Sunday, September 27, 2015

Glasgow Kiss Sour

COCKTAIL OF THE WEEK: 4TH EDITION

Some of the best drinks are the one's that have a good story behind them. As a professional bartender, I'm also basically a professional salesman. Ya, anyone can sell you a pint, but it takes a little bit of silver-tongued loquaciousness to get someone to upgrade to forking out $20 for a cocktail. That's why I love when bars I work at have a good theme, and why I especially love drinks that have a good story behind them. The "Hemminway Daiquari" for instance is an easy sell, simply because it automatically makes people feel like they're sharing a round with Ernie. But I also love creating my own little concoctions that have been inspired by different events or people I've met over the years, and that's exactly what this cocktail is. 

The Scottish have got to be some of the nicest, friendliest, drunkest people on the planet, and I've yet to meet one I haven't liked. But based on my experience, it seems every person born in Scotland is born in Glasgow. Though this might simply be a coincidence, I would wager it's mostly because the Scottish are delightfully full of (insert four letter word here). Now this is fine, it makes for amazing banter, and no one has better banter than a scotsman, but it also gave me an idea. A drink that's fun and exciting but not quite exactly what it seems to be, and so became the TAYLOR MADE: GLASGOW KISS. 

TAYLOR MADE-GLASGOW KISS SOUR:

One of the best ways to make something new and exciting is to simply add a little spin on an old classic, and it doesn't get much more classic than a Whiskey-Sour. With that in mind, and with my Scottish friends serving as the inspiration, I created a modern twist on this old classic, that I think will be something everyone can enjoy. As with most sours we have just four main ingredients, our liquor, lemon or lime juice, sugar syrup, and egg white. But as with most great cocktails, it's not simply about the ingredients, it's about the little extra you put in to make it great, in this case that will be Buckfast Tonic Wine, and Maraschino Cherries soaked in whiskey. So here's what you'll need:

- A nice mid to high-end scottish whiskey (of course). I prefer a blend for this drink with a nice balance (you don't want something to peaty or smokey, but a little more smooth on the palate). A great affordable blend is Monkey Shoulder.
- Lemon or Lime Juice, normally for a whiskey sour I would recommend lemon, but with this particular drink the extra punch of tart from the lime is a nice touch (1 oz per drink, squeeze accordingly).
- Gumme or plain sugar syrup (need 1/2 oz per drink)
- Egg Whites (pre-maid is probably easier if you've never cracked egg whites before, 1 oz per drink).
- Buckfast Tonic Wine, this is essential, because nothing else quite tastes like "Bucky". You may need to search a higher end import store depending on where you live (which is rather ironic if you know anything about 'Bucky', it's not exactly classy).
- Marschino Cherries, depending on how many people your making drinks for is how big of a jar you should get, but they're good in everything so probably opt for the big jar.  
- Normal cocktail making equipment (shakers, strainers, etc.)

PREPARATION (PART ONE: THE CHERRIES):
- This is not a mandatory step, but definitely worth the extra effort if you're going to be entertaining some guests and really want a little something extra. You should do this at least 24 hours before hand.
- In a large cup or glass add as many cherries as you will need for the night (without the juice), try to get at least two per drink, but three if you've got the time and energy.
- Next (depending on the size of the glass and the number of cherries, fill up with 2 parts whiskey, 1 part Buckfast, and 1 part Marschino Cherry juice. 
- Give it a little mix to distribule the liquid and place in the fridge for at least 24 hours to allow the mix to infuse with the cherries (testing whenever you feel the need of course).

PREPARATION (PART TWO: THE COCKTAIL):
- Firstly, as always, make sure all your ingredients are set out and ready to go (juice squeezed, cherries prepped, egg whites either cracked or pre-made package ready).
- For this cocktail you want to use a nice see-through high-ball glass (6-8 oz capacity), so have the appropriate amount of those. The presentation of this drink is just as important as the drink itself.

MIXING: for one drink at a time
- In an empty shaker add the following:
* 2 oz Scottish Blended Whiskey (Monkey Shoulder)
* 1 oz Lime Juice (or Lemon if you prefer)
* 1 oz Egg White 
* 1/2 oz Gumme (Sugar Syrup)
- Firstly, "Dry Shake" the drink, firmly closing the lid and shaking for 10-15 seconds
- Remove the lid, add ice, then proceed to "Wet Shake" for another 15-20 seconds
- Double strain over ice into your high-ball glass
- Next, pour 1/2 an oz of Buckfast into a seperate shot glass and slowly and carefully pour over the top of the drink to create a "Bucky Float", the two should stay relatively separated and you'll notice a beautiful juxtiposition between the yellow/brown of the sour, and the deep burgandy of the wine.
- Finally, add however many of your soaked Marschino Cherries as you desire, Instagram that bad boy, and enjoy.

The thing I love about this drink is the simplicity, the sophistication, and also the general debauchery which it implies. A whiskey sour is a cocktail a man like Don Draper would drink, while Buckfast (at least according to all my Scottish friends) is directly linked in around 70% of all alcohol related crimes in Scotland. The two juxtapose together perfectly in this Taylor-Made Cocktail of The Week, and I hope you enjoy drinking it half as much as I enjoyed making it. 

Monday, September 21, 2015

Berry Sorbet Martini

COCKTAIL OF THE WEEK: 3RD EDITION

If you've ever bartended before, or most likely if you've ever been to a bar period, at some point you've heard this phrase uttered, "I don't know... make me something yummy." This phrase comes in a variety of forms, you may have also heard any of these:

"Just... I don't know... whatever's good."

"What would YOU drink?"

"Make me something special!"

The majority of the time it's not their fault, these people are not professionals, they are simply customers. While it may be frustrating for us behind the bar, I wouldn't expect to be able to walk into whatever it is you do for a job and pick it right up either. We are the link between you, and some delicious concoction, and you are willfully admitting your ignorance, and trusting us to deliver. This exchange used to frustrate me, all I could think was, "You've been waiting ten minutes, and you didn't stop to think about what the %^$& you wanted to order?!" But after many years, and continuing to increase my knowledge over time, I learned to embrace this. I created a list of go to drinks for the undecisive. Simple, easy to make, and most importantly, delicious. This week's cocktail is an old favorite off that list, The Taylor-Made: Berry Sorbet Martini. It's the perfect response to any girl looking for something sweet and delicious, but has no idea what she wants. This is one of the simpliest drinks I make, but chicks love it (and dude's they just won't admit it), and I'm sure you'll love it too. 

TAYLOR MADE-BERRY SORBET MARTINI:

This is the perfect drink for a girls night out, or better yet, if you wanna be fancy and have a girls night in. It's super simple, and super delicious, and a lot stronger than it tastes (so be careful). Like I said it's also super easy to make, even though it has five ingredients (but all in equal portions), but with a little creative flair you can make it look like a $20 cocktail. Here's what you'll need:

- A nice bottle of vodka (I love Tito's, but any mid to premium is great)
- A bottle of Chambord Raspberry Liquor 
- Some fresh squeezed lemon juice (an ounce per drink, so squeeze accordingly)
- Gumme (Regular Sugar Syrup)
- Fresh or Boxed Egg Whites (probably boxed if you don't have experience cracking eggs)
- If you wanna get fancy, a bottle of Maraschino Cherries and a straw
- That's it... simple

**Side Note: If you've never made cocktails before and are unsure of the reason for needing eggwhites, it's simply about creating a frothy creamy drink. If you drink a lot of Martinis you've almost assuredly had a drink made with egg whites before. Don't get grossed out, they are totally safe and healthy, and hey protein! So now your getting drunk... and healthy!**

PREPARATION:

- Firstly, get everything laid out (all your bottles, egg whites and juice)
- Make sure your martini glasses are rather large (at least 6 oz) as the drink will thin slightly when mixed and you don't want to overflow
- It's possible to make two drinks at a time, but you will need a very large shaker, or simply get small cute martini glasses and split each drink into two
- You will need all your basic cocktail making tools again (shaker, strainer, etc.)
- Let's get started

MIXING: for one drink at a time

- In an empty shaker add 1oz each of the following:
* Vodka
* Chambord
* Lemon Juice
* Gumme
* Egg White
- If your know what you're doing, here is where you would first "dry shake" then add ice and "wet shake"... If you don't know what that means, just add ice and shake for about 15-20 seconds
- If you simply want to drink this is where you double strain into the glass and enjoy, however, if you have a flair for the dramatic, and presentation, then you can add one more step.
- Using the juice from the cherries, dip the straw into the bright red juice and plug the other end with your finger so no juice comes out
- Bring the straw to the foamy, yummy martini glass and allow some juice to drip out (one drop at a time) around the edge of the glass, using four drops total to create a cross shape with the red cherry dots
- Once you've got all four of your dots, dip the straw lightly into the center of one of the dots and draw a circle with the straw going through the center of each of the red dots, and finishing back at the top
- Voila! You've created a beautiful set of four red hearts encircling the glass... Post that shiz to Instagram and drink up!

This cocktail is great for bachelorette parties, birthdays, and/or simply just a girls night out (or in). It's sweet, but not overly sweet, and it's got just the right amount of kick, mixed with deliciousness. I hope you enjoy and remember to comment, share, and even send in your own recipes for us to try out. 

Friday, September 11, 2015

The Perfect Storm

For the better part of the last decade I have been a bartender to pay the bills. As anyone who has bartended for this long knows, this also means I am also a certified therapist, relationship counselor and official late night "booty call", because who else is just getting off work at 4am? What it also means is over the course of that time, I've learned a thing or two about the art of cocktail making. When I wasn't busy explaining the difference between a Vodka and Gin Martini (or my preference for stirring no matter what James Bond may think) or trying to get one of my regulars laid, I was messing around with all those fancy bottles behind the bar. With this knowledge gained and now in collaboration with Taylor Magazine we will be presenting a weekly cocktail, to get help power you through your week. Many of these will be my own personal concoctions, and some will simply be slight twists on old classics. Regardless, start taking screen shots and bringing these with you to your swankiest cocktails bars in town, and bask in the glow of the bartender finally asking you, "Wait, what's in that?"

COCKTAIL OF THE WEEK: 2ND EDITION

Sometimes you just need to channel your inner pirate, and when that day comes there's really only one drink that will do... RUM! In this second installment of Taylor-Made Cocktails, we will be exploring a small twist on a old favorite, the Dark and Stormy. For those of you that have never experienced this delicious cocktail, just know from the start you are in for a treat. There are many impersonators, but any real bartender will tell you, there's nothing quite like a real Dark and Stormy. So with that in mind we will explore this old classic, but give it a little extra punch up.

TAYLOR-MADE: THE PERFECT STORM

Rum drinks are great, because they always make you feel like you're at the beach, even if you're in the middle of the mountains. There's a reason rum was the drink of choice for writing great Ernest Hemminway, a good rum cocktail, especially one like this, warms the soul, and gets the creative juices flowing. So let's explore the art of classic Tiki cocktails and channel our inner Jack Sparrow with a drink that will sure to make you exclaim, "Where's all the Rum Gone?!" Here's what you'll need:

- Gosling's Black Seal Rum (80 proof)
- Gosling's Black Seal Rum (151 proof)
- A few cans of Gosling's Ginger Beer
- A few stalks of fresh Lemon Grass
- One fresh chunk of ginger
- Lots of fresh limes (for juicing and cutting)
- Gumme (Plain Sugar Syrup)
- Tiki Mugs (or some nice High Ball Glasses)

Preparation: 
- Firstly, get all your ingredients laid out (you'll probably want a juicer for this)
- You will also need some basic cocktail making equipment for this drink (shakers, strainers, muddler, jiggers, etc.)
- Depending on the size of your shaker, you can make up to two drinks at a time, but there's no shame in enjoying a couple of these bad boys by yourself
- Get all of your juice ready, you'll need an ounce of lime juice per drink, so juice accordingly
- Make a lime boat for your 151 floater. To do this cut a lime horizontally and use the knife to cut out the pulp inside the skin. You want to make sure there's as little pulp remaining as possible.
- Let's get started

MIXING: for one person at a time
- Cut about 2 cm of the lemon grass stalk and about the same size portion of the fresh ginger
- Muddle these two in the shaker, until they are pulvarized and you can see the juice from the ginger
- Add the following:
1. 2 ounces Gosling's Black Seal (80 proof)
2. 1 ounce fresh lime juice
3. 1/2 ounce Sugar Syrup
4. Fill up the rest of the shaker with ice
- Shake for about 30 seconds and double strain over ice into Tiki or High ball glass
- Top with Gosling's Ginger Beer
- Throw your lime boat on top and add another 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce of Gosling's Black Seal (151 proof)
- Light the rum in the lime boat on fire, post picture to instagram, and enjoy (make sure you blow out the fire before you add your float).

Aside from looking awesome, this classic cocktail has everything you want from a rum drink, spice, sweetness, and a beautiful extra kick. You'll be sure to impress all your friends with your new bartending skills, and you'll definitely love this amped up version of an old classic. Just don't be suprised when you find out how easy these bad boys go down, and how much rum you'll go through before you even realize it. Cheers!

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Passionfruit Sangria

For the better part of the last decade I have been a bartender to pay the bills. As anyone who has bartended for this long knows, this also means I am also a certified therapist, relationship counselor and official late night "booty call", because who else is just getting off work at 4am? What it also means is over the course of that time, I've learned a thing or two about the art of cocktail making. When I wasn't busy explaining the difference between a Vodka and Gin Martini (or my preference for stirring no matter what James Bond may think) or trying to get one of my regulars laid, I was messing around with all those fancy bottles behind the bar. With this knowledge gained and now in collaboration with Taylor Magazine we will be presenting a weekly cocktail, to get help power you through your week. Many of these will be my own personal concoctions, and some will simply be slight twists on old classics. Regardless, start taking screen shots and bringing these with you to your swankiest cocktails bars in town, and bask in the glow of the bartender finally asking you, "Wait, what's in that?"

COCKTAIL OF THE WEEK: 1ST EDITION

Unfortunately, summer is almost over, but that shouldn't stop you from drinking delicious summer cocktails like you don't have to worry about work on Monday. With that in mind I'm pleased to kick off the new "Cocktail of the Week" section for Taylor Magazine with a delicious spin on a summer classic.

TAYLOR-MADE: PASSIONFRUIT SANGRIA

Sangria is a staple in any summer drinking diet, but this classic needed a new kick. By changing up some basic parts but still keeping the heart of the drink the same, I've created a drink that's sure to keep you keep you saying "Does this even have any alcohol in it?" while you slowly start slurring your words and getting handsy with your best friend's boyfriend. It's definitey possible to find all these ingredients in stores but you might have to look a little harder for the passionfruit syrup (you can always make your own as well!). So let's get started, here's what you'll need:

- Brandy, any mid-shelf brand will do, you don't need XO for this as it'll simply be part of the larger mix.
- Lemon juice, I would recommend having a juicer if your making this for a party otherwise you will be squeezing a lot of lemons.
- Orange Juice: something nice and fresh not from concentrate, I prefer heavy on the pulp but that's up to you.
- Passionfruit Syrup: you can either find this in a large alcohol store (like Total Wine) or order some online (you can use if for a bunch of recipes) or simply make your own.
- Passionfruit Pulp: should be easier to find in the canned fruit section at higher end organic grocery stores, or you can pulp your own passionfruit (but this is a pain).
- Moscato: I prefer a nice pink, bubbly version (Jacob's Creek), but it's perfectly acceptable to use a non carbonated (rule of thumb, men would prefer no bubbles, but once they try it they'll love it either way). 
- A variety of fruit: In a classic Sangria you'd be using apples, oranges, strawberries, and maybe lemons or limes, but you can really add whatever you want here to spice up. 
- Mason Jars: The best and classiest way to serve real sangria in my opinion, you can usually find these at Costco or the like for just a couple bucks a glass and they can be repurposed often.

PREPARATION: For a group of 5
- Firstly, get everything set out, so the mixing will go as smoothly as possible. 
- How many people are you making drinks for?: If it's a large group I would recommend doing something in a jug that people can just pour for themselves, the drink is not hard to make, but it takes some time if you have to do it for 30 separate people.
- Gather and cut your fruit, for the purposes of this we will stick with the classics and say Oranges, Apples, and Strawberries. Typically you'll want about half a larger fruit for each person (so 1/2 apple and orange) and two whole smaller fruits (so two strawberries per person). 
- Juice your lemons: you will need 1oz of lemon juice per person. Depending on the lemon size and juiciness, it should be anywhere from 1-2 lemons per person. 
- Once all your fruit is cut and your lemon juice squeezed, and your jug for mixing is ready, we can move on to the actual mixing. 

MIXING: Per Person (5 people) in your Jug
- Firstly add all your fruit: we will be mixing later so its ok for this to sit there for the moment
- Ingredients per person:
1. 1 oz brandy (5 oz)
2. 1 oz lemon juice (5 oz)
3. 2 oz orange juice (10 oz)
4. 1/2 oz Passionfruit syrup (2 1/2 oz)
5. 1 oz passion fruit pulp (5 oz)
6. 1/5 bottle of Moscato (1 Full Bottle)

Mix all the ingredients together (except Moscato) in your jug (You want something that holds about 3 liters), and add ice so that the jug is about 2/3's full. Stir everything for about 30 seconds before adding your Moscato on top. Stir agin for another 20-30 seconds making sure to mix up from the bottom as you stir. Add ice to fill up the jug the rest of the way and you are (almost) ready to serve.

SERVING:
Fill each of the Mason Jars about 2/3's of the way with ice. It can be nice here to have some extra fruit pre-cut that people can add a little scoop to their drink before pouring on the Sangria (as it sometimes tends to stick to the bottom of the jug). Pass around and enjoy!

NOTES:
If you are planning on serving a larger quantity (5 people and up) I would recommend not adding ice to the mixture before serving (as it will water down as it sits there). Rather mix everything together as before, without adding the ice, and simply fill people's Mason Jars with ice to the top, to insure a delicious ice cold Sangria.

Now get out there and say "Winter be Damned!" as you sip this delicious concoction and dream about bikinis and tan lines. We'd love to hear your feedback, or if you have any owns twists on this classic recipe you'd like to offer, chuck it in the comments section below. But for now, sit back, relax, and enjoy.