Missouri vodka discovered in Carthage ‘Delights’

When it comes to liquor, beer and wine, I’m an impulse shopper. I have my favorite daily drinkers, but I’m always looking for something unique for a special occasion … like Tuesdays.

I found myself impulse-shopping last weekend at Annie’s Epicurean Delights, 116 west Third Street in Carthage. Don’t let the fancy name fool you, Annie’s offers a great selection of affordable dip and sauce mixes, gourmet snacks and party foods, chocolates, cheeses and a fine liquor and wine selection. I don’t get over to the Maple Leaf City as often as I would like, so when do, I drop in to catch up on a little gossip, share a few stories, sample a little something and pick up a bottle or two.  I was planning for an Oscar party, so I was quick to start stacking bottles and boxes up on the counter.

Show-Me beer

First up a Schlafly Sampler. The 12-bottle box of St. Louis-brewed beer included four bottles each of American Pale Ale, English Pale and their Kolsch Style Ale. The Kolsch, according the Schlafly Web site, is “a golden-colored, medium-bodied, crisp and refreshing ale. This style, which originated in Cologne (Germany), is well balanced, mild mannered, and a perfect companion for any occasion.” I agree. It was great with pasta and red sauce. It’s low in alcohol by volume (ABV), only 4.8%, and 160 calories per 12–ounce bottle. Schlafly’s Pale Ale is one of the brewer’s flagship products. Its amber color and mild bitterness made it a party favorite. (ABV: 4.4%, 155 calories per serving.)

Rounding out the party pack of Missouri craft beers is the American Pale Ale. Lighter than its English cousin, the APA wowed me. It paired well with the meal, didn’t fill me up as fast as some heavy pales do and has a great, bitter character.  Dry hopping the beer – I’m not really sure what that means — gives the ale its delicious, bitter character. The APA comes in at 5.9 percent ABV and has a bitterness rating of 50. (We’ll talk beer bitterness another time, when I can find someone who knows more about it than me.) The Schlafly Sampler is available round town at the usual suspects for under $17.

Show-Me vodka?

Another eye catcher at Annie’s was a bottle of 360 Double Chocolate Vodka. As I examined the unique wire-swing top bottle, I noticed it’s made from all American grains, distilled four times, filtered five and promoted environmental friendly ideas. The bottle 85 percent recycled glass. The label is 100 percent recycled paper and listed the liquor’s other eco-friendly features. Who knows, maybe they really care. Here’s what really sold me on the $20.29 bottle: The company offers a $10 rebate and it’s distilled in Weston, Mo., by Earth Friendly Distilling. That’s right, Missouri vodka. You have to jump through a few hoops to get the cash back according to the label instructions, but I’m giving it a try. I lost the original receipt in the Oscar-night excitement, but Annie’s set me up with a duplicate. Thanks, Anne. I’m mailing the rebate in today. I’ll let you know when the check arrives.

 Try this: Rim a medium-sized martini glass with chocolate syrup. In a drink shaker full of ice pour four ounces 360 Double Chocolate Vodka and two ounces Frangelica hazelnut liqueur and two ounces of half-and-half. Chill and strain into the glasses. Makes two servings. Change it up? Use white chocolate syrup to rim the martini glass and ad one tablespoon to the 360 Vodka and Frangelico for a different look.

Cheers!

Fundraisers celebrate bar friends, family

 I love working the Booze Beat. It’s because I love bar people.  I’m bar people, and in the circles I run, that’s a badge of honor.  If I’ve learned anything in the last 25 years that I’ve served suds
and shakin’ cocktails, it’s that bar people are a giving, caring and, a little crazy breed of big-hearted folks. I was reminded of this last week when I received a message from Jim Hodson, owner of Jim’s Place Bar and Grill, 325 East Fourth Street in Carthage.
Jim had bad news.
Robert “Pooter” Strickland, a lifelong Carthage resident and Jim’s customer, is facing a serious health challenge and needs a little help. Jim said he – and a host of “Pooter’s” extended family and friends – are hosting a fundraiser to help him through this tough time. A friend in need brings out the best in bar people. I met “Pooter” about ten years ago when I was working morning radio on MIX 95.1 – now MIKE-FM – and bartending part-time at Jim’s Place. Jim has known “Pooter” for almost fifty years and describes the smooth talkin’ man about town, as an entrepreneur.
“He’s kind of a roving flea market,” Jim told me over a beer last weekend.  “He’s sold something to just about everybody in town at some time or another.” Jim, who can’t remember ever doing a
fundraiser like this at his bar before, said he didn’t think twice about supporting this event.
“I’m doing this because “pooter” is a pretty good guy,” Jim said.  “He’s never said a bad thing about anybody and the community needs to support him.”  Jim laughed when he said he can’t think of anybody who doesn’t  like “Pooter.”  “If you’ve met him, you like him. He’s that kind of guy,” Jim stressed. Jim told me he knows Pooter will love the day in the spotlight and enjoy the attention. “He’s just happy that he’ll get to see everybody he knows,” Jim said. “He’s a hell of a guy.”  Jim’s in Carthage isn’t the only area watering hole that takes pride in taking care of their own. Silverado Dance Club, 615 South Tyler in Joplin, last weekend hosted a celebration of life for Ramon “Pickle” Cooper.  I didn’t know “Pickle,” but from the stories I’ve heard, I know would have. “Pickle” was a regular face at Silverado and at its predecessor, Dana’s Bo-Peep. He was a good guy, I’m told. Margaret Schell has tended bar around Joplin for a decade and at  Silverado for five years. She knows why bar people are so big hearted. “People just want to help out someone they like,” she explained. “People just like to help. It makes them feel good and it’s nice to see.”
Margaret gets serious when she talks about her love of bartending and the customers, friends and family she serves. Margaret loves bar people, too. “They are just everyday people who want to drop in and have a beer and catch up on the gossip and relax,” she told me. Margaret said that while working in bars around town she’s seen a lot more good than bad in people. “There are more people in bars willing to help out than most people know. Sometimes it’s somebody they just met,” she said. “It’s like a family . kind of a crazy family . but, a family.”
Cheers!

Want to go?
Jim’s Place Bar & Grill: Robert “Pooter” Strickland benefit  Hank Rotten emcees the live entertainment and silent auction starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday
with The Woodpeckers, The Geritol 5, Motown with Tim Hill and Stacy’s Revenge.
Call 417-358-8549 for information.

Oklahoma City: A lot to offer

When I tell people that one of my favorite weekend vacation destinations is Oklahoma City, they wrinkle their brows and look at me like I’m a little crazy. OK, maybe a lot crazy. I get the same look when I sing the praises of Branson to my much younger, hipper friends. They can’t quite wrap their heads around the idea.
Last weekend I opted for a couple days of vacation therapy and OKC was just what the doctor ordered. It has a great selection of restaurants, affordable lodging, good tap houses and the
Bricktown entertainment district’s nightlife make OKC a prime spot for a weekend getaway.
Pinot pleases
A regular stop when I’m in town is Pei Wei near Penn Square Mall. The fast-casual Asian bistro offers good food at an affordable price. Pei Wei is owned by the same company who operates P.F. Chang’s China Bistro on The Plaza in Kansas City, so you know it’s good. A nice thing about Pei Wei is the price. Entrees run around $8. Chicken lettuce wrap appetizers are around the same price and you can get a bottle beer or a glass of wine. Here’s a hint: Buy the bottle. A bottle of Benvoleio Pinot Grigo set
me back $21. The product information of the bottle played up the apple and pear flavors on the wine. The crisp, sweetness of the vino paired well with the spicy Mongolian Beef and Pepper Chicken I ordered. Pei Wei is a bargain for another reason, too. You order in a deli-style line and don’t have to tip. Two entrees, an appetizer and the bottle of pinot was less than $50.

Not cheap, always good
Another spot to try in Oklahoma City is Deep Fork Grill. It’s not cheap, but it always pleases.
Deep Fork offers a good wine list by the bottle or the glass, a couple of beers on tap and a good selection of high-end liquors. A glass of Lindeman’s Bin No. 50 was $6. A glass of Toad Hollow
Riesling cost $8. A pomegranate martini set me back $10. A pint draft of Sam Adams Noble Pilsner was $7.
A place like Deep Fork isn’t for everyday dining . at least not on what a newspaper guy gets paid. But, for a night out celebrating a special occasion it’s the best. Drinks and dinner for two including smoked prime rib, beef stroganoff, a duck ravioli appetizer, a pair of cordials with coffee and dessert to go with tip came to $180. Like I said, it’s a special occasion kind of place. Up late in OKC? Check out Deep Fork’s late night menu.
OKC casual
If you’re in OKC and feel like a more casual experience, give The Wedge Pizzeria a try. The Wedge serves up wood-fired, thin-crust pizzas topped with a variety of meats, cheeses and fresh herbs. The kitchen is open and the pizza chefs put on a good show.
The adult beverage selection is thin, but I always find something to suit my taste. They offer several import beers and domestic craft beers in 750 ml bottles, which are great to share with a friend.
Here’ a hint: Try the prosciutto wrapped pears for a great starter. I’m told the beat salad is a winner and the Italian Stallion all meat pizza was enough for two. I tried a Monteith’s Pilsner and was impressed. The New Zealand-brewed lager went down smooth and wasn’t bitter, like
Pilsners can be. Just right. Wine by the glass was $8, Peroni $4. Pizza $14. Appetizers cost
around $7. Dinner and drinks for three: $57 plus tip. Add to this list of reasons to take a quick trip to Oklahoma’s capital city the always-changing Bricktown district. Dozens of bars,
nightclubs, restaurants and, for you country fans, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill. You can’t go wrong with an OKC weekend.
Cheers!

The Booze Beat has come full circle … again

I started working the Booze Beat as a blog at joplinglobe.com more than two years ago. For a short while, it found a home as a column in our entertainment shopper, the CliP. Last summer, the blog hit the road as I headed west for a summer editing fellowship in Nevada. From micro-breweries in Albuquerque to beer festivals at Lake Tahoe; from wine tastings in Reno to patio bars in San Francisco, I’ve shared it all. I’ve reported on cocktail culture from the Strip in Las Vegas – and Branson – and from countless dives along the way. Great work if you can get it.
Now, the Booze Beat is back in print – like I said, full circle. Get ready to take a big swig of Joplin-area nightlife and entertainment, and don’t worry, I’ll pass the bottle around and share my experiences.
Magic Hat
A couple of things to note: Get over to Buffalo Wild Wings in Joplin and grab a Magic Hat No. 9 while the supply lasts. The “not quite pale ale” is a pleaser. I’m not a trained beer critic, but I know what I
like, and I like No. 9. Wild Wings is the only Joplin establishment with the Burlington, Vt., brewed craft ale on tap, I’m told. It’s worth the trip. The bartender couldn’t tell me how long the English-style ale will stick around. He said the distributor was sampling it to see if it had any
legs in the market.I say, keep it around. I’ll tackle it again. A pint will set you back $4.
Smokestack Series
I’ve sampled a couple more beers from the Boulevard Smokestack Series. Tank 7 is the ninth in the Smokestack Series of beers crafted at Boulevard’s Kansas City brewery. The copper-colored ale is thick in the mouth with a crazy rich, almost sweet taste. Filling. Not a
beer made for pounding, the Belgian-styled brew is spicy, kinda fruity and – as the label points out – a little grapefruit can be tasted. Harvest Dance Wheat Wine, the latest issue in the series, offers a
great taste. It’s a little hoppy for me, but a great beer to drink with a rich meal. Like Tank 7, it’s a great beer to split with a fellow brew fan. Both Boulevard brews run around $8 for a 750 ml bottle.
Gusano’s Pushing Pear
I wandered into Gusano’s pizza recently searching for somewhere new to dine. I sat down at the bar and saw a big yellow pear topping a tap handle. Hello, Woodchuck Pear Cider. The sweet pear beverage is a favorite and I was thrilled to find it on tap in Joplin. I ordered a spinach dip and pint of cider. That’s good living. The dip is served with Frito Dippers – a cool twist on corn chips – and offsets the sweetness of the cider. Gusano’s offers 15 beers on tap and a full cocktail selection. The
new Sam Adams Noble Pilsner is on tap, too. They have a weekday happy hour from 4 until 7 p.m. The pear cider was $4. The Booze Beat blog has always been just a click away at joplinglobe.com, but it’s exciting to be back in print. There will be a look back at Joplin-area nightclubs in the coming weeks, event previews and product reviews, and an occasional bartender and
bar owner profile. It’s good to be back.

Cheers!