I’ve gone into talking about my on-again, off-again, relationship (and by relationship, I mean I’m a reader and he’s an author who’s never heard of me) with pulp, police procedural, detective, etc. writer Lawrence Block already. So, I won’t go into that. But I did just read the randomest book of his, which he wrote long ago under a pseudonym he never used for another book (a fake name that I don’t know, and which isn’t listed, by the way). The book’s called Killing Castro, and that’s the basic overview. Five guys, for different reasons, get together to go kill Fidel in the 60’s, then are broken into groups, and the book has them all narrating at different parts, and also has sections of Castro history. Weird, right? Actually, pretty darn fine (I love the multiple narratives when done well). Lots of drinking, mostly of the whiskey straight variety, but the quote I liked best doesn’t even mention a specific drink. But there’s something so, matter of fact about it,. I love it (and wish I was tough enough to live it). Maybe you will, too? Maybe Castro does, too, for that matter.
‘We’ll sack out for eight hours, then send out for some food and some liquor. You drink?’
‘Sure.’
‘Good,’ Turner said. ‘We’ll get some food and we’ll get some liquor, and I’ll call somebody on the phone and get a couple of girls. We’ll eat the food and we’ll drink the liquor and we’ll lay the girls. Then we’ll go to Cuba and get our asses shot off. That sound okay to you?’
I don’t know too many kids who grew up when I did (in the 1980s, that is) who don’t have at least a little soft spot in their heart for the movie Fletch, starring Chevy Chase. And those that won’t admit it probably are all about pretending they’re a 10 years-younger-than-they-really-are hipster. Well, phooey on them. I’m not saying Fletch necessarily has aged all that well, but heck, I still get some laughs out of it. What I didn’t know back then, but know now, is that Fletch was actually in a pretty lengthy series of books by Gregory McDonald. I recently picked one up, for nostalgia and Chevy’s sake, and the book was all right—not great, a little aged, but okay. It did have one standout quote, though, which is below, and which mentions a “rum toff.” Anyone out there know what’s in a rum toff? C’mon, bar geniuses, let me know. I wanna have one, and toast Fletch and the 80s and say things like “You using the whole fist, Doc?”
Here’s something long-time readers (all three of you) of the Spiked Punch don’t see very often: a drink recipe with vodka. It’s true, I find most mass-produced modern vodkas a wee smidge, well, boring. Flavorless, even. This has probably and sadly kept me away from some modern craft-y vodkas, ones I would enjoy. Until recently, that is (and that, friends, is what we call an “ah-ha” moment). Recently, I’ve been lucky enough to try some of the new local vodkas, those created around the Seattle and WA area, and I’ve been blown away–complex vodkas with intriguing flavor profiles? Amazing. I’m talking about vodkas like Bainbridge Organic’s Legacy vodka, Woodinville Whiskey’s Peabody Jones vodka, and Sound Spirits’ Ebb+Flow vodka. The latter is what I used in the below drink, because it’s flavor, which comes from using 100% malted barley, mingled well with some tasty Earl Grey syrup I received from the fine folks at Deluxe Foods. Deluxe isn’t selling their syrups yet (I don’t think–though if you’re in Seattle you should stop by a Farmer’s Market and ask), but keep checking the Deluxe Foods site for when they do. The Earl Grey syrup has a subtle-but-evident tea taste and a nice medium sweetness. Sorry to list a recipe that might have hard-to-find ingredients, by the way, but you know what they say: fate favors those who track down hard-to-find-ingredients. Or something like that.
Ice cubes
2 ounces Ebb+Flow vodka
1/2 ounce Deluxe Foods Earl Grey syrup
1/4 ounce Lillet blanc
1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add everything. Shake well.
2. Drain the mix into a cocktail glass and enjoy to the fullest.
It’s July, so I’m not going to lie (really, I just wanted to make that rhyme. No, wait, really, I’m not lying. Really)—I have a strong affection for not only the Oriental Cocktail (a beaut of an unburied treasure utilizing a party power pack: rye, sweet vermouth, orange curaçao, and lime juice) but for pretty much all cocktails that come with a good story. Want to learn more? Check out this short-but-swell article on the Oriental Cocktail I wrote that was recently in a special summer cocktail e-issue of the Good Life Report (the article does have the full recipe, too—if you’re thirsty). If you don’t know about the Good Life Report, and yet feel you are someone who does, indeed, want a good life, then, well, sign up for gosh sakes.
PS: I almost forgot–that article also talks about Mark Butler’s genius drink the Occidental, too! How can you miss it?
Now this looks like quite an awesome evening: lots of little bottles of booze, a fine DVD to watch (from what I’ve been told, inside that red DVD envelope is a Townes Van Zandt documentary), and copies of old friends Good Spirits and Party Drinks. I’m guessing the lady who took this pic (it was the mother of my pal Rebecca Staffel, chief tasting officer of Deluxe Foods, just in case you’re curious) had an awesome evening indeed:
PS: Do you have a book-in-action photo? Send it to me post-haste.
Living in Italy (as I am of this writing, at least), I’ve picked up a small addiction–to mirtillo juice (mirtillo=blueberries), which I like to have in the morning with my croissant. It’s a health kick (or seems to be) and has a great taste and color. Recently, however, thanks to my pals/landlords Andrew and Marianne (proprietors of the wondrous Amici Villas), I’ve discovered the grown-up sibling of my beloved mirtillo juice, the fantastic mirtillo liqueur. See, Andrew and Marianne picked up a bottle for me not too long ago, and it’s delicious, not too sweet and bursting with flavor, and I’ve been digging it solo and mixed. It’s especially good in the below drink, named after Andrew and Marianne’s lovable pup, Oscar, who is frizzante, just like this slightly sparkling sparkler. To round out the somewhat Italian experience (or, Italian-British, much like the above-mentioned Andrew and Marianne, cause gin’s involved, too), and to bring the frizzante, I combined the mirtillo with Donini wineries (read more about Donini here) Brigante (a bianco frizzante):
Ice cubes
1 ounce gin
3/4 ounce mirtillo liqueur
1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 ounces Brigante (or other frizzante white wine)
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the gin, mirtillo, and lemon juice. Shake well.
2. Strain into a Champagne flute, add the Brigante, and stir briefly. Sip and enjoy.
It’s the second appearance this season from imbibing magician Andrew Bohrer, who makes his newest special guest manifestation to teach you to make the Bitter Handshake, a Fernet Branca-based cocktail Andrew created (and one that’s become a huge hit).You’ll also see hypnotic ice ball carving, hear about Andrew’s mystical spirit animal, view Andrew’s enchanted locks, and enjoy more supernatural shenanigans in this episode of the new season of the show about cocktails and drinking and good times, the Cocktail to Cocktail Hour.
Just wanted to alert you that there’s a sweet article (it’s the “Local Authority” column) about me, really an interview with me, in the latest (the December—the holiday—it’s like a gift) issue of the swell-tastic Seattle Magazine. So, if you live in Seattle, get your cute little self to the newsstand and pick up your own copy. Now! If you don’t live in Seattle, order a copy. If you absolutely can’t get a copy to hold in your hand while gazing at me, then check it out online. It’s fun stuff.
And while I have you here, why not check out a couple other recent and semi-recent numbers. First off, there’s a nice piece influenced by the Double Take lifestyle in the November issue of Today’s Diet and Nutrition. Secondly, here’s a piece from a couple months back (dang it, I’m slow. Forgive me) that was on the local-rific websiteFresh Picked Seattle, a piece all about homemade liqueurs, and with a recipe for from Luscious Liqueurs. Jeez, you have some reading to do.
I’ve gone into talking about my on-again, off-again, relationship (and by relationship, I mean I’m a reader and he’s an author who’s never heard of me) with pulp, police procedural, detective, etc. writer Lawrence Block already. So, I won’t go into that. But I did just read the randomest book of his, which he wrote long ago under a pseudonym he never used for another book (a fake name that I don’t know, and which isn’t listed, by the way). The book’s called Killing Castro, and that’s the basic overview. Five guys, for different reasons, get together to go kill Fidel in the 60’s, then are broken into groups, and the book has them all narrating at different parts, and also has sections of Castro history. Weird, right? Actually, pretty darn fine (I love the multiple narratives when done well). Lots of drinking, mostly of the whiskey straight variety, but the quote I liked best doesn’t even mention a specific drink. But there’s something so, matter of fact about it,. I love it (and wish I was tough enough to live it). Maybe you will, too? Maybe Castro does, too, for that matter. 
