No, it’s not the Dark & Stormy.

Though you could be forgiven for thinking that, based on the headline and on that notation on the calendar that today is Mixology Monday, which happens to be hosted this month by RumDood, who has chosen Ginger for this month’s theme. So, ginger plus rum (minus the dood), plus some boilerplate meteorological bally-hoo in the introduction? Surely I’m leading up to Gosling’s & Barritt’s, right? The classic Dark & Stormy? Or some close approximation, correct?

Eh….maybe. I came across this drink a little over a year ago, while working on the cover feature for the July/August 2008 issue of Imbibe, about liqueurs. One of the products I was covering was the relatively new (or newly reformulated, depending on how you look at it) Domain de Canton ginger liqueur. Desperate for a new and, above all, tasty use of the liqueur, I sent a feeler e-mail out to my good friend Jim Meehan at PDT in New York. Jim pointed me to a colleague of his, Tona Palomino, who was managing the bar at WD-50, and Tona unleashed this drink on me.

Noting that the Stormy Weather is a spin-off of the classic Dark & Stormy, Palomino told me how he swapped Domain de Canton for the ginger beer in that drink, matching it against a good, rich, vanilla-heavy rum like Angostura 1919. For complexity and a peculiar alchemical property, he added a hearty dose of Carpano Antica vermouth, which contributes a firm foundation of flavor but also interacts with the ginger notes in the liqueur. With a touch of effervescence from a splash of soda water, the Stormy Weather is somewhat like a mature version of the Dark & Stormy, though as I’ve continued to enjoy these over the past year I’ve come to view the Stormy Weather as something like a worldly Cuba Libre, due to that interaction of ingredients that produces a flavor I can only describe as cola-like.

Here’s Palomino’s recipe, which I included in my Imbibe piece last summer. One note: as listed, this makes a fairly large drink. You can easily scale it back by nudging the rum back to 1 1/2 ounces and the vermouth and liqueur to 3/4 ounce; scale back the bubble water accordingly, but don’t skip the lime twist — those bitter oils provide another layer of complexity to an already blammo drink.

Stormy Weather

• 2 ounces amber rum (Palomino recommends Angostura 1919; I typically use Bacardi 8 to good effect)
• 1 ounce Carpano Antica vermouth
• 1 ounce Domain de Canton ginger liqueur
• 1/2 ounce soda water

Combine first three ingredients in a mixing glass and stir well with ice. Strain into a double old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice. Cut a thin piece of lime peel and twist over the drink; discard. Add club soda and lightly stir.

I keep coming back to this one, especially during the warm months. To see what other kinds of ginger goodness folks are mixing up this Mixology Monday, head over to RumDood’s place for his roundup post.

Tags: Drinks, Mixology Monday, Rum, Vermouth by Paul
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I’ll avoid all the obvious XL jokes in this post, because we’re one scant week away from June’s Mixology Monday, which — in case you couldn’t figure it out from the headline — takes place on Monday, June 15.

Hosting this round of MxMo is RumDood over at, yep, RumDood.com. And as you might expect from the blog’s name, for this round’s theme the Dood has chosen … okay, it’s not rum — we’ve already had one of those. So, instead he’s going with the next-best theme: Ginger.

Here’s how to play:

• Find or concoct a cocktail recipe that uses ginger in one of its many forms as an ingredient.  This can be muddled ginger, sliced ginger, ginger syrup, ginger beer (commercial or homemade), ginger liqueur, ginger candy, or pieces of a shredded photo of Ginger from Gilligan’s Island.
• Make this recipe, take a picture of it, and then post the recipe, your thoughts about the recipe, and your photo on your blog or at the eGullet Spirits and Cocktails forum.
• Post a link to your submission in the comments here, or send an email using the “Contact” form.

And that pretty much says it all. So, Monday, June 15, be here in Internet-land with some kind of gingery drink, and inform the host so he’ll know what you’ve been up to. See you then–

Tags: Mixology Monday by Paul
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Chuck Taggart is a mighty bitter man. Oh, sure, he’s nice enough on the outside, and chatty and friendly and all that, but when it comes right down to it, “bitter” pretty much describes his state of mind.

Today, anyway — because once again it’s Mixology Monday (chapter 39, for those keeping score), and Mr. Taggart is our host this month. Chuck has somewhat predictably chosen as the topic for this month Amaro — and I say “predictably” for the following reason:

A couple of years ago, when I first met Chuck in person, we were in New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail. One night, while Chuck, Wes and I were chatting with a group of folks that included Rick and Darcy, Eric Seed approached with his bag of tricks and asked us if we’d like to try a few of his items. We settled into one of the empty conference rooms, and tried out various spirits — a prototype of the St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, along with some eaux de vie, and a taste of an Eastern European digestif flavored with, most notably, wormwood, that was so potently bitter that I recall the sensation of my eyeballs withdrawing into their sockets as the dry, lingering bitterness coated my tongue and throat. At the time I swore I’d still taste that bitter finish the next morning, and I gazed around the table to see Rick and Darcy holding tight, their faces drawn against the intense bitterness. But not Chuck, however. Chuck, y’see, was smiling.

Anyway, I knew Chuck would reach deep into his bag of bitter tricks for this round of Mixology Monday, but I’ll wave the white flag of surrender before digging into the Malort or the Unicum. Instead of burrowing into the bitter intensity that such spirits provide, I’m going with something lighter, more approachable to the novice, and that’s downright goddamn delicious when mixed with different spirits.

While it had its moment in the mixological sun starting a couple of years ago, Aperol has a sunny crispness and bitter-orange vivaciousness that appeal to the palates of amaro novices and experienced enthusiasts alike. True, craft bartenders have mixed the hell out of this since it made a big push starting around ‘06 or ‘07, but Aperol does wonderful things: it’s an agreeable bitter liqueur for those just starting to explore the category, and its bitter-orange brightness lends spark to cocktails in a way that I can only compare to Amer Picon (though with a lighter biting crispness as compared to Picon’s robust depths of flavor). While not as exotic or rare as many other bitter liqueurs, Aperol is, in my opinion, a vital part of any adventurous liquor cabinet.

As I’ve demonstrated in drinks such as the Camerone and the Theobroma (Picon version), I’m a total sucker for the combination of bitter orange and chocolate. In both of those drinks, I completed the flavor triangle with reposado tequila, which just, oh my god, YES with these flavors, but recently I started thinking about varying from that theme, and taking the orange-chocolate combo in a different direction. Here’s my latest shot at it: a drink I’m calling the Two Birds, as it’s not only my Mixology Monday contribution, but my entry into the Hotel Monteleone Cocktail Contest.

Two Birds

• 2 ounces rye whiskey (preferably baby Sazerac)
• 3/4 ounce Aperol
• 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
• 1/4 ounce creme de cacao
• 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters

Stir well with ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Twist a piece of orange peel over the drink and use as garnish.

It’s potent, it’s rich, it’s orangey, it flirts in the direction of the Boulevardier, and you can just, maybe, barely pick up the taste of chocolate on the finish. If Bittermens Bitters were in distribution, I’d call for the mole bitters as an ingredient, but as it is, I thought it best to enter a drink with ingredients that were easily at hand.

Anyway, that’s what I got this round — head on over to Chuck’s place to see what other drinks have been mixed for this month’s Mixology Monday.

Tags: Drinks, Mixology Monday, Rye by Paul
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We’re about a week and a half away from the next round of Mixology Monday, this time hosted by the inimitable Chuck Taggart at The Gumbo Pages on Monday, May 18. Chuck has chosen a theme that’s near and dear to many cocktail enthusiasts: Amaro. That’s right, it’s time to break out your bottles of Italian bitters and get mixing (and being the flexible types, Chuck doesn’t mind if you step away from Italy and reach for the Unicum, Amer Picon, Malort or other potable bitter).

Here’s what Chuck says about the event in his announcement post:

The topic for this month is Amaro, which refers to the bitter liqueurs usually drunk as an after-meal digestive, either alone (neat or on the rocks) or in some kind of mixed drink or cocktail. They tend to all share certain characteristics — drinking bitters are generally made of alcohol with any number of herbs, plus sugar and some kind of coloring. The word “amaro” means bitter in Italian, and although the more famous drinking bitters tend to come from Italy our amaro theme this month is most certainly not limited to that country. Amaro, amer, amargo, what have you. Italy, Spain, France, America, Serbia, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Poland … wherever somebody drinks a bitter liqueur, that’s a source for your drink this month.

[…]

You could use something gentle, like the lovely Amaro Montenegro, or something in-your-face, like the aforementioned Fernet. You could go insane, like a few intrepid Chicago bartenders have done, and actually make cocktails with Jeppson Malört, which is the most mind-bogglingly, unrelentingly bitter liqueur ever. Or you could find something relatively rare, like a pelinkovac from Serbia or Croatia. Just remember we’re talking about a bitter liqueur you drink from a glass, not an aromatic bitters you add by the dash. Oh, and one more thing … while technically Jägermeister is a digestive bitter liqueur and is perfectly legitimate for your post-prandial sipping, it’s been done to death by frat boys nationwide. Unless your Jäger cocktail is destined to be a modern classic, I’d recommend skipping that one (if for no other reason that someone will undoubtedly taunt you for it). Or you could say, “In your face, Taggart!” and do a brilliant Jägermeister cocktail that blows everyone away. The world of bitters is your canvas.

To participate, simply post your drink on or before Monday, May 18. Be sure to let Chuck know you’re participating by placing a link to your post in the comment section of his announcement post, or in the MxMo post he’ll put on his site on May 18. Be sure to link from your post back to Chuck’s site, and to the main Mixology Monday page — and work the MxMo logo into your post, so your readers will know what you’re talking about.

So bitter up, ladies and gents — May was made for amari. Let’s see what ya got…..

Tags: Mixology Monday by Paul
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Where to begin?

No, really - where to begin? That’s the whole point behind this month’s Mixology Monday, hosted by Pink Lady and her bevy of shaker-wielding cohorts at LUPEC-Boston, who have chosen as the theme The First Time. OK, stop sniggering and/or blushing, and for god’s sake don’t start pounding out the damn Foreigner song — oops, too late; the focus this round is on drinks you’d introduce to a cocktail neophyte (one whom you’d like to turn into a cocktail regular).

There are a number of drinks in the playbook that I think are great introductions to the world of cocktails. Some, such as the daiquiri, have been mentioned by other bloggers already this round (thanks a hell of a lot for snagging my original plan, Stevi), whereas others have been on this blog for ages: I think the Southside is a great introduction to gin (especially if you splash a little champagne on top, a la a French 75, which is also a good choice), and I have yet to introduce anyone to an Old Cuban who hasn’t come away craving another one.

While it’s tempting to aim for something extremely basic, I think that would ultimately miss the point of this exercise: to not only introduce someone to a cocktail that is inoffensive and easy to swallow, but to introduce them to the whole concept of a well-made drink and help them understand why freaks like us spend so much time reading, writing and mixing these things (not to mention drinking them). For this, I think you need to give them a glimpse of the delicate complexity inherent in a well-made cocktail without steamrollering them under a wave of Campari, Chartreuse or rye whiskey — ingredients that are indispensable to any drink geek’s liquor cabinet, but that can take a little getting used to.

In addition to the drinks listed above, here’s another that I’ve seen turn curious drinkers into dedicated fans, and that has several major points in its favor: the Corpse Reviver #2.

I am admittedly one of the last cocktail bloggers to write about this drink (here, anyway - and yes, I’m recycling my photo), but I’ve been a fan of it ever since it first passed my lips five or so years ago. In addition to the uniformly positive reaction I’ve seen this drink get from those who’ve been served it in bars, or from those to whom I’ve introduced it, here are a few other reasons why I think the old CR#2 is a good choice for a gateway drink:

* THE NAME - sure, it’s old hat to cocktail fiends, but pretty much everyone does a double-take upon hearing the name for the first time; it sounds kinda cool, and it’s near-impossible to forget. Add to the name the interesting (yet short and approachable) backstory that manages to not only tell something about the drink but about the early days of cocktail culture, and you’ve got a nice, concise package of mixological history to send home with your cocktail novice.

* THE RECIPE - it’s equal parts of four ingredients, plus a single drop of another. In other words, it’s almost as easy to remember as the name (though Lillet may take a little explanation), which means your cocktail novice can repeat it back to other bartenders (those who haven’t already been introduced to it, that is), or can try to replicate the drink at home. Plus, in terms of construction, it’s just measure, shake & strain. Then smile.

* oh yeah, THE FLAVOR - the CR#2 is simultaneously straightforward and complex. Yes, it has gin, but as long as you don’t pummel your initiate with an aggressive gin or something cheap and harsh, it’s doubtful even ginophobes will have much of a problem with it. Then, the classic interplay between fresh citrus and Cointreau, and finally the Lillet - slightly orangey, mildly sweet (and yes, without the bitter bite of the original Kina Lillet or of preferred but totally unavailable alternatives, but you might want to hold off until a future cocktail session before totally geeking out on the poor newbie). Finally, the absinthe — granted, this is the ingredient that’s most likely to cause your novice to rebel, but I like to follow Ted Haigh’s suggestion of using a single drop (okay, maybe two) — it’s enough to season the drink and give it depth and complexity, but not enough to introduce an assertive anise (or any other) characteristic to the finished cocktail. Overall it’s a good balance of sweet and sour, with enough complexity to make it interesting but not so much to overwhelm the first-timer’s palate.

After an initial torrid affair with the CR#2 a few years back, right around the time Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails first came out, I’ve moved on to other things, only coming back to this drink on occasion. That’s too bad — it really is a nice little number, worth breaking out from time to time, especially if you’ve got a cocktail-curious friend coming over and you want to give them a quick and agreeable introduction to your world. Considering that Doc’s book is being revamped and republished this summer, it’s high time to start sampling them again.

Corpse Reviver No. 2

• 1 ounce gin
• 1 ounce Lillet
• 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 1 ounce Cointreau
• 1-2 drops absinthe

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake well for 10 seconds, strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry, should the mood hit.

So there, I finally blogged about the Corpse Reviver No. 2 - about damn time. Head on over to LUPEC-Boston in the next day or two to see what others have been up to this round of Mixology Monday.

Tags: Drinks, Gin, Mixology Monday by Paul
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