80 Proof Root Beer? Well, not exactly but…

So you think you like a nice frosty mug of root beer with your corned beef sandwich?  I do.  How about a root beer with the kick of the 80 proof drum?  Now you’re talking my language.
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An 80 proof root beer?  Are you sure?  Well not exactly.  But the history of root beer is very clear.  Before prohibition took all the fun out of drinking alcoholic beverages, root beer in the original format was an alcoholic quaff.  Long favored by coal miners in the Pennsylvania, the pre-temperance root beer was really a root tea.  But what is a root tea?  Well, root tea is a combination of spices, roots, herbs and farm medicinal ingredients lost to history.

One thing we do know for certain is that Root, the potent root tea from Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction in Philadelphia is something completely unique in a marketplace clogged with flavored Vodka and sticky sweet cordials.  There is a certain cadence to this pre-prohibition slurp of herbs and spices.  Woven around an 80 proof core of pure grain alcohol, the herbs are reminiscent of the root teas of yore.
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You’d take a root tea when you needed warming or when you wanted cooling off.  If you have a hankering for something different, seek out a bottle of Root!
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Root is made like everything was made before modern techniques sped up production instead of slowing it down.  Root is USDA Certified Organic.  Does this make it healthy?  Well everything in moderation is what I’ve always said.  Why if you shop for organic foods are your liquors any different?  It shouldn’t be.  With the USDA certification directly on the label you can see that the ingredients are the best that money can buy.  This translates to better in your glass and better for you!
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Root works beautifully in cocktails as well as on the rocks with a twist.  I’ve enclosed a couple to whet your whistle and give you the chance to find Root in your local store.  Now that William Grant is distributing Root, you should be able to find it or order it pretty easily.

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From the Art in the Age website:

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Birch Bark -  Just like the Root Teas that came before it, birch bark gives ROOT its pleasantly strong backbone of full-bodied aroma and flavor. Harvested from white birch trees, the bark is first subjected to a slow destructive distillation process that yields a crude birch tar. This tar is then steam distilled to produce a pure sap that is mixed in with ROOT’s cane sugar base.
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Black Tea - Our smoked black tea gives ROOT its distinctive tea notes, burnished rose-gold hue, and delicate hints of smokiness. Instead of being dried in the sun like most other teas, the organic lapsang souchong tea we use is smoked over a pine fire to impart the necessary flavor requirements.
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Cane Sugar - ROOT is distilled from a pure organic cane sugar base. Not excessively sugary, the cane sugar allows for great clarity in the finished spirit and accommodates ROOT’s earthier, slightly bitter undertones and its clean finish.
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Sassafras – A couple hundred years ago, all the colonists made their Root Teas with sassafras root. However, scientists later found that the ingredient posed certain risks to the liver, and the FDA banned it as a food ingredient in the 1960s. No worries though, we’ve mighty close to approximating sassafras unique flavor with a mixture of organic citrus fruits, spearmint, and wintergreen.
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Citrus -  We use American-grown, pesticide-free, certified-organic lemons and oranges to give ROOT a subtle touch of citrus aroma and flavor that comes out when mixed, and to closely mimic the taste of sassafras root.
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Allspice -  Produced from the dried, unripe fruit of the Pimenta diocia plant, allspice was a favorite of many colonists who felt that the spice combined the flavors of several aromatic spices and added a desired layer of complexity to their Root Teas.
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Anise -  Aniseeds lends ROOT its licorice notes, which combine especially well with the sprits birch and sassafras flavors.
Cloves  A spice produced from the dried flower buds of clove trees, clove was another favorite ingredient in colonists’ highly spiced Root Teas. Native Americans also found the spice to relieve tooth pain.
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Cinnamon -  Cinnamon, much like ROOT’s birch flavoring, is harvested from the bark of the cinnamon tree through a similar process. Along with clove and nutmeg, it gives ROOT its pleasant baking spice flavor
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Nutmeg -  The seed of a type of evergreen tree, nutmeg, along with clove and cinnamon, contributes heavily to ROOT’s distinctive, highly spiced taste.
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Cardamom - A member of the ginger family, cardamom’s strong, unique flavor is a welcome addition to ROOT’s well-rounded spiciness.

The Cocktail Whisperer’s Twisted Snap Julep

by Warren Bobrow, The Cocktail Whisperer
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One of the things that I remember best of my childhood was the scent of brown butter and ginger and the trays of spicy, crisp and savory ginger snap cookies baked at home.  Our governess was from Germany and she loved to bake these savory treats whenever the opportunity arose.   It’s funny to look back and remember the first time I tasted a ginger snap cookie.  In my mind’s eye I can picture the flat shape, the golden brown color of the dough and the spicy aromatics of the toasted ginger filling my grandparents home.  This aroma still haunts my imagination whenever I smell ginger.  It is a good feeling and one that I like to call back on when given the opportunity.

Snap is the amalgamation of my sweet childhood dreams of the perfect ginger snap cookie.

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There is a USDA certified organic liquor on the market named Snap.  Snap is the amalgamation of my sweet childhood dreams of the perfect ginger snap cookie.  Of course my childhood cookie thoughts did not involve shots of firewater on the side.

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Snap is a marvelous concoction encompassing the flavor of freshly baked ginger cookies with a marvelous twist.  The memorable twist of Snap is the brooding 80 proof heat immediately located in the center of your imagination.  You cannot escape from it.  There is molasses in there along with baking spices and the unmistakable aroma of caramelized ginger with a healthy dose of vanilla sugar.

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Today I had a hankering for a Mint Julep.  You know, the classic cocktail that is comprised of nothing more than freshly picked mint, raw sugar, crushed ice and Bourbon or Rye Whiskey.  In keeping with my twisted sensibilities I took the path never taken prior.

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The Rye Whiskey that I chose for this drink is Tuthilltown Rye.  I love the jagged edges of this Rye.  It stands up well to ice and plays well in the sandbox with other liquors.  Today I have several bottles to experiment with.  The one that made the cut is the Snap.  Mixed in a sterling silver (copper core) cup with freshly picked mint and instead of using raw sugar, I used JM Rhum, Cane Syrup from Martinique.  Cane Syrup is magnificent stuff.  It is freshly cut cane, crushed into juice, then boiled down to become a syrup.  If fermented, this syrup becomes Rum.  Unfermented in a cocktail it adds a dimension of taste that is quite sensuous.
So, to slake your thirst in my cocktail whisperer manner you must first do a little legwork.  You need a couple copper core, sterling silver Julep Cups.

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History

The origins of the mint julep are clouded and may never be definitively known. The first appearance of a mint julep in print came in a book by John Davis published in London in 1803, where it was described as “a dram of spirituous liquor that has mint steeped in it, taken by Virginians of a morning.”[2] However, Davis did not specify that bourbon was the spirit used.

The Twisted Snap Julep

The traditional Virginia recipe as served at the “Old White” is described-”…the famous old barroom, which was approached by a spiral staircase. Here in this dark, cool room, scented with great masses of fragrant mint that lay upon mountains of crushed ice, in the olden days were created the White Sulphur mint julep and the Virginia toddy, for which this place was famous the world over. The mint juleps were not the composite compounds of the present day. They were made of the purest French brandy, limestone water, old-fashioned cut loaf sugar, crushed ice, and young mint the foliage of which touched your ears…Here, in this old room, was uttered that famous remark of the Governor of North Carolina to the Governor of South Carolina. ‘It is a long time between drinks.’”[3] The mint julep originated in the southern United States, probably during the eighteenth century. U.S. Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky introduced the drink to Washington, D.C., at the Round Robin Bar in the famous Willard Hotel during his residence in the city.[4] The term ‘julep’ is generally defined as a sweet drink, particularly one used as a vehicle for medicine. The word itself is derived from the Persian word ???? (Golâb), meaning rose water. Americans enjoyed not only bourbon based juleps during the nineteenth century, but also gin based juleps made with genever, an aged gin. Recently, however, bourbon-based juleps have decisively eclipsed gin-based juleps.[5] Traditionally, the silver cup should have a copper core to fully freeze the contents. [6]

1. ^ “Mint Julep Ritual”. Bencaudill.com. 1937-03-30. Retrieved 2010-07-30. Davis, John (1803).

2. ^ Travels of Four Years and a Half in the United States of America. p. 379. Retrieved 2009-05-04.

3. ^ MacCorkle, William A., The White Sulphur Springs, the Traditions, History, and Social Life of the Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs, Neale Publishing Co., NY, 1916, pg. 66

4. ^ See Nickell, p. 31, for Clay’s recipe, taken from his diary.

5. ^ Summer Drinks Issue – A Guide to Bartending When the Frost is on the Glass – NY Times

6. ^ Warren Bobrow. The Hand-Crafted Mint Julep, 5/25/2010

7. ^ “Derby Experience-Mint Julep”. Churchill Downs Inc.. Archived from the original on 2008-01-09. Retrieved 28 December 2008.

But I digress.  This drink (below) is not your typical Mint Julep.  Not at all.  I fact it might cause the “pure of heart” to get a bit overwrought by my changes.  Sit still.

Relax and fix yourself my absurdly delicious version of the Classic Mint Julep.

The Cocktail Whisperer’s Twisted Snap Julep

Ingredients

to make 2 very strong cocktails- Danger level #4 out of 5

Tuthilltown Rye
Snap USDA Certified Organic
Freshly picked Spearmint
JM Rhum (brand) Cane Syrup from Martinique or like brand, must be cane syrup
Copper Core, Sterling Silver Julep Cups (2)
Crushed Ice

Preparation:

Crush Ice in an old- fashioned hand cranked ice crusher
Add a small amount of mint to the cup
Alternate mint, Rye, Snap, Ice, Cane Syrup, Mint while muddling the mixture with the back of a wooden spoon
Watch the frost rise up the cup
When your cup is sufficiently filled with ice and liquor, top with a splash more of the Rye and Snap
Garnish with a sprig of mint and drizzle some more Cane Syrup over the top[/box]

Wow!!! Bourbon!!!

by Warren Bobrow, The Cocktail Whisperer

Drinking a sip of Bourbon Whiskey is a flavorful reminder of a mostly by-gone era.

Bourbon has become quite popular amongst drinkers who desire something more in their glass than the myriad of sickly sweet flavored Vodkas or syrupy candy tinged cordials.

bourbon neat

A recent trip to New York City for the IACP party held by Bruce Shaw- revealed many of the greats, Pappy Van Winkle, Buffalo Trace, Bookers, Four Roses, Noah’s Mill, Knob Creek, and dozens of other brands, familiar and unfamiliar. Some new, some not so new, and others still undiscovered.

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But what is Bourbon anyway? And what differentiates it from Moonshine or White Whiskey?
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Moonshine is aged in a tin pail. White Whiskey is un-aged Corn Whiskey, but given the same rules as legal Whiskey. True Moonshine can make you crazy! Maybe it’s the lack of aging?

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Bourbon by definition is a spirit distilled from at least 51% corn.

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“Bourbon whiskey”, “rye whiskey”, “wheat whiskey”, “malt whiskey”, or “rye malt whiskey” is whiskey produced at not exceeding 160° proof from a fermented mash of not less than 51 percent corn, rye, wheat, malted barley, or malted rye grain, respectively, and stored at not more than 125° proof in charred new oak containers; and also includes mixtures of such whiskies of the same type.

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But what does this mean to the consumer? It means honest flavor! The Government mandated ingredients for Bourbon are “set in stone” for the distilled spirit to be called Bourbon, instead of plain or adulterated whiskey.

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You can distill Bourbon anywhere on earth, but in my opinion, some of the best versions seem to come from Kentucky. Why? The limestone water is the reason why. Kentucky water is filtered through the indigenous porous limestone and this rock filtration imparts a unique “terroir” to the fire driven spirit.

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Limestone water from Kentucky just tastes differently than water from New York or California. Not that the water from other places is bad- far from. In wine terms, this water for distillation has a unique “taste of the place” be it the water from anyplace other than Kentucky!

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And Kentucky Bourbon tastes like Kentucky!.

Bourbon, complex, rich and worth investigating

I first tasted Bourbon when I lived in Charleston, South Carolina during the 80’s. It was served to me in the form of a Mint Julep. This revered drink introduced me to the South and to the sweet (yet potent) flavors of Kentucky. Bourbon, as was explained to me in not-so-uncertain terms is not Tennessee Sipping Whiskey. That is charcoal filtered in a manner similar to the production and appreciation of Scotch Whiskey. I find Scotch quite akin to Tennessee Sipping Whiskey, both in the nose and in the finish. Scotch is difficult for me to drink, and to enjoy. I just don’t get it.

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Bourbon on the other hand is more complex in flavor. I drink Bourbon and by the mere smell of the liquor, am transported back to Charleston. It’s that easy. Open a bottle and time stands still, even if only for a moment.

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Tasting Notes of several Kentucky Bourbons:

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Pappy Van Winkle, 15 year

This spirit is fire on the mountain! Rolling in at the heat of 107 proof, this venerable Whiskey is history in the glass. You can taste the grains in each sip of this younger version of the oft desired, yet mostly unavailable 20 year and 23 year expressions. In many ways I prefer the 15 year to the 20 year version. A creamy finish belies the power of the nearly uncut Bourbon and the finish just goes on and on.

Pappy Van Winkle, 20 year

…is pure as the Lady of the Lake, handing you the secret of long life in the form of a glass of the water of life or whiskey. Charred pancakes cooked in a cast iron pan with sweet, maple syrup notes and splashes of liquid fire give way to sweet cream in the finish. The taste of cornbread, slathered with freshly churned butter is even more pronounced with a drizzle of branch water. This is elegant stuff, not at all for the meek! I think the 20- year is more alive in the glass than the 15 year, with less alcohol (90.4 proof) But…good luck finding it! On my recent trip to Charleston, it is available- for a cost. 50 dollars a small glass is not uncommon.

Four Roses Small Batch

Hot Cross Buns in the nose with cinnamon sticks and Caribbean spices abound, dancing over your tongue in an explosive symphony of flavor. Rolling in at 90 proof, the Small Batch is electrifying and demands your attention. I love the small batch for what it isn’t. It isn’t easy to get, it isn’t easy to drink and it isn’t like any other Bourbon on the market. What is in the bottle will bring you great pleasure.

Four Roses Bourbon

The regular bottling. Maple syrup nose, charred toast spread with orange marmalade on the finish. This is gorgeous stuff for Bourbon so inexpensive. This is the perfect breakfast Bourbon. Light on the palate, wonderful mixed with some grade B maple syrup and drizzled over your flapjacks. Not as expressive or as sophisticated as their Small Batch, but the careful hand of the distiller is evident in every sip. This is marvelous juice for a mint-julep. After a couple you’ll pat your pocket and find that you saved a bundle by making your juleps with Four Roses instead of something much more expensive. 80 proof.

Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve

Pure alcoholic power in the glass, rolling in at 120 proof- you can taste the fire even before you put this spirit to your lips. There is no mistaking Knob Creek for any other Bourbon- the oak, the char, the energy- the finish just goes on and on. 120 proof is not for the beginner. This Bourbon calls out for a slab of prime aged beef, grilled over hardwood charcoal. There is no messing around with this Bourbon- it’s exciting and mystifying all at the same time. Knob Creek is very sophisticated stuff. Sprinkle some Branch water over the top to take the alcohol down a couple of notches. Be careful not to drink too much, this might hurt you in ways not yet experienced!

Colonel E.H. Taylor

(Bottled in Bond, 100 proof) It has been said that Bottled in Bond means purity. I say, it means pure power. The Colonel E.H. Taylor is a magnificent slurp of Kentucky history. This is historic Bourbon. It doesn’t taste like any other Bourbon on the market. The nose is popcorn drenched in butter. The palate of this Bourbon is almost salty on a memorable finish that goes on and on. There is much to be said for this Bourbon. All good things come from a short glass of Taylor’s. Try with a sprig of Kentucky Colonel Mint. Keep the ice on the side to throw at the wall.

Black Maple Hill Sour Mash

The label says 95 proof- yet it seems less at first- then the alcohol blossoms into a cacophony of power and grace in your glass. Marked Limited Edition, I believe that Black Maple Hill can play with the big boys at the game of fine Whiskey for an even finer price. It is not cheap, nor does it taste like cheap Whiskey. The toasty oak is right up there in the forefront and the sour finish makes this slurp extremely beguiling straight up in a glass with only a scattering of Branch over the top. I would serve this with a turkey pot pie. Why? Not too many foods go with Bourbon of this quality.

Buffalo Trace

Would you guess that Buffalo Trace is made by the same folks who are making Pappy Van Winkle? If you said no it’s not, then you are about to experience something revolutionary in your glass. Buffalo Trace is made by the same people who craft Pappy, at a much diminished price. Rolling in at 90 proof, Buffalo Trace is amazing to taste. It’s got notes of maple syrup, sweet cream, oat cakes and orange marmalade. Toasted nuts and candied popcorn give way to coffee flavors that seem to go on and on. Certainly the most surprising slurp of this tasting. Have I mentioned the price? It’s not cheap, but certainly not as expensive as a bottle of Pappy. The holy grail? Maybe not, but when you’re feeling a bit less than flush- one that may be enjoyed with your eyes open wide. There is nothing embarrassing about Buffalo Trace.

Ancient Age

(IRS Tax stamp marked 1947, REALLY OLD STUFF) This Bourbon is extremely light in character; maybe the decades in the bottle has changed it a bit? The nose is subtle and reminiscent of a snifter of cognac. Bourbon certainly has changed in texture and character over 60+ years. Bourbon from the 1940’s was lighter and less pronounced by the charred oak that predominates modern examples of Bourbon. The alcoholic level is certainly less pronounced in the mouth. 86 proof tastes less than 86 proof in this bottling, perhaps time in the bottle made a bit of the alcohol dissipate? There are notes of salted caramel and charred cornbread. It’s magnificent stuff. Amazing that this Bourbon has lasted this long and through that history and time in the bottle there is great appreciation for the past. Once the liquid in my bottle is gone, it’s gone forever.

A Mind-Blowing Cocktail Transmutation Through the Application of Cocktail Bitters

 by Warren Bobrow, The Cocktail Whisperer

If I take about four drops of cocktail bitters from The Bitter End from Santa Fe all kinds of trouble is starting to break out in my cocktail glass.  This may be way too  much.  I’ll cut the dosage down to two drops.  Mmm that’s better.  But what exactly are bitters?  Bitters are more than mere cocktail augmentation.  Scant droplets offer depth and a new candor to your drink.  Anyone can buy them- there are dozens and dozens of brands, varieties and styles.  Some are flavors of bitter roots and citrus, others essences of maple and fruits and still others are the unusual amalgamation of herbs, spices along with bountiful amounts of mystery.

There is hardly a day that I don’t try a new style or flavor of bitters.

DIFFERENT BITTERS

Bitter End’s website tells a story of fresh and dried spices, herbs, fruits, chilies, and other aromatic botanicals.  They are all hand-selected from premium purveyors. Each batch is mixed, infused, and dispensed by hand in a limited quantity using a closely guarded proprietary formula. They use absolutely no extracts, preservatives, or artificial flavorings. Bittercube also uses ingredients such as “raw” ingredients. According to their website, their process is different for each style of bitters, with batches going through various phases on their way to completion, taking anywhere from four to eight weeks depending on variety. I’m starting to get really thirsty.
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Bill Buitenhuys of the Arizona Bitters Lab is shaking up the sweet side of the equation. His Figgy Pudding is like that classic British dessert by the same name. When applied to dark Rum, all that is missing is the thin slices of roast beef. It’s elegant stuff in a mixed drink. The Hopi Tea is a trip to Sedona by the drop, mystical, mysterious and mystifying all in a sip. I recommend this flavor in a hot cup of root tea. It grounds you and sends you on a journey not yet defined.

With such names as Xocolatl Mole, Burlesque & Hellfire Habanero Shrub, how could you not be intrigued?

Bittermen’s is known for their variety and depth of flavor.  I love the hopped grapefruit for instance. Bitter Truth from Germany is another favorite of mine.  They do some pretty respectable celery bitters as well as the Creole variety.  I also am a fan of Fee Brothers with their Whiskey Barrel Bitters, a favorite on my bar- then of course their Rhubarb Bitters form the backbone of a cocktail that I invented for Tuthilltown using their Rye Whiskey and Root- a unique USDA Certified Organic spirit.  It is named the Zombie Root Carousel.
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You can even buy bitters on your local supermarket shelf.  Angostura is available almost all over the land.  Bet you didn’t know that Angostura tastes great in a glass of Seltzer water with lemon!  Thirst quenching goodness!.

Bitters as my friends at Bittercube in Milwaukee say on their bottles are “cocktail metamorphosis” and this makes me even thirstier. Their Blackstrap Bitters have woven a veneer of Jamaica elegance into my rum punches..

I think it takes great style for the home bartender to have more than a dozen different varieties of bitters gracing the top of your household bar.

WHITE WHISKEY

For today’s tasting- I’ve gone to the liquor cabinet, (now spilling all over my floor out into the room) and extracted a few bottles of small producer, White Whiskey.  But what is White Whiskey?
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White Whiskey is that very fine line between a clean drink and one that becomes rather dangerous.  I don’t recommend it to just anyone.  There is a rough and tumble world, way beyond the refined flavors of American Whiskey on the market.  A dark history, if you will- of bootleggers, clandestine stills and the passionate men who worked tirelessly towards keeping America wet during tough times of no legal alcohol. White Whiskey is making a comeback in a most legal fashion.

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What exactly is it about White Whiskey that causes all kinds of problems?  I’m not exactly sure.  I like the corn sweetness of some of them like the Tuthilltown White Whiskey sitting in front of me.  Others are made from grain like the very small producer- FEW Whiskey from Illinois.  Their White Whiskey is distilled from Rye.  Rye you say?  Yes.  And to make matters even more complicated there are the bitters that I’m getting ready to add to the small glasses of Whiskey in front of me. Add a couple of the Bitter End Bitters and there is trouble brewing in my glass.
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The Chesapeake Bitters when added to the FEW Spirits White Whiskey is a twisted journey on a pock-marked road with broken shocks.  You cannot keep your hands on the wheel due to the vibrations, but you sense another sip filling your mouth in an opus of Rye goodness.  Smeared on that warm slice of freshly baked Rye bread is a dollop of freshly picked Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab meat and loads of sweet butter.  It’s uncanny how these flavors and aromas leap out of this cocktail glass.
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When the same bitters are added to the White Whiskey (distilled from Corn) from Tuthilltown another flavor profile makes itself known. Is it the 46% alcohol speaking? I’m again not sure.  What I can tell you is this simple fact; the flavors deepen the pillow soft quality of the distilled corn and makes for a multi-minute finish.  Swirling the liquid fire around on my tongue and swallowing creates a whirlwind of memories. As a boy my parents took me to Chincoteague, Virginia in the late summer.  We would eat the freshest seafood, just plucked alive from Chincoteague Bay.  Usually our dinners were in the form of steamed, cracked local Blue Crabs, spread out on newspaper- simple food.  Sprinkled over the top of the crabs was always the generous dose of the ubiquitous Old Bay Seasoning.  Rife with hot pepper, bay leaf, mustard seed, celery seed, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom.  Then there is the new Curry Bitters.  I don’t know where to start!

A flash went off in my head…

Why just eat dinner when you can also drink it?  That’s the idea!
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White Whiskey from Tuthilltown and White Whiskey from FEW Sprits plus the myriad of aromatic bitters- equal a healthy passion for cocktail excellence.
A metered application with cocktail bitters is a very simple way that anyone can duplicate this pursuit for the sublime, and as yet un-tasted flavors.
Take a sip of your favorite liquor, mixed as you like it.  Then add a couple of drops of the bitters from Bitter End or your choice of cocktail bitters; stir and experience a mind-blowing cocktail transmutation.

It is like drinking your usual cocktail in a brand new manner, experiencing flavor for the absolute, first time.

Four new cocktails for Spring

by Warren Bobrow, The Cocktail Whisperer

I just returned from the Charleston Food and Wine Festival.  One of the best parts of the event is learning from my peers in the cocktailian arts.  My role in the festival was to participate as a judge for the Iron Mixology session.  I hope next year to have the opportunity to compete with some of my own creations.
These drinks although absolutely my inventions were influenced by the festivities and celebratory nature of the marvelous event.   It just isn’t only about wine any longer!

Why why why cocktail

1.    2 shots of excellent vodka well chilled
2.   1 shot Absinthe (Lucid, St. George, Tenneyson, Nouvelle Orleans) very well chilled on ice
3.   3 Oz grilled orange juice
4. Several slices of muddled oranges (smooched)
5. Seltzer water
6.   Martini Glass

Preparation:

Muddle some orange slices in a mixing glass.
Add vodka and absinthe together with a splash of freshly squeezed orange juice, Shake.
Top with seltzer  and serve in a chilled Martini glass with a cherry.  (extremely deadly, hence the why, why, why)
Slice a couple of oranges.  Peel and grill in on a charcoal grill until charred.  Juice and cool.

Low Country Splash

1.    2 shots good Vodka
2.   ½  shot Chartreuse (green)
3. A good Spanish Cava
4.   Freshly squeezed Lime- juice
5.   Simple Syrup to taste
6.   Crushed ice
7.  Angostura Bitters (a couple of shakes)
8.   Ginger Ale to finish

Preparation:

Crush ice and add to a Martini Glass
In a cocktail shaker combine ½ ice to the liquors and the lime- juice, shake and adjust sweetness with simple syrup.  Re-Shake, and pour over crushed ice. Top with Cava and a splash of Ginger Ale to finish.

Charleston Wine and Food Festival 2012 - mark your calendar for next years!

Showboat cocktail

(similar to a Gimlet, but more intense…therefore, better)

1.    2 shots Botanical Gin (your choice)
2.   1 shot Canton de Ginger
3.   3 oz freshly made lemonade
4.   Muddled fresh lime and sugar
5.   Seltzer water finish

Preparation:

muddle lime and sugar
Add 2 shots gin to 1 shot Ginger liqueur to shaker
Add lemonade, shake, add splash of seltzer to finish.
Garnish with lemon or lime round.

Honey Start Twisting Cocktail

1.    1 shot Dark Rum
2.    1 shot bitters
3.    1 shot orange
4.    1 shot pineapple
5.    1 shot lime juice
6.    Coconut milk – Sweetened
7.  Cocktail Cherries (preferably home cured)

editors note: cover pitted fresh cherries in brandy, refrigerate for two weeks.  Throw out those maraschino cherries in a jar immediately.

Preparation:

Muddle cherries with the back of a wooden spoon to release flavor.

Mix Rum with bitters and juices; plus sweetened coconut milk in a cocktail mixer.
Shake like crazy.
Pour into a tall rocks glass and garnish with a tiki umbrella and a cherry.
Drink a couple and get ready to twist!
Use Coconut water to make your ice cubes.
Preparation: add coconut water to an ice cube tray and freeze.