Cocktations

What Do I Call This?

2012-02-10T21:22:00.002-06:00

A variation on a Negroni with...(insert drum roll here)...

1 oz Bak's Bison Grass vodka

3 dashes bison grass bitters (homemade)

1 oz Imbue

1 oz Aperol

Stir over ice, strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a swath of lemon peel.

The Dusty Bowtie

2012-01-20T17:46:00.000-06:00

This one goes out to someone with whom I work, who often wears bowties and requested his own signature drink using Sloe Gin. He's also not a heavy drinker so this cocktail is light on the booze.

1 oz Bitter Truth Sloe Gin
1/2 oz Bitter Truth Creme de Violette
1/2 oz Scrappy's Sirop de Gomme
3/4 oz Meyer lemon juice
2 dashes Fee Bros Whiskey Barrel Bitters
1 egg white
2 oz soda water

Dry shake to froth egg white. Add ice and shake it like you caught it stealing your lawn mower. Strain into glass with one or two large cubes of ice. Top with 2 oz soda water and two sippy straws.

Paradise Louched

2011-08-19T23:50:00.052-05:00

Paradise Louched

It's been exactly one year since I entered an about.com cocktail contest, so after returning from Tales of the Cocktail and feeling full of renewed inspiration, I decided that it might be time to step up to the plate again.

It just so happens that the July/August contest for this year just happens to involve one of my favorite spirits--absinthe, so I was immediately excited about getting to work on my entry.

As a long-time member of The Wormwood Society, America's Premier Absinthe Association & Information Network, I have a great deal of knowledge about the myths and realities of absinthe, and have sampled in the realm of 60+ different absinthes, including one pre-ban absinthe. I used my familiarity with the different flavor profiles to select what I believe is the perfect absinthe to use in my creation.

My new-found love and enthusiasm for all things tiki led me to pick up a signed copy of Beachbum Berry's new book, Remixed: A Gallery of Tiki Drinks while I was in NOLA. From my reading, I learned that one of Don The Beachcomber's tricks was to use Pernod (once a great absinthe, now a pale shadow of it's former self) in small quantities to add depth and dimension to certain tiki drinks. So if a few drops of Pernod could punch up a tropical drink, could a tiki drink be created that used absinthe as the base? I decided it was my task to find out!

I chose to use a Swiss/blanche absinthe as the base of my drink since I believe the more anise and fennel-forward flavors would work better with tropical tiki flavors than would a more herbal verte. While I believe La Valote works best in Paradise Louched (a play on Paradise Lost), I realize that in many areas the selections of absinthes are limited at best and so I will mention that Pere Francois or Kubler would also work well in this drink.

In Paradise Louched, the absinthe is clearly present, yet functions in harmony with the rhum agricole, fresh juices, floral water, and is supported by the cinnamon syrup’s subtle spice. My goal was to create a drink that is readily accessible to even those who might not otherwise try or believe they would enjoy absinthe. Absinthe’s history is filled with so much myth, misinformation, and mystery, that the come-hither allure of a tropical drink presented in a whimsical tiki mug may just be the perfect introduction to the green (or in this case white) fairy.

1.25 oz of La Valote (Pere Francoise or Kubler are also acceptable)

1 oz Rhum J.M Gold

1 oz pineapple juice

1 oz fresh lemon juice

1 oz homemade cinnamon syrup (recipe below)

½ tsp orange flower water

In a blender, puree all ingredients with 1.5 cups of crushed ice until slushy. Serve in a tiki mug, adding additional ice to fill, and garnish with a straw and a sprig of fresh mint.

To prepare the cinnamon syrup take 3 cinnamon sticks, crushed, 1 cup water, and 1 cup demerara sugar and boil until sugar dissolves. Let the mixture sit to further infuse for 2 hours, then strain into a container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

What's Up Doc?

2011-02-25T18:27:00.001-06:00

I love Cocchi Americano. I also love Plymouth Gin. Aperol? Love it. And I can't get enough of Meyer lemons. They make winter more tolerable. What can I make with all 4 ingredients?

What's Up Doc?
1.5 oz Cocchi Americano
1 oz Plymouth Gin
0.5 oz Aperol
0.5 oz Meyer Lemon juice
Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

The color is a beautiful cloudy apricot. The flavor starts out with a hint of sour, pungency, slight sweetness, and ends with a significant bitterness. This, my friends, is cocktail magic.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Irish Dinner

2011-02-24T19:10:00.000-06:00

It's a cold and rainy Thursday evening nearing the end of a hard week. While I typically avoid drinking on "school nights", the recipe for a Complete Irish Meal cocktail passed before my thirsty eyes on Facebook via Liquor.com. A few years back, in 2009, Bushmills held a contest asking someone to create a Bushmills and egg drink. One of the entries was the Complete Irish Meal by Anthony Malone. I'm both hungry, but not too hungry, and thirsty. Oh, what the heck. I'll try one, but with my own twists.

Luckily I have a few free-range eggs laying around in the fridge, but no Bushmills, and which cherry liqueur should I use? Also, for reasons unexplainable, I despise the word meal, so...

Irish Dinner
1 oz Paddy's Irish Whiskey
1/2 oz Cherry Heering
1/2 oz freshly squeezed orange juice
1 fresh egg

Dry shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker for 20 seconds, the add ice, and shake to chill. Strain into a coupe glass.

The whiskey is present, but not overbearing, and the texture is like a thinned eggnog. The flavor has a hint of cherry, orange, and nuttiness interwoven with the hint of Irish whiskey and bound together with the creaminess of the egg. A lovely dinner indeed!

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

The Doctor Is Out

2011-02-18T18:10:00.001-06:00

To compensate for the grievous faux pas of missing the birthday of a new friend, I offered to make her a birthday cocktail. She likes lemony things, gin, and bitter stuff, so here's what I created:

The Doctor Is Out
1 oz Boomsma Genever Jonge
1 oz Cardamaro
2.5 oz San Pellegrino Limonata
Build over ice in a short glass and garnish with a slice of lemon.

It's refreshing, a hint bitter, and bracing. Just like Kate. ;-)

Valentine Sour

2011-02-13T16:04:00.001-06:00

2 oz Maker's 46
1 oz Meyer lemon juice
1 oz Toschi Vanilla syrup
1/2 oz Joseph Cartron Pomegranate liqueur

Shake with ice and strain into a short glass filled with ice. Happy Valentine's Day!

Bernheim Sweet Tea

2011-02-11T20:35:00.001-06:00

Today I went to a CEU conference. Those things are expensive! And the main difference between a $119-a-day conference fo 6 CEU's and a $189-a-day conference for 6 CEU's is a continental breakfast. Said continental breakfast typically consists of fruit, pastries, bagels, coffee, and tea. It's good tea--Tazo Tea. But is it worth the $60 price difference? Hardly.

So today, trying to eek my money's worth out of the anger management conference, I tried the Tazo Green Ginger tea with lemon grass. Delicious! As I sipped my tea and listened to the Southern gentleman speaker, I started daydreaming. "This tea would be really good with some sugar and Bourbon," I thought.

Tonight, I was asked to make a cocktail that would pair well with a BBQ dinner, ordered from Bandanas. My cocktailian mind started to process. What does BBQ pair with well? Sweet tea! I ran to my purse and grabbed the 3 packets of Tazo Green Ginger tea I had snagged at the end of the conference (trying to fully make up for that $60 price difference). I quickly decided on Bernheim Wheat Whiskey as I believed the soft, sweet, wheat character would pair best with the sweet citrus tea.

Bernheim Sweet Tea
(for two cocktails)
3 oz of Tazo Green Ginger tea (made with 2 cups hot water to 3 tea bags, steeped 3-4 minutes)
1/2 oz Scrappy's Sirope de Gomme
2 oz Bernheim Wheat Whiskey
Stir with ice and strain into two short glasses, each with one large ice cube or ice ball.
Garnish with a long strip of Meyer lemon cut over the glass.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Edelster Aventinus Cocktail

2011-02-11T19:30:00.001-06:00

So I've been getting more into beer as of late. Thanks to a cool new audio blog, Expert Drinking hosted by Dr. Bill (Bill Sysak) and his ever-faithful side-kick and drinking companion, Stephen Johnson, I've been learning about the history of beer.

As usual, once I begin learning more in depth information on a new aspect of the world of delicious booze, I cannot resist jumping in with both feet in terms of tasting. Schneider Aventinus is one of the few 100 point beers on ratebeer.com, and as such, I couldn't resist, inspired by my new-found beer "expertise", trying it. With it's rich, deep brown color and sweet pumpernickel bread meets over-ripe banana nose, this is one 100 point beer I can get solidly behind.

Along side the eminently recognizable purple-labeled Aventinus beers at my favorite liquor store, I noticed a 375mL clear bottle with the same label. What was this? Beer liquor? In a sense, yes. It is actually distilled Aventinus beer, and according to reviews, it tastes strikingly similar to the beer from which it comes. Tonight I bought a bottle and brought my new discovery home. First I sampled it neat to discover that the critics were correct--the taste is entirely recognizable as a distilled form of Aventinus beer. But could a cocktail be made with this already delicious and complexly flavored spirit? A quick internet search revealed nothing. So it was up to me. I wanted to create something that didn't mask the signature Aventinus flavor, but rather brought it forth even more so...

Aventinus Cocktail
2 oz Edelster Aventinus
1/2 oz Scrappy's Sirop de Gomme
3 dashes Regan's Orange Bitters
Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a spiral of Meyer lemon peel cut over the glass.

While Edelster Aventinus is very drinkable on its own, mixed with the gum syrup, it gains a slight sweetness and weight, which when paired with the orange bitters and lemon oils, make it into a wonderful cocktail that allows all of the inherent complexities of the spirit shine through.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Beer Haikus

2011-02-09T20:58:00.001-06:00

I've been listening to the history of beer on Expert Drinking's new website. Good stuff! As a result, I've written two haikus about beer...

Fermentation is
Civilization. If so,
Please pass me a beer.

The spontanous
Fermentation has begun.
God is good! Let's drink.

I think the second is of higher quality than the first, but I'm relatively new to poetry so cut me some slack. ;-)

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Full Metal Jacket

2011-01-28T20:33:00.000-06:00

I recently read on Eye Weekly about a Toronto bar, Melody Bar , located in the Gladstone Hotel, whose mixologist, Sandy De Almedia, has created a beautiful new cocktail...the Full Metal Jacket.

Yet being without any Crown Royal, and sans Flor de Cana 5 year, I made a few alterations and came up with my own riff on this beautiful drink. The only question, is this still a Full Metal Jacket if I tweak the ingredients slightly? Is it other? I don't rightly know. I do know, however, that it is important to cite my sources (hence the links above) and give credit where it is due. Regardless, here is my own riff on this cocktail and I must say it works quite nicely.

0.75 oz Averna Amaro
0.75 oz Sazerac Rye
0.75 oz Mount Gay XO
3 heavy dashes Fee Bros Grapefruit bitters

Stir all ingredients with ice and pour into a lowball glass over a large ice sphere and garnish with a long swath of Meyer lemon rind that has been cut across the glass to capture the essential oils.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Pumpkin Pie Cocktail

2010-10-30T14:40:00.001-05:00

Hiram Walker's seasonal Pumpkin Spice liqueur begs to be made into a Pumpkin Pie drink. Yet all of the pumpkin pie drink recipes I have thus far found online left me unimpressed. This inspired me to recall a drink I had created in the Fall of 2008 and publish it for the betterment of all pumpkin pie lovers and sweet freaks.

Back then, before I knew better, I served this drink in a v-shaped cocktail glass and called it a Pumpkin Pie Martini. But it is not a martini. A martini is not just any drink served in a v-shaped cocktail glass. It is gin, vermouth, and bitters--and please let's not get started on the whole "vodka martini" issue. Rather, let's get on with this recipe, shall we?

Pumpkin Pie Cocktail
1 oz Hiram Walker Pumpkin Pie Spice liqueur
1/2 oz Smirnoff Vanilla vodka
1/4 oz Licor 43
3 drops Fee Bros Old Fashioned Bitters
1 oz milk
Shake over ice vigorously to chill quickly and strain into a cocktail glass of your choosing. Garnish with a dash of pumpkin pie spice. You can also hit this with a bit of whipped cream if you have it handy.

The drink is very rich, quite sweet, and quite reminiscent of pumpkin pie in a liquid form. It makes a great dessert drink and puts the HW Pumpkin Pie Spice to good use.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Menta Stinger

2010-10-15T23:17:00.001-05:00

While you may have heard of the classic Stinger cocktail, made with Cognac and Creme de Menthe, this twist is something I had read about nearly a year ago, but was unable to try due to local unavailability of Branca Menta, the mint version of Fernet Branca. While in NYC this past weekend I was able to pick up a bottle of the coveted Branca Menta at Astor Wine and Spirits and today I made a long-awaited, much-heralded Menta Stinger. I can no longer locate the original recipe, but decided to split the difference between Drink Boy's 4:1 ratio and the typical 2:1 ratio I found elsewhere for the classic Stinger, and go with the following:

Menta Stinger
2 oz Cognac (I used Caymus VS)
3/4 oz Branca Menta
Shake over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The taste is savory, slightly minty (which grows in the back of your throat as you consume the drink), black-tea-like, and nicely herbal (think horehound, anise, baking spice, and subtle citrus). This is a very complex drink, not at all "sweet", and one that would be great to sip in front of a roaring fire during a snow storm. In fact, I may just consider it my official 2010 Winter cocktail!

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Luxardo Bitter & Pepsi Throwback

2010-10-12T22:45:00.000-05:00

After my food-and-drink-focused trip to NYC and New Jersey (for the Wine Library 2010 Supertasting), I'm winding down at home and had planned an evening of abstaining from any additional high-calorie foods (that was blown away by my cheese, salami, potato chip, and pretzel dinner) and alcoholic drinks. And yet, in perusing my purchase order from Astor Wines & Spirits I began to fantasize about all of the cocktail-making fun that awaits me when my order arrives. The order consists of items I cannot find locally, in spite of being vocal about my desires for such items, including Delaware Phoenix Distellery's Walton Waters and Meadow of Love absinthes, Pacifique Absinthe, Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy, Sagatiba's Pura and Vela cachacas, Catdaddy Moonshine, and Fernet Branca's Branca Menta. I'm excited to try some of these items, and revisit old friends (so to speak), but the Branca Menta is something I've been wanting to access for the longest time. In anticipation I've been doing some research on Fernet Branca and Branca Menta, and discovered that the former is quite popular with Coca Cola in Argentina, so much so that a popular song, Fernet con Coca, was written about the drink. The notion of mixing a bitter amaro with a sweet soda got me thinking about a bottle of Luxardo Bitter that I have sitting in my basement. Luxardo is most similar to Campari, yet a bit less thick and bracing. If Argentinians love their Fernet con Coca so much that they don't want to be without it in a jail cell (those are the translated lyrics from the song), then maybe Luxardo Bitter and Pepsi Throwback might be equally nice. I mixed 1 oz of Luxardo Bitter to one tall ice-filled glass full of Pepsi and found it to be quite refreshing and delightful. The bitterness balances nicely with the sweetness of the Pepsi and the alcohol content is on the lower side--a perfect ending to a lovely, if calorie-laden, vacation.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

I Actually Won!

2010-09-26T09:22:00.000-05:00

This is just a quick update to let readers know that I won the cocktails.about.com August Bourbon cocktail contest with my Georgia On My Mind cocktail. When I learned that I had actually won I had a bit of a Sally Field moment, exclaiming, "I can't deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me!" although in actuality you all just like my drink. Either way, I'll take it!

~Cheers, ~Dr. Cocktation

Georgia on My Mind

2010-08-30T19:31:00.000-05:00

Here it is--my very first about.com cocktail contest entry. The theme for August is Bourbon, so I've been working diligently in my kitchen on weekends using the tried and true scientific method to carefully vary individual ingredients in each potential cocktail until I came up with what I believe is a winning combination. I've never been good at naming my creations, so a friend came up with Georgia on My Mind as a nod to the peach flavor.

2 oz Four Roses Bourbon
0.5 oz Domaine de Canton Ginger liqueur
1.5 oz Looza peach nectar
4 fresh medium-sized basil leaves
2-3 dashes of Bitter Truth Celery bitters

Muddle the basil in a cocktail shaker and add all of the liquid ingredients. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into an ice-filled short glass and garnish with a sprig of fresh basil.

Sweet and Spicy Caipirinha

2010-08-28T00:31:00.000-05:00

It's a cool late Summer evening and I'm in a spicy mood, due in part to my neighbor's generous donation of some hot red peppers of unknown lineage. I was asked to make a caipirinha and decided to take this Brazilian favorite in a different direction. The resulting spicy, yet pleasant, decoction, is offered for your enjoyment...

2 oz Leblon Cachaca
1 oz Thatchers Tres Chilis
1/3" ring of a medium-spicy small pepper
Juice of 1/2 Meyer lemon
Juice of 1/2 orange
1 larger key lime
1 bar spoon raw sugar
3 strawberries
Muddle key lime, strawberries, and pepper in cocktail shaker with sugar. Add liquid ingredients and ice and shake hard. Strain into ice-filled short glass.

The drink is the color of a sunset and is sweet, spicy, and perfect for a summer night.

Cheers, ~Dr. Cocktation

The Spicy Sanchez

2010-07-09T20:09:00.000-05:00

I bought some new tequila at Lukas Liquor on Manchester Rd (for your STL MO readers)...Tequila El Mayor Reposado Then, on the way home from work I bought some kumquats. Tonight I read enviously of a friend enjoying a traditional gin martini, but wasn't in the mood for gin, so I improvised. As a result of this improv session, I now proudly bring you...

The Spicy Sanchez
2 oz Tequila El Mayor Reposado
1 barspoon of Del Maguey Minero Mezcal
1 kumquat
1.5 oz Thatcher's Tres Chilis
1 dash Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters
1 barspoon agave syrup

Muddle the kumquat in the bottom of a shaker tin, add ice and all other ingredients. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. There is a sweet, slightly spicy smokiness to this drink that seems to fit well with a humid summer night. The subtle hint of citrus from the kumquat adds nicely to the drink. I'm sure I could play more with this basic recipe and go on tweaking, but I liked it "as is" well enough to want to share.

Cheers, ~Dr. Cocktaition

Mayday

2010-05-28T20:59:00.001-05:00

Today is the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, 2010--a great day in my little world. Ahead of me is a 3 day weekend full of food (glorious food!), fantastic beverages, good friends, and good times (along with a little work thrown in for good measure). Tonight I felt inspired to create a new cocktail with the ingredients I have in my refrigerator and behind my bar. I started with some variations on the Caipirinha, which led to this little creation that I call....

Mayday

1.75 oz Square One Botanical

0.5 oz limoncello

1 tangerine

1 key lime

1 sprig dill

Quarter and muddle the tangerine and key lime along with the dill in a mixing glass. Add limoncello, Square One Botanical, and ice and shake it like you mean business. Dump the entire contents of the shaker into a short glass.

The drink is very citrusy, summery, and refreshing. I think it is the perfect Summer beverage to sip on a warm day.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Strawberries-N-Cream

2010-04-24T21:03:00.000-05:00

At a recent private wine tasting event my friend, Tony Viviano, of Viviano & Sons Italian Market, introduced me to Fragoli Italian Wild Strawberry Liqueur. This stuff smells like a strawberry shortcake, and I'm quite tempted to pour this sweet stuff over a short stack of pancakes or a waffle on Saturday mornings. Bottled with tiny wild strawberries, this delicious Italian liqueur is great mixed with prosecco, lemonade, or 7-up. But tonight, I stumbled upon a combination so obvious, yet so delightful that I just had to share it with the world. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you my latest creation...

Strawberries-N-Cream
In a short ice-filled glass pour 1/2 bottle of good cream soda (I used IBC). To this add 1.5 oz of Fragoli Wild Strawberry and stir. That's it. It is so simple yet so good that I actually exclaimed, "I am a genius!" after the first sip.

Cheers, ~Dr. Cocktation

Sloe Gin Fizz

2010-04-14T21:22:00.002-05:00

In the words of Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Sloe gin fizzy, do it 'till you're dizzy, give it all you got until you're put out of your misery. With the availability of honest-to-goodness Plymouth Sloe Gin in the US market, it is now possible to make a refreshing Sloe Gin Fizz, without having to resort to artificially-flavored "sloe gin" schnapps. If you can find Plymouth Sloe Gin (I ordered mine from Drink Up New York and it was worth the effort), try one of these on for size...

Sloe Gin Fizz
2.5 oz Plymouth Sloe Gin
0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz simple syrup
1/2 egg white*
Shake vigorously without ice, to froth the egg white. Then add ice and shake again to chill. Pour into an ice-filled short glass, garnish with a lemon slice, and top with 2 oz of sparkling water.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

*NB: The American Egg Board states: There have been warnings against consuming raw or lightly cooked eggs on the grounds that the egg may be contaminated with Salmonella, a bacteria responsible for a type of food-borne illness.

Hendrick's Spring

2010-04-03T22:18:00.000-05:00

I love Hendrick's Gin. Made in Scotland, it contains rose and cucumber, along with other botanicals, imparting a unique and enticing flavor. Tonight I created a new Spring cocktail using Hendrick's gin and Thatcher's Cucumber (I'll post more about Thatcher's products later. For now, I'll just say that all of their stuff is the shit and you should buy it and try it straight first. You can thank me later.) Anyway, I'm calling my new creation Hendrick's Spring.

Hendrick's Spring
2 oz Hendrick's gin
1 oz Thatcher's Cucumber
4-5 oz tonic (I used Whole Foods 365 Tonic)
1 slice Meyer lemon
6-8 fresh mint leaves

Build over plenty of ice in a lowball glass, placing the mint and lemon slice deep in the glass amid the ice to impart more flavor. Mmmmm, the flavor reminds me of a crisp, sunny Spring day.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Jack Rose Cocktail

2010-03-13T21:45:00.001-06:00

Tonight I'm revisiting an old friend--the Jack Rose cocktail. I ordered some Laird's Bottled in Bond Apple Brandy from Drink Up New York. This crucial ingredient plus some Fee Brothers grenadine and Meyer lemon juice make a damned tasty Jack Rose--better than any I've ever had before.

Jack Rose Cocktail
2 oz Laird's Bottled in Bond Apple Brandy
1 oz Meyer lemon juice
1/2 oz Fee Bros Grenadine
Shake over ice. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a piece of lemon peel.

When prepared in this manner and with these ingredients, the Jack Rose cocktail tastes fresh and inviting, with layers of fruit and a hit of tartness that fits perfectly with the transition from Winter to Spring. It's as if my glass is heralding the coming of warmer weather and blooming red and pink flowers. Also, don't forget this weekend we switch back to Daylight Saving Time. Spring forward!

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Creme Yvette Absinthe Frappe

2010-03-12T21:33:00.000-06:00

To celebrate the appearance of Creme Yvette back on the US cocktail scene, I decided to make an absinthe and Creme Yvette frappe. The recipe is simple and consists of 2 oz of a good blanche absinthe (I used La Valote),
one ounce of Creme Yvette, 4 oz of water, and ice shaken and strained into two ice-filled absinthe glasses. One could obviously split the recipe in half for one drink, but what good is drinking alone? The drink is simple, yet refreshing, and is a striking violet-purple hue. Welcome home, Creme Yvette and welcome Spring!

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Judy's Big Orange Cooler Hurricanes

2010-02-14T14:09:00.004-06:00

When most people think of Mardi Gras they think of New Orleans, but St. Louis' Mardi Gras celebration is the second largest celebration in the US. In the weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday, immediately followed by Ash Wednesday, there is the Soulard Barkus Parade, with the Soulard Mardi Gras parade usually being held on the weekend prior. After spending a number of years traveling down to the Soulard neighborhood by cab with friends to stand out in the cold with tens of thousands of people, drinking $10 Southern Comfort hurricanes (utter blasphemy!), and waiting in endless lines for my turn in the 3' X 2' stench cell, also known as a porta-potty, I finally decided to stop the madness and celebrate at home.

When you're inviting over a significant number of friends it's important to have a solid go-to recipe for making a large batch of genuine Hurricanes. I've taken the basic, true Hurricane cocktail recipe and tweaked it out for large-scale use and to allow usage of standard-sized containers of liquor and juice. I prepare my Hurricanes in the standard round, orange cooler with a spout, and freeze large blocks of ice ahead of time to keep the drink cold inside the cooler throughout the party.

Judy's Big Orange Cooler Hurricanes

Add 2-3 large blocks of ice (you could use a cake pan or bread pan to make these) to your cooler.

1 gallon of no pulp orange juice

1 bottle of Myer's Dark Rum (or other dark rum)

1 bottle of Mount Gay Eclipse Gold Rum (or other gold rum)

1 bottle Bacardi White Rum (or other white rum)

12 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

10 oz freshly squeezed lime juice

14 oz Monin Passion Fruit syrup

12 oz Monon Grenadine syrup

28 oz cold water

8 oz simple syrup

Stir all of the ingredients inside the cooler to mix, and serve the hurricanes to your guests over ice.

Be forewarned that the mixture of juices and syrups mask the high alcohol content of these drinks, so be sure that guests know that these hurricanes pack a punch.

Cheers, ~Dr. Cocktation

My NOLA Saint's Superbowl Cocktail Contest Entry--One Saint

2010-01-31T16:57:00.001-06:00

As a regular Tales of the Cocktail attendee I was thrilled when I became aware of the chance to enter the Drink Like A Saint cocktail competition. The grand prize is a bunch of free passes to a variety of TOTC events (which has comprised a large portion of my previous years' TOTC budget)! The basis of the contest is for amateur mixologists (that's me!) to create a NOLA Saints-themed cocktail to celebrate their trip to Superbowl XLIV (that's 44 for all of you non-Romans). The contest deadline was noon today, so I emailed my entry to the Times Picayune this morning. Included below is an excerpt, along with the recipe, from my emailed contest entry.

So, without further ado, my creation...

The name of my cocktail entry is One Saint. The name reflects the two main ingredients in the cocktail--Square One Botanical and St. Germain elderflower liqueur.

The recipe is as follows:

1.5 oz Square One Botanical
1 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
1/4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 oz strongly-brewed jasmine green tea (I used Trader Joe's Jasmine Green tea and brewed it with two tea bags to one cup of hot water.)
1/4 oz Monin Violet syrup

Shake all of the ingredients listed above over ice in a shaker until well-chilled.
Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass, top with 2 oz sparkling water, and garnish with a lemon slice. Add two cocktail straws, sip, and enjoy while watching The NOLA Saints trounce the Colts! GO SAINTS!!!

The rationale for my choice of ingredients is probably readily apparent. I chose to use the St. Germain as it is delicious, has the word "saint" in the name, is a beautiful golden color, and although it is not made in NOLA, I associate it with the city (It's where I first encountered St. Germain at TOTC in 2008). From that basis I found that the floral components of the Square One Botanical, the jasmine green tea, and the Monin violet syrup worked well together to give the drink a summery feel that reminds me of NOLA. I decided to make this more of a long drink and add the sparkling water as I believe that is easier to enjoy while watching the game than a mostly alcohol based cocktail would be. The drink has a nice golden color and the lemon garnish echos this, making it one of the Saint's primary team colors. While some friends say they note a strong guava juice aspect to the drink, others say it reminds them of liquid gummy bears. Either way, most of
the feedback I have received on this creation has been positive.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

The Bakon-CocoaTini

2010-01-16T16:06:00.000-06:00

I just picked up a bottle of Bakon Vodka at The Wine and Cheese Place and started off with a Bakon Bloody Mary that was head-and-shoulders above any plain old Bloody Mary I've ever had. That said, I was struck with the notion to find a way to combine the delicious, smoky, baconlicious flavor of this vodka with chocolate in some way. I think I have done it. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Bakon CocoTini ...

1 oz Bakon vodka
1 oz clear Creme de Cacao
1 oz half-and-half
2 dashes Fee Bros Aztec Chocolate bitters
Shake over ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with 2 more dashes of bitters on top and use a toothpick to swirl a design into the top of the drink.

The sweetness of the creme de cacao, coupled with the smoky, meatiness of the bacon vodka, is complimented by the additional layer of chocolate and spice in the bitters, and held together by the richness of the half-and-half. I dare you to resist the temptation of the Bakon-CocoaTini!

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Odds and Ends to Close out 2009 and Ring in 2010

2010-01-03T12:47:00.014-06:00

Gentle Reader,

Please accept my apologies for having neglected you so thoughtlessly since my last post on 12/24/09. I was on vacay from both jobs, and while I should have found ample time for sharing more of my beverage-related concoctions and imbibing adventures, alas I did not follow through. Today's post will be devoted to catching up with you on what I've been drinking and doing over the holiday season.

But first, I'd like to offer a few quote from one of my gustatory heroes, the inimitable (unless you are Meryl Streep) Julia Child:

Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.

You must have discipline to have fun.

Now, let's get down to business. On 12/17/09 I had the pleasure and honor of meeting one of my greatest wine heroes, Gary Vaynerchuk, at his STL World Market book signing for Crush It. Afterwards, my fellow Vayniacs and I retired with Gary to Robust for the special Vayniac wine flight that was being offered that evening, some delicious food, and some private time with Gary. For pics and more details on our time with Gary, visit the Robust Wine Vine blog.

On 12/21/09 my local wine tasting group and I went to Brazie's Ristorante on the Hill and took over their back room with all of our holiday wines. Our theme for dinner was sharing a wine that really got each of excited about wine drinking. That night I was lucky enough to try Dom Perignon (1995 vintage) for the first time, 2001 Clos Mogador, Silver Oak, an '88 Riesling, a '93 Tokaji, 2006 Tignanello, and a '64 Colhieta tawny port, to name a few. If you ever find yourself hungry for good Italian food at the corner of Watson and Arsenal, try Brazie's and don't leave without a taste of their amazing cassata cake.

Christmas eve Santa brought a wonderful little treat to my house--one of the Del Maguey single village mezcals. The Minero to be exact. Ron Cooper runs an amazing operation and enables those of us stuck in boring old USA to sample the best sipping mezcals that the tiny, remote villages of Mexico have to offer. To me, the Minero tastes of a vanilla Tootsie Roll wrapped with a sliver of teriyaki beef jerky and hidden inside a fire-roasted chipotle pepper, dashed with a hint of vinegar, and coated with the lingering scent of a burnt tire. Although my description may sound anything but delicious, this delightful mezcal is meant to be enjoyed in moderation and will warm you from the inside with its seductive smokey-sweet scent and smooth character. Bottom line, you must try this beverage, and if you are in the STL area you can find it at Lukas Liquors and The Wine Merchant.

Christmas morning found me opening what has become over the past week my cocktail New Testament--Gary Regan's "Joy of Mixology." In this book, Regan offers a cohesive theory of mixology that should enable any cocktailian to not only prepare the classics, but also move into new cocktail territory. His classification of cocktails into families, based on shared similarities, enables readers to gain a fundamental understanding of how the various ingredients function in any one drink, and thereby imagine new combinations based on this foundational comprehension. To quote from the book jacket, "Once you understand that the Margarita is a member of the New Orleans Sour Family, you’ll instantly see that a Kamikaze is just a vodka-based Margarita." Brilliant stuff, Gary!

New Year's Eve day found me playing around with a new bottle of Black Bottle blended Scotch whisky, and Drambuie to make a delicious Rusty Nail (2 parts Scotch to 1 part Drambuie stirred over ice and strained). New Year's Eve (and well into New Year's Day 2010) I enjoyed the heck out of a bottle of non-vintage Jacques Copinet Brut Rose. For my dollar, I generally prefer to select a Grower's Champagne to a Grande Marques Champagne.

Finally, on Palidrome Day [01.02.2010], which was also my mother's 70th birthday, the family dined at our favorite little spot in St. Charles, Vivian's Vineyards and broke into a bottle of 2002 Domaine de Jamet Cote-Rotie. Even with aeration via the Vinturi (another gift from Santa) and time in a Riedel decanter, the wine never reached the heights of the 2003 Jamet Cote-Rotie. Serves me right for being cheap and not wanting to spend the extra 30 bones to get the 2003. Oh well, 2010, like all other years that preceded it will be full of opportunities to live and learn and endeavor to do better next time.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Homemade Eggnog Cocktail

2009-12-24T17:21:00.001-06:00

After spending Christmas Eve day at the office (ala Bob Cratchit), I came home to a mistake--a carton of "fat free" eggnog that I had picked up at the grocery store. What was I thinking?

Thick, gloppy, and schmaltz-yellow, it plopped forth like cold, gelatinous gravy from the container into my glass--not exactly inviting. The taste was worse than the visual presentation. Metallic and fantastically craptacular, I pondered if there actually might be schmaltz in my glass. The flavor was vile and horrific; not at all what eggnog should be.

I ran to my computer scanned Google for homemade eggnog recipes and saw Alton Brown had one posted on Food Network. Thankfully, I had bought some farm-fresh eggs, whole milk, and half-and-half at the grocery store (along with that evil fakenog). Not an hour after my fortuitous stumbling upon Alton's recipe (with some tweaking of my own) I sit before you drinking the most sumptuous homemade eggnog cocktail I have ever had.

Let's start with the eggnog recipe, which as previously mentioned, is based on Alton Brown's recipe.

Separate 4 fresh (the freshest you can find) egg yolks from 4 egg whites, placing each in their own bowls*. Starting with the yolks, whip with a beater until buttery yellow. The add 1/3 cup of raw sugar and blend until dissolved. To this add 2 cups of whole milk and 1 cup of half-and-half. Finally, add in the proportions you prefer some nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and clove (not totaling more than 1.5 tsp of spices in all). Now for the egg whites. Whip with a beater until medium stiff peaks form and add 1 T of raw sugar, whipping to incorporate. Fold the egg whites into the egg and milk mixture and refrigerate to chill.

Now for the cocktail. The following recipe is for 2 drinks.

2 oz good dark rum (e.g. Barbancourt 8 year)
4 dashes of Angostura orange bitters
6 oz homemade eggnog
1 barspoon of St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram

Shake the rum, bitters, and allspice dram over ice. Strain into 6 oz eggnog and stir. Split between two cocktail glasses that have been garnished with a twist of lemon zest.

Cheers and Merry Christmas! ~Dr. Cocktation

*NB: The American Egg Board states: There have been warnings against consuming raw or lightly cooked eggs on the grounds that the egg may be contaminated with Salmonella, a bacteria responsible for a type of food-borne illness.

The Wormwood Society's Musique d'Absinthe Volume 1

2009-12-23T19:31:00.000-06:00

Ladies and Gents, I present to you a musical offering to delight your senses and broaden your musical horizons--the Wormwood Society's first compilation of original pieces gathered together for your aural pleasure on one CD: Musique d'Absinthe Volume 1

How much would you expect to pay for these 10 dynamite songs, specifically composed and rendered to enhance your absinthe-imbibing experience? $20? $10? $5? Tish tosh, gentle reader. You can be the proud owner of this unique collection of music for the low, low price of $2 (plus shipping and handling). Run, don't walk, your fingers over to kunaki.com and order yours today!

Hot Buttered Rum

2009-12-19T22:10:00.000-06:00

Today in St. Louis, MO we had a few snow flurries. It's almost Christmas and shoppers were hustling and bustling about in the chill to get the last few gifts on their lists, myself included. After spending a cold Winter day braving the holiday crowds and elements, nothing sounds more comforting than a warm, inviting mug of hot buttered rum.

Hot Buttered Rum (for two)

5 (or so) allspice berries, 4 (or so) cloves, 1/3 (or so) of a cinnamon stick

Pulverize the spices into small chunks with a mortar and pestle and add to 2 cups of boiling water.

Stir and set aside.

In two pre-warmed mugs use a channel knife to cut a swath of orange zest and lemon zest into each cup.

(Be sure to get the oils that spray forth into the mugs as well.)

Grate a bit of nutmeg into each mug.

Add 1 tsp of butter to the bottom of each mug.

Add 1 to 1.5 tsp of brown sugar to each mug.

Add 1 to 1.5 tsp of demerara sugar to each mug.

Add 2 oz good dark rum (I used Barbancourt 8-year-old) to each mug.

Stir the spice and hot water mixture and measure out 6 oz for each mug.

Pour the hot water into each mug, stirring to melt the butter.

The result should be a hot, spicy-sweet, rumlicious beverage with a hint of citrus and creamy foam on top--perfect for warming up while the wind and snow blows outside.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Floral Absinthe Frappe

2009-12-12T18:38:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am a big-time absinthe dork. While I will be saving the in-depth absinthe education for another post, I wanted to share a simple absinthe drink for those of you who live in an area where absinthe is readily available at your local drinking and dining establishments.

Oftentimes, well-meaning bars and restaurants, eager to jump on the absinthe bandwagon, will lack the equipment and knowledge to make a properly louched absinthe for customers. Enter the absinthe frappe. Armed with this simple recipe, you can order a properly diluted and sweetened absinthe drink from any establishment that has the requisite main ingredient--absinthe.

As an aside, this particular absinthe frappe recipe uses orange flower water and Peychaud's Bitters, which can be omitted if one desires only a basic absinthe drink, and uses no ice in the glass, as is traditional for a louched absinthe. One may always add ice to this drink, but I would suggest decreasing the amount of water in the shaker if this is the case, as the ice will melt as you imbibe, further diluting your absinthe.

Judy's Floral Absinthe Frappe
1-1.5 oz absinthe (My recommendations for US available absinthes include Marteau, Pacifique, Walton Waters, and Meadow of Love.
3 oz water
1 tsp simple syrup
1 scant tsp orange flower water
2-3 dashes of Peychaud's bitters
Shake in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and strain into a highball glass.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Repeal Day and The Japanese Cocktail

2009-12-05T11:24:00.001-06:00

Today is December 5th, Repeal Day. On this date in 1933 the 21st Amendment was ratified, putting an end to the 13 years of darkness and despair ushered in on January 16th, 1919, when Congress passed the 18th Amendment establishing Prohibition in the United States. The 18th Amendment along with the Volstead Act, which served to define prohibited intoxicating liquors, banned the manufacture, sale, and transportation of all intoxicating liquors within the United States and its territories. While prohibition did not ban the consumption of alcohol explicitly, it did make obtaining alcohol in a legal manner almost impossible.

To celebrate this momentous date in US history, I can think of nothing better than having a Japanese Cocktail. This recipe comes from Jerry Thomas' 1887 Bar Tenders Guide, and while it is a rather obscure cocktail, it is very simple and delicious. My individual opinion is that such a delectable beverage should never have fallen out of popularity, and deserves to be rescued from obscurity by cocktail enthusiasts.

The Japanese Cocktail
2 oz brandy or Cognac (I use Camus VS)
1/2 oz orgeat syrup (Fee Bros)
2-3 dashes of bitters (I use Fee Bros, but Angostura would work as well)
Shake in a shaker with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon, making sure to allow the lemon oils to fall onto the top of the drink while cutting the twist.

I've included Robert Hess' (aka Drink Boy) video on how to make The Japanese Cocktail, which also includes some information on how brandy, Cognac, and Armagnac is defined. I hope that watching it and reading this might inspire someone to try this amazing drink. Once you've had one, you will wonder how you lived a life without knowing such glorious goodness.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Absinthe, For Your Entertainment

2009-11-30T20:09:00.001-06:00

I just finished watching Adam Lambert's official video for his first single, For Your Entertainment. Regardless of what you think of Lambert, he is clearly a showman, and he works that angle fiercely in his first video. The song is a sly combination of enticing grooves paired with lyrics that insinuate that Lambert is both in complete control and at the same time simply here for our entertainment. The video's visuals are replete with symbolism, including a forbidden underworld along with snakes and apples at every turn evoking connotations of the Garden of Eden and partaking of forbidden fruit. At minute 2 in the video there is a brief shot of two nubile women drinking glasses of a green clear liquid, which appears to have been poured from the fountain shown at minute 2.30. And just what are these ladies drinking? Absinthe, of course.

As a Wormwood Society member and absinthe connoisseur (I've been drinking absinthe for over 3 years, have sampled over 40 absinthes, and am a member of the Wormwood Society's advisory board), I consider myself to be somewhat of an expert on the myths and facts about absinthe. Given my passion about the subject of absinthe, whenever I see absinthe being misrepresented or abused, I feel an obligation to speak out. In the case of Adam Lambert's video, there is both good and bad in the way that absinthe is portrayed.

Let's start with the good...
No fire. I can't tell you how grateful I am and how glad my heart is that in this video no absinthe is set on fire. True absinthe that is properly distilled should never be flamed. Doing so is damaging to the delicate flavors of absinthe (Would you set an expensive Pinot Noir on fire before you drink it?), is dangerous (Absinthe is highly flammable; more so than most spirits which are distilled to a lower proof.), and only serves to perpetuate false notions that absinthe is a drug and tastes terrible (Czechsinthe tastes terrible, to be sure, but true absinthe is a wonderful beverage).

On the other hand...
The absinthe fountain is incorrectly filled with absinthe. The video depicts a proper absinthe fountain being used; however, the set-up is all wrong. Rather than filling the fountain itself with absinthe, the fountain should be filled with ice water. The spigots of the fountain are then used to slowly drip cold water over a sugar cube that is held over the absinthe glass by a slotted absinthe spoon. This process of diluting the absinthe in the glass and the resultant clouding of the absinthe and water mixture is called louching. In the video it appears that the fountain is being used as an absinthe dispenser. If this were the case, the resulting drink would be undiluted and therefore undrinkable. Absinthe should always be louched before drinking, if one is interested in enjoying the beverage, as opposed to just getting drunk and forgoing any pleasure that is to be had.

My assumption is that no one filming the video has ever used an absinthe fountain before. It's an easy mistake to make, if you don't know what the equipment is for; however, this is no excuse for the improper preparation displayed in the video.

In the future I'll be writing more about absinthe and sharing my knowledge and opinions in this blog. For now, let's wrap up with today's take-home messages:
1) Friends don't let friends burn absinthe.
2) Always louche to a ratio of 1 part absinthe to 3-5 parts cold water before you drink.
3) Just say no to Czechsinthe.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

A Post-Thanksgiving Ramos Gin Fizz

2009-11-27T17:27:00.003-06:00

I'm having my second Ramos Gin Fizz of the evening, and I realized that this is one of the most healthy beverages anyone can have. What other cocktail provides you with protein (from egg whites), calcium (from half-and-half), and plenty of vitamins (from lime and lemon juices)? Indeed, this drink is more like a healthy breakfast than a cocktail. The recipe I use is that of New Orleans bartender, Chris McMillian, from the Ritz-Carlton's Library Lounge.

Ramos Gin Fizz
1.5 oz gin (G'vigne or Plymouth is my recommendation)
2 oz half-and-half
one very fresh egg white
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz lime juice
1/8 oz orange flower water
2-3 drops Vanilla extract
1 oz simple syrup

Shake all ingredients vigorously in a shaker tin with NO ice for 1-2 minutes. Then add ice and shake again until it's so cold your hands hurt. Strain into a tall glass with no ice and add about 3 oz of sparkling water and stir. The resultant beverage should taste like a frothy, creamy sip of heaven.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Highway 40/64 Grand Reopening Celebration Cocktail

2009-11-24T22:06:00.005-06:00

Nearly every St. Louisan knows that for the past 2 years (or nearly that long) our beloved Highway 40 (or 64/40 as the powers that be are trying to get us to call it) has been closed for major repair and reconstruction. But on Monday, December 7th, 2009 the new highway will re-open. Thus, on the preceding Sunday, December 6th, there will be a grand celebration on the new stretch of highway, including a 5K race, and people will be permitted to walk and ride bikes on the highway before the ribbon cutting ceremony at 3pm.

For those planning to rise early next Sunday and brave the cold winter weather for the 5K, I believe a hot toddy is in order. Therefore, I have put my creative cocktail juices to work on a 40/64 toddy befitting of this chilly, yet momentous occasion. The following recipe lists ingredients and proportions for a single one-cup serving, but I recommend making it in larger batches and keeping it hot in a thermos. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you my 40/64 toddy! [insert applause here]

Highway 40/64 Toddy
3 oz camomile tea
4 oz apple cider
Simmer both for a few minutes with a cinnamon stick, a few allspice berries, a few cloves, and one small piece of candied ginger. Then add...
1.5 oz Applejack
1 tsp honey
1/4 oz Marteau absinthe (you could also use Duplais, Pacifique, or Clandestine)
Serve in a mug with a touch of freshly grated nutmeg on top, or if necessary to stave off freezing temperatures, drink directly from a thermos.

If you see me next weekend at the 40/64 Grand Opening, I will neither confirm nor deny that this beverage is in my thermos.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Thanksgiving Wines

2009-11-23T19:29:00.003-06:00

With Thanksgiving a mere 3 days away, it's time to clean the house, finish up the grocery shopping, and put the finishing touches on your menu. At my house, wine is always in integral part of the Thanksgiving meal. This year, I will be serving 3 wines with dinner--a red, a white, and a rose.

First, a note about rose wine. Forget the white Zinfandel or sweet blush wines. Dry rose has made its comeback, so if you tend to turn up your nose when you see pink in someone's wine glass, you may want to familiarize yourself with what today's roses have to offer before passing judgment.

For the red wine, I'll be serving the Evesham Wood 2008 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is a classic Thanksgiving pairing, and the Evesham Wood is a value-driven pinot that really delivers, and I expect it to match well with the turkey itself and the mushroom and wild rice casserole I'm making.

The Trimbach 2005 Pinot Blanc is a white wine from Alsace that packs a lot of fruit (think tree fruits like apricot, peach, and pear) with good weight and acidity that makes for a good food wine. For guests who like whites, but need to branch out beyond oak-heavy Chardonnay, the Trimbach Pinot Blanc is a great option that will keep them coming back for more.

Don't let the stelvin closure (eek, a screw cap) on the aptly-named Turkey Flat 2007 Rose fool you. There is some serious Barossa Valley juice inside this bottle. Flavors of fresh, juicy strawberry with a spicy backbone and good acidity mean that this wine is the perfect choice for those who can't decide between red or white with dinner. If the idea of serving and/or drinking a pink wine makes you apprehensive, I encourage you to take a risk this Thursday and make Turkey Flat the second turkey on your Thanksgiving day table.

Cheers! ~Dr, Cocktation

Apple Brandy Old Fashioned & A Twist on the Caipirinha

2009-11-21T19:53:00.001-06:00

I seem to enjoy making cocktails in twos, and tonight is no exception. First I created a variation on the Caipirinha, and decided to quickly name it...

Not Your Mama's Caipirhina
1/8th wedge of lemon, lime, and orange, muddled in a large shaker tin
1/2 oz Orgeat syrup
2 oz Leblon Cachaca
Fill shaker 1/2 full with ice
Shake and pour out all contents (fruit shells and ice) into a lowball glass

Using multiple citrus fruits, rather than just lime came from the Leblon room mixing lesson at 2009 Tales of the Cocktail. I also decided to substitute orgeat for the sugar, and found its flavors worked beautifully with the mix of citrus.

The Apple Brandy Old Fashioned is just a tweak of the Applejack Old Fashioned I discovered somewhere on the net last weekend. This Fall I have become enamored with Applejack, Calvados, and Apple Brandy and have been substituting with these spirits in a variety of whiskey and bourbon-based cocktails.

Apple Brandy Old Fashioned
1/8 wedge of orange muddled in a mixing glass
1 tsp of maple syrup
2 oz Clear Creek Eau de Vie de Pomme
3 dashes Fee Bros Old Fashioned Bitters
Stir with plenty of ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass

The apple flavor of the brandy pairs very well with the maple, hint of orange, and spiciness of the bitters. To put it simply, to me, this cocktail tastes like Fall.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Something Old and Something New

2009-11-20T18:56:00.003-06:00

Tonight, as I embark on a glorious 9-day-stretch of freedom from my day-job, I am working on both an old standby and a new creation. The old standby is the Brandy Alexander, and tonight's new creation is the Purple Haze. Both are creamy cocktails utilizing half-and-half. Although I tend to eschew the use of such indulgent ingredients in my day-to-day drinks, there is something about entering into the Holiday Season that almost grants me permission to throw my usual fat-conscious cautions to the wind.

Let's begin with the time-tested favorite--The Brandy Alexander
1 oz of Camus Cognac
1 oz creme de cacao
1 oz half-and-half
2 dashes Fee's Chocolate Bitters
Freshly grated nutmeg
Shake all ingredients over ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with nutmeg.

Although I initially started with Robert Hess' recipe that calls for 1/2 oz more of brandy, I discovered that the equal balance ratio that I found in Harry and Wynn's Barflies and Cocktails: 300 Recipes(1927) more to my liking. The addition of the chocolate bitters happened just because I have them and thought, "What the heck." And you know what, it works.

Moving on to my new creation for this evening--The Purple Haze
1 oz Absolut Los Angeles vodka [Acai, Acerola, Pomegranate & Blueberry]
1 oz half-and-half
1/2 oz Chambord
2 dashes of Fee Bros Chocolate Bitters
3 dashes of Fee Bros Old Fashioned Bitters
1 coffee bean
Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a dark cherry.

The inspiration for this cocktail was a co-worker mentioning her love of cocktails made with Chambord. I initially started this cocktail using Stoli Blakberi vodka, which gave the drink an odd, metallic taste. I found the Absolut LA worked much better in the drink and echoed the smooth, rich dark berry fruit flavors of the Chambord. I added the bitters to spice things up (literally and figuratively) and to add another dimension to the drink. And the coffee bean? I threw one it (locally roasted Kaldi's coffee to be exact) because I wanted to add a bit of a coffee oil note to the whole shebang.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Simple Festive Holiday Drink (for those who aren't liquor snobs)

2009-11-18T17:57:00.003-06:00

A good friend of mine recently asked for a simple cocktail suggestion that she could offer to family and friends for Thanksgiving to round out her holiday beverage offerings. Knowing that she lives in a state that has limited liquor available, and that she would like something that is simple (not a lot of cocktail shaking, lemon zesting, ice crushing etc), approachable (for guests who don't normally drink gin martinis and Sazeracs), and festive, I set aside my penchant for snobbery and complexity, and instead looked towards the simple option of mixing a flavored vodka with a sparkling juice.

I know that many classic cocktailers tend to turn up their noses at the word vodka, but in my individual opinion, well-made (i.e. Charbay, Square One, Hangar One) flavor infused vodkas can play a role in making a delicious yet simple drink that anyone can enjoy (if pretensions are laid aside).

Now that I've worked through my defensiveness, let's move on to the drink itself. For the sparkling juice, Trader Joe's sparkling Pomegranate, Blueberry, and Cranberry are great, flavorful, inexpensive options. When I first tested various flavor combinations I was surprised to find that like doesn't always mix well with like. For example, cranberry vodka mixed with cranberry sparkling juice is not delicious, but if you use pomegranate or blueberry juice, you've got a winner. I'm sure that some of the better sparkling apple ciders and grape juices would also work well with a well-made fruit vodka. Use your imagination, and don't forget the garnish. For those who aren't so adventurous, I'll recommend the following combination as an example:

1 oz Charbay Pomegranate vodka in a champagne flute
top with Trader Joe's sparkling Cranberry juice
drop a fresh cranberry in the glass

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Tuesday Evening Shopping List

2009-11-17T21:46:00.002-06:00

Tonight I found myself in Ellisville, MO (a suburb of St. Louis, for the non-locals), and I felt the draw of my favorite liquor shop--no, wait a second...hold up...this place is more accurately referred to as a supreme palace of booze--Lukas Liquor Superstore. I stopped in with my holiday shopping list in hand and picked up a few goodies to play with over the winter months. Some are old standbys, while others I've never tried before. The following is a partial list of some ingredients you are likely to see me using in upcoming week's cocktails.

Camus Cognac VS Elegance: I've never tried this Cognac, but it comes highly recommended by Tim Greco of Lukas. I'm excited to try a Sidecar and a Vieux Carre with it, as well as to expand my understanding and appreciation of Cognac by sipping a little of the Camus straight.

Clear Creek Eau de Vie de Pomme : This is the 8-year-oak-limousin-aged version. I was jazzed to find the Clear Creek available in a 375 ml bottle, which allows for "sampling" when you're not quite sure you want to buy a whole bottle. That said, this Oregon apple brandy that is said to rival some of the higher-quality Calvados, is probably something I'll want more of, eventually. I plan to try this out in a Widow's Kiss and Fallen Leaves cocktails.

Luxardo Bitter Liqueur: Luxardo is well-known to me for their Maraschino liqueur and very reliable Triplum (triple sec). Their Bitter Liqueur dates back to 1885 and is a Campari-esque (if I may use such a term) liqueur that is mainly comprised of sweet orange, bitter orange, rhubarb, mint, marjoram and thyme, along with some other highly secretive ingredients that makes it Luxardo's own unique combination. I'll probably start off trying this in a Venetian-style spritzer with a little sparkling water and a slice of lemon. Once I get to know this bitter a little better ;-), there's no telling what I might mix up with it.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Judy's Premium Baltimore Zoo

2009-11-15T20:12:00.002-06:00

Back in my undergrad days at Truman State University (although then it was called Northeast Missouri State University) one of my favorite local bars was TP's Office. At TP's the specialty house drink was a Baltimore Zoo--a Long Island Iced Tea type of drink with a twist. Although these types of drinks are often high in alcohol and low in quality (designed to deliver maximum intoxication for minimum money, perfect for any college student wanting a budget buzz), I feel a certain nostalgia for this fruity, high-octane beverage. A few weeks ago my college roommate came over for dinner and she reminded me of the Baltimore Zoos we would consume with reckless abandon. This walk down memory lane prompted me to recreate this beverage with some premium ingredients designed to appeal to my more sophisticated adult palate. By using these higher quality liquors and mixers, the drink retains it's fun, fruity, racy appeal, yet avoids turning into a barely-palatable ticket to hangover city. I give you, Judy's Premium Baltimore Zoo...

Judy's Premium Baltimore Zoo
1 oz G'vigne gin
1 oz Mount Gay white rum
1 oz Lazaronni amaretto
1 oz Southern Comfort
1 oz Luxardo Triplum
1 oz any decent vodka
1 oz homemade sweet and sour (lemon, orange, lime juice with simple syrup)
1 oz Fee Bros grenadine
1 oz Bud Select

Shake everything minus the beer in a shaker with ice. Strain into tall glass over ice. Add beer and stir. Garnish with a lemon slice, cherry (preferably not those soulless bright red ones in a jar, but a frozen, pitted dark cherry from Trader Joe's would do nicely), and a colorful bendy straw.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

Abbazia Di Novacella 2008 Kerner Wine Review

2009-11-15T16:33:00.007-06:00

A Brand New Cocktail for Friday the 13th

2009-11-13T17:44:00.001-06:00

I'm back from a business trip to NOLA and was itching to play around with the booze tonight. I think this one is going to be a keeper, although I'd like to play more with different proportions, if I hadn't run out of Tuaca. Nevertheless, I offer for your drinking pleasure...

The Switzerland
1.5 oz calvados (Morin)
1 oz Tuaca
1 oz Berentzen's Apfelkorn
3 dashes Fee Bros bitters
Shake over ice and strain into a cocktail glass

I chose the name because the liquors/liqueurs that go into this drink represent France, Italy, and Germany--a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to the World Wars. Looking for something that represents a balance among these three countries in history, I hit upon the idea of Switzerland, being located in the middle of all three countries and decidedly neutral in both of the wars. If anyone plays around with ratios and finds a better balance (although I like this balance just fine, but then again I do have a bit of a sweet tooth) let me know!

Cheers, ~Dr. Cocktation

Maita'i roa ae!

2009-11-07T17:19:00.001-06:00

It is a beautiful STL evening in November, following a 70+ degree sunny Fall day. Last weekend I snagged my first bottle of Fee Bros Orgeat and so tonight I am celebrating the end of a gorgeous and productive day with a Mai Tai. I used Robert Hess' [aka Drinkboy's] recipe, but found I needed just a tad more sweetness present. My own recipe (a riff on Drinkboy's) follows.

1 oz Mount Gay Eclipse Rum
1 oz Appleton Estates Rum
1/2 oz key lime juice
1/2 oz Luxardo Triple Sec
3/4 oz Fee Bros Orgeat
1 cherry (frozen from Trader Joes, not a soulless maraschino cherry)
1 orange slice

Shake all liquid ingredients (including lime shells) over ice and strain into an iced low-ball glass. Garnish with cherry and orange slice. Ideally, add a sprig of enlivened (smack it between your palms) fresh mint (which I do have access to in my back yard, but am too lazy to go out and get).

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation

2 Cocktails in Honor of My Doggy--Chablis

2009-11-06T19:09:00.000-06:00

Hello and welcome to Cocktations--my effort at documenting all of the cocktails, the good, the bad, and the ugly, that I make up on weekends after the 5pm whistle blows on Fridays. I'll also be documenting the creations of others that I try, tweak (or just leave as is), and enjoy (or not). I'm not a bartender, or a professional mixologist. I am a psychologist (no, I'm not interested in analyzing you), a wine dork, a foodie, a home do-it-yourself-er, and many other things. I am also a cocktail enthusiast who loves to experiment at home in the hopes of coming up with that perfect cocktail that is so much more than the sum of its parts--the holy grail of cocktails [insert angels singing and bright ethereal lights here].

To start things off, I though I would post the recipe for 2 cocktails that I made in August of 2009 (08.08.09 to be exact), in honor of my puppy, a 13-year-old Maltese named Chablis.

The Chablis
3 oz Lillet blanc
1 oz limoncello
squeeze of lemon
3 dashes Fee Bros cherry bitters
3 oz sparkling water
Build in a highball glass over ice.

The Collapsing Trachea
[So named for my doggy's condition. I figure when life gives you "lemons" make "lemonade."]
3 oz Lillet blanc
1 oz limoncello
1/2 oz kirschwasser
3 oz cream soda
squeeze of lemon
Build in a tall glass over ice. Garnish with lemon slice.

These two drinks are obviously variations on the same theme, with the use of Lillet (obviously a tip-of-the-hat to my puppy's French name), the limoncello, and a cherry element in each (due to my doggy's sweetness). Both were quite enjoyable in their own ways, and I hope if you try them you enjoy them as well.

Cheers!
~Dr. Cocktation