April 23, 2012
Even here in sunny (hah! got you looking) Seattle the hints of summer are hinting at the sunnier days to come. Enough so that I’ve been looking towards summer cocktails and starting to plan what might make up the mainstays of my summertime menus. I naturally start with some of the classics (the Summer Beer, as those who know me well know, makes any hot weather drink list of mine, as does the basic and basically wonderful Tom Collins) but then move into trying out new drinks that could make the roster, so to speak. One that’s making a strong push for inclusion is called Ten Nights in June. It come into play thanks to a liqueur somewhat new to me, The King’s Ginger (disclosure: I was sent a bottle in the mail). Carrying a bit more of a hearty hello and wearing more of a citrus hat than other ginger liqueurs, along with its ginger accents, The King’s Ginger was, as legend and lore tell us, created by the Berry Brotheres way back in the year 1903 especially for King Edward VII, the Peacemaker, who desired a pic’um’up before his morning jaunts. Ever since I had the first sip I’ve been playing around with using it in various cocktails in my mind and in the real world.
But it took me awhile to find one that I wanted to keep in the rotation (as they say, whoever they are), and it was somewhat of a left turn in a way. First, the drink is more highball than cocktail. Second, it’s simple as simple can be. Third, and most importantly, the other key ingredient is sparkling hard cider. Are you shocked? C’mon, admit you’re shocked. I was a little shocked. You can be shocked. But not so shocked so as not to try it. Really, it makes sense in a way. Apples and ginger are a good match. Something bubbly and cool is good as summer rolls in to town. And underlying a light drink with a wee boom is good. Good, good, and good. I suggest you put this one onto your summer roster as well.
Ice cubes
2 ounces The King’s Ginger liqueur
3-1/2 ounce chilled hard cider (I used Strongbow, but most dry English-style ciders would be good)
Lemon slice, for garnish
1. Fill a big ol’ Old Fashioned or comparable glass about halfway with ice cubes. Add the King’s Ginger and then the cider. Stir well, but respectfully.
2. Squeeze the lemon slice over and then drop it it. Drink up, pals and gals.
Tags: cider cocktail, cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, hard cider, summer drinks, Ten Nights in June, The King's Ginger, What I'm Drinking
Posted in: cider, Liqueurs, Recipes, What I'm Drinking
March 21, 2012
I’ve been embracing the simple life lately (outside of the whole, “I have a million books and comics I’ll never get rid of”). Or, at least, a simpler cocktailing way of life. Not that I don’t still like the wacky, molecular, multi-flavored bitters, and obscurity driven ingredients list drinks that have started to dominate bar menus. If someone else is making it, I’ll try about anything, really. But at home, lately, I’ve been scaling it back. Partially because my daylight hours are often spent at a job that’s on the far far side of busy. But also just because it’s good to distill flavors, instead of trying to overlayer them (if that makes sense). So, some easiness without sacficing any taste. To demonstrate, the Refroidisseur de Mardi: a super simple number, but also one that’s super refreshing, and super in its ability to allow a couple ingredients to shine. It takes advantage of the newish Perrier Lemon sparkling water (full disclosure: I recently came home to a box of Perrier on my front porch) and the oldish gin. And not much more. Both wife Nat and I have been relaxing with these after long days at the office, while watching Perry Mason, and absolutely loving them. I strongly suggest, if you want to simplify, you do the same.
Ice cubes
1-1/2 ounces gin (Voyager is what we’ve used, but any London style gin will shine)
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
Chilled Perrier Lemon
Lemon wheel, for garnish
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Shake well.
2. Fill a highball or comparable glass three-quarters up with ice cubes. Strain the mix into the glass over the ice.
3. Top the glass with Perrier, and stir carefully, bringing everything together. Garnish with the lemon wheel.
March 5, 2012
Those who known me well (or who have ever met me, or ever read this blog, cause honestly, I’m somewhat of an open book, and have been known to go along and along and along a bit, even though you may have a hard time beliving that now) know that I spent my formative drinking years, if not my formative cocktail-creating years, in Kansas. Which may lead you to hypothizing that this particular mix was monikered after the big city in northeastern corner of that state. But, mysteriously, it’s not. Hah! And neither is it named after the ingredients (which include scotch, some homemade cherry hazelnut bitters, and superstar and super-misprounced Italian sweet vermouth Carpano Antica). Hah! Instead, it’s named after two separate gentlemen. First, a fella named Ken who writes the Price Family Farms blog (when he has time and sunshine) and who created those homemade bitters alluded to just two sentences before this one. And secondly, a fella named Callanan (first name Dave, but don’t stalk him or anything). They both seemed to need strong drinks, and while at least the latter, Dave, strays more towards beer (don’t hold it against him as he’s still quite rad), I figured neither would turn down having a drink that boasted a serious wallop of blended scotch with the edges slightly sanded by the stitch-sweet and herbally Carpano and the also-a-hint-cuddly-but-boastin -nutty-goodness-bitters named after them. Who, in their right mind, in Kansas or anywhere else would turn that down though? No-one in their right mind, that’s who.
Cracked ice
2 ounce blended scotch (I’ve been enjoying the famous Famous Grouse here)
1 ounce Carpano Antica
2 healthy dashes cherry hazelnut bitters
1. Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass halfway full with cracked ice. Add all the ingredients. Stir well.
2. Strain into a cocktail glass.
A Note: Want your own cherry hazelnut bitters? Well, go on over to Price Family Farms and beg for the recipe.
A Second Note: Feel this absolutely has to have a garnish? Try a really good brandied or whiskied cherry if you can find one.
Tags: bitters, Carpano Antica, cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, KC Classic cocktail, Scotch, What I'm Drinking
Posted in: bitters, Recipes, Scotch, vermouth, What I'm Drinking
March 2, 2012
For those regular readers of Spiked Punch (a list which includes my dogs Sookie and Rory, the dread Dormammu, and you), you know that I’ve taught a class at the Pantry at Delancey, which probably might lead you to believe that I’d be fan of Delancey, the pizza parlor. And you’d be right. To jump back, however (jump back!) in case you’re not from Seattle, Delancey is the, in my mind, finest pizza place in Seattle, and run by some fine folks, and the Pantry is a dreamy class and communal dinner spot behind it.
But what does this have to do with drinks? Well, it involves another Seattle spot, the newish brewery Hilliards. Hilliards is a beer-lover’s bubbly utopia in two ways: first, they make great-tasting beer (especially the Saison, which is smooth but with a bit of layered flavors and hints of spice and orange), and second, they make beer in really sweet-looking cans. Some days, I just want a can of beer in my hand. It’s less dangerous than a bottle, and a can reminds me a whole heaping lot of the Midwest where I sprouted.
And now, I’m gonna blow your mind: they serve Hillards at Delancey. Amazing. The universe is a wonderful place sometimes (and sometimes awfully cranky), and one of those times is when you can have a local beer in a can and a pizza and have them both be well-crafted marvels of taste without an ounce of snoot. I love it. And when you’re in Seattle, you should love it, and them, too.
February 29, 2012
Sometimes, you have a little secret that you like to hold close like a puppy (one I have is that I actually don’t drink. Nah, I’m kidding. How does the fact that I’m a Martin Lawrence devotee work?). Sometimes, you have a larger secret that’s oodles of fun that you can’t tell but that you hold close to youself to like a favorite key (naturally I have these, but I surely can’t tell you about them). And then, sometimes you’re associated with a great big secret, like this recipe, or like when you get abducted by aliens and discover leap year is an alien plot, or when you wear a cape and fight crime at night using mystical powers. Of course, now this delicious recipe isn’t a secret at all, since I’m telling you it to you. But it’s still great. And we’re still sharing it. So, that’s something almost as good, right?
Cracked ice
2 ounces gin
1 ounce Lillet Blanc
Dash of Angostura bitters
Orange twist, for garnish
Orange slice, for garnish (optional, used instead of above twist)
1. Fill a mixing glass or cocktail shaker with cracked ice. Add the gin, Lillet, and bitters. Stir well.
2. Strain into a cocktail glass. Twist the twist over the glass and then drop it in. Shhhhh.
PS: Though this Great Secret is featured in Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz (a beautiful book you should really have), I found it in Patrick Gavin Duffy’s The Official Mixer’s Manual (Alta, 1934).
Tags: cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, Gin, Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz, Great Secret cocktail, Lillet, orange bitters, What I'm Drinking
Posted in: Gin, Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz, Recipes, What I'm Drinking
February 22, 2012
According to the esteemed booze-ologist Dr. Cocktail (also known as Ted Haigh), this drink was named for a gold medal winning Olympic fencer. Which means you should only drink it when making a fence. Ba-dump-bump. No, really, what you shouldn’t do is drink it and use either real swords (plastic ones are okay) or hammers. What you should do is serve this at any commemorative celebration, as it’s a classy number, and one that has a host of mingling flavors–which is appropriate for a celebration, because who wants to have a boring celebration? It’s also featured in Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz, which is (if I can say with without sounding pompous) a celebration itself.
Cracked ice
1 ounce gin
1/2 ounce Cointreau
1/2 ounce Campari
1/2 ounce dry vermouth
Orange twist, for garnish
1. Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass halfway full with cracked ice. Add the gin, Cointreau, Campari, and dry vermouth. Stir well.
2. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the orange twist.
Tags: Campari, cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, Cointreau, dry vermouth, Gin, Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz, Lucien Gaudin, What I'm Drinking
Posted in: Gin, Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz, Liqueurs, Recipes, What I'm Drinking
February 15, 2012
As I detailed a few ticks of the Spiked Punch blog ago (and in the swell Seattle Magazine), Seattle and WA are in the midst of a distillery boom of sorts, and I couldn’t be happier. All this fantastic local booze to sip and shake and sip some more? Great with me. One of the newer distilleries that I was a little slow to track down is the Sidetrack distillery, in Kent, WA, outside of the city of Seattle (I mention this mostly to give myself an excuse for the tardy tasting, not out of any geographical bias). Sidetrack is situated right on the Lazy River Farm and makes an assortment of liqueurs and fruit brandies with fruit grown on the farm–now that’s using local ingredients. This focus on fresh and homegrown fruit lends the liqueurs (full disclosure: I haven’t had the brandies, but am excited to try them. Second disclosure: I was given samples of the liqueurs) a bright, clear fruit taste backed by a smooth slight sweetness. There are four varieties: blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, and strawberry. I went with the strawberry here in the Straw Track cocktail, because it seemed to yell “summer” the most to me, and as it’s mid-February I needed a jolly jolt of summer. I think, though, that this drink is balanced enough, and bubbly enough, to have year round.
Cracked ice
1-1/2 ounces gin (I would stick with the WA theme and use Voyager if you can get it)
1/2 ounce Sidetrack Strawberry liqueur
Chilled brut Champagne or sparkling wine
Lemon slice, for garnish
1. Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass halfway full with cracked ice. Add the gin and liqueur. Stir well.
2. Strain into a flute or other charming glass. Top with chilled bubbly and garnish with that lemon slice.
Tags: Champagne & Sparkling Wine, cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, Gin, liqueur, Sidetrack distillery, Straw Track Cocktail, strawberry liqueur, What I'm Drinking
Posted in: Champagne & Sparkling Wine, Distillery, Gin, Liqueurs, Recipes, What I'm Drinking
February 8, 2012
There are some combinations that you just know, before you even start pouring and experimenting, will go together like the Hulk and green skin. By which I mean, perfectly. Dark rum and Rhum Clément Creole Shrubb are one of these pairings. This of course makes perfect sense, since the latter is made on a base partially of the former. But still, sometimes things don’t go as planned (like the Gamma bomb going off on poor old Doc Banner). However, I’m happy to report that in this case no one was turned into an over-sized misunderstood creature. Instead, the rum and the Rhum Clément Creole Shrubb mingle nicely, aided by an addition from another part of the globe, amaretto. Amaretto is, much like the Hulk, often misunderstood. Here, though, it shines with our two Caribbean pals. All of above leads to the fact that you shouldn’t drink this when angry (or drink anything really—who needs another angry drunk?), but drink it while watching the 1970s Incredible Hulk series, or reading the comics of the same character from the same era.
Cracked ice
2 ounces dark rum
1 ounce Rhum Clément Creole Shrubb
1 ounce amaretto
1. Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass halfway full with cracked ice. Add the rum, Creole Shrubb, and amaretto. Stir well.
2. Strain into a cocktail glass.
A Note: I think cracked ice is crackingly good for stirring here, but if you have only ice cubes and don’t feel like cracking, they’ll work too.
PS: This recipe is from Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz. Which you should get, for gosh sakes.
Tags: amaretto, cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz, Rhum Clément Creole Shrubb, Rum, Three Wishes cocktail, What I'm Drinking
Posted in: Almost Drinkable Photo, Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz, Liqueurs, Recipes, Rum, What I'm Drinking
