DE-CANTATION

**Health Alert -UK & US DRINKING HABITS~ Who drinks more?!?!

2012-01-11T19:41:00.000-08:00

This week's top health news...

AMERICAN BINGE DRINKING!!

The Center for Disease Control says that " Millions of Americans are Binge Drinkers"

FINE PRINT~ (BUT NOT ALCOHOLICS)

and just a couple days before, Yahoo UK reports;

UK BINGE DRINKING!!

This is the UK's way of saying, shun booze a couple days a week or we are going to have to put you

all on blast!

Drinking in...Germany

2012-01-10T18:46:00.000-08:00

The whole time I have been living and traveling around while living in Europe, I haven't really had any expectations along the way. That has been to my advantage because everything ends up turning out far better than what I could have expected. Germany's travel itinerary was as follows, travel to Hamburg to see friends, take the train south through Cologne onto Heidleberg and then to Munich for Oktoberfest.

Hamburg was such a magnificent, clean city and amazing port town right on the river Elbe. We pretty much walked all over the city on foot, and we were fortunate to have such great weather. Our friends took us around showing us the city, enjoying beers and brats along the way! I was particularly fond of a pale lager called Astra, pretty much what the locals drink. It is made in Hamburg but owned by Calsberg beers. I figured that I would have to start amping myself up for what was going to be the end all be all of the trip, Ocktoberfest! I knew that I was going to be drinking pints the size of my head so I had to start beer training right away! (typical excuse).
I apologize to all the cocktailians, unfortunately I did not have enough time to make it to the famed Le Lion but hopefully I can go back and save that for another post.
Thankfully we had such great weather that while we walked around the city we actually stumbled upon the Hamburg City Beach Club which I have to say was awesome! Very clean and elegantly put together. I felt for a second like I was back in LA. We chilled out there with some fresh cocktails (and they even have really fancy juice bar), overall I would highly reccomend checking it out, although I can't vouch for what it might be like in the winter.

We had some good food and drinks there but alas it was a short stay, on to Heidleberg next which also turned out to be a cute and quaint town. It wasn't as big but I did enjoy getting to make my way around town because it was so breathtaking. It seemed like the kind of place that you would see in a German Snowglobe, it was scenic and everyone was very friendly. This is when I took the time out to switch from beer to wine, (yes another excuse) I couldn't dare go to Germany without enjoying their wines that they do so well.

Switched over to you guessed it, Riesling, and lots of it! I am a fan of the dryer rieslings, their acidity and flavors make for such great food wines. I often recommend to all my beginner ~~winos~~ friends who aren't into wine and want to start somewhere. Rieslings are very approachable to begin with and can be made very sweet or dry. Rieslings also have a very interesting classification the Germans use as a way to classify the ripeness of the wiens (wines), the type and how sweet they may be. Here in ascending order you have Kabinett (supposedly the least sweet) followed by Spalese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, TrockenBeerenAuslese and finally Eiswein (the sweetest). Of course there is much more behind this great varietal. Here is a very simplistic article that simplifies rieslings for my beginner friends. As much as I love geeking out about wine, we had to leave and get to Munich!

So we left and on the way, we traveled through all of the most lovely vineyards in all of Germany. They are very well known for their carefully scaled grapes on the slopes of the Rhein and Mosel River banks. I never thought I would be able to experience it because for so long I had only read about these grapes in books. How amazing to see them just right before harvest! It was such a treat for me.

Finally we arrived to Munich and I couldn't have been more excited. It was a really cool city! Pretty much everyone in Munich was there for Oktoberfest so it was an overall jovial (drunk) mood about town. There were so many cool bars and pubs everywhere. We sought out the legendary Haufbrauhaus, it is one of the oldest breweries and beer halls, established in 1589. There was one in Munich and then there is a temporary built especially for Oktoberfest. Only beers brewed in Munich are allowed to participate in Oktoberfest to ensure that you get the finest of bavarian style beer.

We thought that the Haufbrauhaus was packed until we actually got to the festival, it was nearly impossible to get a seat. Here is how Oktoberfest works, it costs nothing to get in (thank god for that) then once you are in, you find a beer "Haus". Then you have to find a table and you have to be seated before anyone will serve you a beer. Forget about ordering from a bar. Then there are so many people packed into the houses that you need a beer the size of your head just so you don't run out before the next beer wench makes it to your table to get you another.

Unless you tip REALLY well, in which case gets you wenches passing your table more frequently and to be fair it isn't just the women who serve, there are also men who server beers. We will call them wankers (the UK in me) In which case, you make friends with the table of the highest tippers, and then the wenches & wankers serve us faster ;-) Quite honestly it is a tough job, millions of people packed into massive group tables getting completely hammered and they have to keep track of all the transactions while carrying around 7 liters (steins) each time all the while getting pushed, shoved and knocked by drunk people

This wanker derserves a tip!

ALL DAY LONG. The beers are typically around 8-10 Euros.Yea, they deserve BIG TIPS.
Did I mention there are Bratwurst involved during this time. SERIOUS BRATS! Overall it is a good time, but I highly recommend going with a group so you can occupy one table. and get there early. It is a slightly organized chaotic clusterfuck. Another highlight, watching everyone in their traditional garb, men in their leiderhosen and women in their dirndls (dresses) they are just too cute! Good times.

Overall I left Germany thinking " I can't wait to go back" This time I hope to get to Berlin, in which so many have said is such a great city to visit. Here is to hoping that it happens this year!

Next trip....Portugal for what else...Port!

Drinking in...Switzerland and Italy

2012-01-04T17:42:00.000-08:00

Duomo di Milano

Soon after that we headed off to Switzerland to visit a friend. We flew into Milan for a day and night, enough time to get some Italian delights and see a few sights. It was also just enough time for me to fall in love with Italy and plan a trip back (to Florence in the February! )

First thing to do, eat and drink! We happened upon a cafe in the plaza and had of course, Prosciutto y melone, mainly because it is my nifty travel partner's namesake and also because it is delicious. Pizza and penne arrabiata were also in order paired with what else, Prosecco and the only phrase my Italian friend taught me,"you only need to know how to say, "Posso avere uno spritz" (referring to the famed Aperol Spritz). Translation~ "can I have a spritz?" Yes, I survived easily.

The next day we headed off to Switzerland where I decided my mission would be to have as much cheese, chocolate and local wine I could get my hands on. Easily attainable goal considering our hosts were also the foodie type! Bonus! We headed into Lugano for our stay, and all I can say is "WOW", such an unbelievable hidden little gem. Everyday for breakfast we had an amazing selection of local cheeses and meats. Heaven.

Homemade estate wine

The Humble Estate

And as if we couldn't have anymore we ventured out for the day to this really great canyon called Valle Verazca.

Full of really beautiful streams and little pools for the locals and tourists alike to play around in. On the otherside of the bridge was a little old house/restaurant where the husband, wife and their family serve fresh cuts of meats and cheeses and not to mention make and bottle their own house wine. They have been serving it for years to all those fortunate to stumble upon their humble cottage. It was an absolute treasure.

We strolled through the neighborhoods because it was so gorgeous and I found it fascinating because every household grew grapes in their backyards. This is very common in areas where wine is such a big commodity. A lot of these independent growers can sell their grapes to négociants because their grapes are in demand. A négociant simply buys, sells or produces wine from outside sources. It is originally a french term but many small independent growers do this in wine producing areas to source grapes for larger wine producers.

Another day we took a day trip back to Italy so we could see Lake Como, and the little towns of Bellagio and Mennagio. It is so beautiful there, I am lucky that I even returned. Again we had some really delicious italian cafe specialties but of course when in Italy, one must consume as much gelato as one gets the chance. Also one other little specialty that you can never say no to. Pistachio gelato is my kryptonite.

for the handy travel companion

One of our final and most memorable meals was high up in the mountains overlooking the most majestic view at the Hotel Colibri. A wonderful hotel/restaurant that our friends had been taking their family to for many years. We really enjoyed it, they treated us as family as well. The wine, the view, the food, the company, just spectacular. A place that if we ever get the chance to go back to, we would not hesitate.

Drinking in...Ireland

2012-01-04T08:43:00.000-08:00

So before I just explained the things that happen to me in my everyday London life, I know what a bore, I couldn't help to share what my travel experience is like since this is what most of you really want to know about.

My first trip was to Ireland, so I was thrilled beyond belief to go and drink Guinness in the homeland and of course one of my favorite things ever~ IRISH WHISKEY!

Woot! yes, so I was hoping that I would get to actually tour an operational distillery but I hadn't planned ahead of time and so I was left visiting the Jameson one (which was kinda lame because it is basically a distillery amusement park for tourists but I did get to have a Jameson, Jack and Johnnie Walker in a blind tasting so it wasn't a complete loss.

Traditional Irish Breakfast

Guiness Stew

My Ireland tour basically went as follows, fly to Dublin, rent a car, drive around the south coast through Wexford, Waterford, Cork, all the way to the Dingle Bay and Clifden to the otherside of the Island and then drive back to Dublin with my handy trravel companion, ie, my fiance. Easy Peasy, the drive was incredibly serene and beautiful. The people were nothing but friendly encounters and we had some pretty hearty food along the way. And we even got certified as a Jameson tasters!

my nifty travel companion,ie,my fiance Tricia

Then in Dublin, I got to have my Guinness also in another tourist distillery amusement park! Wippee, but oh well, Guinness is incredibly successful for a reason and well I got the history behind that for the day and followed it down with a delicious pint of Guinness! What would you have done??

P.S. I had also gone to find the real skinny on Irish coffee. Mainly because I had just the week before had a customer order this classic fav. I made one of course (based on Dale DeGroff's account of the best way to prepare one) and nearly got into a fight with another bartender because apparently he learned how to make one in a proper Irish Pub. I'm sure this occurs frequently these days with so many variations on classics, but I don't see the harm in agreeing to disagree and also understanding that there are many different ways , techniques and variations in this field. Legend has it that a lad named Joe Sheridan originally conceived the Irish Coffee when he served this concoction to some American passengers passing through on a flying seaboat sometime in the 40's. He wanted to warm them up so added a bit of whiskey and cream to the coffee and history was made. The recipe is simple, 40mls (1.5oz) Irish Whiskey, 80mls (3-4 oz ) of coffee, 1 tsp of Brown sugar, and 30mls(1oz) of heavy cream, or whipping cream. Add the sugar to the coffee and disolve, add the Irish Whiskey, and then on the back of a spoon float the cream gently on top. Here I have included what this lovely drink should look like followed by what this other poor chap schooled me on, call me old school but I secretly have stomach flips of giddiness when I order an Irish coffee and it comes to my table like this. The latter however reminds me of bad coffee breaks at McDonalds... yuck. oh well, you decide.
P.S.S I plan to go back and hopefully tour the north of Ireland as well, so I have heard I can a proper distillery tour there, Cooley was closed when we were there ;-)

A Cocktail Recipe in the works~ Aged 6 Months

2011-12-01T16:12:00.001-08:00

Oh London, how I love thee...
Just completed 6 months in London, wow it flies by! I had a really rocky start when I arrived, getting used to many things, including a new job, new city life and basically not being in America anymore. However, I can say that after a bit of traveling and some time to absorb the city, with the help of some cocktails and a bit of time to adjust, I realize what a very cool city London is turning out to be. I recently took my WSET for wine and WSET for spirits in which I passed both with distinction!

I have been doing mixology classes at The Drift now since we opened, it is really fun and I love taking the time to educate people on cocktails and spirits but more on that later.
I have finally found a nice cocktail community, thank the lord although I will admit that I miss the USBG so much, they are SO amazing. In comparison the UKGB SUCKS big time! Although like I mentioned before, proper cocktails aren't the norm here, but THANK GOD it is growing, and rapidly! I feel like I am just this tiny voice reiterating to anyone who will listen that pretty soon decent cocktails will takeover this entire city (mark my words people!) Regardless, at least I have found the places in London where I can get a drink and I will be posting on those later as well. I have been on many travels lately and really just trying to absorb as much as humanly possible.
It has been a whirlwind, I have just had the esteemed pleasure of beginning work at the famed 69 Colebrook Row
In addition to my Drake & Morgan work. Working with Tony and his team is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences that I could have ever stumbled upon.I feel infinitely humbled to have the opportunity.Want to know a little about this place, check it out...pretty amazing!
Cool Hunting Capsule Video: Tony Conigliaro from Cool Hunting on Vimeo.

For now, I have really been working on competitions. I am trying to get in as many as possible while in the UK. This is time consuming all on its own
There have been so many things that have inspired me in the past 6 months...how do I figure out what to share with my readers?

So I thought to myself, what if I had to leave the UK now? So I picked out the most memorable things here so far, enjoy.

1) Single serve- Have you ever been to the liquor store and thought I don't really want a 6-pack or a whole bottle of wine, I want just one. Well, now you have options.

Everything from a single glass of wine to a single gin & tonic, vodka & cranberry or jack and coke. These little buggers are ingenious for when your in a pinch, OBVIOUSLY.
we have this in the US but it is only available in 40oz beer cans which basically is known to be for a certain type of clientele, those that are asking for the money back from YOU outside of the establishment in which they bought it in or those in a trailer beating their wives.
2)Measured pouring-
Although I have to admit, I miss my free pour. Coming from America, not only did I have to convert to the metric system, I also had to change over to measuring everything. In the UK they are used to it, it is standard here but it always makes me laugh when US visitors come in and say, "God this is SO annoying", it makes me laugh everytime.

Now I have become quite fond of it, it's a habit now and I don't even think about it, but I absolutely love that my drinks are more precise and meticulous than ever. This is due to the Weights and Measures Act, I do find it kind of strange that we don't have a system like this back home. However, I will still maintain that free pouring and measuring both have its pros & cons.

3) Products -
Of course we have the big players like Tanqueray, Johnny Walkers, Don Julios & Absoluts, etc etc... but what I really love is the other stuff I've never seen before. Funny enough, I took all the shit back home for granted. When I finally went back for Thanksgiving, I thought "what a mess". These back bars were cluttered, so much unnecessary crap! That is partially due to the obscene number of line extensions that exist in the States. The best example of line extensions are flavored vodkas but generally are any "extension" of any brand such as Jim Beam's Red Stag, or Smirnoff's Smirnoff Ice.

What's suprising is how many different products there are, either just starting to head for America or many that are much smaller and haven't been able to break across the pond yet, and vise versa
I will have more reviews on products soon.

4)Food!- I can't tell you how many people told me how terrible the food in the the UK would be.
Once, Nick Strangeway came to do a presentation for a USBG event LA, and he told us how he he had limited access to fresh produce because it's cold in London. He talked of all the preserves and cordials they made in his bar to have unique flavors during the cold months. Dear god, he scared me senseless, I really thought that I wouldn't be able to buy produce in the winter! I felt like such a moron once I arrived and realized that their markets are just like ours back home. Of course certain things are not in season, but this doesn't mean that isn't available. It either means it is more expensive or the quality is not as good. I have seen quite a shift here in the access to restaurants and chefs dedicated to quality and good food and drinks.

There are so many markets here and if you look hard enough you can find almost anything. In fact, sometimes you can find even more exotic stuff here because we have so much influence from other cultures here that is not as prevalent in the States.

I'll definitely have more to elaborate on in future posts with this as well. These are just a few of the new things I've had to wrap my head around in the past few months. I have been gathering notes here everyday, and on my travels...really trying to get the most to share out of this amazing experience! Thanks for following! Stay tuned for the next installment!!

Cheers!

New Town, New Scene, New Cocktails

2011-08-17T05:56:00.000-07:00

I'm flying from Milan on my way back to London.

Thats where I live now. I finally found a flat, found a job, and for the most part you can say I've found some normalcy. I've been offline now roughly since April. It was a lot of work to leave the last seven years of my life in LA. I sold everything and made the transition to Europe. Why you may ask, well mainly because I had the opportunity to do it and secondly because I believe that I can get more out of my work by coming here. More what? That remains unknown, ideally just more. More knowledge, more experience, more competition. Hopefully as much as I can get out of it.

*My new office building, "The Drift" A Drake and Morgan company.

The Drift

The last experience I was able to dig my hands into was working the Manhattan cocktail classic in New York. It was such a blast, meeting and interacting with new brands, meeting some really interesting and fascinating people and helping to put together cocktails with some of the most talented bartenders in the world!
I took a while to try and think how I would approach blogging and such since I've come here and really there is no way to catch up from where I've been in the past few months. so the best I can do is pick up where I left off. And obviously since I am writing this post, yes I survived the Riots!
I'm glad to be back, back in a new scene and in many ways a new life. I have only been here for a couple of Months but I think I've hit the ground running. I did manage to at least accomplish this. I'm taking the WSET for wine and spirits next month! and I'll off to Ireland in 2weeks to discover (more in depth, who are we kidding I have already discovered it) Irish Whiskey, and more importantly the real way to make Irish Coffee, did you know it varies from region to region?? Anyway, then after that I'll be jetsetting to Amsterdam with Ketel One! Phew...were you able to keep up, great! It's going to be a busy year for us! Cheers! Thanks for Reading!

http://societeperrier.com/london/articles/bar-review-the-drift-heron-tower/

Bethenny Frankel isn't the only girl who got her start on a reality show....

2011-05-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

A fun little job I did working with Celeb Stylist Jonas Hallberg and Xante Liqueur to create cocktails for Jonas' Hollywood party.
It's a Swedish reality show but mixes English in as well.
Cheers!

Dine, Shine and Fine Wine

2011-02-25T14:06:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been out and about, searching for the best cocktails, the best bartenders and the best lists and food I can surround myself with. I have been exceptionally happy with the results and inspired on the way.

Currently, I am still batching bitters, and entering a bitter competition soon! I know I have the winning ones ;-p From Greenbar Collective, you can check out more here, Bitters. Aside from that, I just came on as a brand ambassador for the recently launched Original Moonshine. What a fun brand to work for, and more so what a great product! 4x distilled clear corn whiskey, it's so fun to mix cocktails with and also drink! you can follow us on facebook here! ORIGINAL MOONSHINE!

In between brewing bitters, mixing Moonshine and tantalizing tastebuds with new products, I was able to consult for a fabulous celeb soiree thrown by
Amazing and talented Jonas Halsberg (celeb stylist) We worked with Xante Liqueur and shot a segment for his reality show where I crafted the cocktails for his Valentines party in the Pacific Palisades. it's going to be FABULOSITY! Here we are filming.

Then, after that grueling work, I attended the 42 Below Competition, that was a blast!

I was bummed that I ran out of time to submit to compete, but I did get a chance to compete in the Amaretto Mixing Star Competition hosted by Tony Abou'Ganim ....I did a spin on a Negroni and made a homemade sweet vermouth that fell out of my bag and broke at the last minute!! Needless to say, I did not win, unfortunately but I made up something on the fly and had a great time!

Snuck in a party for the Super Exclusive SupperClub Los Angeles held at Street Restaurant. I created the cocktails using Veev Acai spirit (SO GOOD by the way!)

And for all you wine lovers who waited for my wine reviews, I am back up on Examiner and am switching to posting there (for now) but I have been getting my tastings in line for new stuff! Thrilled and you should be too!

You can find my reviews at Examiner.com

Absolut, Senses and Grant Achatz....OH MY!

2011-02-25T13:47:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't get to see my final version and clip of the amazing Sensory analysis event featuring Absolut Vodka and World renowed chef Grant Achatz of Alinea restaurant and the soon to be Next Restaurant( what a fun concept) please enjoy!

Cocktailia~ stimulating month composed of spirits of any kind...sugar, water and bitters

2010-11-03T18:58:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been a whirlwind couple of months, I haven't been able to do any posts! Well, here is just a few reasons why.... I promise it has all been worth the wait for the work that now I can start sharing. Since recently returning from Southeast Asia I have been compiling all the footage of my trip so that I can put together a short video of my culinary adventures there. Immediately upon my return i had to prepare for my punch party courtesy of Table 20's LA's best bartender Then I was fortunate to take a trip to Sonoma and San Francisco to explore some cool bars ,restaurants and wineries. I have reviewed some new wine releases (wine profiles coming soon). And picked up some mixology techniques that I look forward to using here in LA When I returned I focused my attention to Gins for awhile after attending a gin seminar hosted by Steve Olsen and Adam Seymour! of the Beverage Alcohol Resource program. All of this fun cocktail stuff was all BarSmarts program! Later I attended a rum tasting at La Descarga featuring Atlantico Rum. Some really great trainings they seemed to have paid off, BarSmarts was a such a cool training and tasting/testing program! People came in to LA from Vegas, San Fran and New York....I met alot of cocktail geeks, and even got to meet some really great trailblazers of the cocktail community such as David Wondrich, Dave Frost and Paul Pacult.

In the midst of all that, I started making my own bitters that currently are brewing as we speak. I hope to mix and match them after they are batched. Currently, I am working on Damiana, Chamomile, hot peppers, wormwood, basil, corriander/cilantro, the rest I haven't gotten to yet... updates to come on those.

Finally, I ended all this with a phenomenal sensory analysis workshop hosted by Absolut. The amazing display and hands on tasting was led by Simon Ford of Pernod Ricard, accompanied by 3 star Michelin rated Alinea restaurant headed by Chef Grant Achatz. Indeed, for me it was the pinnacle of my work, seeing others so moved by the way these new culinary avenues continue to create outside the box and to draw in people with the artistic side of making cocktails and using flavors and techniques that undoubtedly connect us all and what brings us together, drinking, eating and sharing! Enjoy some of my fun!

Fasten your seat belts~Your in-flight Wine Pairing

2010-09-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

For my avid readers, I only started this blog a year ago and boy I wish I would have had this tool for so many of my travels I have done in the past. I guess you have to start somewhere. This time for me it will be my trip to southeast Asia. I'm happy to comment on the experiences I have abroad, especially since some of my friends and family will never even dream to leave the United states in their whole lives.

A few years back on my flight to Australia I recall having some lovely australian wines on Quantas Airline. I thought "ok" makes sense, Austrailian airline, austrailian wines. Then my trip to Greece I recall having some local reds served on the flight as well. Here I was now on my way to Thailand on Cathay Pacific airline thinking they would certainly serve beer & sake. Here was the menu;

I was pleasantly surprised and hadn't really expected that level of culinary tastes, now mind you these are essentially TV dinners, even more reason to be excited! It sure beats domestic peanuts and crackers anyday. I had the beef and it was beyond my expectations. Also, the smoked salmon was really good! It gets better, the wine selection. No sake here. For the white, Nugan Estate 3rd Generation Verdelho 2009 and for red Cantine Due Palme Canonico Negroamaro 2007. I couldn't wait to food & wine pair on my flight, besides what else was I going to do for 14 hours. The white was a beautiful clean and clear bright yellow tone and the nose was very light and fruity. I was able to smell some ripened almost sweet stone fruit like peaches. I figured it would be pretty straight forward but when I tasted it, it wasn't anything like how it smelled. It had some zestiness to it and definitely some lemon and lime fruit, it was dry and the fruit almost tasted unripe, unlike the smell. I got some tart stone fruit, but some oakiness on the back that mellowed out into a rich long finish. Talk about complex, it was a great pairing for my smoked salmon and potato salad.

On to my red, my mouth was watering to taste this wine. It was a grape purple color with a burgundyish hue. When i say grape, I mean that bright grimace color that we associate with purple grapes. It had some really great spiciness on the nose, with some cinnamon and Clove. Some cherries,black cherry heavy. The palette was reminiscent of merlot but even juicier. Dare I say almost like grape juice with a kick. This could be dangerous with a couple bottles and some friends. It wasn't really complex, just a bit on the sweet side and too easy to drink. It really was delicious with my braised beef.

As much as I liked these selections, I shouldn't have been so surprised. Guess what they were serving in first class, nothing other than chateau lynch-bages. What a treat!
I was thoroughly impressed that they would be serving this wine in flight and then bummed that I wasn't in first class. For those of you who don't know, chateau lynch bages is a fifth growth from the 1855 classification of french bordeax wine. Depending on what vintage you buy, you can get this wine anywhere from $75/bt all the way up to almost $1000. Obviously, it is shopped around much more than that in restaurants and hotels. Quite a luxurious pick,a blend of Cabernet, merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot from the Pauillac region in France.

Overall I knew right away that I was on the right path to document my
Culinary adventures in Southeast Asia and was suprised that such international flights have upped the ante in fine wine selections, I'm just hoping the domestic flights catch up soon.

Round 2~ The competition is heating up!

2010-09-01T23:21:00.000-07:00

I first want to say thanks to all my readers and friends who support my work~~ Amazing & Inspiring. Secondly, I am in research and competition stage as I work to come up with a competition "punch" for LA's BEST BARTENDER slated to be held at Takami Restaurant October 4th. Hosted by Table20 and Don Q rum. In the meantime, here is a little about me, being silly and serious....

BBQ & Summer Wines, while there is still time!

2010-08-31T03:40:00.000-07:00

Summer is wrapping up, but there is still time to get in a few more BBQs leading up to Labor Day. I spent this last week combing over recipes, sampling and trying out new dishes and wines. It was a long and grueling process, but as I tell my friends, somebody’s got to do it.
Wherever you shop for fresh ingredients and take the time to hand pick the best meats and veggies to season, is just part of the excitement of grilling. There is just something about preparing slow roasted delicious cuisine that makes us eagerly anticipate the slightest hint of warm weather.
Lemonades and light drinks go hand in hand with the hot days, and seasonal beers line the shelves but often the wine category gets overlooked. Here are some delightful refreshing options to enhance the summer fare to it's ripest potential.

To start, SALAD
I’m a big Saveur junkie www.savuer.com so I picked this some whites to start because they are lighter and go great with appetizers and salads. My hands down favorite summer white is “Evolution” by Sokol Blosser. I love this wine, and not only because I am on the blends kick. This wine is blended from 9 varietals including chardonnay, pinot blanc, gewurtraminer, riesling and muller thurgau, semillon, muscat, pinot gris and sylvaner. I mean all that flavor, how could you go wrong. Seriously though, this wine does it right.
You might think this is the easy way out for pairing with BBQ, but in fact this is a great food wine, has excellent acidity, great fruit on the nose and palette, not overpowering at all which makes it a great accompaniment to grilled and spiced dishes. It is also not overly sweet which often puts me off with reisling or gewurtz. It is just a well rounded white that tastes awesome. From the Dundee region in Oregon, you can find it for around $13 or $14, a great way to show up to a party if you forgot to bring a side dish.
http://www.evolutionwine.com/

On to my next pick, Cupcake Chardonnay from the central coast. It has been a favorite for some time because I think it is an everyday household kind of white. In fact I loved it so much that I put it on a restaurant list by the glass. It is affordable, tastes great and is a really flavorful satisfying white. A nice balance of acidity and oak, it seems to meet right in the middle, I am not a big butterball fan when it comes to whites, but this has just enough of a medium finish leaving you wanting some more. You can't beat it for around$8-$10 bucks. Another reason I love this wine, they are part of the underdog wine merchants club. I am big boutique wine fan and this little group is made up of small wineries that aren’t as large as some of the big wine players these days, working on practical and sustainable ways to bring us unique, affordable and delicious wines. All wines in their club carry their little tradestamp on the bottle. You can find out more about them here http://www.underdogwinemerchants.com/ I paired this particular dish with FISH

I've found a couple different protein dishes that I really loved, chicken, shrimp, fish and beef ribs. I wanted to bust out some reds and I paired them with the 2008 Mark West Pinot Noir from Sonoma. it has a delightful nose with bright cherry and cassis notes, then rounded out with hints of cocoa. I was kind of impressed with this wine, it was smooth and fruity on the palette and had some zestiness on the finish. A very inexpensive yet tasty pinot noir, score! This wine was light enough to compliment the fish & chicken dishes but complex enough to be a great match for my seasoned ribs! It was by far the most versatile for BBQ dishes. I also paired the “House Wine” from the Magnificent Wine Co. in Washington. It also was a great BBQ pair for our pizza dish and our shrimp skewers. The wine itself was pretty robust, I’m sure it was due to the blend of this wine. 32% Cabernet, 31% syrah, 30% merlot, 3% malbec, 2%, zinfandel, 1% cabernet franc and Petit verdot 1%. It really had some legs to provide some fruity yet zesty accompaniment to the salt and spiciness right off the grill. I always try to provide my guests with options because everyone’s palettes are different. These two reds proved to be stand up BBQ wines. You can find MArk West for around $10-$12 and House wine for $8-$10, great deals!
GRILLED CHICKEN!
SHRIMP SKEWERS!
This site has multiple fish dishes on it that I couldn't choose which I liked best,
And finally GRILLED BEEF!

GRILLED PIZZA!

For dessert I kept it simple, serving a chilled Terre D’Italia Limoncello di Sorrento, from the Campania region. I was fortunate to be gifted it from a friend who traveled to Italy, so I couldn’t read the back of the label, it was in Italian! It is delightful, not too sweet which I often find many lemoncellos to be. What better way to wrap up my summer! Happy Grilling!

My First Flip Project~ Featuring Xante Liqueur and the Kardashians...almost

2010-08-25T21:24:00.000-07:00

Here is my first vid, it's a little corny, I was running around all night and I missed the most important subject, the Kardashians! or did I?!? in my opinion it was more about the sponsor Xante, which I'm a big fan anyway...I mean shirtless polo pool boys, I didn't lose out completely! Maybe next time I will get a shot, but really there were already a bunch of losers huddled around those poor girls' cabana snapping pics on their cell phones that frankly I didn't want to be one of them, so here is what I salvaged.

**Video Temporarily Unavailable

Some tasting notes....sort of

2010-08-19T21:02:00.000-07:00

Wow! what a long and busy summer! So, I thought I would mention a few things I have been getting my hands into. Firstly, I finally finished the first round of "how to cocktails" to my site and youtube, vimeo channels. Now I have to shoot more with my Flip so I can get fit those guys in. I have been tasting and tasting wines for a few new articles I have been working on for the examiner. I have been helping Philippe Chow restructure their new management and happy hour, just started working at The Parlour Room, really enjoying it....making some new cocktails and competing....how is a girl supposed to fit it all in?!?! slowly but surely I guess. I have been picked by Table 20's LA's Best bartender competition as a semi-finalist! YAY! we shall see how it goes. Lot's of fun stuff, working with some big new launches like Harlem Liqueur, 901 tequila, Xante Liqueur, Paqui tequila and Hum Liqueur..... and did I mention I am traveling to Asia in a month?!?! oh good lord, can't wait to see what kind of drinks I'll be getting into over there. Alright, short on time, thought I could fit in a few sipping notes until my next post!

A mid~summer's night....cocktail or two

2010-07-20T01:50:00.000-07:00

Really enjoying my summer thus far and still cranking away! Cocktails finally in full force, and of course what better way to get through the Summer by matching your fav indulgence with what suits the heat. Somedays it's an ice cold beer, other days a really crisp bright white wine, maybe a fruity red for summer fare or some tasty seasonal cocktails. Whatever your choice, summer is the best time to imbibe to quench your thirst and of course, the heat. I have a new list of cocktails, seven to be exact that just came out at the Philippe Chow location in West Hollywood. Stop by if you like to try them out, they are very fitting and suitable for Chinese food but I am pleased with the flavors and range of flavors! My cocktail at STREET just came out, the Indian Lime Soda which I am pleased to say is a summer HIT! It is very light and flavorful with just the perfect match of refreshing spice to it! You can get it at www.eatatstreet.com. Also as I mentioned in my last post, my "Parlour Trick" is now available at Parlour Room of Hollywood now as well---DELISH! Try one or all! I have a new cocktail (secrets under lock & key as of now) that I am desperately trying to get on Cuidad and or Border Grill menu, so yes it goes really great and hand in hand with mexican/latin cuisine, and is made with Paqui Tequila, SO GOOD!
Sadly, I am not making it to Tales of the Cocktail, my window of opportunity fell through but as they say when one door closes, another opens. I will be in the running this week for Absolut's Best Bartender which is a competition show to compete as America's Top Bartender and while I will be doing that, I currently competing as LA's best bartender until August 4th. If you read or enjoy my blog, please go and vote! I am still in the running! http://contest.table20.com/entries#66666
Still working on some new wine articles and my new shteez in trying to put some food and wine/cocktail parties together. A lot of my friends are asking me to do it, oh and did I mention that Flip video is now in on my action as well! I will start video documenting alot of my work courtesy of Flip so what the hell, this should make my adventures much more interesting! Thanks Flip people!! ....time, time, time.... where to find the time and begin to organize it, I will try to put some really F~U~N stuff together! Stay tuned to see what develops for me towards the end of summer!!! Be Safe and Enjoy!

Summer in FULL EFFECT!

2010-06-21T02:14:00.000-07:00

Phew! Kids!!! What a whirlwind I have been in! This past month, did a really great
Absolut project creating drinks for a new restaurant in LA! In addition to a new cocktail on Susan Feniger's list coming out (hopefully next month! ) I don't want to give away all my secrets just yet, as soon as the list are up and available to the public, I will post! During all this fun stuff, I just started at the new Parlour Room of Hollywood where I created their new "Parlour Trick" with Ciroc coconut. This drink will change seasonally so be on the look out for more of my original creations!
Pit stop during Pride this year in LA, I was asked to join the Diageo float! After that, I was fortunate to make it on the Hum website this month as a contributing mixologist and also as Paqui tequila's LA mixologist!! needless to say I have been muddling and mixing alot lately!
Next month, I will be back working with Sam's Club & Miller Lite, doing a fun promotion for Fourth of July! And then off to Tales of the Cocktail!! More updates along the way.....Salud!

I'll have the house red

2010-05-27T01:22:00.000-07:00

Just the other day, I was doing a wine training for Sam's Club. A big part of training is understanding the choices and tastes of the consumer. I met a gentleman who said he really loved cabernet. I asked him why and he said that he liked the big bold intensity of this particular red. When I asked him about how he came to know this varietal best, he said " well, I always ask for the house red". I laughed a bit, it's true that often times in a restaurant, lounge or bar, if you ask for the house red you will usually be served a cabernet or merlot (not always, but it is common. On the heels of this, I came across this very inexpensive california blend called " Big House Red". This wine is wild! A big bold fun blend of playful grapes that all combine for a simply put-BIG HOUSE RED. This wine hails from Livermore which is in the Central Coast of California. There isn't much too exciting about this wine as far as packaging besides the name and the grapes of the blend ad also the wine itself. The label is a bit cartoonish, and the back is hardly legible, a chicken scratch type of font if you will. The blend consists of syrah, petit syrah, grenache, montepulciano, mourvedre, sangiovese, tannat, aglianico, nero d'avola, sagrantino and barbera, which in someways makes me think that this wine was an experiment to say the least. However, it is big, bold and quite honestly more simple in taste than it tries to present itself. Great gift wine in the $7-9 range and the best part is that it is retailed in most grocery chains so if you live in anywhere other than CA, NY, OR, or WA and are looking for something new and fun, just ask for the "Big House Red". Go to the website and you'll see that the Big House actually refers to the Big House that you get locked up in. I've seen worse packaging, so trust me when I say don't be afraid to pick this wine up just for shits & giggles. http://www.bighousewine.com/Tower.html

Sex in the City 2....over the Cosmo, now what?!?!?

2010-05-12T02:54:00.000-07:00

So I was really excited to write this article, it was based on the fact that the cosmo was soooooo early 2000 and now in an (hopefully) evolved cocktail world....what would these gals be imbibing now. I wrote it before the movie came out and my hope was that I wouldn't be jaded to their product placements....I did pretty good, but I did happen to learn early on that Moet was going to be their bubbly of choice but I figured, oh well, I could deal with that. So....Enter Sex in the City 2

The girls have returned for the much anticipated Sex in the City 2 to please our insatiable crave for more! More sex, more fashion and of course, more cocktails! The original sex in the city did for the cosmo what lady gaga has done for pop music. It’s clear that this sequel will continue to fuel our love for this culture of couture, fabulosity and the the reincarnation of delicious sexy cocktails.
This round, the girls begin in NY where undoubtedly they would be gathered around food & drinks buzzing over the latest dish. And speaking of buzz they most likely are sipping on Moet & Chandon champagne, it’s the new chardonnay. Exactly the same way carrie swoons over a pair of manolos. She'll have you sippin' bub as an accessory when your out, day or night. Champagne & sparkling wine are the new must haves for the
season. It's sleek, sexy, and most importantly delightful &delish!

It is also appropriate for their travels. Samantha gets the opportunity to go to Abu Dhabi, and she agrees to go if her friends can come. A perfect vacation since the last time the girls were together in Mexico together in the first movie. While in Mexico, they had their share of Margaritas but while in Abu Dhabi, they would definitely be drinking something luxurious. Xante liqueur would be a perfect libation for the hot nights.
Xante is a luxury liqueur that is pear flavored with a cognac base. It's flavor is delicate, sensual, smooth and exquisite not unlike Samantha for whom this cocktail is made. Try this cocktail the “Sultry Sultan” muddled asian pear, ½ oz lychee juice, ½ oz Xante, topped with Moet & Chandon Champagne.

This is a delicious daytime cocktail you can substitute for a mimosa or you can easily translate it to an evening cocktail by just adding ½ oz Xante to champagne. It tastes great even on it’s own, straight up or on the rocks. This cocktail is sophisticated and the kind of drink that Charlotte would sip on. You can check them out here. (www.drinksxante.com)
These days the gals are trading up their cosmos for something more spicy, more sexy and downright delicious! This cocktail called “Blonds have more fun!”
2 oz of Skyy Ginger, ½ oz Canton ginger liqueur, ½ oz of fresh squeezed lemon, ½ oz of white cranberry juice (or more to taste), combine all ingredients in a shaker and strain into a martini glass, garnish with a twist of lemon. This cocktail is for all the Carries in the world. Fun, flirtatious and a little spice!

For Miranda, she would drink a no-nonsense cocktail, straight to the point and smooth. Just the perfect amount of complexity without getting complicated. Try the Ginger Snap, 11/2oz Skyy Ginger, Squeeze of half lemon, 1/2oz oj, add ingredients into a flute glass and add Moet Champagne. Top off with a float of fresh Pom juice. Enjoy your drinks with the gals!

You can find out more info here;
http://www.moet.com/
http://www.skyy.com/
http://www.drinkxante.com

My tequila article from the examiner

2010-05-05T17:41:00.000-07:00

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-20957-Hollywood-Budget-Wine-Examiner~y2010m5d5-The-Top-5-Tequilas-you-should-be-drinking-on-Cinco-de-Mayo

COMPETITION TIME!!

2010-04-08T17:01:00.000-07:00

So my fabulous boss Susan Feniger is competing this season on TOP CHEF MASTERS!! Which is hello, AMAZING! I prepared all the cocktails for her viewing party yesterday which was uber fun! I love working with her and Kasja because they inspire me in so many ways as far as cocktail creation goes...and even in my everyday cooking! I am submitting my recipe this week for a margarita competition where the prize is being sent to Tales of the Cocktail event held in July every year and focuses on cocktails and spirits from education and creation...too FUN. Last year I created a modified margarita for Susan that she put on her menu called the Tequila Tamarindo...it is SO delicious but this year I have come up with another great recipe that I am sure will win it! I asked Susan if she would taste my cocktail and see if it is worthy to submit or if I should submit the Tequila Tamarindo, is that cheating?? HHmmm...we'll find out. The other exciting part is that last year the organization Women Chef's and Restauranteurs nominated me for Excellence in Beverage industry, one of the other women nominated?? Ann Tunnerman, the founder of Tales of the Cocktail!! WOW! Check back to find out what happens

Little Chica Part Dos

2010-03-29T10:05:00.001-07:00

I finally got a chance to re-taste the Little Chica Temranillo/Grenache blend. I don't know about you but I am big tempranillo fan anyway, I like a dry red that simple and to the point. This wine actually packs a punch! thanks to it's blend of Garnacha. This blend is spanish wine from Castilla La Mancha.

It's a beautiful deep burgundy color and I liked the deep cherry and chocolate flavors. I also like my reds to be on the juicy side instead of a tannin bomb in your mouth, which this is NOT. It has just enough tannins in it to to leave you with a nice dry finish.
Excellent for summer BBQs and grilling, or just to share with friends. On their website you can even find some easy recipes from guacamole to Paellla at LittleChicaWines.com...Disfrute and Salud!!

Some clips of work and play

2010-03-08T02:56:00.000-08:00

Little Chica Wines

2010-03-04T01:59:00.000-08:00

Speaking of chica....right now I'm exploring Little Chica Malbec. I came across this wine in Target, I passed it t and literally walked backwards to check it out. I was first drawn because It was a budget wine, but then I wondered if they were targeting an hispanic audience. It turns out that these are boutique latin wines, more than just spanish or south america. The best of both worlds! Loved the idea! The Malbec I like because it's very fruity and has beautiful dark fruits, cherries and cassis. It is very juicy, a very nice acidity and just a bit of tannins but not too much with a delicious finish. They also have a tempranillo/grenache blend as well. f I get my hands on it, I'll def share my notes ;-p

You can find these wines online. Check them out if you get a chance. Great for house parties and gifts. http://www.littlechicawines.com/

Hitting it hard in 2010!!

2010-02-26T16:37:00.000-08:00

All my loyal followers!! I feel like I have left you abandoned but fear not....I have been working my little ass off to bring more, more, more!!

Working on my testings, new cocktails, new videos, and new collaborations. I love this creativity that I have been able to get involved with as of late. This month I have been promoted to the creative director of LosAngelesLatina.com and I am very proud to be supported by this company. They have asked me to work to contribute content with and for them and I am able to build my brand and website all at the same time! Thanks for reading and sharing my passions. Just know that more projects are in the work...I have been a happy chica XOXOX

On Air in Phoenix!

2009-12-09T01:14:00.001-08:00

Also, a really cool graphic that will be added to my site

Holiday Wine pairings

2009-11-20T01:14:00.000-08:00

This year I was asked to be a wine consultant for Fresh and Easy Neighborhood Market, I profiled and promoted some really inexpensive quality wines for your typical holiday fare.Here are my notes on these choices. Keep in mind this is a roadmap, if you don't have a Fresh and Easy near you, you can also pick up similar varietals that will generally have these same qualities and characteristics.

Small Wonders Chardonnay $13.99

From Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, this Chardonnay perfectly exhibits the benefit of a cooler climate. Aromas of Bartlett pear, lemon, and a hint of vanilla and oak provide the prelude to a crisp, juicy and mouth-filling flavor. This is a perfect pairing for any ham or turkey dishes.* This chardonnay could be referred to as a hearty chardonnay. Its stands up to meat dishes because of its complexity to enhance the flavor of a baked or smoked turkey.

Ogio Prosecco $8.99

From the Veneto region in Northern Italy, this sparkling wine yields intense fruit aromas of peach, pear, banana and apple. A blend of citrus and floral sensations with a hint of acacia and wisteria. Pairs well with antipasti, seafood and dessert dishes.

** Ogio has an intense crisp, clean mouthfeel. The fruit is bright and intense bouquet with refreshing acidity. Enjoy this sparkling wine as an appetizer paired with parmigiano, manchego, or cheddar cheese.

*Cape Peak Shiraz $0.00

A deep dark fruit wine on the nose of dark cherries, plum, and cassis. Elegant and smooth. Robust flavor, deep complexity and oak. An earthy pepper and spice, this luscious red pairs perfect with grilled meats and roasted dishes. A juicy salted ham will contrast well with the acidity in this wine.

Vineyard Cabernet Franc

The Cab franc is very bold and a big style red similar to a Bordeaux. Acidic and dry, it also has a powerful raspberry character. This would go wonderful with cranberry or plum sauce with the turkey. Also, it the berries in this wine would pair well with rhubarbs pie or even chocolate cake.

St. Helens Riesling $4.99

This Riesling has a soft peach and pear quality, with a little oak. Oak is said to be imparted into wines from the barrels they are stored in. This also gives aromas and flavors to the wine. Such characteristics of wood are cedar, vanilla, clove and caramel. This too would pair well with the turkey and ham to balance to dry salty flavor while this wine coats your mouth, from its long finish. It could also pair with candied yams, or even a pumpkin pie to express the nutmeg and spices.

*Dreamstone Moscato

This effervescent moscato has a beautiful golden hue. Honey, Melon, and a gorgeous floral bouquet on the nose. Save this one for dessert as it’s ripe fruit flavor tingles the tastebuds that pair perfect with apple or peach pie, even fruitcake!

November Tour-wines, holidays and shopping!

2009-11-06T07:52:00.000-08:00

I'm in the Big Easy this weekend. Excited to find some inspiration for beverage and hospitality which New Orleans is full of! Mostly pleasure mixed with some business, before I actually get started on the real work. This month I have the esteemed pleasure to be a brand ambassador and spokesperson for Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets. Their award winning wines have been brought to my attention, and with that I will be doing some on air promotions along with some written pairings to go along with all your holiday shopping and feasting!

This is going to be such a fun project! I'll be traveling around this month to Phoenix, Vegas and

Chicago. Trust me I have tasted just a handful, but their selection, style and variety are that of any good boutique. The best part is their value. Of course they carry their own version of $2 buck chuck. It is actually a nice dry cabernet shiraz blend. It goes for $1.99. Enough said.

You can buy your tried and true favorites there, Santa Margarita, Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois, but why would you? Their selection of Malbecs from Argentina, French Pinot Noirs or Spanish Tempranillos are worth a taste most for under $10.

You can wait for my tasting notes of course, but definitely check out the store if you have one in your neighborhood. Their value is fantastic! Think Trader Joe's meets Ikea. Pretty much my dream come true.

To find one close to you check out http://www.freshandeasy.com/

Kung Pao Cocktail?!?!

2009-10-27T20:57:00.000-07:00

I will be profiling some really great products in the months ahead. Stay posted on some fun stuff that you might be interested in trying in your next cocktails!

TY•KU is an Asian citrus liqueur that is quickly becoming a mainstay ingredient in some of the

hottest cocktails in some of the best bars. Especially fitting for sushi houses and Chinese fare, it is equally exotic in taste, flavor and appearance. It's citrus can best be described as a tangy pear or lychee fruit. Its green hue is due to the lime and melon that rounds out the elixir as a sweet citrus.

Try substituting it in your favorite cocktails, using it in place of triple sec, cointreau, or grand marnier. It will definitely liven up your margarita or your lychee martini! Or try one of these recipes:

Spiked tyku lemonade

1part citrus vodka

2 partsTy-Ku

Add fresh lemon

Ty-Ku Mojito

1 part Ty•Ku

Mint

One fresh lime squeezed in

Splash of soda

They even carry Sake & Soju

For more on TY*KU visit http://www.trytyku.com/

A winery named Curtis

2009-10-15T01:57:00.000-07:00

I recently had the good fortune to meet Ernst Storm, assistant winemaker of Curtis Winery. I've been to Curtis and I highly reccommend stopping especially when doing a wine tour in Santa Barbara. I felt compelled to write about some of my favorite picks highlighting some of the great work they do up there along with the fact that they are great value wines as well! Don't take my word for it though, go out and try them!

Nestled atop the hills, beginning the wine tasting trail that is in Santa Barbara County, is Curtis Winery. Their tasting room is a must-stop destination to get your tastebuds started before embarking on the windy path through all the great wineries in the area. Their specialties are Rhone style wines cultivated from the fantastic soils of the Santa Ynez Valley that is in Santa Barbara wine country. Rhone wines originate from the Rhone region in Southeastern France. The varietals produced there to make Rhone wines are typically blends of mouverdre, sryah, grenache and cinsault. Curtis nails these wines with excellent depth and varietal expression, specifically with the Heritage Series, which consists of a beautiful cuvee, blanc and rose wine.

The 2006 Curtis Hermitage Cuvee bursts out of the bottle with a huge bouquet. Spice in the nose from the syrah grape along with the rich, lush, ripe fruit of dark cherry and pomegranate add a long silky finish. Its complexity makes this wine a must-try wine for this year, a gift or great food pairing wine for lamb a roasted beef dish, delish!

The 2006 Heritage Rose is an equally complex blend of the same grapes. Mouvedre, cinsault, grenache and syrah lend themselves well to rounding out this wine into to a pleasurable drinking experience. With strawberries, pomegranate and citrus fruit, it has much more structure than normal for a rose, which shows itself in the finish. It is an excellent accompaniment with light dishes such as a spicy halibut or a parmesan crusted tilapia.

Now is the BEST time to visit, seeing as their Calypso Fest is happening this weekend, October 17^th. It is a yearly celebration to stop and enjoy wine and food while Curtis has been busy during harvest time. More info can be found at

http://curtiswinery.com/crew_calypso.html

http://www.curtiswinery.com/

The assistant winemaker to Curtis Winery in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barabara wine

country is Ernst Storm. Along with crafting fantastic Rhone style wines there, he has been building his own label called “Noble Storm. Ernst embodies the wines he creates from his own cultivated background, working and studying at such wineries as Amani in South Aftrica, before eventually moving from the Sierra foothills in California to find his niche in Santa Barbara.

The limited Sauvignon Blanc is just labeled “STORM”, a fantastic swallow of a citrusy, crisp

fruit in a excitably acidic wine. A California kiss of oak added but more pomelo, grapefruit with some lime zest that bursts on the palate like a soft New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Light and refreshing, this wine from Santa Barbara is hard to come by, but should be on the menu at every coastal seafood restaurant. Oysters, grilled fish, prawns, or even chicken pasta would be an excellent pair for this well-balanced white. And be sure to look for more varietals, like Pinot Noir or Syrah, under this label.

www.noblestormwine.com

Hollywood Budget Wine Examiner

2009-08-24T02:15:00.000-07:00

I am officially Carrie from Sex in the City for wine!! My new gig is writing for the Examiner Los Angeles on everything beverage!! My dream come true! Here is my first sample, of course from my favorite place near and dear to my heart!

Here is the link, or you can read it below.

http://www.examiner.com/x-20957-Holloywood-Budget-Wine-Examiner

Stroll into STREET if you seek really great wines that offer great value from around the world! STREET’s concept, cultivated from the mind of wildly popular Susan Feniger, who has also elevated to culinary fame Border Grill & Ciudad restaurants, is an around the world taste of global street foods. It differs from the other restaurants’ Latin themes in that STREET offers cuisine inspired from such places as India, the Ukraine, China, Japan, Korea and much more.

The wines are just as uniquely inspired. The best part is that their by the glass list is simple and affordable. They have some uncommon and luscious choices from recently popular regions such as Argentina and South Africa. The flavorful Argentinian Malbec “Altos Hormigas” from the Mendoza region can be found locally on most restaurant menus in Buenos Aires and Susan brings it to you for only $10 a glass. Ranging from $7-$14, you can find a new interesting Rose that they switch out regularly and is carried on the menu as the “Pink Pick of the Week”. This can range from a crisp French or dry Italian to a California Rhone style with a big bouquet from it’s blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Mouvedre. Easy to navigate, the wine selection is broken down from Light & Bright, Soft & Supple, more complex to more of a mouthful. Their South African WolfTrap Syrah is a steal at $8 a glass, an exquisite blend of Viognier, Syrah and Mouvedre. Along with their world wine selection, they have a distinct way in which to serve the wine. Instead of typical stemware, individual re-used bottles of San Pellegrino Sanbitter apertif are used, accompanied with a small glass so you can refresh your own wine. For those die hard tasters, they do carry regular stemware as well.

It is clear by the simplicity of the wine list that they scoured some great selections from around the world, and brought them easily to you for a very reasonable price. Give STREET a whirl if you seek wines to please your palette. They have something for everyone including biodynamic, unique and delicious options to pair with the incredibly eclectic food menu.

SIMPLY DIVINE---Not to be Missed!

2009-08-05T01:20:00.000-07:00

Don't Miss the 4th Annual Simply Divine; Summer Soiree for the Senses benefiting the LA Gay & Lesbian Center August 22nd in Beverly Hills.

Here, the night on Rodeo is transformed into a European epicenter for food, wine and mingling.

This delectable event features popular vinters, Skyy vodka cocktails, and some of the hottest restaurants in LA, including (most importantly

STREET, I was paid to say that, haha) AOC, Tavern, Ciudad, Border Grill, Rivera, Jar, Beso...and many more! You can buy your tickets online, and even better get $25 off your ticket if you buy early!

For more info check out~

http://www.lagaycenter.org/site/PageServer?pagename=SU_AF_SD_SimplyDiVine

Worth a taste---Erath Pinot Noir

2009-08-05T00:03:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of receiving a fabulous gift from my girlfriend who just came back from Portland, Oregon the other day. Imagine my delight, when she revealed a couple bottles of Pinot Noir! How did I get so lucky?!?

I had to make some notes about ERATH pinot noir. I loved the bottle first and foremost. The label on the back boasts it's name along with the words EARTH and HEART, ERATH almost like a crossword puzzle. This wine stays true to form as the ERATH winery credits every part of making this delicate pinot from the climate, to the grapes and the lovely oregon soil, Dundee to be specific, that produces such bright fruit.

At first glance, swirling this wine in my glass shows a brilliant ruby hue, and smelling it is like magnifying its color to your nose. In it, strong presence of strawberry and currants abound. As well as a sweet hint of vanilla.

It is light, bright and full with it's acidity mellowed out by a nice clean finish. A fabulous food pairing wine! Cheers!

http://www.erath.com/

Ultimate Cocktail for a Cure-2009

2009-07-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

http://www.ultimatecocktailforacure.com/ I will be competing this year, and for such a great cause!! Here is the link, you can go to and donate as well. I'll keep you posted on what drinks I enter, hopefully I'll get a nod, or win!

Mix & Match

2009-07-23T13:20:00.000-07:00

No themes were in place this past wine wednesday, although a visit from my friend who works for TGIC imports would prove to be a mix & match of tastings from all over! TGIC imports a fantastic portfolio of international & domestic flavors. We tried the Montes Chardonnay Alpha from Chile. The fruit and finish on this wine was just delicious! Bright pear & apples, and a bit creamy with just enough minerality to balance it out. I will continue drinking this one through the summer!

I introduced a New Zealand Sauv Blanc that I found at Trader Joe's. It was an experiment buy but the bottle, and packaging seemed to say "Try Me!"

I think I may have enjoyed it the most, it was true to the New Zealand Style. Pale green hue, very light, but extra zesty. Lots of lime, peaches and grapefruit, with a great dry finish. I was pleasantly pleased for it's $9 price tag.

We finished our whites out with the Cosecha Tardia Late Harvest Chardonnay. This pick was part of our TGIC portfolio, from Argentina. "Late Harvest" implies the use of overly ripe grapes that adds more sugar to the wine. Really cool to taste because while it's structure was a full bodied chard, it's late harvest quality made it round out like a Riesling. A fantastic choice for an after dinner apertif.

A highlight out of the TGIC portfolio was the Kaiken Ultra 2006 Malbec from Argentina. Most of you know I am a bit partial towards a good malbec. The fruit in this bottle just bursts out from the glass to your mouth. Ripe dark blackberries, plum, dark cherries and spice all c

ome spilling out with a lightly tannic, fresh aromatic bouquet! A MUST TRY!

For more on TGIC wines visit http://www.tgicimporters.com

Summer Party Pairings

2009-07-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

In this Summer season, we are seeing a rise in social gatherings as of late with the economy down, and less working hours, allowing for more time spent with friends and loved ones.

In particular my friends and I have implemented Wine Wednesdays! We take turns meeting at one another's houses, and each participant brings a bottle of wine, and a food to pair.

Here are some of our favorite discoveries!

2008 Marques de Caceres Spanish Rose from Rioja. Excellent dry rose!! Very fragrant with lots of light red berry fruits on the nose. We paired this wonderfully with a spicy garlic hummus, and also accented with some greek dishes including dolmas, and marinated olives. $10 for this Rose....My new summer addiction!

From there, we moved on to Reds which included a light style red blend, 2007 Novella Synergy. A well rounded blend of Zin, Syrah and Sangiovese. This red from Paso Robles is nothing fancy, or over the top but definitely a nice wine to share. The sweetness and big berry fullness of a zin, with the dry and full bodied balance of the syrah & sangio. We paired this with some fine Gruyere cheese. Great price for dinner parties, at around $8

Once we felt upgraded enough we decided to go big, and we popped the Domaine de la Mavete de gigondas. (I missed the year) however, this wine is so consistent I doubt you'll have a bad experience from 2003-2007. This big Rhone blend graciously closed our night with Syrah, grenache, cinsault and Mouvedre. Very full bodied, complimented by big fruit and a dry long finish. Much more complex for my more sophisticated drinkers. This bottle is a a great buy in the $20 range. We also enjoyed the marinated olives, feta and sliced strawberries.

Until next time....Salud!

Summer Cocktails!!

2009-07-01T22:39:00.000-07:00

My new cocktail creations will be featured on Susan Feniger's new summer cocktail list on July 6th, 2009. Among some of the refreshing libations, A Tequila Tamarindo, a fresh seasonal fruits Sangria, and tah-dah....A Cantelope Beet Vodka Fresca...try saying that 10x fast!

I don't want to give all there secrets away, you'll need to come in to try them!!

WINE ALERT ~ WINE ALERT!!

2009-07-01T20:12:00.000-07:00

This is my personal critics corner on fabulous wine finds. I stumbled across this one in Argentina, and I snapped up as many bottles as I could fit in my suitcase. Not mainstay just yet, it drives a hard bargain for the price, around $10. I may have to pull a few strings to get my hands on it, but it's well worth it! Perfectly balanced, some sutle earthy spice, lots of berries, cherries and plum. just a little oak to round it out. It pairs magnificent with spicy dishes, grilled meats, or can hold its own.

Second runner up, Altos Las Hormigas. It too comes from the Mendoza region, also a great buy in the $10 range, with similar characteristics as the Niento. I found it on most of the lists in Buenos Aires, so if it's good enough for the locals...it's good enough for gringos. Alas, you can find this by the glass at STREET

Bloody Sundays

2009-06-24T22:53:00.000-07:00

I just finished concocting a fabulous homemade recipe for a Bloody Mary special that Susan Feniger wants to run at STREET!

Bloody mary's are such a fun, delicious cocktail to have in the summer brunch season!

Here is my recipe, keep in mind I made this is a large 2.5 gallon olive jar. If you have the time to put this together, enjoy adding some of your fav seasonings!! you can't go wrong! I personally like mine extra spicy!!

Tomato juice, tablespoon worsteshire, 1 cup of wasabi, 1/2 cup of ground whit & black pepper. 1 whole clove of black fermented garlic ( muddled) , teaspoon of regular garlic (minced) 5 whole lemons squeezed, 3 whole limes squeezed. splash of tabasco.

Add all ingredients, stir very well. Let chill for an hour or so. Enjoy!!

Bar Hop

2009-06-16T11:28:00.000-07:00

This week I will be hanging out with the fabulous Mixologist Jennifer Contraveos, from Chicago. We will be attending the Radio Room Event at the Edison downtown, for some eclectic cocktails showdown. I'll give you a play by play of some of the hottest new cocktails out there! Stay tuned!

*** Update!! The event was such a blast...I totally forgot my camera, GGRRR...but my new friend Davo Weiss was there filming, so hopefully some of the footage will surface. Meanwhile, I had some really fantastic modified cocktails including a modified Moscow Mule, a Marg w/ Cilantro, and a Negroni made with Don Julio Anejo...What a treat!!

Caipirinha!

2009-06-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

This blog is dedicated to my new favorite indulgence. It actually is not my new favorite, just one revisited. When I lived in Venezuela for a year, this is all we drank when we went out. I remember (or barely remembered) that if you dared have more than 2 of these cocktails in a night, you agreed to pay for it the next day. However, they were bright, refreshing, strong but good, and fun cocktails to have anytime of the day or night. Recently , while in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro I had the pleasure of experiencing the delight of these cocktails again! I distintly recall not having these cocktails in the states, because they are usually never true to form, similar to the beloved Margarita. I brought back some fantastic imported Cachacam, but it can be found in the states under the the brands Leblon and Sgaitaba (both good).

Firstly, one whole lime must be used in each cocktail...you can even add more. If you don't use a whole lime, you are doing a disservice to yourself. The cocktail is similarly made like a mojito sans mint. So simple! The trick is in the proper balance of the cachaca, lime and sugar. I would reccomend to beginners to use 3 teasspoons of sugar. I know! it seems like a lot, but I can guarantee that it is less calories than when you a purchasing a margarita out at a club. If you are brave enough to try a little less, than you can do two teaspoons, but in this case you will need to muddle the lime and sugar until all the sugar is dissolved. Then you can go ahead and add 3-40z of Cachaca to your muddled mix, over ice....and stir, stir, stir. (or can be shaken as well) Serve in a iced glass, garnish with a lime, and enjoy your refreshing summer cocktail! Salud!

Taste of the Nation!

2009-06-09T04:45:00.000-07:00

This Sunday June 14th, the 21st Annual Taste of Nation will happen at Media Park, Culver City from 1pm-4pm, as the top culinary benefit in the Nation! There will be incredible food & wine tastings, The Two Hot Tamales Mary Sue Miliken and also Chef Michael Mina will be there hosting demos. Revered and highly regarded Jonathon Gold will be there with a "ask Jonathon" booth. Silent Auctions, waiter races, KCRW and more to entertain for a Sunday Funday in the park! All ticket sales and proceeds go to raise money to benefit food banks that fight to end childhood hunger. Ticket's are $125 .Buy tickets Here

See you there!!

Foodies

2009-06-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

ok....So I'm no expert, or well I'm more of a semi-expert (at wine/cocktails) by this point. So I don't consider myself to be the authority on anything. I guess is what I'm getting at is that (although I hate to say it) I am a Foodie. I hate to say it because there are so many people running around calling themselves foodies, and yet they seem to be so damn over opinionated. I am a food & wine lover. This is what I know and can claim, I know good food & wine, I know good service, and I know good presentation and effort. More than that, I seek it. My blog is dedicated to just that, and I may critique here and there but mostly I am sharing all the things I love most about hospitality in restaurants & bars. I hope you will love reading about fantastic finds and culinary experiences that I am fortunate to be a part of. Cheers!

Brunch Lovers

2009-06-03T23:03:00.000-07:00

Some friends and I are having 2 big brunch parties this weekend and next. This weekend is for a Tropicana Commercial of some sort, and next week I guess you could say is going to be a big block party. I will be featuring one of my ABSOLUTELY, HANDS DOWN FAVORITE Sparking Wine. None of than the Sophia Coppola Blanc de Blanc. Delicately fruity and delightfully refreshing, Sofia Blanc de Blancs is a rare blend of Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscat. The crisp flavors of apples and pears are made brighter by a hint of citrus and honeysuckle. It is very close to a prosecco style. The packaging is as intricate as the wine, perfectly paired with bachelorettes, mama's day, or V-day. Perfect for anytime drinking....it will be the perfect match for our Mimosa parties!! Salud...pictures to follow!

Studying is so Tedious

2009-06-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post my fun pics from my Som Class, Here they are!

2009-06-03T15:08:00.000-07:00

I just returned this month from Argentina (although I did not really want to come back.) I was wine tasting, and pairing the most beautiful Malbecs from Mendoza with incredible Argentinian beef. Phenom!

Then a quick romp to Brazil, I also had my hand in becoming a caipirinha specialist. A hot night in Rio is perfectly complimented by a tart yet sweet, refreshing Cachaca Caipirinha!

Hello Blog world!

2009-06-03T00:31:00.000-07:00

Finally! my first public shout out about wines!! and the love of the work & art I do known as wine! more fun to come, stay tuned!