posted on 30 April 2010 by tony
Welcome to Derby Day 2010 and the first Cocktail of the Moment! between dTws and The Boston Shaker.
Adam and I unearthed this wonder from Imbibe!, by David Wondrich. If you’re unfamiliar with this particular tome, change that immediately. It will change your life, like that Shins song, but for real. A little more research easily found Paul Clarke’s wonderful entry at The Cocktail Chronicles.
A quoted blend of the two recipes is below below. {editor’s note: please don’t sue us}
Our thoughts are shown inside the [ ] & the links head you over to The Boston Shaker’s site in case you’re curious what this stuff is or you’re in need of the tools to make this delectable cocktail.
“Prescription Julep
This little piece of medical humor comes from “A Winter in the South,” a serial Harper’s Monthly ran in 1857.[…]Cognac and rye whiskey are a marriage made in heaven, the cognac mellowing the rye and the rye adding spice to the cognac.
The doctor accordingly wrote out a prescription for the case, as follows:
2 tsp. sugar and 1/2 ounce water (or, a couple of teaspoons of simple or gomme/gum, to taste)” [Paul recommended Gum syrup... and after making it this way we do too.]
“1 1/2 oz. Strong Cognac
1/2 oz. Spirits of Rye
Mint Leaves” [Paul Clarke recommends 8-10]
“1. In a glass or julep cup, add sugar & water and stir to mix (or add your syrup).
2. [Using a muddler] Very gently press your mint leaves — for the love of all that is good, boozy and holy, do NOT grind them into a paste — and withdraw them if you like, or gently nestle them in the bottom of the glass.” [Thank you Paul - ABSOLUTELY right. Smashing the mint up releases chlorophyll, which is bitter. You just want to tap, tap, tap out the oils into the sugar mixture.]
“3. Add the cognac and whiskey, give a slight stir (again avoid that impulse to smash the sh*t out of the leaves — seriously, you’ll thank me for this), then pack the glass with fine-crushed ice.” [You can crush ice using a towel and a hammer or do what the pros do and use an ice crusher or smack the junk out of it in an ice crushing bag.]
4. “Give a few light stirs with a bar spoon to help raise the frost, add more ice, and festoon with a fresh mint sprig, for aromatics.”
5. [As Paul mentions, a dash of Appleton Extra rum over the top of the ice is a splendid touch. Sip from a metal straw if you have 'em, if not - trim a standard straw to about an nice above the top of the cup so you can smell the mint as you sip.]
“To quote the original Harper’s Monthly - “Repeat dose three or four times a say until cold weather. - Quackenboss, M.D.”
Armed with this back-story and a little research, we set out to make a couple of these on our own. Drinks, however, are always more fun with friends, and since The Shaker is pretty much ground zero for every cocktail geek in the city, we quickly turned out two person experiment into a five person mini-event. Joined by the charming Fredrick and Andrea of Cocktail Virgin (which everyone should be reading) and C. Eslao, Bostonist correspondent and all around great person, we embarked upon our beverage journey.
While Fred, a cocktail scientist in my estimation, measured out spirits and gently muddled some mint, the rest of us crushed the hell out of some ice (Fredrick was in on this too, the man was everywhere), trimmed some straws and generally goofed off. Suddenly, the magic moment was upon us, and Prescription Juleps were ready all around.
The verdict? Sayeth Adam: “Doesn’t suck.” I tended to agree. The natural sweetness of cognac, combined with gum syrup, might have been overwhelming, but the mintiness of the mint and spiciness of rye saved the day. It was an excellent alternative to the traditional mint julep and a really enjoyable beverage to sip while chatting with friends, laughing and having inappropriate discussions.
Furthermore, it is exciting to know that Juleps don’t have to be limited to the standard Mint. Imbibe! lists two alternatives including this one, and countless other variants exist. With a little exploration, this classic drink style easily moves out of “reserved for the Kentucky Derby” to “we should be drinking these all the time”. I believe we’ll be drinking this version all summer.
Also, on a personal note, I like that juleps are pretty much booze snow cones. A hearty thumbs up all around.
-Out.
photo care of: C. Fernsebner
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Every month or so, Adam of The Boston Shaker and Tony of dTws will put their slightly muddled heads together to bring you a cocktail you may never have had, relevant to the time they manage to release it. With Adam’s encyclodpedic knowledge of cocktails and Tony’s blind drunk enthusiasm, this serial should manage to educate and entertain, while also getting you liquored up. Read More >
Tags: cocktails, cognac, drink recipes, rye, the boston shaker, whiskey
Category: Cocktail Recipes | Comments (0)
posted on 1 July 2009 by maggie
After the sold out whiskey tasting in May, downTown and Redbones are bringing Tastings with Tony back! This time, it’s tequila - North America’s first distilled spirit and one of its most popular. Tony will return to lead the tasting at Redbones, right here in Davis Square. The tasting and talk are $15.00 and begin at 5:30. Space is limited, and its first come, first serve, so arrive early to get a spot and enjoy complementary appetizers while you wait.
Asked why tequila, Tony replies, “because tequila gets a bad rap!” He continues, adding “tequila has the reputation of being only a mixing spirit when, at the high end it is complex, nuanced and delicate. A tasting like the one at Redbones will give people a new appreciation for this centuries old spirit.”
Tony describes tequilas as siblings. The youngest, blanco, is the least mature and has the most intense flavor of the blue Agave - tequila’s dominant ingredient; it is typically used in mixed drinks like the ever popular Margarita. Reposado is the middle child, aged in wood barrels for a minimum of 2 months and perfect for sipping. The oldest and most mature, anejo, rests in barrels for at least a year becoming dark, smooth and complex. All three types will be served on July 20 and tasters can discover their favorites. In addition to commenting on taste and flavor, Tony will discuss Mexican regulations covering tequila production including ingredients and manufacturing regions.
Tastings with Tony - Tequila
Date & Time: Monday, July 20, 5 - 7 pm. Tasting starts at 5:30 pm.
Blanco: Herraduro, Milagro
Reposado: Cazadores, Chamucos, Lunazul, Milagro
Anejo: Cazadores, Milagro
At Redbones, spirits tastings complement the bar offerings. In the case of tequila, there are nine margaritas on the drinks list, including a special dubbed Celt’s Go Green, and six shot selections. “Our Tastings with Tony allow patrons to broaden their beverage knowledge by focusing on one spirit,” says GM, Nick Gregory, “and, based on attendance at the bourbon tasting, this is a supremely popular idea!”
Information at www.redbones.com and 617.628.2200.
Tags: cazadores, chamucos, herraduro, lunazul, milagro, Redbones, tequila
Category: The Liquor Blog | Comments (1)
posted on 23 June 2009 by tony
For all of those who pay attention to such things, it is officially summer. This means balmy days, trips to the beach and sunset slowly but surely getting a little earlier every day. It also means even more drinking, especially if you’re among the lucky group of people who doesn’t have to work over the season. While many people favor an ice cold brewdog or a chilled glass of white\rosè, there is also a large group of drinkers who prefer a perfectly poured (alliteration!) cocktail on a hot summer night. If you’ve been following this column for any length of time, you have surmised I fall into the latter group. You’ve probably also noticed I’ve been trying to throw some summer drinking at you lately, and this is no exception. The Negroni is a quintessential summer cocktail, as Jeff so eloquently stated “a summer cocktail with hair on it’s chest”. I’m not entirely sure if this is to say that it’s a cocktail for a more “manly” demeanor, or if he’s just mocking Italians, but one way or the other, he is in fact correct.
The Negroni is a rare event: a sequel that is greater than the original. The Negroni was derived from the Americano in the early 1900s in Florence, Italy. As the story is told, Count Camillo Negroni, a member of the Florentine aristocracy, was a fan of the Americano, but needed something with a little more kick. His wise bartender tossed out the one non-alcoholic ingredient of the Americano and added gin. In that moment, the Count had a new favorite cocktail, and a modern classic was born. The Negroni, obviously named for the Count, has endured from that moment on, and it can live on in your home with very little effort. Here’s what you’ll need:
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. gin
1 oz. sweet vermouth
Traditionally, this cocktail is shaken with ice, poured into an ice filled old fashioned glass and garnished with an orange twist. The more modern and American style has it poured into a chilled cocktail glass, but retains the orange garnish. Either way, this is the sort of drink you can while away any number of warm afternoons with. I myself am going to acquire a hammock and see if Lupec wants to spend some quality time relaxing in the sun and sipping this icy classic.
-Out.
Tags: campari, drink recipes, gin, vermouth
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posted on 19 June 2009 by tony
I would say it’s likely most folk don’t know about St. George Spirits, even if they’ve sampled their wares. This stems from the fact that St. George doesn’t put their name on a lot of their spirits, instead having various lines of product under different handles. You’ve most likely heard of Hangar One Vodka, arguably the most successful brand they’ve launched. The brand they use to market the liqueurs and eaux de vie, Aqua Perfecta, is much less known. I am going to attempt to fix that. First though, I must give you the requisite background information.
Somewhere in the realm on two decades ago, a youth named Jörg Rupf, hailing from a long line of Black Forest distillers, arrived in the Bay Area of California. Loving the area, he quickly began distilling eaux de vie and showing Americans exactly how it could be done. Sourcing his fruit from up and down the West Coast, Mr. Rupf is able to ensure he is always getting the highest quality ingredients year after year. With a line of products that include vodka, whiskey and a few liqueurs in addition to the eaux de vies, St. George Spirits is one of the best American distilleries out there. Their framboise liqueur is no exception to their standard of excellence.
This liqueur pours a bit viscous, and a particularly dark red. The nose is crazy with raspberries and maybe just a hint of grape. All it takes is one sip to see what’s going on here. It’s essentially an explosion of raspberry juice in your mouth. Sweet, but not sticky, and dry, but not bone dry. The finish is long and smooth, with no alcohol burn to speak of, even though this particular bottle is a respectable 40 proof.
It goes without saying that if you’re eating chocolate and want to pair a liqueur, this is the way to go. I would also advise pouring it over ice cream, waffles or anything else that generally has a syrup added to it. You may also wish to add this spirit to your list of seduction materials, because pouring this on any date is going to increase your chance of closing the deal significantly. Aqua Perfecta is a playful drink for serious drinkers my friends. Don’t miss out on it.
-Out.
Tags: eaux de vie, framboise, ice cream, liqueur, reviews
Category: Spirit Reviews | Comments (1)
posted on 10 June 2009 by tony
Normally, I wouldn’t go for a drink so well known. You may or may not have noticed I like to revive antiquated recipes, no longer common in the eye of the public. However, very recently, the Zombie was involved in a night out that a few of my downTown peeps happened to be at. Consequently, I am inspired to write about it. Also, it’s the sort of drink that gets you drunk. Not ha-ha drunk. Fall down trying to fight the ground drunk. And, well, that’s how I like it.
The Zombie, according to legend, was created in the late 1930’s, by one Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gannt, known in popular culture as “Donn Beach”. The story goes that he put one of these together for a friend of his before he took of for San Francisco. The friend proceeded to pound three of them, and, upon his return, stated he felt like a zombie his entire trip. And a star is born.
The zombie really hit it’s stride during the days of the American Tiki craze. Several variants of the original cocktail appeared, as Donn Beach was terribly secretive about his cocktail creations. After the death of Tiki in popular culture, one of the only ways to find this drink was to guzzle as many as you could get your hands on during Mardi Gras. These days it’s a little easier, especially if you live in our neck of the woods. Eastern Standard is known to have the Zombie on it’s menu, with a strict limit of two per customer. Take a look at the ingredient list and you’ll see why.
2 oz dark rum
2 oz light rum
1 oz 151 (or any over-proof rum)
1 oz triple sec
1 teaspoon Pernod
1 oz lime juice
1 oz orange juice
1 oz pineapple juice
1 oz guava nectar
1 tablespoon Grenadine
1 tablespoon Orgeat (almond) syrup
You can serve this one of two ways, depending on how you like your drinks. The first method involves tossing all the ingredients into a blender with a bunch of cracked ice and blending until smooth. Pour your slurry into a Collins glass and garnish with a pineapple spear and a cherry and you’re ready to get rocked.
If you’re not into blender drinks, simply substitute a shaker for the blender and leave out the 151. Give the concoction a good shake and pour that into a glass. Float the 151 on top and garnish. The cool part is that if you’re up to it, you can always light the 151 on fire and serve it that way. I’m more of a blender guy, but Lupec loves it when I mix up some flaming drinks, and with the ladies I aim to please.
You can find any number of alternate ways to mix this up online, so go nuts. Seriously though, this is going to get you smashed, so be careful. If you’re not careful though, send me an email with your horror story. I would love to hear them.
-Out.
Tags: drink recipes, grenadine, pernod, rum, triple sec
Category: Cocktail Recipes | Comments (1)
