“The man who sees, does, or thinks of anything else while he is making Punch may as well look for the Northwest Passage on Mutton Hill. A man can never make good punch unless he is satisfied, nay positive, that no man breathing can make better. I can and do make good Punch, because I […]
Category Archives: recipes
Small Batch Brewing Book
I used to brew my own beer back in the 90s, and despite excellent results, I’ve never drank a ton of beer at home, so a 5-gallon batch left me with an excess of malty goodness, the urge to sing “99 bottles of beer on the wall,” and very little space in my apartment or […]
Schnapps-mallows
My intern has an addiction…and a new blog! The addiction is to marshmallows, and the blog is Octopus Parfait. We joined forces to create a batch of booze infused marshmallows that I am determined to use as a drink garnish. Schnapps-mallows 3 packages unflavored gelatin 1 cup cold water 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 […]
Report on Land of the Rising Shamrock
As I mentioned, a bunch of local and visiting bartender friends in the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild organized a benefit for the Red Cross in Japan at the Burritt Room on St. Patrick’s Day. Thanks to all of you who showed up and for the rest of you, here’s what you missed: We took over the […]
A Proper Margarita
As much preacher as teacher, Eric Rubin is the agave evangelist from Tres Agaves Tequila who ran our Nirvino cocktail education event last week on making a proper margarita. Conspicuously absent were the corn syrup, sugar cane spirits, sour mix and orange liqueur. Rubin promotes a margarita comprised simply of 100% agave tequila, fresh squeezed […]
Holiday Garnish: Candied Orange Peel
I’ve been working on a couple new holiday cocktails for my trip back east, and I’m getting bored with that standard garnishes. I’d like something colorful, fresh and functional that suits the holiday spirit. Pondering produce that is seasonal, I was drawn to citrus, particularly oranges and clementines, and thought it would be nice to […]
Toddy Water
It’s that time of year, when the leaves have fallen off the trees, you can see your breath, and there’s a nasty Rhinovirus in heavy circulation (don’t freak out, that’s just the common cold). We all deserve a hot toddy, but not everyone keeps the requisite cinnamon, citrus and spice in their kitchen, and nobody […]
Green Mountain Breakfast
I’ll be heading to Burlington, Vermont in a few weeks. Since I never get to eat breakfast, and when I am back east, I never wake up before noon, because I don’t bother adjusting to Eastern Standard Time, this Green Mountain Breakfast might get me started on the right foot. Green Mountain Breakfast 1.5 ounces […]
Fresh Pressed
Can someone explain why the swill they pass off as cider on the West Coast all tastes like the government issued apple juice served in public school cafeterias? Autumn always makes me crave the fresh cider pressed at Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury, Vermont. I wonder why they can’t reproduce it here in California, […]
Laughter In The Dark
This is the cocktail I created for the BlogHer Food Petite Soiree. Laughter in the Dark 1.5 ounces DonQ Gold Rum .5 ounces hibiscus liqueur (recipe here) 2 ounces pineapple juice dash of Peychaud’s bitters juice of 1/2 lime Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a flamed orange […]