The Drink: Bourbon

I have to admit, I have more bottles of bourbon at home than any sane person should have.
The good news: there is always something different to drink.
The bad news: every so often, you forget how good certain bottles are, as they tend to get hidden behind other bottles. (ok, not such bad news.)
Just last night, I felt the calling for a small glass of bourbon after dinner and a bottle of W.L. Weller 12 caught my eye. How long had it been? The smell immediately reminded what a wonderful whiskey it is. I do have a big soft spot for wheated bourbons. The Van Winkle family are still some of favorite ones, from the 10 year, on up through the twenty-something's. One sip of the Weller and I was in heaven. Rich, round, smooth, sweet. Possibly THE BEST bourbon at that price. If you have never tried it, don't let the cheap price tag fool you. This is a phenomenal whiskey.
If you are in the mood for a splurge, seek out the limited release William Larue Weller. No age statement, but much more mature than it's younger sibling and a heftier price tag of around $65.

The Chef And The Drink: The Suburbs

There are those few select chefs who are worthy of a following. Wherever they open a restaurant, people will follow. For me, one of those chefs is Michael Psilakis. I had many truly memorable meals at Anthos, Dona, and Kefi.
He has recently opened a restaurant in the suburbs on Long Island - MP Taverna. The reviews are resoundingly great and it sounded worth a visit. I just dined there with my wife and had my second phenomenal meal there.  I have never before eaten octopus that was so light and tender.  The dumplings were even lighter.  Scallops that were as sweet and fresh as any I've ever had.  A delicious lamb burger and a bulgur salad that made me rethink my lack of passion for that grain.  Everything was perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned and left me wanting to make my next reservation immediately. One of the many delights turned out to be a beer.  I tried the Widmer Brothers - Brothers' Reserve Barrel Aged Brrrbon - limited release #3.  Quite tasty, with some definite bourbon sweetness mingling with the malt.  Big price tag, but worth it.
If you find yourself stuck in traffic on the LIE, get off at Roslyn and go have an amazing meal while the traffic and your stress fade away.

Live To Eat, Love To Drink

The Chef: Chicago

I was in Chicago on business for 3 days and heard all about the restaurants The Girl And The Goat and Xoco.
Xoco - barely had time for lunch, but had just enough time to try the suckling pig torta. Outstanding! Also grabbed a minted iced chocolate for my walk back to meet a coworker and head to work. It was downright unforgettable.
The Girl And The Goat -I was there with some fellow industry people. The three of us literally had enough food on the table for six to ten people. All I can say is wow, Chef Stephanie can cook and is truly deserving of all of her accolades! The menu was quite varied and we sampled 20 of her small plates. (It's a menu of all small plates.)  Not a clinker in the bunch and we're still talking about how amazing some of them were: Lamb Tartar, Escargot Ravioli, Octopus, Goat Empanadas... Next time you're in Chicago, it is truly a must eat at spot!!!

Live To Eat, Love To Drink!

What I've Been Drinking Lately

I recently acquired a bottle of Bunnahabhain 12, the new non-chill filter release. I have to confess, I was never the biggest fan of their product.  I read last year about the resurgence of the distillery and carelessly paid it no mind. But, this really impressed me.  For now, I'll refrain from slapping a score on "reviews" and simply say that it's worth trying. Not as peaty as some of it's Islay counterparts, but quite nice and balanced.
I've also still been enjoying a bottle of Glenmorangie Finealta. Much bigger, deeper, and rounder than the standard Glenmo bottlings. I recently poured that for some friends, who consider themselves bourbon drinkers and not really scotch fans. They loved it and half the bottle vanished that night (no angel share involved.)
It's summer, so I've been busy with tequila lately. If you haven't had Riazul yet, look for it. Their blanco and reposado are great and make a mean cocktail. Their anejo is truly worthy of sipping neat after dinner.
Being a lover of peaty malts, I love a good mezcal. Something that until recently in the US was a bit of an oxymoron. If you like mezcal or are looking for one to try, check out Pierde Almas. There are about 6 in their lineup, all good.
And of course, it is bourbon season. Spent last Sunday grilling and a friend asked for some bourbon. Had a little mint growing in the yard, so offered up a quick Mint Julep. The bottle of Woodford Reserve smelled so good, I couldn't resist and had to join her. 

A Little About Me

I am a chef and have been cooking professionally for about 20 years. (For now, no talk about where I work.)
I love whisky and have been indulging longer than I've been cooking.
I love wine and it has been a part of my dining experience since my parents began learning about wine when I was a kid.
My dad always wanted me to drink "Scotch" with him, but in my younger days, I didn't have the palate for whisky at all. College made me a bourbon drinker. Grad school and a job that used to bring me to England made me a single malt drinker.
I do opt for spelling whisky without the "e" as I was predominantly drinking single malts when my passion for whisky really grew. I do love a good bourbon, rye, Canadian, or even a few other random whiskeys from around the world. Why discriminate?! Good whisky, is good whisky, regardless of where it's from!!
I've been to Scotland 3 times, bourbon country many times and sampled hundreds of whiskeys over the years.  I had the crazy privilege of getting a barrel sample of what 2 years later became the final release of Bowmore Black and I've even sampled a few pre-WWII malts.
As a chef, I not only think of whisky as something to drink and enjoy, but something to pair with food, and something to cook with.
For wine: I have been to countless wineries, entirely too many trade tastings, and have sampled hundreds of wines with friends and family. I have recently been invited to be a part of a four person team blending several varieties destined for the market any day now. That involved hundreds of barrel samples, too many combinations of those wines to count, and in the end, some incredible wine in the bottle.

Stay tuned for pairings, recipes, comments, reviews, and many a rant or ramble about these divine wine and spirits.