The Daily Tippler

As with most of what we’ve been discussing over the past week, it is hard to pinpoint the exact time and place where the return to classic cocktails occurred. There are many important bars, restaurants and bartenders who contributed; some aware and some unaware of what was going on. Many people like to think of Dale Degroff’s work at the rainbow room in the late 80’s as the seminal moment; but I think it is more interesting to look at the forces surrounding it.

The cocktail revolution is really just a part of the larger food revolution that has occurred over the past few decades. A lot of this can be attributed to positive economic growth. But more importantly the country’s desire to move away from processed and package foods. To distill the importance of each ingredient in it’s raw and natural flavor. For this I think we owe ‘us’ a toast to thank ‘ourselves’ for our contribution to the revival. Without the tipplers there wouldn’t be much tippling. Happy Cocktail Week everyone!

The Daily Tippler:

-3oz. Sazerac Rye Whiskey
-1 Splash Antica Formulae Sweet Vermouth
-1 Splash Luxardo Maraschino
-2 Dashes Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters

Combine ingredients in a shaker over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me that question.

Bitters are an alcohol based herbal infusion. The general idea is to take a bitter flora, which have strange names like Gentian & Quassia, a flavoring agent, traditionally citrus in the form of dried peels, and throw it all in a jar of high proof alcohol and let it macerate for a while. Today they come in all forms and flavors and can ad a dynamic zip to your cocktails.

More interesting then the what is the why. You ever watch a movie that has schisty guys in the 1800s selling miracle tonics? That’s bitters! They were originally invented for medicinal purposes and contained alcohol merely as a preservative. It is true that bitters are great for settling your stomach and doctors prescribed them a lot; most “patients” were told to drink them every morning. If you have ever tasted straight bitters it’s not to pleasant, so it was often prescribed in wine or some other spirit. At this point we refer to yesterdays Timeline: someone, probably many someones, got the idea to pour the bitters in the Sling and called it a Cocktail.

BOKER’S BITTERS
Workshop Receipts, 1883

-1 ½ oz quassia
-1 ½ oz calamus
-1 ½ oz catechu (powdered)
-1 oz cardamom
-2 oz dried orange peel

Macerate for 10 days in 1 gallon strong whiskey, and then filter and add 2 gal. water.
Color with malva flowers.

I’ll be on vacation from 7/27-8/07/09. If I were a good blogger I would have written all my posts ahead of time. But, I’m not and I have a day job. So, instead you’ll get my “Greatest Hits.” I say this with a grain of salt, but all last week I offered my own creations and this week I’ll offer my favorites:

Remember the Maine

I’ll be on vacation from 7/27-8/07/09. If I were a good blogger I would have written all my posts ahead of time. But, I’m not and I have a day job. So, instead you’ll get my “Greatest Hits.” I say this with a grain of salt, but all last week I offered my own creations and this week I’ll offer my favorites:

I’ll be on vacation from 7/27-8/07/09. If I were a good blogger I would have written all my posts ahead of time. But, I’m not and I have a day job. So, instead you’ll get my “Greatest Hits.” I say this with a grain of salt, but all last week I offered my own creations and this week I’ll offer my favorites:

 The Martinez

I’ll be on vacation from 7/27-8/07/09. If I were a good blogger I would have written all my posts ahead of time. But, I’m not and I have a day job. So, instead you’ll get my “Greatest Hits.” I say this with a grain of salt, but all last week I offered my own creations and this week I’ll offer my favorites:

 Manhattan

I’ll be on vacation from 7/27-8/07/09. If I were a good blogger I would have written all my posts ahead of time. But, I’m not and I have a day job. So, instead you’ll get my “Greatest Hits.” I say this with a grain of salt, but all last week I offered my own creations and this week I’ll offer my favorites:

The Brandy Smash

I’ll be on vacation from 7/27-8/07/09. If I were a good blogger I would have written all my posts ahead of time. But, I’m not and I have a day job. So, instead you’ll get my “Greatest Hits.” I say this with a grain of salt, but all this week are my own creations:

The Trilingual Belgian

I’ll be on vacation from 7/27-8/07/09. If I were a good blogger I would have written all my posts ahead of time. But, I’m not and I have a day job. So, instead you’ll get my “Greatest Hits.” I say this with a grain of salt, but all this week are my own creations:

Mumbai Millionaire

I’ll be on vacation from 7/27-8/07/09. If I were a good blogger I would have written all my posts ahead of time. But, I’m not and I have a day job. So, instead you’ll get my “Greatest Hits.” I say this with a grain of salt, but all this week are my own creations:

Cocktail Day Punch