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June 2008
PETA to bar owner: Don’t play with food
This story brought to you by the fine folks in Colorado where, apparently at a place called J.D.’s Bait Shop you can play a variety of games which include the stand-by favorites like pool, darts, video games or something more exotic.
“The Lobster Zone” is of which we speak. Here are the basics: You guide a claw toward a target hoping to pick it up, only it’s not a toy or stuffed bear — it’s a live lobster. For $2 a try you can go after a live lobster and if you manage to hook it the kitchen at J.D.’s will prepare it for you.
Not surprisingly the bar owner received a letter from PETA asking him to stop. The twist? Apparently the Lobster Zone isn’t the invention of one twisted bar owner. The article says that, “Ernie Pappas, owner of the Apopka, Fla.-based company, told me his Lobster Zone is in more than 300 locations nationwide.”
The Denver Post writer ends saying, “I went by J.D.’s on Thursday night and found eight lobsters, peacefully spread out in as pristine a tank as I’d seen anywhere. Nobody played during the two hours I was there. If you are a lobster, this has got to be one of the safest places, I told the bartender …”
Read the entire story here. What do you think? Are you with PETA or are you entering into the Lobster Zone?
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What is your favorite summer patio?
So with Carmel’s and Norton’s being some of the latest restaurants here in town to add patio space, we started thinking … where are the best patio’s in the greater Miami Valley for dining and drinking?
Here is the listing of restaurant patio dining we pulled from the MVRA Web site to help get you started with some ideas:
Beef O’Brady’s
Buffalo Wild Wings
Bullwinkle’s Top Hat Bistro
Cafe Boulevard
Carmel’s Mexican Restaurant
Cecil & Lime Cafe
CENA Brazilian Mediterranen Steakhouse & Tapas Bar
Chappy’s Tap Room & Grille
CoCo’s Bistro
Don Pablo’s Mexican Kitchen
Dublin Pub
Dugout Deli
El Meson
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Funny Bone Comedy Club & Restaurant
Greene Country Club
John Henry’s
L’Auberge
La Piazza
Las Piramides Mexican Restaurant
McCormick & Schmick’s
McGillicutty’s Grub & Pub
Milano’s Atlantic City Submarines
Pacchia
PF Chang’s
Rue Dumaine
Sweeney’s Seafood House
Thai 9
The Caroline
The Dock
Wellington Grille
Winds Cafe & Bakery
Our question: What is your favorite local patio for drinking / dining here in town?
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Pixar short films rock my world
From all accounts (and not surprisingly) Pixar Animation Studios has done it once again if you trust the early reviews coming in on their latest film. The company know for employing unlikely, loveable heros (like an abandoned Waste Allocation Load Lifter - Earth-Class model robot that goes by “WALL-E”), inspired storylines and smart dialogue for characters that range from monsters to toys to rats, Pixar continually sets the bar for smart family-friendly entertainment just about as high as it can go.
“WALL-E” opens in theaters Friday, June 27, and I know I’m not alone in looking forward to seeing it. But before we get ahead of ourselves, don’t forget about the short film that will inevitably precede it.
One of the great joys of Pixar films are the shorts they offer up to whet the appetite, and this time around we get “Presto.” The story of a famous magician who forgets to feed his rabbit one too many times, “Presto” joins a long list of terrific Pixar shorts.
“PIXAR Short Films Collection,” out now on DVD, puts the spotlight on the medium that helped Pixar grow to dominate the industry as it has. The thirteen short films assembled not only chronicle the growth of a studio, they illustrate the changes that have happened in computer animation during that time. Entertaining regardless of age, it’s an incredible collection that you’re sure to go back to (especially if kids are involved). For more on Pixar short films click here.
I’m wondering if “WALL-E” will make it on to one of my favorite new film sites … www.artofthetitle.com compiles creative, visual title sequences that could maybe even teach the folks over at Pixar a thing or two. Click here and see for yourself.
And for an interesting interview with “WALL-E” director Andrew Stanton, click here.
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Ken Butler’s DAI concert brings art, music together
Visual art and experimental music collided together on a local stage Sunday afternoon when Ken Butler, the featured artist at the Dayton Art Institute exhibition “KEN BUTLER: Hybrid Visions,” gave a special concert on his found-object hybrid instruments.
At least 40 people were waiting in line to get tickets five minutes before show time, so it was no surprise that a packed DAI auditorium would greet us for a near sell-out show or that the show would be slightly delayed (only 15 minutes) in order to get folks wishing to attend ticketed and seated.
It was worth the wait.
Joining Butler on the stage was percussionist Erich Reith who works at the DAI. When Butler was visiting Dayton he met Reith, and invited him to accompany him on stage after finding out Reith played the Dumbek — a Middle Eastern drum.
While not always “easy” on the ears, it was always interesting to listen to.
Each of the instruments Butler showcased was played in multiple ways during each of the six pieces performed. There was some plucking, bowing, scratching, picking, thumping, strumming and wacking … if there was a noise to be found in his hybrid instruments, Butler found a way to coax or beat it out of them before it was all over.
Recording and looping notes he was playing on stage, the mesmerizing set was attention grabbing not only due to the odd and surprising instruments being paraded, but Butler’s expert use in handling them during the Middle Eastern infused jams.
Butler’s work, which challenges the ideas and perceptions we have both about art and music, merged them together. Hybrid instruments creating a hybrid sound creating a hybrid experience.
Seeing a golf club being plugged into an amp is surreal, but the music that it produced during Butler’s piece entitled “Par 12” was pretty incredible. His innovative techniques and experimental instruments helped create a textural wall of sound with layered loops recorded live, sandwiched on top of each other.
And a golf club was tame. He played an umbrella. He played a paint brush and then did one better with a toothbrush. Butler even hooked up his slacks to a mic and gave a mini-concert unzipping his pants.
He ended the just-over-one-hour show by sticking a microphone in his mouth and hitting his head like a drum with dramatic effect. In a very funny finale Reith and Butler joined forces and hands for a jam session on Butler’s skull.
The intensity, depth and tune of each wild instrument was distinct and took on a life of it’s own. The roughly 500 in attendance will probably never look at a golf club, tennis racquet or shovel the same again, which is probably just what Butler had hoped to achieve.
“KEN BUTLER: Hybrid Visions” continues through Aug. 10 at the Dayton Art Institute. Call (800) 296-4426 or visit www.daytonartinstitute.org for more information.
See photos of the exhibit here.
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Recipes for summer entertaining
These refreshing recipes come courtesy of Yellow Tail wines - all sound delicious and perfect for a sophisticated outdoor summer party! I have added a few on my list to try out and thought all were worth sharing. Cheers!
Spicy Lotus
Ingredients: 2 oz Chardonnay, 1 oz Green Tea Liqueur, 1 oz Monin Spicy Mango, 1 oz Lemonade Directions: Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a strawberry.
Lemon Myrtle
Ingredients: 2 oz Chardonnay, 1 oz Lemoncello, 1/2 oz Monin Mojito Mint Syrup, 1/2 Orange Liqueur, 1 oz Sour Mix Directions: Shake and strain into a martini glass. Rimmed in sugar garnish with a lemon wheel.
Down Under Cobbler
Ingredients: 1 oz Shiraz, 1 oz Rum, 1 oz Pomegranate Liqueur, 2 oz Cranberry Juice, 1 Fresh Lime Pressed, Splash of Simple Syrup Directions: In a cocktail shaker muddle fresh berries with simple syrup and fresh lime juice. Add ice and the remaining ingredients strain into a Collins glass half filled with ice and seasonal berries top with a splash of Club Soda. Garnish with a mint leaf.
Blueberry Watermelon
Ingredients: 1 oz Sparkling White Wine, 1.5 oz blueberry flavored vodka, 1 oz watermelon liqueur, 2 oz fresh lemonade Directions: Shake all ingredients except Sparkling White Wine in a martini shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini or collins glass. Add ice. Top with Sparkling White Wine. Garnish with fresh blueberries and a small watermelon wedge.
Floral Temptation
Ingredients: 2 oz Sparkling Rose Wine, 1 oz vanilla flavored vodka, 1/2 fresh lime, pressed, 1 oz cranberry juice, 1 oz rose nectar Directions: In a cocktail shaker with ice, add all ingredients except Sparkling Rose Wine and shake well. Separately cover rim of a chilled martini glass or champagne flute with vanilla sugar. Strain mixture into glass. Slowly top off glass with Sparkling Rose Wine. Garnish with a strawberry and edible flower.
Exotic Temptation
Ingredients: 2 oz Sparkling Rose Wine, 1 oz peach flavored vodka, 1 oz cranberry juice, 1 oz Lychee Syrup (or Puree) Directions: In a cocktail shaker with ice, add all ingredients except Sparkling Rose Wine. Strain into glass. Slowly top off glass with Sparkling Rose Wine. Garnish with a fresh strawberry.
Pomegranate Peach
Ingredients: 1 oz Sparkling Rose Wine, 1 oz peach flavored vodka, 1 oz pomegranate liqueur, 2 oz fresh lemonade Directions: Shake all ingredients except Sparkling Rose Wine in a martini shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini or collins glass. Add ice. Top with Sparkling Rose Wine. Garnish with fresh blueberries.
Orchard Temptation
Ingredients: 2 oz Sparkling White Wine, 1 oz pear flavored vodka, 1 oz apple juice, 1 oz vanilla flavored vodka Directions: In a cocktail shaker with ice, add all ingredients except Sparkling White Wine. Strain mixture into a glass. Slowly top off glass with Sparkling White Wine. Garnish with an apple or pear slice.
Triple Citrus
Ingredients: 1 oz Sparkling White Wine, 1 oz grapefruit flavored vodka, splash of simple syrup, 1/2 oz orange liqueur, 2 oz fresh lemonade Directions: Shake all ingredients except Sparkling White Wine in a martini shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini or collins glass. Add ice. Top with Sparkling White Wine. Garnish with an orange twist.
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14 Songs You Should Never Play In A Bar
So I happened upon a blog with a great bar subject … the entry reads: “There’s nothing worse than having a perfectly good drinking session ruined by a song that either doesn’t belong in a bar, has been crammed down your ears too many times, or just plain sucks.”
The list starts at No. 14 with Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do.” There are compelling arguments and each list has a description of “who plays this on the juke box” and “why it needs to be retired.”
Other songs named: “Mr. Brightside” by the Killers, “It’s the End of the World as We Know It” by R.E.M., “Dancing Queen” by Abba, “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey, “Smooth” by Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas, “Hotel California” by the Eagles, “I Will Survive: by Gloria Gaynor, “Paradise By the Dashboard Light” by Meatloaf, “Bawidaba” by Kid Rock, Anything by the Beatles, “Piano Man” by Billy Joel and lastly …. drum roll …. “American Pie” by Don McLean.
Other songs that folks responding say missed the list … “Summer of ‘69”, “Freebird”, “Don’t Stop Believin’ “, “Stairway to Heaven”, “Bohemian Rhapsody”, anything by Jimmy Buffet, anything by Hootie and the Blowfish, “Pour Some Sugar on Me”, “Family Tradition” by Hank Williams …
I agree with some of these, both from blogger and commenters, but there is one serious gripe I have … ANYTHING BY THE BEATLES!?!?!!! Are you kidding me? That’s sacrilege …
Read the entire entry here and let me know what you think. What are your least favorites? And to start a new thread, what are your favorite songs to play on a jukebox?
While you think on that, here is a Jukebox Yeti interlude … enjoy!
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Shape up and drink at the same time
Everyone wants to look hot in the summer, right? Sadly summer is the season to party down … What to do? Check out this video and see how you can get your exercise and drink on at the same time using the bar as your own personal gym. Start things off easy with the “Open Tab Stretch” where you extend your credit card arm toward the barkeep, feeling the tremendous burn. Work your way up to “Long Island Lunges” where you order two Long Island Iced Teas and lunge toward your friends and ultimate fitness. Don’t believe it’s true? Check out our regimen of 10 classic bar exercise moves for yourself and make that commitment to getting in shape and having a night out on the town with friends all at the same time. Cheers!
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Local restaurant gets new look, menu, patio
The KMO (Kettering, Moraine, Oakwood) Chamber of Commerce recently attended a ribbon cutting on June 5 at Norton’s Grill in Kettering to celebrate the bars new patio, interior, menu and chef.
“I really wanted to transform Norton’s Grill from ‘the neighborhood bar’ into ‘the neighborhood restaurant, ’ ” said owner Fred McGee. “Norton’s has been a Kettering institution for 22 years, and I wanted it to be even more of a community-friendly place.”
In addition to the obvious changes from the street - new awnings, a 70-seat patio - there are some less obvious changes tucked away in the kitchen.
“We decided to hire Bill Webb, who worked at Carver’s and the Dayton Country Club,” said McGee. “He’s a down-to-earth guy with 30 years of experience, so we really wanted him to join our team.” Webb is responsible for creating the new menu (including a Saturday and Sunday breakfast menu), which has everything from Egg Rolls to Ribs.
“We just got a pizza oven, so hopefully we’ll add pizzas to our menu shortly,” McGee says. “Not only that, but our entire menu can be delivered right to your door … even the ribs.”
Norton’s Grill is located at 2505 Wilmington Pike in Kettering. For more information contact Norton’s at (937) 294-2278.
Photo of June 5 ribbon cutting courtesy of The KMO Chamber of Commerce.
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Make your own digital mixtape
Music may not make the world go round, but it does make my world go round. In preparing to pack for the Bonnaroo music festival happening this weekend in Manchester, Tenn., my thoughts (not surprisingly) turned to music. And the good news is you don’t need to leave the state let alone your house to find it. Here are some great sites that are sure to bring music to your ears:
Finetune (www.finetune.com) — create playlists, explore other playlists, embed playlists in your blog MySpace page, get music suggestions, and the best part — besides the fact that it’s free — is many of the songs available are recent releases.
Pandora (www.pandora.com) — I wrote about this nearly two years ago and am still using it today. Enter your favorite band(s) and the site creates a radio station for you based on your preferences. It’s simple, painless and so worth a visit.
Daytrotter (daytrotter.com) — Exclusive recording sessions and interviews with some of the best indie bands out there, Daytrotter is a great place to dig up information on names you recognize and a whole lot more you don’t. Stream and download tracks for free? That’s good enough for me.
Muxtape (muxtape.com) — think digital mix tape. Upload up to 12 MP3s to share with the world. This site was hacked into at the end of May and is not back up and running yet, but if it ever gets there, it’s worth checking out.
Hype Machine (http://hypem.com) — follows music blogs so you don’t have to.
Saving the best for last, may I introduce you to Cassette From My Ex (www.cassettefrommyex.com) — a site that takes a look at mixtapes from past romances that failed, probably due to the creators choice of music. Delight in the handwritten notes and artwork, listen to the streaming audio from the tapes, read the story behind the romance and giggle both because you’re both amused and horrified. Reflect on all of the downright horrible mix tapes you made back in the day, double check to be sure they’re not archived on the site and celebrate your relief.
Happy hunting and may you too have your own Bonnaroo (a Cajun slang word meaning “a really good time”).
And if you have any sweet sites to share that are music related, we’d love to hear them. Share here.
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World’s Largest Restaurant Breaks Record
The Damascus Gate has taken the title of World’s largest eatery from Thailand’s “Royal Dragon.” With seating for 6,012 people and a staff that can reach upwards of 1,700 including chefs that can create up to 30 helping of a dish in one minute, according to the Reuters news release. The only thing you won’t find on the menu that includes Middle Eastern, Chinese and Indian dishes? Alcohol. Check please ….
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Rick’s Cafe Americain, “Casablanca”
You must remember this if there’s ever a Morocco visit on the menu: There is an honest to goodness Rick’s Cafe in Casablanca.
Opened in 2004, it’s the first Rick’s Cafe that Casablanca has ever seen and where the 1942 Warner Brothers film starring Humphrey Bogart lifted the rich details of the city at the time, the bar has lifted details from the film to recreate the feel and vibe that Bogart and Bergman made look so effortless and watchable.
After writing about the top bars of cinema I began wondering if there ever was a place that the “Casablanca” drew inspiration from and this is what I discovered. Sounds like in this case life imitates art …
Here’s looking at you, kid! And if you’d like to see the bar/restaurant that - no surprise -features a piano player, click here.
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The Top 15 Bars of Cinema
I happened across a post of a pub crawl through the top 15 bars of cinema on nerve.com. The author (Andrew Osborne) never indicates whether or not they are in order, but here’s the list beginning with our personal favorite and maybe his since it started things off:
The Dresden Room, “Swingers” (1996): This is a real bar in the real world (1760 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Feliz, CA) that will leave you feeling “money” and on the prowl for “beautiful babies.” The fact that it’s a physical place that you can visit on your own time put this place over the top making it deserving in our minds of the Lounge Lizards first place cinema bar award. Directed by Jon Favreau who directed “Iron Man” which is currently out in theaters, it’s a good way to start out any list as far as we’re concerned.
And the rest …
The Skid Row dive bars of “Barfly” (1987)
Taffey’s Bar, “Blade Runner” (1982)
The Beer Tavern, “Feast” (2005)
The Pink Room, “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me” (1992)
The Overlook Hotel Bar from “The Shining” (1980): Runner-up to the Lounge Lizards first place cinema bar award
Bob’s Country Bunker, “The Blues Brothers” (1980)
The Chink’s, “Glengarry Glen Ross” (1992)
Tony’s Place, “Mean Streets” (1973)
Harry’s Bar, “The Iceman Cometh” (1973)
Trees Lounge, “Trees Lounge” (1996)
Peter Boyle’s Bar, “The Friends of Eddie Coyle” (1973)
Korova Milk Bar, “A Clockwork Orange” (1971)
The Mos Eisley Cantina, “Star Wars” (1977): Runner-up to the Lounge Lizards first place cinema bar award
Rick’s Cafe Americain, “Casablanca” (1942): Runner-up to the Lounge Lizards first place cinema bar award
Do you have any favorite film bars? Read the entire article here and give us your nomination for your favorite bars of cinema.
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Further proof that vodka makers will try anything
UK vodka-maker Three Olives has rolled out a new flavor that we were skeptical hearing about and even more skeptical trying: Root Beer. Inspired by the old-fashioned classic recipe of days gone by, the combination of vanilla, cherry tree bark, licorice and sasparilla root, nutmeg, anise and molasses in vodka is better than we ever thought possible.
“Historically, Root Beer was developed as an alcoholic beverage, so we thought it would be interesting to bring it back to its roots,” said Elwyn Gladstone, Head of Marketing for Proximo (Proximo Spirits, Inc. is a premium spirits distributor). “We are constantly creating ways to reformulate the uninspired flavors of traditional vodka and we are thrilled to be the first to put the alcohol back into this classic flavor.”
Sure, the first thing we thought of was a grown-up root beer float, but that could get old after a while. Here are some recipes that work really well with this unexpected entry into the market. We may have been skeptics, but we became believers pretty quickly.
Rock Star Root Beer
Ingredients: 1 oz Three Olives Root Beer Vodka, 1 oz Three Olives Vanilla Vodka, 4 oz Ginger Ale Directions: Mix all in a glass with ice. Garnish with a cherry.
Root Beer Floatini
Ingredients: 1 1/2 oz Three Olives Root Beer Vodka, 1/2 Amaretto liqueur, Melon-ball scoop of vanilla ice cream Directions: Shake vodka and amaretto hard with ice. Strain into glass. Float ice cream in center.
British Car Bomb
Ingredients: 1 ounce Three Olives Root Beer Vodka, 1/2 pint Ale Directions: Drop shot glass of Three Olives Root Beer Vodka carefully into 1/2 pint of ale
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Krispy Kreme offering free doughnuts today
Italian’s call it fritoles, Mexicans call them churros, Germans call them krapfens, Homer Simpson calls them “mmmmmmm … doughnuts.” I was not aware, but apparantly National Doughnut Day is celebrated on the first Friday in June which would be today, Friday June 6. And if someone hasn’t wished you a Happy National Doughnut day, allow me to be the first.
Important to note that participating Krispy Kreme stores across the country will be celebrating with customers by letting them choose one free doughnut of their choice. Read the full story here.
A call to the Kettering location at 2001 East Dorothy Lane (937) 296-4400 confirmed that they are participating. When Manager George Ray was asked have they been busy he had this to say: “We have been slammed this morning. That’s why I said good afternoon instead of good morning (when he answered the phone) … It’s been that busy.”
“National Doughnut Day is one of our most anticipated days at Krispy Kreme. We get to give back to our loyal customers by offering a doughnut on us and celebrating everyone’s favorite sweet treat,” said Stan Parker, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. “Whether it’s a cruller or a Hot Now Original Glazed, we are providing the community with a small gift of thanks.”
A little background: This “holiday” (if you can call it that) was officially established in 1938 by the Chicago Salvation Army to raise much-needed funds during the Great Depression.
Here are some more doughnut facts to whet your appetite taken from the LaMar’s Web site that I found interesting. They also have a doughnut quiz if you are looking to test your knowledge.
Did you know? In the U.S. alone, more than 10 billion doughnuts are made every year? Per capita, Canada has more doughnut shops than any other country? The hole in the doughnut’s center appeared in the first half of the 19th Century? Neither did we. So, where’s your favorite place to grab a doughnut? Feel free to share any other doughnut thoughts, ideas or memories you have here.
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Troy bar plans to serve up strawberry martinis this weekend
A strawberry shortcake martini? A chocolate covered stawberry martini? A strawberry truffle martini? A strawberry starburst martini?
No, it’s not wishful thinking … this is for real.
In honor of this weekend’s Troy Strawberry Festival, Shawn Grow, owner of the Cork-N-Vine Wine Cellar, decided it was the perfect time to serve up these specialty cocktails. Customers can nosh on a strawberry stuffed with Creme fraiche throughout the weekend or enjoy a chocolate fountain and fresh strawberries on Saturday while they enjoy a glass of wine or a berry delicious concoction.
Cork-N-Vine Wine Cellar is roughly a mile away from the Strawberry Festival itself and these cocktails are a nice way to cap off the day while sticking to the theme.
If you’re over the berries, head bartender Kristie Wilson has come up with other inspired cocktails like the Dirty Girl Scout which tastes like a Thin Mint and the Key Lime Pie martini which tastes like, well, Key Lime Pie. With an extensive specialty drink list and sets of wine flights it should be a nice way to keep the festivities in Troy going after the festival itself has ended.
The cocktails which sell for $6.99 each can be enjoyed with friends by ordering a sampling of four sets of four mini-martinis for $40. The mini portions which add up to just over a martini are a nice way to sample them all without overdoing.
The Strawberry Shortcake Martini is a creamy, sweet treat made with vanilla vodka, Frangelico, Strawberry Pucker and fresh cream with a graham cracker rim. The Chocolate Covered Stawberry martini was a favorite made with Godiva liquer, vanilla vodka and a splash of Frangelico. The Strawberry Truffle has a rich flavor with a sour note to finish it thanks to the addition of muddled strawberries mixed in with vanilla vodka, Godiva White Chocolate liquer and Strawberry Pucker. The Strawberry Starburst Martini is a simple mixture of lemonade, Strawberry Pucker and Watermelon Pucker that tastes just like a Jolly Rancher.
Pictured above: The Chocolate Covered Stawberry martini front and center flanked by the Strawberry Truffle martini on the left and the Strawberry Shortcake martini behind it.
Although they tasted a little light on booze, they were big on berry flavor and would make a refreshing treat at the end of a long day. Troy’s Cork-N-Vine Wine Cellar is worth a stop - if not this weekend then at some point in the future.
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Kettering bar changes hands, name
The sign may not have changed quite yet, but it will soon. A sign for Tink’s will shortly be on the building Wize Guyz Nite Club once occupied at 2049 E. Dorothy Ln., Kettering.
The bar changed hands on Friday, May 30, and Kathy Kenna, the bars new owner, and her daughter and manager Heather Randolph report they have big plans for the place.
Randolph says they will be opening a kitchen and while they’re still ironing out details on a menu, they hope to have the kitchen up and running in two weeks. She went on to say they’re hoping to attract a lunch crowd with soups, sandwiches and salads at a cost of anywhere from $4 to $8 with the option of calling ahead for pick-up.
In addition to food, Tink’s will be changing hours with a current plan of opening at 1 p.m. and closing at 2 a.m. A post on the Wize Guyz Nite Club Web site reads: “WIZE GUYS HAS ENDED ITS 5 YEARS OF GOOD TIMES WITH GOOD FRIENDS. THE NEW PLACE NOW BELONGS TO TINK. I HOPE EVERYBODY WILL CONTINUE TO PATRONIZE HER PLACE NOW. WE WILL SEE YOU THERE ALSO EVERY NOW AND THEN. LET’S ALL GET TOGETHER AND HAVE A GOOD TIME.”
This Friday, June 6, Kenna and Randolph plan to have music from Fairborn’s D’Agostinos and say they plan to have a DJ spinning every Friday night.
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Miracle fruit tricks the tongue
Red berries that make beer taste like chocolate and lemons taste like candy? According to the New York Times there’s a “miracle fruit” out there that can make it so … a tiny treat that tricks the tongue into thinking, among other things, that sour is sweet.
Synsepalum dulcificum, a West African fruit, works thanks to a protein called miraculin which tricks the taste buds when they come into contact with acids.
The article goes on to say that bartenders have, not surprisingly, been experimenting with the fruit as well.
Here’s an excerpt of the story below … or click here to read the entire story.
Don Lee, a beverage director at the East Village bar Please Don’t Tell, has been making miracle fruit cocktails on his own time, but the bar probably won’t offer them anytime soon. The fruit is highly perishable and expensive — a single berry goes for $2 or more. Lance J. Mayhew developed a series of drink recipes with miracle fruit foams and extracts for a recent issue of the cocktail magazine Imbibe and may create others for Beaker & Flask, a restaurant opening later this year in Portland, Ore. He cautioned that not everyone enjoys the berry’s long-lasting effects. Despite warnings, he said, one woman became irate after drinking one of his cocktails. He said, “She was, like, ‘What did you do to my mouth?’ ” Franz Aliquo, 32, (a lawyer who hosts “flavor-tripping parties in New York) issues his own warnings. “It will make all wine taste like Manischewitz,” he said. And already sweet foods like candy can become cloying. He said that he had learned about miracle fruit while searching ethnobotany Web sites for foods he could make for a diabetic friend.
According to the article, “Curtis Mozie, 64, a Florida grower sells thousands of the berries each year through his Web site, www.miraclefruitman.com. (A freezer pack of 30 berries costs about $90 with overnight shipping.)”
Ever heard of these things? Better yet, ever tried one? Would you if you haven’t already?
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