Saveur.com: Wine & Drink

Friday Cocktails: Red Riding Hood

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:00:00 EDT

by Helen Rosner
Every few years I go through something that's most accurately described as a really aggressive root beer phase. For a few months - usually in warm weather - practically the only thing I want to drink is a frosty bottle of the herbaceous, woody, vaguely medicinal soda. I go particularly weak in the knees for Abita, Virgil's, Hank's, and if I can find it, a precious bottle of Faygo, but there's an exceptional pleasure to finding a label that's new to me, all the more so if the liquid within has more in common with the dry, alcoholic "root tea" that was root beer's pre-Prohibition antecedent than with any kind of sugary fountain drink.

And so it was that the spectacularly-named Philadelphia collective Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction tapped right into my heart in 2009 when they released Root, an 80-proof spirit infused with the flavor of crisp spearmint and lemon, dusky cardamom and clove, medicinal birch bark, and just a hint of vanilla and black tea - an elegant booze straight out of the nineteenth century. Its complement of nature-inspired flavors reminds me of nothing so much as a long walk in a lush forest; brightened with a generous spoonful of redcurrant jam, its crimson hue puts me in mind of my favorite forest-dwelling fairy tale heroine, Red Riding Hood. (With, thanks to the cocktail's not insignificant bite, a little bit of the wolf as well.)

See the recipe for the Red Riding Hood cocktail �

Friday Cocktails: Spicy Shiso Smash

Fri, 18 May 2012 12:00:00 EDT

by Anna Stockwell
It was just this past winter that I had my first taste of shiso (also known as perilla). I was at one of my favorite Thai restaurants, and the delicately thin, jagged-edged leaves were being used as vessels for bites of coconut and chile-studded fluke ceviche. With my date watching in confusion, I couldn't help but grin and dance in my chair as the flavor of that leaf exploded in a pop of fresh spicy flavor. It was almost like basil, hinting at mint, and yet unlike anything I'd had before. I was instantly in love. As we ventured into spring, I planted a little shiso plant in my kitchen window box, whose progress I've been proudly noting each morning. Lucky for me, it's now growing just as fast as I'm discovering new ways to use it: slivered and tossed into salad, garnishing a spicy peanut pasta dish, infused into limeade, nibbled by the whole leaf, and mixed into cocktails.

Muddled with a bit of spicy Thai red chile and slices of cooling cucumber, the shiso leaves from my window box turn into a refreshing and festive cocktail. Served over crushed ice with a bit of simple syrup, lime juice, white rum, and topped off with plenty of seltzer, it's my new favorite sip to serve for summer. I've been mixing mine with Denizen rum, which, though perfectly clear, is blended from filtered aged rums, giving it a subtly more complex and full flavor.

See the recipe for the Spicy Shiso Smash �

Portuguese Crush

Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 EDT

by Heather Laiskonis
Three years ago, I was tasked with building a predominantly Portuguese wine list for the opening of the restaurant Aldea in New York City. Having worked for most of my adult life in restaurants, I was confident in my knowledge of wine, but the unique styles and grapes of Portugal were a virtual mystery to me. I had never seen a Portuguese wine on a high-end wine list, and the few $10 bottles that had slowly started to make their way onto my local wine-store shelves didn't particularly inspire me. Fortunately, I had a cadre of Portuguese wine professionals, as well as Aldea's Portuguese-American chef, George Mendes, to guide me. What I discovered was a real surprise: a world of food-friendly wines that I was excited to share with diners.

Although stateside wine lovers like me think of Portugal as a new discovery, the country-long and narrow and hugging Spain's western border along the Atlantic coast-has a winemaking history that stretches back as far as 1200 b.c. The Phoenicians and the Romans made wine here. Port, the country's iconic fortified wine, has been a sought-after export since the start of the 18th century. But it wasn't until Portugal became a member of the European Union in 1986 that the focus started to shift to unfortified wines. With that new affiliation came a large influx of cash to modernize not only roadways and schools, but also wineries. Efforts began to shift from simple wines made for domestic consumption to wines that could stand up to global scrutiny. Scores of young vintners, many of whose families reflect Portugal's rich heritage of winemaking, began studying abroad to bring some of the latest viticultural innovations back home. Nowadays there is very serious wine being made in Portugal.

With more than 300 indigenous grapes, plus a growing trend toward wines made with cabernet and other international grape varieties, the landscape is complex to navigate. I've found that it helps to know something about Portugal's notable wine regions. The country is roughly the size of Indiana, but its climate and topography are surprisingly varied.

In the north lie lush coastal valleys, with rainfall comparable to that of the Pacific Northwest. This region, called Minho, is where the most well-known Portuguese wine is produced. Some say this light, easy white is named vinho verde, or "green wine," because it's meant to be enjoyed young. Others attribute its moniker to the verdant landscapes surrounding the vineyards. Either way, vinho verde is one of the most refreshing ways I know of to start off a summer meal. Usually a blend of local white grapes-floral loureiro, citrusy trajadura, tart pader�a, and, for richer wines, aromatic alvarinho-its best examples have one thing in common: freshness, with a touch of effervescence. There are dozens of vinho verdes to choose from, most costing under $15, but JM Fonseca Twin Vines Vinho Verde 2011 is my favorite. With hints of lemon and lime, it's low in alcohol (10 percent) and terrific to drink with briny oysters.

Winemakers in this region also bottle white wines made entirely with alvarinho, a grape more commonly known in the States by its Spanish name, albari�o. The terrific Quinta do Louridal Poema 2009, produced by a winemaking family spanning six generations, unleashes hints of nectarine and honeysuckle, and a finish of sparkle. I always recommend it with a spicy seafood dish like shrimp alhinho; its subtle sweetness enhances complex heat and garlicky flavors.

Below Minho, the large Beiras region spans the country east to west; toward the coast here is an area called Bairrada. The soil is mostly chalky clay, which the vines like, and cool Atlantic breezes help promote the grapes' acidity. While the region is famous for the red grape baga, I look to some of the lesser-known white varietals. The tart grape arinto is usually blended with other grapes, but I like it on its own. A great bottle is the Campolargo Arinto 2009. Though it sits for six months in oak, this wine shows none of the butterscotch notes we've come to expect from barrel-aged whites. Instead, it's got great minerality, with bright grapefruit notes. It's often paired with seafood, but I think it works surprisingly well with dessert; it cleanses the palate when served with pound cake or creamy custards.

To Minho's east, the vineyards of the Douro cling to rocky hillsides that plunge into the region's namesake river. Sheltered from moist sea breezes by mountains, the Douro experiences incredibly hot, dry summers, while the high altitudes bring equally cold winter nights. Winemaking here is challenging, but the payoff is fantastic. This is Portugal's premier wine region-the world's oldest controlled domain for wine, established in 1756, and the area where the grapes for port are grown: floral touriga franca, spicy tinta c�o, and others.

The same grapes get pressed for unfortified wines. Traditionally, these have been robust reds with a rich stewed fruit flavor. But there are also Douro wines that are more modern and balanced, with a fair amount of food-friendly acidity. Quinta de La Rosa Reserve 2007 is crafted, in part, from touriga nacional, which I often describe as similar to cabernet sauvignon, only lighter and more herbaceous. This grape yields a versatile red that goes with lots of foods, particularly seafood stews.

In terms of value, Portugal rewards wine drinkers most in the $50 to $75 range, where its world-class wines-ones suitable for aging-are more affordable than comparable bottles from other countries. The Douro produces many of these. The Quinta do Vale Me�o Douro 2008, from a winery founded in 1877, is a stunning wine made from touriga nacional, touriga franca, fairly tannic tinta roriz, and the softer tinta barroca. They have struck a beautiful balance in their winemaking, blending old-world techniques with a modern facility. The grapes are handpicked and (as at Quinta de La Rosa) foot-crushed, but the fermenting tanks are gleaming stainless steel. Then the wine is aged for two years, mostly in new French oak. The result is a powerful red wine, with lush dark-cherry flavor, a bit of smokiness, and a velvety long finish. It stands up to grilled and highly seasoned meats.

Not to be overshadowed by its reds, though, are the Douro's elegant whites. Guru 2010 is a relatively new wine from the veteran winemaking couple Sandra Tavares da Silva and Jorge Ser�dio Borges, who call their operation Wine andamp; Soul. Aged in French casks for six months, this is a big, complex white. Its sea-breeze aroma belies an oaky creaminess on the palate, and it tastes of nectarines and other stone fruits, but with a long, dry finish. It can stand up to hearty dishes like porco � alentejana, that classic Portuguese marriage of pork and clams.

While the Douro's tradition is long established, there are up-and-coming regions in Portugal where winemakers are creating some of the coolest wines I have ever tasted. In the westernmost part of the country surrounding Lisbon, there's a newly anointed region, Lisboa, where the gorgeous Quinta do Monte d'Oiro Reserva 2003 is made. With its leathery fruit and pepper and violet aromas, this wine (96 percent syrah and 4 percent viognier), so embodies C�te Rotie style that if you closed your eyes and drank it, you'd swear you were in the Rh�ne Valley. If I had to choose one wine to drink forever, this would be it. At the restaurant, I pour it with richly sauced meat dishes, like the full-flavored stewed goat with cherries.

Toward Portugal's south, the hotter, more Mediterranean region of Alentejo is starting to gain as much attention as the Douro, thanks in part to vintners like David Baverstock, of the winery Espor�o. Baverstock, an Australian, makes many wines, but the Espor�o Reserva 2008 delivers the most bang for the buck. For just under $25, this blend of native and international grapes delivers beautiful balance with hints of chocolate, spice, and soft tannins. A touch of alicante bouschet gives the wine a striking purple gemstone color. Though most of the bottles I uncork day to day are enjoyed by someone other than me, this is the one I drink at home whenever I barbecue. It reminds me that, no matter how ancient and diverse Portugal's winemaking tradition is, it is still, deliciously, evolving.

TASTING NOTES

Campolargo Branco Arinto 2009 ($18) A refreshing white made using all arinto grapes, this smells of melon, vanilla, and pencil shavings, with salty and grapefruit flavors mellowed by oak.

Espor�o Reserva 2008 ($25) Blueberry aromas, with hints of chocolate and vanilla, yield to ripe dark-fruit flavors and a long finish. Try it with grilled steak or a strong, ripe cheese.

JM Fonseca Twin Vines Vinho Verde 2011 ($8) Floral and citrus aromas characterize this light, refreshing, and subtly effervescent white, perfect as a summer aperitif.

Quinta de La Rosa Reserve 2007 ($48) Made from hand-picked fruit matured in large French barriques for 12 to 18 months, this deep purple blend has persistent flavors of blackberries, plums, and coffee.

Quinta da Terrugem Alian�a Alentejo Single Estate 2007 ($23) Aged for a year in new French oak, this medium-bodied, ruby-hued blend has a ripe, sweet nose, with touches of mineral and raisin and a long, licorice finish.

Quinta do Louridal Poema Alvarinho 2009 ($32) Full of ripe golden apple with a great minerality and a light effervescence, this medium-bodied white is a great match for spicy foods.

Quinta do Monte d'Oiro Reserva 2003 ($45) This aromatic red smells of both bacon and jasmine, with a chocolately flavor and a sexy velvet finish.

Quinta do Vale Me�o Douro 2008 ($87) Beautifully structured, with great acidity, this red has berry aromas and hints of smoke and vanilla.

Wine andamp; Soul Guru 2010 ($45) A creamy, oak-aged white tasting of stone fruits, this one finishes long and dry and can hold up to hearty pork and seafood dishes.

Friday Cocktails: The Moonwalk

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:00:00 EDT

by Helen Rosner
I grew up on the south side of Chicago, just down the street from the Museum of Science and Industry, which - if you're a particularly nerdy kid between the ages of two and thirteen - is nothing less than an earthly manifestation of heaven. There's a simulation coal mine, a yellow-lit incubator housing dozens of fluffy chicks, and down a darkened corridor lined with automated dioramas of a Victorian-era circus, there's an entire wing dedicated to space travel. Any childhood visit to the museum demanded a stop to see moon rocks and space suits; even more importantly, to go to the astronomy-themed gift shop in order to buy my very favorite treat: astronaut ice cream. At the same time both dry and creamy, strange and familiar, the opportunity to eat these Neapolitan bricks at my leisure seemed a fair reward for the risk astronauts took on, hurtling outside the atmosphere strapped to a tremendous fire-breathing rocket.

Sadly, actual astronauts never got to eat astronaut ice cream while they were up in space - the freeze-dried chunks are far too crumbly for zero-gravity - but that doesn't mean they don't get their own treats. When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin returned from their legendary moon landing in 1969, they were met by President Nixon and three weeks of quarantine; after that, they had their very first drinks back on Earth: tall, bubbly glasses of Moonwalk, a cocktail invented in their honor by legendary Savoy barman Joe Gilmore. With contrasting citrus flavors of grapefruit juice and orange liqueur, a few drops of rosewater for smoothness, and a very effervescent booster from a Champagne top, it's exactly the kind of thing you'd want to drink after coming back home from a trip to the moon. It's also not bad as an after-dinner palate cleanser, or as a more nuanced alternative to a Mimosa on weekend mornings - and from experience, I can confirm that it goes surprisingly well as a pairing for freeze-dried ice cream.

See the recipe for the Moonwalk Cocktail �

Perfect Champagne Brunch Cocktails

Tue, 08 May 2012 12:00:00 EDT

You might drown your sorrows in a whiskey or martini, but when it's time for good news, only sparkling wine will do. And when it's time for a celebratory brunch, there's nothing more delightful than a Champagne cocktail.

The most familiar sparkling cocktail for morning is likely the Mimosa, a simple mix of orange juice and sparkling wine. But if you're looking to drink something a little different with your eggs benedict, there's an endless array of possibilites to be made with a bottle of sparkling wine and a bit of creative mixology. Here are ten of our favorite combinations:

1. Add a splash of pomegranate liqueur (like Pama); garnish with mint.

2. Add a bit of amaretto and a good amount of pear juice.

3. Soak a sugar cube in bitters then drop it in a full glass of bubbly.

4. Mix in a spoonful of coconut cream.

5. Add a dash of grenadine; garnish with freshly ground pepper.

6. Stir in a splash of elderflower liqueur; garnish with a large lemon twist.

7. Muddle a handful of blueberries and basil in a glass, add bubbly.

8. Top with a few fresh or frozen raspberries, and add a scoop of raspberry sorbet, if you like.

9. Add a dash of Campari or Aperol; garnish with an orange twist.

10. Mix with mango juice; garnish with a lime twist.

Friday Cocktails: 14 Mexican-Inspired Drinks for Cinco de Mayo

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:00:00 EDT

With Cinco de Mayo this weekend, we're already busy chopping cilantro and chiles and prepping our favorite salsas and guacamoles to serve with big bowls of freshly-fried, salty tortilla chips. But when it comes to the drinks menu, we've got too many favorite Mexican-inspired cocktails to serve just one. From a classic frozen margarita, to the Chico - a blackberry liqueur and tequila cocktail popular in Texas/Mexico border towns in the 1950s - to the refreshing combination of sweet and tart that is the grapefruit-based Paloma, these 14 party-perfect drinks keep the celebration going.

See 14 recipes for Mexican-inspired cocktails in the gallery �

Friday Cocktails: The Mezcalita de Pina

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EDT

by Anna Stockwell
Every so often someone comes to visit the SAVEUR Test Kitchen with the express purpose of cooking lunch for us. Those are always good days: for a few hours the whole staff takes a break from whatever work we're entrenched in and gathers around our sunny conference room table to eat together. Not too long ago, when I'd been having an especially hectic morning, we had a visit from Julian Medina, chef/owner of New York City's Toloache, Yerba Buena, and Coppelia restaurants, who made the perfect pick-me-up lunch. There were spicy carnitas tacos, there was a vibrant guacamole studded with pomegranate seeds. But most importantly, there were margaritas - a big pitcher full of Chef Medina's unique take on my favorite sweet-tart cocktail.

Since it was a workday lunch I cut myself off after one, but I still haven't been able to stop thinking about it: made with mezcal, grilled pineapple, jalape�o, and lime, it was smoky, sweet, and spicy, with an herbaceous kick from cilantro. Now that the weather's warmer and grills everywhere are firing up for the season, it's the perfect time to make the drink at home. Mixing a big batch for a crowd makes a great start to any gathering - be sure to use a clear glass pitcher so the beautiful pieces of char-marked pineapple get a chance to show off. (Think of it as an extra course - as with a sangria, the bits of booze-soaked fruit are great for nibbling on once the liquid is gone.)

See the recipe for Mezcalita de Pi�a �

Native Wines

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EDT

by Betsy Andrews
Corsican wines, made from indigenous grapes, are increasingly available in the States. Here are a few standouts:

Domaine Abbatucci General de la Revolution Blanc 2010 ($89) is a white blend of six obscure varieties. Its herbal notes evoke the maquis, and its marzipan finish makes it a match for chestnut-based dishes.

Made from Corsica's fragrant vermentinu and partially fermented in cement casks, Domaine de Gioielli Cap Corse Blanc 2010 ($32) shows round, grassy balance. Try it with the herb omelet or minty strozzapreti.

Like its neighbor Provence, Corsica excels at ros�. With rhubarb flavor and muscular minerality, Yves Leccia Patrimonio Ros� 2010 ($27) pairs as well with fish as with roasted meats.

Made mainly with the refreshing sciacarellu grape, the charcuterie-friendly Abbatucci Ajaccio Cuvee Faustino Ros� 2010 ($32) is full of strawberries, tapering to a saline finish.

Corsica's main red grape, niellucciu, is a spicier strain of sangiovese. It's expressed beautifully in Domaine de Gioielli Vin de Pays de l'�le de Beaut� Rouge 2010 ($37), with aromas of violets and licorice; its prune flavor resolves in wild herbs, just right for game.

Antoine Ar�na Patrimonio Carco Rouge 2009 ($46) smells of wet forest but is surprisingly jammy. Try it with ripe cheese.

See our feature on Corsica, Pleasure Island �

Friday Cocktails: The Santorini Sunrise

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EDT

by Kellie Evans
When you grow up watching as many movies as I did, you naturally become very attracted to travel. I had to see the London of James Bond and Mary Poppins, the Paris of Funny Face and Gigi - But even more than London and Paris, I was drawn to the lush, sexy, and sometimes mystery-veiled Greek islands.

Coincidentally, two of my favorite Greece-set movies were filmed in 1964: The Anthony Quinn tour-de-force Zorba the Greek and the lighter, certainly lesser-known Disney picture The Moon-Spinners, starring Hayley Mills. I picture the stars of the silver screen lounging between takes snacking on mezze, the salty sea breeze blowing through their hair all the while. Maybe they'd be sipping on a cocktail like this one: a Santorini Sunrise, a Mediterranean reimagining of the classic tequila drink that's served at New York's terrific Greek restaurant Molyvos, whose retro colors call to mind the luminous pink-orange flame of the Greek sun, as seen on screen in glorious Technicolor.

See the recipe for the Santorini Sunrise �

Friday Cocktails: Punch Romaine

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EDT

by Kellie Evans
This weekend marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, perhaps history's most famous maritime disaster. For me, this is a big deal: I've been a Titanic history fanatic since childhood, pouring over every book I could find on the passengers, dinner menus, and deck plans, including Robert Ballard's incredible volume Discovery of the Titanic, about the submersible dive to the wreckage.

In the course of my reading, I came across a copy of the ship's passenger manifest - and to my utter astonishment, I found a first class passenger with my family name. Miss Edith Corse Evans, a New Yorker, was one of four first-class women to perish in the icy waters of the Atlantic. She was 36 years old when she died, just 5 years older than I am right now, and I've often wondered about her experience onboard: did she stroll along the decks mingling with the Astors and Strausses? How did she have the courage to give up a seat on one of the last lifeboats to fellow passenger Mrs. Caroline Lane Brown? Did she partake in that famous ten-course, twenty-four dish final dinner?

In honor of the Titanic's anniversary - and Miss Edith Corse Evans - I was inspired to make a cocktail based on the dinner's sixth course, a palate-cleanser of rum-spiked Punch Romaine. An original Escoffier creation, the recipe as the great chef devised it was more of a granita or sorbet; I've modified the recipe into a drinkable cocktail, poured over its very own iceberg of crushed ice.

See the recipe for the Punch Romaine �

Friday Cocktails: Silver Fizz

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EDT

by Todd Coleman
Every spring for the last few years I've read a Walker Percy novel: The Moviegoer, The Last Gentleman, The Second Coming. It's become a tradition that I look forward to - and savor. Percy's third book, Love in the Ruins, published in 1971, created my second favorite warm weather ritual: the novel details the goings-on of a middle-aged psychiatrist, Dr. Thomas More, who golfs, naps, and generally gambols his way through a dystopian suburban Southern microcosm while questioning life, love, and his fellow denizens, all the while mixing and downing copious gin fizzes. This potion quenches his existential inner rumblings and sets him into smooth fits of fantastical wonderment: "�albumen molecules from the gin fizzes," he notes, "hum like bees in the ventricles of my brain."

Thomas mentions again and again the effects of the egg white on his brain and body, but egg whites aren't part of the ingredients in a standard gin fizz. It couldn't be the Ramos gin fizz, that floral and sticky sweet staple of the New Orleans brunch that's perhaps the most famous egg-white cocktail; it's just not something you can drink day in and day out. I asked SAVEUR contributing editor David Wondrich, a cocktail expert, to help me out. A gin fizz, he explained, is a mix of gin, sugar, and lemon juice; what Thomas was describing had to be a silver fizz, which adds an egg white into the mix, creating its distinctive creamy body and heady froth. I made it the night I got my answer: tiny bubbles clinging to the rim of the glass, a thick layer of white foam bubbling on top. Taking a sip, I closed my eyes and let it frost my lips; just like Walker Percy described, I was drinking a silver fizz. Tonight it's your turn.

See the recipe for Silver Fizz �

Raising the Bar

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EDT

by Xania Woodman
It's a dry heat in Nevada, but Vegas is a wet town. Fifty years ago, when men were required to wear jackets in casinos, you might have ordered a Manhattan. You can today, too, though now the vermouth and bitters may well be house-made. Mixology hasn't always been top priority; when I moved here in 2001, I expected little more from my bartender than a bourbon and ginger, and a smile. Yet even then, there were signs the well-made cocktail had survived the years of yard-long daiquiris and liquor guns shooting cheap booze. Tony Abou-Ganim led the charge in 1998 by using only fresh ingredients at the Bellagio. Since then, the U.S. Bartenders' Guild, headquartered here, has helped keep standards high, on and off the Strip. Tonight, I'm writing from Herbs andamp; Rye, west of the Boulevard, where I'll have a daiquiri, but only as Hemingway would-not a slushy machine in sight.

See six of our favorite Las Vegas cocktails in the gallery �

Friday Cocktails: Kentucky vs. Morocco

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EDT

by Ganda Suthivarakom
My friend Anel and I dropped into The Black Hoof, an elegant gastropub in Toronto, Canada, one evening when her husband could watch the kids. It was my kind of girls' night out - we shared a selection of the restaurant's incredible housemade charcuterie, spread roasted bone marrow on grilled bread, and washed everything down with rounds of perfectly balanced cocktails. My favorite was the Kentucky vs. Morocco, a true tin-cup mint julep with a serious spice-bazaar kick. It's thirst-quenching and slightly astringent: coriander and peppercorn add a bit of mystery, while a currant and golden raisin infusion provides a dusky roundness reminiscent of desert air. It takes a month to prepare the bourbon, so even though I'm not quite ready for a cool julep now, I'll be sure to start this project in time for summer's heat.

See the recipe for the Kentucky vs. Morocco cocktail �

Friday Cocktails: The Last Word

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EDT

by Laura Sant
When I lived in Chicago, I used to frequent a bar called the Whistler. In the Logan Square neighborhood, it's on a block that's not much to look at - you might not even notice it if you were just walking by - but locally, it's famous for its great cocktails. I was in the habit of always ordering a different drink from the ever-changing menu of specials, but on one visit, a friend insisted I let her order for me. She returned from the bar carrying a small glass filled with bright greenish-yellow liquid. After eyeing its neon color suspiciously, I took a sip. And it was delicious: strong but well-balanced, sweet but not overly so, bright and citrusy and just a little bit bitter. "What's in this?" I asked. "Chartreuse," she said. "And...some other stuff. I forget what." She told me it was called a Talk of the Town and I made a mental note to look it up later.

After a lot of searching, I finally found it - it's actually called the Last Word. How my friend turned that into "Talk of the Town" in her mind is something of a mystery, but it's a fitting mistake given the drink's recent surge in popularity. Equal parts gin, chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and fresh lime juice, it's an old-fashioned cocktail that feels awfully modern, a collection of strong flavors that work together perfectly, none overwhelming the others. There are plenty of riffs on the Last Word to be found on drinks lists all over the country - rye whiskey and lemon to replace the gin and lime is a common variation, and the Whistler has a smoky take that uses mezcal - but the classic version is my favorite.

See the recipe for the Last Word cocktail �

See previous weeks' Friday Cocktails in the collection �

Friday Cocktails: Garden Variety Margarita

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST

by Christine Chung
I'm an avid kale enthusiast: steamed, sauteed, raw, boiled - you name it, I'll eat it. It should also be said that I thoroughly enjoy tequila, for somewhat less health-conscious reasons. Despite my love for both foods, I was skeptical about the combination of the two when I saw the Garden Variety Margarita - a drink made with kale juice - on the menu at the New York City spot the Wayland. But my curiosity got the best of me, and I was converted at my first sip. The juiced kale and tequila mix with ginger juice, lime, and agave nectar, making for a surprisingly refreshing drink with a spicy kick from the ginger and a subtle grassy sweetness from the kale. The drink's creation at the hands of Wayland co-owner and bartender Jason Mendenhall was only a matter of time: Mendenhall and co-owner/chef Rob Ceraso share ingredients between the kitchen and bar, resulting in drinks inspired by the menu, and vice versa. A cocktail featuring vegetables was inevitable and thus, my newest favorite cocktail was born.

See the recipe for the Garden Variety Margarita �

One Good Bottle: Coenobium

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST

by Betsy Andrews
Recently, at the Armani/Ristorante, inside the Armani store on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, I had a revelatory glass of wine. As revelations tend to be few and far between on lists of wines by the glass, I believe this one's for sharing: Monastero Suori Cistercensi Coenobium 2009 ($25), a trebbiano-verdicchio-malvasia-grechetto blend made by - get this - nuns, at a monastery just north of Rome. Unfiltered and organic, this hazy, strawberry-blonde wine is part of a growing group of so-called "orange wines." These wines are vinified essentially like red wine: left in much longer contact with the grape skins than is normally the case with white wines, so that the fermenting grape juice takes on a slightly tannic and dry, delicious, cider-like quality. Stylish and rustic, citric and earthy all at once, my glass of Coenobium paired perfectly with Armani/Ristorante chef Roberto Deiaco's custardy leek flan with decadent gorgonzola sauce, and his ricotta and quail egg yolk ravioli dressed in black truffle shavings. And it will go with any rich, creamy, cheesy dish that you make at home.

Friday Cocktails: The Scottish Dream

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST

by Sarah Bray
I've been daydreaming of visiting Scotland for a long time. The mysteries of this country continue to taunt me, as my cultural references, from Braveheart to Macbeth, paint a picture of a hardy people and a craggy landscape - verdant in the summer, dark and cold in the winter, with warmth given by little more than peat-moss fires.

So when on a recent dreary cold night I tasted a Scotch-based cocktail made by mixologist Lynnette Marrero, I was momentarily transported - but to a place quite different from the one in my imagination. Yes, there was the smokiness of those peat-moss fires, but shining above the cold winter smoke was the sweet brightness of tropical fruits, hinting at a warmer place. Made with The Black Grouse - a blend of smoky peated malts and the smoother The Famous Grouse - it was an unexpected pairing that hit the spot so perfectly that night I instantly ordered a second round for all my friends.

I took Marrero's recipe home to try and recreate the sense of excitement I had experienced with that first cocktail. After several rounds of testing and tasting, I pared down the ingredient. In my revised concoction, the tropical sensation of that first glass waned to a warming but fresh flavor, rustic with a smooth finish like the lingering memory of a dream. Black mission fig bitters from Brooklyn Hemispherical Bitters and a cinnamon simple syrup are at once spicy, smoky, and sweet when mixed with grapefruit juice and blended Scotch, conjuring a sense of a long winter coming to an end, with a hint of spring in sight.

See the recipe for The Scottish Dream �

Austria's (Surprising) Sweet Wines

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST

by Leah Koenig
Aside from the inky Manischewitz I swilled at the Passover table growing up, and the count-them-on-one-hand glasses of port I've ordered after dinner on fancy nights out, my experience with sweet wines has been nearly nonexistent. If anything I have been an active skeptic-believing that sweet wines are for people who can't handle the real stuff, and carrying around my glass of dry, leggy red wine like a badge of honor.

But as I learned on a recent visit to Austria, sweet wines-meaning wines with high levels of residual sugar, made from grapes left hanging on the vine until late in the season, and often served with dessert-are regarded with as much reverence as Sachertorte. And for good reason. The wines I sampled were complex and surprising, demanding complete attention even after a full meal. They swirled like amber-colored maple syrup in the glass, releasing a honeyed perfume that was the olfactory equivalent of clearing away the dinner dishes, scraping the crumbs from the tablecloth and plunking a majestic pie in the middle of the table. The wines' sweetness, while powerful, was calmed with generous notes of fruit, and tempered by a slightly bitter finish-a gift from the botrytis or "noble rot" fungus that, in the right temperature conditions, develops on grapes at the end of the season and helps concentrate their flavor.

Today, the center of Austria's sweet wine production is located in the province of Burgenland, the country's verdant, sun-drenched answer to the Napa Valley. Erik Quam, the President of Magellan Wine Imports in Colorado, told me that Burgenland's residents, and particularly in the town of Rust (pronounced "roost"), pioneered the method of making botrytis wine more than 500 years ago. It turns out, the region's hot summers and foggy, cool autumns are ideal for the development of the noble fungus. Today, the town is so highly regarded for their connection to sweet wine production that they have their own designated category, Ruster Ausbruch.

In recent years, Austria's dry wines have started to find their way to American tables, with bold varietals like gr�ner veltliner (white), zweigelt and blaufr�nkisch (reds) quickly joining chardonnay and merlot in our collective wine lexicon. Sweet wines likely have a ways to go before they can claim the same. That's partly because making them is labor intensive and weather dependent, which means high quality sweet wines only make up 2-3 percent of Austria's overall production. It's also because the American palate is still unfamiliar with and (like I was) a bit wary about sweet wines. And yet, as I discovered, the wines themselves have a way of winning over even the most skeptical heart. One sip (and then another, and another) was all I need to shed my previous "sweet wine is for sissies" assumptions and raise a toast to the sweet life.

3 Bottles to Try

Look for Austrian sweet wines in smaller, 375 mL bottles and keep an eye out for the following categories: Ausbruch (and Ruster Ausbruch), Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, Strohwein/Schilfwein, which means the grapes were dried on straw or reed mats before vinification, and Eiswein, or "ice wine," which means the grapes were allowed to freeze before harvesting.

Heidi Schr�ck Beerenauslese 2008 ($42)

Winemaker Heidi Schr�ck holds two distinctions in Austria: she runs one of the country's few woman-owned wineries (and founded the 11 Women and Their Wines association), and she is one of the leading and most respected producers of noble rot sweet wines. Her Beerenauslese has a spring-like, almost vegetal nose and a concentrated honeysuckle and lemon meringue pie taste. The finish is long and lush, making this wine a great pairing for a cheese plate.

Feiler-Artinger Ruster Ausbruch Pinot Cuvee 2006 ($58)

Established in Rust in the 1930s, Feiler-Artinger is now a third-generation and, as of 2011, a certified biodynamic winery. 15 percent of the winery's 64 acres are devoted to sweet wine, like this elegant Ruster Ausbruch. The wine's deep golden color and vanilla scent give way to a rich palate of orange zest and caramelized sugar. Serve it alongside baked fruit tarts with whipped cream.

G�nter Triebaumer Ruster Ausbruch 2008 ($35)

The Treibaumer family first came to Rust in the late 17th century, and have been making wine there for nearly that long. G�nter Triebaumer and his partner Regina Limbeck are among the family's newest generation of vintners, cultivating 39 and a half acres of grapes in Rust. Their sunshine-colored Ruster Ausbruch is complex and vivacious, tasting of ripe stone fruit, marmalade and juicy pear. Pair it with custardy desserts like the rich, cream-filled puff pastry, cremeschnitte.

Friday Cocktails: A Drink For Each Best Picture Nominee

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST

Whether you're hosting an all-out fancy Oscars party for a crowd this weekend or rooting for your favorite film curled up on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn, toast your Best Picture pick with one of our Oscars-themed cocktails. Developed by Nitehawk Cinema's Beverage Director Jen Marshall, each of these classy recipes is inspired by the mood, characters, or setting of a 2012 Best Picture nominee. Does your favorite film match your favorite cocktail?

See all nine cocktails in the gallery �

Friday Cocktails: Taste of Life Cocktail

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST

by Dana Bowen
When I was in Hong Kong recently, my trip coincided with Lunar New Year, and everywhere I went I marveled at the beautiful potted citrus trees people placed in front of their businesses and homes for good luck. I had to hold back from helping myself to this gorgeous fruit, and I wondered if and when people would get to eat all those oranges, clementines, and my favorite of all, the sweet-skinned, sour-fleshed tiny kumquats that lined the streets. Could they really be only ornamental?

Many of the cooks I met that week explained to me that after the holiday, they stripped the trees and made a sort of salty citrus preserve that they used throughout the new year, often mixing it with hot water and sugar as a soothing drink. But the most surprising and refreshing use of all that ornamental fruit that I found was at Mo Bar, a popular cocktail spot at the Mandarin Oriental overseen by the creative mixologist John Ng. Inspired by that salty preserve he used to make with his family every year, Ng muddles tiny kumquats with sea salt, then shakes it with orange and lemon juice, adds a bit of Aperol and Pimms for a bitter edge, and orange liquor for a voluptuous flavor and consistency. The result, poured over ice and garnished with an orange peel or slivers of more kumquats, is salty-sweet-bitter-sour and completely satisfying - like a more complicated, citrusy margarita. It's light and goes down easy, and the touch of salt makes what Ng calls the essential "tastes of life" - sweet, sour, bitter - shine even brighter.

See the recipe for the Taste of Life �

Friday Cocktails: Cacao Fruit Cocktail

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST

by Yewande Komolafe
Slightly sour, light, uncloying: those aren't words I'd normally use to describe a chocolate-based cocktail. But this drink, inspired by a shot of pure cacao pulp puree that I drank at a chocolate workshop here in New York, hits all of those notes. It's what I imagine a chocolate bar would taste like if it were somehow also a tropical fruit, and that's not an accident: cacao pulp is the "fruit" of the cacao plant, the succulent flesh that surrounds cocoa beans in the pod. It's a relatively under-the-radar ingredient, a byproduct of the standard chocolate-making process that needs to be removed before we can get at the beans that make up what we think of as chocolate. But its flavors are worth paying attention to, with notes reminiscent of lychee, pear, and melon.

In this cocktail, cacao pulp puree meets the complementary flavors of Brazilian cachaca, a spirit made from distilled sugarcane juice. With some lemon juice for tartness and a splash of sparkling wine to lighten it up, it's a perfectly unexpected starter for a South American-inspired meal, or a great surprise for the chocolate lover in your life.

See the recipe for the Cacao Fruit Cocktail �

Red, Pink, and Bubbly

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST

by Sarah Bray
There's something inherently special about a glass of sparkling wine, and all the more so if it's toasting a romantic evening. But the magic isn't just in the sipping: these wines almost always have an interesting story to tell about their creation, too, especially when the grapes in question aren't white. I've always been especially curious about the treatment of the red grapes of Champagne-pinot noir and pinot meunier-whether quickly pressed and made into white wine or left on the skins, their pink juices mixed in later on. Although many common sparkling wines are white, I've been seeing more and more bottles that use red grapes, from the more traditional red pinots to indigenous varieties like grolleau. Here are some of the more interesting (and delicious!) sparkling reds and ros�s I've come across recently, just in time for the iconic colors of Valentine's Day.

Lucien Albrecht Cr�mant d'Alsace Brut Ros� NV ($21.99)

I first tasted this beautifully refreshing bubbly as an aperitif at Atlanta's Miller Union restaurant and quickly fell in love. This sparkling wine comes from the Alsace region of France. Made from 100 percent Pinot noir by the m�thode traditionelle, it is known as a Cr�mant-style wine, the legal name for sparkling French wines produced outside of Champagne. Watermelon-colored, the brut ros� has a hint of lemon on the nose and a clean berry flavor on the palate, with a full, fruity finish. It's a delicious quaffing wine, perfect as a start to any evening.

Conti di Buscareto Rosa NV ($20)

A beautifully rich, salmon-colored wine, the Conti di Buscareto Ros� is made from the Lacrima di Morro d'Alba grape in Italy's Le Marche, an ancient varietal rarely seen outside of this region. Its name comes from its shape, which is reminiscent of a tear. Crisp, dry, and highly acidic, the Conti pops open with intense bubbles which then subside into a fine mousse in the glass. It has a floral nose, with hints of citrus and yeast; on the palate, I was surprised to taste so much grapefruit, lightened with hints of tart red fruit and black pepper. It's a medium-bodied sparkler, with some depth and a long finish, and would hold up well to some of the region's traditional dishes, like pasta con le noci.

Pascal Pibaleau "La Perlette" Sparkling Grolleau NV ($20)

Don't be fooled like I was: this dark bottle is made of clear, colorless glass, showing the rich, raspberry hue of the wine itself. Made from 100 percent Grolleau, an almost extinct deep red grape from the Loire, it's a lovely sparkling red in the frizzante (slightly fizzy) style. The nose hints at sweetness, with notes of violet and red berries; when you taste, a medium acidity shines before a surprising nuttiness comes through. Those red fruits are apparent on the finish, rounding it out. Its more savory characteristics mean that this wine can hold up to earthy, hearty food: try it with lamb chops or lentil stew for interesting contrasts.

Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d'Acqui 2010 ($20)

Produced in the town of Acqui in the Piedmont region of Italy (DOCG), Brachetto d'Acqui is a slightly sweet sparkling red made from the Brachetto grape. It has a soft effervescence, produced by the Charmat method, where the secondary fermentation occurs in tanks just before bottling. Typically, this method is used for wines that are meant to be consumed young, evident in the flavor profile of the 2010 vintage. Light violet in color, the red fruits and roses on the nose are very apparent. It's ripe and thick, but its youthful acidity cuts through with a layer of brightness. On the finish, I found hints of strawberries and cream; it's a perfect pairing for chocolate, and probably the perfect wine for your Valentine.

Cacao Fruit Cocktail

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST

MAKES 2 COCKTAILS

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp. simple syrup, plus more for rimming the glass
Crushed cocoa nibs
3 oz. frozen cacao fruit pulp
1� oz. cachaca, like Leblon
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Sparkling white wine

INSTRUCTIONS

Dip the rims of each glass in simple syrup, and then in crushed cocoa nibs. In the bowl of a blender, combine cacao pulp, cachaca, lemon juice, and additional simple syrup; blend on high for 20 seconds until all ingredients are combined and the fruit pulp is smooth. Pour into rimmed prepared glasses and top off with sparkling wine.

Friday Cocktails: Chavela

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST

by Greg Ferro
If you're a Jets fan, like me, there's nothing super about the upcoming Super Bowl: the hated Giants playing the despised Patriots? It's like a recurring nightmare-we had to suffer through the same game just four years ago! Back then, I survived by focusing on the food and drink. Well, mostly the drink, and this year the survival plan is the same. On hand will be chavelas, beer-based cocktails that hail from Mexico (they're part of the country's great tradition of cervezas preparadas - prepared beers).

With a base of tomato juice and Corona, chavelas get a punch from a generous pour of hot sauce and a salted rim, which helps them stand up to the spicy foods that are a staple of game day at my house: the chili my wife Jenn makes, and the football-shaped meatballs my mom fashions for the occasion. Plus, they're light enough that you can drink them all day and still be able to keep track of the numbers in those tiny boxes of your football pool. (Confidential to fellow Jets fans: I recommend kicking off your first chavela with a shot of tequila, the perfect way to brace yourself for watching the game.)

See the recipe for Chavela (Mexican Beer with Tomato Juice) �

Friday Cocktail: Lady Shirley

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST

by Anique Halliday
It had been years since I'd given much thought to grenadine, that bright red fruity syrup made famous by the Shirley Temple, a childhood favorite. But then I recently had a Ward 8 - a classic whiskey cocktail whose original recipe calls for orange juice, lemon juice, and grenadine - and that splash of sweet grenadine had me intrigued.

Grenadine is typically made from concentrated pomegranate juice and sugar, but other red fruit juices can be used as well. After tasting that Ward 8, I went out in search of a bottle of grenadine for mixing cocktails with at home. At my local gourmet food store, I stumbled upon a bottle of Employees Only grenadine, from the eponymous and award-winning cocktail bar in New York, and it quickly outshone all others of its kind. The intense, burgundy red syrup possesses complex layers of flavors, ranging from the pomegranate to more surprising notes of cardamom, cinnamon, and ground pepper. And yet it is balanced and light enough to make it a perfect companion to complementary ingredients. I'm perfectly happy slurping it straight by the spoonful, but after several attempts at different combinations, I settled on the perfect combination of grenadine syrup, lemon juice, and bourbon, lightened with a splash of fizzy seltzer. A decidedly grown-up version of the Shirley Temple, I named it the Lady Shirley. You could of course make this drink with a lower-grade grenadine, but the cloying sweetness would detract from the otherwise harmonious pairing of vanilla-noted bourbon and grenadine. This cocktail's dark and luscious color belies the bright flavors and showcases the grenadine the way it deserves.

See the recipe for Lady Shirley �