First Waltz: an orchestra in a Cocktail

2015-04-262015-11-04 / Dani DeLuna / 1 Comment

Edit: if you’re here for #SherryWeek, get ready for one of the best Sherry Cocktails ever. 🙂

I’ve been sitting on this one for a couple of weeks cause it’s the best stirred drink with Gin that I’ve ever made. No seriously, it is. It’s a total showstopper. I’m holding my breath just writing about it. I’m actually drinking a different Cocktail (Ancho Chile Tequila, Pineapple, Cointreau some other stuff that I won’t divulge, #TequilaSeason) and thinking of throwing it out and making another First Waltz.

Ok, enthusiasm overload aside, the real deal with this is that I’ve been working on creating flavour arcs. I want my Cocktails to take us on a journey, to make our mouths and noses say, “oh this is…woah, now it’s…oh my goodness…duuuuude.” I feel like a great drink should take you on an adventure. In the way that a really great Bordeaux will take you straight to that region of France and change several times in your mouth/nose, cocktail ingredients should enter at different times once you’ve taken a sip.

Perhaps we should think of fine Cocktails like we think of an orchestra.

For First Waltz we experience: Gin, wide on the bright tones and treble (brass, wind instruments). Dolin Blanc providing a great support in the mid range (viola, violin, upper cello range). Fino sherry in the long base notes with fig, raisin, nuttiness, and salinity (double bass, bass clarinet, tuba, timpani). Finally Apricot again as a bright, trebbly wide note (flute, oboe solo, cymbals). The Apricot is actually what stays in your mouth the longest and which inspired the name of this springiest of spring cocktails. The Nutmeg garnish merely serves to reinforce the nutty notes of the Fino Sherry and tie the drink together (the conductor).

Blüten der Wachauer Marille (Apricot blooms from the Klosterneuberg region, these are called Marille locally)

Both Rothman & Winter and the Bitter Truth Apricot liqueurs come from Aprikosen in the Klostenberg region of Austria. So, no matter which Apricot liqueur you choose, you get the most beautiful Apricot and Floral notes. From such a lovely liqueur comes great inspiration. Of course my musical mind immediately went to the Strauss family and their legacy of waltzes.

First Waltz

2 oz Plymouth Gin
1/2 oz Dolin Blanc
1/2 oz Inocente Fino Sherry
1/4 oz* Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur (or Bitter Truth Apricot)
Garnish: freshly grated Nutmeg

Combine ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into chilled coupe, garnish with freshly grated Nutmeg.

*Keep in mind that this is a very exact recipe. Too much Apricot and the whole drink is off.

By the bye, this is totally a Flavor Bible drink meaning that I looked up Apricot in the bible and went from there. If you don’t have this book, get it! It’s the best tool for anyone creating recipes in the Kitchen.

May this be as exciting to you as it was to me! Bravo!

Drinking with Mad Men Season 7: Tom Collins

2015-04-262015-05-09 / Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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 different cocktails from the show, so we can all drink along with our favourite Madison Avenue Ad-men and women.

As we get further into Season 7, one has to wonder, what is Don’s next step? His life has been completely upheaved and he feels very distant from his family and familiar connections. He is a man without a plan possibly for the first time since he became Donald Draper.

Sally Draper: the youngest Home Bar Girl

For this week’s drink, we harken back to a time when Don was very connected to Betty and his children. In S2E2, “Flight 1”, Francine and Carlton come over to the Draper’s house for Drinks and Cards. Don has instructed Sally on how to make Old Fashioneds which she gives to he and Carlton. Don then tells Sally to “go take Mommy and Francine’s orders”.

Don: the proudest father of a Home Bar Girl

Sally returns saying, “two Tom Collins.” Don replies, “ok, you don’t smash the cherry on that. Just plop it in at the end. Try to keep it in the top of the glass. Gin.”

Sally knows that a great Home Bar Girl is a great listener.

A Tom Collins is a simple drink by any standard but it’s origin story varies wildly and the “original recipes” have a range of amounts. The first recipe which could be considered a “Tom Collins” is a Gin Twist from 1871 calling for 2 oz Genever or Old Tom Gin, 1 oz Lemon Juice and 2 bar spoons of sugar. It is the use of Old Tom Gin in the drink which many suspect why its name was changed to “Tom Collins” in 1876. In this iteration as well as the next few of the Tom Collins, the amount of Lemon and Sugar and types of Sugar change.

Essentially, it’s one of those “whatever you think tastes best” drinks!

I like to make mine with Demerara Simple Syrup and Old Tom gin but you should use whatever you like the most! Superfine sugar and Bombay Dry? Sounds amazing! Agave and New American Gin? Sure!

I like mine in the following format.

Tom Collins

2 oz Hayman’s Old Tom Gin
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Demerara Simple Syrup
Club Soda
Garnish: Lemon Slices (Several versions add a Maraschino Cherry)

Combine Gin, Lemon Juice and Simple Syrup in tin and stir until ingredients have combined. Pour into Collins glass with Ice and Lemon Slices. Pour Club Soda on top and stir again.

If you want to liven up your Tom Collins a bit, add a dash or two of bitters. I’d recommend any of the above bitters, possibly even a combination!

18.21 Earl Grey Bitters
Angostura Bitters
Dr. Adam Elemegirab’s Boker’s Bitters
Regans’ Orange Bitters
Scrappy’s Celery Bitters

Cheers!

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

Drinking with Mad Men Season 7: the Manhattan

2015-04-122015-05-09 / Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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.

As previously stated, I’m a bit of a Mad Men fanatic. The characters and their struggles have gripped my soul. The fashion is so on point. The cocktails are so classic and powerful.

Yes, powerful. This week for S7E9, I’ll be drinking perhaps the most “powerful” cocktail of all time, The Manhattan. There is literally nothing more powerful than ordering what Gary Regan once called, “The King of Cocktails.” Manhattans make you feel like a supreme being, a conqueror of worlds, a leader of vast armies.

Tradition has it that the Manhattan was originally made with American Whiskey, which in the 1860s meant Rye. Some recipes call for Canadian Whiskey, Bourbon, or even Brandy (I’m looking at you Wisconsin) but they always call for Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth and Bitters.

In S4E7 “The Suitcase”, Peggy and her boyfriend Mark break up after Don forces her to work late into the night on her birthday. She vents her frustration to Don and tells him that she and Mark have split. Don and Peggy leave the office, go to a shitty diner and then end up at a bar. Don, always Old Fashioned in hand, chats with Peggy about how attractive Peggy is and cheers her up about her chances with men. Peggy slowly sips her Manhattan, savoring every moment.

Manhattans are usually made in a 2:1 ratio of Whiskey to Sweet Vermouth with a couple of dashes of Bitters thrown in and a Maraschino Cherry as garnish. Here in New York City 2015, the recipe is frequently made as follows:

Manhattan

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse is the fave)
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica Vermouth or Cocchi Vermouth di Tornio are the faves)
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
2 dashes of Regan’s Orange Bitters
Garnish: Maraschino Cherry

Combine Ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe and garnish with Maraschino Cherry.

An excellent Manhattan Variation is made by using equal parts Sweet Vermouth and Dry Vermouth with a couple of dashes of bitters. This is called a Perfect Manhattan. In my opinion, this tends to work better if you use Vermouths of the same house. i.e. Dolin Rouge & Dolin Dry, Noilly Prat Rouge & Noilly Prat Dry, Carpano Antica & Carpano Dry.

Perfect Manhattan

2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1/2 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
1/2 oz Carpano Dry Vermouth
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
2 dashes of Orange Bitters
Garnish: Maraschino Cherry

Combine Ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe and garnish with Maraschino Cherry.

In what is perhaps my favourite Manhattan Variation, add Celery Bitters into the mix. The Fourth Regiment recipe was first published in The Hotel Monthly by Jacques Straub in 1914. I had one for the first time a few years ago at Dutch Kills in Long Island City and never looked back! The original recipe calls for the drink to be shaken, equal parts Rye & Sweet Vermouth and one dash each of the bitters. There is no garnish specification but I love to use an Orange peel.

Fourth Regiment

1 1/2 oz Rye (Rittenhouse or bust!)
1 1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica!)
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Regan’s Orange Bitters
1 dash Scrappy’s Celery Bitters
Garnish: Orange peel

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

Now when it comes to making your own Manhattan, use whichever Bitters, Vermouths, garnishes and Whiskey you have on hand. Feel free to experiment and combine different ingredients together. If you have Maraschino Liqueur, an Amaro or Absinthe on hand, add a dash or two of that! Always keep in mind to start in small amounts and measure everything!

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

Thanks again to The Baddish Group for the fantastic bottles of Carpano Antica & Carpano Dry.

Flower Flower & Rose Tea infused Vodka

2015-03-302015-03-29 / Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

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.

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.

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.

Happy spring to you all!

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

Carpano Dry, my new Best Friend

2015-03-232015-03-23 / Dani DeLuna / 1 Comment

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:

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.

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.

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.

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!

The Arborist’s Nightcap

2015-03-132015-10-30 / Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

Here’s a nice slow sippin’ Friday night Nightcap with Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey. My girlfriend had a taste and said it tastes like “climbing a tree”. I think she’s right! It also tastes smoky, seductive, raisin/prune/grapey, saline-y, briney, fig, nutty. Enjoy!

The Arborist’s Nightcap

1 3/4 oz Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
1/2 oz Inocente Fino Sherry
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/4 oz Cinnamon Bark Syrup
2 dashes Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters
Garnish: Maraschino Cherry

Combine ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe, garnish with Maraschino Cherry.

Thanks again to The Baddish Group for the delicious bottle of Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey!

Suspicious Behaviour

2015-03-092015-03-09 / Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

It was 50° F in Brooklyn today, YAAAAAAAS KWEEN. I feel like now that the snow is melting and Daylight Savings time is happening, I’ve got a new lease on life. I feel like a real woman, a woman who can go outside without fear. I also feel like a woman who’d like to drink something with Whiskey, Citrus, Bitter and Pernod on the rocks.

Suspicious Behaviour

2 oz Rye
1/2 oz Averna Amaro
1/4 oz Campari
1/2-3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice (depending on how sweet/bitter)*
Pernod Pastis Rinse

Rinse a rocks glass with Pernod Pastis and chill glass. Combine remaining ingredients and stir over ice until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into rinsed rocks glass with ice. Cheers!

*I know drinks with citrus are usually shaken but I did not want to shake this drink. I wanted the smoothness of a stirred drink not the agitation of a shaken drink.

Spring is coming! I can feel it in my bones!

My Infamy

2015-03-022015-03-01 / Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

This is one of those slow sippers which happened after a night of tinkering in my kitchen, aka My Home Bar. The inspiration for this drink was to combine Chartreuse Jaune and Branca Menta in a delightful and not overpowering way. Both liqueurs have Saffron notes and I wanted to put the Minty Herbaceousness of the Branca with the Floral Herbaceousness of the Chartreuse. Very nice, it’s a very nice combo. I decided Rittenhouse was the right base spirit and then dried it out with Dolin Dry.

My Infamy

2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz Chartreuse Jaune
1/4 oz Branca Menta
No garnish

Combine ingredients and stir over ice until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe. Sip slowly with a good book.

It’s hard for me to do this, but sometimes a drink just doesn’t need a garnish. Like, if your hair is amazing, why wear a hat?

Thanks again to the Baddish Group for the fresh and fabulous bottle of Branca Menta.

Blonde Bertie & Teeling Whiskey

2015-03-012015-03-01 / Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

It’s March! We made it! Hopefully this crazy cold weather will begin to let up and we can return to our regularly scheduled programming.

It’s time for Whiskey, ALL the Whiskey. Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey is a complex bottle of whiskey aged in Rum casks. Here’s my impression:

Nose: Vanilla, spices, Rum, grains, corn, honey
Tongue: Caramel, woody, Rum, apple, a tad peaty or “Moorish”, vanilla
Finish: Rich, oily, full bodied, spicy

With all those Honey notes, I decided to go in the grown n’ sexy Gold Rush direction. Also, as Teeling Irish Whiskey is a revival Whiskey, along with the notes from Rum casks, I wanted to pair it with Adam Elmegirab’s Boker’s Bitters. I wanted that Old Timey feeling and Blonde Bertie definitely has that. This cocktail is a tad sweet, a tad dry and very very tasty.

Blonde Bertie

2 oz Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
3/4 oz Dolin Dry
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
2 dashes Adam Elmegirab’s Boker’s Bitters
Garnish: Lemon Peel

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

Yes, the name of the drink is a Mad Men reference and thanks to The Baddish Group for the delicious bottle of Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey!

Improved Negronis are for Chinese New Year

2015-02-192015-02-19 / Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

Gung Hay Fat Choy to you all! It’s Chinese New Year! Growing up in the SF Bay Area meant many a fun trip to Chinatown for New Year festivities and I totally loved the parades! My darling girlfriend is Chinese American and so this celebration has taken on a whole new meaning for me! I’ve noticed that no other culture wishes that everyone has Luck as much as the Chinese culture. So to you all I say, “May you be prosperous and full of luck!”

Trivia? Which drink goes perfectly with the rich and varied flavours of Chinese food cause it cuts right through the mix? NEGRONI! Bing, Bing, Bing! You did it! The citrus and bitter notes of a Negroni pair well with the heavy foods in a traditional Chinese New Year dinner and Red is the color of the celebration.

This is not just any Negroni though, this is An Improved Negroni. You may be thinking, “this bitch, why does she think she can ‘improve’ a Negroni?” But I’m not such a crazy bitch! “Improved Cocktails” are actually a category of drink. If you look back on the grand history of cocktails, the original ones were in an Old Fashioned format. The “improvements” meant adding things like a dash of Absinthe or two dashes of Maraschino.

My improvements are: adjusting the ratios, adding Maraschino and using Blood Orange peel in the drink for added Citrusness. Sun Ye Fai Lok!

An Improved Negroni

1 1/2 oz Plymouth Gin
3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Vermouth
2 dashes Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
Garnish: Blood Orange Peel

Combine ingredients and stir over ice until proper dilution has been achived. Strain into rocks glass with ice. Express Blood Orange Peel and Garnish.

An Improved Negroni in the wild at Chinese New Year 2014. I have switched vermouth since then y’all!

Let’s just look at this drink again. Campari, you make me turn red all over. Remember #EveryWeekIsNegroniWeek

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