Decade

Mantel Clock

Mantel Clock by Bill Sheckels

Time flies when you’re having fun. Even so, I have been writing this blog, faithfully, every week, for a decade. If you look closely at the silver tray on which I almost always display a “group photo” of the week’s box and booze pairing, to end the feature each week (a photo thus to be found at the end of each “offering”), you may notice a date inscribed. May 3, 2015. The date of the very first blog article I wrote. The same day, as it turns out, as this decade defining offering - how serendipitous! Dates and days of the week are only supposed to repeat every 6 or 11 years, so someone, please explain this one to me! My wife gave me the tray with the date for our anniversary, which falls a few weeks later, that year. You’ll notice that the very first few articles in the archives don’t have a photo with that tray. If you have been reading the blog from the start, you’ll also notice that it has gotten a lot more complex over the years, evolving into a place for storytelling rather than puzzle solving. There are plenty of excellent resources to read about or view the solving experience of these amazingly puzzling creations. I like to tell their stories. To that end, I’m truly grateful to the many, many storytellers who have helped me along the way, the designers and makers who have graciously provided the histories and anecdotes of their creations, often along with behind the scenes photos and concept sketches.

going back in time

My desire to tell these stories has also taken its toll. It’s not always easy to get the story, and not every artist is (understandably) as adept at storytelling as at woodworking. I discovered that many craftspeople prefer to chat, and are happy to talk all about their puzzles, but might only send a line or two if left as an email. Of course this requires a lot of planning ahead, and time. On the other hand, some artists are equally artistic with their words, and quite literally have sent me a complete article about their creation, or at least so much information that all I need to do is edit, which is always an unexpected gift. Then there is cocktail making, sourcing and prepping a good drink, making sure I have the ingredients, making the drinks, which for the past many years have been augmented by whimsical citrus garnishes (I really am a masochist, aren’t I), the photography, photo editing, feature writing, editing, blog creation and final touches. All in all I must spend an average of five hours every week on this endeavor. Over ten years, that’s well more than a year’s time of standard business hours, if this was an actual job.

good time

There is also a subtle, or not so subtle, pressure, to push out an article quickly, for a new exciting creation, so that it captures attention, or helps garner interest for the designer. Sometimes this effects the fun of being able to experience a puzzle at leisure, or I may find I simply do not have the time to actually solve something before needing to write about it. Luckily this isn’t always critical, since telling the story doesn’t necessarily require talking about the solving experience. But obviously, if I have solved the puzzle, or experienced most of it already, and am thrilled by it, that feeling shines through and makes the feature all the better. One thing has always been true, though, which is that I have enjoyed, in various different ways, all the puzzles I have ever featured, and the feature is the endorsement. It seems obvious to me, but people have often asked me, after reading an article they enjoyed, if I actually liked the puzzle. Yes, of course, or I wouldn’t have spent so much time featuring it!

time will tell

Forgive all the preamble. It’s my way of reflecting and explaining why, although there are still plenty of fine box and booze pairings to share, the cadence of the blog will change now that I’ve reached this milestone. I’m going to take my own time, to feature stories a little more selectively, when they are ready, with no prespecified schedule.

tale as old as time … mantel clock from 2018 which sparked an idea - courtesy of Bill Sheckels

To signify this momentous (A decade! More than 500 boxes! More than 500 cocktails!) occasion in a meaningful way, I’m marking the time with a beautiful piece from my friend Bill Sheckels. The piece was itself a long time coming. I’ve long been a fan of Bill’s beautiful woodwork and elegant style ethos. His series of hard bound book puzzle boxes arguably represent the epitome of the stories I love to tell. He has been prolific, publishing bestsellers in multiple genres! As many may be aware, he is first and foremost a furniture maker. Over the years, “quite a few times”, he has made a mantel clock which he presents as a wedding gift. He shared a photograph of one back in 2018, which I saw and commented on, mentioning that in addition to looking quite beautiful, I suspected it would make for a fantastic puzzle box! It turns out that my comment got Bill thinking. The next year he produced his first clock puzzle box. However, he was still thinking about the original mantel clock. He relates that last summer, he had the opportunity to make another wedding gift, but this time it was also for someone he knew enjoyed a good challenge, who would appreciate what he would hide in that clock.

original prototype - courtesy of Bill Sheckels

Bill’s puzzling Mantel Clock required some modifications to the original design, such as enlarging the size in subtle ways to accommodate the compartment …(s)? Bill wanted it to be very functional. The sound of the chimes was very important, that it not be tinny or fake. He spent some time doing research to find a quartz clockwork with a more realistic sound, and found a supplier in Idaho who had the perfect option from Germany. It worked in the prototype, but turned out to be a one-off. His supplier didn’t have any more. Going the extra mile, Bill’s “chime guy” connected him with someone in Germany, who was able to help Bill track down enough of the clockworks for the production run. It’s a little anecdote but is part of the clockworks of why Bill feels very satisfied about this particular creation.

only a matter of time

Bill made 30 Mantel Clocks, using two wood combinations. The prototype was made with Birdseye Maple, which Bill had on hand at the time. The light, shimmering wood lends an “artistic flavor” according to Bill (I agree!) and the rich red Paduak wood lends striking contrast. He showed his wife, who was “not really keen on that” and preferred a darker wood, so Bill added the dark Makor and Wenge version for a more traditional look. Of the puzzle aspect, finding the secrets, Bill mentions one story about someone who asked for the solution, and couldn’t believe he had missed it. Finding that should not be too difficult, really. But Bill plays a clever game, and hides a very satisfying mechanism beyond what might be easily discovered. It would be quite easy to miss this deeper secret, if not for the fact that he has also hidden a small gift, another puzzle, and you can tell there is something else to find. That only encourages you, but won’t help you access it! I suspected something was afoot, having solved Bill’s prior boxes, and noticing a subtle difference. It’s a lovely secret, very well hidden inside a beautiful and functional heirloom display clock, which, if you are lucky enough to own one, you will surely find, in time.

Yesterday, Today and Amaro by Bryan Kane

Reflecting back on ten years of writing about puzzle boxes and cocktails requires a special sort of toast, one that calls to mind the past, where we have been; the present, how far we have come; and the future, hopefully, where we might be headed on this journey together. In addition to a perfect name, this cocktail is yet another variation on perhaps my most favorite of all cocktails, the classic Negroni, which seemed appropriate. Ostensibly it is billed as a Manhattan riff in Brad Thomas Parson’s Book Amaro, but let’s not get bogged down by semantics when there are drinks to be had. Philadelphia bartender Bryan Kane created this modern classic … wait for it … ten years ago, in May 2015, while working at the restaurant Abe Fisher.

past and future in present tense

Rye whiskey is also my favorite type of whiskey, full of flavor and spice that can be missing from bourbon at times. I’m not sure I have a favorite amaro, there are far too many and they are all delicious. Even better that this cocktail uses two, an amaro blend of dark amaros - so that’s nice! Finally, vermouth will round out any decent cocktail, and sweet vermouth in particular helps soften the bitterness in a classic Negroni or Boulevardier. Here, there is the sweet herbal liqueur Benedictine, always a surprising ingredient in place of vermouth, bringing unexpected herbal honeyed notes. It is technically not a vermouth, of course, which is an infused wine, while Benedictine is an infused beetroot grain spirit, but again, semantics! The drink is lovely when made as indicated, chilled and served over ice, but also works as a moody scaffa, served at room temperature. Here’s to the past, it got us here somehow, so that’s worth remembering. Here’s to the present, because every new day is indeed a present, and it’s easy to forget that. And here’s to amaro, because who knows what the future holds, so let’s raise our spirits instead. Cheers!

where the time has gone

Yesterday, Today and Amaro by Brian Kane

2 oz rye

½ oz Cynar

¼ oz Averna

¼ oz Benedictine

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a favorite glass. Lemon twist.

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