Another day, another list. Yesterday the good folks at San Pellegrino released their annual World's 50 BestRestaurants, a sort of Rough Guide for gastronomes with fat wallets and abundant frequent flyer miles. Sponsored by the sparkling water company, the list was decided by a panel of 800-plus judges comprised of food writers, critics and chefs from around the world. The judges were big fans of Spain, whose six restaurants on the list included Ferran Adria's El Bulli (coming in at No. 1 for the fourth year in a row). France also got some love with eight restaurants, and the U.S. did pretty well for itself with seven eateries including new-to-the-list Momofuku Ssam Bar at 31 and Alinea, whose Grant Achatz rose 26 places from 2007 to a No. 10 ranking this year.
The big loser was undoubtedly Gordon Ramsay, whose London flagship completely disappeared after ranking at No. 13 last year, and whose ex-friend Marcus Wareing won the Breakthrough Restaurant Award for Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley -- not without taking a swipe at Ramsay himself.
Dinner was comprised of seven varieties of animal flesh, with appropriate garnish. The entertainment involved aging strippers singing karaoke. The libations complemented both. And then some. A delightful, if stomach-churning, evening. My rarefied hangover the next day required me to break new ground in seeking out a palliative. Luckily, while shopping for stocking stuffers at a local Italian market, I found what I plan to make my signature hangover treatment: Sanbittèr, a prettily bottled "apératif" soda produced by San Pellegrino.
The operative word is bitter, too bitter, maybe, for some people who lack Italian sensibilities. The taste was described by the market proprietor as Campari without the alcohol, and I'd say that is pretty accurate. Apparently it's a favorite of teetotaling Italianos for that reason. So, good for both varieties of "recovering alcoholic."
Bitters have long been recommended as a stomach soother. Sanbittèr, with its slight fizz and its ruby-redness, seems a bit more fun than regular bitters, though. It comes in tiny, sippable bottles that will later make lovely bud vases or creamers. Better yet, it's available for order online.
When it comes to assembling the bar for your holiday party, there's a certain list of basics you must have on hand--vodka, gin, whiskey, cola, tonic, etc. Such a bar will certainly serve to make a decent drink and satisfy most customers, but won't add anything special to the festivities. The easiest--and cheapest--way to add a little magic is with unusual mixers. Here's five that will add a twist to your cocktail menu.
1. Canada Dry Sparkling Green Tea Ginger Ale It mixes equally well with bourbon, vodka and light rum and works nicely in a punch. The antioxidants listed on the bottle may come in handy when battling the holidays' excesses, but the large amount of sugar won't help with that Christmas waistline.
2. Sence Rose Petal Nectar If you wish to offer chick drinks that are more Deneuve/Dietrich than Carrie Bradshaw, rose petal nectar can come in handy. Try the elegant American Beauty--not the brandy version, but one made with vanilla vodka, lemon juice and rose petal nectar.
A new book, The Diet Detective's Countdown, lists the calories of 7500 foods, including Double-Stuff Oreos, the rice dish at PF Changs, and even Breathsavers!
As of late, one of my favorite warm weather, pre-dinner drinks is Campari
and soda with a big twist of orange zest. Pack rocks (old-fashioned) glass with ice, wedge your orange zest in, add 2-3
ounces of Campari, top the rest with sparkling water (I usually use San Pellegrino or LaCroix) and give a stir. Campari
itself is a great aperitif: bitter, complex and refreshing. To my taste, some fizz and citrus makes the effect that
much better.
Another day, another list. Yesterday the good folks at San Pellegrino released their annual World's 50 Best Restaurants, a sort of Rough Guide for gastronomes with fat wallets and abundant frequent flyer miles. Sponsored by the sparkling water company, the list was decided by a panel of 800-plus judges comprised of food writers, critics and chefs from around the world. The judges were big fans of Spain, whose six restaurants on the list included Ferran Adria's El Bulli (coming in at No. 1 for the fourth year in a row). France also got some love with eight restaurants, and the U.S. did pretty well for itself with seven eateries including new-to-the-list Momofuku Ssam Bar at 31 and Alinea, whose Grant Achatz rose 26 places from 2007 to a No. 10 ranking this year.
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