Mail-order entrees
Thanks to the Internet, more restaurants than ever are making the leap from local business to national players. Colorado’s own The Fort (forttradingco.com) is leading the way, offering meat and game for express delivery. Other players in the mail-order field: New York’s Il Mulino restaurant and Texas’ Perini Ranch Steakhouse.
Advertising for a laugh
Hats off to Hendrick’s Gin, which isn’t afraid to punctuate its marketing message with a little smirk. Witness The Unusual Times, a four-page parody newspaper that reads like a cross between a late-Victorian British tabloid and The Onion, with headlines like “Tea Time Becomes Cocktail Hour.” Memorable, because everyone knows that to be funny you have to be smart. Makes us want a Hendrick’s and tonic (garnished with cucumber, natch). Also funny: South Africa’s Goats Do Roam winery, marketing its Bored Doe blend.
Champagne to go
This year, more labels are offering single servings (capitalizing on the success of Sofia Minis, single-serving pop-top cans that come with a straw). We like Nicolas Feuillatte, whose two screw-top champagnes come with a wrist band for easy carrying.
Shrimp gone wild
First came wild mushrooms.
Then wild salmon. Now, boutique shrimp carry the ultimate element of desirable food provenance, “wild”-ness. Depending on where they’re caught (off the Carolina shore, round Florida, or down Texas way), flavor and texture can range from buttery and velvety to gamey and firm. Watch for shrimp “flights” to appear in restaurants.
Food-friendly sherry
Spain continues its culinary rise. First came tapas, which informed a whole decade of new restaurants. Now come the sherries that go so well with them. A far cry from the cooking wine in the cabinet, sherry now holds court as a food-friendly quaff. Lighter styles complement cured meats and seafood, while richer styles sip well with game, nuts and cheese. Pictured here, Sibarita 30-year-old sherry retails for about $75, but you can expect to find a wonderful sherry for $30 or less.
Junior foodies
It used to be that the fine foods were for Mom and Dad, while the kids munched on hot dogs and Jell-O. But good eats aren’t just for grown-ups anymore. We noticed many more families with kids, like Stephen Compton and son Mason, 3, at this year’s Classic. Given the astronomical entrance fees, we’re not surprised Mom and Dad decided to save on babysitting costs.
Could a generation of pint-sized foodies be on the rise?
Vodka as the new perfume?
Roberto Cavalli, one of the 21st century’s hottest designers, hopes so. Fashion designers clamor for their own fragrance line, not only among the most lucrative of brand extensions, but they get to design cool bottles. Watch for Cavalli’s decidedly stylish bottle before year’s end.
The garnish bar
The first mixologist ever asked to give a demonstration at the Classic, Tony Abu-Ganim, suggested setting out an array of olives and other garnishes at cocktail parties so guests can customize their own drinks. The folks at the Level Vodka booth concurred, laying out an array of savories for attendees to self-garnish.
