Archive for the ‘Drink’ Category
Manhattan Cocktail
The inaugural “Drink of the Week” is the Manhattan Cocktail. A true classic, the Manhattan was invented in the 1870′s. This drink was a favorite of my grandparents, and it’s easy to see why.
The Manhattan is subject to considerable variation and innovation, and is often a way for the best bartenders to show off their creativity. Some shake the ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker instead of stirring it, creating a froth on the surface of the drink. Angostura are the classic bitters, but orange bitters, Peychaud’s Bitters, and others may be used; using Fernet-Branca yields what is called a Fanciulli cocktail. Some make their own bitters and syrups, substitute comparable digestifs in place of vermouth, specialize in local or rare whiskeys, or use other exotic ingredients. A lemon peel may be used as garnish. Some add juice from the cherry jar or Maraschino liqueur to the cocktail for additional sweetness and color.
Originally, bitters were considered an integral part of any cocktail, as the ingredient that differentiated a cocktail from a sling. Over time, those definitions of cocktail and sling have become archaic, as sling has fallen out of general use (other than in certain drink names), and cocktail can mean any drink that resembles a martini, or simply any mixed drink. Accordingly, bitters are frequently omitted from a Manhattan unless specifically requested; purists, however, maintain that bitters are required to offset the sweetness of the whiskey and vermouth.
Using more vermouth and less whiskey to create a milder Manhattan may actually make the drink taste stronger to some drinkers because of the intense flavor of sweet red vermouth.
The classic preparation utilizes Rye whiskey. The drink originated on the east coast, and that was simply the type of whiskey they used due to regional availability. You can make a perfectly acceptable Manhattan using Bourbon or Canadian whiskey.
Mixology:
2 parts whiskey
1 part sweet vermouth
2 dashes bitters
Shake with ice, serve straight up in a martini glass or over rocks in a rocks glass.
Garnish with Maraschino cherry
Other Resources:
How to make a classic Manhattan Cocktail – About.com
Manhattan Cocktail Recipe – Drinksmixer.com (With Video)
Manhattan Cocktail – Epicurean.com
The WikiTender entry for Manhattan Cocktail
Crystal Skull Vodka
Real-Sugar Pepsi
In the middle of April, Pepsi also will begin distributing Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback, which features those brands formulated with sugar.
This is a big deal since mainstream soft drinks in the United States are sweetened with High Fructose Corn Syrup. Typically, the only way to get soda from the “big guys” with real sugar is to import it (i.e., Mexican Coke) or wait till Passover (Kosher Coke, Kosher Pepsi).
I’m a diet-Coke drinker, specifically “Coke Zero”, but I hear there is a big difference between real-sugar and HF Corn Syrup. I’ll definitely try Pepsi Throwback. Even fans of Coke should support the product if they want a real-sugar version of their own favorite beverage.
Unfortunate name choice though. “Thowback?” Really?
The imagery conjured up by this naming choice is one of a man curling his lip in disgust and “throwing it back” at the grocer. Sometimes even when they get it right, they get it wrong.
Crystal Head Vodka
“Triple Herkimer Diamond filtered, Newfoundland deep aquifer pure spirit vodka.”
Brought to you by Dan Akroyd. More here.
Pokka Xpress Coffee
I carried a few drinks back with me from Malaysia to test with the family. First up is “Pokka Xpress Coffee”. The label assured me that this drink was brewed “from Coffee Beans”. Always a good thing when dealing with the part of the world that brings you Kopi Luwak.
The color when poured was an unappealing brown. The taste, although watery, offered up decent coffee flavor with little sour or bitter aftertaste.
Unfortunately, I’ve no way to know the caffeine content of this drink. The label was wonderfully vague about the specifics, rather referring to some obscure measure called “Tenaga” or “Energy”.
Whatever Tenaga is, Pokka Xpress has 95 kcals of it.
I suspect I expended more than 95kcals lugging this can back with me.
UPDATE – Tenaga is the largest utility company in Malaysia. It’s all beginning to make sense now.
The rear of the can lists the ingredients as “Water, Freshly Brewed Coffee, Milk, Sugar, Permitted Stabilizer, and Permitted Flavouring.
Hrm. Permitted Flavouring.
What is good Tequila?
A post on the topic at least a decade in the making.
From bbum’s “Weblog-o-Mat”, via Daring Fireball
Matanzas Creek Winery 2005 Chardonnay
Light and delicious, we enjoyed this greatly.
