With company coming over I decide to go with the very simplest recipe in the book the Dark & Stormy. This is a variation on one of my favorites - the bourbon and ginger ale. I like really sharp ginger ale and the "dark rum" seems like it might be like my precious Indian Old Monk. I head over to World Market today to pick-up some Ginger Beer. I get both varieties, so I can use the one with he strongest ginger flavor. While I'm there I also pick up four martini glasses and four high balls. The martini glasses have large ball bottoms instead of the stems. They look kind of cool, but also seem way less likely to tip.
I take a taste of the dark rum with my friend Mark. I also grab the gold rum for contrast. The dark rum is, as expected, a lot richer. It actually feels like it is made from molasses. Then I grab the Pimm's and the yellow chartreuse. We have a tasting session. He comments that the yellow chartreuse tastes exactly like it looks. This is true. And not the insult that one might expect from a yellow colored liqueur.
I mix up the dark rum, the preferred Gosling's, with the ginger beer. Sadly, the mix comes up a little short of expectations. It's fine. I'd drink it again, but it's not a step up from the bourbon version and, well, I'd just hoped for more. I had a really ginger-y ginger beer in London recently and perhaps that would punch it up a bit. If I can find a really strong ginger beer, I might give it another go. In the meantime it will retreat back into anonymity.
Rating: 3; Difficulty: Very easy
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
PC Fizz
It's a couple nights later and my wife has fully recovered from the two drink Smashing Lady night. I go for the PC Fizz. I'm a little apprehensive about this one because it involves Pimm's and Yellow Chartreuse. I've never had either. We both takes sips of both liquors before mixing. Surprisingly, we like both of them individually. My wife declares that she will like this drink before I've so much as juiced a lime. Of course, at the time she doesn't know that it involves egg whites.
This has an interesting two stage technique. First we shake all the ingredients without ice, then again with ice. This, the recipe says, yields a "frothier crown." I top it with the soda water as suggested in the variation. We both like it, but are confident that it would be better without the soda water. I make a second batch and indeed it is better. It's a really good drink. I'm not really sure what the frothiness of the egg white really adds except "Elegance", so I'm ready to try it again without. However, tonight I'm already two drinks in, so it will have to wait.
Rating: 4; Difficulty: Easy
This has an interesting two stage technique. First we shake all the ingredients without ice, then again with ice. This, the recipe says, yields a "frothier crown." I top it with the soda water as suggested in the variation. We both like it, but are confident that it would be better without the soda water. I make a second batch and indeed it is better. It's a really good drink. I'm not really sure what the frothiness of the egg white really adds except "Elegance", so I'm ready to try it again without. However, tonight I'm already two drinks in, so it will have to wait.
Rating: 4; Difficulty: Easy
Monday, February 9, 2009
Jack Rose
After the surprising success of the Smashing Lady, I head back to the apple well with the Jack Rose. This pink drink was "a favorite of tough guys Bogart and Hemingway." This makes me feel better about liking Cosmopolitans. It's very simple and calls for grenadine. I haven't made my homemade grenadine yet so I settle for my store-bought "Stirrings" grenadine. This is a cinch to make. Juicing a lime and getting a thin slice of apple are the toughest parts. After last night's two drinks my wife has decided to abstain.
I don't have martini glasses, so it goes into my standard short glass. My wife takes a sip and instantly declares that "it tastes like whiskey." I had erroneously anticipated this the previous night with the same liquor, so I shouldn't have been surprised. This recipe only has the small amount of grenadine to add sweetness, so I guess the apple brandy "shines" through. I tell her that its not whiskey and that since she doesn't actually know what whiskey is she should probably stop using that as a description. "Perhaps," I suggest, "you should just say you don't like it."
I take a sip. I don't like it. I can see why one had to be a tough guy to drink it. The lime juice only contributes to the bitterness of the apple brandy. Nothing doing.
Rating: 2; Difficulty: Easy
I don't have martini glasses, so it goes into my standard short glass. My wife takes a sip and instantly declares that "it tastes like whiskey." I had erroneously anticipated this the previous night with the same liquor, so I shouldn't have been surprised. This recipe only has the small amount of grenadine to add sweetness, so I guess the apple brandy "shines" through. I tell her that its not whiskey and that since she doesn't actually know what whiskey is she should probably stop using that as a description. "Perhaps," I suggest, "you should just say you don't like it."
I take a sip. I don't like it. I can see why one had to be a tough guy to drink it. The lime juice only contributes to the bitterness of the apple brandy. Nothing doing.
Rating: 2; Difficulty: Easy
Smashing Lady
I dropped into Whole Fields to pick up some stray ingredients: dried pears, dried cherries, Lady apples, lemons, limes and POM juice. I come up empty on the dried ingredients. The POM is for the homemade grenadine. The big container of POM is $10.99. I decide that I have to go to Jewel (local grocery chain) anyway, so I may as well pick-up the POM there where it will be less expensive. The Lady apple I know was a long shot, but they have Pink Lady's and that's good enough for me. After checking out I head over to Jewel. I again come up empty on the dried cherries and pears. The same POM costs $12.99 - interesting. I suck it up, sort-off and buy a smaller size.
Tonight's objective is the Smashing Lady based on "tiny Lady apples". My Pink Lady isn't all that small, but I'll think we'll manage. I've decided to taste all the liquors on their own going forward so I have a sense for what's going into the drink. I taste the apple brandy. It tastes like whiskey. I don't really get any "apple-y" flavor. I know my wife will hate it.
This recipe calls for muddling apple spices with simple syrup. I consider myself a good muddler. I even have two muddler's. I've loaded ten apple slices (a double recipe) into my boston shaker. Sadly, muddling apples is not the same as muddling citrus. The apples are much more tenacious and don't surrender their juice easily. Additionally, using simple syrup means I've lost the grittiness of sugar which would have facilitated the muddling. In the end, I muddle through. (Officially, the first and last muddling joke.)
I add the rest of the ingredients, shake and pour. I give one to my wife, a bit hesitantly. She love its. I think it's decent. She loves it so much that she asks for a second. This time I add the slice in stages muddling along the way (that's not a muddling joke). She enjoys the second and it's got a better pulpiness from the modified muddling technique.
Rating: 3; Difficulty: Moderate for tough muddling
Tonight's objective is the Smashing Lady based on "tiny Lady apples". My Pink Lady isn't all that small, but I'll think we'll manage. I've decided to taste all the liquors on their own going forward so I have a sense for what's going into the drink. I taste the apple brandy. It tastes like whiskey. I don't really get any "apple-y" flavor. I know my wife will hate it.
This recipe calls for muddling apple spices with simple syrup. I consider myself a good muddler. I even have two muddler's. I've loaded ten apple slices (a double recipe) into my boston shaker. Sadly, muddling apples is not the same as muddling citrus. The apples are much more tenacious and don't surrender their juice easily. Additionally, using simple syrup means I've lost the grittiness of sugar which would have facilitated the muddling. In the end, I muddle through. (Officially, the first and last muddling joke.)
I add the rest of the ingredients, shake and pour. I give one to my wife, a bit hesitantly. She love its. I think it's decent. She loves it so much that she asks for a second. This time I add the slice in stages muddling along the way (that's not a muddling joke). She enjoys the second and it's got a better pulpiness from the modified muddling technique.
Rating: 3; Difficulty: Moderate for tough muddling
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Old-Fashioned
Having procured maraschino cherries and with an oranges and lemon in the fridge, I'm ready to make an Old-Fashioned. This is also out of the "Classics" section. It's a pretty straight forward endeavor. Fruit into shaker with a little sugar. Muddle. I've always liked muddling. Even the word makes me smile. Add a little bourbon and some bitters. Shake and serve.
I take a sip. It's pretty good. A sweetness from the cherry and orange (not to mention the sugar). A little bite from the bourbon and bitters. My wife takes a sip and says "it tastes like whiskey." This is a final review from my wife. There is no greater crime than to taste like "whiskey." I'm not sure she's ever tasted whiskey, but there it is. I finish mine. Then I finish hers.
Rating: 3; Difficulty: Easy
I take a sip. It's pretty good. A sweetness from the cherry and orange (not to mention the sugar). A little bite from the bourbon and bitters. My wife takes a sip and says "it tastes like whiskey." This is a final review from my wife. There is no greater crime than to taste like "whiskey." I'm not sure she's ever tasted whiskey, but there it is. I finish mine. Then I finish hers.
Rating: 3; Difficulty: Easy
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Back to the liquor store
Friday night I try to make another drink. I flip through the book looking for a recipe for which I have all the ingredients. No Dice. Tantalizingly close on some but I'm always missing at least one ingredient - dried pears, limes, star anise pods, Velvet Falernum. I decide to have ice water instead. To be fair, limes showed up in a lot more recipes than Velvet Falernum. At any rate, it appeared that another shopping trip was in order. Two actually - one to a liquor store and another to a grocery store.
Saturday, on an extended break from my safe driving course, I head over to the liquor store. I pick up three kinds of rum (light, dark and golden), two pear liquors, Pimms and golden chartreuse. The Velvet Falernum eludes me. I also pick up a case of wine - because man cannot live on mixed drinks alone. I'm out about $200 bucks for the liquors. I return to the safe driving course with two cases of liquor in my trunk.
Saturday, on an extended break from my safe driving course, I head over to the liquor store. I pick up three kinds of rum (light, dark and golden), two pear liquors, Pimms and golden chartreuse. The Velvet Falernum eludes me. I also pick up a case of wine - because man cannot live on mixed drinks alone. I'm out about $200 bucks for the liquors. I return to the safe driving course with two cases of liquor in my trunk.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Sazerac
The book starts with a section called "Classics". Probably a good place to start and ease my way into this. I write down a couple of ingredients I'm missing for the first three drinks - nothing too exotic since we're in "Classics". On our way home for dinner with my twelve year-old daughter I tell her we're going to stop by the local liquor store. She groans saying "I hate the way that place smells." "You've never been in this store," I respond. "I hate the way every liquor store you take me too smells." This does indeed make me sound like an alcoholic. I'm not. Really. In her defense, I will say that we used to live in Virginia and the liquor stores are state run - they smell like state run stores. In my defense, I will say that we've lived in our current house for six months and this is my first foray into the local liquor store.
The store looks like it could be state run, but the difference becomes evident almost immediately - a voice asks if I need help finding anything. I start with the Pernod. He wheels to the side and points to the Pernod, which is not actually Pernod, but Ricard. He shows me the shelf label marked Pernod, but can't find any Pernod. I take the Ricard. He tells me to drink it with "this much very cold water" indicating two inches with his fingers. I remember drinking this on an exchange trip to France when I was fifteen. The water and liqueur turn gray when mixed. I dumped mine into a plant. The salesman is French. He tries to speak french with my daughter. She doesn't bite.
Cointreau is next. This I would actually stock on my own. The last liquor is Laird's apple brandy. They have two bottles. He tells me that the Laird's saleswoman was in today and he assured her that he would buy more next week. Finally, I ask for some POM pomegranate juice. He tells me that his wife makes him drink some every day adding "as I don't get enough antioxidants!" Sadly we can't find it and another employee tells him that they don't carry it. The salesman is very apologetic - "the grocery stores all have it - we should have it." He's done some thinking and Pernod, Cointreau, Laird's and pomegranate juice don't add up to a cocktail he knows. He asks what drink I need the pomegranate juice for. I tell him I'm making my own grenadine. He's intrigued. I check out - $95, but I'm undeterred.
At home I crack the book open to page 22 the Sazerac. I chill a glass using ice water and get the other ingredients ready. This drink is based on rye whiskey. My in-laws drink Manhattans every night. Whenever they come to town they bring rye and vermouth just in case we've run out. Prior to this evening I have never touched their Canadian Club in their absence, so I've got quite a stockpile. I'm also not a fan of their Manhattans, so I'm not optimistic about the Sazerac. I'm also not thrilled about having bought a $28 bottle of Ricard to "coat the glass and pour out any excess." I am undeterred. The glass is cold and slightly wet from the ice water. The Ricard turns gray as it mixes with the residual water. Ah memories. I also accidentally splash some bitters on the book. I guess I own it now. The directions tell me to "stir" but I use my shaker. I know James Bond likes his martini's "shaken, not stirred." Now I've shaken when I was supposed to stir. I wonder if there are stir snobs. I garnish with a lemon twist.
The first sip is ... not bad. Pretty good actually. I can taste the Ricard but it's not overwhelming. Perhaps the teaspoon of sugar has taken the edge off the Rye. I officially declare it a not bad drink. I'm tempted to give it a 3.5 on my five point scale, but I'm also committed to not being overly precise. I decide to give it a 3 so I have room to go up - just like a figure skating competition.
Rating: 3; Difficulty: Easy all around
The store looks like it could be state run, but the difference becomes evident almost immediately - a voice asks if I need help finding anything. I start with the Pernod. He wheels to the side and points to the Pernod, which is not actually Pernod, but Ricard. He shows me the shelf label marked Pernod, but can't find any Pernod. I take the Ricard. He tells me to drink it with "this much very cold water" indicating two inches with his fingers. I remember drinking this on an exchange trip to France when I was fifteen. The water and liqueur turn gray when mixed. I dumped mine into a plant. The salesman is French. He tries to speak french with my daughter. She doesn't bite.
Cointreau is next. This I would actually stock on my own. The last liquor is Laird's apple brandy. They have two bottles. He tells me that the Laird's saleswoman was in today and he assured her that he would buy more next week. Finally, I ask for some POM pomegranate juice. He tells me that his wife makes him drink some every day adding "as I don't get enough antioxidants!" Sadly we can't find it and another employee tells him that they don't carry it. The salesman is very apologetic - "the grocery stores all have it - we should have it." He's done some thinking and Pernod, Cointreau, Laird's and pomegranate juice don't add up to a cocktail he knows. He asks what drink I need the pomegranate juice for. I tell him I'm making my own grenadine. He's intrigued. I check out - $95, but I'm undeterred.
At home I crack the book open to page 22 the Sazerac. I chill a glass using ice water and get the other ingredients ready. This drink is based on rye whiskey. My in-laws drink Manhattans every night. Whenever they come to town they bring rye and vermouth just in case we've run out. Prior to this evening I have never touched their Canadian Club in their absence, so I've got quite a stockpile. I'm also not a fan of their Manhattans, so I'm not optimistic about the Sazerac. I'm also not thrilled about having bought a $28 bottle of Ricard to "coat the glass and pour out any excess." I am undeterred. The glass is cold and slightly wet from the ice water. The Ricard turns gray as it mixes with the residual water. Ah memories. I also accidentally splash some bitters on the book. I guess I own it now. The directions tell me to "stir" but I use my shaker. I know James Bond likes his martini's "shaken, not stirred." Now I've shaken when I was supposed to stir. I wonder if there are stir snobs. I garnish with a lemon twist.
The first sip is ... not bad. Pretty good actually. I can taste the Ricard but it's not overwhelming. Perhaps the teaspoon of sugar has taken the edge off the Rye. I officially declare it a not bad drink. I'm tempted to give it a 3.5 on my five point scale, but I'm also committed to not being overly precise. I decide to give it a 3 so I have room to go up - just like a figure skating competition.
Rating: 3; Difficulty: Easy all around
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