Holiday drinks are as much a part of the celebratory season as Christmas trees, blinking lights and presents. At my house, Mexican Christmas punch, ponche navideño, is part of my festive repertoire. Ponche (pronounced “pon-chay”) is a hot sweet and sour punch served with or without alcohol during the holiday season in many Mexican and […]
Drinks
Posted inEat + Drink
More Than Imitation
Much inspires us to drink. We lift a glass in celebration or raise one in sympathy. We drink to ease social interactions, to find some liquid courage. We debrief at happy hour, bond at the bar and get giddy at brunch. To meet for a drink is how we do. For those of us whose […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Champurrado
As the weather gets colder, the drinks get warmer. While I do appreciate a good seasonal drink, I’m not talking about pumpkin-spice-anything. It’s time to let atole warm up your heart. For those unfamiliar with atole (pronounced ah-TOH-leh), it’s a corn-based drink made throughout Mexico and Central America. With origins dating back to pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica, […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Secret Spots
What’s better than stumbling upon a hidden gem? Let us help the serendipity along and point you to a couple of our favorite tucked-away bistros. Humboldt Bay Bistro Past the shop-lined streets of Old Town and the looming silhouette of the Carson Mansion, the window-lined Humboldt Bay Bistro is building a devoted following. Some of […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Potent Potions
The heady pleasure of sipping a well-executed artisan cocktail cannot be overstated. Even perusing The Griffin’s drink list chock-full of herbal simple syrups and local craft liquors and essential oils is enough to lift your spirits. Locals will recognize the friendly faces of owners Cordelia Ray and Vanessa Griffin crafting drinks behind the bar. Both […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Family Style
A couple of hours before dinner, Jan Wortman is sitting by a window in the lobby of the Historic Requa Inn, gesturing at the slim road between the hotel and the Klamath River. She recounts how for 50 years she’d drive past the inn on the way to her grandmother Geneva’s house and dream of […]
Posted inNews
Wood Pushes Soda Tax Amid Busy Health Week
Really want that Double Big Gulp? Well, come next year, you’ll have to pay an extra $1.28 for it, if North Coast Assemblyman Jim Wood has anything to say about it. Kicking off what’s proven to be a busy week for Wood and health news, the assemblyman introduced a bill that would impose a 2-cent-per-ounce […]
Posted inNews
Your Next Alibi
Headed down to the Arcata Plaza this weekend for the North Country Fair? Make sure to stop for a Bloody Mary at the new Alibi expansion, which opened Friday afternoon. Owner Justin Ladd says he expects the kitchen to reopen for food within a week. Meanwhile, you can have a drink in the stylish, bright, […]
Posted inEat + Drink
It’s Alive and Growing
The row of jewel-colored shots lined up on the bar in front of me reminds me of sour candies when I first see and smell them. My array of infused beverages includes lavender lemon, turmeric ginger, tangy blueberry and a Mary flavor with hints of hot peppers, garlic, thyme and fenugreek. It’s accompanied by locally […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Valentine Boozing
Valentine’s Day is underrated as a drinking holiday, particularly if you’re single. It’s no New Year’s or St. Patrick’s, but everybody is either toasting or drowning their sorrows. Sometimes both. If you’re going out to celebrate/brood, Arcata’s Plaza Grill has a pretty enough bar for a date (you don’t want to do hipster-dive-slumming on Valentine’s), […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Wintery Booze
The official start of winter is days away, but the brutally low temperatures aren’t waiting for the solstice. That deep chill has set in, and fingers, toes and noses are feeling it. You can bundle up in mittens, coats, scarves or those weird half-face mask things to stave off the cold momentarily, but sometimes you […]
Posted inNews
Bar Food Crawl
Most of us know all too well the power of beer goggles — how a few drinks can make a stranger or an ex seem far dreamier than in the cold light of sobriety. But what about food? Sure, that braised pork might be enhanced by pairing it with a petite sirah, but after the […]