Who Says Love Can't Be Bought?

A good bartender should hear everything behind his bar both good and bad. Thank goodness for alcohol's ability to help forget even the most sordid comment or story in the ever so crucial night cap before bed.

There were two gentlemen sipping on delicious, wet gin martinis at the bar. As I'm walking by I hear the first guy say, "Imported, low mileage and everything looks great under the hood."
His friend responds, "Was it expensive with the international fees and taxes?"
The first guy goes, "Yeah but it was worth the body built for speed."
Intrigued, I leaned in to comment on the make and model of his new car.
Expressing a confused look, the first guy exclaims, "Car? I'm talking about my Eastern European fiancé!"

Look Out For The Red Dragon

While walking through the kitchen the other day I noticed the chef cutting up some red peppers while prepping for the busy night ahead. Using that as inspiration to modify a classic margarita recipe I ended making a red bell pepper syrup. The base of this classic recipe uses tequila, orange liqueur and citrus. First, Herradura Silver tequila was selected to carry it all. Second, Cointreau was lovingly splashed in. Third, fresh grapefruit and lemon juices were pressed in. Then, red pepper made its debut. Next, agave nectar added a hint. After that, some fresh mint, which is a great cooling herb, made its presence. Finally, smoked chardonnay salt was applied to the rim. This added a great initial texture and richness to the light, crisp, deliciousness named the Red Dragon.

Red Dragon

2 oz. Herradura Silver Tequila
1 oz. Cointreau
1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 1/2 oz. Fresh Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz. Red Pepper Syrup*
1/2 oz. Agave Nectar
6 Fresh Mint Leaves

Garnish: Smoked Chardonnay Salt Rim

Prep: Press the mint leaves in the bottom of a mixing tin. Add remaining ingredients to mixing tin with ice. Shake and strain into an old fashioned glass.

*Red Pepper Syrup: Take a red bell pepper and slice it up, remove the seeds and place in blender. Add 2 oz. of Agave Nectar. Add 2 oz. of filtered water. Blend well and press through a chinois.

Manhattan Cocktail Classic 2010

What is the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (MCC) about? Well, according to their website it is, "New York City’s first ever multi-day event celebrating the history, contemporary culture, and artful craft of the cocktail. Part festival, part fête, part conference, part cocktail party, the Manhattan Cocktail Classic brings together the unparalleled talents and opportunities of the bars, bartenders, and restaurants of our great city for five days of activities, both educational and celebratory in nature, championing the common ideals of authenticity, equality, sustainability, service, and pleasure.
Whimsical as it may sound, the event did have some amazing events and seminars to be enjoyed. To start it all off in style though, the Gala kickoff at the NYC public library was quite the spectacle. It covered four stories of the impressive building, and everyone invited raved.



While each bar in this 2500+ guest list event was sponsored by different liquor companies, I was working a Willy Wonks themed candy filled bar showcasing Remy Cointreau brands. Offering a whopping six different tasty libations for the attendees of this crazy party.






The set up was taxing, but with a crack squad composing of Michael Flannery, Ricky Gomez, Danny Ronen and myself and the constant supply of candy around us that went into the build out of the Willy Wonka themed bar we kept our energy levels high. For the event we had to batch out six cocktails for the masses, and they featured the following: Highland Park 12yr, Famous Grouse, Mt. Gay Eclipse, Cointreau, Remy V.S.O.P. and Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka.











Did I mention the Oompa Loompas?


After surviving the gala, one could find themselves in various seminars held at the Astor Center covering a wide range of subjects. My personal favorite, The Agave Session: The Magical Elixirs of Mexico included Ron Cooper, Steve Olson and good amount of tequila and mezcal to try.



There was also the MCC bar that was set up special for the event at the Astor Center, which showcased several great sponsoring brands including: Hendricks, Appleton and Ketel One. The delicious recipes they provided paired with talented bartenders culminated into an impressive tasting and well put together cocktail for those who needed a little "pick me up" before or after each educational experience.



Finally, there were several off-site events throughout the city. From showcasing new bars to judging talent behind others late nights and early morning were had by many. A fun filled one that I went to was the Don Q rum competition and event at Theatre Bar. The judging panel included Francine Cohen, James Menite and Tony Abou-Ganim.


All in all, the event has matured from its initial pre-event last October. Cheers to everyone involved, and I look forward to being there next year.

Summer Cocktails Meant To Tantalize And Keep You "Cool."

Summer time is coming up and here are a few lovely tipples to tip the degrees of heat in your favor. With a plethora of fresh components, some herbs, spices, bitters and good old muddled mayhem these cool cocktails will definitely refresh you on even the warmest of days. Enjoy!

Lets begin with the...

Green Lotus
1 1/2 oz. Vodka 
1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice 
1 oz. Agave Nectar
6 Green Seedless Grapes 
Top with Soda Water 
 
Garnish: Single Green Grape on a Pick 
 
Prep: Muddle the grapes in a mixing tin. Add vodka, fresh lime juice and simple syrup into mixing tin with ice. Shake and strain into a highball glass over ice. Top with soda water.

Keep it refreshing with a delicious...

Summer Spritzer
1 1/2 oz. St. Germain
5 oz. Sauvignon Blanc
1/2 Fresh Orange
2 dashes of Regan's Orange Bitters
Soda Water

Garnish: Orange Wheel

Preparation: Squeeze the juice of half an orange into a large red wine glass. Pour the St. Germain and wine into the glass and add a couple dashes of Regan's Orange Bitters. Fill with ice and top with soda water. Stir before serving.

Add a little spice with a...

Watermelon Spice
2 oz. Vodka
1/2 oz. Cointreau
1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
3-4 Chunks of Fresh Watermelon

Garnish: White Pepper Rim

Preparation: Muddle watermelon in a mixing tin. Add remaining ingredients with ice into the mixing tin. Shake and strain into a white pepper rimmed martini glass.

Finally, lets with a kiss...

Dragon's Kiss
2 oz. Grand Marnier 
¼ oz. Fresh Lemon Juice 
¼ oz. Fresh Lime Juice 
¼ oz. Fresh Orange Juice 
Dash of Fee Bros. Grapefruit Bitters 
Sprig of Fresh Mint 
 
Garnish: Mint Sprig 
 
Prep: Press 4-5 mint leaves into a mixing tin. Combine remaining ingredients into a mixing tin with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass over ice. 

A Delicious Sunday Sipper with a Clipper.

Throw on those boat shoes and enjoy the crisp maritime air with a Plymouth Clipper.


Plymouth Clipper

2 oz. Plymouth Gin
3/4 oz. Aperol
3/4 oz. St. Germain
3 dashes of Regan's Orange Bitters
2 1/2 oz. Fresh Grapefruit Juice
1 oz. Soda Water

Garnish: Thinly Sliced Grapefruit Wheel

Preparation: Build all ingredients except soda water into a mixing tin with ice. Stir and strain into a highball glass over ice and top with soda.

Tasted Magazine Cocktail Feature

The Sophisticant

2 oz. Hennessy Black
1 oz. Grand Marnier Cuvee Du Centenaire
1 ½ oz. Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label
1 Dash Angostura Bitters

Garnish: Flamed Orange Peel

Preparation: Combine Hennessy Black, Grand Marnier Cuvee Du Centenaire and a dash of Angostura Bitters into a mixing tin with ice. Stir for for 20 seconds. Strain into a champagne coupe and top with Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label. Ignite oils of orange peel over the cocktail and serve.


Definition of sophisticated...having a refined knowledge of the ways of the world cultivated especially through wide experience. This classy cocktail screams all this and includes a matching pocket square.

Internatioal Wine Spirits & Beer Convention's Star of The Bar

Here is a fun little summer recipe to enjoy.

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

Alas, Thanksgiving has come and with it the veritable feast that ensues. So while sampling your stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and turkey for days to come finish up the weekend with a full flavored delicious cocktail with a little digestif thrown in called the...

Smoking Turkey

2 oz. Wild Turkey Straight Rye Whiskey
1/2 oz. Fernet Branca
1 drop Lazy Kettle Brand All Natural Liquid Smoke
1 tsp. Maple Syrup

Garnish: Thanksgiving Day turkey leg on a separate plate.

Prep: Combine ingredients into a mixing tin with ice. Stir for 30 seconds and strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.

Pineapple Punch

This delicious cocktail makes use of the nutritious and multifaceted pineapple. Originating in Brazil and Paraguay this obtuse looking fruit has taken crossed the world and is even used as a topical anti-inflammatory in some countries. The play on flavors and fresh components is prevalent in this delightful concoction.

Pineapple Punch

1 1/2 oz. Hendricks Gin
1 oz. St. Germain
1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
3 muddled Fresh Pineapple Chunks
splash of Demarara Syrup (2:1 ratio)
3 dashes of Fee Brother's Grapefruit Bitters
top splash Soda Water

Garnish: Lightly Grilled Pineapple Chunk

Preparation: Muddle the pineapple in a mixing tin. Add the remaining ingredients, except soda water, into mixing tin with ice. Shake and strain into a highball and top with soda water.

The Muses: Women of Style & Substance

I was invited to make cocktails for the The Muses: Women of Style & Substance issue release party for Palm Beach Illustrated and hosted at Neiman Marcus recently. The muses inspiration led me to the following cocktails with sponsor Zyr vodka:

White Rain grape cocktails: Muddled white grapes with Zyr vodka and a splash of fresh lime juice and agave nectar served over ice in a rocks glass with a grape garnish.

Cantaloupe Thyme cocktails: Zyr vodka with fresh cantaloupe, lime and a hint of thyme, lightly sweetened and served with a half rim of white pepper served over ice in a rocks glass

Fresh Yellow Watermelon Zyr martinis with red watermelon spear as garnish served in a chilled martini glass.

Fresh Squeezed Pomegranate Zyr martinis served in a chilled martini glass

The event went extremely well and the muses were inspired themselves after the first sip.

Beverage Alcohol Resource & The Manhattan Cocktail Classic Teaser

It has been a busy past few weeks...

I recently came back from NYC after Grand Marnier awarded me a scholarship and The Breakers helped sponsor me to take the five day Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR) course. It is the epitome of spirits courses that is offered once a year with an average class of about thirty. After completing the course curriculum and practicals an arduous test awaited to receive a certification of being BAR Ready. It was quite an impressive class of people taking it and led by leaders in the industry: Dale DeGroff, Andy Seymour, Steve Olsen, Paul Picault, Doug Frost and Dr. David Wondrich. The course was held at the Astor Center, which had phenomenal facilities.















With a full brain, a desire celebrate surviving the course and a strong desire for a shot of whiskey...or three, I rolled right into prepping for the Manhattan cocktail Classic teaser. The actual five day event takes place May 2010, but what a teaser it was. With seminars during the day along with a fully functional cocktail bar manned by top bartenders of the nation (Yes, I was included in there.) people were able to try some spectacular cocktails created my Willy Shine of Contemporary Cocktails, Inc.

The final night gala's venue was none other than the New York Public Library. Over a 1,000 consumers came to the event, and I was there shaking crustas and smashes for the masses with Grand Marnier.



All in all, it was quite the experience on all fronts and many continued successes to The Breakers, Grand Marnier and the upcoming Manhattan Cocktail Classic.

Spice and Ice And Everything Nice

When the world turns upside down and nothing makes sense. What would a margarita do? It would drop its necklace of salt for pepper and its having a good time involves, thyme. Throw in a two for $4 deal on cantaloupes, and we have a Spicy Thyme Margarita.















Spicy Thyme Margarita

2 1/2 oz. Tequila
1 1/2 oz. Fresh Cantaloupe Juice
3/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
3/4 oz. Agave Nectar
Tsp. of Thyme (stripped off branch)

Garnish: Half White Pepper Rim and Lime Wedge

Preparation: Add thyme to mixing tin. Lightly press. Add remaining ingredients and shake and strain into a highball glass with ice.

kah-SHAH-sah...

Difficult to pronounce at first but extremely easy to drink using the right recipe, cachaça is a sugar cane made Brazilian rum that through its production maintains the flavor and scent of that cane goodness. Having served it in an Asian restaurant and sushi bar, this west meets east match did quite well. The cachaça was softened with a little organic sweetener. Then, the cooling effect of basil was added to help with that south Florida heat. Toss in a few muddled grapes for crispness and fresh lime to round it out and we had created an outsider to the cuisine that snuck its way in and impressed the masses. For those who wanted even something lighter to sip on I splashed a little home made Fiji soda water on top. Enjoy!














Green Gaijin

1 1/2 oz. Leblon Cachaça
5-6 Green Grapes
1 1/2 oz. Organically Sweetened Basil Lime Juice*
Splash Fiji Soda Water

Garnish: Fresh basil leaf wrapped around a green grape

Preparation: Muddle grapes in a mixing tin. Add Leblon and sweetened basil lime juice with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a highball with ice. Splash Fiji soda water on top.

*To make organically sweetened basil lime juice. Use the ratio of 1 oz. of fresh basil to every 6 oz. of fresh lime juice and 3 oz. of agave nectar. Combine all in a blender. Blend fine then run through a chinois to remove thickness.

Neiman Marcus Fashion Night Out Event

Even as the economy starts to roll over and wake up there are those that cast recession fighting tactics aside and go shopping. Neiman Marcus threw itself a swanky evening party to encourage these fashionistas, and it worked. The band played on, the DJ spun out and these are the cocktails I had in store for the invite only patrons of the evening.

Rose champagne with a white champagne foam and leopard print sprayed on top.



Vacuum infused Grand Marnier strawberries with a Navan white truffle cream served on a skewer over a rocks glass with a dollop of cream on each.

White Rain cocktails: Muddled white grapes with Zyr vodka and a splash of fresh lime juice and agave nectar served over ice in a rocks glass with a single grape garnish.



Zyr vodka martini with lobster and marscapone stuffed olives served over ice in a rocks glass.



Zyr vodka martini with metallic rose water and a rose petal with silver garnish served in a martini glass.

Long Lost Benedictine...Found Once Again .

Inspired by the herbal complexity of this spirit, and the history...and mystery behind it, I came to the conclusion that nothing but a world spanning, paradigm changing libation would work for the 500th Anniversary of this French delight. Please read no further if you are a fan of pairing this spirit with canned juices or dirty snifters. This cocktail recipe builds on the essences and flavors of Benedictine, and it pulls ingredients from across the globe paying homage to the palettes of the four corners of the planet. The best part is that with a minimal amount of preparation this tipple can be made quickly and enjoyed for a long time to come.

Marchez Le Monde (Walk the World)

2 oz. Benedictine
1/2 oz. Rhum Agricole
1/2 oz. Vanilla Cardamom Syrup*
2 oz. Fresh Orange Juice

Garnish: Thick Orange Peel

Preparation: Combine the ingredients into a mixing tin with ice. Stir quickly for 15 seconds. Strain into a champagne coupe.

*Vanilla Cardamon syrup is easily made by taking 4 oz. of whole cardamon seeds and giving them a slight grind to break out the brown seeds inside. Split and strip 2 fresh Madagascar Vanilla bean pods.Then use 30 oz. of water and bring to a boil. Introduce 50 oz. of baking sugar and allow it to dissolve before removing from flame and strain through a chinois.

The Money Melon

Honeydew, the sweetest of all the melons has been quite the treat in a lime daiquiri. The complement soft, sweetness with the tart lime makes a marriage of deliciousness in one's mouth. Revered by the ancient Egyptians and the modern Palm Beacher this tipple keeps me juicing for patron smiles, "ooohs", "ahhhs" and plenty of dollars.



Honeydew Have Another Daiquiri

2 oz. White Rum
3/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
1 1/4 oz. Fresh Honeydew Juice

Garnish: Lime wedge and sweetened coconut dust half rim*

Preparation: Add rum, fresh lime juice and simple syrup into a mixing tin with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Stir in the fresh honeydew juice on top.

Sweetened Coconut Dust: Toast a half tray of coconut flakes at 375 degrees in an oven until most are golden brown. Run flakes through a food processor until fine. (You may need to place back in the oven depending on the oil content of the flakes) Take the fine coconut flakes and run through a spice grinder until almost a powder. Mix in equal parts baking sugar to coconut rough powder.

A Mojito Built For Speed...

I know what you might be thinking. A mojito built for speed? Yes, with a little preparation even those drinks that take four minutes to make and two minutes to enjoy can be whipped up on the highest volume of days with ease.

When the 10 day forecast calls for a high of 90 degrees, low of 80 degrees and you live in south Florida, doesn't a mojito strike a chord in the heart for a cocktail deserved? Now, lets add the refreshing quality of a cool piece of watermelon, and now we have something to help battle the heat and humidity.














Whoah-termelon Mojito
2 oz. Silver Rum
3/4 oz. Fresh Mint Lime Juice*
1 oz. Simple Syrup
1 1/2 oz. Watermelon Juice

Garnish: Dueling Watermelon Rind

Preparation: Combine the rum, mint lime juice and simple syrup into a mixing tin with ice. Shake and strain into a highball with ice. Top with watermelon juice while stirring the cocktail.

* Fresh Mint Lime Juice: Combine 1 1/2 oz. of fresh mint with 500ml of fresh lime juice into a blender. Blend for 30 seconds and strain through a chinois to remove debris. Keep chilled. Do not store for more than 24 hours.

Blooming Sake.

In olden times, flowers were given to people with specific meanings in mind. While the Black Eyed Susan symbolized encouragement, the striped Carnation meant refusal. While a white Rose represented purity, the Lavender hinted at distrust. When pairing a flower with a nice chilled, crisp sake I decided to go with the beautiful hibiscus. It's soft fragrance leads to a subtle tartness in flavor that opens up on your palette and brings with it, its own personal message of delicate beauty.



Delicate Beauty

2 1/2 oz. Dry, Crisp Sake
1/2 oz. Hibiscus Syrup*

Garnish: Mandarin Orange Slice

Preparation: Build ingredients into an Izabel Lam floating glass

*Hibiscus Syrup: Take a cup of dried hibiscus flowers and combine it with three cups of water in a pan. Bring to a boil. Add two cups of sugar. Stir in to dissolve. Remove from heat and strain through a chinois to remove flowers and sediment.

GQ Magazine's Most Inspired Bartender Search

I will hopefully be swooning some judges August 9th in Ft. Lauderdale with a light and tasty...



Summer's Kiss

2 oz. Bombay Sapphire Gin
1/2 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. Rhubarb Syrup
3/4 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
top with Champagne Foam


Garnish: Atomized Fee Brothers Rhubarb bitters

Preparation: Combine the Bombay Sapphire, Cointreau, rhubarb syrup and fresh lemon juice into a mixing tin with ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds and strain into a chilled martini glass. Top with champagne foam and then a spritz of Fee Brothers rhubarb bitters.

The Eyes Are Part Of The Tasting Process

What affects a drinks quality? This isn't going to deal with recipes and balance but the actual physical process of making the drink and factors that affect the guests experience when you make a cocktail. This is just a simple awareness to the seven factors that do affect drink quality.

#1 Glassware: The moment you put that glass on the bar and begin to create a cocktail to fill it, the glass takes center stage. Lip stick marks, hard water stains, chips and cracks can take this beauty queen straight of the pages of a magazine and turn her into a burned out drag queen. Fresh, clean glassware is a must.

#2 Bar Tools: I have worked with people that never rinse tins whether going from a vodka to a vodka drink or a mojito to a gin drink. Whether its laziness or the old, "The tins are seasoned.” Nobody want pieces of mint whether the guest or the bartender in their drink. That goes for muddlers which can tint a drink if not washed and going from muddling blueberries to grapes. Also, strainers, jiggers, bar spoons and pourers. Take pride in the tools you use.

#3 Ice: The masters have always stressed the importance of ice. Keep it clean. Frequently top it off. Keep bottles out of the service ice. While I would love to work only in places with Kold Draft ice machines, fresh cracked and shaved ice, ultimately, we have to work with what is given. Take into account that while you do need dilution to balance a cocktail some delicate flavors will get washed out when using smaller cubed or slightly melted (“soft”) ice.

#4 Spirits: I lived in a land of all bars being stocked with top shelf alcohol for bottom shelf price point until someone pinched me and I awoke with a tear in my eye. Ideally, we want to give the best and most expensive to our patrons, but beyond price know what you pour. Taste, read, listen, research both the standards at the bar and the new products that are coming out. Know your spirits flavors and nuances and how they mix. Plus, keep those bottles clean. Nobody wants to be poured a shot from a dirty, torn-labeled bottle that looks like its been sitting in a dump bin.

#5 Mixers: Whether juice, pop or even a splash of soda water, mixers play a key role in the make up of a cocktail. Fresh juices are only fresh if they are made that day before service. I even know places that batch out on the hour to maintain the freshest ingredient. Proper maintenance of soda guns and lines are crucial too, as not every bar uses freshly opened soda, tonic and pop bottles

#6 Garnishes: A drink is only as good as its garnish. Leave your slimy lemons and twists and brown edged limes aside. You can have the most spectacular cocktail but by giving it a worn garnish it takes away from the visual experience the guest has. Sight is part of the flavor experience. Also, keep those garnishes on ice. Why drop a hot bomb into a cool, peaceful drink.

#7 Smile/Flair/Presentation: Even on the busiest nights there is time to smile, just make it genuine. Over the years the skill sets of multi-tasking behind a bar grow with you. You would be amazed at the compliments that I get for even in the deepest of weeds maintaining a smile and having a quip for a patron. Imagine walking into a bar and ordering a drink. The smiling bartender shakes your hand and introduces himself/herself and grabs your name then proceeds to make a drink with flourish and serves it to you with a smile. Sounds great, doesn't it?