The Museum of the American Cocktail: Blog

Weekly news update

Thu, 15 May 2008 14:51:10 GMT

UK takes Angostura Cocktail Challenge top prize.
'Punch and Judy' is new 2008 official Tales of the Cocktail drink.
DC's World Cocktail Week kicks off at Proof.
Dita Von Teese's cocktail moment.
Wine cocktails in Vancouver.
Chris McMillian makes a Brandy Milk Punch.

World Cocktail Week - 2008

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:29:58 GMT

Dear Friends,
We are happy to announce that the 2008 World Cocktail Week Celebrations have been a resounding success thanks to all of you!

I am happy to report that the Museum’s hometown of New Orleans led a great celebration:Tim McNally, host of WIST radio's .The Wine Show, rallied about ten different bars in New Orleans to participate in a World Cocktail Celebration held at Café Adelaide, where Museum founders Chris and Laura McMillian, and Chris Patino of Absolut/Plymouth, Lu Brow of Adelaide’s Cafe, Marvin Allen of the Carousel Bar in the Monteleone Hotel, and many others devoted their time and talent showcasing New Orleans cocktails using our sponsor brands. "Through the graciousness of Ti Adelaide Martin and Lally Brennan, participating bars at the event provided great food and cocktails while raising awareness of the Museum, and raising much needed funds for the new exhibit. A good time was had by all," said McNally

Here in NY the festivities began on May 8th at Pegu CLub, then again on the 12th . Ann Tuennerman’s event at the Flatiron Lounge began the evening, featuring Charlotte Voisey's winning cocktail the PUNCH and JUDY (signature punch for the 2008 Tales of the Cocktail) special thanks to Ann for helping to spread the word about the Museum celebrations and opening...

From there we filed over to Employees Only where Jason Kozmo and Dushan Zaric focused their wizardry on original twists on New York Classics to a roaring crowd. The bar was packed, the cocktails fabulous, and it was like a family reunion of all the best mixologists in NY

Hugo’s Lounge, in Sydney, AU raised a generous sum for the Museum from its celebration, organized by Mark Ward. Very special thanks to Mark for leading the World Cocktail initiative in all of Australasia. For three years now, Mark has dedicated tremendous time and energy to implement a well organized approach to building this event, and while doing this, has magically reduced the distance between the U.S. and our mates down under. Also participating was 1806 in Melbourne and several bars in New Zealand (see http://www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org/wcd/ for complete list.)

In Chicago, Adam Seger featured Skyy and Partida drinks at Nacional 27 in Chicago, promoting consumer awareness about the Museum and this summer's opening of our new exhibit in New Orleans (which Curator Ted Haigh is now hard at work building). Also in Chicago at the Drawing Room, Charles Joly featured his Maker’s Mark drink called the Nooner (Maker’s, maple syrup, fresh ginger, Navan, and orange bitters, and his Plymouth Gin "Secret Cocktail" (la Pick Lady), special thanks to The Drawing Room for donating $2 to the Museum per specialty drink sold using the sponsor brands.

In Los Angeles at the Doheny, Vincenzo Marianella's menu featured all of our sponsor brands including his original Giselle: Blackberries, mint, Sagatiba , Massenez Crème de Cassis, fresh lemon juice, homemade agave ginger syrup, and Champagne

Audrey Saunders at Pegu raised a generous sum for the museum and expressed that she was considering an idea whereby a special MOTAC cocktail could be featured each day at her bar, focusing on one sponsor each day as a regular, on-going program, if sponsors would like to support it with product donations, thereby making it possible to donate the proceeds from sales of that drink to the Museum.

In San Francisco Tony Abou-ganim, Jeff Hollinger, H. Joseph Ehrmann, and Duggan Mcdonnaugh put together an entire week of events to honor their very distinct San Francisco bar tradition. In other cities like Boston, St. Louis, and Los Angeles the best mixologists were shaking on our behalf, encouraging membership to the Museum of the American Cocktail, and advocating excellence and education in mixology, and responsible consumption.

Several of our sponsors have been especially supportive, reaching out to various venues around the country to donate product for their events, Diego Loret de Mola (Barsol Pisco), Simon Ford (Plymouth Gin), Karlyn Monroe (Cointreau), Shawn Kelley (Pernod), Jamie Terrell (Sagatiba), Charlotte Voisey (Hendircks), Partida & Skyy, Finlandia, Makers Mark, Bols, Jose Cuervo, Depaz, Perfect Puree, etc , especially those who were rushing product to participants at the last minute. Additional thanks to Phil Greene, and Gina Chersavani, Derek Brown, owner Mark Kuller at Proof for the successful cocktail dinner fundraiser hosted at Proof in Washington DC, Misty Kalkofen at Green Street in Boston’s, Jimmy Yeager at Jimmy’s in Aspen, CO, Erika Haase at Hwy 61 Roadhouse in St. Louis, and everyone else for lending their talent and stellar reputations, and showing lots of love to our sponsors. Also Gary Regan, whose announcements in his widely read Ardent Spirits e-letter and Worldwide Bartender Bulletin helped fill the bars.

The Museum has had a big spike in memberships over the past few weeks, thanks to all who worked hard to pitch, organize, and promote World Cocktail Week. And thanks to Robert Hess for collecting information from the various celebrations, keeping our website current, processing new memberships, and bringing three of Seattle’s best bars; Oliver's at the Mayflower Park Hotel, the Zig Zag Cafe, and Liberty into World Cocktail Week.

When an event like this becomes so big and encompasses so many individuals, it is impossible to mention everyone, so I know there are many omissions here and ask all of you to understand how much we appreciate your efforts on our behalf, we are very grateful for your support!

CHEERS,
Dale and Jill DeGroff
The Museum of the American Cocktail

*Donations should be sent to the Museum NY office:
Museum of the American Cocktail, P.O. Box 38, Malverne, NY 11565

Or donate online at this link: http://www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org/Donations/PayPal.aspx
Become A Member Now: http://www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org/membership/Default.html

Clement competition results

Fri, 09 May 2008 14:45:54 GMT

Not long after the Averna contest was settled, 18 of New York’s star mixologists competed in Rhum Clément’s 3rd Annual Clement New York Cocktail Challenge. Again, PDT took honors, with Daniel Eun taking first for “Bitches Brew” and Averna winner Don Lee grabbing second for the “Sargasso”. Lydia Reissmueller from Elettaria took third for “The Sweetie Pie.” Eun gets an expense paid trip to Martinique – the home of Rhum Clement and Rhum J.M.

Daniel Eun, PDT

Bitches Brew

1 oz. Clément Première Canne
1 oz. Pampero Anniversario
1 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. St. Elizabeth All-Spice Dram
1/2 oz. Demerera syrup
1 egg

Combine all ingredients in a shaker, dry shake, add ice, shake and strain into a fizz glass.

Don Lee, PDT

Sargasso

2 oz. Clément V.S.O.P.
1/2 oz. Lustau East India Sherry
1/2 oz. Aperol
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Stir with cracked ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Lydia Reissmueller, Elettaria

The Sweetie Pie

2 oz. Clément V.S.O.P.
1/2 oz. St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
1 1/2 oz. fresh pressed apple juice
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Pinch of sea salt

Build over ice, stir and strain into chilled Nick ‘n Nora glass.

Averna bartender competition results

Thu, 08 May 2008 19:17:03 GMT

It's bartender competition season, it seems, and two recently concluded. One, held by Averna, will be sending Debbi Peek of the Drawing Room at Le Passage in Chicago, New York City's Damon Dyer of Death & Company and Don Lee of PDT, and San Francisco's Jeffrey Hollinger of Absinthe Brasserie & Bar and Thomas R. Waugh of Alembic Bar, to Sicily as finalists in the contest for the ‘HAVE Averna Cocktail Competition!’.

“I am extremely pleased to see how great this contest turned out and the buzz and excitement that the contestants had in support of Averna and each other,” said Paolo Domeneghetti. “We are eager to add the each of these imaginative and lively drinks to our cocktail repertoire.”

The five semifinalists were selected from the three regional competitions (two each from the San Francisco and New York competitions, one from the Miami competition) and will win a trip to Sicily to compete in the finals at the Averna distillery this fall. The grand prize winner will receive a $1,500 American Express gift card.

Jeffrey Hollinger, Absinthe Brasserie & Bar

Midnight In Sicily

1.5 ounce Amaro Averna

1 ounce Tanqueray Gin

.5 ounce "Sicilian Style" Blood Orange agrodolce

5 to 6 mint leaves

Flamed blood orange rind, for garnish

Combine ingredients in an ice filled cocktail shaker and shake for 20 to 30 seconds, or until well chilled. Double strain through a fine meshed strainer into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the flamed blood orange rind.

Thomas R. Waugh, Alembic Bar

Hierba Buena Cocktail

1.25 ounce Averna

1.25 ounce Don Julio Reposado Tequila

.25 ounce white creme de cacao

1 ounce heavy whipping cream

3 dashes Fees Mint Bitters

First make bitter mint cream: add mint bitters and heavy cream to a cocktail shaker. Dry shake (no ice) for 30 seconds. Set aside. Then stir Averna, tequila, and cacao in a mixing glass full of ice for 45 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Using a bar spoon, carefully layer the cream on top of the cocktail. Garnish with shaved chocolate and fresh mint sprig.

Don Lee, PDT

La Cola Nostra

1.5 ounce Zacapa 23

1 ounce Averna

.75 ounce lime juice

.5 ounce simple syrup

.25 ounce Pimento Dram

2 ounces Champagne (Moet White Star)

Shake ingredients with ice, strain into a long glass with ice. Top with Champagne.

Damon Dyer, Death & Company

Tuesdays with Mole

2 ounce Goslings Black Seal Rum

.75 ounces Averna

.5 ounces Demerara Rum

.5 ounce lemon juice

Egg white

Xocolatl Mole Bitters

Shake, shake, shake, strain into coupe glass, float 5 drops Xocolatl Mole Bitters.

Debbi Peek, The Drawing Room at Le Passage in Chicago

Anima Bella

1.5 ounce Averna

.5 ounce Plymouth Gin

1 ounce mineola orange juice

.5 ounce orange juice

.25 ounce simple syrup

5 fresh raspberries

3 fresh blackberries

In a Boston shaker add Berries and fresh citrus. Muddle. Add Averna and gin. Shake with ice. Double strain into a chilled 8 ounce cocktail glass. Using a wooden pick horizontally, place 2 citrus leaves vertically through the pick, then in a fan shape add thin slices of half moon lime wheels and then a raspberry. On the lime slices, add the peel of the Minneola on top on the outside of the lime. Place on the edge of a cocktail glass.

World Cocktail Week reminder

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:30:50 GMT

World Cocktail Celebration!
Mixologists to present their best cocktails to benefit Cocktail Museum in New Orleans.
World Cocktail Week (WCW) is a project of The Museum of the American Cocktail® and was established to celebrate the rich history of the cocktail and recognize the craft and skill of the bartenders who have been mixing them for over 200 years. Celebrating WCW (May 8 - 13th) is a great way to bring attention to the best bars in the country and support The Museum of the American Cocktail® which will open this July in New Orleans, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday July 21st.

World Cocktail Week will be celebrated this year by top mixologists in Sydney, Boston, Las Vegas; Chicago, New Orleans, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, and Washington D.C. Participating venues will be holding their celebrations on specific days between May 8th and the 13th. Please check our website where specifics on all events will be listed.

Events include celebrations in New Orleans on May 13 at Café Adelaide at the Loew’s Hotel, with a public reception from 5:30 – 7:30 staged by ten of New Orleans’ finest bars. In New York on May 12th, Employees Only will commemorate World Cocktail Week by featuring New York Classics. At Pegu Club on May 8th, new twists on New Orleans Classics. In St Louis, a Passport Party Bus organized by HWY 61 Roadhouse will carry guests to the best bars in the city. In San Francisco throughout the week; Elixir, The Drake, and Absinthe Bars will showcase the artistry and history of their Bay Area cocktail tradition, including a Sazerac Happy Hour on Friday May 16th at Elixir. In Chicago; National 27 and The Drawing Room will hold celebrations. In Wash. D.C., a cocktail dinner is planned on May 12th at Proof. And as far away as Sydney, AU, Pernod cocktails, canapés, and music at Hugo’s Lounge on May 13th 6:30 to 9:30.

Weekly news update

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:00:10 GMT

New Orleans gears up for World Cocktail Week.
Gary Regan hoists a special Manhattan in Dallas.
Vinegar the latest trend in cocktail ingredients.
Beer cocktails make a splash in the Midwest.
First hand report on the USBG National Bartender Competition.
New bartender shakes up Mansion at Turtle Creek.

Weekly news update

Fri, 02 May 2008 13:10:47 GMT

Cinco de Mayo minus the Margarita.
What makes a London barman?
Japanese whiskey voted best in world.
Campaign advice for the thirsty.
Former Elaine's bartender tells all.

Weekly news update

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:43:05 GMT

Down a test tube cocktail in London.
The Bellini is back in Toronto.
Bartenders and their jiggers in Marin.
Bruni blogs a Manhattan in...Manhattan.
Drinking within 100 miles of anywhere.

Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:09:58 GMT

By Mark Marowitz

"But thou read'st black where I read white"
William Blake.

"It will free you first from the burning thirst
That is born of a night of the bowl
Like a sun 'twill rise through the inky skies
That so heavily hang o'er your soul.
At the first cool sip on your fevered lip
You determine to live through the day,
Life's again worthwhile as with dawning smile
You imbibe your absinthe frappe."
Glenn MacDonough

Once again absinthe has returned to America's shores. The American bartender now has a new addition to a broad and growing palette of alcoholic beverage choices to present to their guests.

Imbibers of spirits have always described their beverage of choice in glowing terms. Who waxed poetically better than Robert Burns writing about his whisky? Absinthe is an alcoholic beverage that tastes good. No more, no less. It's special and unique place in history is due to a confluence of events or perhaps the stars aligning to malign a beverage no more dangerous than any other alcoholic beverage. Part of the fascination with absinthe is the elaborate preparation which engaged the psyche's love of the ritualistic.

Prohibition officially began in 1920 but absinthe was granted a prohibition all its own in 1912. Prohibition ended in 1933 but absinthe was banned until 2007.

Absinthe is named after Artemsia absinthum, the botanical name for the bitter herb 'grand wormwood'. The German word for wormwood is 'wermut' or vermouth and there is indeed small amounts of wormwood oil in vermouth. The wormwood of vermouth is extracted in wine at a low proof. Wormwood is botanically related to our southwestern sagebrush.

Absinthe can consist of but is not limited to the dried flowers and leaves of grand wormwood, petite wormwood, anise, fennel, hyssop, melissa, angelica, star anise, coriander, dittany, sweet flag, parsley, veronica, chamomile, persil and spinach in varying amounts. 136 proof is the traditional alcoholic strength of absinthe. The finest absinthes balance the bitterness of grand wormwood with herbal essences. Absinthe first gained its popularity in the 1840's when French soldiers returning from North Africa, who used absinthe to purify water, brought their taste for it back to the cafes of Paris. Absinthe became so fashionable that the time between 5 pm and 7 pm became known as "l'heure verte" (the green hour) or the first cocktail hour, if you will.

Absinthe was banned for a number of reasons. The temperance movement, at the beginning of the 20th century in Europe, used absinthe as the scapegoat for all alcohol abuse. 19th century pseudo-scientific inquiry found thujone, a component of grand wormwood oil, to be a neurotoxin in extremely large quantities. The phylloxera louse which had destroyed French vineyards in the 1880's brought a halt to wine and brandy supplies. The wine producers lobbied the French government for help in restoring sales because absinthes popularity was a threat. In Switzerland, circa 1905, Jean LaFray murdered his entire family after drinking a glass of absinthe. Absent from the deposition were the facts that LaFray had consumed six quarts of wine and an indeterminate quantity of brandy. After this sensation absinthe was banned in Switzerland in 1910 and in France during 1915.

In 1988 France re-legalized absinthe under a modified name. Reverse engineering of unopened vintage absinthe bottles has led to the development of absinthe virtually identical to the best distilleries of the past. Absinthe was then re-released into the commercial marketplace.

The essential oils from the diverse herbs are kept in solution by the high alcohol concentration. High alcohol is the best method to hold the intense aroma and flavors. The addition of cold water, drop by drop, causes the peridot green liquor to 'louche' into a cloudy opalescent green as the essential oils of anise crystallize and precipitate out of the alcoholic solution. Seeing the drink slowly change color is part of absinthes ritualistic attraction. When diluted absinthe is no stronger than a glass of wine. Absinthe is usually consumed from somewhere between 3:1 and 5:1 parts of water to absinthe.

The distillation process separates most of the bitter components from grand wormwood. Only the aromatic compounds are found in the final distillate. Aniseed contributes to absinthes sweetness. Sugar was usually added to disguise defects in poorly made absinthe and because our forebears had an enormous sweet tooth. Absinthe is clear after distillation. Absinthe's green color is due to chlorophyll derived from the green leaves of petite wormwood (Artemsia pontica, a non-bitter species of wormwood), hyssop, melissa and other herbs. Perhaps spinach, parsley, nettles and veronica. The coloring herbs are actually used to impart additional flavor and aroma.

What about Thujone?

Thujone is a chemical and the principle active ingredient found in the wormwood oil. Thujone is related to menthol, known for its healing properties. Thujone is colorless, has a pleasant menthol-like smell and tastes very bitter. After distillation the thujone originally present in the macerate is not recovered in the distillate. Thujone concentrations of both pre-ban and modern absinthes have not been the cause of detrimental health effects other than those encountered in common alcoholism. The final concentration of thujone in well-made absinthe is from about 6 mg/l to 10 mg/l. Absinthe produced in the European Union is limited in its thujone content to 35 mg/l. Well-made absinthe falls well within the 10 ppm parameter authorized by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau here in the US.

One can assume that the effects of alcohol and not wormwood oil is responsible for its popularity. Also, thujone has no activity whatsoever at the cannabinoid receptor in the brain. Thujone is a compound found in tarragon, thyme, rosemary, sage and juniper amongst other commonly found herbs. In fact wormwood is high in anti-oxidants.

There is no evidence that well-made absinthe ever contained poisonous concentrations of thujone.

Absinthes popularity is due to the French love of aniseed drinks. It was inexpensive and artists are by and large poor. The reason folks wrote so well of absinthe seems to be simply because it tastes good.

Following are some cocktail recipes containing absinthe that you might enjoy:

Absinthe Frappe
1 oz. absinthe
1.5 oz. water
Shake vigorously with crushed ice and pour without straining into a saucer champagne glass. Serve with short straws.

Absinthe Frappe - California Style
1 oz. absinthe
Shake thoroughly with crushed ice and pour without straining into a highball glass, then slowly fill with seltzer water.

Jackie's Absinthe Frappe
.5 oz. absinthe
Shake vigorously with crushed ice. Strain into a champagne flute filled 2/3 with dry champagne.

Absinthe No. 2
1.5 oz. gin
.25 oz. absinthe
Peychaud's bitters
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Weeper's Joy
1 oz. absinthe
1 oz. sweet vermouth
1 oz. kummel
dash of curacao
Stir with crushed ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Chrysanthemum
2 oz. dry vermouth
.25 oz Benedictine (contains trace amounts of wormwood oil)
3 dashes absinthe
Stir and strain into a cocktail glass, add orange twist as garnish.

Zombie
1 oz. fresh lime juice
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. passion fruit syrup
1 oz. white rum
1 oz. gold rum
1 oz. 151 proof rum
1 tsp brown sugar
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash absinthe
Muddle the brown sugar in the citrus. Add the rest of the ingredients. Shake with crushed ice. Pour into a Collins glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint

Weekly news update

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:53:21 GMT

Louisiana Shuns State Cocktail Sazerac.

Woodford Reserve $1,000 mint julep cup design released.

Cocktail Concierges Serve Up Personalized In-Room Beverages at Fort Lauderdale Hotel.

Cocktail recipes to mix like a chef.

Regan teaches a gingerly leasson.

It's A Wonderful Life

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:25:15 GMT

(This is the first in a series of profiles of American women bartenders by Mark Marowitz. Readers should submit the names and contact information of women whom they would like to see profiled in future sketches. First up is Victoria Damato of San Francisco, CA.)

Victoria is inventive, sophisticated, funny and is rich from her family's history and traditions.

In 1902 the D'Amato brother's (later written as Damato) left their native Sicily and brought their families to North Beach, San Francisco, California, now known as 'Fisherman's Wharf', to start anew in the New World and to fish the rich waters off the coast of Northern California. A hard and rugged existence, to be sure.

Victoria says that during the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, the D'Amato's and the other Italian fishing families took their fleet of fishing boats and sailed to Angel Island. Here they built camps, fished and watched the city burn on the horizon. They returned with much needed sustenance (fish) and shared the fruits of the sea with the forlorn folks back in North Beach.

During the Great Depression, the Damatos' and the other families, provided for their neighbors and in turn goods and services were provided to them and all survived those difficult times.

Italians brought their tradition of wine making and wine's wayward sibling, vinegar, with them wherever they settled. Even today the faint aroma of wine vinegar wafts up from the basements of the homes on Mason St. in North Beach.

Fast forward to the '50's. Victoria's uncles Freddie and Tommy Damato opened Damato's Bar on Broadway in North Beach. This colorful era is lovingly portrayed in Dick Boyd's "Broadway North Beach - The Golden Years," a book I read cover to cover in one sitting. In 1956 Vic's dad Danny Damato took his first shift behind the stick at 17 years of age, at La Rocca's Corner on Columbus Ave. During his early 20's, Danny moved over to the Intrigue Bar on Vallejo St. As the story was related to Victoria, 45 years later, her dad took his size 14's, hopped on the bar and did a Gene Kelly imitation so spectacular that he was known by his peers as "Dancin' Danny Damato". Later Dancin' Danny moonlighted as a bartender to support his young family at the Italian American Athletic Club and the Italian American Social Club both located in North Beach.

Victoria remembers when she was 12, riding with her dad in his white Chevy Impala with the red leather interior thru the red-light district on B'way. She espied a naked woman dancing, through the window of a club. She asked Dancin' Danny, "Dad, why don't you own a bar?" He replied, "Sweetheart, if I owned a bar you would be sitting real pretty, right now. And by the way, don't ever think about getting into the bar business!" Victoria's eyes opened wide and shone like two lantern's on a dark night.

At the bar in the basement of the Damato home, Victoria learned to prepare her first drink, a 'Shirley Temple'. At 14, she perfected the Stinger and the Grasshopper. Every Christmas, Victoria added to her now encyclopedic knowledge of mixed drinks. One of the last drinks she was taught in her dad's basement was the North Beach Manhattan, built as follows: 2 parts brandy, 1 part Italian vermouth, 2 dashes Maraschino liqueur, Maraschino cherry garnish.

A fellow from the neighborhood known as Uncle Bob tapped the now 21 year old Victoria to be a cocktail waitress at the Balboa Cafe on Fillmore St. Later, at Jeremiah Towers' Stars Restaurant, Victoria took the opportunity to make a few tall drinks behind the bar and in general made herself useful to the barmen.

Victoria left the business for more than a decade to pursue a more lucrative life, because opportunities in North Beach for a woman bartender were few (i.e. non-existent). In 2000, Victoria's cousin Mark Nicco inherited Tony Nick's Cafe on Stockton St. in North Beach. Originally Tony Nicco's Cafe when it opened in the early 30's, the name was changed during WW2 because of Italian bashing. Inflating her resume, Victoria sold herself to cousin Mark as the perfect candidate for the now available bartender/bar manager gig. Victoria laughs about it today because in the beginning she found herself on the phone, a few times a day, asking her dad for instructions. He was furious that she returned to the bar business but Victoria is very persuasive and besides her dad was always putty in her hands.

In 2006 Victoria left Tony Nick's Cafe to start her own business. She invents cocktails for spirit companies, winning eight cocktail competitions along the way. She has developed signature drinks for events like the North Beach Mural Restoration Project. She works private parties, usually of the corporate variety in the San Francisco area.

On the website of www.rothvodka.com Victoria can be seen in a few instructional videos making the difficult look effortless. For Victoria a great bartender is all about personality and passion. Victoria's future plan is to open her own bar/lounge in North Beach.

Here are two examples of Victoria's award winning original cocktails:

The Bordello

1 oz. Campari

1 oz. Gran Centenario Añejo Tequila

1 oz. Meyer lemon juice

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

3 oz. passion fruit juice

spritz of soda

lemon twist & cinnamon stick garnish

In a chilled tumbler add the juice of a Meyer lemon and cinnamon; mix or shake thoroughly; add the remaining ingredients SHAKE WELL! Strain into a highball glass and add the spritz of soda. Garnish the drink by wrapping the lemon twist around the cinnamon stick and lay it over the glass.

The Valentino

1 oz. Aperol

1 oz. Gran Centenario Reposado Tequila

1 oz. fresh rhubarb juice*

1/2 oz. agave/pomegranate/ginger syrup**

3 oz. fresh squeezed grapefruit juice

slice of lime

2 oz. soda

grapefruit & lime garnish

In a chilled tumbler add the spirit, rhubarb juice, syrup and grapefruit juice. Shake and strain into a double rocks glass. Squeeze the slice of lime over the top. Add the spritz of soda. Garnish the drink and serve with a smile.

* (Cut fresh rhubarb into chunks and parboil, then steam until all the rhubarb is pulp. Mash the rhubarb thru a fine mesh sieve and refrigerate the juice.

** (In a pot, mix 2 parts agave nectar, 1 part pomegranate juice and 1/4 piece of whole ginger; bring to a boil and let sit until it reaches room temperature; remove the ginger slice.Refrigerate in a glass bottle until needed.)

Mark Marowitz is a bartender and freelance writer, specializing in spirits and cocktails. Mark is a lifelong resident of Manhattan Island and one far off day would like his ashes scattered in his beloved Central Park. Mark is a graduate of the Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR) program. He is currently drinking Weeper's Joy and Chrysanthemum cocktails and mixes the best Martini he has ever tasted. He is in love with Jill DeGroff but, alas, his love is unrequited for she loves another.

Tribute to Mark

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:05:56 GMT

What can I say about a true American icon?

Is it possible to feel so much remorse over someone that has passed away, someone I have never met?

Yes, it is!

Mark Pollman: one of the greatest bartenders ever! Not only a great bartender, but a very compassionate human being. A person who cared about people.

I have been corressponding with Mark for close to 15 years, but we have never met. I first heard about Mark when I saw a copy of Top Shelf Magazine in 1993. There was a cover photo of Mark, and a great article about him in that issue. When I read the article, I noticed that he was wearing a Bartender Hall of Fame ring, in one of the photos. I am also a Bartender Hall of Fame member. I immediately sent him a congratuatory letter, in care of the Fox and Hounds Lounge in St. Louis, where he was working. Mark replied immediately, and we have been friends ever since.

Mark would call me almost every Sunday night. Wondering how things were going, and what's new in my life. He always had so much great advice, not only about bartending, but about life in general. Mark always had a good joke. He said that he wanted to go out by telling a joke behind the bar, but that he would drop over dead right before the punch line!

Every bartender needs a mentor, and he was mine. Mark was about 10 years older than me. Although I have been bartending in Washington, D.C. for the past 30 plus years, I've always believed that one can always learn.

I remember Mark telling me:

"There's two great books you have to get: "The Craft of the Cocktail" by Dale DeGroff", and "The Joy of Mixology" by Gary Regan". He raved about them. Naturally, I picked them up that week. Mark's words were golden to me.

When his book "Bottled Wisdom" came out, he sent me a signed copy. I have always treasured it.

I asked Mark recently to send me a signed copy of "Bottled Wisdom" for my 80 year old dad. My dad received it about a month before Mark passed away. Dad loved it! I told dad that it was probably one of the last copies of "Bottled Wisdom" that Mark signed.

Mark would always send his customers in to see me when they traveled to D.C. On numerous occasions, someone would walk into my bar, either at the Oval Room Restaurant, or later at Signature's Restaurant, where I worked, and hand me a card. The card was Mark's business card, and he wrote on it: "Buy this man a drink!"

Mark and I often talked about having a big bash for all the Hall of Fame Bartenders. But Mark often wondered: "Who in the hell would tend bar?"

It's really ironic: my mother passed away on March 12, 2007. I was very devastated. Mark sent me the most comforting email about dealing with my mother's death. He told me that mom would not want me crying and feeling depressed. I told Mark that I was going to read a tribute to my mother at the funeral mass, but I didn't think I could keep my composure. Mark said that mom would not want me feeling like that, but to remember how much my mother loved me. While I was on the altar reading my tribute, I remembered Mark's words.

He really got me through it.

Mark told me that when his mother passed away, she told him: "Don't cry, but party hearty for me"! I think my mother would have said the same thing!

But life is funny: after all the comfort Mark gave me about my mother, then he passes away on the one-year anniversary of my mother's death.

Mark and I always talked about meeting. Either I would come to St. Louis, or he would come here to D.C. I actually had plans to make a surprise visit to St. Louis this summer. I lived in St. Louis, circa 1965.

Mark: I know you're up there mixing cocktails. When my time comes, please have a Dewar's on the rocks, splash of water for me. But on second thought, since I don't have to pay for it up there, make it a Macallan!

Thank you for your friendship! I want to meet you!

Nick Wineriter

Bartender's Hall of Fame

Return to New Orleans

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 13:17:09 GMT

We are thrilled to announce the opening of The Museum of the American Cocktail in New Orleans this coming July. Our new exhibit will be housed with the Southern Food & Beverage Museum at the Riverwalk Mall in New Orleans, next to the Convention Center, aquarium, and steps away from the French Quarter.

Museum curator Ted “Dr. Cocktail” Haigh has designed an extraordinary exhibit – two hundred years of cocktail history that includes vintage cocktail shakers, Prohibition-era literature, music, and exciting cocktail memorabilia from the collections of the Museum’s founders. A monthly seminar series will also be offered at the Museum.

"The series will feature the best mixologists in the world who will come to New Orleans to share their expertise with industry members and turn it into a worldwide resource for everyone in the industry," says founding member Chris McMillian.

Dale DeGroff, founder and president of the Museum, added that "The Museum of the American Cocktail is an important American institution; the cocktail’s rich cultural history has never been examined and celebrated until now, and throughout this process, the Museum is providing training and awareness in a rapidly growing industry. We look forward to attracting tourism back to New Orleans."

Ribbon cutting ceremony is Monday, July 21st.

B&B and MOTAC

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:53:20 GMT

In 1937, a bartender at the "21" Club in New York created a cocktail called B&B by combining the French liqueur Benedictine with brandy. It became so popular the Benedictine company started bottling a version made with cognac themselves. In March, B&B culminated its 70th anniversary celebration with a big do at the same "21" Club, aided by the Museum and a few of its friends: Phil Greene, John Myers, LeNell Smothers and Naren Young. MC Gary (Regan) oversaw the MOTAC competition, and Dale DeGroff led the judging. Here are the cocktails, led by the winner from John Myers (who is currently at work on the guide, "What Would Jesus Drink: Cocktails for the Second Coming.”)

(Gary, John, Naren, LeNell,... and Phil)

THE TOUCHABLE

By John Myers

1 oz. B&B

1 oz. Bacardi 8-Year-Old

1/2 oz. Noilly Pratt

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

1/2 oz Grade A amber maple syrup

Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

THE CLAIBORNE COCKTAIL

By Phil Greene

1 oz. B&B

1 oz. Maker’s Mark Bourbon

.5 oz. Martini & Rossi Italian Sweet Vermouth

2-3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

2-3 dashes Angostura Bitters

In a rocks glass, add ice and set aside. In a pint glass, add ice, then add all ingredients. Stir well, then strain into rocks glass. Twist a lemon rind over drink, then drop it in and serve.

SPICE MARKET

By Naren Young

2 oz. Wild Turkey rye

3/4 oz. B&B

3/4 oz. fresh lemon

3/4 oz. clove & vanilla syrup

1 egg white

Shake all ingredients very hard with ice. Strain into a small wine goblet. Finish with grated nutmeg

LENELL SPECIAL

By Tonya Smothers

2 oz. B&B

1/2 oz. M&R Dry Vermouith

1/2 oz. lemon juice, strained

1 egg white

three squirts of atomized Angostura Bitters

Put egg white in shaker and shake for about five seconds to emulsify. Add spirit and strained juice. Shake hard with ice. Pour into a 9 ounce cocktail glass filled with crushed ice. Top with dashes of bitters.

On the road to Pisco

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:50:00 GMT

On the road to Pisco: Founding director of BarSol Pisco, Diego Loret de Mola brought Dale, Leo, and Jill DeGrof and Aisha Sharpe on an unforgettable trip to Peru last month that took them from the highest point in Cuzco, all the way south along the coast to Ica, where they visited several pisco distilleries and were introduced to a dedicated group of growers who are transforming the country and producing the best Pisco ever. Here are a couple of the fabulous cocktails they were treated to by bartender Jorge La Torre Muñoz , Freddy Ramirez, Jesus Avilar, and Jose Antonio Chavez.

PISCO LOUNGE COCKTAIL

2 oz. BarSol Quebranta Pisco
0.5 oz. fresh passion pulp with seeds
2 fresh strawberries
1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar
Fresh Orange Juice
Preparation:
Cut strawberries in small pieces and add them to a highball glass and muddle with passion fruit pulp and sugar. Add BarSol Quebranta pisco, fresh ice cubes and top with fresh orange juice.

PISCO SOUR

1.5 oz. Pisco (we recommend Barsol Pisco Quebranta)
.75 oz. fresh lemon
1 oz. simple syrup
Several drops of Angostura Bitters
One small egg white
Preparation:
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a small cocktail glass. Garnish with several drops of Angostura Bitters on top of the foam.

We left the lovely posh area of San Isidro in Lima early in the morning. Passing the Parque de Amor, on the waterfront, we took the route south along the coast and over the next 4.5 hours would view many contrasts and a wide variation in terrain. After a couple of hours the land became arid, sand dunes and desolate areas with shanty towns that had sprung up haphazardly on unclaimed land in the desert, or beside a manufacturing plant. Our host, Diego Loret de Mola explained how when a community begins to establish itself beside an area of commerce, the government will eventually build roads and bring in electricity.

Evidence of last August earthquake is everywhere; with many people living in tents and makeshift corrugated shacks beside crumbled decrepit concrete remains of what had been their home. South of the desert, still traveling along the coast we eventually entered the valley of Pisco. Here it is green and no longer arid.

During the Reform from1968-1970, property was extradited from the landowners and given to the peasants who were neither trained or provided with the necessary resources to work the land efficiently. Production ceased and nothing more than sustenance farming replaced what had been productive enterprises. Twenty years later the landowners were trying to buy back their land from the peasants little by little but often this was impossible – most would not sell, so instead, producers began to buy up the arid land that was available and irrigate it and turn it into productive land.

Diego pointed out the ways in which many growers we visited had survived during Reform- although their land was confiscated, they still had their homes , around which they would plant asparagus, sugar cane, potatoes and whatever else they could survive on. Through their perseverance and hard work, these farms are beginning to thrive once again as Pisco is now making its mark in the global marketplace.

On the road to Pisco: Aisha Sharpe, Leo DeGroff	Our host, Diego Loret de Mola, and his partner Carlos Ferreyros at Bodega San Isidro, preparing to d a Pisco tasting
Pisco stills	Freddy Ramirez, Jesus Avilar, and Jose Antonio Chavez at Malabar in Lima.

Photo credit: Jill DeGroff

Worldwide Bartender Database

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:56:17 GMT

Our good friend Gary Regan passes this along, a great idea useful to bartenders everywhere:

Since tending bar is no longer merely a job that young folk do "to pay the rent until I become a major Broadway star," the men and women who hold forth from behind the mahogany are actively seeking to maximize their positions, and to turn their jobs into viable careers.

At the same time, marketers in the distilled spirits industry are looking for masters of the bartender's craft to help create stylish 21st-Century cocktails, organize parties and events, and advise them on how best to connect with the retail side of the business, as well as with consumers.

Enter The Worldwide Bartender Bulletin.

This year-old (in May) weekly bulletin is the brainchild of the guys at ardentspirits.com, a web site founded in 1999 that's hosted by Gary Regan and Mardee Haidin Regan, authors of The Joy of Mixology and The Bartender's Best Friend, respectively.

Jonathan Pogash, editor-in-chief of the bulletin, works with the Regans on a variety of projects, and as a young professional bartender in his other career he know what problems bartenders face in 2008. "I think that the bulletin is much needed right now," says Pogash. "Bartenders are always looking for new opportunities, and that's exactly what we're bringing to them in the bulletin."

The Worldwide Bartender Bulletin goes out via email to almost 1,000 bartenders, bar managers, and other hospitality industry professionals every week. Subscription to this service is free to bone fide hospitality industry professionals, and the bulletin brings its subscribers together with spirits companies looking to hire Brand Ambassadors, marketers who need the best of the best to create new cocktails, and it lets bartenders know about cocktail competitions, and myriad other opportunities for bar professionals.

"Bartenders are the best brand ambassadors liquor companies could hope for," says Gary Regan. "It's only natural for marketers to reach out to the bartending community, and our database is obviously the best tool available to help them make contact with the cream of the crop."

Learn more about both the database and the bulletin here.

Rum in Ybor City

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:45:27 GMT

If you're in the Tampa area next week, March 27 through 29, plan to drop by one of the many events hosted by Polished Palate, culminating in the International Rum Festival Main Event, a tasting of more than 100 sugar cane spirits, including not only rum, but rhum agricole, cachaca and rum-based cordials. Hosted at the Cuba Club in Ybor City, you can get more info here.

June in Vermont

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:32:26 GMT

Make your plans now for the Santé Restaurant Symposium, held June 1-4 at the Equinox in Manchester, Vermont. Dale DeGroff, Tony Abou-Ganim, Brian Van Flandern, Adam Seger, Franceso Lafranconi and Livio Lauro are among the bartenders and consultants expected to present. Full conference pass, $995 if you register before March 31. Visit their website for full details.

United States Bartenders' Guild

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:08:16 GMT

This year marks 60 years for the United States Bartenders' Guild, who are having an anniversary event in conjunction with their annual National Cocktail Competition May 2 through 4th in Long Beach, CA. Events take place at the Westin Long Beach. For more information, go to their website.

The Eliot Spitzer

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:59:06 GMT

From our friend Chris Carlsson, named after the just-disgraced ex-NY Governor:

Thought you might enjoy this one:

1/2 oz. Campari

1 oz. absinthe

3 oz Champagne

(Basically a Death in the Afternoon variant)

Pour the Campari into a champagne flute. Float 1 oz. Absinthe (I prefer the Kubler clear/white.) Float the champagne over all of it.

The story is champagne (sweetness of success) followed by the absinthe (madness and sex)and then the Campari (a bitter,bloody red end). And of course, that it is a variation of Hemingway's Death in the Afternoon.

Christopher Carlsson

Rochester's Premier Spiritual Advisor

Gin on fire

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:03:48 GMT

You may have already heard about the potentially devastating fire in Plymouth, England, that torched the old Blackfriars Distillery, home of Plymouth Gin and the soon-to-return to the U.S. Plymouth Sloe Gin. Here's what U.S. brand ambassador Simon Ford shared with us:

Friends,

You may hear that the Black Friars distillery caught fire today and I just wanted to give you an update as I spoke with Sean Harrison (Master Distiller).

The good news is that that the pot still and general production facility is still intact as is the oldest part of the building, The Refectory. Also the front view of the distillery does not look different and it will not affect the launch of the Sloe Gin as that part of the building was safe also.

The bad news is that we lost the restaurant which from what I hear is in pretty bad shape and they completely lost the roof.

8 fire engines came to the rescue and for the second time in Plymouths history the distillery has been saved from fire (the 1st time being in World War 2 when it was hot by a couple of bombs).

I am now relieved and think I may need a martini.

Simon

Fire hits historic Barbican area
(BBC News, Wednesday 27, February, 2008)

Parts of Plymouth's historic Barbican are closed as firefighters tackle a blaze at Black Friar's Distillery.

Fire hits historic Barbican area

Plumes of smoke can be seen from across the city

Firefighters have been tackling a blaze at a restaurant in Plymouth's historic Barbican area. Emergency services were called to the fire at a restaurant in the Plymouth Gin Distillery in Southside street at about 1600 GMT.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the restaurant was evacuated and the surrounding area closed.

Residents were moved from their homes in nearby Hoegate Street. No-one was trapped or injured in the fire.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said eight fire engines, including an aerial platform were deployed.

Crews found fire in a first floor kitchen, extractor trunking and possibly in the roof of the three-storey building which houses the Plymouth Gin distillery and the Barbican Kitchen Brasserie, run by the Tanner brothers.

Fire commander Pete Smith told BBC News the fire was under control, but crews would remain damping down and watching for hotspots to ensure the fire did not take told again.

He said the fire had caused extensive damage, but most of the distillery building had escaped. Eyewitness Fay Jones said massive plumes of smoke had been seen coming from the distillery. The cause of the fire is not known.

Black Friars distillery has been the working home of the world famous Plymouth Gin since 1793. The building dates back to the early 15th Century and was formerly a monastery of Black Friars.

New York Dixie

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:02:36 GMT

Looking for a cheap, ahem, budget hotel in the Big Apple? Try the Carter Hotel, located at 25 West 43d Street, in the heart of the Times Square/theater district, where you can get a room for about 100 clams a night. As you enter the lobby, close your eyes and envision the joint in its glory days, during the 30s, 40s and 50s, when it was the Hotel Dixie. Opened in 1930 (same year as the Chrysler Building), the Dixie was one of Manhattan’s grand hotels. Just as Madison Square Garden sits atop Penn Station today, the Dixie had the Central Union Bus Terminal in the basement, with a giant turntable for the buses to change direction.

The Dixie’s Plantation Room was a favored venue for many big bands and torch singers. Al Trace and His Silly Symphonists, Toni Arden, Una Mae Carlisle, Dick Carlton, and Tony Lane and the Airplane Trio all played there. Okay, maybe not “A” list performers, but hey, Sinatra did refer to Toni Arden as “a singer’s singer.”

A weary traveler in 1936 could be sure to find “700 attractive outside rooms each with private bath and radio.” That room would set you back $2.50 a night. But the Dixie, like many grand hotels, fell on hard times in the ‘70s, and by the ‘80s was being used as a city-run shelter for homeless families. By the ‘90s, the venerable old Plantation Room became a venue for drag queen shows, as part of a notorious Times Square nightclub called Sally's Hideaway.

In addition to the nightlife at the Plantation Room, the Circle Bar and Terrace was a legendary watering hole for journalists and newspapermen, particularly from the nearby New York Times and the New Yorker. It’s commonplace for a hotel, such as the Monteleone in New Orleans, to boast of the notable writers it’s hosted. Well, during its later, seedier days, the Dixie had the dubious distinction of being the hotel where literary types checked in only to check out. Novelist William Lindsey Gresham succumbed to a sleeping pill overdose in 1962, and poet Delmore Schwartz died of a heart attack in his room at the Dixie in 1966 - in the words of Lou Reed, “some kind of heart attack probably brought on by amphetamines, liquor and God knows what else.”

(click on menus to enlarge)

Let’s look at the menu, shall we?

This menu is great, offering thirty, count ‘em “Thirty Popular Drinks and How to Make Them.” Let’s look at a couple of classic rum drinks, the Daiquiri and the Bacardi Cocktail. And, no, I’m not referring to the Daiquiri made from the “just add rum and people” bottled mix or the juice cans out of the freezer. Not that there’s anything wrong with those; just as pasta sauce out of a jar can be fine, but don’t kid yourself into thinking it’s authentic. I’m talking about the classic ingredients, traditional methods, making it from scratch.

The Daiquiri and the Bacardi Cocktail - Roll Your Own

The differences are slight: the Daiquiri is rum, lime juice and sugar, while the Bacardi is rum, lime juice and Grenadine. Oh, make sure that’s Bacardi brand rum in the latter, or the trademark lawyers will be all over you like a cheap suit. Take it from me, I happen to be a trademark lawyer, and I’ve owned a cheap suit or two in my day.

Indeed, on paper these drinks are very similar, an example of David Embury’s “Roll Your Own” theory, that drinks are made up of components, and subbing one for another will create a new drink. Using the terminology found in his classic 1948 book, "The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks," both drinks share the same base (white rum) and modifier (in this case, a sour modifier, lime juice). The difference is in the choice of sweetener. The Daiquiri uses sugar, while the Bacardi calls for Grenadine. Note: use a Grenadine made from pomegranate juice (not just fructose or corn syrup) and you’ll make better drinks, and that includes your Shirley Temples.

Continuing to "Roll Your Own," you’ll see that if you start with the Daiquiri and add mint and seltzer, you’ve got a Mojito. Or, replace the rum with vodka, use Cointreau or triple sec for the sweetness, add some cranberry juice and, voila, it's a Cosmopolitan. Use brandy as the base, lemon juice as the sour and Cointreau as the sweet and it's a Side Car. Rum for the brandy and it’s a White Lady. Whiskey in place of the rum and it's a Whiskey Sour…Okay, you get my point.

The Daiquiri

As with most classic drinks, there are as many stories as to the Daiquiri’s origins as theories about where Jimmy Hoffa is. Quoting Charles H. Baker, Jr., in his epic 1939 book "The Gentleman’s Companion - Being an Exotic Drinking Book or, Around the World With Jigger, Beaker and Flask," "[w]e honestly believe that more people have boasted about the origin of this happy thought than any modern drink." Baker traces the origins to the village of Daiquiri, Cuba, attributing it (as is so typical in drink folklore) to medicinal purposes.

"There was fever. Doctors still thought that a lot of yellowjack malaria cases came from drinking-water and swamp mists. They couldn't turn off the swamp mists but they knew that diluted alcohol was a disinfectant against germs. So they put a little rum in their boiled drinking water. That tasted pretty bad so some bright citizen squeezed a lime into the thing, and a little sugar to modify the acid. Ice made from distilled water took the tropical heat off the thing. The 2 originators were my friend Harry E. Stout, now domiciled in Englewood, New Jersey, and a mining engineer associate, Mr. Jennings Cox. TIME: summer of 1898. PLACE: Daiquiri, a village near Santiago and the Bacardi plant, Cuba. Hence the name."

Baker’s recipe is as follows:

1 1/2 oz white or gold Bacardi rum

2 teaspoons sugar

Juice of 1 1/2 small green limes, strained

Very finely cracked ice

Either shake very hard with finely cracked ice and pour ice and all into a tall flute cocktail glass, or put the same things into the Blender, and let frost into the delicious sherbet consistency we so admire nowadays. Never use lemon juice. And remember please, that a too-sweet Daiquiri is like a lovely lady with too much perfume."

Of course, the invention of the blender brought us the frozen Daiquiri, making that version of drink as ubiquitous and predictable as the ice cream headache that accompanies it. But a frozen Daiquiri doesn’t have to be what you’ve come to expect from the Daiquiri bars (namely, syrupy sweet) if you make it from scratch.

There are many variations on the classic Daiquiri recipe; CocktailDB.com offers about two dozen Daiquiri recipes. CocktailDB.com is operated jointly by Ted "Dr. Cocktail" Haigh and Martin Douderoff; Ted is the curator of the Museum of the American Cocktail, and author of the amazing and indispensable book "Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails."

Among these variations, of course, is the so-called Hemingway style Daiquiri. And where else to look at recipes but the source, a 1930s-era menu from the Bar La Florida in Havana, Cuba, known affectionately as El Floridita.

(To be continued.)

Fields of Partida

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 14:05:50 GMT

How do Guadalajarans drink their tequila?

First, you find all quality of Margaritas there - good, bad and ugly - but mostly, given the proximity of so much good agave juice, you're most likely to find people nursing little caballitos of reposado tequila served with a side of spicy sangrita. (Mexicans drink more reposado than blanco or añejo varieties; the quality of the sangritas vary - some might as well be drawn from a vat of chunky commercial pasta sauce; others are rich and zesty, zinging with citrus, herbs and spices.)

At the Partida distillery in Amatitan, they serve a Cantarita, made punch-style, with lots of hand-squeezed citrus, some grapefruit soda and, of course, Partida. It's much like the version served in the plaza in near-by Tlaquepaque, an open air spot surrounded by various bars and mingling mariachi wearing different colored suits. The cantarita there is served in deep dish casserole (cazuela), like a rustic Scorpion Bowl, suitable for slow, all-night sipping.

For friends and family at home, make by hand squeezing a lemon, lime, orange and half a grapefruit into a punch bowl filled with ice, and add tequila and grapefruit soda to taste.

For bar service, try this version:

Cantarita

1 1/2 oz. Partida Tequila
1 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice
1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 oz. freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
splash grapefruit soda

Pour all into a tall glass filled with ice. Add slices of lemon, lime and orange. Serve with a straw.

Astor Center

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:58:38 GMT

Further proof of the cocktail's surging popularity: last month's opening of the Astor Center in New York, part of the Astor Wines and Spirits' re-imagination as a full-service locus for all things alcohol. To celebrate, Astor stocked up on the bartenders we love (Dale DeGroff, Gary Regan, David Wondrich, Charlotte Voisey, Willie Shine and Aisha Sharpe, Julie Reiner, Jim Meehan, Audrey Saunders, among others), rotating them in and out to make a dozen or more cocktails. Wine took a decided back seat, something unimaginable even a few years ago from such an important NYC wine and spirits store. Nice, the way things have changed.

Here are two recipes from Charlotte Voisey, brand ambassador or champion or queen or whatever on behalf of Hendrick's Gin:

Poisoned Rose

1 1/2 oz Hendrick's Gin
1/2 oz Lillet Rouge
1/2 oz rose infused simple syrup
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 oz apple juice

Assemble ingredients and shake well, serve up in a stemmed cocktail glass. Garnish with a single red rose petal and a sprinkling of edible silver.

Rosie Lee

1 1/2 oz Hendrick's Gin
1/2 oz rose infused simple syrup
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 oz lychee juice
Half an egg white
2 dashes angostura bitters

Assemble ingredients and shake very well, serve up in a stemmed cocktail glass, garnish with a lemon twist.

(Pictures by Michael Harlan Turkell / HARLANTURK.COM)

Menus from the Museum, part 2

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:00:44 GMT

By Phil Greene

I am in possession of old newsreel footage from the event I mentioned in my last blog, the day Huey Long taught New York how to make a Ramos Gin Fizz. The “deer-in-the-headlights” expression of the resident bartender, while being schooled by Huey and New Orleans bartender Sam Guarino, is priceless. Some excerpts from Huey:

”I’m, uh, strictly on the water wagon, I don’t drink anymore, I quit. But of course I’m going to sample this drink to see if you’ve made it right. That’s the only purpose I’m doing it is to help you out. (here, Huey flashes a sincere look into the camera) I wouldn’t touch a drop of it (wagging his finger) if I wasn’t trying to help you, to find out if you’ve mixed it right. (Huey takes a long pull on the drink) That seems like all right (another long pull) But I won’t take except enough to sample it…, but, better be sure about it, I’ll try it a little further. (another long pull) I believe that’s all right. (another long pull) I think it’s perfectly all right (another long pull, followed by a dramatic blinking of both eyes) I’m sure it’s all right!” (finishing the drink, slamming down the glass, the crowd erupting in applause).

Afterward, Huey addressed the reporters present. “An old family custom, my grandfather devoted his first day in Louisiana, spending it in the barroom teaching the young men how to mix drinks, and handing them back until he’d finally mastered the proposition.” When a reporter asked, “Are you sure he handed them back,” Huey retorted with a chuckle, “Well, handed the glass back.” Huey’s older brother, Julius Tyler Long, a Shreveport attorney, was highly indignant upon hearing this tale. "John D. Long, our grandfather, was a farmer, a religious man who never saw or made a Ramos Gin Fizz...”

I’ll close with one final Ramos anecdote, provided by legendary New Orleans writer and historian Lyle Saxon. Saxon lived in the French Quarter along with Joe Gilmore, his valet, bartender, and all-around man (picture an Orleanian Jack Benny and his creole Rochester). One sultry afternoon, Saxon and a friend were enjoying drinks in his French Quarter courtyard. From Saxon’s The Friends of Joe Gilmore:

Tomlinson said, “This is the best gin fizz I ever tasted; how do you make it?”

And I, remembering that I taught Joe how to make it, said, “Well, I’ll tell you,” and I began to count off the ingredients; but as I counted them off, I realized that I had forgotten one. I could not think what it was, so I called to Joe.

He came, barefooted and carrying the enormous cocktail shaker in his hand. He poured out the dividends in our glasses.

“You remember I taught you how to make a gin fizz?”

“Yassuh.”

“Well, I have forgotten one of the ingredients,” and I named to him the ones I remembered.

He stood grinning at me. I said, “Tell Mr. Tomlinson what it is; I’ve forgotten.”

And Joe said, “Nosuh, Boss; if you is forgotten, that is all the better for me, and I ain’t goin’ to tell you, Suh, because the making of drinks is a strictly confidential secret.”

------------
Well, I’ll tell you how:

1 tablespoon powdered sugar
3-4 drops orange flower water
Juice of 1/2 lime
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1.5 oz dry gin
1 egg white (to be safe, use pasteurized eggs)
1.5 oz. milk, half and half or cream
1 -2 oz seltzer water
2 drops vanilla extract (optional)

Add all ingredients to shaker along with some large lumps of ice. If it’s a large shaker, add the seltzer now, if smaller, do so later (or the effervescence will foam over). Shake like hell for at least 3 minutes (in my cocktail seminars, we shake for the duration of Elvis Presley’s “All Shook Up,” but Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” will also do). Serve in a small high-ball or Delmonico glass.

Wandering Bartenders

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:24:01 GMT

By Dale DeGroff

(Originally published in Beverage Media)

Bartending at the highest level has a unique skill set. A talented bartender assembles skills that far exceed the simple act of supplying well made drinks quickly and accurately. A service bartender who spends his time out of view can get by with just making drinks accurately and quickly but once in front of the public the real talent of the bartender kicks in. When a new party walks up to the bar a quick glance and a few words is all a bartender has to make several important decisions. Why are these people here beyond the simple answer to enjoy a drink and how can he enhance their experience. Can he take them beyond the ordinary? A good bartender confident in his recipes absolutely can if he can sell the idea in an attractive way. I cringe when bartenders explain to me that this drink or that product doesn’t move; the bartender is the MOVER! The bartender may have to decide if he can serve the party at all and if not how does he handle that situation successfully with a minimum of disruption and without losing composure. An accomplished bartender can turn and unhappy of difficult guests into a friend of the house. That is after all what we get paid to do.

Many of the skills described above can only come from experience. Young bartenders, like chefs or servers tend to move around early in their careers learning different skills in different jobs. In my early days as a waiter in a high end New York City Bar and Grill I learned people skills that were invaluable later as a bartender. I also spent so much time in the kitchen that I began to understand not just the culinary side of the business but the tempo or flow of a working kitchen. And how the kitchen, bar, and front of the house all must mesh for success.

This idea of the bartender as a wanderer started at the dawn of the modern bartending profession in the nineteenth century with Jerry Thomas. Thomas widely accepted as the father of the modern bartending profession traveled all around North America, and parts of South America and Europe. He was different from his fellow bartenders in one respect he took notes. Esquire drinks editor David Wondrich has provided us with an in lively depth documentation of Thomas’s career and some of his contemporaries against the backdrop of the times in his new book Imbibe.

Thomas and his contemporaries developed this unique skill set that made them a valuable asset to the new cocktail bars that were opening in cities around the country in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Sadly the developing profession after only 60 or 70 years was interrupted by Prohibition. As a result Prohibition provided the next big incentive for the wandering professional. Skilled bartenders traveled to Cuba and to Europe taking jobs in leading establishments in London and Paris to practice their distinctive skill and introduce the unique American cocktail to people steeped in old world tradition. Some like Harry Craddock and Harry McElhone went on to very long and successful careers becoming authors just as Thomas had done in the middle of the nineteenth century.

Post prohibition United States presented a series of challenges to the newly legitimized industry not the least of which was finding skilled bartenders. Two men who learned the skill of mixing and who had the vision to see an opportunity were Donn Beach and Victor Bergeron. Donn Beach, aka Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt started tropical cocktail themed bar concept that became known as the tiki bar. Both he and Bergeron trained countless young men many of them Asian immigrants. These young bartenders kept little black books of recipes for these very specialized drinks. As the tiki craze spread across the United States those books of closely guarded secret recipes became the passports that opened the doors for this new generation of wandering bartenders. The recipes were trade secrets that made these skilled craftsmen valuable to the entrepreneurs who rode the tiki trend in cities all over the USA. Jeff “Beachbum” Berry chronicles these times in his latest book, "Sippin Safari," SLG publishing, 2007.

The wandering bartender tradition has taken a new turn with the emergence of the culinary cocktail tradition of the last several years, a tradition that has seen the raw materials of the cocktail expanded to include herbs and other savory ingredients from spices to exotic and unusual fruits and vegetables. The cutting edge of the culinary cocktail movement was the style bars in London over the last seven to ten years. Those young bartenders eager to expand their knowledge and experience have traveled to other parts of the world and have had a significant impact from the Eastern Europe to the United States, Australia, and Southeast Asia.

This is truly an exciting time to be a bartender; below are a couple drinks inspired by the new culinary style cocktails.

THAI BOXER
Adapted from a recipe by Scott Beattie, Bar Manager at the Cyrus restaurant in Healdsburg, California.

12 fresh thai basil leaves (reserve two for garnish)
10 fresh cilantro leaves
10 fresh mint leaves
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce Thai coconut milk
1/4 ounce simple syrup
1 1/2 ounces Charbay Tahitian Vanilla Bean rum
2 to 3 ounces Cock’n Bull ginger beer

Tear the cilantro, mint, and 10 of the basil leaves into small pieces, and add them to a mixing glass with the lime juice, coconut milk, and simple syrup. Grind the torn leaves into the liquid with a wooden muddler for a few seconds, add the rum, enough ice to fill the glass two-thirds full, and top with the ginger beer. Stir the ingredients together and fine strain into an ice-filled collins glass, and add the garnish.

BLUEBERRY & SAGE SOUR*
Prepared for a cocktail dinner at Tremont 647, Boston Massachusetts

1 1/2 ounces Plymouth gin
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce triple blended syrup *
8 blueberries
3 sage leaves

Muddle the blueberries and two of the sage leaves together with the lemon juice in the bottom of a Boston glass. Add the gin the agave syrup and shake well with ice fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a large blueberry pierced through with the stem of the third sage leaf.

* Prepare the individual syrups by mixing 1/2 base with 1/2 water then combine the syrup as follows: 2 parts simple syrup, 2 parts agave syrup and 1/2 part honey syrup.

BRUT PEARINGS*
Prepared for a cocktail dinner at Tremont 647, Boston Massachusetts

1 ounce Plymouth Gin
1/2 ounce Berentzen’s RoterApfel
3 slice Bosc Pear (one for garnish)
3 sage leaves
3 ounces Shinn Estates Brut (North Shore Long Island)

Muddle the pears and the RoterApfel together in the bottom of a Boston glass. Add the Plymouth Gin and slowly pour the Brut down the side of the mixing glass while dragging the other ingredients toward the top with a long bar spoon. Fine strain into a chilled flute and garnish with a slice of Bosc pear and a sage leaf.

*Original Cocktails from Dale DeGroff