XXQC - Daiquiri

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.  

'We want....a shrub(bery)!'

Ahh shrubs.  They can do one of two things:

1)  Help provide a sense of structure and/or define barriers within landscapes

2)  Elevate some cocktails to the next level

I shall focus on the latter and leave the leafy, decorative variety to the Knights who say 'Ni!!'

Hummin' along

As we quickly approach the summer months here in Chicago, it is perhaps with no better timing that the hum Spirits Company announced a contest in search of a signature cocktail for the season...

hum (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 Adam Seger (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. 

XXQC - Sidecar

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.

Bacon, Bacon, Bacon...BACON!!!

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. Nueske's)...some questionable (Bakon vodka)...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 Baconfest Chicago, a bacon cocktail contest sponsored by the Chicago Reader has surfaced for enthusiasts to showcase their stuff, as written by the Reader's lead restaurant critic Mike Sula....

Cabin Fever Cocktail Challenge

As the majority of these past few weeks in Chicago have been exceptionally 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 Drinking In America.  As described on their site:


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...

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:

• Best use of flavor/combination of spirits (taste) 
• Best representation of springtime theme

Hail The King

I love ginger.  The aroma, the spice, the slight hit of heat...and the way that it matches well with so many other flavors.  As a result, in the early stages of building up my collection of spirits and liqueurs, a bottle of the ginger profile was a necessity on the list.  And while it took a little longer than planned, I finally secured it.  I spent some time debating between two of the most popular bottles, Domaine de Canton and The King's Ginger.  While both were liqueurs that I had enjoyed in a variety of cocktails, I ended up going with The King's Ginger for a couple of reasons.  Perhaps most importantly, the more mellow and rounded ginger flavor of King's.  True, it lacks the brighter, more pungent, and slightly sweeter profile of Domaine de Canton, but I figured a touch of ginger syrup could help provide that additional fresh kick if I really needed without a bottle of Canton on hand.  Another noticeable distinction between the two lies in their composition.  While both begin with their ingredients in a base of neutral grain spirit, King's distillate of fresh ginger and lemon is finished off by the addition of a single malt whisky (82 proof).  On the other hand, Canton's recipe of crystallized ginger, orange blossom honey, and vanilla is finished with a V.S.O.P. cognac base (56 proof).  At the end of the day, the higher proof King's Ginger had the more straight-forward profile I was looking for, so the decision was made.  And while Domaine de Canton will likely be added to my shelf at some point, there is always the option of making your own version, an endeavor I'm sure I'll be taking on in the near future.