In the late 60's a cocktail was popularized in a coffee house at 300 Carondelet ST New Orleans. It's the famous Sazerac cocktail where during it's time it used brandy (named as such from the french brandy makers who provided the spirit at the time) in a glass then washed with Absinthe (a drink that was banned in the US for having grande wormwood and thujone in it's recipes) has gone down in American history as popular a cocktail as the Mint Julep, the Martini and the Manhattan. This drink is famous through variation, as many people substitute the Absinthe for any anise-flavored liqour (Which Absinthe is mistaken for one as well) and Rye Whiskey instead of a Cognac.
Another popular drink that folows the "washing" method by many is the near dry Vodka or Gin Martini. Bartenders all across the country are filling martini glasses up with a splash of vermouth, ice and water to give the glass a rinse of the product to give it's final creation a mere aroma of the product used to chill the glass. I substitute the vermouth for a Islay Scotch to make my "Smokey Martini" and a whimsicle variation known as "The Dirty Donkey" (the olive brine emulsified variation of the same drink)
But I have come across a new delima recently. I make a fantastic pear martini using house made pear nectar, lemon juice, orange juice, Elderflower Liqour, Calvados infused with peeled and cored pears in a glass washed with Amaretto. A superb idea of a pear martini and yet I have guests who chastize me for the Ameretto rinse. For centuries bartenders have been tossing vermouth, absinthe and even more so SCOTCH down the drain and we have people losing there tips over less than a half an oz of ameretto (An almond flavored liqour based off apricot pits that is very thick, extremely aromatic and awfully sweet on it's own) which sticks to the martini glass in it's bulk yet doesn't leave it's over bearing sweetness in the cocktail. I mean, it's been going on for decades......
WHY NOW??????
Why still??
Why.....bother?
Another popular drink that folows the "washing" method by many is the near dry Vodka or Gin Martini. Bartenders all across the country are filling martini glasses up with a splash of vermouth, ice and water to give the glass a rinse of the product to give it's final creation a mere aroma of the product used to chill the glass. I substitute the vermouth for a Islay Scotch to make my "Smokey Martini" and a whimsicle variation known as "The Dirty Donkey" (the olive brine emulsified variation of the same drink)
But I have come across a new delima recently. I make a fantastic pear martini using house made pear nectar, lemon juice, orange juice, Elderflower Liqour, Calvados infused with peeled and cored pears in a glass washed with Amaretto. A superb idea of a pear martini and yet I have guests who chastize me for the Ameretto rinse. For centuries bartenders have been tossing vermouth, absinthe and even more so SCOTCH down the drain and we have people losing there tips over less than a half an oz of ameretto (An almond flavored liqour based off apricot pits that is very thick, extremely aromatic and awfully sweet on it's own) which sticks to the martini glass in it's bulk yet doesn't leave it's over bearing sweetness in the cocktail. I mean, it's been going on for decades......
WHY NOW??????
Why still??
Why.....bother?
Love this! The photos are great and the mixologist is hot! Makes me want a Sazerac!
ReplyDeleteI'm liking this comment feature! Thank you M.E.!
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