:: mixology monday equal parts wrap up ::

I have been up for an hour and my coffee has finally cooled enough to drink, so it is time to see what this month's Mixology Monday (MxMo LXV) theme brought in. The concept for "Equal Parts" started as a Mixoloseum Thursday Drink Night where I gained an appreciation of how interesting of a process it can be to develop a drink that fits a structure instead of tinkering with the proportions later.  I have also gained an understanding through the literature with 19th century recipes working the equal parts concept just as well as 21st century ones. I figured that it would be a good welcome back theme for it does not require special ingredients or genres outside of one's comfort zone (although being pushed out of one's comfort zone is often where one learns the most). My rough count is 29 participants this month with probably a few more stragglers knocking on the bar door knowing that last call is only symbolic here. Like all Mixology Monday events, we have a handful of first timers; this time, we have also have a strong showing from our French blogger-mixologists! In case, your language skills are not up to snuff, I will provide  translation links when needed. So on with the show!

DJ Hawaiian Shirt from the Spirited Remix blog starts things off with the classic Saratoga. DJHS makes the assertion that splitting the spirits in a Manhattan so half is brandy makes for a superior drink. And I have found similar with the Prescription Sazerac.

The lovely folk over at the gardening, cooking, and cocktail blog Putney Farm decided to class up the Long Island Iced Tea with an elegant mixed spirit recipe called the Long Island Planters Punch.

A Drink with Forrest showcases a drink that he entered in a contest at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic in 2010. Using Bernheim Wheat Whiskey, the Frisky Eve equal parted him into victory.

Dan from the amazing Kindred Cocktails drink database is a MxMo first timer; he got crafty and figured out how to adapt an entry in the database into a blog post. Riffing off of the Sam Ross neo-classic the Paper Plane, Dan's Avioncito takes wing.

Looking into my email inbox were a pair of French bloggers, both first timers I believe. Maxime of Cocktail Molotov blog presents a tropical take on the Corpse Reviver using a glorious rum from Plantation. The last paragraph is in English, but here is the whole thing translated.

Paul-Eric of the Sip Easy blog tinkers with the Between the Sheets to conjure up the Above the Sheets by making the citrussy classic into a straights spirits recipe. Don't worry, Paul-Eric wrote his post in both French and English so no translation is needed!

I, Frederic of Cocktail Virgin, found it amusing that even though I had picked the theme, I still had no clue what I was going to make until about a week out. I opted for a complex Fernet Buck called the Eva Péron from Imbibe's The American Cocktail book.

Scott Diaz of Shake, Strain, and Sip looks at the Corpse Reviver and Last Word for inspiration before reaching for bottles of pisco and Swedish Punsch to craft the Undiscovered Country.

Dagreb of Nihil Utopia makes the excelled pre-prandial Perfect Cocktail. He took humorous offense at my event description that garnishes do not count and made his twist into something you might expect to see in Grecian artwork.

It is truly an honor to receive an entry from Mark Sexauer for he was one of the bloggers who participating when I first started reading Mixology Monday in 2006 or 2007 and later started submitting in 2008. Mark pairs agave and grappa in the Recorde's Invention for a smoky, earthy, and vegetal effect.

Ceccotti of Bartending Notes discusses a wide range of equal parts drinks from how to craft a Collins-style drink on the fly to classics like the Between the Sheets.

Brian from the Boo Lion blog based out of Taiwan took the time and effort to investigate one of the more difficult series of equal parters out there -- the Pousse-café! Besides tackling a good number of them, he provides a bit of history and literary lore about this challenging drink style.

Chemistry of the Cocktail's Jordan goes Tiki with the Shrunken Skull. He found his substitution of raspberry syrup for grenadine to be a good one.

JFL, a loyal participant at the Mixoloseum's Thursday Drink Night and a first timer here, of course did Tiki in his post on Rated R Cocktails (don't worry, even with the blog name, they are all work-safe). He realizes that Don's Spices is only one ingredient and crafts the Quemada’s Idol as well as two other drinks.

Southern Ash's Joel joins the MxMo fold by swapping around the Negroni components and using Bourbon and Pimm's in what he calls The Hooligan. Despite the name, it sounds like the exchanges reach a harmony.

François of Bariana rounds out the trio of French blogs by writing about Joaquin Simo's delightful Naked and Famous. While it is partially in English, here is a translated version.

Zach, the Venture Mixologist, makes a grapefruit peel oleo saccharum syrup to sweeten his Atwood, a tribute to Kimball Chase Atwood who in the 19th century developed one of the largest grapefruit groves in the world.

Joseph of Measure & Stir went to the multi-ingredient equal part Zombie and includes a recipe for passion fruit syrup if you decide you want to make your own instead of purchasing it.

The Liquid Culture Project shares their House Bourbon Sour which appears like a delightful whiskey-based Hoop La! They find the addition of the Lillet Blanc's citrus-wine notes to elevate the drink.

Chris of the Steak and Whiskey blog offers the Rahasia which works the rye-vermouth-amaro equal parts angle rather well.

Wordsmithing Pantagruel's Ed riffs on the Last Word with a Smith & Cross and Dry Curaçao number he calls the Swan Song.

Mike of DrinksBurgh describes a good after dinner three parter called the Smokin' Port; despite the name, the only smoky ingredient is a flamed orange twist, so perhaps a cigar is in order?

Andrew from the Doré tumblr is another MxMo first timer! He tinkers with the Negroni and exchanges each ingredient including sweet vermouth for Byrrh for the Byrrhoni.

The Mix Lab starts with the old school equal parts Side Car to concoct the perfect for autumn Calvados Sidecar, and riffs even further with the Irish whiskey-based Every Dog Has It’s Day.

The Muse of Doom from the Feu de Vie blog tinkers with the Between the Sheets and creates the Hello Katie using Tequila por mi Amante. And the Muse continues on with the strawberry-tequila theme with the spicy Hell Kitten.

Fogged in Lounge's Rowen offers up a four equal parter that somewhat reminds me of a Blood and Sand. But the Arithmetic Leisure is very different with its dry rye gin and Campari!

Paul of the Cocktail Chronicles may have stepped down as the MxMo puppetmaster, but not as a monthly participant! Paul is the second blogger to reach for Imbue vermouths, and he makes a tequila Negroni-like number dubbed the Disappearing Act.

I think Brian the Digital Mixologist has a first -- a video submission! In his post, you can watch him mix up the daring Faint of Heart with a healthy slug of bitters.

Finally, BitterB might have started the Bon Vivant in Baltimore blog just for MxMo for it is the only post after their welcome entry, so greetings to the wacky world of cocktail blogging! BitterB took Jackson [Cannon]'s Night Cap as inspiration and mixes up the mezcal-laden Tres Psychos.

So I am done with my second cup of coffee, had lunch and took a phone interview in the middle of this all, and I just double checked that every blog comment and email was accounted for in this write up. Thank you all for participating and for checking out each other's submissions! I believe that we have people to lead the next three MxMo's, but please get in touch with me if you would like to host future ones (the list of past events is on the Mixology Monday website so you know what to pick so that it does not repeat a theme exactly). Cheers!