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Hamlet & Ghost

hamlet & ghost | saratoga springs, ny

Hamlet & Ghost

the spice house | anejo tequila, ancho reyes, cacao nib, orange bitters

If you follow me on Instagram, it should be no surprise I’m absolutely head over heels with Hamlet & Ghost. It is a go to anytime I’m in Saratoga, or even just a quick stop on my way to Common Roots and back. They are serving up some of the best cocktails in the Capital Region, and their food is just as on point as well. As both their food and drink menus have been evolving quickly, some of the items pictured here may have changed, but here are some of my favorite dishes and cocktails I’ve enjoyed there on my many visits since they’ve opened up.

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pig’s head at peck’s arcade | troy, ny

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted, but I wanted to share this spectacular dinner I was treated to over at Peck’s Arcade last week.

While drinking some shandy’s and eating tacos over at the Suarez Family Brewing event at Superior Merchandise Co. last Sunday, we got talking to Chef Nick Ruscitto about the pig’s head we’ve seen at Peck’s in the past and when he might have another one available. It’s not something that’s on the menu, but they’ll occasionally have one that they’ll split in half and serve family style to two parties of 4-6 people. We were in luck, and they had one available that we ended up reserving for later on that week.

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exploring hudson (and beyond)

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Seems like more and more lately I find myself heading towards Hudson and the surrounding areas. Too often I hop on the Thruway and head straight to New York City. I’ve done that for years now, missing out on all of this goodness that has been less than an hour drive from me.

Gaskins in Germantown and Suarez Family Brewing in Livingston are a big draw for me, but I really hadn’t done much in Hudson itself until a few months ago. So far, everything I’ve stumbled upon or that’s been recommended by friends has been pretty great. Let’s take a look.

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Peck's Arcade

Peck’s Arcade Italian-Grandma Dinner

Before the new year the crew at Peck’s Arcade held another popup, this time a dinner in the style of your “Italian Grandma” rather than the noodle shop popups they have done in the past. The event was held a few times over the holidays and all of the classics were there, such as lasagna, homemade pasta, parm dishes and meatballs. Tables were decked out in iconic red and white checked tablecloths and a few Italian inspired cocktails were offered along with Italian and Italian-American wine. Italian-American cuisine is not something I go out for too often since I have a pretty good grasp of it at home, but it’s always nice to sit back, relax and let Chef Nick and his team do the cooking while sitting at the Chef’s Counter for a little entertainment for the evening. Let’s take a look:
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B. United / OEC Brewing | Oxford, CT

B. United / OEC Brewing
“Wow.” That’s all I can say about my visit to B. United and OEC brewing this past weekend. Going from one industrial park brewery after another after another, most breweries start to look the same, even with the nicest transformation of their tasting room. B. United and OEC’s space is something truly different, and they’re going way, WAY above and beyond to bring some really unique beers and methods of brewing and fermentation to the Northeast.

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Peck's Arcade

Birthday Dinner at Peck’s Arcade

Just wanted to give a quick shoutout to my homies at Peck’s Arcade for putting together this impromptu tasting for my birthday last week. I showed up unannounced to sneak in a quick solo bite before meeting up for the debauchery that would ensue later at Rare Form, The Shop, and The Ruck. Chef Nick and his kitchen staff killed it as always. (Sadly I only had my phone with me so these pics will have to do.) Thank you, everyone!

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Other Half Brewing Company | Brooklyn, NY

Other Half Brewing Company
Well, I’ve been neglecting the blog a bit lately but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been out there checking new things out. I may switch up the format of the homepage here to focus less on new posts and more on recommendations of my favorite regional spots, but that will take a little bit. In the meantime I’m going to play catch up on some visits with some short posts, some new, some you may have seen on Facebook.

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Hudson Whiskey & Rye Beer at Henry Street Taproom | Saratoga Springs, NY

Tuesday may have kicked off Saratoga Beer Week but at that night’s Hudson Whiskey & Rye Beer event, the whiskey stole the show. Ryan and Sonja McFadden of Henry Street hosted us while Ralph Erenzo from Tuthilltown Spirits led us through a series of Hudson Whiskey spirits and Jared Kingsley from Remarkable Liquids shared a handful of beers from their portfolio all of which tied rye into the recipe.

Hudson Whiskey is an interesting brand. It started life on farm land in Gardiner, NY owned by Ralph Erenzo, and he has no qualms about telling stories of trials and tribulations of getting production off the ground. Difficulties were met while dealing with uncooperative neighbors who were against the idea of having a distillery nearby, and production issues arose when the honey-melting tank they used to mash their grain lacked a drain, attributing to their unique process of leaving the grains in during fermentation. This gives the final product its signature grainy flavor, a process they still use today.

While still produced by Tuthilltown, the Hudson Whiskey brand is now owned Scotch whisky giant William Grant & Sons, who also own recognizable brands such as Glenfiddich, Balvenie, and The Mcallan. The 375ml wax dipped bottles generate some controversy in the whiskey world as the pricepoint fetches near $80 for its 750ml equivelant, but I assure you, it’s worth the price of admission for a special occassion. Let’s take a look at the whiskies and beer we tried that night.

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Soft Opening at The Shop | Troy, NY

The Shop Troy

I had the opportunity to stop into The Shop during their soft opening this week with JVS and Kevin from Rare Form. The owner, Kevin Blodgett, sat down with us for a beer and while we shared some plates and even Nick from The Confectionary hung out for a few rounds as well. This was one of those unexpected, innocent Monday nights that snowballed into a ridiculously good time. Let’s take a quick look at the pics.

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