Lucian Bacchanal

You're twisting my melon, man.

Its Happy Monday here at Compere Lapin!

Every Monday at 4pm we will be going over a cocktail on our menu, how its made, what inspired it and then do a tasting of the base spirit in said cocktail. 

This 20-30 minute class is free and open to the public! And the cocktail of the week will a $6 happy hour special at the bar on that Monday til 6pm! 

Today we did the Lucian Bacchanal. This is a drink I invented under a different name 10 years ago.  The story of that first drink, where I was challenged by another bartender, is here. 

Video of me making that drink can be seen below.  Please forgive the sloppy jigger work and silly hair toss.  I was but a baby bartender in a strange bar and had just gotten my hair did. Tell me...do you prefer my raven locks of hair, or my current curly strawberry blonde?



We discussed in class today how Chairman's worked great, but the Bounty Dark brings out a little more of that mezcal smoke.

Lucian Bacchanal

1.5 oz Bounty Dark Rum
.5 oz Vida Mezcal
.75 oz "Abby's Mix"*
.75 oz Lime Juice

Shake and strain into a cocktail coup/

*To make the "Abby's Mix" which is a play on Don's Mix form Tiki lore:

1:1 ratio by weight / Sugar : Water

1 :1 ratio / whole GF peel for “Abby’s Mix” : per cup of sugar

Peel the skin off oranges and place in a vacuum seal bag.  Add the appropriate amount of sugar to the bag.   (4 whole peels : 4 cups of sugar, 6 whole peels : 6 cups)

Vacuum seal the bag and let sit overnight.  (Write how much sugar is in the bag)

Next day add appropriate amount of hot water to sugar. (4 cups sugar : 4 cups water)

Stir to incorporate and take out left over GF peels.  Use immersion blender if necessary to dissolve sugar. **for Abby’s Mix include 2 cinnamon sticks and 3-5 anise pods per cup of sugar when you add the hot water

The rest of the August schedule for Happy Monday's is below:


TUESDAY August 14th (we are closed on this Monday the 13th)
Cocktail: Boos Teesi 

Spirit: Drumbshambo Gunpowder Irish Gin

Monday August 20

Cocktail: Cherokee Rose

Spirit: Bolivian Brandy

Monday August 27

Cocktail: Martino

Spirit: Rye Whiskey


Spreading Love and Knowledge in the Spiritual World!

Happy Mai Tai Day!

Mai Tai perfection

 Well, as with many Tiki drinks...already we start with controversy.  Trader Vic's would like you to know that the real Mai Tai day, by proclamation of the City of Oakland, is actually August 30th.  It was on this date in 1944, according to them, that Vic himself crafted a rum drink using rock candy syrup, fresh lime, orange curaçao, and orgeat. His Tahitian friend exclaimed “Mai tai roa ae!” which translates to “out of this world!” Thus this most popular Tiki drink was created.

Indeed,  I say, there can't be enough days to celebrate this amazing drink.  So look for another post on August 30th.

Mai Tai Tie!!

Here is the other controversy.  Pineapple juice.  Let me here by proclaim that this post will be about the classic tiki Trader Vic/Donn Beach/ Beachbum Mai Tai, not a Hawaiian Mai Tai.  I went to Hawaii last year and can confirm their Mai Tais are quite different with the addition of both pineapple and passionfuit and a very dark rum float.  I think we need to approach this drink like a "New Orleans Daiquiri".  Its going to be different with its own regional flair, and I accept and embrace that....when I am in Hawaii.

But today I am in glorious New Orleans!  And am about to embark on a Mai Tai crawl through the French Quarter.  First stop is my home bar of Compere Lapin, natch.  Bartender James whipped me up the prefect Mai Tai to start my day.

Think of a Mai Tai as an orgeat Daiquri had a baby with an agricole Daisy.  The Daisy being lime, spirit and orange curacao; we are going to use Clement Creole Shrubb, to perfectly compliment the aged agricole, in this case, Rhum JM VO, aged at least 3 years. 

The Daiquiri part would be lime, rum and sugar, in this case taking the form of orgeat, an almond rose water syrup popular in Tiki. With almonds and rose or orange water, it does indeed have it roots in the Mediterranean. It can be homemade if you are feeling ambitious,  but there are many fine pre-made versions available as well.  

The rums, according to the drinks inventor, were to be from Martinique and Jamaica.  But we are creating a dry funky Mai Tai for a modern palate that would go well with the Creole Caribbean food of our Chef, Nina Compton.  She is from St Lucia, so we will surely use Bounty or Chairman's reserve from her home Island in place of the Jamaican Rum.

So have a Mai Tai today, August 30th and, indeed, every and any day in between!

Happy May Tai Day from James and Abigail!

Easy steps on how to Mai Tai on Mai Tai Day!

1 oz Chairman's Reserve Rum
1 oz Rhum JM VO
.5 oz Rhum Clement Creole Shrubb
.5 orgeat
.75 oz lime.

Whip shake and put over crushed ice.
Garnish with mint sprig and lime wheel. And for an extra touch I add a float of Chairman's Reserve Forgotten Cask to float on the top.

Palito's Way

Squirrel Watching

Pal. Palbert. Palberto Gonzales.  Bert. PBG.  Sneezy McSneezerson....My dog went by a lot of names.  And he answered to them all if you had love in your voice.  Yesterday I had to say good-bye to my dear little friend and companion.  I knew the end was coming and spent that last few weeks spoiling him with Turduckan, Lamb chops and trips to the park to watch the squirrels.


When I did have to be away from him, it was behind the stick, where he was still very much on my mind.  I have to offer thanks and love to my co-workers and patrons who showed great kindness, support and patience.  


One of the ways I rewarded them was with a new drink created for my Pal.  Its a light refreshing take on a Hemingway and the name is a play on his own and the 1990's era movie...because Pal always had a little gangster hood in him, being form Washington Heights and all.


Palito's Way
1 oz Chairman's Reserve Silver Rum
1 oz Banks Rum
3/4 oz grapefruit syrup
1 oz lime
1/4 oz Maraschino liqueur 
Soda water


Shake all but the soda water and strain into a collins glass.  Top with fresh seltzer and garnish with a Grapefruit triangle.

St Lucian Tonic

I came home in the most lovely little blizzard last night. The streets were coated in a white sheen of quiet clean. Pal and I raced thought the snow covered sidewalks and I couldn't wait to take him for a walk to the park in the morning. He has the cutest puffy orange vest for playing in the snow. He looks like those hot guys in High School I always had a crush on..in their puffy vests and cowboys hats. LeSigh.

Pal playing in his sexy vest with a friend

I only make the dog where the vest when we are going to be out in the snow playing all day. Otherwise he just gets so sad wearing those silly things.

Anyway.... Four hours later I got up to move the car and it was rain and ice and and winter hellscape!!! We went back inside and I slept half the day away feeling like I had a cold and never wanting to leave the house again. One pot of homemade soup (with dandelion...the biggest ones I have ever seen!!) and a low fat grilled cheese sandwich (not as bad as it sounds...when dipped in ketchup) and one truly awful IQ lowering movie (too embarrassed to say) followed by a hernia inducing viewing of the Ricky Gervais Show and I am ready to go out again!

Maybe a drink first.... Something warm right? Yes! But something to chase away this hint of a dull ache in my bones that could turn into a cold...so something with vitamin C!

Blood Oranges are in season and they a not only gorgeous, they have a lovely tart taste that is perfect in some cocktails. I have been using them a lot with gin, but today I am going for some rum. Spiced rum. Who know what tropical St Lucian herbs and spices might lead to some healing powers? And then who better that The Bitter Truth to make a spicy herbaceous tonic to heal my runny nose?

I better have a big mug.

St Lucian Tonic
2 oz Chairman's Reserve Spiced
3/4 oz The Bitter Truth Pimento Dram
4 oz hot cider
2 oz fresh squeezed blood orange

Heat the cider and pour over the other ingredients and a clove studded slice of blood orange.

I just got back from a walk in that mess and I was humming along happily due to this tonic...see? It works!

The First Salute

There is a new drink going in the menu at Fort Defiance tonight. It captures the historic zeitgeist of my beloved workplace and is one of my favorite recent creations.

I wanted to create a tasty rum drink using an aged rum that would be a nice transition from our glorious Indian Summer to the cold winter months ahead. I also have been playing around with making my own version of the tiki classic, Don's Mix. I made a simple syrup with Cinnamon, grapefruit zest and star anise. Star Anise has been a favorite since tasting my Grandmother's homemade Pizzelles as a child. (And a trip to Niagara Falls last week to visit my 95 year old Aunt Nevia reminded me I STILL have not put my Grandmother's Pizzelle iron to the test!) I have used those lovely star anise pods to infuse bourbon and make Coquito. The flavor comes through nicely in a syrup too.

Armed with "Abby's Mix", some lime and Chairman's Reserve, I had a stellar new drink. The rum adds a hint of vanilla and a full bodied boost while the syrups spiciness comes through to the end of the sip. Now....I needed a name.

So came to the rescue our local bon vivant, Phil. When I mentioned the Rum comes from St Lucia, he stood and saluted me at the bar, a not so easy task after two of said cocktails. Turns out, island nation was the first to salute the young America and recognize them as a sovereign nation, a mere 4 months after declaring independence. The extraordinary historical writer Barbara Tuchman wrote a book about the event and its importance in our Revolutionary war.

Well, that certainly fits the theme of our Fort Defiance. Its a delicious drink, so it will fit in on our tasty menu. It even fits Toby's guidelines for a good drink (3 ingredients!!)

The only thing....after some cursory research (I MUST check my facts) I found out it was the nearby Dutch controlled island of St Eustatius that actually fired the first salute. St Lucia was under British and French control back and forth over the years and was probably in no condition to be as cheeky and brave as those Dutch.

Still, its a good story and a good name and I am sticking with it! By the way...its 82 degrees in St Lucia today. Want to to go?

The First Salute
2oz Chairman's Reserve Rum
3/4 oz "Abby's Mix"
3/4 oz Fresh Lime

Shake with ice and serve straight up.

From TheFirstSalute.org:

On November 16, 1776, a small American warship, the ANDREW DORIA, sailed into the harbor of the tiny Dutch island of St. Eustatius in the West Indies. Only 4 months before, the United States had declared its independence from Great Britain. The American crew was delighted when the Governor of the island, Johannes de Graaf, ordered that his fort's cannons be fired in a friendly salute. The first ever given by a foreign power to the flag of the United States, it was a risky and courageous act.

Happy New Beer!

I am enjoying a Special Holiday Ale from Anchor Brewing Co, while I can! Last year I got a 6 pack of this precious brew that Anchor only sells from November to mid-January and gave the bottles away as Christmas presents, thus depriving myself to a taste of the 2008 secret blend of spices. So while my palate is fresh I will report on the 2009 recipe; Nice molasses and earthy spice. There seems to be a dry pine finish that makes me feel like I am back in Northern California.

Ahh..San Francisco, Portland, Seattle. The North West is looking lovely these days. I have been dreaming of living somewhere else lately. Last night was an important anniversary for me and this city. 16 years ago I came up on a train with two suitcases and stayed in a building right next to the church where my grandparents were married. 14 years ago I moved into the room where I currently sit. So many things have changed. I am certainly not where I thought I would be 16 years on..still struggling to pay rent, still single, etc...But at least I don't drink White Russians and Cosmos any more! Who am I kidding...you know I still love a good Caucasian. And there are many other things have, blissfully stayed the same (like my youthful appearance and charming personality, natch).

Speaking of things staying the same...did you know 22 year olds still drink Red Headed Sluts and Kamikazes? I worked an open bar party in Hell's Kitchen last night. That was fun! It was nice to just flip some bottle and work that gun. And I made some nice cabbage that will come in handy this month. But how these kids drank?! Man...I stopped drinking that stuff before I was even old enough to drink! Its an open bar and you still want to drink Bud Light and well vodka and sodas? I was happy when someone ordered a Stoli O and soda..that is what I drank when I was 22! But I had an epic fail when it came to making some of these shots. Thank goodness I have a good memory and a killer palate. I was able to guess what was in a a Kamikaze just by remembering what it tasted like (Vodka, Triple Sec, Lime).

Besides, the Red Headed Slut was laid to rest and a lovely New Orleans style funeral at Tales of the Cocktail this year. So when I was faced with an order, the inner drink dork in me reared its cocky cocktail head, "I am sorry..she has been laid to rest. She is dead to me. Can I interest you in a Bayou Breakfast?" (Brinley Coconut & Coffee rum, Bourbon)

After a New Years Brunch of Korean Steak and Eggs and fresh raspberries with rum cream (Chairman's Reserve), Pal and I kept warm in the cold apartment watching The NHL Classic. There is something so sexy about outdoor hockey in a baseball park. And its just what I need to give me hope for the new year. It reminds me that Baseball season is creeping closer.

I have a lot to look forward to this year. New work, new relationships, new cocktails to drink. For today I will enjoy another new beer. And plot an escape from this city. Sometimes you need to go away to see what you are missing.