The Manhattan.

Being a bartender that uses classic recipes that were made before prohibition happened, you often come across people who order drinks wrong.  It isn't your fault!  During and after prohibition cocktail recipes were lost and the cocktail culture in America changed and not for the better....Drinks became overly sweet, artificial tasting, made with less integrity and most importantly made wrong!  One cocktail gets ordered and made wrong the most and that is the Manhattan.  The Manhattan is perfect the way it was made and it was made with RYE whiskey not Bourbon, because why?  When the Manhattan was created around the late 1800's do you really think a Yankee would make a drink with a southern confederate spirit...don't think so it was in the middle of the civil war so rye whiskey was made up north and that what was used!  There are two stories of the birth of the Manhattan cocktail.  One being that the drink originated at the Manhattan Club in New York City in the early 1870s, where it was invented by Dr. Iain Marshall for a banquet hosted by Jennie Jerome aka Lady Randolph Chruchill, mother of Winston Churchill in honor of presidential candidate Samuel J. Tilden.  The success of the engagement made the drink popular and many people started to request the drink by referring to the name of the club where it originated the "Manhattan club drink," but many reports state that Lady Randolph was in France at the time and pregnant, so the story is likely not true.  The second story comes from William F. Mulhall, a bartender who kept bar at New York’s famed Hoffman House for more than 30 years, starting in the early 1880s.  He states, "The Manhattan cocktail was invented by a man named Black, who kept a place ten doors below Houston Street on Broadway in the 1860's, probably the most famous drink in the world in its time."  Now you tell me what you think is the real story??  Whatever story you believe to be true, one thing is certain that is was definitely made with rye whiskey.  However if you request a bourbon Manhattan, yes I will make it for you but do me favor and if you haven't had it with rye please give it a try!  Who knows maybe you will like it better!?

Ingredients: 

• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 2 oz. Whistlepig Straight Rye Whiskey 10 yr.
• 1 oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth 

Instructions: 

Take out your stir glass and add all ingredients above.  Take 4-5 medium sized ice cubes and add to stir glass with ingredients and stir with your stir spoon.  Stir for around a minute and then take your julep strainer and strain the cocktail out into a chilled coupe glass without ice.   Drop in a Luxardo Marischino cherry and there you have it a classic Manhattan!  Cheers!

A little background on my preferred spirits and inclusions:  

Whistlepig Rye Whiskey 10 yr:  Aged a minimum of 10 years at 100 proof and a 100 percent rye whiskey hand bottled on a former dairy farm in Shoreham, Vermont.  Master Distiller Dave Pickerell formerly Maker's Mark Master Distiller of 14 years along with his proprietor Raj Peter Bhakta began cultivating this beauty starting back in early 2000 and was finally released in 2010.  Right away it was awarded as one of the finest rye whiskeys in the land!  They started growing their own source of rye and will be the first ever single estate rye producer in the U.S. since prohibition in just a few short years!  Can't wait!  On the nose notes of ginger, nutmeg, allspice, anise, clove and orange peel.  On the palate notes of caramel, vanilla, honey, mint, dark chocolate and charred oak.  A favorite of mine!  Long live Mortimer the pig!

Angostura bitters:  See my post on The Big Chill!

Carpano Antica sweet vermouth:  See my post on the Negroni! 

Boo! The Bitter Bubbly!

Double, double toil and trouble.  Fire burn and cocktails bubble!  All Hallows' eve and day is upon us so it's the perfect time to make a fun and frightening concoction right for any adult Halloween party!  I am a huge fan of a spritz and totally support something boozy and bubbly for fall!  My inspiration for this cocktail was researching about Venetian spritz's.  Veneto (Venice), Italy is known for prosecco and bitter cocktails called a spritz (German meaning splash or sparkling).  Usually people know about an Aperol and Campari spritz, but another common spritz is made with Cynar amaro.  Instantly I thought how deliciously herbatious, rich and bitter Cynar would be in a fall inspired spritz to celebrate through the coming months of food and sweet filled holidays!  Putting just an amaro in the cocktail is just not enough...I recently fell in love with Leopold Bros. Aperitivo a bittersweet liquor similar to Campari and tried the two together with a topper of prosecco and Abracadabra-Poof!! The bewitching, refreshing and bittersweet Bitter Bubbly!

Ingredients: 

• 3/4 oz. Leopold Bros. Aperitivo
• 3/4 oz. Cynar Amaro
• 3-3 1/2 oz. Prosecco (any dry sparkling white will work) 

Instructions:

Take out your stirring glass and combine the first two ingredients, Leopold Bros. Aperitivo and Cynar.  Add a few medium sized ice cubes and begin to stir with your stir spoon.  Stir with ice for 20-30 seconds.  Then grab your julep strainer and pour out into wine glass with a big cube.  Below I made ice spheres with plastic bejeweled spiders frozen inside, super easy with a mold and scary! But...still pretty!  Add the prosecco to the cocktail, give a little stir to mix it all up and then add a half orange slice.  There you have it...the Bitter Bubbly!  Cheers! 

A little background on my preferred spirits and inclusions: 

Leopold Bros. Aperitivo:  A beautiful take on an aperitivo in the style of Campari and Aperol.  Made in the Denver, Colorado by master distiller Todd Leopold who wanted a more floral and earthy take on an aperitivo.  The base spirit is vodka made from malted barley, potatoes and wheat.  They then separate the distillate in two batches and re-distill, one with grapefruit peel and one with coriander.  After that they add cane sugar and a blend of botanicals including vanilla, gentian root, hyssop, petite wormwood, and sarsaparilla root and let macerate for 2-3 weeks!  The coolest part about this product is that the lovely scarlet red color comes from the cochineal beetle!   To deter predators the cochineal beetle produces carminic acid a red substance that is tasteless and orderless, which has been used to dye cordials, fabrics and lipsticks for hundreds of years.  Even world famous Campari used it in their original recipe but they no longer do....Bummer.  Leopold Bros. Aperitvo is a must have for any person who loves the bitterness of Campari.  It is top notch!   If you can't find Leopold Aperitvo, it is perfectly fine to replace with Campari in this cocktail.

Cynar: Cynar was introduced in Italy in 1952 by Venetian entrepreneur and philanthropist Angelo Dalle Molle.  It is still made from a secret recipe containing 13 different herbs and plants.   One of the ingredients artichoke (Cynara scolymus) is the main flavor profile in Cynar.  They use most of the artichoke including the leaves to get its distinctive flavor.  Found in artichokes is cynarine, a high antioxidant known to help digestion, gall bladder issues, liver function and lower your cholesterol!

Prosecco:  The name comes from the Italian village of Prosecco near Trieste, where the grapes for prosecco were originally grown.  The grape Glera is the most common grape in prosecco, but other Italian varietals are used.

Just a Bee's Kiss...

Fall is in full swing and that means AC's are finally off and our comforters are back on our beds!  This time of year always makes me want to hibernate and I know I am not the only one!  When I am in hibernation mode, I just want to kick back and relax and binge watch the TV shows or movies I have been putting off to when I had the time.  Now is the time people!!  What kind of drink would be good to sip on in the early fall nights?  Hmm...the only thing I know is I am not ready for anything hot to drink just yet.  How about something rich, creamy and with honey!   The classic cocktail a Bee's Kiss comes to mind!  

The Bee's Kiss comes from Trader Vic's 'Book of Food and Drink' which was published in 1946.  I am sure most of you have heard of Trader Vic's, it is a Polynesian themed restaurant that has locations all over!  The founder of the restaurant chain was Victor Jules Bergeron Jr., he was a huge contributor in the Tiki cocktail culture of the 1950's and 1960's!  He passed away in 1984, but I am sure he would be tickled to know we all still love his magnificent tropical libations!  A Bee's Kiss is one of my favorite classic rum cocktails of all time, trust me on this you are going to want one or three "like bees to the honey!"

Ingredients: 

• 3/4 oz. Heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 oz. Honey syrup (3 parts honey to 1 part water-I use a wildflower honey)
• 2 oz. Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Venezuelan Rum  (Any aged rum will work)

Instructions: 

Take out your shaker tin and combine all ingredients and dry whip ingredients for 10-15 seconds really emulsifying the cream, honey and rum.  Add ice and shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds, your shaker tin will get frosty that's when you know it is ready.  Double strain with your Hawthorne and fine strainer into a chilled coupe glass, with no ice.  Garnish with grated nutmeg and I add grated cinnamon too!  Enjoy! 

 A little background on my preferred spirits and inclusions:

Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Venezuelan Rum:  A copper pot distilled funky and fun Venezuelan rum made from molasses.  That is aged for 12 years in small oak casks making it a deep rich amber color.  Flavor notes of brown sugar, toffee, oranges, raisins, chocolate and cinnamon.  The distillery is located on the northern slopes of the Andes mountains.  This rum is one of the most awared rums in the world!

The Big Chill

“I know you wanna leave me, but I refuse to let you go...Ain't too proud to beg, sweet darling please don't leave me” SUMMER!  The end of summer is always bittersweet.  Leaving the beach and scorching temperatures behind and transitioning into the beautiful orange and gold scenery and colder weather.  Hallelujah!   I love the last weeks of an Indian Summer it's the perfect time to plan an end to the summer outdoor dinner party, movie night or cocktail soirée with your family or friends!  With the slight nip in the air, let's take advantage and make a perfect boozy backyard porch sipper!

The first thing that came to my mind for a perfect porch sipping cocktail was a bourbon old fashioned.  Something you can sip on slowly and both women and men will enjoy!  One of my favorite things to do is take a classic and elevate the flavors.  Working in an Italian restaurant, I continuously get inspired by Italy, it's produce and many different regions.  Calabria, located in southern Italy the “toe” of the boot, is an agriculture mecca and is home to the rare Bergamot orange.  Which as you may know is the main flavor in Earl Grey tea.  Eureka!  I have it!  Let's infuse the Bergamot tea with the bourbon and then make an old fashioned variation out of it! 

Ingredients:  

• 1 white sugar cube
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 2 dashes Peychaud bitters
• 2 oz. Aged Bergamot tea infused Buffalo Trace Bourbon whiskey
• Meletti Anisette rinse 

Instructions:

First, the day before your get together steep your Aged Bergamot tea in the Buffalo Trace and let sit overnight, then toss the tea bag the next day.  1 cup bourbon to 1 tea bag (I use Numi Aged Bergamot tea).  Take your mixing glass and drop in one white sugar cube and then soak it with both bitters listed, two dashes of each. Press the sugar cube down with a muddler or end of a spoon that has a flat surface and make a paste.  Then add your infused bergamot Buffalo Trace.  Before adding ice, I like to stir and dissolve the sugar into the bourbon. Then add a few small cubes and stir for 10-15 seconds.  (You don't want to fully dilute the drink cause you are serving on ice, so it will dilute more as it sits.)  Get your chilled double old fashioned glass and spray inside or rinse the glass with a little Meletti Anisette.  When your cocktail gets to the right dilution, use your julep strainer and pour out over fresh ice (I used a ice sphere) in a double old fashioned glass.  Peel part of an orange and express the peel over the drink and rim the glass with it, then discard.  Garnish with a half orange moon and mint sprig. Cheers! 

A little background on my preferred spirits and inclusions:

Angostura bitters: Most commonly used bitters at the bar. (I am obsessed!)  Recipe developed as a medicinal tonic by German surgeon general, Dr. Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert in 1824.  Distilled in Trinidad and still made from the same 1824 recipe.  Flavor notes clove, gentian root, cinnamon, and tamarind.

Peychaud bitters: See my post on The Enchanted Tiki.

Meletti Anisette:  Silvio Meletti began making his anisette in the mid 1800's and is one of Italy's oldest liqueurs.  The Adriatic coast east of Rome produces the best anise seed Meletti found out, he really took his craft very seriously.  He personally handled all of his business from production to sales, cultivation, and even advertisement.  Aged in stainless steel tanks for 4-6 months, then filtered using wool!  He even was awarded the coat of arms in 1879 by King Umberto.

Buffalo Trace Bourbon Whiskey:  Founded in 1869 in Frankfort, Kentucky.  The Buffalo Trace company was renamed over the years but they still have been making the same bourbon for over 140 years!  Deep amber in color with elegant aromas of buttery caramel, and toasted nuts.  With flavors of candied fruits, vanilla, oak and brown spices. 

The one. The only. The Negroni.

I hope you enjoyed my first official Bartending Pretty post on The Enchanted Tiki, and this week I am going to feature a classic cocktail!   I feel like it is important to reintroduce the amazing classic cocktail recipes that were forgotten about until only recently.  After prohibition so many beautiful recipes were lost because those bartenders making those cocktails lost their jobs, were cast aside and considered criminals.  Prohibition in the United States lasted from 1920 to 1933 and was a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, sale, transportation and importation of liquor.  It kinda ruined everything...but no fear we real bar keeps and bar wenches are back and better than ever! 

The first classic cocktail I am going to post is the NEGRONI!  The Negroni is probably my favorite stirred cocktail.  I would describe the Negroni as a perfect combination of bittersweet, boozy, floral, and bitter orange. It is the perfect aperitivo.  The Negroni dates back to 1919 in Florence, Italy at the bar Caffe Casoni a Count, yes a Count named Camillo Negroni asked the bar keep Fosco Scarselli to strengthen his favorite cocktail the Americano, a cocktail made of Campari, sweet vermouth and soda water.  He asked him to switch out the soda water for gin alas the Negroni!  This cocktail is perfect to serve before you eat food. Makes you salivate and ready to chow down! 

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz. Martin Millers London Dry Gin (Any London Dry Gin will work)
• 1 oz. Campari
• ¾ oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth

Instructions:

Take your mixing glass and pour in all the ingredients then add ice. Stir with a stirring spoon until cold and diluted. Feel free to straw taste as you are making to insure it is ready!  Pour out with a julep strainer up into a coupe glass. Negroni’s are served with the option of up or on the rocks. I like both ways (pictured above) depending on which mood I am in…so ask your guest and let them decide! A tip when serving over ice, lessen the amount of dilution time because when you serve over rocks it will continue to dilute and you don't want to water it down too much.  Another fun tip switch out the gin sometime and make it a Boulevardier with bourbon, and another favorite of mine a nice reposado tequila! Yum!

A little background on my preferred spirits and inclusions:

Martin Millers Gin: A small batch London Dry Gin with notes of jade, jasmine, juniper, citrus peel, cardamom and peppercorn.  After distillation the spirit is shipped to Iceland and blended with Icelandic water. I use their Wetbourne Strength gin normally, but I was given a beautiful bottle of their 10 year Anniversary gin so I had to give it a go!! 

Campari: Campari was invented in 1860 by Gaspare Campari in Novara, Italy. The Campari formula is derived of 68 fruits, citrus, herbs, spices, and barks. Campari to this day still keeps the recipe secret.

Carpano Antica Formula: Produced in 1786 by Antonio Benedetto Carpano.  Made from Piedmontese muscatel and other white wine varietals from Southern Italy.  Notes of mountain herbs, spices, vanilla, star anise, orange peel and dates.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!