The Daily Tippler

Not to be out done by their neighbors to the North the Westin NY has come up with a libation to represent themselves on “The Tippler.”

Welcome to a place where time ceases to tick and begins to flow. Where every sense is soothed and energy is restored. Where your well-being reigns supreme.  The Westhattan combines over 130 herbs and botanicals in a silky smooth concoction that will relax your mind revive your senses and renew your self.

The Westhattan (aka The Frothy French Monk):

-2 ½ oz. Cognac, VSOP
-1/2 oz. Green Chartreuse
-1/2 Tablespoon Sugar
-1 Tablespoon Water
-2 Sprigs Mint
-1 Tablespoon Egg White
-1 Teaspoon Cream
-2 Dashes Orange Bitters

In a shaker dissolve the sugar in the water. Insert the Mint Sprigs leaf side down into the sugar water and muddle with the back of a bar spoon to extract the flavor. Remove Sprigs and discard. Add the remaining ingredients and fill with ice. Shake thoroughly. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a mint leaf.

Having been inspired by the diligent work I have been doing over here at “The Tippler” as of late, my friends at the Sheraton New York Hotel have designed a cocktail submission. They wanted the drink to invoke the essence of what it is to be Sheraton and the ardor of NYC. I think they pulled it off. So… Welcome to a place where warmth and comfort connect in a glass:

The Big Apple-Cinnamon Sheratini
Submitted By: Melissa Neild & Burke Giblin

-1 oz Bols Sour Apple Liqueur
-2 oz Apple Vodka
-½ oz Sweet & Sour Mix
-1 Shot of Goldschlager

Combine all ingredients except Goldschlager in a shaker over ice. Strain into a a chilled cocktail class. Drop the Goldschlager in  in via a Shot Glass for Warm Connections. Garnish with a Cinnamon Stick

Do not drive or operate any form of motor vehicle after consuming.

I’m in Chicago this week, and in honor of the city I’ll offer some cocktails that are related. Today’s is the South Side Cocktail and, according to legend, did in fact originate on Chicago’s south side. This is a great summer drink and you can make it a fizz just by topping with Soda Water.  

South Side Cocktail:

-3 oz. London Dry Gin
-Juice of half a lemon
-1 Teaspoon Sugar
-2 Sprigs Mint
-Soda Water Top (optional)

In a shaker disolve sugar in lemon. Insert Mint Sprigs and muddle to extract flavor. Remove Sprigs and discard. Add gin fill with ice and stir. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Top with Soda Water if desired. Garnish with a mint sprig and lemon wedge.

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day. I’m in Chicago this week, which is actually not so windy in the summer, but nice and temperate. In honor of the city I’ll offer some cocktails that are related. Today’s is, fittingly, The Chicago Cocktail. All though named for the city it is believed to have originated in the bars of New York. Either way it is a pretty nice drink and you can make it fancy by topping with Champagne. 

The Chicago Cocktail:

-3 oz. Brandy
-1/4 oz. Orange Curacao
-Dash Angostura Bitters
-Champagne Top (optional)

Combine all ingredients, except champagne, in a shaker over ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Top with Champagne if desired. 

With Memorial day coming up next Monday I thought I would offer drinks to serve at your BBQ’s all week long. My aim here is to spice up your parties and hopefully impress your friends and neighbors. Well we finally made it; the holiday weekend is only hours away. Today I give you that Frat Party classic the Skip & Go Naked. But seriously, all negative connotations aside, Gin & Beer are probably the two things most imbibed for refreshment on a hot summers day -all though I would make a strong case for Brandy & Mint- so why not combine them. The big question is what Gin, what Beer? you can really have a lot of fun with this. Conventional wisdom says Lager with Dry Gin and this is great. But how about Hendricks and Leffe Blonde or Genever with a Lambic or Framboise; the later will be tasty but not refreshing.  Anyway, here’s to hoping Monday is a hot summer’s day!

Skip & Go Naked:

-1 1/2 oz. Gin
-1 oz. Lemon Juice
-1 Teaspoon Sugar
-Beer to Fill

Add Gin, Sugar and Lemon Juice to a beer glass and fill halfway with ice. Stir it. Add Beer to Fill. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

With Memorial day coming up next Monday I thought I would offer drinks to serve at your BBQ’s all week long. My aim here is to spice up your parties and hopefully impress your friends and neighbors. I couldn’t let the week go by without at least one Tiki Cocktail, so here’s an underrated classic. Summer is the season for fresh fruit and berries and the best thing about Tiki drinks is that you can garnish the hell out of them, so use a big glass and don’t for get the umbrella.

The Mai Tai:

-2 oz. Jamaican Rum
-1/2 oz. Curacao
-1 oz. Lime Juice
-1/2 oz. Orgeat
-1/4 oz. Simple Syrup

Combine in a shaker over ice and strain into an ice filled rocks glass. See above for garnish.

With Memorial day coming up next Monday I thought I would offer drinks to serve at your BBQ’s all week long. My aim here is to spice up your parties and hopefully impress your friends and neighbors. I don’t know about you guys, but I love spicy drinks (and food) when it’s hot out. So here’s a recipe for a spicy Margarita. To make the puree just puree a Jalapeno Pepper in a blender with adding water until it is totally smooth. If you really want to give this a quick you can make an infused tequila. It is best to use an un-aged or Blanco Tequila. Place it in a Mason Jar with a whole Jalapeno pepper and the lid tightly fastened for for 2-3 days. Strain it through a cheesecloth back into the bottle. If it comes out too strong you can always mix it with regular Tequila. 

Jalapeno Margarita:

-1 1/2 oz Tequila
-1/2 oz Triple Sec
-1/2 oz Jalapeno Puree
-1/2 oz. Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
-Salt to rim glass

Rim a highball glass with Salt. Combine all remaining ingredients in a shaker over ice. Fill highball with ice and strain the drink into it. Garnish with a slice of Jalapeno and a Lime Wedge.

With Memorial day coming up next Monday I thought I would offer drinks to serve at your BBQ’s all week long. My aim here is to spice up your parties and hopefully impress your friends and neighbors. So, today gets a little more challenging mainly because you will need some time to prepare for this. The recipe here is for the Dark & Stormy, but the main thrust is to make your own Ginger Beer. Ginger Beer mixes well with a number of liquors, so if the Rum is not your thing try Whiskey or Vodka. If you’d like additional recipes let me know and I’ll be Happy to send them your way. 

Ginger Beer:

-12 oz. Ginger washed and roughly chopped
-1 Bay Leaf
-1/2 Cup Sugar Syrup (this should be made at 1:1, about 3/4 cup sugar to 3/4 cup water) 
-10 Cups Water
-2 Cups Soda Water
-Juice of one Lemon

Boil the water and pour it over the Ginger in Bay Leaf in a large bowl. Let this sit for a minimum of 4 hours or as long as overnight; the longer the better. Strain the Ginger mixture into a pitcher. Add Lemon Juice and Sugar Syrup and stir. Add the Soda Water before serving for carbonation.  

Dark & Stormy:

-2 oz. Dark Rum (Gosling’s Black Seal is best)
-3 oz. Ginger Beer

Build in a highball glass over ice and garnish with a lime wedge. 

With Memorial day coming up next Monday I thought I would offer drinks to serve at your BBQ’s all week long. My aim here is to spice up your parties and hopefully impress your friends and neighbors. Today is a variation on the Pina Colada. The recipe is really not much different then one you would order poolside. But, I think when people make these at home they tend to buy the pre made mix and throw it in a blender with Rum. It’s really not tough to make it on your own and you will be able to appreciate the flavors of fresh ingredients. You are all ready going to have to clean the blender and that’s the toughest part really!

The Spiced Colada:

Syrup:
-15 oz. Coco Lopez or other Coconut Cream
-6 oz. Pineapple Juice
-3 oz. Lemon Juice
-3 oz. Lime Juice
-4 oz Water
-4 oz. Superfine Sugar
-9 dashes Angostura Bitters

Colada
-2 oz. Spiced Rum
-1 0r 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Make the syrup first by combining all the ingredients in a blender until smooth about 1 minute. This will give you enough mix for about 4 drinks. Make the Colada by combining 4 oz. Syrup with 2 oz. Rum and 1.5 cups ice in the blender until thick about 1-2 minutes. Serve topped with bitters and a straw. 

Chartreuse has been showing up, lately, on a lot of reputable cocktail menus.  This french liqueur produced by Carthusian Monks first shows up in print around 1605. The recipe of 130 herbs and flowers is known by only three monks at any given time. The flavor is definitley an aquired taste, but is quite dynamic and can be used to spice up a variety of drinks. Give this a shot with a sweeter champagne.

Chartreuse & Champagne

-1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
-1/4 oz Cognac
-Champagne (to fill)

Combine ingredients in a champagne flute. The bubbles will stir it for you. Garnish with a lemon twist.