Consulting

(Cover photo courtesy of Ping Pong Dim Bar - revamp.com)

If you ever walked in to an American bar and asked for an Asian cocktail you would probably get a blank stare from the bartender. It’s a pretty vague request, but so is asking for an “American” cocktail. If you say that you would like a cocktail that uses Asian ingredients or flavors, such as ginger, jasmine, or lychee, you may experience the same result.

There are always, and will always be debates over what is the best tasting vodka? what is the best value vodka? Does it matter if a vodka is cheap versus expensive? Is the quality that much different between expensive and cheap vodka?

I realize that many of you have been craving a post on just cocktails, so here it is for your enjoyment...Plus, it is "World Cocktail Week" so what better way to celebrate cocktails. There are some truly fabulous cocktails that are perfect for this time of year - summer...The latest craze are 'muddled' cocktails with the most famous being the "Mint Julep" and "Mojito", but there is so much more that can be made...What this means is that you taking a fruit, veggies, herb or spice and mashing it in the glass to release the oils, juice, and aroma with 'muddler' before preparing the cocktail.

As a follow-up to my last post depicting famous writers drinking their favorite concoctions, I switch gears a bit by presenting you with some pop culture and the marriage between movies and those infamous cocktails. We all love a good movie, and in my case, especially ones that feature classic or modern cocktails. You don’t have to be a cocktail aficionado to appreciate the dramatic effect they play on the big screen. I can still remember many of the movie scenes below and the cocktails featured in them.

The best cure for writer’s block? A stiff drink. Maybe they're on to something here. I just may have to try their technique. Who would have thought that the writing profession and cocktails would go together?

Booze and literature have long had a close relationship - many of the world’s most famous authors were as good at drinking as they were at writing. And the drinks they liked to imbibe made such a strong impression that Raymond Chandler, F. Scott Fitzgerald and many more immortalized a number of classic cocktails in their novels.

Like a thoroughbred thundering down the track, the Kentucky Derby is just around the corner. So dig out your best Derby hat and check out this little history lesson on the Kentucky Derby and  the infamous, Mint Julep. No matter which horse you’re rooting for, you’ll feel like a winner.

More than two hundred years ago, somewhere in North America, cognac, peach brandy or un-aged whiskey was mixed with sugar and mint, and served on a mound of snowy ice for the first time. The resulting Mint Julep was a chilly masterpiece that conquered the sweltering dog days of summer.

Tequila has come a long way from the days when every college kid did a shot of Cuervo or was the spring breaker’s drink of choice. It is now one of the favorite spirits used by top mixologists around the country. The selection of brands and premium brands has tripled in the last decade. But there are still so many misconceptions about this mysterious liquor.  So with Cinco de Mayo just a week away, I decided to set the record straight with facts and not-so-facts of the agave-based spirit. Salud!

There’s a worm in the bottle.

Bars bring the best and, unfortunately, the worst out of people. While most nights are fun and entertaining for both patrons and staff, we have all seen different kinds of bad behavior over the years—from the rude and obnoxious to just plain scary.

So in an effort to help make everybody’s experience a little bit better, I’ve put together a cheat sheet of common things you should never do in a bar. (Not that you would ever dream of doing any of these things.) We hope it helps!

Don’t be a bad tipper.

This is a repeat post from the Fall in case you missed it...Many great spring cocktails utilize these spirit and liqueur infusions by taking advantage of the many fresh ingredients available at the peak of the spring season. I will start out with fruit infusions that are perfect right now. Keep in mind that some of these fruits are not in season now, but will be in the summer and fall. It is not an exhaustive list, but the more common fruit infusions are listed.

This post, in conjunction with Chilled Magazine, reveals all those secret words. jargon, or codes, if you will, that bartenders, sommeliers, beer sommeliers, and distillers use in speaking alcohol. Whether you're a connoisseur or boozehound or not, these are the words you should know to sound intelligent and savvy when you're mixing or ordering drinks.

1. ABV