'Old Shanghai on the Bowery' at Madam Geneva and talking ice with Mr. Ueno

Round 2! Tuesday night was "Old Shanghai on the Bowery" at Madam Geneva, the second event in the three-day line up for the New York City Cocktail All-Stars tour.



The cool surprise of the evening was Mr. Ueno showing off some of his ice carving. I cornered him after his time behind the bar to ask him a quick couple of questions (unfortunately, leaving Kenta Goto standing by holding a heavy bucket of ice and things. Sorry about that, Kenta...)

"Ice balls are popular in Japan, but ice companies started making them after they became popular," Mr. Ueno said, but nonetheless as a bit of eye candy, it's still a draw because, "It is something you can't create in your own home."

However, he added, "The main eye candy in a drink is the liquid."

Kenta chimed in, that the carved ice are part of the package of providing an experience for the guest. "People come into his bar looking for this experience."

I couldn't help but notice that Mr. Ueno wielded a small knife when carving the ice from it's base square shape. I asked him about this, since most people (OK, me) are probably more familiar with the ice pick.

"I haven't carved with an ice pick recently...maybe not for the last 10 years," Mr. Ueno answered.

While he still trains young bartenders to start off with an ice pick, he stopped using an ice pick himself because the results can sometimes be a bumpy surface.

As for the knife he uses, it's a folded iron knife, "the same material as a Japanese sword, so it's really sharp, but it also rusts really easily."

This means proper care, and making sure to wipe water off of the knife immediately after use.

Believe it or not, Mr. Ueno made this tool himself. It started off as "15 cm fruit knife," but through eight years of sharpening, he brought it down to its current 4-5 cm length.

Kenta explained that the ice Mr. Ueno uses is frozen about 2-3 days. At least three days being the optimal length of time. In Japan, ice is bought from a vendor who brings in blocks of the stuff.

"After three days there are no bubbles...the ice is harder and clearer and that is the ice he uses," Kenta said.

As Mr. Ueno explained, the ice is so clear that when in the glass, you should be able to see through to the bottom of the glass and read the logo of the bar on the napkin.



Mr. Ueno also shined light onto a diamond shaped ice he carved (it was shaped kind of like an old single cut, or the candy gem in a ringpop). This, he explained is also part of presentation.



"Like how a diamond is cut, the edges have a reflection," Mr. Ueno said, and explaining that with bars usually being dark, it's hard to see how beautiful the ice can be. So he helps demonstrate using a laser pointer or pen light.

A line up of 9 bartenders took turns serving their concoctions to a packed house.

COCKTAIL MENU
JIM MEEHAN
Parkside Fizz: Buddha's Hand vodka, lemon, orgeat syrup, club soda, mint

EBEN FREEMAN
Indochine: Aged rum, Domaine de Canton, pineapple, pastis, lemon bitters

NIKOLAJ BRONDSTED
Gin & Leaf: Vodka, sake, kaffir lime, yuzu, ginger, soda

MISTY KALKOFEN
Delhi Daisy: Tequila, elderflower, lemon, curry simple syrup, aromatic bitters

ALEX DAY
Tunnel Vision: Cachaca, sherry, lime, creme de peche, Angostura bitters

RYAN MAGARIAN
Pepper Smash: Gin, red bell pepper, lemon, mint, honey

HIDETSUGU UENO
Full Bloom: Scotch, cherry blossom liqueur, anisette

MARSHALL ALTIER
Trans Continental Clipper: Five spice Pisco, lemon, house made grenadine, Absinthe rinse

JACKIE PATTERSON
Buckshot: Bourbon, dry vermouth, orchard apricot, orange bitters

The theme of the evening seemed to be "BIG BOLD FLAVAH." Misty's drink had sweet and tangy amped up to an 11. The curry simple syrup added a little something without making the drink taste exactly like curry. Marshall's drink, on the other hand, didn't shy away from its spice base. It totally punches you in the face. The menu said "five spice pisco" but at the time I was getting more of a garam masala feel. I couldn't help but puzzle over this a bit. I finally figured out that when I read the "five spice" I instantly thought of Chinese five spice, but I was totally forgetting about panch phoron. How dumb of me. I need to ask Marshall this the next time I see him or over Facebook or something (or, I don't know, leave a comment. Hint, hint).








Did everyone agree to a dress code beforehand? All the folks scheduled to be behind the bar came in dressed pretty snazzily.

Epilogue: When I left Madam Geneva's I left with the fire of mezcal burning in my belly. Just as I was about to leave I was pulled into doing a shot of mezcal with Misty Kalkofnen, Alex Day and John Deragon.

This made me think. You know, I've been recently playing Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner on the PS2 (I sometimes like to kick it old school like that), and I'd forgotten how flippin' hard that game was. I couldn't walk even two or three steps before finding myself in a battle.

Wait, wait. I had a point in mentioning this...it waaaassss...oh! OK, so, yea, as I was walking away from Madam Geneva with mezcal heating me all up in my midsection like a boiler, I realized that bar events are like playing a RPG. The more you walk around without a glass in your hand, the more you're just asking to trigger a battle sequence, a.k.a., having a drink put in your hand.

I mean, the way that mezcal encounter went down it would've gone something like this:

Little icon of me wandering around a map, all of the sudden!

[Sonya encounters a band from the Order of Booze]

Oh, noooooo! I totally don't have the experience points to get through this AND I'm outnumbered.

[Dram of mezcal thrown!..-10 HP!...+10 STR! +10 MP!]

Because if anything, mezcal would probably boost your magic points/mana and overall strength, but with the unfortunate side effect of taking some health points/stamina, amirite?

I littered glasses all over the bar all evening since I couldn't juggle a drink and a camera. I'd put down a glass, only to have another one thrust in my hand just a couple of minutes later.

I have to admit, it's kind of freakin' awesome.

Blue Blazer Mix-Off at Pegu Club

(videos near the end of this post)

Oct. 27

"...90 percent of the reason I'm here is because I want to see fire," I said to Alex Day as I nursed a Whiskey Smash.

The setting? Pegu Club. Six contenders were set to duel in their mastery of the most basic of elements required for human life. Fire and alcohol.

To kick off Slow Food NYC's first annual "Slow Drink Week," Audrey Saunders was hosting the launch reception at Pegu. Slow Foods NYC announced last week that several restaurants and bars in the city would be participating this week with their own menu of "slow" cocktails.

Pegu was serving its own list of slow cocktails that evening with a list of hors d’oeuvres.

(Part of the proceeds from Slow Drink Week, as well as the ticket sale for the opening reception, will go to benefit Slow Food NYC's Harvest Time Program, including Good Food Education, a Youth Farmstand, and Edible Schoolyards at schools in East Harlem and Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

For a list of participating locations and dates provided by Slow Food NYC, click here.)

Earlier in the evening I greeted Eben Freeman, Alex Day and Joaquin Simo at the door of Pegu as we got ready to enter. I was asked how my cocktail education with Eben was going. I answered that it wasn't going too bad, but practicing with the shaker wasn't going too well because, "it sounds like nothing."

"It's all right as long as it sounds like a good nothing," Eben said with a smile.

Wait, was he just messing with me or did he just drop some kind of Yoda-like aphorism that I needed to get to be the best cocktail shaker EVER? I decided to go with the former to make it easier for everyone involved.

Upstairs the crowd was pretty big, but it wasn't too packed, which was nice. Pinballing around I found myself bumping into folks like John Deragon, Phil Ward, Jim Kearns, Don Lee and Naren Young. I spotted Dale DeGroff in his snazzy red jacket and Dave Wondrich's top hat teetered around in the crowd.

Now that I was feeling better, I figured I could slowly wade back into drinking, but was still mildly worried about my body taking terrible offense to that. I sipped at a French Pearl that went unclaimed. Just then Gary Regan walked by me and cryptically warned, "You behave yourself now."

Though I knew he said that independently of what I was debating in my head, I couldn't help but reluctantly put down the half-empty glass.

After a few words from Audrey Saunders and the drawing of straws, the Blue Blazer Mix-Off started with Dave Wondrich and Jim Meehan. They went for a historical and patriotic theme with their presentation of Jerry Thomas' Spread Eagle Punch. The liquid was Blue Blazerfied then poured into glasses with a gelatin (I didn't catch what was in it, if anybody could let me know what was in the gelatin, that'd be awesome).

The second group to go was Gary Regan and Phil Ward. The two warned that they had not practiced their Blue Blazer beforehand, but had a "special ingredient" on hand that they said was a tip of the hat to Eben Freeman. After a couple of false starts, Phil fortified the mixture a bit more and Eben jumped in to offer the service of a blow torch.



The third team was Dale DeGroff and Kenta Goto. With a recipe concocted by Kenta with the help of Audrey, Dale showed off his liquid fire taming skills as Kenta added some (literal) flare to the presentation by tossing cinnamon powder into the line of fire to create sparks. Instantly, the place was filled with the scent of what seemed like apple pie. The drink was then poured into cored apple halves.

Though these were the three teams announced to compete, Audrey announced yet another surprise team that would be participating.



Johnny Iuzzini and Dave Arnold tried their hand at competing with a more of a "scientific" approach. Dave utilized a kinda sorta technically illegal ingredient of a 120 proof tea-infused vodka of sorts for a Blue Blazer twist on a tea and lemonade drink. Then using a hypodermic needle, the liquid was shot from across the bar into a caraffe/pitcher held by Johnny Iuzzini. His forearm caught on fire. And while it was insanely cool to watch, it did smell like burnt hair at the bar.

But before I go on, I'd like to apologize for my unsteady camera hand and lack of lighting. I'm still not used to capturing video and it was dark in that bar to better capture the flames. Kind of lame excuses, but what can you do. Hey, I'm the one providing a service here with a video for those who couldn't attend. Also, this is a hardy drinking group. There might be some blue language. Maybe not R, but perhaps a PG level. If salty language is not your thing...I really don't know what to tell you.



I didn't stick around to see who ultimately won, because in my mind everyone's a winner...or something like that. Instead I headed over to Death and Company to bug Alex Day (he had to leave in the middle of the Blue Blazer Mix-Off to start his shift) and Thomas Waugh for a bit. I tried to get a head start on trying some new drinks for when the menu update rolls around. Out of the couple I tried, Thomas' Strange Brew won me over. With gin, pineapple juice, lemon juice and falernum it didn't seem like the usual drink I'd go for unless I was in the mood for something light. However, Thomas topped it with a bit of Hop Devil IPA that gave it a hoppy kick. I have to say, the guys at Death and Co. have been doing a pretty decent job of helping me get over my fear of sweet drinks.

Tales of the Cocktail 2008: "Is the Customer Always Right?"

June 16
Recently in the blogosphere a particular tale of customer dissatisfaction created a minor ripple. Commenters were divided along several lines. Some believed "the customer is always right," then there were those who were sick and tired of snobbery in service when all they wanted was a damn cup of coffee. Others thought the store was well within its right to refuse serving coffee to a customer based on the philosophy of what they served. Some people were even more riled up after reading the coffeeshop owner's response. Finally, there those who thought both parties were jackasses and nobody handled the situation particularly well. In other words it was an anecdote that seemed to illustrate all that could go wrong in a customer-server relationship.

What did this particular bit of "Iced espresso is Not Okay" brew-haha have anything to do with Tales of the Cocktail? Well, when I arrived at Tales, the professional series seminar "Is the Customer Always Right?" jumped out at me probably thanks to this story being in my head so recently. So soon after checking in and running on 3.5 hours of sleep, I slid into a chair for the 10:30 a.m. session.

Moderated by Doug Frost, the panel members were Charlotte Voisey, mixologist and brand representative for Hendrick's Gin, Deet Gilbert, Johnson and Wales faculty member who teaches front-of-the-house practices; Jim Meehan of PDT, N.Y.; and Ti Adelaide Martin of the famed New Orleans restaurant family responsible for establishments such as Commander's Palace and Brennan's.

In an age where many cocktail bars, bar chefs, mixologists, and bartenders are formulating solid drink philosophies not unlike how some chefs have their own food philosophy, how should customer service type issues be addressed?

The topic of how to provide good (or probably more accurately, appropriate) service quickly became a talk about recruitment and training as Charlotte Voisey opened things up by stating that a lot of talk about improvement revolves around improving the bar, the design, the ingredients or technique, but "we need to talk about what happens between the bartender and the guest."

Voisey pointed out three important aspects of human resources to improve guest service:

1. Right recruitment.
2. Responsibility.
3. Service as an integral part of training.

Deet Gilbert echoed some of Voisey's points by explaining that "you can't teach the right personality," and in the hiring process bar managers and operators need to look for things in their prospective employees such as how they are dressed, their smile or what kind of personality they have."

And about the old "the customer is always right" adage, Gilbert explained that "It's not always that they are right, but it's to make them think they are right. That's our job."

Jim Meehan spoke from the point of view of the independent bar operator and said that on a day-to-day basis training needed to be tailored to each employee. Even after a prospective bartender manages to impress someone hiring them, different working styles, personalities and skill levels can require different care and training from an employer or manager.

While all this talk of training and recruitment may seem like a detour into an HR seminar, the truth is properly trained employees make good service.

As Ti Adelaide Martin mentioned at one point, the motto drilled into employees at Commander's Palace is that the employees are there to make dining memories. And as providers of not just good drinks, but an overall experience, a staff that is trained well with adequate attention who innately have what it takes can make or break a customer's experience.

"We are in the hospitality business," Martin said. "We are not here to show off our technical skill."

Not that technical skill or knowledge doesn't have a place. Especially in the world of high-end cocktails or beverages.

Voisey gave the example from her early bartending days when she'd hate serving single malt whiskeys because she wasn't too knowledgeable in the area. And instead of being able to discuss or provide information and product that her customers wanted, she'd find herself pushing the customers onto something else that they did not want.

Then how do passionate people with a large library of skills and knowledge not scare customers?

Deet Gilbert said, "Talk to them like a normal person. Don't talk down to them," pointing out that a too technical bar chef or intimidating menu can sometimes create a chilling effect similar to when customers who are not familiar with wine encounter wine lists in a fancy restaurant.

Martin agreed with Gilbert and told the group that at Commander's Palace, sommeliers go by the title of "wine guy" to bring things down to more of a casual level.

"Ask them 'What do you like? What do you normally drink?'," Martin added.

"Just give them the vodka cocktail," Meehan said. "That's what pays the rent...They'll sit for ten minutes drinking and will see other cocktails and will order something else because they'll realize they're in a cocktail bar."

Doug Frost then asked the panelist when would a customer be wrong?

"When they're abusing our staff," Martin answered immediately, but then added, "For us it has to go pretty darn far" before any action is taken. Touching an employee is verboten.

"We expect customers to treat us we treat them. It goes two ways," Gilbert commented.

"It's when they take you out of our comfort zones," Voisey said.

Voisey said with so unwritten rules in bars, having a culture or policy defends the bars so people can know clearly when they've stepped over the line.

Meehan said that the customer is wrong when they begin to affect the experience for other customers. And when he asks a particularly loud customer to keep his voice down or asks another to refrain from using uncouth language, that particular chided customer might leave in a huff, but usually once the rules are explained they are understanding and other customers are appreciative of the effort to maintain a certain mood or experience.

The panel members also agreed with the importance of being able to take criticism as well as taking initiative to find places to improve.

Martin said she when she walks around Commander's Palace she'd ask customers how they were doing and most times they'd answer that things were fine. Nonetheless she'd ask again to truly find out if everything was working for a customer by saying, "Listen, I don't learn anything from compliments."

Taking initiative towards improvement can be something as simple as in being on the lookout, just as if a restaurant patron leaving food can be a sign of dissatisfaction, Voisey explained that the look on a customer's face in that unguarded moment of the first sip can speak millions.

In fact, the idea of a reputation as being perfect can be an impediment towards good service by creating expectations built high that can topple like a deck of cards and keep staff members on edge. Meehan brought up how back in his Gramercy Tavern days, customers brought in with them their own high hopes and interpretations of what a Danny Meyer dining experience was and ended up expecting to "levitate on their way out."

"Perfection is not the goal; excellence is the goal," Meehan said.

2008 Taste of the Nation New York

May 14

2008 celebrates the 20th anniversary of Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation, where more events take place around the United States and Canada to raise funds to help battle childhood hunger. It's a great opportunity to have your money go to a good cause while being able to sample the works of chefs and restaurants in a participating city near you. At the New York event you got a wide range of tasting experiences from a wide range of restaurants in the city who volunteer their time and effort. You can go from trying a dumpling at Rickshaw Dumpling Bar's table, maybe some barbecue at Blue Smoke or Hill Country's table, then find yourself trying something from Morimoto.

I ate EVERYTHING.

Maybe not everything, but I feel like I got pretty close. It is a huge food fest. At first you think you're in control of the situation. You think, "No, I won't have that cake thing because I'm gonna try all the savory stuff then come back around to that." But around the time you've shoved the fifth food item all of that goes out of the window and you find yourself going from tuna tartare, to a cup of chocolate of some form with a little bit of gold leaf, then cured salmon and...oooh! Is that beef with foie gras?

The main reason why I was stuffing my face was because I'd just managed to go down a line of tables and drink several drinks created by New York's bartenders. As much as it is an event for restaurants to show their stuff for a good cause, the New York Taste of the Nation also gave a chance for drinks to have their moment as well. And besides cocktails there were also plenty of wine and beer and even coffee. There was no way I was going to be doing all the wine and beer without the very real possibility of not being able to make it into work the next day, so I stuck with the cocktails.

Once I got my wristband, I skipped up the steps to the VIP area to try some cocktails from Tabla. They had on hand their Tabla-tini and Tamarind Margarita. The Tabla-tini is made with citrus based vodka, gin, and a housemade blend of pineapple and lemon grass. The Tamarind Margarita is made with tequila triple sec, tamarind, orange juice and lime juice.

Tabla manger Tyler Vaughan said that they were currently working on a kumquat mojito that will probably turn into a watermelon mojito in the summer. Tyler also added that during the summer the restaurant plans on offering the margarita and Tabla-tini by the pitcher and is also planning to serve an India-inspired sangria.

I made my way back downstairs to the bar station and girded myself to start making my way down. The first table I stopped at was manned by Mr. Eben Klemm, director of cocktail development at B.R. Guest, who I hadn't seen since...well, last year's Taste of the Nation.

"Yes, the last time you saw me, I was standing here," Eben said, then after a pause added, "And I've been here since then. For the past 364 days I've been here mixing drinks hoping they'd let me go."

I like seeing Eben because he has the nattiest suits and natty suits bring a smile to my face.

Mr. Klemm was mixing a Tequila Sunbolt made with Herradura Silver tequila, limeade and red pepper water. Red pepper water? According to Eben Klemm it's just roasted peeled peppers pressed through a sieve.

At the next table, Michael and Vito from Little Branch were making the Cock and Bull Special. It was a stiff concoction made with Woodford Reserve bourbon, Benedictine, cointreau and Cognac Claude Chatelier VSOP.

Eben Freeman from Tailor was also in attendance, but he kept things simple by bringing some of his bubblegum vodka. Not any less different in level of oddness from the Cape Codder caviar he was making at the New York Taste of the Nation two years ago, but definitely not as complex. He was practically plating that caviar whereas this was just a pour. "For an event like this I've found that it's better to do something fun and easy," he said. Can't argue with that. Especially when it generates the responses I saw when people sidled up to Eben's table, to see him there with just rows of bottles filled with "Barbie's Cadillac"-pink vodka behind him.

"So, what's this?" they'd ask apprehensively.

"Bubblegum vodka," he'd answer.

They'd all give a look that can only be described in the following conjectured monologue: "Huh, ok...wait, did he just say 'bubblegum vodka'? WEIRD. Well, I like bubblegum. I think. Does he mean it's bubble-game flavored or is this one of his insane solids? No, it's in a bottle; he's pouring it. I wonder if I can still chew this."

I sipped on my own glass of the stuff and chuckled to myself at this thought when I saw Eben pull a brown bottle from out of nowhere, pour a bit of it in a glass. I thought it was his own secret stash for himself at first, but he pushed the glass towards me and said, "It's a garam masala rum."

"Ooooooooooh!" I pretty much squealed as I picked it up.

"I think the cinnamon's a bit to strong on this one, I might do less of it," he said then went on to say it was for a "Masala Mai Tai" he was working on. In dark rum he added the usual garam masala spices such as black pepper, coriander and cloves, but added his own touch with some green curry leaves. He wanted to a tiki drink, but didn't want something too sweet and thought spices would help lend a more savory aspect to it.

I asked Eben if he was changing up the solids menu anytime soon and he said probably in the foreseeable future. He said there were some absinthe gummy bears in the works (Sam Mason's idea). I asked if there were gummy bear molds or some kind of machine available for purchasing, because I don't believe ever having seen one of those. Eben said there were no molds, just gummy bears pressed into corn starch and the impression used as a mold.

Pegu Club was representing with their Grapefruit Cooler. Kenta Goto said that they wanted to make something refreshing for the guests who would be eating a lot of food. The cooler is made with grapefruit vodka, lemon juice, honey, Peychaud's bitters and a touch of Pegu with housemade grapefruit syrup. The pale pink drink is garnished with some organic flowers.

I then visited Don, John and Jim at their PDT table. They were also bringing the spirits strong with their Woodford Witch, made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Lustau Palo Cortado Sherry, Strega, simple syrup, a dash of Fee Brother's Orange Bitters and a dash of Regan's Orange Bitters.

"You guys get extra points for printing out the recipe," I said, giving my pen hand a rest. Jim explained that they'd learned that at events of this type it was easier to have the recipe to hand out since usually the first question people asked was "What's in this?"

I swung on back over to the Clover Club (technically for Flatiron Lounge as well, I suppose, since the Clover Club is not scheduled to open until June), and chatted a bit with Julie Reiner as well as head bartender apparent for the soon-to-be opened Clover Club Giuseppe Gonzalez.

Giuseppe mixed up a Diablo, made with Herradura Silver tequila, fresh lemon juice, housemade ginger beer and sweetened with creme de casses.

I took a sip, thought for a second, took another sip and said, "Is it just me, or is there a bit of spiciness in the back of the throat?"

"That's because of the housemade ginger beer," Giuseppe said. Rather than using ginger ale, the handmade version was opted for because it provided "a little more character than something out of a bottle."

Bubblegum Vodka and the hands of its creator; Tailor.


Grapefruit Cooler, Pegu Club


Woodford Witch, PDT


Woodford Witch, with a view of the ginormous strainer/pitcher combo in the back


Diablo, Clover Club

Taking PDT's new spring menu out for a spin

May 5

Of all the drinks I tried on PDT's new spring menu, I found myself liking The Rite of Spring very much. It had piqued my interest since Don described it to me at the Rhum Clement event, and I was looking forward to giving it a try. However, a close contender would be the Swiss Mist, which Jim let me try on Friday.

"I'm just here to kill two hours before I go see Iron Man," I reassured Jim when I stopped by PDT on Friday with fellow NRNer Elizabeth Licata. I didn't want them to think I was casing the place. Then again, I kind of totally was since I'd be lying if I said a little part of me wasn't there to find out for sure when the new menu was going to debut. Don had told me the week prior that the ETA was probably sometime around the weekend of May 2, but Jim said it was looking more like Monday would be the day.

So on Monday I flitted out of work at 5:40 pm and rushed on down to PDT. The hostess who greeted me at the phone booth told asked me if I didn't mind waiting a minute or two since the bar was trying to take it slow between people on account of the new menu.

Once I got in I kind of stared at the menu for a couple of minutes. Menu choices are always daunting because I'm terrible with decision making, and there were plenty of interesting-sounding items. The Rhubarbarita caught my eye because of the rhubarb puree...and, well, because it was Cinco de Mayo. The Rhubarbarita is made with Partida Resposado tequila, lemon juice, Grand Marnier, Veloce and the above mentioned rhubarb puree that is sweetened with agave nectar. It was a sweet start, with a bit of body added to the texture of the drink from the rhubarb puree.

If anything, the menu definitely was a show in seasonal ingredients and flavors. The honey liqueur in the Bee's Sip. A hint of berry with raspberry preserves ("until seasonal berries are available") in the Rose.

Also, to go with the light airiness of spring, there was some misting going on with the drinks. The Swiss Mist I tried on Friday is described as a "grapefruit accented silver gin sour" on the menu. Made with Gin, lemon, grapefruit syrup and egg white, the lightly sweet and foamy drink gets a slight spraying of Kubler Swiss absinthe from an atomizer.

Other drinks get a bit of misting too, but the mist goes in the cup before the drink rather than on the drink. For example, the Kin Kan (Beefeater Gin, lemon juice, kumquat syrup, St. Germain), gets a spritzing of St. Germain.

The the next drink I had to try the Rites of Spring. As someone who finds a swig of sour dill pickle juice straight from the jar or spicy tangy pickled kimchi brine with some cold noodles most refreshing a hot summer day, the mention of "pickled ramp brine" had me salivating as I read the description on the menu. Pickled ramp brine from Momofuku Ssam Bar, Tanqueray Gin, and Vya dry vermouth combine to create a surprisingly not all that sour drink. More clean on the tongue for a dirty martini, the tangy pickled ramp flavor mostly kicks in as an aftertaste.

"It's not as sour as I thought," I told Don.

"Did you try the pickled ramp brine on its own? It's pretty intense," Don said.

I asked for a taste and it was good. Sour, but sweet with a bit of heat. I probably could've just had a glass of that all evening long. Keep in mind though, that the person writing this enjoys eating lemons and limes (besides the pickle juice drinking mentioned above). My tooth enamel cries for me.

"How's the new menu going?" I asked Don who was going through the ingredients with a checklist as Jim informed him of inconsistencies on the behind-the-bar recipes list.

"Ask me again in four hours," he answered.

I tried The Mariner next mostly because I found the cardamom syrup intriguing. Again, I was surprised by how light the flavors were, even with the combination of Compass Box Oak Cross malt scotch whisky, pineapple juice, lemon juice and smoked cardamom syrup.

I tasted the cardamom syrup on its own. You got most of the spicy almost medicinal cardamom-ness (it's a word if I say it is) when you smell it, but when you taste it, that's where the smokiness hits. If you hold it against the front of your tongue, it gives off a slight burn as well.

The interesting thing was, no matter how complex, everything still managed to be light and not overbearing. Cardamom? In a syrup? Smoked? with malt scotch whisky AND pineapple juice?"

It's definitely smoky and a little sweet, but on the whole The Mariner isn't weighed down as a cocktail.

Even spirits-based drinks like the Rites of Spring, manage to come across as airy spring drinks. I asked Jim what I should try next and he mixed me a Hotel D'Alsace, which again, sort of took me aback at how light and sweet it was. Bushmills, Cointreau, Benedictine and rosemary came together as a slightly sugared herbal drink. Jim said that people found this drink to be their new favorite, but it wasn't going to unseating Rites of Spring or the Swiss Mist for me anytime soon, but that's just me.

It came down to the Bee's Sip (Chamomile Infused Barsol Pisco, Masumi "Okuden Kantsukuri" junmai sake and Barenjager Honey Liqueur) or The Kin Kan for me to choose for the last drink, and I went with the former. And the name fits. If bees drank alcohol this is what they'd probably drink. It tasted and smelled like honey and flowers.

I did make it a point to try the new addition to the food menu, The Wylie Dog. A deep fried Crif Dog with tomato molasses, shredded lettuce, dried onions and...battered deep fried mayo. Let me let that sink in with you for a moment.

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OK, so when it came out I thought to myself, "Does that bun have two hot dogs on it?" If you think so, no, you're mistaken. And don't feel bad, I seriously thought that too. That second "hot dog" is the deep fried mayo. A stick of deep fried mayo. I like to think I'm not too shabby when it comes to describing things, but the only notes I have from last night about The Wylie Dog is, and I quote verbatim, "Deep fried mayo is EFFIN' delicious." Apparently I managed to lose all sense of using profanity to this hot dog.

(Download the full Spring Menu from PDT, here.)

The 3rd Annual Clement Cocktail Challenge

April 29

PDT swept up prizes when Don Lee and Daniel Eun placed second and first place, respectively, for the Rhum Clement cocktail challenge. Daniel made a drink called Bitches Brew, using Clement Premiere Canne, fresh lime juice, Pampero Anniversario, St. Elizabeth All-Spice Dram, demerara syrup and an egg. Don's Sargasso is made with Clement V.S.O.P., Lustau East India Sherry, Aperol, dash of angostura bitters and garnished with an orange twist. Lydia Reissmuller of Elettaria got third place with her Sweetie Pie, a drink made with Clement V.S.O.P., St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, fresh pressed apple juice, angostura bitters, a pinch of salt and garnished with salt-tipped apple slice.

Daniel wasn't there to accept his prize, an all expense paid trip to Martinique, because he had to go back to work. "He's not here?" Jim Meehan asked almost incredulous as he made his way up to receive the prize on Daniel's behalf.

"Yea, he went back to work," Don answered.

"What? I can't believe he's not here." Jim said.

"Wait, aren't you his boss?" someone asked Jim as the room broke out laughing.

And those were just three drinks out of all the drinks mixed by 18 (some submitted two recipes, while others just one) mixologists/bartenders for the evening. The Astor Center was packed to the gills with bartender that I knew and new ones for me to meet.

I drafted my friend Marc Almendarez to come take photos for me. We've done the "Wonder Twin Powers, activate!" thing before for concerts (Marc: "In the form of a pretty decent photographer!" Me: "In the form of a wannabe concert writer who goes to shows and writes about them for fun every now and then, but hasn't had anything professionally published in that realm!"), so I knew I could trust him to snap some nice photos so I could concentrate on the note taking and writing. It also doesn't hurt that he takes way better pictures than I do, has a nicer camera than I do, and is willing to work for food and drink. Actually, now that I look a bit more closely at the pictures, some of them look like...

...Clement Cocktail Challenge edition baseball cards!! Collect them all!

Alex Day, Death and Co.


Joaquin Simo, Death and Co.


Tarcisio Costa, Alfama


Besides the bartenders participating in the challenging, the judges of the competition included Jim Meehan, Julie Reiner, Tony Abou-Ganim, Jerry Banks and last year's winner, Tad Carducci. There were plenty of familiar faces weaving in and out of the crowd as well.

I spotted Willy Shine and said hi to Aisha Sharpe and Leo DeGroff. At first I thought they were all in attendance, but then Leo told me that the Bar Alcohol Resource was holding classes just next door (quite literally next door, since the classes are being held in the same building), so some people were popping in from there to check things out.

Later when I ran into Kenta Goto from Pegu Club, who I hadn't seen in a while, he said that he too had just come from next door.

Contestants showed a wide range of variety in flavor as well as cocktail styling. Some showed off their bar chef techniques through housemade ingredients. For example, Damon from Death and Co. created a kumquat syrup for his Doctor D's Beach Planter (Rhum Clement X.O., demerara syrup, fresh lime juice, kumquat syrup, herbsaint, Angostura bitters). Kumquat peels were macerated in high-proof demerara rum, and some kumquats were pressed and the juice added to simple syrup. The two were then combined and strained to create the syrup.

Fresh fruit made its appearance in a variety of ways in several cocktails. Abel (Dylan Prime) served the Martinique Passion that had muddled fresh strawberries and white peppercorn as the base. Jacquelyn Leon's (Martinique Cafe) Cava Fresca had muddled Bartlett Pear (and was garnished with a pear petal. The Blackberry Smash by Brain Matthys from Izakaya Ten had the flavor combination of muddled fresh blackberries and shiso leaf. Ethan Kelly from Brandy Library created a surprisingly not so sweet banana cocktail that muddled bananas. Elba Giron from Bar Milano made what seemed to be a rum version of a Bellini using not only Clement's Premiere Canne, but the Creole Shrubb as well to combine with the white peach puree, prosecco and a bit of lime juice.

While some played with fruit, Don Lee created a streamlined, spirits-based cocktail. He explained that he wanted to create something a little different and also used sherry to make the cocktail a bit lighter for the summer.

Something entirely different was Maria Polise's (Sansom Street Oyster House, Philadelphia) Hot Seersucker Fizz. The combination of heavy cream as well as egg white gave a really luxurious mouthfeel to the drink that contrasted sharply with the tart and throat-tingling flavors of Clement Premiere Canne, Creole Shrubb, fresh squeezed lemon juice, fresh jalapenos and a garnish of cinnamon-heavy aromatic bitters.

(You can view more photos from the event by clicking here. Though I just realized I need to help Marc label these photos.)

Gin in teacups

April 15

I didn't drink any gin out of teacups, instead I drank my neat sloe gin out of a highball glass, but there were plenty of teacups available if people were inclined to drink out of them. Why the teacups? Well, it's quite natural that there was tippling out of teacups since Plymouth Gin was holding its Sloe Gin launch party at the Lower East Side speakeasy, The Back Room.

While it was described as a launch party, it's already available in the United Kingdom. Oh, and it won't be available in the United States until May. And by "available," not retail. So only bars and restaurants. At least for now that is, that might change.

Plymouth's sloe gin is made with just sloe berries, water, sugar and gin. Sounds simple enough, but talking to Sean Harrison, Plymouth's master distiller as well as one of the people who determines whether or not a batch of sloe gin is indeed sloe gin, he explained that using fruits makes can make the product's flavor and taste vary from bottle to bottle. And say the weather isn't all that sloe berry friendly one year? Look forward to a very small supply of sloe gin. It even goes through taste testing to make sure a batch is good enough to unleash upon the market.

Mr. Harrison said, that even in UK sloe gin isn't something that's ordered on it's own a lot out in bars. Some of the reason has to do with a lot of artificially flavored varieties of sloe gin souring people's opinion of it. Also as a traditionally homemade liqueur, it sort of had the image of something your mom would sneak a sip of, or it was something you had in the winter around the holidays. To the average drinker out on a night on the town? Not sexy at all.

So the people who want to purchase Plymouth's sloe gin are those who know what they're doing with it, or at least those willing to serve it. Bartender demand is also a large part in why its finally making its way here to the United States.

At the same time it's not like Plymouth's sloe gin is something easy to produce on a very large scale. The sloe berries are ordered from sources in Europe. And these aren't large farms dedicated to cultivating sloe berries with a dedicated contract with Plymouth. Harrison said it's more subsistence, where if Plymouth does not put in the order for sloe berries, the berries wouldn't even be picked by the suppliers.

While this limited availability might help with maintaining a sort of exclusive image for Plymouth's sloe gin, the production truly is limited by the availability of sloe berries and quality.

A pretty good crowd had gathered for the event. I couldn't help but joke that it was taking me ten minutes to leave the place because I kept finding people I recognized. Not that I'm complaining though. I remember it used to scare me to go to events because it'd freak me out to be there on my own just, sort of out there and totally new to everything. I don't have that much anxiety about that anymore...well, maybe a little still, but it's nice to be able to say "Hi" to folks.

I finally got to meet Dale DeGroff, whom I've only spoken to on the phone or through email before. I'm just going to say it: It was so cool to finally meet him. He told me that The Museum of the American Cocktail was gearing up to reopen, so I was pretty excited to hear that. I waved to Don Lee of PDT early in the evening, and spotted Jim Meehan later when I was about to head out. Willy Shine and Aisha Sharpe were also there, both whom I hadn't seen since the summit at Vail. Talking to the always (or at least the times I've seen him) well put together Alex Day, I learned that he's though he's still at Death and Co., he's no longer behind the bar at Tailor, but is now at and Milk and Honey. I even saw Marshall Altier and we both kind of reminded each other that we needed to talk about the drinks at Terroir. I had missed out talking to him about it because I was in Vail at the time. He's not behind the bar at Terroir, and the last time I talked to him he said he was at Insieme, but hearing about Alex's shift in venues also reminds me that I should double check with him about where he's behind the bar, since its been a little while since I've talked to him.

Drinks from the launch party:

Sloe Gin Fizz
Plymouth Gin, Plymouth Sloe Gin, freshly squeezed lemon juice, egg whites, simple syrup, club soda

Sloe Gin Genie
(created by Wayne Collins)
Plymouth Gin, Plymouth Sloe Gin, freshly squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, mint leaves

Gin Wibble
Plymouth Gin, Plymouth Sloe Gin, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, wild blackberry liqueur

Aviation
Plymouth gin, freshly squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, Maraschino liqueur

Booze and high altitudes

March 30

A low-frequency headache continued to thud in the back of my head. An 8 am flight from New York, a layover in Minneapolis/St. Paul, and a bumpy turbulence-happy plane ride later I found found myself in Vail, Colo. for The 2008 Mixology Summit sponsored by Grand Marnier and Navan. I wasn't incapacitated, but the altitude was affecting me in a slow nagging manner that was hard to ignore.

Headache, slight nausea and dry mouth. I already felt hungover even before a single drink had passed between my lips.

"Well, since I already feel like I've been through an all-night bender, I guess there's only one solution," I thought to myself. "I think I'm just going to drink until I conveniently forget how I feel."

And the Mixology Summit was the perfect place to do it. For three days, the Marriott-Vail Mountain Resort was overrun with mixologists who came from all over to demonstrate their drinks, ski, and drink. And you know you're going to be able to get a hold of something to drink with bartenders running around. The event provided a full bar with everything each participating bartender needed, from mescal and absinthe, to oranges and carrots. That didn't stop some people from bringing their own stash just to make sure they had everything they needed.

This year 300 bartenders and mixologists from around the country applied to be part of the summit. Participants were asked to submit four drinks using Grand Marnier or Navan as an ingredient. Out of the 300, 100 made it to Vail where their drinks are recorded for posterity's sake in video and/or photo form and their recipes bound in a large tome.

While the whole deal just sounds like a big excuse to get a bunch of bartenders together and hang out and drink at a picturesque ski resort, they are in fact working while they are here. It's legit. They fill out tax forms and everything.

"This isn't a contest," JC Iglesias, business director for Grand Marnier, told me as he busily fluttered around one suite where the lab was taking place.

I had walked into a consulting session where bartender Myong Park from the Drawing Room in Chicago was painstakingly demonstrating for the videographer how to make an orange peel garnish for one of his drinks.

The winners are actually working since they are consultants for Grand Marnier and Navan. They receive a consultant's fee, and though they have to pay out of their pocket for hotel and air, they can write it off on their taxes. The drinks are then used by Grand Marnier and Navan as part of their cocktail directory. This is useful for many reasons. For Grand Marnier and Navan, it's great to be able to show possible bar and restaurant clients how their products can be used, but also, JC explained that bars will sometimes contact them asking what cocktails can be made using such and such ingredients and the company can provide them with recipes or recipe possibilities using the database they've acquired through the summit.

The labs were a flutter of activity as bartenders were in and out, grabbing at bottles and asking for ingredients. The radio crackled through with requests for ingredients from other rooms and staff members zipped in and out.

Speaking of staff, the people helping with keeping the lab bars stocked and also mixing behind the bars for events included familiar faces such as Jim Meehan and Don Lee. I even got to finally put a face to Phil Ward who I'd only talked about or heard of like some mythic folk character.

The reception in the evening featured several cocktails from Mixology Summit alumni.

I got a chance to talk to Jacques Bezuidenhout who I'd only talked to on the phone previously for the interview I did with him when I was writing my NRN 50 story on cocktails as survivors.

I also got to meet Leo DeGroff again who pointed out we hadn't seen each other since when I visited PDT last year.

"But we talked on the phone, right?" I protested.

"No, no," he corrected me. "It wasn't even on the phone. It was email."

Oh, well, the important thing is we got to meet up. Right?

After several cocktails and generously poured champagne I witnessed people dancing to Skee-Lo. I wondered if that would be indicative of the rest of the three days I'd spend here.

A tiki party with DISCUS

March 19

Two interesting things from the evening:

1. Learning Bar Milano, the New York bar that Tony Abou-Ganim is a partner in, is planning to open April 7.
2. I shook hands with Tony Abou-Ganim.

You kind of geek out about certain things when you're familiar specific industries. I'd always heard about Tony, read about him, but never seen or spoken to him. So it was kind of exciting to actually meet him. If I had to compare this to something else from my life. It was like the time I stood in line for three hours at Forbidden Planet so I could get my comics signed by Grant Morrison and I was having my own little geek excitement moment when it was my turn to have him sign my comics and...OK, maybe that example is a bit hard to relate to as well.

But more on the two points later.

It was a dreary, drizzling gray March evening when I walked into Bikini Bar. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, with the Olympian abbreviation of DISCUS, was holding a Tiki Rum Party. Suddenly, I was in Hawaii. Or at least an indoor sun-soaked beach house facsimile. Of all the bars I've been in, Bikini Bar is hands down the brightest. The tiki party theme was in full swing. There were leis, pupu platters, Hawaiian shirts and of course, plenty of rum and rum cocktails. They even had Blue Hawaii playing in the background on mute.

Taking advantage of the bi-level bar, Don Lee and Jim Meehan of PDT shook up several drinks downstairs, while upstairs, UK bar expert Angus Winchester mixed up another list of beverages.

Bret was already there when I arrived, though he couldn't stay for long since he had to head out to Broadway East. He was talking to Aaron Burns, senior marketing manager of Bacardi Innovations, a division of Bacardi Brands. Aaron chatted with me a bit about Rubi Rey, Bacardi's new single barrel finished white rum.

Aaron said the Rubi Rey has "the image of a vodka with the substance of a scotch." People are willing to pay more for premium vodkas and Bacardi decided that a premium rum would provide an alternative to those consumers who want something on a premium level that's not vodka. Aaron added that people are looking towards trying different premium spirits. Factoid of the evening from Aaron, "Ninety-five percent of the rums sold in the United States is sold for less than $15."

I kept going back and forth between upstairs and downstairs throughout the evening because of the number of people milling about directly in front of the bars made me feel claustrophobic. Also, for some reason I kept finding myself inevitably packed into a corner or awkwardly squeezed between to conversing groups. I felt like Houdini trying to escape out of a tight squeeze every five minutes. At the same time I was entirely too wrapped up in taking notes and peering over the bars to see what was going on while trying to see if I could snap some photos.

Being that mobile there was a lot of people I found myself running into and I mean that pretty much literally. As I sipped Colada Nueva Dos that Jim made downstairs I tried to reign in my short attention span to read some name tags and introduced myself to Martin Doudoroff of CocktailDB.

Upstairs I spotted someone across the room over the sea of heads who I thought looked familiar until I practically smacked myself on the forehead when I realized it was Joaquin. I managed to grab him right before he was leaving to say hi. Unfortunately, I don't do faces in crowds all that well. I wish I was joking at how bad I get with faces sometimes. Sometimes I feel like the journalist version of Adrian Monk. I have all these quirks hat you think would hamper me from doing my job.

At one point in the evening, a gentleman next to me asked how the Bajan Peach Smash that I was drinking tasted. I said it started off sweeter than how I usually like my cocktails, but as the ice melted it mellowed out a bit. I added that I tried the Baron Samedi's Brew and I thought that was kind of interesting.

As he turned to order the Baron Samedi I caught a glimpse of his name tag and performed a distinctly ungraceful double take.

After fully processing the name on the name tag, I thought to myself. "Tony Abou-Ganim just asked me my opinion about a drink."



Before heading out Tony came over to say good bye and I shook his hand and said, "I kind of had a minor 'rock star spotted' type of mini freak out back there."

"Yes, I saw it on your face," Tony said.

Tony was in town because things were gearing up towards the April 7 opening of Bar Milano.

Later when I got to chat a bit with Allan, a bartender working with Tony, who told me that everything seemed to be running on schedule and that Tony himself would probably be behind the bar for a little bit after opening to make sure everything is running smoothly. By the way, Allan also has an ode to nightlife type of project in the works, which you can preview here.

The party was drawing to a close and finally the both bars were clearing out. I went downstairs and plopped down on a stool and Jim introduced me to Don. I declared that Don had one of the coolest business cards I'd seen that evening.

"Hey! You're the one responsible for the foie-gras infused bourbon," I said to Don, remembering that Joaquin told me he scored the bourbon from PDT for his Loosey Goosey.

I asked Don a bit more about fat washing and how he got the idea for the foie-gras bourbon. Originally it was created to be part of a recipe for a sherry contest. Rather than strictly thinking about how to pair sherry with food, Don said that he thought, "Well, why don't we just make the cocktail like a food item?"

Don said he also did a bacon bourbon using the same bacon as the one used at Momofuku, which has a lot of flavorful fat. Don explained how a lot of bacon infusion recipes he's seen going around actually put the meat of the bacon in the spirit, when it's the fat that has the flavor. And they also cite infusion periods that are too long. Don said weeks is a bit of an overkill when a couple of days will do. And to avoid floating globules of fat, some form of fat washing is necessary. The bacon bourbon, for example, is frozen so that the fat solidifies on top for easy extraction.

Don and I ended talking a bit about Korean soju. Don has a grandfather who was a soju distiller, believe it or not. Don joked that the spirits selling skipped a generation. Having grown up in Korea, I referred to the efforts to make soju cocktails. Famously, or maybe infamously depending on your point of view, Lemon Soju and Yakult/Yogurt Soju, for example. I asked him if he'd ever thought about making his own soju cocktail. Don said, he would if there was a soju that met his standards. I mentioned how in Korea there seemed to be a bit of a premium soju boom going on, with more variety. Don said while that was the case, Korea's tumultuous history killed off artisinal soju, which was how it was made originally. As the country rapidly recovered from the Korean War, soju production became very industrialized and quality dropped a bit.

Before leaving I couldn't help but half-jokingly challenge Don to try and make a high-end version of Yakult Soju.

Drinks from the party:

Mai Tai
Bacardi 8
10 Cane rum
Orange Curacao
lime juice
orgeat

Colada Nueva Dos
Tommy Bahama
White Sand
Malibu Coconut
lime juice
coconut sorbet
pineapple juice

Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Cocktail
Mt. Gay Eclipse
lime juice
Cointreau
lime juice
Velvet Falernum

Dark and Stormy
Cruzan Black Strap
lime juice
ginger beer

Bajan Peach Smash
Cruzan Estate Dark
lemon wedges
peach puree
simple syrup
mint leaves

Coconut Grenade
Malibu Coconut
Bacardi 8
passionfruit syrup
Angostura Bitters
lime juice
coconut milk

Baron Samedi's Brew
Myers Dark
orgeat
Honey Cream
lime juice
ginger beer
Angostura Bitters
absinthe

Raiding PDT

Though the very nice Mr. James Meehan told me the winter menu wasn't ready yet, he said he would not mind at all if I stopped by PDT on Wednesday night. I said I'd be there and volunteered almost a little too enthusiastically, "I mean, I can always come back in two weeks!"

Why so keen? Well, today I'm here to officially out myself as the most uncool person to write about beverages ever simply because it wasn't until Wednesday night that I finally visited PDT. Then again, I woke up this morning and decided shiny, magenta stirrup tights were work-appropriate THEN proceeded to coordinate an entire outfit around said clothing item, so really, I should not be taken as a barometer for anything cool or not.

Excuses, excuses, but it really was an unfortunate case of just pushing things back and my inability to set aside a time to make a visit. I simply kept telling myself, "I'll go next week," again and again until it had gotten to this point...I didn't promise that the excuse wouldn't be inexcusable. And with the winter menu looming in the horizon I wanted to stop by and see what was on the menu now as a point of comparison.

I hopped into the phone booth at Crif Dogs on St. Mark's Place feeling a bit like Maxwell Smart. The phone booth is tucked away to the side and is not readily obvious. Besides the fact that the place has been getting a lot of attention, it's really not secret since on a busy night like last night you can clearly hear the customers on the other side of the wall when you stand in front of the phone booth. But I cannot deny that it is a pretty boss feeling to pick up that handset and get buzzed in.

The back wall opened and I was greeted by a hostess who smiled and asked, "Yes?"

"Yes?"? What was that supposed to mean? Was there a password involved? I frantically thought.

"Hi, I'm here to see Jim," I said, the last part of the sentence going up? Like a question? Like how some young women like to talk?

"Sure!" the hostess answered brightly and opened up the "door" to PDT fully. The place was packed and it was 7:30 on a Wednesday night.

When I make visits to bars for work I try to not be intrusive. I kind think that the bartender is doing his thing and has his rhythm going. And more times I find myself mesmerized by what's going on and will crane my neck to see what's being made and instead will interject with a "What is that?" when something catches my eye.

So keeping with my modus operandi, I slid into a corner seat at the bar. However, I didn't take into account stuffed animals mounted here and there and the spot I chose had me accidentally nuzzling the neck of a stuffed deer's head throughout the evening.

Jim started me off with a Desert Rose. Gin infused with dried rose petals, prickly pear puree and lemon juice. The drink was garnished with a similarly-tinted pale pink rose petal.


(Desert Rose)

Did I mention that the place was hopping? I looked around as I sipped my drink and my eyes landed on someone sitting a barstool away from me who I thought looked pretty familiar. I soon realized that I was rudely staring down a member of the cocktail royal family, Leo DeGroff, son of "the king of cocktails" Dale DeGroff. I didn't want to interrupt his conversation with some folks, but I eventually leaned over to introduce myself. I was fuzzily sure we had met before and we tried to piece together where and when it would've been.

I asked for the Paul's Club Cocktail next because I was intrigued by a cocktail that used something made from white wine vinegar. Jim said it was a 19th century type of drink since the "Shrubb" used in the cocktail was a popular method of preserving fruit and was kind of like a soft drink or dessert back then. My curiosity was piqued so got the urge to Google a bit. There's a certain rum-based liqueur with "Shrubb" in its name, but what Jim was talking about is also spelled "shrub." One source I found said that for traditional shrubs, fruit was soaked in vinegar for weeks, then the strained vinegar had water and sugar added to it. Another source I read online described it as the noncarbonated version of a carbonated beverage. It also kept the fruit-based beverage from going bad. Jim said originally shrubs, like Trix, were for kids. Eventually, adults wised up and got around to adding alcohol to it. He noticed cocktails out on the West Coast using gastriques, so he figured he'd make a cocktail with a traditional 19th-century shrub of white wine vinegar, grapes and sugar. The drink is a combination of gin, the aforementioned Concord Shrubb and pastis. The pastis sits as a cloudy layer on top of the cocktail, so it hits you first before the rest of the drink.


(Paul's Club Cocktail)

I couldn't stop studying the menu and Jim set down a Woolworth in front of me. I quickly flipped around to see what was in it. It listed a variety of Asyla scotch, a sherry from Southern Spain, Benedictine and orange bitters. "But I am distinctly tasting honey," I thought to myself. "I don't see honey...oh."

The menu went on to describe the scotch as being "honeyed and smokey." I wasn't familiar with this particular scotch so it was good to confirm that my taste buds weren't just messing with me. This is why you read the menu. Or at least, this is what good menus should do.

I was on a roll, and decided to go for the Vieux Mot next. The gin drink made with St. Germain and lemon was described as "a kinder, gentler version of the more manly Last Word Cocktail: take the 'I hate Gin; challenge, lose, and join us."


(Vieux Mot)

I don't hate gin, but my next thought after reading that was, "Well, OK, now I HAVE to drink the Last Word too." It read like a challenge and I'm kind of like Marty McFly and his aversion of being called "chicken" when it comes to challenges about imbibing. At the time, I wasn't sure if I'd had the Last Word before. It sounded familiar. Going through my old notes now, they tell me that I most definitely did, but it had been a while and I was looking for a refresher.

"Am I going to regret asking for this?" I asked Jim, considering that so far I had gamely downed several drinks made with several types of spirits and liqueurs on an empty stomach. I decided that maybe I should make this one my last. I probably should've taken my cue from some of the other patrons around me who were also ordering hot dogs from Crif Dogs.

Jim said the changes to the menu would be pretty drastic. Not everything would be replaced, but it would be a fair amount. For example, the Vieux Mot would probably be gone since it has more summery flavors.

"So in two weeks?" I asked again about the new menu.

"Probably," Jim answered then added jokingly, "But I'm not in too big of a hurry. It's going to be a long winter."

I'm supposed to be on vacation...

Sept. 17

So after flying half way across the world to take a vacation, I found myself hurrying through a neighborhood I did not know in a country I had never been in so I could track down a cocktail lounge.

The week before I left New York for London I had been talking to Jim Meehan over the phone about the new drink menu at PDT. I had met Jim at the New York Taste of the Nation event where he represented Gramercy Tavern and mixed the Rickshaw, a basil-infused version of a gimlet.

While catching up with how things were going with the new menu, curiosity got the best of me and I asked if he happened to know of any bars that I should check out while in London.

He pointed me towards several leads, and that is how I found myself in front of The Lonsdale the same day I landed in London. I was still frazzled since I arrived in the city at 6 am and was still trying to get used to getting around the city, but with only a few minor snags I made it to meet with head bartender Charles Vexenat.

For some reason, in my head I expected a strait-laced older gentleman impeccably dressed without a hair out of place, but was met with a young man dressed in a hip t-shirt and jeans ensemble with scruffy facial hair and perfectly mussed blond hair.

The Lonsdale opened in 2003 and Charles joined the staff six month after to design the menu. Dedicated to featuring classic cocktails that originated in the United Kingdom, the menu for the award winning cocktail lounge is like a thick textbook about cocktails with its table of contents dividing the drink menu into chapters and brief introduction accompanying the sections. Each drink even comes with a note of origin. For example, Charles started me off with a Mayfair Cocktail, which is made by shaking gin, fresh orange juice and spice-infused apricot brandy. The menu notes that the drink originated in 1921 at the Embassy Club in London and explains the origin of the drink's name.

Some cocktails are grouped under "The Old British Influence," with subsections for drinks that fall under categories such as flips, punches & cups, sours and sangarees. Other sections include contemporary drinks as well as a spirit list and wine list.

Charles explained that there is a rich history of British cocktails coming from numerous influences, whether it those created in during the early 1900s to the 1950s in five-star hotels like the Savoy and Ritz or those created from influences brought back from India and the Caribbean. For instance, there are a lot of gin based drinks, then there's also rum from the British colonies. He continued that people enjoy learning about old cocktails. With the trend of people desiring fresh ingredients, old cocktails using freshly squeeze juices and infused spirits also are desirable.

When Charles moved to London from France in 2000, he began working in bars. He noticed that chefs in the kitchen worked with a system and he said he wondered, "Why couldn't we do that in the bar?" He began working to learn the bar trade in earnest and has under his belt experience working in London bars such as La Floridita and the Lab Bar, and he also worked at Tres Agaves tequila bar in San Francisco.

I mentioned that I particularly enjoyed pisco and pisco sours and Charles whipped one up. Pisco sours have egg whites in recipe, so vigorous shaking is required to reach a correct frothy level. However, Charles explained that while in Peru, he learned that rather than shaking the drink vigorously, locals blended the cocktail with a little ice that gave it a "super frothy head." He continues to travel and learn new things, such as the pisco sour technique he picked up while working with pisco distillers in Peru or working with tequila distillers in Mexico.

I learned a new thing myself that day. I learned about the existence of sangritas, little shots that accompany tequila. Usually tomato-based, the non-alcoholic shot can contain anything to create a mix of sweet, sour and spicy flavors. I couldn't get the exact recipe from the bartender who offered me a sangrita, but Charles said it was her specialty and there was a mention of Worcestershire sauce.

Mayfair cocktail(gin shaken with fresh orange juice, and spice-infused apricot brandy)

Summer gin punch

(fresh raspberries, lemon, ornage and pineapple stirred over ice with gin, maraschino liqueur and soda)