[The Iconic Olive]

I am not sure there is a set rule where salt belongs in cocktails. I do not think that olives belong in martinis. And the nasty olive brine...gag me with a 66cm, Japanese, gold, bar spoon.

I think that a pinch of salt in flips and golden fizzes might be a good idea, hell every type of egg drink might get ramped up a smidge with a pinch of salt. I could see drinks with Cynar benefiting from a pinch. But maybe it should be a saline solution, so it will spread throughout the drink completely. We know simple is the preferred method of using sugar.

Also drinks with infused chilies, sage, cilantro, basil, lemon grass. Well any of those drinks that share ingredients with Thai soups, Pico de Gallo, and marinara could probably absorb a pinch. I know that drinks with cucumber need a few grains. I love mixing salt and sugar for the rims of both Margaritas and side cars. But just a whisper of salt in the sugar for the sidecar, and just a hint of sugar in the salt for the Margarita.

I am all for salt. Hell bring on the MSG, lets really pump up the flavor.

Cheers,

Toby

[Uses for good coffee liqueur?]

1.5 oz Coffee liqueur

1.5 oz Aged Rum (I like something with a heavy vanilla note)

1 dash Orange Bitters

2.0 oz heavy cream

3 sugar cubes

Stir Rum and Liqueur togather. Shake cream with sugar cubes until soft peak, no longer. toss sugar cubes. Strain booze into a cocktail glass and float cream on top. I love coffee and orange together so I might express an orange peel on top. It could just guild the lilly.

Cheers,

Toby

[Drinks (2009–2011)]

So I have decided to drown this cold. In booze. Hot Booze.

Kinda Like Last Night

1.5 oz. Lairds BIB

.50 oz. Green Charteuse

.50 oz. Benedictine

1 ea Apple Spice Tea

1/2 ea Lemon Juice

3 Dsh Angostura

? ? Brown sugar (to taste)

This was waaay to busy.

So then I dug into the pantry, and found a box of Celstial seasoning Mixed Teas. Bring the noise.

Kiss My Grits (a Southern Toddy)

1.5 oz Johnnie Walker Gold

.25 oz Laphroaig

.75 oz Bulleit Bourbon

1 ea Country Peach Passion From Celestial Seasonings

3 Dash Regan's Orange #6

Orange Blossom Honey to taste

3 peels of a blood orange expressed and donated

How You Like

1.5 oz Lairds BIB

.50 oz Cherry Heering

1 ea Black Cherry Celestial Seasonings Tea

1 splsh Gilka Kummel

7 dsh Peychaud's

Um Buckwheat Honey to taste

3 ea Grapefruit peels expressed and donated

I am totally forgetting some stuff. But feeling better. Being sick ROCKS!

Toby

[Drinks (2009–2011)]

The key is not being stingy with the sweetener. There is a lot more water added to my toddies than to regular cocktails, and so I have learned to basicly double the amount of sweet that I think I am going to need. To get the richness I want the drinks border on the sweet. Then it's all about the citrus juice and essential oil, and the bitters, to add not only tartness but an edge of sharp/bitter. As we know cold retards smell and flavor, so hot drinks can be bombastic in their flavor profiles, so the tea in that drink was clutch as it gave me something to smell through my head cold.

If I could make this drink again, at a bar & when not sick, I would use some Rothman & Winter Apricot and either demerara or ginger syrup.

Cheers,

Toby

[Drinks (2009–2011)]

I have a ferocious head cold. So I took a mug and donated a bag of Celestial Seasonings Apple Spice tea into it. I then Put in about 1.5 oz Lairds BIB, and .50 oz Drambui. I let that sit while I waited for the water to boil. The 100 proof really extracting the flavor out of the tea. Then added 1/2 a lemon, 3 dashes Regans Orange bitters#6 and a tablespoon of orange blossom honey. Top with hot water. Being sick isn't so bad.

Toby

[The Violet Hour]

So The Violet Hour is looking for a bartender. I have put up an ad on the Classifieds thread, but I thought I would put it up here as well.

Like the ad says we are looking to fill a Bartender Position, but not with a fully formed bartender.

I look forward to hearing from y'all.

Cheers,

Toby

[favorite 'winter' drinks?]

The Fee's OFA bitters are a great sub for Grandma's tinksure. We put Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice and blade mace in neutral grain spirit.

I am really glad you like that one . It was one of the first drinks that I came up with at Milk & Honey back in 2000. I can't believe it was almost a decade ago.

This is The Winter Sidecar at TVH. I am sure that there will be a purist out there shaking their fist at me for this...

Winter Sidecar

2.0 oz Maison Surrenne Cognac

.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

.50 oz Carpano Antica

.25 oz Demerara Syrup (Skinny)

13 Drops Regans Orange Bitters

Glass: Coupe

Ice: None

Garnish: 5 Spice

Shake. Strain.

I know that there is no orange liqueur in this drink, but the Carpano and the orange bitters really work together and make it seem like there is. Then you have the richness of the Demerara which really makes it lush and comforting. We are mixing and grinding our own 5 spice (we are going heavy on the ginger) to a very fine grind so there is no grit on top of the drink.

Cheers,

Toby

[(Nashville) New Cocktail Bar in Midtown Nashville]

It is always very cool to have something that you created taken and riffed on by someone else. This is such an honor as well.

The J&R is near the end.

http://alineamosaic....p?showtopic=838

Cheers,

Toby

[The Violet Hour]

This is such an honor.

http://alineamosaic.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=838

I don't even know what to say.

[CLE: The Velvet Tango Room]

I hope that it is not hubris that I think that you are talking to me. Seriously, I just saw this, but I will guess that the debate is still raging. As far as I know it is a-Shudder- equal parts drink. That shudder is purely subjective. I don't make anything equal parts except a 50-50. My negronis are boozy, my 20th centuarys lead lean and stiff. So for a Last Word, and I serve it in the spirit not to the letter of the law.

2.0 oz Tanq

.75 oz Lime

.75 oz Luxardo Maraschino

.75 oz Green

It looks way out of wack but it works. Sorry it took so long to get back.

Cheers,

Toby

[What to call the genre of new cocktails?]

How about "high end?" I think that conoctates an attention to detail, the use of good booze, fresh juice, and proper technique. But I hate how pretentionious it sounds. But it separates the scholck that is out there.

I guess that that is the crux of the matter. Cocktails are meant to enjoyed and fussed over only if it is the proper time and place. i am waiting for the day when a bartender asks if I would like a "Chandler Gimlet' because they had just smuggles in a bottle of roses from England.

Toby

[What to call the genre of new cocktails?]

I think they should be called "good cocktails." Lets call the drinks made with sour off the gun and roses c*&p. Lets call our selves bartenders, and people who don't give a shit about what they are doing hacks. It doesn't matter what kind of bar a bartender works in its what level of integrity they bring to it. I feel I have a lot in common with someone who pours a perfect pint of beer, and a healthy shot of whiskey while telling a good joke and watching out for the nice tipsy lady at the end of the bar. I feel I have very little in common with the bartender, who first calls them him/her self an actor, writer, drummer/bartender, and does not care about what they are doing.

Same thing for cocktails. A cocktail made with juice squeezed a la minute, with home grown basil flowers and thia chilis has a lot more in common with TVH cocktails than a "Lemon Drop" sloshed togather at the THUMP+THUMP+THUMP club.

"good cocktails" have been made for hundreds of years, it's only the black hole of the 60's-90's when they were crappy. Why should 30 recent years overshadow all of the beautiful tradition. Lets take back the regular words. We're here, don't sneer, it's a cocktail.

We should just take back the normal names as everything else can drift into pretension. It is a shame that a "hamburger" from Mac's and a burger from In-n-out are called the same thing, They are not. There will be some confusion. Can't be helped.

Cheers,

Toby

[The Violet Hour]

Had the Blackberry Caipirissima this evening, but with cachaça. It was delicious, but I can't say I'd be tripping over myself to try it with rum. Is using the Flor de Caña a cost issue, or one of approachability?

Love the idea of a classics page on the menu, now all that's really left is a non-alcoholic section.

Amaro Nonino in a vodka drink...does TVH pour more Amaro Nonino than any other bar?

The use of the Flor is because I like Caipirissimas better than I like Caipirinas. It is a more accessible, and I wanted to give that as an option, since it’s a no brainier to go from there to cachaça. But some people dont know that there is the option of rum.

A non-alcoholic section? Does Kumas have a vegan menu?

Yes kind sir I do believe that we pour more Nonino than most of the rest of Chicago, if not Illinois, combined. We are just trying to make vodka drinks with some flavor.

Cheers,

Toby

[The Violet Hour]

It is named for the thirteen botanicals that make up Cynar.

Toby

[The Violet Hour]

After a very long frustrating time of tryingto make spaces between bold names of cocktails, and the ingrediants, I give up. Very sorry that it is so hard to read. I will try again when I have another spare hour. If one of the moderators would like to shoot me a pm with some tips on how to do it That would be great.

So, there are some greatest hit on this menu, going back to the first menu, summer 2007. It was a reminder for bartenders and loyal patrons where we started.

The Violet Hour

Autumn ’09 Cocktail List

Gin

Indian Summer Plymouth, Lime, Lavender Syrup, House-made Tonic

20th Century Death’s Door, Lemon, Crème de Cacao White, Lillet

Juliet & Romeo Beefeater, Mint, Cucumber, Rose Water

The Riviera Bombay Macerated Pineapple, Lemon, Egg White, Campari

Oldest Living Confederate Widow Bombay Dry, Lemon, House Made Honey Syrup, Pernod Absinthe, House Orange Bitters

Improved Holland Cocktail Genevieve, Luxardo Maraschino, Angostura Bitters

Negroni Tredici Tanqueray, Carpano Antica, Campari, Cynar, Regans’ Orange Bitters

Rum

Honeysuckle Brugal Anejo, Lime, Honey Syrup

Hush & Wonder Matusalem, Lime, Créme de Violette, Grapefruit Bitters

Blackberry Caipirissima Flor de Caña 4 yr, Lime, Demerara Syrup, Blackberries

Dark & Stormy Brugal Anejo, Lime, Cruzan Black Strap, House Ginger Syrup

Tattooed Seaman Sailor Jerry, Demerara Syrup, Root Beer Bitters

Whiskey

Tongue in Cheek Weller Special Reserve Bourbon, Lemon, Carpano Antica, Strawberry, Mint

Zarzamora Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon, Lemon, Fernet Branca, Blackberries, House Orange Bitters

Daisy 17 Wild Turkey 101 Rye, Lemon, House Grenadine,

House Orange Bitters

Sarsaparilla Sling Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Lemon, Amaro Ciociaro, Sarsaparilla Syrup, Root Beer Bitters

Seasonal Sazerac Jim Beam Rye, Berentzen Apfle Korn, Herbsaint, Peychaud’s Bitters

Nickel Manhattan Rittenhouse 100 Rye, Punt e Mes, Dolin Dry Vermouth, Gilka Kummel, Peychaud’s Bitters

A Little Bed Johnnie Walker Red, Lemon, Apry, Laphroig, Hellfire Bitters

Tequila

Tequila Mockingbird Herradura Silver, Lemon, Yellow Chartreuse, Peppermint Water

Spanish Margarita El Jimador, Lime, Licor 43, Hell-fire Bitters

El Diablo El Jimador, Lime, Ginger Syrup, Briottet Crème de Cassis

Tequila Old Fashioned Herradura Silver, Fees Old Fashioned Bitters, Grapefruit Oil

Brandy

Apples & Oranges Laird’s Bonded Applejack, Lemon, St. Germain, Blackberries, Angostura Orange Bitters

Summer and Tremont Clear Creek Pear Brandy, Grapefruit, Raspberry Syrup,

Fernet Branca

In Bloom Maison Surrenne Cognac, Lemon, Apricot Eau De Vie, Angostura Bitters

St. Marks Reviver Pisco Acholado, Lime, Egg White, Luxardo Maraschino,

Cherry Bitters

Potable Bitters

Easy Out Aperol, Grapefruit, Tanqueray, Raspberry Syrup, Campari

Pimms Cup Variation #2 Pimms #1, Lemon, St. Germain, Cucumber, Angostura Orange Bitters

Giralamo Sour Luxardo Amaro, Lemon, Egg White, Luxardo Bitter

Bakers, Beggars & Brides Cynar, Whole Egg, St. Elizabeth All Spice Dram, Nutmeg

Vodka

Part & Parcel Tito's, Grapefruit, St. Germain, Grapefruit Bitters

Lock & Load Tito’s, Lemon, Amaro Nonino

Wry Dane Aalborg Aquavit, Lemon, Egg White, Peychaud’s Bitters

Wine and Sparkling

The White Sparrow Gruet Sparkling, Lemon, Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Velvet Falernum

Seasonal Sangria Pinot Noir, Apricot, Pear, Grapes, Orange, Allspice

The Etiquette Gruet Sparkling, Tabernero Pisco Acholado, House Made Raspberry Syrup

Lazarus Reviver Gruet, Lemon, Bombay Gin, Lillet, Pernod

Autumn Punches

Pisco Punch Montesierpe Pisco Acholado, Lime, Pineapple Syrup, Miramar Bitters

Jonestown Punch Jim Beam Rye Whiskey, Lemon, Apry, Bergamont Syrup, Regans’ Orange Bitters

And we are adding a page to the menu with some of the classics. This will be an ever expanding section. But the idea behind this is for people to rember that these cocktails have been around for a very long time for a reason, they are really good.

Classic Cocktails

Aviation Plymouth Gin, Lemon, Luxardo Maraschino, Rothman & Winter Violette Liqueur

Corpse Reviver #2 Bombay Dry Gin, Lemon, Lillet, Marie Brizard Orange Curacao, Pernod Absinthe

Champagne Cocktail Gruet Sparkling, Sugar Cube, Angostura Bitters

Daiquiri Flor de Caña 4 yr Rum, Simple Syrup, Lime

Gimlet Plymouth Gin, Simple Syrup, Lime

Hotel Nacional Brugal Anejo Rum, Lime, Apry, Pineapple

Jack Rose Laird’s Bonded Applejack, Lemon, House Made Grenadine

Mai Tai El Dorado 5 yr Rum, Lime, House Made Orgeat, House Orange Bitters

Manhattan Rittenhouse 100 Rye, Carpano Antica, Sweet Vermouth, Angostura Bitters

Margarita El Jimador Tequila, Lime, Marie Brizard Orange Curacao

Martini Plymouth Gin, Dolin Dry Vermouth, House Orange Bitters

Mint Julep Weller 107 Bourbon, Demerara Syrup, Mint, Angostura Bitters

Mojito Flor de Caña 4yr Rum, Lime, Mint, Angostura Bitters

Moscow Mule Tito's Vodka, Lime, House Made Ginger Syrup

Negroni Tanqueray Gin, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Campari, Regans’ Orange Bitters

Old Fashioned Rittenhouse 100 Rye, Demerara Syrup, Peychaud’s Bitters

Pegu Club Tanqueray, Lime, Marie Brizard Orange Curacao, Angostura Bitters

Pimms Cup Pimms #1, Lime, Strawberry, Cucumber, Mint

Perfect Martinez Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, Dolin Sweet & Dry Vemouth, Luxardo Maraschino, Fees Orange Bitters

Presbyterian Wild Turkey 101 Rye, Lemon, Home Made Ginger Syrup

Ramos Gin Fizz Beefeater Gin, Lemon, Lime, Egg White, Cream, Orange Flower Water

Sazerac Jim Beam Rye, Maison Surrenne Cognac, Herbsaint, Peychaud’s Bitters

Sidecar Maison Surrenne Cognac, Lemon, Marie Brizard Orange Curacao, Fees Orange Bitters

Silver Sour Booze, Lemon, Simple Syrup, Egg White

Southside Tanqueray Gin, Lime, Mint, Peychaud’s Bitters

Tom Collins Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, Lemon, Soda Water

Vieux Carre Maison Surrenne Cognac, Jim Beam Rye, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Benedictine, Peychaud’s Bitters

Cheeers,

Toby

[(Nashville) New Cocktail Bar in Midtown Nashville]

So we were in the New York Times on Sunday. Which is always nice.

http://www.nytimes.com/indexes/2009/09/13/style/t/index.html#pagewanted=3&pageName=13style&

Cheers,

Toby

[Where to eat in Nashville?]

Arnolds, Arnolds, and Arnolds. The chicken and dumplings, the Tailipia, and everything else.

Toby

[(Nashville) New Cocktail Bar in Midtown Nashville]

So the Autumn list is about three weeks out. So it is a little early to post this, but I have time, and it's on my mind. So here it is. We will be serving these cocktails on Oct 6th.

Gin

Cooper’s Bright Plymouth, Lemon, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, House Made Grapefruit Liqueur, Sparkling Wine

Juliet & Romeo Plymouth, Lime, Mint, Cucumber, Rose Water

The Ellie Mae Luzianne Infused Gordon’s, Grapefruit, Raspberry Syrup, Mint

Empire Falls Death’s Door, Lemon, Egg White, Rothman & Winter Pear Liqueur, Angostura Bitters

Negroni Tredici Tanqueray, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Campari, Cynar, Regans’ Orange Bitters

Rum

Kelso Daiquiri Pritchards’ Crystal, Lime, Simple Syrup

Daisy de Santiago Flor de Caña 4 yr, Lime, Yellow Chartreuse, Autumn Bitters

Hemingway Daiquiri Flor de Caña 4 yr, Grapefruit, Maraschino Liqueur

Dark & Stormy Matusalem, Lime, Cruzan Black Strap, Ginger Syrup

Tattooed Seaman Sailor Jerry, Demerara Syrup, Root Beer Bitters

Whiskey

The Jennings Jack Daniels #7, Apple Wood Smoked Cola

Whiskey Smash Rebel Yell Bourbon, Lemon, Mint, Peychaud’s Bitters

The Carpetbagger Bulleit Bourbon, Lemon, Lairds Bonded Applejack, Rothman & Winter Pear Liqueur, Autumn Bitters

Vincent’s Ruin Bulleit Bourbon, Lemon, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, La Muse Verte Absinthe, Lemon Bitters

Autumn Sazerac Old Forrester Signature Bourbon, Herbsaint, Berentzen Apfel Korn, Peychaud’s Bitters

The Duck Hunter Pritchards’ Sweet Lucy Bourbon, Lemon, Egg Yolk, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Regans’ Orange Bitters

Bacon Old Fashioned Benton Bacon Infused 4 Roses Bourbon, Maple Syrup, Coffee Pecan Bitters

Reelfoot Manhattan Weller 107 Bourbon, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Dolin Dry Vermouth, Laphroig Scotch, Regans’ Orange Bitters

Tequila

Spanish Margarita Lunazul Blanco, Lime, Licor 43, Hell Fire Bitters

El Diablo Lunazul Reposado, Lemon, House Made Ginger Syrup, Briottet Cassis

Tequila Old Fashioned Lunazul Reposado, Demerara Syrup, Fees Old Fashioned Bitters

Brandy

Autumn Sidecar Maison Surrenne Cognac, Lemon, Senior Orange Curacao, Pineapple, Nutmeg

Terra Rica Inca Gold Pisco, Pineapple, Egg White, Aperol, Strawberry Rhubarb Bitters

Kiss Water Kirshwasser, Lemon, Egg White, Cherry Heering, Peychaud’s Bitters

Poor Liza Clear Creek Poire Williams, Lemon, Green Chartreuse, Peychaud’s Bitters

Cordials

Pimms Cup Pimms #1, Tanqueray Gin, Lime, Mint, Cucumber, Strawberry

Amaretto Sour Lazaroni Amaretto, Lemon, Egg White, Autumn Bitters

Stingy Brim Luxardo Coffee Liqueur, Barbancourt 3 Star 4yr Rhum, Sweetened Heavy Cream, Fees Old Fashioned Bitters

Asta Collins Campari, Lime, Corsair Gin, Grapefruit, Soda Water

Vodka

Vodka Cobbler Prairie, Lemon, Lillet Blonde, Seasonal Fruit, Regans’ Orange Bitters

Moscow Mule Prairie, Lime, Ginger Syrup

The Wry Dane Aalborg Aquavit, Lemon, Egg White, Regans’ Orange Bitters

[The Violet Hour]

Stopped by TVH last night, on our last evening in Chicago, and had a great time. I think the lineup out the door when we left speaks volumes about the bar's quality. I made sure to have the Tongue in Cheek based on the recommendations here, and loved it. But our favourite cocktail of the evening was this one:

Devil’s Playground     Genevieve, Lemon, Ginger Syrup. Cassis, House Orange Bitters

←

Any chance you'd be willing to share the proportions, Toby?

←

Here you go, enjoy!

Devil’s Playground

2.0 oz Genevieve Gin

.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

.25 oz Simple Syrup

.25 oz Ginger Syrup

7 drops Angostura Bitters

9 drops House Orange Bitters

Top: Soda

Float .125 oz Cassis

Glass: Collins

Ice: Shard

Garnish: Lemon Flag

Cheers,

Toby

[On Stirring & Cooking Your Cocktails]

I agree with Sam, mostly. I think that a drink that is stirred with attention to detail will be better than a cocktail stirred with no attention to detail. A good amount of the difference is that someone who is concentrating on stirring probably took pains with the construction of said cocktail.

There are guys out there like Mr. Ward, and Mr Day (to name a couple) who nonchalantly stir two cocktails with one hand, shake another, add up a bill in their head, while pontificating on the history of a Fish House Punch. They are paying as much attention to all of the above as other people who are doing just one thing.

That is a beautiful thing to behold.

Toby

[(Nashville) New Cocktail Bar in Midtown Nashville]

I have been remiss in posting recently. But I want to show y'all a couple of the summer dishes.

The wings are cooked in bacon fat, deboned, stuffed with blue cheese, and then put on a hot sauce with celery leaves. Wicked.

The basil is from our garden, buffalo moz, heirloom tomato's, on grilled bread.

Cheers,

Toby

ETA: Second pic.

[Cocktail strainers]

Technique, perhaps merely style, question: when using your julep strainer, is the concave interior facing up out of the glass or down toward the ice? Any logic here to share?

←

Concave against the ice always. And the only reason I can think of is "It works better that way".

Toby

[Facilitating Cocktail Workshops & Classes]

Thanks, Katie. Bfishback, yes, I did, and yes, it was. The question was also about drinking, though, and not merely tasting (e.g., should there be a drink upon participants' arrival?), and the relationship between the two throughout the session.

←

I belive that there should be a drink in the students hands asap. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, there are a lot of people out there that have never had a well balanced cocktail made with fresh juice and care. You can talk until you are blue in the face about a gimlet, but one sip is worth a million words. But they should see you make the cocktail, see the jigger, see the care. I usually make a single cocktail, put it in the proper glass, garnish it, while my assistant is pouring out and passing out a big batch of them.

Second, it seems to put people at ease, and even make them chatty, once they have a cocktail in their hand. Up until then it's a class, once the merest drop of alcohol is consumed it's a cocktail party. People become more relaxed and be more engaged. It's after the third cocktail, even though there is less than an ounce and a half has been consumed, that people will start loosing focus. I find a stern warning about time constraints, done in my deepest paternal voice, will bring them back into the fold.

Cheers,

Toby

[Drinks! (2007–2009)]

Sorry if this sounds pedestrian, but WTF

3 dash A.B. Smeby "Black & White" Bitters

2.0 oz 1942

1 ice cube

Oh, the depth, not sure if it would be better with a whisper of sweetner. Really good as is.

Cheers,

Toby

[Drinks! (2007–2009)]

I think that a margarita with vanilla taking the place of the O. Curacao is wonderful. I have never had the MB vanilla, but Licor 43 is one of my favorite's and has been for a long, long time.

Toby