Dram from Japan

Whisky--

“The Yamazaki” 12y.o. single malt whisky, by Suntory LTD, Japan.
(750ml, 43% ABV)

The bottle is more squat than I’m used to in Scottish whiskies. Opening the bottle, I got another surprise when I pulled back the foil to find a sturdy screwcap instead of a stopper. But the packaging is a delight. The marketing folks at Suntory do a fine job upholding the Japanese reputation for attention to detail.

This is the youngest of Suntory’s two “Yamazaki” whiskies. Online reviews say that its character falls somewhere between a Speyside scotch and a bourbon. I’m inclined to agree.

The bouquet has a lot of the vanilla and clove I’d expect from bourbon, and the color is a handsome ruddy gold. But at first sip, it’s clear this was made to follow the Scottish tradition. The somewhat sweet taste and buttery mouthfeel give way to spice and a moderate burn on the swallow and an astringent finish. It reminds me of Glenlivet. However, it lacks Glenlivet’s medicinal iodine tang and it has none of the smoke I’d expect from a peaty island whisky like Laphroaig.

The Yamazaki’s burn and vanilla seem a lot like bourbon. It’s reminiscent of Blanton’s single barrel or Knob Creek, but the full mouthfeel is more like scotch.

Overall, I like it. It’s accessible and balanced, if not too exciting.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10 Good Stuff

Beer--

Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel (5.5%ABV)

This dark hefeweiss is something else. This is why the Germans have a great reputation for beer.

The pours sets up a tall, hardy beige head on a cloudy light brown body. The first aroma, even before getting near the glass, is a big waft of ripe banana. Closer to the beer, it gives way to fresh smelling yeast and malt.

The first sip is a silky, gentle, roasted-malt ending in a hint of spice. Complex but refreshing. Further sips and some weisswurst prove this is an excellent food beer. The light body and clean flavors pair well with hearty dishes, and the soft roasted note gives it a character that would complement even red meat. If I had to pair it with a German dish, I imagine this is wonderful with a plate of schwein haxe.

On the other hand I can imagine this beer is easily enjoyed on its own. The the wheat-beer character would be great on a warm summer night at a cafe or rooftop bar.

Rating: 9 out of 10 Damn Good Stuff

Stillwater Añejo

Beer--


"Harvest Hammer" Spring 2007 (12oz, 7.5%ABV)
Stillwater Brewing Co. (Eldersburg, MD, USA)

On the pour, the ale forms a thick meringue-like head over a hazy peach-colored body. It has a strong aroma of yeast, fruit and dark honey with some hop notes. Round mouthfeel gives way to a gentle hop bitterness at mid-palate and finishes dry. A faint bitterness pervades, giving it a character like a saison.

The Harvest Hammer has had a fair bit of time to age and mellow since its release in May 2007. The gentleness of the hops reflects that. But, time in the bottle has consumed much of the sweetness that originally made this brew attractive. On the other hand, the dry character would go well with food, and it is no barrier to drinkability.


Rating: 7 out of 10 Good Stuff

Quick Bites

Highly recommended:

Bebo Calzone @ Bebo Trattoria.

Pork shoulder, broccoli rabe, tomato, garlic and provolone. The crust is wonderful and the filling is delight of firm and soft textures--toothsome but not a chore to chew. Very hearty and gone all too soon.



Not recommended:

BBQ chicken sandwich @ Au Bon Pain.

Studying for grad-school finals has driven me to this. I walked all of a hundred feet to get a cheap sandwich and ended up with this dead thing. It's a panini-style flattened sandwich filled with chicken chunks, "cheese", cheap oversweet bbq sauce, flavorless onions (now that's a trick), and asparagus stems (not the whole spear mind you, just the lower stem).

Like most chain food-shops, the offerings sit under hot-lamp life support, but this thing was probably a goner from the beginning. The bread is dry as a crouton on the edges and soggy-soft as bread pudding in the middle. The sauce... well, I imagine you could get shot in Texas for serving something like this. The chicken may as well be tofu. The onions are just flavorless forms in the stew. The asparagus stems provide a bit of crunch but nothing else. The "cheese" is probably only allowed to be called cheese because of legal pressures by petrochemical lobbying associations.

Yeah I ate it. I'm not proud.

But I'm not so cruel or stupid as to recommend it to anyone.

Bakery

Upper Crust Bakery, in Colesville MD.
(Retail outlet and local bakery for Crest Hill)

It's the last bit of old-world goodness left in Montgomery county. Upper Crust's traditional euro breads--baguettes (artisanal), pain de Campagne, pain d'Alsace, and Russian black bread--are food for body and soul.

Absolute favorite---the little orange-glazed scones.
One batch is made per day, and by noon they've all been snapped up.

Other stand-out efforts:

• apricot/pistachio biscotti
• mixed berry pies
• strawberry-rhubarb pies
• phyllo cinnamon swirls
• oatmeal cookies
• lemon chiffon pie
• Texas lime pie
• the little personal cheesecakes with apricot glaze

The years shaved off my life by Upper Crust's magic of flour and butter are worth it.

http://www.cresthillbakery.com/retail.html

Rating: 9.5 out of 10 Hard to live without.

Bebo and Ravi

Dining--

• Bebo Trattoria

http://www.bebotrattoria.com/

• Ravi Kabob

http://www.zabihah.com/ds.php?id=431

When I'm in the mood for is robust everyday food, light fare like tapas and sushi won't do. Roberto Donna's Bebo Trattoria, and Ravi Kabob, despite their differences, both fit the bill.

Bebo Trattoria serves superb hearty regional Italian fare. Ravi Kabob is the best Pakistani kabob house in the DC metro area. Both lack the atmosphere and service of power-scene restaurants, but that's part of their charm. They're relaxed, accessible, and often swamped with customers on the weekends. I recommend taking Anthony Bourdain's advice, and making time to visit mid-week. The staff will be more relaxed and you won't be fighting the mob to get a seat.

Now, Ravi Kabob isn't exactly Bebo's equal. It's a Lahori-style Pakistani kabob shop that serves a wide variety of meat based curries, and very good naan. But, judging by online comments, folks not used to the Pakistani way of doing things may be put-off. The place doesn't attempt to be some style-over-substance Applebees, or corner bistro. It's honest halal Pakistani food with no apologies for presentation or atmosphere. Like lining up for a Cheesesteak in Philly, you're likely to be shoulder to shoulder with other patrons and service is brusque. Also, hygiene-fanatics may find the conditions insufficiently antiseptic. Their loss. The chickpea curry, chicken kabobs, seekh kabob and haleem (on weekends only) are truly wonderful. Chicken karahi however, despite glowing reviews I've read, seemed lackluster--overcooked stringy white meat kills this dish. If you want chicken karahi, I recommend the boneless chicken version at Mehran restaurant on Pennsylvania Avenue in Foggy Bottom.

In contrast to Ravi Kabob, Bebo Trattoria is spotless and spacious...well cavernous actually. A 20 foot ceiling makes it feel a bit like a banquet hall. But, it too has received criticism from patrons for inattentive and slow service. From what I've heard about dining in Italy, the service is authentic. I guess folks there just aren't as pressed for time and uptight as Americans. Anyway, if you expect this style of service and, again, you visit mid-week, it's not a problem. In fact, a leisurely dinner enhances the experience of Bebo's rich and flavorful food. Perfectly cooked pasta, fine Italian cheeses, polenta, cured meats, and delightful desserts make eating at Bebo like a little Italian vacation. The only sour note in the otherwise perfect programme was the gnocchi. Doughy, gelatinous and containing no more flavor than wet cornstarch, the gnocchi disappointed despite a very nice sauce.

I plan to keep going back for Ravi Kabob's haleem. Haleem is a sort of rich, fiery curry-chowder of shredded meat (usually chicken or lamb), and pureed wheat and lentils. This is the best rendition of the dish I've found in Maryland, DC or Virginia. The consistency is perfect and the heat and aromatic spices are spot-on.

I also plan to return to Bebo. The prices are surprisingly low even considering the owner is luminary chef Roberto Donna. The food is toe-curlingly good. Polenta dishes are buttery goodness, the salsiccia appetizer is memorable, the four cheese risotto haunts my dreams, and my new favorite dessert is the bomboloni con il bicerin--think of it as homemade doughnut holes with a chocolate-rum dipping sauce. Another reason to go back--Bebo also has a separate menu available only at the bar.

Ravi Kabob 8.5 out of 10 -- Very good.

Bebo Trattoria 9 out of 10 --- Wow.

Two witches and a disappointment

Beer--

(note: I don’t drink these from the bottle. Carbonation isn’t supposed to be part of the experience. These are poured from a height into a glass to get rid of a lot of the carbonation.)

• Brasserie Ellezelloise “Quintine Amber” (330ml springtop, 8.5% ABV)—

It came from Belgium. It was bottle conditioned. It was named after a witch.

I couldn’t have asked for more on Halloween.

The nose was strong but typical for Belgian ale. The color was a cloudy deep copper. The bottle conditioning left a fair bit of sediment behind, so I poured carefully. The palate was soft and it had a great sweet/bitter balance. I’d say the body was medium, but there still was a pleasant glyceral mouthfeel. With all that body, I was surprised by a drier than expected finish. That’s a good thing. Instead of being sickly sweet, the strong but dry caramel character seemed almost savory.

Very drinkable and enjoyable.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10 Very Good Stuff

• Moorhouse’s “Pendle Witches Brew” (1 pint, 5.5% ABV)—

Witch brew number two was a light, malty English pub ale. The nose was a standard malty ale. The color was deep gold and the body, medium. It was not a very complex beer, but it represents something you don’t get to try often in the US. It was a hell of a lot better than what you are likely to get from widely distributed American ales like Sierra Nevada, Anchor Steam, etc. In fact, I’d say this is what Bass ale wants to be (based on what Bass tastes like as an export in the USA).

Rating: 8.5 out of 10 Very Good Stuff

• Dogfish Head "Black & Blue" (750ml, 10% ABV)—

Another Belgian-style ale from Dogfish. This time they’ve added black raspberries and blueberries. At release, the first reviews of this ale were good so I bought a bottle. I figured that since it’s 10%abv it would keep well and age.

How wrong I was.

Whatever fruit was in there has long since faded away. What’s left over is a slightly-ruddy Belgian golden ale. It was full-bodied and very dry on the finish, but there was nothing else of note. It was a bit like finding something has gone missing at home. You arrive home, and you’re going to watch TV and… where’s the TV? It’s a mild shock/disappointment reaction. At any rate, the result was drinkable, but it’s hardly what Dogfish intended.

Lesson learned: Drink Dogfish fruit beers shortly after release.

Rating: N/A It would be unfair to hold DF accountable for my mistake.

Bonus:

• Chicha Limena (chicha morada) --“Purple Corn Drink”

Chicha is a traditional fermented beverage from the days of the Inca.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicha)

The aroma was bubblegum. No kidding. It smelled like it came out of a bazooka joe wrapper. The color was purple-black. Light could hardly get through the stuff. The taste was more complex than the bubblegum aroma suggests. There was no carbonation to speak of, and the taste wass sweet balanced by a little tartness. The bubblegum gave way to an interesting grapey-pineapple flavor. That grape note was something like commercial grape soda, but the pineapple gave it more life than grape pop.

I like it a lot.

See:

http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/drink_chica_morada.html

http://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-Chicha-Morada

Rating: 8.5 out of 10 Very Good (Nifty) Stuff