Three Quick Things
I’ve been busy as hell the last few weeks, and that’s not due to change for a while, but there are a few items needing a quick note:
First, Mixology Monday XVI is upon us. This coming Monday, June 18, post your favorite drink for the theme “Creme de la Creme,” using cream-based liqueurs (or, as host Anna says, “lazy bums can include cream in their cocktail if they have no cream based liqueurs at home” — a category I suspect I’ll find myself in come Monday). Anna’s posted more details over at her site, Morsels & Musings, so take a look and either grab the Bailey’s or head for the dairy cooler, and we’ll see what you’ve got come Monday.
Second, a couple of posts back I mentioned that the first honest-to-god absinthe to be legally sold in the United States was hitting New York in late May. Well, hit it has, and the bottles are going fast. Called Lucid, the absinthe is made in France by Ted Breaux, maker of Jade Liqueurs, some of the world’s finest commercial absinthes such as my current super-premium go-to Edouard, and the equally swoon-worthy Nouvelle-Orleans. The chief drawback to these has been the price and the shipping; a single bottle of Jade with courier shipping to the U.S. can run more than $160. I haven’t tried Lucid yet so I can’t say how it compares to the Jades (this guy, however, can, and the short answer is “favorably”), but I can say that Borisal Liquor & Wine in Brooklyn is currently selling Lucid online for $59.99 and, even better, free overnight shipping. They’ll sell out fast — that’s why I placed my order before putting this up — so get there soon. (And yes, I know the bottle design looks suspicious, but if I have to put up with a bottle that looks like it’s been made for the club crowd in order to have some quality, affordable absinthe in the house, I can deal with it. I keep the liquor behind closed doors, anyway, so the cat’s eyes won’t creep me out too much.)
Third, a public service announcement that time is ticking away — if you haven’t bought tickets for Tales of the Cocktail sessions, you probably need to hurry. From what I’ve read and heard, this year will be a blockbuster, and I plan to catch everything I can. If you need a couple of tips on things to check out, may I be so bold as to suggest the Lost Ingredients panel on Thursday, moderated by Dr. Cocktail and featuring, among many other things, tastings of my most recent falernum; the Spirited Dinner at the Delachaise on Thursday evening, featuring chef Chris DeBarr, Darcy O’Neil and myself (I believe half the tickets have already been sold for this event, so get a move on if you’re coming); and the Cocktails and the Blogosphere session on Saturday, with Rick Stutz and Chuck Taggart joining Darcy and I for a morning chat. How’s that for a self-serving plug?
Now, back to work
