HEALDSBURG SPOONBAR – I could write a piece on the cocktails alone at brand new Spoonbar in the h2hotel off of Healdsburg’s town square. You’ve already heard me mention Scott Beattie many times over the years. He truly is one of our country’s great bartenders and his cocktail menu at Spoonbar is a revelation. Yes, you’ll get waylaid by the… Read more →
In 100% humidity at 100 degrees (with no relief at night), spending a week drinking and eating doesn’t sound like the best idea, but for eight years running, it happens every July in New Orleans at Tales of the Cocktail. For cocktail lovers and industry, this is THE drink event of the year (yes, I was at the Manhattan Cocktail… Read more →
It was a privilege to attend the Mad Men-themed Spirited Awards Dinner on July 24 as a guest of The Bitter Truth gentleman from Germany, Stephan Berg and Alexander Hauck. Happily, they won for Best New Product with their incomparable celery bitters. San Francisco represented well with the Rickhouse crew nominated in three major categories, including Best American Cocktail Bar… Read more →
It’s a sad truth that at events on the scale of Tales of the Cocktail, it can be hard to find a decent drink… yes, it’s not easy batching drinks for hundreds of people. But whether on a smaller scale in a tasting room or with simple but robust recipes, like Audrey Saunders’ drink below, here are a couple that… Read more →
Tales of the Cocktail brought me back to my beloved Nola. I’ve done articles on the CBD, Uptown, Carollton and Garden District, Fauborg Marigny and Treme neighborhoods, and on French Quarter food. Now I’m back in the Quarter with drink and food updates… French Quarter Cocktails Loving the time-transporting atmosphere of the truly magical Jean Laffitte’s and the dank, historical… Read more →
“Having found myself on business in New Orleans – or… having found it my business to find business in New Orleans…” – Calvin Trillin I returned a mere few days ago from my adored New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail (yes, I found myself finding business there), where I averaged three hours of sleep a night, met wonderful people… Read more →
Top Tastes, rather than a list of all-time favorites (another thing altogether), are among the best eats since my last newsletter, often from new openings. Many don’t make the cut, being a revisit previously written about or simply not as stand-out as dishes mentioned (for example, I appreciate Rocketfish opening by my office in Potrero Hill, though don’t have a… Read more →
SPIRITS CAMUS COGNAC – Cognac is a realm I’ve yearned to dive more fully into ever since I had my first cognac flight at Brandy Library in NY years ago. I have made attempts to learn more by attending cognac seminars at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans or the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. But where is the cognac equivalent… Read more →
Though my May New York adventures brought me to some of the city’s newer treasures (see June 15 issue), I also made sure I hit up some of the greats of the past decade for a sip of what they’ve been serving lately: Milk & Honey, Lower East Side – Through its dodgy, unmarked door into a musty yet romantic… Read more →
It’s ever a joy to return to two of my all-time favorite SF restaurants (one for fine dining/special occasions), the other, my top Italian for offal, meat and wines. I’ve visited Incanto many times over the years, falling in love instantly with Chris Cosentino’s bold cooking, his gift for making innards palatable, and a deft hand with meats, seafood and… Read more →