Detour Worth Making: Florida’s No Name Pub

by Willy Volk on

Last summer, my wife and I treated ourselves to a long weekend and hit the Underwater Music Festival off Big Pine Key, Florida. While the Festival, itself, was pretty cool, the highlight of the trip was dinner at the No Name Pub. Claiming to serve the “greatest pizza in the known universe,” I was a bit skeptical, since it was so far out of the way. Nevertheless, we bellied up to the bar, and we ordered two draught beers and one Key Shrimp Pizza. The verdict? I haven’t been to the entire known universe, but I can pretty safely say that it was the greatest pizza in Florida.

Located at the end of North Watson Boulevard, 1.5 miles north of US1, and just before you cross the bridge to No Name Key, this off-the-beaten-path hideaway is the oldest bar on the island. Built in 1936, the brothel that existed during the early days was exchanged for a killer pizza recipe. Visitors to the Pub are encouraged to decorate a dollar to hang on the walls or ceiling; there are tens of thousands of doodled-on bills covering them today. Dimly-lit, built entirely of wood, and featuring a sturdy bar to sidle up to, No Name is the pub pirates would call their own – except they’d demand, “Arrr, Matey…can we get some music in here?”

In short, no road trip to the Lower Keys is complete without a side trip to the No Name. You just gotta go.

[Photo: WavArt]

Pancake Week (Maslenitsa) is Party Time in Moscow

by Jamie Rhein on

Pancake Week is almost here. From February 15 to 18, Maslenitsa, the Russian equivalent of Mardi Gras, will turn Moscow’s streets into a carnival of singing, dancing and entertainment. This party attitude in February started back in pagan times and became part of Eastern Orthodoxy when Christianity took over celebrations with a nature worshiping angle. Now, it marks the pre-stages of Lent.

With Russia’s political history (I would guess) Maslenitsa hit a dry spell for about 85 years and passed by without much brouhaha. Not anymore. Since 2002, it’s back in force and some. Central, of course, are pancakes. The Russian version is blini which are served up with either caviar, mushrooms, jam and plenty of butter. Like with any pagan turned Christian holiday there is symbolism behind the food. Pancakes represent the sun and warmth as winter is coming to an end. Each day of the traditional holiday also has a particular meaning. I came across RusCuisine.com that gives a detailed overview of each day and provides recipes so you can whip up some blini yourself.

Besides eating blini and giving blini to friends and family, fist fighting is also a Maslenitsa activity. This is not a fist fight fest where everyone whams on each other, but some sort of organized happening, meaning if you head to Moscow at this time, I don’t think you’ll have to duck.

Dancing bears, sleigh rides, fireworks and more are also part of the week’s events. For more info, since I’ve really just touched on a few highlights, click here for a more indepth overview of the festival’s history and traditions.

New York’s Best Hot Chocolate

by Neil Woodburn on

Few things in life area as decadent and pleasurable as wandering the cold winter streets of New York City and then sitting down to a nice cup of hot chocolate at a local café.

I lost my appetite for hot chocolate a number of years ago after consuming way too much Swiss Miss on camping trips as a kid. It wasn’t until a few years after college that I learned that hot chocolate should never be consumed from a powdery mix; it should have real chocolate and real milk. And, when done properly, it should be a soothing chocolate elixir that melts away the cold and wraps you in a blanket of goodness.

Thankfully, Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite, writing for New York Magazine, have wandered the Big Apple on their own and ferreted out the very best cups of hot chocolate the city has to offer.

The City Bakery at 3 West 18th St. (near Fifth Ave) tops off their list with a hot chocolate that offers an “assertive bouquet, signature tang, and soft, aerated mouthfeel.” I’m not entirely sure what “mouthfeel” is, but I’m sold.

The article includes eight other hot chocolate masterpieces throughout the city and mouthwatering photographs that accompany each descrption.

Too bad it’s 80 degrees here in Los Angeles; otherwise I would be jonesing for a mug right now.

Tequila Tours in Mexico

by Neil Woodburn on

If there was ever a drink created by the devil and left here on our planet to punish our mortal souls, it would have to be tequila. The mere mention of this harsh alcohol is usually enough to send a hung-over college student running for the toilet.

The thought of actually visiting the spawning grounds of where this devil juice is concocted would be like visiting hell itself. Josh Krist, writing for Lonely Planet, has done just that–only his experience was one of heavenly indulgence.

Krist heads down to the Mexican state of Jalisco–the Napa Valley of tequila–to taste the very finest brands–brands that don’t burn, brands that don’t evoke a gag reflex, and brands that are virtually unknown to college students.

Every drink has its fine connoisseurs and tequila is no exception. Krist–who is one such aficionado–introduces us to the finer qualities of the drink and tells us about the distilleries one can visit in Mexico to appreciate the subtle nuances which I had no idea tequila possessed. And here’s something novel; fine tequila is apparently meant to be sipped, not shot. Go figure!

Valentine’s Idea: Chocolate Tours

by Willy Volk on

What better way to celebrate this sweet occasion than by stuffing your face with the sweetest sweet on earth — chocolate!

  • Every Saturday, Boston’s Chocolate Tour takes guests on a trolley ride through Boston’s finest culinary landmarks. Of course, guests enjoy a sumptuous array of decadent chocolate desserts from the city’s best chefs, and are treated to the history, myths, trivia, and legends surrounding chocolate.
  • Chocoholic Tours has a variety of options for sampling Melbourne, Australia’s rich history and stunning chocolate. Bonus: since the tours are walking tours, you can burn off calories as you consume them!
  • Join culinary guide/pastry chef David Lebovitz, author of The Great Book of Chocolate, for a chocolate-y exploration in Paris. An expert on the chocolate shops and bakeries of the City of Lights, David treats guests to a memorable tour featuring the best of what France has to offer. Private tours are also available.
  • Chicago Chocolate Tours provides guided walking and tasting tours of some of Chicago’s finest chocolatiers. What’s more, they even have a special Valentine’s Package.
  • London’s Chocolate Ecstasy Tours offers 4-hour long tours (guided by a Chocolate Ecstasy Chocoholic Guide), through London’s side streets and alleys. Participants sample chocolates, enjoy chocoholic chats, take a lavish hot chocolate break, enjoy special prices on the ultimate chocolate luxuries, and receive a goody bag!
  • One day isn’t enough for your chocolate-loving mouth? InTrend offers 7-day Escorted Tours for real chocolate lovers! Spend a week in Brussels participating in chocolate-making demonstrations at chocolate factories, and sample chocolate desserts after sumptuous meals.
  • Looking for a more affordable option? San Fransisco’s Sharffen Berger requires a reservation but offers free walking tours through its factory.

Chocolate tours sound like my kind of holiday celebration. Yum!