Red Is Life

Absinthe Or Blowfish

"They're pouring Absinthe..." swept the tasting floor - prompting my change of course for a miniscule plastic cup filled with the elixar - sipped then tossed back - interesting - complex - different - just don't get it - though in all fairness - have never set out to do a Toulouse Lautrec - i.e.- total inebriation via Absinthe distilled from the maximum allowable amount of wormwood - consuming beverage - until recently -  "banned world wide" -

With "Forbidden" Absinthe as a base reference - click over to Adam Platt's - To Die For - in New York Magazine this week - May 5, 2008 - where he goes one better - eating - experiencing is a better word - deadly Blowfish (tiger fugu) - in particular - shira-ko - a.k.a. - the engorged fugu sperm sac - you can fee Platt's "numbness" as each bite provokes thoughts of "am I about to die" & "in for a penny - in for a pound" -

Getting paid to be a food critic - may be the fantasy - after reading - To Die For - you'll want to "keep the day job" -

Wildwood

220 seats for BBQ & Bourbon - beer if you insist - 18th & Park Avenue South -

WIldwood's space is large - bar is long - bourbon selection is deep - menu is maturing -

Too cute for hardcore BBQ aficionados - but they will do great -

Planning return visit - if only to work through the rest of the brown spirits -

Correct Whiskey Pour

Wrong - Grab the rocks glass - drag it through the ice bin until full - grab the requested whiskey - count to four as you pour - allow for the illusion of the ice combined with whiskey to fool the customer into thinking he's getting more than he is - toss in a swizzle stick - place it in front of the customer - wait for the tip - Wrong -

Correct - Put the rocks glass on the bar - select the correct whiskey from the rack - pour the correct amount into the empty glass - add ice with the scoop until the glass is 3/4 full - place the glass in front of the customer - assuring him that he has gotten what he has ordered - don''t worry about the tip - quality service will be rewarded -

Refill - take the customer's used glass - leave seasoned ice cubes in the used glass - add whiskey - add "some" fresh ice - return glass to original position in front of customer -

No - this is not "written" in any bartender's manual that I am aware of - Yes - it was a unique pleasure to watch Walter at the Grand Havana Room prepare my Woodford Reserve and refill correctly -

Not A Plain Jane

Jane is an American bistro on Houston Street - very simple decor - very good food - nice selection of wine -

BullDog Tavern

Late NOLA lunch - first choice Casamento's - we were too late - second choice - just plain closed - third choice - BullDog Tavern - yes they were still serving -

Pinot & Cubans

Invited for a cigar - perhaps some wine - maybe dinner - to the Grand Havana Room - used to be Top of the Sixes - 39 floors above 5th Avenue -

Myuge

New to me - Myuge - Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa - CA - 2005 - on the list at Ouest - at several merchant shops in NYC -

Very dark coloration - OK - not a terribly distinctive nose - expecting high tannins - asked that it be decanted - still tight - swirls plus 1/2 hour needed - mellowed sufficiently to pass muster with world's toughest tannin critic - i.e. - wife - lots of alcohol - 15% - but no heat - slightly tart taste - final judgment - good not great - too hard for simple dinner accompaniment - nothing that one would go out of one's way for - √√

So Little Time For So Much Wine

Major wholesaler's tasting to the trade - thought it was 12 to 6 - showed up at 4:30 - informed "we're going to start wrapping up at 5:00" - needed a plan - New World - one varietal only - aw-shucks - it would have to be a Pinot exclusive afternoon - i.e. - its off to the races -

Pint Glasses

Reidel take note -

Great article - For St. Patrick's Day, A Proper Pint - Amanda Clarke - SeriousEats.com - explaining how -

• British pint glasses -
• Republic of Ireland pint glasses -
• American pint glasses -

Are not created equal -

Wine Notes

We did eight wines - seven grapes last night - Sauvignon Blanc - Merlot - Mourvèdre - Bordeaux - Cab Franc - Riesling - Cabernet Sauvignon - wide ranging tastes - wide range of vintages - 750 & 375 bottles - i.e. - diversity -