Straight Up Cocktails

Hendrick’s Gin: Cucumber Collins

2010-01-19T11:39:00.003-06:00

Classic cocktail adaptation of the day: Hendrick's Gin recreates the standard Collins cocktail into a muddled cucumber refresher.

Hendrick's Gin Classic & Contemporary Cocktail Recipes

Gin: Classic Spirit Creates Worldwide Stir - 16 Most Popular Classic Cocktails

Cocktails of 2010 - Drink Recipes & Photos

Reviews - Classic Cocktails

Modern Classic Cocktail: Cosmo & Variations

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Distilled Spirits Council of the United States

Email: str8upcocktails@gmail.com

The Intoxicologist

Jägermeister: Beyond The Hangover

2009-06-19T10:33:00.004-05:00

Beyond The Hangover

Everyone knows that Jägermeister comes in green bottle, tastes like liquorice, is the drink of choice for The Hangover’s “wolf pack” and can be consumed as a “Bomb,” but how many really know the true story behind the brand?

Ever hear that the label translates to “Oh Dear God”; the circle around the dear means "oh"...the deer is "dear" and the cross is "god" giving you, "Oh Dear God!"? How about that there is deer blood or opium in the mystery ingredients? FALSE

NOW FOR THE TRUTH….

· Jägermeister is based on a secret recipe of 56 different herbs, blossoms and roots as well as fruits from the most varied countries of the world for example cinnamon-bark from Ceylon, bitter orange skins from Australia, santal from East India, ginger roots from southern Asia and of course, some secret herbs.

· The name Jägermeister itself is German for “Master Hunter. In Germany today, there is a position called Jägermeister which is an employee of the district’s hunting authorities, responsible for the region’s hunting regulations.

· All sizes are bottled in the distinctive square green bottle. The packaging has remained unchanged since its introduction in 1935.

· The recipe for this herb liqueur has roots going back 500 years, which explains its ancient trademark.

· Production - The herbs and spices are balanced following a secret recipe, ground to various degrees of fineness and mixed. These mixtures are macerated several times over a period of 5 months in large tanks, i.e. the herbs are soaked in an alcohol/water mixture for two to three days. This separates the herbs and infuses their aromas into the liquid. This produces the basic Jägermeister concentrate, which is then blended, filtered and stored in oak barrels for one year. The aged concentrate is then blended with alcohol, sugar, caramel and water to form the final product.

· The old German writing around the Jägermeister label translates to “It is the hunter’s honor that he protects and preserves his game, hunts sportsmanlike, honors the Creator in his creatures”

Want the full Story? For centuries, St. Hubertus has been the patron saint of hunters. According to the legend, in his youth, Hubert was a wild and unrestrained hunter, without responsibility towards the creatures that he hunted and captivated by the drive to kill. Even on the holy day of Sunday, he set off into the forest with his dog and weapon and cared little about the day of the Lord. Until one holy day, emerging from the dark woods, a large white deer carrying an illuminated cross between his antlers confronted him. From the moment of his vision, he devoted himself to good works under the banner of the antlered stag. He died in 727 AD, and centuries later he was venerated as a patron saint. It is from this story’s inspiration that the Jägermeister trademark derives.

Photo and text courtesy Sidney Frank

· http://www.jagermeister.com/
· “Baby” Zwack & the Zwack/Jager Showdown
· Whiskey Falls to Perform at Party in the Dirt Following “Toughest Cowboy”: Jager Named Sponsor
· Jagermeister Freestyle Jump Team Photos – Courtesy of Darwin Young Photography
· Jagermeister Signs Pat Green to Headline New Tour Series, Randy Houser to Support
· Jagermeister Shifts Into New Sports Marketing Arena with Major Sponsorship of Monster Energy(R) Supercross

Find more news, reviews and cocktails at Intoxicologist.net

Spice Up Your Summer with Easy Bacardi Summer Cocktails

2009-06-18T14:49:00.003-05:00

As summer heats up and we begin to head outdoors our cocktails begin to cool down for backyard BBQ’s, pool parties and relaxing afternoons by the beach. Bacardi sets the tone for all things thirst quenching whether the thought is quick and easy or muddled and delicious. The flavor is always divine, sublime and fulfilling.

Bacardi’s new pre-mixed Classic Cocktail Raspberry Mojito takes entertaining to a new level of easy, breezy while keeping fuss to a minimum and guests happiness at a premium. With a few simple steps the authentic Mojito becomes a raspberry flavor blast of excitement. Just pour straight from the bottle, add a splash of club soda, a sprig of mint for garnish and aroma with a sprinkling of fresh raspberries and it’s a done deal; Bacardi Raspberry Mojito in seconds.

Large groups deserve your attention and larger than life cocktails. Tequila CAZADORES delivers the 5 Gallon Margarita for a burst of flavor big enough to satisfy the thirst of all your party goers. By mixing this one up in advance the flavors have the chance to meld together. Better yet, once the party begins you will have time to enjoy the company of friends without running back and forth to the cocktail shaker.

Tequila CAZADORES Reposado 5 Gallon Margarita
4 liters of Tequila CAZADORES Reposado
2 liters of triple sec
10 bottles (750 ml) of sweet and sour ready to use (not concentrate)
1 gallon of orange juice
1/2 gallon fresh lime juice

Mix all ingredients in a large container and stir, serve over the rocks with salt on the rim, garnish with a lime. Makes 129 servings.

Bacardi’s new Dragon Berry Flavored Rum has been a huge hit since its release. The Strawberry Basil Lemonade cocktail is just one of the delicious new recipes Bacardi has come up with to bring in the fresh fruits and herbs of the season for delicious refreshment. This summer cocktail cools you down while filling your taste buds with succulent fruit and the tartness of fresh lemon.

Bacardi Dragon Berry Strawberry Basil Lemonade
2 parts Bacardi Dragon Berry Flavored Rum
1 part fresh lemon juice
1 part simple syrup
3 basil leaves
3 fresh strawberries (hulled & sliced)
SPRITE®, to top

In a shaker, muddle 2 basil leaves, fresh lime juice, simple syrup and 2 strawberries. Fill with ice. Add Bacardi Dragon Berry and lemonade. Shake well then strain into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with a strawberry, lemon wedge and basil leaf.

Get into the swing of summer and make entertaining a breeze!

Copyright 2009 Cheri Loughlin – The Intoxicologist – All Rights Reserved

Mercadito Chicago to Open Mid-Summer 2009

2009-06-18T14:02:00.001-05:00

CHICAGO (May 27, 2009) – Exquisite tacos, guacamoles, botanas, ceviches…Mexican delicacies with a decidedly modern flair by Chef Patricio Sandoval arrives this summer via Mercadito in the River North neighborhood (108 W. Kinzie Street). Emphasizing superior ingredients and value, Chef Patricio and his brothers/partners, Alfredo and Felipe Sandoval, draw from their childhood under the tutelage of their father, Manuel Sandoval, who once owned the world-class restaurant Madeiras in Acapulco, Mexico, to offer authentic, imaginative Mexican fare.

Mercadito, Spanish for “little market,” is the fourth location for the Sandoval brothers, owners and operators of the popular Mercadito, Mercadito Grove and Mercadito Cantina restaurants in New York City. Having spent years living in and visiting Chicago, the Sandoval brothers are excited to bring their passion for their native country’s cuisine, showcasing both the simple and nuanced ingredients and dishes Mexican fare has to offer.

Chef Patricio, a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, has cooked under Chef Peter Hoffman at the legendary Savoy and Chef Terrance Brennan of Picholine in New York City, and alongside his well-known brother, Chef Richard Sandoval, at Maya in New York and San Francisco and Pampano in New York City. He draws his inspiration from his experiences as a child shopping with his mother in Mexico’s open air markets, always gravitating towards the small stalls where local merchants sold native delicacies. Chef Sandoval has never forgotten those delectable, uncomplicated dishes, and strives to capture their flavor and energy at Mercadito.

Mercadito’s menu, boldly flavored with thoughtful variations on Mexican cuisine, is designed for sharing. Guests may begin their meal with a selection of delicious guacamoles, which include the traditional version (tomato, cilantro, onion and serrano chile), or the popular mango guacamole with jicama and chipotle. Nearly a half-dozen ceviches will also be featured on the menu including Callo de Hacha (marinated bay scallops with tomatillo pico de gallo and apple-chile guajillo broth) and Camaron (shrimp, mango, tomatillo pico de gallo and poblano-epazote broth).

Mercadito’s tacos, for which Chef Patricio is best known for, include Pastor (ancho-guajillo rubbed pork, grilled pineapple and chile de arbol salsa); Estilo Baja (beer battered mahi mahi, Mexican-style coleslaw and chipotle aioli); and Camaron (shrimp, roasted garlic, chipotle mojo and avocado). Entrées include Pollo a las Brasas (grilled whole adobo marinated chicken, three corn pico de gallo and chile de arbol salsa) and side dishes such as Arroz Verde al Horno (green rice casserole with manchego and Oaxaca cheese); Elote Mexicano (Mexican-style corn on the cob); and Plátanos Machos (fried plantains).

No culinary journey to Mexico would be complete without an accompaniment of Mexican spirits! Mercadito’s beverage program, created by Tippling Bros. (industry veterans and leading beverage experts, Paul Tanguay and Tad Carducci), features a dizzying array of Mexican tequilas from the restaurant’s tequila-only bar and creative twists on traditional Mexican cocktails, including Mercado (tequila blanco, pineapple, lime and chile piquing); Pepino (tequila blanco, cucumber lime and chile de arbol); and Tres Cítricos (tequila blanco, orange, grapefruit, lime and habanero). An assortment of beers will also be available.

With seating for 120 Mercadito, designed by Seed Design Studio in New York, mixes elements of contemporary Mexican art and craft to create a bold, warm space. The front of the house features a glass, garage-style retractable door and an intimate 35-seat tequila lounge. A beautiful guacamole bar and a centrally located 14-seat communal dining table with custom-designed lanterns made entirely of rope hanging above are just a few of Mercadito’s focal points. Exposed white washed brick walls and columns wrapped in wire mesh surround the dining room, while rope screens add texture and create privacy between banquettes and tables.

Mercadito’s main bar is wrapped in patterned, chocolate-colored leather with a continuous white quartzite top, and the bar’s backdrop is framed by large antique mirror panels with a series of custom-pierced metal pyramids serving as a unique light sculpture.

Mercadito’s walls will also feature pop and graffiti artwork created by well-known artist Erni Vales, best known for his development of the 3-D graffiti style, but also as a creative powerhouse with many successful projects from large scale murals, to art directing films and videos, fashion and photography.

“We look forward to sharing our cuisine and hospitality with Chicago,” says Chef Patricio Sandoval. “We can’t wait to open our doors.”

Mercadito will serve lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner seven days a week from 5 p.m. to 12 midnight. A limited menu for late-night dining will also be available Sunday through Tuesday until 1 a.m.; Wednesday and Thursday until 2 a.m. and Friday and Saturday until 3 a.m. For reservations, please call (312) 329-9555.

About Mercadito Restaurants
Mercadito Restaurants have grown from their first New York City location in 2004 to becoming a renowned restaurant group specializing in Mexican cuisine and modern taquerias. The popularity of these restaurants can be attributed to the innovative interpretations of traditional Mexican cooking created by Chef Patricio Sandoval. The management team behind Mercadito Restaurants has over 15 years of experience and currently owns and operates three critically-acclaimed restaurants in New York City: Mercadito, Mercadito Grove, and Mercadito Cantina. In addition to the upcoming opening of Mercadito in Chicago, Mercadito will also open in Miami this winter. Mercadito’s partnership with renowned beverage consultants Tippling Bros. adds creativity to their beverage programs that merge complex flavors and the unexpected. For additional information, please visit www.mercaditorestaurants.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT WAGSTAFF WORLDWIDE, INC., (312) 943-6900

Mercadito Restaurants Head to Chicago & Miami
Rouge Tomate: Father’s Day
Agavero: Seductive Cocktails & Cuisine for Valentine’s Day

Look for more news at Intoxicologist.net

Belmont Stakes: Entertaining at Home with Woodford Reserve

2009-06-05T12:41:00.006-05:00

Woodford Reserve Bourbon knows how much you love to entertain at home. This weekend while you prepare for the Belmont Stakes reach for Woodford Reserve Bourbon to add extra flavor to your appetizers and bring a touch of authentic winning atmosphere to your Triple Crown horse racing fan wrap up festivities. Woodford Reserve is the Official Bourbon of the Belmont Stakes. Try these simple bourbon-based recipes for a day at the races or to enjoy at home with your guests. Be sure to pair these bourbon treats with the official cocktail of the Belmont Stakes, the Belmont Breeze.

Woodford Reserve Bacon Toast
1/4 pound bacon
3 slices wheat bread
1/2 cup mango chutney
1 tablespoon Woodford Reserve bourbon

Preheat broiler to high. Cook bacon until crisp, chop into fine pieces and place on a small plate. Using a biscuit cutter or the top of a jar, stamp out 1½ inch bread rounds. In a small bowl mix the chutney and bourbon, heating slightly in the microwave to mix thoroughly. Spread a generous amount of the chutney mixture on the bread round then dip it in the bacon pieces so they stick to the bread. Repeat the steps for each bread round. Just before serving heat under the broiler to further crisp the bacon. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 toasts

Note: The toasts can be made one day ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to broil and serve.

Woodford Reserve-Soaked Dates
24 pitted dates
1/2 cup Woodford Reserve bourbon
24 pecan halves
Granulated sugar

Soak dates in bourbon overnight. Drain and put pecan in center of each date. Roll in sugar. Serve at room temperature or store in an airtight container.

Woodford Reserve and Pecan Brie
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup Woodford Reserve bourbon
1 small (8-ounce) wheel brie
1 baguette, sliced

Combine syrup, pecans and bourbon in a small pan and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Pierce the brie with a fork and pour the sauce over the top. Serve with baguette slices.

Serves 6.

Woodford Reserve Mustard Wraps
3 sandwich wraps
9 slices thinly-sliced turkey
9 slices smoky provolone cheese
Roasted red peppers to taste
Shredded lettuce
1/4 cup stone ground mustard
1 tablespoon Woodford Reserve bourbon

Layer three slices of turkey over the bourbon mustard. Add three slices of cheese, roasted red peppers and shredded lettuce. Mix bourbon and mustard together and top with bourbon mustard. Slice wrap in half.

Serves 6.

· Belmont Breeze – Official Cocktail of the Belmont Stakes
· More information about Belmont Stakes

Copyright 2009 Cheri Loughlin – The Intoxicologist – All Rights Reserved

Technorati Profile

Rouge Tomate: June Cooking Classes, Father's Day & Picnics

2009-06-03T20:55:00.003-05:00

Break out the blankets, baskets and briquettes. What better way to celebrate the season of warmth and abundance than with some inspired outdoor dining? Staff Culinary Nutritionist Natalia Rusin and one of our extraordinary sous chefs will teach you how to make the most delicious and nutritious outdoor summer fare food in the world…or the park…or the yard…or wherever you choose to enjoy it.

Classes are $50 per class, or $175 for the 4-part series:
June 8 - Hors d’oeuvres
June 15 - Main Courses
June 22 - Side Dishes
June 29 - Desserts

Father’s Day at Rouge Tomate
We’re so excited about Father’s Day that we can’t wait. In fact, we’re offering a special 1/2 off wine list on June 20th, the Saturday before Father’s Day. It’s a deliciously tasteful and flavorful way to stretch a special day into a special weekend. Here’s to Dad - and to wine.

http://rougetomatenyc.com/
Rouge Tomate, located at 10 East 60th Street

-Text courtesy of Alliance Agency

Boca Loca Commemorates International Cachaça Day: Unveils Delicious Cocktails for Summer

2009-06-03T20:34:00.003-05:00

Denver, CO – June 2, 2009 – To commemorate both the summer cocktail season and the heralded arrival of International Cachaça Day on June 12, Boca Loca is introducing innovative and fresh seasonal cocktails. Created by some of the best mixologists in the industry, these cocktails are a perfect way to kick off summer while celebrating International Cachaça Day. Dating back to June 12, 1744, International Cachaça Day was created when Portugal (then colonizer of Brazil) outlawed the making and selling of cachaça in Brazil. Celebrate the return of warm sunny weather with Boca Loca Cachaça’s cool summer cocktails.

Boca Loca is an authentic award-winning premium Brazilian cachaça. Boca Loca is a smooth, full-bodied, fragrant spirit distilled from the fresh-pressed juice of sugar cane. Translated into “Crazy Lips” in Portuguese, Boca Loca captures the spirit of summer. Many argue that cachaça is the most versatile liquor in the world and easily replaces vodka, rum or tequila in any cocktail. Boca Loca is a mixologist’s favorite, and the brand often works with well-known mixologists to create cocktails that showcase the versatility of both Boca Loca and cachaça. Jeffrey Morgenthaler, named a top 10 mixologist by Playboy magazine, states, “If you haven’t experienced Boca Loca yet, I urge you to give it a try as I firmly believe it is the finest cachaça available on the market today. The spirit is light and fresh, and free from a lot of the oiliness and heavy smoke you’ll find in other - sometimes inferior - cachaças available out there. Boca Loca has a wonderful grassiness, with big stone fruit, some white pepper and a very light honey finish. It’s a beautiful product and a pleasure to work with.”

Boca Loca’s fresh and thirst-quenching summer cocktails have been created by trend-setting mixologists from around the country: Anika Zappe from Root Down restaurant in Denver, Colorado, David Ortiz from Miami, Florida and Jeffrey Morgenthaler from Clyde Common in Portland, Oregon. Our hot mixologists bring unique flavor combinations and ingredients to these original and glacial cool summer cocktails.

Boca Loca Accolades
• Rated Best Value Cachaça by Beverage Tasting Institute 2008 (750 ml retails for $20!)
• Double Gold At The Prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition
• Nine Out Of Ten Olives on The Spirits Review (http://www.spiritsreview.com/)
• Named a “Top Ten New Spirit to Watch” on About.com
• Ministry of Rum Gold Medal 2008 and 2009

· Boca Loca Cachaca: Lush Spirit Perfect for Rich Flavors
· Spring is in the Cocktail Glass with Boca Loca Cachaça

http://www.drinkbocaloca.com/

William ‘Mayhem’ Romeo Gives Cheers for Charity

2009-05-29T10:23:00.006-05:00

On May 3, 2009, William "Mayhem" Romeo of American Gladiators stepped behind the bar and served as a guest bartender at Busby's in Los Angeles, CA for a special event entitled Cheers For Charity. The actor and performer wasn't just slinging drinks, he was also raising money and awareness for The Ashe Foundation. ASHE has pledged to gather 1 million shoes for Africa's children who have been orphaned by AIDS. To date, over 11 Million of Africa’s youth have been orphaned by the devastating disease and exist in such extreme poverty that they are either barefoot or fashion flip flops out of plastic bottles and similar waste products.

With Ty Ku providing bottles of their premium Asian liqueur for guests, LA's glitteratti gathered and raised a glass while they raised much needed funds for The Ashe Foundation to ship donated shoes to Africa.

Li Sapp-Weaver and Joy Donnell of Beverly Hills-based PR and branding firm, 720 PR, organized the event and are planning more nights in LA. The idea behind the event is to come out, buy a drink, tip your bartender, and have a portion of the proceeds go to charity. "It's a simple way to give to a cause you believe in," says Donnell. "Whether you have $20 or just $1, you can start to make a difference while doing something you planned to do anyway- enjoy a night out!"

You can learn more about ASHÉ, make an online donation, and harness the power to make things happen at their website: http://www.theashefoundation.org/

-Text provided by Joy Donnell, 720 PR
Photo property of The Intoxicologist

· 100 calorie cocktails from TY KU spirits
· Media Release: INTRODUCING TY KU PREMIUM LIQUEUR

Mixology Shakes Up Technology!

2009-05-21T22:00:00.002-05:00

Grand Marnier® Releases iPhone Cocktail Application Showcasing Top 100 Mixologists from Annual Summit

Mixology and technology have joined forces through the creative inspiration of luxury spirit maker Grand Marnier®. iPhone users can access the latest cocktail recipes from this year’s Grand Marnier and NAVAN® Mixology Summit, a think tank for the country’s top 100 mixologists. Want to explore the latest trends? The GM COCKTAILS Application reveals all!

Based on the collective talent of the top 100 mixologists who joined Steve Olson of aka Wine Geek this past April 2009 at the Grand Marnier and NAVAN Mixology Summit, the GM COCKTAILS Application showcases the best of mixology today. iPhone or iPod Touch users can download hundreds of cocktail recipes – at no cost – complete with step-by-step guidelines on techniques and equipment.

Interested in exploring the latest trends in mixology coast-to-coast? The GM COCKTAILS Application offers signature cocktails from a national pool of the country’s top 100 mixologists, together with images and a vast dictionary of terms and ingredients. Planning a trip to a new city or researching the best cocktail bars in your area? The iPhone Application allows you to track and locate the featured mixologists – users can make their cocktails at home and read up on their profiles – and plans are underway to add GPS functionality to map the mixologist closest to you.

The GM COCKTAILS Application also offers the latest cocktails from the House of Grand Marnier. Inspired by the 2009 Mixology Summit, bar star Steve Olson and his talented team of mixologists have contributed their insights and recipes from the Summit to the new application. The list of featured mixologists reads like a Who’s Who of the country’s top talent, including: Steve Olson, Andy Seymour, Eric Alperin, Anthony Alba, Tad Carducci, Leo DeGroff, Michael Flannery, Jeff Grdinich, Don Lee, John Lermayer, Aisha Sharpe, Willy Shine and Danny Valdez.

About the Grand Marnier and NAVAN Mixology Summit
The Grand Marnier and NAVAN Mixology Summit (www.mixologysummit.com) is an annual conference celebrating the craft of mixology and the industry leaders shaping the trade. 100 top mixologists are selected from a pool of thousands nationally to participate in the three-day event held in Vail, Colorado each spring. Hosted by spirits and wine expert, Steve Olson, the Mixology Summit includes consulting mixology labs, expert seminars, cocktail tastings and a gala dinner.

Created in 1880 by Louis-Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle, Grand Marnier is the flagship liqueur of the House of Grand Marnier: the world’s most premium orange liqueur. A blend of exotic bitter oranges and the finest Cognac, Grand Marnier relies on a secret recipe passed down through six generations of the Marnier Lapostolle family. Grand Marnier is the base ingredient of many inspired cocktail creations, and is also enjoyed on-the-rocks and neat. Exclusively imported by Moët Hennessy USA, Grand Marnier retails at $38.00 per 750-ml bottle, and is also available in two higher marques: the Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire ($155.00) and the Grand Marnier Cuvée du Cent Cinquantenaire ($240.00). Visit www.GrandMarnier.com for more information.

NAVAN Natural Vanilla Liqueur is the most recent creation from the House of Grand Marnier, world renowned for its expertise in making ultra premium liqueurs. Benefiting from Grand Marnier's unique heritage and craftsmanship, NAVAN is made exclusively with natural vanilla from Madagascar, considered the world’s best. As such, NAVAN adds a natural vanilla twist to classic cocktails such as The Modern Margarita, yet is smooth and complex enough to be enjoyed neat or on the rocks. Exclusively imported by Moët Hennessy USA, NAVAN retails at $39.00 per 750-ml bottle. Visit www.NAVANworld.com for more information.

Tequila Cocktails for Every Budget

2009-05-21T20:08:00.004-05:00

As the fastest growing spirits category in the US, consumers are
thirsty for tequila – especially for the summer! Whether flipping burgers, relaxing pool-side or yachting around Nantucket, leisure-lovers will be tempted by the refreshing chill of delicious tequila cocktails.

Keeping budget in mind, each of the below cocktails will surely quench the budding cocktailian’s thirst and curiosity about the summer’s hottest new tequilas – Azul, Rosangel, and Maestro Dobel.

To sate the Grill Master’s thirst…

The Azul Paloma
1.5 ounces Azul Reposado Tequila
Fresca (or similar sparkling drink)

Pour Azul into Collins glass full of ice. Top with Fresca, stir, and garnish with lime

This mind-bogglingly refreshing cocktail uses Azul, a new offering from the world’s most award winning tequila brand – Gran Centenario. At $19.99 per bottle Azul delivers incredible quality and taste at an amazing value. (40% Alc./Vol. - $19.99/750ml)

For those bronzing pool-side…

The Rosangel Ruby Fizz
2 ounces Rosangel Tequila
1/2 ounce Agave Syrup
1/2 ounce Ruby Port
1 bar spoon Pomegranate Molasses
3/4 ounce Lemon Juice
1/2 ounce Egg White

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a highball glass with one large ice cube. Top with Club Soda and garnish with a cherry.

This exquisite cocktail from mixologist extraordinaire Julie Reiner (Flatiron Lounge and Clover Club - NYC), uses Rosangel, the first-ever hibiscus infused tequila, made from a reposado base, and rested in port barrels for an additional two months by Gran Centenario. (40% Alc./Vol. - $36.99/750 ml)
http://www.rosangel.com/

The thirsty yachtsman’s first mate…

Maestro Maria Verde
3 - 2 " slices of Celery
Loose handful of Cilantro
2 ounces Maestro Dobel
3/4 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
3/4 ounce simple syrup
1 ounce Ginger ale

Preparation - In a pint glass muddle celery & cilantro, then add all spirits & mixers. Shake vigorously for six seconds, add ginger ale. Strain over fresh ice in Collins glass, garnish with celery stalk.

The Maestro’s version of the Bloody Mary: crisp, cool and green. Created by Pablo Moix of STK and Coco De Ville in Los Angeles, this wildly original and refreshing cocktail uses Maestro Dobel the world’s first-ever “diamond” clear-aged tequila. A luscious blend of reposado, anejo, and extra-anejo tequilas, Maestro Dobel is available at the fine liquor establishments with a suggested retail price of $74.99 (750 ml). http://www.maestrodobel.com/

-Courtesy M Booth & Associates, Inc.

Agavero DIY Summer Entertaining Tips

2009-05-18T21:53:00.003-05:00

Diane Brown, author of The Seduction Cookbook, offered up several food and entertaining tips recently on how to plan the ultimate summer soiree without breaking the bank. Diane incorporates Agavero into her food and drink recipes. Agavero is the 100% blue agave tequila liqueur infused with the natural essence of Damiana. Damiana is the flower renowned in Mexico for its supposed aphrodisiac qualities. Relax while entertaining this summer and get smitten with Agavero food and cocktails.

Do-it-yourself menu: Put out food that your guests can make themselves, such as taco toppings, shells and fillings for a DIY taco bar, or skewer some shish kebabs over ice that guests can throw on the grill when they’re hungry. Add mouthwatering flavor to grilled food by adding Agavero to marinades.

Simplicity works: Keep your bar simple by setting it up for self-service. Blow-up a kiddie pool and fill it with ice and beverages and then serve one signature cocktail. Mix up a refreshing crowd-pleaser such as an Agavero Frozen Gringo or Agavero Cosmopolitan.

Location, location, location: Stake out a spot for your party at a local park or throw a swanky cocktail party outside in the backyard. Create an outdoor room by constructing a canopy of colorful market umbrellas, and arrange some potted plants or bright flowers for a splash of color.

Role-play: Bring the seaside to your backyard by setting out beach towels and lawn chairs. Then bring out everyone’s inner child and set out a few water pistols and challenge guests to a sandcastle-building contest. Finish setting the scene with a piñata, chips and salsa and signature drink like the Agavero Frozen Mango Margarita -- the perfect summertime fiesta.

Frozen Mango Margarita
Makes roughly 4-6 cocktails (depending on the size of the glass)
1 fresh Mango
4 ounces Agavero
Splash of Agavero (optional)
4 ounces silver or reposado tequila
1 fresh lime
Slice of lime or mango for garnish
Ice

In a blender, puree 1 fresh Mango. Then fill with Ice and mix Agavero, silver or reposado tequila and the juice of 1 lime until the consistency is smooth and frozen (slushy). Pour into Margarita glasses and add a splash of Agavero to the top. Garnish with a straw and a fresh slice of lime or mango.

Garlicky Agavero Tequila Shrimp Kabobs with Lemon and Fresh Bay Leaves
Serves 6 (courtesy of Diane Brown)
2 tablespoons Agavero
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
12 lemon wedges
12 fresh bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley
Wooden skewers, as needed

Mix the Agavero, olive oil, pepper, and garlic with the shrimp and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat a gas grill or broiler until moderately hot. Thread the shrimp, bay leaves and lemons on skewers and season with salt and pepper. Grill or broil skewers basting with additional marinade and turning every 2-3 minutes, until shrimp is opaque and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.

Chicken Thigh Kabobs with Agavero Tequila Marinade, Cherry Tomatoes and Asparagus
Serves 6
1 pound boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons of Agavero tequila
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
Zest and juice of one lemon
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 bunch asparagus, cut on the bias in 2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Wooden skewers, as needed

Mix the chicken thighs with garlic, Agavero tequila, olive oil, basil, lemon zest and juice, and marinate for 20 minutes. Preheat a gas grill or broiler until moderately hot. Remove the chicken from the marinade and boil marinade for 1 minute. Thread the meat, cherry tomatoes and asparagus onto skewers and season with salt and pepper. Grill or broil skewers, basting with the marinade and turning every 2-3 minutes, until browned all over and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.

Copyright 2009 Cheri Loughlin – The Intoxicologist – All Rights Reserved

Argentine Malbec is a Top Seller in U.S.

2009-05-12T15:34:00.004-05:00

Sales Soar for Malbec - Consider Luigi Bosca!

Move over Bordeaux, there's a new grape in town. Top wine magazines and websites have recently reported trends in growth for Argentine wine. On April 16, Wine & Spirits Daily reported that in 2008, out of the major wine producing countries, Argentina posted the most growth in dollar sales in the U.S. In fact, according to Nielsen scan data, in the four weeks leading up to March 7, 2009 compared to the same period last year, Argentine wines grew a whopping 52% in dollar value, up 35.6%. What is the cause of this increase of sales in the U.S. for the Argentine wine? Some think it has a lot to do with a little grape called Malbec.

Over the past year, Malbec has become the grape of choice for U.S. wine consumers. In the May 2009 issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Michael Schachner reported on how Argentina has become a serious exporting force. Schachner interviewed many Argentine wine experts and exporters, including Alberto Arizu of Bodega Luigi Bosca, who believes the Malbec grape is one of the major factors contributing towards Argentina's exporting success. But there's more to it than that: "Malbec has been an extraordinary vehicle that has allowed Argentina to insert itself into the world's consciousness" remarked Alberto Arizu of Luigi Bosca.

Meanwhile, Wine & Spirits Magazine released its Annual Restaurant Poll results in the April 2009 issue, where Argentina is mentioned among the top New World wine regions as having a stronger showing than any other wine-growing country in the Southern-Hemisphere, including Australia, due to the Malbec grape. The magazine quoted Melissa Monosoff, from Savona in Gulph Mills, PA, on Malbec, stating the grape is "juicy, easy... it has tannins but they are soft and plush. It's an easy bar wine; you don't have to have any food with it."

If considering or recommending Malbec from Argentina - why not suggest Luigi Bosca Malbec Reserva 2006 - recently named in Wine & Spirits Magazine's Annual Restaurant Poll as one of the top five on-premise Malbecs for 2008. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Gregory White PR: Donna White, donna@gregorywhitepr.com or Rebekah Polster, rebekah@gregorywhitepr.com.

About Bodega Luigi Bosca:
The Arizu family, founders of Bodega Luigi Bosca, moved from Spain to Mendoza, Argentina in the 1890s. With roots that go back more than a century, Bodega Luigi Bosca has remained a family run enterprise becoming the benchmark for quality wines from Mendoza and one of the most dynamic wine producers of Argentina. Bodega Luigi Bosca offers wine for all occasions and palates with three very distinct labels: Finca La Linda, which represents the range and diversity of Mendoza's landscape, offering mono-varietal wines; Luigi Bosca Reserva, the next tier of wines which along with Malbec, includes Luigi Bosca Riesling - the only Riesling produced in Argentina; and Selectos de Familia Arizu, the top range that is a reflection of their best vineyards and terroir, expressed through single variety wines and a symphony of blends including Icono, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Created as a symbol of excellence and the best expression of Argentine wine Icono is crafted from a careful selection of the oldest and most noble vines from the family's Las Compuertas vineyard in Lujan de Cuyo.

http://www.luigibosca.com.ar/2007/v8/index.php

StirRED Grand Opening Special

2009-05-12T15:06:00.003-05:00

Check out Rouge Tomate and their new venue, StirRED. Stop by for a drink the week of May 11 and your second drink will be on the house.

Mercadito Restaurants Head to Chicago & Miami

2009-05-11T10:52:00.002-05:00

Locations to Open in Two New Cities in 2009

NEW YORK (NY) – Mercadito is coming to the “Windy City” and the “Sunshine State!” Mercadito Restaurants, owners and operators of New York City’s Mercadito, Mercadito Grove and Mercadito Cantina renowned for their signature Mexican cuisine, is growing its family of eateries starting this summer with the opening of Mercadito Chicago (108 W. Kinzie Street between N. Clark and N. LaSalle). The restaurant group has also announced plans for Mercadito Midtown in Miami later this year.

At a time when many restaurants have shuttered or scaled back expansion plans, Mercadito Restaurants have carved a successful niche in the industry by emphasizing quality and value. Chef Patricio Sandoval and his brothers/partners Alfredo and Felipe drew from their childhood under the tutelage of father and restaurateur Manuel Sandoval (who owned the world class Madeiras in Acapulco) to develop inviting restaurants that celebrate the beauty and flavors of Mexico.

Successfully combining superior ingredients, traditional recipes and Chef Sandoval’s flair for the creative, Mercadito Restaurants have been a critical and commercial success since first opening its East Village location in 2004. Soon, Midwest foodies will get to experience Mercadito’s wide array of innovative cuisine when Mercadito Chicago opens in River North Front, in the heart of downtown Chicago.

Mercadito serves “creative Mexican” cuisine, and has developed a reputation for exquisite tacos, guacamoles, botanas and ceviches. As with its New York City locations, Chef Sandoval has also crafted Mercadito Chicago’s menu to feature native Mexican delicacies with a decidedly modern flair.

No culinary journey to Mexico would be complete without an accompaniment of Mexican spirits! In addition to a dizzying array of Mexican tequilas (from the restaurant’s tequila-only bar), beers, wines and margaritas, Mercadito Chicago’s beverage menu will feature new twists on traditional Mexican cocktails created by beverage directors/partners Tippling Bros. exclusively for the restaurants.

Past its intimate front “Tequila Lounge”, Mercadito Chicago’s visual centerpiece is the 14-seat communal table in its 100-seat dining room. The restaurant’s décor, created by New York City-based Seed Design Studio, mixes elements of contemporary Mexican arts and crafts to create a fresh and bold new backdrop for the well-established Mercadito brand. The result is a warm, approachable “artist loft” that includes a beautiful guacamole bar, a strikingly illuminated pierced metal pyramid bar, and oversized murals of modern Mexican graffiti art.

Scheduled to open in Miami this winter, Mercadito Midtown will be located inside the most celebrated dining spots, the “Restaurant Row” in Midtown Miami. Just over the bridge of Miami Beach, within seconds from major expressways, and a five minute drive from downtown Miami, Mercadito Midtown will feature a spacious main dining room and bar area (seating 157 people), separate taqueria for takeout and delivery, as well as a 110-person outdoor dining area, where guests can enjoy the tropical Miami weather.

Mercadito Restaurants have grown from their first New York City location in 2004 to become a renowned restaurant group specializing in Mexican cuisine and modern taquerias. The popularity of these restaurants can be attributed to the innovative interpretations of traditional Mexican cooking created by Chef Patricio Sandoval. The management team behind Mercadito Restaurants has over 15 years of experience and a proven track record of success in the industry. The restaurant group currently owns and operates four critically acclaimed restaurants Mercadito (New York), Mercadito Grove (New York), Mercadito Cantina (New York), Mercadito Chicago (River North Front), and the soon-to-be-opened Mercadito Midtown Miami. Their partnership with renowned beverage consultants Tippling Bros. adds creativity to their beverage programs that merge complex flavors, drinkability and the unexpected.

For additional information visit http://www.mercaditorestaurants.com/

For media inquiries, please contact:
Tracey Henry
Type A Media
212 - 226 - 3175 (P)
212 - 226 - 3978 (F)
tracey@type-a-media.com

Additional mentions of Mercadito on The Intoxicologist Is In: Agavero: Seductive Cocktails & Cuisine for Valentine’s Day

Pure Revolution Celebrates NRA Show with 60’s Theme and Drink Contest

2009-05-11T10:33:00.003-05:00

National search via YouTube.com to deliver three finalists; At-show judging by Las Vegas restaurateur; Winner scores Vegas trip and guest mixing gig at hot nightspot

Who: PureOFlow (www.pureoflow.com) from Pure Revolution is a representation of revolutionary new ideas powered by GE technologies. With this revolutionary water purification technology, bottled water, salt-water softeners and point-of-use water filters all become unnecessary, saving money, reducing waste and delivering better tasting products.

What: 60’s-era booth with protest slogans on ‘revolutionary’ approach to healthier, ‘greener’ water in restaurants A ‘Pure Water Revolution’ drink mixologist contest at the NRA Show.

Theme: Austin Powers will be greeting guests at the booth with photographer documenting the fun along with introducing ‘taste the revolution’ pure water cooking demonstrations.

Contest: Pure Revolution is conducting a national search for innovative mixologist/bar chef that understands the critical role that water and ice play in the perfect bar concoction. The contest will discover someone who is revolutionizing the field of bartending and refining the old techniques of drink mixing, giving them the opportunity to further this art.

The contest finalists are selected from an initial round of video and email applications posted on YouTube.com and other social media sites. Contestants send their video including a description of their concoction and/or how pure ice or water is an important component of their drink. Complete rules are posted on http://www.pureoflow.com/promotions/mixologist/.

Three finalists are chosen by a celebrity restaurateur and bar-owner, Gary Frey, of Tacos & Tequila at the Luxor and the Rumbar in the Mirage in Las Vegas.

Announced prior to the show these finalists will travel to the NRA show for the final mix-off. The winner will be chosen at the Pure Revolution booth at the NRA show booth #424 on the opening day of the show, May 16 at 4pm.

The winning drink will be featured at the NRA show, the year’s largest gathering of the restaurant industry, with an entire day of sampled drinks featuring the winning mix.

The grand prize for the winner is to be ‘discovered’ by high profile members of the food and beverage industry attending the 2009 NRA Show. The winner also receives a complimentary round trip with luxury accommodations to Las Vegas including the opportunity to make their mixologist debut at Rumbar.

Why: 60’s Theme: A complete pure water delivery system, PureOFlow from Pure Revolution is the revolutionary approach that uses reverse osmosis to deliver purified water and crystal clear ice that make up a high percent of bar mixed drinks; cooking demonstrations will encourage visitors to ‘taste the revolution’ leading the tastier sauces, more flavorful dishes.

Drink Contest: Great bar chefs and discerning customers certainly agree that bad tasting ice can quickly ruin the smooth taste of a high quality scotch, vodka or other liquor. The founders of Pure Revolution understand the critical role that water and ice play in the perfect bar concoction and want to highlight like-minded bar chef talent outstanding in the restaurant industry.

When/Where:
National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show – McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
May 16-19, 2009 www.show.restaurant.org

Pure Revolution – Booth #424
Judging complete May 16th, 4pm, winning mix announced and sampled by show goers.

Add Pure Revolution to your show schedule.

Industry Recognition: Better tasting, pure water means that more of the freshness of taste is delivered to customers’ taste buds from spices, fruits and mixers – leading to healthier, snappier drinks. Restaurants and bars know that happier customers lead to higher customer participation and repeat patronage as well as the positive word of mouth that continues to generate new customers.

Read about celebrity chef, Joseph Keller of Bistro Zinc in Las Vegas, endorsing Pure Revolution’s PureOFlow here.

About: What constitutes a revolution? Wikipedia describes it as a fundamental change that takes place in a relatively short period of time. Pure Revolution’s PureOFlow system is a fundamental change in the way restaurants and foodservice businesses handle their water needs. With the revolutionary PureOFlow water purification technology, bottled water, salt-water softeners and point-of-use water filters become unnecessary, saving money, protecting the environment, reducing waste and delivering better tasting products. Pure Revolution is the only water purification technology to create the equivalent of bottled water right out of the tap, crystal clear ice right out of the machine and spotless glasses and tableware out of the dishwasher.

For more information visit http://www.pureoflow.com/ or call Molly Walpola, VP of marketing (702) 834-6570 or (702) 250 4596.

Pure Water Revolution Contest for Artistic Bartenders

Seagram's Enters New Territory With the Launch of Seagram's Smooth Brazilian Rum

2009-05-09T09:55:00.003-05:00

NEW YORK, May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Seagram's, one of the only major U.S. beverage trademarks with products in multiple categories -- including the number one selling Seagram's Gin -- announces the launch of Seagram's Smooth Brazilian Rum.

Seagram's Rum will be available in Seagram's Smooth Brazilian Rum (white rum) and two new flavors -- Seagram's Citrus Flavored Rum and Seagram's Raspberry Flavored Rum. All three offerings have been blended to provide the perfect balance of unparalleled smoothness and the unique, exotic rum character native only to Brazil, while their taste profile makes them the perfect base for today's most popular rum cocktails.

"The rum category has grown by 10 million cases over the last 10 years, and is forecasted to grow by another 10 million cases in the next decade, offering the Seagram's trademark a significant opportunity to increase sales and brand awareness," said Craig Johnson, Marketing Director for Seagram's Rum. "In addition, the brand will be an attractive proposition for retail outlets, as consumers know and trust the Seagram's name."

Why Brazil? Said Johnson: "We tested concepts from around the world with consumers and the exotic, mysterious qualities that embody Brazil emerged as having the strongest appeal. Brazilian rums are traditionally distilled to create a lighter spirit with citric, lemon notes, which is exactly what we were looking for."

Seagram's Smooth Brazilian Rum, Seagram's Citrus Brazilian Rum and Seagram's Raspberry Brazilian Rum will launch at retail in May 2009. Seagram's Smooth Brazilian Rum will be available in 1.75L, 1.0L, 750ml, 375ml, 200ml 100ml and 50ml sizes. Seagram's Citrus Flavored Rum and Seagram's Raspberry Flavored Rum will be available in 1.75L, 1.0L, 750ml and 50ml sizes. The three rums will be line priced and will retail for a suggested price of $11.99/750ml.

New Seagram's Brazilian Rum Cocktail Recipes:
Seagram's Rum & Cola
1 part Seagram's Smooth Brazilian Rum
3 parts cola
Pour ingredients into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish with lime wedge.

Seagram's Caipirinha
1 Part Seagram's Smooth Brazilian Rum
1 Tbsp. granulated Sugar
1 Lime
Muddle sugar into lime wedges in an old-fashioned glass. Fill glass with ice cubes. Pour Seagram's Rum into glass. Stir well.

Seagram's Citrus Mojito
2-1/2 parts Seagram's Citrus Flavored Rum
3 mint sprigs
2 lime wedges
1 Tbsp. of sugar
2 splashes of club soda
Muddle mint sprigs with lime wedges and sugar. Add Seagram's Rum and club soda. Garnish with mint sprig.

Seagram's Raspberry Fizz
1 part Seagram's Raspberry Flavored Rum
3 parts club soda
Pour ingredients into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish with raspberries.

About Pernod Ricard USA
Pernod Ricard USA is the premium spirits and wine company in the U.S., and the largest subsidiary of Paris, France-based Pernod Ricard SA. In July, 2008, Pernod Ricard completed the acquisition of the iconic ABSOLUT Vodka brand from the V&S Group, and Pernod Ricard USA is now the second-leading company in the U.S. by sales value.

In addition to ABSOLUT, Pernod Ricard USA's leading brands include such prestigious spirits as The Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Chivas Regal Scotch Whisky, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Wild Turkey Bourbon, Seagram's Extra Dry Gin, Beefeater Gin, Plymouth Gin, Martell Cognac, Malibu flavored Rum, Kahlua Liqueur, Hiram Walker Liqueurs, Pernod and Ricard; such superior wines as Jacob's Creek and Brancott Estate; and such exquisite champagnes and sparkling wines as Perrier Jouet Champagne, G.H. Mumm Champagne and Mumm Napa sparkling wines.

The company is based in Purchase, New York, and has roughly 1,000 employees across the country.

Pernod Ricard USA urges all adults to consume its products responsibly and has an active campaign to promote responsible drinking. For more information on this, please visit: www.acceptresponsibility.org.

Seagram's
Sarah Bessette of Pernod Ricard USA
+1-646-746-9076,
sarah.bessette@pernod-ricard-usa.com
www.acceptresponsibility.org
www.seagramsginlive.com

· Pernod Ricard USA Launches Online Video Messages in Support of Accept Responsibility Campaign

Corsair Artisan: Spirit of an Emerging Generation

2009-05-09T09:46:00.003-05:00

www.corsairartisan.com
Corsair on Facebook – Join Us!

Malibu Embraces the Tropics With New Island Melon Flavor

2009-05-09T09:21:00.005-05:00

Latest Flavor Captures the Caribbean Brand's Island Spirit

NEW YORK, May 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Malibu, the number-one selling Caribbean Rum with natural Coconut Flavor in the world, adds a splash of the tropics to the Malibu portfolio with the exciting debut of Malibu Island Melon. Island Melon is the sixth member of the Malibu Rum family, joining the other vibrant tastes -- Malibu Original Coconut (1980), Malibu Mango (2004), Malibu Pineapple (2004), Malibu Passion Fruit (2005), and Malibu Tropical Banana (2007).

"We are thrilled to introduce this great new flavor to the Malibu portfolio. Malibu Island Melon delivers a naturally fresh, ripe Melon taste with a hint of Malibu's trademark creamy coconut flavor, adding an exciting new dimension to the Malibu range," said Craig Johnson, Brand Director for Malibu at Pernod Ricard USA.

The Island Melon flavor received outstanding results when tested with consumers, who not only enjoyed its strong Caribbean link and flavor differentiation, but also its unique taste and mixability. The exciting new flavor is the perfect companion in cocktails, providing consumers with a taste of the tropics anytime. A variety of delicious Caribbean-inspired cocktails have been developed by bartenders using Malibu Island Melon, including: Malibu Melon Tea Twister, Malibu Coco-Melon Colada and Malibu Melon Baller.

The spring 2009 U.S. launch will be supported with an unprecedented multi-million dollar marketing campaign. "Malibu is a top priority within Pernod Ricard USA's premium portfolio, and we strongly believe that the new Island Melon flavor will further fuel the brand's momentum. A targeted Island Melon advertising campaign will be featured nationally in television, print, digital, and OOH, and a wide range of consumer promotions and samplings are planned throughout the summer season. Each element of the Island Melon campaign touches on the fun, unique and energetic spirit of the brand and the Malibu consumer," said Johnson.

Malibu Melon Tea Twister
1 part Malibu Island Melon
3 parts iced tea
Splash lemon-lime soda

Malibu Coco-Melon Colada
1 part Malibu Island Melon
1 part Malibu Coconut
3 parts pineapple juice

Malibu Melon Baller
2 parts Malibu Island Melon
1 part Absolut Vodka
2 parts pineapple or orange juice

For more delicious Malibu recipes, visit www.malibu-rum.com.
Malibu Island Melon will be available for $14.99 for 750ml at retail this June.

About Malibu
Malibu is the original Caribbean rum with natural coconut flavor and the world's favorite, selling 3.7 million cases each year in more than 150 countries. With its beginnings on the island of Barbados, Malibu is perfect for creating cool and refreshing cocktails to help you "Get Your Island On." The delicious and distinct flavor of Malibu has been honored at several major international spirits competitions, including silver at the 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

About Pernod Ricard USA
Pernod Ricard USA is the premium spirits and wine company in the U.S., and the largest subsidiary of Paris, France-based Pernod Ricard SA. In July, 2008, Pernod Ricard completed the acquisition of the iconic ABSOLUT(R) Vodka brand from the V&S Group, and Pernod Ricard USA is now the second-leading company in the U.S. by sales value.

In addition to ABSOLUT, Pernod Ricard USA's leading brands include such prestigious spirits as The Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Chivas Regal Scotch Whisky, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Wild Turkey Bourbon, Seagram's Extra Dry Gin, Beefeater Gin, Plymouth Gin, Martell Cognac, Malibu flavored Rum, Kahlua Liqueur, Hiram Walker Liqueurs, Pernod and Ricard; such superior wines as Jacob's Creek and Brancott Estate; and such exquisite champagnes and sparkling wines as Perrier Jouet Champagne, G.H. Mumm Champagne and Mumm Napa sparkling wines..

Pernod Ricard USA urges all adults to consume its products responsibly and has an active campaign to promote responsible drinking. For more information on this, please visit: www.acceptresponsibility.org.

Pernod Ricard USA
Lauren Rinkey, Pernod Ricard USA
+1-646-746-9078,
lauren.rinkey@pernod-ricard-usa.com
www.malibu-rum.com

· Malibu Rum Spikes One Over the Net with Exclusive Beach Volleyball Partnership

Call for Entries: Tanteo Tequila Searches for NYC’s Rising Star Mexican Artists

2009-05-09T09:01:00.002-05:00

NEW YORK, May 5, 2009 – Born of a passion for Mexico combined with the artistic sensibility of New York City, Tanteo Tequila today launches a search for the top three Rising Star Mexican Artists in New York City.

Jonathan Rojewski, CEO and founder of Tanteo Tequila, created the brand of hand-crafted, naturally infused premium Blanco tequilas as both a celebration of Mexico and a reflection of his New York style. With this contest, Tanteo aims to showcase how these two worlds inspire each other and, thereby, result in extraordinary art.

The Tanteo Tequila NYC-Mexican Artists Contest invites artists across all media whose work is inspired by both Mexico and New York to submit samples of their art and describe how the two cultures inspire them. A panel of influential New Yorkers who have dedicated their lives to Mexican culture in New York City will identify the top three artists. Each of the winners will receive a $500 honorarium at a special event in June.

To enter, artists must submit the following to tanteocontest@bullfrogandbaum.com:
· Up to three samples of their work
· A 250-word essay describing how Mexico and New York inspire their art
Submissions must arrive no later than Friday, June 5, 2009. For full submission guidelines, go to www.tanteotequila.com/contest. There is no entry fee.

Tanteo Tequila (750ml/40% ABV/$45.00) is an ultra-premium collection of Blanco tequilas each hand-infused with the flavors of Mexico – Jalapeño, Chocolate and Tropical. Launched in December 2008 into the New York market by the Tanteo Spirits Company, the trio of infusions has already received awards from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the Beverage Testing Institute, and the World Beverage Competition. Meticulous care and attention are given to both the selection and harvesting of the agave, which is processed and distilled into the highest-quality Blanco tequila, and to the extraction of natural flavors to complement the spirit. With roots in Manhattan’s SoHo, Tanteo also reflects that neighborhood’s unique style and artistry. Designed by co-founder and award-winning graphic artist Lincoln Mayne, the brand’s bottle is an expression of Tanteo’s philosophical essence – traditional artistry blended with a modern sensibility. Handcrafted rustic glass characterized by naturally occurring bubbles, an authentic cork closure and vintage-style wax seal combine to evoke heritage and tradition, while the bottle’s tapered shape and thick glass bottom beautifully encase the liquid inside, protecting it like a proud soldado.

For more information, go to www.tanteotequila.com.

Party like the Captain: Long Island Iced Tea

2009-05-09T08:41:00.001-05:00

‘Nobody parties like the Captain’ – which is why Captain Morgan brings consumers the number one party cocktail; Long Island Iced Tea.

Those who enjoy the flavor of a bartender crafted Long Island Iced Tea while out with friends on Friday night can now benefit from the convenience of an at home pre-mixed version without complication anytime. The classic Long Island Iced Tea requires layering several spirits (rum, tequila, gin, vodka and triple sec) as well as sour mix and cola topper. Captain Morgan’s theory behind the premade Long Island Iced Tea: save you time, money and the Captain travels with ease.

Captain Morgan considers itself the ‘ultimate party brand’ with the ‘ultimate party drink.’ With consumers opting for convenience packaging for summer entertaining outdoors the Captain offers this newest ready-made cocktail to complement other premixed drinks consumers are already reaching for such as the Smirnoff Tuscan Lemonade.

Long Island Iced Tea is a staple on many bar menus. Created in 1970 in Babylon, NY, the Long Island Iced Tea has remained a top seller in the mixed drinks category in casual bars and dining establishments. The Captain Morgan premixed version has been designed to duplicate the feel and taste of high quality bar Long Island Iced Tea cocktails. Only you can be the judge. Try the Captain Morgan Long Island Iced Tea for your next Barbeque, pool side party, or outdoor social.

Copyright 2009 Cheri Loughlin – The Intoxicologist – All Rights Reserved

· Diageo Invests $20.2 Million to Expand Capacity at Illinois Plant as Ready-to-Serve Cocktails Grow

· Warm Weather Entertaining Just Got Easier With Smirnoff

· Captain Morgan and Stacy Keibler Offer Players Chance to Get a Leg Up During Sunday’s Game

· Diageo’s Proposed New St. Croix Location for Captain Morgan Rum

www.captainmorgan.com

Screech Daiquiri: Interesting Twist for a Classic

2008-10-14T11:10:00.001-05:00

Newfoundland has something to holler about; Screech Rum. With fall in full swing and the weather doing its fair share of keeping our bones chilled, it is time to reach for a bottle of warming rum. Screech is “The Taste of Legends.” While this rum is no longer bottled at such a staggering proof so as to make anyone yelp or “screech” from the burning sensation trailing down their throat, it does have quite the warming effect needed to take the chill down a notch. Sip Screech neat, on the rocks or yes, in a cocktail. Try my version of the Screech Daiquiri for an interesting twist on an old favorite. The color is vibrant and deep and the taste is most pleasantly unusual.

Screech Daiquiri
2 ounces Screech Rum
1 ounce Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
1/2 ounce Bar Syrup

Combine in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for ten to fifteen seconds. Strain into a well chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

For my review of Screech Rum please click on Newfoundland’s Legendary Favorite Rum – the Proof is in the Screech at The Intoxicologist is In.

Cozumel Cosmo: Fresh Ideas for Tequila

2008-10-14T10:34:00.009-05:00

Looking to expand your tequila experience beyond the shot or margarita? Agavero is the tequila encounter you are searching for. Agavero is smooth and delicately rich on the palate. It has the perfect balance of tequila and agave nectar with the lilt of Damiana flowers. Agavero may be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in a variety of cocktails that are only limited by your imagination. Try my Cozumel Cosmo below.

Cozumel Cosmo
1 ounce Agavero
2 ounces Vodka (try Ketel One)
3/4 ounce Pom Pomegranate Juice
1/2 ounce Lime Juice
1/2 ounce PAMA Liqueur

Combine in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for ten to fifteen seconds. Strain into a well chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

For more recipes and a full review of Agavero Tequila go to Agavero Tequila: Inspiring Cocktails beyond the Shot & Margarita at The Intoxicologist is In.

Exquisite Cocktails from Double Cross Luxury Vodka

2008-10-04T09:53:00.005-05:00

Created in the foothills of the Slovakian Tatra Mountains, this seven times distilled, seven times filtered luxury vodka uses diamond-dust micro-filters in the process. According to the technique of Master Distiller, Dr. Jan Krak, diamond dust is the ultimate filter. The unique contour and sub-micro dimension of diamond dust create a micro-filter of unparalleled filtration capability. The result is exceptionally pure luxury vodka with hints of white pepper and lemon zest. Spirits expert Paul Pacult gave Double Cross Vodka a rating of four stars and it received the Gold Medal for taste at this year’s San Francisco Spirits Competition.

Interesting cocktails are what interest me. Double Cross Vodka positively traveled into extraordinary territory with their array of appealing cocktails. Each innovative creation entices the imagination and tempts the palate. I look forward to indulging my palate with the Double Cross Luxury Vodka.

An example of one out of the ordinary cocktail from the Double Cross Vodka website:

Double Vision
3 ounces Double Cross
1/2 ounce Tuaca Liqueur
1 ounce Passion Fruit Juice
1/2 bar spoon Fennel Seed

In clear mixing glass, muddle the fennel seeds with the fruit juice and Tuaca. Add ice and Double Cross. Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with lemon and lime twists.

Aperol: Setting the Standard Since 1919

2008-10-02T17:26:00.004-05:00

Aperol, introduced in Padua, Italy in 1919, set modern day standards ahead of its time by creating a spirit with a lower alcohol content of just 11%. The trendy and easily adaptable Aperol inspired an aperitif that went on to become the signature drink of Italy; the Aperol Spritz. Even today, the Aperol Spritz continues to thrive as a classic among cocktail drinkers the world over. In a cocktail world spinning with new infusions and creations released on the market every day, a classic which has stood the test of time like Aperol should not be overlooked.

Aperol is a dark orange Italian aperitif with a sweet orange flavor. It is made from a blend of base spirit, rhubarb, chinchona, genziana and of course the best kept secret of combination herbs. Aperol is now produced by the Campari Company.

While the Aperol Spritz is the clear-cut traditional Aperol cocktail to experiment with, there are of course recipe creations to please the palate.

Aperol Spritz
2 oz Prosecco
1 oz Aperol
Splash of Soda Water

Serve over ice, garnished with an orange slice.

Aperol Royal
3 oz Spumante Brut
1 oz chilled Aperol

Pour chilled Aperol into a champagne flute. Top off with chilled Spumante Brut.

Parrot Bay Key Lime Rum: Newest Addition to Captain Morgan Family

2008-10-02T10:38:00.002-05:00

Parrot Bay Key Lime is just one new addition to the growing Captain Morgan family. Parrot Bay is already known as a rich quality white rum perfect for all delicious exotic cocktail blends. From talk out and about this latest Key Lime flavor is lightly sweet and crisp making it an excellent mixer whether you lean toward the tropical or traditional cocktail.

My first thought for this flavor is of course the Key Lime Cocktail. While I have not had the opportunity to test out the new Parrot Bay Key Lime Rum flavor, my Intoxicologist brain is already starting to muddle over the possibilities. My original recipe calls for vanilla vodka and Licor 43. Now that there is Key Lime Rum it’s time to whip out the cocktail shaker and start tweaking the recipe. Maybe add in some KeKe Liqueur as well?

What about the classic twist on a Gin & Tonic. Frequently I change things up and switch to Rum & Tonic using one shot of white rum and one shot of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum with a squeeze of a half a lime topped off with diet tonic water. Why not exchange simple white rum for the new Parrot Pay Key Lime Rum for added Key Lime Flavor? Layering of flavor in a cocktail excites the taste buds.

Certainly there is only one way to be sure on any of these cocktail recipe musings. I must wait it out and then get my hands on a bottle of Parrot Bay Key Lime Rum!

Pinky Vodka: Amaze Me

2008-10-02T09:21:00.003-05:00

I found something interesting today developed by champion Scandinavian wine tasters. Meet Pinky. The introduction to “The World’s Most Beautiful Vodka” through the eyes of the official website is sufficient temptation to lead me in search of this charming vodka. Pinky’s beauty is said to be more than superficial. Five times distilled from pure glacial water and Swedish winter wheat is only the beginning. Violets, rose petals and ten other botanicals are hand blended to create Pinky. The pink hue delicately balances with the name.

The website says, “prepare to be amazed.” I would love to be amazed as Pinky seems to be a marvelous addition to the vodka family with its delicate blend. Below is just one of the many recipes I found and would love to sample. If you have tried Pinky, drop me a line and tell me what you think.

Naked Pinky Cosmo
1 part Pinky
Splash of cranberry juice
2 squeezes of lime
Splash of simple syrup

Stir over ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

Baileys with a Hint of Coffee Continues Roll-Out

2008-10-02T09:16:00.005-05:00

Baileys with a hint of Coffee continues the tradition of smooth tasting Baileys affectionately mingled with the rich, roasted flavor of coffee. This flavor release followed in the footsteps of Baileys with a hint of Mint Chocolate and Baileys with a hint of Caramel from preceding years. Baileys with a hint of Coffee was available exclusively in World Duty Free stores beginning in late February with expanded roll-outs in April. Apparently this flavor has done exceedingly well as its market expansion grows. If it is not available where you are, look for it online.

As soon as I acquire this delightful treat, I will be sure to let you know what I think and possibly new recipe concoctions as well. However, with Baileys reputation of quality and the flavor of coffee combined, there really is no doubt this is a wonderful addition to the Baileys family. Two recipe suggestions from the official Baileys website are listed below.

Relax into the evening with friends, sipping Baileys with a hint of Coffee blended with ice and letting the gossip unfurl.

Baileys Blended
Step 1: Drop 2 large ice cubes into your blender (that’s 2 per person)
Step 2: Add 50 ml of Baileys with a hint of Coffee per person
Step 3: Blend until completely smooth
Step 4: Pour into your tall glasses

Unwind with friends as the sun sets on another day and the light taste of cold-shaken Baileys with a hint of Coffee floats over your tongue.

Baileys Shaken
Step 1: Fill a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice
Step 2: Pour 50ml of Baileys with a hint of Coffee per person
Step 3: Shake vigorously
Step 4: Strain into Martini glasses
Step 5: Garnish with a dusting of chocolate or cocoa powder

www.baileys.com

Boulard Calvados Bartender Competition

2008-10-01T03:06:00.002-05:00

Calling all professional bartenders and mixologists! Boulard Calvados, the number one selling Calvados worldwide, is pleased to announce the BOULARD CALVADOS BARTENDER COMPETITION. Bartenders & mixologists are cordially invited to come out, test their skills and vie for the title of NUMBER ONE RATED CALVADOS MIXOLOGIST!

The Grand Prize winner will receive a Caribbean trip for two, and $500 cash prizes will be awarded to the second and third place winners. Winning cocktails will be announced to the press and incorporated into a Boulard advertising campaign.

RSVP to BoulardContest@palmbay.com by October 15th to secure your spot in the competition!

Date: Oct 20, 2008 (Mon)
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Cost: Complimentary (trade only)

Club 230 Fifth230 Fifth AvenueNew York, NY

boulardcontest@palmbay.com

For more information: Palm Bay International

Corby to Represent Absolut Vodka in Canada

2008-10-01T02:51:00.003-05:00

Sep 29, 2008 (Datamonitor via COMTEX) -- Corby Distilleries has entered into an agreement with Pernod Ricard providing Corby the exclusive right to represent Absolut vodka in Canada effective October 1, 2008 for the next five years to September 30, 2013.

As part of this agreement, Corby will also receive the exclusive right to represent Plymouth gin and Level vodka.

Con Constandis, CEO of Corby's, said: "I am very excited about adding an iconic brand like Absolut vodka to the Corby portfolio and even more pleased that we have been able to leverage our successful track record and relationship to secure a long-term deal. We had been seeking to add a global brand, particularly in the premium vodka segment, but were constrained by our size and resources, so the opportunity to represent Absolut vodka in Canada fits perfectly with our strategy."

OVAL Vodka to Release Luxury Swarovski Bottle in Super-Premium Limited Edition

2008-10-01T02:43:00.003-05:00

With cutting-edge design and saturated in 7000 Swarovski crystals, a brand new limited edition version of the award winning OVAL vodka bottle will be released this April in the UK. Costing a staggering £3,500, the OVAL Swarovski Crystal bottle will be available to buy in exclusive London night clubs such as Embassy, Dolce, Amika, Maya, Tramp, Maddox, and Chinawhite.

From this month, the stunning bottle will be presented on the back bars of the named clubs, displayed on a new invention The Glorifier, which is a rotating LCD display unit, highlighting the glittering Swarovski Crystals to create a sparkling, avant-garde display. The OVAL team will also be attending selected evenings to offer samples and to explain the OVAL Swarovski story.

Rui Amorim, the Brand Manager of OVAL Vodka UK, said: "The interest in the Trade has been absolutely fantastic! We are having to see over 150 bars, just to see which ones fit the OVAL Vodka profile."

Finger Lakes Wine Center Jazzes Sonnenberg’s Harvest Wine Celebration

2008-10-01T02:36:00.002-05:00

Art, wine, and jazz come together for an unforgettable day in Historic Canandaigua of the Finger Lakes.

Canandaigua, NY, September 30, 2008 --(PR.COM)-- The second annual Harvest Wine Celebration is set for Saturday, October 11, from 2-4 pm at the Finger Lakes Wine tasting room in Sonnenberg Mansion and Gardens. The event is held as a fund raiser for the Finger Lakes Wine Center kitchen project.

The event is presented by Wick-edly Sent Soap and Candle Company. Enjoy wine tasting from Dr. Frank’s Vinifera and Heron Hill Wineries. Wines can be also be purchased at the Finger Lakes Wine Center by the glass, bottle or case. Cases can also be ordered just in time for the holidays. Music from the instrumental jazz group Four on the Floor Quartet is scheduled with Hors d’oeuvres from the Lumberyard Grille. There is also be a silent auction for an original painting from local artist Pat Rini Rohrer and framed by Finger Lakes Gallery and Frame.

“Many people help with putting this day of fun together,” Doug Kane says, marketing director of Sonnenberg. “RGE assisted with the lighting for this event and Uncork New York helped with marketing.” The Harvest Wine Celebration also marks the closing of another successful season at Sonnenberg.

Sonnenberg Mansion and Gardens is a state owned historic park operated by a non-profit organization, in cooperation with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Finger Lakes Wine Center, featuring an “Abundance” of vintages from more than 40 partner wineries throughout the region, is located within the grounds next to the gift shop.

There will also be a raffle of a Finger Lakes Gift Basket with goodies ranging from candles, soaps, chocolates and other regional made products. Funds raised will benefit the Finger Lakes Wine Center Kitchen. Space is limited for the event, reserved tickets can be purchased by calling 585-394-4922. Advanced registration is $15 per person (pre-paid credit card reservations accepted by phone), or $20 at the door.

Contact Information
Finger Lakes Copywriting
Don Stevens
585-394-5260
don@fingerlakescopywriting.com
www.fingerlakescopywriting.com
Contact:
Doug Kane
585-394-4922
http://www.sonnenberg.org
marketing@sonnenbergy.org

MartiniArt.com: Martini Recipe Contest

2008-09-28T17:37:00.001-05:00

Join our fabulous martini recipe contest and win some great stuff...

It's time to show the world the best, most creative martini recipes that you've got. Submit something amazing and you may win some fantastic MartiniArt.com swag. The contest is simple! Fill out the contest entry form below with your best martini recipe and we'll award a first and second place winner chosen from all of the recipes we receive.

First and second place prizes will be a fabulous gift pack of Martiniart.com products of our choosing. First place winner will receive merchandise of $100 retail value, Second place winner will receive $50 retail value.

We are looking for amazing, creative, delicious, beautiful, scientific, modern, classic, colorful, surprising, stunning...martini recipes! Get inspired, get crazy - the more creative the better.

On to the rules and particulars & important stuff to read...

· Recipes submitted must be your own original concoction. Copying a recipe from a book or website will get you disqualified.
· You must be at least 21 years of age and a legal US resident to enter.
· You authorize that any recipe submitted may be reprinted on our website at our sole discretion.
· The winning recipes will be featured on a "contest winning" recipes page.
· Recipes must be "recreatable" based upon the info submitted - we have to be able to make and try it!
· Winners will be decided by our judges & and all decisions are final.
· Contest ends November 8th, 2008 - winners will be notified via email on or about December 1st, 2008.
· No purchase neccessary to enter.
· We will not spam you! Entering our contest will not put you on our mailing list - nor do we sell or release our customer information - ever. We would love for you to sign up for our newsletter, but you'll have to do that yourself.

http://www.martiniart.com/martinirecipecontest.aspx

Volta Vodka: Your Spirit Just Got an Energy Boost

2008-09-28T15:24:00.004-05:00

Volta is an interesting vodka I came across from White Rock Distilleries. Interesting due to the caffeine and other herbal stimulants within the spirit. Also quite interesting is their age verification requirement to gain access to their site. I had to answer a question about Jack from the comedy show “Three’s Company.” Having answered it correctly the site knew I had to have been over 21 and allowed me to enter. Ouch! That kind of smarted. In case you are not familiar with the time frame of “Three’s Company, it aired on ABC from 1977-84. I am definitely feeling my age!

Apparently Volta Vodka is made from Russian rye, quadruple distilled with spring water from France’s Northern Region. It is caffeinated and infused with five energy ingredients: Guarana, Taurine, Yerba Mate, Ginseng and Inositol. Not all of those ingredients are listed on the official site. Two, ginseng and inositol, came from a little research on the internet. I would love to hear from the company on this one and give Volta Vodka a try for actual review. In the mean time, below is a quick rundown of the energy ingredients.

Energy Boosters:
Guarana accounts for some of the caffeine. Each guarana berry yields approximately five times as much caffeine as one coffee bean.
Taurine is actually an organic acid that when investigated sounds extremely scientific and slightly disgusting in the way it works in the human body. It is a component that is often found in energy drinks, but as with many things “scientific” not all studies prove taurine to be energy-giving.
Yerba Mate is also a contributor of caffeine, but to a milder degree. Supposedly Yerba Mate differs from caffeine in that the negative side effects of jitteriness and anxiety are removed, yet the alertness caffeine gives off remains.
Ginseng is a supposed aphrodisiac and nourishing stimulant. It is also often found in energy drinks and teas, although in such a low dose the medicinal effects are immeasurable. Alas, Volta has not cornered the market on the next diet/sex therapy wonder drug!
Inositol is an interesting addition that I cannot quite figure out the reason for its inclusion. It spans vitamin B (yet is synthesized in the body thus unusable), to slows down hair loss in men (hmm…making them better looking through beer goggles perhaps?), to a cutting agent in illicit drugs (but clearly unusable for this in vodka form) and lastly alertness, focus and mental clarity – all of which seem to fall within the scientific unknown category.

Volta is not out on the liquor store shelves in my area, but that does not necessarily mean it is unavailable. Sometimes it just means it is tucked away due to lack of consumer knowledge about the product. Even so, it is available online for roughly $22 - $25. If you would like to check out Volta’s website, click on the link in the opening paragraph.

The 26th Marie Brizard Cocktail Challenge

2008-09-27T13:04:00.004-05:00

The 26th Marie Brizard Cocktail Challenge, USA Competition Opens its Online Voting at cocktailtimes.com/mariebrizard

Marie Brizard Cocktail Challenge opens its first online voting in 26 years

New York, NY / San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) September 26, 2008 -- For the first time in 26 years, Marie Brizard Cocktail Challenge invites the public to cast their vote online for their favorite challenger at http://www.cocktailtimes.com/mariebrizard. Online voting is available from now through mid October before the regional final events in New York City and San Francisco. The challenger, who receives the most votes will receive the Hospitality Award - original bartender kit from Marie Brizard Distillery in Bordeaux, France.

This year's Marie Brizard Cocktail Challenge, USA competition brings 20 challengers from coast to coast. The USA champions, one from each coast will travel to Bordeaux in December to attend the 26th Marie Brizard International Bartender Seminar and Cocktail Competition. For over 25 years, thousands of top bartenders from around the world have participated in this seminar and competition. It is one of the most rewarding lifetime experiences for the world's bar professionals.

The west coast regional final takes place on October 27th at Conduit Restaurant in San Francisco and on November 7th at Madison Square Garden in New York City for the east coast. The challengers will mix their submissions and a final cocktail with an assigned Marie Brizard flavor at the event. The USA champions will be selected by a tasting panel, technical judges and the head judge, Chester Brandes, president and CEO of Imperial Brands, Inc., importer of Marie Brizard.

The challengers' biography, recipes and photos are available on the official site of 2008 Marie Brizard Cocktail Challenge, USA Competition at http://www.cocktailtimes.com/mariebrizard. The site allows voters to cast their votes only once in each region. This year's challengers are:

The West Coast Challengers
Joel Baker, Bar Manager at Bourbon and Branch (501 Jones Street, San Francisco)
Joe Parrilli, Bartender at Clock Bar at Westin Hotel (335 Powell Street, San Francisco)
H Joseph Ehrmann, Bartender at Elixir (3200 16th Street, San Francisco)
Brian Mac Gregor, Bartender at Jardiniere (300 Grove Street, San Francisco)
Sierra Zimei, Bartender at Four Seasons Hotel (737 Market Street, San Francisco)
Camber Lay, Bar Chef at Epic Roasthouse (369 Embarcadero, San Francisco)
Joe Wrye, Bartender at Waterbar (399 The Embarcadero, San Francisco)
Tim Stookey, Bartender at Presidio Social Club (563 Ruger Street, #563, San Francisco)
Jackie Patterson, Bar Manager at Orson (508 4th Street, San Francisco)

The East Coast Challengers
Eben Freeman, Master Mixologist at Tailor (525 Broome Street, NYC)
Jason Cobb, Bartender at Brandy Library (25 N. Moore Street, NYC)
Don Lee, Beverage Director at PDT (113 St Marks Place, NYC)
Brian Miller, Bartender at Death & Company (433 East 6th Street, NYC)
Gen Yamamoto, Bartender at Zen Lounge (252 DeGraw Ave, Teaneck NJ)
Antonio Lara, Bartender at The Modern at MoMA (9 West 53rd Street, NYC)
Terence Miller, Beverage Director/Sommelier at Megu Midtown (854 UN Plaza, NYC)
Miguel Aranda, Bartender at Plaza Hotel (768 5th Avenue, NYC)
Pichet Ong, Chef at P*ONG (150 West 10th Street, NYC)
Tony Perez, Mixologist at G Lounge (111 South 17th Street, Philadelphia PA)

To learn more about this year's Marie Brizard Cocktail Challenge, please visit: http://www.cocktailtimes.com/mariebrizard.

Marie Brizard is imported by Imperial Brands, Inc. in the United States. Headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., it is a U.S. subsidiary of Belvédère S.A., one of Europe's largest producers and distributors of white spirits and wines. Belvédère S.A. operates production and distribution units in Poland, France, Bulgaria, Lithuania and the United States and additionally owns subsidiaries in Russia, Canada, Spain, Scandinavia and Brazil. Belvédère S.A. purchased Marie Brizard & Roger International in July 2006.

Imperial Brands Inc. also owns Florida Distillers Co., which has two production facilities located in Florida. This provides bottling capacity of 5 million (9-liter) cases of distilled spirits for the company and a base on which to coordinate its expansion across the U.S. To learn more about Imperial Brands, Inc., please visit the company website at: http://www.ibrandsinc.com

Christiania Crowns Cocktail of the Month Contest

2008-09-26T18:19:00.003-05:00

From master mixologist to novice vodka fan – create a cocktail showcasing Christiania Vodka and win 1000 Crowns redeemable for your choice of:

· A Christiania sponsored birthday bash
· A private cocktail lesson with a master Christiania mixologist to enhance your “Christini” knowhow
· $100 Amex cash or Shell gas card or any combination of prizes that range from 25-500 Crowns!

(Of course, you can also save up your Crowns for even more luxury items like a private jet trip.)

Simply submit your favorite drink recipe featuring Christiania Vodka to christianiaCrowns.com and our elite tasting panel, led this month by Jason Law of the Chelsea Hotel – Atlantic City, will vote on the winning mix. Remember, this is an ongoing contest, so feel free to enter as many recipes as you want. At the end of the month we’ll name a winner and post the winning recipe on the site and feature it in our monthly newsletter!

To join Christiania Crowns simply click the link and be the guest of The Intoxicologist. Tour the site, read all about Christiania and learn how you can start earning more Christiania Crowns.

Diageo Backs Initiatives to Combat Drunk Driving and Underage Drinking in Indiana

2008-09-26T17:19:00.002-05:00

SOUTH BEND, Ind., Sept 26, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Students in Indiana Learn From Survivor

Diageo, the world's leading spirits, wine and beer company is proud to support Brandon Silveria in his efforts to prevent drunk driving and underage drinking as he speaks to students and community members this week in South Bend, Indiana.

Silveria, who survived a drunk driving crash when he was a teen, spoke today to students at Washington High School in South Bend, Indiana alongside Attorney General Steve Carter about his experience. Brandon tells his story under the auspices of The Century Council, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking.

"Brandon has a powerful story to share with young people and we hope his message resonates with students today and helps save lives," said Joshua Sanders, Senior Director of State Government Relations, Diageo North America. "Diageo believes our products should be enjoyed responsibly by adults and we want to send the message loud and clear that we do not want the business of anyone under the legal drinking age."

Silveria was 17 when he endured a three-week coma due to a drunk driving crash. Since his rehabilitation, Silveria has devoted himself to speaking about his experience and encouraging people under the legal drinking age to make the right decisions about alcohol. Although his speech has been permanently impaired, Silveria's presentation delivers a resounding message on the dangers of drunk driving and underage drinking and has captivated audiences across the country.

Diageo is a founding member and major supporter of The Century Council, an organization funded by some of the country's leading distillers committed to developing programs to combat drunk driving and underage drinking. These programs include "Ask, Listen, Learn," "Cops in Shops" and "We Don't Serve Teens." The Century Council also works with a broad array of education and prevention professionals on alcohol issues.

About Diageo
Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.

Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands and performance, visit us at http://www.diageo.com.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere, responsibly.

SOURCE Diageo http://www.diageo.com

Liquor Group Wholesale and Drinks Americas Play the Trump Card

2008-09-26T17:14:00.002-05:00

Liquor Group is signed by Drinks Americas Holdings to represent Trump Vodka, Old Whisky River and others in their portfolio.

Jacksonville, FL, September 26, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Liquor Group Wholesale, publicly traded under the ticker (LIQR) was signed by Drinks Americas Holdings, Ltd. originally to represent Drinks Americas’ brands, Trump Super Premium Vodka, Trump Premium Flavors Vodkas, Willie Nelson’s Old Whiskey River Bourbon, Cohete Rum, Damiana Liqueur, Aguila Tequila, and the soon to be released Dr. Dre Chronic Cognac and Dr. Dre Topless Sparkling Vodka in Michigan. Today Liquor Group and Drinks Americas Holdings have announced that the further strengthening of this working partnership by signing Liquor Group to represent Drinks Americas’ Premium brands in 16 of the 18 U.S. Control States. “Our first strategic maneuver was in Michigan and the New England States, then our efforts naturally progressed into the other Controlled Liquor States.” says, Steve Dodge, Vice President of Control State Operations for Liquor Group Wholesale, “This is a strong friendship and a great working relationship we are developing between Drinks Americas and Liquor Group.”

J. Patrick Kenny, CEO of Drinks Americas explains, “In our view, we carry products that are synonymous with the very best of class. Liquor Group delivers the same criteria that we, Drinks Americas, wanted in brand development from a distributor.” Currently the Control States that Liquor Group is representing the Drinks Americas Holdings brands in are New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Utah, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, Montana, Alabama, and Iowa.

For more information and news regarding the premium products of Drinks Americas Holdings Ltd. (www.DrinksAmericas.com) visit www.LiquorGroup.com for Liquor Group’s catalog of products or call 1-866-REACH-LG (1-866-732-2454).

About Drinks Americas

Drinks Americas develops, owns, markets, and nationally distributes alcoholic and non-alcoholic premium beverages associated with renowned icon celebrities. Drinks Americas' portfolio of premium alcoholic beverages includes Donald Trump's award winning Trump Super Premium Vodka and Willie Nelson's Old Whiskey River Bourbon. The Company’s non-alcoholic brands include the distribution of Paul Newman's Own Lightly Sparkling Fruit Juice Drinks and Flavored Waters. Drinks Americas recently formed a joint venture with Universal Music’s Interscope, Geffen, and A&M Records to develop and market beverage products. For further information, please visit our website at www.drinksamericas.com.

About Liquor Group Wholesale

Liquor Group Wholesale is an emerging liquor and wine distribution company operating in 31 US States. Liquor Group Wholesale is publicly traded under the symbol LIQR. Information is available at www.SEC.gov on Liquor Group Wholesale’s operations including the past two years of audited financial statements.

Safe Harbor
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including the description of the company and its product offerings, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the historical volatility and low trading volume of our stock, the risk and uncertainties inherent in the early stages of growth companies, the company's need to raise substantial additional capital to proceed with its business, risks associated with competitors, and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. The company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Liquor Group
James McGonigal
904-285-5885
Info@LiquorGroup.com
www.LiquorGroup.com

TequilaRack™ Provides Hub for Budding Tequila Aficionados

2008-09-26T17:05:00.003-05:00

TequilaRack™ Launches Interactive Website That Educates and Entertains Tequila Enthusiasts.

McLean, VA, September 26, 2008 --(PR.COM)-- International Tasting Group (ITG), the U.S. importer of six 100% Agave Micro Tequila brands, is looking to make wine tasting passé with an interactive website that helps gourmet enthusiasts learn about the history, production, versatility and nuances of Tequila, Mexico’s most misunderstood spirit. The website has just launched its interactive training module which is available online at www.TequilaRack.com

In addition to purchasing the finest Tequila brands, visitors can explore www.TequilaRack.com to learn about the unique process and care applied to the production of 100% Agave, the top shelf of Tequila. Developed with branding and interactive firm Fathom, TequilaRack™ helps turn fans into connoisseurs with interactive quizzes, knowledge builders and suggestions for hosting Tequila tastings, complete with recipes, ambiance tips and online invitations that can be emailed to friends. Through the website, TequilaRack™ hopes to connect with the ever-emerging subcultures of foodies who appreciate finer tastes and new ways to expand their love of gourmet spirits.

More About TequilaRack™
TequilaRack™ is a platform that allows consumers the ability to enjoy a selection of Micro Tequila brands to taste and compare. Each brand is made in extremely small batches by family run distilleries. This affords consumers a wide-range of taste profiles. This platform is designed to coincide with the continued strong growth of the super-premium Tequila market, the growing popularity of tasting flights and the increased trend towards entertaining at home.

TequilaRack™ take-home Tequila tasting kits are now available for sale. Each kit contains three distinctly different Micro Tequila brands, two Riedel Tequila tasting glasses, a proper tasting jigger and an educational DVD. Each TequilaRack™ presentation is channel specific allowing a different presentation for each class of trade at retail. A Back-Bar Rack tasting display for on-premise bars and restaurants and a Stand-Up Rack display, named the Hacienda de Tequila, for the off-premise high-end grocery and liquor stores are among the presentations available. The Back-Bar Rack display accommodates three ITG brands to be sold as a tasting flight set. The Stand-Up Rack display is for single sales at retail and houses all brands, glasses, jiggers, DVDs and Tasting Kits. TequilaRack™’s innovative and interactive website, www.TequilaRack.com is integral to its goal of building and educating a community of Tequila Aficionados.

More About Fathom
Fathom is a branding and interactive firm that helps businesses develop a distinct marketing presence and unique online experience. Fathom’s team of artists, communicators and marketers dive deep into a company’s business challenges and ambitions to bring the creative vision to the surface. Fathom clients include Yale University, EW.com, Jacobs Vehicle Systems, Wireless Zone, Aramark and other forward-thinking companies from the non-profit, lifestyle, online, education and business-to-business industries. Winner of over 40 design awards in the past year alone, Fathom can be found at Fathom.net.

More About ITG
International Tasting Group (ITG) imports, markets and sells distinctive tastings of ultra-premium alcoholic beverages using proprietary packaging, display and an interactive web based education process that, through consumer preferences, allows Breakout Brands to be identified for individual development. TequilaRack™ is the first trademarked platform. Additional branded tasting platforms will roll out in future months. At this time, RUMRACK™, tastings of single barrel Caribbean Rums, is scheduled for 2010.
ITG is comprised of 20 owners/advisors with more than 300 years of combined expertise in the alcoholic beverages industry spanning all facets thereof including importing, production, operations, back-office, communications, sales and marketing.

For more information on ITG or TequilaRack™ contact
JaneLuba at 703-245-8548 or by e-mail at Info@TequilaRack.com

Contact: Jane Luba
Phone: 703-245-8548
E-mail: JLuba@TequilaRack.com

Straight Up Update from The Intoxicologist

2008-05-24T10:12:00.002-05:00

There have been several updates to “The Intoxicologist Is In” at http://intoxicologist.wordpress.com/. I hope you join my new site there.

I have recently compiled a list of new carbohydrate and calorie lists for liqueurs and vodkas. I will soon be adding new pages for tequilas, gins, cognacs, rums, whiskeys… My fingers are typing as fast as they can to search and then pass the information along to you.

New articles to the site include:

1. A press release about BarSol Pisco Acholado including three new recipes. If you have not tried Pisco yet, read up about it and then head out to a bar near you for a sip before you buy.

2. My recipe for the yummy Raspberry Lemon Drop. It is so spring and summery rolled up into one. I have included a beautiful photo so you can have a look at the mouthwatering concoction yourself. When you head out to the grocer for raspberries, look for big juicy ones.

3. Zen Green Tea Liqueur is a fascinating find. My friends over at Myth in the Old Market Omaha hooked me on this one. There is a taste test comparison with a run down on what the Zen is all about on my new site along with a page in the right hand column with all the recipes you could possibly wish for to get your creative juices flowing where the Zen is concerned. If that doesn’t do it for you, one of my readers wrote in to ask how to make a Zen Green Tea Shooter, so I did more research and came up with even more recipes for another article about Zen!

4. Speaking of readers writing in… People ask about a lot of basic drinks. A must read is my article about “21 Must Try Drinks” which includes more than 21 recipes.

5. Would you like to add more bang to your bar? I took a day and made bar syrups galore and found an amazing drink from a restaurant in Durham, NC. I will give you a hint. It is garnished with rosemary and is really fantastic! A real must try.

6. How long has it been since you have had a Lollipop? Well, I found one made with German cherry water, otherwise known as Kirsch. Like all the articles I research and write, this one taught me a few things I didn’t know and some great new recipes as well.

So, come on over and join us. Read up. Drink up. Enjoy our company. Email me with questions, input, or just say hello.

Thanks for reading!
Intoxicologist

Straight Up Cocktails New Site Information

2008-05-05T09:15:00.006-05:00

Straight Up Cocktails has moved to a new site. While I endeavor to keep Straight Up Cocktails up to date, the new site allows for more options to give you more information. Currently I am working on new pages for the Expanding World of Liqueurs as new liqueurs are introduced to the market. Also in the works for the new site is a listing of carbohydrate counts for liqueurs.

All the articles from Straight Up Cocktails have been moved to the new site, so nothing has been lost. If you have suggestions, questions, recipes or liquors you would like to learn about, email me or drop me a line in the comment section. I would love to hear from you. Please click on the link and have a look around. http://intoxicologist.wordpress.com/

As always, thank you for reading!
The Intoxicologist

Reloading the French 75

2008-05-05T09:01:00.001-05:00

It is with some argument as to what a “real” French 75 cocktail consists. Is it cognac, vodka, or gin? Does it contain lemon juice, orange juice or Gran Marnier? As with many cocktails, time and research does not always make the past any clearer. What does become evident is the taste factor. The question to ask is, “what does my palate tell me about a drink?”

For a taste of some disputable and some indisputable French 75 history: The French 75 is a champagne cocktail originally dreamed up by flying ace Raoul Lufbery. Raoul loved his champagne, but wanted a drink with more intensity to it. Cognac proved to be a natural addition due to its availability at the time. Cognac is also complementary to champagne since they both are derived from grapes. The cocktail packs a punch, thus is named for the noted French World War I Artillery gun, the 75mm howitzer, otherwise known as a French 75. Although its roots began with the French flying ace, its popularity soared in America at the famous Stork Club in New York City owned by Sherman Billingsley.

That being said, what about the contents of the drink itself? The first time I ever had one it was terrific in the first few sips. Quite tasty in fact. After the third and fourth sip, however, it lost its impact. The reason was due to the ice factor. In recipe after recipe found in very reputable data bases the French 75 is mixed and then poured over ice. For my palate this waters this particular cocktail down too much. The ice absolutely needs to be thrown out. Despite the ice factor, two content items became distinctly clear throughout these data bases. The French 75 traditionally calls for cognac and lemon juice.

The other factor in this drink to consider is which cognac to use. Since Courvoisier and Hennessey are two cognacs that are readily available, I chose to compare these two for the French 75. Side by side in the cocktail the Hennessey stood up much better having a deeper, richer color and a much more intense flavoring. The difference using Courvoisier was definitely evident. The coloring was pale and the richness in flavor was lacking. The Hennessey French 75 absolutely had more depth of character, rounding it out to be a much more fulfilling drink.

Next in line was a little tweaking with ratios. Raoul Lufbery loved his champagne, so maybe that is what he wanted to taste the most in his beloved drink. For me, the richness of the cognac needs to shine. With more cognac a little less sweetness is needed. Speaking of the sugar factor; always go with a bar syrup rather than granulated sugar. Granulated sugar is difficult to dissolve. Bar syrup is liquid and ready to mix without the granulated mess.

This of course is my palate. You should absolutely try a taste test with the French 75 at home or order one up at your local bar. Any great bartender will make one to order or better yet, know how to make one already!

French 75 ala the Intoxicologist

1-1/4 ounce Hennessey Cognac
1/2 ounce Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1/2 ounce Bar Syrup (or a tad less)
Brut Extra Dry Champagne
Lemon Twist for Garnish

Combine Hennessey, lemon juice, and bar syrup in a cocktail shaker filled one third full of ice. Shake thoroughly for ten to fifteen seconds. Strain into a chilled champagne flute. Top off with champagne. Garnish with lemon twist.

Side Note: If using Courvoisier rather than Hennessey up the amount to 1-1/2 ounces of cognac to achieve the balance of flavor.

Coffee Liqueur Infusion: Especial Style

2008-04-21T21:08:00.003-05:00

Kahlua Especial is a special treat indeed for the coffee liqueur lover. The Especial has a richer, deeper coffee flavor than its original counterpart and is stronger at 70 proof rather than 40 proof. At a price of only a couple of dollars more than the original Kahlua, it is well worth the upgrade in value and taste.

It is little wonder that the surge in interest of infusing liquor at home has moved on to coffee liqueur and this particular formulation of espresso liqueur. While the formula is strictly under wraps with the parent company it has not hindered experimentation. There are many recipes on the internet claiming to be a coffee liqueur infusion. However, most seem to be so generically put together that any flavor whether it be an herb, fruit or nut seems to be interchangeable in the recipe. That does not fit the quality of Kahlua Especial.

One recipe stood out from all the books, recipes, and sites I poured through trying to find an answer to one reader’s question about where to find a coffee liqueur infusion to match the richer flavor of the Especial. Although I have not experimented with this formula myself, it looks promising. A few tweaks have been made to try to ensure a better match to the Especial, but again, no promises. I will be attempting it and will post my results in a later article. However, according to the recipe the best results take three to six months.

Coffee Liqueur Infusion “Kahlua Especial fashion”

2 cups Freshly Ground Espresso Coffee Beans – Kahlua uses Arabica beans according to their website. For a deep flavor grind your beans for at least 15 to 20 seconds in a blade style grinder as close to the time you plan to use them rather than purchasing them already ground.

3 cups Boiling Filtered Water

1-1/2 cups Superfine Granulated Sugar

1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar

3 cups Pure Alcohol – This is personal choice as I could find no recommendation specifically for Kahlua. However, high quality vodka such as Belvedere seems to be a good blank canvas to start with or if you prefer rum, I recommend 10 Cane. Do not start with poor quality liquor or you will end up with a poor quality infusion. As a side note, Tia Maria, another coffee liqueur, specifies dark spiced rum for its infusion process.

1 Whole Vanilla Bean Sliced Lengthwise

1 teaspoon Liquid Glycerin

Cheesecloth

Bring water to a boil. Remove boiling water from the heat. Pour the coffee grounds into the water and set aside. Place sugars into a saucepan large enough to hold the contents of the complete recipe, but do not put everything into the sauce pan yet! Filter the water and coffee through several layers of the cheesecloth until no more coffee grounds come through. Pour the water mixture into the saucepan with the sugars. Heat until all the sugar is melted, but do not bring to a boil. This may take five minutes or more. Wait until mixture is cooled completely. Then stir in alcohol, vanilla bean, and liquid glycerin. Place mixture into a sealed glass container and store in a dark, dry, cool area. Gently shake contents once or twice a week. Filter through cheesecloth again after approximately two weeks, removing the vanilla bean. Again, return the contents to a dark, dry, cool area to age the mixture tasting periodically. This could take three to six months. Once it reaches an aged flavor of your liking, enjoy!

Pacharan: The Sloe Berry Worth the Search

2008-04-21T11:00:00.001-05:00

I recently received a question asking if I had any recipes for the Spanish liqueur, Pacharan. The only reference to this liqueur I have ever come across is from Gary Regan’s column in the San Francisco Chronicle that is reproduced in the online Ardent Spirits newsletter I receive regularly. This particular liqueur is extremely hard to find, which in turn makes handy recipes even more difficult to come by.

In researching this liqueur it appears to have a pinkish hue and be delectably sweet rather than syrupy sweet, making it an excellent choice for after dinner sipping. However, it is exceptional for mixing as well if you have the courage to begin experimenting with it once you can get your hands on a bottle.

The foundation of the pacharan, or sloe berry, is the fruit of the Prunus Espinosa, a wild bush. The fruit is called endrina or aranon. It is dark blue to purple and dusted with a fine white powder. Quite interestingly, it is thought that this sloe berry had medicinal purposes for stomach ailments, childbirth pains, and aches that went along with old age. Many older liqueur roots were founded in the thought that they had medicinal uses.

The Pacharan is infused through the process of maceration which means the sloe berries are steeped in alcohol. Aniseed essence is added to the mixture before and after the process is complete. This method can take anywhere from one to eight months according to one source before it is ready for the final steps of processing, packaging and on to the shelves of select markets.

Below is the recipe from Gary Regan’s article in the San Francisco Chronicle. He is the author of The Joy of Mixology and other books as well as the Ardent Spirits online newsletter. E-mail him at gary@ardentspirits.com if you wish to subscribe.

Basque Martini

1-1/2 ounce Baines Pacharan
1-1/2 ounce Crème de Bananes
1 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
2 ounces Pineapple Juice
Pineapple Slice – Garnish
Maraschino Cherry – Garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds full of ice and add all of the ingredients. Shake for approximately 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Float the pineapple slice atop the drink and place the cherry in the center.

Key Lime Pie in a Glass at Upstream Brewing Company

2008-04-20T23:23:00.001-05:00

Upstream Brewing Company in the Old Market happens to be one of my favorite everyday eating establishments. It is just right for soup and salad, burger and fries, or one of their revolving daily specials. But for Friday night cocktails or beer at the bar, their Greek pizza cannot be beat. They have great food, reasonable prices, and above all else, terrific service by a wait staff who always appear genuinely happy to see me.

While Upstream is primarily known for their on site handcrafted beers, they also provide a variety of wines and a martini list of creative cocktails. Recently they added a few new cocktails to their menu. While perusing the list, two in particular caught my eye. One is often a blended drink, but Upstream has changed it into a straight up drink calling it a Pina Colada Martini. They also used Bacardi Peach Red, which is far from the traditional rum with coconut cream and pineapple juice.

I played with the ingredients for the Pina Colada Martini, finding a recipe to my liking and then tried the Upstream version. Our recipes were very similar. The Bacardi Peach Red adds a pleasant detail to the drink that is unexpected. This straight up version is a great alternative to dragging out the blender and my guess is this one also skips on quite a few calories since it exchanges coconut rum for sugared coconut cream. Instead of using heavy cream as Upstream’s version calls for, I substituted half and half. The only thing Upstream missed on the cocktail was a garnish. This cocktail definitely calls for a skewer of pineapple chunks or at the very least a maraschino cherry. All in all, this is a great tweak on the traditional blended Pina Colada.

The other drink to capture my attention was far more intriguing; the Key Lime Martini. For one, I could not imagine mixing lime juice and cream together and it being reasonably worth tasting. The picture formulating in my mind was combining orange juice and milk. Ick! But primarily my interest in this drink was the liqueur. It called for Liqor 43. Liqor 43 is one of those liqueurs I pass on the shelf at the store, but never purchase. It was time to pick up a bottle for a tasting.

Liqor 43 is Spain’s most widely exported liqueur with a distribution to over 60 countries. Cuarenta Y Tres is Spanish for ‘43’. Apparently there are forty-three herbs, spices and flavorings added to this liqueur, consequently the name; Licor 43. This liqueur has a golden hue with hints of orange and vanilla. It is excellent as a sipping liqueur for after dinner, but even better as a secondary layer to add dimension to mixed drinks and cocktails. The Key Lime Martini is a perfect example of how layers of flavoring make or break a drink.

While Upstream’s Key Lime Martini did have nice flavor, it was rather watery and the Licor 43 was totally lost under the Rose’s Lime Juice. The concentrated form of sweetened lime gave their version a slightly acidic, tart taste rather than the drink coming together smoothly as a whole. It is a shame to add a premium spirit such as Liqor 43 to a mixed drink only to have it smothered beyond recognition. It should be used to enhance a cocktail and make it unique, memorable even.

Again, I played around with the ingredients for the cocktail coming up with a Key Lime Cocktail that was liquid pie in a glass. To say I was amazed is an understatement. The components to this drink played off of each other to perfection. This is what happens when quality products are used in ratios that complement each other as well as using fresh juices rather sugared concentrated juices.

For a weeknight or weekend out, give the cocktails and cuisine at Upstream Brewing Company in the Old Market a try. While at home try out my versions of the Upstream Pina Colada and Key Lime Martinis.

Pina Colada Cocktail

1 ounce Bacardi Peach Red Rum
1 ounce Parrot Bay Coconut Rum
1 ounce Pineapple Juice
1 ounce Half & Half
Pineapple chunks for Garnish

Combine all ingredients except garnish in a cocktail shaker filled one third full of ice. Shake for fifteen to twenty seconds to mix half and half thoroughly. Mixture will be frothy. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a skewer of pineapple chunks. Upstream’s recipe uses 1.5 ounces of pineapple juice instead making for more pineapple flavor.

Key Lime Cocktail

1-1/2 ounce Three Olives Vanilla Vodka
3/4 ounce Liqor 43
1/2 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
1 ounce Half & Half
Lime Twist for Garnish

Combine all ingredients except garnish in a cocktail shaker filled one third full of ice. Shake for fifteen to twenty seconds to mix thoroughly. Mixture will be frothy. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Rim edge of glass with fresh lime twist garnish and then drop into cocktail.

Drink in the Beaches of Blue Hawaii

2008-04-18T09:21:00.004-05:00

With Spring Break in full swing for so many, yet the beautiful beaches out of reach for the vast majority it seems appropriate to bring Hawaii to the masses in the form of drink. Perhaps Hawaii is better known for more unusual drinks using ingredients such as papaya or Li Hing Mui, but the Blue Hawaiian is the cocktail with the namesake.

In researching the Blue Hawaiian, so many versions surfaced it was difficult to decipher which one was the “real” Blue Hawaiian and which ones were the imposters. What also came to the forefront is another drink often confused for the Blue Hawaiian; the Blue Hawaii. These two drinks share a name so similar it is no wonder they are often confused by many a bartender and patron alike. So let’s break down the difference.

A true Blue Hawaiian never contains vodka, but rather rum. It also uses cream of coconut rather than sweet and sour mix. Adversely, the Blue Hawaii uses vodka instead of rum and sweet and sour mix, but no cream of coconut. Both however share something in common always; Blue Curacao.

Blue Curacao is essentially an orange liqueur infused with the dried peels of the Larahas plant which is derived from the Valencia orange. The difference between Blue and Orange Curacao is the color. Substituting one for the other in a drink will only change the color, not the taste.

The Blue Hawaii has an advantage over the Blue Hawaiian in that it makes for quite the easy party punch as well as individual cocktail drink. Since the Blue Hawaiian traditionally calls for cream of coconut which needs thorough stirring, shaking or blending, it is not conducive to a punch bowl setting.

So, you decide. Pour over ice, stir, shake, or put the blender on puree. Set your sights on the sandy beaches of Hawaii, sit back and sip a tall, cool one. Choose one or try them all.

Blue Hawaiian

1 ounce Bacardi Rum
2 ounces Pineapple Juice
1 ounce Blue Curacao
1 ounce Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut
Crushed Ice
Pineapple chunks for garnish

Pour liquid ingredients plus approximately one cup of ice in a blender. Mix at high speed until thoroughly liquefied with no ice chunks. This should take a few minutes. Pour contents into a Collins glass. Garnish with a skewer of fresh pineapple chunks.

Blue Hawaii

1-1/2 ounce Smirnoff Vodka
1 ounce Blue Curacao
1 ounce Sweet & Sour Mix
1 ounce Pineapple Juice
2 to 3 ounces Orange Juice
Garnish: Pineapple chunks or maraschino cherry

Combine ingredients in order given into a Collins glass filled half full of ice. Stir briefly. Garnish with a skewer of pineapple chunks or top with a simple maraschino cherry. To make this recipe into a punch simply multiply the recipe ratios.

For a blend of both worlds try this cocktail using vodka plus coconut rum instead of cream of coconut:

The Blue Hawaii Cocktail

1 ounce Jaguar Vodka
1/2 ounce Blue Curacao
1/2 ounce Parrot Bay Coconut Rum
1-1/2 ounce Pineapple Juice
3/4 ounce Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake thoroughly for ten to fifteen seconds. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Find a Thrill with the Blueberry Hill

2008-04-13T21:58:00.003-05:00

Inspiration often comes out of the blue at an unexpected time. While I am continually on the lookout for new liquors on the market and searching for hard to find ancient ones, sometimes an item catches my eye that is not in the liquor department at all. Occasionally an idea is sparked during an ordinary trip to the market while perusing the juice aisle.

A while back Smirnoff Vodka came out with blueberry flavored vodka. This was entirely new on the market and of course a must have to try in my test kitchen. It paired well with Caravella Limoncello, fresh lemon juice and bar syrup. However, bar syrup is not my first choice for flavoring a cocktail. It is nothing special after all, just sugar and water. There is no real flavor in it. Flavor means adding punch to something. An explosion of enthusiasm is what transforms a cocktail from corner bar weekday to nightclub Saturday night.

This infusion of flavor insight came from a tiny bottle of concentrated blueberry juice. WOW! Does this little bottle pack a punch?! Merely opening the bottle and shaking a quarter of an ounce of it in the shaker had the entire place smelling of fresh blueberries. With a few minor adjustments and tweaking of my original recipe, this cocktail indeed went from the monotonous everyday drink to an explosion of flavor.

Blueberry Hill

2 ounces Smirnoff Blueberry Vodka
1 ounce Caravella Limoncello
1/2 ounce Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1/4 ounce Blueberry Juice Concentrate
Lemon Wheel, Garnish
Four Fresh Blueberries, Garnish

Place liquids in a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake 10 to 15 seconds until chilled thoroughly. Strain into a well chilled cocktail shaker. Garnish with a floated lemon wheel. Place a skewer of fresh blueberries across top of glass. Enjoy!

Blueberry Hill Thrill

2 ounces Smirnoff Blueberry Vodka
1 ounce Caravella Limoncello
1/2 ounce Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1/4 ounce Blueberry Juice Concentrate
Brut or Extra Brut Champagne
Lemon Wheel, Garnish
Four Fresh Blueberries, Garnish

Place liquids except champagne into cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake 10 to 15 seconds until fully chilled. Strain into a well chilled cocktail shaker. Garnish with a floated lemon wheel. Place a skewer of fresh blueberries into the cocktail. Top off with champagne; about one to two ounces.

I used Dynamic Health Blueberry Juice Concentrate, 100% Pure, Kosher from organically grown blueberries found at Whole Foods Market for $8.99. This particular brand may also be found on the internet.

Tanqueray's Rangpur & the Maharani Cocktail

2008-04-06T21:47:00.002-05:00

Sometimes the winter seems so long, cold and brutal that the only drinks that keep me warm are a glass of cabernet sauvignon or a double shot of Van Gogh Double Espresso Vodka with a single ice cube melting slowly away in the glass. However, spring puts a fresh perspective on the cocktail shaker and new drinks are begging to be shaken and stirred.

Tanqueray launched Rangpur Gin in the summer of 2006 to a couple of trial cities in the United States. Obviously Tanqueray realized they had a success on their hands, because two years later Rangpur Gin is widely available throughout the US. This particular gin is aptly named for the essence of rangpur limes, ginger, and bay leaves that have been added during the final stages of the distillation process. This merging of flavor results in Rangpur being a slightly less edgy gin than one might associate with the higher end Tanqueray 10. Tanqueray 10 has the sharpness needed for a perfect straight up martini, while the Tanqueray Rangpur has a softer, fruitier lilt to it which enables it to mingle well with less traditional gin drinks. It is this factor also that possibly opens gin up to an entirely new demographic of drinkers who may have never considered experimenting with gin before.

While spring calls for experimentation, it also calls for bikini season on the horizon. The waistline has been taken into consideration as much as possible where liquor is concerned and diet tonic water has been used in the following recipe. This version is preferable to regular tonic water and it really keeps the carbohydrate count down for anyone on a low carb diet. The following highball cocktail contains only 1.5 grams of carbs.

Rangpur & Tonic

2 ounces Rangpur Gin
1/2 ounce Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
Diet Tonic Water

Pour gin and lime juice into a highball glass filled half full of ice. Top off with diet tonic water. A half a fresh lime may be used in place of the fresh squeezed juice and then dropped into the glass as garnish.

Cheri Limeade

2 ounces Rangpur Gin
1/2 ounce Chambord
1/2 ounce Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
Diet Tonic Water or Regular Tonic Water
Maraschino Cherries & Lime Wheel for Garnish

Measure Rangpur and lime juice into a highball glass filled 1/2 full of ice. Top with tonic water leaving enough room at the top of the glass to float the 1/2 ounce of Chambord. Garnish with maraschino cherries and lime wheel on a skewer.

What is spring and cocktail hour without a straight up cocktail? One of my favorite liqueurs is St~Germain. This liqueur seems to have been created for spring as it originates from bountiful elderflower blossoms. These fragile blossoms transform into a delicate sweet spirit during the production process. While gin and St~Germain may not be a traditional combination, the uniqueness of St~Germain and the infused layering of Rangpur make them an ideal complement to each other.

Maharani Cocktail

1-1/2 ounce Rangpur Gin
1-1/2 ounce St~Germain
3/4 ounce Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
Thinly Sliced Lemon & Lime Wheels for Garnish

Combine liquids in a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake for approximately 15 seconds. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Carefully fold the lemon and lime wheels together into the shape of a “C” and thread onto a skewer through the rinds. Place into the cocktail and serve.

Summer Fun Begins with Sex on the Beach

2008-04-06T09:29:00.004-05:00

Spring break, sand volleyball, bikinis, and Sex on the Beach; all mark the end of a long bitter winter and the beginning of fun in the sun. While some may view Sex on the Beach as a girlie cocktail with its pinkish hue and fruity flavor, there was a time when this particular drink topped cocktail lists in the hottest bars across the country due to the name alone. This drink has taken on a life of its own with variations such as Creamy Sex on the Beach, Oral Sex on the Beach, Quick Sex on the Beach, Sex on the Brain, Sex on the Pool Table, or even Sex with the Bartender.

Although it is difficult to pinpoint when or where the first Sex on the Beach cocktail originated, there is no doubt what makes for a good one. The Sex on the Beach cocktail is classified within the New England Highball family of drinks. All New England Highballs contain cranberry juice. From there various liqueurs or juices are added to create the other cocktails within this family grouping.

The key to creating a fabulous Sex on the Beach is the right ratio and quality of ingredients brought to the shaker. While Chopin vodka with its four times distillation is fabulous for a straight up martini, it is not necessary for your average highball. A good quality average Joe vodka is essential. Smirnoff Triple Distilled Vodka is the ideal vodka for most average mixers. It has a clean taste rather than that nose turning, rubbing alcohol scent that most lower end and even some flashier advertised vodkas share. An additional benefit is the eleven flavors Smirnoff has introduced to the market including blueberry, which mixes wonderfully with Caravella Limoncello.

Whenever possible fresh fruit juices make the difference between a ho hum cocktail and a “Wow!” cocktail. If fresh juices are not available, at least do not forget to garnish the drink. Garnishing is the finishing step. There are some cocktails that a garnish is merely an accessory to pretty the glass up a bit. However, more often than not garnishing adds just that little extra hint of flavor to the cocktail. Whether it is slightly pungent from citrus twists, sweet from the syrup of maraschino cherries, or briny like dunked olives, every garnish serves its purpose in a cocktail.

Sex on the Beach

1-1/2 ounces vodka
1/2 ounce Peachtree Schnapps
1/4 ounce Chambord
2 ounces Cranberry Juice
2 ounces Pineapple Juice

Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake 10 – 15 seconds until frothy. Strain into a highball glass filled 1/2 to 2/3 full of ice. Garnish with a skewer of fresh pineapple chunks.

For those who would like to enjoy Sex on the Beach all day, this is a little something I concocted that is non alcoholic.

Faux Sex on the Beach

3 ounces Pineapple juice
2 ounces Cranapple juice
1/4 ounce Raspberry syrup (found on the coffee aisle)
2 ounces Apricot nectar
Club Soda

Pour all ingredients except Club Soda into a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake 10 – 15 seconds. Pour into a highball glass filled 1/2 to 2/3 full of ice. Top off with Club Soda. Garnish with a skewer of fresh pineapple chunks & maraschino cherries.

Myth Cocktail Lounge & Agavero: Where Legends Begin

2008-04-05T17:18:00.005-05:00

Call it legend or lore, the tucked away cozy cocktail bar Myth actually exists in a thriving little alcove in The Old Market at 1105 Howard Street in Omaha, Nebraska. Amid big business chain restaurants and long time sports bars that cater to specific market types, this small cocktail lounge has met the calling of a clientele that is difficult to pigeonhole and, quite frankly, appears would rather not be.

On any given evening there may be an elderly woman with her daughter and grand daughter sipping wine and a cosmopolitan at one corner table while a bachelorette party is quietly beginning their evening festivities at a small sofa nook. Through the door may enter a couple on their first date taking seats at the bar next to a regular who chats amiably with the owner Brian and one of the friendly bartenders Bryan or Joel. Meanwhile other couples and singles mingle in a fashion that does not read any particular stereotype at all. It is just a mix of people having a good time in a low key, sophisticated bar where jeans or suits are the norm.

There is a small TV hanging over the bar area, but it is rarely tuned in as this is not a sports bar. The music playing in the background at Myth comes from local bands that have toured through and often play at Myth on Tuesdays and Thursdays any given week. These artists are posted on the Myth MySpace page along with a calendar of Myth performance events.

Myth’s bar is particularly intriguing if you take the time for more than a glance along the back wall. Quite a few bars of Myth’s size have a marginally stocked bar with the typical offerings. Most bars will carry the run of the mill well stock liquors and then there will be the call liquors; three or four tequilas, three or four vodkas, one or two rums, one or two gins, and most likely one of each scotch and whiskey. Myth goes the extra mile. Myth’s back bar looks like the kind of bar a person would like to stock in their own home. It is not what is usually seen in a typical small commercial bar. There are high end vodkas made from potatoes, some flavored with double espresso, and a very new one coming made from corn. There are enough selections of whiskeys to do a drink comparison with them if you wish. Myth stocks some of the liquors and liqueurs people hear about, but have not had the opportunity to try. What it all adds up to is fabulous drinks and a relaxing atmosphere for an unmistakably good time.

A little something I was pleasantly surprised to learn about at Myth was Agavero tequila liqueur. Agavero is a blend of 100% agave anejo and reposado tequilas with an addition of Damiana flower. Damiana flower is indigenous to the mountainous region of Jalisco. Legend maintains that the essence of the Damiana flower stirs up the emotions in people. Whether it is the flower or the essence blended in this tequila, it is difficult to say, but at 64-proof, consuming too much could certainly stir an emotional response in the weak of spirit. The result of blending of Damiana with 100% blue agave tequila is a smooth, vaguely sweet tequila that mingles rather nicely with Patron for margaritas or champagne if you dare for something a bit more frisky.

If you are up for a place with sophistication without an air of pretentiousness to it, check out Myth in The Old Market.

Champagne Agavero

1 ounce Agavero
Brut or Extra Brut Champagne
Lime Wedge

Pour Agavero in champagne flute. Top off with champagne leaving room for squeezing the lime wedge and dropping into the champagne. It is advantageous to chill the Agavero for the purpose of this drink. Thank you to Brian at Myth for introducing me to Agavero and this particular cocktail!

Agavero Margarita

2 ounces Patron Reposado Tequila
1 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
3/4 ounce Agavero
Salt for Rimming
Lime Wedge for Garnish

Run lime wedge around rim of margarita or double old fashioned glass. Dip rim of glass in salt. Fill glass 2/3 full of ice and set aside. Place Tequila, lime juice, and Agavero in a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake until frothy; approximately 15 seconds. Strain into salt rimmed glass. Garnish with lime wedge.

Make Your Valentine's Day a Red Hottini Success

2008-02-09T23:51:00.000-06:00

As always, the Intoxicologist is on a quest for something exciting and new for parties and special occasions. Valentine’s Day 2008 stirred my imagination for creative new cocktail recipes. I’ve been in the test kitchen trying out new concoctions, in the library pouring through books, and in the cellar sampling wine. There are new trends and new liquors on the market for your enjoyment. So, scroll down and take note. Something may spark your interest.

Espresso Cocotini

1-1/4 ounce Three Olives Vanilla Vodka
1/4 ounce Van Gogh Double Espresso Double Caffeine Vodka
3/4 ounce Godiva Chocolate Cream Liqueur
1/2 ounce Starbucks Coffee Liqueur
Hershey’s Syrup
Ground Nutmeg
Chocolate Shavings (optional)

Place first four ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake well. Swirl Hershey’s Syrup inside a cold cocktail glass. Strain contents of cocktail shaker into Hershey’s Syrup swirled cocktail glass. Sprinkle ground nutmeg and chocolate shavings on top of cocktail. Serve immediately. Another garnish option is a Hershey’s Kiss pierced at the end of a cocktail pick and placed horizontally across the cocktail glass.

Red Hottini

2 ounces Three Olives Vanilla Vodka
1/2 ounce Hot Damn
3 to 5 Whole Candied Red Hots

Mix vodka and Hot Damn in a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake well. Place 3 to 5 Red Hot candies in bottom of well chilled cocktail glass. Strain cocktail shaker ingredients into cocktail glass. Serve immediately.

Since Almond Joy is a trademark candy bar, I use caution in naming my cocktail after this particular candy bar. However, after toying with this particular cocktail, I blindly taste tested it on a couple of people and they immediately exclaimed that the Almond Joy is what it tasted like, which is what I was going for in this particular drink. You decide for yourself.

Faux Almond Joy Cocktail

1-1/4 ounce Three Olives Vanilla Vodka
1/4 ounce Parrot Bay Coconut Rum
1/4 ounce Disaronno Amaretto Liqueur
1/8 ounce Godiva Chocolate Cream Liqueur
1/4 ounce Coco Lopez Coconut Cream
Hershey’s Syrup
Ground Blanched Almonds (they can be ground in a coffee grinder)

Place a small amount of Hershey’s Syrup on a saucer. Pour ground blanched almonds on another saucer. Dip the rim of a chilled cocktail glass in the syrup allowing excess to drip off. Next dip the chocolate rim into the blanched almonds to create an almond rim on the glass. Place cocktail glass into the freezer or carefully fill with ice to keep chilled. Mix first five ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake well. Set aside. Swirl Hershey’s Syrup inside of empty, chilled cocktail glass. Strain contents of cocktail shaker into chocolate swirled cocktail glass. Serve immediately.

Cocktails may not appeal to everyone. I tend to be drawn to bottles and labels. So, when I saw the Little Black Dress wine label I immediately picked it up. With its white lettering, red hanger and red high heeled pumps strewn in wanton abandon on the label, this wine begs to be swiped up, drunk without inhibition, come what may. It is the perfect mid priced wine for any budget. I chose the Merlot, but it also is marketed in Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. This wine can be found at Whole Foods or online in the price range of $10 - $12.

For a little experimentation of your own, pick up a copy of The Martini Companion: A Connoisseur’s Guide by Gary Regan and Mardee Haidin Regan. These are two of my favorite cocktail experts and they have not disappointed in this book. This copy was a Christmas gift and it is a gift that has kept on giving me a wealth of new ideas. What a pleasure! It will be a tremendous extension to your cocktail library as well with its timeless classics and trendiest cocktails from the most chic hotels, restaurants, and bars.

A relatively new product on the market is Jaguar Vodka. While most vodka is made from grain or potato, this one is made from sugar cane. Jaguar Vodka is distilled five times or more, which means it is a very clean tasting, pure vodka. In a taste test with Chopin (potato vodka), Ciroc (grape vodka), and Tall Blond (grain vodka); Jaguar Vodka stood up well. Chopin and Ciroc have a clean scent, meaning there is no scent at all. Tall Blond and Jaguar both have a denatured alcohol scent. All have a clean, full bodied taste worthy of a refreshing straight up martini. With the grape base of Ciroc and the sugar cane base of Jaguar, both make an incredible foundation for top of the line fruit cocktails. What makes Jaguar a little different is their marketing strategy. They set aside a portion of their proceeds to preserve the Jaguar habitat. For more information log on at www.jaguarvodka.com

Enjoy this year’s Valentine’s Day, but do not delay. Next Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Next year it gets scarier. Friday the thirteenth falls just before Valentine’s Day on Saturday. Sounds like the perfect opportunity for scary movies and a Frankentini. The Intoxicologist will be in the lab concocting something special.

Getting Beyond the Core of the Appletini

2008-02-08T12:42:00.000-06:00

One would think the Appletini would be a cinch to make. Vodka and a little apple liqueur and voila, one has the perfect cocktail set before them. Not so. This little number is a bit more sophisticated than expected. It can be a breeze for sure, but only if one wants mediocre results. Why settle for average when the exceptional is only a jigger and shake away?

The Appletini is a contemporary cocktail on the International Bartenders Association’s list of official cocktails. It is classified among the family of duo and trio drinks, meaning it is comprised of two or three ingredients. This particular family of drinks is remarkable due to the nature of its flexibility. All of the cocktails begin with only two or three ingredients, making them a fantastic building block for many more drinks to discover and create. This paves the way for duo and trio drinks to go from the ordinary to the extraordinary with only minor changes in dashes or quarter to half ounce additions of bitters, liqueurs and juices. The Appletini is no different. It can go beyond the comic book Green Goblin color to the amazing flavorful cocktail that sends the taste buds zinging with a few minor changes.

Take for instance the basic duo recipe:

Appletini – Duo

2 ounces Vodka
1 ounce Green Apple Liqueur

Pour ingredients into cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an apple slice.

The basic recipe is uneventful. It gets the job done. There is indeed apple flavor and the punch of liquor in it, but no layering of flavor to make it interesting. Some adjust the ratios and add apple juice at this point, making this a trio drink.

Appletini – Trio

1 ounce Vodka
1 ounce Green Apple Liqueur
1 ounce Apple Juice

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an apple slice.

This trio Appletini possibly has a bit of layering to it, but now it seems a wee bit watered down. While using fresh juice in fruit based cocktails is always a plus, it is doubtful most would have fresh apple juice in the refrigerator. Even so, apple juice is still thin and weak. Fresh squeezed will always be better in a cocktail, even if it is not the fresh squeezed juice you may expect.

The answer to the multilayered, abundantly flavored Appletini was created by Dale DeGroff for Natalie Cole and her manager for Rupert Murdoch’s seventieth birthday party. You can read a small quip about it in his book, The Craft of the Cocktail, and acquire an abundance of other essential cocktails you won’t believe you ever went without. Below is DeGroff’s version of the indispensable Appletini with fresh lemon juice.

Sour Apple Martini – Dale DeGroff from The Craft of the Cocktail

2 ounces Citrus Vodka
1/2 ounce Sour Apple Pucker
1/2 ounce Cointreau
3/4 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice
Thin Slice of Granny Smith Apple, for garnish

Place first four ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake until chilled. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the apple slice.

The Waterfront Ale House in New York City has a specialty Apple Martini using their own infused vodka with pear, apples, cloves and cinnamon. You will find the recipe for this Apple Martini in The Craft of the Cocktail as well. It is definitely a must see!

Champagne & Orange Juice: The Buck Starts Here

2008-02-08T10:19:00.000-06:00

A Buck’s Fizz by any other name is what most Americans know as a Mimosa. This Sunday brunch staple may well be the most commonly known Champagne cocktail. The Buck’s Fizz or Mimosa is a simply elegant cocktail which turns an ordinary breakfast into an invitation for leisurely conversation.

The Buck’s Fizz originated in 1921 with barman, Pat McGarry, the first bartender of the famous Buck’s Club in London. McGarry is also the recognized creator of the original Sidecar cocktail. Captain H. J. Buckmaster established the Buck’s Club in 1919. He wanted an American Cocktail Bar rather than the stuffy traditional gentlemen’s clubs in existence at the time. He must have hit upon something, because the Buck’s Club made its way into contemporary fiction writing and has hit Hollywood’s big screen. Most importantly, Buck’s Club is still in business at the time of this writing.

With only two ingredients, Champagne and orange juice, the Buck’s Fizz is an easy preparation. A Buck’s Fizz is heavier on orange juice than the Mimosa version that followed a few short years later, making its appearance at the Ritz Hotel in Paris in 1925. Both are very similar, the difference being only in the ratios of Champagne to orange juice. If Champagne is not available or desired, sparkling wine or Prosecco may be used. Fresh orange juice is always a plus, but is not absolutely necessary to make either of these cocktails a winning combination.

Buck’s Fizz

4 ounces Orange Juice
2 ounces Champagne

Pour orange juice into a champagne flute. Top off with Champagne, sparkling wine, or Prosecco. This cocktail may be garnished with a float of grenadine and a cherry if desired.

Mimosa

2 ounces Orange Juice
4 ounces Champagne

Pour orange juice into a champagne flute. Top off with Champagne, sparkling wine, or Prosecco. Garnish with a float of grenadine and a cherry if desired.

Barman Frank Meier or the Ritz Bar created an alternate version to the Mimosa calling it a Valencia.

Valencia

1 ounce Orange Juice
1/2 ounce Apricot Liqueur
5 to 6 ounces Champagne

Place orange juice and apricot liqueur in champagne flute. Top with Champagne. Garnish with an orange spiral.

Yet another version of this ever popular cocktail is the French Mimosa using Gran Marnier. Cointreau may be used as a substitute as well.

French Mimosa

1 ounce Orange Juice
1/2 ounce Gran Marnier
5 to 6 ounces Champagne

Pour orange juice and Gran Marnier into champagne flute. Top with Champagne. Garnish with an orange spiral. A few dashes of orange bitters before adding the Champagne is another alternative for an extra layer of exceptional flavor.

Champagne Cocktails for the Everyday Royale Experience

2008-02-06T16:22:00.000-06:00

It is a shame that champagne seems to only make an appearance at special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, birthday brunches, and New Years Eve. This particular effervescent beverage rises above all others on cocktail menus and wine lists. This may be due in part to the celebratory nature of its existence or the underlying impression that only expensive champagne or sparkling wine is worth partaking of. Not so. Imagine the opportunities wasting away that could be had sipping on a bit of the bubbly while experimenting with exciting flavors of liqueurs.

The Kir Royale for instance not only allows our taste buds the joyous fizzy bubbles, but also a walk on the wild side with the seldom used Cassis liqueur. Cassis is a liqueur made from the tart blackcurrant berries. These tiny berries are miniature pinkish red clusters that appear almost translucent. Once the blackcurrants are refined into liqueur form the liquid takes on a lush, deep purplish hue to match its rich flavor. While blackcurrant berries are tart, the Cassis liqueur is a sharp sort of sweet that is neither syrupy, nor bitter.

The Kir Royale needs just two ingredients, Champagne or sparkling wine and Cassis liqueur. While an expensive bottle of authentic Champagne would indeed make this an exquisite cocktail, it is completely unnecessary. The liqueur added to the Champagne breaks down the complexities a high quality Champagne has to offer. The real reason to spend a great deal of money on a bottle of Champagne is to savor every drop of flavor from the Champagne itself, not to mix it with a liqueur.

An inexpensive Champagne or sparkling wine is the way to go for the Kir Royale or any other Champagne cocktail. Keep in mind liqueurs have a high sugar content. Since Champagne or sparkling wine is already sweet, it is a good idea to look for the classifications of Extra Dry, Brut or Extra Brut. Drier Champagne helps balance the liqueur for a more satisfying cocktail. Save the expensive champagnes for the extraordinary occasions, but bring out a bit of the bubbly for the everyday celebrations that make life festive each day.

Kir Royale

Champagne
1/4 ounce Mathilde Cassis Liqueur
Lemon peel for garnish

Pour the Cassis Liqueur into a champagne glass and fill with champagne. Garnish with a lemon peel.

A Kir is basically an identical cocktail to the Kir Royale. White wine is used in place of Champagne in the Kir. In France it has become commonplace for waiters to offer the choice of blackcurrant, blackberry, or peach liqueurs when ordering a Kir. A Kir Royale becomes a Kir Imperial when Mathilde Framboise (raspberry) is substituted for Cassis. Try any of these for a pleasant new twist on a classic favorite.

Bartender's Source Guide for Creative Cocktails

2008-02-04T17:00:00.000-06:00

Where does a bartender on the rise go to find reputable recipes that are beyond the ordinary? Where does the party host with the most go for the inside scoop on the old fashioned cocktails making their way back into the mainstream trendier bars? Where is that little tidbit of ice breaker cocktail trivia to be found that gives you the edge over the other guy at the end of the bar?

Let’s face it, anyone can throw together a book with slapped together recipes to get someone drunk and call it a bartender’s guide to everything. Throw a few catchy, sexy drink titles in there with flashy photos and someone will buy it. There is no guarantee the cocktails will be great or even remotely good. With the barrage of bartending books out on the market touting 1,000 to 2,800 recipes it is difficult to know where to start. If the recipes are not of quality and satisfying, it does not matter how many are in the book. If a book is awkwardly arranged with recipes difficult to find, it is also not much use. So, where does one start?

Dale DeGroff’s book, The Craft of the Cocktail, is a fabulous starter book for the beginner and seasoned cocktail enthusiast. Dale is internationally recognized as one of the world’s finest mixologists. His book spans setting up a basic bar, selecting and using tools correctly, and the techniques he teaches bartenders who train through his seminars. He includes 500 recipes that are classic and current cocktails. The most fascinating aspect of Dale’s book is the stories and histories behind the cocktails. There is a wealth of personal stories to be told about the individual drinks and how they came to be or the famous people who consumed them. This is an invaluable tool not only for the recipes, but for the little crumbs of information and fascinating facts you will glean in reading this book through and through.

The Joy of Mixology by Gary Regan is another excellent learning tool for the bartender, professional or amateur, interested in learning the mechanics and dynamics of how cocktails are put together. Gary created a system for categorizing drinks to help in remembering drink recipes and also how to build from these categories to create new recipes. For example many cocktails belong to a family of drinks. Once the family standard is recognized, many more cocktails are built from a single few cocktails within one family by adding ingredients or changing out the base liquor. Gary also covers bartending basics along with the 350 recipes provided within the book.

A favorite all purpose guide is The Bartender’s Best Friend by Mardee Haidin Regan. This guide is a favorite due to its ease of use. There are over 850 recipes all listed alphabetically in this book. The index also lists the drinks by liquor. For example, if you want to know what to make with Cachaca, there is a listing for it in the index with all the drinks in the book with that ingredient. Mardee also covers bartending basics and helpful hints for a home bar and cocktail party bar. This is a great book to keep handy for quick referral.

For an up to date glance in cocktail trends from the hottest bars across the United States take a look at the Food & Wine Cocktails 2007. The 150 cocktail recipes outlined in this small paperback are the newest cocktail sensations hitting the market in the finest restaurants and hippest night spots in the nation. These cocktails come from cutting edge bartenders who are out there night after night mixing up traditional favorites and innovative new ones. Each page highlights one cocktail recipe along with information on the bar or restaurant from which it came. Often there is a side note about the cocktail and how it was created or a little anecdote about the establishment itself. This is an excellent tool for any mixologist who loves to get a little creative behind the bar.

There are also online reference guides to make cocktail surfing much easier.

www.kingcocktail.com with Master Mixologist Dale DeGroff
www.ultimatebarchef.com the ultimate location for all of your bartending needs
www.talesofthecocktail.com the most spirited event of the summer
www.cocktaildb.com the internet cocktail database-an encyclopedia for scholars, writers, bartenders, and mixologists
www.ardentspirits.com Gary and Mardee Regan, cocktail connoisseurs

Infusing the Black Russian with Flavor

2008-02-04T12:12:00.000-06:00

An after dinner drink is the icing on the cake for those who would rather drink their dessert instead of eat it. It makes no sense, however, to settle for an ordinary cocktail when it can be made into something spectacular with the right quality ingredients.

Take for instance the Black Russian. It is a fine drink on the surface, but nothing special. The Black Russian is a basic duo drink comprised of vodka and coffee liqueur. Vodka is essentially colorless, odorless, and tasteless, making it the perfect mixer for cocktails trying to mask the alcohol taste. With a duo drink there are only two opportunities for flavor. It stands to reason that both liquor and liqueur should bring the fullest flavor to the party in this drink to make it a superb after dinner dessert cocktail. Make the vodka do some work, too.

Van Gogh’s Double Espresso Double Caffeine Vodka is one component needed to bring about flavor success in the Black Russian. Van Gogh’s handcrafted line of vodkas bring excitement to the vodka world with its all natural, multiple distillation process. This leaves a crisp, clean, high quality tasting vodka. Van Gogh goes a few steps further with its six week flavor infusion process. The Double Espresso Double Caffeine is the only espresso vodka on the market that is FDA-approved with double caffeine. It also adds that extra touch of black to the Black Russian due to the fact that Van Gogh adds color to this particular vodka. The taste is as exquisite as a fine cup of smooth, robust espresso. For those wishing to go without the caffeine there is also the decaffeinated Van Gogh Espresso Vodka which is clear, yet still of the highest quality espresso flavor.

The next ingredient in this after dinner cocktail is the coffee liqueur. Instead of plain, go for something “especial.” Kahlua Especial is a richer, deeper tasting version of the original Kahlua coffee liqueur. The Especial is made from Arabica coffee beans, giving it an exotic, intense flavor. It is marginally less sweet than the original Kahlua, yet is 70 proof compared to the 40 proof of the original. With a price difference of only a few dollars, you definitely get more bang for your buck in price and flavor with the Kahlua Especial.

The Black Russian is a great cocktail to customize to your particular taste. If you prefer something sweeter, just use more Kahlua Especial. If you prefer less sweet, use less Kahlua Especial. The ideal depends on you.

Black Russian

2 ounces Van Gogh Double Espresso Double Caffeine Vodka
1 ounce Kahlua Especial

Build in a rocks glass filled two thirds full of ice in the order given. Stir.

The Black Russian is also the base of several other drinks; White Russian, Bull Dog, and Mudslide.

White Russian

1 ounce Van Gogh Double Espresso Double Caffeine Vodka
1 ounce Kahlua Especial
1 ounce Half and Half

Build in a rocks glass filled two thirds full of ice in the order given. Stir.

Bull Dog

1 ounce Van Gogh Double Espresso Double Caffeine Vodka
1 ounce Kahlua Especial
1 ounce Half and Half
Splash of Coke on top

Place first three ingredients in the order given in a rocks glass filled two thirds full of ice. Stir. Top off with a splash of Coke.

Mudslide

1 ounce Van Gogh Double Espresso Double Caffeine Vodka
1 ounce Kahlua Especial
1 ounce Baileys Irish Cream

Build in a rocks glass filled two thirds full of ice in the order given. Stir.

Back to the Basics

2008-02-01T12:10:00.000-06:00

With the ever expanding liquor market and the influx of trendy cocktails, it is increasingly difficult for even the well versed bartender to keep an up to date cocktail recipe book. Picking up one of the many reputable bartenders’ guides on the market can be equally as daunting with thousands of recipes to choose from to begin memorizing. It seems to reason there would be a basic starting point or a well of drinks that the majority of drinkers would return to once a trend has run its course. It is this base of drinks that a bartender worth their salt or sugar rimmer would do well to consider setting to memory.

The International Bartenders Association (IBA) is a worldwide organization that encourages excellent customer service in bartending, provides education as it relates to the habits and customs of drinking and organizes international mixed drink competitions. The IBA also encourages standardized mixed drink recipes. There is an IBA official cocktails listing found on their website (www.iba-world.com). It is worth noting that the reason these particular cocktails make it to this list is due to the frequency they are made by professional bartenders all around the world and because of the notoriety of the cocktail itself. Some cocktails have a history so intertwined within the roots of the liquor industry that they can not be ignored and will never become outdated.

This cocktail listing is divided into four categories: pre-dinner, after-dinner, long drink, and popular. The cocktails range from the not so surprising Whiskey Sour, Manhattan, and Old Fashioned that are often associated with older style drinks, to the more modern trendier drinks such as the Margarita, Cosmopolitan, and Sex on the Beach. All of these cocktails held a place in popular culture at one time. They rise and fall with trends, yet all have the staying power that many cocktails will never achieve. These are the cocktails that are the foundation of bartending. These are the cocktails worth remembering. They are also the cocktails with a rich history behind them waiting to be shared from bartender to customer. Begin the journey as a bartender by memorizing the basic cocktails and researching the histories. Only then will the real craft of bartending begin to unfold.

International Bartenders Association Official Cocktails with recipes for one of the more obscure drinks from each of the categories:

Pre-Dinner Cocktail: Americano, Bacardi Cocktail, Daiquiri, Frozen Daiquiri, Banana Daiquiri, Bronx, Kir, Kir Royal, Manhattan, Manhattan Dry, Manhattan Medium, Margarita, Martini (Dry, Perfect, Sweet and Vodka), Gibson, Negroni, Old Fashioned, Paradise, Rob Roy, Rose, Whiskey Sour

Paradise Cocktail (Pre-Dinner Cocktail)

2 ounces Gin
3/4 ounce Apricot Brandy
3/4 ounce Fresh Orange Juice
2 dashes of Orange Bitters

Mix ingredients with in a cocktail shaker filled two thirds full of ice. Shake. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

After-Dinner: Brandy Alexander, Black Russian, White Russian, French Connection, God Father, God Mother, Golden Cadillac, Golden Dream, Grasshopper, Porto Flip, Rusty Nail

French Connection (After Dinner)

1 ounce Courvoisier Cognac
1 ounce Grand Marnier

Serve in a warm brandy snifter.

Long Drink Style: Bellini, Bloody Mary, Brandy Egg Nog, Buck’s Fizz, Mimosa, Bull Shot, Champagne Cocktail, John Collins, Gin Fizz, Harvey Wallbanger, Horse’s Neck, Irish Coffee, Pina Colada, Planter’s Punch, Screwdriver, Singapore Sling, Tequila Sunrise

Bull Shot (Long Drink Style)

1 and 1/2 ounces Smirnoff Vodka
Dash of Orange Juice
4 Dashes of Tabasco Sauce
Dash of Pepper
4 ounces Cold Beef Broth

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake well. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange peel.

Popular Cocktails: Caipirinha, Cosmopolitan, Japanese Slipper, Kamikaze, Long Island Iced Tea, Mai-Tai, Mojito, Orgasm, B52, Salty Dog, Sea Breeze, Cuba Libre, Sex on the Beach, Apple Martini

Japanese Slipper (Popular Cocktail)

1 ounce Midori
1 ounce Cointreau
1 ounce Lemon Juice

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled 2/3 full of ice. Shake. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a honeydew melon slice or skewered honeydew melon cubes.

Nailing the Screwdriver

2008-01-31T15:28:00.000-06:00

The classification of Florida Highballs carries with it some very interesting family members; Screwdriver, Fuzzy Navel, Harvey Wallbanger, and Sloe Comfortable Screw to name a few. These drinks all have vodka and orange juice in common. If you can nail down the Screwdriver the other drinks in the family will all fall in line.

While many cocktails enjoy the flare of the shaker and a flashy history, the Screwdriver is an unassuming drink with a rather humble beginning. The story behind the Screwdriver is not in how it is shaken, but how it is stirred. The stirring is evidently how this drink got it’s moniker. Rumor has it this drink originated with oilmen who drank their vodka with orange juice, mixing it with the screwdrivers they carried in the loops of their work belts. Plain and simple, yet the Screwdriver is the foundation of an entire family of drinks.

Screwdriver

2 ounces Smirnoff Vodka
4 ounces Orange Juice

Build in an ice filled highball glass. Stir. Garnish with an orange slice.

To make a Harvey Wallbanger, simply float 1/2 ounce of Galliano on top of the Screwdriver.

The Fuzzy Navel is built upon the basic Screwdriver recipe by adding Peach Schnapps and decreasing the orange juice accordingly to the size of the highball glass.

Fuzzy Navel

2 ounces Smirnoff Vodka
1 ounce Peach Tree Peach Schnapps
3 – 4 ounces Orange Juice

Build in an ice filled highball glass. Stir. No garnish necessary, but a fresh peach slice or skewer of peach, orange and pineapple look great on this drink.

The Sloe Comfortable Screw changes things up a bit by adding two liqueurs and changing the liquor ratio. The name gives this one away; “sloe” for Sloe gin and “comfortable” for Southern Comfort.

Sloe Comfortable Screw

3/4 ounce Sloe Gin
3/4 ounce Southern Comfort
3/4 ounce Smirnoff Vodka
3 – 5 ounces Orange Juice

Build in an ice filled highball glass. Stir well. No garnish necessary, but a cherry looks rather nice on this one.

Sidenote: The word “screw” in a drink name usually means orange juice within the drink.

Stokes Grill & Bar in the Old Market - Review

2007-12-03T23:22:00.000-06:00

While restaurants in Omaha expand at a rate faster than food can be consumed, opening up a new one does not seem like something worth working up an appetite. However, the opening of Stokes Grill & Bar at Howard and 12th Street in the Old Market is a welcome sight. The Old Market is where Omaha is often showcased to visitors from across the nation whether they are of a political, business, or vacationing nature.

A space once occupied by a used, refurbished and miscellaneous knick knacks store is now a polished upscale Southwest grill. Stokes sits on the corner across the street from Delice Bakery and Jobber’s Canyon. This addition to the Old Market not only brings new flavor, but extends the crowd a little further to enjoy more of what the Old Market has to offer.

Stokes Grill & Bar invitation only opening night got off on the right foot with a crowd that was standing room only at times. While the food menu was limited to select items for the night, it was also on the house. Camp Fire Girls were the beneficiaries of all drink purchases.

Opening nights for restaurants are often fraught with obstacles and unforeseen mishaps. Anything gone awry this night was hidden well from the patron. Staffing was at a maximum and everyone wore an eager to please smile.

There is traditional table seating available as well as comfy, low casual style dining near the far side of the bar. Appetizers and full dinner are available at the bar. The wooden bar is deep and flat with no lip on the edge, making it more comfortable for those choosing to dine at the bar.

Stokes Grill & Bar is no exception to the infusion trend these days. They too have several Signature Sangria infusion jars perched in ice on the bar. The cocktail menu claims “this refreshingly cold, fruity wine will set you right with the world.” If the Signature Sangria does not set you right with the world, maybe their award winning wine list will. From Chardonnay to Cabernet - Champagne to Port, Stokes wine list covers the complete wining and dining experience for the beginner to connoisseur.

Stokes carries a full cocktail menu of which the bartenders recommend the specialty margaritas. Maybe there was a good reason. I opted instead for the Metro Martini which is an Absolute Tangerine twist on the Cosmopolitan. While the experience to this point was outstanding, no place is perfect. In my opinion, the Metro Martini tastes a bit like orange Tang; faint color, thin, weak, and low on flavor and depth. Great places usually hire bartenders with knowledge up their sleeve, which is a bonus. Char, one of the fast working bartenders behind the cork Friday night, suggested her particular specialty: the Char-tini. This cocktail had deep color, rich layers of flavor, and was topped with champagne.

The food was equally as delicious. The Sharon’s Chicken Enchilada’s practically bulged from the tortillas and overflowed the plate. These chicken and cheese enchiladas with beans and rice will fill even the heartiest of appetites. The Los Alamos Pasta was exquisite. The sun-dried tomatoes punctuated the chicken and cream sauce perfectly. The food was such that a person could keep eating for the taste alone with hunger never being the issue.

All in all, Stokes Grill & Bar is a hearty restaurant with upbeat employees eager to serve their tasty meals and cocktails. It is a great place to eat dinner, have a drink at the bar, or nosh with friends in the cozier sections next to the bar at a more relaxed pace. Make a special trip to revisit the Old Market to see all that is new.

Weather the Holidays with Peppermint Snowballs

2007-12-03T23:07:00.000-06:00

You have heard it before; “Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…”

During the holidays there is plenty of stirring, shaking and even twisting going on; all in the form of drinks that is. The holidays invoke the festive spirit in even the most Grinch-like of us all. Cocktail parties are a tradition of the holiday season. What a perfect time to host a party for friends, family, or business acquaintances.

Hosting a party intensifies the anxiety level in many, yet a party is simply defined as a gathering of invited guests for conversation and refreshments. Refreshments can be as basic as cheese and crackers or bowl of peanuts. The choice is yours. Refreshments are merely a tool for alcohol absorption and buffer between guest conversations. What your guests will rave about are the cocktails you serve.

The Peppermint Snowball is a creamy concoction that will absolutely melt in your mouth. I am not particularly a chocolate lover, but this cocktail sent me tipping the bottle for just a bit more Godiva. Van Gogh captures the essence of flavor exquisitely in its entire line of vodkas. Do not be tempted to skimp on quality when it comes to the vodka in this recipe. In the Peppermint Snowball, the espresso is the first flavor to wash over the taste buds before the rush of peppermint takes over. It is in the final seconds after sipping that the Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur soothes the senses in complete indulgence.

Peppermint Snowball

1 oz Van Gogh Espresso Vodka
1 oz Peppermint Schnapps
1-1/2 oz Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur
Finely Crushed Candy Canes
Thin Chocolate Covered Peppermint Stick

Dip the rim of an old fashioned glass lightly in peppermint schnapps. Roll edge of the glass into the crushed candy canes. (Candy Canes may be finely crushed in a clean coffee grinder.) Fill the old fashioned glass two-thirds full of ice. Build cocktail in the order given. Gently stir with a ready made thin chocolate covered peppermint stick.

Cocktails made ahead of time are perfect for parties. There is more mingling time for the host and everything is pre-measured, so guests may self-serve without over pouring. Mix and serve your cocktail in a pitcher rather than punch bowl for ease of pouring and aesthetic value.

The Crazberi Cocktail is perfect for a pitcher, since it mixes well without having to stir frequently. The deep raspberry flavor and color of the Chambord along with the cranberry are an excellent combination in keeping with the holiday season. The Crazberi Cocktail is tart and sweet at the same time with enough depth of character to keep one sipping at a slow pace.

Crazberi Cocktail

1 oz Smirnoff Raspberry Vodka
1 oz Chambord
1 oz Cranberry Juice
3/4 oz Fresh Lime Juice
3 Fresh Cranberries for Garnish

For single cocktail: Combine first four ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full with ice. Shake fifteen to twenty seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with three fresh cranberries skewered on a cocktail pick. For pitcher: Do not place ice in the pitcher. Multiply the recipe (times 20 for a 96 oz pitcher) and refrigerate at least two hours prior to your party. Serve the Crazberi Cocktail in old fashioned glasses filled two-thirds full of ice. Place pre-made cranberry skewers next to the pitcher for guest to serve themselves.

Do not forget wine and beer. Fun labels add to the festive spirit of the holiday season. World Market carries an exclusive holiday label wine, Electric Reindeer in Chardonnay, White Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and new this season; Sparkling Wine. These merry wines add entertainment and taste to your holiday celebration. As for holiday beer and ale, look for Rogue – Santa’s Private Reserve Ale, Bad Elf – Winter’s Ale, or Lump of Coal – Dark Holiday Stout to name a few. These ales and more may be found at many area liquor stores.

Start planning your holiday cocktail party before the season slips away and the new year is upon us. That is another party altogether!

De-Fizzing the Gansevoort

2007-11-05T20:47:00.000-06:00

While flipping through a cocktail book the other evening a drink caught my eye; the Gansevoort Fizz. While this isn’t the first cocktail with an unusual name to have caused me pause, it was the description that had me salivating for more information. It seems this particular cocktail’s inspiration was a drink from the 1930’s with the unlikely combination of Drambuie and rum.

My fascination with Drambuie is that it is often overlooked in cocktail books and when it is referenced its most notable drink is the Rusty Nail. While the Rusty Nail is certainly not a drink to scoff at or take lightly, it is basically a “duo” drink. A duo drink is exactly what it sounds like; a drink that is usually one part base liquor and one part liqueur in varying ratios. The Rusty Nail can become quite a fascinating drink once the complexities of different scotches are taken into consideration. Every scotch has a character of its own. Some are lightly peated while others are heavily peated. Each would call for a completely different ratio of Drambuie to scotch in the duo mix. All this could be great fun for the scotch enthusiast, but I was searching for something a little different with the Drambuie. Surely there is something new and inspiring to do with this silky smooth liqueur that practically rolls off the back of the tongue begging the senses to take in more.

And there it was! It was staring me right in the face buried under years of Drambuie history in the family name. The Mackinnon. The Mackinnon was the inspiration cocktail for the Gansevoort Fizz. However, without the history of Drambuie, the Mackinnon cocktail lacks pizzazz.

Be it legend, lore or good old fashioned honest truth, Drambuie came to be through the hands of a prince after a bloody rebellion was quashed. Prince Charles Edward Stuart sailed to Scotland in 1745 to raise an army to restore the exiled kings of England, Scotland and Ireland to their rightful thrones. The Highland clans rose to the challenge and fought alongside their prince.

After nearly reaching their goal one hundred thirty miles from London, reinforcements failed to arrive. Though they were outnumbered and surrounded, the prince and his rebels continued the fight. It was at Culloden Moor that the rebellion was crushed and bathed in blood. The prince escaped capture and a steep price was put upon his head.

The prince was met with devotion from his Highland friends. Captain John Mackinnon of Strathaird gave the prince refuge, helping him to elude capture and safely return to France. In gratitude the prince bestowed upon Captain Mackinnon the recipe to his most prized elixir. Drambuie is the princely liqueur John Mackinnon brought to the world. Each bottle still honors the prince on its label with the words “REMEMBER THE GIFT OF THE PRINCE”

It wasn’t until I researched Drambuie further than cocktail books did I find that the contents of the bottle really is more complex than the off the cuff description of heather and honey. After all, a future king demanded particular things of the secret potion that nursed his soul.

Drambuie’s base liquor is scotch whiskey that has been infused with heather honey. This is what gives this liqueur its unique smooth flavor. There is also a hint of cloves in the Drambuie. It is believed that cloves have analgesic properties in addition to their spicy aroma. This would be a fitting addition to the prince’s mixture as he used it for medicinal purposes. It is also speculated that saffron is included in the Drambuie formula. Not only is the golden splendor of saffron appropriate for a prince, but it is also said that saffron may have sedative properties. Other than these few small components, all else regarding the recipe of Drambuie remains shrouded in mystery, kept secret by the Mackinnon family.

This brings us to the exciting part; pouring, tasting, tweaking, and creating. Have fun with the old cocktails. This is where new trends emerge.

The Mackinnon

2 oz Drambuie
1/2 oz white rum
1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 oz lemon juice

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake. Strain into a Collins glass with only 2 or 3 ice cubes in it. Top off with club soda.

The Drambuie is definitely the showcase piece in this drink for which it was so aptly named after the family who brought us the liqueur. While this makes a perfectly satisfying tall bubbly drink, I find it to be lacking a bit on the strength side. The soda overwhelms the drink a bit. From this came the Gansevoort Fizz created by David Wondrich.

Gansevoort Fizz

2 oz Bacardi 8 Rum
1 oz Drambuie
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
2 - 3 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a chilled Collins glass without any ice. Top with 2 to 3 ounces of chilled club soda.

The Gansevoort Fizz has a much stronger rum flavor than the Mackinnon, yet is not overwhelming. The club soda still dilutes the drink a bit too much for what I’m really striving for, but there are real possibilities with this particular drink. The heavier ratio of rum to the sugar content of the liqueur evens out while still allowing the smoothness of the Drambuie to shine through. While the Drambuie does not figure front and center in the Gansevoort Fizz, it gives it just the brush of flavor the drink needs. Add in the simple dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters and this drink is a real keeper. What I really want though is something without the fizz. The fizz is taking too much shine off the bare bones of this drink. I want to really taste it.

Sometimes when looking for something particular, dare to go bare. In this case the bare is without the fizz. Since the club soda thins out both the Mackinnon and Gansevoort Fizz it makes sense to try them without the club soda. The question is of preference. The Mackinnon is a little on the sweeter side, since it highlights the Drambuie and carries a light rum as its secondary liquor. The Gansevoort Fizz has only a hint of sweetness balanced against the tartness of the fresh lemon while still allowing the Drambuie to shine through with the dark rum as its highlight. My personal favorite of the two is the Gansevoort Fizz without the fizz.

Gansevoort De-Fizzed

2 oz Bacardi 8 Rum
1 oz Drambuie
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
2 – 3 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled two thirds full of ice. Shake. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. No club soda this time. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The Gansevoort De-Fizzed is my idea of a cocktail. It has an old fashioned flare about it without the outdated feel. Opting for a shaken and strained drink in a cocktail glass rather than a tall fizz gives this drink a modern twist while keeping the craft of bartending intact. The flavor is more intense instead of being blurred with bubbles. This cocktail flirts with the taste buds just enough to keep one coming back for sip after sip.

What I found in the Gansevoort Fizz and Mackinnon is that old cocktails can stimulate an idea and from that idea, creativity finds a new path. The Gansevoort Fizz was exactly the catalyst it took to rekindle my interest in this legendary liqueur. Pick up an old cocktail book and start browsing. Turn something old into something new. Enjoy!

An excellent book for your cocktail studies is The Joy of Mixology by Gary Regan which was referenced for parts of this article. Check out the Drambuie website for more history about the liqueur and Mackinnon family at www.drambuie.com.

Godiva Liqueurs - A Date with the Sax

2007-11-05T16:30:00.001-06:00

November 6th is Saxophone Day. While it is not recognized as a national holiday, the saxophone player in this household will be tooting his horn proudly to know his musical instrument holds center stage for at least one day out of the year.

Adolphe Sax, a Belgian, invented the saxophone. It is the only woodwind that was never actually made of wood. It is a beautiful brass instrument originally intended to fill the middle range tones between the clarinet and trumpet. Although the saxophone came into existence in 1845 and was used primarily in military bands, it was not until the 1920’s that the saxophone gained its greatest popularity due to the rise of jazz music.

While it is true the saxophone was actually completed in Paris, its inspiration began in Belgium. The first things that come to my mind when thinking of Belgium are beer and chocolate.

Belgium has well over five hundred varieties of beer as well as the largest brewery in the world when measured by volume. The brewery is Inbev. You can find them at www.inbev.com.

What most women may know Belgium for is their chocolate; Godiva or Guylian to be specific. These are two of Belgiums most widely known brands of chocolates. While chocolate is well within reach in a candy wrapper or bowl near you, it has only been in the past couple of years that it has gained popularity on the cocktail scene. Godiva has been partially responsible for the rise in this trend by putting a quality name behind the product that gets shaken behind the bar.

Godiva has come out with a line of liqueurs that are absolutely exquisite. If you are a chocolate lover, these are liqueurs you should not miss. They offer Original Chocolate, White Chocolate, Mocha, and Milk Chocolate liqueurs. Their liqueurs are every bit as smooth and silky as their fine chocolates and equally as rich. If you are a supreme chocolate lover, try the liqueurs on the rocks. If you love your chocolate in truffles or with nuts and lots of yummy tidbits added in, go for a cocktail. Try the white or milk chocolate in your coffee in lieu of cream and sugar to change the tempo of your weekend brew. Below is a cocktail I came up with while dabbling with the Original Chocolate liqueur. On the surface it does not appear to have much Godiva in it at all. What you will find with the Godiva liqueurs is that a little goes a long way when it comes to flavor.

Chocolate Café Noir Cocktail

1-1/2 oz Van Gogh Espresso Vodka
1 oz Chambord
1/2 oz Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
1 oz half and half

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake for 15 – 20 seconds. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with skewered raspberries.

The Godiva liqueurs are fascinating to play with when it comes to dessert cocktails. Dessert no longer has to be eaten with a fork or spoon. It can now be shaken or stirred and then sipped indulgently. So, liven up your next dessert with a Begium inspired cocktail and remember the man who helped put jazz on the musical map with his saxophone. Cheers!

Go to www.godiva.com for more information about Godiva liqueurs and their own drink recipes.

Beyond the Punch Bowl

2007-10-19T13:16:00.000-05:00

There is already so much to worry about when planning a party, the last thing one wants to fret about is what everyone will drink. It is impossible for a host or hostess to play bartender to a crowd and still be able to mingle at their own party. Party punch seems so out of date, though. Punch recipes usually lack the same character that the trendy and classic cocktails that we order at our local hot spots have. Why not adapt a classic cocktail into a pitcher drink? Instead of serving drinks in the cutesy punch cups, use the same barware the stylish cocktail lounges are using.

The country’s largest revolving cocktail lounge is in New Orleans. The bar is the cleverly named Club 360 on the 33rd floor of the World Trade Centre. This trendy rooftop bar has seating for 500 and slowly rotates giving its patrons a spectacular panoramic view of the city. Party goers enjoy light appetizers, dancing to the wee hours of the morning, and quality cocktails, one of which is the aptly named Hurricane. But this isn’t the original Hurricane of New Orleans lore. Club 360 has modified the Hurricane into a pitcher version to quench the thirst of the masses.

The original Hurricane was created at Pat O’Brien’s in New Orleans out of necessity during World War II when rum was abundant and other liquors were in short supply. If a bar owner wanted to purchase a liquor, such as whiskey that was in high demand and short supply, liquor salesmen would require the purchase of up to fifty cases of rum in order to buy the one bottle of whiskey. The recipe for the Hurricane evolved due to an effort to keep the stockpile of rum flowing out of the bar. This would enable Pat O’Brien’s to continue to be able to purchase the short supply liquors that were in high demand. Ironically enough, the Hurricane was not named for the weather conditions New Orleans has to endure from time to time. The cocktail is served in a glass that mimics the shape of a hurricane lamp. The cocktail is named for the curvaceous glass.

Club 360’s Hurricane

24 oz Pineapple Juice
24 oz Orange Juice
8 oz Light Rum
8 oz Grenadine
8 oz Dark Rum, preferably Myers
Garnish: Orange Wheels and Maraschino Cherries

Combine all ingredients except garnishes in a large pitcher or container. Refrigerate until well chilled; at least 2 hours. Stir before serving. Fill old fashioned glasses with ice and fill with the Hurricane cocktail. Garnish with an orange wheel and cherry. (I have modified the directions slightly for ease of serving at a party in smaller portions. Club 360 serves their Hurricane in pint glasses with the dark rum saved as a splash on the top of the drink instead of mixed in with the rest of the ingredients.)

Hurricane

1 oz Dark Rum
1 oz Light Rum
1/2 oz Galliano
3/4 oz Fresh Lime Juice
2 oz Passion Fruit Nectar or Passion Fruit Syrup
2 oz Fresh Orange Juice
2 oz Pineapple Juice
1 oz Simple Syrup
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Garnish: Orange Wheel, Lime Wheel, Pineapple Chunk

Combine all ingredients except the garnish in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a hurricane glass filled half full with ice. Spear the orange and lime wheels together making a curve on a cocktail pick followed by the pineapple chunk for the garnish.

Go beyond the punch bowl at your next party. You can modify your favorite cocktails into pitcher versions to the delight of your party guests in lieu of the dreaded sparkling punch. Serve it up in the traditional barware it was meant for and you’ll have a winner every time.

A Fling with the Sling

2007-10-15T16:12:00.000-05:00

What do the Raffles Hotel in Singapore and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas have in common? On the surface, it would appear not much. Closer examination may reveal the answer to your next drink order or cocktail party punch; the Singapore Sling or the Chinatown Sling.

While the Raffles Hotel is named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern day Singapore, in the world of bartending the Raffles Hotel is more widely known as the home of the Singapore Sling. It was in the Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel where Ngiam Tong Boon is said to have invented the Singapore Sling sometime between 1910 and 1915. The recipe for this drink was such a secret that it was kept locked away in a safe along with Ngiam’s other recipe books. Somewhere along the way, however, the original recipe to the Singapore Sling was lost.

During the 1970’s management began restoring the Raffles Hotel to its original luster. One of the items they wanted to bring back to the Long Bar was the Singapore Sling, since it was so popular in the earlier days of the Raffles Hotel. It is presumed during this rebuilding time one of Ngiam’s nephews was contacted and a close version of the original recipe was concocted. Over time this recipe has been modified rather drastically from the original, but with much broader appeal. The modernized version of the Singapore Sling is still served at the original Raffles Hotel and Long Bar. The drink is also complimentary on all Singapore Airlines flights to all passengers. What a deal!

What does the Singapore Sling have to do with the MGM Grand in Las Vegas? There is no Long Bar at the MGM Grand, but there is Nob Hill. Nob Hill is a San Francisco styled eatery with fresh produce and poultry flown in daily from San Francisco to capture the authenticity of the Bay Area. While the food is no doubt fabulous with its world class chef, Michael Mina, my focus is on the bar area with one drink in particular they have created. It is the Chinatown Sling based on the Singapore Sling from the Raffles Hotel. The Chinatown drink is a pitcher version of the Singapore Sling making it a perfect rendition for your next cocktail party. What makes this version of the Singapore Sling special is it will take the work out of the individualized cocktail while leaving the zing in the Sling.

The Singapore Sling is a time consuming drink to put together with its many ingredients. The individual cocktail has nine ingredients in dashes and quarter measures combined in a cocktail shaker and then strained into a Collins glass with two garnishes. The Singapore Sling has an orange slice and cherry garnish; both rather nice and fitting for this drink. All the work and time that goes into this cocktail are not in vain. It does make a tasty, complex drink with an equally nice pink hue. It is a classic listed among the International Bartenders Association fifty greatest cocktails. The time involved in putting an individual Singapore Sling together and the flavor make it perfect for ordering at a cocktail lounge. Someone else does the work. You enjoy your drink and companion.

The Chinatown Sling has an amazing color to it as well, but for added drama the Cherry Heering is left out of the pitcher combination until the very end and added as a topper to the individual drink instead. This allows the Cherry Heering to settle within the liquid instead of integrate into the drink giving the Chinatown Sling a visual layered effect. Add to that the equally complex flavor your guests will experience when they finally taste it and this makes for an excellent party drink. What works in your favor here is the Chinatown Sling is a pitcher drink made ahead of time with six ingredients rather than nine. Instead of working making drinks for your guests, you will be sipping a refreshing Chinatown Sling with them. Seeing and tasting is believing. As for the garnish, for your cocktail party, flee from the routine just as Nob Hill in Las Vegas veers from the run of the mill. The Chinatown Sling garnish should be a tropical pineapple spear and a cherry. There is no need to peel the pineapple. Leaving the pineapple with the skin on and then cut in long spears gives the Chinatown Sling a spectacular tropical finish. The cherry gives an extra dollop of color to an already fabulous drink for you and your guest’s sipping pleasure.

Singapore Sling

1-1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Cherry Heering
1/4 oz Cointreau
1/4 oz Benedictine
Dash of Angostura Bitters
2 Dashes Grenadine
1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
Club Soda (optional)
Garnish with Orange Slice and Cherry

Combine all ingredients except club soda and garnishes in a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full with ice. Shake. Strain into a Collins glass filled 1/2 – 2/3 full with ice. Top off with club soda. Garnish with the orange slice curved into a half moon on a cocktail pick and a cherry.

Chinatown Sling

16 oz Pineapple Juice
10 oz Rangpur Gin
4 oz Cointreau
4 oz Benedictine
1 Scant Teaspoon Angostura Bitters
2 oz Cherry Heering
Garnish with Pineapple Spears and Maraschino Cherries

Combine all ingredients except Cherry Heering and garnishes in a pitcher. Refrigerate until well chilled, approximately two hours. Stir. Fill old fashioned glasses with ice. Fill with Chinatown Sling mixture within half inch of top. Top each glass with 1/4 ounce of cherry liqueur. Garnish with pineapple spear and cherry.

Cosmo with a Twist: Tweaking the Cocktail

2007-10-10T12:14:00.000-05:00

Belonging to all the world; polished; sophisticated; worldly, all embracing. We could also add to that description – versatile and limitless, as in the possibilities of what can be done with the Cosmopolitan cocktail.

The Cosmopolitan or Cosmo came to be known by many during the glory day run of the HBO television series, Sex in the City from 1998 to 2004. It was the sophisticated pink cocktail of choice sipped by the character, Carrie Bradshaw, played by Sarah Jessica Parker who in a campy sort of way even went so far as to order a Cosmo at a drive thru burger window in one episode.

Madonna is also given credit for helping the Cosmo “arrive” on the cocktail circuit. The paparazzi photographed a Cosmo in the hands of Madonna at the Rainbow room in 1996 and overnight the drink became a sensation the world over. Bartenders and restaurant managers from as far away as Germany and Australia called the Rainbow Room asking for the recipe. It was then that Dale DeGroff added the finishing touches of Cointreau and a flamed orange peel to the already existent recipe that has become the standard to which all others make their variations.

So where did the Cosmopolitan get its start? Between 1956 and 1970 Ocean Spray advertised a series of drink recipes in their brochures and even on their bottles of juice. One of these drink recipes was the Harpoon. The Harpoon was simply vodka, fresh lime, and a splash of cranberry juice. Later, that drink evolved into what we know as the Cape Codder or Cape Cod. It still has the same ingredients, but in much different proportions with more cranberry and only a splash of lime. One drink built on the next. What happened with the Cosmo is what likely happens with quite a few cocktails. A bartender here or there adds or takes away, gives a drink a twist here and a dash there, and pretty soon, one drink evolves into another drink. Harpoon…Cape Codder…Cosmopolitan.

In looking up the Cosmopolitan in several of my trusted cocktail books, not one of them had the exact same measurements as the next. This is not such an unusual find as you may have discovered in the bar books stocked on your own shelves. It is for this very reason that bartenders and drink enthusiasts alike begin tweaking cocktails to their liking. For the purposes of this experiment the basic Cosmopolitan recipe I’ve chosen comes from the Craft of the Cocktail by Dale DeGroff.

Cosmopolitan

1-1/2 oz Citron Vodka
1/2 oz Cointreau
1/4 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1 oz Cranberry Juice
Flamed Orange Peel for Garnish

Shake all ingredients except garnish in a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full with ice. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the flamed orange peel. Dale discusses the step by step process of how to flame an orange peel in his book the Craft of the Cocktail.

What a curious bartender does with a cocktail such as the Cosmo is play with it a bit, modifying it to his or her particular taste. Sometimes the perfect recipe happens immediately, but often this comes about with much trial and error; modifying and fine tuning until the cocktail is revamped exactly so.

Katie at Sullivan’s in downtown Omaha has transformed the Cosmo with the addition of Cassis. The Cassis liqueur gives the Cosmo a deeper, pink to light purple color instead of the usual light pink hue. The black currant gives it a flavor that is unique to the berry family. It has a slight edge to it that goes beyond the bitter, but is not too syrupy. The addition of the Cassis gives the cocktail a more full bodied flavor where the original Cosmo could be described as thinner in comparison. Since Cassis is more unfamiliar than other liqueurs, adding it to a Cosmopolitan is daring to say the least. Exploring something new with something virtually unknown is quite adventurous. I suggest you try the same. While Katie didn’t give me her exact recipe here is something you could try with the Cassis and the Cosmo…

Currant Cosmopolitan

1-1/2 oz Three Olives Citrus Vodka
1/2 oz Cointreau
1/2 oz Cassis
3/4 oz Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
1 oz Cranberry Juice
Lemon Peel for Garnish

Combine all ingredients except garnish in cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with freshly twisted lemon peel.

Even I have had my bout with doctoring the classic Cosmo. My curiosity was piqued by a fresh bottle of PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur. Bartenders have held this bottle up asking “What are we supposed to do with this?” I’ve thought the same thing. The Cosmo seemed a likely candidate. The addition of the PAMA is rather simple, but the color works out rather nicely with a richer than pink color and something more than just cranberry and lime for flavor. The pomegranate also reminds me more of the season for which the pomegranate is known; winter.

Pomegranate Cosmo

1-1/2 oz Three Olives Pomegranate Vodka
1 oz PAMA
1/2 oz Cointreau
3/4 oz Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
1/2 oz Cranberry Juice
Lime Peel for Garnish

Combine all ingredients except garnish in cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with freshly twisted lime peel.

Nomad Lounge in Omaha’s Old Market on the other hand has done something entirely different with their Cosmopolitan. Instead of adding a liqueur to the shaker, they’ve topped off the cocktail with Moet Champagne for an equally exotic twist to the Cosmo. The Moet gives the Cosmo a nice bubbly, light effect. For this version of the Cosmo to work, the basic recipe has to be played with a bit beforehand or the cocktail becomes too weak and thin once the champagne is added. The liqueur must be increased to give the cocktail more body and in turn the lime must be increased to balance the sweet to sour ratio. This is my version of Nomad’s champagne topped Cosmopolitan…

Celebration Cosmo

1-1/2 oz Three Olives Citrus Vodka
1 oz Cointreau
3/4 oz Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
1 oz Cranberry Juice
Lemon Peel for Garnish
Champagne to Top Off

Combine vodka, Cointreau, lime juice and cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Slowly pour champagne over top of cocktail; approximately 1 to 1-1/2 ounces. Garnish with a freshly twisted lemon peel.

Different creations? Yes. Equally adventurous? Again, yes. For something a little fun and a lot interesting, make each of these Cosmopolitans and try a few sips for comparison. Next, top each one with champagne and compare them again. They all create something different with the addition of the champagne. Who knows, you may find a new favorite in the mix.

Interesting to note; the Cosmopolitan is not a stand alone drink. It falls within a family of drinks referred to as the Sours or more specifically, New Orleans Sours. All drinks within the New Orleans Sours family build upon the same formula: base spirit, lemon or lime juice (sour), and an orange flavored liqueur (triple-sec). A couple of highly recognizable drinks within this family are the Margarita, Sidecar, Kamikaze, and the Beachcomber.

Shake Up Your Next Cocktail Experience

2007-10-02T09:19:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we get in a rut when it comes to what we drink. I am as guilty as the next person. When I go out I end up choosing the same drink time and time again for two reasons. One is that my drink of choice will taste the same no matter what bar I am in if the bartender measures it correctly. The second is when scanning the drink lists from cocktail lounge to night club they all end up looking the same; Margarita, Cosmopolitan, and various flavored Martinis.

When I bartend it is a fairly common occurrence for people to ask me for suggestions as to what they should have to drink. The reason; everyone gets into a routine. Before it becomes boring they want a shot of something new, but they just don’t know what to try. With so many choices out there, it can leave a person with their head spinning before they’ve even had their first sip.

Experimentation is the key to keeping our taste buds happy and our spirit sated. A fun way to do this is right at home with a handful of friends and a couple of first-rate cocktail books. Invite a few friends to the house, make a few finger foods, pass around a cocktail book or two and you never know what may happen. You may come away with a new favorite or at the very least have tried something new. This is exactly what friends and I did this past weekend. The result: unexpected, pleasant surprises, new drinks, and ultimate fun.

Take for instance the unexpected, pleasant surprise. One of my guests arrived with something to share that I’d never heard of before. It was a home brewed Cretan Raki infused with mandarin. Raki is a Greek liqueur sometimes referred to as fire water due to its alcohol content ranging anywhere from 35 to 65 percent. Although it is produced commercially it is readily available as a home brew everywhere in Greece. For a point of reference on taste, Raki has been compared to Italian Grappa, although it is not exactly the same. Always eager to discover something new, I dared to give the fire water a try.

The color of the Raki was pale peach, most likely from the infusion of the mandarin. The aroma seemed very dry with little scent at all leading me to believe that while it was a classified as a liqueur it could be bitter and potent such as Campari. I took a small sip while holding my breath. It was unlike anything I expected. It was smooth, light, very sweet, and extremely pleasant. This unexpected surprise opened the door to some drink experimentation. But the new drinks did not stop there.

Two cocktail books I find myself referring to frequently are The Craft of the Cocktail by Dale DeGroff and The Bartender’s Best Friend by Mardee Haidin Regan. Both are fantastic books for entirely different reasons. Dale’s book is colorful with stories behind quite a few old style cocktails along with current day recipes. Mardee’s book has hundreds of alphabetized recipes cross referenced by ingredient making it quick and easy to look anything up. These are the two I left out for my guests to browse through to take them off the path of the ordinary.

Everyone dared to try something new; recipes I have made up, new brands of liquors they had never tried before, and entirely new cocktails they chose out of a book. The laughter, friendship, food, and drink made the evening quite the success. All in all, it was ultimate fun.
Below are a couple of the recipes from the evening. Maybe you will dare to invite friends over, muddle through a cocktail book or two, and try something new.

Laura’s Peach
(Made especially for the gathering at the request of one of my guests and then tweaked to her liking once she arrived.)

1-1/2 oz Absolute Peach Vodka
1-1/2 oz Peachtree Peach Schnapps
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
Garnish: Pineapple Wedge

Place ingredients in a shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake and strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with skewered pineapple wedge.

Whiskey Cobbler

1 Pineapple Wedge (Without Skin)
1 Orange Slice
1 Lemon Wedge
3/4 oz Orange Curacao
1 oz water
2 oz Whiskey
Garnish: Pineapple Wedge, Orange Slice, Lemon Wedge)

Place pineapple wedge, orange slice, lemon wedge, orange curacao, and water in the bottom of a mixing glass. Muddle. Add whiskey and fill 2/3 full of ice. Shake thoroughly. Fill a double old fashioned glass 1/3 to 1/2 full with crushed ice. Strain contents of shaker into glass. Skewer the remaining pineapple wedge, orange slice and lemon wedge and garnish drink. This drink is just on the border between dry and sweet, so if you like, add 1/4 oz of bar syrup or up the Orange Curacao to a full ounce to give it just a little hint of sweetness.

Other drinks you’ll find on this site that we tried were the St~Germain Limon Blossom, Perfect Martini using The Tall Blond Vodka, Simply Perfect Margarita using El Tesoro Tequila, Caipirinha, and the Tequila Woo Woo using Milagro Silver.

Reviving the Zombie

2007-09-28T14:01:00.000-05:00

White Witch, Vampire, Corpse Reviver, Viking, Grateful Dead, Purple People Eater. All are cocktails or shots that conjure up images of wickedly fun drinks for the Halloween season, but none of them have had the staying power or widespread recognition that the Zombie has year round. The notoriety of the cocktail may have something to do with the potency of the drink and how it received such an appropriate name.

Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gannt who later changed his name to Don invented the Zombie at his tiki themed restaurant, Don the Beachcomber, in the late 1930’s in Hollywood. The drink is a creation of several fruit juices, liqueurs and rums with the equivalent of seven and a half ounces of alcohol in a single drink. Don made this drink for a friend who had three of these smooth tasting, fruit filled drinks before heading out of town for a few days. Upon returning, he grumbled that the drinks had turned him into a zombie for the entire trip. Thus, the Zombie name was born. It wasn’t until the World’s Fair of 1939 that the Zombie gained widespread recognition. Interesting to note, the first television broadcast of a speech by an American president was also at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Coincidence??

With the prevelance of free pouring, the availability of concentrated juices and the need for quickness in serving the bar patron the original Zombie mutated into the thrown together, often harsh cocktail it has become at corner bars across the country. But, the original is such a well thought out drink. Its multi layers of flavors blend together so nicely that the heavily liquored Zombie masquerades as a smooth fruit cocktail that can pack a full punch and may sneak up on any unsuspecting drinker quite quickly.

No one is sure whether Don ever published his original recipe, but this one is as close as we may get to it. It doesn't have the full seven and a half ounces of liquor, but it will still pack a wallop.

Zombie

1/2 oz Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
1/2 oz Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1-1/2 oz Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
1-1/2 oz Fresh Passion Fruit Puree
1/4 oz Grenedine
1 oz Orange Curacao or Apricot Brandy
1 oz Dark Rum
1 oz Light Rum
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
1/2 oz Overproof Rum such as 151 - Optional
Sprig of Fresh Mint for Garnish
Seasonal Fruit for Garnish (or pineapple/orange/marischino cherry)

Combine all ingredients except garnishes into a shaker. Shake to mix. Fill a Zombie glass 1/2 to 2/3 full of ice. Fill with Zombie drink. A float of 1/2 oz overproof rum may also be added if desired. Garnish with fruit skewer. A Zombie has its own glass designation. It is a 10-12 ounce glass similar in shape to a Collins glass only taller.

Brazil's Cachaca & the Caipirinha

2007-09-24T14:30:00.000-05:00

The Brazilians are really on to something and it isn’t just their tourism trade. It’s their distilled liquor, Cachaca. If there could possibly be a bridge liquor between rum and tequila, Cachaca must be it.

Cachaca (kuh-shah-suh) is only produced in Brazil and they only export 1% of it, mostly to Germany. This makes it slightly difficult to find in U.S. liquor stores, but hunting around for it will be well worth the trouble. The average Brazilian consumes three gallons of Cachaca yearly and for good reason; the unique taste. Unlike regular rum that is made from molasses, a by-product of sugarcane and aged in oak barrels, Cachaca is sugarcane juice that is distilled and fermented. This leaves a less sweet or dry tasting rum. What it also leaves is a slight twist on the rum flavor and aroma. It almost gives it that hint of crossover between rum and a light tequila flavor.

This is realized most with the Caipirinha (kay-peer-reen-ya), which also happens to be the national cocktail of Brazil. It takes three basic ingredients to put this drink together; Cachaca, lime, and bar syrup. They mirror ingredients and ratios in a simple margarita; Patron, lime and blue agave nectar. It also carries over to another drink with similar ingredients and ratios in the daiquiri with light rum, lime and bar syrup. Yet it is obvious the Caipirinha is neither a margarita nor a daiquiri. It is a cocktail that stands alone as it uses a distilled liquor that is like no other. It is no wonder the Cachaca so easily fills the space between rum and tequila with the Caipirinha. With the tart overtone of the lime combined with the unique flavor of this sugarcane distillate, this cocktail makes an excellent substitute for drinkers who steer clear of tequila, yet long for something other than mere rum.

Caipirinha

2 oz Cachaca
1/2 Fresh Lime Cut Into Slices
1/4 oz Bar Syrup
1 Lime Wedge for Garnish

Muddle together fresh lime slices and bar syrup in shaker for approximately 10 – 15 seconds. Add Cachaca. Fill shaker 1/3 full with ice. Shake for 15 – 20 seconds until thoroughly combined. Strain into a rocks glass filled 2/3 full with ice. Add lime garnish.

Traditional variations:

Caipiroska – substitute vodka
Caipirissima – substitute rum
Sakerinha – substitute sake and tangerines instead of limes

Something else you might try is straining the above cocktail recipe into a Collins glass with 2/3 ice and topping off with diet or non-diet tonic water for a refreshing summer drink that will stretch a little longer.

FYI: The International Bartenders Association recognizes the Caipirinha as one of the 50 greatest drinks of all time. It really is that good. With it being as simple as it is to put together, it really should be on every person’s list of cocktails to remember.

New England Highballs

2007-09-21T14:44:00.000-05:00

The Cape Cod or Cape Codder is within the family group of drinks known as the New England Highballs. There are six member drinks within this family, five beginning with the base liquor of vodka and one tricky one with rum, followed by cranberry juice and all built in a highball glass. That is where the five other drinks break off adding grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, orange juice and/or peach schnapps. If you can master the Cape Cod the rest will be a breeze or walk on the beach or something like that anyway. You’ll get the picture in a minute.

The Cape Cod is the easiest. Men order it simply as a vodka cranberry. Tell them it’s a Cape Codder and they think they’ve ordered a girlie drink. So we’ll keep it nice and simple.

Cape Cod

2 oz Smirnoff Vodka
Fill w/ Cranberry Juice
Lime Wedge for Garnish

Fill highball glass 2/3 full of ice. Combine vodka and cranberry juice over the ice. Garnish with the lime wedge. Add a stir stick or straw.

The Sea Breeze is next in line in this family of drinks. To this one we add grapefruit juice to the cranberry juice in equal parts.

Sea Breeze

2 oz Smirnoff Vodka
1-1/2 oz Cranberry Juice
1-1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice
Lime Wedge for Garnish

Fill highball glass 2/3 full of ice. Add ingredients to glass in the order given. Garnish with the lime wedge. Add a stir stick or straw.

And now for the tricky one of the bunch; the Bay Breeze. It is mistake for many a bartender and even teachers of bartenders to make this particular drink with vodka instead of rum as it is among the New England Highballs. But try it out yourself with one of each with vodka and one with rum and see which one you think is best.

Bay Breeze

2 oz Bacardi Light Rum
1-1/2 oz Cranberry Juice
1-1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
Lime Wedge for Garnish

Fill highball glass 2/3 full of ice. Add ingredients in order given. Garnish with the lime wedge. Add a stir stick or straw.

The Madras is the basic Cap Cod with equal parts cranberry and orange juice, but no garnish. It is unbelievable the difference it will make in your drink if you take the time to squeeze a fresh orange for the juice.

Madras

2 oz Smirnoff Vodka
1-1/2 oz Cranberry Juice
1-1/2 oz Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Fill highball glass 2/3 full of ice. Add ingredients in the order given. Add a stir stick or straw.

Ah, who hasn’t longed for Sex on the Beach? While this one is within the family of New England Highballers it is a bit different in that it is built in a cocktail shaker and strained back into an iced highball glass. For a bit of extra punch we’re going with one extra ingredient that strays from the basic list and that is Chambord. In my opinion if you’re going with something like Sex on the Beach, it had better be something special and that is exactly what Chambord adds.

Sex on the Beach

1-1/2 oz Smirnoff Vodka
1/2 oz Peachtree Schnapps
1/4 oz Chambord
2 oz Cranberry Juice
2 oz Pineapple Juice

Fill a highball glass about half to two thirds full of ice. Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with 3-4 cubes of ice. Shake and strain into highball glass. No garnish.

Lastly is the Woo Woo, otherwise known as a Pierced Navel. This would be due to its close relation to the Fuzzy Navel. There is also a Tequila Woo Woo that is more popular than the regular version. It is made in the same proportions only swapping out the vodka for tequila. Try them both to see which is your personal favorite.

Woo Woo

2 oz Smirnoff Vodka
1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
2-1/2 oz Cranberry Juice

Fill highball glass 2/3 full of ice. Add ingredients in the order given. Add a stir stick or straw. No garnish.

It was a breeze, a walk on the beach...Woo Woo! We’re done.

Sangrita: The Traditional Tequila Shooter

2007-09-20T22:48:00.000-05:00

Every good tequila story starts out with having had a few shots too many and trails off with not remembering how the night actually ended. Someone else usually fills in the blanks with all the embarrassing embellishments. Many tequila drinkers go on vowing to never touch tequila again. A shame really as tequila is no more potent than the other major contenders. It has just gotten a bad rap over the years as it is the most likely to find its way into a celebration shot glass known as “training wheels” or “lip-sip-suck.”

Briefly, tequila came to us by way of the Aztec people of Mexico who had a drink by the name of pulque, which is still in circulation today by the way. When the Spaniards arrived in April of 1530, they were running out of Brandy so they introduced the Aztecs to the distillation process. The distilled drink they made was little more than a higher proof version of the pulque, but it is what led us to the tequila we have today. However, it was another 70 years before the first tequila factory was established by Don Pedro Sanchez de Tagle.

To be classified as tequila, the liquor must be prepared from blue agave plants that are grown within Mexico’s Jalisco province. The hills of this area are covered with more than 100 million plants which produce more than 50 million gallons of tequila annually. (That makes for a lot of shots!) Approximately 40% of this is exported. Tequila being exported to the United States has experienced a surge in the last few years. This is a good sign for the higher end tequilas as they are becoming more main stream.

Higher end or lower end, all tequilas must pass Mexico’s standards for tequilas. To be labeled 100% Agave Tequila the tequila must be made from 100% blue agave nectar and bottled at the distillery in Mexico. It may be Blanco, Reposado, Anejo, or Extra Anejo. Anything labeled Tequila is only required to be 51% blue agave otherwise known as Mixto. This tequila may also be distilled in Mexico, yet be exported to other countries for bottling. It may be Blanco, Gold, Reposado, or Anejo. Both must comply with the NOM (Norma Official Mexicana) standard. This is the standard which defines the definition for each type of tequila.

Blanco or Silver: Clear, un-aged, bottled immediatedly after distillation. Contains the true bouquet of the blue agave.

Gold: Un-aged Blanco, but can have caramel, fructose, glycerin, and/or wood flavoring added to it to simulate aged tequila.

Reposado: Blanco that has been aged a minimum of two months, but less than a year in oak barrels. This gives Reposado a mellow flavor that is gentle on the palate while still allowing it to keep the blue agave essence.

Anejo: Blanco aged in oak for a minimum of one year, but less than three. This tequila is amber in color and picks up more of the flavor of the oak barrel giving it a more distinct flavor such as one would expect from an aged scotch. These are tequilas made for sipping and savoring due to their unique characteristics.

Extra Anejo: This is a new category established in March 2006. It is aged a minimum of three years.

So, what are a few premium brands to choose from?

Patron is my favorite. Ironically, I prefer the Silver to sip due to the smooth finish and the Reposado for my margaritas, because of the spicy nature.

El Tesoro Anejo has a smoky flavor to it. Excellent for sipping. Holds up well in a margarita, but it is a safe bet this isn’t what the distiller had in mind for the Anejo.

Corzo is beyond excellent. The bottle was designed by a perfumer. It is as sleek as the tequila is smooth. This is an extraordinary find. It would be a shame to shoot this tequila. While it might make a top shelf margarita or cocktail, the only way I would ever want to savor it is alone in a glass.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional 100% De Agave: This is the Cuervo family’s first creation and a long standing favorite of many. I chose this one last, not due to it being a favorite, but for it being a long standing tradition in the Tequila con Sangrita. Unlike the run of the mill Jose Cuervo that many grab on the midline shelf at the liquor store, this is an exceptional and premium tequila. In Mexico this is still the number one selling tequila kept by many in the freezer for frozen shots as we would vodka.

For an authentic Mexican experience try your frozen shot of tequila with Sangrita. This is not to be confused with Sangria, two totally different drinks. Sangrita is a spicy, tomato and fruit based drink poured in a shot glass. Traditionally a frozen tequila shot is downed chased by a Sangrita chaser. What follows is a traditional Sangrita recipe.

Sangrita

1/4 cup Pureed Jalepeno
2-1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
5 oz Fresh Orange Juice
46 oz Tomato Juice
3/4 Tablespoon salt-more or less to taste
3/4 Tablespoon white pepper-more or less to taste
Tabasco to taste

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher. Mix well. Chill. Taste to test seasoning. To serve: Pour into shot glasses alongside ice cold tequila shots.

Pina Colada with Punch

2007-09-18T11:01:00.000-05:00

Don Ramon Lopez-Irizarry may have been a genius when he came up with the homogenized cream in a can we know as Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut. But it wasn’t until a bartender by the name of Ramon Marrero at Puerto Rico’s Caribe Hilton combined this cream of coconut with rum, pineapple juice and ice in a blender did it become the special treat we know today as the Pina Colada.

If you look at a can of Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut the Pina Colada is a breeze with only three ingredients, but it also lacks imagination. It is a quick and easy drink, sure to satisfy and please. When given the opportunity and just a few more minutes of time, who wouldn’t want a drink with more depth and character? The secret to making a Pina Colada of this caliber takes two kinds of rum, heavy cream, and bitters in addition to the ingredients already called for in the typical Pina Colada recipe. There is nothing extravagant about it, only a few more steps to give your Pina Colada that extra zing.

Pina Colada

1-1/2 oz Bacardi Light Rum
1 oz Myers Rum
2 oz Coco Lopez
1 oz Heavy Cream
4 oz Pineapple Juice
Dash of Angostura Bitters
1 Cup Crushed Ice
Garnish – Pineapple Wedge & Maraschino Cherry

Combine all ingredients except garnish into a blender and blend until all ice is completely mixed in. Any chunks get caught in straws, so be sure to mix very well. Pour into either a hurricane glass or a poco-grande glass. Place pineapple and cherry on a garnish skewer and place in the drink.

If you want to add just that little something more to your Pina Colada, very carefully drizzle 1/4 oz more of the Myers dark rum around the top edge of the drink. It adds a nice visual effect to the drink with just that little extra punch as well. This was a trick a bartender on a cruise line showed me a few years back that kept me going back for more of the tropical treat, too.

The Daiquiri & Hemingway's Papa Doble

2007-09-16T21:18:00.000-05:00

The Daiquiri is a bar classic dating back to the nineteenth century. Ernest Hemingway even had one named after him called the Hemingway Daiquiri or the Papa Doble. Originally built in a Collins glass over cracked ice, the Daiquiri has evolved into what we know today as the sophisticated cocktail drink served in a martini glass.

The Daiquiri is a rather tart and refreshing drink with just a hint of sweetness. It consists of only three ingredients; rum, lime juice and sugar. The balancing of these three ingredients is what complicates the drink.

Fresh ingredients are always best when creating any cocktail. This is no different with the Daiquiri. To save time, some bars will use concentrated lime juice rather than fresh lime juice. This will throw the ratio of lime juice to bar syrup completely out of whack as the concentrated lime juice tends to be rather strong and thick. Even worse, some bartenders will use Rose’s Sweet Lime in exchange for fresh lime juice not recognizing the difference. This is a huge mistake in building the Daiquiri.

Another factor in the flavor of a Daiquiri is the rum you choose. Bacardi is a perfectly fine choice. But if you would like a top shelf Daiquiri that adds a hint of depth my recommendation would be 10 Cane.

Most rum is produced from cane that has been grown and harvested for the purpose of sugar with the rum being a side product. Not so with 10 Cane. It is not ordinary rum made from molasses. It is made from the first pressings of Trinidad sugar cane grown for the sole purpose of making rum. The cane is then harvested in groups of ten, thus the name, 10 Cane. The cane is small batch distilled and aged in French oak barrels, producing a lighter, smoother tasting rum with an absolutely fabulous golden color. The undertones of this rum remind me of caramel and vanilla with a hint of spice. It is wonderful to take in the aroma before sipping it neat or within a cocktail.

Daiquiri

2 oz 10 Cane Rum
1 oz Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
½ oz Collins Bar Syrup

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Fill 1/3 full with ice. Shake 15 – 20 seconds. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. No garnish.

The Hemingway Daiquiri or Papa Doble has no bar syrup added as Hemingway had an aversion to sugar. Although his drink calls for no sugar, you can be certain it is still a marvelous concoction as it calls for a little known liqueur; Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur and also grapefruit juice. The layering effect of the flavors in this cocktail keeps the taster coming back for more and more. It is refreshing and unusual. Not the run of the mill Daiquiri, which is quite satisfying, too.

Hemingway Daiquiri (Papa Doble)

1-1/2 oz 10 Cane or Bacardi Rum
¼ oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
½ oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice
3/4 oz Fresh Lime Juice
(1/2 oz Bar Syrup if you find the recipe too tart for your tastes)

Combine ingredients in cocktail shaker. Fill 1/3 full of ice. Shake for 15 – 20 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. No garnish.

As a side note, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur is sometimes difficult to find locally, but can easily be found on the internet. Accept no substitutions as this is a one of a kind liqueur in a one of a kind bottle.

Tuaca - Not To Be Overlooked

2007-09-15T15:17:00.000-05:00

Tuaca is a liqueur I’ve passed on the liquor aisle many times without more than a mere glance, but with a little gnaw of wonder in the back of my mind. It isn’t one of the more widely known or used liqueurs such Gran Marnier, Kahlua, or even Drambuie. All of these liqueurs bring a particular drink to mind; Margarita, White or Black Russian, and Rusty Nail. With Tuaca, however, I draw a blank.

My curiosity finally won out recently at a local hot spot. While perusing the drink menu I ran across a drink with Tuaca as an ingredient. I thought I might like to try the drink, but not without knowing what I might be getting into with the Tuaca. I asked about the Tuaca, but the bartender didn’t know what it was either. This goes to show, just because there is a bartender behind the bar, they haven’t always done their homework. In his favor, he did offer a small sample taste which sold me on the Tuaca and the drink.

Tuaca is an Italian liqueur with the taste of buttery vanilla. The official website says it also has a hint of citrus. This may be true as well, but it is so slight that it can be missed. This liqueur is so smooth it rolls over the tongue ever so easily like silk whispers over skin. It is warming like rum can be, yet it can add depth to a cold drink as I will show you in my recipe today.

Tuaca Lemonade

2 oz Three Olives Citrus Vodka
1 oz Tuaca
½ oz Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
Lemon Twist for Garnish

Combine vodka, Tuaca, and lemon juice in cocktail shaker. Fill 1/3 full with ice. Shake 15 – 20 seconds until well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

As a side note, Tuaca seems to have the perfect flavor for a very high end Buttery Nipple as it has the caramel undertone that butterscotch liqueur has, but is not as sugary and raw as butterscotch schnapps. When using higher end liquors and liqueurs it also seems a shame to shoot them and miss the taste. Sip and savor the flavor instead for a change of pace.

St~Germain Limon Blossom

2007-09-14T09:47:00.000-05:00

When I walk into Omaha Wine at 114th and Dodge I am always looking for something new and different to try. By new, I mean new to me that I’ve never tried. By different, I mean unusual. What I came away with was in fact both. If you have ever tried St~Germain liqueur, you know exactly what I am talking about.

The bottle itself is a work of art. It is tall and elegant with sharp edges begging to be touched. Once it is picked up, it isn’t like a regular bottle of liquor you’d hold by the neck. No. It requires cradling and care by its design alone. That is precisely the first clue as to what is inside the bottle as well.

As is perfectly clear, what drew me to this liqueur in the first place was the spectacular bottle. Upon reading the label I discovered St~Germain is created from handpicked elderflower blossoms. Yes, flowers. I had to ask about the elderflower, since most liqueurs I’ve ever tried have a fruit base. The quick witted response of the person on duty was a little unusual, but I can play along. He said, “Hold your hand out and get ready to lick.” That isn’t something you hear every day. Then again, Omaha Wine is where you find the new and different. So, I put out my hand and sure enough, he poured a little sample of the St~Germain in the palm of my hand. It was so delicious I didn’t hesitate to buy it immediately. My brain was already concocting delicious things to try out with this new flavor.

Thinking on it, I can’t describe what the liqueur even tastes like. It is light, yet abundant, but not overpowering. It is floral, but not flowery and strong like roses. It has a hint of fruit in it, yet there is not a particular fruit to distinguish in the flavor. If you take a look at the official website they hint at the subtleties of the flavor, but can not pinpoint it either. “Neither pear nor peach, lychee nor citrus, the sublime taste of St~Germain hints at each of these and yet none of them exactly.”

It is a complicated liqueur, yet brings a dynamic to a drink that is unmatched. It is a layering effect that happens when a drink is put together with forethought. When you drink a cocktail such as this, you take a sip and think to yourself that it tastes really good. Then you take another sip and realize there is another element in the drink you hadn’t caught the first taste around. That adds new depth and character to it and you want to taste more to see if you catch something else. That is exactly what the St~Germain does for a drink if it is added in the right proportion.

St~Germain may be on the pricier side of liqueurs, but well worth it. Play around with it in exchange for bar syrup in a mojito or in exchange for Gran Marnier in a margarita for something different. Now try this. It is my newest experiment.

St~Germain Limon Blossom

1-1/2 oz Three Olives Citrus Vodka
1 oz St Germain
½ oz Caravella Limoncello
1 oz Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Fill 1/3 full with ice. Shake 15 – 20 seconds. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Check out St~Germain at www.stgermain.fr

Oatmeal Cookie Cocktail - Transforming the Shot

2007-09-10T11:32:00.000-05:00

Recently I passed by a new cocktail bar advertising a cocktail I had only been familiar with as a shot or shooter. Curious as I am, I immediately did a little research in my trusty books and sure enough, I found it. The Oatmeal Cookie Cocktail. It was not just a shooter to be slammed back, barely tasted for a split second on the tongue. One could actually sip it for a while in a cocktail glass and savor it, tasting the complexities and see if it indeed tasted like an oatmeal cookie for which it was named. So, of course, I wondered if it did indeed taste like an oatmeal cookie. Being a bartender I of course have made the Oatmeal Cookie Shooter for women who have ordered it. But, must admit, even though oatmeal cookies are my favorite, I had never actually tasted an Oatmeal Cookie Shooter. I as a rule, I rarely do shots.

Aha! I am found out. Shooters and shots don’t hold the highest appeal to me, so I don’t usually try them. My opinion of shooters and shots is that they are not on the tongue long enough to taste, so the only point in drinking them is to get drunk fast. There is a time and place for that some would argue, but I truly enjoy the flavors and complexities of the liquors, so I want to enjoy them for as long as I can before falling flat on my face. But, with so many shooters and shots out there, cutting out that entire section of recipes seems a little sad. Certainly there is room for compromise.

That is where the Oatmeal Cookie Cocktail comes in. It brings in the idea of compromise. I looked up the recipe for the shooter and the cocktail and they both have almost identical ingredients. They are just taken in at different speeds. Which made me think the same could be done with other shooters with the same appeal. Most shooters could be made into a cocktail or iced drink unless of course the basis of the shooter is a visual effect. Then, the effect could not be duplicated in a cocktail or iced drink. The trick would be to decide whether the drink would be better shaken over ice and strained into a cocktail glass or built into glass with ice where the ice would melt into the drink as it is being sipped. This is basically personal preference unless a drink is meant to be creamy. Ice melting would of course ruin that effect.

Oatmeal Cookie Shot

¼ oz Jagermeister
¼ oz Butterscotch Schnapps
¼ oz Baileys Irish Cream
¼ oz Cinnamon Schnapps
¼ oz Goldschlager

Mix contents over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a shot glass. Serve and drink ice cold.

Oatmeal Cookie Cocktail

1 oz Baileys Irish Cream
1 oz Butterscotch Schnapps
1 oz Jagermeister
½ oz Goldschlager

Pour ingredients together in a cocktail shaker. Fill 1/3 full with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with skewered raisins, dried cranberries, or dates. All would go perfectly with this drink. This is the original version I found for the Oatmeal Cookie Cocktail. I can’t help myself when it comes to tweaking drinks a bit. I found it to be a bit too much cinnamon and a bit too thin for my liking. Try cutting back on the Goldschlager to ¼ oz and adding in ½ oz of half and half to make a creamier drink with less cinnamon bite.

Here’s one for those of you who do shots to get way messed up. I don’t know why you do it, but I’m sure you have your reasons. I know, I know. It’s fun. But, seriously. This one is called for lack of a better name….Russian F**er… I didn’t name it guys, someone else came up with that one. But, in all fairness it makes a great sipping drink.

Russian F**er Shooter

¾ oz Stolichnaya Vodka
¾ oz Amaretto
¾ oz Crown Royal

Mix contents over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a shooter glass. Serve and drink ice cold.

Russian F**er on the Rocks

1 oz Stolichnaya Vodka
1 oz Amaretto
1 oz Crown Royal

Fill a rocks glass with cracked ice to the top. Measure liquors into glass over the ice. Insert a stir straw and serve. No need for a garnish, but an orange peel on a skewer would make a nice visual effect.

Next time you run across a shot or shooter you think sounds like something you might want to actually taste instead of throw back, try it out shaken over ice and strained in a cocktail glass or poured over ice in a rocks glass. You might be surprised that the shot tastes a lot better at a slower pace than you thought it would. Then again, I’ve seen some of those shots….Some of them are aptly named like Toxic Waste, Nuclear Spill, and even a Dirty Ashtray. No thanks.

Nomad Lounge Review - Omaha, Nebraska

2007-09-09T16:35:00.000-05:00

Last night my boyfriend and I wandered off the beaten path of the tried and true Old Market faithful and headed down to the Nomad Lounge. Elan furniture store once occupied this space, but there is no evidence of it remaining with the exception of the vast space and wood floor. Nomad Lounge has done a remarkable job with the atmosphere.

To be honest, when we approached the place we were hesitant as it appeared mostly dead. Upon entering, it wasn’t very busy and was quiet, but in a peaceful, serene sort of way. It is quite dark with lots of red lighting and candles galore surrounding the exterior walls and highlighting the bar area. The bar itself is a large wrap-around concrete bar that sits in the middle of the lounge area. The seating areas along the exterior walls are filled with comfy sofas, candle light and an array of art reflected from overhead projectors creating a unique atmosphere for this truly unexpected bar for the Old Market.

Our bartender was eager to set us up with drinks, but unfortunately was stumped with an easy request; the Bacardi Cocktail. While he did not know what a Bacardi Cocktail was, he did have recommendations from the Nomad Lounge’s cocktail list which is varied. First, every bartender should know a Bacardi Cocktail as it was the center of litigation in 1936 when a bar owner substituted another rum in place of Bacardi in the Barcardi Cocktails. Basically the only difference in a Bacardi Cocktail and a Daquiri is one cocktail uses grenadine and the other drink uses bar syrup as the sweetener. Both are basic bar drinks that should be known to every cocktail bartender.

Bacardi Cocktail

2 oz Bacardi Light Rum
1 oz Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
½ oz Grenadine

Shake ingredients in cocktail shaker one third full of ice. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. No garnish.

I also ordered a straight up martini with a lemon twist made with Pravda Vodka. Had the martini been made with less vermouth than the free pour amount the bartender added to the drink itself instead of to the iced cocktail glass before shaking the ice away, it would have been a great martini. Instead, I got a really up close and personal taste of what Cinzano Vermouth tastes like. It’s a martini, I suppose, but not my kind of martini.

Perfect Martini

Noily Pratt Vermouth
2 oz Vodka – Chopin, Pravda, Tall Blonde, (all top of the line-choose one)
Lemon Twist

Place ice in a cocktail glass. Swirl approximately ¼ oz of Noily Pratt Dry Vermouth over top of ice filled cocktail glass. Set aside. Place vodka in cocktail shaker. Fill 1/3 full of ice. Shake or swirl for 15 – 12 seconds. Swirl iced vermouth around the cocktail glass before dumping out. Strain vodka into chilled cocktail glass. Twist fresh lemon around rim of cocktail glass and lightly squeeze over top of martini before placing the lemon twist either on the rim of the glass or into the martini itself. Some people prefer olives in their martinis and that is a perfectly good option. Skip the lemon twist in that case. Try any assortment of olives to liven things up a bit. Jalapeño olives are my personal favorite.

The Nomad Lounge has several drinks on their menu. The Flower Island Bikini made up of Belevedere Vodka, 10 Cane Rum (my favorite rum!) blue curacao, pineapple juice, and sprite is one. This drink came served in a Collins glass over ice. It was too blue for my taste and also way too sweet. As it ended up, I didn’t care for it and our bartender took it away without charging me for it. That’s a real plus in favor of the Nomad Lounge and did lead me to order something else; their Nomad Lemonade. It had Grey Goose Citron, Tuaca (our bartender gave me a tiny taste first-kudos again!), Fresh Lemon, and Nomad’s own freshly made Simple Syrup. It also comes in a tall glass over ice. Although it could use a tad less simple syrup, this makes for a great sipping drink. It’s rather pricy at $12, but proceeds from it go toward a good cause. You can read about the cause yourself on their menu when you go check them out. Another plus to the leisurely atmosphere is there is no smoking indoors, but a nice sitting area with sofas on the patio for those of you who care to.

By the time we called it a night, the place was filling up and holding its own in the Old Market. Refreshing to see with all the places that come along and fade away.

Nomad Lounge
www.nomadlounge.com
1013 Jones Street
Omaha, NE

Ultimate 10 Cane Mojito

2007-08-30T22:37:00.000-05:00

Ultimate Mojito

10 – 12 Fresh Mint Leaves
1 oz Collins Bar Syrup
¾ oz Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
2 oz 10 Cane Rum
2 – 3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Club Soda
Fresh Mint Leaves to Garnish

Place the 10 – 12 mint leaves, bar syrup and lime juice into a cocktail shaker. Press leaves with a muddler for a generous portion of time. I usually allow 30 – 60 seconds to allow proper bruising of the mint leaves. Next, remove muddler from the cocktail shaker. Add the 10 Cane Rum, and bitters. Fill the shaker 1/3 full of cracked ice. Shake for 15 – 20 seconds. Fill a Collin’s glass 4/5 full of ice. Strain cocktail shaker contents into Collin’s glass. Top off with club soda. Garnish with a fresh mint leaf.

This makes a perfect Mojito every time. An ultimate Mojito in fact. The taste is fresh, the flavors are layered. The bitters take just enough edge off the sweetness to allow the full effect of the mint to rum flavor shine through. Now, you could try this with other rums such as Bacardi, but it would not be the same. Don’t get me wrong. I am a fan of Bacardi as well. It has it’s place. I’ve visited their distillery and was very intrigued with the entire story of the bat on the bottle, which I will share at some point with photos as well if it comes to that. But the story here is about the Mojito and 10 Cane.

It was only a few months ago that I was introduced to 10 Cane. Bottles catch my eye. It is ingenious how liquor companies know this about consumers. It isn’t just their product, but their bottle that will draw someone in. Some liquor companies have perfume bottlers design their liquor bottles to make them more, shall we say, consumer friendly. As if the liquor within them was not draw enough to the consumer. 10 Cane however, does not have this dilemma. Their rum is well within consumable range. It is spicy and aromatic with a hit of caramel beneath the first sip. It seems to flow over the tongue as if it were a melody. The bits of flavor flow harmoniously together to form a perfect blend of rum for that perfect drink you choose to create.

10 Cane rum is extraordinary in that it comes from Trinidad and is processed from virgin sugar cane grown for the purpose of rum. Most rum is made from molasses which is a by product of sugar cane not grown for the purpose of rum. This alone gives 10 Cane a taste of its own. Knowing as well that the makers of Moet Hennessey are the backers of 10 Cane only elevate it even more. This is a savoring sort of rum. It is great for sipping or adding to some of your well made cocktails or tall drinks. Check it out for yourself on the web at www.10cane.com.

Raspberry Lemon Drop

2007-08-29T09:46:00.000-05:00

We’ve had some very hot days this summer with the heat index climbing as high as 105 or higher. The kids may be selling lemonade at the corner stand, but a real thirst quencher for adults is a Lemon Drop with a twist. Lemon Drop cocktails have usually been too sweet and grainy for my taste, so I’ve strayed away from them in the past. But lately I’ve been playing around with them a bit. Mmmm….my mouth is watering already just thinking of making this drink.

If you order a Lemon Drop in a bar it is typically made as a shot or shooter with a sugared lemon wedge. It may be served as simply as a shot glass rimmed with granulated sugar, filled with citron vodka and a lemon wedge on the side or a lemon wedge dipped in granulated sugar as well. The patron licks the sugar, sucks the lemon and shoots the citron vodka. In my opinion, there is little fuss about it and also little to make it worth coming back for. So, instead of making a shot of it, let’s make a cocktail out of it and make it worth drinking. This one is so thirst quenching you may still be tempted to throw back a few, though.

Let me address the granulated sugar rather quickly. Working with granulated sugar in cocktails like the Lemon Drop which is shaken or a Mojito which is muddled, you will find that the sugar does not dissolve like expected. That makes for a gritty drink going down and residue left over in the bottom of the glass. Neither is very attractive. It takes a great amount of time and patience to finally get sugar to melt into other liquids. So, instead of using granulated sugar as some cocktail recipes call for, try either making your own simple sugar syrup or there is a great product on the market by Collins called Bar Syrup.

It is relatively easy to make your own sugar syrup. It is two parts sugar to one part water. Heat the water in a saucepan on the stove to a simmer. Gradually stir in the sugar. Continue stirring until all of the sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from the stove and allow mixture to cool completely. The mixture must be stored in the refrigerator and will keep for two to three weeks. Since the homemade syrup does eventually go bad due to mold, the Collins Bar Syrup is an excellent product since it does not have to be refrigerated after being opened making storage very handy. You can find Collins Bar Syrup at your local liquor store or online.

Raspberry Lemon Drop

2 oz Ciroc Vodka
Juice of One Freshly Squeezed Lemon
½ oz Collins Bar Syrup
¼ oz – ½ oz Mathilde Liqueur Framboise (Chambord may be substituted)
1 Lemon Wheel (remove seeds)

In a cocktail shaker combine Ciroc Vodka, lemon juice, and Collins Bar Syrup. Fill shaker 1/3 full with ice. Shake 15 – 20 seconds. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Gently float the lemon wheel on top of the cocktail drink mixture. Very carefully pour the Mathilde Liqueur Framboise onto the lemon wheel only. Some of course will filter through, but be careful not to stir it into the drink to allow for a nice layering effect. Enjoy!

This makes a beautiful drink. The raspberry liqueur continually sinks to the bottom of the glass giving the illusion of a rather plump looking raspberry at the bottom. You could even garnish this drink with a skewer of fresh raspberries if you would like. The last third of the drink is where the lemon wheel and raspberry liqueur start working together for an extra burst of flavor. Again, my mouth is watering. I think I’ll have to go make one now.

Bloody Mary Sunday

2007-08-26T19:05:00.000-05:00

Sundays usually bring to mind family time, relaxation, and tradition. For me, no matter where I am, Sunday mornings remind me of my oldest brother. He’s a bachelor living in this great two bedroom house that he fixed up with the best wooden floors and this fabulous front porch meant for drinking coffee and working on crossword puzzles, which is exactly what he does on Sunday mornings until the coffee pot runs dry. When the coffee pot is empty he announces that it is Bloody Mary time. It isn’t just any Bloody Mary. No. It is my brother’s Bloody Mary. It is an event. It is a meal to be savored and enjoyed.

The Bloody Mary had never been among my favorite drinks or even top twenty or hundred for that matter, until I tried one that my brother made. I liked tomato juice. I liked V8 juice. I like vodka. I like spicy. So I couldn’t figure out how combining all of those things never worked out in a drink. It didn’t make sense to me. This was a drink I tried over and over again, because I really wanted to like it. It seemed pretty basic with a shot of vodka, some pepper, Tabasco, celery salt and Bloody Mary mix. Basic was all wrong. Sometimes basic is just getting by. Just getting by is rarely ever fun.

The recipe I am sharing today is a blend of a vodka infusion I learned, my brother’s recipe, and some tweaks I added along the way.

Bloody Mary Vodka Infusion

For the vodka infusion you will need a jar with lid large enough to hold the contents of the following:

1 Bottle of Tito’s Vodka (or vodka of your choice)
1 Fresh Red Bell Pepper (seeded and sliced)
1 Fresh Jalapeño Pepper (seeded and sliced)
Whole Peeled Garlic Cloves (approximately 5 per liter of vodka)
Whole Black Peppercorns (1-2 per liter of vodka)
Funnel and cheesecloth for later use

Combine all of the above ingredients in a jar. Seal and place in the refrigerator for at least 48 hours. Ingredients may be left longer if desired, but this is not necessary. I recommend keeping the original liquor bottle for returning the infused vodka to later. After 48 hours, remove the infusion from the refrigerator. Double up cheesecloth over the funnel and place funnel inside the Tito’s vodka bottle. Strain infusion into the original bottle, throwing out the peppers, garlic and such. Place infused vodka in the refrigerator or freezer for storage. Do not keep infused vodka at room temperature as it may mold.

Bloody Mary Recipe

2 oz Tito’s Bloody Mary Infused Vodka
½ Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
6-8 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce
4-6 Dashes Tabasco Sauce
2-3 Dashes Peychaud's Bitters
3 Dashes Celery Salt
2 Dashes White Pepper
2 Dashes Garlic Powder
2 Dashes Onion Powder
Clamato Juice
Coarse salt for rimming

Begin with a large Collins glass. Slide half of the fresh lime around the rim of the Collins glass. Dip the limed rim into a saucer of coarse salt. Fill the glass 2/3 with ice. Season the ice with the peppers, salts and powders first, the Worcestershire,Tabasco and Peychaud's next, and then the squeeze of lime. Shake the bottle of infused vodka before using as it has a tendency to settle at the bottom. Lastly, top off your drink with Clamato juice. Clamato is thinner in consistency than either tomato or V8, making for a smoother textured drink.

Garnishing is the key and there is so much more than the mere celery stick. I like to use a skewer of queen sized jalapeño stuffed olives in addition to the celery stick to stir with. A pickle spear does quite nicely as well. A few cocktail shrimps speared and dunked go rather nicely with this drink. Go wild! As I said, the Bloody Mary is not just a drink. It is an event, a meal even. If you can find a spicy course salt for the rim garnish that would give this drink extra punch as well.

Tito’s is a handmade vodka crafted in an old fashioned pot still by Texas’ first and oldest distillery. It is distilled six times, making for an incredibly clean finish. If you would like more information about Tito’s vodka go to www.titos-vodka.com

Simply Perfect Margarita

2007-08-25T16:52:00.000-05:00

Last night I went to a favorite Mexican restaurant for one of my favorite meals and decided on one of their classic top shelf margaritas to go with it. The margarita was a watered down, bitter disappointment. If it had tequila in it, it was a surprise to me. If it had the Cointreau in it, it was a surprise to me. Mostly it had watery ice inside and drippy green salt around the edges getting everywhere. This goes to show that just because a restaurant can make fabulous food, they cannot always make fabulous drinks. My conclusion was to go there to order the food and be sated, but the margaritas, not so much. Which is why I’m going to share what I think is a simple, yet fabulous margarita. This isn’t my recipe by the way, so I cannot take credit. It was shared with me by a friend, but the originator is unknown to me, so I cannot give credit either. For that I apologize.

Patron happens to be my favorite tequila for making margaritas. It is on the pricier side, but well worth the expense. Something distinctive about Patron is the bottle. Each bottle is handmade and individually numbered making it collectible. Patron is not for slamming back shots. It is for savoring. For a margarita I prefer to use Patron Reposado at 80 proof. It is aged in oak barrels for a minimum of six months and has a bit more flavor and spice to it than the Patron Silver. Patron is also 100% agave. That is extremely important to look for when searching for a premium tequila. Of course, you will have your tequila of preference when making a margarita, but always be sure it is 100% agave. Accept no substitutions.

The next important thing to look for that may be more difficult to find is agave nectar. Agave nectar is pressed from the heart of the agave plant. It is then reduced or heated to create a syrup. The agave nectar is thick such as honey only much sweeter. The advantage of using the agave for margaritas is it is of the same agave plant as the tequila so it marries to the tequila within the drink making for a well rounded drink. I have found this product locally at my Whole Foods retailer. If you don’t have one near you, try Google. There are many sites that carry it. Just make sure you purchase the light agave nectar instead of the darker agave nectar.

Fresh limes, ice and salt are all you need to complete the margarita. Sounds like we’re missing Gran Marnier or Cointreau doesn’t it? Not in this simple recipe.

Simply Perfect Margarita

2 oz Patron Reposado Tequila
1 oz Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
½ oz Agave Nectar
Lime Wedge
Margarita Salt

Cut lime in half. Juice one half of lime into cocktail shaker. Cut other half into wedges. Slide a lime wedge around the outside rim of the margarita glass. Dip the glass rim into a saucer of margarita salt making sure the salt remains on the outside of the glass only. Set aside. Measure the Patron and agave nectar into the cocktail shaker with the lime juice. Shake to thoroughly combine ingredients. Place ice into salt rimmed margarita glass. Strain contents of shaker into margarita glass. Garnish with a lime wedge. Enjoy!

For more information about Patron, have a look at their website at www.patronspirits.com

Pomegranate Possibilities

2007-08-24T21:33:00.000-05:00

Pomegranate has increasingly become one of the more trendy cocktail flavors going as of late. It seems every other bar on the corner has a pomegranate cocktail, “martini” or margarita on their specialty menu. It used to be that lemon and orange were the only flavored vodkas on the market. Now there are cherry, raspberry, blueberry, pomegranate and just the other day I saw a kiwi. This opens the door to so many possibilities when it comes to wonderful concoctions in cocktails.

With such emphasis on pomegranate I began playing around with PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur to come up with a twist on an old favorite. Pairing with the PAMA liqueur, I have used Three Olives Vodkas. Three Olives has a rather nice selection of flavored vodkas; twelve in fact. Although I have not tried them all, I have tried a few and the flavors stand up well with the vodka. Three Olives Vodkas are quadruple-distilled and quadruple-filtered making for a very smooth finish on this English import. To find out more about Three Olives, look them up on the web at www.threeolives.com.

So, what can we do with a twist on an old favorite? How about the ever popular Cosmopolitan? It made a come back during the 90’s with Sex in the City. But that isn’t where it had its start. Its history is somewhat unclear with credit being taken by a bartender from South Florida in the middle 80’s who claimed to create the Cosmo for those drinkers who wanted to look cool holding a martini glass while drinking, but didn’t care for the martini drink. Next in line for taking credit is a bartender out of Manhattan who shook things up a bit in the cocktail shaker in the later 80’s which is something closer to what the Cosmo is today. A slightly different version to this shortened tale is that the Cosmo actually had its birth in 1975 by an entirely different hand behind the bar in Minneapolis. That’s what happens with some cocktails. There are so many twists to the tale that the history becomes a bit muddled.

Now for my twist on the Cosmo…

Pomegranate Cosmopolitan

2 oz Three Olives Pomegranate Vodka
1 oz PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
½ oz Cointreau
Juice from ½ of a fresh lime
Lime twist for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker 1/3 full of ice. Add vodka, liqueurs, and lime juice. Shake until well chilled. This takes approximately ten to fifteen seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the lime twist.

If you are interested in sugared rimmers, Stirrings makes a variety of flavorful rimmers for your favorite cocktails. At last count they had twenty-one different flavors, two of which are pomegranate and cosmopolitan, either of which would go great with the above cocktail. Check them out at www.stirrings.com.

Measuring the White Russian

2007-08-23T13:57:00.000-05:00

Stepping into an unknown bar to order a drink is a little like playing Russian roulette. Each bartender is as different as the bar they work in. Each bottle of liquor is as individual as the label. No two vodkas are the same. No two liqueurs are the same. Each double old fashioned glass gets filled to a different level with ice each time. Some bartenders free pour, some don’t. Some jiggers measure in an ounce, some measure in an ounce and a quarter. That being said, it stands to reason that it would be pretty difficult to order a drink at one bar and then go to another and expect to order the same drink and get the exact same taste. Or is it?

When I first started bartending I was taught that faster is better. One of the first things my boss told me was where the liquor pour line was on all of the glasses. He said we didn’t use a jigger, because it took too much time. He was only right in that it takes a few seconds longer to use a jigger, but faster is not always better. Faster does not make a better drink. Faster usually means an out of balance drink that can never be duplicated from one glass to the next no matter how hard a bartender tries. That isn’t to say it cannot be done. There are professionals out there that can do it from one drink to the next, but it is rare.

Part of bartending is an exact science and some is not. A martini for example may vary ever so slightly in how much vermouth is shaken out of the iced martini glass. The size of the olive, onion or lemon twist can change the outcome of the martini in the tiniest of increments depending on its size and how much juice has still remained on it before it is put into the martini. Those are the variables of bartending.

The mechanics of bartending is basic measurement.

I do a lot of experimenting with old style cocktail recipes, homemade mixes, and fresh squeezed juices. When I go out to a bar, I am usually disappointed with the run of the mill bottled mixes and the same old “martini” style cocktail choices on the menus. So, I usually end up ordering a drink I think no bartender can possibly mess up, because it is simple measurement; the White Russian.

The White Russian is a simple drink consisting of equal parts vodka, coffee liqueur, and half and half built in a double old fashioned glass. This drink has been served to me in a collins glass filled with 2% milk, in a rocks glass with 2% milk, in a rocks glass half full of ice topped off with unmeasured half and half, in a rocks glass with heavy cream, and once I swear with gin instead of vodka. What really gets me is the not measuring of the half and half (and the incorrect ingredients of course.) I see liquor being measured carfully in some cases and then bartenders winging it when it comes to topping off drinks with the amenities whether it be the half and half, grenadine, or juices. All of those things need to be measured. In the case of the White Russian, if the glass is only half filled with ice and the vodka and coffee liqueur are measured, that still leaves room for almost two measures of half and half in the glass if a bartender chooses to free pour. That makes for a watered down drink. It makes me an unhappy camper and will make your customers or guests dissatisfied if they know what a well made White Russian is supposed to taste like as well. This goes for any drink. Measure it correctly and you will get the same perfectly made drink every time.

Now for the ease of making the White Russian…

White Russian

1.25 oz Smirnoff Vodka
1.25 oz Kahlua Especial
1.25 oz Half & Half

Fill a double old fashioned glass within a half inch of the rim with cracked ice. Measure each ingredient into the glass in the order in which given. Stir with a cocktail stirrer and enjoy. Some choose to garnish with a maraschino cherry. My preference is to go without.

If you are a Kahlua user, try the Kahlua Especial at 70 proof at only a couple of dollars more than the original Kahlua at 53 proof. The Kahlua Especial has a deeper, richer coffee flavor to it than the original. All vodkas are not created equal nor should the same vodka be used for every kind of drink. For this particular drink, Smirnoff is my vodka of choice. It has a smooth, clean taste that stands up to the Kahlua without getting lost.

Now a really great twist to this particular drink is to change up the liquors and try something really fabulous. If you are a tequila drinker this is really great stuff. The spice of the Patron adds some real dimension to this drink.

1.25 oz Patron Reposado (80 proof)
1.25 oz Patron XO Café (70 proof)
1.25 oz Half & Half

Fill a double old fashioned glass within a half inch of the rim with cracked ice. Measure each ingredient into the glass in the order in which given. Stir with a cocktail stirrer and enjoy. Definitely no maraschino cherry garnish on this one.