Drinks! (2007–2009)

[thirtyoneknots]

Decided after squeezing in a long-overdue yard-mowing in ahead of a (hopefully) impending deluge from the fringes of Dolly way down south, that I need more Tiki in my life. Specifically, I realised that I couldn't recall having tried a single new drink from Sippin' Safari, despite having had the book since February. Flipping through, this one cought my eye for its relative simplicity and restrained use of an uncommon ingredient:

Kamehameha Rum Punch

1 oz light rum (Flor de Cana)

2 oz pineapple juice (canned)

1/2 oz lemon juice (1/2 a lemon)

tsp Blackberry brandy (DeKuyper)

tsp grenadine (homemade)

tsp simple (2:1)

Pour everything together and swirl to mix, then pour into tall glass with crushed ice and give a few stirs. Float:

1 oz dark Jamaican Rum (Appleton Extra)

fill with more crushed ice if necessary.

This is pretty tasty. Kind of sweet, as might be expected, but not overly so. The pineapple dominates as it is wont to do, but the really interesting part is played by the blackberry brandy, which is elusive and understated. I had actually expected to not be able to taste it, but it's there, in perfect balance. Makes me want to retry with a better brand, but thankfully the otherwise unremarkable DeKuyper works decently. Recommended, but next time I might either increase the lemon to a full ounce or just drop the simple, but sweetness is kind of subjective and others might find this perfectly balanced.

-Andy

[Dave the Cook]

I was leafing through Joy of Cocktails -- can't remember what I was looking for -- and came across the Gotham:

2 oz. cognac (Landy)

1 oz. Noilly Prat dry

1/2 oz. creme de cassis

2 dashes lemon juice

Not having cassis, I subbed Apry, and dashed in some lemon bitters. On the sweet side, but a little more lemon (or less Apry) should balance it out next time.

[mrRed]

After a long hard day of eating a late breakfast, snacking on cheese and than napping (its a hard life), just made the future wife and I a nice little cocktail before dinner.

1-1/2 oz. Absinthe

Freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange

Stir the above in ice and pour into a rocks glass.

Top with club soda and garnish with an orange wedge.

Edited July 27, 2008 by mrRed (log)

[Nishla]

Inspired by the Bijou cocktail:

2 oz Old Potrero 18th Century (damn, it's hot!!!)

1 oz green Chartreuse

1 oz Carpano Antica Formula

2 dashes Fee's peach bitters (husband thought they were orange, but grabbed the peach by mistake)

Stir with ice, let it dilute a bit.

Really good, and the peach bitters were a happy mistake.

[Nishla]

Also had a lil' jig tonight. I had this a while back at Pegu Club, and it just reminds me how brilliant they are over there. It's so delicious...

muddled basil leaves (recipe calls for thai basil, I only had "regular")

1.5 oz tequila

0.5 oz yellow chartreuse

0.5 oz simple

0.75 oz lime

Shaken and strained.

One of my all-time favorites.

[thirtyoneknots]

Also had a lil' jig tonight.  I had this a while back at Pegu Club, and it just reminds me how brilliant they are over there.  It's so delicious...

muddled basil leaves (recipe calls for thai basil, I only had "regular")

1.5 oz tequila

0.5 oz yellow chartreuse

0.5 oz simple

0.75 oz lime

Shaken and strained.

One of my all-time favorites.

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Blanco tequila, I would assume?

[Nishla]

Also had a lil' jig tonight.  I had this a while back at Pegu Club, and it just reminds me how brilliant they are over there.  It's so delicious...

muddled basil leaves (recipe calls for thai basil, I only had "regular")

1.5 oz tequila

0.5 oz yellow chartreuse

0.5 oz simple

0.75 oz lime

Shaken and strained.

One of my all-time favorites.

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Blanco tequila, I would assume?

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Yes, I believe that's what the recipe calls for. We ran out, so I used anejo, and it was still very yummy.

[slkinsey]

Also had a lil' jig tonight. . . .

Blanco tequila, I would assume?

Indeed. Most likely Herradura Silver, if I know Phil.

[FauxPas]

Fresh Raspberry Martini

Since raspberries are in season and I love raspberries, I use them in as many ways as possible. For the above martini, I remove the seeds from the raspberries by squeezing the berry juice/pulp through a sieve with the back of a spoon. (That's the way I do it, is there an easier way?)

Put ice in a shaker and add about 2 oz vodka, 2 oz of the raspberry liquid, 0.5 oz of Grand Marnier or similar liqueur and possibly a bit of sparkling water (depending on the size of your martini glasses) and shake. Pour into glass and garnish with orange slice and/or a fresh raspberry.

I like this drink to be fairly tart, so don't use too much Grand Marnier in mine, but you can vary the proportions to make it sweeter, if you prefer. I also like to add a bit of sparkling water, as the raspberry pureé can be fairly thick.

Last night, I used enough raspberries to make raspberry martinis as well as a raspberry vinaigrette. Mmmmm. Love berry season!

Edited August 4, 2008 by FauxPas (log)

[KatieLoeb]

That's a beautiful drink, FauxPas! Looks very enticing in the glass.

edited to add:

You could puree the raspberries in a blender and then push them through the strainer to remove the seeds. Might be less work than pushing whole berries through the sieve.

Edited August 4, 2008 by KatieLoeb (log)

[FauxPas]

That's a beautiful drink, FauxPas!  Looks very enticing in the glass.

Thank you, Katie! It really is a nice drink - simple (once you extract the juice/pulp from the berries ) and easy to vary for people who like sweeter/tarter, etc.

I was thinking of infusing vodka with some peppercorns and making a cocktail based on that with fresh strawberry juice/pureé, but I haven't gotten around to doing that one yet. Has anyone had anything like that? Was it tasty?

[slkinsey]

Re raspberry and other small seeds: Just muddle the raspberries in the mixing tin, shake and then double-strain (use a Hawthorn strainer on top of the tin and also pour through a small extra-fine sieve on the way to the glass). This will hold back any seeds, etc.

[jsmeeker]

not sure what to call it. Not sure if it's even a unique invention.

In the summer issue of Imbibe magazine, there was a story on making your own ginger ale. The method for making ginger syrup was a bit different than what I have done previously. In this, chunks of fresh, unpeeled ginger go into a blender to chop it very fine.. Then into a sauce pan with sugar and a lot of water. Bring to boil. Simmer for an hour.

This yielded a dark brown and very intense ginger syrup. But it's not very sweet. Reading the article, it suggested other uses for the syrup (apart from making the ginger ales). Applejack was mentioned. Since I had some in my cabinet, this is what I whipped up

Laird's Apple Jack

lemon juice

the ginger syrup

some simple syrup (for added sweetness )

shook it on ice. Tasted it. Not bad. tasted a tad lemony. I added a tiny bit more simple. Re-shook briefly. Better. But the ginger wasn't as prominent as I wanted. So, I added more ginger syrup..

This isn't too bad. I think I just need to tweak the proportions in the original mix. A bit less lemon. More of the ginger syrup.

Don't know what to call it, but maybe "Jack with Ginger"?? (a "riff" on Jack Daniels with ginger ale)

[thirtyoneknots]

I figured the last day of summer vacation required a commemorative drink (also to offset the stress of all the stuff I've put off til now) so I figured on tackling an old Jerry Thomas drink that has always intimidated me to some degree, the Mississippi Punch:

(from Imbibe!)

2 oz brandy (Hardy VS)

1 oz Jamaican Rum (Appleton Extra)

1 oz Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad BIB)

1 TBS sugar (1/2 oz rich syrup)

juice of half a lemon

shaken all with a glass of crushed ice and poured back in, decorated with pieces (1/4 wheels) of orange and frozen berries.

This is an honest drink, to be sure; theres no doubt about the presence of brown spirits here. However the accenting and stretching of the liquors, and probably their combination, enhances their fruity qualities, especially the brandy. This is pretty close to dangerously drinkable, to say nothing of delicious. Worth the experiment but clear your schedule.

Me? I feel better already. Lets go do some chores.

Edited August 24, 2008 by thirtyoneknots (log)

[KatieLoeb]

I've been working on some new fall cocktails. The pastry chef did a peach dessert trio earlier this week and asked for a suggestion for a liqueur to put into the cold peach soup. We decided on St. Germain. It was delicious. Which of course got my gears whirling...

Le Pêche Mode

2.5 oz. Peachka vodka

1.25 oz. St. Germain

1 oz Ruby Red Grapefruit juice

.75 oz. fresh lemon juice

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime twist.

[Nishla]

I hate it when I buy a bunch of herbs to cook with and half of it ends up rotting before I can use it, so I'm trying to put some herbs in my drinks. Last night I tried the following:

2 oz Hendrick's gin

1 oz lime

1/2 oz green Chartreuse

1/2 oz simple syrup

Shaken with ice and a few sprigs of cilantro.

Quite good, and very refreshing.

[maks_p]

I've had an excellent night trying some new ones (for me):

The La Louisiane Cocktail (from Robert Hess' uncovering or adaptation)

3/4 oz rye whiskey

3/4 oz sweet vermouth

3/4 oz Benedictine

dash Peychaud's Bitters

dash Absinthe

stir with ice

strain into glass

A little on the sweet side for my taste, but nonetheless I enjoyed it.

And the Champs Elysee's Cocktail (from CocktailDB):

1 oz Cognac

1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse

1 oz fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp sugar

1 dash aromatic bitters

I used just a pinch of sugar, and Fee Bros Whiskey Barrel Aged bitters and am thrilled with this drink - it is as refreshing and tart as a sidecar but with a little more depth.

Edited August 26, 2008 by maks_p (log)

[thirtyoneknots]

I've had an excellent night trying some new ones (for me):

The La Louisiane Cocktail (from Robert Hess' uncovering or adaptation)

3/4 oz rye whiskey

3/4 oz sweet vermouth

3/4 oz Benedictine

dash Peychaud's Bitters

dash Absinthe

stir with ice

strain into glass

A little on the sweet side for my taste, but nonetheless I enjoyed it.

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As per Stanley Clisbey Arthur, a heavier hand (3-4 dashes each) with the bitters and Absinthe should go a long way towards mitigating the sweetness of this drink, and I find that a heavy twist of lemon peel on the surface helps a lot too. However, even with all that this still belongs after dinner in my mind, but it's one of the finest ways of closing a meal that I know of, especially as the weather turns cooler.

-Andy

[bostonapothecary]

so my apartment has turned into a winery and because i need more space i'm finishing off old liquor bottles...

old fashioned whiskey cocktail...

3 oz. black maple hill "premium small batch bourbon" 95 proof...

scant spoonful of sugar

3 dashes angostura

1 dash reagan's

too poor for a twist...

is anyone else into the black maple hill bottlings? i haven't heard anything about them in quite a while. this was their cheapest bottling. i like it but i don't think i'd buy it again... but still a nice simple drink...

[maks_p]

Had a bad day so I made a premium Manhattan:

2 oz. Elijah Craig 12yr

1/2 oz. Carpano Antica Formula

2 dashes of Fee Bros. Aged Whiskey Barrel Bitters

This was awesome. As good as it gets (if you're the type that doesn't mind bourbon in their manhattans.....).

Wanted to try something new as well, so tried a variation of the "Far Eastern Gimlet" from the Merchant Hotel:

1.5 oz. Hendricks Gin

1/2 oz. St. Germain's

1/2 oz. Lemon Juice

Dash Angostura Bitters

This is a good cocktail, but I'm getting too much St. Germain. Another 1/2 oz. of Gin may have been necessary. If you really like St. Germain it might be perfect though, I guess it's a matter of taste. The Merchants version doesn't have bitters in it, and they use a homemade elderflower cordial - I'm sure its far superior to this....

Edited August 29, 2008 by maks_p (log)

[Nishla]

From CocktailDB, the Alfonso cocktail:

3/4 oz red Dubonnet

1 dash aromatic bitters (used Fee's whiskey barrel bitters)

1/2 oz simple syrup

Fill with champagne

This was better than I expected--I had two

[bostonapothecary]

so from where its legal i acquired a redistilled infusion of overholt rye and rooibos... the result is clear but still aromatically pipe tobacco-chocolaty... its slightly higher in alcohol than the original 80 proof.

i mixed it 2:1 with my chamberyzette replica and some bitters here and there... the infusion now has a completely different texture that is unobtrusive like a normal spirit and the simple cocktail has a wild set of flavor contrasts going on...

are there any other non sugared mono distilled products available that are interesting? for the O.G.'s out there... wasn't "wild spirit" similar?

[Chris Hennes]

Doing some random browsing on Drinkboy the other day and came across a guy talking about a Jasmine variation he'd been playing with, the Bitter Elder:

1.5 gin (I used Plymouth)

.75 St Germain

.5 Campari

.5 lemon

shake/strain/up

Tried this out at work today, boy that is a damn tasty drink. I enjoy Jasmines but I always felt they were lacking something, and easy to make too sweet. This I felt was a more complete tasting drink and while I probably wouldn't want more than one at a time it is definitely more to my liking. Four of my colleagues agreed, having one later in the evening.

Here is the original post, many kudos to the creator of this drink.

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As recommended in the "10 Essential Cocktails" topic I gave the Bitter Elder a shot tonight. When I gave it to my wife to try she was confused: "but we don't have any grapefruit right now!" An avowed Campari-hater, she nevertheless refused to give the glass back, so I had to mix up another for myself .

[brinza]

An avowed Campari-hater, she nevertheless refused to give the glass back, so I had to mix up another for myself .

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I had a very similar experience with my wife a couple months ago, but with a regular ol' Negroni. I opened the Campari bottle and gave her a sniff. She recoiled in disgust. Plus, she's an avowed gin-hater. So I said, "While you're thinking of what you want, I'm making a Negroni for myself." Once that was made, she tasted it. Just like you, I ended up making another one.

[bostonapothecary]

i've been feeling a lot of my drinks have been over engineered lately so i've been trying to enjoy simple things.

2.5 oz. bonny doon nectarine eau de vie

1.5 oz. lemon juice

bar spoon of sugar

single dash of angostura

i bought a couple half bottles of these eau de vies quite a while ago because they were on sale for $10 a 375ml. this is some really cool unsugared flavored vodka... my understanding is that you can make great unfermented eau de vies of this style by redistilling the juice and peels of the fruit with high proof neutral spirits then blending down the flavor concentrate to your liking. if its as simple as it sounds you'd think these products would be more affordable and the producers would be more willing to disclose where the fruit came from and what season... isn't that what its about?

anyhow the fruit beneath the lemon is ghostly and strange in a very pleasurable way... there is also a weird taste that seems sort of salty in the drink... i will drink the rest of the bottle in the exact same way...