David Hammond

David Hammond is a freelance writer for the Chicago Tribune.

Whisky barrels are stacked at a distillery on the island of Islay, which is known for its briny Scotch. One distiller says the salty air of Islay interacts with the barrels, which then impart flavor to the spirits.

Can Scotch have terroir, like wine? Breaking down effects of grain, water, peat and barrels

May 31, 2019 at 4:03 p.m.

Maybe you’ve had this sensation: You’re sipping Scotch whisky, and you suddenly pick up a strong sense for the spirit’s place of origin. You believe you taste the earthiness of...

A single malt Scotch whisky is not necessarily better than a blended one. Blends enable "drinkers to experience a complex array of aromas and flavors crafted by expertly blending together single malt and grain whiskies," says Tristan Campbell.

5 things to know about buying Scotch whisky that you probably got wrong

May 31, 2019 at 4:01 p.m.

It’s the season for a warming dram of scotch, but if you’re unfamiliar with the storied spirit, the thousands of brands might be a bit off-putting. So here are some...

Oaxacan-style tamales are tender rectangles of cornmeal flour, 4 by 8 inches, chicken-filled, lightly tinted and sweetened from steaming in banana leaves.

Eat this! These Oaxacan-style tamales are the best $3.50 you’ll ever spend

May 31, 2019 at 4:03 p.m.

At Mi Tia Maria’s Tamales in the Maxwell Street Market, you hand over the best $3.50 you will ever spend. Here, you’ll fall hard for the Oaxacan-style tamales, tender rectangles...

In Chicago, you'll find mangonadas every Sunday at Maxwell Street Market's Rica Nieve Estilo Acapulco, on the far north end of Desplaines Street. Five bucks a pop.

Drink this! Sweet-spicy-sour mangonada at Maxwell St. Market

May 31, 2019 at 4:03 p.m.

Mangonadas look fun, and they are. A Mexican concoction served in plastic cups, mangonada is made of sliced mango, mango ice cream or sorbet, a generous squeeze of lime and...

A selection of Siembra Valles Tequilas at Moreno's Liquors, 3724 W 26th Street in Chicago.

Find 700 kinds of tequila — and other intriguing Mexican spirits — at pioneering Moreno’s Liquors

May 31, 2019 at 4:02 p.m.

In a small, dusty Mexico City neighborhood with streets so narrow Uber drivers hesitate to turn into them, you’ll find Almamezcalera, the tasting room of Erick Rodriguez. We were there...

Desert Door Texas Sotol is an untraditional offering of sotol, made with desert spoon, a wild plant abundantly grown throughout the region.

Sotol, spirit of the North American desert

May 31, 2019 at 4:01 p.m.

In Seminole Canyon State Park, just west of Comstock, Texas, ghostly red figures, painted on rough cave walls in ancient times, silently watch over pits where indigenous people cooked desert...

The lechon kawali at Lola Tining's Cuisine, 1141 Garfield St., in Oak Park, is cooked simply: boiled until tender then finished in hot oil.

Eat This! Lechon kawali — crunchy nuggets of pork — should come with addiction warning

May 31, 2019 at 4:01 p.m.

At Lola Tining’s Cuisine in Oak Park, they make lechon kawali throughout the day, “so that it’s always crisp,” explains manager Ashley Strong. In the Philippines, this terribly delicious traditional...

The Hula Dog food truck can be found at 2442 Kuhio Ave., Honolulu.

To find Honolulu’s most interesting eats, hit the streets

August 23, 2019 at 3:58 p.m.

“Iron Chef” Masaharu Morimoto was delicately finessing a sashimi presentation that could have been mistaken for a bouquet of tropical flowers. He lit up when we mentioned another type of...

Plantation Rum, sometimes aged 15 years or more, is slightly fruity and super mellow; you wouldn't want to blur the complexity by mixing it in a cocktail.

Put down the cocktail shaker: Some rums are made for sipping

May 31, 2019 at 4:01 p.m.

Rum, especially when mixed with fruit or juice, can be a sweet sip. Better rums are less sweet and best taken straight, perhaps with a little ice. That was the...

Chicago’s Carlos Gaytan opens Ha restaurant in Mexico’s Riviera Maya

May 31, 2019 at 4:03 p.m.

The sun was setting over the Yucatan Peninsula as chef Carlos Gaytan of Chicago’s Mexique walked up from the beach carrying a large wicker basket filled with greenery. “Just shopping...

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