Alchemist

Stirring is one of the hardest things to master behind the bar. The shake is the gregarious rockstar, it gets the applause and the swooning fans, while the stir is the studio muscian, creating genius and getting no accolades. The shake is designed to make the cocktail dance, while the stir is there to make the cocktail recline on a sofa and wax poetic. At The Violet Hour cocktail servers were part of the 50 hour training course. I got them to try stirring, so the bartenders could build the drink and the servers could stir it when it was busy. The look on thier face when they couldn't get the ice to lackadaisically swirl, like a debutant at a cotilion, was great. Their eyebrows would go up and a frown took over. You can see the "this shouldn't be this hard" creases between thier eyebrows. Sloppy stirring is painful to watch. Booze is wasted, the clanking of metal on glass is unsettling, the little chips of ice an unwelcome sharp addition to what should be warming, fridgid, smooth, slick, liquid velvet.

I am a big fan of the Tazmanian Leatherwood honey. It has complexity that I have not found in other honeys. It has a bit of Funk, good Funk, that brings to mind Marachino liqueur, or the noble rot of a dessert wine. Its dear, but easy to get at whole Foods. So good in rum hot toddies!

Tell me about Sazerac -- thanks! Eric ← A Sazarac is a cocktail from New Orleans. A simple but wonderfully complex libation as good in the summer as in the winter. The Liqueur in it is Herbsainte which is an anisette made in New Orleans. Here is the way I make mine. Sazerac 2 oz Old Overholdt ¼ oz Demerara Syrup 3 dash Peychauds Bitters Rinse Herbsaint (Can substitute Absente, Pernod or Ricard) Glass: Rocks Garnish: Lemon Peel (Discarded) Ice: None Take 2 Rocks Glasses. In Glass #1, put Crushed Ice and Herbsaint. In Glass #2 put Rye, Demerara and Peychaud’s Bitters. Stir Briefly. Add ice and stir. Throw out Ice and Herbsaint from Glass #1. Strain Glass #2 into Glass # 1. Twist lemon peel over drink then discard. This Cocktail is served with no ice in the glass.

There are many ways to bring a 12 top under control. But the easiest way is (this is pure Gary Regan) to figure out who the "host" is, and quietly ask for "thier help" in getting the group in line so they are not disturbing everyone in the resturant. This way the staff isn't the bad guy, so it shouldn't affect the tip, and everyone is happy as can be.

I'm sorry to say The Violet Hour will be closed on NYE for a private party. Toby

'Tiz the season for Sazaraks.

Yes honey and Demerrara both work wonderfully, but it is usually a 2 parts sweet to 1 part water. With the cane syrup leave it alone just use less of it than you would simple.

When dry shaking I allways shake downwards, because if you don't you will end up with white sticky stuff all over your shoulder that will dry to look like... Well it's hard to convince your nice drycleaning lady that you are not making your living in a bordello. And you don't have to dry (we call it mime because it looks strange to be shaking with out the "train bearing down on you" sound of Kold-draft.) shake hard enough to rip a rotator cuff or get tendontis. The hard shake comes when the ice enters the picture.

What sleeve length is a "wifebeater"?

Thank you very much for your kind words. It was a lot of fun to do. part of that could be due to the factt that I had just seen something about the use of UUUhhs and UUUUmmms iin the english language. The advuce that was given was to try to keep your sentences short, and drinking helps you not UUm and Uuh. So Mike Sula and I wern't shy about tasting the drinks. He did a great job considering what we had to work with and the time restraints. Alchemy Consulting is in the process of trying to find a producer for a couple more segments right now. The next ones I want to do I would like them to be more professional, so it may be a while. Which sucks, but... If any body has some ideas on how it can happen faster PM me. The "sidecars" are not chilled in ice like they are at Pegu, but they don't have to cope with hot little hands so they really do freshen a drink when addded to the glass.

I'm not sure how many times you have too eat at Alinia in a year to get the invite to thier x-mas party. Twice? maybe three times a week? Get on the phone and start making rezos now. Toby

I like the R&W because of it's subtleness. It's got good natural scent, and isn't as sweet as the other brands. On the Hush & Wonder there is just a rinse of the R&W so it adds very little sweetness. I didn't want it to taste like violet, just be reminiciant of a warm meadow.

It allways happens to me as well. Somehow you are adding volume, so the seal never stays. Mine leak, never explode.

I forgot to say that there is Grapefruit bitters on the Hush & Wonder .

The new, winter, menu will be starting on Monday Dec 17th. This has been one of the biggest challenges I have had yet. When fruit is not at it’s best, we look for cocktails that are rich, decadent, warming, and make you feel like you are both home in bed with the electric mattress pad, and on an island beach away from the cruel elements. 20th Century Plymouth, Lillet, Lemon, Crème de Cacao. There are two good descriptions of this drink. “This drink tastes like Art Deco in a glass” is one. The funny thing about it is if you don’t know what you are drinking there is no way to “get” the cacao. Rangoon Fizz Tanqueray, Ginger Syrup, Lime, Mint, Angostura and Tonic. Ginger is such a versatile ingredient, in the summer it’s refreshing, in the winter it is warming. With this cocktail I wanted to make something that could have been enjoyed in Burma way back when. There are bitters to calm the stomach, Tonic to keep malaria at bay, and mint, well because it tastes so good. Rum Toddy El Dorado 5, Lemon, Curacao, Honey, Grandma’s Spices. What could be better to thumb one’s nose at Mother Nature’s worst? Hush and Wonder Mathusalem, Lime, Simple, R&W Violette. I have been searching for something to do with violet since before The Violet Hour opened. I knew it would have to be special since it would be something of a “house” drink. It needed to have a fast pickup time, and exemplify The Violet Hour’s raison d'etre. Tattooed Seaman Sailor Jerry’s Rum, Demerara Syrup, Winter and Angostura bitters. A treacle in spirit, but reminiscent of the smell of a holiday pie. Winter Sazerac Old Overholt Rye, Herbsainte, Coffee Syrup, and Peychaud’s. Like having a Sambuca with your espresso. New York Sour Rye, Lemon, Simple, Egg White, Syrah. A classic. The red wine gives this silver fizz warmth and complexity. Yellow Rose Of Texas Sauza Plata, Lemon, Yellow Chartreuse, Rose Water. Surprisingly light, but very complex. The rose water is only on top. Winter Sidecar Cognac, Lemon, Orange Curacao, Allspice Tincture. For me there is nothing more comforting than the smell of allspice. Northern Lights Pisco, Lemon, Simple, Winter Bitters. The winter version of an Iron Cross. 41 Jane Does Applejack, R&W Poire, Lemon, Simple, Grandma’s Tincture. I think this is the first drink that I created at Milk & Honey, but this version has the tincture. Maple Nut Eggnog Rye, Frangelico, Bliss Maple Syrup, Whole Egg, Cream. Pretty self explanatory, and self-indulgent. There were more changes on this menu than any before. I am going to need to edit this some. Toby

How about Freemans for a NYC Noob? Great hidden door, lots of celebs, packed to the gills, warm, happy interior, (if you are not a vegaterian) and the food will sustain the person who is walking all over the city. Plus the cocktails rock.

Negroni Sanagree El Helado del Hemingway A HUGE Amount of T&J&T batter. 44 eggs went into it. We were sore for days. T&J&T batter ready to serve. Those are the big water pitchers. A couple of very happy customers. Happy holidays Toby

The idea in the planning stage was to put out a "half drink" every 30 min. Well there is many a slip between the cup and the lip. First for some unfathomable reason, (like none of us had ever been to a Christmas party for a bunch of resturant people), we thought it would be this controlled linear thing. Micheal and I were up all night the night before, making plans, stressing, scratching those plans, then making more, more intricate plans. The first "course" was dou to go out at 8:15. We had the makings for 90 negroni's set and ready at 8:10. At 8:15 there were 8 people in the bar. We passed out champange, some beer, and a couple of cocktails off the regular menu. Time ticked by with the sound of well made plans going down the drain. More people trickled in and Negroni's were given out in drabs. At 8:40 when course 2 was ready to go out there were 30 people. So we started putting out the Sanagree as well as the Negroni. Quiet jazz flitted about with the flickering candles. The crowd was congragated in the second salon. Little groups forming and splittng, reconfiguring like alge on the surface of a sun dappled pond. In the back 90 coups were being rimmed with sugar, and having 1/2 a lemon rind wrapped inside. It was an awsome sight to see so many crustas in one place. I forget what time those went out as people were now streaming in. When The Violet Hour first opened, and the Alinia crew sat at the bar with me late night, we would drink Miller High Life and attitude adjustments of Mathusalem. After dealing with cocktails day and night that is what I craved, simplicity. When I went to Alinia they were nice enough to pair my first course with the Champange Of Beers. On my Alinia menu it says Artichoke, Parmesan, red pepper, basil, paired with Miller High Life. Talk about a one of a kind menu. So around 10 o'clock, the servers walked through the crowd with 8 packs of 7oz MHL in one hand and a tray of rum in the other. The music jumped to rockus, and the party was on. From that point on out we put out cocktails every 20 min. The champagne, beer, and libations flowed and everything went swimmingly.

The only bad way would be inexpertly.

I'm sorry I wasn't clear. I ment a cheap french whore, using an overabundance of inexpensive eau du tiolette, instead of an expensive french whore dabbing a bit of subtle perfume behind perfect ears.

I just rinse the glass with the R&W. I guess it comes out to about a 16th of an oz. Any more and it is like licking a french whores neck, in a bad way.

One little word. Queens.

Yes we really pushed the definition of some of those. The Negroni for instance was a combonation of gin and bianco vermouth stirred and put in a coupe. We then reduced Campari to a syrup, added some Antica vermouth and folded that into egg whites. The effect was this lovely smooth, slightly sweet gin in your mouth followed by complex bitter foam. It was a Pousse Cafe whith opposing flavors.

That night we burned sage which smells alot like pot. Then someone, in a non smoking bar, smoked a bit of a cigar, (with the Hemingway) to be reminiciant of Cuba. And then with the final course we burned some clove and nutmeg. Yes that is a good way of putting it.

The coffee syrup is a 4-1 brown sugar (Domnio dark brown sugar-twice filtered water) which has been infused with espresso. It looks like motor oil, sticks to the back of a barspoon and smells like boiled down cofffe ice cream. The River Of Fire was a blue blazer on steriods. Each of the 4 bartenders put 23 Marie Antoinettes across the front of thier station. Then filled the nipple up with Wrey & Nephew. With about 1.5 oz in another coupe. On the count of tres, they lit the coupe and drizzled flame down the line. Part of the Mise for this cocktail was a manager holding a fire extenguisher. Once everything was on fire we poured La Brujita on top quickly before the glasses started exploding. Good fun and got a standing O.