Where we'll be: Barnstorming...er, BarnSmokering

First of all, I can NOT get the name of this correct, so if you would all start calling this event the Barnstormer, I'd really appreciate it. K? Thanx.

 

 

So one day, while we hung at Twins Smoke Shop, an email popped up, announcing these Drew Estate tickets going on sale. Well, this isn't my first rodeo, or barn raising, or cigar event, whatever, and I knew immediate action was needed. No--required. I didn't ask Valentino if he wanted to go and sent a text to Caballero #2 but didn't wait for his response. I just bought the damn tickets, which sold out in no time.

 

So we'll be here, the three caballeros and me, hanging with the Drew Estate folk. (Apparently there will be 300+ other folks here at the barnstormer too. What? Dammit. Barn Smoker.)

 

If you didn't know, "[b]arnstormers were pilots who flew throughout the country selling airplane rides and performing stunts; Charles Lindbergh first began flying in this capacity." [source]

An actual barnstormer:
A Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" in flight over Central Ontario c. 1918
[source]

While we won't be getting plane rides, we will be getting:

• (1) Liga Privada "A"
• (1) Liga Privada Ratzilla
• (1) Liga Privada Velvet Rat
• (1) Liga Privada No. 9
• (1) Liga Privada T52
• (1) Nica Rustica “El Brujito”
• (1) Undercrown Belicoso
• (1) ACID Toast

Apparently, the sampler pack also includes "custom Barn Smoker swag, Drew Estate matches, and more goodies."

 

Plus! A BBQ dinner! Beverages!

 

And a portion of ticket sales will be donated to Cigars For Warriors, so that's an added bonus for everyone!
 

Visit the Cigars for Warriors webpage!

Paper leaves of tobacco leaves: Tobacco Sheds, Vanishing Treasures of the Connecticut River Valley

I love books.

Hell, I love them so much, I write books.*

When I moved into Valentino's swanky bachelor pad**, lo those many years ago, I brought with me no less than one zillion books. Then I bought many many bookshelves to hold aforementioned books, thinking I'd have plenty of room.  I filled them.

He asked at one point, "What do you need all those books for?"***

"They're my friends," I said, without thinking about the thousand and thousands of paper leaves filling the books.

Speaking of leaves, (this is all going to come together in a second, so stay with us) this fall, we had a chance to tour a tobacco shed and hear about the drying and aging process.

The tour was part of an event put on by Connecticut Valley Tobacco Museum in conjunction with the lovely Karin Mills Tranghese and Cigar Room II in Agawam, MA.

Tino and tobacco

(Here's the connection we promised!) The other day we received this friend, Tobacco Sheds, Vanishing Treasures of the Connecticut River Valley, in the mail:

Paper leaves of tobacco leaves!
Hey book, could you be any more gorgeous?

This is the book's description (Thanks, amazon.com!):

"In recent years, over one thousand tobacco sheds have disappeared from the Tobacco Valley. This important book systematically catalogues tobacco sheds from Putney, Vermont, to Portland, Connecticut, a span of just over one hundred miles. The photographs capture the beauty of these unique farm buildings and serve as a valuable record for these endangered barns. The text offers the agricultural history of each town, helping to connect sheds to their own unique region of New England. In addition, the book reinforces the need for preserving one of New England s most unusual farm structures.

"Many sheds in the Connecticut River Valley are still used to dry tobacco leaves that will wrap some of the world's most expensive cigars, but, sadly, some are being left to slowly deteriorate over time or are being torn down to make way for development. This book will be treasured by cigar smokers and architectural historians and preservationists alike."

I totally treasure this book. It's filled with gorgeous photographs and well-written text that tells the story behind these tobacco titans scattered across the Connecticut River Valley, both of which are gorgeous in their own right.

In case you're not sure where we're talking about. [source]

One of the book's pages!
And one of the region's tobacco sheds. Gorgeous, no?

 

Can I be honest here? Since we're BFFs and all? I've seen these buildings my whole life as my family road-tripped around New England. "Pretty," I'd think and then my thoughts would move along with the car.**** I honestly had no idea tobacco was not only a New England industry but a necessary and successful one.  In fact, the shed we toured produced the wrapper for a little cigar called Liga Privada, according to owner Steve Jarmoc; ever heard of it? (Hahaha!)

 

Ceiling of tobacco leaves during our tour.

The authors of Tobacco Sheds, Vanishing Treasures of the Connecticut River Valley, an eclectic husband and wife team, have created a visual masterpiece as gorgeous as the sheds themselves.

The Cahills! [source]

 

"Dale Cahill has been a sailor, farmhand, electronic technician, equipment maintenance technician, a life guard, has run an aquatics facility, and is both a father and a grandfather. He has worked at resorts and in factories, favors the outdoors and he loves skiing, mountain biking and photographing beautiful things. He plays mandolin and guitar and owns a ski bar in Vermont.

 

"Darcy Cahill has been a teacher, school counselor, reporter, and sheep dog breeder. She is a mother and grandmother. She plays fiddle and owns a ski bar with her husband. She also spends time writing, gardening, mountain biking, and skiing." [source]            

 

 

 

According to an article in Cigar Aficionado, "The new book Tobacco Sheds, Vanishing Treasures of the Connecticut River Valley, takes the reader on a journey through the Connecticut River Valley and goes behind-the-scenes to show what these majestic barns really are. Authors Dale and Darcy Cahill, who have made these barns their passion for many years now, traveled the length of the 400-mile valley, which touches four U.S. states. More than 1,000 have been lost to time, disrepair and changing fortunes over recent years, but they found sheds remaining in Vermont, Massachusetts and (of course) Connecticut. None remain, they said, in New Hampshire."

Keep an eye out next time you're driving around the Connecticut Valley. They aren't just cool barns off in the distance, as I'd imagined. Well, they kind of are, but they're way more than that. They're SUPER cool barns! And you might even be smoking that shed's wares.

By the way, if you do get a chance to visit a tobacco shed this coming season (and you totally should!), be sure to pick up a nice hat for yourself.

Cabellero #2 and his fab chapeau.

In the meantime, get Tobacco Sheds, Vanishing Treasures of the Connecticut River Valley and enjoy the world around you--or the world your cigar may have come from--while in your cozy, warm house.


*You should buy them all here.

**Read: Beautifully-decorated, huge house

***Obviously, he's not a book person.

****Back in the day when kids' minds wandered during road trips, as opposed to now when they don't even look out the windows because they're watching a video. These kids probably don't even know the joy of fighting with a sibling, unhindered by a seat-belt, during a road trip--or getting a weak slap from a parent on whatever part of your body they can reach as they're driving--or calling "Way back!" so you could sit in the back of the station wagon staring at the drivers behind you and annoying the crap out of said drivers. Annoying two cars of people was a special bonus. Poor kids these days, watching TV during the ride.

The Three Wise Men or: Corruption of my own child, part the third

During my son's visit to the homeland in August, we made it our goal to drag his butt to the places we love. Naturally, that meant a trip to Broadway Cigars. You already know how much we lurrrrrve Bobby and John and JV and the rest of the gang. They've made us feel welcome and at home from the very first time we went there and swiped up all of their Mysteriosos (Mysteriosi?).

The three of us soaked up the humidor's ambiance for way too long, looking for the perfect cigars for that perfect day.* We chose one for Sean, who, as you may remember, is in the early throes of cigar lovin'. But when we came out, Bobby said, "Would you mind if I switch that out for you?" And he produced this for our novice:

You know we love all things Alec Bradley, including Drinnan!!

According to CI, "The [Alec Bradley] Connecticut boasts an array of big-time flavors, all while remaining pleasant and tame in body. Dressed in a seamless Ecuadorian Connecticut shade wrapper, and chock full of Honduran and Nicaraguan long-fillers, Connecticut produces a highly satisfying mild to medium-bodied experience. Plumes of creamy and cool smoke coat the palate as notes of cedar, nuts, and toast enter the fray before ​a slightly sweet finish. It's a lot like a light beer that tastes really damn good."

 

Sean loved its creaminess with a bit of pepper in the background, which got a little stronger as he continued to smoke.  It proved the perfect cigar for our afternoon of hanging with family and friends. 

Hello, old friend!

Valentino went for a San Lotano, already an established favorite. According to the San Lotano website, "The San Lotano Habano by AJ Fernandez is specially blended for the full-bodied cigar fan. By using only premier fillers fermented to perfection, the Habano is strong yet perfectly balanced with a rich and robust flavor leading to a long and memorable finish. Perhaps the most unique aspect of the Habano blend is its rare Cuban seed and ligero wrapper grown only in Brazil by the Fuego family. Containing extremely limited Cuban seed only offered to two factories in Central America, including Tabacalera Fernandez, the Habano is truly an exceptional experience."

This fave started out with rich, cooked sugar and chocolate deliciousness as he lit up.  The sweetness intensified as he smoked on, as did the original hint of coffee. I hate the taste of coffee, but man, oh, man do I love the smell. 

This cigar is one that when he's wondering what to smoke, I say, "Well, how about a San Lotano...?"

 

Hello, new friend!

Bobby, who, keep in mind can smoke anything he wants, chose the Oliva Serie V lancero (7 x 38), "a complex blend of Nicaraguan long filler tobaccos. Blended with specially fermented Jalapa Valley ligero, and finished with a high priming Habano Sun Grown Wrapper."

According to the Oliva website, "This cigar is blended to deliver full body taste while maintaining an unparalleled smoothness. This flavorful blend exhibits complex tobacco with rich coffee and dark chocolate tones. A subtle and well balanced spice is present throughout."

About this cigar, Stogie Guys say, "The flavor of the Lancero, even at the outset, is strong. Not the full-bodied blast of pepper strong that’s common these days. But rather an intense nicotine strong coupled with an old-school taste of warm tobacco." Valentino should never ever ever have this cigar. Anything with really strong nicotine makes his head explode, and I've grown rather fond of that noggin.

Stogie Guys continue, "In addition to nicotine strength and warm tobacco, the Serie V Lancero displays flavors of cocoa, leather, espresso, earth, and a touch of toffee sweetness. It also exhibits good construction, including a reliable draw and a straight burn, albeit with a gray ash that tends to fall off a bit prematurely."

The three of us loved hanging out there--and we might even STILL be there, except a certain someone** was getting the hungry headache and was starting to make the hungry headache face, which is a clear sign that if she doesn't get food in her maw soon,*** people should take cover.



*If it weren't so humid,**** I would live in a humidor.

**I can neither confirm nor deny that it was me, but I will say that it was the one other person sitting on the cozy orange couch with the three wise men.

***We wound up at Caserta Pizza, which we love for all its quirkiness.

****Shut up.


September Cigar of the Month: La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Tabaqueros

First off, let's congratulate Bryan Kizer for winning the August giveaway! Two Padrons will be on their way to him shortly!! Yay, Bryan!


So the other night at Habanos, we met up with our friend John from Broadway Cigars* and while we were chatting about all the things in the world, he handed Valentino an Artesanos de Tabaqueros from La Gloria Cubana.

She's a beauty, all right.

"You have to try this," he said.

We did. And boy, howdy,** was it ever great.

Wrapper: Connecticut Shade/Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Dominican/Nicaraguan/Honduran Proprietary/Secret
Binder: Secret***

According to the La Gloria Cubana website, this Dominican Republic cigar is "[m]eticulously crafted to combine two different wrappers and two distinct tastes in one eye-catching cigar. Artesanos de Tabaqueros is a world-class smoke that opens to a rich and intriguing spice and ultimately reveals a depth of flavor that can only be achieved through a precise balance of unique and rare tobaccos. Hand selected from General Cigar’s extensive library of Dominican and Honduran tobaccos, the cigars are dressed in both a supple Connecticut Shade and hearty Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper. The blend is made solely of proprietary tobaccos, each aged five years or more."

Valentino and I both loved this stick from the first moment of toasting. Well, I loved it even before that because the complete coolness of the two-tone wrapper and the band placement.

The Connecticut wrapper started us slowly and smoothly, with a creaminess, which you all know I love. But as we moved to the Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf portion of the show, the potency and flavor ramped up to a richer, peppery, more full-bodied, earthy flavor. We liked it so much, five may have been purchased to reside in the new humidor we're going to keep telling you about but not actually show you. Think about how happy you'll be when the reveal comes!****

Then, the other night, at Valentino's Surprise Birthday Party,***** our friend Rick (Hi, Rick! Hi, Christen!) was looking for a recommendation. I knew exactly where to go--straight for the Artesanos de Tabaqueros! And he loved it! (How could he not?)

So, the point to this story is that choosing the cigar for this month was super easy!! Thanks, John, for pointing us in this direction!

No, you do not get the whole box. Sorry! We're not THAT nice!

Comment on this post to be entered to win.  (Be sure to leave your email address so we can get in touch with you!) Want a second chance? Subscribe to our blog posts by email--over there on the right side of the blog.

The winner will be chosen on the 25th of each month--because my birthday is on the 25th (of December; be sure to mark your calendars), and what better way to count down to the blessed event than to give something away?

So! Comment below. Wheeeee!



*That was quite a meta event, seeing a cool guy from one of our hangouts actually hanging out at another of our hangouts. The world was a little off-kilter there for a while!!

**What does this even mean?

***Duuuuudes...I can totally keep a seekrit!

****Yes, I watch too many HGTV shows because I love the transformative reveal at the end. So sue me.

*****Yes, I am behind on blog posts. Sorry! We'll catch up one of these days!

Cuellar Connecticut Kreme: A Great Discovery (Or: Corruption of my own child, part 2)

Things you should know:

1. I don't confuse easily. Except anything to do with math. Math is stupid and I challenge it to a duel.
2. I am on a first name basis with the mighty, mighty internets and am pretty darned good at researching stuff. Except math. Researching math is stupid.
3. Different is cool. Except differential equations because that's math. Differential equations (sons of math) are stupid.
4. I know the font changes in this post. I'm sorry. I tried to fix it. And then I stopped trying because I needed to keep a modicum of sanity.

Keep these things in mind. They're going to come in handy later.

Sean (my son) and Valentino and I were on a bit of a mission* to fill a small humidor for the young one (well, relatively young one). We went with a bunch that we already loved--Nub, J Grotto Silk, My Father Connecticut.... Look! Here's a picture!
 

There were more when he left the house. Hmmm...I wonder what happened...

 
Anyway, the story isn't about that. It's about this...

The cigar with so many names it's almost unfindable
unless you have the correct combination.
Unless, also, you happen to see them in your favorite tobacco shop.

 
In the sea of deliciously dark cigar boxes sat a glossy, heavy-duty white box. Oooh. Shiny. But I was a little apprehensive. It was different. I like different. But was it one of those issues where the packaging made up for an inferior product? Because that happens, as we all know. (I'd give an example, but I don't want to call anyone out, so, yeah. You know what I mean.)
 
But our tobacconists, the incomparable Paul and Mark at Mr. J's assured us the Cuellar Connecticut Kreme by Villiger Cigars was more than just a pretty box. The cigar comes in four sizes--
 
Robusto: 5 x 48
Toro Gordo: 6 x 54
Churchill: 7 x 50
Torpedo: 6 1/4 x 52
 
We purchased three of the four and took the Toro Gordo on the road with us to Federal Hill. There, we took my boy on a tour of the place and ultimately landed at the LaPigna statue at Garibaldi Square. (Yes, we're creatures of habit.)
 
After deciding who would sit on the wet spot of the bench (not me; I'm a girl and as such, am afforded certain benefits thanks to my delicate female sensibilities.**), we settled in and the gentlemen started their butane engines, toasting and lighting.
 
This cigar was launched at the IPCPA in Las Vegas recently, so digging up a ton of research materials proved difficult. Finding a picture of that shiny white box? Impossible, so don't ask. But the things I do for you folks!!! Here are some details!
 
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Leaf
Binder: Cuban Seed Piloto Ligero
Filler: Cuban Seed and Criollo 98

We chose this as an addition to the new humidor because of the lightness--our goal wasn't to blast my boy's taste buds into the stratosphere so early in the game.
 

Where I did not want my son's taste buds to go. [source]

The mild choice proved perfect for our new cigar smoker. He said, as he progressed from the first to second third, "It tingled my tongue but then mellowed out."
 
The folks at Cigar Coop had the same experience, but with much more detail. "The start to the Cuéllar Connecticut Krēmē surprised me with black pepper notes right out of the gate. There also was a light 'twang' on the tongue from the pepper notes. I also detected the pepper notes on the retro-hale - something that would be present throughout the cigar experience. Once the pepper subsided, notes of cream and wood emerged. There also was a subtle fruit sweetness in the background."
 
As I experience the second-hand smoke in stereo, I, too, sensed the pepper but also the long-lasting creaminess, which you all know I am a serious fan of inhaling.
 
Our in-house cigar expert, Valentino himself, concurred that this smoke ranked high on his list. "A good breakfast smoke," he said. "A good, smooth entry into the day. Although it's still smooth and wonderful at any time of day."
 
Jack from StogieNet.com said about this cigar, "Smooth is the name of the game....The overall flavor is a creamy smooth woodiness.  Lemon curd, fresh hay, and some grassy notes are in there too.  I have found that grassy notes can be a bit harsh in Connecticut cigars but this cigar is so smooth that the flavor fits perfectly.  A very mild cedar spice, light coffee, and a nice herbal note appear in the middle of the cigar.  Here the creaminess really starts to shine.  There is almost no bite to the smoke at all.  As you can imagine, it is an exceptionally mild cigar...but it does lean higher on the mild scale as you smoke it.  The filler contains 16  year old criollo tobacco, hence the smooth body.  Some caramel,vanilla, nuts, and extremely smooth woody characters pop up towards the end of the cigar.  I am blown away.  It doesn't get hot or harsh at the end either.  Superb smoke all around."
 

I know. Lousy picture. You get the gist.

  
Where does the confusion come in? Don't just ask the mighty, mighty internets for info on Kreme cigars because you will wind up in Krispy Kreme hell.*** And don't look on the Villiger website, because you'll find lots of great info, but not on this baby. This cigar, in fact, has so many varied monikers, and Villiger so many logos, I almost gave up. Almost.
 

 
 
So I went even deeper into the internet and sought out Carolyn with Villiger Cigars. (Thanks, facebook!) She directed me to the Cueller website, which I wouldn't have found in a zillion years! You should totally check it out!
 
I also found this pretty interesting information. "The Cuellar is named for Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar. Velázquez was a Spanish conquistador who sailed with Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World in 1493. He settled in Hispaniola (the island that the Dominican Republic was a part of). Eventually he played an integral role in the conquest of Cuba and by 1515 he was appointed Governor of Cuba. The Connecticut Krēmē is derived from the wrapper (Ecuadorian Connecticut) and the cigar's creamy profile." [source]
 

"Hey! Where are my royalties?"

 
Of course, I also can't find these cigars online anywhere,**** so I can't secretly ship them to my son! Or Valentino!***** But I can head back to Mr. J's and scoop up a handful or two. I'm sure no one will mind. And it won't matter what I call them. I'll just look for the shiny, white boxes.******  
 
  *With shenanigans and sneakiness involved, but that's a post for another day.
 
**Stop laughing, you scoundrel.
 
***Hell because we live in Dunkin' Donuts central, with the head office less than an hour away. No Krispy Kremes anywhere around here. ::weeps::
 
****Although I will admit that I haven't searched very hard and am always looking for an excuse to go to visit our friends at Mr. J's.
 
*****I like to order cigars and ship them to him as a surprise. Tee hee! Although that won't work here, I guess. Dang.
 
******Private joke for Sean and Valentino: Boxen.

In which Valentino Gets his Silk(y) Wish

I'm quite a tactile person. If we meet and you're wearing a soft-looking shirt, I may ask to pet it. Don't pull away in horror. Pretty please? The irony of this is that I have very little feeling in my hands,* so I probably can't actually get the full sensation of your soft shirt. Is that silk by the way?

Speaking of silk, or more specifically the J Grotto Silk Series...

Ooooh.  Pretty. Shiny.
And one of Valentino's Top 3 Cigars of all Time!

As you may remember, from me telling you a hundred million times, we love to visit Mr. J's Havana in West Warwick, RI and give Paul and Mark and Tom and Rob all our monies. If we could give them all your monies too, we would.

Located front and center, right where you would go to exchange cash or credit for cigars,** sit the J Grotto Series, J Grotto Series Reserve, and J Grotto Silk Series. (And stay tuned for the Anniversary Series--it's so close I can almost taste it.)

Valentino has always*** been partial to the Silk Series, an Ecuadorian Connecticut blend, usually purchasing the Gordo 6 x 60. "Partial" is too slight of a descriptor. How about whole-heartedly adores? How about it's one of his top three favorites? How about LUUURRRVES? What is the foundation of this adoration? The cigar has a million tons of flavor, he says (my paraphrase, of course). "It's like a full-bodied mild cigar. A full flavor for the Connecticut wrapper folks." In fact, he hearts it soooooo much that it made the cut and got to travel to Bermuda with us. Sadly (happily?), it did not make the return trip.

Horseshoe Bay.
Pinky swear, one of the most gorgeous places I've ever been in my whole life.
And with one of his favorite cigars? Heaven on Earth.

Paul Joyal said upon its release in 2012, "I was test-smoking samples for our new J. Grotto Connecticut boutique cigar, the latest addition to our previous cigars in the line. Suddenly, the word 'Silk' came to mind. I realized it was the perfect name to describe this cigar...the wrapper's silky smooth feel and appearance, along with its flavor...fragrant and delicate, but with a surprise fullness of lush flavor nuances." [source]

But don't just take our word (or Paul's, although he may be a bit biased) about its awesomeness (even though we're wondering why you wouldn't be hanging on our every syllable).  Our friend Jake Healey from Hanley's Ale House in Providence said, "Being a medium to full smoker, Connecticut wrappers are often similar to smoking air for me. I also prefer lancero and smaller ring gauge cigars since the binder and wrapper contain most of the flavor in a cigar. There are some smokes that I will only smoke in smaller rings because the larger versions of the same blend don't have the same amount of flavor. The J Grotto silk has always been one of my favorite Connecticut smokes because it lives up to the name silk. You get a lot of thick, flavorful smoke with each puff."

Since falling in love with the creamy earthiness, with some pepperiness, Valentino has frequently begged Paul for a lancero Silk. "How about now?" he'd ask every time we went into the store.****

"Now?"

Every. Time. Kind of like this:

"Now?"

And then behold, the angels sang.

""...and the angels said unto them,
'Fear not, for behold I bring you tidings of great joy...
the J Grotto Silk Series Lancero.'"

And the Silk Lancero was born.

Hello, friends...  [source]

We may have done a happy dance, but it wasn't nearly as fun to watch as a cute couple in a romantic comedy doing a happy dance. Or Snoopy doing a happy dance--although ours ended about this same way as this:

So we bought some--okay a box--of the 7 1/2 x 40, plus a couple to smoke so we wouldn't have to break the box open, because... It's kind of like buying a candle you like and never burning it because then it will be gone. So, yeah, we still have a full box of ten. Okay, not exactly like that because he's gone in and bought more singles to refill the box, if you must know. I guess we could just buy another box--but as you know, we're having a humidor issue.

Here's Jake again: "[W]hen Paul told me he was coming out with a lancero and I would be one of the first to try it, I was over the moon. The lancero lives up to the silk name by still providing the thick smoke it always does, but with even more flavor than the other sizes. It had an excellent nutty flavor that is far superior to most of the Ecuadorean Connecticut cigars on the market, and its Indonesian binder gives it a ton of thick smoke synonymous with the name. I highly recommend the Silk to anyone who usually goes for a heavier smoke but wants something a little lighter in addition to anyone who is a mild smoker but wants a thicker smoke. If you haven't yet tried it, make sure to get your hands on one!"

Or, you know, way more than one.

"The lancero is a heavier gauge silk than the others in the line," Valentino says. "More concentrated. More silky. It's a heavier silk.  It's a winter silk..." It's a Silk he's going to be smoking regardless of the season.

A dream come true.

The other day when we were leaving the shop, Valentino said to Paul, "Now you need a salomon."

Paul shook his head. "You're killing me, Val."



*Some people say I don't have any feelings at all. I call them students. And I say your grade stands.

**If cigars had a hard instead of soft C-sound, this would be one hell of an awesome phrase.

***Always since they were born and he discovered them.

****I will not reveal how many times this may have been. That's between us and American Express.

Close, but no cigar. Or: Please don't sniff the cello

Valentino and I frequently hold Battle of the Mediterranean.*

[source]

In his corner: Italy, from whence come sauces and spices and flavor and deliciousness in all forms (mostly).**

[source]

In my corner: Portugal, from whence comes chourico. Apparently other things too, but 1. My Portuguese is watered down with English and Irish and 2. My Portuguese people are not fans of spices or flavor. Five or so years ago, when my son (who is 26? 27? Math is hard.) had his first meal at Valentino's house, his face lit up with his first bite. "Mom," he said, "This food has flavor!"

One of our favorite things to do in the summer is head to Boston to the Italian festivals and eat and smoke (him) and second-hand smoke (me) cigars and talk to people and all the other fun things that happen when you're part of the "family." How cool that we'd be able to do that with the Portuguese folks! And the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament in New Bedford, MA had just started! And we were close!

His thought bubble screamed his intentions, which, actually, they usually do. This time: Roam around the Portuguese feast and eat all the foods and smoke a cigar.

Except.

No cigar. He left the house with cutter and lighter. And not one cigar.

But food! I got excited about Valentino trying cacoila and malassadas***: the food of my people. He was not impressed with the savory (except for the chourico, everything was pretty bland), but really liked the sweet.****

As we walked around, full but kinda unsatisfied, we happened upon Rolling Stogies. Know what that meant? Cigars! We'd met up with these folks at the Boston festivals over the past few years, and we chatted with them while deciding the perfect stick for the Blessed Sacrament--something sweet and creamy to offset the spiciness in the air (although not in the food).

The Nub Connecticut won, in case you were wondering.
[source]

While we were chatting and choosing, this thing happened.  In fact, this thing happens a lot, but I've never been this close to the horror before.

As Valentino chatted, I watched a guy in his 30s look around, obviously unfamiliar with even the basics of the cigar culture. You know how when you're watching a child, you're always unsure whether to step in or let them make their own mistakes and learn from them? That was me.

I stood back, watching this guy as he picked up the cigar, sniffed it through the cello, said, "Hmmm. That's nice." Then he held it out to his lady friend. She sniffed and made appreciative noises as well.

[source]

As unsatisfying as sniffing a premium cigar through its cello wrapper, the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament left Valentino longing for his Italian festivals in Boston's North End.  See you soon, Fisherman's Feast and St. Anthony! (And yes, that does mean that he wins this round. And no, I'm not telling you what he wins.)


*Different from Battle of the Culinary Schools. I know it's hard to keep up, since food is involved in both. And pretty much everything else we do.

**Except desserts. No offense, but his people do not do sugar and/or dessert well.******

***Which he decided to call "Miley Cyrus" and now, my people weep.

****Because my people know the sweet stuff.

*****Cheese is not a dessert.

In Real Time: Our New My Father (Our Father?)

So there we were, in Broadway, picking up Leafs (Leaves? This will stymie the grammarian in me until the end of time) and on the counter sat this:

Yeah, I'm shallow enough to be drawn to a cigar by its band. Can you blame me?
The answer better be "No" or we're going to have words. And I'll type my words in ALL CAPS.

So we're right now at Habanos and I realize Valentino has that lovely cigar. I swoon. Or maybe it's because I'm sitting next to him.*

A terrible picture** but proof that I really am writing this at the cigar bar in real real-time.
Yes, that is bacon.
Doesn't your bartender bring you bacon? My bartender is better than your bartender.
Thanks, Nathalie!!

I generally like the My Father line, but they are definitely a strong family. My Father could beat up your father. Yeah, that strong.

He cuts the cap and sucks in to test the draw."I know I'm going to like this already." I assume he said the same thing when he first saw my match.com profile.

He toasts the foot, starting their relationship. Ohhhh...

Then...THEN! He takes his first..."Wow. It's good." I barely hear him because I'm surrounded by butter. Butter? Creaminess. Cream? Have I died and gone to heaven? What do you call it when you're in love with My Father?***

Real time is hard when there's an Italian margarita taunting me, begging me to drink it.**** I keep getting distracted...*****

Oh, look. Time flies. Now we're here:

And things are starting to change. Added to the sweet deliciousness comes some nuttiness and "It's gaining more strength. More than a Connecticut usually does." And holy smokes (ha ha), pepper? Is that pepper? Not the black pepper from the grinder, but that sneaky red pepper that he smuggles into food and I don't know it's there and then BAM and I say, "You son of a..."

According to an article on the Cigar Aficionado website, "Aptly named My Father Connecticut, the blend showcases a Connecticut-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador, a Corojo '99 binder from Nicaragua and a Nicaraguan filler blend of Habano and Criollo leaf.

"With the exception of the wrapper, every leaf of tobacco comes from the Garcia family's farms."

The My Father story is pretty cool and you should definitely read more about it. After all, you should get to know the whole family, right?

It's only mostly dead.
Is The Princess Bride the best movie of all time? Yes, yes it is.

Even with its increase in strength, this Connecticut is like a perfect relationship: starts out sweet and smooth, hits some serious spiciness with the sweet undertones remaining and continually builds strength. And just like an amazing relationship, you hope it will never end.



*Are you grossed out by my sappiness yet? What is my problem? I'm not usually like this! Ugh
.
**Any good pictures you see here? Valentino took them. Any weird or all-out bad pictures you see? That photographer is this girl right here.

***Creepy?

****Any misspellings or awkward language from here on out is not my fault. Lauren makes a mother-effing strong margarita.

*****Honestly, I get distracted by a sparkle in the air, so...yeah...