|
|
We heard a rumor that everyone in San Francisco is talking about Locanda's Church cocktail. It's been around since at least last summer, but it can take time for a cocktail to build city-wide momentum. We have family and friends that live in the city by the bay, so this past weekend while they were visiting Portland we asked them about it. They hadn't heard of it. Then we realized that they are all avid readers of Summit Sips and since we hadn't posted the recipe for the Church, how would they find out about it?
We decided to remedy the situation last Sunday by making the Church for everyone to try, and it's definitely worthy of our Drink of the Week. If you happen to live in San Francisco and frequent Locanda, you might already know about it. If not, here's a great drink for summer, or for
Click here and take a bigger gulp of this article. . .
If you ever wanted a drink recipe to show to your friends—one that you reserve for that special person you want to dazzle with something creative—this is it. If you know someone who claims that they don't like gin, but it's clear they have never experienced the wonderful alchemy of a gin-based cocktail, now's your chance to change their mind. For anyone interested in layering basic elements and techniques to create something remarkable in the glass, this cocktail will certainly entertain. The Juliet & Romeo has a fancy presentation yet it's easy to make and is perhaps the most interesting, most refreshing and delicious cocktail we've ever had the pleasure of sharing.
It comes by way of Toby Maloney of The Violet Hour in Chicago, but it has also appeared on the menu at his other bars such as the Bradstreet Crafthouse in Minneapolis. We've been
Click here and take a bigger gulp of this article. . .
Dry vermouth—it's hard to find another ingredient that is so important and yet so unloved by the masses. Vermouth is aromatized wine, and as any wine appreciator can tell you, once opened, it won't last forever. Oxidation begins immediately upon opening a bottle. For the first few hours oxygen might help elevate the flavors in a good wine, but what might have tasted great during the party is probably going down the drain the next morning—unless it was vacuum-pumped and sealed. Although vermouth is fortified with spirits, it still needs to be treated with respect. We doubt many readers treat theirs with the same care as a delicate wine. A warm cabinet and an opened bottle will quickly lead to horrible flavor. It's no wonder most people cringe at the mere mention of vermouth in their Martinis! If your vermouth has been collecting dust, unrefrigerated, it belongs in the trash,
Click here and take a bigger gulp of this article. . .
We are sometimes asked: Where do you find content? What inspires you to write about one particular topic or another? How do you come up with recpies to post? While completely original ideas do come along, it’s far more common (and often more interesting) to find inspiration among existing sources. We certainly didn’t invent the recipe for falernum, nor did we make the first homemade tonic or cola. Even barrel-aged cocktails are documented at least as far back as the first published cocktail book. Acknowledging previous accomplishments is one thing, but confirmation is so much more rewarding. Drink books both old and new are good places to start. The online cocktail community is also very collaborative. But nothing quite compares to sitting opposite a professional and watching a master
Click here and take a bigger gulp of this article. . .
Last week we visited Hale Pele to kickoff a nice Tiki weekend. While the summer sun continues to shine, we thought we'd post the recipe for another cocktail we had there called the Jungle Bird. As tropical drinks go, this one's a bit unusual because it contains Campari. Because of that ingredient, it tends to lean toward the bitter end of the spectrum which is just perfect for us!
Even if you are not a fan of the bitter aperitivo or other bitter flavored cocktails, it's worth tasting the Jungle Bird. It's not as bitter as you would expect from three-quarters of an ounce of Campari. A healthy dose of pineapple and a little simple syrup and lime distracts attention away from the amaro. However, all of that pineapple doesn't overwhelm the drink either. It stays somewhat under the surface of an otherwise complex
Click here and take a bigger gulp of this article. . .
There's a new Tiki bar in Portland, Oregon that just opened on NE Broadway called Hale Pele. It's in the space previously occupied by Thatch, for those of you who know the area. This bar is the brainchild of Blair Reynolds, (formerly AKA "TraderTiki"). Reynolds is definitely a veteran of Tiki culture as well as a celebrated professional in the world of bartending. In addition to collecting various honors, accolades and published references, his skills as a tropical drink maker and dedication to quality ingredients led to the creation of his own brand of cocktail syrups. The B.G.Reynolds' line includes everything from Cinnamon to Vanilla, and practically every other Tiki syrup you will ever need. We visited Hale Pale the first Friday of their opening last week and had a lovely time. The space is cozy, filled with warm, natural Polynesian decor represented by
Click here and take a bigger gulp of this article. . .
Not long ago, Esquire magazine posted a list of drinks for summer on their website. Among them was this recipe by Evan Zimmerman of the Woodsman Tavern in Portland, Oregon. When we visited the Woodsman over a month ago it wasn't on the menu, but the other day we had a chance to mix one of these and all we can say is wow!
It's certainly not a complicated drink to make which is one of the reasons we love it. It's the first time we've written about a drink that contains watermelon and that left us wondering why we don't see it in more recipes. We don't always have a watermelon around so this was a great excuse to buy one. Finally, this cocktail contains Scotch whisky, and that alone is reason enough to get excited. You just don't find many cocktails involving Scotch, so whenever we find
Click here and take a bigger gulp of this article. . .
ChamPino Cocktail
We have said it before and it still holds true: It’s never a bad time to open a bottle of champagne. Although we like to keep a bottle of bubbly in the refrigerator ready for any event, sometimes all it takes is dinner at home. There’s no reason it should only come out on special occasions. Whether you open a bottle of cava, prosecco, or real champagne from France, sparkling wine is great all by itself or as an ingredient for cocktails. Flavors vary, and so does quality and price, but you can make decent drinks with just about anything. We aren’t saying you should drink the cheapest stuff you can find, but you don’t have to break the bank either.
Over the years we have featured some popular uses for sparkling wine—the Mimosa, the French 75,
Click here and take a bigger gulp of this article. . .
Yesterday, we had a bit of fun with our post like we did last year. Today we set aside the pranks to feature two St. Paul destinations related to an original impromptu cocktail. The first is a fantastic little shop on Grand Avenue called Golden Fig, one of the Twin Cities' top prepared fancy food shops. We use their their Vanilla Rose Syrup as inspiration for a cocktail based on a classic sour formula with a few twists. But, of course, we can't really take credit for the recipe which leads us to our second St. Paul destination, Meritage. In addition to a delicious menu and great happy hour specials, Meritage calls itself "a little slice of Paris" and happens to be host to some of the best craft cocktails in downtown St. Paul. We were treated to this recipe by Rob Jones, the
Click here and take a bigger gulp of this article. . .
Named for the Algonquin Hotel on 42nd street in New York, this cocktail gained popularity after Prohibition as the hotel became known for the regular lunch gathering of Alexander Woollcott, Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, Harpo Marx and others. It’s still served at the hotel today, but you don’t have to go there to try one. Nor do you have to be a member of an exclusive roundtable lunch group. It's a breeze to make and the ingredients are easy to find.
Algonquin 2 oz rye whiskey 1 oz dry vermouth 1 oz pineapple juice
Stir with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
According to David Wondrich, this drink is even better with a few dashes of orange bitters. He recommends Fee Bros. West Indian but also suggests using a squeeze of orange peel. There’s definitely an improvement with the extra kick of orange, but you also have to pay
Click here and take a bigger gulp of this article. . .
|
Antique/Vintage Store Spotlight:
|
