January 26, 2012
Let’s face it, mid-winter is almost upon us and there is not a ground hog is sight. It is getting downright tundra cold out there and Mother Nature is sure to unleash a deep freeze. Some say one should think of a warm place like a tropical island when winter’s freeze is cutting
Read More →
December 23, 2011
Winter is coming. The leaves are long gone; stark bare branches and the increasing chill in the air are all that remain of autumn. The sun’s attempts to warm its subjects get undermined by the biting wind. Perfect time to duck into your favorite watering hole and defrost with a winter libation. Keeping
Read More →
October 26, 2011
PREFACE Happy Hour: Rusty Nail (By Paystyle; February 2010)
+++
Many years ago, when I embarked on a journey to learn about the Rusty Nail, I went right to a few local dive bars. I believed the hype. Naturally, a Rusty Nail could only truly be enjoyed in an establishment with peeling paint and New Year’s Eve
Read More →
October 12, 2011
Summer seems to be lingering around with above average temperatures during the day and then retreating in the evenings as the air becomes chilled. How does one seasonally imbibe during this confusing cross over? Should one go straight to boozy and mix a Manhattan or remain in summer mode with light effervescent drinks such
Read More →
September 21, 2011
PREFACE Vermouth 101: The Old Hickory
+++
Well now that you have an appetite inducing “qualifying round” under the belt, time to move to the first course. When it comes to vermouth cocktails, the next logical step in expanding ones appreciation of what the spirit can do is to go back to the beginning.
Read More →
September 7, 2011
A lounger pal of mine recently coined the term “qualifying round” to rationalize why going out for just one cocktail never happens. Who could just order one drink and leave their favorite cocktail bar? It is akin to ducking out mid conversation! To address this issue, his policy is to order one drink to
Read More →
July 20, 2011
Paystyle and Vanessa are in New Orleans this week for the annual cocktail fête of the year, Tales of the Cocktail–hands down the most important event in the world for cocktail heads, bar chefs, liquor companies, alcoholics, et al. I’m sure P + V have been trashed since they landed at
Read More →
June 15, 2011
In the past week there’s been a lot of buzz in cocktail circles regarding the outcome of a legal dispute between Pusser’s rum and Painkiller, a tiki bar in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It’s a story that’s led to a lot of anger among us folks in the cocktail
Read More →
June 1, 2011
Like a whirlwind, the Manhattan Cocktail Classic came and went in a flash, leaving a trail of devastation and destruction in its wake. Except in this case the damage wasn’t in the form of homes and property, but rather brain cells and livers. After many many jamba juices and wheatgrass shots, full recovery was
Read More →
May 25, 2011
It feels good to return to normalcy (read proper hydration) now that the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (read Manhattan Hangover Classic) has concluded. For myself and the other Bar Fellows of this year’s cocktail classic, normalcy took a bit longer to reach, as we were in the Astor Center Kitchen 12
Read More →
