[Campari Cocktails]

As Alcuin and daisy17 noted, Amaro (pl: amari) means 'bitter' in Italian, same as amargo in Spanish or amer in French. The base of the beverage is incidental, I'd say, and broad interpretation would include vermouths as well as the more traditionally understood items like Campari, Fernet, etc. Since bitter flavors help aid digestion, they can be taken as aperitifs (Camapri, Aperol, Vermouth) or digestifs (Fernet, Averna). Some I think have flexibility in this regard (Cynar, Ramazotti).

But the term itself has no bearing on the alcohol base involved.

Does that mean that there are wine-based amari?

Some, including myself, include Vermouth in the category, particularly the heavily aromatized ones like Carpano. Punt e Mes is considerably more bitter, to my palate, than something like Averna.

Interesting. I wouldn't include vermouth as amari, not because it's not bitter, but because it seems like an entirely different category to me as a fortified wine. I can see how you could go there though, especially since I often switch out vermouth in cocktails in favor of (what I consider to be) amaro.

The bitterness of vermouth is often, or even normally, not readily apparent, but they are typically flavored with bitter components such as quinine or even wormwood (the origin of the name). In the same way that a properly made Manhattan or Old Fashioned contains bitters without tasing as bitter as, say, a Negroni, good vermouth is balanced in flavor while still having an almost imperceptable bitter quality as part of its profile.

But yes, it is not overly bitter on its own, especially if your palate is accustomed to bitterness in your beverages.

If I may jump in a little late here, I'd just add that Daisy17 is correct. Vermouth is not a subset of amaro, and amari are not wine-based. Just because amaro means "bitter" in Italian doesn't mean that everything with a bitter flavor is an amaro. Similarly, I don't think it's appropriate to classify vermouth under the same label as Angostura bitters. Indeed, I think it's a bit unfortunate that the English term for amaro ("potable bitters") uses the same word ("bitters") as cocktail bitters -- because they are not two points on a coherent continuum. Rather then have an entirely different conception and use.

More to the point, an amaro is what the Italians say it is. And they say that it doesn't include vermouth and other wine-based beverages. Thus, even though Punt e Mes may be perhaps more bitter overall than Campari, Punt e Mes is still a vermouth and not an amaro, and Campari is still an amaro and not a vermouth.

[Why is Campari not considered an Amaro or a digestif?]

That seems highly unlikely to me. Indeed, part of "settling the stomach" involves reducing gas, not creating more. Also, who says that the stomach produces gas to counteract poison? Or, for that matter, that bitters "trick your stomach into thinking it is being poisoned"? What would be the mechanism for that, exactly?

[Why is Campari not considered an Amaro or a digestif?]

I think there is some misunderstanding here.

First, an amaro may be either a digestivo or an aperitivo -- or both. It largely depends upon the alcoholic strength and the degree of bitterness, but also sometimes to the unique character of each product. Campari is perhaps better suited to casual drinking and use as an appetite stimulant than many amari, and this may be why it is typically thought of as an aperitivo.

Second, who says Campari isn't an amaro? If there are people who believe Campari is not an amaro, it is probably because it is sweeter and has a less pronounced bitterness than many of the classic amari. But if Cynar is an amaro, then so is Campari. After all, amaro simply means "bitter" and Campari says "bitter" right there on the bottle.

I found an interesting definition of amaro from the Italian writer Paolo Monelli, who says that an amaro is like "vermouth without the wine." Campari certainly qualifies under that definition.

[Cleaning & De-Waxing Citrus for Garnishes, Punch, etc.]

Yep. That's the way I do it. Fill the sink with tepid water, drop in the citrus, add a single drop of Dawn, rub my hands over each fruit until they no longer feel slippery, then drain the sink, rinse the fruit with fresh water... done deal.

[The art and science of the smoothie]

I have done frozen blackberries in the VitaPrep. Came out smooth.

[Making your own grenadine]

Meanwhile, I could only find the Lebanese Orange Flower Water from Zeenny. Right know I think it's impossible to get hold of some Monteux bottles or any of the European varieties. Have anyone heard of these Lebanese brand? any directions on proportions compared to the Europeans ones?

I also think the Cortas Lebanese brand is not bad, although it is much stronger than Monteux. I'd use 1/2 to 1/3 the amount that you would use of the French.

Really?! I have never found any of the Middle Eastern brands of OFW anywhere near as strong as Monteaux. I mean, Monteaux can overpower a drink if you use more than three drops of the stuff. How do you use 1/3 the amount of that? Is Cortas really so strong that two drops would take over a Ramos Fizz?

[What to call the genre of new cocktails?]

Craft brewing has a certain "back to the farm" aesthetic that I don't think this stream of mixology emphasizes. When I hear "craft cocktail" I think I'm going to get one of those Cyrus "artisanal" drinks.

[What to call the genre of new cocktails?]

Oh... I should hasten to point out that one of the ways I have taken to calling this philosophy and aesthetic is "new old school." It's an expression that says, I think, "these guys went back to the old school (largely skipping over the Dark Ages) and grew the tradition forward from there."

[What to call the genre of new cocktails?]

I think that "craft" is not apropos, simply because it is impossible to avoid a mental association with "craft brewing" and all the connotations that go along with this use of the word. I don't believe that craft brewing and classical mixology have a sufficiently shared philosophy or aesthetic to make this a good term.

[What to call the genre of new cocktails?]

"Classical" is a good word to use as opposed to "classic." What does the "classical" of "classical music" mean, for example? Well it means that there is an established tradition of composing and performing a certain genre of music. The tradition part is important, because the tradition evolves over time (the operatic tradition in the time of Händel was very different from the operatic tradition in the time of Puccini) -- but also because innovations, whether or not they influence the direction in which the tradition evolves, are contextualized by the tradition itself. So, for example, when Beethoven began a his first Symphony in a different tonality than the main tonality of the piece, this could be understood as an innovation. Similarly, in the "classical" cocktail tradition we are describing, cocktails are informed and contextualized by what has gone before them. This is in contrast to some of the other contemporaneous streams of mixology that are not informed and contextualized by an ongoing tradition.

[What to call the genre of new cocktails?]

There are a number of things to consider here.

For example, at places like Milk & Honey, Dutch Kills, etc. the style is typified by what I call "neo-Classic cocktails." This is to say, cocktails that did not come from the pre-Prohibition era, but might as well have because they would feel right at home alongside historical cocktails. An example: The Silver Lining.

Beyond that, there is a larger school of what I might call "Classical Tradition." These are cocktails founded upon the same principles of balance, brevity, focus, etc. as pre-Prohibition cocktails, but which have grown the tradition forward so that we now have cocktails that would not be at home alongside historical cocktails but are still clearly sprung from the underlying aesthetic and values. This is a pretty wide net, however, encompassing most of everything that's going on in the NYC top cocktail bars -- from Pegu Club's Intro to Aperol to D&C's Cooper Union.

I'm not sure I believe there is a distinctive "house style" at PDT, especially now that the creator of many of their most noteworthy and celebrated cocktails has moved on to Momofuku. The extent to which many of the drinks there may play in the same aesthetic space as Death & Company is, I think, largely due to being influenced by what was going on at D&C. In other words, if you want to find a name to describe those drinks, and "mostly boozy, mostly brown, mostly bitter and mostly stirred" doesn't do it for you -- then "Death & Company style" is probably the most apropos. Although I should hasten to point out that this style didn't spring from their heads fully formed. Not for nothing was Audrey teaching that the Craft could benefit from moving in this direction right at the time most of the D&C guys were at Pegu Club. Nevertheless, this is a style that the D&C crew has very much made its own, and they are appropriately associated with this style.

[Vermouth]

FoodSaver makes a vacuum cork, which strikes me as easier.

But really... I've had bottles of CAF in the refrigerator for long periods of time, and they have never "gone South" -- or, indeed, been anything other than delicious.

[Bottled in bond]

Kent, I'm not entirely sure what your question is. The Bottled in Bond Act was originally enacted to combat the proliferation of adulterated or otherwise faked bottles of spirits claiming to be something other than what they really were. This may have been especially important in 1897 for American spirits that were now largely consumed out of labeled bottles rather than served or bottled on site out of barrels (someone like Dave would know more about that than I).

But yes, they still keep these things in bonded warehouses, etc. And there some advantages to producing a bonded product if you are shooting for a 100 proof "straight" spirit -- primary among them the fact that the distiller doesn't have to pay excise tax on the spirit as soon as it runs out of the still, but instead pays the excise tax when the aged spirit is removed from the warehouse and bottled for sale. On the other hand, bonded spirits must be the result of one distilling season, one distillery and one distiller -- so there is no possibility of blending for consistency, etc. (which is easier). So some producers of products that might otherwise qualify (Wild Turkey, for example) don't bother bonding their product, presumably because they don't feel that the cachet and tax break make up for the restrictions on their production methods.

[Rotary evaporator]

You're still heating the liquid, you're just not heating it as much. And you're able to more accurately capture either what's driven off or what's left behind.

A similar process (vacuum reduction) is what's used to make most commercially-available concentrates. It's cheaper and faster to do it that way. This is why, for example, tomato paste still tastes somewhat "raw." That's because it hasn't been heated to a very high temperature. Similarly, commercial pomegranate juice concentrates were not concentrated by boiling at 100C, they were reduced under vacuum (juices "from concentrate" were simply made by adding back some of the water).

[Where would you go after dinner at Per Se?]

IMO none of the bars in the Per Se area are up to snuff for a real cocktailian. You'll get pretty, fruity, neo-fusion drinks in oversized glasses.

The problem with many of the best cocktail spots for people who are dressed for Per Se is going to be atmosphere. Really, only Pegu Club offers an atmosphere and appointments that are congruous with the atmosphere of a place like Per Se, and a comfortable fit for people dressed in Per Se-appropriate finery. I love PDT and Death & Company and Mayahuel and Flatiron Lounge and Dutch Kills (etc.), but they're not places that work all that great when you're wearing an expensive suit (and I say this is someone who has had occasion to be in most of these bars wearing my tuxedo, so I know whereof I speak).

The other logical choice would be Brandy Library -- not for the cocktails, but rather for the sipping spirits. On the other hand, if what you want is a great cognac, I'm quite sure that there are places close by Per Se that have some good sipping spirits (albeit nowhere near the depth and breadth of Brandy Library's offerings).

[Cleaning bar ware]

It really isn't possible to clean cream with just hot water. Tins and/or glassware that have had egg in them need to be cleaned with detergent and warm or cool water. Just hot water won't cut it, they'll just continue to smell of egg.

This is likely why many cocktail bars have an absolute prohibition against rinsing egg or cream tins in the dip sink.

[Cleaning bar ware]

Just to add, pretty much the same rules apply to barware as to any other kitchen utensils, serving glasses, and equipment.

I can't think of any particularly special cases, where the normal rules of cleaning everything else in your kitchen don't apply.

Exactly. I put most of my barware into the dishwasher, unless it's something that I feel might be damaged by being in the dishwasher (e.g., fine crystal or gold leaf, etc.).

I'll insert a dishwasher caveat - if you had a spicy or particularly strong flavored meal, be aware that some of that flavor and aroma from the dishes can transfer to your glassware, and if you have a sensitive nose, it can make for an unpleasant experience. There's nothing like sticking your nose in a glass and getting a big whiff of curried daiquiri. I have no idea how that stuff survives the heat and detergent, but it does. Pre-wash rinsing is a good thing.

I'm going to come out against pre-washing, especially when glassware will be in the dishwasher. Dishwashing detergents are specially formulated to balance the pH inside the dishwasher on the assumption that there will be food particles, etc. in the dishwasher. If there are insufficient food particles in the dishwasher, the pH is way too strong and the glassware ends up permanently etched. In fact, overly zealous rinsing and pre-washing is the leading cause of glassware etching in the dishwasher. For this reason, especially when I have glassware I care about, I always make sure there is some food gunk in the dishwasher (even going so far as to deliberately toss in the dregs of half-finished cups of coffee, etc.).

The other way around this is to do what my friend Dave Solomon does with his expensive wine glasses: Just save them someplace to the side for a week or more, and then do a special "gentle" load of nothing but the fancy glassware with a small amount of very mild detergent (or perhaps no detergent at all).

[What Can You Do with Kitchen Shears?]

More than anything else, I use them to cut bags for sous vide. Other than that, there is cutting through the backbone on both sides when spatchcocking poultry (although I use a knife for the rest if I'm going the full monte and taking out all the bones except for the drumsticks). Cutting twine and butcher's string. Opening packages, frozen food bags, etc. Occasionally used in deboning fish (again, primarily to cut the spine).

Other than that, I find that a knife typically works much better. I've never understood snipping herbs with scissors. If it's me, I'm either plucking and/or tearing them by hand or cutting them with a knife on the board.

[Distilled Apples]

The reason to make things like vodka, gin or white rum is that they don't have to be aged. The high proof neutral spirit ones have the added advantage in that they are a lot easier to distill. Building up a supply of good aged spirit is a major stumbling block to becoming a producer of spirits. You can't just start out with a warehouse full of eight year old whiskey or brandy, and you also probably can't afford to start distilling and wait 8 years before selling your product. As a result, you have to sell things that don't have much age on them. This is why it's unlikely these producers will compete with Laird's anytime soon. Best case scenario, it's going to be around eight years before they can even taste to see if their product is as good as Laird's bonded.

[Distilled Apples]

Not terribly complex, but I'd say it stands up decently to the Calvados I've tried at the price point ($23/375ml).

It stands up pretty well to $46/740ml Calvados? That sounds a lot better than "not terribly complex." You can get a pretty darn complex Calvados for 46 bucks a bottle! 5 and even 10 year old Calvados can be had for around 50 bucks a bottle.

[Absinthe: The Topic]

Has anyone seen any of the Emil Pernot Vieux Pontarlier Absinthe Française Supérieure 65° for sale? It seems to have disappeared.

[Orgeat]

I personally prefer a middle ground: Something that has a more pronounced (bitter) almond flavor than unadjusted natural sweet almond orgeat, but something that has greater (sweet) almond subtlety and creamyness than the commercial preparations. I find that using high quality bitter almond essential oil in minute quantities is the best way to titrate the homemade orgeat just as I would like it to be.

When you're titrating for your small batch recipe, how much do you add? A few drops? A ml or two?

That's hard to say. I usually give away a fair amount of my orgeat, so I often make a pretty big batch. After I've added the vanilla and orange flower water (and a touch of salt) to my taste, I'll add a few drops of the bitter almond oil. Then shake, rest, taste, repeat until it gets where I want it to be. But it doesn't take much.

[Orgeat]

I would not recommend using an apricot kernel from your own tree -- not least because you just won't know what you're getting. Moreover, you would have to crack the seed shell to get to the kernel.

Any high quality natural almond extract will be made with bitter almond oil.

Marzipan, by the way, is flavored with bitter almonds.

[Orgeat]

Right. "Pronounced" as in "strongly marked; easily noticeable." I would not agree that natural orgeat made from sweet almonds has a "pronounced almond flavor." On the contrary, I would say that it has a rather soft and subtle almond flavor. Especially when combined with other flavors, the almond flavor of natural orgeat made from sweet almonds is anything but strongly marked and easily noticeable. My Mai Tai example is a good one. Make that drink with an unadjusted natural sweet almond orgeat, and you'd be hard-pressed to tell there was any almond flavor in there at all. That, in my book, means that the almond flavor is not pronounced.

Benzaldehyde, on the other hand, has a pronounced almond flavor. More specifically, it has a pronounced bitter almond flavor. I was just explaining why natural orgeat made from sweet almonds has a different and subtle, as opposed to pronounced flavor compared to the commercial preparations, which are bitter almond flavored. And, it must be pointed out, that the pronounced benzaldehyde bitter almond flavor is what most people expect from an orgeat.

I imagine that natural orgeat made from bitter almonds might also have a pronounced almond flavor. But sweet almond orgeat does not. This is the real reason we do things like adding apricot kernels: to contribute benzaldehyde so that the natural sweet almond orgeat has a pronounced flavor.

I personally prefer a middle ground: Something that has a more pronounced (bitter) almond flavor than unadjusted natural sweet almond orgeat, but something that has greater (sweet) almond subtlety and creamyness than the commercial preparations. I find that using high quality bitter almond essential oil in minute quantities is the best way to titrate the homemade orgeat just as I would like it to be.

[Orgeat]

I'm going to disagree with Chris on this one. Natural orgeat is nowhere near as strongly flavored with that flavor we think of as "almond flavoring" compared to the commercial flavored versions.

As a result, natural orgeat doesn't have the same "cut" as the commercial flavored versions and can get a bit lost in drinks with a lot of strong flavors going on. For example, let's say you're making a Mai Tai: 2 oz rum, 1 oz lime, 1/2 oz orgeat, 1/2 oz orange curacao, 1/2 oz rich simple. If you make this drink with commercial flavored orgeat, the almond flavoring will sing right through. You'll know there's almond in there! With natural orgeat, on the other hand, you really have to search for the almond flavor. There's something extra in there, for sure, but it's much less clear just what it is. All in all, the version made with natural orgeat is a more harmonious cocktail. The natural orgeat also adds creamyness that the commercial flavored preparation does not.

There is also the question of what we think of as "almond flavor" -- which is not the actual flavor of sweet almonds. Rather, it is the flavor of bitter almonds. Specifically, it is the flavor of benzaldehyde. Bitter almonds contain lots of amygdalin, which is converted to benzaldehyde (and some other things, including cyanide) by the enzyme emulsin, which is also present in almonds. The essential oil of bitter almond is more or less pure benzaldehyde. Apricot kernels, cherry pits, etc. also contain plenty of amygdalin and emulsin, which explains why they can be used to create "almond flavoring" (Amaretto Disaronno is actually flavored with apricot kernels, not almonds) and also why they are considered somewhat dangerous to eat.

Sweet almonds do not contain very much amygdalin and emulsin, and as a result the essential oil of sweet almond is not very rich in benzaldehyde. Less benzaldehyde equals less of that "almond flavoring" we might expect. Think about it: munch on a handful of blanched almonds and then take a sip of amaretto. Do they taste at all similar? Hardly. So why do we think they both taste like almond?

There are three possible solutions: First is to simply acknowledge that natural orgeat made from sweet almonds doesn't have that "benzaldehyde bite" that can cut through other flavors and accept that the natural product is more subtle. Second is to create the natural orgeat using a natural source of amygdalin and emulsin so that you can amplify the amount of benzaldehyde in the orgeat. This is the reason my recipe that Chris used contains some apricot kernels (again, it's important to get bitter apricot kernels, because sweet apricot kernels don't contain much amygdalin and emulsin). Or lastly, you can dose the final product with a touch of high quality bitter almond essential oil -- which more or less amounts to adding benzaldehyde. I have come to believe that the third solution is really the best one, because you can add the bitter almond essential oil in minute amounts, resting and retasting the orgeat until you reach a level of "benzaldehyde bite" that gives your homemade orgeat enough cut to sing through other ingredients but doesn't obscure the sweet almond softness and creamyness.