B.A.R. Comes to LA, Tequila Flows

In addition to being some of the coolest cats in the biz, the B.A.R. team is also one of the most knowledgeable assemblies of spirits aficionados imaginable. So, the excitement among the 40 attendees at an all day tequila immersion at the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica, sponsored by Partida Tequila, was palpable. Some of us have already taken the B.A.R. course and had an idea of what to expect. The uninitiated seemed unaware of just how much we would learn over the next 8-hours.

After mingling over a continental breakfast, Steve Olsen began the journey through tequila history, Mexican tequila-growing regions’ topography and geography. He ran through types of agave plants (there are literally hundreds) and showed photos of burros laden with 6 – 8 agave “pinas” sometimes weighing 200 kilos (over 400 pounds) each. Steve ran through methods of distillation and aging, and Paul Pacult also likened tequila to wine in that its “terroire” and the altitude at which the plants grow directly affects the final flavor of the product.

We launched into the tasting, starting with the unaged or “blanco” tequilas first. Words such as “green pepper,” “cilantro” and “lime rind” were used as adjectives. As we moved through the next 7 blancos and into the 8 reposados, descriptors such as “creamy,” “white pepper,” “earthy,” “licorice,” and “rosemary” came into play. When we hit a bad tequila (the team threw in a couple so that we could pick one out of a line up) aromas such as “plastic,” “medicinal” and “methanol” were descriptors.

Once we ran through 16 blancos and reposados, out came three spicy sangritas. The one they called “traditional” was made with pomegranate juice, orange juice, lime juice and habanero sauce. The next blended Cholula sauce, lime, grapefruit, tomato and orange juices, slat and jalapeno. Finally the Green Sangrita (from Green & Red in London) was my favorite of the three, made with pineapple, mint, coriander, lime juice, cane sugar syrup and sea salt.

David Wondrich and His Highness Dale DeGroff ran through some historic tequila cocktails and how to make them. The old-school and new-school Tequila Daisies (or traditional margarita) and the original Tequila Sunrise, which in a fancy Tijuana resort made popular during prohibition touted the drink as the “sure cure for colds.” After all that, well, we had lunch.

If you haven’t already had lunch at Whist, you should know that you’re missing out. And, in this case, the 4-course, tequila cocktail pairing lunch blows the 1950’s style 3-martini lunch out of the proverbial water:

Luscious scallops were paired with the Spicy Abbey (Partida Reposado, Lillet, fresh OJ, angostura orange bitters and pepper jelly). The St. Rosemary (Partida Blanco, St. Germain, apple and lime juice and fresh rosemary) was perfect alongside zucchini blossom with bellwether ricotta and charred tomatoes. The braised leg of duck with artisan chocolate mole and corn tamale came alongside a Holy Mole (Partida Anejo, Aperol, Madeira, crème de cocoa, barrel aged bitters with a Gentleman Jack rinse with a flamed orange peel.) Dessert featured a crisp plantain with chipotle ice cream and caramel.

How do you top a lunch like that? You go back in to the conference room and taste about 16 more tequilas. Only this time anejos and extra anejos. To be anejo, the tequila is aged in wood for 1-2 years. The “extra anejo” category kicks in after 2 years and lasts until 5 years in the barrel. It seems a crime to sip-and-spit them but, lets face it, if we drank them all, we’d have died from alcohol poisoning. And, that would mean we’d never get to enjoy another tequila cocktail again. That would be a shame.

Andy Seymour, Willy Shine, Aisha Sharpe, Leo DeGroff, Jacques Bezuidenhout and Damian Windsor prepared and demo'd cocktails for the group, as well. Even Gary Shansby, the President of Partida tequila was on-hand to share enthusiasm about the tequila category, in general. It was an amazing array of old-and-new-school talent, and we were all damn lucky to have been part of a wonderful and educational day. B.A.R. may be the most prestigious spirits training in the U.S. but one thing is for sure. These guys know how to have a good time.

And, isn’t that what cocktails are all about?

The Bartender Diaries

Barman John Coltharp Piques Our Curiosity

Whether you are a whiskey aficionado or merely whiskey-curious, get yourself down to Seven Grand, and sidle up to John Cotharp at the bar, if you are lucky enough to catch him on a slow night. He carries around an encyclopedia of whiskey knowledge in his head, which he’s willing share with a brown-spirits enthusiast, and he’ll mix you up a damn fine drink. (Personal Aside: John made the best Blood & Sand I’ve ever had!)

Coltharp has chosen the hospitality industry since he was 13, and spent the last 4 years behind the bar. Prior to Seven Grand, John worked at respected spots such as Sona and La Frite, and explains that he’s unable to get away from restaurants: “Every time I did something else for work, I always wanted back in the service industry.”

In addition to honing his skills on the job, he credits Sammy Ross with kick-starting his education on classic drinks and bartending style. He also recently graduated from the prestigious B.A.R. Ready training program led by some of John’s other mentors: Dale DeGroff, Paul Pacult, Steve Olsen and David Wondrich.

We all know that its take more than a good cocktail to make a great bartender. What is John’s secret? “Make your guest feel comfortable. Not everyone knows a lot about spirits or cocktails. Some people want to learn. Some people just want a drink. Don't get on a high horse.”

So what does a great bartender want when he’s the one on the barstool?

In his opinion, the ideal bar “looks old, and is well stocked with well trained staff.” Some of his current faves include Cole's and The Association, in downtown, and he also adds an unexpected hotspot: “One of my of all time favorites is The Pineapple Hill Saloon and Grill in Sherman Oaks. Just a regular bar, but a good place to get some well needed drinking done.”

His describes his perfect night off as hanging with his girlfriend Maria sipping cocktails made by his buddy Matty Eggleston at The Hungry Cat. (Personal aside, again: I concur, Matty rocks and will soon be a Bartender Diary feature, too.)

How does working night and weekends affect a devoted bartender’s personal relationship? “It strains some while improving others,” John explains. “I've made a lot of good friends, that's for sure.”

What keeps a guy like John up at night? “How to make my bar better,” he says. “I'm not kidding. It's sad.”

If he could meet one historical figure, Coltharp would choose Carrie Nation, (in his words): “So I could sit her down and tell her what was going to happen during and because of prohibition.”

Although his ideal drink is “ice cold, balanced, and made in under ten minutes,” he says that his favorite cocktail is the one in his hand, waxing poetic and citing the wise turtle in Kung Fu Panda: "Everyday is a gift, that's why they call it the present.”

"Mixology" and "Mixologists" are Words, Get Over it Already...

Seriously? What is with people from food writers to bar round ups knocking the word "mixology" or "mixologist?"

Let's start with "mixologist." First, I'd like to clear up any confusion about what a mixologist is, and how it is correctly used: A mixologist is someone who practices the art and craft of mixology. Just as a psychologist is someone who practices the art and craft of psychology. Or an optometrist is someone trained in optometry. Or a scientologist regularly practices scientology, for that matter.

I put the "bartender vs. mixologist" question on The Liquid Muse over a year ago, and even within the bar professionals, it opened a can of worms. As far as I'm concerned, "bartender" and "mixologist" are not necessarily synonymous, although they can be, and they are not necessarily different, although they can be.

Some bartenders sling crappy cordials and cheap booze, add a little sweet-n-sour and call it a "cocktail." While many misguided souls may refer to that as mixology, they are incorrect. That is scholcky bartending. Someone who invests the time to educate themselves, train their palate, learn the history and art of classic cocktails and has the know-how to create balanced cocktails with quality products - and makes a career from it - can call themselves a mixologist, in my opinion, whether they work behind a bar or not. They are practicing the art and craft of mixology.

Onto "mixology." The word itself goes back nearly 200 years - and while it may have been used humorously at times ... both back then and today ... I challenge naysayers to produce a better term for the art and craft of designing cocktails. The "mixology" backlash is a bit like the "vodka" backlash. When something becomes mainstream, there will always be some to try to up their own cool quotient by suddenly deciding to diss the term / fashion / trend / insert-cool-thing-here, deserved or not.

My very first mixology mentor is Tony Abou Ganim, who goes by the moniker The Modern Mixologist. Tony is one of the most inpsiring and inspired long-time professionals in the business. Dale DeGroff, aka: King Cocktail heads the Mixology section of the B.A.R. course (the most prestigious spirits training in our industry). Briget Albert's new book Market Fresh Mixology rocks and drives home the marriage of quality ingredients with skilled cocktail making. Yes, even my nonalcoholic book "Preggatinis: Mixology for the Mom-To-Be" strives to bring quality drinks to the world of 'mocktails' (now "mocktail" is a term I hate... but why turn my nose up a those who use it? Everyone relates to something new from their own frame of reference.)

Until the big dogs in our own industry "call a moratorium" on the term and come up with a new word for professional cocktail making, I will continue to use and celebrate the term "mixology," all it stands for, and those who practice it.

Ok, this is the end of my rant. Got a problem with it? Leave a comment. This can be an open discussion...

Best Cocktail Books of 2008

I thought you'd all like to see Colleen Graham's Top Ten cocktail books of the year on about.com. (Guess what happens to make the list...!)

1. Cocktail Kingdom

While Cocktail Kingdom is not an individual book, it tops my list for the year because it is the home of Mud Puddle and is working on republishing many of the classic bartending guides. While the work of the company is still in progress, titles include essentials like Jerry Thomas' How to Mix Drinks: A Bon Vivant's Companion from 1862 with an introduction by David Wondrich and C.F. Lawlor's The Mixicologist from 1895 with an intro by Ted "Dr. Cocktail" Haigh. The significance of these new editions is that many have been out of print for years or edited beyond belief and the first few editions are hard to find. Cocktail Kingdom's mission is to revive the classic bartending guide - all great additions to the modern library.

Visit Their Website

2. The Essential Cocktail: The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks

Photo Courtesy of Pricegrabber

Dale DeGroff (aka King of Cocktails) is back in another essential hardcover that should be in every cocktail enthusiasts' library. DeGroff is one of the masters of modern mixology and his last book, The Craft of the Cocktail was spectacular, but the new book has a twist. In The Essential Cocktail DeGroff dissects 100 cocktails, showing us how to make them perfectly, then throws in a variation of each with an equal amount of valuable mixing advice. Add this to your wish list because it is the best individual books released this year.

3. Artisanal Cocktails: Drinks Inspired by the Seasons from the Bar at Cyrus

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Scott Beattie's book is a big hit, especially among slow food/drink and local ingredient enthusiasts. Artisanal Cocktails includes 50 seasonal recipes from Beattie's experiences at the Cyrus Restaurant in Healdsburg, California (Sonoma County) and uses the plethora of fresh ingredients available there. Although the Californian seasons are prominent in the recipes, there are lessons for mixologists in all regions to utilize fresh and local ingredients available to them in their own market.

4. Market-Fresh Mixology

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The subject of the year is fresh and no other book highlights the universal freshness of ingredients than Bridget Albert's Market-Fresh Mixology. This miniature bartending guide is perfect for anyone who wants to know what produce is in season when and find a few original drinks to impress anyone you're entertaining. Your next trip to the farmer's market will not be the same after reading this book because you'll see a drink in everything from avocado to rhubarb.

Read Review

5. The Flavor Bible

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The Flavor Bible is designed for cooks as well as bartenders and is the ultimate thesaurus of taste and pairing for anyone who wants to perfect their flavor matching skills. Written by the authors of What to Drink with What You Eat, Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, have included every possible flavor combination in this awesome reference guide including flavors that work with the most popular spirits. If you're planning a full-course meal with a matching cocktail menu or simply trying to create a new drink you need this volume in your library.

Read Review

6. Preggatinis

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Mocktails are not limited to the Shirley Temple and "virgin" varieties of this and that and Natalie Bovis-Nelsen has proven that in Preggatinis. This is the most enjoyable and entertaining bartending guide I've seen that is mostly about the non-alcoholic drink and should be the first gift you think of for any woman you know who is trying to get pregnant or already is. Preggatinis is fun and includes non-alcoholic drinks that follow all of the stages of a pregnancy. Ladies, you don't have to feel like a kid just because you're going to have one and guys, there are tips for you to spike the same drinks your wife is having so she doesn't feel left out and everyone is happy.

Read Review

7. Kindred Spirits 2

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Anyone interested in finding the best whiskey or exploring the array of tequilas on the market now needs to own Kindred Spirits 2. The value we found in the first edition of this book has not been lost in F. Paul Pacult's newest collection of over 2,400 distilled spirit reviews. This is a welcome addition to the library because the liquor market has increased in so many areas over the last 11 years and Pacult's expertise in tasting is an invaluable guide to navigating this vast world.

8. Frozen Drinks: An A to Z Guide to All Your Frozen Favorites

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Forget those store-bought margarita mixers and learn how to make the best with fresh ingredients that will blow people's minds. Cheryl Charming has created another fun bartending guide, this time filled with frozen drinks of every kind - over 800 of them. Not only will you find Margaritas, Daiquiris and all your favorite frozen treats and more, but Charming also gives her time tested advice for creating the best blended cocktails. This is one of the best frozen drink compilations available yet and she's not stopping because in 2009 Charming's newest book, Knack Bartending Basics will be on the shelves (and you can pre-order it now).

9. Bartending Inside-Out: The Guide to Profession, Profit, & Fun

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The third edition of one of the most valuable professional bartending guides was released in April of this year. Author Lori Marcus has updated Bartending Inside-Out to include information about the newest spirits and beers as well as some of the more recent challenges for bartenders. Not only will the aspiring bartender learn drinks, how to make them efficiently and the myriad of tricks pros use, but there is a wealth of information included about the other parts of the job: managing customers, legal issues, tipping and more.

10. The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Martinis

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This is a handy little book that is filled with nothing but Martinis and it is a great introduction to bartending that anyone can understand. Written by James O. Fraioli (with Vincenzo Marianella), there are a lot of "Martini" drinks including everything from an Apple Streudel Martini to Smoked Salmon Martini and, of course, all the favorites. The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Martinis is like looking at one of those martini lounge menus with 100+ martinis and it's pretty fun.

Read Review

A Deep Breath, A Sigh of Relief and A Raised Hand

Sitting in La Guardia, this morning, the intensity of this past week rolls off my shoulders and settles into a warm, little comforting place in the back of my mind. I’ve done it. I went through B.A.R. training (12 hours per day for 4 days, followed by the exam day, which is comprised of shaking and stirring; a multi-page written exam; and a blind tasting evaluation.)

The course is chock-full of information, and not designed for beginners. It is definitely a program for industry professionals, and despite my 2 1/2 years as “The Liquid Muse,” I found it incredibly challenging.

The teachers are passionate and informed leaders in the world of wine and spirits. Does it get any better than having Dale DeGroff, Paul Pacult, Doug Frost, Steve Olson and David Wondrich share their knowledge and experience all day, everyday, several days in a row? Not to mention Andy Seymore, Willy Shine, Aisha Sharpe and Leo DeGroff to support their efforts? My only complaint is not having more time to go over the many details they each had to impart and the many questions each new question conjured up.

As the panel of award-winning, renowned experts galloped through centuries of history, blind tastings of all the major spirits categories, and the study of practical application of all of it, I had moments of wondering just how I’d retain every important name, date, place and tasting note. They did their best, of course, to address our questions, but to keep moving along at a healthy clip and squeeze the whole program into a few days, it was integral that every student showed up with a solid foundation of knowledge already.

And, that’s the way it should be, right? In order for the B.A.R. program to mean something and have this certification carry some weight, it needs to be difficult. It is meant to be the test that separates the “men” from the “boys,” if you will. We get the results of our exams back in 6 weeks. Apparently, we will be reached by phone and the outcome will be explained to us – where we did well, where we could improve, and ultimately, if we can put those three little letters “B.A.R.” on our resumes.

No matter what, I do know that I’ve come out with a deeper understanding of the exciting field I work in. I’ve made some new friends from around the country, and went through the trenches with some of my existing ones. I’m ready to dip my nose into many more books and glasses to continue educating myself with both the history of cocktails, and the cutting edge trends on the horizon. And, I have a million more questions to pose…

Setting the B.A.R.

We went over so many cool things at B.A.R., yesterday. I don't have time to go into it all but let it suffice to say that at 9 in the morning, Steve Olson and David Wondrich walked us through a quick demonstration in at-home pot-stilling. (It's not legal to do this at home, kids... and they certainly did not sugest we do it. They were showing us how liquor is made. However, you may want to try it anyway... Just don't hold me responsible for suggesting it if you poison yourself with methanol and such.)

A quick recap of yesterday's highlights from the gin and vodka tastings:

Gin tasting - You may be surprised which gin came out (unanimously) at the bottom of the pile. Let's just say its very popular and quite expensive. (I won't name the brand in this post, though.) Other gin news: Martin Miller's got dissed as "the cartoon version of Hendrick's," which is a shame cuz I quite like it. Old Raj got lots of love. And we tried the Bols Genever... slightly yellow color, slightly sweet... not even on the U.S. market yet. But, look for it. This is a big gin trend coming down the pipeline...

Vodka tasting - Finlandia got big props from both Paul Pacult and Dale DeGroff. (Yes, Dale works with Finlandia. He and Tony Abou Ganim teach the Finnishing School - which I took 2 years ago. Great crash-course in mixology, fyi. Still, both Paul and Dale tout Finlandia as the best 'bang for the buck' on the market today. Paul gutted the goose, having dropped it from 4 stars back in 1999 to 2 stars today. They heavily touted Van Gogh chocolate as a good flavored vodka. And, Paul's favorite vodka du jour... Xcellent from Switzerland. Who knew?

I have so much more to tell you but will leave it here for now... and remind me to tell you how great it was to end the day at P.D.T. (Please Don't Tell) sitting around the table with fellow students from Boston, Philly, Connecticut and New Orleans, with a few L.A. pals at the bar. Uniting the country through cocktails.

MOTAC Presents...

If you missed the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the Museum of the American Cocktail in New Orleans, never fear! The fun is only just beginning. (These events are even called Mixology Mondays, echoing the MxMo's Paul Clarke starting amongst the cocktail blogging community.)

Starting this November, the museum will offer monthly bartender presentations by noteworthy mixologists from around the world. Mixology Mondays begins on November 3rd, with Dale DeGroff, founding president of the Museum. On December 1st: Tony Abou-Ganim the Modern Mixologist, and on January 12th: Bobby Gleason.

In addition to these exciting presentations, you'll be able to view the permanent collection and new rotating exhibits, plus the museum gift shop offers a terrific variety of bar tools and cocktail related publications. And, its only $20 when you register online, in advance.

The Museum of the American Cocktail is located in the Southern Food & Beverage Museum at the Riverwalk Marketplace:
1 Poydras Street Su 169 (Julia Street entrance)
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-569-0405

"She's Not A Bartender ... But She Plays One on TV"

So... those of us women who have worked in the entertainment industry in Hollywood have regularly complained about the way women are perceived and treated... particularly those women who are knowledgeable rather than merely beautiful. It is difficult for a gal to get the respect she deserves.

Well, call me naive, but I was quite shocked to get an invitation to a bar guide launch / cocktail-related event which hired model-slash-actress Molly Simms to host, alongside Dale DeGroff.

Now, we all know that Dale is the King of Cocktails. If anyone deserves to headline an event such as this, it is he. But, wtf does an actress/model have to do with it?

When I posed this question to the organizers of this event, the response was basically that although Ms. Simms is in no way actually working in the liquor / bar industry, she plays a bartender on the mediocre nighttime soap opera show, Las Vegas. That seems to be all the requirements for the female host.

Why would anyone who actually knows a thing or two about the cocktail industry look to Molly Simms for advice on where to drink, what to order or what a quality cocktail actually is?

You can read the exchange for yourselves… but good grief! This is a slap in the face to all of the respected female mixologists / bartenders / brand ambassadors out there.

My question: “Just curious, though --- why is Molly Simms involved with this event? There are many mixologists (such as Dale DeGroff) male and female who are actually involved with the liquor industry. I don't get what an "actress / model" has to do with our industry?? Love clarification on that so I can present it fairly on The Liquid Muse Blog... I certainly have my own opinions about hiring a model when a female mixologist would be much more appropriate for this kind of event...”

The response: “Molly Sims, an A-List celebrity and bartender on the former NBC series Las Vegas, is very familiar with how the entertainment industry affects Americans’ perceptions of entertaining and cocktail culture (i.e. Sex and the City and the revival of the cosmopolitan). She has gained a deep understanding of how one’s decisions when placing an order or recommending a restaurant can greatly affect someone’s perception of you. Molly is also a seasoned traveler and will be sharing her experiences on the difficulties of finding establishments that best fit your mood, wallet and tastebuds.”

Huh? I respectfully disagree. Whether we’re talking Audrey Saunders, Charlotte Voissey (the list goes on and on) or any other woman who is actually involved in our industry and has the chops for this kind of thing (and yes, likely travels, too, I might add), it is particularly sad that even the big liquor conglomerates (yes, there is one involved with this event) is so incredibly misguided in this kind of decision.

Is the liquor industry in line to become the next big sell out? If actress-slash-models are guiding what we should drink and where, NOBODY will “drink well.”

Photo borrowed from this article.

LA Bartenders Unite!

So, finally, something that I’ve been hoping to see come to fruition is a reality.

I started The Liquid Muse Cocktail Club’s Cocktail of the Week, last summer. I highlighted a cocktail from a different LA restaurant in each mailing. (Its currently called The Liquid Muse Mixology Museletter because I just can't do it once a week. Its more-or-less monthly. Sign up for it here.) I was hoping that by highlighting the few quality cocktails I could scrounge up in this town that Angelenos would take note, then seek out and demand better drinks.

Then something wonderful happened. I met some fantastic LA-based bartenders at Tales of the Cocktail, last year, who felt the same way I did. Why are cities like San Fran and NYC (not to mention Seattle, Chicago, Boston and DC) respected for their fine drinks – while LA lags behind as land of the “vodka redbull” or even less appetizing, “Skinny Bitch (rum and diet coke)?” Especially when there are some talented and creative bartenders out here, with a passion for “the craft of the cocktail.” (to reference the grand Dale DeGroff)

Marcos Tello recently launched The Sporting Life (with a little help from his friend and business partner Damian Windsor ... who apparently loves Partida, judging by this photo...). It’s a Los Angeles-based bartender club, of sorts. And, cocktail bloggers are included. (We are all cocktail geeks together, after all…)

The first meeting comprised about 10 people and Joe Keeper (of Bar Keeper fame) lent the cozy back patio behind his store. Marcos sprung for the booze himself, and greeted everyone with sparkling cocktails.

The second meeting was this past weekend at Mozza – a great score considering it’s a tough place to get a reservation to PAY to drink there. This time, the fellas brought on a liquor sponsor. (Hello… if anyone can actually get a liquor sponsor it’s those of us who work with, sell and create new cocktails with their products!)

And – it was a good one! I’ve been a fan of Partida Tequila since I first blogged about it back in the summer of 2006. One of my favorites – and owned by a woman. How much more cool does it get?

The boys whipped up some awesome drinks on Sunday. One with Campari. One with cucumber foam. And, another sort of Tequila Old fashioned. It was the perfect way to kick off a Sunday afternoon, to be sure.

This time the crowd was about double what it was last time, and we had a surprise guest. Jacques Bezuidenhout who reps Partida came down from San Fran with his girlfriend, for the meeting. (Who says No-Cal and So-Cal don’t get along?)

Also in attendance were four cocktail bloggers – including me. Chuck Taggart from Gumbo Pages, Ted Haigh from Dr. Cocktail and Marleigh Riggins from Sloshed were all in one corner together. (Elitist snobs.) Just kidding. I was joyful to be in the real live company of other people who sit in front of a computer blathering on about cocktails for little to no pay. Just for the pure love of it. (Crazy people stick together, ya know!) And, Ted gave a presentation on bitters.

The bartenders came from all sorts of respected hot spots around town: Seven Grand, Doheny, Comme Ca, Bar Marmont, Villa, El Carmen, Fatfish – and more I’m surely forgetting right now (sorry guys).

And, of course, our host Chris Ojeda, the barman at Mozza, gave us a fascinating rundown of the incredible collection of Amaro behind Mozza’s bar. It’s got to be the biggest collection of Amaro in LA. Most bottles have never been opened. The bar menu features several drinks made with Amaro, which is ridiculously cool. Try the Montenegro Fizz, Meletti Smash or The Bitter End to see what I’m talking about…

In the coming weeks and months you will be seeing these talented folks featured here on The Liquid Muse Blog and in The Bartender Diaries. After all, birds of a feather drink together! I raise a glass to Marcos for getting this underway. And, here’s to The Sporting Life!

Before Another Day Goes By!

C'mon people, hurry up! 2008 is already ticking away...

If you love cocktails - in fact, especially if you love cocktails a little too much - keep yourself on track with Jill DeGroff's Cocktailian Caricature Calendar.

I just ordered mine, and let me tell ya, there ain't nothing like the smiling mug of your favorite liquor-slinging expert peering down at you to get the juices flowing. (Even if it is only to get through the work day and onto Happy Hour!)

And, you may recognize the last name... For whomever doesn't know, Madame DeGroff's hubby is the world-famous King of Cocktails, himself, Mr. Dale DeGroff. And, their son Leo is following in the family footsteps, whipping up libational excitement around the globe.

Don't know about you, but I'm already looking forward to a good, long year of cocktailian delight...

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.

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.)

Raise A Glass To Cocktail Blogging

One of the few things to drag me out of bed early on a Saturday morning in New Orleans is meeting up with fellow cocktail bloggers. Yes, there are other sane, rational, intelligent people out in the world who write, passionately, about cocktails and liquors several times a week, sometimes for little or no money. Why do we do it? If you have a cocktail blog, you already know the answer to that question. If you don’t, these four gentlemen may give you a little insight…

Paul Clarke from Cocktail Chronicles moderated the seminar. He brilliantly describes cocktail blogging as “combining the inherently social act of mixing a drink with the inherently solitary act of sitting in front of a computer,” which made me (and Camper English sitting next to me at the seminar) laugh out loud.

A full time journalist in Seattle, Paul enjoys the freedom of writing about whatever he tickles his fancy in a realm without the pressure editors, word counts and deadlines. (Hear, hear to writer anarchy!) He says that he blogged to “get his chops” for other drink writing, and recorded his endeavors trying out new recipes.

For example, after struggling with Dale Degroff’s recipe for falernum, Paul decided, “I would not let this stupid syrup make a money out of me!” Not only were his online trials popular posts but you can read about it in this month’s Imbibe Magazine.

Paul says that there are 175,000 new blogs per day, and attributes much of the success of this kind forum to blogs’ timely and interactive way of working toward the “squishy web 2.0 goal of creating an online community.” I like to think of our blogs and links as our own cyber-Algonquin round table of sorts. (On that note, James Beard Award winning Jennifer English has a radio show featuring food and drink “conversations” built around that very concept!)

Reader interaction is something that we all enjoy but Paul says when people first started commenting on his blog, it took him by surprise. He recalls writing about an obscure drink called the Police Gazette Cocktail, which is comprised of whisky and “dribs and drabs of other stuff.” Paul says, “I made it and loved it, and wrote about it. Then, some guy in Oregon made it and sent a comment saying he liked it. It prompted me to keep writing and think about how I was doing it.”

Taking a cue from food bloggers, whose community slightly preceded ours, Paul and a few other “cocktailians” got together to create a day when everyone blogged together. Mixology Mondays was born in the spring of 2006 with 8 paraticipants. Paul says that they now average 25 participants, including a few “honorary food bloggers.” It basically works like this: each month, somebody volunteers to host. The host picks a date and a topic, and on that day, everyone posts a drink. (I think I’m hosting in October, so let me know if you want to participate!)

As cocktail bloggers do, he gave shout outs to several fellow bloggers during the seminar, many of whom did not make it to New Orleans (though you were all with us in spirit)! Among others, he mentioned some blogs that he enjoys are: A Dash of Bitters, Jeffrey Morgenthaler, Alcademics (Camper’s new name), Robert Hess’s drinkboy.com, Thriston Powell, Cocktail Nerd, Dr. Bamboo, and yes, The Liquid Muse. (Of course, he had to say that… I was sitting in the front row ;-)

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Next up was Chuck Taggart from The Gumbo Pages. Chuck is based in Los Angeles and also does the radio show Gumbo Ya Ya on our public radio station, KCRW. Chuck grew up in New Orleans has a leans toward the vintage and antique. As he puts it, “Everything old is new again. Now everyone is talking about tinctures but in the 1860’s Jerry Thomas was already doing them!”

His site, has a large focus on food and drink, not only cocktails. He says that he began a blog because he got tired of copying out his recipes for people, and it snowballed from there. He grew up in New Orleans, where they had a bar in their family home. Chuck recalls, “My dad taught me to make Old Fashioneds when I was 12 years old.” (I can relate. My family re-modeled our garage into the most beautiful entertaining room in our house, which featured a full size, fully stocked bar. And, I made my dad 7 & 7’s as a kid. This weekend in New Orleans, I began to realize that this was not an unusual phenomenon!)

On the topic of reader interaction, he shared a humorous anecdote. After spending a lot of time researching and getting hold of Plymouth Sloe Gin, which is used in some 1930’s era cocktails, and not available in the United States, he made this special cocktail and wrote about it on his blog. In honor of the occasion, he presented the drink in a rare glass made for the 1939 World’s Fair.

Laughingly, he recounts that the comment which most stood out was not about the careful research, the “rediscovered” antique recipe or the vintage glass in which it was poured… but someone noted “I can’t believe you used refrigerator ice!” (If you’re not chuckling at this observation, read my notes from the Tales of the Cocktail seminar, “On The Rocks” about the important role ice plays in a high-end drink.)

Chuck gave a little insight into the origin of the word “blog.” He says that around 1999, someone joked around with the original term “web log” turning it into “we blog.” The word “blog” both noun and verb is now in Webster’s dictionary.

Chuck’s cocktail epiphany happened around 99 – 2000. “I got sick of bad drinks in bars. At bayona (in New Orleans) I had a perfectly made Sazerac. That inspired me to seek out good cocktails.” I met ted hay, and a whole new world opened up to me. One day, I got an email from Brooks Baldwin about a cocktail recipe that he got from his grandmother. As he puts it, “This is a truly lost cocktail that was passed down through generations.”

Fancy Free Cocktail contains: Maraschino liqueur, Bourbon, 2 kinds of bitters angostura and orange

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Rick Stutz stared Kaiser Penguin in March 2006 (about a month before I started The Liquid Muse.) In addition to great writing and recipes, his blog features a heavy emphasis on photos. Rick says, “If I take a photo and don’t want to immediately jump in andrink it, I thow it away.” Actually, Paul Clarke refered to Rick’s blog shots as “Cocktail porn with a tiki fetish.” (If that doesn’t lure you over, I don’t know what will!) Also, his original cocktail recipes have been published in print and his Orange Viola is served in a Seattle bar.

Rick lives in Pennsylvania and started a blog because, as he puts it, the only people in his area with whom to discuss quality cocktails were about 50 frat houses or the Amish down the road. He says that he began his foray into cocktailian culture with Dale DeGroff’s book, and began making the drinks. He also began to discover other drink blogs, and thirsted for more Mixology interaction.

He began to realize the far-reaching fingers of his cyber bar tending when he went to the Forbidden Island with his friend. He recounts, “Adam started introducing me to his friends, and one of them said, I like your tiki focus.” Another told him he should post more often. He says that in addition to enjoying doing it for himself, realizing that people actually read the stuff he wrote inspired him to keep at it.

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Darcy O Neil (featured here with Robert Hess) from The Art of Drink has a particularly unusual slant. After studying chemistry for four years in college, he went on to work for 6-8 years in a lab before becoming a bartender. He says that the name of his blog came from “The Art of War,” which I think would seems appropriate to any of us who has worked in a restaurant or bar!

He says that he started his blog as an “independent thought project” and a way to practice learning the recipes he’d use behind the bar. Soon, judging by the comments he’d receive from readers, he realized it was more of a communal thought project, and those comments helped to guide future posts.

Darcy noted that people liked the way he talked about chemistry, with regard to drinks. He says, “ You can’t just throw ingredients and hope for the best. Research makes drinks more intersesting – how the recipes developed. And, people want to know the history of drinks.”

He even went so far as to dig up old chemistry papers. Again, with ice being a ‘hot’ topic, he mentioned that his original post on the chemistry of ice was so successful that he had to write a second post on it. He notes, “Water is basically life.”

I would argue that the same can be said for spirits… at least in our little corner of the blogosphere!