How about a shot?

While I am curious to see how the new drink list is received, what I am most excited about is our shooter tasting flight.  This is not because I prefer, at all times, to consume my alcohol AQAP (as quick as possible).  It is not because I haven’t outgrown the old familiar college style.  The fact of the matter is that shooters happen.  Often.  Despite everyone’s best efforts.  As a result, I have grown somewhat fatigued of a certain Krauterliquor, namely, Jagermëister.

The quality of most well tequila in these parts does not help matters at all.  Anyone who signs their life away to Diageo or Pernod Ricard is required to push the sale of José Cuervo or Olmeca gold respectively.  

While El Jimador blanco retails for the same price as either of those brands, is distilled of %100 agave and simply tastes better, it moves into the ‘premium’ category and hides, overpriced, on the back bar.  

The end result is that many people refuse a round of Tequila because of whatever negative experience they may have experienced in the past, default to the ‘safe’ Jager and the end result is the same after every shift.  Time to start going home after work.

To combat this serious issue, we’ve been lucky enough to work with Martin at thanku.ca

He is currently working on building us some mini wooden canoes with 3 slots for shooter glasses.  The three slots will be filled with St. Hubertus from Hungary, Jagermëister from Germany and Fernet Branca from Italy.  This is essentially a shameless gimick to turn people on to Fernet.  At the very least it should broaden peoples horizons.

All that being said, I am never going to say no to a shot of uncle Jack Daniel’s.

The Drinks of Summer

So besides partaking in some educational seminars, what has kept me occupied these days?  Summer is around the corner and that means a new drink list tailored to the legion of thirsty patio drinkers.  The main focus has been simplification.  Thanks to some modifications to the liquor laws of BC, we are now permitted to pre-batch cocktails.  This is going to seriously save my ass for making anything nicer than a rye and ginger.  The plan is to pre batch mojitos, margaritas, sangria and “cosmos”.  The mojitos are important because of mojito mondays where we knock $2 off of the price of every mojito all day.  It would seem that this is sufficient motivation to get people to drink.  I would love to have the time to carefully construct a 2 oz mojito with individually freshly squeezed juice for all four to five hundred patrons getting sloppy in the sun but I am only partially robot (I had a human mother).  I am still excited, however, to see the response to the hibiscus flavouring that I will be offering.  The hibiscus will come from a syrup that I will be making using Alchemist’s Brew Silk Road tea which also includes lemongrass, rosehips and essential oils of mint.  This will save me muddling time once I go into drink dispensor mode.  

Mauna Kea Mojito

Fill tall highball glass with crushed ice and add:

1 oz Hibiscuss & Mint syrup

1 oz Lime juice

2 oz Havana Club Blanco

Top with soda

Garnish with lime, mint leaves and edible flowers

*Hibiscus Syrup

Bring 4 cups water to a boil

Add 2 tbsp Alchemist’s Brew Silk Road Tea

Remove from heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes

Strain out tea leaves into new vessel, clean and return

Add 6 dashes essential oil of mint

Add 4 cups white sugar and bring to a boil

Makes approx. 40 oz

Batch accordingly

photo by Maryanne Carmack

A Belated Report on Tales

So while I have so far been unsuccesful in finding any passion fruits, I am still alive which means a succesful return from Tales on Tour Vancouver.  I think that it would be fairly safe to say that a good time was had by all.  Unfortunately, due to procrastinating and piss-poor planning, I was unable to get a room at the Waldorf for the first night, however I did head over there for day two.  The tiki lounge was not very densely populated but I must say that the room was as kitschy as I had hoped.  And it was monday.  And I arrived several minutes before they opened for service.  However, the drink list was not exactly what I had hoped for.  By the time I arrived at the bar I had already consumed several Mai Tais and not seeing many other tiki drinks on the list, I opted for a Blood and Sand.  It had no vermouth.  Furthermore, their rum selection was not very extensive.  Not a huge deal, it was still cool and from what I understand, they are just getting back on their feet.

Concerning the actual Tales event, I do not have a single valid complaint.  Every drink I drank was delicious (there were enough that I could afford to bypass those with less than awesome reputations).  The seminars were fantastic.  I attended “Famous New Orleans Cocktails” with Chris McMillian and Philip Greene , “The History and Importance of Ice in Cocktails” with Charlotte Voisey and Jon Santer, and “Who’s your Daddy? a Mai Tai paternity test” with Jeff Berry.  A little bit of trivia concerning the last one, Mai Tai is not pronounced how you think.  It is actually pronounced ‘may tay’ being that according to Jeff “beachbum” Berry, it is a real Tahitian word for awesome.

Certainly one of the most visually awesome segments of the event involved a chainsaw a very large block of ice and ponchos for those seated in the ‘splash zone’.  Quite possibly the most badass ‘flair’ ever displayed in bartending.  Furthermore, the ‘badassness’ of the seminar was augmented with a sweet complimentary lewis bag and muddler for making crushed ice.  All in all I would say that the event was worth every penny.  I am pretty sure I drank the price of admission not to mention the schwag or ‘educational’ aspects. 

A Toast to the Tiki Gods

Well it has been a couple of weeks of inactivity but I am back.  Fresh from an exciting stomach virus, I am once again able to ‘safely’ intake alcohol and perform all manner of experiments in the noble name of science.

However, with that being said, I yet had my heart broken the other day.  I was doing the liquor order and I was obligated to order two bottles of Hpnotiq.  I didn’t want to.  I didn’t even think that I would need to, but, last Thursday my fears were confirmed as I saw the shots go out.  Rounds of straight Hpnotiq.  Not with Chandon, not with Hennessey, not as a part of any recipe painstakingly devised by Snoop Dogg or any other rapper. (It should be noted that I am, as earlier mentioned, a firm believer in time and place.  It would be a lie to say that I didn’t own any of his albums.   I am just trying to build a better drink than gin and juice.  I don’t see myself trying to write a better song anytime soon.  I am still a realist.)  

So what should I do?  I'm not turning away any customers.  At the end of the day the person who orders a ‘Cosmo’ pays with the same currency as anyone who orders a Last Word or a Vieux Carré.  “It all spends the same doesn’t it” *cringe.  So, it seems that some deconstruction is required.  Essentially, aside of the hip hop, the two main buzz words that Hpnotiq and Alizé seem to stress are Cognac and Passionfruit.  Never mind that they both also contain vodka and I would guess that even in Hpnotiq which clocks in at only ten dollars less per bottle than a VS Cognac here in British Columbia, the vodka is still going to do the majority of the legwork to provide that seventeen percent alcohol that gets its drinkers “all ‘crunk’ an’ shit”.  Therefore, I should be abe to create a shooter or shot with a very similar cost of goods using far superior ingredients.

I think that a Tiki shot is in order.  One with lime hulls and flames and all kinds of crazy shit.  Crazy good shit however.  

Speaking of Tikis, sort of, Tales of the Cocktail is coming to Vancouver! I’ve got my tickets and frankly, I am reasonably excited.  A couple of local bartenders will be staying at the recently renovated Waldorf hotel which I am excited to learn, has all the fun of a vintage tiki bar.  I expect to consume all manner of cocktails drizzled with J. Wray & Nephew overproof and other potent potables.  The event is spread over three days but the majority of the festivities will be on one rediculously condensed monday.  All I can hope is that there is minimal wind on Tuesday because I don’t expect to be adequately prepared for a rocky trip on Tuesday morning.

So with a well planned itinerary, but yet having done nothing, I am off.

For science!

A little sun in January? Yes please!

This article is basically a reprint of something that I did with Maryanne for a new online culture magazine in Victoria called Culture Vulture.  Make sure to check it out here.

Who could blame me? My first thought when asked to do an article on Mexican cocktails was “so what ‘new’ twist do I put on the Margarita?”  While I am not here to debate whether the classics should be left alone or not (I see no reason that we should limit ourselves), I decided that I wanted to do something different.

My next thoughts turned to the cilantro infused tequila that I made for delicious, efficient shots and Mexican styled bloody caesars.  Surely this tequila holds many more possibilities.

At home, using one bunch of fresh cilantro (preferably organic) per 750 ml bottle of blanco tequila, I let the tequila soak for 48 hours.  I recommend streamlining this process by transferring the tequila into a second wide-mouthed container before adding the cilantro.  This eliminates a great deal of unnecessary struggle trying to remove pesky stray cilantro stems.  After 48 hours, simply transfer back the tequila into the original vessel with a funnel and a fine strainer.

It seems to me that cilantro has a polarizing effect on most people.  The previous paragraph ought to serve as a fairly clear indicator as to which camp I belong to.  Another popular ingredient in Mexican cuisine that I don’t foresee myself tiring of anytime soon is chili.  While one only need add tomatoes to have a decent bloody Mary (or salsa), I want to keep this cocktail light and refreshing while yet preserving the savory elements of cilantro.

I will be using a decent blanco tequila in this drink to capture the raw vegetal quality of tequila that has not been coloured by barrel aging.  My goal here is to evoke a ‘freshness’ capable of transporting the drinker away from any clouds, rain or dreariness associated with our Victorian winter.  To further enhance the freshness as well as the visual appeal of the drink I want to add some fresh cilantro and basil.  

It now occurs to me that it is entirely possible that you may wish to stop here for a well deserved break.

Simply muddle fresh basil and cilantro in the bottom of a short rocks glass

Fill with crushed ice

Add a generous portion of cilantro infused blanco tequila

Garnish with additional herbs, stir and enjoy

While this simple cocktail is certainly potable, if you’re still thirsty, I want to flesh out the drink with a layer of complexity and lighten it up a bit.  Both cilantro and chilies have the interesting abilities to create false impressions of temperature.  They are also amazing at balancing each other out while dancing across the palate and therefore, I’m going to add a little bit of chili heat by way of a simple syrup.  It should go without saying that red chilies are extremely potent so I only slice up eight for two cups of simple syrup and because this cocktail will only require a dash of the simple syrup, that recipe should be more than ample.  Using a chili syrup has two distinct advantages.  The first is that the syrup (when kept properly chilled) will preserve your chilies significantly longer than your refrigerator could ever hope to; and, it adds a subtle dimension of sweetness that satisfies the palate.

While, until this point I’ve only used ingredients that are well acquainted with each other, in order to lighten up this cocktail, I’ll need to take a brief trip across the Atlantic.  Cinzano Orancio is light orange flavoured vermouth from the same people who bring us the sweater Cinzano Rosso in is available in BC liquor stores for around thirteen dollars.  Using Orancio made sense for two reasons: orange and tequila have been friends ever since the first margarita and, vermouth’s herbaceous qualities will blend well with the fresh herbs in the cocktail.  I want to further tie all of these ingredients together so I will use some Peychaud’s for the herbs and Angostura orange bitters for the citrus.  Now, with everything together, I present the Mexican Connection. 

photo by  Maryanne Carmack

The Mexican Connection

Muddle 3 sprigs fresh basil

Muddle 8 pieces fresh cilantro

1 ¼ oz cilantro infused tequila

1 oz Cinzano Orancio

⅛ oz chili simple syrup

2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters

2 dashes Angostura orange bitters

Fill a tall cocktail glass with crushed ice and top with soda   

Garnish with basil and chili peppers

Cheers

Wines & Vinegar

While speciaty imported food items can be somewhat difficult to come by on our little island, in some cases we are lucky enough to have a couple of expats how are producing some superb products, namely Venturi-Schulze Vineyards.  Not satisfied with the dilluted standards of ‘organic’, Venturi Schulze regulates themselves to standards that are ‘beyond organic’.  They believe that these standards result in a greater expression of the terroir.  This is all-the-more impressive given that they use non-grafted pinot noir clones for some of their premium reds (phylloxera vasatatrix has to yet ravage Vancouver Islands vineyards).  

In addition to lovingly crafted pinot,  they make a great verjus (juice from unripe vinifera grapes) and an interesting ‘stewed wine’ called ‘Brandenburg #3” named after the symphony.  Lastly, they make balsamic vinegar in the ancient old Italian style.  It comes at a price however ($49.95 CAD / 250 ml btl @ the winery).  This is a product only made possible by the advent of the slow food movement and the philosophy of drink less but drink better (they consistently sell out).

In the same vain as my previous post regarding the Invierno de Jerez, for wine cocktails I like to use vinegar as the acidic component.  However, with balsamic you get the dual purpose of acidifier and sweetener, itself being fairly balanced to begin with.  Therefore, when choosing the remaining ingredients for the cocktail, they need to be balanced as well.  For my next cocktail I’m using a Chianti (for sangiovese's crisp acidity) and a citrusy gin (Tanqueray no. 10) to balance the Mûroise.

Black Widow Cocktail

1 ⅓ oz Tangueray no. 10 gin (or Absolut Citrus Vodka if need be)

⅓ oz Giffard Mûroise du Val de Loire Liqueur (or Chambord)

⅓ oz Kahlua

½ oz acidic red wine (Sangiovese)

⅛ oz Venturi-Schultz (or other barrel aged) Balsamic Vinegar

A Breakfast Review of a Whisky Dinner

Every so often, insecure patrons with a false sense of entitlement grow old and tiring.  I’m not complaining.  Those are the breaks but every so often its nice to be reminded about what’s good about the job.  It has its perks for sure.  There is the oft recited list: the hours, the social aspect, the moneys and then there’s the booze.  

The booze is, however, somewhat of a double edged sword.  Part-way through the evening it can lead customers to believe that their recently cleared glasswear was, in fact, half-full.  It can also lead them to believe that their glass ought to be completely filled with another (much) more expensive scotch.  Again, I’m not complaining but that was certainly was an occurance at the whisky dinner that we held last night at Canoe - a very nice affair hosted by Macallan and Highland Park.

While excessively enebriated customers are often inconvenient, what could not be more spectacular is the level of generosity that was displayed by the scotch ambassadors.  It gets pretty difficult to remain bitter when you walk home with bottles of Highland Park 12 and 18 as well as Macallan 12 and cask strength.  I’m sure I could even find a use for The Famous Grouse such as the simple little cocktail that we served as a sort of amuse bouche - Grouse & (housemade) Ginger (beer).    

There is after all, a time and a place for everything.  Regardless that this is both a lie and a cliché, the time for Macallan cask strength is now (I mean after 8pm).  This whisky demands to be contemplated and sipped slowly after dinner slightly chilled with a dash of water.   Because it is botted at cask strength, this whisky clocks in at an impressive 59.3% abv and is the perfect winter sipper.  When held from afar, the nose reveals a pleasant fruitiness with a viscous palate and a luscious mouthfeel reminiscent of black cherries and port.  When in your belly, it warms the way few other (purchasable) things can - most preferable to a false sense of entitlement.

pictured above, breakfast