American Harvest Vodka

From a family owned and operated organic wheat farm in Rigby, Idaho comes an exceptionally smooth tasting new vodka. This spirit is created without any compromise to the environment, from the recyclable glass bottle which uses only organic inks, to their use of wind power to provide for one third of their energy needs. American Harvest is perfectly handcrafted in small batches. If you live where its especially hot, this watermelon cooler recipe that follows might just do the trick for celebrating the 4th. Use blueberries for garnish to get the red, white and blue effect. For now, just available in the following states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Oregon, South Carolina.


HARVEST COOLER
2 parts American Harvest
1 part freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2  part agave nectar
5 cubes of fresh watermelon
Soda water
Combine all ingredients except soda water in a cocktail glass with ice and shake well. Strain over fresh ice in a tall cocktail glass and top with soda water. Garnish with a watermelon slice and lime wedge.

Dinner at Desmond’s

A few weeks back I attended a fun event for the Royal Wedding at Desmond’s, so it was on my mind to return and sample some of Chef David Hart’s British fare. His menu features traditional classics with a twist: like Duck Shepherd’s Pie (photo right) and Tomato Bisque with Welsh Rarebit Croutons. If you are a meat lover, I can recommend the steak, which is accompanied with bone marrow (photo left), and the pork belly appetizer as exceptional. The space is also a knockout, combining a classic elegance with modern graphic touches. Although not large, the double-height ceilings and mirrored sections give it a great feeling of airiness and peace. See more photos from dinners and cocktails at this link.

Drinks & Ink: Tuaca Liquore Originale cocktails and tatoos

Tuaca Liquore Originale scoured the United States to find out who could make the most creative cocktail using their liqueur, in addition to sporting the coolest tattoo. The competition’s nine finalists came to NYC to show off their mixing talents as well as their extensive body art. I have to say I was immediately intrigued by the whole idea, and made sure to attend and photograph the contestants and try their wares. The judges were chosen from the tops in the spirit and tattoo worlds, Corey Miller, seen on LA Ink was on hand, as well as Todd Weinberger, the creative director of Inked Magazine, who awarded the winner with a photo spread in the magazine. Mixologist Jason Littrell and cocktail authoritarian Gary Reagan brought their taste buds in to vote. See more photos of the night here.

Say hello to Bai the superfruit energy drink

Owner Ben Weiss, immersed in the coffee business, discovered that the fruit encasing the coffee bean, normally discarded in processing, was loaded with antioxidants. This discovery inspired him to create Bai, a line of fruit drinks that have a little bit of caffeine, a little bit of sugar, and a little bit of exotic juice. About half a gram of the superfruit averages 2000 orac units which is 40 to 50 times more antioxidants than pomegranate or acai. I don’t know if it was the power of suggestion, but at a recent gathering, when mixed with Prosecco, I found the juices put me in a euphoric mood. The mixes are slightly sweet, much like a VitaminWater, and come in 140 calorie 16 oz bottles, or 10 calorie versions sweetened with organic Stevia. Usually, I cannot stand the taste of any of the low-calorie sugars, but these are quite palatable, and a great choice if you are looking to cut a few calories. Exotic fruits featured: Tanzania Strawberry, Mango Kuai, Jamaica Blueberry (the crowd favorite), Kenya Peach; and the low-calorie versions: Panama Peach, Sumatra Dragonfruit, Costa Rica Clementine, and Congo Pear (sophisticated). I mixed up vodka, the juice from a tangerine, a dash of Urban Moonshine organic citrus bitters, and filled the glass with the Costa Rica Clementine (see photo). At around 70 calories, I was feelin’ guilt free!

LUPEC Women: Shake, Shake, Shake

March 8th is International Women’s Day, which has LUPEC (Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails) inspired to honor women the best way they know how: with creative cocktails! In NYC, Astor Center will again feature the talents of NYC’s LUPEC team creating Scotch cocktails featuring the assortment from artisanal distiller Compass Box. These cocktails will be paired with chocolates from Rachel Zoe Insler, of the East Village’s Bespoke Chocolates and a selection of cheeses. Men and women alike attended last year’s event, which featured 12 bartenders at the helm. If scotch isn’t your thing, celebrate at home with this genever-based cocktail by Misty Kalkofen of Drink, Boston, and founder of LUPEC Boston. Her cocktail, The 1820, features Bols Genever, a spirit from Holland made from corn, wheat, and rye grains and blended with juniper berry distillate. This spirit pre-dates gin, and is very smooth—in between a whiskey and a vodka, and is fantastic in mixed drinks. In honor of strong women who drink strong spirits, I would like to repeat the story of Texan Guinan, a bartender from prohibition times. I hope you will laugh as much as I did upon reading it. Happy Women’s Day!!
“Hello, Suckers! Come on in and leave your wallet on the bar!” is how blonde bombshell Texas Guinan greeted guests at the speakeasies she manned in New York. She was famous for her wisecracking, running the hottest clubs in town, and being hauled off to the pokey on a regular basis. Upon re-opening after raids, she would sometimes sport a necklace of gold padlocks to show the cops there were no hard feelings.
THE 1820
1.75 oz Bols Genever
.25 oz Galliano L’Autentico
.5 oz Lemon Juice
.5 oz Lavender Simple Syrup
1 bar spoon Del Maguey Minero Mezcal
1 dash Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters
 —Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Zubrowka Vodka: Take me to the ZU

Yet another vodka, you say? I say, why not? Since the 14th Century, Żubrówka vodka has been savored by both Polish royalty and peasants venturing through the Białowieża Forest. Check out the images on Google, this ancient forest looks like something straight out of a fairy tale, and luckily has been protected under UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve since 1976. Here bison are allowed to roam freely and feed on the grass special to the area. This grass also gives the vodka its unique, herbaceous quality and light green color, matching up with notes of vanilla and chamomile. Zu makes its debut in the US with mixologist Daniel Undhammar who has been playing with the flavors in bars all over Europe. Grab a bottle and mix The Bison Republic for a tantalizing treat (photo). At $25 a bottle, you can’t go wrong.
THE BISON REPUBLIC by Daniel Undhammar
2 oz of Zu
Pink Grapefruit Juice
1 tsp Agave
dash of Lemon Juice
dash of St. Germain
top with a few drops of Pama Pomegranate Liqueur.

Share the Love Party

I always like to make a big fuss when it comes to my birthday. This year I hosted the post-Valentine’s Day “Share the Love” party which featured a menu of savory treats disguised as cupcakes, lollipops and flowers. The color pink was woven into the theme, with other shocking pastels, which made for an atmosphere of pure gaiety. My friend Derek and I worked for three days shopping and preparing the food. Nima helped inspire the cocktail, named The Blush, which I made ahead of time in pitchers, and topped them up on the scene. See photos of the food and decoration from the party here.

THE BLUSH
1 part Vodka
3 parts Pink Lemonade
.5 part Lillet
.5 part Aperol
1 part Cranberry Juice
La Fee Orange Bitters to taste
To serve: Fill a glass halfway with mixture, then fill with Prosecco.

Purity Vodka: a complex story

If you think vodka is completely lacking in complexity and dimension, this one could be the one that changes your mind. One of Sweden’s Master Blenders was summoned to come up with a winning formula. Thomas Kuuttanen, who had experience in blending whiskeys and liqueurs, created a unique production process to elicit the essence of the organic barley, wheat, and mineral-rich water from the lands of the 13th century Ellinge Castle. The result, Purity, has hints of grassiness, vanilla notes, and a whisper of chocolate. Check the website to see photos of the impressive pot still, made of copper and 24k gold, and the castle in southern Sweden. Mixologist John Pomeroy is doing some very creative cocktails with the flavors, and took a group of us on a tour of Tribeca’s hot spots. See photos and cocktails from our foray at this link. Photo above shows the view through the window of Compose, a new spot in Tribeca featuring creative cocktails and tasting dinners for 10.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2010 was a fabulous year....see my favorite picks on FB, best BITES, best SALADS, best ENTREES, and BEST COCKTAILS for the year. And thanks to all who stop by...best of luck to all of you in 2011. See you next year!

Asellina: Intriguing and Sexy New Italian

Just opened in the Gansevoort Park Hotel, Asellina brings a sexy, sprawling bi-level restaurant and lounge to Park Avenue and 29th. I stopped by last Friday to see what it was all about. We parked ourselves in the lounge with comfortable oversized chairs and fireplace to sample a few of the cocktail offerings before dinner elsewhere. The drinks were great, but the most astounding taste we sampled was the bite that accompanied our sipping. The stuffed Cerignola olives with roasted veal parmigiano and semolina crust (photo) was over-the-top delicious. I will have to return for a proper dinner. See more photos of the space and cocktails here. The space is cordoned off into 5 distict areas, but each one is open to the other, giving the vast space order, yet maintaining peekaboo, people-watching opportunities.

Beautiful Bottles Make Welcome Gifts: Part 2

Act fast, this bottle is available only through December. Belvedere Silver, the holiday edition, is clad in an eye-catching mirrored silver. Your host will be delighted to place this on the bar—front and center. For 600 years, Belvedere has produced their vodka using a special rye only found in Poland’s Mazovia region, mixed with purified artesian water, without any additives. Four-times distilling creates the smooth, creamy, peppery taste. The 750 ml size goes for $35. For an interesting champagne toast, mix 1 oz of Belvedere Silver, with 1 oz of cooled Earl Grey Tea, transfer to champagne flute and fill with champagne. ••• Be the first to show up with this in your party bag. Debuting in New York this month, Excellia makes it’s tequila by aging it in cognac and sauternes casks to marry the tastes with 100% Blue Agave. Reposado, Añejo and Blanco feature sophisticated flavor profiles ranging from wood and spices, to honey and fruit. I have been mixing the reposado with Peller Estates Vidal Ice Wine from Canada. One third tequila, two-thirds ice wine and lots of ice makes for a sweet, appealing after dinner drink. Would be especially great paired with cheese. 750 ml - $55-75 ••• Even beer is getting into the barrel-aging act. Bringing this along to your next gathering will definitely get a conversation started. Innis & Gunn ages their mulitple award-winning beer for a minimum of 30 days, then monitors each batch before allowing it to be blended, adding hints of vanilla, citrus and toffee. Available at Trader Joes, select Food Emporiums, Met Food, and Gristedes. See the website for bars that are carrying the brand, so you can preview the taste. Available in 750ml and 11.2oz., and 4-packs.

Get Lost in Space at Beauty & Essex

I marveled at the scope of the new restaurant and lounge from Stanton Social’s Chef Chris Santos. A former furniture store has been transformed by the designers at AvroKo to simulate a retro-50s cocktail lounge complete with gold fixtures. A pawn shop sits in front of Beauty & Essex, initially obscuring what phenomenal details lie beyond. From front to back is about as long as a city block, with 4 atmopheres to choose from. Up the grand staircase leads to DJ booth, and The Pearl Lounge whose chandelier dramatically drapes below an entire tin ceiling. In the ladies room downstairs, a lovely woman serves free champagne. To accompany the regalia, Chris Santo’s small bites will take center stage, with his take on comfort food from around the globe: grilled apple, bacon and blue cheese crostini with black pepper, truffle, and honey, steaks from Creeksotne Farms, beer battered lobster tacos with red cabbage slaw, jalapeno mayo. Incredible cocktails too. See more photos of the space and night here.

New Spot for Sipping: Cocktails at 1534

A talented team of mixologists have created a sweet little underground getaway—with drinks inspired by a French Colonial explorer and decor that feels a bit formal and a bit like a ‘40s cafe. Pre-opening we stopped in at 1534 to see what Raphael Reyes was mixing and tried the Tahitian 75 (photo), a blend of Hendrick’s Gin, Hibiscus syrup, fresh lemon juice, and topped with sparkling wine and edible candied hibiscus. Marshall Alteir was behind the bar at the opening, who slipped us sips of the talked-about Bang the Drum cognac concoction with oversized ice cube, and many other delights. See more photos here of the cocktails sampled and the space at 20 Prince St, between Elizabeth and Mott St, downstairs from Jacques.

Beautiful Bottles Make Welcome Gifts

Delight your hostess with a pretty bottle of Chambord Flavored Vodka, whose light pink tones will have everyone curious. It adds a nice dimension to typical vodka combinations with its black raspberry hints. I have been mixing it half and half with Pinnacle Crème de Pommes, a Canadian Ice Cider Cream Liquor, to create a more sophisticated substitute for egg nog. For a lighter version, thin out with ice and Raspberry Emergen-C-infused water. ••• L’Esprit de June liqueur is made from a combination of grapevine flowers in Cognac, France, which bloom for only a few days. Each handpicked flower is mixed with spirit to extract the unique flavors, then distilled by artisans, resulting in a delicate, floral and fruity liqueuer. Perfect to mix with champagne for a grand toast. ••• Galliano has re-issued Galliano L’Autentico, based on the original recipe of 1896. Juniper, anise and yarrow musk add herbal and botanical complexity to the signature vanilla flavor. Create a buzz by serving the original Harvey Wallbanger. In a tall glass mix 1.25 oz vodka, .25 oz Galliano, 3 oz orange juice and garnish with a slice of orange.

Dovetail, The National, and more

The end of the month brought many get togethers and indulgent feasts. My lunch at Dovetail was like a mini-vacation in a spa-like setting. See photos from the tasting menu, that my friend Jude and I enjoyed on a recent Friday, including the foie gras, shown above. My friend Pamela’s birthday had us up in midtown at Geoffrey Zakarian's new spot The National for a late-night supper. A great spot to stop in for a cocktail or bite—it has a pleasant, convivial, bistro vibe, as seen in photos below and of Chef Paul Corsentino's goodies at this link. Some other tidbits: dinner at Union Square Cafe, cocktails at 1534 and in the Empire State Building, and a green kitchen cocktail party, see all the photos of the Pre-Holiday Blitz at this link.

Apiary: Comfort Food Cornucopia

Chef Scott Bryan, formerly at Veritas, definitely has a hit with his oddy located restaurant, Apiary. Our visit was rewarded with not only a fabulous assortment of filling fare, we also got to sample some of the upcoming cocktails with beverage director Brett Feore. If you are in the mood for a hearty mushroom soup, (seen in photo) pappardelle and rabbit, or roasted organic chicken head over to Third Avenue and 11th Street. They even offer a $35 three course prixe fixe menu on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday nights. See photos of our meal and cocktails here.

Escape to the islands: Lani Kai

For delicately prepared tiki bites and cocktails of the same head downtown to Lani Kai. The two-story establishment (which was Tailor’s) has been tastefully tranformed into a modern, urban-style island escape. See photos from a Banks 5 Island Rum tasting I attended way back in October...yes, I have been busy... the cocktail in photo was created by Joseph Swifka, called The Last Luau Swizzle: Banks 5 Island Rum, House Falernum, Cinnamon Syrup, Lime, Ginger Beer and Grilled Pineapple. The flavors were a wintry, holiday take on tiki.

Fair Quinoa Vodka: That’s Fair

Ward III hosted a delectable cocktail tasting featuring the spirits from Fair, a company that truly believes in fair trade—and fabulous tasting products. From the Andes, the award-winning Fair Vodka takes the knowledge passed down from Incas from the past 5000 years, plus French distillers, to create its unique taste. Fair also produces a Goji Berry Liqueur, which tastes great on its own, or in cocktails, with berries from the Himilayas, and a Café Liqueur from Mexican coffee. Stock up for the holidays! Photo shows the TIBETAN SPRITZER made with Fair Goji Liqueur, Lillet Blanc, Lemon Juice, Angostura Bitters, Marquis de la Tour Sparkling Wine and topped with some Goji Berries. See more photos from the tasting here.

Ty Ku cocktails: Halloween Sweets for Adults

Boo! Ty Ku came up with some super sweet concoctions that harken back to the days of trick or treating. From left to right: The Sweet Tart takes Ty Ku Liqueur and Soju and mixes with pineapple juice. The Tootsie Roll is a blend of Ty Ku Soju, coffee liqueur, and a splash of orange juice and raspberry liqueur. A Pumpkin Martini may be on your menu. Mix Ty Ku Sake with vanilla rum, sugar free pumpkin syrup, and top with whipped cream.

Montreal Report: Barroco

Late Night Leisure  What a joy to come across such a sweet, friendly, welcoming little spot. Barroco's manager Graham Warner, who turned out to be my favorite host in Montreal, made us feel right at home. We sampled the place early evening, then Graham made a bar reservation for us after dinner, after midnight, actually. I will admit, other than a couple of oysters, most of our intake had to do with cocktails. I gave new bartender Cai carte blanche, and he concocted some very well balanced and imaginative drinks that suited my palate overwhemingly. Must be his chef background. Seen here is one of the drinks, with succulent slice of grapefruit. Cai also got creative wth a blow torch and fruit, and served up the slices with a shot of vodka. See more of the space, which adhered to Old Montreal’s stone and brick look, with some elegant touches, and the cocktails we sampled here.