The Five Questions: Miyanda Wilson-Mixologist/Poet/Cocktail Conceptualist
The Five Questions: Miyanda Wilson-Mixologist/Poet/Cocktail Conceptualist 画像1
I met Miyanda in the world of Social Media. Her philosophy mirrors my own and I felt it important to share her passion for great mixology with the readers of Wild River Review. The Tales of the Cocktail brought us together and I’m honored to be called her friend. Now, without delay the Five Questions! But first this short intro from Miyanda’s website:
WHO WE ARE FLIE Myxes provides mobile bartending services done in a professional upscale manner by highly knowledgeable beautiful service oriented mixologists. We cater to private and corporate events nationwide. (What’s a mixologist? Someone who studies and helps evolve the field of bartending by creating innovative cocktails and refining the techniques of bartenders past. A “cocktail historian” and revolutionary rolled into one. We do more than tend bar, we create liquid illusions.)
WHAT WE BELIEVE We pride ourselves in creating atmospheres that allow you to be an invited guest at your own event. We believe that every event should be a great experience for both your guest as well as you! We only hire the best. Our mixologists are passionate about what they do and take a serious yet entertaining pride in each event. We’ll be professional, dependable, knowledgeable and personal to each and every guest…..starting with YOU!
OUTSTANDING VALUE We believe that private bartending services should be a luxury not limited to only a few, but everyone should be expected to receive high quality professional services without paying outrageous fees.
PROFESSIONAL STAFF, GUARANTEED SERVICE We believe in providing you with peace of mind and confidence because you have hired competent service professionals. Our bartending service is so exceptional that we guarantee to exceed your expectations. It there’s a problem, we will make it right, GUARANTEED.
KNOWLEDGEABLE AND FRIENDLY CUSTOMER SERVICE We believe it is our duty to do more than provide people who can make and serve you drinks. We will help you with your bar inventory, supply bar tools and help assure that nothing is overlooked. We want your event to be professional, enjoyable and hassle free. INDIVIDUALISM Your event is unique and you may have a specific preference about the look or style of your mixologist. We can fulfill your unique requirements whose style matches your specific needs.
PEACE OF MIND Our mixologists are trained, insured and certified to have your guest safety as well as their enjoyment in mind.
1. WRR: Where are you from? Who taught you about the spirit end of the business? How did you start your company?
I’m a by-product of Houston and Chicago. I lived in Houston until I was 14 and then moved to Chicago. After I went to college in New Orleans, I moved back to Houston, then Chicago, then back to Houston. I guess you can say I’m just a little torn between the two. I decided to go to Bartending School after the birth of my daughter. I was barely 21 and wanted to learn in detail about a trade I’d been playing around with for years. Mixing drinks for family gatherings as a teenager not really knowing what I was doing, but it tasted good to my family and their friends. When I attended college in New Orleans, the legal drinking age at that time was 18 in the state of Louisiana, so I had my share of experience with spirits; I just knew that I wanted to actually know more about all the things I was tasting. After finishing at the Dallas Bartending and Mixology School, I spent a few years bartending private events through a temporary agency and a brief 7 day bartending gig at a strip club (too scary for me!) and then went on to tend at a comedy club and five star restaurant in Houston and then a live jazz club in Chicago. I realized that I enjoyed bits and pieces of each employment opportunity that I had, but there was always a lingering feelings of what I didn’t enjoy. I wanted to set my own hours; I wanted to create cocktails on my own terms; no recipe books or menus to restrict me. Not that I didn’t enjoy the basics, but I wanted to use the mixology gene that was given to me and make magic. I wanted to be able to craft a cocktail based on a person’s personality and then have them come back time and time again for the drink I made, I wanted to not only establish a faithful group of clientele but most importantly have the ability to have them follow me, no matter where I ended up next.
I was always the one at a party that ended up behind someone’s bar or kitchen countertop all night because someone tasted a drink I made for one person and wanted that one or a new one or anyone as long as I was making it. Time and time again, friends and acquaintances told me I should come to the parties with a travel suitcase so that I would be able to create a cocktail anywhere. A friend asked me one day, why I wasn’t doing this for myself. And I didn’t have any other answer but to do it. So with a bartender’s kit and a healthy following from the last establishment I worked, I did private events. Soon after that, it was more business then I could handle by myself, so I started educating people to become bartenders and bartenders to become mixologist. When I moved back to Texas, I just expanded and fortunately I am still expanding and now I just started doing short term staffing for nightclubs, hotels and restaurants as well.
2. WRR: Social Media connected us. Do you have a Smart Phone? Which one? Would you share your Social Media outlets? Twitter? Facebook? LinkedIn?
I do have a Smart Phone, a Verizon HTC Incredible and I love it. I was a BlackBerry girl for a long time and I swore I would never leave them, let alone for an Android. Well Verizon wasn’t coming out with any new BlackBerrys and there was this crazy waiting period for Verizon to get the IPhone so I went ahead and took a chance with the Incredible and it works for me. It’s not the fanciest or the most high tech, but it does everything I need it to do. Currently I have my webpage www.fliemyxes.com and I am on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, though I must admit, I think I was the last person to enter the Facebook/Twitter Universe, I just didn’t see the benefits. Now that I am here, I’m kicking myself because I should have been utilizing these tools a long time ago. The contacts I’ve made, the business I’ve received and most importantly the relationships I’ve built and continue to nurture are priceless. I currently don’t have a professional presence on Facebook yet, still just my personal account, but I am working on my Facebook Fanpage now, and I think I am going to have someone else manage that for me, I know my limitations. There is still so much that I am learning within Social Media and its benefits when optimized to its fullest potential.
3. WRR: Do you cook? If so, who taught you? Mother? Father? Grandparents? Do you have a favorite chef? What do they cook that you enjoy?
I cook and I must admit I’m pretty good at it, more importantly I love doing it. My family and friends flock to my house at any given time because they know there will always be something on the stove, in the oven or on the grill every day of the week. I’m a social butterfly and there is a strong obsession with being the hostess with the most-est. And of course, I’m a Southern girl from Houston and was taught hospitality. I grew up learning that yes, it’s ok to serve steak or pork chops with breakfast as long as you have rice and biscuits. Dinner always comes with dessert. Always make enough for seconds, and if people are smiling and then falling asleep, you did good. I learned how to cook from my mother and my grandmothers both maternal and paternal. My grandfather taught me how to bake, muffins, cupcakes, Bundt cakes, cornbread, biscuits – from scratch. When I gave up meat almost six years ago, the family worried a little. But, I still cook the same things that I use to, only difference is now I add gumbo to Thanksgiving dinner and make my cornbread dressing minus the turkey (they don’t even notice the difference), I have to eat something! I love so many chefs it’s hard to say my favorite. Emeril, Tyler Florence, The Neeley’s, Paula Dean and Bobby Flay are some of my tops. Out of those chefs, I’d have to admit, Emeril’s Delmonico’s Seafood Okra Gumbo is absolutely heaven.
4. WRR: Is there anything you prepare or eat (or drink) that brings a tear to your eye when you enjoy it? Why?
Vegetarian Lasagna and a Purple Lobster Cocktail. I enjoy them both for two reasons, one; because I never have them alone and I’m the only pescatarian in my circle and for the lasagna to have no meat, everyone loves it! I take time to pick the vegetables that I put into my lasagna, usually spinach, corn, diced tomatoes and colored bell peppers. The key to my sauce is proper seasoning and slow simmering. And of course lots and lots of cheese (minus the ricotta). The other reason I enjoy it so much is because good food and good drink go together so well. The Purple Lobster is one of my creations and it’s Purple (Chambord), Crown Royal and Lobster (no lobster is actually in the cocktail, but a “splash” of Sprite, get it? A splash!) – all of my favorite things. I love to see people enjoy what I create. When their eyes get big when I bring it to the table or pass it across the bar, to me is better than my own satisfied palate any day of the week.
5. WRR: If you could be anywhere in the world right now where would that be? Doing what? Eating? Drinking?
Well, for the sake of newness, I will not say New Orleans. Only because I just left there and I’ve raved enough as I always do when I leave to give that wonderful lady a year of boasting. So my next most immediate thought would be on the Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro Brazil with my closest friends dancing the night away into the day. Eating papaya and mango while drinking cacaha and coconut milk for breakfast, Moqueca (Brazilian seafood stew with coconut milk) and Pao de Queijos (Brazilian cheese buns) for dinner drinking lots and lots of caipirinhas in between! Gawk, not quite jealously, but in amazement at the absolute beauty of the Brazilian women in their bikinis. Learning new drinks from the gorgeous bartenders only feet away from the white sands and blue waters under their straw huts and swinging chairs.
Editor Note: I discovered that Miyanda is a poet. This fits our Wild River Review ethos to a T!
POETRY PEACE Work of Art I could paint a picture of you
Recalling the details my heart transcribes through the brush that is my pen
Your facial features become imitated in my verse Your laugh is translated into prose Your physical stature develops the statue of my rhymes
I could paint you
specifically the way my body remembers the reaction of the actions you display
I could paint a portrait of your character through water colors of melodies that verbally explain the emotional high you have me ride
You bring out an artist in me exhibiting skills
mental explanations of the person I want to be
And if a picture says a thousand words I could take each word of you and make poetry Thank you
To support our mission and passion for good storytelling, please help support my work and make a tax-deductible donation by clicking here: Wild River Donation.
Wild River Review/Wild Table editor, Warren Bobrow grew up on a Biodynamic farm in Morristown, NJ. A graduate of Emerson Collegein Boston- with a degree in Film, he spent his senior year of college as a research assistant in visual thinking. (Center for Advanced Visual Studies @ MIT)
It takes a lot to get my attention in a crowd of new products that seem to flood the market every year. Normally I am not interested in diet anything, but Jacqueline Piccolo and Amy Vittorio were so kind in their introductions to me that I just had to pay attention to the product in their care. Upon tasting the Truvia product, I was truly amazed by the depth of flavor and the ability it had to augment and deepen the intellectual capacity of cocktail to taste great, yet in the realm of diet products- not add even a calorie! Hat’s off to Truvia for the foresight to create a bold response to sugar.
The Simple Syrup made with Truvia is liquid magic in a glass!
Ed Hamilton/Minister of Rum
Over at the Sonesta Hotel, Ed Hamilton of the Ministry of Rum gave a electrifying presentation on Six Rums, You will never taste again. The room, packed with Rum-heads, held on to every word that Ed spoke. His presentation took the careful observer through a tour of hand made Rhum Agricole and even a Tennessee made Rum from the Prichard’s Distillery which surprised and charmed in every way. You cannot get a more passionate teacher than Ed- he has stories to tell about slogging up to distilleries in the heat of the forest via rivers. “Who’s that guy down there, I think he just fell in the river” to drinking Ti Punches on the deck of sailboats plying their way through “down island” streams of consciousness. Ed was in rare form, right down to his POWERPOINT deck. Hat’s off to you my friend for teaching me about my favorite spirit from inside a Ti Punch. In Ed’s words. “I’m from all over”
Russian Standard Vodka is a new amalgamation of the historic Russian brand of Vodka that has charmed drinkers across the Soviet Union for hundreds of years. I was a guest at the White Dinner held at the gorgeous Eiffel Society in New Orleans. I’ve always had an affinity for Russian Vodka. My father’s family hailed from there. My parents visited Moscow in 1960 and evidently- according to my father it was a particularly brutal summer for heat and humidity. They were staying in a hotel right next to the Kremlin. Telephones were still being tapped and handlers followed them around everywhere they went in Moscow. My parents complained that the water was poisonous to American stomachs. They just didn’t drink water when they were in Russia. One afternoon after a long walk, my parents retired to their hotel for a rest from the heat and humidity. On a telephone table there was an ancient black telephone, absolutely useless since it was a direct line to the KGB. Sitting next to it was what appeared to be a pitcher of iced water. After all it was over one hundred degrees and they were very thirsty. Throwing caution to the wind, my father poured himself a tall glass and drank it down! “Russian Standard Vodka!”
To support our mission and passion for good storytelling, please help support my work and make a tax-deductible donation by clicking here: Wild River Donation.
Wild River Review/Wild Table editor, Warren Bobrow grew up on a Biodynamic farm in Morristown, NJ. A graduate of Emerson Collegein Boston- with a degree in Film, he spent his senior year of college as a research assistant in visual thinking. (Center for Advanced Visual Studies @ MIT)
There is a secret language in New Orleans. This language is only known by a select few. The language is not spoken, it is known- but never discussed. Is there a dictionary for this tongue? No. One does not exist. But once a year, as if by osmosis, the language is shouted for all to hear. What are they saying?
Photo: Warren Bobrow
The Tales of the Cocktail is that unspoken language. How do you know when it is spoken? In New Orleans, where it is said the modern cocktail was invented- it is crystal clear what they are speaking. This is a trade show, a competition and a liquid driven history lesson.
Leblon Truck-Photo: Warren Bobrow
Stephanie Carter of the Museum of Southern Food and Beverage Museum said it very clearly- the cocktail is as much a part of the thread of New Orleans as it is all over the world. The cocktail is the history of this place which is “underwater” and very much alive with possibilities.
Leblon Cachaca truck- Photo: Warren Bobrow
At the Tales of the Cocktail history is being made each time a new liquor hits the market or a classic hotel bar cocktail is reinvented. Sure, there are all the usual suspects mixing the drinks. The major brands are all here too- vying for attention, utilizing their products by employing the greatest bartenders in the world. Their names are all known to those who make their living behind the bar. This is not a casual career. Bartenders are like demi-Gods. They have rock star status and they are paid like the heads of major corporations. This is the business called hospitality and to be hospitable requires great talent.
A usual scene in the French Quarter
You have to start pretty early in the morning to prepare for an event such as the Tales. This takes practice to learn how to drink heavily before noon. It’s been said that the sun should be warm over your toes before you have a cocktail- but here in New Orleans the cocktail shakers never stop making their sing-song sound of ice being shaken, crunch crunch crunch. The frost of the cold forming on the sides of the shaker. The aroma of the liquor. The snap of the first pour into the correct glass. The right cherries (never those things dyed bright red, artisan is the word and the mantra) it’s all about craft, passion and soul. All types are plying their talents- but how do they know each other? What is the identifying features?
Lit Up- Photo: Warren Bobrow
At the William Grant event over at the WW2 museum the clock stopped in 1945. The ceiling bristling with aircraft from the former “Rosie the Riveter” era. There are all sorts of cocktails being imbibed. Find yourself at Jackson Square, named for Andrew Jackson- in between having your Tarot cards read- there are more cocktails. The Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone is a favorite spot- it’s like a circus without animals- the bar moves around the room like a merry go round. Is the floor moving? No, it is all in your head. Nothing changes around here- the flavors true- the drinks strong- how many have you had?
Before/After Photo: Warren Bobrow
Tasting seminars rule the roost. This is where the new products hit the market. Hanna Lee is elegant standing as the sentinel to the throngs of smiling, thirsty faces trying the newest products from the classic brand Marie Brizard, which did I like? The tea showed beautifully. This is not just about cordials but Gin, Vodka, Bourbon, all the best flavors that the world has to offer. Over at the Bombay Club, Janet Mick is showing her best in Southern hospitality for Purity Vodka- the country ham, grits and deviled eggs show beautifully against the background of Jazz. Is that Ed Hamilton over there? The Ministry of Rum is represented giving a liquid history of the jewels of the Caribbean. Are you listening to what the rums have to say?
New Orleans is everything and nothing during the Tales of the Cocktail. If you haven’t yet made your reservations for next year- it’s not too late. Tell them that you read about it here-make your trip count and just go.
My advice is to start drinking heavily right now… You’ll need to get your body in shape and this isn’t a 10K race, it’s century marathon of drinking.
Ann Tuennerman, the founder of the Tales of the Cocktail is crystal clear when she says that her favorite drink is the Sazerac. It’s a history lesson in a glass connecting each sip to the past, firmly in the present and moving towards the future of this eclectic gathering of like minded individuals, all here for the same reason. And the language they’re speaking is the language of passion. It’s all about hospitality.
Laissez les bons temps rouler, and come back next year. Don’t believe it? See for yourself and have a cocktail or ten, starting at 7:30 in the morning. Cheers!
Carousel Bar
At the Carousel Bar the seats go round and round. Is the floor moving or is it the bar?
I’m not going home/worn by John Gibbons at TOTC
Who knows. Just go. Next year is the tenth anniversary of the Tales. If it’s anything like this year, start drinking now.
To support our mission and passion for good storytelling, please help support my work and make a tax-deductible donation by clicking here: Wild River Donation.
Wild River Review/Wild Table editor, Warren Bobrow grew up on a Biodynamic farm in Morristown, NJ. A graduate of Emerson Collegein Boston- with a degree in Film, he spent his senior year of college as a research assistant in visual thinking. (Center for Advanced Visual Studies @ MIT)
We welcome online links, but you must be fully credited with a link back to the Wild River Review website.
Please visit my friend Stephanie Manley at CopyKat Recipes for some interesting takes on some familiar standards.
wb at the Tales of the Cocktail. 1945 Victory Party from William Grant
The World’s Largest Negroni Cocktail On Thursday, July 21, close to 400 cocktail enthusiasts gathered today to witness and taste the “World’s Largest Negroni,” a massive 30-gallon cocktail made of equal parts Campari, Italy’s legendary red spirit, Beefeater 24 Gin and Martini Rosso Vermouth. The festive libation was made on site to celebrate the “Year of the Negroni” and was presented in a handcrafted ice vessel. The high-spirited event, a highlight of the Tales of the Cocktail festival, was orchestrated by Master Mixologist Francesco Lafranconi and held at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in New Orleans’ French Quarter. In addition, noted Italian bartenders from around the globe flew in to make their own highly distinctive Negroni variations at the event using fresh juices, rare Italian liqueurs and Prosecco sparkling wine. In homage to the Negroni cocktail’s creator, Count Camillo Negroni, the bartenders dressed up to resemble him and donned aristocratic handlebar moustaches. Photo link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/61961064@N03/sets/72157627127031099/ Photo credit: Gabi Porter
New Marie Brizard French Liqueurs Debut Marie Brizard launched its new “Essence” line of liqueurs at a special tasting room at Tales of the Cocktail on July 22 that was attended by hundreds of cocktail enthusiasts. Considered the company’s most audacious product innovation in its 250+ year history, these elixirs bring nature to the taste buds with astonishing clarity with bold aromatic profiles like Cinnamon, Spicy Mix, Tea, Jasmine, Rosemary and Violet. Émile Chaillot (Ugo & Spirits Bar Consulting, Paris) whipped up the first cocktails that showcased their dramatic flavor potential. To provide a historical perspective, Jonathan Pogash (The World Bar, New York) stirred up classic libations that showcased Marie Brizard liqueurs that have been a part of cocktail culture since its early days. Darryl Robinson (Cooking Channel’s “Drink Up” host) masterminded contemporary quaffs that demonstrated why Marie Brizard is the bartender’s choice liqueur at top bars worldwide. Finally, Rob Montgomery (Miller Tavern, Toronto) headed up a D-I-Y bar with a cornucopia of fresh ingredients for guests to choose from for their own bespoke cocktails that included the Marie Brizard liqueurs that were featured. The event was held at the Iberville Room at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans. Photo link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/61961064@N03/sets/72157627133606173/ Photo credit: Gabi Porter
Campari Negroni Pre-Awards Toast The lobby of the storied Hotel Monteleone was transformed into a celebration of the nominees of the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award at the Campari Negroni Pre-Awards Toast on Saturday, July 23. Hundreds of cocktail aficionados lined up for expertly crafted Classic Negronis, a bartender favorite, authentically made with Campari, gin and sweet vermouth by Chad Solomon and Christy Pope of Cuffs & Buttons Cocktail Catering. The nominees, who hail from around the globe and represent the best of the best of the bartending community, were joined by their colleagues, fans and members of the media. They included Dushan Zaric (Employees Only, New York City), Dre Masso (London, England), Tom Chadwick (Dram, New York City), Jacques Bezuidenhout (Partida Tequila), as well as writers Darcy O’Neil (London, Ontario), Toby Cecchini (New York City) and Naren Young (New York City). Master mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim hoisted a glass and toasted the nominees before they headed off to the much-anticipated awards ceremony. Photo link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/61961064@N03/sets/72157627145224315/ Photo credit: Gabi Porter
I met Kat Odell through my friend Rebecca Carlisle who is a Senior Publicist at Workman Publishing. (Thank you Rebecca!) Rebecca was extremely helpful to me in my quest to interview the author, Mark Kurlansky. She knows my research style and asked me if I wanted to interview her friend Kat Odell who is the editor of Eater, LA.
Of course I said- and the Five Questions for this week features the musings of this interesting person, Kat Odell.
The past few weeks have been quite busy for me. In between research and development for future assignments, I’ve attended the Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. There are many pictures and stories to share from this event, held yearly. It is a very exciting get-together that promises memories for a lifetime.
I discovered through the Five Questions that when the topic of the Five Questions comes up, the doors just open to me. In the past months I’ve interviewed dozens of truly interesting and quite successful people. Names that only appear in the major media have popped up on Wild River Review. This pleases me greatly- mainly because I don’t have a huge PR machine behind me to attract interesting people. It’s essentially my personality and the ability to attract people who are excited to do- “not your usual interview” which is the basis of the Five Questions. I try to help people (my interviewees) discover their passions through sharing good story-telling.
WRR: 1. Where are you from? Who taught you about food? Wine? Mother? Father? Grandparents? TV cooking shows? Who is your favorite non-celebrity chef?
I am from New York but both my parents are Czech, mostly. My mom lived in Prague until she was 20 at which point she moved to Manhattan and my dad was born in London (I have British citizenship, yay!) and his parents were Czech with some Italian influences. My brother and I are first generation American and while we obviously grew up in this country, my parents are very European so we didn’t have a regular American upbringing — and this includes food. When I was born my grandmother flew to Manhattan to take care of me while my parents both worked. She is an amazing cook even now at age 93 and back then we would spend all day cooking together. Czech cookies, breads, “apples in bathrobes,” it’s this dish where you dip apple rounds in batter then fry them. Then, you top that with cinnamon sugar. My dad is also an incredible cook and I grew up with tons of eclectic foods. Turkish, Malaysian, Chinese, Italian… LOTS of Asian in general. In school I was always the kid with the stinky lunch– be it leftover garlicky pesto or tandoori chicken from the night before. I never liked sandwiches, so…
My favorite non-celeb chef.. Well I don’t know if I have a favorite but I’ve recently had great meals from Kris Morningstar at Ray’s (at LACMA), and I always love Evan Funke’s super seasonal fare at Rustic Canyon. Overall I tend to gravitate to either dumplings in the San Gabriel Valley or extremely seasonal offers from those restaurants. The Tasting Kitchen is also great in Venice.
Kat Odell’s grandmother and her favorite drink, beer!
WRR: 2. What is your first culinary memory? What did you eat? Did you have good culinary memories as a child? (I grew up on a Organic/Biodynamic farm, so everything was fresh, yet destroyed in the cooking process by my mom. It wasn’t dinner unless the best ingredients were turned to cinders)
First culinary memory is either baking cookies with my grandmother or… this one evening my parents were hosting a dinner party for some friends. My dad had just come back from an Indian market with all this saffron and he handed me this box filled with red threads. He told me to smell it, explained that it was very delicious and pricey. So… first I decided I wanted to make a soup to serve as an appetizer at the dinner party.. I was probably about seven years old of so. I can remember throwing some veggies into water, lots of celery… then I grabbed the box of saffron and dumped it all into the soup which cast a pretty orange glow to the broth. Just as I had emptied the contents my dad saw what I had done and, horrified, started saying something to the extent of “oh no!!!!! you can’t put all that saffron in!!!! you have to use only a little bit at a time!!!” I was seven, how was I supposed to know!?
I have THE BEST culinary memories as a child. Food and wine is a huge deal in my family and days were pretty much centered around meals. Durning the week our housekeeper would cook dinner for me and my brother but we never liked what she made so we would eat a few bites (give most of it to our dog) then wait for the parents to come home. My dad would end up cooking dinner and we would eat meal two around 9 or 9:30. On weekends, when I was a bit older, cooking dinner was a family routine. There was always wine and we would and still do drink wine and cook together.
With regard to my not quite American upbringing — I was never fed anything out of a box. My baby food was fresh veggies tossed in a blender. My mom always had a garden and would grow salad greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, sometimes peas, strawberries… I believe if you feed kids healthful foods at a young age, healthy eating patterns will stick with them as they get older. Aside from all the restaurant food I eat, I am a super healthy eater. When I am not at a restaurant I am generally just cooking roasted/steamed veggies from the farmers market for myself.
At one of my favorite breweries, The Bruery, in Orange County.
WRR: 3. Is there anything that you enjoy that brings a tear to your eye when you eat it/drink it? Why?
The one dish dearest to my heart would have to be my grandmother’s chicken soup. It’s the most amazing chicken soup I’ve ever tried and as much as I myself am I cook, I can never ever make it as good as she can. Until I started middle school, so that’s like age 12? I would come home for lunch every day. Every single day my grandmother had a bowl of chicken noodle soup waiting for me. She would say to me (in Czech).. “don’t you want another type of soup? I can make garlic soup, vegetable soup, beef soup…” Once in a while I would let her switch it up only because I thought she would get bored of cooking the same soup for me every day.. but the days I opted for a different version, I would always think to me self that I should have stuck with the chicken soup. And her secret to the soup, she says, is to boil very little meat. She gets all the flavor from the bones.
WRR: 4. What is your favorite cuisine right now? Who is the chef? Where? (doesn’t have to be in Los Angeles)
I would have to say that I am a die hard fan of the San Gabriel Valley. My Asian friends have made me an honorary member of the Asian community — I can’t get enough of the Chinese food out there. I am an especially huge fan of dumplings and noodles. Living in LA people forget about the incredible ethnic food that this city offers. While I’ve had fantastic dinners at Urasawa, Patina, among other top restaurants in the city, my true passion is the random divey hole in the wall restaurants. And what I love about those spots is the authentic experience. I love feeling transported to another country.
Outside of food I am really into cocktails, wine, and craft beer. My go-to cocktail haunt is Library Bar in the Roosevelt Hotel. I am generally there at least once a week and the best day to go is on a Wednesday because Matt Biancaniello scours the Santa Monica farmers market for the most interesting seasonal ingredients. The last time I was there I had a white mulberry cocktail — those white mulberries are only in season for one week. Matt also made me a great mochi drink as well.
My friend Pablo also just opened a rad new spot with great drinks called Black Market. It’s a bit of a trek for me driving all the way out to the valley but the drinks and food (prepared my Antonia Lofaso) are worth it!
Clinking glasses with Alain Ducasse at Vegas Uncork’d. Credit: Alain Ducasse: Isaac Brekken
WRR: 5. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would that be? Doing what? Eating? Drinking?
I LOVE to travel. I want to travel everywhere in the world and eat every type of food. In the near future I am traveling to Australia, Singapore, and Bali but I want to visit India, Japan, China, Thailand… you name it and I want to go there. Yes, eating, drinking, exploring…
A common evening situation.
Out and about. The Supper Club/ Photos by www.evitbolt.com
Mole in East LA.
Editors note: I usually ask this question about smartphones and Twitter/Facebook links- but there was no room this week. In order to let Kat share her links- I’m including them here:
To support our mission and passion for good storytelling, please help support my work and make a tax-deductible donation by clicking here: Wild River Donation.
Wild River Review/Wild Table editor, Warren Bobrow grew up on a Biodynamic farm in Morristown, NJ. A graduate of Emerson College in Boston- with a degree in Film, he spent his senior year of college as a research assistant in visual thinking. (Center for Advanced Visual Studies @ MIT)
To learn more about Warren, click here: Wild River Review.
Please follow me on Twitter @WarrenBobrow1
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Thank you especially to Ann Tuennerman who gave me a chance to prove myself with no track record other than what I’ve written around the globe. Cheers y’all. wb
Kelly Vavra at the agency Treskoi PR helped me become familiar with the hand-crafted elegance that says Botran Rum. I work with many PR agencies, but only a few people I work with have her follow-up skills, this caught my attention.
Kelly, thank you.
The kind folks at Botran Rum send me a couple of mini-bottles of their rums the other day for my mixing delight. Ever since I participated with Ed Hamilton in the 2010 Ministry of Rum competition, I’ve been hooked on rum as my primary cocktail go/to both in winter and in the heat of the summer. It’s funny, because every time I smell rum, I can picture the first taste I ever had of it about thirty or so years ago. I was down in the British Virgin Islands on my family’s former yacht. We had moored rather precariously off Jost Van Dyke– specifically a beach side sliver of a pub named Daphne’s Soggy Dollar Bar. Why was it named the Soggy Dollar Bar? Well, first of all, there is no dock, so you either take your rowboat to the shore or a motor launch if your yacht is large enough. If you try to get on-shore without getting your butt wet, *and your dollars soggy* you’re going to fail nine times out of ten! The tide rolls in from left to right so boats lost their anchors in the poor holding ground (mostly sand, very little rock) creating all sorts of problems, especially if your boat is above fifty feet and moving towards another multi-million dollar yacht, quite out of control. The final reason is that no matter what you do to stay dry, your money is going to get soggy!
Therefore we discovered why the Soggy Dollar Bar is named as such.
Each time I smell rum, especially the drink known as a Ti Punch, which coincidentally was the first rum drink I ever enjoyed back in the 1970’s- then the drink named a Painkiller, then of course the oft- mangled Bushwacker (but, that’s another story) and of course the infamous Island Style drinks that my step-brother introduced me to, (3/4 liquor to 1 ice cube/ then a splash of oj) I am transported to the islands and memorable times.
The gentle washing sound of soft waves against pristine sand taking the edge off for another lousy day in paradise. Calming to say the least.
Thomas Merolla has attained a studied career in mixology. He is the man behind the cocktails at Botran. This certainly could be a cat-bird seat for the normal person, Thomas seems to get the concept of the bartender possessing skill, speed and savvy. I was always taught from years of being a cook, our business is called the Hospitality Business for a reason.
Thomas gets it.
Botran Rum
WRR: 1. Who taught you about cocktails? When did you make your first mixed drink and what was in it?
I have had many mentors during 16 year career… It all began at The Delano Hotel, Miami Beach in 1995 with my main teacher, Andy Antonopoulous, who taught me how to pour and properly handle a bar at maximum efficiency.
With regard to cocktails, I have been fortunate enough to have worked with some of those most innovative people in the industry – they’ve each made a profound impact on me and the different style cocktails I make. A combination of learning and listening, and being a big foodie with a good palate and knack at flavor pairings, have helped me hone my skills along the way.
The first drink I made was in The Rose Bar at The Delano Hotel — it was a Cosmopolitan, which was so popular back then… Our house recipe at the time was citrus vodka gently blended with Cointreau and a hint of lime juice, finished off with a dash of cranberry juice. We served it in a Martini glass with a lemon twist.
WRR: 2. Do you cook? What is your favorite after work meal?
Yes, I have been cooking since I was a teenager in Long Island, NY. My favorite meal after work is usually something healthy, light and quick to make, such as seasoned fish grilled with a savory salad on the side.
Botran Cocktails
WRR: 3. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would that be? What would you be doing, eating, drinking?
I would be relaxing and taking in the scenery in a beautiful vineyard in Tuscany, Italy, sipping some Divine Chianti and snacking on cheese, Italian cured meat, and fresh bread toasted with ripe vined tomatoes, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil with some fresh picked basil.
Botran Rum
WRR: 4. Do you own a smart phone? Do you use Social Media? Would you kindly share your Twitter or Facebook with my readers?
Yes I am a I phone person, and can’t imagine operating without it. I also use Facebook as a social media tool under my name Thomas Merolla.
WRR: 5. Is there any drink that you prepare that brings a tear to your eye when you taste it and why?
There are many when made and balanced correctly… One that stands out was a cocktail I came up with at a Mexican Restaurant while eating guacamole.
Smoking Mirror
Reposado Tequila blended with ripe pineapple and spiced with jalapeno, fresh picked cilantro, fully matured avocado, fresh pressed lime and balanced with agave. Served in a coup glass and garnished with pink peppercorns and cilantro.
The tear is conjured out of affection, but also because of the spicy kick!
Thank you Thomas for sharing your passion for good story-telling with Wild River Review’s Wild Table. I’ll be in New Orleans all week at the Tales of the Cocktail: July 20-25th.
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To support our mission and passion for good storytelling, please help support my work and make a tax-deductible donation by clicking here: Wild River Donation.
Wild River Review/Wild Table editor, Warren Bobrow grew up on a Biodynamic farm in Morristown, NJ. A graduate of Emerson Collegein Boston- with a degree in Film, he spent his senior year of college as a research assistant in visual thinking. (Center for Advanced Visual Studies @ MIT)
Sustainable Sushi? What does sustainable mean? First of all, let’s talk about the sushi part of the equation. Raw fish, vinegar treated rice, a touch of Japanese horseradish mustard- known as Wasabi, that’s it!
Why is sustainability so important to the sushi business? Maybe the term fishing means something? In my recent interview with Mark Kurlansky (Author of A World Without Fish) I discovered that “if we keep doing things the ways we’ve been doing things, fish could become extinct within fifty years.” That’s pretty bold.
Kristofor Lofgren has a plan to create change in the sushi industry. He was introduced to me through my editor at the Wild River Review Joy E. Stocke. Joy knows that I’m passionate about my food, so she got me in touch with Kristofor. I also attempt to seek the freshest possible ingredients and I love to write about the success stories. Kristofor is one of those stories. But what makes him unique? How would the Five Questions be translatable to his restaurant? That, my friends I leave to you to discover.
What do I like most?
As a sushi head, I’m truly a minimalist. I adore that perfect diver’s scallop “hand gathered” in Maine. It will be touched by a dot of white ginger, a drop of that special soy sauce from the Grateful Palate, long gone now- that tiny slice of lemon. This is all I want. . It’s pure, perfect. That experience, or Tao of the enjoyment of texture, flavor, color means everything to my palate. Thank you.
1. When did you discover raw fish? Did your parents take you to have sushi as a child? Do you own a specific type of knife to cut fish? Who made it? (material) I first ate raw fish when I was 16. It was not something that my family introduced me too, but rather, a family friend. My best friends father told me that I should be eating sushi because of its health benefits, and the fact that it was a great date food. Being 16, the idea that I could be ahead of the curve with a great date food, seemed very compelling. As well, I was an athlete, so eating something that would provide tremendous health benefits was something that was too good to pass up. That said, my first bites were not so easy for me to get down. As many Americans do, I had an issue with the texture, however, I was so surprised that it was mild in flavor and not “fishy”. As with most great things, the better the quality, the less severe it is, and obviously fish is no exception. Up until that point I had only been exposed to very average to low quality seafood, and so, eating with my friends father, who only enjoys the highest quality of things, was great, because my initial sushi/raw fish experience was good and not scary, as many unfortunate people have their first times, because they eat low quality sushi. As for knives, I prefer Japanese knives, and I like to purchase them from Korin in NYC. They have one of the best and widest selections of super premium high quality knives anywhere in the world outside of Japan. There are all different types of knives to purchase that cover a broad selection of uses, but that said, I like a solid, “in the middle” style of knife, so I prefer something like a Masamoto.
Albacore Carpaccio
2. What is Sustainable Fish? How is this verified? Is your fish ever frozen? In short, sustainable seafood is seafood that is caught from populations of fish that are not in any danger of being over-fished and, that does not damage or harm the surrounding ecosystems where those fish are caught. We base our guidelines on what is “sustainable” however, on the preeminent scientific organizations in the world. Therefore, we use the Monterey Bay Aquarium guidelines and the Blue Ocean Institutes (we are partnered with both organizations to utilize the latest scientific findings), cross referencing their opinions, and applying the Precautionary Principle where necessary. As well, we are certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, the Green Restaurant Association, and BCorp. So we basically create complete and utter transparency and accountability for our customers as to where our ingredients come from and how we operate as a business. There is full traceability and knowledge of where all of our fish and other ingredients come from, no matter where in the world we source them. We are just adamant about this. As for the question of fresh vs frozen, there is really no comparison with regard to sustainability, that premium quality frozen seafood is the best. All of the top chefs use it; Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsey, Michael Mina, etc. They know that if you can find premium sourced frozen seafood, it will be better in taste, and, less expensive. As well, it is much more sustainable because it does not go bad in transport or storage. The reason why it is actually better in flavor too, is because when seafood is frozen on the spot, it stops the cellular breakdown of the tissue of the animal. Therefore, by the time a customer gets it weeks later, that fish is only minutes old. If the fish is “fresh” it is often a week or more old before a customer gets it. Now, that said, we do source a lot of fresh seafood and we have many of our own boats and fishermen, so we get our fresh seafood within 24-36 hours. But, when we can find super premium frozen seafood, we go for it, as it actually tastes great, if not better, and is better for the planet.
Bamboo Sushi
3. Have you visited the Hunt’s Point Fresh Seafood Market in NYC? Impressions? Have you worked on a fishing boat? I have indeed been to the Fulton Fish Market. I like the new one more. I know that everyone has nostalgia for the old one, but new, better working and more efficient facilities are always nice. So, overall I like it. As with any fish market though, I wish they would commit to 100% sustainability and not continue to contribute to damaging the oceans, which is the very thing that is providing the jobs and life’s blood of the market. As for fishing boats, I love them. I am kind of a geek when it comes to equipment and machinery, so, fishing boats are a fascinating thing for me. I have yet to go out for a long stretch on one, but soon enough I am sure, I will get the chance. I would prefer to do the warm water fishing though, as I do not have much tolerance for the cold for very long…not compared with how rugged our fishermen and women are. They are truly incredible people.
Bamboo Sushi Nigiri
4. Who taught you how to cook? Mother? Father? Grandparents? Television cooking shows? Is there anything you prepare that brings a tear to your eye when you make it? In the most basic sense, I learned to cook by necessity. I really really love food, and no one in my family really “cooks”. Yes people cook good meals here and there, but no one is really focused on it. Everyone in my family is moderately to extremely healthy, and so, food is almost more like medicine and fuel, as opposed to art, beauty, la dolce vita, you know. So, I just had this feeling inside of me from God only knows where, that said food is more than just for eating; rather, it is the greatest joy in life. So, I had some innate skills and just really paid attention to any and everything I could. I also love to eat out, so I have done that from a very early age, even on my own. While I would have friends in college that would go to a pizza place or something, I would choose to meet up with them after dinner, go by myself somewhere, and experience something special and unique simply for the joy and learning. I honestly would say that a perfectly prepared nigiri plate is something of pure beauty. Perfectly hulled, cooked, vinegared rice, with a perfect cut of fish…nothing is better and harder to make. Also, a great omelet has a special place in my heart, as most people don’t know how to cook eggs properly, especially in that form. I really like the simple things. I greatly admire and appreciate food that pushes the boundaries, like say Grant Achatz, he is truly remarkable and changing food forever, but day-in-day-out style of food done perfect, more like Chez Panisse is what I prefer and enjoy most.
Bamboo Sushi Interior
5. Do you own a smart phone? Use Twitter? Facebook? What are your links? I love love love my iphone. I cannot imagine life without it. I Tweet, Instagram, Facebook, and send out newsletters. We love as a company to stay connected to our fans, guests, and friends. It is such a vital part of our business now. Our website is www.bamboosushipdx.com our facebook is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bamboo-Sushi/132382577749 you can find us on Twitter @bamboosushi http://twitter.com/#!/bamboosushi
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Thank you Kristofor for an enlightening interview!
To support our mission and passion for good storytelling, please help support my work and make a tax-deductible donation by clicking here: Wild River Donation.
Wild River Review/Wild Table editor, Warren Bobrow grew up on a Biodynamic farm in Morristown, NJ. A graduate of Emerson College in Boston- with a degree in Film, he spent his senior year of college as a research assistant in visual thinking. (Center for Advanced Visual Studies @ MIT)
To learn more about Warren, click here: Wild River Review.
Please follow me on Twitter @WarrenBobrow1
Blue Hill/Stone Barns: Time Exists in Harmony with Nature
WILD TABLE – Billy Reid: Bourbon, Branch and a Splash of Southern Lore
Who owns the rights to work published in Wild River Review?
All work published in the pages of Wild River Review belongs to the magazine.
For print publication, please contact: info@wildriverreview.com
We welcome online links, but you must be fully credited with a link back to the Wild River Review website.
I adore wines that speak clearly of the soil or rock that surrounds the vines. Some winemakers like Randall Grahm have embraced the Rudolph Steiner methods of Biodynamics. What are Biodynamics? My recent research and authorship for the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America Ed., 2 reveals that Biodynamics are a practical method of Organic farming. Biodynamics goes much further than just the use of organic methods. Biodynamics takes into effect the entire cosmos. See? It is way out. Some wine-geeks get pretty hot-headed when Biodynamics are discussed.
Biodynamics embodies the ideal of ever-increasing ecological self-sufficiency just as with modern agro-ecology, but includes ethical-spiritual considerations. This type of viticulture views the farm as a cohesive, interconnected living system. Some may think that the study and application of Biodynamics is a way-out thought, based in California– but they couldn’t be further from the truth.
I love Randall’s wines. They speak to me very clearly.
Cigare Volant or Flying Saucer Wine, the Flagship Wine of Bonny Doon
Randall’s Cigare Volant wine is like drinking crushed dark stone fruits, filtered through boulders of granite. Not filtered to remove any of the guts of the wine, but to enhance the dark fruit through the application of the growing medium without taking away any of the flavor.
Bonny Doon Goats.
1. Why wine? When did you catch the wine bug? What was your first taste of the juice like? Do you remember what it was? Since I’ve been asked this question fairly frequently, I’ve had ample opportunity to reflect, and of course ample opportunity to reconstruct/distort the real history. There were several moments that I imagine might have been the triggers to my slightly checkered career in wine: 1) When I was still a student at UCSC, I used to attend Wednesday night wine tastings at the Cooper House in Santa Cruz (alas, long gone). The owner would offer tastings of 3-4 wines at a go, including for example, four white zinfandels, or four domestic Chenin Blancs. At the age of 20, I fancied myself quite the connoisseur. (Of course back then the metes and bounds of the known universe of wine were significantly more limited. Now, it appears that a new galaxy is formed every picosecond.) 2) When I finished my class work at UCSC, I spent the summer in Germany, studying German – ostensibly to complete my senior thesis on Martin Heidegger. This was the summer of 1974, and I accidentally found that I could purchase bottles of 1971 Spätlesen and Auslesen at the grocery story for about $4-$5 each. I would consume a bottle pretty much every night, while working on my German homework – with little ill effect to the quality of the work performed.
Now, the travesty and wastefulness of drinking these wines so unspeakably young still haunts me, but certainly the opportunity to have tasted these great wines likely permanently imprinted me on Riesling, (and perhaps on wine in general). 3) During that same summer, before visiting Germany, I spent a few days in Jutland, visiting with a lovely woman who taught English and music at a Danish hochschule, which is sort of like a cross between a junior college and a vocational school. She made hyle (elderflower) wine in her somewhat cramped bathroom. Granted, the wine itself was not very good, but there was something utterly alchemical about the carboys burbling away in the bathroom – utterly enchanting. 4) And then of course, the following year, I went to work at a wine shop in Beverly Hills (The Wine Merchant), where I was exposed to the most extraordinary wines on a virtually daily basis. I think that it was the rare experience of tasting ’64 Cheval Blanc again and again (and again) that utterly sealed the deal.
RG Planting 1982 Photo courtesy of: Randall Grahm
But, as far as why it was wine and why not something else? This of course is a deeply philosophical question, and brings to mind the fact that at any moment, based on a single decision we take, our lives can careen off into any sort of direction, with all sorts of unexpected consequences. (We actually all live inside a Paul Auster novel.) From the perspective of history, it does seem as if I am temperamentally unsuited to almost any other career than the one that I have chosen. For one thing, I appear to be dilletantish to the very core of my being, which is another way of saying that I’m very interested in almost everything, but have insufficient ability to focus on any one thing for a very protracted period of time. The fact that as a winery owner/winemaker/entrepreneur one has the opportunity, indeed the requirement to wear a very wide range of hats, is incredibly cordial to my sort of personality/sensibility. Amazingly, my career in wine has acted like a very interesting sort of enzyme, which seems to have unlocked certain abilities in me that I never imagined I possessed – the ability to write creatively for one – which I ended up doing, initially in the Bonny Doon newsletters, essentially out of fear that I would not otherwise be able to hawk my wares. And, rather unexpectedly, I found that somehow I possessed something like an artistic sense, at least as far as design, and have been (mostly) successful in collaborating in the production of quite a number of wine labels, posters, advertisements, as well as spatial/architectural designs. Who knew? And of course, it seems that I have something like a real sense of taste – not that I am the most gifted or perceptive wine taster. (I am fooled rather more often than not.) But when I am really in the tasting groove, it seems that I have something like a reasonable sense of aesthetic balance, and seem to have the ability to swoop in on particularly felicitous sweet spots in the composition of a wine blend. You can call this a sort of bricolage, the ability to assemble something coherent and possibly complex from a set of disparate bits.
And maybe my winemaking or grape growing ideas are also a sort of bricolage. I will most certainly never be a particularly gifted agriculturist – my head is too much in the clouds – and the essence of being a great farmer is the ability to be present with the land and the plants, to truly see (and feel) what is actually happening on one’s farm. But I think that somehow I am able to combine/synthesize a number of ideas and take them to a certain imaginative conclusion.
As far as first real taste of wine. My family would celebrate Passover, so there was always the dreaded, archetypal Manischewitz Concord on the table – somehow I imagine this doesn’t really count as wine. (It’s more of a condiment, like cranberry sauce.) My first “adult” experience of wine was of tasting Blue Nun in high school, at the home of a quasi-girlfriend, Alison. Alison’s mother, Betty, was an incredibly glamorous woman, and the fact that she consumed wine outside the context of a meal seemed to me to be the utmost in sophistication. Blue Nun was being advertised pretty heavily in those days with radio and TV spots done by Stiller and Meara; they were slightly suggestive, if memory serves. Maybe this was the gradual release of repression that was happening in the Sexy Sixties, but, in any event, as an impressionable adolescent, I came away with the notion that wine drinking was an incredibly grown up and sophisticated thing to do, never even imagining that there was such a thing as Comte de Vogüé Musigny, which is even more grown up and sophisticated.
I cook a bit, of course, but not so terribly well. Being a perfectionist, read neurotic, makes it very difficult to be a fearless cook, but I’ve been working on it, and now, having finally got the whole textural thing semi-under control (knowing what rare and medium-rare feel like), I feel pretty comfortable roasting almost anything. I had installed a very cool, wood burning oven a few years ago at my house, and that has given me great confidence. (Cooking, like almost everything else in life, is a largely a head game.) As far as influences, my mother was (and is) not a very inspired cook. (It’s very hard for her to focus, and she is somewhat oblivious to the passage of time, so things do tend to get a bit overcooked.) But inadvertently, she’s been an important negative influence for me – teaching me the lesson of how important mindfulness is in cooking, as it is in everything.
[2] The flip side of this is that perhaps some of these ideas might well be the result of a kind of febrile consciousness, and there is never any real certainty that these ideas might turn out to be utter rubbish as far as their practicality.
3.Do you own a smart phone? Use Twitter? Facebook. What are your links? I am pretty much of a technophobe, so I’m not really sure precisely what a smart phone is. (Would an iPhone qualify?) If so, maybe I do own a smart phone and I don’t even know that I do. (That’s not so smart.) But if I do, it is certain that I’m probably taking advantage of about .001% of its capabilities. One of my more tech-savvy colleagues, Meg Maker, is insisting that we print a special something something on our back label, a QVC?? (or is that the shopping network?), that enables people with smart phones (who presumably know what they hell they’re doing) to glean extra information about the wine. Maybe by the time this article comes out, I’ll actually understand this a bit more.
I do use Twitter rather extensively, and that’s rather a long story (which I’ll shorten here for our purposes.) I was out on a sales trip a few years back with my sales manager, Bradley, in Newport, Rhode Island, if memory serves, and were chatted up by two young women who asked if we were “on Twitter.” First thought was that this was perhaps a psychoactive drug with a nomenclature unique to the northeast. Then, of course, I was told that it was a “social network,” and that I should really consider joining it. (I was myself still a bit dim-witted about the whole idea of a “social network.” “How do you do it?” I asked somewhat plaintively. “You just talk about whatever is on your mind, like a bird tweeting in a tree,” I was told. For the life of me, I couldn’t really grasp the concept, but I dutifully joined, and started tweeting my head off. It was not more than few months later that Doug Cook, then an executive at Twitter and a major wine-geek (@ablegrape) called me and asked me if I would be willing to conduct a tasting at the Twitter office in San Francisco. I gave the geekiest presentation I could possibly manage, bringing up a lot of particularly arcane subject matter. I observed the Twitter executives taking lots of photos with their “smart phones” and texting away a storm. A few weeks later, I was told that I was now a “recommended Twitterer.” After that happened, my viewership (Twittership?) increased somewhat exponentially, and as a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy, I seemed to be cited over and over as someone in the wine business who actually “got” Twitter and this technophobe has been invited to all sorts of conferences as something of an “expert” on the subject of wine and social media.
I still (like virtually everyone else) have not yet figured out how to monetize Twitter, and maybe that is not something that really one ever does. It is an interesting outlet for me – takes up far too much of my time, but it has also put me in touch with some rather extraordinary people, with whom I’ve cultivated real and non-virtual relationships, if that distinction can still be drawn. As far as my “links,” you may well know them better than I. My Twitter handle is @RandallGrahm, and I’m not really sure, to my embarrassment, precisely how to find myself on FaceBook. I still do not have a clue as far as what is appropriate protocol for selecting “friends” on FaceBook. Do they need to be your real friends? In honesty, I do seem to spend a disproportionate amount of time anguishing about who is to be my real friend on Facebook and who are my legitimate contacts on “Linked In.” It is my belief that perhaps we are all a little bit too connected these days for anyone’s good.
[3] My partner, Chinshu, always snorts when she hears I’ve been invited to one conference or another. “Expert! You can barely figure out how to turn your computer on.”
Deep inside Randall Grahm’s refrigerator
4. What is in your refrigerator right now? Any exotic ingredients? My partner, Chinshu, is Taiwanese and she seems to stock a pretty compendious collection of various and sundry Taiwanese vinegars, fish sauces, pickles and such. Which she very seldom touches. It is an incredibly lucky thing for all of us that most of these condiments contain about 30% salt – therefore possessing shelf-lives well into the 22nd century – as my partner, frugal Taiwanese that she is, is constitutionally incapable of ever throwing anything away. The product mix in the refrigerator is further informed by the fact that our daughter, Amélie, is a rather strict vegetarian, and complicating matters, she is, to the infinite chagrin of our parents, no lover of cheese nor of milk products in general. As a result, our fridge is stocked to the brim with tofu and all of the necessary accoutrements – various sorts of miso and vinegars to render the tofu palatable to the eight-year old palate. There is always some alternative source of protein – beans, grains or nuts – that is being auditioned for possible consideration on the culinary center stage.
Randall and Daughter Amelie (Chef)
Being myself somewhat of a hypochondriac, but also sincerely seeking to counteract the effects of far too many rich meals on the road and far too many fat and protein-intensive winemaker dinners, one might also find a good selection of salady rabbit food, as well as cruciferous vegetables in the crisper (I rather like the Escher-like aspect of romanesco). There will also be a pretty diverse collection of nutritional supplements – Omega 3 fish oil capsules, colloidal mineral supplements, “Green Radiance,” and a bottle of aloe vera. Since my partner is of Asian descent, her capacity to consume alcohol is somewhat limited, so there will typically be the remnants of a bottle of white wine, typically a bottle of Riesling.
[4] My mother shares the same trait of being unable to throw away any sort of comestible. I satirized her pernicious habit in “Trotanoy’s Complaint,” a literary spoof that was collected in Been Doon So Long: A Randall Grahm Anthology (soon to be published by University of California Press in paperback) – pardon the shameless self-promotion. It is of course ironic that having escaped likely food poisoning from my mother’s kitchen, I am now compelled to run a similar gauntlet every day in my own home. I am in the habit of moving the oldest items in the refrigerator to the back, where they are no longer noticed, and then on a day I imagine my partner to be slightly distracted, I will stealthily toss the most mold-encrusted jar I can find, patiently waiting until the time is right to disappear the next most poisonous Taiwanese foodstuff.
[5] In fact, she is not strictly speaking, “strict,” as she makes the notable exception in her regimen (at least at this writing) of chicken gorditas, which she scarfs down at the local Farmer’s Market. But anything else containing a molecule of animal protein is ganz verboten.
[6] She seems to make the exception for melted cheese when it occurs on pizza, but is absolutely adamant about not consuming any food product that has been situated even adjacent to a piece of cheese. The slight cheese hysteria really seems to be the only minor character flaw in her otherwise thoroughly delightful personality. She really is a total joy, just a little too skinny.
[7] We are guardedly optimistic about the possibilities of quinoa.
[8] Though, equally plausible is the fact that the wines to which I’ve lately been exposed are maybe not quite so utterly awe-inspiring as the ones of my youth.
5. Is there any wine you’ve enjoyed that brings a tear to your eye when you taste it? Why?
Well, I haven’t had too many wines lately that have brought tears to my eyes; I had most of my eye-tearing wines when I was much younger and worked at the wine shop (1975). Everything was so very new to me then, and I was in a more or less constant state of wonder and amazement. In a sense it is rather tragic that it is so difficult to maintain this sense of openness and wonder with wine, and sometimes it is hard not to feel a bit jaded. I still get a great sense of pleasure when I am privileged to consume a great bottle, but the experience is often a lot more cerebral. I tend to analyze the experience – how did they manage to achieve such and such an effect? -and that does tend to take me away from the primal experience. But recently I had a wine that rather blew me away. I was at Oliveto Restaurant in Oakland and I asked my friend, Bob Klein, the owner to pour me something interesting and amazing. He poured me a glass of something that was very elegant, spicy but also seemingly quite mineral intensive – a lot of persistence on the palate. “Is it a Nerello Mascalese from Mt. Etna?” I asked. “Good guess, but no,” he said.
Well, it turns out that it was a good guess because the wine (2008 Los Bermejos Listan Negro Tinto “Maceracion carbonica”) from the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands is made from grapes grown on pure volcanic soil. “Let me show you a picture of the vineyards,” Bob said, and went off to print out a picture from the winery website. The vineyards looked as if they were grown on a moonscape, if the moon had palm trees. The grapes were planted in what were essentially craters, ringed with basalt stones. The story gets even more complicated. A few days later I was having dinner with Jon Bonné of the Chronicle and mentioned to him that recently I had the most amazing Listan Negro. “Did you know that that grape has a synonym?” he asked. “Any idea what that might be?” I was clueless. In any event, it turns out that Listan Negro is (more or less) a synonym for the Mission grape, the first grape that was grown in California. The Mission grape has the distinction, at least in my book, as being possibly the worst vinifera grape ever conceived – no color, no flavor, no acid. And yet in this iteration, it was absolutely beautiful.
This in fact brought tears to my eyes.
[9] In fact, they are probably a little bit different. The Mission grape most likely derives from a seedling of Listan Negro (the seeds being a lot easier to transport than vines) and is therefore genetically distinctive.
To support our mission and passion for good storytelling, please help support my work and make a tax-deductible donation by clicking here: Wild River Donation.
Wild River Review/Wild Table editor, Warren Bobrow grew up on a farm in Morristown, NJ. A graduate of Emerson College in Boston- with a degree in Film, he spent his senior year of college as a research assistant in visual thinking. (CAVS @ MIT)
To learn more about Warren, click here: Wild River Review.
Please follow me on Twitter @WarrenBobrow1
Blue Hill/Stone Barns: Time Exists in Harmony with Nature
WILD TABLE – Billy Reid: Bourbon, Branch and a Splash of Southern Lore
WILD TABLE-Hunts Point: I’m cold just thinking about that night
Who owns the rights to work published in Wild River Review?
All work published in the pages of Wild River Review belongs to the magazine.
For print publication, please contact: info@wildriverreview.com
We welcome online links, but you must be fully credited with a link back to the Wild River Review website.
I received this note from Shinn Vineyards on Twitter and am honored to share these words because I feel so strongly about the people who own and make Shinn Vineyards wines.
A Thief is a tube of sorts, made from either plastic or glass. You use a Thief to carefully draw wine out of the hole in the top of the cask. Using a Thief, you can also fill a glass with very little effort. Drinking that glass connects you to the cask and to the soil. It’s wine at the beginning of the process.
Wine such as this Malbec, resting gently in the wood cask that gives me a passion for food and conversation. I tasted the wine in my mouth for hours afterwards and these liquid threaded memories are imprinted into my dreams.
I hardly slept a wink last night with the rich flavors of the Shinn wines spinning through my head. The day spent driving around the verdant farms turned vineyards, to the Greenport Brewery to eat oysters by the water and then finally home.
The aromatics of this wine stayed with me all day into the next.
Drinking some of the wines of Shinn last night with slices of a grilled pork butt was impossible to ever forget. This is serious wine for food and for contemplation, leading to conversation about wine. The key word here is intoxicating. I’ve never been told that my energy is intoxicating. This passion for good storytelling evokes a certain emotional response in my readers but I’ve never heard it described in such powerful words.
I’d heard people use words like intoxicating personalities when talking about the other really important wine and spirits writers. It pleases me to share it with you.
I am honored to hear these words and even more so to read them.
My take-away? Find yourself some Shinn wines and contemplate your own dreams, then write them down and share them with us.
Photo: Warren Bobrow- David Page of Shinn Vineyards
Photo: Warren Bobrow- Barbara Shinn of Shinn Vineyards
This thing we call reinvention brought me out to the North Fork Wine country to meet David Page and Barbara Shinn. A few months ago, through the introduction of another friend who is in the wine business, I was fortunate to interview both David and Barbara for an upcoming article being released in the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America Ed., 2. My topic for the Oxford Encyclopedia is Biodynamic and Organic food and wine. There are quite a few experts in this field and I needed the advice of someone who might know a bit more than I do. Plus, I adore the Shinn wines so visiting their tasting room and drinking their wines where they are made was an honor. I sat for a focused tasting of David and Barbara’s wines and came away with a new understanding of their passion. I grew up on a certified Biodynamic farm but there was very little that I could tell people- if asked, what exactly Biodynamics and organics means for the propagation of grapes. David and Barbara suggested tasting their wines to get a feeling for the energy they attempt to extract from the specific Terroir that says the North Fork of Long Island. Long Island Terroir has the potential to make world- class wine. I tasted the Shinn wines and they spoke to me in a language that said to me; class act. The Shinn wines, resting patiently in cask, just out of view was about to speak to my palate and tell me secrets most have never tasted or experienced. David opened his inner sanctum of the vineyard to taste his wines right out of the cask. Drinking wine right out of the cask is a very rare thing. Even really important collectors will tell you that they’ve had all the great wines in the world and may own anything that they can afford to buy, but very rarely have they enjoyed their favorite purchases directly from the barrel, unblended, filtered or fined. I believe that drinking wine directly from the cask reveals the true soul of wine. It was an experience I will never forget served by a genuinely enthusiastic man who has honor of sharing his liquid driven craft with the world. David scampers like a veritable Billy Goat across the tall stacks of French White Oak barrels. “Where’s the Malbec?” He calls out to no one in particular. You don’t lose 50 gallon barrels of wine. It’s not something that can just walk out. If you don’t have a forklift, there is no way a barrel of wine is going to disappear. Up and down David looks crawling up the slippery barrels like a kid on a jungle gym. He finds what he’s looking for and carefully draws out barrel samples for tasting. This was my description of the wine that I sent out on Twitter: RT @WarrenBobrow1: David and Barbara Page of Shinn Vineyards. Producing hand crafted wines with great personality. A walk in the summer forest comes to mind. cc @shinnvineyard The Malbec was unlike any Southern ocean Malbec I’d ever tasted. Flavors of forest floor (a kind of pine cone smell if you’ve ever stepped down on a pine cone, or smelled that pine sap smell) then, coming into view (from a nasal perspective) are the aromas of last years leaves, the sound of them crunching underfoot and the aromatics revealed by that specific action of foot on top of decaying plants rising up to the nose. That’s the earth element that I find so beguiling. Next, little bursts of white chocolate and bittersweet dark pitted fruits come into focus. I called these discoveries- little firecrackers of flavor. Bursts of dark, light and bittersweet chocolate reveal themselves upon swallowing the wine. This was certainly one to drink, not sip and spit which is my practice when tasting dozens of wines at a time. You just can get blasted too quickly drinking barrel samples. My next impression was grass fed beef. The flavors quickly deepened and had the flavorful, charred characteristics of a grass fed ribeye steak. I could have sat down in the aging room in the cool darkness and waxed poetic over this single glass of wine for hours.
Thank you David and Barbara for putting the memories of your wines into my imagination. Every time I taste your wines from here out, I’ll always remember your kindness to me. Cheers! wb
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To support our mission and passion for good storytelling, please help support my work and make a tax-deductible donation by clicking here: Wild River Donation.
Wild River Review/Wild Table editor, Warren Bobrow grew up on a farm in Morristown, NJ. A graduate of Emerson College in Boston- with a degree in Film, he spent his senior year of college as a research assistant in visual thinking. (CAVS @ MIT)
To learn more about Warren, click here: Wild River Review.
Please follow me on Twitter @WarrenBobrow1
Blue Hill/Stone Barns: Time Exists in Harmony with Nature
WILD TABLE – Billy Reid: Bourbon, Branch and a Splash of Southern Lore
WILD TABLE-Hunts Point: I’m cold just thinking about that night
Who owns the rights to work published in Wild River Review?
All work published in the pages of Wild River Review belongs to the magazine.
For print publication, please contact: info@wildriverreview.com
We welcome online links, but you must be fully credited with a link back to the Wild River Review website.
QUESTION 1: Who taught you how to cook, Mother? Father? Grandparents? Television cooking shows? Who is your favorite “media” chef?
Nannie Tanner was “some fine cook.” That’s how they said it in my home town. June Tanner could whip up a “comfort food special” or steam some fava beans ( we called ‘em BROAD BEANS) from her garden at a moment’s notice. (M-m-m-m broad beans with Nana’s scrunchins’)
She “ruled the roost” in her kitchen; wood burning stove and crank water pump and all. Nannie stirred the pots, stuffed the birds, rolled out the dough and canned the veggies while she firmly instructed her numerous daughters and daughters-in-law. My mother,Virginia, was a star pupil. Men, quite simply, didn’t cook in June’s world.
saucy as a child
Mustard Beans,Chow-Chow and Dutch Salad… Now THOSE were homemade pickles!
Needless to say that I/SAUCY/Virginia’s daughter benefitted greatly from Nannie’s expertise. Maybe that’s why Julia Child has to be my all time favourite media chef. I don’t know what it is but something about Julia, something very remote because they certainly bore NO resemblance to one another WHATsoever. But something about Julia makes me think of Nannie Tanner. I think it was their mutually shared passion for cooking. Expressed by each one in very different styles (and accents. Nannie had German roots) but it was THE PASSION that connected them in my mind…. I think.
kid cooking
Wow. I am at this moment, inspired. There are a whole bunch, a whole bunch I tell you, of June’s recipes that I can remember by heart. And let me tell you, that says a lot because I was only 14 when both my grandmother and my mother passed away. So to remember those recipes without notes- man! (Of course you say, Saucy dear, you look to be only in your ..um…er..early 30’s… well shucks, I wish that were true!) So, because of writing this recollection, I will plan to feature some of Nannie Tanner’s recipes on my lobstersandwich blog. Hmmmm. Never thought of that before.
Included will be stuff like HODGE PODGE, HOT MILK CAKE and STRAWBERRIES, GERMAN CUCUMBER SALAD, DISGUSTINGLY FATTENING BACON POTATO SALAD, SATURDAY NIGHT SUPPER, RIDICULOUSLY SIMPLE CHOCOLATE FUDGE, BLUEBERRY CAKE, FISH CAKES with CHOW CHOW and more. Oh yes. The above mentioned scrunchins- I will definitely include that (low cal….NOT) recipe.
The person who did NOT teach me to cook was Mrs Whynacht. And such a home economics teacher she was. White uniform. Hairnet (de rigeur). White hose and lace up hush puppy shoes. Tres skinny. Now…as you can tell from above, my mummy and nannie already had me primed in the cooking department. Mrs.W. did, however, impart two wonderful memories that will never, ever leave me : The coveted baking drawer. To this day I must always have one in my kitchens and stow inside that drawer many of teacher’s recommended implements. The baking drawer, even as I write, causes shivers of pride to flow throughout me.
The other: well, THAT’S the Fudge Making Parties. The ones that had the grade 10 girls make 20-30 batches of different flavours of fudge at a time ( OMG…the cherry vanilla version…we shoulda nixed that one!). Note to reader: We were, early on, groomed in altruistic values. All those fudge making extravaganzas were in support of school fund raisers. Saucy-girl quickly became the leader of the Fudge Making Brigade and was personally responsible for repeated events.
kid booth
There is a third memory actually. The white bib apron. The pinny. I remember that Mrs Whynacht taught us to sew those beauties from scratch, starch them and don them for every cooking lesson. Especially the creamed peas on toast. With an added touch of canned salmon in the recipe ( just for holidays) Yes,darlin’s the peas were canned as well.
WOW. Those memories are powerful. So much so that I have recreated that candy making experience in recent years with friends, just for fun ( I call it FUNraising!). Of course today there just might be a bit of vino involved.
In closing, I’m recalling being maybe eight years old and playing restaurant owner/chef for my mother each night when Daddy was out of town on business. Yup, I made up and printed ( by hand,mind you) the menu,cooked what she ordered and served it in my hastily assembled waitress uniform. The “foodie” seeds were firmly planted early on. Wish I had a picture…oh.
To support our mission and passion for good storytelling, please help support my work and make a tax-deductible donation by clicking here: Wild River Donation.
Wild River Review/Wild Table editor, Warren Bobrow grew up on a farm in Morristown, NJ. A graduate of Emerson College in Boston- with a degree in Film, he spent his senior year of college as a research assistant in visual thinking. (CAVS @ MIT)
To learn more about Warren, click here: Wild River Review.
Please follow me on Twitter @WarrenBobrow1
Blue Hill/Stone Barns: Time Exists in Harmony with Nature
WILD TABLE – Billy Reid: Bourbon, Branch and a Splash of Southern Lore
WILD TABLE-Hunts Point: I’m cold just thinking about that night
Who owns the rights to work published in Wild River Review?
All work published in the pages of Wild River Review belongs to the magazine.
For print publication, please contact: info@wildriverreview.com
We welcome online links, but you must be fully credited with a link back to the Wild River Review website.
I’m pretty sure that I met John Lundin through my friend Jackie at DrinkGal.com, but then again I might be wrong. But as anyone who has spent any time on the open ocean can tell you, once a sailor, always one. Like the time that I met Ed Hamilton from the Ministry of Rum. It was over an ice cold and quite refreshing rum cocktail on the stern of my family’s yacht moored off Tortola about twenty- five years ago. I’ll never forget how enjoyable it was to have Ed sign his Rum’s of the Caribbean book for me. Now, I just have to get John Lundin to autograph a bottle of his salubrious spirit for our bar.
This friendly demeanor holds true for sailors the world over. However, sometimes the where and the when I meet people as fascinating as John, forces me to recall things that I cannot. The original meetings sometime get a bit fuzzy with the drink.
So it goes for me at least.
1. Where did you get your inspiration for spirits? Why organic?
My inspiration for distilling comes largely from my Swedish roots, given the Nordic love of Vodka and the country’s history of distilling. Growing up, Mom would make traditional Swedish vodka infusions and liqueurs using homegrown black currant berries and botanicals. These home-made spirits have always been coveted items in the family, and are reminiscent of recipes dating back hundreds of years.
When I entered the world of distilling it was driven by the convergence of so many factors – a personal and cultural connection to spirits, a deep desire to manufacture, my culinary interests and the fortunate timing of the market beginning to open up to craft spirits. I launched in with head-first gusto and devoured books, designed my own equipment, formulated recipes and distilled almost every spirit I could. I formulated gins and rums as well as lovely spirits like raspberry eau de vie. I truly didn’t emerge until my standards were established and my senses tuned. Bluewater definitely has Nordic roots, but it quickly became a clear extension of my own interests and ambitions.
The Bluewater title and imagery is inspired by my love of sailing, with wind-filled sails rising behind a stylized ocean wave. Every aspect of the sailing motif conveys a dynamic motion, which in turn brings a natural connection to the product.
Bluewater sailing refers to the deep, vast stretches of the ocean off the continental shelf. To sail the bluewater, you need to be completely self-reliant and confidently skilled because you’re so far from rescue if something goes wrong. Your boat needs to be capable of enduring whatever the sea kicks up, which means spending huge effort in preparation. The bluewater is a romantic place where you can traverse huge distances, arrive at foreign lands and even circumnavigate the world – and also terrifying in the same go because of the exposure involved.
Bluewater was born to be organic, it just wasn’t going to happen any other way. (I really prefer the European phrase of ecological, over organic – Swedes would call Bluewater an eko-vodka.) I don’t see the industrial food model as something that I could ever engage in. I want to do everything I can to support agriculture that elevates the health of the land and the people working it. The industrial ag machine may bring large yields, but has let us down in so many ways: chemicals and pesticides in our food, people and communities that suffer, excessive genetic modification and over-reliance on petroleum and scarce water supplies. Farming on an industrial scale seems more like an assault on the land. Ecologically responsible agriculture is a beautiful answer.
Organic certification for Bluewater became a great opportunity to finally really learn about the program. I think most of us are somewhat in the dark on the real details of the USDA organic program, even those of us who purchase organics. I found the USDA guidelines to be logically structured and comprehensive, and establish reasonable tiers of organic ingredient content. Enforcement of the rules falls in the hands of accredited independent and state agencies. In my case, the Colorado Department of Agriculture issues my certification and reviews my production and labeling for compliance. The CO Ag department is very thorough in their review, since they need to maintain their own accreditation with the USDA. I always encourage people to look up the USDA organic guidelines, because it will help them in interpreting labels when grocery shopping.
2. Do you cook? If so, who taught you? Mother? Father? Grandparents? What is your FAVORITE childhood meal and why?
I love to cook. I was engaged in the kitchen from a young age and considered a culinary school direction in younger years. Mostly it was Mom who taught me to cook, and always encouraged me to experiment and learn. These days, my wife and I typically take turns with dinner cooking, and have complementary styles. We work hard to cook from base ingredients and limit the processed foods in our lives. My cooking often centers on meat and fish, typically with a hearty starch and fresh vegetables. Jessica often creates wonderful soups and salads, and baked dishes. I’m on deck anytime fish needs frying – I have at least a dozen different ways to sizzle up fresh fish.
Aboard the boat there’s no microwave, so we never buy any precooked stuff. I abhor non-stick kitchenware, and every pot/pan we have is stainless steel or cast iron. We try to keep things basic, and avoid the techies items and the mystery chemicals they include. With stainless or cast iron, you can cook most things without sticking if you use the right technique, and enough butter. *editor’s note: Butter makes everything taste better!*
My Swedishness has predictably contributed a hearty meat and potatoes style, but Nordic food isn’t usually too heavy. A favorite Swedish meal for me would be Janson’s Frestelse (Janson’s Temptation), which is a savory oven-baked potato dish with anchovies, similar to an au-gratin dish. But a childhood dish that really stands out is Mom’s stuffed cabbage rolls, baked in a cream gravy in a deep iron pot.
3. Do you own a Smart Phone? (iPhone, etc.) Do you Tweet? Facebook?
I love my iPhone,. The interface is so simple and effective, and the steel and glass construction is artful. On the go things like mapping, news, email or networking are so easy now. I indulge in reading the New York Times App in bed in the morning with a coffee. It’s like the future has finally arrived, when you can really enjoy the Times without the paper.
I resisted switching over to Apple products a few years ago, but now I’m as fanatical about their tech solutions as so many are. I’m increasingly justifying the need for an iPad – that will happen very soon. We’re even working on a Bluewater App for the Apple store featuring our mixology and other features.
I tweet with Bluewater, www.twitter.com/bluewatervodka Twitter is a unique platform – I appreciate the dynamic world of tweets and the positive sharing of information. Twitter moves at a blistering pace. I don’t think I’m a great tweeter, but it’s fun to engage as much as I can.
On Facebook, we’re at www.facebook.com/bluewatervodka The Bluewater page is always evolving and I load this with as much content as possible. I think Facebook will continue to power up the internet for some years to come so it’s definitely a focus for Bluewater. I’m fascinated that businesses can now consider launching without their own dedicated domain, just a page on FB.
4. You live on a sailboat. Have you ever taken it really far from the home port? Caribbean? Vancouver, BC? California coastline? Have you ever thought you were going to sink? (I have been in seas so tall that I went below deck so I wouldn’t have to get buried by the waves.)
You never want to sink! Most sailors deal with that fear constantly, it’s just inescapable with the constant threat of groundings, collisions, gear failures and heavy weather. So we spend great efforts on maintenance, skills, knowledge – anything that can thwart a mishap or anticipate a complication. Someone said sailing is 90% terror and 10% ecstasy. The fears are always present, but the payback of blissfully flying across the water with only the power of the wind is so worth it.
Sailing has always been a part of me, since my first memories. We sailed as a family all around Sweden and New England growing up. As I got older I sailed extensively in the beautiful archipelago of Stockholm in the Baltic Sea. I also spent a lot of time on the water in Florida, though that was mostly by motorboat. Now I sail in the Pacific Northwest and moor our boat in Seattle, in the saltwater of the Puget Sound.
I’m a total waterdog, and water has always had a pull on me. In college and some years afterwards, I lived in the Rockies for the skiing. I took up whitewater kayaking to stay connected with the water, and learned so much about reading the river for obstructions, flow, eddies and hydraulics. Now I find myself reading the coastal waters when the tides are pushing at max ebb or flood for the fastest path or avoiding eddy rips. Water is fascinating, and I love experiencing the whole hydrological cycle – from the mountain snows and glacial ice, to the rivers and oceans, and the weather that drives the whole system.
We sail as often as we can, and just returned from six days sailing in the San Juan Islands. It was early in the season, with no other boats out there. We sailed to the Rosario resort on Orcas Island where we got married and had the place to ourselves. I suppose it was a sales trip since Bluewater made its appearance at a few locales.
A trip that stands out as especially delightful, was spending a month exploring the area of coastal B.C north of Vancouver called Desolation Sound. We sailed through deep fjords with glacier-capped peaks above and swam in 75F water. It was so stunningly beautiful and relaxing. At one point we were anchored next to a huge waterfall at the head of the Princess Louisa inlet nestled amid towering mountains. The coast from Seattle to Juneau offers a lifetime of wild coastal terrain to explore.
Most of the sailing we do now is helping train us for future adventures. My wife studies Glaciology and we are both avid skiers and climbers. We want to acquire a metal sailboat capable of voyaging to the glaciated mountains of the higher latitudes. The ultimate goal would be to even winter-over in some of these remote areas. It’s still a ways off, but we’re working towards that style of exploration.
5. What is in your galley fridge right now?
For the cocktailing front, there’s blackberries, strawberries, olives, plenty of citrus and ice. On the food side, we have a couple nice Austrian cheeses and butter that Jessica brought back from a recent trip. Pickled herring and assorted kippers for sailing snacks. Veggies are abundant thanks to the arrival of our organic produce box today. There’s also whole milk, eggs and bacon (a staple). One gem in the fridge is Arthur Bryant’s barbeque sauce from Kansas City.
Rebecca Carlisle is the Senior Editor of Workman Publishing, a boutique firm in TriBeCa. I became friendly with her after I wrote the Five Questions with another of her authors, Mark Kurlansky: who wrote World Without Fish, Cod, Salt and many others pertaining to the lore of the sea. She sent me a copy of:French Classics Made Easyand immediately I was hooked.
I was trained to be a chef. From pot sink to dish sink to cleaning out the trash in the heat of the summer to peeling potatoes. Sure, people graduate from culinary schools; there are dozens of them. I believe that the best way to become more proficient in the kitchen is to have strong teachers, yes. But more importantly, the desire and passion to cook should be the driving ambition. Tasting, sipping, drinking, eating. You must love food and not be afraid of food to be able to write about food.
Photo: Warren Bobrow
Richard Grausman, the author of this book is passionate about food. The first thing I did after unwrapping the package sent to me from Workman Publishing was spill some flour all over the book. If I had the time, I’d dog- ear all the corners and underline most of the book with my annotations and scribbled cooking notes. If the book was edible, I’d season it, cook it, and finally consume it.
The recipes read clearly and the execution is flawless. I like the easy to follow illustrations and the writing makes me salivate. Even the Balthazar cookbook doesn’t go as far with French cooking as Richard does with his book. I’m dying to try the Veal Medallions with sauteed root vegetables- but Fall is several months away. I think the Shrimp a la Provencale will do rather nicely with a white Cotes du Rhone gently resting in the wine cellar. One from Louis Dressner will do rather nicely with the iodine salinity of the shrimp. I loved the easy to read instructions, the classic hand drawn illustrations and the simple translations. There are even simple recipes for jams! Chocolate desserts are no less important than the preparations of ice creams. Bananas Flambeed with Rum? Classic! Instructions how to flambe? Brilliant!
I want to meet this chef and discuss aged rum with him. I have a feeling that we will be on common ground surrounding this salubrious spirit!
Crepes? Why not with Richard’s easy to follow instructions for the lightest and airiest crepes imaginable? You’ll never stop on the street and get gouged by the crepe merchants again when you see just how easy it really is to make crepes a l’orange.
Easy to read, entertaining and well researched, this is a marvelous easy to read cook book. Everyone should buy a copy.
To support our mission and passion for good storytelling, please help support my work and make a tax-deductible donation by clicking here: Wild River Donation.
Wild River Review/Wild Table editor, Warren Bobrow grew up on a farm in Morristown, NJ. A graduate of Emerson College in Boston- with a degree in Film, he spent his senior year of college as a research assistant in visual thinking. (CAVS @ MIT)
To learn more about Warren, click here: Wild River Review.
Please follow me on Twitter @WarrenBobrow1
Blue Hill/Stone Barns: Time Exists in Harmony with Nature
WILD TABLE – Billy Reid: Bourbon, Branch and a Splash of Southern Lore
WILD TABLE-Hunts Point: I’m cold just thinking about that night
Who owns the rights to work published in Wild River Review?
All work published in the pages of Wild River Review belongs to the magazine.
For print publication, please contact: info@wildriverreview.com
We welcome online links, but you must be fully credited with a link back to the Wild River Review website.
