March 22nd, 2008
Some interesting items came over the transom this week that had to do with the supposedly specialized booze preferences of women. First, reader Adam M. pointed me toward a Reuters article about a new Russian vodka, Damskaya, or “ladies’ vodka.” The vodka is being “touted as a glamour product for upwardly mobile women in booming Russia,” and its ads “show the elegant, violet-tinted bottle wearing a pleated white skirt which is blown upwards to reveal the label.” Wow. What says “glamour” more than a purple vodka bottle wearing a skirt?
Next, the Ladies of LUPEC Boston told me about a post on the Thinking of Drinking blog called Gender Specific Cocktails? The blogger, Sonja Kassebaum, a Chicagoan who co-founded the North Shore Distillery, writes, “Do most women really only like the fruity, sweet (and/or light) cocktails? Even if that were true, is that because that’s really their preference, or is it because of how spirits have been marketed to them, and/or because of a lack of education & experience with other choices?”
I argue that it’s the latter. Women’s alleged preference for “girly drinks” has at least as much to do with marketing (hello, Damskaya!), education and peer influence as with actual taste. I mean, if the palate is really as gender-determined as drinks marketers imply, then the women who make up a large chunk of the audience for fine wine — a complex, generally non-sweet beverage — are genetic freaks. As are the growing number of female drinkers who, like me, appreciate vintage, “grown-up” cocktails layered with the flavors of whiskey, vermouth, gin, bitters and classic liqueurs.
Which brings me to an article by the Wall Street Journal’s Eric Felten that was published a couple of years ago, “He Drinks, She Drinks.” Anyone seeking a thoughtful analysis of gender stereotypes at the bar should read this. Felten writes:
“Girly drinks limit men and women both. Women get lulled into the habit of drinking cocktails that don’t taste like, well, drinks. And for men, it’s even worse: In their haste to avoid anything that smacks of the emasculating girly-drink taint, they deny themselves the great adventure of exploring cocktails in all their variety. They’re both missing out. The recent revival of interest in classic cocktails presents a long-overdue opportunity to break out of the tyranny of the girly, giving men the freedom to order mixed drinks without shame and women the chance to order drinks worthy of grown-ups.”
“The tyranny of the girly!” Yes, we are all under the well-manicured thumb of the collective Cosmo drinker. But classic cocktails will set us free! Gender stereotypes at the bar will be crushed! That is, as soon as articles like Felten’s start appearing in publications whose readerships aren’t dominated by men.
Permalink | 2 Comments | Filed under Booze in the news, Vodka |
March 15th, 2008
Established: 2001
Specialty: Cocktails, beer, wine
Prices: Moderate
Atmosphere: Take your pick — attractive neighborhood eatery on one side; cozy pub with board games and TV screens on the other.
See Best Boston bars for address and contact info.
The Independent in Somerville’s Union Square is kind of like that middle sister who, after an awkward adolescence in which she was often overshadowed by her older and younger siblings, grew up to be the attractive, smart girl who’s really easy to hang out with.
The Indo, as regulars call it, has made a series of tweaks to its concept over the years, trying to achieve the magic trick of appealing to a wide-ranging clientele while cultivating its own identity. Chefs have come and gone, as have periods of sub-par food. Funky cocktail-lounge seating has been installed and removed, cheese tastings and poker nights have had their run, and live musical acts have mostly given way to iPod playlists. Fortunately, in the past couple of years, the food, the drink, the service and the concept have all settled into a nice groove.
I’m partial to the drink, of course. The Indo’s general manager, Jess Willis, is responsible for resurrecting vintage cocktails in Somerville. The frequently updated menu has included such gems as the Algonquin, the El Presidente, the Gin and It, and the Perfect Pal (Rittenhouse rye, Aperol, sweet and dry vermouth). Head bartender Evan Harrison is bringing his own enthusiasm for old-school mixology to the program, as well as helping to expand and improve the Indo’s beer list.
Evan, his fellow bar crew, and the servers on the floor have a laid-back but professional style. Chef Paul Oberhauser’s kitchen does a nice job with seasonal ingredients and satisfyingly simple dishes like steak frites and panko breadcrumb-crusted cod with bacon and clams. The burgers are good, too.
One of the nicest things about the Indo is that you can choose between two different spaces: the pub, a good place to watch the game or drink with a group of friends; and the restaurant, if you want to feel more like you’re having an Evening Out. Either way, the food and drink stay the same, as do the reasonable prices: $7-$9 for cockails, $5-$7 for most beers, and $13-$24 for entrées.
Permalink | 4 Comments | Filed under Boston bars, Cocktails |
March 12th, 2008
“The prospect of drinking with Lauren Clark, booze journalist and walking alcohol encyclopedia, is daunting.”
So begins an article in the latest Weekly Dig. It’s part of a twice-per-year feature called 5 Drink Minimum, where the Dig sends its writers out to report as much as they can remember of a long evening at a local bar. This year, some of the writers paired up with various, um, industry professionals at the bar of the latter’s choice. That’s how I wound up drinking at Deep Ellum with News Editor Cara Bayles. We had a bang-up time, and I have to say she did a nice job with the piece considering what her notebook looked like at the end of the night.
Permalink | 2 Comments | Filed under drinkboston in the news | Tags: 5 drink minimum, Deep Ellum, Weekly Dig
March 6th, 2008
If you’re a fan of Esquire magazine drinks writer David Wondrich, and you bought his recently published book, Imbibe!, perhaps you’d like to get the book signed by the author himself. On Monday, March 10, Wondrich will be in Boston signing copies of his biography of Jerry Thomas, the father of American bartending. The signing happens from 12:30-2:00 at Stir, chef Barbara Lynch’s demonstration kitchen and cookbook library. Wondrich will join John Gertsen, who works with Lynch at the famed No. 9 Park, later in the evening to teach Stir’s monthly cocktail class. This installment of the class, Winter Warmer Cocktails (aka Who Needs Ice?), is sold out, but there are plenty more in the works — just click on “Calendar” at the Stir website.
Permalink | 1 Comment | Filed under Bartenders, Books & resources, Events | Tags: David Wondrich, Imbibe, Jerry Thomas, Stir Boston
March 6th, 2008
A little secret about Restaurant Week: while people who own restaurants may love it, people who work in restaurants don’t. They complain about the hordes of newbie customers who expect a level of dining and service for their $30 that may be a bit unrealistic, and who then leave a modest tip on their modest bill. Hmm. I suspect that these hordes are actually a few bad apples who tend to stick in a server’s memory until it all happens again next year.
Personally, I like Restaurant Week (March 9-14 & 16-21). A particular friend of mine and I take advantage of it every year and visit a restaurant we’ve never been to. We’re always happy with our food and service. And, because we feel we’re getting such a good deal on dinner, we start the evening off with cocktails and then order a bottle of wine with our meal. In short, we end up spending more on drinks than food, which is exactly what the establishments who participate in Restaurant Week are seeking out of this whole deal. So, if you’re a drinker, start making your reservation now. Wherever you end up, your server will likely treat you with gratitude after dealing with all those menu tourists.
Check out BostonChefs.com’s Unofficial Guide to Boston Restaurant Week for an A to Z list of participating restaurants. Several drinkboston profilees are on the list, including Bin 26 Enoteca, the Blue Room, Chez Henri, Eastern Standard, Les Zygomates, Mooo, Rialto and the Summer Shack. I will also recommend three other restaurants that happen to be workplaces of some of the ladies of LUPEC Boston: Flora, Toro and Tremont 647. Speaking of LUPEC Boston and Toro, they are teaming up for a March 30 event marking Women’s History Month. Check their blog for details.
Permalink | No Comments | Filed under Events | Tags: restaurant week
