Bacardi Cocktail

Wowza!  It's been an interesting last 48 hours.  Today, we'll be drinking the Bacardi Cocktail in the place of the Mexican Mule.  More on that in a minute...

E-mail went down at the office yesterday, for the entire morning and afternoon.  We couldn't send or receive e-mail, nor could we retrieve e-mails from the system generally.  In other words, if your only way to obtain contact information from someone was in an e-mail they sent, you were SOL.  It was strange to be so isolated from information that is so valuable for daily tasks.  I didn't miss the mundane e-mails that come and go, day in day out.  I did miss the opportunity to access information quickly and efficiently from prior correspondence.

In any event, today we're drinking the Bacardi Cocktail for one simple reason - I don't have any ginger ale.  None. Nada.  I started pulling the Mexican Mule ingredients together, and noticed I was missing out on one of its key ingredients.  And, it was late.  I fumbled through The Ultimate Bar Book, and found a more-than-suitable alternative: the Bacardi Cocktail!

Bacardi Cocktail
The Ultimate Bar Book, page 252

2 oz Bacardi light or gold rum
1 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz grenadine
Maraschino cherry

Shake the liquid ingredients vigorously with ice.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with the cherry.

I had a little help on the tasting of the drink from JB.  She thought that the drink tasted tart and sweet.  "It tastes like some fruity drink I would have had in college," she said. 

I agree.  This is a rather sweet, tart cocktail.  It's good, but not great.  It's similar to the Celeb_U_Bot we tried last week - a fair amount of juice and added sugar (in this case, the grenadine, the Celeb_U_Bot, good old fashioned sugar).  One of these is likely enough, if for no other reason than the juice and sugar will give you a wicked hangover if you have too many of the Bacardi Cocktail.

Next week, we will no doubt tackle the Mexican Mule, with ginger ale and all.  Until then, have an excellent weekend and drink one for me!

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!

Liberty Cocktail

Today we drink the Liberty Cocktail.  In keeping with all things liberty, I think it's fitting that we make note of North Korea's drumming at the hands of Portugal in yesterday's World Cup match, 7-0. 

I know that the North Korea soccer squad has absolutely nothing to do with the Kim Jong Il regime, but it's telling that many of the die-hard North Korean fans are in fact paid Chinese actors.  I mean, you can't make this stuff up!  Someone paid actors, from another country, to cheer on the North Koreans!  That's crazy!

Sadly though, while such bizarre actions are funny, the situation in North Korea is no laughing matter.  North Korea is in dire poverty, with hundreds of thousands of its citizens starving, and dying of starvation every year.  It's interesting then to contrast the traits of North Korea with its counterparts in today's match, Portugal.

Portugal is in the midst of a financial crisis, though largely of its own creation.  Its debtload is incredibly high, its economy teetering on the brink of a Greek-styled collapse.  Despite this though, its citizens are not starving, are not dying of poverty.  Two countries in the midst of different turmoils, two turmoils that could not be more disparate from one another. 

The sharp contrast between the two countries is one of the great qualities of the World Cup.  Two countries with little in common, playing a game loved the world over. 

Let's move from two countries and their World Cup action to the Liberty Cocktail and some drinking action...

The Ultimate Bar Book, page 132

Liberty Cocktail

1 sugar cube
1 lime wedge
1oz Calvados
3/4oz light rum

Muddle the sugar cube and lime wedge in the bottom of an old-fashioned glass.  Fill with ice, pour in the liquor, and stir.

For this cocktail, I am not using a sugar cube.  Instead, I'm using my secret weapon, superfine sugar, which I delve into later in this post.

It's worth noting that I've finally warmed up to calvados.  It's taken some time, but I feel as though I've acquired a taste for it that I didn't have before.  Note though, that my bottle of calvados isn't the finest stuff available.

This drink though, is a good entry into the world of calvados, because the cocktail has a similar flavor profile as a caipirinha, something you've likely had before.  There's good reason for this of course, as muddled lime and sugar is the start of a good caipirinha.  The similarities do not end there though, as both drinks have a bit of a harsher start than something like a mojito. 

Just consider for a moment the sheer percentage of alcohol that accounts for the overall liquid contents in the drink.  Let's suppose that the lime wedge adds maybe 1/2oz of lime juice to the mix.  Even then, it's an overwhelming amount of alcohol-to-mixer combination.  Mind you, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's worth noting when determining its fit for a particular audience.  This might be a nice refresher for the males at a BBQ, but it may be a tad strong for the ladies' tastes (of course, if a lady likes a strong drink, by all means, have at it).

Something unique about this drink is the fact that the lime and sugar bring out the apple flavors of the calvados.  There is a nice lingering apple finish that is totally different than any of the other calvados-based cocktails that we've tried.

And now, the secret weapon: Superfine Caster Sugar.

You can pick up one of these specimens on Amazon, as I've done - 2 3lb cans runs about $28.  This is a very good investment if you're making drinks that require sugar - alcoholic drinks or simply iced tea.  This stuff will melt away even under cold conditions.  A sugar cube, as the recipe above calls for, is a fickle animal.  You may be able to dissolve half of the sugar cube, but the remaining sugar will simply lie in the bottom of the glass.  With superfine sugar though, you won't have that problem. 

Tomorrow - the US plays Algeria.  I see a 3-1 win for the U.S. in this game, with a more aggressive first-half showing than we've seen to date.

Until later in the week, when we try the Bourbon Sidecar - cheers!


For more cocktail content and my attempts to be witty, check us out @IMakeDrinks on Twitter.

Piña Colada & What We're Drinking This Week

So much to talk about, what with the World Cup, the NBA Finals and unexpectedly decent weather this weekend.

First, the World Cup.

The United States side secured a 1-1 draw against England on Saturday, a great result, though not always a great game to watch.  The US were bunched up far too often, played the long ball in the place of steady progression, and generally looked outclassed.  Through it all though, they somehow managed to tie a team that is absolutely stacked with talent.

England's middle is arguably the finest in the tournament, with Gerrard and Lompard.  Their main striker, Wayne Rooney, is probably the 4th best footballer in the world behind Messi, Kaká, and Christiano Ronaldo.  England's defense, though aged, is world class, with Cole and John Terry.  The point being that England should be killing opponents.  Somehow though, each year, they underperform.  This may be the best England squad in a generation, or perhaps ever, but at least on Saturday, they could not produce.

The rest of the tournament has been a bit ho-hum, largely because of low scoring matches.  Germany v. Australia produced 4 goals, the most of any of the games this far, though the match was incredibly one-sided, and Australia was the victim of an abysmal red card leaving their squad a man down.  I heard one commentator explain that the low scores are the likely result of all the advanced planning by the coaches, and that future games will yield a bit more uncertainty and a bit more scoring. 

All told, the World Cup has been fantastic.  I've been recording each game, and plan to watch the entire tournament if at all possible.  The only problem is keeping the scores at bay until I get home.  I have co-workers and the internet to fend off.

In addition to the World Cup, the NBA Finals are 5 games deep, with the Celtics up 3-2 over the Lakers. 

I don't have a rooting interest in either squad, though I don't particularly care for Boston's collection of great players from other teams.  I don't think guys like Garnett and Ray Allen are true Celtics.  Maybe that's unfair of me, but I can't shake the idea of their last couple seasons being nothing more than the mad-dash to the finish a la Malone and Gary Payton.  In any event, last night's Game 5 was a lot of fun to watch.  Pierce, a true Celtic through and through, was hitting clutch shots, while Kobe did everything he could to keep the Lakers in the game.  Kobe's 3rd quarter was brilliant.  And now it's back to LA for Game 6.

Soundtrack of the Week:  Blitzen Trapper Destroyer of the Void - Brand new disc, just released, by an excellent band from the Pacific Northwest.  Their last album Furr was one of the finest efforts of the last few years.  Destroyer is a great next effort.  At times they sound a 1970's rollicking southern rock and roll band, and at other times they can be ethereal and sweet.  I saw them live back in the fall, and will be seeing them a couple times later this year.  Highly recommend this album, and if you don't already have Furr, go get it. 

What We're Drinking This Week

-  Piña Colada - This drink needs no introduction.  Read below, you'll see I was drinking it before I could throw a garnish in the mix.

-  Liberty Cocktail - Calvados and light rum based cocktail - not sure how this one will turn out, but we'll give it a go.


Piña Colada

If you've travelled to Puerto Rico, you know of this drink's prominance.  It's the official drink of the island.  It was purportedly made to be the signature drink at a hotel in Old San Juan.  Which, incidentally, if you haven't been, is a must-visit.  Old San Juan is a really vibrant and beautiful part of the city, and its incredibly easy to get to the island from the US.  You don't even need your passports. 

In any event, the drink consists of rum, pineapple juice, and coconut cream.  Coconut cream is a made with coconut milk, and is a really sweet concoction that you could eat by the spoonful if given the opportunity.  I made the drink in the kitchen, as the dining room table was occupied by work related stuffs.

The Ultimate Bar Book, 272

Piña Colada

2oz Puerto Rican light rum
6oz pineapple juice
2oz coconut cream
Pineapple spear
Maraschino cherry

Shake the liquid ingredients vigorously with ice.  Strain into a large ice-filled wineglass.  Garnish with the pineapple spear and cherry.

I had to pull out the large shaker for this one.  There is a lot of liquid in one of these drinks, and I was going to be making a couple of them anyway (JB wanted one as well).  One word of advice - be sure to mix or shake the contents of the coconut cream can, because I assure you it will not be mixed particularly well when you open it.  You won't make a bad drink if you start skimming off the top right away, but, it might be a little sweet.  Dip a spoon in the can, and you'll see what I'm talking about.

You'll notice there is no garnish in any of the photos.  As mentioned above, I started drinking before I had a chance to add the pineapple or cherry.  It was just too good, particularly after all the warm weather we've had of late.  It was a perfect end to the day, though I could have added far more rum to the mix if I had wanted.  The recipe above is great, don't get me wrong, but don't expect to taste much of the rum.  You have 2 ounces of rum battling against 8 ounces of other liquid for positioning.  This is one of those drinks where you can tip the bartender's arm and pour a couple more ounces and it'll still be a great drink. 

Also, you're probably not going to drink a ton of these drinks because the coconut cream is a bit heavy after a while.  It's delicious, but one is enough.  Maybe make it a good one - throw in an additional ounce or two of rum.

Thank you to the recent e-mailers of late, appreciate your thoughts and input.  Have a great week - and if you can't get enough of me on here, remember that we have a Twitter account that features more links to interesting cocktail stories and information: @IMakeDrinks

Cheers!

Petite Fleur

Last evening, the US Men's Soccer Team played a friendly match against the Czech Republic.  Most of the US stars sat the game out.  Guys like Landon Donavan, Client Dempsey, they weren't even on the bench.  Instead, they sat in a suite somewhere high above the field, as the TV cameras zeroed in on them eating chicken wings and other stadium fare.  Not a big deal that they sit, they finished the European soccer leagues in recent weeks and needed the rest.

I'm ready for the World Cup to start.  I love watching soccer, and subscribe to every DirecTV channel that features the game.  I can't say that JB is thrilled on a typical Saturday or Sunday morning, when I'm watching the week's Arsenal match (that is the great thing about subscribing to Setanta - now called Fox Soccer Plus - because the Arsenal match is always televised). 

I know though, that when the World Cup rolls around, it will be a tour de force on my schedule, causing all other things going on around me to play second fiddle.  When a tournament comes around once every 4 years, it's something to be celebrated.  There's often talk of taking holiday on the first weekend of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.  It's a worthy reason to do so.  But I think the same can be said for nearly all facets of the World Cup, and not merely its first rounds of group play.

We'll talk more about the World Cup in the coming weeks.  Today though, we drink a cocktail with an international name, Petite Fleur, French for petite flower.  Which flower you ask?  No one knows, and it doesn't matter - it's good!  That's what counts.

The Ultimate Book of Cocktails, page 155

Petite Fleur

1 oz white rum
1 oz Cointreau
1 oz grapefruit juice

Shake all the ingredients well with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass.  Add a twist of grapefruit rind.

For this cocktail, I'm using Bacardi Rum, Cointreau (obviously), and Indian River Ruby Red grapefruit juice.  I debated whether to go with a non-Ruby Red graperuit flavor, but decided I'd go with what I like. 

This is a tasty cocktail, nicely combining the flavors of its three ingredients.  I think the Cointreau is the most prominent flavor of the bunch, but after all it is an orange flavored alcohol with a nice 80 proof pop.  In other words, it's not going to play the role of a wallflower in this recipe, it's going to make its presence known.

If there is any complaint, and this a small one, it's that this drink is a little sweet.  I'm OK with sweet cocktails (Fireman's Sour is a good example), but I find this cocktail a little too much on the sweet side.  Perhaps it's the grapefruit juice, I did use Ruby Red after all.  For those playing at home, I'd try standard grapefruit juice in the place of Ruby Red. 

The Petite Fleur would be perfect for any occasion, but I think it'd make an excellent aperitif, drinking it before your meal to whet your appetite.  Something about the grapefruit juice makes me want to consume, and then consume some more. 

On Friday, we're drinking the Rosemary cocktail.  Until then, enjoy the weather!  Cheers!

The Mint Julep, Part III, Louisville Stinger

If you haven't checked them out already, we've been drinking Mint Juleps over the last couple of days.

First, we tried the Traditional Southern-Style Mint Julep, a pleasant drinking bourbon cocktail of great prominence this time of year in the Commonwealth.

Then, we tried the Muddled Mint Julep, a similar, albeit a tad easier to drink version of the classic cocktail.

Today, on Day 3 of our stroll through the world of Mint Julep, I made an executive decision, and decided we'd try the Louisville Stinger in the place of yet another Mint Julep.

For those disappointed that they are not seeing another Mint Julep recipe, my sincerest apologies.  But, this Louisville Stinger is good, very good.  It may be the go-to order this weekend if you want something a little off the beaten path.  As you'll notice in the recipe, it's got bourbon and mint flavor, so you could make an argument that the Louisville Stinger is the long lost distant cousin of the Mint Julep (think of it as the 3rd cousin, three times removed).

And we're off (to drinking)!!

American Bar, page 356

Louisville Stinger

1 ounce bourbon
1 ounce light rum
1/2 ounce white creme de cacao
1/4 ounce creme de menthe

Shake the ingredients vigorously with ice.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

For the Louisville Stinger, I'm using good ol' Jim Beam White Label, Bacardi Rum, and DeKuyper Creme de Cocoa and Creme de Menthe.

This will be an excellent cocktail for Kentucky Derby weekend. First, the mint pairs perfectly with the rest of the ingredients.  There is a nice cool mint flavor that is not too minty.  A little mint can go a long way, and this is just the right amount.  The creme de cacao provides a nice smooth chocolate flavor and aroma, and it too pairs well with the rest of the ingredients. 

Know though, that the mint really dominates the white creme de cacao.  Despite its larger contribution to the ingredient list, the creme de cacao takes a backseat to the minty goodness of the creme de menthe.

Also worth noting is the fact that this drink is shaken, not stirred.  I'm not going to delve too deeply into the ongoing debate between shaking and stirring (not in this post anyway), but on balance, a shaken drink will likely be a little cooler, a little more mellow as a result of the melted ice, and more frothy.  The Lousiville Stinger is all of these things when compared to a Mint Julep, and it's not even served over ice.

No matter which drink you prefer, the Traditional Southern-Style Mint Julep, the Muddled Mint Julep, or the Louisville Stinger, I hope everyone has a great Derby weekend.  My pick is still Ice Box, with a late charge to win it.  Until next week, cheers!

For more drink links, random musings, and my attempts to be witty, check us out @IMakeDrinks on Twitter.

Fireman's Sour

Wouldn't you know it, no sooner than I rail on the use of powdered sugar than I choose another recipe that has, guess what, powdered sugar.

Thankfully, I can tell you in advance that the Fireman's Sour recipe works.  There's enough of a punch in the other ingredients to quell any offensive qualities that the powdered sugar might otherwise provide.

The Fireman's Sour is especially good on a night like tonight.  I play softball on Wednesdays, and the weather this evening was ideal.  With a nice warm 80 degrees outside and 2 wins in the bag, a refreshing drink is in order.

If the name didn't give it away, the Fireman's Sour is a member of the Sour family of drinks.  No doubt you've heard of whiskey sours, or amaretto sours.  At one time, I drank both, but I always found them to be too sweet, even at a younger age.  It's worth noting though, that the bars I went to served sour mix out of a bottle.  In other words, there was little nuance (or quality) to whatever I was drinking.  It was more of a "let's hit you over the head with sugar" type of whiskey sour.  I think far too many bars, probably well over 75%, use bottled sour mix in the place of fresher ingredients.

Sour cocktails have been defined as any drink that includes a base liquor, lime or lemon juice, and a sweetner.  That's a rather loose definition, as numerous cocktails include lime or lemon juice, but bear no discernable relationship to something like a whiskey sour or even this Fireman's Sour.  Among the drinks listed on the Sour cocktail family Wikipedia entry include Amateur Mixologist alumni, like the Daiquiri, the Kamikaze, and my personal favorite, the Sidecar.

Here is the recipe for the Fireman's Sour:

American Bar, page 95

Fireman's Sour

3/4 ounce lime juice
1 barspoon powdered sugar
dash grenadine
1 oz white rum
1/4 oz dark rum
lime

Shake well over ice cubes in a shaker, strain into a small highball glass over crushed ice, squeeze lime wedge over drink and drop it into the drink.

For the liquid ingredients, I used my trusty old Bacardi, Captain Morgan's, Nellie and Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice, and Rose's Grenadine.

This is one hell of a drink.  As mentioned above, the powdered sugar is balanced out by the mix of the different ingredients.  It's sweet, but not overpoweringly sweet like the Jack Rose (incidentally, we'll be checking back in with the Jack Rose cocktail in the near future - perhaps a different recipe will change my feelings on the drink). 

This may be the ideal summer cocktail, alongside such classics as the margarita.  It has a freshly made lemonade flavor that is the perfect balance between sweetness, tartness, and overall drinkability.

I highly recommend trying this drink out.  If I had a rating system, which I don't, I'd give this a strong 9 out of 10.  Most of you have the main liquors lying around in your cabinets.  Fork over the $10 to purchase the remaining items and you'll be well rewarded.

For more content, updates, random musings, and my attempts to be witty, check us out @IMakeDrinks on Twitter.

Mojito Battle Royale

In an Amateur Mixologist first, we're comparing recipes.  How does the American Bar Mojito recipe stand up compared to The Ultimate Bar Book Mojito recipe?  We'll find out in a moment, but first, let's look into the Mojito.

The Mojito is a drink of Cuban origin, made of five ingredients: white rum, sugar, lime, sparkling water and mint.  The Mojito dates back to an English pirate named Richard Drake, who purportedly invented a Mojito-like cocktail in the late 16th century.  I don't believe what Mr. Drake was drinking was remotely close to the modern mojito, but let's humor the historians for a moment and continue on...

After Mr. Drake created El Draque, the next incarnation included rum as opposed to rum's forebearer "aquardiente."   By the way, how terrible a drink name is El Draque.  It sounds too similar to El Dreck.  Perhaps Mr. Drake was in fact speaking yiddish in the 16th century.  In any event, it was said by Cuban playwright and poet Federico Villoch in 1940 that "[w]hen aquardiente was replaced with rum, the Draque was to be called a Mojito."

My favorite quote in one of the write-ups is this almost incidental addition to the historical record: "Other accounts suggest that slaves working in Cuban sugar cane fields in the late 19th century invented the mojito."

Now listen, I have no idea who invented this drink, but, I would say that if I were a betting man, I'd put my money on the slaves as having invented the Mojito.  Why?  Because white people steal everything!  Richard Drake probably saw a slave make the drink, and claimed it once it proved popular.  In other words, I'm postulating that Richard Drake was the Elvis Presley of his time.

I kid, I kid.  I have no idea how it all went down.

Enough with the history, on with the drinking.

American Bar Mojito

Mojito Battle Royal

The tale of the tape:

American Bar, page 140

Juice of half a lime
1 barspoon powdered sugar
2 oz white rum
soda
mint sprig

Stir sugar and lime juice well in a large high-ball glass.  Crush mint leaves with pestle, add the squeezed half lime.  Fill with crushed ice, add rum, stir.  Add soda, garnish with mint sprig.

American Bar Ingredients

And...

The Ultimate Bar Book, page 269

1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon superfine sugar
6 to 8 fresh mint leaves
2 ounces light rum
2 to 4 ounces chilled club soda
Fresh mint sprig

In the bottom of a highball glass, muddle together the lime juice, sugar, and mint leaves until the sugar is dissolved.  Add the rum.  Fill the glass with ice and top with club soda.  Garnish with the mint sprig.

The Ultimate Bar Book Ingredients

So how do the two drink recipes compare, and who is the big winner?

First the consolation prize:

The American Bar recipe is good, but not great.  I don't like using powdered sugar in any mixed drink.  I think it provides a saccharine-like flavor that isn't particularly palatable.  Also, there is bound to be some inconsistency from lime to lime.  Some limes are going to produce more juice than others; some limes will be sweet while others may be a bit over or under ripe.  While I'm all for using fresh products, using lime juice instead of lime adds some consistency to the recipe that most people can appreciate.  Why spend time making a drink, only to find out that it is inferior in quality as a result of a bad lime?

Also, superfine sugar, or regular sugar will provide a bit of grit that, when muddled, will produce more flavor from the mint leaves.  Powdered sugar just doesn't work in the same way.

The American Bar recipe tasted a little flat, and not particularly vibrant.  Lime is supposed to add citrusy goodness to the drink, and none of that was present in the American Bar Mojito.

On to the winner:

The Ultimate Bar Book recipe has a brighter, mintier, and sweeter flavor than the American Bar book recipe.  The sugar brought out more flavor from the mint leaves, providing a more complex and enjoyable taste that one should look for in a Mojito.  And it goes without saying, if the minty flavor isn't there, you're not going to love this drink.

One other difference between the recipes is that The Ultimate Bar Book calls for 2 to 4 ounces of club soda.  I have to hand it to the writer for at least putting in parameters when making this cocktail.  I went with 3 ounces, and it yielded great results.  American Bar, by comparison, just says "add soda."  Unfortunately, this tells me very little.  I appreciate the specificity of The Ultimate Bar Book recipe.

The Ultimate Bar Book Mojito

As a result of all of the above, I prefer The Ultimate Bar Book recipe. 

Just like the Caipirinha, I'm convinced that we keep coming back to these drinks, the Mojito included, ordering 2nds and 3rds because of the sweet sugar and lime combination that remains at the bottom of the glass.  It is delicious!

Laslty, and this is not a complaint against either recipe, but rather, a suggestion:  club soda should always, always be used sparingly.  Think of soda in the same way you think of salt when cooking. You can always add more salt, but you can't take it away. You can always add more soda, but you can't take it away. When a recipe calls for soda, add a splash to start, and no more. A splash may be all you need. If you prefer a lighter flavor or taste, perhaps add more. The point is, add in small increments, you'll be rewarded with a drink more to your liking.

Enjoy a Mojito in this beautiful weather - it's an easy choice on a warm day.



For more content, updates, random musings, and my attempts to be witty, check us out @IMakeDrinks on Twitter.

Amsterdam & Presidente

As mentioned yesterday, I was in Amsterdam over the last few days with some friends.

What a great city.  The big take-away from Amsterdam is just how quiet it is at all times of the day.  You can walk down the street at the height of their rush hour (whenever that is), and it's quieter than a cul-de-sac in the American 'burbs.

A lot of it has to do with the bikes.  Bikes run Amsterdam. 

We walked out of the Central Station, and there was a bike landing that must have held 5,000 bikes for the commuters who had taken the trains.  In the city itself, everything and everyone yeilds to the bicycles.  Foot trafiic beware, they are not stopping!

Of course though, most people think of debauchery when thinking of Amsterdam.  Coffeeshops selling pot, the Red Light District selling sex, etc.  Once you're there, the coffeeshops, the Red Light District, they blend in with everything else.  You could easily find an elementary school next door to a coffeeshop. 

The emphasis on, for lack of a better description, the wrongness of vice, doesn't seem to exist in Amsterdam.  With respect to marijuana, most people mistakenly believe that Holland is just a free flowing place, where pot and sex, and whatever else you want to do is all fair game.  I suppose that may be partially correct insofar as the attitude of the general populace is concerned, but the main reason for the existance of the coffeeshops is something else entirely. 

The coffeeshops allow Holland to keep soft drugs like marijuana and hard drugs like herion apart, while other countries like the United States and England struggle with increased addiction rates on hard drugs as a result of their close proximity.

Amsterdam is a unique city, and their coffeeshops, while the most well known aspect of the city, are perhaps the least interesting.  The canals trump the coffeeshops.  Along with the bikes, the canal system rules the land.  I knew it was a water city, but had no idea just how inescapable the canal system truly was.  They're gorgeous too.  Every street you walk along, you cross bridge after bridge, canal after canal.  It's stunning.

I took many photos while I was there, most of which include pictures of my friends.  I'll spare you their mugs, and instead show you a few of the photos I took at night.  The city is really beautiful at all hours of the day, but Amsterdam is especially beautiful in the eveing.

Along Raadhuisstraat, on the way to Dam Square

Along Raadhuisstraat, looking north

Zuiderkerk, view from the west

The famed Red Light District, looking north

View of Westerkerk, from the east

View of Westerkerk from the south

Westerkerk, from the south

Alright, enough about Amsterdam, let's check out the Presidente!

Upon researching the drink, it appears as though the Presidente may be the red headed step-child of what I'm calling "the Presidente family of drinks."

If you search "Presidente" and the word "cocktail", invariably you end up with El Presidente cocktail recipes.  They are similar drinks too, the Presidente and the El Presidente.  The El Presidente adds a small amount of triple sec and lemon juice to the mix that the Presidente leaves behind.

Their origins are likely similar.  According to one nice write-up: "El Presidente was created by Eddie Woelke, an American bartender at the Jockey Club in Havana. He shrewdly named the drink in honor of President Gerardo Machado, who ruled Cuba throughout most of the Prohibition years. Basil Woon, author of When It's Cocktail Time in Cuba, wrote in 1928 of El Presidente, "It is the aristocrat of cocktails and is the one preferred by the better class of Cuban.""

Sounds like it should be good - let's check it out.  Here is the finished product:

Recipe
American Bar, page 158

Presidente (original version)

1/4 oz dry vermouth
3/4 oz sweet vermouth
1 1/2 oz white rum
dash grenadine
stemmed cherry

Stir over ice cubes in a mixing glass, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, garnish with cherry.

I hate to say it, but I'm not in love with this drink.  It's entirely too sweet for my tastes, and not merely sweet, but syrupy.  3/4 oz sweet vermouth is just too much to take, and there isn't enough to counter its intense sweetness.  Throw in the dash of grenadine, and even the stemmed cherry, and the Presidente quickly devolves into the drink equivalent of Kool Aid mixed with half the prescribed water.

I'm surprised by the lackluster result.  Presidente cocktails, whichever particular variety you choose, are classics.  I suppose though, that if we've learned anything with some of these cocktails, not all classics are good (see the Jack Rose).

Tomorrow, we'll making the first of my reader submitted cocktail ideas.  Until then, cheers!