Tag: cocktails

  • Booze You Can Use: Booze on a Budget & DonQ 80’s Bash Recap

    Tony10 
    Wanted to share my latest pieces with y'all.  First, for the budget-conscious tippler, 10 Cocktails for $10 or less in Time Out NY. Many thanks to all who came along for tasting adventures, including Rocky, Hal, Jen, Karen, Josh, Jeramy, Colin, Jen, and Matt.  Next, my recap of the MCC's Don Q 80's Bash on CitYSip. Many thanks to Kim for coming along for the ride. Totally rad.  Enjoy!

  • MCC Time!

    Mccdrink 
    It's finally here — tonight is the kickoff of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic!  Here's where I'll be this weekend:

    Tonight
    The Gala at the New York Public Library

    Saturday
    Stories from Behind the Bar: Painkiller
    The Cocktail Club: Don Q 80's Bash

    Sunday
    The British Invasion at Eleven Madison Park

    Monday
    Death's Door Pig Roast at Hearth

    In between, you'll likely find me at the official MCC Bar at Astor Center, home writing or napping, and maybe even sneaking in a run or bike ride if weather and other conditions permit. I'll also probably sneak in a few more seminars/parties/whatnot.  Follow me on Twitter at @sweetblogomine for last minute updates!

  • Booze You Can Use: Manhattan Cocktail Classic THIS WEEK!

     Mcc If you're not giddy with anticipation about the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, you should be. Although many events are sold out, here are my picks for those with tickets still available.

    Check the ticket page for more events, and I'll see you at MCC!

  • Booze You Can Use: Mark Your Calendar

    Have you made any plans for next week yet? No? Good. I’ve got you covered, at least for a few nights (you know me, always trying to keep a few nights free, generally failing miserably). Pull out that calendar, and mark down a few key dates for next week and beyond!

    Flyerback  
    Monday, April 11th: Drink for Japan. Drinking’s always better when it’s for a good cause. In addition to unlimited punch, Gardner Dunn of Yamazaki Japanese Whiskey will be serving up neat pours for $10 and selling T-shirts he had designed for the event.  100% of all proceeds will benefit The Japan Society’s Earthquake Relief Fund.

    Thursday, April 14th: French Spirits Soiree. The Dizzy Fizz has put together an evening at Astor Center to celebrate La Belle Epoque, offering turn-of-the-20th-centrury spirits, cocktails, punches, and absinthe, along with French cheese and charcuterie by Murray’s Cheese, SCRATCHbread rustic bread, live jazz by The Hot Sardines, a burlesque performance by Calamity Chang and more. Tickets are $40 and are available online.

    July 20-24: Tales of the Cocktail. And for those of you looking to plan in advance, tickets are now on sale for Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. For professionals and enthusiasts alike, this annual event features seminars, events, competitions, tastings, dinner pairings, workshops and more.
  • Booze You Can Use: The Anvil 100 List

    Sazerac 
    I just came across this list from Dirty Kitchen Adventures of Anvil's 100 Classic Cocktails You Must Try, or "The List."  Sounds like a good summer project — on top of triathlon training, of course!  It's all about balance.  Pictured above: a Sazerac in its natural habitat.

  • Booze You Can Use: Women’s History Month

    Iwd-cocktail

    International Women's Day was on March 8th, and as part of the 100th Anniversary of IWD, the lovely ladies of LUPEC NYC (the NYC Chapter of Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails) teamed up with Compass Box Whisky, Bespoke Chocolates, and Murray's Cheese for Women & Whisky Unite — a wonderful seminar and tasting at Astor Center. Proceeds from the event benefitted Bottomless Closet. This gorgeous drink you see above was created by Meaghan Dorman of Raines Law Room. As she tells us, this cocktail was "[i]nspired by feminist, journalist and social and political activist Gloria Steinem, who became nationally recognized as a leader of the US women's liberation movement in the late 1960's and 1970's.  Steinem also co-founded Ms. Magazine, hence the cocktail's name.

    Mr. & Ms.
    Dash Angostura Bitters
    1/2 oz lime
    3/4 oz ginger syrup
    1/2 oz Cherry Heering
    1 1/2 oz Spice Tree

    Shake, strain into Collins glass, top with soda. Lime wheel, cherry garnish.

    Photos from the event can be found here and here.

  • Double Bridge Weekend

    P1010202

    This weekend's theme was restoration.  Friday night @cocktailspirit and I went to a yoga class, which was exactly what I needed after my busy week.  After a quick dinner, I spent some quality time on my couch catching up on my DVR.  Saturday I slept later than I thought was humanly possible, then met Bill for dim sum at Red Egg.  Afterwards, we wandered around Chinatown and the Lower East Side, then decided to continue over the Williamsburg bridge.  Once we got to the other side, we rewarded ourselves with a tipple or two at Dram.  On a side note, Dram's new food menu looks great.  Have to return at some point when I'm hungry. 

    Sunday began with laziness and the NYT, then I headed to Maharlika for brunch with @selenawrites and @libationdiaries to support our friends Enzo & Noel, who are involved in this great pop-up Filipino brunch spot.  The gorgeousness you see above is the Eggs Benigno: lola mahal's home-style pandesal, thinly sliced housemade spam, calamansi hollandaise and kamote fries (more brunch photos here).  Selena and I decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and walk off brunch by walking downtown and over the Brooklyn Bridge.  Afterwards, I went home, did some writing, and watched the Oscars, which were only bearable thanks to Twitter and a Vieux Carré.  Oy.

    All in all, a lovely, relaxing weekend.

  • Bring on the Bitters!

    Barkeep-sm
    My latest piece on the Tasting Table (this time, National):  Bitter Competition, about BarKeep Bitters.  Many thanks to Marshall Altier, who created the Baked Apple Bitters, for hooking this up.  Here's an additional recipe, just for Sweet Blog o' Mine readers:

    Otoñal Old Fashioned
    Adapted from a recipe by Joaquin Simo, Death & Co. New York

    1.5 ozs Herradura Reposado
    .5 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
    1 teaspoon cinnamon bark syrup* (simple made w/cinnamon bark)
    1 dash Angostura bitters
    2 dashes Baked Apple bitters
    Stir
    Strain over fresh ice in an old fashioned glass. Express the oil of 1 orange peel and discard it. Garnish with 1 cinnamon stick.

    (and P.S. – I've got them all at home in case anyone wants to taste them!)

  • Sweet Blog o’ Mine Holiday Gift Guide!

    I've already done my holiday shopping, but if you're looking for some ideas, here's a list of books, food, and drinks that have crossed my path this year that would be suitable for any bon vivant in your life.

    Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl – this definitive book by cocktail historian David Wondrich details the history of punch and includes recipes that will keep you and your friends full of cheer at any party.

    Left-coast-libationsLeft Coast Libations — this book from our friends on the West coast contains 100 delicious looking cocktail recipes and drink porn galore.

    Salt to Taste – although technically this crossed my path last year, I've turned to it repeatedly since then for cooking guidance from Hearth's Marco Canora. 

    Class at Pizza a Casa — Mark Bello will teach you how to make kick-ass pizza (and now pasta, too), at home.  That said, even if you don't take up pizza making in your spare time, going to Mark's class is worth it just to share in his passion and enthusiasm.  Plus, there's lots of pizza!

    Karlsson's Gold Vodka — For all those vodka naysayers out there who whine about vodka having no flavor, you may want to check out this potato vodka.  I had the opportunity to go to a tasting where the Karlsson's team had us taste several of their vodkas, each made with a different type of potato, which had a huge impact on the flavor profile of each.  Karlsson's Gold is lovely on the rocks with a hit of freshly ground black pepper.

    Flying Pigs Farm — This may seem like an odd gift, but every time I try a new product from Flying Pigs Farm I am less likely to buy my pork from anyone else.  Chorizo, bacon, pork rillettes, chicharrones, Canadian Bacon — pick some up at the Union Square Greenmarket and get cooking.

    Beefeater Winter — Beefeater's latest limited seasonal launch has notes of orange, cinnamon, nutmeg and pine, making it ideal for winter cocktails.  I used it in a negroni last week and it married beautifully with the Campari and sweet vermouth.

    Cutbklyn Cut Brooklyn — Want a gift that will last a lifetime? Check out these beauties.  Hand crafted knives made from all-American materials by artisan Joel Bukiewicz.

    Firelit Coffee Liqueur — Made with Blue Bottle Coffee, this small-batch liqueur from California was handed to me with a warning about its caffeine level and raves about its deep coffee flavor.  Since I just got it last night, I haven't tasted it yet, but I'm pretty excited to try it.  Maybe tonight — hoping it doesn't keep me up!

    Bacon Marmalade — run, do not walk, to Whisk to buy this addictive condiment.  You'll mix it into eggs, slather it on a grilled cheese, or maybe just eat it with a spoon to savor its smoky, sweet and tangy goodness.