Published by Matt November 5th, 2006
in liqueur and reviews.
One of the great things about our trip to the Greece mainland and islands was that the locals always seemed enthusiastic to expose us to their specialties. At one of our dinners on the island of Santorini we were introduced to the liqueur Mastika when our server brought it to us as an after dinner drink. It was served cold, and we were told it’s best cold. The drink was very similar to Ouzo, albeit with less alcohol (Mastika is 25% by volume while Ouzo is 40%). It is made from from the resin of the Mastic tree. The similarity to Ouzo is in the strong anise flavor. Mastika, however, definitely had a multidimensional flavor that Ouzo lacks. While the anise is a dominant flavor, it also has many herbal flavors that combine to make a very unique drink. If you can get your hands on it, I definitely recommend it. It’s a great alternative for those who do, and don’t, like Ouzo.
Published by Matt November 4th, 2006
in wine and reviews.
As we continued to explore Greece and its islands, we were looking forward to experiencing the wine made on the island of Santorini since we had read so much about it when researching our trip. Our hotel on the small island was in the tiny town of Imerovigli. The hotel was gorgeous; one of many built on the side of one of the islands’ mountainous peaks which jutted sharply out of the water. All of the hotels seemed to cascade down the side of the mountain and it felt like we were floating right above the Aegean Sea.
Right outside our hotel door was a small family run grocery store with a great selection of local goodies, many of them being wine. So we made the “tough” decision to support the small business and avoid paying the hotel restaurants’ markup, and purchased our wine at the store. We promptly made our way back to our room (only having to go down approximately 950 steps) to take in both the island’s wine and sunset. The wine, a dry white from the Boutari winery, 2004 vintage, wasn’t too bad - but there was nothing outstanding to say about it. It was actually probably the best we had from any Santorini winery, which, unfortunately, isn’t saying too much. I think that, when rating things, sometimes people tend to take into account factors outside the item being reviewed. Either we purchased the wrong bottles of wine (in both stores and restaurants) or the critics we read were taking into account the stunning scenery and beautiful atmosphere along with the wine. Most Santorini wines we had were sub par table wines with an overt sour taste. Anyway, the Boutari wine was 8 euros, so it proved to be a good value if nothing else. Unfortunately, we didn’t come across any other wines that were better (on Santorini, as least) but each night we were treated to a breathtaking sunset that actually did make the wine more palatable!
To catch up to speed on our trip to Greece, check out Part one and Part two.
Published by Matt November 2nd, 2006
in vodka and reviews.
Here’s another attempt to review vodka! This one, like Tito’s, I first saw in an ad in the Wall Street Journal. The company boasts that their vodka is made in small batches with pure spring water. This is pretty common stuff with premium vodkas. The beverage is manufactured in Poland using a five step distillation process. The 750ml bottle set me back $30 which puts it in the Grey Goose range. The liquor store was running a promotion on the brand the night I stopped in which is what induced me to review this vodka (as opposed to the many others still on my “to review” list).
I have to say that we’ve been very pleasantly surprised with this vodka. The Pravda site claims that using rye grain instead of corn gives their vodka a smoother, more elegant taste. I had not read that before I tasted the vodka so I know the power of suggestion was not at work. The vodka is definitely very smooth and mellow. It doesn’t seem to display any hints of impurities and certainly goes down with a silky finish that puts it at the head of its class. In a straight vodka martini, Pravda was just perfect, probably the best I’ve had to date (sorry Tito and Goose). One minor complaint is the unwieldy bottle. Although its richly adorned with faux glass etchings and is bejeweled, its wide bottom and extremely long neck makes it a pain to store in semi-full freezers. Small irritations aside, Pravda comes with an extremely strong recommendation, particularly to those who prefer their cocktails with more liquor and less mixer…
Published by Matt October 30th, 2006
in beer and reviews.
Yes, I’m reviewing another beer. I know, I know… this is a drink blog, but I do have a soft spot for a great beer and something tells me the quest to find them all will never be completely fulfilled. I’m a sucker to try any Belgian or “Belgian-style” ale and that led me to this latest purchase.
A couple details first… The Ommegang Brewery is located in Cooperstown, NY. This microbrewery takes pride in brewing “Belgian-style” beers here in America. Not too uncommon but it’s a business model that I certainly appreciate.
The Abbey Ale is a rich, dark brown beer with a full, foamy head. The nose of the beer is very fruity with hints of toffee and cinnamon. Upon tasting, the beer is full bodied but not heavy. Although the alcohol is 8.5%, it does not dominate due to the complexities of the flavors present in the beer. Roasted malt, sweet dried fruit, and a variety of spices seem to all compete together for dominance, none of which overpower the other. The ale is nicely balanced and easy to drink.
All this in a beer that costs $4.99 for a 750ml bottle. This represents a huge value for anyone who loves a quality Belgian-style beer since it runs half the price of Chimay and its counterparts. In fact the Ommegang Abbey ale is very similar in taste and style to Belgium’s Delirium Nocturnum (not yet reviewed). A quality beer offered at a fantastic value…if you can find it locally, I highly recommend it.
Published by Matt October 26th, 2006
in recipes and beer.
A few days into our trip to Greece, we escaped the hustle and bustle of Athens and hit the gorgeous island of Santorini. This has to be one of the most beautiful and picturesque places I’ve ever been. The second day there we decided to do the touristy thing and wander around the town of Fira, taking in the whitewashed buildings, tiny cafes, and quaint little shops.
We had lunch at one of the outdoor cafes’ with a fantastic view of the Caldera. The sun was out and as I scanned the drink menu, a drink called “The Monaco” caught my eye. It simply consists of beer, 7-Up, and grenadine. While I have made Black Velvets’ before (Guinness and champagne), I’d never experimented with beer and soda. Since it seemed to fit the atmosphere of the cafe, and compliment the fruit and yogurt that I ordered for lunch (yes, “I”, not my wife), I had to order it.
The drink was slightly sweet and very refreshing. The 7-Up disarmed any bitterness that the beer might have had and gave the beverage a wine cooler quality. It’s a perfect drink for anyone you know who may not like beer, but beer is all that’s available. After interrogating our server (my Greek was as good as his English - depending on who you ask), I learned that the beer (Mythos) was 3/4 of the drink and 7-Up was 1/4. I also learned the the bartender neglected to add grenadine to the drink. I was glad of this since to me the drink was just sweet enough with the 7-Up. If you want the add the dash of grenadine for an extra sugar kick and color, feel free. Just don’t rule out making the drink if you don’t have any grenadine available. It work very well with just the beer and 7-Up.
Published by Matt October 15th, 2006
in recipes, vodka, cocktails and liqueur.
Before heading out to dinner the other night I decided to make a quick after work/pre-dinner drink for the wife and I. Knowing that I needed to clear out some space in the liquor cabinet, I checked the ol’ fluid levels of the bottles and formulated this drink on the spot. You can’t go wrong with the orange and coffee liqueur combo. I decided to throw in vanilla-infused vodka since that is complimentary to both flavors. It turned out very satisfying. The drink is a little heavy handed since there’s not a non-alcoholic mixer in the recipe. But that’s okay. The vanilla and orange is a nice, citrusy, sweet taste and the coffee flavor adds a little sophistication. So why the name? Because it cracks me up…I don’t even know what it means! I’ve just been waiting to concoct a drink that I can call this name.
The Nasty Butler is:
1 1/2 oz. Stoli Vanilla Vodka
3/4 oz. Orange Liqueur or Cointreau
3/4 oz. Kahlua
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Then pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Voila!
Published by Matt October 15th, 2006
in beer.
Not many would argue the countless contributions that the Greek culture has bestowed upon Western civilization over the past couple thousand years. This fact was apparent during our trip to Greece last week. Seeing the ancient theaters, stadiums, and temples leaves you marveling at how advanced this mediterranean culture was.
Not long after arriving in the bustling city of Athens, we found a cafe to fill up on food and plan our day. At the ariport and on the walk to lunch, I had seen sign for the beer “Mythos”. One of which said something along the line of the fact that “Greece had exported over 51,000 words to the rest of the world, but kept one for itself.” Apparently that word was ‘Mythos’. Corny? Yes. But in my semi-jetlagged state, combined with a love of good beer, I was pleased to see Mythos on the cafe’s menu (it was also funny to see Budweiser in the pricier “Imports” section).
After getting served, I have to say I appreciate the quantity. Most beers I ordered throughout the trip came in 0.5 liter bottles. Viva la Europe! The best way to describe the taste of Mythos would be Heineken without the hops. It’s a smooth, easy drinking beer that pairs well with most foods, including the pork souvlaki I had order with it. Like most mass produced beers with big marketing budgets, Mythos doesn’t stand out with any unique characteristics. This is a beer that targets everyone and like the Buds and Millers in the U.S., Kirin in Japan, and Taj Mahal in India, the beer (usually a lager) is designed to sell big quantities. Adding character and distinct flavors only risks eliminating a segment of the targeted market. If you were to put the aforementioned beers in a blind tasting, you’d be hard pressed to pick out one from the other easily.
With all that being said, there really isn’t such a thing as a “bad” beer in my opinion. Mythos definitely does the job of quenching the beer thirst. I guess my high expectations based on the prior accomplishments and history of the Greek culture were a little unfair. I should not have expected the Greeks to have exceled in the art of brewing as they did in so many other areas. I only came acress one other Greek beer (Alpha, to be reviewed in another post) during our trek to Greece and it’s islands. I would be curious to hear if anyone has had any other Greek brews and how they’d rate them.
Published by Matt October 15th, 2006
in recipes and liqueur.
Thank God for the Wall Street Journal. I can’t tell you how many times a week I start a sentence with “I just read in the Wall Street Journal”. Even I tire of hearing myself say it. And yet I can’t think of one other source of information that has served me so well both professionally and personally. My contribution to today’s Mixology Monday is no different. A month back the WSJ had an article in the Saturday edition that featured the exoticly named and extremely hard to get drink called the “Pousse Cafe”. I’m not quite sure how to pronounce it. Personally, I just use my best Sean Connery accent (so I sound more manly) and quickly describe how cool the drink looks and the level of skill that’s required to make it. I didn’t deviate from the article’s recipe but now that I’ve made a couple, I can see that it would be a fun drink to experiment with. Two of the ingriedents are common enough: curacao and cognac brandy. The third, green Chartreuse, is a little more unusual. Apparently the liqueur is only made by Carthusian Monks in France. Only three monks know how to make it and they’ve all taken a vow of silence. It claims to be the only liqueur to have a color named after it. Chartreuse is a herbal based drink that has a distinctive flavor all to itself.
The Pousse Cafe is a layered drink and because this recipe uses three liqueurs, the drink is called “Triple Pousse Cafe”. You can do as many layers as you want. The known record is thirty-four! More commonly (back when bartenders used to make the drink) the number was usually between four and six. The secret to making it is to pour slow and, after the first layer is in, put a spoon into the glass so that when you pour the next two layers, the subsequent liqueurs stay on top (see picture above). It really is a pretty drink to look at. I was a little suprised that I made it successfully on the second try so it can’t be that difficult to do. Your supposed to drink it one layer at a time, with a straw. The lemon, herb, and cognac layers make for a distinctive drink and rewarding drink as you make your way through each layer. I’d love to see if anyone out there has made this before and how many layers they got to.
So that”s my contribution to Mixology Monday, head over to Meeta’s site to see the rest!
Published by Matt October 13th, 2006
in beer and reviews.
For someone who considers himself a somewhat of a beer conessiour, I haven’t had too much experience with sour ales. My wife and I enjoy the lambic ales brewed by Lindemans that come in different brews based on specific fruits like raspberry, peaches, or cherries. Outside of those I’m hard pressed to recall any others.
What a treat it was to pick up a bottle of Rodenback on a whim to try! This is truly a complex beer that lends itself to descriptions that critics would use in describing a good bottle of wine. The ale is a beautiful medium dark brown with strong red highlights. Because it was unlike our American beers, it was full of debris floating around - and I knew I was into something good.
The nose was stinky. The kind of stinky that is good. The kind that an excellent cheese would have. The one that smells like toe jam and buttermilk. Or maybe like a great bottle of wine from Bordeaux that while it smells like cat urine or cow patties, it has a phenomenal character and elegant taste. Rodenback has a sour smell that conjours up dry, dirty, old athletic socks that some weirdo stuffed with yeast and left in a closet. The taste lived up to the sour ale description on the bottle. The beer was very tart, crisp, and lively. It was very easy to drink and surprisingly light bodied. There were definitely fruity flavors that were reminiscent of cherries and/or granny smith apples. It is a beer that is definitely worth picking up when your in the mood to try something different, and, honestly, I can see enjoying the ale frequently as the taste would pair well with some foods that a more ordinary beer may not go well with. So embrace the bizarre smelling brew. I think you’ll be glad you did.
Published by Matt October 12th, 2006
in recipes, cocktails and liqueur.
This is probably one of my favorite drinks right now. It’s hard to mess up the recipe and just about everyone loves it. The secret for me, as I’ve stated before, is using fresh juice. Sour mix just isn’t the same.
The ingredients are:
2 1/2 to 3 oz. Amaretto liqueur (preferrably Disaronno)
1 whole lemon juiced
4 to 5 drops of bitters
1 Maraschino cherry (optional)
Put a cup of ice into a cocktail shaker. Drop the bitters in first. Then add the amaretto and lemon juice. Shake the usual 20 to 30 seconds. Pour the frothy concoction into a chilled cocktail glass with a maraschino cherry. I say 2 1/2 to 3 ounces of amaretto because it depends on how sour you like your drink. The less you use, the more you’ll pucker. Just adjust the recipe to taste. Enjoy!
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