The Violet Hour

Chicago is one of those towns that I drop into and think "Yeah, I could live here." And, then I remember that it gets incredibly, bone-chillingly cold in the winter and remember, "Nah, I totally could never live here... but I love to visit."

This town has cocktail chutzpuh galore. And, you know what else? The people are so freakin' nice. They don't have that "I'm so amazingly cool and important" crap we sometimes get in L.A. They don't have that "We're too uppity to crack a smile" like waaay too many bars in New York, and they don't have that "We think we're better than everybody else" of San Francisco. (Sorry SF. You know I love you but you know its true.)

The people in Chicago - bartenders included - pride themselves on making great drinks but they don't let it go to their heads. Now, that is something worth braving a chilly night to see. (Yeah, my teeth are already chattering and its barely dipped into the 60's at night. I'm a So-Cal girl, people!)

Sonja Kassebaum blogger at Thinking of Drinking and co-owner of North Shore Distillery was kind enough to join me out tonight for a cocktail. Ok two. (And, did I mention that she and her husband make gin, absinthe, aquavit and more! How rad is that?)

We went to the speakeasy influenced Violet Hour and let Michael, the head bartender, stir and shake up a storm. In addition to being well-versed in gin, whiskey, rum and tequila drinks, the bar also has three kinds of specialized ice, ranging from long tubes to big chunks to round balls. They have the double tin shakers, the fresh herbs and all home made bitters with ingredients like fennel and saffron and such, served out of little brown bottles and eyedroppers.

Man, sitting here after two heady drinks makes me feel like a lightweight cuz I really don't remember all that was in the tipples I sampled... but the first one had gin and egg white - and, well, maybe he'll send me the recipe to share with you folks. The second drink had an incredibly smokey, peaty Scotch (just how I like it) and some other stuff... I think the fennel and saffron bitters was in this one... just trust that it was great and I knew I was having something unique and reeking of high quality.

I also ate some deviled eggs topped with sweet and spicy bacon. I know. I have no business eating that... but you know the 100 mile rule. No, not THAT 100 mile rule! The one about how calories are cut in half when you're more than 100 miles away from home. Yeah, that one.

Anyhoo... I want to check out The Drawing Room next. Maybe tomorrow, or maybe when I'm back in early October. Just wanted to tell you to stop by the Violet Hour next time you're in Chi-town. Its the door with no sign in the building that looks like its under construction with a bare bulb glaring outside above the head of a large man in a black coat. Can't miss it. Or rather, DON'T miss it...

First Sips of Poland

Upon arriving in Warsaw, we immediately boarded a small plane for Gdansk. But, not without a little refreshment in the airport first! The creamy iced coffee, pictured on right, is more like a milkshake than the watery iced coffee we have in the U.S. (love that its served in a beer glass!)

Next, we boarded a small plane for a 45-minute flight to Gdansk, a charming city on the Baltic Sea, known for amber (petrified tree sap – the more bugs in it, the more expensive). It is also known for its shipyard and has been an important port city for Poland.

As we approached Gdansk, I noted the very green terrain, below and small houses. On the ground, we piled into taxis and checked into our hotel, situated right in the heart of the Old Town.

Fifteen minutes later, we started off in the drizzling rain for lunch to a restaurant whose name roughly translates to "under the salmon."

It was originally founded in 1598 and blends traditional decor (big brass light fixtures, lace curtains, large wood tables topped with candelabras and fine china) with typical cuisine. The waiters were polite, thought they didn't speak English and delivered the food with hour-long gaps in-between courses.

I enjoyed herring several ways (creamy sauce, herbed and in a tomato sauce) followed by a salad, and along the way tasted other peoples' dishes - creamy mushrooms, gamey deer sausage and a bite of duck.

Of course, we had 2 kinds of Sobieski vodka - the "regular" and the fancier one. They were served ice cold in small liqueur glasses, and that is how we drank it throughout the meal - straight up. To finish our lunch, we had 'goldvasa' or sweet liqueur with bits of edible gold leaf floating in it, said to enrich the body with minerals.

Upon finishing lunch (about 3 hours later), we realized that dinner was only a few hours away. To digest, we took a walking tour of the city.

Our guide told us that the first mentions of Gdansk as a city show up around 997, making it more than 1000 years old. Its history is one of tumultuous power plays and destruction. For example, the Polish King sent the Bishop of Prague to convert the Prussian pagans to Christianity, only to have the Bishop’s dead body returned to the King with a note of warning to stay away. Poland’s borders have expanded and retracted over the centuries, as well. For example, at one point in the 18th Century, Poland - which had been one of the largest countries in Europe - was conquered and divided between Russia, Austria and Prussia.

One of the main sites is a statue of King Sobieski atop a great horse who, upon defeating the Turks in the Battle of Vienna in 1683 was declared the "Savior of Vienna and Western Civilization" by the Pope at the time.

From there, we walked down the broad, cobblestone street which stretches from the main archway entrance to the once walled city to the Vistula River, which runs through Gdansk. We passed many tents selling amber necklaces, crocheted slippers and bags and other typical market items on our way to a replica of a pirate ship.

Once aboard, we sailed along past the famous port and turned around where the river mouth opens up into the Baltic Sea.

Just at that point there is also a WW2 statue, as Gdansk is known for being the site where the Nazis aggression, in 1933, preceded the war. In the first stand off, 210 Polish soldiers held back 4000 Germans. However, the Nazis returned with ferocity and took the city over on Easter 1945, destroying 95% of it. Once the war was over and the Germans retreated, a crippled Poland was in no position to hold back the Russians, who marched right into the country and cloaked it in Communism for the next few decades.

Still, the people of Poland persevered in their attempts at creating a balance in power between government and citizens, as exemplified by the Protest of the Shipyard workers in 1970, and again in 1980. That union leader later became president of Poland.

In 2004, an independent Poland joined European Union. Its economy is still significantly less powerful than that of its wealthier Western European counter parts but privately held companies (such as the Sobieski distillery) are allowed to exist and thrive.

It became a bit chilly on the top deck, so we did what any good Pole would do... we headed down into the wooden belly of the boat where we sipped typical Polish beer from glasses decorated with Polka dancers!

Back on land, we had about an hour until we met up in the bar of the hotel. One of the guys on this trip found a 'typcial' Polish snack and brought it to the hotel for us to try as an aperitif. The pickled beans are called "bob" or "boob" - hard to tell with the accent. They tasted ok - but not something I'll miss too much when I go back home...

Ironically enough, Belvedere vodka happened to be doing a promotion in the bar of our hotel. Sobieski is owned by Belvedere S.A., a large French spirits company. However, the brand of Belvedere vodka has since been sold to another company. So, we politely refused their specialty cocktails out of loyalty to our hosts and I had grapefruit Sobieski with a bit of lime and orange juice.

Several dirty martinis (we taught the bartender how to make them because he'd never heard of one), a few pierogis (Polish dumplings - yum!) and a spinach souffle later, I was finally in bed at about 11:30 pm (after being awake for nearly 30 hours since leaving L.A.) and slept with visions of sausage-stuffed pierogis dancing in my head...

Una Copa Para Espana!
Our Swan Song in Spain

We're wrapping up our summer vacation in Mallorca. And, we couldn't have planned it better. In addition to visiting dear friends and attending a milestone birthday party, we're staying atop a mountain in the incredible Castillo Son Vida Hotel (a 13th Century castle-turned-luxury resort).

How else would we spend our last night here than holed up in our room, ordering room service and watching the European Cup on TV?!

I am happy to report that only moments ago Spain became the European Cup Champions. It has been more than 44 years since Spain held this honor, and the whole country is alive with cheers and hollers. We can hear street parties in the town, below, and fireworks are exploding over the Mediterranean. After living in Spain for 2 1/2 years - and falling madly in love with it - I couldn't be more thrilled for Spanish soccer than if I were born on this soil.

Bravo, Espana! Tomo una copa (de vino Espanol) para ti.

Gone Fishing...

Ok, not really. I'm going on vacation to Europe. Seeing my sister in Paris, my dad in Nice, cousins in Beaulieu and Marseilles, dear friends in La Costa Brava (Spain) and another friend's birthday celebration Mallorca.

I may post along the way - but no promises. However, be sure to check in when I get back in July as I will have some cool surprises!! I actually have something very exciting up my sleeve to share with you when I return - but I don't want to spill the beans just yet. Just be assured that you will want to know all about it!

Think: French, think: vintage, think: imbibable... think: a souvenir waaaay better than a T-shirt.

San Francisco Cocktail Week 2008

The second annual San Francisco Cocktail Week just wrapped up – and if you missed it, you will be sorry! I journeyed up the coast, last year, to cover the very first SF Cocktail Week 2007 and was impressed with what the boys from the Bay Area are doing to rally the tippling troops, so I had to show my solidarity again. (Gosh, darn, twist my arm.)

Starlight and Cable Cars

The first event kicked off last Tuesday (May 13) at Harry Denton’s Starlight Room, where Tony Abou-Ganim was honored. With decades of mixology under his belt, and boundless passion behind the stick, Tony’s nod was well deserved. The crowd toasted him with the now legendary Cable Car cocktails, which Tony created years ago while working at the Starlight Room, atop the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. The famous drink is proudly still served by today’s barmen.

Another well-respected mixologist, Jacques Bezuidenhout also worked at the Starlight Room and I was excited to share a Cable Car with him, as well, while interviewing him on-camera for an upcoming video for The Liquid Muse Cocktail Show!

Save the Sazerac!

Elixir Saloon stirred up support for Tales of the Cocktail - what a preview of what's to come in New Orleans! H. Joseph Ehrmann owns the historic saloon (which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year!) and is one of the three founders of San Francisco Cocktail Week.

He, along with Jeff Hollinger (GM of Absinthe and author of Art of the Bar) and Duggan McDonnel (of Cantina fame), decided to organize the citywide event with an eye toward unifying San Francisco’s finest bartenders. H told me that San Francisco was the first to organize a whole week around World Cocktail Day.

Proceeds from Friday’s ‘Save the Sazerac’ event at Elixir raised awareness and money for our brethren in New Orleans, and support for Tales of the Cocktail. The Grand Dame of the Crescent City herself, Ann R. Tunnerman, flew in for the party and energized the crowd for the upcoming biggest cocktailian love-fest of the year, Tales of the Cocktail, which runs July 16-20. (Be there or be a sad little puppy!)

H also prepared his version of the Sazerac, the Shirazerac, and the crowd around the bar was no fewer than 5 deep at any given moment. Jeff Hollinger jumped behind the bar to help out, and even with the boys mixing 10 drinks at a time, everyone had to elbow our way in to secure a drink, and still wait at least half an hour between rounds!

Shirazerac (by H of Elixir)

1 barspoon of Shiraz syrup*
2oz of Sazerac Rye
1/2 barspoon Pastis Herbsaint
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
1 Star Anise
1 quarter size round of lemon rind

Fill an Old Fashioned glass with ice and set aside to chill. Cut the lemon rind to a circle about the size of a quarter, without pith. Stick a toothpick through the star anise and into the lemon rind until only a small bit of the toothpick shows from the top, breaking off the extra beneath the lemon. Set garnish aside. In a separate glass, put shiraz syrup at the bottom of the glass and cover with the rye whiskey and the bitters. Stir to dissolve the syrup. Stir briefly. Empty the chilled glass and add the Absinthe substitute to it, swirling around to coat it and leaving a small pool of what is left at the bottom. Strain the cocktail into that glass and add the Star Anise as a floating garnish.

New (Cool) Kid in Town: Beretta

I also made a point of getting down to the very new, hip and PACKED Beretta for drinks and pizza fired to crisp perfection. The risotto kicks serious bootie, too, and the cocktails…

Well, with SF Chapter President of the USBG Jon Santer shaking and stirring, would you expect less than outstanding drinks? He created an apple and cherry drink especially for cocktail week. It was de-li-cious!

A mass exodus from Bourbon & Branch has lured several of the city’s finest bartenders to enjoy flocks of thirsty San Franciscans at their new home at Beretta. All’s fair in love and mixology, I suppose.

A Tribute to a Founding Father in Cocktail History

Saturday started off with an amazing surprise. Diego Loret de Mola (most known to us as the Barsol Pisco king) organized a very special trek out to Cypress Lawn Cemetery. We were on a mission to honor Duncan Nicol, who ran the Bank Exchange bar in the early 20th Century and created the Pisco Punch.

John Burton and David Wondrich aided Diego in digging up history on the Nicol, who lays to rest in a magnificent setting. Diego also presented John Burton with a special plaque as recognition for his deep knowledge of cocktail lore and contributions to our field.

Next, Diego took our busload to Fresca, a Peruvian-style ceviche bar for tastes of his native food and more cocktails! In addition to delicious raw fish delights, we tried Coca Pisco cocktails, garnished with coca leaves. (Don’t you just love uppers and downers in one easy sip?) The day was a treat and I definitely felt privileged to be part of the excursion.

Booze and Books

San Francisco magazine’s Scott Hocker moderated a panel of several knowledgeable cocktail history experts including David Wondrich, John Burton, Jim Jarvis and Jordan Mackay just off the lobby of Hotel Rex. Keeping in the Pisco ‘spirit,’ Duggan McDonnel treated the audience to glasses of Pisco Punch. (Now that’s the kind of lecture I can get behind!) The after-party continued at Cantina, where Mr. Mojito stepped behind the bar to shake up more fun.

Final Call at Absinthe

Once again, SF Cocktail Week had its closing party at Absinthe, hosted by Jeff Hollinger. I left town the day before so I don’t have pix from there but if it was anything like last year, I’m sure it was a who’s who of mixology enthusiasts from up and down the West Coast.

So, it was a successful sophomore year for SF Cocktail Week, and With World Cocktail Week wrapped up, all eyes are on New Orleans for an even bigger cocktail extravaganza. See you at Tales in July!

Bukowski's Tavern

Boston's Homage to a Tinsel Town's Rebel Poet

While in Boston, every day, for a week, I walked past a tiny, red, hole in the wall bar nestled between a parking lot and perched on the edge of a bridge over a freeway. Yes, the strange locale caught my attention but the real clincher was the bar’s name. How could I not be drawn in by a rebel writer with a penchant for the sauce, and fellow Angeleno, at that!

I wondered why the watering hole was called Bukowski. Did the controversial mid-20th century poet / novelist / ne’er-do-well own it at one time? Did he drink there? We don’t have a Bukowski bar in L.A.… so why was there one in Bean Town?

Finally, one evening, walking back over the bridge from Newbury Street where I taught The Liquid Muse Sustainable Sips Cocktail Classes to the Hilton, where I was staying, I could no longer resist my curiosity. I’d just pop my head in the crowded wisp of a bar, snap a photo and be on my way… unless incredibly tempted.

Well, as it turned out, there happened to one lone available seat at the bar. I suppose one could call it destiny. Or one could just call it an empty chair. Either way, I decided to try a cocktail.

Until I learned they did not serve cocktails. Only beer and wine. And, if there’s one thing I know about dive bars without a full liquor license, the wine is usually something to avoid. So, I asked the bartender for a beer brewed in good, old Massachusetts.

The native Bostonian on the stool next to mine suggested a Harpoon, which I tried, cuz I never doubt a local. Founded in 1986, it claims to be New England's largest brewery. The beer I had hit the spot - a bit of a bite, plenty of froth and went down smooth.

I also learned that Charles Bukowski has nothing to do with the bar at all. The name is an homage to the writer simply because the bar’s owner is a fan. The bar’s walls are painted by a local artist, and unfortunately I was not allowed to photograph them because the bar’s manager was concerned about them not being copyrighted. This struck me as a bit ironic considering they ripped off someone else’s name for their establishment … but whatever.

With my curiosity (and thirst) quenched, I headed back to my solitary hotel room with visions of vagabond literati running through my mind. If you make it to Boston, take a minute out of sight-seeing and high-end cocktailing to wax poetic with the locals over a long, cold brew. As Bukowski himself would agree, you never know you’ll find on the side of a freeway ramp.

Meat Pies and Pinot Noir

A Foodie Fantasy in the Australian Blue Mountains

Whoever says that the English have no “cuisine” has obviously not learned to appreciate a meat pie. Maybe its nostalgia, maybe its in my genes given that my Mom is a Londoner … all I can say is that I’m mad for them.

My first immersion into Australian meat pies was back in 2000, when I spent a month in Byron Bay - a funky, alternative seaside community. I was on a skydiving holiday with a friend from Spain in celebration of the Millennium. We lived in a tent for a month out at the drop zone, and hitchhiked into town for food and beer, or to the beach for a swim and a soak in the natural tea-tree oil pond. When we didn’t make it into town, we sustained ourselves on the $1 beef or lamb-filled pastries out of the deep freeze at the droppie. Trust me – when you’re famished and there’s nothing around for several miles – nothing is more wonderful than chomping a microwaved, frozen meat pie.

(Photo on left was taken on my 30th birthday, during that trip, and a meat pie kicked off the best decade of my life, thus far...)

Fast forward eight years, and I’m sitting on the charming terrace of Café Bon Ton in Leura. Wild white cockatoos flutter in the canopy of branches overhead, letting loose the occasional wet bomb splattering onto the red brick patio as diners and protectively cover their dishes with their hands. I’m charmed, nonetheless, and attempt to photograph the exotic air dwellers nuzzling in pairs, and marvel at tiny, native green and red parakeets twittering in song, a few boughs away.

Jeffrey Wilkinson, CEO of Cumulus Wine, and Rob Geddes, Master of Wine and author of “A Good Nose and Great Legs,” fetched me in Sydney, where my plane from Los Angeles touched down a few hours earlier. My dining companions were a far cry from the tie-dyed hippies, wanderers and adrenalin junkies with whom I kept company in Byron, but share a common thread… our tummies are grumbling for meat pies! Only this was served on an actual plate, had never been near a freezer or microwave, and was utterly unlike any meat pie I’d ever encountered…

The chunks of meat were tender, and flaked at the touch of an eating utensil. The brown gravy sauce could top a filet mignon. The buttery house-made crust was at once doughy and flaky, and the whole thing rested on a cloud of green pea puree, which still had a few whole peas tucked within. Garnished with fresh parsley and a side of house-made tomato “ketchup,” this momentary pause on the three-hour drive to Orange was a little bite of Heaven after a 14-hour flight across the Pacific.

In choosing adjectives to describe this meat pie, rather than use the word “gourmet,” which sounds both pretentious and cliché, I’d like to simply cite it as an example of real, good old-fashioned comfort food made from wholesome, locally raised ingredients – chock full of natural color, flavor and bursting with vitality. In other words, it was the perfect prelude to what would come over the coming days during the Orange F.O.O.D. (Food of the Orange District) Week.

Ralph Potter, the Executive Chef and Bon Ton owner, is one of many who made the exodus from bustling Sydney to a tranquil town closer to the food source of Orange. He came to Leura about a decade ago to open another hotel restaurant, and later launched out with his own place featuring ‘Modern Australian’ cuisine (which pulls from British, Asian and European influences) focusing on local, seasonal components.

Ralph drove home the point that the people of this region are very supportive of the local producers and expresses an interesting perspective on labeling cuisine, “The word ‘regional’ loses its meaning if its experienced elsewhere." As an example of maintaining a regional focus at his café, he recalls, “I would plan my menu around what was available. [A local purveyor] known as ‘The Market Cat’- could show up with a truck full of chestnuts and river trout, and I’d take it from there.” The restaurant also proudly serves locally roasted coffee, carrying its philosophy through to the end of the meal.

Visit the website to get a sense of the full menu – and in the meantime, here’s are some excerpts from their homepage of what is seasonal now (remember, its currently Autumn, down under):

“…earthy Roast Vegetable Salad… Haricot Bean Soup…Braised Pork Cheeks with Star Anise…Veal Shanks with Quince …a wonderfully tender braised Wagyu Beef Brisket with Horseradish Aoili.”

Upscale-yet-simple food, made from local products – comforting and luxurious at once… exactly that which makes my Musey heart dance.

Just when things seemed perfect, Jeffrey upped-the-ante by whipping out some Philip Shaw Number 8 Pinot Noir to accompany our highly anticipated meat pies. Until January of this year, Philip Shaw was Head Winemaker at Cumulus but has since shifted his focus to his namesake vintages, which will continue to be distributed by Jeffrey Wilkinson.

The respected Shaw is considered eccentric by some and exercises that freedom by naming his wines after random numbers which hold personal meaning for him. For example, ‘8’ is his lucky number and, as the wine was released from the bottle to the decanter, I couldn’t help but feel - for that moment - it might be mine as well.

The swirling fruit coming off the glass made for a heady aroma of cherries with zingy little whispers of raspberry, and I had to pause a moment to appreciate that I was about to take a sip of a wine made by a renowned winemaker – a short ride from where the grapes were grown on his Koomooloo vineyard – while dining with two of the most recognized personalities in the Australian wine industry.

The pies arrived, and we tucked in, savoring the expression of the local terroir in both the food and the wine. Once there was neither a morsel nor a sip remaining, I set off to see the dining rooms inside century old building housing Café Bon Ton.

In addition to the patio, there is one dining room on the ground floor, lined with bottles of wine along the walls and a homey fireplace. A more intimate private upstairs dining room seats 30, and retains its vintage personality via antique wallpaper and glass chandeliers.

Finally, it was time to get back on the road so we could make it to Orange in time to check into our hotel rooms and head over to the opening night of F.O.O.D. Week – the night market! (more on that in a future post)

We bid adieu to Ralph, Leura and Café Bon Ton and, already looking forward to the next meal, I got the feeling that this was going to be one hellova trip.

Italians Have Heart!

Discount for Americans at Harry's Bar in Venice

Harry's Bar is one of the most famous spots in the cocktail world because it is the supposed birthplace of the Bellini Cocktail, and known to be one of Ernest Hemingway's hangouts.

Due to the Euro-Dollar ratio, and a kind heart, owner Arrigo Cipriani offers a 20% discount to Americans dining and drinking in his legendary establishments.

Read more on Yahoo News (photo from their article).

Spring Break for Grown Ups!

(as seen in my syndicated monthly column in Where Magazine)

Have you recently pictured yourself reclining on a fluffy beach towel, sipping a tropical drink under a palm tree, waves lapping at your sun-warmed feet - only to snap back to the reality of a dimly-lit boardroom and yet another power-point presentation on how to increase company-wide employee productivity?

College kids shouldn’t be the only ones to indulge in a warm-weather escape. Puerto Rico’s Porta del Sol attracts high-end travelers with its luxurious accommodations (like Relais & Chateaux’s exclusive Horned Dorset), world-class surfing, scuba diving and golf courses and, of course, its refreshing Mojitos!

After touring the distillery in San Juan, bring the party home with a bottle of Bacardi rum’s newest flavor: Peach Red. Muddle lime, sugar and mint in the bottom of a tall glass, add ice and rum – and you’ve got a vacation in a glass.

(OK, now, get back to work!)

The Bartender Diaries - Lu Brow

“It was just much, much bigger than I thought it would be,” reflects renown New Orleans Mixologist Lu Brow. No, she is not talking about “that little weather incident” (the way most Orleanians now refer to the disastrous Hurricane Katrina). She is referencing the Big Easy’s annual cocktail convention, Tales of the Cocktail, which drew 12,000 people to Louisiana this past July. Brow says, “Its so nice to be surrounded by people who love a great cocktail.”

To call New Orleans a “cocktail town” is an understatement. The city is the birthplace of the cocktail, and overflowing with not only bars, but cocktail lore lingering in the dark corners and crevices of ominously shadowed alleyways, and behind the wrought-iron gates of regal plantation homes. Nearly every dwelling - large or small - has a home bar, and just about every granny has her own family cocktail recipes to pass down to the next generations.

Lu stirs things up at the Swizzle Stick Bar at Cafe Adelaide inside the elegant Loews hotel, in downtown New Orleans. Although Brow describes bartending as “sometimes hard and physically demanding,” she finds camaraderie with fellow female barkeeps and restaurateurs. “When you meet other women in the business, they know what you do… they understand.”

She also collaborated with Ti Adelaide and Lally Brennan on their book IN THE LAND OF COCKTAILS, a delightful collection of stories and cocktail recipes from New Orleans. “It became our Sunday afternoon project, after the hurricane,” says Brow, and describes it as: “a great book about drinking, and comes from a great respect for the cocktail.”

When it comes to defining her own identity behind the bar, she explains: “I like the word Mixologist… [which Lu defines as someone who uses fresh juices, and builds hand-crafted drinks] but I’m most comfortable with Bartender, or someone who works toward creativity. A Bar Chef is on a different level, and works on pairing cocktails with foods, and takes the cooking part a little further. That is an appropriate title for me, too, because I like to cook my own syrups.”

Brow loves to work with food, and first got behind her mother’s stove when she was six years old. She also attributes her understanding of flavor and taste balance to working with acclaimed chefs throughout her hospitality career.

Before Katrina, Lu was a Beverage Manager, and only spent about 10% of her time behind the bar. After the storm, she went to be with her family in Shreveport, not knowing if she’d have a job to return to in NoLa. In the first year after the storm, Brow says that the city cleaned up 26 years worth of trash which had been strewn about. She explains, “200,000 homes were destroyed. It took four months just to get the trash out.”

Right after the storm, a mayor from South Carolina came in to the bar, and shared his experience with hurricane devastation. “He asked if I was committed to staying in New Orleans, explaining it would take at least five years for things to get back on track,” Brow remembers. “If he hadn’t told me that, I would have lost it.”

While in Shreveport - and not able to watch another second of CNN hurricane coverage - a friend offered Lu a job bartending in a gay bar, which catered to men aged 30 – 70. She recalls never having felt more loved in her life: “They even carried the beer for me. I knew after three nights that I wasn’t going back to the dining room floor.”

Back in New Orleans, where she considers brass bands and New Orleans Funk her “heart and soul,” Lu considers the best praise from the old-timers praises her renditions of cocktails originally created in New Orleans itself. She recalls, “About three years ago an elderly gentleman asked. ‘Young lady, do you know how to make a Ramos Gin Fizz? If so, I’d like one.’ Upon tasting it, the man declared, ‘Its perfect. Light as an angel’s wings.’ Beaming pride, Brow shares, “That just made me want to cry!”

Lu is one of the most delightful bartenders (and people) I’ve had the pleasure of meeting while interviewing people for The Liquid Muse. She loves to brighten someone’s day, and it shows. As she describes: “We all work way too hard. Life is hard. [People] come in at the end of the day to enjoy a nice cocktail and get away from it all – a cocktail and a nice conversation.” With a burst of joy, she adds: “I’m so happy to be doing what I do.”

From London With Love...

The elegant and fashionable Lanesborough Hotel is nestled in the swanky Knightsbridge neighborhood (and conveniently located near Harrod's - Christmas shopping, anyone?) Its Library Bar is one of the most acclaimed in the British capitol, and known for its trend-setting cocktails.

One of their holiday recipes caught my eye as it features calvados (apple eau de vie) and aperol (bitter orange liqueur), both of which currently enjoying a lot of play on cocktail menus, worldwide.

Christmas Martini
4cl Calvados
2cl Chambord
1cl Aperol
2cl Raspberry puree

Shake all ingredients, with ice. Strain into chilled glass. Garnish with three raspberries with a spring of mint

Libation-loving Londontown

There’s nothing like enjoying a delicacy in its native land. The sophisticated traveler gets an extra thrill from nibbling salty little pearls of caviar in Moscow; indulging in still-wiggling, practically dripping-with-seawater sushi in Tokyo; and sipping a little bubbly amid vine-laden fields in the north of France. So, would it be a surprise for thirsty globetrotters flock to London to sample the latest trends in cutting-edge bartending?

Although the “cocktail” as we know it originated in the United States, London has become the world’s Mecca for classic and contemporary cocktail culture. The British Capital influences the nuances of modern Mixology from New York to San Francisco to Sydney to Singapore.

Many Victorian-era alcoholic drinks (often made with gin) were created there, and have been incorporated into our modern-day roster of classic staples. Updated classics have also come from London, and several of the best barmen around the world, today, have cut their teeth in the tea-soaked Empire of yore.

While at least a dozen “dens of inebriety” are well worth a mention, I'm sharing four of the top-tier drinking holes I had the pleasure of visiting the last time I was in London. Each establishment draws from a traditional base and shakes things up with innovative twists.

***

Lonsdale

The highly urban, design-forward Lonsdale, in Notting Hill, brings a pre-Prohibition-era cocktail party to an Austin Powers-style shag-a-delic hotspot. Brainchild of nightlife leaders Dick Bradsell and Henry Besant, Lonsdale’s colored mood lighting and fiberglass-fabulous textures and shapes give it a spacey Jetsons ambiance while presenting drinks with Old World pomp-and-circumstance.

Considered London’s best cocktail lounges, Lonsdale features a unique method of serving its libations. Rather than forcing guests to crowd around the bar, maneuvering for a bartender’s attention, mixing carts are waltzed directly to tables, as done in elegant ballrooms of the last century.

Charles Vexenat, recently voted Theme Magazine’s Best Bartender in the UK, created a cocktail list for the supper club-style drinking establishment, and many of those appear on the Daily Trolley List, and can be whipped up, tableside.

Again, pulling from traditional methods, bartender Jim Wrigley (right) explains that Lonsdale is “serious about vermouth” and mixes its martinis in a 7-1 (gin – vermouth) ratio. Additionally, instead of “bruising” the drink in a shaker, he prefers to employ a tall mixing glass, in which he lovingly stirs the alcoholic potions. One unusual – and delicious – ddrink, which incorporates both classic and modern influences, is the Rose Petal Martini made with Bombay Sapphire gin, rose liqueur, lychee juice and a dash of bitters.

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Montgomery Place

Since its opening in 2006, the jewel box sized, sophisticated-yet-friendly cocktail bar known as Montgomery Place presents old-time favorites like the Martinez, which is the predecessor to today’s “martini.” The décor is one part 1920’s underground elegance, one part neighborhood drinking hole, shaken with masculine accents (such as dark wood and hues of brown throughout) and garnished with a sprinkling of Old School Vegas memorabilia.

The staff is well versed in not only cocktail formulas but the history behind each drink. Here, for example, one can learn that the Montgomery Martini draws its name from WWII British Field Marshall Montgomery who liked his martinis very dry (15-1: gin-vermouth ratio).

However, the three young bucks who own and run this bar follow some of the most advanced bartending trends, such as “aging” the ice so it is rock-hard and cools the drink without watering it down.

Montgomery Place has been referred to by its peers as “a bartender’s bar” because of the quality and care that goes into every glass; the use of fresh herbs and juices and house-made bitters, grenadines and syrups. As explained by one owner, Italian-born Ago Perrone (right), “For us being a bartender is like being a chef. We want to create the best drinks possible.” Considering the several honors already awarded the 50-seat hotspot, including “Best New Bar” in Theme Magazine and nomination for “Best Bar” in Time Out, it’s safe to say they’re accomplishing that goal.

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The American Bar

The American Bar at the Savoy Hotel is a trip down Mixology’s memory lane. Although it first opened in the late 1890’s, the bar got its current name after the arrival of Harry Craddock, in the 1920’s. Craddock, an American bartender, traded the Prohibition-era United States for roaring London, and brought the love of the cocktail to a largely port and ale-drinking crowd.

Other notorious Yankee liquor-lovers such as Ernest Hemmingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ira Gershwin raised a glass at Craddock’s bar during the same time period. The now classic “White Lady” (gin, Cointreau, lemon juice) was created here by Harry himself, according to the 1930 “The Savoy Cocktail Book,” and although the “Dry Martini” was regularly enjoyed in places like New York, Craddock is said to have popularized it with Londoners. (As shown in the photo at left, Bombay Sapphire's London-based Mixologist Jamie Walker and American Bar Chef Jonathan Pogash, it's still a blast!)

Today, Salim Khoury (crowned Bartender of the Year multiple times) reigns over this boozey landmark, and is hailed one of the world’s leaders in drink making. Peter Dorelli is almost as classic as some of the drinks served, being one of four remaining head barmen who’ve worked at the American Bar over the last century.

Patrons range from hotel guests (largely an older American demographic) to local hipsters swinging through “The Strand” on a Saturday night. Early arrivals can snag a sofa, upon which to relax and take in Terry O'Neill’s photos of Hollywood Legends such as a provocative portrait of Elizabeth Taylor.

Art Deco accents and scattered orchids enhance a decidedly glamorous atmosphere. And, a younger version of a Rat Pack crooner belts out lounge favorites through a devilish smile, while tickling the ivories Monday – Saturday. Drink prices begin at $20 but imbibing here is simply something that must be experienced at least once in a cocktail-lover’s lifetime.

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Salvatore, at Fifty

Fifty is a private, members-only club, boasts what some call the best cocktail bar in the United Kingdom. Its lounge, Salvatore, is under the watchful eye of its namesake: Italian cocktail legend, Salvatore Calabrese, who spent a decade as head bartender of the Library Bar at the Lanesborough Hotel, and is sometimes referred to as the Best Bartender in the World.

Traditionally stylish, and modernly sleek, Salvatore features floor-to-ceiling windows, wood paneling and ornate chandeliers making for a grand atmosphere, and reflecting the talented instincts of world-renowned interior designer, Jeffrey Beers.

First opened in 1827 as an upper-class gentlemen’s gambling hall and drinking club, Fifty was one of the most talked about luxe establishments by globetrotters of its day. England’s Duke of Wellington socialized alongside the French Count D'Orsay, and feasted on culinary delights from the chef who had once manned the kitchens of Louis XVI. Today, women and men enjoy fine dining and a little bit of liquid Heaven in the privacy of an exclusive environment.

Calabrese’s cocktail menu boasts many aromatic creative fantasies, which blend sweet, spicy and herbaceous tones, in a myriad of combinations. Possibly his most famous cocktail is the Breakfast Martini (photo left) which is made with gin, Cointreau, fresh lemon juice and bittersweet English marmalade.

Salvatore’s collection of vintage Cognacs serves to establish him as an expert in the area, and he has been featured on TV, radio and in print.

The next time you're headed to the London, take a little stroll through its cocktail wonderland. Just mind your "p"s and "q"s. Though the natives are known to get a little wild, it is a civilized country, after all...