Mixed Bizness: '80s Night
I'm feeling nostalgic tonight. It's '80s night. Bret Easton Ellis has a new book out -- the sequel (!) to the very grim and very youth-soaked Less Than Zero. (I was youth-soaked...once.) And Jay McInerney has a new video out -- an explanation, at the Wall Street Journal, of why chablis is the perfect pairing for oysters (!!). Once, not too long ago, I blogged from time to time about delicious adult beverages. And as I responsibly sip one now, the urge to do so again is back. So here is a new, but I fancy very '80s, drink that I created. Bartenders in at least two cosmopolitan cities have sipped and loved it. Perhaps you will too.
The Gin Blossom
1 measure Bombay original gin (not Sapphire)
2-3 measures tonic water (splurge here)
1 splash St. Germain (to taste)
Prepare over ice. Stir. Add one drop Peychaud's bitters. Don't stir. Garnish with lime twist. Enjoy.
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Comments :
May '10
Re: Mixed Bizness: '80s Night
As a fellow grad student, I see where you're coming from. I created this cocktail for an online tournament. Unfortunately--but not so sadly--it lost . Behold:
The Surly Dietlet
1.5 oz. London Dry Gin
0.5 oz. Bonded Apple Brandy
1 tsp. simple syrup (1-to-1 sugar to water)
4 drops Orange Bitters
1 lemon twist
Pour the Gin, the Apple Brandy, the simple syrup, and the bitters into a mixing vessel. Stir with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon twist.
May '10
Re: Mixed Bizness: '80s Night
Love this. Why not Sapphire?
Here's an original...
Leggy Blonde
Pomegranate Vodka
Diet Minute Maid Lemonade
Splash of Cranberry Juice
May '10
Re: Mixed Bizness: '80s Night
That little touch of St. Germain must give it quite a fun flavor. I have a bottle here, so I'll be trying this recipe some time this weekend.
I might screw it up a bit, though, since the only gin I have on hand is the superb Leopolds--which has a wildly different flavor from the Bombay.
I can't wait for the end of my day...
Re: Mixed Bizness: '80s Night
Haven't gotten around to Leopolds, yet, David -- what's the taste? The explosion of gins over the past several years has left me a little excited but a little wary too -- Hendricks is a really good gin, but suddenly, with so many options (Aviator, Raj, etc., etc.) I feel like I have to make the same kind of decision that turned me into a default Belvedere drinker. To simplify matters, I tried out regular Bombay, and found it crisper and more refreshing than the Sapphire. But Tanqueray Ten is a great gin too... it never ends.
May '10
Re: Mixed Bizness: '80s Night
Tanq Ten is a mighty fine gin and I'm fond of both Bombay's.
Leopolds is--well, it's different. I rarely mix it with anything other than a few cubes of ice. I wrote this about it back when I first discovered the stuff:
"The first sip was a surprise. No light gin, this is powerfully flavored and aggressive. It is sweet, like the smell, with a lighter taste of juniper than I had expected, but with more flavors than I’m used to. This is hard to explain, but understand: each of the botanicals used to make the gin seems to come through far more clearly than I have ever experienced, and no two sips are entirely the same."
In an odd twist, I happen to have a spare, unopened bottle. If you would like to send me your address, I'd be happy to pack it up and send it to you. Right now it is sort of going to waste.
Re: Mixed Bizness: '80s Night
I accept, David. Waste not! DM me on Twitter.
May '10
Re: Mixed Bizness: '80s Night
No DM for you on Twitter. You, wisely, don't follow me. I consider that to be a sign of good taste.
Send me a note with your address at zombyboy - at - resurrectionsong - dot - com. I'll get it packed up and sent to you. My wife will be happy since she's pretty sure that my stash of alcohol is taking up way too much space in the kitchen.
Re: Mixed Bizness: '80s Night
Well, I'm not a regular gin drinker, but I do enjoy my Hendricks. And it's summer, so a crisp gin & tonic is hard to beat.
I'm a whiskey man. Maker's, on regular days. Van Winkle on what southerners call "occasions."
Two drinks I'm loving right now: something called "The King of the Dudes" invented by a bartender who works at a fine restaurant (thankfully) walkable from my house; and my own rather excellent Sazerac. Herbsaint to coat the bottom of the glass, rye, Peychaud bitters, and my twist: smoked honey. Clear large ice cubes. Twist.
Re: Mixed Bizness: '80s Night
I find Sazerac (the brand) a bit too fiery, Rob -- but your Sazerac (the drink) is enough to make me catch a plane. If I want to mess with the fire, I go Wild Turkey, which still, I'm pretty sure, makes the best Manhattan. That said, the rye renaissance is a beautiful thing. I'll have some more to say about that later. Also -- is this the Tasting Kitchen you're talking about?