King of the Case: Flying Fish Brewing Company

Wherein I will buy a variety case and decide what the best beer in it is.
Flying Fish Brewing Company

Extra Pale Ale
This is pretty significantly hopped for a pale. Nice vibrant scent and punchy floral taste. Very crisp, extremely refreshing, and perfectly colored. There's a bit of an aftertaste, but not really a bad one. More of a by-product of the extra application of hops.

ESB Amber AleNot a lot of flavor jumping out here. The recipe is based mostly on malt, yet the flavor is a little weak. It isn't horrible, but it is certainly a little too simplistic. Not much to enjoy.

NYC Edition Tale of the Pie: Rubirosa

Window on left is where the nibble left his saucy mark.

So my parents generously invited Saucy, the nibble and me to accompany them on a trip to NYC last weekend. We of course jumped at the chance, as we love New York and hadn't been there since before the nibble was born. The two days were filled with plenty of eating and a bit of boozing, so we'll be sharing more in future posts.
We arrived Saturday right before lunchtime, and after leaving our luggage at our hotel (Hotel Mulberry, a great little spot in the heart of Chinatown), we scurried around the corner for a quick nosh on dumplings at a place that shall remain nameless (only because I have no idea what the name of the place is). You certainly can't beat 5 for $1, especially as you watch the owner rolling them herself. Delish!

Better Late Than Never Reviews: Mylo Xyloto - Coldplay

Sometimes it seems like Coldplay has multiple personalities. There's the band that is willing to constantly experiment with their sound. The one who chose to work with 70s ambient guru Brian Eno in order to find new sonic textures (and to be more like Bono and crew). The one whose guitarist, Jonny Buckland, is one of the more underrated shredders in contemporary rock music.

But then you have the band that is willing to fall into the background while Chris Martin croons for the swooning masses. You have the one with the naked commercial ambition, churning out hits for the lowest common denominator. You have the group that freely apes successful bands (U2, Radiohead) who have come before them in an effort to achieve musical immortality. Unfortunately (or fortunately, if you are an optimist), both of these entities rear their heads on the band's fifth studio album, the oddly titled Mylo Xyloto.

The Freezer Case: Open Nature Uncured Pepperoni Pizza

Wednesdays are a rough day for me. I go to work, put in a hard day's labor, and, when I return to the homefront, I am handed a kid and Spicy sets off to gallivanting about town (actually, it's just a pilates class). Since I am inept in the culinary department, this means that I do not get to eat until at least 8 p.m. Factor in the time for a Saucy Jr. bath if the need happens to fall on one of these days, and by the time I am set to dine on Hump Day, I can eat just about anything.

However, if given the option, I would prefer that I not be asked to eat an "Open Nature" frozen pizza.

Booze...in 50 Words or Less: Captain Morgan Spiced Rum

Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
A bit of a relic from Aruba trip: Dawned on me. Forgot to talk about the Captain! Not a hard liquor fan but bought a bottle of this stuff in the duty-free shop on our way into the town. This + fruit juice + balcony with ocean view = awesome nighttime buzz.

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The Pizza Project
Just a nibble: http://twitter.com/ThePizzaProject
Single slice: http://www.facebook.com/ThePizzaProject
The full pie: http://thepizzaproject.blogspot.com/

Booze...in 50 Words or Less: Coppola Rosso

Coppola Rosso
I will be the first to admit I know nothing about wine. Still, this is my favorite bottle. Why? It's probably because the guy who owns the winery also released such classics as The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, The Conversation, Apocalypse Now, and Jack (OK, forget that last one).

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The Pizza Project
Just a nibble: http://twitter.com/ThePizzaProject
Single slice: http://www.facebook.com/ThePizzaProject
The full pie: http://thepizzaproject.blogspot.com/

Booze...in 50 Words or Less: Tsingtao

Tsingtao
I used to drink this and think that it was tasty. Of course, at that time, I was in the throes of a sizable Yao Ming man crush. Tsingtao isn't good. But drinking it in a Chinese restaurant in the middle of New York City's Chinatown gives you street cred!

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The Pizza Project
Just a nibble: http://twitter.com/ThePizzaProject
Single slice: http://www.facebook.com/ThePizzaProject
The full pie: http://thepizzaproject.blogspot.com/