Introducing Hartford Flavor Company

Few things are as exciting to me as discovering something new. Especially in my city. This drive to discover new things in Hartford was the reason I started blogging in the first place. I wanted to dispel the preconceived notions, and reveal the truly great things about the city which are hidden in plain site. One of my most exciting recent discoveries, was the introduction to Hartford Flavor Company.  Located in the rear of the imposing industrial address of 30 Arbor Street, is a welcoming patio laced with plants, inviting you inside. 

After a walk through the forthcoming “Diana’s Lair” which is going to be an innovative apothecary style tasting room where visitors can also enjoy a cocktail, I was brought into a sparking white distilling room where I sat down with the company’s owner and creator, Lelaneia Dubay and longtime employee, Ashlie McGrath, to learn more. You know that moment when you realize you have met kindred spirits? Well, this was one of those times. Both women are very focused on local, sustainable, organic, and the power of the plant. Ashlie might actually be joining Hartford Foodie as a guest writer in the future, so keep an eye out for that! We had an interesting talk about Lelaneia’s transformative path from landscape artist to creating natural tinctures for her children, growing her own supply of Echinacea, and her eventual quest to create a liquour that is gluten free, low in sugar, free of chemicals, and as organic and natural as possible. To this end, she began experimenting in her own home and using her friends and their friends as test groups. The winning flavors ended up being; cucumber, rose, lavender (my personal favorite), chai tea, and birch. 

A seasonal cranberry flavor will be coming out for the winter, and there was mention of a pumpkin as well. The actual product is made from a sugar cane base from the Netherlands, and then is infused with the leaves, stems, and flowers of the actual plants. The plants are obtained from sources as local as possible. The lavender is grown by the company in their community garden plot! The recipe and process varies depending on the composition of the plant. Delicate rose petals, for example, can only withstand a few days soaking in the alcohol before burning up. 

As of this month, Wild Moon can officially sell to the public from its production facility. So if you can’t wait for the tasting room to open, head over between 12-3pm, Wed-Saturdays to see the space and purchase a bottle. Limit of 4 bottles per customer. They cost $20 each, and accept cash only. This is a place where magical things are happening. I don’t want to tell you all the details, so go check it out and see for yourself. Be part of the revolution and support a fantastic new Hartford business! 

Directions:
30 Arbor Street, Suites 107-108, Hartford, CT.  Keep the building to your left, follow the signs around to the back, and enter onto the wooden deck at the end. 

Websites: 
http://hartfordflavor.com (sign up for newsletter, check out blog, and stay up to date!)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hartford-Flavor-Company/660352110711238 

Foodie News: New Brewery in Enfield set to open

Mike McManus, 24, is poised to become one of Connecticut's youngest brewery owners when he opens Powder Hollow Brewery in Hazardville. McManus, who was born in Enfield and graduated from Enrico Fermi High School in 2008, started home-brewing beer when he was 20, a year before he was of legal age to consume it. He said he knew right from his first batch, an apricot-infused American ale, that he wanted to open his own brewery. "As soon as I brewed it, I said this is going to happen," McManus said. "It certainly wasn't my best one, but I loved doing it. I love the practice of doing it, seeing it bubble away for two weeks and the anticipation of it."McManus brewed his first beer when he was living in Vermont while attending Vermont Technical College, where he received a degree in construction management. After college he moved to Baltimore for two years to work for a construction company. With his mind still focused on owning a brewery, McManus quit his job and returned home. For the last three to four months, McManus has been busy working on his brewery, which will be near the Scantic River at 504 Hazard Ave. in a 1929 building he is renting from STR Holdings Inc. McManus has built his bar, his brewing system is in place, and he has filled his space with tables and chairs and has tap handles ready to be pulled. With all of the major construction done and town approval given, McManus must now wait for his state and federal licenses before he can start brewing on site. McManus said he expects the brewery, which will serve samples, and sell pints and growlers to go, to be open about eight weeks after he receives his federal license. No exact opening date has been announced, he said. McManus said he's been saving for the brewery since he was in college, and he's the sole owner and investor. He says he thinks he's ready. "I've been to a lot of breweries to make this game plan," McManus said. "I think I'm prepared.” McManus' game plan is to provide variety, brewing two barrels, or 80 gallons, each day. He has 14 tap handles on the wall behind his bar and he hopes that sometime all of them will be flowing with beer. He said he'll offer four to five flagship beers and three to four seasonal beers while the rest of the space will be dedicated to experimental batches, allowing him to get creative. McManus said he loves stouts and India pale ales, meaning plenty of those will be on tap, including a dry stout he's been brewing since he was in college. He also has a few unique offerings he plans to sell, including a lime basil ale. "I definitely look at all the styles out there," McManus said. "I really like to do these experimental ones. It makes the process so much more fun.”

-Hartford Courant/ 2014

Foodie News: Dry bars – is England sobering up?

Alcohol is omnipresent," says Catherine Salway, handing me something called a Beetroot Coco-tini. "You can't even go to the cinema now without considering having a glass of wine. But I thought: 'There's a way to cut through that, and do the opposite.'"

Salway is 40, and the founder of a new "gastrobar" called Redemption, located at the foot of the Trellick Tower on Golborne Road, west London. The decor is stripped-down and chic: bare brick walls, neon signs and furniture that a neighbouring social enterprise has made out of other people's junk. Sight unseen, you'd think you were in a reasonably typical urban hostelry.

But that's not quite true. The food here is "pretty much" vegan, but what really sets the place apart is a completely alcohol-free drinks menu. The basic idea, Salway tells me, is to offer people a chance to "spoil yourself without spoiling yourself", and provide a sanctuary of sober calm in the midst of a booze-dominated culture. As she sees it, moreover, her business is on the crest of a wave – as evidenced by a handful of similar projects in other British towns and cities, and statistics that suggest our national dependence on the bottle may at last be starting to wane, not least among people under 30.

Until 2011, Salway was the chief brand director for the Virgin Group. She was also drinking a lot, a habit that developed when she first arrived in London in the giddily hedonistic mid-90s. By now, though, an existential hangover had kicked in: "I was overweight, drinking too much, pretty miserable. And I thought: 'I could just sit here grinding away, doing corporate jobs, or do something meaningful.'"

The idea for Redemption came to her when she was holidaying in a yogic retreat in Goa ("very cliched," she smirks). No booze was available – which, she was surprised to find, gave everyone she was with a pronounced feeling of liberation. "It was only by alcohol not being present at all that we were freed from it," she says.

And so, via an initial "residency" at a venue in Hackney followed by the opening of permanent premises here in September 2013, a new business came into being. With backing from two individual investors and over £50,000 of her own money already staked, Salway says she wants to open up two more branches of Redemption in London. In time, she would like to expand abroad.

"Loads of people have told me I'm going to fail: particularly big property moguls from London, and traditional investors – mainly men over 50," she says. "A lot of people said to me: 'You're mad – London runs on alcohol. It's fuelled by alcohol.' And I said: 'Well, not everybody, and not all the time.'"

For all the collective angst about Britain's drinking habits, our consumption of booze does seem to be changing. According to the Office for National Statistics, the share of people who report having a drink in the previous seven days has been falling for at least eight years: 72% of men and 57% of women did so in 2005, but by 2013, the respective figures had fallen to 64% and 52%, and the amount of alcohol consumed by people on their "heaviest" day had also come down.

The ONS advises a certain degree of caution when it comes to these numbers: not surprisingly, there tend to be discrepancies between how much people say they drink, and the quantities they actually put away. It should also be noted that medical problems caused by alcohol are at an all-time high, and all those headlines about rising middle-aged dependency do not come out of nowhere. The 2007-8 crash and subsequent downturn seem to be a factor in reduced consumption, which might undermine claims that Britain has started to see the error of its bacchanalian ways: could it be that we are as thirsty and dependent as ever, but just a bit more strapped for cash?

As Salway explains, it's generational differences that suggest something really is up. According to NHS data, in 1998, 71% of 16 to 26-year-olds said they'd had a drink in the week they were questioned about their habits – but by 2010, that figure had fallen by around a third, to 48%. "People in their early 20s and teenage years are growing up with parents who get lashed all the time, and that's uncool," she says. "I've also heard that there's a lot of displacement through use of technology. Kids aren't going out to get drunk because they've got so much to stimulate them."

All this has begun to soak into the culture. Not that long ago, foregoing booze during January was a pursuit quietly embraced by a modest number of people: this year, thanks chiefly to the Dry January challenge run by Alcohol Concern, it achieved a new peak of ubiquity (Redemption, Salway says, was suddenly very busy, and numbers remained healthy in February). There is now an online social network called Soberistas, aimed at "people trying to resolve their problematic drinking patterns".

Alcohol charities in such hard-drinking cities as Liverpool and Nottingham now run dry bars, and there are plans to open similar places in Newcastleand Brighton: the latter project is the brainchild of Kevin Kennedy, who once played Curly Watts in Coronation Street, and has experienced life-changing problems with drink. In Norwich, a dry bar called The Drub has started, sampling demand by doing a monthly pop-up. In Chorley, Lancashire, meanwhile, a new business named the Temperance Baroffers a kitsch take on the outlets that spread across that part of England when teetotalism became embedded in the culture of the 19th century; and in nearby Rawtenstall, there remains Britain's only surviving original temperance outlet, whose owners still manufacture booze-free drinks, and make much of a history that dates back around 120 years.

On the night I visit Redemption, among the customers are a trio of twentysomethings, slurping apple mojitos around a long table. Jennifer Moule, 28, and Alicia Brown, 27, are both secondary school teachers; 28-year-old Yassine Senghor manages a club, and is therefore well aware of what a contrast to the prevailing model of socialising this place represents. "The fact that there's no booze makes everything easier," says Moule, who is splitting her time between chatting, and marking Year 11 essays on To Kill a Mockingbird and The Crucible. "You're not distracted: the evening won't turn into something else."

I mention the idea that their generation is less boozy than its predecessors, hoping for some proud statements of 21st-century puritanism. But no. "I had a bottle of malbec last night with my boyfriend," says Moule. "Well, he had a glass, anyway."

"But that's what makes this place perfect," says Brown. "If we were anywhere else, we'd order a bottle, not just glasses."

A few days after my evening in west London, my time at Nottingham's Sobar begins with a bottle of "pre-mixed Berry Bonanza". Located in the city centre, opposite a vast branch of the pub chain Walkabout, this place is much bigger than Redemption, but offers a similar sense of something new: it's more sumptuous than a cafe, definitely not a bar, and though it serves food, it's much less stuffy than most restaurants. The bacchanalia of the notorious Lace Market district, a five-minute walk away, feels like it might be happening on another planet: here, there's a sense of time suddenly slowing down, and conversation taking precedence over everything else.

Opened in January, Sobar is an offshoot of the Nottingham-based addiction charity Double Impact, which assists people in recovery from both alcohol and illegal drugs: £340,000 of the bar's initial finances have come from the Big Lottery Fund, and it makes a point of employing and training people whose lives have been scarred by addiction. Its daily comings-and-goings, though, transcend all that: Sobar's founders reckon that around 85% of its clientele are people with no history of such problems, who have simply been drawn by what Sobar – taglined "0% ABV", which stands for Alternative Bar Venue – has to offer.

Like Salway, the people here have taken advice from the Brink, a dry bar in Liverpool opened by the charity Action on Addiction in 2011. But the initial idea for Sobar came from people whom Double Impact were helping: they said they felt the need for a place that didn't feel treatment-focused, and wasn't housed in anything that looked like it specialised in rehab. Initial discussions suggested a "serenity cafe", which soon developed into something much more ambitious, not least in terms of its city centre location: a former branch of the Nottingham Building Society – the managers of which have leased it to its new tenants for a hugely reduced rent.

"I've seen other examples of dry bars, and they've been stuck in back streets, or in community centres," says Double Impact's chief executive, Graham Miller, 50. "If that's what people do to start things off, then OK. But they should be aiming at city centre premises."

Even if that puts them next to apparent sources of temptation? "That question comes up a lot," he says. "If you get someone's recovery right, that temptation's not there. What's always there is that human desire to get out and socialise. And this is a high-quality and safe place to do that."

Much of Sobar's night-time trade is driven by events: live music, poetry readings – and, says Miller, sets from DJs. Which prompts an obvious question: will British people really dance when they're sober?

"Oh yeah," he says. "I've been here when they've done it."

Sobar's general manager, 36-year-old Alex Gilmore, tells me her clientele is wildly varied, but when I mention all those stats suggesting that increasing numbers of young people are spurning the bottle, she nods in recognition. She explains that all those recent stories about the reckless online drinking game Neknominate brought in people from the city's two universities, keen to find out about something different from the soused craziness that regularly surges through campuses.

There is also a gender factor. "There's not a vast difference [between men and women]," she says, "but there do tend to be a lot of women in here, during the daytime and at night. I think they feel this is a safe environment. If they want something to eat, perhaps with a friend, they're not going to be surrounded by groups of men piling drinks down their necks. So it's probably easier to get the idea through to them than to men."

So it proves later in the evening, when, in between sampling the food (which is great – without booze, I'm told, the kitchen has to aim much higher than standard burger'n'chips pub fare), I talk to Alice Clough, 27, and 21-year-old Fiona Schmitt, both students at Nottingham Trent University, who have come to Sobar for the first time. "I'm not really a big drinker," says Schmitt. "I've done it already – I started to cut down when I was 20. You have to look after yourself in a city you don't know that well. And I guess I grew out of feeling like shit. I just can't be arsed any more."

At a neighbouring table, I meet four men who've come through different problems with booze and drugs, and are now among Sobar's regulars. "I've been in recovery for 10 months. I used to spend a lot of time in pubs: I liked the excitement and all the possibilities of adventure," says Ian Peskett, 32. "Here, there aren't those dangers." He says he comes here chiefly to have a decent conversation. "But also, I don't want to see the place go under. This is my local."

All of them talk about their experiences with intoxicants, and what they see as the singular effects of alcohol. "I spent 17 years as a functioning heroin addict," says 47-year-old Gary Hamilton. "I held down a job, had a wife and child. But two years of drinking flattened me." Compared to other drugs, they tell me, alcohol's effects on mental health should not be underestimated; it has a habit of sparking anxiety and depression that in turn lead on to even more drinking.

On the city streets, distant shouts and clattering heels herald the start of another night on the town: shop windows in a nearby student area advertise home-delivery booze until 5am, and places offering knock-down prices do their usual roaring trade. Inside here, the background music drifts around the room, people come in and out, and a rather different world carries on, regardless.

SOURCE:http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/mar/21/dry-bars-is-england-sobering-up

Event: Craft Sippin' in New Britain

"Hartford Distributers and the New Britain Museum of American Art have been hard at work lining up the finest local craft beer vendors for the first ever Craft Sippin' in New Britain. Approximately 15 beer vendors will be joined by some of our favorite local restaurants for a night of blues, brews, and activities. Participating restaurants include East Side Restaurant, Sliders Grill & Bar, Nora Cupcake, and Jordan Caterers. Beer tastings include samples from Back East, Cambridge House, Thomas Hooker, Charter Oak, Long Trail, Dogfish Head, Founder's, Arch, and Sliders Grill & Bar’s very own Flippin Bird Ale. Don’t stop at food and drink, join others in creating your own drink coasters. Live blues will be performed throughout the night by Bob Orsi & Joel Blumert as you sip those blues away! Ticket includes all you can sample beer, bite-sized samples from the above restaurants, light snacks provided by the NBMAA, music, and activities."

The details:
Friday, February 21st, 2014  6-10pm
$30 Members/$35 non-Members/$40 at the door
Tickets available at:  http://www.nbmaa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=190

Event: Calling all gin aficionados!!!

I don't know what reception I'm at, but for God's sake give me a gin and tonic.

-Denis Thatcher

An exciting event taking place this Saturday at 116 Crown in New Haven. One of the co-owners of the brand, Martin Dawson will be visiting from 5-8pm and treating all attendees to a cocktail made with their Broker's Gin!


A bit of background about their gin that I found on their website: "Creators Martin and Andy Dawson chose the image of a bowler-hatted gentlemen - an archetypal stockbroker - to reflect the fact that historically England is the home of gin. Broker’s is a seriously good gin with a quirky marketing approach. Broker’s Gin is made in a 200-year-old distillery in the heart of England using a traditional copper pot-still. The recipe is as old as the distillery. A quadruple-distilled pure grain spirit made from English wheat is redistilled with ten traditional botanicals, creating a gin of outstanding flavour and smoothness. Broker’s Gin does not follow the modern trend of using weird and wonderful spirits and botanicals. There are no oddball ingredients in Broker’s Gin. We believe our forefathers did an unbeatable job perfecting gin recipes over many hundreds of years. Broker’s Gin has won more top awards in international competitions over the last ten years than any other gin."

Proposal for Sunday beer sales by CT Governor gains momentum

In the event that you are not the kind of person who stalks the governor's page for recent proposals and actions, you might not know about the pressure to modernize the antiquated "blue laws" in the state in reference to liquor and beer sales.  For reference, "The Blue Laws of the Colony of Connecticut, as distinct from the generic term "blue laws" that refers to any laws regulating activities on Sunday, were the initial statutes set up by the Gov. Theophilus Eaton with the assistance of the Rev. John Cotton in 1655 for the Colony of New Haven, now part of Connecticut. After the laws were approved, they were printed in London, England, in 1656 and distributed to households in New Haven. Although there has been much commotion made about the harshness of the Blue Laws of Connecticut, it seems that they are the perpetuation of an incredible hoax, by the Reverend Samuel Peters, an Anglican forced to leave America during the Revolution. He made up examples of "Blue Laws" in a booklet in order to make America appear backwards and fanatical." For your amusement and enlightenment, I have listed the laws below, courtesy of the ever helpful wikipedia.

The puritans were a strange bunch alright. However, the battle over the sale and consumption of alcohol has always been contested in this country. After the Puritans, there was the temperance group which was popular in New England as well. Henry Ward Beecher (brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe) was a prominent figure in this movement which was founded in Litchfield county.

All this liquor history has given me a thirst, so on to the CT Brewery Trail. Betcha didn't know we had one of those, did you? As it turns out, Connecticut has been steadily increasing its prescense and now boasts thirteen active breweries! City Steam and Thomas Hooker Brewery have already been mentioned on this blog, but Olde Burnside, New England Brewing, Cottrell, Cavalry, and Relic Brewing still need to be explored. The list of 13 also include breweries that are in the early stage of development, giving us something to anticipate. Since the wine trail doesn't open till May, and in honor of Governor Malloy's proposition, it seems highly appropriate to head out and raise a pint class to the end of CT's Blue Laws.

Check out the full list and websites here: http://ctbeertrail.net/page/breweries-1

If you are interesting in finding out more information on the governor's proposal, or on taking action yourself...check out the following links.

http://www.governor.ct.gov/malloy/lib/malloy/2012.01.14_modernizing_ct_liquor_laws.pdf

Take action and VOTE : http://endctbluelaws.org/ (header on page borrowed from them)

The Blue Laws of the Colony of Connecticut
1.The Governor and Magistrates convened in general Assembly, are the supreme power under God of this independent Dominion.
2.From the determination of the Assembly no appeal shall be made.
3.The Governor is amenable to the voice of the people.
4.The Governor shall have only a single vote in determining any question; except a casting vote, when the Assembly may be equally divided.
5.The Assembly of the People shall not be dismissed by the Governor, but shall dismiss itself.
6.Conspiracy against this Dominion shall be punished with death.
7.Whoever says there is power and jurisdiction above and over this Dominion, shall suffer death and loss of property.
8.Whoever attempts to change or overturn this Dominion, shall suffer death.
9.The judges shall determine controversies without a jury.
10.No one shall be a freeman, or give a vote, unless he be converted, and a member in full communion of one of the Churches allowed in this Dominion.
11.No man shall hold any office, who is not sound in the faith, and faithful to this Dominion; and whoever gives a vote to such a person, shall pay a fine of £1; for a second offence, he shall be disfranchised.
12.Each freeman shall swear by the blessed God to bear true allegiance to this Dominion, and that Jesus Christ is the only King.
13.No quaker or dissenter from the established worship of this Dominion shall be allowed to give a vote for the election of Magistrates, or any officer.
14.No food or lodging shall be afforded to a Quaker, Adamite, or other Heretic.
15.If any person turns Quaker, he shall be banished, and not suffered to return but upon pain of death.
16.No Priest shall abide in this Dominion: he shall be banished, and suffer death on his return. Priests may be seized by any one without a warrant.
17.No one to cross a river, but with an authorized ferryman.
18.No one shall run on the Sabbath day, or walk in his garden or elsewhere, except reverently to and from meeting.
19.No one shall travel, cook victuals, make beds, sweep house, cut hair, or shave, on the Sabbath day.
20.No woman shall kiss her child on the Sabbath or fasting day.
21.The Sabbath shall begin at sunset on Saturday.
22.To pick an ear of corn growing in a neighbor's garden, shall be deemed theft.
23.A person accused of trespass in the night shall be judged guilty, unless he clear himself by his oath.
24.When it appears that an accused has confederates, and he refuses to discover them, he may be racked.
25.No one shall buy or sell lands without permission of the selectmen.
26.A drunkard shall have a master appointed by the selectmen, who are to debar him from the liberty of buying and selling.
27.Whoever publishes a lie to the prejudice of his neighbor, shall sit in the stocks, or be whipped fifteen stripes.
28.No minister shall keep a school.
29.Every rateable person, who refuses to pay his proportion to the support of the Minister of the town or parish, shall be fined by the Court £2, and £4 every quarter, until he or she pay the rate to the Minister.
30.Men-stealers shall suffer death.
31.Whoever wears clothes trimmed with gold, silver, or bone lace, above two shillings by the yard, shall be presented by the grand jurors, and the selectmen shall tax the offender at £300 estate.
32.A debtor in prison, swearing he has no estate, shall be let out and sold, to make satisfaction.
33.Whoever sets a fire in the woods, and it burns a house, shall suffer death; and persons suspected of this crime shall be imprisoned, without benefit of bail.
34.Whoever brings cards or dice into this dominion shall pay a fine of £5.
35.No one shall read Common-Prayer, keep Christmas or saints-days, make minced pies, dance, play cards, or play on any instrument of music, except the drum, trumpet, and the jaw harp.
36.No gospel Minister shall join people in marriage; the magistrates only shall join in marriage, as they may do it with less scandal to Christ's Church.
37.When parents refuse their children convenient marriages, the Magistrates shall determine the point.
38.The selectmen, on finding children ignorant, may take them away from their parents, and put them into better hands, at the expense of their parents.
39.Fornication shall be punished by compelling the marriage, or as the Court may think proper.
40.Adultery shall be punished by death.
41.A man that strikes his wife shall pay a fine of £10; a woman that strikes her husband shall be punished as the Court directs.
42.A wife shall be deemed good evidence against her husband.
43.No man shall court a maid in person, or by letter, without first obtaining consent of her parents: £5 penalty for the first offence; £10 for the second; and, for the third, imprisonment during the pleasure of the Court.
44.Married persons must live together, or be imprisoned.
45.Every male shall have his hair cut round according to a cap.

Bourbon and Cigars= why not?

My friends are I are huge fans of the Owl Shop, and you can check out an earlier post about this cool spot. Go on and try it! The worn in leather chairs, dark lighting, vintage cocktail menu, and choice of cigars should be calling you right about now. It's the perfect place to escape to for a few hours on a dark new england evening.

Cheers! to Holiday drink recipes

Mmmm, one of my favorite drinks of the holiday season, without a doubt is eggnog. This season, I thought it might be fun to try making my own batch of the stuff, mixed of course with some spiced Jamaican rum. Here is the recipe incase you would like to be adventurous this holiday season too. From what I read, if it's properly stored, it can last up to a few months (transfered to a bottle and kept in the fridge). If you have any left over after serving this punch, it could be bottled and made into an excellent gift for those hard to shop for people!

"Baltimore Eggnog"
Contributed by Derek Brown
INGREDIENTS:
2 dozen Eggs, separated
1 (750-mL) bottle VS cognac or other brandy
16 oz Jamaican rum
2 lb Powdered sugar
3 qt (96 oz) Whole milk
1 qt (32 oz) Heavy cream
1 tsp Salt
.75 tsp Grated nutmeg
Glass: Punch

PREPARATION:
In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks until light and lemon-colored. While continuing to beat, add the brandy, rum, sugar, milk, heavy cream and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and nutmeg until they form stiff peaks. Fold the whites into the yolk mixture. Serve in punch cups. (This recipe serves 25 people.)

4th Annual New Haven Green Drinks Event with guest speaker Colin Caplan

COME CELEBRATE OUR 49th EVENT AND FOUR YEARS OF GREEN DRINKS EVENTS IN NEW HAVEN!

Wednesday November 16, 2011- 6 to 8pm
Zafra Cuban Restaurant and Rum Bar, 259 Orange St. (just North of Elm St)
Zafra Cuban Restaurant & Rum Bar: Cuban food with a flair. The only rum bar in Connecticut and the most rum types in New England. Amazing food presentation and a creative cocktail menu that will keep you coming back for more. Daily drink specials and weekly live entertainment in a cool Caribbean vibe. Thank you to Zafra’s Manager, Kam Tom, for having NHGD.
T: (203) 859-5342. See http://www.zafrarumbar.com/Page_5.html for directions

Our lively speaker will be Colin Caplan at 7pm.
Colin M. Caplan is a New Haven native who cultivated his love and passion for the Elm City through his work in history, architecture, community engagement and writing. Colin authored four books on local history and architecture. Recently, after a brief stint in Los Angeles, Colin launched Taste of New Haven Food & Drink Tours to help the City’s image and economy while making a new cultural destination for tourists - www.tasteofnewhaven.com.

Don’t miss our one and only 4th Annual New Haven Green Drinks’ Event. Bring your friends. It’s FREE.
See you there and Cheers!

Website: http://www.greendrinks.org/CT/New_Haven
New Haven Green Drinks is an award-winning monthly environmental social event to get to know what and who is going "Green" in New Haven County; Meeting every 3rd Wednesday of the Month from 6 to 8pm somewhere fun in the New Haven area. Suggestions for free and "green" event locations are welcome.

Return of the Midweek Hangover at Bocca Rossa

Ah, Tuesday nights. How I have come to love thee.  Why you might ask am I asking you to leave the comfort of your house and trudge out into the not always pleasant fall/ winter weather on a weekday night? What better reason than to relax with a nice bottle of wine and wash away the stress of the beginning of the week? And for half price? 


Personally I think the New England notion that  we are supposed to suffer all week long without any fun and try to squeeze in everything into a weekend that flies by in the blink of an eye is just plain obnoxious. Hence why I began my quest of locating the best midweek deals around the state. It seems to be a much more cultured and balanced way to approach life to find ways to enjoy oneself all week long! 


Regardless of my personal philosophies and rantings, Bocca Rossa is definitely the place to situate oneself on a Tuesday evening. The atmosphere is dark and sensual. House and lounge music linger in the background, and the kitchen serves accompaniments such as bruschetta, and other tasty morsels. Of course Tuesdays are not the only night to visit, here are some other nights and other reasons:

Mondays/ Wed / Fridays: Happy Hour from 4:30-6:30 pm with $3 appetizers, $5 house martinis, $10 flights of 3 wines, and $3 pints. 
Thursdays: Soulful Thursday happy hour
Saturday: House music all night long
Sunday: Closed (unfortunately)


Address: 942 Main Street, Hartford, CT
Phone: 860-522-6222
Website: http://boccarossawinebar.com/

It only took a 75 years, but Connecticut Moonshine is back!

Onyx Founders: Adam von Gootkin and Peter Kowalczyk

More excited I could not have been upon recieving an invitation to visit a local distillery that has recently begun production of an authentic moonshine based on original recipes. Adam and Peter were gracious enough to meet with me and show me where the magic happens. Where you ask? In an 18th century woolen mill in Manchester naturally, what could be more ideal? Moonshine, apparently has a long history of being made in Connecticut. Who knew? Since the founders of Onyx are both history lovers, the local angle was a particular draw and aided in their conviction that the state needed a distillery to call its own. During our conversation, I was struck by the amount of research, pride and preparation that these guys had taken in their journey to launch this spirit. From the wooden cork in the bottle, the charter oak emblazened on the label and the knowledge of moonshine production and arrest stories gleaned from old Hartford Courant articles, these guys impressed me.

But what about the moonshine? I have to say, I really needed to know what exactly went into making this spirit as my friend had taken to sharing lore with me, such as going blind from distilling in poor stills. After hearing however that there was only distilled Connecticut water, honey and corn in the product, I decided I could risk it. The taste has been likened to a flavored vodka, whiskey or even tequila. Honestly though, it is just straight up delicious. Add ice and swirl is my recommendation.

Now where to find moonshine should be your next question, as it was mine. While the founders are actively promoting, they have already been able to secure 25 locations where you can go and grab a bottle. You can expect the price point to be between $23-$25. There are several restaurants: Garnish Bistro (Bristol); South Tavern (Glastonbury); Wood N Tap (Hartford); The Stone and Paddle (Manchester) and Crown and Hammer (Collinsville). I am hoping that we see a few more places in Hartford, but that's just cause I am partial! The list of liquor stores that are carrying it are on their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/OnyxSpirits?sk=app_4949752878

Not that this is needed for Onyx Moonshine, these are some common folk tests for ensuring the quality of moonshine:

1. "Pour a small quantity of it into a spoon and set it alight. The theory was that a safe distillate burns with a blue flame, but a tainted distillate burns with a yellow flame. Practitioners of this simple test also held that if a radiator coil had been used as a condenser, then there would be lead in the distillate, which would give a reddish flame. This led to the phrase, "Lead burns red and makes you dead."
2. "Another test used for moonshine is for "proof". A small amount of gun powder is poured into a dish with the moonshine. It is ignited, and if the mixture starts to flame it is "proofed". In other words, if it burns, then it contains plenty of alcohol. But if it does not burn, then the moonshine has been diluted. (Note that this only proves that the alcohol content is at least 57% ABV.)"

Enjoy a free drink if you are a Hartford resident - TONIGHT!

Yep, that's what I read and that is what I am spreading to all you blog readers today. If you are a Hartford resident, the new Russian Lady on Ann Street is giving you a free drink on the house, and a chance to come and tour the new space before their grand opening. Talk about showing some love to the city! Just show up there between 6pm and 8pm tonight and be prepared to show your ID to prove that you are indeed a resident and not a poser.

The only thing that would make the opening of the Russian Lady better for me is if they were able to recover the statue that used to grace the building's rooftop. My friend and I have been discussing this and feel quite certain that we were not imagining it when we saw the iconic statue in a lobby of a New York city building in the wee hours of the morning. It would be truely amazing if it were returned. That's all I am saying.

Address: 191 Ann Street, Hartford, CT
Website: www.TheRussianLadyHartford.com

Dish IV: Raise a Glass! Happening at Real Art Ways!

This year's theme is DISH: Raise a Glass! It is taking place on October 3rd at 7pm and it an event for all you local foodies that you are not going to want to miss. Check out the line up! Our conversation will turn to what has become one of the most interesting new Connecticut products; wines, spirits, beers and liqueurs moderated by Rand Richards Cooper of Bon Appetit. After the discussion, Real Art Ways will have a beverage sampling in the galleries. Joining Rand Richards Cooper will be: Jason McClellan,Owner of Olde Burnside Brewing Company. Olde Burnside Brewing Company specializes in creating Scottish syle brews; they are releasing a new Scottish Beer, Highland Wild this September. Michael Boissy, Founder of Ripe Ripe is a series of cocktail mixers created from fresh squeezed juices and other natural ingredients. Manny Mangiafico, a representitive from Peel. Peel are all natural fine Italian liqueurs. Louis & Margaret Chatey, Owners of Westford Hill Distillery Westford Hill Distillery blend European tradtion with American craftsmanship to create clear fruit brandies made from 100% natural fruit from the orchards of the northeast. Adam von Gootkin, Co-Founder of Onyx Spirits Onyx Spirists is a new start up distillery who recently released their first spirits in April. They will be soon taking part in the Farm to Chef Program. ...and more to be announced. ABOUT DISH DISH is Real Art Ways's discussion series on the restaurant business, with discussions and tastings with the area’s most outstanding chefs and restaurateurs. In 2006 DISH premiered, in 2009 DISH II followed, focusing on the front-of-house operations, last year's 2010 Dish III discussed the growing movement in Connecticut towards local, sustainable foods and organic cuisine.

      

A little bit of Hooker and you...

Thomas Hooker

If you are a local reader then more than likely you are familiar with the city of Hartford's founder, Thomas Hooker and the brewery that appropriates his name with a quirky play on words as The Hooker Brewery. As a former bar manager, trust me when I say that the beer's popularity is due to more than its clever name, although patrons continually are amused by the sound of "I'd like a Hooker", "2 Hookers please" or the endless string of combinations one can come up with. So it is with Hooker in mind, that I thought I would throw a few things your way from dinners to brewfests to tastings. First up, the Pond House Cafe, located in Hartford's historic Elizabeth Park is hosting a beer dinner which is as follows: 


Hooker Beer Dinner/ The Pond House Cafe

Friday, August 12, 2011    Time: 6:30 PM
$47.62 per person
Passed Hors D'oeuvres - Blonde Ale
Grilled Pineapple and Tomato Salad - Watermelon Ale

Steamed Red Snapper - Munich
Pit Smoked Pork Tenderloin - IPA + Irish Red Ale
Homemade Donuts with Pineapple - Double Bach

Tapping into Twain/ Mark Twain House

Friday, Sept 23rd / Time: 6-9pm 

Annual Oktoberfest with a selection of brews and microbrews, scrumptious food from local restaurants, and rockin music to mix it all up with.

Harvest Bounty Wine and Brew Fest/ Litchfield Community Center

Saturday, Oct. 22nd/ Time 4-8pm

The Litchfield Community Center will host their 5th annual fest with multiple brewers, food vendors offering some culinary delights and live performances. A diverse selection of wines will also be offered to taste from the Village Wine Cellar of Litchfield.


Finally on any given Friday or Saturday, head over to the Hooker Brewery and treat yourself to a tour of the facility and a beer tasting at their open houses. Fridays from 5-8pm and Saturdays from 12-5pm. And if, for kicks, you would like to stop by and pay the original Hooker a visit, his grave is located in the Ancient Burying Grounds at 60 Gold Street in downtown Hartford. Website: http://www.theancientburyingground.org/


Hooker Brewery is located at 16 Tobey Rd, Bloomfield, CT 06002. Website: http://www.hookerbeer.com

"Organic Wine Tasting & Dinner" at Uncorked Restaurant & Wine Bar

Don't miss out on our first-ever "Organic Wine Tasting & Dinner" at Uncorked Restaurant & Wine Bar in Blue Back Square, West Hartford! Call us in the shop for reservations (860-761-2541). Join Dotcom Wine & Spirits, Uncorked Restaurant & Wine Bar, and Worldwide Wines as we present an evening of extraordinary dining and education. Each wine poured bears an "organic" certification - including: Certified Organic, Certified Biodynamic, or Certified Sustainable LIVE. Jim Millerick of Worldwide Wines will guide us through this growing category of exciting producers, with cuisine expertly paired by Steven Morron, Executive Chef of Uncorked Restaurant & Wine Bar.

MONDAY JULY 18, 6:30pm

Uncorked Restaurant & Wine Bar, 63 Memorial Rd (Blue Back Square) West Hartford, CT
$45/person (plus tax & gratuity) Seating is limited for this special event - For reservations, please call Dotcom Wine & Spirits, 860-761-2541

MENU:
Blue Point Oysters
Lemon Grass Mignonette, Kombu Melon Granita
Paul Dolan Sauvignon Blanc, Mendocino (Certified Organic)

Organic Wine Braised Poussin
Steamed Kohlrabi, Cauliflower Puree
Benziger Chardonnay, Sangiacomo Vineyard (Certified Biodynamic)

Indian Spiced Rabbit Etouffee
Roco Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley Oregon (Certified Sustainable LIVE)

Balsamic Roasted and Stuffed Tomatoes
Provencal Herbs, Orzo, Pancetta, Aged Balsamic
Querciabella Mongrana, Tuscany (Certfied Biodynamic)

Pulpo a la Gallega
Diced Andouille Sausage, Galician style Octopus
Petalos, Mencia Bierzo Spain (Biodynamic)

Italian Winemaker Visit: Claudio Icardi to present his wines at Spiritus

"We are very pleased to welcome back our friend Claudio Icardi, owner/winemaker at his family estate in Piedmont, to Spiritus this Wednesday for a special in-store wine tasting. Claudio will pour four of his wines and entertain you with his engaging personality. Do not miss this opportunity to meet the winemaker and ask your questions!"

FREE IN-STORE TASTING
Wednesday, June 29th from 4:30 to 6:30 PM

2009 Icardi Cortese L'Aurora
White Wine; other white varietal; Piedmont;$18.99
Cortese is the same grape also known as gavi. This is a terrific summer white with pleasing notes of pineapple and citrus, but also minerality and refreshing acidity.

2007 Icardi Pinot Nero Langhe Rosso Nej
Red Wine; Pinot Noir; Piedmont;$32.99
Celebrated Italian wine critic Luca Maroni calls it "the best Italian pinot noir ever", while awarding it a whopping 98 point score. The glowing praise flows as suave, powerful, harmonious and creamy with voluptuous notes of black currant, cherries and balsamico. The seduction is complete. Leave it to the Italians to get the heart racing of pinot noir lovers everywhere!

2008 Icardi Barbera d'Asti Tabarin
Red Wine; Barbera; Piedmont;$18.99
Claudio holds true to the traditional style of his ancestors, turning his back on the modern trend of more extraction and heavy oak. This barbera is fashioned in stainless steel tanks, never seeing a stave of wood. The exceptional purity of this wine immediately captured my attention as the palate bursts with fresh wild cherries leading to an impressively long, clean finish.

2006 Icardi Surisjuan Nebbiolo
Red Wine; Nebbiolo; Piedmont; $31.99
The Icardi family has been growing grapes in this Piedmont region since 1914. Imagine a wine so provocative, surging with scented perfume and floral tones on the nose, yet with masculine force it grips your palate with brawny tannins and dominating structure. More often than not, nebbiolo's tannic stars need years to fully develop into the masterpieces they are destined to be, but this one is remarkably ready to drink thanks to the ripe flavors of the excellent 2006 harvest.

Cinco De Mayo cocktails

What other uses are there for tequila on May 5th you might ask? Well, I was browsing the neverending list of suggestions and recipes on http://www.liquor.com/ and found a few that you might want to try this year.


The Paloma

  

The Paloma

2 oz Tequila
.5 oz Fresh lime juice

4 oz Grapefruit soda
1 pinch Salt
Garnish: Lime wedge
Glass: Highball

PREPARATION: Add all the ingredients to a highball glass filled with ice. Stir, and garnish with a lime wedge.

The 1942 Martini

The 1942 Martini
 1.5 oz Don Julio 1942 Tequila
.75 oz Bianco vermouth
Dash orange bitters
Garnish: Orange peel
Glass: Martini
PREPARATION: Add the Don Julio 1942 Tequila, bianco vermouth, bitters and ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain the mixture into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an orange



Anejo Old Fashioned

 Anejo Old Fashioned
3 oz Partida Anejo Tequila.25 oz Agave nectar
Dash Angostura Bitters
Orange peel
Garnish: Brandied cherry
Glass: Old fashioned
PREPARATION: In an old fashioned glass lightly muddle the orange peel, bitters and agave nectar. Add ice and Partida Anejo Tequila.
Stir and garnish with a brandied cherry.





Leche Mexicana (Mexican Milk)

Leche Mexicana (Mexican Milk)
1.5 oz Hornitos Plata Tequila
2 oz DeKuyper Crème de Cocoa White Cream

1 oz Half & half

Glass: Small

PREPARATION:Pour all the ingredients into a shaker and fill with ice. Shake and strain the mixture into a small glass.

Mink Coat and No Manners

Mink Coat and No Manners

.75 oz Green Chartreuse, chilled in the freezer

.75 oz Don Julio Blanco TequilaGarnish: Cayenne pepper

Glass: Sherry copita



 PREPARATION:Add the Green Chartreuse to a sherry copita glass. Float the tequila on top and garnish with a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Cocktail Culture: Ritual and Invention in American Fashion, 1920–1980 (At RISD)

Cocktail Culture: Ritual and Invention in American Fashion, 1920-1980 is the first multi-disciplinary exhibition to explore the social ritual of the cocktail hour through the lens of fashion and design. Organized by the RISD Museum of Art’s Department of Costume and Textiles, Cocktail Culture features stunning fashion apparel from Balenciaga to Schiaparelli, jewelry, textiles, decorative and fine art, film, photographs, and more. More than 220 objects are included, drawn from the Museum’s vast holdings and loans from other museums and private collections.

Related Programs

Cocktail Connected Design/ Sunday, April 17, 2 pm / Chace Center Galleries
Matthew Bird (RISD BFA 1989), owner of The Curatorium and critic in RISD’s Industrial Design Department, considers the design impact of cocktail consumption through barware and home entertaining accessories. Free with museum admission.

Cocktail Fashion/ Friday, May 13, 12:15 pm / Chace Center Galleries
Lorraine Howes, professor emerita of apparel design at RISD, explores fashion trends and styles through from the 1920s to 80s. Free with museum admission.

Film Series: Cocktail Culture on the Silver Screen
Haute couture costumes and lavish sets fill the big screen during monthly screenings of classic and celebrated films highlighting cultural moments considered in the exhibition Cocktail Culture. The films, introduced by Tom Roberts, RISD professor of history, are free and co-sponsored by Cable Car Cinema.

Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston / Thursday, April 21, 6:30 pm
Michael P. Metcalf Auditorium, Chace Center
This documentary chronicles the life and career of Halston the iconic American fashion designer who reigned as the dissolute king of 1970s NYC nightlife. Featuring interviews with clients and friends, including Liza Minnelli, Billy Joel and André Leon Talley. (2009/90 min./not rated)

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie / Thursday, May 19, 7 pm
Michael P. Metcalf Auditorium, Chace Center
In Luis Buñuel's deliciously satiric, Oscar-winning masterpiece, an upper-class sextet sits down to dinner but never eats, their attempts repeatedly thwarted by a vaudevillian mixture of events both actual and imagined. A timeless satire about consumerism and class privilege. (1972/100 min./Parental Guidance suggested)

Funny Face / Thursday, June 16, 6:30 pm
Michael P. Metcalf Auditorium, Chace Center
Fred Astaire plays a fashion photographer, based on Richard Avedon (the designer of the opening title sequence), in this musical co-starring Audrey Hepburn as a newly discovered, reluctant fashion model. (1957/100 min./not rated)

Auntie Mame/ Thursday, July 21, 6 pm
Michael P. Metcalf Auditorium, Chace Center
Rosalind Russell as larger-than-life Mame Dennis, who unexpectedly gains custody of her young nephew Patrick in 1920s New York. As Patrick grows, he learns to live by Auntie Mame’s motto: “Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!” (1958/140 min./not rated)

Cocktail Culture Classes/ RISD
Continuing Education offers courses inspired by the stunning fashions on view in Cocktail Culture. Fine Sewing Techniques for Apparel (12 sessions, March 3-May 26, Thursdays, 6:30-9:30 pm) is designed for the sewer who wants to take their skills to the next level. Dressing for Drinking: The Cocktail’s Place in Fashion History (6 sessions, April 7-May 19, 6:30-9:30 pm) focuses on the history of cocktail attire, as well as the accompanying changes in the social landscape through the 1920s to '80s. The Art of Shopping for Vintage Clothing (1 session, Wednesday, May 18, 6:30-8:30 pm) helps students cultivate their own sense of style while gaining valuable skills in buying and collecting vintage clothing and accessories. Museum members receive a 10% discount on Continuing Education classes. Learn more and register.

Return of the Midweek Hangover: Half Price Bottle Nights

It's a glorious day for wine drinkers in Connecticut! Not only does the CT wine trail open up for business this month, but I have stumbled upon a nice selection of places that are encouraging their patrons to come in on their slower nights to enjoy half priced bottles of wines! It's both a good way to impress a date, and also to try some really interesting wines that you might normally over look. Last night, I enjoyed a marvelous Malbec called Salentin from Argentina. Here are some of my favorites that you should definately check out!

~Barcelona- West Hartford, CT and New Haven, CT. Sunday nights.
~116 Crown- New Haven. Sunday nights.
~Feng Asian Bistro- Hartford, Ct. Sunday & Monday nights.
(bottles under $75).
~Bin 228- Hartford, Ct. Monday nights.
~Esca- Middletown, CT. Monday nights.
~Grants- West Hartford, CT. Monday nights.
~Briccos- West Hartford, CT. Monday nights.
~Bocca Rossa- Hartford, CT. Tuesday nights (bottles under $50).
~The Kitchen Table- New Haven. Thursday nights.