Happy Halloween from your friends at Joe Canal's!

Why don't you whip up one of these spooooooky cocktails tonight?

Bloody Mary
-1 oz. to 1½ oz. (30-45 ml) vodka in a highball glass filled with ice.
-Fill glass with tomato juice
-1 dash celery salt
- 1 dash ground black pepper
-1 dash Tabasco sauce
-2-4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
-1/8 tsp. horseradish (pure, never creamed)
-Dash of lemon or lime juice

Garnish with celery stalk and shake vigorously, or stir lazily - whichever method suits your taste and your mood.

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Zombie
Don the Beachcomber's Zombie – or least one of his many variations and probably the most accessible. You may have to lie down after just making this one.

-3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
-1/2 ounce grapefruit juice
-1 1/2 ounce unsweetened pineapple juice
-1/4 ounce Falernum - Similar to orgeat but simple syrup works
-1 1/4 ounce Puerto Rican gold rum
-1 ounce Jamaican dark rum
-1 ounce 151-proof Demerara rum
-3/4 ounce Maraschino liqueur
-1/4 tsp. Grenadine
-2 dashes Angostura bitters
-6 drops Pernod

Put all in blender with ice. Blend for 5 seconds. Pour into glass and garnish with mint sprig.

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Black Cat
-1 oz vodka
-1 oz cherry brandy
-cranberry juice
-cola

Pour the vodka and brandy into a highball glass filled with ice. Fill the glass with equal amounts of cranberry juice and cola.
-1 ounce 151-proof Demerara rum
-3/4 ounce Maraschino liqueur
-1/4 tsp. Grenadine
-2 dashes Angostura bitters
-6 drops Pernod

Put all in blender with ice. Blend for 5 seconds. Pour into glass and garnish with mint sprig.

Fork and Gobble It: Wineberserkers Part 2 “The Pre-Fest”

It is Wednesday, the 19th of October and I have eight guests plus my wife and myself coming for dinner tonight. The menu was designed to allow me time to be with my guests and much of the big jobs are done. Veal shanks are braised to falling off the bone tender. A delicious and hearty soup of Escarole and Canellini beans, spiked with spicy dried Chorizo is made and ready to serve. A velvety and rich mousse of chicken liver bears the pungent fragrance and flavor of Burgundy Truffles and will be spread on toasted bread and crackers. I have small but significant details to attend to. They are the items that would not hold their freshness if prepared in advance. Tender cheese crackers derived from a recipe by Canal House Cooks will go with the champagne we'll drink during the cocktail hour. I bake chocolate shortbread to decorate vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries for dessert. The saffron risotto that will serve as the bed for the Osso Bucco, must be made practically at the last minute. Of course greens will be washed and a dressing prepared for salad. To complicate things just slightly, my friend Mike Pobega was doing a pizza course and I would give him the run of the kitchen for that time. I needed to have my stuff done and ready to go.

The Chocolate Shortbread
Canal House Tender Cheese Crackers
Guests began to arrive at 5pm. Because it was a mid-week affair, I had planned to have dinner on the table around 7pm. As people came in and bottles were opened the tempo began to pick up. Many, many bottles of wine were beginning to accumulate on the side table. Lots of Barolos, but oddly enough this crew is also a Bordeaux loving crowd. There was also the odd bottle of Fado Blanco, a Portuguese white wine from the Alentejo region that we've loved all summer. We had the oven revved up to 550F so Mike could start rocking out the pizzas. This was a Berserker party in full swing.




The 2003 Domenico Clerico Pajana was pretty much as I anticipated. It is a testament to the winemaking skill of the estate. The fruit was a little subdued, but still very lively. The tannins were still assertive and the wine still retained a pleasantly surprising amount of acidity. Unfortunately many of the Bordeauxs that were brought that evening were spoiled by cork taint including two Ducru-Beaucaillous, the 1986 and the 1998 and an '86 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. Luckily I had a 2004 Pichon sleeping in the cellar. I brought it up and opened it. Although still young, it was drinking very well.

The pizzas tasted as good as they looked. The soup was met with raves and the veal shanks were meltingly tender. All the guests were satiated and very content.

With food and wine surpassing expectations, these ten friends ate, drank, and enjoyed each others company in the full knowledge that this was just the beginning of a week full of this kind of fun.

Halloween weekend at Joe Canal's!

It's going to be a great weekend! Don't forget to stop by Joe Canal's!





* * *Here's what we've got going on in WOODBRIDGE!


FREE BEER TASTING!!

TONIGHT!! Thursday, October 27th, 5:00pm - 7:00 pm

Sixpoint

"The incessant flow of creative heads flocking to Brooklyn has created the country's largest community of artists. How could they not resist the magnetic pull of the natural and urban beauty? Southern exposure facing the New York City harbor creates a spotlight on the fortified architecture, casting filtered light in amber and green hues. The world's largest melting pot jumps and rattles! Right now the emigration of artists to Brooklyn is a movement that cannot be underestimated. Craftsmen like masons, carpenters, ironworkers, and glassworkers built this borough generations ago from the earth's raw ingredients. Likewise, today's creative resurgence has reclaimed the borough in a similar reincarnation, and has taken it to a whole new level.

Sixpoint Craft Ales proudly represents Brooklyn through this renaissance! We deliver craft ale to Brooklyn and beyond; every batch is magically fermented from malted barley, hops, yeast, and New York City tap water. Dozens of varieties consistently churn out from our brewery uninhibited by style guidelines, definitions, and preconceived notions of what beer should be. We take what we know, what we like, and what we aspire to be and create our own style.

Improvised, free-form, and amorphous... what will Sixpoint Craft Ales brew next? Difficult to say, but whatever we do, you know it will be done with mad flavor and style.

Join us and sample some great craft brews from Sixpoint!


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Limited Availability Growler Tapping!!
Friday, October 28th, 6:00pm

Climax Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest is typically available from August to November and has toasty caramel and malty flavor. It is made from German Noble Hops and massive amounts of malt, which give it an orange color. 6.2% ABV


We'll be tapping this limited availability brew this Friday at 6:00 pm! Be sure to come in and fill your growler with this one - because once it's gone, it's gone!


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SPOOKY WINE TASTINGS!!
Rriday, October 28th, 4:00pm - 6:00pm



Werewolf Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir
For a howling good time, even without a full moon, these wines will put hair on your palms!
Regular Price: $7.99 / BottleClub Price: $6.49

Vampire Chardonnay and Merlot
Rumor has it that the Vampire Vineyards are actually owned by a circle of vampires, and the company’s founder, an entertainment attorney from New York, is actually just a front. Their grapes are skillfully blended by vampire winemakers to produce phenomenal wines — smooth and well rounded, with forward fresh fruit – that have been aged in both French and American Oak Barrels. Sip the Blood of the Vine and enjoy!
Regular Price: $10.99


Saturday, October 29th, 1:00pm - 3:00pm 
Werewolf Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, and Pinot Grigio
For a howling good time, even without a full moon, these wines will put hair on your palms!
Regular Price: $7.99 / BottleClub Price: $6.49

Vampire Chardonnay
Rumor has it that the Vampire Vineyards are actually owned by a circle of vampires, and the company’s founder, an entertainment attorney from New York, is actually just a front. Their grapes are skillfully blended by vampire winemakers to produce phenomenal wines — smooth and well rounded, with forward fresh fruit – that have been aged in both French and American Oak Barrels. Sip the Blood of the Vine and enjoy!
Regular Price: $10.99


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Here's what we've got going on in LAWRENCEVILLE!


FREE BEER TASTING!!
TONIGHT!! Thursday, October 27th, 6:00pm - 8:00 pm

Guinness Black Lager

The Guinness Master Brewers have used the finest lager hops, yeast and traditional cold brewing methods, with their signature roasted barley, to create a truly original black lager with a deliciously distinctive flavor.

“With Guinness Black Lager we really wanted to build on all the elements that people love about Guinness. We take immense pride in the quality of our product and ensured that we built on the Guinness legacy when creating this distinctive and refreshing lager. I have no doubt that Guinness and lager fans alike will enjoy this unique tasting new lager,” said Guinness Master Brewer Fergal Murray.

The refreshing and flavorful taste is locked in by the bespoke amber Guinness bottle. The contemporary packaging design combines premium, detailed silver and blue color with hallmark symbols of Guinness’ brewing provenance and heritage. The lager should be chilled and enjoyed responsibly straight from the bottle.

Join us and sample Guinness Black Lager!!

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Casillero del Diablo Tasting Event!
Friday, October 28th, 5:00pm-7:00pm
Featuring prizes, giveaways and wine sampling!

Over a century has passed since Don Melchor created a legend. When he discovered his finest Concha y Toro wines were missing, he spread the word that the devil lived in his cellar. From that day, the wine has been known as Casillero del Diablo, the Devil's Cellar.

Stop by on Friday, October 28th and sample some of these awesome wines!


* * *
WEEKEND WINE TASTING!!
Saturday, October 29th, 2:00pm - 4:00pm



Our staff is choosing some awesome wines for you to taste this Saturday! Be sure to stop in between 2:00pm and 4:00pm and enjoy your free samples!










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Limited Availability Growler Tapping!!
Friday, October 28th, 6:00pm

Sam Adams Double Pumpkin

"Always looking to try something new, this year we decided to brew a variation of our Harvest Pumpkin Ale. The result is Samuel Adams® Double Pumpkin Ale, in which we add more pumpkin and more spices to our original pumpkin brew. At a higher alcohol level, this beer is strong and full of the flavors we love during this time of year. We brew with real pumpkin, which adds a full body and sweetness to this dark, reddish-amber brew. Deep roasted malts, including smoked malt, lend a distinct roasted character, while traditional pumpkin pie spices give the beer its spice note."

We'll be tapping this limited availability brew this Friday at 6:00 pm! Be sure to come in and fill your growler with this one - because once it's gone, it's gone!

Wine 101: From Grape to Wine

Earlier this month in Sonoma, a few Joe Canal's staff members were fortunate enough to witness the harvest, as well as take tours of a few wineries.

One of the things we were able to see firsthand is how grapes turn into wine, and it wasn't as glamorous as one might expect!

First, the grapes are harvested, crushed and sorted to get all the stems out. Care must be taken in this step, because the stems contain oils that could negatively affect the wine. The crushed grapes go into these big bins with dry ice to cool them down. (Apiphobic author's note: While this is going on, there are BEES. Lots, and lots of bees! Shudder!)


The crushed grape juice (and skin - remember, red wine is red mostly because the juice remains in contact with the skins, not because the meat of the grape itself is red) goes into a big tank for fermentation.

Red wines usually ferment in larger containers - stainless steel tanks or large wooden vats - and then age in small oak barrels after the juice has been strained of the skins.

Here is a rare glimpse into a fermentation tank. Thanks to the wonder of modern technology, we're able to see it; the tank itself was too dark to see into. I only saw what it looked like after I looked at the picture!


We were... lucky enough (if you can call it that) to be able to sample some of this fermenting juice. It was... interesting. It was, in essence, rotting grapes. The smell was yeasty and almost sulphury, and after the tiniest taste, I spit the juice out before my taste buds really had a chance to experience what was going on. It absolutely amazed me that in between delicious grapes and delicious wine, THAT happened.


So, after the juice hangs out and ferments for a while, and the skins lend their color and tannins to the juice, it gets drained and put into barrels and ages for anywhere from a few months to many years. The barrels are usually oak, French Oak being the best and most expensive, reserved for very fine wines. Other common oaks are Hungarian and American. Wineries reuse barrels for up to 6 years, then they are discarded for new barrels. One 60-gallon barrel yields 300 bottles of wine!


We also got to taste from barrels, as well. This is at Kunde winery. The taste of the wine in the barrel was way different from the fermenting juice!

While the grape tasting, fermenting juice tasting, and barrel sampling were all fun experiences, I do have to say that my personal favorite part of the winemaking process is getting to enjoy the finished product!

Joe Canal's Presents CIROC Peach!

CIROC Ultra-Premium celebrates the uncommon on every level; from the uniqueness of its grape composition, to the innovative cold fermentation and maceration techniques, CIROC has subtle aromatics and a smooth, naturally refined taste.

The name CIROC comes from the combination of two French words: Cime, meaning peak or summit-top and Roche, meaning rock. Its name references the high-altitude vineyards where the Mauzac Blanc grapes are grown, and the stony village walls of the famous medieval Cordes-sur-Ciel, which look onto the vineyards.

CIROC Ultra-Premium Vodka releases the true flavors of every cocktail. The complexity of the distilled grapes draws out and complements the flavors of whatever CIROC is mixed with. Add to that the distinctly clean finish of CÎROC and absence of alcohol burn, and you have the most celebrated vodka cocktail experience.

Joe Canal's is excited to announce the arrival of CIROC PEACH! Announced in early September by P. Diddy on Twitter, CIROC Peach is the fourth flavor in the CIROC lineup.

CIROC Peach will be priced at $29.99 in our BottleClub!

Fork and Gobble It: Wineberserkers Part 1 “The Pre-Fest”

A few years ago, the common passion for good wine and good food led a spirited but very unorthodox group of people to come together. They, like many others who shared the same interests, posted their experiences on the internet on bulletin boards created for this subject. This group however turned out to be a little too free spirited, and maybe just a little too crazy for the rest of the internet wine community. They needed to find a place where they could be themselves as lovers and enthusiasts of good wine, good food, and like minded company. Out of this need Wineberserkers.com was born. Now nearly three years later we continue to post, blog, and gather. Each year for the last three years we have held Berserkerfest NYC with a weekend dinner at Manhattan's Peking Duck House. It is an event of sufficient draw to pull attendees in from all over the country. Texas, California, Washington, Massachusetts, and any other state you can think of; we come forth to party. Of course when folks travel this far it can't just be for a weekend. So the festivities begin mid-week with small gatherings at local restaurants or homes of friends and revelers. I am one such reveler and host. So this past Wednesday ten crazies gathered at my home for a night of eating and drinking to warm up our consumption muscles for the weekend.

I planned a menu that would hopefully keep me at the dinner table for most of the meal.

-Cocktail Hour
-Chicken Liver Mousse w/Burgundy Truffle
-House Made Cheddar Cheese Crackers
-Pizza by Pobega (a selection of pies made to order by my fellow Berserker Mike Pobega)
-Escarole and Bean Soup w/Chorizo Picante
-Osso Bucco Milanese (Braised Veal Shanks over Saffron Risotto)
-Salad of Mixed Greens
-Vanilla Gelato w/Fresh Strawberries and Chocolate Shortbread

I would make the veal shanks on Monday, the chicken liver mousse and soup on Tuesday, and the rest would just fall into place on Wednesday afternoon. For a cook like myself, source is everything, so I ordered the shanks from John's Meat Market in Scotch Plains. They are an old school family butcher shop, repeatedly honored as one of the best in the state. When I picked the meat up Monday morning it was as impeccable as I expected it to be.


These would get seared off and then cooked slow in stock and a little red wine.


After two hours in a slow oven they were falling apart tender. The shanks would cool and remain in their cooking broth until Wednesday and the flavors would just get better.

Tuesday I picked up what I would need for the chicken liver mousse and escarole soup. I had already ordered the truffle I needed. Truffles, those prized fungus of legendary status, are seasonal. Summer truffle season was over, and the potent winter truffles from France's Perigord region were a few weeks away. In the interim there is a truffle that comes from Burgundy. It is not quite as potent as the other two, but it was all that I needed for this dish and is about one tenth the price. Chicken livers can be raised to rock star status when they are given the right treatment. Sauteed in a little butter and olive oil with shallots, then doused with good brandy, they get pureed with hard boiled egg yolk and heavy cream. I push the puree' through a sieve to make it smooth and add grated truffle to it. It never fails to get raves.


Used as a filling for deviled eggs, it is a killer hors d'oeuvres. I simply put the mousse into a crock and served it with crackers and warm toasted bread.

Escarole and Bean soup is one of those peasant soups my Mom served us as kids and is still my favorite winter soup. It can't be simpler. Sauteed onion and garlic, some kind of spicy dried sausage, Canellini beans, and escarole are all cooked in good chicken stock until the beans are tender. Each component stands out and is essential to the dish. It is delicious and satisfying all at once and with some good crusty bread is a meal in itself.


The big pieces of the menu were now done leaving only the items that could not be done in advance. The soup and shanks would benefit from a day or two in the refrigerator and being practically complete, would free me up to enjoy the company of my guests.

Osso Bucco usually conjours up the notion of a Barolo, the famous Piemontese wine, for pairing. I had picked up one from Domenico Clerico, the 2003 Pajana. 2003 was a terrible year for Barolo because it was such a horribly hot summer and Nebbiolo, the grape from which the wine is made, really does best with moderate ripeness. The upshot was that Clerico being such a fabulous winemaker, was able to read and adjust to the conditions. While this is not a great Barolo, it is a very good one. I looked forward to the wines my guests would bring and the excellent time we would have the following evening.

Joe Canal's Lawrenceville Celebrates Their 10 Year Anniversary!

Stop by Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville this weekend!! We're celebrating our 10-year Anniversary with some super fun events, giveaways and tastings! Check it out!

Thursday, October 20th - 2pm-4pm:
Winemaker appearance - Jerry Benziger, Bengizer Family Wines!
Over the last decade, Benziger has invested in the best equipment to ensure that they're doing everything they can to protect the delicate juices and tease out the best possible wines. From a vibrating sorting table, to half-ton bins, to gravity flow fermentation tanks, our approach is a careful balance of art and science, much like winemaking itself. Our special guest on Thursday afternoon is Jerry Benziger, who will be answering your questions, signing bottles, and sampling some amazing Benziger wines.

Thursday, October 20th - 6pm-8pm:
Weyerbacher Tasting and Tap Takeover
featuring their seasonal favorites as well as their anniversary brews!
Friday, October 21st - 2pm-4pm:
Free scotch tasting with "Master of Whiskey" Kevin Loser
Friday, October 21st - 6pm-8pm:
Hot dogs, giveaways, and free beer samples sponsored by Shock Top
Saturday, October 22nd - 12pm-3pm:
Special appearance by winemaking legend Michael Mondavi!
Four generations of passion and experience have come together to create the winery and the wines. It started in 1919 when Michael Mondavi’s grandfather, Cesare, was elected to find grapes and winemaking supplies for families to make wine legally during Prohibition. Thus, in Lodi, California, the Mondavi family began their foray into California winemaking.

Today, with son Rob at the winemaking helm, Michael and the family craft a collection of world-class wines at the Michael Mondavi Family Estate.

We are honored to welcome Michael Mondavi to our Lawrenceville location to top off a great week of Anniversary events. Join us and taste some Mondavi wines, buy a few bottles to have signed, and ask Michael all your winemaking questions!

Don't forget to print out the featured coupons at jcanals.com (click here!) for additional savings on Mondavi wines!

Saturday, October 22nd - 5pm-7pm:
Free tasting - Skinny Girl Sangria and Margaritas

Brick by Brix

Last week, I was lucky enough to be treated to a fabulous "business trip" to California wine country: Sonoma and Napa. The experience was amazing and my colleagues and I are working on our travelogues now - We'll be sharing pictures and stories with you very shortly.

Still being a relative newbie in the world of wine, I have a lot to learn, and last week I learned a LOT. We were fortunate that our trip to California happened to occur during the harvest season, so we not only got to witness the "picking," but also some crushing, destemming, and other grape preparations.

One thing I learned about was how the vintners know when the grapes are ready to be picked. There is an instrument called a refractometer that measures the sugar content in the grapes. Below is our tour guide, Leo, from Rodney Strong Winery, holding a refractometer.


Leo took a grape off the vine, and squeezed a bit of the juice from the grape onto the lens of the refractometer. He passed the instrument around and we all got to hold it up to the sundlight and look inside. Inside contained numbers and lines, kind of like a ruler. The line where the dark and light meets is called the "Brix Reading." The Brix reading is named for A.F.W. Brix, a 19th century German inventor. Each degree Brix is equivalent to 1 gram of sugar per 100 grams of grape juice. About 55% to 60% of the sugar is converted into alcohol. The estimated alcohol that a wine will produce is calculated by multiplying the Brix reading by 0.55. Therefore, a 20 Brix reading will make a wine with about 11% alcohol. The grapes for most of the wines we discussed on our trip had readings of 20 - 25. One exception was our final winery, Mumm Napa, which specializes in sparkling wines. They pick their grapes at "low sugar, high acidity," which yields a lower-alcohol beverage.

Joe Canal's Presents Johnnie Walker Double Black!

Joe Canal's is excited to announce the arrival of Johnnie Walker Double Black!

Johnnie Walker Double Black is the newest addition to the Johnnie Walker family of Scotch whiskies. It was formerly only available in global duty-free shops, but it’s just been released, for a limited time, to the mass market.

Double Black starts with the Black Label template, and from there, it adds peatier malts and malts aged in heavily charred oak barrels – the result being a smokier dram than the original. On the nose, Double Black offers aromas of peat smoke, oak and dried fruits. Take a sip and notice more of that smoke, plus some pleasant tropical fruit notes, vanilla and spice. It’s drinkable, with an easy-going mouthfeel and a dry finish, with lots of char coming through.

Look for this very special limited edition Johnnie Walker on our shelves the first week of November, and be sure to pick some up as holiday gifts for the scotch lovers in your life!

Mixology Mondays: Cuarenta y Tres

Cuarenta y Tres is a sweet liqueur made in the Cartagena of eastern Spain, and based on a recipe that supposedly dates from classical times, when the Phoenecians founded Carthage, in North Africa, and introduced viticulture. Its name is Spanish for "forty-three" and is so named because that is the number of herbs and spices it contains.

Cuarenta y Tres is concocted from a brandy base, with infusions of the various herbs, but has a noticeably predominant flavor of vanilla, which rather torpedoes the Carthaginian theory since vanilla was only discovered in the 16th century by Spanish explorers in Mexico.

A bit of chilled Cuarenta y Tres is surprisingly good drizzled over hot desserts with fruit and cream. It also has fleeting hints of chocolate and honey in the flavor, making it an ideal accompaniment to a light, chocolately dessert.

In honor of Halloween, you can dress your Licor 43 up as a "Little Beer" by pouring a shot glass 2/3 full and floating a bit of Bailey's Irish Cream on top - adorable and delicious!

Preventing Breakage at Joe Canal's

If I had a nickel for every time a customer said "what a waste" or asked "do you have a straw?" when they saw a broken bottle pooling on the floor, I'd be a wealthy woman. It's a fact of life here at Joe Canal's. When you are surrounded by liquid in glass containers, broken bottles are going to happen.... a lot. It happens to some of us so often that we get nicknames from our colleagues such as Betty Breakage (ok, that's just my nickname).

Mostly we break inexpensive items like beer or wines around $10, but every once in a blue moon we break something expensive. One day I came back from a luncheon dressed in my best suit with my purse hanging on my shoulder. My purse strap grabbed hold of a $50 bottle of wine and threw it to the floor in such force that it exploded all over me and my suit. I even managed to get it in my hair. Another time I was filling the fine wine box and a bottle of Dom Perignon jumped right off the top shelf and crashed down on a $600 bottle of Leflave white Burgundy. There were a lot of tears that day. Some days like the one pictured here, our employees are just doing their job when one of these bottles of red decides to break. At least there was nothing to mop up.

Most commonly our shopping carts are the culprits. They were designed to have small children sit in the front and put their legs in the holes provided. But, when no child is there, those holes become our enemy. Customers place bottles in this area and the bottles like to slip quietly out the back smashing to the floor. This happens most near the check out registers when customers back up and the bottles back up with them. So, you'll often times see the staff putting their hands in your cart to arrange the bottles and flip up the flap in that top cart area to block the holes and protect the wine. We do it to protect the wine and keep you safe from the shattered glass.

So flip the flap when you grab a cart and help us avoid the spills. Or, we may have to invest in some really long straws!