Howard Kleinfeld’s Latest: Cabernet Confessional…Look Out – Sip Happens

April 23, 2021 by evebushman

In 2014 I read and reviewed Howard Kleinfeld’s book, Dial M for Merlot. I had to go back and find the review, read it over and be reminded how much I liked it and the hero Justin James. Here’s a snippet of the story I shared:

Soon our hero is well-attached to the woman of his dreams, and new wine friends that introduce him to a world of wine tasting that culminates in a trip to VinExpo in Bordeaux, France. Once there the sinister plot begins to unfold involving a wine business magnate that is hated by his young sexy wife, her lover/his employee, an aged nun, a nunnery, a former business partner, most of James’ friends and soon James himself.

And the reason I wanted to read my review again: Howard Kleinfeld has a new book for me to review: Cabernet Confessional. And our hero, Justin James, would return! This time, according to the back cover, James’ “path leads him to Sonoma Valley in northern California where his life takes a new and totally unforeseen direction. Join him as he travels down a bumpy, wine country road where the ghosts from his past, his hopes for the future and his increasingly turbulent present collide in a fiery explosion of murder, mistaken identity and red wine. Lots of red wine.”

My review

Staring with the prologue, and a September 2019 lightning strike that “kills one, injures three” according to The Herald Tribune, we go back in time and place, to Palm Beach, Florida, to catch up with Justin on New Year’s Day, and what promised to be the best year of his life. It was the end of his first six months with what also appeared to be his soulmate/sexmate, a woman named Destiny Verrano.

From there we meet successful wine distributor Cosmo Koulouris and his not-so-successful son Klitos, leaving the question of a successor open: another door has opened for our hero with the “Golden Palate”.

Soon we are introduced to a set of characters in Timber Valley, California, an “old school wine country town” with new councilman and land-grabber Nigel Hathaway, Colonel Richard “Dick” Davenport fighting over eminent domain, and different townspeople that could go either way. Soon the path that Justin was on would intersect with those fine squabbling folks in Timber Valley.

Are you keeping up? I’m not one to reveal details or “spoilers” but just enough information to pique an interest. Howard, our author, has set a stage for mystery indeed, adding more characters and more wine as our mystery unfolds in Northern California’s wine country.

Before the tale has been told Justin will have more than one turning point. And while mystery does lead to mayhem and murder, for Justin it also leads to coming to an unexpected discovery of his true lineage, and how he is forever connected to some of the people in Timber Valley. This discovery comes at the end of the book, and begs the question, how soon will Kleinfeld give us a third volume?

Look for Howard Kleinfeld’s books (may be listed as Howard K.) at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or https://howardkbooks.com

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

A Review of…by Phil Hofstee

March 29, 2021 by evebushman

A Review of…

“Wine for Normal People (a Guide for Real People Who love Wine, but not the Snobbery That goes with it)”

By: Elizabeth Schneider – Certified Sommelier, Certified Specialist of Wine, MBA, Normal Person

Chronicle Books LLC

Marla and Phil Hofstee

At first glance, “Wine for Normal People” appears to be little more than a highly polished redux of the best-selling “Wine for Dummies” series of wine reference guides. It contains the obligatory pages on wine’s history, production processes, growing regions, and food pairings, but there the similarity ends. This elegantly crafted reference is not intended to turn someone into a wine fan, but to turn a wine fan into a well-informed wine lover. If you are not already a regular wine drinker, this may not be the book for you.

Having said that, the critical question is this. At what point in one’s relationship with wine would getting into this book prove beneficial?

The author addresses my concern at the end of the introduction with this:

“Normal wine person: This is someone who likes wine, like drinking wine, and likes learning about wine but doesn’t like people talking down to him or her or participating in one-upmanship of knowing this arcane fact and that random producer.”

To that end, this book (parenthetic humor notwithstanding) is a smooth reading, artfully crafted textbook and reference for “normal people”.

The first three chapters cover the topics of wine vocabulary, the tasting experience and the wine-making process while never once drifting into the wonky world of wine speak! These should be read like a text book with yellow highlighter in hand. You’ll refer back to them often as you encounter real world situations in your wine journey. Q&A blocks, charts, diagrams, and maps add interesting rest stops along the way.

Chapters 4, 5 & 6 are a comprehensive encyclopedia of wine regions, their history, varietals, governmental influence and culture. While a speed read though these chapters is sure to unearth some interesting tidbits, they should be considered a “go to” reference when trying to demystify the label on that gift Prosecco you got from a friend or on that value priced Croatian wine you picked up on the recommendation of a wine shop staffer.

Chapter 7 & 8 cover food pairing, shopping, and dining, which, with along with considerable trial and error will certainly enhance those experiences for you.

The book concludes with a number of valuable reference pages that can provide a quick answer that “What?” question that’s sure to arise from time to time along the way. There is a comprehensive index to help you navigate the chapters and topics.

The author achieves the stated goal of the book in a big way! Kept light and simple, it breaks down complex concepts into easily understandable bites that will likely stay with the reader for the duration. As a reference, this book should be kept on the eye level shelf in the library of anyone wanting to grow in their wine knowledge and to experience their personal wine journey to its fullest.

Phil Hofstee is a “certified” wine lover, tasting room business consultant, and legendary normal person.

Book Review: Wine For Normal People by Elizabeth Schneider

February 26, 2021 by evebushman

Always interested in learning about wine, and even more in masterful ways it can be delivered painlessly and with a little fun I was happy to read and review the book, Wine for Normal People by Elizabeth Schneider. This an excerpt of some of the information. I will follow up with my review below.

…author, certified wine educator and Court of Master Sommelier-certified Elizabeth Schneider will give it to you straight. In Wine for Normal People: A Guide for Real People Who Like Wine, but Not the Snobbery That Goes with It (Chronicle Books), Schneider gives real talk about wine without talking down to the audience and with a dash of humor to boot. Schneider carries her knowledge, personality and wit over onto her Wine for Normal People podcast, which boasts 7 million unique downloads, placing it firmly in the top five percent of all podcasts produced in the United States.

“I was a normal wine person before I became a wine dork. I understand the struggles that people have with wine and why they don’t like it,” she explains. “Because of that, I can show them things that actually matter to them and that will shift their thinking to enjoy wine more.”

Schneider is well versed in:

How to create wine pairings that really work (and why pairing wine with chocolate is almost always a mistake)
How to choose a wine that will impress a date
How her approach to wine is different than that of “the wine world”
Why it’s important to make wine accessible to all
The key to communicating difficult ideas in wine to an audience of all levels

Eve’s Review

Starting with the flyleaf we are told that we will “learn how to buy, sip and talk about wine” which is really what it’s all about! Of course that is just a snippet, and the rest of the jacket shares short statements, easily digestible by us normal people. We will also learn about tasting, tasting jargon, winemaking and winemaking jargon, how to pair with food, and if you want to push the edge or your envelope Schneider has included sections on Old and New World wine areas.

The 340-page books includes eight chapters, as well as travel tips, tasting sheets, serving temperatures, a bibliography and for us lazy readers: an index. It begins with “Introduction: Everything You Need to Know About Wine in Two Pages” that I found interesting indeed as she promises to give us “the basics plus more.” Especially enjoyed when Schneider gets her first taste, not of wine, but of what she calls “schmuck-ery” from a wine snob. Oh, how I both hate and enjoy those encounters!

There are helpful Q and A sections in the book, in boxes, as well as sidebars. This makes things easy as Schneider hopes to answer any question or thought you may have as you read.

As a seasoned wino myself I always look for things I didn’t already know or have forgotten, and the more wine-educated Schneider reminded me of: the different smell and taste descriptors often found for certain varietals (page 67), the old world wine names and the new world name for the same grapes (page 82), how to pronounce some of those pesky names (page 85), regulations and classifications for new world wines (page 90-91) and old world wines (page 93), two chapters with detailed descriptions of old world wine regions and new world regions with maps to help you find your way.

Further in the book we have a section on food and wine pairing, a question I often get, so this is great for peeps to just grab the book and look up for themselves. Schneider explains why foods go better with certain styles of wines and her own three-step process. She pays close attention to weight, structure and dominant flavors.

More charts end our lesson, so don’t ignore these great reference materials, especially if you need/want a quick answer to things like serving temperature and vocabulary.

BOOKS ON WINE EVENING: Famed Women Winemakers and Wine Authors Hold a Virtual Tasting (Order wines by 8/3)

August 1, 2020 by evebushman

Saint Helena, CA — Napa Valley Wine Library’s first virtual “Books on Wine” program will feature authors Lucia Albino Gilbert and John H Gilbert and their book, Women Winemakers: Personal Odysseys, on Thursday, August 13 at 5:30 pm (PST) via Zoom.

Photo from Napa Valley Wine Library’s Facebook page.

The authors will be joined by five of the nearly 150 winemakers interviewed for their book. All are from the Napa Valley, and each will taste and discuss one of their wines during the program. The featured winemakers are Sandi Belcher of ARNS, Cathy Corison of Corison, Sally Johnson Blum of Pride Mountain Vineyards, Pam Starr of Crocker & Starr, and Celia Welch of Corra Wines.

The Gilberts research into women winemakers in California led them to interviewees throughout the world as they sought the criteria for becoming a woman winemaker in what has been a man’s world. Globally, 10% of today’s winemakers are women, although 20% of the Napa Valley wines poured at the Napa Valley Wine Library’s Annual Tasting is made by women.

As Lucia Gilbert expresses the purpose of their book, “Their stories will inspire current and future winemakers, as well as educated wine enthusiasts about what enables the careers of women who make wine.” The four chief enablers are one’s own family, or having an acute sensory awareness, or a deep appreciation for science, or formal training in winemaking.

Local businesses Napa Bookmine and Acme Fine Wines are coordinating book and wine sales. Acme has requested wine orders to be in by August 3 to assure receipt of wines in time for the program. For further information and to reserve a place, buy one or more wines and purchase a book, please go to www.napawinelibrary.com

About the Napa Valley Wine Library:

Founded in 1963, by food and wine luminaries: author MFK Fisher, marketing pioneer Francis Gould of Charles Krug, printer/educator James E. Beard, and U.C. Davis Professor Maynard Amerine, the Napa Valley Wine Library collects, preserves, and disseminates historic and contemporary information regarding viticulture, enology and wine lore, particularly as it pertains to Napa Valley. Housed in its own wing of the St. Helena Public Library, the collection is open to all members of the wine community – winery professionals, winegrowers, educators, journalists, wine enthusiasts, sommeliers, and anyone with a curiosity for the art and science of wine as an integral part of our culture, society and daily lives.

Vintage Eve Circa Oct 2017, a Book Review: The Booklover’s Guide To Wine by Patrick Alexander

July 7, 2020 by evebushman

Okay all of you “book club” people, I know the real reason you meet: to talk about a book, yes, but while being well lubricated by fine wine, food and friends. So this book, The Booklover’s Guide To Wine by Patrick Alexander is just perfect for your next meeting, eh? Let me share a few pairings, and a bit of historical information, that I picked up from Alexander’s book, at nearly 400 pages and his sixth to author so far.

Authors Paired With Varietals

Image from FlavourfulWorld.com

I kind of expected some scientific approach to how to pair wine and books, but that was definitely not the case. Just like with your book/wine clubs it’s all about what you just might happen to crave while reading Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, Harper Lee and F. Scott Fitzgerald, to name a few.

I really don’t want to give it away – as you should just buy the book to see – but Austen with Chardonnay and Dickens with Cabernet pair well, because they both “have a universal appeal.”

Another interesting pairing is Alexander’s idea that authors, and some of the characters, have become winery or wine namesakes. Alexander cites Carl Doumani, former owner of Stag’s Leap Winery and now the owner of Quixote, for naming an organic Petit Syrah Sancho Panza and his Cabernet Sauvignon Quixote, important characters from the classic novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes.

What Else You Will Learn

From the preface through to the epilogue readers will learn everything from why the author has a dislike for wine critic Robert Parker that is completely logical yet surprising, basics on how to taste wine, read labels, naming different varietals, how to make wine, why sweet wines are popular, the connection between religion and wine, the difference between an American’s understanding of wine and that of a European’s in relation to terroir, what the 100 year war did to the wine industry, why the opinions on wine are so subjective and finally, why Alexander is “never happier than with a glass of wine in one hand and a good book in the other.”

From The Author

My book evolved out of the twelve-hour wine appreciation program I originally developed for the University of Miami and which I have been teaching here in Miami for the past six years. The book, like my program covers all the usual aspects of the grape but with particular emphasis on the history and the culture of wine, from Noah’s first vineyard to the arrival of Two-Buck-Chuck. I compare the concepts of terroir and varietal, and discuss the difference between New World and Old World wines. I also explore the reasons that England, a small wet, offshore island with no significant vineyards, should have had such an unparalleled influence on the world of wine. But what makes my book especially unique is its emphasis on the literary aspects of wine.

Throughout the ages, wine and literature have been closely connected. Whether we refer to the Bible, Homer, Shakespeare, John Keats or Marcel Proust, great literature is always filled with references or metaphors for wine. Mitchell Kaplan, the legendary founder of Books & Books – and co-founder of the Miami Book Fair – suggested the idea of pairing my favourite writers with my favourite wines. An inspired suggestion that resulted in a pairing of the Albarino vines of North Eastern Spain with J.R.R. Tolkien, or Chenin Blanc with Rabelais, not to mention the wines of Grüner Veltliner with The Good Soldier Švejekstumbling through our pages.

http://bookloverswineguide.blogspot.com/

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Vintage Eve Circa Oct 2017: Sipping Through The Cocktail Galaxy

June 16, 2020 by evebushman

Okay, so yes, I got to review yet another cocktail book – by choice! Why, you may ask, as I have about a dozen or more so far, would I want another? Because I love recipe books, and not just because, as you may think, easy read/easy review. It does make for a quick read over say, The Wine Bible, but there is also – usually – something fun to learn for cocktail lovers.

This was the case with The Cocktail Guide to the Galaxy by Andy Heidel. I’d never heard of Heidel, his Way Station bar in Brooklyn (that has a TARDIS – Google Dr. Who if you don’t know what this is – for a bathroom that is, indeed, larger inside than it appears from the outside, just like the <real> thing) or his verifiably geek media inspired cocktail book.

So I ventured into this freaky “galaxy” created by Heidel that was inspired by his love for both old and new science fiction. I found some drinks I wanted to try – The Evil Dead, Repo and Metropolis – and others that I don’t think anyone is really meant to try – Fantastic Pour, Bender’s Bender and the Blood of Enemies. On the latter it’s because the recipes were delivered…like a punch line. Here’s one I’ve abbreviated a bit – so buy the book if you want the whole thing:

Game of Thrones

George R. R. Martini

2 parts gin

¼ part dry vermouth

Let sit on shelf for a year. Add ice, stir and contemplate. Come back to it later….garnish with one olive stabbed through the heart with a lemon wedge.

Other equally entertaining bits are Heidel’s Hints, Ander’s Anecdotes, clever illustrations, his feeling about The Mix Tape, Idiot Proof Instructions, almost ten pages of recipes dedicated to all of The Doctors from Doctor Who, Alissa May Atkinson’s essay on The Quaffing Dead to remind us how to treat our hard working bartenders and finally Heidel’s Why that he explains in his entertaining forward. I dog-eared a few pages for further reflection – and to try crafting myself.

This book is one I will be displaying on my home bar. Something guests can ponder while they wait for their cocktail, and wonder if they are being poisoned or just the subject of a mild jest.

Abbreviated Info From the Publicist:

The Cocktail Guide to the Galaxy by Andy Heidel, the notable owner of The Way Station in Brooklyn, NY. A true mecca for nerd culture, The Way Station has found its way on to numerous lists of the best sci-fi bars and is even complete with a TARDIS themed bathroom.

Including over 100 fun and easy to make recipes – these cocktails are simple to make with no crazy ingredients – The Cocktail Guide to the Galaxy features more of the themed cocktails Heidel’s patrons know and love and is filled with pop culture references from Metropolis, to Guardians of the Galaxy, to Star Wars, and everything in between. Some of the recipes include:

Doc B’s Wakeup Juice (Back to the Future)
Sonic Screwdrivers (Doctor Who)
Shirley Temple of Doom (Indiana Jones)
Jameson T. Kirk (Star Trek)
Blue Milk (Star Wars)

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Book Review: (Being Told) How to Drink by Vincent Obsopoeus, from the Year 1536!

May 15, 2020 by evebushman

It was interesting to review a book about drinking – that was originally penned in 1536 – translated from Latin but including the Latin text on the left while the facing page showed the English translation. Now and then I turned my eyes to the adjacent text to see what it looked like, but that was about it; my brother is the linguist in my family and the buck stopped there.

The notes from the publicist are below my review, and gives greater details on this edition. I’ll keep my observations to what isn’t already mentioned. The three sections included:

Book 1. The Art of Drinking, Sustainably with Discrimination – and I found this section the most interesting. It included “how to behave at home”, with your spouse and in public. One telling section reminded drinkers that we are “judged” by the company we keep and that we would benefit to drink with powerful friends. Though this was somewhat preachy I loved it as I love to drink with people that have cool jobs, know people, and of course have great wine cellars. (Yes, I’m writing that with a little smile.) However, after this section there are pages of notes on the type of people you shouldn’t drink with, most of which I found obvious – but maybe it wasn’t so obvious hundreds of years ago.

The second section: Book 2. Excessive Drinking, What It Looks Like. This read like I was being lectured to by an elderly grammar schoolteacher for bad behavior. Of course if you drink to excess you will get sick, but unless you are an actual alcoholic, I don’t believe that all excessive drinkers – and you know who you are without the book spelling it out for you – will end with poverty and death. There are about 100 pages in this section. I would suggest this reading to anyone that suspects they are abusing alcohol. Years ago I read a book put out by Alcoholics Anonymous, to know the symptoms and behavior of alcoholism and alcoholics, and read it cover to cover as a personal check list. There was nothing like that book in this one, which is fine. My point is that this book, written so long ago, looks to be written to help people be aware that excessive drunkenness is not acceptable behavior.

Book 3. “How to Win at Drinking Games” sounded interesting because, I have to admit, I’ve never actually played a drinking game – and the section starts off with a game. Later, he writes “sobriety is best” so you don’t have to play the games you can just “play along” when others play. Then he goes back to share more drinking games, most are toasts that go on and on. Never been through that either.

Conclusion: If you are interested in ancient cultural behaviors, a history of how drinking alcohol was perceived, Latin translations, old text, prose, history – all somewhat written in jest – you should enjoy this book!

From the Publicist

Drink like the Ancients! A 16^th Century Manual for How to Drink!

The forthcoming book, How to Drink: A Classical Guide to the Art of Imbibing (Publication date: April 14, 2020), is a new translation of Vincent Obsopoeus 1536 manuscript The Art of Drinking (De Arte Bibendi). Obsopoeus was a Renaissance humanist and neoclassical poet, that grew up in the winelands of sixteenth century Germany. There he witnessed a new culture of bingeing, hazing, peer pressure, and competitive drinking. Alarmed, and inspired by the Roman poet Ovid’s Art of Love, he wrote The Art of Drinking a manual for drinking with pleasure and discrimination. In How to Drink, Michael Fontaine offers the first proper English translation of Obsopoeus’s text, rendering his poetry into spirited, contemporary prose and uncorking a forgotten classic that will appeal to drinkers of all kinds and (legal) ages.

Arguing that moderation, not abstinence, is the key to lasting sobriety, and that drinking can be a virtue if it is done with rules and limits, Obsopoeus teaches us how to manage our drinking, how to win friends at social gatherings, and how to give a proper toast. But he also says that drinking to excess on occasion is okay—and he even tells us how to win drinking games, citing extensive personal experience.

Complete with the original Latin on facing pages, this sparkling work is as intoxicating today as when it was first published.

Michael Fontaine is professor of classics and associate vice provost of undergraduate education at Cornell University. His books include Funny Words in Plautine Comedy and The Oxford Handbook of Greek and Roman Comedy.

Princeton University Press

41 William Street

Princeton, NJ 08540-5237

www.press.princeton.edu

Vintage Eve 7/2017: Vin Decanter, A Book Review for Wine 101ers

April 14, 2020 by evebushman

Vin Decanter is a book for the novice wine consumer. Written and presented in an accessible way to reduce the complexity of the subject…Chris Madden is a teacher with over twenty-five years experience of working in education. Post-graduate studies in educational psychology and primary education, together with international teaching experience in Europe and the Middle East has enabled Chris to transfer his unique learning approach to his passion for wine…(Amazon)

From Chris Madden’s Facebook photos.

My Review

No matter what, novice or aficionado (or like me, somewhere in between) readers will get a lot out of reading Madden’s book, Vin Decanter. These are some of the (wine) drops of wisdom I agreed with or learned:

Focus on identifying fruits first when examining a wine’s aromas and flavors, they are usually the first to be called to mind.

There is a bit from Madden regarding the difference between old world and new world wines. Most importantly is that a wine will taste different depending on where the grapes were grown.

This one I always forget: If the Bordeaux is from the right bank of the Gironde River it will be Merlot dominant, from the left bank its more Cabernet Sauvignon dominant. Bordeaux wine varietals rarely list which grapes have been used in their wines.

In the chapter on “How to Choose Wine” Madden wants us to consider a “Shared Choice” idea where you would consider what types of food or drink other guests like, and use that to select a wine. For example, Madden writes that a stout beer drinker may like the full body of a Shiraz.

A convenient “Summary of Buying Wine Guide” is just a page long and very thorough.

Yes, I agree with Madden, when he suggests to wait a bit if a wine smells a little off, and check again. I’ve often noticed that funky smells can blow off.

OMG, his idea on anchoring your wine glass to a table when swirling – I say this all the time! Why try swirling if you’re not used to doing it? Table it and anchor it! Thanks Madden for showing photos on how to do that.

In chapter six, “Developing Your Palate” Madden suggests, among other things, to eat the fruit you need to learn about. Take it a step further, he prompts, and try it with the wine it mimics.

I will try Madden’s suggestion that if I suspect TCA (trichloroanisole) –sometimes referred to by the broader term “cork taint” – aerate the wine for a bit. I have noticed that “funky” aromas can blow off, but I usually limit that to “barnyard” odors and not wet cardboard.

Try the London-based WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) for wine education. If you want to study on your own Madden suggests spending time with one grape from one region, a varietal you may already enjoy, to begin to discern differences. Then move to another.

Print on demand ISBN: 9781540368807

Kindle: ASIN: B01MRZN87U

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Vin-Decanter-Your-first-steps/dp/1540368807/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497651063&sr=1-8

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Vintage Eve Circa 11/2016: Eve Reviews L.A.’s Legendary Restaurants by George Geary

October 29, 2019 by evebushman

As I started to read L.A.’s Legendary Restaurants by George Geary, a recurring theme played in my head; dang, I thought, so many cool restaurants that we’ve missed visiting. Most were frequented by our Hollywood royalty for a good reason – not just proximity to the studios, but for the comfort food, innovative cocktails, ice cream sundaes and décor from refurbished train cars to art deco to the iconic Brown Derby, the last being the most unique for me. Read on, I told myself.

Photo courtesy San Diego Community News Group

What a delight it has been to peruse over 100 iconic recipes, stories, celebrity sightings, and photos of the menus and the buildings – in a truly “historic tour” of these famous restaurants: The Brown Derby, C.C. Browns, Van de Kamp’s Holland Dutch Bakery, Formosa Café, Tiny Naylor’s, Tick Tock Tea Room, Miceli’s, Pig ’n Whistle, Clifton’s Brookdale Cafeteria, Michael’s, Coconut Grove at the Ambassador Hotel, Schwab’s Pharmacy, Cyrano, Chez Jay, Hamptons, L’Orangerie, Tam O’Shanter Inn, Carlos ‘n Charlie’s, L’Ermitage, Bullock’s Wilshire Tea Room, Zebra Room at the Town House of Lafayette Park, Chasen’s, Don the Beachcomber, Cock ’n Bull, Hollywood Palladium, Ben Frank’s, Ma Maison, Lawry’s California Center, Scandia, La Scala, Trader Vic’s at the Beverly Hilton, L’Escoffier at the Beverly Hilton, Dan Tana’s, Spago Sunset, Musso & Frank Grill, Le Dome, Taix French Restaurant, Perino’s, Hamburger Hamlet, Romanoff’s, Florentine Gardens, 72 Market Street Oyster Bar & Grill and Ciro’s.

Geary describes the tall palm trees, equipped with mechanical monkeys, that once were in the famous Rudolph Valentino movie, The Sheik, that decorated the Coconut Grove.

We also get glimpses of:

C. Brown’s had over 12 sundaes and a recipe for a hot fudge chocolate sauce that wouldn’t harden or slide off. (Lawry’s has it now.)

Van De Kamp’s is now a satellite campus for L.A. City College.

The grill is bent from use, bartender “Cocktail Ambassador” Manny Aguirre claims to have created the Manhattan there and several other employees have worked there for decades: at Musso and Frank Grill.

Movie stars made many of these restaurants a second home, including the most iconic: The Brown Derby. Joan Crawford was quoted as saying, “People have to drink somewhere. Why not here?”

There currently are 700 wine vintages at Taix French Restaurant.

Don the Beachcomber invented the first umbrella drinks. Oh to have sat in that bar and hear the rain on its tin roof – orchestrated with a sprinkler system to mimic being on a beach in Hawaii.

Chasen’s provided a barber and a shave for some of its celebrity guests.

That Moscow Mule you love was first served up, complete with the copper mug to keep it cold, at the Cock ‘N Bull.

The namesake for Romanoff’s was a known imposter of any royal family and no one seemed to care, in fact movie stars backed him.

The first major auction sale for Zachy’s came from the 40k bottle collection from Scandia.

If you finished a bottle of Chianti at Miceli’s, one in the original basket holder, you could write a message on the bottle and it would be hung from the ceiling.

Artist David Hockney did the menu cover design for Ma Maison.

Chef/owner Jean Bertranou at L’Ermitage was the first to blaze a path of growing vegetables to be served in a dining establishment, and convincing his produce suppliers to find more local growers. This was one of L.A. Times food editor Ruth Reichl’s top 40 picks.

Where did carrot cake with a thick amount of cream cheese frosting originate? Paul Newman’s burger restaurant, Hamptons.

Michael’s in Santa Monica was one of the last restaurants in the book. As I was reading things sounded familiar: the proximity to the beach and the courtyard. I googled and found that I had dined there with Dennis Cakebread years ago. At least I have that memory – and it’s still open!

More we may miss: I’m very sorry to have missed seeing The Zebra Room, and its neighbor, the Bullocks Wilshire Tea Room. Missed the noted “efficiency” at the Tick Tock Tea Room. Totally missed out on the flamingo drinks at Trader Vics! Perino’s was one my mom talked about, but we were too unruly as kids to be taken there. But she did take us to Clifton’s Cafeteria for Thanksgiving and some of their cake recipes are in the book…

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

More to Learn: Japanese Whisky by Brian Ashcraft

October 4, 2019 by evebushman

On September 27 I did a review of the book Japanese Drinks on this website; today I have a second book on Japanese Whisky alone for you. Similar in format with lots of glossy photos and understandable text, I was impressed with the work of the Japanese distillers and distilleries, their challenges, the differences between them and their Scottish counterparts and some amazing reviews of many whiskies made by six of the leaders.

Some of the information on whisky was covered in the first book I reviewed so I will limit my review to what was new for me to share with you from this second book:

Between 2001 and 2017 Suntory and Nikka whiskies have won over a hundred accolades from prestigious international competitions.

Instead of adopting the spelling as “whiskey” like we do in the states, Japan uses “whisky” along with Canada and Scotland.

Some distillers started out as sake brewers, some continue to make both (sake is traditionally only made in the winter months). Some copper stills were used for shochu making before they were used for whisky. Many big distilleries have their pot stills made in Japan (and their own cooperages) while smaller ones rely on imports. Most distill the spirit only one time.

There are “Japanese twists” to not doing everything the Scottish way in malting, fermentation, distillation, maturation and more. Most malted barley is imported. Most whisky is colored with natural caramel food coloring.

Japanese whisky was first exported to the U.S. in 1934, a year after the end of prohibition. It wasn’t very popular, and with the onset of World War II this grew worse. However, during this period it grew in popularity in Japan.

Japanese whisky is considered “highly aromatic and floral.”

Some Japanese blenders eat the same food for lunch every day to “ensure a consistent” palate. Others avoid fish due to the oils and garlic for its lingering quality.

Mizunara, a rare Japanese white oak, is sometimes used for casks. The word “mizu” means water that the oak retains and “nara” means oak. This Japanese oak was originally used as sherry casks were hard to get in Japan during World War II. The oak is known to “expand the range of flowers” and other aromas in the whisky. There are downfalls: the wood is difficult to work with and all will leak at some point.

At Suntory Yamazaki Distillery they are experimenting with plum wine casks (the also make plum wine) for the finish on some whiskies. They are also aging some whisky in cedar casks.

Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Distillery, started his career in Scotland learning all he could about making whisky. From there he became the first distiller in Japan – at Suntory’s Yamazaki Distillery.

Venture Whisky Chichibu Distillery has planted their own Mizunara trees – unfortunately they won’t mature for use for at least 150 years.

Currently there are ideas on using local peat, other local woods and Japanese barley. Smaller distilleries are exploring the idea of working together.

Whisky Reviews

The over 100 reviews are by leading Japanese whisky blogger Yuji Kawasaki. I found these most interesting as some of the descriptors were familiar as ones I’ve used before but others, more in the line of calling up a memory, were not familiar as I don’t live in Japan. Some of my favorites include:

It’s Japanese sliding doors, a tatami room with a flower vase in an alcove and a bird fluttering from a branch. In a whisky, it’s rare to see such beauty as this. Hibiki Deep Harmony.

…it’s rose thorns and faint smoke for an experience that’s reminiscent of hazy sunlight in a gloomy sky. Miyagikyo Single Malt (no age statement).

…it’s like a bouquet of flowers was chucked out of the glass and directly in your face. Miyagikyo Single Malt, 15 YO.

There’s Japanese incense as well as a chalky notes that is reminiscent of the lime powder used on baseball fields. The Nikka Whisky 1999, 34 YO.

There’s a warm bushel of flowers and a slightly open wooden gate leading into a house with a dining table. On it there are grapes and pears waiting to be devoured…Ichiro Malt Five of Spades.

It passes through like an arm going into a sleeve until its one with you in a relaxing and natural way. Ichiro’s Malt Two of Clubs

These descriptions made my mouth water, what about you? Get your book here à https://www.tuttlepublishing.com/japan/japanese-whisky