Farrah Fawcett Forever

A Tribute
by Paul Zablocki

Farrah Fawcett, 1947–2009

Farrah was on my radar several years before she batted her eyelashes and smiled that pearly-white grin as Jill Munroe on Charlie’s Angels. To me, she epitomized girlish glamour as she stroked Joe Namath’s chin and cheeks on a TV commercial while cooing “Let Noxema cream your face so the razor won’t.” If TiVo were around, I would have watched these thirty seconds nonstop (or until at least my brother Michael would have changed the channel, threatening a little fisticuffs), but alas, this nonjock would have to slog through Wide World of Sports, and other early-Seventies jock programming, eating Mister Salty pretzel sticks with Michael and my dad just to catch a glimpse of that golden mane and hear that little voice that barely found the right notes. Later, I would discover that her seemingly naïve sexiness wasn’t who she was at all, but just an act, performed by an actor, which she was, after all. Or rather, an artist. When my dad asked me if I knew the name of the woman who stroked Joe’s face, I looked at him aghast. I thought, You mean this vision of glamour and beauty has a name? I shook my head, and when he said “Farrah Fawcett,” I laughed. “Nuh-uh! No one has a name like that!” Of course, images of sinks and spigots rushed into my mind, and I thought that “Faucet” was just a completely ridiculous last name. It just had to be made up. But “Farrah”? If Faucet was a strange last name to behold, Farrah was even more ridiculous. After all, I was seven years old, and the most exotic name for a girl I knew was of a girl in my first-grade class, Danielle. Little did I know that the name Farrah Fawcett would haunt me for the rest of her life. I secretly fell in love with her.

And then the poster. Michael received a puzzle version of the iconographic red swimsuit poster for his birthday from some neighborhood kid who’s mother should probably have known better than to get a young boy a puzzle of a sexy lady in a revealing bathing suit. But I was so glad she did. I quickly took over the puzzle box, set up a folding table in the driveway, and started putting the pieces together. My brother even helped. We were desperate to find the nipple pieces, and when we did, and secured them into place, we were rewarded with a sense of accomplishment at being able to gaze upon her beauty.

Needless to say, I watched Charlie’s Angels religiously, usually with my grandmother who lived with us. It was 1976, I was nine years old, and my parents, who were in their early thirties, were always out for some reason on Wednesday night. So my babci and I would curl up on the couch with some popcorn and juice, and as I watched the Angels use their brains and beauty to foil the lawbreaking evildoers, I would all the time wish that I was Jill Munroe’s little brother, visiting his big sister for the weekend or some undisclosed amount of time. Usually I would be kidnapped by some nefarious yet good-looking criminal mastermind, and Jill (and the other two) would come to my rescue after Jill beat up a thug or two. Ah, a boy can dream.

And I kept dreaming about Farrah, and especially the acquisition of “Farrahnalia.” For example, when TV Guide ran an ad for a necklace in the shape of a faucet (I think one was even encrusted in diamonds or perhaps some other glittering gem), with Farrah wearing one, I wanted to send in my birthday money just to feel it and see it sparkle. Alas, I did not have the courage to do so. I don’t think anyone did, for that matter, because even though I would buy one today, I can’t find one on the Web. You’d think someone would have one on eBay, but searches for faucet jewelry have all come up dry.


Farrah only appeared for a year on Charlie’s Angels, but I continued to watch in the hopes that she would make occasional guest appearances visiting her replacement, her younger sister Kris, as played by the very different Cheryl Ladd. But I had Logan’s Run to keep my Farrah fix alive. This futuristic drama that looked like it was shot in an LA galleria was my favorite movie from 1976. Everyone is young, gorgeous, and hot. Farrah, playing another smiling Barbie, turns out to be part of the resistance against the unseen fascists who run the Domed City. Spoiler Alert: Much to my horror, she died early in the film, but she left an indelible impression.

I followed her career closely during the next few years as she struggled to find her niche in the entertainment world. Movies like Sunburn, Saturn 3, and Cannonball Run were, well, easily dismissible, but she did manage to do some nice work in Somebody Killed Her Husband opposite an intensely hirsute Jeff Bridges, showing that there was more behind the big smile and big hair. But you could sense the yearning to plant her teeth into a meatier role, something that would work her over and help shake off the deep impression that she was just a bimbo. So, what do actors do who need to revitalize a sagging career? They change their look and do off-Broadway. When she appeared off-Broadway as Marjorie, the intended rape victim, in Extremities in a short hairdo, the critics went nuts. Holy Shit, this Angel can really act. I didn’t get to see Extremities (I was still in high school at the time), but I managed to score a promotional half-sheet poster from her appearance, which I treasure today.

Farrah seemed to be on her way up again, garnering major kudos and nominations for her TV movie roles. She showed the effects of spousal abuse in TV’s The Burning Bed [see photo, right]. I still cringe every time I see Paul LeMat raise his hand to her face, she feinting as if the hand already slapped her across her cheek. And I encourage you to see her portray the title roles in Nazi Hunter: The Beate Klarsfeld Story and Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story just to understand her range. One of her greatest performances, however, was in a TV miniseries called Small Sacrifice in which she played opposite Ryan O’Neal as a mother accused of killing her children. Her take is creepy and penetrating, the smiling blonde-girl-next-door type mixes and melds with this trashy, tough-talking and slightly sleazy broad to create a real dilemma for the audience: Did this woman who professed her love for her kids really murder them? You’ll have to hunt down the video (which, of course, I have).

During the Nineties, I sort of let Farrah slip a little to the margins of my mind. I was too busy trying to forge a theatre career as a director, ultimately in the Big Apple. Even though I was busy, Farrah was always at the periphery. Her name would buzz inside my head, and lo and behold either I’d hear about some struggle with this lover who was treating her poorly, or her new TV movie would pop on the boob tube. Sometimes, I didn’t watch. I wasn’t much into TV in the last decade. But in the bat of an eyelash, I would defend her vehemently, professing her great skills as an actress and her work as a sculptor. (You can see her work in the film version of Extremities.) She had an artist’s soul and temperament. She was who she was. When she rambled incoherently on Letterman, she undeservedly became the media sensation for yet another fifteen-minute fame blip. As the new millennium rolled in, I found myself reading more about her posing for Playboy, rolling around naked in paint and pressing herself against a blank canvas, giving body art a new meaning.

When I learned that Farrah was diagnosed with anal cancer, I thought, Christ, here come the bad jokes. But to come forward and share her struggle with the world only strengthened the connection she had to people. Why hush up what you can open up? Knowledge is power. So she sought treatments, with long-time partner Ryan O’Neal by her side, hoping and praying that God would intervene and spare his angel. When it seemed as though she were in the clear, the nasty invader came back and decided to stay. It claimed her life on June 25, 2009. I cannot bring myself to watch Farrah’s Story, her final personal account of these last stages of cancer, yet. I have it on TiVo, so there is no rush.

The day of Farrah’s passing, I woke up as usual, the movie poster of Extremities beside my side of the bed. (I know, it’s strange to have this huge poster by your bedside, but that poster meant a lot to me over the years. I directed the play in college, and to me, it symbolizes the struggles we have to endure to overcome whatever it is that oppresses us, fighting preconceived notions of who people think we are, and letting them know that deep inside, there is much more to us.) It was a lovely morning, sun shining through the drapes, casting the den in a rosy inviting glow. Steve had heard that she had been given her last rights while on his way out, but since I was on the phone, he decided to let me find out about Farrah on my own. I didn’t cry, but felt an ineffable loss, sort of like when you hear about the passing of an old friend you haven’t seen in a very long time. I never did get to meet Farrah, live, in the flesh, but in my dreams and memories she still shines, effervescent, complex, and gorgeous. Rest in peace, lady, and if the afterlife is an acting class, may you be not at the top of the class, but the teacher.

Talking and mourning go hand in hand. The great thing about being in a relationship is being able to share Farrah stories. Steve grew up in Kansas; for all intents and purposes his life mimicked mine, except that he lived on a farm, and I in suburbia. Being allowed to stay up late on Wednesday night to watch Charlie’s Angels (8:00PM Central Time) while donning his yellow “faucet” T-shirt was the best night of the week, hands down. Jill Munroe was Steve’s favorite Angel as well. No wonder we stick.

Ah, so how to commemorate this gorgeous, sexy, provocative, sincere, artistic mother. A video retrospective on YouTube? No, someone else could do that much better. How about a drink, Farrah. If Steve and I could make you a cocktail, this is what it would be, based on three things:

1. Your effervescence—your smile, your hair, your beauty;
2. Your love of art—your sculpture, your closeness to clay and the earth; and
3. You once made a coconut cream pie with Queen Latifah on Good Morning America.

So, here it is.

[cocktail photo by Steve Schul]

The Farrah Fawcett, aka Everything But the Faucet
(created by Paul Zablocki and Steve Schul)

1 1/2 oz. white rum (such as Mount Gay)
3/4 oz. crème de banana (such as Bols)
1/2 oz. advocaat (egg liqueur)
1 T sweetened coconut flakes
champagne
3 blueberries

In a shaker, muddle the coconut flakes in crème de banana. (You can also grind the coconut flakes in a spice grinder.) Add the rum, advocaat, and halfway fill with ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain (or double-strain if you don’t want coconut bits in your drink) into a coupe. Add the blueberries. Top with champagne. If you’d like, you can rim with ground coconut flakes, but this may be a little too much. Even for Farrah.

Moonshine Madness at Tales of the Cocktail 2009

Piedmont Distillers, the producer of the hand-crafted Catdaddy and Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon Carolina Moonshines, has paired up with Dickie Brennan’s world-famous Bourbon House to bring you a spirited lunch. Yes, a spirited lunch at which you can celebrate all your happinesses (or drown all your sorrows) in a beguiling batch of ’shine cocktails while chomping on some delectable Southern cuisine.

Joe Michalek, Founder of Piedmont Distillers, provides the raison d’etre for the marriage: “Catdaddy and Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon both have a rich history founded in America’s moonshine past. But, they are also two high-quality, ultra-smooth spirits. Hosting a Spirited Lunch at Tales seemed like a great way to share our story and give people a chance to experience how far moonshine has come in the last several years.”

Last year at Tales, we stumbled into the Piedmont Distiller’s Tasting Room, and tried some Midnight Moon kissed with a drop of water (it is indeed smooth, and as we later discovered, perfect for infusing your favorite fruits, herbs, and spices), followed by a chaser of Catdaddy peach tea. Instantly drawn to the uniqueness of the Catdaddy (it tastes like no other flavored spirit, some likening it to cake frosting, bubble gum, and custard), we were eager to make some cocktails with it. That’s where Sarah Leroy, Piedmont Distiller’s Director of Marketing, comes into the picture, providing serendipity.

[Photo: Piedmont Distillers Copper Column Still.]

Sarah invited us to create three cocktails for the Bourbon House luncheon that’s focusing on Southern food traditions, such as three of our favorites: catfish, pork, and cornbread. Add to the mix the two moonshines, and you’ll find yourself fêted with a panoply of reimagined southern trimmings in what Piedmont Distillers and Bourbon House are calling “From Down-Home to Downtown: A Lunch Celebrating the Evolution of Southern Traditions.” Says Sarah, “We’re so excited to partner with Bourbon House. Chef Darin and the rest of the Bourbon House team have done an amazing job bringing to life the ‘down-home to downtown’ theme. The menu Chef Darin has created reinterprets southern food mainstays and compliments the flavors of Catdaddy and Midnight. I believe the menu will even include a few sauces and marinades made from Catdaddy and Midnight. I think we’re all in for a real treat and I expect the lunch to be a fun afternoon filled with delicious food and tasty cocktails.”


[The Adam Cocktail, to be served with corn-crusted catfish at the Bourbon House–Piedmont Distillers luncheon.]

And what a menu: The first course, corn-crusted riverside catfish fried and served with lima bean succotash and Catdaddy tartar, will be paired with a tempting variation of the bloody mary we call Adam, made with seasoned tomato water and Midnight Moon. The second course, a pork confit hash (cane syrup and Junior Johnson’s Moonshine–glazed pork confit, served over hash with smoked hominy), will find itself paired with a sweet-and sour-cocktail made with Catdaddy and bourbon dubbed the Kitty Carlisle (named, of course, after the famed New Orleans native). And if that isn’t enough, for dessert Chef will prepare a molasses and cornmeal custard with Creole cream cheese ice cream. We’re pairing this mouthful of love with The Maltese, a concoction of Catdaddy and creamy molasses.

[The Kitty Carlisle Cocktail, to be served with moonshine-glazed pork confit.]

Says Chef Darin, “Our menu was inspired by the roots of the moonshine business—corn and rural Southern food laid the foundation. We’re incorporating foods that are associated with Appalachian cooking, and applying our own New Orleans twist . . . using the confit technique on pork, incorporating Louisiana cane syrup and creating a Creole cream cheese ice cream for the molasses and cornmeal custard. The flavor profiles of these dishes will be enhanced by Paul and Steve’s moonshine cocktails.”

When presented with Chef Darin’s menu, we had two goals in mind. The first was obvious: the drinks had to pair well with the food. Our second goal, however, allowed us to be poetical: we wanted each cocktail to be a part of a progression of flavor sensations. So we’ll start with savory, move on to sweet and sour, and culminate with bittersweet.

[The Kitty Hawk Cocktail, to be served at Piedmont Distillers Tasting Room.]

And if you don’t make it to the luncheon, but want to try some old-school alchemy applied to these new-world ’shines, then stop by the Tasting Room on Friday and we’ll craft you some icy cold cocktails. You’ll have four new libations to sample, some inspired by such classics as the Aviation (with crème de violette), Moscow Mule, and the Sidecar, and one that celebrates National Blueberry Month. Blueberries are at their peak in July, so we honor that by giving you a drink that’ll honor these lovely berries bursting with their sweet, tart juice. We may even throw in another for good measure.

[The Blue Moon Cocktail, to be served at Piedmont Distillers Tasting Room.]

[Cocktail photos courtesy of Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz; other photos courtesy of Piedmont Distillers.]

Spirited Luncheon: From Down-Home to Downtown: A Lunch Celebrating the Evolution of Southern Traditions will take place at Bourbon House, 144 Bourbon Street, Thursday, July 9, 2009, from 12:30–2:30 PM. Tickets are available here.

The Tasting Room: Not Your Pappy’s ’Shine: Catdaddy Carolina Moonshine & Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon will take place in the Royal Room D Room at the Hotel Monteleone, Friday, July 10, 2009, from 12:30–2:00 PM.

Chasing Away Those Monday Blahs

For those who work 9 to 5 jobs, the anticipation of Monday can instill dread. The alarm clock sounding like a Klaxon, warning you that in a matter of hours (or minutes for those of you who jump out of bed, brush, and dash) you will be behind a desk looking in horror at an Excel chart, wondering “Where the heck did my weekend go?” That’s why Monday should be a day of celebration, and what better way to celebrate the day named after the moon than to sing a hymn to the gods of libations. Normally, by Monday evening, we would offer praise to Dionysus by tipping one or two back, but before we could relax with a drink in our hands, we would have to conjure the spirit of Ganymede, the Cupbearer to Zeus and his ilk (see pic, above), and hightail it around this city to meet some new people, and share the joys of cocktails. So where did we hightail it to? The World Bar to meet Count Niccolò Branca and listen to him share a few words on his bone-dry bitter, yet strangely bewitching, Fernet Branca; the Boathouse at Central Park to deliver the final ingredient for the new cocktail we created for a benefit for CANY (Creative Alternatives of New York); and the Combier Liqueur d’Orange mixed with Siembra Azul tequila cocktail party at Light Space.

Our journey actually began on Sunday night: we drank several toasts to bar chef Tad Carducci who’ll be competing in the Leblon Cachaça Presents the USBG Caipirinha Competition down in New Orleans this July for Tales of the Cocktail. (Tad won last year in the Bloody Mary Competition.) Francine Cohen, editor-in-chief of Food & Beverage magazine, threw a party for Tad, and what better way to cheer him on than three new cachaça cocktails created by the estimable Jason Littrell, of the Randolph. One of our favorites was Leblon'd, a sexy libation that leaves its mark with the sweet summer taste of watermelon, and the hot, lip-smacking sting of jalapeño. Ay, what a way to get the party started.

Leblon’d
(created by Jason Littrell)

2 oz. Leblon Cachaça
3/4 oz. simple syrup
3/4 oz. lemon juice
2 cubes of watermelon
1 small piece of jalapeño

Shake in ice for 15 seconds and strain into Collins glass filled with crushed ice. Top with soda. Add watermelon peel, as garnish.


Steve and Paul welcome Count Branca and his amazing spirits.

So after a decent night’s sleep broken only by the anticipation of a full day of cocktails and mingling, we ate a full breakfast, hopped in the Saturn, and wended our way into Manhattan, specifically the World Bar, across the way from the UN. Laura Baddish of The Baddish Group invited us to a delightful luncheon in honor of Count Niccolò Branca, the CEO and Chairman of Branca International S.p.A. If you are thinking Fernet Branca, and by association Carpano Antica vermouth, you are correct. The charming Count entertained his captive audience by proudly stating that Branca was the first fernet (his, a bitter digestif made from a grain-distilled-spirit base). “All the rest followed.” He credited the fernet’s success to “product integrity,” and when LeNell Smothers, bourbon lecturer and fellow Brooklyn resident, asked the Count to define fernet, after a heated discussion among many members of the crowd, he decided “it is brown and bitter.” No one could quibble with that pronouncement; however, neither could anyone come up with a concrete answer. “Perhaps there is no definition,” sighed LeNell. Then we all offered a toast to the Count.

One of the cocktails offered at the event inspired Steve to create one for the Monteleone Cocktail contest. You can check out the recipe by clicking here.

After the luncheon, we left the bar and had to put up our umbrellas. The rain would threaten the outdoor portion of our next event, Broadway at the Boathouse, a spring bash to benefit Creative Alternatives of New York. Gondola rides were to be offered, so the cocktail we came up with, with its Venetian flavors of herbs, hazelnuts, and lemons, naturally would be called “The Gondolier.” As we approached the Boathouse, the rain started coming down in bushels and pecks. We ran for cover and entered the main ballroom, where an elaborate array of food lined the walls, as servers prepared their stations. Our friend, the talented and Tony-winning actress, Cady Huffman (see photo, above, with Dare screenwriter David Brind), who asked us to create a cocktail for the benefit, looked ravishing in red, and she ushered us into the room. We both felt that last-minute yet controlled chaos that injects energy into every party. The head bartender found us, so he introduced us to the men and women who would be making The Gondolier. After a quick mix and a few sips, we were ready to relax and have a good time. (Ah, Selina, you make a great Gondolier.) The cater-waiters brought out the hors d’oeuvres with the alacrity of a band of cheerleaders and the frequency of a morning rush-hour R train. The turkey and beef tenderloin . . . roasted to perfection. After spotting such celebs as Bill Pullman, Jerry Stiller, Anita Gillette, Neil Simon and wife Elaine Joyce, we sadly said our good-byes before the entertainment portion of the evening, for we were off to another bibulous party. One that lifted our spirits even higher, and made for a great nightcap: the Combier and Siembra Azul tequila party at Light Space.



The Gondolier
(created by Cocktail Buzz)

1 1/2 oz. Tanqueray gin (or other juniper-forward gin)
3/4 oz. Pallini limoncello
1/2 oz. Frangelico
6 drops Falernum bitters*
soda
lemon wedge

In an ice-filled rocks glass, add the first four ingredients and stir. Top with about an ounce of soda, add a squeeze lemon and add wedge to drink.

*available from Blair Reynolds, www.tradertike.com

As we approached Light Space on West 36th, we were overcome by glowing orange and technocalm emanating from the storefront windows. As we strode in, we witnessed the source of both light and music: moving projections of the Eiffel Tower and copper stills danced along the walls, while a big bottle of illuminated Combier Liqueur d'Orange held sway on the wall by the door. Eager cocktail lovers grabbed for Combier–tequila drinks from cater-waiters happy to empty their trays. We spotted our friends Scott Goldman (President and Director of Sales of Cadre Noir Imports, importers of Combier) and his brother Curt (CEO) (we met them at Tales of the Cocktail last year), both spreading the love of this triple sec nonpareil. They took us directly to the bar to try some cocktails marrying the flavor of Combier with the spiky spiciness of tequila. (A marriage made in heaven, it should be noted.)

Blood Orange Margarita, or “La Colorada”
(created by Israel Nocelo)

1 1/2 oz. Combier orange liqueur
3/4 oz. tequila blanco
1/2 oz. agave nectar
1 1/4 oz. fresh lime juice
1 1/2 oz. fresh blood orange juice
Pasilla salt, for rim

Rim rocks glass. Shake in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into ice-filled or neat rocks glass. Garnish with blood orange wheel.



We chatted with these dashing former Pennsylvanians along with Scott’s lovely wife Meredith, and then were introduced to Franck Choisne, Combier’s Owner and Master Distiller. Listening to him wax poetically about the Combier distillery made us pine for a trip to France. Paul has yet to touch his toes on French soil, so maybe one day we’ll be able to visit the home of our favorite triple sec together.


Steve, Meredith, and Curt smile for the camera in the Combier orange glow.

By the time we had our second drinks, it was getting late. We hopped on the Q train (we dropped off our car earlier) and headed home, content with the whimsical notion that Ganymede would be smiling down upon us from Mount Olympus.


Bartender from Café Frida (NYC), Steve, Paul, and Scott imbibe Combier and tequila cocktails made by Israel Nocelo (Tequilas and Positano Coast in Philly) and Andrés Sánchez (Positano Coast).

Mixology Monday XXXIX: Bitter Is Better with Amaro

Our taste buds love to be licked by a little bitter now and again, and cocktails are the perfect gateway to explore how bitterness intermingles with sweet and sour flavors. Amari, or bitter liqueurs used historically for digestive and other medicinal purposes, now find themselves the stars in many a bar chefs creations.

Count Niccolò Branca visited New York City recently, and we attended a luncheon wherein he told us a little bit about the history of Fernet Branca. Not only is this extremely bitter fernet popular in Italy, as one would assume, it is huge in Argentina, where folks like to take it with Coca-Cola. (Perhaps you can come up with a new highball using these two ingredients.) Steve was inspired by the Count, and the drink that was served, so he decided to come up with his own cocktail. We liked it so much we decided it would be a great contender for the Monteleone Cocktail contest sponsored by the Monteleone Hotel. (Today is the deadline, so read here for where to send your entry if you happen to be staying at the Hotel Monteleone during tales of the cocktail this July.)

Monteleone Cocktail
(created by Steve Schul)

1 1/2 oz. cognac
1 oz. Carpano Antica vermouth
1/2 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
1/8 tsp. Fernet Branca
lemon twist, as garnish

Shake in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled glass. Add twist.

One of our favorite amari is Nonino. Why? Well, according to our taste buds, we find that its perfectly balanced blend of sweet–sour–bitter, and gentle orange notes, needs no mixing (even though we likes to mix it now and again in a Brooklyn Nonino). As the old ad rationalizes, “It costs a little more, but it’s worth it.”

Another favorite digestif of Paul’s is Unicum. Not so much for mixing, but with soda. A few splashes, on the rocks, with a lot of soda (lemon twist, if you prefer), and you’ve got a refreshing tummy-soother. Unicum is very similar to Fernet Branca, but not as dry. If anyone has a cocktail that uses Unicum, please share it.

Why do some people like bitter more than others? Just ask Darcy O’Neill, from Art of Drink. Last year at Tales of the Cocktail, he explained to us in the session titled “Sensory Perception in Mixology/What your taste buds are telling you,” that most of us are Tasters. That is, we have a a certain number of receptors on our tongue (papillae) that tell us if the food we are eating is bitter (our ancestors equated bitter food with poison). There are also nontasters who have fewer taste buds, so they don’t have as strong an aversion to bitter foods. Those dubbed supertasters have the greatest number of bitter taste-bud receptors, and usually hate bitter foods and drinks. These peeps are labeled “picky” or “fussy.” Though, there is hope for the supertaster: If you can’t find balance, try training your taste buds to accept bitterness one drop at a time. Start with some Nonino, then work yourself up to, say, Campari, and then, for the ultimate challenge, a few drops of Fernet Branca or Unicum. If you can handle the fernets, then we think you’ve trained yourself pretty well. Congratulations.

Monteleone Cocktail

Steve’s entry for the Monteleone Cocktail contest.

New-cocktail contests usually have stipulations: use this spirit, use that liqueur, make it in this style. But the famed Monteleone Hotel in New Orleans, which is sponsoring such a contest, confounds the rules; there are none. You have 2 days left to enter, so please read about it here.

Here is Steve’s entry:

Monteleone Cocktail
(created by Steve Schul)

1 1/2 oz. cognac
1 oz. Carpano Antica vermouth
1/2 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
1/8 tsp. Fernet Branca
lemon twist, as garnish

Shake in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled glass. Add twist.

There are so many things we love about this recipe, most important, tasting how incredibly smooth and balanced it is as the sweet, sour, and bitter notes dance around your mouth. If you want more than a twist, try a thinly sliced lemon wheel. Its shape will mimic the Carousel Bar where it will be served. Cheers and Bottoms Up!

New Cocktail Buzz Video: The Sidecar { paired with stuffed mushrooms }

Now that spring is here and the mercury is rising steadily, we are starting to crave spirits other than whiskey (thank you bourbon and rye for getting us through the dreary winter months). But we’re not quite ready to sip gin and tonics on a regular basis. That’s where the Sidecar enters the picture. Made with cognac (or brandy, depending on the provenance), the Sidecar is the perfect bridge cocktail to get you through the crazily erratic vernal weather. So whether you’re looking through the window pane that’s getting sloshed by spring showers, or standing on your terrace admiring the piercing colors of the sunset, sipping a Sidecar will remind you there’s balance in the world. The Sidecar, invented in either London or Paris after World War I, is really a perfect cocktail: a little sweet, a little sour, and enough alcohol to make you feel good without having to worry about divulging secrets or asking pecuniary questions of your guests, like how much has your IRA dipped during this economic downturn. And speaking of economic downturns, the Sidecar will not drain your savings: just three ingredients—cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice (four, if you include the sugar rim). Any cognac will do, but we prefer Hennessy for its smoothness (it mixes well) or Asbach brandy (it has a deeper, richer flavor). As for the orange liqueur, we recommend the bright, orangy sweetness of Combier. It boasts a light viscosity (and high proof), perfect so the drink won’t get syrupy or too sweet. And when added to the cognac with some fresh lemon juice, the redolence of the mixture always brings an instant smile to our faces. We think there’s sense-memory involved: our minds are flooded with pictures of childhood when our parents threw cocktail parties in their rec rooms.

There were plenty of hors d’oeuvres at those seventies soirees, and the ones which stood out in both taste and ease were the stuffed mushrooms Paul’s mom made. Piping hot, bite-sized, and full of earthy flavor, these little amuse-bouches were always the first to be devoured. There are only a few steps involved in making stuffed mushrooms, but the most important thing to remember is: Buy small mushrooms. You don’t want the guests at your cocktail party negotiating how to bite into this tasty beauty because it’s too big. You want them to be ble to just pop them in their mouths. And our stuffed mushrooms pair perfectly with the Sidecar. We’ve added some rosé wine and saffron to the stuffing to bring out the earthiness of the mushrooms, which acts as a perfect foil to the citrus flavors in the Sidecar. Just make sure you have several batches ready depending on how many friends you’ve invited over.

In the meantime, why not watch our new video presenting the classic Sidecar. You can print out the recipes from this link as well. So enjoy the last half of spring, and introduce your guests to a dynamic duo. Bottoms up!

Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans Announces a Cocktail Contest!

Hey, all you cocktail aficionados and weekend bar chefs. The powers that be in New Orleans at the famous Hotel Monteleone have announced a contest that is sure to pique your interest. So get out your bottles and shakers, your jiggers and strainers, and sharpen your mixology skills. Get busy. Here are the details:

The Hotel Monteleone is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Carousel Bar on May 21, 2009. From 1949 until about the late 60’s or 70’s there was a drink on the specialty drink menu called the Monteleone Cocktail. Unfortunately, we have no idea what the exact recipe or ingredients were. The Hotel Monteleone is hosting an online contest to accept drink recipe nominations for a new official Monteleone Cocktail. The recipes will be judged by VIPs who will be at the Carousel anniversary celebration on May 21. There are no requirements on types of liquor or style of drink, but all drink entries must be received by May 18, so that the ingredients may be acquired and drinks prepared at the May 21 event. Participating bloggers should post their entries online, and all participants should e-mail their drink recipes, along with their name, address and phone number, to thornton@hotelmonteleone.com. The winning entry will become the new official Monteleone Cocktail, and the winner will receive four free nights at the Hotel Monteleone during Tales of the Cocktail 2009.