"The PDT Cocktail Book"

[EvergreenDan]

Had a Hemingway Daiquiri from PDT. No simple. Perfectly tart. I did use an agricole: Rhum JM white. Because, well, it's good.

[FrogPrincesse]

Rack & Rye: rye, batavia arrack, demerara syrup, angostura, angostura orange bitters, expressed lemon and orange peels (discarded).

Edited February 25, 2012 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

His cocktail, the Rack & Rye, was really wonderful.

For mine I made the Rhum Club, a twist on the Pegu Club. I used La Favorite rhum agricole blanc (the book calls for Banks 5 Island rum), Clement Creole Shrubb, lime juice, Angostura bitters and Angostura orange bitters, simple.

They were both very nice (and completely different). If I had to choose one I would pick the Rack & Rye. Too bad I am almost out of Batavia Arrack!

[TAPrice]

An ingredient index would have been a nice addition. Of course that is the case with most cocktail books, at least to me.

You can use Amazon's "Search Inside the Book" feature to look for specific ingredients. There appears to be a glitch, where Amazon doesn't always pull up the right pages. But each search provide a list of page numbers on the left-hand column, so you can look up the recipes in the physical book.

At the moment, I'm working through some of the recipes that require Dubonnet, since I picked up a bottle last week. The PDT Opera cocktail is quite nice. I've never much liked this drink before, since I don't think the standard combo of Dubonnet and maraschino works well together. In PDT, they substitute Mandarin Napoleon for the maraschino, which they say is close to the original "creme de mandarine."

In general, I've liked (or loved) every drink I've tried from the PDT book. A few have been too hot for me, but otherwise no complaints. I'm particularly impressed with how great some of the PDT takes on the classics are. I've always enjoyed Rusty Nails, for example, as a bit of a guilty pleasure. But the PDT version (2 oz Famous Grouse and .75 Drambuie) is good enough that I wouldn't be embarrassed to serve it to friends.

[Chris Amirault]

Just got the book and think it's fantastic: enjoying its wonderful design, loving the extra sections (on bar design especially), and, of course, making some terrific drinks.

The PDT gang always seemed to nail just the right spirit for a given drink, and part of what I'll enjoy is trying my hand at matching what I have and can get against what's preferred by the team. For example, right now I'm enjoying a Brown Bomber made with 2 oz Four Roses Small Batch (in for Dickel #12), 3/4 oz Cocchi Americano (in for Lillet blanc), and 1/2 oz Suze: an outstanding drink. I first made it with Henry McKenna, a very rye-forward bourbon, and that was very good indeed. However, subbing in the softer, more vanilla-y Four Roses brings out the sweetness necessary to nail the balance (especially with the additional bitterness of the Cocchi, sharper than Lillet blanc) and allow the Suze to shine in the long finish. I've never had the Dickel #12, but reading up on various tasting notes that emphasize the caramel and vanilla, well, I think that the FRSM is a spot-on substitute.

[pkeibel]

Depending on the sap it will either yield a grade A, B or C. One can even let the sap sit around and let enzymatic activity change it to a Grade B. The amount of each grade made depends on the season

[Chris Amirault]

Really enjoying this Statesman, with the only modification being the gin (instead of Beefeater 24):

2 oz Junipero

1/2 oz R&W Orchard Pear

barspoon green Chartreuse

dash Regan's orange bitters

Stir, strain, lemon twist.

It's sublime (unlike most statesmen I know).

[SJMitch]

An ingredient index would have been a nice addition. Of course that is the case with most cocktail books, at least to me.

You can use Amazon's "Search Inside the Book" feature to look for specific ingredients.

Or buy the PDT Barnes and Noble Nook ebook (readable on PC, Mac, IOS, Android). Oddly, Amazon doesn't have an ebook version.

I've found the fast easy searching of Cocktail ebooks so useful, that I bought ebook versions of ones I already had the hardcover in and now buy new ones ebook only.

Edited March 21, 2012 by SJMitch (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

An ingredient index would have been a nice addition. Of course that is the case with most cocktail books, at least to me.

You can use Amazon's "Search Inside the Book" feature to look for specific ingredients.

Or buy the PDT Barnes and Noble Nook ebook (readable on PC, Mac, IOS, Android). Oddly, Amazon doesn't have an ebook version.

I've found the fast easy searching of Cocktail ebooks so useful, that I bought ebook versions of ones I already had the hardcover in and now buy new ones ebook only.

Regarding an index for the book, pretty soon EatYourBooks should have finished indexing the book, so searching by ingredient will be a breeze.

Tonight we had the Astoria Bianco, a Martini variation with white vermouth.

2.5 oz gin (Tanqueray was specified, I used Beefeater)

1 oz white vermouth (M&R was specified, I used Dolin)

2 dashes orange bitters (instead of PDT's house orange bitters, I used 1 dash of Regan's and 1 dash of Angostura)

Orange twist

Very good. I had a very similar cocktail a few weeks ago, the Astoria Vecchio, which is really the same thing except that the gin is genever.

[FrogPrincesse]

The Archangel: gin, aperol, muddled cucumber, lemon twist.

I did not have the Plymouth gin it called for, so I substituted Hendrick's because of its cucumber notes.

It's crisp and refreshing. Very good use of Aperol!

[FrogPrincesse]

The Paddington: white rum, Lillet blanc, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, Bonne Maman marmalade, absinthe rinse (I used pastis).

It is essentially a Corpse Reviver No. 2 variation with the rum replacing the gin, and the grapefruit juice + marmalade replacing the Cointreau.

I did not have the Banks 5 Island rum that the recipe calls for, so I substituted Flor de Caña. After tasting the cocktail, I decided to add a couple of drops of grapefruit bitters that a friend made and gave me.

It was excellent.

[Tri2Cook]

Finally got the book. I was going to preorder it and didn't. When I remembered to go back and order it, it was out of stock. Arrived yesterday along with Beachbum Berry Remixed. Looking forward to exploring both.

[FrogPrincesse]

Finally got the book. I was going to preorder it and didn't. When I remembered to go back and order it, it was out of stock. Arrived yesterday along with Beachbum Berry Remixed. Looking forward to exploring both.

That's great! These are really good cocktail books. I've been very happy with PDT so far as you can probably tell. Beachbum Berry Remixed is really fantastic too, full of wonderful tiki concoctions.

[FrogPrincesse]

The Conquistador (Sam Ross, 2008)

The ingredients are: aged rum (I had to substitute Appleton 12 yr for Matusalem Gran Reserva Rum that is specified), blanco tequila (I substituted Don Julio for Siembra Azul), simple syrup, lemon juice, lime juice, "house" orange bitters (I used Regan's and Angostura), egg white.

As described in the book, this is a very smooth tequila drink. And I am happy because I finally managed to froth the egg properly!

[FrogPrincesse]

Cavalier: Cognac, lemon juice, Cointreau, orgeat, apricot preserves, orange bitters.

The orgeat, apricot preserves and orange bitters add subtle touches of flavor to what is essentially a Sidecar variation.

[EvergreenDan]

21st Century: Tequila, white Creme de Cacoa, Lemon, absinthe rinse. Sorry, but meh. I added a couple of dashes of Xocalatl Mole bitters, which helped a little. I sort of liked it at the start, but was glad when the glass was empty.

[Tri2Cook]

21st Century: Tequila, white Creme de Cacoa, Lemon, absinthe rinse. Sorry, but meh. I added a couple of dashes of Xocalatl Mole bitters, which helped a little. I sort of liked it at the start, but was glad when the glass was empty.

Pretty much the same way I felt about it. I enjoyed the 20th well enough and the offshoot 19th (bourbon, dubonnet rouge, creme de cacao, lemon juice) even more (I think, it's been a while) but something about the 21st didn't work as well for me. My lack of experience left me unable to figure out exactly what that something was but it didn't feel like it continued the chain started by the other two and didn't completely agree with me even as a standalone outside of the "century" theme.

[FrogPrincesse]

The Apricot Flip from John Deragon/johnder.

A simple flip with Cognac, R&W apricot liqueur, simple syrup, an organic egg, and grated nutmeg.

Very smooth and balanced. The apricot liqueur works great with cognac.

[FrogPrincesse]

For him, I made a Bee's Knees (gin, honey syrup, lemon juice) using PDT's ratios.

Very nice use of honey in a cocktail. It tastes quite acidic at first but then the honey kicks in without taking over the drink.

I had a Sam Ross' Penicillin a few days ago, and he often uses honey in his cocktails, so this inspired me to try this cocktail.

[Tri2Cook]

For him, I made a Bee's Knees (gin, honey syrup, lemon juice) using PDT's ratios.

Very nice use of honey in a cocktail. It tastes quite acidic at first but then the honey kicks in without taking over the drink.

I had a Sam Ross' Penicillin a few days ago, and he often uses honey in his cocktails, so this inspired me to try this cocktail.

I like the Penicillin, I'll have to try the Bee's Knees.

[EvergreenDan]

21st Century: Tequila, white Creme de Cacoa, Lemon, absinthe rinse. ... {meh}

Pretty much the same way I felt about it. ...

I think that combining two childhood flavors -- chocolate and licorice -- is tempting fate. There is something candy-like about it. Oddly, it sweetened as it sat on ice, and effect that I have not noticed in other drinks.

[slkinsey]

21st Century: Tequila, white Creme de Cacoa, Lemon, absinthe rinse. Sorry, but meh. I added a couple of dashes of Xocalatl Mole bitters, which helped a little. I sort of liked it at the start, but was glad when the glass was empty.

Pretty much the same way I felt about it. I enjoyed the 20th well enough and the offshoot 19th (bourbon, dubonnet rouge, creme de cacao, lemon juice) even more (I think, it's been a while) but something about the 21st didn't work as well for me. My lack of experience left me unable to figure out exactly what that something was but it didn't feel like it continued the chain started by the other two and didn't completely agree with me even as a standalone outside of the "century" theme.

I'm pretty sure that the 19th Century, as originally formulated by Brian Miller at Pegu Club, contained bourbon, Lillet Rouge, white creme de cacao and lemon juice. Not that Dubonnet Rouge (or even Bonal) wouldn't work plenty well.

But your point is well made about the fact that this tequila drink breaks the model, which in its loosest interpretation is: base spirit, white creme de cacao, quinquina, sour citrus. The two elements that hold these drinks together, in my opinion, is the white creme de cacao and the quinquina. Without that thread of chocolate and the bitter quinine finish, it just doesn't taste like a "century" drink to me. The connection is further muddled by the incorporation of non-cannonical absinthe. I'm not saying it isn't a good drink, just that it's a bit "one of these things is not like the other" alongside the 20th Century and the 19th Century. In the case of the 19th Century, the use of a stronger-tasting and more tannic red quinquina made sense together with whiskey. With tequila, I'd think that a return to a white quinquina would be in order -- perhaps an Americano would be interesting. I'd be interested to see what tequila, white creme de cacao, Cocchi Americano and lime juice would taste like.

[Tri2Cook]

I'm pretty sure that the 19th Century, as originally formulated by Brian Miller at Pegu Club, contained bourbon, Lillet Rouge, white creme de cacao and lemon juice. Not that Dubonnet Rouge (or even Bonal) wouldn't work plenty well.

Sounds good to me. I have a text file I've been collecting drink recipes in for a couple years now. It never occurred to me to save sources as well. Looking back, that would have been a good idea. I'm pretty sure the recipe from whatever source I collected it from said dubonnet rouge (I'm not arguing that that's correct, just guessing that's what the person listed wherever I got it). The reason I'm assuming that is, when I change something in a recipe to accommodate what I have/can get, I always put it in parentheses beside the original ingredient. So thanks for the correction, I'm going to add that into my file (although lillet rouge is not available through the LCBO so I'll have to stick with the dubonnet).

[FrogPrincesse]

The PDT gang always seemed to nail just the right spirit for a given drink, and part of what I'll enjoy is trying my hand at matching what I have and can get against what's preferred by the team. For example, right now I'm enjoying a Brown Bomber made with 2 oz Four Roses Small Batch (in for Dickel #12), 3/4 oz Cocchi Americano (in for Lillet blanc), and 1/2 oz Suze: an outstanding drink. I first made it with Henry McKenna, a very rye-forward bourbon, and that was very good indeed. However, subbing in the softer, more vanilla-y Four Roses brings out the sweetness necessary to nail the balance (especially with the additional bitterness of the Cocchi, sharper than Lillet blanc) and allow the Suze to shine in the long finish. I've never had the Dickel #12, but reading up on various tasting notes that emphasize the caramel and vanilla, well, I think that the FRSM is a spot-on substitute.

I just tried the Brown Bomber tonight and all I can say is WOW. This is great. The White Negroni is one of my favorite cocktails, while my Suze-hater husband's go-to drink is the Manhattan. The Brown Bomber manages to merge both drinks while harmoniously integrating the Suze. Phenomenal- we both loved it.

Note: I did not have Tennessee whisky so I substituted bourbon (Buffalo Trace).

[FrogPrincesse]

Brown Derby: bourbon (I used Buffalo Trace, the recipe called for Maker's Mark), grapefruit juice, honey syrup + grapefruit bitters (my addition).

The combination of bourbon with honey and grapefruit is particularly harmonious. I added a couple of my friend's homemade bitters for an extra layer of flavor.