The brilliantly satiric show Portlandia recently skewered the New Mixology.  Andy Samberg’s bartender extravagantly throws a few dozen ingredients into a blender to produce a ginger bourbon with rotten banana and egg shell which appears to be topped with a poached pear.  While it is true that some of the latest cocktail sensations are extreme and unlikely concoctions—frothy mixes of strange alcoholic combinations with bizarre infusions of rutabaga and freshly mown lawn—many bartenders have produced sparkling new drinks with clean and crisp flavors.

I keep in touch with bartenders around the country, many of whom are imaginative path-breakers in the field of mixology.  Those of us who are less creative do not hesitate to steal their better ideas—yes to the cinnamon syrup, no to the oyster infused bitters with hints of habanero chili.  My modest contribution to this dialog emerges from historical research.  Many of the drinks on the L&E menu draw inspiration from the past, applying a modern sensibility to classic cocktails.  For instance, the Arrack Attack is a 21^st-Century version of the very first cocktail developed by the Dutch in Indonesia in the late 15^thCentury.  Other drinks look to the American Revolution and the great Age of Punch that coincided with the Enlightenment, to Prohibition, and to France’s Belle Époque. It was in the latter period that ice first became readily available, and the first mixologists discovered that well shaken drinks brought out the flavors of many liquors to a degree not previously known.  It is for this reason that L&E provides our famous side-cars to keep martinis ice cold, drawing forth the purest flavors.

This mix of the historical and the modern is on display in our Permafrost Collection, a series of drinks made with Alaska’s outstanding Permafrost Vodka.  We celebrate the cold in these drinks. Try the elegant Ice Age and experience the delightful clarity of taste that first captured the attention of French bartenders in the late 19^th Century.  Or, if you like your drinks on the rocks, try the Winter Morning, which gives a modern twist on the old British tradition of mixing liquor and tea—though the Brits never suspected the refreshing qualities of Red Zinger.  It was the British (in the 18^th Century) who first figured out that heating dark liquors—whiskey, brandy, and rum—raised aromas from the glass and soothed the nerves.  L&E offers several warm drinks for a cold winter night, including the French take on this tradition, Milk Punch.

As T.S. Eliot begins his Four Quartets:
Time recent and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future,
And time future contained in time past.

At Restaurant L&E, our cocktails tell a story.  Come in and construct your own narrative.

The Cocktail list in its entirety is located under the liquor tab

A Vibrant and Delicious Cranberry Sauce hits just the right note and compliments the entire meal. Everett suggests trying this one.

1 cup chicken stock
24 fresh cranberries
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 lemon-juice & zest
2 tablespoon cranberry honey (if available)
1 cup dried apricots, fig-optional

Add all ingredients into a heavy saucepot, bring to boil, return to simmer
Cook until cranberries are soft, check and adjust seasonings-salt , pepper

Don’t Worry Wines

Thanksgiving is a day to eat and drink and enjoy family and friends.It is not a day to Worry about your wine selections or who is pouring what in which glass. Keep it delicious and simple and even affordable. Use one glass for both red and white.

Trust your wine merchant. You might pay a little more to visit a smaller shop, instead of the big box stores, but chances are that the merchant will be an educated wine proffesional and the choices she or he has made for the store will be a better value in terms of price to quality. If you can’t find exactly what you want, or the selections listed below, ask for something similar in terms of price and quality. Once again, if the shop is a good one, they will know their inventory and should take delight in making their customer happy.

White and red wines will need to be fruity enough to a accompany the varied dishes that are offered at a Thanksgiving meal. Roast Turkey is simple enough, but it is the gravies and  and sauces and sweet potatoes, turnips and beans and all other traditional and novel dishes that demand versatility. Reds with too much tannin, may overwhelm or become flat.

Offer a Sparkler. Ask your merchant for a Cremant d’Alscace or Prosecco, both are reasonable and delicious alternatives to champagnes and American Sparkling wines, which are also fabulous but will usually be more expensive.

Generally a wine aged in oak will fall flat when matched with multiple flavors. Also you want a wine that will not fatigue thet palate, as it will be consmed over several hours. Sleepy tongues are no fun. Save the nap for after dinner

You should be able to find the following wines at prices between $15 & 20. I have listed the wholesalers, as that is how your wine merchant will look for the wines. Order by the case and save more. You can always drink the left overs with your leftovers.

An unoaked chardonnay with bright fruit would work, but I would suggest trying other varietals.

White

Paul Blank Pinot Blanc d’Alsace (Screwcap) 2010 is a great choice and you won’t get corkscrew fatigue either.

Cotes du Rhone Blanc, Chateau St. Cosme, Rhone, FR 2009 ~~Any of the St Cosme wines, white or red, if you can find them, are wonderfully made and the Gigondas will be worth the splurge and will delight you Red Wine Snobs if you have any occupyinng seats at your table

Chenin blanc is delicious and underated. Try it.. You will like it.

Indaba Chenin Blanc, Western Cape 2010, SAfrica~World Wide Wines

Vouvray, Tradition, Domaine Pinon, Loire Valley, FR 2009

How about a Rosé?

There’s nothing like a little skin contact. My Favorite winter weight rose is Couly-Dutheil Rose of Chinon. We pour it by the glass. So come on and try a glass or click on the link below to read more about it. Yumm & Pretty too.

http://www.coulydutheil-chinon.com/img/pdf/135_en.pdf

Red

American Pinot Noirs are a classic reccomendation for Turkey day. Most are wonderfully versatile and the best are truly amazing-but they will be pricey.

Try instead:

Anjou Rouge, Domaine Richou, A supple and delicious Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley. Fountainhead Selections

Zweigelt, Ridencuvee, Glatzer, Austria is a spicy, fun medium bodied red that will surprise your guests. Michael Skurnik Wines

Chateau De La Chaise Brouilly~Worldwide Wines Or any well made Beajolais is a delight and perfect for the Thanksgiving table. Try a Cru beaujolais: A Côte de Brouilly from Château Thivin or a Chénas, Chiroubles, Côte de Brouilly, Régnié and St.-Amour.  It will be a bit more expensive, but will drink like a red burgundy.

” I think if I were to choose one wine today to serve with the hope of galvanizing interest, I might very well pick what for me epitomizes sheer deliciousness: a good Beaujolais.” Eric Asimov NYT Dining section

Thivin Côte de Brouilly 2009 *** ½

$23″Vibrant, expressive and plain delicious, with lingering flavors of earthy fruit.” To read morefrom eric’s Beaujolais tasting: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/13/dining/reviews/13wine.html?pagewanted=all

We are fortunate to be living in a time when good wine is abundant. All you need is a a bit of guidance, so don’t fret if you can’t find these wines-Trust your wine merchant. Find a good one and put yourself in their hands.

Have a Great and Happy Holiday

Michael, one of our two Bartender’s at L&E can serve up a mean Napa Valley Martini or a Smooth Whistle Pig Rye Sour and in his spare time he writes books, such as his latest A People’s History of the U.S. Military “A work of great relevance and immediacy—as the nation grapples with the return of thousands of men and women from active military duty—A People’s History of the U.S. Military will  become a major new touchstone for our understanding of American military service.”  Amazon.com  by Michael A. Bellesiles Release Date (Mar 13, 2012) 

“In A People’s History of the U.S. Military, historian Michael A. Bellesiles draws from three centuries of soldiers’ personal encounters with combat—through fascinating excerpts from letters, diaries, and memoirs, as well as audio recordings, film, and blogs—to capture the essence of the American military experience firsthand, from the American Revolution to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.Military service can shatter and give meaning to lives; it is rarely a neutral encounter, and has contributed to a rich outpouring of personal testimony from the men and women who have literally placed their lives on the line. The often dramatic and always richly textured first-person accounts collected in this book cover a wide range of perspectives, from ardent patriots to disillusioned cynics; barely literate farm boys to urbane college graduates; scions of founding families to recent immigrants, enthusiasts, and dissenters; women disguising themselves as men in order to serve their country to African Americans fighting for their freedom through military service.” Amazon

My name is Linda Reid and along with my husband Everett, we own and operate Restaurant L&E . Everett is the chef and I am the “front of the house person,” what that  means will become clear if you continue to read my blog, which I hope you will.

I promise to bring you, restaurant anecdotes, recipes, wine secrets and suggestions, cooking tips(from Everett and Ale and Joe in the kitchen) and just about anything I think you might find interesting, helpful or funny about food, wine and people.

Everett and I want to first thank all of our wonderful clients, guests, friends who have made it possible for us to be her going into our third year. I am never sure what word to use, clients sounds like we are an advertising agency, friends like we are Facebook page, and customers is like calling someone who makes your business, and since you rarely away from it, therefore your life, worth doing— is like calling your lover, sir or madame. 

To quote of my favorite authors, Diane Ackerman, “Eating is touch taken to the extreme.” And since eating in a restaurant is touch taken to the extreme in public, as the following story will illustrate—it can on occasion be painful.

  Night of the Quail

It was the Appleby’s comment that pushed me over the edge on a quiet Sunday night two weeks ago. I had just entered the restaurant and said hello to Jen Holcombe who was tending bar. There were only two single dinners at the bar, a man and a woman, not eating together, but seated within close proximity to one and other. As I stepped behind the bar to get a glass of water, I looked at the man and attempted to make eye contact and say hello, as he was directly in front of me. But he was staring hard into the bowl of his Bombay martini and was hunched over in protective posture that clearly expressed,Do not attempt to make contact. So I didn’t.

Perhaps it would have been different if I had-but I doubt it. His intentions were set when he read the sign on the door of the River Tavern down the street that told him it was closed for a private party— to which he had not been invited.

Moments later Mr. M, as I will call him for reasons soon to be revealed, was served his second course, a quail appetizer, and he began to eat. The quail was a plump little bird perched on bed of creamy salsify, a root vegetable that has a mild flavor between oysters and artichoke. It was “perfectly cooked” in the words of Mr M himself.

But it was the foie gras brioche stuffing inside the quail, along with the cool touch of the gin, that unleashed the venom that had been straining at its tether since Mr. M had crossed our threshold.

I walked out into the dining room to see if perhaps there was someone who might welcome attention and returned back into the bar just as Jen was removing Mr M’s plate. The phone rang and I answered it. Mr M was making gestures to Jen with his small hands and puffing out his cheeks. He appeared to be somewhat disturbed. But even though I was standing directly behind him, I was taking a reservation, so I could not make out what he was saying.

After I ended the call, I followed Jen back into he kitchen. Jen and Everett stood with Mr. M’s plate, on which nothing remained but cleanly licked, little bird bones, between them.

“What was that about?” I asked Jen.

“He wants more foie gras with his quail.” She answered.

Well, can’t blame him for that.” I said. “We all want more foie gras.”

“He kept repeating, “False advertising False advertising.” I didn’t know how to respond to him.” Jen said.

“Jesus,” Everett said. “Its a brioche-foie gras stuffing.  The foie gras is mixed in the stuffing. Its a $15 appetizer. We barely make any profit on it as it is. Foie gras is $28 a pound wholesale. At fifteen dollars, it’s not going to be oozing goose liver. It’s just in the stuffing, like the menu says.”

As Jen started out the kitchen door, she asked me, “Did you hear what he said about his first course, the Beef Tongue?”

Beef tongue-if you have never experienced it, is  a flavorful meat that melts in your mouth and we served it thinly sliced with  pickled red onions, horseradish creme fraiche and a  smokey tomato jam. I looked at Everett for the answer to Jen’s question. “He said”, “”It was to thinly sliced and had too many condiments.””

“Oh boy.” I said.

I returned to the bar dreading the thought of having to say to Mr M something like, I am sorry you found the quail to be a disappointment even though you sucked every scrap of meat from the tiny bones of its body.  Mr M was shedding his gloom onto the woman next to him. “Some chefs think they are smarter than their customers.” He said to her.

She responded, “My burger is delicious.” And then she turned back to her book.

But Mr M didn’t quit. “Were not all stupid here in S. Eastern CT.” he said. His lower lip flapped a bit. What else he had said to her before I walked back out of the kitchen,I don’t know, but she responded, “I’m from New York City too. And I’ve traveled all over the world and eaten in most of the major cities and this is very nice restaurant in a very nice town.”

At this point, I realized it was past the time to put a stop to his harassment, but Kurtis, who is 22 and one of the most polite men with whom I have ever had the pleasure to work ,walked behind the bar to unload a rack of glasses and inadvertently put himself directly in the line of fire.

“We’re not all stupid here here in South Eastern Ct are we?”  Mr M repeated. His stare targeted Kurtis as he asked him, “Where are you from?”

“Old Saybrook.” Kurtis answered.

“Well, what do you think about chef’s thinking they are smarter than their customers?” Mr M continued.

“Well,” Kurtis began, “I don’t have a lot of experience in the restaurant business.”

Mr M sat up a little straighter to catch this morsel that Kurtis had tossed his way.

“But I really appreciate what Everett’s done here.” Kutis finished.

“Oh yes, really?” Mr M responded. And then with a barely disguised note of condescension, “Well, when you were young, to what type of restaurants did your parents take you?”

Kurtis smiled. “Appleby’s.”

Mr M’s tongue was much less delicate than the one he had just consumed. Kurtis was barely out of ear shot when he turned again to the woman sitting next to him and said, “Well after Appleby’s, I guess this would be good.”

I am a person who avoids confrontation perhaps a tad to avidly. But in an instant I was behind the bar leaning over it. Mr M turned away from the woman who was trying to ignore him and towards me. I took in his jowls, recessed eyes and bushy eyebrows. I smiled and said “Hello.”

“Oh,” he said. The satisfaction purred in his voice, “Are you the owner?I didn’t mean to say anything to upset you.”

And then- and this was artful- he twisted his egg shaped head upwards towards the French, antique spoon light fixture hanging above the bar.

“I hate this light,” he said.  “Its really awful can you do something about it?”

I almost laughed. “No I can not.” I answered. “And you are a very unhappy man. I feel bad for you.”

“What?” he responded still purring. “Just because I said I don’t like your light, that makes me unhappy?”

“No,” I said, still leaning over towards him. “I am afraid it goes well beyond the light.”

What I didn’t say, but should have said was, and into a dark place. As I walked away I could hear him whine, “I could redesign this place. God its awful. I want my check.”

I must confess that now, as I think of him from a safe distance, I do feel bad for him. A restaurant is a place in which you should be made to feel comfortable, so that for an hour or two, you can escape the cruel realities of the world and indulge your senses. Restaurant is derived from French restaurer, “to restore or refresh”. You should leave feeling better than you did when you entered. But it was a bitter tonic he was seeking and misery loves company.

Mr Misery departed after first promising to let everyone in town know what a bitch I was. I returned to the bar and apologized to the woman who had been subject to his rants.

“Oh don’t worry about it.” she said. “I’m from the city. That was nothing. I’ll be back. He was an @#$*&!%”

Everett sent her an edible apology, three little sorbet popsicles, lemon-rosemary, orange-basil and watermelon-mint, all bathed in amber Plantation rum.

Only one or two minutes after Mr Misery walked out of the restaurant, another man walked in and sat down at he bar and ordered a Bloody Mary. He too appeared uninterested in being convivial. He gave Jen his order and sat very still with his drink, until she placed his first course—the Quail—down in front of him.

I held my breath. What I thought, if the quail was an anger magnet? What if something about the fragility of the little bird, its plump sweetness, causes meanness in men?

I admit I had become paranoid. I waited and watched him from behind as he finished the  quail without commenting on the stuffing and then picked up the dinner menu again. He ordered a second course and then a third.

He left, I believe, restored. We had done our job.

I decided it was time to drive home. And on the way immersed in the dark quiet of the road, I realized that Mr Misery had given us a valuable lesson in appreciation for the guests, friends, customers, and all the nice people that grace our doorstep.