Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Get Thee To a Valentine..
(Note: Updated on February 3rd (Friday) 2012 – will be updated as events unfold or get Sold Out..)
I’ve never been a huge fan of Valentine’s Day, but like Halloween, it’s a celebration/festivity that has taken on a life of it’s own. And 2012 is no exception, there are just a plethora of Valentine’s tastings for both the chocolate and non-chocolate lover – I’m not even sure if the latter exists! Some quick thoughts on Valentine’s and tastings: if you’re a restaurant or event provider who wishes to really draw people in this time of year, any theme with chocolate, sparkling wine (especially Champagne) or some over-the-top rich dish like braised meats seems to bring people in in droves – oh, and also any food/concept connected with Amore, for example oysters and fondue (both chocolate and cheese work). It’s also OK to add terms like “seduction”, “decadent”, “aphrodisiac” and even “libido” to your menu descriptions which breaks away from the everyday norm of exclusion of these concepts – Valentine’s gives you as the marketer the right to explore the racier side of life..and people will accept and forgive you for about a week! Of course, certain cultures are also associated with lasciviousness so French and Italian restaurants and themes have a distinct advantage. If you have a strong combination of all of these themes and concepts, you can also expect a marriage proposal or two to occur – and hopefully, not with your staff!
Oh, and to make all this information just a touch more confusing..Valentine’s Day is officially Tuesday, February 14th, but many events list their date on Saturday or Sunday as “official” Valentine’s Day events – it’s a celebration of love and romance, does it really matter what the official date is? I think not..
I will list the major tastings by date (Note: if you’re just looking for a listing of restaurants that have multi-course dinners especially for Valentine’s, here’s a pretty good list by Washingtonian):
Thursday, February 9th,
Sommelier Showdown (as part of the DC International Food and Wine Festival), 7:00pm-9:00pm
Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest Washington, DC 20004
Tickets are $150/per person and can be Purchased Online
See top DC Sommeliers flex their knowledge at the Washington DC International Wine & Food Festival’s inaugural Sommelier Showdown. Our experts will engage in a friendly tête-à-tête and compete in a race of the taste, using deductive tasting to identify wines with hidden labels.
To complement the wines presented, the Showdown will feature five of DCs most noted chefs who will be tasked with bringing food and wine together, including Chefs Todd Gray (Equinox), Xavier Deshayes (Ronald Reagan Building), and Jaime Montes de Oca (Zentan).
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Savory Syrah – A Global Tour
7 pm
Chain Bridge Cellars, 1351 Chain Bridge Rd. McLean, VA 22101
Wine experts all agree that Syrah is one of the “noble” varietals, capable of making some of the most complex, layered and age-worthy wines in the world. But the kinship between a $10 Aussie Shiraz and a $70 Hermitage is pretty hard to fathom! So take a worldwide tour of everything Syrah/Shiraz can be and see if you can find some common themes. We’ll taste bargains from Australia and the South of France; classic American, South African and Rhone wines; and a couple of “big guns” from the Barosa and Cote Rotie.
This class includes seven wines, Syrah-friendly snacks, and take-home descriptions of each wine and region covered.
To reserve a space, email wineteam@chainbridgecellars.com or call 703.356.6500
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TasteDC Chocolate Making 101 at Wanders Chocolaterie
How to Blind Taste Wine
February 9th (Thursday) Session 1: 6 – 7:30 pm; and Session 2: 8 – 9:30 pm
Adour in The St. Regis, 923 16th and K Streets, N.W., Washington, DC 20006
Wine Director Brent Kroll will conduct a sensory analysis on how to quantify wine flavors and origin.
Tickets are $60/per person.
Call (202) 509-8000 to Make Reservations
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Friday, February 10th
French American Cultural Foundation Presents La Saint-Valentin at the Embassy of France
La Maison Francaise, 4101 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20007
La Saint-Valentin…a soiree for everyone at the Embassy of France! Whether you’re single, a couple or a group of friends – this year, celebrate Valentine’s at the Embassy of France! Our fifth annual “La Saint-Valentin” will be held on Friday, February 10 at La Maison Française. Throughout the evening, enjoy an open bar, delectable pastries, live music and a silent auction with luxurious one-of-a-kind items!
Proceeds raised through this event will help support the numerous and varied activities of the French-American Cultural Foundation 501 (C)(3).
Purchase Tickets Online
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Cupid’s Not Stupid, Cocktails to Fall For
Aria Pizzeria, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004, 7:00pm-10:00pm
A valentine’s day themed cocktail reception with top DC mixologists engaging in a friendly cocktail. Mixologists Gina Chersevani of PS7’s Restaruant, Rachel Sergi from Jack Rose Tavern, and Dennis Burns from Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center and Simo Ahmadi of Todd Gray’s Watershed will be creating a cocktail that represents cupid’s magical spell.
Admission includes sampling all five cocktails, wine, beer and light snacks. Join us on Friday, February 10th at 7pm at Aria Pizzeria & Bar in the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center.
Tickets are $55/per person and can Be Purchased Online
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Saturday, February 11th
13th Annual Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival
Actually a 2 Day event, it has added a Thursday Event (Sommelier Showdown) and a Friday Event (Cupid’s Not Stupid..) – this is really DC’s most popular and well known wine festival – TasteDC was actually a marketing partner back in 1999 when they first landed this event at the Ron Reagan Building.
Details: 150 international wineries pouring more than 600 wines for you to sample… Experience the wine regions of Argentina, France, Italy, Germany, Greece, New Zealand, Spain and the U.S. all grouped together.
You can purchase Tickets for each of these individual or combined events online DC Food and Wine
General Admission – Sat 2/11 2pm-6pm – Includes glass and tasting. Tickets are $85.00 Plus a Service Fee of $3.12
General Admission – Sun 2/12 2pm-6pm Includes glass and tasting. Tickets are $80.00 Plus a Service Fee of $2.99
General Admission – Sat 2/11 AND Sun 2/12 Includes glass and tasting. Tickets are $145.00 Plus a Service Fee of $4.61
Cupid’s Not Stupid, Cocktails to Fall For – Fri 2/10 7pm, Tickets are $55.00 Plus a Service Fee of $4.02
VIP PACKAGE – (2) two-day tickets, (2) Cupid’s Not Stupid Tickets, (2) Sommelier Showdown Invites, Tickets are $600.00 Plus a Service Fee of $27.95 Sommelier Showdown – Thurs. Feb. 9th 7pm, Tickets are $150.00 Plus a Service Fee of $9.24
My Apologies in advance for how this information is listed – it’s a 2 day event with events on additional days – what can I say, it’s not a 2 day event anymore, they’ve added events on 2 more days – the key is that the Grand Tasting is the central event and it’s on Saturday and Sunday (you purchase tickets separately for each day, but you can purchase a 2 day pass). My experience with this event is it gets very crowded which means if you like crowds, you’ll love this event, and if you don’t..the secret is to go on Sunday and go early do your tasting and then leave! They moved this event to a larger venue a few times, but I think it lost a certain touch of class – the Ronald Reagan building has panache with it’s high ceilings and extraordinarily over-abundant security (I think each water fountain has security!).
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Madfox Barleywine Festival
February 11th (Saturday) 11AM-Midnight
Mad Fox Brewing Co. 444 West Broad Street Suite I, Falls Church, VA 22046
Featuring our own Barleywines as well as the best barleywines brewed by our favorite breweries. Beers will rotate through the festival on draught and cask, while they last. Serving sizes are 4 oz. sample glasses. No admission cost, price per serving. See Beer List and Info.
This is a pay as you go event, no tickets sold, just show up.
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Learn How to Host a Cocktail Party at Wildfire
February 11th (Saturday) 3 – 4 pm
Wildfire McLean, Tysons Galleria 3rd Floor, McLean, VA 22102
Learn from Wildfire’s Executive Chef Eddie Ishaq how to be the “hostess with the mostess” just in
time for Valentine’s Day weekend at Wildfire’s How To Host A Cocktail Party class. Join us at Wildfire
The chef will guide guests through today’s most popular cocktails paired with just-right-for-Valentine’s-Day appetizers and dessert.
Tickets are $30/per person (plus tax and gratuity). For more information or to make a reservation,
please contact Elissa or Amanda at 703.442.9110.
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Culinaria Almost Valentine’s Day Dinner
February 11th (Saturday) 7:00-10:00 pm
Culinaria Cooking School, 110 Pleasant St, NW, Vienna, VA 22180
Join Chef Robyn as she prepares the perfect menu for Valentine’s Day or any other night of the year. Your sweetheart will love it.
MENU: Spinach Salad with Beets, Candied Walnuts & Goat Cheese; Pasta with Sausage, Olives & Sun-dried Tomatoes; Filet Mignon with Boursin & Mushrooms; Saffron Risotto; Kahlúa Truffle Triangles
INSTRUCTORS: Robyn Alexander and Pete Snaith
Tickets are $80/per person
Purchase Tickets Online
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The Power of Chocolate
Both February 11th (Saturday) and 12th (Sunday) various programs from 10 am to 3:30 pm
National Museaum of the American Indian on the National Mall
Fourth Street & Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20560
The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) celebrates one of the world’s most beloved foods, chocolate. Theobroma cacao was for the Maya and the Aztec peoples, as its Latin name indicates, a “food of the gods.” Our festival presents a rare opportunity for visitors to explore chocolate’s culture, history, and place in contemporary society.
http://www.nmai.si.edu/Most Events are Free – More Info subpage.cfm?subpage=events&trumbaEmbed=view%3Dseries%26seriesid%3D626823
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SOLD OUT-Vegan Craft Beer Dinner with Flying Dog Brewery
Saturday, February 11th, 8 pm
DC Bread & Brew,
1247 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
TasteDC Belgian Beer Fest 2008
Each course will consist of local, organic ingredients paired with Flying Dog’s beers, including their
newest release, Wildeman, a Farmhouse IPA – See Complet Menu on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/events/226490990771776/.
The great Tommy Hunter, DC Rep for Flying Dog Brewery, will be on hand to share with us the story of Flying Dog
and take us through the beer pairings as they are poured. Though the dinner’s four courses, we’ve got six awesome beers for you.
As a gift, each guest will be given Flying Dog’s new Belgian beer glassware as well as a little something sweet to take home.
SOLD OUT.
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Sunday, February 12th
13th Annual Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival
(See Above for Information and Tickets)
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Valentine’s Day Pastry Class
February 12th (Sunday) 11:30 am to 2:30 pm
Adour in The St. Regis, 923 16th and K Streets, N.W., Washington, DC 20006
Surprise your loved one with a fun and instructive pastry class
on how to make Rose Macaroons and Chocolate Soufflés led by acclaimed Executive Pastry Chef Fabrice Bendano
Tickets are $75/per person. Event Link Calendar
Call (202) 509-8000 to Make Reservations
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Wine and Chocolate Tasting Charity Fundraiser for National Multiple Sclerosis
February 12th (Sunday) 1 – 4 pm
Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro, 11750 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20191
Featuring local Chocolatier MC2 Confections – Jacki’s Determined Soles the host to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The event includes winery representatives from Loudoun Valley Vineyards, Fabbioli Cellars, Tarara Winery, and Notaviva Vineyards. Each winery will be pouring two wines specifically chosen to pair with chocolate from MC2 Confections.
Tickets are $15/per person
Purchase Tickets Online
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Mixology Class: Bitters
Last Exit, 3155 Mount Pleasant Street, N.W., Washington, DC
When: February 12, 2012 @ 5:30pm
Come learn everything you wanted to know (and probably more) about bitters! An essential class for anyone interested cocktails. This class also makes a great early Valentine’s Day gift for that cocktail lover in your life.
Tickets are $45/per person inclusive
Purchase Tickets Online
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The Power of Chocolate (SEE INFORMATION ON FEBRUARY 11TH)
Both February 11th (Saturday) and 12th (Sunday) various programs from 10 am to 3:30 pm
National Museaum of the American Indian on the National Mall
Fourth Street & Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20560
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Monday, February 13th
Almost 2012..a Look Back at TasteDC
OK, it’s just a bunch of photos from past TasteDC events, but it kind of shows you where TasteDC comes from – it’s my imagination of how people really would like to eat and drink..a bit of a dream world, but food is so much more than nourishment..Just Enjoy!
Charlie Adler, Managing Editor
TasteDC Food and Drink Event Calendar
“Educate Your Palate”
What IS a Wine Dinner?
Weird as it may seem, a “wine dinner” is conceptually as confusing as a wine tasting to most people – it’s a very foreign concept to many Americans – literally! A wine dinner is in essence a multi-course dinner served with several different wines – this is the simple explanation. A GOOD/GREAT wine dinner is when the various elements come together in a wonderful symphony of an event: wine, food, timing, pairing, educational component (this usually means a speaker), and impeccable service. It sounds very snooty, but that’s primarily because it’s based on the fine dining traditions of the Old World – particularly France and Italy. So what IS a wine dinner?
“A Wine Dinner Is a Meal Divided by Courses”
Most wine dinners include a menu of dishes served in three or more courses. For example, when you go out to eat at a fine dining restaurant, the menu is often broken down into Appetizers, Main Dishes, and Desserts. A Wine Dinner is a smart way for a restaurant to showcase both great wine and delicious dishes that showcase their chef’s talents. And yes, there is a formula: according to the traditional European format for a dinner (actually, any serious meal!) is begin with the lightest dishes, move on to richer dishes and finish with dessert – and yes, often there is a cheese course before dessert. A very simple multi-course dinner (with or without wine, but in the European tradition, food is pretty much always served with wine) would begin with some hors d’oeuvres, a seafood or pasta dish, a light meat dish (chicken or pork), a rich meat dish (beef or lamb) and dessert. Each course would be served with a different wine in a wine dinner and possibly even more than one wine per course. This would be called a 4-course dinner because hors d’oeuvres are usually not considered a dish, so don’t count in the number.
“Each Dish Should Be Paired with the Appropriate Wines”
I’ve been to wine dinners where there is only one wine paired with each dish, and that can be very satisfying! But I’ve also been to wine dinners where there are two, three, even four wines paired per dish (that’s a single dish!) and those can be very fun – albeit confusing at times. I want to touch upon the concept of pairing: pairing wine and food means there’s a synergy of flavor that is 1 + 1 is GREATER than 2. There are some classic examples of pairings: Sauvignon Blanc and goat cheese, Pinot Noir and salmon, and Cabernet Sauvignon and steak, etc. that work but I’ve had pairings that stretch the limits. The original old school formula for pairings was “white wine with fish and red wine with meat” but this is extremely outdated – creative chefs today don’t serve simply prepared dishes that are formulaic, they often prefer to add unique flavors and cooking techniques to their dishes that can be difficult to pair. To keep it simple (I wrote a whole chapter on pairing in “I Drink on the Job” entitled “A Meal Without Wine is Breakfast”). Just like with food, most wine dinners begin with lighter-style wines (like Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling) and move to heavier-bodied wines later in the meal – this makes sense – you wouldn’t want a Big Cab with your shrimp dish/course at the beginning of the meal, that would be way too heavy early in the meal (and a poor pairing!). Also, later in the meal, your palate needs richer and bolder flavors or you won’t notice a dish, so big wines and red meat (or dishes that are braised/slow cooked to increase the rich flavors of a meal) make sense.
A quick note on pairing/wine dinners – most have a theme like “Italian Wines” or “California Boutique Wines” that create the expectation of a special celebration of a wine region or theme. This is important because a wine dinner is a “showcase” event – a chance for a wine maker to show his/her best efforts in the vineyard or a display of a chef’s talents to create gourmet offerings. The point is that usually either the wine or the food is the main center of the wine dinner, one almost always overshadows the other. For example, I attended a wine dinner a few years ago with MacArthur/Addy Bassin’s Liquor where there were over 20 boutique California wines served – yes, the food was excellent at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, D.C. (I think it was 7-Courses, but I forget!), but every wine was introduced before each course by either the wine maker or a representative who intimately knew the wines – educational and exhilarating!
“A Speaker Needs to Introduce the Wines at the Wine Dinner”
Not particularly profound, but someone needs to talk about the wines at a wine dinner and the more knowledgeable, the better. Normally, the wine maker or a representative from the wine community talks about the wines with each dish. Some speaker’s introduce the wines before each course, but this can be detrimental: it can add too much time to a dinner and it can get tedious for attendees! Most people don’t want to sit for more than three hours or so at a wine dinner (including breaks – hey, with all that wine, you may need to visit the bathroom!) so the length of an event is important. I always suggest that the wine professional speaker introduce their wines at the event, maybe speak once in the middle of the meal and then at the end of the meal. Most people at these events would rather talk privately to the speaker, so walking around and “schmoozing” with dinner attendees is a smart move.
Things I haven’t covered in this wine dinner discussion include the importance of speedy service, event duration, popular themes for wine dinners, and the myriad of service issues with this type of event. Staffing is VERY important – experience really makes a difference. One of the most impressive wine dinners I ever went to with the wines of Chateau Pontet-Canet at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. was because of one factor: the Sommelier Caterina Abbruzzetti decanted every one!
Of course, there aren’t only wine dinners: In 14 years at TasteDC, I’ve attended craft beer dinners, whiskey dinners, Tequila Dinners, Cocktail Dinners, Rum Dinners and innumerable conceptual “dinners”, often unique and unusual, but one thing they all had in common – the dishes and the beverage were paired in some way..Hope this all whets your appetite – Cheers!
Charlie Adler, Managing Editor
TasteDC Food and Drink Event Calendar
“Educate Your Palate”
The “Where” To a Wine Tasting – Beware the Blunders..
This is Part 2 of organizing a wine tasting (Part 1 Here) – I get the phone call “we want to organize a wine tasting for a <birthday/celebration/housewarming/shower/corporate event/bachelorette party> can you help?” My first question…DO YOU HAVE A VENUE? Reply – total silence, I can literally hear crickets churping..then the mumbling and nervous reply “well, uhhh, no, uhhh (thinking to themselves “you mean I have to think of everything??”) and then often something like “somewhere in DC, Virginia or Maryland”..and now I’m at a loss of words..
Unless your people can teleport wine into their faces, you MUST FIND A VENUE! OK, but how? Couple thoughts..the most obvious venue is the place you work or hangout, maybe someone’s home. Before you make the phone call to a Professional Event Planner (that’s what wine speakers/professionals become from necessity – we have no choice!), ask a friend/co-worker if they know a nice place to hold a wine tasting. Most likely, a short brain-storming session will begin and potential spaces will be considered – someone’s new home, a great meeting place the group already frequents, a winery, etc..DO THIS BEFORE YOU MAKE THE CALL..OK, I have a confession..
Over HALF the phone calls I receive requesting a wine tasting are VENUE SEEKERS, ie. they could care less about a wine tasting, they just want to squeeze my brain for all the venues I know and just work directly with them..But that’s another Subject!
Back to your needs..hotels and restaurants should be your last choice – why? Because they charge many fees that raise the cost quickly and significantly: room/rental fees, food minimums, corkage fees for wine (a little more on this below..), plus taxes and surcharges on top of all that. Many restaurants and hotels don’t allow an outside vendor to bring wine into their facility – of course – they can sell their own wine to you for a 250-400% markup (this is a common cost multiplier – a $6 store bought wine being sold in a hotel for $21.50 to $30 a bottle ++)
Since cost is a major factor to over 90% of the people that call requesting a wine tasting, think cost first – a free venue is the best. What free venues are available to most people? A home comes to mind first, so contact friends who have a nice place, or who for whatever reason (Ego!) want to show-off their abode. What about an apartment complex – many have community rooms that are empty most of the time, and if you know someone who’s a tenant in the complex, that helps a bunch! Some other potential “free” or low-cost venues include office spaces, office building atriums, art galleries, and non-profit spaces. A note about art galleries and other public venue – they may have quite a few restrictions..well, that’s another article, Cheers!
Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler – Check out my book NOW Available on Kindle or Soft-Cover - I Drink on the Job
The Grouponater Effect
Photo from a TasteDC Wine Making 101 Class in 2007
I knew the day would come, but I was pushing it off as long as possible..after 14 years, over 1,000 wine tastings, 200 cooking classes and dozens of specialty culinary events (Unique Food and Wine Festival, Chorizo Making class, etc.) would I give up TasteDC?? I knew some current facts:
The game had changed post 2008 Recession:
People spent their home’s future value – the ’08 Recession in a nutshell..banks were lending against a home’s equity..or estimated equity..a bubble..yep, it burst, go figure! When you run a small tasting event business, you need to focus on high margin, low volume events – in other words, lots of small wine classes, cheese tastings, and an occasional mini-festival. I never reached Big for the large events preferring to stay with a small staff (often just me and part-time help!) and slowly increasing the number of events. From 1997 to 2007, TasteDC went from organizing one event a month to as many as fifteen a month. When the bubble burst, people didn’t want to splurge – no one wanted to act like they had any disposable income, it just wasn’t the thing to do. My business dropped by over 50%..
Perceptions of value had changed:
In 1999 a wine dinner was something pretty unique and unusual – wine lovers were still a rarified group who often spoke in a language that no one understood. Wine was prestigious, intellectual and sophisticated and the people who drank it often travelled around or had lived abroad, were college educated and possibly even a bit snobbish. Wine dinners – defined as multi-course seated meals with at least one wine paired per course (but often 2 or more wines per course!) and normally a wine presenter discussing the pairings were relatively expensive – a 4 course wine dinner at a fine dining restaurant would cost you $85 to $150 per person inclusive of tax and tip. Believe it or not, many of these dinners sold out at 35+ people and there never seemed to be enough inventory of this kind of event.
Over time, wine became less prestigious and more of a daily consumable – this is actually a good thing. No longer is wine placed on a pedestal, it’s something you can pick up for a meal at the local grocery store or 7-11 and even casual dining restaurants normally carry at least 20 different kinds of wine in the DC area. Economically speaking, wine dinners have actually gone down in price and consumer perception of value – today, a 5-course wine dinner is often under $100 per person, and many of them barely get ten people to sign-up.
And recently, wine dinners are being replaced with the newest premium beverage to hit the DC Foodie scene – craft beer dinners. Most craft beer dinners are 5-courses and under $70 per person inclusive of tax and tip. Craft beer is perceived to be more approachable and fun than wine, so these dinners are often raucous affairs with a younger more urban crowd. Frankly, these dinners are refreshing to the wine dinner scene which seemed to be constantly inundated by the new rich who just wanted to make sure that everyone knew about their newly built wine cellar in their McMansion and the value of their recent stock option sales. Beer is real, or as I often here quoted “It’s just f***ing beer!”
The Groupon Effect:
This only occurred in 2010 or so, but has had a huge impact – when Groupon, LivingSocial and other online coupon companies began to discount restaurants and stores, it was only a matter of time before events and promotions also began discounting. I makes sense – these sites have millions of potential users and they can really bring new customers. The problem is primarily two-fold: the cost of “grouponing” and the “wait and see” attitude it creates.
If your event is say $70/person, then Groupon will suggest 50% off, so they will sell your ticket at $35/person. Groupon makes money by taking 50% of YOUR HALF, so that means you net $17.50 (LivingSocial and some other sites often don’t take as high a percentage). You can see that as a gain of new consumers and some money, but normally an event doesn’t have higher than a 50% margin, and often lower. Events make money once their fixed costs are covered – stating the obvious. Some of an event’s cost is often covered by corporate/retail sponsors, but in a slow economy, these sponsorships are hard to come by – event tickets are the main income..so how do you make money at $17.50/person? Good question..
I know I’ve only touched the surface of this subject, but the bottom-line is that the ROI on tasting events – the wine classes, cooking classes and other tastings that TasteDC specialized in – has become so low, it’s often negative. Will it ever come back? Who knows..Is TasteDC a dead business proposition..well, not quite yet, there is an alternative business plan, and no it is not a discounting concept, stay tuned..
Cheers!
Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler
Virginia IS Whiskey Country!
Enjoyed a fantastic tour of Catoctin Creek Distillery on Saturday, August 20th, 2011 when the DC Whiskey Drinkers (Facebook) had our private tour with Scott Harris and his team. Let me just say first, that for a City Slicker (I live in Georgetown) the area around Purcellville, VA is so relaxing and bucolic that I could feel all my tension fading away even before I came to the Distillery’s door. Catoctin Creek is located in an industrial park, but it’s a pretty quaint low-industrial area, and it’s pretty much smack in the middle of the woods! Also, I was relieved to find that my GPS took right to the front door, something that rarely happens this far out.
Catoctin Creek Distillery - Entrance
I didn’t realize it until I got there, but the Distillery is a pretty popular place on weekends, and the fact that we nabbed a private tour through the owner made a big difference – after our group of about 15 left, a mob of 50 or more thirsty whiskey lovers filled the tasting room and warehouse and we felt lucky to have had the privilege! Here’s a photo of the whiskey’s we tasted – note that there is already a plan to change the labels.
Catoctin Creek Distillery is currently producing 3 spirits – Mosby’s Spirits, Roundstone Rye and Watershed Gin – as well as Pearousia Pear Brandy. Mosby’s is an organic (actually, all of Catoctin Creek’s spirits are organic – this is why Scott is constantly forced to search for organic rye growers throughout the U.S.) unaged white spirit – but the rye definitely comes through with both a sweet and almost earthy best I can describe it as hot pepper and clay flavor that really awakens the senses – THIS is what Vodka only hopes to be! The Roundstone Rye is ages 4 month in new oak and is a mellower more rounded version of the Mosby, with just enough caramel/brown sugar from the oak to make this a great sipping whiskey. The Gin is botanical with more of a citrus, orange fruit component and less herby than many, which lends well to mixing with more fruit concentrated drinks to match. I didn’t try the Pearousia – oh well, there’s always another day..
Without going into too much detail about the process of making whiskey (Distilling 101 – another class, another day..) Scott takes the rye and turns it into a beer of sorts, also called the “Wort” – basically beer without hops and a Distiller’s Yeast vs Brewer’s Yeast fermented to approximately 10% alcohol before it’s put into the still and converted into spirit. The middle photo is the Wort in the still, the photo to the right of that is actually before that during the fermentation into beer. Some interesting side notes: Virginia doesn’t produce much organic rye grain, so Scott has to go elsewhere to get it (he wants to be truly local, but alas..)..while distilling the Wort, a percentage of the first distillation called the “heads” is unusable because it’s poisonous – the ratios Scott gave are 100 gallons of beer distill into 10 gallons of spirit of which about 1/2 gallon of that is lost as the undrinkable “heads”. Scott distills to about 170 Proof (85% alcohol) and cuts it to around 90 Proof. When he makes the brown rye aged spirit, he ages in new charred oak barrels for 4 months – 10 lbs. of spirit is absorbed by the wood and is lost (spirits are about 7 lbs. to a gallon, so he loses another 1 gallon and change – rather than throw out these barrels, he sells them to breweries (like DCBrau – DC’s first Brewery in almost 60 years!)
On the left is the Kothe Still – it’s sort of a combo pot and continuous still, and is one of the reasons that American Micro-Distilling is growing at such a rapid pace. Our group really enjoyed the tour – so much so, that one of our group purchased 2 cases..I’ll need to visit them soon! If you’re interested in tasting Catoctin Creek’s products, definitely take the weekend tour – but you can also find many of their spirits in stores throughout the Washington, D.C. region. Catoctin Creek is also the only distillery we have pouring with 34 breweries at MAC Brew Fest – DC’s Own Beer Festival on Saturday, October 15th, 2011 – if you’re planning to visit DC, check it out – Cheers!
Kai Pee Ree Nyaaa
This video is an interview of Mark Lester at NYC Bar and Wine Show of Soul Cachaca – he discusses Cachaca and why it is becoming one of the hottest categories in the Spirits industry. My experience with Cachaca began about 10 years ago when I held a TasteDC event at the Brazilian Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C. and my staff and I mixed/muddled over 100 Caipirinhas – the traditional mixed drink of Cachaca consumed in Brazil (See Recipe Below). We also enjoyed the native dish of Brazil – Feijoada, a stew of pork and other goodies with Farofa (a toasted manioc flour mixture) and delicious boiled collards greens.
CaipirinhaAccording to the Press Release from RDP Group, the PR Agency for the New York Bar and Wine Show:
The Brazilian Trade Bureau will present Brazil’s Sexy Spirit, Cachaca, quoted by Bar Business Magazine as “America’s Drink of the Year 2011” for Patrons throughout the United States.
Cachaca is a drink obtained from sugarcane cuts and distillation in Brazil for over 400 years. Cachaca was discovered between 1516 and 1526; mere years after sugarcane plants were implemented in the Pernambuco region of Brazil. Being the first distilled drink of the Americas, produced before pisco, tequila, and rum, cachaca has been a product of local culture for upwards of 300 years. Today, bottles of cachaca can be purchased in a variety of flavors.
Cachaca is actually Rum, or better yet “Rhum Agricole” – you see, rum can be made with sugar cane, but most of the time it is made from the leftover remain of sugar production – molasses. I’ve had rum made from pure sugar cane and solely from molasses as well, and they are somewhat different in taste. Having said that, I got hell at the DC Rum Festival I organized for TasteDC a few years back when one of the rum importers told me that rum made from molasses was just as good if not better than rum made from pure sugar cane! I think the taste difference is more in it’s un-aged pure form, but when you start adding barrel aging to the equation, all bets are off – there are so many wood, temperature, climate and other factors with aging in barrels, that I’d have to do much more research in flavor profiles.
Cheers!
Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler – Purchase the Book on Amazon at I Drink on the Job
DC IS a Beer Town!
Now that it’s July 4th in our Nation’s Capital, it’s time to celebrate with DCs new and original brewing tradition – see the video (produced by Kate Musselwhite for her film class at American University, thank you Kate!) and check out the local breweries that will be at the Mid-Atlantic Craft Brew Fest (MAC Brew Fest) on Saturday, October 15th, 2011 in downtown DC:
Announcing the Mid-Atlantic Craft Brew Festival – MAC Brew Fest!
Brandon Skall, Founder of DC Brau, DC’s 1st Brewery in Many Years
So after spending the last 14 years focusing on learning about wine and food (and plenty of beer and spirits in between!), I’ve decided to re-dedicate myself to craft beer. I’m certainly not giving up on wine, but I’ve seen the light – growth in craft beer sales and consumption in the U.S. has increased consistently at over 10% a year for the last 5 years. But the real impetus for moving myself into the craft beer field is really that Washington, D.C. is a VERY under-served area for craft beer. For example, we only have a few breweries in the area including Baying Hound Aleworks, DC Brau, Port City Brewing Co., and Lost Rhino Brewing Co.. Although we do have some excellent brew pubs such as Franklin’s, Mad Fox Brewing and Capital City Brew Pub, there is so much room for growth in both local breweries and brew pubs. And did I mention that the beer wholesalers in the area tell me they can’t get enough craft beer to keep up with demand?
So here’s the official announcement – I’m organizing the Mid-Atlantic Craft Brew Festival, known as “MAC Brew Fest” on Saturday, October 15th, 2011 in Washington, D.C. at the Sphinx Club which is hidden gem of a venue in the heart of DC at 13th and K St., NW. The website is at MAC Brew Fest and will include 30 craft breweries – many from the DC/MD/VA area as well as delicious food paired with the craft beers. Right now my event planner and I are working on the event including developing the TasteDC Food Pavilion which will include a minimum of 30 American artisanal cheeses, locally sourced charcuterie, a gelato bar and extensive selection of sweets and desserts as well as international foods. The goal is to showcase craft beer as part of meal with regional specialties. I’ll keep updating the blog and website, but I’m looking forward to creating a beer event that makes people proud of our city – Cheers!
Living Raw – the French Revolt Against Pasteurized Cheeses
Raw Milk Cheese with Veronique Richez-Lerouge
I attended Cheese Connection this past weekend in Miami and met one of the most fascinating people I’ve ever met in the cheese industry before. Veronique Richez-Lerouge is the President of “Fromages de Terroirs”, a French organization dedicated to protecting France’s authentic and original cheeses the way they were originally produced – made with raw milk the traditional way. She held the seminar The Battle Between Raw Milk and Pasteurized Milk: the French Affair which discussed the changes going on in French eating habits relating to cheese. Being French, Veronique is a product of the French culture: food and enjoyment of food and sensual pleasures are very important to French culture. In America, Farmer’s Markets are expensive and somewhat elitist, in France they are the norm for shopping for ingredients. Children there are brought up to identify with food as part of culture – it’s a chance to taste artisanal French made products as well as a time to bond with family. Sitting down at a meal for an hour or more is revered, and the concept of “eating on the run” is looked down upon in the overall culture. Things are of course changing rapidly.
Although the discussion was concerning one specific change in France – while prior to WW II, virtually all French cheeses consumed in their country were unpasteurized raw-milk cheeses, today only 7% are raw-milk – Veronique’s message was much more of a global reality: as science and technology change our perception of “good” vs. “bad” for you foods, we are mesmerized by a form of bad thinking, what she calls “sanitary logic”. Sanitary logic is the concept that all started with pasteurization. Pasteurization was originally a way for the wine/Cognac industry to produce a product that didn’t spoil. The scientist Louis Pasteur discovered that by raising the temperature of a food product to a certain level, all the bad “spoilage” microbes would die, thus creating a food or beverage that could be edible for a longer time. Applying this logic, milk from pre-industrial farms that was brought into the cities of the late 19th century often held bacteria that could cause (and often did) serious diseases to raw-milk consumers. By simply heating the milk to almost boiling, the “bad” bacteria could be killed and the milk could be consumed without causing disease. Since for thousands of years disease and microbes were misunderstood, Science became modern man’s hero, and now we could blame some if not all of mankind’s ills on these little bacterial demons – sanitary logic.
But there is a serious problem with scientific thinking when it pertains to food, and arguably, with life in general. Just as there are “bad” microbes and bacteria, there are “good” ones..actually, life-giving bacteria that are necessary to human and most life forms. Without bacteria, we humans can not digest our food. Within our digestive systems are untold billions of little microbes that help us not only to break down food, but to synthesize nutrients from the food, air and water that we consume. And then there’s our immune system – yes, the “good” bacteria/microbes actually help us fight off infection from the bad guys. As Veronique mentions in this video, our “body needs them to protect” against disease and infection – today, we often see this explained in the modern media as “pro-biotics”, the gut bacteria that defend our bodies against bacterial attacks.
My favorite quote from Veronique is “if you eat too much dead food, your body is dead” – no matter how many vitamins or good nutrients a food has, if you kill the good bacteria, you are putting “dead” food into your body. According to Veronique: “pasteurized cheese is a dead product” and logically, so is pasteurized milk or most pasteurized products. When I asked her about the reasoning behind pasteurization – it increases shelf life of food and in the case of raw-milk cheese, can prevent people from getting diseases such as Listeria, she commented that “pasteurized cheese is more fragile” than raw-milk cheese! Very few people get sick from raw-milk cheeses every year, but many do get sick from pasteurized cheeses. This may be true for many reasons, but one possibility is the quality of pasteurized milk in our food supply – dairies mix milk from cows from diverse regions and bad milk can be made somewhat drinkable by pasteurization – with raw milk, you can’t fix the problem with science, so you are forced to use milk from healthy cows and under very favorable conditions.
As always, you must draw your own conclusions, but what I took from Veronique’s message is that food is alive and by “killing” it with chemicals, heating, over-processing, de-naturing or other methods readily available to the scientific community, we are at a minimum reducing it’s value to our body and thus starving ourselves of good nutrients. There are many strains of Lactobacillus that our body needs, specifically our immune system, and if we don’t get them in our bodies, we can not protect ourself from the bad microbes. The controversy really stems from one idea – where ever there are bad microbes, good ones are nearby..how many times have you heard when traveling to a foreign country that it’s a bad idea to eat their food because our digestive system won’t be able to deal with the bad bacteria. Even medical professionals today are reducing the amount of drugs and antibiotics they prescribe because the can kill the good bacteria in our systems. You hear about so many food allergies and sensitivities today from gluten to nuts, but it’s very difficult to avoid these foods – do we need to? I’ll pose this – could it be as one medical professional claimed “we need to allow our children to have some dirt in their diet”? Is our fear of the food system actually perpetuating our illness and disease? Do Americans really get insufficient vitamins and nutrients or is it simply that they don’t have in their guts the necessary bacteria to perpetuate a healthy body?
Veronique takes a very negative view of the American diet as well as what is going on in France – the consumption of more industrial/processed foods. Interestingly enough, her activism has taken on a very controversial methodology – she created a “girlie calendar” (yes, that is the English translation of her French!) with regular women wearing scanty clothing and promoting raw-milk French cheeses!
There’s a wonderful article in Huffington Post about French raw milk cheeses and the changing culture in France away from traditional cheeses – France’s Distinctive Cheeses are Disappearing and an article from 2005 about her “Girl Calendar” by the Telegraph Fromage Girls Say “Cheese”
Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler
