Stories about drinks – where they come from, why they work, and how to make them
Infusions have gotten a bit of a bad name recently, mostly because of Fireball. People think that their own will taste like antifreeze, or that it’s difficult/time consuming to make so isn’t worth it. People are wrong on both counts; in reality, infusing your own booze is easy and delicious. It will also be a … Read more
I was gifted this book last Christmas by my brother-and-sister-in-law, and it’s one of the better gifts I received last year. Proof is an engaging read start to finish, full of fascinating characters, humorous vignettes, and random facts that are sure to come in handy when you decide to start your own cocktail blog. With … Read more
I was in San Francisco last week for meetings, and you don’t know me if you didn’t expect me to hunt out a unique cocktail incorporating vermouth to write about. So I finished work, headed out into the smoke, and went hunting for a speakeasy. The Place Local Edition is (kind of) in SoMa. SoMa … Read more
The Manhattan is one of the more riff-able cocktails, and the Brooklyn may be my favorite riff. It take the Perfect Manhattan idea, but it replaces the sweet vermouth with maraschino, a cherry liqueur. Context I’m not entirely sure where the drink comes from (a lot of cocktails can be traced to a specific bar/bartender’s … Read more
1,500+ words still wasn’t enough to dive all the way into the world of vermouth, but it’s a good start. To help give a better idea of how each category compares and differs, here’s a side-by-side of two excellent Italian sweet vermouths. I’ll describe how each acts by itself (with ice) and in an Americano, … Read more
I’m a sucker for a cocktail bar in the back of a no-longer-operating restaurant that still serves (what looked like) good Chinese food. If that bar happens to serve interesting cocktails incorporating seldom-used Asian ingredients, then I’m all in. That’s exactly what Dynasty Room in Seattle’s International District is, and it’s awesome. The Place A … Read more
Diwali was on Wednesday, and my wife and I went to a party with friends to celebrate. I don’t think I’d ever even heard of Diwali before college, and Indian food isn’t really my wheelhouse (I make pasta…), but I wanted to bring something. I found a drink that I thought had the right flavors … Read more
Vermouth gets a bad rap. It seems like most people, and a good number of bars, keep it around as a necessary evil. If it’s in your kitchen, it’s most likely there for cooking and it’s been open for months on the counter. This is a travesty. Vermouth is amazing and deserves some more respect. … Read more
A few years ago, at the start of summer, my team at Amazon was going through a rough patch. Lots of people leaving, increasingly-challenging business problems, and the first real Prime Day to prep for. To boost morale, and keep myself sane, I started hosting a themed happy hour. This lasted through the summer but … Read more
I didn’t really cook a single thing until I was 20. I’m not really sure why – my parents both cooked (most things quite well), as did basically everyone in my family. I grew up appreciating food, but not cooking. Instead, I stayed in the basement playing video games until dinner was actually ready. Maybe … Read more