Tuesday, March 15, 2011
I'VE MOVED
Hey, I know I rarely update; and as most of the world already knows I've moved my blog to tumblr. You all can find me there at mixicology.tumblr.com
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Sorry....
Okay, so I'm really neglecting my blog; don't call the folks on me! As of now I'm going to change the format to include varied things like a section for bar basics for my friends with how to questions, and other things! I will have this worked out about summer, PROMISE! Feel free to keep in touch via twitter in the mean time. TheMixicologist, that's me! Egészségedre!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Become a Pro at Proportions!
Okay so when thumbing through old cocktail books, or possibly new ones you might see recipes presented as ratios that make no use of ounces or modern measurements. Fret not! Its a lot more simple than you think. Some of you advanced cocktailians out there may think "this is stupid", but I've seen it done incorrectly by seasoned drinkers too. So here's something I just figured might be helpful to someone somewhere out there.
The best way for me to explain this is reading music notes. I know it sounds dumb, but music timing and understanding how to read music helped me to free pour and deal with proportions expertly and consistently like a champ. This method comes in frighteningly handy when making things by the pitcher!
Okay, so here's our recipe; to make it simple lets start with a....no scratch that. We won't do this the simple way, learning the difficult stuff and getting it down will make the easy things all water under the bridge. We're rocking it out with the Hemingway Daiquiri, one of my favorite drinks! This is Dale DeGroff's version, a huge name, but one of the nicest folks I've ever met!
1.50 ounce Light Rum
0.75 ounce Lime Juice
0.75 ounce Simple Syrup
0.50 ounce Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
0.25 ounce Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
Alrighty, so very much just like music you first figure which note gets what value and every other note is measured in proportion to that. Simply put: I'm going to establish that 0.25 ounces is one part because most every other quantity is greater than it and a multiple of. So based on the rule just set and the application of simple division, I've established that there's 1 part Luxardo, 2 parts Grapefruit Juice, 3 parts each of Simple and Lime Juice, and 6 parts of Rum. In addition to the reasoning above, I know that when I count out pours counting to four is one ounce. That being said I'd count out each part as one and that one count equates to a quarter ounce. So whether making it by the teaspoon or by the gallon your recipe is consistent.
If I wanted to be difficult and irrational I could dictate that one ounce is one part which changes the proportions to 1/4 Luxardo, 1/2 Grapefruit, 3/4 Simple and Lime, topped off by 1 1/2 parts rum. Now this kind of makes counting a blip, see? So as a personal rule of thumb, I always make 1/4 ounce one part. It just makes life far easier!
Are we all on the same page, kids? Get it? Got it? Good!
The best way for me to explain this is reading music notes. I know it sounds dumb, but music timing and understanding how to read music helped me to free pour and deal with proportions expertly and consistently like a champ. This method comes in frighteningly handy when making things by the pitcher!
Okay, so here's our recipe; to make it simple lets start with a....no scratch that. We won't do this the simple way, learning the difficult stuff and getting it down will make the easy things all water under the bridge. We're rocking it out with the Hemingway Daiquiri, one of my favorite drinks! This is Dale DeGroff's version, a huge name, but one of the nicest folks I've ever met!
1.50 ounce Light Rum
0.75 ounce Lime Juice
0.75 ounce Simple Syrup
0.50 ounce Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
0.25 ounce Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
Alrighty, so very much just like music you first figure which note gets what value and every other note is measured in proportion to that. Simply put: I'm going to establish that 0.25 ounces is one part because most every other quantity is greater than it and a multiple of. So based on the rule just set and the application of simple division, I've established that there's 1 part Luxardo, 2 parts Grapefruit Juice, 3 parts each of Simple and Lime Juice, and 6 parts of Rum. In addition to the reasoning above, I know that when I count out pours counting to four is one ounce. That being said I'd count out each part as one and that one count equates to a quarter ounce. So whether making it by the teaspoon or by the gallon your recipe is consistent.
If I wanted to be difficult and irrational I could dictate that one ounce is one part which changes the proportions to 1/4 Luxardo, 1/2 Grapefruit, 3/4 Simple and Lime, topped off by 1 1/2 parts rum. Now this kind of makes counting a blip, see? So as a personal rule of thumb, I always make 1/4 ounce one part. It just makes life far easier!
Are we all on the same page, kids? Get it? Got it? Good!
The Manhattan...My way.
So I had a few things on hand that were traditional Manhattan and a few things that were not. To quote an incredible smart individual, "Originality is nothing but judicious imitation", that old chap was Voltaire.
While the origins of the Manhattan are disputed, I do know this much for sure: it's Whiskey (usually Rye), Vermouth, and Bitters, three simple ingredients. What makes this cocktail yours is all a matter of choice and proportion. Some people make 1:1, 4:1, 10:1. Me, personally I go with the 4:1, which translates into 2 ounces and .5 ounce, but for the spin I changed. Also, you'll notice in my Manhattan I added a Ginger Liqueur and used rhum instead of whiskey. The change in base changes the flavor profile a lot, and Canton serves as a flavoring agent and modifier which results in a Manhattan with a bit off the edge taken off and a subtle ginger note and warmth.
My Manhattan
2.0 ounce Barbancourt Trois Etoile
0.5 ounce Domaine Du Canton (DDC) Ginger Liqueur
0.5 ounce Noilly Pratt Rouge
2 Dashes West Indian Orange Bitters
1 Bar spoon Luxardo Marasche Cherry Juice
Marasche Cherries for garnish
Stir, serve up, garnish and enjoy.
While the origins of the Manhattan are disputed, I do know this much for sure: it's Whiskey (usually Rye), Vermouth, and Bitters, three simple ingredients. What makes this cocktail yours is all a matter of choice and proportion. Some people make 1:1, 4:1, 10:1. Me, personally I go with the 4:1, which translates into 2 ounces and .5 ounce, but for the spin I changed. Also, you'll notice in my Manhattan I added a Ginger Liqueur and used rhum instead of whiskey. The change in base changes the flavor profile a lot, and Canton serves as a flavoring agent and modifier which results in a Manhattan with a bit off the edge taken off and a subtle ginger note and warmth.
My Manhattan
2.0 ounce Barbancourt Trois Etoile
0.5 ounce Domaine Du Canton (DDC) Ginger Liqueur
0.5 ounce Noilly Pratt Rouge
2 Dashes West Indian Orange Bitters
1 Bar spoon Luxardo Marasche Cherry Juice
Marasche Cherries for garnish
Stir, serve up, garnish and enjoy.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Summer with a Splash of Winter
I don't know about everyone else, but I tend to have a drink for each season. Yes, may strike you as weird, I know; but whatever. This summer I was introduced to the Icepick a refreshingly good mixed drink or Vodka and Iced Tea...very simple, this one is. I had the sudden urge to have one, but pondered creating something more seasonal with some warm spicy winteriness to it. Et voila, I created the Icicle! I had it cold, but without a doubt this would be awesome served hot as well.
2.0 ozs Bourbon
1.5 oz Domaine Du Canton Ginger Liquer
0.25 oz Honey
1 Pinch Ground Cloves
5.0 Tea, preferably well oxidized and unsweetened
For the cold version:
Dry stir the ingredients first to dissolve the honey, then add cracked ice, stir until chilled, pour into a glass. This is a fairly long boozy cocktail so use a big glass; and For garnish I think a lemonwheel would be ideal.
To heat things up a bit (this is where it gets tricky):
Use a THICK walled HEAVY glass preferably with a handle. Into the glass, place a METAL SPOON pour in hot water to fill. This step is important. The spoon will absorb the heat from the glass, thus decreasing the chances of the glass breaking; and the hot water will warm the glass so it won't chill the hot drink. Ever poured cold beer into a hot glass? Exactly, but it's the opposite. Dump the water from your glass, while leaving the spoon, pour in the heated tea and all the ingredients, give it a good stir, and serve.
I really like this one, it's got spice and complexity while being simple and easy. Hope you do, too. Down the hatch!
2.0 ozs Bourbon
1.5 oz Domaine Du Canton Ginger Liquer
0.25 oz Honey
1 Pinch Ground Cloves
5.0 Tea, preferably well oxidized and unsweetened
For the cold version:
Dry stir the ingredients first to dissolve the honey, then add cracked ice, stir until chilled, pour into a glass. This is a fairly long boozy cocktail so use a big glass; and For garnish I think a lemonwheel would be ideal.
To heat things up a bit (this is where it gets tricky):
Use a THICK walled HEAVY glass preferably with a handle. Into the glass, place a METAL SPOON pour in hot water to fill. This step is important. The spoon will absorb the heat from the glass, thus decreasing the chances of the glass breaking; and the hot water will warm the glass so it won't chill the hot drink. Ever poured cold beer into a hot glass? Exactly, but it's the opposite. Dump the water from your glass, while leaving the spoon, pour in the heated tea and all the ingredients, give it a good stir, and serve.
I really like this one, it's got spice and complexity while being simple and easy. Hope you do, too. Down the hatch!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Really though, there's no A, B, or O. I promise.
So as usual, I had things lying around and after being summoned to a social situation; I arrived "bearing gifts" as the hostess yelled. Truly, I'd bought no gifts, just accents to embellish upon what was already present. In short, a friend had some gin and I thought "Self, we've got the perfect thing to mix with that!" That's how it all began.
Between the hosts and I we had, Tanqueray, Blood Orange Juice, Ground Coriander, and Dolin Dry. I played around a bit evaluating and taking note of what this and this did and what would happen if there was more of this; such is what mixology is about, the study of combining. Here were my findings...well actually, my findings by playing with four ingredients were numerous. Try it and figure it out yourself! In the end I found that:
2.0 ounces Tanqueray
0.5 ounces Dolin Dry
0.5 ounces Blood Orange Juice
Pinch Ground Coriander
Shaken & Served Up,
works just swimmingly! Cheers to the Bloody Martini, enjoy! Pictures to come!
Between the hosts and I we had, Tanqueray, Blood Orange Juice, Ground Coriander, and Dolin Dry. I played around a bit evaluating and taking note of what this and this did and what would happen if there was more of this; such is what mixology is about, the study of combining. Here were my findings...well actually, my findings by playing with four ingredients were numerous. Try it and figure it out yourself! In the end I found that:
2.0 ounces Tanqueray
0.5 ounces Dolin Dry
0.5 ounces Blood Orange Juice
Pinch Ground Coriander
Shaken & Served Up,
works just swimmingly! Cheers to the Bloody Martini, enjoy! Pictures to come!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The Lovechild
So I created a drink for a friend's Birthday Party. Turns out she didn't like it, everyone else did. What does she know? It's a mixture of the two or three drinks that I drew inspiration from in it's creation. I think it's an awesome recipe. I wouldn't say it's super simple to make, but it's not really too complex either. It'll really wow your friends.
1.5 ounce Amber Rum, like Mount Gay Refined Eclipse Barbados Rum
1.5 ounce Domaine Du Canton Ginger Liqueur
0.5 ounce Lime Juice
1.0 ounce unsweetened grapefruit juice
2 dashes Peychaud's bitters
1-2 sprigs of mint
0.5 ounce dry sparkling white wine, such as 1+1=3 Cava
In a shaker, add all the ingredients save for the Bitters, Mint, and Sparkling Wine.
Without removing the leaves from the stem, place a sprig of mint in the palm of your hand. Now, use your other hand to give the mint a good THWACK! This releases the oils and sufficiently bruises the mint without making it bitter. Add the mint to the shaker as well and top with ice.
Now shake like crazy to ensure that you impart the flavor of the mint into the drink, strain into a rocks glass over ice. If you have little flecks of mint in the drink that's just fine.
Now add one or two healthy dashes of Peychaud's Bitters.
Top with sparkling wine.
Garnish with lime as you wish. Some may want to go with a lime wedge, but I used my microplane grater and garnished the drink with grated lime zest. Be certain to not grate the pith, the white of the fruit, it's bitter and can be found unpleasant.
Enjoy!
1.5 ounce Amber Rum, like Mount Gay Refined Eclipse Barbados Rum
1.5 ounce Domaine Du Canton Ginger Liqueur
0.5 ounce Lime Juice
1.0 ounce unsweetened grapefruit juice
2 dashes Peychaud's bitters
1-2 sprigs of mint
0.5 ounce dry sparkling white wine, such as 1+1=3 Cava
In a shaker, add all the ingredients save for the Bitters, Mint, and Sparkling Wine.
Without removing the leaves from the stem, place a sprig of mint in the palm of your hand. Now, use your other hand to give the mint a good THWACK! This releases the oils and sufficiently bruises the mint without making it bitter. Add the mint to the shaker as well and top with ice.
Now shake like crazy to ensure that you impart the flavor of the mint into the drink, strain into a rocks glass over ice. If you have little flecks of mint in the drink that's just fine.
Now add one or two healthy dashes of Peychaud's Bitters.
Top with sparkling wine.
Garnish with lime as you wish. Some may want to go with a lime wedge, but I used my microplane grater and garnished the drink with grated lime zest. Be certain to not grate the pith, the white of the fruit, it's bitter and can be found unpleasant.
Enjoy!
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