Cocktail Confessions

On Christmas Eve I was introduced to a very nice bottle of bourbon by my parents.  My mom and dad know I enjoy a good whisky and these last few years they occasionally prurchase me a nice bottle on special occasions.  Which now that I think about it is very weird because I can’t even begin to guess how many times I was grilled when I was a teenager and even of legal drinking age of the dangers and ills of drinking.  I can vividly remember having to pass breath tests when I came home late at night when I was still living with my parents, and now today they are bringing over high end bottles of booze.  Mixed message anyone?

Anyway, I was introduced to a 750 of Bulleit Bourbon, which averages about $20-25.  All I can tell you it was very clean and smooth as I sampled it ‘neat’, not mixing it with anything, and I’d easily buy this again in the future.  The flavor profile is as such: hints of oak and spice, crisp, clean flavor that isn’t harsh in the throat along with notes of vanilla and honey.

I came across this blurb on the net and thought I’d share it with you, unedited, because it’s an interesting story:

Tom Bulleit is a Southern gentleman in the truest sense of the word, but his considerable charm and family pedigree are only part of the story. He is a former Marine, a combat veteran of the Vietnam War, a successful Lexington attorney and the founder of Bulleit Bourbon, a brand he created based on a family recipe dating back nearly 200 years.

Bulleit’s great-great-grandfather Augustus emigrated from France to New Orleans around 1800, eventually following the commerce of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers to Louisville, where he became a tavern keeper. Of French heritage, he relied on his knowledge of brandy-making to create small batches of Kentucky bourbon in the mid-1800s. Soon his product was traveling with the tide of pioneers headed westward. Business was good, but in 1860 Augustus disappeared while transporting whiskey to New Orleans. One family story said he was killed by his business partner. Another said he disappeared into the sumptuous life of the French Quarter. In any case, his bourbon died with him. Until Tom Bulleit came along.

Tom Bulleit was raised in Louisville and worked in distilleries before joining the Marine Corps in 1968. Later he went to law school. During his law career, Bulleit was active in the campaign for a Vietnam Veteran’s memorial in Washington, D.C.

But Bulleit couldn’t get bourbon out of his blood. In 1987, venturing into a new frontier, he created Bulleit Bourbon from the original recipe.

“I always loved the business,” Bulleit said. “My father couldn’t understand why I would leave a successful law practice, but I was attracted to the creative and entrepreneurial challenges of making this brand of bourbon and doing it right. I guess you could say it became my passion, and it still is. We are creating one of the definitive styles of bourbon currently distilled in this country. It is one of the most distinctive mash bills out there. The high rye content, absence of phenol alcohol and at least six years of aging produces something really special.”

Bulleit Bourbon was awarded the Brown Spirits Gold Medal at the 2004 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

The Bulleit legacy is a compelling chapter in the story of Kentucky bourbon, that most American of spirits. Bulleit resurrected a whiskey that was not only a lost piece of his family’s history, but of an American era. He is one only a few remaining scions of a Kentucky bourbon-making family whose name is on the bottle.

Now, onto the fun part…(you knew it was coming you cheeky little monkey’s, didn’t you?)

BLT

• 1 1/3oz Bulliet Bourbon
• Lemon wedge
• Tonic

Preperation: Serve over ice in a rocks glass and garnish with generous wedge of lemon.

Bulleit Mint Julep (serves 12)

• 15 oz Bulleit Bourbon
• 30-40 fresh mintleaves
• Simple syrup (1 cup sugar disolved in 1 cup water)

Preparation: Wash mint leaves, pat dry and place them in small mixing bowl.  Cover with 3 oz of Bulleit Bourbon and let soak for 15 minutes.  Remove mint, then place in a clean cotton cloth and wring over bowl thus bruising the leaves.  Dip back into bourbon and wirng again.  Repeat this process several times to create mint extract.  You can put leaves back in for an hour for a more concentrated mint flavor.  Combine mint extract (leaves included, if preferred) with symple syrup in a covered glass container or jar and refrigerate overnight.  Fill julep cups with crushed or shaved ice and insert a fresh mint spring.  Add 1 oz of Bulleit to each cup and then add marinated julep mixture to taste.

I actually need a strong drink today.  I’m in a pisser mood (brought to you by my pointless work meetings that go nowhere, and my wife’s spending habits).  I’ve been clenching my jaw so hard today and fixating on things I’m actually feeling a stress headache coming on, so no doubt am I happy to discuss a libation or two.

If you take a look over at my Cocktails page, you’ll see that around this time last year I offered up two Gingerbread martini recipes for the holiday season.  Well, now I’m back with a third recipe that my friend Patrice shared with me.  Her and her husband recently had a cocktail party at their house to commemorate the completion of their recent restroom renovation.  Yes, it’s just a veiled excuse to throw a party, but who am I to complain or turn it down.  Anyway, Patrice and her daughter supposedly had been working very diligently to perfect their Gingerbread martini recipe and by the result I myself tasted, I think they are spot on.

So without further ado, here is version 3.0:

Gingerbread Martini v3

• 1 oz Ketel One (or other premium) vodka
• 1 oz Bailey’s Irish Creme
• 1/2 oz Kahlua
• 1/2 oz gingerbread syrup (try Starbucks brand if you can)
• 1/2 scoop of semi melted quality vanilla ice cream.
• Place all ingredients in a blender, give a quick mix, then pour over ice in cocktail shaker.
• Strain in a sugar rimmed martini glass and serve with a gingerbread man cookie as garnish.

Okay, as you can tell, this is a little heavy on the calories and the sugar.  It truly is a dessert cocktail that is reminiscent of a hand poured ice cream shake.  Be careful though…too many of these may equal one dandy of a headache.

Got another one for you as well, just for kicks:

Candy Cane

• 3oz Blue Ice vodka
• 1/2-1 oz Peppermint Schnapps (adjust to your preference)
• Combine in cocktail shaker with ice, strain into martini glass.
• Garnish with small candy cane stick as a twizzler.

Before you feel the need to send me an email to remind me that my last two entries were about me making a concerted effort in dropping my cholesterol, weight, and putting off a few cocktails for a couple of weeks, this is in fact a blog that I like to share recipes with you.

And what two better ingredients to talk about than bacon and bourbon?  They say everything is better with bacon and who am I to disagree?  I will prove to you here today that in fact alcohol is indeed better with bacon.  Bourbon pairs very well with cured pork.  Haven’t you ever heard of the Jack Daniels brand of BBQ sauces? 

Whisky goes hand in hand with grilling, so it only makes sense that a relationship between bacon and whisky should be as natural as peanut butter and chocolate.  The lingering caramel hints match keenly with the richness and smoke of bacon while the whisky’s spice brings it all together like a warm hug from Olivia Wilde.

So let’s get to it.

You’ll need the following:

• A Lindsey Lohan starter kit of good bourbon, say 750ml of the decent stuff….don’t go generic or cheap on me here.  The impurities and bite of low grade whisky can make this slightly bitter and won’t help the headache front at all.  Go just about middle of the road, so as you aren’t spoiling the real good stuff either.
• 1lb bacon.  Also, look for as slab that may not be too high in salt or preservatives.  You’ll disappoint me if you buy the cheap bacon as well.  As a matter of fact, if that’s what you’re determined to do, then stop reading this now and move along….I don’t want to talk you.  No, seriously, move along and leave this to the proper gentlemen.
• A pitcher with a wide mouth. (Insert your own Kardashian joke here).
• A fine mesh strainer.
• Unbleached coffee filters or like filtering material.

Directions:

Start be frying the bacon up and reserving all of the grease.  Be careful of not burning your bacon….the burnt taste will infuse the grease which is something we want to avoid, that is unless you like the taste of charcoal briquettes.  Strain the grease and allow it to cool (be very careful, grease burns and accidents are painful).  Once cool, pour into pitcher along with your whisky, give a good stir, and place in freezer for a few hours (preferably overnight).  BTW: You have a pound of bacon to contend with now, so make yourself a salad or omelet or something.  When cold, the bacon grease will float to the top and form a solid fat cap.  Remove this solid cap as best as possible and strain the rest to remove any lingering fat chunks.  Your newly minted bacon infused bourbon will keep in the fridge for about 2-3 weeks.  Now try a pinch in a cup of hot chocolate, or other favorite whisky drink.  *You can use the same process on either vodka or tequila and wow your friends with a very unique Bloody Mary.

Got a neighborhood party you need to entertain for?  Tired of the regular old ‘jungle juice’ punch?  Full already of all the pumpkin beers?  Too early in the season still yet to be hittin’ the ‘ole egg nog?  Then how about trying out some of these ghoulish delights to warm void within on all Hallows Eve?

The Pumpkin Buttered Rum – A twist on the classic Hot Buttered Rum with it’s rich, aromatic spices is warm and soothing. The addition of pumpkin makes it more scrumptious than a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte could ever dream of being.

2 T pumpkin butter *(see recipe below)
3 oz. dark rum (an aged rum like Pyrat is a great fit, with a rich molasses flavor to it)
Boiling water

Spoon the pumpkin butter into a mug and top with the rum. Top off the mixture with boiling water and stir. Take a big whiff before gulping it down and make sure to let it cool down a bit lest you enjoy blistered tongues.

*To make the pumpkin butter, combine:

1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
2 cups light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 T ginger
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch salt

Cream the ingredients together and refrigerate to harden it up.

The Corpse Reviver – Tailor-made for a night out on the town the Corpse Reviver is a classic made for “…whenever steam and energy are needed,” or so says “The Savoy Cocktail Book”. And what night could possibly require more steam and energy than the one night of the year adults are allowed, and even expected, to take on other personas? The warmth of the brandy intermingling with the herbal bite of Fernet Branca and the icy crème de menthe combine for a surprisingly enervating pour. Just what a masked man or woman needs to carry them through the night.

1 1/2 oz. Brandy
1/2 oz. Fernet Branca
1 oz. White Creme de Menthe

In a mixing glass filled with ice, combine brandy, fernet branca and the creme de menthe and stir until completely mixed. Strain into a cocktail glass and enjoy the looks your cat costume is scoring you. Or look up one of the countless variations of the Corpse Reviver to try with your next drink.

Haunting Punch – If you’ve got a crowd at your house for Halloween, it’s hard to beat a bowl full of punch. Especially if its punch that has plenty of booze, but still manages to be more than the sugary mess that most people associate with drinks served with a ladle. The Haunting combines tea, rye, ginger, honey and citrus for a light and refreshing punch that isn’t cloying, but still packs all the flavor your guests could ask for. Event better, it tastes delicious paired with the massive bowl of M&Ms everyone always puts out for Halloween.

10 oz. Rye (Hudson brand has great spice to it, but if you don’t want to go so high-end, Jim Beam rye works well in a pinch)
4 oz. Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur
4 oz. Barenjager honey liqueur
14 oz. lemon jasmine tea (or any other citrus tea if you can’t find it)
3 oz. sugar
4 oz. orange juice
4 oz. red grapefruit juice
2 oz. lemon or lime juice
4 dashes orange bitters

Add the sugar and hot tea to a punch bowl and stir until dissolved. Once cool, add the other ingredients and stir. Add ice cubes to keep it chilled at the last minute and keep a close eye on your guests. That’s a whole lot of liquor in that bowl.

The Blood & Sand – While this cocktail gets its name from a novel by Vincente Blasco Ibanez about a bullfighter, it’s uniquely suited for an evening in watching classic, or not so classic, horror flicks. The drink has a unique red and tan glow that evokes its namesake, looking almost morbid, albeit oddly appealing, in the glass. With equal parts scotch, vermouth, cherry brandy and orange juice in the mix it’s not a cocktail for the faint of heart. But the complex cherry and almond notes of the brandy, the oak of the scotch and the sweet tang of the orange juice combine to create a flavor far better than any fun size Snickers or peanut butter pumpkin could ever be. Plus, it pairs rather nicely with an Evil Dead marathon.

3/4 oz. scotch
3/4 oz. sweet vermouth
3/4 oz. cherry brandy (Cherry Herring, a Danish liqueur, is by far the best and most traditional choice – it’s not too sweet, with a solid lug of cherry and almond and some nice herbal kick)
3/4 oz. fresh orange juice

Shake all ingredients in a shaker full of ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Then kick back, turn up the movie and tune out the trick-or-treaters.

I forgot about this little gem until a friend of mine, Erik Gibson, had his birthday recently.  Erik partners up with a friend to bring you their own comedic inspired podcast entitled “Skurvy Monkeys”. 

Anyway, he asked me what would be a nice drink for him to have and after a few minutes of thinking about it, I remember the Flying Monkey.  It’s more of a dessert drink, or rather shot, and I was introduced to it way back in college.  Other than the typical beer you were so stoked to try in the first place because you were underage and the parents who were paying for your education were 700+ miles away, you probably also dabbled into spirits and a few mixed drinks.

Now way back then I can remember I was hooked on Long Island Iced Tea’s, an occasional rum & Coke,  gin & tonic, or something on the sweater side.  Maybe it was a Bartyls & James wine cooler, Zima malt beverage, or Mai Tai.  I think I was at the old Humboldt staple bar, The Sidelines, (and underage at the time, but then again who wasn’t?) and was introduced to this dessert shot back then.  I had never had anything with banana liqueur before, and definitely never saw anything ‘layered’. 

I seem to recall they were about $2.50 at the time…okay so that was back in 1989, so I’m sure they’re hovering around $4-5 these days.  Anyway, there was a round of beers earlier and I think it was my friend Trisha who said “Let’s have a Flying Monkey.”  Apparently she had had these before and was quite partial to them.  The waitress comes out with these shot glasses on her corkbed round and I see this striped (i.e. ‘layered’) drink.  Long story short, they taste almost like a banana chocolate shake.  They are a bit rich and creamy and sweet.  How many drinks do you know that actually uses banana liqueur?

Flying Monkey:

• In a shot glass, and using the back of a spoon to slowly pour, layer the following in order:
• 1/3 Kahlua coffee liqueur, 1/3 Baileys Irish cream, 1/3 banana liqueur, and serve.

One Drunk Jew

I’ve been a bit busy at work lately and feel bad I haven’t had a lot of time to update the site lately.  I’m really behind on some promised content, but I came across this article today by Richard Goldsmith, and well…..albeit a tad early for the new year and the fact I’m not even Jewish, I thought I’d share this with you all anyway:

Rosh Hashana is the Jewish new year. Literally translating to head of the year, there’s not a whole lot of similarity between this start of the Jewish calendar year and the one that takes place on January 1.

Despite being a joyous holiday, Rosh Hashana is a time for reflection, a time to look over the missteps of the past year and plan how to avoid them in the new one.

Of course, no one ever said you can’t drink something other than Manischewitz whilst making those plans. After all, such deep thoughts are sure to work up a powerful thirst and man cannot live, nor wish for a sweet new year, on kosher wine alone. A few simple cocktails geared toward encouraging the requisite introspection, not to mention encourage shouts of “L’shanah tovah,” — Hebrew for “for a good year!” — as glasses clink together certainly wouldn’t hurt.

To that end, here are a few drinks aimed at ringing in the Jewish new year in grand, yet traditional, fashion that even the strictest bubbie couldn’t possibly frown upon.

Call of the Shofar – When Rosh Hashana falls upon a day other than the Sabbath — or Shabbat — the shofar, a ram’s horn blown like a trumpet, is sounded. There isn’t a specific reason given for this in the Old Testament, but some suggest it’s a call to repentance. In any case, it’s one of the most important observances of the holiday. A skilled shofar blower can produce one hell of a note – a sound only a powerful drink can do justice to. The Call of the Shofar is a twist on a classic, the Whispers of the Frost. It’s sweet, in keeping with the hopes for a great new year, but packs a wallop and demands the drinker’s attention.

• 1.5 oz whisky (Jameson Irish Whisky is recommended beacuse of its carmel flavors and oak base to offset the sweetness)
• 1.5 oz sherry
• 1.5 oz. Manischevitz concord grape kosher wine.
• Pour all three ingrediants into a goblet full of ice, stir, and garnish with a few apple slices.

L’Shanah Tovah – The pomegranate carries a rich history of symbolism. In Judaism, the fruit signifies righteousness, and is often eaten in dishes on Rosh Hashana as a way of inviting those qualities into the coming year. As such, incorporating pomegranate into a cocktail that invites a good year and emulates the traditional holiday greeting can only be a good thing. Sweet and tart, with all the mouth-puckering qualities of the pomegranate balanced by the richness of the cognac and effervescence of the tonic water, this is a drink that provides all of the joy the holiday calls for, tempered by just the right amount of righteous inspiration.

• 1 oz. Pama pomegranate liqueur
• 1 oz. cognac
• 1.5 oz. tonic water
• Comibe ingredients in a mixing glass full of ice, stir, gently to avoid losing too much carbination.  Strain into cocktail glass and serve.

The Rosh Hashana – One of the best parts of any holiday is the food. And Rosh Hashana has become known for the traditional pairing of apples and honey as a symbol of hope for a sweet new year. This drink takes that pairing and ups the sophistication, balancing the sweetness while maintaining the honey and apple flavors. And what could be sweeter than kicking the new year off with bourbon?

• 1.5 oz. bourbon (lower end is okay as to not be wasted by the mixing)
• 1 oz. Barenjager Honey Liqueur
• Apple Cider (preferably unfilterd and unpasteurized – giving the whole a drink a little more complexity and tangy flavor)
• Pour bourbon and liqueur into a lowball glass over ice and top off with apple cider.

The 4th of July is just around the corner and I just noted I haven’t put up a new cocktail recipe in some time.  After doing a little digging, I found an interesting recipe that ties in nicely with our U.S. history and our nations 234th birthday.  But before I delve into the ‘Artillery Punch’ cocktail, I thought I’d share a bit of trivia as well.  All you wordsmiths out there, or those that like to play Jeopardy or read the Oxford Dictionary in your spare time, you might enjoy this:

The word “cocktail” was believed to be first used in New York as a way to describe a combination of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters somewhere in the early 1800′s.  It is most likely the word referred to a particular beverage that included a variety of spirits in the mix, depending on what was available at the moment.  Over the years, the definition expanded to include almost any combination of spirits and other ingredients.  As a side note, however, most alcohol historians (how do you get that job by the way?) agree that the first “cocktail party” took place in Missouri.  I couldn’t find any additional information on this….perhaps the attendees were too drunk to remember themselves and write it down.

So the recipe I have for you today isn’t a singular drink mixed for one or two people.  It’s more suited for your family reunion or block party.  You may want to mix in a very large Gatorade decanter like the kind you see on the sidelines at a football game.  If those aren’t readily available, go buy yourself a large RubberMaid trashcan at the hardware store (but remember to rinse out ahead of time).

It is said that Artillery Punch originated in Savannah, GA with the Chtanham Artillery, and was actually served to one Admiral Winfield Scott Schley during his visit to the city just after the Spanish-American War.  Reports at the time state the punch had a much more dramatic effect on the Admiral than the Spanish guns ever did.  It’s a sweet drink with a sweet tea base and strong citrus overtones (thanks to the gin, lemons, and oranges no doubt) that helps mask the massive amount of liquor hidden within.  Talk about ‘shock and awe’, be careful with this one folks, it’ll sneak up on you in a big way.  Great for summer BBQ’s and gatherings.

Artillery Punch:

• 1.5 gallons (yes, gallons) of Catawba wine (a red wine produced from a regional grape on the north-eastern seaboard and midwest)
• 1.5 quarts of rye.
• 1/2 gallon of rum (choose a rum with caramel tones if you can).
• 1/2 pint of Benedictine.
• 1 quart gin
• 1 quart Brandy.
• 1.5 gallons of strong tea (fresh brewed is always better and worth the effort).
• 2.5 pounds brown sugar
• Juice of 1/2 dozen oranges (or use real boxed orange juice as a sub)
• Juice of 1/2 dozen lemons.

Place all these ingredients in your container and mix well enough (have a clean oar or paddle nearby?) so that the 2.5 pounds of brown sugar dissolves evenly and nicely.  Serve over large glasses of ice, and keep an eye on your guests lest you really do want them to re-enact the Spanish-American War in your backyard.

It’s going to be a long day today, that I can tell.

Last night I met some friends and ex-coworkers at a sports bar in the area called Rudy’s, where I got my pint on.  Not a lot, and I didn’t feel hammered in the least.  With that being said, I barely slept a wink last night.  It was freezing cold (I forgot to turn the heater on), and I tossed and turned all night.  At one point, roughly 2:30 am, I just got up and went on the computer for about a half hour.  I probably slept a grand total of three hours last night, so I am sure I’ll be a very chipper person as the day wears on.  All I know is thank goodness it is both Friday and casual day at work.  I’m telling you right now, I don’t have the energy or motivation to do jack squat.

At the gas station, I did spend $3.48 (that includes tax) on the 5-hour Engery drink that is advertised all over.  It promises that I won’t suffer a crash later and I’m holding out until lunch time to use it, so we’ll see.

Anyway, this drink recipe today is inspired by my recent lunches at Chick-Fil-A, where I’ve been having some sweet tea with my lunch.  I also get a lot of searches here on my Seagrams Sweet Tea vodka entry I made some time ago, so I figured, why not another sweet tea based drink?  This is for when you need a little pick me up during the weekend, after doing some gardening chores or detailing the car on a warm afternoon, where the thought of regular ice tea sounds good, but just isn’t enough by itself.

Sweet Tea-tini

• 1 3/4 oz premium vodka
• 1 oz sweet tea (heavily sweetend fresh brewed iced-tea, a staple in the south)
• 1/4 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
• Lemon wedge or lemon rind twist for garnish.

1. Pour ingredients in cocktail shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake well, preferably due a samba dance if you can.
3. Strain into a chilled, sugar rimmed martini glass.
4. Garnish with lemon wedge or twist.
5. Look coyly at neighbor and give ‘em a wink.

Well, here it is, Episode 15.  I wish I could say I’m really happy with the outcome, but in my own humble opinion, it’s “meh” at best.  Why you ask?  Originally, I had sat down last weekend with my friend Brian Liles (yet again) and had made a sweet recording that was a good solid hour plus.  It could have easily been broken into two seperate Podcasts, and I think it was one of our best yet.  There was a myriad of interesting topics on the table as well as we had at least three to four craft beers in us each as we made it.

However, due to the fact that I hadn’t take the time to reboot my computer after some auto-installed patches from Microsoft prior to our recording, it seems that Audacity (my podcast recording software) somehow corrupted the data.  No matter how many times I tried to recover the orphan files after a failed save attempt, I just couldn’t resurect it.  As I say in this podcast, let that be a lesson to all you tech heads out there.  Always reboot your PC after critical patches are downloaded and installed.  I clearly should have known better, so I have no one to blame but myself.

Feeling somewhat pressed to have a new episode ready, I took my portable Zoom to work and made this recording on my lunch break while sitting in my car.  I’m happy with the audio quality, but as you’ll hear, there was really no set agenda for this one.  It’s about 40 minutes of me ranting on some of my political views, Howard Stern, and my upcoming business trip to Atlanta, GA.  Also, I was able to throw in a cocktail recipe, the ‘original’ Texas-tini (not my version from a few weeks back in which I thought I was so clever with the name), and a recipe for grilling artichokes.  Hence the title ‘Smorgasbord’.

In other news, I’m rapidly approaching my 40th birthday (8 days from this writing) and I am clearly having a mild midlife crisis.  I hope its not too evident in my recording, but I’ve been feeling a bit under pressure lately in various personal aspects: financial, work, trying to be a father to a teenage girl, etc. So perhaps that lends to my somewhat dour attitude in if you pick up on it.  Hopefully I’ll snap out of it soon because it really just doesn’t feel like me and I’m very aware of it.

I’ll work on the show notes and recipes contained within later if I get a chance, but suffice to say I will be out on business the next week (starting tomorrow) so I most likely won’t be making any updates here for at least a week. 

As I usually do, I try an pick an intro song that encapsulates either my mood or something that somehow pertains to the audio content of the episode.  Here, I chose “Take this Job and Shove it” by Johnny Paycheck.  I have two comments about this: 1) Yeah, I’m not gonna be quitting my job anytime soon, but the last few weeks, I really feel as if I’ve been holding back my frustration on various career related issues and I’m just not that happy overall, and 2) I really thought Johnny ‘Paycheck’ was a fake name and he was trying to cash in on the name Johnny Cash, especially when you have a song about a job and then shoving it.  Turns out, I was partially correct, as his real name was Donald Eugene Lytle.

Texas-Tini II

• 3 oz whisky (try a sweet or smooth blend like Crown Royal or Canadian Mist)
• 1.5 oz sweet vermouth
• 1/2 oz Blue Curacao (orange flavored liquer, but blue in color)
• Shake all three ingrediants over ice and pour in sugar rimmed martini glass, or mix all three in lowball glass over ice and skip sugar.

Grilled Artichoke

• 2 fresh artichokes, stems cut at least 1 inch from base.
• Place artichokes in pot of boiling water with the freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon to reduce oxidation of leaves (prevents leaves from turning brown). (Optional: zest some of the lemon peel and add zest (to taste) to fresh mayo.  Mix, and chill in advance for dipping.  Lemon zest adds a nice fresh, flavorful kick to the mayo).
• Remove after 25-28 minutes of cooking, drain excess water, and let cool enough to handle.
• Preheat grill to medium-low heat/flame.
• With sharp knife, cut artichoke in half, lengthwise and remove choke/heart (purpleish center with bristles) with spoon.
• Brush halves with olive oil and season with kosher or sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
• Place flat side down on grill, cooking approx 2-3 minutes, then turn 45 degrees and cook additional 2-3 minutes or until nice grill marks appear.  In the last few minutes, ‘drizzle’ some quality balsamic vinegar over artichokes for additional flavor and color.
• Serve with fresh lemon zest mayo (above), and/or melted butter and garlic combo.

Show Notes

• Coming soon

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (40.7MB)

In the era of Sex in the City, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and half the shows on the CW these days (should I admit I actually watch many of them?) many cocktail concoctions took on some frilly characteristics.  There were a lot more pink umbrellas, red sugar rims, and fruit floating about in poolside glasses than most men would like to admit too.  When was the last time you saw Steve McQueen, Tito Ortiz, T.O. or Derek Jeter sipping on a cosmo? (Well, the jury is still out on Jeter, but that’s another story).

Anyway, I want to introduce you to a few libations that are gonna put a little kick back in your step, make you howl at the moon, and thump your pecs like a silverback gorilla.  Yes, some manly men drinks sure to darken your roots and ground you back in the ’50s where men worked and there was a pot pie, a pipe, and slippers waiting fro you when you got home.

With no further ado:

The Rusty Nail

Straight out of a construction site nail gun, we’re talking two ingrediants – Drambui and Scotch.  Drambuie is a liquer made with a blends of herbs, spice, a touch of honey, and get this….more Scotch!  Liberals be damned when you pour this down your gullet.

• 1oz blended Scotch.  Pick one with enough bite to counter the slightly thicker and sweetness of the Drambuie.
• 1oz Drambuie.
• Lemon twist for garnish.
• Take a lowball glass with ice and pour both ingrediants in.  Stir quickly and drop lemon twist in, allowing natural oils of rind to blend with drink, and then pretend ‘The View’ never existed.

The Negroni

Hey look, I didn’t name this drink so back off.  I know what you’re thinking, but we evolved since then.  Negroni combines gin, vermouth and Campari and supposedly stimulates the appetite and promotes digestion.  Just what the doctor at teh Tiajuana clinic ordered.  It may be a bit tough to get used to, so you probably won’t get many requests to share, but savor this strong and in your face flavor and imagine Mel Gibson handing it to you for a job well done.

• 1oz gin (say Plymouth or Tanqueray)
• 1oz Campari (a bitter apertif)
• 3/4oz sweet vermouth.
• Put ingrediants in shaker full of ice and shake well.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or lowball filled with ice.  If you’re confident enough in your masculinity, you can add a cherry, but stare down anyone who gives you crap about it.

Blue Blazer

Sounding more like a mexican luchador (wrestler for you non-bilinguals), this has the added component of fire, always sure to amaze and impress.  It’s a bit more involved in preparation and not for the timid or drunk to try and mix.  We’re talking boiling water and fire, and silver plated mugs people!

• 2.5oz high proof rye whisky (100 proof or better is recommended)
• 2.5oz boiling water.  Yes, boiling.
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar.
• lemon peel for garnish.
• 2 silver plated mugs as most other materials can’t hold up well with flames involved.
• Pour whisky in one mug with sugar and mix slightly, and boiling water in other mug.  Ignite whisky (be careful) and pour into mug of water.  Continue pouring back and forth to mix displaying a stream of fire.  When done, add lemon peel to glasses.  You are now the ‘most interesting man in the world’.