"In Medium Raw you write about your attempts to make your daughter hate McDonald's. I am curious to know how that is working..."

An Anthony Bourdain AMA has been posted on reddit. Supposedly, Tony will be answering the highest rated questions on video next Wednesday after midnight EST. The video will be posted the following week. I, for one, will be very interested to hear the chef's answers.

Parenthetically, I noticed a minor discussion about a complicated moment that happens to be one of my favorites from No Reservations. Bourdain was in Haiti after the earthquake. A segment captures the chaos the chef caused trying impulsively to feed hungry Hatians. A redditor named tuftington quotes Tony's narration in the thread: 

"What happens is both predictable and a metaphor for what's wrong with so much well-intentioned aid effort around the world. Hungry people anywhere behave like hungry people. When you've got big kids and small kids, young people and old, many of whom haven't had a meal in days, in the real world, outside of the commercial in our heads, people get whacked with a belt. A struggle to keep order against the natural forces of the world, the strong against the weak."

The scene was heartbreaking but provoked some healthy reflection. It's those moments, among others over the years, that make the show stand out. 

I look forward to viewing Bourdain's AMA video response next week.

(Hat tip: Marcus)

UPDATE #1: Anthony Bourdain made a video answering the top 10 questions. It was posted but then taken down because of technical difficulties but will be back. A new post on this video will be coming soon.

UPDATE #2: the new post is up.

"Liu wrote that the restaurant served food that was too salty..."

"The judge also ruled that Liu should not have criticized all the restaurant’s food as too salty because she only had one dish on her single visit."

Taiwan jails a food blogger. True story.

(hat tip: TDW)

Is There More Than Meets The Eye in Tipping?

NPR ran a segment yesterday that attempted to get at the heart of American tipping culture. Planet Money's Caitlin Kenney examines the more visceral questions that are typically underlying the discussions about gratuity. 

Bartenders know all-too-well the various forms that question can take, such as, "why, for the love of all that's holy, do some customers give less than 15% tip on perfectly good service?" At first, Kenney seems interested in providing an answer here:

"Studies show that the size of the tip doesn't have much to do with the quality of service. The weather, how sunny it is, what kind of mood people are in, these factors matter just as much as how satisfied the customers are with the service they receive."

Jessica Gibson, a waiter at an Irish pub in Tulsa, Oklahoma, believes that the harder she works, the greater her tips are. Yet she also admits that when she's a customer, she always leaves a 20% tip, even if the service is terrible.

Like most people, Jessica tips pretty much the same amount no matter what."

This revelation is not new. Anyone in the service industry can tell you that seemingly frivolous circumstances can have a disappointing result on one's tip jar. That's why many seasoned FOH staff in restaurants across the country likely bank his or her income on a synthesis of great service and customer volume.

But Kenney isn't actually interested in how clientele tip. She really wants to know:

"if we don't tip to get better service, why do we it?

"Michael Lynn, a professor at Cornell's School of Hotel Administration and [I love this] a former waiter at Pizza Hut, says there is another explanation: We tip because we feel guilty about having people wait on us. It's a way of saying: 'Here, have on drink on me when you're done working.'

This is the social pressure theory of tipping, an idea first put forward by anthropologist George Foster.

This theory explains why we tip some people but not others. We tend to tip in places where we're having a lot more fun than the people who are serving us: bars, restaurants, cruise ships. But we usually don't tip in grocery stores or dentist's offices."

That last part made me think back to the scene in Resevior Dogs where Steve Buscemi's character, Mr. Pink, refuses to leave a couple bucks for the waitress and Harvey Keitel's character, Mr. White, attempts to convey a sobering perspective to convince Mr. Pink otherwise (NSFW).

Incidentally, who the hell drinks six cups of coffee? Anyway,the implications of Foster's hypothesis seem to suggest that guilt, empathy, or even pure altruism, was a significant element to the formation of the tipping culture Americans are familiar with today. That would seem to contradict the idea that the market forces influenced the American tipping system (i.e. good service begets a good tip). 

What are your thoughts on Foster's theory? When you stop to think about it, do you truly determine the appropriate gratuity based on some instinctive performance evaluation at the end of the meal? Is it even possible to keep a full tally of mistakes or exceeded expectations during the visit? If this theory is true and you worked in the service industry, would this change your perspective on why you are tipped in the first place?  

The Home-Made Bitters Experiments: Cola and Malta

After several months of false-starts and procrastination, I finally concocted my own home-made bitters. I spent a little too much time making the necessary arrangements. But once I acquired the more obscure ingredients the project was fairly easy to undertake.

My mission was to create two types of bitters for my first solo attempt: a cola bitters and a malta bitters.

Making Home-Made Bitters

I painstakingly gathered the ingredients that were listed on the literature that Derek Brown passed out to us at the first class in The Columbia Room. Naturally, he provided some insight as to where these ingredients could be found. One location that he mentioned was a Chinese gift shop in Chinatown. The other was online at Mountain Rose Herbs. I utilized both for this project.

Some minor variation made its way into the process but I tried to follow the instructions as best I could.

Last year, I mentioned that Brown’s method of making bitters suggested two types of blends: a bitter and an aromatic blend. Creating both blends gives one more control in balancing the ratios between the two.

In the basic bitter blend, I used:

- 1/2 tbsp wormwood

- 1 tbsp quassia bark

- 1 tbsp dried dandelion

- 1 tbsp gentian root

In the basic aromatic blend I used:

- 1 tbsp cassia bark

- 1 tbsp anise seed

- 1 tbsp caraway

- 1 tbsp coriander

- 1 tbsp dried lemon peel

- 2 tbsp dried orange peel

I put each set of ingredients into a jar with 25 ounces of 100 proof neutral grain spirit (Absolut 100 vodka).

First, I let the basic bitter blend steep in vodka for 48 hours. Then, I removed the ingredients from the vodka and cooked them in water for 3-5 minutes. Once cooked, I returned the ingredients to the vodka and allowed everything to steep for 48 more hours.

For the aromatic blend, I let the ingredients steep in vodka for 10 days. Then, I removed the ingredients from the vodka and cooked them in water for 3-5 minutes. Once cooked, I returned the ingredients to the vodka and allowed everything steep for 5 more days.

Once both sets of ingredients had macerated to their prescribed point, I strained both liquids. The result was two jars of bitters, basic and aromatic, ready for production.

Not content in simply creating a generic home-made tincture, I set out to add the flavors.

To do so, I simply reduced each soft drink in a pot and added the syrup into the bitters, adjusting as needed. The malta was very tricky because it hardened quickly. But with enough persistence I managed to make it work.

Why cola bitters? First, cola is a relatively unique flavor to utilize outside of its typical purpose as refreshment. Second, I did so admittedly because it was very easy to reduce a soft drink and deliver it to a bitters solution.

Why malta bitters? After realizing one could formulate cola bitters I immediately looked to the more obscure cousins of the ubiquitous American soft drink. I had, after all, been looking for an attention-provoking application for this somewhat unfamiliar product.

So what is malta? Malta is an non-alcoholic malt-beverage primarily enjoyed in various Caribbean islands - most notably Puerto Rico. According to an unidentified source in Wikipedia, some consider the modern day soda pop to be a descendant of this drink (which is something I had never heard before but found fascinating, if true).

I am particularly familiar with this product because Goya’s malta was once a favorite of my father who immigrated to the U.S. from the unincorporated territory as a teenager.

But I was also reminded a few years ago of malta while watching the fourth season of Top Chef. Fans of the show may remember how Richard Blais utilized the rich and molasses-like beverage for his pork dish which was featured, along with the other cheftestants' dishes, at a Puerto Rican villa.

From an initial thought, I can image there may be fruitful combinations made with either one of these concoctions if applied to rum or rhum. We’ll just have to see how it goes.

In the end, I am glad I stayed focused on the objective and followed the process as I had intended. I’ll be testing out the new bitters flavors in cocktails as I am bartending at Last Exit so please don't hesitate to stop in and challenge my skills.

City-Slicker Bloggers Visit The Plains in Northern Virginia for a Taste of Vintage Ridge

The first Sunday of June, our little group of bloggers and non-bloggers eagerly found our way to Vintage Ridge Vineyards in The Planes of Northern Virginia for an educational wine tasting and food pairing experience. Harness Your Kim Chi and Wine Josh both led the way out of the Washington DC metropolitan area to the depths of the commonwealth countryside. It was an early morning but everyone seemed awake, ready for something new.

The welcoming party of farm dogs huddled around Josh's legs sniffing and licking his toes and fingers. The day was overcast but I knew the clouds would break and we'd get a little sunshine. The vineyard opened up with rows of grapevines basking in the morning sunlight. We made our way to the tasting area tucked away behind a barn at the top of the property.

The hosts brought us to our table outside overlooking the breathless landscape of Piedmont region at the lee of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The sun was just starting to come out. We couldn't have asked for a better day to sip wine outside.

For $18 ($14 with a Wine Club membership), guests are treated to five Vintage Ridge wines and a harem of tasty bites. Folks could also simply receive the wine tasting without the food for $10. To me, the cost seemed entirely reasonable.

Winetrailtraveler.com, who did a very nice write up, visited this enterprise headed by a retired husband-and-wife team and revealed a secret behind the overall theme and design:

"The reference on the back of the bottle is attributed to the myth of The Merry Maidens in England. According to legend, 19 maidens were turned into stone as punishment for dancing on a Sunday. Vintage Ridge wishes to free the maidens by showing them dancing on the wine bottles..."

In fact, greeting you inside a very open and naturally lit tasting room are paintings and large metal drums. The figures in the paintings seemed to look either like dancing maidens, troubadours or jesters. Clearly, Vintage Ridge likes to keep these dancing images close to their wine wherever it's stored, almost as if to keep that spirit close by.

Virginia and Josh lead the wine talk. I took interest in the conversation. And it evoked my appreciation for being with people on the same frequency of booze-speak. Here and there I absorbed bits of information that altered my understanding of some aspect of wine culture. I thought to myself, this group clearly has an admirable passion for the vine because who else would randomly get together just to carry on as we were. And we were carrying-on quite a bit.

 

Servers attended to the group, pouring a few ounces of wine while they explained the characteristics of the drink and pairing. The first tasting featured Vintage Ridge’s 2009 Maiden Voyage which was a nice play on the aforementioned Merry Maiden theme. The name also felt appropriate in light of this being my own "maiden voyage" to a vineyard. 

This white wine blend had a crisp and delightfully acidic fruit profile. I got a ripeness and soothing nose. I was already excited about where we were going with all of this.

I took a bite of a grilled onion and bacon crostini. The combination was good and I went for more. And I (a grown-ass man) had to be reminded to leave food for the other wines.

For the next tasting I sipped the 2008 Merlot. It was fruity in the flavor and peppery in the nose. I munched on another fresh crostini draped with a roll of prosciutto topped with a dab of strawberry whole fruit jam. The strawberry finish of the Merlot perfectly accompanied the jam. The pairing of pork with the Merlot also made for a tasty combination.

Our hosts returned with a 2007 Syrah. This wine seemed to be the most balanced of the experience with spicy and dark fruit notes. The flavors fit well with the spicy pecans in front of us. They brought a warm nuttiness, dark chocolaty-ness, even smokiness to the wine.

We ate little cuts of savory salami with spicy mustard. I sank my teeth into one of the dates fleeced in smooth, milky-white goat cheese and almost melted in my seat. And if the dates weren’t your thing, there was a side of manchego cheese slices with a spicy plum chutney to enjoy.

The next wine was another first for me. They served a 2007 Cabernet Franc. I got the taste of raspberries and plums. I paired this wine with that mustard-dipped salami and then finished off with that delicious manchego cheese. The manchego brought a delightful creaminess to it.

One half of Vintage Ridge’s husband-wife ownership, Bill Edmunds, strolled by and visited the table with a little curiosity and conversation. He seemed like a great guy and took pleasure talking to folks who seemed so loudly interested in the product of his hard work. I could see Josh's eyes and how much he wanted to follow Bill around like a one of their farm dogs. He just wanted to absorb as much as he could (Josh did eventually corner the poor guy before we left).

Bill wished us well and we turned our attention to the 2009 Summer Night. Light and easy, this wine had a noticeable pear profile to it. The date complimented the sweetness of the wine. I popped a few spicy pecans into my mouth altering the flavor a little further. By now, I was simply adding a new bite to taste a little different flavor with the vino.

When we finished, everyone at the table all agreed that we could go for more food and drink. So we bought a bottle of the 2008 Petit Verdot with another assortment platter of cheeses, chevre devils and finger foods. The carnival of savory and sweet began all over again.

 

I waded into this wine. It had a lot to work with on the tongue, was chewy and got a little more interesting with each sip as it opened up. Is Petit Verdot a perfect grape for Virginia's countryside? Vintage Ridge certainly believes so and doesn't let you down with their proof of concept. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it.

Throughout the day I thought of Harness Your Kim Chi's trip to Napa Valley in California. More importantly, I thought how much I'd like to experience Napa now that I was having a picturesque Virginia wine visit. And yet, with as much as I felt I learned, I became all too aware of how little I still really knew about the grape. But then again, isn't that the way a majority of people feel about it? 

We all seemed to be glad that the desire for a relaxed winery experience was realized. Looking to Kristin Murphy, who had suggested this particular winery, we expressed our graditude. Kristin was betting we’d love the encounter as much as she had and she was right. In addition, incidentally, to making great winery recommendations, Kristin also writes a blog called The Wrath of Demeter which focuses on climate change (go check it out).

We savored the final few ounces of the bottle between us, purchased a few extra bottles for the road, and debated about a run to Middleburg for a tasting-room crawl. Meanwhile, Josh had cornered poor Bill. 

In the end, myself and half of the group split up to experience Middleburg. But we were definitely going to miss Vintage Ridge. It was a proper launch pad for a summer focused on wine and helped expand my knowledge by, hopefully, at least one more notch.

Say It Ain't So...

One sight that I would liked to have seen was Sax lounge's blasphemous and taboo murals. I read the reviews and the place seemed devilish and fun.

Unfortunately, pressure forced the owners to tone down the vivid images significantly. I guess it was fun while it lasted.

Next Song for the Juke Box

"Oh You Must've Been A Beautiful Baby..."

Cause baby look at you now.

(hat tip: TG)

So This Happened Today...

Sláinte!

Good for Ollie Hayes Pub. Reddit has the entire Ireland trip.

On the Potomac at Lansdowne Resort; An Evening Immersed in Local Flavors

Lansdowne Resort in Virginia's Loudoun County invited an eclectic group of writers and members of the industry on Cinco de Mayo to taste select items from the new spring menu featured at On the Potomac, a restaurant focused on local and organic ingredients.

Denise Benoit, marketing consultant for Lansdowne, had lured me into attending the event after trumpeting the efforts of their restaurant's own cocktailian, Christian Reimer. After a few weeks of correspondence I eagerly agreed to come out to Loudoun, meet their mixologist and enjoy a resort dining experience.

On the Potomac sits at the end of a dogleg by the Potomac River, downstream from Leesburg. The resort itself tempts Washingtonians with Virginia's countryside scenery and fresh local flavors. You can't have the town without the country.

The restaurant focuses on local growers and purveyors. Some of Loudoun county's richest agricultural treasures are becoming increasingly more incorporated into culinary culture.

Add in the twenty-seven wineries and tasting rooms from which to choose in Loudoun and the dining experience immediately brings one's mouth to water.

Chef Wesley "Wes" A. Rosati spins the menu around the seasons in Northern Virginia as they shift. The frequency of menu changes range from four to six times a year and are subject to Rosati's own inspiration.

I arrived late to the restaurant but was relieved to hear Denise mention that the group had not started yet. Eight others sat at a long table next to one of Lansdowne's stunning rural outlooks. I chatted quickly about the view with my neighbors as we struck up some light conversation.

The mixologist, Christian Reimer, came by my table with a cocktail and made formal introductions.

"You're the man I came to see, sir. Give me your best shot" I said, prompting a grin from Reimer.

The cocktail he brought was a Moscow Mule and it was a tasty mixture of Russian Standard Vodka, ginger beer, and house-made rosemary syrup. He garnished this sipper with a candied ginger slice and rosemary sprig. The aroma of the rosemary complimented the sweet and gingery elements of the drink. It was playful, with just enough citrus and sweet to keep the wrist raised. It was a cocktail with unfamiliar, yet all-too familiar, sets of flavors.

Spenser McKenna, manager and sommelier at this lovely resort, paired the wines for each dish and provided a pithy description of each choice. McKenna introduced the Viogner that was to be served with the first dish. The Viogner, from Sunset Hills (a Loudoun winery), went down with a mild sweetness and a keen minerality.

The first course was a "charcuterie" plate featuring two acts. On the left side, Rosati featured Hudson Valley torchon duck foie gras that was poached in-house and accompanied with brioche croutons, citrus salt, and a Chardonnay gelée.

On the right side, chef prepared duck "ham" from Maple Leaf Farms sitting on a bed of Heller Brothers honey and sprigs of wild watercress. My eyes excitedly met Denise's. She knew what I was thinking: I was glad I came.

The second dish was a delicately pan seared Georges Bank scallop on a carrot ginger puree with pea infused creme fraiche and house-made bacon chip. The juxtaposition of the crisp creme fraiche with savory bacon was delightful. Moreover, Rosati avoided the sin of allowing his scallop to get chewy or gummy. It had a wonderful firmness to the cut but lightness on the palate.

Clacaire from Clos Du Bois in Alexander Valley, California was served with the next dish. This wine had a slight buttery taste but was not overly lactic. The third course was a house-made potato tarragon gnocchi with spring mushrooms and a shaved cherry glenn crottin. This pairing was earthy and felt like the most appropriate pairing for the experience up to that point. I'm sure the smirk on my face was quite noticeable from anyone's seat.

As an intermission and palete cleanser, pastry chef Jamie Ream presented us with a house-made lemon yogurt sorbet. The citrus taste was clean and simple. Ream said that simplicity is a critical objective that has brought success to her work. The cold portion was perfectly sized and it reset the taste buds for our next set of dishes.

Mckenna introduced us to the wine for our fourth course. Evolution, a white wine from Sokol Blosser in Oregon, is a blend of seven grapes. This pairing fit nicely with the Asian inspired flavors of sturgeon, which was marinated in sake and lightly grilled. It was accompanied by a jasmine rice cake, carrot ginger puree, stir fried peas, pearl onions, and a pleasing yuzu Thai basil vinaigrette.

By now, I had gotten to know my neighbors. They took great interest in my blog's topic and gave me a lengthy list of Virginia distilleries and breweries to visit in the near future. One such suggestion included an intriguing upcoming nano-brew company, Corcoran Brewery.

As we reached our final dining destination I wondered what to expect. McKenna returned to explain his curious but delightful pairing. Picking a Bordeaux from Chateau d’Argedens, bottled in 2006, seemed to require a mighty and meaty protein for a pairing. Instead, the main event featured Fields of Athenry Farm pork chops that were house brined and smoked with polenta, bacon, toasted walnuts, wilted mustard greens circled with a rhubarb and strawberry wine gastrique.

As a left bank and, thus, Cabernet Sauvignon heavy blend, I actually found that the wine complimented the pork well and did not cover the flavor at all. The fruitiness that I might have wanted with the wine was substituted by the wonderful rhubarb and strawberry wine gastrique leaving the moderately bodied wine open for enjoyment on its own. And I gluttonously swirled my fork full of food through that gastrique. I would have asked for more of the sweet fruity ingredient if I wasn't afraid of being judged for my indulgence by my new friends.

As the plates were cleared, a dessert was awaiting the guests as one final tidbit to send us off. Some ordered coffee or tea as a Petit Manseng dessert wine was distributed to everyone.

I took care to slowly sip the Petit which happens to be a grape that grows very well in Virginia. The full flavor fell sweetly onto my tongue and it seemed like a fitting way to end a wine pairing experience with a such a local focus.

Ream’s final contribution was the polenta “shortcake” with strawberries, diced and drowned in brown sugar, accompanied by house-made balsamic ice cream.

The idea of balsamic ice cream, I’ll admit, did not sound particularly appealing, but Ream made everyone a believer after one taste. Strangely savory and yet sweet, the characters of balsamic made for one of the most unique and delicious ice cream flavors I've had.

While the guests said their goodbyes and Denise thanked everyone for coming I drifted over to the bar for one final night-cap with Christian Reimer. This final drink, called The Steeple Chase, combined Old Forester bourbon with Angostura bitters, Cointreau, Chambord, fresh orange juice and mint.

I watched as Reimer worked his hands around the various ingredients that were at his disposal. I could see squeeze bottles with house-made syrups and solutions, tinctures and concoctions. My only wish was that I could partake in a few more "digestifs" before heading home.

As I drank, Reimer told me about his journey from San Diego to the D.C. area. He mentioned the opportunities that he had taken to own a percentage of two different establishments in California and how, unfortunately, he’d be returning there one day.

After a while it had occurred to me that On the Potomac was closing. By then, I had worked up such an exciting discussion with Reimer and McKenna, time simply zipped by me. I did not want to trespass on my gracious hosts' time so I thanked them both and promised I'd visit again soon.

And visit again I will. Lansdowne’s On the Potomac is an exciting taste of the Loudoun County experience. They bring a thrilling thoughtfulness to their work. While Washington D.C. is experiencing a thrilling culinary renaissance, foodies should take notice because places like On the Potomac in Virginia have a place in this conversation.

Congratulations to Kenny Bush of Bistrot La Minette!

Congratulations to my dear friend Kenny Bush for winning Questlove's Cookoff on April 3rd. As a result, Kenny will be cooking for The Roots 4th Annual Picnic in Philadelphia, PA. He's also gets married in May. So Mr. Bush has got a lot on his plate already in 2011.

A former GM for Tonic at Mount Pleasant, I met Kenny while opening Tonic at Quigley's Pharmacy in early 2008 (back when it had no booze). It didn't take long to figure out that Kenny is a mad scientist in the kitchen. He left DC to become a chef in the nation's original capital, Philadelphia, and has been shaking it up at Bistrot La Minette ever since.

The Menu of Music: A Response

Harness Your Kim Chi recently wrote a blog post detailing a menu of music to accompany a full course dining experience. She challenged me (ok more like... politely suggested), via Twitter, to come up with music to go with the aperitif and digestif. Very well.

But I'm going to do her one better. I'm going to match her entire menu with my own picks. However, I am also going to pair a tasty alcoholic beverage for the dishes.

Here we go...

Aperitif (I actually had no idea amuse-bouche was a one-bite spoiler. It was always just a funny sounding word to me, like "bouillabaisse" or "couscous").
Drink: Campari and tonic with a squeeze of lemon.
Music: The Dears - "Omega Dog"
I know we haven't even gotten our trousers off yet. But I'm not afraid to start off guns blazing.

Appetizer (or to you Frenchmen, "the entree")
Drink: Pimm's Cup.
Music: Broken Bells - "Vaporize"
Appetizers are fun. And so is James Mercer. Seriously, I met him in Baltimore after a show at Ram's Head Live! and he was rad.

Main Course 
Drink: Racer 5 IPA.
Music: Little Dragon - "Feather"
You want meat? I'll give you meat. You want umami? I got your umami.

Dessert
Drink: Ramos Gin Fizz. The secret to this one is you got to take the spring off the strainer and throw it into the shaker. When shaken, the spring acts like a whisk to the cream and the egg. Mixes quickly and nicely.
Music: Born Ruffians - "What to Say" 
It's got sprinkles. 

Digestif
Drink: The Macallan 10 year Sherry Oak (cask strength).
Music: Erykah Badu - "I Want You" 
Don't worry, Erykah will get you home and put you to bed. And you just might wake up the next morning with no pants.

Grand Opening of Last Exit Tonight

Last Exit, Tonic's contribution to the district's mixology movement, will have its grand opening tonight at 7:00 pm EST (basically, right now). Patrice Hammond, the beloved matriarch of the Tonic Mount Pleasant tribe, is the creative force behind the endeavor.

In speakeasy fashion, the new lounge is located right next door to the original Tonic and accessible only through that location. Simply go inside the Mount Pleasant location and ask to be taken to Last Exit.

Tonight's opening will feature small plates, infusions as well as craft beers and cocktails. Your humble correspondent will be helping out the crew of Last Exit tonight so drop by and enjoy a refreshingly different bar experience.

Happy Holidays

 

Another Food Blogger Happy Hour on the Horizon

In two weeks, Bayou Bakery on Courthouse Road in Arlington will be hosting a food blogger happy hour from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Lisa Shapiro of Examiner.com and Diningindc.net as well as Jill Grozalsky of Cuisine Queen will be the masters of ceremonies on that Wednesday night.

So many of the folks that I met at the last function were so friendly and conversational that I would highly recommend this event to anyone else who writes about food and drink. I, for one, will be in attendance.