Bitters Make it Better, part III

As I’ve been wont to say on numerous occasions, delightful flavor combinations can often be found in the culinary cultures of one's neighbors - even if said neighbors tend to live several thousand miles away on a different continent. The flavors enjoyed in the farther reaches of the planet (or, depending on your locale, right down the street), which were so coveted by our ancestors, are often culinary delights to even the most jaded palette and in many instances can create truly unique experiences in the works of both the kitchen and bar...

Such is certainly the case with the spice blend(s) known as Ras el Hanout, which typically hail from the distant (to me at least) shores of Morocco in North Africa. Literally-translated as “head (sometimes “top”) of the shop”, the term is used to describe a combination of (the best) spices whose composition - in modern times as well in days long past - was the provenance of its compounder.

Much like Curry or Garam Masala, the actual ingredients of a given Ras el Hanout are many – some blends are purported to contain as many as eighty (!) ingredients – with no standard ratio of preparation and therefore can vary widely based on the recipe of the shop, business or individual who blended them. Typical additions include spices common to the region (and its cuisine) such as Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cumin, Coriander, Mace, Nutmeg and various types of Peppercorns; though more unusual flavorings also crop up regularly. Certain examples of the blends’ are formulated according to function. “Standardized” (by modern commercial spice companies) recipes sold under the name (often including the above ingredients alongside Paprika & Turmeric) are commonly used on poultry or meats.

Yet as the blend varies, so do its potential uses. There exists varieties for pastries or other confections, others utilized in flavoring couscous, rice or bulgur and dozens of others which accommodate culinary applications as widely-varied as the ingredients that make up a Ras el Hanout. It is to one of these blends – a mysteriously-complex and spicy combination of fourteen ingredients – that we turn our attention to today.

However, it is in the application of this mixture (which as a dried spice is ordinarily used for flavoring coffee) that I think you will find the most interest. For you see, good reader, today we’re going to make a new (and positively delightful) variety of bitters with it…

Ras el Hanout Kahwa bitters
8x green Cardamom pods, crushed
6x Cloves, whole
2x Allspice berries, cracked
1x Nutmeg, cracked
1” piece: Canella Cinnamon, crushed
1½ Tsp. Sesame seeds, whole
½ Tsp. Aniseed, whole
½ Tsp. Fennel seeds, whole
½ Tsp white Peppercorns, cracked
---
10 oz. 151° Demerara Rum (El Dorado)
4 oz. Bonded Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
4x Rosehips, whole
3x pieces: Galingale, thinly-sliced
1x piece: Ginger, thinly-sliced
2x blades: Mace
Prepare the ingredients as specified; Ginger & Galingale should be sliced to the approximate dimensions of a half-dollar. Combine the first nine ingredients in a non-reactive pan & toast over low heat until fragrant (~1 min). Place toasted ingredients in an airtight container; add the remaining six ingredients & shake very well. Infuse for eight days, shaking occasionally, before straining by preferred method (cheesecloth, chinois, &c). Reserve this infused liquid (setting ½ oz. aside) and ‘used’ spices in separate containers.
---
3½ oz. Water
½ oz. Infused liquid (↑)
6x Espresso beans, cracked
⅛ Tsp. Gum Arabic powder
⅛ Tsp. Quassia bark
Combine ingredients in a small non-reactive saucepan. Bring water to a light simmer – do not boil - over low-medium heat, stirring vigorously to dissolve the Gum. Continue to simmer for two minutes then remove from heat & pour over the reserved ‘used’ spices while hot. Infuse this mixture for three days before fine-straining by preferred method (cheesecloth, chinois, &c). Combine this infusion with the remaining reserved liquid, shake well and rest for a final three days. Fine-strain by preferred method, as necessary, until liquid remains clear & bottle.

The resulting bitters match up very well (obviously) with any beverage, hot or cold which contains coffee. As such, the addition of a few dashes to any of the classic hot coffee drinks (the Café Diablere, Nero, or Brûlot, for example) adds a mysterious bittersweet spiciness which is not to be missed.

In other applications, these bitters mix quite well with a number of ‘brown’ or aged spirits; most notably spicier Ryes and mellow Cognacs. A Manhattan with equal dashes of these and Angostura Orange is a delightfully-unique twist, as is a Rum Old-Fashioned treated in the same way. Likewise, they show serious promise when mixed with equally-complex modifiers such as Carpano Antica Formula, Benedictine and certain (sweeter) potable bitters like Amaro Nonino. Hell, after a little experimentation I found two dashes of them even improves upon a pair of cream drinks – specifically a Brandy Alexander and White Russian.

Even if you don’t want to compound this formula as a bitters, I might recommend adding the Gum Arabic to the other dry spices (nixing the liquids, Quassia & Esspresso beans from the blend) and running the whole mix through a spice or coffee grinder until finely-powdered. Once sieved, the resulting spice blend makes for a truly incredible cup of coffee – merely add a ¼ teaspoon to every ½ cup of your favorite ground beans prior to brewing it…


Cheers & Enjoy!

A Bit of Bitter, From...Jersey?

Well, not exactly - bear with me a moment. Though the drinks listed in this article were originated some time ago during a sponsored Thursday Drink Night at the Mixoloseum, the ingredient in question doesn't really have anything to do with New Jersey, but more (or less) on that in a few breaths...

Said TDN was graciously sponsored by a cocktailian favorite; an ingredient which can be a bit intimidating to those unfamiliar (hell, even to those initiated) with its particular charms: the mavelously-complex amaro called Fernet Branca. At once medicinal, sharply herbal, tangy and bittersweet, Fernet can be a difficult ingredient to work with - only a handful of cocktails utilize it in any sizeable quantity and it is most often taken straight, typically applied (quite successfully) as a digestivo.

Yet the complexity and breadth of flavors present in this Italian spirit can be quite appealing, in a bewitching sort of way, despite its propensity to bull through more delicate flavors. As with similarly-rambunctious ingredients, the challenge to working with Fernet successfully lies in finding equally strong flavors, or combinations of flavors which play along with, hightlight, or merely ones which refuse to be pushed aside, to combine it with. Ginger, for example, has long been an accompaniment to Fernet, such as in the San Francisco tradition of chasing a shot of the spirit with strong Ginger Ale. Therefore, in my (winning!) TDN entry I thought to give such a well-proven combination - with a few small twists - a shot.

Give this libation (or any of the equally-excellent concoctions my colleagues produced that evening) a try & experience Fernet Branca's intriguing flavor profile for yourself. And if a full half-ounce of Fernet has you a little suspicious, feel free to read on for a more subtle (& Jersey-related; or not) application of the spirit - and hopefully you'll come around eventually (©):

Bully Boy
1 oz. Bourbon (Bulleit)
½ oz. Fernet Branca
½ oz. Domaine de Canton Ginger liqueur
½ oz. fresh Lemon juice
2 Tsp. Raw Simple syrup
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass & garnish with a twist of fresh Lemon.

One of the most noted (and frankly, the simplest) applications of Fernet is its use as a substitution for an aromatic (or other non-potable) bitters such as Angostura, rather than as a primary ingredient - as above - of a cocktail. For example, when used thusly a few liberal dashes of Fernet in a Bourbon Manhattan makes for a lovely drink called a Franciulli Cocktail. With such a role well-established, I reasoned to try out Fernet in a simple, yet classic, libation of which I am inordinately fond - the Jersey Cocktail. Told you I'd get there, if eventually...

In it's original form, this little-known beverage hails from the earliest days of the cocktail - when producers and purveyors of alcohol (& just about everything else) conducted their business unhindered by such trifles as safe food & drug laws, or even ingredient or labeling legislation. Champagne was, naturally, imported from France and the demand for it was quite prolific throughout the United States. The American thirst for the stuff was so strong, that quantities of the sparkling wine imbibed outstripped the quantities which were imported to these shores by a great deal...

So what ingenious forgeries were foisted upon the tippling populace when a Champagne Cocktail was called for? To quote David Wondrich's Imbibe!, the unlucky were served, "processed beet juice" and the 'lucky' would generally receive, "Garden State hard cider, pressurized with CO₂ (preferably without too much residual carbonic acid) [...] in a Frenchy-looking bottle." As such counterfeiting was not necessarily advertised to the clientele, this libation seldom appears in any source other than bartender's guides. Yet it is in the first of these - Jerry Thomas' 1862 How to Mix Drinks - that the drink is addressed with a measure of honesty towards its components. To further quote Mr. Wondrich, "let that be its recommendation" and it is indeed, a very good one.

Ironically, the hard Cider I tend to use most in this application actually hails from France (Normandy) and possesses a very Champagne-like dryness which is quite agreeable here - but if your only option is a sweeter style, merely reduce the sugar by a touch. When prepared (almost exactly as a Champagne Cocktail) with Angostura bitters, it is quite nice; with homemade Boker's, even better; but with Fernet in place of these, it shines brighter than a counterfeiter's smile:

(New) Jersey Cocktail
1x Sugar cube (or 1 generous Tsp. of Sugar)
3-4 dashes: Fernet Branca
Brut hard Apple Cider
Douse the sugar cube with the Fernet Branca. Fill a champagne flute with well-chilled hard Cider & gently drop the sugar cube into the glass. Gently stir, garnish with a twist of fresh Orange & enjoy.

Cheers & Enjoy!

**In the interest of full disclosure, samples of Fernet Branca were provided for this event. They were, in fact, provided so far in advance of said event, that I blew through my sample & had to purchase a new bottle in order to participate...

(Bols +) Bitters Makes it Better, part III

...they really do (and frankly, always have) from the birth of the spirited drink called "cocktail" onward into the present day. This was the essential theme of a recent seminar; one of four being organized by the fantastic folks of Lucas Bols Genever in conjunction with Stephan Berg of The Bitter Truth. In its' pre-opening hours, Julie Reiner's beautiful Clover Club played host to several dozen of the NY/Metro area's finest spirits and cocktail professionals (so why they let me in I will never guess).

To give you some rough idea, cocktail authorities like Dale DeGroff & David Wondrich, Mud Puddle Book's Greg Boehm (with charming assistant Christina in-tow), USBG-NY President Jonathan Pogash and quality bartenders like Giuseppe Gonzalez, Jim Meehan, Joaquin Simo, Thomas Waugh, Alex Day & Don Lee rubbed shoulders and pressed palms with all manner of industry folks; including bloggers like fellow CSOWG member Erik Ellestad, Paul Zablocki, Chantal Martineau and little old me. They even invited the media!

Upon arrival, the attendees were met with a lovely spread of nibbles paired with a classic Brandy Cocktail, expertly-prepared by Brian Miller (whose presence rounded out the appearance of nearly all of Death & Co.'s barstaff) and the Clover Club staff. Throughout the event, both were hard at work; operating at an efficient, if understandably-frantic, pace from the establishment's rear bar. Bols representatives Debbie Rizzo and Tal Nadari were great sports, working the room with ease, welcoming each attendee (even me) with enthusiastic smiles and performing (in my case, much-appreciated) introductions all-around. After a bit of mingling and conversation, the presentation began, with Mr. Nadari taking the stage to introduce the topic: the influence of bitters in classic cocktails, and the eminently-qualified speaker, Stephan Berg...

The topic covered a great deal of fascinating history, beginning with a brief explanation of just what bitters are before delving into their early development and almost-universal use as cure-all's, medicines & tonics in the days where medical care was less than reliable. It turns out, thousands of regional types of bitters - often produced, as Mr. Berg stated, by 'local grannies' - abounded, with the better examples becoming gradually-popularized by apothecary shops. Amusingly, many of these establishments often purchased bitters unlabeled & then applied their own descriptors to. Such commercialized efforts, in conjunction with the 19th century spread of saloons, gave rise to proprietary brands. Names like Siegert's (what would become, following protracted litigation, Angostura), Hostetter's & Drake's Plantation bitters (among dozens, if not hundreds, of others) started becoming quite popular as a result.

As the presentation continued, it covered the growth (and eventual decline) of the saloon, and with it the advent of the cocktail - which relied on various kinds of bitters to give the spirited beverage distinction from other drinks of the period. Emphasis was placed on the work of Jerry Thomas, and the "Golden Age" of the cocktail which it ushered in. Throughout, David Wondrich graciously supplied additional tidbits of information to supliment Mr. Berg's lecture or confirm a point made by the same.

To...punctuate the discussion, every few slides or so, a fresh cocktail of classical origin would be skillfully-prepared & distributed to the audience. In total nine (!) libations were paradaded forth - a feat which made for quite a merry (if somewhat cluttered) bar. A few of the notables among these included selections culled from J. Thomas, Harry Johnson, William Boothby & William Schmidt, like these little beauties (from the last & first authors, respectivly):

While Gin was not the base for every cocktail served, several points arose in the presentation about many of the classic recipes one finds in the old guides & books. In many cases when "Gin" is specified, it is actually "Holland Gin" or the Genever style which is meant, rather than the more modernly-prefered Dry/London Dry styles. In fact, circa 1850 (right around the time of many of these recipes' creation), quantities of imported Genever gins outnumbered those of Dry styles almost 300 to 1! When sampling cocktails from such texts utilizing the later style, results (as they were for me in several cases) are disappointing, or at least a question of "what's so great about this"? However, when a Genever style is used in cocktail recipes of the era, you can really get a feel for the incredible genius many of the great bartenders of old clearly posessed.

On a similarly-spirited note, observe the presence of Curacao in so many of the earliest cocktails - always in very small quantities & paired with an aromatic bitters like Boker's. Yet this practice fades somewhat around the same time Orange bitters (such as the 1883 brand L. Jung & Wulff) began appearing in cocktail recipes. The reasoning for this is simple - prior to approximately 1880, there was no such thing as an Orange bitters to provide the citrus complexity which the combination of Curacao and aromatic bitters created!

Other points of considerable interest included the effects of the Pure Food & Drug Act of 1906 and Prohibition on bitters (& the cocktails they were constituents of). To make a short story of it, both events were catastrophic for many of the varieties which so many recipes of the time utilized. Brands like Abbott's, Boker's (so often misspelled as "Bogart's") & Stoughton's were either driven out of business immediately by the 1906 Act or crippled by weak positioning, marketing or demand following Repeal.

In closing, Mr. Berg spoke briefly about the Bitter Truth line as well as some of the characteristics and components of bitters in general. He was quite gracious in answering questions, stating that the only information he would not disclose would be the recipes for any of his bitters. Fair enough. He did however, bring a number of tincture bottles (in addition to the full line of Bitter Truth products) filled with samples of various rare extracts & an actual sample of the long-defunct Boker's bitters! They were, quite frankly, delicious.

Similarly, when questions about TBT's (limited release) of Jerry Thomas' Decanter bitters arose, a sample of Virginia Snakeroot (which would have been included in the original c. 1862 product) extract - generously supplied by David Wondrich - was passed around for (cautious) inspection! This was accompanied by a sample of the different (non-toxic) strain of Snakeroot which TBT apparently substitutes into their own version of The Professor's housemade bitters...

All in all the event was a positively-fantastic experience, full of interesting facts and interesting discussions - all over classic (& delicious) drinks!

Cheers & Thanks...

...to Stephan Berg for the terrific show, Debbie Rizzo & Tal Nadari, as well as the CSOWG for enabling me to attend. Likewise, many thanks to Erik and Paul for introducing me to so many new faces as well as to Brian Miller & the whole Clover Club gang for their spectacular work with all those drinks!


Other Folks' Reports:

• CocktailBuzz.com
• The Cocktail Guru
• Eat Me a Life
• Time Out New York

Here's How! - Sourcing Ingredients

It’s no secret that I (and many of my fellow cocktail bloggers) am wont to toss syrups, bitters, infusions and all manner of other feats of mixoloical cleverness with almost reckless abandon into our recipes. The most frequent comments we seem to get on posts including such things are questions about ingredients: “Sounds great, but where do I find X, Y & Z?” And while the Tiki Cult™ is guiltier than most, I’m right there with them…

To be honest we’ve all been in that boat at one point or another – it’s not like we grow Gentian, Sugarcane or Allspice in our backyards after all (well, most of us), and to boot, many of the components of these ingredients can be expensive to purchase. So, what follows is a handy little guide to sourcing some of the more esoteric ingredients you may encounter here, at the Mixoloseum, or any of our member’s (or other) pages:

The Interweb
A phenomenal resource, accessible from the comfort of one’s own home no less! It bears mentioning that some of the sites you’ll find listed here fall within categories listed further down, except they also offer their products online. Here are a number of websites from which you might source all manner of interesting or rare ingredients without getting out of your bathrobe, or breaking the bank:

• Mountain Rose Herbs - Based out of Eugene, OR, this company carries almost every herb, root or spice a cocktailian could ever need, in a number of quantities & most are organic/wild-harvested. An invaluable resource for rare or hard-to-find bitters, tincture, infusion or syrup ingredients, they also offer a variety of house tea blends. If some prices seem a touch high, it’s due to quantity – even their smaller sizes tend to be far more than the average hobbyist could use at once.
  
• Spices Etc. - Based out of Savannah, GA, a good resource for standard (and some more exotic) spices and herbs, with a great selection of interesting items like dried fruits, citric acid & flavored sugars. Their best value lies in a variety of dried citrus peels - available in large strips rather than ground – which makes them a good source for bitters-making.
  
• Tenzing Momo - An apothecary shop based out of the Pike Place market in Seattle, WA, this simple webpage conceals a great resource for some especially rare ingredients – one of the only vendors I know to carry Cinchona (for Tonic) or Camphor, for example. Prices will appear especially low – be warned that this is due to quantities - as near as I can tell, each herbal item is sold in 1-ounce increments.
• Auntie Arwen’s - An apothecary & herbalist (as well a regular merchant at the Pennsic Wars), Arwen’s carries a large selection of herbs, roots, flora, spices & extracts equal to any listed above. Check out their flavored sugars while you're at it; they are incredible. Their true specialty, however, lies in crafting specialized blends of these – often on a custom/to-order basis; need a ‘mango-white pepper-grains of paradise’ blend? Arwen’s got you covered…
  
• Sweet Vanilla Products USA - The wonderfully-resourceful Tiare of A Mountain of Crushed Ice discovered this little gem – an eBay store devoted almost exclusively to the sale of Vanilla beans and their byproducts. Ordinarily commanding a king’s ransom for miniscule quantities, sourcing this delicious orchid byproduct is now both easy & incredibly inexpensive.
  
• Fee Brother’s - If the homemade route isn’t your thing, Fee’s, based out of Rochester, NY is a wonderful resource for commercial syrups, bitters & flavorings. The company has been operating since the early-1800’s & orders are on 60-day net, so bulk purchases are the way to go - though their products are also sold elsewhere at a slight markup.
  
• Kegworks.com - A great resource for just about everything & anything cocktail-related, both for equipment as well as commercial mixers, bitters, syrups and other interesting products. Especially useful for those of you who’d rather not take the homemade route, though some of the crazier ingredients many mixologists use just aren’t produced commercially.
  
• Forgotten Flavors - A German company (with a German webpage) who commercially produces a pair of hard-to-find cocktail ingredients – Falernum syrup and Swedish Punsch. Quality seems to be their main concern, and if you’d rather not make either ingredient yourself, give theirs a go.

Cultural/Ethnic Groceries
These are among my favorite places to shop - and not just for cocktail supplies! Various world cultures often utilize flavors, whether through spices or other ingredients which are often unknown or unpopular in the more mainstream culinary culture; these stores cater to these flavors and the individuals who enjoy them. I highly recommend investigating your area for ethnic stores of all sorts – anywhere there is a significant community of immigrants or individuals with strong cultural backgrounds one can find businesses like these.

Forming ‘working’ relationships with the employees or proprietors (many times one & the same) of such establishments is also recommended – you’ll often get deals of the sort generally only offered to members of the communities they serve, not to mention it often helps to have someone who can read the foreign languages used on the packages. Even without such arrangements, one will often find ingredients at fairly unheard-of prices when compared to those at your average grocery store. Here are just a few examples of stores like this:

• Middle Eastern - Spices, often expensive ones like Green Cardamom, Ras al Hanout or Saffron are atypically-cheap staples of places like these. Likewise, teas, coffees and interestingly-flavored beverages of all kinds are often easy to find. As many Middle Eastern cultures utilize complex & unusual sweeteners or flavorings in aspects of their cuisine – especially beverages - one can find commercially-bottled syrups (Almond with Orange-flower water (i.e. Orgeat), Tamarind, Date, Rose & Honey to name a few). High-quality Rose or Orange-flower waters, as well as flavored or artisanal Vinegars are also on offer.
  
• Hispanic & Caribbean - That tiny corner bodega often conceals a treasure trove of flavorful ingredients. Chiles, dried or fresh, fruit Nectars & Juices, Sodas (often sweetened with sugar; like Mexican Coke, Malta, Barritt’s, Jarritos or Ting), dried Hibiscus (called Sorrel or Jamaica). Whole spices like Allspice, Anise or Achiote seeds and produce like Passionfruit, Sugarsop, Mango, Coconut, whole Sugarcane & Ginger are available quite inexpensively.
  
• Asian - Rare & often strange (from a Western standpoint) ingredients are the watchwords in these establishments. Hard-to-find ingredients like Yuzu juice, Lemongrass, (high-quality) Coconut milk, unusual waters, tinctures and extracts like Jasmine, Rose, or Ginger are common. Teas of just about every stripe – particularly high-grade green & white varieties like Macha or Gunpowder will also be fairly common. Finally, many establishments like these will either have an in-house herbalist or will be able to recommend one in your area – another helpful resource.
  
• Indian - Here it’s all about the spices: items like Cardamom, Clove, Coriander, Mace, Allspice & Cinnamon are often available at unthinkably-low prices & in large quantities. Likewise, dried fruits such as Dates, Figs and Oranges, as well as dozens of varieties of nuts & seeds (whole, blanched, chopped &c.) are often offered. Similar to Middle Eastern shops, unusual flavorings and sweeteners like Gur or Jaggery (date palm sugar), commercial beverage syrups like Thandai (a spicy Orgeat variant) and hard-to-find fruit Nectars (Passionfruit or Pomegranate) abound.

Fresh/Farmer’s Markets
As anyone from California will attest, this is the best way to get fresh fruit, vegetables and often herbs too – often for fantastic prices. Once you’ve found a good farmer’ market you’ll never want to go back to the supermarket again - so be warned. Offerings at this sort of establishment vary wildly with season, location and suppliers. Look for a market which (ideally) knows exactly where & from what farm(s) their produce is harvested – even better a market run by the individuals who grow the produce themselves - and stocks particularly-seasonal items only within the appropriate period. As with the ethnic/cultural spots listed above, forming a ‘working relationship’ with the folks in charge can be extremely beneficial.

Health & Nutrition/”Alternate Lifestyle”
If you can stomach the overwhelming scent of patchouli for a bit, checking out the local ‘hippy shop’ or health-nut haven can result in some impressive finds, both equipment & ingredients-wise. Handy tools like juicers, mortar & pestles, blender balls and pollen presses can be found in locations like these. Also, extracts, whole herbs and spice/tea blends, interesting Honeys, Agave nectar and other items are often for sale; especially in “New Age”-type shops. Just be careful with extracts – be certain what you’re buying is both pure & of ‘food-grade’. Many shops like this maintain listings of their offerings & will sometimes ship via mail even if they’re not represented online, so requesting a catalog or ordering one through phone or mail can be helpful.

Have a favorite source or way of procuring for hard-to-find or unusual ingredients? Be sure to let me know about it in the Comments section.

Cheers & Enjoy!

I have no affiliation, stake or ties to any sources specifically mentioned by name or link (save as a satisfied customer). This article has been cross-posted over at the Mixoloseum - whomever authorized this has undoubtedly been sacked...

A Comfortable Conflagration

As I drove up to see some old friends this weekend past, the lightly-falling snow - the first of any consequence around here - got me thinking. I'm not big on being cold myself, so the change of the seasons from chilly and windy to windy, cold and wet has brought about the need for something that will send the chill packing & bring thoughts of warmer days to the forefront.

Peaches are among my favorite summertime produces; their flavor, in fact, exerts a very strong memory-association with warm summer afternoons for me. But for a December drink, why Peaches - haven't they been out of season for months, you ask? Indeed, but bear with me a moment. What really got me onto this whole notion was a bottle of the often-maligned 100° Southern Comfort which I knew my friends to possess; a higher-proof variation on the usual fruit & spice liqueur of the south. Said spirit, likely due to the increased alcohol content, asserts an even stronger suggestion of Peach flavor than it's lower-proofed cousin, making it an ideal base for the next step:

The Blue Blazer
is a classic concoction of impressive presentation, excellent flavor and marvelous warming properties. Consisting of a healthy measure of cask-strength spirit, boiling water, lemon peel and sugar which is then set alight & flung between two mugs, it's mere creation will warm the room by a few degrees. But the usual 'Blazer is prepared with Scotch - which while an excellent addition to a winter warmer - might be difficult to blend into my peachy idea. Watery peaches didn't sound so appealing either, so the hot water would have to go...sort of:

Genmaicha
is a delicious Japanese green tea which contains a bit of toasted brown rice. This feature takes the soft, grassy flavors of the tea in a whole new direction - adding a smoky, bittersweet aromatic element which is quite unique. Indeed, after playing with it here I have a number of plans for utilizing it in a Rhum or Cognac Punch in the future, but more on that some other time. Sampling the Genmaicha with SoCo yielded some favorable, if one-sided results - not quite the peach emphasis I desired.

Into the mix then came the next ingredient, an organic Peach nectar, gently warmed & added to the prepared tea. As said nectar is already sweetened, I tipped a heavy dash of Angostura bitters into the mixture to add a little complexity & reign-in the sugar. The final ingredients went into the glasses arrayed before me - a long twist of Orange peel paired with a heavy dash of Fernet Branca - a very tasty Italian amaro of great complexity. Now that the ingredients are all sorted out, what came next, you ask? Just this savory, if poorly-photographed, drink - redolent of warm peaches, caramel, spice & a discernable absence of the cold (©):

Comfortable Conflagration
6 oz. 100° Southern Comfort
2½ oz. Genmaicha tea
2½ oz. Peach nectar
2 dashes: Angostura bitters
In each Glass (makes 4):
1 long twist: fresh Orange peel
1 Teaspoon: Fernet Branca
1 Teaspoon: Nectar-Tea mixture, hot
Preparation: Brew Tea, pour into a small saucepan & combine with Nectar and bitters. Warm to a gentle simmer over gentle heat, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, warm four toddy glasses, mugs or whatever you've got on hand by rinsing them with boiling water. Add Orange peel, Fernet & hot Nectar-Tea mixture to prepared glasses. Warm a pair of well-insulated mugs with a rinse of boiling water & get ready for the show (I typically invoke the late J. Thomas for luck).
Execution: Add the hot five-ounce mixture of Tea, Nectar & bitters to one warmed mug. Pour the Southern Comfort on top of this, dim the lights & set aflame with a long match. Taking up your empty mug, carefully pour the flaming liquid from cup to cup approximately six times before extinguishing. Pour hot liquid into prepared glasses and stir briefly. Look cool, enjoy the applause (and the drink).

Cheers & Enjoy!

If you o' gentle reader would like to attempt a Blue Blazer of any ilk, I must stress that both a pair of good insulated mugs and, most importantly, practice are essential. Practice the pour first with cold water, then move up to hot water - being extremely careful when you finally move to the flaming stuff. Setting up a metal tray with a little water, or at least a layer of wet towels, underneath the area you intend to make the drink is a fantastic idea. By-the-by, I take no responsibility for any injuries or property damage sustained attempting this feat...

Bitters Makes it Better, part II

First off, a big apology to all for my recent lack of posting - I've had some serious computer issues & am even now attempting to restore my machine following the installation of a new hard drive. That said, here's a short one for those of you who've been leaving the site muttering, "post something already!"

Let me get this out right now: I love Orange Bitters, without which the Martini would be much reduced in my humble opinion. I thank Bacchus every time I'm behind the stick for Gary Regan's #6 and greatly enjoy the other varieties which are commercially available (including the newly-available Angostura & Fee's West Indies O.B.) as well.

I likewise enjoy the complexities of the various & sundry citrus fruits, enjoying not only their inherent flavors but the new flavors they can highlight or arouse from the other ingredients a given drink contains. The season for Honey Tangerines is just winding down here, (and in many places they are available year-round) and in addition to adding their fragrant mandarin-esque flavors to a great many cocktails, I became curious to see how a Tangerine bitters would compare to my beloved Orange...

Now, if you've been reading this blog, you've doubtlessly seen the first, rather epic, post I'd made which involved both citrus & bitters in which I waxed poetic on the role of bitters in cocktails - a feat which I shall not strain your eyes or patience further by replicating. Instead, short & sweet, I'll give you a recipe for another type of citrus bitters (which make a bloody fine Martini):

Honey Tangerine Bitters
9¼ oz. dried Honey Tangerine peel, chopped finely
1½ Teaspoons: Coriander
1½ Teaspoons: Quassia
1 Teaspoon: Cardamom, removed from pods
¼ Teaspoon: Caraway seeds
3 whole Cloves
1½ Cups: Neutral Grain Spirits
¼ Cup: JW&N Overproof Rum
¼ Cup: Plymouth Gin

Method:
1. In a small saucepan over low-medium heat, toast the Cardamom, Coriander & Caraway seeds for approximately one minute. Peel fresh Honey Tangerines, being careful to remove as much of the bitter pith as possible & dry in the low-temperature oven for approximately two hours.
2. Place the listed ingredients in a clean container. Add the alcohol, pushing the ingredients down so that they are covered by the liquid. Seal the jar & shake vigorously every day for two weeks.
3. Strain the alcohol from the dry ingredients by your preferred method (coffee filter, cheesecloth &c). Squeeze the filtered ingredients tightly to extract as much of the liquid as possible. Place the dry ingredients into a strong bowl or mortar, reserve the alcohol mixture in a clean container & seal tightly.
4. Muddle the dry ingredients with a pestle or muddler until the seeds are broken & the other ingredients are well-bruised.
5. Place the dry ingredients into a non-reactive saucepan & cover with 3 Cups of Water. Bring to a boil over a medium heat, cover & reduce the heat to simmer for about 10 minutes. Allow time to cool, covered. (about 40 minutes).
6. Place the (formerly) dry ingredients & Water mixture in a clean container, seal and leave for seven days, shaking vigorously each day.
7. Strain the Water-mixture from the dry ingredients by your preferred method (coffee filter, cheesecloth &c), discarding the dry ingredients. Add the Water-mixture to the Alcohol-mixture.
8. Allow to stand for an additional seven days, straining liquid by preferred method from any sediment.
9. Allow to stand for seven more days, straining liquid by preferred method from any sediment (there will be very little this time), then bottle & use/store/brag to your friends about what you've made.

I'll be sure to upload some pictures of these once I re-install my camera's software. Give them a try & let me know what you think. For my part I'll be sure to return to my typical posting schedule (?) now that my computer has returned to life.

On a parting note - a huge thanks to the fantastic folks at both Martin Miller's Gin and Death & Co. not only for allowing me to participate in the New York round of the Gin & Tonic competition yesterday but for putting up with the nervous mess I became behind the bar - it was an honor. Likewise, congrats to the winner(s) and other participants!

Cheers!

Bitters Makes it Better, part I

Bloody hell, another cocktail geek going on about Bitters, you say?
Why not? Historically, bitters were the ingredient that distinguished the original ‘cocktail’ & ‘fancy cocktail’ classes of drinks from all the other varieties. Even today, the subtle alkaloid role which bitters play in so many of the best libations cannot (& frankly should not) be disputed - if you remain unconvinced, try a Pisco Sour, Sazerac or Queen's Park Swizzle without them…

For those that require no such convincing (or have already been convinced), let's talk for a bit about constructing your own unique potables. But, you say, surely with so many companies producing relatively rare or hard-to-find bitters, why would anyone need or want to? True, while years ago the only bitters to be found in most parts of the world were the noble pedigrees of Angostura & Peychaud’s, now we have a veritable pile from which to select - Regan's Orange #6, Herme’s , the Bitter Truth, Fee Brother's & the (much-anticipated) Bittermen’s lines to name just a few.

However, a large part of the interactions a given bitters have within a cocktail are a direct result of what ingredients compose the bitters in question. Likewise, while we have many commercially-available brands of the stuff and while many of them are fantastic in their own ways - occasionally a given bitters just fails to satisfy the discerning palate, to say nothing of adding just the right bit of fine-tuning to that new cocktail you've just come up with.

Perhaps an example: I happen to think the Fee’s company is great, and am thankful that they have endured many lean years to bring us the fabulous product lines, bitters & otherwise, they offer. Yet certain items in their portfolio, such as their Lemon Bitters, leave something to be desired – Fee’s Lemon is just too potable. Despite its pleasant overall flavor - rich with lemon & lemongrass notes - it is almost overwhelmingly sweet without the sufficiently-bitter or additional notes of complexity which cause the flavor(s) of the cocktail into which they are dashed to shine.

Having found the problem, let’s take a step towards a solution. Bitters recipes can be tricky, yet not impossible, to find. A number of very old cocktail books & receipts compilations, Jerry Thomas’s 1862 How to Mix Drinks being one of the best, often contain recipes for them. A word of caution on this route though - be careful with the more ancient texts as certain ingredients (Virginia Snakeroot for instance) which they call for are now known to be harmful or toxic.

If your home library doesn’t include such treasures, the Internet can also yield (for free, no less!) some excellent processes as well, often with more modern ingredient considerations taken into account. I like to use many of the established recipes as reference points – modifying them as necessary to suit the variety of bitters I plan on making. The key to making bitters is remembering that the whole affair is really just a lengthy infusion (or maceration) of herbs, fruit, or other flavoring ingredients in a strong alcohol base, which is then diluted slightly - really not so different from the innumerable spirit (often vodka) infusions one can’t avoid hearing about these days.

Much as with more-consumable infusions (& really any culinary creation), the quality of the ingredients is very important - the herbs in your bitters for example, while most often dried, should be as "fresh" as you can get them - i.e. avoid using that ten-year old bottle of cinnamon sticks you found at the back of the cabinet. In fact, throw those away anyway...

So, is there ever going to be a recipe amidst these ramblings? Sure, sure – if you’ll recall my problem with Fee’s Lemon – take a glance at my Jamaican rum-based solution (©):

Spiced Lemon Bitters #1

Ingredients:
10 oz. dried Lemon peel, minced finely
1½ Teaspoons Corriander Seeds
1 Teaspoon Cardamom Seeds, removed from pods
½ Teaspoon Carraway Seeds
½ Teaspoon Quassia Bark
¼ Teaspoon Gentian
¼ Teaspoon dried Lavender
¼ Teaspoon (Ceylon) Cinnamon
⅛ Teaspoon Lemon Zest
4 whole Cardamom pods, gently bruised
1 whole Star Anise
3 whole Black Peppercorns
3 whole White Peppercorns
½ whole Bay (Laurel) Leaf
2 Cups J. Wray & Nephew 126º Rum

Method:
1. Place the listed ingredients in a clean container. Add Rum and Water, pushing the ingredients down so that they are covered by the liquid. Seal the jar & shake vigorously every day for twelve days.
2. Strain the alcohol from the dry ingredients by your preferred method (coffee filter, cheesecloth &c). Squeeze the filtered ingredients tightly to extract as much of the liquid as possible. Place the dry ingredients into a strong bowl or mortar, reserve the alcohol mixture in a clean container & seal tightly.
3. Muddle the dry ingredients with a pestle or muddler until the seeds are broken & the other ingredients are well-bruised.
4. Place the dry ingredients into a non-reactive saucepan & cover with 3 Cups of Water. Bring to a boil over a medium heat, cover & reduce the heat to simmer for about 10 minutes. Allow time to cool, covered. (about 40 minutes).
5. Place the (formerly) dry ingredients & Water mixture in a clean container, seal and leave for seven days, shaking vigorously each day.
6. Strain the Water-mixture from the dry ingredients by your preferred method (coffee filter, cheesecloth &c), discarding the dry ingredients. Add the Water-mixture to the Alcohol-mixture.
7. Allow to stand for an additional seven days, straining liquid by preferred method from any sediment (there will be very little).

8. Allow to stand for seven more days, straining liquid by preferred method from any sediment (there will be even less this time), then bottle & use/store/brag to your friends about what you've made.

Let me know if anyone gives this (or any other bitters of their own devising) a whirl...

Cheers & Enjoy!