Two World Hero

Kellie Thorn, Empire State South, Atlanta, GA, USA

“This is a pretty obvious riff of a Vieux Carré, one of my favorite classics. It’s named for Marquis de Lafayette who was a “two world hero” fighting for both the American and French revolutions. A nod to the use of both French and American ingredients and the inclusion of a tea element which works very well here, but also references the Boston Tea Party.” Kellie Thorn

30 ml (1 oz) Black Tea-Infused Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac*

22.5 ml (.75 oz) rye whiskey (Kellie recommends a bottled-in-bond or other full flavored rye)

22.5 ml (.75 oz) Cocchi Vermouth di Torino

7.5 ml (.25 oz) Red Wine Syrup**

1 dash Angostura bitters

1 mint sprig, as garnish

Stir over ice and strain into a chilled double old-fashioned glass over one block cube. Add the garnish.

*Black Tea-Infused Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac: Infuse 25 grams (1 scant oz) of organic black tea in a 750-ml bottle of Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac for 10 minutes, then strain.

**Red Wine Syrup: Dissolve 200 g (1 cup) of granulated sugar in 240 ml (1 cup) of a robust red wine (we use a quality Malbec). Do not heat the red wine, as it will give cooked flavors that are undesirable.

gaz sez: The Vieux Carré is one of my favorite tipples, too, so it’s no wonder that this recipe caught my eye. I used Redemption Rye when I tested this baby, and the whole thing came together beautifully, with the tea-infused Pierre Ferrand cognac staunchly leading the way, but she allows all of her partners in this drink have their day in the sunshine, too. I think I might try just one more, please . . .

SUBMIT your recipe for consideration HERE

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Old Fashioned Holiday

Michael Gatlin, Evo, Portland, ME, USA

“I was asked by the owners of Evo to make some festive drinks for the Christmas season. This one was hands-down everyone’s favorite. The nutmeg and cinnamon mix well with the autumn spices of the Averna. So this drink is now on our winter menu.” Michael Gatlin

60 ml (2 oz) Nutmeg-Infused Old Overholt Rye*

15 ml (.5 oz) Averna amaro

15 ml (.5 oz) Cinnamon Syrup**

2 dashes Owl and Whale cherry bitters

1 maraschino cherry, as garnish

Stir over ice and pour the liquid and dirty rocks into a rocks glass. Add the garnish and guzzle.

*Nutmeg-Infused Old Overholt Rye: Crack open 10 whole nutmeg pods. Add to a 750-ml bottle of Old Overholt rye whiskey. Let infuse at least four days—nutmeg infusion happens fast—then strain and rebottle.

**Cinnamon Syrup: Combine 480 ml (2 cups) water, 400 g (2 cups) granulated sugar, and 30 g (1 oz) muddled cinnamon sticks in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for ten minutes. Cool, strain, and bottle.

gaz sez: I don’t care what time of year it is. I don’t care if the weather outside is frightful. Fact is that this drinks is so darned good you’ll find it real hard to stop at just one. As I learned recently . . .

SUBMIT your recipe for consideration HERE

Find the 101 Best New Cocktails App, and the book, right HERE

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We’re happy to announce that

Jen Marshall, The Shanty at New York Distilling, Brooklyn NY and Butter & Scotch, Brooklyn NY

has earned a Masters of Service degree from Cocktails in the Country

CitC’s Masters of Service Degree affirms that the Holder has completed, and fully understood, gaz regan’s Mindful Bartending Workshop, and has put the program into action.

gaz sez:

Jen did a fine job at Cocktails in the Country, and afterwards she wrote to let me know, “I definitely incorporate the universal greeting—being sure to say hello to everyone involved in a project, be it the dishwasher or the door man. This is hugely impactful.” Congratulations, Jen! You’ve earned your Masters of Service Certificate.

Here are some of the original cocktail recipes developed by Jen Marshall at

Cocktails in the Country

#1

1.5 oz. Edinburgh Gin

.5 oz. Passionfruit Puree

.5 oz. Hot Honey Syrup*

.5 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

.25 oz. Simple Syrup (1:1)

Bitterman’s Tiki Bitters for garnish

Combine all ingredients in an ice filled tin and shake. Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass. Add 2 drops of bitters for garnish.

*Hot Honey Syrup

Combine 1 cup each of honey and hot water, and 1 tbsp cayenne pepper. Stir until dissolved.

#2

2 oz. Michter’s Rye

.75 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

.5 oz. Spiced Maple Simple*

Combine all ingredients in an ice filled tin and shake. Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass.

* Spiced Maple Syrup

Add 1.5 cups pure maple syrup to a small saucepan. In a small mesh bag, add: 8 black peppercorns, 6 whole allspice, 6 whole cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, and 3 orange zest strips. Add to saucepan, heat over low heat for 5 minutes.

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“Of saloon keepers I undertake no defense. But the high class bartender is of a different and superior metal.”

The Young Mencken: The Best of His Work, 1973.

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“A bartender’s job is to make connections. You develop an instinct for it. You start to know when one person would do some good for another.”

Jeff Magill, Billy Goat Tavern, Chicago. Lifted from an article by Tom Chiarella in Chicago Magazine, February, 2015.

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“Why shouldn’t we bartenders . . . be respected as well as any other man, so much the more so as it requires ability and a level head to become a first-class bartender, while a shoe-maker is absolutely unfit for our business?!”

New and Improved Bartender’s Manual, Harry Johnson, 1900.

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“[The bartender] should know how to treat a man who has drunk too much, and he should be careful not to abuse him. There are times when money laid on the bar should not be accepted. It is a difficult matter to lay down rules for such cases–in fact, it is impossible.”

Hoffman House Bartender’s Guide: How to Open a Saloon and Make It Pay by Charles S. Mahoney, 1912

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“If you think your customer is about spending money for a beverage, when it is possible that he or his family needs the cash for some other, more useful purpose, it would be best to give him advice rather than the drink, for which he has asked, and send him home with an extra quarter, instead of taking the dime for the drink from him.”

New and Improved Bartender’s Manual, Harry Johnson, 1900.

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We’re happy to announce that

Selma Slabiak, Donna Cocktail Club, Brooklyn, NY

has earned a Masters of Service degree from Cocktails in the Country

CitC’s Masters of Service Degree affirms that the Holder has completed, and fully understood, gaz regan’s Mindful Bartending Workshop, and has put the program into action.

gaz sez:

Since the CitC workshop Selma wrote to tell me that she meditates every morning, and before each shift behind the bar, concentrating on, “how can I be of service to my fellow humans and to myself.”

“I am still processing the whole experience in many ways, and I can assure you I think about everything [we discussed in the workshop] every day,” she said, adding that her personal motto is “always be righteous, always be sincere.”

Congratulations on your Masters of Service Certificate, Selma. Nicely earned.

Here is an original cocktail recipe developed by Selma Slabiak at

Cocktails in the Country

Storm King

1 oz Edinburgh Gin

1 oz Quintinye Vermouth Dry

.25 oz HKB baijiu

.25 oz green chartreuse

2 dash Regan’s Orange Bitters

Lucid Absinthe for rinse

Lemon peel for expression

Stir / strain into absinthe rinsed coupe / express and discard lemon twist

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“To be on a guest’s side requires listening to that person with every sense, and following up with a thoughtful, gracious, appropriate response. It takes both great service and great hospitality to rise to the top.”

Setting the Table by Danny Meyer, 2006.

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“Never allow yourself to be idle behind the bar . . .”

The Flowing Bowl by William (The Only William) Schmidt, 1892

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“You will go far among bartenders before you find a scoundrel or a fool.”

The Young Mencken: The Best of His Work, 1973.

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“Politeness and affability cost nothing, and a nice perception of what is due a customer is as necessary to success in the profession as any other detail of the business.”

The New Police Gazette Bartender’s Guide, 1901

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“A bartender inquiring for a position should be clean-shaven, with clothes well-brushed, and shoes blacked; and should not speak to the proprietor with a cigar in his mouth, and neither should he spit on the floor”

New and Improved Illustrated Bartender’s Manual, Harry Johnson, 1900.

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Workers on the Tracks

Luke Andrews, The Whistler, Chicago, IL, USA

“The goal with this drink was to be simple. Three ingredients. No acid. A drink I could write on a napkin and someone could make at home or ahead of time for a decanter (or flask). The balance only works with a big, rough-around-the-corners high-proof rye. Bourbon does not work at all. The layers of the drink unfold as it sits over ice. I recommend drinking it and preparing it the way you would make a Negroni in terms of dilution and chill. Keep your fingers out of this one. When riding the train in Chicago you will undoubtedly hear ‘Your attention please…we are being delayed because there are WORKERS ON THE TRACKS ahead…’ and that’s when you reach for the tiny silver companion in your back pocket.” Luke Andrews

60 ml (2 oz) bonded or higher proof rye whiskey (Wild Turkey or Rittenhouse work great)

15 ml (.5 oz) Pierre Ferrand dry curaçao

15 ml (.5 oz) yellow Chartreuse

1 orange twist, as garnish

Stir over ice and strain into a rocks glass over a large piece of fresh ice. Add the garnish.

gaz sez: Luke’s gonna have a hard time trying to stop me from finger-stirring this baby—it’s living proof that keeping it simple can lead to some very complex cocktails, and he’s right in saying that you need a rye with some oomph to it to pull it off properly. Wild Turkey 101 or Rittenhouse Bonded do the trick well. This might not be a session drink, but I bet I can put two or three of these cocktails away pretty quickly.

SUBMIT your recipe for consideration HERE

Find the 101 Best New Cocktails App, and the book, right HERE

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Ultima Palabra

Simone De Luca, The Walrus Room, London, UK

“Cocktail created for the first time at High Road House club in Chiswick, London. I used it for every other menu I created until now. A simple twist on a Last Word cocktail, the name is translated in Spanish, hence the main spirit used. Subtle smokiness, herbaceous flavour and nuttiness, with a touch of fruity and citrusy components, this cocktail hits all the spots for taste buds!” Simone De Luca

25 ml (.8 oz) mezcal

25 ml (.8 oz) green Chartreuse

25 ml (.8 oz) maraschino liqueur

25 ml (.8 oz) pineapple juice

25 ml (.8 oz) fresh lime juice

1 thyme sprig, as garnish

Shake hard over ice (a little longer than usual to get proper dilution, otherwise flavours may be a bit too strong). Double-strain into a chilled coupette and add the garnish.

gaz sez: I used Vida mezcal to test this baby, and it made her purr like a snow leopard. The Last Word is such a fine template for variation, and Simone pulled this one off in high style.

SUBMIT your recipe for consideration HERE

Find the 101 Best New Cocktails App, and the book, right HERE

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Alcatraz

Christin Wagner, La Petite Grocery, New Orleans, LA, USA

“Thanks for trying my drink! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating it.” Christin Wagner

45 ml (1.5 oz) Tequila Ocho añejo

22.5 ml (.75 oz) Lustau Don Nuño oloroso sherry

15 ml (.5 oz) Suze liqueur

7.5 ml (.25 oz) Del Maguey Vida Mezcal

1 barspoon agave nectar

2 dashes Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate bitters

1 orange twist

Stir over ice and strain into a chilled rocks glass. Squeeze the twist over the drink and add as garnish.

gaz sez: Say “ocho” eight times, then run to the liquor store and demand you get your fair share of this remarkable tequila. Cristin showed remarkable balancing techniques when assembling these ingredients, and the use of Suze here is just inspired! Unlike its namesake, though, the Alcatraz Cocktail takes no prisoners. Be warned . . .

SUBMIT your recipe for consideration HERE

Find the 101 Best New Cocktails App, and the book, right HERE

The post 101 Best New Cocktails: Alcatraz by Christin Wagner, La Petite Grocery, New Orleans, LA, USA appeared first on gaz regan.

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For info on How Your Product Might be Featured at Cocktails in the Country write to gazregan@nullgmail.com

We’re happy to announce that

Doug Brickel of Cork & Kerry, Floral Park, NY, USA

has earned a Masters of Service degree from Cocktails in the Country

CitC’s Masters of Service Degree affirms that the Holder has completed, and fully understood, gaz regan’s Mindful Bartending Workshop, and has put the program into action.

gaz sez:

I’m turning this one right over to Doug. Here are his thoughts on the mindfulness program:

“Mindfulness behind the bar to me means awareness. It means reading guests’ needs and taking steps to address that need, oftentimes before guests know they need anything.

“Mindfulness is moving behind the bar with purpose and intent, avoiding wasted steps and movements in order for streamlined, seamless service to occur.

“Mindfulness is knowing who among guests would enjoy a discussion about bourbons, or be excited to try a new cocktail I’m developing – and knowing who just wants to drink a Bud Light in peace.”

And he added, talking about the crystal he received at CitC, “[I] keep it out in a conspicuous place at home as a reminder to stay calm under pressure, communicate effectively, and remember that the guests are the first priority.”

Doug also wrote, “The program was well-designed, keeping the group moving from one thing to the next. The caliber of people along for the ride was excellent, and I feel like I was able to learn something from everyone involved. And you, sir, come even better than advertised – your insights were inspiring and exactly what I needed to hear. As we discussed, my bars are on Long Island, a relative cocktail wasteland. Hearing what you and the others had to say really let me know that I’m on the right track with the way that I run my business, and that was invaluable. Thank you again for all of it.”

Thank YOU, Doug, it’s people like your good self who make our industry great.

Here are some of the original cocktail recipes developed by Doug Brickel at

Cocktails in the Country

The Hibi Club

67.5 ml (2.25 oz) Camus Cognac VS

22.5 ml (.75 oz) Sorel liqueur

22.5 ml (.75 oz) fresh squeezed lemon juice

7.5 ml (.25 oz) 1:1 simple syrup

1 fresh egg white

– add all ingredients to shaker tin and dry shake (without ice) for 20-30 seconds

– add ice and shake again for 20-30 seconds

– double strain into a chilled coupe glass, in order to be sure that no eggshell has gotten in, as well as to avoid ice chips along the surface, creating a consistently smooth drink

Garnish: fresh grated nutmeg and 5 drops of Bittermen’s Elemakule Tiki bitters, over the surface of the drink.

The French Are Still Bitter

52.5 ml (1.75 oz) Camus Cognac VS

22.5 ml (.75 oz) Campari

15 ml (.5 oz) Punt e Mes

– add all ingredients into a glass stirring vessel

– add ice and stir until barely diluted, but chilled – approximately 15 seconds

– strain into a rocks glass over a large King cube

Garnish: express oils from fresh zests of lemon and orange. Discard both twists and serve unadorned

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“Success behind the bar comes from an ability to understand the man or woman I am serving, to enter into his joys or woes, make him feel the need of me as a person rather than a servant.”

This Must be the Place: Memoirs of Jimmie the Barman, by Morrill Cody, 1937.

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“The new bartender [at an un-named speakeasy], a chap of dignified bearing who only got drunk once a year, was as nearly perfect as a bartender could ever be . . . He never had a fight, never lost his temper, never raised his voice, and when he stopped a customer’s drinks he did so firmly but without arousing anybody.” The Night Club Era by Stanley Walker, 1933.

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