It is possible to eat healthy foods, moderate (or even eliminate) alcohol consumption, and exercise- both at home and while traveling. But life is too short for that nonsense, so let’s enjoy ourselves; if you’re worried about shortening your life with food and drink you clearly have too much to live for. This talk is about exploration and discovery, but in generally low-risk situations- no pith helmet required (but if you can rock one, I say go for it). The presentation begins with an introduction to classic (and no-so-classic) drinks, starting with an exploration of bitters- those magical elixirs which have evolved from impotent herbal remedies to potent flavoring agents. I’ll explore the history, evolution, and popularity boom of bitters, and delve into making your own bitters. The discussion of bitters leads into their use in drinks both tame and wild, and their role in the revival of the cocktail scene- including a few suggestions for drinks both alcoholic and not. The ensuing quest for proper cocktails leads us out of our hotel bar, and into more interesting venues where good drink leads to good conversation, which leads to learning more about drinks- and also leads to local knowledge. Local knowledge leads to more entries in the ever-evolving Erudite Inebriate’s own Traveler’s Survival Guide. This phase of our journey includes discussions of how to find the good stuff, how to have a socially-acceptable amount of fun, and how to stay somewhat safe while doing it. I will close by delivering a short “Business Traveler’s Survival Guide to Las Vegas” as an example of these ideas.
| Name | Type | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Daniel | Guest Star |