Friday, July 30, 2010

Spa

It's shaping up to be a decent day today, hopefully yours is the same.  The weather looks fairly good.  The weekend is nearly upon us.  And, the new Arcade Fire album "The Suburbs" drops next Tuesday.  It will no doubt be the Soundtrack of the Week come Monday.  If you want an advance listen to the album, it can be found streaming here.

Today, we drink the Spa cocktail.  This is an extremely light cocktail, taste-wise, befitting of its name.


Spa, available at the New Amsterdam Gin website, here.

Mix this delectable cucumber martini on a summer day or as a complement to a soothing spa treatment. Smooth sailing.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 1/2 oz New Amsterdam Gin
1 oz spring water
1 teaspoon sugar
3 slices English cucumber
A splash of vanilla essence or violet liqueur
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Muddle the cucumber with sugar until the juice is extracted. Pour mixture into a cocktail shaker with all other ingredients. Add ice. Shake vigorously for about six seconds. Strain contents into a martini glass and garnish with a cucumber flower.


This is a particularly interesting cocktail because it's so light in flavor.  You'll taste the gin, and you'll certainly taste the cucumber and the small amount of sugar.  As a cocktail, it tastes like lightly sweetened water.  The name of the drink in many ways describes the experience you'll have with the cocktail - refreshing, clean, almost rejuvenating (insofar as you'll feel like a new person after 4-5 of these).

I'm trying to think of the occasions in which this cocktail makes sense.  I think it's too delicate for very hot weather, or a BBQ.  I think it'd likely make a great aperitif, because the subtlety may awaken the taste buds.  I suppose it would be a solid cocktail at a spa, but unless you have one at your home or you carry alcohol when visiting a spa, it's like out of the question.

The Spa cocktail is a bit of a surprise to me because I did not expect to like something quite so light in flavor.  Compared to something like scotch, this cocktail is light as air.  Give it a go if you want to try something a bit different.  Also, you may have noticed that I have Crème de Violette in the arsenal now.  In the near future, we'll be revisiting one of my favorite cocktails, the Aviation, to see if there is a discernible difference between using Crème de Violette and Parfait Amour to finish the drink. 

Have a great weekend!  We'll see you on Monday!  Salud!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Jameson and Lemonade

I got into a bit of a kick of checking out bottling websites for recipes.  Last week's St. Germain Cocktail was pulled from the St. Germain website, and today's drink was pulled from the Jameson website. 

We're a little short on photos today due to some studio work (read: the house was a mess).  But, we did bring out the classic Al Harrington glass for this one, as captured in the photo below.

Jameson and Lemonade, recipe taken from the Jameson website, available here

1 part Jameson
2 parts club soda
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
3 teaspoons of castor sugar

Place the sugar and the lemon juice in a highball glass and stir vigorously until the sugar is dissolved.  Then add Jameson, stir and top with ice.  Finish the drink by topping up with soda water and garnishing with a lime wedge.


Imagine a Mike's Hard Lemonade, or something similar, and you're pretty close to a Jameson and Lemonade.  This cocktail tastes far better than a pre-made malt liquor counterpart, likely because the Jameson and Lemonade is made from fresh ingredients.  It's quite sweet though, and unless you love sweet things, one of these drinks is likely enough.

The club soda is a nice addition, because it cuts at some of the sweetness, and you can use more or less of it to taste.  I thankfully already had castor sugar available - but if you don't have castor sugar specifically, just use any superfine sugar and it'll do nicely.


On Friday, we're drinking a cocktail called Spa.  It's a gin based drink, with cucumber, some sugar, water, and we'll top it off with some creme de violette.  Should be excellent.  See you then!

Monday, July 26, 2010

What We're Drinking This Week

Right now I'm reading the 3rd book in Stieg Larsson's Liz Salander novels, "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest."  As mentioned in a previous post, I highly recommend Larsson's novels.  They are each well written, nuanced, and highly entertaining. 

Yesterday, we decided we'd watch the Swedish film version of the first novel, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."  There is a US movie of the book currently in production.  We fired up the Nintendo Wii, played the Netflix disc, and started the movie.

The Swedish movie was terrible.  Like many novels-turned-movie, large swaths of storyline were removed.  Most infuriating though, was that the storyline was changed repeatedly - sometimes in extreme ways.  Subtleties were lost entirely, and nuance was replaced with bigger explosions and whack-you-over-the-head action. 

Also, the acting was suspect.  The lead male was not particularly good looking - this despite the fact the lead male character is supposed to be a ladies man.  The lead female looked the part of Liz Salander, but was the unfortunate victim of a bad screenplay that completely changed the character, making it difficult to watch.

After watching the movie, I began to wonder when a book-turned-movie had been good, bringing the novel to life as opposed to making a bizarro-world version of the text.  Any examples you can think of?  I struggled with this one.


Soundtrack of the weekBig Boi "Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty" - This album delivers all the beats you could want, and some excellent (and legitimately funny) filler material between songs.  For Outkast fans waiting for something from Big Boi and Andre 3000 together, we'll have to wait a little longer.  But, don't fear, Big Boi's new one is stellar on its own.

What We're Drinking This Week:

I'm pretty excited about this week's drinks... 

Tuesday - Jameson and Lemonade - I'm always excited to find new whiskey-based cocktails - this one should be good.

Friday - Spa - Gin based, and likely an excellent choice for the summer heat.

Enjoy your Monday - see you tomorrow!

Friday, July 23, 2010

St. Germain Cocktail

I thought I'd quickly make mention of Thierry Henry's debut for the New York Red Bulls last night, against Tottenham Hotspur, from across the pond.  As my friend Warren pointed out to me, Henry took the PATH train from Manhattan to the game with his friends and a litany of fans attending the game.

Henry has always been one of my favorite players.  He is smooth as silk on the field, and seems genuinely likable off the field.  Taking the train to the stadium, as opposed to a car service (which no doubt would have been provided, and he could no doubt afford), is so "man of the people" and so significant in a country whose soccer fans are waiting for a reason to care about the MLS.  He may be the reason.

Screw LeBron - New York needed Henry to bring NYC back to sporting prominance.  It's fitting then, in honor of the Frenchman Thierry Henry, that today we drink the St. Germain Cocktail, a cocktail that primarily uses two French ingredients: St. Germain of course, and champagne.


St. Germain Cocktail (available at the St. Germain website, available here)

2 parts Brut Champagne or Dry Sparkling Wine
1 1/2 parts St. Germain
2 parts
Sparkling Water or Club Soda

Method: Fill a tall Collins glass with ice. Add Champagne first, then St-Germain, then Club Soda. Stir completely.  Garnish with a lemon twist, making sure to squeeze essential oils into the glass.


 
The St. Germain Cocktail is another excellent summer classic.  The cocktail is sweet, but the brut champagne really evens the sweetness out.  If you used an Asti sparkling wine, by comparison, the drink would be all sweetness, with no dry qualities to balance the other flavors.

And ladies love the St. Germain Cocktail. 

The next time you're making cocktails for your wife, girlfriend, or any other woman in your life - make this, and they'll love you for it.  Science has proven that the St. Germain Cocktail is a winner with women (I'm so excited, I'm using alliteration, and it's not even 10am)!  Further, if you're trying to prove your mettle on a first date, or even a 10th date, the St. Germain Cocktail will impress.

If anyone does employ my above advice, please let me know.  The Amateur Mixologist is first here to make drinks, of course, but the second reason for our presence is to facilitate relationships.  I kid, I kid!  But seriously, how awesome would it be if someone marries as a direct result of having made the St. Germain Cocktail, first seen on The Amateur Mixologist?  Stranger things have happened!

Have an excellent weekend friends, see you on Monday!  A votre santé!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Cucumber Margarita

As a kid, I remember an oft-played TV commercial that ran in the summertime.  "It's hot, and you need a pool!" the man said, over and over again.  He was right!  At 8 years old, all you want is a pool. 

At my age now, I want a cold drink!  We've got just the ticket: the Cucumber Margarita!

The Ultimate Bar Book, page 293

Cucumber Margarita

1 tablespoon superfine sugar
1 oz fresh lime juice
1/4 cup thinly sliced English cucumber
1 1/2 oz silver tequila
1 oz Cointreau

Put the sugar and lime juice in the bottom of an old-fashioned glass.  Add the cucumber and muddle.  Add the tequila and Cointreau.  Fill the glass with ice and stir.


Damn this is a solid cocktail.  It is a wonderful confluence of the traditional margarita flavors and the fresh taste of summer cucumbers.

Admittedly, I did not use an English cucumber.  I used the more heavily seeded variety that grows in my backyard garden.  If you happen to do the same, remember to take out the seeds in the middle.  Simply slice through the middle and take out the seeds individually with the edge of the knife or you could simply cut out the middle (you'll lose some of the great cucumber taste the more you cut up the middle).


This is a sweet cocktail, no doubt about it. It's sweeter than your usual margarita - there is a tablespoon of sugar in here after all.  It goes down really smoothly though, and isn't sickly sweet. 

I'm particularly a fan of this cocktail because my garden has produced an abundance of cucumbers this year.  It's as though the cucumber plant watched John & Kate plus 8 and got inspired (minus the trashiness, of course - my cucumbers are classy as hell).

Friday, we drink the St. Germain Cocktail.  I'm very excited about this one - and I know JB is too.  Ladies love St. Germain Cocktails.  Love them!  If you're a single guy, buy a bottle for the next time you need to make a drink at your house - it will go over well, I assure you.

See you Friday!

Monday, July 19, 2010

What We're Drinking This Week

Greetings sports fans!  Welcome back to the show, we're excited to be drinking a couple excellent cocktails this week.  First though...

Soundtrack of the Week!  I haven't been listening to any new new albums of late.  I've been taking in some discs that I gave short shrift at one time or another.  One of those albums is the newer Broken West disc "Now or Heaven."  It's an excellent rock album, with a bunch of catchy upbeat tunes that are sure to liven up any BBQ or cornhole tournament.


Book of the Week!  Frank Browning, "Apples."

I know what you're thinking, "this asshole just recommended a book solely about apples, he's got to be joking."  I am not joking.  It is an excellent book about the changes in the apple industry, and the apple itself, over the course of (mainly) modern human history.  Thankfully, the Red Delicious is starting to share space with other better, more interesting apples on our supermarket shelves.  My favorites are Honeycrisp (when available), and Jonagold. 


Now that you've learned that I'm incredibly dorky, reading and recommending books about apples, let's drink so that you can forget I ever mentioned anything!

What We're Drinking This Week

Tuesday - Cucumber Margarita - It's the middle of the summer, and this should be a refreshing alternative to this classic cocktail.

Friday - St. Germain Cocktail - Another perfect one for hot weather.  If you don't have a bottle of St. Germain, go buy one, and check back on Friday - you'll thank me later.

See you tomorrow!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Shamrock

The Shamrock cocktail, a name that evokes thoughts of Ireland, and perhaps a minty-quality as well.  Listen, I'm not giving anything away by telling you that this thing is a sweet drink, perhaps too sweet for the comfort of some of the male readership.  But lest we judge too quickly, let's look at its ingredients:


The Ultimate Bar Book, page 368

Shamrock

1 1/2oz  Irish whiskey
3/4oz creme de menthe
2oz heavy cream
Maraschino cherry

Shake the liquid vigorously with ice.  Strain into an ice-filled old fashioned glass.  Garnish with the cherry.


The Shamrock tastes like a minty shake, and with a full 2 ounces of heavy cream added to the mix, you'll want to drink these as sparingly as a shake.  It's rich, it's thick, and it's cold. 

I'd be lying if I said I didn't like this drink, it tastes like candy after all.  But, this is a little foo-foo-y.  I'd expect this on some cocktail bar's pictured drink menu called something like an "Irish Mintastic!" or the "Minty Clover!" - something with an exclamation mark at the end of the title.


JB tried it and thought it tasted like an alcoholic Shamrock shake from McDonald's.  Seems fitting to me.

After a few enjoyable sips, I felt like I was drinking nothing but heavy cream.  It was just a lot to take in in one sitting.  Two of these drinks, and you'll have consumed your the next month's worth of dairy.  Heavy cream is just not meant to be ingested in large quantities in this form.  Mix it up to make some whipped cream, or use it as an ice cream ingredient and it becomes palatable.  Drinking it straight though, it's not all that appealing to me.

I'd suggest this as perhaps an alternative to egg-nog, come the holiday season (it is Christmas in July somewhere).  This may have been an ill-timed choice in the middle of the summer ("milk was a bad choice"), but it's still a good cocktail, just sweet, with a large amount of heavy cream.


This weekend, I'm travelling to a bachelor party for one of my good friends.  I hope you have a fantastic weekend, and enjoy the Shamrock, or whatever it is you'll be drinking.  Until Monday - salud!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

La Floridita Daiquiri

One of the great features of The Ultimate Bar Book are the cocktail derivations that are regularly featured alongside the main drink.  Want a different kind of daiquiri, one that's apart from the norm?  You'll find 10 of them readily available and easy to follow.


La Floridita Daiquiri is one of the alternatives, with only a slight change from the typical light rum, simple syrup and lime juice concoction.

The Ultimate Bar Book, page 262

La Floridita Daiquiri

2oz light rum
1/4oz maraschino liqueur
3/4oz fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar

Combine all ingredients but the garnish in a blender with 1/2 cup ice.  Blend until smooth.  Poor into a chilled cocktail glass.


This is the first blended drink we've made on The Amateur Mixologist.  I pulled out the trusty blender, often used in my house for morning smoothies, and was set to go.  You should know that 1/2 cup of ice is a really small amount of ice, particularly if you're dealing with large cubes.

I blended the drink on the "Ice Crush" setting, and wouldn't you know, only after did I come to understand that the "Food Processor" setting was the better option.  Once I was done though, even if it didn't look all that frothy and slushy (it was more like small ice-chips), I gave it a sip.  Good thing too, because it was excellent.

This is a fitting next step after having made the Aviation cocktail last Friday.  There is of course maraschino liqueur in both drinks, and it is undoubtedly the reason for the similar flavor profile.  And with all the additional water from the ice cubes, it is a lighter and colder cocktail.  The result is a really nice cooling drink.  In no way is it sweet and foo-foo-y.  In other words, you don't find a plastic sword served along side this one. It's simply a nice alternative to the classic daiquiri.

On Friday, we'll be checking out the Shamrock.  Appreciate the e-mails, as always.  Keep them coming!

Until Friday, have an excellent week!

Monday, July 12, 2010

What We're Drinking This Week

Congratulations to Spain, on their World Cup victory.  The game itself was a dull one, but Spain proved to be the better side.  In the end, one could argue that Cesc Fabregas was the difference maker. 


Fabregas came into the game late, but made a huge difference, giving Spain multiple strike opportunities, and moving the ball upfield quickly and efficiently.  It's a matter of time too, before Fabregas moves from his current squad Arsenal to Barcelona.  But for his injury, he'd likely have played for many more minutes in this World Cup.

There's no doubt Spain deserved to win.  Their road to the final was much harder than the road the Netherlands faced, and, despite what was often-times brutal football to watch, Spain controlled much of the match on Sunday.  As Bill Simmons has said in one of his recent columns, the World Cup should be every 3 years.  I agree.  Anything that equates to more international soccer is a good thing. 

Finally, a word of congratulations to ESPN for a stellar job broadcasting all of the games.  ESPN sent their best talent, hired some of the best British announcers to call the games, and went above and beyond for their American audience.  Well done, very well done, ESPN.

Now that the World Cup is over, we move onto drinking.  This week, we're drinking a couple solid cocktails.

What We're Drinking This Week

- Tuesday:  La Foridita Daiquiri - We're putting the maraschino liqueur to work again, in this unique take on an old classic.  It of course if rum based, but will also feature the aforementioned maraschino liqueur and lime juice, with a touch of sugar thrown in for good measure.  And, it's a frozen one - so ice will be in order.

- Friday:  Shamrock - Irish whiskey, plus creme de menthe and some cream.  Imagine a minty-whiskey milkshake, and you're going to be close to this cocktail. 

I've received some welcome positive feedback on the Aviation, glad it has been such a hit!  Until tomorrow, when we drink La Foridita Dacquiri!

Friday, July 9, 2010

Aviation Cocktail

So, how about that LeBron James fellow?  He sure does love attention.

This whole ordeal has been so drama-filled, and so utterly unnecessary.  It reminds me of LeBron's basketball games to date in some ways: at times riveting, but in the end, unfulfilling.

What all of this drama tells me is that LeBron is not in the mold of Jordan and Kobe.  He is sadly different.  LeBron seems to be more interested in posing after the final shot than he is in actually taking or hitting it.  Jordan and Kobe want(ed) to kill you.  Maybe not literally, but they certainly want(ed) to figuratively kill their opponents.  Their drive was founded upon a need to win. 

LeBron, it seems, either knew he did not possess that type of drive to win, or, perhaps knew he needed others to shoulder some of the burden of winning.  I feel as though his capacity for greatness is now smaller; his passing ability apparently not limited to the basketball court, but also to passing off the large responsibility of team leadership to at least 2 others. 

So now we have a "super team" - a team comprised of exactly 3 players as of right now, and only one that I actually genuinely like (D. Wade).  Quote Macbeth here with the sound and the fury and all, because by the end of the hour special, it was entirely anti-climactic.  The one thing I did learn is that LeBron is as hollow an individual in front of the media as Tiger Woods.  How incredibly sad, and boring.

And why Jim Gray, ESPN?  Jim Gray is the best guy you could come up with?  He is universally loathed, and his voice equals nails on a chalkboard turned up to 11.  I wish Pete Rose had been in attendance and just walked up and punched Gray in the face.  That would have been drama I would have enjoyed.

With LeBron flying to Miami, we fly the Aviation cocktail today!


Aviation Cocktail
Adapted from Samuel Kinsey's recipe by the NYT, available here.

2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons maraschino liqueur, preferably Luxardo
1/4 ounce Crème de Violette
Lemon twist, for garnish

Combine the first three ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake to chill well, then strain into a cocktail glass. Drizzle the Crème de Violette into the glass and garnish with a lemon twist.


For this cocktail, I'm using New Amsterdam Gin, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, and Parfait Amour in the place of Crème de Violette.

I love this cocktail.  This is one of my go-to cocktails, when I can find a place that serves them.  In Chicago, I get it at The Bristol.  In Indianapolis, I go to the newly opened pre-prohibition era cocktail bar, Ball and Biscuit.

First, it's worth noting a couple things about the recipe.

It is incredibly difficult to find Crème de Violette.  Don't let its absence discourage you.  It is primarily meant to impart color into the cocktail.  I subbed in Parfait Amour in its place, as even the finest liquor stores in my area do not carry Crème de Violette without a specialty order.  The flavors of the two liqueurs may differ, but not so substantially so as to significantly change the Aviation's taste or your enjoyment of the drink.


The other issue worth noting is that maraschino liqueur is not nearly as sweet as you might expect.  Sure it is sweet, but not syrupy sweet.

This is such a balanced cocktail, and so enjoyable.  The first taste I get upon sipping the Aviation is a slight bitterness, followed by a wonderful mix of the lemon and cherry flavors.  Balance.  It is excellent.  I'd drink this as an aperitif, or perhaps as an after-dinner drink.  I probably would not drink it with a meal, as it has a flavor profile that should be savored on its own.

Have an excellent weekend, enjoy the Aviation, and we'll see you next week!

Salud!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Matador

Today we're drinking the Matador cocktail, a drink with three simple ingredients: gold tequila, pineapple juice, and fresh lime juice. 


The Ultimate Bar Book, page 289

Matador

1 1/2 oz gold tequila
3 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz fresh lime juice

Shake the ingredients vigorously with ice.  Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass.


This is an ideal cocktail for pineapple juice lovers.  The pineapple juice is not subtle, it dominates the drink.  In fact, in certain sips, I couldn't taste the tequila.  I certainly couldn't detect the lime juice.

Here's the thing about such a drink though:  Invariably at one point in your life you likely purchased a large bottle of Jose Cuervo Especial Gold tequila, and you've probably consumed less than half of it.  It now sits on the back of a shelf, collecting piles of dust.  Now is your chance to use the rest of the bottle. 

Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of Jose Cuervo Especial Gold.  It tastes cheap to me.  Nicer, more refined tequilas have a depth of flavor that is missing with Cuervo Especial Gold's hard punch to the gut taste.  Cuervo makes good tequila, no doubt, but their mainstay Especial Gold bottling is not my favorite.


The Matador though, is highly drinkable, and, with its 1.5oz contribution of the Cuervo Especial Gold in each serving, you'll be finished with your old bottle in no time!  And, since you're post-college, or soon will be, you can probably afford to step up your game, and buy some better quality agave-based liquor.

I'd recommend the Matador for any summer occasion.  It's served over ice, has a fair amount of liquid content making it a little more suitable for larger sips, and it's got a strong fruit juice component.  Serving it at a BBQ would of course make sense, but why not make one when you're just sitting around in the afternoon reading a good book?  I'd do it. 

This Friday, we drink the Aviation - one of my favorite cocktails.  Until then, cheers!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

What We're Drinking This Week

I had a great weekend, hope you did as well, celebrating our nation's independence.

This week, we'll get to take in the remainder of the World Cup (Netherlands v. Uruguay this afternoon), watch the NBA free agent market come together,  the summer baseball season rolls along, and British Open tune-ups begin.  It has been, and continues to be, an amazing sports summer.

Similarly amazing?  What we're drinking this week.  But first!...

Soundtrack of the WeekRobyn "Body Talk Pt. 1"  I know this outside the realm of music I am likely to recommend.  It's dance club music.  But, tell me you don't feel something, however small, when you watch Robyn in the "Dancing on my Own" video.  Here is a link to the video.  In this day and age of singles and iTunes, you could simply buy that song and call it a day.  Buy the album, and mix it into the rest of your collection. 


Book of the Week: Stieg Larsson's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"  If you're not in on this book yet, do yourself a favor, and jump in with both feet - the water is warm, I assure you.  Larsson's first novel is a rather long thriller set in his native Sweden.  The characters are nicely developed, and the pacing is superb.  This book is popular, arguably the most popular fiction book out at the moment, but make no mistake - this is a terribly well written effort.  In other words, it's not some crappily-written beach-novel a la The DaVinci Code.

Larsson's story is an interesting one.  He was a magazine editor, who somehow found the time to compose this novel without much fanfare.  He didn't seek his novels' publication until shortly before his untimely passing.  He passed away at a rather young age from a heart attack, with 3 completed, but unpublished novels - The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo being the first.  If you're in need of a book this summer, this is a wonderful book with which to consume your time.

What We're Drinking This Week

Tomorrow (Wednesday): Matador - Tequila and pineapple juice.  Delicious.

Friday: Aviation - Gin, maraschino cherry liqueur and lemon juice.  One of my favorite orders when I happen upon a place that serves them.


Looking forward to this week's drinks (and not this week's heat).  Stay cool out there - we'll see you tomorrow!

Friday, July 2, 2010

Bella, Bella

Happy 4th weekend!   I'm looking forward to a long holiday weekend, as well as some really nice weather.   And of course, at every BBQ and family picnic across the U.S., there will no doubt be mountains of Bud Light and Bud heavy cases - and perhaps even a few mixed cocktails or two.  Please do not pull a drinking + fireworks combo if you're severely inebriated, like these guys.

For those classy BBQs in which you are mixing drinks, today's cocktail may be a good one for the man or woman who loves the flavor of alcohol.  What do I mean by that?  Well, for some of the population, the actual taste of the high-proof alcohol is objectionable.  Many get over this hump when they reach a certain age, but some never do.  For those who have jumped over the hurdle, so to speak, the Bella, Bella may be a strong fit.  Let's take a look.


The Ultimate Bar Book, page 176

Bella, Bella


1 oz gin
2/3 oz Campari
1/2 oz limoncello
1/2 oz Mandarine Napoleon (or other orange liqueur)
2/3 oz fresh orange juice
Lime peel spiral

Shake the liquid ingredients vigorously with ice.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with lime peel spiral.


For the gin, I'm using New Amsterdam, and in the place of Mandarine Naoploen I am using Cointreau.  Feel free to use triple sec or Grand Marnier if you have either on hand.

As first mentioned above, the Bella, Bella is a strong cocktail.  This cocktail includes over 3oz of liquor, strong liquor.  It's rich too.  The mixture yields an almost velvety texture. 


What is lacks in subtlty with respect to alcohol flavors, it makes up for with somewhat subtle orange notes.  How can that be, you ask - there are two components adding nothing but orange flavors?  True, but, in the context cocktail, along with the gin and Campari, the orange flavors are but a strong baseline holding up the rest of the tune. 

Enjoy the Bella, Bella.  Enjoy the holiday weekend!  Check back on Tuesday when we return with some new drinks next week.  Until then, cheers, and happy 4th!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Bella Bella - Tomorrow

Hello friends!  Due to some exigent circumstances beyond my control, there is a slight delay with today's cocktail.  We'll be looking at the Bella, Bella cocktail tomorrow.  Until then, have a great Thursday!
 
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