Tuthilltown Spirits brings fourth Basement Bitters...

The trip Lynn and I took to upstate's Tuthilltown Spirits was an embarrassment of riches.  We predictably found great spirits but the real surprise was the discovery of the distillery's brilliant bitters called Basement Bitters (so called because the bitters are created in the basement of the distillery).  The bitters have a distinctive and smoky flavor likely the result of aging in rye whiskey barrels.   One of the best and most innovative of the artisinal trends of late has been the rise of thoughtfully made and curated bitters and with Basement Bitters Tuthilltown has raised the bar on the neglected art of making bitters.

Tuthilltown Spirits in Gardiner warms mark and lynn up on a cold spring day....

Me on the left

After wanting to visit for many years Lynn and I finally got to to visit the first distillery to open in NY in over 80 years namely Tuthilltown Spirits upstate in Gardiner, New York.   We had tried some of the initial offerings on Long Island like the Baby Bourbon Whiskey and were suitably impressed with the flavor which was smooth but with a subtle, pleasant burn that many of the commercial whiskeys unfortunately lack.

We liked Luz

On that cold day, we found the tasting room was appropriately rakish and resembled a backwoods speakeasy with its exposed wood floors and Colonial ambience.  A very charming young woman named Luz, walked us through our tasting explaining some of the techniques that the distillery employees to distinguish their spirits from run of the mill offerings.

We were not surprised to find the whiskeys outstanding (particularly the Hudson Manhattan Rye Whiskey which we got and later found perfect for drinking straight-not something we always like to do with a rye).  We were surprised to find that the Distillery had recently produced its first gin called Half Moon Orchard which employees wheat and apples as part of the process of creating this particular concoction.  The result of this is a fragrant gin with (among other things) traces of  nutmeg, bergamont and (of course) apples.  Interesting to drink straight but smashing in cockail when it richocets around with other mixers (we got one of the gin as well).

Grandson Jackson Perkins channels Bruce Wayne at the Children's Museum of the East End in Bridgehampton

Our grandchildren loved the Children's Museum of the East End when they visited us earlier in the year so when they had their weeklong spring break last week they were excited to return to their old stopping ground.  Jackson particularly seemed physically confident coasting through the physical challenges of the space with considerable ease.....

It's not food, it is Pez....

 We visited the Pez visitor center in Orange, CT.  It looked something like this...

Barrington Coffee in Boston is a civilized outpost for urbane coffee aficionados...

I had just worked out at Peter Welch's gym and my arms and legs felt torched. and my head foggy but somehow clear.  I didn't know what I wanted but I thought a strong coffee might help center me.  I had passed Barrington Coffee on the way to Peter Welch's a couple of times but didn't have the time to check it out.  This Sunday I had the time and again, felt like I could use a jump so I stretched a point and ducked into Barrington's storefront and ordered an Au Lait with Half and Half.  Maybe it was my being punchy but the concoction had a nice combination of bite and sweetness which helped rouse me from my early morning agony.  Lynn and I had gotten coffee around Boston a couple of times with mostly favorable results but few of the places had the civilized ambiance of Barrington's storefront and after my UFC  forged instructor Tom Egan had introduced me to the basics of MMA I suppose something sleek and comforting was a nice switch...

346 Congress Street
Fort Point, Boston, MA 02210

Tony's Sushi in Moriches sexes up its image...

Not sure when this happened but on the way to Riverhead the other day we got take out at Tony's Sushi in Moriches and we noticed that they had sexed up their image with some major renovations and serious interior decorating.  In this way, it resembles the "other" Tony's; Tony's Asian Fusion in East Quogue which has nightclub elements to it's energy and decor.   The food remained great but Lynn and I have more incentive to stay there and soak in the atmosphere rather than eat our takeout at one of the nearby beaches...

Best Market in Patchogue makes grocery shopping glamorous again in Brookhaven...

Since  Bellport's late, lamented Wallen's closed in early 2011 Lynn and I have not had much fun shopping for everyday groceries in our Brookhaven neck of the woods.  There is still an IGA in Bellport that does the job in certain respects but ends up being a little depressing with its droopy produce, chemical smell and apathetic cashiers.  What relief to have discovered Best Market in Patchogue!  Great and strange; no magazines or newspapers at the checkout; a creative  beer section; amazing fresh and cheap produce; a great seafood section (rare for grocery stores in our part of Brookhaven); good prices on staples like Boar's Head products; a good meat department; good chocolate...well you get the idea.

Grocery shopping is underrated as a pleasurable activity and Lynn and I really take some pleasure in this activity that many people see as pedestrian.   The concrete floors and retro marketing made us feel like we were shopping with the ghost of Barbara Stanwyck (or maybe Betty Draper).