Penny Profiler #29

Mandy Machamer.  My mom told me growing up that boyfriends will come and go but girlfriends can last a lifetime.  Mandy and I may have met when we each had different men on our arms but thankfully the girlfriend connection passed muster.  She is one of the silliest, most outgoing girls I know.  With a distinguishable laugh that lights up a room, I can hardly wait for her butt to be at the bar for some comic and sweet relief. 

For the penny exchange I was invited over to enjoy dinner for one of the first al fresco meals of the season.  Mandy, her sweet boyfriend Brian, and their pet hedgehog Quest made my night!  

Local Inspirations (Part IV)

I continue to scour this area, and beyond, for destinations that motivates my senses and act as a template for better business practices.  These are a few downtown options that I have always been impressed with and hope that you can make time to enjoy a meal within their walls.

Lecosho: Matt Janke won me over years ago at his gourmet counter in the market known as Matt’s in the Market.  Today, Lecosho is always among my favorites to visit.  It’s convenient and semi-hidden location on Harbor Steps makes this a great destination downtown for lunch, happy hour, and dinner.

Beloved Dish: Tie between the anchovy salad or the roasted chicken

Special detail: Great happy hour & late night menu!

Go: www.lecosho.com

Farestart: Their tagline is “the most socially responsible crouton you’ll ever eat.”  This is a comprehensive 16 week training program combining hands on food service training with classroom instruction, individual case management and job placement services.  This program prepares homeless and disadvantaged men and women for jobs in the restaurant and hospitality industry and helps them to keep those jobs. 

Each Thursday evening they host Guest Chef Night where a different local area restaurant brings their culinary team to work with the students in preparing a 3 course meal for only $29.95, with a 100% of those proceeds going back into the program. 

Beloved Chef: Paratti Café (His business partner is a former graduate of this program)

Special Detail: Farestart offers catering options too!

Favorite Server: Timothy

Go: www.farestart.org

Delay of Game

For the record, I have really missed posting here.  I use it as a barometer or accountability on my progress.  Not posting certainly doesn’t mean a lack of activity on the back end but I do feel a sense of responsibility to keep up what I started.  Pressure is a blessing and a curse.  Alas, other responsibilities called and I’m back, if only temporarily. 

In less than a few weeks (7/11/12) an event I created called Wine Rocks will roll out for its 5^th installment.  This is an annual wine and music extravaganza that has grown considerably since its inception.  We have added more wineries, breweries, distilleries and food trucks to accommodate the larger and more scenic venue.  The backdrop to the evening is Elliott Bay, and I'm getting really excited.  Five bands will play throughout the course of the evening on Pier 66 while guest enjoy the fruits of labor supplied by the local winemakers, brewmasters and distillers.  Check it out at www.winerocksseattle.com

Needless to say between this, my shifts at Ray’s and making headway on Brimmer & Heeltap, I have been a busy girl.

Penny Profiler #28

Gabrielle and Scott Higson.  There is a small group of people in my life that I have been fortunate enough to cross paths with who all show up for a weekend to do a little deep tissue work on our emotional well being.  Gabrielle is one of those attendees.  Some may call it happenstance, while others call it divine intervention when certain people come in and out of our lives.  I personally do not believe in accidents and regularly count my lucky stars for this intersection in my life. 

Our penny exchange occurred at their home where I got to meet Scott, her husband, for the first time.  It’s really quite a gift when you get to meet someone’s other half and see such a beautiful, authentic connection.  The penny’s were the vehicle for the introduction and I continue to be humbled by this process.

Penny Profiler #27

Patty Foley & Jesse Moore.  I was lucky enough to cross paths with these two cool cats on Post Alley in the Pike Place Market at my former place of business.  They were on one side of the bar, I on the other.  That scenario happened often enough that a genuine bond was formed and soon we were meeting at favorite hot spots for food and drink outside the work walls. 

Patty & Jesse have a leading role in the Georgetown Haunted History Tour.  It is one of my favorite seasonal excursions and I can’t recommend it enough.  (http://www.georgetownhistory.com/Tour/About/)  

Our penny exchange was hosted at their lovely home in South Seattle where I picked up the Gatorade bottle full of coins (a little pocket lint and cat hair too for good measure).  Makes me giggle thinking about the various vessels I've been receiving and the journey of where these little coins came from.  

Cents-less?

Our neighbors to the north have started measures to abolish the penny, are we next?  I’ve never been opposed to them but my recent penny collection mission proves that they are pretty polarizing.  Given their puny value, the penny has few friends.  Many consider them a nuisance, while coin collectors vie for their survival.  Using good ol’ fashioned economics, it doesn’t make much sense to keep them around.  They cost more to produce than they are worth.  According to the New York Times, The United States government (aka the taxpayers) lost $60.2 million on the production and distribution of pennies in the 2011 fiscal year.  A number of countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Britain, have already dropped their lowest-denominated coins without dire consequence.

Nostalgia is bittersweet with recollections of yesteryear and what I could purchase at the candy shop, or toss into a well for a wish.  What will we lay on the railroad tracks?  I guess another coin will suffice, but it’s just not the same.  If the penny dies, we'll demote the poor nickel to the bottom of the pickle jar and wonder what to do when it's full.  Amazon has a tawdry list of ridiculous products for sale, each for the asking price of a penny.  My favorites included “Dance The Macarena” VHS, Paparazzi Shades, or “Full House” Button/Pins with either Dave Coulier or John Stamos' picture on it.

Well if these little coins are put out to pasture, I’ll have thousands of them that will lay entombed at Brimmer & Heeltap.  

Penny Profiler #26

Stacey Anderson and Kevin Klein.  The very soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. Klein.  Farkle is to blame.  Stacey and some of her friends took it upon themselves to whip out a travel Farkle set and get their game on at my place of business.  Well their unbridled enthusiasm and competitive spirit sealed the deal.  Thankfully it takes more than a roll of the dice to keep good friends like this around.  They are great story tellers, party throwers, campers, dinner hosts, interior decorator (sorry Kev but Stacey wins that title hands down!) Rainier beer and fine red wine drinking buddies.  They are uber passionate and a few of the best debaters I’ve ever come across. 

Our penny swap came one night as we met to discuss their wedding plans on their roof top deck.  Not a bad setting overlooking the city and quite fitting as we contemplated all of our next chapters.  

Vermouth Inspired Cocktails

Bastardo

1 ounce Brandy

1/2 ounce Dry Vermouth

1/2 ounce Sweet Vermouth

A couple of dashes of Orange Bitters

Chilled Club Soda

Place all ingredients, except for the club soda, into a shaker filled with ice.  Slowly stir the mixture for 30 seconds and then strain into a cocktail glass filled with fresh ice.  Top with a splash of club soda; serve immediately.

Bijou

1 ounce Gin

1 ounce Sweet Vermouth

1 ounce Green Chartreuse

Dash orange bitters

Stir with ice and strain into chilled coupe glass.  Garnish with cherry and lemon twist.

Caprice

1 ½ ounce Gin

1 ½ ounce Dry Vermouth

½ ounce Benedictine

Dash orange bitters

Stir with ice and strain into chilled coupe glass.  Garnish with orange twist.

Duplex

equal parts GOOD Sweet & Dry Vermouth

Regans Orange Bitters

CCCOLD & UUUp, served with a twist

Manhattan

2 ounces bourbon

1 ounce sweet vermouth

1 drop orange oil

Cherry
Orange twist

Negroni

1 oz. gin

1 oz. Campari

1 oz. sweet vermouth

Ice cubes

Stir ingredients in a mixing glass, strain into a chilled cocktail glass (or ice-filled double rocks glass) and garnish with an orange twist.

Trilby No. 2

1 ¾ oz Scotch

½ oz Sweet Vermouth

½ oz Parfait Amour

2 dashes Absente

Orange Twist

Penny Profiler #25

Debbie Brandt.  Our paths crossed nearly a decade ago while doing a little soul searching.  Lucky for me we still gather a few times a year to dig deep into the emotional database.  She’s a ray of maternal light that fosters a can-do, accomplish your dreams attitude.  A true inspiration to women everywhere!

Our penny exchange was delicious as it was set to a multiple course meal at Café Lago.  Hours passed as we explored the historical points along our shared timeline.  Ah, the powers of red wine and delicious food! I don’t get to see her all that often, but our visits leave me a little wiser and give me the confidence to march forward.  After this visit I was armed with sense and cents! 

Vermouth Tasting Results

Okay, so we’ve compiled the results from our blind tasting and all is noted below.  Our criteria was to select the best tasting vermouth without consideration of how it would taste with different spirits or other ingredients added, simply on its own at that moment.  All wines were served slightly chilled.  After the tasting, we explored making different cocktails and experiments with the vermouths we didn’t rate as high.  As it turns out they made excellent mixers versus standing on their own. The drinks were remarkable and the nuance of adding different vermouth’s makes a big difference!  I’ll compile all the recipes too and send that out in a future post.  Prices listed are suggested retail.

Extra Dry Category

·         Boissiere – France $8.99, voted least favorite.  Overt chemical aromas and flavor profile

·         Montana Perucchi – Spain $18.99, voted 1^st place, pleasant oxidized characters and similar to Sherry.  Worked nicely by itself and with food.

·         Vya – California $14.99, voted 2^nd place, it was the most unique for scent and flavor.  Strong mulled spices and viscous qualities.

Dry Category

·         Dolin – France $13.99, voted least favorite.  Hot nose and finish coupled with chemical attributes made it unpleasant

·         Noilly Prat – France $9.99, voted 2^nd place, strong herbaceous qualities, a bit hot on the nose and palate.

·         Vya – California $14.99, voted 1^st place and the clear winner in this category.  Light, crisp, balanced acidity and herbs.

Red Category – There wasn’t a clear winner in this group.  The Dolin and Perucchi tied for first, the Carpano & Cocchi tied for second place. 

·         Carpano Antica Formula – Italy $26.99, came across as medicinal upfront with caramel & fruit tones on the finish

·         Cocchi Storico di Torino – Italy $18.99 voted last place, concentrated root beer flavors without much else

·         Dolin – France $13.99, voted first place.  Most versatile and balance between the sarsaparilla and botanical notes.

·         Montana Perucchi – Spain $18.99, great aromatics and garnet color.  Balanced flavor.  A bit polarizing with perfume-like nose.

·         Vergano Chinato  - Italy $44.99, liked not loved.  Near the bottom but more “safe” than interesting.

Sweet White Category

·         Imbue – Oregon $24.99 voted 2^nd place and another crowd pleaser.  Well balanced with strong botanicals, acidity and sweetness coming through.

·         Dolin Blanc – France $13.99, 3^rd place overall and left a rather lackluster impression on us, however, as guests arrived I poured this as an aperitif over ice with a twist and it was a huge hit. 

·         Montana Perucchi – Spain $18.99 voted least favorite.  Lacked balance and structure.

·         Vergano Chinato Luli – Italy $44.99 voted 1^st place and praise for another outstanding vermouth overall. 

Sweet Red Category

·         Boissiere – France $8.99, well liked by the group (tied for my personal favorite in this category), perfume-like aromas with sweet/caramel flavors.

·         Carpano Punt e Mes – Italy $19.99, voted least favorite.  Too medicinal and overpowering flavors.  Seems more like a traditional Amaro than a vermouth

·         Dolin – France $13.99, rated better than the Carpano but not by a big margin.  Unbalanced, sharp flavors and didn’t invite further sips.

·         Vya – California $14.99, another crowd pleaser (tied with the Boissiere for me), super aromatic and lingering finish.

Americano Category – I borrowed this description from vermouth101.com

There are a number of venerable aperitif wines that aren’t vermouths, but have much in common with vermouth. One group of these wines is known as “quinquina” (kenKEEnah), because historically these wines feature (or at least include) Peruvian chinchona bark (“quina” in the native Quechua tongue, “china” [KEE-nah] in italian, and possibly Anglicized as china [chai-nuh]) amongst their botanicals. Chinchona bark is the primary source of quinine (the pharmaceutical and taste component of Tonic water). Quinine became the wonder drug of the 18th Century when colonizing Europeans realized that it was beneficial in warding off malaria, and for a while, Europeans were adding quinine to anything and everything. A major market for quinquina was France’s protracted campaign in Algeria, which held large numbers of French troops and administrators in tropical peril. Some quinquina was specifically produced with the French foreign legion in mind.

Americano can be looked at as either a sub-class of quinquina or its own style, entirely. Americano refers to the wordamer—bitter—not the New World. Where quinquina’s defining flavor is quinine, Americano’s is gentian and/or wormwood. Vermouth, quinquina, and americano all draw from much the same pool of botanicals, and their classification or style is a question of the intent behind the proprietary formulation. Both Quinquina and Americano can come in various colors, such as deep red, straw or even clear (colorless). Almost all are based on white wine mistelle, although one notable exception is Byrrh, which is based on a red wine mistelle.

Quinquinas and Americano’s serve a similar function to vermouths: they are excellent aperitifs on their own, and they make fine components of mixed drinks.

Cocchi Americano– Italy $18.99, white
Vergano Chinato Americano – Italy $39.99, red

We couldn’t justify voting on them against one another since one was white and the other was red.  They were both AMAZING. The Vergano was voted best in show by most of the group. 

Stay tuned for a list of cocktails that we are inspired by vermouth.