$650 Martini on Oprah

[Meow-Mix]

Oprah poured a $650 martini down her gullet on her show.

[Jason Perlow]

What made it a $650 martini?

[tommy]

that's probably the equivalent of me pouring a 30 cent martini down my gullet. i'm guessing hers was better.

[Meow-Mix]

What made it a $650 martini?

I'm not sure , they made a big deal about it, yet didnt really explain what was in it... except for Courvoisier ? It was billed as the world's most expensive Martini. It was orange (?) and looked like it had a sugarcube in the bottom (?)

[Jason Perlow]

If its got Courvosier in it, thats a pretty loose interpretation of a Martini.

[vengroff]

If its got Courvosier in it, thats a pretty loose interpretation of a Martini.

In this day and age of loose interpretation, anything served in a martini glass is considered a martini. Many are made with far worse than Courvoisier.

[Meow-Mix]

It's served at Villa Nova in Newport Beach.

[DrinkBoy]

More info here:

http://www.oprah.com/tows/slide/200310/200...031015_08.jhtml

"This martini sells for $650, and is in limited distribution in restaurants throughout the country. Currently, it is available only at Villa Nova Bar in Newport Beach, Calif.

L'Esprit de Courvoisier is a rare and exclusive blend of cognacs. Its steep price—$5,000 per bottle—is partially due to the fact that it includes vintage dating back to 1802, from Napoleon's special reserve."

This is -exactly- the sort of mis-information that drives me crazy. Millions of people will see this show and it will just further ingrain into their minds that a "Martini" is anything served in a cocktail glass.

-Robert

www.DrinkBoy.com

[beans]

That's why I have chosen not to fight it and just accept....! Like it or not, well I believe it is impossible. Kinda of like what do you all call a daquiri that is made with vodka instead of rum? Is a Strawberry Margarita not a margarita because the original ingredients were of limes and not strawberries?

Edited October 16, 2003 by beans (log)

[fresh_a]

Collin, from the Ritz Paris serves a "Sidecar" made with an ancient cognac which sells for 450 Euros.

[Jason Perlow]

Why would anyone take such an expensive and rare cognac and use it as a mixer? Thats atrocious.

[MatthewB]

Why would anyone take such an expensive and rare cognac and use it as a mixer? Thats atrocious.

You ain't vibin' with the bling bling thang.

[DrinkBoy]

That's why I have chosen not to fight it and just accept....!    Like it or not, well I believe it is impossible.

I know... but I'm not ready to give up yet

I've got a few little projects in the works that might just help turn the tide... :->

-Robert

www.DrinkBoy.com

[DrinkBoy]

Collin, from the Ritz Paris serves a "Sidecar" made with an ancient cognac which sells for 450 Euros.

Colin has a few things going for him. First he's got access to some pretty good stuff that few others have, he's also got a somewhat exclusive and upscale clientel at "Le Bar Hemingway". But he is also a damn fine bartender.

When I was first getting into cocktails, I had all but decided that bartenders were all a bunch of clueless bottle monkies. I "knew" what a cocktail could taste like, but could never get anything even approaching this from the bartenders I would order from. Then I ran into Colin one day in Paris, and he single-handedly showed me what a -real- bartender could produce. I since have discovered that there really "are" bartenders out there who know their stuff and take pride in providing their customers with quality drinks. And there are many more who may not really understand the culinary basics that can be applied to cocktails, but they have that spark within them that shows promise.

To this day, Colin Field is still the model by which I measure all bartenders by.

FYI: He recently has published a book on some of the cocktails that he produces. You can read more about it here:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...il/-/0743247523

-Robert Hess

www.DrinkBoy.com

[Meow-Mix]

If its got Courvosier in it, thats a pretty loose interpretation of a Martini.

In this day and age of loose interpretation, anything served in a martini glass is considered a martini.

Tell me about it. What's up with "apple" martinis??

[Stone]

Tell me about it.  What's up with "apple" martinis??

I was in LA recently, and apple martinis were all the rage. Even supposedly straight men were drinking them. It's like liquid jolly ranchers mixed with sugar.

Edited October 16, 2003 by Stone (log)

[Lady T]

You ain't vibin' with the bling bling thang.

Do I be translating that correctly from the original Jive as: "because I can afford it and I want to rub your nose in the fact that you can't or won't"?

And Jason: I agree. Loudly.

[KatieLoeb]

Why would anyone take such an expensive and rare cognac and use it as a mixer? Thats atrocious.

You ain't vibin' with the bling bling thang.

Do I be translating that correctly from the original Jive as: "because I can afford it and I want to rub your nose in the fact that you can't or won't"?

This may all be true, but more often than not the "Bling Thing" takes exorbitantly priced over-rated stuff and makes it all the rage. Like Crystal Champagne for an example of my point. Good Cognac should simply be enjoyed as is. Although I do have a chef friend that really loves Remy Extra Stingers !

[Sazerac]

I was in LA recently, and apple martinis were all the rage.  Even supposedly straight men were drinking them.  It's like liquid jolly ranchers mixed with sugar.

Feh. The first time I was served one of those so-called "apple martinis" I took one sip, waited a few seconds until I was sure my host wasn't looking, then spat it back into the glass. I quietly meandered over to the nearest potted plant and made its day by dumping the contents of my glass into its pot.

Fortunately, there are some non-straight men who have better taste in cocktails.

Take a 1.5- or 2-liter jar with a hinged lid and rubber seal (we get ours at Cost Plus). Core and slice three Granny Smith apples and one Golden Delicious apple. Place in jar and pour in 750ml of your favorite vodka (SKYY seems to work well for infusions), seal and let steep for 3 weeks. Strain through cheesecloth, then through a coffee filter, rebottle and allow to age for at least 3 more weeks. (Good things come to those who wait.)

Then: 2-1/2 ounces of your homemade apple-infused vodka, one splash Lillet blanc, one dash of DrinkBoy's House Bitters No. 2 (or one drop of Fee's Aromatic Bitters). Shake and strain, serve up in a cocktail glass, garnished with a slice of Granny Smith apple (brush with lemon juice to keep it from turning brown).

There's ya Apple Cocktail! (I won't call it an Apple Martini, though.)

Regarding Oprah's drink ... while I tend to agree with whoever it was (Gary Regan?) that said "Garbage in, garbage out", a $5000 Cognac does seem to be a bit of overkill for a cocktail. I'll use my 20-year-old Pierre Ferrand if I feel like getting exquisite ... try that in a Sazerac sometime!

Chuck

[Jason Perlow]

Hey Chuck, welcome to eGullet! Big fan of your web page! We've been wanting some more New Orleans folk on the site.

[Chad]

Holy crap! The "Where Y'at" page is yours? Every time I try to explain New Orleans to someone, that's where I send them. Nice to have you here.

And your apple vodka sounds great. I've never been a big vodka fan. Not enough there there, if you know what I mean. But apple infused vodka sounds pretty nifty. Might have to try that.

Welcome.

Chad

[JAZ]

Take a 1.5- or 2-liter jar with a hinged lid and rubber seal (we get ours at Cost Plus).  Core and slice three Granny Smith apples and one Golden Delicious apple.  Place in jar and pour in 750ml of your favorite vodka (SKYY seems to work well for infusions), seal and let steep for 3 weeks.  Strain through cheesecloth, then through a coffee filter, rebottle and allow to age for at least 3 more weeks.  (Good things come to those who wait.)

Then:  2-1/2 ounces of your homemade apple-infused vodka, one splash Lillet blanc, one dash of DrinkBoy's House Bitters No. 2 (or one drop of Fee's Aromatic Bitters).  Shake and strain, serve up in a cocktail glass, garnished with a slice of Granny Smith apple (brush with lemon juice to keep it from turning brown).

There's ya Apple Cocktail!  (I won't call it an Apple Martini, though.)

The bartender at one of my favorite places infuses gin with apple and cucumber and uses the resulting liquor with Pimms No 1 in a variation of the Pimms Cup. Great drink.

[tommy]

Good Cognac should simply be enjoyed as is. Although I do have a chef friend that really loves Remy Extra Stingers  !

"should" in your circles perhaps. others don't care to follow "rules", and if they can afford it, well, who's to pass judgement. i bet it was tasty.

your friend is clearly one of good taste.

Edited November 1, 2003 by tommy (log)

[beans]

Oh yum.

Good stuff is just that.

Jason, there are a few of the New Orleans sorts, one of which lurks and rarely posts, but she is around. And she bartends.

[beegew]

Hey Chuck ~ We're in the Bywater just about every month. Wouldn't stay any place else! Great site you have.

How nice for Oprah. , but what a waste of fine sippin' stuff. I know how near and dear to my sweet hubby's heart his bottle of Courvoisier XO is. He hoards every drop.