Chefs are not only evaluated for stars locally, stars by Michelin, and votes from dozens of other national organizations, but they are compared to each other all over the world.  One such comparison is the domain of the The World’s 50 Best Restaurants annual awards.  They pick the top 100 best restaurants and celebrate the top 50 in an annual guidebook.  Daniel rose in the ranks 17 places this year to no. 58 for Coi in San Francisco.  He is number 1 in our guidebook.

This is good, and makes us happy.  Congratulations!

May 1, 2012 by Scott Kester
Categories: Appreciation
Tags: Daniel Patterson

We have been closely following the Crowdfunding H.R. 2930 bill, titled: Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act, as it moves through the House and Senate.  Yesterday the Senate voted for its approval.  They have minor changes to the crowdfunding bill but the intent and character is unchanged.  With this legislation barriers to small business raising funds are dramatically changed.

We are excited for this new legislation because if this becomes law we can finally offer profit-sharing to a Seatholder.  When we started this project we planned to invite our community to invest in this local bar and restaurant and return an investment for the help .  After months of legal wrangling, wrenching, and worrying we concluded there was no good way around offering ownership or profit-sharing to the establishment without filing an offering with the SEC.   If we wanted to raise capital by selling seats we could not give profit to the Seatholder without incurring excessive fees to file as a stock offering.

It is a simple idea: the community shares in the ownership of their local business.  It is a simple idea but the regulations simply prevent helping and sharing in return.  As it stands now only accredited investors are allowed to contribute capital to a private enterprise.   I have no argument with the reasons for these rules.   Charles Ponzi has earned the namesake for fraudulent investment schemes and everyone should be protected from his legacy.  We are thrilled that the majority of the House and Senate share in making this simple dream possible.

The crowdfunding bill is bundled in the JOBS Act:  Jump-start Our Business Start-ups.  The legislation has to be accepted by the House, then signed by the President.  Once signed the SEC has to do their part, but since they are their own agency there is little way to predict how quickly crowdfunding will be officially legal.

This is good news.  While progress is slow, evolution is certain.

More reading . . .
Senate passes start-up bill, with amendments.  The New York Times

Senate toughens crowdfunding rules, passes JOBS bill

March 23, 2012 by Scott Kester
Categories: Crowdfunding

The water that fills our reservoirs also fills our whiskey bottles. We made a trip up to the Tuthilltown Spirits distillery in Gardiner, New York for a tour of their distillery. Hudson Whiskey is made from all grain mash–most of it local. We support local quality and effort. There is nothing wrong with rye whiskey made in Kentucky, but if we can have whiskey from a bit nearer our rock we will gladly partake.

The distillery has survived and thrived on a series of happenstance. Ralph Erenzo first planned to open a rock climber’s camp before he had any notion of getting into distilling grain for hooch. The community did not take kindly to the proposed climbing guests. Now they are up to their third pot still from Carl in Germany, and their second hole in the roof of the granary building to accomodate the height of the still columns.  The process is purely batch distilling but the success of there effort has landed the whiskey medals and an international distributorship with W. Grant.  The original building itself has just undergone an expansion to house more equipment, fermentation tanks, and finished whiskey.   There are two huge, new  stainless tanks holding distillate waiting for more barrels to arrive for aging–they are locked.

Cordell Stahl delivers a lively tour and makes the distillation process seem simpler than it is.   One thing is certain that even with large volumes the whiskey made at Tuthilltown is produced by taste, not technology.  Of course large machines are used for grain crushing, pumping  mash for cooling, then into to open fermenters, and finally up to the pot stills.   Cuts are made by taste and feel of the distillate.

There are restrictions on what can be called a “straight whiskey” versus a “whiskey” in North America .  Straight requires 2 years minimum of barrel aging while less than 2 years cannot be called Straight.  Tuthilltown ages for much less than 2 years but achieves a full flavored rye and bourbon.  This is accomplished by aging in small oak casks.  A standard barrel holds 53 gallons.  Hudson Whiskey is aged in 3 or 5 gallon capacity casks.    The goal of aging whiskey is to mellow the harsh congeners and off-flavors from the pot distillation process.   These harsh impurities are reduced and chemically changed to softer flavors by contact with the charred oak.   A smaller barrel has a greater surface area ratio per gallon of liquor.   This puts more whiskey in contact with the barrel surface in less time.   There is plenty of debate about what is an acceptable practice in making whiskey.    Every tradition is so for a reason, but every tradition can be broken for a good reason too.   Tuthilltown is establishing their own tradition of breaking tradition.   The long odds are paying off.

Cordell explained that they are so convicted to small barrel aging that they have patented two additional processes for increasing the preciousness of the young liquor.   In order to increase the exposure of the distillate to charred oak it would be easy if chips could be added to the barrel, but this is not allowed by the regulations.  Maybe a little bit tricky, but the restrictions do not say anything about taking away from the barrel.  Consequently they have found a way to drill out a honeycomb pattern on the inside of the barrel staves before they are assembled by their cooper.   This increases the surface area inside the barrel without violating any regulations.   The second method is to get the liquid moving when it is in the barrel.  Barreling, rotating the barrels during the aging process, is arduous.   Purely by accident they noticed that hip-hop beats preferred by their staff when barreling had a significant impact on the aging compared to barrels not exposed to the beats.   Basically, a strong bass beat produces a sonic wave that causes the whiskey to “dance” in the barrels.  No arduous barreling needed–that makes some happy bourbon.

Don’t let the size fool you.   A lot goes into this little apothecary bottle with the wax top.

We also learned we could get used barrels from Tuthilltown for aging cocktails.  There is a short wait list, so we will be experimenting soon–turn up the bass.

Slideshow:

March 19, 2012 by Scott Kester
Categories: Local, Spirits
Tags: Cordell Stahl, Hudson Whiskey, Ralph Erenzo, Tuthilltown

Bar, local, ordinary, pub, public, tavern, watering hole, inn . . . etc. Whatever you choose to call your institution there is always the chance of bumping into someone from far away who is not so far away after you share a toast.
I am happy to introduce you to Mr. Andreas Bergman, from Stockholm, who is on a tour of our humble Hudson watering holes before he dives into the opening of his own local this coming September. We managed to find our way to discussing the alcohol that one can and cannot get in our respective residencies. A couple of drinks into the discussion he showed me the tatoo on his arm dedicated to Rye Whiskey–impressive pledge of allegiance. We agreed on our obsession with Applejack, which is why he was visiting the Hudson watering holes in the first place.  I asked what is his equivalent to our local, patriotic, habit of distilling apples and he named the Swedes obsession with Punsch.
Apparently the obsession was so strong that the government shut down most of the production for many years to help their residents dry out. According to Andreas it worked, mostly, but despite the authoritative collaring there is still plenty of enthusiasm for the taste. Swedish Punsch is not usually distilled directly but it is an infusion of rum, spices, and sweetened–specifically Jamaican rum. He named four main producers in Sweden.   We went on a tangent about rum from Jamaica but that is for another time.
Carlshamns Flaggpunsch and Caroline Punsch have been at it a while and are good representations of the old-school approach to blended and infused Punsch. Roslagens Punsch is the modern option and they actually distill their own from sugarcane. Our only option on this continent is based on the fourth producer: Facile Punsch. Just a few months ago Haus Alpenz started importing Kronan.
Now for serendipity. My lesson transpired because I was at the watering hole to quietly relax may way through the Cocktail Guide and Ladies Companion by Crosby Gaige. And to impose on Shige to make a couple of the more curious mixes in the book. I kept coming across pre-prohibition recipes with the ingredient Swedish Punch. Andreas spotted my research and we started swapping stories.  How convenient to meet a prominent bartender from Sweden exactly when you are trying to figure out the flavor profile of Swedish Punsch in a cocktail from a hundred years ago.

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March 16, 2012 by Scott Kester
Categories: Cocktails, Spirits
Tags: Andreas Bergman

Just like the chicken or the egg paradox, what comes first: spring in New York City, or the French 75 Cocktail?  Sometimes the question is not what but why?    While it is widely known the mix was named after a canon, I wonder why a canon inspired a drink.   No logic is needed to name a drink.  Perhaps the less logic the better the name–if you like the drink.   As the story goes the celebrating infantry mixed what was available and it worked.  Consequently there are two versions on two sides of the channel.   The French 75 made in France uses brandy, the Brits maintained the name but switched to gin.  So maybe a French 75 made in NY should use rye whiskey.  I will take mine with brandy or gin, bartender’s preference going with my policy that the bartender is always right.

While we are at the numbers game the Canon de 75 modele 1897 was not the only size field gun in WWI, at least from the viewpoint of naming cocktails.  There is a French 85 and a 125.  Some note the gun size indicates the base ingredient: 75 is gin, the 85 is brandy, the 125 is cognac.  And there is the French 95, made with bourbon.   No matter what number you order there is one thing certain: champagne is involved, which puts the spring in anything, anyplace, anysize–blast the gun size.

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March 15, 2012 by Scott Kester
Categories: Cocktails
Tags: Gary Regan, Robert Vermiere

March 11, 2012 by Scott Kester
Categories: Cocktails
Tags: Harry Craddock

The first step was just one gallon.  Now this is the fourth batch, bottled today. All-grain homebrewed “Papa’s Pale Ale.”  I am obsessed by fermentation.  It started with wild sourdough, then hard cider, ginger beer,  then homemade ale.   To me this is romantic.  A glance, a second full glance, a new feeling, then you are hooked and doing things you know are stupid but you can’t stop.

I started making beer.   3 gallon batches are quite manageable in Manhattan, tucked behind a chair, next to the front door, behind a desk–even on top of the desk.   A 3 gallon carboy weighs less than a macbook pro but is bigger than a breadbox.  But let’s rewind.

When I was an undergrad at UofM my living expenses were subsidized by my work-study job with the university architect’s office.   No computers, we all drew our working drawings with pencils.  This is how I met Bob Treves.  When he wanted to insure something would be built the way he intended he would bear down on his pencil until the paper would make a divot in the board below.  He was solid and committed to quality.  He liked beer.  I had never had beer before.

Friday, the three of us would go out for lunch.  David Stockson, Bob Treves, and me, the newbie-intern-sophomore-grinning-idiot.   The venue of choice was The Blind Pig.  Their outdoor greenhouse was imported from someplace in England, their soup was first-come, first-serve, and their black-and-tans taught me how important a pale ale is to balance a Guiness when pulled in a pitcher.   Most of these lunches ended around 6pm.  I learned a lot but I never thought I would, many years later, make a Pale Ale, myself, that might be compared to a Bass Ale.

Homebrew.  Many articles have heralded the phenomenon.  A few days ago, on the way to the NYC craft beer festival,  I was so excited I started telling a taxi driver about the taste, and the economy, of making your own.  He listened and enthused and seemed ready to be swept away–then he said, “what about the cost of your time?”  *Deep Sigh* Innkeepers, captains, patriots, brothers, and presidents have all brewed for their community, why stop now.   I humbly practice the craft and hope to hand it down to my sons.

I get my grains and air-locks from Brooklyn Homebrew.  Kyler Serfass has been very helpful to this beginner.  May we all have his patience and charisma on camera.

by Scott Kester
Categories: Brewing
Tags: Brooklyn Homebrew, Kyler Serfass

We have an informal arrangement in my building.  The arrangement concerns a sort-of-book-club. We leave our copies of finished or retired books on the window-stool in the lobby, after a few weeks if not claimed they inevitably disappear.  Each time another book appears it creates an invitation that is happily obliged. One book, I admit, I have never returned to the book-club, but cherish and consult often. The Portable Dorothy Parker. It is a paperback edition from 1973; including revisions since 1926. I was not the first to check this out without returning as the original origin of the paperback is Wheaton-Warrenville H. S. Library. This gem is complete with the courier typed Dewey-decimal card taped to the inside cover.  It is a well-traveled edition.

When we first met Mr. Allen Katz at the New York Distilling Company it was at Dale’s suggestion because of our interest in locally distilled spirits. Merely seconds after a warm hand-shake we were tasting Katz’s Dorothy Parker Gin.  I was excited for many reasons.  Now I think I know some of the reasons.  The first is that Mr. Katz is one of the most charming people in the world; the second is that making a gin named after Ms. Parker is something my yankee-friends would whole-heartedly embrace.

So at the Edible Manhattan event I went straight to the Fort Defiance-New York Distilling Company table.  Allen was charming, Abigail was radiant, and Mr. St. John Frizell was making history with Dorothy Parker Gin.  The tipple he had devised is named the Brother-in-Law.  This name is best explained directly from St. John himself:

I’m a big fan of a food and drink writer named Charles H. Baker, Jr., who traveled around the world in the 20s and 30s and wrote about what he ate and drank in magazines, and, most famously, in a two-volume recipe book called The Gentleman’s Companion. When he was in his 20s, Baker was married to a woman named Ruth Parker, who died shortly after their marriage in the flu epidemic of 1918. But Ruth Parker was the sister of Edwin Parker, Dorothy Parker’s first husband, whom she married in 1917. So for at least a few months there, Charles Baker was Dorothy Parker’s brother-in-law, though it’s unclear if they ever met. This drink is named for him.

March 3, 2012 by Scott Kester
Categories: Cocktails, Local
Tags: Allen Katz, Fort Defiance, St. John Frizell

There is a story Frank Lloyd Wright tells in his autobiography about his own inquiring manner. He is a small boy walking with his uncle on a cold Wisconsin winter-day. They are walking across a frozen lake. When they arrive at the other side his uncle stops and bids the boy look at their tracks in the snow. The stern uncle indicates the true path is his own–a straight line. The boy’s path is a wavy serpentine meandering all about the straight line. There is no straight line in the development of cocktails–both in their history or after a few too many.

The recent issue of Edible Manhattan magazine is devoted to alcohol, with the cover story about the rising popularity of the Negroni. Michael Colameco’s article attributes the rise to the growing interest in bitter flavors.  While the standard balance in the Negroni i