Victoria BC. Home of not only the newlywed and nearly dead but all manner and means of wonderful things. Cocktail lounges in plentitude doesn't fall into this category. We have a dearth of good lounges, good bartenders and most importantly good cocktails. But tonight a little ray of sunshine shone forth. I wandered into Stages Wine Bar after the opening night of the Belfry's latest and most entertaining offering: the 25th Annual Putnam Spelling B (or something of that title) to have a glass of wine (it is a wine bar after all) with my friend. We sat at the bar and after a little food and a little wine we chatted with the bartender Stephen, a fine fellow by way of France though born and raised in Dublin. Conversation started with noticing the array of Bitterman's bitters which it turns out Charellis on Foul Bay now carrys for the reasonable price of $16.98 and as talk flows it naturally turns to all things cocktails. I hadn't given a thought to looking at what Stage is doing cocktail-wise and it turns out Stephen very much likes to create his very own thoughtful concoctions. He's lucky in that the kitchen supports him in making syrups and such to embellish his drinks. Fresh herbs, and peppers are highlights and even his own version of cola makes an appearance in what sounds to be a tasty beverage. As I get ready for beddy-bye I sleep easier knowing that we are moving forward on the cocktail front. Ah there is a god.

An Educated Sophisticate

Here I am snuggled in on this cold Victorian night with an Ovaltine beside me while wishing I was having a Plymouth Gin Martini in a beautiful Orrefors crystal glass while listening to Nina Simone.

I'm pining for the Martini because I've just come home from seeing An Education again. I first saw this film last September at the Toronto Film Festival. It was on my must see list because it's directed by Lone Scherfig who set me on my path to love all things Danish – oh alright only Danish films, Mads Mikkelsen and Aquavit (for my Trident cocktails of course!).

Scherfig directed Italian For Beginners and Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself. She is a rarity, a compassionate storyteller and true humanist. She grasps the subtle and when she puts it on screen she can make your heart ache, break or capitulate. She is the goddess of humour and the bringer of all things sly. Okay, okay you get it – I adore her work and An Education is no exception.

A young girl falls for an older sophisticated man, a story told and retold but here the girl is as sophisticated as our leading man but not as worldly. Watch for two scenes in particular.
1) Dad having a temper over the costs that he has to bear for his daughter.
2) The same set up repeated but with the gentleman caller in Dad's place.
It's dynamite when you catch the replay and get your head around Scherfig's thoughts on human relationships. A constant in her films is the lack of moral judgement no matter how bad the behaviour - there's an acceptance of human choices and an understanding that we're all trying to trod this path the best we can. And before I nod off I must ask:
Where did she find that actress?? WOW.

Amaro Nonino

I'm bereft. Yes bereft. In the search for hard to get spirits I've missed out on Amaro Nonino. Someone whom I shall not mention told me way too late that the Strath had gotten it in. Who does that? Who tells you after it's all gone? Very sad.... some might say bereft. I'm seriously thinking of ending all ties with the nameless.

Nonino is grappa based and aged in wood so it has a unique flavour and it's a bit sweeter than other Amaros. I know this now because nameless let me try his - it's as if he's taunting me. Well and now haunting too, I keep hearing little voices calling nonino... nonino....
I tell you bereft – well and delusionary but I can't go into the details here.

So I am temporarily thwarted on my path to creating a nouveau Manhattan with every Amaro out there. I've tried Montenegro, Ramazotti, Averna, and Punt e Mes (not an amaro but amaro like). I love the Punt e Mes the best so far and it's not due to having four bottles of it in the house.

Yes four. Nameless told me there wouldn't be any available in Canada for a long time and so I ran out and bought two more. Meanwhile a friend was off to Italy and was willing to bring me back 'a treat'. I asked for Carpano Antica. I waited anxiously for his return and lo and behold what does he bring back but... a bottle of Punt e Mes, the store owner told him it was the same thing. It's not been a good year but might improve when I sell my friend the securities I bought from Bernie Madoff.

Back to spirits and making cocktails. Did anyone see the Clock Bar's Manhattan? Interesting use of bitters or at least I've never used cherry bitters in my Manhattan but of course it makes sense. Now that I write that down I'm thinking it's a duh moment for me = how could I not .

Getting ready to make the final selection for the Victoria Film Festival so I've been watching too many videos in a very short time. Chris Smith's doc Collapse is on view tonight. Chris made American Movie one of the key films that lead the way for docs getting theatre screen time. But enough movie talk.

Christmas is seeping from retail stores everywhere and it makes a girl long for tourtière. Not for Christmas but tourtière! So out came the flour and rolling pin and away I went measuring, mixing, rolling. Out came the pork and the beef, the cloves, the cinnamon, bread crumbs. Oven on, crust crimped and fanciful slits cut into the pastry. Oh the scents that hit my nose. I rummage in the fridge for chow chow, a traditional relish but alas - none. I knew I should have bought the one from Camilles Restaurant that I found at the Out of Hand craft show on the weekend. I'm saved by a jar of peach chutney that a kind friend bestowed, though it leaves me sheepish for forgetting whose generosity I'm relying on.

Flour dusted off it seems a hard working girl needs a little fortifying beverage, hmmm tea? No? Hmmm perhaps somethng a bit more spirited? A small Latin Trifecta, a Jamie Boudreau invention of tequila, cynar, dry sherry and orange bitters. This will indeed see me through till the pie is ready.

Good night sweet sips.

!

It was a dark and stormy night.
Well actually the dark and stormy has been plaguing the oft gorgeous Victoria BC for the last two weeks. What's happened to our dry temperate climate? - oh yes it's November!! The month to endure rather than enjoy.
Last night to assuage the lowlies it was off to Clive's Classic Lounge where Shawn Soole dazzled with a new selection of American Whiskys. Along the way he made me a signature cocktail now titled K2. He's going to be tweaking it but we've got a base of Maker's Mark, DOM Benedictine (from the 1970s before all liqueurs went wrong) and Bitter Truth Xocolatl Bitters. Shawn's got a stash of the bitters so chat him up next time you're in and sweet talk him out of some.

So now it's Monday night and a girl just can't stay home when the dark and stormy is raging so off it was with the handsome hubby to a fundraiser for Eldercare, Savouries, Sweets & Sips was a taste of this and a sip of that all laid out by local chefs. There were hits and oh my there were misses. One tidbit was pheasant on a lovely jerusalem artichoke chip unfortunately topped with the most amateurish sauce I've tasted in a long time. On the other side of the room there was a complex tiny delight by Bear Mountain that used classic tastes married with molecular cuisine techniques. The carrot ribbon didn't complement the flavours but the visual reference was appreciated.

Theirs wasn't the only nod to molecular that night as Vista 18 also used sodium alginate to make an outsized pearl of flavour - theirs with sweet plum while Bear Mountain went for a cherry pop. I think Victorians are going to be seeing a lot more of the molecular new wave in it's future as we catch up with this trend.

On to the spirits which came in the vino form. Drostdy-Hof, Two Oceans and Flat Roof Manor were all present thanks to PMA rep Kathleen Shandley who did a lot of work to pull the event together. The wines are all reasonably priced which is good during these economic times. To finish the night it's Amarula which in my book rules and Kathleen mentioned the amarula tree is reportably considered an aphrodisiac. So now that I've downed mine I am eyeing up the hubby. Aren't men suddenly wonderful?!? Goodnight sweet sips.