In a few short weeks the Tales of the Cocktail USBG Leblon Caipirinha Competition is heading to New Orleans. Bartenders from around the country will be competing for the Golden Muddler and this past Sunday, Francine Cohen from Food & Beverage Magazine was nice enough to allow us into her home as Tad Carducci (defending USBG cocktail champion) hosted a cocktail party as a ‘warm up’ for New York’s USBG members and top bartenders in the area. Jason Littrell of The Randolph at Broome made some fantastic cocktails and Derek Brown and Chantal Tseng from Washington DC stopped by to show some support as well as Junior Merino, Cedric Hosy, Elba Giron (last years winner’s partner) and James Menite from NYC. Even Pablo Moix, the USBG member, representing the SoCal market in the competition dropped by to stir up some trouble.
Some of you may know that I have parties from time to time. The last party was last Wednesday and the theme was Turbans and Bourbon. Basically I thought it would be a good idea to hire a psychic, a belly dancer, and make some radical bourbon (mystery) punch for some of my buddies in the bar business. This was all made possible by (cha ching!) Bulleit Bourbon, thank you. The party was a hit, we all laughed our asses off and thoroughly enjoyed the seismic shimmying of Electra the most bendy belly dancer I have ever seen. She seriously kicked some ass.
I'm working with Union Square Wine and Phil Pepperdine to put a series together for some bartending clinics geared to the at-home mixologists. We have already done two series' for St. Germain, but we have some radical ideas to take that to the next level. I'll keep you posted on that!
Disco for life!
So I went to the NRA show in Chicago (to learn how to shoot guns and the plight of Charlton Heston). Oh, wait, that's next month. I was actually at the National Restaurant Association trade show in Chicago which had some really cool stuff. I saw Paul Pacult speak to the merits of the modern cocktail culture and show us how he approaches new bars. Interesting stuff.
The spirits section having been open only for two years was pretty disappointing with the exception of having Mata Hari absinthe which I had not yet had and found to be most delightful. At the actual show, there was not much that was notable to me with the exception of the PolyScience booth. Those guys do some really really wacky stuff with Molecular Gastronomy and I was so excited that I bought a product of theirs called The Smoking Gun (www.cuisinetechnology.com), which I can't wait to get. Basically it's a very simple tool that allows you to infuse smoke into virtually anything. I would have gotten the Sous Vide Whirlpool thingamajig but it was $1875...prohibitous on a humble bartender's salary. Some Day.
I pretty much fell in love with Chicago. The architecture is absolutely stunning, the people are very friendly, and they have a an advanced culinary culture and a budding cocktail scene. Josh from Sepia was particularly excellent. From what I gather, however, Chicago has only 6 usable months of the year, and the rest are miserably cold from the gusts off the Michigan River.
In any case GO THERE and check out Sepia, and The Violet Hour. Those places were bonkers. So bonkers that we thought it would be a good idea to spend $90 on cheese burgers and Heineken for room service when we got back. We took one bite of the burger, and drank half of one Heineken.
From the Cocktail Buzz: http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/
Our journey actually began on Sunday night: we drank several toasts to bar chef Tad Carducci who’ll be competing in the Leblon Cachaça Presents the USBG Caipirinha Competition down in New Orleans this July for Tales of the Cocktail. (Tad won last year in the Bloody Mary Competition.) Francine Cohen, editor-in-chief of Food & Beverage magazine, threw a party for Tad, and what better way to cheer him on than three new cachaça cocktails created by the estimable Jason Littrell, of the Randolph. One of our favorites was Leblon'd, a sexy libation that leaves its mark with the sweet summer taste of watermelon, and the hot, lip-smacking sting of jalapeño. Ay, what a way to get the party started.
Leblon’d
(created by Jason Littrell)
2 oz. Leblon Cachaça
3/4 oz. simple syrup
3/4 oz. lemon juice
2 cubes of watermelon
1 small piece of jalapeño
Shake in ice for 15 seconds and strain into Collins glass filled with crushed ice. Top with soda. Add watermelon peel, as garnish.
Note: The 15 seconds part wasn't my idea, they threw that in there, but who's counting. It is still JUST a drink.
I was SO amped about the pillow fight on Wall St. today...but alas, I had to decline. Check out the info here. Those of you who know me even a little bit, know that I love that kind of shit.
The reason I had to skip this one is because i'm leaving (on a jet plane) for Vail, Colorado for the Gran Marnier Mixology Summit (mixologysummit.com). Great, they are flying 100 derelicts from around the country, and supplying us with snow and booze. Really guys? I predict many many laughs, and many many broken bones.
Seriously, I can't wait to show Willy Shine that I don't ALWAYS forget the booze...
After I get back on Tuesday, I'm probably going to hop straight on a bus or a train to Philly where I'm going to hang out with Phil from St. Germain. We're going to order room service, snuggle, and eat ice cream....don't tell his wife! No, seriously. Watch out cocktail bars, I'm coming after you. I need quotes for the July Food and Beverage article son! I mostly can't wait to check out Nick at Apothecary. I've heard nothing but great things about that place.
In other good news... I just got booked to work the Carnival Happy Hour at Tales of the Cocktail with James Menite from Porter House NYC! It's very exciting. I wonder who the other 23 are going to be!
Have one for me...
J
P.S. The latest Mystery Punch is Rum, Gin, Sloe Gin, Orange Juice, Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Water, Orange blossom water, whole cloves, and Orange slices. MMMMmmmm.
