Green Bloody Mary in Santa Monica

Whist at The Viceroy Brings a New Hue to Sunday Morning

No, for once I don't mean "green" as in organic, I mean green as in the actual color. Just think - now your drink can match your liver after a big night out! Pair that with Sourdough Pancakes topped with organic plum butter and Tahitian vanilla whipped cream, and you'll be feeling rosy in no time!

What's in a Green Bloody Mary? Absolut Vodka, Green Tomatoes, Cucumber, Tomatillos, Garlic, Cilantro, Parsley, Green Onion, Jalapenos, Salt

BBQ Bloody Mary

I wish I had come up with this clever drink idea... but I got it off "Down Home With the Neely's," the new Food Network show. (Yes, I'm catching up on some Food Network, this week!)

Gina Neely likes her tipples, which is one more reason why I enjoy this show. I don't know how the married couple cooks in the kitchen together without squabbling even once (I'm not sure Jason and I would be quite so harmonious...) but it is nice to see... kind of like one of those chick flick romantic comedies where everyone is funny and attractive and winds up in love. Its also nice to see a little more cultural diversity in the televised celebrity chef realm.

Read this interview with the couple on YumSugar. They manage to make you believe they actually are that ga-ga over each other in real life.

Gina's Bloody Mary has lots of horseradish, pepper and Tabasco - so it is super spicy - just the way I like it. However, she also adds a good dollop of BBQ sauce. I am definitely going to try this out...

What do you think?

Astor Center: The Imbiber’s Paradise

The Met. Broadway. Buggy rides in Central Park. New York has some cool must-do’s for the average tourist. However, for those of us impassioned by wine, spirits, food and what to do with them – the Astor Center is our Mecca.

Arrive at 399 Lafayette Street, and take the stairs down to enter a wonderland of wine and spirits. Bottles and brands abound – I even saw some labels I’d never heard of in the vodka aisle. (And, I thought I was pretty on top of things!) Sample wines at the sample station, peruse the shelves of organic wine and spirits and journey the world one sip at a time by filling your cart with a plethora of imported vintages. It makes me wish drinking didn’t make me intoxicated, only so I could sample more at one sitting!

But… what really blows the mind is upstairs.

The Study is built for tastings. It has flush sinks at each station and large plasma TV’s above the instructors station for a bird’s eye view of close-ups.

The Kitchen is a marvel of stainless steel built for hands-on training. (The CIA uses this 1100 square foot space, as well, I might add...)

The Gallery is an event space used for everything from wine education to private events. The brick-and-beam space lined with large widows looking onto the street below rivals that of any swanky SoHo hotspot.

This Saturday, New Yorkers have the opportunity to take Mixology classes at Astor Center with Jonathan Pogash – someone I both like and respect in the world of cocktails. A few days ago, I tried one of Jonathan’s newest inventions (not yet named!) when I swung by World Bar to say hello. It was a delicious concoction of Square One cucumber, St. Germain, Sage and… something else… but I had two so I don’t entirely recall… Only let me tell you that is was both tasty and inspired.

Register for his Crafting Summer Cocktails which takes place Saturday, June 7. Or, try Elements of Mixology on June 21. Pogash has grown up in the liquor industry, and knows a thing or two about a great drink. He is also a cocktail consultant, Gary Reagan’s right-hand man at Ardent Spirits and a hellova nice guy to boot!

Oh – and be sure to welcome Jonathan to the worldwide web. His site is Cocktail Guru, and he has recently caught the “blogging bug” as well.

The Astor Center is also the new home for the B.A.R. training, which I hope to undertake this Fall! In addition to putting another feather into my mixology cap, it is a great excuse to get to hang out at the Astor Center and use their state-of-the-art facilities. That’s a pilgrimage I can get behind!

Cocktails Are Fun!

Stop Stressing - and Start Shaking

One of the things I emphasize in The Liquid Muse Cocktail Classes is that Mixology is not brain surgery! You’re making a drink, not creating an atom bomb. Most likely, you’re mixing one up at the end of the day; to relax, enjoy with a loved one, sip as the sun goes down and the stress rolls off your mind and body. It’s a moment to wear a smile and have a chat. In a word – cocktails are fun!

Now, don’t get me wrong – a well-heeled bartender making historic cocktails and quality drinks is a thing to treasure, praise and throw money at. But, the average person doesn’t want to feel intimidated when opening a bottle. “Am I doing it right?” Or worse – “Am I doing it wrong?,” is not something someone should be thinking when pouring him/herself a drink.

I encourage people in my classes to “make the drink your own.” If someone likes it sweeter than the recipe calls for, or if they prefer it more tart --- by all means, add more sugar / simple syrup / agave nectar or lime juice / lemon juice or whatever. It is YOUR drink, after all.

For example, I hate wine tastings where some guy in a suit “talks down” to the crowd, or talks over the average person’s level of knowledge. It is pretentious and counter-productive. It is equally unfortunate in a Mixology seminar. Cocktails are something to enjoy. The history is fascinating, the lore is intriguing, the 'good old' recipes, spirits, liqueurs and traditions are something to uphold. But, not everyone who loves a quality cocktail is a bartender, mixologist or industry professional.

I also don’t believe in strictly “following the rules" when it comes to food, wine or cocktails. As long as you start with quality ingredients, and absorb a few basic guidelines, I believe in following your own palate. If you like red wine with fish – who cares? It’s nobody’s business but your own.

I think that some of the appeal of people like Rachael Ray, for example, is that she makes everyone feel like they can whip up a decent meal. Her catch phrases like the somewhat hokey “Yum-o!” and getting the average American housewife in Kentucky to by Extra Virgin Olive Oil (versus Crisco or some other such crap) by calling it the cutsie “E.V.O.O.” gets that housewife to remember the healthier option when she’s walking down the supermarket aisle. And, isn't that the whole idea?

Rachael Ray draws scoffs and sneers from some professional chefs - and even nobodies who have nothing better to do than diss her - but let them laugh. Her books, TV shows and other endorsements prove that she’s on to something… people want to feel like they can make a dinner their friends ad family will enjoy. She gives them some basic skills, tools and ideas – then sets them free.

This is my approach to cocktails. Anyone can do it. Everyone should do it – and feel free to do it his/her own way. Use good ingredients – fresh fruit, herbs, vegetables, juices. Throw away the sweet and sour and pre-bottled lime juice. Chuck out the nasty "bubble gum" vodka, and get some quality spirits. Then squeeze some grapefruits, muddle some cucumber, press an apple … and get creative while having a good time creating a drink that YOU enjoy.

I respect the classics as much as anyone. I admire a maestro who can bang them out so that others can experience what that revered drink should taste like. However, I also am so passionate about cocktails that I want more people to love – and make – cocktails as much as I do.

I say: get out of your head, put down that book, and start shaking and stirring, sister!

*Photo on right courtesy of DPR

The Liquid Muse "Sustainable Sips" Cocktail Classes Kick Off in Boston, This Week!

In addition to covering cocktail trends and designing cocktails for spiffy parties, I love teaching cocktail classes. Seeing the "lightbulb" illuminate above a civilian cocktail-lover's head ("civilian" = not a professional bartender or Mixologist) is a moment I relish. I love to learn new things ... and I love to share those things with enthusiastic recipients of cocktailian information.

Let's face it - making a cocktail is not rocket science - but it is a craft, even a passion for some. I equate it to cooking. Professional chefs and recipe developers have may have more developed skills and experience than the average home cook... but that doesn't mean that wonderful dishes can't be recreated for the family table.

"Eat Organic? Drink Organic!" is the slogan for The Liquid Muse Sustainable Sips cocktail classes. Why would someone spend so much time, energy and thought into picking out what they eat... and be completely ignorant to sustainable cocktails?

Meanwhile, the New York Times is picking up on the "sustainable" cocktail trend (finally - yay). Today's article is a wonderful nod to modern consumer consciousness behind the bar. Jonathan Miles wrote a nice piece on Bar 44 in Manhattan and taps Somer Perez's cocktail shaker for inspiration, and challenges her to make a cocktail with ingredients from within a 100-mile radius. (A challenge I would love to meet! Hell, living in California, I've designed drinks using only ingredients from my back yard!)

I'll be teaching my classes in New York, in May, so I will definitely swing by to sample her delicious sounding cherry drink made with Bluecoat gin, which I was very happy to see as I am using Bluecoat in my cocktail classes.

I've designed four Liquid Muse Sustainable Signature Cocktails to demonstrate at my upcoming classes... and I am even more excited now that the word about the stylish sustainable lifestyle making its way into the glass - and onto the pages of major publications. Read that article here. And, check back over the coming days to see the cocktails I'm highlighting in Boston, New York and Minneapolis over the next few months...

(Strawberry photo borrowed from this cool site.)

Holiday Shopping Made Easy

The Liquid Muse 'Lucky Seven' Holiday Picks!

With Christmas only a couple of weeks away, it is time to whip out the plastic and let your fingers do the walking across that great shopping expanse otherwise referred to as the Internet. From the worldly wine connoisseur to the creative-type “between careers,” there’s a little something for every alcohol-enthusiast on your list. So, pour yourself a stiff one, and lean back in that easy chair. I’ve practically done the shopping for you!

1. Learn from the King of Cocktails himself with Dale DeGroff’s Craft of the Cocktail Deck

2. Become a Cocktail Cassanova with Tony Abou Ganim's Modern Mixology DVD

3. Think you know about wine? Prove it with Trinchero's World Wine Challenge computer game!

4. Want to give a gentle nudge to a financially-challenged special someone? Miss Charming’s Bartender Resume Service is a loving way to say, "Get off my couch!"

5. Mixing New Orleans is the go-to book for drinking in the Big Easy, and beyond... Buy it here.

6. Give the Rockstar in your life a one-of-a-kind present... their own customized Signature Cocktail from The Liquid Muse!

7. And, if you're in the LA-area, make like a celebutante and head down to Robertson Boulevard. Hipster designer Lisa Kline has created some limited edition Jack Daniel’s T-shirts. (This one's mine... and, no, you can't have it!) For those of you outside La-La-Land, here's the link.

See You In Miami!

If you're in the Miami area, switch on the tube Tuesday, December 11, to see The Liquid Muse at work! I'll be whipping up some non-alcoholic options for the "Thoughtful Entertainer" on WFOR-TV (ie: the CBS Morning Show).

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be popping up around the country demonstrating some of the cocktails I've designed for SutterHomeFre.com. Sign up for their newsletter to keep up to date with the latest destinations.

I hope you tune in to learn just one more way to help you be thoughtful when entertaining over the holidays!

Let the Thanksgiving Cocktail Coverage Begin!

Wondering how to wash down the big bird on T-day? Give your guests one more reason to be grateful with a holiday-themed libation!

Stephen Beaumont of Nation's Restaurant News just wrote a fun round up of suggestions from Dale DeGroff, Tony Abou-Ganim, Jeffrey Morgenthaler and myself. Read the article here.*

Two Mixology legends - The King of Cocktails and The Modern Mixologist - give cocktail tips, the talented Mr. Morgenthaler has a great Wassail recipe featured, and I give suggestions on making low-cal cocktails.

*(You may need to register to read NRN's articles - which is free. And, if you're a food / drink lover, it behooves you to do so, anyway.)

Dirty Girls Come Clean in Seattle!

Have you heard of a Method Maven? Well, I'm about to meet a whole gaggle of them!

The Method Mavens are dedicated to eco-friendly ways of raising their families. They promote a sustainable lifestyle via their blogs and their purchases... all the way down to how they clean their homes.

Method Home (cleaning products) has hired me to teach The Liquid Muse "Sustainable Sips" Organic Cocktail Class in Seattle during their month-long eco event. I will be showing the Method Mavens, and their friends, how to incorporate sustainable / organic products into their cocktails! (Eat organic, drink organic, I say!)

The original cocktail recipes I've created for these classes reflect ingredients in the Method products. Cucumber, grapefruit, mint, almond are highlighted. And, I'm using some of my favorite organic wines and spirits: Bonterra chardonnay, Can Vendrell cava, Casal dos Jordoes port, Square One Organic vodka and Fever Tree bitter lemon as a mixer.

As the ladies enter the house, they're instructed to "turn in" their toxic home cleaners, in exchange for Method's eco-friendly products. While at the house, they're treated to a series of sustainable classes and seminars. In addition to The Liquid Muse "Sustainable Sips", there will be organic cooking classes and other fun activities with Danny Seo (often called the "Organic Martha Stewart").

I look forward to meeting these go-getter ladies who have been selected by Method to represent a stylish and sustainable approach to life. Let's face it, we all have to "come clean" sometime...

Do You Drink Well?

Just to make sure, check out this new drinkers' guide from Zagat's, appropriately called idrinkwell.com. After all, if you're going to do something, do it well!

Amaranta Spices Up the Valley!

Wondering where to indulge north of the 101?

Amaranta is a tequileria-meets-high-end-Mexican-restaurant which boasts nearly 400 kinds of 100% blue agave tequilas. From smoky to floral, blanco to anejo, there is something to suit every tequila-loving palate.

The Margarita Menu features 15 staples, in addition to several more which rotate with the seasons. During its July opening, watermelon margaritas were a popular item. For fall, a tamarind margarita hits the spot. All the drinks are made with fresh juices, not bottled sweet-n-sour, and it shows. (I recently tried the cantaloupe margarita and loved it!)

The Cazuela Margarita comes in a pottery bowl with two straws. (What better way to “get friendly” on a first date?) It is made with Casadores tequila, wedges of lime, lemon and grapefruit and a splash of Squirt (Mexico’s most popular soft drink!)

Instead of chips, house-made corn tortillas are brought to every table, along with three kinds of salsas. Definitely order the guacamole, made to taste, tableside. (Extra cilantro, hold the onion, not-too-hot? You can have it your way!)

Amaranta takes pride in the quality of its succulent entrees, and doesn’t cut corners. For example, the pork carnitas and the lamb (Cordero en Barbacoa) are each marinated for 20 hours, then slow cooked for 4. I tried the sweet and savory chicken enchiladas in mole (chili chocolate) sauce.

The Coconut Flan is a creamy little piece of heaven and the Dulce de Leche "crepas" with ice cream are great to share.

Happy Hour happens DAILY – even weekends – from 3 – 7 with drink and food specials. Every other Wednesday listen to live music from 7 – 10, and a DJ spins every other Friday.

Become a Tequila Connoisseur! Monthly tequila classes feature several kinds of tequila and are limited to a dozen people, so make a reservation! (Cost $35)

Try the Tequila Kiss (something between a Margarita and a Bloody Maria) at brunch, served from 11:30 – 3:00 pm.

Take It To Go! Not only is there a fine selection of tamales, quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos and meat off the grill but also a selection of Mexican handicrafts, imported directly from around the country. Buy your family dinner, and a little gift for yourself! (As if that yummy meal is not present enough!)

Photo Credit: Howard Wise

Drink A Salad!

The Liquid Muse "Sustainable Sips" Organic Cocktail Class

If you weren't at the Hall & Oates / Spinners concert at the Hollywood Bowl (seems like half the town was!) then you should have been at The Liquid Muse Sustainable Sips organic cocktail class at Bar Keeper, in Silverlake!
What fun we had!

Square One (certified) Organic Vodka was my liquor sponsor and I once again featured the Farm Fresh Caprese Martini. People enjoy trying this drink because the herbs and veggies naturally lend themselves to an organic beverage, and not so many people are familiar with the more "savory" cocktails.

The version I used on Friday is made with vodka, tomato water, angostura bitters, freshly squeezed lemon juice and garnished with a caprese skewer - tomato, marinated mozzeralla and a basil leaf.

I've sung the praises once before of Bar Keeper - a cocktail-lovers' dream world - but here it is again!

Joe and Anna Keeper are some of the nicest folks you'll run across in LA. And, their ecclectic bar store has everything from cocktail books, to shakers to antique glasses to t-shirts. It is one-stop shopping for any birthday or holiday gift giving! (Sipsters outside LA, you can visit their website.)

Bar Keeper does these events once a month, featuring a different guest speaker. Next time, Joe himself will give an Absinthe presentation. And, I hear some of our buddies from up North may be down in the coming months.

Sign up for The Liquid Muse Cocktail of the Week Museletter to stay in the know...

So You Wanna Be A Bartender?

Miss Charming to the Rescue!

Let's face it. If you live in LA, NYC or Vegas, you know that a good bartending gig is as competitive to land as a regular role on a daytime soap.

If you're a "creative type" looking for extra cash (and bartending is the top of the heap) you may be in for a rude awakening. Just showing up to fill out an application ain't enough anymore. You need a resume. A good one.

In addition to being a published author (8 books under her belt) Cheryl Charming has been a bartender for many years. For a reasonable fee, she can craft your "passport" to a killer "day job." And, who knows, once you're a star behind the bar, you may just tell Hollywood to take a hike!

Sustainable Sips Cocktail Class

It's So Intoxicatingly Easy Being Green...

For those of you who missed it in July, I'll be at it again on Friday, September 7!

Joe Keeper, owner of the uber-hip and popular Bar Keeper in Silverlake, presents cocktail classes to his patrons once a month, featuring a different bartender or mixologist, each time.

During my "guest appearance" at Joe's place, you will mingle with other eco-minded drinkers, learn how to craft an organic cocktail using Square One organic vodka, nibble on a few hors d'oeuvres - and guess what people -- its FREE!

Let me know if you're coming so I can save you a cocktail. They're gonna go fast!

Cocktail Tips

When I turned 21, my parents paid for me to go to bartending school. (I was, after all, moving to LA to pursue a career in the dramatic and written arts...) I remember that the 2-week course was a lot of fun and full of information. (And, I didn't even yet realize I was a cocktail geek back then.)

I thought I'd share some quick-n-easy little reminders I enjoyed going over. (It's been a while...) For example:

Choosing A Garnish:
- If you are making a drink featuring a light liquor and light vermouth, you want to garnish with an olive. If using a dark spirit and dark vermouth, garnish with a cherry. If you're using a mix of light and dark, garnish with a lemon twist.

Less Is More:
- A champagne glass should hold only 3 ounces of liquor. A brandy snifter should hold only one ounce of spirit. And, a cocktail glass (ie: martini glass) should hold only 2 - 3 ounces. (Helloooo... Yes, I'm talking to you 10-ounce, $14 mocha raspberry "martini" makers!)

Off the Ice:
- Cordials and Liqueurs should be served "up," not chilled. Brandy should be served in a glass that has been warmed by running it under hot water.

Multiple Liquors:
- When using more than 2 liquors, use 1/2 ounce measurements.

I hope some of these prove helpful to you home bartenders (and possibly even a few pros...)

*Photo from Tales of the Cocktail, Courtesy of Autumn Boh

Conduct A Home Tasting!

There is so much to learn and experience at Tales of the Cocktail. I have tons of notes, and am trying to finally get some info up on the blog!!

This tasting seminar, taught by Jared Brown and Eric Fossard, has some good tips. I’ve added a few extra tidbits here and there, too. If you want to learn to sample liquors like a pro, read on:

• Start with lighter, less flavorful spirits. For example, begin tasting vodkas, then move to gins, then up to rums and scotches. You get the idea…
• When tasting, use more than your sense of taste. Use your eyes first. Like with wine, look at the “legs” of the spirits (how it runs down the sides of the glass after swirling). Note the thickness of the liquid, which contributes to the “mouth feel.”
• When you put your nose above the glass to smell the “nose” of the spirit, Take one preliminary whiff to clear the olfactory senses. Then, smell it again, with your mouth open, and pay attention to the aromas. If your eyes water from the alcohol, blow into the glass once to clear the fumes, then swirl and smell again. Most of “taste” comes from the aroma (just think of why everything is tasteless when you have a cold)
• When you’re ready to taste, take a little of the spirit into the front of your mouth, first, then let it run to the back, to clear the palate. Now, take another sip, and breathe out across it. The alcohol comes right off with the exhale, and you are able to taste it.
• Taste is part nature and part nurture. While some people have naturally sensitive palates, we can all learn to discern certain qualities in food / wine / spirits.
• Keep in mind that while good spirits warm the throat and mouth, bad spirits burn.

Note: Ever wake up feeling like you can still taste the alcohol?
Cheap booze binds its taste to your tongue. Pay a little extra for the good stuff, and you may suffer less the following day. Also, drink one glass of water per alcoholic beverage. This will help keep you hydrated, which lessens the effect of a nasty hangover!

Here are some notes from our tasting session. Up first: Vodka!

Note: Frozen vodka was good for early vodkas which were less refined. The cold help cover the flavor and lessen the ‘burn.’ A good vodka should be savored and experienced at room temperature.
Also, many vodkas have sugar added. Less than 2% is considered “legal.”

• Absolut is lightest, made in the Scandinavian style. It is also the first vodka to step up and call itself a top shelf vodka. It brought about the concept of high-end spirits. This is a wheat based vodka.
• Reyka is less sweet than absolut. Has a mineral character, “stoniness”comes from filtration through lava rock. (also charcoal – purifies it) With vodka, 3-4 distillations is optimal. More than that strips vodka of all its flavor. This is a wheat based vodka.
• In Russia, they are now making a law that vodka must come from wheat. Although, vodka can be made from anything as long as it is distilled up to 90%. And, as we have all noted, the vodka market is very aggressive, doing all sort of new things to capture our imagination, tastebuds and pocketbooks!
• With Stoli, we noticed incease in pepper notes, increase in sweetness, and more mouth feel. It is rounder, smoother (contains glycerine)
• Potato vodkas generally a bit sweeter but are very hard to make because there is a 50/50 chance as to whether potato will fermetnt or rot
• Imperia sharper than stoli, It follows the recipe standardized in 1894.
• Ciroc is a French “premium” vodka. Big lemon aroma comes through as soon as you bring the glass to your nose. Also, on the tongue - big lemon. Jared points out, “This is great with a squeeze of fresh lemon, a little simple syrup and you’ve got a great lemon drop.”

Next, Gin! We made a gentle transition from citrusy Ciroc to junipery gin.

Note: Trying to make Gin with fresh juniper berries is a bad idea! They have to be dried for 6 – 18 months, which condenses down the pleasant oils.

• Plymouth has a very floral balance. Strong juniper comes through right away. A London gin is very citrus, and drier. Legend has it that the Mayflower travelers sailed with more alcohol than water on their ships. They ended up in Plymouth by accident because they were on their way to Virginia but ran out of booze.

Note: The reason why hangovers are worse with gin? Originally, gin was a kidney tonic. It has diuretic effect. It de-hydrates you so the hang over is worse.

Note: When making gin cocktails, if the gin is too intense, you can use a little vodka to dilute it. Conversely, take any vodka drink and use gin for an extra kick.

Onto Rum!
Most of us are familiar with the Puerto Rican rum style - sweet, caramel, vanilla.

Note: Rums are made from sugar cane.
Note: Light to dark is not an indication of flavor in rums. Some lighter rums can be more refined and have richer flavor than some dark ones.

• 10 Cane is from the French side of the Caribbean. Aged in light wood. Oak is used in 90% of wood aging. How does it work? The spirit soaks into the wood, which is where it gets its flavor. When warm, the liquid expands into the wood. When it pulls back, it brings along the flavors. Wood has 175+ flavors, most of which are vanillas. The caramel notes come from charring the barrel, which “caramelizes” the wood.
• Cruzan Estate Diamond rum – Jared shares, “Tasting this, I had an epiphany, and an immediate love.” Underlying caramal and banana. Aged for 2 years.
• Cruzan Estate Dark Rum is sweeter smoother richer on the palate. Underlying walnut. Butterscotch. The aging process refines it. Aged 5 years.
• Note: If rum is aged too long, it has more cognac characters than rum ones. The sharpest flavors are also the ones which dissipate the most quickly.
• Rum Clement – aged 5 years. Already has a cognac qualities.
• Rhum clement XO – Pour it into a brandy snifter you could fool a lot of people into thinking it’s a cognac. Priced to compete with cognacs. Jared says that it could even stand up a to a cigar better than a cognac.
• Captain Morgan Private Stock Rum from rums of Puerto Rico is sweetened, spiced. (By spiced we mean “vanilla-ed”) Less refined and less expensive than Rhum Clement, but very fruity and fun! Still a great product, it’s a matter of how you’re using it and what your taste is at the moment.

At the end of the day – drink what you like – these tips can help you figure out why you like it!