Teaser! Bill Grimes: Straight Up or On the Rocks

16/08/2025 11 min
Teaser! Bill Grimes: Straight Up or On the Rocks

Listen "Teaser! Bill Grimes: Straight Up or On the Rocks"

Episode Synopsis

This is a Vintage Selection from 2005The BanterThe Guys discuss the issues with destruction of certain animals and why eating them may be the will of the divine.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys are thrilled to welcome respected food and cocktail writer Bill Grimes to talk about the story of the American cocktail and Bill’s next book on the history of dining in NY. Bill tells where we've been and who helped us get here.The Inside TrackThe Guys relied upon Bill’s book Straight Up or On the Rocks while they built their cocktail bar (which is now the longest-running craft cocktail bar in the world!) While the three take their cocktails seriously, Bill thinks all drinks can play a part.Bill: A cocktail that's like a well-made entree where the flavors are meaningful in relationship to each other and give pleasure because there's a certain tension or balance. But I'll also say there's a role for sort of the nutty, crazy, stupid cocktail too. I think a cocktail is a cocktail. It should encourage all kinds of kind of wacky inventiveness Mark: You believe that that the fuzzy wuzzy woo-woo does have a place in our society and serves a purpose?Bill: It’s the price you pay for freedom.BioWilliam “Bill” Grimes is a longtime contributor to The New York Times. He has served in numerous editorial and writing capacities—magazine writer, culture reporter, and restaurant critic.He has written many critically acclaimed books on food and drink: Straight Up or On the Rocks: The Story of the American Cocktail (a foundational cocktail history), and Appetite City: A Culinary History of New York His work earned nominations like the James Beard Foundation nod for culinary journalism.InfoBill Grimes NYT Cookinghttps://cooking.nytimes.com/author/william-grimesFor recipes: [email protected] Places Stage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguysReach Out to The [email protected]**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**Click Below!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe

More episodes of the podcast The Restaurant Guys