100 posts and Flour, too

This is Straight Up's 100th post, and to be completely honest, I never thought I'd make it so far. Hopefully I'm batting .500 (maybe half are pretty good), but I'm just a bartender after all and you, of course, are the judge. Actually, some of my favorites have been deftly written by friends and colleauges- so maybe I'm somewhere in the neighborhood of 90. Regardless, I celebrated 100 with, appropriately, a sparkling cocktail other than a Miller High Life.

Joanne Chang launched her second cookbook, Flour, too, this week, and it's not often that one can sip a cocktail in Flour Back Bay- perfect timing. Peter Juusola made punch versions of their house-made sodas, and Nicholas Orpik and Courtney Moy poured away. A Raspberry Fizz with Vodka, raspberry syrup, lime, soda and a Cantaloupe Juelp with Bourbon, cantaloupe puree, mint, soda. Needless to say, I had a private cheers to 100 posts.

The best part is you can get non-alcoholic versions of these in the bakery, and the food is superb. From the roast lamb sandwich to (my favorite) oatmeal raisin cookies, I couldn't stop snacking. And Joanne could not be a more gracious, lovely host- she is a real gem in this business, one of the nicest people who deserves every bit of her success.

Straight up posts may not always satisfy, but make sure you get into Flour soon, it will certainly hit the spot. Cheers, and hoping for 100 more.