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...

Getting Kinky With Groove Armada in Mexico City

I've just seen one of the best shows of my life! The B-Live concert headliner Groove Armada totally kicks ASS. I have totally dug that group for nearly a decade. Their performance tonight was truly amazing. Better than imagined. And, I am stoked to have seen them in Mexico City.

The crowd was great - hipsters without attitude who danced and sang and quite literally got their groove on. There were several groups leading up to Groove Armada, and the most exciting of those was the Mexican group Kinky who totally rocked. So much that I am running out to track down the CD as soon as I wake up in the morning.

The show hits 25 cities around the world and is called B-Live and is sponsored by Bacardi, which by the way, endorses responsible drinking. Just so you know...

First Meal in Mexico

Las Calandrias Resort and Bacardi Rum Fuel Day One!

Obviously, one of my favorite things about travel is eating and drinking – and we embarked on that endeavor within an hour of landing in Mexico. Fellow L.A.-based spirits writer Dan Dunn and I joined Joe Gerbino from Bacardi U.S.A. at the airport and piled into a chauffeured van. We set off to the Bacardi Distillery, a couple of hours south of Mexico City - but not without filling our bellies with an authentic lunch along the way, just outside the town of Puebla.

The brick and stone building houses an eclectic mix of painted ceilings, religious trinkets, brightly colored linens and every cut of steak you could wish for making Las Calandrias Hotel, Spa & Restaurant is an exclusive resort off the beaten path AND mecca for meat-lovers’ Mexican delight.

The servers even present raw steaks tableside prior to ordering to help guide the selection process, and peacocks make like ‘living art,’ decorating the gardens just outside the window.

We sampled 3 varieties of Mexican salsa followed by meat-stuffed empanadas and ceviche as a first course - but don’t think for one second we didn’t kick things off without a rum-based libation!

In the U.S., a lot of hoopla is made about the “right” way to make cocktails, in recent years. While consistency and adherence to tradition are important, I also enjoy the freedom of a drink maker comfortable enough to turn out a great libation without getting uptight about it!

This mojito is a good example of that. The barman eyeballed Bacardi rum, yerba buena (a type of Mexican mint), sugar and lime juice, served it in a Rocks sized glass (versus a tall one) and it tasted simply and deliciously homemade. No pomposity, no frills, slightly rough around the edges – rather perfect.


Next up, I opted for Rib-Eye Tacos which were so delectable I worked to finish all 4 on the plate despite feeling well satiated half-way through. Apart from being succulent little morsels, the juicy meat and house made corn tortillas doubled as vehicles to get more fresh & spicy green and red salsa into my pie-hole!

Another round of mojitos and our driver got us back on the road toward the distillery hooting “Viva Mexico!” before our food comas took effect.

Sobieski Vodka: A Royal Deal

…and A Walk Through Polish History

Everything in Europe feels extra special because it has so much more history behind it. Whether a 400 year old castle in Germany or a 2000 year old ruin in Rome, we Americans realize that we are merely pip-squeeks in the scope of Western Civilization. While the cocktail is an American tradition, the spirits from which they are made date back hundreds of years before Columbus “sailed the oceans blue.”

The Sobieski Distillery (or Destylarnia Sobieski) is an hour-long drive from Gdansk down winding country roads, past fields of corn and livestock wandering grassy knolls. Originally a privately held spirits factory dating back to 1846, the distillery’s first owner, Herman Aleksander, produced vodka, cognac and liqueurs, which encompassed more than 60 brands by 1939. When the Germans invaded Poland during WW2, the factory was used to make spirits for the Army throughout most of the 1940's. After the war, the Germans left and the Russian invaded. All privately owned businesses became property of the state, including the distillery.

By 1998, after the fall of Communism, commercial businesses were once again allowed in Poland, and the French spirits company, Belvedere S.A. invested $25 million in Sobieski vodka to bring the distillery up-to-date. Belvedere currently owns 80% of the share capitals and runs both distribution and marketing for the brand. As of 2003, the Sobieski Distillery is the largest in Poland, and owns 4 production plants around the country.

We toured the distillery to learn how Sobieski vodka is made. In a nutshell: the company outsources the “raw spirit” made from certified Dankowski rye grown in central Poland. Potatoes are more expensive and rot quickly, making grain spirits a more attractive option to producers. Simultaneously, the tastebuds of today’s consumer are more geared toward grain vodka, as potato and corn vodkas tend to be slightly sweeter. Having the opportunity to taste a potato vodka and grain vodka side-by-side, it was easy for me to understand that the sharper, tangier, more pungent flavor of potato vodka is quite different than that of the “neutral spirit” (no taste / smell) of grain vodka. I liked both – but can see that some people might have a preference.

Sobieski has agreements in place with their sources to ensure the highest level of quality control over the raw spirit it receives, and once it arrives at the Sobieski plant, it goes through a 3-column distillation: purification, rectification and refinement. We climbed up to the top of the highest column for a wonderful view of the surrounding area. (Luckily we hadn’t yet sampled too much vodka before making that climb!)

Walking around the plant is like taking a trip to an industrial space-age wonderland. Shining metal silos and cylindrical chutes criss-cross sideways, beneath us, and overhead. The mechanical whirr of engines and the din of glass bottles knocking against each other shuffling along the conveyor belt makes it necessary to wear earplugs in parts of the property. Forklifts heft heavy loads into waiting 18-wheeler trucks. And, several huge warehouses store thousands of cases of 9-liter bottles… but not for very long. More than 6000 cases arrive in the U.S. each day.

Belvedere S.A. also owns Imperial Brands which began importing Sobieski to the United States in 2007. In only a year, Sobieski vodka has exploded onto the American market. Florida-based Timo Sutinen (pictured left), Vice President of Imperial Brands, attributes much of Sobieki’s success to its positioning in the U.S. Market, “Poland is the birthplace of vodka… and proud of it,” he points out. “We are the only Polish vodka that makes a big deal out of being Polish.”

The concept of substance over style is evident in their "Truth in Vodka" promotional campaign, which clearly takes potshots at competitors who hire celebrities to hock their wares, and position themselves as "super premium," "ultra premium," etc., in order to appeal to the unsophisticated (yet pretentious) American club goer or barfly. Unlike Ciroc, Chopin and Belvedere (no longer owned by Belvedere S.A., ironically) which run $25- $50 per bottle, Sobieski is only $10.99, and believes that results in blind tastings speak for themselves.

For example, last year Sobieski came in #2 out of 108 vodkas tasted by the Beverage Tasting Institute in Chicago and awarded 95 points, on a scale of 1-100 calling it “An incredible value in a world of high priced vodkas.” Sobieski enjoys strong export in Europe, as well. Behind the U.S., leading importers are: Bulgaria, Ireland, U.K. and France (in that order).

In Poland, Sobieskis is #1 in the “premium category” alongside Finlandia and Absolut, and the #5 overall vodka. (Less expensive brands sell more). In an attempt to endear itself to the hearts of locals, the main vodka brands under the Sobieski umbrella are named after Polish heros. The most notable, of course, is King Sobieski who lived from 1629 – 1696. Upon defeating the Turks on September 12, 1683, in the Battle of Vienna against invading Ottoman empire, the reigning Pope declared him the “savior of Vienna and Western European Civilization.”

Zawisza Czarny vodka is only available in Poland and named after a Polish knight who lived from 1380 – 1428. He is so well loved by history that his name has become synonymous with being honorable as demonstrated in the Polish saying, “You can rely on him / her like Zawisza.”

While in Poland, last week, we tasted dozens of products owned by the Sobieski brand. In addition to specialty bottles and various patriotic labels, there are a plethora of flavors not yet popular on American soil: bitter sweet, cherry, herb, rose, canteloupe along with usual suspects such as vanilla, cranberry, green apple and pear. The company also owns Marie Brizard liqueurs, which are particularly popular in Spain and France, and pop up from time to time as ingredients in American cocktails. And, it sells Krupnik liqueur (infused with honey and aged in oak for 35 days) in the U.S. (You’ll notice it in liquor stores if you keep your eyes peeled.)

Due to the favorable response of Americans to Sobieski plain vodka, the company plans to launch 3 flavors in 2009. They haven’t declared which will hit our market, yet, but I’m guessing the “sweet bitter” will come over… only with a different name which would appeal more to the American market. And, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the rose (pictured left).

It seems a sure bet that if the prices are as competitive as the plain Sobieski vodka, and the quality is as impressive for a low price point, they are sure to make a royal splash!

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...

Kentucky Bourbon Trail “Mancations”

Vegas is so 5-years ago for a bachelor party or weekend with the guys. Sure, they have strip clubs where you can give a girl $20 to be nice to you for the duration of a 3 1/2 minute-long song. (Yes, they’re timed). You may also hit a dance bar and writhe your sweaty man-boobs against club-goers half your age (who only want you to buy them drinks, anyway). But, you may also wake up in a cheap motel with a pounding head, an empty wallet and a poker chip up your butt.

These ‘perils of party’ are much less likely along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

September is National Bourbon Heritage Month and there is no better time to tour a distillery, learn how American whiskey is made and sample your favorite brands than now. Similar to wine tasting in Napa, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail winds through picturesque landscapes and delivers you to the origins of such brands as Knob Creek, Maker’s Mark, Woodford Reserve, Jim Beam, Buffalo Trace, and so on. You can often speak directly with the Master Distillers and learn why your favorite bourbon tastes so damn good, and what differentiates bourbon from other whiskeys. Learn more about in my post "What Makes Bourbon Bourbon?"

Plan your trip around the 2008 Kentucky Bourbon Festival which takes place from September 16-21. In addition to festivities in various barrel rooms along the trail, the annual Great Kentucky Bourbon Tasting and Gala is a swanky to-do featuring a gymnasium-sized tasting room where some of the most prestigious bourbon makers sample their prized batches of hooch. (I went last year and loved it - although I learned my lesson when it comes to the overproof hooch!)

And, don’t forget to plan a night on the town in Louisville itself. Yes, there is down-home barbeque (which you must try) but don’t be surprised by some higher end dining. My favorite was local hotspot Bourbons Bistro. In addition to a hopping bar scene and fine fare, it offers 125+ kinds of bourbon. Best of all, you can sample several by ordering a flight of three local whiskeys to pair with your slab of beef, pan-roasted salmon or bourbon-glazed duck breast. Top it off with a cigar and a round of poker and I think you’ve just entered Man-Heaven.

So, if your lady is driving you nuts, or the daily grind is getting you down, grab a few of your buddies and head to Kentucky. You may still wake up with a pounding head but there’s a pretty good chance the rest of you will remain in tact.

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.

South of the Border in SoHo

Papatzul Serves Up Regional Mexican Specialties With A Side of Hospitality

Back in 1990, when I was a student at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Manhattan had a different vibe. For one, I carried a “stun gun” a Puerto Rican acquaintance secured for me. (No questions asked, if you catch my drift...) I lugged that thing around in my pocket – cuz – truth be told, the city felt a bit menacing back then to a relatively wholesome kid from Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Needless to say, I was also on a budget. During that summer, I ate hot dogs from the street vendors, tried my first knish from a Jewish deli, and discovered that Queens was not the regal neighborhood I had envisioned. I also made friends with a local who took me to eat the worst “Mexican” food I’d had in my life. Soggy, saucy and insipidly NOT Mexican, I cringed to think that this was what the Big Apple had to offer when I longed for what I considered “comfort food.”

Fast forward 18 years… and not only is Manhattan transformed into a wonderland of safe streets packed with shiny, happy people and (mostly) friendly taxi drivers but there are actually some decent Mexican digs.

When I first saw Papatzul around the corner from the swanky SoHo Grand, where I recently spent a couple of weeks, I had my doubts. Mexican… in New York? Did I really want to take a risk when there are so many places I’d be guaranteed a good meal?

Well, it was HOT outside. And, nothing sounded quite as refreshing as a margarita. So, up the steps and into the bar I bellied.

The first thing I noted was the vast array of tequilas. I mean, this wasn’t one of those “we have 300 tequilas!” type of places. Nor do I need a place to offer that many. (I can only make it through about 3 drinks in a sitting, myself.) Still, it had a decent array of the tequilas I enjoy: Partida, Herradura, Milagro and the like. I also happened to have a bottle of certified organic 4 Copas in my bag (I was teaching The Liquid Muse Sustainable Sips earlier that night) and I gave the bartenders a taste. (I’m always happy to introduce people to a “greener” way of drinking, after all…).

The atmosphere at Papatzul is great because the staff is so friendly. Ashley, the bartendress, was a doll – and makes mean tamarind as well as hibiscus margaritas (pictured here). She also recommended that I try a specialty of the house …. Which are scrambled quail egg enchiladas in a nutty sort of sauce. It is a dish typical of a region near Mexico City, where the owner Thierry grew up.

Now, I know what you’re thinking – Thierry? Is this some froggy transplant passing himself off as “Latino?” No, Thierry Amezcua is from Mexico, though his mother is from France. My dad is from France, so we chattered away in French for a while, too. (Another surprise in this tiny corner of Manhattan.)

Some guy, sitting with two models at the bar, kept asking when Thierry was getting a DJ for Sunday afternoons. It seemed as if Thierry has put a lot of thought into this, and although it could be a good idea (Felix, kitty-corner from Papatzul serves French bistro fare while blasting Brazilian samba on the weekends as patrons spill onto the street, Caipirinhas in hand), I couldn’t help but think about Anthony Bourdain’s description of NYC restaurant owners desperately grabbing at any gimmick to lure the customers to their corner of the sidewalk. I hoped that wasn’t the case with Thierry – but, as we all know, the restaurant business is “perro eat perro.”

I went to many fancy and wonderful places during my two weeks in New York but I can assure you that Papatzul is the ONLY place where the owner of the joint sat down at the bar next to me, pulled up a chair and talked shop in between cooking customers’ orders. (Thierry is also the Executive Chef.) If I had the means to live at the SoHo Grand, or in SoHo for that matter, Papatzul would be my neighborhood hangout. The people are nice. The food is good. The margaritas are delicious. And, yeah, the neighborhood ain’t too shabby. Which is important because that stun-gun would never get through security at the airport these days…

Diet Be Damned!

In addition to teaching The Liquid Muse Sustainable Sips® cocktail classes in NYC, I also did a few media appearances related to Fre (alcohol-removed wine) for whom I’m the spokesperson and mixologist. One of the drinks I created for our summer media tour is called Tokyo Dreams, and inspired by Asian ingredients.

The recipe for Tokyo Dreams calls for fresh ginger, mandarin juice and canned lychees. Lychees are an Asian fruit easily found in Los Angeles but, I learned on our cross-country promotional tour (Seattle, 3 cities in Wisconsin, Rochester and NYC) they are rather challenging to secure in other parts of the country. (So much for creativity!)

Just before taping a cocktail segment on a radio show with Mike Calameco on WOR710 AM (which will be broadcast on June 15 in 60+ cities!), I was on a mad dash to find lychee so I could make Tokyo Dreams on the air. After poking my head into 4 markets surrounding my hotel in SoHo, I decided to just hop a cab down to Chinatown, where I’d surely find what I was looking for.

And, I did. At the very first store I entered. “Well, that was easy,” I thought. And, now I had time to kill. Hmm… the dumpling shop was just across the street…

“How often am I in New York’s famous Chinatown?,” I rationalized inside my own brain. Never mind that we have a Chinatown in L.A., replete with delectable Chinese fare. Who wants to ruin one’s own fun when a plateful of steaming pork dumplings is only moments away? I doused them with chili oil and gobbled them down. Ah. Delight.

Next, I figured I’d wander the streets – burning calories and taking in sights. Next thing you know, the Chinese lettering on the historic buildings turned to words like Lombardi’s and Italian sausages hung in the windows. Damn! “I just ate the dumplings,” I thought. I wasn’t really hungry anymore.

Then, a word entered my head and I knew I had to do indulge. Cannoli. I was in Little Italy. Diet be damned. Who cares if I had the dumplings only minutes earlier. I had to find a Cannoli. When in Rome… as they say.

It wasn’t difficult to fulfill my desire. Around the next corner, in an old brick building with a wooden bar inside, I found a case full of cannolis. I ordered one laden with chocolate chips tucked into the marscapone filling. It was sprinkled with powdered sugar and the lady handed it to me wrapped in a piece of wax paper. It felt authentic. It tasted authentic. Although, by the time I finished it and tossed the wax paper in the trash, I realized I don’t really like cannolis all that much, really. Still, I didn’t regret a thing.

Ultimately, I’m what I refer to as a “tongue traveler.” My voyages are not complete without tasting the local fare – both edible and drinkable. This is why I can refer to myself as a ‘gourmande of all things deliciously decadent.’ It isn’t an exaggeration. When I’m in an exotic locale (and nearly anywhere can be exotic to me), knowing each and every city becomes a finger-licking good experience.

San Francisco Cocktail Week Saves the Sazerac!

Did you miss SF Cocktail Week? Do you love a good, old fashioned Sazerac cocktail? Are you a fan of New Orleans and Tales of the Cocktail? Then, this video is for you...

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!