After a long winter, rhubarb is now in season. Is there a way to use this first sign of the growing season in a cocktail?
You ask a very worrisome question. I'm sure you're aware that rhubarb leaves are poisonous, so before we start talking about anything else, we need to start with a disclaimer; trim leaves from your rhubarb stalks as soon as you harvest them, dispose of the leaves immediately, and wash the stalks, your hands, and your tools thoroughly.
Now that that's taken care of...
Rhubarb stalks are going to act a lot like celery would act in a
Archive for Mixed Drinks
Manhattan
by Dennis Mayer on May 4th, 2012 | Cocktails, Liquor, Mixed Drinks
The Manhattan -- one of the most basic whisky cocktails we have -- sits at the core of the craft cocktail movement. While it's not the most impressive or complex drink we have, the basic appreciation people now have for the Manhattan shows that bar customers' tastes have changed for the better in the past few years.
Here's a quick history of liquor in America that should help to explain a lot about the drinks that were popular 10-20 years ago, and the drinks that are popular now:
Here's a quick history of liquor in America that should help to explain a lot about the drinks that were popular 10-20 years ago, and the drinks that are popular now:
- When the country was founded, brandy, rum, and whisky were the most popular
Brandy Champerelle
by Dennis Mayer on April 27th, 2012 | Budget-Friendly Wine Review, Liquor, Mixed Drinks
I'm always suspicious of trends, and one of the biggest trends in mixology these days is to turn back to the past and resurrect old recipes and ingredients. This isn't the worst trend to follow, but it can be a mixed bag. I've written before about how I think brandy is due for a huge resurgence as a primary cocktail ingredient, and while I'm not sure you ever need more than one bottle of bitters on your bar, I love that there are an expanding number of options to choose from. On a less exciting note, there's maraschino liqueur,
Dark and Stormy/Moscow Mule
by Dennis Mayer on April 13th, 2012 | Cocktails, Liquor, Mixed Drinks
Back in February, when we were experiencing an early (if not sustained) rush of spring, I wrote about the Suffering Bastard as a potential season-bridging drink, for its mix of refreshing summer flavors and warm winter notes. But honestly, one ingredient in that drink fits that description all by itself. Ginger beer is a sharp, refreshing mixer that contains enough spicy heat to either warm you up on a cold day or help you sweat off the weather on a hot one.
The extra spice makes ginger beer completely different from its more boring cousin, ginger ale, but it
The extra spice makes ginger beer completely different from its more boring cousin, ginger ale, but it
Brandy Crusta
by Dennis Mayer on March 23rd, 2012 | Cocktails, Liquor, Mixed Drinks
Flipping through my various cocktail books, I'm often struck by how many ingredients that were considered de rigueur for bartenders 50 or so years ago have fallen out of favor with bartenders (or, more importantly, their customers) these days. So many recipes used to employ a few drops of absinthe (or other similarly flavored liqueur), a dash or two of bitters, a splash of port or champagne, and the like to tweak the flavors of their cocktails. I suspect this all fell by the wayside when a) vodka became popular, meaning any beverage could be made alcoholic without really changing
