PREFACE:
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 1
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 2
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 3
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 4
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 5

Alas my friends, as all good things eventually come to an end, so did this year’s Tales of the Cocktail, and so does this series of recaps. This was both my first visit to New Orleans, and my first time attending Tales, and without a doubt my time there was nothing short of a glorious bacchanal of all things cocktail.

NEW AMSTERDAM GIN COMPETITION

But before it was time for me to say goodbye to Tales and head to the Louis Armstrong Airport (Kennedy’s a cool name but can we change La Guardia to something cooler like Miles Davis or Coltrane International?), I had one final event to attend on that final day of Tales, and it was at 10:30am on a Sunday (you already know where this is going). I was scheduled to participate in a cocktail competition sponsored by New Amsterdam Gin.  But unlike the Catdaddy Bar Chef Challenge a few days earlier in which  the best recipes were selected to compete, this competition was more like a Top Chef quickfire challenge in which contestants had only 10 minutes to create and present a cocktail using only New Amsterdam Gin and a spread of ingredients on a table.  Up for grabs for the winner was a catered dinner for ten at their abode. Not bad I thought. I like catered dinners, and I like my abode, so I figured it’d be good to win this.

But there was one hitch: it was slated for 10:30am on a Sunday. A regular Sunday poses problems for me because it always follows Saturday night, so you know a Sunday morning at Tales would be an issue. So some time around 10:45am I wake up to a phone call from Laura Bruskin, who handles the PR for New Amsterdam Gin, asking me whether or not I still planned on attending. Although I wasn’t hungover (I was still drunk, the hangover comes after the drunkenness subsides), I was more exhausted than a lone hamster in Richard Gere’s apartment. But because I consider it really important for people to see me as a man of my word, I begrudgingly decided to get up, splashed some cold water on my face, put on something presentable and promised I’d be down there in ten minutes.

Short story long, I arrive just as they’re preparing to start, take my position at my station, come up with some batshit crazy concoction, shake, strain (I would’ve preferred to double strain but somebody snatched the double strainer from the table), garnish just as time runs out, then win. Yeah. Win. Again. I was happy.

Below is the recipe for the drink I created called the Creole Market (yeah the name’s kinda weak but I had to think of something, and I ain’t good with names).

Creole Market
2 oz gin
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz agave nectar (actually go just under an ounce on the jigger)
1/2 oz fresh peach puree
1 barspoon Angostura
3 or 4 bell pepper slices
1 pinch sandalwood
1 pinch turmeric
1 pinch dried thyme

Glass: cocktail
Tools: shaker, strainer, double strainer if you have one, muddler, barspoon

Place the bell peppers, sandalwood, turmeric, and thyme in a shaker and muddle until the bell pepper is well smashed and its juice is extracted.  Add the remaining ingredients plus ice and shake like a catered dinner at your abode depends on it. Strain into your cocktail glass and enjoy.  Although you can’t tell from the photo, I actually garnished it with a flower from the judges’ table, though you can garnish it with whatever you like, or don’t garnish at all.

Chief brand mixologist Alex Ott explaining the rules of the competition.

Analyzing the spices and ingredients made available.

The spread of cocktails from all the competitors.

SPIRITED AWARDS 2010

As I explained, the main reason why early Sunday mornings aren’t so easy is because of Saturday nights. The Saturday night at Tales is the opportunity to epically party for a final time before returning home. Much of the partying is fueled by celebrations from the winners of the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, which is the craft cocktail industry’s equivalent of the James Beard Awards. The winners partied hard in celebration, the losers partied hard to forget their loss, and the rest of us partied because we were there and it was the final night. Below is a list of the nominees by category, with the winner listed at top in bold. As usual, it was a good night for NYC. 

World’s Best Cocktail Bar

• The Bar at The Merchant Hotel, Belfast
• 69 Colebrooke Row, London
• Death & Company, New York City
• Quo Vadis, London

World’s Best New Cocktail Bar

Mayahuel, World’s Best New Cocktail Bar 2010

• Mayahuel, New York City
• Dutch Kills, Queens
• Rickhouse , San Francisco
• Cure, New Orleans (this place is overrated)

Best American Cocktail Bar

• Death & Company, New York City
• The Clover Club, Brooklyn
• Rickhouse, San Francisco
• The Varnish, Los Angeles

World’s Best Hotel Bar

• The Bar at The Connaught Hotel, London
• Artesian Bar at The Langham, London
• The Florida Room at The Delano, South Beach, Florida
• The Bar Hemingway at The Ritz, Paris
• Am I the only one who finds it strange that The Bar at The Merchant Hotel in Belfast wins World’s Best Cocktail Bar but isn’t even nominated in the World’s Best Hotel Bar category?

World’s Best Drinks Selection

• Bar Lebensstern in Café Einstein, Berlin
• Artesian Bar at The Langham Hotel, London
• Macao Trading Co, New York City
• The Widder Bar, Zurich

World’s Best Cocktail Menu

• Death & Company, New York City
• The Lonsdale, London
• Mayahuel, New York City
• Rickhouse, San Francisco

American Bartender of the Year

Murray Stenson of Zig Zag Cafe, Seattle

• Murray Stenson, Zig Zag Café, Seattle
• Eric Alperin, The Varnish, Los Angeles
• Kenta Goto, Pegu Club, New York City
• Sam Ross, Milk & Honey, New York City

International Bartender of the Year

• Agostino Perrone, The Connaught Hotel, London
• Brian Miller, formerly of  Death & Company, New York City
• Salvatore “The Maestro” Calabrese, formerly Fifty, London
• Sam Ross, Milk & Honey, New York City

Best International Brand Ambassador

• John Gakuru, Sagatiba Pura Cachaça
• Angus Winchester, Tanqueray Gin
• Dan Warner, Beefeater Gin
• Jacob Briars, 42 Below Vodka

Best American Brand Ambassador

• Charlotte Voisey, Hendrick’s Gin
• Jacques Bezuidenhout, Partida Tequila
• Jamie Gordon, Absolut Vodka
• Tal Nadari, Bols Genever

Best New Cocktail/Bartending Book

• Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails by Ted Haigh
• Beachbum Berry Remixed
• Gin Compendium by Gary “Gaz” Regan
• MudPuddle Books by Greg Boehm

Best Cocktail Writing

• CLASS magazine
• Gary Regan
• Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller
• Naren Young

Best New Product

• Celery Bitters, The Bitter Truth
• Cocktail Kingdom’s barware
• Crème Yvette by Cooper Spirits
• Meehan Cocktail Bag by Jim Meehan (I really really want this bag)

Best Bar Mentor

• Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff
• Robert Hess
• Sasha Petraske
• Tony Abou-Ganim

Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award

• Brian Rea
• Gary Regan
• Murray Stenson
• Tony Abou-Ganim

LESSONS FOR NEXT TIME

Although I don’t have any regrets, there are a few things I’d do differently next time:

1.) Buy a case of electrolyte-enhanced water (or even better, coconut water) upon checking into the hotel room. I actually planned to do this but in the excitement of arriving I forgot and never got around to it.

2.) Stay hydrated.

3.) Stay at the Hotel Monteleone. We stayed at the Windsor Court Hotel, a first rate hotel that I got a really sweet deal on, and only a 10 minute walk to the Monteleone which is Tales homebase, but I slightly feel like I was left out of the party. I lost the advantage of being around the whole buzzing scene of it all, so undoubtedly there were last minute hotel parties and such that never made it to my ears. Not to mention how much easier it makes going back to your room between events for much needed power naps.

4.) Stay hydrated.

5.) Either bring an extra suitcase, pack less clothing, or arrange for shipping of all the swag that you’ll accumulate down at Tales. As you can see below, between Vanessa and I we ended up with lots of goodies (K, I got some good stuff saved for you next time you’re in NY), but I could’ve certainly done without the panic and stress from last minute packing and repacking to avoid the steep baggage weight fees. The swag game at tales is pretty gangsta, and if you want a good recap of the best of the best checkout Camper English’s Fourth Annual Tales Swag Awards.

6.) Stay hydrated

7.) Make a more focused effort to remember the people who’s business cards I received. I’m already very terrible at this (I told you I ain’t good with names) and it’s even more difficult when under an alcohol-induced haze, but if I’m to truly get the most out of the networking at Tales, then I have to remember the faces and contexts of the conversations associated with the business cards I accumulated. And believe me, I got A LOT of business cards. Jotting down instant notes, snappng a photo (as bad as I am with names, I’m a genius with faces and can recall a face more than a decade later), whatever, as long as when it comes time to write that email a week or two after Tales, that biz card is more like a flash card.

8.) Stay hydrated.

9.) Either relax the schedule a bit (which I’ll probably never do) or get to New Orleans a few days before the hustle and bustle of Tales to get a chance at really enjoying the city.

10.) Did I mention stay hydrated?

FINAL FAREWELL

Finally, a great shout out to Mr. and Mrs. Tuennerman (aka Mr. and Mrs. Cocktail), Michelle Dunnick, Christina Gaspari, Melissa Young, and the rest of the Tales of the Cocktail organizing crew that made losing my Tales virginity a memorable experience. The seamless way in which the organizers pulled of multiple seminars, events, and spirit tastings for every hour of the festival made it a feat worthy of instant admission in the Logistics Hall of Fame.

To the Tales of the Cocktail crew and the entire city of New Orleans I tip my hat.

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below.

Last week I gave the foolhardy impression that I could give a daily recap of the events at Tales of the Cocktail, while still down at Tales. Instead, I left you high and dry as I ate and drank and partied and competed and sat in seminars with a hangover, then ate and drank and partied and competed some more, while giving short shrift to my responsibilities to those looking to enjoy Tales by proxy.

The truth is, my schedule was packed way too heavily with seminars (I didn’t just party you know) and events, all combined with a serious deficiency of sleep which made it nearly impossible to give the coherent level of feedback necessary to do this type of once-a-year event justice.

For that, I am genuinely sorry. I’m also sorry for missing yesterday’s scheduled post. I had no idea just how long it would take to edit down and incorporate the sheer volume of photos I had, and it doesn’t help that the Flickr app for Wordpress sucks, nor does it help that Wordpress itself really sucks.

But all excuses aside, to make up for the lack of real time information, I’m giving you a multi-part recap of the highlights of my activities down there (sans the embarrassing parts), with lots of photos. Sometimes a little delayed gratification has its rewards.

BEEFEATER GIN WELCOME RECEPTION

To kick things off, the folks at Beefeater Gin threw an “Alice in Wonderland” themed bash at the New Orleans Contemporary Arts Center. They did a pretty awesome job of decking out every nook and cranny of the space to resemble the surreal dream world Wonderland. Tim Burton would’ve been proud, and maybe Lewis Carroll too.

Two of the many cocktails being served that night, the French Negroni and the Beefeater 24 Martini. And who says you have to drink from a cocktail glass? Proper women in Wonderland drink out of top hats, didn’t you know?

And though I had the chance to drink out of a Fez hat, I chose instead to sip my cocktails from nifty rocks glass shaped tea cups and saucers, being the dignified chap that I am.

But by the event’s end (which was barely 9pm, and only the first of two parties that night) I felt more like a hotard than a dignified chap.

So they put me on the Hotard bus (you can see from the picture that I’m not joking, and I may have had a serious Larry David moment when I made fun of the bus in front of the bus driver) which took us to the William Grant & Sons House Party at the Elms Mansion.

Me and the rest of the hotards…

WILLIAM GRANT & SONS HOUSE PARTY AT THE ELMS MANSION

When we arrived at the mansion, we had no idea what to expect, other than freakish amounts of food and booze.

The picture below is the reason why the Hendrick’s Gin on the scale above kept getting lighter.

We were in New Orleans after all, and the musicians definitely repped some of the old time Nola standards.

Mr. Enzo Lim rocking the cocktails in the usual delicious manner. Catch him at Minetta Tavern in NY’s West Village if you have a chance. He’s by far the best bartender there.

Inside the Elms Mansion was more food and much, much more booze.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2 featuring the results of the Catdaddy Bar Chef Challenge in which I was one of the finalists!

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below.

For a long time I’ve been hounding my local wine merchant, T.B. Ackerson, to stock some vermouths in order to save me the constant pilgrimage to Manhattan’s Astor Wines, which is one of the few places that stocks a variety of quality vermouths–and I go through a fair amount of vermouth rather quickly.  My neighborhood is sort of up and coming (though it hasn’t completely up and came yet) so understandably they were hesitant to stock an item they didn’t consider popular among the residents in the neighborhood. I’ll just go ahead and say it, my neighborhood sucks when it comes to cocktail places.

So I was pleasantly surprised during a visit a few weeks ago to discover that my wine guy not only finally stocked vermouth, but decided to stock an obscure brand from Catalonia that  up until recently was unavailable in the U.S.  The brand is called Perucchi, and despite making vermouth in Spain since 1886, has been available in the states for less than a year.  Needless to say, I picked up both the offerings, a white and red, and trotted home eager to try my new find.

It’s not often that I do product reviews here, or dedicate an entire post to one product, as I like to leave that sort of thing to other bloggers–and there are plenty of them who do it well.  But an exception is merited here, first because the product is so good, and second because it’s so different from other vermouths.

My modus operandi for evaluating spirits (besides tasting it by itself) is to see how they perform in the cocktails that you’d quintessentially find them in.  So in the case of sweet vermouth, the Manhattan and the Negroni come to mind. For white vermouth, the Martini (gin, never vodka, though I shouldn’t have to mention this) is the standard bearer. But before I get into the cocktails, a few tasting notes are in order.

Normally white vermouth is referred to as dry vermouth, and red vermouth as sweet.  Well, normal is not how I would describe either the white or red Perucchi vermouths, and thus I won’t refer to them as dry and sweet vermouth, because neither fits neatly in either category.

Upon first blush, I was surprised to find that the white vermouth was not at all dry as I anticipated.  In fact, it was more like a cross between a dry vermouth and an aperitif wine like Lillet.  As a vermouth it more closely resembled a blanco style than the more common dry style of vermouth–a silky texture, golden-hue, more spicy and floral, less herbal.  Ginger and honey was immediately apparent on the palate, with slight traces of herb and orange blossom on the finish. I couldn’t wait for the Martini test.

The red vermouth was no less surprising–in fact, I won’t call the red vermouth a sweet vermouth either because the white was actually a bit sweeter.  The red tasted like a sweet vermouth-Campari hybrid–bittersweet, profoundly earthy, and slightly reminiscent of Dubonnet Rouge, with a tannic finish not unlike chewing on fresh tobacco leaves.  Manhattan here I come!

And now the cocktails which I consider essential to evaluating vermouths…

Martini Perucchi
3 oz gin (used Bluecoat)
1 oz Vermouth Perucchi white
2 dashes orange bitters (used Regan’s)
Lemon twist

In a mixing glass filled with ice, stir the ingredients until well-chilled and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist (works better than an olive here).

Imagine a Martini lightly kissed by lush fruit and laced with an essence of ginger, and you have a close approximation of this cocktail.  It’s great for introducing vodka drinkers to a real Martini (a Kangaroo cocktail, by the way, is the name for a so-called Vodkatini).  The flavor profile of the vermouth so nicely complements the botanicals in gin that it essentially acts as a stepping stone to finer drinking, ie, leaving the vodka behind.

Negroni Perfecto
1 oz gin (again, Bluecoat)
3/4 oz Vermouth Perucchi red
3/4 oz Vermouth Perucchi white
1/4 oz Campari
Flamed orange for garnish

In a mixing glass filled with ice, stir the ingredients until well-chilled and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Cut a piece of orange peel, warm it briefly with a match or lighter, then flame it by squeezing it over the drink while holding the lighter to it (may require a little practice). This should cause a brief flame burst which will caramelize the citrus oil as it falls into the drink.

In cocktail parlance, the term perfect refers to equal parts sweet and dry vermouths, or in this case, white and red vermouths. While a Negroni traditionally calls for 1 oz each of gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari, I’ve altered things a bit, to what I think is good effect.  The Perucchi red is already bitter, so I toned down the Campari and balanced it with a bit of the sweeter, honeyed notes of the Perucchi white.  Like the cocktail above it, it’s a good alternative to the standard Negroni, especially for those whose palates have not yet formed an embracing appreciation for Campari’s bitterness.  However, this is not a novice’s cocktail, as I believe it can really stand on its own as a veritable Negroni variant.

Manhattan Perfecto
2 oz rye whiskey (used Sazerac)
1/2 oz Vermouth Perucchi red
1/2 oz Vermouth Perucchi white
2 dashes orange bitters (used Bitter Truth)
Orange twist

In a mixing glass filled with ice, stir the ingredients until well-chilled and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

This is basically a Perfect Manhattan using the Perucchi.  If you like your Manhattans a little lighter bodied and less austere but still silky, this is for you. The two vermouths combine with the rye to create flavors reminiscent of Fall’s first maple sap.  It’s floral on the finish, likely the work of the white vermouth,  while the red vermouth provides a woodsy kick that nicely complements the rye’s spice.  This is an excellent way to switch up your Manhattan routine.

These vermouths are so unique that there are at least a dozen or so variations on the above three cocktails that you could do, that I simply could not cover. 

If you can get these vermouths at your neighborhood wine or liquor store, I urge you to do so.  If they don’t carry it, urge them to do so, incessantly until they do.  If you live in Brooklyn, I urge you to go to T.B. Ackerson and buy from them, so they can continue to stock it.

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below.

The New York City cocktail landscape is an everchanging one.  The proliferation of watering holes devoted to the craft of the cocktail doesn’t seem to be slowing down one bit, something I’m quite thankful for.  Just in the last month bars like Painkiller (tiki meets 70s NY punk), Cienfuegos (specializing in rum based punches), Casa Mezcal (the object of its devotion being obvious), and the Empire Room (art deco lounge at the foot of the Empire State Building) have sprouted to diversify the NY cocktail scene.

Last week I had the opportunity to check out the Empire Room and get behind the bar to lend a hand to fellow members of the US Bartenders’ Guild as they competed to see who could create the best gin-based aperitif cocktail.  The event was sponsored by Plymouth and Beefeater gins, and up for grabs for the top cocktail creator was the Meehan Bartender Bag, named after Jim Meehan, proprietor and bar man at PDT.  With a price tag over $600, you can bet the competition was fierce (don’t let those smiling faces fool you).

The three finalists (above from left to right) were Edward Henwood, Lindsay Nader of PDT, and Brian Matthys of Izakaya Ten (a place I’ve been neglecting to visit for far too long now).

The three top aperitif cocktails above, from left to right: Ship Rock (Henwood), Sakura Fest (Matthys), and the Noce Royale (Nader).

And now for your home mixing pleasure I’ve listed the recipes for each cocktail–with the exception of Mr. Henwood’s, whose recipe I’ve not been able to acquire, but will post if and when I get it.

Noce Royale (above right)
1 1/2 oz Beefeater Gin
1/2 oz Plymouth Sloe Gin
1/4 oz Nocino (walnut liqueur)
Moet Imperial Champagne to top

Pour everything except Champagne in a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and top with a splash of Champagne.

Sakura Fest (above center)
1 oz Plymouth gin
1 oz Dolin dry vermouth
1 oz Dewazakura Oka ginjo sake (or similar aromatic ginjo sake)
1/4 Creme Yvette
1 barspoon (approx. tsp) Yuzu citrus juice (unsalted)
1 barspoon Agave nectar
Garnish: Luxardo maraschino cherry

Combine ingredients in shaker over ice (preferably large solid pieces) and shake ’til well chilled. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with cherry.

According to Brian, this apertif celebrates the coming of spring, which is respresented by the blooming of cherry blossoms (sakura) in Japan, and hence the name of the drink. It’s light and refreshing with a subtle complexity which is sure to engage the appetite.

And the winner was…

The Shiprock (above left)
2 ½ oz Plymouth Gin                      
2 or 3 leaves of sage (size dependent)
½ oz ginger syrup
½ oz of lemon juice             
1 drop Orange Blossom Water                                                                                                     

Bruise sage in shaker, then add the remaining ingredients along with ice; shake and strain into cocktail glass, and garnish with round twist of orange.

Yes, Mr. Henwood’s Ship Rock cocktail was the crowd’s favorite.  It was a tight vote but the Ship Rock edged out out the competition and helped its creator take home the coveted (and mad expensive but well worth it) Meehan Bar Bag.

I wonder if he’ll let me borrow it sometime…

Cheers!

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below.

Classic cocktails make frequent appearances here, as dedicated readers are well aware. Since many of you aren’t cocktail geeks like myself, I do my best to keep that in mind when I write, particularly in terms of tone and content—believe me, we can get pretty esoteric if you let us.

I’ve also come to realize that some of you may be interested in building up your bar, but don’t have the time or money to buy everything needed to make every classic cocktail invented. You have to make some tough choices, but how do you know you’ll even like a particular cocktail after you seek out the ingredients called for in a recipe? Sure it’s considered a classic, but it may not be your cup of tea.

To make the process a bit easier, I’ve decided to compile a list of about 20-25 cocktails (haven’t decided exactly how many yet) that I consider essential for every burgeoning cocktail enthusiast to know. The cocktails on the list are mostly old mainstays, save for a few from the modern era (a couple might surprise you). You may not love all of them, but if your bar is equipped to make them, you’d be hard pressed to encounter a guest you couldn’t please.

The catch, however, is that I won’t simply post a list (which is yet to be finalized). Instead I’m going to write about each of them individually, for various Happy Hour columns whenever the fancy strikes. This way you’ll have ample time to gather the ingredients for a particular drink and become familiar with it before having to learn about the next one. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a good home bar.

You’ll know if a certain week’s cocktail is on this list because at the bottom of the post you’ll notice the tag “Essential Cocktail.” Click on the tag and you’ll see all the drinks with this tag, and you’ll be on your way to a well-stocked bar. Some of these essential cocktails have already been featured in previous Happy Hour columns, and as soon as I have the time I will go back and add the appropriate tag to those as well.

Since we’re talking about essential cocktails, there’s no better way to kick this off than with the top of the alphabet, the Aviation.

Aviation
2 oz Gin (enough with the “I can’t do Juniper” bullshit already, we’re talking serious cocktails for fuck’s sake!)
½ oz Maraschino liqueur (NOT Maraschino cherry syrup, but a bittersweet liqueur made from Marasca cherries)
½ oz fresh lemon juice
1 barspoon Crème de Violette (optional)

Tools: shaker, strainer
Glass: chilled cocktail glass or coupe

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into your glass.

The Aviation is one of the last great pre-Prohibition cocktails, having been invented just a few years before the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment. It made its first appearance in print in 1916 in Recipes for Mixed Drinks by Hugo Ensslin, who bartended at the Hotel Wallick in Times Square near 43rd and Broadway.

It’s unclear whether Mr. Ensslin created this cocktail as an homage to a specific aviator—perhaps Adolphe Pégoud or René Fonck, who were some of the first flying aces, battling the Germans in the air during World War I—or as a more general tribute to the Pioneer Era of human flight. What is clear, however—as clear as the blue sky in fact—is Ensslin’s purposeful use of Crème de Violette to achieve a light violet hue reminiscent of the skies that mankind was barely beginning to explore.

By 1930, however, it appears that barmen began dropping the Crème de Violette from the Aviation recipe, as evidenced by its omission from the Savoy Cocktail published that same year. Perhaps this was because Crème de Violette was an increasingly difficult ingredient to come by, and only its recent availability in American markets has gotten mixologists reinterested in making an authentic Aviation.

Truth be told, however, the Crème de Violette is a non-essential ingredient in this otherwise impeccably balanced, essential cocktail. If you have or can easily acquire it then surely do so, as it adds a violet hue and a lightly floral top note that the drink’s creator intended. If not, I wouldn’t fret over it. In fact, despite the availability of the floral liqueur, many mixologists still prefer the version without it.

I enjoy both.

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below.

Today is St. Patrick’s Day, which along with Cinco de Mayo, make two of the year’s best excuses to get hammered early. Like other revelers, I’m looking forward to a day filled with shots of Irish whiskey and pints of Guinness, and harassing whoever dares walk into the bar without sporting any green.

This year however, the green I’m wearing has a deeper significance than it did in years past. For me, the green has come to represent the aspirations of my people in Iran, having become the color adopted by the renewed freedom movement in Iran. Green is also the color of Spring, which makes it all the more appropriate that the Persian New Year is just a few days away (the first day of Spring, March 20th), with the two-week long festivities having already begun.

So this year I decided to create a drink in celebration of the Persian New Year. The traditions of the Persian New Year, or Norooz as we Persians call it (which means “new day”) date back thousands of years to the time of the ancient prophet Zoroaster, whose philosophies were the basis of the Zoroastrian religion. Zoroastrianism, which predates the three Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam; ironic how closely related those three religions are, right?), was the primary religion of Persians until the brutal Arab conquest in the 7th century.

The cocktail I created highlights traditional Persian flavors and ingredients, and as you can see, is not green in color. Ultimately it was too difficult to make a green-hued drink without coming off as supremely corny and contrived. In the end I realized it was more important to represent culture and history through ingredients and flavors common to Persian cuisine, than to simply present a color, which could have easily been done with a few drops of artificial food coloring. But as we’ve learned from the environmental movement, green is a mindset before it is anything else. And that’s something I try to bare in mind in every cocktail I create, and that’s why you always see me pushing folks to use fresh, seasonal, and organic ingredients whenever possible and practical.

That being said, behold the Persian Rose.

Persian Rose
2 oz Gin
1¾ oz sweet lemon juice (not regular lemon, not Meyer lemon; see info below)
½ oz lemon juice
½ oz Cherry Heering (can substitute other cherry-flavored liqueur)
¼ oz rosewater
¼ oz agave nectar (can substitute simple syrup)

Tools: cocktail shaker, strainer
Glass: chilled cocktail glass or coupe
Garnish: rose petal

Place ingredients in a shaker filled with ice and shake well.  Strain into your glass and garnish with a rose petal if you have one handy.

Those of you not familiar with Persian cuisine may be wondering about this thing called the sweet lemon—I’ve even seen a totally misinformed thread on Chowhound discussing this. Sweet lemons can be found at many middle eastern grocers. They may look like lemons but they don’t taste anything like regular lemons, as they have a subtle honey-like sweetness and none of the sourness that’s characteristic of both regular and Meyer lemons. They also have a very bitter pith, so rather than peeling and eating as one would an orange, it’s better to also peel the membrane holding the fruit, and eat only the lightly sweet flesh. You can also drink the juice or use it in a cocktail as done here, but bare in mind that as with all citrus, the juice is best when fresh.

Because the flavor of the sweet lemon is so subtle, I used more than I normally would when I use juices in cocktails, and had to be really careful with the other ingredients so as not to overpower it. You especially have to watch the rosewater, as it can easily dominate.

Rosewater and cherry are also common ingredients in Persian cooking, especially in our desserts. The combination of rosewater, cherry, and lemon juice is one of my favorites, most commonly used in a dessert called Faloodeh, which is essentially a Persian noodle-sorbet flavored with the aforementioned ingredients.

Cherry Heering can be found at many liquor stores (though you may have to go to a specialty or higher end one), and is still probably the best cherry-flavored liqueur out there. You can use another cherry liqueur, or a cherry syrup if you can’t find Heering. The same goes for the agave nectar. If your nearby health store doesn’t carry it, you can use simple syrup instead, which you can make by simply dissolving sugar in an equal amount of hot water, then allowing it to cool.

Now I must go get my drink on. Cheers! Sláinte (Irish)! Salamati (Persian)!

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below.

“A good Sherris-Sack…ascends me into the brain; dries me there all the foolish, and dull, and crudy vapours which environ it, makes it apprehensive, quick, inventive, full of nimble, fiery and delectable shape, which delivered o’er to the voice which is the birth, becomes excellent wit.”
–Shakespeare’s Falstaff

It would come as a great surprise to Sir Falstaff that his beloved “Sherris-Sack,” or Sherry as it’s now called, is no longer coveted the way it was during his time. Although it’s now widely considered the stuff grandmothers drink on Sundays after church, the wine produced in the Jerez region of Spain has a long history that dates back to the ancient Phoenicians who first introduced the process of wine making to the Iberian Peninsula over 3,000 years ago.

It’s clear then, that if we’re to return to a true appreciation of Sherry, we’ll need to take a more robust approach–a Falstaffian one, if you will. That’s why I decided to share three different cocktail recipes with you, to give you a sense of Sherry’s versatility. But first, a bit of history.

Although the Phoenicians first introduced wine making to the area now known as Spain, many scholars note that the wine making practices involved in making Sherry trace even further back to the city of Shiraz and the ancient Persians whose empire predated the Phoenicians, to whom this knowledge was ultimately passed. The ancient Phoenicians set up shop in a city on the Iberian Peninsula they named Sherish–possibly in tribute to the Persian city of Shiraz–and the wine they produced was called Sherris. This area is now called Jerez, renamed when the Castillian King Alfonso X drove out the Moors in the 13th century. It is where all Sherry comes from.

But back to the Moors for a second. Despite their Islamic faith which forbids the consumption of alcohol, the Moors who gained control of Spain in the 8th century not only continued the wine making tradition of the Phoenicians (passed to them via the Romans) but added to it by introducing the process of distillation, which enabled Sherry to become the fortified (meaning alcohol is added, usually Brandy) wine that we recognize today.

This fortification played an important role in the development of Sherry because its higher alcohol content allowed the wine to be stored safely for long voyages and endure temperature fluctuations better than regular wines that do not have the added proof. This is why Sherry was the spirit of choice on many a sea voyage including those of Columbus and Magellan. In fact when Magellan was preparing to cruise around the globe, he spent far more of his budget on Sherry than on weapons. By the 17th century Sherry had firmly established itself as one of the world’s premier wines, largely due to its ability to keep during travel.

What most folks don’t know is that Sherry is actually made from white grapes, not red. You might also be surprised to hear that not all Sherry is sweet. In fact, there are now eight different styles of Sherry, ranging from the dry and subtly tart Fino and Manzanilla to the sweet and dark varieties known as Cream, Moscatel, and Pedro Ximenez, as well as the Amontillado, Oloroso, and Palo Cortado Sherries that balance out the middle of the field.

The drier varieties of Sherry (Fino and Manzanilla) pair well with Spanish olives, seafood, and Manchego cheese. The middle range (Amontillado, Oloroso, and Palo Cortado) is excellent with Jamon Serrano and other cured meats, spicy dishes, salted nuts, and game. On the sweeter end (Cream, Moscatel, and Pedro Ximenez) a pairing with figs, dark chocolate, or raisins is sublime.

Today’s cocktails are all created using the Manzanilla style of Sherry. Manzanilla is typically straw-colored with a dry, sharp bouquet that is very similar to pinot grigio. Like most of the lighter Sherries, it’s best served chilled. I chose to use Manzanilla in all of the cocktails because I wanted to create drinks that are versatile enough to serve to guests, whether at a holiday cocktail party with small appetizers or served as an aperitif before a large holiday meal. Another reason is that I just happen to like it.

El Viejo Tomas (pictured just above)
2 oz Manzanilla Sherry
1 1/2 oz Old Tom Gin
1 1/2 oz sweet vermouth
2 dashes orange bitters
Orange twist

Place ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled, about 20 seconds or so. Strain into a cocktail coupe, twist orange peel over the drink and place as garnish.

Manzanilla Especial
2 oz light rum
1 oz Manzanilla Sherry
2/3 oz (4 tsp) Lillet
1/2 oz (2 tsp) orgeat (here’s an easy way to make your own if you can’t find it in stores)
1/4 oz fresh lemon juice
Dash orange bitters
Absinthe, to rinse
Lemon twist

Pour a bit of absinthe into your cocktail glass and swirl it around to coat the inside of the glass, then pour out the excess. Place everything else in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake while singing the Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons‘ classic hit “Sherry.” Strain into your glass, twist the lemon peel over the drink and place as garnish.

Spanish Colonel
2 oz Kentucky Bourbon
1 oz Manzanilla Sherry
Dash orange bitters
Orange twist

Place ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a cocktail coupe, twist orange peel over the drink and place as garnish. This drink is essentially my take on a Dry Manhattan, but using the Manzanilla Sherry in place of dry vermouth.

Although you can certainly sip these cocktails solo, I definitely had food pairing in mind when making these drinks and I recommend you do the same. They pair particularly well with olives, Manchego cheese (especially a fresco Manchego, which is aged less than 3 months), and charcuterie.

I have no doubt that after a few sips Sherry will have you singing her praises as exuberantly as Frankie & The Four Seasons. Salud!

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below!

**Paystyle was born in Tehran and grew up in Los Angeles (aka Tehrangeles) before moving to Brooklyn with his wife and co-pilot Vanessa Bahmani who provides the stunning photography of Pay’s concoctions. Return every Wednesday for his weekly Happy Hour column.

Last week, while reminiscing about the various fun summer activities I engaged in as a child, I remembered a game some kids liked to play which I was not so fond of–Leap Frog. I remember lots of kids getting a huge thrill from the game, but never me. Frankly, the idea of kneeling down and having some kid jump over my shoulders from behind, with the inevitable and all too common risk of his crotch smacking the back of my head, well, let’s say it wasn’t something I was thrilled to be a part of. Equally unappealing was the idea of being the jumper and chancing either a mistimed jump or having the kid lift his head slightly too soon, so as to cause my crotch to crash full speed into the back of his dome–I’ll pass, thanks.

Now I’m an adult, and while I still have no love for the crotch-crash game (unless it’s of a different kind, if you know what I mean) there is a different version of Leap Frog that I’ve come to enjoy–a version which of course comes in liquid form. Leap Frog also happens to be a name for a fairly old yet simple drink comprised of gin, lemon juice, and ginger ale in a highball glass. It’s easy to make and quite on-the-money for those of you interested in putting in minimal labor during summer’s final moments.

For the sake of being thorough I should mention there’s another drink by the same name, but with completely different ingredients and definitely not as tasty as the first one mentioned. It’s essentially like a grenadine-spiked Hotel Nacional cocktail. I’m not posting the recipe because it’s just not that good (try the Hotel Nacional instead) but the recipe for this lesser version of the Leap Frog is at CocktailDB if you’re interested.

To add to the confusion I’ve discovered a third cocktail called Leap Frog, which is the one pictured above. This one’s the newest of them all and it comes from Jim Meehan of famed NYC speakeasy PDT. Although I haven’t been able to ask Jim about this, it seems his version is actually a cross between the two aforementioned versions, with some additions of his own–if you compare the recipes you’ll see the similarities. This one requires a tad more prep time but if you aren’t overly dreading the countdown to fall and can spare a few more minutes for the sake of mixological magnificence, I assure you this one’s worth every minute of your effort. But first the original.

Leap Frog
1 1/2 oz gin
1 oz fresh lemon juice
ginger ale to top

Tools: something to stir with

Glass: highball

Throw a few lumps of ice in the glass and add the gin and lemon juice; top with the ginger ale and give a brief stir.

The thing to remember about highballs is that their very simplicity is the reason you don’t want the flavors to mix too much. Instead, you want the taste to vary slightly with each sip, so a mere light stir is enough. Also, since highballs usually have a carbonated component, overstirring will allow too much carbonation to escape which produces a flatter tasting drink.

Leap Frog (pictured above, adapted from Jim Meehan of PDT)
2 oz gin
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz apricot liqueur (used Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot)
1/2 oz caster sugar
1/2 oz hot water
9 mint leaves
2 dashes orange bitters

Tools: muddler, shaker, strainer

Glass: cocktail

Pour the sugar and hot water in the shaker and stir until fully dissolved. Add the mint and lightly crush it with the muddler. Fill the shaker with ice, add remaining ingredients and shake like you got hit unexpectedly in the back of the head. Double strain into a cocktail glass and enjoy.

Double straining still leaves a few tiny mint pieces in the drink, which is actually what I wanted because they remind me of little lily pads. If you want a drink free of small floating mint pieces, use a tea strainer with smaller filter holes instead of a standard strainer.

How any of these drinks–perhaps with the exception of Meehan’s hybrid–came to be called Leap Frog is anyone’s guess, as I surely don’t know and haven’t been able to track down the answer. Perhaps a conversation with Meehan may reveal something I don’t.

Nonetheless the moral of the story should not go unheeded–don’t involve yourself in summertime activities that lead to crotches crashing in the back of other’s heads (or into your head for that matter, unless of course you’re into that sort of thing) thereby preventing bad summer memories. Instead, make cocktails that won’t unduly interfere with your noggin (except for inducing inebriation) and allow yourself to make it to next summer in one piece.

Cheers!

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below!

Paystyle was born in Tehran and grew up in Los Angeles (aka Tehrangeles) before moving to Brooklyn with his wife and co-pilot Vanessa Bahmani who provides the stunning photography of Pay’s cocktail concoctions. Return to UMAMIMART every Wednesday for his weekly Happy Hour column.

This past week has been quite a bittersweet one for me. On the bitter side, one of my favorite musicians passed away; my people in Iran are facing unimaginable cruelty in their fight to take back a dream stolen from them first in 1953 and again in 1979; and of least relative importance, my computer’s hard drive crashed and burned for reasons yet unknown. So it is a surreal experience, to say the least, that I find myself sitting behind a borrowed computer writing about cocktails of all things, while a veritable whirlwind is spinning around me.

Yet throughout the chaos and tragedy, life faithfully proves there are moments of glory, celebration, and laughter to be savored along the way. In fact, it’s as if the bitter and the sweet have a symbiotic relationship in which the presence of one is necessary to fully experience the other. Thus despite the barrage of bad news this week, there was a proverbial silver lining for me.

This week I finally brought to fruition a business project that I’ve been working on for most of this year, which up to now had only resided in my imagination. It is called Life’s a Cocktail, and its purpose is to elevate the art of the cocktail by focusing on four general areas: cocktail consulting for restaurants; signature cocktail services for special events; cocktail edutainment for smaller private parties; and marketing, ambassadorship, and public relations tailored to upstart spirit brands and micro-distilleries. The website (www.lifesacocktail.com) is currently under construction, so if you go to the url all you’ll see is a “coming soon!” sign, but in the coming weeks the rest of the details will be unveiled on the site.

On Monday I had the first opportunity to put my vision to the test, as Life’s a Cocktail created and presented the signature cocktail for the VIP reception of the first annual Tommy Awards, a ceremony honoring the contributions of outstanding USC alumni, named after the USC mascot, Tommy Trojan. The distinguished honorees included Steve Smith of the NY Giants, Broadway producer Kevin McCollum, and film director Andy Tennant.

Appropriately, the signature cocktail I created for the event is called the Tommy Collins, a refreshing thyme-infused alternative to the classic summer cooler, the Tom Collins.

Tommy Collins (aka Thyme Collins)
1.5 oz gin (London Dry or Plymouth)
1 oz thyme-infused syrup
1 oz lemon juice
club soda to top
cherry, lemon for garnish (optional)

Tools: shaker, strainer

Glass: Collins (above recipe is according to 10 oz glass, so adjust amounts as necessary)

Fill a Collins or other tall glass with ice. Place all ingredients except club soda in a shaker also filled with ice. Shake and strain into the glass, top with club soda, and stir. Add optional garnish.

I prefer this drink shaken and strained over ice per above, but if serving a large group, you can simplify your life by making the Collins mix (everything but the club soda) in advance, keeping the same ratio as above. Right before serving, give the mix a good stir to redistribute the ingredients. Then simply fill glasses with ice, pour mix about halfway, then top with the club soda and stir. For drinks such as this it’s always a good idea to provide a stirrer for guests, especially if you’re not shaking each drink.

For the event I made over 4 gallons of thyme syrup alone, and have a good 1/2 gallon to spare, so if any of you are local and thirsty, feel free to come on through for a drink, although I think I’ve had my entire summer’s share just from testing and perfecting this drink the week before. Then again, there’s always room for one or five more.

Here’s to life’s bittersweet moments. Cheers.

*Paystyle was born in Tehran and grew up in Los Angeles (aka Tehrangeles) before moving to Brooklyn with his wife and co-pilot Vanessa Bahmani who provides the stunning photography of Pay’s cocktail concoctions. Return every Wednesday for his weekly Happy Hour column.

Previous:
Gin & June Part 1, London Dry & Plymouth Gins
Gin & June Part 2, Genever
Gin & June Part 3, Old Tom Gin

For the fourth and final installment of Gin & June, I’ve decided that sloe is the way to goe. I am, of course, referring to sloe gin.

Of all the gins discussed this month, sloe gin is the odd man out. This is because sloe gin is really a flavored liqueur that has gin as its base spirit. Traditionally sloe gin is made by infusing gin with sloe berries, which are the plum-like tart and astringent fruits of the blackthorn plant. The result is an intensely sweet, deep burgundy colored liqueur that tastes like tart plums. Sloe gin made in the traditional manner often has a light almond essence as well, which is a result of the flavor from the stone of the fruit extracted by the alcohol it had been sitting in.

Most modern commercial iterations of sloe gin are not worth the price of their bottle caps, as they are often colored and flavored artificially and use cheap grain neutral spirits like vodka as the base. Thankfully for the first time in decades we can toss aside those acrid commercial imitations and get the real traditional stuff, now that Plymouth Sloe Gin has finally become available in the U.S. as of last year, albeit in limited supplies.

Since it is a liqueur, sloe gin has a lower alcohol content than other gins, usually ranging between 30-60 proof. Thus sloe gin is not a gin in the traditional sense. Nonetheless it works wonders when used as a flavoring component to complement other base spirits in cocktails.

That brings us to this week’s cocktails featuring sloe gin. The first cocktail is the Ruby Fizz, which is variation of the classic Sloe Gin Fizz.

Ruby Fizz (pictured above, right)
2 oz Plymouth Sloe Gin
1 oz fresh lemon juice
½ oz berry syrup
1 egg white (don’t be squeamish, just use fresh eggs)
chilled club soda to top

Tools: shaker, strainer

Glass: highball

Fill a highball glass with ice. Place everything except club soda in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously until your hand freezeth over. Strain into your glass and top with club soda.

You could go without the egg white if you’re really opposed to it, but I think the egg white creates such a nice rich frothy top that when combined with the berry flavor and the tartness of the sloe gin, tastes and feels like a snow cone for adults. And if you like yours stiffer and less sweet, simply replace up to half of the sloe gin with Plymouth Gin or another gin of your preference.

The next cocktail is a variation of the classic Rum Sour, which I call the Anejo Sour.

Anejo Sour (pictured above, left)
1 3/4 oz anejo rum (I used Don Q Grand Anejo)
3/4 oz Plymouth Sloe Gin
½ oz honey syrup (equal parts honey and water)
½ oz fresh lime juice
1 dash Peychaud’s bitters
chilled club soda to top

Tools: shaker, strainer

Glass: chilled sour glass

Place everything except club soda in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously until outside of shaker is ice cold and frosty. Strain into your glass and top with club soda.

The Anejo Sour departs from a traditional Rum Sour in a number of ways, though it still remains within the traditional boundaries of the sour style of drinks. Most obviously is the addition of sloe gin, and using anejo rum instead of a light rum. You don’t have to use an expensive anejo rum, but I particularly enjoy the taste of the Don Q Anejo combined with the sloe gin.

I also felt that a dash of Peychaud’s rounded out the drink in a way that I otherwise missed without it. And although sours do not traditionally call for the addition of soda or seltzer, I think a splash of soda in a sour so immediately upgrades the drink from pedestrian to peerless that it should be a compulsory addition.

That wraps up Happy Hour’s Gin & June series, which I hope was edutaitional (not a typo). I’ve not yet decided what will be in store for next week. Perhaps I’ll do a summer cocktail of some sort–that is, if summer decides to show up in NYC this year. Cheers!

*Paystyle was born in Tehran and grew up in Los Angeles (aka Tehrangeles) before moving to Brooklyn with his wife and co-pilot Vanessa Bahmani who provides the stunning photography of Pay’s cocktail concoctions. Return every Wednesday for his weekly Happy Hour column.