By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

When I first opened my bar in Taichung, Taiwan, quite a few people were telling me that people didn’t drink cocktails.

I heard men only drink beer and whiskey and women only drink wine.

By Mike Armstrong   

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

When I started brunch in my restaurant in Taichung, Taiwan, I will be honest, it was because I wanted to eat Eggs Benedict.

I have been a fan of this dish since I discovered it, which was not until around college.

We never had it growing up and since I was not a huge fan of eggs to begin with, this breakfast meal was never on my radar. 

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

When I first started bartending at Beefsteak Charlie’s, a rib and steakhouse outside the University of Maryland, the alcoholic drinks I had to learn were libations that had been tested in focus groups for their appeal.

By K.J. Schricker   

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

As a kid, Brussels sprouts were one of my favorite vegetables. My father used to say it made no sense since I hated cabbage and he considered brussels sprouts little cabbages.

I would argue that with him, since we raised Brussels sprouts and cabbage in our gardens, and they grew very differently.

I would also say, the taste likes what the taste likes.

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

You won’t see old bartending books from the 1930s and before with any recipes with any cocktails featuring the coffee liqueur Kahlua because it was not invented then. It was created in 1936 in Veracruz, Mexico by Pedro Domecq. He was a wealthy man whose family was in the sherry producing business.

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

I was never a fan of Scotch when I first started to learn about alcohol. I cared so little about trying it after my first couple of tastes, I did not even know that there was blended Scotch and single malt.

My ignorance lasted years.

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

I love Christmas and New Year’s holidays because it is the time of year when one can find hams for a reasonable price.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy eating turkey during Thanksgiving, but I don’t want turkey for the Christmas/New Year’s holidays.

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

Crème de Menthe Green is, as the name suggests, a French mint liqueur. It is usually made with Corsican mint, which is steeped in grain alcohol for several weeks before it is filtered and sweetened to create the final product. There is a white Crème de Menthe too. 

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

Christmas meals can differ depending on what a family likes to celebrate eating at this time of year.

Unlike Thanksgiving meals, which almost always have turkey, Christmas has a few traditional dishes.

Prime rib is often cooked for a Christmas meal, but what happens if you have a lot left over?

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

It is funny, the first time I ate Indian food that I can remember was in Taiwan. Before that, I was not interested in even trying it.

Neither of my parents ever had Asian food of any kind for dinner and I don’t think we ever ate at an Asian restaurant.

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

One of the things I am thankful for is that while in Taiwan, I went to a lot of tea shops. I never thought there could be so many types of tea to choose from. One of the first places I visited in Taichung was The Frog. It was a tea shop that had a bar. They had a staff that could speak English, which was great for me because I was at a loss when going out in public.

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

Thanksgiving was a huge commercial success for my restaurant in Taichung, Taiwan. We were an American expat bar and although we served many customers from all over the world, and also locals, we definitely had much of our cuisine rooted in American dishes. 

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

When I was consulting for a Bai Jui (Chinese Liquor) liquor company, I played around with infusions and macerations to make this very strong tasting spirit palatable to the Western taste.

This company was a joint venture with Diageo (a huge British company that owns Crown Royal, Baileys, Jonny Walker, to name a few) and a Chinese spirits company.

Compiled by Dick Perue

GATT Correspondent

The ‘good news’ is that health-wise the chief cook and bottle washer have returned to good health, putting “Gather at the Table” free meals and fellowship back on schedule.