One of the crown jewels in the cocktail world is the Margarita. Like some of the classic French and Italian recipes every chef should know, the Margarita is something that every bartender knows. Since it’s such a well-known, and simple, cocktail you’d think getting a decent Margarita would be easy. Well, that assumption would be wrong. The problems stem from

While I was thinking about what to write, I glanced up and notices my collection of Food & Drink magazines from the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO). I decided somewhere in one of those magazines there must be something that would inspire me to write. The first issue I pulled out was from the summer of 2004 and had

Having a good name for a cocktail is essential, especially if you want to get it into a bar or publication. Part of the fun, if you can call it that, is creating a name with a meaning. The problem with that is people just don’t get the connections and then the name gets lost to time.Well, the Internet has

Some days I like an ice cold beer. It is easy to make, especially when it is a twist top. Most of the beer I stock is microbrew because I like flavour. After I had come home today, I went to the fridge and popped the top off of a J.R. Brickman Pilsner and headed to the computer to read

This drink was wholly inspired by aged whisky. When creating a new drink, the inspiration should come from something, and not just the random mixing of fruit juices, which is happening too much lately. Whisky can be intimidating to a new drinker, partially because they usually buy the cheapest stuff and secondly because the modern palate is geared towards sweet,

Bullets and grenades was what I was thinking when I whipped up this cocktail. As samples arrive on my desk, they sometimes gather into little groups. The Bulleit Bourbon and Zwack bitters were hanging out, which looked like they were plotting a coup or something. For those in the dark, Zwack is a Hungarian company that makes a range of

Once a proprietary “medicine” once sold as “Seabury’s Union Bitters” that would be found “grateful and comforting” in all cases where manhood needs to be restored, or where men have lost their self-respect and interest in each other’s welfare. This is pretty typical marketing for these types of “medicine” in the 1800s. Some historical documents claim it was to be

Historically referred to as stomachic or aromatic wines, Turin type vermouth is typically a sweet or sweetened wine with a high alcohol level. The alcohol content should be 42° underproof. Grape based wines are traditional, but fruit wine is also allowed if it is declared. The sugar should be dissolved in wine as the wine itself must not be diluted.

Possibly of Canadian origin from the 1875 to 1885 time period. Royal Bitters Recipe: Fennel 6 oz Coriander 6 oz Cloves 6 oz Cassia Cinnamon 6 oz Bitter Orange Peel 1¼ lbs Lemon Peel 1¼ lbs Calisaya Bark 1½ lbs Peppermint Leaves 2 lbs Balm Leaves 2½ lbs Instructions To make Ivan Bitters take 60 ml (2 oz) of the bitter

A Latvian specialty bitter / liqueur. It is considered to be a good cold remedy and is used to treat digestive problems. Riga Balsam Recipe: Oil of Mustard Seed 1 tsp Oil of Thyme, red 2 oz Oil of Marjoram 1 oz Oil of Lovage 2 oz Lemon Oil 2 oz Oil of Elecampane 8 oz Saffron Tincture 2 oz Instructions Take 1