An online speakeasy of potent potables and other pabulam.

Hey Folks,

I wanted to write a quick update to clue you in on some posts that should be popping up here pretty soon. I’ve been a little quite recently, but that just means I have some good (and hopefully entertaining and informative) posts up my sleeve. Rest assured, we’ve been busy . . . honest!

Within the last two weeks or so we have received promotional bottles of a few spirits and we’ll have something up about those. Sean will probably do a tasting of Sobieski vodka and give you his impressions. I’ve got a review of Rubi Rey rum that will be posted soon. Additionally, we both received bottles of Veev Acai Liqueuer which will get reviewed as well. From the nose alone, I’m a bit excited about the Veev.

Finally, we’ll be posting about the field trip we took yesterday to the Copper Fox Distillery in Sperryville, Virginia, makers of Wasmund’s Single Malt Whiskey. Rick Wasmund gave us a wonderful tour of the distillery and told us a lot about his operation and deep passion for the whiskey he’s producing.

I’ve also added photos to my Shanghai Gin post.

Anyway, there is some of what’s coming down the pike. See you at the Den!

During the course of my daily dose of blog scanning, I tend to check out the eGullet forum on Spirits & Cocktails. There is a thread on there pertaining to the Last Word cocktail. The Last Word is one of my favorite drinks. Here is the recipe:

The Last Word
Gin
Maraschino Liqueur
Green Chartreuse
Lemon Juice
-Shake equal measures of all four ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
-Use equal measures of the four ingredients. I won’t presume to tell you how much is enough, but equal measures is key here. Personally, I use an ounce each.

This cocktail is tart, sweet, herbaceous, a little funky and down right delicious!

So reading through the thread, a few folks start talking about a variation of The Last Word created and served at the San Francisco watering-hole and restaurant The Slanted Door. It seems that upon finding a recipe for a Shanghai Gin Fizz, the bartender whipped one up, decided he wasn’t a fan of the fizz part, dropped it and came up with what was locally called “Shanghai Gin.” To find the full thread, check out the eGullet link above and go to the “Last Word” thread.

Anyway, last night I decided to whip one of these up. I don’t really know why this one in particular was the winner of my “what cocktail do I want to wind down from the office” contest. Especially since I have about 20 pages of cocktail recipes at home to sift through. But last night, the fates must have really wanted me to have this cocktail.

And WOW! This drink propelled into the top 5 or so of my favorites – sweet, complex, savory, luscious. The only downside is that instead of using my normal one ounce of each ingredient, I’m going to have to use less so my chartreuse holds out . . . that stuff is pricey!

Anyway, enough of my gushing, here is the recipe:

Shanghai Gin
Gin
Yellow Chartreuse
Benedictine
Lemon Juice
-Shake equal measures of all four ingredients over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Sit down. Close eyes and take a sip. Repeat. Maybe open eyes. Smile contentedly.

I am certain that I’ll make one or two of these in the near future.

So there you go. The Shanghai Gin. Give it a try and let us know what you think. Join eGullet and let them know what you think.

Cheers!

This month’s Mixology Monday came pretty quick due to the week of extra time Paul graciously gave everyone for last month. This Mixology Monday is hosted by Kevin over at Save the Drinkers. Thanks Kevin!!!

Even though we had a short time to come up with our entry this month, it really couldn’t have come at a better time. The Scofflaw’s Den, and your hosts SeanMike and myself, live and work in the Northern Virginia/Washington, DC area. DC (and the surrounding ‘Burbs) are mostly made up of folks who have ended up here for one reason or another, so it was hard for me to think of something truly “local.” Now I could have asked some friends of mine who did in fact grow up and stay in the area, but that would have taken effort. Effort was something I was severely lacking for the last three days because it was my birthday weekend. I really just wanted to enjoy myself, make some cocktails, celebrate with friends and enjoy a three day weekend. (How’s that for a self-gratifying plug! And I’m still accepting gifts if anyone is inclined . . . )

Anyway, the fortuitous timing of this MxMo is based on the DC Craft Bartenders Guild newly designated “Rickey Month” in DC for July. Much like New Orleans has the Sazerac and San Francisco has the Pisco Punch, DC can claim the creation of the Rickey.

The cockail is named after “Colonel Joe” Rickey who was a lobbyist in the late 19th century. He regularly drank with members of Congress; trying to sway their votes, curry favor and loosening their tongues at Shoomaker’s that used to be located on E St. right off Pennsylvania Ave. It is said that Colonel Joe originally ordered his Rickey with whiskey, yet I would wager that most folks generally recognize the gin version of the drink.

A rickey is a pretty standard affair. Here is a basic recipe:

1.5 oz Gin (or Whiskey)
0.5 oz lime juice
Seltzer/Club Soda
-Pour the spirit and lime juice over ice in a highball glass. Top with fizzy water. You can sweeten to taste if you prefer, or not.

As you can see, a pretty basic recipe. At the Rickey Competition that was held a few weeks ago the contestants really used the basic recipe as a starting point and created their own twists on this classic. From this, I took my cue for this month’s Local Flavor Mixology Monday. I created a twist on the Rickey that fits the Scofflaw’s Den, Washington, DC and, I think, honors DC’s contribution to the cocktail world that continues to this day.

But first I needed a twist. For a long time, I had been meaning to make up a shrub. Arlington has a great many farmer’s markets with great produce from Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Including tons of fresh fruit. Perfect to use some berries and create a shrub. So that was what I started with.

Mixed Berry Shrub
1 pint raspberrys
1 pint blackberrys
1 cup sugar
1 cup white vinegar
-Bring everything to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool and bottle. (In full disclosure, after I let the shrub cool, I added about 2 teaspoons of balsamic reduction to increase the tartness a bit. Wow!!!)

Berry Shrub Cooking

After I got it in a bottle, this is what I had.

After getting the shrub finished, it was only matter of figuring out correct proportions. After a little trial and error, I give you:

The K Street Rickey
2.00 oz gin
1.50 oz Berry Shrub
0.75 oz lime juice
0.50 oz simple syrup
Seltzer Water

-Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into an ice filled collins glass. Top with Seltzer and stir lightly. Garnish with some mint, mixed seasonal berries or cocktail skewers with hundred dollar bills attached.

K Street is known as the hub of lobbyists and lawyers in Washington DC. Definitely the location where one would find a modern day “Colonel Joe.” The K Street Rickey is light and refreshing, a drink that can be sipped seemingly forever, yet behind the lightness hides the punch of the gin. It comes to you sweet and full of berries, but once it hits your lips, hiding just behind the sweetness is the unmistakable sourness and twang of the vinegar. You can make your own cocktail/lobbyist analogy here . . .

There you have it. A recipe for a classic Rickey and my version this this venerable DC cocktail.

Thanks again to Kevin for hosting this month!

Cheers!

Ummmm, yeah. The title of the post isn’t really something I tend to think about when I’m mixing up cocktails. But the good folks at Kraft want you to consider adding a little Grey Poupon to your happy hour.

http://tinyurl.com/5k48nu

But this got me to thinking. I know, a dangerous activity at best. There is the dirty martini using olive brine, I’ve done my own bacon-infused bourbon, tried a mushroom margarita and have seen plenty other savory cocktails and garnishes. So maybe mustard in a cocktail really isn’t that big of a stretch.

So I ask you, dear Reader, what are your thoughts? Too weird? Natural progress? Would you give mustardy cocktails the ole college try?

Sound off!

Cheers!