Hey folks, we're moving. Actually, we've moved.
Please visit The New Libation Laboratory Site. Thanks!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Mixing the Museum - The Bamboo Cocktail
Due to the recent tragic event in Japan, we have decided to try something special for this cocktail post. Between now and midnight (PDT) April 17th, 2011, CR and I will donate $3.00 to the Red Cross-Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Fund for each individual that posts a comment below. Bonus - each company for which we work matches donations. We'll be doubling up!
As work and life (too much of the former; the latter all good, more please) happen and diversions occur (one of which was an awesome trip to some of the best cocktail bars in DC - we'll read about that in a future post), we are still slowly making our way through the Mixing the Museum exercise. Turning the page from The Barcardi Cocktail, we come to The Bamboo. Again, a cocktail that is novel to me, reinforcing my justification for our mock Julie/Julia blogging.
Though originating in Japan, The Bamboo cocktail is credited to a German gentleman, Mr. Louis Eppinger, who managed the luxurious Grand Hotel in Yokohama, Japan in the 1890's. In the late 1800's this elegant hotel, a playground for affluent Westerners, opened in Yokohama, a major trading center of the time. Yokohama was one of the first major port cities in Japan, and is today, Japan's second largest city. Because of its prominence in foreign and Western trading, the city quickly became home to many foreigners and was influenced heavily by those from Great Britain, Germany, and America. Mr. Louis Eppinger likely created the Bamboo cocktail to cater to his Western clientele. Except for originating in Japan and the distinctive botanical name, there is nothing very Japanese about the cocktail.
Unfortunately much of Yokohama and the Grand Hotel was destroyed by a large earthquake in September 1923. The earthquake and Tsunami that devastated Japan in March 2011 was Northeast of Yokohama, and thus little damage occurred there.
Though originating in Japan, The Bamboo cocktail is credited to a German gentleman, Mr. Louis Eppinger, who managed the luxurious Grand Hotel in Yokohama, Japan in the 1890's. In the late 1800's this elegant hotel, a playground for affluent Westerners, opened in Yokohama, a major trading center of the time. Yokohama was one of the first major port cities in Japan, and is today, Japan's second largest city. Because of its prominence in foreign and Western trading, the city quickly became home to many foreigners and was influenced heavily by those from Great Britain, Germany, and America. Mr. Louis Eppinger likely created the Bamboo cocktail to cater to his Western clientele. Except for originating in Japan and the distinctive botanical name, there is nothing very Japanese about the cocktail.
Unfortunately much of Yokohama and the Grand Hotel was destroyed by a large earthquake in September 1923. The earthquake and Tsunami that devastated Japan in March 2011 was Northeast of Yokohama, and thus little damage occurred there.
The Bamboo
1 oz. Dolin Dry Vermouth
1 oz. Lustau Dry Amontillado sherry
1 dash Angostura Bitters
2 dashes Orange Bitters (Regans #6)
Stir and strain into a vintage cocktail glass.
We garnished ours with an olive.
So mix it, drink it, post it, donate.
Thank you.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Mixing the Museum - The Barcardi Cocktail
We are through the 'A's' in this empirical research exercise. As we move on to the 'B's' it's clear to me that there is value in this research. Next up in my MOTAC book is the Bacardi Cocktail. The what? I've never even heard of the Bacardi Cocktail. I know Bacardi is a brand of Rum, so I'm pretty sure the Bacardi Cocktail is probably rum based.
Hello Wiki-Webtender friend, help me out. Sources say this drink is "an IBA Official Cocktail." The IBA...that sounds important. [apparently, I have alot to learn before embarking on my alternative career]. The IBA is the International Bartenders Association, and the Bacardi Cocktail is "one of many cocktails selected by the IBA for use in the annual World Cocktail Competition in bartending."
The Bacardi Cocktail has been around in some iteration or another since the early 1900's. In the late 1930's a New York appellate court ruled that to be called the Bacardi cocktail required the use of only Bacardi brand rum. Use something other than Bacardi, call your cocktail by another name.
The basic mix for the Bacardi is rum, lemon or lime juice and grenadine.
Fun DrinkScience Fact (I'll do the research so you can impress your friends at your next cocktail party):
Let's take a moment to talk about Grenadine. Grenadine was originally made with pomegranate juice and sugar. In fact, grenadine is derived from the French word 'grenade' meaning pomegranate. Pomegranates have had an illustrious place in history and were mentioned during Homer's waxing poetic about Aphrodite in the 7th Century BC.
In addition to being a necessary and tasty ingredient in many cocktails, Grenadine is good for you! Pomegranates are absolutely brimming with antioxidants or polyphenols, such as tannins (drink more wine, people!) and catechins.
Know Your Phenolics by Washington State Viticulture and Enology Group is a site that contains more information about antioxidants than you would ever want to know. Basically, our bodies are in a constant battle with a nasty little type of molecule called a free radical. You might think that a name containing "free" would be indicative of something positive, but not in this case. Free radicals contain an unpaired electron making them highly reactive and thus cause damage to our DNA, proteins, and cells. Research has shown that free radicals can cause both cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants (drink more grenadine cocktails, people!) mitigate the damage caused by free radicals by donating an extra electron to the free radical. No longer "free" the molecule is now harmless and cannot cause continuing cellular damage. However, antioxidants are only good for one electron-donating-reaction. Basically, antioxidants are single-use, which is why we are told to eat (and drink) a diet rich in antioxidants. This concludes today's nutrition lesson. Back to Grenadine......
We've all seen that bottle of ACME red liquid next to the Angostura bitters on the shelf in the grocery store. The ACME red liquid is high fructose corn syrup and disodium 6-hydroxy-5-((2-methoxy-5-methyl-4-sulfophenyl)azo)-2-naphthalenesulfonate (affectionately known as FD&C 40). I would suggest that you not buy this product. Instead, make your own.
There are many recipes for house-grenadine. I use the recipe from Imbibe with slight variations.
House Grenadine
8oz POM
1 c Turbinado Sugar
1 Stash Pomegranate Raspberry Green Tea bag
Heat until sugar is melted. Let tea steep for ~30 min. Cool.
Add 2 tsp Orange Flower Water
1 oz Vodka
Bottle and refrigerate.
The Bacardi Cocktail
45ml Bacardi Rum
25ml lime juice
15ml simple syrup
7.5ml grenadine
Shake, strain into cocktail glass. Drink, enjoy, be healthy!
Hello Wiki-Webtender friend, help me out. Sources say this drink is "an IBA Official Cocktail." The IBA...that sounds important. [apparently, I have alot to learn before embarking on my alternative career]. The IBA is the International Bartenders Association, and the Bacardi Cocktail is "one of many cocktails selected by the IBA for use in the annual World Cocktail Competition in bartending."
The Bacardi Cocktail has been around in some iteration or another since the early 1900's. In the late 1930's a New York appellate court ruled that to be called the Bacardi cocktail required the use of only Bacardi brand rum. Use something other than Bacardi, call your cocktail by another name.
The basic mix for the Bacardi is rum, lemon or lime juice and grenadine.
Fun DrinkScience Fact (I'll do the research so you can impress your friends at your next cocktail party):
Let's take a moment to talk about Grenadine. Grenadine was originally made with pomegranate juice and sugar. In fact, grenadine is derived from the French word 'grenade' meaning pomegranate. Pomegranates have had an illustrious place in history and were mentioned during Homer's waxing poetic about Aphrodite in the 7th Century BC.
In addition to being a necessary and tasty ingredient in many cocktails, Grenadine is good for you! Pomegranates are absolutely brimming with antioxidants or polyphenols, such as tannins (drink more wine, people!) and catechins.
 |
| Chemical Structure of Catechin |
Know Your Phenolics by Washington State Viticulture and Enology Group is a site that contains more information about antioxidants than you would ever want to know. Basically, our bodies are in a constant battle with a nasty little type of molecule called a free radical. You might think that a name containing "free" would be indicative of something positive, but not in this case. Free radicals contain an unpaired electron making them highly reactive and thus cause damage to our DNA, proteins, and cells. Research has shown that free radicals can cause both cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants (drink more grenadine cocktails, people!) mitigate the damage caused by free radicals by donating an extra electron to the free radical. No longer "free" the molecule is now harmless and cannot cause continuing cellular damage. However, antioxidants are only good for one electron-donating-reaction. Basically, antioxidants are single-use, which is why we are told to eat (and drink) a diet rich in antioxidants. This concludes today's nutrition lesson. Back to Grenadine......
We've all seen that bottle of ACME red liquid next to the Angostura bitters on the shelf in the grocery store. The ACME red liquid is high fructose corn syrup and disodium 6-hydroxy-5-((2-methoxy-5-methyl-4-sulfophenyl)azo)-2-naphthalenesulfonate (affectionately known as FD&C 40). I would suggest that you not buy this product. Instead, make your own.
There are many recipes for house-grenadine. I use the recipe from Imbibe with slight variations.
House Grenadine
8oz POM
1 c Turbinado Sugar
1 Stash Pomegranate Raspberry Green Tea bag
Heat until sugar is melted. Let tea steep for ~30 min. Cool.
Add 2 tsp Orange Flower Water
1 oz Vodka
Bottle and refrigerate.
The Bacardi Cocktail45ml Bacardi Rum
25ml lime juice
15ml simple syrup
7.5ml grenadine
Shake, strain into cocktail glass. Drink, enjoy, be healthy!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Mixology Monday - Some Like It Hot
A friend of mine recently gifted me the Mr. Boston Holiday Cocktails book. One of the drinks I had marked, but not yet mixed, was a hot toddy type of cocktail made with a smoky single malt scotch, St. Germain, and Chamomile Tea. The Inventory is currently devoid of smoky single malt scotches, so what could be the alternative? I recently attended a Japanese Whisky tasting with the LUPEC Seattle group that was generously hosted by Liberty. Of the varieties that we tried, my favorite was Suntory's Hibiki 12yr Blended Whisky and I subsequently added this to the Inventory. Up until now, I have been enjoying the Hibiki neat, but this whisky might make a nice stand-in for the smoky single malt in my hot drink recipe.
Here's my variation of a 'Some Like It Hot' Drink:
1.5 oz Hibiki 12yr
0.5 oz St. Germain
0.5 oz honey (I might go with less next time)
4.0 oz Chamomile Tea
Build ingredients in a mug. Garnish with lemon. Enjoy.
This is my first submission to Mixology Monday. I would ask that you all go easy on me. I realize that my hot drink isn't really that original. But when I'm freezing in the arctic tundra, and need something to warm me up, I'll turn to a hot-toddy drink variation every time.
Thanks for hosting Nancy. I'm eager to see what drinks others recommend to take the chill off.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Mixing the Museum - The Aviation
While surfing the World Wide Web doing my research for the next installment of Mixing the Museum, it quickly becomes clear to me that everyone except for me has mixed, drank, reviewed, and written up the Aviation. Basically, The Aviation has been put to bed. However, I will not let this thwart my determination to become a better booze aficionado. I will stand by my commitment to mix every drink in MOTAC and Mr. Hess and Ms. Miller say that The Aviation is next. So onward we go....
The Aviation cocktail first appeared in print in 1916 in the book "Recipes for Mixed Drinks," authored by Mr. Hugo Ensslin, the bartender at the Wallick Hotel in Times Square, New York. It is unknown whether Mr. Ensslin created the cocktail or merely was the first to record its ingredients allowing others to re-create this drink. In fact David Wondrich, cocktail historian extraordinaire has found a 1911 reference to The Aviation cocktail (though no recipe was included with the mention). Mr Ensslin's original recipe called for gin, lemon juice, maraschino, and creme de violette, a floral violet liqueur. The recipe next appeared in print in the classic 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book. However, between 1916 and 1930, the Creme de Violette dropped from the recipe.
For this exercise I wanted to mix the cocktail from MOTAC, but also Mr Ensslin's version with the Creme de Violette. But first a word about Violet liqueur....
Creme de Violette appeared in several pre-prohibition cocktail classics, but fell out of favor post-prohibition. Perhaps, the violet, floral notes of the liqueur were thought to be old-fashioned and really, who wants to equate hugging your grandma with drinking a tasty cocktail. Unless, of course, your grandma doesn't wear flowery perfume and can drink you under the table. No matter, in 2008, Rothman and Winter resurrected Creme de Violette. The liqueur is "produced from a careful maceration of Queen Charlotte and March Violets in "Weinbrand" (this distilled from grapes), with cane sugar added for sweetness." And it is a beautiful color.
Let's mix The Aviation (x2) and toast to Grandmas everywhere.
The Aviation (MOTAC)
2 oz. Plymouth Gin
0.5 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
0.25 oz. lemon juice
Shake with ice - strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with a cherry.
In searching for a recipe using the Creme de Violette, I came upon Stevi Deter's post where she mixed, with great success, The Aviation using Magellan gin. Perfect. She suggests using Magellan in the violette version of The Aviation. I'll do it.
The 'Blue' Aviation
2 oz. Magellan Gin
0.5 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
0.25 oz. Rothman & Winter Creme de Violette
0.5 oz. lemon juice
Shake with ice - strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with a cherry.
I enjoyed both variations of this classic cocktail, but preferred the slight sweetness imparted by the Creme de Violette in The 'Blue' Aviation. Besides, I've always been a sucker for the color blue and my Grandma.
Cheers, Grandma!
For this exercise I wanted to mix the cocktail from MOTAC, but also Mr Ensslin's version with the Creme de Violette. But first a word about Violet liqueur....
Let's mix The Aviation (x2) and toast to Grandmas everywhere.
2 oz. Plymouth Gin
0.5 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
0.25 oz. lemon juice
Shake with ice - strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with a cherry.
In searching for a recipe using the Creme de Violette, I came upon Stevi Deter's post where she mixed, with great success, The Aviation using Magellan gin. Perfect. She suggests using Magellan in the violette version of The Aviation. I'll do it.
The 'Blue' Aviation
2 oz. Magellan Gin
0.5 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
0.25 oz. Rothman & Winter Creme de Violette
0.5 oz. lemon juice
Shake with ice - strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with a cherry.
I enjoyed both variations of this classic cocktail, but preferred the slight sweetness imparted by the Creme de Violette in The 'Blue' Aviation. Besides, I've always been a sucker for the color blue and my Grandma.
Cheers, Grandma!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Mixing the Museum - A Triumvirate to Start
I'm certainly glad I didn't commit to 100 drinks in 100 days. After more than two weeks of mulling things over and numerous delays, we are finally kicking off the "Mixing the Museum" project we described in our last post. The book, the Museum of the American Cocktail Pocket Recipe Guide (MOTAC) compiled and edited by superstar cocktail aficionados Robert Hess and Anistatia Miller, is a brilliant little tome that everyone must have in their cocktail libary. There are 100 cocktail recipes that we will be working our way through in the days to come.
KB's visit was a perfect opportunity to dive into the MOTAC project. Two super-tasters in the house!...right on!...let's try to get through a few of these cocktails. First up...The Algonquin.
A swank hotel that opened in the early 1900's in New York City, the Algonquin was known for being one of the first hotels to accept single women travelers. Notably, the early literary feminists Gertrude Stein and Simone de Beauvoir were known to frequent the Algonquin Hotel. While it is intriguing to think about the conversations these women would have engaged in over a cocktail, their talk would not have been loosened by liquor as prohibition was in full force during much of the time that Gertrude and Simone might have crossed paths in New York City. Let's sip an Algonquin in their honor and imagine sharing the bar with these avant-garde women.
The Algonquin
2oz. rye (Old Overholt)
1oz. dry vermouth (Dolin)
1oz. fresh pineapple juice
Shake with ice - strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with a cherry.
I wanted to like this cocktail. Rye, vermouth, pineapple juice...what's not to like? But the flavor combination just didn't knock me off my feet. No complaints from KB and CR. What's next?
Turn the page....The Americano...... Queue the singing gondolier...
This cocktail dates to the mid 1800's and was created by Gaspare Campari, and was first served in his bar Caffe Campari in Milan, Italy. As you probably guessed, Gaspare created the aperitif herbal liqueur Campari. With a tip of the hat to the ingredient's brand geography, it was originally known as the Milano-Torino. Apparently, in the early 1900's there were such great numbers of Americans in Italy enjoying the Milano-Torino, the people of Italy chose to show their appreciation and affection by renaming the cocktail, the Americano.
Fun DrinkScience Fact (I'll do the research so you can impress your friends at your next cocktail party):
The red color of Campari used to come from these little guys:
The little red beetle makes this stuff:
The red dye is also known as carmine. The cochineal beetles are such impressive carmine factories that the dye actually occurs as 17-24% of the weight of the dry insects. Besides, Campari, carmine is also used to color a number of other products, such as yogurt and ice cream as well as cosmetics.
Apparently in the mid-2000's Campari stopped using crushed Dactylopius coccus as a source of red carmine, and instead began to use "artificial color" to achieve the brilliant red of it's famous liqueur. I checked my bottle and sure enough the label reads 'artificially colored.'
Regardless of whether my red Campari has insect based carmine or FD&C Red 40, let's mix the Americano. (I'm embarrassed to say I've never tried the Americano).
The Americano
1oz. Campari
1oz. sweet vermouth (Dolin)
Soda Water
Build in a highball with ice. Stir. Top with soda water. One more gentle stir. Garnish with lemon twist.
Bitter, sweet, tasty. This is a cocktail that CR and I will enjoy sitting in the steamers looking out at the water next summer. Or the next time we are in Milan. Cin Cin!
KB's visit was a perfect opportunity to dive into the MOTAC project. Two super-tasters in the house!...right on!...let's try to get through a few of these cocktails. First up...The Algonquin.
A swank hotel that opened in the early 1900's in New York City, the Algonquin was known for being one of the first hotels to accept single women travelers. Notably, the early literary feminists Gertrude Stein and Simone de Beauvoir were known to frequent the Algonquin Hotel. While it is intriguing to think about the conversations these women would have engaged in over a cocktail, their talk would not have been loosened by liquor as prohibition was in full force during much of the time that Gertrude and Simone might have crossed paths in New York City. Let's sip an Algonquin in their honor and imagine sharing the bar with these avant-garde women.
 |
| The Algonquin |
2oz. rye (Old Overholt)
1oz. dry vermouth (Dolin)
1oz. fresh pineapple juice
Shake with ice - strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with a cherry.
I wanted to like this cocktail. Rye, vermouth, pineapple juice...what's not to like? But the flavor combination just didn't knock me off my feet. No complaints from KB and CR. What's next?
Turn the page....The Americano...... Queue the singing gondolier...
This cocktail dates to the mid 1800's and was created by Gaspare Campari, and was first served in his bar Caffe Campari in Milan, Italy. As you probably guessed, Gaspare created the aperitif herbal liqueur Campari. With a tip of the hat to the ingredient's brand geography, it was originally known as the Milano-Torino. Apparently, in the early 1900's there were such great numbers of Americans in Italy enjoying the Milano-Torino, the people of Italy chose to show their appreciation and affection by renaming the cocktail, the Americano.
Fun DrinkScience Fact (I'll do the research so you can impress your friends at your next cocktail party):
The red color of Campari used to come from these little guys:
 |
| Dactylopius coccus |
The little red beetle makes this stuff:
 |
| Carminic Acid = Red Dye |
The red dye is also known as carmine. The cochineal beetles are such impressive carmine factories that the dye actually occurs as 17-24% of the weight of the dry insects. Besides, Campari, carmine is also used to color a number of other products, such as yogurt and ice cream as well as cosmetics.
Apparently in the mid-2000's Campari stopped using crushed Dactylopius coccus as a source of red carmine, and instead began to use "artificial color" to achieve the brilliant red of it's famous liqueur. I checked my bottle and sure enough the label reads 'artificially colored.'
Regardless of whether my red Campari has insect based carmine or FD&C Red 40, let's mix the Americano. (I'm embarrassed to say I've never tried the Americano).
 |
| The Americano |
The Americano
1oz. Campari
1oz. sweet vermouth (Dolin)
Soda Water
Build in a highball with ice. Stir. Top with soda water. One more gentle stir. Garnish with lemon twist.
Bitter, sweet, tasty. This is a cocktail that CR and I will enjoy sitting in the steamers looking out at the water next summer. Or the next time we are in Milan. Cin Cin!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Let's Go to the Museum
BACKGROUND: New Year’s Eve 2009. CR and I find ourselves looking for trouble in South Lake Union (SLU). Well, actually, we’re looking for a cocktail. I should also mention that it is approximately 1:00p in the afternoon. By this time in my cocktail evolution, I knew of many local superstar bartenders and cocktail bloggers. I had read that Andrew Bohrer recently moved from the Naga lounge on the Eastside (aka Montana) to create the cocktail program at the new SLU restaurant Mistral Kitchen. You do the math, CR and I are on our way to drink Andrew Bohrer creations at Mistral Kitchen. The joint is almost empty except for a couple at the bar. Two spots left and we take them. There seems to be some kind of experiment going on and our bar-mates are taking pictures of the drinks Andrew is making.
We talked cocktail books with Andrew that day. He told us that one of the most useful books you could have was The Museum of the American Cocktail Pocket Recipe Guide. So, this is the plan. All in the name of science… I’m new here, I don’t really know what I’m doing, but I want to improve my skill set. This little cocktail book contains recipes to 100 classic cocktails that all good bartenders/mixologists/cocktail enthusiasts should know. You know where I’m going with this right? Oh sure, I know…not very original, not very unique. I know it’s been done. There’s the famous Julie and Julia Project (I promise I won’t be mean to CR). And there’s the more subject appropriate Jerry Thomas Project (so much cooler than mine). But, I don’t care. I need to know this stuff. So, here we go with the “Mixing the Museum” project. 100 cocktails in Sunday, January 23, 2011
Surprise Absinthe Flight at Tavern Law!
Date night on Capitol Hill. CR and I decided to head to the hill to see what kind of trouble we could stir up (really, we're just trying to find a parking space). Luck was seriously on our side as we found prime parking in the Pike/Pine corridor. Our first stop was The Tin Table. This was our first visit to The Tin Table and we loved the feel of this space. We were welcomed by cool blue light coming from a wall of various cocktail glasses. OK, we're hooked.
We had tasty cocktails and dinner and fun conversation with the bartender. We'll put The Tin Table on our list to visit again when we're in the neighborhood. After snooping around the Century Ballroom (note to selves: sign up for dance lessons), which shares space with The Tin Table, we made our way out onto the streets of Capitol Hill looking for our next stop. Bar hopping on Capitol Hill....big night.
We had recently celebrated CR's birthday at Needle and Thread, Tavern Law's swank upstairs speakeasy. The evening was a brilliant cocktail experience and I suggest everyone put Needle and Thread on their list of cocktail bars to visit. [Pay attention as you ascend the stairs; the pictures flanking the staircase are a real treat]. Remembering that C&E and I had recently been wowed by the cocktails at Tavern Law, and CR had enjoyed the upstairs retreat, but not Tavern Law proper....the decision was easy. Off to Tavern Law we go.
We're lucky and get two seats at the bar. Brian is our bartender, and he remembers us from CR's birthday bash as he was working Needle and Thread that night. CR is a scotch drinker and Brian suggests the Morning Glory Fizz. This is a vintage cocktail dating back to the late 1800's and contains absinthe. I am not a huge fan of anise flavor... actually, I really dislike it. Thus, the Libation Laboratory Inventory does not yet contain absinthe. However, I do recognize that many classic cocktails contain this ingredient, and as such, we need to procure a bottle. But which kind does one buy? Well, there we are with an expert right in front of us. We ask Brian which absinthe he prefers. He goes to the shelf and pulls down four (4!) different brands of absinthe and SURPRISE, absinthe tasting commences! We taste St. George, Pacifique, Mata Hari and Kubler.
Thank you Brian! We appreciate your knowledge and generosity. Being a virgin of absinthe I don't feel qualified to critique and review the participants. This has been done very nicely elsewhere. Christopher Null over at Drinkhacker has great reviews on absinthe and the New York Times has also written a very nice absinthe review article worth reading. Suffice to say we thought the Mata Hari was weird, the Kubler was nice. We liked Pacifique (and it's local), but St. George was the winner.
Off to the liquor store we go with visions of Sazeracs, Chrysanthemums and Monkey Glands in our heads. What other classic absinthe cocktails should we plan to mix?
We had tasty cocktails and dinner and fun conversation with the bartender. We'll put The Tin Table on our list to visit again when we're in the neighborhood. After snooping around the Century Ballroom (note to selves: sign up for dance lessons), which shares space with The Tin Table, we made our way out onto the streets of Capitol Hill looking for our next stop. Bar hopping on Capitol Hill....big night.
We had recently celebrated CR's birthday at Needle and Thread, Tavern Law's swank upstairs speakeasy. The evening was a brilliant cocktail experience and I suggest everyone put Needle and Thread on their list of cocktail bars to visit. [Pay attention as you ascend the stairs; the pictures flanking the staircase are a real treat]. Remembering that C&E and I had recently been wowed by the cocktails at Tavern Law, and CR had enjoyed the upstairs retreat, but not Tavern Law proper....the decision was easy. Off to Tavern Law we go.
We're lucky and get two seats at the bar. Brian is our bartender, and he remembers us from CR's birthday bash as he was working Needle and Thread that night. CR is a scotch drinker and Brian suggests the Morning Glory Fizz. This is a vintage cocktail dating back to the late 1800's and contains absinthe. I am not a huge fan of anise flavor... actually, I really dislike it. Thus, the Libation Laboratory Inventory does not yet contain absinthe. However, I do recognize that many classic cocktails contain this ingredient, and as such, we need to procure a bottle. But which kind does one buy? Well, there we are with an expert right in front of us. We ask Brian which absinthe he prefers. He goes to the shelf and pulls down four (4!) different brands of absinthe and SURPRISE, absinthe tasting commences! We taste St. George, Pacifique, Mata Hari and Kubler.
 |
| Absinthe Flight Participants |
Off to the liquor store we go with visions of Sazeracs, Chrysanthemums and Monkey Glands in our heads. What other classic absinthe cocktails should we plan to mix?
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
The Drink That Sealed the Fate
I've been thinking about what this blog might look like for over a year now. I can recall my peeps at my previous job (Hello peeps!) encouraging me and providing input on blog names last Christmas (2009). I think I have an idea about how I want to start off. Being new to this field, I obviously need to continue my intensive research. I have no pretense that I have anything to teach. This is all about my learning and providing a narrative of that process. I trust that you will only read the content if it provides you with some level of entertainment. So don't judge my crude writing and elementary methodology.
As I was saying...research. As a scientist tasked with learning a new protocol or method, I would first dive in to some background/reference reading. As such, I will do something similar here. Hopefully by the end of my research I might be slightly more versed at mixology. Stay tuned for more on this.
 |
| Champs-Elysees |
But first, I want to talk about (and mix) the cocktail that sealed the fate of my new hobby....The Champs Elysees (CE). When I first mixed this drink, I used the recipe from Drinks by Vincent Gasnier. And I really, really enjoyed it. Since then, I have acquired a few more books and I see that the recipe differs depending on the source. So let's try two variations:
1. CE (Drinks)
2. CE (The Standard Bartender's Guide by Patrick Gavin Duffy)
Each uses a different Chartreuse, either Green (Drinks) or Yellow (TSBG).
CE (Drinks) Recipe:
1.0 oz Cognac (Hennessy)
0.5 oz Green Chartreuse
1.0 oz Lemon Juice
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Shake, strain - cocktail or coupe
CE (TSBG) [recipe was for 6; I cut it down to 1]
6 Jiggers Cognac (1.5 oz Hennessy)
2 Jiggers Yellow Chartreuse (0.5 oz)
2 Jiggers Lemon Juice (0.5 oz)
1 T Powdered Sugar (not sure here, so I went with 0.25 oz Simple Syrup)
1 dash Angostura Bitters (drop of bitters)
Though neither recipe called for it, I garnished both with a small lemon twist. They just seemed a little naked without a garnish.
The two are quite different drinks. Besides the significant difference in lemon juice volume, the Chartreuses are distinct in flavor profile and even proof, with Green coming in at 110 proof and Yellow at 80 proof. CE (Drinks) is much more tart and snappier with the Green. CE (TSBG) is mellower and sweeter, from the Yellow and added simple. I think I might like CE (TSBG) slightly better. As I made the decision to revisit the Champs Elysees for this post, I realized I can't remember the last time I mixed this drink. It may have been two years ago when I mixed my first 'real' cocktail and was converted into a cocktail fan(atic).
I look forward to using both Green and Yellow Chartreuse in more cocktails. I wonder what favorite Chartreuse recipes others would recommend.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Welcome to the Libation Laboratory
Today is 1-1-11. I’m not necessarily a fanatic about numerology, but, let’s face it, how cool is it when the date is something like 1-1-11? When it was 10-10-10, I was doing something fun and memorable and it was on purpose because the numbers were 10-10-10. What I’m saying is that 1-1-11 is an auspicious day and I should do something fun and memorable. So, let’s get started with that.
I have a new hobby. This hobby (obsession/fascination) has been a slow evolution. Think of it as the classic hockey stick graph. The blade of the hockey stick represents my earliest experimentation a long time ago, which was drinking Jack Daniels in the back of a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda (Nasty. Experiment failed miserably). Next entry was frozen, sugary, blended drinks where you mix colored liquid from one bottle with booze from a second bottle (tasty but, let’s face it, not really a cocktail…more like dessert in a glass). And then I grew older, wiser and moved to Seattle. Next up was dinner with C&E at a now defunct restaurant and I tried C’s Lemon Drop. I know, I know, a beginner cocktail with easy-to-like ingredients. But, damn, that lemon drop was pretty tasty. Interesting... OK, so now this is where we start to make the transition to the handle of the hockey stick and things are really going to take off at an accelerated rate.
A little over two years ago, I began to watch Rachel Maddow on MSNBC and thought she was so very cool, which led me to read an article written about her. Within this biographic article, she talked of her love for making (and drinking) cocktails. Interesting… I could do that….make cocktails, be cool (seriously, who doesn’t want to be cool? You don’t? Ok, well then I have some baggage from childhood that motivates me to want to be cool. Don’t judge). But where to start? I would need a reference guide, a book. I couldn’t just begin by throwing things together. That’s not how I’m wired. My knowledge of cocktails consisted of Jack and coke, frozen red drinks, and lemon drops. I would definitely need a book. And not just a book of recipes. After all, I am supposed to be a scientist by training (at least reading the titles of the pieces of paper that you are given after many years and much money, one might discern that perhaps I am of the sciencey ilk). So, back to the book….I would need a book. CR (completely supportive of my new hobby/addiction) and I went shopping. Not at all sure what was available for someone wanting to start down a cocktail journey, I ended up being drawn to Drinks. This book had everything I was looking for….descriptions and history of the different base liquors and cocktail recipes with stories of their creation. Great. I dove in for an interesting, educational read. And then another significant event happened that facilitated the continuation of the upward hockey stick handle trend. There occurred the snowstorm of December 2008. (I also like to refer to this time as the Christmas Miracle of 2008). Seattle experienced such a significant dump of snow over several days that the city effectively shut down for two weeks. Having lived in Seattle now for more than 5 years, CR and I had lost our mid-west resilience for driving around on snow and ice (though we did build one hellish snow-woman in the front yard). To battle cabin fever, we walked. We walked to the movies. We walked to the mall. We walked to the Ave. We walked to the market. And, we discovered that the liquor store was within walking distance too. And so the liquor cabinet was born and began to grow. After 5 continuous days of shopping at the liquor store and seeing the same checkout person, we felt compelled to explain that we didn’t have a “problem”, we had just read a new cocktail recipe and we needed ingredients. The response back: deadpan “U-Huh”. Ok, so we don’t care what the liquor store check-out person thinks of us. We had found our proverbial candy story. So many shelves and shiny bottles and colorful liquids. So many flavors and interesting names. And we also found our liquor store encyclopedia boyfriend John. With a breadth of knowledge about all types of booze, his colorful hair and unpretentious attitude, John has become our go-to person for new and interesting bottles of liquor.
OK, so things are happening fast now. It was time to mix a ‘real’ cocktail. We had traveled to Paris the year before and had such a wonderful trip that we were still talking about it. I read a recipe for a cocktail called the Champs Elysées, a classic cocktail first referenced in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book. Perfect. I had to mix this drink. Trip to kitchen store for cocktail shaker, check. Trip to liquor store for ingredients, check. Green Chartreuse, a secret recipe made by Carthusian Monks since the 1740s, with extracts from 132 plants and its coloring coming from chlorophyll…so beyond cool. Mix up two. Serve. Frakity Frak! That damn drink is good! Ok. I’m in; count me in. Extra time because of the snowstorm afforded me lots of play time for my new hobby. I discovered wonderful blogs all about cocktails. Hello Paul Clarke and Jay Hepburn. Please be my new BFFs. So many books written about my new hobby (bookstore within walking distance, check). There is an annual conference to celebrate my new hobby, a magazine devoted almost entirely to my new passion. And let’s not forget about a Guild, there’s even a Guild. Apparently, even I can be a member of the Washington State Bartenders Guild. I read of the different kinds of shiny, sparkly new bar tools I would need. Kid in a candy store….A Christmas Miracle.
Back to the hockey stick….we are racing up the handle, which is where we are today, 1-1-11. I’m not a writer, I haven’t traveled the world, and I just learned that cocktails can be tasty. But I’m compelled to write a blog about this new hobby of mine. CR dubbed it Libation Laboratory. She thinks it’s my outlet for being a frustrated scientist who doesn’t actually ‘do’ science anymore. If so, then what an appropriate name. Thus, two years after the self-discovery that cocktails are indeed tasty, I’m taking it to the next level. Welcome to the Libation Laboratory.
OK, so things are happening fast now. It was time to mix a ‘real’ cocktail. We had traveled to Paris the year before and had such a wonderful trip that we were still talking about it. I read a recipe for a cocktail called the Champs Elysées, a classic cocktail first referenced in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book. Perfect. I had to mix this drink. Trip to kitchen store for cocktail shaker, check. Trip to liquor store for ingredients, check. Green Chartreuse, a secret recipe made by Carthusian Monks since the 1740s, with extracts from 132 plants and its coloring coming from chlorophyll…so beyond cool. Mix up two. Serve. Frakity Frak! That damn drink is good! Ok. I’m in; count me in. Extra time because of the snowstorm afforded me lots of play time for my new hobby. I discovered wonderful blogs all about cocktails. Hello Paul Clarke and Jay Hepburn. Please be my new BFFs. So many books written about my new hobby (bookstore within walking distance, check). There is an annual conference to celebrate my new hobby, a magazine devoted almost entirely to my new passion. And let’s not forget about a Guild, there’s even a Guild. Apparently, even I can be a member of the Washington State Bartenders Guild. I read of the different kinds of shiny, sparkly new bar tools I would need. Kid in a candy store….A Christmas Miracle.
Back to the hockey stick….we are racing up the handle, which is where we are today, 1-1-11. I’m not a writer, I haven’t traveled the world, and I just learned that cocktails can be tasty. But I’m compelled to write a blog about this new hobby of mine. CR dubbed it Libation Laboratory. She thinks it’s my outlet for being a frustrated scientist who doesn’t actually ‘do’ science anymore. If so, then what an appropriate name. Thus, two years after the self-discovery that cocktails are indeed tasty, I’m taking it to the next level. Welcome to the Libation Laboratory.
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