Cress Restaurant (Deland, FL) Charity Dinner: The Back Story

In a stunning coup for the benefitting charities, the city of Deland, and Cress Restaurant, Executive Chef Hari Pulapaka of Cress has gained the commitment of four of Orlando's leading chefs to prepare dishes for a charity dinner to be held at Cress Restaurant on August 29th.  The participating chefs are: Scott Hunnell, Chef de Cuisine, Victoria and Albert's, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa; James and Julie Petrakas, Chef/Owners, The Ravenous Pig, Kevin Fonzo, Chef and Owner, K Restaurant and Wine Bar; and, of course, Hari Pulapaka, Executive Chef and Co-Owner (along with wife Jenneffer) , Cress Restaurant.  All proceeds from the event will benefit Taste of the Nation - Orlando, the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, and Central Florida Second Harvest Food Bank.  Having eaten at all of these restaurants, and considering the chefs among the best in Orlando, I perceive this to be a huge deal.  Wanting to get a better understanding of the genesis and objectives of the event, I interviewed Chef Hari on August 6th.  First, a little background on Chef Hari and Cress Restaurant.

Scott Hunnell, Chef de Cuisine, V&A

James and Julie Petrakas, Ravenous Pig

Kevin Fonzo, K Restaurant

Chef Hari Pulupaka, Cress Restaurant

Hari Pulapaka was born in present-day Mumbai and, after graduating from the University of Mumbai, came to the US to pursue graduate studies in Mathematics.  Hari was very successful in this pursuit with a Masters degree awarded by George Mason University in 1989 and a Doctorate by the University of Florida in 1995.  After teaching stints at Bethune-Cookman, Valdosta State University, and Gorgia Tech, Dr. Pulapaka arrived at Stetson University in Deland in 2000 and remains there to this day as a tenured Associate Professor in that institution's Mathematics department.

While teaching at Stetson, Dr. Pulapaka was afflicted with a self-described "midlife crisis" the upshot of which was attendance at Orlando Culinary Institute and, post-graduation, a Culinary Internship at Canoe (a high-end restaurant in Toronto, Canada) and a job as a Line Cook at Princess Cruise's Wilderness Lodge in Alaska.

According to Chef Hari, his stint at Canoe taught him about finesse and pizazz while his sojourn at the lodge taught him boldness in cuisine.  When the opportunity arose, he combined those characteristics with his affinity for spices into the locally grown, globally inspired entity that is Cress Restaurant.  The goal of the restaurant is to provide a charming atmosphere with great value for the customer using an upscale, refined approach within the context of the location.  The mission of the venture is to be responsible to the community and its needs and the sources of the products that make their way onto the Cress tables.  It was this understanding of the needs of the community, combined with Chef Hari's passion for philanthropy, that were the sources of inspiration for the upcoming event.

Cress Restaurant was going to be three-years-old on August 29th.  The restaurant had celebrated previous anniversaries with customer-appreciation events but Chef Hari wanted to do something larger and more meaningful for the third anniversary.  Chef Hari had been named a 2011 James Beard Nominee for Best Chef South, as had the chefs who will be cooking at the event.  Chef Hari felt that if he could get his fellow nominees to come to Deland and cook at his restaurant, it could be huge money-raiser for a worthy charity and fulfill his goal of doing something "larger and more meaningful" for Cress' third anniversary.  Once he got this idea in his head, he pursued it doggedly and, after a two-month effort, was successful in gaining their agreement to participate.  This was a tall order because: these are very important chefs in Orlando; they are very busy all of the time; they would be donating their time; and, finally, getting the calendars synchronized would require a herculean effort.  But he pulled it off.

The event will revolve around a 7-course meal, each course being paired with an appropriate wine.  Each chef decided what he/she was going to prepare and Chef Hari (i) placed them in the appropriate order and (ii) filled in perceived blanks with his courses.  Cress can seat 35 people and to date 28 attendees have been confirmed.  Ticket prices are $275 per attendee but the funds go to a good cause and it provides the attendee with an opportunity to taste all five of these high-end chefs in one place and at one time.

The critical succes factors of the event, as seen by Chef Hari, are: (i) that the event raises money (a foregone conclusion given the number of seats sold to date); (ii) flawless execution of the dishes; (iii) the attendees perceive an authentic experience; and (iv) the chefs feel, at the end of the day, that it was worth their time.  There are a number of challenges that will have to be overcome.  The Cress kitchen is small and hot, not the kind of environment these chefs are accustomed to working in.  He hopes that the feeling of being able to do what they want to do will far outweigh the frustration of working in cramped, hot surroundings.

In Chef's estimation, Deland, as a city, is happy and proud to be the venue for such a monumental meeting of culinary artists.  He is also proud of putting the event together and sees it as an opportunity for the Orlando culinary glitterati to taste some of his creations and provide  a "seal of approval."

There is no doubt that this event will be a feather in the cap for Cress Restaurant.  It will raise a lot of money for charity but, following closely on the heels of the James Beard nomination, this gathering of stars on the banks of the Deland River (well, not quite) serves to further cement Cress Restaurant as one of the "foodie-destination" restaurants in metro-Orlando.

Gamay Grape and the 2009 Vintage in Beaujolais

Gamay -- official name Gamay noir à Jus Blanc -- is famously known as the black grape of Beaujolais but is also grown to a lesser extent in the Loire, Jura and Savoie, and the Rhone Valley.  Named after a Burgundian hamlet in close proximity to Puligny-Montrachet, the varietal is the result of an ancient cross between Pinot Noir and Gouvais Blanc, an ancient varietal originally grown in Central Europe (According to Wineworld's Blog, "gouvais blanc was given by emperor Marcus Aurelius Probus (born 232 – 282 and emperor from 276 – 282), from Pannonia, to Gauls who planted it close to pinot vineyards where many spontaneous crosses resulted ...").  The varietal enjoyed the full run of Burgundy until ordered pulled out by Duke Philip the Bold who wanted to eliminate competition for Pinot Noir.  The vines in Beaujolais did not suffer the same fate as their core Burgundian counterparts and have flourished in the region to this day.

Gamay grows best in granite and limestone soils and struggles in alkaline conditions.  Its growing cycle is on the early end of the spectrum and, as such, it is susceptible to spring frosts.  The berries are large with thin, tough skins and grow in large clusters.  Wines from the varietal are generally fruity and acidic and winemakers have utilized carbonic maceration to accentaute the fruitiness.  Wines from the grape genearlly have a fruity, floral bouquet and aromas of bubble gum, banana, cotton candy, and vanilla.

2009 Vintage

Primarily due to the flash-in-the-pan nature of Beaujolais Nouveau, Beaujolais wines have not gained significant traction in the marketplace -- or the attention of the wine press and critics -- but the 2009 vintage has contributed significantly to putting the cru Beaujolais wines back on the wine-drinking map.  To begin with, the vintage was blessed with almost-perfect growing conditions with steady warming through August punctuated with a little rain in June.  Growing conditions and crop management processes resulted in low yield of high-quality fruit with great balance in sugar and acidity and high tannin levels.  These grapes were harvested between August 25th and September 25th and produced elegant, concentrated wines.  Georges Duboeuf, the so-called King of Beaujolais, calls 2009 "the vintage of the century" and describes the wines as being "... incredibly elegant and delicious ..."  The Wine Advocate refers to the 2009 Beaujolais wines as "... gloriously generous and genuinely complex ..." 

All in all, 2009 seems like a "come-home" vintage for those who have fled the fold and a great time for the uninitiated to become involved with Beaujolais wines.

The Table Orlando: The Dining Experience

So now that we are familiar with its environment and key players, let's explore The Table Orlando's raison d'être.

After an extended sparkling-infused reception, we were invited to take our seats at "the table."  With a game of musical chairs concluded, and post Loren welcoming us into "this extension of her home kitchen," we settled in to enjoy the fruits of our chefs labors.

A dinner at the restaurant is generally a five-course affair but, for this evening, six courses were served.  More value for money.  The menus were distributed at this time.  They were printed on cream-colored, high-quality stock which was tri-folded and secured with a brown wax seal embossed with an archaic-looking letter T in its center. The courses and pairings were as shown below.

Course 1: Foie Gras Panna Cotta with Shaved Black Summer Truffle, Roasted Calamyrnia and Grissini for "dip dip".  Paired with Billecart-Salmon NV "Brut Reserve, Mareuil-Sur-Ay, Champagne

Course 2: Poached Sweetbreads, Herbed Pappardelle, Apple Daikon Salad.  Paired with Verget 2009 "Grand Elevage" (Chardonnay), Macon-Villages, Burgundy

Course 3: Bouillabaisse. Local Sheephead, Lobster, Clams, Calamari, Classic Rouille.  Paired with Lafon Rochet 2009 "Lafon-Roset" Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Estephe

                                               

Course 4:  Wagyu Strip Loin "Tartar" with Lake Meadow "Egg Custard," Purple Peruvian, Royal Trumpets "Ragu", Fresh Black Truffles.  Paired with Valter Scarbolo 2006 "Campo del Viotto" (Merlot), Venezia Giulia.

Cheese Course: Homemade Goat Crackers, Thomasville Tomme, 5-year-aged Gouda, Fromage D'Affinois, Petite Salad Champagne Grapes.  Paired with La Follette 2009 "Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Course 6: Flan and Pavlova, Peach, Blackberries. Paired with Rancho de Oro Puro Vineyards 2005 Napa Valley Late Harvest





This was a classic lesson in food preparation and presentation and marrying it with the appropriate wines.  The Bouillabaisse, for example, provided great contrasts between the color, texture, and mouthfeel of the lobster and the same characteristics of the calamari yet they were both harmoniously accommodated by the Lafon Rochet, a Cabernet Sauvignon Rose with an earthy, peppery feel. The Wagyu Strip Loin and the Merlot was also a great pairing as the Merlot did not impress much when it stood alone.  But when paired with the meat (which had been cooked for 4 hours yet retained the tartare look, feel, and flavor) and egg (which itself had been cooked for 1 hour), the wine shone.

This was an excellent experience overall.  The atmosphere, food, wine, and service were special. There were adequate pauses between courses that lent to unhurried clearing of the plates from the most recent course, conversation with table mates between courses, and delivery of the plates associated with the upcoming course.  The wait staff was kind, caring, courteous, and equipped with ready smiles.  In addition to supplying guests with ample amounts of wine, staff were always ready to pour water into your glass, water which is carbonated in-house using a seven-stage reverse osmosis process.  Fidel hovered continuously in the background, answering questions and pouring wine.  The chefs (Loren especially) spent a considerable amount of time with us: welcoming us initially; introducing the courses; and then conversing with each of us individually at the culmination of the meal (itself a long and languid process as we sat around reveling in what we had just experienced).

We had each of us brought wines to have after the official dinner (remember, there is only one seating per night) but we were so complete that we took them all back home.  After four-and-a-half hours of great food and wine we were spent.  Thanks for the experience The Table Orlando.

According to Loren, the target audience for the restaurant is "people who are passionate about food and wine" and it is hoped that, after experiencing what The Table has to offer, they will pass the word on.  The restaurant is open to the public on Friday and Saturday and closed for private events Tuesday through Thursday.  The cost for the dining experience is $100 per person, an excellent value in my estimation.  The goal, according to Loren, is to have a different menu from Friday to Saturday in order to ensure a completely different experience for someone choosing to dine at the restaurant on both days.

You will not regret a decision to try this establishment.  I enjoyed the experience so much that I am going back this Saturday.

The Table Orlando: Environment and Key Players

Orlando, welcome your new "it" place.  The Table Orlando, a restaurant concept featuring a single, large, 22-seat table, and exquisite small plates expertly paired with wines from around the world, has hit the city like a ton of bricks; and we are all the better for it.

I have known Fidel Palenzuela for a number of years now (he has gathered no moss at a number of area wine establishments that I frequent) and have fully enjoyed his friendship, wine knowledge, and company.  So when he invited me to his new restaurant venture, I promised to gather up a few friends and patronize the establishment the following Saturday.

The restaurant is unobtrusively positioned at the end of Via Dellagio Way (8060, Suite 106), a veritable Restaurant Row just off the granddaddy of Restaurant Rows, Sand Lake Road.  The glazed double doors, with stylized text, which announce that you have arrived, hide an environment that stops you in your tracks upon entering.

The room is dominated by a large, dark-colored, marble-topped table positioned left of center and surrounded by black chairs.  The table is a single piece of granite resting on wooden legs that were whittled by the staff.  The width of the table is brought into focus by the sight of two chairs at each end.  The table itself is decorated with shell-type vases in the center and is crowned by a shimmering aluminum and glass chandelier that is stunning to behold.  The aluminum for the chandelier was acquired from an airplane salvage yard while the hand-blown glass was purchased from an area retailer and repurposed for this application.  At the end of the table farthest from the door is an 18th-century chest made from reclaimed Indian cedar.

Over to the right of the dining room is a bar which is defined by wine bottles lying horizontally on luminescent, rectangular projections.  These "shelves" are connected to a computer which controls the color and intensity of the light contained therein.  Fidel explained that they had a miniscule budget so the build-out was done by the people working there.  They sure did a phenomenal job.

We were ushered into the establishment by Fidel's broad, welcoming smile and a flute each of Ca'del Bosco Franciacorta.  My guests arrived intermittently and it was interesting to see the looks on their faces when they opened the doors for the first time and surveyed the surroundings.  It was like peering at a mirror into the past and seeing the look of amazement that was probably on my face when I first stepped in.

The table seats 22 people so there were six attendees in addition to my group.  We all stood around drinking sparkling wine and gabbing about the restaurant.  After we had killed the Ca'del Bosco, Fidel began pouring Proseco (Flor, Bastia) and when that was exhausted, Billecart-Salmon.  The venue was phenomenal, and combined with the flowing sparkling wines/champagne and good friends, served to create a wonderful atmosphere.  At this point I knew that the only thing that could screw the evening up was "less-than-stellar" food.  After tasting butler-passed compressed watermelon and lobster bisque, I knew that the chefs were going to deliver.

Who are the people behind this venture and how did they arrive at this place?  The chefs are transplanted Rhode Islanders Tyler Brassel and Loren Falsone, a husband-and-wife team whose accomplishments include appearances on the cover of Food and Wine magazine and record attendees at the James Beard House.  They both teach at Le Cordon Bleu in Orlando and, according to Loren, the restaurant is an extension of their home.  They are passionate about food and wine and never miss an opportunity to have friends over to share this passion.  The Table Orlando represents their attempt to share these passions with the broader public.  The chefs are responsible for creating world-class dishes while Fidel is responsible for matching their creations with wines of equal quality.  In addition to his sommelier role Fidel also appears to be responsible for business acquisition and client engagement during the actual dinner.

From left to right Fidel, Loren, Tyler and Ron

I will cover the actual dinner in my next post.

Beaujolais AOCs

Beaujolais has long been hidden behind, and judged by, Beaujolais Nouveau the light, fruity wine that is eagerly snapped up by its adherents upon its annual November release and drunk almost before they have gotten back to the car.  But if you judge Beaujolais only by this ephemeral offering, you are misinformed; a condition which I hope to redress in this post.

The Beaujolais sub-region has 10 distinct appellations for red wines and a regional appellation for white wine.

The Beaujolais AOC, as shown in the map above, occupies the southern and eastern flanks of the sub-region.  This AOC covers 60 villages and10,000 hectares and is the source for fully 50% of all Beaujolais wine. The soil is primarily clay and limestone and the resulting wine is simple and meant to be drunk in the first year of the vintage.  The wine must be a minimum 9% alcohol and yield is limited to 55hl/ha.  Production averages 75 million bottles per year half of which is Beaujolais Nouveau. This area was accredited in 1937 and is the only Beaujolais AOC in which Guyot vine training is permitted.

Beaujolais Superiéur is sourced from selected vineyards within Beaujolais, has a higher ripeness level stipulated before harvesting, and is vinified to a 1% higher alcohol level than is basic Beaujolais.  The wines resulting from this process are light, fruity, and best suited for early consumption.

Beaujolais Villages covers wines sourced from 38 communes to the north and west of Beaujolais.  A village may append its individual name to the label if the wine is produced from grapes grown only in that commune.  Beaujolais Villages is 6000 hectares in size and is the source of 25% of the wine produced in Beaujolais.  The soils in this region have a higher granite content than is the case for the rest of Beaujolais and this, coupled with south-facing slopes for vineyards in the eastern foothills of the Massif Central, contributes to the attainment of optimal ripeness by its grapes and wines that are fuller-bodied and of greater complexity than Beaujolais wines.

Cru Beaujolais is the highest classification in Beaujolais and covers the wine produced in a 6500-hectares area encompassing seven named villages in the northern part of the region and the vineyards around the foot of Mont Brouilly. The wines are mostly produced using traditional fermentation methods and a little oak and have ageing potential of 5 to 15 years.

The lightest-bodied of the Cru Beaujolais wines are produced in Brouilly, Régnié, and Chiroubles.  Brouilly is the largest of the crus and sits in the foothills of Mont Brouilly.  Its soils range from pink granite through chalky clay deposits.  The planting of the white varietals Aligoté, Chardonnay, and Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet) is permitted in this cru.  Régnié wines are sourced from grapes grown on the gently sloping hillsides surrounding the village of Régnié-Durette.  The 650 hectares of vineyards sit at an average elevation of 350 meters on soil that is granitic and sandy with a high mineral content.  Wines from this cru are elegant and structured with good aging potential.  Chiroubles has the highest altitude of the crus with elevation ranging between 250 and 450 meters.  Cool climates and long ripening seasons in this 360-hectare, granitic-sand cru make for light, fragrant, delicate wines.

St. Amour, Fleurie, and Côte de Brouilly are known for medium-bodied wines. The soil in St. Amour is granitic clay and schist and the wines produced therein range from Beaujoulais-Nouveau-style to fuller-bodied, complex reds.  Fleurie is sometimes referred to as the queen of Beaujolais and its wines are "fresh, floral, fragrant, and elegant."  Fleurie has 890 hectares of vines resting on granitic soil and produces 3 million bottles annually.  Côte de Brouilly sits higher up on the Mont Brouilly slope than does Brouilly and the soil here fluctuates between blue stones and marbled green stones.  The wines are more concentrated and have better aging potential than do the wines of Brouilly.


The wines of Juliénas, Chénas, Morgon, and Moulin-à-vent are the fullest-bodied of the wines produced in Beaujolais.  Juliénas has granitic soils in the west and sedimentary soils in the east.  Wines from this commune are characterized by red fruit, berry, floral, and vanilla aromas.  Chenas is the smallest of the communes and is named for the oak forest that once dominated the hillside.  The wine has a distinctive wild rose character and a 15-year shelf life.  Morgon, on the other hand, is one of the largest crus.  Its schist soil is older and more weathered than the other crus resulting in earthier, fleshier wines with good aging potential.  Moulin-à-vent has pink granite soil with a high manganese content, a composition that is  toxic to the grape vine and results in reduced crop levels.  The resulting wine is concentrated, richer and has fuller flavors.  These wines age well.

Beaujolais Blanc is a regional appellation for white wine but its production is concentrated mainly in the far north, bordering Maconnais.  This appellation came into being in 1937 with the designated varietals being Chardonnay and Aligoté.  The use of Aligoté in the AOC will be phased out by 2024.  The grapes  are crushed on arrival at the cellars and fermented for two weeks. The wines are characterized by floral notes, stone fruit flavors, limited ageability.  Many producers in the north prefer to bring their white wines to market under the more prestigious Macon label, thus depressing the nominal production levels of Beaujolais Blanc.

Beaujolais Sub-Region of Burgundy: An Overview

I recently signed up to attend the NY instance of The Guild of Sommeliers Beaujolais tastings but was a no-show due to conflicting priorities.  In that comprehensive Beaujolais tastings are infrequent, I gained access to a list of the event wines in order to reproduce the tasting in Orlando  (Andrew McNamara, Master Sommelier, was instrumental in getting me access to that list of wines and for that I would like to express my appreciation.).  Leading up to the tasting I will be exploring a number of facets of Beaujolais wines, beginning here with a discourse on the region.

The Beaujolais wine region is located in eastern France with Burgundy to its north (technically Beaujolais is a sub-region of Burgundy), the Rhone Valley to its south, and the Saone river hugging tightly to its eastern flank.  Proximate cities are Macon to the north and Lyon to the south.  The region measures 50 km long with width ranging between 10 and 15 km.

Source: zelas.co.uk

Beaujolais has a continental climate -- cold, dry winters and hot summers -- which is tempered by the Massif Central to the west, the Alps to the east, and its proximity to the Mediterranean.  The region is blessed with a warm growing season but the possibility of frost in the spring, or hail in the summer, is ever-present.

Beaujolais is divided into Haut and Bas Beaujolais, based on distinctions in the soil and the intervening Nizerand river valley, with Haut Beaujolais to the north and Bas to the south.  The north is characterized by rolling granite hills pock marked with patches of clay and limestone and with granite and schist in the upper slopes and higher stone and clay content in the lower slopes.  The south has a flatter topographical profile than the north and has primarily clay and sandstone soils.

There are approximately 3600 vineyards in the 55,000 acres that constitute Beaujolais.  The vineyards tend to be small to mid-sized plots owned by hundreds of farmers and carrying between 9000 and 13,000 vines per hectare.  For the most part, the fruit is sold to negociants who produce and market the wines.  In the north the vineyards sit on gently sloping hills at elevations that range between 500 and 2000 feet. The resultant exposure to the sun allows quicker ripening and harvesting in the north when compared to the south.  Vine training is primarily Goebelet but, recently, some Guyot training has been utilized in the south.

Source: Beaujolais.com

One of the unique aspects of Beaujolais winemaking is the widespread use of carbonic maceration for vinification of most of its red wines.  In this method of vinification the grapes are hand-picked in whole bunches and the bunches are placed serially into the fermentation tank.  The weight of the most recently placed grapes causes the lower bunches to burst and the juice that is released begins to ferment.  The carbon dioxide that is released during this process causes in-berry fermentation and the production of brightly colored, low-tannin wines with a characteristic fruity flavor.

A large part of Beaujolais' repute -- and disrepute -- is based on its Beaujolais Nouveau, a red, fruity, light, early drinking wine.  This wine, as is the case for most of the red wine produced in Beaujolais, is made from the Gamay grape.  Small quantities of Pinot Noir are used for red and rosé wines, a practice which will be discontinued after the 2015 harvest.  Chardonnay and Aligoté are used for the production of the little white wine that is produced in the region as well as for blending with red wines up to a limit of 15%.   The wines of Beaujolais are generally characterized by ripe, fruit-driven flavors with the wines from the north being aromatic, structured, and complex while those from the south are lighter, fruity, and early drinking.  Annual production in the region is about 190 million bottles.  Notable producers are Georges Duboeuf, Marcel Lapierre, Jean Foillard, Guy Breton, Jean-Paul Thivenet, and Pierre Chermette.

Beaujolais has 12 appellations, each producing its own distinctive style of wine.  I will detail these appellations in my next post.

Book Review -- Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition

Vivienne Sosnowski's When the River's Run Red (previously reviewed herein) recounts the travails that beset the American wine industry as a result of the Prohibition Amendment to the constitution.  While Sosnowski "paints a broad-brush picture of the national battle leading up to the institutionalization of Prohibition ...," Daniel Okrent's Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition," conversely, takes us down into the weeds of the Prohibition fight.

This book is a sweeping history of the pre-Prohibition American drinking culture, the politics of the Prohibition Amendment, the economics and governance of the Prohibition experiment, and the subsequent repeal fight. It is a tour de force of political history which delivers great detail and insight into the politics of a significant period/event in American history.

From its pages rise powerful organizations and individuals that are a distant memory for some of the current generation and a revelation for others.  Neal Dow, Susan B. Anthony, Francis Willard, Mary Hanchett Hunt, Carry Nation, Mabel Walker Willebrandt, Anti-Saloon League, Wayne Wheeler, and Andrew Volstead are a few of the individuals/institutions  figuring prominently in the social experiment that was Prohibition.  A number of strange alliances were forged on the side of the "Drys" (those in favor of the Prohibition Amendment): Southern anti-black forces using the Prohibition movement to take voting rights and alcohol away from blacks; Progressives wanting to better the lot of the "unfortunate" immigrant; income tax lovers; and suffragettes.

The author shows  a confused and erratic response by the entities that would be most affected by a prohibition on the sale of alcohol: the brewers, the spirits industry, and the wine industry.  The wine industry was very small and was, for the most part, an inconsequential player in this battle.  The beer and spirits industries were engaged in internecine warfare and, in addition, the brewers were somewhat compromised by their German roots at a time when the US was involved in WWI.

At this point, you are only one-third of the way towards completion of the book.  The author continues on with a similarly comprehensive treatment of the Prohibition years and corruption and incompetence that was inherent in the management of the process, the rise of organized crime, the actions of the "legitimate" brewers and spirits companies during the Prohibition years, the plethora of bootlegging activities that were undertaken, and the resulting fortunes accumulated.  The fight for repeal arrays the elite of American society, led by Dupont who sees an excise tax on alcohol as a perfect antidote to the income tax to which he and his cohorts are subjected to under Prohibition.  The author closes with a look back at what became of the major players in this drama.

The author does a phenomenal job of bringing these historical personalities and events to life and carefully elucidating their roles in shaping the America that we know today through their actions in a key historical period in the annals of the republic.  This is a must read but will require a fair amount of time to negotiate its 400 pages (inclusive of appendices) of weighty facts.