Congrats to Employees Only!



I have only been to Employees Only once -- and it was way before I was into the cocktail craze or even started this blog. Unfortunately, I didn't have the good sense back then to order a proper sip and the only thing that really made an impression was the fortune teller by the entrance.

But now I have a reason to go back, because this West Village speakeasy was just named Best Cocktail Bar in the World at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans last month! Click here to see what the guys behind the bar had to say about this well-deserved honor.

And if you can't make it to Employees Only any time soon, consider stirring up the recipe below, a modern take on a classic punch.

The Remedy
By Steve Schneider, Employees Only

1/2 part absinthe (2 cups) (Schneider's prefers Pernod 68 Absinthe - decent price, high proof, very well balanced)
1 part raw sugar syrup (4 cups)*
1 part fresh lime (4 cups)
2 parts filtered water (8 cups)
1 part Champagne (1 bottle)(Schneider's rec: Perrier Jouet Grand Brut for its level of dryness)
1 pound strawberries, sliced
2 long English cucumbers, sliced
3 limes, cut into wheels
grate nutmeg to taste

Take all the ingredients, except the Champagne and nutmeg and place them in a container overnight. The punch and the fruit will soak together nicely overnight. Once ready to serve, add the decorative ice mold** and add punch. Top off with the Champagne and grate nutmeg to taste***

*Sugar syrup: 2 cups of water to every 1 pound of sugar. Heat all ingredients in a saucepan and stir until sugar is dissolved, let cool and bottle.

**Decorative Ice Mold: Purchase any sized bundt pan and fill it up by strategically placing strawberries and cucumbers with ice cubes in the pan before topping it off with water and freezing overnight. This provides a nice large block of ice to keep your punch cold, and as it melts, it will add more fruit to your punch -- it also adds a cool decor element to the table.

***Don't add the Champagne until the end so it doesn't go flat. A note about the fruit that's been sitting in the punch overnight: Schneider likes to discard the original fruit because it can get mushy after sitting overnight and replace it with new, diced fruit small enough so it can comfortably fit in the glass and won't hinder the drinking experience.

Lemony-licious

I love all things lemon. Lemon-blueberry pancakes, my mom's lemon biscotti, lemon bars and, of course, lemon-y cocktails. So for my best friend's bridal shower this past May, I mixed up a batch of Sparkling Lemon Vodka cocktails as the celebration's signature sip. They were so good that this pretty container didn't last very long as a decor element!

Lemon Vodka Sparkling Cocktails*
1 cup vodka, chilled
1/2 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
2 2/3 cups Champagne, or other sparkling wine, chilled

Combine vodka and lemonade in a pitcher; chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, add Champagne and stir gently. Yields 8 half-cup servings (I think I tripled this recipe for the party).

*This recipe was adapted from Cooking Light's gin version.

Another lemon cocktail recipe I'm obsessed with? Lemon Verbena Gimlets

'Tis the Season to Sip

I've just been asked to recommend some cocktails for the holiday season, so I thought I'd do a quick blog post with a round up of a few of my faves from past years. Hope this season is a very merry one for everyone!

Coquito
Courtesy of The Food Network
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 (14 oz.) can condensed milk
2 egg yolks
2 cups fresh coconut milk or 1 (15 oz.) can coconut milk
Pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup Bacardi white rum

Place all ingredients in a blender and process for 3 minutes at high speed until frothy. Store in a glass container in the refrigerator and serve chilled, dusted with a little cinnamon.

Christmas Cosmo
Courtesy of RecipeZaar.com
1 1/2 oz. rosemary-infused vodka
1/2 oz. triple sec
1 oz. cranberry juice
1 inch rosemary sprigs, for garnish
Cranberries, for garnish

To make the rosemary-infused vodka, coarsely chop 1 bunch of rosemary and put it in a fifth of vodka overnight and then strain out the rosemary. To make the drink, shake all the liquids in a cocktail shaker and then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with 1 cranberry and a little sprig of rosemary.

Sugar Plum Fairy
Courtesy of Stirrings
2 oz. Stirrings Sugar Plum Martini
1 oz. Ciroc Vodka
Splash sparkling wine or dry Champagne

In a champagne flute, top Sugar Plum Martini and vodka with sparkling wine or Champagne.

Eggnog Martini
Courtesy of Stirrings
2 oz. Stirrings Egg Nog
1.5 oz. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
Stirrings Egg Nog Rimmer Garnish

Shake with ice and serve straight up in a Stirrings Egg Nog rimmed glass.

Poinsettia Cocktail
1/2 oz. Combier
3 oz. cranberry juice, chilled
Orange twist
Champagne

In a champagne flute, combine Combier and cranberry juice. Add the orange twist, top with champagne and serve.

Spiced Cherry Collins '
Courtesy of Jonathan Pogash
1 1/2 oz. Christmas Tea-infused Bombay Sapphire Gin**
3 cherries, pitted
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. clove syrup**
Club Soda
Garnish: cherry and cloved lime slice
Glass: highball

Muddle the cherries, then shake other ingredients except for club soda in a cocktail shaker then strain into highball glass with ice. Top w/ club soda. Stir briefly.

To make Christmas tea-infused Bombay Sapphire Gin: For every one 750 ml bottle of Bombay Sapphire Gin, add in 3 Christmas tea bags to airtight container w/ Gin. Allow to infuse for approx. 30 minutes. Remove tea bags and serve.

To make clove syrup: Combine 1 cup of water with 1 cup of demerara sugar or sugar in the raw. Add in 1 tbsp whole cloves and heat until sugar is dissolved. Then simmer for approx. 10 minutes. Strain out cloves, chill, and serve.

Spicy Elf
Courtesy of Jonathan Pogash
1 oz. Belvedere IX Vodka
1/2 oz. Allspice Liqueur
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. agave nectar
Ginger Beer
Garnish: peppermint sprig

Shake the first four ingredients together in a cocktail shaker and strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with splash of ginger beer.

Sips from The Knot Gala

This past week, we celebrated the 15th anniversary of The Knot at an amazing gala at the New York Public Library (check out all the pics here). Of course, no party is complete without a menu of signature cocktails, so we called upon the Cocktail Guru himself, Jonathan Pogash, who just launched his Wedding Cocktail Design blog and graciously hopped behind the bar to mix up the following sips for our 750+ guests. Thanks, Jonathan!

Manhattan Wedding Punch
(wedding theme: simple, backyard, harvest, seasonal)
(season: fall/winter)
(color scheme: caramel)

2 parts Bols Genever
1 part Sailor Jerry Rum
1/2 part Domaine de Canton Ginger liqueur
1 part Apple Cider
3/4 part Fresh Lemon juice
1/2 part maple syrup
The Bitter Truth Aromatic bitters to taste

Directions: Add all to punch bowl with several lemon and orange wheels, and chill and dilute w/ ice. Add freshly grated nutmeg when ready to serve.

Cranberry Spice Sparkler
(wedding theme: Holidays, Valentine’s Day, modern)
(season: fall)
(color scheme: cranberry, cardinal, burgundy, candy apple)

5 whole fresh cranberries
1 heaping tsp. pumpkin pie spice agave nectar
splash of fresh lemon juice
3 oz. Sparkling wine

Directions: Muddle the cranberries in the pumpkin agave nectar and lemon juice. Add the sparkling wine and ice and gently fold. Strain into a chilled champagne flute.

Garnish: a floating cranberry

Move Over Watermelon ...

It's strawberry season! What does this mean for cocktails? Well, sips flavored with muddled strawberries just happen to be my summer drink of choice these days. Here are just a few I've recently had the pleasure of sipping:

Strawberry Caipirinha @ Morels: a refreshing twist on a Latin classic made with Cabana cachaca, muddled strawberries, and lime juice.

Art Nuvo [shown] @ Laguna Champagne Bar: A fizzy concoction of Grey Goose, lemon juice, fresh strawberry puree, and Nuvo vodka, all topped off with Moet & Chandon Imperial.

And here is one I hope to be making July 4th weekend - I think it will go perfectly with our patriotic festivities.

Strawberry Rose Gimlet
Recipe by Mixologist Matthew Biancaniello of Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel
2 oz. gin
3/4 oz. Rosewater syrup
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
3 to 4 fresh strawberries

To make stir up 3 to 4 fresh strawberries with Rosewater syrup and fresh lemon juice. Add gin, shake with ice, and strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with cut strawberries.

SATC Week: Flirty & Fabulous

No SATC week would be complete without my favorite SATC cocktail of them all. There are many versions of the Flirtini, but this one is my favorite. The Flirtini is cocktail that the four soulmates were sippin' on Samantha's rooftop in the season three finale - my favorite season of all. Enjoy!

The Flirtini
1 oz. Stoli Strasberi vodka
1/2 oz. triple sec
1/2 oz. pineapple juice
Splash of lime juice
Champagne
4 raspberries

Combine vodka, triple sec, and juices together in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Float with champagne. Garnish with raspberries.

SATC Week: More Sex = More Moet

The amount of product placement and random brands that are hopping onto the SATC bandwagon is enough to make your head spin. Personally, I don't think many of them make a lot of sense from a marketing standpoint, but here is one that I can get behind. It's not hard to imagine the four Manolo-clad ladies sipping any one these bubbly concoctions, courtesy of Moet & Chandon Imperial.

The Fashionista
¾ ounce of pomegranate juice
3 ounces of Moët Impérial
A pink rose petal for garnish

Pour the pomegranate juice into a glass. Fill with Moët Impérial. Stir gently with a long spoon. Place a pink rose petal over the drink.

The Player [Question: Is Miranda supposed to be "The Player"? Discuss...]
¼ ounce fresh lime juice
¼ ounce ginger liqueur
3 ounces Moët Impérial
Lime peel slice for garnish

Pour the fresh lime juice and ginger liqueur into a champagne flute. Fill with Moët Impérial. Stir gently with a long spoon. Add lime peel garnish.

The Socialite
½ ounce elderflower liqueur
3 ounces Moët Impérial
Sugar cube

Place the sugar cube into a champagne flute. Pour in the elderflower liqueur and fill with Moët Impérial. Stir gently with long spoon.

The Bombshell
½ ounce tangerine juice
¼ ounce maraschino liqueur
3 ounces Moët Impérial
Maraschino cherry for garnish

Place the maraschino cherry into a champagne flute. Pour in the tangerine juice and then the maraschino liqueur. Fill with Moët Impérial. Stir gently with a long spoon.

Swanky Bubbles

When I first moved to New York four years ago, I was overwhelmed by the number of restaurants and bars. After all, I knew every restaurant and bar in Philadelphia having lived and worked there all my life. So when I came to NYC, someone said to me, "Make your own Philly in New York. Find 10 restaurants you really love and make them your go-tos." I haven't found ten yet, but I do have a few favorites that I frequent often (Cafe Noir, Sala 19, Snack Taverna). And now, my latest: The Bubble Lounge in TriBeCa. The thing I love about it is that it reminds me of my favorite champagne bar in Philadelphia, Swanky Bubbles (except its missing the great sushi). Here's my favorite cocktail from The Bubble Lounge. Ironically, it's not made with any kind of bubbly, but it's one of their signature sips, and it's so good.

The Calabria: Hennessy VS, gingerale, lemon juice, muddled strawberries

Oh, and my fave from Swanky's? The Blondie: a mix of champagne, Stoli Vanil and pineapple juice

Susie & Seabreezes

Yesterday, I was so fortunate to attend the wedding of my co-worker and amazing friend, Susie, who married her longtime-love Francis. The intimate gathering of the couple's closest family and friends was nothing short of spectacular. From the gorgeous weather (a sunny 67 degrees at vows time) and centerpieces to the fabulous venue (The Ritz-Carlton, Grande Lakes) and the bride's stunning Melissa Sweet gown, Susie and Francis got their perfect wedding day.

During cocktail hour, the Caribbean Seabreezes (shown here) were aflowin'. This sip is a Ritz specialty, made with Bacardi rum, triple sec, a dash of grenadine, lime juice, pineapple juice, and splash orange juice. So good, and the color coordinated with Susie's sophisticated pink and gray color combo.

And we can't forget the bride's favorite sip! A Kir Royale (1/4 part Chambord topped with Champagne) is a Susie signature - classic and elegant just like the bride herself.

Coming Up Roses

This past weekend I celebrated turning another year better with my amazing co-workers at Rayuela on the Lower East Side. Of course, I had to pick a place with delicious cocktails and this stylish, Latin American spot did not disappoint. I pretty much stuck to pisco sours (lime juice, pasteurized egg white, Ocucaje Quebranta Pisco and a dash of bitters) the entire night, but did take a little detour to try what everyone else at the table was raving about: the Coming Up Roses, one of Rayuela's signature sips made with rose petals, limes, rose water, Bacardi Razz and Champagne. So good. If you go, also be sure to try the Vodka, mixed with sage leaves, Anjou pear, Luxardo Maraschino Liquor and -- my fave -- Grey Goose La Poire.

In serious need of an Italy fix...

It started in West Hollywood. In search of the cast from Grey's Anatomy, my friend took me to Cecconi's for breakfast. We sat on the patio (shown), enjoyed amazing coffee, and enjoyed a little slice of la dolce vita. This place reminded me of so much of the venerable San Domenico restaurant in NYC, and if it wasn't before noon, I would have loved to have been sippin' some Campari.

Then last week, I went to see the Valentino documentary. Most of the movie took place in beautiful Rome and the next day I found myself on Kayak looking up flights to Milan. Unfortunately, flight prices are still a little steep for my budget, so I've decided to transport myself to Italy in a more economical fashion: by consuming as many blood orange cocktails as possible. According to New York, 'tis the season for this native Italian fruit.


Blood Orange Bellini
Courtesy of Stirrings
1 part Stirrings Blood Orange Mixer
4 parts dry Chandon Sparkling Wine
Garnish: Stirrings Blood Orange Rimmer

Rim chilled Champagne flute with Blood Orange Rimmer. Pour in Mixer and top with Chandon Sparkling Wine.

Drinks from the Road

This past month I started traveling for my new job. Though I'm not home much, I do get to visit a lot of warm weather places, which is nice considering it's like 18 degrees in Hoboken right now! So in 2009, in addition to Blind Sippin', you'll also be seeing more drinks from across the country on Martini Talk. Here are a couple from my two new favorite cities.


Pom Ginger Martini
Courtesy of the Verandah Lounge in Dallas
1 part Vodka
2 parts PAMA pomegranate liqueur
Crushed ginger

Mix vodka and PAMA with ice. Strain into a ginger-rimmed martini glass.

Sparkling Hibiscus
Courtesy of Roy's in San Diego
1 oz. Belvedere vodka
1/2 oz. Hawaiian hibiscus nectar
3 oz. Domaine Chandon Sparkling Rose

Pour vodka and hibiscus nectar in a champagne glass and top with sparkling wine.

Blind Sippin': Cointreau vs. Combier

With the new year I'm introducing a new feature to Martini Talk: Blind Sippin', where I'll be comparing well-known brands to innovative up-and-comers. The first installment? A blind tasting of two French orange liqueurs.

We all know Cointreau - a good cosmopolitan's secret ingredient and preferred choice for cocktails that call for triple sec. Now, there is Combier. Combier is not new. In fact, its touted as the original triple sec, having been around since 1834. Its all-natural recipe and light, citrusy scent is attracting lots of attention lately. What I like most is that it doesn't have the overbearing taste of alcohol that is very present in Cointreau -- taste them side-by-side and you'll see what I mean. The fact that Combier is triple distilled in 100 year old copper stills designed by Gustav Eiffel (yes, the Eiffel Tower guy) also gives it a certain je ne sais quoi. And, it's priced lower than then competition, which in these tough economic times is certainly a plus.

Combier Flirtini
2 pieces of pineapple
1/2 oz. Combier Liqueur d'Orange
1/2 oz. vodka
1 oz. pineapple juice
3 oz. champagne

In the bottom of a mixing glass muddle the pineapple pieces and Combier. Add vodka and juice and stir with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass and top with champagne. Garnish with a slice of pineapple.

Tis the Season for Bubbly

My 2008 sip of choice? Champagne (more specifically, a little Veuve), and all the bubbly cocktails that go along with it. So I was so excited when Kim Haasarud's 101 Champagne Cocktails arrived in my mailbox. There are so many recipes that are perfect for the holiday season. Here are two to try:



Poinsettia Cocktail
1/2 oz. Combier
3 oz. cranberry juice, chilled
Orange twist
Champagne

In a champagne flute, combine Combier and cranberry juice. Add the orange twist, top with champagne and serve.

Champagne Celebration
Created by Tony Abou Ganim
1 sugar cube
Peychaud's bitters
1/2 oz. Hennessy VSOP
1/2 oz. Combier
Chilled Moet & Chandon White Star
Long orange twist for garnish

Soak the sugar cube in Peychaud's bitters and drop into a champagne flute. Add cognac and Combier. Slowly fill with champagne and garnish with orange twist.

To good health, good fortune, and infinite happiness!

Ruby Red

Sorry, I've been a bit MIA lately. I recently started a new job, a somewhat new relationship, and a GMAT prep class all in the past month. Needless to say, things have been a little crazy, but that doesn't mean the cocktails stop flowin'. Like weddings (a subject I know a lot about), cocktail culture seems to be recession proof. In good times or bad, people still need a drink. And though it seems almost every company is scroogin' out on their holiday parties, I myself can't wait for the holiday season to get here. In these tough times, a little mistletoe and Christmas Wrapping is sure to go a long way, and it all begins with my favorite holiday of them all: Thanksgiving.

Though I will be spending Turkey Day in LA with Ed (somewhat new relationship), I'll be thinking of my friends at Blue Sage on Friday, when we would normally gather for Potato & Corn Chowder soup, Casbah salads, and a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau. Luckily, co-owner Holly was kind enough to give me her secret recipe for a seasonal-inspired sip I can make on the West Coast.

Ruby Sipper
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup cranberry juice
1 cup pomagranate juice
2 cups sugar
Rind & juice of two oranges
Sparkling white wine/ Prosecco
Red sugar for glass rim
Whole fresh cranberries for garinsh

Add to a sauce pan coarsely chopped cranberries, juices, sugar & orange rind simmer until syrupy about ten minutes. Strain; cool syrup to room temp. Pour into squirt bottles( this makes it so to pour into champagne flutes). Pour 1-2 tablespoons syrup into sugar rimmed flutes, then top with sparkling wine. Garnish with cranberry.

*cranberry - ponagranate syrup is also great in vanilla vodka
*syrup lasts in refrigerator for two weeks.

It's Tales of the Cocktail time!

This Wednesday, the country's hottest chefs, authors, mixologists, bloggers, and more will descend upon the French Quarter for the annual Tales of the Cocktail, a four-day event in honor of the spirit -- and spirits -- of New Orleans. Why New Orleans? Well believe it or not, that is where the cocktail originated. Though I've never been, I can't think of a better reason to visit. Unfortunately though, I'm unable to attend this year. But that doesn't mean I won't be celebrating this annual tradition. Instead, my friends and I will be hopping around New York City this Friday night, imbibing at classic cocktail establishments known for mixing up tasty old-school sips. Stay tuned for cocktails and happenings from the 1st Annual NYC Cocktail Bar Tour. In the meantime, check out the winner of 2007's Tales of the Cocktail competition:

Starfish Cooler
Courtesy of Stacey Smith, GW Fins, New Orleans
1 oz. Moët & Chandon White Star
1 oz. Limoncello
1 oz. PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
1 oz. Unsweet Iced Tea
½ oz. Simple Syrup

Muddle orange slice and mint leaf in collins glass. Combine all ingredients.

Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere

OK, so this post isn't about martinis, but it is about my next favorite drink at the moment: champagne. Just last week I attended a champagne tasting at Country at The Carlton hotel in New York. This is fast becoming one of my favorite restaurants in the city -- I love lighting and decor. The best part? The champagne lounge on the second level. Here's one of their signature sips:

The International Cocktail
1/4 oz. Hennessy VSOP
Prosecco
1/8 oz. Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
Angostura Bitters-soaked sugar cube
Orange zest

Rinse champagne flute with Hennessey, then disregard the rest. Add a bitters soaked sugar cube to the glass followed by Luxardo Maraschino liqueur. Top with Prosecco. Garnish with orange zest.

Ciao Campari!

Still on my classic cocktail kick, I've decided to make Campari my drink of choice for the spring season. What is it? A bitter, herbal spirit that originated in Italy in the late 19th century made with rhubarb, ginseng, and orange peel, and 57 other secret ingredients. Why I'm lovin' it? It's super refreshing when mixed with club soda and a splash of lemon. Plus, it has a gorgeous red color reminicent of a South Jersey shore sunset, which takes me back to another bygone era I'm having a little nostalgia for lately...

So last week, I had the pleasure of having my first Campari cocktail at the venerable San Domenico restaurant on Central Park South. The San Domenico Signature Cocktail is a delicious mix of Campari, Cointreau, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and Prosecco. Salute!

Kickin' It Old School

I just got back from the Bowery Hotel, where bartender Brian is mixing up old school concoctions worthy of Toulouse-Lautrec. That's right, we are talkin' Absinthe. Though I have done my Absinthe research, even writing a story on the "Green Fairy" while at Pennsylvania's Wine Spirits Quarterly, I have never seen an absinthe cocktail made in person -- until tonight. Bowing to tradition, Brian mixed up this mystical green potion in a pint glass, topped it off with a strainer, over which he poured ice cold water from an ornate glass jar over a sugar cube. If you're not daring enough for this hallucingenic sip, try the bar's Bowery Cocktail: a mix of Dubonnet, Angostura bitters, and Plymouth Gin topped off with Champagne and served in a martini glass garnished with a lemon twist.

It's the martini talking...

This past Friday night I met a friend for a drink after work at one of the most fabulous places in New York: Flat Iron Lounge -- very old school, very Art Deco, very Frank Sinatra. A colleague recently told me that this place serves the most fantastic cocktails in the city, and it did not dissappoint (thank you Mr. Victor Thompson). My martini was a lovely sensation of vodka infused with pearls of jasmine and white peach and garnished with the prettiest orchid...hello, deliciousness! Of course I had two ;) The recipes, of course, are a secret, but I thought I'd share two fall-inspired cocktails to kick off the season (and to tide you over until the 4th Annual Martini Talk). Cheers!

Gingered Pear
Courtesy of Stirrings
3 oz. Stirrings Pear Martini Mixer
2 oz. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
1 oz. Stirrings Ginger Ale
Stirrings Spiced Apple Rimmer Garnish
Slice of fresh ginger

Build in an iced highball with Stirrings Spiced Apple Rimmer and a slice of pear, short shake, and top with Stirrings Ginger Ale.

Pomegranate Mimosa
Courtesy of POM Wonderful
1/2 oz. POM Wonderful® 100% Pomegranate Juice
1 glass of dry champagne
1/2 oz. Cointreau®

Pour champagne into a champagne flute. Add pomegranate juice and float the Cointreau on top.

A little martini talk:
"There is something about a martini,
A tingle remarkably pleasant:
A yellow, mellow martini:
I wish I had one at present."
-- Ogden Nash

"I love to drink martinis,
Two at the very most.
Three I'm under the table.
Four I'm under the host!"
-- Dorothy Parker