Give something up for New
Years? Not these familiar faces! With the New Year upon us we wanted to see
what a few of our favorite personalities are resolving to eat and drink more of this year. Here’s what they had to say:
“I’m planning to drink a
lot more sumac next year. We’ve been playing with the fruit quite a bit, and
when carbonated it’s nice and acidic. Over in R&D our guys have the “Aperol
Test” where they basically mix all of our sodas with Aperol to see how it
tastes. Sumac soda passed with flying colors—it’s delicious.”
Dave Arnold,
centrifuging cocktail geek and partner in Booker and Dax, New York City
 |
| Photo: Adrienne Yee |
“I’ll be seeking out
flavors with a savory edge. Nebbiolo, Savagnin, orange wines, an Alpine amaro,
Sherry—there’s a reason these are popular right now. They share what people are
looking for—something they feel hasn't been prepackaged for every taste.”
Levi Dalton,
sommelier and host of the popular podcast, I’ll Drink to That
 |
| Photo courtesy Atera |
“This year, I'm planning
to drink more London dry-style Gin & Tonics. Old Raj is a fun one,
especially with its touch of saffron, and quality tonic is a must! As for food,
I'm planning to eat more vegetables. Recently, it seems like meat has been god,
and while I'm planning to utilize more unique cuts of meat, I’ll be making
vegetables a more predominate part of the plate.”
Matt Lightner,
rising star chef at Atera, New York City
 |
| Photo: Alex Farnum |
“In 2013, I resolve to
reacquaint myself with the California wine scene. I've delved deeply into the
worlds of craft beer and spirits for the past few years, but that has been at
the expense of my knowledge of local vino. In the New Year, I'd also love to
explore all the amazing ethnic food markets in Southern California. I've passed
many of these places as I've jetted to and from the airport, but never had the
time to stop and smell the spices.”
Aida Mollenkamp, host
of FoodCrafters on the Cooking Channel and author of the recently released Keys to the Kitchen (Chronicle Books)