Caitlin Hartney

The Buffalo News • 26th April 2019

Deconstructing High Tea & Its Feminist Roots

When my editor asked me to write about afternoon tea in Western New York—the British-pedigreed sort taken leisurely between lunch and dinner with a light repast of sandwich points and dainty sweets—I was a little hesitant. “Why is afternoon tea worth...

The Spruce • 4th October 2017

Switchel: A Delicious Way to Drink Your Daily Apple Cider Vinegar

If you drink raw apple cider vinegar for your health, it doesn't have to be an unpleasant experience. Just look to the wisdom of our colonial forebearers who used it to make switchel, a refreshing ginger and vinegar tonic.

The Spruce • 18th August 2017

Sound Like a Sommelier: 15 Wine Tasting Terms to Know

Whether you are headed to a wine tasting, planning dinner at a restaurant known for its impressive bottle list, or just want to more mindfully enjoy your nightly glass of vino, having a few wine descriptors in your vocabulary can be beneficial. Some...

Behind the Bar • 14th June 2017

All That Sparkles: The Differences Between Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, Moscato, Lambrusco & More

Many people use the word champagne to indiscriminately describe any wine with bubbles. But in reality, champagne accounts for only a fraction of sparkling wines sold worldwide. By definition, true champagne is only produced in the Champagne region of...

KegWorks Blog • 1st June 2017

Ale vs. Lager: Determining the Differences Between These Types of Beer

For centuries, the majority of beer styles produced in Europe and North America traditionally fell into one of two categories: ale or lager. The distinction has long been based on differences in yeast strains and fermentation temperatures. Ales and...

Behind the Bar • 22nd May 2017

Getting a Handle on Cocktail Bitters: What Are They & How Do I Use Them?

If you’ve ever had an Old Fashioned, then you’ve had cocktail bitters. To be more specific, you’ve probably had Angostura bitters, which is the brand of bitters typically specified for that most classic of drinks. But beyond Angostura, there are...

Behind the Bar • 15th November 2016

The Best Wines for Thanksgiving: Versatile Wines for the Holidays

Selecting wines to serve at Thanksgiving dinner can be an anxiety-provoking a process. In the face of the stress, some people are prone to overthinking  the matter. Others underprepare and resign to put out whatever bottles they have on hand. Big...

Behind the Bar • 1st November 2016

If You're Serving Your Aged Gin Like Whiskey, Tread Carefully

“No one talks about this ever, and I think it needs to be addressed.” That’s how Bobby Finan, partner and master distiller at Tommyrotter Distillery in Buffalo, New York, started our conversation about barrel-aged gin. He was referring, specifically,...

Behind the Bar • 5th May 2016

Move Over Tequila: Mezcal and Sotol Are on the Rise

Tequila: we are all familiar with it. From deceptively strong fishbowl margaritas on your twenty-first birthday and shots at your bachelor party to happy hour at your local taqueria and palomas on the beach in Los Cabos, tequila has been an intimate...

KegWorks Blog • 29th April 2016

The Pleasures (and Occasional Pitfalls) of Cask Ale in the United States

Cask ale (a.k.a., “real ale”) brewed according to traditional British methods is making headway in the United States, but it is still far from mainstream. One of the reasons for its slow ascension is a lack of understanding of how to properly store...

Behind the Bar • 22nd January 2016

How to Stock Your Tiki Bar

From New York to California, tiki fever is sweeping America. It seems like every week, a new tiki-themed cocktail bar, offering patrons a cool drink with a side of tropical escapism, is opening somewhere in the country. But even if that’s the...

The Public • 18th March 2015

Bone Broth: A Home Guide

In 2008, when the New York Times first instructed me to age my chocolate chip cookie dough for 36-72 hours before baking, I complied. The results were revelatory, and my baking life has never been the same. So when the Times legitimized the bone broth...