tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52495801883891681352024-03-05T20:20:37.162-06:00The Venture MixologistA cocktail enthusiast's exploration of the history of mixology, the spirits, it's people, and their influences on the present and modern day future of the cocktail world.Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-21457639352347317132016-10-07T11:31:00.001-05:002016-10-07T11:31:34.460-05:00Here comes October<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And another tasting...</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Aperitif 31</u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Plymouth gin</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz Dolin dry vermouth</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz rhubarb sherry shrub**</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz Combier grapefruit liqueur</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/4 oz maraschino liqueur</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Dr. Elmegirab Spanish bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Combine all ingredients with ice, stir until very well chilled. Strain into ice sphere or over large ice and garnish with grapefruit zest.</i><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>East Indies Breeze</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 oz fresh carrot juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz cardamom syrup</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz lime juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3 dashes Angostura bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Bundaberg ginger beer</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Shake all ingredients (except ginger beer) with ice and strain into an ice-filled collins glass. Top with ginger beer and garnish with lemongrass and thyme.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Sixty Fifteen</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Beefeater gin</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Dolin dry vermouth</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz lemon juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz grenadine</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes house orange bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>champagne</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Shake all ingredients (except champagne) with ice and strain into an ice-filled collins glass. Top with champagne.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Hills of Oaxaca</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz Del Maguey Vida mezcal</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz Cynar</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz Ancho Reyes chile liqueur</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/4 oz creme de cacao</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 dash Bittermens Xocolatl mole bitters</i></span><br />
<i><br /></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Stir all ingredients with ice until very well chilled. Strain into an old fashioned glass with large ice. Garnish with flamed orange zest.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b><u><br /></u></b></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Black Barrel Flip</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz Jameson Black Barrel</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz Lusteau amontillado sherry</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz Benedictine</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz simple syrup</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/4 oz Nux Alpina walnut liqueur</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 whole egg</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Angostura bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>coffee bean</i></span><br />
<i><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Combine all ingredients, except coffee bean, and dry shake to emulsify egg. Add ice, shake until very well chilled, and strain into chilled single Old Fashioned glass. Garish with Angostura bitters and grated coffee bean.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Sainte Marie Mule</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 oz Duquesne rhum agricole</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz lime juice</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz ginger syrup</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3 dashes Bittercube Jamaican #1 bitters</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>sparkling water</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients and shake with ice until well chilled. Strain into rocks filled copper mug and top with sparkling water.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Atwood collins</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 oz grapefruit juice</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz cranberry-orange shrub***</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz rosemary syrup</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>sparkling water</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>thyme</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Muddle thyme with shrub, add juice and syrup, shake with ice until well chilled. Strain into an ice filled collins glass, top with sparkling water, and garnish with sprig of thyme.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>South of the Tracks</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Campari</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Beefeater 24 gin</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz yellow Chartreuse</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz lemon juice</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>BuckleDown Clencher double IPA</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Shake all ingredients but IPA with ice until well chilled. Strain into an ice filled pilsner glass, and top with the IPA. Garnish with orange zest.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Ichabod's Nightcap</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz Old Overholt </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Roundhouse Spirits Pumpkin King cordial</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz </i></span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Ancho Reyes chile liqueur</i><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 oz gum syrup</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3 dashes pumpkin spice tincture</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Angostura</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Nutmeg</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Stir all ingredients until very well chilled and strain into a cocktail coupe. Finish with a spritz of Angostura and freshly grated nutmeg.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Beachcomber</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3 oz unsweetened pineapple juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz lime juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz gum syrup</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz coconut milk</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2-3 raspberries</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Dr. Elmegirab Boker's bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Muddle raspberries along with tea syrup, add remaining ingredients and shake with ice until chilled and frothy. Strain into a rocks-filled old fashioned glass. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Opa</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 3/4 oz ouzo</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz </i></span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">creme de cacao</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Regan's orange bitters</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Combine ingredients with ice and shake until very well chilled. Double strain into shot glasses (makes 2).</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>The Dude Abides</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 oz Cruzan extra aged rum</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz St. George Spirits NOLA coffee liqueur</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/4 oz simple syrup</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Z bar coffee bitters</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>vanilla foam****</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Combine ingredients with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into rocks filled old fashioned glass. Top with vanilla foam.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Rhubarb sherry shrub</u></b>**</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>5-6 stalks fresh rhubarb</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>sherry vinegar</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>sugar</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Juice the rhubarb. Add 2 parts sugar to 1 part rhubarb juice. Add 2 parts sherry vinegar for every 3 parts rhubarb syrup. Shake mixture and place in fridge for 3-4 days. Strain and store in fresh bottle in the fridge. </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Cranberry orage shrub</u></b>***</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250 g frozen cranberries (defrosted)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250 g sugar</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250 g apple cider vinegar</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>zest from 2 oranges</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Mash cranberries together with sugar and orange zest in large bowl. Cover and store in fridge 2-3 days, stirring/mashing mixture once daily. Remove and allow to warm to room temperature. Add vinegar, stir well to combine and fine strain into fresh bottle. Store in fridge. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Vanilla foam</u></b>****</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 oz half and half</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/4 oz simple syrup</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3 dashes Z bar vanilla bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients in whipper and charge with N20.</i></span></span><br />
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Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-14022176963971861062016-05-20T08:16:00.000-05:002016-05-20T10:23:10.527-05:00Would you be mine? Could you be mine?<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Won't you be my neighbor...a tasting</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Enter the Dragon</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 oz green dragon gin*</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz green Chartreuse</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz Del Maguey Vida mezcal</i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">2 dashes Dr. Adam Elmegirab Dandelion & Burdock bitters</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Shake all ingredients with ice until very well chilled. Strain into ice-filled old fashioned glass and garnish with lemon zest.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Aperitif 31</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Plymouth gin</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz Dolin dry vermouth</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz rhubarb sherry shrub**</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz Combier grapefruit liqueur</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/4 oz maraschino liqueur</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Dr. Elmegirab Spanish bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Combine all ingredients with ice, stir until very well chilled. Strain into ice sphere or over large ice and garnish with grapefruit zest.</i><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>East Indies Breeze</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 oz fresh carrot juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz cardamom syrup</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz lime juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3 dashes Angostura bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Bundaberg ginger beer</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Shake all ingredients (except ginger beer) with ice and strain into an ice-filled collins glass. Top with ginger beer and garnish with lemongrass and thyme.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Sixty Fifteen</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Beefeater gin</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Dolin dry vermouth</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz lemon juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz grenadine</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes house orange bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>champagne</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Shake all ingredients (except champagne) with ice and strain into an ice-filled collins glass. Top with champagne.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Hills of Oaxaca</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz Del Maguey Vida mezcal</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz Cynar</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz Ancho Reyes chile liqueur</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/4 oz creme de cacao</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 dash Bittermens Xocolatl mole bitters</i></span><br />
<i><br /></i>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Stir all ingredients with ice until very well chilled. Strain into an old fashioned glass with large ice. Garnish with flamed orange zest.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b><u><br /></u></b></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Black Barrel Flip</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz Jameson Black Barrel</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz Lusteau amontillado sherry</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz Benedictine</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz simple syrup</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/4 oz Nux Alpina walnut liqueur</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 whole egg</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Angostura bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>coffee bean</i></span><br />
<i><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Combine all ingredients, except coffee bean, and dry shake to emulsify egg. Add ice, shake until very well chilled, and strain into chilled single Old Fashioned glass. Garish with Angostura bitters and grated coffee bean.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Sainte Marie Mule</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 oz Duquesne rhum agricole</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz lime juice</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz ginger syrup</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3 dashes Bittercube Jamaican #1 bitters</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>sparkling water</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients and shake with ice until well chilled. Strain into rocks filled copper mug and top with sparkling water.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Atwood collins</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 oz grapefruit juice</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz cranberry-orange shrub***</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz rosemary syrup</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>sparkling water</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>thyme</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Muddle thyme with shrub, add juice and syrup, shake with ice until well chilled. Strain into an ice filled collins glass, top with sparkling water, and garnish with sprig of thyme.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>South of the Tracks</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Campari</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Beefeater 24 gin</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz yellow Chartreuse</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz lemon juice</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>BuckleDown Clencher double IPA</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Shake all ingredients but IPA with ice until well chilled. Strain into an ice filled pilsner glass, and top with the IPA. Garnish with orange zest.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Beachcomber</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3 oz unsweetened pineapple juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz lime juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz smoked black tea syrup</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz coconut milk</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2-3 raspberries</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Dr. Elmegirab Boker's bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Muddle raspberries along with tea syrup, add remaining ingredients and shake with ice until chilled and frothy. Strain into a rocks-filled old fashioned glass. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>The Dude Abides</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 oz Cruzan extra aged rum</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Art in the Age root liqueur</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/4 oz simple syrup</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Z bar coffee bitters</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>vanilla foam****</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Combine ingredients with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into rocks filled old fashioned glass. Top with vanilla foam.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><b><u>Green Dragon gin</u></b>*</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>750 ml Beefeater gin</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3.5 g dried herb of your choice</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>iSi gourmet whip plus</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 N2O cartridges</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Break up herb into uniform small pieces and add to iSi along with 500 ml of the gin. Seal and charge with one N2O cartridge. Vent off gas, shake, and re-charge with second N2O cartridge. Shake and let sit 10-15 minutes. Vent off gas and plce iSi into simmering pot of water up to halfway mark for 90 minutes. Remove iSi and let cool to room temperature. Fine strain mixture into a fresh bottle and add remaining 250 ml of the gin. </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Rhubarb sherry shrub</u></b>**</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>5-6 stalks fresh rhubarb</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>sherry vinegar</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>sugar</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Juice the rhubarb. Add 2 parts sugar to 1 part rhubarb juice. Add 2 parts sherry vinegar for every 3 parts rhubarb syrup. Shake mixture and place in fridge for 3-4 days. Strain and store in fresh bottle in the fridge. </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Cranberry orage shrub</u></b>***</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250 g frozen cranberries (defrosted)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250 g sugar</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250 g apple cider vinegar</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>zest from 2 oranges</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Mash cranberries together with sugar and orange zest in large bowl. Cover and store in fridge 2-3 days, stirring/mashing mixture once daily. Remove and allow to warm to room temperature. Add vinegar, stir well to combine and fine strain into fresh bottle. Store in fridge. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Vanilla foam</u></b>****</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 oz half and half</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/4 oz simple syrup</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3 dashes Z bar vanilla bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients in mixing tin and froth up until doubled in volume.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
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Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-73241416731968234162016-03-11T10:11:00.000-06:002016-03-12T18:16:56.366-06:00Over the Hill...<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>...and through the woods, to make cocktails, yes we will</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b></b></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Aperitif 29</u></b></span><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">1 oz Plymouth gin</i><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">1 oz Dolin blanc</i><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 oz cranberry-orange shrub*</i></div>
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 oz maraschino</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">3 dashes Angostura orange bitters</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients with ice, stir until very well chilled. Strain into ice sphere or over large ice and garnish with orange zest.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>El Diablo</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz Milagro tequila reposado</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz Black Dame</i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i> crème de cassis</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz lime</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>ginger beer</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients, except ginger beer, with ice and shake until very well chilled. Strain into a rocks filled Collins glass, top with ginger beer, and garnish with lime wedge and fresh blackberry.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>Manhattan</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 oz Bulleit bourbon</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Cocchi vermouth di Torino</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3 dashes Angostura bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Luxardo maraschino cherry</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Stir all ingredients with ice, strain into a pre-chilled coupe glass and garnish with maraschino cherry. Express lemon oils over drink (optional)</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Lee Trevino</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 oz Del Maguey Vida mezcal </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz lemon</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz smoked black tea syrup**</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz crème de cacao</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>10 drops saline solution***</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Bittermens Hellfire Habanero shrub</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>sparkling water</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Add all ingredients, except sparkling water, to a shake with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks filled Collins glass, top with sparkling water, and garnish with lemon zest.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Lincoln St. Bell Ringer</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz Jack Daniel's single barrel select</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz Averna</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz Cointreau</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 dash coffee bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot liqueur</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>lemon zest</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients, except apricot liqueur, into a mixing glass an stir until very well chilled. Strain into a pre-chilled rocks glass that has been rinsed with the apricot liqueur. </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Cranberry orange shrub</u></b>*</span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250 g cranberries</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250 g sugar</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250 g apple cider vinegar</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>zest from 2 large oranges</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Pulse cranberries in a food processor until roughly chopped and add to large bowl containing the sugar. Add orange zest, and mash all ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Cover and place in fridge for 2-3 days, stirring once daily. </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Add vinegar to the mixture, stir well to incorporate all the sugar, then strain thru sieve lined with cheesecloth. Store in a fresh bottle in the fridge.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><u><br /></u></i></span>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Smoked black tea syrup</u></b>**</span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 g <a href="https://verdanttea.com/teas/wuyi-mountain-big-red-robe/" target="_blank">Wuyi Mountain Big Red Robe tea</a></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>4 oz water</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>8 oz sugar</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>everclear or vodka</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Boil water and steep tea for 40-50 seconds. Strain and add sugar, stirring very well until completely dissolved. Add 1/4 oz everclear (or 1/2 oz vodka) and store in a clean bottle in the fridge. </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Saline solution (25%)</u></b>***</span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>4 oz water</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 oz kosher salt</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Stir and store...pretty simple.</i></span><br />
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Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-71313387587885230252016-02-18T13:36:00.001-06:002016-05-20T08:14:40.186-05:00Time to Booze...again<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Western Springs Tasting: Take 2</b></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Aperitif 30</u></b></span><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">1 oz Plymouth gin</i><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">1 oz Lillet rose</i><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 oz strawberry balsamic shrub*</i><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 oz maraschino</i><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">3 dashes Fee Bros lemon bitters</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients with ice, stir until very well chilled. Strain into ice sphere or over large ice and garnish with lemon zest.</i></span></div>
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<b><u>Partner in Crime</u></b></div>
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<i>1 1/2 oz Genevieve genever</i></div>
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<i>3/4 oz cranberry orange shrub**</i></div>
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<i>1/2 oz rosemary syrup</i></div>
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<i>1/2 oz lemon juice</i></div>
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<i>3 dashes Dr. Adam Elmegirab's Spanish bitters</i></div>
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<i>Combine all ingredients with ice and shake until very well chilled. Double strain into a pre-chilled coupe.</i></div>
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<b><u>Sixty Fifteen</u></b></div>
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<i>1 oz Beefeater</i></div>
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<i>1 oz Dolin blanc</i></div>
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<i>1 oz lemon juice</i></div>
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<i>1 oz grenadine</i></div>
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<i>2 dashes orange bitters</i></div>
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<i>2-4 oz champagne</i></div>
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<i>Combine all ingredients, except champagne, with ice and shake until very well chilled. Add champagne and gently integrate, strain into rocks-filled Collins glass.</i></div>
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<b><u>Fire in the Hole</u></b></div>
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<i>3/4 oz Ancho Reyes chile liqueur</i></div>
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<i>1/2 oz Old Gran-Dad 114 bourbon</i></div>
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<i>1 dash Bitterman's Hellfire Shrub</i></div>
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<i>agave nectar</i></div>
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<i>Stir with ice, strain, and shoot.</i></div>
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<b><u>Black Barrel Flip</u></b></div>
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<i>1 1/2 oz Jameson Black Barrel</i></div>
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<i>3/4 oz Lustau Amontillado sherry
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<i>1/2 oz Benedictine</i><br />
<i>1/2 oz simple syrup</i><br />
<i>1/4 oz Nux Alpina walnut liqueur</i></div>
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<i>1 whole egg</i></div>
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<i>2 dashes Jerry Thomas bitters</i></div>
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<i>2 dashes Angostura bitters</i></div>
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<i>grated coffee bean</i></div>
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<i>Combine all ingredients, except coffee bean, and dry shake to emulsify egg. Add ice, shake until very well chilled, and strain into chilled single Old Fashioned glass. Garish with Angostura bitters and grated coffee bean.</i></div>
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<b><u>Garceta</u></b></div>
<i>1 oz Milagro tequila blanco </i></div>
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<i>1 oz mezcal </i></div>
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<i>3/4 oz lime juice</i></div>
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<i>1/2 oz serrano syrup***</i></div>
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<i>pinch salt</i></div>
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<i>top with grapefruit soda (Pellegrino)</i></div>
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<i>Combine all ingredients except ice and soda in glass, stir to combine. Add ice, top with soda and gently combine. </i> </div>
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<b><u>Water of Life</u></b></div>
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<i>1 1/2 oz North Shore aquavit</i></div>
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<i>1 1/2 oz Laird's bonded apple brandy</i></div>
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<i>1/4 oz Chinese five-spice syrup</i></div>
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<i>3 dashes Dr. Adam Elmegirab's Dandelion & Burdock bitters</i></div>
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<i>Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until very well chilled. Strain into pre-chilled Nick and Nora glass.</i></div>
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<b><u>Crimson '55</u></b></div>
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<i>2 oz Beefeater gin</i></div>
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<i>1 oz lemon juice</i></div>
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<i>3/4 oz raspberry syrup</i></div>
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<i>1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse</i></div>
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<i>sparkling water</i></div>
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<i>Combine everything but soda water with ice and shake until very well chilled. Double strain into collins glass filled with ice. Top with soda water and garnish with rosemary sprig.</i></div>
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<b><u>Leon Phelps</u></b></div>
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<i>2 oz Courvoisier VS</i></div>
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<i>1/2 oz Dubonnet rouge</i></div>
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<i>1/2 oz Leopold's cherry liqueur</i></div>
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<i>1/2 oz creme de cacao</i></div>
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<i>2 dashes Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla bitters</i></div>
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<i>orange zest</i></div>
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<i>Combine all ingredients with ice and stir until very well chilled. Strain into a pre-chilled cocktail glass and garnish with flamed orange zest.</i><br />
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<i><br /></i><span style="color: #999999;"><b><u>Strawberry balsamic shrub</u></b>*</span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250 g strawberries</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250 g sugar</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250 g balsamic vinegar</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Quarter each strawberry, add to large bowl containing the sugar, and mash until thoroughly combined. Cover and place in fridge for 2-3 days, stirring once daily. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Add vinegar to the mixture, stir well to incorporate all the sugar, then strain thru sieve lined with cheesecloth. Store in a fresh bottle in the fridge.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Cranberry orange shrub</u></b>**</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250 g cranberries</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250 g sugar</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250 g apple cider vinegar</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>zest from 2 large oranges</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Pulse cranberries in a food processor until roughly chopped and add to large bowl containing the sugar. Add orange zest, and mash all ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Cover and place in fridge for 2-3 days, stirring once daily. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Add vinegar to the mixture, stir well to incorporate all the sugar, then strain thru sieve lined with cheesecloth. Store in a fresh bottle in the fridge.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="text-decoration: underline;">Serrano syrup</b>***</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>4 oz water</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>4 oz sugar</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 serrano peppers</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Heat sugar/water over medium heat until dissolved, add diced jalapeno and simmer 10-15 minutes. Cool to room temp, blend until smooth, strain thru a five sieve.</i>
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Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-28573988803399471942016-01-14T08:32:00.001-06:002016-01-14T16:07:34.617-06:00Time to Booze<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Western Springs Tasting: Take 1</b></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Partner in Crime</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz Genevieve genever</i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 oz cranberry orange shrub*</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz rosemary syrup</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz lemon juice</i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 dashes Dr. Adam Elmegirab's Spanish bitters</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients with ice and shake until very well chilled. Double strain into a pre-chilled coupe.</i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Feliciano Flip</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz Cazadores tequila anejo</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz Lustau Amontillado sherry</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz walnut orgeat**</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz Benedictine</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 whole egg</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 dash coffee bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 dash Angostura bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin and dry shake to emulsify the egg. Add ice and shake again until very well chilled. Double strain into a pre-chilled glass and garnish with bitters.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Eastern Exposure</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 oz Chinese five spice-infused Four Roses bourbon***</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 oz King's ginger liqueur</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz Ramazzotti</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes orange bitters blend</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>orange zest</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients with ice and stir until very well chilled. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass containing large ice. Garnish with zest</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9CT2A_MyQZKYtigsz-dVpKw3-X7Fr58r3xORgfak-O3pU8SNC917bq2hwhDyHYxRKfiz0bXrVBEn19_rC8q1k64MFZ-d5C9WJyctbSSlRwCqmdOwXRsKXhcWnIfedoEDRoIAjLwUqFnn/s1600/IMG_9118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9CT2A_MyQZKYtigsz-dVpKw3-X7Fr58r3xORgfak-O3pU8SNC917bq2hwhDyHYxRKfiz0bXrVBEn19_rC8q1k64MFZ-d5C9WJyctbSSlRwCqmdOwXRsKXhcWnIfedoEDRoIAjLwUqFnn/s640/IMG_9118.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Fire in the Hole</u></b></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 oz Ancho Reyes chile liqueur</i><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 oz Old Gran-Dad 114 bourbon</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 dash Bitterman's Hellfire Shrub</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>barspoon agave nectar</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Stir with ice, strain, and shoot.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Stick and Carrot</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 oz Plymouth gin</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz Domaine De Canton ginger liqueur</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 carrot juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 lemon juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>3 dashes Angostura bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients with ice and shake until very well chilled. Double strain into pre-chilled cocktail coupe. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNu8OMKtwUBQ3nvloSxgdsZpQk7dqzYZRxcGovIxoNgJaBKIzjXGm3GIvvYFv1dIgcUnAhsKMHGBKDHCVXj3tIjIT_7we5ZhBXTBiaP8mcJiC-7-1UDo3gjhYlEavQwqw0coJ9LczKsEc/s1600/IMG_9101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNu8OMKtwUBQ3nvloSxgdsZpQk7dqzYZRxcGovIxoNgJaBKIzjXGm3GIvvYFv1dIgcUnAhsKMHGBKDHCVXj3tIjIT_7we5ZhBXTBiaP8mcJiC-7-1UDo3gjhYlEavQwqw0coJ9LczKsEc/s640/IMG_9101.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Atwood</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz Milagro tequila blanco</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz grapefruit oleo saccharum syrup****</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz Campari</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz lime juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients with ice and shake until well chilled. Double strain into a chilled cocktail coupe</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAU3FkpaJU5DyEYoFkp8Ur7C13YnQHpWXtT98ZVzfUn1ABW_FMUkiSm4X-2OXFIQV0HEg6AJRKSRUYGF6KmaOtNe9yWE0q2eCt3viRM_Z0UfSX9FlCW4YaIW0Pqw4hphN2o_MCx05AvcvA/s1600/IMG_0760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAU3FkpaJU5DyEYoFkp8Ur7C13YnQHpWXtT98ZVzfUn1ABW_FMUkiSm4X-2OXFIQV0HEg6AJRKSRUYGF6KmaOtNe9yWE0q2eCt3viRM_Z0UfSX9FlCW4YaIW0Pqw4hphN2o_MCx05AvcvA/s640/IMG_0760.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Crimson '55</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 oz Beefeater gin</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 oz lemon juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz raspberry syrup</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>sparkling water</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Combine everything but soda water with ice and shake until very well chilled. Double strain into collins glass filled with ice. Top with soda water. </i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Equinox</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Rittenhouse rye </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 oz hum botanical liqueur</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Carpano Antica</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Angostura bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>lemon zest</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients with ice and stir until very well chilled. Strain into a pre-chilled cocktail glass and garnish with lemon zest. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ag0S5XJ-vinfVCS_y-lIBeSq2yie6pdVQSD6Gk0cuu6R-pTnGv0RG4VHjmKongQVQ-iDpn910PFZlIJTasIloLNZ1ncYtYyAcgClBRhjJdDh1RD-lndtcf2ykxgKbqS73JsTizeQQfac/s1600/IMG_7573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ag0S5XJ-vinfVCS_y-lIBeSq2yie6pdVQSD6Gk0cuu6R-pTnGv0RG4VHjmKongQVQ-iDpn910PFZlIJTasIloLNZ1ncYtYyAcgClBRhjJdDh1RD-lndtcf2ykxgKbqS73JsTizeQQfac/s640/IMG_7573.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Grasshopper Shake</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 1/2 oz crème de menthe</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 1/2 oz crème de cacao</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 oz half and half</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp Fernet Branca</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">pinch sea salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 oz vanilla ice cream</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 oz crushed ice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve in a chilled tumbler and garnish with mint sprig. Recipe courtesy of Jeffrey Morgenthaler</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Cranberry orange shrub</u></b>*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>250 g cranberries</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>250 g sugar</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>250 g apple cider vinegar</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>zest from 2 large oranges</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Pulse cranberries in a food processor until roughly chopped and add to large bowl containing the sugar. Add orange zest, and mash all ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Cover and place in fridge for 2-3 days, stirring once daily. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Add vinegar to the mixture, stir well to incorporate all the sugar, then strain thru sieve lined with cheesecloth. Store in a fresh bottle in the fridge.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Walnut orgeat</u></b>**</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1.6 part water</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 part walnuts</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 part turbinado sugar</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>0.4 part grade A maple syrup</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>0.2 part vodka</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cover walnuts with water and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain walnuts and blend them into a coarse paste using a food processor. Add walnut paste back to the water and submerge in sous vide water bath at 125F for 15 minutes. Remove, strain paste thru cheesecloth, then return to the same water and submerge in sous vide for another 15 minutes. Repeat this process once more, then add final water (walnut milk) mixture to saucepan over low heat. Add syrup and sugar, stirring to combine. Let cool to room temperature, pour into a fresh bottle containing the vodka, and store in the fridge. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Five spice-infused bourbon</u></b>***</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 750ml bottle Four Roses yellow label bourbon</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Add spice to bottle, shake and let sit overnight, shaking intermittently. Fine strain thru cheesecloth into fresh bottle. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Grapefruit oleo saccharum syrup</u>****</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Zest from one large grapefruit<br />4 oz sugar<br />4 oz water<br /><br />Add grapefruit zest and sugar to a vacuum bag and seal. Let sit at room temperature over night until the oils incorporate the sugar. Strain contents thru a fine mesh sieve (should net about 2 oz), add water, and shake well until homogenous. Store in a clean bottle and refrigerate. </i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-40518284773128514772014-05-19T20:53:00.002-05:002014-05-19T20:54:38.190-05:00Go Nuts!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfjvmD36iSewESInuuyGKGohdw-kY5HkYY-_TRUN-8QeWkYznluyufePL0K_17CmPiGmoeTy8zOnJ8ClQcBHqGPVfamboOHEGu9u7hYKOcnbA5Ch5nD5uzPVZxZqpdqKWveMt6NmgEqgG/s1600/mxmologo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfjvmD36iSewESInuuyGKGohdw-kY5HkYY-_TRUN-8QeWkYznluyufePL0K_17CmPiGmoeTy8zOnJ8ClQcBHqGPVfamboOHEGu9u7hYKOcnbA5Ch5nD5uzPVZxZqpdqKWveMt6NmgEqgG/s1600/mxmologo.gif" height="189" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">For this month's <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">Mixology Monday</a>, we get a nutty theme compliments of Elana over at <a href="http://stirandstrain.com/" target="_blank">Stir and Strain</a>, as per her <a href="http://stirandstrain.com/2014/05/05/mixology-monday-lxxxv-announcement-aw-nuts/" target="_blank">announcement</a> post - </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Nuts? Yes! A few months back I tried, and was wowed by, a peanut-y take on an Old Fashioned at a bar here in L.A. They had infused peanuts in bourbon and with a touch of honey had made magic. Nuts of all sorts make it into cocktails now. Some black walnut bitters here, the sweet almond flavor of orgeat there… circus peanuts. Your challenge is to utilize nuts (and since we’re NOT adhering to the strict rules of what are nuts, peanuts and walnuts both count) in any way you see fit to create a cocktail. Infusions, bitters, almond tinctures are all game. Amaretto, homemade nocino, Frangelico too. Go nuts!</i></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In what seems to have been an uncountable number of personal attempts to follow-thru and finally get back into the MxMo routine, this finally appears to be a successful endeavor. In part, the task was made easier by the plethora of nuts we have in our pantry. In fact, just the other day my wife was complaining to me that we had so many varieties and 'they just sit there'. Alas, no longer...at least for the cashews.</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Raw/roasted, salted/unsalted, plain/spiced, you name it...just about everybody loves cashews. And just a day removed from having finished a simple prep of cashew butter, the MxMo announcement post served to seal my cocktail fate. But how best to go about this integration of buttery cashews and spirits? A bit of contemplation led me to extra-aged rum, as follows...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Cashew-infused rum</u></b>*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>8 oz Cruzan Extra-aged rum</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>3/4 c raw, unsalted cashews</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Place cashews in a skillet over low/med flame, tossing occasionally until just lightly toasted and browned, 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool, place in plastic storage bag, and gently crush with rolling pin (or more appropriately, a muddler). Combine cashew and rum in airtight container, shake well to combine, and let sit at room temperature overnight. Strain rum using fine cheesecloth into a clean bottle. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>1888</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 oz cashew-infused rum*</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz Ramazzotti</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/4 oz Cointreau</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Regan's orange bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>orange zest</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients over ice in a mixing glass and stir until very well chilled. Strain over a large cube of fresh ice in a old fashioned glass. Express oils from, and garnish with, a nice swath of orange zest. </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This cocktail is definitely a unique offering, but the end result was actually rather pleasant...especially given the upfront richness of the cashew. It seemed to pair best with Ramazzotti, tho I did give it a spin with other amari such as Averna and Montenegro. The bitterness nicely counters the dark fruit and fatty sweetness of the cashew rum and notes of orange come thru just at the tail end. Lastly...the name. It 'stems' from '<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maior_cajueiro_do_mundo" target="_blank">Maior cajueiro do mundo</a>'</i>, the world's largest cashew tree (roughly 8,000 square meters), said to have been planted in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil in 1888. And with that, this <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">MxMo</a> theme of 'Aw Nuts!' is in the bag...thanks much to Elana over at her fantastic blog, <a href="http://stirandstrain.com/" target="_blank">Stir and Strain</a>, and of course, be sure to check back here for the monthly roundup. </span><br />
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Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-37281756201859696302013-12-17T12:57:00.001-06:002013-12-17T15:25:58.596-06:00The Silence of the Auctions<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To suggest it has been quite some time since I have formally gathered my collective thought for a post would be as much an understatement as 'things can get busy as a first-time parent'. Yes, time for contemplative insights on spirits and cocktails has taken a backseat over the last several months to bigger things in life...most notably, the design/development process related to our new home, and custom lower-level bar! Tho in all seriousness, life has picked up quite a bit with my family recently taking on the requisite steps to wrestle the balance of power from myself to the female contingent... As I am now outnumbered, I've in all likelihood seen my last days on the throne (or tho I shall portray). All that said, among the laundry list of things on which to focus in the new year...getting back into the swing of routine posts. And since there is no better time than the present, consider this one a warm-up.</span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some time ago, my brother-in-law reached out to request my participation in his company's annual charity silent auction. The item up for bid? Me, sort of...or at least those cognitive parts of mine which function (at times) to develop personal tastes/preferences into custom-tailored libations...preferably those more suitable to the cocktail-loving palate than the neighborhood cat on a Jagermeister bender.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If there was a profile for which I could easily identify, it was that which fit the winner of this auction. A lover of spirit-forward, classic cocktails (let's call him Steven)...Steven was interested in expanding his palate a bit beyond it's already well conditioned repertoire. He didn't mind bitter that wasn't overpowering, preferred brown spirits, and wanted to stay away from rum, tequila, and anything too sweet (ie. no apple pie liqueur). In consideration of this, I thought of introducing a component of which I am a big fan, the shrub. An extremely customizable and versatile ingredient, shrubs work well in many applications, but really seem to excel in a context such as Steven's. Perhaps most importantly, the varieties are endless, and a basic recipe can be altered by swapping different types of vinegars, sugars, fruits, spices, etc...truly a cocktail ingredient that keeps on giving.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Given the winter months here in Chicago, I focused on those spirits and flavor profiles which tend to fit the mood. Baking spices, fruit, and high proof are what come to mind. A combination of two bottled-in-bond spirits, Rittenhouse rye and Laird's apple brandy, served as the spirit-forward base, while a pear-allspice shrub and Cynar lent the bitter, sweet, and sour notes. A few dashes of Angostura and lemon zest were the finishing touches to this custom-tailored cocktail.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>Pear Allspice shrub</b></u><b>*</b></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /> <i>2 c ripe Anjou pears, medium dice (about 1 medium)<br /> 1 c turbinado sugar<br /> 1 c white (refined) sugar<br /> 1 3/4 c apple cider vinegar</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>1/4 c balsamic vinegar<br /> 15-20 allspice berries, dry toasted, lightly cracked</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>5-7 peppercorns, dry toasted, lightly cracked<br /> <br /> Add diced pear and sugar to mixing bowl, lightly muddle to incorporate sugar throughout the mixture, cover, and let macerate in the fridge for 24-48 hours. Add the freshly cracked allspice and peppercorns along with the vinegars, mix, and return to fridge for another 5-7 days, stirring once daily. Strain the mixture thru a collander and then thru cheesecloth to remove most of the solids. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>To The Unspoken</b></u><br /><i>1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse rye<br />3/4 oz Laird's apple brandy<br />3/4 oz pear-allspice shrub*<br />1/2 oz Cynar<br />3 dashes Angostura bitters </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>lemon zest<br /><br />Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with plenty of fresh ice. Stir until very will chilled. Cut a wide swath of lemon zest and express the oils into a pre-chilled cocktail coupe and drop the zest into the glass. Strain the cocktail over the zest and enjoy.</i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To the Unspoken</span></span></i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i> </i><br /><span style="color: #999999;">So here's to a nice finish to the year and cheers to 'Steven', may it suit your taste...</span></span><br />
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<br />Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-38749028681948424402013-08-19T21:29:00.003-05:002013-08-20T16:22:18.936-05:00Fire It Up...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999;">For this month's <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">Mixology Monday</a>, we get a full fledged free-range theme of <a href="http://feu-de-vie.blogspot.com/2013/08/mixology-monday-lxxvi-announcement-fire.html#.UhLJ_IUsREc" target="_blank">Fire</a>, compliments of the wonderful Muse of Doom from <a href="http://feu-de-vie.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Feu De Vie</a>. As so described...</span><br /><br /><br /><i>Tiki-philes have their </i></span><i> </i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://ratedrcocktails.com/2012/11/18/mxmo-garnish-part-3-tiki-theatrics-fire/">flaming spent lime shells</a> and <a href="http://www.killingtime.com/Pegu/2011/02/25/tiki-drink-halikai-hot-tub/">scorpion bowls</a>. Classic cocktailers have the magic of a <a href="http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/02/cocktail-101-how-to-flame-an-orange-twist-garnish-drink-flaming-peel.html">flamed orange zest</a>. Molecular mixologists have their <a href="http://cuisinetechnology.com/the-smoking-gun.php">Smoking Guns</a>. (and yes, frat boys have their flaming shots.) Even brunchtime drinkers have spicy Bloody Marys. You don't have to go full <a href="http://www.esquire.com/features/food-drink/blueblazer1107">Blue Blazer</a>, not nearly -- heck, you could go full <a href="http://www.drinkhacker.com/2011/12/19/review-fireball-cinnamon-whisky/">Fireball Whiskey</a>! (or <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/beer-review-fire-rock-pale-ale-150074">Fire Rock Pale Ale</a>, etc..) You could riff on the <a href="http://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/2721/old-flame">Old Flame</a> or come up with an inventive name of your own. You could even use a good firewater or burned wine. (and if you're grilling fruit, save some for me, will ya?)</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With a clean palette at my disposal, my first thoughts ventured towards paths inclusive of over-proof rum, flaming dragons, and everything inclusive of the post description. At the same time, with two habaneros chilling in the fridge, leftovers from a recent Jamaican culinary jaunt...the path was clear. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Among the plethora of spices and flavors which contribute to the vast array of Jerk variations, a good handful of them are components readily found on<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">the shelves of my booze collection. Others c<span style="font-size: small;">an be accentuated thru the <span style="font-size: small;">creation of custom ingredients, <span style="font-size: small;">such as...</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>Jerk <span style="font-size: small;">t</span>incture</b></u>*</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <i>1 habanero, quartered</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">zest of one lime<br /> 1 tsp allspice, fresh ground<br />1 tsp black peppercorns, fresh ground<br /> 1/2 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced<br /> 1/4 tsp cinnamon</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4 oz neutral grain spirit<br /><br /> Combine ingredients in non-reactive vessel and let sit at room temperature for 1-2 weeks, shaking once daily. Alternatively, heat sous vide water bath to 170F, combine ingredients in heat-proof bag, and let steep/infuse for 6-8 hours. Strain and store in clean container. </span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>Brown sugar syrup</b></u>**</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4 oz dark brown sugar, packed</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4 oz water</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Combine ingredients in saucepan over low heat to dissolve sugar, cool to room temperature and refrigerate in a fresh container.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And finally, it comes together...</span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Disya</span></b></u><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 1/2 oz Cruzan Single Barrel Estate extra-aged rum </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 oz King's Ginger liqueur</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 oz St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 oz brown sugar syrup**</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 oz lime juice</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">10-15 drops Jerk tincture*</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Shake all ingredients with ice until well chilled, double strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Disya</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999;">Reminiscent of all the flavors of a traditional Jamaican Jerk, and not in the least, a very nice subtle burn to contribute the 'fire' component. And the name? Jamaican slang for 'this right here' (Disya), a really nice cocktail with all the fragrance of jerk with an extra aged rum backbone and supporting liqueurs, fruit, and sugar. Thanks much to the Muse of Doom at the fabulous <a href="http://feu-de-vie.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Feu de Vie</a> for the 'Fire' <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">Mixology Monday</a> theme and be sure to check back here for the monthly roundup. </span><i><br /></i></span><br />
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<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span></i>Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-69193580080572506082013-06-17T22:19:00.000-05:002013-06-20T06:52:08.413-05:00Cheers to Cherry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cherries, while great on their own, are better (in one form or another) when part of a cocktail. Thankfully, Andrea leads the charge with just such a cherry <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">MxMo</a> theme as described on her blog, <a href="http://ginhound.blogspot.dk/2013/06/mixology-monday-lxxiv-cherrie.html" target="_blank">Gin Hound</a>:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Singapore Gin Sling, Blood and Sand, and the Aviation wouldn’t be the
same without them… But cherries in cocktails are also horribly abused,
few things taste worse than artificial cherry aroma, and the description
of how most maraschino cherries are made can make you sick to your
stomach. So it’s my pleasure as the host of Mixology Monday… to
challenge you to honor the humble cherry. However you choose to do that,
is entirely up to you. You could use Maraschino Liqueur, Cherry
Heering, Kirchwasser, Belgian Kriek Beer, cherry wine, or any
spectacular infusions invented by you in a cocktail. Or make your own
maraschino cherries for a spectacular garnish.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After having eyed <a href="http://www.leopoldbros.com/New_site/Michigan_Tart_Cherry_Liqueur.html" target="_blank">Leopold Bros Michigan Tart Cherry Liqueur</a><i> </i>for some time now, I had a solid excuse to purchase a bottle and put it to use. Open the bottle and you simply can't help but taste a piece of tart cherry pie. Take a small sip and it gets even better. The sour cherries used to produce this outstanding liqueur, while grown in Michigan, have their origins in France and were named after such a valley in Montmorency. It is a fantastic and unique addition to my liqueur collection, neither overly tart nor sweet...a very balanced profile which I found paired nicely with a spirit produced in a region just 5-6 hours to the southwest, Cognac.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>When in France</b>...</u></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 1/2 oz Courvoisier V.S.O.P.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 oz The Bitter Truth E**X**R </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 oz Leopold Bros Michigan Tart Cherry Liqueur</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3-4 drops black peppercorn tincture*</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 dash Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla bitters</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lemon zest </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until very well chilled. Strain into a pre-chilled cocktail coupe, express lemon zest over top and discard.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>Black peppercorn tincture</b></u>*<br /> <i>2 oz whole black peppercorns<br /> 6 oz neutral grain spirit </i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /> Combine ingredients in non-reactive vessel and let sit at room temperature for 3-4 weeks, shaking once daily. Alternatively, heat sous vide water bath to 170F, combine ingredients in heat-proof bag, and let steep/infuse for 3-4 hours. Strain and store in clean container.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEeNZoWYKuCZiedfNPweix9hGaBN5mNA1HXRpLjrNQ7DPEo6YTBR1lDvjahcg9NB_fN8qmU6XqX1g390deOAI6A2tVKriiaKgpCnJJA25RaRfG0NO3xBjwGqXIg9Nw59xYixMMSiaERWx9/s1600/When+in+France....jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEeNZoWYKuCZiedfNPweix9hGaBN5mNA1HXRpLjrNQ7DPEo6YTBR1lDvjahcg9NB_fN8qmU6XqX1g390deOAI6A2tVKriiaKgpCnJJA25RaRfG0NO3xBjwGqXIg9Nw59xYixMMSiaERWx9/s640/When+in+France....jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When in France...</span></span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">From a flavor profile standpoint, I know cherries tend to pair very well with brandy (cognac), vanilla, and occasionally a crack of fresh pepper. In the glass, after some slight tinkering with proportions, this rang true as well. The Bitter Truth E**X**R amaro blended seamlessly, much akin to sweet vermouth in a Manhattan, and the subtle black pepper note added just a backdrop of spice. Overall, yet another venture complete...definitely pick up a bottle of this <a href="http://www.leopoldbros.com/New_site/Michigan_Tart_Cherry_Liqueur.html" target="_blank">Leopold Bros Michigan Tart Cherry Liqueur</a>, you won't regret it. Thanks go out to <a href="http://ginhound.blogspot.dk/2013/06/mixology-monday-lxxiv-cherrie.html" target="_blank">Andrea from Gin Hound</a> for this month's <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">MxMo</a> Cherry theme</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> and be sure to check back soon for the round-up post. </span></span>Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-45687196177927127952013-05-20T20:59:00.002-05:002013-05-21T07:25:16.496-05:00Thyme for MxMo<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllDs5H9STHrxhZcmcOT7qggI4RDNRdhLBe-kdWNnMKT2oMaPYFrfzwcx1mNfgKx-kiBC5Tezwi_AjVhUurwKVf85PBbTSiqZlHv3JFsWR5sQHTqHv0Mc3CqEn3jFqXpcKoBG24UAbc9tl/s1600/mxmologo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllDs5H9STHrxhZcmcOT7qggI4RDNRdhLBe-kdWNnMKT2oMaPYFrfzwcx1mNfgKx-kiBC5Tezwi_AjVhUurwKVf85PBbTSiqZlHv3JFsWR5sQHTqHv0Mc3CqEn3jFqXpcKoBG24UAbc9tl/s320/mxmologo.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Along th<span style="font-size: small;">e the warm<span style="font-size: small;">(er) weather that accompanies most of us <span style="font-size: small;">into the month of May comes Mark from <a href="http://cocktailsincardiff.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Cardiff C</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://cocktailsincardiff.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">ocktails</a> with his herb<span style="font-size: small;">-inspired theme for this month's <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">MxMo</a>, Witch<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">es'</span> Garden, as described:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As far back as we can look, the use of fresh herbs have been prevalent
in the world of mixed drinks. From the early days of the julep, through
Williams Terrington’s <span style="text-decoration: underline;">19th century Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks</span>,
to Don the Beachcomber’s ahead of their time Tiki drinks, fresh herbs
have always been at the forefront of mixology. So lets take influence
from the bartenders that once ruled the world of mixology, raid your
herb garden that too often gets neglected, and start mixing. I don’t
want to put too many limits on this theme so get as creative as you
please, want to use roots, spices or beans as well? Sure thing. Want to
make your own herbal infusions or tinctures? Sounds wonderful.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">When it comes to bo</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">tanicals and a refreshing cocktail for a warm spring/</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">summer day<span style="font-size: small;">, som<span style="font-size: small;">e of my first thoughts trend toward</span></span> fizzes and bucks</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">...part 1, <span style="font-size: small;">check</span>. With t<span style="font-size: small;">he type of cocktail <span style="font-size: small;">chosen, <span style="font-size: small;">a</span></span></span> quick </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">survey of the fridge left </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">me with a surplus of </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">thyme and rosemary...part 2, check. The ingredients selected, onto the <span style="font-size: small;">creation<span style="font-size: small;">, an</span></span> intense h</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">erbal syrup paired with </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">gin, </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">fortified wine, citrus, and ginger beer...part 3, check</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">. And lastly, <span style="font-size: small;">given this was one of my <span style="font-size: small;">closest <span style="font-size: small;">submissions <span style="font-size: small;">to the MxMo deadline, the name flow<span style="font-size: small;">ed pretty easily...part 4, check.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>About Bucking Thyme</b></u></span></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 oz Citadelle gin</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">3/4 oz Dolin dry vermouth</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">3/4 oz Thyme rosemary syrup*</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">3/4 oz lemon</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">4-5 oz <span style="font-size: small;">F<span style="font-size: small;">en</span>t<span style="font-size: small;">i</span>men's Ginger beer</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 sprigs t<span style="font-size: small;">hyme</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Combine <span style="font-size: small;">all ingredients but the ginger beer<span style="font-size: small;">, along with one s<span style="font-size: small;">pri<span style="font-size: small;">g <span style="font-size: small;">of thyme </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span><i>in a cocktail shaker wi<span style="font-size: small;">th <span style="font-size: small;">ice. <span style="font-size: small;">Shake until very well chilled. Add 2<span style="font-size: small;"> oz ginger beer <span style="font-size: small;">to an ice<span style="font-size: small;">-</span>fi<span style="font-size: small;">lled collins<span style="font-size: small;">(ish) glass <span style="font-size: small;">lined with a thyme sprig<span style="font-size: small;">. Double strain the cocktail atop the ginger beer, foll<span style="font-size: small;">owed by another 2-3 oz of ginger beer, and give a gentle stir. Kick back in the sun and take a sip.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>Thyme </b></u><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>rosemary syrup</b></u>*</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">4 oz filtered water</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">4 oz sugar</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">4-5 wides <span style="font-size: small;">strips lemon zest</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">5-6 sprigs fresh thyme</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 sprig fresh rosemary</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bring wat<span style="font-size: small;">er and sugar to a boil until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, add the zest and herbs, cover, and let cool to room temperature. Store in fridge overnight, then strain into a fresh bottle. </span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmQvYwG6KwnzSCwwu2LX2QBOCFMKL6j64rUP4SFByt66ZrLsmNGqUi85PAI_6mnnzDnvqfVLcWb28_t2ORCekdRz89xYnIs-ypAIuAALm0jIGUmtSq4rEkFI0QMXHsPmNJOtL8_1siOas/s1600/About+Bucking+Thyme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmQvYwG6KwnzSCwwu2LX2QBOCFMKL6j64rUP4SFByt66ZrLsmNGqUi85PAI_6mnnzDnvqfVLcWb28_t2ORCekdRz89xYnIs-ypAIuAALm0jIGUmtSq4rEkFI0QMXHsPmNJOtL8_1siOas/s640/About+Bucking+Thyme.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>About Bucking Thyme</i></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">This one definitely has <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">the</span> strong essense of thyme, with a slight<span style="font-size: small;">er hint of rosemar<span style="font-size: small;">y that pairs very well with the combo of g<span style="font-size: small;">in, citrus, and botanicals from the dry vermouth<span style="font-size: small;">. Clean, cris<span style="font-size: small;">p, <span style="font-size: small;">refreshing, and simple to make...thanks for the inspiration from Mark at <a href="http://cocktailsincardiff.tumblr.com/post/49759627830/witchesgarden" target="_blank">Cardiff Cocktails</a>, and be sure to check back here for the <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">MxMo</a> round-up for all the great Witche<span style="font-size: small;">s' G<span style="font-size: small;">arden creations. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-44118676628061333492013-04-22T08:14:00.003-05:002013-04-24T16:08:30.320-05:00Beet It<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllDs5H9STHrxhZcmcOT7qggI4RDNRdhLBe-kdWNnMKT2oMaPYFrfzwcx1mNfgKx-kiBC5Tezwi_AjVhUurwKVf85PBbTSiqZlHv3JFsWR5sQHTqHv0Mc3CqEn3jFqXpcKoBG24UAbc9tl/s1600/mxmologo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllDs5H9STHrxhZcmcOT7qggI4RDNRdhLBe-kdWNnMKT2oMaPYFrfzwcx1mNfgKx-kiBC5Tezwi_AjVhUurwKVf85PBbTSiqZlHv3JFsWR5sQHTqHv0Mc3CqEn3jFqXpcKoBG24UAbc9tl/s320/mxmologo.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For this month's <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">Mixology Monday</a>, host Rowen of <a href="http://foggedinlounge.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Fo<span style="font-size: small;">gged In Lounge</span></a> tapped <span style="font-size: small;">into the health conscious minds of cocktail enthusiasts when he put for<span style="font-size: small;">th the following descriptor for <span style="font-size: small;">his theme, Drink Your Vegetables...</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Want to get more vegetables but you’re always eating on the run?… Well
then, how about a vegetable cocktail? No, not that nice little glass of
red stuff Grandma put at each place setting—we’re talking something with
a kick in it. You can definitely start with the little glass of red
stuff and expand it to a Red Snapper-style drink like a Bloody Mary. Or
how about a cucumber-scented cooler like a Pimm’s Cup, or maybe a
cocktail featuring a vegetable-based ingredient like Cardamaro or celery
bitters? Maybe you’ve been wondering if you can get more mileage out of
that juice extractor before consigning it to the garage sale. However
you get them in that glass, be prepared for the most fun with vegetables
ever.</span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is times like these that I appreciate the fact that my wife convinced me (us) to get a legit juicer. Tho when she sees me in the kitchen, she knows I'm not prepping a super healthy shake, rather it's <i>mise en place</i> for a new cocktail. Over the last year or so, I've taken on <a href="http://theventuremixologist.blogspot.com/2011/10/rise-and-shine.html" target="_blank">tomato</a>, <a href="http://theventuremixologist.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-stalker.html" target="_blank">celery</a> and <a href="http://theventuremixologist.blogspot.com/2012/03/hail-king.html" target="_blank">carrot</a>...so this time around I ventured down a different path with the veg that stains like no tomorrow...beet. Earthy, subtly sweet, and possessing a very 'vegetal' quality when consumed straight from the juicer, it seemed a natural partner with that Brazilian spirit that unfortunately doesn't get a ton of use outside of<span style="font-size: small;"> the Caipirinha<span style="font-size: small;">...</span>cachaça<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">. The particular bottle I <span style="font-size: small;">used for this cocktail was Leblon, a fantastic </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">cachaça which is <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">distill<span style="font-size: small;">ed</span> <span style="font-size: small;">from</span> fresh sugar cane juice in Brazil and then shipped to France for a<span style="font-size: small;">ging up to 3 months in used Cognac <span style="font-size: small;">casks. It possess a nice balance of light <span style="font-size: small;">fruity notes, as well as an underlying earthiness that I <span style="font-size: small;">thought would complemen<span style="font-size: small;">t the beet juice very well<span style="font-size: small;">. <span style="font-size: small;">Along<span style="font-size: small;"> for the ri<span style="font-size: small;">de, <span style="font-size: small;">a blend of lemon, Coint<span style="font-size: small;">reau, and ginger syrup <span style="font-size: small;">to brig<span style="font-size: small;">hte<span style="font-size: small;">n <span style="font-size: small;">it up<span style="font-size: small;">, accentuate the fruit, </span>and <span style="font-size: small;">give just a hint of ginger heat. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>Beet Down in Brazil</b></u><br /><i>2 oz Leblon cachaça<br />3/4 oz fresh beet juice<br />1/2 oz lemon juice<br />1/2 oz Cointreau<br />1/4 oz ginger syrup*<br /> <br />Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled. Double strain into a pre-chilled cordial cocktail glass. Finish with a nice twist of lemon zest. <br /> <br />*Equal parts freshly juiced ginger root and sugar</i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEn2uf-WJnTSJKHjd1vetYoe6QnPqv4ZftmOE2Tjso0C8E6Y57gKPsa1VqibtaamfSZGd5Ob-asenlMUIuL6c3XHfQ8tsWkYzxJOH3lfvP0S81RgfgdFP9VUAcwH3vOY0yMEDYRDqRQczv/s1600/Beet+Down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEn2uf-WJnTSJKHjd1vetYoe6QnPqv4ZftmOE2Tjso0C8E6Y57gKPsa1VqibtaamfSZGd5Ob-asenlMUIuL6c3XHfQ8tsWkYzxJOH3lfvP0S81RgfgdFP9VUAcwH3vOY0yMEDYRDqRQczv/s640/Beet+Down.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Beet Down in Brazil</span></span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many thanks go out to Rowen at <a href="http://foggedinlounge.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Fogged In Lounge</a></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for hosting this month's <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">Mixology Monday</a></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and getting me to drink my veggies...and thankfully, no whites were ruined during the making of this cocktail. As always, be sure to check back soon for the roundup of all the great concoctions from other contributors. </span></span><br />
<br />Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-82649096864481803532013-04-05T07:28:00.001-05:002013-04-05T08:47:09.936-05:00Bacon...Take Two<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Around rolls April and once again, I welcome the challenge to create another bacon-inspired cocktail worthy of submission to the <a href="http://baconfestchicago.com/2013-cocktail-challenge" target="_blank">Baconfest Chicago 2013 Best Bacon Cocktail Challenge</a>. At the helm, of course, is long time <a href="http://baconfestchicago.com/" target="_blank">Baconfest</a> contributor and head mixologist <a href="http://www.sablechicago.com/chicago-bartenders.php" target="_blank">Mike Ryan</a> of Sable Kitchen & Bar...the rules, as follows:</span></span><br />
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<ul>
<li><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Deadline to submit is April 5th at noon</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Must be an original recipe</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Must use actual bacon or bacon-fat as an ingredient. Bacon vodka, pork stock, etc are NOT applicable.</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Recipe must be measured in fluid ounces</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Recipe must have a name</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Recipes that have ingredients which are originally produced (i.e. smoked cherries, syrups, etc) must include recipes for those ingredients</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If possible, please submit a photo of your cocktail</span></i></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999;">For this year's entry I shifted from a base of blended Scotch whisky for the <a href="http://theventuremixologist.blogspot.com/2012/04/bacon-bacon-baconbacon.html" target="_blank">Barded Black Bird</a>...to a pair of blended rums. The starting point, and focus for the bacon-inflicted fat wash, was Banks 7 Golden Age Rum. I really like this rum as the foundation...it offers a fantastic combination of over 20 rums aged anywhere from 1 to 7 years from the islands of Barbados, Guatemala, Guyana, Jamaica, Java, Panama and Trinidad, each lending their own unique characteristics. Following the Banks, in an attempt to pick up a bit more on the smoky element of bacon, I supplemented with a very nice aged demerara rum, El Dorado 15 year. This rum, on my palate at least, has a very complex backdrop of dark fruits (cherry, dates), smoke, and vanilla...and adds nicely to the existing Guyana-based demerara already present in the Banks 7 blend. Next up, a bacon-date shrub to provide some much needed acidity to the rich sweetness of the rums and eventual use of sherry. Freshly cooked, crispy bacon, diced mejouli dates, sugar, and apple cider vinegar comprised the main ingredients for the shrub, with a simple, final fat wash to provide another layer of bacon-y goodness. The sherry picked up on the dark fruit provided by the rums with notes of fig and caramel...and its sweetness, much akin to a Madeira, toned down some of the acid from the shrub as well. Fat-washed Angostura, as well as Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla bitters rounded out the cocktail, and a finish with an expression of lemon oils worked well to provide a fresh hit of bright citrus to a rather deep and complex drink. The name is a riff on the many Caribbean sailing routes taken to acquire the various rums in the cocktail, as well as all those represented by shipment of sherry casks across the Indian Ocean by the East India Company, the source of inspiration for the style of sherry in the cocktail. </span> </span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If Pigs Could Sail</span></b></u><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 oz fat-washed Banks 7 Golden Age Rum*</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 oz El Dorado 15 Year Old Rum</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 oz bacon-date shrub**</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 oz Lustau East India Solera sherry</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 dash fat-washed Angostura bitters***</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 dash Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla bitters</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lemon zest</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until very well chilled. Strain into a pre-chilled Nick & Nora cocktail glass or coupe. Garnish with a short strip of lemon zest. Oink oink.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Fat-washed Banks 7</b></u>*</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 oz Banks 7 Golden Age Rum</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 oz rendered bacon fat, melted</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Combine both ingredients in a well sealed container and shake vigorously. Let sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours, then place in the freezer for several hours or overnight. Break thru the top layer of solidified fat and strain thru a fine sieve into a fresh glass bottle. </span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Bacon-date shrub</b></u>**</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 c apple cider vinegar</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 c diced crispy cooked bacon</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 c diced mejouli dates</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 c turbinado sugar</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 c water</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Combine all ingredients except for vinegar and water in a glass jar and muddle very well to integrate. Add water, stir to combine, and place in fridge for 2 days, stirring the slurry mixture daily. Add the vinegar, stir, and place back into the fridge for another 7-10 days, shaking well once daily. Strain the shrub thru a fine sieve into a well sealed container. Add the melted bacon fat and shake vigorously. Let sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours, then place in the freezer for roughly 1 hour or until the layer of fat has solidified (take care not to over-freeze as the shrub itself can still be frozen). Break thru the top layer and strain thru a fine sieve into a fresh glass bottle.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Fat-washed Angostura</b></u>***</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 oz Angostura bitters</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 oz rendered bacon fat, melted</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Combine both ingredients in a
well sealed container and shake vigorously. Let sit at room temperature
for 1-2 hours, then place in the freezer for several hours or
overnight. Break thru the top layer of solidified fat and strain thru a
fine sieve into a fresh glass dropper bottle</i>. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZO5hT2IQpGpFbXEKDxcQ8cwNhlZD-K6l7IQNfziYhXcxvistlf1sco5ZyiSQ15Us1mNfLUXkm-rqluIi29m-ABi5_1NmOBQhwc9GskspK0OsilzgeoXOYQdxl5QsBQoCM6fqpk5kpcu1G/s1600/If+Pigs+Could+Sail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZO5hT2IQpGpFbXEKDxcQ8cwNhlZD-K6l7IQNfziYhXcxvistlf1sco5ZyiSQ15Us1mNfLUXkm-rqluIi29m-ABi5_1NmOBQhwc9GskspK0OsilzgeoXOYQdxl5QsBQoCM6fqpk5kpcu1G/s640/If+Pigs+Could+Sail.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>If Pigs Could Sail</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Shrubs are certainly not for everyone...some cannot get past the<span style="font-size: small;"> tart, pungent acidity of vinegar, but I thought it actually paired pretty well <span style="font-size: small;">to cou<span style="font-size: small;">nter</span></span> the<span style="font-size: small;"> stronger profiles of bacon<span style="font-size: small;"> fat-infused rum<span style="font-size: small;">, deme<span style="font-size: small;">rara rum<span style="font-size: small;">, and sherry. </span></span></span>For sure, it is a rather complex drink with a lot going on, but I found it much ligh<span style="font-size: small;">ter <span style="font-size: small;">than I'd had anticipated<span style="font-size: small;">...crisp, <span style="font-size: small;">a bit sweet, and <span style="font-size: small;">definitely a nice backdrop of subtle bacon</span></span></span>. <span style="font-size: small;">And with that, regardless of a win or loss, this wa<span style="font-size: small;">s a <span style="font-size: small;">very enjoyable and worthwhile <span style="font-size: small;">venture</span>...looking forward to see what everybody else has come up with to give <span style="font-size: small;">liquid </span>props to bacon.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<br />Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-50228700754303024162013-03-18T10:32:00.001-05:002013-03-18T12:07:38.086-05:00Yarrghh!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For this month's <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">Mixology Monday</a> theme, in steps Scott Diaz of <a href="http://shakestrainandsip.blogspot.com/2013/03/mxmo-lxxi-from-crass-to-craft.html" target="_blank">Shake, Strain & Sip</a> ..... He throws out a very interesting concept, as so described in his post..</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><i><i>"The evolution of the cocktail has been a wondrous, and
sometimes, frightful journey. From its humble beginning, to the "Dark
Ages" of most of the later 20th century, to the now herald "Platinum</i><i> Age" of the cocktail, master mixologists and enthusiasts
alike have elevated its grandeur using the best skills, freshest
ingredients and craft spirits & liqueurs available. But with all
this focus on <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5249580188389168135" name="more"></a>"craft" ingredients and classic tools
& form, it seems we have become somewhat pretentious. The focus on
bitter Italian amari, revived and lost ingredients such as Batavia
Arrack or Creme de Violette, the snickering at a guest ordering a
Cosmopolitan or a Midori Sour; has propelled us into the dark realm of
snobbery. Many scratch bars and Speakeasies have gone as far as to
remove all vodka and most flavored liqueurs from their shelves. Some
even go as far as to post "rules" that may alienate most potential
imbibers. Remember, the bar was created with pleasing one particular
group in mind: the guest. As such, this month's MxMo LXXI theme, From
Crass to Craft, will focus on concocting a craft cocktail worthy of not
only MxMo but any trendy bar, using dubious and otherwise shunned
ingredients to sprout forth a craft cocktail that no one could deny is
anything less. There are a plethora of spirits, liqueurs and
non-alcoholic libations that are just waiting for someone to showcase
that they too are worthy of being featured on our home and bar shelves.
So grab that bottle of flavored vodka, Jagermeister, cranberry juice,
soda, neon colored liqueur, sour mix or anything else deemed unworthy of
a craft cocktail, and get mixin'!</i></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><i><br /></i></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><i></i></i></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And with that, I had a flashback. A younger me...less wise, less mature, better looking...and most definitely, completely clueless with respect to spirits and cocktails. Yes, even in my more 'advanced and sophisticated' stage, I failed miserably in retrospect with those 'vodka martinis' (of course, no vermouth, shaken to death, with tiny ice shards atop the final result). Yet what of another drink that was a regular for many, including myself? The good 'ol Captain and Coke. You know the drill...a nice pour of the Captain over ice, a spritz of Coke, perhaps a wedge of lime...that was a cocktail, right? As I now contemplate this combination, there is certainly more potential than the flat and sickly sweet version of days gone by. The two primary components, Captain Morgan (usually purchase by 'the handle' in my days) and Coke, can widely be considered staples of any bar and certainly fit the 'crass' definition. Which then brings me to 'craft'. To some, it may be debated, but in my mind, in relation to cocktails, 'craft' simply refers to those that are well thought out, balanced, and perhaps most importantly, those combinations which highlight the ingredients involved and treat them with respect. With all this in mind, I moved forward.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999;">In the right proportions, the Captain and Coke might represent a simple variation of a rum sour, yet I needed a slight tweak to really strike the right balance. It started with the Coke. A single can of the stuff has about 40g of sugars, roughly 10 teaspoons or 1.5 ounces. Reduce it, pair it with just the right amount of lime juice and zest...and a version of a lime cordial is the result.</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>Coke-lime cordial</b></u>*</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">12 oz Coca-Cola</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 oz fresh lime juice</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Zest of two limes</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pour the Coke into a saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a slight simmer. Reduce the cola by around 50% (ie 6 oz), remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Add the lime juice and fresh lime zest, stir, and store covered in the fridge overnight. Strain into a fresh bottle the next day and store in the fridge.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999;">Next up, the cocktail itself. Along with the obligatory Captain Morgan Spiced Rum and cordial, I picked up on the baking spice element with a small amount of St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram as well as a couple dashes of Bittercube Jamaican #1 bitters, which provided nice hints of ginger and subtle black pepper.</span></span><br />
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><u>C</u><sup>2</sup></span></b></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 oz Captain Morgan Spiced Rum</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3/4 oz Coke-lime cordial*</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/4 oz St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 dashes Bittercube Jamaican #1 bitters<br /><br /> Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until very well chilled. Strain into a pre-chilled old fashioned glass over a large cube of ice. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">C<sup>2</sup></span></span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A simple, straight-forward cocktail using two 'crass' components, as well as a 'craft' version of an old favorite of many, the<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">C<sup>2</sup></span></span></i> represents one of my interpretations of this month's <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/">MxMo</a>...definitely looking forward to seeing other's ideas and be sure to check back here for the round-up. Many thanks go out to <a href="http://shakestrainandsip.blogspot.com/">Scott</a> for a great theme, cheers...</span></span>Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-73624936360133532872013-02-07T08:34:00.001-06:002013-02-07T08:35:21.420-06:00Smoke 'em if you got 'em<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Valentine's Day...that typical time of year when flowers abound, chocolates are gifted, and other gifts of questionable significance are gobbled up by the masses in celebration of unity. What a waste. Why not do something unique and non-traditional to distinguish one year from the next? For sure, it is a challenge, but one well worth taking on in my opinion. And yes, the same goes for the cocktail.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Perhaps one of my favorite uses of grenadine in a cocktail is reflected by the Jack Rose, essentially an apple brandy sour with lemon juice and grenadine, first published in William Boothby's <i>The World's Drinks and How to Mix Them (1908)</i>. It is a fantastic combination of boozy apple with a crisp citrus finish, the grenadine adding a distinct fruity sweetness.</span></span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jack Rose</span></b></u><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3/4 oz lemon</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3/4 oz grenadine</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well , and strain into a pre-chilled cocktail coupe. </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the context of my approach toward unique spins on Valentine's Day, I wanted to come up with a riff on the Jack Rose. It started with the spirit, as I chose to go with the slightly peated blended Scotch, Black Grouse. Along with the lemon and grenadine, I went with a small amount of Aperol to brighten the fruit component, while half an egg white brought nice body to the cocktail. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i> </i></span><br />
<u><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Smoked Rose</span></b></u><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 oz Black Grouse</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 oz Aperol</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 oz lemon</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 oz grenadine</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 oz egg white</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dry shake all ingredients (without ice) until frothy. Add ice and shake ice until well chilled. Double strain into a pre-chilled cocktail coupe. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Smoked Rose</span></span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And with that, one of my takes on how to put a <span style="font-size: small;">unique spin on a classic...do the same on Valentine's day as you might do with your cocktails, it sure beats <span style="font-size: small;">P</span>ajamagrams. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<br />Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-61013009341373842682013-01-21T11:36:00.002-06:002013-01-22T12:03:42.493-06:00Fortified...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes it is the middle of Winter in Chicago. Yes I, like many, have a <span style="font-size: small;">p<span style="font-size: small;">referen<span style="font-size: small;">ce for brown spirits and cocktails composed from such during these <span style="font-size: small;">cold, <span style="font-size: small;">l<span style="font-size: small;">ight<span style="font-size: small;">-starved days. And yes, I have been <span style="font-size: small;">staring at an unopened bottle of Lillet Rose on my shelf since mid <span style="font-size: small;">October. While the <span style="font-size: small;">wind chills here in the Midwest might not be scre<span style="font-size: small;">aming, '<span style="font-size: small;">mix <span style="font-size: small;">me up<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">a Spring-influenced aperitif cocktail'<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">...</span>this month's <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">Mixology Monday</a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">, <span style="font-size: small;">graciously <span style="font-size: small;">hosted by <a href="http://cocktailchem.blogspot.com/2013/01/announcing-mixology-monday-lxix.html" target="_blank">Chemistry of the Cocktail</a> spurred me to think <span style="font-size: small;">otherwise. As <span style="font-size: small;">proposed by Jordan<span style="font-size: small;">...</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Fortified wines began, in large part, as a way to deal with the difficulties of shipping wine long distances in the holds of sailing ships. Without the rigorous sterilization that is possible today, wines would often spoil en route. However, increasing the alcohol concentration to around 20% ABV was enough to keep them from going off. Coincidentally, this also made it possible to age those wines for very long periods, increasing their richness and depth.<br /> </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These wines held an important place in the ur-cocktails of punch and have continued on in cocktails proper, the personal punches of the past several hundred years. Though less common nowadays, sherry, port, and, to a lesser extent, madeira and marsala, all find their way into various mixed drinks.<br /><br />For this month's <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/">Mixology Monday</a>, I'd like to see what you all can do with these versatile wines. They can play many different roles - from taking the place of vermouths in classic drinks, to providing richness and sweetness in winter tipples, to serving as a base for lighter aperitifs. Whether forgotten classics or new creations, let's see what you can put together.</span></i><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And with that, I got to tasting. Sure, I had had cocktails using Lillet Rose, but had yet to really taste it on its own. Created as a blend of their Lillet Rouge and Blanc offerings, this Rose pairs the respective red and white Bordeaux varietals along with small amounts of proprietary red berry and orange liqueurs. It is a very nice aperitif, served well chilled or over ice, with a twist (as recommended). Bright crisp notes of champagne hit first, followed by a rather sweet, yet subtle bitterness that dries up to a candied orange finish<span style="font-size: small;"><i>.</i></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">While a simple substitution of </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">this Lillet for </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">a dry vermouth </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">might add an interesting tweak <span style="font-size: small;">to</span> many a cocktail, <span style="font-size: small;">with it<span style="font-size: small;">s floral <span style="font-size: small;">fragrance and <span style="font-size: small;">hints of orange on the finish, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #999999;">I though this would complement the the pungent hit of juniper, fir, a</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999;">nd sage o</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999;">f the St George Terroir gin rather nicely. A small amount of Yellow Chartreuse added an herbal sweetness,</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">which was balanced with a touch of </span>fresh lemon juice</span> and a dash of grapefr</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">uit bitters. </span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>Saint Martin's Summer</b></u></span><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 1/2 oz St George Terroir gin</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 1/2 oz Lillet Rose</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/4 oz lemon</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 dash Bittermens Hopped Grapefruit bitters</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Grapefruit zest</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Combine all ingredients with ice and stir until well chilled, strain into a pre-chilled martini glass. Garnish with a wide swath of grapefruit zest. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Saint Martin's Summer</span></i><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999;">A certain departure for the style of cocktail I prefer at this time of the year, but the Saint Martin's Summer (a French phrase often used to describe warm periods during fall/winter) put both the Lillet Rose and gin on display. A crisp, herbal, and refreshing aperitif-style cocktail with plenty of pungent herbal kick from the intense Terroir gin and balanced offering of the slightly sweet floral and citrus notes of the Rose. Thanks once again to Jordan at <a href="http://cocktailchem.blogspot.com/2013/01/announcing-mixology-monday-lxix.html" target="_blank">Chemistry of the Cocktail</a> and please be sure to check out all of the great cocktails in the <a href="http://cocktailchem.blogspot.com/2013/01/mixology-monday-lxix-fortified-wine_22.html" target="_blank">Round-Up</a> - Cheers<a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999;"></span></a></span> </span><br />
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<br />Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-56280607568794493922012-12-10T09:06:00.002-06:002012-12-21T16:04:36.318-06:00All Those Whos Down in Whoville...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After a brief hiatus from the monthly <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">Mixology Monday</a>, I am back in <span style="font-size: small;">full </span>swing for <a href="http://ratedrcocktails.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/mixology-monday-announcement-lxviii-humbug/" target="_blank">JFL's Humbug!</a> theme. As described in his post...</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Lets face it the holidays suck, yeah I said it. You put yourself in debt buying crap people will have forgotten about in a month. You drive around like a jackass to see people you don’t even like, or worse they freeload in your house. Your subjected to annoying music, and utterly fake, forced kindness and joy. Plus if you work retail your pretty much in hell, so don’t we all deserve a good stiff drink? So for this Mixology Monday unleash your inner Grinch. Mix drinks in the spirit of Anti-Christmas. They can be really bitter and amaro filled. They filled with enough booze to make you pass out in a tinsel covered Scrooge heap. They could be a traditional holiday drink turned on it’s ear. Or they could be a tribute to your favorite holiday villain. If you celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanzaa then you still suffer through the holidays, so feel free to join in with your Anti-Holiday drink as well. Whatever it is add a hearty “Humbug!” and make your drink personify everything annoying or fake about the holidays. </i></span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While a legit humbug cocktail might be well represented by a 1:1 ratio of </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jägermeister and Campari, served undiluted at room temperature, for some inspiration I turned to one of the favorite (and obvious) Christmas villains<span style="font-size: small;"> of all</span>, the Grinch.</span></span><br />
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<pre><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Every Who Down in Whoville Liked Christmas a lot...
But the Grinch,Who lived just north of Whoville, Did NOT!
The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be his head wasn't screwed on just right.
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all,
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.
Whatever the reason, His heart or his shoes,
He stood there on Christmas Eve, hating the Whos,
Staring down from his cave with a sour, Grinchy frown,
At the warm lighted windows below in their town.
For he knew every Who down in Whoville beneath,
Was busy now, hanging a mistletoe wreath.
"And they're hanging their stockings!" he snarled with a sneer,
"Tomorrow is Christmas! It's practically here!"
Then he growled, with his Grinch fingers nervously drumming,
"I MUST find some way to stop Christmas from coming!"</span></span></i></pre>
<pre><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957) Theodor Seuss Geisel </span></i></span></pre>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">I pictured frothy white snow, faint wisps of smoke from bonfires in Whoville filling the air, and, of course, the bitterness of the Grinch staring down from Mount Crumpit with a snarly frown. The froth, the smoke, the bitter, and the underlying sweetness of the Whos got the wheels spinning. From a base of slightly smoky blended Scotch whisky - Black Grouse, I added a<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>vermouth/amari combo of Punt e Mes and Cynar, along with a hint of almond sweetness from orgeat. A bit of body and creamy mouth feel from a whole egg<span style="font-size: small;">, couple dashes of <span style="font-size: small;">p<span style="font-size: small;">ungen<span style="font-size: small;">t<span style="font-size: small;">, spicy </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jamaican bitters, and a dusting of fragrant coffee bean as garnish tied this effort together quite nicely. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>Atop Mount Crumpit</b></u><br /><i>2 oz Black Grouse<br />1/2 oz Punt e Mes<br />1/2 oz Cynar<br />1/2 oz orgeat<br />2 dashes Bittercube Jamaican #1 bitters </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 whole egg<br />coffee bean, finely grated as garnish</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Shake all ingredients vigorously until nice and frothy. Add ice and shake well until chilled, strain into a pre-chilled old fashioned glass. Microplane/grate coffee bean atop the cocktail and sip after a fabulous dinner featuring Roast Beast.</span></i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Atop Mount Crumpit</span></span></i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999;">While </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">ironic that a</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;"> cocktail inspired by the Grinch is pictured </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">in such a </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">festive holiday setting, perhaps it will warm your hear</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">t <span style="font-size: small;">to</span> 'grow three times' after <span style="font-size: small;">that first </span>sip and you'll be </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">overcome with a festive spirit</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">. Cheers go out </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">to </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RatedRCocktails" target="_blank">JFL</a> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">for the </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">nice tweak to the typical holiday theme and best of the holidays to all</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">. And</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;">, of course, be sure to check<span style="font-size: small;"> out all the great Humbug!-inspired contributions here at the </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;"><a href="http://ratedrcocktails.wordpress.com/2012/12/18/mixology-monday-humbug-roundup/" target="_blank">roundup post</a><i><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i> </i><span style="color: #999999;">And here's to the next MxMo, the first of 2013!</span><i><br /></i></span> Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-11798824485322602552012-11-21T13:00:00.000-06:002012-12-06T13:04:58.236-06:00Gobble, Gobble, Gobble<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">With the backdrop of a wonderful new daughter welcomed into our lives in July, the last several months have been anything but casual and relaxing. While fatherhood has been fantastic, it does...ummm, cut into my available 'free time'. And with that, I've had (as expected) noticeably less time to contemplate, consume, and critique new cocktails, flavor combinations, and spirits. Nonetheless, the wheels continue to turn...I read little bits here and there, keep up on what is becoming available in my area, and, of course, never stop conjuring up a new mix or two.</span></span></span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Glutton's Reward</span></span></b></u><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 oz W.L. Weller, 12 yr</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">3/4 oz The King's Ginger</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 oz pecan maple syrup*</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">3 dashes spiced pumpkin tincture**</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 dashes Angostura</span></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Combine all ingredients with ice in a mixing glass and stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe and serve to post-meal comatose Thanksgiving guests...</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>Pecan maple syrup</b></u>*</span></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">8 oz pecans</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">4 oz grade B maple syrup</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">4 oz water</span></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Crush and dry roast the pecans in a saucepan until they toast up a bit and give off a nutty aroma. Add the syrup and water, and cook at a bare simmer for ~20 minutes. Remove from the stove and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain thru cheesecloth into a clean bottle and store in the fridge. </span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><u><b>Spiced pumpkin tincture</b></u>**</span></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">6 oz neutral grain spirit (Everclear)</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">4 oz canned pumpkin</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 tsp nutmeg, freshly ground</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 tsp allspice, freshly ground</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 tsp cinnamon</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Combine all ingredients in a heat-proof vacuum seal or ziploc bag and place in a 140 degree sous vide water bath for 3-4 hours. Alternatively, bring a pot of water to a boil, remove it from the heat and wait for the temperature to drop to 160 degrees. Submerge the sealed ziploc bag in the water, lid the pot, and let sit overnight. Strain contents thru a very fine sieve and/or cheesecloth into a clean dropper bottle and store in fridge.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of note, for a decent substitute of the tincture, I have found that using a few dashes of Bittercube Jamaican #1 bitters works very well given its ginger and baking spice overtones. </span></span></span><br />
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Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-785671586851637122012-10-15T11:38:00.003-05:002012-10-15T14:28:01.710-05:00The Stalker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Another fresh month and another new <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">MxMo</a> is upon us, this time from the gracious Ed over at <a href="http://www.wordsmithingpantagruel.com/" target="_blank">Wordsmithing Pantagruel...</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>With the warm days of summer now fading off into the distance in our
rear view mirrors, let's pay one last tribute to the greens of summer
before the frosts come and our outdoor herb gardens give up the ghost
for the winter. For our theme for this month, I have chosen: (it's not
easy) <b>"Bein' Green."</b> (Perchance due in no small part to my <a href="http://www.wordsmithingpantagruel.com/search/label/i%3Achartreuse">predilection</a> for
Green Chartreuse.) I'm giving you a wide berth on this one, anything
using a green ingredient is fair play. There's not only the
aforementioned Chartreuse; how about Absinthe Verte, aka the green
fairy. Or Midori, that stuff is pretty damn green. Crème de menthe? Why
not? <a href="http://www.clearcreekdistillery.com/products/eaux-de-vie/other/#douglas-fir">Douglas Fir eau de vie</a>?
Bring it! Apple schnapps? Uh...well...it is green. I suppose if you
want to try to convince me it makes something good you can have at it.
But it doesn't have to be the liquor. Limes are green. So is green tea.
Don't forget the herb garden: mint, basil, cilantro, you name it - all
fair game. There's also the veritable cornucopia from the farmers
market: green apples, grapes, peppers, olives, celery, cucumbers...you
get the idea. Like I said, wide berth. Base, mixer, and or garnish; if
it's green it's good. Surprise me. Use at least one, but the more the
merrier.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As you'll see below, I kept it pretty simple on this one. My green of choice was celery...an intriguing component for being at the forefront of a cocktail, but the first thought that came to mind upon reading the theme was celery bitters. I followed this and came up with a slightly bitter/aromatic savory cocktail using celery infused vodka, Dolin dry vermouth, Cynar, and, of course, celery bitters.</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 oz celery-infused vodka*</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 oz Dolin dry vermouth</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 oz Cynar</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 dash Bitter Truth celery bitters</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients to mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into a cocktail coupe and garnish with lemon zest twist. </i></span></div>
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Celery-infused vodka*</span></b></u></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 stalks celery, shredded into ribbons with a peeler</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">12 oz Sobieski vodka</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Combed ingredients in glass jar and store in the fridge 2-3 days, shaking twice daily. Strain/squeez thru cheesecloth into a fresh bottle and refrigerate.</span></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Petiolus</i></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999;">And with this last 'summery' theme of <i>(it's not easy) <b>"Bein' Green"</b></i> we may well march forward into the fall and winter months with at least one more round of cocktails that remind us of the warmer days gone by. Thanks once again to Ed over at <a href="http://www.wordsmithingpantagruel.com/" target="_blank">Wordsmithing Pantagruel</a> for another great theme and be sure to check back for the <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">MxMo</a> round up post to see everybody's green contributions.</span></span>Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-85532785332123283682012-09-17T09:54:00.001-05:002012-09-18T15:31:57.419-05:00All Else Equal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know that I speak for many who thank <a href="http://www.cocktailchronicles.com/" target="_blank">Paul Clarke</a> for his years of thoughtful contribution and insight thru the portal of <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">Mixology Monday</a>, while also welcoming the well-traveled imbiber <a href="http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Frederick</a> as its new host. Thankfully, he wasted no time in getting MxMo back in gear by offering up this month's theme,<a href="http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2012/09/mixology-monday-announcement.html" target="_blank"> 'Equal Parts'</a>, as described...</span></span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">For this month, I have chosen the theme of equal part cocktails -- those simple drinks where only one jigger is needed despite how many ingredients are added. These recipes have gained a lot of popularity as classics like the Negroni and Last Word have resurfaced, and variations of these equal part wonders have become abundant. Besides these three and four equal parts recipes, I have had delightful two, five, and six part drinks, and I have definitely spotted seven and more part Pousse-cafés in the literature.</span></i><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the resurfacing of MxMo came at the same time I had been reading up on a new method to prep oleo saccharum, I wanted to put my recent efforts to work. For those unaware, oleo saccharum ('oily sugar') has quite a long history as a critical component of punches and dates back to sometime in the 17th century...it is also but one of the highlights of David Wondrich's wonderful book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Punch-Delights-Dangers-Flowing-Bowl/dp/0399536167" target="_blank">Punch</a></i>. I was fortunate enough to meet David at a cocktail event </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hosted by <a href="http://theaviary.com/" target="_blank">The Aviary</a> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">earlier this year where he mixed up a number of different punches and described the process of prepping an oleo saccharum. While not an extremely laborious venture, it does take about an hour of attention, a good recipe from Micheal Dietsch can be found <a href="http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/09/cocktail-101-how-to-make-oleo-saccharum-lemon-oli-for-punch-wondrich.html" target="_blank">here</a>. However, for those with access to a handy vacuum sealer, Jeffery Morgenthaler has come up with an ingenious way to whip one up in advance with <a href="http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2012/vacuum-seal-oleo-saccharum/" target="_blank">less effort</a>. Having already made oleo saccharum in the traditional manner, I went with the Morgenthaler method this time around and used it to<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> create a
more cocktail-friendly syrup.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grapefruit ginger oleo saccharum syrup</span></span></b></u><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zest from one large grapefruit</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thumb-sized chunk of fresh ginger, thinly sliced</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 oz sugar</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 oz water </span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Add grapefruit zest, sliced ginger, and sugar to a vacuum bag and seal. Let sit at room temperature over night until the oils incorporate the sugar. Strain contents thru a fine mesh sieve (should net about 2 oz), add water, and shake well until homogenous. Store in a clean bottle and refrigerate. </i></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjqr9N5ZUQltnAGEBjcikv1wYWdy7JKawMnD4_Qxv2vA4czztcUSiEn0zgNMtLhwVRgnq8IfMiMe9eSinwqvsY4WfTM4VQQOd22nFN8mnCQ_9s_oD2E3ZxChdtTHCtQPN0IOEgmknw7G0/s1600/IMG_0457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjqr9N5ZUQltnAGEBjcikv1wYWdy7JKawMnD4_Qxv2vA4czztcUSiEn0zgNMtLhwVRgnq8IfMiMe9eSinwqvsY4WfTM4VQQOd22nFN8mnCQ_9s_oD2E3ZxChdtTHCtQPN0IOEgmknw7G0/s400/IMG_0457.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Grapefruit zest and ginger</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Ingredients freshly vacuum sealed</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Overnight oleo saccharum</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhbyr4r0nm9JJtghi_00nbP3tw-6dDjoNC9fpJjLvovUAq3aW184F1wDECdPm15TcNfFTdIsP6QFI1mI75M2vizqOCSqDiQPGEW8dGasDoIE_4j6AIQohBWx0T6RsuVJuTi67LPIT9tx1/s1600/IMG_0766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhbyr4r0nm9JJtghi_00nbP3tw-6dDjoNC9fpJjLvovUAq3aW184F1wDECdPm15TcNfFTdIsP6QFI1mI75M2vizqOCSqDiQPGEW8dGasDoIE_4j6AIQohBWx0T6RsuVJuTi67LPIT9tx1/s400/IMG_0766.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Grapefruit oleo saccharum syrup</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally...on to the cocktail. The original direction I wanted to go with involved a combination I really enjoy, tequila and grapefruit. After I had prepped and tasted the grapefruit syrup, a pairing with Campari came to mind, along with some sharp acidity from lime juice. I thought these ingredients would work well to bring overall balance to the drink...the vibrant, citrusy, sweet syrup countered by the lime and the slight bitterness of Campari, all in the the backdrop of a crisp blanco tequila. Given the grapefruit focus, the name is a simple tribute to Kimball Chase Atwood, a notable and early contributor to the US citrus industry who developed one of the largest grapefruit groves in the world in the early 1800s.</span></span></span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Atwood</span></span></b></u><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 oz Espolon blanco</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 oz Campari</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 oz grapefruit ginger oleo saccharum syrup</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 oz lime juice</span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Combine all ingredients with ice and shake until very well chilled. Double strain into a chilled cocktail coupe.</span></span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Atwood</span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And with that, we appear back in the groove with the return of <a href="http://mixologymonday.com/" target="_blank">MxMo</a>. Thanks once again to <a href="http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Frederick</a> for taking the reins from Paul and hosting it long-awaited resumption. And of course, be sure to check out the <a href="http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2012/09/mixology-monday-equal-parts-wrap-up.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FxszoN+%28cocktail+virgin+slut%29" target="_blank">full roundup</a> of what were some very nice MxMo contributions. </span></span></span><br />
<br />Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-83546899269250683042012-08-07T13:25:00.000-05:002012-08-08T09:05:47.880-05:00XXQC - Daiquiri<div style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
Ask the average person to envision/describe a Daiquiri and very good odds can be placed on the answer lying within the realm of a sweet, fruity, slushy drink served in a long stemmed, flared-lip glass with a straw and some type of fruit wedge garnish. It is, in a word...sad...for the original composition of the Daiquiri could be nothing further from that which gushes from the constantly spinning ice machines filled with syrup/sour mix, and cheap booze. Simple, crisp, and clean, the perfect balance of rum, fresh lime, and sugar (ex the slushy ice) makes the Daiquiri a cocktail that many should re-consider, or rather introduce themselves to altogether...another of the XXQC. </div>
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While this post is a few weeks tardy for 'National Daiquiri Day' (July 19th), there should be no need to await a particular day to celebrate this classic cocktail. Common to many of my other posts which delve into the historical origin(s) of the tipple at hand, here is one potential take on the origin of the Daiquiri. Cuba, 1905...an American mining engineer by the name of Jennings Cox is entertaining guests at home and subs rum for gin in a concoction containing fresh lime juice and sugar. The town? Daiquiri, of course, just outside of Santiago. And so it was born. Or was it really that simple? Perhaps...I guess...but quite possibly, not likely. Think about it...with rum, limes, and sugarcane all native to Cuba, it certainly doesn't take much imagination to think that others had, either out of chance or necessity, composed drinks with these same ingredients and relative proportions. In fact many attribute the birth of the Daiquiri to a barkeep in Santiago several years prior. Or even further, go back to the mid 1700s when the Royal Navy began providing daily rations of rum, water, citrus (lemon or lime) and sugar to their men...making it even less conceivable that it wasn't until the 1900s that the Daiquiri, at least in some form, came into existence.</div>
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Nevertheless, we do know that the popularity of this classic was spurred
by Lucius Johnson, a US naval officer who brought the recipe back to
the United States in 1909. Over the next 20-30 years, the Daiquiri grew quite significantly, thanks in large part to President Roosevelt's <i>Good Neighbor Policy. </i>Albeit established for other political and economic intentions, this policy essentially encouraged travel and trade with Latin American countries and the islands of the Caribbean, thereby increasing the popularity of, oh, say...rum. The Daiquri was even further popularized after the acclaim bestowed upon it by figures such as John F. Kennedy and, of course, Ernest Hemingway. In fact, Hemingway was such the admirer that after his introduction to the cocktail at <i>El Floridita</i> bar in Havana (and many subsequent visits), then bartender Constante Ribailagua created a variation of the classic dubbed...'The Hemingway'. Ironically enough, Ribailagua (who was said to have spent significant effort in perfecting his Daiquiri) is also the one credited with the first original creation of the frozen Daiquiri. That said, odds are good that he would cringe at today's interpretation of the same. His original recipe actually called for the ingredients (rum, lime juice, sugar, and ice) to be blended in an electric mixer but then to be <i>strained</i>, rather than served as a slushy. A small step that makes a world of difference in the final product. </div>
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Given the vast selection of different rums (ages, islands, raw ingredients, blends, etc), Daiquiri recipes (much like many others) should vary based on the overall profile of the spirit. Accordingly, unaged rums, often possessing less sweetness, should typically be paired with a higher relative amount of sugar to preserve the balance and profile of a proper 'sour' cocktail. Similarly, an aged rum may well need significantly less sugar to maintain the same. While equally Daiquiris, the these two may differ substantially from one another based simply on the type of rum used in preparation, and further tweaked for personal preference. I have found a very good starting point is a recipe highlighted by <a href="http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/" target="_blank">Jeffrey Morgenthaler</a>, sourced/adapted from Difford's <a href="http://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/611/daiquiri-natural-no1-" target="_blank">10:3:2 ratio</a>.</div>
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<u><b>Daiquiri</b></u><br />
<i>2 1/2 oz aged rum</i><br />
<i>3/4 oz lime juice</i><br />
<i>1/2 oz simple syrup</i><br />
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<i>Shake all ingredients with ice until well chilled, double strain into a chilled cocktail coupe.</i><br />
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And perhaps one of my favorite variations with a subtle tweak of grapefruit and maraschino, the aforementioned Hemingway Daiquiri.</div>
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<u><b>Hemingway Daiquiri</b></u><br />
<i>2 oz white rum</i><br />
<i>3/4 oz lime juice</i><br />
<i>1/2 oz grapefruit juice</i><br />
<i>1/2 oz maraschino liqueur</i><br />
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<i>Shake all ingredients with ice until well chilled, double strain into a chilled cocktail coupe.</i><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">In contemplation of a riff on the Daiquiri, in honor of my wife and new mother, I chose a bottle of pineapple infused rhum (Manutea) that we picked up on our honeymoon in Moorea, French Polynesia. As she loves the combination of pineapple and orange, I subbed Cointreau for a bit of the simple syrup and added a touch of spice with black peppercorn tincture to give this cocktail a bit more distinction. While simply a modified Daiquiri in no certain need of a distinguished name, as a tribute to the tireless hours she spends feeding and caring for our daughter, I felt compelled to give it one, rather appropriate in nature...</span><br />
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<u><b>Two Hour Shift</b></u><br />
<i>2 1/2 oz Manutea rhum, pineapple</i><br />
<i>3/4 oz lime juice</i><br />
<i>1/4 oz Cointreau </i><br />
<i>1/4 oz simple syrup</i><br />
<i>2 dashes black peppercorn tincture*</i><br />
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<i>Shake all ingredients with ice until well chilled, double strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Garnish with wide swath of orange zest. </i><br />
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<u><b>Black peppercorn tincture</b></u><b>*</b><br />
<i>2 oz whole black peppercorns</i><br />
<i>6 oz neutral grain spirit (Everclear)</i><br />
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<i>Combine ingredients in non-reactive vessel and let sit at room temperature for 3-4 weeks, shaking once daily. Alternatively, heat sous vide water bath to 170F, combine ingredients in heat-proof bag, and let steep/infuse for 3-4 hours. Strain and store in clean container. </i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpiqLVVrovt2MCEM-NDcurLIIO5AWtHC9j_d2HkcuBcBU_OGSGLJUMS7V8JXUeEEd7nqB053Y6ME8iqbIS0ky_S-sITIQRTKjsYzep23XhSBEEWiCGCAdxnBtVFxfiHRzHcX6eNCKYpwhS/s1600/IMG_0094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpiqLVVrovt2MCEM-NDcurLIIO5AWtHC9j_d2HkcuBcBU_OGSGLJUMS7V8JXUeEEd7nqB053Y6ME8iqbIS0ky_S-sITIQRTKjsYzep23XhSBEEWiCGCAdxnBtVFxfiHRzHcX6eNCKYpwhS/s640/IMG_0094.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Two Hour Shift</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999;">And there you have it, the Daiquiri, a simple yet sophisticated cocktail which showcases the many diverse iterations of rum...don't wait for the next 'National Daiquiri Day' to give a shot at this XXQC if you haven't done so already. Cheers!</span></div>Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-79571108099460685352012-06-22T15:04:00.000-05:002012-06-25T08:26:35.911-05:00'We want....a shrub(bery)!'<div style="color: #999999;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ahh shrubs. They can do one of two things:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1) Help provide a sense of structure and/or define barriers within landscapes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2) Elevate some cocktails to the next level</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I shall focus on the latter and leave the leafy, decorative variety to the Knights who say 'Ni!!'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The production and use of shrubs has a long history, initially for non-alcoholic/medicinal purposes, but eventually to follow with consumption in cocktails. With roots in the 18th century here in North America, a shrub in its simplest and most common form is an acidic concoction made from fruits macerated with sugar and combined with vinegar (either comprised naturally from the fruit itself, or as an additional ingredient). The predecessors of shrubs were of Middle Eastern and/or South Asian origin, although these <i>sharbats</i> (as referred to in India) were more or less syrups made from a variety of fruits, extracts, and herbs....and didn't include the acidic kick, nor preservative effects, of vinegar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The composition of, as well as applications for, shrubs is rather diverse. In its simplest form, a shrub is a combination of fruit, sugar, and vinegar...although more complex variations incorporate a range of fruits (berries, apricot, citrus, persimmon, etc.), all types of vinegars (balsamic, white, apple cider), sugars (white, turbinado, demerara, brown) and supplemental tweaks such as teas, chili peppers, and even some vegetables (beets, carrots, even tomatoes). Uses range from them paired simply with sodas as a refreshing, effervescent non-alcoholic drink, while others have integrated them as compliments to various foods or as sauces (blintzes, yogurt, ice cream). But, of course, the focus here is on mingling with alcohol...and a straight-forward application of a base spirit, shrub, liqueur, and bitters can lend a subtle, yet distinct complexity to many a cocktail.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While I had certainly tried a number of cocktails made with shrubs, and had read a fair amount about batching them up, I still had not made one myself. The brainstorming for a combination of ingredients began with a flurry of ideas, but ultimately settled on one that I hadn't yet come across myself...a pear shrub. With the aid of some great posts and insight from the likes of <a href="http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/06/cocktail-101-how-to-make-shrub-syrups.html" target="_blank">Michael Dietsch</a>, <a href="http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2010/08/notes-about-shrubs.html" target="_blank">Frederick Yarm</a>, <a href="http://bringmeashrub.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Alexander Kern</a>, and <a href="http://stirrednotshakenblog.wordpress.com/2009/06/01/experiencing-the-joys-of-shrub/" target="_blank">Michael Lazar</a>, I set off on a journey to secure a shrub(bery) of my own...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><u>Pear Allspice Shrub</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>2 c ripe Anjou pears, medium dice (about 1 medium)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>1 c turbinado sugar</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>1 c white (refined) sugar</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>2 c apple cider vinegar</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>12-15 allspice berries, lightly cracked</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Add diced pear and sugar to mixing bowl, lightly muddle to incorporate sugar throughout the mixture, cover, and let macerate in the fridge for 24-28 hours. Add the freshly cracked allspice along with the vinegar, mix, and return to fridge for another 5-7 days, stirring once daily. Strain the mixture thru a collander and then thru cheesecloth to remove most of the solids. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.</i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Pear allspice shrub (pre-filtered)</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The end result was quite promising. While the distinct aroma and acidity of the cider vinegar were among the most prominent qualities that I first picked up, it mellowed very quickly, shifting to the sweet taste of the pears...they took on an almost roasted character, accentuated by the subtle fragrant notes of the allspice. That being said, I did tread lightly with the amount of allspice in the recipe and could have upped the proportion a bit without overwhelming the end product.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In terms of its use, Frederick passed along one of his simple/standard approaches with shrubs and I applied it as such accordingly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>Shrub aperitif </b></u></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 oz Dolin dry vermouth</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 oz pear allspice shrub </span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Stir with ice, strain into a chilled rocks glass with a large cube of ice and garnish with a citrus twist.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This was a solid use indeed as the botanicals of the vermouth harmonized nicely with the sweet spice of the shrub, and the slight acidic bite at the end was just enough as not to be overpowering. And as an alternative, Fred's suggestion of a dry sherry would probably work just as well (if not better), tho without any on hand, that would have to wait.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Within the more complex realm of combining a shrub with a base spirit and other components (liqueurs, juices, bitters), I came up with a number of ideas, but found a few that worked quite nicely. The first, and perhaps favorite, was a rum base accentuated with a bit of maraschino to help pick up on the fruitiness of the shrub. Thanks again to Fred's <a href="http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2012/06/verucatif.html" target="_blank">tip</a> (in turn from Ryan Lotz) on this approach...I tried it both with and without the maraschino and definitely noticed a difference with the pear brought more forward with its integration. I paired it with an equal amount of sweet vermouth (Punt e Mes) and a dash of Bittercube's cherry bark vanilla bitters to further the spice in the shrub. Along with a touch of bright acid from some lemon to balance the added sweetness of the maraschino and vermouth, this was the result.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><u>Pimenta</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz Cruzan Single Barrel Estate</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz pear allspice shrub</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz maraschino liqueur</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz Punt e Mes</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>1/4 oz lemon juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>1 dash Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Stir all ingredients with ice until well chilled and strain into an old fashioned glass with large cube of ice. Garnish with wide swath of lemon zest.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The second cocktail I came up with focused squarely on fruit, with apple brandy providing the base, and Dubonnet rouge hints of grape and a very subtle bitterness. It paired very well with Angostura and left a nice tang on the finish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><u>Orchard Harvest</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>2 oz Laird's apple brandy</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz pear allspice shrub</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz Dubonnet rouge</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Angostura</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Stir all ingredients with ice until well chilled, strain into a chilled cocktail coupe and garnish with wide strip of lemon zest.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(pic and another cocktail or two up in short order)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-31530263316007028922012-05-31T07:08:00.001-05:002012-06-06T14:37:38.881-05:00Hummin' along<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we quickly approach the summer months here in Chicago, it is perhaps with no better timing that the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Hum-Spirits-Company/277919647001" target="_blank">hum Spirits Company</a> announced a contest in search of a signature cocktail for the season...</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.humspirits.com/home/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">hum</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #999999;">(no caps here) is a 70 proof spirit produced by cold tea maceration of four very distinct botanicals - hibiscus, ginger, cardamom, and kaffir lime - in pot still, cane sugar rhum. Founded and developed by Chicago mixologist </span></span><span style="color: #999999;"><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/adamseger" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Adam Seger</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (formerly of Nacional 27, Tru, and The French Laundry), hum is reminiscent of Italian-style amari, possessing a slightly bitter, yet sweet profile with tons of depth and herbaceous complexity. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I considered a number of different ways to integrate hum into a cocktail and came away with a few ideas worth pursuing. The first was a botanic-forward approach in which I paired it alongside Citadelle gin, Lillet Blanc, a couple dashes of Regan's Orange No. 6, and garnished with a wide swath of lemon zest. The result was a nice harmony of all the aromatics, and with hibiscus and ginger notes at the forefront, it definitely put hum on display without drowning the lingering bontanicals of gin and Lillet on the finish. I gave this another try swapping Lillet for either Cocchi Americano and Dolin Blanc (a quinquina and dry vermouth, respectively), both of which were pleasant variations, but Lillet was my preference. This cocktail seems meant for a warm summer afternoon, it was vibrantly refreshing and faintly reminded me of a lighter, less bitter version of a Negroni. Given the marriage of hum with French-based Citadelle and Lillet Blanc, this one was called Le Bourdonnement (The Hum).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Le Bourdonnement</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Citadelle gin</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 oz hum</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Lillet Blanc</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Regan's orange bitters</i></span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stir all ingredients with ice until well chilled and strain into an old fashioned glass with a large cube of ice. Garnish with a wide swath of lemon zest.</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Le Bourdonnement</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next up I wanted to come up with a long drink and gravitated towards the use of a nice spicy ginger beer, my favorite being Fentimans. Various ideas came to mind before I settled on a version of a buck cocktail. T</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">raditionally, bucks (also known as mules) are cocktails which combine a base spirit, ginger beer/ale, and a citrus juice. There are several popular examples of this category including the Moscow Mule (vodka, ginger beer, lime) and the Dark & Stormy (Gosling's Black Seal rum, ginger beer, lime)...both of which represent pretty straight-forward concoctions. I wanted to give my cocktail a more tropical feel and integrated a few other ingredients that I thought would pair nicely with the pungent profile of hum. Banks 5 Island rum is a terrific blended rum comprised of rums from, you guessed it, five islands (Trinidad, Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados, and Java). It has a ton of complexity for a light rum and stretches from bits of funky vegetal notes common to Jamaica to those more tropical hints from Barbados. Overall, I thought it was a nice compliment to hum...and with a touch of coconut water, lime juice, and of course, the Fentimans, we have the St. Barths Buck.</span></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>St. Barths Buck</u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz Banks 5 Island rum</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz hum</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz coconut water</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz lime juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>3-4 oz Fentimans ginger beer</i></span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shake all ingredients except ginger beer with ice until well chilled. Strain into an ice filled collins glass, top with the ginger beer, and stir gently to combine.</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>St. Barths Buck</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lastly, a more classic, crisp, up cocktail with fragrant notes of cucumber and citrus to pair along with hum. With the integration of cucumber and rose petals, Hendrick's gin was an obvious choice here. I combined it with Cocchi Americano, an Italian aperitif wine with some subtle quinine that gives it a very slight bitterness. To boost the cucumber a bit, I went with a small amount of homemade cucumber vodka, and rounded it all out with some bright acidity from lemon juice, the zest and its citrus oils providing the garnish. With all the botanic notes, the name came easy.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Botanical Garden</u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz Hendrick's gin</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz hum</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz Cocchi Americano</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz cucumber vodka</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/4 oz lemon juice</i></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shake all ingredients with ice until well chilled, double strain into a chilled cocktail coupe and garnish with lemon zest.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Botanical Garden</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999;">And with that, my three entries for the hum summer cocktail challenge. Thanks very much to <a href="http://www.humspirits.com/home/" target="_blank">The hum Spirits Company</a> for the opportunity and please visit their Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Hum-Spirits-Company/277919647001" target="_blank">page</a> to view all the entries.</span></span><br />
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</div>Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-74265128236609541382012-05-10T20:07:00.000-05:002012-05-30T10:51:49.988-05:00XXQC - Sidecar<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In reference to cocktails, sours are generally comprised of a rough ratio of 2:1:1, spirit:sweet:sour, with some subtle variation. The existence and possibilities of combinations when considering such proportions and ingredients are simply endless. From the most basic whiskey (whiskey, simple syrup, lemon) and pisco (pisco, simple syrup, lime) sours, to derivations such as the Caipirinha (cachaça, simple syrup, lime), Margarita (tequila, Cointreau, simple syrup, lime), and Daiquiri (rum, simple syrup, lime), or even further removed modifications with the addition of soda such as the Tom Collins (gin, simple syrup, lemon, soda) and Mojito (rum, simple syrup, lime, soda) to only name a handful. And while the existence of such sours dates back to the mid 1800s, perhaps one of the most popular to have arisen since the times of Prohibition is the Sidecar...yet another of the XXQC.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Among the entire family of sour cocktails lies a particular group which was first classified as the 'New Orleans Sours' by Gaz Regan in his book <i>The Joy of Mixology.</i> This group, of which he notes the Sidecar as among the earliest members, is characterized by sours comprised of a base spirit, an orange-flavored liqueur, and citrus juice...and includes other well known cocktails such as the Margarita and Cosmopolitan. In contemplation of the history of these 'New Orleans Sours', it</span><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> would be remiss were I to ignore an early predecessor to the class, the crustas. The crusta category of cocktails was credited by bartender Jerry Thomas to Joseph Santina, a popular Spanish caterer and proprietor of City Exchange in the mid-1800s in New Orleans. First described in Thomas'</span><span style="color: #999999;"> </span><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>How to Mix Drinks or The Bon Vivant's Companion </i>in 1862, the Brandy Crusta married brandy, curaçao, lemon juice, sugar, and bitters. As noted by Regan, '...it's basically a Sidecar with bitters.' The cocktail itself was to be served in a sugar-rimmed, wine goblet-style cocktail glass, with an extra long peel of lemon encircling the inside of the glass as garnish.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With this as a backdrop, it is easy to see how the Sidecar came to fruition, yet its </span><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">precise origin remains uncertain. It is often considered to have been devised sometime in the 1920s, and with that, represents one of the more popular cocktails to have arisen during Prohibition. Along with the first published recipe for the Sidecar in Harry MacElhone's 1922 version of </span><i style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails</i><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, credit went out to Pat MacGerry, then bartender at London's Buck's Club. Subsequent publications have replicated this claim, while yet others come up with completely novel origins, some also with slight tweaks on the original recipe. And while these differences most commonly altered the ratio of ingredients, one of the more widely recognized characteristics of the 'modern day' Sidecar, the sugared rim, didn't surface until sometime in the mid 1930s.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Sidecar</u></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 1/2 oz cognac</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Cointreau</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz lemon juice</i></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Combine all ingredients with ice and shake until well chilled. Double strain into a chilled, sugar-rimmed cocktail glass*</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A quick thought with respect to the sugared rim of the Sidecar...should you or shouldn't you? To me, it is simply a matter of personal preference (and I prefer none given the inherent sweetness present in the cocktail itself), but an easy accommodation is to sugar only half of the rim, thereby leaving it up to the imbiber. If doing so, a</i><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> bit of advanced preparation (10-15 mins) is preferential as this allows for the sugar to 'set' and helps to prevent residual sugary runoff on the outside of the glass. Rub the outside of a cocktail glass with a cut lemon and lightly dredge the glass with superfine sugar.</i><br />
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While there are many different variations of a Sidecar, one of the more popular riffs swaps gin for the cognac, alters the ratio to 4:1:1, and includes egg white.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>White Lady</u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 oz gin</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz Cointreau</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz lemon juice</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Combine all ingredients and dry shake until frothy, then add ice and shake to chill. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.</i><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other spins offer up a simple substitution of the main spirit for something such as the </span><a href="http://www.esquire.com/drinks/rum-sidecar-drink-recipe" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Rum Sidecar</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. With my own creation I stuck with cognac but moved it even a bit more forward with the use of Mandarine Napoleon rather than Cointreau. Created by the blend of distilled mandarin orange-infused neutral spirit and cognac, Mandarine Napoleon was in fact conceived sometime in the second half of the 18th century by the Emperor's personal physician, Dr. Antoine François de Fourcroy. It was so well loved and popularized by Napoleon himself that the original recipe, along with the addition of other herbs and spices, finally went into official production in 1892. The combination of this liqueur with a touch of Fernet Branca lends a bit more spice and some herbal notes to distinguish it from the original Sidecar. Paired with the half sugared rim, this was the result.</span></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Bonaparte's Medicine</u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 oz Louis Royer, Force 53 V.S.O.P. cognac</i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 oz Mandarine Napoleon</i><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 oz lemon juice</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/8 oz Fernet Branca</i></span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shake all ingredients with ice until well chilled. Double strain into a chilled, half sugar-rimmed cocktail glass.</i><br />
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</div>Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-9316184942451981122012-04-03T14:09:00.002-05:002013-04-05T08:46:58.545-05:00Bacon, Bacon, Bacon...BACON!!!<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While there has certainly been a fair amount of talk over the last few years about bacon and its related products...some for good reason (artisanal/gourmet bacon and pork products, ie. <a href="http://www.nueskes.com/" target="_blank">Nueske's</a>)...some questionable (<a href="http://www.bakonvodka.com/" target="_blank">Bakon vodka</a>)...and others definitely not so much (Jones Bacon Soda)...the cocktail has been one particular focal point. Those in the bar and at home have taken to creating tipples full of fatty goodness, often with varying ranges of success, at least in my experience. It therefore comes as no surprise that with the fast approaching <a href="http://baconfestchicago.com/" target="_blank">Baconfest Chicago</a>, a <a href="http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2012/03/28/we-want-your-bacon-cocktails-with-video" target="_blank">bacon cocktail contest</a> sponsored by the <i>Chicago Reader</i> has surfaced for enthusiasts to showcase their stuff, as written by the <i>Reader's</i> lead restaurant critic <a href="http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/ArticleArchives?author=847347" target="_blank">Mike Sula</a>....</span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://baconfestchicago.com/">Baconfest</a> 2012 tickets sold out last month within minutes, but you can win a pair by submitting to a bacon cocktail challenge to be judged by myself and esteemed mixologists Mike Ryan of Sable and Stephen Cole of Barrelhouse Flat.</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />Finalists will mix their cocktails at Sable for the panel of judges on April 8—Easter Sunday—starting at 2 PM. For the record, while I know Ryan and Cole are more bullish on the matter, I believe cocktails are one of those rare things that bacon does not, in fact, make better. I'm going to be hard to please. So bring it, if you will.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Contest rules:<br />-Deadline: April 2 at noon.<br />-Must be an original recipe.<br />-Must use bacon as an ingredient—bacon vodka, pork stock, etc are not applicable.<br />-Recipe must be measured in fluid ounces.<br />-Recipe must have a name.<br />-Recipes that have ingredients which are originally produced (i.e. smoked cherries, syrups, etc) must include recipes for those ingredients<br /><br />The winner wins a pair of tickets to the festival on Saturday, April 14</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999;">I simply could not resist and got cranking on an idea. The conundrum being, too much bacon and it might easily be overkill, while not enough obviously misses the point of falling within the real bacon realm. The first idea that came to mind, fat washing, was certainly not new or novel, but can be well implemented given the right components. Most cocktails I have had which used this technique involved either bourbon or rum, but I chose to go a slightly different route with scotch whisky. The Black Grouse, a blended scotch whisky with a touch of peat, smoke, and notes of brown sugar, seemed like a natural fit to play off the bacon. To complement it, rather than a sweet vermouth, I went with The Bitter Truth's E**X**R. Described as an herbal liqueur that possesses a character between that of a sweet vermouth and an amaro, E**X**R has a semisweet herbal profile with a very subtle smoky finish. Alongside this, Ramazzotti would be a nice addition given its fragrant bitter orange profile, especially when combined with a maple syrup accented with orange blossom water. Angostura orange bitters would offer up a fresh citrus bite to tie things nicely together...and finally the finish with a scant barspoon of homemade bacon tincture.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Barded Black Bird</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 oz bacon fat washed Black Grouse*</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz The Bitter Truth E**X**R</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz Ramazzotti </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/4 oz orange blossom maple syrup**</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Angostura orange bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 barspoon (1/16 oz) Bacon tincture***</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with plenty of ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe and garnish with wide strip of orange zest.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="text-decoration: underline;">Fat washed Black Grouse</b>*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 oz rendered bacon fat, from about 8 strips of hickory smoked bacon</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>8 oz Black Grouse </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Slowly cook bacon in a skillet until well browned, strain the rendered fat into a glass jar. Add whisky, tighten lid, and shake well. Let sit at room temperature for one hour, then place in the freezer until fat has congealed on the surface. Remove from freezer, break thru the fat layer and strain the mixture thru cheesecloth. Store whisky in the refrigerator. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="text-decoration: underline;">Orange blossom maple syrup</b>**</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 oz grade B organic maple syrup</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 oz water</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/4 oz orange blossom water</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Mix all ingredients together and store in the refrigerator.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="text-decoration: underline;">Bacon tincture</b>***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>5 strips crispy cooked bacon</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 oz neutral grain spirit, 151 proof</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Preheat sous vide to 170F. Add bacon to vacuum seal bag and crumble to small pieces, then add the spirit. Seal and place in sous vide for 3-4 hours. Empty contents of the bag and squeeze to extract all remaining liquid from the bacon. Strain thru a coffee filter and store in the refrigerator. </i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYm21JGvHW_RjPFvAYW_4GE67-4q1kit-ECZgKrr-lrZqnot74h9IAbvwktOhMWUfXwMw1-XSAyfTPwGR3b_9MzSwlMMusjmBqTE5Va8ZgyPqHF7rEWU77vtn5OhpO7kjzTXW2fl2_Cdl/s1600/IMG_9218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYm21JGvHW_RjPFvAYW_4GE67-4q1kit-ECZgKrr-lrZqnot74h9IAbvwktOhMWUfXwMw1-XSAyfTPwGR3b_9MzSwlMMusjmBqTE5Va8ZgyPqHF7rEWU77vtn5OhpO7kjzTXW2fl2_Cdl/s640/IMG_9218.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Barded Black Bird</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">Overall, this bacon-y cocktail went down rather well, with lingering hints of orange helping to brighten up the rich, smoky scotch and bacon base. In my mind, it was a decent middle ground...while certainly not akin to drinking bacon, the flavor and essence was still quite noticeable. All in all, it's probably not a drink for everyone, but this was an enjoyable endeavor nonetheless</span>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: left;">****UPDATE</span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: left;">So I'm a bit late on this, but post a bit of downtime and time away, here is a recap from <a href="http://baconfestchicago.com/reader2012" target="_blank">Baconfest '12</a> and <a href="http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2012/04/09/take-a-sip-the-fat-washed-barded-black-bird" target="_blank"><i>The Chicago Reader</i></a> related to the cocktail contest. I was fortunate enough to win among the 30+ entries...and Baconfest was solid, as usual. A few pics:</span><br />
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Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249580188389168135.post-76695969478444376592012-03-30T08:19:00.002-05:002012-05-30T10:52:35.761-05:00Cabin Fever Cocktail Challenge<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the majority of these past few weeks in Chicago have been <i>exceptionally</i> warm for the month of March (temps in the 70s/80s vs historical average in the low 40s - apparently referred to as 'season creep' among climatologists), it is fitting to have recently come across the 'Cabin Fever Cocktail Challenge' sponsored by <a href="http://www.drinkinginamerica.com/" target="_blank">Drinking In America</a>. As described on their <a href="http://www.drinkinginamerica.com/cabin-fever-cocktail-challenge/" target="_blank">site</a>:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Spring has arrived and we’re ready for a toast to the season. This month’s challenge is to create the ultimate springtime drink. Give us your best recipe for kicking the last of this cold weather to the curb...<br /><br />All entries must be submitted by March 28th before 5:00 pm EST. From there, Mike Cerretani, bartender at Bitter Bar, will judge the recipes. He’ll be looking for overall creativity based on the following:</i></span><br />
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<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Best use of flavor/combination of spirits (taste) </i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Best representation of springtime theme</i></li>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With fresh fennel on hand and it's inspirations of spring, some initial ideas revolved around how to integrate it with other flavors in a cocktail. While the vegetable itself has some sweet anise character, especially when slowly roasted, the lesser used fronds possess a brighter and more subtle anise flavor that I thought might lend itself well to a syrup, so that was where I began. Along with the mounds of fresh clementines we've been getting, these two components of fennel fronds and citrus would combine as two of the flavors I would feature. While I was at it, freshly cracked coriander came to mind, often used with citrus and not uncommon with fennel either, I thought this spice would also be a nice element to tie things together with gin. I went with Plymouth given its brighter citrus overtones and paired it with Cocchi Americano for a bit more citrus and crisp botanicals. To brighten it up a bit, I added some fresh lemon juice, along with a couple dashes of Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas bitters. The resulting flavor combination worked rather well, but for texture, I thought a nice frothy egg white was in order here...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Season Creep</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 oz Plymouth gin</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 oz Cocchi Americano</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>3/4 oz lemon juice</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz fennel frond syrup*</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 oz egg white</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 dashes Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas bitters</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 tsp whole coriander seed</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 clementine, unpeeled</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Crack/muddle the coriander seed in a mixing glass, then add the clementine and muddle to integrate the two. Add the remainder of the ingredients and dry shake until frothy, about 20-30 seconds. Add ice, shake again until well chilled, and double strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Garnish with fennel frond.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Fennel frond syrup</u></b>*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 c fresh fennel fronds, roughly chopped</i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 c water</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 c sugar</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Add all ingredients to saucepan and bring to a bare simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit until room temperature. Store covered for a day, then strain into a clean bottle (pressing the fronds against a mesh strainer to extract the most flavor) and store in the refrigerator.</i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Season Creep</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This cocktail presents bright, crisp citrus and bontanicals on the first sip, with the scent of anise notes from the fennel frond coming thru to accentuate the slight hint of the syrup. The coriander and clementine combine well with the Plymouth and Cocchi Americano, all rounded out with the light texture of airy egg white.</span></div>
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</div>Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10807815568287246793noreply@blogger.com1