Found it!! The Epic story of a liqueur bottle.

There it is!! Maraschino Liqueur at last! …along with orange bitters.

Remember the martini marathon? …  Wait… What do you mean, “no”?!

Seriously, you should check it out here and then come back :). For the others who don’t want to read/drink 21 awesome posts, here’s a quick recap:

In October 2011, I had a nice, well-merited month of vacation. During this time off, I made (and savored) a different martini each day! It was a lot of fun and I discovered some very cool drinks. The important thing you need to know is that the first cocktail in my list was the Martinez, considered by many to be the father of the martini as we know it. A little research around the web will teach you widely different stories about the Martinez as nobody can agree on its real inventor. The most probable story tells that the cocktail was created in the 1860’s by Jerry Thomas for a traveler waiting for a ferry going to the city of Martinez.

Well anyway, the problem for me wasn’t the mysterious history behind this old cocktail. It turns out the Martinez uses an obscure ingredient, the Maraschino Liqueur, that is not easy to find and practically impossible to get for a Canadian living in the province of Québec (like me). Here’s the story of how I finally got to make a Martinez, in seven epic chapters! 😉 I hope that my struggles to find this precious spirit bottle teach you a thing or two about the importance of ingredients.

July 16, 2012July 16, 2012 by Dave Richard Categories: CocktailsTags: Maraschino, Martinez, New York, Travel Leave a comment

The Talented Mr. J

Mr. J might leave basil in your teeth.

You got too much basil on your hands? Try this unusual cocktail from La Distillerie!

First off, I’m so sorry about my lousy presentation, I was on a rush! This cocktail should be made in a Mason Jar, like most cocktails from La Distillerie, for a much better effect.

The Talented Mr. J

Ingredients

• 4 pineapple cubes (crushed)
• 1 1/2 oz Whiskey (Maker’s Mark)
• 1/2 oz Chartreuse
• 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
• 1/2 Simple Syrup
• 3-4 teared Basil Leaves
• 7-Up

Preparation

Start by crushing the pineapple in the bottom of a tall glass, or if you’re doing it like la Distillerie, in a mason jar. Add all the ingredients except the 7-up (or it will go boom! (in a bad way!)) on ice. Shake energetically. Fill with 7-Up and decorate with a pineapple cube and one basil leaf.

Enjoy!

June 29, 2012 by Dave Richard Categories: CocktailsTags: Basil, Chartreuse, Distillerie, Pineapple, Whiskey 7 Comments

Martini Marathon – The finish line

Hello all! As you may have guessed from the title, and the fact that I didn’t post a Martini recipe for a while, I am done with the Marathon. Why now? Simple, my holidays are coming to an end. Besides, 20 martinis sounds just about right for a marathon. Maybe next time I’ll do a FULL marathon of 40 cocktails to match the 40 Km of a real marathon, you know, the one where you run :).

I had fun doing this and will continue, for sure, trying and creating recipes that I’ll share with you here. Meanwhile, here are some statistics for your analytical pleasures:

Martini Marathon 2011 Stats

• Cocktails Made: 25
• Cocktails liked: 88%
• New Classics found: 8
• Ounces of alcohol Ingested: 66 1/2
• Ounces of alcohol thrown away in disgust: 9 1/4
• Different spirits used: 25
• Other ingredients used : 19
• Different Garnish Used: 16
• Lemon made naked: 5
• Shaker Shakes: around 600
• Glass broken: 0 (Hey! Who do you take me for! :))
• Photos taken: 213

Notable mentions

Best Flavor (Mild): The flavor and look of the Green Tea Martini where incredible.

Best Flavor (Strong): Even though the Vesper was my favorite, I have to say that the anise flavor of the Third Degree Martini came very close behind. Instant Classic.

Weirdest Martini: Definitely the Balsamic Vinegar Martini. I would’ve never thought using vinegar in a cocktail.

Best preparation: Again the Balsamic Vinegar Martini. Preparing this cocktail is very ceremonial.

Best surprise:  The Saketini when served with sushi leaves a very pleasant buzz :). The Cinderellatini, even though virgin, was also a hit.

Had most fun with: Creating The Mustached Gentleman from scratch for Movember and preparing the mustached cocktail photo was the most fun :).

Biggest Deception: Not being able to do a Martinez (Read Below)

Best Martini, missing from the marathon: My favorite martini is the Dirty Martini which I had already written a post for.

Lessons

Trying these new recipes taught me a couple of things about mixing, flavors and about cocktails in general. Here are some random snippets from these lessons:

Coating: Coating a cocktail means to roll a spirit in the glass and throw the excess away. It is basically the minimal amount of a spirit you can use in a cocktail.

Ice purpose: The ice in the shaker has two purpose, first, by reducing the temperature of the alcohol, you reduce the alcohol taste and bring the other flavors up in importance (good!). While shaking a cocktail, the ice melts, adding water to your mix, which is crucial to the taste.

Recipes: Even though lot’s of cocktails are considered classics, their recipes can be found at multiple sources and be very different. Don’t try to find the “real” one. When mixing a martini, choose the ingredients and ratios that you feel are correct and that you will like.

If you can’t find it, make it yourself: Don’t buy ingredients like single syrup or sour mix, do it yourself it is easy  and will not take you more time than to go to the market. For more complex ingredients like bitters, it is also better to do it yourself as you will create your own unique flavor.

The most important thing I learned is that getting “rare” spirits is tough! Keep in mind that I live in Québec, Canada where the importation of intoxicating beverage is regulated and where you can only buy liquor at a government own corporation known as the SAQ. For me, it is illegal to buy a bottle of the web. If the SAQ doesn’t have a product, I have to make a private importation with them as the intermediary. The process is VERY expansive and complicated. For example, the Martinez is made with Maraschino Liqueur, a product unavailable in Québec. It is easy to find a bottle on the web for 30$ but it is illegal for me to get one this way. I would have to get permission from the SAQ and buy a crate of the stuff. It would cost a fortune…Major downer!

I will complain to them as I think a lot of cool product out there should be available to us cocktail enthusiasts. If you are in the same situation, I invite you to do the same.

I hope you had fun and could try a couple of Martinis yourself. Until the next cocktail, have a great time!

November 7, 2011July 16, 2012 by Dave Richard Categories: CocktailsTags: Martini, Martini Marathon Leave a comment

Martini Marathon Day 20 – Green Tea Martini

Green Tea Martini

Good evening! It’s my father’s birthday today so my parents came home for supper. We had an incredible opera cake for dessert with green tea to wash it down. Of course we had way too much cake, and because of extreme stuffing, we left most of the tea on the table. Once they left I though, “hmmmmm…let’s make a martini with these leftovers” (the tea not the cake!).

Green Tea Martini

Ingredients

• 2 Parts Vodka Citron
• 1 Part Grand Marnier
• 1 Part Chilled Green Tea
• Sugar for the rim
• Lime juice for the rim
• Lime slices for garnish

Preparation

Start by rimming a chilled martini glass with the lime juice and sugar. Pour the Vodka Citron, Grand Marnier and green tea in a shaker filled with ice. Shake until very cold. Strain into the rimmed martini glass and garnish with lime slices.

Appreciation

Oh my! this is a good surprise! The green tea martini is refreshing and actually tastes like tea. Nice! When you think the alcohol is going to become too intense, the sugar and lime from the rim pops to the rescue and blends all the ingredients in a smooth flavor. You have to try this martini. When I was done with it, I wished I had made a pitcher…but no…what a fool. I give it nine dolphin out of ten.

Enjoy!

November 3, 2011July 16, 2012 by Dave Richard Categories: CocktailsTags: Green Tea, Martini, Martini Marathon, Orange Liqueur, Refreshing, Vodka Citron 1 Comment

Martini Marathon Day 19 – The Mustached Gentleman

The Mustached Gentleman is Happy!

It’s Movember! You know, the month previously known as November, where man grow mustaches to raise awareness and funds for men’s health issues. If you don’t know about Movember, I urge you to visit the website where you will find valuable information on the goals of this event.

I am participating in this year’s campaign, trying to amass as much money as I can by growing an awesome ‘stache. I usually proudly wear a full beard, and shaving on Movember 1st was difficult. But it’s for a good cause and I gladly did it for my Fathers, Brothers, Friends and myself. Nobody is safe from cancer.

For the occasion, I’ve created the following cocktail which is at the same time my 19th martini of the marathon. This manly drink explodes with flavors and will, for sure, make your facial hair grow faster (works on man only! 😉 ). Try it, and if you liked it, please make a contribution to the cause. Any sized donation is welcomed and greatly appreciated! Visit my mo-space on the Movember site and hit the “donate to me” button. On behalf of all men, I thank you very much! 😀

The Mustached Gentleman

Ingredients

• 1 Part Gin
• 1 Part Cognac (or Brandy)
• 1/2 Part Sweet Vermouth
• 1/4 Part Amaretto
• 2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters
• Lemon Peel for Rim
• A Cocktail Onion for Garnish

Preparation

Start by getting a large peel of lemon, twist it to get to precious essential oil out and use it to rim your chilled martini glass. Then discard it (the peel not the glass!).

Pour the Gin, Cognac (or any other fine Brandy), Sweet Vermouth and Amaretto in a shaker filled with cracked ice. Shake vigorously with all your masculinity until ice cold. Pour into the lemon-rimmed martini glass. Add 2 dashes of angostura bitters and garnish with a cocktail onion.

Enjoy!

Here is the link to make a donation to the Movember cause:

http://mobro.co/DaveRichard

November 2, 2011July 16, 2012 by Dave Richard Categories: CocktailsTags: Amaretto, brandy, Cognac, Gin, Martini Marathon, Movember, Sweet Vermouth 1 Comment

Martini Marathon Day 18 – Chipotle Caesar-tini

Chipotle Caesar-tini

Good evening!

Here is something different to try if you like Bloody Caesars or Bloody Maries. The recipe is very close to the original Caesar but will be stronger as a Martini since the ratio juice/vodka is very different. The chipotle Tabasco gives it a distinctive smoky taste.

Chipotle Caesar-tini

Ingredients

• 2 Parts Vodka
• 3 Parts Clamato Juice
• 1/4 Part Lemon Juice
• 5 drops of Chipotle Tabasco
• 2 Dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• Pepper
• Celery Salt
• A Cucumber Slice for Garnish

Preparation

Start by rimming a chilled martini glass with lemon juice and celery salt. Be generous.

Pour the vodka, Clamato juice, lemon juice, chipotle tabasco and Worcestershire sauce in a shaker with cracked ice and shake until cold. Pour in the rimmed glass and top with freshly grounded pepper to taste.

Garnish with a fresh green vegetable, either a cucumber slice or a celery stalk.

You can skip the vodka and make this one a virgin.

Enjoy!

November 1, 2011July 16, 2012 by Dave Richard Categories: CocktailsTags: Bloody Caesar, Chipotle, Clamato Juice, Martini Marathon, Vodka Leave a comment

Martini Marathon Day 17 – The Halloween Hpnotist

The Halloween Hpnotist. Spooky!

Happy Halloween, cocktail enthusiasts!

I know, I know! It would have been cleverer to post this cocktail before the 29th so you could drink it at your Halloween Party on Saturday! Sorry about that ;).

Anyway…Each holiday, you can find cool themed drinks to try on About.com cocktail section. The following martini comes from this year’s list of Halloween cocktails. The idea is good and the drink seems to be flavorful. Let’s see if it works.

The Halloween Hpnotist

Ingredients

• 2 Parts Hpnotiq
• 1 Part Vodka
• Splash of Lemon Juice
• A Glow Stick for Garnish (Don’t eat it!)

Preparation

Pour the ingredients, except the glow stick, in a shaker filled with ice and shake it! (You can moan like a zombie if you wish). Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a glow stick!

Appreciation

The drink is very good…it tastes like Hpnotiq…really, that’s pretty much all there is. Hpnotiq is a vodka based spirit that tastes like tropical fruits. The effect with the glow stick is what’s very cool about it. When your guests or you will take a sip of the ghostly drink it will light your spooky Halloween face. Of course, it will only work in dark areas.

Be sure you don’t do like me and take a glow stick that is too long or it will look silly in the glass. Take a martini glass that’s thinner and deeper, the effect is going to be much better. Also, be careful not to get an orange, green or pink glow stick! Choose blue or white.

The Halloween Hpnotist is Perfect for Halloween, to bad it’s already over!

Enjoy and happy Halloween!

October 31, 2011July 16, 2012 by Dave Richard Categories: CocktailsTags: Glow Stick, Halloween, Hpnotiq, Martini, Martini Marathon, Vodka Leave a comment

Martini Marathon Day 16 – Balsamic Vinegar Martini

Vinegar in a martini? Whaaaaat?!

Good evening cocktail enthusiasts!

In my quest for interesting martinis, I’ve stumbled on this quite unique recipe on the web, which is apparently a classic: the Balsamic Vinegar Martini. Seriously, Balsamic vinegar! I had to try it!

Balsamic Vinegar Martini

Ingredients

• 3 Shots of Chilled Vodka (75 ml)
• 1 Dash Balsamic Vinegar (or more)
• 1 Big Strawberry
• Orange Peel

Preparation

First off, be sure your vodka has been in the freezer for a while…like overnight. You need it to be cold as this recipe doesn’t involves any shaker (no water!). Choose a very good balsamic vinegar, it should be thick. If your vinegar is watery, you can always reduce it by heating it. Be sure to wait until it’s cooled down to do the martini!

Pour some vinegar on a plate. Skew the strawberry and roll it in the vinegar so it is generously coated. Put the strawberry in the chilled martini glass. Pour 75 ml of your favorite chilled vodka on the strawberry.

Shave a large slice of peel from an orange and twist it over the cocktail. This will release the orange essential oil for intense flavor. Then rim the glass with the peel. Once done, throw the peel away, you don’t need it.

Appreciation

I really enjoyed this martini’s taste but also its preparation. It was fun and different to make. I though the vinegar would be too intense but it actually balances with the vodka. Drinking them at the same moment will smooth the vinegar acidic taste and the vodka strong taste to create a nice combined flavor. When done with the liquid, treat yourself with the strawberry which will be infused with the balsamic and vodka flavor. It’s like the desert of the cocktail.

The key to enjoying fully this martini is to find the right balance of Balsamic vinegar for you. I had to adjust mine with 1 tsp of vinegar to really like it. If your first sip tastes like pure vodka to you, there isn’t enough vinegar.

Enjoy!

October 30, 2011July 16, 2012 by Dave Richard Categories: CocktailsTags: Aromatic, Balsamic Vinegar, Martini, Martini Marathon, Strawberry, Vodka 1 Comment

VG Cocktail: The Estus Shot (Dark Souls)

Praise the Sun!

Are you playing Dark Souls, the infamous sequel to Demon’s Souls? Well you should, their both very good games! Dark Souls is one of the best game I’ve played this year, if not the best. The universe is gorgeous and very imaginative. Sure you’ll die a lot while exploring it, but it will always be your fault. 🙂 That’s the magic of the game. It’s cruel with you, but not unfair. Don’t complain it’s  too tough, man-up and go fight dammit! Seriously, stick up with it, the experience is totally worth it.

Here’s a shot I’ve created, inspired by the game. It will give you the courage needed to fight the next Demon on your path. Just like the game, this shot will burn you. Just like the game, there are good chances it will make you scream and cry. It’s like liquid pain. But, like the game, it has a nice cinnamon aftertaste.

Estus Shot

Ingredients

• 1/2 part Absinth
• 1/2 part Fireball Cinnamon Whisky

Preparation

Pour both ingredients in the weirdest/most ancient shot glass you got. Take a deep breath and shoot!

Praise the Sun!

October 30, 2011October 30, 2011 by Dave Richard Categories: CocktailsTags: Absinth, Cinnamon, Dark Souls, Estus Flask, Shot, Whisky Leave a comment

Martini Marathon Day 15 – Darkside

The Darkside. Do you see the skull? Awesome!

No time to write much as I am running late for an Halloween party! The following cocktail is one of my creation, even though there isn’t much to brag about! It’s basically a dark blue / purple cosmo, the way I like it. Very nice for Halloween and with an incredible taste. Try it! Tell your friends!

Darkside

Ingredients

• 1 part Vodka Citron
• 1/2 part Cointreau
• 1/2 part Blue Curaçao
• 1/2 part Lime Juice
• Cranberry Juice
• A lime slice for garnish

Preparation

Pour the Vodka, Cointreau, blue Curaçao and lime juice in a shaker filled with cracked ice and shake until cold as death. Strain into a chilled martini glass, fill with cranberry juice and garnish with a lime slice. BOOM!

Enjoy!

October 29, 2011July 16, 2012 by Dave Richard Categories: CocktailsTags: Cosmopolitan, Curaçao, Halloween, Martini Marathon Leave a comment