An opportunity to present drink history to the bar community in New Orleans always inspires my creativity. With so many great bartenders and mixologists churning out great cocktails, my efforts are less public than they once were. I’ve eschewed the shotgun approach for the more refined sniper tactics. The Wet Grave is one of those bullseye cocktails that combines everything […]
Month: October 2010
Soda’s Influence on Cocktails of the Big Easy
On April 5th, 2010 I will be flying down to New Orleans to present at the Museum of the American Cocktail. The presentation will be on the influence of soda on cocktails, specifically those of New Orleans fame. Many newspaper articles from the 1800s put New Orleans in second place for soda consumption after Atlanta which shouldn’t come as a […]
Goombay Smash
When you think about the Caribbean, you envision warm beaches, cool breezes and rum. With its increased popularity around the world, rum drinks are being exported from the tropics, and just not the pina colada. There are a number of great rum-based drinks, including the Mojito, Rum Punch and the Pain Killer. The Goombay Smash is a lesser know rum […]
Ramos Gin Fizz Cocktail
On any given day, if I were offered a properly made Ramos Gin Fizz I would never turn it down. This is a drink with a long history, dating back to 1888 and a unique taste and consistency that is hard to find in almost any other drink. The trick to the Ramos Gin Fizz is creating a stable foam, […]
Portland Cocktail Week
Last time, on Art of Drink…..Darcy had spent a night out with Rocky visiting some cool places in Seattle. The following day (Wednesday) was an easy morning followed by a ride with Rocky to Portland, for Portland Cocktail Week and the Distillers Festival. An already fun week was capped off with a top notch group of bartenders and industry people. […]
Bars & Cocktails in Seattle
After Victoria, I headed down to Seattle for basically a day, but I made the best of it with the help of Rocky Yeh (NW Vivant). If anyone knows good food and good drinks it’s Rocky. A group of use took the ferry and then all disappeared for a good night of sleep. After a restful night of sleep I […]
Art of the Cocktail: Day Two
This would be day two of Art of the Cocktail, and it was—not surprisingly—a busy and educational day. Three sessions were in the queue for me, one on Italian cocktails, another on working with oddball ingredients and finally a dash of tiki to finish the day. Of course, this was all followed by a night of drinking fine cocktails and […]
Art of the Cocktail
After an early morning flight to Victoria, I checked into the hotel and got set for the first day of Art of the Cocktail. This event is tiny compared to Tales of the Cocktail or the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, but that’s actually a good thing. There are a limited number of events each day with a much more relaxed pace. […]
Victoria, Seattle and Portland
Travel and drink 2010 continues, this time I’ll be hitting Victoria, British Columbia for Art of the Cocktail (October 16 and 17) then I’ll be heading to Seattle for 2 days followed by 3 in Portland for Drink.Write 2010 and Portland Cocktail Week. For Art of the Cocktail, I’ll be attending a few sessions, like the Oddballs by Ted "Dr. […]
How to Name a Cocktail
Mixing ingredients together is easy, but when you get that magical combination you need a catchy name to tell the world how great it is, but sometimes a unique name can be the hardest part of the cocktail.
Aviation Cocktail
The problem with cocktails, like the Aviation, is that they require ingredients that may be hard to find, well at least if they are to be done properly. Of course, when I make a cocktail, I want it done properly, so I am constantly on the lookout for ingredients that are not in my inventory. When I travel to a […]
Bar Tools & Equipment List: Part II
In the previous article on bartender tools, I looked at the equipment that you will use frequently. In this article, I’ll be looking at items that if you didn’t have, you would survive, but having them will make your life easier and your guests experience more pleasant. If you take bartending as a profession, then giving your customers the best […]