Return to the Basics

I have been spending an inordinate amount of time working on the cocktail list for my wedding recently. In the next week or so I have to train the bartenders and it forced me to look at my own technique and I noticed it lacking. This is always a good thing though as it gives me a reason to improve.

The first thing I've learned is that I am not cooling my drinks efficiently. I was just putting 4 or 5 cubes in my shaker and having at it. I have started filling my glass all the way with ice before building my drinks and the difference is very noticeable. My lady no longer claims that my drinks are too boozy which definitely makes sense. A colder drink will numb the alcohol burn a touch, making a strong drink very palatable. The lesson learned here? Don't skimp on the ice.

Second major thing I've learned is that one strainer isn't always enough. I purchased a fine strainer last week (a tea strainer will do just fine). I still use a hawthorne strainer on my shaker, but now pour my shaken drinks through my fine strainer as well to remove ice shards and citrus pulp. It is just one extra layer of refinement, making your presentation more precise. Lesson learned? While we want more ice in the shaker, that is where it should stay. Strain your drinks.

Last major thing I've learned recently is that vermouth can actually taste wonderful. I have recently discovered Quady Vya vermouths (which happen to be the only vegan vermouth on the market as far as I can find) and it is flat out delicious. I've been drinking the sweet version on ice. It is that good. I also have heard that the euro version of Noilly Prat has replaced the stateside version and and it has put ours to shame. I have it on my list of bottles to pick up. Lesson learned? There is no reason to hide these wonderful wines in our drinks anymore. Go for more than a rinse or a 5:1 manhattan and let these flavors shine.

A few basic recipes to start...

Before we move on to the crazy concoctions of the modern bar, it is essential to learn a thing or two about the classics. Most drinks you see nowadays are just a variation on a theme, so might as well become well versed in the originals. Keep in mind that drinks are supposed to taste good to you, not someone else, so tweaking of proportions slightly is totally permissible. In that vein, I am going to give the classic recipe and if there is a version that I prefer, I will give you that as well.

The Manhattan:
This is the drink that most whiskey drinkers I know started with. It is sweet and palatable. The vermouth takes a little of the burn off of it to make it more approachable for those of you that aren't ready to go for the straight stuff.

Classic:

• 1.5 oz Rye
• 1.5 oz Sweet Vermouth
• 2-3 dashes Angostura Bitters

Served up in a chilled glass or on the rocks
Garnished with 1 dried maraschino cherry

This is a good recipe for someone with a sweet tooth. Modern tastes change and most barmen will serve you a Manhattan that is skewed a little more towards the whiskey side and away from the vermouth. Remember, if you are offered the choice of bitters or not, if you don't add bitters it is not a Manhattan. It is just crap in a glass. Some people prefer Bourbon instead of Rye.

My typical Manhattan order:

• 1.5 oz Rye
• .75 oz Sweet Vermouth
• 3 dashes Angostura Bitters

Served up in a chilled cocktail glass
Garnished with 1 dried maraschino cherry

This would still be considered a sweet Manhattan by today's standards, but that's how I like it.

The Martini:
First let's get this out of the way: A Martini is made with Gin, not Vodka. A Vodka Martini is made with Vodka. Are we all on the same page here? Good. The Martini holds a special place in my heart. I have been making them for my father since I was 12 years old. He has made sure that I know that the Martini was invented at the Savoy Hotel in London, the home of Gin (although I am now disputing this supposed fact with him after some research). He also likes to drill it in my brain that a Martini is supposed to be served in a frosted, small, delicate glass, not the 10 oz. monsters that are common today. If you can find a nice 4 oz. thin crystal Martini glass, I highly recommend buying at least 2.

Classic:

• 1.5 oz Gin
• 1.5 oz Dry Vermouth
• 2 dashes orange bitters

Stirred and strained into a chilled cocktail glass
Garnished with a lemon twist or a dried, pitted olive

I guarantee that you have not had a Martini made like that. I have and let me save you the effort - it is just too much vermouth. I usually don't bash the classics. Usually I am their staunch defender. In this case, I think they made it like that because the Gin they served back then was probably nowhere near as good as the floral, clean Gins we drink today. Now most people order their Martinis dry. Typically though, they overshoot in the other direction. They are too dry. I lie somewhere in the middle.

My typical Martini order:

• 1.5 oz. gin (I like Bluecoat)
• .5 oz. dry vermouth (one that has been kept in the fridge and hasn't turned)
• 2 dashes orange bitters (I prefer Angostura Orange)

Stirred and strain into a chilled cocktail glass
Garnished with a lemon twist

A quick note about the lemon twist. It should not contain any of the white part of the lemon rind. Only the outer yellow layer of the rind should be used. It should be literally twisted above the drink to release the fragrant oils it contains and then dropped in the drink. The white part is bitter and can damage an otherwise perfect drink.

The Sidecar:
You may be wondering why I am choosing the Sidecar. First and foremost because I think it is a cool drink. Second, because it is the base recipe for another popular recipe, the Margarita. No, the Margarita is not an original creation, it is just a variation on the Sidecar, which in my humble opinion actually makes the Margarita even cooler. Okay, back to the Sidecar. It is a drink from the earlier part of last century. Its purpose is simple: make Cognac appropriate for women to drink. At the time Cognac was strictly a man's drink. Hence, a little orange liqueur, and lemon juice and there you have it: a womanly drink. Yes, all you guys that think your Margarita is manly because of the high Tequila content, your drink is in fact a girly drink. Deal with it and enjoy it (and neither is girly in my book).

• 1.5 oz. Cognac
• 1.5 oz. Cointreau
• 1.5 oz. lemon juice

Shaken and strained into a chilled cocktail glass
Garnished with a lemon twist

On a mixing note, Brandy is an acceptable substitute (Cognac is just french brandy) and many people really enjoy a Sidecar made with Calvados substituted for Cognac. The proportions on the classic recipe are perfect though. Don't fuck with it.