About Cocktails

Timeless Tipple of the Week: Negroni

2009-11-24T18:43:27Z

The aperitif, the before dinner drink that stimulates ones appetite and prepares the stomach for the delicious meal to follow. And what better timing than the week of one of the biggest meals of the year to talk about one of the great aperitifs, the Negroni?

Negroni
Photo Courtesy of: © Campari USA

This 1920's cocktail is made with elements that individually make the best aperitifs so the combination of the three has to equal the ultimate of this class of cocktails. Despite the ingredients being equal in the Negroni, the Campari comes to the front and this can be an issue for some tastes because it is an extremely unique bitter liqueur. However, of all the Campari cocktails the Negroni is one that tames the bitter, mostly thanks to the sweetness of the vermouth but also with help from a London dry gin's aromatics. This makes it a nice introduction to Campari and a delightful, semi-dry cocktail that is ideal before any meal, especially those during which you may over indulge just a little bit such as Thanksgiving dinner.

Negroni cocktail recipe...

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Timeless Tipple of the Week: Negroni originally appeared on About.com Cocktails on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 at 18:43:27.

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Celebrate The Wonders of Pomegranate

2009-11-22T17:43:12Z

There is a fruit other than the cranberry that is in season right now, the pomegranate, and it happens to be National Pomegranate Month. That may seem a little odd to some considering that it is November, but fall and winter happen to be when pomegranates are at their peak in the Northern Hemisphere.

PAMA Ginger-tini
Photo Courtesy of: © PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur

Because pomegranates are perfect this time of year, that also makes it a perfect fruit to don holiday dinner tables and with Thanksgiving this week, it's a great time to introduce it to the season. When it comes to food you have your pick of pomegranate recipes and the list of pomegranate drinks is constantly growing so there are plenty of options available. Of course, when it comes to drinks we don't have to stick with fresh pomegranate but can use some of the great pomegranate-flavored vodkas and liqueurs instead.

Here are some pomegranate inspirations that stand out...

Thanksgiving Turkey-Pomegranate Salad - A great use for leftovers.
Pomegranate Cake - Bring the fruit into dessert.
Buttermilk-Banana Pancakes with Pomegranate Syrup - A great way to start the day with the pomegranate coming from PAMA liqueur.
Peach Pomegranate Holiday Martini - Seasoned up to perfection.
Mrs. Claus' Wildside Punch - It's never too early for this tequila punch.
Mulled Pomegranate Warmer - A twist on Mulled Wine.

More Pomegranate Cocktails...

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Celebrate The Wonders of Pomegranate originally appeared on About.com Cocktails on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 at 17:43:12.

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Sipper of the Week: Leblon Cachaca and The Lemon, Lime and Blue Caipirinha

2009-11-21T12:35:54Z

In recent years the Caipirinha has developed into its own family of drinks, just like the fizzes, daisies, sours and all of those other cocktails that are similar to one another. Unlike most of those, however, the various Caipirinhas remain true to the base spirit - cacha�a - but differ in the fruits that are used. The result of all of these experiments with flavor is an entirely different drink every time and this week's feature sipper is a prime example. It is The Lemon, Lime and Blue Caipirinha.

The Lemon, Lime and Blue Caipirinha
Photo Courtesy of: © Leblon Cachaca

For this cocktail the lime and cachaca remain, with lemon added to the muddled mix for an extra touch of citrus. The flavor doesn't stop there, though, because the "blue" in the drinks name means that we have to add blueberries, which just kind of hang out within the crushed ice and add some delicious darkness to the drink.

The Lemon, Lime and Blue Caipirinha cocktail recipe...

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Sipper of the Week: Leblon Cachaca and The Lemon, Lime and Blue Caipirinha originally appeared on About.com Cocktails on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 12:35:54.

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Scotch Expansion from The Macallan and Compass Box

2009-11-18T22:29:27Z

I love this time of year because it means, without fail, that a myriad of Scotch come in for me to taste. This year started out with a blending seminar with Johnnie Walker for their Black Label and has since been infused with some fascinating boutique Scotches. Two (okay, it's more like four) have made my new favorites list, one being a seasonal release turned non-seasonal and the other three special editions that you have to fly to find - and I will be looking for them on my next adventure.

Orangerie Scotch Infusion
Photo Courtesy of: © Compass Box

The first Scotch that I speak of is not technically a Scotch because it uses an infusion to distinguish itself from other whiskies in the category. That would be the Orangerie from Compass Box. You may vaguely recall this one from a few years ago as a bottle that could only be found during the holiday season, but the great news is that it is back in all its respectable spectacle and it's here to stay (okay, at least that's the word for now). Like all of the other specialty blends that Compass Box produces, this one is not the average Scotch that can be described by words like "peaty," "smoky," or "sweet" - instead this is an infusion of orange, clove and cassia bark with those flavors being prominent as opposed to "notes" that are faintly detectable. Christmas in a glass, Orangerie is that simple.

The other Scotch that has fancied my palate lately is from The Macallan 1824 Collection and I had the chance to sample three of the four bottlings. For me the winner of the collection has to be the Estate Reserve if you are looking for a Scotch to sip because it has in intensity I really enjoy in this style of whisky. Yet, if mixing Scotch is more your style of the moment, I would go with the Select Oak because it is reasonably priced and has a nice balance of sweet, spice and oak. The other offering, the Whisky Maker's Edition, is somewhere between the two, but has its own unique characteristics. The downfall to this announcement is that the 1824 Collection is only available in "Global Travel Retail" markets, meaning that you can't hop down to the local liquor store in hopes of scoring a bottle, but have to go to one at a major airport in hopes of coming across a bottle.

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Scotch Expansion from The Macallan and Compass Box originally appeared on About.com Cocktails on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 22:29:27.

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Timeless Tipple of the Week: Morning Glory

2009-11-17T10:36:23Z

The combination of whiskey and brandy is one that you will find in many of the great cocktails of all time. This week's timeless tipple is one of those and I love it's name: Morning Glory.

In this classic cocktail those two ingredients are taken to the higher level with rye whiskey and cognac. They are brought together into this delightful drink with a myriad of flavors including orange and anise and adding some syrup and bitters with a splash of soda finishes it off to perfection. However, with all of that going on you need to make sure it retains a balance so pull out that jigger and start measuring. You won't regret the little extra effort.

Morning Glory Cocktail recipe...

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Timeless Tipple of the Week: Morning Glory originally appeared on About.com Cocktails on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 10:36:23.

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More Precautions for Women Who Drink

2009-11-16T11:48:21Z

It is common knowledge that women should not drink as much as men because our bodies are smaller than men's and it takes less alcohol to get drunk. But, according to this article in last week's Kansas City Star there are more risks when it comes to drinking that women should at least be aware of.

In the article Anne Brockhoff cites a 20-year study performed by the University of North Dakota School of Medicine that states that alcohol causes more damage to a woman's body than previously thought. Women have less of a certain enzyme and water than men and these cause women to not only get drunk faster, but allows the alcohol to have an effect on many of our organs and can increase our chances for liver or cardiovascular disease and "some forms of cancer."

The point of Brockhoff's article and the UND study is that women should be especially vigilant when it comes to how much alcohol we consume. We should each know our limitations and take into account the medical history of ourselves and our families in order to be smart about how much and how often we drink. To help you get started with this, the article includes some sound advice from Natalie Bovis-Nelsen (author of Preggatinis) about how we can cut down on the amount alcohol we drink. Read the full Kansas City Star article...

More information about alcohol and health...
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More Precautions for Women Who Drink originally appeared on About.com Cocktails on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 11:48:21.

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Sipper of the Week: Sobieski Vodka and The Polished Princess

2009-11-14T14:42:15Z

Vanilla, cranberries and pumpkin combine for this week's featured sipper. It is one of the cocktails created by the one and only Jonathan Pogash for Sobieski Vodka and it is called The Polished Princess.

The Polished Princess
Photo Courtesy of: © Sobieski Vodka

I particularly like this cocktail because it is a mix of the best flavors of the season. You have a smooth vanilla vodka from Sobieski, the sweetness of fresh cranberries and the light spice of pumpkin pie. It all combines into one lovely mix that is backed up and brought together by egg white for that rich, creamy texture without the cream. I can see The Polished Princess as an ideal pairing for that Thanksgiving Day pumpkin pie...YUM!

The Polished Princess cocktail recipe...

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Sipper of the Week: Sobieski Vodka and The Polished Princess originally appeared on About.com Cocktails on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 14:42:15.

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The Latest of Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Bourbon

2009-11-12T01:34:22Z

In recent years the Master's Collection of Woodford Reserve has included some innovative bourbons. While the Sonoma-Cutrer Finish of two years ago may have been too much like wine for some people, you have to admit that it is fun to explore the distilleries experimentation with barrels. Just this month the fourth edition of the series was released and, while it again uses a special barrel, it is the exact opposite of that chardonnay-aged predecessor.

This 'Seasoned Oak Finish' is the boldest oak that I have yet to taste from Woodford Reserve and I like it. This is not the average "oakiness," but instead brings in spices and, most surprisingly anise, to a rich, extra-aged bourbon that is something new and it is fascinating. The key is that the barrels are "seasoned" by the changing seasons of 3-5 years in Kentucky. For $90 a bottle it's not in everyone's budget. However, if you are up for a very unique bourbon to enjoy on ice this is one you may want to look into.

Full review of Woodford Reserve Seasoned Oak Finish Bourbon...

The Latest of Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Bourbon originally appeared on About.com Cocktails on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 01:34:22.

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Timeless Tipple of the Week: Brandy Daisy

2009-11-10T20:24:32Z

If you take a look at many classic cocktail you will notice that there are many drinks that fit into a style, or a family. From the fizzes to the crustas and the sangarees to the smashes, many of these groups of drinks are made with a base spirit of choice and the rest of the drink follows a somewhat specific formula. This is the case for this week's timeless tipple of study, the beautifully named Daisy.

Daisies are a mix of spirit, syrup, lemon, either curacao or maraschino, and soda. Possibly the most popular of the lot is the Brandy Daisy, which also happens to be my favorite. This one has a nice balance of spirit, sweet and sour and the soda topping adds a little glimmer to the mix. This is also a classic cocktail in which you can employ those large cocktail glasses because the extra room can be used to increase the soda to your liking.

Other Daisies include the Gin Daisy, Rum Daisy (or according to Jerry Thomas, a Santa Cruz Rum Daisy, which uses "Santa Cruz rum"), and the Whiskey Daisy. Find these recipes and the Brandy Daisy here...

Timeless Tipple of the Week: Brandy Daisy originally appeared on About.com Cocktails on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 20:24:32.

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Cocktails from Jerry Thomas' 1887 Bartenders Guide

2009-11-08T19:14:43Z

Fans of old-fashioned mixology know the name Jerry Thomas. He was the 19th century bartender who penned the first bartending guides and left us a written history of the age when cocktails were in their first glory. David Wondrich's book Imbibe! goes into great detail about Thomas and the theory of cocktails at the time and I highly recommend it for any enthusiast who has not yet read it.

If you can find an original copy of one of Thomas' bartending guides, which include How to Mix Drinks (1862) and the 1876 and 1877 editions of Bar-Tenders Guide, you are lucky but will have to spend a few hundred dollars or more. For those who want to experience the books without the high cost there are reprints available that often have introductions by modern mixologists. This is the route I went to obtain the 1877 Bar-Tenders Guide and I've begun to pull and adapt cocktails from this fascinating bar book.

To begin with here are four cocktails that have recently been added to my cocktail database...

Absinthe Cocktail - a double dose of anise flavor and a cocktail that is not for the weak of heart.
Morning Glory Cocktail - a complex mix of rye, brandy, curacao and absinthe with a sparkling top.
Saratoga Cocktail - a Manhattan-esque drink that brings brandy into the neat mix.
Soda Cocktail - a non-alcoholic drink that is essentially a homemade soda.

Cocktails from Jerry Thomas' 1887 Bartenders Guide originally appeared on About.com Cocktails on Sunday, November 8th, 2009 at 19:14:43.

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