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Posts Tagged ‘a date’

Zero° A Mysteriously Low-Cal Cocktail

Posted on: April 1st, 2014 by Ellen Swandiak

Here’s an idea for a low-cal cocktail that also exudes an unusual glowing tone. It’s a super lemon-y taste sensation.

This cocktail is an antidote to holiday excess, and is designed to tie-in with my Chill Party theme, showcasing a menu of all-white food. Its futuristic glow comes from a lemonade-based low-cal mixer and japanese pop. Pair it with a super botanical gin to keep the party alive and kickin’. For garnish, add a wheel of kumquat. Chill the mixture in pitchers and serve straight up in a coupe glass.

DETAILS ON THE INGREDIENTS:

[1] The Botanist is artisanally distilled in small batches in the land that whisky made famous. Twenty-two foraged botanicals from the island of Islay are combined to create the special flavor of this gin. Creates a lively complexity, needing only simple mixers to create a satisfying cocktail. About $34. thebotanist.com

HOBNOBMAG low-cal cocktail

[2] Vitamin Water Zero Squeezed Lemonade has a citrus-y taste and zero calories. Added vitamins (C, B5, B6, A, E) minerals and electrolytes can come in handy during the party season. $1.89 a bottle or $45 for 24 bottles online at beverageuniverse.com

[3] Calpico, a Japanese soft drink, gives this cocktail its futuristic luminosity. Made with sugar, milk, and the bacteria normally found in yogurt, the taste is similar to a lemon-lime soda. I got this at the Japanese market in the east village, NYC. Sunrise Mart, 298 Third Avenue near 10th Street. $1.89.

[4] Sliced kumquats do a nice job of sitting on the rim of a glass without getting in the way. Also adorable set out in small bowls for decorative purposes or snacking. It bears a wonderfully sweet, tangy taste—eat the skin and all.

Meaghan Dorman of Raines Law Room’s Simple Champagne Cocktail

Posted on: April 1st, 2014 by Ellen Swandiak

Fresh fruit and pisco flavors dance in this lovely champagne cocktail—in my opinion the most elegant of cocktails. Learn the secrets to balancing flavors from an expert.

For the CHILL party plan that features an all-white menu, Meaghan shared her champagne cocktail, Andean Dusk. Her inspiration: make a cocktail that highlights the elegant floral notes in the pisco. This is part of our bar suggestions for the party.

Meaghan brought upscale, speakeasy cocktail-ing to NYC with the opening of Raines Law Room, the perfect spot for a rendezvous with a group, or that special someone. She shares her ideas for creating perfectly balanced cocktails.

Describe your cocktailing style
My style in based on a classic “Golden Era” approach to bartending, which means balancing 3-5 ingredients to make a cocktail that is greater than the sum of its parts. I love to create cocktails that others can replicate, so I don’t go overboard with infusions, foams, etc.

What’s the best way to balance a cocktail?
Make sure citrus is fresh, you have a touch of sweet, and a high-quality spirit to work with.

What’s the most popular drink at Raines?
Currently, it’s a scotch cocktail called the Wildest Redhead, which is perfect for the season. Along with blended scotch, it has lemon, honey, Allspice Dram and cherry Heering.

Tell me about your latest concoction at Grace
My inspiration for the The Gallow Glass at Grace (gracebarnyc.com) came from her time traveling through Scotland, so I created a strong and smoky cocktail that would fortify one trooping through the country. It’s a Negroni meets Rob Roy.

What’s your latest ingredient discovery?
I love pisco, which is a grape spirit from Peru & Chile. Its grape-based, so has lovely floral and citrus notes like we find in wine.

raineslawroom.com

For Peat’s Sake: A Smoky Cocktail with Scotch, Citrus & Honey

Posted on: March 1st, 2014 by Ellen Swandiak

This smoky cocktail tempers a scotch with the sweet accompaniment of orange and honey, plus some citrus bitters.

You can choose to offer this as a kickoff to the gathering, or as a nightcap. It’s pretty potent, so one per customer is recommended. Most beautiful served over crushed ice in a smoky glass. For the garnish, cut a rough strip of orange rind and tear fresh mint leaves. This cocktail works into my party theme focused on smoky flavors, see more recipes at this link.

DETAILS ON THE INGREDIENTS:

[1] The Peat Monster The smokiness of this scotch from Compass Box comes from a blend of extremely smoky malt whisky from Islay and three medium-peated Highland whiskies. Created especially for those who crave a lot of smoke in their glass. Compass Box is known for creating elegant, and beautifully packaged whiskies in every category. Check regularly for limited editions. About $60. compassboxwhisky.com

HOBNOBMAG Smoky Cocktail

[2] Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao The crème de la crème of triple secs has the bitter-sweet taste of candied orange zest, a lovely woodiness, and a hint of nuts. Combines beautifully with the smokiness of the scotch whiskey. About $27. pierreferrandcuracao.com

[3] Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur With a recipe dating back to the 15th century, Bärenjäger takes honey to a higher level. It is quite sweet, so can also substitute for simple syrup in cocktails, or for honey in other recipes (think about adding it to a cup of hot tea). Make it a staple on your bar all winter. It smooths out the edges on this cocktail nicely. About $25. barenjagerhoney.com

[4] Urban Moonshine Organic Citrus Bitters Have these bitters around to keep your digestion in check—and add complexity to your cocktails. These bitters are made with certified organic roots from Vermont, like dandelion, angelica, burdock, ginger, plus orange peel, fennel seed, and dandelion leaves. About $12. urbanmoonshine.com

A Refreshing Cucumber Martini from Miguel Aranda of Casa Mezcal

Posted on: March 1st, 2014 by Ellen Swandiak

This cucumber martini looks as good as it tastes, beautifully garnished with a fresh sage leaf. See the mixology thinking behind this blend, and you’ll be able to serve this stellar cocktail at your next gathering with confidence.

When I started making a party plan based on smoky flavors, I thought a mezcal cocktail would work nicely into the mix. This one adds a particular freshness and beauty and was created by Miguel Aranda, who is a big mezcal fan. You may have seen Miguel behind a bar or two in NYC (Daniel, Wallse, Patroon, Yerba Buena Perry, THOR, Toloache, Apotheke, Monkey Bar, for starters).

For the Smoky party, Miguel offers the Cantaro, a combination of mezcal, lime juice, cucumber water, agave sage reduction, and egg white. Smoky, yet still wonderfully light and refreshing.

Miguel’s latest project takes place in the downstairs room at Casa Mezcal, in the Botanic Lab, where a bounty of spices and fresh local herbs, salt varietals, homemade bitters and teas from all over the globe get incorporated into the cocktails. Botanic Lab will also feature impromtu performances in music, art, burlesque in an intimate setting. [Botanic Lab has since closed]

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