Inside F&B

NOTHING BUT FLOWERS: Spring’s Garden to Glass Moment

By Georgette Moger

Talk about a floral fantasy. This spring, cocktails made with fresh blossoms are spreading like wildflowers. Whether plucking from their own backyards, from rooftop gardens, or just neighborly sharing of their fortuitous abundance, bartenders are serving up a bounty of blossoms to cocktail enthusiasts. From restaurant bars to cocktail bars to hotel lobby and pool bars floral garnishes of jasmine flowers and hibiscus have been spotted on the west coast, while across the pond in London capucine capers take center stage and in the south of France a bounty of bougainvillea premiers in a punch. All proving that no matter where you wield your tins and mixing glass the garden is merely an arm’s reach away.

Join us as we take a gander to see what’s sprouting up at home and abroad.

In Los Angeles, the neighborhood of Brentwood holds a veritable Eden of earthly delights. Nick Westbrook, In-House Mixologist at Farmshop, finds the humid nights of spring lingering with the scent of jasmine. “One night when I left work, I took a big indulgent inhale and babbled something about how much I love jasmine.” Farmshop’s sommelier, Aida Parsa, overheard Westbrook’s sigh, and brought him a beautiful bag of wild Persian jasmine from her mother’s backyard. Westbrook sensed cocktail magic on the horizon. “The flowers were so fragrant and the buds so vibrant, I created an infusion with some scented tea pearls from China. The tannins from the tea reinforce the subtle bitterness of the jasmine but the Lillet brings it back to the floral—the Porto Branco lends a touch of fruit.”

Que Soraya Soraya, Nick Westbrook, Farmshop, Los Angeles, CA

2 oz. Jasmine-infused Soju vodka*

1 oz. Lillet Blanc

1 oz. Porto Branco, or white port

1 Jasmine ice globe*

1 thin peel of seasonal orange or small citrus, expressed and rubbed around the rim

Build all ingredients in a rocks glass, including jasmine ice globe. Before stirring the drink, take a paring knife to the part of the orange rind that was just peeled. Make a deeper cut into the citrus, peeling off a section with pulp. Squeeze that part over the drink, adding a touch of fresh juice. Stir with a bar spoon 10-15 times and serve.

Jasmine-Infused Soju

1 750 ml bottle Soju vodka, with 4 ounces reserved

1 tbsp. Chinese Jasmine Pearls

3 sprigs Wild Jasmine

Add Chinese jasmine pearls plus several sprigs of wild jasmine to the bottle of vodka. Strain after six hours. If the infusion is more bitter than floral, dilute with the reserved vodka until a balanced flavor is achieved.

Jasmine ice globes

Use a silicone mold and distilled water that has been boiled for several minutes and allowed to cool. Add the flowers to the molds and fill only half full with water. Once frozen, fill to the top and return to the freezer until solid.

**Photo by Molly Posey

Every April, the city of Carlsbad is awash in blossoms whether pouring out of window boxes, spreading over sprawling resorts or tied in bundles at farmer’s markets. From April 5^th to the 15^th, local bars and restaurants have a chance to show off Carlsbad’s new blooms with the Petal to Plate Festival, where attendees have a chance to taste culinary creations that feature a flurry of fleurs. At the Omni La Costa, Director of Food & Beverage, Patrick Sarte creates a unique menu of libations, fresh from the flower patch. “It’s easy to be inspired by the lush landscape of the resort,” says Sarte. “For this drink I looked to our iconic Omni hibiscus logo and used the subtle aroma of rose water, the refreshing citrus twist in the vodka and a hint of lemon and hibiscus syrup—spring in a glass!”

Rosebiscus, Patrick Sarte, Omni La Costa, Carlsbad, CA

1 ¼ oz. Ketel One Citroen Vodka

¾ oz. St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur

½ oz. Wild Hibiscus Company Flower Syrup

¼ oz. Rosewater

1 oz. Lemon Juice

2 oz. Club Soda

In a shaker, pour the vodka, St.-Germain, hibiscus syrup, rosewater and lemon juice. Fill with ice and shake vigorously. Fill Collins glass with ice. Strain the shaker into the glass and top with club soda. Stir and garnish with a hibiscus flower.

**Photo courtesy of Visit Carlsbad

In London, over at Mr. Fogg’s Gin Parlour where cream cakes and gin concoctions are the call of the day, Bartender Paul Carpenter has combined the delicate flavors of the season’s capucine flowers (Nasturtium) with the piney, meadowsweet botanicals of a Norwegian mountain gin. “This drink is basically a twist on a dry martini,” says Carpenter. “The gin itself is really fresh and herbal, the Cocchi Americano brings some sweetness and some texture to the drink, while the vermouth infusion adds depth and sharpness. The flavor of the capucine flowers lends a touch saltiness and a refined floral finish.”

Cousine Capucine, Mr. Fogg’s Gin Parlour, Paul Carpentier, London, UK

1½ oz. Vidda Torr Norway Gin

½ oz. infused dried capucine capers Dolin Dry Vermouth*

½ oz. Cocchi Americano

2 dashes Orange Bitters

In a mixing glass filled with ice, combine gin, vermouth infusion, Cocchi Americano and orange bitters. Stir until sufficiently chilled. Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass. Float one capucine flower atop cocktail or garnish with a caper.

Capucine Vermouth Infusion

1/3 oz. of fresh, dried, non-treated Nasturtiums flowers

16 oz. of Dolin Dry Vermouth

Rinse flowers and dry thoroughly. In a glass container, combine flowers and vermouth. Store covered in refrigerator for three days, then filter into jar.

Casting aside tales of punsch-swigging buccaneers, Emmanuel Balestra, Manager of the Bar Galerie Le Fouquet at Le Majestic in Cannes, set out to create a refreshing, low ABV cocktail to keep spirits high while ensuring no one goes overboard. “Pirates were the first to mix tafia, the predecessor of rum, with fruit juices and sugar to create an explosive cocktail to serve young sailors in the Royal Navy to get them drunk,” says Balestra. “I recently revisited these ingredients to create a cocktail that was lighter and more refined, beginning by replacing the sugar with pineapple water. Using fresh leaves of rose geranium, abundant in the south of France, and at the Majestic, the floral aromas deliver a delicate, honey note.”

Majestic Punch, Bar Galerie du Fouquet’s Cannes, Emmanuel Balestra, Cannes, FR

2 oz. Grand Arôme white rum

3 oz. Pineapple Geranium Water*

Dried pineapple and rose geranium leaf garnish

Pour rum and pineapple water into a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir. Serve in an Old Fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with dried pineapple and rose geranium leaf.

For the pineapple water:

Cut a whole pineapple into cubes. Place into a 2-liter pot and cover with 2½ cups of cold mineral water. Add 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel. Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add 25 green leaves of rose geranium. Stir. Cover and let sit for 24 hours. Filter into jars. Yields approximately 5 cups.

**Photo by Alban Couturier

Tags: Alban Couturier, Cannes, Carlsbad, Emmanuel Balestra, Farmshop, fleurs, floral, garden, Georgette Moger, La Fouquet, La Majestic, London, Los Angeles, Molly Posey, Mr. Fogg's Gin Parlour, Nick Westrook, Omni, Omni Hotels, Omni La Costa, Patrick Sarte, Paul Carpenter, spring
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June 1st, 2018

Romantically Rediscovered: Carmenère Month Celebrates the Resurgence of the Chilean Wine Varietal

By Kristen Oliveri

For over 100 years, the French Bordeaux varietal known as Carmenère was thought to be extinct, only to be rediscovered in 1994, that it was, in fact, alive and well in Chile.

The story is straight out of a vinicultural fairytale. It begins in Chile in the mid-1800s, where the grape was first introduced by the French. Shortly thereafter, it was labeled extinct following an epidemic that swept through European Carmenère plantations. Fast forward to the year 1994 and enter French Ampelographer Jean Michel Boursiquot. While he was carefully evaluating vines and grapes that he was innocently told were Merlot, a sinking suspicion crept into his mind.

His gut did not steer him wrong. He became known for making the joyous discovery that these Merlot grapes were in fact Carmenère. Subsequently, Carmenère was back on the wine scene after many years if living an undercover existence.

Today, the Wines of Chile celebrate November 24^th as National Carmenère Day, honoring a special grape with medium tannins and good acidity that makes it a breeze to pair with food. The price points for these wines are extraordinary in today’s wine market, offering elegant, drinkable wines that are accompanied with a romantic back story, perfect for dinner party banter.

What makes this wine and others like it interesting is the viniculture of the Chilean wine region. What some might see as geographic barriers, Chilean winemakers see as heavenly gifts. The region is surrounded by the Atacama Desert in the North, the Andes Mountains in the East, the ice fields of Patagonia in the South and the Pacific Ocean to the West.

So, here’s the lowdown on three Chilean wines that should be on your radar:

The Apaltagua Gran Reserva Envero is comprised of 90% Carmenere and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes hail from the vineyards in Apalta in the Colchagua Valley. The wine itself has tasting notes of ripe blackberries, tobacco and spice. Perfect to pair with food, it is a combination of ripe fruit notes, oak and vanilla.

The Santa Digna 2012 Reserva Carmenère is a deep cherry colored wine that is aged in French Oak. When tasting this wine you may sense hints of leather, spices, with touches of eucalyptus coupled with mandarin oranges. Pair this wine with bold dishes comprised of veal and beef, or spicy dishes that pack a punch.

The Montes Alpha Carmenère is made with selected grapes from our Colchagua Valley vineyards grown under the vineyard’s “Dry Farming” philosophy. What that means is that the winemakers allow mother nature to focus on irrigating the vines in hopes that it increases the quality of the grapes. This bold wine produces aromas of ripe red and black fruits, reminiscent of jams and desserts. Some may also notice a hint of vanilla and coffee on their palates.

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February 23rd, 2018

GREETING GENEVER: Genever In Today’s Marketplace

By Frank Caiafa

Genever Frank Caifa cocktail photo flamingo title

Photo by Frank Caiafa

By the time Bols re-launched its Genever in the United States in 2008, it joined the ranks along side many other defunct, turn-of-the-last-century ingredients (old tom, navy strength gins, absinthe and even kummel (!) just to name a few) to finally make it to the menus of our most ambitious bars around the country. For someone like me, whose inspiration and guidebooks came from a sepia-toned era, Genever was going to fill a lot of holes recipe-wise and I think that its popularity has yet to be fully realized.

Photo by Margaret Pattillo

Brands as varied in flavor profiles and distillation processes as Bols, Rutte and the newly released Old Duff, all vie for the consumer’s attention. For those willing to be adventurous, there will be rewards. After all, by the middle of the 19^th century, Genever was the most imported and consumed spirit in America until improved distilling techniques paved the way for more botanically led spirits to gain favor among the tippling public. In other words, it’s been hot before.

One connection I’d like to see go away is its forced relation to standard gins. Since it is a multi-grained distillate blended with malt wine, it bears more of a link to un-aged whisky than to any gin we are familiar with today (with the inclusion of juniper being the common denominator). It’s one of the things that have made it a tough item to market. I’d rather see it on a bar or in a retail shop somewhere between un-aged whiskey and blended Scotch. I think that the consumer interested in those products will have the shortest leap into the Genever category.

Education is a key issue as well. Although younger generations make the time to educate themselves to the point of geekdom, the older guard has had years of simply describing it as the ‘original gin’. Certainly there is some truth to that but I think that it does a disservice to its provenance and its potential.

As for the spirit itself, the Genever that makes it over to the U.S. is typically made in two styles; ‘Jonge’ (young), a 20^th century distillation process resulting in a clear spirit utilizing a lower percentage of malt wine, and ‘Oude’ (old), the older practice using significantly more malt wine and botanicals in its distillation process, making for a light-whisky flavor profile and less neutral than the ‘jonge’ style. Both of these expressions have their uses for sure.

Old Duff bottle shot with Sother blurry in the background - DSC_0154 jpg

Photo by Greg Buda

Traditionally served ‘boilermaker’ style (neat, with a beer chaser – a personal favorite), many pre-prohibition cocktail recipes featured Genever as their lead ingredient and it’s easy to see why. It’s malty flavor profile lent a bit of complexity to uncomplicated cocktails that allowed it to shine. I am not in the least bit surprised upon visiting cocktail bars and seeing Genever paired in both simple and complex recipes. A ‘Jonge’ expression makes for an intriguing ‘Sour’ or paired with your favorite soda or tonic. A classic ‘Old Fashioned’ or ‘(Dutch) Negroni’, presented with an ‘Oude’ Genever as the star will definitely be added to your cocktail shortlist.

Genever can also add the ‘what is that?’ quality that most of the best recipes possess. Daring and creative bartenders like to be the first on the block and using an off-the-beaten-path ingredient like Genever is just the ticket to get the conversations going. With its classic, historically significant brands (Bols, Rutte) and its ‘indie cred’ up and comer (Old Duff), Genever is the type of product that can continue to be discovered for years to come.

Photo by Frank Caiafa

Soho Flamingo

2 oz. Genever

1 oz. Pineapple Juice or Puree

3/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

1/4 oz. Grenadine (home-made preferred)

1 dash Peychaud’s Bitters

Method: Add all ingredients to mixing glass (except bitters). Add ice and shake well. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with one long dash of Peychaud’s bitters across the top of drink.

The ‘Flamingo’ first appears in the cocktail book, “Bottom’s Up” (Saucier, 1951). It was originally rum based. The genever and Peychaud’s are my idea. Enjoy!

Frank Caiafa is the former beverage director of Peacock Alley and La Chine at The Waldorf Astoria NYC and author of “The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book” a 2017 James Beard Award Finalist. His F&B consultancy ‘Handle Bars NYC/Global Inc.’ can be found here: handlebarsnyc.com

Tags: Bols, Bols Genever, Genever, gin, Old Duff, Old Tom, original gin, Rutte
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December 24th, 2017

TRY ANOTHER SIP – PINOT GRIGIO

By Susannah Gold
Welcome to the first in INSIDE F&B’S new grape series, “Try Another Sip.” This new column, written by wine expert Susannah Gold, sets out to explore a variety of interesting alternatives to some of the bland and unimaginative wine offerings that populate wine lists everywhere.

No better place to start than with the workhorse of white wines, Pinot Grigio. Though often considered an easy-sell wine with little personality this grape, if grown on optimal terroirs at higher elevations, and handled properly, can yield compelling, complex wines with lots of pizzazz and flavor.

When Pinot Grigio is great it offers up interesting textures and beautiful white stone fruit flavors and aromas. Yet these exciting Pinot Grigios are mostly absent, sadly. For many years, what we have seen is a race to the bottom for much of this varietal.

This varietal pops up on US wine lists most often under the Santa Margherita label. They can legitimately boast that theirs is the most widely selling Pinot Grigio here in the States. Other brands, trying to get in on the list, have not always sent competitively worthy wines.

However, there is a lot going on today with Pinot Grigio including wines made from single vineyards and growing grapes at higher elevations. Grapes grown at higher elevations tend to have higher acidity levels and the wines that are made from these carefully selected grapes have a better overall balance between acidity and alcohol. In turn, these factors are bringing better examples of Pinot Grigio to market.

Rather than emulating those ABC types who shy away from Chardonnay–Anything But Chardonnay-make time to seek out Pinot Grigio again. Otherwise you are sure to miss out on some great wine list opportunities. A well-made Pinot Grigio offers versatility to your wine list with an ability to please a variety of white wine drinkers. It can be made in many styles; some dry and others with considerable residual sugar. A lot of that depends on the winemaker and his/her regional traditions and preferences.

Pinot Grigios are known by that name across the globe. In addition to finding it in Italy, lots of Pinot Grigio is also grown in California, Australia and Germany. When you find it in France, or in Oregon or in New Zealand, it is often called Pinot Gris. Yet it’s made from the same grape, a member of the Pinot Nero family. In these places outside of Italy, where it is called Pinot Gris, it seems to signal more careful attention to detail in the winemaking process. Is this a bias against traditionalism or just a new trend cloaking a familiar wine? Certainly, in places like Oregon or New Zealand they seem to be carefully signaling that they want to identify with French Pinot Gris rather than Italian Pinot Grigio.

That may soon change due to the new activity in Italy’s Pinot Grigio regions that warrant us taking another look at this familiar grape. Italy’s Pinot Grigio comes principally from three regions: the Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige. Recent trade tastings revealed numerous examples of memorable Pinot from the Colli Orientali del Friuli, Grave, and the Collio, as well as from the Isonzo DOC. These are much higher quality wines made with carefully selected grapes and close attention to vinification. In these areas, Pinot Grigio has a history and tradition. It is not grown merely because it is widely loved in the USA.

If you want to expand your US dining customers’ horizons what should you be keeping your eye on to find some of the most interesting Pinot Grigio wines available? For sure keep track of these two Pinot Grigio fanatics -Marco Simonit and Pierpaolo Sirch. Known as the “Super Pruners” because of the work they do worldwide on pruning techniques. They come from Friuli and are working to create a Pinot Grigio district in the Colli Orientali del Friuli.

They believe so strongly that Pinot Grigio grown on hills in their region is completely different than those mostly found on wine lists in the USA that they have bought more vineyards there and are expanding their holdings. Sirch family has had a winery for many years. Wines made on the hills tend to have soils with good drainage, and larger swings in thermal excursion between day and night and better exposition to the sun. Additionally, because it is harder to farm on the hills, producers tend to put grapes they care about there. Simonit and Sirch also believe that Pinot Grigio is a grape that does not necessarily produce better wines when yields as severely restricted.

Together with Terlato Imports, Simonit and Sirch, their partner in the new Pinot Grigio challenge, are working to create a signature variety for Friuli that will pay off for farmers and producers alike. And that will justify the slightly higher prices than Pinot Grigio typically commands.

These new and improved Pinot Grigio wines are going to face a daunting initial challenge. They will be priced higher than the typical $10 range that guests are used to seeing in a by the glass program. How to justify it? Your bar and floor staff will have to enlighten your guests and show them that the wine is of higher quality and made from hand selected grapes. Producers are hopeful that consumers will pay a little more for a better quality of something they are already intimately familiar with once they understand what’s really in their glass.

This hand-sell educational process isn’t without precedent. It has worked. Alsace has done a terrific job in getting guests to pay a slightly higher price for a Pinot Gris by the glass. They have built an exceptional reputation thanks to the heavy hitters in the Alsatian wine world, who have long been in the USA and have undertaken great marketing campaigns. Hugel & Fils, the wine producer, is a case in point.

The Alsatian experience suggests that Pinot Gris can age well also, making it seem more valuable to customers than some young wine just weeks from being grapes on the vine. The Pinot Gris wines from Alsace generally tend to have more residual sugar than those from Italy. The acidity in Pinot Grigio can be pronounced. It’s also got some weight on the palate. In Italy, Pinot Grigio tends to have an almond note on the finish, like many Italian white wines.

We have all had plenty of glasses of Pinot Grigio that have been dull or insipid. This no longer has to be the case. It is time for beverage directors to rethink their Pinot Grigio by the glass offerings, and see if customers like some of the producers they may not know as well.
These new Pinot Grigio entries are exciting and racy and great for an aperitivo or a first course. So, while it is said that familiarity breed’s contempt, it is time to put preconceived notions aside because, luckily in the wine world, what is old can be new again.

Tags: Alsace, Alsatian, Drinkwire, Italy, liquor.com, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Simonit, Sirch, Susannah Gold, Terlato
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June 2nd, 2017

Dining Less Dangerously

New gluten meter makes restaurant experiences easier to navigate
By Amanda Schuster

“How allergic are you?” That’s a question commonly asked to those afflicted with gluten, celiac disease and other food allergies. For many, there is no such thing as a mild gluten sensitivity – if you have one, you really have one, and even the slightest speck of it can cause severe reactions, which often take the form of violent intestinal distress that can last for days. It’s a question Shireen Yates was tired of being asked whenever she inquired about foods she wanted to eat. The pleasure of eating something that looked delicious and sounded deceptively safe could often lead to those reactions.

Even if chefs are positive no ingredients containing gluten or soy go into a dish prepared for a guest with sensitivities, there might be other triggers within those ingredients or the kitchen itself they are unaware of. For this reason and countless others, eating food Yates didn’t have full control over had become a stressful game of gluten roulette. She knew she wasn’t alone with this predicament, so, along with a team of fellow MIT scientists, she invented Nima, a sensor that determines whether a food contains any level of gluten.

As the website states, the device is akin to a “pregnancy test for gluten.” Yates explains, “Imagine taking a sample of food, putting it in a one-time use capsule and using that capsule as a sensor. Then you’ll know if the food you are testing contains the proteins you’re looking for. There’s also an app component so you can share what you tested with a community of people. Imagine all these data points people are aggregating about whether something in a packaged food or a restaurant food contains gluten. We’re accumulating data that just doesn’t exist today.”

She stresses, however, that although the tested morsel might be read as safe, that doesn’t necessarily mean that an entire plate or all of that muffin, etc. is guaranteed to be unaffected. It’s still a good place to start. One of the reasons that so much food comes into question is that the person preparing it doesn’t fully understand what causes the symptoms of Celiac or gluten allergies and might use an ingredient that contains the reaction-causing protein, such as an everyday soy sauce, in a dish that is otherwise free of other more obvious substances containing gluten, such as wheat flour. Or a dish might be prepared entirely with ingredients that are guaranteed to be gluten-free, but has been accidentally cross-contaminated with something that isn’t.

There has been quite a bit of testing since Nima was developed. “People who have been using it every step of the way have been giving us extensive feedback. What we’ve found through numerous tests is that many dishes that are presented as gluten-free have been coming up positive for gluten.”

Therefore, not only is Nima useful for anyone suffering from these sensitivities, it’s also a pragmatic tool for chefs and the packaged food industry to better understand the protocol for preparing something that is safely gluten-free. “Now that they have data suggesting foods that are supposed to be gluten-free aren’t, maybe restaurants should post a warning that they can’t guarantee cross-contamination. They should change the language of how they communicate what’s in their food,” says Yates.

Yates is also developing other devices that aid those with specific dietary concerns. “We’re in development for peanuts (our hope is to launch that by the end of next year), dairy, and basically all the major allergens that people care about. Moving beyond that, we’re also interested in pesticides and fats and salt and sugar – things in our diet that are causing some of the main health issues we’re experiencing. We just don’t have a lot of transparency about our food. We have a few data points from doctors’ offices and nutritionists, but connecting all of this is really important to control what we’re putting in our bodies. It gives us a better understanding about what’s in our food.”

For all of us, eating should be a pleasurable experience, and not a decision that teeters on a dangerous precipice. Hopefully the Nima sensor and subsequent devices can help restore a peaceful state of mind to diners when it comes to nutrition, and provide a better understanding to chefs and servers about food communicating with customers about allergies.

The product can be purchased here: https://shop.nimasensor.com/products/nima-starter-kit.

Tags: celiac, gluten free dining, gluten free restaurants, gluten intolerance, gluten meter, Nima
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April 11th, 2017

EAT HERE NOW – ST. AUGUSTINE

You’ve gotta figure that if a town has been around for 451 years, as St. Augustine has been, there’s an awful lot there you need, and want, to see, explore and experience when you visit the oldest town in America. Remember your elementary school days and those social studies classes where you spent time learning about Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth? It’s there. Yep, right there in St. Augustine. And you can taste it (no, it doesn’t taste like chicken). Got a thing for railroads and old forts? This country’s first are in St. Augustine.

But this charming Florida town isn’t just about the history you studied in school. St. Augustine, with its blend of Spanish influenced architecture, is exceptionally well laid out for walking and exploring. It boasts Flagler College, one of the most beautiful settings you could imagine for expanding your mind and a dining hall like no other, Victorian houses, a relaxing waterfront that warrants a stroll, pirate ships, a craft distillery (more on that in a moment), 100+ year old trees, the World Golf & Hall of Fame Museum, a schooner for twilight sails, and Florida’s oldest planned cemetery with plots dating back to 1565.

Lodging, drinking and dining options are plenty but the best way to take advantage of St. Augustine is to book into one of the charming B&B’s like the Bayfront Marin House (below) where you’ll take your breakfast facing the water, or in a hammock.

Whatever seat you choose you’ll want to make it home base for the duration of your stay, especially when your stay involves checking out the newly launched Florida Citrus cocktail trail.

Here’s what the locals hope you’ll enjoy:

Philip McDaniel – Owner & Distiller at St.
Augustine Distillery suggests you try:

The Floridian

thefloridianstaug.com

Owned by husband and wife, Genie and Jeff McNally, The Floridian is a
two-story eclectic eatery featuring Southern comfort food. The restaurant’s
menu changes based on the seasons and what ingredients can be attained from
local purveyors including CartWheel Ranch Meats, Sweet Grass Dairy, tempeh,
local shrimp and fish, and produce such as strawberries, blueberries and
greens. Personal favorites include Fried Green Tomato Bruschetta, Cornbread
Stack, Shrimp ‘N Grits and anything with their pimento cheese.

Ice Plant Bar

iceplantbar.com

Housed in a renovated ice plant from the turn-of-the-century, next door to
St. Augustine Distillery, is Ice Plant Bar. Established a little over two
years ago, Ice Plant features one of the top craft cocktail bar programs in
the Southeast. They also make all of their own ice by freezing purified
water in large blocks and cutting it into six different formats. The drink
and food menus change seasonally, but some tried and true favorites include
their smoked fish dip with grilled sourdough bread and pickled okra, soft
pretzel bread with beer cheese fondue and dijonnaise, half-pound burger with
hand cut fries, and roasted local beet salad.

The Present Moment Café

thepresentmomentcafe.com

An organic, vegetarian café that specializes in the preparation of
unprocessed living gourmet food, Present Moment has become one of the
preeminent raw restaurants in the country. Owned by Yvette and Nathan
Schindler, try the eatery’s Tacos of Life with pine nut and walnut pate,
Sunlight Burger topped with caramelized onions, and Pad Thai with sweet and
spicy Asian vegetables served over kelp noodles.

Other notable restaurants include:

O’Steen’s Restaurant

osteensrestaurant.com

St. Augustine institution that always has a line out the door. Known for
their fried shrimp. They only take cash.

The Back 40 Urban Café

back40cafe.com

Where the locals eat. Located off the beaten path, Back 40 has an acclaimed
taco happy hour. Check out their wet burrito, which equates to two to three
meals in one.

Since man doesn’t live on delicious hot breakfasts and afternoon wine & cheese hours at a B&B Sandy Wieber, Owner, Bayfront Marin House, likes to send her guests to:

Cap’s on the Water

Most people don’t find Cap’s on their first visit, but
it’s well worth seeking out. Located just a few miles outside of the
historic district, on Vilano Beach, Cap’s is old Florida-from their live
oaks to their private dock, perfect for accessing the restaurant from the
water. Sit on the waterfront deck and ask about the fresh catch, which is
usually served in a variety of preparations. Open for dinner every night,
and lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Call for directions-it can be tricky! 4325
Myrtle Street, St. Augustine. (904) 824-8794. www.capsonthewater.com

Café Alcazar. Located in the center of town, Café Alcazar is not so much on
the water as it’s in it. The restaurant is in the deep end of a historic
indoor swimming pool, at one time the largest in Florida, and the center of
Henry Flagler’s lovely Alcazar Hotel. Today live music, not water, fills the pool, and
guests enjoy a casual lunchtime menu of sandwiches and soups. Order any of
the paninis with sweet purple onions-they will send you off the deep end.
Open for lunch daily, and a monthly dinner service on First Fridays. 25
Granada Street, St. Augustine (inside the Lightner Museum). (904)825-9948.
www.thealcazarcafe.com

The Ice Plant
Climb the stairs to this bar/restaurant, and you will feel
like you’re going back in time. Back to a time when the men wore suspenders,
and the smooth frozen water was cut or chipped by hand. Enjoy the craft
cocktails, but don’t drink too much-you’ll want to save room for the
restaurant’s fine local fare, like the ½ pound meatloaf sandwich made from
grass-fed Georgia beef, and the bacon fat braised meatballs, with tomato jam
and balsamic onions. Located next to the St. Augustine distillery, which
offers free tours and samples throughout the day. The bar is open every day
from 11:30 til late night. 100 Riberia Street, St. Augustine. (904)829-6553.
www.iceplantbar.com and www.staugustinedistillery.com.

Crucial Coffee
If you prefer your water with beans, stop by this little
wooden building right across from the fort. Try the smooth brewed coffee, a
fancier macchiato, or the even fancier desserts in their glass case. Wait
for your favorite cup in the adjoining garden area-it’s the perfect place to
slow down in St. Augustine and enjoy the breeze off the water. Open daily.
26 Charlotte Street, St. Augustine. (904)810-2080.

And, for more about that cocktail trail…

http://staugustine.com/living/sunday-life/2016-08-13/find-florida-sunshine-a
nd-spirits-newly-launched-a1a-cocktail-trail

http://www.floridacitrus.org/oj/news/a1acocktailtrail/

Tags: A1A Cocktail Trail, Back 40 Urban Cafe, Bayfront Marin House, Cafe Alcazar, Cap's on the Water, Crucial Coffee, Drinkwire, Florida, Fountain of Youth, Ice Plant, liquor.com, O'Steen's Restaurant, Philip McDaniel, Pirates, Ponce DeLeon, Present Moment Cafe, St. Augustine, St. Augustine Distillery, St. Augustine Florida, The Floridian, World Golf & Hall of Fame Museum
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February 15th, 2017

WHISKIES WASH OVER MANHATTAN

Not to Be Missed Annual Spirits Conference and Whisky Live Return to New York City
By Glenn Haussman

Hey, whisk(e)y lovers, next week is the week to get your whisky (and spirits) on in New York City.

First, on February 23rd, come explore all things whiskies and spirits at the annual Whiskies and Spirits Conference where, along with tastes of winning North American whiskies awarded accolades from the World Whisky Awards sponsored by Whisky Magazine, you can expect no-holds barred conversations, tough questions answered with candor, and a roadmap to brand success at the annual Whiskies and Spirits Conference. This kind of unvarnished conversation that doesn’t happen anywhere else which explains why so many spirits industry leaders take the day off to gather here. and thoroughly explore the state and growth of their products along with challenges, successes and future plans for building, positioning, marketing and growing their brands.

Kicking off with an in depth state of the industry report, there’s also an array of leading speakers and panelists such as Heaven Hill, DISCUS, KDA, ACSA, along with marketing experts sharing and exploring trends and business tactics focusing on the leading players and the emerging upstarts.

According to David Sweet, President USA and Canada Whisky Live USA, Whiskies & Spirits Conference USA, and Sr. VP North America Whisky Magazine, this event is very different than anything else. Take its partnership with the Stave & Thief Bourbon Steward program, and the Malt Advocate program by Diageo, for example.

“These are the two premier instructional programs in the world that truly teach an in depth deconstruction of that specific spirit. The sessions will [demystify whisky] teach attendees how to develop a true appreciation of quality, craftsmanship,” says Sweet. “This next level of understanding has to be taught, it is not just developed over time.”

The following day, after all this information is absorbed and the World Whisky Awards’ winning brands have been feted and sipped, the doors open to Whisky Live, the world’s preeminent whisky tasking event. It touches down in New York for the 12th year in a row and is the must attend event of the year for whisky lovers, no matter what stage of your appreciation journey you may be on.

From whisky neophytes to those well versed in the spirit, the February 24th event is a not to be missed opportunity for a deeper educational experience wrapped around preeminent tastings from leading and emerging brands. Plus, there’s great food too. More intimate than other events of its kind, you’ll never see a more in depth event that also provides inside access to the business side of the whisky world.

With a four hour event there’s some time to slip away from your booth and share perspectives with fellow industry insiders who revel in this category’s success, identify and discuss challenges and are finding new ways to heighten the success of whisky with customers. There’s no better way than Whisky Live to tap into preeminent minds within the category and hear about brand perspectives and segment earnings; everyone is open to exchanging valuable information as the whisky flows. Be part of candid conversations while exploring insights and trends for this ever-burgeoning business. All while sipping great world whiskies and sharing them with potential customers and colleagues.

Also included is Authors’ Row, a brand new experience curated by Greenlight Bookstore, featuring whisky experts Lew Bryson, Peter Fornatale, Heather Greene, David Haskell, Dane Huckelbridge, Jaime Joyce, Fred Minnick, Clay Risen, and Noah Rothbaum, who are signing copies of their latest books which are available at the show. Plus pop-ups from local bars Daddy-O, American Whiskey, Fool’s Gold, Ward III and others to sample signature cocktails and private label pours.

Whisky Live which takes place at Chelsea Piers Pier 60 offers more than 300 of the world’s best whiskies side by side and hear the stories behind them as told by master distillers, brand ambassadors and industry experts.

VIP Tickets to Whisky Live New York are $189 and include early access at 5:30 PM, an exclusive VIP tasting room with select exclusive bottlings available throughout the night (many not readily available in the US market), a signature, cut crystal Glencairn tasting glass, event program and a one-year subscription to Whisky Magazine.

General admission tickets are priced at $139 and for those ticket holders, doors open at 6 PM. The ticket price includes an event program and a souvenir Glencairn tasting glass.

For more information, and to remain updated on Master Class topics and new exhibitors, please visit the New York page at www.whiskyliveusa.com.

For more information about the annual Whiskies and Spirits Conference, please visit www.whiskiesandspiritsusa.com.

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March 15th, 2016

OH HOLY NIGHT, IT’S NOT TOO LATE

Last minute holiday gifts that still say “I care”
By Francine Cohen

People, do not despair.

Yes, Christmas is just 48 hours away, and yes that means that unless you have an in with the big guy in the red suit you’ve probably blown it in terms of getting something shipped to you to give to your loved ones this holiday. But there’s still a couple of great options for holiday gifts you can find locally as long as you get yourself to a liquor store or a book store before they close tomorrow evening.

First up (because we know you probably need a drink if you’re still out there looking for Christmas presents), the Ford’s Gin Lewis Bag. It’s snazzy, it’s handy, it’s functional, it’s a great educational gift to give and share your love of gin (and other spirits) with family and friends, AND it can be used over and over and over again for making great cocktails or just getting out some aggression.

The Lewis bag, a canvas ice crushing vessel that had a long history of use and was revived and popularized in the 1990s by the Lewis Company, is more than just a thoughtful and useful gift for the bartender in your life. It’s also good for the planet. Simon Ford shares, ” Something that upsets me is the amount of un-necesscary packaging there is in the spirits industry, especially during the holidays, so I wanted to make a VAP that was an example of something that could be reused rather than one that will most likely end up in the trash once it is opened. I have worked in liquor stores and about half of the boxes that housed bottles would end up in the trash before they had even left the store and almost every gift box that is delivered to a bar will end up in the trash. I do understand that they look nice and make for nice packaging for gifts at this time of year especially for the luxury spirits but for The 86 Co I will always try and push ourselves to come up with packaging ideas that can be reused and failing that recycled whenever possible and our first attempt at a VAP is to put Fords Gin in a Lewis bag/Canvas Wick Ice Bag.”

He continues, “The copy on the bag reads… “The Lewis Bag was a staple of 19th century bartending and remains one of the most effective ways to crush ice for your drinks at home. Simply fill the bag halfway with cubes and smash them with a wooden mallet or even a rolling pin. The canvas wicks away moisture , resulting in colder ice pieces that are less apt to water down your drink. Perfect for Juleps and Smashes.” We have also placed the recipe for a Gin Julep on the bag (and in Chicago we have had a local bartender give us a recipe for the bags that will be distributed there.)”

A Lewis bag…what a smashing gift idea!

Next, for the readers (and eaters) in your life: Savoring Gotham: A Food Lover’s Companion to New York City. This encyclopedic history of all things food and drink that make NYC the culinary destination that it is, Savoring Gotham came together in 568 entries across 760 pages written by 174 authors (including yours truly). Want to explore the history of restaurants like Delmonico, 21 Club, and Barney Greengrass? Need to delve further into the history of bars and cocktails, charities like Citymeals on Wheels, and people like Ruth Reichl, Bob Lape, and others who have been an integral part of the city’s food & restaurant scene so that you’re the smartest foodie at your next pop-up dinner?

Take a walk to your favorite bookstore (or order here at a 30% discount if you don’t need it immediately–use code ADFLYK2 at https://global.oup.com/academic/product/savoring-gotham-9780199397020?cc=us&lang=en& ) for this delicious read.

And, for five lucky www.insidefandb.com readers, we’ve got copies of this to give away. Be the first five people to email us with the answers to the following questions: How many entries in the book? How many authors contributed? Can you name one of the authors? Where is Barney Greengrass located? Whom does Citymeals on Wheels support/what do they do? Send your answers to: francinecohen@insidefandb.com and books will be on their way to you shortly.

Best wishes for a delicious holiday season and a wonderful new year!

Tags: Barney Greengrass, Bob Lape, Christmas, Citymeals on Wheels, Drinkwire, Ford's Gin, gifts, holiday, Lewis Bag, liquor.com, Max Sinsheimer, Ruth Reichl, Savoring Gotham, Simon Ford
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December 23rd, 2015