In honor of January 17, the day that Prohibition went into effect, we thought that we would review an old timey liqueur that was recently revived. Creme Yvette was originally conceived by the Sheffield Company of Connecticut in the 1800’s and purchased by Charles Jacquin et Cie in the 1930’s. I wish I could tell you more about the Sheffield Company but there wasn’t much out there and given the timing of the sale to … Read more
In honor of Repeal Day, which was yesterday, we are highlighting an old-timey spirit recently brought back to life in America. Back in the days before Prohibition and immediately after, a significant number of drinks were made with Apricot Brandy. Like many ingredients in well fashioned cocktails, Apricot Brandy fell by the wayside as it fell out of flavor. While you could find versions of Apricot Brandy, the real stuff was all but dead and … Read more
‘Tis the season for cranberries! This homemade cranberry liqueur has a bright flavor and beautiful color, making it a delightful DIY holiday gift. It’s easy to make yet still impressive enough to share.
You can play with flavors a bit by adding vanilla or cinnamon to your batch. Use it in a Cosmopolitan or a creation of your own! (For ideas on how to design your own drinks, check out DIY Cocktails.)
This recipe makes … Read more
Winter is almost upon us and, for some reason, I associate butterscotch schnapps with winter. I guess it’s because of those buttery, toffee, butterscotch flavors. And, it may also be because on my 21st birthday, which occurred in December, I celebrated with a number of butterscotch flavored drinks. It must have been the bartender’s specialty because I don’t remember specifically ordering butterscotch drinks that evening. Many years later, I still recall that evening fondly.
We … Read more
Kahlua recently launched a new flavor – Kahlua Cinnamon Spice – just in time to keep you warm for winter. It will be the perfect addition to almost any hot drink this winter whether it be coffee, hot chocolate or tea (I can’t vouch for the hot apple cider as I haven’t tried it yet).
I really like Kahlua and was a bit concerned when they started making the Kahlua spices line (like Vanilla, Peppermint … Read more
Every Halloween, We get a bunch of emails from people looking for pumpkin liqueur for their pumpkin martinis. You can make your own DIY Pumpkin Liqueur, but there are few good pumpkin liqueurs on the market that will do in a pinch. That’ll give you more time to work on your Darth Maul costume.
I will freely admit that I am a St. Germain addict and, thanks to St. Germain, an elderflower addict too. Since my discovery of this delightful liqueur a few years ago, I have bought a number of bottles and literally added it to everything. It brightens a Champagne cocktail, makes gin sing and is a potent addition to any punch bowl. So you can only imagine our excitement when a bottle magically arrived in the … Read more
Liqueur plays a big role in many great cocktails. So why not make your own using fresh fruit? Without commercial equipment, you can make a mixture that closely approximates liqueur. It’s not officially liqueur but it comes damn close and tastes fantastic. Inspired by roadside berry stands, we combined several berries with cognac to create this delicious treat.
Ingredients½ cup water
½ cup sugar
1 ½ cups mixed berries (blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries)… Read more
The first session I attended during last week’s Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans was a panel titled “2009 Big Trends in Cocktail & Spirit Service.”
The panel consisted of Jim Meehan, Michael Waterhouse, Devlin Tavern, and Simon Difford (Source Guide) and was moderated by Ryan Magarian (Aviation Gin).
The program covered the 4 Ps of Cocktail Service Success, not unlike the 4 Ps of marketing: product, precise execution, promotion, passion.
It was here … Read more
I’m often asked how to make glow-in-the-dark cocktails. This can’t really be done but you can make blacklight-reactive drinks and use glow in the dark accessories for some neat effects. Tonic water is made from quinine. This bitter-tasting soda-like water is made from the bark of the cinchona tree found in the Andes mountains. It was originally used to treat malaria. It helps to reduce fevers and leg cramps as well. The neat thing is … Read more
