Chasing Away Those Monday Blahs

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

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

Leblon’d
(created by Jason Littrell)

Ingredients
2 ounces Leblon Cachaça
3/4 ounce simple syrup
3/4 ounce lemon juice
2 cubes of watermelon
1 small piece of jalapeño

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


Steve and Paul welcome Count Branca and his amazing spirits.

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

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

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



The Gondolier
(created by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces Tanqueray gin (or other juniper-forward gin)
3/4 ounce limoncello (such as Danny DeVito’s or Pallini)
1/2 ounce Frangelico
6 drops Falernum bitters*
soda
lemon wedge

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

*Available from Blair Reynolds, www.tradertiki.com, or substitute another falernum or tiki-style bitters.

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

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

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces Combier orange liqueur
3/4 ounce tequila blanco
1/2 ounce agave nectar
1 1/4 ounces fresh lime juice
1 1/2 ounces fresh blood orange juice
Pasilla salt, for rim (chili powder and salt combined)

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



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


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

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


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

Mixology Monday XXXIX: Bitter Is Better with Amaro

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

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

Monteleone Cocktail

(created by Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces cognac
1 ounce Carpano Antica vermouth
1/2 ounce lime juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
1/8 teaspoon Fernet Branca
lemon twist, as garnish

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

❤ ❤ ❤

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

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

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

Monteleone Cocktail photo © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz

Monteleone Cocktail

Steve’s entry for the Monteleone Cocktail contest.

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

Here is Steve’s entry:

Monteleone Cocktail

(created by Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces cognac
1 ounce Carpano Antica vermouth
1/2 ounce lime juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
1/8 teaspoon Fernet Branca
lemon twist, as garnish

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans Announces a Cocktail Contest!

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

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