The Spirits Of The Times: Whatever's Next? In an unstable marketplace, good old spirits have been undergoing an extraordinary renaissance since 1988, with 2003 the best year yet. And growing. With summer over and
thoughts turning to the more warming libations, I wonder what the next big drinking craze will be. My bets are on the wonderful, underrated
fruit brandies, distilled directly from fruit juices with nothing else added:
kirsch,
framboise,
mirabelle. Mmmm... The best
eaux-de-vie, in my experience, are those from
G. E. Massenez and above all (though they're quite expensive and alcoholic) from the Swiss
Paul Morand distillery. (
Flash req.) An ice-cold
Williamine, served in a shot glass surrounded by an old-fashioned tumbler full of shaved ice: oh what bliss on an autumn night, after a late dinner with old friends!
posted by MiguelCardoso
on Sep 27, 2003 -
12 comments
Does Beer Really Equal Democracy Equal The U.S.A? Max Rudin's somewhat wild assumptions only make this article of his more interesting. But is it true that beer in North America overtakes all the usual class, status and income boundaries? If so, it certainly sets it apart from Europe, where all the old preconceptions and habits still prevail and (at least in the Southwest) a glass of wine is always cheaper than a beer. So I guess the question here is: just how
political can beer be? [
As a chaser, the British expert Michael Jackson's list of the ten great beers of America seems authoritative and tempting, if a tad disloyal to the cask-conditioned real, live ales of England and Scotland...].
posted by MiguelCardoso
on Jul 15, 2002 -
20 comments
