tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22241493889266539982024-02-07T19:38:07.146-05:00“Buzzings” from Cocktail BuzzA cocktail lover's guide to the semi-sybaritic life.<br>Cocktail and Food Consultants Steve Schul and Paul Zablocki's journeys<br>in mixology with old and new drinks, food to pair<br> with them, places to imbibe, and the buzzings<br>going on
in their thirsty minds.<br><br>Recipes galore with ideas for Cocktail–Party Food Pairings.Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.comBlogger177125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-44523209508557615172018-12-30T14:55:00.001-05:002018-12-30T14:55:07.760-05:00Cocktail Experiments 2018We always record cocktail experiments we would make again. Here are the ones from 2018 we deem delectable. Some of the ingredients may be hard to find in your area, in which case substitutions may be made. We always encourage messing around with ingredients.<br />
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Farewell, 2018. We are not sorry to see you go.</div>
Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-815320706572965022017-12-31T11:07:00.000-05:002017-12-31T11:07:57.796-05:00Pairing the Sidecar with Stuffed Mushrooms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOlXzZVZgYbUh7_6fZAhGsjlNAQw-uqIg5D6zZ0Cxxw45U99QLhfmqfka3XPymUIjfiD-NtyK92W4sSFGYt56TND-4CEZ-1k2l6LU8bPn_-nTZUZ9HCQUqaidMJyzcKiX1wS5tVw0SBE/s1600/Sidecare+paired+with+stuffed+mushrooms%252C+cocktail+buzz+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOlXzZVZgYbUh7_6fZAhGsjlNAQw-uqIg5D6zZ0Cxxw45U99QLhfmqfka3XPymUIjfiD-NtyK92W4sSFGYt56TND-4CEZ-1k2l6LU8bPn_-nTZUZ9HCQUqaidMJyzcKiX1wS5tVw0SBE/s400/Sidecare+paired+with+stuffed+mushrooms%252C+cocktail+buzz+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-size: small;">The Sidecar, redolent with the aromas of citrus and cognac, pairs perfectly with our stuffed mushrooms.</span></b></div><br />
The Sidecar, invented in Europe following World War I, and one of David A. Embury’s six basic drinks in <i>The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks</i>, is considered a classic among cocktailians across the globe. Just bring the glittering amber to your lips and you’ll soon learn why. The aroma alone is intoxicating: lemon and orange, with a familiar mix of cognac, one of the truly amazing members of the spirit world.<br />
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Pairing Sidecars isn’t such an easy task. You want to keep the citrus flavors balanced without bringing out too much of the cognac’s strength. That’s why stuffed mushrooms work so well: the richness of the butter in the stuffing is a perfect foil to the cognac, and brings out the flavors of the lemon juice and the orange liqueur without making it too sour. Add a little saffron and Italian herbs to spice things up, and all the flavors seem to just come together in one small bite.<br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Sidecar</b></span><br />
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)<br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces cognac or brandy<br />
1 ounce orange liqueur (we like Combier)<br />
1/2 ounce lemon juice<br />
demerara sugar rim (or turbinado)<br />
lemon twist, as garnish<br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b;">Method</span><br />
Rim half a chilled cocktail glass with the sugar (you may need to muddle or grind the sugar if it’s too chunky). In a shaker half-filled with ice, add the cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice. Shake for 15 seconds. Strain into glass. Garnish with lemon twist.<br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tips & Tricks</span><br />
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Finding the right triple sec can be a daunting prospect. We searched high and low until we found the one we thought mixed perfectly with a variety of brandies and cognacs. If you use one other than Combier, the ratios of the three ingredients may need to be adjusted. When experimenting, you can always use teaspoons instead of ounces to sample ratios before committing to a full cocktail.<br />
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Rimming a glass is easy. Just take a lemon wedge and rub the outer rim of your cocktail glass (you also can dip the glass in the liqueur if you prefer). Then dip the edge of the glass into the sugar and rotate, gently bobbing the glass up and down so that the sugar sticks to the rim.<br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">PAIRING</span><br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Stuffed Mushrooms</b></span><br />
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Paul’s mom has made stuffed mushrooms ever since he can remember, and her recipe was the inspiration for this perfect little bite-size accompaniment to the Sidecar. Rosé wine and saffron, with a little Italian herbs, bump up the earthiness of these little treats. Make sure you get small baby bellas from the farmers market or grocery store; that way, your guests can pop them in their mouths without any worry. If you want to halve the recipe (as we do in the video), go ahead. If you end up with some leftover stuffing, it’s perfect as a little side dish for your main meal, or a topping for a turkey sandwich.<br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b;">Ingredients</span><br />
12 ounces mushrooms (clean and remove stems, reserve stems)<br />
2 small onions<br />
2 celery stalks (remove ribs)<br />
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter<br />
1 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs<br />
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)<br />
1 tablespoon Italian herbs (oregano, marjoram, basil)<br />
salt and pepper, to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon and 1/4 teaspoon, respectively)<br />
2 pinches saffron<br />
1/2 cup rosé wine<br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b;">Method</span><br />
Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. In a food processor, chop stems, onions, and celery until almost pulpy. Add mixture to skillet and brown, stirring occasionally (about 6 minutes). Add breadcrumbs, herbs, salt, pepper, and saffron, and mix until all ingredients are incorporated and the breadcrumbs have absorbed all the butter. Add wine and mix thoroughly. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Using a small measuring spoon, scoop out a little mixture and dollop onto underside of mushrooms caps. Press lightly to form a dome (do not overfill). Place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. If the mushrooms are wobbly, you can cut a little off the bottom using a small, thin knife. Bake for 20 minutes, until mushrooms are cooked and the stuffing has browned. Serve warm.<br />
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Makes about 3 dozen stuffed mushrooms.<br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fun Fact</span><br />
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Did you know that the stems of mushrooms are called stipes?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">photos © Steve Schul</span>Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-57695236637183660072017-12-10T18:46:00.003-05:002017-12-31T10:28:10.740-05:00Pairing the French 75 with Shrimp Cocktail<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup topped with champagne create a French 75.<br />Now, doesn’t that sound good? Perfect with some shrimp cocktail.</span></b></td></tr>
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For such a light and refreshing drink to be named after heavy World War I artillery is incongruous but also poetic. The French 75 has reemerged recently as one of the most popular drinks on bar menus throughout the US. Imagine a Tom Collins topped with your favorite champagne, and you have the French 75. Keep bottles of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, some simple syrup, and gin at your bar, make sure a bottle of champagne (or some Sofia cans) are chilling on ice, and keep the recipe visible. That way your guests can help themselves. All you have to do do is encourage vigorous shaking to get this delicate drink cold. (Just keep a jigger handy to keep out the guesswork.)<br />
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<span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>French 75</b></span><br />
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ffd966;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces gin (preferably one redolent with juniper)<br />
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice<br />
1/2 ounce simple syrup<span style="color: #ffd966;">*</span><br />
1 to 2 ounces champagne (depending on your preference; more, if you like)<br />
lemon twist, as garnish<br />
brandied cherry, as garnish<br />
ice (the more champagne, the less ice), optional<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ffd966;">Method</span><br />
Shake gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup for 15 seconds in an ice-filled shaker. Strain into wine goblet or highball glass (with some ice cubes, if you like). Top with champagne. (Add more ice if necessary.) Garnish with lemon twist and cherry.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ffd966;">* Simple Syrup</span><br />
Over low heat, dissolve 1 cup sugar in 1 cup water (stir occasionally). Remove from heat, cool in container, and refrigerate for up to a month.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tips & Tricks</span><br />
<br />
For the past few decades, we all think of flutes as the traditional champagne cocktail vessel. We have over a dozen in our sideboard, and we use them quite a bit. But for the French 75, we wanted to try something a little different and chose a wine goblet. You’ll add a little unexpected touch to your cocktail party. But if you want to go traditional and use champagne flutes, then go right ahead. You can cut an extra long lemon twist and let it drape down the outside of the flute.<br />
<br />
CHOOSING THE RIGHT GIN is a very important part of the French 75 process. If we want a light drink that doesn’t overpower the lemon, we’ll perhaps choose Bulldog. If we want a more juniper-tasting cocktail, we’ll opt for some Tanqueray. Experiment with what you already have, and grow from there.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">PAIRING</span><br />
<br />
Nothing could be easier than shrimp cocktail, and it’s so perfect paired with the French 75. The spiky tang of traditional cocktail sauce (ketchup and horseradish) brightens the lemon juice and whatever herbs and spices inform the gin, making your taste buds very happy. Make this your go-to hors d’oeuvre when you’re in a hurry or tired but still crave something satisfying. Frozen shrimp is great to keep on hand, but we recommend getting the raw shrimp with the shell on. The flavor is deeper, much more complex—with a hint of the sea.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Shrimp Cocktail</b></span><br />
<br />
A good rule of thumb is that 2 pounds of shrimp in their shells will yield about 11/4 pounds when peeled.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ffd966;">Ingredients</span><br />
Allow about 3/4 pound headless shrimp in the shell per person; if the shrimp are shelled, about 1/3 to 1/2 pound per person.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ffd966;">Method</span><br />
Simply boil shrimp for 3 to 5 minutes in salted water. Cook until they turn pink, and then rinse in cold water. Drain and pat dry. Serve with your favorite cocktail sauce.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">BONUS RECIPE</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUcGs4oSDWqfCrJ3xJ1voreUOtv6ZmIvTDUduopyjdZTFkgdw01AB0vjmHZkfWEB9NN36Sl-RKlyOeCq3BJzfuhTEzcDkHRnpA3EhNiFeKSsebKx143qM6uHgBri-YUxuvqevpyCj7lM/s1600/Tom+Collins%252C+Cocktail+Buzz+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUcGs4oSDWqfCrJ3xJ1voreUOtv6ZmIvTDUduopyjdZTFkgdw01AB0vjmHZkfWEB9NN36Sl-RKlyOeCq3BJzfuhTEzcDkHRnpA3EhNiFeKSsebKx143qM6uHgBri-YUxuvqevpyCj7lM/s320/Tom+Collins%252C+Cocktail+Buzz+copy.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
<b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tom Collins</span></b><br />
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)<br />
<br />
<u><b><span style="color: magenta;">For a Collins (or tall) glass</span></b></u><br />
<span style="color: #ffd966;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 1/2 ounces gin (try Hendrick’s and then try a London dry and Plymouth to see what works best for you)<br />
1 ounce lemon juice<br />
3/4 ounce simple syrup<br />
2–3 ounces club soda<br />
orange wheel and cherry, as garnish<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ffd966;">Method</span><br />
Shake in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into ice-filled collins glass. Top with soda. Add garnish, speared, and rest on rim.<br />
<br />
<u><span style="color: magenta;"><b>For a rocks (or short) glass</b></span></u><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces gin (we also like G’Vine Floraison)<br />
2/3 ounce lemon juice<br />
1/2 ounce simple syrup<br />
1 1/2 ounces club soda<br />
cherry and orange half-moon slice<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ffd966;">Method</span><br />
Shake in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into ice-filled rocks or old-fashioned glass. Top with soda. Add garnish, speared, and rest on rim.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
photos © Steve Schul</div>
Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-29639911011024793322017-08-15T12:53:00.000-04:002017-08-15T12:53:37.518-04:00A Queer Martini, for Everyone<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOBLCKyaEvJ3ZtqiZiK_eiuqFNl8BAVUt19iMme90XWYQxY-mxD9spAay1UDoPAh49_DhfyVdu6hGDjtF9HRNdbhCCg3rAVuse7FkD8SDPXrwzm8IrVdNC79x7V8Y639cW8A6r3nHjxwY/s1600/Queer+Martini+by+Paul+Zablocki%252C+photo+by+Steve+Schul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOBLCKyaEvJ3ZtqiZiK_eiuqFNl8BAVUt19iMme90XWYQxY-mxD9spAay1UDoPAh49_DhfyVdu6hGDjtF9HRNdbhCCg3rAVuse7FkD8SDPXrwzm8IrVdNC79x7V8Y639cW8A6r3nHjxwY/s400/Queer+Martini+by+Paul+Zablocki%252C+photo+by+Steve+Schul.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><b>Behold the Queer Martini: pink and beautiful, and delicious.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><b>Pair with some salty snacks</b></span>.</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We’d like to share with you a new cocktail recipe that has consistently graced our palates over the past year. We’ve been drinking this cocktail with regularity because it’s so darn good, and because it’s easy to make, with only three ingredients, plus a garnish.<br />
<br />
Created by Paul for <i>The Scofield</i> literary journal, the Queer Martini is an odd little fellow. The editor-in-chief, Tyler Malone, asked Paul to read “Silent Snow, Secret Snow” by mid-twentieth-century writer Conrad Aiken and to come up with a drink inspired by that tale of a young man, also named Paul, who hears and sees things no one else does, such as the snow in the title. It’s a much more complex tale, but the cocktail Paul came up with is quite simple: it’s pink and made with gin and Cocchi Americano Rosa, which gives it its blushing hue, plus a green olive, offering a queer-looking drink in all senses of the word. It looks a little on the sweet side, so what, you may ask, is an olive doing in this drink? Is it a martini? Why, yes, it is, and very old-school in its liberal use of a fortified wine, like the first martinis did back in the day. Regardless of the Queer Martini’s progenitors, what really matters is that it’s delicious and pairs well with little nibbles. Having one (or two) is a great way to unwind after a long day at work. (We speak from experience.) Bottoms up!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Queer Martini</b></span><br />
(created by Paul Zablocki)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: rgb(153 , 255 , 255);">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces gin (try Dorothy Parker)<br />
1 ounce Cocchi Americano Rosa<br />
1 dash orange bitters<br />
1 green olive, as garnish<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<span style="color: rgb(153 , 255 , 255);">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktails glass or coupe. Add garnish.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
❤ ❤ ❤</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
To read Paul’s essay how he came up with the cocktail—in the style of Aiken’s “Silent Snow, Secret Snow,” visit <i><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B91SMcgZ_xuuVEVYTmZ4dkdLNk0/view" target="_blank">The Scofield</a></i>.<br />
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Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-27002391684331500572016-10-04T16:53:00.003-04:002017-05-13T14:01:49.334-04:00From Ginger to Cinnamon to Galangal: Traversing the Globe in Search of the Right Amount of Spice for Friday Night Drinks, Dinner, and Dessertby Paul Zablocki<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKVteHBpuQgGpcGN-9Tqi2Jhh7FYrGBDCxCYNJb3pxVuVVWkUXUgcBrnF2U93Tc6XIo0Ng4LdUiRYHkDFiRlOjZnAzOQmlvLeLQVi3TvD0wv4lWDAn91AlY7tWlPuJwGFoQnvkQ-uZUMQ/s1600/Lemonade+Ginger+Fizz+2%252C+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKVteHBpuQgGpcGN-9Tqi2Jhh7FYrGBDCxCYNJb3pxVuVVWkUXUgcBrnF2U93Tc6XIo0Ng4LdUiRYHkDFiRlOjZnAzOQmlvLeLQVi3TvD0wv4lWDAn91AlY7tWlPuJwGFoQnvkQ-uZUMQ/s400/Lemonade+Ginger+Fizz+2%252C+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: small;"><b>If we’re going to have a vodka cocktail, it better taste good, like this one. The Lemonade Ginger Fizz. </b></span><b style="color: #e69138;">Sweet, sour, and fizzy. </b></span></td></tr>
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Friday night is pizza night. You know the drill: one of you picks up four different slices from your local pizzeria; the other makes cocktails, which sometimes linger well into pizza time.<br />
<br />
This Friday was different. Steve made, to my amazement, what could only be called a glorified vodka and soda.* Of course he had to make it special, or why bother? <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: small;">* The following is a short rant against the vodka and soda, the most boring, stupid, worthless cocktail in the world: It means you want to get drunk and you don’t care how you get there. You might as well hammer a sign to your forehead saying <i>I enjoy the taste of nothing</i>. Why are you cock blocking your taste buds? You’re having a drink; why not actually taste and enjoy the spirits you are imbibing . . . okay, I’m done kvetching—for now.</span></blockquote>
Steve chose vodka as his base Friday night because he didn’t want to get whiskey-tired. It’s the perfect spirit to mix with when you still have dinner and dessert to contend with. So after he handed me the highball and I tried it, I said, “Wow, that’s really good. A little spicy. What did you put in it, besides the obvious?”<br />
<br />
“A little ginger syrup we already had in the fridge and a lot of lemon juice.”<br />
<br />
(So, It really wasn’t a vodka and soda. But I’m not sorry for the rant.)<br />
<br />
Steve doesn’t like his drinks too sweet before dinner. But he does love sours, with just the right amount of sweetener so you still get that pucker after you take a sip. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lemonade Ginger Fizz</span></span></b></span><br />
(created by Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz)<br />
<br />
<i>Serves 2</i><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
3 ounces vodka<br />
1 1/4 ounces lemon juice<br />
1 ounce ginger syrup*<br />
soda<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake the vodka, lemon juice, and ginger syrup in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with soda. <br />
<br />
Enjoy with potato chips.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">*Ginger Syrup</span></span><br />
(created by Cocktail Buzz)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 piece of fresh ginger, about 8 inches<br />
2 cups of sugar <br />
2 cups of water <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Wash then mandolin or thinly slice the ginger (no need to peel). In a medium saucepan combine sugar, water, and ginger. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Be careful not to bring to a roiling boil at this point as this will cause the syrup to harden. Allow to cool with ginger in syrup. Strain into jar. Press down on ginger to get all the syrup out. This keeps for about 1–2 weeks, and longer if you add a tablespoon of vodka or other spirit. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
❤ ❤ ❤</div>
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The ginger stimulated our appetites, so after a few of those fizzes, we decided to make dinner. Steve found a recipe in <i>Cook’s Illustrated</i>, July/August 2016, for the classic Mexican dish <i>tinga de pollo</i> and riffed on it. Normally, you plop the shredded chicken—cooked with cinnamon, cumin, and chipotle chiles in adobo sauce—on a corn tortilla, but since we only had flour tortillas, tacos transmogrified into burritos. Each spice had its moment to shine, but ultimately the smoky adobo sauce makes the dish. You get addicted. Sour cream and lots of Cotija cheese are good foils for the piquant heat of the chiles in the adobo, so we added the sour cream for its cooling effect and the Cotija for its funk. As burritos, they are filling, so we stopped after one, knowing full well that dessert was just a belch and an expectant smile away.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYNPUWBviV4bxLzkJHXpxnPQlpdZ_z-VRh3KaZHIQ0N-Phr_uXKXc_JhqUlwRg74REYE2PCkueVXNhnmglXhTlS-sca1FjV6kxdIo8l91VHANOlEhpE6SSPZZl-a0dV8_KUDiEQ4UqRw/s1600/Galangal+and+lehua+rata+honey+ice+cream+.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYNPUWBviV4bxLzkJHXpxnPQlpdZ_z-VRh3KaZHIQ0N-Phr_uXKXc_JhqUlwRg74REYE2PCkueVXNhnmglXhTlS-sca1FjV6kxdIo8l91VHANOlEhpE6SSPZZl-a0dV8_KUDiEQ4UqRw/s320/Galangal+and+lehua+rata+honey+ice+cream+.JPG" width="320" /></a>And so dessert. I actually made something I had been pondering for several weeks: galangal ice cream. Just to make sure I wasn’t barking up the wrong tree, I googled galangal ice cream and found one recipe, on the <i>New York Times</i> Web site, then riffed (riffing is a common theme in our kitchen). For those of you new to galangal (pronounced GAL-in-GAL), it’s a rhizome similar to ginger but not as spicy. When you take a whiff of one of the gnarly bulbs, which look like the shiny, articulated segments of a giant insect, you instantly smell camphor, with an undertone of sweet mustard. How can this possibly make for a delicious ice cream? Well, when you add the divine Hawaiian lehua honey (I also used honey from its relative the New Zealand rata) and an udderful of cream and milk, you can’t lose. If you can find fresh galangal (look in Asian markets) and you own an ice cream maker, I say go for it. When you serve it, grab some gourmet—or, better yet, <i>homemade</i>—cookies and make some sandwiches.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Galangal and Honey Ice Cream</span></span></b></span><br />
(adapted from William Grimes, <i>New York Times</i>)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 3/4 cups milk<br />
1 1/4 cups heavy cream<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
1/2 cup lehua or rata honey (or a combination of the two)<br />
3 ounces or 1/2 cup fresh galangal, peeled (as much as you can) and chopped<br />
6 large egg yolks<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, heavy cream, honey, sugar, and galangal. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from the heat. Allow the mixture to cool, then transfer to a covered container. Refrigerate at least eight hours, or overnight, to infuse the flavor of the galangal.<br />
<br />
Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl, whisk until blended, and set aside. Return the galangal mixture to a metal bowl placed over a pot of boiling water (make sure the water level does not reach the bottom of the metal bowl filled with your mixture; I like to use a medium-size “industrial” salad bowl that hangs well over the perimeter of the pot below, so I can easily manipulate the bowl; however, if you have a double boiler, use the double boiler) over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer, and reduce heat to low. Slowly mix about a cup of the hot galangal mixture into the egg yolks. Add the yolk mixture to the bowl. Cook over low heat, stirring slowly, until the custard has thickened enough to coat the back of the spoon. Remove from the heat.<br />
<br />
Strain the custard into a mixing bowl, and place in a container of ice water to cool. When the custard is chilled, freeze in an ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer's instructions.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3tleugZ4NbY291TR9U5XMABO6TLjyttAFfrBHYiKCD8V2eCVrF3QUHAVA9desR1FjhQr8mkuu5g9DRB6u9U7jTvbRUWBUSmsEDZAPnvKmuQ6wiHHsDId3LTitsAVL1b7ZDo6Q2OPPwQ/s1600/galangal+and+honey+ice+cream+Paul+Zablocki+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3tleugZ4NbY291TR9U5XMABO6TLjyttAFfrBHYiKCD8V2eCVrF3QUHAVA9desR1FjhQr8mkuu5g9DRB6u9U7jTvbRUWBUSmsEDZAPnvKmuQ6wiHHsDId3LTitsAVL1b7ZDo6Q2OPPwQ/s400/galangal+and+honey+ice+cream+Paul+Zablocki+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;"><b style="color: #d5a6bd;"><span style="color: #c27ba0; font-size: small;">Galangal and honey ice cream is easy to make and unique. It's also delicious.</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #d5a6bd;"><b><br />
</b></span></div>
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Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-68223973827774934562015-06-07T11:16:00.001-04:002015-06-07T11:16:26.014-04:00A “Brilliant” Cocktail Keeps a Roomful of Book Critics Happy<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7do1tZU7YAhjtCb6kiZRfOYvgZSQic9C9yx_a6IY7Th6H9YRnwt5UkMXLTIYyOLqgwux7KyjjryjciPKuGtklPdL5HqI1XEY_X5mZBkmtqvBndsP_AYS3sdnRL3q4FTz788eXm7Px44/s1600/Cocktail+Buzz+BRILLIANT+Steve+Schul_2909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7do1tZU7YAhjtCb6kiZRfOYvgZSQic9C9yx_a6IY7Th6H9YRnwt5UkMXLTIYyOLqgwux7KyjjryjciPKuGtklPdL5HqI1XEY_X5mZBkmtqvBndsP_AYS3sdnRL3q4FTz788eXm7Px44/s400/Cocktail+Buzz+BRILLIANT+Steve+Schul_2909.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">The “Brilliant” cocktail shines with the flavors of spicy ginger, lime, and Junípero gin. Make our spicy ginger syrup and you’re ready to dazzle your guests at your upcoming spring/summer party. Photo by Steve Schul.</span></b></td></tr>
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<br />
We’re thrilled now that warm weather has returned — especially after such a long, cold winter. To combat memories of the abominable blizzards, we came up with a “Brilliant” solution. This drink was created for the National Book Critics Circle spring cocktail party 2015, held at the Center for Fiction, in East Midtown. Sarah Russo — a terrific publicist and advocate for the NBCC — gave us only one requirement for the cocktail: we must use Junípero gin, by Anchor Distilling Company of San Francisco. We love this juniper-heavy dry gin, laced with many other herb and bark flavors, and were thrilled to have it as a starting point. The evening’s forecast was warm and very humid, so a cool refreshing drink was in order. We started out with the French 75 as inspiration, and as the basis for the proportions. Lime juice with ginger sounded tropically thirst quenching—a good pairing for the gin. We mixed up a batch of our own Cocktail Buzz spicy ginger syrup, added gin, squeezed some fresh lime juice, shook it up with ice to chill, and topped it all with champagne. Delicious and refreshing—a new summertime favorite! We served it that night to the thirsty literary crowd of book critics and might have heard a murmur, or perhaps the review . . . “Brilliant!” <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUiqrUBAIT4W7CdKn7BEjTYSFZlx4kb6gCFC8bfeVp9xHgdNn841WVegdp7sggOs3s1wMhPQ1GSRyEDUlcZOFEKqOywm0os1AqOxf85NQgm44hGRMwaZLvxescCrO4T195USROkEICOVw/s1600/nbcc+cocktail+party%252C+sean+sime+photographer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUiqrUBAIT4W7CdKn7BEjTYSFZlx4kb6gCFC8bfeVp9xHgdNn841WVegdp7sggOs3s1wMhPQ1GSRyEDUlcZOFEKqOywm0os1AqOxf85NQgm44hGRMwaZLvxescCrO4T195USROkEICOVw/s400/nbcc+cocktail+party%252C+sean+sime+photographer.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Paul and Steve mix up some “Brilliant” cocktails for the National Book Critics Circle spring cocktail party. Photo courtesy Sean Sime.<br />
</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="color: gold; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Brilliant”</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 80%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz for the NBCC)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces Junípero gin (or one redolent with juniper)<br />
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice<br />
1/2 ounce Cocktail Buzz spicy ginger syrup*<br />
2 ounces champagne<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake gin, lime juice, and ginger syrup in an ice-filled shaker for 15 seconds. Strain into a champagne flute or highball glass. Top with champagne. (You can add an ice cube or two if it’s a particularly close night.)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: gold; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>*Cocktail Buzz Spicy Ginger Syrup</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
6 ounces fresh, unpeeled ginger, washed and diced (or sliced with a mandoline or pulsed in a food processor)<br />
3 cups of water<br />
1 1/2 cups sugar<br />
pinch salt<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool completely. Strain mixture into a jar and store in refrigerator for about a week.Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-6264280303021251322015-03-09T06:38:00.003-04:002015-03-09T12:31:12.744-04:00Two Tang Cocktails To Send You Into Orbit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi804OiQ8c8q5yPo0UmNorFkAdT2i68GTRAcI8PEGY-BxH3G7_Hos7Yj9WkUH6wHzLLoaMUHZ_xNlzCOFkhkGnAb1ZAMTO1x9GZshoN8rlmapdAYu3madfc35sZuOUv_eptgVpnTfcYeFs/s1600/A+Midwinter+Tang,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi804OiQ8c8q5yPo0UmNorFkAdT2i68GTRAcI8PEGY-BxH3G7_Hos7Yj9WkUH6wHzLLoaMUHZ_xNlzCOFkhkGnAb1ZAMTO1x9GZshoN8rlmapdAYu3madfc35sZuOUv_eptgVpnTfcYeFs/s1600/A+Midwinter+Tang,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-size: 85%;">Calling all Apollo 11 Aficionados! Try our orange, scotch, and amaretto cocktail,<br />
A Midwinter Tang.</span></b></span></div>
<br />
Our friends Sara Kate Gillingham and Penny de los Santos asked us to come up with a Tang cocktail, one that would kick off a dinner for six winners of a school raffle, who requested the menu be based on Tricky Dick Nixon’s White House dinner to honor the Apollo 11 astronauts. The reason they asked for such a cocktail was simple: one of the lucky recipients of Sara Kate and Penny’s feast—turns out it was his birthday—requested that the powdered mix, which was used to fuel the astronauts, fuel him as well.<br />
<br />
The first question we asked was, Do they still make that stuff?<br />
<br />
The answer, we discovered, was a resounding yes—although, we had to ask our checkout worker at the grocery store where to find it. There are two sizes: first, a jug that you can rest easily in the palm of your hand and second, a container four times the size of the jug, suitable only for overly large families. We opted for the former. But we discovered why those containers were so big: it takes two tablespoons of Tang to make one serving!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUXtOx4Z1R8vaTqPC_u844_JNVlqCThmhbbwhyjzVFQYbv2UA4Ytd9D_IP9zMATM6A5bICoUfmWRs8HkmiL6w8dTGty5EhJj2TU7CK0B2LV1xaneZs_beGXfQZPrhWc8vIOiDTYDTswg/s1600/Midwinter+Tang,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUXtOx4Z1R8vaTqPC_u844_JNVlqCThmhbbwhyjzVFQYbv2UA4Ytd9D_IP9zMATM6A5bICoUfmWRs8HkmiL6w8dTGty5EhJj2TU7CK0B2LV1xaneZs_beGXfQZPrhWc8vIOiDTYDTswg/s1600/Midwinter+Tang,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a>Both Penny, a photographer, and Sara Kate, founding editor of The Kitchn, love scotch, bourbon, and gin, so they asked us to use one of those spirits in the cocktail. We immediately reached for the bourbon, whipped up a small batch of Tang, and mixed the two. All it made were two sad faces. But like intrepid astronauts, we persisted, eager to explore unknown terrain. Although the bourbony Tang did not send us into orbit, the scotchy and ginny Tangs did. So we decided to make two separate drinks. Our goal was to keep them simple but make sure that orangey Tang-y essence made our mouths vibrate a little.<br />
<br />
Here’s what we came up with:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>A Midwinter Tang</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces light blended scotch whisky (we used Glendrostan)*<br />
1 ounce Tang<br />
1/2 ounce amaretto (we used Luxardo)<br />
1 dash Angostura bitters<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake in ice for 15 seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail glass or coupe (or on the rocks in a rocks glass, if you prefer). Serve with salty and spicy potato chips.<br />
<br />
* Feel free to try any scotch on hand. We also tried A Midwinter Tang with Drumguish Single Highland Malt, and it made the drink delightfully tingly.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Orbiter</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces London dry gin<br />
3/4 ounce Tang<br />
1/2 ounce green Chartreuse<br />
1 dash Angostura bitters<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake in ice for 15 seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail glass or coupe (or on the rocks in a rocks glass, with a splash of soda, if you prefer). Serve with salty potato chips.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
❤ ❤ ❤</div>
<br />
Sara Kate and Penny chose A Midwinter Tang to serve the winners. Asked if they liked it, Sara Kate responded, “Maybe too much.” Check out her writeup of the event on <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-a-midwinter-tang-recipes-from-the-kitchn-216085" target="_blank">The Kitchn</a>.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">photo © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz</span>Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-1993842009934582342014-11-25T08:02:00.000-05:002015-02-28T17:28:30.137-05:00Cocktail Recipes for You to Ponder (and Make) This Thanksgiving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPj5ishBW29pVnw-2-Z1Q8tE7a9jn17Gqj6xF1iuu_eyEkJfMlHaoOhu6BDokxUHS-TrTOcCERGf0E5bfMQAZw7RxqjL6XQpVwdDOtN9uDg7Qo1y4WoiRptME11PcFcweTsyOsdjnLLjU/s1600/Biscotti+Manhattan+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPj5ishBW29pVnw-2-Z1Q8tE7a9jn17Gqj6xF1iuu_eyEkJfMlHaoOhu6BDokxUHS-TrTOcCERGf0E5bfMQAZw7RxqjL6XQpVwdDOtN9uDg7Qo1y4WoiRptME11PcFcweTsyOsdjnLLjU/s1600/Biscotti+Manhattan+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="310" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 85%;"><b>The Biscotti Manhattan offers a hint of the famous Italian cookie, with notes of cocoa and cherries. Perfect with Bacon-wrapped Apricots.</b></span></div>
<br />
We are the proud yet ashamed owners of cocktail recipes scribbled across stacks of mismatched scratch papers, napkins, business cards, index cards, menus, and the ubiquitous Post-Its. We call them strays. As Thanksgiving approaches, we decided to shed ourselves of things that do not or no longer give us joy. Scraps of paper are those things. So before tossing them into the wastebasket of thwarted dreams, we decided to publish a few recipes that actually sounded good. Invite one of these strays over for Thanksgiving. Feel free to substitute whatever you see fit, or better fits with what you have on your shelf. Don’t have Dubonnet rouge, then substitute a sweet vermouth or another quinquina. Try them all up or on the rocks with a splash of soda. We hope you enjoy experimenting behind the bar (and in the kitchen) as much as we do. Here’s to you and all the fun you bring to flavor.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: darkkhaki; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Fall Pear Manhattan</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 ounce bourbon<br />
1/2 ounce pear liqueur<br />
1/2 ounce Dubonnet rouge<br />
dash whiskey bitters<br />
1/4 teaspoon Velvet Falernum<br />
pear slice, as garnish<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Add garnish.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: darkkhaki; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Biscotti Manhattan</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces bourbon<br />
1 ounce sweet vermouth<br />
1/2 ounce Faretti Biscotti Famosi liqueur<br />
1 dash mole bitters<br />
maraschino or brandied cherry, as garnish<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Add garnish.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguoiUuLY2eBclbi9Crq8DyLHw8LN_Juk8XieSdvGBAGHGLeXsgK2P2F8hPpecWnAb2NxYY1ivMD_48hG0Ou8qa_X4KYE_8J2TAM6GFtJdLEpuDUdnw2NRWO7cUIEoEm14X7cBzlcQWwC0/s1600/Bacon-wrapped+apricots+with+sage,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguoiUuLY2eBclbi9Crq8DyLHw8LN_Juk8XieSdvGBAGHGLeXsgK2P2F8hPpecWnAb2NxYY1ivMD_48hG0Ou8qa_X4KYE_8J2TAM6GFtJdLEpuDUdnw2NRWO7cUIEoEm14X7cBzlcQWwC0/s1600/Bacon-wrapped+apricots+with+sage,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="400" width="380" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 85%;"><b>The Biscotti Manhattan pairs perfectly with Bacon-wrapped apricots with fresh sage. So easy to make, yet the rewards are infinite.</b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: darkkhaki; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Bacon-wrapped Apricots with Sage</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
package quality bacon<br />
package unsulfured dried apricots<br />
bunch fresh sage<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover baking tray completely with parchment paper, so that it hangs a little over the sides. If apricots do not seem bite-size, cut in half. Cut bacon slices into thirds. Wrap bacon slice around apricot piece and place on parchment, seam-side down. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until bacon has reached desired doneness.<br />
<br />
Pair them with any of the cocktails on this page, or with a <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2013/08/summertime-cocktail-experiments-sans.html" target="_blank">William Tell All</a> cocktail or a <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2013/10/imbibe-69-cocktail-with-pride.html" target="_blank">’69</a> cocktail for a “Perfect Pairing.”<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<span style="color: darkkhaki; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Maple–Rye Highball</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/4 ounces rye<br />
1/2 ounce Sortilège maple liqueur<br />
2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters No. 6<br />
maple water, carbonated<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake for 15 seconds in ice. Strain into chilled glasses and top with maple water.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: tomato; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dutch Negroni</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 ounce genever gin (we used Bols)<br />
1 ounce Aperol<br />
1 ounce sweet vermouth (we used Martini & Rossi)<br />
dash camomile tincture<br />
orange peel, expressed and rubbed around rim<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Add garnish.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<span style="color: tomato; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Gin and Aperol</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces G’Vine Floraison gin<br />
1 ounce Aperol<br />
1/2 ounce lemon juice<br />
1/4 ounce Galliano l’Autentico<br />
1 dash Boker’s bitters<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Add garnish.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<span style="color: gold; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Golden Bees</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 ounce bourbon<br />
1/ ounce Berentzen Bushel & Barrel<br />
1/2 ounce goldwasser<br />
dash Boker’s bitters<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Add garnish.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
❤ ❤ ❤</div>
<br />
Even if you never make any of these tantalizing concoctions or nibbles, we hope they inspired some of your own ideas. Share them with us.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">photos © Cocktail Buzz</span>Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-82731627064454412702014-09-22T07:25:00.002-04:002014-09-22T07:25:58.107-04:00What’s More Apt Than Bourbon and Branch to Celebrate National Bourbon Heritage Month?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLpZrsucGt-GQx-lXTf0oJ7UmrnZ2cvq61u9BOy01bzEzxzdfmwl_PRkldXRJDIl0br4WhWJupRzCn9wgNPic4NbIxnnvcOvBDW-Co6MsOvhFmCHD2C63YnWMYyvGiVyoketu693au78/s1600/Bourbon+and+Branch,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLpZrsucGt-GQx-lXTf0oJ7UmrnZ2cvq61u9BOy01bzEzxzdfmwl_PRkldXRJDIl0br4WhWJupRzCn9wgNPic4NbIxnnvcOvBDW-Co6MsOvhFmCHD2C63YnWMYyvGiVyoketu693au78/s400/Bourbon+and+Branch,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: orangered; font-size: 85%;"><b>Welcome the new season with simplicity itself: Bourbon and Branch.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Autumn in New York. A time for reflecting summer’s end as the days darken more quickly, and for completing old projects and starting new chapters. It’s also the time of year when our tastes turn to earthier, deeper-seasoned flavors. So we reach for bourbon when we want to satisfy our fall-lust for darker spirits. Serendipitous, since we celebrate America’s “native spirit” in a thirty-day celebration known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Bourbon_Heritage_Month" target="_blank">National Bourbon Heritage Month</a>. <br />
<br />
One of our new favorite bourbons, Four Roses Small Batch, blends “four original & proprietary Bourbons . . . to reward you with a mellow symphony of sweet, fruity aromas and rich, spicy flavors.” They’re not kidding. Deep, sweet-oak wood char, and rich caramel swirl around your nostrils upon first whiff. It’s seductive. Pour yourself a little and add a few drops of water to open up the spirit; let its esters do their magic when they hit your nose and tongue. Now add a splash of water and an ice cube. Give it a little swirl. You’re on your way to making one of the simplest drinks out there. Bourbon and Branch.<br />
<br />
The “Bourbon” part of the name is obvious, but what, you ask, is “branch”? Branch is actually plain, still water added to a mixed drink. In the South, some folks call a stream or creek a <i>branch</i>, hence the simple leap for <i>branch</i> to mean <i>plain water</i>. <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: orangered; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bourbon and Branch</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces bourbon (try Four Roses Small Batch, perfect at 90 proof)<br />
3 ounces still water (filtered would be best)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Add to an ice-filled highball or double-rocks glass. Stir. <u>Note</u>: Sometimes we prefer our Bourbon and Branch with just one ice cube or no ice at all if were looking to warm ourselves up from a crisp night on the town.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
❤ ❤ ❤</div>
<br />
<u>A note about water</u>: How important is water to cocktails? Without it, you would have a warm glass of whatever it was you were mixing. Dilution is <i>the</i> essential step. It comes from shaking or stirring ice that’s commingling with the other ingredients. Close your eyes and think of a bartender. What is she doing? Most likely, shaking the drink she’s making for you. Naturally, you think of ice when you think about making drinks. You hear that unmistakable sound of clinks and clanks; involuntarily, you start to shake your torso to the rhythm of the bartender’s forceful yet graceful movements. All performed to make your drink explode with flavors and aromas that lay dormant until H<sub>2</sub>O introduced itself to the game. Water, therefore, is the paramount ingredient in your drink. <br />
<br />
According to the Ultimate Dallas Web site, “JR’s favourite tipple was bourbon and branch. It was his drink of choice after a long day at the office to help him unwind.”<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: orangered; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">J.R.’s Bourbon and Branch</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces bourbon whiskey*<br />
4 ounces mineral water<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Pour the bourbon and water into a highball glass almost filled with ice cubes.<br />
<br />
For a neat twist on Bourbon and Branch, we decided to use <a href="http://bettersweetdrinks.com/" target="_blank">BetterSweet</a> maple water for the “Branch” portion of the drink. If you’re not familiar with maple water, it’s all the rage, and for good reason. Its texture caresses your palate like velvet and tastes like red velvet cake (but just a hint). BetterSweet is only one ingredient: 100% organic maple sap, “sweetened by nature.”<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: orangered; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Maple Bourbon and Branch</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces bourbon (try Four Roses Small Batch, perfect at 90 proof)<br />
3 ounces maple water (try BetterSweet)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Add to an ice-filled highball or double-rocks glass. Stir. <u>Note</u>: Sometimes we prefer our Maple Bourbon and Branch with just one ice cube.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
❤ ❤ ❤</div>
<br />
There will be times when you’ll want something fizzy added to your bourbon. So we experimented with the BetterSweet maple water and turned it into maple soda to make a Maple Bourbon Highball. Make sure you use a self-contained soda syphon that requires a disposable single-use charger. Soda Syphons, once a staple of the American household, can handle liquids that contain sugar. Soda chargers that require you to screw a canister to the device will result in disaster because sugar plus CO<sub>2</sub> produces a megaton amount of carbonation. But if a SodaStream is the only device you have to carbonate water, and you are hellbent on making soda water with maple water, make sure you only charge it a bit. Once you see water squirting out the top, it’s time to let go of the plunger.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: orangered; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Maple Bourbon Highball</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces bourbon<br />
3 ounces carbonated maple water (read about it, above)<br />
ice<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Add bourbon to an ice-filled highball or double-rocks glass. Top with carbonated maple water. Stir.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">photo © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz</span>Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-22851167493019258822014-08-30T14:35:00.003-04:002014-09-06T10:36:42.057-04:00Fruity Libations for a Long Labor Day Weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdBdwmFC_4q4jOFW5kgAwxKjd974cp7DPAnEF7IzhYz1WtzKgLf40pS-8Qy3DAvXqUmZJJOGDhh6N_RMlp-pV6UTcE1x3hzfLS5tnuGGC7qjLfshV_jPMiDR67PerWIlEU_CwerBhUpk/s1600/Cocktail+Buzz+Fruit+Syrup+Highball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdBdwmFC_4q4jOFW5kgAwxKjd974cp7DPAnEF7IzhYz1WtzKgLf40pS-8Qy3DAvXqUmZJJOGDhh6N_RMlp-pV6UTcE1x3hzfLS5tnuGGC7qjLfshV_jPMiDR67PerWIlEU_CwerBhUpk/s1600/Cocktail+Buzz+Fruit+Syrup+Highball.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: mediumvioletred; font-size: 85%l;"><b>How about a red grape, strawberry, tarragon syrup in your highball this Labor Day weekend?</b></span></div>
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Ah Labor Day, the harbinger of summer’s end. Shindigs galore from sea to shining sea.<br />
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According to Wikipedia,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Labor Day in the United States is a holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It is a celebration of the American labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of their country.</span></blockquote>
It’s also better known as a guaranteed day off for those who work zombie-inducing 9-to-5 jobs, most likely in a beige environment. <br />
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Although beige has its moments, that moment is not now.<br />
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We imagine that cocktails will be a part of your Labor Day Weekend festivities at some point, so we have an idea whereby colorful and fruit-flavored syrups shine as the key ingredient in a tasty and tantalizing highball. It’s easy to make and, when added to your favorite booze and topped with soda or seltzer, easier to imbibe. You like the color red? May we recommend a raspberry syrup. Magenta get you excited? Then look no further than blueberries. Purple best defines you? Well, concord grapes should be on your grocery list today. And because of the extra day off you definitely have the time.<br />
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Demand color in your Labor Day Weekend cocktails or you might end up feeling a little beige.<br />
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Over the years, we have made some delectable syrups that have become the bases for cocktail experiments, both wild and tame. Here a few uncommon suggestions:<br />
<ul>
<li>red or black currant</li>
<li>gooseberry (okay, we admit this can be a pale, almost beige, syrup if using green ones, but the flavor is one-of-a-kind)</li>
<li>red grapes, strawberries, tarragon (use twice as many red grapes to strawberries, and a handful of tarragon)</li>
</ul>
<span style="color: mediumvioletred; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Fruit Syrup</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(adapted from the NY Times recipe for Raspberry Syrup)</span><br />
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This is a classic fruit syrup recipe that can be halved.<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 cups colorful fruit, in any combination (berries and stone fruits work well)<br />
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons<br />
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)<br />
herbs and spices (use your judgment here; strong herbs such as thyme may be overwhelming in large quantities whereas lighter herbs such as tarragon may be used in wild abandon)<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Combine berries, 2 tablespoons sugar, and a cup of water in a heavy-bottomed medium-sized saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring so that the fruit begins to break down and get mushy. (If you’re using a fruit with skins that resist easy breakup, such as grapes, you should mash them a little.) Now, to stop the cooking process, add a cup and a half of cold water to the fruit mixture. If you are using herbs and spices and lemon juice, now is the time to add them as well (for the lemon juice, you can just squeeze some from a half lemon into the fruit mixture). Bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. If a lot of foam collects at the top, you can try to skim it off. Now is the time to separate the fruit mixture. You’ll best be served by a cheesecloth-lined strainer here, as a strainer alone may allow little bits of skin and seeds into your syrup. Trust us, you don’t want that. Pour the mixture carefully through the lined strainer into a bowl. You’ll want to get as much syrup out of the mixture as possible, so use a masher, muddler, or any implement you can find and press on the fruit until you’ve extracted every last sweet drop of fruit syrup. Return the liquid to the saucepan (make sure you’ve rinsed the saucepan throughly) and add 1 to 1/2 cups of sugar (depending on your sweet tooth). Stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved, then turn up the heat until the liquid comes to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes. (If you want a thicker syrup, cook for about 6 minutes.) Remove from heat. Let cool. Add vodka and stir to incorporate (vodka will make the syrup last longer). Refrigerate in a clean container with a good seal or screw cap. This should last for two weeks, and with vodka up to a month.<br />
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Makes between 2 to 2 1/2 cups.<br />
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<span style="color: mediumvioletred; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Fruit Syrup Highball</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 to 2 ounces fruit syrup (less if you like a drier drink)<br />
1 1/2 ounces your favorite spirit (brown spirits will make your drink darker)<br />
3 to 4 ounces soda or seltzer<br />
slice of citrus, brandied cherry, or the fruit you used in the syrup, as garnish (optional)<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake syrup and spirit for ten seconds in an ice-filled shaker. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Top with soda. Add garnish. Sip. Do not even think about that beige office.<br />
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<span style="color: mediumvioletred; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Fruit Syrup Soda</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 to 2 ounces fruit syrup (less if you like a drier drink)<br />
3 to 4 ounces soda or seltzer<br />
slice of citrus, brandied cherry, or the fruit you used in the syrup, as garnish (optional)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Add syrup to an ice-filled rocks glass. Top with soda. Stir. Add garnish. Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-63471864850792951892014-07-30T16:51:00.000-04:002014-07-31T06:58:40.410-04:00Casa Noble Tequila Delivers The Organic Goods in All of Its Expressions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCB9fZrLpXEtwIY0VkRjqYx-KhLidFZu1Z2SjdvbyBiD4bNZ1x7RBWRsQaj8gGNeLe9ReMcs69ElcVFS6QndINXHqg852fNwvd-O65d6uCrvJLauc8MUlbGf3Sn5CnFfhyphenhyphenazmBnVtp0Y/s1600/Casa+Noble+Tequila+expressions,+Cocktail+Buzz.png" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCB9fZrLpXEtwIY0VkRjqYx-KhLidFZu1Z2SjdvbyBiD4bNZ1x7RBWRsQaj8gGNeLe9ReMcs69ElcVFS6QndINXHqg852fNwvd-O65d6uCrvJLauc8MUlbGf3Sn5CnFfhyphenhyphenazmBnVtp0Y/s1600/Casa+Noble+Tequila+expressions,+Cocktail+Buzz.png" height="153" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-size: 85%;"><b>Choose your favorite Casa Noble tequila expression: Crystal, Reposado, Añejo, Single Barrel Reposado, or Single Barrel Añejo.</b></span></div>
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July 24 marked National Tequila Day. No stranger to a celebration, Laura Baddish of the Baddish Group invited a selection of online media guests to sample the mighty fine <a href="http://www.casanoble.com/" target="_blank">Casa Noble Tequila</a> in four of its expressions at the aptly named Agave in Greenwich Village. The staff delighted us with countless small bites — succulent <i>albóndigas</i> (meatballs); cheesy, savory quesadillas; piquant and rich guacamole. Honestly, there was too much good food being passed around the intimate back-room dining table, but who are we to turn down a fiesta, especially when accompanied by some of the smoothest and mixable tequilas on the market? Jay Silverman, Agave’s beverage director, after a few introductory words about the production of Casa Noble tequila, offered us a classic margarita made with the youngest expression, Casa Noble Crystal. The agave plants, from which tequila is distilled, are not harvested until they are at least twelve years old, so the plants have had more time to to grow and develop fuller flavors. Jay asked us to sip the Crystal by itself, so when we did, we discovered full-roasted agave flavor. It went down easy and was utterly delightful. The margarita allowed this agave flavor to shine through, and it paired perfectly with the guacamole and chips, only whetting our appetites for more cocktails. But until then, we sipped the other two standard expressions: reposado and añejo. We were shocked — in a good way — by the reposado’s natural candylike sweetness. This expression will be finding its way on our shelves so we can craft some original cocktails with it during the rest of the summer. What surprised us even more, though, were the sweet and smooth sips from the añejo tequila. This aged beauty makes for a wonderful after-dinner <i>digestivo</i>, and was a favorite among the reporters and writers present.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzse0F3y50aiOOIeldK4JvnXEI7DUmRZE5W9PCb35_nXvBz0VDiXhQFPB2r8gB6fz85UEv8VZtF6cr-bM88fM3GvVmR-1HJKM-dPVYbKckTIXbiAZA4SdKlTmgpCyy5SoLPQa94d9Rzsc/s1600/Margarita+Cocktail+Buzz,+Steve+Schul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzse0F3y50aiOOIeldK4JvnXEI7DUmRZE5W9PCb35_nXvBz0VDiXhQFPB2r8gB6fz85UEv8VZtF6cr-bM88fM3GvVmR-1HJKM-dPVYbKckTIXbiAZA4SdKlTmgpCyy5SoLPQa94d9Rzsc/s1600/Margarita+Cocktail+Buzz,+Steve+Schul.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Casa Noble Organic Margarita</span></b></td></tr>
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For those of you unfamiliar with Casa Noble, Jose “Pepe” Hermosillo Brooks, a co-owner and master distiller, had a mission. He wanted his tequila to, in Laura Baddish’s words, “speak of luxury, of refined pottery and architecture.” Many of us came to tequila downing shot glass after shot glass of the not-so-pure stuff. Casa Noble aims much higher. It is relatable to those in search of refinement, and flavor that’s not compromised by unthoughtful distillation and aging. The bottles, in their array of noble colors such as silver, purple, deep blue, black, and sky blue, glow with the promise of something very special. One limited-edition expression, an aged single-barrel extra añejo mind-blower, is sponsored by the one and only Carlos Santana, a board member who approached Casa Noble with the idea of selling this special tequila with profits going to <a href="http://www.milagrofoundation.org/" target="_blank">Milagro</a>, his charitable children’s foundation. Five hundred bottles were sold at $500 each. That’s a lot of dinero. Very special indeed. <br />
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By the way, our second cocktail proved to be a winner. Made with joven tequila (aged for six weeks in French white oak barrels), this collins-sized drink buzzed our taste buds with tangerine juice, chipotle, lime, and sage. We all wished we could have another, but by the end of the tasting, we could barely text and tweet.<br />
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<b style="color: blueviolet; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Casa Noble Organic Margarita</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">(courtesy of Casa Noble)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces Casa Noble Crystal Tequila<br />
1 ounce fresh lime juice<br />
3/4 ounce La Sierra Agave Nectar<br />
lime wheel, as garnish<br />
salt rim (optional)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake, strain and serve up or on the rocks, Garnish with a lime wheel. To salt rim, moisten rim of glass with lime, gently roll in a plate of kosher salt.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnt0zBcNyYnoWH8SZrrrNMCbum8-KjcFGgtl6dlfOe1pkf9CPC4pLivJbLUpQiUXgDbRVqNf1RjSpVXJrgSWRHNGJWkIU5ke2f2fbkMU9PelibRnFtCjsXYsASCFV8-igMIbnOuVqI6wc/s1600/Casa+Noble+joven+tequila+cocktail,+Steve+Schul+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnt0zBcNyYnoWH8SZrrrNMCbum8-KjcFGgtl6dlfOe1pkf9CPC4pLivJbLUpQiUXgDbRVqNf1RjSpVXJrgSWRHNGJWkIU5ke2f2fbkMU9PelibRnFtCjsXYsASCFV8-igMIbnOuVqI6wc/s1600/Casa+Noble+joven+tequila+cocktail,+Steve+Schul+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-size: x-small;">Casa Noble joven tequila, with tangerine,<br />
lime, chipotle, and sage</span></b></td></tr>
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<span 0="" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"> </span> <span 0="" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><br />
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</span><span style="color: blueviolet; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Casa Noble Paloma</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(courtesy of Casa Noble)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces Casa Noble Reposado Tequila<br />
fresh grapefruit juice<br />
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice<br />
splash of fizz (soda, seltzer)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Pour the the Casa Noble Reposado Tequila into a glass and squeeze in the fresh lime juice. Add ice and fill with the fresh grapefruit juice and fizz. Stir and enjoy.<br />
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<b><span style="color: blueviolet; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Casa Noble Añejo Casa Royal</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">(courtesy of Casa Noble)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces Casa Noble Añejo Tequila<br />
1/2 ounce triple sec<br />
2 ounces fresh lime juice<br />
1/2 ounce champagne or prosecco<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake first three ingredients in ice and strain into a margarita or rocks glass filled with ice with an optional salt rim. Float champagne on top.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"></span>Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-19391568386368218482014-06-29T19:33:00.000-04:002014-07-30T16:59:28.011-04:00Meet Troy & Sons, Three New Expressions of Moonshine and Aged American Whiskey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0_quR0F7-UtJL0rkIlJG20P5wHUkPlBKPnRnce4eJr6BlPIIh3qLKlhHiXeT42SW5h3UCnKrVYAuCR5iip9MENllKEKdxw8LLY6m4iaFLujEaGu5QySsJ_Iv7iTT8HizYHJtMu06ZFI/s1600/Troy+&+Sons+three+Whiskey+Expressions,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0_quR0F7-UtJL0rkIlJG20P5wHUkPlBKPnRnce4eJr6BlPIIh3qLKlhHiXeT42SW5h3UCnKrVYAuCR5iip9MENllKEKdxw8LLY6m4iaFLujEaGu5QySsJ_Iv7iTT8HizYHJtMu06ZFI/s1600/Troy+&+Sons+three+Whiskey+Expressions,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 85%;"><b style="color: orange;"><span style="color: orange;">We welcome you to the bar.</span></b></span></div>
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Recently, we attended the New York launch of Troy & Sons small batch moonshine at the neo-speakeasy Flatiron Room. Laura Baddish, PR spirits queen, hosted the event in the dining aerie that overlooks the main room and bar, where patrons flock to get their boozes on amid the din of other postwork-I-need-to-de-stress martini swillers. After some yummy small bites of mini pizza and meatballs, with middle eastern flavors, and sips of Manhattans, Laura presented Troy to us. Now, that image that pops into your head when you think of “Troy” the moonshiner — just throw it out the window. This Troy was blonde, beautiful, and much much younger than that grizzled man that just disappeared from your mind. <br />
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A former Texan, Troy Ball moved with her family to Asheville, North Carolina, to distill moonshine, namely the smooth stuff that the old-timer mountain men dub the “sweet spot,” the best-tasting, smoothest part from the distillation process. She distills three expressions at her Asheville Distilling Co., and all offer unique aromas, undertones, and mixing possibilities.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bWiw7yEdnRLa4PbPABQQKRM4FDPTU4AdpRNk31hNJqIWXSBT5MdPDuNrIZ-y7PWqaIZEveOeiNHVARwvAXjOp7xUOU_kuX9c8zMvSAxREszauohwAHXBVWllCbLaRyACxpnzYn8Kbis/s1600/Troy+%2526+Sons+Whiskey+Expressions%252C+Steve+Schul%252C+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bWiw7yEdnRLa4PbPABQQKRM4FDPTU4AdpRNk31hNJqIWXSBT5MdPDuNrIZ-y7PWqaIZEveOeiNHVARwvAXjOp7xUOU_kuX9c8zMvSAxREszauohwAHXBVWllCbLaRyACxpnzYn8Kbis/s1600/Troy+%2526+Sons+Whiskey+Expressions%252C+Steve+Schul%252C+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="164" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: 85%;"><b>Blonde, Oak Reserve, and Platinum, three expressions of American whiskey.</b></span></div>
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You can smell the hushed sweet scent of heirloom white corn in the Platinum Whiskey. This smooth white ’shine, distilled from corn rescued from the brink of extinction, makes a mean Margarita-style cocktail [see Sons-Shine Margarita recipe below]. You can also make one with Troy & Sons’ Oak Reserve Whiskey. Deep whiffs of this expression will remind you of toffee and a small taste will bring you deep into the aging barrel with flavors of oak and caramel. Her Blonde Whiskey, although slightly darker than the Oak Reserve, reveals the meaning behind its name in its gentle caramel taste and velvety mouthfeel. This blonde is a softer “kinder spirit,” made from heirloom turkey red wheat and white corn. Even its aroma demurs, whispering to your palate that any drink made with The Blonde will guarantee a smooth ride.<br />
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Troy dubs herself the "First woman to found a distillery in modern times.” The spirits’ name comes from the closeness she shares with her three sons. [Check out <a href="http://www.ashevilledistilling.com/troys-story/" target="_blank">her story</a>.] As they got older, Troy felt the time was right to start a new venture. Enter “keeper moonshine,” the sweet-spot distillate that the moonshiners all kept for themselves. Now, Troy knew what her calling was: sharing this ’shine with the rest of the world.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6IpaAEFFuekSFEWbfJfL6Tn9vjCXlama6n_aBfx5xXw5tPQDyJbISlZiB-XY7gvCNFv2BlvfSWmGujczYYP8QnzHU_OooBqTkTYTsqvSryfJnrfULdItHil7BRkU3ei9aMwtneSs5Q0/s1600/Troy+&+Sons+Whiskey+Manhattan,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6IpaAEFFuekSFEWbfJfL6Tn9vjCXlama6n_aBfx5xXw5tPQDyJbISlZiB-XY7gvCNFv2BlvfSWmGujczYYP8QnzHU_OooBqTkTYTsqvSryfJnrfULdItHil7BRkU3ei9aMwtneSs5Q0/s1600/Troy+&+Sons+Whiskey+Manhattan,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="154" width="200" /></a>We’re excited to visit her at her distillery some day. Maybe we’ll be lucky enough to taste some batches of her 4-year and 8-year reserve whiskey. Normally, it’s aged for two years in Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels, but you never know what time will bring. If the taste of all three of Troy & Sons expressions is any indication, we’re predicting winners. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: khaki; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sons-Shine Margarita</b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(courtesy of Troy Ball and Asheville Distilling Co.)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces Troy & Sons Platinum Whiskey<br />
1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice<br />
1/2 ounce fresh orange juice<br />
6 drops agave nectar or 1 ounce simple syrup<br />
1 orange slice<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">photos © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz</span>Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-66128071366320601252014-06-22T16:12:00.000-04:002014-06-29T17:48:56.595-04:00Cocktail Buzz Spicy Ginger Syrup Is Your Best Friend This Summer<meta name="description=" content="Cocktail Buzz creates a spicy ginger syrup for mixing in five different mocktail and cocktail recipes, from the Shirley Temple Black and Berentzen pear and apple liqueur highballs, to the updated Whiskey Sour and Dark and Stormy. With party food pairing suggestions."><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bOlJbQ7IyJfpuW_jhwm0Gymk8CXNhyphenhyphenwVzBvubrAYKGoog-slCyFilmPHIB-HjmvkoFub7j5eZMNKWgMepjVZFVk3nG7e4HzraoSdIt5Ep_IPmKb7FkXmx566M0D5FfzL-jsVBULO-RI/s1600/Ginger+Pear+Liqueur+Highball+2+by+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bOlJbQ7IyJfpuW_jhwm0Gymk8CXNhyphenhyphenwVzBvubrAYKGoog-slCyFilmPHIB-HjmvkoFub7j5eZMNKWgMepjVZFVk3nG7e4HzraoSdIt5Ep_IPmKb7FkXmx566M0D5FfzL-jsVBULO-RI/s320/Ginger+Pear+Liqueur+Highball+2+by+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: gold; font-size: 85%;">Homemade ginger syrup is easy to make and will brighten up your cocktail hour. Try this Ginger Pear Highball, made with Berentzen’s light and fresh-tasting pear liqueur.</span></b></div><br />
Crisp ginger ale and its spicier cousin ginger beer are tried and true mixers at your home bar, and for good reason. They combine so well with so much. We love ginger beer in our <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2013/01/cocktail-buzz-twelve-favorite-things-of.html" target="_blank">Zul Mule</a> or in a simple fizzy <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2011/02/super-bowl-means-drinks-and-snacks-and.html" target="_blank">Presbyterian</a>. These are the perfect drinks for sunny, breezy days. But if we’ve run out of ginger beer, or have some fresh ginger lying around, we love to make ginger syrup to mix with soda. Our homemade spicy ginger syrup is versatile for both cocktails and nonalcoholic “mocktails.” The best part is it’s simple to make. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFGGT3yGQIfqY18IzOaK_PIiAPhysGlJqjYlPlBNvKMQX-nrqqnMxQNpSzJpEFdaxc6UOHwgP4wAJgAOLdAY7Xie3rQ9Re2-3FJrmkRElbGiERUmeI-86aQ718AJJb3jD3lKsqQL2E7Y/s1600/Ginger+Syrup+Prep+by+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPHUk8kw9vMMkZuOHWzund5a2LJhdcn7C4_tSMTUNuFtL3lhYzAY4nuENyGOS-thGLszeL61Ax23SY9EQK_WxzVLB1TAG-tw1rO7koDwEDRlJPKJ_3dFz0vz-jA-UHYtl6JmrkpAhWHQ/s1600/Ginger+Root+by+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPHUk8kw9vMMkZuOHWzund5a2LJhdcn7C4_tSMTUNuFtL3lhYzAY4nuENyGOS-thGLszeL61Ax23SY9EQK_WxzVLB1TAG-tw1rO7koDwEDRlJPKJ_3dFz0vz-jA-UHYtl6JmrkpAhWHQ/s320/Ginger+Root+by+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFGGT3yGQIfqY18IzOaK_PIiAPhysGlJqjYlPlBNvKMQX-nrqqnMxQNpSzJpEFdaxc6UOHwgP4wAJgAOLdAY7Xie3rQ9Re2-3FJrmkRElbGiERUmeI-86aQ718AJJb3jD3lKsqQL2E7Y/s1600/Ginger+Syrup+Prep+by+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFGGT3yGQIfqY18IzOaK_PIiAPhysGlJqjYlPlBNvKMQX-nrqqnMxQNpSzJpEFdaxc6UOHwgP4wAJgAOLdAY7Xie3rQ9Re2-3FJrmkRElbGiERUmeI-86aQ718AJJb3jD3lKsqQL2E7Y/s320/Ginger+Syrup+Prep+by+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: gold; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Cocktail Buzz Spicy Ginger Syrup</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
6 ounces fresh, unpeeled ginger, washed and diced (or sliced with a mandoline or pulsed in a food processor)<br />
3 cups of water<br />
1 1/2 cups of sugar<br />
pinch of salt<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool completely. Strain mixture into a jar and store in refrigerator for about a week. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhX3_QJP1oFB8hU7_YcOW9bV3rnzjS70QikFNVIKeJJex5XJHEz9Z6M4S2RuCr7ABhDkTfuctq3uKH81Ezz4fDhyFYVvBHpA2ZI8mBBCFmb4cGI_CNdCGxFrCJ2jR7NhuQhotSiH8jC1k/s1600/Ginger+Root+sliced+by+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhX3_QJP1oFB8hU7_YcOW9bV3rnzjS70QikFNVIKeJJex5XJHEz9Z6M4S2RuCr7ABhDkTfuctq3uKH81Ezz4fDhyFYVvBHpA2ZI8mBBCFmb4cGI_CNdCGxFrCJ2jR7NhuQhotSiH8jC1k/s320/Ginger+Root+sliced+by+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">❤ ❤ ❤</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><br />
</div></div>Now you can start mixing. Combine the syrup with soda water, to taste, for your own homemade version of ginger beer. It’s really good with some fresh lime juice as well. Or add a little grenadine and the kids have a zestier version of a Shirley Temple we call the Shirley Temple Black. <br />
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<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ginger Soda</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1/2–1 ounce Cocktail Buzz Spicy Ginger Syrup (depending on how sweet you like your drink)<br />
soda, chilled<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Fill rocks glass or highball glass with ice. Add ginger syrup, then soda. Stir. You can always add a lemon twist, or perhaps a spring of mint, if it pleases.<br />
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<span style="color: gold; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Shirley Temple Black</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1/4–1/2 ounce Cocktail Buzz Spicy Ginger Syrup (depending on how sweet you like your soda)<br />
1/4–1/2 ounce <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2012/12/revamping-jack-rose-cocktail.html" target="_blank">grenadine</a><br />
club soda, chilled<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Fill rocks glass or highball glass with ice. Add ginger syrup, grenadine, then soda. Stir. You can always add a lemon twist, if it pleases.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">❤ ❤ ❤</div><br />
Now it’s time to make a cocktail. How about a Dark and Stormy: dark rum mixed with ginger beer and perhaps a little fresh lime juice in a tall glass of ice. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: goldenrod; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Cocktail Buzz Dark and Stormy</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces dark rum (traditionalists use Gosling’s Black Seal)<br />
1 ounce Cocktail Buzz Spicy Ginger Syrup (recipe above)<br />
1/2 ounce lime juice (optional)<br />
4 ounces soda water (to taste)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake first three ingredients with ice and strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with club soda. Stir.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">❤ ❤ ❤</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>If you desire something less alcoholic, use you’re favorite liqueur, like the light apple or pear versions that Berentzen sent us recently. Their flavors are crisp, not at all cloying. Add a little of our ginger syrup and soda water and you’re ready for some backyard barbecue festivities. Their low alcohol content makes them the perfect choice for when you want more than one cocktail; we’ll be reaching for these liqueurs again and again this summer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3qONypR33icO6LK5bkCK4p64XH9uSmRaQKkkVE4-j60B9ZZbqwqSnUsYNoV6D3p1P6pjgAyszcg0Ee9is9RDoIuP-bCi8jcameykfowTOXm3JgXaq3ye6cJLSaUsdfHX1wkzR_TKnsE/s1600/Ginger+Pear+Liqueur+Highball+by+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3qONypR33icO6LK5bkCK4p64XH9uSmRaQKkkVE4-j60B9ZZbqwqSnUsYNoV6D3p1P6pjgAyszcg0Ee9is9RDoIuP-bCi8jcameykfowTOXm3JgXaq3ye6cJLSaUsdfHX1wkzR_TKnsE/s320/Ginger+Pear+Liqueur+Highball+by+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a><span style="color: goldenrod; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Apple or Pear Ginger Highball</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces Berentzen Pear or Apple Liqueur<br />
1 ounce Cocktail Buzz Spicy Ginger Syrup (recipe above)<br />
4 ounces soda<br />
ice <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir first two ingredients in ice for 15 seconds ice and strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with soda water.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">❤ ❤ ❤</div><br />
We’ve also been adding ginger syrup, in lieu of plain simple syrup, to a lot of classic cocktails. One of our favorite iterations is the Ginger Whiskey Sour. Just add a warm summer night. We think it’s a winner.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: gold; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Cocktail Buzz Ginger Whiskey Sour</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces bourbon or rye<br />
3/4 ounces Cocktail Buzz Spicy Ginger Syrup (recipe above)<br />
3/4 ounces lemon juice<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake with ice for 15 seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">❤ ❤ ❤<br />
<div><br />
</div></div><span style="color: #99ffff;">Pairing Suggestions</span><br />
<a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2014/03/halloumi-meet-your-best-friend.html" target="_blank">Halloumi with Fig Jam</a><br />
<a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2012/01/addictive-qualities-of-braunschweiger.html" target="_blank">Braunschweiger Spread</a><br />
<a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2011/10/real-brandy-old-fashioned-paired-with.html" target="_blank">Smoked Eel</a><br />
<a href="http://www.cocktailbuzz.com/Cocktail_Buzz/Buzzed/Entries/2008/1/11_The_Oriental_%7B_paired_with_sweet_potato_crisps_%7D.html" target="_blank">Sweet Potato Crisps</a><br />
<a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2013/06/behold-teeny-tini-and-chicks-peas.html" target="_blank">The Chick’s Peas</a><br />
Smoked cheeses, such as gouda<br />
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</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">photos © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz</span>Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-18098470932094195592014-06-06T21:44:00.002-04:002014-06-06T21:44:50.166-04:00Negroni Week Beckons You Until June 8<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Enter Bar Now (or make one of these at home)</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScqWflndkZnhXLkC5M_WdX1L5BTZuREBE1-V3BgiMqqHbLydRDxWaiyE_MY8lJzVNDdcX9rago1rXTve3C-zqobeh6mRq_u3gszhNtPllB-0Nw1CnrVd6kDaNliQD156HZNF9_pdLD1Y/s1600/Whitish+Negroni+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScqWflndkZnhXLkC5M_WdX1L5BTZuREBE1-V3BgiMqqHbLydRDxWaiyE_MY8lJzVNDdcX9rago1rXTve3C-zqobeh6mRq_u3gszhNtPllB-0Nw1CnrVd6kDaNliQD156HZNF9_pdLD1Y/s1600/Whitish+Negroni+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 85%;"><b> This Whitish Negroni — on the rocks — sparkles with white vermouth and, of course, Campari and gin.</b></span></div>
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The following Negroni variations originated from other fellow travelers’ books and bars. Each is distinct but embraces the arresting flavors of the original and is perfect for these final days of Negroni Week, the seven-day celebration of the famous cocktail and all its variations. Remember, participating bars across America and other parts of the globe promise to raise money for their favorite charities for every Negroni-style cocktail ordered. If you cannot make it to a bar by Sunday, then by all means have a Negroni-style cocktail at home.<br />
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<span style="color: crimson; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>White Negroni</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(from Dutch Kills, Queens, NY)</span><br />
<br />
Suze, pronounced like siz, but with a French rounded vowel sound (think Inspector Clouseau), is an aperitif flavored with the bitter roots of the gentian plant. If you try it on its own, it is sweet, as well. It is not for everyone, but is definitely worth a try if you see some behind the bar. Ask your bartender to pour you a sip. In the White Negroni, white vermouth, red vermouth’s milder cousin, rounds out the flavors of gin mixed with Suze in this boozy concoction. Its layered flavors end with a nice bitter finish.<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces gin (we used Beefeater)<br />
3/4 ounce Suze (a bittersweet gentian aperitif)<br />
3/4 ounce Dolin white vermouth (aka bianco, blanc, blanco)<br />
lemon twist, as garnish<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill. Strain into a chilled glass and garnish.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Recipe reprinted from Imbibe Magazine.</span><br />
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<span style="color: crimson; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Whitish Negroni</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
<br />
Since we’re big fans of Campari, we decided to do a riff on the White Negroni. But there’s nothing white about this cocktail. It’s actually a gorgeous pink–orange. Its smooth, slightly sweet, and layered flavors (think Aperol) pair perfectly with bacon-wrapped unsulfured dried apricots and a little sage leaf.<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 ounce Beefeater gin<br />
1 ounce Campari<br />
1 ounce Dolin white vermouth (aka bianco, blanc, blanco)<br />
lemon twist, as garnish<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or coupe. Add garnish.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
❤ ❤ ❤</div>
<br />
These next two cocktails are from two books from which we have made drinks over the years and are perfect for the warming months ahead:<br />
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<span style="color: crimson; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Mistaken Negroni</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(from The New Old Bar by Steve McDonough and Dan Smith)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 ounce Campari<br />
1 ounce sweet vermouth<br />
1 ounce orange juice<br />
sparkling wine or Prosecco<br />
orange peel, as garnish<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Combine the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a champagne flute and top with sparkling wine. Serve garnished with a flamed orange peel. [Express orange peel through a match flame by holding the match over the drink and, with your other hand, in one quick, sharp squeeze, pinch the peel (outside of peel facing the match) so the oils spurt through the flame, causing a gentle flare-up.]<br />
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<span style="color: crimson; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Grapefruit Negroni</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(from Sips & Apps by Kathy Casey)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1/4 large red grapefruit<br />
1 1/2 ounces gin (we used Death’s Door)<br />
3/4 ounce sweet vermouth<br />
1/2 ounce Campari<br />
small grapefruit wedge, as garnish<br />
ice, if on the rocks<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Squeeze the grapefruit into a cocktail shaker and discard the squeezed fruit. Fill the shaker with ice. Measure in the gin, vermouth, and Campari. Cap and shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass or an old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with small grapefruit wedge.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
❤ ❤ ❤<br />
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</div>
So, when all is said and done, you don’t like gin. This is okay. One person’s taste buds differ from the next. here’s something that may stir your whiskey-loving loins:<br />
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<span style="color: crimson; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Red Hook</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Enzo Errico, Milk & Honey, New York City)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces rye whiskey<br />
1/2 ounce Punt e Mes vermouth<br />
1/2 ounce maraschino liqueur<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir well for 20 seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Recipe reprinted from Imbibe Magazine.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpTmXAh7iEmXgcYQlZ-ylB2mLF6K5G03ZsftAHcNQXWTmZaqvn1J9g0leK9NiGqDb4Pmn7CRtbgjMBgF20EJltynGYRf6wbcLlOpwdNICORsvpz5DCQVYCN7PjgGfukAqePMuT8C1FfM/s1600/Punt+e+Mes+Negroni+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpTmXAh7iEmXgcYQlZ-ylB2mLF6K5G03ZsftAHcNQXWTmZaqvn1J9g0leK9NiGqDb4Pmn7CRtbgjMBgF20EJltynGYRf6wbcLlOpwdNICORsvpz5DCQVYCN7PjgGfukAqePMuT8C1FfM/s1600/Punt+e+Mes+Negroni+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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To find out how to make a Punt e Mes Negroni, click <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2014/05/celebrate-negroni-week-june-28-at-your.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">photos © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz</span></div>
Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-14023872229962838072014-05-31T16:48:00.001-04:002014-05-31T16:52:04.260-04:00Celebrate Negroni Week, June 2–8, at Your Favorite Bar, or with One of These Glowing Variations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWqr309jk2L1aiW4RcbpFH2zQiPjZ08-7buYOR5gT7W-SI_TCleTSF9YrOsI06JxHZ57NhNZbCxkHAJY8sV2kTNSff40TzkMeW81wfJyYSqXBdnx9NDugo2oGpXJsaSAZpkdViNVhZqQ/s1600/Dimmi+Negroni,+Paul+Zablocki,+Cocktail+Buzz.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWqr309jk2L1aiW4RcbpFH2zQiPjZ08-7buYOR5gT7W-SI_TCleTSF9YrOsI06JxHZ57NhNZbCxkHAJY8sV2kTNSff40TzkMeW81wfJyYSqXBdnx9NDugo2oGpXJsaSAZpkdViNVhZqQ/s400/Dimmi+Negroni,+Paul+Zablocki,+Cocktail+Buzz.JPG" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: crimson; font-size: 85%;">The Dimmi Negroni — made with Campari, gin, and the light and floral <br />
Dimmi Liquore di Milano — glows in late-afternoon light. </span></b></div>
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Created by Imbibe Magazine and Campari, <a href="http://negroniweek.com/">Negroni Week</a>, a seven-day celebration of the famous cocktail and all its variations, promises to raise money for every Negroni-style cocktail ordered in <a href="http://negroniweek.com/participating-bars/">participating bars</a> across America and other parts of the globe. This money will, in turn, go to the bars’ charity of choice. Drink for a cause and patronize your favorite drinking establishments this week that are participating in <a href="http://negroniweek.com/">Negroni Week</a>. Relish in the bracing, bittersweet botanicals in Campari and your favorite gin. You can choose your vermouth as well, from Carpano Antica Formula to Punt e Mes, and to other herbal aperitifs such as Cynar and Suze.<br />
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Seven nights out in a row might be too many for you, so perhaps you’d rather stay home one night and share a cocktail in front of the big screen. Here is where we offer you some charity. Recipes, culled from favorites over the years, and some we’ve come up with ourselves. A Negroni is meant to be shared among charming and attractive adults, like you. Its redolence, a heady bouquet, fills the room and makes you a little bold, yet playful. Get carried away. You’re owning it. Start a new flirtation, or rekindle a fizzling one. Or just embrace friendship. Your week begins on Monday, June 2. Start planning your visits to your favorite liquor stores now, you sexy thing, or have it delivered! It’s time to discover how you like your perfect Negroni. Then take that knowledge and taste memories with you, go to one of the participating bars, and let them blow your mind with variations that are sure to please you and the gods of insobriety. <br />
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If you’re looking for something to nibble alongside a <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/08/finding-just-right-mate-for-negroni.html">Negroni</a>, just remember that, in general, Negroni-style cocktails pair wonderfully with <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/08/finding-just-right-mate-for-negroni.html">blue cheese</a>, dates, and <a href="http://www.cocktailbuzz.com/Cocktail_Buzz/Buzzed/Entries/2008/1/11_The_Oriental_%7B_paired_with_sweet_potato_crisps_%7D.html">seasoned sweet potato crisps</a>. Other suggestions follow.<br />
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<span style="color: crimson; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Punt e Mes Negroni</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
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We love the bold flavors and Italian ingenuity for creating the most exquisite bitter amari, Campari. Who hasn’t beheld that red carmine glow and been bewitched by its bitter orange yet sweetly balanced flavors. You feel as though you must immediately fly to Rome for dinner. It’s perfect with gin — very continental and traditional at the same time. And these opposites attract with the help from one of our favorite vermouths, the bittersweet orange zestiness of Punt e Mes, a truly lovely and bracing fortified wine. Wonderful and exhilarating.<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces gin (we like Dorothy Parker from New York Distilling)<br />
1 ounce Campari<br />
1 ounce Punt e Mes <br />
orange peel (use a peeler to get one about 1–2 inches long; try not getting too much white pith)<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass or coupe. Express orange peel over drink by giving it a quick pinch with the rind facing out. Wipe the rim of the glass with the rind and drop it into the glass.<br />
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<span style="color: crimson; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Broker’s Negroni</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
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Brokers gin, the one with the black bowler hat, is an affordable and tasty London dry gin that mixes well with lots of other spirits. It’s quadruply distilled and boasts that it “does not follow the modern trend of using weird and wonderful spirits and botanicals” but focuses on perfecting the usual herbs and roots (such as juniper berries, cinnamon, and angelica root) used to flavor a perfect London dry gin. It’s quite lovely. In this Negroni, we use the traditional Campari, but specify Carpano Antico Formula, the smoothest sweet vermouth we’ve ever come across, along with the Broker’s. It’s delightful up or on the rocks, with or without a twist of lemon or orange, and pairs surprisingly well with <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2011/09/margaritas-with-guacamole-and-chips-its.html">guacamole</a>.<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 ounce Broker’s gin<br />
1 ounce Campari<br />
1 ounce Carpano Antica sweet vermouth<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass or coupe, or into an ice-filled rocks glass. Add garnish, if using.<br />
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<span style="color: crimson; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dimmi Negroni</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
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Sometimes you crave a Negroni but have sadly run out of vermouth. Necessity is the art of invention, so grab a bottle of something that looks promising and start mixing. One such alternative to vermouth is the spirited liquor from Milan called Dimmi. (It used to be called <i>Veloce</i>, but had to change its name for legal reasons. We like <i>Dimmi</i>, which translates to a friendly “Tell me.”) It’s made from organic winter wheat and grappa di Nebbiolo, then infused with a pleasing array of herbs and fruits, followed by a second infusion of peach and apricot blossoms, which adds a sweet flowery aroma. We like mixing Dimmi with bold gins, like Bombay Sapphire—their botanicals mingle well—and, of course, the traditional Campari. So perfect on the rocks for warmer evenings. <br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 ounce Dimmi Liquore di Milano<br />
1 ounce Campari<br />
1 ounce Bombay Sapphire Gin<br />
lemon twist, as garnish<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Add garnish.<br />
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<b><span style="color: crimson; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Negroni Primavera</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
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We dubbed this Negroni Primavera because of the spring ingredients: artichoke in Cynar, plums in the Greenhook Ginsmith Beach Plum liqueur, flowers from three different grapes in the June liqueur. As the ice melts, the drinks changes from a bittersweet, bracing, lightly bubbly aperitif, to a southern sweet tea, mellower and rounder. Sweet potato crisps might be a great pairing with these.<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 ounce Plymouth gin<br />
2/3 to 3/4 ounce Greenhook Ginsmith Beach Plum Liqueur<br />
1/4 to 1/3 ounce L’esprit de June liqueur<br />
1 ounce Cynar<br />
2–3 ounces soda<br />
lemon twist<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir the first four ingredients in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled double rocks or highball glass. Add soda, then the lemon twist.<br />
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Follow us next week as we present more Negroni variations for your delectation. <br />
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</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">photo © Paul Zablocki, Cocktail Buzz</span>Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-29581627576142011782014-04-27T13:46:00.001-04:002014-04-28T13:49:08.543-04:00Crème de Violette Cocktails for Your Springtime Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLIMWlzsbH6WUcJ3ZS5_yTZOIRUVdkg43sbxRGDO5EpwLII1nR_qxqK4oQ7zMQ7M7U6OkUNjL3Ezc4dYCEDnhlUNzLMEECRzOJCIr0GJelhz_G4BY2FAvjV5zWHesCky0GCvCuvoPW0U/s1600/Blue+Moon,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLIMWlzsbH6WUcJ3ZS5_yTZOIRUVdkg43sbxRGDO5EpwLII1nR_qxqK4oQ7zMQ7M7U6OkUNjL3Ezc4dYCEDnhlUNzLMEECRzOJCIr0GJelhz_G4BY2FAvjV5zWHesCky0GCvCuvoPW0U/s400/Blue+Moon,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="640" width="427" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: mediumaquamarine; font-size: 85%;">The Blue Moon Cocktail will brighten up your cocktail party with its sweet and sour combination of lemon and violets. </span></b></div><br />
Finally, spring is here. Warm caresses from the sun. The dewy luminescence from springtime light. Rainbow beauty from early-riser flowers such as crocuses, hyacinths, and daffodils. Just walking to the subway brings exquisite joy. This is the time of year when our taste buds turn to floral favors. One such flavor we revere comes from violets in the form of a deep, almost impenetrable purple liqueur called crème de violette. The term crème refers to sugar, and there is plenty of that in pretty much the only crème de violette you can get stateside, Rothman & Winter, which is also made with Alpine violets and Weinbrand (German or Austrian brandy). It became available to us here soon after we started Cocktail Buzz, back in 2007, and we have been smitten with it ever since. Initially, we bought some to fulfill the old recipe for an <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/04/aviation-cocktail-gives-birth-to-kitty.html" target="_blank">Aviation</a> cocktail. It’s hard to fathom how this cocktail got its name without the addition of a little crème de violette, which adds a subtle but magical pale purple–blue tint to the drink. It’s a stunner—sourness from the lemon juice, bitterness from the maraschino liqueur, and sweetness from the crème de violette. We created a variation of the Aviation we call the <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/04/aviation-cocktail-gives-birth-to-kitty.html" target="_blank">Kitty Hawk</a>, named after the Wright Brothers’ site of their famous flight. The addition of a little Catdaddy moonshine adds a southern sweet-tea charm to the cocktail. On its own, one sip of crème de violette will remind you instantly of violet candies you can find at any candy counter in New York City.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo31aAgcF3n9-7mxpv1pzScmT43eIP38TQw3xowhLIZWZPrqC-CLUZ8Gscy1t8BPmi1kUE2qk9FvTNYhWAOiWX3akh_sPTbippY9N0Ua62lsUMrJ3ONrppoj6TetlpNmf1LhVRss61qvQ/s1600/Violet+Sparkler,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo31aAgcF3n9-7mxpv1pzScmT43eIP38TQw3xowhLIZWZPrqC-CLUZ8Gscy1t8BPmi1kUE2qk9FvTNYhWAOiWX3akh_sPTbippY9N0Ua62lsUMrJ3ONrppoj6TetlpNmf1LhVRss61qvQ/s1600/Violet+Sparkler,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: mediumaquamarine;"><b>A Violet Sparkler, simple and beautiful</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>For all of you who like to get the party started with a little bubbly, you’ll be happy to know that crème de violette mixes exceedingly well with champagne or any sparkling wine. Just a little splash (1/2 to 1 1/2 teaspoon per 3 ounces of champagne) in a flute or coupe is all you need to experience the floral aromas and tastes of a <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/02/sparkle-neely-sparkle-pouring-fun-at.html" target="_blank">Violet Sparkler</a>. Top with some reposado tequila and you’ve just made yourself <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/02/sparkle-neely-sparkle-pouring-fun-at.html" target="_blank">La Violeta</a>. Something elegant for a Cinco de Mayo cocktail party.<br />
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Cousin Barbara turned us on to the Blue Moon, a gin and lemon juice Jazz Era cocktail laced with a healthy dose of the violet liqueur. The Blue Moon glows anywhere between heliotrope and lavender depending on the gin you use (try several to see which one you like best), and is perfect for any time of year, but spring seems just about right. Perfect if you want to serve something a little boozier to your guests. Just provide a few nibbles to keep the partiers satisfied and sober.<br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Blue Moon</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces gin<br />
1/2 ounce crème de violette<br />
1/2 ounce lemon juice<br />
lemon twist, as garnish<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass or coupe. Add garnish.<br />
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Another cocktail resplendent with a smoky gray hue was created a few years back, when Phil Ward was behind the stick at Death & Co. Paul and his friend Shelley were lucky enough to have Phil make one up on the spot while we were talking about a cocktail Paul had made for his mom that featured scotch and crème de violette. Phil grabbed a bottle of this Compass Box blended whisky called Asyla, gave it a deep sniff, then immediately grabbed a bottle of crème de violette, gave that a quick sniff, then put both bottles near his nose and gave both a deep inhale. The first thing he grabbed was Lillet blanc. The clincher was absinthe, but just a little. The verdict, well, neither Shelley or Paul can recall the exact details, but rest assured, they liked the results. Each ingredient working to enhance the others. Try it up, as Phil intended, but feel free to have it on the rocks, or with a splash of soda. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFj0jVOyTMrqxbSqg_C4oDq3aYb9lRgGLsORBL50TZPHNBts4F3vjDZTg7Q19MtwFxeu5rpAFdYZ8QyO2kZDWxymoEcMKb9QWzGT16YOrXabBdBKmSQxHf_3e95v7YNX8WL-zUbKttWs/s1600/Smoke+and+Violets,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFj0jVOyTMrqxbSqg_C4oDq3aYb9lRgGLsORBL50TZPHNBts4F3vjDZTg7Q19MtwFxeu5rpAFdYZ8QyO2kZDWxymoEcMKb9QWzGT16YOrXabBdBKmSQxHf_3e95v7YNX8WL-zUbKttWs/s400/Smoke+and+Violets,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" /></a><br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Smoke and Violets</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Phil Ward)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces Asyla Compass Box scotch whisky<br />
1 ounce Lillet blanc<br />
1/2 ounce crème de violette<br />
2–3 dashes absinthe<br />
lemon twist, as garnish<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass or coupe. Add garnish.<br />
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For after dinner, you may want a <a href="http://www.cocktailbuzz.com/Cocktail_Buzz/Buzzed/Entries/2008/6/29_El_Zete_%7B_paired_with_chorizo_sobres_%7D_plus_the_Marianne_at_Midnight.html" target="_blank">Marianne at Midnight</a>, the drink referred to above that Paul created for his mother. We’ve altered our recipe a little, adding a half ounce less crème de violette, to this scotch and Tuaca sipper.<br />
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If you’d like to harvest the essence of crème de violette and create a bitters, all you need to do is find some gentian (a bitter root), cinnamon bark, and grapefruit peel. Letting these age a few days in an ounce and a half ounces crème de violette is all you need to do. Then get creative and come up with your very own cocktail.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Violet Bitters</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces crème de violette<br />
1/4 teaspoon gentian<br />
piece of cinnamon bark<br />
piece of grapefruit peel<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Mix together ingredients and let sit for a few days. Strain into a small bottle or dropper.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0PYU8JkGlwHBEINpx9fkX0JDpFrRSELLIvXUGLCuHMnqqZPUKWq_oNYGglFYw6As0DI-AvecP61D2LUj5r4KOj0hnUE0fUqfBe7U0Z3S-SKEPR79DtW-OUUteHE5jAg0oq4Eo_AudZU/s1600/Blue+Moon+and+Violet+Sparkler,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0PYU8JkGlwHBEINpx9fkX0JDpFrRSELLIvXUGLCuHMnqqZPUKWq_oNYGglFYw6As0DI-AvecP61D2LUj5r4KOj0hnUE0fUqfBe7U0Z3S-SKEPR79DtW-OUUteHE5jAg0oq4Eo_AudZU/s400/Blue+Moon+and+Violet+Sparkler,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: mediumaquamarine;"><span style="font-size: 85%;">We don’t know which is prettier: the heliotrope glow of a Blue Moon <i>(left) </i>or the bubbly lavender of a Violet Sparkler? We think you should make both and decide for yourself.</span></span></b></div><br />
Well, there you have it all. A crème de violette cocktail for any time of the day or evening. Start with a Violet Sparkler and end with one of the many drinks we love and have shared with you. Or create your own using your new homemade violet bitters. Happy spring. Embrace renewal.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">photo © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz</span>Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-13529331326421187232014-03-31T19:46:00.000-04:002014-06-30T17:46:56.711-04:00Halloumi, Meet Your Best Friend, Commandaria<b style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Our Cookbook Challenge Continues with a Provocative Pairing . . .</span></b><br />
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by Paul Zablocki<br />
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<span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: 85%;"><b>Halloumi, a semihard Cypriot cheese, with dollops of white truffle honey and fig jam, pairs so well with a St. John Sour.</b></span></div>
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We can’t believe almost an entire year has gone by since we started our Cookbook Challenge, for which we take a collection of cookbooks and use one or more recipes for inspiration to develop our own dishes or small bites. For our last challenge, we were to use two Nigella Lawson cookbooks, <i>Feast</i> and <i>Nigella Bites</i>, as our sources. Perusing her easy, homespun recipes, we noticed that Ms. Lawson seems to love the semihard, brined cheese from Cyprus called halloumi: Grilled Halloumi with Oozing Egg and Mint (what a title!); Halloumi with Chilli (the picture is enough to send you to the store searching for this Mediterranean hard cheese). A decision was made; Steve and I decided halloumi would be the focus, but we agreed to go one step further: come up with a cocktail–party food pairing and make sure the cocktail is low in alcohol. (Who doesn’t want to have a second drink at a cocktail party without getting loopy?)<br />
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But first, some words on Mediterranean cuisine.</div>
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If asked to name their favorite Mediterranean cuisine, most Americans would answer <i>Italian</i>. With good reason, too. How many of us have begun our evenings with some antipasti, paired with an Americano or a less bitter Aperol and soda? Italian restaurants—or Italian-American, rather—inhabit every city in this nation. You’d be hard-pressed to find one that doesn’t. Even Makawao on the island of Maui boasts a bistro that serves cioppino made with fresh local fish.<br />
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But putting Italian aside, let us look into less-explored Mediterranean cuisine, that of Cyprus in particular, and its treasured cheese, halloumi.<br />
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But first some words about Cyprus.<br />
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I was fascinated by Cyprus as a child. To me, this island nation looked like a fish, with a stingray-like tail. If you gaze at a map, you’ll notice that this “fish” has just broken free from the maw of Turkey’s Gulf of İskenderun and is now swimming freely in the clear blue waters of the eastern Mediterranean. While the average Cypriot eats about forty-eight pounds of fish annually, this staple does not make an appearance in this post’s appetizer. It’s mostly just halloumi. But what we do to it . . . .<br />
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For our purpose, we will talk about halloumi that is available prepackaged from the grocery store. Briny and sometimes flavored with a hint of mint, halloumi originated on the island of Cyprus, probably over a 1,000 to 1,500 years ago. It’s rubbery and behaves like cheese curds, so that when you bite into a slice, you can hear a little squeak emanating from your maw. Because it doesn’t melt when broiled, fried, or grilled, this block of semihard succulence delivers supreme satisfaction on both taste and texture counts. How? The Maillard reaction, the one created when heat hits proteins and their ilk, and whammo, countless new flavors are born, making your mouth and brain very happy.<br />
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If you slice the halloumi into 1/4-inch-thin rectangles (on the short side of the block), you can fry them over medium-high heat in a nonstick pan, à la Nigella, about 2–3 minutes per side. They should ooze their liquid and then brown a little. Check that they don’t get too brown and flip, browning the other side as well. Remove from heat and spread with a mixture of fig name and white-truffle honey. This pairs beautifully with the St. John Sour. If you don’t have white-truffle butter (and we don’t blame you if you don’t), you can use the fig jam alone, but it would benefit the pairing if you sprinkled on some chopped chives or a few thin slices of scallion greens. You can also make your own white truffle honey by mixing some white truffle oil into some thick honey, preferably natural, and combine thoroughly.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: large;"><b>Halloumi with Fig Jam and White Truffle Honey</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(adapted from recipes culled from <i>Nigella Bites</i> and <i>Feast</i>)</span><br />
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Ingredients<br />
1 8-ounce package halloumi<br />
2 tablespoons fig jam<br />
1 tablespoon white truffle honey<br />
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Method</div>
In a small bowl, mix the fig jam and white truffle honey thoroughly and set aside.<br />
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Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Remove halloumi from package and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rectangular slices (your rectangles should be about 1 x 2 inches, so make sure you slice along the shorter end). Add slices to frying pan, making sure not to crowd them (you may have to work in two or three batches depending on the size of your frying pan). Check your slices after 2–3 minutes. When they are golden brown in patches, flip and cook for another 2–3 minutes. remove from heat and arrange on a platter. With a spoon, add dollops of the jam mixture to the halloumi, or arrange the bowl next to the halloumi platter and allow your guests to take as much as they want. Serve with a St. John Sour or a St. John Paddy Sour, two cocktails we created using a very special Cypriot wine, commandaria.<br />
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Commandaria is a nutty port-like dessert wine that originated on the island of Cyprus and is the oldest-named wine still in production. It’s made from two types of grapes, Mavro and Xynestri, which are picked when they have overripened on the vines so that the sugar levels are high. After fermentation and the addition of neutral spirits, commandaria’s alcohol content lies somewhere between 15–20%. That’s especially good for when you want a second drink. And it mixes beautifully with citrus and other bold flavors like ginger. The commandaria shines in these two drinks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxU5qT9EpRJDLS6XRJAJmkkrHcicrrN6y9a1upCrKYaeE4VGAAF-RQRdnK5mSNj4pL0jA73XMBrhOh4ZslUyX2TwvYWV3cw5KKBK8oDS-LaGsHeQVfgwWifG4zKMvCFoeDN-E5alDxOGo/s1600/St.+John+Sour+2,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxU5qT9EpRJDLS6XRJAJmkkrHcicrrN6y9a1upCrKYaeE4VGAAF-RQRdnK5mSNj4pL0jA73XMBrhOh4ZslUyX2TwvYWV3cw5KKBK8oDS-LaGsHeQVfgwWifG4zKMvCFoeDN-E5alDxOGo/s1600/St.+John+Sour+2,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"><b>St. John Sour</b></span></span><br />
(created by Cocktail Buzz)<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces St. John Commandaria (Cypriot wine)<br />
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice<br />
1/2 ounce ginger syrup*<br />
soda<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake first three ingredients in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Top with soda. Stir. Add a lemon twist, if you’d like.<br />
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*Ginger Syrup<br />
(created by Cocktail Buzz)<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 piece of fresh ginger, about 8 inches<br />
2 cups of sugar <br />
2 cups of water <br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Wash then mandolin or thinly slice the ginger (no need to peel). In a medium saucepan combine sugar, water, and ginger. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Be careful not to bring to a roiling boil at this point as this will cause the syrup to harden. Allow to cool with ginger in syrup. Strain into jar. Press down on ginger to get all the syrup out. This keeps for about 1–2 weeks, and longer if you add a tablespoon of vodka or other spirit. <br />
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You might not think that Irish whiskey and Cypriot wine would go hand in hand, but when mixed with some lemon juice, this drink makes for a smooth ride.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #c27ba0; font-size: large;"><b>St. John Paddy Sour</b></span></span><br />
(created by Cocktail Buzz)<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces St. John Commandaria<br />
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice<br />
1/2 ounce Irish whiskey (Jameson)<br />
soda<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake first three ingredients in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Top with soda. Stir. Add a lemon twist, if you’d like.<br />
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❤ ❤ ❤<br />
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For our next cookbook challenge, we will explore Ina Garten’s <i>The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook</i> (we love this one) and Robert Carrier’s <i>Entertaining</i>, from 1978 (this one should be fun).</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">photos ©Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz</span>Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-74317020352672919452014-02-12T13:58:00.000-05:002014-02-12T14:04:37.066-05:0010 Microdistillers We Love, and So Should You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Three of these craft spirits made it to Thrillist’s top ten.</b></span></div>
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Recently Thrillist asked Cocktail Buzz to participate in a panel of booze-biz writers to name our favorite microdistillers. So we gave Thrillist staff writer Dan Gentile a ranked list of ten distillers with a short blurb about why each one is special.<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #e06666; font-weight: bold;"><b>New York Distilling.</b> </span>The Dorothy Parker American Gin is a favorite. Its botanical mix, which includes cinnamon and hibiscus, makes mixing easy. You can get a little more creative at the bar depending on what flavors you want to highlight in the gin. Or in a simple gin and tonic, in which you can detect the cinnamon. Fabulous in a <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2008/08/four-new-cocktails-inspired-by-classics.html" target="_blank">Gibson</a> or a <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/08/finding-just-right-mate-for-negroni.html" target="_blank">Negroni</a> with Punt e Mes vermouth.</li>
<li><span style="color: #e06666;"><b>Clear Creek Distillery.</b> </span>What’s not to love about Clear Creek? Clear Creek’s Pear Brandy has beguiled many of our guests, especially during the holidays. We adore it in <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2009/11/thanksgiving-simplified.html" target="_blank">The Wink</a>, a drink mixed with Moscato d’Asti and a little celery bitters. And if you want something that’ll blow your mind, look no further than its Douglas Fir eau de vie. It tastes exactly as you think it might.</li>
<li><span style="color: #e06666;"><b>Piedmont Distillers.</b> </span>We love the all-natural Catdaddy Spiced Moonshine for its flavor combo of nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. Perfect in a <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2012/05/catdaddy-spiced-moonshine-puts-us-in.html" target="_blank">Kitty Carlisle</a>. The Midnight Moon moonshine is smooth and is perfect for those who want to play with infusions—that is if you don’t already sip on one of their all-natural fruit and spice–infused moonshines.</li>
<li><b><span style="color: #e06666;">Philadelphia Distilling. </span></b>Bluecoat is an exceptional London dry gin. Our first whiff and sip beguiled us in a mere second. Organic juniper and organic citrus peels create an aroma and flavor that are one-of-a-kind and very complex. You may even want to sip this one on its own. Or try it in a <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2012/06/simplicity-of-preparing-warmed-olives.html" target="_blank">Vesper</a>.</li>
<li><span style="color: #e06666;"><b>Ransom Spirits.</b> </span>If you’ve never tasted Old Tom Gin, you’re in for a treat. Its subtle malty sweetness shines through any drink you mix it with, and it makes a righteous <a href="http://www.cocktailbuzz.com/Cocktail_Buzz/Buzzed/Entries/2009/11/9_The_French_75_%7B_paired_with_shrimp_cocktail_%7D.html" target="_blank">French 75</a>. We love the old-timey label.</li>
<li><span style="color: #e06666;"><b>Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery.</b> </span>This distillery’s eau de vie is delightful, but its American Fruit Bartlett Pear Liqueur and Sour Cherry cordials have kept us even more delighted when we need to add some fruit flavor to a cocktail we’re mixing up, such as in an <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/03/two-irish-whiskey-cocktail-recipes-for.html" target="_blank">Oh Pear</a> and Singapore Sling, respectively.</li>
<li><span style="color: #e06666;"><b>House Spirits Distillery.</b> </span>Those who have heard of aquavit, but haven’t taken the plunge yet, should start here if caraway is not their favorite flavor. Their Krogstad Aquavit has plenty of star anise to balance the bright bitterness of the caraway. Try it in a <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2009/12/inspiration-from-thanksgiving-leftovers.html" target="_blank">Fjord</a> Cocktail, perfect for a winter night by the fire.</li>
<li><b><span style="color: #e06666;">Greenhook Ginsmiths. </span></b>Besides its lovely American Dry Gin, Greenhook makes a Beach Plum Gin liqueur sure to rival any sloe gin, pacharan, or mirto. Over ice, with a splash of soda, and a lemon twist is all you need, plus a porch and some summertime weather.</li>
<li><span style="color: #e06666;"><b>North Shore Distillery.</b> </span>We love the idea of processing unique gins every year depending on what the spirits-geek couple who produce these gins decides goes into the mix. The aquavit is exceptional too, with cumin in the fore.</li>
<li><span style="color: #e06666;"><b>Haleakala Distillers.</b> </span>Aloha and a bottle of rum. Located on the slopes of Haleakala on one of the most beautiful places on Earth, this Maui distillery produces some amazing rums, ideal for sipping on the lanai near the beach, in a tiki drink, or just plain sipping with a splash of water if you live Upcountry.</li>
</ol>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And the winners are . . .</span></b></div>
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Here are Dan and Thrillist’s results for <a href="http://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/best-craft-spirits-thrillist-nation" target="_blank">The Best Craft Distillers in America.</a> Note that we did not include some of the distilleries that showed up in the final results because we did not perceive them as distillers, micro or otherwise. If we did, we definitely would have had a few of them on our list, most notably High West, Laird’s, Templeton, Death’s Door, and Whistle Pig.</div>
Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-61441719955824397802014-01-31T18:02:00.000-05:002014-09-07T14:57:24.016-04:00Growing Up in the Presence of Spirits<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXYRrB8IF3tjOVsPO83LgZ4Sd33sahIkifyJPbl3YEX6wnRH-khaXw05OTJOVum8k9D7mRS_pjLmkHlYYxI65aBY8DJACTQ9srClADj4jaYXVZEprarUS2K2J0YSgo3hFNRp8CHhVJWg/s1600/Buy+Now!,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXYRrB8IF3tjOVsPO83LgZ4Sd33sahIkifyJPbl3YEX6wnRH-khaXw05OTJOVum8k9D7mRS_pjLmkHlYYxI65aBY8DJACTQ9srClADj4jaYXVZEprarUS2K2J0YSgo3hFNRp8CHhVJWg/s1600/Buy+Now!,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" height="290" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>When should children learn about alcohol?</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #ea9999;">by Paul Zablocki</span></b><br />
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Having been on a month-long cleanse, I am ready to start drinking again. Not that I need a drink, but I do miss two aspects of the bibulous life. The first is the way alcohol makes me feel: more social, a little braver, a little sexier; the second involves the ritual of creating a cocktail and celebrating Happy Hour with my mate, sharing tales from the livelong day, while munching on small bites of umami goodness. This usually involves watching videos on one of our countless streaming devices. Although we may not be going out to a bar every night to get our buzz on, we are experiencing a sort of community, albeit a virtual one, by viewing the lives of those whose stories are digitized on the small screen. In that respect, alcohol brings us closer to the world and its inhabitants.<br />
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Say what you will, if it wasn’t for the communal and narcotic effects of hooch, we would have destroyed one another a long, long time ago, <i>we</i> being people in general. But that’s not to say that all aspects of drinking are healthy. On a societal level, yes; on a personal level, not so for everyone. My friend’s father, a man loved by all, basically drank himself to death: He suffered a stroke after the unfortunate demise of his first-born child, but it took years for the effects of alcohol abuse and the stroke to send him off to an eternal slumber. My friend can attest to the horrors of a life cut short by alcohol abuse filled with interminable bouts of depression.<br />
<br />
I am lucky. I do not possess any genes that make drinkers belligerent, or those that won’t a<span style="text-align: center;">llow the imbiber to stop until they think they’re the life of the party, a party that is unfortunately fun to no one else but the imbiber.</span><br />
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I got drunk twice as a pre-college teen. Very drunk. Both times I was in my parents’ house. The first time, they were away, and my brother, a senior in high school, and a star quarterback of the football team, decided we (read <i>he</i>) should throw a party. All I remember from that night is his loving placement of a bucket near my bed and, at one point, my stumbling to the bathroom and catching a glimpse of him making out on the living room couch with my best friend Donna. Whether they went all the way would remain a mystery to me until the next morning, but as you can imagine, I couldn’t care less. My head was pounding and my soul had been crushed by the spirit world, though I couldn’t tell you what spirits I even imbibed.<br />
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Of course as luck would have it, the neighbors spilled the beans. My parents must have been possessed by the soul of a new-age Catholic priest: mercifully, they proclaimed in hushed tones that I had learned my lesson. A hangover was punishment enough.<br />
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<br /></div>
The second time, it was my parents who decided to throw a party — a New Year’s Eve soiree — and Donna and her family were invited. Bottles of gorgeously gleaming alcohol festooned the kitchen counter, and when no one was looking, Donna and I indiscriminately poured ourselves about a half dozen stiff ones throughout the night. We mixed juniper-scented gin, peaty scotch, woodsy Tennessee whiskey, and whatever else we could lay our naive little paws on. If only my parents, or my brother, had warned me about the effects of mixing sprits. I suppose I had to learn at some point; why not in front of my parents and their bemused guests. Indeed, education does begin at home.<br />
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When college rolled around, I embraced my freedom with the fervency usually displayed by religious zealots at a revival. The first thing I thought as my parents pulled away from campus in their deep red Honda Accord was, “I can do whatever I want.” So, at every kegger I attended, I let the flagon flow judiciously into my big red cup. My goal, however, was not to get blotto; I just wanted to make some new friends. So I sipped, rather than guzzled, and never drank enough to get completely blitzed. After all, my memories of my drunken nights with Donna were not so distant. The one time I do remember stumbling like a Skid Row sot occurred at the professional theatre across the street from my dorm room. Harry Hamlin, who I secretly held a torch for after seeing him prance around practically naked in <i>Clash of the Titans</i>, was starring in an adaptation of <i>Doctor Faustus</i>. I was able to snag two tickets, so I brought a female friend with me, my freshman-year beard, if you will, and this gal from Texas, before we headed arm in arm to the show, presented me a fifth of Jim Beam and said, “Time to show me what a man you are.” I figured that being so brassy, and from Texas, she would be able to handle her liquor better than I, but as time would tell, she did not. Three shots and a First Act later, she fell face first into the aisle in front of the usher. Intermission would be more challenging than the Elizabethan dialogue. (Harry, by the way, did not disappoint.)<br />
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As my time as an undergrad came to an end, and I entered the 9-to-5 “workforce” (a most soul-sucking force if ever there was one), I refined my taste for Tennessee whiskey and bourbon, then discovered rye while doing a grad-school stint in Pittsburgh. Cocktails, like Manhattans and Old-Fashioneds, gleefully washed over my taste buds and sparked a life-long devotion. Aged charred-oak flavor could have become my downfall, but I learned how to pace myself, like a runner in a long-distance race. Water rehydrates, and as I sipped my drink, I always had a glass of iced tap at the ready to prevent a nasty hangover. My goal as a drinker was to relax and be merry, not get wasted, and I would sometimes pity my friends who did not understand, or could not because of a genetic disposition, that drinking should not be a contest, but an ultimately peace-producing pursuit.<br />
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So now I ask the question, “How young is too young for kids to learn about alcohol?” One thing is for certain: Kids need first to understand the deleterious effects of drinking or else they will be doomed. And clearly no one wants a doomed child.<br />
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Both my parents were in their early twenties when I was born. As you can imagine, they were still in “party” mode, probably because there seemed to be multitudes of other young couples on the block who also shared a penchant for punch- and cocktail-filled nights, and silly parlor games that relied on the effects of inebriation. Thus, looking back, alcohol was always present in the house. When we were younger than high-school age, my brother and I just knew not to drink it,or we’d give ourselves away by becoming silly and smelling boozy. Although I have to admit, I loved the smell of alcohol, particularly cocktails. Some of my first olfactory memories are of whiskey sours being made in the rec room, as my parents mixed these delightfully citrus-redolent concoctions atop the hi-lo shag-carpeted bar they had fashioned. Overstock pantry items were stored behind the bar, and I always volunteered retrieving one of them for my mother, for behind the shaggy bar lived an array of little nips, these one-and-a-half-ounce colorful, sometimes oddly shaped bottles of spirits and liqueurs. I would stare at them and admire the way the light shone through them, particularly the brightly hued ones. My favorite was Galliano. It tapered to an almost point, like a tower, and glowed neon yellow, like one of my fluorescent crayons. These bottles became soldiers, waging wars on a battlefield of vinyl countertop, bordered by thick tan naugahyde edging. If the troops needed refreshments, a two-foot-tall pump bottle of Smirnoff that stood regally next to the fridge provided that extra jolt of bravado my little soldiers needed to blaze on. I wouldn’t fully depress the pump for fear my parents would discover some missing hooch, but I do remember at one point placing my little hand gently on the pump, pressing ever so slightly, with my other hand ready to collect any liquid that might dribble out. When a few drops landed on my palm, I sniffed it and immediately thought it was rubbing alcohol. Unconvinced that it was, I tasted it. The burn was so intense I vowed I would never press that pump again.<br />
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I never had to demystify the adult world of alcohol, and I think this has a lot to do with my respect for it. Although they were strict, and I was taught not to hang with the “bad” crowd, my parents never shielded me from it. I was even allowed to take a sip of beer every now and then (not to mention my grandmother feeding me a mixture of Southern Comfort, honey, and hot water when I was sick and left in her charge—I loathed the burn but loved the flavor). As I transitioned from tweenhood to adolescence, they always said, “If you are going to drink, we would rather have you drink at home.” I always felt that behind the invitation was a veiled threat. What I understood them to really be saying was “We don’t want you to drink.” And besides, who really wants to have a drink with one’s parents? Nevertheless, when I did take them up on their request that fateful New Year’s Eve, and tested the boundaries by drinking at home, they did not judge me, and for this I was grateful.<br />
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The French have been known to serve their children a little wine with dinner, usually starting at age twelve. Some people say that introducing children to alcohol before they are emotionally and physically mature enough to handle it might be good. But recent studies in France have shown that there is a rise in teen alcohol dependency. I suppose that when something is so engrained in one’s culture, most parents just pour wine for the kids without discussing the ramifications of tippling. (Or if they do, it may be the grandparents who undermine the parents’ warnings and are much more lax in their approach.) Remember, education begins at home, so I would proffer that when parents school their kids in the art of the tipple, they need to do much, much more than just decant and serve. Some tough love seems completely appropriate. Kids soak up all they see and hear like thirsty sponges. We must keep the dialogue open, but be strict and enforce boundaries.<br />
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When we throw a party and friends bring their kids along, we make sure we have mocktails waiting for them. After all, they are our guests. Just because they cannot yet imbibe alcohol, why shouldn’t they have a special drink, made exclusively for them. Also, we don’t want them to get too curious about what Mommy and Daddy are drinking. So, some ginger ale and mango juice, with a maraschino cherry and an orange slice, on the rocks, usually does the trick. To make it even more special, we add a fun swizzle stick. (We keep a double shot glass filled with them just for this occasion.) Telling them it’s special has the magical properties of making it special. Figurative becomes literal in the minds of children.<br />
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Our friends Monica and Matt are the parents of two bright and creative children, Frances and Cole. When they visit, or thank us for a little gift, they draw lovely pictures of whatever’s on their minds. Frances has cottoned to the fact that Steve, my partner, and and I are in the cocktail biz. Over the years she has drawn us some hilarious pictures of cartoon characters extolling the virtues of cocktails, including Santa Claus and a buzzing bee (which is our logo/avatar). They are very telling and show a preternatural understanding of the drinking life. See for yourself and let me know what you think.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7ehFbo7Bmy2WPGI7wRjVAS_F-bmjeN8h6JydXKTaAOcgb2jLHfqfLK7S7zOXIFlLRn8KrZmJi6saDJUDJuRe66izh-JKVDIZjPxO8JrlZre166QmUptGiQIYYNA3zDSTt6wHXDcEkns/s1600/Cocktail+Buzz+This+Is+My+BFF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7ehFbo7Bmy2WPGI7wRjVAS_F-bmjeN8h6JydXKTaAOcgb2jLHfqfLK7S7zOXIFlLRn8KrZmJi6saDJUDJuRe66izh-JKVDIZjPxO8JrlZre166QmUptGiQIYYNA3zDSTt6wHXDcEkns/s1600/Cocktail+Buzz+This+Is+My+BFF.jpeg" height="640" width="481" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: small;"><i><b>“This Is My BFF!”</b></i> by Frances</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRMC7BZ8YQXTnZSuQmrwYXpVHjKXlM1pFcdRyXEv_OQMp8ZWqIGd8oU9zpOrpvsx537F7MYkMCal8j1dyrGaVOAvrHghHaqQgdpESJ0vgtyMSlhoHr-2AismcSk6G7ynOdRMuaysXAxs/s1600/Cocktail+Buzz+Yumm!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRMC7BZ8YQXTnZSuQmrwYXpVHjKXlM1pFcdRyXEv_OQMp8ZWqIGd8oU9zpOrpvsx537F7MYkMCal8j1dyrGaVOAvrHghHaqQgdpESJ0vgtyMSlhoHr-2AismcSk6G7ynOdRMuaysXAxs/s1600/Cocktail+Buzz+Yumm!.jpg" height="307" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: small;"><b><i>“Yumm!”</i></b> by Frances</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-3032488038635275822013-12-31T19:22:00.001-05:002022-02-06T15:16:39.116-05:00Cocktail Buzz Favorite Things of 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKa9PxMUXZrBdf8nSOaPQjA7gib4JuegrBtJAQTE-1dZtdJSwZbWk-hz8MvI7pCRo_rVLvwkEyWNBIcL7ILBjONRdvM_eTRTwKKvH49pmqOktYE6A9SoVtfdU9Vg0adRIvICyOPSiesA/s1600/69+Cocktail+with+Lamb+Chops+and+Stuffed+Mushrooms,+from+The+Way+We+Ate,+cocktail+Buzz.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKa9PxMUXZrBdf8nSOaPQjA7gib4JuegrBtJAQTE-1dZtdJSwZbWk-hz8MvI7pCRo_rVLvwkEyWNBIcL7ILBjONRdvM_eTRTwKKvH49pmqOktYE6A9SoVtfdU9Vg0adRIvICyOPSiesA/s400/69+Cocktail+with+Lamb+Chops+and+Stuffed+Mushrooms,+from+The+Way+We+Ate,+cocktail+Buzz.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: 85%;">Look for our Cheddar and Caramelized–Stuffed Mushrooms recipe below.</span></b></div>
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Since everyone had decided to become a foodie in 2012, we made a conscious decision at the beginning of 2013 to savor rather than blog, tweet, facebook, and instagram every waking moment of our bibulous and culinary exploits. After six years, we needed to find out if we truly enjoyed the Cocktail Buzz experience, or if we were just going through the motions. As a result of this decision, we blogged, tweeted, facebooked, and instagrammed with less frequency, but that forced us to pick and choose those occasions where our lips and gullets were most pleasantly pleased or delectably delighted.</div>
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But we still continued to question ourselves. What were our motives for making kimchee from scratch or infusing white whiskey with gentian-laced crème de violette to make a florally bitter tincture? We looked for insight from everyone, and from every shared happy hour and meal together.<br />
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The epiphany happened just a week or so ago when our friend Evangeline asked Paul point blank, “What job would you do if you could do any job in the world?” “Recipe development” was the quick response. Steve agreed. For us, there is nothing more satisfying than to be surrounded by an arsenal of utensils and gadgets, all eagerly waiting their chance to have a go at bottles and boxes of promise. And, in the battlefield that is our wee kitchen, we thank the gods that, even though the two of us barely fit only with the proper geometric skirmish, we can comfort ourselves with the knowledge that our appliances comprise a perfect triangulated pathway connecting our sink, range, and fridge.<br />
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Regardless of the size of your workspace, you must instill a sense of play and adventure. When you give yourself license to play freely, nothing is so precious as to become weighed down by vainglory. You tend to shrug at the losses and smile when there are victories; you learn, and that is what life is all about. You rediscover your love for shaking and stirring, simmering and sautéing.<br />
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Culling from every lip-smacking experience we shared this year was not as difficult as we had thought. We agreed that spirits, liqueurs, books, movies, and recipes we returned to more than once — those things that contained multitudes of layers — would make the cut. In no particular order, here are some of our favorite things of 2013.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>1. </i>Favorite Books</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">The Drunken Botanist</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCie3VZSiUkl7RfFbl1vgePJshRrII17RC953W-tarO4Q7A-dBlRv2FgClbfRL2YKvRzgOa6Z5bWXvQZFdhIHvqf_u8-UM5r83rvqmUq_ULY6KpNWL5ARha3-2KMeUI2lHpi_rY9zR20/s1600/Drunken-Botanist-Cover-low-res.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCie3VZSiUkl7RfFbl1vgePJshRrII17RC953W-tarO4Q7A-dBlRv2FgClbfRL2YKvRzgOa6Z5bWXvQZFdhIHvqf_u8-UM5r83rvqmUq_ULY6KpNWL5ARha3-2KMeUI2lHpi_rY9zR20/s200/Drunken-Botanist-Cover-low-res.jpg" width="138" /></a>Critics, bartenders, and foodies praised The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart, and you should too. Written in a fun and easy, approachable manner, this book celebrates and limns in great detail “The Plants That Create the World’s Great Drink,” the book’s subtitle. Filled with recipes, lore, science, and anecdotes, The Drunken Botanist will satisfy the science-loving child in those who paid attention in school, to those who want to know why allspice seeds won’t germinate from simply planting them (they “must pass through the body of a fruit-eating bat, a baldpate pigeon, or some other local bird”). It will inspire the home mixologist to start infusing spirits and sourcing unusual products, such as sorghum syrup, used in the following recipe, named after a popular sweet sorghum cultivar, which the author describes as “dessert in a glass.”<br />
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<b><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #ffd966; font-size: large;">Honey Drip</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(from <i>The Drunken Botanist</i> by Amy Stewart)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1/2 ounce sorghum syrup<br />
1 1/2 ounces bourbon (or if you don’t like bourbon, try it with dark rum)<br />
1/2 ounce amaretto<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Because sorghum syrup can be too thick to easily pour or measure, try spooning it into a measuring cup and heating it in the microwave for 10 seconds with a very small amount of water, just enough to make it easy to poor. (Alternatively, drop a dollop of the syrup in the cocktail shaker and hope for the best.) Shake all the ingredients over ice and serve in a cocktail glass.<br />
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<span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">Old Mr. Boston Official Bartenders’s Guide ©1935</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGB8jUx7tTjOdTnQ6KzeNaI-i49t4R_LnWwcVjoz70c4VRkdotp1YaN-VmwhoQsCb3OPgdrwanLKYWZBiFrtOCRELe0bbajd_wXB4TxLEGXdgejHL6ZwK6l26-M6c4bDti2PCo15ZQTgg/s1600/Old+Mr.+Boston+Official+Bartender%2527s+Guide+1935%252C+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGB8jUx7tTjOdTnQ6KzeNaI-i49t4R_LnWwcVjoz70c4VRkdotp1YaN-VmwhoQsCb3OPgdrwanLKYWZBiFrtOCRELe0bbajd_wXB4TxLEGXdgejHL6ZwK6l26-M6c4bDti2PCo15ZQTgg/s200/Old+Mr.+Boston+Official+Bartender%2527s+Guide+1935%252C+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" width="130" /></a>Paul’s Mom has a friend named Janet who happened to come across an almost 80-year-old copy of a familiar friend to many home bartenders, the Mr. Boston Guide. We were thrilled when she deemed it necessary that we have it. This is our third copy (the others are from 1988 and 1968 — the 1968 copy coming from Marie, another of Mom’s friends!!), and we just love it. Filled with period ads for Mr. Boston products, it’s set up in the format of another famous bar guide, The Savoy Cocktail Book. The measurements are mostly in proportions, instead of precise ounce measurements (cocktails were smaller back then as any Nick and Nora movie can attest to), such as 1/2 Italian Vermouth and 1/2 Old Mr. Boston Dry Gin, which is the recipe for a Gypsy Cocktail. Just substitute your favorite London dry gin.<br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #ffd966; font-size: large;"><b>Gypsy Cocktail</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(from <i>Old Mr. Boston Official Bartenders Guide</i>)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1/2 Italian [sweet] Vermouth<br />
1/2 Old Mr. Boston Dry Gin<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir well with ice and strain into 3 oz. Cocktail glass. Serve with a Cherry.<br />
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<span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">The Way We Ate</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hLFSfKM7DRsgfdhAsXXHZAkgdKF5s-uCbxarg_4RrBFY6dERJh2V-AN9yfZh9P_l0Xn57J_Kvv-ct9aWtZaeSE0GTyfytIxgpVsvzRNNTHitJ4LKT5g5AY9Q11xS-pvL02te-4NSpWI/s1600/The+Way+We+Te,+Cocktail+Buzz.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hLFSfKM7DRsgfdhAsXXHZAkgdKF5s-uCbxarg_4RrBFY6dERJh2V-AN9yfZh9P_l0Xn57J_Kvv-ct9aWtZaeSE0GTyfytIxgpVsvzRNNTHitJ4LKT5g5AY9Q11xS-pvL02te-4NSpWI/s200/The+Way+We+Te,+Cocktail+Buzz.png" width="144" /></a>Subtitled “100 Chefs Celebrate a Century at the American Table,” this lovingly curated cookbook from photographers Noah Fecks and Paul Wagtouicz pairs chef’s recipes with years from the twentieth century. We represent 1969 and developed a cocktail with two side dishes using the Stonewall Riots as a jumping off point. Try our <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2013/10/imbibe-69-cocktail-with-pride.html" target="_blank">’69 Cocktail</a> paired with lamb chops with mint gremolata and some cheddar and caramelized–stuffed mushrooms. We served the cocktails and the mushrooms to our families on Christmas Eve. They were gone in three minutes. [<a href="http://pages.simonandschuster.com/wayweate" target="_blank">Buy the book</a>]<br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #ffd966; font-size: large;"><b>Cheddar and Caramelized Onion–Stuffed Mushrooms</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz for <i>The Way We Ate</i> by Noah Fecks and Paul Wagtouicz)</span><br />
<br />
The savoriness of these ingredients combined creates an explosion of umami on first bite. Pairing it with a 69 Cocktail coaxes out even more flavors.<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 tablespoons unsalted butter<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 large yellow onion, sliced<br />
1 pound button mushrooms (smaller ones are better)<br />
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce<br />
2 tablespoons brandy or cognac<br />
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch-thick 1-inch squares<br />
1/4 ounce Parmesan cheese<br />
Finishing salt, such as Maldon<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover a baking pan with parchment paper, then place a wire cooking rack atop the paper.<br />
<br />
Heat the 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and slowly cook until caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Reduce the heat if the onion starts to brown too quickly.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, remove and discard stems from the mushrooms. Wash the mushroom caps and set aside.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ikdkyr-rELuKZtuTKbbSFCOZCar_aiu4fXNVFLlk143qzcEkwQ3-z2KTI83qPj_ORnXbQNxutNfRCAdOIOfYQNLmHGMrV0c6TMhbtcOQseT8dXqASSOonpZ8QDYQfh8tWaadybyZEUo/s1600/69+Cocktail+with+lamb+chops+and+stuffed+mushrooms%252C+Cocktail+Buzz%252C+photo+by+Noah+Fecks+and+Paul+Wagtouicz+from+The+Way+We+Ate.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ikdkyr-rELuKZtuTKbbSFCOZCar_aiu4fXNVFLlk143qzcEkwQ3-z2KTI83qPj_ORnXbQNxutNfRCAdOIOfYQNLmHGMrV0c6TMhbtcOQseT8dXqASSOonpZ8QDYQfh8tWaadybyZEUo/s200/69+Cocktail+with+lamb+chops+and+stuffed+mushrooms%252C+Cocktail+Buzz%252C+photo+by+Noah+Fecks+and+Paul+Wagtouicz+from+The+Way+We+Ate.jpg" width="151" /></a>When the onion has caramelized, add the Worcestershire and brandy. Simmer for a minute, making sure to deglaze the pan. Transfer the onion to a plate or bowl, and set aside. Add the mushroom caps to the skillet, top with a lid, and heat on low for 2 to 3 minutes, flipping once, until the mushrooms soften slightly. Drain any excess water from the mushrooms, and place top down on the rack. Gently press 1 square of Cheddar into each cap. (You may have to cut the cheese into smaller pieces depending on size of the caps.) Top the cheddar with a generous dollop of the onion mixture, then a little piece or two of Parmesan. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Rem<span style="text-align: center;">ove and transfer the mushrooms to a plate. Sprinkle with finishing salt. Serve immediately.</span><br />
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[Makes about 2 dozen, depending on the size of the mushrooms.]<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">photo © Noah Fecks and Paul Wagtouicz</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>2. </i>Cloud Atlas</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFf_mzglGBEuwfMBRfipfhcZjWeKxhyphenhyphenElym21VlAtu1ioQSW2axqgp7t8FrlXTi3cppbZ9ALrVY0tfNqtGvAV8opIgIqqWtIgnZMLGmT1VVz9VJTsiSYkWqBt6hDe-xh0ZOt17toWKB8/s1600/Cloud+Atlas,+Cocktail+Buzz.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFf_mzglGBEuwfMBRfipfhcZjWeKxhyphenhyphenElym21VlAtu1ioQSW2axqgp7t8FrlXTi3cppbZ9ALrVY0tfNqtGvAV8opIgIqqWtIgnZMLGmT1VVz9VJTsiSYkWqBt6hDe-xh0ZOt17toWKB8/s400/Cloud+Atlas,+Cocktail+Buzz.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Okay, officially the movie <i>Cloud Atlas</i> came out in 2012, but we didn’t watch it until 2013, and boy, what a movie. Spanning six different time periods ranging from the nineteenth to the twenty-fourth centuries, imdb.com describes this tour de force as “[a]n exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution.” The six interconnected story lines suggest we are all connected, just by being. At times funny, poignant, and harrowing, this mind-fuck of a flic will keep you glued to your seat for its entire 2 hours and 51 minutes. Do watch the credits; you will see how all of the main actors played multiple roles, one in each time period, with the help of makeup, prosthetics, and, of course, great acting. We loved it so much we had to watch it twice. (We even bought the book by David Mitchell.) <br />
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>3. </i>Organic and Non-GMO Food</span></b><br />
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The following edict may seem mean, but it comes from a place of tough love: Stop eating processed food! Well, it’s nearly impossible to stop eating it altogether, but maybe start by not shoveling it down your throats all day. That’s what we have been saying for years, and it’s finally taken the courage of well-intentioned whistle-blowers to get the word out. GMO stands for genetically modified organisms, meaning scientists have fucked with the DNA in certain plants so that foodstuffs travel better, have a longer shelf life, and someone gets richer along the way.<br />
<br />
Food that is organic is not, by law, genetically modified. The corn, soybeans, and sugar beets that are in everything are genetically modified (thanks Monsanto), and many current scientific studies think that the allergies that are pervading our lives are caused by such GMO food. Want to feel better, don’t eat the crap. Want to live longer, don’t eat the crap. Basically pay attention to what you choose to eat and make informed decisions.<br />
<br />
Now that we got that off our chests, we will continue with our regularly scheduled program.<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>4. </i>The Manhattan Cocktail and All Its Variations</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1kwOzxuOLJBt8WScitHR6qz8fZk5RUph0dUfRgNOgdhXxMCUQCyktvGJi1W6HiJEWgh4cMybBNXONJOmOOOq0kiLIP86dll_mDp8Rnn7O3zvukw6eaKpuRyAmEsue-_bNHdPmoc9qaE/s1600/Saratoga+cocktail+with+bacon+wrapped+dates+with+cheese%252C+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1kwOzxuOLJBt8WScitHR6qz8fZk5RUph0dUfRgNOgdhXxMCUQCyktvGJi1W6HiJEWgh4cMybBNXONJOmOOOq0kiLIP86dll_mDp8Rnn7O3zvukw6eaKpuRyAmEsue-_bNHdPmoc9qaE/s200/Saratoga+cocktail+with+bacon+wrapped+dates+with+cheese%252C+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" width="200" /></a>Looking back on 2013, we realized that the cocktail we drank the most was indeed our fave, the Manhattan. Although the basic formula of 2:1 whiskey to sweet vermouth, with a dash of bitters, is our go-to recipe, we have made countless variations, using obscure and well-known liquors, quinquinas, tinctures, vermouths, cordials, and bitters. Besides our love for the burnished, caramelized, woody flavors inherent in American whiskeys such as rye and bourbon, perhaps it is the Manhattan’s simple elegance that beguiles us time and time again. Here are two variations you may enjoy.<br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #ffd966; font-size: large;"><b>The Boulevardier</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(adapted by Toby Cecchini, the guy who made the Cosmopolitan famous)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces rye or bourbon<br />
1 ounce Campari<br />
1 ounce sweet vermouth<br />
lemon twist<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or coupe. Add lemon twist.<br />
<br />
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #ffd966; font-size: large;"><b>Saratoga</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 ounce rye<br />
1 ounce cognac or brandy<br />
1 ounce sweet vermouth<br />
2 dashes Angostura bitters<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or coupe.<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>5. </i>Christmas in New York</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3xcRbFaERDX9gH7-xOw1OVAjJqnFLnyuwE5F170NXu7Eo4oX0d9SL-pNpJmSTO9kDUqEFd7kfRnpGIaPMgcMSiIme4jTFX_ANh2GXqjsa13tMs1VWWznfSAf_SKlubDD_9CJ84wgEag/s1600/Holiday+Christmas+Elf%252C+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3xcRbFaERDX9gH7-xOw1OVAjJqnFLnyuwE5F170NXu7Eo4oX0d9SL-pNpJmSTO9kDUqEFd7kfRnpGIaPMgcMSiIme4jTFX_ANh2GXqjsa13tMs1VWWznfSAf_SKlubDD_9CJ84wgEag/s200/Holiday+Christmas+Elf%252C+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" width="150" /></a>We finally broke down and stayed in New York City this Christmas, uniting our families for an extravaganza of food, flavor, and fun. Neither of us had ever spent the Holidays in NYC, or Brooklyn to be exact, so we decided that if not now, then when? Our goal: to feed and inebriate up to twenty people on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day without stressing too much about it. How did we manage that, you ask? Two things are required: prepare most of it ahead of time, and don’t fret if you forget the cherries and onions for the cocktails.<br />
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Our main course on Christmas Eve proved to be simple and sumptuous: Martha Stewart’s recipe for <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/338818/beef-tenderloin-with-shallot-mustard-sau" target="_blank">Beef Tenderloin with Shallot Mustard Sauce</a>; our Christmas day main was less formal but equally as tender and savory: Hawaiian Pulled Pork. The pulled pork was a blessing: we made it two days before and just heated it up, served with mini soft dinner rolls. Here’s the recipe.<br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #ffd966; font-size: large;"><b>Hawaiian Pulled Pork</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
6-pound pork shoulder (or just the Boston butt) (plus or minus a pound is fine)<br />
1 medium onion, chopped<br />
2 tablespoon olive oil<br />
<br />
<u>Dry rub</u>:<br />
1/2 cup light brown sugar<br />
1 tablespoon li hing mui powder, also called just li hing powder (don’t know of any substitutes, so if you do not have, just eliminate)<br />
1 tablespoon ‘alaea salt (you can substitute any sea salt)<br />
1/2 tablespoon gochugaru powder (you can substitute any hot chile pepper powder)<br />
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<u>Wet mix</u>:<br />
20-ounce can pineapple chunks in juice (not syrup)<br />
1 mango, diced<br />
1 garlic clove, minced<br />
1/2–1 tablespoon ume plum vinegar (you can substitute apple cider vinegar, or any other, since the amount is so small)<br />
1 teaspoon soy sauce<br />
1 nob fresh galangal, minced (with juice) (you can find at Kalustyan’s in NYC or substitute fresh ginger)<br />
juice of 1 lime<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Preheat oven to 350ºF, adjusted for middle rack. Trim skin and excess fat off pork shoulder, but not all the fat. Rub with dry rub, working into flaps, folds, and crevices. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven. Sear meat, approximately 2–3 minutes each side. Brown sugar will begin to bubble and blacken on bottom, so keep a watchful eye. Add onions. Cook for a minute. Add wet mix, making sure some is on top of shoulder. Lay aluminum foil over the pot so it drapes a little over the edges, for a better seal. Cover with lid, tightly. Cook for 3 1/2 hours, flipping shoulder every hour. When done, remove from oven, remove lid, and shred with 2 forks. (Careful, it’s very hot.) Remove bone and anything gristly. Serve with dinner rolls.<br />
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❤ ❤ ❤</div>
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Remember to enjoy the experience. Sometimes tweeting that cocktail pic is <i>part</i> of the experience, just don’t make it <i>the</i> experience. Share the moment, followed perhaps by a smile.Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-65560042304934883732013-11-24T13:13:00.001-05:002013-11-24T13:13:19.354-05:00LEAF and Chopin Vodkas Express Themselves This Holiday Season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbvlx1xAiP3tP-jcj-t5p6Q37TMxqc6DtBQCbb9rgC_D4xgnQsu5iIgYNRuVbIdtjPgrKTsn6OpgrmKpFV2LA8Bm5qbjM5rRaYxBAwQpkG8aOEGZ4O4ISoqnlicjd0VuS4FG5mZkbmkg/s1600/Leaf+Vodka+NYC+launch,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbvlx1xAiP3tP-jcj-t5p6Q37TMxqc6DtBQCbb9rgC_D4xgnQsu5iIgYNRuVbIdtjPgrKTsn6OpgrmKpFV2LA8Bm5qbjM5rRaYxBAwQpkG8aOEGZ4O4ISoqnlicjd0VuS4FG5mZkbmkg/s400/Leaf+Vodka+NYC+launch,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime; font-size: 85%;">LEAF Vodka greets us with a stunning view of Lower Manhattan.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>LEAF Vodka</u></b></span><br />
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Sometimes putting aside ones prejudices and saying yes to something that normally we would not give a second thought to can be a good thing. Take for instance a few weeks ago. We were invited to a vodka tasting at a location that promised a nonpareil view of the city. Being suckers for a grand view, and some sips of free booze, we decided to accept LEAF Vodka’s invitation to attend its NYC launch in the sky. We are happy to report that both the view and the vodka were breathtaking.<br />
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Since vodka is made up of mostly water, the folks at LEAF Vodka decided to focus on that one ingredient in its two expressions, and this proves to offer rewards most satisfying. LEAF’s solution is to the point: Make vodka using better water, but at an affordable price. So while the bottle will only set you back a little more that $15, you can relax and focus more on the content. Clean, pristine water can be found throughout the globe, and LEAF decided to focus its quest in the United States.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzuExWYCFRU9HpLXwCwt2x6ACpUaYYhg-5KizaFPCGQjDyiOaxdBOMgsZSQA05Hw8FRbAqTz7G8K7hyphenhyphenGja3DCp3XQ1SROCne8nZrvp2tzTomZmh8TzY5WrPQKynWGyCaEmfyGW4dp6dvc/s1600/LEAF+Vodka,+Cocktail+Buzz.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzuExWYCFRU9HpLXwCwt2x6ACpUaYYhg-5KizaFPCGQjDyiOaxdBOMgsZSQA05Hw8FRbAqTz7G8K7hyphenhyphenGja3DCp3XQ1SROCne8nZrvp2tzTomZmh8TzY5WrPQKynWGyCaEmfyGW4dp6dvc/s400/LEAF+Vodka,+Cocktail+Buzz.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime; font-size: 85%;">LEAF Vodka’s two expressions: green for Alaskan Glacial Water Vodka and Blue for Rocky Mountain Mineral Water Vodka.</span></b></div>
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First try the Rocky Mountain Mineral Water Vodka. This will taste most traditional to vodka aficionados; it is smooth and has a hint of natural mineral sweetness that occurs from aeons-old water trickling through layers and layers of stone. It is a true delight and will mix up well in a variety of traditional vodka cocktails. Try the Rocky Cucumber <span style="font-size: x-small;">[SEE RECIPE BELOW]</span>, which is a riff on a classic Gimlet.<br />
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The other expression is distilled from the water of four glaciers that wends its way down Alaskan mountains into Blue Lake. We were floored by how different this expression tasted compared to the Rocky Mountain version. A little smoother and a little sweeter, you begin to wonder whether or not some sugar was added to the distillate, sort of the way some sugar is added to Champagne to alter its sweetness. But rest assured, there is no additive. It is pure and simple and exquisite. Try it in a Pink Glacier <span style="font-size: x-small;">[SEE RECIPE BELOW]</span>, a variation of the classic Cosmopolitan. You’ll swear there’s no alcohol in the drink at all (until of course you start to feel a little giddy).<br />
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<b><span style="color: deeppink; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pink Glacier</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by LEAF Vodka)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces LEAF Vodka made from Alaskan Glacial Water<br />
1 ounce lime juice<br />
3/4 ounce simple syrup<br />
3/4 ounce pink grapefruit juice<br />
1/2 ounce cranberry juice<br />
1 lime wedge<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
In a cocktail shaker, combine grapefruit juice, lime juice, simple syrup, vodka, and ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Add cranberry juice for color. Garnish with a lime.<br />
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<span style="color: yellowgreen; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Rocky Cucumber</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by LEAF Vodka)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces LEAF Vodka made from Rocky Mountain Mineral Water<br />
1 ounce lime juice<br />
3/4 ounce simple syrup<br />
4 cucumber slices<br />
3 dashes hot pepper sauce<br />
club soda<br />
ice<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
In a cocktail shaker, muddle 3 cucumber slices, hot pepper sauce, lime juice, simple syrup, and vodka. Shake and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Top off with soda. Garnish with a cucumber slice and an extra dash of hot pepper sauce.<br />
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❤ ❤ ❤</div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>Chopin Vodka</u></b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWsxDzIqqzRzIvmq0KjHaVt4s_c9YCyYcUZO3KzaKI7NzarpsDLfDS37_5ioUbt6W2mZnNKTUdG1eopkvXeR9wdVQ2ffqak-kExwdX2oncEwsLrU0Rcd4xEtVKdWUgS0bliK94C1UelQ/s1600/Wheat,+Potato,+Rye+Chopin+Vodka,+Cocktail+Buzz.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWsxDzIqqzRzIvmq0KjHaVt4s_c9YCyYcUZO3KzaKI7NzarpsDLfDS37_5ioUbt6W2mZnNKTUdG1eopkvXeR9wdVQ2ffqak-kExwdX2oncEwsLrU0Rcd4xEtVKdWUgS0bliK94C1UelQ/s200/Wheat,+Potato,+Rye+Chopin+Vodka,+Cocktail+Buzz.png" width="109" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Wheat, Potato and Rye<br />
Chopin Vodkas</span></b></td></tr>
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They used to say in an old commercial, “When it rains, it pours.” Well, it’s been pouring vodka recently at Cocktail Buzz. We were very curious about all the different expressions of Chopin, the famous Polish vodka named after one of the greatest composers of piano music, so we sampled all three of its expressions, each distilled from a different plant: potato, rye, and wheat.<br />
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If you ask, most people will tell you that vodka is distilled from potatoes. But really, vodka can be distilled from any plant, and the distinguishing characteristics of each distillation will taste different from one to the next.<br />
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Trying the potato vodka reminded us of being reunited with an old friend. Its taste is traditional, smooth and creamy, with a slight sweetness that plays pleasantly with your taste buds. Chopin (the distiller, not the composer) suggests you pair it with a dirty martini when eating a classic steak. Try the Chopin Extra Olives “CEO” Martini <span style="font-size: x-small;">[SEE RECIPE BELOW]</span>. You’ll notice that not a trace of dry vermouth is present. Why? Well, we’re certain the people at Chopin know full well that dry vermouth and vodka do not make a good match, and, after all, they want you to enjoy the vodka, not a vodka that tastes of dry vermouth. We couldn’t agree more.<br />
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Next up was the rye vodka. After sipping it, we immediately looked at each other in disbelief. How could this vodka taste so different from the potato one? Its flavor spicier and less sweet and smooth. Intrigued, we looked to see what Chopin suggested making with it. The Chopin Splash <span style="font-size: x-small;">[SEE RECIPE BELOW] </span>is simple enough to make year-round, and Chopin suggests pairing rye vodka cocktails with a red-sauce pasta dish. Give it a whirl and see what you think.<br />
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Following that, we tried the wheat vodka, which turned out to be the most different vodka we had ever tasted. Its taste and consistency were like water-thinned honey, so we decided that this would be the perfect vodka for those who are uninitiated in the world of mixology and spirits, and would like to dabble without the fear of alcohol-burn. Chopin suggests pairing this expression of vodka with roasted chicken. Try it with the Chopin Bohemian Luxury <span style="font-size: x-small;">[SEE RECIPE BELOW].</span><br />
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Of course, no holiday season is complete without a spirited cocktail, so the fine folks at Chopin have created a Christmas Cosmopolitan using the potato vodka, a cocktail that is sure to make you happy, before, during, or after a few hour of caroling, or perhaps shopping for the perfect cocktail shaker set for your office Secret Santa. And despite its moniker, we’re certain you can imbibe a few during Thanksgivukkah this Thursday. L’chaim.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christmas Cosmopolitan</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">(created by Chopin Vodka)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces Chopin Potato Vodka<br />
3/4 ounce mulled cranberry juice *<br />
1/2 ounce lemon juice<br />
dash of Grand Marnier<br />
a 3-clove–studded orange twist<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake all ingredients with cubed ice<br />
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* Heat cranberry juice with 2 crushed cloves; add nutmeg, cinnamon, and almonds to taste. Allow to cool and infuse. Sieve the juice and use accordingly.<br />
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Chopin Bohemian Luxury</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Chopin Vodka)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces Chopin Wheat Vodka<br />
1 ounce pineapple juice<br />
1/2 Chambord (raspberry liqueur)<br />
5 large ice cubes<br />
1 ounce Moët & Chandon Nectar Impérial Rosé<br />
orchid, as garnish<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake first three ingredients in ice. Strain into a chilled Champagne flute. Top with Moët & Chandon Nectar Impérial Rosé. Garnish with orchid.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Chopin Splash</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Chopin Vodka)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces Chopin Rye Vodka<br />
1/2 ounce Aperol<br />
1 ounce fresh pink grapefruit juice<br />
3 ounces club soda<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Build in a tall glass with ice. Garnish with 1/4 slice pink grapefruit.<br />
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<b><span style="color: lightsteelblue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Chopin Extra Olives “CEO” Martini</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Chopin Vodka)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 1/2 ounces Chopin Potato Vodka<br />
3 extra large or blue cheese-stuffed olives<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Add garnish<br />
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Optional: Add olive brine to taste to make a Dirty CEO [even though the world is filled with enough of them].<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">top photo © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz</span>Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-217069711488646732013-10-20T14:15:00.000-04:002013-10-22T19:21:23.696-04:00Imbibe a ’69 Cocktail with Pride<b><span style="color: deeppink; font-size: large;">Our cocktail and party food pairings are featured in <i>The Way We Ate: 100 Chefs Celebrate at the American Table</i></span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDx77zkfJ6Uu3x7Jx__fK59OtthYKFhCFFwmF7ZsbDQv_pBpo1UVjAyU2D4wcVSI3FZTsY9C5n3srsh73GeD3XPF86LpmYaPtTCSeA4Xcm6bw72nfJJ5o8D86Elrl7kl6zdeLuLGgMcFQ/s1600/The+Way+We+Ate,+'69+Cocktail+with+Lamb+Chops+and+Stuffed+Mushroom,s,+Cocktail+Buzz,+Steve+Schul,+Paul+Zablocki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDx77zkfJ6Uu3x7Jx__fK59OtthYKFhCFFwmF7ZsbDQv_pBpo1UVjAyU2D4wcVSI3FZTsY9C5n3srsh73GeD3XPF86LpmYaPtTCSeA4Xcm6bw72nfJJ5o8D86Elrl7kl6zdeLuLGgMcFQ/s400/The+Way+We+Ate,+'69+Cocktail+with+Lamb+Chops+and+Stuffed+Mushroom,s,+Cocktail+Buzz,+Steve+Schul,+Paul+Zablocki.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: deeppink;">Our ’69 Cocktail paired with Lamb Chops with Mint Gremolata and Cheddar and Caramelized Onion–Stuffed Mushrooms. <span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Noah Fecks and Paul Wagtouicz, from <i>The Way We Ate</i>.</span></span></b><br />
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Both of us were alive in 1969, albeit as toddlers. There was so much happening in the news that year—the moon landing, Woodstock, the Stonewall Riots—a lot for a young mind to even begin to comprehend. But these events greatly affected those around us and the vibes they gave off shaped the way we perceived the world, the way we matured, and even the way we ate.<br />
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As we grew up gay, we poured over books that would lend credence to our existence and provide a historical context for how we came to be. We learned about the Stonewall Riots, the angry drag queens who had enough from the police and decided to stand up for themselves and be heard. The closet door flung wide open.<br />
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So when photographers Noah Fecks and Paul Wagtouicz, inspired by <i>Gourmet</i> magazine’s prolific output during the last century, asked us to come up with a chapter for their book <i><a href="http://pages.simonandschuster.com/wayweate/" target="_blank">The Way We Ate</a></i>, we immediately thought 1969. In coming up with a cocktail and hors d’oeuvre pairing to commemorate the Stonewall uprising on June 28, 1969, we decided to look to history not only for inspiration, but for the ingredients we would use. Since the Riots erupted in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, we base the ’69 Cocktail on the seminal Manhattan Cocktail, but also the International Bartenders’ Association 1969 winning drink, which used Canadian whisky as its main spirit. Since we’re rye’s best friend, we use it in the ’69 instead of Canadian whisky. (Canadian whisky was commonly referred to as rye, and you can still hear some old-time bartenders call it such.) We then mellow it with some brandy, make it food-friendly with the addition of sweet vermouth, add a little grenadine for sweetness, and for that magic touch, Galliano, a liqueur that inexplicably transformed into a vanilla-spice syrup in the late 80s, but has returned to its original complex recipe, the one that would have been used in 1969. Once the contents of the shaker are poured into a chilled coupe, we express a little orange oil over the ’69, thus adding an aromatic layer that brings all the elements of the drink together and allows for easier pairing with food. The ’69 Cocktail will appeal to those who like their drinks a little sweet, and those who like their drinks on the drier side. It’s a happy medium.<br />
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The ’69 Cocktail is not so much a celebration of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, but a meditation. One that you can sip while reflecting upon history and how we have come to be who we are today.<br />
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But as gay men, we can’t just leave it at that. We had to add a garnish that would make this drink more playful. Riffing on the iconic rainbow flag, we chose a fruit to represent each color—blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, orange peel, lime peel, and lemon peel—and fashioned it into a fabulous panoply of smell, hue, and texture. Drop it in your drink and sip with pride. The berries will soak up the booze, which makes for a happy ending to your cocktail.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkObZy_L0QNJ5JFUGyHiTgJUFW5lmgS1VhfvVuYoRN2k2TUTEAhEsxyzXueObKo41p-G-YpTO6lHiolgcak4IwTwhGAjMf5an3wYRnmKNex-P8m-w7U9e0m5MMBRxCQBYMsVEhun8zok/s1600/Making+'69+Cocktails,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkObZy_L0QNJ5JFUGyHiTgJUFW5lmgS1VhfvVuYoRN2k2TUTEAhEsxyzXueObKo41p-G-YpTO6lHiolgcak4IwTwhGAjMf5an3wYRnmKNex-P8m-w7U9e0m5MMBRxCQBYMsVEhun8zok/s400/Making+'69+Cocktails,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: deeppink; font-size: 85%;">Preparing a round of ’69 Cocktails. Let your rainbow imagination run wild.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: deeppink; font-size: 85%;">Do embellish with garnish.</span></b></div>
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As far as pairing the ’69 Cocktail, we have come up with a few hors d’oeuvres that are easy to make and can be eaten <i>before</i> or <i>as</i> dinner. We’ll publish those recipes at a later date, but do buy the book. There are 100+ recipes to make so you might as well start now <span style="text-align: center;">with the ’69 Cocktail.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: deeppink; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">’69 Cocktail</span></b> (or leave out the apostrophe if you’re so inclined)<br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Steve Schul and Paul Zablocki, Cocktail Buzz, for <i>The Way We Ate</i>)</span><br />
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Makes 1 drink, but feel free to split it with a lover, friend, or trick.<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 ounces rye<br />
3/4 ounce brandy or cognac<br />
3/4 ounce sweet vermouth<br />
1/4 ounce Galliano l’Autentico<br />
1/4 ounce quality grenadine*<br />
orange peel, to express<br />
blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, orange peel, lime peel, and lemon peel, or other very colorful garnish, such as Gummi bears (skewer them on a garnish pick in a rainbow pattern, as if they were part of an ursine chorus line).<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Shake first five ingredients in ice for 20 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass or coupe. Pinch orange peel (peel side out) over drink, allowing the oils to express into it, rub around rim, and discard. Garnish with berries and citrus peel, in an artistic fashion, skewered through a pick.<br />
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<u>Note</u>: For a fruitier cocktail, you can add a berry or two of your choice, before shaking. If you do, make sure to double-strain so as not to get any seeds in the drink.<br />
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*<b><u>Grenadine</u></b><br />
If you don’t want to buy premade grenadine, homemade grenadine is easy to make. For a smaller batch, halve the amounts.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 cups 100% pomegranate juice*<br />
2 cups sugar<br />
1 ounce vodka<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Bring pomegranate juice to a boil over medium–high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and add sugar. Stir gently until sugar is dissolved. Keep heat low and simmer for up to 15 minutes, until mixture is slightly reduced. Allow to cool. Add vodka and stir. May be kept for several months in the refrigerator in a clean 750ml bottle (or 325ml bottle for half recipes).<br />
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* You can also make your own pomegranate juice. Cut up two large and heavy pomegranates (if you’re very adventurous, you can try to peel off the outer red rind), place pieces one at a time in a citrus squeezer, and squeeze the juice out of the arils into a deep bowl. (This is very messy, so make sure to wear an apron and have a damp cloth ready to wipe up any stray squirts.) Add a splash of water.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpI3jRaCaHvILKzJ-tiTo1rKnLZH_vHKSErHiM3ekQT6A5Ja3ZhZE5EbZ_Z9GAb0kBm4CuDhyc95T9vy8dCpoaU6BX445gis2mhc4_beNEv8E3S8Dv479aHX30VjcRFkImAR-aiI_8nw/s1600/'69+Cocktail+from+The+Way+We+Ate,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpI3jRaCaHvILKzJ-tiTo1rKnLZH_vHKSErHiM3ekQT6A5Ja3ZhZE5EbZ_Z9GAb0kBm4CuDhyc95T9vy8dCpoaU6BX445gis2mhc4_beNEv8E3S8Dv479aHX30VjcRFkImAR-aiI_8nw/s400/'69+Cocktail+from+The+Way+We+Ate,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: deeppink; font-size: 14px;">We’ll publish the recipes for the pairings soon. But for now, enjoy the ’69.</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Other photos © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz</span>Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-66595646400484320212013-09-30T20:04:00.000-04:002013-10-03T09:14:31.262-04:00A Tale of Four Manhattans: A Manhattan Cocktail Taste Test<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666; font-size: 120%;">with Templeton Rye and Four Roses Single Barrel bourbon as the</span></div>
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<span style="color: #ea9999; font-size: 120%;"><b>main spirits</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 120%;"><span style="color: #e06666;">and Carpano Antica Formula and Punt e Mes as the</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 120%;"><span style="color: #ea9999;"><b>sweet vermouths</b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKhm_CJf0SlH3LO0mrlH1a46VmTS15P1oWPOzJQR8HEuNlAwRtjWHabsGSP1iZvSbz0w34XqRglrpFaVCGCYJA_molg7u4iVIu63Kn7HrioIOraahLyVSq7g7EXYvFI6adYgPvEVIhn8Y/s1600/Templeton+Rye+Manhattan+2,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKhm_CJf0SlH3LO0mrlH1a46VmTS15P1oWPOzJQR8HEuNlAwRtjWHabsGSP1iZvSbz0w34XqRglrpFaVCGCYJA_molg7u4iVIu63Kn7HrioIOraahLyVSq7g7EXYvFI6adYgPvEVIhn8Y/s400/Templeton+Rye+Manhattan+2,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: 85%;"><b>The Manhattan Cocktail in all its glory. To achieve perfection, read on.</b></span></div>
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The lovely Laura Baddish, from the <a href="http://www.thebaddishgroup.com/" target="_blank">Baddish Group</a> PR firm, sent us a most tantalizing package of spirits that contained the makings of four different Manhattans. Among the tightly rumpled packing paper and swaddling bubble wrap lay two American whiskeys: Templeton Rye, Four Roses Single Batch Bourbon; and 2 sweet vermouths, Carpano Antica Formula and Punt e Mes. We have always been a fan of all four of these beguiling bottles of booze, but actually taking the time to make four different Manhattans with them and compare notes is something you have to set out to do before the first sips cloud your mental faculties.<br />
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We are happy to report that all four versions of the Manhattans we made left us breathless with delight. The luscious bittersweetness of the Carpano Antica Formula made for some damn smooth cocktails, while the zestier Punt e Mes brought out the oaky–spiciness of each of the whiskeys. Adjusting the ratio of whiskey to vermouth was the only detail we had to consider before we started to stir. The Templeton is 80 proof while the Four Roses Single Barrel is a whopping 100 proof. Just remember this: The higher the whiskey’s proof, the more vermouth and stirring you’ll want to apply to your cocktail crafting, in order to tame the bite. For us, we use a 2:1 ratio of whiskey to vermouth, with a dash of Angostura bitters; for the lower-proof whiskeys, such as Templeton rye, we will mix only 3/4 ounce of the vermouth to 2 ounces of whiskey (you dont want to overwhelm the whiskey with the sweetness of the vermouth, unless of course you desire a Sweet Manhattan. Then by all means add more vermouth. </div>
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All in all, depending on your mood and what flavors you want to draw out from the apps you pair with them, you’re going to end up with one swell drink. Try each with your favorite brand of spicy potato chips, or some similar snack, and you’ll taste the difference. For example, you will taste more of the spice from Utz Maui Chips if using Punt e Mes, and more of the sweetness if using Carpano Antica Formula vermouth. They’re both worth it. Try one tonight, and another tomorrow night.</div>
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Well, we’ve already made our Manhattans. So, we raise a toast to you for your discernment, and of course to Ms. Baddish, for the hooch, and the idea for this Manhattan Project.<br />
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Bottoms up!<br />
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This Single Barrel bourbon is simply aces. That first whiff when you open the bottle beckons you like a siren. Do you resist the call, or take the plunge? We thought so. Here’s the recipe.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpo5njCTJvTiHND2b7kG3V-lohBOBQD-s1g6NBpxysIdgTMUdEk0ItfvVNerdBkKHRbhQrM_7z5JrRLFv-obCabVUmOO8FLei3qFTnsNMa8U7FbncO8GOP8OKe6O7iVl_0hQGzR2l6hCg/s1600/Templeton+Rye+Manhattan+closeup,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpo5njCTJvTiHND2b7kG3V-lohBOBQD-s1g6NBpxysIdgTMUdEk0ItfvVNerdBkKHRbhQrM_7z5JrRLFv-obCabVUmOO8FLei3qFTnsNMa8U7FbncO8GOP8OKe6O7iVl_0hQGzR2l6hCg/s400/Templeton+Rye+Manhattan+closeup,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: 85%;"><b>Whether you choose Templeton rye or Four Roses Single Barrel is up to how inebriated you want to get. Choose wisely, and you will be rewarded richly.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: peru; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Four Roses Single Barrel Manhattan</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">(suggested by Cocktail Buzz) </span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces Four Roses Single Barrel bourbon<br />
1 ounce Carpano Antica (smooth) or Punt e Mes (spicy) vermouth<br />
1–2 dashes Angostura bitters<br />
brandied or maraschino cherry, as garnish<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Do not rush this process. You want a decent amount of dilution. Strain into chilled cocktail glass, or coupe. Add cherry.<br />
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❤ ❤ ❤</div>
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We’ve sung Templeton Rye’s praises <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/11/templeton-rye-makes-its-way-back-to-nyc.html" target="_blank">before</a>, and we continue to do so today. Smooth, yet utterly distinct, it is in a class by itself. A must.<br />
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<span style="color: peru; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Templeton Rye Manhattan</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">(suggested by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces Templeton rye<br />
3/4 ounce Carpano Antica (smooth) or Punt e Mes (spicy) vermouth<br />
1–2 dashes Angostura bitters<br />
brandied or maraschino cherry, as garnish<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass, or coupe. Add cherry.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">photos © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipa10hzZVcOVpBK5NlGsNUWULnVSMM8ddrTf7zUvlmGjP0SbnDc7xke7lJIOZhDbdKY3MfBbE3WwNyWanMtCgVffmWcJi5AfxyEISIrCP9KeJM4IH3xf45ek-8WLnUNlOp3JWKUTNyWXI/s1600/Templeton+Rye+Manhattan,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipa10hzZVcOVpBK5NlGsNUWULnVSMM8ddrTf7zUvlmGjP0SbnDc7xke7lJIOZhDbdKY3MfBbE3WwNyWanMtCgVffmWcJi5AfxyEISIrCP9KeJM4IH3xf45ek-8WLnUNlOp3JWKUTNyWXI/s400/Templeton+Rye+Manhattan,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-29817367639559173022013-08-29T09:45:00.000-04:002013-08-29T09:47:37.654-04:00Summertime Cocktail Experiments, sans Summertime Ingredients<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZ-3eDt-oOheWp2zZv4GA3lk56zLAQuC7BYOk0B3l3aBirTDQ8SKCAvQtD67enZnGxD80QIk9KX4NDJYAmwUxZ-uqf5cubJDIdzx435pN_235anKgWLS5Wfxlw1CedRuG16B4DzgtS-U/s1600/Manhattan+Variation,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZ-3eDt-oOheWp2zZv4GA3lk56zLAQuC7BYOk0B3l3aBirTDQ8SKCAvQtD67enZnGxD80QIk9KX4NDJYAmwUxZ-uqf5cubJDIdzx435pN_235anKgWLS5Wfxlw1CedRuG16B4DzgtS-U/s400/Manhattan+Variation,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 85%;"><b>Variations on the Manhattan are all the rage. This Cynar Manhattan will delight you with its bittersweet bliss.</b></span></div>
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This summer our terrace garden lies fallow. For the third summer in a row, our inattentive landlord has neglected the reconstruction of our outdoor space, not to mention the repairs needed inside, most likely to get us out of here so he could then fix the place up and jack up the rent, in preparation for multi-six-digit-figure tenants. Sound familiar? Normally, we would be making infusions and party food nibbles using organic fresh herbs. Hyssop Julep this year? Sorry, no dice. Borage-garnished Pimm’s Cup? Not a chance. We don’t even have any basil, mint, or rosemary, three summertime staples we’d be muddling, chiffonading, and infusing in order to reinvigorate our library of cocktail and appetizer recipes. A summer barbecue without <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2008/09/gin-stevie-and-bruschetta-make-perfect.html" target="_blank">Gin Stevies</a> and brunches without <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/06/fresh-summer-produce-makes-cocktail.html" target="_blank">Adams</a> have reduced us many a night to bourbon and ginger–swilling layabouts.<br />
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But enough of that. Let’s look on the bright side. Because of our lack of herbaceous freshness, the two of us have been forced (and we use “forced” the way a lush is forced to accept the offer of a second drink) to use primarily the spirits on our shelves. The results have been elucidative: A good drink is a good drink no matter how many ingredients, common or obscure, fresh or preserved, it takes to make it. Take for instance our new “up” tequila cocktail. In our notebook, it’s simply called “Tequila Martini/Manhattan,” but that will not do for this pale-to-almost-clear, lovely concoction. Let’s call it a<br />
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<b><span style="color: floralwhite; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Blanco Nuevo</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces silver tequila<br />
1 3/4 ounces white (bianco) vermouth<br />
1/4 ounce rhubarb syrup (from Ikea)<br />
1 dash Regan’s orange bitters<br />
brandied cherry, as garnish (these were homemade, but any kind you like will do)<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled glass. Add cherry.<br />
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Looking at it, you would indeed think this was some strange hybrid of a Martini and a Manhattan, but the first sip gives away the main ingredient, tequila. You must use silver tequila for this baby or you won’t get that whisper-of-amber hue. The rhubarb syrup adds some bittersweet bliss, and the white vermouth, which is the perfect foil for silver tequila, balances the tequila and the syrup. A dash of orange bitters rounds it out. The cherry is mere folly, but, when you make your own, you end your drink with a boozy reward.<br />
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❤ ❤ ❤</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNjbq5KfWB_9tae77QUYkUJNvNz7Q_zbYp_CZuKLfuVi3ziSwCaHjLny8uenz_JDgDL9XM_vqXncO0OFmrDLZH6Iviovlq2CJk4ohPY178CiWC3V8iHbeIVGRFEmN98SkHNWLBnXdlS4g/s1600/cynar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNjbq5KfWB_9tae77QUYkUJNvNz7Q_zbYp_CZuKLfuVi3ziSwCaHjLny8uenz_JDgDL9XM_vqXncO0OFmrDLZH6Iviovlq2CJk4ohPY178CiWC3V8iHbeIVGRFEmN98SkHNWLBnXdlS4g/s200/cynar.jpg" width="53" /></a>Another one of our experiments, a variation on the classic Manhattan (if you’ve followed us you know how much we love to <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2011/02/love-manhattan-riff-on-our-most.html" target="_blank">riff on the Manhattan</a>), uses Cynar [pronounced chee-NAHR], a dark and bittersweet Italian liqueur, or amaro, in conjunction with the requisite sweet vermouth. Again, we bandy about the phrase ”bittersweet bliss,” because that is what you’ll be experiencing once you’ve drawn this luscious libation to your lips. We’ll just keep the name straightforward and call it a<br />
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<span style="color: firebrick; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Cynar Manhattan</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces rye (we used Rittenhouse bonded)<br />
1/4 ounce Cynar (artichoke amaro)<br />
3/4 ounce sweet vermouth (we used Martini & Rossi)<br />
brandied cherry, as garnish<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled glass. Add cherry.<br />
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If you love other amaro, such as Campari, you’ll really take a shine to this one. Cynar is made from artichokes. It sounds odd, but it works so well with rye and sweet vermouth. You don’t need your usual dash of bitters because the Cynar takes care of that. This is the drink we sip on our derelict terrace, while viewing the crepuscular Manhattan skyline. Both drink and view are splendid.<br />
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❤ ❤ ❤</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWo5WbuyK8tuvCIw3M2WurXz5RlYuT55g9p5ZMHgkN2vaCwCBqRgluTo0r8I0WsVoyoTsa1F37tCurcJ_nNrYyj-2TfhDd_iStfzhLhWlxre-eYLM6TbEm_IDBaOSFXPgxkhp3Qu5Ldg/s1600/galliano-autentico-bottle.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWo5WbuyK8tuvCIw3M2WurXz5RlYuT55g9p5ZMHgkN2vaCwCBqRgluTo0r8I0WsVoyoTsa1F37tCurcJ_nNrYyj-2TfhDd_iStfzhLhWlxre-eYLM6TbEm_IDBaOSFXPgxkhp3Qu5Ldg/s200/galliano-autentico-bottle.png" width="39" /></a>While messing around with the new-and-improved Galliano (remember <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2008/10/mixology-monday-xxxii-guilty-pleasure.html" target="_blank">Harvey Wallbangers</a>?), we decided that both rye and bonded applejack (American apple brandy) made it taste mm mm good, along with some Carpano Antica sweet vermouth. Some bitters added more piquancy and united all these spirits into a drink we call Willam Tell All (which is what you’ll be doing after just one of these).<br />
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<b><span style="color: crimson; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">William Tell All</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 ounce bonded apple brandy (Laird)<br />
1 ounce rye (Templeton)<br />
1/2 ounce Galliano l’Autentico<br />
3/4 ounce Carpano Antica sweet vermouth<br />
dash Angostura bitters<br />
dash Peychaud’s bitters<br />
expressed lemon peel<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled glass. Express lemon peel and discard.<br />
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❤ ❤ ❤</div>
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And just in case you thought we didn’t like Manhattans, here’s another variation we have been playing around with that uses aged rum. Right now it’s called a <br />
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<b><span style="color: orange; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rumhattan</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces aged rum (we used Santa Teresa from Venezuela)<br />
1 ounce Punt e Mes vermouth <br />
1 dash angostura bitters<br />
expressed, flamed orange peel, as garnish<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled glass. Express orange peel through a match flame by holding the match over the drink and, with your other hand, in one quick, sharp squeeze, pinch the peel (outside of peel facing the match) so the oils spurt through the flame, causing a gentle flare-up. Then gently rub the outside of the peel around the rim and drop into the glass.<br />
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This aged rum Manhattan is rich and deep, with the slightest bitter edge. We even celebrated National Rum Day with it, and it pleased us immensely.<br />
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❤ ❤ ❤</div>
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If we try to find a common them among these three drinks, the phrase “bittersweet bliss” again looms over the whole affair. We suppose that phrase can be applied to the way we feel about our digs: We love our pad, but we don’t like the politics that go along with being tenants of neglect. So now you know why these four drinks have been stirred quite a bit during cocktail hour this summer. Despite our whining, we love them all. And don’t forget those bourbon and gingers.Cocktail Buzzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09537847006020297954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2224149388926653998.post-26320363730736623742013-07-09T10:04:00.000-04:002013-08-16T12:40:09.229-04:00New Spirits Inspire Some Classic Cocktail Updates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvPeiSpaj2NfVzK8t6Q9SPToGEJKqtDbnhECDAwsHut9X1Z9PmN-WyqSwmO3NJmKE6mWrUiD6qlAIN4Ef9ZtOvk_qkZPEKvND7IGwifaLjr7OCI2oh7aEVT8Hz6Vv_pxS5yGAw3PAXwA/s1600/Pacharan+Manhattan+Cocktail,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: x-small; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvPeiSpaj2NfVzK8t6Q9SPToGEJKqtDbnhECDAwsHut9X1Z9PmN-WyqSwmO3NJmKE6mWrUiD6qlAIN4Ef9ZtOvk_qkZPEKvND7IGwifaLjr7OCI2oh7aEVT8Hz6Vv_pxS5yGAw3PAXwA/s400/Pacharan+Manhattan+Cocktail,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: 14px;">Pacharán, a Spanish sloe berry liqueur, is the star in this gorgeous Manhattan-style cocktail. The brandied and moonshined sour cherries are homemade.</span></b></div>
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When we were little, <i>Sesame Street</i> taught us the basics, such as the alphabet and counting to ten, using clever ditties sung by a variety of adults and children we deemed the luckiest people in the world because they lived on Sesame Street. One ditty that popped into our heads as we walked about the streets of Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, a ditty that we never fully appreciated since we both grew up far removed from the business districts and downtowns of our respective burgs, began “Who are the people in your neighborhood?”<br />
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We may have forgotten most of the words, but that main refrain on our midafternoon walk around our neighborhood — along the streets we normally don’t take because they are not a part of our walk to and from the subway station — finally made sense, and revealed riches that provided us just the right amount of inspiration we needed to breathe new life into some classic cocktails we were beginning to take for granted.<br />
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A relatively new wine and sprits shop near us, <a href="http://passagedelafleur.com/" target="_blank">Passage de la Fleur</a> boasts about a dozen shelves’ worth of natural and organic wines from around the world. Manager Emilie Kapp helped us understand the difference between organic (made with organically grown grapes) and natural (made with minimal intervention of chemicals and modern technology in both the growing and actual winemaking processes) and guided us through the somewhat confusing terrain of biodynamic wines (made by following strict, somewhat philosophical, post-harvest guidelines relating to ecological concerns).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59U5E0I9m7Jxg22gJxxgASHCumtNXTGPTVN-yxGv6bKH8VpnjJibM4Lcvw4SYa6HbFnTipTVQWj8Chd_UaPH8VPBf84TrZNk9H22WWV7DvOOYS8rwiZMaNv_V-HsUQk11dVw05qRsq58/s1600/beet1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59U5E0I9m7Jxg22gJxxgASHCumtNXTGPTVN-yxGv6bKH8VpnjJibM4Lcvw4SYa6HbFnTipTVQWj8Chd_UaPH8VPBf84TrZNk9H22WWV7DvOOYS8rwiZMaNv_V-HsUQk11dVw05qRsq58/s200/beet1.png" width="150" /></a>What caught our attention, though, were the spirits, liqueurs, and fortified wines lining the back shelf. One in particular, sporting a tongue-in-cheek 19th-century silhouette of a woman in need of a handkerchief, was aptly labeled <a href="http://www.uncouthvermouth.com/" target="_blank">Uncouth Vermouth</a>. We had heard of Uncouth Vermouth, the brainchild of Brooklyn denizen Bianca Miraglia, who began tinkering with wine at the Red Hook Winery. She infuses them with botanicals that bring distinct flavors to the fore, with such combos as serrano chile lavender, apple mint, and, the one we opted for, beet eucalyptus.<br />
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Although reddish, the beet eucalyptus is dry and delicately balanced, so you won’t be put off if you have issues with either of these ingredients. It’s a perfect aperitif on the rocks, and also works well in cocktails that feature a standard dry French-style vermouth. Emilie suggested Negronis, so we took her up on it and made some New York Negronis on the rocks that night that paired perfectly with some unseasoned, but lightly salted, <a href="http://www.cocktailbuzz.com/Cocktail_Buzz/Buzzed/Entries/2008/1/11_The_Oriental_%7B_paired_with_sweet_potato_crisps_%7D.html" target="_blank">sweet potato crisps</a>.<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>New York Negroni</b></span><br />
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 ounce gin<br />
1 ounce beet–eucalyptus vermouth (Uncouth Vermouth)<br />
1 ounce Campari<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. An orange twist might be nice, but is optional.<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Pairing Suggestions</span><br />
Anything with <a href="http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2012/01/get-your-freak-on-with-cheddar-blue.html" target="_blank">blue cheese</a>.<br />
Unseasoned, but lightly salted, <a href="http://www.cocktailbuzz.com/Cocktail_Buzz/Buzzed/Entries/2008/1/11_The_Oriental_%7B_paired_with_sweet_potato_crisps_%7D.html" target="_blank">sweet potato crisps</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTKMBk_BtPP4SY2SKCWBVbEqq0dOcqXR3QrzitxDdQoQxkHZ_YSZDk6Flj5ChA-QtF_6XfrJi7BsIRP-I5DgPmjvlCUYpNH2CS-B_xbx6aVEcZhvq4VpUpmu1VIs-KUAKoR6pCikCnZQ/s1600/New+York+Negroni,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTKMBk_BtPP4SY2SKCWBVbEqq0dOcqXR3QrzitxDdQoQxkHZ_YSZDk6Flj5ChA-QtF_6XfrJi7BsIRP-I5DgPmjvlCUYpNH2CS-B_xbx6aVEcZhvq4VpUpmu1VIs-KUAKoR6pCikCnZQ/s400/New+York+Negroni,+Steve+Schul,+Cocktail+Buzz.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: small;">A New York Negroni and a Brooklyn view.</span></b></div>
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❤ ❤ ❤</div>
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Also on Passage de la Fleur’s shelves sat a bottle of Pacharán (<i>Patxaran</i> in Basque), a bittersweet Spanish liqueur made from sloe berries. Its flavor may be familiar to you if you’ve delved into the recently revived world of sloe fin fizzes. Take a sip. A bright tartness mingles with a lusciously rich and deep fruitiness that, together, linger on the palate; and since this Pacharán is aged in chestnut barrels, lucky for you, those lingering flavors will taste of bitter dark chocolate. We already had a bottle of Baines Pacharán at home, so we were reminded of a Pacharan Manhattan we came up with a few years back when we were coming up with Manhattan variation after Manhattan variation. The vermouth we use in our Pacharan Manhattan is the bitter orange Punt e Mes. It matches the orange and star anise flavors inherent in the Pacharán, as do a few dashes of Angostura bitters, adding more spice to the mix.<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Pacharan Manhattan</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">(created by Cocktail Buzz)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 ounces bourbon<br />
1 ounce Pacharan<br />
1/4 ounce Punt e Mes vermouth<br />
2 dashes Angostura bitters<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Method</span><br />
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass or coupe. Garnish with a brandied cherry.<br />
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<span style="color: #99ffff;">Pairing Suggestions</span><br />
Anything with <a href="http://www.cocktailbuzz.com/Cocktail_Buzz/Buzzed/Entries/2007/9/3_The_Manhattan_%7B_paired_with_bacon-wrapped_dates_%7D.html" target="_blank">bacon</a>.<br />
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❤ ❤ ❤</div>
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With thoughts of neo-Negronis and hybridized Manhattans dancing in our minds, we continued our neighborhood journey, and alighted at the storefront of <a href="http://gureje.com/" target="_blank">Güreje</a>, a place we had passed many times, but never ventured into. Güreje is a new world clothier who applies old world techniques and patterns from around the world. This creates a visually arresting hybrid style that Jimi Güreje, the master dyer and owner, <span style="text-align: center;">can call his own. Jimi showed us the back room, an expansive open gallery space for art installations, and a newly licensed bar area that will help to alleviate any thirst for patrons. There’s even an adjacent outdoor space, completely private from the neighborhood. A rarity. His bar should be open some time this month, so be sure to check it out when you’ve found yourself in Prospect Heights.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="text-align: center;">We hope this has inspired you to walk around the block with your eyes wide open. You may be surprised by the recent creativity popping up around your neighborhood.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">photos © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: small;"><b> Look deep into the amber red glow of a Pacharan Manhattan; it beckons.</b></span></div>
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