Month: January 2011
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Sherry Bodega Visit: Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana
In September 2010 I visited several sherry bodegas. Here are pictures and a few notes from Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana, which is located in Sanlucar de Barrameda. (La Gitana is their most famous brand. It's a manzanilla; similar to fino but aged in Sanlucar.) (The bodegas were wonderfully old, moldy, and dusty.) (One of the…
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The Anti-Malarial Further Fortified Fortified Wine Cocktail
In my latest post for FineCooking.com, I touch on Dubonnet and the Dubonnet Cocktail. Dubonnet was invented as an anti-malarial wine. It's useful even if you don't have a mosquito problem. Read! Learn! Behold!
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Sherry Bodega Visit: Bodegas Lustau
In September 2010 I visited several sherry bodegas. Here are pictures and a few notes from Bodegas Lustao. (Barrels in the Lustau bodega.) (The vinegar aging room smelled heavenly. I'd love to go back and just study vinegar.) (These new casks are being prepared for Jameson Irish whisky that is aged in ex-sherry casks.…
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Tequila Distillery Visit: Patron
In November I visited seven tequila distilleries in Mexico. Here are some pictures and notes from my visit to the Patron distillery in the town of Atotonilco. (The distillery is on a huge plot of land. It's a huge distillery. This is the front gate.) (This is the hacienda, which is the center of the…
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Sherry Bodega Visit: Bodegas Gonzalez Byass
In September 2010 I visited several sherry bodegas. Here are pictures and a few notes from Bodegas Gonzalez Byass. (The grounds of the bodega have grape vines covering the streets to provide shade.) (A train takes people on a tour around the bodega.) (One of the rooms for special events.) (A barrel signed by Picasso.)…
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Back In My Day, It Was Called A New-Fashioned
In my latest post for FineCooking.com, I cover the history of the cocktail- the original one. I'm sure you've heard of it: spirit, sugar, water, bitters.
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Tequila Distillery Visit: Don Julio
In November I visited seven tequila distilleries in Mexico. Here are some pictures and notes from my visit to the Don Julio distillery in the town of Atotonilco. (Cutting up the pinas before baking.) (Now when I see pinas, I get thirsty.) (Fermenting agave.) (Stainless steel pot stills.) (We had a cocktail contest after the…
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Sherry Bodega Visit: Bodegas Williams & Humbert
In September 2010 I visited several sherry bodegas. Here are pictures and a few notes from Bodegas Williams & Humbert. (The bodega is absolutely enormous.) (There's a horse show inside the bodega for visitors.) (For barrel tasting, the venenciador (in this case, the chief oenologist) inserts the venencia into the barrel to pull out a…
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Spicy Mary
A bunch of years ago I tried to sell a book on infusions, because there weren't any at the time. In some ways I'm glad it didn't sell, because my cocktail knowledge and abilities are so much better now that I would have been embarrassed by many of the cocktail recipes you were supposed to…
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The Martini Does Not Exist
The word 'Martini' has very little meaning. Two versions of the cocktail may have completely different ingredients and be served in different formats: A bone-dry-and-dirty Grey Goose Martini on the rocks with extra olives has nothing in common with a Fifty-Fifty gin Martini with orange bitters and a twist. They're not even close to the…