It’s been a month of intense travel — Paris to Cognac, then on to Charleston (more on all those trips in coming months). And with the holidays, it’s been about returns to old favorites and comforting meals with family at places like Boxing Room, B Star and Belga. Here are my top 3 November dishes and new openings, some from… Read more →
The holidays swiftly approach and in my annual round-up of book releases of the year (past years here), I’ve dug into recipes and relished stories from a range of books, whether cooking bright citrus beauties in Citrus by Valerie Aikman-Smith and Victoria Pearson, perusing the austere loveliness of Donabe: Classic and Modern Japanese Clay Pot Cooking by Naoko Takei Moore and… Read more →
My Fall 2015 feature for Distiller Magazine on San Francisco, with a 12-page print spread, my photos and three articles: (Bars featured in the 10 SF Bars article: Comstock Saloon, Alembic, 15 Romolo, Third Rail, Mosto, Burritt Room, ABV, Holy Water, Odd Job, Royal Cuckoo Organ Lounge). More of my SF food recommends here and bar/cocktail recommends here. ______________________________________Past issues… Read more →
A warm welcome, oppressive summer heat, animals skipping across remote dirt roads, heavy German influence and old world architecture, BBQ, wineries and whiskey… just a few of the adventures had in Texas’ wild Hill Country. The Renaissance Man and I took a road trip this August, stayed in one of only two guest rooms at the utterly remote, retreat-like, peaceful… Read more →
This Issue:
– Top 6 Cocktails of the Month: From an all sherry cocktail menu to clarified elegance, here’s the best of what I’ve been tasting lately.
– Top 10 Houston Bars
– 10 Top Places to Eat in Houston
— Top 5 Whiskies at Whiskyfest SF 2015
From mid-October to mid-November, here are 6 standout cocktails and new menus I’ve been tasting around the Bay Area. 1. 15 Romolo’s Miraculous Milk Punch With in-house sherry expert Ian Adams and an impressive collection of over 500 spirits, 15 Romolo has been one of SF’s greatest bars for over a decade. Their sherry collection is one of their strengths and… Read more →
There is a vibrant range of quality bars in Houston (my top 10 Houston food recommends here), a city whose drink scene is on the rise, whether the cocktail bar that finally ushered in the cocktail renaissance here in 2009, Anvil, to the city’s strongest Italian amaro selection and cocktails at Coltivare. Some spots didn’t quite work for me: the… Read more →
With its hot and heavy air, Houston is redolent of Gulf spirit that at moments recalls New Orleans, albeit without all that romance, music and beauty. But that Gulf influence peeks out in some of the scenic neighborhoods where I appreciated homes lined with front porches and palm trees. Houston is the most international of the Texas cities and it… Read more →
My 7th year attending Whiskyfest San Francisco (also held in Chicago and NYC annually) and like any other year, the event held many revisits of favorite whiskies (here are last year’s standouts), from Scotland, Japan, Ireland, Canada and the US in the massive underground ballrooms of the SF Marriott Marquis. Between re-tasting greats like Aberlour’s A’bunadh and Hibiki’s gorgeous 21… Read more →
This issue:
– Top 10 Dishes of the Month: The best of SF now, from downright stellar pig’s ears to raw trout tostadas.
– 10 Best Places to Drink in Austin: 7 cocktail havens, new and established, and 3 legendary dives and honky tonks.
– Austin Food Hype: Digging in for the best (and the overhyped) in BBQ, restaurants and ice cream at 14 top spots.
— 6 Top Austin Coffee Shops