eje

Death's Door vodka going on sale this week Local craft vodka from my home state! And they're talking about making a gin, too.

Yeah, you gotta be careful with the Vya Dry Vermouth. It is very different animal from traditional dry vermouth. Much more heavily spiced and made on what seems to be a much richer wine base. If you're at all a wine person, it's like the Noilly Dry is made from a French Sauvingon Blanc and the Vya is made on a base of New World Chardonnay. In a vermouth heavy cocktail like the Metropole, the Vya would completely dominate, especially with a mildly flavored brandy like the Germain-Robin. If you wanted to try it again with those two ingredients, cut the vermouth to brandy ratio significantly. Make it 2-1 brandy to vermouth (2 oz Brandy, 1 oz vermouth), or even 3 or 4 to 1 and you should get much closer to what the Metropole should taste like.

I like K & L here in San Francisco: K&L Wine Merchants They do specialize in affordable and esoteric bubbly. A smaller store I've heard good things about is Blackwell's Wines: Blackwell's Wines I have only exchanged emails with them; but, they've been helpful with my questions.

One more thing about Bourbon and Branch. Wednesday through Saturday, they have an adjunct barroom open called, "The Library" open from 6PM to 2AM. You do need a password; but, you don't need a reservation. The really cool part is the "sekrit" door. At the back of bourbon and branch there is a bookcase. By moving a particular book on the bookcase, the bookcase swings open to reveal The Library. I really want one of these in my house. The Library is a bit loud and I don't believe there are benches or seating. Still a nice place to stop by for a drink on your way to or from dinner.

Of course then you have the bored chefs sitting at the restaurant bar, schmoozing with anyone who comes in the door, ordering free drinks for themselves, and "buying" rounds for friends. Always a sign of trouble.

I agree with the former sentiment; but, not so much the latter. The food at SFO has greatly improved in the last couple years. Sure, it's still possible to get a very bad overpriced meal there. However, there are actually decent restaurants in the food court in the International Terminal. The United terminal also has its share of fairly passable restaurants. Anchor Brewing even have a little bar. While they are not Zuni or Boulevard, I don't think any aura destruction will result if you decide not to leave the terminal.

Any travelers or UK citizens have comments or recommendations about any of the specific bars mentioned in the article? I have to admit I have selfish reasons for asking this. My wife and I will be in England and Ireland for a couple weeks this spring. Aside from the dutiful pilgrimage to the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel, it would be cool to visit some other cocktailian institutions.

jazzyjeff sent me an image of the Booth's Advertisement from his edition. Who knew celebrity bartenders flogging spirits brands was such an august institution?

So far, two episodes of Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie have featured cocktails, bartenders, and mixology. The first, The Science of Deliciousness, featured a sequence with Eben Klemm talking about "Molecular Mixology". Also some pretty neat stuff with Heston Blumenthal of The Fat Duck and The Golden Hind in England. The second, Raising the Bar, had a piece about Pisco and an extended sequence with Scott Beattie the bartender at Cyrus in Healdsburg, CA. There is also a Q&A on their website with Gary Regan talking about Pisco. The brewmaster from Brooklyn Brewery was also profiled.

Interesting. I was wondering why most of the gin based cocktails in the "New and Additional Cocktails" section of my edition specified "Booth's Gin". Also interesting that the "Bacardi Cocktail" was added to the first American edition and not the English edition.

Fritz Maytag, by purchasing the Anchor Brewing and re-launching it as a small scale, quality conscious brand, is considered by many to have launched the craft brewing movement in America. In 1993, his launch of Anchor Distilling, with its Junipero Gin and Old Potrero Whiskeys, pre-dated the current craft or micro-distillery trends and enthusiasm for Rye Whiskey by several years. But, neither the beers nor the distilled spirits have taken an easy path. The whiskeys Anchor Distilling chooses to make are made from 100% malted rye. An unusual choice by any stretch of the imagination. Rye is notoriously difficult to malt without at least some barley to get the enzymatic reactions necessary for fermenting started. Then there is the choice to make whiskeys according to unusual historically based models. Anchor ages its whiskeys for very short periods before releasing them. The 18th Century Whiskey is aged in toasted, rather than charred, oak, so cannot be labeled "Straight Rye Whiskey". Some have said the Anchor Whiskeys are the best, and most interesting, under aged spirits on the market. All have hoped that Anchor Distilling would release a 10 or 20 year old version of their whiskeys. In 2006 spirits enthusiasts finally got to taste an aged Anchor Distilling whiskey. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Anchor released its Old Potrero Single Malt Hotaling’s Whiskey. Drawn from the very first batch of 100% Malted Rye Anchor Whiskey, and aged over 11 years in once used, charred, oak barrels, it is an unusual pour. Some have said it has more in common with Scotch whiskey than American whiskey. In production methods and the climate in which it is aged, I agree. On a practical level, it tastes like no other whiskey I have tried, and certainly not a Scotch. Given the cost, and, the fact that it is unclear whether Anchor will ever release another aged whiskey, some might say mixing is a bad choice. They would probably say, the spirit should properly be enjoyed on its own, in all its quirky glory. As a cocktail enthusiast, however, the Hotaling’s has haunted me since I first tried it. It seemed like it would, in fact, make a very interesting, if pricey, mixing whiskey. The question was, how best to feature its characteristics. While the predictable Old-Fashioned or Sazerac Cocktail would be the easiest route, I thought I’d first give it a try in another San Francisco creation, Jonny Raglin’s Bob Tailed Nag. Bob Tailed Nag 2 oz Rye Whiskey (2 oz Anchor Hotaling’s Whiskey) ½ ounce Cocchi Barolo Chinato 3 dashes of Mint Bitters (3 dashes The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters) Lemon Twist Stir well with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon twist. (I’ve made this cocktail before, and found I preferred Aromatic Bitters to the mint bitters called for in the recipe.) This was OK; but, I found there was a missing note in the cocktail compared to when I’d made it with straight rye whiskey. When I've tried the Hotaling's on its own and when I was tasting the Bob Tailed Nag, its flavor reminded me a bit of a Cognac, so for my second try, I decided to replace the Cognac in a classic cocktail with the Hotaling’s. Metropole Cocktail 1 ½ oz Cognac (1 ½ oz Anchor Hotaling’s Whiskey) 1 ½ oz Dry Vermouth (1 ½ oz Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth) 1 Dash Peychaud Bitters 1 Dash Orange Bitters (Regan's) Stir well with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with cherry. The Metropole is a cocktail I was only recently made aware of via a Splificator (David Wondrich) post here on the eGullet forums. Mmmm… Yes, now here is a cocktail, and a use of the Hotaling's, that I can hang with. The fruity, wine-like, flavor and scent of the Hotaling’s Whiskey work perfectly in this dry, complex cocktail.

Finally got out to Bourbon and Branch last night. As with John, we sat in the room in back. I can't imagine how he got 6 people in those extremely snug booths! I agree the cocktail menu is quite unwieldy, and also nearly impossible to read in the very dim light of the back room. Noticed some questionable history and typos in the tome. Cocktails mostly range 10-12 dollars. For our first round my wife and I sampled a Bramble (creme de cassis, gin, lemon, crushed ice) and the Cracked Thumb (lemon oil, gin, elderflower cordial, mint, crushed ice). Both were quite delicious and refreshing. Second round was less successful, with a lukewarm 1794 (rye, campari, vermouth) and rather over marachinoed Aviation. Our friends reported tasty cucumber and tequila gimlets. Also, two other drinks which slip my mind. Our server was great and we had a nice time. Will definitely be back. Next time, though, we will ask to sit at the bar. edit - By the way, both the Bramble and Cracked Thumb were guest drinks properly credited on the menu. One of the nicer things about the menu is that they do give credit where credit is due. I've been wanting to try Bradsell's Bramble for a while, and it kept slipping my mind to make at home. I can't recall the bartenders or bar credited with the Cracked Thumb; but, it was also in England. We enjoyed that one enough that I picked up some culinary lemon oil this weekend.

Do you put a clean towel in your hand when cracking? My palm got pretty cold while experimenting with this last night, err... morning. By the way, not having been to Pegu Club, I'm curious. Do they really crack the ice as slkinsey describes to order? I guess they have an ice cube machine that makes larger cubes than the standard home ice maker, but, still that's probably 3 or 4 cubes for every martini or manhattan. edit - spelling.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, February 10, 2007 A bittersweet affair, Laura Compton Tastings: Husband-wife team bridge Napa Valley wine-food divide, Tara Duggan THE SIPPING NEWS: Wine has always had a spot on the White House dinner table Beerapalooza Pinot Noir Summit Oysters and Champagne make a sexy couple. Vintners Hall of fame honorees announced Essentials: Rhone's Cornas cleans up its act, Tim Teichgraeber The Cheese Course: Pecorino Lucano among Italy's finest, Janet Fletcher The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Domestic dessert whites, W. Blake Gray Spirits: Love potions for two, Camper English Fugu for Two This recipe was created by Forbidden Island's Martin Cate. 96 Hours Bar Bites: Ottimista Enoteca, Joe Bonne "The sister restaurant to Citron next door, this Rockridge hot spot dishes up French-Mediterranean small plates in a warmly intimate setting, with jewel-tone walls, iron sconces and very flattering lighting. The restaurant/bar hops every night of the week, as neighbors pop in for a quick bite, couples cozy up at small tables and groups celebrate at the large communal ones. But much of the action happens at the curving granite bar, where attentive bartenders carefully craft, muddle and shake A Cote's popular cocktails." Bargain Bite: Casa Lupe, Olivia Wu "About 10 tables draped in hot pink vinyl, and walls painted tones of red, cobalt blue, orange and lime green, fill the single room of Casa Lupe. Those walls are decorated with clay, metal and paper crafts -- a playful take on folk art that avoids dipping into the kitschy, despite pinatas and holiday lights." CRITICS' PICKS: Blood oranges "Just in time for Valentine's Day, the deep raspberry hue of blood oranges has captivated chefs and consumers alike."

I shall give it a try right now. Thank you sir Kinsey!

Maybe you mean Ton Kiang, which is down the street from Tommy's? Both of the Yank Sings are downtown. At 101 Spear Street and 49 Stevenson Street.

I'm wondering why you would make the trek out to Tommy's. Are you a tequila fan? They do have an amazing assortment of tequilas and very good Margaritas. However, Tommy's is waaaay out in the avenues. The same folks own Tres Agaves downtown, which will be much closer to where you are staying. Tres Agaves Website I've never actually eaten anything aside from appetizers at either restaurant. I don't think the food is meant to be anything particularly spectacular. I haven't actually been here; but, a Mexican restaurant downtown I have heard good things about is Colibri: Colibri Mexican Bistro

Then perhaps I mis-spoke. The broken ice that comes out of my so-called ice-crusher is nowhere near small enough to form into a ball. It is about the same size as ice cubes when you smash them with a hammer or bat. A good mix of pieces, jagged around 1/4 inch at the longest, with a bit of ice dust.

Hmm... I don't know that I've noticed much difference between what I get when I crack ice by hand and what I get out of my ice crusher. But, maybe I get carried away cracking the ice? Another variable to consider!

How old do they have to be? Are you looking for concrete citations?

OK, no strictly scientific experimentation; but, a first experiment with cracked ice and a frozen glass. I know I'm risking pomposity here, and also that almost no bars in the world actually use either cracked ice or frozen mixing glasses. So, the first thing I did, PG&E be damned, is turn my freezer down to minus 5. Rick over at Kaiser Penguin suggested this. Not sure how big a difference 5 degrees makes. Rick swears by it. What the heck. The experimental subject was the Blues Cocktail. Put a pint glass in the freezer to chill the night before. Yesterday, ran enough ice through the ice crusher to fill the glass. Added my booze and gave it a good long stir. The cocktail was very cold and had a silky texture. I think dilution was OK. Though, probably gin will be a better test than a whiskey which is fully enjoyable at room temp. You will note I made 2 cocktails. Sometimes the wife enjoys these cocktails, sometimes not. In this case, not, so I stashed the second cocktail in the fridge while I enjoyed the first. First cocktail was noticeably colder than the fridge cocktail I enjoyed later in the evening. There is difference in the effect of the spoon on crushed ice and cubes. I'm used to the cubes moving and the liquor circulating more. With the crushed ice, the ice pieces just sort of move around the spoon. So no real conclusions yet. Intrigued enough that further experimentation is in order. I do wish I had a thermometer that could register temperatures below freezing.

The problem with writing these things after I try the cocktail is I always forget some of the things I want to say... The cocktaildb recipe for the Blues Cocktail is a bit different than the Savoy. It calls for 2 oz Bourbon, 1/4 oz Prunella (a prune-plum based liqueur), and 1/4 oz of Blue Curacao. Proportions are not that far off. I would guess the prune syrup was a sub for the relatively hard to find Prunella. Or perhaps vice versa, as the inclusion of Blue Curacao makes me think it is a more recent recipe than the one in the Savoy.

Bobby Burns Cocktail.* 1/2 Italian Vermouth (1 1/2 oz Carpano Antica) 1/2 Scotch Whisky (1 1/2 oz Compass Box Asyla) 3 Dashes Benedictine (Barspoon Benedictine) Shake (stir - eje) well and strain into cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon peel on top. I am inclined to agree with the authors of The Savoy. Boy, I enjoyed this cocktail. The complexity of the Bitter Vermouth, the briny Scotch, the slight sweet herbaceousness of the Benedictine, all highlighted with the brightness of the lemon zest. Just about everything I like in a brown liquor cocktail in a single glass. It really doesn't get much better than this. Actually, whipped this one up a few weeks ago in celebration of Burns Night, a fine tradition celebrating the life and works of Scottish Poet, Robert Burns. I first learned about Burns Night a few years ago while listening to the radio shows of the late John Peel. From Burns' Poem "A Bottle and Friend": Now I'm not sure if this cocktail, or the similar "Robert Burns Cockail", were actually named after the poet in question. And probably he would disapprove of sullying Scotch with water and other questionable materials. Still, on that night, we raised a glass to his memory and wished him well.

Blues Cocktail (for 6)(2 - eje) Take 4 Glasses of Whisky. (4 oz Bernheim Wheat Whiskey) 1 Glass of Curacao. (1 oz Brizard Orange Curacao) Incorporate 1 Teaspoonful of Syrup of Prunes. (1/2 teaspoon Prune Syrup) Pour out over plenty of cracked ice and shake (stir - eje) for longer and more thoroughly than usual. Serve very cold. Another favorite of mine among Savoy Quotes. The cocktail is a bit on the sweet side. Stirred in a frozen glass with cracked ice and served very cold, quite tasty. To get the prune syrup, I did buy prunes, so I figured, why not add them as a garnish? Give you a bit of fiber with your cocktail. And, hey, turns out, whiskey soaked prunes are not bad at all. Thought I'd throw a bit of a changeup with the whiskey. Been getting a bit predictable using the Sazerac 6, when nothing is specified. I think the Bernheim was a good choice. The dry leanness of the wheat whiskey complements the sweetness of the Curacao nicely.

Not sure why making your cocktail with Red Hook Rye might "disqualify" you. I mean, the rest of us will certainly be rather jealous. But, I guess that will just force us to come up with something equally envy inspiring.