Good Better Best
One of my big quixotic campaigns is to try to influence the Times Union Best of the Capital Region Reader’s Choice Poll. It’s the powerful poll with the very long name. In all seriousness, it’s the only one that matters here, and that’s because it comes from the largest daily newspaper in the region.
Say what you will about the impending and inevitable death of printed news, the Times Union has a certain degree of gravitas unmatched by any other local news source.
There have been voices suggesting that the FUSSYlittleBLOG abandon this crazy scheme and just publish its own best of list. But there are plenty of lists out there already. For example, just last week Metroland put out its annual Best of 2011 issue. You can see their Food & Drink picks here.
Naturally, I have some thoughts on their selections.
Free Internet Smut
I almost threw away the free smut I found last week. But then I thought twice about that decision, pulled it out of the trash, and put it in a plain brown paper bag. After tucking the bag away, I was off to the Internet to find out more about my dirty little package. And man, you should have seen the pictures my search turned up.
In the end, I found a beautiful woman on twitter who convinced me to take the smut out of the bag, and turn it into an orgiastic delight of the senses. Now I can’t wait to do it again.
You do know I’m talking about food, right? Perhaps I should start from the beginning.
Free Wine
Wine is funny stuff. It’s slippery. So many people want to nail it down to a 100 point scale it is almost comical. The reason it’s so funny is because it can’t be done. It’s like watching someone try to rake water uphill.
There are a lot of things at play, but I want to focus on two: matters of taste and matters of the mind.
Wine, more than many other foods, is dramatically affected by what has immediately preceded it. This is one of the reasons I’m always concerned when cheese is served at a wine tasting. If you are eating cheese, your perceptions of the wine will be drastically different. You can try this at home if you like, it just takes a little concentration. Try the wine before you have a bite of the cheese, and again immediately following the bite and note the differences.
Other factors are involved in the physiology of how a wine tastes. It’s temperature, the size and shape of the glass the wine’s been served in, the age of the bottle, the storage conditions of a bottle, the condition of the cork, and even other ambient smells, are just a few of many. But in some form or another, these things can be controlled for.
It’s the matters of the mind that are much trickier.
The Solution to Margaritas
Ask a bartender; people love ordering margaritas. It’s reasonable thing to do. Shaken or frozen, this tequila sour is a classic combination of flavors, but it is a pain in the ass to make at home.
You need to have fresh limes, tequila and Cointreau or some other triple sec. Then it’s a matter of taking out the Boston shaker or the blender. Making sure you’ve got plenty of ice on hand. Juicing the limes. If the limes are extra tart, you might need some simple syrup, and if you’re out then you’ll have to make a batch of that as well. And it’s very possible that you or someone else would like a salt rim on your drink.
It’s a lot of set up. It makes a mess. And frankly it’s just easier to go out and have somebody else make it for you.
Except there is a problem with that as well. Far too many bars rely on the dreaded sour mix, or even worse some neon green margarita mix for their version of this legendary cocktail. The drinks are often overly large which results in either a too warm or watered down beverage towards the bottom of your glass.
So what are you to do?
A Quick Unfussy Breakfast
Today’s post wasn’t supposed to be about eggs. It was supposed to be about beer, since last night I gathered with several intrepid local Yelpers at Albany’s new watering hole, The City Beer Hall.
On a weekday evening it was a magnificent place to hang out with like-minded friends, drink a few interesting beers, and eat some atypical bar food. I had really hoped to have some remarkable new beers to tell you about, but there is no guarantee when trying new things that one will find something stunning. So the search continues.
I will mention briefly that I was pleasantly surprised with the free pizzas they give you with every pint. It was significantly better than some pizzas I’ve had that are twice the price. All kidding aside, they cook those things right on the oven floor! Take note, Paesan’s. And it gives them a deliciously charred bottom crust.
But yesterday was also remarkable because not just one, but two prominent local bloggers were tweeting about microwaving their morning eggs for the sake of expediency. One had even written recently about her desire to cook more. So while I offered a few helpful suggestions in 140 characters at the time, today the subject gets the full fussy treatment.
Cold Coffee
Finally, it feels like summer has really arrived in Albany. It’s about time, but it’s hot out there. Which means the new priorities are finding ways to beat the heat. Last night we ate a mostly cold dinner consisting of a variety of summer salads, with fresh, seasonal and local produce from our CSA.
Ideally I would have gotten my act together and purchased a grill by now. Because despite having central air, I’m still loath to turn on the oven or fire up the stove. It’s a long story and it goes into all kinds of crazy I won’t bore you with today.
On the other hand, I’m surprisingly well prepared for making iced coffee.
Now for those of you who think that making iced coffee is just about brewing hot coffee and chilling it down, you’ve got another think coming. Yes, sure the old-fashioned way works, but it’s not that great. I’ve found something much better.
Pizza Judges Reunite
Recently there was some bad news for Albany pizza lovers. It was announced that Pasquale’s is up for sale.
Those from outside the region may not quite understand the magnitude of this bulletin. Pasquale’s was the reigning champion for two consecutive years in All Over Albany’s Tournament of Pizza. The first year it vanquished Pizza King’s chicken marsala pie, and the second year it bested the pizza pin-wheeled with nightshades from Nunzio’s in Saratoga Springs.
The third year it came out on top in the Albany bracket, only to lose in the semi-final veggie round based on too-large chunks of green bell pepper. After ten winning pies in a row, one came out that was less than extraordinary. I guess everyone can have a bad day.
Anyhow, upon hearing that this powerhouse of a pizza shop may no longer be with us for long, I tried to rally my fellow judges and favorite All Over Albany editors for a commemorative meal at one of the best pizza joints in the region.
Last night we descended, and I ate like a monster.
The Road to Hell
How much soda do you drink? I realize for an American male between 18 and 49 that my consumption patterns fall well out of the norm. Very little of the stuff ever passes through my lips. And it’s not that I don’t like it nor is it banned from my house. In fact I always make sure to keep some around in case of emergencies.
Right now I have one can of Cel-Ray left from the six pack I bought far too long ago to even remember, and the last five cans from a twelve pack of Throwback Dr. Pepper I bought sometime over the winter.
What might these emergencies be? Well, in the case of the Cel-Ray it would either be fits of nostalgia, washing down some smoky, fatty meat slathered in sauerkraut, or effectively cleansing my palate after a seriously strong pickle. The Dr. Pepper fills a much narrower niche, as I very occasionally rely on its stimulative abilities when there is either no coffee available, or I can’t be bothered to brew a cup of my preferred energy drink.
Caffeine and sugar surely are proof that God loves humankind.
My secret shame, of course, is that there is much more soda in my house than what I have just laid out for you. And the best way I know to deal with shame is to expunge it by putting all my cards on the table and confessing my sins. So here it is.
The Great Wine Protector
A couple weeks ago when I wrote about wine afflicted with cork taint, AC, who works in a wine store, reminded us that “corked” is a term widely and incorrectly used to describe a host of flaws in wine. Oftentimes people will use the word when the cork fails and the wine is oxidized.
A few months ago I wrote about another simple thing that can produce off flavors in wine: light. And specifically, I asked you to pay attention to the color of the glass bottle that holds your wine, as some are more effective than others.
Light and air can damage wine. So can heat. And so can the very thing that is supposed to protect it from the elements, the cork. Fortunately, there is a technology that protects against all of these things. The only problem is that Americans can’t stand it.
Classic Cocktail Glasses
Last night after dinner I found an ouzo candy in my pocket. It came from the Greek restaurant in Providence I visited with my mom on July 4. That day we learned that Young Master Fussy will devour gyro meat and the Little Miss Fussy can eat a whole plate of grilled pork with tzatziki sauce.
That candy, however, was not the only thing I brought back from Providence.
I also was given a box of fine crystal stemware that has been in the family for many years. It’s been in storage for a while, and now that I own a house with an attic, I can no longer tell my mother that I simply have no place to put it. So into the car it went for the three hour drive back to Albany.
There is a full set of lovely wine glasses, a few heavy shot glasses, and one cordial glass. I expect those are going to wind up in the attic. But there was also a set of cocktail glasses that very well may turn me into a proponent of the form.
However, like many good things, they just don’t make them like this anymore. Do you know what makes them so special?
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