Sweet Blog O'Mine

Tag: cocktails

  • Booze You Can Use: Have A Division Bell

    Tomorrow I leave for a week in Oaxaca, Mexico. As you may know, Oaxaca is ground zero for mezcal, and I'll be spending a great deal of time visiting palenques and learning about mezcal production (this is, after all, a USBGNY trip). For those of you who aren't joining me on the trip, you can play along at home, and make yourself a Division Bell (or go to Mayahuel and have one there).

    Division Bell
    1 oz Del Maguey San Luis Del Rio mezcal
    3/4 oz. Aperol
    3/4 oz. Maraska or 1/2 oz. Luxardo (Maraschino)
    3/4 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
    Shake well with ice, strain into a cocktail glass. Twist and squeeze a grapefruit peel over the glass. Rub the rim of the glass with the peel, then discard it.

  • Booze You Can Use: Have a Lion’s Tail

    I remember the first time I had this cocktail. Ms. Jane Elkins made it for me at Louis 649 several years ago. I'm not sure I've had one since. I've got some allspice dram at home (made by my mom!) and have been trying to think of ways to put it to good use. This came to mind.

    Lion's Tail
    2 ounces bourbon
    1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
    1/2 ounce allspice dram
    1-2 dashes Angostura bitters
    1/2 teaspoon simple syrup
    Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

  • Booze You Can Use: Have a Cocktail at the 8th St. Winecellar

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    Most of you probably already know about my love affair with the 8th Street Winecellar. I know — I'm somewhat biased as it's around the corner from my apartment — but even beyond the uber-convenient location, it's' a warm, comfortable place with attentive, friendly staff, and good food and drink. I'd recommend it to anyone. Winecellar is somewhat of a misnomer, as they offer much more than wine. They have a selection of bottled craft beers, an extensive spirits selection (ask to see their Brown Book — mostly whisk(e)ys), and are happy to make cocktails if asked. The one thing they haven't offered for the past six years is a cocktail list. Now that has changed. Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you: the 8th Street Winecellar original cocktail list. I've been a big fan of the Toasty Bunz for years — I can't wait to try the rest!

  • Back the Rack!

    Speed Rack 5/16. BE THERE.

    SpeedRackFINALS

  • Booze You Can Use: Have a Vieux Carré

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    Photo courtesy of Scofflaw's Den

    It's cold out there. Given weather like this, I tend to gravitate towards cocktails that are stirred and boozy — at least I'll be warm on the inside. If you're looking for an alternative to an Old Fashioned, try the Vieux Carré, a classic cocktail from New Orleans.

    Vieux Carré
    .75 oz Rye whiskey
    .75 oz Cognac
    .75 oz Sweet Vermouth
    1 tsp  Bénédictine
    2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
    2 dashes Angostura Bitters

    Add all the ingredients to a rocks glass. Fill with ice and stir.

  • Holiday Gift Guide o’ Mine

    I know, I know. It's a bit late in the game for a holiday gift guide, but hey — you can always save it for next year.

    – If you are in NYC and haven't been to Hearth or Terroir, you should. If you live elsewhere, make sure they are on your list for when you come to town.  Marco Canora, Paul Greico and their amazing team have created a mini-empire of high caliber but not high falutin' wine bars with food that's as high quality as the dishes they create at their mother ship restaurant. Whomever is the recipient of one of their gift certificates will be a happy camper. I guarantee it.

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    – I am not a big fan of heavily peated Scotches. I continue to taste them as I'm learning about Scotch generally, and I appreciate why others may like them, but they are not for me. My kind of Scotch is the Bowmore 15 Years Old "Darkest", balanced with a hint of smoke and prominent rich chocolate notes. It's finished in Oloroso sherry casks — probably another reason I like it. It retails for approximately $70.

    – On the complete opposite end of the booze spectrum, Lillet's newest iteration,  Lillet Rosé, is a perfect apéritif on it's own or serves as a lively fruity, floral and bright addition to a cocktail recipe. It retails for about $17.

    – Avuá Cachaça Amburana: This newly launched, small-batch cachaça is made by one of Brazil's few female distillers and is aged in Amburana wood (hence the name). The end result is a smooth spirit with sugarcane and vegetal notes, with a touch of spice, suitable for cocktails or sipping neat. It won't be available for a few more months, but it will retail for about $45.

    – And while you're shopping for cocktail ingredients, make sure you visit The Liquid Chef Junior Merino's newly launched online store, which is chock-full of bitters, aromatics, syrups, tools, and more. Having had the opportunity to test them out in the Liquid Lab, I'm a huge fan of his salts/sugars designed to rim cocktail glasses, adding a level of unique flavor to your personal libation creations — pasilla chile & cinnamon, hibiscus & rose, Hawaiian salt & saffron and more.

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    – For those more food-driven, I'd suggest two new books from bloggers that I've known for years: The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook & The Amateur Gourmet's Secrets of the Best Chefs. Trust these people. I do.

    – For the pinot noir drinkers on your list, check out the David Family Wine Black List. This exclusive club gives you access to their  limited-release Black Label pinot noirs a full six to twelve months before anyone else (at a 20-30% discount, no less) plus a discount code that you can use for their full portfolio. Sounds like my kind of club.  There are limited slots available, and although there's no cost for membership, you must purchase three bottles per year to keep your place.

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    – Last, but by no means least, for your friends of the canine persuasion, Bocce's Bakery Biscuits uses organic local ingredients to create dog treats that sound so tempting you might try to steal them. Who wouldn't drool over truffle mac & cheese, beef bourignon, or the Elvis (peanut butter, bananas & bacon)? I know Moxie would. Although sometimes I feel like she deserves some lumps of coal (they've got those, too).

  • Booze You Can Use: Have The Last Word

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    Photo courtesy of Oh Gosh

    Last night I dined with my friend Sarah at the bar at Minetta Tavern. We each started with a cocktail — Sarah a Manhattan, and I The Last Word. Although I often trend towards brown spirits in the colder weather, for some reason, the combination of gin, lime, green Chartreuse and Maraschino hit the spot last night — refreshing, calming after a busy day, and a light prelude to our dinner.

    The Last Word
    equal parts:
    Gin
    Fresh lime juice
    Green Chartreuse
    Maraschino liqueur
    Shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupe.

  • Booze you Can Use: Speed Rack TONIGHT!

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    Booze. Boobs. Fast women. Me slinging punch. Be there. No excuses. Back the rack.

  • Booze You Can Use: The Holiday Spirits Bazaar

    The holidays are just around the corner, a fact which still seems completely mind-boggling to me. Even for those of us who aren't yet ready, the Third Annual Holiday Spirits Bazaar is a fun and boozy way to kick off the holiday season. $45 gets you admission to the Astor Center, 399 Lafayette Street, for either the 1-4 pm or 7-10 pm sessions, each with cheese and charcuterie from Stinky Bklyn and cocktails galore. And in the holiday spirit, a portion of the evening's proceeds will benefit the Children’s Aid Society of New York, and guests are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy or non-perishable food for victims of Hurricane Sandy.  See you Saturday — cheers!

  • Booze You Can Use: Drink to Rebuild [UPDATED]

    LupecMany people I know have helped to clean up and rebuild after Hurricane Sandy by donating money or time. For those of you who have not yet done so and are looking for a simple way to give back, or for those of you who have worked hard and just need a stiff drink, be sure to check out these upcoming fundraisers, all benefiting Sandy relief efforts:

    – Saturday, November 10th: Highlands Bar on West 10th and Waverly  is holding a silent auction from 1 – 4pm. All proceeds will go via New York Cares to help Staten Island residents affected by the hurricane. Grab a drink while you're at it.

    – Sunday, November 11th: Pegu Club at 77 West Houston Street is holding a 50/50 benefit from 5 pm – 1 am. Half the proceeds will go toward Hurricane Sandy relief. The rest will aid Murray Stenson, a veteran Seattle-based bartender, with unexpected medical expenses due to a heart ailment. Drinks, made by a slew of well-known bartenders, are full price. There will also be a new $10 drink on the cocktail list called the
    Sandy Relief Cocktail, and all proceeds will benefit the Red Cross and other charitable
    organizations.

    – Tuesday, November 13th: CitySip is hosting an Industry Night at Dick & Jane's, 266 Adelphi Street in Brooklyn from 8:30 pm – 1 am. All proceeds from Whistle Pig Rye cocktails will benefit the Sandy relief efforts of the New York chapter of the United States Bartenders' Guild.

    – Tuesday, November 13th: the New York chapter of Ladies for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails (of which I am a member) is hosting their montly Broad Appeal at Macao Trading Company, 311 Church Street. From 8pm to midnight, Natasha David and her barback Jeremy Oertel will be serving $10 cocktails with 100% of proceeds going to Restore Red Hook.

    – Thursday, November 15th: Pouring Ribbons at 225 Avenue B, 2nd Floor, is holding an event called drink. donate., from 7 pm to midnight. Proceeds from the $20 ticket will benefit restaurants that were hit hard by the storm and the Red Hook Initiative.

    – Sunday, November 18th: Jonathan and Jeffrey Pogash are serving up Bloody Marys at a Bloody Mary lunch benefitting the American Red Cross Greater New York Region. 12- 2 pm at the Empire Room, 350 Fifth Ave.; $35 tickets available online.

    And, of course, be sure to patronize your favorite bars and restaurants that were impacted by the storm. Don't forget to use the #dineoutnyc hashtag to show your support!