FrogPrincesse

Ok, I need to step up my crushed ice game, I get it. Last night's cocktail seemed perfect after a dip in the pool... The Risk Pool (Phil Ward) with Hayman's Old Tom gin (Tanqueray old tom), Rothman & Winter crème de violette, lime juice, grapefruit juice, simple syrup. I found it excellent. Interesting and light, less cloying than an Aviation.

That sounds a bit involved, but you are welcome to demonstrate your bag and mallet technique at my house anytime....

Aperitivo Julep (Alex Day) with Dolin dry vermouth, Amaro Ciociaro (Amer Picon...), Massenet crème de pêche (Briottet pêche de vigne) Just Another Julep (Brian Miller) with Buffalo Trace bourbon, demerara syrup, Gosling's black seal rum (Cruzan black strap), mint. The Aperitivo Julep is light and easy-going. Simple. Just Another Julep packs a punch. It's great, but you definitely need to let the ice melt a bit so it mellows to a manageable level. Here is an earlier rendition of Just Another Julep with Coruba for the rum, when my mint was a bit more robust.

I liked this one too. I had it in January and forgot to post my impressions here. Very white Negroni-esque, therefore it's a good one in my book! Terrible Love (Phil Ward) with Del Maguey Chichicapa mezcal (Del Maguey Vida), Suze, St Germain, Regan/Fee/Angostura orange bitters.

Shrimp scampi, pictured before adding the pasta. An old favorite that is not especially photogenic - boudin noir (blood sausage). My kind of comfort food. Suzanne Goin's triple pork burgers (ground pork, chorizo, bacon) with manchego, arugula, aioli, from Lucques. Rock fish with onion soubise and wilted leeks in beurre blanc, loosely based on a recipe in the AOC cookbook.

More crushed action. Bin 'n Gitters (Charles H. Baker Jr. via Bartender's Choice) with Perry's Tot navy strenth gin, lime juice, simple syrup, Angostura bitters. I don't know if I love that gin in that application, but navy strength is a pretty sure way to get buzzed. Haha.

I'd try it in a Zombie or a Jet Pilot.

Yesterday's Manhattan with Willet 2-year rye, Margerum amaro, Miracle Mile forbidden bitters, two brandied cherries.

Really like this one. Sometimes simple is best, and this combo is a great thing on a hot summer/autumn night. First it's all about the Fernet, then the bourbon starts to peek out, and they end up blending beautifully. It's very refreshing too. The Fernet is there as an intense herbal bouquet accented by the mint garnish. Midnight Stinger (Sam Ross) with Elijah Craig 12 bourbon, Fernet-Branca, lemon juice, simple.

Thanks Jo! The cherry is a brandied griotte cherry from France, Perigord to be exact. They are called Guinette and I highly recommend them.

Two pairings that bore me to tears are Campari + grapefruit, and Fernet + ginger (thank god, nobody mentioned them). So predictable and not so interesting. More combos I like: Islay scotch and maraschino Cynar and coffee Orgeat and Angostura bitters Calvados and Peychaud's

Cleaning up the iPad and going through old photos. Here was the menu this year. We went with a few of our favorites. Various little canapés with salmon roe and crème fraiche on blini, smoked salmon from Santa Barbara smokehouse, a smoked fish spread, and champagne of course. The main course was duck confit with a pomegranate salad. Dessert was David Lebovitz's Racines cake and homemade eggnog ice cream.

Here is a plum galette from early September (green plums + pluots). I served it with plum eau-de-vie ice cream. I used 2 oz Swiss eau-de-vie (Etter Kleines Pflümli) in my usual recipe. On its own this eau-de-vie tastes a little rough, but in the ice cream, it was spectacular.

An apple galette that I took to the park for a picnic. Next time I will make sure to use more apples - they shrink quite a bit!

Really? Granted, I only got a sip, but thought it was a good value (I paid about $35). I think it will be great for mixing too. Tastes very much like a rye. As a side note, I did not care hugely for the Son of Bourye. It was fine for mixing, but not my preference for sipping.

Thanks Rafa. Armagnac and Suze with some St. Germain to brighten things up. Yes. This was very small but I will make another one once I replenish my supply of Armagnac. Prieuré de Sion (Isak Cornelis von Werther via Gaz Regan) with Delord armagnac Napoleon, St. Germain, Suze, Peychaud's bitters.

Another one from the recent heat wave, a classic Caipirinha with Leblon cachaça.

Found it (not in the book). From his new bar in LA, The Normandie Club.

Where did you find this one? It's not in the Death & Co Cocktail Book, is it? It looks very cool. I don't mind full-on Islay with Chartreuse, quite the opposite. I am a fan of Lahproaig + Chartreuse. The End of Road, Pete's Word, etc.

I was happy with this one. Gerard Cocktail (Justin Taylor via Gaz Regan) with Laphroaig 10 scotch whisky, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, Fernet-Branca, Bittercube cherry bark vanilla bitters. The combination of the peat and savory notes from the scotch, the bitterness and herbs of the Fernet, the rich lushness of the maraschino, and the touch of fruit from the bitters. Very nice sipper.

To fight the heat wave, a couple of Kentucky Maids (Sam Ross) with Bulleit bourbon, lime juice, mint, cucumber.

The Daiquiri as a good way to gauge a bartender's skill

I recommend these French brandied cherries from Perigord called Guinettes if you can find them. They are the bomb.

Swearengen Sling (Brian Miller) with brandied griotte cherries, Bulleit borbon, Amaro Nonino, cherry Heering (Luxardo cherry liqueur), lemon juice. I reduced the simple syrup a bit. Brandied cherries + bourbon is a wonderful combo. And I liked the kick of bitterness at the end from the Nonino.

Aka Don's Mix, a key ingredient in a lot of Tiki cocktails. A lot of really good combinations have already been mentioned... Adding a few more to the list. Mezcal and maraschino Chartreuse and rhum agricole Absinthe and rhum agricole Absinthe and rye Gin and cucumber Campari and pineapple