Posted by TraderTiki on February 15th, 2008 — Posted in Brandy, Gin, Rum, Teardrop Tiki Menu, Trader Vic
To quote Trader Vic, “Fog Cutter, hell. After two of these, you won’t even see the stuff “. Trader Vic is credited in his Book of Food and Drink as the originator of the Tiki Classic, though in Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails
, famed bartender Tony Ramos recalls its origins at an eponymous restaurant in Hollywood. No matter where it came from, this is a tall and tasty kick to the noggin. Vic describes it as “delicious but a triple threat. You can get pretty stinking on these, no fooling” This drink combines about four ounces of rum, brandy, and gin, with a float of sherry, and some tropical juices and flavorings.
This drink favors ice, and plenty of it. As big and tall of a vessel filled with cracked ice as you can get. Modern versions call for a higher ratio of orange to lemon juice, but the original formulation, with some nice homemade orgeat, is about as fantastic as it can get. This is a great drink, and a lesson for those of the “syrupy sweet” school of tiki drinks.
Just a note, Kaiser Penguin also has a great post on the Fog Cutter, and its many variations. This drink has been through a few remixes in its time, and is currently on most Trader Vic’s menu, and a few other classic menus, as the Somoan Fog Cutter. The difference is anyone’s guess, but it still packs a potent punch, no matter how you name it.
The Fog Cutter is another entry on the special menu on Tiki Third Tuesday at Teardrop, Feb 19th.
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Posted by TraderTiki on December 19th, 2007 — Posted in Gin, Places, rye
I’m back home from my trip to California. That was far, far too little time to spend with so many places I didn’t get to visit. But don’t worry, I tried to bring back as much booze in my bloodstream and baggage as I possibly could.
Tuesday night was spent at Bourbon and Branch with some family who live in town. The decor is gorgeous, the drinks are fantastic, and really any place that starts off with an appetizer drink gets a thumbs up from me. We kicked off the evening with the starter, which was something with Sparkling Wine, Benedictine, and a touch of Kirschwasser. But I already knew the first two things I would be ordering. First up was the Black Manhattan, with Vya Vermouth and house-made coffee bitters. It was smooth and calmly sweet, like a good Manhattan should be. I’m going to have to start off a batch of Coffee Bitters myself, as they were quite nice. Alongside that concoction, I had a bit of the Rittenhouse 21 yr Rye, which was absolutely astonishing. I can honestly say my palate just isn’t experienced enough yet to fully appreciate it, but the aging was just right, and the characteristics of the Rye really stood out.
I was soon convinced, after some excited discussion about their own barrel of Buffalo Trace, to try their Harvest Manhattan, which used their own Bourbon infused with Apples and spices, and a raisin and spice infused Vya Sweet Vermouth. This drink was, as I had to drunkenly describe, eminently quaffable. So smooth and delicious, with the apple, bourbon and raisin all coming out so nicely, I could’ve filled a Collins glass and downed it, it was just so satisfying. The night ended, as we were redirected to the Library, with a Last Word. Can’t go wrong with that one, and they made mine just right. The place was class to the nines, and I can’t wait to go back and sit at the bar.
Another exciting stop while in CA, and outside of the confines of a liquor controlled state, was at John Walker and Co. I was recommended the place by Martin, and I was not disappointed… well, there was no Creme de Violette, but I can forgive. Great thanks to Lance for letting my know that the TSA has a limit on alcohol you can bring back (5 Liters, nothing over 140 proof… so about 6 bottles). So, knowing I could only bring back so much I had to choose wisely. I think I did well, but I can’t stop thinking about what I had to leave behind.
That’s BlueCoat Gin, Genevieve, Laird’s Bonded Straight Apple Brandy, Vya Sweet Vermouth, and two bottles of Batavia Arrack. I will be one poor but happy mixing fool this holiday!
I still haven’t told of my adventures to the Island of Alameda, but I think that deserves its own time and place.
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Posted by TraderTiki on December 3rd, 2007 — Posted in Gin, MxMo, Rum
Yes, once again it is time for another Mixology Monday. This round is hosted by Jeffrey Morgenthaler, and the topic, one of the grandest reasons for celebration of all, Repeal Day!
I took a little bit of a look at the local temperance movement, and let me tell you, it wasn’t pretty. See below:
I’ll just put this out there. If lips that touch liquor shall never touch hers, well I’ll be making out with a Manhattan all day long. Those poor bottles didn’t deserve such a horrid fate, but I’d put dollars to donuts a few of those bottles mysteriously disappeared once the Temperance Worker’s back was turned.
It turns out Portland had a very unique history with temperance and prohibition, as noted at the Oregon History Project:
Prohibition came to Oregon in 1916, earlier than the rest of the United States… Before [Prohibition] was passed, Portland obtained approximately twenty-five percent of its general operating funds from liquor license fees, and the city proved unable to replace all of that money. The police department used its basement as a warehouse for confiscated liquor, and only destroyed as much as the public demanded. Vice squad members sometimes delivered cases of liquor to city hall, and most speakeasies paid corrupt police officers for protection and tip-offs before liquor-raids.
The city of Portland, Oregon was even cited in an address to congress by Andrew Furuseth, a prominent labor leader, in 1926:
When the prohibition amendment was passed and the Volstead Act was enacted, about three months after that I came through Portland, Oreg. Before that I had seen drunkenness there, dilapidated men, helpless, and in any condition that you do not want to see human beings. This time, three months after this act was passed there was an entire change. The men walked around from one place to another looking for employment, seamen and others. And they were sober. And I became an ardent advocate of the Volstead Act.
Two years afterwards I came through,… and went to the very same place for the purpose of looking at the situation, and the condition was worse than it had been prior to the passage of the law. As long as the prohibition legislation was enforced, could be enforced, as long as the bootlegging element had not been organized, and not get the stuff, everything looked well. But the moment that they could get it they got it. And they will find it when nobody else can. They will find it somewhere. If it is to be bought in the vicinity any where they will find it. And the condition is worse than it ever was, because the stuff that they drink is worse than ever.
A number of the bars that were acting as speakeasies during prohibition still stand and serve today. At Huber’s, you could get a Manhattan in a coffee cup, The Alibi (then known as Max Alibi, and far prior to its Tiki splendor) was quietly slinging drinks in the kitchen, and while the “Dry” saloons operated upstairs, the real barkeeps kept shop down below in the infamous Shanghai Tunnels.
Of course, if you’re talking Tiki, one of the surest celebrators of Repeal Day must have been a gent named Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt, who more than likely financed his first bar, Don’s Beachcomber, through bootlegging rum. No polynesian pop-culture tiki bars had yet opened before prohibition, but Repeal Day surely helped spark the fire. During Prohibition, Cuba became America’s Saloon, and American tourists to the island brought back tales of Rum and Lime concoctions served at La Floridita.
Thank goodness those days are over, and the booze now flows through the streets and alleys free and at will, ready for taxation and libation. But now that we’re free to do so, what to drink? Well, not being one to be entirely thrilled by names, but altogether fascinated by the branding, a quick peek into Vintage Sprits and Forgotten Cocktails brings about the Monkey Gland. This comes to us from Harry’s New York Bar, in Paris, which at the time was a great getaway for those career bartenders driven out of the U.S. during prohibition. Named for a surgical procedure dreamed up by a Russian Doctor (of which there is plenty of information here), which became known via popular songs, and your regular circular file news in the 1920s.
Monkey Gland
- 1 1/2 oz. Dry Gin
- 1 1/2 oz. Orange Juice
- 1 tsp Grenadine
- 1 tsp Absinthe (sub with Pastis, but DO try it with Absinthe!)
Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with whatever you can find that would be reminiscent of a monkey gland; a true Maraschino cherry does quite nicely.
This drink is at first a tinge difficult, with the Absinthe and Gin fighting for dominance. Give it a few minutes though, and it becomes a lovely symphony, altogether not too sweet, not too herbal, but a nice combination of the mellow citrus, sweet Grenadine, herbal Absinthe, and gruff Dry Gin.
Craig and I will be warming seats at TearDrop Lounge this Wednesday, December 5th. There’ll be Prohibition-Era cocktails, gangster films, and a wee bit of trivia. The prohibition drinks will be $5 for those with the password…. moonshine.
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Posted by TraderTiki on November 11th, 2007 — Posted in Concoctioneering, Gin, MxMo
“I’m tired of Gin, I’m tired of Sin, and after last night, oh boy, am I tired.“
- Unknown
Yes, ladies and/or gentlemen, another month has passed, and the next Mixology Monday is already nigh past! This month’s, hosted by Jay at Oh Gosh!, leads us through the very exciting world of Gin.
My personal favorite, other than the only 1/4 oz sampled Bluecoat, has to be the locally made Aviation Gin. This is just fantastic stuff, very aromatic and delicately balanced, but still man enough to put some hair on your chest, or wherever you might find yourself in need of warmth. Changed my Gin Fizzes for life, I can tell you that much.
Now, being that this is could be considered a primarily Tiki drink site, Gin, well, didn’t find itself a primary liquor in too many, or, pretty much any drinks. It’s in the Fog Cutter, Colonel’s Big Opu, Suffering Bastard… oh, wait a moment. It is the primary in a Trade Winds cocktail (Grog Log, p. 84). Well, seeing as the drinking’s done for the night, I may have to do a second post on that one later. For this MxMo, I decided to roll with a Trader Vic original, the Gilded Lily.
Gilded Lily
- 1/2 oz. Gin
- 1/2 oz. Puerto Rican Rum
- 1/2 oz. Peach Brandy
- 1/2 oz. Orange Juice
Shake and strain into cocktail glass.
It’s a nice light cocktail, and I love the fact that it’s a good two ouncer, not so much of the tipple as not to be able to put together sentences, but just enough to think the ones you do put together are quite charming indeed. If you can make any sense out of that last sentence, you may need another drink. Yes, the umbrella with the orange twist may be a bit much, but for this drink I think there’s no harm in gilding the lily.
One issue with the above drink though, the Gin shares an equal part with the Rum! Vic, ever the Rum fetishist, has failed me in trying to make a nice, entirely gin-centric write-up. Oh well, guess I may have to roll my own on this one. I must admit, inspiration had struck from the blogosphere today… and if I ever type that word again, slap me upside the head with a Gin and Tonic. Craig had a recent post on Ceylon Cinnamon, and Scottes somehow forced me out of the bar to pick up some Ginger Beer. Well, why not have the two shake hands over a nice bit of Gin? So I whipped up this little concoction, the Gin and Cin.
Gin and Cin
- 2 oz. Gin
- 1 oz. Ceylon Cinnamon Syrup
- 1/2 oz. Lemon Juice
- 2 dashes fee bitters
- 1/4 tsp Fresh grated Ginger
- Ginger Beer (Ginger People STRONGLY advised)
Shake all ingredients except Ginger Beer in a shaker, strain into ice-filled chimney glass. Top with Ginger People Ginger Beer. Garnish with ginger slices and powdered cinnamon.
This is a great digestive, and damned tasty drink, with the spicy ginger giving a sharp spike of flavor, while the Ceylon cinnamon keeps the taste buds active. The lemon provides a touch of a sour note, and the gin and bitters wrap all the notes together. Oh, and you might want to get some Ceylon syrup together, here’s the deal:
Ceylon Cinnamon Syrup
- 1 part water (16 oz. by volume)
- 1 part organic cane sugar (16 oz. by volume)
- bag (4 sticks) Ceylon Cinnamon
Put all ingredients in a pot on the stove. Let simmer covered for 15 minutes or so, cool, strain and bottle.
That stuff will go fantastic in any Nui Nui, Jet Pilot, so on an so forth. Hell, pour it on some waffles, it’s just damned good.
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Posted by TraderTiki on October 31st, 2007 — Posted in Concoctioneering, Gin, rye
The end of another October, and with a tongue singed by candy, my palate awaits something other than Tootsie Rolls. In co-ordination and collaboration with my dear friend Craig, we have put together a number of drinks representing a selection of the Universal Movie Monsters to celebrate these horrifying haunts of the silver screen, and to appreciate the more adult side of All Hallow’s Eve.
These classics of cinema were enjoyed during the most frightening period of all, Prohibition, and lasted through the late 1950s. They were genre defining movies, which entranced and entertained audiences. I’d love to elaborate further, but it’s another friend, Noel, who inspired the idea. I may have to have him elaborate on the subject. I just know booze.
The Mummy, released 1932 and staring Boris Karloff as the titular character. To celebrate this film, a presentation of honey and aromatic perfumes from exotic regions used in preparing the body. Around the body, the sands of time dry and wither the senses, while preserving as well. In the end, there is a dreadful curse, as punishment for disturbing the slumber of the dead.
The Mummy
- 2 oz Rye (Wild Turkey 101 proof)
- 1/2 oz Honey Mix
- 1/4 lemon juice
- dash St. Germain
- dash Blood Orange Bitters
- dash Fees Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters
Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Rim with lemon juice and cinnamon.
This came out fantastic, with a nice alcoholic sweetness, with lots of aromatics. The juice was added last as it needed a bit of sharpness to really round it out. The cinnamon rim dries the mouth and adds a bit of spice. The bitters can be exchanged with another, or left out to taste.
The Invisible Man, starring Claude Raines, was released in 1933, as Prohibition in the United States was finally being kicked to the curb. In the film, the professor is driven mad after experimentation with a drug that made him invisible. Scarcely seen but for the glass containing it, this drink celebrates the madness that lies beneath the unseen.
The Invisible Man
- 1.5 oz Gin
- 2 oz Aquavit
- 2 dashes Maraschino Liqueur
Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.
Completely clear, the drinker may see this as a glass of vodka, or water. The flavors contained within, however (not to mention the booze) prove that vision can’t always be trusted.
In The Creature from the Black Lagoon, release 1954, a bewitching maiden captivated the creature, driving him mad with fury at those who would take her away from him. This drink is a visual treat, and quite a pretty tasty one to boot. From this Black Lagoon, your own more beastly instincts may arise.
The Creature from the Black Lagoon, aka ‘The Black Lagoon’
- 1.5 oz Hypnotiq
- .5 oz Green Chartreuse
- Juice of Half-lime
- dash Pernod
- float of Blavod (Black Vodka)
Shake all but Blavod with ice. Strain into cocktail glass, and float Blavod on top.
This came out far better than the concept was originally anticipated. The Black Lagoon, on the top, is a bit difficult and rank, using straight vodka as a float. But, once the surface is penetrated, the true beauty of the ingredients shine. I feel a bit strange using Hypnotiq as a main liqueur, but I must say, it’s some tasty stuff. Mixed with the lime and Chartreuse, this drink sings.
Don’t forget to catch Craig’s Hallowe’en movie monster drinks as well, featuring Dracula, The Wolfman, and The Phantom of the Opera. All 6 of these in a night, and you’ll be seeing some monsters too.
Hope everyone out there in the cocktail world has a safe, sane, and slightly inebriated Halloween. I know I will. Martin Cate of Forbidden Island will be in town, and yes, much rum will be imbibed.
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