It’s Spring and I’m Twitterpated

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Bring on the Spring cocktails y’all! All of my favouite bars in Brooklyn have switched over to their new programs and I keep eyeing the Lavender bitters up on my fridge. (Keep in mind, most of my bar is up on top of the fridge!) I also keep eyeing the Dolin Blanc ’cause it’s just right for this time of year. (It lives in the fridge. All of the Vermouths and the Sherry live in the fridge.)

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Twitterpated

  • 1 1/2 oz Plymouth Gin
  • 1/2 oz Dolin Blanc
  • 1/2 oz Honey Syrup
  • 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
  • 2 dashes BarKeep Lavender Bitters
  • Garnish: Maraschino cherry

Combine ingredients over ice and shake. Double strain into coupe and garnish with Maraschino Cherry.

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Remember when Bambi learns about the “birds and the bees” from the Old Owl? The very first thing I thought after taking a sip of this drink was the line, “Don’t you know? They’re twitterpated.”

Happy Spring Cocktails to you all!

A Connoisseur’s Revenge

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A-Connoisseur's-Revenge-2

If your french relatives were in the mood for an Irish Whiskey cocktail, this would be it. This boozy sipper has bright flavours, herbaceousness, and a nice long finish. Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey plays very well with Calvados making this my second favourite split base for Teeling. Throw in the gentian and herbes from Salers, fabulous botanicals from Boker’s Bitters and you’ve got A Connoisseur’s Revenge.

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A Connoisseur’s Revenge

  • 1 1/2 oz Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
  • 1 oz Christian Drouin Calvados
  • 1/4 oz Salers Aperitif
  • 1 dash Boker’s Bitters
  • Garnish: Orange Peel

Combine ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe, express Orange peel and garnish.

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Yummmmmmmm, I am so ready to drink this!

Thanks to The Baddish Group for this delicious bottle of Teeling Irish Whiskey! 

#RumForTheHills: Don’s Special Daiquiri

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A few of us on Instagram have started a #RumForTheHills hashtag and so I thought I’d start with a really fabulous Daiquiri recipe from the 1970s. I got this recipe from the Beachbum Berry Total Tiki app and it’s a knock out! If you don’t have this app (or one of his books) you need to get on it!

This Daiquiri is a version of Don the Beachcomber’s 1934 Mona Daiquiri. Now, of course I made a couple of modifications, namely, 1/4 oz more lime juice and 1/4 oz more Rum cause I like my Daiquiris tart and boozy.

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Don’s Special Daiquiri

  • 1 oz Jamaican Rum (Smith & Cross)
  • 3/4 oz Aged White Rum (Denizen Aged Rum)
  • 3/4 oz Lime Juice
  • 1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
  • 1/2 oz Honey Syrup
  • Garnish: Maraschino Cherry

Combine ingredients over ice and shake. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, garnish with Maraschino Cherry.

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Hope you enjoy and if you wanna join in the party, use #RumForTheHills on Instagram!

Drinking with Mad Men Season 7: the Gimlet

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To celebrate “The End of An Era”, welcome to a series of drinks from the television show Mad Men. Each week I’ll be featuring a different cocktail from the show, so we can all drink along with our favourite Madison Avenue Ad-men and women.

I’m very emotionally invested in Mad Men. The characters are so well written, the fashion and attention to detail are unparalleled. It’s witty, charming and so so serious. I’ve watched the entire show multiple times and am looking forward to/nervous about the last Season!

For S7 E8 I’ll be drinking one of mine and Betty Draper’s favourite cocktails, The Gimlet.

Betty Draper gimlet

Doesn’t Betty look magnificent? Stunning. Image courtesy of AMC.

Traditionally Gimlets were made with Rose’s Lime juice with the following specs.

Traditional Gimlet

  • 1 oz Gin or Vodka
  • 1 oz Rose’s Lime Juice
  • Garnish: Lime wedge

Shake over ice and strain into Martini Glass or Coupe. Garnish with Lime Wedge.

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Betty likes her drinks with Vodka but I’m a Gin Gal and this is how I like to make my Gimlet.

Fresh Gimlet

  • 2 oz Plymouth Gin
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • 3/4 oz Demerara Syrup
  • Garnish: Lime Wheel

Shake and strain over ice. Lime Wheel Garnish.

Gimlet-Variation

If you want to make really tasty variation on a Gimlet, add a couple of dashes of Chartreuse Vert, Absinthe or both.

I’ll be doing this series until the end of Mad Men, so see you next week!

You’re So Kind + Recent Acquisitions Apr 2015

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Y’all, I got some new stuff and replenished some old stuff so let’s talk about it!

Plymouth Gin – I will always and forever hold Plymouth in the highest regard. It is the best English Dry Gin and the most versatile. I use it in every Gin cocktail possible but it really stands out in Sours, Martinis and all the classics. Specifically, check it out in The Oldest Living Confederate Widow.

Pimm’s No 1 – Something inside of my head snapped and said, “IT’S SPRING AND IT’S PIMM’S SEASON!” Check out my Ceylon Pimm’s Cup on BarNotes.

Amaro CioCiaro – I have read much about this Amaro and how it’s the best option for us modern folks to get something like the original Amer Picon. I finally had some as a digestivo at Walter’s a few weeks ago and wow, it’s wonderfully orange! I’m going to use it in Tiki, I totally am.

Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur – I’ve been eye’ing this one for awhile as well. There are a lot of Classic Cocktails with Apricot liqueur and I plan to make them all. Oh and totally gonna use it in Tiki. (shocking, I know)

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I am proud to post the above photo and humbled that I am privileged to have this. I feel like I need to pinch myself everytime I look at this bottle. In fact, let’s look at it again, shall we.

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I secretly got this from a secret bartender at a secret bar that I totally cannot talk about but if you’re reading this, thank you so much. The secret person who did this is SO KIND! I’m about to cry with excitement and emotion!

Hendrick’s Quinetum – This ultra rare, not sold in stores, limited edition Hendrick’s Quinine Cordial was developed by master distiller Lesley Gracie specifically to be used with Gin. Essentially, it’s tonic syrup and a most delicious one at that.  In Lesley’s words “What most bartenders will immediately pick up on is the orange nose, giving way to subtle lavender notes.  The taste has a deep green, bitter flavor from the wormwood, holy thistle and, of course, quinine.  Bartenders should find this combination amiable for crafting into cocktails with Hendrick’s characteristic floral notes and spicy bitterness, which comes from the caraway seed and cubeb berries.” Yes please. I will be using it, as intended, with Gin.

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Well, that’s all for now! Recipes coming SOOOOOOON. 

Classic Cocktails: Army & Navy + Variations

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Many moons ago, I had my first trip to The NoMad Bar with a whole bunch of newly acquainted friends. It has since become my favourite bar in NYC because they simply have the most adventurous and yet totally drinkable cocktails in the city. They consistently surprise, inspire and encourage me to push the envelope while remaining true to form. (i.e. They frequently use Fino Sherry and Amari in Tiki drinks. Brilliant.)

They also make a damn good Army & Navy.

I am a huge fan of Gin Sours in any form but something about the combination of Orgeat and Lemon Juice really moves my taste buds to flight! Oh and I highly recommend this B.G. Reynolds Orgeat, it’s a bit toasted, has just the right amount of floral notes and is quite tasty. Let’s make an Army & Navy right now, shall we?

Army & Navy (from David A Embury, Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. 1948.)

  • 2 oz English Dry Gin
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • 3/4 oz Orgeat
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Garnish: Maraschino Cherries

Combine ingredients over ice and shake it up! Strain into coupe, garnish with Maraschino Cherries. Sip and smile.

Wasn’t that tasty? Yes, yes it was so damn tasty! Wouldn’t you like to drink another? Hold off on that ’cause we have a couple of variations:

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So obvi the Army & Navy is a drink begging for rum. I decided to split the base with Flor de Caña 7 and Hayman’s Old Tom Gin. The Old Tom then inspired me to use some of those Boker’s Bitters that I love so dearly.

Sir Joseph Porter

  • 1 oz Old Tom Gin
  • 1 oz Flor de Caña 7 Year Rum
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • 3/4 oz B.G. Reynolds Orgeat
  • 1 dash Angostura Bitters
  • 1 dash Adam Elmegirab’s Boker’s Bitters
  • Garnish: Maraschino Cherries

Combine ingredients over ice and shake it up! Strain into coupe, garnish with Maraschino Cherries. Sip and grin.

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Yes! The Pineapple Spear Bunny Ears are back!

If an Army & Navy variation was begging for rum, the next logical step (in my island themed brain) was to take it to Tiki Paradise! I’m obviously very excited about this drink. It’s just fabulous. Really, any excuse to use Pineapple infused Plymouth Gin in a cocktail is a dream come true for me.

Captain Corcoran

  • 1 oz Denizen Aged White Rum
  • 1 oz Pineapple infused Plymouth Gin
  • 3/4 oz B.G. Reynolds Orgeat
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1 dash Angostura Bitters
  • 1 dropper Bittermens Elemakule Tiki Bitters
  • Garnish: Three Maraschino Cherries and Pineapple Spear Bunny Ears

Combine ingredients over ice and shake it up! Strain into coupe, garnish with Maraschino Cherries and Bunny Ears. Sip and giggle.

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Did you get the joke? The variations are named after characters from the HMS Pinafore. Clearly I think everything in life should be a tad silly but nary an April Fools prank shall I make.

Enjoy your Army & Navy and HMS Pinafore Variations! Cheers!

Flower Flower & Rose Tea infused Vodka

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Yep, you read that right. I did say the word Vodka. I said it loud and proud because this is the first time I’ve been really excited to use Vodka in a drink. (It’s also the first time I’ve used Saké in a drink but more about that later.)

If you know me IRL, you know I’m always like, “Vodka, what’s the point? Where’s the Gin?” Honestly, what got me even considering using Vodka in this drink is cause my friend Chris at Bearded Lady said that he’d been asked to create a Vodka drink for the spring menu. I took it as a challenge to myself.

The inspiration for Flower Flower was to use as many flower flavoured liqueurs/spirits/bitters in my Home Bar as possible while still creating something drinkable and delicious. This was an EXTREMELY difficult challenge and it took me around five tries and a whole lot of “going back to the drawing board”. There are a lot of small amounts in this drink and there is also the aforementioned Rose Tea infused Vodka.

Rose-Tea-Vodka

If you haven’t tried Tulsi herbal teas from India, you haven’t lived. They are definitely the best bagged herbal teas I’ve ever tasted and I always have the Sweet Rose tea at home. I had thought of putting the Sweet Rose with Gin but after my conversation with Chris, decided this was a good time to use that bottle of Tito’s I keep around for emergencies*.

Rose Tea infused Vodka

  • 4 bags of Tulsi Sweet Rose Tea (or your favourite Rose Tea)
  • 300 ml Tito’s Vodka (I always do infusions in ml, it’s just easier)
  • Fine strainer

Rip those tea bags open and let tea steep loosely in the Vodka for 30 mins. (Cover with plastic wrap or seal ur jar) Fine strain into bottle. Smell the deliciousness, taste the glory.

*The emergencies being when someone asks for something with Vodka and I don’t have to panic.

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Now, remember, I said this took like five times to get right, it wasn’t until I opened the fridge and saw that bottle of Yoshinogawa Winter Warrior Saké that the drink all came together.This sake is dry, floral, fruity, a bit sweet and wonderful. I’m always looking for ways to dry out a drink when using multiple liqueurs and in this case, saké was it.

Flower Flower smells like an English Garden, is dry enough on the tongue for serious cocktail drinkers and is perfect for spring. The colour of the drink actually reminds me of a Rose stem. It also features my new BFF Carpano Dry. Enjoy!

Flower Flower

  • 1 1/2 oz Rose Tea infused Tito’s Vodka
  • 1 oz Yoshinogawa Winter Warrior Junmai Ginjo Saké
  • 1 oz Carpano Dry Vermouth
  • 1 tsp Chartreuse Jaune
  • 1 tsp St-Germain
  • 1 tsp Crème de Violette
  • 1/2 tsp Orange Flower Water
  • 1 dash Bar Keep Lavender Bitters

Garnish: Grapefruit peel rose

Combine ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe. Express Grapefruit peel and swirl into a Rose.

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Happy spring to you all!

Thanks to the Baddish Group for the wonderful bottle of Carpano Dry Vermouth!

Seafarer’s Sour

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Ahhhh, the sea. Nothing like months and months of being at sea to really make you miss dry land eh? Ay, nothin’ like it. Well, here’s a sour for a Seafarer with one wary eye on the sea and the other which yearns for spices, flowers and dry land.

Seafarer’s Sour

  • 1 1/2 oz Smith & Cross Navy Strength Jamaica Rum
  • 1/2 oz Chartreuse Jaune
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 oz Demerara Syrup
  • 2 droppers Elemakule Tiki Bitters
  • Garnish: Cinnamon Stick

Combine ingredients over ice and shake until ingredients have combined. Double Strain into rocks glass over ice. Garnish with Cinnamon Stick.

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Carpano Dry, my new Best Friend

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We’ve gathered together today to talk about Carpano Dry, my new fave Vermouthy. That’s right, from the house of Carpano, makers of the universally beloved Carpano Antica, comes a terrific Dry Vermouth. I love Vermouthy, I always think about Vermouthy, Vermouthy is a very dear friend of mine.

Flavor Profile:

Nose: Citrus, spices, coriander, fruit
Tongue: Lemony, long finish, acidic, “winey”, green apple, citrus fruits
Impression: smoother than all other Italian Dry Vermouth I’ve tried, not as dry as Dolin Dry, a tad sweet, citrus fruit notes abound. Am highly likely to use it in a Negroni, Martini with a bright Gin and a Lemon twist, drink it alone on ice with a Lemon twist.

For real though, I’ve probably made at least 7 or 8 Carpano Dry on the rocks with a Lemon twist, it’s so good on its own. In fact, I just had one with my homemade Black Truffle Chicken Papardelle. (Thanks to my excellent girlfriend for the excellent dinner!)

And now, the cocktails:

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In the same way that when we get a new Rum, we make a Daiquiri, when we get a new Dry Vermouth, we make a Martini. In this particular case, we make A Brighter Martini. I chose NOLET’S Dry Gin because it’s a very bright Gin, full of fruit, floral notes and exactly the one to pair with Carpano Dry.

A Brighter Martini

  • 2 1/4 oz NOLET’S Silver Dry Gin
  • 3/4 oz Carpano Dry Vermouth
  • 2 dashes Regan’s No 6 Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Lemon peel

Combine ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe. Express Lemon peel and garnish.

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If it works well in a Martini, then Carpano Dry must also work well in a classic style cocktail. This is sort of a Brooklyn meets an Improved Whiskey Cocktail and is really bright and cheery. Perfect for Spring.

Washington Avenue

  • 1 1/2 oz Rye
  • 3/4 oz Carpano Dry
  • 1/4 oz Pernod Pastis
  • 1/4 oz Maraschino Cherry Liqueur
  • 2 dashes Hella Bitter Citrus Bitters
  • Garnish: Lemon & Orange peels

Combine ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe. Express Lemon peel, Orange peel and garnish.

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Lastly, we’re gonna use Carpano Dry in a classic cocktail: Arsenic & Old Lace. There are several different specs for this drink with the Crème de Violette ranging from 1/4 oz to 1/2 and the Absinthe Vert from a rinse to 1/2 oz! I’m going with a more Vermouth heavy recipe and lighter on the Violette and Absinthe. Again, Carpano Dry is perfect in this drink .

Arsenic & Old Lace

  • 1 3/4 oz Old Tom Gin or English Dry Gin
  • 3/4 oz Carpano Dry
  • 1/4 oz Crème de Violette
  • 1/4 oz St George Absinthe Verte
  • 2 dashes Regans’ No 6 Orange Bitters
  • Lemon Peel

Combine ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe. Express Lemon peel and garnish.

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Dreamy, springy, light, bright and wonderful, Carpano Dry, you are my new Best Friend.

Thanks to the Baddish Group for the wonderful bottle of Carpano Dry Vermouth!

Brunch Bonanza: Philosopher’s Breakfast

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Welcome to Brunch Bonanza, the segment where we talk about Brunch Cocktails!

Today’s BB is very special and dear to my heart y’all. “Why girl? Why is this one so special?” you may ask. Well, it’s the first time I’ve ever made a cocktail with Yamazaki 12 Year and THAT is a huuuuuuge deal. I always drink Yamazaki 12 neat or on a single rock. I always drink it with a heavy amount of ceremony. I always drink it with my girlfriend.

For me to break these traditions and use it in (of all things) a Brunch Cocktail caused me quite a panic! I was literally panicked! “Ok, girl, okokokok, calm down.” Phew, ok, I’ve calmed down. You see, I bought some Dundee Orange Marmalade and have been formulating a drink with it for quite some time but nothing was quite speaking to me until I looked over at my fancy glassware cabinet and the Yamazaki 12 Year was just STARING BACK AT ME.

So I said, “Ok Yamazaki 12, I’ll give you a try.” Obviously it was incredible. I actually can’t really talk about how incredible it was cause some of you would probably stop reading!

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Hello Marmalade, you delicious blob of pith. Pithy.

Philosopher’s Breakfast

  • 2 oz Yamazaki 12 Year
  • 1/2 oz Bonal Aperitif
  • 1 tsp Dundee Orange Marmalade
  • 1/2 oz fresh Orange Juice
  • 1/4 oz fresh Lemon Juice

Garnish: small bit of Orange Marmalade with Pith.

Dry shake ingredients to incorporate Marmalade, then add ice and wet shake. Double strain into rocks glass over rocks. Garnish with Orange Marmalade.

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Why Bonal you ask? Why not? It’s herbaceous and citrusy at the same time. Totally compliments the Yamazaki 12 and Orange Marmalade.

Happy Brunching to you all!