MxMo VII

[eje]

If any of you read (or write) blogs which cover cocktails, you might know that Paul over at Cocktail Chronicles has been organizing a monthly online cocktail event he calls Mixology Mondays.

To quote Mr. Clarke, "Bloggers and other participants focus on a predetermined theme for each scheduled event, then blog about that theme by a certain date (being sure to notify the event host of their relevant post). Following that date, the host compiles a link-rich roundup of the event, and posts it on his or her blog. Couldn’t be easier."

Since I'm sure there are still at least a few eGulleters who might not have blogs, I thought I would start a thread here and encourage you to post your cocktails, ramblings, and pictures. After the deadline, I'll compile a list of the cocktails posted and contact the host of the event with them.

Past themes have included Lemons, Coffee, Pastis, Aperitif Cocktails, Mint, and Grape based cocktails.

The theme for this month's Mixology Monday (or MxMo) is "Goodbye, Summer", with the idea being to, "post whatever drink you’ve been enjoying this summer and bid it a fond farewell as we head into the apple cider and hot toddy season." The deadline for posting is September 18th at midnight.

Gentle men and women of eGullet, start your shakers!

[cdh]

Well, I'd just noted that the Algonquin is a great end of summer drink in the what-hit-the-spot-today thread, and it is totally apropos this thread too... The autumnal dark woody whisky meeting the summery tropical pineapple juice mediated by the white vermouth makes for a perfect transitional drink.

[JAZ]

This is something I made a lot this summer -- it was based on a drink from a Martha Stewart Living magazine, but I ended up changing it quite a bit. Since it didn't really have a name, I was simply calling it the Basil and Lillet drink, and that was eventually shortened to the Ballet.

Shake together with lots of ice:

2 oz. Lillet Blonde

1 oz. gin

1 oz. orange juice

dash orange bitters

small handful of basil leaves

Pour it out over ice in a tall glass and top with soda (good) or dry champagne (great). I also experimented with adding a few strawberries to the mix, and called that the Strawberry Blonde.

This photo is of the latter.

[Chris Amirault]

Fare thee well, salty dogs and gingered gentlemen.

[KatieLoeb]

As the weather cools, my thoughts turn from Tequila and grapefruit concoctions or Ti Punch variations to brandy, bourbon and rye.

2 oz. tequila

1/2 oz. Marco Polo Sour Cherry syrup

Fresca or Wedge grapefruit soda

wedge of lime

Build drink over ice and stir gently. Garnish with lime wedge.

2 oz. rhum agricole

wedge of lime

1/2 Tablespoon or so of cane syrup (better) or demerara simple syrup (will do in a pinch)

Pour rhum over ice, add syrup, squeeze lime and stir.

[kvltrede]

...the Ballet.

Shake together with lots of ice:

2 oz. Lillet Blonde

1 oz. gin

1 oz. orange juice

dash orange bitters

small handful of basil leaves

Pour it out over ice in a tall glass and top with soda (good) or dry champagne (great). I also experimented with adding a few strawberries to the mix, and called that the Strawberry Blonde....

These sound terrific, Janet. It strikes me that the version topped with champagne should be differentiated as the Royal Ballet. Ya think? As for the Strawberry Blonde, well, I don't love the name but it's probably better than calling the drink the Strawberry Ballet. Then again Prince had a sizable hit with "Raspberry Beret" which is no less silly so who's to say. Of course, I'm a firm believer in "you create it, you name it" so Strawberry Blonde, it is.

Just thinking out loud,

Kurt

[eje]

For me this summer has been the summer of the Sazerac.

I think I have introduced more folks to the joys of a well made Sazerac than any other single drink this summer.

One especially nice thing about stirred drinks, like the Sazerac, is that, with a big pitcher it is actually easier to make 4 than it is to make 1. And somehow they just seem to taste nicer when you are sharing them with friends.

But, since chrisamirault recently posted his lovely Still Life With Liquor, I thought I'd try something different.

According to legend, the predecessor of the Sazerac was served by Antone Peychaud, when at his pharmacy he either made brandy more palatable by adding his patented bitters and sugar or made his patented bitters more palatable by adding brandy and sugar.

According to Stanley Clisby Arthur in his "Famous New Orleans Drinks & How to Mix 'em" somewhere around 1870 Thomas H. Handy substituted Rye whiskey for Brandy in his Sazeracs and Leon Lamothe started adding a dash of Absinthe to his. Once these two changes were incorporated together, the Sazerac we know today was born.

I've been meaning to give a Brandy Sazerac a try for a while now and thought for this Mixologist Monday I'd give it a try.

2 oz Germain-Robin Fine Alambic Brandy

1/2 tsp. rich simple syrup

dash Peychaud Bitters

dash Verte de Fougerolles Absinthe

Lemon Zest

Usual Sazerac Ritual.

---

I guess I was hoping this would be a great lost cocktail. Sadly, I am afraid that Handy was right to substitute Rye. The extra spicy-ness of that spirit lifts the drink from "pretty ok" to "outstanding", leaving the Brandy Sazerac nothing more than an interesting historical exercise.

[eje]

MxMoVII: “See-ya-later, Summer” roundup

Seven sessions along, Mixology Monday continues to pick up steam. The “Goodbye, Summer” event had the largest turnout to date, with participants taking seasonal concoctions to heart, producing drinks with summery ingredients ranging from watermelon to fresh strawberries to homemade blackberry-infused rum.

Thanks to everyone here who participated!