premiere French Riviera restaurant, Cafe Allegro at the ripe young age of 27. When I started at Cafe Allegro, I was the head bouncer at Dee's Cafe just down the street, and, also, working for three (count 'em 3) local newspapers as staff photographer; The Carnegie Signal Item, The Bridgeville Area News and The Cranberry Journal.
My son, Colwyn, had just been born, and a year later my girlfriend at the time actually agreed to marry her bouncer/busboy/photographer boyfriend. So I left Dee's and the newspapers (though the photography job, I'd be a liar to say the decision to leave there was purely my own to make...read:fired) and started waiting tables at Cafe Allegro, while also bartending across the street at the Club Cafe.
At Cafe Allegro it was quickly realized by our then wine director, that while I was lacking wine knowledge, I had one of the most impressive palates he had encountered. I was also very adept at translating my interpretation of flavor profiles to guests who were themselves just discovering the wonders of wine. Jim Kwiecinski (sp?) was mentor in those early days, and he relished in my enthusiasms for wine. He trained me to have a deep appreciation for old world style, at a time when big, fruit forward, high alcohol wines were the current wine craze. Jim trained my palate to find the pleasures in the murky sea blown grapes of Bordeaux, like Coin Cache, crisp earthy sancerres from Loire Valley, and off-the-wall unique reds like the peppery carmenere of Chile and the unique Austrian originated Lemberger - best realized (in my humblest of opinions - but that is why you are still reading this blog - for my admitted humble opinion) in Jed Steele's Washington State Shooting Star Blue Franc.
During this period I also learned the subtle craft of martini and cocktail making from my drink mentor Don Bistarkey, and grew to have an advanced appreciation for bars and bartenders, wine stewards, beer & booze - and I hope to pass that appreciation along to you.
We'll discuss in this blog, not only wine related issues (though wine will be the basis of most discussions), but we'll also touch on other alcohol related subjects as well as foodie stuff I've picked up along the way, working for the top restaurants in Pittsburgh.
(to be continued)

And so it begins...

2008-10-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

Rick Tyler
September 23 at 9:37am
Have you ever considered starting a wine blog. I am getting into wine and consider myself a rung above novice, but have so much to learn. To provide some context, I graduated beyond looking at the Cabs and am exploring/enjoying Malbecs and Zinfandels. I have moved beyond pinot grigio and onto rieslings, sauvignon blancs and white burgundies. However, I still consider myself a novice in these wines. The burgundies, bordeaux, pinot noirs baffle me. I have enjoyed many bottles of each, but I'm still trying to get my dense head around them.If I may suggest, you should consider writing a blog that you can publish here on Facebook as to wines you would suggest one explores. I especially like finding the gem that is under $20. Anyone can buy a great bottle of wine for $50... right? Only a pro can find a gem for under $20. Any way, I know I could benefit from your experience and I am sure others in your network could too.So when is the first blog coming???? :)Take Care,Rick

Sean Dwyer Enright
September 24 at 12:50pm
You have picqued my interest. I get asked this all the time, but just haven't found the right forum from which spread the word. The cogs are turning. I'll keep you posted.

Rick Tyler
September 24 at 9:45pm
The right Forum is Facebook. This is the coolest social network site available. You can create your own group... WineAtopia... An Educated Enthusiast's Guide to Wine. We can do virtual wine tastings 2X a month. Think of it as Enright's take on Oprah's Book Club... except you are focused on something much more fun... wine. I'd join the group. Hell - I'll set it up. Just need your expertise for content. I can manage the content.

Sean Dwyer Enright
September 25 at 11:19pm
Omigod! Allright already, you win! Gonna make you my agent. Okay, I love it! I'm putting some ideas together in my head. Where do we go from here? Start a group or is there some kinda durn blog app that i need to get my hands on.