The Hurricane Andrea

It seems like forever, but I'm finally traveling again, this time to the shores of South Florida. Insert obligatory Will Smith reference here.

Yes, I am traveling for work, but that doesn't mean I won't enjoy myself. In fact, I have reason to believe that this trip will be very, very worth it, and not just for the "invaluable experience I will get by seeing how people use our software in a day to day setting." (Aside: the health care industry's transition to digital would go so much smoother if they could teach their employees to touch type. They could probably see about 12 more patients if they didn't hunt and peck.

Anyways, I digress. The trip was kicked off well when I got upgraded to first class on my flight. Only once before, on my flight from Chicago to Munich on Lufthansa, did I receive such great treatment. Now that Seinfeld episode finally makes sense. All the Glenlivet I could drink, a complimentary blue cheese and barbecue chicken salad, and chairs with so much leg room you don't even have to move an inch to let the person *singular* out into the aisle.

Today, I worked for about 11 hours, then went to dinner at a place called Sugarcane Raw Bar and Grill. Right now it is "Miami Spice" where you can get a prix fixe menu at many posh restaurants for $35 on weeknights. This place was listed on there, but I soon found out that the prix fixe was not the way to go. Sugarcane is a tapas place/raw bar. You order things one by one and get a variety of dishes. If you are ever near there I highly recommend the place. 1) Bacon wrapped dates. Incredibly delicious, a bit sweet and very savory, it was recommended by my server as their most popular dish and with good reason. 2) it is a very sexy place. All the patrons and even the staff are extremely good looking. Not a fugly person in the place, although that could just be that part of Miami 3) the Hurricane Andrea, emphasis on the second syllable.

This warrants further explanation. So my buddy Erik spends some time in the US Virgin Islands, since his dad lives there part time, and is always talking about Cruzan Rum. I have often thought about visiting him, but never made it and as a lover of booze, thought many times about this Cruzan stuff. So, now, in Miami they have it everywhere and the bar at Sugarcane had several cocktails with Cruzan in it. Part two: my favorite drink at my favorite bar is the Genna's Jameson Jack Kerouac. Ice, ginger beer, Jameson, bitters, lime. When Gosling's rum is substituted it is known as the Dark and Stormy, so I thought I might try a Cruzan "lightless and tempestuous" (the name "dark and stormy" is actually owned by Gosling's). However, Sugarcane does not have ginger beer at its bar. What it does have though, is a drink called the Ishikari, which features Sapporo beer muddled with fresh ginger, so I let Andrea, my bartender and server, use that instead and make me a drink with Cruzan. Later we discussed how well it had turned out when she suggested that some simple syrup might help take the place of the sweetness of "ginger beer" and it could also be made with Cruzan dark rum instead of light. I had to try it. Turns out, it is excellent. Basically, it is a Dark and stormy made from scratch, with Cruzan Rum. I came up with the brilliant idea of naming it a "Hurricane Andrea". For those of you who did not live in Florida in the early/mid '90s, allow me to explain why this name works on so many levels.
I. A hurricane is "Dark and stormy"
II. I was drinking this in Miami and
IIa. my bartender's name was Andrea. Again, emphasis on the second syllable.

Back to the history lesson: Hurricane Andrew was, in economic terms, the most devastating hurricane in the United States before Katrina (and still to this day the most devastating in Florida). At least Andrea appreciated it. Now all we have to do is find a restaurant to sell our drink to. So, I present the "Hurricane Andrea"

1. Muddle ginger with Cruzan Dark rum and simple syrup in a tall Sapporo glass.
2. Add ice and Sapporo beer
3. Add dash of bitters and garnish with two lime wedges.
4. Stir.

Drinking Update

After spending several months sampling the best of European drinking traditions, I'm back to good old 'Mmmerican drinking.
ok, so not completely true, I found out that a liquor store near me carries Paulaner Oktoberfest, which I bought out of curiosity (an expensive curiosity at $10.99 a sixer) and have deemed a) not as good as their German stuff (duh) and b) not worth it (double duh). Aside: at the same liquor store I happened upon several bottles of Kilbeggan's Irish Whisky, the "last independent distillery in all of Ireland" brand I bought in the Dublin airport duty-free store. The woman who was giving out samples assured me I wouldn't find it in the States. I feel had, although I didn't check the price here in the states. That'll teach me to buy anything from an airport ever again.

So even though I can't really afford it, I've been buying the best booze America has to offer: microbrews and bourbon. I've taken to Bulleit for a bourbon, which is both reasonably priced and very good. Also, it is a killer, as I learned on New Years. (Stu, if you're reading, you should try a Sazerac rye whiskey and ginger next time).
For the microbrews, I've been drinking a lot of Bell's from Kalamazoo, MI and Capital Brewery in Middleton, WI. Specifically, the Bell's Two-Hearted Ale and the Wisconsin Amber. My friend Glenn likes to make the joke that "American beer is like having sex in a canoe - it's fucking close to water." Granted, I think he had only ever had Keystone Light at that time (and still prefers Malibu to beer), but the microbrewery explosion really has helped out American beer. Unfortunately, microbreweries have seized upon Yuppie dollars are pumping out a lot of watery ales and unpleasantly hoppy IPAs, but there really are some good beers out there, especially in my neck of the woods. Wisconsin brewing tradition certainly has produced some good little outfits. If you're lucky enough to live outside of Wisconsin but can get your hands on some New Glarus or Capital, do it, by all means, even send me the bill if you don't like it.

All I have left to do is lament that I can't find one of my own favorite breweries in Madison - O'Dells, from Fort Collins, CO. Everybody in the country is now inundated with New Belgium beers, also from Fort Collins, but in my opinion the wrong one got foisted upon us. I'm sure that O'Dells decided to keep operations small, while the phonies at New Belgium aggressively pursued expansion to other markets (they preach sustainability, yet truck their brew hundreds of miles away). All I have to say is that Fat Tire is an OK amber, while O'Dells 90 Shilling ale rivals even my Wisconsin Amber from Capital.

I will step off my soapbox now, time to play team trivia.

Gchat with my buddy Schmitty

me: ok

I'm somewhat considering just saying "fuck it" and going somewhere far away for a year or something

Schmitty: do it

ricky williams did

and look at him now