Filed under: Trends, Newspapers, in sixty seconds

If a cocktail sounds really strange, you might want to take a chance, trust the bartender and give it a try before dismissing it out of hand. You might be surprised.

Whiskey is growing in popularity, so you might want to know what kinds of nibbles go well with it.

Long-aged tequilas are in higher demand, too - and they're not meant for making margaritas.

A specialty tonic water can really improve the quality of a drink, adding a subtly sweet flavor to take the edge off.

Tailgaters like to bring out the blenders and serve mixed drinks before the big game.

Drinking during pregnancy - not to mention a number of other food-related pleasures - is definitely frowned upon by others in the US, although not necessarily by doctors or people elsewhere in the world. It seems that there are risks associated with heavy drinking, but to be on the safe side in all situations, there is no standard for "heavy drinking" and is just considered to be a big no-no.

Big beers, usually produced by small brewers, are beers that have an alcohol content of more than 7% - far stronger than the average of 3-5% that is a common standard in most places. Fans feel that a lot more goes into making them than other beers and revere them almost as much as a fine wine.

Frank Bruni dines at Spicy & Tasty and gives it two stars.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, makes party food: Polpetti, Grilled Chicken Wings, Gougères and Asian Corn Fritters.