Remember when I trained for and passed the BARSmarts Advanced course? Well now they've opened up the course to non-bartenders (and press). The new BARSmarts Wired program goes live on Saturday, August 1. You sign up and pay $45 that gets you not just the course workbook but also the... Read more →
It's tomato season and all the local restaurants are rolling out the tomato carts and tomato specialty dinners. The bartenders are getting in on the action too. At Range, Carlos Yturria's famous Sungold Zinger is back on the menu, made with Sungold Zinger cherry tomatoes, No. 209 gin, lemon, agave... Read more →
In August, both Details and GQ did big tequila stories. Yum. In Details tequila piece, they recommend El Tesoro Anejo, Siete Legua Blanco, El Jimador Reposado, and Sombra Mezcal. They also write about Phil Ward's bar Mayahuel (using the spelling mezcal), Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Cocktail Bitters, and list drink recipes... Read more →
Glossy Booze is a regular Alcademics feature in which I talk about the alcohol coverage in magazines. Gourmet (July) has a ton of liquor content this month: an essay on cocktail parties, a Negroni recipe, a brief mention of big ice, a recipe for Fresh Tomato Bloody Marys in a... Read more →
Alcademics has very intelligent readers. Oh yes you are! And I am lucky to have access to some top distillers, brand ambassadors, and other industry people and meet up with tons of them when they come into town. So I thought I would see if Alcademics readers had questions for... Read more →
It may surprise anyone who knows me to learn that I've recently become a property owner. It's true! I certainly couldn't afford to buy property on a freelance writer's pay- I can't even afford basic cable. And no rich relative died and left property to me, as I don't have... Read more →
My latest story in the San Francisco Chronicle (from Sunday's paper) went online today. Read it here. Ginger beer gives a buck more bang Camper English, Special to The Chronicle Friday, July 24, 2009 When ginger ale or beer is mixed with citrus in a drink, it is - or... Read more →
My wine knowledge is... limited, so maybe this happens all the time: A group of five winemakers in Oregon took grapes from five vineyards and each made wine from it. Now those wines are ready for release and you can buy them as a set (for $1250). The experiment explores... Read more →