Jan 19th, 2012 at 4:00PM: The figures are in for 2011 and it's more bad news for the British pub. An average of 14 a week shut down, and Oxfordshire alone lost 35 this past year.
The pub is an institution. More than just a place to drink real ale, it's a place to see friends, get out of the house, do the pub quiz, and watch football.
My family and I spend every Easter and summer in Oxford, and while we aren't big ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
beer posts
Is the British pub an endangered species?
Jan 19th, 2012 at 4:00PM: The figures are in for 2011 and it's more bad news for the British pub. An average of 14 a week shut down, and Oxfordshire alone lost 35 this past year.
The pub is an institution. More than just a place to drink real ale, it's a place to see friends, get out of the house, do the pub quiz, and watch football.
My family and I spend every Easter and summer in Oxford, and while we aren't big ...Getting 'Sweet Revenge' in New York's West Village
Jan 7th, 2012 at 1:00PM: Located in the West Village of New York, at 62 Carmine Street, is a sweet shop that puts a new spin on wine pairing.
Walking into Sweet Revenge, you will become instantly immersed in the warmth of freshly baked desserts, the cozy ambiance of the small room, smiling servers, and intimate lighting set by tiny Christmas bulbs. And, you won't see anybody with a sweet Bellini or a full-bodied ...Boulder's mixology scene the place for holiday spirit(s)
Dec 21st, 2011 at 9:30AM:
By now, we're well into the Third Wave of the mixology craze. Cosmopolitans begat new types of martinis begat the revival of pre-Prohibition-era cocktails (which begat bartenders donning suspenders or dapper suit vests).
The revival of classic cocktails and trending toward intelligent, seasonally-driven mixology made with craft-distilled spirits has been driven by America's mania for all ...Holiday gifts for food (and drink)-loving travelers
Nov 16th, 2011 at 12:00PM: Holiday shopping is easy if the people on your list like to eat and/or imbibe. If they're into travel--be it armchair or the real deal--the options are endless This year, think beyond the predictable bottle of wine or pricey "artisan" cookies and give reusable, portable, eco-friendly gifts or small-batch edibles that are the taste equivalent of a trip abroad.
As for where to get these items, ...Video of the day: a goaty guide to pronouncing foreign cheeses
Nov 12th, 2011 at 4:00PM: The holidays are Cheese Season. At no other time of the year are cheese and specialty food shops as thronged by dairy-seeking customers. They're hungry for a fix or searching for a gift, recipe ingredient, or the makings of a cheese plate. Cheese is love, and one of the easiest, most elegant ways to kick off a cocktail party or conclude (or make) a memorable meal.
With that in mind, the folks ...
Want to be part of a giant tomato fight?
Nov 10th, 2011 at 10:00AM:
Food fights are not restricted to your high school cafeteria anymore. And best of all, you won't get detention for chucking produce at someone's head. In fact, at the traveling Tomato Battle events, tomato throwing is actually encouraged as a giant tomato fight is part of the event's main attractions. Attendees can also enjoy delicious brews from the beer garden, costume contests, and live ...
Photo of the Day - Barcelona jamon
Oct 27th, 2011 at 6:00PM:
The humble ham and cheese sandwich is a basic staple of the travel diet. In nearly every country I've traveled to, I can count on finding a cheap and tasty toasted ham and cheese at a snack bar or cafe while exploring a new city. With a nice glass of local wine or a cold beer, this simple sandwich can be sublime. The Spanish, however, have made ham an art form, noted by this display in Barcelona ...10 bizarre beers you probably haven't heard of
Oct 15th, 2011 at 12:00PM: And you thought adding hints of blueberry and flavors of pumpkin to your brew was unique? Check out this list of 10 bizarre beers and you'll be thinking that cherry ale is as boring as water.
Pizza Beer
Pizza Beer was created by Tom and Athena Seefurth in Campton Township, Illinois, when they had a surplus of tomatoes. The process of creating this brew involves mashing a Margarita pizza and ...Wilfie and Nell, a social experience in the West Village, New York
Oct 2nd, 2011 at 12:00PM: After hearing about Wilfie and Nell as being a great pickup bar as well as a great place to meet friendly people, my girlfriends and I decided to check it out and see if what we heard was true. On the website, the restaurant claims to not take reservations as to create the ambiance of an "informal gathering". Patrons are also encouraged to take a seat wherever there is room at a table, including ...October is American Cheese Month!
Sep 18th, 2011 at 11:00AM: It's amazing it took this long, what with national hot dog month, ice cream month, and clogged artery month (okay, I made that one up), but now we have a new reason to check in with our cardiologists.
The American Cheese Society ACS) has announced the launch of American Cheese Month, an annual celebration of America's artisan, farmstead, and specialty cheeses, and the farmers, cheesemakers, ...The Great British Beer Festival has more than 700 ways to quench your thirst
Aug 2nd, 2011 at 2:00PM: Finding a delicious brew in London is never hard, thanks to its thriving pub culture. But if you're in London this week between August 2 and 6, you may want to head over to Earls Court for the Great British Beer Festival, which bills itself as the largest beer festival in Britain.
Organized by the Campaign for Real Ale, a lobbying group that "promotes the brewing, selling, and drinking of real ...Connecticut Beer Trail holds second official "Bikes and Beers" tour in Granby July 31st
Jul 28th, 2011 at 4:30PM: Far be it from the People to not abide by the Constitution. On July 31st, Granby is holding its second "Bikes & Beers" tour along the Connecticut Beer Trail (it's the Constitution State, FYI. Yeah, I didn't know, either).
Connecticut seems obsessed with food and drink-themed pathways: there's the new Hot Dog Trail, the Ice cream and Sundae Drive (cute), and the Wine Trail. Why the fixation? ...Boulder's Chautauqua Park: more than just hiking and climbing
Jul 27th, 2011 at 10:30AM: The Chautauqua Movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries provided millions of Americans with cultural, educational, and entertainment experiences that included concerts, classes, lectures, and exhibitions. It was, to quote Teddy Roosevelt, "The most American thing in America." Ask most Americans today what a Chautauqua is, and odds are, you'll get a blank stare.
Until recently, I too ...SkyMall Monday: Remote Control Beverage Cooler
Jul 4th, 2011 at 1:30PM: Summer's here and it's time to kick back by the pool with some ice cold drinks. The problem with spending time outside, however, is that you end up far away from your refrigerator. How is one supposed to keep himself refreshed when all of the Zima is chilling in the kitchen (assuming, of course, that said kitchen is in Japan, where Zima is still produced)? You can't be expected to get up from your ...Yuengling will make its way into Ohio bars
Jun 20th, 2011 at 7:30PM: Here is some good news for Ohioans and visitors to the Buckeye State: Yuengling beer will make its way into bars throughout Ohio by the end of the year. Already served in thirteen states up and down the Eastern seaboard, the beer has so far not made its way inland – even though it is brewed right next door in Pennsylvania.
What took Yuengling, a company whose claim to fame is the oldest ...London's seamy side revealed in new exhibition
May 26th, 2011 at 4:00PM:
London has always had an underworld, a dangerous side. Just go out late on a Saturday night and you're sure to see a fight. For many, the hint of danger is one of the city's attractions, at least if you don't have to deal with it full time.
Back in the 18th and 19th century, there was nothing attractive about the St. Giles Rookery. It got its name because tiny apartments were stacked atop one ...Drink up, it's American Craft Beer Week
May 20th, 2011 at 11:00AM: Traveling stateside this weekend? You're in luck: It's American Craft Beer Week, and events celebrating the art of beer are taking place at brewpubs and microbreweries in all 50 states.
I've always been a big believer in seeking out the best locally-produced brews wherever I travel, and as the craft brewing boom continues in the U.S. I've found my beer travels in America to be especially ...Tour Belgium breweries by bike
Apr 25th, 2011 at 8:00AM: Cycling tours continue to grow in popularity as active travelers discover the joys of exploring a destination in a slower, yet very immersive fashion. Riders have the opportunity to take in more scenery, commune with nature, and interact more directly with locals, as they pedal their way through a variety of countries all over the world. But a company called ExperiencePlus! is putting their own ...Ten great food co-ops in the western U.S.
Apr 22nd, 2011 at 1:30PM: If the concept of food cooperatives conjures up images of burning bras and withered, wormy produce, hear me out. The times they have a'changed, and today's co-ops (about 500 nationwide) can be the hometown equivalent of a certain high-end, multi-billion-dollar, national green grocery chain. As with farmers markets, all are not created equal, but when you hit upon a good one, it's easy to see why ...New British beer is first to contain Viagra, commemorates Royal Wedding
Apr 19th, 2011 at 4:30PM: Prince William may be losing his hair, but it seems a bit presumptuous to assume that he's lost his mojo, as well. But that won't stop Scottish craft brewer BrewDog from releasing Royal Virility Performance on April 29th. The world's first beer to be enhanced with Viagra, the 7.5-percent ABV India Pale Ale also contains purported natural aphrodisiacs Horny Goat Weed and chocolate, as well as "a ...
