When it comes to knockoffs and variations, perhaps no cocktail has been the subject of more unflattering imitations than the classic Daiquiri. As with most cocktail crimes, the origins of these transgressions trace back to Prohibition, when an...
It's 95ΛF right now in Brooklyn and my air conditioner is busted, so the timing for this refreshing drink couldn't be any better. Like the Americano highball I wrote about a couple of weeks ago, the Aperol Spritz fills...
"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy." --Dorothy Parker The Algonquin Round Table is the popular name of a small group of young writers, actors, and comedians in New York City who met daily at the
With the Summer Solstice having just passed, we are officially in the picnic days as they call it. And I am officially in summer mode, which makes the Americano the perfect drink to talk about because when the dog days of...
Albert Mathieu was a French mining engineer, who in 1802 proposed a plan to build a tunnel beneath the English Channel connecting France and England. Since the two countries were not the greatest of pals at the time,...
Once you understand basic cocktail recipe structure (without going off on too deep a tangent, it boils down to two general categories: sours and aromatics, first outlined in detail in The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks by...
According to Aztec tradition, the eagle warriors were an elite unit of the Aztec army, considered the most brave and fearsome. They mostly comprised of the bravest noble-born men of Aztec society, but commoners who displayed notable courage on the...
At its core, the art of mixing drinks involves the skillful ability to balance flavors. Sometimes it's a simple task involving three ingredients that are prima facie playmates, resulting in an instant classic--the Daiquiri or Manhattan cocktails come...
In the universe of consumer products, the spirits category is perhaps the most beset with mysticism, misinformation, and consumer ignorance. And there is no spirit more shrowded in mystery and mysticism than absinthe. Much of the modern misinformation involving spirits is perpetuated by the PR...
The 100 Year Punch is a cocktail that features a couple of unique ingredients that highlight the Korean heritage of its creator, Daniel Eun (who also created the #8 cocktail). Baekseju (also spelled Bek Se Ju)Β or β100 Year Wine,β is a rice and...
Last week I wrote about the classic 20th Century cocktail, and this week we move into modern times with the 21st Century. TheΒ 21st Century is Jim Meehanβs tequila-inspired update on the 20th Century which he created when he was a bartender at Audrey Saundersβ
The 20th Century is a cocktail created in the 20th Century (1937 to be exact) by C.A. Tuck (I don't know what C.A. stands for--Cocktail Aficionado perhaps?). It first appeared in the Cafe Royal Cocktail Book written by William J. Tarling, and is named...
Β Aisha Sharpe and Willy Shine, the founders of Contemporary Cocktails, created this refreshing springtime drink. The name is both a reference to the classic Manhattan area code as well as a clever play on proportions. 212 2 oz Partida Reposado Tequila 1...
The #2 drink in the PDT Cocktail Book is the #3 Cup. If you like the Pimmβs Cup, then you cannot pass up this one, which appeared on the PDT menu in the spring of 2009. Created by former PDT bartender Gerry Corcoran, the drink's...
Β "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Lao-tzu And thus begins the first step. The PDT Project officially kicks off with the #8 cocktail, a boozy tequila-based delight. Created in the fall of 2008 by former PDT bartender Daniel...
Itβs been a while. I never really intended to stop writing, it just kind of happened that way. First my computer crashed last summer, which made it obviously difficult to write blog posts. Then the winds of good fortune blew my way and I...
