Thing's are hotting up in the registration room!
- Posted on the hop
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Paris, Monaco and Istanbul
Forget Berlin, New York and London. Next week I will be testing out some of the best bars in Paris, Monaco and Istanbul thank you Mr Maxamillion 'Gumball 3000' Cooper.
Boston Glass and Shaker
- Posted on the hop
Muddler
- Posted on the hop
Hawthorn strainer
- Posted on the hop
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
King's Ginger Liqeur
Urbanmoonshine original bitters
An organic bitters of dandelion, burdock and ginger. Also available in maple and citrus.
Monday, 16 May 2011
Franco's Margarita salt
Margarita Salt Sombrero.
The Sombrero hat can be filled with lime juice, to wet the glass before rimming in salt.
Pimm's o'clock, try adding Borage
Borage flowers are an intense, startling blue colour and nod attractively in the breeze. Pairs of oval, hairy, crinkled leaves are topped by drooping sprays of star-shaped flowers. The whole plant has a bristly appearance. Flowers can be added to salads and to summer drinks, especially Pimms, which the slightly cucumbery taste of borage matches perfectly! Borage is extremely attractive to bees.
A pleasant thing to do with long summer drinks is to place a single borage flower in each ice-cube compartment, top up with water and freeze. The resulting blue-flowered cubes look attractive in tall glasses, and add that little something extra to a gin and tonic! Sip, sit back, and enjoy the sounds and sights of wildlife in your garden.
Kola Tonic
foodperestroika.com
I am yet to find a decent and affordable Maraschino cocktail cherry. Luxado make a reasonable product but nothing beats home made cherries to top your home made cocktail. Maraschino cherries are traditionally made from Italian Dalmatian marasca wild cherry soaked a strong Maraschino Liquor, to preserve and flavor. Processed brine soaked lipstick red cherries have their place in historic American bar tending, but why not create a cherry that adds flavour and character you your mixed drink.
Blueprint Vintage Home Bar
An american blog and shop, occasionally selling vintage bar stuff. They are great at arranging and photographing the bar stuff they sell. A good place to get ideas.
Mexican Elbow
This 'Mexican Elbow' is sourced from The Mixing Glass. It is an amazing retail outlet for high end cocktail equipment based in Denmark. The products that they sell are of exceptional quality and and stunning design. Why Copenhagen, Why not London?
Dirty Sue
Premium olive juice to make a perfect Dirty Martini. A Dirty Martini is a Martini (usually Gin) with Vermouth and a small amount of olive brine. A tasty aperitif. The olive brine or juice gives the martini a cloudy appearance, hence the name. Break the ice by asking "How dirty do you like it?".
Napoleon House, New Orleans
A great 200 year old bar in the French quarter of New Orleans. I had a fantastic evening there while passing through. A bit of a tourist attraction, but hay, I was a tourist. The place is full of history and before becoming a bar was promised to Napoleon as a place for him to hide out while in exile. He never made it but the bar took his name and is still owened by the Impastato family, since 1914. The bar is famed for it's Pimm's Cup, which is a simpler Americanised version with just cucumber as a garnish, but its good value and suits the climate.
Spray Can Shaker
A shaker designed by William Kellogg, holds 14oz. This is one cool bit of kit, I thought it may be a bit of a toy, but works well in the flesh. It is well designed and made with great attention to detail. It is the shaker I take out with me when visiting friends, it always causes a stir and gets the party going. Living in East London, graffiti and street art surrounds our every day lives and brings some life to the concrete jungle.
Don The Beachcomber
late 1950's/early '60's souvenir photo, Don the Beachcomber at International Market Placesouvenir photo folder from International Market Place - Waikiki, Hawaii
Amalfi Lemon's
The finest lemons, unwaxed, big with amazing zest and great juice. The skin is quite thick and they are nobly which can make zesting tricky. These suckers add suck a fresh flavour to mixed drinks and the zest make the best limoncello and outstanding lemonade. Buy online at Natoora or ask your local green grocer to get a box. They last well and are great to cook in both sweet and savoury dishes. Amalfi coast lemons are not the cheapest but are well worth the extra dosh.
The Crown Bar Belfast
The crown bar is an opulent gin palace. Mosaic, wood carving and stained glass where carried out by Itallian trades men brought over to build catholic churches. The result is stunning, the decoration encourages such a warm light and the ten booth's create great intimate places for drinking the night away, with a service bell and metal plate for striking matches. Victoriana at its highest. This place blows my mind.
The Starbay Trunk
A nortical teamed trunk that opens up into a well stocked bar. Looks great with cut glass and decanters. Not cheap at £2600.00 but hand made from solid rosewood by traditional craftsmen. Take aspects to make your home bar, its compact with everything that you need for home entertaining.
Single Brother, Bitter Sisters
Great name and great packaging, the guy's at The Single Brothers Bar on Trade Street, Winston-Salem, North Carolina made bitters so good that they had to bottle them. They make their own Maraschino cherries and tonic water because they want to, not to be trendy or pretentious. I salute the Single Brothers and their Bitter Sisters!
Sunday, 15 May 2011
Tool up
The Basics
Tools of the trade:
Shaker
Muddler
Bar Spoon
Hawthorn Strainer
Fine Strainer
Potato peeler
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)