Creole Commando

One of my favorite drinks I learned during my time at The Beagle in NYC was the Commando.  Its a variation of the Sidecar, another favorite classic of mine.  And here at SoBou, when people ask for an off menu drink, I often guide them to the Commando.  Its refreshing and citrusy but has a nice Bourbon kick.  And the Absinthe rinse is pure New Orleans.  

The Commando was such a hit with a customer last night, that he asked for further variations of THAT drink!  Well, easily done as Creole Shubb makes an interesting, more Nola alternative to Cointreau and this blog is called RyeGirl, after all.  So I present the Creole Commando!  Reminds me of all my New Orleans friends who spent the recent hurricane with pistols and automatic weapons strapped to their sides (yikes!).





Creole Commando
1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
1 oz Rhum Clément Creole Shrubb
1/2 oz Lemon juice

Rinse coupe with Absinthe. Shake, strain up, no garnish.

Commando 

1/2 oz lemon,
1 oz Cointreau,
1 1/2 Elijah Craig 12yr.

Rinse coupe with Absinthe. Shake, strain up, no garnish.

Sidecar

3/4 oz Lemon

3/4 oz Cointreau

1 1/2 oz Brandy or Cognac (Lairds apple brandy is good!)

rim glass with lemon juice and sugar rim, shake, strain up. 

What Would Jesus Drink?

I remember fondly one Easter spent with my Dad when we lived in the West Village. We were thinking after spending 3 days in a tomb, he might be a touch peckish. So what would Jesus eat? Well some hummus, or course! So we headed to a Middle Eastern restaurant on the corner of Carmine and Bedford and had ourselves a feast. That space later became the 2nd round of Shopins and is now Market Table. I could be a restaurant anthropologist. I love charting the resurrections

Tonight, waiting for a dear friend in another beautiful historic neighborhood, Brooklyn Heights, I strolled around and looked in on some new and old restaurants. Nice to see Noodle Pudding still packed on a Saturday night. I have some fond memories there.

As I peeked in at Jack the Horse (not as busy tonight) I was drawn into the warm glow of the roman Catholic Church having its Easter Mass. The Priest greeted me with a lovely smile and wished me a happy Easter. I went inside to admire the Romanesque style church and enjoy the swelling beautiful music of the organist.

I got to take home a bottle of Holy Water too. I wonder if it would be OK if I used a drop or two in a cocktail tonight? That can't be too bad. After all, Jesus was fond of the wine. All of his followers were too..."Look Jesus! A puddle! Look!"

While we prefer to more Pagan symbols of this very heathen holiday, (Fertility! Lets do it like Bunnies!) the glorious joy at the Resurrection in this church reminded me that the ideal Easter Cocktail is probably the Corpse Reviver.

The Corpse reviver is actually a whole category of drinks that were considered morning "eye-openers" after a rough night out. They usually involve a spirit, bitters and juice, perfect for the morning, no? I even crerated on myself back in 2007 called the Corpse Reviver No 33. Harry Craddock the master mixologist said Corpse Revivers are “to be taken before 11 a.m., or whenever steam and energy are needed." Jesus needed some steam, no doubt.

The most famous is most certainly the Corpse Reviver No. 2. But The Corpse Reviver No 1 is tasty too. Especially the version cooked up by Belfast-born Joe Gilmore, the legendary barman at the Savoy Hotel from 1955-1976. Something to try, you Fernet Junkies.

Savoy Corpse Reviver

1 oz Brandy
1 oz Fernet Branca
1 oz White Creme de menthe

Combine in a shaker with cracked ice; shake and strain.

Corpse Reviver No 2

3/4 ounce gin.
3/4 ounce Cointreau.
3/4 ounce Lillet blanc.
3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice.
2 dashes Absinthe

Combine in a shaker with cracked ice; shake and strain.
Garnish with a stemless cherry.

The Corpse Reviver no 33
3/4 oz Irish whiskey
3/4 oz Irish Mist
3/4 oz Cointreau
Dash Orange bitters

Combine in a shaker with cracked ice; shake and strain.
Flamed orange peel garnish

Two Classics

Tonight was another lovely ladies of the industry night and good times are always to be expected. It was also a night for some education.

At the USBGNY mixer we were blessed with two guests. Ludo Miazga, formerly of Milk and Honey in London and now the Global Brand Ambassador for Benedictine gave us a spirited and passionate lesson about the 500 year history of this spirits.

Benedictine was indeed created as a medicinal elixir my French monks in the town of Fécamp in 1510. Medieval monks were the cocktail geeks of their time. They wrote and researched many books. Read Latin, Arabic, Greek. Even acted at critic commenting in the margins of the texts they were recording and translating. Why, it was thanks to the hard work of these monks that were are able to see just a fraction of the treasures that were lost in the great fire at the Library of Alexandria (while that silly Cleopatra noodled about!)

Unfortunately even this great recipe for the 27 herbs and spices in Benedictine was lost during that other silly noodling, the French Revolution, when the church became despised for their pompous and greedy ways and the Republic kicked them to the curb (or the Guillotine).

They threw out the baby with the bathwater, however, when they destroyed such great works of beauty and art (see the Angels who lost their heads up near my house at the Cloisters) and this precious recipe for Benedictine.

Luckily, it was rediscovered in 1864 by Alexandre Legrand, just in time for the great liquor revival in the 19th century. This is also the time that Combier and Cointreau came out. Alexandre The Great was also quite savvy in the ways of marketing, employing the great artists of his time to create ads (hello Absolut) and building a Palace to lure tourists to Fécamp to not only see how and where Benedictine is made, but to also appreciate great works of art and design in this pastoral seaside setting.

Benedictine also became the first bottled cocktail in 1938 when B &B, Benedictine and Brandy, was introduced. And interesting and historic spirit, indeed. Not to mention, tasty!

Lynn House from Graham Elliot Restaurant in Chicago was also at the mixer tonight to talk about Women in Mixology and the Chicago bar scene. She is here in NYC as a finalist in the Benedictine Cocktail challenge tomorrow, and I must say her libation was quite delicious. Kick butt tomorrow, Lynn!

Later, I had a glorious dinner at Schiller's with two lovely ladies. We feasted on oysters and shrimp and sipped gorgeous cocktails. I had the Jerry Thomas, but demanded Cointreau and extra bitters. I have long been a fan of Cointreau...I'd say ever since 1995 when I was using it to make Cosmos! Triple Sec? What is that?

My favorite cocktail (went smashingly well with the oysters) was a delightful concoction of Cointreau, bitters and Champagne.

Another classic night! Speaking of classics....maybe I should try that Cosmo again...

The Crash of 1929

I am working a wedding tomorrow and have created the cocktail list for the happy couple. The theme of their gathering is 1929. Not as terrible as you might think. One half of the couple is European, so Prohibition was not really a factor. And while we may be suffering through a terrible economic crisis, why not remember the free wheeling days right before the crash?

The list features some twists on the classics and a new cocktail created just for the happy pairing!

The Floradora was named after the first Broadway musical hit in the 1900's, which originated in London (where the engagement took place). I first enjoyed this drink at the gifted hands of my friend Meliz, who was working at Brooklyn's Sample on Smith st at the time.

Floradora
1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz framboise liqueur
ginger ale
lime wedge for garnish

The Twentieth Century cocktail seemed like an obvious choice since I have access to loads of chocolate mint. It will make a pretty cocktail with bits of mint floating on the glass like all the money pissed away in the last decade of war and financial decadence.

The Twentieth Century
1 1/2 oz Saaga Vodka
1/2 oz white creme de cacao
1/2 oz Lillet Blanc
1/4 oz fresh lemon juice


The Pegu Club Cocktail is a classic cocktail from the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book. This is a rare shaken gin drink, so in honor of the frostbite my hands will be getting tomorrow, I have substituted Cointreau with Blue curacao and orange flower syrup for a more festive look.

The Blue Pegu
2 oz gin
3/4 oz Blue Curacao
1/2 oz lime juice
2 dashes Grapefruit bitters
lime wedge or peel for garnish
Orange flower Simple syrup to taste

This drink was created for the couple. It is simple and elegant and very delicious.

Baritarian Rose Cocktail

2oz Saaga Vodka
1/2oz Crème de Violette
Drops of rose water
Lavender syrup
Top with soda water or sparkling wine

There will also be a French 75 punch. And myself in a flapper dress. And Walker in white hot pants and moustache, I hope!

Ahh..good times!

Orange you glad...

This past weekend I worked the NY Bar show pouring Orange V vodka. To me a flavored vodka is just a chance to bring a nice infusion to the masses. And I am all for whatever gets the masses to drink better.

It seems like everyone in the 'oughts came out with flavored vodkas that make for great mixin' in some unusual cocktails. I love my grapefruit Bloody Mary's. But straight, the taste could be chemically bad and not at all like the flavor it was supposed to be.

But Orange V is different. The Idaho distilled, Florida orange filled vodka is an American Spirit we can be proud of. The triple blend of Valencia, Mandarin and Tangerine oranges gave the spirit a juicy mouthfeel and a sweet taste. They use the skins and all so you have that nice orange oil, blossom water sort of taste too.

It mixed great and so easy... just with some lime and white cranberry, the flavor comes through crisp and refreshing. I would use this powerful Orange V in place of triple sec or cointreau in my margaritas. And at 76 proof, that is some pop in that margarita! Yum!

Kentucky Caucasians and Holidaze Punch

RyeGirl's Holidaze gifts this year included home infused bottle of bourbon with cinnamon, star anise and ginger. I found long sticks of cinnamon this year and they look beautiful floating in that brown bottles of goodness. I even made a special batch for a Sandwich King that includes a vanilla bean and maple syrup so it is ready made for his Bourbon milkshakes!

Speaking of milky goodness...my favorite recipe to show off this Christmas spirit has been the Kentucky Caucasian. Imagine a White Russian without the vodka and with a spicy fragrant bourbon instead. Yum! Don't forget to put some nutmeg on top. Take it John Legend, you sexy thing!

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

A Colbert Christmas: John Legend

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

And the big hit at a couple of Holidaze parties was this recipe for the perfect punch. Its light refreshing taste and knock out quantities of booze insured an easy ice breaker for any party. The recipe is from the legendary Trader Vic, but the selection of Beefeater Wet, a light crisp gin infused with pear essence is the Rye Girl touch. For the second (or third batch I can't recall) I ran out of lime and substituted Pomegranate juice. So while the first punch was green, the second was red. Perfect!

Christmas Punch (From Trader Vic)

1 Pint Beefeater Wet Gin
1 Pint Cointreau
3/4 cup Lime juice fresh squeezed
4 bottles champagne

Happy Repeal Day!

75 years ago today, a dark time in our history was laid to rest. I speak of the the repeal of the Volstead act, aka the 19th amendment, aka Prohibition!! On this day our 21st Amendment was ratified and once again the booze flowed freely in our streets.

Well that is not entirely true..Prohibition actually increased our desire for alcohol. It gave us the Speakeasy (which in the 21st century begot the "SpeakCheesy"). I was also surprised to learn that Prohibition (and probably that little 19th Amendment sandwiched in there) let women have more equality in the bars. Before prohibition, a Lady was never seen in a Tavern establishment. Thank goodness that is done! How did they survive without "Ladies Nights"?!?

So in honor of this great day, I give you The 21st Amendment. Its inspired by the classics that came out of this period.

Also, check out these great photos from Prohibition on the ABC news website. Thanks Dad for the link!

The 21st Amendment

Bathtub gin (or a fine gin bought from LeNells' bathtub)
Cointreau
Orange bitters
lime or grapefruit

Stir ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice, pour into teacups in case you get raided by the coppers!