Bulletin Board 22

A grail spirits boutique, a great wild fish resource, and bringing new life to your vintage sunglasses

A MAN AND HIS KITCHEN

I recently received a shipment via FedEx from Alaska—three boxes to be exact—of frozen wild Alaskan line-caught fish. It came from Alaska Gold Seafood, a fishermen’s coop that has been around, and family-owned, since 1944—shipping fish all over the world from their base in Sitka. Inside were filets of halibut, the most delicious variety of salmon called Ivory King Salmon—with an almost pearly white fat marbled flesh (a fisherman’s favorite, they have a recessive gene that doesn’t absorb the pink/red from the carotenoids in the shrimp/crab/krill that they eat) , and black cod (also known as sable) the key ingredient in one of my favorite Japanese preparations—miso cod, and that graces some of my favorite breakfast bagels. I quickly set out to prepare and taste test these fish over the weekend. First, the salmon got a pan sear that crisped up the skin and kept the interior medium rare—delicious, rich and decadent (some call this the wagyu of salmon). I also made a quick gravlax—the results delicate, fatty and sweet. The black cod was marinated overnight in white miso (with the addition of sake and mirin)  broiled to perfection, and served with pickled red radish—heaven, and very easy! Finally, I turned to one of my culinary heroes, Eric Ripert’s latest book Seafood Simple for inspiration, and followed his recipe for halibut roasted in a mushroom stock and topped with fresh thyme. Wow—it was perfect for a cold upstate NY evening paired with a hearty red wine. I have to say, I was spoiled with such a big delivery, so most of the fish made its way into the freezer for another day, but I can’t recommend enough this amazing sustainable source for wild Alaskan fish shipped to your door! Also, if you have a copy of my cookbook, the salmon and the halibut work really well with my roasted fish recipe.

Not sponsored by these guys, but they gave me a discount code Wmproject+alaskagold for $50 off your first order—you will not be disappointed!

HAPPY HOUR

I first met Stefano Pileggi at a Macallan event years ago. We hit it off immediately—we shared a love for Italy (he’s Italian, originally from Calabria), Cuban tobacco, and vintage spirits. Recently he reached out to me about his new project, Collezione—a high end, boutique if you will, spirit shop, that would profile his expertise in vintage whiskies as well as wine, champagne, and as you know, my favorites—bitters and vermouths. 

Last week, on an incredibly rainy day in New York City, I paid him a visit. I was impressed—and actually, blown away. First by the sheer vastness of inventory of vintage spirits, and how elegant the space was. The front of house is stocked with bitters, Salon Champagne, and vermouths, then a sliding door leads into an inner sanctum, filled with even rarer spirits—the Macallan whiskies a standout. 

He save the best for last—another door leading into a small room, filled with the rarest of the rare, like the oldest whisky in the world, a 81 year old Macallan from 1940. We sat down to chat and catch up, and he poured me a remarkable glass of Scottish whiskey, a 1984 Caol Ila single cast 37 year old from Gordon & Macphail, and offered up a taste of 70 year old Grand Marnier, which is certainly not my typical tipple, but this one, in a Baccarat bottle, was like no other GM I’ve ever tasted. It reminded me more of a sipping spirit like cognac than an ingredient that I normally add to my margaritas.

The conversation quickly led to vintage Campari, and I tried as desperately as I could to out-story him on my own vintage Campari hunt. He pulled out his best move—which was a photograph of two pristine cases of Campari from 1947. Checkmate. 

You can find his stuff online here, but if you’re in New York, I highly recommend a visit to this vintage spirit Mecca. 

I GOTTA GUY

If you follow this account you know how much I love vintage Ray Bans and Persols. I like to buy a lot of them in flea markets, from Binghamton to Rome. Though I try to buy the best quality possible at the cheapest price, many times they need some TLC, or a lens change—if they’re really scratched or beat up. I usually bring them all back to Brooklyn to my favorite eyeglass shop, Eyes on the Slope, where the owner Eddie will tighten screws, make adjustments, replace a side temple, and more importantly, custom color and cut lenses. Considering that I’m getting these at such great deals, it’s worth the investment to have Eddie bring them up to speed. If you change the lenses to your favorite tone, you essentially come out with a pair of custom glasses. If you can’t make it to Brooklyn, ask your local eyeglass shop if they can do this.