Molecular Cocktology and the NRA Show

So I went to the NRA show in Chicago (to learn how to shoot guns and the plight of Charlton Heston). Oh, wait, that's next month. I was actually at the National Restaurant Association trade show in Chicago which had some really cool stuff. I saw Paul Pacult speak to the merits of the modern cocktail culture and show us how he approaches new bars. Interesting stuff.

The spirits section having been open only for two years was pretty disappointing with the exception of having Mata Hari absinthe which I had not yet had and found to be most delightful. At the actual show, there was not much that was notable to me with the exception of the PolyScience booth. Those guys do some really really wacky stuff with Molecular Gastronomy and I was so excited that I bought a product of theirs called The Smoking Gun (www.cuisinetechnology.com), which I can't wait to get. Basically it's a very simple tool that allows you to infuse smoke into virtually anything. I would have gotten the Sous Vide Whirlpool thingamajig but it was $1875...prohibitous on a humble bartender's salary. Some Day.

I pretty much fell in love with Chicago. The architecture is absolutely stunning, the people are very friendly, and they have a an advanced culinary culture and a budding cocktail scene. Josh from Sepia was particularly excellent. From what I gather, however, Chicago has only 6 usable months of the year, and the rest are miserably cold from the gusts off the Michigan River.

In any case GO THERE and check out Sepia, and The Violet Hour. Those places were bonkers. So bonkers that we thought it would be a good idea to spend $90 on cheese burgers and Heineken for room service when we got back. We took one bite of the burger, and drank half of one Heineken.