The Saucy Elf

Snow Phoenix!

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 20:43:00 +0000

You have to love the name "Snow Phoenix" that Glenfiddich gave to it's special release last year. Very evocative.

The Casks has a good review here.

I just saw it in the liquor store for $95. Maybe someone nice will buy it for me...

100 Whiskies To Try Before You Die

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 00:36:00 +0000

I recently purchase 101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die and am totally loving this book! Slowly reading each entry and figuring out a way to get all that amber goodness before I kick the bucket. Well, since I don't plan on kicking the bucket anytime soon I should be ok.

I like how Buxton decided to include only whiskies that most of us could reasonably afford and obtain. As much as I enjoy reading about the ultra-rare and ultra-expensive whiskies out there, I know they will never likely pass my lips. Instead, this book gives the average reader a set of reasonable goals. If you are in your 40s like me, you can try 20 whiskies a year and be completely ready for the invevitable second edition of the book!

Nicely written, lovely book design. Go get your own copy today.

Last call

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:54:00 +0000

Actually, first call. Have let this blog lie fallow for ages, but now want to dive back in. Perhaps it is because I feel like I need a drink?

My intent with The Saucy Elf has always been to highlight the wonders of food and wine in our culture as well as the conviviality that they bring to life. I love finding new products and recipes to highlight as well as sharing stories of the eating and drinking life. Since there are so many very good sites dedicated to these same topics I will do my best to put a unique spin on what I post. Your ongoing feedback is actively welcome.

I am headed down to San Francisco later this week. Any tips on great new places for cocktails? Certainly Bourbon & Branch is at top of my list for a return visit.

Posterous | Re: Good Morning

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:28:00 +0000

Set up Posterous at http://normanguadagno.posterous.com. Is this the ultimate solution? Am I a social media junkie? Am I flakey?

From: Posterous

Sent: Saturday, June 27, 2009 6:11 AM

To: norman@guadagno.com

Subject: Posterous | Re: Good Morning

Posted via email from Norman's posterous

Wine Recco: Ray's Station

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:34:00 +0000

Had it with dinner the other night. I loved this wine.

Got it at QFC for $12.

Drinking hard

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Wed, 21 May 2008 05:55:00 +0000

It occurred to me recently that with the passing of time I am less and less fond of drinking a lot (in a short period of time). I can recall when I was younger the sensation of being very drunk was pretty nice; it was a sufficiently altered reality that gave me memorable experiences I quickly forgot.

In the past few years the thought of and the act of having that quantity of alcohol makes me feel a little ill. Perhaps it is because I have worked so hard on getting myself very healthy and fit. Perhaps it gets back to my need to maintain control over my senses.

Whatever the reason, I embody moderation. That said, I now feel like overindulging soon.

Does this happen to all of us?

Handy Guide From Esquire

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 16:56:00 +0000

A nice drinks guide from the good folks at Esquire Magazine.

Seattle Times Visits Happy Hour!

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 04:56:00 +0000

Reporter Nicole Tsong at the Seattle Times had this great piece in today's paper.

I have some great new places to try (she called out Mixtura, a nice place I mentioned a few months ago when discussing the "Flight of the Martinis").

thebar.com

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:07:00 +0000

A Diageo site, but kinda fun and lots of recipes.

Check it out.

White Lotus Vodka

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 01:08:00 +0000

I am eager to try the new White Lotus Vodka. It seems to be limited to the San Francisco area right now, so will make sure I try it next time I am down. Check out their site where they have some cocktails recipes along with various other mostly useless webporn.

Required Reading

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 01:01:00 +0000

If you are a beverage geek like me (and I assume you are), then you need to download the BevNet 2007 New Product Guide. It is 16 pages of detail that is of no real use to anyone outside the beverage industry. People just like me! (no alcoholic drinks this this, sorry).

You can also find great reviews on BevNet, like this recent review of the Playboy Energy Drink. Does it get any better than this?

Live Longer!

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:37:00 +0000

Reuters is reporting on the very important research reported in the European Heart Journal.

One to two drinks a day + moderate physical activity = longer life.

ONE TO TWO DRINKS A DAY!

God smiles upon us.

In case of ongoing hangover...

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 15:28:00 +0000

Trust Wikipedia at your own risk.

Wonder who need a weekly email from Hungover,net.

Take HangoverStopper and wonder how to reconcile the fact that it contains "activated carbon" but you are now supposed to be carbon neutral. Are you taking carbon out of the environment by taking these pills?

Don't drink anymore.

You choose.

Suffering Bastard

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 21:59:00 +0000

Last night, we had an opportunity for a free sitter! Pre-movie, we dropped into Trader Vic’s in Bellevue for small nosh and a cocktail for me. I’m a creature of habit when it comes to cocktails, so try to venture a bit when presented with new and exciting options. After reviewing the extensive, tiki-inspired list, I settled on a “Suffering Bastard”.

Suffering Bastard
A forthright blend of rums, lime and liqueurs with an affinity for cucumber….formula from the Sheppard’s Hotel in Cairo

The drink was rather dull and very forgettable. The only thing I remember a mere 19 hours later is I don’t want to order it again. Perhaps the most disappointing was my desire for a flavor of cucumber. Cucumber has a nice, crisp flavor that brightens up many cocktails I’ve tried. (One of our favorite local restaurants does a cucumber martini in the summertime that is to die for) As described, I would have thought this would be within the liquid drink. No, it was a slender, cucumber spear in so much ice it froze.

Next time at Trader Vic's, I'll go for the standard Mai Tai.

Scotch Mist - A Film With Radiohead In It

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 03:30:00 +0000

This is on the TV at the bar right now (or would be if this was a real bar). I love Radiohead and love Scotch Whisky. What more need be said?

Electric Wine Opener

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 21:12:00 +0000

A colleague mentioned this wonderful contribution to human laziness and muscle atrophy.*

Enjoy!

*anyone that might be physically impaired is exempt from my teasing here -- this device might be perfect for you and I applaud Oster for creating it.

The Drinks in Des Moines

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 00:05:00 +0000

The Elf is a (mostly) politics free zone, but here is a story from MSNBC about the drinks being poured by a sharp bartender in Des Moines during the hoopla leading up to the Iowa caucuses.

John J. Mahoney's

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 21:43:00 +0000

JJ Mahoney's, my local pub. Family friendly (kid's menu), work friendly (free Wi-Fi), inexpensive and basic food, and a nice selection of beer on tap.

We always enjoy heading over for lunch. The folks are nice, the atmosphere is bright and pleasant. This is what so many of the "locals" are throughout the UK and that we just don't have enough of in the States.

Visit them and have a Guinness.

Happy New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:25:00 +0000

I anticipate everyone will be opening up their bubbly this evening for a wonderful New Year's celebration. Please enjoy!

When tomorrow comes and you face the reality of 2008, stop back in here for some drinks and food to help you get through the inevitable outcome of indulging too much.

My first recommendation is cranberry juice. Not that watered down "cocktail" stuff, but 100% pure cranberry juice. If your grocery store does not have it try a natural food store such as Whole Foods. It runs about $7 a bottle, so that is a good way to know you are getting the real thing.

Starting on January 2, add 4 oz of juice to 20 oz of cold water. Shake well and then start drinking. Drink this constantly all day for a week. No alcohol. No meat. No unnecessary fat. Avoid processed food.

That is the start of the cleansing process! Getting your liver ready for another year of spirits.

Beer closing in on cocktails?

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 02:37:00 +0000

This article reports that beer is making a big comeback and regaining some of the mind share lost to cocktails in the past few years.

As is usually the case with reports like this the data is inconclusive and everyone has their own interpretation.

I am not a cocktail snob but I am also not a huge beer lover. Each has its place in our daily drinking regime (everyone should map out their own daily drinking plan now).

The more spirits being consumed (responsibly) the better.

I will continue to hold high my cocktail glass.

Although, the wife and I do recommend the Heineken in the 7 oz bottles as an easy way to have your beer without filling up. We call them the mini-heines.

The Macallan 1851 Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:34:00 +0000

I picked up this lovely dram at the duty free in Toronto a couple of months ago, but did not crack it open until earlier this week (a holiday treat!).

This is a duty free exclusive and the focus is as much on the packaging as the content. At C$90 is is a pricey indulgence, but worthwhile for the someone who enjoys the history of Whisky.

The physical bottle recreates the type of bottle used for Macallan during the mid-nineteenth century. It has a slightly rough feel and shows irregular bubbles and marks throughout the strata of the glass. It is sealed with wax and has a cork closure. Overall a really nice bottle to have and hold.

The Whisky inside is a mild and fruity Macallan, nothing spectacular but very drinkable. It does not have much oil or peat flavor, making it an easy dram for the novice as well as the experienced drinker.

You can find Macallan's own tasting notes on their site.

Available in duty free shops or at The Whisky Exchange.

The Bitch is Back

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 02:58:00 +0000

I wrote about Evil Bitch at the beginning of the year. Turns out I was far ahead of the curve on learning about this dynamic duo of red wine goodness (badness?).

In Whole Foods yesterday chatting with the wonderful wine steward and she suggests I try some Bitch. Turns out that it has taken off like a storm and they had almost none left. Someone had ordered a case and not taken it, so a few bottles remained.

I bought three bottles and will return for anything that is left on Dec 26.

For $9.99 this is the wine you need to drink. Fruit and depth and just enough complexity to convince you that you have $20 in your glass. A real steal, if you can find it.

The Elf, Shorn

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 17:42:00 +0000

The holiday season is a time for indulgence, and the Elf decided treat himself to a professional shave at The Art of Shaving.

I was very excited to find out that this great store was coming to my local mall and had my whiskers raised in anticipation of its arrival. Yesterday was the first chance I had to go in and get the Royal treatment.

Men don't get enough opportunities for pampering in today's world. The simple pleasure of a shave at the hands of a trained barber is something mostly forgotten by most of today's generation (I define that as men between 18 and 35, of which I am pleased to say I am no longer a member (if only by a smidgen)). Even if men are going to get a facial it is likely at a spa that caters mostly to women and the aesthetician is probably not going to provide a shave along with the treatment.

The season allowed me to splurge on the Royal Shave® and it was well worth it at $55. I felt like a king, like Capone (recall the brilliant scene in De Palma's The Untouchables where Capone, played by De Niro, is being shaved), and like Sinatra. There was a moment when the new movie Sweeny Todd was brought to mind and I felt helpless under the blade, but that was brief.

It was a marvelous and relaxing 45 minutes and I look forward to my next visit. I had lunch afterwards, but would really have preferred a nice Martini.

The Art of Drinking Well

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 05:11:00 +0000

An interesting column on the beauty and burden of drinking well. Cheers, Mr. Felten!

Drink Green

noreply@blogger.com (Norman) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 03:50:00 +0000

From MSNBC, a little article on organic spirits.

It is great to go green, but taste should always be the deciding factor.

Water is a good green beverage, especially if it comes from the tap! Those plastic water bottles are just wrong 99% of the time (everything does have its place).