Celebrity Sips

Toast The Girls Next Door With Me, Tonight!

In honor of my favorite junk-food TV, I'm featuring a cocktail recipe from my very special cocktail book: Playboy's Host & Bar Book, published in 1971. This collection of recipes is compiled by Thomas Mario who became Food and Drink Editor at Playboy Magazine in 1953.

If you've followed The Liquid Muse for a while, you know I was super excited to create drinks for a fete at the Playboy Mansion, swooned over the Playboy Club in Vegas and even covered Larry King's coverage of the happy foursome.

As an avid Girls Next Door viewer, I learned Hef likes to include an element which hints at "the presence of a man" in the magazine's Centerfold pictorals. In other words, somewhere in the photo of the featured Playboy Playmate, there is a baseball cap, or a man's jacket, or something that suggests a man is nearby...

So, building on that concept, tonight at 10:00 pm, when The Girls Next Door airs in LA on E!, I'll be sipping something quite feminine, with a hint of masculine influence...

Champagne Manhattan (from aforementioned book)
1 ounce Canadian whisky
1/4 ounce sweet vermouth
1 dash bitters
3 ounces iced brut champagne
1 brandied cherry

Stir whisky, vermouth and bitters well, with ice. Strain into prechilled champagne glass. Add champagne and brandied cherry.

Cheers, Girls!

*Photo from E! Online pix

Take A Sip of Summer

I wrote this cocktail round up for Valley Life Magazine, a regional publication, here in LA. I created or put my own twist on the recipes below, with the excpetion of the White Sapphire Ginger Martini, which is created by Bombay Sapphire's James Moreland. Since many of you "sipsters" live outside the LA area, I wanted to share these refreshing drinks with you!
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Whether chilling out with a steamy novel, planning a sophisticated dinner party al-fresco or slapping some meat on the barbeque, the perfect accompaniments to summer’s favorite pastimes are only a sip away… Enhance longer days and lazy afternoons with these lip-licking libations..

Relax By the Pool:
Zen Green Tea Liqueur takes the “tea-ni” cocktail trend one step further by infusing the herby, unique flavor of green tea with alcohol. (Caution: This refreshing iced tea for grown ups puts yoga to shame!)

Zen Time Cooler
1 ounce Zen Green Tea liqueur
1 ounce vodka
1 ounce lemon juice
2 kumquats
2 teaspoons, sugar
freshly-brewed green tea

Muddle 2 kumquats, sugar and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, Zen Green Tea Liqueur and vodka, then shake. Strain into tall glass filled with fresh ice (never serve a drink on used ice). Garnish with the third kumquat on a drink pick.

Whet Someone’s Appetite:
Bitter liqueurs (rather than sweet ones) and dry spirits are believed to open the appetite, and prepare the body for the nourishment to come. From Capri to Cannes, Campari is the quintessential summer ingredient for a Mediterranean “Aperitif.”

Invented in the 1800’s by Italian “Mixologist” Gaspare Campari, the aromatic bitter liqueur became a main ingredient in the Negroni, first concocted a hundred years later. Named for Count Camillo Negroni, a Florentine aristocrat, the classic Negroni is made with gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. This version features a citrus twist:

Summer Negroni
1 1/2 ounces gin
1 ounce Campari
2 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
generous dash of blood orange bitters
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice

Shake gin, Campari, juices and bitters, with ice. Strain into a rocks glass, filled with fresh ice. Garnish with an orange twist across the top of the glass.

Plan A Pairing:
A popular trend in restaurants (and homes) is pairing cocktails with food, rather than wine. Whereas one bottle of wine may not suit each person’s meal or preference, a mixed drink can be customized. (And, don’t we all love that kind of personalized attention!)

James Moreland, formerly a bartender at Manhattan’s infamous Town, is now the head Mixologist for Bombay Sapphire gin. “Perfect Pairings” are collaborations between Moreland and top chefs around the country, whereby specialized cocktails complement high-end cuisine. This White Sapphire Ginger Martini was created to accompany Personal Chef Tara Weaver’s ‘crab cake in sweet pepper and lime vinaigrette’ for a private party aboard a luxury train dining car, between San Diego and Los Angeles.

White Sapphire Ginger Martini (courtesy of James Moreland, Bombay Sapphire)
1 part Bombay Sapphire
Slither of Fresh Ginger
8 White Grapes
1/2 part Fresh Apple Juice

Muddle ginger and grapes at the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add remaining ingredients, along with lots of ice. Shake, then strain into chilled martini glass.
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A Little Bubbly:
Prior to St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, the only thing available to barkeepers was elderflower syrup. The fragile elderflowers bloom for a mere two weeks per year in the mountains above Provence, and distilling them proved to be challenging. According to Robert Cooper, a third generation spirits maker, it took three seasons before he perfected the recipe and method used to create this exquisite liqueur. The result is lightly floral and decadently bohemian, and presented in an art-deco style, Italian-made bottle. This creation is a nod to the sweet aroma of the south of France.

Bohemiana
1 1/2 ounces St. Germain Elderflower liqueur
champagne
lavender sprig

Pour elderflower liqueur into a chilled, sugar-rimmed champagne flute. Gently top with champagne. Garnish with lavender sprig across the rim of the glass. Breathe in Provence.

Party Like A Brazilian:
Named after one of Rio de Janeiro’s chic districts, Leblon Cachaça conveys the spirit of Brazil. With a slogan like “Live, Love, Leblon,” what else would you expect? This earthy cocktail sambas its way into any celebratory occasion, especially this time of year!

Acai Caipirinha
2 1/2 ounces Leblon Cachaça
2 ounces Acai juice
1/2 ounce lime juice
6-7 mint leaves, torn
1 teaspoon raw brown sugar
club soda

Muddle mint, lime juice and sugar, in cocktail shaker. Add Leblon Cachaça and acai juice, then shake with ice, and strain into Collins glass. Top with club soda.

Fire Up the Grill:

Nothing says “barbeque” like beer. This version of a south-of-the-border favorite is great with ribs and burgers, or the next day as the ultimate “pelo del perro,” or hair of the dog!

Mexican Michelada
5 ounces pale Mexican beer
2 ounces Clamato juice
Dash each: Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon
1 ounce tequila
Leafy sprig of Cilantro

Pour beer, juices and condiments into a tall, chilled beer mug. Garnish with cilantro.

Mixology Monday!

I finally got it to together and am participating in a Mixology Monday with my fellow cocktail bloggers. Created by Paul at the Cocktail Chronicles, a while back, these little gatherings have, apparently, captured the attention "big boys," like Food & Wine Magazine blog. (However, MxMo invitations continue to be passed around by the movers and 'shakers' of the Cocktailian Webosphere, so you Sipsters reading this are still getting the inside scoop!)

This month's "cocktail party" is hosted by the lovely Gwen at Intoxicated Zodiac. Her blog blends drinks and astrology - a niche within a niche! As a salute to the sun in Leo, Gwen has chosen "orange" as the theme for this month's cocktails. (And, might I add that I happen to be particularly partial to this sign. My husband, sister, mom and childhood best friend are all Leos. In fact, so are my mother-in-law and a few other good friends. Which reminds me, I'd better get out some birthday cards...!)

Staying with the Playboy theme, I've decided to feature the Orange Shell Cooler, featured in the Playboy Host & Bar Book (1971). I even mixed one up last night, as an "encore" after the Champagne Manhattan. I took a photo, which didn't come out too well. But, as they say, don't judge a book by its cover. Like a Playboy Centerfold, its what inside that counts.

1 extra large California orange
1 ounce 151 proof rum
1/2 ounce curacao
1/2 ounce lime juice
1 teaspoon
1 slice cocktail orange in syrup

“Cut a cap off top of orange about 1/ 2inch from top. With a sharp grapefruit knife, gouge out the meat, leaving orange shell intact. Squeeze enough juice from meat to make 1 1/2 ounces of juice. Shake orange juice, rum, , lime juice and sugar well with ice. Strain into orange shell. Place orange shell in a bowl or sup dish about 7 inches in diameter. Pack finely crushed ice around orange. Fasten orange slice onto cocktail spear and place across orange cup. Serve with a short colored straw. A show- off concoction for drink hobbyists and rum specialists.”

Natalie's notes: I used 10 Cane rum instead of 151. And, I didn't bother with a cocktail orange in syrup. (Not sure where to find one of those, anyway. Sounds yucky.) I love mixing fresh juices and rum. (duh, right?) I am definitely going to play around with this recipe some more and find the perfect Liquid Muse twist...

Cheers, Gwen and all you other MxMo participants!

All Aboard Bombay Sapphire’s “Perfect Pairings” Luxury Train

The setting sun + the California coastline
A luxury train car + an exclusive dinner party
- and -
Tara Weaver, a talented personal chef with Hollywood clientele +
James Moreland, Bombay Sapphire’s own Master Mixologist.

It is already known that I think highly of Bombay Sapphire, which I used in creating the Billion-Ayre's Bet, a Signature Cocktail for billionaire, Calvin Ayre. So, being invited to join in on a special "Perfect Pairings" experience was extra special, for me!

A dozen of us boarded the Creative Charters Luxury dining and lounge car, attached to the back of an Amtrak train, en route from San Diego to Los Angeles. And, I'll begin by telling you that I was excited to meet James Moreland! The Aussie-born, Manhattan resident began his climb to cocktailian fame behind the bar at Town, which is known for its stunning drinks and trendy clientele. As he puts it, “Once you’ve worked at Town, you will be hired to bartend anywhere.”

James discovered a love of tending bar upon arriving in New York. He had his “a-ha” moment late one evening, while closing. A man came to the door and asked if he could please drink a sherry while James cleaned up. Moreland allowed him in. The man sat at a table, sipping his sherry and cried for 2 hours. It turns out that he had just lost his wife. As the two left the bar in the wee hours of morning, the man thanked James, and gifted him an expensive pen. Moreland never saw the man again but found meaning in being a conduit for people dealing with life’s celebrations and hardships, and decided to make it his career.

Moreland was invited to join several liquor companies, but felt a connection with Bombay Sapphire. A lover of the 'cocktails of yore,' he felt that working with a high-end gin company fit with his Mixologist philosophies.

Keeping with today’s rules of a quality drink, James uses fresh, local ingredients whenever possible, which happens to complement modern, high-end cuisine. He says he works to “isolate the ingredients,” especially when pairing alongside an acclaimed chef. Moreland feels that paring cocktails with food can be preferable to ordering a bottle of wine. He points out that when dining among friends, a particular bottle of wine may not fit well with each person’s meal. Creating individually paired cocktails ensures customized harmony between dish and drink.

Our 3-hour journey between San Diego and LA began on the windowed, upper level of the wood-and-brass train car, where we nibbled on artisanal cheeses and Italian salami.

Soon, our gracious rail hostess, Jenah, brought up our first cocktail of the evening: The Dragonfly. Featuring Bombay Sapphire, Pomegranate Liqueur and a hint of lemon, this cocktail’s tart acidity provides Heavenly balance against the creaminess of goat cheese.

We also nibbled on mini seafood tostadas as we chatted about antique cocktail shakers, classic drink recipes and admired surfers catching waves alongside the railroad.

Soon, it was time to descend to the formal dining room, just below. The gorgeous table setting was the perfect backdrop for the herbaceous, savory, and slightly sweet cocktails we sipped alongside a sumptuous supper.

First Course: Sapphire White Ginger Martini (Fabulous with a crab cake in sweet pepper and lime vinaigrette)

1 part Bombay Sapphire
Slither of Fresh Ginger
8 White Grapes
1/2 part Fresh Apple Juice

Muddle ginger and grapes at the bottom of a shaker, add remaining ingredients with lots of ice. Shake and double strain into chilled martini glass.

Main Course: Sapphire Melon (Presented with Idaho Nut-Crusted Trout, Wild Mushroom Rice with Fresh Herbs and Grilled Asparagus With Garlic and Shallots)

1 1⁄4 parts Bombay Sapphire
4 pieces of honeydew melon
Juice of half a tangerine
Dash of simple syrup
Dash or orange bitters
1 mint leaf
Splash of soda

In stirring glass, muddle melon with the juice of tangerine. Fill glass with ice. Add bitters, syrup and mint leaf and give it a royal shake. Pour into rocks glass and top off with a splash of soda or ginger ale, or serve up, double strained into martini glass. (Works both ways.)

Dessert: Sapphire Bubbles (Served alongside strawberry crepes with midori, kiwi reduction.)

1 1⁄4 parts Sapphire
1 tsp fine sugar
Juice of half a lemon
2 parts Dry champagne (prosecco is great!)
1⁄2 part Mandarin liqueur

Mix lemon juice and fine sugar into stirring glass, then fill stirring glass with ace add Sapphire and Mandarin Liqueur and shake. Strain into chilled martini glass, or champagne flute and top with dry champagne.

Try some of these pairings for your next dinner party! And, subscribe to the Liquid Museletter to get updates for Bombay Sapphire’s Perfect Pairing Events, from coast to coast, this Fall! I know DC is already scheduled for September 27… Sipsters will get more details as I do!

Mixology Monday - A Little Sustenance with the Sauce...

You Won't Leave This Party Hungry!

Wow! What an awesome response to MixMo! This is the first time I’ve hosted one, and I have to admit that it was a little daunting to come up with a theme. So, I went with my heart (or maybe it was my stomach…) and chose a topic which increasingly intrigues me…

Cocktail and food pairings are a creative way to individualize each person’s dining experience. For example, four dinner companions may order four very different meals – in fact, so different that one bottle of wine wouldn’t work for every meal. I’m sure you’ll all be impressed with the many mout-watering suggestions below. Pull up a chair, tie a napkin around your neck, grab a glass and hold on tight! It’s MixMo!

I always like to begin a dinner party with a little bubbly. The “pop” of a champagne cork always sets the mood! I recently created a cocktail for the launch of Napa’s Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé. (I'll be getting a professional photo of this cocktail but haven’t yet, so I “borrowed” this pic from Starchefs, as it looks a teesy bit, kinda sorta similar.)

Cocktail: Bouquet of Rosé

1/2 ounce Scence Rose Nectar
4 ounces Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé
spritz of rose water
Sprig of fresh lavender

Spritz a chilled champagne bowl* (or martini glass) with rose water. Pour in rose nectar and Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé.

Aromatic Garnish: Lay a sprig of fresh lavender across the top of the glass.
*Because aromatics are an essential ingredient in this cocktail, a wide-mouthed glass is preferable.

Pairing: The LA launch party began at the Beverly Hills Hotel, and it was served with wonderful little lobster canapés, oysters and mini truffle risottos.

Drumroll Please... Here are everyone's submissions for a tasty meal from around the globe (including an encore performance). Cheers! Skol! Prost! Salud! (and Bon Apetit!)

Before Dinner:

Whet your appetite with a favorite bar snack! Darcy O’Neil brings a little science to the Art of Drink pairing, featuring his Light Green Fizz with Pretzels.

Hors D’oeuvres:

Anna at Morsels and Musings sent in this super cool round up of cocktail pairings with canapes at bars around Sydney, Australia. The pear-influenced martini with tuna ceviche sounds bloody fantastic, mate!

Soup:

Craig (aka: Dr. Bamboo) managed to send over a little “food porn.” I mean, am I really alone in getting all hot-and-bothered over Celery & Stilton Soup? Sexy it up even more with a martini: shaken, not stirred…

Salad:

A big, whopping to Happy Birthday to Jeffrey Morgenthaler who took time out of his celebration to send in his MixMo pairing. Such skill! Such dedication. You may be getting on in age, Jeffrey, but at least ya ain’t losin’ your touch, old buddy.

Fish:

I love salmon – and never had it wrapped in Parma ham… but now that I’ve read Jay Hepburn’s pairing, I can’t wait to try it with this “Martini Variation.” Oh gosh! A Jolly good idea, I dare say!

Blaire ‘Trader Tiki’ Reynolds sends us this exotic poisson cru and a tiki cocktail. (It gave me fantasies of running off to the South Pacific.)

Paul Clarke, Granddaddy of the MixMo, out did himself, as usual, with this salmon kedgeree and cocktail pairing (using one of the new ginger liqueurs, too)… Nobody chronicles the joy of cocktails like Cocktail Chronicles.

How about a little Absinthe? That's what Jamie Boudreau has used in the Dutchess cocktail paired with prawns over at Spirits and Cocktails.

Pasta:

Bar Mix Master, Brad Ellis represents The Big Easy in this month’s MixMo by pairing a twist on a Manhattan with Pastalaya. Wondering what the heck that is? Find out here.

Meat-n-More:

In Cocktail Land, we know Shawn by his drink blog, Rejiggered. Well, this Clarke Kent-like 'lawyer-by-day-blogger-by-night ' has now added a food blog to his repertoire. Get the low down on his MixMo drink at the usual spot, and the recipe for the intoxicating sauce (as in for the steak, not the glass) at The Biased Cut.

Deb Ward tempts and teases those of us who are hungry in L.A. with her food blog: Let’s Order / Dinner at Six. I extend a sunny So-Cal welcome to this first-time MixMo “purist.”

Anita & Cameron at Married With Dinner share more than a blissful life together. They also both have a passion for all that’s meaty, slathered and shaken.

He got me at: “Jalapeño short ribs, marinated in pomegranate molasses and bourbon, and mac and cheese.” Then, he paired it with whiskey. And, there is so much more! Feast on course after course of pairings with Michael Dietsch at A Dash of Bitters.

Meatless:

Gwen is our online Goddess who oversees the sun, moon and stars when it comes to pairing cocktails with astrology at Intoxicating Zodiac. In this post, she worked a little tofu into MixMo. (You can also learn how to ward off those pesky deer...)

Got No Freakin' Idea What This is But I'm Sure It's Good:

I am honored to present the first MixMo entry in a language other than English! Christian, from Bavaria, Germany, sent us this drink pairing featuring “wodka” and some other stuff, measured in centiliters, no less.

Dessert:

Let’s top this all off with an elegant dessert from Dominik MJ, the Opinionated Alchemist. Here’s a hint: there’s a gin-hibiscus infusion and lemon… well, just check it out for yourselves!

You’ll want to get Sloshed with Marleigh Riggins’ Cookie Martini (to go with a Chocolate Dipped Harvest Biscotti, no less!)

Drop off to sleep tonight with a big, fat smile and dream of a million fuzzy little sheep after Cynthia Closkey’s Hot Toddy and Oatmeal cookie. It makes me long for snow in North Hollywood, just so I can snuggle by a fire with this cozy pairing.

Midnight Snack:

Former Smirnoff Mixologist, Cameron Bogue, is blogging his bike tour through Latin America - on a motorcycle - at MotoTails. Don’t hate him because he’s living the beautiful life. Just eat and drink vicariously through his MixMo entry. (Just try not to cry when you finish reading about his adventures, and you’re still sitting in that cubicle…)

But Wait... There's More!

Erik at Egullet was kind enough to send over a whole slew of pairings their readers sent in. Don’t touch that dial. These are awesome!

eGullet member bostonapothecary mused over food and cocktail pairings, remembering a fairly successful combination of Carolina pulled pork sandwiches and Mojitos.

Peter the eater recalled an odd device which allowed him to carbonate any alcoholic beverages. One of his favorites was carbonated port wine served with blue cheese.

Natter suggested pairing rich foods with high acid cocktails.

Katie Loeb (aka KatieLoeb) detailed a recent dinner where she paired cocktails with each course.

Erik Ellestad (aka eje) took a predictable route, pairing the vermouth and sherry based Bamboo with cheese and nuts.

Andy Arrington (aka thirtyoneknots) has had some luck pairing a cucumber, lemon, and gin combination he calls "Scottish Cool" with a sashimi trio.

Chablis, Liquid Gold and "l’Art de Vivre"

Chablis winemakers commissioned the edgy and visually eloquent French photographer, Bettina Rheims to express the spirit of their wines in an exhibit called Liquid Gold, which they feel illustrates the “elegance, quality, conviviality, softness of life and art.”

They compare her work with the integrity of their vintage, calling it “the essence of the French Chic” or “l’Art de Vivre” and have sent the eleven large-scale portraits, comprising the Liquid Gold exhibition, around the world. From London, they went to Manhattan, where they’ve been on display at Bloomingdales since June 18.

As of July 9, Liquid Gold will be presented at the New York Palace Hotel (through July 23). Then, on September 15, it goes to Charlie Palmer’s Métrazur Restaurant at the Grand Central Terminal, for a month. From there, the photos travel on to Tokyo and Moscow.

Chablis vineyards are some of the oldest in France, providing some of the most prestigious wines of Burgundy. Today, the word “chablis” is often used to describe dry white wines from a wide range of countries; however, authentic Chablis (like Champagne or Bordeaux) come from France.

I found the chablis delightfully light, and as delicately soft as a dandelion petal. I paired it with a sheep’s milk cheese and slightly sweet wheat crackers. Exquisite! Absolutely one of my most pleasurable recent sensory experiences. Learn more about the art and the wine on this website.

Party at Topaz!

If you want to be treated like Rockstar Royalty, throw a bash at Topaz Bar.

Lounge Manager, Mike Hill, sets the tone - chill, friendly, relaxed with subtle flair... (yes the lounge has those qualities, too!)

The Liquid Muse is shifting 'home base' back to Los Angeles so we pulled together a few friends for drinks and appetizers on Saturday at Topaz. We were totally spoiled.

Lounging on velvety banquettes in the Zen Den, our three attentive cocktailers (Margot, Jillien and Rose) delivered libations with a smile. The DJ spun funky beats. Perfect.

And, as a special honor, our party got to sneak-peek Topaz’s newest creations. The ‘cocktail enthusiast’ in me was in 7th Heaven! Their new drinks whoop-a**!

Bruce ‘Lee’che uses one of my favorite new liquors, Absolut Ruby Red, with lychee puree, triple sec and fresh lemon.

Grandmaster of Grapes blends Ciroc grape-distilled vodka, organic white grape juice, red wine, lime juice and frozen grape clusters.

Tokyo, defined as “manhattan in Japan” mixes bourbon, sake, organic plum nectar and angostura bitters.

Finally, their Razzberry Mojito is better than most mojito-and-some-kind-of-fruit variations.

The appetizers were delish and the gorgeous fruit-and-cheese plate (hand-delivered from Bar Rouge !) was a hit. Finally, a surprise champagne toast was the icing on the cake.

I make no apologies for the pun - Topaz is a gem!

www.topazbar.com