Cocktail Porn

[beans]

A back of a tablespoon also works in a pinch. Muddlers are cheap. I love my muddler. Of the kitchen stores in the US, I do know Surly Table sells them, but often are found cheaper at a restaurant supply store. (most do sell to the public)

The lemon, blueberry and mint flavours are quite comlimentary and terribly refreshing, lightened up a bit with the soda. The sugar cane is just a sweet bit of candy and novelty.

The day that we dedicated to shooting the photographs was a Wednesday. I remember this as I planned it for a Westside Market open day so I could pick up a length of sugar cane. The dealer sadly informed me that he only carries it on Fridays and Saturdays. I chased around to eight stores in some of Cleveland's more interesting neighbourhoods before I found some. It was just as interesting to cut, requiring several various pieces of my cutlery collection. I never use my giant cleaver, but that was the way to go for the first chop. All in all, very well worth the effort.

Ahhh, all for the eGCI....

[trillium]

I've found that a french pestle (the olive wood kind) works very well as a muddler and may be easier to find then an actual unfinished/stained muddler. The only problem is the handle is a little too short for some glasses. Then I resort to a wooden spoon.

regards,

trillium

[WoodleyGrrl]

Thanks for the advice. I always see the mortors and pestles at Dean and Deluca and W.Sonoma and I have wanted to buy one just for the purpose of making drinks like those described above.

I am going to have to look around.

[cdh]

Sam and Audrey-

Thanks for bringing the Smoking Martini into my world... What a lovely beverage.

Good vodka + Laphroaig 10 + HB Pastis = yummy and smoky and herbal.

Highly recommended.

[Libationgoddess]

I'm thrilled that you and Sam enjoy it!...but don't thank me, thank Dori Bryant. She is a the whiskey-drinking friend of mine who inspired me to create it.

That's why I call it the "Dreamy Dorini Smoking Martini". Dori is a blond bombshell with a wonderul, bubbly, (yet smoky) personality to match. And

she just loves Laphroaig, so this drink suits her to a tee.

Audrey

[cdh]

Next time I find myself anywhere near the Carlyle, I'll have to stop in and taste the drink as it was intended...

What I'm making at home is delicious, though I go a little light on the scotch compared to what Sam suggests... Can't wait to try the original inspiration.

[viva]

oooh - I just made myself one of those Beans Blueberry Smash cocktails. Mighty nice! Mine was not nearly as pretty (i.e. no picture), but tasty and refreshing as all get-out.

[bleachboy]

I'm moving into a new house in about a month. After that, I think I'm going to start a mini-blog on here, trying a different cocktail every day. Including ones I think I'll hate. I have a FULLY stocked bar. Might as well use some of this hooch.

[cdh]

Well... the cocktail porn is about the equipment, not the drinks. If I had some really pretty glassware, I could put water or iced tea in it and it would look really pretty... and you might believe it is whatever I tell you it is...

There are very few cocktails that you can be sure what's in them by what they look like.

But pretty cocktail equipment is worth a thread of its own, so I'm glad this one is here.

[cdh]

I'm moving into a new house in about a month. After that, I think I'm going to start a mini-blog on here, trying a different cocktail every day. Including ones I think I'll hate. I have a FULLY stocked bar. Might as well use some of this hooch.

Go Bleachboy!

Can't wait for a high quality cocktail blog!

I can't think of a cocktail I think I'd really hate... hopefully you'll not find any you really do.

[winesonoma]

I'm leaving tomorrow for another camping trip and will take pictures of the Martini set up. Hope to post on Sunday or Monday the just add ice kit.

Edited August 12, 2004 by winesonoma (log)

[DrinkBoy]

Can't wait for a high quality cocktail blog!

:-< You mean mine doesn't count?

[cdh]

yeah, that counts. Now that I know about it.

[beans]

Many a time I've considered a "clubbing" blog, complete with pictures of the environs and tenders sort and one from behind the mahogany. Walk a "day" in my shoes of both sides of the bar so to speak. Then I tell myself, who needs another kiss and tell?

Blog away!

Edited August 13, 2004 by beans (log)

[beans]

oooh - I just made myself one of those Beans Blueberry Smash cocktails. Mighty nice! Mine was not nearly as pretty (i.e. no picture), but tasty and refreshing as all get-out.

Glad you enjoyed it. I love it too. To me, it is one of those perfect seasonal delights. I could have a smokey martini any day, which is a good thing (and truly appeals to the scotch lover in me), but I like the chef approach of using what is timely, fresh and abundant at the moment.

Thanks for reporting back!

Cheers!

[mjr_inthegardens]

Heikki, I love your site and your experiment documentation! Keep it up!

[JAZ]

There aren't any cocktails in this photo, but I picked up some cool German liqueur glasses while on vacation. This is the picture from the antique dealer's website -- not the greatest, but it'll have to do until I get a digital camera.

These are Jugendstil, which, as I understand it, is a sort of German precursor to art deco. Anyway, they're three inches tall and hold two ounces to the rim. I love them.

[slkinsey]

Those are awesome, Janet! You must go out now, get a digital camera and take some pix of those things in use!

[fatdeko]

Here's a little cocktail porn from my trip to NOLA for Tales of the Cocktail

First up, Behind the Scenes at Cocktail Porn.

That's Drinkboy himself taking a composed shot of some Gin Fizz debris at brunch on Friday. (Look for his shot in this space in the not too distant future.)

Next, I tottered off to Pat Obrien's for the obligatory Hurricane. The Bartender on the patio offered me the choice of the $9.00 Hurricane where I could take the glass home with me or the $6.00 set-up in a paper cup. I offered to rent the glass version, cuz it seemed unseemly, pornographic even, to drink a Hurricane at Pat O's outta paper. Eureka! Paper it is!

(I found out later that she was new on the bar and that might not be policy)

Checkpoint Charlie's is a sorta combination punk bar, Diner and Laundrymat. Yes, Laundrymat. I was on a mission to get one of their T-shirts for a fellow 'tender here in ME who used to play there "in the day". I immediately liked the place and thought I'd hang out for a beer while the band set-up and chat with the lovely Shane.

So.... an overexposed picture of a Budweiser and a Tshirt in the background do not Cocktail Porn make. Once again, the lovely and Vivacious Shane was more than happy to assist. The gent on the right is Antoine who owns the joint--I think.

[tanabutler]

Speaking of drinks, nice jugs.

[phaelon56]

I always see the mortors and pestles at Dean and Deluca and W.Sonoma and I have wanted to buy one just for the purpose of making drinks like those described above.

Check your local Asian grocery. I just got a rockin' (literally - it is made from stone) big mortar and pestle for $10 marked down from $14 (the stotre is going out of business but even at $14 it would be a bargain). Way more functional than the ones I've seen in cooking stores and much cheaper.

[WoodleyGrrl]

I always see the mortors and pestles at Dean and Deluca and W.Sonoma and I have wanted to buy one just for the purpose of making drinks like those described above.

Check your local Asian grocery. I just got a rockin' (literally - it is made from stone) big mortar and pestle for $10 marked down from $14 (the stotre is going out of business but even at $14 it would be a bargain). Way more functional than the ones I've seen in cooking stores and much cheaper.

Thanks! I will definitely look around. I really want to make some mojitos but I need the tools for the job.

[DrinkBoy]

Here are just a few of the pictures from the "Tales of the Cocktail" down in New Orleans...

Here is Audrey "Libation Goddess" Saunders right before she did a wonderful presentation at the "Cocktail Clinic" that she did with Dale DeGroff.

This is our waiter at dinner one night doing a "Cafe Brulot". A wonderful tableside presentation with flames and everything!

Here is Dale DeGroff, and his wife Jill, at the booksigning reception. The place was crowded with folks, who were all having a good time sampling various signature drinks.

I hosted one of the "Spirited Dinners" with Stephen Visakay (author of "Vintage Barware") and Kerri McCaffety (author of "The Obituary Cocktail"). Here we see the main course, trout almondine, along with the drink I created to go with it, the "French Quarter".

Here is Fatdeko himself, sucking down another Ramos Gin Fizz...

And here is the "dueling cameras" photo of the remants of Gin Fizzes on the table.

Stephen Visakay joined in the Gin Fizz fun as well.

-Robert Hess

[Ida]

I know some of you have nice looking barware so I have a question for you. In a second hand shop I found a really pretty glass bottle. I brought it home and it cleaned up very nicely but it has no stopper. I've looked and looked for a stopper but can't find anything that would look nice on it. Problem is that the neck is just a wee bit bigger than the average wine bottle. It is clear glass with sort of a pineapple design. Would look great with a pretty infusion in it. Anyone know where I could find a pretty glass stopper that would be larger than the average wine bottle?

[TJHarris]

I know some of you have nice looking barware so I have a question for you. In a second hand shop I found a really pretty glass bottle. I brought it home and it cleaned up very nicely but it has no stopper. I've looked and looked for a stopper but can't find anything that would look nice on it. Problem is that the neck is just a wee bit bigger than the average wine bottle. It is clear glass with sort of a pineapple design. Would look great with a pretty infusion in it. Anyone know where I could find a pretty glass stopper that would be larger than the average wine bottle?

I would suggest that you watch the flea markets and antique shops for old apothacary bottles. They were made in many different sizes.