Spirited Cocktails » Recipes

Beautiful Combinations: Tequila & Chartreuse

Josh — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 14:58:16 +0000

I have a confession to make. I don’t love tequila.

I know. “For shame!” you shout. “Blasphemy!” But it’s true. All things being equal, I would always prefer a cocktail with gin, rum or whisky over the agave spirits (which includes mezcal as well…gasp!) It may be that my palette tends more towards the sweet or bitter vs. the savory flavor or smokiness of tequila. Or it may be that many years ago, at my 22nd birthday bash, a kind benefactor started buying my friends and I shots of tequila to celebrate (no doubt the best brand available at our college-town dive bar), and I ended the night sicker than I had ever been (or since).

So maybe my dislike isn’t fair. Of course I know that there are far superior brands than the one that ruined the day after my 22nd birthday. In my defense, I’ve been working to break myself of this dislike, and I’ve found a terrific way to easy myself back in. The beautiful combination that is tequila and green chartreuse.

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The Negroni

Josh — Tue, 31 May 2011 21:03:08 +0000

In my last post, I wrote about gin cocktails at Eleven Madison Park. Many of my cocktail friends know that I’m a latecomer to the Negroni, having not been a particular fan of Campari in the past, which is a key ingredient. For whatever reason, it just hasn’t been a good fit with my taste. But to me, the highlight of my afternoon at Eleven Madison Park was the Negroni cocktail, so I thought it would be worth a bit more discussion.

As I started to write about this cocktail, my mind went to that joke about The Aristocrats? Content of the joke aside, the idea is that every comedian has their own version of the joke, and having a version of your own is seen as something of a secret handshake among comedians. I think the Negroni is the Aristocrats of the cocktail world. It’s a perfect template, but everyone has their own version.
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The Penicillin

Josh — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 19:07:01 +0000

Photo: Heather Sperling | June 2008

Good scotch cocktails are hard to come by. We have a few classics, like the Blood and Sand, but for the most part, whisky cocktails lean much more heavily on bourbon or rye. Scotch just has such a unique and present flavor of it’s own that it tends to compete too harshly with other ingredients. And besides, it’s just so delicious when served neat.

But a good friend e-mailed me this morning asking that I send her the recipe for one of her favorite cocktails, The Penicillin, and in doing so she brought this great scotch cocktail back to my mind. The Penicillin was created by infamous Milk & Honey bartender Sam Ross, and it’s sure to cure what ails ya.
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Tis the Season for Punch

Josh — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:13:20 +0000

There are two categories of drinks that, through their intrinsic qualities, conjure the holiday spirit. The first are hot toddies – cocktails made with whisky, citrus, baking spices, and hot water or tea. They warm the soul, stir the spirit, and – I’m convinced – cure the common cold. (Also considered within this category might be ski chalet-esque cocktails like Hot Buttered Rum.)

The other category is punch. And this is why cocktail luminary and historian David Wondrich’s new book, “Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl” could not have come at a better time.

I’m throwing a small (well, it’s become rather large) holiday soiree this coming weekend, and both for its holiday spirit-inducing qualities, and its ability to serve a crowd, punch will be the focus of the bar. So I’ve been buried nose-deep in Mr. Wondrich’s book looking for ideas, and the real difficulty now lies in narrowing down the choices!
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The Rattlesnake – a San Francisco Favorite

Josh — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 20:19:19 +0000

My time in San Francisco-proper was relatively limited this time around, as the primary purpose of my trip is a conference out in the Silicon Valley area. That being said, I packed in a solid weekend in the city, filled mostly with eating and drinking (naturally). I had an amazing meal at Incanto, which is a must if you’re a meat lover (pork in particular). I had outstanding mexican food, well, pretty much everywhere. I had terrific coffee from Blue Bottle at the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market (which was a great experience in and of itself). And I discovered my favorite cocktail of the trip when I stopped for a snack at Beretta (where the food was also outstanding).
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The Rolls Royce Cocktail

Josh — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 14:53:38 +0000

I’ve been meaning to post about this cocktail for quite some time.

Recently, I was at one of my favorite NYC cocktail haunts – the kind where you can entrust your taste to the eminently talented bartender, who will surely not disappoint. I was looking for something in the vein of a Manhattan, but different. What I got, truly to my pleasure, was a Rolls Royce.

There are a few things I love about the Rolls Royce. First, it’s boozy. That just suits my taste. Second, it has Bénédictine in it, which has to be one of the most under-utilized spirits out there. Bénédictine is an herbal liqueur made from 27 plants and spices. Similar in style (though distinctly different), you might compare Bénédictine with Chartreuse, in that it’s herbal, aromatic, somewhat sweet, and a little bit goes a very long way.
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Mixology Monday – Black Market Manhattan

Josh — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:24:36 +0000

It’s been a while again, I know. But inspiration strikes, so I follow.

Today’s Mixology Monday is brought to you by one of our favorite people, Lindsey Johnson of Lush Life Productions. For this week’s MxMo, Lindsey has chosen the topic of her own blog, Brown, Bitter & Stirred. The criteria for participating posts? Cocktails that are, well, brown, bitter & stirred (the only criteria Lindsey chooses when ordering cocktails pretty much anywhere she goes.)

For my entry, I’ve chosen to share the Black Market Manhattan. It’s a simple cocktail, but with a twist on the classic recipe that creates some welcome complexity of flavor that’s sure to please.
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Gold Rush

Josh — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:13:41 +0000

I’m not a terribly spiritual person, but I try as best I can to believe in the power of positive thought. If nothing else, thinking about good stuff tends to distract you from all the crappy stuff. Well, we’ve had a pretty hefty winter here in New York (February 2010 was the snowiest month on record), and as much as I like the change in seasons, I’m ready for spring. So I’m invoking the power of positive thought by way of a good cocktail, because, well, what better way is there?

In thinking about what cocktail would help make a smooth transition, and get the power of positive thought moving, I turned to the Gold Rush. This cocktail is essentially a cold version of a hot toddy, just without the wintery spices (which, as I try to channel warmer weather, is fine by me.)
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French 75

Josh — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:06:21 +0000

Last week I told you about my trip to Rye House to celebrate Mardi Gras, New Orleans-style. I mentioned some of the cocktails we sampled, including the Sazarac and the Vieux Carre. I’d like to share one more staple of the Mardi Gras celebration – or any celebration for that matter – The French 75.

This cocktail is actually named after the French 75-mm field gun; a commonplace piece of artillery during World War I. Apparently this particular gun was known for its recoil system, which allowed for much smoother operation than had previously been possible. Once you try the cocktail, you’ll understand how appropriate that is. (History once again courtesy of Ted Haigh’s Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails; a must-have for any bartender’s bookshelf.)
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Vieux Carre – The Perfect Way to Celebrate Fat Tuesday

Josh — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 23:16:49 +0000

Earlier this week, I was fortunate to join many of New York’s cocktail twitterati for a celebration of Mardi Gras at one of my favorite new bars, Rye House. At an event hosted by the Time Out Dining & Libation Society, we were lucky to find proprietor and master mixologist Lynette Marrero behind the bar furiously shaking and stirring the classic cocktails of New Orleans, including the Sazarac, the French 75, and my favorite of the evening – the Vieux Carre.
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