Morning Roundup: Goodbye, Abe Edition
D.C. Police Seek Suspect in Series of Bank Robberies
Suspect in 9-Year-Old's Murder Found Dead in D.C. Jail
Photo of the Day: November 25, 2009
Ballou HS Rocks the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Drink of the Week: Custom-made drinks
The experience of sitting at a bar with a good bartender's full attention is one of my favorite past times, especially because then you have the chance to order a custom cocktail. Over the past few weeks, I've been asking for a last taste of summer. I asked Derek Brown at The Gibson, who produced the Peach Monster, which is Compass Box Peat Monster Scotch, peach bitters, Dolin Blanc vermouth, and honey. The first mouthful was filled with the flavor of summery peaches that tailed off into hints of a very smoky fall hinting at burning leaves. It was a perfect replication of the change of seasons.
I also requested a drink for a friend who was departing for Lebanon. What came out was a Lebanese Blonde: arrack, pastis (to simulate arak, a liquor popular in the Middle East), lemon juice, and egg whites. The sometimes cloying taste of pastis was nicely mellowed out by the other elements. It felt like a fitting tribute to her journey, as well as a delicious drink.
There are a number of bartenders around town who enjoy going off menu, and it's worth taking the time to try something different. If you're not comfortable asking, Quill, the bar at the Jefferson Hotel, has a cocktail listed on the menu that is specifically for the bartender to make a custom drink. And for any non-boozers, if you're interested in something that doesn't have alcohol but isn't just a soda or juice, many of them can still offer you some interesting options.
Small Bites
H Street Boozing
If you're headed over to H Street for the H Street Festival this weekend, you can stop by The Red and the Black for their "Canned Beer Garden" sponsored by Oskar Blues Brewing Company from 1-5 p.m. You can get Dale's Pale Ale, Mamma's Little Yella Pils, Old Chub and Ten-fidy in the can. They'll also be giving away free merchandise. And for those in the area, you can stop by H Street Country Club to sample some of the drinks on the new menu designed by PS7's mixtress Gina Chersevani.
Beer Blogging
Washington City Paper will be hosting Blogtoberfest, asking bloggers of both the food nerd and non alike to write about their personal beer experiences. They will be hosting a Happy Hour on September 30 at Axis Bar as an informal planning meeting.
The Heights of Bad Hangovers
New Heights has mostly been known for its large selection of gins, but even though they're not a Mexican restaurant, according to DC Foodies, they also have a solid selection of tequilas, some of which I've heard rival those at Oyamel. But don't just knock these back like you're at some frat party. Take the time to sip and enjoy.
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whoa, jamie, thanks for pointing out the stuff that'll be at the red and the black. you can count on seeing me there this weekend.
apropos of nothing, other than the fact this is a food story, i had dinner at zaytinya last night with friends for a friend's birthday. it's totally possible to stuff oneself to an unhealthy level on pita and tapas.
Lots of food porn in this writeup, Jamie. Good work.