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.

Got Milk?

I hope not. I'm a firm believer that martinis should never be made with milk or half & half. The main reason is three-fold: 1) I feel like I am drinking dessert at happy hour. 2) By the time you reach the bottom of the glass, the creamy mixture gets coagulated. And 3) all those calories! Unfortunately, two of my favorite martinis -- the Espressotini and the Key Lime Martini -- are often hard to come by minus the milk factor, but they do exist! Here are two of my favorite no-milk martini recipes.

Espressotini
Courtesy of Starbucks
1 part Starbucks Coffee Liqueur
1 1/2 parts Absolut Vanil

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with three coffee beans.

Key Lime Martini
Courtesy of Absolut
4 parts Absolut Vanil
1 part Lime Juice
1 part Simple Syrup
Lemon wedge

Chill a cocktail glass with ice or in the freezer. Pour absolut vanilia, lime juice and simple syrup into a shaker. Fill the shaker with ice cubes and shake it until the shaker is very cold. Empty the cocktail glass from ice and water. Strain the drink into the cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

A Mango Moment

Maybe its that one 60 degree day we had this week -- or the fact that summer can't get here fast enough, but I am definitely having a mango moment. It began the other night at PLANETHAI212. Kira had the Mango Margarita (Cuervo Gold, fresh mango puree), Elli had the Mango Creamsicle (Stoli Orange, Cointreau, mango juice), and I had a Mango Cosmopolitan. Can you say: vacation in a glass?

Mangopolitan
Courtesy of Finlandia
2 oz. Finlandia Mango Fusion vodka
1/2 oz. cranberry juice
1/2 oz. triple sec
1/2 oz. sweet & sour mix
Splash of lime juice

Shake and strain into a sugar-rimmed martini glass.

Martinis with a side of bacon

The other night I was waiting for a friend outside one of my favorite martini bars in Manhattan, when all of a sudden, Kevin Bacon was standing ten feet away from me! Considering I barely ever recognize celebrities, it was pretty cool. And ladies, let me tell ya: Kevin Bacon is pretty darn cute in person. Kyra Sedgwick is one lucky gal.

Ok, now onto the martinis. Cibar is a dark, underground establishment in Gramercy, perfect for an afterwork sip. Though next time I go, I hope to be on a date (the lounge-y vibe is very conducive to romance -- no offense girlfriends!). What to order? A Pearfect Martini, a blend of Grey Goose Poire vodka, champagne, and pear puree. Dee-lish. It had been a particularly stressful few weeks at the office, so a Vanilla Manhattan--an intense mix of Maker's Mark, Dubonette and brandied cherries infused with vanilla beans--was in order. Not as good as the Pearfect, but the bourbon definitely did the trick.

In praise of East Coast sushi...

...as opposed to West Coast sushi. Yes, there's a difference. Some say that sushi on the West Coast is tastier, more fresh. Personally, I don't buy it (why so much fake crabmeat?). But what I do like is East Coast sushi, and over the past week I've had the opportunity to dine out at two of the best sushi spots in NYC. What makes these fine establishments the best? For me, a good sushi place must have fabulous decor, good lounge music, and tasty rolls. Here are three of my East Coast favorites.


1) Japonais, New York Skip the main dining room of this Union Square hotspot and head upstairs to the lounge -- a dimly lit space filled with the sounds of Seal and Suba and perfect for getting a little closer to a potential mate. Sushi pick: Unagi Avocado Roll. Cocktail pick: Asian Pear Martini.


2) Sushi Lounge, Hoboken Ignore the slightly cheesy name. "The Lounge," as my friend Earl likes to call it, has a sushi menu to die for. And thanks to a nightly DJ, there's no need to take the PATH train into the city on Saturday night. Sushi pick: Optimistic Roll. Cocktail pick: Peach Tea.


3) Pod, Philadelphia I always say, when in Philly, you can't go wrong with a Stephen Starr restaurant. One of my faves is Pod, which features a bar complete with a conveyor belt that serves up plates of edamame and delicious rolls. Sushi pick: Pod Lobster Roll. Cocktail pick: Sake Mojito.

Christmas Cosmos and mistletoe...

Just 10 days until Xmas and I think I am finally in the holiday spirit. It took me awhile this year, but the holiday parties are now in full swing and that means plenty of holiday-inspired cocktails to sip. Here are a few of my favorites.

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.

Thanks for the martini...

It's November, and that means that my favorite holiday is just around the corner: Thanksgiving. For some reason there just seems to be less stress associated with this day (maybe that's because I'm never the one doing the cooking!). Seriously though, for me Thanksgiving is all about coming home and catching up with good friends and family over bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau and a few martinis. So while we wait for the 2007 vintage to hit wine shops, here are some seasonal cocktails (courtesy of Martini Talk, Part IV) to sip:

Candy Apple
Courtesy of Stirrings
1 part Stirrings Apple Martini Mixer
1 part Players Extreme caramel-flavored vodka
Caramel sauce
Stirrings Apple Martini Rimmer

Rim glass with caramel sauce and Apple Rimmer. Combine Apple Mixer and vodka with ice in a martini shaker. Shake and strain into martini glass.

Manhattan in the Fall
Courtesy of Stirrings
1 1/2 parts bourbon
1/2 part sweet vermouth
1 part Stirrings Pear Martini
Pear slice
Cherry

Stir all ingredients together in a mixing glass half-filled with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a pear slice and a cherry

PomeTini
Courtesy of Hiram Walker
1 part Stolichnaya Vodka
1 part Hiram Walker Pomegranate Schnapps

Shake and strain into martini glass, garnish with lemon wedge.