beyond little oz

Starting at number 31 Crosby Street -where Saturdays NYC happens to sell surf boards together with very decent coffee-, and walking all the way up to number 91 -where we religiously keep going to expand our Mud Australia collection-, we figured out there could be a vibrant new neighbourhood in Manhattan known as Little Australia.  

Anyhow, the annual visit to the Mast Brothers factory came right after our second pizza ever at Roberta's, the first one of 2014, and probably not the last oneof the year. I chose a Margherita with a few extra toppings -onion, garlic, ricotta and pepperoni-, which turned out really well. I don't remember having such good pizza since my days in Newton (MA), over a quarter of a century ago. Roberta's Farmhouse Ale, a Sixpoint "Get Safe" Winter Saison (5.5%), was a very good choice to help the entire digestive process.

Once we finished our lunch in Brooklyn we headed to 111 N 3rd Street. Desert was waiting for us, plus a few souvenirs for my palate to enjoy through the coming weeks. This time I even got a Chef's Tablet, 24 oz of holy cacao -the world's most rare and complex, according to the Brothers- with cane sugar. A balanced chocolate with hints of tobacco, cinnamon, plum and red wine.

Given the terrible selection of wines available in Offtario, it was mandatory looking for something that may eventually assist three of our future good meals becoming great ones. A "Shichi Hon Yari" (The Seven Spearmen) Saké -Shizuku Junmai Daiginjo- by the Tomita Brewery in Shiga, a 2012 Eyrie Vineyards Chardonnay Reserve -Original Vines- from Dundee Hills in Oregon, a 2011 Wind Gaps Pinot Noir -Gap's Crown Vineyard- from Sonoma Coast, and a 2012 Arnot-Roberts Pinot Noir -Coastlands Vineyard- from Sonoma Coast.