Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Drinks! 2018


Smokeydoke

Recommended Posts

After moving half way across the country, I'm rebuilding my liquor cabinet from scratch. So far, I have gin, vodka, and bourbon. (And dry vermouth, I guess.) My first cocktail in the new apartment is a classic martini, garnished with two olives and served in a sherry glass.

 

IMG_4904.thumb.jpg.5155f41ff22cc4d8f441e1a76f3fab6c.jpg

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Accoutrement
by Chris Hannah, Arnaud's French 75, New Orleans

  • 2 oz Calvados (Laird's bonded apple brandy)
  • 3/4 oz Strega
  • 1/2 oz Clément Créole Shrubb (Pierre Ferrand dry curacao)
  • 3/4 oz lemon juice
  • 2 ds Peychaud's Bitters

Shake, strain, cocktail glass, garnish with 3 brandied cherries

 

There was a strong cherry aspect to this--maybe even beyond the aroma of the indulgent garnish, some alchemy reinforced the cherry taste. The herby factor of Strega and Peychaud's keeps things interesting. Cherry and ester (from the high-proof brandy) and herbs threaten to turn medicinal but that was a mostly empty threat.

accoutrement 1.png

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

With an excessive heat warning, this evening was a zombie.  The first sip was mind numbingly bitter.  Then again 23andMe reports I may not be able to taste bitter.*  Otherwise I'd be horrified.

 

What I forgot was the grenadine.  With a zombie it's always something.  Then again it may have been the grapefruit a couple months past it's prime.

 

 

*I think they're wrong.

 

 

  • Like 1

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

With an excessive heat warning, this evening was a zombie.  The first sip was mind numbingly bitter.  Then again 23andMe reports I may not be able to taste bitter.*  Otherwise I'd be horrified.

 

What I forgot was the grenadine.  With a zombie it's always something.  Then again it may have been the grapefruit a couple months past it's prime.

 

 

*I think they're wrong.

 

 

What rums did you use?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, scubadoo97 said:

What rums did you use?

 

The rums I would like to have used were S&C, Neisson l'Esprit and Hamilton 151.  However having but a drop of l'Esprit in the bottle I opted for La Favorite Blanc (of which my bottles number six).  La Favorite is a staple of my white mai tai recipe, one of which I'm sipping as we speak.  La Favorite didn't work as well for me in the zombie.

 

Plus I'm afraid the months old half grapefruit may have been an issue.  Long about daybreak I spent a mini-vacation in the bathroom.  Or it could have been the tomatoes.

 

My current favored zombie recipe is here:

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/152876-the-tiki-drink-discussion-topic-part-2/?do=findComment&comment=2157114

 

Except that since I've not been finding white grapefruit I've been adding a good dash of Bob's grapefruit bitters.  In better news my local spirits monger is now stocking Hamilton 151.  I have some Lemon Hart but I'm conserving it.

 

 

  • Like 1

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 8/28/2018 at 5:13 PM, lindag said:

I need a better bartender...I suck.

Perhaps you should tip better???? 🙃

 

My cocktail options at Blackbird restaurant in Santa Barbara, CA:

IMG_8768.thumb.jpg.335d2617fa150bffce3ebac04636bce6.jpg

 

And my choice, the Fit for Battle, which I should have photographed before it went around the table for shared sips.

IMG_8771.thumb.jpg.ec8df94d393d55b98ac849269374ae8c.jpg

Thanks to the shared sips, I also tasted the Purple Rain, Rosemary's Baby, Whiskey Smash and a Cosmo, all ordered by my dining companions but was happy with my choice.  Smoky, bittersweet and a little spicy.  I'm sure there is a better comparison but to me, this was kinda like a Perfect Manhattan with Cardamaro in for the Sweet Vermouth and Cocchi Americano for the dry with smoky tea and spicy bitters.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

Perhaps you should tip better???? 🙃

 

My cocktail options at Blackbird restaurant in Santa Barbara, CA:

IMG_8768.thumb.jpg.335d2617fa150bffce3ebac04636bce6.jpg

 

And my choice, the Fit for Battle, which I should have photographed before it went around the table for shared sips.

IMG_8771.thumb.jpg.ec8df94d393d55b98ac849269374ae8c.jpg

Thanks to the shared sips, I also tasted the Purple Rain, Rosemary's Baby, Whiskey Smash and a Cosmo, all ordered by my dining companions but was happy with my choice.  Smoky, bittersweet and a little spicy.  I'm sure there is a better comparison but to me, this was kinda like a Perfect Manhattan with Cardamaro in for the Sweet Vermouth and Cocchi Americano for the dry with smoky tea and spicy bitters.

I was referring to my own cocktail making skills.  I don't usually frequent bars these days

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Made this a few days ago, à smoky manhattan twist

 

The Meat Hook

 

1,5 oz of Rittenhouse 100 (I used Bullet) 

5/6 oz of Punt e Mes (I used noilly prat)

1/3 oz of Ardbeg 10 (I used Laphroaig 10)

1 bsp of maraschino 

 

 

IMG_20180829_192653-1190x1587.jpg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was in the (un) fortunate position of noticing I should probably use up the vermouth in my fridge...so made a tasty negroni before bed last night.

 

Decided to go with 1.5 oz gin, and 1 oz of campari/vermouth.  Added some grapefruit zest & grapefruit twist to top off over giant ice ball.  

I enjoy a Negroni before dinner/with appetizers like everyone else - but I also really enjoy one right before bed. Anyone else?

 

 

 

https://moneymaaster.wordpress.com/2018/09/05/negroni/

Negroni.png

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

42 minutes ago, damaaster said:

I enjoy a Negroni before dinner/with appetizers like everyone else - but I also really enjoy one right before bed. Anyone else?

 Is there ever a bad time to have a good Negroni?   I haven’t found one yet.

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/4/2018 at 5:41 PM, FrogPrincesse said:

Isn't the Cobble Hill supposed to have Montenegro as the amaro? It still looks tasty! :)

 

 

I initially wanted to post this one on the cucumber drinks topic - where I saw your Cobble Hill - but got mixed up :D


I was so sure that the recipe called for Averna :D I noticed after that you used Montenegro instead of Averna

 

An yet, I bought both bottles this summer in Italy so I could have done it right, next time This version was quite tasty though

And to be honest, I don't even know how Montenegro actually taste. I have tried averna on the rocks last year and I thought it was pretty good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, EvergreenDan said:

Standard description:
471-107781-otg_creamsicle_bar_300x300-1.

Lol. That's what happens when I try writing while not fully awake (or without a glass of Montenegro in hand!).

 

Don't you think Montenegro is difficult to describe though? When I mix with it I often get maple or chestnut notes, but it does not really resemble any other familiar flavors I know.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some recent finds: Monk's Thistle (green Chartreuse, Cynar, Regans, water) and Helen of Troy Does Countertop Dancing (applejack, Ango, orgeat, lemon). 

IMG_4254 1.png

The former was a quality chartreuse feature. Interestingly, the caramel sweetness of Cynar was strong but its expected bitter finish got somewhat overridden by chartreuse's powerfully long finish. The sophistication of the flavors certainly kept this from being flatly syrupy, but it was quite sweet.

helenoftroy 1.png

The latter (as you can tell from the color) is one of those big-dose Angostura drinks, 1/2 ounce in this case. Subbing bonded apple brandy for the applejack in the spec, and using my very flowery homemade orgeat, I really liked this. Strong but accessible, very autumnal.

 

Edited by Craig E
rearranged pics (log)
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

54 minutes ago, Craig E said:

Some recent finds: Monk's Thistle (green Chartreuse, Cynar, Regans, water) and Helen of Troy Does Countertop Dancing (applejack, Ango, orgeat, lemon). 

 

helenoftroy 1.png

The latter (as you can tell from the color) is one of those big-dose Angostura drinks, 1/2 ounce in this case. Subbing bonded apple brandy for the applejack in the spec, and using my very flowery homemade orgeat, I really liked this. Strong but accessible, very autumnal.

 

Sounds like an autumn in Jersey with a little extra Angostura.  When I make an autumn in Jersey I confess I up the Angostura also, maybe to around a quarter ounce.  Maybe time for an autumn in Jersey for tonight.

 

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After a late summer heatwave, today was cool and overcast.  Perfect hiking weather.  In fact I was minded to go have a flu shot.*  At dark the rains came.  This is Jersey.**  I am reposing with my autumn in Jersey.

 

 

*And if flu shot is not the name of a drink it should be.

 

**That's actually New Jersey.

 

 

 

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

The Martinez is probably my favorite cocktail. 

I wanted to give it a try a twist with 'rhum agricole' and it was quite tasty. 

It was too sweet though, I used the 2 parts vermouth and 1 part gin recipe. Got to try it again with equal parts. 

 

 

IMG_20180925_201148-768x1024.jpg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tonight I forgot what I was making and added too much Smith & Cross to my Mississippi punch.  This threw the sweetness off so I garnished with a couple Luxardo Maraschino cherries.  Am resisting the urge to prepare up a proper batch.

 

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...