May this admission mark me as one whose life’s journey has reached its mid-point or beyond, so be it. Self acceptance is the calling card of maturation. Knowing thy self is good. Accepting thyself is when real living begins.

And now, I accept that I want a Chartreuse and tonic. A little bitter, herbal, even medicinal maybe. But that’s okay. It’s a complex liqueur spread out amidst some quinine influenced bubbles and just fits what right now calls for. Last night it was bourbon, tomorrow it may be Scotch, but now, this works for me.

 

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Rittenhouse 25 Year Old Single Barrel Whiskey

Like the fully formed man in the middle of his life, Rittenhouse 25 is willing to spend time with others but is more than comfortable alone.  I had the most memorable Perfect Manhattan of my life with Rittenhouse 25, Carpano, and Dolin Blanc.  That said, I prefer it as a double paired with a stout glass and possibly a very peppery cigar and ample time to watch the world go by.

The nose offers warmth and touches of spice coupled with bits of sandalwood, torrone, and a rounded sweetness that suggests butterscotch and raisins.  The dram presents itself stoutly as the full breadth of its 100 proof musculature flexes alongside a tinge of black pepper.  The power here does not bully or provoke but rather acts as a vehicle for an oily oak mouthfeel.  The slight butterscotch vapor of the aroma progresses to a tinge of apple tart titan on the tongue while the torrone notes are suggested by the presence of thistle honey.   The finish is anthemic: long and inspirational with a proud peppery spice (suggestive of rye) leading a chorus dried fruit sweetness consisting of apricot, cherry, and raisin.

Time spent with this dram relaxes its vaporous introduction and intensifies the presence of its time spent alone in oak.  A touch of water brought out a thyme flower note of the nose and introduced the hint of toasted nuts while slightly diminishing the dried fruit flavors.  I normally enjoy a single large ice cube in my whiskey, especially, my corn and peat distillates (notably certain middle-age bourbon and speyside Scotch) but felt the cold hid many of the livelier characteristics I appreciate in this offering.  A single frozen Whiskey Disk brought the dram to 60˚ fhr/15.5˚ cel added the essence of cool without losing signatures on the palette.  In this instance, however, straight in an old fashioned glass slightly warmed by my hand was preferred.

As a bonus, Rittenhosue 25 is also a extremely cigar friendly dram big enough to stand up to a full flavored stick but not too intense to drown out a more mellow smoke.  After my days of critical tasting, I took time to introduce my Rittenhouse 25 with an Olivia Serie G double robosto.  This is, for me, an appropriate match.  Grattitude goes to the fine folks at Rich’s Cigar Store in Portland, Oregon who took great care before suggesting this stick as a fine pair with our current bottle under review.   If you find yourself just near The Pearl District of the Rose City, do not fail to avail yourself of their timeless service and patiently applied knowledge.

I like to have a good smooth vanilla laden bottle of bourbon in the back of my liquor cabinet ready to be brought to the fore when those special few find favor in my company.  But I also require the presence of one bottle of Rittenhouse 25 to employ either alone or with that special one or two.  For it is only they who have been down similar roads or faced many of the same pitfalls as I and, from time to time, enjoy lifting a glass to toast nothing but the moment.

Spend time with Rittenhouse 25 year old single barrel Rye Whiskey and take the time to get to know one another.  It is a special offering that, like you, both marks the passage of time while accepting our place in it.

 

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My single favorite food flavor comes from slow braised dried Mexican chili sauces. I learned to love this flavor while eating at a local burrito place in the small west Los Angeles town named Culver City. That burrito was called the Regular Burrito with Cheese and the place was, and still is, called Tito’s Tacos. Just thinking of this place and that burrito makes my mouth water.

This chili colorado, a very authentic Mexican chili with no tomatoes or beans, is my attempt to copy Tito’s famous burrito and uses cheap beef braised long and slow with toasted New Mexico chilies. It is a very simple recipe that really requires patience more than anything. The most important step, however, is the toasting of the chilies in an oil-less skillet just until they smoke. You shouldn’t let them brown too much. This is toasting for a few seconds a side which is all it takes to create a much more complex flavor from the chilies.

To make the burrito of my youth, simply roll the chili colorado below up in an oversized flour tortilla with an equal amount of good refried beans and ample amount of sharp cheddar and and you can call it a day! You could go cocktail, such as a rocks margarita here, but I think a good bottle (or two) of Bohemia Mexican beer is called for. They make for great bar food when wrapped up in smaller flour tortillas. Enjoy!

Chili Colorado

Recipe:

12 New Mexico dry chiles – washed, with stems and seeds removed

3 cups water

5 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 cups beef stock or water

Method:

Heat a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. Place chiles on skillet 4 at a time and toast for 30 seconds per side. Before flipping each chile, press flat against the skillet with a spatula to heat the entire chile. Flip chiles and repeat.

Place chiles and 3 cups water into a medium stockpot, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and steep for 30 minutes to soften. Strain into a bowl, reserving the cooking liquid. Place the chiles and some of the liquid into a blender, and puree until smooth. Add more liquid as necessary to form a smooth sauce. Pass sauce through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds and the tough skins; set aside.

Cut the roast into 1 to 2 inch chunks. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge the beef chunks in the seasoned flour; set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add beef chunks a few at a time, so as not to overcrowd the pot, and cook until evenly brown. Remove cooked meat, and continue browning remaining meat. Return reserved cooked meat to the pot.

Stir in pureed chile mixture. Add beef stock to just cover beef chunks, or to personal preference. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to lowest setting, mostly cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 3 hours, or until meat is tender. If necessary, adjust with more stock during cooking.

 

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Isis is a micro mix dog of vague Samoyed lineage living deep within her golden years.  Her normally long flowing coat has been shaved quite short for comfort on the long car trip the family is taking giving Isis this odd muscular look that allows her to show off her canine guns.  It is a  unique trait is completely in sync with her fully engaged small dog syndrome.

I was drawn to Isis and Isis watching quickly became a new and frequent habit.  I would mix a cocktail, perch myself in a comfortable spot, and watch her exorcise the full range of what it means to be small, furry, mostly blind, prone to suggestion, and have an attention span of equally diminutive stature.  While there were times when she would just lay around dog style, it was more often the case of watching furry pinball as she was pulled, it seemed, by the next sudden exciting notion that entered her wee head and off she went into a new and novel undertaking.

After enough of the requisite cocktail, recipe bellow, I began to notice that, regardless of our clear differences in size, her superior canine olfactory sense, my opposable thumbs, along with the rest of the registry of differences between man and pooch, Isis and I both shared something very powerful: we get bored easily.  I, too, am usually ready for a new whatever, whenever, and am usually bouncing around the confines of my world as she is in hers.  I decided to toast the realization of this new bond between Isis and I.  As I rose my glass to toast my canine compeñera and the gift/burden we share, I began to lament that in the give and take of our relationship I had only done the later.

Now feeling guilty, I rose my glass calling her name softly. “Isis,” I said.  In mid scurry across my hardwood floor, she abruptly applied the brakes, looked me in the eye and came to a sliding stop.  ”Gracias, para todo,” I said, thanking her for all she had given to our relationship.  Her head dipped slightly which was then became a short jaunt to my side wherein she turned offering me her flank.  A patient but expectant look over her shoulder was very clear.  Isis wanted a scratch.  While continuing to enjoy my cocktail with one hand, I obliged with the other.  My guilt was assuaged.  We now stood together, as brother and sister in distraction.

A moment later she darted away to chase one of the cats.  I sat enjoying my tipple determined to share this little tale in this humble space.  That was six months ago.  Sorry, I got distracted.

The Blind Dog Cocktail is another riff on a Bijou which is one of my favorites.  I simply replaced the gin with Illegal Reposado Mezcal and added a flamed lemon peel.  The Carpano Antica Formula and Green Chartreuse stay along for the ride.  This a cocktail with huge flavor: herbal, sweet, with a pleasing smokiness.

Cheers!

The Blind Dog Cocktail

Ingredients

1 ounce Illegal Reposado Mezcal

1 ounce Green Chartreuse

1 ounce Carpano Antica Formula

1 flamed lemon peel

Method

Mix all ingredients expect the lemon peel in an ice filled cocktail shaker and stir well to combine.  Strain into chilled coupe or cocktail glass and garnish flamed lemon peel.  Serve and enjoy.

 

Related posts:

1. Cocktail Recipe – Bourbon Manhattan
2. Cocktail Recipe – The Gilded Lilly from The Alembic, San Francisco, CA

The Best Laid Plans Cocktail

The Best Laid Plans cocktail is a simple but bittersweet variation on the venerable Perfect Manhattan with Cocchi Americano standing in for the dry vermouth. Cocchi Americano brings both the bitter and the sweet with its herbal meets orange characteristics and plays off the latent black pepper and orange tones brought to the party by Bulleit Rye. The sweetness and weight of the Cocchi required that I rethink the sweet vermouth in this drink. For a Perfect Manhattan at home, I often opt for Carpano Antica Formula which itself is bittersweet with a weighty viscosity which I thought would be too muddy for the final cocktail. Instead, I turned Cinzano Rosso which I normally find lacks complexity and body, precisely what I was looking for. Cinzano Rosso is slightly herbal and sweet but that’s it, characteristics which played very well in this drink. I finish the drink with a few drops of Agnostura and a lemon peel to add brightness above the aforementioned orange notes.

The Best Laid Plans Cocktail

;

So should the world turn slightly askew tossing your best laid plans asunder, salute the randomness of it all by toasting to and with The Best Laid Plans.

;

Cheers!

;

The Best Laid Plans Cocktail

Recipe

2 ounces of Bulleit Rye Whiskey

1 ounce of Cocchi Americano

1 ounce of Cinzano Rosso or other unidimensional sweet vermouth

4 drops Agnostura

1 lemon peel

Method

Add all ingredients except lemon peel to an ice filled cocktail shaker and stir patiently until very cold (count to twenty if you need to be objective about this). Wipe the rim of a chilled cocktail glass with the lemon peel. Strain ingredients into the cocktail glass and garnish with the lemon peel.

 

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1. Cocktail Recipe – Unfinished Business Cocktail by Teardrop Lounge, Portland Oregon
2. The Classic Martini

Hotsy Totsy

I have been fortunate enough to engage in discussions of the bar arts with many a worthy bartender.  Among their love of good drinks and admiration for other good bartenders lay another deep fondness; that of genuine gratitude for their favorite dive.  It is understandable, I suppose, as the dive one calls one’s own is a deeply personal strand in the fabric of life.  It is that place most raw, most stripped down of pretense and expectation while being the venue most likely to house moments with those most accepting of ones true self.  In a very real sense a good dive is a kind of home.  However, few spots in this revival of great drinks have been able to meld the magic of the neighborhood dive bar with the craft behind the rail found at the notable mixology bars.  Those that do exist are often found amongst the tall buildings and dark basements of the big cites of London, New York, Los Angeles and others.  There is another, however, that requires a bridge, tunnel or cab ride out of San Francisco to find.  About thirty minutes later you will come upon a  long standing neighborhood bar that has found new life at the loving hands of some real mixological talent.  Found at 601 San Pablo Boulevard in Albany, California exists the seventy-three year old Hotsty Totsy Club.  I highly recommend you make the pilgrimage.

Spend time among the homes and hangouts of Albany and and nearby Berkeley and you are bound to hear mention of the Hotsy Totsy Club.  Any current or past Albany resident, University of California Berkeley Student or generic east Bay Area boozer will bust into some form of vowel filled guterral utterance upon the mere mention of its name.  The likes of “Aaaaaggghhhhh,” “eueueuemmmmmm,” or “oooouuuuuoooo!” are quite common.  Stories of inebriated farce, fancy and heroism generally ensue.   Most will tell tale of the food available by the Tacos El Autlense truck parked just aside the place.  All will conclude simply and with a glint of appreciation gained from memories earned over time and together: “I love that place.”

The Daily Special Board

Slinging drinks since 1939, the Hotsy Totsy Club holds an honored and venerable place among area watering holes.  It’s not a fame earned for its size, either.  It’s cozy.  But while not all that spacious, it doesn’t feel small.  Rather, The Hotsy Totsy Club is familiar and inviting.  This is a truly great venue for throwing a few back with friends old and new.  A low ceiling with recently installed pressed tin adds to the intimacy as well as a subtle soft luminosity echoing from the bars sparse and evocative lighting.  The main space at the Hotsy holds the bar with very comfortable high-backed bar stools, a few drink islands with leather covered stools and a legendary logo emblazoned shuffle board table, which was just refinished the day I attended.  A re-felted antique pool table draws attention in  back while the whole space is treated the clicks and scratches of actual .45′s working it out inside a classic jukebox.   Just out back is a corral enabling those with incremental needs for nicotine inhalation to enjoy their drinks along with the camaraderie of others of their ilk.  If you were looking for a template from which to model for a rumpus room of your own then this would be the place.

The crowd at the Hotsy Totsy Club is what tells you this place still has the soul of a dive.  The place felt filled with friends I had yet to meet and great conversations about nearly nothing that were waiting to be had.  No one here is on display or on auction.  Denizens here exist to be and enjoy.  Pods of friends with and making history are spread throughout all giving the place a very lively and lived-in vibe.  It is a very easy place to be.

Meixcan Velvet from The Hotsy Totsy Club

The magic here, as with the most memorable booze rooms, lay in the drinks and the people making them.  The bartenders here are patient, efficient, beyond friendly and damn talented.  I admire anyone who can work at speed without sacrificing beverage quality or the not too common civility.  Cocktail quality is usually why I return to a bar and, by the offerings I ingested, I will return often.  These kids make drinks that are memorable without appearing as a series of biotechnological experiments or arts and crafts projects I will never be able to replicate. They’re just good.  Of note are the following:

The Mexican Velvet drinks far too easily and could be the start of many time shifting adventures.

The Upper East Side is a variation on an original intent Martini substituting the gin for Hudson White Whiskey and is a noble drink worthy of a cigar, a smoking jacket and talk of the weighty ways of the world.

I enjoyed the Carjack, a riff on a Sidecar using applejack, cane syrup and lemon.  I enjoyed it in spite of the fact I don’t generally appreciate applejack.

Same could be said for The Paddington Bear, a curiously named quaff that includes bols genever, applejack, falernum, and orange bitters.

Under the classics, these kids make the best Martinez I’ve had in a goodly long time.

Locals all refer to The Hotsy Totsy Club as a dive and it definitely has that soul.  It also seems so much more in many ways however.  It is extremely clean, well decorated, damn comfortable (most plush stools in the world), and world class cocktails.  In the end it just is.  Feel free to classify it as you need, you need to get here.  You will be rewarded for your effort.

The antique pool table at The Hotsy Totsy Club

Hotsy Totsy Club Spring + Summer House Specialties

wicked good
pisco, liquore stregga and lemon served over fresh cucumber ice

tequila sour
tequila ocho reposado, chamomile liqueur, egg white and fresh lemon

somerset
miller’s gin, yellow chartreuse, grapefruit and lemon

la revolución
la vida mezcal, tomato juice, lime juice + pacifico beer served in a pint glass rimmed
with our own chili salt

upper east side
hudson white whiskey, dolin blanc vermouth and a dash of orange bitters

mexican velvet
a blend of cazadores reposado, chichicapa mezcal, pineapple gum, and fresh lime
in a velvet falernum rinsed glass.

chokehold
rhum barbancourt, cynar artichoke liqueur, elderflower and fresh lemon.

margarita de plata
made with cabrito 100% agave silver tequila, torres liqueur and fresh lime juice
on the rocks with salt.

old manhattan
old overholt rye, antica formula, and angostura bitters, up with a cherry.

carjack
a variation of a classic sidecar made with applejack, cane syrup and lemon.

bitter rivers
a cocktail inspired by a local bartender, DJ, pessimist. citadelle gin, aperol,
a splash of grapefruit and lime juice, club soda and rhubarb bitters.

muay thai
a mai tai with a kick, featuring mehkong thai rum.

in the pink
tito’s handmade vodka, st. germain elderflower liqueur, grapefruit juice
and a splash of cranberry.

san pablo soda
a refreshing mix of citrus vodka, domaine du canton ginger liqueur, lime juice and club soda.

knickerdropper
the classic Jerry Thomas knickerbocker reinvented!
white rum, raspberry gum, orange liqueur and fresh lime.

The Bitters & Booze from The Hotsy Totsy Club

Hotsy Totsy Club fall + winter house specialties

…and everything nice
what girls are made of, snow queen vodka, pear liqueur,
tuaca, sugar, allspice & everything nice.

puppydog tails
just two wags away from a sazerac, teacher’s scotch, pernod, sugar,
aromatic bitters and a dash of laphroig, black liquorice twist.

via copenhagen
rittenhouse 100 proof rye, cherry heering and b&b served up
with a flamed orange peel.

hot totsy
spanish brandy, overproof rum, honey syrup, lemon + ground spices
set ablaze. this is the hotsy totsy’s variation of the hot toddy.

ernesto
cazadores blanco tequila, maraschino liqueur, grapefruit and lime juice.

the miller’s daughter
miller’s gin, dry vermouth, créme de violette, and elderflower liqueur
served up with a peel of lemon.

paddington bear
bols genever, applejack, falernum, and orange bitters.

são paulo
a brazilian inspired manhattan made with cachaça, sweet vermouth
and orange bitters, served up with a peel of orange.

The infamous Tacos El Autlense parked outside the Hotsy Totsy Club

Hotsy Totsy Club Classic Cocktails

harvey wallbanger
ketel one vodka, fresh squeezed orange juice and galliano

carry on
punt e mes, green chartreuse, beefeater gin and lemon juice

blood and sand
teacher’s scotch, cherry heering, antica formula and blood orange juice.

hanky panky
tanqueray 10 gin, dolin rouge and fernet served up with a peel of orange.

negroni
made with bombay gin, antica formula and campari, up or on the rocks,
served with an orange twist.

sazerac
michter’s rye, peychaud’s & angostura bitters + sugar,
served in a chilled, absinthe washed rocks glass.

manhattan
old overholt rye, antica formula + bitters, up with a cherry.

last word
damrak gin, maraschino liqueur, green chartreuse and lime.

martinez
created in martinez california in 1849, this cocktail of old tom gin, dolin rouge,
maraschino + orange bitters is possibly the forefather of the martini.

sidecar
fundador spanish brandy, cointreau, freshly squeezed lemon + sugar,
served up with a sugar rim.

aviation
aviation gin, maraschino liqueur, créme de violette and a squeeze of lemon.

jack rose
applejack brandy, small hand foods grenadine + fresh lime juice, up.

 

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The noble Maguey

For centuries, the world’s powers have looked upon Central and South America as a font of resources, a spring that over-flows with stuff to be taken from there and brought over here for our enjoyment and enrichment.  From gold to silver to potatoes to people to land to canals to culture to food to music and to so much more, the ledgers show mostly withdrawals and shamelessly few deposits.  Time has recorded the destruction of ancient cultures and the slavery of native peoples in silver, gold and mercury mines.  Contemporary eyes have seen (and still see) villages turned to war zones because Americans and Europeans like to snort the by-product of their native plants as well as reefs that have witnessed millennia that are now dead or dying due to the damaging effects of cruise ships and oil platforms.  The demands of our leisure have taken a toll on this paradise of varied landscapes and diverse peoples.  And we are trying to do it again.

Over the last few years, Mezcal has seen an increase in international popularity.  The craft cocktail revival of the last decade has brought us a cadre of hard working bartenders who seek out exceptional quality and variety through which to ply their trade.  Among modern mixologists, Mezcal holds a place of high esteem as a spirit of un-matched singular character.  Mezcal brands such as Alipus and Del Maguey have called attention to the art and traditions of local villages through the bottling of single origin Mezcals.  The popularity of these brands, among others, have brought international attention and appreciation to the efforts and art of small villages throughout agave growing regions.  With this appreciation have come dramatic increases in sales that many large corporately held Tequila brands see as a threat to their share of attention at the bar.

Masked as a way to “protect consumers” from mis-labeled agave based spirits, a handful of large foreign companies who own well known agave spirit brands have lobbied the Mexican government to write, offer and possibly soon to enact changes in how agave based spirits could be labeled both in and out of Mexico.   The new laws are meant to brand the word “agave” by the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) along with adding what, in effect, are AOC laws within the world of agave based spirits.

Harvesting Agave

In the opinion of the non-profit advocacy group, The Tequila Interchange Project, the effects of the new laws would be to:

* brand the word ‘agave’ for the exclusive use of producers within the Tequila, Mezcal, and Bacanora appellations and limit its use to spirits made using only the six genus of agave allowed within these areas

* effectively prohibit from market spirits made from 33 other species of agave outside the appellations

* force producers outside the appellations to label their products ‘agavacea aguardiente’ or ‘distilled agavacea’ – agavacea is a much broader term that encompasses several hundred species

* prohibit producers from displaying the percentage of agavacea in their products in labelling, i.e prevent them from displaying ’100% agave sugars’

* limit abv outside of the appellations to between 25% and 35% – currently artisanal mezcals are produced between 45% and 55%

On an even more frightening and human level, David Suro, president of Siembra Azul Tequila and founder of TIP warns of profound social and economic knock-on effects within communities of artisanal producers.

 

“Most of the states where tequila and mezcal is produced already have the largest percentage of migration [to the United States]. If these plans go through there will be even less economic incentive to remain. They will eliminate the means for producers to make a living. Economic migration is the only alternative and with US anti-immigrant laws they will be left in limbo.”

Over 2,000 of the World’s finest bartenders have signed a petition urging the Mexican government to reconsider these pending actions.  Mixologists of the highest order are trying to use their influence to gain support against these measures.  They are among some of the most widely known bartenders slinging drinks today and include Bobby Heugel from Anvil in Houston, Jim Meehan from PDT in New York and Jeff Morgenthaler from Clyde Common in Portland.  A trait common to nearly all modern mixologists is the respect they hold for the people and the traditions that evolve to create the spirits that they use as the tools of their trade.  A trait which should also flow to you and I, the consumers and benefactors of that trade.

Even the U.K.’s prolific cocktail writer  Simon Difford  has taken a strong stance.  Just today, the web version of Difford’s CLASS Magazine published the following one paragraph editorial:

 

“Rarely have we seen such a blatant example of bullying and anti-competitive behaviour as the Mexican authorities’ plans to brand the word ‘agave’ and initiate a new norma for agave spirit production. [emphasis theirs]

The moves stifle the opportunity for yet-undiscovered categories of Mexican agave spirit outside of the existing appellations to make it on to the world stage, and so prevents their communities from benefiting too.

And they threaten to destroy centuries-old traditions which have the potential to expand the size of the agave category and to widen its flavour profile.

Tequila has suffered in the past from poor quality variants made using non-agave sugars and has done much to improve its international perception through its creation of a defined appellation based around the blue agave. But the industrialised tequila industry’s quarrel should not be with artisanal agave spirit producers who make 100 per cent agave spirits using wild species and wild yeasts.

These unnecessary moves tarnish the face of big business tequila brands and their quest to be seen on an equal footing as other more established spirit categories. The plans are analogous to the Cognac, Armagnac and Calvados industries getting together to effectively outlaw other French brandies. We wouldn’t condone that and neither do we condone this.

We would encourage readers to cast their vote and sign the petition:

www.tequilainterchangeproject.com/stop-nom-186

We have been much lobbied this week by those opposed to the Mexican authorities’ plans. We welcome the opportunity to speak to those who favour the plans and will continue to report the issues in the weeks to come.” [emphasis theirs]

From the historical perspective, this is just another example of anonymous people of means from wealthy countries taking advantage of locals from the America’s for commercial gain with no regard to the long term effects of their actions.  While it may seem silly at first glance to make such a fuss over any ingredient in a Margarita, a longer look shows you the faces of real people whose very way of life, one learned through generations of toil, is seriously at stake.

Whichever side of the brass you stride, you must take the lead of the aforementioned 2,000 bartenders and get involved.  At the minimum, click on one of the many links to the TIP petition on this page and add your name to that petition.  Please also then forward this article to as many of your drinking and bar-tending friends and ask them to do the same.  You may also contact the nearest Mexican Consulate and share your opinions with them as well.  It is our opinion that those of us who enjoy the results of the labor of these artisans, and others like them around the world, should be aware of the effects our drinking dollars and pounds have.  Now the threat of loosing some of those dollars and pounds are causing some booze behemoths to fidget uncomfortably and, thus, would like to change laws so they can rest easy.  It is a story almost as old as history itself.  Make your voice heard.

Thank you for listening.

 

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The Gin-Vent Calendar from theginblog.co.uk

Below are some news and notables from the last week from the world of booze.

• The New York Times just listed Oakland, California as a top five destination in the world for 2012.  This due to Oakland’s burgeoning restaurant and bar scene.   As an Oaklander, I am so proud.
• Saveur magazine offers a tasty quaff called a Breton.  Based on a traditional Czech liqueur called Becherovka that is topped with ice, tonic and a lemon wedge and is a drink that anyone who loves a good G&T should try.
• A local profile of the recently opened Barrelhouse Flat lounge in Chicago with their focus on pre-2oth century flavors.
• Derek Brown of The Atlantic released a list of his top five cocktail experiences of 2011.  Five bars from three countries and five cities are represented.  Justin Pike of the renown Tasting Kitchen in the Venice area of Los Angeles topped the list with his barrel aged Martinez Sour.
• This next one is from October but I am behind in my reporting and this one needs to take a bow.  Our friends at The Gin Blog found (what I believe is) truly divine inspiration in the creation of humankinds first all gin advent calendar.  Called The Gin-Vent Calendar, this is something you must see.
• The food blog Carlene’s Figments has a simple but very satisfying recipe for a gin, rosemary and grapefruit cocktail that I particularly enjoyed.
• If you are looking to fight the winter chill from within the confines of a glass, the kind folks at Spoon Fork Bacon offer a warm and wonderful Winter Spiced Old Fashioned.  If you like a good Old Fashioned give this one a try.  The addition of cardamom and anise play very well here.

 

Related posts:

1. This Week In Cocktails – April 3, 2011

The Fall Fig With Honey

This offering below, the Fall Fig Cocktail with Maple, breaks this editorial trend.  The folks behind Russian Standard Vodka informed me of this fall quaff just a few days ago.  It was created by New York Chef and Party Planner Linnea Johansson and is an unique combination of Fall flavors.  I very much like the combination of maple, ginger and fig and in a collins style cocktail.  I originally thought the fresh homey comb garnish was a tad trying too hard.  Giving it a go  proved me wrong.  It is a very nice touch.

I do have a couple of changes I would make to the recipe however and have noted them parenthetically below.  Ms. Johansson’s recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of fig puree which I found too sweet.  Instead I employed two tablespoons of organic fig jam which gives good fig flavor without too much sugar.  Additionally,  the honey comb garnish is listed to be dipped in maple syrup  which just collected at the bottom of the glass.  Instead, I used a high quality honey comb still full of good organic honey.

Other than that, the Fall Fig Cocktail with Maple is one we feel you should try.  It pairs well with cheese in the greater Gruyere family as well as with smoked meats.  Because of it’s balanced combination of rich, sweet and slight acidity, it also nobly shares time with a peppery cigar.

Fall Fig Cocktail with Maple

Ingredients

2 oz Russian Standard Vodka

1/2 oz Maple Syrup

1 tbsp of fig puree

2 oz Lemon Juice

1 oz Regatta Ginger Beer

Method

Garnish with 1 honey comb log dipped in maple syrup. Muddle the fruit and syrup in a shaker, add the lemon juice and Russian Standard.

Add ice and shake well. Strain into a glass and top with ginger beer. For garnish, dip honey comb in maple syrup and place atop the cocktail.

Cheers!

 

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Glenfarclas Movember 2011

Begun in Australia in 2003, the Movember movement has spread the across an entire world of upper lips. Moustachioed men are joining the effort in droves, proud and well groomed, to call attention to a range of mens health issues that often do not get a lot of popular attention or support, such as prostate cancer. Movember.com’s official U.S. web site describes the effort thusly:

During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces, in the US and around the world. With their Mo’s, these men raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men.

Once registered at www.movember.com, men start Movember 1st clean shaven. For the rest of the month, these selfless and generous men, known as Mo Bros, groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts.

Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November. Through their actions and words they raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health.

At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate their gallantry and valor by either throwing their own Movember party or attending one of the infamous Gala Partés held around the world by Movember, for Movember.

Even though the month of Movember is quickly coming to a neatly waxed end, you should all visit Movember.com to find out how you can support such a noble and handsome movement.

The aforementioned fine folks at Master of Malt and Glenfarclas have provided another avenue of participation and donation: one of deliciousness. With each £39.95 purchase of this exclusive offering, Master of Malt will donate a full £10.00 directly to Movember to help the cause of improving men’s health. While the donation in your name is nice, getting a full bottle of notably good whisky is even nicer. Warm your heart while you warm your spirit, I always say.

Movember 2011: A Well Groomed World Wide Movement For Mens Health

On the nose, the Glenfarclas 9 year Movember 2011 is a superstar. A truly drinkable aroma that is so good it actually, I believe, encourages the slow emptying of your dram just to prolong being caressed by its warming breath. Sounds of hyperbole, I’m sure. However, I am truly taken by it. The briefest inhale of this whisky is forcefully met with the best of both Kentucky and Jerez. A quick whaff of bourbon is quickly followed by the velvet warmth of Amontillado sherry with hidden lesser notes of cardamon, black pepper and pine. It is quite something.

On the palate, a quick welcoming sweetness proceeds an oaky warmth. Later in the sip, the co-mingling notes of light oak and, surprisingly, good blanco tequila hover before a slightly astringent finish of salty carmel brittle candy. Master of Malt describes this expression as an “aperitif whisky” and I think I agree. The flavor is intriguing but light enough to not get in the way of the meal or night to come. That said, I find the Glenfarclas 9 year Movember 2011 performs admirably in the wee small hours as well. It is right at home alongside a hand rolled cigar and a heady conversation about the great mustached men in history.

Doing good is noble. Drinking well is divine. I challenge you to join me at this unique confluence of noble divinity. Buy a bottle or two of the Glenfarclas 9 year Movember 2011 exclusively from Master of Malt and encourage your naked lipped friends to do the same. It’s the least they can do. Then make it clear to them that next Movember it’ll be mustaches all around.

Thank you for listening.

Cheers!

 

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