eje

My understanding is the cool new place to be is Duggan McDonnel's Cantina. But, the nice part is Cantina, Bourbon and Branch, and Rye, is that they are all within stumbling distance of one and other. Still enjoy Alembic, though I haven't been by since they got a new Chef. I believe Range is still recommendable for both food and drink. NOPA and Slanted Door both recently impressed me with their bar programs, though I am ambivalent about the food at both restaurants. Absinthe Bar & Brasserie still makes a good cocktail. Old School, I'd say Tadich Grill, Bix, Pied Piper Bar at the Palace Hotel. Harry Denton's Starlight Room, maybe, though I haven't been there. Oh, and I just read in Marcia Gagliardi's tablehopper about a new bar will be opening in the Drake Hotel: This post is getting long, so drop me a note if you want liquor store recommendations, and I'll fill you in on what to get where.

Of course, at that point, it really just turns into a Fancy Rum Cock-Tail with grenadine instead of Gomme! Hey, wait! That sounds good!

Well, sometimes, after a couple so-so drinks I do wonder why I am doing this. "Life is too short for bad cocktails," sort of thing. On the other hand, if I didn't force myself to make new or different cocktails, I'd probably just make Manhattans, Brooklyns, or Old-Fashioneds every night. And the odds of the cocktails from the Savoy being any good, seem about equal to cocktails from any other source. Chinese Cocktail 1 Dash Angostura Bitters 3 Dashes Maraschino (1/2 bar spoon Luxardo Maraschino) 3 Dashes Curacao (1/2 bar spoon Senior Curacao of Curacao) 1/3 Grenadine (1, well 3/4, oz Home Made Grenadine) 2/3 Jamaica Rum (2 oz Appleton Estate V/X Rum) Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. No idea why this is called the "Chinese Cocktail". From the ingredients, it seems like the recipe must be old. Say, pre-1900. I know there was a "Japanese" cocktail in one of the versions of Jerry Thomas' cocktail book. The flavors combination is actually very good; but, the cocktail is rather too sweet, even with home made grenadine. I think changing it to 3/4 rum, 1/4 grenadine, and being a bit more generous with the bitters, would be closer to my taste.

Are the odds of good ginger ale better than the odds of good tonic? I know there are a number of good ginger ales/beers from NZ and AU. An acquaintance came back from some time in New Zealand quite enthusiastic about Moscow Mules made with some special extra spicy ginger beer* or ale. Just don't know if it would be available in the type of bars you are talking about. edit - * Bundaberg Ginger Beer, maybe? They also make some rums.

I've never done much more than just cover the nuts; but, I know others who will make twice or three times as much walnut liqueur as me from the same amount of nuts. Just depends what you're going for. But, like Mike sez, you can always dilute, but, you can't take it out.

If any of you read (or write) blogs which cover cocktails, you might know that Paul over at Cocktail Chronicles has been organizing a monthly online cocktail event he calls Mixology Mondays. This month's event is being hosted by Paul on his Cocktail Chronicles blog. The theme is Bring on the Blog Love To quote Mr. Clarke: If you would like to participate, please write up a cocktail you first read about on a blog or website in this topic before Monday, July 16th at midnight. I will compile a list of cocktails posted and mail them to the organizer. PS. Mr. Clarke has proposed that eGullet.org be considered an honorary member of the cocktail blogosphere. So if you first read about a cocktail here on eGullet, that's cool, too.

I think Martin Doudoroff summarized the Savoy Cocktail book best on about page 2 of this topic (and almost a year ago!): Shovelware While I actually haven't found as many terrible recipes as I first feared, yep, The Savoy Cocktail Book is that period's Mr. Boston.

I was surprised at my reaction, too. Though, it is pretty consistent with my reaction to the two previous martinis I've had made with it out at bars. It is 46% ABV. I may have under stirred the cocktail, accounting for some of my reaction. I'll be interested to try it in some cocktails that feature citrus. Bronx, Casino, Corpse Reviver, etc. I really like the bottle, though. Easily one of my favorite liquor bottles. Really stands out. Also, from what I've read, a real labor of love for the distiller.

Chicago Cocktail 1 Dash Angostura Bitters 1 Dash Curacao (Senior Curacao of Curacao) 2/3 Brandy (1 1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac) Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. Frost edge of glass with castor sugar and fill with Champagne (Cremant de Limoux, J. Laurens Brut). Probably easier to frost the glass with castor sugar before you strain the cocktail in to it! A nice variation on the champagne cocktail. I'm not normally a fan of the sugar rim, as most cocktails are usually plenty sweet without the extra sugar. Plus, it tends to make drinking the cocktail a sticky and goopy proposition. However, in this cocktail, it is interesting to have the sugar on the rim, instead of in the glass. Makes the sweet and dry aspect of the cocktail more serendipitous.

Dave... Thanks so much for sharing your week. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Bluecoat gin is starting to show up in a few liquor stores around town. Picked up a bottle last week and tried it last night in a Fancy Gin Cocktail. I guess I've been drinking mostly traditional gins lately (Tanqueray, Beefeater, Plymouth) so found Bluecoat a little odd. First off, it's not the smoothest gin in the world, more like Tanqueray than Beefeater or Plymouth. Second the spices are just a little, well, weird. I dunno, something about the spices almost reminded me more of an Aquavit, like Linie, than a Gin. Try to mix a bit more with it this week, and see if I come around to it.

Cherry Mixture Cocktail 1 Dash Angostura Bitters 1 Dash Maraschino (Luxardo) 1/2 French Vermouth (2 oz Noilly Prat Dry) 1/2 Italian Vermouth (2 oz Carpano Antica) Shake well and strain into cocktail glass (Build over cracked ice in a double old fashioned glass, stir briefly to chill. - eje). Serve with cherry (3 Amarena Toschi Cherries). A bit of a radical departure from the method. I just find I enjoy these vermouth type "cocktails" more over ice than up, so there you go. Quite enjoyed this formulation. A bit on the sweet side. A slightly less bitter Americano ? Maybe most appropriate as a digestiv?

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, July 06, 2007 Bargain All-Stars, W. Blake Gray THE SIPPING NEWS: Ball game wine pairings Presenting the All-Star Drinking Game Sipping suds at the ballpark In our glasses Uncorked: Off the diamond, players score great wines, W. Blake Gray Uncorked: Off the diamond, players score great wines, W. Blake Gray Cocktailian: Pisco cocktail packs a punch line, Gary Regan Recipe: The Peruvian Elder-Sour Pairings: A salad to flatter delicate wine, Joyce Goldstein Recipe: White Runner Beans with Shrimp, Celery & Caper & Garlic Citrus Dressing Chronicle Wine Selections: Greek whites, W. Blake GRay The Cheese Course: Tidy ewes give cheese its tang, Janet Fletcher 96 Hours Bar Bites: District, Amanda Berne "Almost in the lap of AT&T Park, this sleek 4-month-old wine bar wavers between hot spot and sports bar, with a clientele to match, and with the sports bar atmosphere often winning out over wine. It's already become a very popular after-work destination, so head there early to monopolize some of the comfy sofas or secure a seat at the bar -- otherwise you might be standing three deep trying to flag down a glass of wine. Whether you settle in for nibbles with friends or patch together a whole meal, know that service here can be a little flighty. Sit back and take in the pretty people to take your mind off the spacey ones." Bargain Bite: Chili Lemon Garlic Thai Cafe, Laura Compton "Every San Francisco neighborhood seems to have at least one Thai restaurant, yet it's still a surprise to stumble upon Chili Lemon Garlic in the heart of the Mission District on 24th Street amid all the panaderias, taquerias and hair salons. This intimate restaurant manages to offer 82 choices on its seafood-centric menu, which nicely covers the usual bases as well -- soups, curries, noodle soups, rice plates and sides that include three kinds of rice (brown, jasmine and sticky), plus cooling cucumber salad."

Oh, shoot, I forgot to put this link up before it zipped off to premium content. Well, if you are a NY Times Subscriber, or want to pay for it, they asked Michael Laiskonis, executive pastry chef at Le Bernardin to update a 1949 recipe for Strawberry Tapioca Flamingo. He created a variation on tapioca pearl drinks called a "Strawberry Tapioca Soda". I made a raspberry variation last weekend and my wife described it as, "the weirdest thing I have ever drunk". I think she meant that in a good way. I know at least she drank it all. Recipe Redux; 1949: Strawberry Tapioca Flamingo, Amanda Hesser If you're not a NY Times Subscriber, drop me a PM for the recipe.

At the end of last month the EU nations reached a nearly unanimous compromise proposal, which requires only that "vodkas" made from anything other than grain and potatoes be labeled as such for the EU market. I think Poland was the only dissenting vote. Euro MPs spurn 'pure vodka' bid edit - add link

My understanding is the new proposed (not sure if they are ratified yet) EU rules require vodka made from anything other than potatoes or grain to be labeled as such. Thus Ciroc would have to state somewhere on the label that it is made from grapes. Since most already play this up, it doesn't seem like much of a hardship. One of the original proposals would not have allowed any spirit which wasn't made from potatoes or grain to be labeled vodka.

Part of the problem might be my use of the Fee's instead of homemade Grenadine. I was too lazy to pull the homemade out of the freezer and thaw it. Plus, I've had this bottle of the Fee's grenadine in my cupboard for what seems like forever. But, Fee's American Beauty has a pretty strong cherry/vanilla flavor, so there isn't much of a contrast between the pomegranate and cherry. In any case, the booze flavor in the Cherry Blossom is so buried, it seems like it is a cocktail targeted at people who don't think they like cocktails.

Cherry Blossom (6 people) To a glass half full of cracked ice add a tablespoon of dry Curacao (dash senior Curacao of Curacao), one of Lemon Juice (1 TBSP fresh), one of Grenadine (Fee's American Beauty), 2 1/2 glasses of Cherry Brandy (1 oz Cherry Brandy) and 2 of brandy (1 oz Pierre Ferrand Ambre). Shake thoroughly and serve very cold. I'll admit I increased the ratio of lemon here and decreased the Curacao, when re-doing the cocktail for 1 person. It just seemed like it was going to be waaay too sweet if I left the ratio as is. As made, it tastes pretty much like drinking a glass of cold cherry juice. That's not bad; but, it really doesn't seem much like a cocktail. More like the missing link between the Sidecar and the Shirley Temple.

It's possible they may have changed their mind, and saved the used barrels for the Hotaling's release; but, according to their data sheet:

Pretty much the same as any wood serving piece. Wash in warm soap and water. From time to time rub on some food grade mineral oil. If they get rough, sand them with fine grit sandpaper. Avoid the dishwasher or leaving them soaking in water and they should last another 60 years (or more!)

They age the 18th Century in a mix of toasted used and new oak barrels. So, really, they are breaking two rules, which prevents them from calling the 18th Century "straight rye whiskey".

Amusing idea: Buy some of the barrels from Fee's after they are done aging their whiskey barrel bitters in them, and age the whiskey in them for a period. Hey, an instant cocktail! Or maybe the barrels that Tabasco ages its pepper sauce in. Mmmmm... Bourbon Picante.

I don't really buy it. At least, in good faith to bourbon whiskey traditions if nothing else, Bourbon should go from the charred new oak barrels to the bottles without any additions other than water. Anything else is a flavoring step, and should be noted as such. Also, not quite sure why they are charging 3x the price for a whiskey aged for 2 less years. Can't be the cost of the wine barrels, as they practically give them away in Sonoma. add quote

Yes, well, this was taken a couple nights ago. I was talking to a friend who takes cocktail pictures for her blog. She insists on natural light for her photos, so makes her cocktails in the AM before going to work, then places them in the fridge, and enjoys them when she comes home. I am not such a photography stickler and probably couldn't resist tasting the fresh cocktail. Not sure how my boss would feel about cocktails on my breath at 9:00 AM. re: Bitters, the drink is pretty complex already, so I'm not sure I would add anything. Using Carpano Antica does give it more of a bitter character; but, I thought it took away from the interplay between the kirsch and maraschino. edit - Maybe if you had the Cherry Bitters from the "Art of the Bar"!

Charleston Cocktail 1/6 Dry Gin (1/2 oz Boodles Gin) 1/6 Kirsch (1/2 oz Trimbach Kirsch) 1/6 Maraschino (1/2 oz Luxardo Maraschino) 1/6 Curacao (1/2 oz Senior Curacao of Curacao) 1/6 Italian Vermouth (1/2 oz Cinzano Vermouth) 1/6 French Vermouth (1/2 oz Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth) Shake (stir - eje) well and strain into cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon peel on top. 6 ingredients and a garnish! What is this a tiki drink!? Figured I might as well add a cherry! This one I tried with both Cinzano and Carpano Antica, and preferred the Cinzano. It is a pretty sweet drink; but, really grew on me. It definitely has a nice, complex flavor. Quite enjoyable. Could see it as an after dinner vice.