For The Boy : I'm new to wine, how do I start?

It's inevitable, your at the point where you feel like she might be the one.  Both of you are young and excited to venture into this wonderful God instituted thing called marriage.  You know you need to take Her to an elegant restaurant, and yes more than likely you will be asked to see the wine list.  This is no place for beer gents. (I've had to learn that the hard way).  What will you do? Do you know wine? Does she? This is an area that needs polishing gents, observe.

The only way to really begin to appreciate and learn wine is to drink it.  Find a good patient wine dealer who can make recommendations and who doesn't make you feel like a wank for already not knowing this key piece of info. It also helps to have some good buddies who know good wine like I do.  Don't get too alarmed about money just yet, there are good bottles of wine for under $20.00.  Your trusted dealer should be able to point you in the right direction.  Store your wine in a good, dark place with a moderate constant temperature like the bottom of your closet. (multiple bottles)

Generally its said that those who appreciate wine more begin with the whites and move to the reds.  Being a craft beer connoisseur  I had already adjusted my palate and was able to jump right into the reds.  I have crossed paths with those who are seasoned and do appreciate a good white wine as well, so there certainly are exceptions to the rule.  Here are some basics to get you started.

Here is a great link which outlines some of the major types and gives a breakdown of each.
Cheers!

http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/education/major-types-of-red-and-white-wine/c27438.aspx

KYT - Know Your Terms : Cramerton Army Cloth

Know Your Terms: Cramerton Army Cloth

by Jonathan Evans

MacArthur in Cramerton.

Remember those chinos you should have in your wardrobe by now? Well it turns out they may well have been relegated to the sidelines of sartorial history if it weren’t for Stuart Cramer, early 20^th Century textile baron and owner of Cramerton Mills of North Carolina. In 1929, spurred partly by his son’s ongoing service in the military, Cramer took on a contract to produce 40,000 yards of 8.2 oz cotton twill for the Quartermaster Depot in Philadelphia. It was the first in a run of Type 1 Army Cloth, a khaki-colored, tough-as-nails answer to the olive drab “doughboy” uniforms of WWI—garments that, aside from fading and degrading over time, proved so unpopular after the war that whole stockpiles had to be junked by the military.
Not so for Cramerton’s Army Cloth: It saw service as the standard basic uniform cloth in WWII and the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and then made the leap to industrial uniforms, surplus shops, and college campuses nationwide (on the legs of returning GIs). And though initially produced exclusively in its hometown, Cramer quickly shared production methods with his textile-manufacturing compatriots, greatly expanding the fabric’s availability. As the popularity of chinos waned in the wake of balloon-like fits and casual Friday misfires, so did that of Cramerton Army Cloth, but since their resurgence you can find a slew of pants—ranging from utilitarian to downright dressed-up—cut from the stuff. Chalk up another one for the military’s continued role in modern menswear.

Information pulled from the gilt manual 

A Tuxedo

I don't personally own a tuxedo YET, however I found this article to be both informative and motivating.
from the gilt manual





Unless you savor the idea of looking like an overgrown relic of your senior prom at every formal event of your adult life, you should own a tux. Think about it: Each time you rent, you’re slapping down a hundred bucks for the privilege of wearing a poorly cut sack on an evening when you should, ostensibly, look your very best. Multiply that by a few friends’ weddings, a couple New Year’s Eve bashes, and a corporate event or two, and you’ve more than paid for a great tuxedo to call your own. One that will actually make you—wait for it—look your very best. So, yes: You should buy. Now you just need to decide on the specifics.

And although the tuxedo does adhere to a relatively rigid formula, there are definitely choices to be made. Mostly, it’s a matter of preference. Peak lapel, notch, or shawl? Peak was featured on the original tux back in 1886, making it the most traditional choice. Shawl is less so, but only marginally—plus it’s got a bit of a rakish, Rat Pack vibe. Notch is generally regarded as less formal, but it’s a thoroughly modern option for those that want one. Put simply: There’s no wrong answer. The same is true for the question of black vs. midnight blue, satin vs. grosgrain lapel facings, jetted pockets vs. flaps, and side vents vs. no vents. And though a one-button closure is the clear classic choice, double-breasted versions abound, and two-button iterations have also crept into the mix. Meaning that whatever you’re into—within reason and excepting baby blue—there’s a perfectly acceptable option to match. Buy the style that matches your own, get it tailored to perfection, and soon you’ll be looking for excuses to wear it. Seeing as it’s not going out of style, well, ever, you’ll have ample opportunity.

For The Boy > Know your cuts of beef

I've got a pretty good idea about what kind of steak I like.  Dad always taught me to order a rib eye, I mean after all it's the most flavorful right?  Where my expertise is limited is in knowing the different areas / kinds of cuts.  The inauguration of our "For the Boy" series will begin with knowing your cuts of beef.  Break out the field notes boys, your gonna want to pay attention to this one.


At first glance, learning to identify beef cuts may seem like a waste of time to some. After all, that's what butchers are for. But most meat is purchased in grocery stores and supermarkets, where the butchers are not always immediately available.

If you will just take a little time to learn about the different beef cuts, you will not only be able to expand as a cook, but will be able to save money while you are cooking better beef dishes.

A large portion of this material can be found here http://www.texasbarbeques.com/identify_beef_cuts.html

To identify beef cuts, probably one of the main things to familiarize yourself with is where the cut is located on the animal itself. Know that the most tender, "better" cuts of beef come from the muscle tissue that is used the least, or has to do little heavy work.
If you can imagine what cattle look like and what they "do" on a regular basis, you can probably get a general idea of which areas and muscles work the most and work the least.
The tenderloin or filet, as well as muscle that produces cuts of steak like the rib-eye and the t-bone or porterhouse, comes from tissue that does not get a great deal of the work load. Generally, they come from the back and rib cage area where those muscles do not get used on a regular basis.
On the other end of the scale, you can easily identify beef cuts that are "cheaper", fatty and/or tougher, just by noticing which muscle areas have to work the hardest.
With beef cattle, meat from the front and back legs and the shoulder area are generally the less desirable and less expensive cuts of beef. The chuck and round roast, and brisket, as well as our previously-mentioned and mysterious "stew meat", fall into this category.
Another good thing to know is the Quality of the beef. Meat Quality Grading is an indication of tenderness, juiciness and flavor. It is determined on the amount of marbling and the age of the animal. The higher the grade, the more tender, juicy and flavorful the cut should be.
There are 8 quality grades for beef, but only 3 are found in grocery stores or butcher shops:
Prime is the top grade in the U.S. meat grading system. Prime has the most marbling and is produced in limited quantities. Prime Beef is most commonly sold in fine restaurants and some meat markets.
Choice has less marbling than Prime but more than Select. It can usually be found found at your local grocery store at a higher price than Select.
Select has the least amount of marbling of the top three grades, making it leaner and probably less tender and juicy than prime or choice grade. Select is the most common quality grade at your local grocery store.
Quality grades are a great way to determine how much you will enjoy a steak. The higher the grade, the better the chance that the steak will taste great.
On the other hand, the quality grade of lower-end cuts of meat like chuck or brisket is not as important. Good cooking methods can are what will make these meats taste best. So don't feel bad about buying the lower quality grades of the lower-end meats
All cuts of beef have their own individual differences and qualities that make them perfect for certain recipes and dishes. Knowing all the ways to identify beef cuts will move you toward more economical and better tasting beef.

Here's a pretty strong chart, check it.

http://www.texasbarbeques.com/support-files/beefcutschart.pdf

The Ludlow

New & Noteworthy

> Four Season world class wool from Loro Piana
> Bespoke inspired details
> Intricate Pickstitching
> Bemberg lining
> Modern Silhouette with narrow lapel
> Two button closure

My 1st suit!  My whole life I've looked at guys gq'd up and always wanted to slick the hair back, have a cigar  and wear a nice suit.  The wait is over!  Got a great deal and utilized JCrew's black Friday 30% off deal.  My point of reference on suit's is limited, but the slim silhouette is a must for a guy with a little extra on the belly.  Material is soft in the hands and the jacket is very, very light.  Great for that formal event, or with a pair of jeans over a pinot and some sushi.

The J. Crew Ludlow Suit (Heather Charcoal)
scoop it here   http://www.jcrew.com/mens_category/suitinganddressshirts/italianwoolsuiting/PRDOVR~28130/28130.jsp