Terre Di Epicuro Italian Wines

On a recent trip to the Wine Shop at Trader Joe's, I came across a shelf stocked with Terre Di Epicuro Italian wines, all priced at $5.99. They are all terrific, a GREAT VALUE for easy-drinking red table wine. I have tried Aglianico, Salice Salentino Riserva, and Nero D'Avola. Light in alcohol, medium-bodied, but very tasty, these are probably the best three budget-priced wines I've ever gotten at Trader Joe's.

Curiously, I got the tip from another shopper, an Italian native who was loading up his shopping cart with the stuff. With great excitement he told me that he was from the area where these wines are produced, and he could not believe how great they were. And for six bucks!

THE DOCK in MONTAUK

Quite simply, the best bar in Montauk. For many years I was partial to the legendary Shagwong on Main Street, but I've had terrible luck there lately. Rude staff, bad service, worse food, and a strange cliente of undesirables at the bar has soured me on the place.

The Dock is located at the Montauk Harbor, next to Gosman's. It's a saloon and restaurant, and decorated with stuffed animals, snarky signs, and quirky conversation pieces. Lights are low. One TV, in the corner, and out of sight. Music is great, and low. I love this place. The proprieter and head bartender, George Watson, is a former NYC cop and firefighter with a big attitude and even bigger wit. He loves to tell stories, trade insults, and mix it up with the mostly blue-collar crowd. The draft beer is always fresh, and every glass is chilled before the drink is poured. Every glass! I don't know of any bar alive that still does that. George's son Chris also works at The Dock in the kitchen and occasionally behind the bar. Great guy with the same sense of humor as his Dad.

The food is solid pub food with some interesting daily specials, mostly featuring local seafood. The Dock is very popular with local fisherman, so I presume what they are serving is as fresh as it can get. But The Dock is for drinking and atmosphere, and that's enough for me.

The Pleasures of Gin

It's summer, and there's nothing as refreshing and satisfying as cold gin cocktails.

I'm a big fan of Plymouth Gin, but also occasionally enjoy Cork Dry Gin from Ireland and regular label Bombay. I do not like Hendrick's or Tangueray in the slightest. The ubiquitous Bombay Sapphire is smooth, but the 94 proof is a bit wicked, even for me.

Martinis aside, I love summer gin drinks. Gin and tonic, of course. Gin Rickeys, which I have been drinking lately, is a classic summertime cooler. The Rickey is easy enough: gin, lime juice, simple syrup, topped off with cold seltzer. It's a popular drink in Manhattan these days, and I love it at Wilfie & Nell's in the Village.

New to me is the Pink Gin, which I have been experimenting at home with. Three ounces of Plymouth Gin, 3-4 dashes of Angostora Bitters, shaken over ice, and served straight up. Beautiful.

The classic Gin and Tonic is perhaps the most refreshing, and best served strong (just a dash or two of tonic), and very cold. The tonic water must be from a bottle; and a drop of fresh lime is always nice. Tom Collins is blast from the past - my parents drank swimming pools full of them in those hot California summers. The Collins is essentially the same as a Rickey but with lemon juice instead of lime. Beware of those bottled mixers - they're truly nasty. Last but not least, is another drink from my California days: Gin and real lemonade. Drink the first one with nothing else, but afterward, a splash of club soda helps cut the sweetness. Cheers, it's summer!