This week Eater DC has declared it their Cocktail Week. As such, they are devoting this week’s coverage to all things boozy in DC aka Drink City.
As part of their coverage they interviewed yours truly on the subject of cocktail bitters. Click here to head over and give it a read.
This year is the 10th Anniversary of Tales of the Cocktail. Tales (for short) is an event thrown annually in New Orleans, Louisiana which celebrates the American gift to global culinary-world, the cocktail. Between July 25th and 29th the world’s best bartenders, brand ambassadors, restauranteurs, distilleries, writers, importers and aficionados will meet to attend educational seminars, network, reconnect with old friends and meet new friends.
It just so happens that through a strange feat of cosmic happenstance, my bachelor party is going to be held in New Orleans July 22nd through 24th. Since I’m already going to be in NOLA, why not stay for Tales?!?! Now, I know what you may be thinking; “Poor Marshall, he’s having a bachelor party in NOLA followed by a cocktail convention. I hope he has is affairs in order because he’s going to die.” In response I say yes, I have everything in order and I’ll be surrounded by good people and good friends so I don’t foresee anything dangerous. Of course, I would be lying if I didn’t say I wasn’t a little worried about what my bar buddies will do once they know I’m on my bachelor party!
I haven’t been to Tales since 2009 so I’m really excited to get back. One reason I’m so excited about Tales this year is because of the Scofflaw’s Den expansion. With the popularity of classes and the requests for private events, we will be officially offering cocktail consulting services (private events, private classes, custom cocktail catering, event consulting and bartending) this summer. I want to talk to experts and potential partners and sponsors for events, classes, etc.
Another reason I’m excited is to be able to meet and discuss bitters with those who currently make and sell their own brand of bitters. As regular readers of Scofflaw’s Den and good friends around DC know, I’ve been making my own personal brand of cocktail bitters for personal consumption and gifts to friends and bartenders around town. I have three flavors of bitters, a barrel-aged aromatic, lavender and a floral bitters.
During next week, I’ll have bottles of my bitters available for purchase if anyone is interested. (I’ve got to help pay for my trip somehow!) 50ml bottles are $15 and 100ml bottles (Aromatic & Lavender only) are $20. All three flavors in 50ml bottles are $40. If you’ll be at Tales and are interested in reserving some bitters, email me at Marshall@scofflawsden.com and I’ll set aside some bottles and we’ll arrange a time to meet up.
Also, if you’re going to be in NOLA and at Tales, feel free to meet up for a drink anytime during the week! I’m always excited to meet other enthusiasts, writers, bartenders, ambassadors, etc. Below is some great ways to keep in contact and find out where I’m causing trouble.
Twitter – @VAScofflaw
Foursquare – Marshall
I’ll have ye olde smart phone with me at all times so I hope to do some live blogging at various Tales events and get-togethers. But for liability purposes and to protect the innocent, there will be no live-blogging to the bachelor party!
Cheers!
Happy July 5th! If you’re like me (and who wouldn’t want to be!) you really wish someone in the government would make today a National Holiday too. I mean, who couldn’t use the day after Independence Day to recuperate, amiright?
This Independence Day, at least here in the Washington, DC area, has been marked with a record setting heat wave and levels of humidity that almost necessitate a scuba tank. It’s seriously hot around here!
So while lounging around the Den yesterday watching Jaws & Independence Day, I, of course, whipped up a few refreshing beverages that really beat the heat. The names are less than desirable, but my brain was like fudge.
One thing about drinking when it is this hot out, I want ice & lots of it. So I tend to drink tiki drinks and long drinks in chimney glasses that will keep the heat at bay for a little while. These drinks definitely fit that mold.
For the first drink I wanted to utilize some of the great looking peaches I got at the market. And when I think about peaches and summer drinks my mind instinctively goes to whiskey. So this is what I came up with.
Peach-Whiskey Cooler
Muddle 1/4 of a fresh peach with .75oz simple syrup.
Add:
1oz fresh lemon juice
1oz Bonded Applejack
1.5oz Rye whiskey
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Fee Brother’s Peach Bitters
Shake and double strain into an ice filled chimney glass. Add soda water to fill and gently stir. Garnish with mint, a slice of peach and/or some lemon peel.
This drink fit the bill perfectly. You may think that the whiskey & applejack make this a heavier drink but in reality it is very light. The peach, lemon & soda mixture make this incredibly refreshing and the rye and applejack give just enough body to let you know you’re enjoying a potant potable.
The next drink I came up because I wanted to have a little English gin during my Independence Day celebration. I had a pink grapefruit hanging around and knew that some of the fresh rosemary we have growing on the balcony would be a great tasting mix.
Grapefruit-Rosemary Cooler
Muddle a 4 inch strip of grapefruit peel, a 2 inch stalk of rosemary and 1 oz simple syrup.
Add to that:
1.25 oz fresh grapefruit juice
2 oz gin (I used Beefeater 24)
2 dashes Bittermen’s Burlesque Bitters
Shake & double strain into an ice filled chimney glass. Top with soda water to fill and gently stir to combine. Garnish with some grapefruit peel & rosemary.
This was great! Light and citrusy without being cloyingly sweet. I could drink these all day during this heat wave.
So what kind of drinks do you make to beat the heat? Leave us your suggestions in the comments.
Cheers!
So April 15th is almost here and have you filed your taxes yet? Whether you have or not, you’re probably a bit bitter that the Feds take quite a chunk of change.
Take a break from worrying about your taxes and learn everything you wanted to know (and probably more) about cocktail bitters. If you enjoy cocktails and have always wanted to know about the dash or two of mysterious elixir your bartender is adding to your drink, this class will let you in on the secret. Learn and taste different types of bitters, their uses and the history of bitters. You’ll also learn some tips and tricks on making your own bitters at home.
Class is on April 15, 2012 and limited to 10 people, so get your tickets quick!
Cost: $50 per student
Where: Last Exit, 3155 Mount Pleasant Street, N.W., Washington, DC
When: April 15, 2012 at 5:30 pm
