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Dayton Dining

Getting Lucky

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Lucky's Taproom -- One of the newest eateries in the always fabulous Oregon District.
Lucky’s Taproom — One of the newest eateries in the always fabulous Oregon District.

Now that I’m officially a grad student, I’m trying to be cooler and more interesting to the general public. One step on my trek to coolness is to dine at locations besides the Chipotle on Brown.

So when two of my best friends, Maggie and Allie, came for a visit this weekend, I asked them if we could go somewhere new and chic. The Oregon District of course has a lot to offer – and we soon decided the new Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery, 520 E. Fifth St., was our best bet.

Lucky’s is open from 11 to 2:30 a.m. Monday through Sunday. The owner, Andrew Trick, opened the store on March 11, of this year.

“This was his life dream to have this bar,” Teresa Jetton, Trick’s niece who also works at Lucky’s, told me.

Jetton said her uncle planned to open Lucky’s with his father, who recently passed away. Trick continued to work toward his dream of owning a restaurant and bar, and Jetton said it has been a big success since its opening earlier this year.

The trip to Trick’s new hotspot started out a litttttle rough for me. I decided to lounge for a while in my apartment before feasting, and soon woke up to Mags and Allie beckoning me out the door. I was definitely a zombie for the first hour of our night, but woke up just in time to enjoy a delish chicken salad sandwich and fries with a side of honey mustard — always a staple of any meal I eat.

Lucky’s, in my opinion as a food aficionado since age 1, was excellent. The menu is full of appetizers, soups and salads, and sandwiches at affordable prices, especially for a student like myself on a budget. My chicken salad sandwich complete with lettuce, tomato and mayo came to a grand total of just $5.50. Not only that, but Lucky’s also offers vegan/gluten free bread for just $1 more on all sandwiches. Allie, a vegetarian who used to be a vegan herself, was immediately impressed. The healthy options don’t stop there, either. Want a burger? Choose between beef, turkey, soy, gluten free vegan or fish meat to top your bun. Is the grilled ham and cheese sandwich not for you? Go veggie for just 50 cents more.

At Lucky’s, I feel like I couldn’t have made a bad menu decision. The $6.50 quesadilla with Anaheim/poblano and bell peppers, onions, cheddar/jack cheese, lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa, for example, was hard to pass up. I could have even made it vegan with cheddar-style vegan cheese for just $1.50 more. The cordon blue sandwich also was a close second for me. The sandwich comes with grilled chicken and ham, swiss cheese, dijon mustard, mayo, lettuce and tomato. Onions, pickles and sauteed mushrooms are available upon request. Even the simple spinach salad — with bleu cheese, chicken, bacon, candied walnuts, craisins, sliced pears and raspberry vinaigrette — was enticing. Decisions, decisions!

If these tasty selections sound right for you, be sure to stop in soon — All through June, the restaurant and bar’s Facebook friends will be treated to 10 percent off lunch, Monday through Friday.

My heavenly chicken-salad-and-fries dish: I couldn't help but take a few bites before snapping a picture!
My heavenly chicken-salad-and-fries dish: I couldn’t help but take a few bites before snapping a picture!

One of the top highlights – besides the diversity of food options – was the beer selection. The phrase, “Try a new one, samples are on us,” at the bottom of the beer menu immediately caught our attention. As a recent college graduate, anything besides Natty Light is like gold to me, so watching Allie try out three different baby samples (in adorably small glasses) was super exciting. Allie chose the Maharaja – despite my pleas for her to get Le Freak just for the name –and thoroughly enjoyed it as a complement to her beer battered fish and chips. Maharaja – a product of the Colorado-based Avery Brewing Co. – is an orange, sweet, seasonal beer with a hint of fresh citrus that we all just had to try.

Lucky’s draft list changes, but other options this past weekend included: Dragon’s Milk (New Holland Brewing Co.) for $6; Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale (Lexington Brewing Co.) for $5; and Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout (Great Divide Brewing Co.) for $6. This listing alone was enough to get me in the door!

Highlight number three: the service. I have a strong, long-held conviction that everyone who works in the Oregon District is super artsy and musically-talented, and this one proved me right. I finally got up the courage to ask the hip waiter about his rocker tattoos, and he revealed that serving us french fries wasn’t in fact his primary passion. By night, he’s in a band. He explained the meaning of the tattoos that laced his arms, admitting he would show us the rest but wasn’t allowed to remove his shirt at our table.

All smiles after our tasty meals! (Photo taken by our musically-inclined, tattooed waiter.)

All smiles after our tasty meals! (Photo taken by our musically-inclined, tattooed waiter.)

Regardless, my first excursion was full of success.

Next time you decide to splurge and take yourself out, I challenge you to go somewhere new. You might just find a tasty meal, complete with some of your old favorites, and some surprisingly entertaining service.

Bon appetit!

That Crêpe Place opens at The Greene

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“Fresh, Authentic, Hand-held
Savory and Sweet Crepes
made Right in Front of Your Eyes!”

Celebrating it’s soft opening today, That Crêpe Place is “an original concept and the first of many, I hope,” laughs owner Rodney Long as I spoke with him by phone this morning.  Long, originally from Philly owned a BBQ restaurant and spent 15 years in marketing for Proctor & Gamble before taking the leap into crepes.

Long describes crepes as the perfect ubiquitous food, similar to a wrap, it’s versatile and can be filled with savory or sweet and perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert.  Their menu leads you through savory choices like the Pesto Shrimp crepe with a pesto aioli and the Mediterranean featuring Chicken Breast, Feta Cheese, Sweet Grilled Piquillo Peppers, Fresh Baby Spinach, with Balsamic Glaze; Sweet Crepes like the  Tahitian – a Vanilla Buttered Crepe sprinkled with Cinnamon and Powdered Sugar, and Sweet & Fruity options  like the Funky Monkey with Bananas, Chocolate Chips, with Creamy Peanut Butter or the Strawberry Cheesecake  made with Fresh Strawberries topped with Homemade Vanilla Cream Sauce.  Also on the menu are a couple of salad options and kids sandwiches.

Long suggested that a grand opening will be planned in a few weeks, once they’ve worked all the kinks out. He  thinks  his crepes are perfect for the casual outdoor shopping environment at The Greene, and thinks guests will enjoy watching a ladle full of batter poured on a crêpe griddle, spun into a circle, flipped and filled with your fresh ingredients will make his concept a big hit.  He says that “crepes are a perfect portable feast and can’t wait for everyone to try them.”  Be sure and check out the reward club, as each purchase will help earn you free food.

That Crêpe Place will share a patio with Cold Stone Creamery and is located at 4474 Glengarry Drive in Beavercreek, diagonally across from the movie theater.

Giuliano – A New Era of Anticoli’s Dining

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The Anticoli family has a long tradition of restaurants in the Dayton region.  Their first restaurant, Rendezvous, opened  downtown on Fifth Street in 1931. In 1951 they moved out to Saleem Avenue with Anticoli’s and in 2000 moved what became Caffé Anticoli  to Main Street in the Clayton area.  Son Michael went north and opened La Piazza in 1992 in Troy.

In 2011 the family moved south, and renovated a space in downtown Miamisburg.  The new restaurant starts a new era for the Anticoli’s, with Giuliano, named after the family’s ancestral hometown located near Rome, Italy.  The restaurant had a soft opening in April and this week has been set to celebrate the official Grand Opening.  A ribbon cutting is set for June 1st at 4pm and guests that visit during this week will receive a VIP card, good for 20% off every Sunday through Thursday until October 1st, 2011.

Giuliano will be open seven days a week, serving dinner Monday through Saturday and opening at noon on Sunday’s, when kids 10 and under will eat free, while mom and dad can enjoy 20% of wines by the glass.  Monday night will feature a pasta buffet, and Wednesday will be 35 cent wing night. Happy hour specials on food and drinks will run 4-6pm.
You may dine in the bar area, dining room or even book a private room for your party.  Entrees range from $12.95 to $22.95, pizza’s are $12.95 to $15.95.

Giuliano’s, An Anticoli Tavern
67 South Main Street
Miamisburg, OH 45342
937.859.3000

This Weeks Beer Tasting Bonanza

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It’s long been known that Dayton offers an array of wine tastings that rival towns twice our size, but in the last few months our local taverns have really been stepping up the craft brews they offer.

Here’s a quick round up so you can taste your way across town- be sure to click on the link for more detailed information on each event.

Tues
5-7pm Abita Beer Tasting at Rue Dumaine

Wed
7pm – Mike Scwartz from Belmont Party Supply hosts the monthly Trolley Tasting
9 beers and munchies just $20- arrive early this sells out!

5pm – Archer’s Tavern taps a new craft beer each Wed night

Thurs
6:30pm  Goose Island Beer Dinner at Dorothy Lane Springboro

7pm  Dogfish Head’s Hellbound On My Ale Tapping at Spinoza’s

7pm La Tappe Isid’or Tapping at Chappy’s

Fri

5-7pm Arrow Wine Centerville‘s Weekly Beer Tasting
There will be more posted as the week goes on, so be sure and check back.  Did you know you can choose the Dayton On Tap header under DatyonDining and you’ll get a weekly listing of beer tastings around town that’s constantly being updated located on the right column!  And if you know of a place that serves up some great beers, add it below in the comments!  Cheers!

Saturday Beer Brunch

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Spinoza’s Pizza & Salads will present “Founder’s Cerise Cherry Fermented Ale” four days before the rest of the world!   In an exclusive agreement with Founder’s Brewing Company (Grand Rapids, MI), Spinoza’s will tap a keg of this unique seasonal brew at 10am this Saturday, May 28th, as part of their bi-monthly beer brunch events featuring hearth-baked breakfast pizzas.  The official release date of Founder’s Cerise is June 1st, so make plans for Spinoza’s Beer Brunch tomorrow morning and be among the first to taste this year’s batch.    Special musical guests Michael Teckenbrock & Brian Cashwell will be playing during this special event, which takes place this Sat, May 28th from 11am – 1pm.  Spinoza’s is located on the 2nd floor of the Mall at Fairfield Commons in the Sear’s wing.

Roadtrip Down To Taste of Cincinnati

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Every Memorial Day weekend in downtown Cincinnati 6 blocks turn into an amazing food feast.   Started in 1979, it is now the nation’s longest running culinary arts festival. Featuring more than 45 restaurants serving up delicious and delectable menu items it’s worth the drive down 75.  Head south and exit at  the Fifth Street exit, and you’ll practically run into the event.  Plenty of parking lots line the streets, just be prepared to pay about $5 to park.

Stroll down 5th street and you’ll be able to taste treats that range from curry chicken to baklava, strudel to strawberry shortcake.  Most tastes run $2-5 and there are plenty of beer, wine, soda and water booths mixed in among the food vendors. Click here for menu.

To accompany all the mouth-watering menu items available on the streets of downtown Cincinnati, this year’s festival will also offer beer and wine taste-ings on Fountain Square. Beer taste-ing will be on Saturday and Sunday from 4 – 5 pm, and wine taste-ing on Saturday and Sunday from 6 – 7 pm. Guests can grab a seat in prime Fountain Square location with a great view of the stage and sip away to wash down the fare they’ve sampled. The cost is $15 per person, or 2 people for $25, which includes a souvenir wine glass or beer pint.

Speaking of stages, there are 6 scattered throughout the taste, featuring various entertainment throughout the festival, including rock, blues, country and even some standup comedy during the evening. Click here for entertainment lineup.

Taste of Cincinnati runs Fri & Sat noon – midnight and Mon noon til 9pm.

Happy “Nouveau Rosé” Day!

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The weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and it’s time for some light, warm-weather wines.  The flavors of rosé wines tends to be more subtle versions of their red wine varietal counterparts. The fruit expectations lean towards strawberry, cherry, and raspberry with some citrus and watermelon presenting on a regular basis.  Rosés are perfect for spring and summer, as they are served chilled and can be a refreshing accompaniment to a variety of warm weather fare. Rosé wines also top the charts for food-friendly versatility. So, if you are opting for “surf ‘n turf” rest assured that a rosé can handle both the seafood and the steak in one fell sip. It’s also a great picnic wine, as it tends to have both a lighter body and more delicate flavors on the palate, presenting a great wine partner for a ham, chicken or roast beef sandwich, along with a fruit, potato or egg salad and can even handle a variety of chips and dips. Rosés are also the perfect guest for a backyard barbecue, tackling hamburgers, hot dogs and even French fries and ketchup with ease.

Arrow Wine (Centerville & Far Hills Location) will be celebrating Noveau Rosé’s all day today (Thurs, May 25th) with tasting at both stores.

Here are a couple of quick tips in searching for a rosé:

  1. Drink a recent vintage – you don’t want an aged rosé.
  2. If you see “NV” on a bottle, it stands for “non-vintage,” meaning that there’s a mix of grapes from different vintage years.
  3. Many great rosé’s are available for $12- $15 a bottle.

Buckeye Vodka Martini’s Anyone?

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Whenever  I hear talk about martini’s  Sean Connery’s voice pops into my head in his most quoted  James Bond line “shaken not stirred.” And while mixologists worldwide will continue to debate debate shaken versus stirred, gin versus vodka, I’d much rather just drink a martini. Archer’s Tavern (9496 Dayton Lebanaon Pike in Centerville) will give us all a chance to sip on a cocktail as they debut 8 new Buckeye Vodka Martini’s this Tuesday night.  From 6-8pm you are invited to join Buckeye CEO Jim Finke for a tasting of flavored martini’s for $3 each.  Or if you prefer your vodka with tonic, those will be just $2.50.  Since it’s April debut this Dayton distilled vodka has been making quite a splash across the state.  If you haven’t already tried it, this will be a great chance to do your own taste test.

But back to the Shaken Vs. Stirred Debate.

  • Shake your Vodka Martini
    Why: For a vodka martini to be good it needs to be cold. Very Cold! Therefore, shaking a vodka martini makes it colder.
  • Stir your Gin martini:
    A gin, or traditional, martini benefits by being smooth and one can enjoy the delicate flavors of the individual gin.

ONE FINAL THOUGHT
From the the British Medical Journal (on-line edition)

“Shaken martinis may enhance the antioxidant effects of alcohol, making them healthier than the stirred variety!”

Dayton’s Premier Wine & Gourmet Food Festival is Sunday!

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Fleurs et Vin is an  afternoon party  in the park,  celebrating wine and fabulous food served up by the area’s best independent restaurants. A Dayton tradition for over 20 years, Vail Miller Sr of Heidelberg Distributing and Mike Frank of Arrow Wine started this event to bring wine out of the wine cellars and to make it fun and accessible to all.  Now one of the most anticipated and talked about wine events, the festival will serve over 340 wines this year.  For those who prefer beer, spend time in the Belgian Beer Garden, enjoying  beers from Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, Leffe as well as a namesake beer from Goose Island- Fleur!  The party begins promptly at 1pm and serving will cease at 4pm.  Of course all guests must be 21 or over and yes, they do check ID’s!

Participating
Restaurants:
Amber Rose
Carver’s
Central Perc
Chef Paul’s Catering
Coco’s Bistro
Crocodile Louie’s
Cuvee
De’Lish Cafe
Dewey’s Pizza
El Meson
Fifth St. Wine & Deli
Giovanni’s
Hawthorn Grill
Jay’s Seafood
Jerardi’s Little Store
Mamma DiSalvo’s
Oakwood Club
Pour Haus/Scratch
SideBar
Smokin’ Bar -B-Que
Thai9
The Dock
The Wine Loft

The $60 admission ticket includes all beer, wine and food tastings as well as a souvenir wine glass and 2 souvenir beer glasses  J.t. Fedrick and the Sax Groove will be playing throughout the afternoon and guests will want to spend time perusing the silent auction.  Highlights include a week’s stay at a cabin on Lake Norris, theater & sports  tickets, spa packages, executive car detailing, wine racks, spa services and restaurant gift certificates.  The auction will close at 3pm.

Guests are encouraged to stick around for the 4pm live auction, which is truly a wine lovers delight!  Rare bottles, verticals and Chef’s dinners will be included. Proceeds from the day’s events benefit AIDS Resource Center Ohio and Culture Works.

Here are wine expert Mark Fisher‘s  Fleurs survival tips:

1.  Arrive early. The opening line is long, but event organizers cannot start serving before 1 p.m. because of Ohio laws.

2.  Go slow on the wine consumption — this is a marathon, not a sprint — and if you don’t like a wine, or just want a small sip, use the dump buckets to pour out the wine in your glass and move on. Dumping is not considered rude.

3.  When you’re poured a sample of wine — and there’s a line of folks with empty glasses behind you — for crying out loud, step out of the way!

4.   Even if you don’t intend to buy, stay the final hour for the live auction. It can feature some rather entertaining bidding wars. And you can use the rest.

5.   Leave the stilettos for another occasion when you’re not tromping around in wet grass. And while we’re giving fashion advice, don’t wear white. Doesn’t go well with red wines.

— And the most important survival tip: water is your friend. Bottled water will be available at no extra charge. Drink lots of it.

Win Tickets!

We have a pair  of tickets to give away to our readers – simply fill out the form below by Friday 5/20 at midnight and we’ll draw a random winner on Saturday.  Cheers!

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52 Butter Cafe Meals for $10

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Yes, it really will be possible to have a  lunch or breakfast every week for an entire year for just the cost of a $10 raffle ticket!  Your odds to win might be even better if you buy 3 raffle tickets for $20.  One of the Butter Cafe owners, Sarah,  will be biking from San Francisco to LA in the AIDS/LifeCycle ride June 5 -11th and the proceeds of the raffle will be split between this experience and our local AIDS Resource Center Ohio. The drawing will be held on June 2nd, so hurry in and buy a raffle ticket soon!

The locally owned restaurant, located at 1106 Brown Street opened June 10th of 2010 and has established itself as a well loved spots for locavores.  Their healthy style of cooking is vegetarian and vegan friendly, featuring tofu scrambles and vegan burritos and gluten free toast , yet has also found fans in meat eaters with their free range bacon or turkey sausage.  Their lunch menu offers an array of choices from crab cakes to reuben’s, a to-die-for mac & cheese, several salads and a homemade soup each day.  Their free delivery is a hit with many downtown offices as well as UD students.

Shopping & Cooking Gluten Free

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At the 2nd Street Market this Thursday at 11:30am Chef Joe Fish will share his firsthand knowledge on how to shop and cook the gluten free lifestyle.  He’ll share his shopping tips and opinions on the best products on the market for the gluten intolerant as well as his best recipes.

While the program is put on for free, registration is requested. You can call (937) 228-2088 to register, or register online.

A Beer Lover’s Sunday!

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Starting at noon on Sunday, May 15th The Pub at The Greene will host the 5th PUBFEST featuring tastings of 25 beers not currently on the menu.  For the $35 advance ticket ($40 at the door) guests will get a souvenir tasting glass, and 20 sampling tickets.

“Tasting tables will be set up all around the room and along with the beer there will be 4 sparkling wines, 3 rums and a buffet featuring appetizers, salads, desserts and entree samples as well,” according to Assistant Bar Manager Erika Russ.  Guests will be provided with tasting notes for each product to help them remember what they’ve tasted- often the hardiest part about these events.  The folks from The Wharf will be set up on the patio for those that would like to purchase and enjoy cigars with their beer.

Special guests will be owner and brewmaster, Mike and Kathleen Dewey, of Carmel Brewing, a family owned brewery started in 2005 in Union, Ohio. Mt Carmel’s best seller is the Amber Ale, followed closely by their Nut Brown Ale.   Let’s hope they bring some samples of their new line of beers that will feature bigger flavors and higher alcohol. The first one — Hopton — is out now.  Mt Carmel recently negotiated a distribution deal with Heidelberg and has been appearing  more often on tap around the Dayton area more and more.

PUBFEST will run from noon to 4pm this Sunday, hope to see you there!
For more information, stop on by The Pub and ask your favorite bartender!

Gluten Free Dayton

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Overwhelmed and distressed by the news that they would need to avoid so many familiar foods, a good friend recently emailed me for advice on gluten free dining options after her husband tested positive for Celiac Disease. Dining out with food allergies is a source of stress for many – and one that I am very familiar with. I was diagnosed Celiac in 2008 and my husband and I have a food venue at the 2nd Street Market, The Chef Case, which is dedicated to allergy conscious food. It seems to me that every Saturday I meet more and more newly diagnosed Celiacs. The good news is that the necessity of taking a closer look at what we are eating causes us to embark on a journey of food education and results in a more healthful, nutrient dense diet.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of gluten in unexpected places. Inexpensive burgers, grill steaks, lamb meat, sausage and similar meat products almost always contain gluten. Imitation crab meat is made with modified starch. Wheat flour may be a hidden ingredient in ice cream, ketchup, mayonnaise and even instant coffee. Gluten is often lurking in low fat versions of products, as it is used to make these items thicker and less watery. Most prepacked grated cheese is coated in flour or modified starch to keep it from sticking together in the package. This may seem easy to avoid but think about all the restaurants that use grated cheese, how many of those do you imagine grate their own cheese?  Monosodium glutamate (MSG), often listed in ingredients as ‘flavor enhancer’, is manufactured with gluten as are most soy sauces. Any alcoholic drink made from grain, beer or whiskey for example, is also a source of gluten.

After successfully eliminating gluten from the diet, the antibodies that helped to move gluten through the body are no longer produced. Without these antibodies, consuming even a small amount of gluten creates a much more severe reaction for Celiacs which we refer to as “being glutened”. Those of us with food sensitivities are all advocates for each other, charged with helping to educate food service providers. As gluten intolerance becomes more prevalent and gains exposure, education and menu accommodation continue to increase. From the entire Dayton Area Gluten Free community, thank you to area chefs who have taken the time to understand Celiac Disease and offer gluten free menus, options and substitutions!

Below please find the first installment of the Guide to Gluten Free Dining in Dayton.

Restaurants Specializing in Gluten Free or Offering a Gluten Free Menu

Bonefish Grill

Fleming’s

Godfather’s Pizza

Hawthorn Grill

Olive Coming Soon, promises to have a gluten free menu!

Olive Garden

PF Chang One of the first and most extensive gluten free menus.

Ruby Tuesday

Sidebar

Skyline Chili

Spinoza’s Pizza Have a gluten free beer with your gluten free pizza!

The Chef Case Specializing in gluten free food! Gluten free panini sandwiches, bake goods and prepared foods to enjoy at the market or take home by the pint.

Wendy’s

Restaurants Offering Special Gluten Free Alternatives or Options

C’est Tout Chef Fortin will prepare any menu item gluten free!

Black Rooster Pasta Bar

Butter Cafe Gluten Free bread available but, avoid the potoatoes which are dusted in flour.

Coco’s Bistro Gluten Free on request.

Crepe Boheme Offers gluten free and gluten free/soy free Crepes!

Figlio

Lucky’s Taproom

Meadowlark

Rue Dumaine Chef Kearney and her staff are very well educated and happy to accommodate Celiacs!

Thai 9

The Wine Gallery Featuring gluten free crackers and starting next Tuesday 4/10/11, gluten free pizza!

Wellington Grille

Naturally Gluten Free Cuisine

Abuelo’s

Chipotle

El Rancho Grande Always ask…  all of ERG sauces are made with flour and the pollo loco has flour dusting the chicken breast. Otherwise, avoid the flour tortillas and dig in!

Jay’s

Linh’s Many dishes feature rice noodles just hold the soy sauce!

Limited Gluten Free Options or Not Gluten Aware Yet

Amber Rose

Franco’s

Bravo A Chef will come out to discuss allergy concerns but they offer no specifically gluten free dishes and no guarantees.

Boulevard Haus

Hecho en Mexico – The Story of Tequila

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Humorous tequila image

Not yet, but the day is young...

Most people have one of two reactions when they think about tequila. The first reaction is “You mean that delicious nectar that is grown and distilled in Mexico? Bring me a shot of it on the rocks, my good man!” The second reaction is a feeling of nausea, a tentative look towards the restroom, and blurry memories of a night on the town. The last thing you remember is someone shouting “Hey, let’s shoot some tequila!”

It is Cinco de Mayo, and we are going to celebrate all things Mexican. And as far as liquors go, it does not get any more Mexican than tequila. Tequila is the first distilled spirit on the North American continent, and we have the Spaniards to thank for that. When the conquistadors invaded Mexico in the 16th century, they had more pressing problems than making nice with the natives and establishing a place to stay: it is a long trip across the Atlantic, and they needed a stiff drink. The stuff the natives had, called pulque, tasted awful. The Spaniards applied some distilling techniques they used to create brandy and turned the stuff drinkable, developing what we  know as mescal.

Mescal is the broader liquor category that tequila falls into. Think sparkling wine and champagne. Tequila, however, has some pretty strict standards that must be adhered to before the liquid inside can be called tequila. First, the agave used to make the tequila must be the Weber’s blue agave, a plant that can get over 6 feet high. Secondly, that plant must be grown in the Jalisco state in Western Mexico. Third, at least 51% of the liquor in the bottle has to come from the agave; the rest can be from other plants. The best tequilas are 100% blue agave, and most will announce that on the label. All of this is regulated and inspected by the Norma Oficial Mexicana (NOM), which controls whether or not the bottle you buy is full of tequila or mescal. If you do not see NOM on the label, usually with a number near it, you do not have real tequila. These are all standards that are enforced by international law.

And before we move along, let us address the worm. The worm is never, ever, ever in tequila. If you find a worm in your bottle, you have a mescal, and a poor one at that. Some distilleries will add the worm (a larval form of a moth), to the bottle as a gimmick, but generally it is a bad sign if it slips into your bottle unannounced. Fortunately, they do not drink much while they are in there, and if you choose to eat it, you add some protein to your diet.

Decisions, decisions...

What  type of tequila do you like to drink? Were you aware there were types? If not, here is a list of the officially recognized types of tequila:

  • Silver (blanco) – if it is aged at all, it is for two months in steel or neutral oak barrels. Typically, it is bottled right after distillation.
  • Gold (oro) – sometimes known as joven (young), it is a blend of blanco and reposado tequilas.
  • Rested (reposado) – aged a minimum of two months, a maximum of one year, in oak barrels.
  • Aged (anejo) – aged a minimum of one year, but less than three years, in small oak barrels.
  • Extra Aged (extra anejo) – aged a minimum of three years in oak barrels

Most bars tend to carry blanco, oro, and reposado for your drinking pleasure. The more aged the tequila, the more the agave taste becomes mellowed by the contact with the wood. You will only find anejo and up in better Mexican restaurants and better restaurants in general.

When you mention sipping tequila on the rocks, as I prefer to do, most people will make a horrible face and look at you oddly. Because we all know how to drink tequila: you lick your hand between the thumb and forefinger, put some salt on it, lick the salt, shoot the tequila, and slam a lime wedge (or a lemon wedge, depending on where you are from). This is also known as using training wheels. You read that right, training wheels. And most of us, when we began drinking it, were trying to kill the awful taste of cheap tequila. But over the last few decades tequila has really matured. Brands like Patron, Cabo Wabo, 1800, Don Julio, and Jose Cuervo among many others have brought the reputation of tequila up from a hard party drink to a sophisticated sipping drink. Other lesser known (and well rated) brands include el Espolon, Tezon, Herradura, and Partida. Finding them in restaurants may be more difficult, but well worth the search.

Everyone in Dayton knows where to get the best margarita: Elsa’s Bad Juan rises head and shoulders above all other margaritas around these parts. Pepito’s in Kettering also makes a strong run at the top, at least according to activedayton.com’s latest “Best of” polls. And speaking of Best of  be sure and check out some of these great  Cinco de Mayo deals around the city. If you are going to stay home and party, here are two tequila drinks you can mix for you and your guests.

Salted rim, lime garnished margartiaThe Traditional Margarita

1.5 oz. tequila
1 oz. triple sec
.5 oz. lime juice
Salt
Lime wedge

Using the lime wedge, wet the edge of the margarita glass you will be drinking from. On a plate, spread out a layer of salt, then run the outside of the wetted rim through the salt to create a rim. In a cocktail shaker, combine the tequila, triple sec, and lime juice with ice and shake well. Strain the shaken ingredients into the glass over ice. Enjoy.

This recipe puts a great deal of emphasis on the flavor of the tequila. If you want something with a little less of that flavor, add 2 to 4 oz. sweet and sour mix, depending on your tastes.

Now, if we are really celebrating Mexico and her heritage, how about trying the most popular tequila based drink south of the border, the Paloma.

The Paloma

2 oz. tequila
.5 oz. lime juice
Grapefruit soda (go with Jarritos for the holiday)

In a tall glass, combine the tequila and lime juice. Add your ice, then top it off with the grapefruit soda. Jarritos is available at Kroger, so finding it should not be difficult. Some recipes call for a pinch of salt as well, or a salt rimmed glass.

Do you know a place that secretly has amazing margaritas? Or has an exceptional selection of tequilas to try? Leave a comment down below and share the wisdom with the rest of us. After all, when Cinco de Mayo is all said and done, this may be the only way we can remember where we ended the evening. Enjoy!

Class Explores Wine in the Movies

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Wine and culture seem to go hand in hand. Many  movies feature wine as key plot elements or scene builders.  A Taste of Wine is hosting a 4 course series of wine tastings, beginning May 4th,  that will focus on wine being poured in the movies.  Lead by fine wine specialist, Laruen Wiethe of Cutting Edge, guests are encouraged to do their homework by watching the following movies:

Bottleshock – In 1976, Steven Spurrier, a sommelier in Paris, comes to the Napa Valley to take the best he can find to Paris for a blind taste test against French wine. He meets Jim Barrett, whose Chateau Montelena is mortgaged to the hilt as Jim perfects his chardonnay. There’s strain in Jim’s relations with his hippie son Bo and his foreman Gustavo, a Mexican farmworker’s son secretly making his own wine. Plus, there’s Sam, a UC Davis graduate student and free spirit, mutually attracted to both Gustavo and Bo. As Spurrier organizes the “Judgment of Paris,” Jim doesn’t want to participate while Bo knows it’s their only chance. Barrett’s chardonnay has buttery notes and a Smithsonian finish **Watching Sideways  – A wine tasting road trip to salute Jack’s final days as a bachelor careens woefully sideways as he and Miles hit the gas en route to mid-life crises.

Sideways– Miles is a failed writer living a meager existence in San Diego as an English teacher. With his career seemingly fading and the fate of a book hinging on a publisher’s decision, Miles is depressed with himself and what he hasn’t achieved. Jack is a television actor whom some recognize but not many do, as if he were a minor actor who got a taste of success. With his best friend Miles, the two embark on a road trip through California’s wine country. Miles wants to give his friend a nice sendoff before married life, while Jack simply wants to have a fling beforehand. As they’re both nearing middle age with not much to show for it, the two will explore the vineyards while ultimately searching for their identities.

Advance registration for this class is required and class will meet each Wed starting May 4th through  May 25th from 7- 8:30pm at A Taste of Wine in downtown Miamisburg. Class costs $10 and each week there is a $15 supply fee payable to the instructor.  Please refrain from wearing perfumes, colognes, or after shaves as this does affect the tasting of the wines.

New Holland Beer Tasting

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The newest Darling of the District, Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery, will join the beer tasting craze that has been spreading throughout the better beer houses in the Miami Valley.  This Tuesday at 6pm you can join the tasting for $25, or get your ticket in advance to save $5.

BEERS FOR TASTING ARE AS FOLLOWS:
HOPIVORE
MAD HATTER
MAD HATTER OAK AGED
MAD HATTER IMPERIAL IPA
SUNDOG
ENVIOUS

If you haven’t made it to Lucky’s yet, it’s located at 520 East Fifth Street, in the building that housed John Henry’s, Blue Moon and the original Coco’s Bistro.  Their menu, like the decor,  is simple and well executed, featuring burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches and salads.  Menu items are welcoming for vegetarians and include vegan and gluten free items as well.  Service is friendly and accommodating – we may be the lucky ones to have this  new downtown eatery!