Long Journeys & an Unexpected Absence...

...but not without cause, or rather a variety of them. By my feeble calculations, in the not-insignificant period of time since my last posting, I've traveled some 3500 miles! Between work, all this 'legging about the country and the requisite prep/cleanup prior to or following such travels, my (deplorable) absence from writing here might be understandable, however unfortunate it may be.

Yet, by way of apology, rather than wax poetic on every tiny detail accross a handful of posts, I reasoned a collection of highlights might serve best to catch you, my good reader, up on my spirits-doused activities of the past month or so.

'Tales 2009
First up in early July, my trip down to (all-too sunny) NOLA for this year's Tales of the Cocktail - an incredible and educational exerience to be sure. While at this spirited event of the year I attended seminars on all manner of fascinating cocktailian topics, sampled spirits from all over the world, wiled away the evenings in the friendly company of my fellow bloggers over at the Mixoloseum house and, in the end, nearly gave myself a hernia hauling home the mountain of 'schwag that was foisted upon the attendees at every turn.

I also took part in a cocktail competition of fairly epic proportions - a joint effort between the various chapter cities of the USBG and the wonderful folks at Leblon Cachaça. The theme of said competition was to craft a riff on the venerable Caipirinha, and the collection of immensely-talented individuals (two for each USBG chapter city) chosen to compete certainly brought some of their best tricks to bear, much to the delight of the ~400 person guest list!

Such was assuredly the case with my teammate (& fellow New Jerseyian), Tad Carducci of Tippling Bros. & USBGNY fame, who took the People's Choice Award for the event. Likewise with Tobin Ellis and Andrew Pollard of the Las Vegas chapter, who took the Judge's Choice Award. For a glimpse at the incredible show that Leblon, the USBG & all eighteen of us put on (as well as the various recipes concocted for the evening) check out the video stream below (the idiot in red with Pelé socks on his arms would be yours truly):

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Pennsic 38
Of Portable Bars...
For those of you who have been tuning in here for a while (and who haven't been terribly put off by my recent absence), you may recall that this is the time of year when the Pennsic War takes place in the wilds of upstate Pennsylvania. Although this year's trip out was considerably shorter than previous years' (in span, the journey was just as mind-numbingly long), I could hardly miss it, as this was our local group's 30th Anniversary - which corresponded exactly with the date of our annual party. But more on that in a moment...

Along for the ride, as always, was my very own portable bar (which some of you may recall I promised pictures of last year). Finally having gotten around to actually getting photos taken of the thing, I reasoned that this is the perfect opportunity to present my hand-built creation in all it's devious detail, including its spirited contents. This handy tool & workspace is a direct solution to the many frustrations I often encountered at my first bartending gig; a catering outfit.

The overall design is fairly straightforward - three moulded countertops of treated mahogany, poplar & oak which bolt together discretely to form a back-bar with plenty of work & storage space. Straight and rear-facing angled legs of spun oak screw onto plates on the bottom. A number of "speed rail" boxes which fit into several positions on the bar surfaces (dependant on my needs at a given event) via fitted wooden pegs. Space for additional spirits runs along these boxes (which are watertight, so that ice may be placed inside of them in especially hot conditions) with a large drawer & watertight hinged box providing additional storage space for tools or miscellaneous items.

Other features include folding hooks on the bottom of each segment from which small baskets can be hung, a wall-mounted bottle-opener on one of the legs, an angled marble cutting board (complete with a removable trough for catching juice & seeds) and a pair of inset stainless steel foodservice bins for holding my bar tools. Bottles of Simple and Demerara syrups are mounted on a speed pouring rack (which dispenses 1 oz. pours), a butane-powered burner provides heat for warm drinks or making syrups when necessary. A combination of magnetic lights and lanterns provide me with light in the evenings and a sterile space is alotted for drying & storing my glassware. And yes, good reader, I bring glassware out camping...

A pair of double-walled coolers accomadates my mixers (Vermouths, Champagne, soda, juices, additional fruit &c.) and Ice, respectively. As ice can be a devilish thing to maintain without refrigeration in hot weather, I do the best I can by procuring several 10lb. blocks of ice, then pack cubed ice around these. For stirred drinks (or others requiring careful control of dilution) I utilize a brass hammer and ice pick to secure suitable chunks from the blocks, while shaken drinks get a combination of cubed & block ice (with careful attention paid to shaking times & temperatures). And as for what I actually stocked for all this mixing; my selections are listed from left to right more or less as they appear on the bar itself (pictures courtesy of the incomparable Ken Cleary):

Gin
Plymouth, Bols Oude Genever, Bols Genever, Boodles, Bluecoat, Tanqueray, Right, Beefeater, Beefeater 24, Martin Miller's, Distillery 209, Citadelle Reserve, Magellan.

Syrups
Gomme, Pineapple Gomme, Ginger, Falernum, Cinnamon, Orgeat, Horchata de Melon, Raspberry, Passionfruit, Elderflower, Berry-Apple Shrub, Hibiscus Grenadine.

Brandy
Salignac Cognac, Lautrec VS Cognac, Cardinal Mendoza Solera Gran Reserva, Fundador Solera Reserva, BarSol Quebranta Pisco, Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy, Metaxa 5-star.

Whiskey
Sazerac 3yr & Old Overholt Rye(s), Hudson, Bulleit, Old Graddad & Evan Williams 7yr Bourbon(s), Yamazaki 12yr, Pig's Nose Scotch.

Rum & Cachaça
Brugal white, ONO white, Cavalier Antigua white, Ron Zacapa 23, Mount Gay XO, Appleton's V/X, Rhum Barbancourt 3-star, El Dorado 5yr Demerara, Neisson Rhum Agricole Blanc, Sailor Jerry spiced, Lemon Hart 151° Demerara; Boca Loca, Leblon & Inacca 5yr Cachaças.

Bitters & Tinctures
Angostura, Peychaud's, Regan's Orange, Angostura Orange, Fee's Peach & WBA, Spiced Lemon #1, Honey-Tangerine, Boker's, Improved Bitters mix; Orange Flower Water, Rosewater, Jasmine, Tahitian & Bourbon Vanilla(s), Candied Ginger; Atomizers of Del Maguey SV Mescal & Bitters Mist.

Tequila & Mescal
Inocente Plata, Tequila Ocho Plata 2008 & 2009, El Jimador Reposado, Del Maguey SV Mescal.

Amaro, Pastis & Absinthe
Pimm's No. 1 Cup, Torani Amer (Picon), Zucca Rabarbaro Amaro, Amaro Nonino, Fernet Branca, Campari, Aperol; Pastis au Violette, Herbsaint, Pernod; Vieux Carre, Obsello, Kübler Absinthes.

Speed Spirits
Benedictine, Grand Marnier, Luxardo Maraschino, Amaro Abano & Amaretto, Yellow Chartreuse, Carpano Punt e Mes, Morello Cherry-infused Carpano Antica Formula, house dry Vermouth, house sweet Vermouth.

Wines & Liqueurs
Dry Sack & Lustau PX Sherry(s), Cockburn's Ruby Port; Cointreau, Tuaca, Marie Brizard Apry, Tia Maria, Hiram Walker Crème de Cassis & Crème de Cacao, Chateau Trimbach Pear, Domaine de Canton Ginger.

Vodka
Oval, Van Gogh Espresso, Zubrowska.
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...And (Quite) Successful Parties
As I mentioned previously, our local group reached its thirtieth year of existence this year, fortuitously on the precise date of our annual Pennsic party. And despite the intense chill of the evening (heralded by a poor, if ultimately inaccurate, weather forecast) after our best estimates, somewhere in the vicinity of one thousand people passed through our camp over the course of the evening!!

I daresay our reputation for hospitality and entertainment won us this more than steady influx of guests, and in that regard we surely did not disappoint. As we were perhaps the only camp group at this years' event to procure the proper licensing (admittedly something never before needed at Pennsic) for fire-spinners (i.e. Poi), we were visited by large a number of this art's master practioners (as pictured at left & below).

Similarly, and much like last year's festivities, we provided kegs and cases of beer & hard cider (Guinness, Smithwicks & Woodchuck); all were tapped before the night's end. As my own contribution to the event, I prepared and served up a large volume (15 Gallons in-total) of batched libations for our guests' pleasure. One of these was a slight variation on a warm beverage (at ~55°F it was quite chilly after all) compunded in moderate batches all evening long to help our guests (and me) fend off the evening's chill. These libations (including an unplanned, yet thoroughly delicious addition prepared a la minute) went something like this:

Swamp Sunshine
200 oz. Peach-infused Vodka, house-made 60 oz. Saffron-infused Bianco Vermouth, house-made
20 oz. Canton Ginger Liqueur
200 oz. Peach Nectar
60 oz. Ginger syrup
20 oz. fresh Lemon juice
1½ oz. Fee’s Peach bitters
½ oz. Sunshine bitters (modified to include Quassia bark)
4x fresh Peaches, julienned
Combine ingredients in a 5-Gal cooler & stir very well to incorporate. Prior to serving, add a 7lb. block of ice and stir well to chill. Serve over ice & top with 1 oz. of Seltzer (fresh from an iSi siphon).

East's Interdiction
300 oz. Sandeman's Ruby Port & Lustau PX Sherry (house-aged blend, 3:1)
4 oz. Lemon Hart 151° Demerara Rum
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80 oz. → 64 oz. distilled Water, mulled & reduced in advance with:
* 15x Allspice berries, bruised
* 15x blades Mace
* 10x Canela Cinnamon sticks, bruised
* 10x Green Cardamom pods, bruised
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36 oz. superfine white Sugar
24 oz. candied Ginger
30x fresh Oranges
10x fresh Lemons
80x whole Cloves
Bitters mist, for brûlée
Nutmeg, for garnish
Quarter the Oranges & Lemons and stick each segment with 2 whole Cloves. Reserve over ice. Prepare mulled Water by bringing specified spices & 80 oz. of distilled Water to a boil. Simmer until reduced to 64 oz. then fine-strain solids from water & reserve.

To compound each batch (prepared here in 8 batches to ensure warmth):
Combine the following in a large pan:
15x Orange segments
5x Lemon segments
8 oz. mulled Water
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Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat & add:
4½ oz. superfine Sugar
3 oz. candied Ginger
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Carefully brûlée the pan's contents with the Bitters Mist (for approximately ten to fifteen seconds), then add 37½ oz. Port-Sherry blend and continue to warm over medium-high heat until steaming. Add ½ oz. 151° Demerara Rum and carefully ignite. Flame for approximately thirty to forty seconds before extinguishing with the pan's lid. Remove from heat and pour the entire mixture in a heatproof 5-Gal cooler. Serve in 3-4 oz. portions with a grate of fresh Nutmeg over the top.

The next beverage had great sentimental value for many of the older members of our group, though I'll admit, I varied the ingredients towards the fresher side. Nevertheless (or perhaps because of my alterations) it vanished alarmingly quickly:

Lynchburg Lemonade
20 oz. Bulleit Bourbon
20 oz. Old Granddad Bourbon
20 oz. Old Overholt Rye
30 oz. Cointreau
40 oz. fresh Lemon juice
10 oz. fresh Orange juice
20 oz. Simple syrup
10 oz. candied Citron syrup
64 oz. Seltzer
Combine all ingredients except Seltzer in a 2½-Gal Cooler & stir well to incorporate. Prior to serving, add a 3lb. block of ice & gently stir in Seltzer (2x full iSi siphons).

As the 'Lynchburg (& its accompanying libations) was relatively short-lived, as the crowd waned (briefly) I made my way to the portable bar at the rear of camp, to quickly prepare a new batch of beverages. I struck upon the bottle of Pineapple Gomme syrup (originally intended for Pisco Punch) & immediately recalled a drink of a different variety:

Developed by the inestimable Eryn Reece of NYC's Louis 649, the recipe (which I tripled; substituting in a bottle of ordinary Beefeater and 2 oz. of green Tea) for Desmond Punch was apparently crafted to honor Beefeater's master distiller (and creator of Beefeater 24) Demond Payne. Quite a tribute, I must say!

Despite the presence of Gin (sadly, a touchy subject for many), this wonderful punch lasted for even less time than its' predecessors and recieved many compliments from our guests. Check out the step-by-step recipe in the video stream at below (with Ms. Reece herself; courtesy of Embury Cocktails) - I promise you'll be delighted with the results...


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And so, after returning (dead tired) from Pennsic, the last of my travels is complete. Consequently, my long absence from authoring long-winded articles here is now over and regularly-scheduled (!?) posts will begin apearing soon.

Throughout my time away I have been far from idle, learning of and experimenting with all manner of new (or at least new to me) ingredients, tricks, ideas & recipes. Many of these & more will be appearing here over the next few weeks - as a teaser, next up is a bit of fun to have with your pet soda siphon - so be sure to tune back in soon...


Cheers!

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An enormous thanks to everyone from both 'Tales & Pennsic (and anyone in between) who has made these last few weeks an absolute pleasure; especially to those of you who were kind enough to share your excellent photography (Ken, Anna, Dani, Susan - you guys rock)!

What is it Good For?

War...

Pennsic War that is. For those among you who have never heard of it before, is one of the largest annual events run by the Society for Creative Anachronism - a worldwide medieval educational & re-enactment society with whom I have been an active member for many years. This two-week long event takes place at a massive campground called Cooper's Lake in upstate Pennsylvania & often draws upwards of ten-thousand people. It is a tricky experience to explain in a single post, particularly to those who have never attended, but I will attempt to sum up the overall experience as fully as possible:

Pennsic is a city-sized (those are all tents in the picture above by-the-by), two week-long camping event wherein the attendees live (more or less) & dress according to a given period of pre-1600's history with which they have an interest. My own time period, for example, is Kamakura-era (mid-1200's) Japan. Attendees generally camp with their regional or local groups, which are allotted campsites according to their size.

During the day at Pennsic, while thusly dressed & encamped, one can attend classes on all manner of historical matters of interest, fight re-enactments of historical battles complete with armor & rattan weaponry (quite a sight to see & the principle reason it's called a 'War'), perform or listen to music from antiquity, attend formal medieval-styled courts and otherwise experience various aspects of the medieval lifestyle from dozens of the worlds' cultures. A large portion of the site is devoted to a massive marketplace, wherein one can see and find just about anything - fantastic jewelry & metalwork, glassblowing, clothing, leatherwork, herbs, brewers - name it & you can likely find it. At night, however, Pennsic takes on a frenetic, Dionysian-atmosphere with many of the groups in attendance throwing massive parties in a variety of period & non-period themes (hence the anachronism in SCA).

So how does one throw a party or have any hope of eating good food or mixing a decent cocktail on a camping trip you ask? For starters there are some modern amenities available - camps are supplied with running water (we have a heated camp shower & sink), and there is a store on site at which one can purchase necessities like ice (cubed or block). Similarly, some of the larger groups have very impressive set-ups, complete with propane refrigeration, ranges & the like, and for my part - I long ago built a 'portable' bar (I'll have pictures up soon) which I bring with me, and many of my fellows are equally clever in what they bring to arrange for such things as food, drink & comfort.

To give you a rough idea, in camp we feasted on Paella, Curried-Coconut Rice, Stir-Fried Vegetables w/Sesame Noodles, Hummus, Steak, grilled Tuna and much more. In the heat of the day (& throughout the evenings' carousing), an assortment of drinks kept us all comfortable & relaxed - Hurricanes, Palomas, JW&N w/Ting, Scorpion Bowls, Stone Fences, a wide variety of Coolers, Fizzes, Swizzles, Smashes, Sours, Shrubs and other libations of my own devising were greatly enjoyed by all, such as this refreshing cocktail utilizing Horchata de Melón (made w/Cucumber, Cinnamon & Coriander):

Mí Amor
1½ oz oz. Hendrick's Gin
½ oz. white Port
1¼ oz oz. Horchata de Melón
½ oz. fresh Valencia Orange juice
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass & shake with ice. Strain into an Old-Fashioned glass half-filled with crushed ice & garnish with a whole Cinnamon stick.

Likewise, as none of the above really fall within the provinces of the SCA's historical period (& anachronism will only go so far), I played with a handful of recipes & notions from antiquity: a Wassail Bowl; drinking Chocolate flavored with fresh Blackberries & Cassis; brewing a Pap of Barley, Almonds, Nutmeg & Mace before fine-straining it for blending with Brandy and Wine; as well as a number of Mead-based drinks.

All & all Pennsic War is an incredible experience - good (not just by camping standards) food, quality drinks and through the days a glimpse at the diverse cultures & history of the world, all in the company of a horde of extremely friendly, knowledgeable & like-minded individuals. What follows will be a brief glance at some of my cocktail-related adventures at War:

Fascinaing Flavors While Finding My Inner Vagabond While a number of the Pennsic marketplaces' inhabitants are in the business of supplying comestibles to the populace, none of them (in my humble opinion) do food & beverage-service quite like the fantastic folks at Your Inner Vagabond.

This incredible lounge is one of the true wonders of Pennsic, lavishly decorated in authentic Middle-Eastern coffeehouse style. Within its cool & comfortable confines one can sample an impressive array of delicious coffees, teas, specialty drinks and desserts, complete with live entertainment & hookah service in the evenings.

I was able to spend a great many hours within, sampling a wide variety of rare & delicious beverages while enjoying numerous lengthy conversations with a new acquaintance, the worldly owner/operator AJ, whom I found to be a kindred spirit in all matters mixological. She and her fabulous staff espoused an attitude towards quality, consistency and wondrous ingredients which I cannot applaud heartily enough.

When the time came to experiment & work with certain flavors which had been discussed, whether back at my own bar or in YIV's impressive kitchen, I was quick to play with a number of interesting combinations, several of which worked quite nicely:

Lemongrass Cooler
1½ oz. Plymouth Gin
½ oz. Aperol
1 oz. Monin Lemongrass syrup
½ oz. fresh Meyer Lemon juice
Combine in a mixing glass & shake with ice. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice, top with Seltzer & garnish with an Orange twist.

Jasmine "Toddy"
1½ oz. Brugal Añejo Rum
½ oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
3½ oz. Jasmine Green Tea
½ oz. Demerara Simple syrup
1 dash: fresh Lemon juice
1 dash: Angostura bitters
Brew a strong cup of Jasmine tea. Build ingredients in a drinking Bowl or Coffee glass while tea remains hot & stir briefly.
A scant ½ oz. of Honey syrup (2:1 - Honey:Water) also works well in place of the Simple syrup. This is also equally good (& quite refreshing) cold - merely allow the tea to cool after brewing & serve over cracked ice.

Sudanese Rose
1½ oz. Rhum Agricole Blanc
½ oz. Lillet Blanc
2 oz. Karkade (a Hibiscus Tisane, Jaimaica also works fine)
3-4 dashes: Hibiscus Grenadine
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass & stir well with plenty of ice. Strain into a double-rocks glass, half-filled with ice. Garnish with a twist of Lime, sprig of fresh Peppermint & an organic Rose petal.

Even better for you gentle reader, in addition to their (sadly, temporary) Pennsic location, AJ & her staff operate a permanent facility in downtown Pittsburgh at which you can experience the same wondrous range of culinary creations coupled with all manner of live entertainment events without having to "rough it". If you're ever in town check them out - I promise, once you've sampled their Morrocan Coffee you'll never have another espresso...

An (Expected) Party & Cocktails for the Masses
On the last Thursday of Pennsic, sometime around dark-thirty, our camp opens its doors to the general populace & throws a party. This year was no exception, with the theme of the fete being a blatant, over-the-top, mockery of the Inquisition in true Mel Brooks/Monty Python fashion. The event, complete with live music & fire-Poi by members of our group, was a positively smashing success. Throughout the evening and well through the last few days of War I heard nothing but kind words & good feelings circulating the public rumor mill regarding our little soiree...

While we provided a modest spread of cold Beer & hard Cider (Smithwicks, Guinness & Woodchuck on tap) I was, of course, responsible for arranging the cocktail end of the liquid refreshment for the evening, and I'd like to think I did not disappoint. Intending no disparagement towards other groups or the quality of their parties, let us merely say that the trend of true mixology has not yet caught on with all of Pennsic's many "cocktail" crafters. For our (not so small) event I therefore wished to demonstrate to the attending populace what a proper cocktail could be - a real culinary experience in a glass, taking no shortcuts despite the immense volume required. To this end I prepared a pair of libations for our guests' pleasure, as well as a measure of flavorful shots for those who wished to get underway with a minimum of fuss:

Bloody Inquisitor
3½ Liters: Cardamom, Vanilla & Valencia Orange peel-infused Vodka
1 Liter, 3 oz. Triple-Sec
1 Liter, 3 oz. Marie Brizard Orange Curacao
15 oz. Lillet Blanc
8 Liters: organic Blood Orange Nectar
15 oz. Simple syrup
1¼ Tablespoons: Regan's Orange bitters
1¼ Teaspoons: Green Cardamom tincture
9x Valencia Oranges, julienned
3x Meyer Lemons, julienned
In advance, add 2 whole Madagascar Vanilla beans (split), 2½ Tablespoons whole Green Cardamom and 2 Tablespoons dried Valencia Orange peel to Vodka & macerate for eight days, agitating occasionally.
Combine ingredients in a clean 5-Gal water cooler, pouring infused Vodka through a double-layer of cheesecloth to strain out solids. Stir well to incorporate & add fresh fruit. Approximately one hour before serving add one 10lb. block of (double-frozen) ice & stir well. Pour servings over cracked ice.

Yes, yes I know a Vodka-based cocktail isn't very exciting, but in my experience people trust things that they recognize & are comfortable with. Though my original idea for this particular cocktail called for a Cardamom-infused Gin, I knew that no matter how good it tasted I would never get the vast majority of our guests to even try it, so I settled on an infused-Vodka recipe. In retrospect I'm fairly glad that I did - this drink was quite a hit and the flavors were excellent in my own humble opinion. With the next cocktail however, I pushed a few boundaries rather successfully:

The (Spice) Rack
5x 750ml: Lautrec V.S. Cognac
3x 750ml: El Dorado 5-yr Demerara Rum
1x 750ml: JW&N 123° Jamaican Rum
9 oz. St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
4 oz. El Dorado 151° Demerara Rum
1 Tablespoon: Angostura bitters
1 Tablespoon: Spiced Lemon bitters
50 oz. fresh Lemon juice
14 oz. fresh Meyer lemon juice
4 lbs. Demerara sugar
16x bags: Green Tea
16x bags: Black Tea
2 Gallons: Water
Approximately six hours prior to serving, bring Water to a rapid boil & remove from heat. Peel half of the Lemons, being sure to remove as much of the bitter white pith as possible. Slack the Sugar into the Water and add the Lemon peels & Tea bags. Allow the Tea and Peels to steep for approximately one hour before removing, being sure to press them through cheescloth to extract as much of the liquid as possible. Place a clean cloth over the mixture & allow another hour for it to cool to room temperature. Meanwhile start juicing Lemons. Pour mixture into a clean 5-Gal water cooler & add the remaining ingredients, stirring well to incorporate. Allow to rest for another two hours to allow the flavors to blend & develop before adding one 9lb. block of (double-frozen) ice. Allow one final hour to chill, stir well & serve over cracked ice, garnishing with a (optional) twist of lemon.

This recipe is a modified & scaled version of the classic Bowl of Punch, as presented in David Wondrich's Killer Cocktails (among other sources). I chose both flavorful Demerara as well as strong Jamaican rums and added a bit of Pimento Dram & bitters to contribute to the spice element(s) already present in the spirits. The use of both Green & Black teas acted as an excellent foil for the dynamic combination of flavors.

For the 'shot' of the evening, I decided to go with something I have already had some success with. After procuring some freshly-dried Jasmine flowers in the Pennsic markets, I settled on the lovely flavor combination of Jasmine & Vanilla and (somehow) managed to cobble together a flash-infusion of those flavors into an already-made Orgeat syrup with little more than a camp stove & a muddler. With this syrup in hand I then assembled a well-chilled triple batch of my own Falaknuma Bowl in a 2½ Gal water cooler, and poured one-ounce servings to those of our guests who did not wish to shilly-shally or mess around in getting their night started (or ended). It was oddly the first of the three beverages to go dry, even though it did require some 'selling', as it contains a measure (however small) of Gin. I daresay I wooed a visitor or three over to the cocktailian love for all things juniper with this one, and was quite happy to have done so...

With the close of Pennsic this Sunday past, I have finally started to decompress from the tedious journey home. However, I will treasure the new friends I made, old friends I got to see again, and many adventures about which I have elected not to write. Vivat, so long and thanks for all the memories. For those of you whom I have terrified beyond belief with this glance into my unabashed exploits in geekery, have no fear, regularly-scheduled posts on cocktails & cookery will continue uninterupted from here on...

On that note, for my next adventure, at week's end I depart for a short cruise through the Mediterranean, with such diverse stops along the way as Provence, Istanbul, Venice, Rome & Barcelona (among others). I shall attempt to keep you my good readers appraised of the highlights of my travels - several items of interest should include the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul, Harry's Bar in Venice, (possibly) a visit with Max of Listen to the Ice in Rome & a stop off at both Boadas and Dry Martini in Spain before returning to real life. Rest assured I shall share whatever I might find and learn upon my return to the 'States...

Cheers & Enjoy!