The "Mirror Bar" at House of Bols in Amsterdam

Wilton and I, sitting across from one another, were talking about world politics, love, spirits, the benefits of living in LA and best of all, Amsterdam. I casually mentioned "Bols" and Wilton exclaimed "yes, House of Bols, cool place". We agreed on another topic of discussion.

The Place

The "House of Bols" is an exotic, hands on museum, bar, social club and purveyor of all that is Bols' liquers and spirits.

Lucas Bols created the liquer company dating back to 1575 and manufacturer of 38 different liquers, plus genever (think gin) and numerous other liquors. Bols group includes Galiano, and other brands. The genever, according to my sources, the British took and made into their own English gin. At one time, genever was one of the worlds leading liquors albeit some many, many years ago.

The House of Bols is special for many as it is -
     a. a great way point, midway between the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum
     b. a cool place to stop and enjoy two free drinks
     c. a social gathering place especially for brides to be, family gatherings and groups from one of the many river cruises
     d. a way to better understand (and taste) the variety of Bols' products

Who to See

As you climb the stairs from the street entrance you will be greeted by a lovely, tall blond (aren't all the Dutch girls like that?) you'll come to the check-in where you will pay 14.5 Euros for entrance. Ask for Frank, the manager, and tell him Constantine of Spiritsnob.blogspot.com sent you. He may bestow a professional courtesy discount.

In the Well

In the  "Mirror Room", well its quite a star studded, bright and glowing bar as you will ever find. With the "well"  literally consisting of 100s of bottle of Bols in front of the mirrored back wall of the bar. Up front, the bartenders have a "well" equal to the back bar. Quite a new experience.

The Cocktail.   

This is  a real experience - as Wilton would say "No! Really." After you leave the historical and olfactory hands on experience, you enter into a more contemporary section of the bar experience. At which time you will be invited to address a computer module where you' select your drink and receive coupons for your drink and cordial. Then proceeding to the Mirror  bar one of the cocktail maestros will make your drink for you. Later you return for your cordial of one of the Bols brands you select.

Tunes



The "Mirror Bar" is a lively and loud place. A veritable gathering of souls. You will enjoy standing in the mirrored room, taking in all those at that are gathered. Quite a thing it will be - a throng of lasses celebrating the upcoming marriage of the princess; or the lady Captain of nautical ladies. Likely you'll come across a gathering of souls celebrating a family reunion, or a couple or two preparing for their Viking River cruise embarking from Amsterdam. In any event it will be a fun visit - so take advantage of the it by introducing yourself to the person sitting next to you.

         

Dank U Frank _____________________

Cocktail

Orient Express

Bols barrel aged genever*  1 1/4 oz 

Bols Coconut  1 oz

fresh lime juice 1/2 oz

sugar syrup  1/4 oz 
shake all with ice and fine strain into a pre-chilled glass

Garnish with coriander leaves  - 4 to 5; half piece of Passion fruit and a 1/2 cm of Red Pepper

* while technically not accurate, you could substitute gin or Korean shoju or Japanese shochu

My favorite date and I had a great experience, so many thanks to Frank, our host at House of Bols  --  for more information consult the website -

House of Bols  http://www.houseofbols.com/

"Tot Ziens"

DIASPORA - AN UNDERSTANDING OF HERITAGE

DIASPORA

 "A diaspora from Greek Διασπορά "scattering, dispersion" is a scattered population with a common origin in a smaller geographic area."  Wikipedia. And of course Christos Boulocheris would call to my attention 'it all traces back to the Greeks'.  

Map of Greater Greece  Wikipedia

Had I not met Ellie, short for Elinida, I could not imagine myself thinking about this concept, nevertheless writing about the subject of diaspora.

The conversation traces back to the Havanna, Cuba trip and a woman I met. We spent the evening at Sloppy Joe's Bar in Havanna with our new friends and family. It was late, later than usual and well past midnight, and as Graham Greene would have, we were drinking Dimple 15 year old scotch , Mulata 15 anos ron dark , an 'umbrella cocktail' &  Knockando 15 year old scotch - over which I broached my puzzlement to a new friend regarding her statement earlier that day, insisting she is not Greek. Mind you, we were here in Havanna for the 10-year celebration of the Greek church. Her name is Ellie. Over the course of the trip, I learned, a. Ellie holds a US and Greek passport; b. She speaks Greek and goes to Greek church; c. Her parents are of Greek origin born in Turkey and Bulgaria. All this said - Ellie insists she is not Greek. I was quite surprised and remained so. Puzzled and curious ......

I will spare the reader further discourse on Magna Gracea, Asia Minor, the city states of Athens and Sparta that colonized Sicily. The exodus of the Greek population from Western Turkey to Greece. And who won the Peloponnesian War.

While I remained perplexed that Ellie does not believe she is Greek, it only serves to broaden the inquiry into diaspora. Reflecting on family and friends, we all harbor a yearning for the homeland; or, we are part of the diaspora. For my cousin in Greece, she is a Cretan before being an Athenian. Another family member is from Alsace-Lorraine and Bavaria; when speaking with someone from Germany, and speaks of her heritage - there is a bit of pride I detect in her voice when proudly acknowledging her ethnicity. 

Another friend's father is from Mexico and he reaches back to his Mexican roots. For me, I am now in search of my McGinnis and O'Hare family in County Down of Ulster. And I look forward to the visit with my family in Athens this Spring.

As it seems all over the world, we tie back to our geographic roots. In so many cases that also links us to religion and ethnicity. So once we get beyond the political discourse and learn more of the background on an issue, it becomes increasingly clearer that disputes have a deep underlying diaspora. That brings greater meaning and understanding of the division going on in the Ukraine between geographic areas that were assembled for one reason or another. Or in China as the threat of ethnic rivalry becomes more prominent. Or between India and Pakistan, the Republic of Ireland and the North, Cyprus, Sudan ... it goes on and on.

June of 2014 will be the Centennial recognition of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. This act was a result of - yes you guessed it correctly - the desire of a people to unite its ethnicity and to have it recognized as one country. Coincidently, this was in the Balkans of southern Europe!  Does this knowledge assist the world's political leadership of the consequences of "sleepwalking" [1]   the world into another Great War?

Sobering thoughts worthy of a Guinness and more reflection ...

The names of the innocent have been changed, this is a fictional story and any similarity or persons or names are ...

[1] The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914. Chris Clark. 2012.

Drink

Guinness and a Jameson on the side

       alternatively Ouzo on the Rocks, or Pernod

Music - any Chieftains album, Xaris Alexiou or Carla Bruni-en Français

Appetizer - Irish Soda Bread and Corned Beef, or  tomatoes and olives, or a baguette and brie

Valentine's Day - the Other Major Holiday

My friend, Rest Assured, if you have not begun the planning for this holiday, you are going to sadly dissapointe a special lady or gentleman. Jack Rose?


Planning for this day begins with what flowers will you obtain, what is the cocktail you plan to serve and what jacket are you donning over that long sleeve T? Or the lady, with an above the knee black silk skirt. From there it gets easier. But rest assured that the attention to these details will mark you as a person of great interest and deserving of Jack Rose? love and attention. And what more could one ask for  ........   WHAT MORE?
Alternatively, son-in-law Jeff has declared the day following Valentine's Day as the holiday "Esther Day" and is able to throw a hell of a party with less crowds and to his credit, less costly.


Here is a primer to start you on your way. But I know many of you and I believe you need no lesson or primer from me!


FLOWER
I'd go for the Gardenia. Make it special and have the florist prepare it to allow her  to carry the flower in her hand, or if she's a fashionista, like my best girl, ... on her wrist.


CANDY
Only one kind in my book, Jack Rose? -- See's Dark Chocolate of any variety. Backup - Valrhona French dark chocolate.


APPETIZER
Chilled shrimp, cooked in a broth, served on a pick. If necessary a splash of lime topping it off.


MUSIC
Here we need something that makes the heart race. I'd go for some salsa and create a play list with the watchword - "mi Corazon".


DINNER a la Jack Rose?
I'd want a small cozy place, maybe Italian, booked later in the evening so the rush is over. Go see the maîtres' d prior to that day; pre-arrange a first order to be served when you are seated. Order a special dessert for the end. And don't forget to top it off with some Italian amaro.


Cocktail
Jack Rose Cocktail -1 oz of lime juice, 1/2 oz of grenadine and 3 oz of apple jack, apple brandy or substitute brandy.
Music - Frank Sinatra
Appetizer - Grilled leeks with grated Fontina.

affectionner

Ernest Hemingway's Havanna Vieja - Old Havanna

Constantine's Journey to Havanna Cuba



Seated here in Havanna, Cuba in the old part of the city, I look out on the plaza and see a '57 Chevy BelAir with Cuban flag on the antenna. It's a  luxury being  at the little Pasteleri'a Francesca en la plaza de Central. Its early Saturday morning - so much quieter than last week. I won't even address the difference from the throngs and volume from last night.

Such tarnished beauty here in Havanna Vieja, the old town. But a beauty it remains from the lush tropical plants to the night clubs dating to the 40's and 50's. This tropical climate is so ideal for bonsais and I see them everywhere. From the fancy Ambos Mundos hotel to the plain and simple barber shop. I am curious how did that evolve in Cuba and carried on in such poverished time.

Hemingway is everywhere. The man was an insatiable drinker, if all the bars that make claim he drank there and invented this or that drink at their bar, exclusively for him. Much for the tourists sake his name is kept alive, but I am advised he is much revered in Cuba. And by Fidel Castro as well.

Ah the bars and the drinks. The most notable bars and night scenes are the El Floridita, the Sloppy Joe's Bar and the Bodeguita de Media. On the more restrained side are the roof top lounges of the Hotel Inglaterra and the Ambos Mundos, followed by the Hotel Seville (Biltmore) lounge with an open sky for a ceiling. Further out from the old town is the Hotel Nacional and the Tropicana Night Club. Regrettably the old Hilton, opened only days before the fall of the Bastista regime and the advancing Che Gueverra and Fidel ... the claim seems to be that on the first days Che and Fidel came and resided in the hotel to discuss ... "well now that we have won the war, what the hell do we do?".  A testament to these legends are such books and movies as Graham Greene's Our Man In Havanna, The Godfather movie and other novels.

Photo by SGH

The drinks as one might expect - but is still a little bit of a surprise is "ron", rum. With the El Floridita staking claim to the Daiquiri (they pronounce each letter). The Bodegita claims the Mojito. Sloppy Joe's, from the movie, is acclaimed for its vast inventory of whiskey. Which today the newly reopened Sloppy Joe's displays hundreds of bottles for some 30+ brands. Being historically accurate, they even have and serve "Dimple 15 year old Scotch" whiskey. Which I advised my travelling companion to try and she did, enjoying it.

Cuba is going thru a major transition. It remains a poor country but with  wealth of beauty of music, people, art and buildings. It currently  is very much Europeanized, due to the fact that significant investments are being made by Canadian, English and Spanish companies. Witness the grand Melia hotels in Havanna, the Iberra Hotel chain's Parque Central and the Sofitel chain's "Seville (Biltmore)". Tour buses abound - manufacturer Volvo. Need  a Mercedes limousine, just call for one. Want to drink a Jim Beam & Coke? It's there on the top shelf. Tobasco with your meal? Just ask.

The Cuban people were enthralled we were from the United States, the affinity to the US remains. One which in the future can expect will grow with the 50 minutes ride from "wheels up" in Miami to "wheels down" at Jose Marti Airport in Havanna.

Photo by SGH
Exclusive to Spiritsnob

Viva Hemingway!________________________

El Floridita's Daiquiri (pronounced da e' ki ri)
  created by Constantino Ribalagua Vert, Owner and Cantinero

Rum, lime, sugar and ice, in a blender till smooth
     serve with a straw. On the side - quarter slice of pineapple.

Music - DV the  Salsa and traditional Cuban Music singing group at El Floridita

Appetizer, cold shrimp on pick.            

                                                              

Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année

Ah the French!

The St-Germain Le Peep Holiday Chapeau.



Christmas Eve. My St-Germain liquer "Le Peep holiday chapeau" was strategically posted to be received on Christmas eve. It was taken from the lovely cardboard envelope that I found with other Christmas tidings in the post. The return address was St-Germain, Coral Gables, Florida and I was puzzled to receive this. St-Germain is made in France. But what was inside? St-Germain is made in France from the the flower of Elderberry, sweet and best accompanied in champagne.

Much to my delight I found three papers inside - 2 of heavy cardstock. The contents - a cardstock paper with 3 pictures and a "template"/recipe card, an instruction page and a card stock chapeau,. The last, one has to assemble. St-Germain referred to it as a "peep show" and it did not take long to see the lovely early 19th century Parisian ladies posed in various stage of dress.  The instructions guided you thru the placement of the card inside the box on the reverse of the peephole. It further suggested that one might use the template card to insert a picture of one's own. (commenting - "this could be very interesting".)

 

It is suggested one is expected to wear this on top the holder's head at holiday gathering and for New Years' celebration.  It did take some guidance from a cohort of mine to explain the use of the "chin strap".

 

Making Christmas Sweet - A letter from Elaine Sciolino.

Not to be outdone, on Christmas morning - over the din of 5 splendid grandchildren running and rummaging around the tree - I picked up the New York Times and to my further delight found Elaine (recall author of La Seduction) has posted a letter from Paris in the Dining section on Christmas day. You know how I feel about Elaine.

I smiled so broadly as I read of the arrondissemonts and shops in Paris that I had only been to 6 months prior.

The "seduction theme" could be found again as I started to read the article in which Elaine wrote of a 'Chocolate Christmas tree", chocolate yule logs to scale and other tantalizing chocolate experiences of the French life. The efforts by the Paris Metropolitain, "metro",  to paint a train car chocolate brown and display it in all the stations of Paris with an exhibit on chocolate. And she wrote of all the the efforts the French go through to reach chocolate perfection.



      tip - Valrhone chocolate is considered the best industrial made chocolate.


Bonne Année

The St-Germain Cocktail
   Bon cocktail, Bon Chic.
   from St-Germain Liquer

2 parts Brut Champagne
1 1/2 part St-Germain
2 parts sparkling water

Stir ingredients in a tall chilled ice-filled glass, mix completely. Think Paris circa 1947. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Variation: Think Sartre circa 1947. Be the lemon twist.

Appetizer: unsalted almonds.

Playlist:
Something lively and fun like of the music of Cuban chica Cucu Diamantes.

Happy New Year ... Bonne Année et Bonne Santé ... Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Έτος

The CIA Ganache Factory Emporium

 

 

Un Chocolatiere

There is a man with a toque

 

His wife always dresses bespoke

 

The toque man Marcel is into Ganache

 

The toque man's wife -- oil and clay
 

                      by author

 

 

 

The world is a greater place because of those talented artisans who bring to us mortals the delights from food and art. I write of one such artisan.

 

Admirers of "Death By Chocolate" dessert, Marcel's  book series, The Trellis Restaurant and not to be left out - the PBS television series, now enjoy Marcel and Connie's newest endeavor, the Mad About Chocolate patisserie.

 

I won't deny it, I am a fan - devotee of good food, a tasty drink, and an enjoyable place to experience these with my favorite date. Whether it be Washington, San Francisco, Peshawar, Paris, Athens, Berlin or London and Williamsburg, I have a long list of memories and experiences like enjoying a beer with "Laki" at the Saturday morning Frankfurt farmers market, an espresso at the Architect Museum coffee lounge or ouzo at the port of Mykonos.

 

Since father and son Peter and Nick BeLer's* The Williamsburg Restaurant, along with the Lafayette Restaurant, Regency Room at the Williamsburg Inn, this little city of Williamsburg has experienced a growth of fine dining venues. *And I cannot tell this story without mentioning Nick and his brother Buzz's The Prime Rib of Baltimore, Washington and Philadelphia.

 

The Trellis - the inspiration of Marcel's - not only brought out but made a name for a divine dining experience and has led to the more recent establishments - The Fat Canary, LeYaca and Chef Dave Everett's Blue Talon, the re-opened Trellis and the DOG Street Pub, along with Dave's newest fancy The Blackbird Bakery. (One awaits Dave's distillery.)

 

These special places .... here in this idyllic town...... Well, It's almost as if the CIA reached out from Hyde Park and sprinkled fairy dust on this quaint little hamlet.

 

And as we watch these gems on the landscape, we see a Havana Cuban-inspired  locale (since closed), the soon to open Jewish Mother and likely more in store.

 

Which takes me back to Mr. D and his Ganache Factory ... soon to be visited by five little persons who are quite "mad about chocolate".

 

The Marcel Desaulnier Ganache Martini*

 

          1/2 oz. Ganache from any "Mad About Chocolate" dessert

                      Remove Ganache and save pastry remainder for eating

          1 1/2 oz. Grey Goose Vodka Vanilla
          Mix Ganache and vodka well, then add ice

          Shake well, pour into a chilled tall martini glass

          Top with one layer of whipped cream

          Garnish with a dusting of cocoa powder
                            *a creation by Constantine
 

a bien tot, 

Constantine 

 



Dispatches - News and Notes from Around the World.

Start Here.

 

Eats -  Up and Dow(n) Trends.

Farm to Markets and celebrations of same. From rural to metropolis celebrations of this return to fresh local produce has come alive. Does this celebration have its roots in the Parisian and New York "White Dinner"? Where all dressed & party in white, you don't learn the location of the grand dinner til 30 minutes before hand. 

Locally Made Liquor.

You know, speaking of locally made - in this case - liquor, like Tito's Vodka of Austin, or Old Potrero Single Malt Rye, San Francisco -  have you noticed the increase in hand made, local liquor being produced around the country? I was surprised to read in a NYT review of vodkas that most of the mass produced vodka we imbibe is actually produced in the Midwest and this ethanol is sent to the producer for clarification, bottling, etc. Hmmmm. Makes me re-think my brand selections or to more closely know who is producing what. In the future I will be looking for producers that make their vodka "en premises". 

Drinking and Reading.

Reading Rosie Schapp's  Drinking With Men. Her style is admirable. She is becoming my second best author, the first Elaine Sciolino.

 Mergers and Acquisitions.

Bols. Bols, Bols. Expect to see more of this liquor brand as the company has taken over its own marketing in the USA. This Dutch manufacturer of the original gin (genever) and flavored liquors has opened its own marketing office in New York City  for the USA. 

Ins and Outs.
Out of the water is the Costa Concordia. What a fete that was lifting this ship off the granite shelf and "righting" it. Or is the correct nautical term parbuckling. What a visual treat it was to see the ship - on time lapse photo - being righted. More to follow on that. 

Politics.

Angela Merkel of Germany remains in again and her opponent is out, French prime minister Francois Hollande is still in and has been visited again by  IMF leader Christine Lagarde ( of France) - so that's good there is some company. Isn't it ironic that France was our only major partner on the proposed bombing of Syria, and England not!

And what's going on in Havana? 

 

"Later my friend".

Cocktail. The John Hancock from Burger and Lobster of London.
1,5 oz. Chivas                         1 tsp. simple syrup
2/3 oz. lemon juice                  2 dashes Angostura bitters
2/3 oz. vanilla syrup                2 1/2 oz. Sam Adams
shake all but the beer, pour and top with the Sam Adams



PS if you are a UAL traveler you may have noticed that either UAL is using the "Dispatches" or I have plagiarized from UAL magazine.