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Between-The-Sheets Cocktail 1 Dash Lemon Juice (about 1/4 Ounce Fresh) 1/3 Brandy (1 oz Germain-Robin Fine Alambic) 1/3 Cointreau (1 oz) 1/3 Bacardi Rum (1 oz Flor de Cana Extra Dry) Shake well and strain into cocktail glass Now, this, strikes me as a very dangerous cocktail. As the Cointreau, Brandy, and Rum are all 80 proof, this is as deadly as a very dry martini, yet, as sweet as candy. I could do with a bit more tart and dry than the recipe above. 1/2 oz of Lemon and 3/4 oz Cointreau would probably be more to my taste, yet, hopefully not too close to a Sidecar.

Was the Rob Roy not in the original release of the Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930? The version of the Savoy I have includes it as follows: Rob Roy Cocktail 1 dash angustura bitters 1/2 Italian Vermouth 1/2 Scotch Whisky Shake well and strain into cocktail glass

Thanks Dave! I was unclear if it was a person, a location, or an actual wall of berries. Given the ingredients in the drink, the wall of berries idea seemed the least likely. But, you never know! King of the Dudes, indeed.

Oh, interesting! I didn't even know there was a third category of rum made from cane syrup! So, rhum agricole is made from fresh juice, most rums are made from molasses, and then some other rums are made from Sugar Cane Syrup. Is that right? Are there many others made from Sugar Cane Syrup?

I was actually wondering where the rye inside the bottle came from.

Wow! Love the label. Ouch on the price, though. Where does the Rye come from?

Berry Wall Cocktail 1/2 Dry Gin (1 1/2 oz Junipero Gin) 1/2 Italian Vermouth (1 1/2 oz Carpano Antica) 4 Dashes Curacao (2 barspoons Brizard Orange Curacao) Shake (stir - eje) well and strain into cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon peel on top. Here's another cocktail name that has always puzzled me. Googling doesn't turn up much useful. Anyone have any ideas? Cocktail flavors were quite vibrant; but, not particularly well balanced. The individual tastes were good. Not combining into a single flavor, though. Also, I think I would dial down the Curacao a bit, as it was a tad sweet for my taste.

Bentley Cocktail 1/2 Calvados, or Apple Brandy (1 1/2 oz Germain-Robin Apple Brandy) 1/2 Dubonnet ( 1 1/2 oz Dubonnet Rouge) Shake (stir - eje) well and strain into cocktail glass. (Squeeze orange peel over cocktail - eje) A fine, if unremarkable, cocktail. Found it a bit more interesting with the addition of orange peel and a dash of orange bitters.

Bennett 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters 1/4 Lime Juice (1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice) 3/4 Dry Gin (1 1/2 oz Tanqueray) (dash Rich Simple Syrup) Shake well and strain into cocktail glass I couldn't quite hang with this one without any sweetener at all. But, I kept it to a minimum, so as not to turn it into a Daiquiri. Short, sharp and tart, even with a bit of sweetener, this is a wakeup call of a cocktail. I was feeling fractionally challenged, so went with this size. It was a bit small. Next time I would re-do with 2 1/4 oz (3 3/4 oz portions) of gin and 3/4 ounce lime.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, December 16, 2006 BEYOND ANIMAL MAGNETISM: The Lesson of Critter Labels, Jon Bonné THE SIPPING NEWS: A new shop focuses on Italian wines THE CHOSEN BEER Avocados go well with just about any wine. Bronco's 'copycat' label miffs Santa Barbara Winery, W. Blake Gray Wine Business Insider: State's wine industry getting greener, Cyril Penn Uncorked: A novel approach to wine writing, W. Blake Gray Pairings: Winter holidays go big with prime rib and Napa Cab, Joyce Goldstein Recipe: Roast Prime Rib Chronicle Wine Selections: Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Over $50, Jon Bonné The Cheese Course: Artisanal Cheddar hails from across the pond, Janet Fletcher Spirits: S.F.'s restaurant industry carries on a bitter tradition, Julia Bainbridge World View: Stick out your tongue to see if you're a 'hypertaster, Jancis Robinson Letters to Wine 96 Hours Bar Bites: Fonda, Stacy Finz "There's often a crush at this hopping Albany tapas spot. Tucked into a corner of the restaurant, the bar is small, with a view of the exhibition kitchen. However, the intimate two-story restaurant's cushy upholstered chairs, throw pillows and small-plate portions give the entire place a loungelike atmosphere. Brick walls, worn wood floors, small mosaic tables and dim lighting add to its romantic charm." Bargain Bite: Annapoorna, Mandy Erickson "... I sat down and enjoyed a pleasantly sour, crisp-at-the-edges, platter-size dosa filled with buttery potatoes, carrots and onion. The restaurant's servers take pride in their vegetarian South Indian cuisine, parsing it for those who appear confused and setting dishes down with reverence." CRITICS' PICKS: Last meal of '06 , Bill Addison "Here are some restaurants celebrating the start of 2007 with special menus. Contact restaurants about prices and seating availability." Dining Out: Weird Fish, Bill Addison "Holt, who also will be opening a cafe next door in May, stressed during a phone conversation that Weird Fish and its menu are actively evolving: He's hired a new chef who will specialize in nightly vegan and vegetarian specials, and he's hoping the restaurant will soon be granted a "green" business certification."

Wow, was the Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel outstanding. We tried it last night. With the Hop-It, I sort of felt like the hops and the Belgian flavors were sitting in different corners of your drinking experience. Where the initial flavors were all hops, and then the later flavors were all Belgian, with no real connection between the two. With the Chouffe, the hops and Belgian flavors are perfectly married, one leading to and complementing the other. Easily one of the most enjoyable beers I can remember having recently. A real example of the beer maker's artistry.

So, to quote quote Clisby Arthur about Absinthe Frappe: re: "jiggling" from the julep recipe:

I haven't had the HC Blanco, Brugal, or Barcelo white rums. I have tried both the Flor de Cana Extra Dry and Appleton White. I like the Flor de Cana Extra Dry a lot more. It's decently priced, usually around $10-$15 here in CA. Smooth, with good Rum character. Not much funk or "rubbing alcohol" smell/flavor. It's a really good light mixing rum. I've also had the Montecristo White Rum in a cocktail and thought that it was pretty good. I've only had it in a bar, so I'm not sure where it falls price-wise. Looking at the Montecristo website, I just discovered that Montecristo is a cane juice based or Agricultural rum from Guatamala. I wasn't aware of that. I don't remember getting a lot of rhum agricole type funk from that daiquiri.

Interesting. I was just going from the guest judge's comment to the effect that, "Mikey is not Top Chef material."

This was also my impression ← I believe there is a difference between a drink which is a frappe and the instruction "frappe cocktail with a spoon". When I get home tonight, I will look up the relavent sources about Absinthe Frappe technique. I'm pretty sure it was Clisby Arthur in "Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix 'Em".

I've made this recipe every year for the last couple years: Steamed Persimmon Pudding It is quite tasty; but, I'm not sure if it sounds like your description. It's more pudding than cake. Like the idea of adding brandy! Mmmm...

I've always been a bit hazy on the term "frappe" in cocktail instructions. I believe I remember Stanley Clisby Arthur being fairly descriptive. The main difference being that you stir a martini, manhattan, or sazerac with a gentle, circular motion. To frappe, you stir with a vigorous up and down motion. Correct? Certainly, every bartender should have both of these techniques in his <ahem> repertoire. Other authors I've read suggest a pre-chilled blender is a fine substitute for spoon based frappe action.

FWIW, 100% Ethyl Alcohol is a bit difficult to make. Ethyl Alcohol is very hygroscopic, (attractive to water,) and it is quite difficult to get it to let go of the last bit of water. You won't find any spirits maker getting 100% Ethyl Alcohol, only chemical supply companies. edit - add def of hygroscopic.

Nope, no dairy, just a whole egg. I've read about some chefs experimenting with tobacco as a flavoring. Consuming it, though, can make you ill, especially if you aren't a smoker (or chewer). And, of course, it is poisonous in larger amounts. I think you'd have to be careful that your infusion wasn't too concentrated. A similar flavor I've started playing with is Rooibos tea (unspiced) from South Africa. First read about it in the Bartender article (Tony Conigliaro) in the Difford's Guide #5.1. The cooked tea definitely has a similar smell to tobacco and, as far as I know, isn't poisonous at all. In fact some folks claim it has health benefits. Most tea recipes for it suggest a good long simmer or steep, so I don't know if you would get much flavor out of a cold infusion.

Belmont Cocktail 1/3 Grenadine (3/4 oz Homemade Grenadine) 2/ 3 Dry Gin (1 1/2 oz Beefeater's Gin) 1 Teaspoonful Fresh Cream Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. I can't say I had much hope for this one. Gin, grenadine, and cream. I think, however, I am again saved by homemade grenadine. I have no doubt I probably wouldn't have enjoyed this cocktail made with Rose's or Fee's Grenadine. However, with my moderately sweet and pretty darn flavorful home made version of grenadine, it's not bad at all. In fact, it's another in the relatively small club of Savoy cocktails with dairy that I actually finished.

Bass Wyatt Cocktail (5 People) Beat up 4 (1 XL) Eggs, and add 4 Glasses of Dry Gin (4 oz Tanqueray Gin) 2/3 Glass of Cherry Brandy (2/3 oz Massenez Creme de Griotte) 1/2 Glass Lemon Juice (1/2 oz Lemon Juice) 4 Dashes Orange Bitters (2 Dashes Regan's Orange Bitters) 1/2 Tablespoon of Powdered Sugar (1 teaspoon sugar) 1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Flavouring (Dash Vanilla Extract) Shake well and strain into medium-size glass. Grate nutmeg on top. Frost glass with castor sugar. As usual with these "party" cocktails, I'm going with the 2 oz per "glass" theory and then cutting the recipe in half. The drink is actually pretty nice. Sort of an enriched version of a Singapore Gin Sling. I did skip frosting the rim of the glass. I wasn't able to uncover any information about who or what "Bass Wyatt" might have been, but, if you're looking for a change-up from your usual weekend brunch Ramos Gin Fizz, this might be a good place to start.

Wow, I can't believe that a) Betty, who claimed to enjoy mixed drinks in the pre-challenge blurbs, didn't know that Bailey's plus lime equals instant cheese. b) that she would serve a glass of coagulated Bailey's to anyone, let alone a judge. Bleah! I dunno, from the way the show was edited, it kind of seemed like they were leaning toward sending Mikey home before Mia decided to "throw herself under the bus".

Well, in the Savoy Cocktail Book, there is the Apple Jack (Special) Cocktail, which is nearly the same as a Jack Rose. Apple Jack (Special) Cocktail

I haven't watched the episode, yet. I have recently noticed ads for a "Bailey's Drinkable Dessert" challenge in various food and beverage magazines. Was the challenge tied in to that contest? Drinkable Dessert Contest

Garnier was (is?) a rather well known french maker of spirits. Along the lines of Brizard. I seem to remember Charles Baker name checking them in the South American Gentleman's Companion and remarking on their quality compared to American liqueurs. Aside from an overall better than average quality, they were also known for packaging their liqueurs in unusual and collectible bottles. Though, "imitation flavor" seems like a red flag to me.