Drinks! (2011–2012)

[KatieLoeb]

That's so funny. I just bought a little sampler pack of sherries today from the liquor store because I thought it would be good to have those in my back pocket for recipe development. I just tasted a couple of stellar cocktails with sherry last weekend while in NYC and have vowed to find new ways to utilize it myself. If I'm not mistaken the sampler pack I bought has 1 each of cream sherry, fino, amontillado and manzanilla in "airplane" sized bottles. All by Savory & James. The box of all of them was less than $4. I couldn't resist.

[Dan Perrigan]

...the Jockey Club Cocktail caught my eye. I have no idea of the proportions, but my interpretation turned out pretty tasty, so I figured I'd share it.

I don't know how Maks does it either (although I'd love to try one of his), but here is how Baker himself mixed it up. Note the full 2oz of 151 -- woo!

Jockey Club Cocktail

2oz 151 Proof Demerara Rum

Juice 1 small lime

1 tsp sugar or bar syrup

1/2 pony Maraschino

2 tsp Green Chartreuse

Curl of Orange Peel

Shake with big ice and pour into a crushed ice filled champagne or cocktail glass. Or strain into a sour glass, top with soda, and garnish with a few drops of Angostura bitters.

Dan

[tanstaafl2]

Last night it was a Zephyr (made with Hendricks gin and a cucumber slice as garnish) while out to dinner at Sprig. Nice, light and refreshing. A last taste of summer as the weather gets increasingly more cold than warm.

Then it was a return to the Airbag when we got home. I am really liking this particularly drink! Big and bold certainly but always interesting. But I am thinking it might be worth backing off on the mezcal a touch as that is such a dominant flavor and it manages to take the lead along with the powerful allspice which is already at 1/4 oz. Maybe cut them both down to 1/4 oz and seem what impact that has. Might let the Arrack come forward a bit more.

[avaserfi]

Tonight I made a gin and tonic with kaffir lime juice. A very nice change of pace, much more floral than I have had before. If only I could find the limes more often.

[EvergreenDan]

1 oz. espolon reposado tequila

1 oz. cynar

1 oz. martini rossi rosato

1 oz. lime juice

dash peychaud's

i've had mixed success bringing significant bitterness to high acid drinks. yet i really enjoy this (after a while). ...

This is a great drink with a confounding comment. BA didn't name it, so I called it Boston Apothecary 2. (BA, if you want to name it, I'll gladly update the name on Kindred Cocktails.)

I lack the M&R Rosato, so I used a 50:50 mix of Carpano Antica and M&R Bianco. The resulting drink is tart, but pleasingly so. I don't often add acid to wine-based cocktails, but based on this cocktail, I will more.

The comment that confounds me is mixing acid with bitter. I find that acid balances bitter + sweet, simultaneously taming the sugar and tempering the bitter. I absolutely love this 3-way combo. The Paper Airplane is another great example of this template. I have a somewhat harder time liking bittersweet cocktails, but then I don't care for sweet cocktails with odd exceptions (like a Manhattan).

[mkayahara]

The other night, I made a variation on the Boomerang from the Savoy. Its original incarnation is equal parts dry vermouth, Swedish punch and "Canadian Club Whisky," with a dash each of lemon juice and Angostura. I didn't have any dry vermouth open, but I did have dry sherry. (I like to minimize the number of fortified wines I have open at any given time.) So it turned out something like this:

1 oz. bourbon (Four Roses)

1 oz. fino sherry (Tio Pepe)

1 oz. Swedish punch (homemade)

dash Angostura

I thought it was certainly interesting, but I'm still not sure it was necessarily good.

[Tri2Cook]

Tried a Chancellor...

2 oz blended scotch (for no particular reason, I used Te Bheag)

1 oz ruby port (Kopke, the only ruby available where I live so it's an easy decision)

1/2 oz dry vermouth (Noilly Prat)

2 dashes orange bitters (Twisted & Bitter)

Stir with ice, strain.

Not bad at all. Didn't leave me wanting to stock up on port but I'd definitely drink it again.

[evo-lution]

Taking inspiration from the Seelbach, this cocktail was created with the purpose of accentuating the flavours we commonly associate with this time of year; fruit, spice, aged spirits and sparkling wine. The perfect showcase for Dr. Heather Duncan's Christmas Bitters.

As for the name, that's a story I may share with you over a beverage some time...

The Mariner

30ml / 1oz Ron Botran Reserva

15ml / 0.5oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao Ancienne Methode

3 Dashes Dr. Heather Duncan's Christmas Bitters

2 Dashes Peychaud's Bitters

Top with 50ml / 2oz Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label

Method: Add all ingredients to mixing glass fill with cubed ice and stir for 15-20 seconds. Strain into glass and top with Champagne

Glass: Chilled coupette

Garnish: Orange zest

Ice: N/A

[KatieLoeb]

Invited to dinner at a dear friend's home who was testing out newly acquired Asian recipes for dinner. I was asked to bring wine to suit (a South African Chenin Blanc) and decided to bring a pre-prandial cocktail as well. I have a metric boatload of orgeat taking up space in my fridge right now so I decided to bring pre-mixed Japanese cocktails to shake on site both to suit the theme of the evening and use up some orgeat. Damn I'm sorry I'd not tried these sooner. Delicious! I love Cognac so finding a new cognac based cocktail is a gift unto itself. Will likely be putting a Japanese on the menu at my new place of employ once I have the chance to ease my own recipes on to the menu. That's a damned fine drink.

Edited November 22, 2011 by KatieLoeb (log)

[haresfur]

Not a sazarac- 1.5 oz Old Crow bourbon, 0.5 oz limoncello, 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters. Rinse of absinthe in a glass; build over ice.

A bit heavy on the absinthe but that helps cover the weird aftertaste I've found in the Old Crow when used in cocktails. Overall a successful way to use bottom shelf bourbon and I imagine similar to the inspiration for many cocktails.

[EvergreenDan]

Expanding my uses of newly-acquired peach bitters...

2 oz reposado tequila (El Tesoro)

1 oz bianco vermouth (Cinzano)

1 tbsp apricot liqueur (R&W Orchard Apricot)

5-6 dashes peach bitters (Fee's)

2 dashes Angostura

Love how the apricot and agave marry. Mmm mm mmmm. Might need to try with a dry vermouth -- this was a bit sweet, but I *do* like the bianco with tequila.

Christopher

I had to give this a name on Kindred Cocktail, so I picked Martini de Hueso(pending complaints). If Christopher would like to name it, I'm most happy accept it. A Hueso is the pit in a stone fruit. I hate calling it a Martini, but it is pretty similar, given the small amount of liqueur.

[tanstaafl2]

Will likely be putting a Japanese on the menu at my new place of employ once I have the chance to ease my own recipes on to the menu. That's a damned fine drink.

No longer at the Oyster House (I think it was) I take it? Are you able to reveal the secret yet? I need to know where to go for a quality cocktail the next time I pass through Philadelphia!

Although admittedly I have no idea when that might be yet.

[EatNopales]

This was seriously good.... "Farmer's Market Margarita"

Citrus is in season at my local farmer's market (fruit grown in California's Central Valley within 200 miles of where I live) picked up Keffir Lime, Blood Limes, Sweet Limes, Pink Grapefruit etc.,

1 Cup decent, light Anejo Tequila (Cazadores for example)

1 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp salt

zest of 1 keffir lime

Macerate tequila & other ingredients for 6 hours then strain & combine with the following ingredients:

1/2 Cup Cointreau

4 ounces Agave Syrup

Juice of 1 Keffir Lime

Juice of 2 Blood Limes

Juice of 2 Sweet Limes

Age in glass jar, refrigerated for 5 days (it improves substantially within 48 hours... and peaks about 5 days into it... after that I see no more noticeable improvement)

[KatieLoeb]

Will likely be putting a Japanese on the menu at my new place of employ once I have the chance to ease my own recipes on to the menu. That's a damned fine drink.

No longer at the Oyster House (I think it was) I take it? Are you able to reveal the secret yet? I need to know where to go for a quality cocktail the next time I pass through Philadelphia!

Although admittedly I have no idea when that might be yet.

Working at a brand spanking new establishment called Tapestry, at 5th & Bainbridge Streets in Philadelphia. It's walking/stumbling distance from my home, and I have the most astonishing back bar I've ever worked with.

The focus is craft beers with 24 taps and 120 bottled beers, but there's also 200+ spirits and 20 wines by the glass. This has all transpired rather quickly since last week, so I'm still settling in. Classic cocktail menu for now - selling oodles of Old Fashioneds and Aviations. When I have time to breathe and feel comfortable with all I have at my disposal I'll start cooking up my own mixers and putting some more original cocktails on the menu as well as do the classics with the house made ingredients.

If and when you make it to Philly I'll be happy to serve you whatever your heart desires but want to be on the same side of the bar with you when I show you all the other great places there are to drink.

[EvergreenDan]

In preparation for bringing cocktails to Thanksgiving, I'm going to made a base of:

2 oz Apple brandy (Laird's, although Calvados would be awesome for the adventurous)

1 oz Clear Creek Oregon Cranberry Liqueur

1/2 oz lemon

1 dash Angostura

Then for bitter lovers, add 1/2 oz Campari

And for the sweet lovers, add 1/2 oz simple syrup.

Two pretty different cocktails for two different crowds without having to figure out who's going to want how many drinks of which. Not the most original perhaps, but I was happy with the final trial run last night.

[tanstaafl2]

Will likely be putting a Japanese on the menu at my new place of employ once I have the chance to ease my own recipes on to the menu. That's a damned fine drink.

No longer at the Oyster House (I think it was) I take it? Are you able to reveal the secret yet? I need to know where to go for a quality cocktail the next time I pass through Philadelphia!

Although admittedly I have no idea when that might be yet.

Working at a brand spanking new establishment called Tapestry, at 5th & Bainbridge Streets in Philadelphia. It's walking/stumbling distance from my home, and I have the most astonishing back bar I've ever worked with.

If and when you make it to Philly I'll be happy to serve you whatever your heart desires but want to be on the same side of the bar with you when I show you all the other great places there are to drink.

I will make a note of the new location and look forward to the tour/bar crawl of Philadelphia's finer drinking establishments!

[bostonapothecary]

1 oz. espolon reposado tequila

1 oz. cynar

1 oz. martini rossi rosato

1 oz. lime juice

dash peychaud's

i've had mixed success bringing significant bitterness to high acid drinks. yet i really enjoy this (after a while). ...

This is a great drink with a confounding comment. BA didn't name it, so I called it Boston Apothecary 2. (BA, if you want to name it, I'll gladly update the name on Kindred Cocktails.)

I lack the M&R Rosato, so I used a 50:50 mix of Carpano Antica and M&R Bianco. The resulting drink is tart, but pleasingly so. I don't often add acid to wine-based cocktails, but based on this cocktail, I will more.

The comment that confounds me is mixing acid with bitter. I find that acid balances bitter + sweet, simultaneously taming the sugar and tempering the bitter. I absolutely love this 3-way combo. The Paper Airplane is another great example of this template. I have a somewhat harder time liking bittersweet cocktails, but then I don't care for sweet cocktails with odd exceptions (like a Manhattan).

this ended up being named "antihero". i'm glad you liked it. i recommend picking up M&R rosato. i toyed for years with making versions of the chamberyzette strawberry aromatized vermouth, but have just happily settled on the readily available and affordable M&R rosato.

has anyone else enjoyed the aromatized wine by vergano: "americano"? i just tried to order more for work and was told it was dropped. bars never seemed to pick up on how brilliant it was. if my rep can't do a liquor store buy-back i'm going to have to ride around the city and buy the rest of the bottles retail myself.

i was using it most notably in a rendering of the bobby burns:

2 oz. glen fiddich

1 oz. vergano americano

bar spoonful chestnut flower honey (cut 1:1 with vodka)

the wine base of the americano is grignolino from monferrato and was used in many red colored aromatized wines early in the 20th century. the tonal effect of adding chestnut flower honey is really spectacular and juxtaposing it with glen fiddich really pushes it over the top.

[EvergreenDan]

I renamed the above to Antihero. Thanks!

I have a bottle of Vergano Americano. I haven't opened it yet. I just restocked some aromatized wines / vermouths, but maybe I'll open this first. I bought it as the (awesome) Dave's Pasta in Davis Sq, Somerville, MA. You might call and see if they still have it.

Without even having tasted it, I suspect its market penetration may have been hampered by an inscrutable bottle (doesn't say what it is on the front (just a difficult-to-read Americano in script) and barely on the back) and the high price.

See the Vergano Americano bottle.

Contrast that with Bonal Gentiane Quina, which says what it is on the front and actually describes it in some depth on the back.

See the Bonal Gentiane Quina bottle.

[tanstaafl2]

See the Vergano Americano bottle.

The picture of Bonal is there but couldn't find one of the Americano. Might just be me!

[tanstaafl2]

Felt like something a bit light and simple last night. I enjoy Aperol but it occurred to me I had not tried, as best as I can recall, the Intro to Aperol. So that was my drink for the evening.

As delightful as I had expected! Threw in a twist of orange for no particular reason other than it was handy. Not sure what the house gin at The Pegu Club is so I tried one with Plymouth gin and then decided to have another, this time using Aviation gin. Not sure there was a dramatic difference between the two.

[EvergreenDan]

The picture of Bonal is there but couldn't find one of the Americano. Might just be me!

My error. Fixed now.

[tanstaafl2]

1 oz. espolon reposado tequila

1 oz. cynar

1 oz. martini rossi rosato

1 oz. lime juice

dash peychaud's

i've had mixed success bringing significant bitterness to high acid drinks. yet i really enjoy this (after a while). ...

I presume this is shaken, strained and served up?

[Okanagancook]

From the Joy of Mixology, a Delmarva Cocktail

2 oz straight rye whisky (used a Canadian rye whisky we had on hand)

1/2 oz dry vermouth

1/2 oz Amaretto or Disaronno (I used the latter)

3/4 oz fresh lemon juice

shaken and strained into a chilled cocktail glass

I think I'm getting the hang of this :-))

[KatieLoeb]

Thanksgiving punch this year was this:

Morning in Marrakesh

1 bottle Blueberry Vodka

1 bottle Pomegranate-Raspberry Vodka

3 cups lightly sweetened English Breakfast tea

3 cups fresh lemon juice

1 cup Orange-Cardamom Syrup

1 cup Blueberry-Pomegranate Juice

1 cup Jallab (Lebanese Date-Rosewater Syrup)

1 bottle brut Champagne or sparkling wine

16 oz. club soda

Orange wheels

Mix together first seven ingredients in a large container completely and taste for sweetness and balance. Adjust to your taste then pour into a punch bowl. Top with one bottle of Brut champagne or sparkling wine and 2 cups of club soda. Float orange wheels for garnish. Pour into ice filled wine glasses and toast your friends...

Edited November 25, 2011 by KatieLoeb (log)

[Yajna Patni]

wow that sounds good Katie! I broke into my wray and nephews tonight. I have been doing weight watchers for the last few weeks, and have not had that many calories to play with , but tonight i tried it as suggested way back thread with some ting. Wow! the rum shines through. I love the strong strong treacly funk. i need to move beyond soda style drinks with this. would it make a daiquiri?