The Hamburger. Hot Dog. Sandwich. The list could go on forever. Our diets are based around this most basic concept of the farmer’s lunch: baked grains with cooked meat, topped with garden vegetables. Simple food made with the best local ingredients.  In one way, shape, or form almost almost all our meals can relate to this idea. Our fast food businesses have bastardized it, food carts have simplified it. Even Michelin star restaurants elaborate on it. It almost always tastes delicious and is very rarely expensive to make.
When summer rolls around usually …

Here in the Pacific Northwest, summer has been late in its arrival.  A wet April transitioned into a worse May, and before I knew it June arrived with my patio yet to be christened with the first cigar of the summer.  You see, though northwest winters are mild, they are wet, causing fellow aficionados to bundle up under covered patios or wait for the occasional warm and dry day. As a result, that first stretch of hot, dry weather is to be cherished.  A Connecticut on the patio with a …

This is the final installment of reviews on Villiger cigars from Villiger Stokkebye International.  For a quick recap on VSI, the company was founded by two families, Villiger and Stokkebye, in 1888 and 1882 respectively.  The families came together to create VSI, and have been offering quality tobacco products in the US for over 30 years.  The 1888 Fuerte is an extension of the 1888 line, and was just recently released in 2011.  It was meant to be a stronger alternative to the original 1888 line for those who wanted …

I recently had the opportunity to watch James Suckling’s “Cigars: The Heart and Soul of Cuba,” a new documentary about the cigar industry in Cuba.  The film starts in Havana, with Suckling enjoying a cigar on a patio overlooking the city, contemplating the value of Cuban cigars.  From there, Suckling travels throughout Cuba, visiting farms in the famous Pinar del Rio province of Cuba and making a special stop at the Robaina farm.  Throughout, he covers not only the Cuban lifestyle, but also the detailed process in which cigars are …

“I don’t drink much whisky, but when I do, I drink A’bunadh.” Sure, this is a bad paraphrase of an Aberlour review read in the spirits section of the local book store. But Jonathan Goldsmith riding a bull in Spain is exactly the sort of passionate image evoked by a dram of this marvelous spirit. Or maybe a better connection can be made to Dmitri Karamazov. There really is nothing else quite like it in the world of scotch whisky; nothing that combines the sensual, exotic deluge of sherry on the senses …

Have you ever walked out of your favourite clothing store, disappointed about the current selection of patterns and fabrics,wondering where you will find that perfect tie you’re looking for? Maybe the thought of ploughing through the salesmen and mediocre selection of several other stores looms heavily in front of you. Going back to an old standby in the closet may start to seem like a more valuable way to spend your afternoon. There is another option at home though. You can browse the immense selection of ties online from a reputable vendor.
I …