Beer and baseball. What a classic combination. Ever since we started watching men swing for the fences over a hundred years ago, barley and hops have been there every step along the way. In fact, if baseball hadn’t claimed it first, beer drinking might very well be our national pastime. There will be plenty of room for both at Skybox on Sheffield (3627 N. Sheffield) in Wrigleyville this Sunday, May 19th.
Kicking Off Chicago Craft Beer Week At 2 Sparrows
They call it a ‘week’, but just as a baker’s dozen equals 13, a brewer’s week is usually closer to 10 days. Chicago Craft Beer Week kicks off on the 16th of May and will continue until the 26th. Throughout that time, folks lucky enough to find themselves along the southwestern shores of Lake Michigan will be inundated by a menagerie of malts and heady hops. One of the first events on the radar: Lagunitas Love at 2 Sparrows (553 W. Diversey).
Mother’s Day Cocktails
Today is one of the most popular dining days of the year. Moms do so much, they deserve to be treated to a nice meal on their own special day. But no holiday is complete without that certain celebratory cocktail. As an added treat for your momma, put together one of these delicious drinks. Or ask a professional to do it for you…
Neverending New Orleans Vol. 1: Delmonico
New Orleans, Lousiana holds a very special place in my heart. It’s a city always celebrating something. Life as it should be. Never is this more obvious than during the Jazz and Heritage Festival, held annually for two glorious weeks every spring. If you’ve never been, approximate it near the top 3 on your Bucket List. Because the music in this town never stands alone. It’s continually served alongside some of the most precious cuisine and cocktails on the planet. I made a pilgrimage far beyond the fairgrounds of Jazz Fest in order to find the city’s most outstanding outposts for fine dining. Over the next few weeks I’ll share them all. But remember, as the music from 2013 Jazz Fest has dimmed, the real festival forever plays in New Orleans.
Build: Berkeley’s Slice of Italian Spirit
Italy is a proud land steeped in serious tradition. Berkeley is an ever-evolving town determined to break the rules. The two seemingly incongruous cultures find their common ground in a mutual admiration for great food and drink. Build (2286 Shattuck Ave.) is at the crossroads.
National Moscato Day
Did you know that today, May 9th, is National Moscato Day? Produced from the muscat grape–one of the oldest known varietals–this sweeter wine is typically enjoyed at meal’s end but has more versatility than you think.
Product Review: Ogio Prosecco
Who doesn’t love the bubbly? Effervescent. Vivacious. Adjectives commonly used to describe sparkling wines also define a joie de vivre. They go hand-in-hand because where there’s a party, there’s a popping cork. Next time you’re looking to liven up a social gathering or special occasion there’s a new Prosecco to hit American shelves which is nothing less than festivity in a bottle.
Big Easy Boozin’
New Orleans is known for great music, strong cocktails and insanely rich cuisine. Bourbon street, whiskey drinks, candied pecans and everything in between. The Crescent City brings it all together, which is precisely why it’s my favorite place on Earth. When I can’t be in the Big Easy, I need to find a way to weave all these magical elements together in a fitting homage to glorious excess. The surest way to do this: quality booze.
Indubitably Dublin
The name Dublin is derived from the Irish phrase, ‘black pool.’ But this world-class cosmopolis is nothing but a bastion of brightness, offering access to some of Europe’s most refined culture; a treasure trove of culinary creations.
Book Review: A Vineyard In Napa
In 1974, eighteen-year-old Doug Shafer and his younger brother spent endless hours after school clearing rocks from a seven-acre parcel of the Napa property their father had bought with an eye to planting Cabernet Sauvignon. They lugged the rocks off the hill in the heat of the valley sun. “By hand. By the thousands.” Thirty-two years later, in September 2006, Shafer Vineyards released the 2002 Hillside Select Cabernet, a vintage that Robert Parker had awarded a perfect 100 points. Doug Shafer’s well focused memoir, written with Andy Demsky, is the rocky-hillside-to-world-renowned-Napa-wine story of father John Shafer, son Doug and winemaker Elias Fernandez. The Shafer story is a tale of vision, luck, daring and modesty. There were plenty of mistakes along the way. There was the decision to plant Sangiovese in the hope that the varietal would be the next big thing. There was the misguided cold soaking of the 1985 [...]
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