Many of the world’s most coveted wines, historically, were highly concentrated in sugars, often earning names such as ‘liquid gold,’ ‘liquid sunshine,’ and ‘The Wine of Kings.’ The names don’t lie; a bottle of any one of these delicious juices will leave you feeling like you’re privy to a secret, something so many others will never experience. There are several explanations as to why wines were traditionally made in this way when, today, it is sometimes viewed as ‘primitive’ to enjoy sweeter wines (think White Zinfandel). In areas of Germany, it would often become too cold in the wine cellars, essentially stopping fermentation before all the sugars could be converted to alcohol. Some wines were made sweet primarily because they would travel better on ships (sugar is a natural preservative). Some people say, and they’re probably right, that sweet wines were made because they’re just what people liked to drink. [...]

Shortly after rescuing the Anchor Brewery in 1965, Fritz Maytag threw a party to spread the word. A veritable who’s-who of San Franciscans, including the mayor, RSVP’ed. But instead of celebrating, the fete nearly turned into a funeral. “We had in those days,” said Maytag, “two tanks of beer and we filled about one hundred kegs per tank. And it was all sour.” The beer, it turns out, was grossly infected with sour-taste-making bacteria, to the point where Maytag jokingly referred to it as a “Belgian beer.” The story has a happy ending—employees fortunately tracked down enough refrigerated kegs to slow the bacteria’s growth, and folks were none the wiser—but that’s where Anchor’s strict adherence to thorough sanitation originated. So while each of Anchor’s early products pioneered their American craft iterations from IPA to porter to barleywine, the brewery is now one of the few craft breweries in the nation [...]

Taste Buds and Molecules: The Art and Science of Food, Wine, and Flavor By François Chartier   Proper wine pairings for high-concept food have long been the realm of sommeliers relying on their mastery of classic pairings and, to an even greater extent, their highly subjective palates. Wine is ethereal, of the land and the people, and its connection with food is one that can only be pinpointed and perfected by a virtuosic conductor of flavors in a process of trial and error. Well, the work that Francois Chartier has been doing in his lab, as well as in the elBulli kitchen with Ferran Adrià, turns that classic process on its head and throws it under the microscope. Chartier starts with a wine, breaks it down to volatile molecular components, and pairs it with flavors and foods possessing those same components. This field of research, called “food harmony and molecular [...]

Finally, spring is here! A soft, warm breeze has rushed in a promise of youthful energy, and fun is waiting to be had. It’s time to turn off your heater, come out of hibernation, and work off that winter layer you’ve added to your belly. It’s also the time to revitalize your drinks with juicy berries, melons, and citrus while you do your closet cleaning. BEER Kick off your snow boots, throw on your flip-flops, and drop the heavy porters and stouts. Pick up a lighter, thirst quenching beer such as an ale, lager, or wheat beer. Spring beers are crisp and refreshing as they steer away from winter’s spices and are fermented with the clean taste of citrus, honey, and even fruit. From March 1st to June 1st you can enjoy toasted malt with a brisk hoppy finish in Ninkasi Brewing Company’s Spring Reign Ale (6% ABV). If you [...]

There is a new trend in cocktails. I’m not sure if it’s due to the rebirth of the classic cocktail itself, or that everyone is hitting up flea markets more, but an abundance of vintage cocktail glasses is everywhere. From Comstock Saloon and Wo Hing General Store in San Francisco to Pegu Club and Prime Meats in New York, bar masters are setting the mood with a collection of vintage mix-to-match sets. It allows the bar to choose the right glass for the cocktail but, perhaps most importantly, vintage glasses set the tone for an ever changing yet decidedly classic list of cocktails on the menu. I’m loving the curved sides of the Nick & Nora glasses being used for martinis. They seem a bit smaller but oh, how they keep the drink in the glass. The triangular versions, brought to the bar in the twentieth century, can be a [...]

Cheesecake is an indulgence for many reasons: it’s made up of rich ingredients, and it can take a long time to prepare. But it’s totally worth it, especially if you give it a cocktail-themed edge by adding a bit of bourbon, a kick of heat from ginger and chili powder, and some maple syrup to round out the flavor with sweetness. Chili powder is typically for savory dishes, but it works nicely with the richness of this dessert. Bourbon and maple are a natural pair, complimenting each other and giving the cheesecake a pleasantly grown-up flavor. The flourish of a torched brulee sugar topping gives the cheesecake a rustic look. Spiced Maple Bourbon Cheesecake (makes 8 to 10 servings) Crust 2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies 6 tablespoons melted butter 1 teaspoon chili powder Filling 16 ounces softened cream cheese 1/2 cup maple syrup 6 large eggs 3 tablespoons bourbon (I [...]

Oily, nutty, salty, an acquired taste… what could possibly satisfy these qualifications? Sardines, definitely. Olives, for sure. A wine? Usually, the flavor descriptors for a wine include berries and baking spices, never venturing further down the savory path much past leather and tobacco. A very specific wine, however, meets the requirements: manzanilla sherry. All sherry comes from Jerez, a piece of Andalusia in the southwest corner of Spain. All sherry, with the exception of a dessert sherry called Pedro Ximenez, is made from an unremarkable grape called Palomino. While it may seem odd, the choice of a neutral and downright boring grape is what makes sherries so special. By starting with a blank slate as a base wine, the unique process by which sherries are made can shine. First in line to enjoy the spotlight on the Palomino stage is the soil. While some parts of Jerez have barro (clay) [...]

by Ford Mixology Lab, New York It’s no mystery that bitters are, well, a mystery to most people.  So just what are they, exactly?  To quote our friend Brad Thomas Parsons, author of the book Bitters, “bitters are an aromatic flavoring agent made from infusing roots, barks, fruit peels, seeds, spices, herbs, flowers, and botanicals in high-proof alcohol (or sometimes glycerin).”  To the true bitters novice, we like to describe bitters as the salt and pepper of cocktails.  Do you ever taste a dish and think that something is missing, and consequently add a pinch of seasoning?  The same applies to cocktails. If a combination of flavors seems to fall flat, a dash or two of bitters may be just the thing it needs to bring all of the flavors together. Once upon a time, we were invited to work in a bitters factory. Up to that point, we had [...]