TMFIII

I'm going to be partying like it's 1933 in DC with the DC Craft Bartenders Guild. Should be an absolute blast!

And after your midnight showing you can fix the new Bond cocktail: The one and only Sazerac!!!

My favorite Negroni recipe so far has been one ounce each Aviation gin, Campari and Noilly Prat sweet vermouth with two dashes Angostura Orange and two dashes Fee's Rhubarb Bitters. Ummmmm! Cheers!

Mixed up a Shanghai Gin last night. Wow! Such a fantastic tipple! Kudos to the Gentleman at The Slanted Door! Cheers!

THE best hiccup cure I've ever come across: Take a lemon wedge and dredge in sugar. Soak both sides with a few dashes of Angostura. Eat sweet Angostura fleshy goodness. I found this while watching some TV show about Angostura and a person they interviewed was saying this is how they cured hiccups. I don't know how or why it works, but it does every time. Cheers! Marshall

Ace Beverage in DC has had it for about a week. Ummm boy is it tasty! Cheers! Marshall

Maybe this is why some of my friends state that gin makes them angry??? Cheers! Marshall

I know Aperol has rhubarb in its flavorings . . . Cheers, Marshall

I generally make all my syrups in 1.5-2 cup batches. To each I've added an ounce of 100 proof vodka (or you can use Wright & Nephew Overproof rum) with no problems with stability. I do store every thing in the fridge, though. But I've had some raspberry syrup that I made at least 6 months ago and there is no mold/bacteria/etc. Cheers! Marshall

You enter a local cocktail contest and in your recipe you tell them where to buy the bitters specified. Then, you actually take your own personal bottle of the specific bitters for the bartenders to use during the competition . . . Yep, that was me last night! BIG OLE COCKTAIL NERD! Cheeers, Marshall

I would think that the easiest way to do an avacodo infused tequila would be thus: Cut the avocado into chunks and place in a wide mouthed mason jar. Pour a bottle of tequila over and let steep for 24 hours in the fridge. Strain out avocado, but don't press the solids (otherwise you would get mushy-boozy gloop in your tequila). Mental note: tequila infused avocado solids use in guacomole . . . If you need further straining, you could use a coffee filter. I just figure since the avocado is such a fatty veggie to begin with it would kind of be like fat washing. Cheers, Marshall

I keep a leather-bound diary-type book. I can put one or two recipes per side of the page and keep it on the bar. It looks nice and I like being able to thumb through it for cocktails that I've made in the past that I like. I think that's one of the tricks - I only put drinks that I've made and really enjoy in that book. If I'm looking for something new, I can look through the library of other books I have. Just my .25oz of absinthe . . . Cheers, Marshall

Just wanted to thank everyone for their advice on my trip to NYC! We had a great time. Hit Death & Co. and Elaterria on Friday night. Had awesome cocktails (thanks Philip and Lynnette!) and great food. D&C was everything I was hoping it would be - next trip up I can certainly see staying there for the entire evening! Saturday had some tastings at Aquavit and the MoMA Cafe along with drinks at the Modern, Nat Sherman's new lounge, Pegu Club and Tailor. Was able to meet and talk with Audrey at Pegu which was also a real treat. Unfortunately we couldn't get into PDT due to the crowds. Oh well, there is always next trip! If anyone wants to read more detailed notes of the trip, check out the link to our blog below (in the sig). Sean's recap is already up and mine will be up sometime tonight. Thanks again! Cheers, Marshall

. . . you ask for a flight of house made bitters.

I just purchased two bottles of this on recommendation of my trusted liquor supplier. I asked for something that wasn't going to break the bank and would be a great mixing brandy/cognac and he said, "That's an easy one!" Out came a bottle of hte Chalfonte VSOP. Works for me!!! Cheers!

i haven't done it so i don't know for sure but fat might extract the flavor of only the nut and not pick up the tannins... which you could then integrate into the alcohol... alcohol alone may strip out too many negative components... ← Viva, thanks for the shout! I haven't noticed any negative components coming from the pecans in any of the pecan-rye I've done. I'm thinking that after too long in the straight rye, a certain bitterness (more so than is commonly found in a pecan) may start to push through. Luckily that hasn't happened yet. I have a few more ideas for the pecan-rye, one that I've really excited about because it reminds me of my Southern roots. Keep your eyes on the blog for that one. Cheers!

Scored some of the Ibis today and thought of a particularly poignant name for the puppy this eve: Ruffled Feathers 1 1/2 oz Scarlet Ibis Rum 1 oz Sweet Vermouth 1/4 oz Allspice Dram Lime Twist Stir, Strain, and squeeze lime peel over drink. There's a bit of an empty spot in the mid to late tastes and I can't decide if it's a feature or an imperfection. So interesting with the lime out front in the scent and the spice in the early and late flavors. You kind of think, oh did I miss something, maybe I should have another sip. Be curious what anyone thinks. ← Gave this little concoction a try last night. In the name of full disclosure, I was already a but tipsy from returning from a firm happy hour and I'm not a big fan of vermouth . . . I know, I know, sacrilege. But I digress. The first thing that caught me off guard a bit was the nose of the drink. The lime oils and pimento dram shine through with a warm citrus profile. Upon first sip the first thing I tasted was the vermouth. (Probably my aversion/sensitivity to vermouth.) The second sip brought forth the warmth of the rum and the spicyness of the dram. Very pleasing. All in all, I think it was a pretty good drink. For my own future trials, I will dial down the vermouth a bit (3/4 oz?) or use much better vermouth. This seems to be screeming Vya . . . Cheers! Marshall

Scored some of the Ibis today and thought of a particularly poignant name for the puppy this eve: Ruffled Feathers 1 1/2 oz Scarlet Ibis Rum 1 oz Sweet Vermouth 1/4 oz Allspice Dram Lime Twist Stir, Strain, and squeeze lime peel over drink. There's a bit of an empty spot in the mid to late tastes and I can't decide if it's a feature or an imperfection. So interesting with the lime out front in the scent and the spice in the early and late flavors. You kind of think, oh did I miss something, maybe I should have another sip. Be curious what anyone thinks. ← Erik, I'll give this one a shot tonight and report back to you. Any excuse to use the Ibis . . . Cheers, Marshall

Thanks for the responses everyone! Greatly appreciated. My long weekend is set for April 18-20, arriving in Manhattan just before Noon on the 18th. Turns out my chef friend will be on duty Friday night, but his lovely fiance will probably be showing myself and my co-writer around. So there will be three of us at any easy speaking joints on Friday night. Saturday night I'm guessing will be just the guys, but I could be wrong and we'll have a member of the fairer sex with us. That *may* keep me out of trouble. Thanks again! Cheers, Marshall

As an addendum to my question above, are there any particular dress codes of which I should be aware? I know for PX in Alexandria, I haven't had any trouble getting in with nice jeans, shoes, button-up shirt and sport coat. Same for the places above? Since this is the closest thing to a vacation I'm going to get anywhere in the near future, I would like to leave the "business" attire at home and rock the jeans/sport coat look. Thoughts, ideas, musings, all are welcome! Cheers! -Marshall

Ohhhhh . . . this sounds like a weekend project . . . . Cheers!

I infused for a little longer than 48 hours. My whole process is here (scroll down towards the bottom, you'll see bacon frying : http://community.livejournal.com/scofflaws_den/25829.html I think that stirring the fat into the spirit thoroughly and then letting it rise to the top on its own is key. Plus, the longer you leave it in the fridge, the more pronounced the flavors will be. Cheers, Marshall

Thanks for the advice Nathan! My friend at Aquavit was already talking about Tailor and I'm certainly game to try anything that Mr. Freeman mixes up. I also appreciate your offer of contacting some of ya'll before heading up. I'll certainly take you up on that! Cheers, Marshall

I did this very same thing about a week ago. I used hickory smoked Smithfield (it's a Virginia thing) bacon and Maker's Mark. I think the Maker's is generally a sweeter (to my pallette) bourbon and would go wonderfully with the smoky-bacony goodness. The resulting elixir was a very interesting combination. The fat washing added a nice smokey undertone to the bourbon and paired back the sweetness quite a bit. It didn't have that "bacon" flavor as if you were chewing on a strip of it, which surprised most of the people to whom I've served it. I initially mixed it with fresh apple cider, calvados, a bit of maple syrup and Fee's Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters. It came out pretty good. I need to tinker with proportions but it has promise. Cheers, Marshall

I worry about those kittens.... ← Damn, now I have to dry the iced tea from my keyboard. This was hands down the funniest thing I've read all day. Cheers, Marshall