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Cocktail Menu: Rich Table in San Francisco

Jason "Buffalo" LoGrasso (also aka "Buffy") has taken over the cocktail program at Rich Table in San Francisco, a restaurant very much in the now. 

Image stolen from RichTableSF.com

He has introduced a small set of cocktails for the regular and dessert menu. The dessert cocktails "most likely" launch tonight!

Autumn Leaves
Rye Whiskey, Bitter Orange, Black Walnut

Hayloft
Mezcal, Applejack, Almond, Pomme Butter, Dry Cider

Lands End
Terroir Gin, Monterey Cypress, Alpine Liqueur

Turkey Trot
Bourbon, Butternut Squash, Honey Meringue, Nutmeg

Shivered Timbers
Pot Still Rum, Pomegranate, Ginger, Canela, Crushed Ice

Strawbarely Legal
Pisco, Strawberry Gomme, Chocolate Mint, Albumin Froth, Seltzer

Witchdoctor Daiquiri

Trinidadian and Haitian Rums, Cherry, Averna, Lime

  

Dessert Drinks

{Just learned these might change slightly so consider these placeholder drinks for the next few minutes}

Tom and Jerry 
Aged Rum, Brandy, Crem de Cacao, Egg 
*Hot

Rich Coffee
Fernet, Brown Sugar, Pistachio Cream, Gold Dust
*Hot or Cold

Classic Egg Nog 
Rye Whiskey, Egg, Cream, Sugar
*Cold

Carthusian Hot Cocoa
Chartreuse, Creme de Menthe, Pineapple Marsmallow

The Tahona Society Cocktail Competition in Arandas Mexico

Tuesday night I helped judge the Tahona Society Cocktail Competition here in Arandas, Mexico. The competition (and the Tahona Society in general) was sponsored by Olmeca Altos tequila. My co-judges were Henry Bessant, who helped develop the Olmeca Altos brand, Charles Joly, winner of last year's competition and bar manager at The Aviary in Chicago, and Tomas Estes, owner of the Cafe Pacifico restaurants and Ocho tequila.

Eighteen bartenders from eleven countries competed in the event. What I liked was that nearly every competitor brought an ingredient from their home country to make their cocktails, from a smoky Ukrainian dried fruit syrup to Greek honey to Wisconsin cherry syrup.

Third place went to Sergey Nadson from Russia. He made a simple delicious cocktail, a Tommy's Margarita variation with fresh muddled lemongrass and black pepper.

Second place in the contest was Jason Xue Bin from China. His drink, which was presented on an elaborate tasting matt, was made with hawthorn infused tequila, apricot brandy, lemon and cranberry juice, and simple syrup. He made a cocktail that was truly better than the sum of its parts.

The competition winner was Heinz Kaiser from Austria (I met him at Diageo's World Class competition in 2011 where he took second place). He made a drink Manhattan style with reposado tequila, Cointreau, Carpano Antica vermouth, Damiana liqueur, Bob's Abbott's bitters, Mozart chocolate bitters, and it was presented in silver cups under a cloud of cumin-scented smoke.

For his prize Heinz will get to come back to Mexico and work at the distillery with the master distiller for a week. Jason will get to come back to this contest next year as a competitor.

Well done, all!

 

Carbonated Cocktails in the San Francisco Chronicle

My latest story for the San Francisco Chronicle is now online. I wrote about carbonated cocktails and the many, many different approaches bartenders are taking to make them. 

Carbonated cocktails proving popular
By Camper English

A little fizz can do wonders for a cocktail, making it more aromatic, lighter and a bit more dynamic.Traditionally, drinks get that fizz from mixers like ginger ale, sparkling wine or soda water. But several new carbonating devices have given bartenders the opportunity to add sparkle to almost any drink.

Carbonating drinks directly "makes a more intense, more flavorful cocktail, as opposed to adding 2 ounces of soda water," says Cappy Sorentino, bar manager at Healdsburg's Spoonbar.

Read the rest of the story here.

At Chez Papa, Adam Chapman makes a Watermelon Carolina Cross using a carbonated cocktail shaker. Photo: The Chronicle / SF

Cocktail Menu: Brasserie S&P in San Francisco

Brasserie S&P is the new bar in the Mandarin Oriental in San Francisco. Bar manager Priscilla Young created this menu with a focus on gin and Gin & Tonic cocktails. 

Project Gin and Tonic
Hendricks Gin and Q Tonic Water | Cucumber 13.
Beefeater 24 and Sensei #1 Tonic Water | Lime Twist 13.
St. George Botanivore and Fever Tree Indian Tonic Water | 13.
Lime Twist
Blade Gin and Sensei #1 Tonic Water | Orange Peel and Thai Chili 13.
Tell us your favorite combination. It might make it to the list.
Be a part of Project Gin and Tonic.
 

Classics and Concoctions
The Victorian Drop 14.
purity vodka • rose water • fresh lemon juice • sugar •
rose hibiscus sugar
Garden Envy 15.
celery and green apple cold‐infused hendricks gin • square one
cucumber vodka • lime juice • galliano
Indian Summer in Mt. Tam 14.
st. george ‘terroir’ gin • sensei saffron tonic water
Redo ’22 15.
charbay blood orange vodka • smoked scott’s 1987 scotch •
vya sweet vermouth • luxardo cherry liqueur
Madame Genever 14.
organic coconut cold‐infused st. george ‘botanivore’ gin •
orange zest • fresh lemon juice • angostura bitters • egg whites
Farmer’s Gin Martini 13.
oregon’s all organic farmer’s gin • dolin dry vermouth •
angostura orange bitters • lemon peel
Diablo’s Whisper 13.
herradura silver tequila • blackcurrant hibiscus • muddled fresno
pepper • fresh lime juice • agave nectar • bacon salt
San Franciscan 13.
jameson • grand marnier • angostura bitters
Formation 14.
vanilla bean rapid‐infused bontanist gin • maraschino cherry liqueur •
parfait amour crème de violette • fresh lemon juice
Kimono Kloud 12.
hangar one vodka • thyme • honey water • fresh lime juice •
organic momokawa nigori sake • ginger beer
Picnic in Manhattan 13.
woodford reserve bourbon • lillet blanc and rouge • garden‐fresh
watermelon and mint • fresh lime juice

Concoctions @ Brunch
Pamplemousse 13.
junipero gin • combier pamplemousse rose liqueur • fresh lemon juice
powdered sugar • peychaud bitters • soda
Gin Blossom 13.
g’vine gin • fresh orange juice • orange blossom water • sparkling wine
Ode to Mary 14.
damrak gin • sensei tomato water • thyme • worcestershire sauce •
tobasco • fresh lime juice • bitters

Dessert Concoctions
Grand Finale 12.
coconut milk • grand marnier liqueur • angostura orange bitters •
egg white • dark cacao
Field of Dreams 13.
belvedere black raspberry vodka • fresh strawberries and lime juice •
whipped cream • sugar rim

Zero Proof Concoctions
The English Rose 8.
cassis black iced tea • rose water • fresh lime juice •
pomegranate syrup • angostura bitters
Bitter Sweet Soda Pop 8.
garden‐fresh watermelon • sensei tonic water #1 • fresh lemon juice
Breakfast at Tiffany’s 8.
sensei tomato water • fresh lime juice • dash of grenadine •
black pepper • egg white

 

Cocktail Menu: Goose & Gander in Napa Valley

The much anticipated (for cocktail nerds) opening of Goose & Gander has finally happened. The former Martini House now has at the helm of the cocktail program Scott Beattie of Cyrus (and author of Artisinal Cocktails) and several other bars, along with Michael Pazdon of SolBar.

With these two superbly talented mixologists in one place it should be a great bar program and I'm looking forward to trying it at the soonest opportunity.

 

Cocktail Image Courtesy of Goose & Gander

Below is the cocktail menu. 

Goose & Gander Libations
$11

Scarlet Gander.
Hangar One Buddha's Hand Citron Vodka, Shiso-Ginger-Galangal Syrup,
Lemon, Mint, Ginger Beer, Pickled Rhubarb

Bali Spice Old Fashioned
St. George Breaking and Entering Bourbon,
Orange, Cinnamon, Clove, Star Anise

Leatherman
Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon, Carpano Antica, Qi Black Tea Liqueur, Bitters

Mellivora Capensis
Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon, Dewar’s Scotch,
Lemon, Honey, Chili, Black Cardamom, Apple-Coconut Foam

Walter’s Manhattan
Templeton Rye, Evan Williams Bourbon, Carpano Antica, Bitters

Pisco Punch
Oro Quebranta and Moscatel Piscos, Small Hands Pineapple Gomme,
Sudachi, Lime

Trade Secret
Germain-Robin Brandy, Batavia Arrack van Oosten, Spiced Molasses Syrup, Lime, Pineapple, Bitters, Grains of Paradise

Cucumber Collins
Square One Cucumber Vodka, Lemon, Yuzu, Seltzer,
Fresh and Pickled Cucumbers

Aviation
Voyager Gin, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, Crème de Violette, Lemon

Coastal Pimm’s Cup
Pimm’s #1, St. George Terroir Gin, Lemon, Seltzer, Cucumbers

Moroccan Night
Hangar One Mandarin Orange Blossom Vodka, Lime,
Sudachi, Pomegranate, Cardamom

Goose & Gander
1245 Spring Street at Oak
St. Helena, CA 94574
Phone: 707-967-8779
Website: www.goosegander.com

 

New Drink Menu at Heaven's Dog in San Francisco

Trevor Easter is the new bar manager at Heaven's Dog. The menu there has traditionally been drinks from Charles H. Baker's The Gentlemen's Companion, aka Around the World with Jigger, Beaker and Glass. I wrote about that for the San Francisco Chronicle a few years back.

 

 

Easter has changed the menu, but tried to keep it in line with its previous theme. He says, "Some of the drinks on there are cocktails that I've come up with but my goal was to do two things:  The most important thing was I wanted the transition of me taking over the bar program the be seamless and almost unnoticeable, and also for the modern cocktails to seem old in the name and ingredients.  I used to fly up here from San Diego to get drinks from Erik Adkins at Heavens Dog and I really wanted to make sure I didn't change that feeling you get when you get a cocktail here... There is a sense of tasting history that I love."

Below is not only the menu, but more information from Easter - the drink background stories. 

Joel Baker to Take On Tres Tequila Lounge in San Francisco

Joel Baker, formerly a bar manager at Bourbon & Branch and Burritt Room, will be taking over the bar program at Tres Tequila Lounge & Mexican Kitchen in San Francisco, the bar/restaurant formerly known as Tres Agaves. 

 

Image stolen from Tres website

 

Most of the plans are still a bit nebulous and we shouldn't expect to see any changes until early March, but Baker told me he'd look into expanding the tequila program into other agave spirits including adding more mezcal and sotol. They'll begin serving tequila shots with a choice of sangrita chasers in red or green as well.

He'll also work on staff education and take some time getting up to speed himself on their huge tequila selection. Baker does plan to expand the cocktail menu, keeping on classics like the margarita (of course), La Paloma, Batanga, etc. and adding a half dozen or so house cocktails. He'll also be putting a few non-tequila drinks on the menu, meant to pair with the restaurant's food. 

I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store. 

Cocktail Menu: Jbird Cocktails in New York

 

The bar Jbird is opening a new location in the Upper East Side. The cocktail program, as at the original location, is done by Jason Littrell and Marshall Altier of Genuine Leather Hospitality.

 

 

Old-Fashioned Cocktails
The Original; as defined in 1806; Spirit, sweet and a dash of bitter, stirred and served over hand-cut ice

Coco Viejo Coco & Coffee Bean Aged Rum, Cane Syrup, Grapefruit Bitters $14
KSBW Bourbon, Lemongrass Acacia Honey, Aromatic Bitters $12
Thornybush Cocktail London Dry Gin, Elderflower Liquor, Kaffir Lime, Celery Bitters $14
North Garden Apple Brandy, Bourbon, Islay Scotch $12
Honey-Nut Old-Fashioned Roasted Peanut-Infused Bourbon, Honey Syrup, Aromatic Bitters $12
(Courtesy of Marcos Tello, The Varnish, Los Angeles)
Brush of the Bush Anejo Tequila, Reposado Mezcal, Sage Agave Nectar, Cherry Bark, Vanilla Bitters $14

Sours
A shaken measure of strong, sour and sweet, carefully built for balance

Lavender Lining Bianco Tequila, Lavender Petal Bianco Vermouth, Lime, Lavender Froth*, Market Herbs $14
Everyman After All Oak-Aged Caribbean Rum, Apple Brandy, Crème de Pecha, Citrus, House Peach Bitters, Green Cardamom $12
Chief’s Hunt Amber and Aged White Rums, Passion Fruit, Lime, Orange, Apricot Brandy, Coconut Liqueur $12
20th Century London Dry Gin, House-Made Crème de Cacao, Cocchi Americano Wine, Lemon $12
(From Café Royal Bar Book 1937)
Sadie Hawkin’s Sling Bourbon, Falernum, Pear Brandy, Apricot Liqueur, Lemon, Pineapple, Tiki Bitters
(Served for two) $24

Collinses, Fizzes and Effervescent
The original ‘coolers’, served tall and topped with bubbles

Manu Chao Bay Leaf Infused Cachaca, Lemon, Demerara, Green Chartreuse, Soda Water $12
Hudson Breeze Fizz London Dry Gin, Apple Brandy, Pomegranate Syrup, Lemon, Baked Apple Foam*
(Contains Egg-whites) $12
Palomito Reposado Tequila, Grapefruit Juice, Salt, Lime, Negra Modelo, Tamarind Soda $14
The Imperial March Chinese Black Tea Cognac 1st Cru, Raspberry Syrup, Lime Juice, Champagne $14
Afternoon Delight Old Tom Gin, Pear Brandy, Orange & Lemon, Cane Sugar, Soda Water $14

Aromatized Cocktails
Spirit-on-spirit cocktails served in the manner of their famous predecessors; The Martini, The Manhattan, et al.

Camomila Cocktail Rye Whiskey, Chamomile Grappa, Bianco Vermouth, Elderflower, Orange Bitters $14
Maddow Old Tom Gin, Dry Vermouth, Elderflower Liquor, Antica Vermouth, Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters14
La Rosita Anejo Tequila, Antica Vermouth, Campari $14
ICBM Vodka, French Vermouth, Celery Bitters Mist, Vermouth-Cured Onions $12
Moon on the Rain Calvados VSOP, Dubbonet Rouge, Quince-Pecan Gastrique, Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters $12
(Courtesy of Daniel Shoemaker, Teardrop Lounge, Portland, OR)

Swizzles, Juleps, and Fixes
Frosty cold mixes as old as any in the America’s…Served on crushed ice

JBird Swizzle Jasmine Flower Rum, Don’s Spices, Lime, Pineapple, Blueberry Syrup, Orgeat, Bitters $12
Satchmo Swizzle London Dry Gin, Agave Nectar, Lime Juice, Crème Yvette, Mezcal, Ginger Beer, Aromatic Bitters, Blackberry Garnish $12
(Courtesy of Chris Hannah, Arnaud’s French 75 Bar, New Orleans, LA)
Daisy de Obeah Oak-Aged Caribbean Rum, Lime, Falernum, Cane Sugar, Strega Float $12
Behind God’s Back Aged Rum, Pineapple and Lime Juice, Cane Sugar, Cinnamon Syrup, Orgeat, Aromatic Bitters $12
Prescription Julep from Harper’s Monthly 1857 Rye Whiskey, Cognac 1st Cru, Demerara, Market Mint, Jamaican Rum Float $12

Jbird Cocktails
339 East 75th Street
212-288-8033
http://jbirdny.com