"esquire" news and stories

Esquire has come out with its "59 Best Breakfast Places in America" list, featuring everything from humble Southern cafes serving grits and country ham to Japanese salted salmon and pickles at mod San Francisco cafes. There are "no brunch places allowed" (breakfast, eaten by hunters and old men in John Deere hats is presumably very virile per Esquire logic, but brunch, enjoyed by couples and urban creative types is somehow unmanly).

I can personally vouch for several of the selections: the beignets and cafe au lait at Café du Monde in New Orleans (just don't eat the powdered sugar-coated beignets on the windy riverfront while wearing a black dress), the blintzes at Katz's Deli in New York, the waffles at Ye Olde Waffle Shop in Chapel Hill, the grits at Hominy Grill in Charleston (though I don't think the biscuits are all that), the pancakes at Aretha Frankensteins in Chattanooga, the biscuits (and everything else) at Bryant's Bar-B-Q and Breakfast in Memphis, waffles and hash browns at Waffle Houses anywhere in the South.

I'd like to add the bacon maple bar at VooDoo Doughnuts in Portland, the smoked trout hash at Cafe Pasqual's in Santa Fe, the breakfast burritos at Tesuque Village Market in Tesuque, NM, the biscuits with sorghum butter at Lynn's Paradise Cafe in Louisville, the fried chicken biscuits at Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen in Chapel Hill, just to name a few.

What are your favorite breakfast joints? Hey, go ahead and include your favorite brunch places too.

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Punch and punch bowls have always bored me. All the ones that I've tried have been overly sweet and dull, and besides, punch bowls remind me of high school dances, and who wants to be reminded of high school?

But this Holiday Punch over at Esquire.com looks like something I could get into, even if it does have rum in it (not a big rum guy). It also includes Cognac and tea bags.

Back in October I linked to a drink called The Atomic Cocktail, which is made with Plymouth Gin, Galliano, and Grapefruit juice. Now comes another drink with the same name.

This one is via David Wondrich at Esquire, and he says the drink after the jump was invented in Las Vegas in the early 50s. It's made with vodka, brandy, sherry, and champagne.

Yeah, I know it sounds like the name of a stripper...sorry, "exotic dancer," but actually it's an appetizer from Zingerman's Roadhouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I saw this recipe in a recent issue of Esquire, part of their "Harried Man" series where they give four courses in 26 minutes.

It's very easy. You preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Cover baking sheet with foil. Cut 1 bunch of grapes into small clusters. Toss in top shelf sherry vinegar and roast on a baking sheet until they begin to shrivel and caramelize (around 15 minutes). Serve with cheese.

Men are better cooks than women.

Ha, just kidding! But I had to get your attention, right? Actually, men and women are equal in the kitchen, though they have their differences. I learned about the differences between men and women the first time I went to the beach (ba-doom bang - thank you everyone, I'm here all week!).

Esquire has a really nice section called Recipes For Men, where they feature a bunch of recipes from men, for men. Of course, don't worry ladies, we're probably making these for you tonight). Lots of meat and potatoes, sure, but spaghetti, lobster, and stews too.