Mix Me Up, Bartender!
(But don't lose my soul in the spirit.)
Quote of the week: "Tango with new spirits while waltzing with the old." ~ From the song on the Bar Keeper Web site.
Saturday afternoon, sitting in Bemelmen's Bar in the Carlyle Hotel on Madison Avenue with Mrs. O, HA and J, I proclaimed, "I think I was born in the wrong era." I was sipping a strong yet refreshing Vesper Martini made with 3 parts Gordons Gin, 1 part undefined vodka, and half a measure of Lillet Blanc, a French aperitif with flavors of honey, candied orange, pine, lime and mint. Across the table, Mrs. O was enjoying a delicious Old Cuban...
Okay, readers, get your minds back to the drinks. The Old Cuban is a tasty cocktail (not an older gentleman from Cuba) with Bacardi 8, muddled mint, fresh lime juice, and Angostura bitters. The drink was described as a "champagne mojito," and it had some sassy fizz, so I presume there was also something effervescent in the mix.
Bemelmans is one of those classic New York hotel bars, where I could picture myself 60 or 70 years ago, cocktail in one gloved hand, cigarette holder in the other. (It was, after all, before smoking was bad for you.) The bar is dimly lit in the amber hue of live flames beneath off-white shades and filled with banks of leather seating and round intimate tables. Ludwig Bemelmans, the creator of the Madeline books for children, decorated the space with playful murals depicting scenes in Central Park.
The bar's Web site notes that some of their cocktails "date from the 1860s through Prohibition." Perhaps that explains why the bar triggered my ongoing pre-60s cocktail fantasy.
As we sipped I noticed an older lady, flirting up three young good looking men. When we left, she was sitting at their table, having rapturously charmed two of the young men, who were eagerly listening to every word. (Oh my.)
Earlier in the week, I visited Ward III, a much newer establishment on Reade Street that friends LR and KL had identified as a potential hot-spot for cocktails. The menu includes a bespoke (custom-made) drinks section with lists of spirits, herbs/spices, textures, fruits and taste styles for drinkers to choose from. You provide direction for the bartender who then creates your custom drink. If you love your drink, you can ask them to make a recipe card.
Note, that I did not say your custom cocktail. I found out recently from the friendly proprietor at Bar Keeper in LA that a drink is only a cocktail if it contains bitters. Who knew? Bar Keeper has an array of gorgeous vintage and contemporary bar items. In fact, I nearly broke an expensive liqueur glass drooling over a small half-circle bar that would look perfect in my living room. No harm done, though!
Bar Keeper also stocks bitters of all brands and flavors, more bitters than I even knew existed. After tasting a few, V. and I purchased small bottles of Fee Brothers' Old Fashion Aromatic Bitters. Ironically, the fourth generation of Fees who created the bitters I purchased in LA are based in Rochester, NY.
Now that we are all clear, back to Ward III. Needless to say I was excited about the prospect of a custom made cocktail built from the ingredients I most desired at that particular moment. I requested a strong or balanced drink with bourbon as spirit, flavored with cardamom and optional use of ginger and orange.
I received a frothy mix of bourbon and orange with a large sage leaf breaking through the surface. No cardamom to be found in flavor or scent. The drink was tasty but did not fulfill my request.
LR enjoyed a vodka drink with cilantro and mint, which was flavorful and strong, and KL ordered an effervescent drink which was refreshing and somewhat fruity.
We ordered dinner, and the food was, well, eh. Interesting in theory, but not executed well enough to make me want to eat it again. The bacon wrapped dates were served hot, which was different and wonderful, but the bacon was thick, greasy and double wrapped. One less layer and a thinner slice would have been blissful. The deviled eggs were over-seasoned, and the blue cheese in the blue cheese dressing on my spinach salad was just shy of mediocre.
I was hoping a second cocktail would sell me on Ward III because I just loved the idea so much it would be nice to return. I told the waitress I couldn't taste the cardamom in the first cocktail and asked whether the bartender could make something with bourbon and cardamom in any way he would like that would bring out the cardamom.
I received a rocks glass of what, as KL so aptly described, looked like muddy water. The concoction was easier to swallow than muddy water (I can only imagine), but it just passed as drinkable. Although there was an aroma of cardamom, there was also a heap of cinnamon on top, which is a very overpowering spice. I was too tired to deal with the hassle of sending it back, and the waitress never asked if I was enjoying it.
At least the evening was seasoned well with great conversation among old friends!
There is only one thing to be done after such an experience... try mixing cardamom with bourbon myself to find out whether it's possible for cardamom to show it's flavor while swimming in a strong sea of bourbon. I bought green cardamom pods today, opened one up, and crushed the little black nuggets inside with my mortar and pestle. I tapped about half of the resulting dust into a rocks glass, added a pour of Booker's Bourbon, a squeeze of orange, a cube of ice and a drop of bitters. I let it sit five minutes and sipped.
A bit strong (that is Booker's), but clearly, yes, clearly... flavored with cardamom. It was not the perfect cocktail, but the cardamom was there.
Mixing is an art, and I can hardly believe that the bartender at Ward III let that muddy drink leave the bar. Apparently, they do not taste their concoctions before serving them. After nights like that, the flame in my lush heart for the bartenders at Little Branch flares ever brighter.
There it is ladies and g's, the week by cocktail (or mixed drink). Let's not lose the true meaning of a cocktail. Keep those bitters close to you heart and mix away. Sure, have a martini if you prefer, but just know it's only a mixed drink.
There is one thing I learned this week in my cocktail adventures. Try not to read too much into the lemon slice, the olive, or the brandied cherry. Whatever you have served up for yourself is perfectly fine. Even if you still don't know what you want to be when you grow up, or if you never did, or if you chose comfort over starving for art.
It is all good.
Stay tuned!
(But don't lose my soul in the spirit.)
Quote of the week: "Tango with new spirits while waltzing with the old." ~ From the song on the Bar Keeper Web site.
Saturday afternoon, sitting in Bemelmen's Bar in the Carlyle Hotel on Madison Avenue with Mrs. O, HA and J, I proclaimed, "I think I was born in the wrong era." I was sipping a strong yet refreshing Vesper Martini made with 3 parts Gordons Gin, 1 part undefined vodka, and half a measure of Lillet Blanc, a French aperitif with flavors of honey, candied orange, pine, lime and mint. Across the table, Mrs. O was enjoying a delicious Old Cuban...
Okay, readers, get your minds back to the drinks. The Old Cuban is a tasty cocktail (not an older gentleman from Cuba) with Bacardi 8, muddled mint, fresh lime juice, and Angostura bitters. The drink was described as a "champagne mojito," and it had some sassy fizz, so I presume there was also something effervescent in the mix.
Bemelmans is one of those classic New York hotel bars, where I could picture myself 60 or 70 years ago, cocktail in one gloved hand, cigarette holder in the other. (It was, after all, before smoking was bad for you.) The bar is dimly lit in the amber hue of live flames beneath off-white shades and filled with banks of leather seating and round intimate tables. Ludwig Bemelmans, the creator of the Madeline books for children, decorated the space with playful murals depicting scenes in Central Park.
The bar's Web site notes that some of their cocktails "date from the 1860s through Prohibition." Perhaps that explains why the bar triggered my ongoing pre-60s cocktail fantasy.
As we sipped I noticed an older lady, flirting up three young good looking men. When we left, she was sitting at their table, having rapturously charmed two of the young men, who were eagerly listening to every word. (Oh my.)
Earlier in the week, I visited Ward III, a much newer establishment on Reade Street that friends LR and KL had identified as a potential hot-spot for cocktails. The menu includes a bespoke (custom-made) drinks section with lists of spirits, herbs/spices, textures, fruits and taste styles for drinkers to choose from. You provide direction for the bartender who then creates your custom drink. If you love your drink, you can ask them to make a recipe card.
Note, that I did not say your custom cocktail. I found out recently from the friendly proprietor at Bar Keeper in LA that a drink is only a cocktail if it contains bitters. Who knew? Bar Keeper has an array of gorgeous vintage and contemporary bar items. In fact, I nearly broke an expensive liqueur glass drooling over a small half-circle bar that would look perfect in my living room. No harm done, though!
Bar Keeper also stocks bitters of all brands and flavors, more bitters than I even knew existed. After tasting a few, V. and I purchased small bottles of Fee Brothers' Old Fashion Aromatic Bitters. Ironically, the fourth generation of Fees who created the bitters I purchased in LA are based in Rochester, NY.
Now that we are all clear, back to Ward III. Needless to say I was excited about the prospect of a custom made cocktail built from the ingredients I most desired at that particular moment. I requested a strong or balanced drink with bourbon as spirit, flavored with cardamom and optional use of ginger and orange.
I received a frothy mix of bourbon and orange with a large sage leaf breaking through the surface. No cardamom to be found in flavor or scent. The drink was tasty but did not fulfill my request.
LR enjoyed a vodka drink with cilantro and mint, which was flavorful and strong, and KL ordered an effervescent drink which was refreshing and somewhat fruity.
We ordered dinner, and the food was, well, eh. Interesting in theory, but not executed well enough to make me want to eat it again. The bacon wrapped dates were served hot, which was different and wonderful, but the bacon was thick, greasy and double wrapped. One less layer and a thinner slice would have been blissful. The deviled eggs were over-seasoned, and the blue cheese in the blue cheese dressing on my spinach salad was just shy of mediocre.
I was hoping a second cocktail would sell me on Ward III because I just loved the idea so much it would be nice to return. I told the waitress I couldn't taste the cardamom in the first cocktail and asked whether the bartender could make something with bourbon and cardamom in any way he would like that would bring out the cardamom.
I received a rocks glass of what, as KL so aptly described, looked like muddy water. The concoction was easier to swallow than muddy water (I can only imagine), but it just passed as drinkable. Although there was an aroma of cardamom, there was also a heap of cinnamon on top, which is a very overpowering spice. I was too tired to deal with the hassle of sending it back, and the waitress never asked if I was enjoying it.
At least the evening was seasoned well with great conversation among old friends!
There is only one thing to be done after such an experience... try mixing cardamom with bourbon myself to find out whether it's possible for cardamom to show it's flavor while swimming in a strong sea of bourbon. I bought green cardamom pods today, opened one up, and crushed the little black nuggets inside with my mortar and pestle. I tapped about half of the resulting dust into a rocks glass, added a pour of Booker's Bourbon, a squeeze of orange, a cube of ice and a drop of bitters. I let it sit five minutes and sipped.
A bit strong (that is Booker's), but clearly, yes, clearly... flavored with cardamom. It was not the perfect cocktail, but the cardamom was there.
Mixing is an art, and I can hardly believe that the bartender at Ward III let that muddy drink leave the bar. Apparently, they do not taste their concoctions before serving them. After nights like that, the flame in my lush heart for the bartenders at Little Branch flares ever brighter.
There it is ladies and g's, the week by cocktail (or mixed drink). Let's not lose the true meaning of a cocktail. Keep those bitters close to you heart and mix away. Sure, have a martini if you prefer, but just know it's only a mixed drink.
There is one thing I learned this week in my cocktail adventures. Try not to read too much into the lemon slice, the olive, or the brandied cherry. Whatever you have served up for yourself is perfectly fine. Even if you still don't know what you want to be when you grow up, or if you never did, or if you chose comfort over starving for art.
It is all good.
Stay tuned!
I used to always put cardamom in my coffee but haven't had any in a while. I bet it would make for an interesting Irish Coffee...
ReplyDeleteI love cardamom in coffee. Juan Valdez offers it on their menu, but there are only a handful of them!
ReplyDelete