TAPrice
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Brett Anderson, the restaurant writer for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, reported on the reaction of local restaurants and seafood supplier:
“We’ve got all the Jazz Fest customers in town,” said C.J. Gerdes, chef and owner of Casamento’s, the seafood restaurant and oyster bar. “They ask, ‘How are the oysters?’ I say, ‘They’re fine right now.’”Gerdes and others in the local restaurant and seafood industry say it is too early to tell how the oil spill will affect their businesses. But all are beginning to take action to address a disaster that has garnered international media attention and is on the minds of everyone throughout the region.
“What we’re trying to communicate with people is that our seafood is safe,” said Ewell Smith, executive director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board. “Product will not go to market from (affected areas). That’s the bottom line.”
I wrote a short item for the Times Picayune on the comments of Poppy Tooker, a local cooking instructor, about the crisis during her gumbo demo at Jazz Fest:
"If I'd had a vision of the terrible thing that was happening," Tooker said, "I would have made seafood gumbo. This could be the last time for several years that we could have it."For those of us who live here, she reminded us of the grim reality we face after the Jazz Festers go home. Our waters are filling with oil.
"All of my fisher buddies," she said, "are weeping. I keep getting this crying calls from grown men."
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Yesterday at the farmers market in New Orleans, the line for fresh shrimp was half a block long. Down here, a lot of us are convinced that the oil filling the Gulf will mean no local seafood for at least a year. (As a side note, we're still trying to figure out what to call this catastrophe. It's not exactly a spill, since the oil continues to flow unabated from the ocean floor.)
John Besh (August, Domenica), writing for the Atlantic website said supply is good at the moment, but things don't look good:
We haven't seen a decrease in supply yet, but next week we expect it, because of where the slick has moved: the port of Venice, Louisiana, where oil is starting to wash ashore, is a major hub of seafood in and out of the Gulf. We'll definitely see a break in supply. But what we're really worried about is all the microorganisms that rely on that marsh. The shrimp and the crabs feed off of those little microorganisms, and all of our other fisheries depend on them.The seafood industry is trying to convince people, particularly tourists, that the current supply of shrimp, oysters and fish is safe to eat. Here is what the New York Times had to say about that:
Only six of the 32 oyster beds on the east side of the Mississippi River have been closed, and the oil is still 70 or 80 miles away, according to Mike Voisin, the Chairman of the Louisiana Oyster Task Force.Those areas represent 30 to 40 percent of the state’s oyster production. Louisiana is the largest single-state producer of oysters in the world, producing about 250 million in-shell pounds of oysters a year, which is a little more than a third of the nation’s production, Mr. Voisin said.
Louisiana’s fishing industry generates about $3 billion a year, Mr. Pearce said, including recreational fishing. Depending on whether the oil slick continues to press past marshlands and where it makes landfall, , the financial implications could be devastating.
“Some of the real fears is that we’re in the reproductive cycle in the fisheries,” Mr. Voisin said. If the oil seeps into these areas, he said, “we could lose a year of a class of fish."
In that same article, Donald Link (Herbsaint, Cochon) offered a little optimism: “For the massive oil spill that it is, I don’t think that we’re looking at catastrophic effects on seafood."
At this point, I don't think anyone knows the impact will be. It's a complicated situation.
There is the environmental impact on the marine life and its habitat. Fisherman who can't work for a long period may have to leave the business. The oil could spread across the beaches of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and even Florida, which could hurt the tourism industry and the restaurants there. Already, I've heard anecdotal reports of people canceling trips to New Orleans, because they don't want to come if there is no seafood.
One scientist I heard of the radio (didn't catch his specialty), suggested that the Gulf disaster could seriously harm the U.S. chicken industry. Most chicken, he said, eat fish meal, which comes from menhaden caught in the Gulf of Mexico.
Even if the damage is limited to Louisiana's coast, the fishing and oyster industry is so large here that the effects will be felt nationwide.
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Can't imagine professional bartenders are less concerned about spills than home bartenders.
Someone has to pay for that alcohol. If the bartenders aren't concerned, I bet their bosses are.
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I thought this was the OXO measure many preferred:
http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Liquid-Measuring/dp/B00076Q7K4/ref=pd_sbs_k_4
It's what Robert Hess uses in his videos.
Never seen the marked OXO jigger.
And personally, I use jiggers because I find them satisfying to handle. The miniature OXO measuring cup gives me no joy. But that's just me.
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I use the ProJig frequently, but only for 1/4 ounce measures. I'm strictly a home bartender. No speed pourers. Overpouring has never been a problem.
Never could figure out the enthusiasm for the OXO measure. It doesn't have a mark for 1/4 ounces and I find it very hard to use accurately. Maybe I need to add some more lights in the kitchen, but for me it's difficult to eyeball a 1/2 ounce pour of a clear liquid in the OXO cup.
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Do you know if the columns will only be available to subscribers?
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So that's Mekhong whiskey. Had no idea.
Been singing along to that Pogues song since high school ("oh, she gave me Mekhong whiskey, oh she gave me Hong Kong flu, but me on a bus to Kathmandu"). Had no idea he was singing about a particular type of spirit.
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I enjoyed the show, although it was a departure. Even a not very well presented demo of basic techniques is worth watching with these instructors.
I did get a kick out of Tony's charming cluelessness about home cooking in a show designed to teach home cooks.
After noting that few home cooks have ever tried to make those french fries they eat in restaurants, he shows you how to do it by...using a restaurant deep fryer.
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That article I wrote for the New Orleans Times-Picayune went online today. It has some tips and includes recipes from Danny Valdez, Kirk Estopinal (Beta Cocktails) and Chris Hannah:
Times-Picayune: Flask cocktails
Here are the tips I got on flask cocktails from the bartender that I interviewed:
Tips on making flask cocktailsFlask cocktails should be simple and still drinkable once they warm up.
To make enough for a flask, start with 3 ounces of a base spirit, such as rum, gin or whiskey, and add 1 ounce of a modifier, such as Cointreau, Campari or vermouth.
Then adjust the proportions and add extras, such as bitters, to create a balanced drink. You also can scale up a favorite drink to fill a flask, but be careful with bitters and citrus. Both can overwhelm a cocktail when multiplied.
- Avoid drinks with eggs or cream.
- Some bartenders swear that citrus is a bad idea, while others include lemons and limes.
- Use good-quality liquor, which often tastes better at room temperature.
- Opt for high-proof spirits to keep the cocktail potent.From the bartenders
- Avoid drinks with eggs or cream.
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Cocktail Kingdom is selling a 16 oz bottle of "Scrappy's Gomme Syrup" for $16.95. Is that a good price, given the cost of gum Arabic and the trouble to make the syrup? And is this syrup any good?
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I'd like to propose a solution. Bourdain is allowed to wax redundant because he's always talking to some new local that's sharing a meal with him for the first time. But imagine how things would change if he had a constant traveling companion that had already heard it all before.
I like it. Kind of a Sancho Panza to Bourdain's Quijote.
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The largest bourbon selection is at Bourbon House. I think they've got 60 or more.
D.B.A. always has a good spirits. Clever, the wine bar at Cork and Bottle, also keeps an interesting selection of spirits, especially bourbon. The owner is a big bourbon fan.
I honestly can't think of a place with a large Scotch selection.
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Has anyone heard anything about Jeff Berry's new book?
Jeff said it should be out in early March. I guess that means, more or less, now.
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A bartender told me that he creates "flask cocktails" to sneak into our local festivals.
Anybody else heard of this practice? Any suggested recipes?
What would the secrets be to a good flask cocktails?
Full disclosure: I'm writing on an article for the local paper about flask cocktails. If I want to quote anyone, I'll directly ask your permission first.
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Is this strictly a California issue?
Is there any suggestion, other than speculation, that this is the beginning of an effort by large liquor companies to outlaw infusions nationwide?
I've been half-following this issue, and it just seems like another dumb liquor law in a country full of dumb liquor laws. But maybe something bigger is afoot.
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Thought I'd bump this up because of a spate of examples in the cocktail world. Every time I search on a recipe I find four or five "genuine" origin stories. Anyone else finding this phenomenon?
This long predates the internet. Here is what William Grimes had to say on p. 41 of Straight Up or On the Rocks:
(And while we're ragging on the internet, let's take a moment to praise it. I remembered the phrase "barroom etymology," searched for it on Google Books, grabbed an image of the passage and posted in here. All that took about 5 minutes.)
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TAPrice, would you say that Unicum compares to Killepitsch in any way?
Never tried Killeptisch, so I can't say.
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Got a call from the owner of the local shop (so odd when the virtual work and real world meet) with more info.
They have over 30 spirits, but only 6 are distilled by Yahara Bay. For the others, Yahara Bay bottles them.
The official government label is on the back, while the front is blank and labeled by each story.
They also reminded me that 200 ml bottles are an option.
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Got a reply from a Mr. Zsinkó Bálint at Zwack (how great a name is that), which answers a few questions:
Dear Todd,Yes, Zwack Liqueur is ditributed in the US market by Diageo, it is
available in Louisiana.
Unicum is a bitter, made of herbs, but it is not the same like Zwack
Liqueur.
Zwack Ligueur is a semi -bitter which also made of herbs but the ratio
of components is different therefor it is much sweeter and has lower
alcohol content.
"Unicum Next" is the same like "Zwack Ligueur". We use Unicum Next as a
brand name for internal business but call the product Zwack Liqueur all
around the world (except Hungary).
It is because of marketing issues, Zwack is a wellknown name in Hungary
so we do not have to promote it in our new line extension (Unicum
Next).It is more important to make it clear that it belongs to the main
brand (Unicum).
But in abroad we would like to make a company image. For that reason
we use Zwack Liqueur. The other point is that we have no considerable
Unicum sales in the US so Unicum Next would not carry any meaning to the
constumers.
"Zwack" is the name of our company which comes from the family name of
our major owner Mr.Peter Zwack. His grand-grand father was the inventor
of this liquid.
Best regards,
Balint
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Website's under construction, but will go live in 2008, so that's good.
Got to cut the Germans some slack, they've been busy with the PIIGS.
Is store label liquor a German or European thing, or just idea out of step with the present?
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Recently, a Vom Fass store opened down the street from me. This is a German chain with stores around the globe. As I understand, the first corporate store has been open in Madison, WI, for some time. The New Orleans outlet is one of the first franchises.
The first room has lots of jars of oils and vinegars. You can sample anything and buy them in reusable bottles of various sizes. So far, so good.
Here is where it gets odd. The second room has some wine and lots of spirits. All the liquor is generic bottles, which the store hand labels. It's a bit like that grocery store in Repo Man except aimed at a different demographic. I'm pretty sure the Vom Fass clientele is more concerned about foreclosure man.
From what I could gather (the owners weren't super up to speed) some of the spirits, like Irish whiskey and Scotch, are imported. Most of them, however, are made by Yahara Bay (link).
Does anyone know anything Vom Fass? What is Yahara Bay's reputation? I'm a little dubious about one distillery being able to produce that kind of range. And the idea of drinks without a backstory seem antithetical to the current zeitgeist (you'd think a German company would be tuned in to the zeitgeist, wouldn't you?).
I'll certainly try some soon. Almost everything comes in 375 ml bottles, so the investment is minimal.
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The branding and formulation change was done in tandem with a partnership with Diageo USA. Indeed the new product, designed for the US market, is sweeter and less bitter than Unicum. Given the longstanding popularity of Unicum in the home market, I'd be very surprised if the home market "Unicum" product has changed formulation for risk of losing a loyal market.
Damn Diageo. Can we make a list of their sins against good spirits?
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The image on this page exactly matches what's on my shelf. The plastic top must be rare or very old. Almost no images of it could be found:
I'll go out and pick up some Zwack (i.e. Unicum Next). Can't wait to compare. One can never have too many digestif bitters.
Edit: I emailed Zwack for more info.
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I've got a bottle of Unicum by Zwack. Love the stuff. Makes Fernet Branca taste like Coca-Cola.
My understanding was that the bottle labeled Zwack was a sweeter version for the American market, which is also known as Unicum Next outside the U.S.
Recently I've seen a new bottle on the liquor store shelves labeled Zwack (looks the same, but doesn't say Unicum).
1) How can I identify the two products?
2) Is the sweeter Zwack or Unicum Next version worth owning?
3) Is the stronger, original Unicum still distributed in the U.S. (My bottle was old and dusty).
Gulf oil disaster and your diet
in Food Traditions & Culture
Posted
Chris: No one particular source. The NYT has a lot of boots on the ground and an interactive map online. Kim Severson, a staffer for the NYT's food section, announced on Twitter that she would be here tomorrow morning.
The Times-Picayune, of course, is covering it well.
I'm getting a lot of links from local bloggers and Twitters. The most popular Twitter hashtags for this seem to be #oilspill and #gulf, so you could set up a search for those.
I've also got friends in the local environmental movement who have given me info.
As I run across stories about the impact on the food system, the fishing industry, and the regional restaurants, I'll post them in this thread.