As for recent concoctions. I made an Attention Cocktail, via Jamie Boudreau's site. It's okay. Not sure I'd make one again. I enjoy an Aviation much more.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Attention Cocktail and Others
Recently picked up the book The Art of the Bar. I have mixed feelings about this book. It is moderately well designed in look, though some of the photography is less than ideal. More important is that the majority of mixed drinks I have put together from this book's recipes have been less than desirable. Of the many, the only one I enjoy is their take on the Martinez. My recommendation on this book is: pass.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Short Break
Wanted to mention that I hadn't posted in a few days because I had taken a short break, and not drank any alcohol for 3 days. No special reason. Just wanted to give my body some time to heal and relax.
Balsamico Martinez
Don't really know what the hell this is, but I had eyeballed the bottle of 21 year old vinegar, and thought I could do something with it. Seemed to make sense.
So, I went with my first instinct, using the acid to cut a sweet gin drink.
- 1 oz Old Tom Gin
- 1 oz Dolin Sweet Vermouth
- 1 tsp of Aged Balsamic
- A dash of Simple Syrup
- A dash of Angostura Bitters
Stirred, and strained into a cocktail glass.
You know what? Excellent. It may be my first ad hoc creation of which I am truly proud, and will actually make more. Usually when I create a drink, it might taste fine, but nothing has sparked any desire to produce it again. Until now.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
The Chocolate Cocktail
This is a interesting recipe from Modern American Drinks (p. 34) by George J Kappeler, and contains no chocolate. Rather, it has a look and texture of cold chocolate milk, which one would assume was its intention, and not to simulate the taste.
2 oz Ruby Port
1 whole Egg
1 dash Bitters
1 tsp Simple Syrup
Shaken, and strained.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Books on Mixing Drinks
My shelf:
New York Bartender's Guide 1994
Sauce Guide Drink & Drinking vol. 1 (OOP)
The Martinez
Jerry Thomas's How to Mix Drinks (1887)
2 oz Sweet Vermouth
1 oz Old Tom Gin
1/4 oz Maraschino liqueur
1 dash Bitters
1 Lemon twist
A variation
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
2 oz Gin
1/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur
1 dash Bitters
1 Lemon twist
The Martini
The Martini Cocktail
2-3 dashes (Gum) Syrup
2-3 dashes Bitters
1 dash of Curacao or Absinthe ("if required")
1.5 oz Gin (Old Tom)
1.5 oz Vermouth (we assume Italian since dry is not specified)
1 Cherry or Olive ("if required")
A twist of Lemon
Note: This is essentially the same as Dale DeGroff's Martinez.
The Dry Martini
1 oz Vermouth (French)
2 oz Gin
2 dashes Orange Bitters
Martini (original, sweet, pre-Prohibition)
2.5 oz Gin
.75 oz Vermouth (Italian)
Dash of Orange Bitters
Note: Dry simply replaces the Vermouth for French (dry).
Friday, January 2, 2009
Food & Wine Cocktails 2008
Food & Wine magazine puts out a cool little series of 'cocktail' books. If I am correct, this is the fourth year. I just received the 2008 guide which I had purchased for pennies via a merchant on Amazon. Jim Meehan from PDT is a deputy editors, and a healthy list of acknowledgements -- Gary Regan, Don Lee, Sasha Petraske, Ted Haigh, Robert Hess, LeNell Smothers, and so on.
I've been flipping through the book all evening, and finally chose to mix up a drimk.
Gin-esaisquoi (p. 95)
from White Mountain Cider Co., Glen NH
1 Large Egg White
1.5 oz Gin
1.5 oz Lillet Blac
.75 oz Velvet Falernum
2 dashes Regan's Orange Bitters
Shaken, and strained into a coupe.
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