DON’T MISS – JEAN DE LILLET 2009

Open Up Your Palate and Mind to the Pleasures of the Aperitif
By Francine Cohen

Jean De Lillet 2009 vintage

Starting a conversation with “I’m sorry…” is usually the domain of errant boyfriends and husbands, naughty children, and dirty politicians at press conferences. Now, add to that list, very fortunate (yet guilty) editors.

You must know, we mean it. We really are feeling a little guilty about spending an entire “Don’t Miss” column telling you about a product you’ll possibly never taste because it was produced in such a limited quantity that only 1,000 bottles total made it to the US.

But we can’t help it. Why? Because, even if you can’t find it at your favorite bar or track down one of the bottles still on liquor store shelves in NYC and CA you need to know about the existence of the deliciousness that is Jean De Lillet 2009; the vintage aperitif made from grapes ripened in what was a very good year in Bordeaux.

The juice, which was aged in French oak, offers up a lot of the wood on the nose, producing a slightly more bitter product than the traditional Lillet blanc. The extra aging process results in additional variances from its blanc cousin, such as a fuller and richer mouthfeel thanks to extra viscosity. The expected bittersweet and floral notes do come through on this golden hued Jean de Lillet 2009 just as they do on the blanc.

Tempting, right? We hope you’ll find it somewhere. If you can’t, at least you may want to understand why…Lillet’s brand ambassador, Amanda Boccato, comments on the limited supply limited and what to do if Read the full article here »

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May 16th, 2013

LIBATIONS LET FUNDS FLOW TO END HUNGER

Cocktail Lovers Gather to End Childhood Hunger on May 18th
By Francine Cohen

NoKidHungry MCC auction invitation

Proving that the Manhattan Cocktail Classic isn’t just all about feeling good courtesy of good drinks, Small Screen Network presents a Chef’s Table charity cocktail benefit on Saturday, May 18th from 7-10 as they partner with anti-hunger organization Share Our Strength to support their No Kid Hungry campaign which works to end childhood hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day. (www.nokidhungry.org)

With one in five children experiencing food insecurity it’s imperative that funds be raised to put an end to this unacceptable reality. Hopefully Saturday night’s benefit and live auction will put us one step closer to that scenario when we can say that no child in America will go to bed hungry.

Please join Small Screen Network, host mixologist Charlotte Voisey of William Grant & Sons (www.grantusa.com), Chefs Fredrik Berselius of Aska (www.askanyc.com), Anna Boiardi of E! Networks Playing with Fire www.annaboiardi.com/bio.html, Kathy Casey www.kathycasey.com and Linnea Johnsson linnea-johansson.com, along with the ever lively host and auctioneer Billy Harris (www.billyharris.com) for a memorable evening of nibbles, libations and unlimited opportunities to open your pocketbooks liberally for such exclusive prizes Small Screen (www.smallscreennetwork.com) has curated as:

Rare Bottle of Scotch Tun 1401 & Trip to LA for Private Tasting, Dining and Bagpipe Lesson

Your Own Video Series on Small Screen Network

Large Format Dinner For Twelve at David Chang’s Momofuku Ma Peche

Tilit Chef Culinary & Bartending Kit from Cocktail Kingdom Package


Music provided by David Higgins www.davidhigginsband.com

Tickets available here in limited quantity: www.secure.strength.org/site/Ecommerce?store_id=6301&JServSessionIdr004=uix67gcxk2.app205b

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May 14th, 2013

MASTERING THE ULTIMAT SUMMER DRINK

Lemon-Aid Helps End Hunger While Mixologists Vie for Ultimat Lemon-Aid trophy at Manhattan Cocktail Classic

This is a battle you don’t want to miss; a handful of the country’s most thirst-quenching mixologists re-creating their grown up version of lemonade. All in an effort to help end hunger.

Check out this event on May 20th during the 4th Annual Manhattan Cocktail Classic (www.manhattancocktailclassic.com).

Ultimat Vodka Lemon-Aid Stand Kick Off Invite FC with recipes

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May 10th, 2013

GULP LIKE GATSBY

Jazz Age cocktails revitalized thanks to the new film version of The Great Gatsby
By Francine Cohen

F Scott Fitzgerald profile and quote

While Hemingway’s prowess with the pen and his penchant for drink are widely acknowledged and celebrated by fisherman and imbibers alike (for goodness sake, the man has a cocktail named after him- the Papa Doble aka a Hemingway Daiquiri) this prolific author isn’t the only notable one with something to say about living a spirited life.

As attention turns to today’s opening of the Baz Luhrmann screen adaptation of The Great Gatsby it certainly seems evident that if anyone should get credit for popularizing drinking culture it seems most fitting that the honor goes to F. Scott Fitzgerald; the Jazz Age writer who conjured up an aspirational way of life that quietly masked a sense of despondency and unspoken truths behind the glittering allure of vicarious adventures.

Fitzgerald’s Gatsby lived a life that seemed carefree; the ideal escape from the everyday- much the same as release from cube city and a night out with friends represents today.

Always something to look forward to as a reward for hard work, cocktails, and the culture Fitzgerald created around them, have as much relevance today in this improving economy as they did when the Princeton graduate wrote about them decades ago. Stores like Tiffany are celebrating the era with jewelry collections m.tiffany.com/Shopping/Category.aspx?cid=2605758&mcat=148206″ target=”_blank”> and even the venerable clothier Brooks Brothers is involved in this revival. The store’s archives were mined for period appropriate pieces on which the men’s costumes in this new movie were based. www.brooksbrothers.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-brooksbrothers-Site/default/GGSearch-Show?cgid=gatsby&cid=collaboration” target=”_blank”>

It’s likely you’ll find some dapper Brooks Brothers-inspired bartenders and spirits industry leaders flowing through the streets of New Orleans this summer if you head down for Tales of the Cocktail July 17-21st (www.talesofthecocktail.com) as this year’s Spirited Awards are Gatsby themed. Tales founder, Ann Tuennerman, explains, “The Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards production team [Claire Bertin-Lang, Michelle Dunnick, Simon Ford-who is also our host, and I] wanted a fun and relevant theme to add to the excitement of crowning the best of the best in our industry. While some consider Prohibition a dark period in our nation’s history, The Great Gatsby evokes an aura of nostalgia for the time, full of the glamour, music, parties and – of course – drinks. We thought this theme would offer guests an opportunity to return to one of America’s Golden Ages, get jazzed up, enjoy Prohibition Era cocktails from our amazing sponsors and toast the winners of the 2013 Spirited Awards. The book’s author F. Scott Fitzgerald was a notorious imbiber, making the theme doubly appropriate.”

If after seeing this film you are looking for a theme to intrigue your guests next time you host a party or need to draw a crowd on an otherwise quiet night at your bar or restaurant here are some Gatsby(movies.nytimes.com/2013/05/10/movies/the-great-gatsby-interpreted-by-baz-luhrmann.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0) inspired cocktails.

It’s unlikely that Leonardo DiCaprio (or even Robert Redford, the 1974 film’s Jay Gatsby) will show up to help you shake a few, but one can always hope. Just make sure to keep that green light on at the end of the pier to guide him in.

Photo by Ken Goodman Photography

Photo by Ken Goodman Photography

TUXEDO REDUX
By James Menite

1 1/2oz. Bootlegger 21 Vodka
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth
1/3 Maraschino Liqueur
Dash of Absinthe
Dash of Regan’s Orange Bitters
Lemon twist for garnish

Method: Shake all ingredients over ice, strain into rocks glass. Add
bitters and lemon twist.

Menite created this drink using Prohibition Distillery’s Bootlegger 21 Vodka for fundraiser Taste of the Nation which works to end childhood hunger via its NoKidHungry campaign (www.nokidhungry.org). The distillery, which is open to the public for tours and liquor purchase, is located in the town of Roscoe, NY (population- approx. 608), well known as the country’s favorite fly-fishing destination. Visit the intersection of Fitzgerald and Hemingway. www.roscoeny.com and www.prohibitiondistillery.com.
Read the full article here »

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May 10th, 2013

JULEP JUBILATION

>Kentucky Derby Classic Cocktail -the Mint Julep- Can Star Every Day
By Francine Cohen

Creole Julep Tales of the Cocktail Official Cocktail 2009

Less than six hours from now those colts, geldings, and fillies will be bursting through the gate for the ride of their lives. As their owners and millions of viewers around the world, including those fortunate enough to get a ticket to be within spitting distance of the Winners Circle at Churchill Downs, watch the two most exciting minutes in sports, nothing pairs better with this experience than the classic Southern drink, the Mint Julep.

A simple mix of bourbon, cracked ice, sugar and mint, this refreshing drink has its heyday every year on the first Saturday in May. Interestingly enough, while it is best known for being the official drink of the Derby, Chris Morris, Master Distiller for Woodford Reserve Bourbon and American spirits historian notes, “The julep has its roots, surprisingly, in the Arab world. Centuries ago, there was an Arabic drink called julab, made with water and rose petals. The beverage had a delicate and refreshing scent that people thought would instantly enhance the quality of their lives.” When the julab was introduced to the Mediterranean region, the native population replaced the rose petals with mint, a plant indigenous to the area. The mint julep, as it was now called, grew in popularity throughout Europe.”

He continues, “The biggest change for the julep was the addition of American whiskey to the recipe. The flavorful American whiskey perfectly complemented the mint julep. The julep was quickly transformed into a mixture of water, sugar, mint leaves, and good American whiskey.”

According to culinary history, the drink’s popularity rose amongst those farmers rising at dawn on their farms in the eastern and southeastern United States. Along with the farmers getting up early, so too did the horse trainers who would mix up a julep the same way we reach for our coffee press or push that coffeemaker button.

“You see, the julep was originally a morning drink. It was the spirited equivalent of coffee in today’s society. Just the drink needed to get the morning started and the ultimate picker-upper,” explains Morris.

Through the years, the drink started showing up at regional horse races, where the mint julep made the transition from a morning drink to a “sipping” cocktail.

In keeping with tradition, Woodford Reserve®, as the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby®, serves up over 140,000 juleps for horse race aficionados to sip at Churchill Downs between Oaks and Derby Day. In honor of the 89th year that the Kentucky Derby winner has been awarded the gold trophy just 89 of these discerning drinkers will be enjoying their juleps brushed with the Midas touch.

Celebrating the gold standard that Woodford Reserve has set by winning gold medals at every major spirits competition, Woodford presents the world’s most exclusive julep cup – the Woodford Reserve $1,000 Mint Julep Cup. Each features exclusive gold-influenced ingredients and comes with a unique Golden Opportunity auction experience that puts the winning bidder in the Winner’s Circle on Kentucky Derby Day. Proceeds will benefit Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center.

The cups were available for purchase online from April 15-May 2 at www.woodfordreservemintjulep.com. 79 Distinguished Cups were available for $1,000 each featuring a hand-engraved Thoroughbred and rider from atop the Kentucky Derby gold trophy and a gold-plated garland of roses. Available for auction with starting bids of $2,000, 9 Legendary Cups display a gold-plated Thoroughbred and rider medallion with brilliant cut diamonds. One Legendary Cup was also included in the Golden Opportunity auction experience package with an opening bid of $5,000. The winning bidder will present the trophy for the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby Day and also enjoy a private tour and dinner at Woodford Reserve Distillery plus a private tour of Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center with a Hall of Fame jockey.

Owners of the Woodford Reserve $1,000 Mint Julep Cup will enjoy their mint julep today featuring a unique set of gold-inspired ingredients: ice made of gold-filtered mineral water sourced from the easternmost reaches of Nova Scotia; mint leaves dusted with gold and grown in Woodford County, Ky.; Woodford Gold sorghum from Woodford County, Ky.; and gold medal-winning Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select bourbon. The 89 cups will be presented only on Kentucky Derby Day, May 4, 2013.

But this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy an icy cold julep this evening, or any day, just because you don’t have the golden cup into which to pour it or a horse in the race; make yourself a julep at any time with Woodford’s Kentucky Derby commemorative bottle and it’ll be just like you were there. Riding for the roses.

Mint Julep
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• Sprigs of fresh mint
• Crushed ice
• 2 oz. bourbon (your favorite brand)
• Silver Julep Cups

Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with six or eight sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate overnight. Make one julep at a time by filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon mint syrup and two ounces of bourbon. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

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May 4th, 2013

SURELY YOU KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT SHERRY

COPA JEREZ 2013 Deadline Looms – Entries due 5/7/13

Every two years, the bodegas of Jerez, Spain, join together to host the International Copa Jerez Competition, where chef and sommelier teams representing eight nations compete to see who can create the perfect food and Sherry matches.

Submissions are now being accepted from chef and sommelier teams nationwide to earn the right to represent the USA at the International Competition in Jerez, Spain, in October of 2013!

Now in its fifth year, Copa Jerez has become a world-renowned event that crowns the chef / sommelier team who create the best food and Sherry pairings. The competition attracts the best chefs and sommeliers from Spain, the United Kingdom, Holland, Germany, the United States, Denmark, Belgium, and Japan, with each participating country sending their national team to compete at the 5th International Copa Jerez Competition in October of this year.

Participants must be a chef/sommelier team from a working restaurant, who are challenged to create the perfect food and Sherry match for each of three courses — a starter, main course, and dessert. Teams may select any style of Sherry to match with each course, but no more than two wines can be from a single bodega. To enter, teams must submit the name of each dish with a detailed recipe, the specific paired wine, and an in-depth explanation for why the pairing was selected.

During the live finals, an elite judging panel with experience and expertise in Sherry, wine pairing, and the culinary arts, will evaluate the dishes based on presentation, marriage of Sherry and food, and the most articulate description and knowledgeable explanation of the match. Past judges have included Juan Mari Arzak, Juli Soler, Jancis Robinson, MW, Pontus Elofsson, Jordi Roca, Heston Blumenthal, and our own Julian Serrano, Michael Franz, and Doug Frost MS, MW.

Past sommelier /chef teams from the USA, who have competed at the highest level and made us all very proud, include: Seamus Mullen and Roger Kugler of New York, Andy Nusser and Nancy Selzer of New York, Tim Fitzgerald and Curt Hermann from Tulsa, and last year’s US National competition winners and international representatives, from the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Bertrand Bouquin and Tim Baldwin.

ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED at winegeek@akawinegeek.com by NO LATER THAN MAY 7th, 2013.

For more information about the competition and for the complete rules and regulations please contact Kate Burgess at kate@akawinegeek.com.

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May 4th, 2013

ROCKS STARS: PROFILES IN CUBAGE – DAVID PICKERELL

David Pickerell. The Accidental Distiller?
By David Ransom

David Pickerill headshot with cowboy hat and Hillrock in hand

“Never even thought about it.” That’s the answer you might get from David Pickerell, if you ask if he always dreamed of making whiskey. Interesting to hear, no doubt, especially from the mouth of one of the industry’s greatest icons and most prolific distillers, who, probably more than anyone alive, has helped to shape the face of modern American whiskey, particularly craft distilled whiskey, and make it what it is today.

Pickerell is probably most recognized for having been the Master Distiller at Makers Mark for 14 years, a job he backed into after Makers Mark owner Bill Samuels saw his promise and his meticulous attention to detail, and asked if he’d take the job. Of course, that appointment didn’t come out of the blue, Pickerell spent years setting himself up for it, he just may not have realized that distilling whiskey would be the outcome of his plan.

Born in Fairborn, Ohio to a middle class family that “didn’t have all that much,” Pickerell showed a talent for analytical thinking at an early age. “From the age of five, my obsession was anything chemistry,” he says. By high school, he was at the top of his class in math and chemistry (two cornerstones of distilling), and also in football, making the All-State team. This led to a scholarship to attend West Point Military Academy, at which he earned a BS in Chemistry upon graduating in 1978. Post-graduation, he spent another 5 years in the Army as a cavalry officer, before being asked by his alma mater if he’d like to teach. Accepting, Pickerell attended the University of Kentucky at Louisville (while there, possibly drinking some bourbon from nearby Bardstown while studying, thereby seeding his interest in the chemical process of distillation?) before returning to West Point as a professor. Eventually, Pickerell realized that a career in the military was not for him, and thankful for all the Army had given him, he left the service to make his own way in the private sector.

One of his mentors at Louisville had been Dr Charlie Plank, a professor in the chemistry department who taught thermodynamics, the branch of physical science that deals with the relations between heat and other forms of energy (thermodynamics play a key role in the distillation process). Upon leaving West Point, Pickerell touched base with Plank and through inquiries based on his advice, started working on consulting projects around the world building stills in distilleries for large companies like Read the full article here »

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May 1st, 2013

WHO CARES IF YOU “LIKE” ME

Taking the focus from being liked to being used
By Francine Cohen

Pinas in oven tight shot

The other night I found myself at the bar at Employees Only. The purpose was tri-fold; I needed to taste the entire range of spirits from the newly launched 86 Company as a story about them was pending, I hadn’t seen Dev Johnson in far too long and a semi-proper catch up was in order, and my aunt was visiting from out of town and it had been even longer since I’d seen her and had any sort of quality conversation that wasn’t overshadowed by the entire family sitting around a Thanksgiving dinner table and engaged in less intimate chatter.

So, at 6:00 PM on the nose we entered the hushed tones of EO (www.employeesonlynyc.com). Having been there myriad times, but only one other when it was this empty, it was a whole other place but one that I imagined filled with people. People coming from after work around the corner with their friends in accounting, neighbors popping in on their way home, and the expected industry folks paying homage to the bar for reasons as varied as just wanting a good cocktail to hoping to ply their wares and/or support an account.

In the quiet of the first hour my aunt and I were able to catch up, Dev and I reminisced a bit, and Vincent Vitek made us laugh. Suddenly, right next to me sat three Mexican gentlemen. There why? To pay homage to the institution known as EO and graciously introduce their line of mezcals. Interesting fellows, all, and, as happens in bars, our two parties melded and we five fell into conversation and discovered we had a lot to talk about that went well beyond the booze business (which is refreshing); and, of course, their Wahaka mezcal came out for me to taste (www.wahakamezcal.com).

Far different from the mezcal I usually order, both the ones I tasted last night opened up a whole new appreciation for a different kind of terroir association. The first immediately hit me as having a mustiness to it; as if the smoke flavor that generally gets imparted during production had been muffled by cotton wool. Not offensive, just that that was my gut reaction. One person mentioned above found it oily, another liked it. The second mezcal I tried made me feel as if the spirit were very vertical. Not just a long finish, a descriptor which to me means it lingers and coats the inside of your cheeks, but actually as if there was a very directed column of mezcal running down the middle of my tongue and picking up those spicier flavor receptors along the way.

Interesting to discover later that the second mezcal was made from a wild agave which, unlike the Weber Blue with which we make tequila, the wild agave harvested for this mezcal was tall and had a trunk. Hence the vertical? Who knows! I certainly can’t claim to be an all knowing botanist who would have immediately recognized that the origins of this liquor came from a taller standing plant and that’s why it resonated “vertical”; I just think that’s how it made me feel and so that’s what came out of my mouth when asked.

When Dev asked what I thought about the mezcals my immediate and honest reaction was to say that there were elements of it I liked and elements of it I didn’t. I wasn’t jumping up and down and raving about how wonderful they were. It wasn’t that I DIDN’T enjoy them, but I wasn’t going to unequivocally give these spirits I’d just tasted a whole hearted two thumbs up and a big snap. But you know what? That’s okay.

I felt the same way about the vodka, gin, rum and tequila I tasted from the 86 Company’s line (www.86co.com). They make things I would drink on its own (thank you Cana Brava) and things I’d like to sip mixed into a cocktail. But that’s just my opinion; though it has some validity given that the 86 Co. designed their spirits for cocktails. The more I taste the more I believe that it’s not so important whether or not I “like” it. This is not a popularity test. For me, despite the fact that I don’t run a bar, it’s the application that is important. Remembering that each spirit can be a tool. And that you need lots of tools in your tool belt to build a house. One of them may be the 86 Company’s products, or you might reach for Wahaka mezcals. Some you may like to use, others you have no use for at all. Chefs like Rick Bayless (www.rickbayless.com/restaurants) and Jose Andres (www.oyamel.com) who both carry Wahaka in their restaurant bars understand this. So do Angelo Sosa and his bar manager Josh Wortman over at Anejo (www.anejonyc.com). Like every ingredient they bring into the kitchen they understand that spirit doesn’t fit into every drink or every bar.

Appreciating how they can is what sets you apart from the pack who just wants to be “liked.”

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April 20th, 2013

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