Ham it up by pairing cocktails with your Easter dinner

Easter is only a few days away, and while it snowed Thursday night, Sunday is forecasted to be a beautiful spring day in Salt Lake City.  Some people don’t observe Easter, some celebrate it with Cadbury Crème Eggs®, and some are planning a nice Easter dinner to complete their day.  If you think you might enjoy a nice cocktail with your Easter dinner, the Utah Mixologist has a few suggestions that you might enjoy.  Ham is the main course in many Easter dinners.  If you’re looking for a cocktail to accompany ham, you want something that can stand up to ham’s high fat content and smoky taste.  Whiskey or Rum should fill the bill nicely, so here are some ideas:

One of the oldest cocktails that, due to childhood memories (of observing, not drinking!) always says “holiday” to me is the Old Fashioned.  My grandfather would make them at every holiday gathering for Dad, Mom, and the aunts and uncles.  This very flexible beauty can be mixed with almost any brown liquor, it just needs liquor, bitters, sweet (usually sugar or simple syrup), and ice.  Best of all, the liquor can be Rye, Bourbon, Brandy, or even Rum. 

One American classic certain to go well with ham is the Manhattan; this one just tastes good with almost any food.  Like most classics, the recipe is simplicity itself: Bourbon or Rye (lately I’ve been leaning toward Rye, especially now that Bulleit Rye® is available in Utah) and bitters. Oh, and don’t forget a cocktail cherry.  If your taste leans more toward Scotch Whisky, you might want to try a Bobby Burns.  This easy recipe with Scotch, Italian Vermouth, and Benedictine is sure to please. 

The crisp, dry taste of a Martini goes well with almost any meal.  Lately I’ve been using Plymouth® Gin, a brand name for a distinct type of Gin that legend says was used in the first Martini cocktail.  It’s the Gin that Dale DeGroff used when he made me a Martini at Portland Cocktail Week.  Always have the fixings for a Martini in reserve “just in case”.

Pairing cocktails with a meal can have one danger: overconsumption.  While a cocktail has about the same amount of alcohol as a glass of wine, some have more and, in any case, the alcohol in cocktails tends to be more concentrated.  Consider serving cocktails on the rocks rather than up, or serve tall drinks like the Tom Collins. Ensure that everyone has a glass of water available at their seat.  Most of all: know when to stop drinking or serving. Always drink responsibly, and enjoy your holiday.

Super Bowl party? Why not make it a cocktail party?

It’s almost Super Bowl Sunday, and while most football Salt Lake City fans may not be personally invested in either team, it’s still a great excuse for a party.  While “beer” may pop into your mind as you plan your Super Bowl party (and you will certainly see enough beer commercials during the game), Utah cocktailians know that less filling cocktails are a better choice.  The secret of success is to offer tall (and therefore more dilute) drinks.  For Super Bowl cocktails, your best bet is to have ingredients for a variety of easy-to-mix, long drinks available to please all of your guests.  Select some cocktail recipes based on three or four liquors (e.g. Rum, Gin, and Tequila) so you have something to please everyone, invest in some citrus and mixers, grab some glasses and straws, and you’re ready for the kick-off. 

If that sounds too complicated, you could try a punch.  Punches are easy to make and require little attention once the party gets going.  One that the Utah Mixologists likes is President’s Punch, a delicious Rum punch for which you may already have most of the ingredients.  If you don’t feel like a Rum punch, that article contains some links to other punch recipes and related materials.  If you decide on punch, you might want to check your supplies just in case you need a quick run to the liquor store.  Remember: punch may be stronger than it tastes, so remind your guests to be careful.

Cocktails, punch, or beer, you should keep in mind that four or five hours of drinking is too much. Pace yourself, have lots of soft-drinks and water available, encourage your guests (and yourself) to take it easy and alternate hard and soft drinks, and, of course, know when to stop.  Always drink responsibly…

Here are links to some simple, classic long drink recipes, check out the ingredients and find some that sound good, then stock up and enjoy your cocktail fueled Super Bowl party!

El Diablo

Dark and Stormy

Tom Collins

Rum and Coke

Gin and Tonic

Margarita Cooler

Mojito

National Margarita Day: Time to celebrate

February 22 is National Margarita Day, and we celebrate in Salt Lake City, too.  Got Tequila?  Got limes?  It’s time for a Margarita!  The Margarita is the best selling cocktail in the USA. Tequila Herradura® (not sure if they’re a totally objective source) claims that the margarita represents 18 percent of all mixed drink sales in the U.S., followed by the Martini, Rum and Coke, and Vodka and Tonic.  The Margarita has an average hourly sale rate of 185,000 – that’s over four million a day!  In a country with over 305 million people, it’s obvious that some people are not pulling their weight.

So get out your limes and blender (or shaker), and have at it.  My recipe is here, and there are plenty more available online.  Try out a new recipe February 22, and tailor it to your own taste.  Develop your ultimate Margarita.

Emergency fix: last minute Valentine’s Day cocktails

Whoa, it’s Valentine’s Day, and some Salt Lake City cocktail lovers are doubtless saying “holy moley, I forgot to prep cocktails for V-day!”  Well, whether you went out for dinner and had only one cocktail or glass of wine (so you could safely drive home), or cooked a special Valentine’s Day dinner at home, your best strategy for getting a Valentine’s treat later this evening is to finish with cocktails at home.  So here are a few fast and easy cocktails to help you achieve your goal.  These are red (or at least pink), and should help you gain access to the heart of your Valentine.  Have a great Valentine’s Day, and a better night.

Let’s start with a classic: the Cranberry Champagne Cocktail.  All it takes is a little Grand Marnier (or triple sec), a little cranberry juice, and some of your precious stock of champagne.

If you’re in the mood for something a little stronger that a Champagne cocktail, try a French 75 – a reliable champagne (and gin) cocktail that is sure to have just what you need.  Named after the famous French cannon of World War I, this little beauty has a nice kick and never misfires.

If you’re looking for something that is even stronger, where would Valentine’s Day be without the Cosmopolitan?  While a good Cosmo is pink, not red, adding more Cranberry juice can add color and flavor to your own (and your Valentine’s) taste. 

Hopefully these quick and easy recipes will keep you and your Valentine happy.  Have a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Cocktails for your Super Bowl party… why not?

It’s time for the Super Bowl, and while many football fans in Salt Lake City may not be personally invested in either of the teams, the Super Bowl is still a great excuse to have a party.  While many people think “beer” when planning a Super Bowl party, Utah mixologists know that less filling cocktails are the way to go.  The secret of success is to offer tall (and therefore more dilute) drinks.  Your best bet is to have ingredients for a variety of easy to mix, long cocktails available to please all of your guests.  Select some cocktail recipes based on three or four liquors (e.g. Rum, Gin, and Tequila) to please a variety of guests. 

Or you could try a punch.  Punches are easy to make and require little attention once the party gets going.  Cocktail guru and author David Wondrich’s book on Punch is a great resource, plus he gives a recipe in his post on Punch on the blog at Liquor.com.  (The Utah Mixologist highly recommends Wondrich’s book Imbibe!)  Another post on Liquor.com by mixologist Joaquín Simó gives a fun sounding punch recipe.  If you decide on punch, you might want to get going today; some require advance preparation.

Cocktails, punch, or beer, you should keep in mind that four or five hours of drinking is too much. Pace yourself, have some soft-drinks and water available, encourage your guests (and yourself) to take it easy and alternate hard and soft drinks, and, of course, know when to stop.

Here are links to some simple recipes, check out the ingredients and find some you like the looks of, then stock up and enjoy your cocktail fueled Super Bowl party!

Mojito

Tom Collins

Rum and Coke

Dark and Stormy

Gin and Tonic

Margarita Cooler

El Diablo

How does your classic cocktail measure up?

When amateur mixologists in Salt Lake City (or across the nation) begin to get interested in classic cocktails, they usually start by looking for recipes on the internet, but sooner or later cocktail books find their way into the mix.  Regular readers will be familiar with recipes from the Savoy Cocktail Book (1930), and last weeks post on the Little Devil introduced “Barflies and Cocktails by Harry and Wynn” (1927).  (For more information on this little book, and a good recipe, see the Little Devil Cocktail.)  Of course, you can always get classic cocktail recipes from modern classics like Dale DeGroff’s The Craft of the Cocktail.

If you enjoy classic cocktails and begin buying old cocktail books (or replicas), you will probably run into difficulties with measures.  When a recipe calls for 1/3 of Gin or 2/3 of Bourbon, you might ask “what is 1/3? 1/3 of what?”  Fortunately, this mixologist has done some of the research for you and can report the results.  If you have a jigger that has two small, opposing, unequal measuring cups on the end of a metal rod, the smaller one (the 1/3) is usually half the size of the larger one (the 2/3).  On mine, the two cups hold ¾ and 1½ ounces respectively (1½ oz is a shot or a jigger), which become the 1/3 and 2/3.  Some of these recipes, though, call for 1/6, which then becomes only 3/8 of an ounce and is a little difficult to measure.  In cases like this, you can always adjust the quantities a little while maintaining the proportions.  That means that rather than having 2/3, 1/3, 1/6 be 1 ½ oz, ¾ oz, and 3/8 oz, you can use 2 oz, 1 oz, and ½ oz.  Just be careful that your cocktail doesn’t become too large.  Another vague measure is a “glass.”  Is that a shot glass, a wine glass, or a 12 oz tumbler?  Actually, in the old recipes a “glass” without qualification usually refers to a 3 oz glass, which might seem small, but has the benefit of delivering reasonably sized cocktails.  So here’s the Utah Mixologist’s version of the straight dope:

              1/6       3/8 oz              (or round up to ½ oz)

1/3       3/4 oz              (or round up to 1 oz)

2/3       1 1/2 oz           (or round up to 2 oz)

Glass   3 oz

For more on measurement, check out the following post on dashes.

Dash it all! How to mix consistently great cocktails

When it comes to classic cocktails, dashes are another area that causes confusion in Salt Lake City and around the world.  The next post gave you the straight dope on how to convert the measures used in classic cocktail books like the Savoy Cocktail Book (1930) and “Barflies and Cocktails by Harry and Wynn” (1927).  This time we’ll cover dashes.  A dash implies a quick flip of the wrist to inject just a bit of an ingredient into the mix, but bitters bottles have plastic stoppers that limit their output to a few drops, while a liqueur bottle could easily put out a lot more.  If you research your collection of cocktail books and search the web, you will find a dash defined to be (in teaspoons) 1/12, 1/8, 1/6, and 1/4.  So what is a cocktailian to do?  Especially if you would like to produce consistently delicious cocktails?  Well, part of the answer lies in the example above: use two different measures for a dash.  Use a smaller one, say 1/8 teaspoon, for bitters and a larger one for liqueurs etc. (try 1/4 teaspoon).  So here’s what the Utah Mixologist has been using:

            Dash of bitters             1/8 tsp

            Dash of others             1/4 tsp

Please be aware that there may be recipes where you might want a larger dash.  For example, when a recipe that includes over five or six ounces of ingredients calls for a splash of something, it probably means more than 1/4 tsp.  As always, you might want to modify these measures as your cocktail mixing skills develop to get just the taste you want.  Remember: if you modify a recipe and get it just the way you like it, write it down.  My bar includes a sheaf of printed recipes with my modifications written on them so I can reproduce them later.  And finally, be sure to have fun while working on your cocktail recipes, but always drink responsibly.

Cocktail ingredients Utah update – January 2011

There’s not much happening at the Utah DABC State Liquor Stores this month; they seem to have exhausted themselves for the December holidays.  A quick scan of my local store showed a lot fewer sale tags than last month, but that should come as no surprise in January.  It looked like there was a great deal on Maker’s Mark (20% off), but it turns out that the 375ml bottle is the one marked down (from $15 to $12).  The reduction is steep enough, though, that it’s a couple of bucks cheaper to but two 375ml bottles than one 750ml bottle.  A mark-down this steep is often a sign that a product (in this case the 375ml size) might be discontinued soon.

The above is not intended to imply that there is nothing good on sale this month.  Gosling’s Black Seal® Rum, for example, is one item you should pick up if your bar is bare.  Gosling’s is essential for a “legal” Dark and Stormy, so if you decide to pick some Gosling’s up, grab some Ginger Beer on the way home.  There are also some good Tequilas that are normally in the $20-$30 range marked down around 10% this month, including a couple of 1800®’s and an El Jimador® Reposado.  Both 1800 Silver and the El Jimador make great Margaritas.  Last month had some quality Rums on sale, but this month they’re more commercial and homogenized: Bacardi®, for example.

Once again this month does not appear to deliver much in the way of exciting cocktail ingredients on clearance.  If you see anything good at your local state store, post a response to this article.  You can check out what’s on sale by clicking through to the “SPA Product List” to open a price book in PDF format that shows all of the markdowns for the current month.

Cocktail ingredients Utah update –December 2010

Things are looking up in the Utah DABC State Liquor Stores this month as far as Special Price Adjustments (SPA) go; there is a lot on sale for the December holidays.  These deals are great for gifts (given or received), or for stocking your bar.  (Note: there will soon be a separate post on pre-New Year’s price adjustments (actually available all December) on sparkling wines.) 

This month there is a variety of nice Gins marked down.  One of the best deals is Plymouth Gin (CS# 028795) marked down $5 from $25 to $20.  Other Gins with price adjustments include Hendrick’s, Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray, Beefeater, and even the surprisingly good, bargain Gin: New Amsterdam 1750ml for $23 (CS# 031473).  You can discover more for yourself by clicking through to the “SPA Product List” to open a price book in PDF format that shows all of the markdowns for the current month; then search on “gin”. 

There are plenty of Scotch Whiskies, including one of my favorite blends, Dewars Special Reserve 12 Year, marked down $3 to $29, and plenty of single malts for you Scotch lovers.  Loads of Bourbons are marked down, including bottles like Buffalo Trace and Evan Williams Single Barrel.  If you like sipping Rums, Appleton Estates XV is marked down (CS# 042006) is marked down from $20 to $17, and there are plenty of less notable Rums available.  If your taste runs to Cognacs, Brandies, or Liqueurs, they are well represented; be sure to check the price book.

Utah reader R. Schiffman (Brownbag) recently posted a comment reminding me about the Christmas items that may be found on the top shelf of the Utah State Stores. These gift packages usually contain a bottle of liquor and items like glasses or a shaker (Courvoisier even has a decanter for Cognac) for the same price as the bottle without the gift. Some of them are pretty nice, others might be a little tacky.  Shop early in the month for a better selection and buy one for a lazy relative to give you for Christmas.

Once again this month there does not appear to be much of interest along the lines of cocktail ingredients on clearance.  There are some Barbarossa Rums and White Horse Scotch, but nothing to excite a cocktailian.  If you see anything good at your local state store, post a response to this article.  

A bitter lesson from Peychaud's

Last month Salt Lake City readers got an update about how Harmon’s groceries had begun selling Peychaud’s® Bitters ($5.99 in the beverage aisle) in place of Angostura® Bitters during the great Angostura shortage of 2010.  Last weekend the Utah Mixologist was discussing mixing cocktails with his friend Fred from the wilds of New Mexico when Fred mentioned that his local grocery store had stopped selling Angostura and started selling some other, terrible tasting bitters that didn’t go well in cocktails.  At first the mixologist was aghast that such a transgression had been perpetrated, then he though a minute and said “you don’t mean Peychaud’s, do you?”  Yes, sad to say it turned out that Peychaud’s was exactly what Fred meant, and the root cause of his problem was that he didn’t have any good recipes to use them.  A speedy email delivered links to the much needed recipes and solved Fred’s problem, and this article will help any Salt Lake City readers who find themselves in the same situation.  There are many really good cocktails that contain Peychaud's, and you should give some of them a try.

Peychaud’s is a key ingredient in one of the most famous New Orleans cocktails: the Sazerac (along with Rye whiskey and a hint of Absinthe), and those Utah cocktailians who have never had a Sazerac owe it to themselves to give one a try.  Let the good times roll!

The Vieux Carré is another classic cocktail that utilizes Peychaud’s.  It was invented in the French Quarter of New Orleans at the Hotel Monteleone.  The Vieux Carré is a cocktail with six ingredients, so it might seem like a lot of work, but two of the ingredients are bitters, so there’s not that much measurement.  The Vieux Carré calls for equal amounts of Rye, Cognac, and sweet Vermouth, with some Benedictine and a dash each of Peychaud’s® and Angostura® bitters added.  Try one and you will agree it’s well worth the extra effort.

The Rimshot, while not a classic (it’s only about a year old and was developed by the Utah Mixologist), is a close relative of a true classic: the Manhattan.  The Rimshot has everything a good comedy routine needs: wry humor, bitterness, pratfalls, a little sweet and a little sour, and some of those contribute to a good cocktail.  So if you like Rye whiskey or the Manhattan cocktail, give the Rimshot a try.

The venerable Bourbon Old Fashioned is usually made with Angostura® Bitters, but as my article on the Old Fashioned tells you, you can make an Old Fashioned with just about any good liquor you have.  Rye whiskey and Brandy present great opportunities to use Peychaud’s in an Old Fashioned.  Some eschew the cherry and orange wheel, but this mixologist likes to chew them at the end for dessert (caution: don’t over muddle, you want just a hint of orange peel oils).

So if you’ve been a little disappointed in that bottle of Peychaud’s you bought, you probably haven’t been using it right.  Try one or two of these suggestions and I'm sure you will soon be putting that bottle of Peychaud's to excellent use.  For a better look at these cocktails, check out my Examiner slide show.

Cocktail ingredients Utah update – October 2010

There are a couple of interesting items on clearance this month in the Utah DABC State Liquor Stores.  The first is 1 liter bottles of Cointreau Liqueur (CS# 064779) for $23.22 (it’s normally $38).  This bargain is hard to find, some stores are already out of stock, so be sure to call ahead to check for availability on this item and the other items mentioned in this article.  Another clearance item is Mount Gay Silver Rum (CS# 042790) for $9.72.  This rum looks like it wasn’t marked down much for a clearance item (the shelf says the regular price was $13), but it was $18 a couple of months ago, and Google shows a list price of around $17 around the country.  It looks like the UDABC reduced the price for a couple of months before discontinuing it.  There are also some wines on clearance, so check your store’s end cap displays.

For you fans of Don Draper on AMC TV’s Mad Men, Canadian Club (CS# 010626) is on special price adjustment this month at $9, marked down from $13.  Speaking of Whiskey, another SPA item this month is Dewars Special Reserve 12 Year Scotch (CS# 004876) at $30 (regularly $33).  I wouldn’t use it in cocktails, but if you like a nice, blended Scotch to sip on every now and then, this is a good one.  There are several other good Scotches on SPA this month, including a selection of Glenlivets, so if you’re a Scotch lover, check out the Scotch section while you’re in the store.

Labor Day week-end: last chance for summer coolers?

There’s a big storm back east, but it looks like Utah will enjoy a beautiful Labor Day week-end this year.  The forecast is for hardly a cloud in the sky until Monday, when it will start to cool off.  Saturday and Sunday, though, will be in the high 80s or low 90s: just right for a nice trip to the pool and then a cook-out when you get home, complete with an array of summer coolers to help you and your guests relax and enjoy the barbecue.  When selecting cocktails for a Labor Day barbecue, keep it simple.  Have the ingredients for a small selection of summer coolers ready to mix and enjoy.  Your guests will be grateful.  Even if you’re not having a cook-out, these coolers are great to enjoy watching the sun go down from your deck or back yard.

Here are ten great summer cooler cocktails in time for the Labor Day.  Summer coolers may not taste strong, but they have as much alcohol as any other cocktail, so pay attention to how much you’re drinking.  Links to the recipes follow, but first view the slide show.  Find some coolers you like the looks of, and then return here to click through to the full articles for some of my favorites that are listed below.  Personally, there’s a nice, bushy mint plant on the south side of the house that’s been telling me it’s time for a Mojito.

Mojito

Dark and Stormy

Gin and Tonic

Margarita Cooler

Gin Rickey

Tom Collins

Cocktail ingredients Utah update – September 2010

Utah reader R. Schiffman (Brownbag) recently posted a comment saying that Harmon’s groceries has recently been selling Peychaud’s® Bitters in place of Angostura® Bitters ($5.99 in the beverage aisle).  It seems like they made the switch during the great Angostura shortage.  I had to order my bottle of Peychaud’s online from Kegworks and pay shipping, so this is a great convenience.  Peychaud’s is a key ingredient in the Sazerac (along with Rye whiskey and Absinthe), and those Utah cocktailians who have never had a Sazerac owe it to themselves to give one a try. 

Speaking of Rye whiskey, more change is afoot in the Utah State Liquor Store system this month.  Jim Beam® 4-year Old Rye (CS# 027056) has moved from special order back into general distribution in the UDABC system, but the supply seems to be stuck in the warehouse and is not in the stores yet.  I was told that the Foothill store has some in stock already, but the Fort Union store does not.  The sometimes maligned Wild Turkey® 101 Proof Rye (CS# 027116) has been discontinued and is available on clearance this month for only $12.42, which is probably a good deal even if it’s not your favorite.  Be sure to call ahead to check for availability on both of these.

In past years, September has been National Bourbon Month, and this year does not appear to be an exception.  There are some very nice special price adjustments on several good Bourbons this month.  Three of my favorites: Woodford Reserve® (CS# 022216) is available for $30 ($4 off), Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey (CS# 017086) is available for $22 ($5 off), and Makers Mark (CS# 019476) is available for $22 ($4 off).  That Woodford is really good, and neither of the others is at all shabby.  If I didn’t mention one of your favorite Bourbons that’s marked down this month (and there is a good variety), please tell us about it by posting a comment to this post.  All in all, Bourbon Month looks like a good month to visit your local state store.

Entertaining 101: How to mass produce your signature cocktail

A useful technique for your home cocktail parties in Salt Lake City or across the globe is to select a signature cocktail and then have all its ingredients and garnishes on deck before your guests arrive.  The prudent (and considerate) mixologist should also have a selection of soft-drinks, mixers, wines, and beers ready for anyone who doesn’t want a cocktail or who just doesn’t quite like the sound (or the key ingredient) of your signature cocktail.  As your mixology skills improve and you become more experienced in experimenting with new recipes, you will have few problems coming up with a signature cocktail that will appeal to most (or all) of your guests.  Another phenomenon you will notice as your skills improve is that fewer and fewer of your guests will request a different drink.  In early days the Utah Mixologist only had about a 50% acceptance rate on signature cocktails, but the last time he offered a “new” signature cocktail (the venerable Vieux Carré) at an intimate gathering, the request rate was a cool 100%.  So how does a mixologist meet the challenge of mixing and serving six cocktails (or more) without keeping his/her guests waiting?  By scaling up the recipe and (sometimes) pre-combining most of the ingredients.

Scaling up the recipe is simple if you know your multiplication, and if you’re having a small party, you don’t even have to do it in advance.  For six Manhattans, for example, all you’ll need is 12 ounces Rye (or Bourbon) whiskey, 3 ounces sweet vermouth, and 12 dashes Angostura® bitters combined in a suitable container.  For much larger gatherings, you should combine ingredients in advance and set aside (or even place in the fridge).  Be sure to double check your math before combining truly mass quantities for a large gathering.  You can stir up six or eight cocktails at once in a pitcher, or just measure out 2 ½ ounces of the mix for each Manhattan you want to stir in a smaller mixing glass.  Don’t, by the way, add perishables like fruit juices or egg whites until you are ready to mix.  Six or more cocktails can easily be accommodated in a pitcher like the one full of Vesper Martinis in the photo.   As a side note: do you remember those old movies where Dad would get home from work and stir up a pitcher of Martinis for three or four people?  As a youngster, the Utah Mixologist never realized how much those people must have been putting away!  Not good: always drink responsibly and don’t over do it.  Enjoy your next cocktail party!

Cocktail Coolers for your Fourth of July barbecue

The Fourth of July is usually the hottest long week-end of summer, at least when we are lucky enough to have it fall on a week-end…  In Utah this year we’ll be having warm, but not oppressively hot, weather.  It looks like great weather for a barbecue or cook-out.  While you could have beer at your cook-out, the fact that you’re reading the Utah Mixologist is a sure sign that you’re interested in doing something with a little bit extra.  For a really special event, you might want to try the Old Glory, a blended drink that will impress your friends, but is a lot of work.

When selecting cocktails for a barbecue, you probably want to think simple, but not too simple, they are cocktails.  Have the ingredients for two or three summer coolers ready to mix and enjoy.  Your guests should be suitably grateful.  Even if you’re not having a cook-out, these cocktails are great to enjoy while relaxing by the pool or just watching the sun go down.

Here are ten great summer cooler cocktails in time for the Fourth of July.  Pay attention to how much you’re drinking.  Summer coolers may not taste strong, but they have as much alcohol as any other cocktail.  Links to the recipes follow, but first view the slide show .  Find some coolers you like the looks of, and then return here to click through to the full articles.

Dark and Stormy

Gin and Tonic

Margarita Cooler

Lavender Colada

Gin Rickey

Blueberry Mint Cooler

Mojito

Pomegranate Rum Rickey

Tequila Lavanda

Tom Collins

Cocktails 101: Stocking your cocktail bar for great drinks

The first step to stocking your bar is to take stock of what you have.  Most amateur mixologists will not be starting from scratch.  By the time you decide that you want to learn how to shake, stir, and pour your own cocktails, you have probably been sampling cocktails in bars or restaurants for a while, and mixing simple drinks at home.  What kind of liquor do you have around the house?  Put it all on the kitchen counter and see what you’ve got.  (If it won’t fit, you may well have already stocked your bar.)  Don’t bother with wine and beer at this point; you’ll need to have some around for parties and everyday consumption, but don’t really belong in your cocktail bar.

Unless you’re lucky, space is always an issue.  It’s often cheaper to buy bigger bottles, but you may not have room for very many of them.  750 ml. bottles are probably the right size.  If you’re budget conscious, you can buy 1750 ml. bottles when they’re on sale and use them to refill the smaller bottles in your bar.  Never try to deceive your guests by refilling expensive bottles with cheap booze; you will fool no one, and hurt your reputation in the process. 

Begin by stocking a basic bar.  As you buy the necessary ingredients for specific cocktails, your bar will grow and evolve (this will happen organically if you start a drink-of-the-month club).  If you’re on a budget, don’t try to buy everything at once; buy bottles as you need them and you’ll be able to afford better brands.  If you and your friends lean toward a certain type of drink (e.g. rum or gin), stock those first.  You should also consider the types of cocktails you will be pouring.  If you plan on making Gin or Vodka Martinis you will want to buy better quality brands of those liquors than if you plan on making Vodka Collins or Tom Collins. 

Now it’s time to get down to business and look at the liquors you will need to have a well-stocked home cocktail bar.  You should stock your bar with Rum, Vodka, Gin, Bourbon, Tequila, Brandy, and Whiskey, as well as a variety of liqueurs and mixers, to have all you need to make fabulous cocktails.  Remember, all of these spirits are available across a broad range of price and quality.  Try to determine if you’re paying for a difference in quality and taste, or just for a brand name and a lot of advertising.  Three popular, top selling liquors are Rum, Vodka and Gin; follow this link to a post that recommends some good, but not too expensive, brands and some recipes to use them in.  Let’s not forget Bourbon, Tequila, Brandy, Whiskey and a selection of liqueurs.  (You were probably just thinking “hey, he forgot [insert your favorite here].”)  Follow this link to my recommendations for Bourbon, Tequila, Brandy, Whiskey, etc.  

Never forget bar safety.  If you have children in your home, keep your bar locked or out of reach.  By the time they’re teenagers, locked is the best option.  Alcohol and kids do not mix.  We used to keep ours (bottles, not kids) in a cabinet above the fridge. You may think you can trust your kids, and you may be right, but what about their friends? Be safe and avoid heartbreak.

stocking bar, entertaining

Entertaining 101: How do I get started entertaining?

So you think you can have a cocktail party in Salt Lake City? You’ve been reading about resurgence of the cocktail.  Perhaps you’ve sipped a well-made cocktail or two while dining out, and have been thinking about making cocktails at home.  You’ll be surprised at how much enjoyment well presented and well mixed cocktails can add to your home entertaining… and yes, you’re right, you can have a cocktail party, even in Salt Lake City.  A good way to get started mixing cocktails is to find some like-minded neighbors and form a drink-of-the-month club (DOMC). A drink-of-the-month club can be a fun – and inexpensive – way to try new cocktails while getting together with neighbors.  My wife and I formed the first drink-of-the-month club here in Salt Lake City with our neighbors (and good friends), Tim and Melinda, several years ago. The four of us learned a few simple rules that kept our “meetings” safe and enjoyable.  Follow this link to see how to form your own drink-of-the-month club.

You don’t need a well stocked bar to start a DOMC; one good trick is to let your bar grow organically as you buy the necessary ingredients for new cocktails.  One fun “activity” of the Drink of the Month Club is trying new cocktails.  There are some great cocktail ideas in this post: Cocktails 101: How can you use ten classic recipes to expand your cocktail repertoire?  Another post expands on the list of cocktails: Cocktails 101: How to mix six classic Cocktail recipes from the 1950’s.  Be sure to check out the slide shows in these articles.

Soon we’ll review stocking your bar, but this should be enough to get you started with your first DOMC meeting or (start small) cocktail party.  Here is another copy of the DOMC Rules.  Many of them also apply to your cocktail parties.

Rules of the Drink-of-the-Month Club

• No Driving.
• No under-age drinkers – always obey local laws.
• Be a good neighbor – no noise, no mess, no loud music.
• Only invite neighbors who live within very short walking distance.
• One cocktail per person per recipe (unless only two couples are participating).
• Keep it small (6-8 people maximum).
• Know your limits, and when to stop drinking.
• Never urge someone to have another drink when they want to stop.

Cocktail Coolers for Memorial Day

AP Photo/Toby Talbot

Memorial Day is a time to remember those who have died in the service of our country. It is also the first long week-end of summer (although it’s hard to tell since May has been cool and wet so far) and a chance to get together with family and friends for the traditional cook-out on a beautiful, partly cloudy day.  One of these days the heat of summer will arrive in Salt Lake City, even if that day may still seem far away… 

When the heat does arrive, it will do so with a vengeance and we will need these summer coolers.  When that happens, your best bet is to have ingredients for a selection of summer cooler cocktail recipes available to mix and enjoy on those hot week-end days as you sit and contemplate the weeding or painting you should be doing.  Better yet, have the fixin’s available for two or three of your favorite coolers at your next summer cook-out.  Your guests will be very grateful.  Even if you’re not having a cook-out, these cocktails are great to enjoy while relaxing in your lawn chair and encouraging your wife as she mows the lawn.

So here are ten favorite summer cooler cocktails in time for the Memorial Day week-end.  Be sure to pay attention to how much you’re drinking, though.  These coolers may not taste strong, but they have as much alcohol as any other cocktail.  Cook-out reminder: drink responsibly and don’t play with fire! And don’t forget to remember…

Links to the recipes follow, but first view this slide show.  Find a cooler you like the looks of, and then return here to click through to the full article (or articles).

El Diablo

Mai Tai

Rum and Coke

Dark and Stormy

Gin and Tonic

Margarita Cooler

Lavender Colada

Tequila Mojito

Pimm’s Cup

Gin Rickey

Champing at the bit – sparkling wines under $20 for the holiday season

It’s December, time to get ready for the holidays and the champagne occasion of the year: New Year’s Eve. Wine connoisseurs are all aware that real (capital “C”) Champagne comes only from France, as are most card carrying cocktailians. The French discourage others from using the appellation “champagne” on their sparkling wines, and many of the quality wineries (especially those who wish to sell their wines in France) comply, so many sparkling wines (bubbly for short) will not say “champagne” on the bottle, although some do. Unfortunately there are few (none?) legitimate Champagnes available in the under $20 (for 750ml.) price range. If you would like to learn more about Champagne, including the names of the big Champagne houses, check out the New York Times Champagne navigator page.

For those of us on a recessionary (or depressionary) budgets who still want to celebrate with some sparkling wine, the Utah Sate Liquor Store system has obliged us with a great selection of American sparkling wines for under $20 with some pretty good ones for under $10. (Those of you who live in bigger markets should be able to buy all of the wines mentioned here.) Regular readers are doubtless aware of my love for champagne cocktails like the French 75 and the Kir Royale. When cocktail recipes call for champagne, though, it’s usually more economical to use a good sparkling wine. Drink your high quality Champagne (and high quality domestic bubblies) straight so you can appreciate them. For champagne cocktails, there are some very good sparklers under $10 that are ideal for mixing. Readers should always have a bottle or two of better quality champagne around for celebrations and several less expensive bottles for mixing. If you have a spare fridge in the basement, keep it stocked.

This post will only recommend wines from houses that have had some of their sparkling wines score at least 85 or 90 points by some well known rating service like Wine Spectator or Wine Enthusiast. Although quality will vary year to year with the vintage, etc., it’s safe to assume that these winemakers know what they are doing and will turn out a good product. That means that while individual wines mentioned here may not have been rated (or not rated high enough to brag about), you will be buying a reliable product and not junk wine.

Under $20

Before we get into the real bargains, lets look at the bubblies that price out closer to $20. Gloria Ferrer makes some excellent sparkling wines that are among my favorites. Although not on sale this month (that’s a shame) their Blanc de Noirs ($18) and Brut ($17) have both been highly rated by multiple rating services. Domaine Chandon is another producer of highly rated bubbly in our price range. Their Brut and their Blanc de Noirs are both on sale this month for $16, and Chandon Riche Extra Dry, while not on sale, is a bargain at $19. Rated only a couple of points lower is Mumm Napa’s Brut, on sale this month for $19. Piper Sonoma doesn’t rate quite as highly, but their Brut is on sale this month for $15 and is worth a try.

Around $10 and less

Korbel used to be the best of the budget bubblies, their Extra Dry has been rated respectably in the mid eighties and is on sale this month ($10.5), as are several other of their sparklers, a Brut and a Chardonnay among them. Now, however, they have some competition in their price range. Domaine Sainte Michelle, also scoring in the mid-eighties, is another bargain bubbly on sale for $11 this month. The real bargains in this price range, however, are some of the sparklers from Barefoot Bubbly. Three Bubblies (Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay Brut, and Chardonnay Extra Dry) are all on sale for $8. Wine Enthusiast gave one of their bubblies an 87 rating and a Top 100 Best Values award several years ago. Barefoot Bubblies are a great value; the first time I tasted one I couldn’t believe the price. Barefoot’s sparklers are very drinkable on their own, and are great in any champagne cocktail you might care to try.

There are some even less expensive bubblies on sale this month: André wines are on sale for $3.5 and Cook’s for as low as $4. Needless to say, these are not among my recommendations, and so far as I know they have never been highly rated. They can serve a purpose in punches or in other concoctions where “champagne” is a minority ingredient or is overpowered by the other ingredients, but my recommendation is that you never drink them straight.

If you have an affinity for some other bubbly (domestic or imported) that is available for under $20, please share the information with others by adding a comment to this post. Happy Holidays! In the meantime, if you want to know what you’re looking for when you go to the wine store, view this slideshow for photos of most of the bubblies mentioned in the post, plus a couple of serving suggestions.

Bathtub gin anyone? Gin cocktails for Repeal Day

December 5, 1933: sunrise in America as Prohibition comes to an end, freedom and enlightenment return, and honest people can once again legally drink cocktails. To celebrate Repeal Day, here is a short list of gin cocktails to tickle your taste-buds. Several gin cocktails will be shaken (or stirred) at my house tonight. In case you’re wondering. Gin was selected as a nod to the memory of the bad “bathtub gin” that people had to drink during the dark years of the twenties.

Let’s start with one that’s almost straight gin, albeit on the rocks. Plymouth® is a brand name for a distinctive type of gin. Although you can use London Dry gin, Plymouth gin makes a great Pink Gin, so give it a try. All you need is gin, bitters, and ice.

The Gin and Tonic is another classic gin cocktail that you’re probably familiar with, and it’s not just for summer, either. I had my first Gin and Tonic back in my early twenties and thought it was just OK, never realizing that the problem was the gin. Quality gin, which wasn’t available during Prohibition, is the key to a good Gin and Tonic. I like to use Bombay Sapphire®; sip it slowly and savor the flavor.

During Prohibition, most people didn’t have access to quality cocktail ingredients imported from Europe like Lillet® Blanc, Campari®, and vermouth. The imported liquors they were able to obtain were mostly bootlegged whiskey and rum smuggled into the country from Canada (like Canadian Club®). Their grandchildren are much better off, so let’s have a Martini, a Vesper Martini that is. Gin, vodka, Lillet, and bitters (optional) are all you need to enjoy James Bond’s favorite drink.

The third recommendation is the Twelve Squared, a cocktail containing 144 Botanicals in a single cocktail. For this tasty beauty, you’ll need Lillet Blanc and a bottle of Green Chartreuse®, but the investment you make in these ingredients will pay off in future enjoyment.

If you’re in the mood for something not quite as strong as these gin intensive cocktails, try a French 75 – a reliable champagne (and gin) cocktail that is just what you need. Named after the famous French cannon of World War I, this little beauty has a nice kick and never misfires.