Cosmopolitan - a Kamikazee in disguise

The cosmopolitan is usually served in a martini glass. Very often is mistaken as a type of martini. A Cosmopolitan is basically a Kamikazee cocktail with a splash of Cranberry Juice for colouring purposes.

Suggestions:
- Cosmopolitans should be of a very light pinkish tint. It´s a light colored drink.
- Flamed Orange Peel is not a must, a Lime peel twisted over the drink definitively is.
- Lime Wedge or a Lime Wheel is traditionally the garnish

Cosmopolitan Royal*
* I use the term Royal to describe cocktails prepared with top shelf alcohol

1 1/2 oz Citrus Vodka
1/4 oz Grand Manier
Tea Spoon of Rose´s Lime Juice
Splash of Cranberry Juice

Cosmopolitan

2 oz vodka/Citrus Vodka
1/2 oz Cointreau/Good Triple Sec
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1 oz Cranberry Juice

Cosmopolitan CBGB*
* CBGB Stands for Cheap But Good Booze

2 oz vodka
1/2 oz Triple Sec
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup*
3/4 oz Cranberry Juice


A lime wedge is always used to garnish.  Traditionally a coin sized piece of orange should be "flamed" across the top of the drink. This coats the drink with a slick of citrus oil.
*Everybody should learn how to make simple syrup if they want to prepare their own drinks.

Caipirinhas and Caipiroskas - Cachaça Everyone

Cachaça is a brasilian type of aguardiente, which means is distilled between 29 and 40 grades of alcohol. First fermented and then distilled, Aguardientes are inexpensive to produce and highly alcoholic.

Cachaça comes in two versions unaged (white) and aged (gold). White cachaça is cheaper since it does not need to be aged in barrels. White Cachaça is used to prepare caipirinhas.

Dark cachaça is aged in barrels ans usually drank straight up.

Traditional Caipirinha

Translates as "Peasant Girl".

1 Lime cut in chunks.Muddle in Rock Glass with 1 spoon full of sugar

Fill the Glass with Crushed Ice. 
Add 2 oz of Cachaca

Shake or Stir. Lime Wedge and short straws                                

Blackberry Caipirina

1/2 Lime cut in chunks and 3 Wild Blackberries

Muddle Lime and Blackberries in Rock Glass with 1 1/2 spoons full of sugar

Fill Glass with Crushed Ice. 
1 1/2 oz of Cachaca
Serve with short straws

Caipiroska

Caipirinha made with Vodka instead of Cachaca.

     1 Lime in chunks muddled with 1 Spoonfull of sugar

     Top with crushed ice on rock glass

     Add 2 oz of Cachaca White

     Shake or stir, top with a little Soda

While Caipirinhas made with Cachaca are seen as the drink of the lower-

classes, the Caipiroska is seen as fashionably exclusive due to its use of the

more expensive imported spirit, Vodka

Janeiro*

Honey Caipirinha

     2 oz Cachaca (sub: aguardiente)

     1/2 oz Honey or Honey Syrup

     1oz Fresh Lemon Juice

     Shake with Ice, and then strain into an Ice-filled Short Glass.

 

Manhattan - Perfect, Modern and other variations

A Manhattan is a combination of whiskey (as the main spirit), Sweet vermouth, and bitters. Stirred and garnish with a Maraschino cherry. You may find many recipes where the ingredients might get a little fancy and where the proportions change. Mixing drinks just like cooking, varies according to the ingredients. With that said, I am posting the recipe for a traditional Manhattan,

Suggestions:
- Rye Whiskey is preferred over others, but others like Bourbon, Canadian, Blended, or even Tennessee can be used.
- Some people choose to have them on the rocks and they might be poor on a low ball glass. That´s O.K.
- Be creative. Dare to switch the Angostura Bitters (With Gentian roots and other herbal flavors) for Orange Bitters (Perhaps doing your own bitters?), Peychaud´s Bitters (Other Gentian root based concoction but more floral in its aroma).
- Vermouth is used in Manhattans because the properties found in "Digestifs" (Post Dinner Spirits), therefore using amari, brandy, grappa, herbal liqueur, limoncello, ouzo, or even tequila may not be out of the question. Just experiment before hand, you don´t want to surprise negatively your guests.

MANHATTAN TRADITIONAL RECIPES

Manhattan
IBA approved recipe

2 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Canadian Whiskey works too)
1 oz Sweeth Vermouth
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Maraschino Cherry as garnish

Stirred over ice, strained, poor on chilled glass,straight up (without ice).

Perfect Manhattan
1 1/2 oz Whiskey
1 1/2 oz Sweeth Vermouth
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Maraschino Cherry as garnish


Stirred over ice, strained, poor on chilled glass,straight up (without ice).

Traditional Manhattan
2 oz Whiskey
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
1 oz DryVermouth
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Maraschino Cherry as garnish




MANHATTAN VARIATIONS

Rob Roy
A Manhattan made with Scotch
2 1/2 oz Scotch Whiskey
1 oz Sweeth Vermouth
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Maraschino Cherry as garnish

Dry Manhattan

A Manhattan made with Dry Vermouth and a Twist
2 1/2 oz Scotch Whiskey
1 oz Dry Vermouth
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Lemon Twisted over drink and used as garnish

Blackberry Ginger Manhattan

(Look for September´s blog on syrups)

1 3/4 oz american whiskey
1/3 oz italian vermouth
1/3 oz blackberry liqueour
1/3 oz ginger syrup
dash of blackberry bitters
shattered blackberries

Swirl with ice to chill, pour into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a maraschino cherries or berries

Gin Dry Martini - Recipes for Beginners, Intermediate and Ultimate Dry drinkers

Let's get this big subject out of the way from the very beginning. Dry martinis are not a great choice for first time martini drinkers. Seriously!! For amateur drinkers, Dry martinis may seem a little harsh since they have not yet accustomed their taste buds to the particular kick felt in neat liquor flavors.

Suggestions: 

- Keep a bottle of gin in the freezer for your dry martinis exclusively

- Ice/water is a key element in this drink. Always use fresh ice.

- Olives or Lemon Twist? - your choice, if you use a lemon twist, then use it, by that I mean, Twist your lemon peel over the glass, to enjoy the fragance and flavor provided by the citric oils to your libation.

- If you prefer the olives, then EAT THEM. Seriously, Eat one of your olives before drinking your Dry Martini, that will guarantee that your taste buds are covered by the natural oils of your olives and create a prefect recipient for the herbal notes fo the gin.

I am posting 3 recipes for Dry Martinis. 

• Begginners (Occasional drinkers) - 4 to 1 ratio - Shaken and bruised
• Intermediate (Your average weekend drinker) - 7 to 1 ratio- Stirred
• Ultimate drinkers (You know who you are, oh, my regulars!!) - "In and out" Martini- stirred

The original recipe calls for 4 basic ingredients. Gin, Vermouth, Olives, and Ice. How you combine them and in which proportions you mix them, will be the key element to create a different drink.

Beginners Dry Martini

Option 1: 
 "Long" Dry Martini, Shaken not stirred

The original recipe calls for 1 part gin, 1 part vermouth, but Gin´s quality is much better nowadays and its proof has increased to the point that lees vermouth is required)

4 parts of Gin
1 part Dry Vermouth

Olives as a garnish

Shaken (Bruise* it, Only for beginners...)

Option 2:

Dirty Martini, Shaken  

Check out my blog on Dirty Martinis coming on September

4 parts of Gin
1 part Dry Vermouth
1 Part Olive Brine

Olives as a garnish

Shaken (Bruised*)

* Bruised means that will be over shaken, to the point that the ice will be broken in tiny shards providing more presence of water in your drink. 40 to 50 Mississippi counts will be about the right shaking time to bruise the ice. Remember this is just an exception, average drinks will take from 15 to 20 Mississippi counts to be perfectly shaken.

I prefer to serve Shaken (Bruised) martinis to beginners with a more pronounce Vermouth flavor and garnish with 3 Olives (first time martini drinkers need to soften up the presence of herbal flavors in their palates, so don´t be shy, stuff them suckers with either red peppers, anchovies or blue cheese. Don´t forget that you are enticing new Dry believers!).

Intermediate Dry Martini

 

Option 1: 

Mr. Bond Martini (or 007 Martini), Shaken or stirred, your choice 

7 or 8 parts of Gin
1 part Dry Vermouth

Lemon Peel Twisted over the finished drink

Shaken (if you tasted less than 20 of these drinks in your lifetime)or Stirred (If you have gain the confidence and palate to enjoy the herbal notes while drinking)

Option 2: 

Gibson Martini, Shaken

7 or 8 parts of Gin
1 part Dry Vermouth
1 part Onion juice

Cocktails Onions as Garnish

Shaken, definitively

Option 3: 

Gimlet Martini, Shaken

7 or 8 parts of Gin
1 part Dry Vermouth
1 part lime juice

Lemon Peel Twisted over the glass

Shaken

Ultimate Dry Martini

Option 1: 

In and out Dry Martini

3 ounces of Gin

Rinse the glass or the ice with Vermouth, eliminate the excess after rinsing.

Lemon Peel Twisted over the finished drink or Olives. Your drink, your choice

Stirred, You have earned this right.

Extra Dry Martini

3 ounces of Gin

Swirl or Spay the glass with Dry Vermouth

Lemon Peel Twisted or Olives, or both

Stirred for 20 euphoric Mississippi counts

Types of Glassware

There are 2 kinds of glassware in general with stem or without it. They are called stemware and tumblers respectively.

Tumblers: Flat-bottomed drinking glasses. Originally they had a round bottom, therefore the name.
Stemware: Type of drinking glass that stands on stems above a base.

Tumbler Glassware List: 

Highball or Tall Glass

8 oz to12 oz volume.
Similar in shape to Collins glasses but smaller
Know also as Slim Jim or Cooler (Russian Table Glasses are faceted version of them)
You can use them to serve cocktails with ice cubes or crushed ice (except for Tequila based cocktails). Intechangeable with Collins glasses or water, soda or beer glassware

Collins Glass

8 oz to14 oz volume.
You can use them to serve cocktails with ice cubes or crushed ice (except for Tequila based cocktails)
Highball are usually interchangeable with Water, Highball, soda or beer glassware.

Rock Glass or Low Ball

6 oz to10 oz volume (Called Old Fashioned too)
Short tumbler, around 2 inches tall
You can use them to serve neat drinks or drink with ice cubes
They are used preferably for drinks such as Whiskey and  Old Fashioned

Water Glass

8 oz to 12 oz volume
Elongated tumbler type of glassware, around 4 or 5 inches tall
Usually confused with Collins and highball glasses, as well as beer and soda.
if found in a situation where you find 3 similarly shaped glasses and need to choose which one is the water glass, choose the smallest of the three options, The taller glass is used for soda or beer, and the medium as a Collins or a highball glass.

Shot Glass

1.5 oz volume.
A smaller tumbler created to hold one single measure of alcohol, a "shot" that is usually served to be taken straight from the glass. They can be decorated and used as souvenirs with humurous or colorful depictions of states, cities, or popular destinations.

Whiskey Tumbler

6 oz to10 oz volume.
Short tumbler, around 2 inches tall
You can use them to serve neat drinks or drink with ice cubes
They are used preferably for drinks such as Whiskey and  Old Fashioned

Beer Glassware (Pilsner, Pint, Pony, Beer Stein, Handle, and Jugs amongst others)

6 oz to10 oz volumen
Short tumbler, around 2 inches tall
You can use them to serve neat drinks or drink with ice cubes
They are used preferably for drinks such as Whiskey and  Old Fashioned




Stemware Glassware List:

Martini Glass (Cocktail Glass)

6 oz to10 oz volumen
Short tumbler, around 2 inches tall
You can use them to serve neat drinks or drink with ice cubes
They are used preferably for drinks such as Whiskey and  Old Fashioned

Wine Glass

6 oz to10 oz volumen
Short tumbler, around 2 inches tall
You can use them to serve neat drinks or drink with ice cubes
They are used preferably for drinks such as Whiskey and  Old Fashioned

Water Glass

6 oz to10 oz volumen
Short tumbler, around 2 inches tall
You can use them to serve neat drinks or drink with ice cubes
They are used preferably for drinks such as Whiskey and  Old Fashioned

Snifter (Brandy Glass)

6 oz to10 oz volumen
Short tumbler, around 2 inches tall
You can use them to serve neat drinks or drink with ice cubes
They are used preferably for drinks such as Whiskey and  Old Fashioned

Bordeaux, or claret

6 oz to10 oz volumen
Short tumbler, around 2 inches tall
You can use them to serve neat drinks or drink with ice cubes
They are used preferably for drinks such as Whiskey and  Old Fashioned

Burgundy

6 oz to10 oz volumen
Short tumbler, around 2 inches tall
You can use them to serve neat drinks or drink with ice cubes
They are used preferably for drinks such as Whiskey and  Old Fashioned

Champagne coupe or saucer

6 oz to10 oz volumen
Short tumbler, around 2 inches tall
You can use them to serve neat drinks or drink with ice cubes
They are used preferably for drinks such as Whiskey and  Old Fashioned

Champagne flute

6 oz to10 oz volumen
Short tumbler, around 2 inches tall
You can use them to serve neat drinks or drink with ice cubes
They are used preferably for drinks such as Whiskey and  Old Fashioned

Cordial

6 oz to10 oz volumen
Short tumbler, around 2 inches tall
You can use them to serve neat drinks or drink with ice cubes
They are used preferably for drinks such as Whiskey and  Old Fashioned

Sherry glass

6 oz to10 oz volumen
Short tumbler, around 2 inches tall
You can use them to serve neat drinks or drink with ice cubes
They are used preferably for drinks such as Whiskey and  Old Fashioned







Highball glassware is a standard in any collection of cocktail glasses and can be used for drinks such as Salty Dog, Colorado Bulldog, Vodka, Cranberry and the ever popular Whiskey Sour. A traditional highball drink is made by using one shot of rye whiskey over ice. The rest of the glass is then filled with ginger ale.

ICE for Cocktails & Martinis

Let´s explain this the easy way, there are four main diferent types of ice used when mixing drinks and these are the general guidelines on how to use them appropriately:

Ice Cubes

• Are generally use to shake all kind of drinks, so don´t get too stressed if you use it for all your libations.
• Professional Mixologist would usually prefer cracked ice to stir drinks, crushed ice for summer type of libations and ice rocks or blocks for drinks that are of course,"on the rocks".
• Ice cubes melt at a lower rate, therefore they are great for cocktails.
• Martinis are usually shaken using ice cubes, but ice is never served (seems silly to explain this, but you never know who ignores this basic tip, and yes, Erika, I wrote because of you...)
• Preferably use ice cubes when mixing juices, dairy, creams, or eggs.
• Used a strainer or a mixer´s lid to keep from serving the ice used for shaking.
• the general rule of thumb is if you poor a cocktail, poor the ice, if your poor martini, then don´t

Crushed Ice

• Great for those summer drinks that might need a little extra froth.
• Crushed ice lowers the temperature faster but dissolves into water equally fast.
• Mint Juleps, daiquiris and frozen margaritas are great candidates for this kind of ice.

Cracked Ice

• Cracked Ice is used preferably for martinis that require stirring.
• It chills more rapidly, therefore adding some extra water to the stirring process.
• You should only stir drinks that contain only spirits.

Blocks

• Small ice blocks or ice rocks are used lately for neat drinks "on the rocks"
• They can be shaped as ice disks, solid ice balls, or ice cilynders
• You can make an ice ball out of an small ice block with your everyday kitchen-bar utensils, for a demonstration check out Jim Rondall´s video here http://www.justluxe.com/lifestyle/dining/feature-818690.php
• My own personal solution is to use 6 oz plastic cups to make solid ice cubes,  release it from the mold and put into a rock glass with a little splash of water, place the rock glass in your freezer and wait until the ice cubes solidifies to the glass, then you can pour your bourbon or your scotch onto the rock glasses to enjoy a chilled neat drink.

Mixed Spirits for begginners

Mixing cocktails is fairly simple, doing it well, requires patience, dedication, passion, and precision. Great Mixologist are like cheffs, but instead of cooking we are mixing drinks. In order to make excellent drinks, we need to learn the basic drinks and build up from there.