I love unusual riffs on classics, especially when the riff is actually a throw-back to the roots. For example, Camillo Donati Malvasia is a wine I love. Because it’s biodynamic, it is frizzante (mildly carbonated) & the funkiness of natural fermentation balances the sweetness often found in malvasia from this region.

I love unusual riffs on classics, especially when the riff is actually a throw-back to the roots. For example, Camillo Donati Malvasia is a wine I love. Because it’s biodynamic, it is frizzante (mildly carbonated) & the funkiness of natural fermentation balances the sweetness often found in malvasia from this region.

I love unusual riffs on classics, especially when the riff is actually a throw-back to the roots. For example, Camillo Donati Malvasia is a wine I love. Because it’s biodynamic, it is frizzante (mildly carbonated) & the funkiness of natural fermentation balances the sweetness often found in malvasia from this region.

I admit there are lots of times I prefer a drink from an older & more-established producer, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any new folks making booze who I think are doing a great job. Suerte Tequila is a great example. They’re a very new company who just started distribution to NYC (& they’re owned by Americans who are new to the trade), but they are already one of my favorites. Especially their Reposado- I’m a huge fan. I’ll take mine neat, with some sparkling mineral water to sip alongside.

Sour beer isn’t for everyone (apologies to the woman in my Farmhouse Beer class who was horrified by a gueuze) but those of us who love them find them to be super refreshing. My old haunt (as both customer & bartender) Spuyten Duyvil is doing their annual sour beer bash tonight in perfect timing for the doldrums of summer. Whether it’s in the Lambic family, a Flemish red or brown ale, or one of the new riffs proliferating in the craft beer world, I’m a sucker for them all when the mercury rises.

I’ve been on a bit of a crusade the last few years to get people to try good aged rum. Rum is so much more than something to mix with coke or an ingredient in a fruity cocktail. The subtle sweetness & deep earthiness of the better aged rums are instant hits with people who approach them with an open mind. Especially in an age when bourbon has become both hugely popular & often quite expensive, I find I get much more for my money but sacrifice nothing in enjoyment when my glass is filled by folks much further south than Kentucky.

I’ve become a big fan of Venezuelan rum recently, in part thanks to a generous gift of Cacique Antiguo from a good friend who happens to be an ex-pat. It’s so dry it approaches cognac in flavor & body, with a mellow warmth that is best appreciated neat. Since Cacique isn’t available in the US, Pampero Aniversario is a great option for anyone looking to see what Venezuela has to offer.

I’m super excited to teach my first class at The Institute of Culinary Education next Thursday, July 25. I’m doing a class on Farmhouse Beer, exploring the history of this ancient genre through the modern interpretations. Of course there will be several delicious beers to sample and discuss. And it just wouldn’t be my class if there wasn’t something tasty to snack on while we sip…

Details are on the Events page or you can go to ICE’s site for tickets and information here.

On hot summer days some of my favorite wines to cool off with are whites from Cheverny in the Loire Valley of France. They are light and refreshing, but never dull, and have hints of both fruit and mineral. These kinds of wines are almost dangerously fun to drink.

Domaine du Salvard’s “Delaille” is a great choice. So are any of the whites made by Hervé Villemade at Domaine du Moulin, but those are hard to come by in my neck of the woods.

If a few sips of Cheverny whets your appetite, try pairing it with younger and fresher cheeses, grilled fish, or simple pasta tossed in garlic and oil.