What are your favorite drinks at Bemelman's?

[MHesse]

Hi all,

I plan to celebrate the end of the week by making my first visit to Bemelman's at the Carlysle hotel in NYC with the missus.

I think we will only be able to try two drinks at most this visit. Are there any must haves? What are your favorites? What's in them?

thanks,

--mh

[Libationgoddess]

Hi MH,

Just let me know what time you are coming in, and I will tend to all your beverage needs!

Audrey

[slkinsey]

This is why Audrey is so great.

There are some new ones on the menu that are definitely worth a try. I think her Tantris Sidecar is a brilliant drink, and one you really should try. But it's really hard to pick. I've never had anything there that wasn't exceptional. If it's on the menu, it's very good. And the menu offers very good descriptions of what the drinks are like. Off the menu, she makes a brilliant Manhattan with Bookers bourbon and Carpano Punt e Mes, and the Dreamy Dorini Smoking Martini is extremely interesting. But, then again, the Sazerac at Bemelman's is superb (it's Eric_Malson's favorite) and so are the other classics like their Pegu Club and Pisco Sour. I can't decide! Could this be why I often need a blood transfusion after I've been there?

I'm looking forward to a full report. Talent like Audrey and Sasha Petraske and Julie Reiner and others like them are what makes NYC a great place for the cocktail enthusiast.

[jsolomon]

I LOVE this place!

Now if only I could find people like you in Lincoln....

[MHesse]

Hi MH,

Just let me know what time you are coming in, and I will tend to all your beverage needs!

Audrey

←

Thank you Audrey.

ETA is 5:30. Look for the frazzled chemistry teacher carrying two bags of books and papers and charming wife arriving separately. In our 50's but feeling young.

Looking forward to organic chemistry at Bemelmans.

--mark

[JAZ]

I'll just add that if you like Earl Grey Tea, you must try Audrey's Earl Grey MarTEAni. All of the drinks we had there were fabulous, but that one really impressed me.

[jsolomon]

Thank you Audrey.

ETA is 5:30.  Look for the frazzled chemistry teacher carrying two bags of books and papers and charming wife arriving separately.  In our 50's but feeling young.

Looking forward to organic chemistry at Bemelmans.

--mark

←

Wow, that is so wrong to think about the amount of Fisher esterifications that'll be going on in your gut...

[MHesse]

9:30 pm. Back home after 2 rounds at Bemelman's then a quick dinner at Arte Paste. Still too smashed for a report. We had a Sazerac, a Champiro, a Tantris Sidecar and an Old Cuban.

Audrey is truly a goddess.

More details tomorrow.

Definitely need to return for more research. If you haven't been yet, go.

I did not think about the chemistry occuring inside me. But I did show my patient spouse how the dorm arrangements are set up in Electron College.

Plus I put Potassium in water today for my students. I got a standing O.

-mh

[jsolomon]

I was always a fan of the Mg burning in the O=C=O box...

[MHesse]

I was always a fan of the Mg burning in the  O=C=O box...

←

That is a fine demo. Here is a realone video clip of it for all to see.

Getting back to the topic, now that I am bright eyed again,

The Sazerac: I've always enjoyed the taste of rye, but didn't have it often because my imagination didn't take me much past rye and ginger ale. The Sazerac, with the Peychaud bitters, Herbsaint, and lemon twist brought the rye to another level.

The Champico: Campari and sweet vermouth, given volume and dilution by champagne. Very nice.

We had an Old Cuban to continue the champagne theme. This is a mojito with a champagne dilution. Still lots of mint and lime flavor. Turns out Carol is not a big fan of either lime or mint (funny what you learn after 20 years). No problem, because she enjoyed the taste of

The Tantris Sidecar: Cognac, Calvados, Cointreau, Chartreuse, Lemon juice and Pineapple juice in a sugar rimmed glass. Now this was a masterful combination of things with many levels of flavor.

The room itself is very comfortable, at least our little nook where not only was there plenty of tushy cushioning, but back cushioning as well to above head level. The room is dimly lit, maybe too dim for a first date, but fine for us. Piano music in the background.

It got quite busy as late Friday afternoon moved into evening. Audrey's skill was needed behind the bar, so were not able to chat as much as I would have liked, but her presence made the outing very enjoyable. I'll be back soon to chat more and work through other selections on the drink menu.

And so we stumbled out into the cold evening rain, hardly noticing the inclemency of the evening.

--mh