Daily Loaf

Seven days of food and drink coverage, shortened to a series of pithy links. Eat it up.

Holley Sinn’s Stinky Drinkers combine alcohol and running!

Chef Gui improves your cooking with ten tips, then helps you with plating techniques!

CL’s Top Chef Masters podcast continues its obsession with sex! And food, I guess.

Lael Hazan loves Israel’s food and restaurant culture!, and relates a perfect day in Venice, Italy (with a recipe for fried zucchini blossoms from her husband Giuliano Hazan).

Rishi Ramkissoon eats and fights his way through Bangkok!

Chef Cristian Ferer tells you five things you may not know about food!

Taylor loves Argentinean malbec!

Bethany Sherwin reviews Avery’s Ellie’s Brown Ale and interviews the founder and brewmaster of Terrapin Brewing!

Erica Miller previews Wood Fired Pizza Wine Bar!

Colleen Sachs makes locally-raised braised rabbit!

Hello, race fans!

The Stinky Drinkers have been hard at work this week, from building mileage to recruiting runners, and we haven’t stopped long enough to tie our shoes. Given the nature of our various day jobs, the SDs are most inclined to evening training sessions, a facet of our efforts which has led us to make several important observations about running. We would like to share them with you in the event you are secretly training with us: Read the rest of this entry »

Ever since I started running “professionally” I would hear whispers of a certain subculture of running, one  that involved booze, tawdry nicknames and running in dresses, red ones at that, worn by men. Redhead mentioned that she had heard of this underground running cult as well.

Although we are fond of both running and boozing, we were perplexed by the concept of putting the two together.

Upon further investigation I found out this subculture is called hashing. While it’s not as secretive as I thought, the hash groups can be pretty selective on who they let in.

So, The Redhead and I have decided to go into the seedy underbelly of hashing. You know, find out what makes it tick. Yup, just call us Cagney & Lacey.

These hashers all have nicknames chosen for them based on personality traits, quirks, or random events. For example I know of one in the area known as Fist Deep. And another known as Smells Like Fish. Hm. Do the Redhead and I really want to subject our delicate sensibilities to people like this? Of course we do:
Read the rest of this entry »

In the mountain town of Boulder, Colorado, Avery Brewing operates with imagination and a commitment to craft beer. The brewery’s website proudly asserts, “we brew what we like to drink — with utter disregard for what the market demands — and search out fans with equally eccentric palates.” They found me many years ago, and since then I have thoroughly enjoyed my fandom.

I think Adam Avery is the bees knees. Now president and brewmaster, he was once a homebrewer who became ambitious enough to start a commercial venture. And since the beginning, the beer produced by the brewery that bears his name has been consistently excellent, challenging the way I think about how beer should taste, how much alcohol it should have, and how large a dose of hops should be added.

Ellie’s Brown is one of my favorite examples of the brown ale style. The brew takes its name from Adam Avery’s former canine companion, a chocolate lab named Ellie (1992-2002) whose likeness is depicted on the label. Read the rest of this entry »

Forget the tango – malbec is fast becoming the beloved icon of Argentina. I wrote about this humble red grape back in 2006, when it was creeping into the spotlight, but since then its popularity has spread like the macarena at a redneck wedding. And no wonder – malbec is practically perfect.

This disrespected French grape originally hails from Bordeaux, where it slaves for the hallowed cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes. Winemakers use malbec to soften the often harsh tannins of its stout compatriots to create a balanced, heady blend. Bottled alone, it also fathers ferocious, robust reds in the obscure area of Cahors, under the alias “côt” (pronounced “co”). Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s a video interview with Brian “Spike” Buckowski, founder and brewmaster of Terrapin Beer Company, from my trip to visit the brewery recently. We chatted about the new year-round Hopsecutioner IPA, Side Project Volume 7 — Maggie’s Farmhouse Ale, and the second release of Side Project Volume 3– Gamma Ray Wheatwine. Clip also features comical appearances by the brewery’s resident cat, Hops.

I wasn’t surprised when the flavored vodka market exploded in the 1990s. It seemed appropriate that a spirit desired primarily for its “clean” — or nonexistent — flavor would try to reposition itself as something a little more useful. Over a decade later vodka producers and neighborhood mixologists are still having a ball devising ways to use a line-up of infused spirits that seems more like a list of jelly bean flavors.

The problem is, manufacturers of other spirits are looking on with envy at the balance sheet of the vodka industry. That’s why we’ve been forced to confront atrocities like the defunct Dirty Olive Gin or Captain Morgan Parrot Bay Mango. Perhaps it’s inevitable that the most elegant and refined of America’s spirits would eventually get in the act.

That’s right, flavored bourbon. Read the rest of this entry »

Terrapin Beer brews its magical potions in the hip college town of Athens, Georgia. The brewery’s legacy began with a kickass Rye Pale Ale and, a mere six months after its commercial debut in 2002, that sole effort won a gold medal in the American Pale Ale category at the Great American Beer Festival.

In 2004, Golden Ale was introduced, winning a silver medal at the World Beer Cup. India Brown Ale and Sunray Wheat Ale have since been added to the brewery’s standard repertoire, as well as the Monster Beer Tour – a seasonal collection with bolder character (and more alcohol), including Rye Squared, Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout, All American Pilsner, and Big Hoppy Monster. The most recent addition to the seasonal Monster Beer rotation is Gamma Ray, an 11% ABV wheat wine that was initially brewed as a one-time release. Read the rest of this entry »

The snooty side of food pairings preaches “No Wine with Salad.” I fed on this falsehood for years, following the widely-held mantra like an evangelical wino. Then one day, a miraculous salad and vino combo made me rethink my reliance on traditional not-so-wisdom.

Not that I was always so cool and contrarian. Before my re-awakening, I lapped up all the drivel wine magazines and writers spit out. But, like a rebellious teenager, I slowly realized it wasn’t adding up. Salads are simply another dish with sauce slathered on it. Match the sauce with the wine and you win. To give tradition some credit, back in the day salad dressings mostly contained robust vinegars like distilled white or cider that rendered wine lifeless and dull; it made sense to teach wine-with-salad avoidance. Times have changed, however. Now that less acidic rice or sweeter balsamic vinegars and lime and lemon use are common, wine and dressing can snuggle up and make sweet, tart love.

Since we’re dealing with delicate, cold food, it makes sense to choose wines that fit a similar profile: whites and rosés. The ideal salad partner is sparkling wine or Champagne — their refreshing acidity equals the body of a salad, bringing new meaning to friends with benefits. But if bubbly is out of budget, here are other suggestions for salad and wine hookups. (See a list of budget sparklers) Read the rest of this entry »

The first season of Winemakers, the reality television series based on learning how to make wine, airs on Public Television in September. Over the course of six half-hour episodes, twelve people will compete for the chance to launch their own wine brand, undergoing challenges crafted by real-world winemakers, chefs, sommeliers and industry leaders. They’ll be judged by “experts” in the food and wine world as well as the public via voting.

So do you want to be in the second season? Filming starts in the fall in California and France. Read the rest of this entry »

Greetings, sports fans!  After a considerable time off from CL blogging, I am back with a brand new project in which I would like to involve each and every one of you.  Wondering if I’m still bitter about Tim Tebow and his Florida Gators taking down my Oklahoma Sooners in the national title game?  Absolutely.  However, I have found a way to channel that aggression in a healthy and constructive way which brings me to the introductions I would like to make in today’s post.

It is in my nature to be….let’s say….overly active.  If my hands and feet are not busy doing something worthwhile, then I can generally be found running around in circles, all the while convincing myself that I am providing a service of some kind.  I think this affliction is referred to as “nervous energy,” and I have it in spades.  This condition is in no way diminished by my obsessive consumption of caffeinated beverages like the iced coffee I am consuming at this very moment, and I have no immediate plans to limit my intake.  I’ve tried — it’s an exercise in futility.

So when I learned about the upcoming Women’s Running Magazine Women’s Half-Marathon coming up this November in downtown St. Pete, I thought, “Okay…this is the perfect outlet for this influx of kinetic energy, and it’s not as daunting as the idea of 26 miles in a full marathon.  Sign me up!”  The event takes place on November 22nd, so in mid-May I printed out a training plan and set my feet in motion.

For exactly one month, I happily executed my training plan alone — running during my lunch breaks and after work….self-motivated and relentless.  But, after each grueling training session…with the heat and mosquitoes and the vomit-inducing smell of low tide and rotting mangroves…I was patting myself on the back alone.  There was no one to exchange high fives with…no one to sweat the glorious sweat of victory or exchange battle cries with.  Sadness and complacency threatened.  Action had to be taken, or the mission would be lost. Read the rest of this entry »

At wine events, women make up the majority of attendees but the crowd at the Craft Beer Expo on Saturday at Mahaffey Theater teemed with proud, beer t-shirt wearing men. It felt like a brew lover’s pilgrimage and I had snuck in the back door. But I got over that as I munched on chipotle BBQ washed down with Highland Brewing Gaelic Ale; slurped on a messy vanilla ice cream float spiked with Lindemans Framboise Lambic; and sipped fresh-hopped Dogfish Head 90-Minute IPA. It wasn’t a sucky place to be on a sticky, hot afternoon.

Being a wino at heart, I can’t call myself as beer-educated as many of the 800 attendees. But I held my own with 100+ lagers, ales, stouts and porters. Favorites included Bell’s Oberon Wheat, Bell’s Amber Ale, Bold City Brewery Brown Ale (Jacksonville), Rogue Morimoto Soba Ale, Saint Somewhere Saison (local), Rocky Mountain Z Smoked Lager (most unique of the event), Rocky Mountain Major Tom Pomegranate Wheat, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Stout, Highland Brewing St. Therese’s Pale Ale, Cigar City Guava Grove (local – and really all their beers are frickin’ amazing) and Boulder Hazed & Infused. Read the rest of this entry »

House of Beer, Dunedin’s newest beer bar reaches out to brew fanatics by hosting a Grand Opening shindig that lasts all weekend. Starting Friday, the event will feature special drink prices that continue through the weekend, a ribbon cutting ceremony with Dunedin mayor Dave Eggers Saturday at 6:30pm, followed by a mayoral guest bartending stint. All tips received by Mayor Eggers will be donated to local charities Dunedin Doggie Rescue and Raising Hope. Read the rest of this entry »

Maybe I have a seasonal affective disorder, since I always veer away from red wine during the hot months. It’s hard-wired into my DNA, and I find it more thirst-busting to lace my fingers around a chilled glass of rosé or white wine when the mercury hits 85. But there are a lot of red-wine-etarians out there and I occasionally desire something ballsier even as sweat drools down my face. Enjoy reds in the summer? Sure. (If you hate reds, check out my suggestions for whites.)

The best way to overcome the summer heat? Chill it.

Most people drink reds too warm. When something reads “drink at room temperature” it doesn’t take into account the oppressive summers in the southern U.S. where average indoor air-conditioned temps hover around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. That deceptive two-word description actually indicates room temperature in French wine caves, which feel more like 60 to 65 degrees. But what’s the ideal? Above a comfortable 72, the alcohol in red wine rises to the forefront, reminiscent of dollar shots in college. You could store bottles in the fridge, but here’s the rub: chill a red too much and the cold steals any semblance of fruit, creating a tannic, astringent mess. To solve that quandary chill your reds down for 30 minutes in the fridge, or 10 minutes submerged in ice water. (More detail on how to chill wine.) Read the rest of this entry »

This Friday, July 10th, celebrate 13 years of beer with Dunedin Brewery. In honor of its anniversary, the brewery will release a limited edition beer brewed especially for the occasion. This 5.2% ABV Bohemian Pilsner — nicknamed “Lucky” — has been lagering for about 45 days, in line with the traditional Bavarian technique of storing bottom-fermenting brews at colder temperatures following an initial fermentation, allowing the beer to smooth out and become clear.

German malt imparts a golden straw hue, with bold floral aromas from the German and American hops varieties. Taste is crisp and drinkable, somewhere between pilsners typical of eastern Germany and western Czech Republic with a little Dunedin thrown in at the right places — namely the hops assortment.

Festivities are not limited to consuming rare brew delights. The brewery opens at noon, serving lunch and great local beer. Yappy Hour runs from 5-8 pm, drawing throngs of local dogs and their owners – or vice versa. Taking over at 9pm, special musical guests The Heavy Pets.

Picture a winery lab lined with brimming beakers. A racy sauvignon blanc white wine in one, an earthy sémillon in another. Like mixing up a monster martini, winemakers blend single-varietal wines together to find their signature cocktail. The painstaking process adds complexity to the final product and squeezes maximum flavor out of a vineyard. Getting the right combo, however, isn’t obvious — the wrong recipe can turn people off like this season of Top Chef. But as far as blends go, the French got this stuff down, especially in their Bordeaux whites.

It’s unfortunate, but whites from Bordeaux cower under the power of their more popular red brothers. The white underdog, however, is beginning to prod the fickle affections of the masses – they now peek out from wine lists everywhere. And for a good reason: White Bordeaux’s lowly status means they’re cheap.
Sauvignon blanc and sémillon make up the bulk of Bordeaux’s whites. Although these grapes grow everywhere now, they originated in this southwestern wine region and have comingled just as long. Crisp, grapefruity and sometimes cat-pee-ish, sauvignon blanc has risen to star status in New Zealand and California, among other places. But in Bordeaux, it has a certain je ne sais quoi — a well-bred sophistication sometimes lacking in their wacky foreign cousins. On the opposite end of the spectrum, sémillon’s most notable feat its transformation into the highly-valued, lusciously sweet dessert wine called Sauternes. (More about dessert wines). Read the rest of this entry »

Quivira Vineyards and Winery in Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley is not only an organic vineyard and farm, but also a biodynamic one as well, producing sustainable vineyards and crops. They specialize in varietals known to excel in the Dry Creek Valley, such as Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc and small lots of Rhone Varietals. Quivira also has their own farm, where they supply local markets with fresh, organic food. “Biodynamic farming practices help create healthy porous soils which allow water, gases and nutrients to penetrate deep into the soil strata. This fosters strong, wide, deep root growth that enables the vines to absorb elements from the soil and transfer them as flavors to the fruit.”
Read the rest of this entry »

Vineyards in Oregon's Eola Hills

Are you a fan of Oregon wine country? Now’s your chance to tell the world why their wine rocks your world, publicly. Oregon Wine Board launched their Capture the Spirit of Oregon Wine Country online video and photo contest on Facebook. To enter, you’ll need to share your experiences via “creative and memorable” photo essays or 60-second videos.

And, like other video and photo competitions, there’s a voting component. If you’re a member of Facebook, you can vote for your favorites from July 4 to August 21. Submissions will be accepted until August 21. Based on creativity, originality and fan response, six $500 cash prizes will be awarded (three photos and three videos). But here’s the best part: Read the rest of this entry »

Stop by Dunedin House of Beer tonight between 7 and 9 pm to try free samples of Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, Bell’s Oberon, and Abita Purple Haze. House of Beer, Dunedin’s newest beer bar, will also be celebrating their grand opening next weekend, with beer specials, funky kegs, and the mayor of Dunedin as a guest bartender.

Boon Gueuze, 6%
Brouwerij Boon, Lembeek, Belgium

In the Senne Valley region of Belgium, there’s a town called Lembeek where wild yeasts blow around in the evening breezes. They drift in through the open windows of local breweries, landing in uncovered vats, magically transforming wheat grain, aged hops, and water into a beer that explodes with delightfully objectionable flavors. This spontaneously fermented ale is called Lambic, a nod to the area where the style originated, and is still predominantly produced.

Some lambic brews receive a flavor injection during fermentation – sweet raspberry, peach, apple, cherry, or banana. In the United States, fruited lambics see infinitely more mainstream visibility than their unfruited derivatives. And that’s a damn shame. Without the fruit addition, lambics are tart and funky, with a ton of assertive character and complexity that leaves you stumbling over descriptors. Flavors so wrong that they’re right.

Gueuze is a blend of several different unfruited lambics of varying age, usually 1, 2, and 3 years. The wild aspect of fermentation and the blending means that batches tend to vary from year to year, making gueuze a really collectable, searchable, geekable variety of beer. The full flavored older lambics radiate sourness, intermingling with the younger, mellow toned ones which contain the fermentable sugars that facilitate one more round of zymurgy magic. Like champagne, gueuze derives its carbonation from secondary fermentation that takes place inside the bottle, so after blending, the bottled gueuze conditions for at least 6 months before being packaged. And then there are the nerds like myself that hoard gueuze and store it for an additional 10 years before finally resigning to the urge to savor it. Just like fine wine, gueuze thrives with age.

A 12 ounce bottle of Boon Gueuze sports a caged cork that pops out releasing a gust of vinegary aromas. The clear orange brew decants into a flute glass with active, carbonation, creating a mountain of clean white head. After being poured, gueuze should rest until the temperature reaches around 60 degrees. By then, carbonation has calmed, the best flavors begin to surface, and any sediment displaced during the pour has settled to the bottom of the glass.

To the nose, the beer has the soft aroma of fresh flowers soaked in vinegar and confectionary green apple juice.

Flavors are extremely sour, dominantly reminiscent of malt vinegar, wheat bread, and tart citrus. The lack of hop character lends to a slightly cidery, champagne-like quality, which is compounded by the sparkly, light mouthfeel. It finishes with a lingering outdoorsy tone – dank, dusty, and natural. And more vinegar, of course.

If you are just becoming accustomed to this kind of brew and want to tone down the delicious sourness, pair gueuze with a soft, buttery cheese like brie. The creamy texture and mild funkiness from the cheese’s rind will offset the gueuze’s intense flurry of sharp flavors and allow the earthier elements of the beer to shine through.

The Bloody Mary is one of the few acceptable — or even desirable — morning cocktails, perfect as a hair-of-the-dog hangover tonic, or as a way to get the day started off right. Better yet, done right this pungent example of savory mixology is almost a meal in a glass, loaded with the vital nutrients, roughage and vodka that are essential parts of a balanced breakfast.

Problem is, very few people have spent the time to perfect nature’s perfect breakfast cocktail. It’s a complicated endeavor that is usually beyond the amateur mixologist, with a list of ingredients longer than most morning recipes. And don’t even think of reaching for store-bought mixers — you might as well throw some vodka in a can of Campbell’s condensed tomato soup and call it a day.

With a little preparation, some experimentation, and a fair amount of gratifying taste testing, however, even Bloody Mary newbies can learn to make a mean mix. Here are a few tips: Read the rest of this entry »

After my annual July 4th party, the recycling bin brims with a mountainous pile of wine bottles. I imagine the recycling guy considers me a lapsed Friend of Bill, but hell, our nation’s birthday is the day to enjoy everything. In honor of America’s independence, here are some creative tips to prepare for the celebration.

Introduce the Box
Ignore the naysayers who might not be hip to the newfangled wine-in-a-box. Once derided as an outlet for the worst vinous swill on the planet, wineries now sell good juice you squeeze from a bladder – the plastic sack housed inside the box. Within each three-liter “cask” (the box’s cool Aussie nickname) are four bottles of wine, hermetically sealed for your fresh drinking pleasure. Once liquid is drawn out, the bladder compresses to avoid exposure to oxygen — the element that ruins wine — so the wine stays drinkable longer (up to nine weeks). Good for a party, it’s inexpensive, unbreakable, sits handily on your countertop for easy serving, and requires no dangerous-when-drunk corkscrew. Seek out Hardy’s and Black Box selections. (Read more about boxed wines)

Read the rest of this entry »

Tuesday, June 30: A Taste for Wine
Wine doesn’t have to bear a hefty price tag to please your palate. Sample a tasty selection of quality wines that only taste like a splurge. $10. 6 p.m., 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg (727-895-1623)

Wednesday, July 1: CL Wine Club Happy Hour at Datz Deli
BBQ Wines. Need wine for July 4th? We got you covered. Try six, tasty, specially selected wines by the glass for only $6 each. Paired with complementary appetizers. Free. 7-9 p.m., Datz Deli, 2616 S MacDill Ave., Tampa (813-831-7000). RSVP here!

Wednesday, July 1: Cafe Dufrain
Summer Series Wine Tasting. Try a new variety of wines every Wednesday. Free. 6-7:30 p.m., 707 Harbour Post Dr., Tampa (813-275-9701)

Wednesday, July 1: ABC Fine Wine and Spirits
Sample more than 50 wine selections accompanied by appetizers and an outdoor cigar sampler. $10. 5:30-7:30 p.m., 3535 4th St. N., St. Petersburg (727-894-4875)

Wednesday, July 1: Publix Apron’s Cooking School
Basic Knife Skills. A menu designed to teach you slicing, dicing, julienne, and chiffonade knife techniques. Includes: gazpacho; miso glazed carrots; szechuan ratatouille; tomato salsa; warm vichyssoise. $50. 6 p.m., 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa (813-926-4465)

Read the rest of this entry »

Since I’ve been all over Cigar City Brewing’s happenings over the past few weeks, it seemed appropriate to broaden my local beer love and highlight another hometown superstar in the tiny Scottish heritage town of Dunedin.

With almost 13 years of local beer-making under their kilt, Dunedin Brewery consistently crafts award winning gems. In 2003, one of their flagship brews, Pipers Pale Ale, took top honors as the most stylistically perfect brew commercially produced in Florida at the Best Florida Beer Championships. At the 2009 BFBC, brewers Norman Dixon and Trace Caley did their thing, winning awards for the brewery like it was their job. Redhead American Red Ale was named the top beer in its category, with second place nods going to Pipers Pale Ale, Beach Tale Brown Ale, Nitro Stout, Brewmaster’s Reserve Rye Pale Ale, Brewmaster’s Reserve Belgian Tripel, Brewmaster’s Reserve Barleywine, and the seasonal Biere de Café. Read the rest of this entry »

Brian and Taylor chat with CL food contributor and successful blogger for EatLiveRun.com, Jenna Weber; discuss Brian’s love affair with Paci Pizza; Jenna and Taylor’s quest for the Murphy-Goode Dream Job; Brian’s homemade smoky pork product and CL’s new food contributor, Chef Gui. 

Read the rest of this entry »

You’ve heard about organic and eco-friendly wines from us recently, but did you ever wonder about the ”green” beers out there? (And I don’t mean the kind some people drink on St. Patty’s Day.) Many breweries around the country are actually becoming quite eco-friendly. Some breweries are taking environmentally friendly initiatives, like using only organic ingredients, having solar- and wind-powered breweries, recycling and composting grains, and some are even using bio-diesel fueled delivery trucks.

Video and more info after the break.
Read the rest of this entry »

The six-month dream job of Wine Country Lifestyle Correspondent at Murphy-Goode Winery has been blowing up the blogosphere. $10,000 per month to live at the winery in Sonoma Valley, write, and ride the social media wave. It’s a sweet gig for whoever gets it. (See all the Tampa Bay candidates here). 

And I threw my glass into the ring.

Initially, I learned about the opportunity from my father-in-law who lives 9,167 miles from home, in Australia. Hell, if there’s ever been an example of social networking efficacy, it’s this one. He exclaimed through a Facebook post: “This is something you should consider!” I smiled to myself, then laughed it off.

At the Loaf offices the next day, the news was everywhere. This was groundbreaking (at least for wine geeks). Traditionally, the wine industry hasn’t been a stewpot of cutting-edge marketing, and the urge to blog about this overtook me. Post-blog, one friend commented on Facebook, “I can’t believe you’re spreading the word about this… you’d be perfect for that job.” After four others shared similar sentiments, I listened. Read the rest of this entry »

Thursday, June 25: Kuba Cigars
Summer Sizzler Wine Tasting. Cool off with a selection of whites (with a few reds thrown in for good measure), along with appetizers and prizes. Proceeds benefit the Tampa General Hospital Foundation. $10. 7-9 p.m., 243 E. Davis Blvd., Tampa (813-258-8191)

Thursday, June 25: Mise En Place
This monthly cocktail club features a networking hour followed by a brief presentation on a cocktail related topic. It’s not all idle chatter, though: patrons get to sample the featured drink paired with light appetizers by Chef Mary Blintz. In June, choose your own classy cocktail for the “Member’s Choice” selection. $35. 6-8 p.m., 442 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa (813-254-5373)

Thursday, June 25: Fine Wine and Spirits Warehouse
Try wines from around the world at this event that benefits the Abilities Foundation. Mike Kwasin of Fine Wine and Spirits invites the public into his home to taste more than 40 wines, including Chateau St. Michelle Canoe Ridge, Paul Hobbs, Louis Jadot and more. Light appetizers are also served. $25; $40 per couple. 6-8 p.m., 3613 S. Beach Dr., Tampa (813-8378941)

Friday, June 26: Publix Apron’s Cooking School
Small plates, big flavors. Explore the tantalizing world of tapas. The menu includes: ancho lime shrimp fritters with honey pepper jam; crab and shiitake spring rolls with daikon slaw and ponzu; curried duck samosas with persimmon chutney; chili rubbed steak skewers with cumin aioli; grilled eggplant roasted pepper rolls with ginger cream sauce; warm apple napoleon with vanilla bean custard. $40. 6:30 p.m., 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa (813-926-4465) Read the rest of this entry »

The best wines I tried this week:

La Freynelle 2007 White Bordeaux Entre Deux Mers
Dinner out on Monday night. Entre Deux Mers is a little-known wine region in Bordeaux, so you can get tasty wines like this one on the cheap. A blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon that tastes like walking through a grassy field on a warm summer day. Light, dry and citrusy with bracing acidity, earthy chamomile tea, green grass, wet stones and an almost nutty character. Layered and fascinating. Sw=1. $13. 4.5 stars. (I had this again on Thursday night with sushi – it’s that good.) Read more spring/summer white recommendations. Read the rest of this entry »

There seems to be a lot of video contests airing these days. But I’ll give props to one of the first to embrace the technology in the wine industry, Wine Spectator. This marks the third annual video contest sponsored by the venerated wine magazine. They aren’t giving away a cool job in wine country, but you receive a prize just for entering. Read the rest of this entry »

Last week’s post on Bay area half-priced food and wine deals was so popular, we thought we’d do it again.

AND, June 18th marks the first day of Creative Loafing Restaurant Week: $25 for 3-course prix fixe menus at restaurants all over town until June 28. See the full list of participants and their menus.

Read the rest of this entry »

Cigar City Brewing is relentless; they refuse to stop making ridiculously great beer. RateBeer recognizes their Hunaphus Imperial Stout as one of the world’s ten best Imperial Stouts, and Big Sound Scotch Ale ranks among the top ten of its style. Then there’s Bolita Double Nut Brown Ale, which ranks #1 in the brown ale category on RateBeer – it’s the best brown ale currently produced on the planet as judged by a massive group of very critical beer nerds. Yep, in our own backyard, folks. This is truly beer history in the making.

The side of Bolita bottles reads:

Bolita was a type of lottery popular with the working class citizens of the Ybor City district of Tampa. Bolita means, ‘little ball’ but profits from the illegal (and often rigged) game were anything but little. In the 1920’s Tampa native Charlie Wall was the undisputed kingpin of the Bolita racket.

Our Bolita is a Double Northern English-style brown ale that has a complex malt forward character with notes of chocolate, toffee and hints of roasted nuts in the finish. Bolita pairs well with Baklava, Big Band music, cool evenings and robust cigars.

Sounds great. Now check out this variation — Bourbon Barrel Bolita. It begins with Cigar City’s Bolita Double Nut Brown. After three weeks of fermentation, the brew is transferred to Maker’s Mark barrels. Three months later, it hits the bottling line, where each bottle is filled by hand and then individually numbered. Since this batch of Bourbon Bolita only yielded 221 bottles, it is a pricey beer, but it’s completely worth it. Read the rest of this entry »

CL’s Food and Wine podcast. Brian and Taylor invite CL’s own PoHo in to talk about Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants, Taylor’s (hopefully) new job and rosé wines.

Listen up!

Thankfully, some stores get the fact that we’re broke, unemployed or both. Borders throws a bone to those to who need a java jolt — a coupon for a free 12-ounce beverage (including coffee). But hurry, it expires 6/18.

Link to printable coupon here.

Despite a weakening economy, the Nielson Company revealed an almost 25 percent jump in U.S. rosé wine sales in 2008. Since I’ve harped on the greatness of pink for the past five years, I’ll take at least a sliver of that celebratory pie, thank you very much. Finally, I can rejoice that Americans have begun to embrace the beauty of rosé wines.

With the red fruit and tannin of red, and the cool, invigorating acidity of white, rosé is a perfect marriage. One of the best food wines in existence, it’s like drinking a white wine with bright, ripe berry flavor. It matches summer fare — grilled burgers and ribs — but also spicy eats. I used to complain of their lack of availability — many wineries make dry rosés though not enough for major distribution — but I’m seeing increasing variety on shelves and lists. Pink from pinot noir, syrah, grenache, zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon and everything in-between can be had for under $20 per bottle. Woohoo! Read the rest of this entry »