TDG: The Compulsive Cook: Mixed Metaphor

[Fat Guy]

Fun with cocktails, language, and JAZ.

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[jackal10]

The old rhyme for a punch or cup has it:

One of Sour

Two of Sweet

Three of strong

Four of weak

Thus

One of lime juice

Two of sugar syrup

Three of rum

Four of hot water (or cold Champagne), or shake with ice

[alacarte]

I never thought of "diagramming" drinks before! Thanks for expanding my horizons --

[Suzanne F]

Neither did I -- but it makes perfect sense to me!

[Louisa Chu]

JAZ, you have just changed my life. Living in the land of wine drinkers I'm a closet cocktailer. When I go out to a bar I don't want a glass of wine - I want their best house speciality cocktail. I don't want to start dinner with champagne - I want a colourful, complex cocktail. Your deconstruction as grammar and formula is brilliant. I can now understand the language - and the balance of elements. I can now create my own cocktails - whereas before I was subject to the tyranny of recipes and the whims of bartenders.

Other than the size of the glasses, what's your opinion on the glassware used? Are they like wineglasses - will a margarita glass make a difference to the drink?

Thanks.

[jogoode]

I am just discovering the gustatory joys of wine and spirits. But I always choose wine over cocktail. Now I can work to overcome this bias.

Also: JAZ, can you recommend a book on grammar that might serve as a cheap class? I'd like to start deconstructing.

[maggiethecat]

Really JAZzy, piece, Janet, although you intimidate the hell out of me! Diagramming sentences for fun. Cool Lady.

Re cocktails: As I've mentioned elsewhere, at length, I am a scotch and water, martini kinda gal. Sure, a Negroni now and then, or a Gimlet (Yes, Rose's only! )

But I've begun to notice that as warm weather rolls around, a good fruity cocktail seems like just the thing. Lemon Drops....hmmm simple. Friday night.

[trillium]

I think lemon drops are nicer (ie more intense) when they're made with a high quality (ie not sweetened) citrus infused vodka instead of just plain vodka.

regards,

trillium

[JAZ]

I think lemon drops are nicer (ie more intense) when they're made with a high quality (ie not sweetened) citrus infused vodka instead of just plain vodka.

regards,

trillium

Good point. Yes, citrus vodka does give a very nice boost to a lemon drop. I should have mentioned that in the recipe.

Another interesting variation is a mandarin (not orange) vodka with Meyer lemons (which, being a cross between a lemon and a tangerine, have a mandarin sort of aroma). Just be sure to use less simple syrup, as the Meyers are sweeter than other lemons.

[JAZ]

Other than the size of the glasses, what's your opinion on the glassware used? Are they like wineglasses - will a margarita glass make a difference to the drink?

Thanks.

Stemmed glassware is essential in drinks that are served up (i.e., chilled but without ice) so that you don't warm up the drink with your hand. Other than that, I don't think it makes much real difference, except in terms of tradition.

Margarita glasses are larger because they're usually served over ice (or blended with the ice), but that's the only meaningful difference between them and other cocktail glasses. Hurricane glasses can stand in for Margarita glasses quite well.

I probably should have mentioned that all of the sweet/sour drinks do pretty well served over ice -- much better than Martinis and Manhattaans, certainly. They stay colder, obviously, and the extra watering down can make them even more amenable to pairing with food. If you do want to serve them that way, then hurricane glasses are a good way to go -- they lood a little more festive than Old Fashioned glasses.

[TrishCT]

JAZ,

Because of your interesting article, I had my first Lemon Drop this weekend (at Artisanal in NYC). It was made with Absolut and tasted like pure vodka with a lemon twang. The rim of the martini glass was dipped in sugar...which helped... I don't really fancy strong drinks because I have a low threshold of drunkeness. Still--it was quite drinkable. Thank you for de-mystifying mixology.

[Chad]

Also: JAZ, can you recommend a book on grammar that might serve as a cheap class? I'd like to start deconstructing.

I'm not JAZ, but I can recommend a great book or two. My personal favorite is Sin & Syntax. I've been writing professionally for about 15 years, and this is the best book I've come across for understanding sentence structure. It's also a hell of a lot of fun to read.

Chad

[fresh_a]

So, Lou, where have you found exceptional cocktails in Paris?

I suppose you know the Bar Montaigne at the Plaza, and the Hemingway.. both have great bartenders and fab cocktails