Manhattan cocktail fans know the usual burning question is whether the drink’s base spirit should be bourbon, rye, or some combination of the two (bartenders call that a split base). This week we say, “neither.” Instead, we’re replacing the whiskey with aquavit. Pronunciation: Á-ka-veet. Alternate spellings include akvavit and (rarely) akevitt. Since I used Linie … Continue reading Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: Aquavit Manhattan
Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: À La Louisiane
This week’s cocktail emerged from the heady New Orleans cocktail scene in the late 1800’s, where it was the original house cocktail at the fabled La Louisiane restautrant (which closed in 2005). It was first documented in a 1937 book, Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em (still available in affordable reprints), and … Continue reading Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: À La Louisiane
Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: The Gin Blossom Martini
Here’s a great drink to try for anyone who *thinks* they don’t like gin. (Side note to those people: There are more than 5,000 brands of gin in the world; have you tried them all?) It’s also a nice cocktail for the summer-to-fall transition. It’s light and a little fruity but not all the way … Continue reading Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: The Gin Blossom Martini
I know why you don’t like vermouth
Spoiler alert: It’s not the vermouth. Here’s an actual conversation I had at a recent spirits tasting—and l have some version of this conversation at least once a week with someone somewhere: Customer: “Oh, I like that cocktail. I hate dry vermouth, but I like that cocktail.”Me: “Why do you hate dry vermouth?”Customer: “Because it … Continue reading I know why you don’t like vermouth
The Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: Brown-eyed Jalisco Maid
The original is called simply “Jalisco Maid”—a tribute to the Mexican state of Jalisco (ha-LEE-sko), where most tequila is made (it may be produced in portions of four other states as well). That version called for tequila blanco, but I used tequila resposado—hence, "brown-eyed" Jalisco Maid. If the sweetener in this recipe were Cointreau or a … Continue reading The Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: Brown-eyed Jalisco Maid
Spice up your cocktails with mezcal. Heck, make it the star!
My personal mezcal stash, because I identify as a millenial ... Ask anyone in the spirits and wine industry, and you'll hear that agave spirits—principally tequila—are selling like crazy and gradually taking over retail shelf space from other categories (sorry, brandy and rum). According to Statista, U.S. sales of tequila more than doubled over the … Continue reading Spice up your cocktails with mezcal. Heck, make it the star!
The Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: Peach Smash
Make this fruity treat while peaches are still in season! You’ll need a muddler and a highball glass—a nice 16 ounce tumbler will be just fine (pretty is as pretty does!). PEACH SMASHOne third of a fresh, ripe peach, sliced3 oz Bourbon whiskey1 tsp fresh lemon juice1 oz Simple syrupSplash of seltzer or soda water … Continue reading The Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: Peach Smash
NEW! Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: The Miami Martini
With this post, I’m delighted to launch a weekly series of cocktail posts in collaboration with two of Rochester’s most respected independent retailers of cocktailware and spirits: Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor—located less than a mile from each other on Monroe Avenue near Twelve Corners in Brighton. Please read more about these partners … Continue reading NEW! Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: The Miami Martini
Brazil on the rocks: The Caipirinha and its luscious variations
Rum was born in tropical heat, and it remains the base spirit for many quintessential summer cocktails, but when most Americans think of rum, they are almost certainly not thinking of cachaça—the national spirit of Brazil. Cachaça? What’s that?? Brazil produces more than 1.4 billion liters of cachaça (pronounced “ka-SHA-suh”) annually, which makes it the … Continue reading Brazil on the rocks: The Caipirinha and its luscious variations
200 million Brazilians can’t be wrong about this spirit
And I make it policy to be friendly with a billion liters of anything Here’s a close look at the summertime spirit that’s the third most-consumed beverage in the world, behind China’s baiju and whiskies (of all styles), with annual consumption comparable to vodka. Care to guess what it is? It’s cachaça (pronounced “ka-SHA-suh”)—the national … Continue reading 200 million Brazilians can’t be wrong about this spirit
The Libation Lounge 