"The PDT Cocktail Book"

[haresfur]

Left Hand w/ Buffalo Trace stepping nicely into the bourbon role.

Left hand is to 1794 as Boulevardier is to Old Pal?

Although it sounds like the KC Left hand calls for more bourbon than you said you used.

[FrogPrincesse]

Left Hand w/ Buffalo Trace stepping nicely into the bourbon role.

Left hand is to 1794 as Boulevardier is to Old Pal?

Although it sounds like the KC Left hand calls for more bourbon than you said you used.

I am not sure I am following you. Boulevardier is rye or bourbon/sweet vermouth/Campari. Old Pal substitutes dry vermouth for the sweet.

The Left Hand is a Boulevardier with bourbon and mole bitters. [And the Right Hand is the rum version of the Boulevardier.]

The 1794 that you have linked looks like a Left Hand with rye instead of bourbon. It uses sweet vermouth, not dry like in the Old Pal.

[FrogPrincesse]

I was unsure about the use of figs in a cocktail, although I adore figs. But I am trying to keep an open mind so I made the Figetaboutit last night: bourbon, lemon juice, amaretto, fig, Angostura bitters. I did not have fig jam so I just muddled a fresh black fig with some sugar. The recipe only uses a bar spoon's worth.

If I had not been so worried about the amaretto/fig on paper, I would have realized what was evident after the first sip. This is just a whiskey sour with a touch of amaretto and fig to balance out the lemon juice. Lovely. I recently had a horrendous version of a whisky sour at a local restaurant promoting its "craft cocktails", but this version was nothing like it. Fig and amaretto were great together and subtle enough to not transform this drink into a sweet mess. Instead, they created a memorable finish. Well done.

[Chris Amirault]

Boy, that's a tricky one to balance. I tried it tonight with a Dalmatian fig jam that, sadly, had big chunks of fig in it of which I was unaware until I strained. That, plus a dry Wild Turkey 101 bourbon, a too-tangy lemon, and a relatively dry Marie Brizard amaretto, meant that I had a mouthful of pucker with little figgyness. Into the sink it went... with a promise to work on balance next time.

So I banged out an Eclipse:

2 oz Chinaco añejo tequila

3/4 oz Heering

3/4 oz Aperol

3/4 oz lemon juice

What an amazing drink, a perfect embodiment of the PDT principles of provocation, balance, and deliciousness.

[blue_dolphin]

I was unsure about the use of figs in a cocktail, although I adore figs. But I am trying to keep an open mind so I made the Figetaboutit last night: bourbon, lemon juice, amaretto, fig, Angostura bitters. I did not have fig jam so I just muddled a fresh black fig with some sugar. The recipe only uses a bar spoon's worth.

If I had not been so worried about the amaretto/fig on paper, I would have realized what was evident after the first sip. This is just a whiskey sour with a touch of amaretto and fig to balance out the lemon juice. Lovely. I recently had a horrendous version of a whisky sour at a local restaurant promoting its "craft cocktails", but this version was nothing like it. Fig and amaretto were great together and subtle enough to not transform this drink into a sweet mess. Instead, they created a memorable finish. Well done.

Beautiful job with the garnish! I love figs too and had wondered about infusing dried figs into brandy or something but I've never tried them in a cocktail. After seeing your post yesterday, I gave it a whirl this evening with the Trader Joe's Fig Butter that I picked up the other day. I'm enjoying the flavors of this drink but it's a swampy brown color - rather unappetizing. Not surprising either, as the fig butter is an almost black paste. I love your idea of muddling a fresh fig with a bit of sugar.

[FrogPrincesse]

Beautiful job with the garnish! I love figs too and had wondered about infusing dried figs into brandy or something but I've never tried them in a cocktail. After seeing your post yesterday, I gave it a whirl this evening with the Trader Joe's Fig Butter that I picked up the other day. I'm enjoying the flavors of this drink but it's a swampy brown color - rather unappetizing. Not surprising either, as the fig butter is an almost black paste. I love your idea of muddling a fresh fig with a bit of sugar.

Thanks blue_dolphin. The fresh fig was from Trader Joe's by the way.

I had fun with the garnish but if you want to make an exact replica of the version they serve at PDT, I realized after the fact that they had a video showing how to make it.

[blue_dolphin]

I can't believe you found an instructional video on that garnish, FrogPrincesse! I'll have to find myself some fancy picks and try that next time.

[FrogPrincesse]

Sipping "That Green Drink" (from the Chartreuse thread) the other night I kept thinking that it had potential but was not quite right. It was just too busy and as a result felt too strong and heavy ("liquoreux" comes to mind).

So I thought how great it would be to modify it and substitute tequila for the gin and refocus the drink on highlighting the herbal grassy notes of the Chartreuse rather than its syrupy quality with the white vermouth combo that I did not care for. Then I realized that there was already something similar in the PDT cocktail book, the Lawn Dart that combined tequila blanco, gin, lime juice, agave syrup, Chartreuse and green bell pepper.

It tasted like fresh cut grass, with a slight kick from the muddled green pepper. Beautiful green notes. After a few sips I realized that it recreated the flavors I like in a good zubrowka/ bison grass vodka, which I have not had in a while because of the coumarin issue and reformulations for the US market.

[FrogPrincesse]

For my husband who needed a break from Chartreuse I made the Little Bit Country that was mentioned way upthread.

The ingredients are pretty straightforward with a combo of bourbon, maple syrup, lemon juice, maraschino, angostura and orange bitters, until you get to the final ingredient - muddled jalapeño.

I was afraid that it would be overly spicy but it was perfectly balanced. The richness of the maple syrup did wonders with the jalapeno. There was some heat but it did not take over. The flamed orange zest was a nice touch. Another winner.

Edited September 25, 2012 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[tanstaafl2]

It tasted like fresh cut grass, with a slight kick from the muddled green pepper. Beautiful green notes. After a few sips I realized that it recreated the flavors I like in a good zubrowka/ bison grass vodka, which I have not had in a while because of the coumarin issue and reformulations for the US market.

Reminds me that I need to crack open that bottle of Zubrowka that I brought home from London. Might have to track down the sanitized US version for comparison.

[FrogPrincesse]

Reminds me that I need to crack open that bottle of Zubrowka that I brought home from London. Might have to track down the sanitized US version for comparison.

Regarding zubrowka, do avoid the brand Bak's. Their version is awful, completely artificial tasting. I have a bottle I have no idea what to do with.

[FrogPrincesse]

The following cocktail could go under "Drambuie" or "Lillet", but since I found it in the PDT cocktail book I am just going to add it to this thread. The Prince Edward: Scotch whisky (the book called for blended malt whisky, I substituted Glenfiddich 12), Lillet blanc, Drambuie, orange bitters (I used Regan's + Angostura), flamed orange twist.

Not bad; quite boozy and rich (on the verge of being syrupy). Maybe not the best choice with the heat.

[tanstaafl2]

Reminds me that I need to crack open that bottle of Zubrowka that I brought home from London. Might have to track down the sanitized US version for comparison.

Regarding zubrowka, do avoid the brand Bak's. Their version is awful, completely artificial tasting. I have a bottle I have no idea what to do with.

Will do. Lookling for the "Zu" version which I think comes from the same company, Polmos, as the bottle I got in London.

[FrogPrincesse]

I made a Benton's Old Fashioned last night with Bulleit rye infused with home-cured bacon fat.

Very nice. I think I will try to put my hands on some Benton's bacon soon so I can try the original version and also assess my bacon-making skills!

[campus five]

Do it. Doooo it.

bentonscountryhams2.com

It's $24 for 4 one-pound packages.

Dooooooo it.

(oh, and a 1-pound package makes a great christmas gift for your foodie friends)

Edited October 17, 2012 by campus five (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

Do it. Doooo it.

bentonscountryhams2.com

It's $24 for 4 one-pound packages.

Dooooooo it.

(oh, and a 1-pound package makes a great christmas gift for your foodie friends)

Definitely going to order some bacon (and country ham) from Benton's. I just need to figure out how much!

[FrogPrincesse]

A Martinez prepared according to the PDT specifications with Hayman's Old Tom gin, Dolin sweet vermouth, Luxardo maraschino, Boker's bitters, orange twist. I opened the bottle of vermouth for the occasion. It's a good thing that I like the Boker's bitters because my dashes were extremely generous (my bottle pours way too fast even when I am very careful). Great drink.

_{Martinez, the PDT way: Hayman's old tom gin, Dolin sweet vermouth, Luxardo maraschino, Boker's bitters by *FrogPrincesse*, on Flickr}

[FrogPrincesse]

Here is the Benton's Old Fashioned with actual Benton's bacon. I think I overdid it a little bit on the fat extraction - I had about 3 ounces of fat in 16 ounces of bourbon. It's amazing how much it tasted like bacon at the end of the process, smoke and all. That cocktail is amazing.

I made little containers of bacon-infused bourbon for my friends as a holiday present. I am storing these jars in the freezer.

I also tried spiking a little bit of Old Men bacon bitters in there just for fun, but that did not really seem to do much given how strong the bacon flavor was in the first place. I would be curious to try the cocktail with regular bourbon and the bitters to see how much of a flavor boost they add on their own.

Edited December 13, 2012 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

A Ward Eight last night with the PDT ratios. Rittenhouse bottled in bond, lemon juice, orange juice, simple syrup, pomegranate molasses.

Surprisingly tart. Once my tastebuds adjusted, I enjoyed it, although it took me a few sips to find the aromas of the rye under all the juice...

[Chris Amirault]

Just made the Rapscallion:

2 1/2 oz Talisker

3/4 oz Lustau PX Sherry

absinthe rinse (see below)

Stir; strain; lemon twist (discard).

I don't have St. George absinthe so I subbed in my beloved Marteau, and instead of a rinse I dashed a bit into the mixing tin.

This is one of those items that I could nurse all night long: so simple in its creation yet, in its reliance on three very complex items -- the PX sherry, Talisker, and absinthe -- one crazy, intricate drink. Not for everyone, but I'm all in.

[ChrisTaylor]

Just made the Rapscallion:

2 1/2 oz Talisker

3/4 oz Lustau PX Sherry

absinthe rinse (see below)

Stir; strain; lemon twist (discard).

I don't have St. George absinthe so I subbed in my beloved Marteau, and instead of a rinse I dashed a bit into the mixing tin.

This is one of those items that I could nurse all night long: so simple in its creation yet, in its reliance on three very complex items -- the PX sherry, Talisker, and absinthe -- one crazy, intricate drink. Not for everyone, but I'm all in.

Too.

This. Is. A. Monster. This could go head-to-head with Gamera and Godzilla and come out not even battered, not the least bit bruised. The person who made this, that he or she, is a lunatic genius.

[thampik]

Intrigued by the drink - do you think this will this work with Caol Ila subbed for the Talisker?

[thampik]

Wow! Certainly works with Caol Ila..

[jsmeeker]

I've put this book on my Christmas wish list.

[EvergreenDan]

Really enjoyed the Rapscallion. I was skeptical it would pass my "better than the ingredients" test, but it did. I enjoyed it as much as I would have the Talisker by itself -- which is quite a bit.