Posts Tagged ‘bitters’
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,
What to Drink when You Overeat
by Dennis Mayer on November 16th, 2011 | Liquor
This column's going to be a bit of a departure, in that it's not a cocktail recipe as much as it's a prescription. But chances are, you'll need it. Because we know you'll overindulge on Thanksgiving, no matter how many Web articles try to advise you not to, or how many times you coach yourself through eating reasonable portions.
So: what to do Thanksgiving evening, after dinner, drinks, and dessert, when even the prospect of shifting your newly augmented weight slightly on the couch is painful?
So: what to do Thanksgiving evening, after dinner, drinks, and dessert, when even the prospect of shifting your newly augmented weight slightly on the couch is painful?
- In this situation, nothing beats Fernet Branca, an Italian herbal liqueur designed to aid digestion
Using Aperol
by Dennis Mayer on October 27th, 2011 | Ask the Bartender
I have seen Aperol on more bar shelves lately. I would like to try using it in cocktails, but I do find it to be quite bitter. Do you have any recipes for a cocktail that will allow the Aperol to add some bite without making the drink overly bitter?
Aperol, along with its fellow bitter liqueurs Campari and Fernet, are enjoying a bit of a renaissance. Bartenders and their customers are rediscovering classic cocktail recipes and developing an enjoyment of more complex, less sweet flavors and drinks. (Bartenders in particular love Fernet because its extremely bitter blend of herbs
Aperol, along with its fellow bitter liqueurs Campari and Fernet, are enjoying a bit of a renaissance. Bartenders and their customers are rediscovering classic cocktail recipes and developing an enjoyment of more complex, less sweet flavors and drinks. (Bartenders in particular love Fernet because its extremely bitter blend of herbs
Sazerac
by Dennis Mayer on August 26th, 2011 | Cocktails, Mixed Drinks
Most people who would know agree that the Old-Fashioned was one of the first (if not the first) cocktail ever regularly prepared and served. It was a simpler drink then, not weighed down by the cherry or orange that have become de riguer in the modern version. Then, the drink was strictly whiskey (or brandy), bitters, sugar, and, if you were in the mood, just enough soda water to make the thing lively. (You can watch Jon Hamm make an Old-Fashioned on Mad Men here - he acts like he knows what he's doing.) I've even read theories that suggest
Satan’s Whiskers
by Dennis Mayer on June 28th, 2011 | Cocktails, Martinis
Vermouth has lost a lot of its charm in the last 50 years or so of popular drinking. Today, it's used almost exclusively in the making of martinis and manhattans - with a short pour for the manhattan, and just a couple of dashes for the martini. In fact, so-called "sophisticated" drinkers will order their martinis "dry" (for just one dash), "extra dry" (for even less), or "bone-dry" (for no vermouth at all.)
This all confuses me, since a martini is supposed to be a cocktail, of which vermouth is a crucial (if not secondary) ingredient. I would think a sophisticated
This all confuses me, since a martini is supposed to be a cocktail, of which vermouth is a crucial (if not secondary) ingredient. I would think a sophisticated
