segunda-feira, 30 de março de 2009

What is the Tales of the Cocktail ?

Tales of the Cocktail is an internationally acclaimed festival of cocktails, cuisine, and culture held annually in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event brings together the best and brightest of the cocktail community — award-winning mixologists, authors, bartenders, chefs, and designers — for a five-day celebration of the history and artistry of making drinks.
Each year offers a spirited series of dinners, demos, tastings, competitions, seminars, book signings, tours, and parties all perfectly paired with some of the best cocktails ever made.
Tales of the Cocktail 2009:
Wed, July 8th – Sun, July 12th

Special Guests and Presenters
Since 2003, Tales of the Cocktail has hosted the top mixologists, bartenders, chefs and authors of the cocktail and culinary industry, resulting in the most influential gathering of mixologists in the world year after year. Over the last five years, these special guests have traveled from across the country and the world (such as Australia, Holland, Russia) and have included:
Ted Allen, Emmy Award winner and star of Bravo’s “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” and “Top Chef”
Kevin Brauch, host of “The Thirsty Traveler”
Dale DeGroff, “King Cocktail” and author of The Craft of the Cocktail
Tony Abou-Ganim, The Modern Mixologist
Audrey Saunders, owner, of The Pegu Club, New York
Charlotte Voisey, award-winning international bartender
Julie Reiner, co-owner and creative director of the Flatiron Lounge, New York
Georg Riedel, tenth generation glassmaker and president of Riedel Crystal
Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, James Beard Book Award-winning authors
Ted Haigh, “Dr. Cocktail” and cocktail historian
Robert Hess, creator of Drinkboy.com
Anistatia Miller and Jared Brown, co-founders of The Museum of the American Cocktail
Tales of the Cocktail 2009 is scheduled to take place July 8-12 in New Orleans. Now in its 7th year, Tales of the Cocktail is the world’s foremost spirits, cocktails and mixology-related event, and this year Tales returns to the Hotel Monteleone and other nearby hotels, bars, restaurants and establishments for five days of seminars, dinners, special events and assorted revelry.
Guests attending Tales of the Cocktail are eligible for special room rates at participating hotels. These rates are available now, but the rooms don’t last long, so it’s a good idea to make your reservations right away — visit the Tales of the Cocktail website for links and more information.

quinta-feira, 19 de março de 2009

InnSide Caffé - Molecular Mixology in the Algarve !


The time is to inovate and that's what is happening at the "InnSide Caffé" Algarve.
Located in Carvoeiro Beach, a small fisherman's beach, InSide Caffé is a must go place when visiting the Algarve beautifull beaches.
From the beautifull international crowd to stunning flair moments performed by Sergio, one of the owners, or any of the many guest Bartenders invited to entertain and perform.
The lattest from InnSide are the Molecular Cocktails that Pedro Ferreira and his crew are experimenting successfully for the delight of their costumers, Jelly shots, Molecular martinis, foams, etc, ask them for the lattest creations and you'll be impressed.
Just to have an idea i'll leave you a few pics.
Visit InnSide Caffé at Praia do Carvoeiro, Algarve, Portugal.

terça-feira, 3 de março de 2009

St.Germain - Elderflower Liqueur



Fine artisanal French liqueur
All natural, made from 100% fresh, handpicked elderflowers
Subtle yet complex flavor
Low sugar content, roughly half that of other liqueurs
Easily pairs with a variety of spirits in many cocktails
Elegant French-inspired bottle to adorn your back bar
IN THE foothills of the Alps, for but a few fleeting spring days, this man will gather wild blossoms for your cocktail.
The blossoms in question are elderflowers, the man un bohemian, and the cocktail a stylishly simple creation made with St-Germain, the first liqueur in the world created in the artisanal French manner from freshly handpicked elderflower blossoms.

Pear tree Martini

1 ½ Shots
Pear Vodka
1 ½ Shots
St-Germain
1/8 to 1/4 Shot
Fresh Lime Juice or Sour Mix
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a slice of D'Anjou pear. No D'Anjou? Substitute Bartlett. Bartlett out of season? Opt for a twist. Preferably carved from a pear-shaped lemon.
Variation: For a French Pear Martini, shake first two ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled Martini glass with a sugared rim. Top with Champagne.
www.stgermain.fr

terça-feira, 17 de fevereiro de 2009

Carnival Time !!! Samba & caipirinhas !!!


Its carnival season and time to go out and buy some fresh tropical fruits for the caipirinhas.
Caipirinha is the national drink of Brasil and Portugal too...
There are inumerous recipes for caipirinhas, with Vodka, Rum, even with White Port, dont believe me?
Here's a few recipes for unusual caipirinhas.

Caipiroyal

2 oz White Port Real Companhia Velha
2 Lime quarters
2 Strawberries
2 bsp white cane sugar

Mash the fruit with the sugar, add the white Port and crushed ice
Shake and serve

BrandyMel Smash

1 1/4 oz BrandyMel Portuguese Liqueur
2 Mandarine wedges
2 Lime wedges
1 oz Ginger Ale

Mash the Mandarines with the Limes, add the BrandyMel and crushed ice
Shake well and top with Ginger Ale

Mediterranean Caipirinha

2 oz Sagatiba Cachaça
2 grapes
2 basil leaves
1 strawberry
2 bsp white sugar
Mash all the ingredients together, then add the cachaça and crused ice
Shake well and serve

Mash the fruits and the basil with the sugar, add the cachaça and crushed ice
Shake well and serve

domingo, 1 de fevereiro de 2009

The Cooperstown Cocktail

Yesterday when having a look a the 1917 bar book " The Ideal Bartender" by Tom Bullock, i found a recipe that sounded interesting to my taste, "The Cooperstown Cocktail", a fresh libation with a mixture of Old Tom Gin, Vermouth and fresh mint, a perfect concoction to have before a nice meal, cause of its minty and dry flavour.
The Cooperstown Cocktail from Old Waldorf Bar Days (1931), reports that the drink was created at the hotel's Big Brass Rail bar for some money men from Cooperstown, NY. In The Savoy Cocktail Book (1930) the Cooperstown consists of equal parts dry vermouth, sweet vermouth and gin.

COOPERSTOWN COCKTAIL

by Tom Bullock,1917

Use a large Bar glass.
Fill with Lump Ice.
One jigger of Sir Robert Burnette's Old Tom Gin.
1/2 pony of Italian Vermouth.
Six leaves of fresh Mint.
Shake ingredients well together.
Strain and serve in Cocktail glass.