I'll admit, I'm lost. I live in the Northeast, which means that at this point (in early February), I should be deep in the midst of winter cocktails. Brandy, dark rum, grog, Tom and Jerry, and the like. Drinks that warm the body and soul.
But the weather just isn't cooperating! Over the past week, I've had three days that look like fall, and one that could almost pass for early spring! And if you're like me, the seasonal uncertainty is very destabilizing. Not just in your cocktail choices, I'm sure, but still...
What to do? I'll admit, I didn't know
Archive for Cocktails
Mulled Wine
by Dennis Mayer on January 27th, 2012 | Cocktails, Hot Drinks, Wine
Finding a good winter drink isn't too hard. Plenty of seasonal beers can be refreshing on a cold day. Any spirit, served neat, can help warm a body on a cold day. But finding a warm winter drink... that's a bit harder, if only because we're so predisposed to serving drinks on ice (and ice cold) these days.
There are a few hot drinks out there (the hot toddy, the Tom and Jerry, the blue blazer.) There are any number of punches that can be served warm (Esquire cocktail writer David Wondrich has done plenty of research on
There are a few hot drinks out there (the hot toddy, the Tom and Jerry, the blue blazer.) There are any number of punches that can be served warm (Esquire cocktail writer David Wondrich has done plenty of research on
Long Story Short, Keep it Simple
by Jason Lightner on January 18th, 2012 | Liquor, Mixed Drinks
I've never been much into complex mixed drinks. I find them irritating to put together and a waste of time when you could be enjoying the simpler, finer things. That's why I tend to keep four go-to beverages in my pocket for when I go out with friends – a Jack and Coke, a Vodka and Tonic, a Gin and Tonic, or a simple draught beer.
In addition to keeping it simple, I'm never caught with my pants down when the bartender comes up and asks what I'll have. One cannot always be prepared, and one needs
In addition to keeping it simple, I'm never caught with my pants down when the bartender comes up and asks what I'll have. One cannot always be prepared, and one needs
Raspberry-Elderflower Warmer
by Dennis Mayer on January 13th, 2012 | Cocktails, Crafty Bartender, Liquor
In the warm, summer months, mixing drinks with fresh fruit flavors can be as easy as walking outside and picking whatever you grow in your yard -- or perusing the seasonal fruits in the produce section of your supermarket. Finding those same kinds of flavors in the winter can be a challenge, but you can still do it. Jarred fruit preserves (of the preserve, jam, or jelly variety) are made and processed at the fruit's peak ripeness, so the finished product captures the flavors we love in the summer. The same stuff you spread on your peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich can
151 Proof Rum
by Dennis Mayer on January 5th, 2012 | Ask the Bartender, Cocktails, Liquor
On a cocktail menu, I saw that a Zombie had 151 proof rum in it, which explains the name. Obviously this rum will succeed in making someone intoxicated quite quickly, but is there any value to having that liquor in my cabinet?
It's true. The main value in overproof rums is the high-octane alcohol content -- almost twice that of a normal rum. Many folks would see an intrinsic value in stashing a bottle of that ilk somewhere in the back of their liquor cabinet. (Those are the sort of folks who anticipate, with glee, an impromptu visit from one
It's true. The main value in overproof rums is the high-octane alcohol content -- almost twice that of a normal rum. Many folks would see an intrinsic value in stashing a bottle of that ilk somewhere in the back of their liquor cabinet. (Those are the sort of folks who anticipate, with glee, an impromptu visit from one
