just made this. it's pretty amazing. way more mellow than i was expecting from the ingredients. i remember you guys mentioning chocolate goes w/chartreuse and tequila, so i added the chocolate bitters and it worked really well.
Kama Sutra
2 ounces añejo Tequila1/4 ounce mescal1/2 ounce green Chartreuse2 dashes Chocolate Bitters1 flamed lemon peel for garnish (this smelled awesome btw)
Instructions: Place Tequila, mescal and green Chartreuse in a mixing glass. Add ice. Stir for 15-20 seconds and strain into a cocktail glass. Add garnish.
there are a couple of other non-citrusy tequila drinks on the second page of this articlehttp://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/03/FDDT179ORE.DTL
― jaxon, Tuesday, 5 July 2011 03:13 (twelve years ago) link
i had this amazing cocktail the other day - a "ginger long island iced tea" at some fancy schmancy restaurant. it was a revelation, but unfortunately, i do not see the recipe anywhere on the internet so far. and there's not even a recipe for long island iced tea at all on this thread!
it tasted like a regular long island ice-t, but maybe had some actual fresh ginger in it. also it was a hair lighter and tea-y-er than your typical long island, so i wondered if it maybe had a splash of actual iced tea in it? like high quality earl grey or something. seriously, this drink was the bomb. anyone know how to make one?
― messiahwannabe, Tuesday, 5 July 2011 09:53 (twelve years ago) link
there are several possibilities--gin or whiskey infused with tea, ginger syrup, ginger liqueur, muddled or pressed fresh ginger. i'd go ahead and guess that the recipe does not look much like the standard l.i.i.t. recipe at all.
actually, the original long island iced tea is being ceremonially buried at tales of the cocktail this year: http://offbeat.com/2011/07/01/tea-and-tales-of-the-cocktail/
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 5 July 2011 17:50 (twelve years ago) link
ha, the long island iced tea will never die! it's the same price as other cocktails, but has like 2-3 times as much booze in it, and is still pretty tasty to boot, and will thus be the drink of choice for cheapskate alcoholics for all eternity.
i was thinking there may be some infusion going on with the g-liit, they do a couple other infusions at this place for other coctails. and the ginger tasted really fresh and authentic, it was part of what made the cocktail so damn good. do they put vodka in those things as well? vodka's kinda the go-to booze for infusions.
i'd buy the ingredients and try to duplicate it in my home, but knowing myself all to well i'm pretty sure i'd wind up drinking every bottle of liquor in its entirety the night i brought them home, and since there's like 5 different kinds of booze in it i'd probably put myself in a coma
― messiahwannabe, Wednesday, 6 July 2011 04:31 (twelve years ago) link
the long island iced tea is a great choice if you really like getting drunk but really hate cocktails
― I DIED, Wednesday, 6 July 2011 14:13 (twelve years ago) link
love this photo. ran with a writeup on the bartenders at Heaven's Dog (great cocktails, terrible restaurant)http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2011/06/fun_with_cocktails_at_heavens.php
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/sfweeklydion-2.jpg
― jaxon, Thursday, 7 July 2011 17:44 (twelve years ago) link
first home experiment with egg white/dry-shaking: a variant on the hawaiian cocktail that goes like:
1.5 oz gin.5 oz pineapple juicedash orange bittersegg white
creamy, VERY light, i.e. not much of a taste but i'm also realizing i forgot to shake the pineapple juice before pouring
― just JOE looking at a tornado (donna rouge), Sunday, 10 July 2011 05:05 (twelve years ago) link
made this last night. like a mojito, but i don't tend to like drinks w/soda water in them. i served it up and loved it.
The Whiskey Smash2 oz. whiskey1 oz. simple syrup1/2 oz. lemon juiceA handful of mintInstructions:Muddle the mint and lemon juice, then add the syrup and whiskey. Fill your shaker with ice. Shake it hard. Strain. Serve over ice and enjoy!
― jaxon, Wednesday, 13 July 2011 18:34 (twelve years ago) link
mmm
― tehresa, Wednesday, 13 July 2011 22:23 (twelve years ago) link
the double strain is key here but yeah total classique
― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 13 July 2011 22:57 (twelve years ago) link
ya, double strainer is next on my list
― jaxon, Thursday, 14 July 2011 01:50 (twelve years ago) link
http://theideagirlsays.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/lettuce-stuck-on-your-teeth.jpg
― jaxon, Thursday, 14 July 2011 01:51 (twelve years ago) link
does agave nectar have a distinctive enough of a flavor that you can't just use simple syrup?
― jaxon, Friday, 15 July 2011 22:20 (twelve years ago) link
nah. the theory is that it has a nice synergy with tequila, and that may well be true, but at the end of the day you are just trying to sweeten your drink.
― call all destroyer, Friday, 15 July 2011 22:38 (twelve years ago) link
I have a nice synergy with tequila
― mh, Friday, 15 July 2011 23:18 (twelve years ago) link
hah.
i made a manhattan tonight w/ dry vermouth and blood orange bitters and threw in a pitted fresh cherry. it was really nice. and the rye-soaked cherry at the end was delicious! i hate maraschino, but this was good.
also what are those sour maraschini called? i like those just not the waxy bright red sugary ones.
― tehresa, Friday, 15 July 2011 23:30 (twelve years ago) link
just bought some st. germain and a li'l guy of benedictine
― jesus and mary chapin carpenter (donna rouge), Saturday, 16 July 2011 00:17 (twelve years ago) link
Using Luxardo maraschino cherries or making your own (not that difficult!) is such an enormous improvement that the red #5 ones should never be used. Even just simmering cherries in simple syrup an preserving in any kind of alcohol is great for all kinds of things.
― I DIED, Saturday, 16 July 2011 14:43 (twelve years ago) link
yeah it seems like it's reasonably easy to make your own so i am thinking of maybe making some and preserving in rye or bourbon since the ones soaked in rye last night were so delicious by the end of the drink.
― tehresa, Saturday, 16 July 2011 14:44 (twelve years ago) link
i also read jamie boudreau's make your own bitters post last night and man, i wish i had the time/space/bottles/ingredients but it honestly just seems like a TON of work for something i use so rarely so maybe i'll just buy a few bottles of special flavor bitters.
― tehresa, Saturday, 16 July 2011 14:45 (twelve years ago) link
There are so many great bitters available at retail for pretty cheap now that making your own isn't quite the thing it was a few years ago. Still very impressive though.
There's some Spanish brandy available around $10/bottle that's great for preserving cherries and more. Best thing about cooking fruits in sugar and spices is that you also get a huge excess of flavored syrup to use.
― I DIED, Saturday, 16 July 2011 15:34 (twelve years ago) link
so it's been a fun week as my copy of the newly-released beta cocktails showed up. lots of measurable amounts of bitters, smoke, salt, and room-temperature cocktails--some of which are pretty easy to make with a decent home bar. here are three that i've enjoyed:
defend arrack:
1.5 oz. batavia arrack.75 oz. lime juice.75 oz. apricot liqueur1/8 oz. allspice dram
shake and strain. this doesn't really taste like any of its components--it comes together like a citrus fruit that doesn't exist.
racketeer (not in this book but in their earlier volume, rogue cocktails)
1 oz. rye1 oz. mezcal.5 oz. benedictine.5 oz. carpano antica (or whatever sweet vermouth you have).25 oz. yellow chartreuse3 dashes peychaud's
stir and strain into a glass that you rinsed with islay scotch. this one gets you lots of smoke but it's got all kinds of dimensions.
ashtray heart:
1 oz. smith and cross1 oz. dry vermouth1 oz. punt e mes
stir and strain into a glass that you rinsed with mezcal. grapefruit twist. all i can say about this one is that the name is completely appropriate. smith and cross plays really well with the fruit in the punt e mes.
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 9 August 2011 03:03 (twelve years ago) link
book looks rad. i notice they have some recipes on the website too. are all of them there? is buying the book necessary?
― jaxon, Tuesday, 9 August 2011 04:00 (twelve years ago) link
i am soooo into smokey cocktails lately. that kama sutra i made upthread w/chartruse, tequila and mezcal was my favorite for a while.
i got some Leopold Brothers Maraschino for my birthday. never had luxardo, so don't know the difference, but damn it's good. been sipping it straight on rocks. it's pretty sweet, kinda fruity, not at all almondy like i thought it would be. made a few cocktails with it, but can't really discern any flavor it adds to the drinks besides a bit of sweetness.
― jaxon, Tuesday, 9 August 2011 04:12 (twelve years ago) link
i just bought some tamarind paste which i plan on using for cocktails soon. really looking forward to making this one. (also recently had one w/tequila, mescal, cumin, black pepper & tamarind that i'm gonna try and recreate. super savory, but super amazing)
Black DaiquiriCrushed ice1 1/2 ounces aged rum3/4 ounce tamarind syrup (see NOTES)3/4 ounce garam masala syrup (see NOTES)Whole cloves, for garnish
NOTES: To make tamarind syrup, combine 3 ounces of tamarind concentrate and 2 ounces of water; stir to mix well. Cover tightly, and refrigerate until chilled through.
To make garam masala syrup, combine 2 cups of brewed garam masala tea and 1 cup of sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring just to a slow boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer to a heatproof container and let cool to room temperature. Cover tightly, and refrigerate until chilled through.
― jaxon, Tuesday, 9 August 2011 04:13 (twelve years ago) link
cad in that 'defend arrack' drink, does apricot liqueur = apricot brandy?
― just sayin, Tuesday, 9 August 2011 12:16 (twelve years ago) link
yeah apricot liqueur does = apricot brandy. marie brizard apry, rothman + winter, or whatever.
the site only has a few recipes iirc and the book has maybe 50? i mean i don't want to claim it's something it's not, it's 25 bucks shipped for a very slim volume, and there are lots of things that i can't make (despite being pretty well stocked), but they bring an interesting perspective and putting it together was clearly a labor of love.
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 9 August 2011 13:49 (twelve years ago) link
can i ask a question about fernet branca? is it supposed to be sipped on the rocks or with a splash of water/soda?
― it was pleasant and delightful, just like (La Lechera), Tuesday, 9 August 2011 13:54 (twelve years ago) link
or in some other way?
i have it on the rocks some times, other times neat. ive never had it w/ water or soda tho
― just sayin, Tuesday, 9 August 2011 14:38 (twelve years ago) link
but some people might! i dont really know.
― just sayin, Tuesday, 9 August 2011 14:39 (twelve years ago) link
a friend said she likes it with coke
― rameau: first blood (donna rouge), Tuesday, 9 August 2011 14:41 (twelve years ago) link
(i like it neat)
yeah my friend was in argentina and said it was super popular there w/ coke! he said there was big supermarket displays of fernet branca :O
― just sayin, Tuesday, 9 August 2011 14:44 (twelve years ago) link
Ok, I'm asking because I tried it a few weeks ago and...I just couldn't like it. I like bitter foods and drinks, I like herbal concoctions of many kinds, but I could not deal with the taste of straight fernet branca. I wanted to like it, but I just couldn't. More ice, still no. I don't remember the last time I said this about anything, and I thought maybe I was drinking it wrong.
― it was pleasant and delightful, just like (La Lechera), Tuesday, 9 August 2011 14:46 (twelve years ago) link
that menthol quality it has is pretty unique and may just be something you can't get past.
one idea to try--a fernet old-fashioned. 2 oz. fernet, a teaspoon of simple syrup, and a couple dashes of orange bitters stirred and strained over fresh ice.
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 9 August 2011 15:00 (twelve years ago) link
That sounds acceptable, would try. It seriously must have been the menthol -- it was kinda like brown liquid vapo-rub.
― it was pleasant and delightful, just like (La Lechera), Tuesday, 9 August 2011 15:13 (twelve years ago) link
made this tonight. pretty awesome
Dusty Road Chelada ½ ounce Tamarind pulp 1 pinch of lime rind ¾ ounce lime juice ¼ ounce agave nectar (optional) pinch salt & pepper
mix everything, then pour 1 bottle Uncommon Brewers Siamese Twin Ale (or Dos Equis) - i used corona, because that's what i drink tsp mezcal float
― jaxon, Monday, 15 August 2011 05:46 (twelve years ago) link
also made this which bill mentioned upthread. heavy on the angosturas. surprisingly great. kinda reminds me of something that uses allspice dram
Trinidad Sour1 oz Angostura bitters1 oz orgeat3/4 oz lemon juice1/2 oz Rittenhouse rye
― jaxon, Monday, 15 August 2011 06:01 (twelve years ago) link
by the way, this thread:
Which Cocteau Twins song titles would best double as the names of cocktails, and what would be in them?
maybe we could come up with some real, drinkable recipes based on same concept? i feel like that could be delicious.
― messiahwannabe, Monday, 15 August 2011 10:35 (twelve years ago) link
Dusty Road Chelada½ ounce Tamarind pulp1 pinch of lime rind¾ ounce lime juice¼ ounce agave nectar (optional)pinch salt & pepper
mix everything, then pour1 bottle Uncommon Brewers Siamese Twin Ale (or Dos Equis) - i used corona, because that's what i drink
tsp mezcal float
― jaxon, Monday, August 15, 2011 1:46 AM (7 hours ago) Bookmark
this sounds cool! if i can track down a tamarind.
― call all destroyer, Monday, 15 August 2011 13:17 (twelve years ago) link
you can usually get the pulp from asian supermarkets
http://www.cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/images/thumb/c/cb/Packet_of_tamarind_pulp.jpg/250px-Packet_of_tamarind_pulp.jpg
― just sayin, Monday, 15 August 2011 13:37 (twelve years ago) link
Has Plymouth gin gone up in price for anyone else? It's gone up $5 since the last time I bought it in NH (six months ago maybe?) It's a good gin, it's a good cocktail gin, but it's not worth $12 more than Bombay, or even $5 more than Magellan.
― Bill, Monday, 15 August 2011 15:03 (twelve years ago) link
In perusing the NH state liquor store price list, though, I also find that they list the Whistle Pig 10 year rye - which probably won't show up until Thanksgiving, they always order some premium ryes and bourbons for the holidays and once they're gone they're gone - and that they're stocking Clement Creole Shrubb again, my favorite orange liqueur. I've probably mentioned it before. It's not an orthodox substitution for Cointreau, since it's rhum agricole based, but man it works well.
― Bill, Monday, 15 August 2011 15:08 (twelve years ago) link
ya, i go this for $2 at the asian market down the st
http://www.ambianceimpex.com/images/products/grocery/tamarind%20concentrate%2015-09-2009%203-31-11%20a.m.%20360x480.jpg
i also used it in that black daiquiri from upthread, but i think i need to dilute it a bit more. it's already pretty liquidy in the plastic container (as opposed to that block ^), but the drink was kinda thick.
― jaxon, Monday, 15 August 2011 15:10 (twelve years ago) link
hmm, i haven't checked plymouth recently but i will scout it out tomorrow at the store. i always thought it was a little pricey so an increase would not be good.
i've started to see whistlepig all over the place recently but someone is going to have to convince me that it's 20 bucks better than rendezvous, or 35 bucks better than the new jefferson's rye which i actually want to try, and which is in all likelihood the same juice as whistlepig.
― call all destroyer, Monday, 15 August 2011 15:12 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, as it is Plymouth was already a few dollars more than it used to be - not sure if that was stores raising the price, or if Plymouth raised its price in response to being adopted by the cocktail revival. Between this and the price hike of Chartreuse (whenever that was), the cost of a Last Word has gone up a lot since I started making them.
Torn about the Whistlepig. It'll be a tight-budget time of year with the holidays, and I don't think I can justify more than one super-premium whiskey, which will probably be the 18 year Sazerac or a Thomas Handy
― Bill, Monday, 15 August 2011 16:47 (twelve years ago) link
here's a jefferson's rye review--i've seen it for $35 and the major diff from whistlepig is 10 less (fewer?) proof.
http://www.whatdoesjohnknow.com/2011/08/05/review-jeffersons-straight-rye-whiskey/
a 10-year-old canadian 100% unmalted rye whiskey is going to be an idiosyncratic whiskey anyway, and i'm thinking i may enjoy a handy or a fresh sazerac 18 more in general.
bill, do you have any advice on securing items such as buffalo trace antique collection bottles when they're in stock in the new hampshire state liquor system? i will be working up there starting in oct. do you just have to show up and hope? will store managers get/hold things for you?
― call all destroyer, Monday, 15 August 2011 17:01 (twelve years ago) link
It's always just been a matter of lucking into it for me - I'll forget all about the expensive whiskeys coming in, and then I'll go into the store (the nearest one is just down the street from me and next to my local supermarket) and there they'll be on display. They've just replaced my store with a new renovated building, so I don't know what effect that'll have on the haphazard appearance of the seasonal displays - they would just sort of put them wherever they happened to fit, before.
That said, I *think* you can just ask the manager to get you a bottle of xyz, if you know it's something in the system. The state liquor store web page tells you how many bottles are at which store, so you may not even have to do that.
― Bill, Monday, 15 August 2011 18:26 (twelve years ago) link
cool--didn't realize they put their inventory online to that level of detail.
here's another product question i need help with--anejo tequila for mixing? preferably under 40 bucks? not really a big tequila sipper but keep seeing cocktails that want an anejo.
― call all destroyer, Monday, 15 August 2011 19:41 (twelve years ago) link