“Gimme your biggest wine!” One of the requests I dread the most. I know for sure he just drove up in his Toyota Tundra Crew Max Double Cab 4×4 Platinum 5.7L V8 FFV ** 6-Speed Automatic. After all, why not drive the biggest, most expensive, most powerful vehicle that will…
The Spot: Cibo Urban Wine Bar & Pizzeria 603 N. 5th Ave., Phoenix 602-441-2697 www.cibophoenix.com See Also: – Last but Not Least on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: DeFalco’s Italian Eatery in Scottsdale and The Duce in Downtown Phoenix – Co-Founder of Arizona Cocktail Week to Open New Bar at Downtown’s…
One can hardly discuss frozen drinks without bringing up one of the best-known items in the category, the piña colada. A trip to the Caribbean wouldn’t be complete without one. It’s so popular in its birthplace, Puerto Rico, that it was named the country’s official drink in 1978. See Also:…
In this occasional series, FnB’s Pavle Milic spills about his current mission to learn how wine is made, literally, from the Southern Arizona ground up. See also: – Maynard Keenan, Sam Pillsbury, Todd Bostock and other Wine Experts Give Pavle Milic Advice on Designing Wine Labels — and Pavle Finally…
The juicing craze seems to still be in full swing, so let’s go a step further from the typical post gym pick-me-up and throw some alcohol in the mix! Margaritas are a summer staple ’round these parts. They’re easy to make, refreshing, and can be made in frozen form. What’s…
The Spot: Barrelhouse American Kitchen & Cocktails 2050 North Alma School Road, Chandler 480-857-8877 www.facebook.com/barrelhouseaz See Also: – 16 Favorite Places in Metro Phoenix to Eat at the Bar – Blue Hound Kitchen in Phoenix: Happy Hour Report Card – Chandler’s Barrelhouse Rolls Out with a Few Bumps…
Beer: Imperial Stout Brewery: Marble Brewery Style: Russian Imperial Stout ABV: 11 percent May 8, 2013. Eleven men sit around a large meeting room table inside the Micromatic Facility in Machesney Park, Illinois. Some wear the tired eyes of jet lag; others intently study piles of paper notes; many attempt…
Welcome back to the Blended Summer drink series. I can only start out this week’s column by saying… Oh, man, do I love this drink. It’s one that I first discovered during my days behind the stick at Trader Vic’s. I was always eager to show it off, even though…
You might have heard about a new Arizona wine called Kindred. It’s a four-barrel collaboration among some of the most notable vintners in the state: Arizona Stronghold Vineyards, Dos Cabezas Wineworks, Caduceus Cellars and Callaghan Vineyards. The result? “The wine is smoky and rich with red fruits and herbs …
A comment overheard recently: ‘If it looks like a Bar, sounds like a Bar, it is a Bar.’ It’s hard enough to grow and plant wine grapes in Arizona, or anywhere for that matter, and fortunately this is not a majority opinion, but I beg to differ. Let me explain…
The Spot: Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails 2 East Jefferson Street, Phoenix 602-258-0231 www.bluehoundkitchen.com See Also: – 10 Hotels for a Phoenix Staycation – Pallets in Downtown Phoenix: Happy Hour Report Card – Cibo in Downtown Phoenix Has a New Happy Hour Menu…
Beer: Homefront IPA Brewery: Phoenix Ale Brewery Style: American IPA ABV: 6.5 percent I didn’t know Gregory Fretz well. I really only met the man once, during the Beer for Brains Bocce Brew HaHa held in 2012, as he was pouring glasses of Phoenix Ale Watermelon Wheat. He told me…
This week for Last Call, my frozen drink series continues with arguably the most popular cocktail in the state. That’s right, it’s time to make some frozen margaritas. Sounds simple enough. I’ve already written an article about “regular” non-frozen margaritas; all I’d have to do is take one and toss…
Beer: Péché Mortel Brewery: Brasserie Dieu du Ciel! Style: Imperial Stout ABV: 9.5 percent While much ado is made about brews from ‘Merica, it should be noted that the craft beer revolution is underway abroad as well. Canada, notably, has moved past its macro exports like Labatt and Molson’s to…
The Spot: Pallets 1011 North Third Street 602-254-1168 www.palletsfoodandbar.com See Also: – Roaring Fork in Scottsdale: Happy Hour Report Card – The Most Popular Spirit in the World is Chinese Firewater Baijiu — And It May Be Coming To The States – Hotel Palomar’s One Year Anniversary Party in Downtown…
I’ve had it. I’m sick of fellow bartenders who turn up their nose at frozen drinks. Most mixologists in town get a disgusted sneer at the mere mention of the word “blender”. Countless bar blenders have found themselves victim to horrible “accidents” wrought by bartenders who find blended drinks beneath…
I watched the chef swirl and sniff as I opened the rest of the bottles. I had learned not to expect too much from resorts, and this was one of them. We have really nice relationships with some, but they tend to be too big, run by out-of-state corporations, and…
The Spot: Roaring Fork 4800 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale 480-947-0795 www.roaringfork.com See Also: – SoChu House in Phoenix: Happy Hour Report Card – Green Chile Mac and Cheese Smackdown: The Main Ingredient vs. Roaring Fork – 10 Best Margaritas in Metro Phoenix…
I love a good Moscow Mule. But then, who doesn’t? It’s more interesting than your average vodka drink (i.e., ridiculous flavored vodka and soda or 7-Up), but accessible enough for mainstream mass appeal. See also: – Stop the Reduced-Calorie Vodka Madness! – How to Make a Great Moscow Mule -…
Beer: Long Strange Trip Brewery: Sonoran Brewing Co. Style: Oatmeal Stout ABV: 7.2 percent The journey began with 7 Wives Saison, a brew featuring pink peppercorns, mesquite syrup, orange, coriander, fennel, and fennel pollen. Our travels then took us to the river for some FFF, where grapefruit, brown sugar, and…
The Spot: SoChu House 2801 North Central Avenue, Phoenix 602-340-9777 www.sochuhouse.com See Also: – Pig & Pickle in Scottsdale: Happy Hour Report Card – Tastemakers 2012: Johnny Chu – Miu’s Cuisine: Sichuan Food That’s Anything but Familiar…
Part of writing this column, and of bartending, is keeping abreast of booze trends. One would have to live under a rock to not know that flavored vodka is massively popular. Take a look at almost any back bar in town, and there’s a wide array of flavors from classic…
