Locavores and Upstate New York cocktail lovers in general, this sweet vermouth is especially for you. In post-World War II United States, vermouth was one of the most under-appreciated and therefore under-used beverage categories behind the bar; blame that on Prohibition and on the millions of GIs, sailors, Marines, and airmen who came home from … Continue reading Method Spirits Sweet Vermouth: A kiss from the Finger Lakes
That’s Bond. Bottled-in-Bond.
Happy birthday to this landmark legislation. Whenever you sip American whiskey and it doesn't smell or taste of creosote and iodine, raise your glass in a toast to Col. E.H. Taylor (later U.S. Senator E.H. Taylor) and his allies in the distilling industry for working with then-Secretary of the Treasury John G. Carlisle to protect … Continue reading That’s Bond. Bottled-in-Bond.
Orange Liqueurs Classified and Explained
Or, “When is a curaçao not a curaçao, and should I even care?” Full disclosure: I work a few hours a week assisting customers at Pinnacle Wine & Liquor here in Rochester, NY. The orange liqueurs we carry at Pinnacle are pretty typical of what’s available across the country, and I’m linking to Pinnacle’s website … Continue reading Orange Liqueurs Classified and Explained
The Old Pal
Harry MacElhone (the Harry of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris) credited his “old pal,” journalist William “Sparrow” Robertson, with the inspiration for this drink. As the sports editor for the New York Herald in Paris, Robertson frequented the New York Bar enough for Harry to mention him in his 1922 ABC of Mixing Cocktails. … Continue reading The Old Pal
Oh, my Bloody Knees!
This drink is an amazingly balanced and tasty twist on the vintage Bees Knees cocktail, but includes blood orange juice instead of ordinary orange juice. Freshly squeezed, of course. With all of that citrus content, you can expect some tart, but the honey syrup keeps that in check. It's glorious. BLOODY KNEES 2 oz Gin … Continue reading Oh, my Bloody Knees!
The Colletti Royale
Rooty-tooty, fresh and fruity—the cocktail stars aligned for this one, and it's a great cocktail for sparkling wine lovers. I have some blood orange juice, and Nancy *somehow* came by a bottle of Cava rosé. I may or may not have bought that for her with ulterior motives; I can neither confirm nor deny. Nor … Continue reading The Colletti Royale
The Diamondback
It's not the size of the drink, it's the size of the bite in the drink, and this drink bites like a diamondback. It's bottled-in-bond rye whiskey wearing a bowtie and pocket square, but it is clearly bottled-in-bond rye. It’s a perfect drink to serve in a Nick and Nora glass, at just 2-3 ounces … Continue reading The Diamondback
Melinda’s Margarita
Happy National Margarita Day! This is my favorite Margarita—Melinda’s Margarita—and the trick to it is getting the heat just right. Trust me; I made the the overkill variation once. Once. Melinda is my friend who suggested improving another recipe I used by muddling 2-3 jalapeño slices in the shaker before adding ice and shaking the … Continue reading Melinda’s Margarita
Damn the (Bloody) Weather
Damn the weather! An irrelevant observation, really, but I hear that a lot from people in Western New York around late February and March. In their defense, I had a great-uncle who always said something to the effect of, "If I can make it through March, I'll have the year in the bag for sure." … Continue reading Damn the (Bloody) Weather
Lower-alcohol: The Starlight Reverse Martini
The reverse Martini and Manhattan—an ounce of booze to two ounces of vermouth instead of the conventional reverse—are not new ideas. In fact, long before Prohibition, proto-Martinis such as the Martinez were typically one-to-one booze-to-vermouth mixes. There’s a much longer story to be told about how America’s “greatest generation” messed up vermouth for half a … Continue reading Lower-alcohol: The Starlight Reverse Martini
The Libation Lounge 