Pairing the French 75 with Shrimp Cocktail

Gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup topped with champagne create a French 75.
Now, doesn’t that sound good? Perfect with some shrimp cocktail.

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.)

French 75
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces gin (preferably one redolent with juniper)
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup*
1 to 2 ounces champagne (depending on your preference; more, if you like)
lemon twist, as garnish
brandied cherry, as garnish
ice (the more champagne, the less ice), optional

Method
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.

* Simple Syrup
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.

Tips & Tricks

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.

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.

PAIRING

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.

Shrimp Cocktail

A good rule of thumb is that 2 pounds of shrimp in their shells will yield about 11/4 pounds when peeled.

Ingredients
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.

Method
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.

BONUS RECIPE


Tom Collins
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)

For a Collins (or tall) glass
Ingredients
2 1/2 ounces gin (try Hendrick’s and then try a London dry and Plymouth to see what works best for you)
1 ounce lemon juice
3/4 ounce simple syrup
2–3 ounces club soda
orange wheel and cherry, as garnish

Method
Shake in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into ice-filled collins glass. Top with soda. Add garnish, speared, and rest on rim.

For a rocks (or short) glass
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces gin (we also like G’Vine Floraison)
2/3 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
1 1/2 ounces club soda
cherry and orange half-moon slice

Method
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.

photos © Steve Schul

Cocktail Buzz Favorite Things of 2013

Look for our Cheddar and Caramelized–Stuffed Mushrooms recipe below.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

1. Favorite Books

The Drunken Botanist
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.”

Honey Drip
(from The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart)

Ingredients
1/2 ounce sorghum syrup
1 1/2 ounces bourbon (or if you don’t like bourbon, try it with dark rum)
1/2 ounce amaretto

Method
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.

Old Mr. Boston Official Bartenders’s Guide ©1935
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.

Gypsy Cocktail
(from Old Mr. Boston Official Bartenders Guide)

Ingredients
1/2 Italian [sweet] Vermouth
1/2 Old Mr. Boston Dry Gin

Method
Stir well with ice and strain into 3 oz. Cocktail glass. Serve with a Cherry.

The Way We Ate
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 ’69 Cocktail 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. [Buy the book]

Cheddar and Caramelized Onion–Stuffed Mushrooms
(created by Cocktail Buzz for The Way We Ate by Noah Fecks and Paul Wagtouicz)

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.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced
1 pound button mushrooms (smaller ones are better)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brandy or cognac
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch-thick 1-inch squares
1/4 ounce Parmesan cheese
Finishing salt, such as Maldon

Method
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover a baking pan with parchment paper, then place a wire cooking rack atop the paper.

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.

Meanwhile, remove and discard stems from the mushrooms. Wash the mushroom caps and set aside.

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. Remove and transfer the mushrooms to a plate. Sprinkle with finishing salt. Serve immediately.

[Makes about 2 dozen, depending on the size of the mushrooms.]
photo © Noah Fecks and Paul Wagtouicz

2. Cloud Atlas

Okay, officially the movie Cloud Atlas 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.)

3. Organic and Non-GMO Food

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.

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.

Now that we got that off our chests, we will continue with our regularly scheduled program.

4. The Manhattan Cocktail and All Its Variations

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.

The Boulevardier
(adapted by Toby Cecchini, the guy who made the Cosmopolitan famous)

Ingredients
2 ounces rye or bourbon
1 ounce Campari
1 ounce sweet vermouth
lemon twist

Method
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or coupe. Add lemon twist.

Saratoga
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
1 ounce rye
1 ounce cognac or brandy
1 ounce sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Method
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or coupe.

5. Christmas in New York

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.

Our main course on Christmas Eve proved to be simple and sumptuous: Martha Stewart’s recipe for Beef Tenderloin with Shallot Mustard Sauce; 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.

Hawaiian Pulled Pork
(created by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
6-pound pork shoulder (or just the Boston butt) (plus or minus a pound is fine)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoon olive oil

Dry rub:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
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)
1 tablespoon ‘alaea salt (you can substitute any sea salt)
1/2 tablespoon gochugaru powder (you can substitute any hot chile pepper powder)

Wet mix:
20-ounce can pineapple chunks in juice (not syrup)
1 mango, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2–1 tablespoon ume plum vinegar (you can substitute apple cider vinegar, or any other, since the amount is so small)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 nob fresh galangal, minced (with juice) (you can find at Kalustyan’s in NYC or substitute fresh ginger)
juice of 1 lime

Method
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.

❤ ❤ ❤

Remember to enjoy the experience. Sometimes tweeting that cocktail pic is part of the experience, just don’t make it the experience. Share the moment, followed perhaps by a smile.

Behold the Teeny-tini and The Chick’s Peas, a Healthy Cocktail and Party Food Pairing

The Teeny-tini was featured on The Joy Fit Club segment of Kathie Lee and Hoda’s fourth hour of The Today Show.

Cocktail Party fun doesn’t always mean calories. Our pairing of a ginger-laced Teeny-tini, accompanied by the crunchy limy Chick’s Peas, will surely bring a smile to your waist.

Our friend Kate Chapman just reminded us of a cocktail-and-snack-food pairing we came up for her a year or so ago, when we were all searching for ways to eat healthier, but still wanting to have a little fun. Kate, a Broadway musical actress, currently practicing her new vocation as a health coach, requested a low-calorie cocktail she could have anywhere.

This proved challenging. After all, “anywhere” implies anywhere that serves alcohol. What could we possibly come up with that would be easy enough for any bartender to make, but be full of remarkable flavor? One good enough for our beloved broadway belter?

Kate did give us a few parameters to keep us grounded. “I adore bubbles, but not too sweet,” was one of her earliest pronouncements, followed by “I love love LOVE chick peas.”

Andre Gide, the famed French novelist and activist, famously said that art thrives when working with constraints, and having Kate nudge us in a direction her taste buds were telling her to take made life so much easier in the test kitchen. We immediately thought champagne. Its bubbles, as well as its ubiquity, are legendary. And to accompany the champagne, we thought gin (what bar doesn’t have gin?) would be just the thing to make this baby shine like it was opening night.

The drink definitely needed more that a little gin and some fizz; it was screaming for a more pronounced flavor enhancer that would give the two spirits some sex appeal.

And that’s where we turned to fresh ginger. Talk about potency! It packs a punch in such small amounts that a quarter of a teaspoon is all that was needed to breathe some kapow into the cocktail, along with the same amount of low-glycemic-index maple syrup to add just a hint of sweetness.

But how could we guarantee that any bar Kate moseyed on up to had fresh ginger juice and maple syrup? That’s where a dropper comes into play. Pick one up at a container store and fill it with equal parts ginger juice and maple syrup. Just two squirts into your champagne flute will bring you low-cal high-flavor bliss. As for the name, Kate decided that Teeny-tini would fit the bill nicely. We couldn’t agree more.

With the cocktail now completed, it was time to turn our attention to the beans. Chick peas are packed full of protein. You see them offered as little bar snacks, baked to a delicate crunchiness and bathed in various seasonings. We decided after several attempts at finding the perfect pairing that cinnamon and cumin, blended with a little salt and grape-seed oil, brought out a balanced savoriness to the beans. When they came out of the oven smelling of toasted spices, we squirted some lime juice and dusted the chick peas with lime zest and more salt. One nibble confirmed what we already knew: These will pair remarkably with Kate’s cocktail.

The calorie count for this pairing is such that if you would like to indulge in more that one drink, two would not be sinful. (They rack up about 113 a pop, and the chick peas, about 80 calories a handful.)

Teeny-tini
(created by Cocktail Buzz for Kate Chapman)

Serves 2

Ingredients
1 ounce gin
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger juice*
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
8 ounces champagne

Method
At home:
Shake the first three ingredients in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into two champagne flutes. Top with 4 ounces champagne each.

On the go:
Mix quadruple (or more) the amount of ginger juice and maple syrup with a few drops of water and store in a glass dropper. When you are out and about, request champagne and 1/2 ounce gin (or a splash) from the bartender. Squirt one full stopper amount into the champagne and gin, and give it a little stir (you may have to request a stirrer from the bartender). Imbibe. Enjoy with chick pea snack.

* Ginger juice is easy to make if you have a ginger grater or a juicer. Just make sure to peel it first.

The Chick’s Peas
(created by Cocktail Buzz for Kate Chapman)

Ingredients
1 16-ounce can chick peas, rinsed and patted dry
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Saigon cinnamon)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for finishing
1 lime (for zest, then juice)

Method
Spread chick peas on a paper towel–covered rimmed baking sheet to dry (preferably for 60–90 minutes, but if you are in a rush, make sure to pat them dry thoroughly).

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Mix oil, garlic, salt, and spices in a bowl. Add chick peas to bowl and stir, coating evenly. Spread the chick peas on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 30–35 minutes, stirring the chick peas, or shaking the pan, every ten minutes. The chick peas should be browned and crisp-looking. Remove from oven and top with a generous amount of lime zest and the juice from half the lime. Transfer to a serving bowl and a add a pinch of salt to taste. Mix and serve warm with a Teeny-tini. (If you are taking them on the go, allow them to cool completely and transfer to a sealable plastic bag.)

Note: Some chick peas will be crunchy, others may have a soft interior. We like the textural combination of the two.

Take some with you for an on-the-go protein boost.

photos © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz

tini-tini tinitini tini tini

Two Cucumber Side Dishes for Spring, plus a Pimm’s Cup Recipe

Cocktail Buzz’s Cookbook Challenge Continues . . . 

Our Cookbook Challenge has yielded tasty results, including Stuffed Cucumbers with Green Mayonnaise, above.

Last month we challenged you to pour through your cookbooks, both dog-eared and pristine, every time you needed inspiration for ingredients you had lying around. Throughout the month of April, we continued to be inspired by Culinary Artistry and The Alice B. Toklas Cook Book when we had some cucumbers that were in desperate need of a makeover. We present you the following results.

Stuffed Cucumbers with Green Mayonnaise

(adapted from The Alice B. Toklas Cook Book)

Serves 2–4

Cucumbers are low in calories, have a goodly amount of antioxidants, and are very high in vitamin K, which has been found to increase bone strength. They are also quite tasty in this side dish that celebrates the greenness of spring, incorporating peas, string beans, and a host of fresh greens and herbs. It takes a little time to make, but is well worth the effort, especially if you want to double up the recipe for a spring dinner party or brunch.

Ingredients
2 long cucumbers
4–6 ounces frozen or fresh peas
4–6 ounces (handful) string beans, stems removed
chives, minutely cut
large handful cress (any kind), stems removed
large handful spinach (not baby), stems removed
large handful fresh chervil, stems removed
large handful fresh tarragon, stems removed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6–8 ounces mayonnaise
juice 1/2 lemon

Method
Cut unpeeled cucumbers in half lengthwise. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and place cucumbers in an ice bath until cooled. Dry thoroughly and chill. With water still boiling, add string beans and cook until desired tenderness. Remove from heat and place beans in an ice bath until cooled. Dry and chill. In the same water, boil peas until desired tenderness. Remove from heat and place peas in an ice bath until cooled. Dry and chill. Boil cress, spinach, tarragon, and chervil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and place herbs in an ice bath until cooled. Drain using a colander, pressing as much liquid out as you can. Then wrap herbs in cheese cloth and squeeze out the remaining liquid. Chop finely and mix in mayonnaise with the juice of half a lemon. Set aside.

Remove vegetables from refrigerator. Take cucumbers and hollow out by removing seeds with a 1/2 teaspoon or other rounded spoon, within 1/4 inch of the skin. Set aside on a tray. Dice beans. Fill cucumbers with beans and peas. Dollop with green mayonnaise. Sprinkle with chives.

Notes
Sometimes fresh chervil, a lightly green-flavored and delicate herb, can be difficult to find (it’s notoriously difficult to grow, as well). You can use some curly parsley instead, or eliminate altogether.

Quick Pickled Cucumber Slices
(inspired by Culinary Artistry by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page)

Paul looked up “Cucumbers” in Culinary Artistry for some flavor-pairing inspiration for a quick pickle. The results will keep you stealing them from the jar. They are perfect as a sweet and tart side dish, or as a topper for sandwiches.

Ingredients
1 long cucumber, peeled and sliced thinly into circles (a mandoline at 1.5 or 2.0 makes this easy)
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2/3 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried spearmint
1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill
1 teaspoon dried urfa pepper flakes, or some other smoky slightly hot dried pepper, such as aleppo
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large shallot, thinly sliced

Method
Place cucumbers in a bowl. Meanwhile, dissolve sugar in both vinegars in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining ingredients. Remove from heat. Allow to cool uncovered.  Pour over cucumber slices. Transfer to a sterile jar and refrigerate.

Pimm’s Cup
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz from the traditional recipe)

Nothing says “It’s warm enough to have a drink outdoors” like a Pimm’s Cup, a bittersweet elixir that originated in England as a gin-based, herbal-infused digestive aid, and is now a traditional seasonal drink for many American tipplers who enjoy yachting, horseshoes, and an excuse to have a cocktail before Happy Hour. We also use Pimm’s in our Zul Mule, another tasty concoction that lets the one-of-a-kind flavor of Pimm’s shine.

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces Pimm’s No. 1
3 ounces lemon-lime soda (you can substitute ginger ale)
cucumber and lemon slices, as garnish
ice

Method
Fill a highball or collins glass with ice. Add Pimm’s and top with soda. Stir until slightly chilled. Garnish with slices of cucumber and lemon.

Notes

Borage flowers

If you have some borage growing in your garden, do add a bloom to the glass as you would a mint spring. Borage was originally used, along with the leaves, as a Pimm’s Cup garnish. The blooms are edible and taste a little like cucumbers.

Our next Cookbook Challenge

Follow us as we channel creative vibes from our next three cookbooks, picked totally at random: Knives Cook Love from Sur la Table, Feast by Nigella Lawson, and Nigella Bites by Nigella Lawson (yes, two Nigella books!).

photos © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz

Put Your Cookbooks to Good Use with This Fun Challenge

Time to dust off your old cookbooks and find inspiration from their time-weathered pages. You may even surprise yourself.

Challenges transform. They zap life into stagnant energy, shake up the status quo, and make us look at the world a little bit differently. Take Sunday morning. The rousing aroma of coffee and early light streaming through the turquoise curtains woke us up. We were ready to embrace the day. As Paul sipped, he stared quietly at the cookbook-lined shelves and thought, “Geez, when was the last time I looked at that one.” So he turned to Steve and said, “Hey, we should implement some kind of challenge whereby, every time we need to turn to a recipe this month, we have to peruse one or more of these books to come up with something.” “Sounds great,” was Steve’s reply. So Paul geekily scribbled down the names of each book on a piece of notecard, spread them out and offered them up to Steve to choose one. Then another. Then a third. The three books that would inspire us for the rest of the month were as follows:

Culinary Artistry by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page (Wiley 1996). The precursor to The Flavor Bible, their wildly popular compendium of flavor pairings, Culinary Artistry is also chockablock full of great advice on how to pair flavors. You look up an ingredient, say artichokes, and discover, in varying degrees of compatibility, what other foods and flavors go well with these springtime veggies (the best ones are anchovies, garlic, hollandaise sauce, lemon, and vinaigrette). It also offers favorite recipes culled by top chefs from that era.

Cooking for Company by the Food Editors of Farm Journal (Doubleday 1968). These are simple recipes you’d expect from that era. Lots of margarine, shortening, and other processed foods ramp up the nostalgia. It’s for the housewife who wants little fuss so she can still get all her morning and afternoon chores done before the kids get home from school and daddy parks his tractor. On one page you’ll be tempted to make Lima Beans with Cheese (“Try Gruyère instead of the Cheddar or Swiss for a flavor change”). On another, Party Pork Rolls, made with both fresh and smoked ham.

The Alice B. Toklas Cook Book (1954). Recipes told as stories; stories told with recipes. What exactly is this book by Gertrude Stein’s lover, best known for her hash brownie (“Haschich Fudge”) recipe? Whatever you decide, its entertaining, filled with little tips to help you produce the most gastronomically appealing dish possible, whether you’re whipping up a sauce mousseline for some seasonal asparagus, or baking your recent catch of shad, with mushrooms and parsley, in a winy, butter cream sauce. But getting back to the Haschich Fudge, who doesn’t love a recipe that includes the following headnote:

Euphoria and brilliant storms of laughter; ecstatic reveries and extensions of one’s personality on several simultaneous planes are to be complacently expected.

Tuna salad can be so boring, but not with the addition of the Best-Ever Salad Dressing.

Steve took to the challenge immediately, combining inspiration from the TUNA entry in Culinary Artistry with Cooking for Company’s recipe for Best-Ever Salad Dressing. The mashup goes something like this:

Best-Ever Salad Dressing
(adapted from Cooking for Company by the Food Editors of Farm Journal (Doubleday 1968))

Ingredients
2 cups mayonnaise

1 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste, or mashed anchovies

8 ounces honey french dressing (recipe below from Cooking for Company)

Method
Combine a little mayonnaise with anchovy paste to blend thoroughly. Stir in remaining mayonnaise and other ingredients.

Makes 2 3/4 cups.

Honey French Dressing
(adapted from Cooking for Company by the Food Editors of Farm Journal (Doubleday 1968))

Ingredients
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup canola oil

Method
In a small bowl, mix salt, pepper and dry mustard; stir in vinegar and honey. Slowly add the salad oil while beating with a mixer. I used an immersion blender. makes about 1 1/3 cups.

Best-Ever Tuna Salad
(created by Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 can tuna, drained
1/2 pound dry pasta, cooked and drained
3 carrots, thinly sliced
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup peas (cook, if fresh or thaw, if frozen)
3/4–1 cup of Best-Bever Salad Dressing (recipe above from Cooking for Company)

Method
Combine ingredients and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve over a bed of lettuces.

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With a lone sweet potato waiting patiently to be transformed, Paul opted for a recipe for Sweet Potato Biscuits in Cooking for Company to go with the leftover Spiced Pork Loin that had been the inspiration for the last few evenings’ dinners. They came out the color of sunflowers, and were a little fluffy, a little crumbly, and, when drizzled with a little honey and lightly swiped with creamy butter, more than perked up the spiced pork.

Sweet Potato Biscuits
(adapted from Cooking for Company by the Food Editors of Farm Journal (Doubleday 1968))

Ingredients
2 cups unbleached flour
4 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potatoes (1 regular-sized potato should do the trick)
up to 3 tablespoons whole milk

Method
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Sift together dry ingredients. Cut in shortening. Blend in sweet potatoes. Add enough milk to make a soft dough (this will depend on moisture in potatoes, so add one tablespoon at a time). Knead lightly, folding it several times to create layers (do not overwork dough). Roll 3/4" thick on lightly floured surface. Cut with floured 2" cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake in hot oven for 20 minutes, or until the biscuits have browned.

Makes about 15–20 biscuits, depending on diameter of cutter.

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We’re still reading the Toklas book and are finding fun recipes on every page. Now it’s your turn. Dust off those cookbooks and find inspiration now.

photo © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz

The Gooey and the Retro: Hot Brie Dip Makes a Comeback

Cutting into a hunk of baked Brie is almost as satisfying as eating it.

Do you remember when Brie was exotic? It was the early 80s. Preppies and their imitators were throwing lavish cocktail parties. Making a beeline for the buffet table, you saw trays lined with bready canapés and wheels of white-encased soft cheese. “It’s called Brie. It’s French and delicious,” you heard your mom, the hostess, declare. “Try some before the guests arrive. Then scoot.” So you loaded up your small plate with these pretty hors d’oeuvres, and, when she wasn’t looking, you tipped a little champagne into a cup and hightailed it back to your bedroom.

But when you got to your teen sanctuary, you looked down at the canapé plate and noticed that your slice of Brie was encased in a rind that seemed a little unfriendly. Do you eat the rind or try to extract the creamy center? You try both, and realize it’s much easier to shove the whole thing, rind and all, into your mouth. Buttery mixed with tangy. Not bad.

As time went on, you started noticing something called baked Brie at your TGI Fridays. It came to the table hot and perhaps coated in a jamlike spread with some herbs. You cut into it and out flowed its creaminess. You devoured it, emitting a few occasional grunts of satisfaction.

But had Brie really ever left, or was it marginalized to the realm of nostalgia, desperately looking for a way back into the world of acceptance? When we visited Steve’s sister this New Year’s Eve, she served a simple hors d’oeuvre of baked Brie with a generous glaze of butter, brown sugar, fresh parsley, and garlic. It’s not the prettiest dish to arrive at the table, but what it has going for it makes it survive the decades: flavor, simplicity, and, well, it’s melted cheese. Because Hot Brie Dip is so simple to make, it’s the perfect thing to bring out of the oven when most of your guests have arrived. Serve with airy, buttery crackers or toast points. Try it with other chopped fresh herbs, such as tarragon or chervil, if you prefer. And mellower roasted garlic in lieu of the pungent zing of raw might be a substitution you’re willing to try if you have the time.

Pair with something that reminds you of sitting at a bistro. A French 75 or a Kir Royale may be just what the médecin ordered.

About the alternate “aka” name you see below: Carol later confessed to Paul that she got the recipe from her sister-in-law, so we colloquially refer to it as Sister-in-law Brie, or Brie à la Belle-sœur, if you want to sound poshly gourmet.

Hot Brie Dip, aka Brie à la Belle-sœur
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
1 Brie wheel
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar (dark brown sugar will be richer tasting, with more molasses notes)
3 tablespoons chopped parsley, plus a few fresh leaves set aside
1 tablespoon minced garlic (you can substitute roasted garlic,* which is much less assertive)

Method
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place Brie wheel in a baking or pie dish and set aside. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the brown sugar, parsley, and garlic to the butter and mix together. Pour over Brie wheel. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, or until the Brie is soft to the touch (it will give when you press on it). Cut into Brie as if you were cutting a slice of pie. It will ooze its creamy center, which will mix with the other ingredients. Sprinkle with fresh parsley leaves. Serve with crackers or toast points.

* Roasted Garlic
If you have a garlic roaster, great. If not, get out the aluminum foil. Cut the top off the garlic bulb, exposing the cloves. Place garlic on roaster or aluminum foil. Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil and coat evenly. Cover or wrap. Place in center rack of cold oven and turn to 400ºF. Bake for about an hour. Turn off heat and remove from oven. Remove garlic bulb, and place roaster and lid back in oven, if you’re using a terra cotta roaster, to prevent cracking. You can now extract the cloves from the bulb.

Pairing Suggestions
French 75
Kir Royale
The Gondolier
a glass of sherry

photo © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz

Revamping the Jack Rose Cocktail

The Jack Rose is a classic, and one of seminal cocktail writer David Embury’s “six basic drinks.”

One thing that is permanent is change. Our tastes change all the time. One day we’re loving the sleek simple lines of a Calvin Klein sheath, the next we’re extolling the rococo color explosion of a Hermès print. This holds true for cocktails. Right now we are really into up drinks, like Manhattans and all their variations. Perhaps it’s the weather—in the colder months, we’d rather not be holding a glass of ice-filled social lubricant that continually negates the alcohol’s warming properties. But, alas, these rocks-free libations can be a little more difficult to pair with food. Especially if the cocktail uses spirits high in proof. (Ever take a sip of one after eating a bread-heavy canapé? It’s like tasting a communion wafer dipped in cheap wine. Alcohol throat-burn is not something to strive for when creating a harmonious cocktailing experience for your party guests.) “Up” cocktails, though, can and should be good foils for the hors d’oeuvres and party snacks we put into our mouths. That’s why we come up with perfect pairings. But perfect parings are never actually set in stone. Our tastes not only change then, they evolve. So, it’s important for the development of any chef, artist, writer—any creative person really—to reach into the past and reinvestigate matters that now, in the light of day, have become a bit troublesome. So now we will look back at an old cocktail recipe we honed years ago, one about which we have since changed our opinion.

The Jack Rose is that cocktail. The recipe is simple: applejack, lemon juice, and grenadine. Applejack is a Colonial American invention that was first made in an unusual process known as freeze distillation, also known as “jacking.” Apple cider (so important to these early settlers since potable water was hard to come by) is left to freeze during the cold months. Chunks of ice are removed from the cider when the water separates from the alcohol, making the remaining alcohol much more concentrated. Standard distillation supersedes this quaint process, and the liquor is much cleaner now, allowing for easy mixing with other spirits, juices, and sugars. Grenadine is essentially pomegranate and sugar, boiled down to a slightly viscous syrup.

When we first starting shaking these rosy-hued beauties and pairing them with simple fair, such as spiced nuts, we had three goals in mind, so as to avoid the dreaded alcohol burn.

1. Keep the alcohol content low.
2. Keep the sugar content on the plus side (the sweeter drinks usually pair more easily with the natural sugars in food).
3. Make sure the cocktail has a decent amount of acid (such as juice, dairy, or wine-based spirits), since these acids create new flavors when confronted with foods ’ sugars and starches).

In our first iteration of the Jack Rose, we dutifully applied all three of these objectives: Applejack (Laird’s) with an alcohol content of 40% (the lowest level of alcohol a spirit can have to be called a spirit), check; a generous amount of grenadine (real pomegranate grenadine) to bring out the sweetness for easier food-pairing, check; and an amount of lemon juice to balance the alcohol and sugars, check. It’s a little on the sweet side, which may be off-putting to some, but allows for easier food pairings, especially with spiced nuts that in simpler circumstances would go well with an ice-cold beer.

But getting back to our main topic. Over the years, we’ve grown a little tired of our recipe. You see, we now prefer a higher-proof applejack that is far superior to our 40% abv applejack. It’s Laird’s bonded (50% abv) apple brandy. Much more complex, a little sweeter, and a little more fruit-forward, this spirit needs less sugar and more acid when mixed as a Jack Rose.

Keep in mind, though, that not all grenadines are created equal. Stirring s makes a decent one that is sweet, but not too sweet, such as the one made by Williams Sonoma. Avoid any all–corn syrup grenadines that look like fake blood in a bottle. Better yet, make your own, so that you can control the level of sweetness. Follow the recipes below, and you can whip up a perfect pairing that requires very little measuring, once you’ve got your ingredients all in place. Spiced nuts would be an ideal accompaniment.

Jack Rose
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
2 ounces bonded apple brandy (50% abv, or 100 proof)
3/4–1 ounce real pomegranate grenadine (adjust according to taste)*
1/2–3/4 ounce lemon juice (adjust according to taste)

* Some brands are sweeter than others. Alternatively, you can make your own. See recipe below.

Method
Shake in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass or coupe.

Spiced nuts are the perfect accompaniment to a well-crafted Jack Rose.

Another great drink to try that uses apple brandy is the Hurricane Sandy.

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Grenadine

{ You can always make a smaller batch by halving the amounts }

Ingredients
2 cups 100% pomegranate juice*
2 cups sugar
1 ounce vodka

* You can always make this from squeezing pomegranate pips by using a hand citrus squeezer. Two large and heavy pomegranates and a splash of water should do the trick. This is very messy, so wear an apron and squeeze into a deep, wide bowl. 

Method
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 quite a while in the refrigerator in a clean 750ml bottle (or 325ml bottle for half recipes).

Variations

• Orange flower water (also known as orange blossom water) adds another layer of flavor to the grenadine. Anywhere from 1–2 teaspoons stirred in once the heat is turned off.
• Lemon juice may round out the sweet-tartness. A half teaspoon should do the trick.
• Pomegranate molasses may add that super pomegranate flavor you might be looking for. Add about an ounce at the very end of simmering, stirring to incorporate.

Other libations that use grenadine are the Fjord, Global Punch, the Hurricane, the Monkey Gland, and the Scoff Law.

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Spiced Nuts
(created by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw pecans
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Method
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread nuts onto a cookie sheet or ceramic baking dish. Put in oven on center rack for about 15–18 minutes.

Mix the salt, mace, cumin, sand brown sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.

Melt the butter on stovetop. Set aside.

Once you smell the nuts, they are most likely done (do not burn). Remove from oven and add to a mixing bowl. Pour melted butter over nuts and mix thoroughly. Add spice mixture and mix thoroughly.

Pour nuts into a serving bowl and sprinkle any remaining spice mixture on top.

Serves 4–6.

More Cocktail Buzz on the Jack Rose
To watch our video pairing the our first iteration of the Jack Rose cocktail with spiced nuts, click here.

photo © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz

What To Bring This Thanksgiving: An Easy Side Dish and Cocktail Loaded with Fall Flavors

Whether you’re having Thanksgiving at home this year, or are visiting friends and family, the grapefruit and pear notes in a wine-based Aplomb will win everyone over with its simplicity and great taste.

When it’s someone else’s turn to throw a Thanksgiving feast, your host usually asks you to bring a little something to add to the cornucopia — something that won’t interfere too much with his or her preparations. Usually you hear, “A bottle of Pinot Noir would be great,” or “Bring something I can reheat as the turkey rests.”

We like to heed this request, as showing up with something unexpected can make the host harrumph. But instead of just a bottle of wine or another stuffing, we have two alternatives that we think may work in your favor: A wine-based cocktail and some carrot and parsnip triangles.

Roasted carrots and parsnips, well herbed, may be the perfect side dish. Make ahead and reheat when you arrive at your host’s place.

Let’s start with the triangles. This is a side dish that can accompany any meal really. Looking at the ingredients, we know that carrots are common enough, but parsnips at the table always seems to elicit a slight gasp, suggesting the vegetable’s exoticism. We often hear, “I never think to use parsnips.” Why not? They fit perfectly into the flavors-of-Thanksgiving profile — sweet, herbal, nutty. And as an added bonus, they are rich in vitamins and minerals, such as potassium.

Finding thick-bottomed roots that abruptly taper to a point are the key to making triangles.

When shopping for these root vegetables, look for ones that are conical in shape (a wide base that tapers to a point, but roots that aren’t too long). If you can’t find ones shaped this way, then any will do. Just don’t call them triangles. Perhaps “Carrot and Parsnip Parallelograms” would be more appropriate.

Carrot and Parsnip Triangles

Tools
sharp knife for slicing
cutting board
large bowl
cookie sheet (lined with parchment) or baking pan
tongs

Ingredients
2 tablespoon olive oil
5 large carrots (preferably with a wide base and narrow point), peeled
4 large parsnips (preferably with a wide base and narrow point), peeled
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon fresh or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried chervil or parsley

Method
Preheat oven to 400°F.

On a cutting board, cut the carrots and parsnips lengthwise, in 1/4-inch strips. This will create the triangle shapes in varying lengths and thicknesses. Add to bowl, then olive oil and herbs and toss until all the vegetables are coated evenly.

Spread the vegetables out on a stone baking pan or a cookie sheet covered in parchment.

Place on center rack for 15 minutes. With tongs, flip and bake for another 10 minutes. (Watch to make sure the edges don’t burn.) Serve immediately.

You may add salt, but we feel the herbs bring out the sharp sweetness of the parsnips and the woodsy sweetness of the carrots.

Serves 8-ish. (It all depends on how many other sides are available.)

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Now that you’ve got your side dish out of the way, it’s time to focus on the drink. This one is called Aplomb because, at the eleventh hour, when the guests start to arrive, you want a drink with a name that evokes confidence and poise. The Aplomb is guaranteed to elicit oohs and aahs with its mix of pear liqueur, red grapefruit juice, and one of the easiest and delicious wines that is perfect for cocktail creations, Moscato d’Asti. Produced in northwestern Italy, this traditional dessert wine is fruity, with peach and pear notes, and not too sweet. You’ll also notice a slight effervescence if you take a sip. This type of wine is known as a frizzante, with the bubbles offsetting the sweetness. Adding pear liqueur brings out the fruit, and mixing with grapefruit juice creates a more interesting notes of sweet, bitter, and sour.

If you’d like to earn forever love and respect from your host, pre-batch the cocktail by shaking in ice and straining into a big 1.75-liter bottle. Bring a bag of ice and a bowl with you to keep it chilled at the bar, or, alternatively, if there’s room in the fridge (doubtful), or the host has a mini fridge, by all means keep it in there. Just take it out from time to time and refill your fellow celebrants’ glasses. A few gentle swishes before pouring should suffice.

Aplomb
(created by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
1/2 ounce pear liqueur (we like Xanté, but any will do)
1 ounce red grapefruit juice (you can substitute pink if you cannot find red)
1 1/2 ounces Moscato d’Asti wine

Method
Shake the first two ingredients in ice vigorously, so that little ice shards are created. Strain into chilled glass. Top with Moscato d'Asti. Garnish with grapefruit peel, if desired.

More Ideas, with Pairings

These other wine-based cocktails and apps may suit your taste buds (and your host’s) as well.

• Deviled Quail Eggs paired with The Bird Nest (champagne, with a hint of blue curaçao and tequila)
• Seedless red grapes and brie paired with The Wink (Moscato d'Asti, pear brandy, celery bitters)

Photos © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz.

Sweet Bacon Bites Are the Perfect No-Brainer for Your Brunch or Cocktail Party

Sweet Bacon Bites, packing an umami punch, highlight one of our favorite taste combinations: sweet and salty.

The ongoing trend of adding bacon to just about everything doesn’t seem to have peaked, but rather continues to pique the imaginations of chefs and home cooks all around the globe. For years, we eschewed bacon with proclamations of “too fatty,” “unhealthy,” and the weakest excuse of all, “What will we do with all the grease?” Well, those days came to an end one day when our defenses weakened as we spotted a greasy spoon while on a road trip to Tennessee to experience Dollywood and Graceland. We plopped ourselves down in the welcoming booth and, during the course of our lunch, proceeded to devour crisp slices of bacon with, what else, eggs over easy with a side of creamy grits.

We survived the road trip and the bacon, so we thought that since everyone seems to love bacon again, why not just make something that’s all bacon, with a little sweetness added. A little light brown sugar sprinkled on top creates a crisp, succulent chew with every bite. You can sprinkle other pantry items on top of the bacon as well, like crushed pretzels, pecans, you name it. Let your whimsy be your guide. Although, as Sister Maria chirps in The Sound of Music, we do recommend you start at the very beginning and just use light brown sugar. It’s a very good place to start.

Sweet Bacon Bites

Ingredients
1 package bacon (such as Boar’s Head)
light brown sugar (1/4 cup for every four slices of bacon)

Method
Preheat oven at 400°F. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper. Place bacon slices in a single layer, side by side but not touching, on parchment. You can slice the bacon in half, thirds, or quarters depending on how long you want each piece (shrinkage is minimal). Sprinkle light brown sugar making sure to cover the bacon and not the parchment. Bake for 13 minutes. With tongs, flip bacon slices. Bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving.

Tips & Tricks

• If you leave the bacon slices intact, you can serve them in a wide-mouthed jar or vessel.
• Save the bacon grease in the fridge for another application.

Suggested Pairings
We’d be hard-pressed to find a drink that clashes with Sweet Bacon Bites. It goes with just about anything. We’ve narrowed it down to a few drinks in our arsenal. And these caramelized nuggets of lusciousness are ideal for a brunch gathering or an evening party. Just make sure you have enough.

Brunch Suggestions
Harvey Wallbanger (vodka, Galliano, orange juice)
Adam (tomato water, moonshine)
Suzette (bourbon, orange and maple liqueurs)
Farrah Fawcett (light rum, Champagne, crème de banana, advocaat)
Ramos Gin Fizz (gin, cream, egg white, lemon and lime juices)
Mimosa (Champagne, orange juice)

Evening suggestions
Manhattan (rye or bourbon, sweet vermouth, bitters)
French 75 (gin, Champagne, lemon juice)
Kitty Carlisle (bourbon, Catdaddy, lemon juice, crème de cacao)
Mojito (light rum, lime juice, mint, sugar)
Jack Twist (walnut-infused Jack Daniels, walnut liqueur)
Oriental (rye or bourbon, sweet vermouth, triple sec, lime juice)
Cosmopolitan (citrus vodka, triple sec, lime and cranberry juices)
Champagne Cocktail (Champagne, brandy or cognac, sugar)

The Simplicity of Preparing Warmed Olives, Paired with Vesper Cocktails

Warmed olives, seasoned with herbs and spices, pair well with dry gin and vodka cocktails.

Steve was inspired to reinvestigate Alice Waters’s renowned “warm olives with thyme” recipe in The Art of Simple Food when he sipped his first Vesper cocktail. So after taste-testing her recipe side-by-side with this classic drink, he decided to toss in a few more ingredients to her mix, and lower the Vesper’s alcohol content by using less gin.

His additions worked magic. Warmed ever so gently in a bath of herbs and spices, these olives deliver a punch of flavor thanks to the interplay of thyme, cumin, and red pepper flakes. They’re addictive on their own. But paired with a cocktail like the Vesper [SEE RECIPE BELOW], or a Martini if you feel so inclined, the hint of citrus infused in the warmed olive oil brings all the flavors together and makes for a piquant pairing with strong drinks.

And the most beautiful thing about this recipe is its ease. In the minutes it takes to meld all the flavors, you can stir up some trouble at the bar and mix some ice-cold cocktails. The olives will be ready as your guests raise a toast.

Warmed Olives
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups mixed olives
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, quartered
3 sprigs thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
citrus peel (lemon or orange, or both)

Method
Rinse olives thoroughly, drain, and let dry. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium–low heat. Add all the ingredients and mix until coated with oil. Warm for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pairings
Pairing Warmed Olives with cocktails seems easy at the outset, but olives have a way of making sweet cocktails taste, well, not so good. Our advice: Stick with savory cocktails, and those employing gin or vodka as their base. Our favorite is the Vesper, made famous by Ian Fleming in Casino Royale, his first James Bond 007 book. Gin is the main ingredient, followed by vodka, then Lillet blanc, a winy, lightly herbal quinquina (an aperitif that has quinine as an ingredient). If you use a variety of olives, you’ll notice that each one brings out a different flavor note in the cocktail. Your taste buds will thank you.

Meet the Vesper, James Bond’s preferred cocktail in Casino Royale.

Vesper
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
2 ounces gin (Plymouth is a good gin to start with)
1 ounce vodka
1/2 ounce Lillet blanc
orange peel, for garnish

Method
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into well chilled cocktail glass. Add orange peel.

A Note on the Twist
For the Vesper, we like to take a firm orange and use a standard vegetable peeler to get a nice wide garnish for the cocktail. Make sure to peel the orange over the Vesper to impart the oils from its rind. Lemon works just as well if you don’t have any oranges handy.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION

To read more and watch our video pairing Warmed Olives with the Vesper cocktail, click here.

photos © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz