The bitterness of the first batch of Rock and Rye could stand to be tempered with more sweet and fruit flavors, so I took a different tack the second time around. I used X-Rated, a tropical liqueur with blood orange, mango and passion fruit flavors,I zested the lemon in larger pieces, and left out sliced …
Continue reading “Rock and Rye vs. Swine Flu (We Get X-Rated in Round 2)”
…with all this talk of N1H1, I thought it might be time for some old school snake oil to soothe the throat and weary soul.
Molecular mixology was all the rage at Tales of the Cocktail this year. It was like nobody there had turned on the Food Network in the past 3 years, because this stuff is old news in the culinary world. I actually went to a seminar called “Mixologists and their Toys” where two of the three …
For years I’ve been making cocktail ingredients at home. I’ve mentioned some favorite infusions and liqueurs, including roasted ginger vodka, chipotle tequila, firewater, pumpkin pie spiced rum and kumquatcello, but I have also been making sweeteners, including grenadine, flavored syrups and marmalades, and novelties like dried bing cherries reconstituted in port. I’ve been wanting to …
Continue reading “Homemade Cocktail Ingredients and Infusion Tips”
(Click the image to download a printable version of all these recipes) The BarSmarts bartender education and certification program lists the following as 25 classic cocktails that every bartender should know how to make. For a cocktail enthusiast, it’s good knowledge to have for making a lasting impression on the ladies, or for coaching a …
Continue reading “Classic Cocktails: 25 Preeminent Preparations”
“The ultimate addition to lemonade on a hot day, or a glass of ginger ale when you are under the weather.” All the recipes I’ve found are raw root, but roasting ginger makes for a superior infused vodka. It’s great in any number of cocktails (heat up a Cosmo or give the Moscow Mule an …
September is unseasonably warm in San Francisco, justifying the occasional tropical, blended drink. I was reminded by an old friend who came to visit last week, that I once seduced her with a frosty batch of frozen ginger mango margaritas. Serves: 1 Don’t bother making a half recipe. You will regret it when you run …
At Tales of the Cocktail, I went to a session on Mixologists and their Toys, and after the first two presenters both talked at length on making sodium alginate sphericals (clearly they didn’t coordinate), the 3rd presenter demonstrated his new cocktail carbonating invention, the Perlini. During the Q&A I grabbed the mic and asked why …
Inspired by the Carnivorous Cocktails seminar at Tales of the Cocktail, I started Sunday brunch with the BLTini, a sandwich in a glass. I like my BLTs on potato bread, so I opted for vodka over gin, squeezed the bejeezus out of a gorgeous heirloom tomato, then decided that lettuce was lame and so opted …
After stealing two sips of a friend’s Ramos Gin Fizz at Rickhouse, I wanted to make my own. It’s one of those drinks that you don’t order just anywhere and it’s rarely worth the effort to make unless you are really trying to impress someone. Ramos Fizz 2 ounces Hayman’s Old Tom gin 1 egg …
