Don't Go Crazy But...

...Fortified wine and alcohol has been proven to actually help the overweight PREVENT diabetes!  Good thing I am really into creating vermouth, amaro and sherry cocktails now.  And lower alcohol drinks are very refreshing and pair well with food.  


As always, I should stress that this applies to moderation, moderation, moderation.  But still, as a gal with a bit of extra goose in her caboose who likes to eat and drink, this makes me feel a bit better.


Think I'll celebrate with a Juju Martini.  Julia Child (her hubby called her Juju) loved this upside-down version of a classic Martini.  It is a delightful aperitif for what looks like a fine Spring-like day.

Juju and Paul...J'adorable!

Juju Martini


2 1/2 oz Noilly Pratt french vermouth
3/4 oz Gin (I like Plymouth in this one)
dash Orange bitters
Lemon Twist.


Stir over cracked ice in a mixing glass, strain into chilled coup when very cold. Garnish with a lemon twist, expressing the oils onto the surface of the drink.


Alcohol Helps Prevent Type 2 Diabetes, Especially in the Overweight
[Wine Spectator]

Upper Manhattan

The Little Red Light House and the Great Gray Bridge.
One of the many reasons why I love my neighborhood...she'll get her own drink named after her some day soon...

Last night at Fort Defiance I was guilty of getting another regular customer hooked on my own take of a Manhattan. Our accountant loves this drink and it was created for his taste, but apparently it suits a lot of other tastes as well. Its a softer Manhattan with a kick of citrus and spice. I wanted to mimic a Vieux Carre and I wanted to use my spiced syrup for it is too good to be used on just one drink (see: First Salute). When John first tasted it he asked if it had a name. I said no, because I just invented it here and now. So in the tradition of letting my regulars name this drink, he christened it the Upper Manhattan.

See, its become quite the joke that I live in a neighborhood on the other side of the city from Fort Defiance, when most of the people who work there are local (or at least in Brooklyn). And yes, the commute is sometimes a drag. But I ask all, where else could I work where I have such wonderful customers, great co-workers, the best food and drink, an honorable boss, make rent and have health insurance? I have not been this happy about going to work since I was a nanny for Zach in my early 20's.

Besides. I love my neighborhood. If I could open up Fort Defiance on my block, I would. It is the kind of place I always wanted to open myself. Good food, good drink, good people...how can you go wrong with that formula? Its clearly harder than it seems.

This drink isn't as complicated as it looks. My boss rolled his eyes at me the first time I told him what was in it when John requested it from him, but it is no more complicated than the Vieux Carre currently on our menu. The Bourbon mellows out the rye, while the syrup punches up the spice. The light touch with both the syrup and the vermouth and the double bitters keeps it from being too sweet.

Upper Manhattan

1 oz Rye
1 oz Bourbon
1/2 oz Carpano
Barspoon "Abby's Mix" Spiced Syrup*
Dash Orange Bitters
Dash Old Fashioned Bitters

Stir in a mixing glass over cracked ice, Strain and serve up with a cherry garnish.

*"Abby's Mix" is merely a simple syrup infused with cinnamon, star anise and grapefruit peels.

Happy Halloween!

Last night at the beautiful Louis 649, Hendrick's brand ambassador Jim Ryan whipped up some tasting drinks for the holidaze.

First he stared out with a tasty punch. According to my brother-in-cocktail's site Punch in the Mouth, a punch is "One of Sour, Two of Sweet, Three of Strong, Four of Weak." Mr. Ryan's was a tart and dry combination of tea, gin and soda. My instructions were to muddle honey and dried cranberries and then added lemon juice to break it up. Then into the bowl goes chamomile tea, Old-Fashioned bitters, Hendricks Gin, and pomegranate soda. Garnish with thinly sliced cucumber and orange wheels with clove studs. It was a very tasty punch that will go on my Holidaze table for sure. He christened this punch, Persephone's Punch so it looks like my Christmas party this year will have a Greek theme! Good thing since I have no room this year and was hoping my Greek neighbor would host in his apartment. Besides..I love feta.

Next he had some delicious Halloween drinks. There is blood vodka, dyed corn syrup etc... but I prefer the classic drinks that have creepy names. And if they are equal part drinks, they are even easier to make when you are blinded by your false eyelashes and sexy costume (sexy balloon boy?)

So while we had Satan's Bloody Whiskers and Corpse Reviver no 2 last night, but I'll throw in a favorite, The Obituary Cocktail in there too.

Mr. Ryan explained that Corpse Reviver's are a whole category of "wake me up" drinks. They usually have some citrus, so think of it as your morning orange juice...with Blood! MoaHa ha ha ha ha!

Satan's Bloody Whiskers
3/4 part Lillet Blanc
3/4 part Lillet Rouge
3/4 part Orange Juice
3/4 part Hendricks Gin
1/2 part Solerno Blood orange liqueur
Dash orange bitters

Corpse Reviver no 2
Equal parts blood orange liqueur, lemon, Hendricks Gin and a dash of absinthe

Obituary Cocktail
2 oz gin
1/4 oz dry vermouth
1/4 oz absinthe

Rye with Kicks?

A athletic store would seem like a strange place for a drinking event. But then again, Jim Beam makes a tasty Rye and Nike makes some sweet Kicks. So (ri) 1 Rye threw a party to commemorate their special edition (ri) 1 Nike ID high tops

It was in this strange environment, the Nike flagship store on 57th St, that I tasted some of the most delicious rye cocktails. Jonathan Pogash, the Cocktail Guru, was the mastermind behind these tasty drinks. The Manhattan was excellent and rich, and the Jerry Thomas version looks like a Brooklyn to me. The (ri)se and Fall was also a remarkable twist on the classic Gin and tonic. Q Tonic is so delicious, why should it just be used with gin?

My favorite of the night was the Rye Teq Cocktail No. 1. I am such a fan of Tequila and think, along with Rye it is poised to take up much more of this new cocktail market. So the two of them together was just Divine..and powerful!


(ri)se and Fall

2 oz. (ri)1 Rye Whiskey
1 tsp. maple syrup
3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
3 oz. Q Tonic
Directions: Build directly in highball glass, add ice, and stir briefly.
Garnish: home-made marinated NY sour cherries

Rye Teq Cocktail No. 1

1 oz. (ri)1 Rye Whiskey
1 oz. Tres Generaciones Anejo (El Tesoro works nicely, too)
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. Benedictine
3 dashes Bittermen’s chocolate bitters
1 dash Regan’s orange bitters
Demerara syrup to taste
Directions: Shake ingredients and strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish: orange twist

Manhattan (The Jerry Thomas version)

1 tsp. maraschino liqueur
1 1/2 oz. (ri)1
1 1/2 oz. Sweet Vermouth
3 dashes Boker’s Bitters
Directions: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish: lemon twist

No. 209 and Western Gin

My luggage was briefly lost on my way back form San Francisco and I panicked thinking my treasure from the Sierras would be lost forever.

Thankfully, Jet Blue delivered my suitcase today and I was able to make my first cocktail with No. 209 Gin.

Originally a distillery in the Napa Valley during the Gold Rush, No.209 gin was revived in this century by Leslie Rudd and the Edge Hill Winery. The gin is distilled five times making it smooth and the juniper is tempered with citrus and fruity notes. One sip and I feel transported to those dry western mountains.

When Adam and I were in San Francisco last month, we noticed a plethora of fine gin available at the local watering holes. Gin is one of Adam's favorite spirits and I have recently been converted as those gins of high quality go so well with the classics. One of our favorite discoveries was the Spruce Gin at the Rouge Public House. Not available for purchase in the state of California, we were lucky enough to get snifter full right at the bar. The character of the gin reflects the distinctly different climate where it was made. While No 209 gin is dry, with hints of sage, Rouge's Spruce gin was more wet and juicy. The piny notes were softer and greener. And they make it with "Free Range Coastal water"! I sure that water is so much happier being free...to range. I am currently looking how to get my hands on a bottle here.

In the meantime, last night we made some classics with No. 209:

Lavender Gimlet
No 209 Gin
Lime
Agave
Lavender

I ground the lavender with a mortal and pestle and threw it in the glass with the lime, gin and agave, stirring briskly, but gently with cracked ice. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a chilled cocktail glass.

The Bijou Cocktail
No 209 Gin
Green Chartreuse (that fun stuff in the little wooden box I got in Paris)
Sweet Vermouth (Antiqua Formula)

Stir ingredients gently over cracked ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.