Elsewhere in the Liquiverse...

• In reponse to the Gulf oil spill crisis, The New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society will be selling a limited-edition bar towel during Tales of the Cocktail at the Tales Gift Shop. With a suggested price of $5, 100 percent of proceeds from the sale of this bar towel will go directly to oyster shuckers who have recently been laid off due to the heartbreaking spill.
• Also in response to the oil spill, Don Q Rum will host the Louisiana Coastal Rehab Benefit Party featuring Cowboy Mouth and ReBirth Brass Band at 10:30 p.m. on July 22 at Tipitina's in the French Quarter. Tickets are $10 and cocktails will be sold for $4 each, with 100 percent of proceeds going to the Greater New Orleans Foundation Gulf Coast Restoration Fund. Star mixologists are even expected to jump behind the stick!
• And while we're on the subject of New Orleans, The Bitter Truth's Creole bitters ($15) will be arriving on U.S. store shelves soon. Described as bitter, sweet and spicy, the bitters include notes of anise, caraway and fennel. [I can't wait to try it!]
• Don't snuff out those vuvuzelas just yet--the World Cup comes to a hot international climax this Sunday, and you can catch all the action at a massive block party hosted by Brass Monkey. The tri-level bar has secured a permit to take over the block of Little West 12th in front of the bar, where they’ll convert a parking lot into a beer garden with picnic tables, two movie screens, and refrigerated beer trucks filled with 200 kegs of Blue Moon, Coors Light and Spaten for $6 (that’s per cup, not per keg, homeslice). You can also expect a variety of sandwiches and bar fare available for purchase. The outdoor beer-soaked festivities start at 11 a.m. and go ‘til 6 p.m., while inside the bar, flatscreens on both floors plus a screen on the rooftop will keep things kicking ‘til 4 a.m. Brass Monkey, 55 Little West 12th St. (10th Ave. and Washington)
• New Yorkers looking for plans on Sunday night, look no further--hereby consider yourselves invited to the July edition of LES Salonnieres, a monthly artists' salon, supperclub and speakeasy held in an abandoned rooftop tenement. In addition to a potluck BBQ, burlesque, live painting, live butchering (and cooking) of a chicken, yours truly will be mixing up cocktails and punches using Maker's Mark and Bluecoat Gin for $6 a pop. This event, organized by the luminary Adam Aleksander, is not to be missed! The revelry goes from 7 to 11:30 p.m. 124 Ridge St. (Stanton and Rivington Sts.)

File Under: Hot Dates

• File under sipping & swinging: Just a few mere hours left to purchase advance tickets for the Liberty Belle Spectacular, a real treat of a Fourth of July showcase channeling the roaring '20s--complete with a view of the fireworks. Hosted by Dances of Vice, The Champagne Riot, The Salon, and Wit's End, the rooftop swing party will feature Brooklyn vaudeville duo Gelber & Manning and the Star Spangled Orchestra, rockabilly ballads, boogies and blues by SIT & Die Co, bugle boy extraordinaire Bob Leive, performances by tap sensations The Minsky Sisters, mesmerizing burlesque by Jezebel Express and Perle Noire with special guests The Rhinestone Follies, cocktails by mixologist Fredo Ceraso from Loungerati, and the dapper MC Dandy Wellington! Hurry, tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. July 4, Empire Hotel Rooftop, 44 W. 63rd St.
• You have not one, but two upcoming opportunities to taste Maker's 46, the first new product from Maker's Mark in more than 50 years, for free: a tasting party from 8 to 10 p.m. Monday at Rye House featuring Maker's 46 cocktails as well as food, and a more education-oriented session from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday at Louis 649's Tuesday Night Tastings. To make the 46, original Maker's Mark ages for several more months in casks lined with seared French oak staves, giving the signature Kentucky bourbon a more prominent toasted spice profile. Rye House, 3 W. 17th St.; Louis 649, 649 E. 9th St.
• Also on Tuesday, Justin Noel and Martim Ake Smith-Mattsson bring a taste of Jamaica to the Bowery with a night of specially-priced Appleton Estate Rum cocktails from 7 to 10 p.m. Madame Geneva, 4 Bleecker St.
• Harlem's 5 & Diamond is joining with Domaine Select Wine Estates to host a summer cocktail tasting from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Expect farm-to-table nibbles from chef David Santos and Jonathan Pogash behind the stick. Five and Diamond, 2072 Frederick Douglass Blvd. (Corner of 112th St. and 8th Ave.)

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse...

• Casa Mezcal, a ground-level mezcal bar within a three-story property that will soon include a Oaxacan gallery and a basement-level bar/cinema, opened at 86 Orchard St. in early June. Featuring a wide variety of sipping mezcals, including some obscure varieties, the bar also offers a cocktail menu designed by Junior Merino. A Mexican food menu will be added as soon as the gas is turned on, until then complimentary bites include fried grasshoppers and pico de gallo. The mezcaleria is within stumbling distance of two of NYC's most rambunctious cocktail bars--Painkiller and The Randolph--creating a "Cocktailian Bermuda Triangle," if you dare.
• Legislation that could have a severe impact on NYC nightlife is on the table. Eater reports that State Senator Daniel Squadron has submitted a bill that would revoke a bar's liquor license if police receive six or more noise or disorder complaints within a 60-day period. This comes on the heels of a bill from Brooklyn Assemblywoman Joan Millman that would impose an 11 p.m. curfew on rooftop and backyard bars on weekends and 10 p.m. on weeknights, as reported in the Wall Street Journal. Let's hope both of these bills go nowhere--NYC nightlife generates renevue that the city can't afford to lose.
• Tribeca cocktail den Ward III celebrates its first anniversary this weekend, offering specially-priced cocktails, as reported by NY Barfly. Check out Hendrick's Gin drinks tonight and Maker's Mark tipples tomorrow night.
• Speaking of Maker's Mark, the Kentucky distillers will be launching their first new bourbon in 50 years, Maker's 46, next month. Check out blogger DrinkBoston.com's report from Louisville on how the special edition bourbon is made--the secret lies in the seared French oak staves. Retailing for $35, the 46 (named for the fact that it was simply the 46th recipe) will be a toasty addition to any Maker's lover's liquor cabinet.
• Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans is just around the corner--July 21-25, and the 2010 Spirited Awards nominees were recently announced. New York swept the awards last year, and based on the high number of talented bartenders and bars up for honors this year, the city could see another coup--good luck!
• Sam Mason, formerly chef at now-shuttered SoHo restaurant/cocktail den Tailor, has opened a no-frills dive bar, Lady Jay's, at 633 Grand St. in Williamsburg next to Bushwick Country Club. The bar, which Eater reports is across the street from his apartment, has neither fancy cocktails nor food--just whiskey, beer, shuffle bowling, a jukebox and standard hipster decor--antlers on the walls. 

Saloon Stakeouts: Idle Hands

Bourbon, beer and rock--what's not to love? Not a thing, am I right people?! Get ready for Idle Hands, a bar promising those three things, coming to the East Village next month. A labor of love from music-biz friends Rob Morton, Marc Schapiro and Dave Ciancio, the bourbon- and craft beer-focused bar will be on the basement level of 25 Avenue B while Billy Hurricane's, a Mardi Gras-themed "speak-loudly," will be opening up around the same time on the ground level. Billy Hurricane's, owned by Roland Jabbour, Kyle Radzyminski and Billy Bishop (also owners of Point Break and Thunder Jackson's), will feature Hurricanes, obviously, and other party favorites like wheels of shots, along with Cajun food and Top 40 music. With nearby New Orleans-themed bar Ninth Ward about to open as well, NYC seems to have a hankering for a taste of the Big Easy.

Downstairs, however, expect an atmosphere of understated cool complete with cozy booths and an ample selection of 50 to 70 bourbons, on par with Brooklyn's Char No. 4 and Tribeca's brown spirits haven, Brandy Library. Although Idle Hands won't feature live music, there's sure to be a meticulously-curated rock soundtrack and the bar may even host music industry parties. Rob says the bar is about 2-3 weeks out, so in the meantime, keep track of their progress here.

Idle Hands and Billy Hurricane's, 25 Ave. B (2nd & 3rd Sts.)

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse...

 

• Hot on the heels of news that William Grant & Sons has purchased Philly's Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction brand, including its ROOT liqueur, AITA is now bottling its next organic spirit, SNAP, based on a Pennsylvanian Dutch black strap molasses ginger snap recipe. The bottles will be on Pennsylvania shelves later this summer; widespread distribution of both SNAP and ROOT to be announced.
• Craft beer fans (like myself) will sate their thirst and then some at this Saturday's Fourth Annual New York Brew Fest on Governor's Island. More than 300 styles of beer from more than 100 breweries from New York and beyond will be sampled from 3:30 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $55 and include water taxi to and from the island.
• It's that time again--the New York Bar Show is this Sunday and Monday at Javits Convention Center. Although last year's show seemed to highlight the clash between nightclub-style bartending and cocktailian bartending, it will be interesting to see if this year's show will take itself a little more seriously. The agenda includes Le Cognac's cocktail competition awarding $3,000 in prizes, USBGNY mixology demonstrations, and a cognac seminar led by Dale DeGroff, Dave Wondrich, and F. Paul Pacult. Tickets are $50 for the floor show and $150 for all-access to seminars.
• And on June 23, the Indy Spirits Expo rolls into town from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Touch nightclub. [Odd venue for this, but the club is centrally-located.] The expo will feature tastings and presentations from some of the best artisanal spirits producers around. Tickets are $55.
• Earlier this week, the team behind Scottish gastropub Highlands got approval to turn the former Allen & Delancey space into their next concept, Mary Queen of Scots. Billed as "Highlands meets Vivienne Westwood and the Sex Pistols," the brasserie will feature whiskey cocktails and is slated to open in the fall.
• Scientists are getting closer to growing livers, which is good news for those of us who may be beating them up more often than we'd like to admit. [No need to worry Mom, I take my milk thistle!]
• Summer cocktail season is upon us, and I was honored to contribute a write-up of the best summer cocktails in town for this week's issue of Time Out New York. It was hard to choose from so many delicious drinks at so many of my favorite bars, but for you, dear readers, this is the kind of research I go to great lengths to do.
• In case you haven't heard already, Albert Trummer, proprietor of Apotheke and the recently-unveiled Theater, was arrested Saturday night after undercover fire marshals witnessed his signature fire show at Apotheke. The Apotheke bartenders I've spoken with say given the size of the bar, it's doubtful that the flames were six feet wide, and the bar also does not have curtains, as The New York Times reported. The bar, which does not have an open flame permit, reopened the following night. Trummer is facing charges of reckless endangerment and criminal nuisance, both misdemeanors.

Dizzy Recap: Beefeater Summer Launch, St. Germain Can-Can Classic, Zagat's Preview of Theater and Absolut Brooklyn Launch!

 

So many parties, so little time! June officially kicked off summer party season in NYC, and so far it's been quite the bender:

Beefeater Gin launched its limited-edition Beefeater Summer  featuring hibiscus, elderflower and black currant at the Ace Hotel. This gin has balanced sweetness and can be sipped straight--clearly Master Distiller Desmond Payne knows what he's doing. Refreshing summer cocktails by Jamie Gordon, fish and chips, and a live twitter screen made this event a hit among the bartender, blogger and cocktailian crowd.

St. Germain's Third Annual Can-Can Classic brought 13 bartenders from across the states to compete in a cocktail competition judged by Dave Wondrich, Andy Seymour, Lynnette Marrero, Toby Maloney and Phil Ward. The top $5,000 prize went to of Bobby McCoy of the Eastern Standard in Boston (winning cocktail recipe below). Afterwards, St. Germain kicked off its 1920s-themed Harvest Fair Party at the Bowery Hotel, complete with sword swallowers, carnival games and a live band.

Zagat Survey hosted this week's much-anticipated reveal of Theater, the new Tribeca cabaret-themed cavern from Apotheke's Albert Trummer. Also billed as a celebration of Internet Week New York, Trummer opened the doors to his not-yet-officially-open space at 114 Franklin St. featuring a bar designed to look like a stage, a VIP room behind the stage, and an upstairs balcony and DJ booth. Zacapa rum cocktails and Sigmund Pretzelshop pretzels kept this party going strong.

And just last night, hordes of Brooklynites packed into the PowerHouse Arena in DUMBO to celebrate the launch of Absolut Brooklyn, featuring a red apple and ginger flavor (although more like a hint of ginger). With special guest Spike Lee, DJ Spinna keeping the crowd bumping, professional dancers and a steady supply of refreshing cocktails, this party was off the heeze and further proof that Absolut throws some of the best parties in NYC! For more pics, check out Ucwhateyec.com.

Whew! Off to drink more water and take a nap... until the next!

Elixir Alpestre by Bobby McCoy, Boston, Eastern Standard

2 oz. Bols Genever 3/4 oz. St-Germain 1/4 oz. Becherovka 1 Dash Angostura Orange Bitters 6 Drops Pernod Absinthe

Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin over ice and shake.  Strain into a large coupe glass.  Garnish with a lemon twist.

Dizzy Recap: ¡Gracias! At The Summit Bar

Summer solstice may be around the corner, but the hot party season is here! Lots of recaps in the pipeline, but first I have to give you the word on ¡Gracias! at The Summit Bar, held Sunday night. I hosted my first punch party there in December, and then threw the big punch affair at Ramscale Gallery during Manhattan Cocktail Classic, so naturally, third time around was quite the charm. The turbulent storms that were forecasted held off, and by sunset the bar was full of bartending industry insiders, writers and cocktail enthusiasts from NYC and beyond.

The Summit Bar's Hamid Rashidzada and Greg Seider wanted to thank the cocktail community for their support since opening in the fall of last year, so of course I agreed to join in the showing of gratitude--The Dizzy Fizz has had phenomenal launch as well! And since the party fell during the same weekend as the Gourmet Latino Festival (recap to come), we decided to offer Latin-themed punches created by Seider. The punches featured Corralejo Tequila, Ilegal Mezcal, Leblon Cachaca, Ron Zacapa Rum, Pisco 100 and a myriad of Latin spices and flavors. The invite-only event also featured tacos, Latin dance music spun by DJ Kimiko and a piñata full of fun surprises. (Which I wholeheartedly busted open!)

A big fat gracias to all who came and made the night a sizzling fiesta!! Special thanks to: Carmen Operetta, Abigail Gullo, Leo Borovskiy of Lush Life Productions, and the entire staff from The Summit Bar!

Gracias! Punch Recipes by Greg Seider at The Summit Bar

Multiply proportions by number of servings:

Cinnamon Girl

1 ½ oz. Leblon Cachaca ¾ oz. Mexican cinnamon-infused agave nectar ¾ oz. fresh lime juice Dash grapefruit bitters 2 oz. ginger beer

Ilegal Activity

 1 ¼ oz. Ilegal Mezcal Reposado ¾ oz. Pisco 100 1 ½ oz grapefruit, cilantro and jalapeno pepper puree ½ oz. Dimmi liqueur Splash soda water

Succulent Senorita

2 oz. Corralejo Blanco Tequila 1 oz. fresh lime juice ¾ oz. agave nectar ¾ oz red pepper puree Dash orange bitters Slice muddled cucumber

 From Dusk ‘Til Diablo

1 oz. Zacapa 23 year Rum 1 oz. Chilean Cabernet ½ oz. black pepper and clove-infused agave nectar ½ oz. lemon juice 1 oz. coconut water Dash Fee Bros’ whiskey barrel-aged bitters

Peruvian Passion

2 oz. Pisco 100 2 oz. pineapple and Serrano chili pepper puree ¾ oz. agave nectar ½ oz. fresh lime juice Dash orange bitters Splash soda water

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse...

 

• Summer is the season of gin, so it was a nice surprise to take home the first place prize recently for New Amsterdam Gin's "Next Gin-eration" Cocktail Challenge. Set up Iron Chef-style, I was among a dozen or so bloggers and cocktail enthusiasts (no professional bartenders allowed) asked to create a tasty drink within 10 minutes using ingredients onsite at The Back Room. My winning number, as judged by Alex Ott and the New Amsterdam team? The "Greenmarket Smash," featuring 1 1/2 oz. New Amsterdam gin, 1/2 oz. liquified honey, 1/2 oz. elderflower liqueur, 1 oz. fresh orange juice, 1 oz. cranberry juice, and muddled basil. I won a catered dinner for 10 and bragging rights, woot!
• Harlem gets another cocktail den next to 67 Orange with the opening of Five and Diamond, featuring a fresh-ingredient cocktail menu created by Jonathan Pogash of The Cocktail Guru. With top bartenders like Moses Laboy behind the stick, this sounds like another uptown destination worth the trip. See the full cocktail menu below! 2072 Frederick Douglass Blvd.
• Ready for another rumor to get  The Jane Hotel's neighbors in a tizzy? [The Ballroom is finally open again, BTW.] Word on the street is the owners are designing an even more exclusive enclave within the landmark building--a penthouse bar.
• This weekend's first annual Gourmet Latino Festival is shaping up to be a star-studded affair of not only chefs inspired by flavors from Latin America, but renowned mixologists too. Check out the full schedule of educational seminars and tastings featuring the likes of Dale DeGroff, Steve Olson and Junior Merino.
• According to this whiskey blog, Tuthilltown's Hudson Whiskey has been bought by William Grant & Sons, which would mean worldwide distribution of the whiskey created in 2003 by Brian Lee and Gable Erenzo. According to the article, Tuthilltown will remain its ownership of its non-whiskey brands.
• And if you haven't caught the latest viral video series featuring mixologists, head over to Combier's "Shaker Faces" campaign, which will award the bartender with the best shake $500. Hurry up and check out the four-way shake by the Edison's (LA) Joseph Brooke--the ladies will not want to miss that one!

Five and Diamond's Cocktail Menu

The Five and Diamond: Hangar One Buddha’s Hand Vodka, Grand Marnier, honey syrup, fresh lime, cranberry juice, fresh pineapples and Jarritos lìmon soda. ($12)

Spiced Raspberry Bellini: Fresh raspberries, spice syrup, rhubarb bitters and Cava. ($12)

Hold Me, Ransom: Ransom Old Tom Gin, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, fresh lemon juice, egg white, Jarritos tamarindo soda and Angostura bitters. ($13)

Blackberry Sage: Fresh blackberries and sage, vodka, Grand Marnier and fresh lemon juice ($12)

Replenish: Chamomile-infused Plymouth Gin, Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, Fever-Tree ginger beer, Vita-Coco coconut water and fresh lemon juice. ($12)

Diamond Daiquiri: Rhum Clement Premierre Canne Rum, demerara syrup, fresh lime juice and fresh strawberries. ($12)

Raspberry Tarragon Margarita: Siembra Azul Blanco Tequila, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, agave nectar, fresh raspberries and tarragon. ($12)

Smokey Sour: Sombra Mezcal, Benromach single malt scotch, fresh lemon juice, orange marmalade, and egg white. ($12)

Dizzy Recap: Manhattan Cocktail Classic and Tastemaker's Punch!

"Alcohol is a misunderstood vitamin." --P.G. Wodehouse Well hot damn--the Manhattan Cocktail Classic flew by like a bat out of Eyjafjallajökull. I had the wild idea to put on an art exhibit/punch party so I only attended the Gala at New York Public Library and the Three Hour Tour around Manhattan Island--smashing good times all around involving well-dressed cocktailians from all over and addictive libations. I'll be looking to other bloggers to tell me what I missed at the seminars, Behind the Bars, and other events.

Speaking of other bloggers, MCC just happened to kick off the night after World Cocktail Day, aka my first blogiversary, which coincidentally is the same for LA cocktail culture blogger Daniel Djang, aka Thirsty in LA. I've been reading Daniel's watch on the budding LA cocktail scene and only recently realized that we shared the same blog bornday. I was stoked when I heard Daniel would be visiting for MCC. He met a bunch of us at Death & Co. right after landing in NYC to share a toast with me, and then we rolled to Painkiller where we had a few too many sips of Scorpion bowls, Mai Tais and Singapore Slings. I'm not sure this was necessary the night before MCC, but it was a blast. It also didn't hurt that Tony Abou-Ganim, Eric Alperin, Mindy Kucan, and Johnny Iuzzini were among the crowd at Painkiller that night.

I don't even know where to begin with the Gala--event of the year?! Lesley Townsend, Georgia Tan, and their production team all deserve a collective bow from the cocktail community for pulling off such a massive, glamorous affair. All four floors of the New York Public Library were transformed into an endless open bar full of random wonders--you know, Oompa Loompas and the like. Towards the end of the night, most everyone made their way to the air conditioned basment which Diageo turned into the "Stork Club," named for the historic New York nightclub run by ex-bootlegger Sherman Billingsly from 1929 to 1965.

In between spouts of event planning, I managed to make it onto the Royal Princess for the Tippling Point's inaugural event, the "Around the World in Five Cocktails" sunset cruise. The weather couldn't have been more perfect as we sipped cocktails from Moet Hennessy's line of fine spirits--Hennessy, Belvedere Vodka, Ardbeg, 10 Cane Rum, and Grand Marnier, all mixed by world-class mixologists: Jacqueline Patterson of Heaven’s Dog (San Francisco), Thomas Waugh of Death & Co., John Lermayer of The Florida Room (Miami), Richard Boccato of Dutch Kills and Painkiller, Sean Kenyon of Steuben's (Denver), H. Joseph Ehrmann of Elixir (San Francisco), and Danny Valdez of Cure (New Orleans). At sunset, the cruise ship paused in front of the Statue of Liberty next to a vintage sailboat for a patriotic and picturesque moment, reminding me of our freedom to imbibe.

And on the fourth night of MCC, my big night finally came to fruition -- Tastemaker's Punch! I can't express how thrilled I was to see artwork from Jill DeGroff, Claw Money, Nicole Desmond, Charles Hardwick, Elba Giron, Jackie Neale Chadwick, Vanessa Bahmani, and Leo Borovskiy on the walls of Ramscale Gallery. And of course there were the punches (recipes below) by Enzo Lim, Maxwell Britten, Abigail Gullo, Orson Salicetti, Frank Cisneros, Erick Castro (of San Francisco), Payman Bahmani, Aaron Doherty, The Cocktail Guru's Hal Wolin, and The Tippling Point's Jason Littrell. DJs from the monthly Discovery party at Santos Party House, VDRK and Free Magic, kept the good times flowing, and sushi and ceviche from Richard Sandoval's ZENGO was devoured just as fast as we could pass it out.

Dave Wondrich led us through a long list of historical figures whom we have to thank for the wonderful gift of punch, starting with British sailors who discovered the five-ingredient concoction in India in the 16th century. Dave announced that his book on all things punch, "Punch, or the Delights and Dangers of the Flowing Bowl," will be out this November. And yes, it also just happened to be my birthday that night (along with Eryn Reece and Meredith Modzelewski!), so thanks Jason for taking over the mic to have everyone sing happy birthday while I blushed in the corner. How many people get to say that they had Dave Wondrich, Jill DeGroff and Claw Money at their birthday party? Even Gary "Gaz" Regan made a latenight appearance, helping himself to some punch.

So many to thank: Bols Genever, Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Mathilde Fruit Liqueurs, Leblon Cachaca, Laird's Bonded Applejack, Plymouth Gin, Tuthilltown Spirits, Catdaddy Moonshine, Milagro Tequila, Sailor Jerry Rum, A.B. Smeby Bittering Co., Vita Coco Coconut Water, Mana Fine Arts, and the MCC team: Lesley, Georgia, and Don Lee. I also want to personally thank Kerry Hoffman, Lincoln Chinnery, Russell Davis, Gail Schoenberg, Nosa Garrick, Erin Garcia, Amy Kelly, Olga Boyko, Mark Garcia, Iman Kedir, Ashley Klanac and Nora Worthington.

Note: the silent auction to benefit the Museum of the American Cocktail, planned to take place during the punch party, will be rescheduled for the near future.

Here are the punch recipes, all using fresh-squeezed juices:

Pacquiao's Punch by Enzo Lim of Painkiller:

33.8 oz Sailor Jerry Rum 11.3 oz pineapple juice 11.3 oz lemon juice 11.3 oz Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur 5.6 oz demerara syrup .5 oz Smeby's Buddha's Hand Lemon and Kaffir Lime Bitters .5 oz Bitter Truth Lemon Bitters (serves 20, scale accordingly)

Gin Lane Royale Punch by Maxwell Britten of Freemans

150 oz Plymouth Gin 75 oz lavender-infused Dolin Blanc Dry Vermouth 75 oz lime juice 75 oz grapefruit-nutmeg syrup 75 oz Moet Imperial Champagne

Don't Shoot the Messenger by Hal Wolin of The Cocktail Guru & Jason Littrell of The Tippling Point

1 1/2 oz Laird's Bonded Applejack 1/2 oz Mathilde Pear 1/4 oz orgeat syrup 1/2 tsp Don's Spices 1/2 oz pineapple juice 3/4 oz lemon juice 1 dash Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters (multiply by number of servings)

Chinese Bootlegger Punch by Payman Bahmani of Umamimart.com

5 cups Catdaddy Carolina Moonshine 5 cups brewed Oolong tea (less than boiling water, steeped 5-6 min) 3.75 cups grapefruit juice 1 cup lemon juice 1 cup agave nectar syrup .75 cup cinnamon syrup .5 cup A.B. Smeby Forbidden Bitters .5 cup A.B. Smeby Spiced Grapefruit Bitters (serves 20, scale accordingly)

Spring Fever Punch by Erick Castro of Rickhouse, San Francisco

150 scoops of Caipirinha Sorbet 50 cups Leblon Cachaca 12.5 cups Mathilde Pear 18.75 cups lime juice 12.5 cups honey syrup (1 to 1) 12.5 cups cucumber juice 25 cups sparkling water 200 pinches of salt

Goblin Punch by Orson Salicetti of Covet

12 bottles of Bols Genever 2 honeydew melons, juiced 8 green bell peppers, juiced 2 lb fresh celery, juiced 2 lb green seedless grapes, juiced 2 lb kiwis, juiced 2 lb green apples, juiced agave nectar lime juice dash of mixed peppercorns

Halfmoon Mountain Jam by Abigail Gullo of RyeGirlNYC and Bar Celona

12 bottles Spirit of the Hudson Apple Vodka (Tuthilltown Spirits) 2 bottles Mathilde Orange 1 gallon lemon juice 4 750-ml bottles sparkling cider Thyme-infused maple syrup Forest berry jam Blackberries Raspberries

Raspberry Beret Punch by Frank Cisneros of Dram

125 oz Pierre Ferrand Cognac 50 oz grapefruit juice 25 oz Mathilde Raspberry 50 oz vanilla syrup 100 oz lemon juice 50 oz raspberry syrup 100 oz soda water "secret amount" homemade Chamomile bitters

Madre Sazonada (Spicy Mother) by Aaron Doherty of Jack the Horse Tavern

10 bottles Milagro Reposado Tequila 65 oz lime juice 65 oz habanero demerara syrup 50 oz pineapple juice 50 oz Mexican lager, roughly 1 six pack 12 sprigs Rosemary 1 tbsp toasted curry salt

Everyone should feel proud for helping make the first Manhattan Cocktail Classic a huge success! Can't wait to do it again next year, only bigger and better!

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse...

• Ultra-exclusive "tavern" The Lion, helmed by The Waverly's executive chef John DeLucie, hosted its friends and family last night. The Greenwich Village restaurant, once a '60s hotspot, officially opens tonight--for the well-connected, anyway. In addition to the burger and beer offerings, expect a sophisticated cocktail program. 62 W. 9th St. (6th Ave.)
• Another anticipated opening is expected by the end of the week with the unveiling of Teatro, a jazz-inspired cocktail lounge from Apotheke's Albert Trummer. Word is the bar is the stage--and knowing Trummer's taste for fiery entertainment, this makes perfect sense. 114 Franklin St. (West Broadway)
• Still no word on NYC's plans for World Cocktail Day, May 13--my guess is everyone is gearing up for the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, May 14-18. If you procrastinated buying tickets for the kickoff gala, you are out of luck--all 2,500 have sold out. Still want to rock your stylish cocktail threads? There's a handful of tickets available for The Dizzy Fizz Tastemaker's Punch--use the code "THRILLIST" to save 25%!
• Also, The Hideout in Fort Greene is going to reopen soon--just in time for summery Brooklyn bar crawls!

Dizzy Recap: Pre-Tales Blogger Brunch

I can't tell you how much of a treat it was to recently host another edition of Blogger Brunch, this time with Ann Tuennerman, founder of Tales of the Cocktail, while getting schooled on New Orleans' Herbsaint Original. Fifty of NYC's most skilled cocktail, food and lifestyle bloggers gathered at Rye House, where we imbibed Herbsaint cocktails along with a savory New Orleans-influenced brunch. Although this brunch group was a bit larger than the last one at Clover Club, the stellar team at Rye House made serving us look like a breeze--especially with Jim Kearns and Jane Elkins behind the bar (both adorable in suspenders, by the way).

Ann led us through a traditional absinthe drip service with Herbsaint Original, which is not absinthe, but rather, an absinthe-like substitute introduced in 1933 by J. Marion Legendre to get through the absinthe ban. (By the way, fun fact:  Legendre Herbsaint loosely translates as "holy herb.") Earlier this year, the Sazerac Company released the original recipe for Herbsaint, which is 100 proof rather than the earlier version's 90 proof, offering a more substantial botanical  flavor. I was most impressed with how drinkable the Herbsaint Original was with just a bit of water drizzled over an ice cube nestled in the lovely glass drippers we were provided--absolutely no sugar cube required.

Then came the Herbsaint frappes--2 parts Herbsaint and 1 part simple syrup poured over crushed ice--followed by Herbsaint fizzes (recipe below). I think everyone left with a new appreciation of the Herbsaint flavor--herbaceous, gentle anise flavor, lightly sweet with a hint of sea salt--and knowing that it retails for just $35, it's a fun ingredient to make Sazeracs with at home, especially considering that real absinthe goes for $50-$80.

Ann also revved us up for Tales of the Cocktail, happening July 21-25 in New Orleans--the premiere cocktail event of the year. A handful of lucky bloggers won cocktail books, tickets to various spirited events during Tales, and talented cocktail scene reporter Sonya Moore won a three-night stay at Hotel Monteleone! I look forward to making it down to cover Tales for the first time this summer--say a prayer for my liver now.

Thanks everyone for coming despite the rain, and a special thanks to Lynnette Marrero, Jim Kearns, Jane Elkins, the rest of the Rye House crew, and the Tales belles. Can't wait for the next brunch!

Herbsaint Fizz by Rye House's Jim Kearns 3/4 oz lemon juice 3/4 oz simple syrup 1-1/2 oz Herbsaint 1 egg white

Preshake egg white, lemon, simple,  and spirit to emulsify, add ice, shake, serve in a tall glass, top with soda.

Saloon Stakeouts: Painkiller

Just in time for a tropical heatwave and many of the country's best Japanese training-seeking bartenders sweeping into NYC, one of the most exciting bar openings of the year is scheduled for this week, and it just so happens to be tiki-themed. Painkiller, from Dutch Kills' Richie Boccato and Giuseppe Gonzales, has flipped the former Sasha Petraske-owned East Side Company Bar into a bamboo-walled underground lair that feels miles from the city and yet all at once very New York. The bar celebrates Manhattan as "the best island," said Giuseppe, surrounded by images of topless, tan island ladies.

I don't want to give too much away about Painkiller just yet--the Chinatown bar officially opens Thursday night--but I can tell you to expect: fresh-cut fruit, house-made syrups and orgeat,  industrial blenders, a cooler full of shaved ice, grafitti artwork by "Style Wars" legends, and badass light effects. The menu will be of the choose-your-own-adventure variety (simply tell the bartenders how you like your drink) but based on the recipes of Trader Vic's and Don the Beachcomber. Expect incredibly strong drinks and wild garnishes--you've been warned!

Giuseppe said he and Richie got the idea for bar over free hot dogs at Rudy's, the Hell's Kitchen dive, so naturally, Painkiller will have free hot dogs too. Which will surely come in handy after all that frothy tiki-ness with shots of flaming 151.

Painkiller, 49 Essex St.

Announcing: Beefeater Summer Gin

With 80-degree weather coming our way for Derby Day tomorrow, everyone's thinking about seersucker suits and mint juleps served over crushed ice. As summer nears, I also start to dream of crisp, refreshing gin. And wouldn't you know it, Beefeater London Dry Gin is launching a limited-edition Summer Gin on June 2. Following the success of Beefeater 24, Master Distiller Desmond Payne created Beefeater Summer Gin to celebrate the season with prominent floral notes including elderflower, blackcurrant, and hibiscus.

"It has a slightly lighter characteristic," said Payne, who took a moment to speak with me by phone recently. "Beefeater 24 is aimed more at bartenders and for mixing in more high-end cocktails, while the Summer Gin is more for the consumer. Think summer parties and BBQs, and with pomegranate or cranberry juice, it makes a lovely long drink."

Payne, who has been making gin for 42 years, said he is "having a great time" experimenting with new varieties of Beefeater while upholding the classic method of distilling. "It's a chance to spread out a little bit, but very much in the Beefeater way," he said. "This is an interesting and exciting time for gin."

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse...

• Results of the groundbreaking Ultimate Cocktail Challenge are in, determining which gin works best in extra dry martinis (Tanqueray London Dry!), which rum makes the best mojitos (Don Q Cristal!), which cognac makes slammin' Sidecars (Remy Martin VSOP!), etc. Expert judges included mixology superstars Dale DeGroff, David Wondrich, Jacques Bezuidenhout, Julie Reiner, Steve Olson, Audrey Saunders, Tad Carducci, Doug Frost, Andy Seymour, Don Lee, Jim Meehan, Sean Ludford, and F. Paul Pacult. Judges blind-tasted the spirits in cocktails mixed meticulously by Willy Shine, Aisha Sharpe, Sean Hoard and Lindsay Nader. Congrats to the winners!
• The Lucky Rice Festival, kicking off with a cocktail bash at Bowery Hotel tomorrow and running through May 2, is a celebration of Asian food and drink. Star chefs lined up for the festival include Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Daniel Boulud, David Chang, Anita Lo, Floyd Cardoz, Zak Pelaccio, Eric Ripert, and Pichet Ong.
• This Saturday, May 1, Derby Day parties are planned at Rye House, Bell House, and perhaps, your house? Exclusive invite-only racing day parties also take place at Eleven Madison Park and Clover Club.
• While the rest of us attend Cinco de Mayo fiestas, lots of lucky rum aficonados will head south for the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival, May 5-9. Sugarcane spirits get all the attention with events including a tiki cocktail competition, sipping seminars, and pool parties--can you tell I'm jealous?!
• Speaking of rum, NYC has a brand-new Cuban rum bar, Cienfuegos, from Ravi DeRossi, an owner of nearby Death & Co. and Mayahuel. The punch-heavy cocktail program by Charlotte Voisey includes tipples such as the Hemingway-inspired "A Moveable Feast" (Mount Gay Eclipse Silver, Dolin Blanc Vermouth, lime juice, dry French cider, Regan's bitters, and nutmeg). The ornate decor, reminiscent of a jewelry box, is sure to attract stylish characters to 95 Avenue A. 
• And you have until May 10 to create the best Catdaddy Carolina Moonshine cocktail for a contest that will send three finalists to Tales of the Cocktail!

The "56" Julep from Wild Turkey

2.5 oz Wild Turkey 101 3 sprigs of mint (six to eight mature-sized leaves) 1.5 tsp brown sugar .5 cup crushed ice

In a traditional silver julep cup or double-old fashioned glass, muddle two sprigs of mint with the brown sugar and one ounce of Wild Turkey 101 for a few minutes, crushing the mint leaves with a spoon. Add the crushed ice, the remaining bourbon, and garnish with sprig of mint. Enjoy!

File Under: Hot Dates

 

• Just when you thought the Manhattan Cocktail Classic couldn't get soaked with any more liquids, hometown heroes The Tippling Point have gone and put together an event that actually floats--on New York Harbor, specifically. Tickets for "The Three Hour Tour," as it's been dubbed, went on sale today, and they are moving fast. The booze cruise aboard the Royal Princess Cruise Liner at sunset on May 16 will feature a live band and DJ, live ice carving by Shintaro Okamoto, and five cocktails by some of the best bartenders in the states:  Jacqueline Patterson of Heaven’s Dog (San Francisco), Thomas Waugh of Death & Co. (NYC), John Lermayer of The Florida Room (Miami), Richard Boccato of Dutch Kills & Painkiller (NYC) and Danny Valdez of Cure (New Orleans).  Moet Hennessy USA is sponsoring (10 Cane Rum, Ardbeg Scotch, Grand Marnier, Belvedere Vodka, and Hennessy), so you might as well be screaming "I'm a boat" the entire time. To make this happen, Jason Littrell teamed up with Gianfranco Verga, Tad Carducci, and Paul Tanguay to form the company The Tippling Point. Come through for this, the Gala, and of course, the Tastemaker's Punch, and you'll have your party points for the year--not to be missed! Use code TONY for 25 percent off on all Manhattan Cocktail Classic events!
• May 1 means Derby Day, the quintessential day to sip a mint julep and wear a hat for at least two minutes. This year is the 135th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, and with the resurgence in brown spirits it seems like a lovely reason to celebrate. Most recipes call for bourbon, but Harry Johnson's 1888 recipe with brandy and a dash of Jamaican rum, copied below, sounds equally as delicious.
• On May 3 and 4, bartenders from all over will converge in NYC to take a master class in Japanese cocktail technique from Kazuo Uyeda.  The most famous bartender in Japan, Kazuo is author of "Japanese Cocktail Technique," which is being released for the first time in English by Cocktail Kingdom/Mud Puddle Books, sponsors of the event. Two days of rigorous education (including hard shake demonstrations) take place at Hiro Ballroom in Chelsea, where everyone will also let off steam with Suntory cocktails the night of May 4. Contact christina@cocktailkingdom.com for ticket requests.
• And wow, what a difference a year makes--on May 13, we celebrate World Cocktail Day! The day marking the first public mention of the word "cocktail," this date also commemorates the first full year of The Dizzy Fizz! Coincidentally, I have the same birthday as one of the best cocktail culture blogs on the West Coast, Thirsty in LA. Since NYC is the place to be this month, Thirsty in LA's Daniel Djang will actually be here and we're going to celebrate our "blogiversary" together! Deets to come!

Mint Julep, adapted from Harry Johnson, "New & Improved Illustrated Bartender's Manual:"

Serving vessel: a glass.

1/2 oz. sugar 2 oz. water or seltzer 3 to 4 sprigs of mint

Muddle mint in the sugar and water to extract the flavor of the mint, then remove and discard the mint.

Add:

6 oz. brandy

Fill with shaved ice, stir. Garnish with a mint leaf, berry, pineapple and orange.

Add:

1 dash Jamaican rum.

Sprinkle with sugar, serve with a straw.

File Under: Wants

• Just in time for party and picnic season, St-Germain is releasing a "Summer Soiree" kit, complete with a bottle of the elderflower liqueur, a carafe with measurements for a champagne punch, cocktail stirrer, and poster with summery recipes. Available for about $34 at Astor Wines & Spirits and Union Square Wines, this is bound to be one hot potato.
• Want a free trip to Tales of the Cocktail? There are at least two cocktail contests offering to do just that, with deadlines approaching. Veev and Contemporary Cocktails have partnered up for "Cocktails for a Cause," asking cocktailians to submit recipes here by May 3 using Veev and fresh ingredients. Not only will Veev plant five trees for every recipe submitted, but the top three vote-getters win airfare and hotel for Tales! And if you not only want to win a trip to Tales, but to Australia too, enter Yellowtail's "wine-tail" contest here before April 25. Semifinals will be held the afternoon of May 17 during the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, and finalists will throw down at Tales in New Orleans on July 24 (standard airfaire and one night stay included). Judges will include Doug Frost, Dale DeGroff, David Wondrich and Andy Seymour, and the winner gets a 6-day trip for two to the land down under!
• Soon enough, you might be telling your bartender to "Super Beer Me," as cases of BrewDog's Tactical Nuclear Penguin make their way to NYC and California. With an ABV of 32 percent (six times Budweiser), the beer is made by being frozen at a local ice cream factory at temperatures as low as -6°C (21°F), for 21 days. Alcohol freezes at lower temperatures than water, and removing water from the solution increased the alcohol concentration. Due to the complex brewing process and limited availability, these pups are going for $53 per 11.2-oz bottle!
• And if you've got $1,000 to play with, Tiffany & Co. has designed an exclusive Woodfords Reserve mint julep cup, with proceeds benefitting The Barnstable Brown Kentucky Diabetes & Obesity Center. Owners of the cups will enjoy a mint julep featuring ingredients from around the globe: raw-cane sugar made from 100 percent organic sugar cane grown in Brazil; Kentucky Colonel Mint from Louisville, KY which was grown in a used Woodford Reserve bourbon barrel; ice made of water from a 10,000-year-old glacier in the far northern region of the Pacific Ocean near the Gulf of Alaska; and a small batch of the Master Distiller’s personal selection of Woodford Reserve super-premium bourbon. The 73 silver cups will be presented on Kentucky Derby Day, May 1, at Churchill Downs--you can purchase here.

Springtime = Party Time!

Are you ready for another event brought to you by The Dizzy Fizz? I'm pleased as punch to announce that tickets are now on sale for "Tastemaker's Punch," happening from 7 to 11 p.m. on Monday, May 17 as part of The Manhattan Cocktail Classic!

In New York City, art is everywhere you look - it's even in your glass of punch! You are invited to celebrate the creativity of NYC cocktailians with a stylish soiree featuring punches made from artisan ingredients. Featuring special guest and toastmaster, Dave Wondrich, the puncheon will stimulate your senses while you take in contemporary artwork in a West Village penthouse gallery with terraces overlooking the Hudson River. Exhibiting artists will include saloon artist Jill DeGroff, graffiti artist/designer Claw Money, cocktailian/painter Charles Hardwick, cocktailian/painter Nicole Desmond, cocktailian/photographer Elba Giron, and lots more. Spring-inspired punches will be created by top NYC mixologists. And of course, it wouldn't be a Dizzy party without a slammin' soundtrack and plenty of surprises. Come see what NYC's tastemakers are up to!

Sponsors so far include: Bols Genever, Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Mathilde Fruit Liqueurs, Tuthilltown Spirits, Laird's Applejack, and Vita Coco Coconut Water. (More to be announced soon!)

Monday, May 17th, 7:00pm - 11:00pm RamScale Gallery, 463 West Street between Bank and Bethune Street

Must be of legal drinking age. Includes complimentary admission to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (plus one drink ticket) on Monday.

Can't wait to get started on some seasonal party action? If you are in NYC, come out for drinks for two great causes on Sunday, April 25 at The Delancey. Co-hosted by Tales of the Cocktail and Nosalikes, "From NY With Love" will raise money for rebuilding efforts in Haiti and New Orleans. An open bar from 7 to 8 p.m. will feature the Sazerac, the official cocktail of New Orleans, along with Oloffson’s Punch, invented at the Grand Hotel Oloffson in Port-au-Prince and made with the famous Rhum Barbancourt of Haiti.

The suggested donation will be $5 per person during an open bar from 7 to 8 p.m., and $10 per person from 8 to 11 p.m. Drink specials will be in effect throughout the night. All proceeds will be split between the SOS Children’s Villages of Haiti and United Saints Recovery Project of New Orleans.

NYC DJs Kraff Swagger, Djette Luna Vega, and DJ Treats will spin music throughout the night. The event is sponsored by Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Rhum Barbancourt, and Herbsaint Original.

The benefit will be held at The Delancey, 168 Delancey St., New York, NY 10002.

Can't make it? We'll still take your money! We will be setting up a Paypal account shortly, so stay tuned for that.

Dizzy Recap: SXSW

Wondering why I've been a little sluggish here lately? I'm still getting caught up from last month's magical mystery tour that was my nine-day excursion to Austin, TX for SXSW. I think a lot people are probably sick of seeing those four letters by now, so for a mini-recap: picture intelligent conversation with tons of creative thinkers, many with exceptional social skills, while getting handed lots of free things in the sunshine, then getting down with loud, epically melodic music at night--and indulging in decadent (not too expensive) food and drink while meeting  cool new friends. Win!

As far as Austin cocktail culture is concerned, I couldn't have asked for a warmer welcome, from my first "Conundrum" (Balcones baby blue corn whiskey, Plymouth sloe gin, Fernet Branca) at Fino to my Chartreuse-pickled Bloody Mary at Frank to my on-point Ramos Gin Fizz at Peche--clearly Austin knows what's up. Getting to know Mindy Kucan (East Side Showroom), David Alan (Tipsy Texan), Bill Norris (Fino), Beth Bellanti (Tito's Vodka), Russell Davis (Peche), Lara Nixon (Fino), and Ceci "angel" Norman was an absolute blast (house party especially). And keep an eye out for Graham Wasilition's absinthe this summer--I don't want to give away too much, but let's just say gin drinkers will be into it.

By some further stroke of luck, I was asked to participate in a Booze Blogging panel led by Lindsey "amazing" Johnson, founder of Lush Life Productions. I was asked to whip up a punch to serve for upwards of 50 people on the fly, so I went with a simple, yet seasonal rum punch. It went over well with the crowd full of bloggers, brand reps, booze nerds and other badge holders who wandered (smart choice) into our session. Inspired by my love for a simple daiquiri (and a chunk-less mojito), I went with "Spring Fever:"

.5 oz lime juice .75 oz pineapple juice .5 oz mint-infused agave nectar* .5 oz Benedictine 1 oz. Don Q Gold Rum

Multiply recipe by number of servings. Squeeze fresh juice into punch bowl. Strain mint-infused agave nectar. Add other ingredients, and add large chunks of ice or ice mold.

*Combine one bottle of agave nectar with equal parts boiling water to sterile, airtight glass container, add crushed mint leaves.  Shake, chill for at least four hours. Strain before serving.

Can't wait to get back!

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse...

"Her early leaf's a flower."--Robert Frost

• Creme Yvette sold out within its first 48 hours on the shelves at Astor Wine & Spirits. The historic berry and botanical liqueur is a lush modifier, as I recently experienced with an exquisite Aviation at new cocktail den Dram in Williamsburg -- I'm not kidding when I say hints of blackberry, cassis, framboise, violet petals and orange peel made the gin sing on mountain high. Released as a limited early launch, the first full shipment will be coming from France at an as-yet-announced later date. If you are lucky enough to have tried it, please leave comments!
• In addition to Dram, recent bar openings include Midtown retreats Empire Room, Hospitality Holding's swanky cocktail lounge on the ground level of the Empire State Building, and La Biblioteca, a swanky tequila library at Zengo--although I've heard the latter is still waiting for their swanky liquor license.
• It's currently Tartan Week in NYC, which means there are kilted men on the loose and drams of single malt whisky everywhere you turn--in other words, this is kind of the best week ever. Be sure to check out the Tartan Day Parade, this Saturday April 10. I'll have some recaps for you on this, trust...
• Amateurs such as myself have a reason to break out the jiggers and shakers beyond entertaining ourselves by entering Louis 649's "Anyone Can Be a Mixologist" contest. Running now through April 18, non-working bartenders are invited to submit recipes using sponsored base ingredients. The live throwdown between 10 semi-finalists is April 21, and the winner gets their drink on the spring cocktail menu, a subscription to Imbibe and a $100 bar tab at Louis -- game on! Click here for the rules, newbie.
• Oh, and you probably heard this already, but Julie Reiner and her partners at Clover Club have purchased the Tailor space and are planning something somewhat tropical.
• Meanwhile, Allen & Delancey, at one point featuring a cocktail menu by Alex Day, quietly bit the dust.

Dizzy Recap: Spice & Ice at Casa Dizzy Fizz

 What's cool, hot, and a total crowd-pleaser? [If you answered "I am," props to you for being so confident. But no, sweetie, I'm not talking about you.] I'm talking about none other than the spicy cucumber margarita, a drink that I've enjoyed variations of for several years at bars in NYC like Los Dados. Any fresh-ingredient bar should be offering this cocktail for this time of year--cool, fresh muddled cucumber paired with a slice of jalapeno, your sweetener of choice, lime juice, and your favorite agave spirit--it's a simple-yet-invigorating drink that you can have all night.

So when Kara Newman asked me last month to participate in her virtual cocktail party celebrating her spicy cocktail book, Spice & Ice, choosing to make Kara's Spicy Cucumber Margarita was a no-brainer. Cocktail bloggers from all over joined in making recipes from the book, altering them as desired, and then posting pictures and recipes for all to enjoy, at least virtually. And seeing that I love hosting parties anyway, I quickly decided to have a small group of friends over to my Brooklyn crib for an impromptu cocktail jam featuring Ilegal Mezcal Reposado, Partida Blanco, and Tequila Ocho Anejo.

I changed Kara's recipe slightly by using agave nectar instead of Gran Marnier or Cointreau. Although orange liqueur is lovely in this drink, agave nectar allows the essence of the agave spirit to play a strong note--and I was playing with some amazing agave spirits. My friends and I shook up spicy cucumber margaritas using both jalapeno and habanero chiles, and variations using the mezcal and the tequilas. Needless to say, the shakers were rattling all night--my friends, whether cocktail buffs or newbies, couldn't get enough of the pale green rascals. I offered quick and easy quesadillas stuffed with vegetarian chili and cheese, and the margaritas paired perfectly. It all made for a lovely night, I didn't have to spend that much, and they were nice enough not to wreck the place.

Here's my take on the spicy cucumber margarita:

1/2 small cucumber, peeled and minced into chunks 1 slice jalapeno pepper, seeds intact 2 ounces Ilegal Mezcal Reposado/Tequila Ocho Anejo/Partida Blanco 1/2 ounce lime juice 1/2 ounce agave nectar cucumber wheel for garnish

Muddle cucumber and jalapeno slice in a shaker. Add liquids and ice, shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds, double-strain into a chilled glass, and garnish.