Mulled Wine for the Holidays!

My phone has a great app called MDrinks that delivered to me this holiday morsel: Mulled Wine. I always wanted a good recipe for spiced wine and this one was simple, straight-forwards and easy to make. I will share it with you thus:

• 3 cups of water
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 sticks of cinnamon
• 12 cloves (whole, not ground!)
• 1 lemon peel
• 750ml of red wine (I used a pinot noir, 750ml is usually 1 bottle of wine)
• 1/4 cup of Brandy (I used Christian Brothers brandy, great and affordable if you're using it to cook. Hair of the dog if you're serving it straight up.)

1. Simmer the water, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and lemon in a BIG pot (stainless steel is best) for 10 minutes. Do NOT allow to boil.
2. After the 10 minutes, add the wine and bring up to a coffee temperature. Nice and hot! Once again, DO NOT BOIL.
3. Add the brandy, give it a brisk stirring and SERVE.

This drink is delicious! I wish I'd shared it sooner, because it's the holidays in a glass. The wine smells strongly of cloves due to their already pungent scent, but the flavor is sweet and savory, deep and full. It's fruity, with a smooth finish and just a few glasses will have you feeling in the holiday spirit (read: jolly.) My sisters don't really like it, one commenting that it made her feel like she was "In Lord of the Rings," which only furthered my pride in the drink. My family doesn't drink much, but those who did loved it. I served the same recipe to a holiday party my friend Marty threw and it was a big hit.

Easy to make, delicious to drink and REALLY wonderful smelling, if you ever considered a great party drink during these cold days CONSIDER THIS.

Word, and Happy Holidays!

-Joe

Caipirinhas and bad bartenders.

My family and I went to TGI Fridays to celebrate my coming home for the holidays.  Their menu reads like an encyclopedia, and after Volume 1 I was already done/bored.  The drink menu read like this: Take the name of a basic drink (Long Island Iced Tea, Mudslide, Mojito...etc) and add ULTIMATE to it.  I was unimpressed in the long run.  But something did stand out: Caipirinhas.  

I had never had one.  I'd heard of them to be sure, but I was intruged.  After wading through the various ways Friday's offers to muss it up, I came across the Caipirinhas Tradicional, which I quickly ordered.

Caipirinhas

• 1.75 oz of Cachaca
• 1/2 a fresh lime cut into 4 wedges
• 2 teaspoons of superfine sugar

1. Cut the lime into 4 wedges and place at the bottom of a rocks glass.
2. Add the two teaspoons of sugar, and muddle heartily!
3. Add ice.
4. Add the Cachaca, and shake.
5. Serve!

It was refreshing and fine, super sweet.  The lime flavor was almost sweet too, serving to balance out the flavors (I would have preferred even a little more lime maybe).  It was fantastic.  My mother, who doesn't like hard alcohol, enjoyed it immensely.  I compared it to a mojito, for it's balance of a biting flavor (mojito's mint to the Caipirinhas' lime) with a lot of sugar.  It's also easy as pie to make, and muddling always looks impressive.  I enjoyed the Caipirinha very much.

Later that night, my dogg Stu and I went to a bar in South City St. Louis...that I forget the name of.  Probably a good thing.

It was a good scene.  Smoking inside (WOOT), vintage pinball machines, some kickin live music.  But the bar...damn.  Here's where the night got really iffy.

First off, I tried Bell's Cherry Stout.  I found it quite disgusting.  It tasted like Robitussin cough syrup, so I powered through my glass like a madman insane.  Stu loved it, I couldn't handle it.  It was bitter, and the cherry flavor was so strong and foul I made faces all through it.  Geh.  

Second drink was called a Tennesee Walking, and it was a house cocktail.  Jim Beam Black, Lime Juice, Orange Juice and simple syrup.  Well it started good and well but as I watched the bartender prepare the drink, he left out the lime juice.  Served it anyways!  Why not!  There was so much OJ I may as well not have been drinking anything at all.

Bottom line: I need to drink better while I'm in town.  Let's get to making that happen.

Long Day: Alabama Slammer and a B-52

I don't typically go for shots, I find them a terrible waste of money and alcohol, but last night I had two-ish. One was more of a "slammer," I'm told. These were two drinks off my beaten path, so I had slight trepidation going in, and coming out of it I have to say I enjoyed them. Let's go!

My brother-in-arms Clay and I nipped off to Wendy's and Ruggby's for a meal and a sip. I had a Baconator in a matter of seconds and he had some chicken nuggets ("The best chicken nuggets," he says). I have a small application on my phone that lists off drinks and I remembered I wanted to get a few knocked down for the blog, so it was a toss up between a few. I decided to stick with the Alabama Slammer for my first round. Clay had a Woodchuck apple cider.

Alabama Slammer's are surprisingly fruity drinks. It was only about 4oz tops of a drink in the bottom of a sad looking plastic cup. I got the feeling that the drink is often served in a much larger volume, probably at a party or something. I immediately felt slighted for paying for it. A "tasty" slammer contains:

• 1/2 oz amaretto
• 1/2 oz Southern Comfort
• 1/2 oz sloe gin
• 1 splash sweet and sour mix/some sort of citrus

Honest to goodness I could taste NONE of the liquor in this drink. It was probably the acid of the OJ and sweet and sour fruit juices that did it, but it tastes like curiously strong punch more than a "slammer"...whatever the hell that is. It was delicious though, and I'd have several more. Perfect party drink, for getting the kick later without getting the kick going down. I could see trays of them, all lined up all pink and pretty waiting for passing pool party guests to grab one and throw it back before mingling and carousing. I need to try another drink with sloe gin. The gin fanatic I am, I desire to know more. The amaretto was virtually nonexistant...which makes me believe that the slammer is a very VERY customizable drink. I bet if I went to a different bar every night and had one it'd be subtly changed each time. When I get to Chicago I'm going to either A) find a bar where I can become a regular and get to know how the bartenders make their drinks or B) make them all myself. I'd prefer B, but finding a nice intimate bar may be what I need.

The slammer was a good drink, it was tasty and the scariest part is I could drink it all night but honestly I'm probably not going to have one again. Wholly unremarkable. Great for refreshment and leave it at that. Serve it to guests, share it around. Make a big ole'batch and have a good time but don't go into a bar and order a single one for yourself, you'll be sad.

I move on from that through two cigarettes and a Woodchuck apple cider to a B-52.

• 1 part Grand Marnier
• 1 part Baileys Irish Creme
• 1 part Kahlua
  

1. Layer the ingredients in the shot according to this order: Kahlua first, Baileys, Grand Marnier. Use the back of a cold bar spoon when adding the top two ingredients and pour slowly to prevent mixing.
2. Replace the Grand Marnier with a high-proof dark rum and set it aflame for a Flaming B-52, a showy version of the drink. Set fire to the rum and drink quickly with a metal straw.
   

The B-52 is a shot that is traditionally served pousse-cafe style. This means the layering of the ingredients according to density. Calvin makes a MEAN pousse-cafe Grasshopper actually. The shot came to me and was the color of my skin throughout. No pousse-cafe for me. I was saddened yet again. I raised it, gave it a nod, and threw it back.

First thing that hit me was the Grand Marnier. The rich and powerful bite of the drink hits your tongue first and foremost. It sets a high intensity bar for the rest of the shot. Grand Mariner is primarily an orange liqueur, and despite not tasting particularly orange it did bite with just the barest acidic hint. After that I got the mix of Baileys and Kahlua. Kahlua is a coffee liqueur and Baileys is well...Baileys. Irish creme by itself is an incredibly sweet and silky drink, and mixed with the coffee flavor of the Kahlua the sting of the Grand Marnier was gone within moments, replaced by a lingering coffee and sugar flavor in the back of my mouth. The milky Baileys coated my tastebuds and took over the flavor well after I'd finished the shot. For several minutes actually. The smokey nature of the Kahlua was a perfect combination with the creamy Irish creme.

I thoroughly enjoyed the B-52. I like Baileys by itself, and I drink White Russians with my roommate John often enough to appreciate good Kahlua, but this was my first run in with Grand Marnier. I'd like to have it in a drink again after this. I think it's a great liquor for mixing. If you enjoy the mulled flavors of Baileys and Kahlua, give this shot a...try.

Bottom Line: The "Bama" Slammer is for parties and poolside. The B-52 is for a job well done.


PS: After a little research, Wikipedia offered up several variants of the B-52. I'm gonna share them here. They're kinda fun! The following is a quote from the Wikipedia entry:

• B-52 with Bombay Doors, a B-52 with Bombay gin
• B-52 in the Desert, a B-52 with tequila rather than Bailey's Irish Cream^[2]
• B-52, a B-52 with Cointreau
• B-53, a B-52 with vodka
• B-54, a B-52 with amaretto
• B-55, a B-52 with absinthe
• B-57, a B-52 with Sambuca, and triple sec rather than Grand Marnier
• B-61, a B-52 with vanilla and creme de cacao
• B-1, a B-52 with Ketel One vodka ^[3]

PPS: Don't have both of these in one night. I got a maaaaad headache.

Disaronno Amaretto and the amaretto sour

To James. From Joe.

The amaretto sour was my first cocktail of choice. It was the first cocktail I associated with an emotion: sadness.

I was very sad the first time I really began to appreciate the drink. I was at home, visiting my parents in my old room. An old flame had just gotten through emotionally tormenting me and I was tired physically and mentally. I went into my parents liquor cabinet to raid it. It isn't well stocked: A bottle of years old Crown Royal I used to sip from, to make me feel cooler, and a year old bottle of Disaronno amaretto. I took the amaretto, and a half empty bottle of sour mix, and crafted a drink I immediately dubbed the Sour Smile.

• Enough amaretto to coat yourself in an amber smile.
• Enough sweet and sour mix to punish yourself for smiling.

The sour became a companion in rough times, mostly associated with women. I would sneak down at 2am, mix the drink, and sit in my room in the dark, watching anime or listening to jazz music and just let the warm, syrupy drink work its dark voodoo on me. And it did. It let me consider the world through misty eyes, the details just slightly blurring at the edges just enough to let me stop caring about them, and focus on the big pictures. The zap of the sour to keep the mind clear, level, and sober. One sour was all it took, and then I'd stop and write, or read, or watch. Even now I rarely have the drink publicly. Onto the spirit itself.

Amaretto is a heavy, almond and apricot pit liquor that has a very syrupy texture and almond color. The most popular brand, Disaronno, is served in a trademark square-ish bottle with a square cap. Disaronno, to me, tastes sweet and bitter at the same time. The bite of the alcohol dances right through the heavy almond flavor when it's served neat or on the rocks, but when it's blended into other drinks it subsides just enough to be noticeable. Being sweet and heavy, I wouldn't use amaretto as a pre-meal imbibe, instead saving it for dessert time. Amaretto is a great flavor to add to ice creams, if you make fresh ice cream yourself. Pour a few ounces into a big ol'batch someday and it makes a perfect after-dinner dessert. There are a few discount/cheaper brands of amaretto, but don't settle. Get two big bottle of Disaronno, one for guests who would like an amaretto sour, and one for you to make whatever you please once the din of the social has died down a bit.

The sour mix is a simple blend of citrus flavor and simple syrup. It's responsible for some of the sweet flavor in the amaretto sour, but are a popular mixer for many other drinks too. Long Island Ice Teas use the mix, as well as the whiskey sour. Sour mix can be bought pre-made and is easy to find at most liquor stores.

Mix the two ingredients together, and you get an amaretto sour:

• 3 parts amaretto
• 1 part sour mix

1. Add the amaretto to an old-fashioned glass with two big cubes of ice in it.
   
2. Add the sour mix
3. Stir briskly for a few moments, then enjoy.

The sour takes that heavy amaretto flavor and cuts right into it with the sour mix. The sweet and sour flavors work extremely well together, to provide a smooth cocktail that is easily sipped and will never make you pucker (from the sour or the liquor!). The sour is a great drink for inside time, with dim lights and intimate company. Or for a little alone time with Dave Brubek and Thelonious Monk. It's a sweet, tangy, tasty drink that will become a quick favorite. Even hardcore vodka and bitters fans will enjoy its change of pace. When you drink it you first taste the sweetness of the liquor itself, right before the sour mix bites you. Once it does, it all comes together, like some sort of alcoholic apology, before you swallow it. Once down, it begins to heat you like a little furnace. It's really quite comforting. I drink them on cold winter nights sometimes to stave off the chill and shivers. It's a drink that gives in layers, like a time-release cocktail of sorts. Unique.

Though this entry started with a sad tone, I hope you come to enjoy the drink for other circumstances, and eventually I did start smiling for real, so don't worry! I guess that's why I don't drink them so much anymore. Drinking for me was never a source of solving a problem or covering one up, and it never should be for anyone. I never got drunk or even so much as buzzed from an amaretto sour. Sometimes it's just a combination of flavors we need to set us down the right path and at that time, it performed admirably. Life occasionally calls for the aid of an apothecary.

Bottom Line: I'm going to review a few more drinks with amaretto in them coming up soon (The godfather and godmother, the Alabama Slammer...etc), and I'm even going to add to this blog when I seriously sit down and sip some straight amaretto for a big picture on it, but the sour is a drink you should have available, and one you should enjoy.

PS: Don't drink cocktails from a straw, it makes you look like a damn fool. If it's in glassware, use your lips. If it's served in a red cup, then maybe the straw is fitting.

Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum

"Where's the rum gone?" -Captain Jack Sparrow

Rum and me have had a rocky history. I went from loving the spirit as one would love a traveling companion, to considering it 4th or 5th on my choice for a fine drink. There are a plethora of classifications for rum in the rum family tree. Dark, Gold, Silver, Spiced...etc. My roommate, the unflappable John Gosling is related to the brewing family and that is our home's staple rum, thought I admit to only trying a sip or two. It's powerful stuff. I really only drink one kind of rum to date, and that's spiced Rum. Un-spiced light rum is tremendously disgusting to me in most forms. I'm going to concentrate my reflection on a particular spiced rum, and that is the classic staple of Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum.

Spiced rum has, quite literally a spicy flavor. "DUH," I hear you cry. Well hear me out. Light rums such as Bacardi silver don't have a whole lot of body to them. They sit more like a vodka once the bite is gone: flying down the throat and working their magic. Spiced rums sit on the palate and dances for you for a while, tickling sweet and hot areas of the tongue while they're there and even for a while after they're gone. Rum is made mostly from molasses, and with the addition of a little spice they suddenly become lovely, golden mystery liquids. I prefer rums on a sunny day, out of doors maybe by water. Rum is great for poolside behavior, or water activities. It is a bit of a stereotypically tropical drink, but for a good reason. That sweet spicy flavor pairs well with hot weather, providing a damn near ethnic kick to keep the mind lucid after or during a particularly hot sunbathing session.

If you're a fan of a quick, easy to make, very sippable and sweet alternative to the cheek-puckering Jack and Coke, give Rum and Coke a shot. 1.5 to 2 oz of spiced rum over ice in a highball glass, Coke to fill. Try it out someday.

Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum is publicly known for its aggressive ad campaign. By this point time it's rare to find someone who hasn't had a little Captain in them. The drink is a mainstay in most collegiate drink cabinets (right next to the Jaeger. read: WOOOOOCOLLEGEOOOO!!!). The first time I had Captain Morgan it was my freshman year of college. I was reading up on mixed drinks and feeling saucy, when I ended up coming across a simple recipe for a drink called Pirate's Tea.

• 1.5oz to 2oz of Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum
• Coke-Cola to fill
  
• Pulp-free Orange Juice to color
• Garnish with lemon wedge or little-umbrella...or little sword with lemon on it, that's more piratey.

1. Using a highball or collins glass, drop two ice cubes.
2. Add the rum. x1.5 if you're using the collins glass.
   
3. Add the Coke to just below the rim.
4. Use the orange juice to color it a ruddy orange/brown.

The drink turned out to be incredibly delicious and easy to make. My friend Calvin and I spent many evenings drinking amaretto sours and pirate's teas, while playing Karaoke Revolution. The drink was a welcome companion through my 2nd Chicago winter.

Rum can be a very enjoyable, drinkable and affordable beverage. Sticking to the mainstream Bacardi and Captain will save you the green, but give Gosling's a shot the next time a food recipe calls for a dark rum. It's heavy body will add a savory splash of flavor.

Bottom Line: Have it around. People love this stuff, and you probably will too. Main stays: Spiced and Light rums. If you want: Dark and Premium rums. If a bunch of sissies are coming over: Malibu Coconut rum (<-- I can't stand the stuff. Too sweet. "A vice needs to taste like a vice."- Calvin Pohlhammer.)