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Cocktail Menu: Anvil in Houston's Winter Drinks

Here is the new cocktail menu from Anvil in Houston. I am craving that Butternut Squash Flip.

Seasonal Flavors
From dates and butternut squash to grapefruit, the menu sparkles with the rich flavors of the winter season.

•Drooling Date – A simply delicious, just ever-so- sweet blend of Aquavit, date molasses, Orgeat and
orange bitters that sips much too easily.

•Butternut Squash Flip – Served in a champagne flute, this beer-based cocktail of butternut squash-infused rum, Heferweizen, whole egg and oats is light and luscious.

•General Sherman - Named for the giant Sequoias that grace our west coast, this blend of hazelnut-infused
bourbon, Stone Pine liqueur, honey and butter is one hot toddy that’s not to be missed on a cold winter
evening.

Amari, Bonal and Other Bitter Delights
A love of Amari, Bonal and other flavors that pucker the palate runs deep at Anvil, and the bartenders’ ongoing
explorations continue to produce sophisticated and tasty results.

•The Diplomat – A bold blend of gin and Bonal Quina rounded out with just a soupçon of orange and
cherry flavors makes for an upscale take on a gin martini.

•Witchy Woman – This pretty pink cocktail belies the bitter bite of a mix of Campari, white rum, citrus,
Orgeat and aromatic bitters.

•Black Betty – Fenugreek-infused rye, Bonal, Italian bitter, and Xocolati mole bitters come together for a
sophisticated drink for the initiated.

•Monk’s Revenge – Herby, medicinal Benedictine is smoothed out with a hit of rye and is given a final
boozy jolt with some hints of Fernet and Campari.

“Oh So Anvil”
The guys doing what they do best – mixing, experimenting, creating.

•Seoul Train – A global exploration of Nordic, Korean & French flavors that somehow converge into
a subtly spicy and delightful drink that defies explanation. This eclectic mix of Aquavit, house made Sujeonggwa liqueur, Dubonnet Rouge, orange bitters and sour tincture comes from Chris Frankel, aka the “mad scientist” of Anvil.

•Maharaja Buck – Inspired by the flavors of India, a cardamom-infused gin and house tamarind jam is
shaken with lime, turmeric and Anvil’s ginger beer for a subtle, rich blend of flavors.

•Pliny’s Tonic - Gin, lime, mint, and habanero tincture, this Anvil cult classic proves that sometimes less
really is more.

•The Secret of Monkey Island – This cocktail was so popular on a recent “Tiki Tuesday” that it had to go on the menu. With two kinds of rum, Cointreau, orange, honey, Orgeat and clove, it’s also a boozy ode to both the Tiki and Anvil traditions.

The Anti-Malarial Further Fortified Fortified Wine Cocktail

In my latest post for FineCooking.com, I touch on Dubonnet and the Dubonnet Cocktail. Dubonnet was invented as an anti-malarial wine. It's useful even if you don't have a mosquito problem.

Read! Learn! Behold!

Cocktail Menu: Oak at Fourteenth in Boulder, Colorado

Below is the menu for Oak at Fourteenth, a restaurant in Boulder, Colorado courtesy of Byran Dayton. The Guatemalan Widow sounds delicious.

The website lists different drink menus for different times of the day- I wish more places did that.  

LIBATIONS

NA (Non Alcoholic) - $6

House Ginger Beer
Raspberry and Meyer Lemon Soda
Blood Orange and Basil Soda
Cucumber and Mint Soda

LA (Low Alcohol) - $7

DAYS END:Aperol, Death’s Door Gin, Lemon, Sparkling Wine
MEDITERRANEAN WINTER:Lillet Blonde, Blood Orange, Muscato Di Asti,Orange Bitters
AMERICANO:Campari, Carpano Vermouth

HA (High Alcohol) - $10

OAK MANHATTAN:
George Dickel, Punt e Mes, House Bitters

OLD FASHIONED WITHOUT THE FLAG:
Baker’s, Sugar, Angostura Bitters, Lemon Peel

CHAUTAUQUA PARK:
Russell’s Reserve, Luxardo Triplum, Blood Orange,Sucanat Sugar, Bitter Truth Bitters

GINGERS LOST ISLAND:
Vida Mezcal, Espalon Reposado, Domaine DeCanton, Cardamom and Cinnamon Infused Agave,Lemon, Lime

SANTA ANA SUNRISE:
Tradicional Reposado, St. Germain, Lime, Agave,Egg White, Peychaud’s Bitters

GUATEMALAN WIDOW:
Ron Zacapa, Yellow Chartreuse, Benedictine,Peychaud’s Bitters, House Bitters

UNCLE PETE’S DAIQUIRI:
Flor de Cana Rum, Uncle Pete’s Honey Syrup,Licor 43, Dimmi, Lime

MO’S SPECIAL:
Brokers Gin, Strega, Poli Miele, Blood Orange,Meyer Lemon, Egg White

MARTINEZ:
Ransom Old Tom Gin, Punt e Mes, Luxardo Maraschino, Orange Bitters

SOAS:
Death’s Door Gin, Grand Mariner, Luxardo Maraschino, Orange Bitters

STEPH:
Ketel One Vodka, Aperol, St. Germain, Grapefruit

FOURTEENTH STREET SODA:
Death’s Door Vodka, Raspberry, Meyer Lemon,Soda

THE MONK’S GARDEN:
Tarragon Infused Vodka, Green Chartreuse,Cucumber, Lime, Lavender Simple Syrup

Sherry Bodega Visit: Bodegas Lustau

In September 2010 I visited several sherry bodegas. Here are pictures and a few notes from Bodegas Lustao. 

 

(Barrels in the Lustau bodega.)

(The vinegar aging room smelled heavenly. I'd love to go back and just study vinegar.)

(These new casks are being prepared for Jameson Irish whisky that is aged in ex-sherry casks. These casks were not part of the solera system- just the wine in them. They hold sherry that absorbs into the wood. The sherry is then distilled and not used for sherry.)

(At lunch afterward, we drank Lustao sherry and had Lustao Vinagre de Jerez on a few dishes.)

 

• Albero soil used in bodegas is same as used in bullfighting rings
• It took two and a half years to move the bodega from one place to another
• Only company to have sherry aged in Jerez, Puerto, and Sanlucar
• The vinegar solera smells delicious!
• Brandy bodega smells like buttered popcorn
• Casks for Jamesons made here with their oloroso 
• Fino bodegas must have higher ceilings, cooler temps, more humid
• Different vineyards produce grapes better for fino, amontillado, oloroso sherries 

 

Cocktail Menu: Winter Citrus at Zero Zero in San Francisco

Joel Teitelbaum of Zero Zero sent me the new cocktail menu with an emphasis on winter citrus. The previous one is here. 

Mr. Toddy’s Wild Ride served warm
Apple Cinnamon Gin, Kumquat Marmelade, Apple Liqueur, Honey

Negroni Bianco
Leopold Gin, Infused Cocchi, Bianco Vermouth

Blood of Mayauel
Reposado Tequila, Blood Orange Cordial, Meyer Lemon, Cointreau

Jack Holland Flip
Genever, Apple Jack, Nutmeg Honey, Lemon, Egg

Vida Vida
Mezcal, Tequila, Green Chartreuse, Agave, Lime

Fiore Di Limone
Vodka, St. Germain, Meyer Lemon, Limoncello, Cardamom Bitters

Folsom Street Sour
Four Roses Bourbon, Fernet, Lemon, Egg White, Grenadine

The Harrison
Singleton 12yr Scotch, Benedictine, Apple, Lemon

Yuzu Sidecar
Diplomatico Reserva Rum, Yuzu, Lemon, Bitters

Spiced Pimm’s Cup
Pimm’s No. 1, Amaro Nonino, Cinnamon, Lemon, Ginger Beer

Rye Baby
Rye Whisky, Bonal, Lemon, Maraschino

Zero Zero is located at 826 Folsom Street in San Francisco.

Tequila Distillery Visit: Patron

In November I visited seven tequila distilleries in Mexico. Here are some pictures and notes from my visit to the Patron distillery in the town of Atotonilco.

(The distillery is on a huge plot of land. It's a huge distillery. This is the front gate.)

(This is the hacienda, which is the center of the distillery. Nice place.)

(This is agave going in to the rollermill. Patron is 50% rollermill agave and 50% tahona agave.)

(Fermenting tahona agave. Tahona agave ferments and is distilled with the fibers.)

(Outside the distillery they prepare the spent agave to be fertilizer.)

(They use a mix of barrels for Patron.)

• The distillery is actually 12 distilleries operating independently. 
• Most of the agave comes from the highlands
• They recycle the first agave juice out of the ovens, don't use it for fermentation
• Ferment in pine wood, not stainless
• Have unusual stills designed by master distiller
• Tahona agave takes 2 hours to crush
• Patron silver is 75% of sales, reposado accounts for 10 percent and anejo accounts for 15

Cocktail Menu: The Brixton in San Francisco

The Brixton opens Friday, January 14 in San Francisco's Cow Hollow (Marina) neighborhood. Here is the menu, courtesy of Adam Snyder (Taverna Aventine, The Ambassador).

I haven't seen this much vodka on a new drink menu in years. But hey, it's the Marina and people are going to order it whether you put in on the menu or not. 

Gin Basil Rickey
Hendricks Gin, muddled basil, lime juice, soda water.

Bourbon Raspberry Splash
Bulleit Bourbon, raspberry puree, lime juice, simple syrup, soda water.

Pisco Mule
Campo De Encanto Peruvian Pisco, lime juice, ginger beer.

Citron John Daly
Stoli Citrus Vodka, Lemonade, Ice Tea.

Strawberry Don Royale
Don Julio Tequila, muddled mint, strawberry puree, simple syrup, champagne float.

Sazerac 
Ritten House Rye Whiskey, sweet vermouth, absinthe rinse.

Paloma 
Tradicional Silver Tequila, grapefruit soda, lime juice, salted rim

Vodka Cucumber Basil Gimlet
Ketel Vodka, Veev Acai liquor, muddled cucumber and basil, lime juice, simple syrup.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Olive Martini
Ketel Vodka, olive juice, blue cheese stuffed olives. 

The Brixton Peach Martini
Belvedere Vodka, peach puree, lemon juice, simple syrup, champagne Float

Brixton Blueberry Lemonade
Stoli Blueberry Vodka, Brixton Lemonade, soda water

The Ernest
Matusalem Rum, maraschino liquor, fresh grapefruit juice, simple syrup 

The Brixton Buck
Brugal Dark Rum, Lime juice, Orange juice, Peychaud Bitters. 

 

Absolut Test Market?

There's a new flavor of Absolut in town, Absolut Wild Tea. It's tea and elderflower-flavored.

Sound familiar? That's because black tea and elderflower were also the flavors in the limited-edition Absolut Boston.

Also, Absolut New Orleans was black pepper and mango, and preceded Absolut Mango. 

Also, Absolut Los Angeles was acai, acerola, pomegranate, and blueberry flavored, and this was launched a bit before Absolut Berri Acai with  acai, pomegranate, and blueberry flavors. A while back I looked at the difference between the two.

I think I may be noticing a pattern. 

I'm gonna make a guess that the next Absolut flavor will contain red apple and/or ginger.

Because that's what's in Absolut Brooklyn.