Beverages

Wine Dinner Line-Up: DB, The Setai and Meat Market's Last Stand

db Bistro ModerneChef Verbiak's "pressee" of poultry and foie gras.​There seems to be an abundance of wine pairing dinners happening both on and off the beach, providing a glorious opportunity to do a little high-end boozing. Sure, these prix-fixe gatherings can get a little expensive, but since t ... More >>

Yardbird Wine List Dissection: Made In The USA

​South Beach newcomer Yardbird has us all thinking of fried chicken, bourbon, and biscuits. We gave you a brief preview of the food and a glimpse inside the opening party madness, but what you may not know is that they also cultivated an extremely user-friendly wine list. Offerings are separated i ... More >>

Depression Cakes and Speakeasy Sazeracs

via sanfransiscosongbird.comC'mon, dollface, the booze is on me tonight!​Life is tough. We could be heading into a new-age Depression. Of course, here at Short Order, the first thing we think of is: What will we eat? And better yet: What will we drink?Let's take a step back in time when the best o ... More >>

Tea Cakes, Finger Sandwiches, Antiquity Galore: Cauley Square Tea Room

By BevPictures, FlickrVery Tim Burton-esque.​To many, a trek to Cauley Square in Redland is akin to a journey back in time. It is after all an intact historic village in a modernized world.Originally a pioneer village camp, fueled solely by the railway workers building tracks toward Key West in 19 ... More >>

Meat Market's Sarah Almand Gives Good Wine Advice

Courtesy of Meat Market​When we hear sommelier we think well-suited-gentleman with a stiff upper lip who looks down his nose at you for ordering anything less than a $100 bottle of wine. Sarah Almand, Meat Market's delightfully spirited sommelier, is different.A Florida native, she was a geography ... More >>

Zuma Mixologist Theo Von Ungern-Sternberg Talks About His Favorite Drink

Lesley Elliott​Last week, we introduced you to Zuma's newest London import, award-winning mixologist Theo Von Ungern-Sternberg. When it comes to bartending, there actually is a method behind his modern cocktail madness. He believes most in balance, saying that "the artistic side for me is where it ... More >>

Weekly Wine Tasting at Sonesta Coconut Grove: Killer View Included

All photos by Laine DossBarry Alberts and Maribel Mazariegos toast to one of the longest running wine tastings.​Every Friday evening for almost 20 years, wine educator Barry Alberts has been hosting a weekly wine tasting series, making it one of the longest ongoing wine tastings in the country. Is ... More >>

Richard Paterson's Scotch Drinking Tips: A Master Blender Speaks

Laine DossMaster Blender Richard Paterson has a million dollar nose.​​Third generation master blender Richard Paterson's nose is so important to his job as master Scotch whiskey blender, that the noggin is insured for $1.6 million.Paterson, who works for Whyte & Mackay (the namesake founders ... More >>

Celebrate International IPA Day Tomorrow at Cervezas

Cervezas will serve special infusions of IPA's along with their large beer selection.​This week, we're whipping out our craft brews and celebrating beer snobbery by clearing our calendars on August 4 for International Indian Pale Ale Day -- a tribute to the bitter, hops flavored beer we all preten ... More >>

Capital Grille's Generous Pour Offers Custom Wine Tasting Experience

It's wine time at Capital Grille​The Capital Grille's Generous Pour promotion, which runs through September 4th, offers patrons the opportunity to sample up to nine wines picked by master sommelier, George Miliotes, especially for the event They include the Tarima Hill Monastrell, which is o ... More >>

Classic Jell-O Shots: From Harry Potter to a Tom Collins

Running PressCookbook author Michelle Palm is reinventing our notion of the Jell-O shot with a new cookbook that explores the joy of consuming classic cocktails that wiggle. After friends and family were wowed by Palm's gelatin prowess at a backyard barbecue, she started up a blog, the Jelly Shot Te ... More >>

Faiveley With Fava Beans?

Michael's Genuine Celebrates Summer Wines

Michael's Genuine Food & Drink​Owner and Executive Chef Michael Schwartz and his hard-working sommelier Eric Larkee (who has been with Design District pioneer Michael's Genuine since 2009), are hosting a wine pairing dinner built completely around what they term "summer's most versatile gra ... More >>

Eternity Coffee Roasters Coming Downtown: One Cup at a Time

​Starting June 1, we will be able to scratch off "one-cup-at-a-time coffee shop" from the list of what Miami sorely needs. That's the date Eternity Coffee Roasters opens its doors downtown (just north of the Brickell Bridge, across from the Chase Bank building at 117 SE Second Avenue). Eternity wi ... More >>

Guzzling Coffee Prevents Breast Cancer; Locals List Other Benefits

Camille LambGerman transplant Rima Gerhard clings to her latte.​Guilt-ridden java guzzlers, take heart: a recent study in Sweden showed the risk of certain types of breast cancer was significantly reduced in post-menopausal women whose daily coffee intake was higher than five cups a day. Other stu ... More >>

Egg Cream on South Beach? U-Bet! What It Is and How To Make It

Lee Klein​​Now that egg creams have come to South Beach, you may be wondering: What exactly is it? The short answer is that it's a beverage made from milk, chocolate syrup, and seltzer water. But that's also a deceptive answer: If you try mixing the three any old way, you will get fizzy chocolat ... More >>

Beautiful Girls and Drinks: The Renaissance Festival in Pictures

All photos by Laine Doss Giselle and Lizette - Captain Morgan in the house!​The Miami Rum Renaissance Festival ended its weeklong celebration of the spirit of the Caribbean yesterday. The festival featured seminars, rum contests, parties, entertainment, but the highlight of the event was t ... More >>

Dom Perignon Winemaker Vincent Chaperon Guarded Cork in the Military

Laine Doss Vincent Chaperon, wine maker for Dom Perignon.​Even though Vincent Chaperon is only 34, he has about a dozen years of experience in the world of Champagne. He's also the winemaker for iconic brand Dom Perignon, which is located in the heart of France's Champagne region. The hands ... More >>

Big Brew Miami at Lou's Beer Garden Celebrates Home Brewers

Yo Beer Guys Deliver To Your Door and Serve Sunday at United Way

Photo by DDB​Mike Gonzalez is a self-proclaimed beer geek who's spent most of his spare time -- in his adult life that is -- drinking in everything he can about beer. A business analyst by day, he's a beer peddler at night. His year old business, Yo Beer Guys, is an online beer retailer servicing ... More >>

Bali Hey Hey

Thursday is Vino Italiano Day

​Today, Miami plays host to some of Italy's finest treasures -- wine treasures that is. JW Marriott Marquis serves as the stage for Simply Italian and the Italian Wine Masters Series.. One of the largest wine expositions in South Florida, Simply Italian will feature products from re ... More >>

Caipirinhas for Caucasians

Frenchy Delight

Sparkling Wine on a Budget

A.G. Ferrari Foods​New Year's Eve is T-Minus a few hours away. Whether the party is at your buddy's crib or at a club on the beach, one thing is for sure -- Champagne! Popping bottles is a celebratory ritual practiced all over the world on December 31. But what do you do when you can't ... More >>

California Wine Lover's Cookbook

​Sometimes cookbooks can do more than tell us how to prepare food. For example, a glance at the 1983 publication of California Wine Lover's Cookbook, by Malcolm Hébert and the Wine Institute and Wine Appreciation Guild, shows us just how much things have changed in the food world over the past 27 ... More >>

Miami Needs One-Cup-at-a-Time Coffee Shops

Lee KleinOne. Cup. At. A. Time.There is nothing like returning to Miami from a trip to San Francisco/Napa Valley to get a person really pissed off. Oh, I could rant about how smart people demand smart food and smart service and, in general, a smartly (and politely) run city -- and I WILL rant about ... More >>

Tonight: $5 Craft Beers at Books & Books Café in Coral Gables

​The Café at Books & Books is holding a happy hour tonight featuring its new menu of craft beers. Starting at 4 p.m., Heineken and Amstel Light types will cost $3, while craft beers such as Magic Hat # 9, Holy Mackerel Panic Attack, Lagunitas Pale Ale and Brooklyn Brewery Winter Ale, will sel ... More >>

Thanksgiving Wines Under $25

Photo by Randy Larcombe The wine press at Torbreck Winery.​If you have no desire to spend Thanksgiving gulping beer like a Pilgrim and would prefer to swirl and sip some vino, here are some great suggestions we discovered while out tasting with fellow oenophiles. All of the choices are unde ... More >>

Four Loko Will Live On Without Caffeine

via SeiBei​Following reports that the FDA will effectively ban the sale of alcoholic drinks with caffeine the makers of Four Loko have announced that they are removing all caffeine, taurine, and guarana from their drinks. So people across the country will still be able to buy 23.5 ounces of highly ... More >>

Sip On This: Alcoholic Chocolate Milk

Adult Chocolate Milk​The slogan is "Re-taste your youth. At 40 proof." What adult wouldn't want to bring back childhood memories sipping on chocolate milk while getting a buzz? That's what the creators, Tracy Reinhardt and Nicki Halbur, from Orange County, California thought when they came up with ... More >>

Kombucha Won't Get You Drunk. And It's Back.

​Some beverages have a history in medicine. Coke can trace its origin back to the late 19th century when it was sold as a medical elixir. 7-Up launched in the 1920s, originally contained lithium, and was marketed as a mood stabilizer and hangover cure. Today, both of these household names and are ... More >>

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Sucks or Excels

Starbucks.com​Crystal, a sprightly server at Starbucks in Miami Shores, says the pumpkin spice latte, which is only available a few months a year and went on sale in September, is really popular. Why? "There's no fall here," she says, "so we give people a sense of the season." Bloggers Chuck Strou ... More >>

The W South Beach's Thomas Merolla Talks Cocktails

Paula Niño​Thomas Merolla moved to Miami from Providence, Rhode Island sixteen years ago looking for something new and different. He was only 18 but his first job, bartending at the then newly opened Delano Hotel, marked the beginning of a career creating cocktails for some of the hottest spots i ... More >>

The Floridian Beer Evolution

Beer used to be a sea of ​sameness. It was a choice between regular or light, bottle or draft. Let's be honest, a Corona tastes like a Budweiser tastes like a Coors.But these days, the American beer world is undergoing a revolution. Even Florida is making some pretty killer brews. Fresh Beer ... More >>

Miami's top happy hours

From salty to sporty to sublime.

Chambord Flavored Vodka Debuts At The Mondrian

Lee KleinOrbs in a row.​On August 1, the makers of Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur unveiled its first-ever line extension via the new Chambord Flavored Vodka. Chambord Liqueur blends black raspberries with black currant, Madagascar vanilla, and cognac. Chambord Flavored Vodka features premium Fre ... More >>

Frank Reider is Passionate About South American Wine

John ZurFrank Reider​Frank Reider says, "People shouldn't be intimidated by wine. They should come out and try and learn." His knowledge of the Chilean and Argentinean wines in his book, Wines of Passion: The Best of South America, is remarkable. The writing is reminiscent of a tour guide, whose z ... More >>

Cloned Coffee Cooler Recipes From Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks

Lee KleinThe real Coolatta; we've got the mock.​In 1987, Todd Wilbur of Orange County, California, started his Top Secret Recipes website, on which he dissects well-known name-brand foods and creates original recipes that clone their appeal. The site has been "undergoing construction" for quite so ... More >>

The Capital Grille Offers Tableside Wine Tour

​Phase One of The Capital Grille's summertime Master Wine Tasting Event, which runs through September 5, includes Napa Valley wines such as Bancroft Ranch Merlot from Beringer Vineyards; a Cabernet Sauvignon from Sella & Mosca Marchese di Villamarina; and Pinot Noir along with other varietals ... More >>

Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur Brings Sicily to South Beach

In a Murano glass bottle.​Here at Short Order, we only pimp the booze we love. And after downing a few Solerno-injected cocktails at Prime Italian last night, I'm ready to peddle some of this Sicilian blood orange liqueur. Solerno is culled from the dark purplish Sanguinello oranges, the flesh of ... More >>

Sunbox Eleven Winemaker Dinner at Meat Market

Photos by Jacquelynn D. PowersSmoked, pan-seared scallop with coconut "caviar," griddled corn cake and hazelnut pesto. ​Last night, Meat Market hosted a winemaker dinner with Sunbox Eleven, a local winery. While Sunbox Eleven is based in Miami, the boutique company creates small-batch artisan wine ... More >>

Plato Royale: Battle of White Wine Sangria, Jaguar vs. Por Fin

Photo by Danielle AlvarezWhite wine sangria at Jaguar​Plato Royale usually compares and critiques food. But in this edition, it's all about sangria. The punch-like concoction is traditionally made with Spanish red wine from the Rioja region. But white wine sangria, sangria blanca, is a cool and c ... More >>

"Heineken Inspire" Presents

A Virtual Chilean Wine Tasting -- Without the Virtual

Lee Klein​A virtual tasting of 8 Sauvignon Blancs from Chile (five of which were D.O.'s) took place last Wednesday evening. The promoters of the evening, Wines of Chile, invited me to participate along with 50 other wine enthusiasts, bloggers, writers, etc. We had all received our bottles in advan ... More >>

Mother's Day in Miami: Five Places to Take Mom

commons.wikimedia.org​Mother's Day is fast approaching and unless you're planning on cooking up a storm for mom, we suggest you take her out to enjoy a nice meal. It's on May 9 in case you're drawing a blank. Here are our favorite options so far to celebrate this Mother's Day. And don't forget to ... More >>

Let Them Eat Steak

The Upside of Passover: Coca-Cola With Sugar

The backlash against products with high fructose corn syrup has become more vociferous each year as food crusaders like Michael Pollan decry the artificial sweetener. While Coca-Cola stopped using sugar in place of high fructose corn syrup since the mid-'80s, there is a loophole that many soft drink ... More >>

Wine Know-How for the Rest of Us: A Q&A with Mark Oldman

Photo by Amy Fletcher​When you're not a wine connoisseur it's refreshing to have someone explain wine to you without pretense and with humor, instead of turning their nose up when you struggle to pronounce gewürztraminer. Mark Oldman, the author of Oldman's Guide to Outsmarting Wine, taught a s ... More >>

Bubbles 'N Ice, Bubble Tea and Italian Ice, Coming Soon To North Miami Beach

Jacob KatelHuband and Wife Yoav Anisz and Miriam Lach in their soon to open shop.​Bubbles 'N Ice (3061 NE 163rd Street) in North Miami Beach is opening soon, and that means plenty of premium Bubble Tea, Philly style Italian ice, and more combinations thereof than you can shake a widemouth straw at ... More >>