magical mezcal mystery cure

1 1/2 oz El Bujo Mezcal
1/2 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1 bsp Allspice Dram

Shake with ice, add 1 oz ginger beer to the shaker, and strain into a rocks glass. Top with ice and add straws.
Two Mondays ago, Andrea and I ventured over to Backbar on our way home from dinner. For a drink, I asked bartender Tina for the Magical Mezcal Mystery Cure that was subtitled "It's waiting to take you away" on the menu. Tina described how it was created by bartender Kat Lamper and how Kat is "the mezcal queen" of the bar. Once prepared, the Buck offered a smoke aroma with hints of allspice and ginger on the nose. Next, a creamy lemon sip gave way to smoky, nutty, and orange peel flavors on the swallow with a ginger and allspice finish.

kick in the pants

1/3 Brandy (1 oz Camus VS Cognac)
1/3 Bourbon (1 oz Old Granddad Bonded)
1/3 Lemon Juice (1/2 oz)
1 dash Cointreau (1/2 oz)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. I added a lemon twist.

After my shift two Sundays ago, I ventured into my 1962 edition of Ted Saucier's 1954 Bottoms Up book. There, I spotted a Between the Sheets or Deauville Cocktail looking number that paired Bourbon with the brandy instead of rum or Calvados, respectively. The recipe came to Saucier by way of the Olmsted's restaurant in Washington, D.C.; it was created by Bert Olmsted in 1913 at a San Francisco restaurateurs' meeting and was put on the menu shortly after that.
The Kick in the Pants shared lemon notes along with brandy at first then later Bourbon aromas to the nose. Next, the lemon juice and orange liqueur mingled in the sip, and the swallow gave forth whiskey and Cognac notes with a tart citrus finish. Overall, it was sharper than a Sidecar with the same basic structure, and the inclusion of whiskey reminded me of the Fedora (which also has Jamaican rum as well).

lady midnight

1 1/2 oz Morin Selection Calvados
1 oz Cinzano Sweet Vermouth
3/8 oz Benedictine
1/8 oz Green Chartreuse
1 dash Bittermens Molé Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a cherry.
As my drink of the day two Sundays ago, I decided to do a Marconi Wireless riff to greet the autumn air. For modifiers to the Calvados and sweet vermouth base, I added Benedictine perhaps inspired by the Widow's Kiss and a touch of Green Chartreuse like in the Marconi Wireless No. 2 at Coppa. To bring out the darker notes in Benedictine, I embittered the mix with chocolate bitters. For a name, I tried to capture this fleeting but dark nature with a Leonard Cohen song title, Lady Midnight.

quarantine order

1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
2 1/4 tsp Demerara Cinnamon Syrup (1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup)
1 1/2 oz Denizen Merchant Reserve Rum
1/2 oz Hamilton Demerara 86 Proof Rum (El Dorado 5 Year)
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
7 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a glass with crushed ice. Garnish with a lime-cherry flag and mint sprigs.

After my shift two Saturdays ago, I returned to Lou Bustamante's The Complete Bartender Manual to make another tiki drink that I had spotted called the Quarantine Order. The recipe was created by William Prestwood of San Francisco's Pagan Idol, and it reminded me of the Simplified Zombie with passion fruit notes and a load of Angostura Bitters in the mix.
The Quarantine Order's garnishes contributed greatly to the drink's nose with lime, mint, and cherry aromas. Next, a lime and grapefruit sip was dried out by the Angostura Bitters, and this was followed by the rums, passion fruit, and the bitters' allspice and cinnamon on the swallow.

three girl rhumba

1/2 oz Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum
1 oz Blandy's Sercial Madeira
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
Forthe  drink of the day two Saturdays ago at Loyal Nine, I decided to take a low octane (low proof) drink idea of a Madeira variation of a Don's Special Daiquri and up the strength with a bit of funky Jamaican overproof rum. The original variation never made it on the list so I did not get around to naming it, but for this one, I looked to my list of names-without-recipes list and selected the Three Girl Rhumba as a tribute to the 1977 punk band Wire song.

vickers

2/3 Rye (1 1/2 oz Sazerac)
1/3 Sweet Vermouth (3/4 oz Alessio)
1 dash Yellow Chartreuse (1/4 oz)
1 dash Picon (1/4 oz Amer Picon)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
Two Fridays ago for my nightcap, I turned to the whiskey section of Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 to find one of their Manhattan variations. There, I selected the Vickers that reminded me of a Creole with Yellow Chartreuse in place of the Benedictine. While the book gave no indication of the drink name origin, Vickers was a major weapons, armament, and ship builder that would have been duly noted during World War I. Once built, the Vickers shared a dark fruit nose from the Picon pairing with the vermouth. Similarly, those components contributed greatly to the grape and caramel sip, and the swallow showcased the rye with herbal notes finishing with bitter orange notes.

shark god of molokai

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Larceny)
3/4 oz Swedish Punsch (Kronan)
1/4 oz Absinthe (Pernod Absinthe)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 oz Pineapple Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Make a line on the froth with Peychaud's Bitters and garnish with a mint leaf "shark fin."

Two Thursdays ago, I was flipping through Lou Bustamante's recently released The Complete Cocktail Manual and stumbled upon a small collection of Tiki recipes. The one that called out to me was the Shark God of Molokai crafted by Andrew Dolinsky of Cleveland Heath in St. Louis. The book explained how "A professor of Polynesian studies named this cocktail after the legend of the Shark God, who helped priest Kamalo avenge the death of his sons by chief Kupa. The Shark God created a tempest that swept the chief into the sea, where was devoured by the god."
The Shark God of Molokai proffered an anise-driven aroma from the Peychaud's Bitters garnish combining with the drink's absinthe. Next, the fruit components of lemon and pineapple filled the sip, and the swallow shared whiskey and tea tannin with a pineapple and anise spice finish.

carmen miranda

1 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1 oz Amaro Lucano
1/4 oz Giffard Banane du Bresil
1/8 oz Yellow Chartreuse
3 dash Jerry Thomas Decanter Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with either a floated dried banana chip (others) or a pineapple wedge and paper parasol (here).
Two Wednesdays ago, I attended an Amaro Lucano industry night at Park in Cambridge. One of the drinks that I had was a house original called the Carmen Miranda that came across like a tropical Black Manhattan given the banana aspect. Once built, the Carmen Miranda proffered pineapple and banana aromas. Next, the amaro donated caramel notes to the sip that were colored with tropical notes from the banana liqueur, and the swallow paired the rye with dark herbal notes with a return of the banana on the finish.

Going South
• 1 oz Diplomatico Reserva Rum
• 1 oz Amaro Lucano
• 1/4 oz Amontillado Sherry
• 1/4 oz Honey Syrup
• 2 dash Bittermens Burlesque Bitters
Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass, fill with fresh ice, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.

The other drink I had was Tad Carducci's Going South that combined grape, honey, and rum flavors to the rich amaro in a rather delightful nightcap or Rum Manhattan sort of way.

april in paris

2 oz Salers Gentian Liqueur
1 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Cardamom Syrup
1/2 oz Benedictine

Shake with ice and strain into a Collins glass with 2 oz soda water. Fill with ice and garnish with a cherry and a dehydrated lemon wheel.
For Andrea's first drink at the Baldwin Bar at Sichuan Garden II, she asked bartender Patrick Andrew for the April in Paris that Patrick attributed to Vannaluck Hongthong. With a gentian liqueur in the mix in a four part Collins-style drink, it reminded me of the Vatican City and the Italian Stallion. Once prepared, the April in Paris proffered a cherry and herbal bouquet to the nose. Next, a carbonated lemon sip led into a herbal swallow heavy on the gentian earthy notes and finishing with cardamom spice. Overall, rather refreshing and just as delightful as the other local April in Paris tribute to the Count Basie jazz album was.

kokomo

1 1/2 oz Avua Cachaça
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/2 oz Absinthe

Shake with ice, strain into a Double Old Fashioned glass, and fill with crushed ice. Garnish with mint sprigs, a smouldering cinnamon stick, and 3-4 dashes Peychaud's Bitters.

Two Tuesdays ago, Andrea and I ventured up to Woburn to have dinner at Sichuan Garden II's Baldwin Bar. For a drink, I asked bartender Patrick Andrew for the Kokomo off of the new cocktail menu that he attributed to Mick Kellogg. With the rum, lime, orgeat, and cinnamon, the idea reminded me of the Cuban Anole but with a dose of absinthe in the mix.
The Kokomo offered up mint aroma to the nose to add to the cinnamon smoke air filling up my end of the bar. Next, lime accented the creamy sip, and the swallow began with grassy and earthy rum and orgeat flavors, respectively, and ended with cinnamon and absinthe's anise on the finish.

gin basil smash

2 oz Gin (Beefeater)
1 oz Lemon Juice (3/4 oz)
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
Handful Basil Leaves

Muddle the basil in a shaker, add the rest of the ingredients, shake with ice, and double strain into a Double Old Fashioned glass. Fill with ice and garnish with a basil sprig.

Two Mondays ago, I was in the midst of reading Robert Simonson's A Proper Drink when I spotted the Gin Basil Smash. The drink was created by Jörg Meyer in 2008 at Le Lion at Hamburg, Germany, and it garnered the Best New Cocktail award at the 2008 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. I have had a few drinks with basil including the Silent Order and Surbiton Road, so I was game to try this one especially before the first frost wipes out my herb garden.
The Smash began with the spicy herbalness of the basil on the nose that led into a lemon-driven sip that shared a hint of vegetalness. Next, the swallow presented basil flavors that pleasantly transitioned into the pine and other gin notes.

the chadburn

2 oz Blended Aged Rum (El Dorado 5 Year)
1/2 oz Tawny Port (Sandeman)
1/2 oz Natural Pear Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
6 drop Bittermens Mole Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass.

To cap off my Sunday night two weeks ago, I looked for a stirred drink in the Smuggler's Cove Cocktail Book. Martin Cate's The Chadburn was one that I had spotted over the summer, but I had skipped over it since I was favoring more citrus-forward recipes at the time. With the chilly weather, it seemed the perfect season to try his tribute to the Chadburn Telegraph which was used on ships and submarines to communicate with the engine room.
The Chadburn's port wine played a significant role in this cocktail starting in the aroma realm where the grape notes were joined by hints of aged rum. The grape continued on into the sip where it mingled with the rum's caramel and hints of the pear liqueur. And finally, the rum combined with the grape on the swallow along with a chocolate and pear finish.

nth degree

1 oz Rhum Clement VSOP (Depaz)
1 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1 Demerara Sugar Cube
2 dash Fee's Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters

Muddle the sugar cube with the bitters (I added a splash of water). Add rest of the ingredients, stir with ice, and strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube. Garnish with both lemon and orange twists.
Two Saturdays ago, I continued my re-visitation of the PDT Cocktail Book in search of passed over gems, and the one that called out to me was Nate Dumas' 2008 Nth Degree. Nate was influenced by Milk & Honey's complementary split base spirits drinks as well as their spirit-forward Old Fashioned style of cocktails in creating this cocktail. Indeed, rhum and apple brandy are a rather complementary combination such as in the Town Crier. Once prepared, the Nth Degree offered up lemon and orange oils that were spiced by the bitters' cinnamon to the nose. Next, the brandy's apple notes filled the sip, and the swallow combined grassy rum, apple, and Chartreuse's herbal elements with a cinnamon finish.

kona swizzle

Juice 1/2 Lime (1/2 oz)
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/2 oz Barbados Rum (Plantation 5 Year Barbados)
1 oz Siegert's Bouquet Rum (Angostura 7 Year)

Build in a 12 oz Sling glass, fill with crushed ice, and swizzle to mix and chill. Decorate with a spent lime shell, fresh mint, and a fruit stick (omit).
After my bar shift two Fridays ago, I selected Trader Vic's 1974 Rum Cookery & Drinkery to help me with my late evening's adventures. For a nightcap, I searched for recipes marked Trader Vic originals and selected the Kona Swizzle since the combination of a pair of rums, orgeat, and lime seemed like it could do no wrong. Indeed, the drink gave forth an intriguing floral note from the mint combining with the spent lime rind on the nose. Next, the orgeat's creaminess was complemented by the aged rums' caramel and countered by the lime's crispness on the sip, and the swallow began with the aged rums and the orgeat's earthy nuttiness before returning to hints of tart lime on the finish.

:: mxmo mashups wrap up ::

For Mixology Monday 112, I decided to honor a technique for drink creating that has served me well in everything from drink of the day generation to cocktail competitions -- namely merging two (neo)classic recipes into one in what I dub a "mashup." One of the bars in town called Backbar has helped to instill this appreciation through their drinks of the day as well as their generous love of discussing cocktails and their construction in general. So as a way of paying it forward, I wanted to provide others with this lesson by way of a Mixology Monday. Please read the announcement post for more information, but without further ado, here are the submissions!
• Gary Elliot of Doc Elliot's Mixology took the Blood and Sand and merged it with another equal parter, the Corpse Reviver #2, to make the Corpse in the Sand.
• The Simple Headphone Mind was Dagreb of Nihil Utopia's merging of a Japanese with a Blue Grass Mai Tai. I believe this is the first fully brandy driven Mai Tai I have ever seen!
• What happens when you merge a Clover Club with a Tom Collins? Stacy Markow discovers the yumminess in the Clover Collins!
• Katie of the Garnish Blog focused on Scotch and took the classic Rusty Nail and found its hammer with the neoclassic Penicillin. She nerded out about microbiology (and whisky) and dubbed this one the Dram Positive.
• Adam of Mr. Muddle took his Boston hometown to heart and took the classic Ward Eight and meshed it with Misty Kalkofen's neoclassic the Maximillian Affair for the Maxi's Ward.
• Rachel of the Stirred Blog keeps the Boston loving alive by being inspired by a classic drink she had at local bar and conjuring the Colleen's Kiss by mashing up a Colleen Bawn and a Widow's Kiss.
• Craig Eliason via eGullet was also inspired by the Rusty Nail and took the Scotch focus further with the Rob Roy to make the Roysty Nail monster.
• I, Frederic of the Cocktail Virgin blog, was actually the first submitter but I am putting myself last. I actually had this drink ready when I wrote the announcement post. For one of my drinks of the day, I took the Boston version of the Jack Rose (lemon not lime with the addition of Peychaud's Bitters) and smooshed it with the Frisco Sour for the Frisco Rose (instead of the Jack Frisco/Frisco Jack).

Thank you all for granting me permission to guide you in this drink making exercise and playing along so well and so graciously! Keep those mixing spoons and shaker tins moving as we see what November may bring...

pansy

2/3 Rye Whiskey (1 1/2 oz Sazerac)
1/3 Sherry (3/4 oz Lustau East India Solera)
1 dash Yellow Chartreuse (1/4 oz)
1 dash Picon (1/4 oz Amer Picon)
1 dash Dry Vermouth (1/4 oz Noilly Prat)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
After my shift two Thursdays ago, I selected Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 as my spirituous guide to locate a nightcap. There, in the whiskey section was a Brooklyn-like number called the Pansy with Yellow Chartreuse instead of the Maraschino and sherry in addition to the dry vermouth. Once stirred and strained, the Pansy gave forth grape aromas with a hint of rye. Next, the grape shined through on the sip along with the rye's malt, and the swallow was a combination of the rye and herbal notes with a slightly nutty and bitter finish.

peruvian necktie

1 1/2 oz Encanto Pisco
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur
1/2 oz Lime Juice
10 drop St. George Absinthe

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a knotted orange twist.
For my drink of the day at Loyal Nine two Thursdays ago, I was inspired by the name of choke hold in submission grappling called the Peruvian Necktie. Clearly, the spirit had to be pisco, and I decided to go the Benedictine-apricot liqueur direction after spotting the recipes for the Mayfair Sour and Silk Road Sour on the blog. Here, the sweetness was countered by lime juice, and the herbal notes were brightened by a light touch of absinthe since Angostura took the drink in a very dark direction. To tie it back to the name, I garnished with a knotted long orange twist.

leaf peeper

1 oz Plantation 5 Year Barbados Rum
1 oz Pimm's No. 1
3/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a Collins glass with 1 1/2 oz Canada Dry ginger ale. Top with ice and garnish with a lime wedge.
Two Wednesdays ago, my adventures on the town led me to Brick & Mortar where bartender Rob Hoover and Allison Connolly were working. For a first drink, I asked Rob for the Leaf Peeper that he attributed to Matty Durgin, and the idea of a rum-tinged Pimm's Cup reminded me of the Voodoo Echo. Once prepared, this tall drink yielded a lime aroma that gave way to a carbonated lime and fruity sip. Next, rum spiced with ginger and cinnamon notes made up the delightful swallow.

[abricot chevalier]

1 1/2 oz Fernando de Castilla Spanish Brandy
1/2 oz Luxardo Apricot Liqueur
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.

Two Tuesdays ago, Andrea and I visited bartender Sahil Mehta at Estragon for dinner. For a drink, I spotted one of his previous drink of the day offerings in his notebook, and the combination of apricot, Cynar, and lemon reminded me of the One One Thousand. Sahil was inspired to create a Sidecar variation with more funk by substituting apricot and Cynar in place of the triple sec. For a name, I dubbed this one the Abricot Chevalier (the Apricot Knight) after a 1969 Salvador Dali painting.
The drink began with an apricot aroma darkened slightly by the brandy and the Cynar. Next, lemon and orchard fruit notes filled the sip, and the swallow offered brandy and an Amer Picon-like fruity-bitter flavor with spice on the finish.

cuevas

2 oz Blended Aged Rum (Appleton Reserve Blend)
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/4 oz Tawny Port (Sandeman)
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
6 drop Tiki Bitters (10 drop Bittercube Jamaican #2)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and float a cherry (omit).
Two Mondays ago, I grabbed the Smuggler's Cove Cocktail Book and searched for something straight spirits to match my mood. There, I decided upon the Cuevas (meaning "caves") invented by bartender Dane Barca. Once built, the Cuevas presented a grand aged rum aroma accented with hints of cinnamon. Next, the sip first displayed caramel and grape notes that later developed a certain smokiness, and finally, the swallow offered rum, bitter Punt e Mes, and cinnamon flavors.

benediction

2/3 Brandy (1 1/2 oz Camus VS Cognac)
1 dash Benedictine (1/4 oz)
1 dash Maraschino (1/4 oz Luxardo)
1 dash Picon Bitters (1/4 oz Amer Picon)
2 dash Gancia Vermouth (3/4 oz Noilly Prat Dry) (*)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a cherry (omit).
(*) Gancia makes a sweet, dry, and blanc vermouth. Sweet is probably what they meant here, but I wanted to balance the liqueurs' sugar with the dry. Using 1/2 oz sweet vermouth (or Punt e Mes) would probably work well here too.

Two Sundays ago, my eyes wandered through the pages of Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 for recipe inspiration. There, I spotted the Benediction which seemed like an interesting brandy drink that reminded me somewhat of the Creole with the vermouth, Benedictine, and Picon combination. The vermouth style was not specificed, and ordinarily I would have opted for sweet in that case; however, with the Maraschino and Picon in the mix, I opted for dry vermouth to style it after the Brooklyn. A brandy Brooklyn Creole mashup? I'm game!
The Benediction began with brandy aromas joined by dark herbal notes. Next, a complex caramel sip gave way to brandy, dark orange, nutty, and minty flavors on the swallow. Overall, it definitely satisfied the need for a flavorful nightcap.

luau

3/4 oz Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum
3/4 oz Appleton V/X Rum (El Dorado 5 Year)
3/4 oz El Dorado 15 Year Rum (Diplomatico Exclusiva)
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup (omit, combined below)
1/4 oz Passion Fruit Purée (1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup)
1/4 oz Orgeat
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a rocks glass (Tiki mug), and fill with crushed ice. Garnish with an umbrella, lime wheel, and orange slice (umbrella, mint, nutmeg).
After my bar shift two Saturdays ago, I reached for my copy of the PDT Cocktail Book to see if there were any gems that I had previously passed over. The one that called out to me, the Luau, matched my desire for Tiki; I had probably skipped it the first few times for I was probably too particular about the specified rums. The recipe was crafted by Gerry Corcoran in 2009 as a riff on the Luau Grog from Jeff Berry's Sippin' Safari. After looking over the original drink, the Luau is definitely its own unique beast since the original is closer to a Navy Grog. Once prepared and garnished, the Luau offered a woody spice and mint from garnish substitutions. Next, a lime and caramel sip was joined by tropical notes from the passion fruit, and the swallow was a medley of dark and funky rum flavors along with passion fruit, nutty, and spice elements.

demerara dry float

1 oz 86 proof Demerara Rum (El Dorado 5 Year)
1 dash Maraschino (1/4 oz Luxardo)
Juice 1 Lime (1/2 oz)
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Nectar (1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup)
1 dash Rock Candy Syrup (combined with passion fruit above)
1 dash Lemon Juice (1/4 oz)

Shake with ice and strain into a footed iced tea or 10 oz glass (small Tiki mug). Fill with crushed ice and float 1/4 oz 151 proof Demerara rum (Lemon Hart 151). I added mint and a flower as garnish to the recipe.
After Friday's bar shift two weeks ago, I was in the mood for some Tiki, so I turned to Trader Vic's 1974 Rum Cookery & Drinkery for recipe inspiration. The drink that called out to me was a Trader Vic original called the Demerara Dry Float that called for a pair of Guyana rums, a duo of citrus, and two fruity modifiers. Once built, the vessel gave forth mint-accented aromas of overproof rum. Next, citrus with some additional fruity notes from the passion fruit and cherry liqueur filled the sip, and the swallow proffered rum on the swallow along with passion fruit fading into Maraschino in a rather floral way.

filene

2/3 Rye (1 1/2 oz Sazerac)
1/3 Sweet Vermouth (3/4 oz Alessio)
1 dash Orgeat (1/4 oz)
1 dash Picon Bitters (1/4 oz Amer Picon)

Two Thursdays ago, I began to flip through Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 in search of my post shift nightcap. There, in the whiskey section was an intriguing Manhattan variation called the Filene that utilized orgeat and Picon as the modifiers (and bitters). Looking back, I did find in that book and make a similar Brooklyn variation using that modifier pairing in the Republic. The book unfortunately gave no indication of what the recipe was named after, but the 19th century Filene's chain was growing during the 1903-1933 time frame including adding the concept of the bargain basement in 1908 with automated discounts as well as building the flagship store in Boston's Downtown Crossing around the corner from present day Yvonne's, Stoddard's, and JM Curley in 1912.
The Filene shared a rye aroma that included a dark note from perhaps the Amer Picon. Next, a creamy grape sip led into a rye, nutty, and bitter swallow. Andrea commented that the combination "looks terrible, but tastes delicious!"

gold frond

2 oz Appleton Gold Rum (Diplomatico Añejo)
1 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz BG Reynold's Vanilla Syrup

Shake with crushed ice and pour into a rocks glass (shake with ice, strain into a Tiki mug, and fill with crushed ice). Garnish with a pineapple frond and a mint sprig (borage flowers and mint).
Two Wednesdays ago, I decided to make a recipe posted by Tiki Wahine on the Barnotes app website by Craig Herman a/k/a Colonel Tiki. Since we had such good luck with Craig's Vendetta, I figured that it was worth giving his Gold Frond a go. Once built, the Gold Frond gave forth a floral and mint bouquet that led into a lemon, caramel, and hint of pineapple sip. Next, the swallow shared aged rum, vanilla, and the rest of the pineapple flavors.

pedro suckerpunch

1 1/2 oz Old Granddad Bourbon (OGD Bonded)
1/2 oz Lustau Pedro Ximenez Sherry
1/2 oz Amaro Nonino (Averna)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a Double Old Fashioned glass. Fill with ice and garnish with 2 dash espresso liqueur (1/8+ oz Galliano Ristretto).
Two Tuesdays ago for the cocktail hour, I recalled a recipe that I had spotted on Punch Drinks called the Pedro Suckerpunch. The drink was created in San Francisco as part of 15 Romolo's "Suckerpunch" series of offerings with the Pedro part named after the richly flavorful Pedro Ximenez sherry ingredient. Once prepared, the punch gave forth a coffee and raisin aroma. Next, the sip offered a sweet raisin, caramel, and lemon medley, and the swallow was a delightful combination of the Bourbon, amaro's herbal notes, and sherry's dried grape. Since most of the espresso liqueur garnish sank, the end of the drink's swallow was rather coffee driven.

jeff's whimsy

1 1/2 oz Bonal Quinquina
1 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Calvados (Boulard VSOP)
1 dash Aromatic Bitters (Jerry Thomas Decanter)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.

Two Mondays ago, I was in the mood for something light so I turned to Dinah Sander's The Art of the Shim. There, I spotted Jeff Hollinger's low proof, straight spirits number that he created for Dinah at the Comstock Saloon in San Francisco circa 2010. Since Calvados and Bonal pair so well together such as in the Messenger and Belle Star, I was definitely game to try this recipe.
Jeff's Whimsy Shim began with a lemon oil note that brightened the apple and grape aromas. Next, sweet grape with a hint of apple on the sip transitioned into the rest of the apple flavors accented with bitter herbal and spice elements on the swallow.

clark street

3/4 Gin (1 1/2 oz Beefeater)
dash Dry Vermouth (1 oz Noilly Prat)
dash Cointreau (1/4 oz)
dash Picon Bitters (1/4 oz Amer Picon)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Two Sundays ago, I ventured into Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 and ended up in their gin section. There, I spotted the Clark Street that appeared like a cross between the Montmarte and the Joy Division as an orange-driven gin Brooklyn variation. Indeed, the book also contains a similar apricot-Picon recipe called the Montana that I had made earlier in the year.
The Clark Street proffered a bright orange and pine aroma to the nose. Next, a clean citrussy sip gave way to a gin swallow with a dark orange finish consisting of caramel and bitter notes.

champs-de-mars daiquiri

2 oz Barbancourt 5 Star Rum
1 tsp Maraschino (3/8 oz Maraska)
1 tsp Grenadine (3/8 oz)
Juice 1/2 Lime (3/4 oz)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
For a nightcap two Tuesdays ago, I reached for Trader Vic's 1974 Rum Cookery & Drinkery and spotted the Champs-de-Mars Daiquiri. The Daiquiri's call for Haitian rum made sense when I realized that it was named after Port-au-Prince's area that contains the Haiti's presidential palace as well as a major park (as opposed to the namesake park in Paris near the Eiffel Tower). Once mixed, this Daiquiri offered an aged rum aroma that led into lime, caramel, and a hint of fruit from either the pomegranate syrup or the Maraschino on the sip. Finally, the rum finished with rum and Maraschino's nutty notes on the swallow.

president (cuban style)

2/3 Bacardi (1 1/2 oz Cuca Fresca Cachaça)
3 dash Pineapple Juice (3/4 oz)
2 dash Raspberry (1/2 oz Royal Rose Syrup)
White of an Egg
1 dash Dry Vermouth (1/2 oz Noilly Prat)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Shake once without ice and once with; strain into a glass.

Two Fridays ago, I was flipping through Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933, and I was struck with curiosity by a recipe in the rum section. The President (Cuban Style) had shades of an El Presidente with the rum, dry vermouth, orange element, and reddish fruit syrup, but it reminded me more of one of the September Morn recipes (akin to a rum Clover Club) with the addition of pineapple juice and orange bitters.
The President yielded a grassy and raspberry bouquet to the nose. Next, the egg white and raspberry shown through on the sip with a creamy tart berry flavor, and the swallow gave off funky rum, herbal, pineapple, and raspberry notes.

war of the roses

1 1/2 oz Pimm's No. 1
3/4 oz Gin (Hayman's Royal Dock)
3/4 oz Elderflower Liqueur (St. Elder)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Shake with ice, add 2 sprigs of mint, and shake lightly. Strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a floated mint leaf.
Two Thursdays ago, I selected another recipe from the Redbook Magazine list of 50 drinks to make and chose the War of the Roses by Mike Ryan from Chicago's Sable. Here, the Pimm's, elderflower, and lime reminded me of the Battle of Trafalgar but this went in a more mint and herbal direction. Once prepared, the War of the Roses gave forth mint and floral notes to the nose. Next, lime joined the other fruit flavors in the sip, and the swallow began with gin and floral elements and ended with a mint and anise finish.

kan shibuya

2 oz Suntory Toki Whisky
1/2 oz Lustau East India Solera Sherry
1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1/4 oz Amaro Montenegro
1 dash Mole Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.

Two Wednesdays ago, the after party from the Collectif 1806's Athenaeum event ended up at Hojoko. As people were figuring out what to do for dinner, I opted to depart and pay a visit to Tiger Mama down the street. For a first drink, I asked bartender Schuyler Hunton for the Kan Shibuya on the menu that reminded me a little in structure to their Flushing Main Street from the opening menu. Later, bar manager Charles Coykendall stopped by to say hello and explained that the drink was a collaborative effort between Schuyler and himself.
The Kan Shibuya greeted the nose with a light but complex lemon, whisky, herbal, and grape aroma. On the sip, the drink shared grape and malt notes with light honey and citrus undertones, and this was followed by the swallow with whisky and herbal-citrus elements with a hint of chocolate and smoke on the finish.

:: jackson cannon on team building ::

Two Wednesdays ago, I attended the Collectif 1806's Athenaeum event focusing on bar management and professional development. One of the speakers was Jackson Cannon, partner of the Hawthorne and bar program manager for Eastern Standard, Island Creek, and Row 34, who focused on team building from the hiring through the promotion process. Jackson began by explaining that when running a team, hiring is key.

The first aspect in hiring that Jackson focuses on are the observables especially during the interview. This includes basics like eye contact, a good voice, properly dressed, on time, brings a second resumé, initiates niceties, overcomes moments of awkward, tells a clean joke upon request, and wants the job. He also appreciates being mimicked; he gave as an example when he was interviewing Hawthorne bar manager Jared Sadoian for a bar back position at Eastern Standard, Jackson gestured over the resume and told Jared that his academics-laden resumé showed nothing the indicated that he should be hired; Jared repeated the hand gesture and explained that nothing there showed that but explained why. Indeed, the act of mimicking demonstrates as an intuitive innate understanding of others can take many different forms including nodding the head and smiling. One word that sets Jackson off is the word "mastered" when talking about themselves for we should always be learning; he does not disqualify a candidate for using that word about themself, but he does not take it easily and will relentless ask questions. Moreover, in elaborating on a candidate being able to overcome a moment of awkward, Jackson dropped-threw his pen across the floor and went to fetch it and returned with the question "What were you saying?" to demonstrate how he tests a candidate after cutting off the interview mid-sentence. In determining if the candidate can serve the team via roughing them up and seeing how they respond can include walking off to use the bathroom without excusing himself, checking a person's story in real time (such as by text message) to see how they react, etc. This helps to assess how the interviewee might handle slight misbehaving since it happens at a bar all the time and to see if they can handle it graciously.

A typical interview question of Jackson is "Tell me a time you violated the rules of the house because you thought it was the right thing to do in better serve the guest?" This question looks for leaders who can act morally within a zone where things get blurry, and it sets the candidate up in so many ways to uncover aspects about themselves. Fidgets is a positive habit that took Jackson a long time to understand. We use the term ADD and obsessive compulsive in a non-clinical way all the time, but attention to detail and keeping busy with the hands are good signs for a responsible bartender. Jackson related interviewing Bobby McCoy at Eastern Standard and watching him tweak things in front of himself; Jackson later had the epiphany through another interviewee who explained that her fidgeting was the need to always be doing something with her hands. It turns out to be a great thing to find in a candidate and cannot be taught. It is not essential, but having a bartender like that on the team is a good thing.

Second, Jackson covered intangibles on the resumé that may have nothing to do with what we do, but it can give a bigger picture of the work history. These include having two years at each job and not one and not putting unrelated jobs on the resumé. In terms of the exceptions to the latter, military service is a positive since it demonstrates good work ethic, teamwork, and success within a regime. Furthermore, seminary work has its pluses as roles that are philosophical and spiritual can aid in the job. In fact, it is great if a candidate can relate their academic degree to the service industry; about 9 out of 10 candidates studied something other than restaurants via the C.I.A. or Johnson & Wales. Hearing how the candidate transitioned from that academic path to the restaurant industry can give further clues about them. Also, working for a chain restaurant like Legal Seafood and the Cheesecake Factory is actually a good thing for they offer full educational programs and great benefit packages to promote long term culture, and the employees at these chains will weed the weak employees out. So working at one of those places for two years or more says a lot about how ready they are for working in your restaurant's culture.

There are also many ways to weed out candidates including testing their attention to detail such as putting instructions on how to apply within the job ad. This can include providing an email address (instead of hitting reply to the ad) or insisting on a subject line. Athenaeum speaker Rick Dobbs interjected that he will ask a question in the ad like "what is your favorite cocktail and why?" to see if people provide an answer since this can cut out half the applications. Of course, a customized cover letter with the resumé is very important especially if it can demonstrate that the candidate did their homework and knows about the restaurant, chef, and the food. Not too much but enough to get past the weeding out process.

The third step is to stage the candidate to show them what a day in the life is like. This working interview barring sociopathic behaviors is not a make-or-break for hiring. During this stage, Jackson looks for basic restaurant movement, curiosity, desire to please, and restraint in what they can get involved in and what they cannot. Finally, try never to offer a job on the spot right after a stage to allow both parties to think about it and want it to proceed. It should be like dating where one does not want to wait too long but ought not go too fast. Moreover, asking the candidate about their experience during the stage might gain you some insight into your own operation, and it will allow you a look into the candidate's observation and articulation skills.

In managing a roster, you do not need five point guards nor all pitchers. The goal is diversity in experience, gender, background, and skills, and leverage in the combinations with nurturers, hotshots, students, and teachers. Gender is pretty binary and is something to consider the balance behind the bar in choosing the best candidates for what the bar needs at any one time. Jackson has been impressed by the Apple store and their unbelievable diversity that makes retail seem not like traditional retail at all.

Once the candidate is hired, Jackson feels that they are owed all the confidence and support to make them succeed; unless of course if you feel that you made a mistake, then let them go instead of trying to ride things out for a while. Promoting bartenders into management helps not only to make room for new staff but to provide someone who can nurture the new staff. In having general managers and assistant managers who have been bartenders, they can play that part in bringing up the rest of the staff. Kicking staff up or out ought to be faster in order to be better for the industry as a whole as well as the individuals in question. Advance people and never make yourself irreplaceable.

In terms of scheduling, Jackson feels that a manager ought to fight for overtime despite the government making it tougher with overtime taxes. Make the case to the general manager and owner that a full time bartender often works 8-10 hours of overtime each week; four 12 hour shifts is normal, and the restaurant gets so much back in return for the overtime and treating bartending as a profession. Jackson prefers to put out two week schedules (or even up to a month of scheduling) even if it requires some shuffling of shifts. This allows some patterning of the days off so there are not too many closes in a row, there are two days off in a row, etc. as well as planning out different combinations of staff. Jackson found set schedules to be difficult due to needs, event bookings, and events in the neighborhood (like baseball games), and this allows request time outs (R.T.O.) to be honored if provided with enough time. If more than one employee puts in a R.T.O., Jackson takes a preference to advance notice and to providing reasons with higher seating for family, educational opportunities, charitable events, and ways to represent the restaurant. Indeed, do not ask anyone to work a schedule that you would not work, but do not apologize for a tough stretch if everyone has what they need. Only apologize when you truly mean it.

Collaboration is important as anyone can have the best solution for some problem, and make sure that you shine a light on the author of it. Make sure that you reply all -- you cannot send it to too wide of an audience. Draw the staff into mixing for the generation of the menu, and give constructive feedback with one or two suggestions but do not do it for them and let their fix happen. That staff member might make it work a different way than the ones you suggested, and you need to let that happen. Include the staff and ask for their input; you are nothing without the whole team's buy-in. Teach them the cost of goods (C.O.G.: the cost of what you paid for the ingredients and divide by what you charge for it); it is important to know as a bar manager and to teach all of your bartenders.

frisco rose

The theme for this month's Mixology Monday (MxMo CXII) was selected by me, Frederic of the CocktailVirgin blog. The theme I chose was "Mashups," and I elaborated on the concept with the description of, "A few weeks ago, I was talking with Backbar bartender Sam Cronin about the wonders of mashup cocktails where you fuse two cocktails often (but not always) with overlapping ingredients. Since Backbar has a drink of the day as well as a drink of the week, the bartenders there have to generate a lot of new ideas, and combining two (neo)classics into one is often a successful way to breed new drinks... And this got me thinking that the technique would make a great Mixology Monday exercise. For this theme, choose two or perhaps more drinks and combine them into one. It often helps if they have some overlap in ingredients or name, and it is not only fair but common to only combine some of the ingredients in the drinks and leave out others. As for a name, perhaps come up with something that pays tribute to the parents of this offspring? Not feeling too creative? Feel free to find mashups created by others and write about the drink and what recipes inspired its creation."
Since the bar program at Loyal Nine began doing drinks of the day, I have turned to the mashup technique a few times and this rather inspired me to host this theme as a Mixology Monday event. True, I had tinkered with it in the past such as merging the Nuclear Daiquiri with the Mai Tai to create the Bikini Atoll, but the need for a drink nearly every shift (when there are two bartenders on Friday and Saturday night, we either alternate or collaborate) has pushed me to consider the drink creation method more often. So about two weeks ago on a Sunday night, I thought about the Frisco Sour ticket request the night before and decided on it as a starting point. From there, I wanted to do an apple brandy drink since apple and the Frisco's Benedictine pair well such as in the Widow's Kiss and the Frisco's rye pairs well with apple such as in the Fallback. For an apple cocktail, I decided on the Jack Rose with the Boston inclusion of Peychaud's Bitters, and for a name, I opted for the Frisco Rose over the Jack Frisco or the Frisco Jack.

Frisco Rose
• 3/4 oz Rittenhouse Rye
• 3/4 oz Morin Selection Calvados
• 1/2 oz Benedictine
• 1/2 oz Jack Rudy Grenadine
• 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
• 1 dash Peychaud's Bitters
Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.

As expected, the drink was fruity and herbal with a bit of a backbone from the bonded rye whiskey. Without the Peychaud's Bitters, the drink was a touch sweet and lacked definition, but with the bitters as Boston's Jack Rose Society opted for in 2006, it truly worked as a mashup.

So thank you all for playing along with the 112th installment of Mixology Monday, and I cannot wait to see what the rest of you came up with!

free rider

1 oz Lemon Hart 151 Proof Rum
1 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1/4 oz Demerara Syrup
1 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Lime Juice
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Either build in a Tiki mug, add crushed ice, and swizzle to mix and chill or shake with ice, strain into a Tiki mug, and fill with crushed ice (the swizzle route). Garnish with mint.

Two Tuesdays ago, I decided to make a Tiki drink that popped up on the BarNotes app website called the Free Rider. The drink was originally posted for the 2012 Tiki-themed Mixology Monday on the Whistler-Chicago blog by bar co-owner Billy Helmkamp. Billy described his creation as, "It's an herbal, tropical sour I call the Free Rider. Much like the song it was named after, this drink is a mashup of sorts. It was inspired by two of my favorite cocktails at the moment: Robert Hess' Voyager and Jeffrey Morgenthaler's Kingston Club." Moreover, the combination of Benedictine, Fernet, and Angostura Bitters reminded me of the Old Field.
Once prepared, the Free Rider shared a mint aroma to the nose that preceded the lime, caramel, and pineapple sip. Next, the swallow was loaded with flavors including a bounty of rum, herbal, and menthol notes.

:: mixology monday announcement ::

MxMo CXII: Mashups

A few weeks ago, I was talking with Backbar bartender Sam Cronin about the wonders of mashup cocktails where you fuse two cocktails often (but not always) with overlapping ingredients. Since Backbar has a drink of the day as well as a drink of the week, the bartenders there have to generate a lot of new ideas, and combining two (neo)classics into one is often a successful way to breed new drinks. As Sam told me about the Lonely Dark where he fused the Widow's Kiss and the Kiss in the Dark, he explained that he was inspired by Eric Witz's mashup of a Widow's Kiss and a Last Word as the Widow's Word that he had seen on this blog. Since we started doing the drink of the day idea at Loyal Nine, I have fused a Boulevardier and a Slope to create the Intercept, a Mint Julep and a Pimm's Cup in the Derby Cup, and other similar mergers with great success. And this got me thinking that the technique would make a great Mixology Monday exercise.

For this theme, choose two or perhaps more drinks and combine them into one. It often helps if they have some overlap in ingredients or name, and it is not only fair but common to only combine some of the ingredients in the drinks and leave out others. As for a name, perhaps come up with something that pays tribute to the parents of this offspring? Not feeling too creative? Feel free to find mashups created by others and write about the drink and what recipes inspired its creation.

• Find or concoct a recipe that is the result of combining two (or more) recipes (or parts of said recipes) together.
• Make the drink and then post the recipe, a photo, and your thoughts about the libation on your blog, tumblr, or website or on the eGullet Spirits and Cocktails forum.
• Include in your post the MxMo logo and a link back to both the Mixology Monday and Cocktail Virgin sites. And once the round-up is posted, a link to that summary post would be appreciated.
• Provide a link to your submission in the comment section here, tweet at @cocktailvirgin, or send an email to yarm-at-verizon.net with the word "MxMo" somewhere in the subject line.

The due date is Monday night at midnight, October 17th.

Cheers,
Frederic

taylor precedent

1 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
1/2 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a flute glass rinsed with Green Chartreuse. Top with ~3 oz Simonnet-Febvre Crèmant de Bourgogne Brut sparkling wine. The original drink recipe includes a brandied cherry as a garnish (omitted here) and another recipe adds a dash of Bittermens Tiki Bitters in with the build instead of the Green Chartreuse rinse.

Two Mondays ago, Andrea and I had dinner near Kenmore Square and we decided to have a nightcap at the Hawthorne. For a drink, I asked bartender Jared Sadoian for the Taylor Precedent that was subtitled "champagne maintain." When I asked about the drink's provenance, Jared was a little unsure other than that Hawthorne alumni Katie Emmerson had found it and put it into the drink database. With a little sleuthing, I discovered that the drink was created by Meaghan Dorman and Kyle Hittmeier at Raines Law in New York City. Another recipe for their Taylor Precedent exists that includes a dash of Bittermens Tiki Bitters in the mix instead of the Green Chartreuse rinse, but both include autumnal apple pie flavors by combining Laird's brandy and cinnamon rounded out with sweet vermouth.
The Taylor Precedent proffered a herbal aroma from the Green Chartreuse rinse. Next, a crisp, carbonated wine sip transitioned into apple and cinnamon spice on the swallow. Overall, the combination had quite a bit of elegance from the flavor balance of the sparkling wine with the other ingredients.

fifth gear

1 oz Powers Irish Whiskey (Teeling Small Batch)
1 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/2 oz Malmsey Madeira (Blandy's 5 Year Verdelho)
1/2 oz Crème de Cacao (Tempus Fugit)
1/2 tsp Giffard Crème de Banane (1 bsp)
1 dash Absinthe (1/2 bsp Butterfly)
1 pinch Salt

Stir with ice, strain into a Double Old Fashioned glass with a large cube, and garnish with orange oil.
Two Sundays ago, I had compiled a list of drinks from Redbook's 50 Best Cocktails in America article and decided to start with Jesse Vida's Fifth Gear that he created at the Dead Rabbit in Manhattan. Once built, the Fifth Gear generated an orange aroma that led into a grape and orange sip that later offered malt and roasty notes from the whiskey and cacao. Next, the swallow shared whiskey and chocolate flavors with a banana and anise finish; as the ice melted, the swallow became more chocolate and absinthe driven.

white rat

2/3 Gin (2 oz Beefeater)
2 dash Dry Vermouth (3/4 oz Noilly Prat)
2 dash Maraschino (1/2 oz Luxardo)
2 dash White Curaçao (1/2 oz Senior)
1 dash Picon Bitters (1/4 oz Amer Picon)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Two Saturdays ago, I searched for my post-shift nightcap in Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933. There, I found a curious gin drink called the White Rat which reminded me of Chuck Taggart's Hoskins Cocktail with dry vermouth in the mix as well as a somewhat different ratio. Moreover, with the Amer Picon in the build, it would not be a white drink, but certainly a tasty one, and therefore, I gave it a go.
The White Rat shared a juniper and nutty cherry aroma. The cherry continued on into the sip, and the swallow gave forth gin, bitter orange, and more Maraschino flavors. With less Picon and more curaçao (not to mention the addition of dry vermouth) than a Hoskins, the White Rat as I interpreted the recipe was softer and more driven by the Maraschino than bitter complexity.