A few months back, a friend came to town from Tennessee. His schedule was jammed as was mine, but I was eager to see him. He works in insurance and I inevitably learn a lot when he explains the various…
His hand felt like an oven mitt — filled with stone. “My god,” I thought as I removed my paw, “those are hands that have worked the vines.” Which is true. Raimund Prüm is a mountain of a man, and…
If Rep. Jesse Topper has his way, Pennsylvania’s legislature will roll back its infamous stealth tax on drinks. Topper, a Republican representing the south-central Bedford, Franklin, and Mercer counties, has introduced H.R. 2263, which would repeal the “flexible pricing” authority…
This past weekend, our glorious nation was awash in green beer. I meanwhile found myself tasting a pink ale. Before you judge — hear me out. I was making my way through the grocery store, cart overflowing with jugs of…
This year, the District of Columbia’s weather is nearly as screwy as its politics. A few days ago I was basking on a dock in the warm sun, yanking one catfish after another from the Anacostia River’s depths. A gentle,…
I grew up in Ohio, just south of the snow belt. My favorite home was a wood frame on a street without sidewalks. Drafts made their way in, and the single pane window near my bed got frost on the…
No to rock-hard fruitcakes. No to hideous neckties that match nothing in one’s wardrobe. No to useless contraptions like the Ronco inside-the-egg scrambler. And no to more electronic gadgets that pester and scatter the mind with pings, bleeps, and jangles….
My increasingly deep collection of spirits has long had a weak spot. No matter how interested I’ve become in everything from artisanal mezcals to Islay Scotches, I’ve nevertheless avoided experimenting with rum. It’s no small oversight given that rum is…
Sour beer, white lightning from South America, smoked rum, and liqueur made from the sap of a tree in Greece — those were featured in my first installment of “Unusual Drinks.” But there is more weirdness to come. Oh so…
Oh, Pennsylvania. You are wonderful in so many ways. Philadelphia has architectural marvels. Pittsburgh has the endlessly victorious Steelers and Penguins. The Allegheny and Poconos offer gorgeous vistas, and parks like Nockamixon are beatific places to hike and fish. And…