Sparkling Cocktails For Mom

(As seen on The Rhode Show, WPRI Providence, RI)

Clip here: http://www.wpri.com/dpp/rhode_show/sparkling-cocktails-for-mom-jonathan-pogash

Pineapple-Mango Sparkler
1 oz. mango nectar
1 oz. pineapple juice
3 oz. sparkling wine, like prosecco
Directions: Add ingredients to shaker tin with ice and fold briefly. Strain into champagne flute and top with extra prosecco.
Garnish: mango spear

Strawberry-Basil Sparkler
2 strawberries, chopped
2 basil leaves
splash of agave nectar
splash of fresh lemon juice
3 oz. sparkling wine, like prosecco
Directions: Muddle the strawberries in the agave and lemon juice. Add sparkling wine with ice and gently fold. Strain into champagne flute.
Garnish: strawberry slice on rim of glass

Blueberry-Lavender Sparkler
3/4 oz. blueberry-lavender syrup**
3 oz. sparkling wine, like prosecco
Directions: Add ingredients to shaker tin with ice and fold briefly. Strain into champagne flute and top with extra prosecco.
Garnish: floating blueberries

“Beer-Tails” from NYC Craft Beer Festival

The Stout Affair

(1 serving)

1 tsp. Morning Glory Coffee Syrup

6 oz. Brooklyn Brewery Dry Irish Stout

pinch of ground cinnamon

orange peel

Directions: Combine coffee syrup and beer in a shaker tin with some ice and gently stir/fold.  Strain into a chilled glass.

Garnish: orange peel and ground cinnamon

Sunset On The Ridge

(1 serving)

3/4 oz. Honey Ridge Farms Blackberry creme (re-constituted with warm water)**

6 oz. Brooklyn Brewery East India IPA

1/4 oz. fresh lemon juice

Directions: Add ingredients to shaker tin with a little ice and stir/fold briefly.  Strain over ice into rocks glass.

Garnish: Wild Hibiscus edible flower

**To reconstitute Honey Ridge Farms Blackberry Creme: Add 1 jar honey creme to a container with 1 cup of warm water and stir well to dilute.  Then chill and serve.

NYC Craft Beer Festival: Seasonals

Next festival: Summer 2013

Introducing Pavan Liqueur – AND Win A Trip to France!

At The Cocktail Guru we’re always on the lookout for new and unusual ingredients.  Oftentimes these things just sort of land at our doorstep.  Such was the case with Pavan, a French muscat grape-based liqueur named after the “dance of the peacock.”

We tasted it, we loved it, we’re writing about it.  That’s how it works, folks.

The juice is very bold and floral, with some hints of lime, clementine, and white grape juice.  We’re eager to start mixing with it.

Oh right, the trip to France.

This is how YOU, The Cocktail Guru audience, can get in on this Pavan action:

What’s better than a breezy, delicious cocktail?

A breezy, delicious cocktail in the French Riviera, that’s what!

Pavan wants to bring you and a friend on a 4-day trip to France to explore Paris and the French Riviera!

Pavan Liqueur is a new spirit that’s just arrived from the beautiful South of France — home of Brigitte Bardot herself. It’s subtly sweet and grapey and has a bit of exotic orange blossom. Pavan gets its name from a classic French dance of the peacock and it definitely will bring some swagger to your style.  And that’s not all… are you ready?

Pavan’s Perfectly Paired Cocktail Competition is whispering sweet words of flavor in your ears. As 3 different Pavan drink recipes compete against each other in a battle of taste and temptation for a chance to be featured during Food and Wine week in South Beach! But YOU can win too!

By voting for your favorite libation you will automatically be entered for a chance to win a trip to Paris and The French Riviera. It’s as easy as that–pinky promise!

Here’s how it works:

1. Go to Pavan’s Facebook Page
2. You must have a Facebook Account to enter
3. Click the “LIKE” button to Like the page if you have not done so before
4. Click down on the menu, find your Favorite Cocktail and Vote/Complete the entry form
5. You will be automatically entered for your chance to win a Trip for Two to Paris and the South of France!
6. Limit of one entry per person on Facebook
7. After you submit your Vote/Entry you will have the option to earn one more entry by following us on Twitter and tweeting the following message:  “I just entered the Pavan Perfectly Paired Contest” with the hashtag #PavanSOBE.
8. You must have a Twitter account to receive an additional entry

So what are you waiting for? Vote now and enter for a chance to travel to France. It’s like happy hour without the bar tab!

Cocktails Are For Lovers Event – Recipes 2/7/13, Astor Center, NYC

Thanks for joining us!  Below are the recipes from this evening’s event:

ARDBEG

The Islay Affair

1 1/2 oz. Ardbeg single malt scotch whisky

1 oz. blackberry puree

1/4 oz. simple syrup

1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice

Directions: Add ingredients to cocktail shaker with ice and shake well.  Strain into chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish: sage leaf

Dear Ardbeg, Love, Me

1 1/2 oz. Ardbeg single malt scotch whisky

1 oz. mandarin-tangerine juice

1/2 oz. ginger liqueur

Directions: Shake ingredients well with ice, then add sparkling wine to shaker and stir briefly.  Strain into cocktail glass.

Garnish: shaved dark chocolate & real luxardo cherry

SANDEMAN

Heart Breaker

2 oz. Sandeman Founder’s Reserve port

1 oz. fresh grapefruit juice

1 oz. home-made grenadine

1/4 oz. white crème de cacao

3-4 drops rose water

3-4 drops aphrodesiac bitters

Directions: Shake ingredients very well with ice and strain over ice into rocks glass.

Garnish: sweetheart candy

XANTE

The Xante Crush

1 1/2 oz. Xante pear liqueur

1 strawberry, chopped

1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz. simple syrup

Directions: Muddle the strawberries in the lemon and simple. Add the Xante and shake well with ice.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish: strawberry slice

VISION WINE & SPIRITS: KILLEPITSCH/PISA/STETSON BOURBON

Killer Body

1 oz. Killepitsch (German herbal spirit)

1/2 oz. Pisa (Italian nut-flavored liqueur)

1 oz. Blood Orange puree

1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice

simple syrup to taste

3 drops lavender bitters

Directions: Shake well with ice and strain over ice into a rocks glass.

Garnish: freshly grated nutmeg and real maraschino cherry

The Stetson Man

1 1/2 oz. John B. Stetson Bourbon

1/2 oz. Lillet Rouge

1/4 oz. orange liqueur

mist of Killepitsch

Diretions: Stir ingredients well with ice and strain into glass.  Before serving, spritz Killepitsch in mouth, then sip cocktail.

Garnish: orange peel & real luxardo cherry

Fox & Friends “Midnight Toast” Cocktails from 12/28/12 Show

Fox & Friends Fox News Channel
“Midnight Toast” Cocktails w/ Jonathan Pogash, “The Cocktail Guru”

New Year’s Mambo

1 oz. Van Gogh Raspberry vodka

3 oz. Martini Prosecco

1 tsp. agave nectar

splash of fresh lemon juice

pinch of pumpkin pie spice

2 raspberries

Directions: Shake all ingredients (except for prosecco) with ice and strain into a champagne flute.  Top w/ the prosecco.

Garnish: edible silver leaf (optional)

Coquito (traditional Caribbean holiday drink)

3 parts Ron Abuelo 7 yr old Rum

1 part sweetened condensed milk

1 part coconut milk

winter spices to taste (cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc)

Directions: Combine ingredients into a blender and blend ahead of time, then re-bottle into rum bottle and refrigerate overnight.  Serve with or without ice into short glasses.

2013 Punch

2 parts Maker’s Mark Bourbon

1 part Barritt’s Ginger Beer

1/2 part fresh lemon juice

1/2 part Monin agave nectar

1/2 part Perfect Puree of Napa Valley peach puree

1 part Champagne

Several dashes of bitters to taste

Directions: Combine into a large punch bowl and add block ice.  Stir well to dilute and chill.

Garnish: several lemon slices, sage leaves, and candied ginger

Selection of sparkling wines (Prosecco – from Italy, Cava – from Spain, California sparkling wine, Champagne – France)

The Pamalympics

USBG to the Rescue:

The Pamalympics

USBG to the Rescue

Hurricane Sandy’s aftermath left damage like many have never seen with lives and businesses lost across the region. With the help of the New York Chapter of the USBG, several bars have worked to clean up and restore, but many more remain shuttered, with sustained structural damages, loss of electrical equipment and more. The efforts of the USBG in particular have received attention and support nationally, with many across the country asking USB…Who?

USBG Boston raised funds and hosted a clothing drive, donating more than a truck-load of clothing; USBG San Francisco is holding a benefit at Local Edition to ‘Help the City by the Bay support the City That Never Sleeps’; Chicago’s Party Rock Cocktail Crew along with SWS mixologist Debbi Peek helped to organize a fundraiser at Salud Tequila Lounge; Louisville, KY bartenders served ‘Hurricanes for the Hurricane’ at various restaurants around the city including Silver Dollar, Rye, Decca, St. Charles Exchange and Meat; members of the USBG Rhode Island drove down to join New York bartenders to aid the cleanup effort; and Miami’s Clarke’s served New York-focused cocktails to help support the USBGNY.

Before Hurricane Sandy hit, PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur partnered with the USBGNY to host the first-ever PAMALYMPICS, seeking to find a champion with the keen taste buds, creativity and the ability to draw a crowd of fans. The event, originally scheduled for Monday, Oct. 29th, was postponed and has now been rescheduled for Monday, Nov. 26th.PAMA has pledged to donate $20 per attendee at the event to support the bartending community and alleviate some of the burden. Funds will go to the USBGNY’s relief fund, which will purchase equipment and cleaning supplies to help businesses get a renewed start.

More About The PAMALYMPICS:
James Menite (Crown Restaurant), Doug Miller (Culinary Institute of America) and Joshua Perez (Booker & Dax) will compete for a gold medal and a grand prize of $5,000. All will undergo a blind taste test, create a recipe with a secret ingredient, and will share their qualifying cocktail with a crowd of fans who will vote for their favorite cocktail.

If you are in the New York area, show your support for the relief effort of NYC bars and our finalists!
Monday, November 26
4:00 – 6:30pm
Pouring Ribbons
225 Avenue B
New York City

RSVP: www.usbgny.org/pamalympics

For more information on USBGs relief efforts e-mail USBG NY President, Jason Litrell at jlittrell@usbgny.org or fill out this form to get involved: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dENPSENidDhMVWlhcTFORWRrNDl3a1E6MQ#gid=0

PAMA: Balancing Act

Balancing Act
Managing the balance of sweet and sour in cocktails is typically an underappreciated yet essential component to mastering cocktails. Sweetness can easily overpower a cocktail and too much sweetness is almost impossible to overcome. Tart ingredients as well as those with structure or tannins are the perfect balance for sweet drinks by offsetting the sugars of the other cocktail ingredients.
Texture is often overlooked when discussing the attributes of a well-balanced cocktail. Think about an ingredient that has a texture and body to it. Those are often the ones that allow for a richer mouth feel and silky finish in cocktails and make them feel more substantial. Textured ingredients lend weight to cocktails and are often that one magic ingredient missing from your cocktail recipe that’s just not quite there yet.
which give a cocktail structure in the same way that tannins structure wine

Pomegranates contain tannins and the all-natural pomegranate juice in PAMA gives it a texture and mouth-feel similar to wine and fresh juices. This quality is what makes PAMA unique and allows it to create that structure which is sometimes missing from cocktails.
PAMA’s low alcohol content (17% alc./vol.) is offset by its tannins which fool the palate into believing there is more alcohol in the beverage than in fact there is. Thus, allowing you to use PAMA to modify classic cocktails, making them more approachable (lower proof) without compromising the overall integrity or balance of the cocktail. There is not a significant reduction in alcohol balance on the palate when replacing primary spirits with a lower proof textured ingredient like PAMA.

Additionally, PAMA’s delicately balanced sweet yet tart flavor profile allows it to be used to add body to the classics without throwing off the balance of sweet and sour.

50/50 Proposition

Note: PAMA’s tannic structure allows it to work as a primary spirit, where it balances the strength of the Cognac, making it a fully-fledged cocktail with just the addition of a dash of bitters.

Glass: Snifter
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
1 1/2 oz. Cognac
Dash Orange Bitters
Method: Combine all ingredients in a chilled mixing glass. Add ice and stir for 40 seconds. Strain into chilled snifter set with 1 large ice cube.

Single Malt Scotch Whisky Holiday Recipes

Capra’s Smoked Punch

2 parts Ardbeg 10 year old
1 1/2 part apple cider
1/4 part maple syrup
1/2 part fresh lemon juice
dash pumpkin pie spice
Prosecco

Directions: Add ingredients to a punch bowl with ice and stir to dilute and chill.  Ladle out into glass with ice and top w/ prosecco and pie spice.

Garnish: fresh apples and lemons

________

Scotch Winter Sour

1 1/2 oz. Auchentoshan 10 year old scotch whisky
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
dash of pumpkin pie spice

Directions: Shake ingredients very well with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Garnish: real maraschino cherry

______

Holiday Mosquito

1 1/2 oz. Glenmorangie Quinta Rubin single malt scotch whisky
1/2 oz. Grand Marnier cherry
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. maple syrup
8-10 mint leaves
6 fresh cranberries

Directions: Muddle the cranberries with the lime and maple syrup.  Add whisky and shake well with ice.  Pour into a collins glass and top off with sparkling wine.

_______

Rob Roy
1 1/2 oz. Glenfiddich 12 year old single malt scotch whisky
3/4 oz. Carpano Antica Formula
3 dashes chocolate mole bitters

Directions: Stir ingredients very well with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Garnish: orange peel

_______

Vodka for Your Turkey (or Tofurkey) Day (by Jeff Pogash)

Whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving at home, out, at a friend’s or someplace else, there’s always room for a libation in the mix.

An ultra smooth vodka that is eminently mixable makes for a beautiful drink. As I was sipping a delicious hot spiced cider on a bitterly cold wintry day, the flavor profile was seamless, the vodka blending perfectly with the apple cider and spices. Ultimat is one of the smoothest vodkas available and will blend equally well in a vodka martini, a vodka tonic or a mulled cider. It’s smoothness and lovely texture can be attributed to the balance between the three ingredients: wheat, rye and potato.

Try this one out for your Turkey Day (or other holiday) celebration:

Ultimat Holiday Ginger King

2 parts Ultimat Vodka
1/2 oz ginger syrup
1 part lemon juice (fresh)
2 Kingston Cubes – Lemon
1/4 oz Patrón Citrónge

Shake with ice and serve up.
Garnish wit a twist of lemon and a
slice of a Harvest Song Walnut

The Mod Squad: PAMA

The Mod Squad

Liqueurs are the modifier ingredients that make the difference between a Rusty Nail (scotch + Drambuie) and a Godfather (scotch + amaretto). Like cooking spices, Liqueurs are essential tools in the cocktail that allow you to create an array of cocktails for any taste. But with so many choices, how does one decide which to stock on their bar?

• Sweet-Tart Balance. Sometimes you want a little sweet, sometimes you want a little tart. Managing the balance of sweet and sour in cocktails is typically an underappreciated yet essential component to mastering cocktails. Only one fruit provides both: pomegranate. PAMA, made from all-natural pomegranate juice, is so well balanced between sweet and tart that it can actually be used to balance sweet drinks as the tart and tannic nature helps to offset the sugars of other ingredients.

• Base Spirit. Let the base spirit be your guide as it would be a shame when using a fine spirit such as bourbon to not allow its presence shine in the cocktail.  The best ingredients are those that have a natural affinity for and showcase the base spirit by complementing its profile rather than muting it.  PAMA’s versatility naturally lends itself to classic cocktails without overpowering or conflicting with other essential ingredients.

To learn more about how a modifier can transform cocktails, learn from a pro – Eben Freeman – via Pamapros.com.