Perfectly Drunk

January 29, 2013

El Presidente Recipe

El Presidente Cocktail Recipe: Citrus liqueur, Rum, Dry Vermouth and a splash of grenadine mixed together for an elegant cocktail worthy of national celebration.  In honor of the Presidential Inauguration we are observing with the aptly named El Presidente cocktail to be perfectly drunk.

El Presidente recipe

By Alexander Wissel, January 29, 2013

El Presidente recipe

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Combine the ingredients in a shaker and add a scoop full of ice. Strain into a glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and top with an orange peel. I simply took a vegetable peeler and shaved some strips out of an orange. The peel does play off the Grand Marnier to give a good nose to the El Presidente Cocktail Recipe.

Why we like it: This cocktail drinks like an aperitif with the dry vermouth dominating the drink. The rum and Grand Marnier help this drink go down smooth without the burn. As a finish, a slight bit of sweetness, a hint of orange and who doesn’t like a cherry…

Served: Shaken with ice and strained into a glass.

January 29, 2013

A Presidential Cocktail

El Presidente Cocktail: Citrus liqueur, Rum, Dry Vermouth and a splash of grenadine mixed together for an elegant cocktail worthy of national celebration.  In honor of the Presidential Inauguration we are observing with the aptly named cocktail El Presidente to be perfectly drunk.

Inauguration represents the peaceful transfer of power democratically from one president to the next. Its foundation by George Washington was awe-inspiring and a singularity – a man with incredible power vested to him by the people turning that power back over to the people by way of his successor.

If you haven’t had the chance, check out George Washington’s Inaugural Address.

It’s potential hadn’t been realized since the democracies of early Rome and Greece. And even they succumbed to dictatorships as these powerful men were unable to give away that power. Despots and dictatorships around the world have been unable to do the same, and it’s point is worth noting and proudly understanding as an American.

If you’re looking for an example, try a White Russian for some oppression.

And lest we forget how close we were to a Constitutional Monarchy, it’s worth mentioning that G.W. was given the chance to be an absolute ruler. His officers implored him to take the mantle of power and be their king. They had the largest army on the continent and Washington had the unquestioned loyalty of his troops.

They argued that if G.W. demanded control, the Congress would have no choice but to submit and the army could enforce his rule regardless.

His speech to his troops, his reasoning behind it, and the matter by which he shepherded our fledgling nation to a sustainable democracy is the reason we call him our founding father. He had the wisdom and fortitude to see what his actions – as a king or a president – would do.

You can read his impassioned speech to his troops and generals at Washington’s Newburgh Speech. It’s masterful… Although it kind of makes me wonder who was writing that down at the time. Either someone is a hell of a stenographer, or it was flowered up in the annuals of posterity.

Fun Fact: Democracy was created in Athens and stands for Demos – the people, and Kratia – the power of or to rule. Demos-kratia means ‘the people rule.’ … Yes, yes we do.

I named my son J.T. after the last names of Presidents Andrew Jackson and John Tyler. When he’s old enough to read this and not care about it because he’s too cool, tell him we have great expectations… I’ve always wanted to sleep in the Lincoln bedroom.

Currently I’ll have to keep my presidential ambitions to something simpler, like El President.

El Presidente Cocktail

 

While this is our fourth week of cocktail drinks it really felt like this was the first true cocktail we’ve put together. The El Presidente is a cocktail that is dominated by the vermouth.

The El Presidente cocktail drink was created by Eddie Woelke in the Sevilla-Biltmore hotel – and is documented in the Savoy Cocktail book by the famed Savoy Hotel bartending legend Harry Craddock. Woelke was rumored to have created the drink for Cuban President General Mario García Menocal y Deop.

The variations we found are all based upon four simple ingredients. They focus on a simple light rum, dry vermouth, grenadine, and an orange liquor of some sort – either orange curaçao, triple sec, Cointreau or Grand Marnier.

While the original may have been a simple orange curaçao, we jumped at the opportunity to use Grand Marnier.

The other major variation I’ve seen is the quantity of the vermouth. In my opinion, the vermouth is so overwhelming as a flavor in this drink that it doesn’t matter really how much you use – from .75 ounces to 2 ounces – it still tastes substantially the same.

Mixing the El Presidente Cocktail

Combine the ingredients in a shaker and add a scoop full of ice. Strain into a glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and top with an orange peel. I simply took a vegetable peeler and shaved some strips out of an orange. The peel does play off the Grand Marnier to give a good nose to this cocktail drink.

We used a typical martini glass because we were unable to find the glass we were looking for. This drink really should be consumed from a Champagne Coupe – a flattened glass saucer that curves slightly inward. It’s the kind of glass I can see a Caribbean dictator; I mean Presidente, carrying about with him while he parades around in undeserved medals and military garb.

The drink isn’t entirely bitter but is has strong aperitif quality about it brought about by the vermouth. The second sip is decidedly better than the first. The drink has a strong alcohol note to it but not so much the burn you associate with strong liquor drinks.

The element within this drink are much more complex than I would have guessed initially and they combine to produce a strong, yet individualistic cocktail drink with piquant orange notes.  It was declared a successful cocktail by my lovely taste-tester.

Like any election, there should be a coming together again afterwards. A simple acknowledgement among equals that today one wins, and another loses but afterwards we are still one nation.

Unfortunately, I believe too many on the losing side haven’t come to understand this.

I don’t care what your politics are, your religion, creed or otherwise. Even if you hate the man, you had better respect the office – or perhaps at least the cocktail. The office of President represents the American people and humanity’s limitless potential. Whereas the drink represents the power of alcohol to make almost everything alright.

Here’s to you, here’s to the President, here’s to the El President Cocktail, and here’s to the United States of America.

Cheers.

A Presidential Cocktail

By Alexander Wissel, January 29, 2013

A Presidential Cocktail

El Presidente: Citrus liqueur, Rum, Dry Vermouth and a splash of grenadine mixed together for an elegant cocktail worthy of national celebration.  In honor of the Presidential Inauguration we are observing with the aptly named cocktail El Presidente to be perfectly drunk.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Why we like it: This cocktail drinks like an aperitif with the dry vermouth dominating the drink. The rum and Grand Marnier help this drink go down smooth without the burn. As a finish, a slight bit of sweetness, a hint of orange and who doesn’t like a cherry…

Served: Shaken with ice and strained into a glass.

What it needs: This drink is a solid in my book for one-off, single pour cocktails. If you’re going to have just one, this could be your drink. On the other hand, it’s quite possible that this drink could be dialed in with better orange flavor and/or a branded vermouth with specific flavor undertones.

If you’re looking to just see the recipe, go to El Presidente Recipe.

January 21, 2013

Stop Russian Around

White Russian: A White Russian reminds us of frigid temperatures, icy snowcapped mountain peaks and fur wearing beauties. In the spirit of glasnost drinks on the anniversary of the Russian Tsardom we’re creating our own perestroika cocktails for some silky White Russians to be perfectly drunk.

Somehow scantily clad Bond-villain-esque’ snow bunnies parading around a mid-century modern Swiss ski chalet is the image that comes to mind when I think of White Russians. You know the ones I’m talking about right?

Fem-bot blondes and brunettes in fur (faux or otherwise) muffs and fur caps sipping on drinks while they playfully wage war through their eyelashes…

A view that seems to stretch on to the end of the very Alps themselves encased within a modern chalet of glass wood and metal. Yeah, the one with the retro fireplace that comes down from the ceiling but doesn’t touch the floor.

That one.

The actual drink isn’t entirely different; with its smoothness and classy appeal hiding decadence and debauchery.

And truly, there just isn’t enough true decadence and debauchery nowadays.

I know, in college and the years afterwards it’s easy – far too easy – to get caught up in moments of debauchery and impaired perspective. But as the years tick on, few people really experience pleasurable morally debasing acts.

It’s a shame.

Granted we’ve still got plenty of dictators around the world who are unencumbered by the shackles of moral restraint… And even more oligarchs that we’re probably not even aware of.

I’d mention a few but you never know when you need to travel overseas. I wouldn’t want to name any in fear that I ever wanted to travel to say China, North Korea, Iran, Argentina, or say… Russia.

Ahem.

Russian rulers go way back in the megalomania charts. But I guess if you’re going to rule a nation of millions of peons, you’re gonna need some personality to subdue them. Like Tsar Ivan IV. He understood the need for titles as a way to imply power.

The title of ‘Tsar’ meant to convey the Russian ruler had the power of an emperor or khan. Ivan was also quite a people person, receiving the moniker ‘Ivan the Terrible’. My favorite line from The Tsardom of Russia Wikipedia entry is “Demonstrating the risks of unrestrained power in the hands of a mentally unstable individual.”

I think that about sums up what he stood for.

Fun Facts: The Tsardom of Russia, assumed its title this week under Ivan IV in 1547, and lasted until Peter the Great founded the Russian Empire in 1721.

However, I digress, we’ve gone from hot Russian/Swiss snow bunnies to tyrannical despots… not exactly the segue I was angling for. (I get it, Stop Russian around Alex and get to the point.)

White Russian Ingredients

A White Russian is an extremely easy and simple drink to pull together.

Coffee

Coffee is the major workhorse for a White Russian. It gives the drink its signature coffee flavor and enables it to transcend a simple boozy cocktail. Kahlua is the preferred brand because it’s so ubiquitous but there are plenty of alternatives around.

Coffee is a ‘thing’ at my house so we’re a huge fan of anything that includes it. We’ll talk about my coffee addiction later though.

Vodka

The real reason this drink has a Russian moniker is the vodka it contains which hails from there. The vodka alcohol flavor is delightfully covered by the coffee flavor and then nicely overwhelmed by the dairy.

Dairy

We’ve used both light cream and half-and-half to make this. There’s really not a big difference, so whatever is available. Because of the preponderance of coffee consumed in my household half-and-half is always around. I think you could still make this with milk, but you lose some of the velvety smoothness that cream contains.

There’s also a matter of viscosity and the alcohol ratio. The higher your milk fat; examples being light cream or half-and-half as opposed to milk or even – god forbid – fat free milk, the more alcohol you can comfortably mix in without issue. The lighter your dairy the less you’re going to easily be able to mix in.

My advice, ignore the calories for a hot second and go with cream or half-and-half. It just makes the drink taste better. I’m sure you’re clever enough to figure out a way that two consenting adults can work off those calories.

Mixing a White Russian

The actual mixing of a White Russian is pretty straight forward. You start with the coffee liqueur then adding the vodka. Next you add ice and top with dairy. No garnish needed. Simple.

There are those who like layered drinks, and this can be made as one, but why? It’s not necessary to improve the drink, the drinking of it, or the drunk.

I could see where someone could do a sugared rim with chocolate, coffee, sugar or the like. It could be used to dress up the drink if one was so inclined. Additionally, this is one of the few drinks where you could talk me into whipped cream on top. But these are cocktails for another time.

There’s been a huge surge in flavored vodka’s lately and we’re quite a fan of a number of them. Now from our purists ‘year of drink’ perspective we stick to the cocktail recipes. Having said that, there’s probably some interesting combinations we’d like to try with perhaps some of the chocolate of coffee flavored vodkas.

So bottoms up to your impending debauchery and warm sultry wars as you survey the icy snowbound world outside. And if you find yourself in a morally compromising situation and don’t know what to do – I’d suggest that it’s always easier to ask forgiveness than permission.

Cheers.

P.S. I’ve been on a quest over the past few years looking for a book that is so corrupting that the very act of reading it changes your moral compass. If you come across one, do pass it on.

White Russian

By Alexander Wissel, January 21, 2013

White Russian

White Russian: A White Russian reminds us of frigid temperatures, icy snowcapped mountain peaks and fur wearing beauties. In the spirit of glasnost drinks on the anniversary of the Russian Tsardom we're creating our own perestroika cocktails for some silky White Russians to be perfectly drunk.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

The actual mixing of a White Russian is pretty straight forward. You start with the coffee liqueur then adding the vodka. Next you add ice and top with dairy. No garnish needed.

Why we like it: It’s a comfortable drink to be drunk without feeling like you’re boozing it up. A great after dinner drink for two; or for those perhaps who’ve had a spicy meal – this is the drink to calm and sooth the stomach.

Served: On the rocks

What it needs: Absolutely Nothing. This drink stands on its own as a solid contributor. If you were forced to rework it; under protest, there are a number of easy ways to go here. Adding flavored vodkas is one, chocolate – either shaved, syrup, powdered or rimmed – as a garnish is another, and finally as a blended iced drink. This drink could be an amazing mudslide-like drunk.

If you're just looking to see the recipe go to White Russian Recipe.

January 19, 2013

White Russian Recipe

White Russian Recipe

By Alexander Wissel, January 19, 2013

White Russian Recipe

White Russian: A White Russian reminds us of frigid temperatures, icy snowcapped mountain peaks and fur wearing beauties. In the spirit of glasnost drinks on the anniversary of the Russian Tsardom we're creating our own perestroika cocktails for some silky White Russians to be perfectly drunk.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

The actual mixing of a White Russian is pretty straight forward. You start with the coffee liqueur then adding the vodka. Next you add ice and top with dairy. No garnish needed.

Why we like it: It’s a comfortable drink to be drunk without feeling like you’re boozing it up. A great after dinner drink for two; or for those perhaps who’ve had a spicy meal – this is the drink to calm and sooth the stomach.

Served: On the rocks

January 18, 2013

Alabama Slammer Recipe

Alabama Slammer Recipe

By Alexander Wissel, January 18, 2013

Alabama Slammer Recipe

Alabama Slammer: The Alabama Slammer, or just ‘Bama Slammer, cocktail was widely drunk before it was popularized and renamed for Brett Farve in the 90’s. This concoction of Southern Comfort, sloe gin, amaretto and OJ is a dangerously delicious party in a glass. We’re serving up some Alabama Slammer’s in honor of the Crimson Tide victory to be perfectly drunk.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Pour and mix the Southern Comfort, Amaretto and Sloe Gin. Add a splash - or more depending upon preference - of Orange Juice. We preferred pulp free OJ.

Why we like it: If you've got a sweet tooth and/or you're looking for something to comfortably daydrink for a spell, this drink is a tasty beverage that creeps up on you.

Served: On the rocks.

January 16, 2013

Slammin’ Alabama

Alabama Slammer: The Alabama Slammer, or just ‘Bama Slammer, cocktail was widely drunk before it was popularized and renamed for Brett Farve in the 90’s. This concoction of Southern Comfort, sloe gin, amaretto and OJ is a dangerously delicious party in a glass. We’re serving up some Alabama Slammer’s in honor of the Crimson Tide victory to be perfectly drunk.

I’d originally picked this week’s drink in honor of the BCS bowl game, without knowing that Alabama was actually going to be in it against the Fighting Irish. Who knew they’d end up winning?

Well, LOTS of people apparently.

My art school education leaves me at a loss when it comes to college football. I’m a fan of pro football instead – Go Ravens. I felt that I needed to get at least a small relevant thought on the BCS game though. So I turned to the Younger Baker Jeff to get his perspective.

From what he tells me, ‘Any time you give Nick Saban a month to prepare, he will beat you. At the spry age of 61 Mr. Saban has 3 titles to his name, and plenty of time to win more. His team gets top NFL 1st round talent every year.’

Additionally, ‘The SEC conference is simply better. Their players are faster and more athletic. Notre Dame just can’t play at that level. ‘

True that. Thanks Jeff, I owe you a cocktail. Although I hear you’re more of a champagne guy?

Perhaps we can interest him in a Slammer…

The Alabama Slammer Creation Story

The year was 1990, Brett Farve survived a near fatal car crash at the start of his senior year of college.  Doctors removed 30 inches of Brett’s small intestine during as a result of the accident. Yet six weeks later he would lead his Southern Mississippi team to a comeback victory 27-24 over the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The papers reporting the on Farve’s ‘Bama Slammer’ would immortalize what would have otherwise been known simply as the Southern Slammer.

Farve was a dyed in the wool party boy in So’ Miss. It’s what you would expect from a freshman seventh string quarterback. In fact, his first time off the bench in their third game of the season he was reported to have had a vicious hangover and had been vomiting that morning.

And yet he was still able to lead his team to victory in a come from behind two touchdown upset.

Fun Fact: We have 22 feet and six inches of small intestine in our bodies. Brett Farve has only 20 feet of his.

The ‘Bama Slamma’

We’ll forget the drink was originally celebrating the defeat of the Crimson Tide and not its victory and move on to the drink itself…

What can I say; I love a good ‘jungle juice’ or ‘skip-and-go-naked’ punch. Looking at this recipe it seems that’s exactly what it is. All of the ingredients help mask the flavor of the Southern Comfort.

And when I say it’s dangerous I mean it.

Upon finding out this week’s drink, numerous people either licked their lips or rolled their eyes from experience. It’s a drink with lots of apostles and more than a few who’ve suffered the consequences the morning afterwards. So we’ve all been suitably warned, I think…

Southern Comfort

Because it’s such a unique flavor, and this is an iconic drink, we’re using a named brand here. Technically So’ Co’–  as it’s known to many – is a liqueur made from neutral spirits, whisky flavors and fruit additives. We stuck with the original 70 proof version as opposed to the aggressive 100 proof version.

Proof is another way they declare alcohol percentage. Divide the proof number in half to get the amount of alcohol.

Sloe Gin

Sloe gin is another liqueur made from neutral spirits and berries or blackthorns – similar to a plum. This cordial adds a layer of fruitiness to cover the alcohol bite.

 Amaretto

Oh amaretto how we’ve missed you. Ask me about amaretto sours and I’ll tell you about coming home to a house full of naked people… But that’s a story for another time. Amaretto is another liqueur that is based off neutral spirits, this time containing the essence of almond flavor and apricots.

Amaretto is a dangerous flavor to mix with because of its flavor potency. This is not a liquor to be used lightly, or too often – lest you spoil its specialness.

Orange Juice

As if there wasn’t enough fruitiness or flavor to cover the alcohol bite, we’re adding some orange juice to the mix to make sure you don’t taste a darned thing. The acid from the OJ helps mask pretty much anything that you would find objectionable in flavor.

It also rounds out the drink and gives it such magical abilities.

Garnish with an orange wedge or curl and a cherry. We used blood orange. It looks good but has a slightly bitter flavor compare to typical oranges.

Alabama Slammer Impressions

A few things that we discovered upon drinking this week’s cocktail: One, we are not used to drinking sugar-bomb drinks. This one packs a lot of sweetness, not necessarily all good either.  While I might have loved this when I was in school, today we need something a little less saturated.

I think half the reason this drink is the cause of so many rough mornings is that the alcohol creeps up on you slowly and the sugar helps massively dehydrate you. It’s like drinking sweetened soy sauce.

Two, as mixed the feeling was that this drink needs something. I think while the orange juice is good, it needs to be supplemented or even replaced by either pineapple juice or some sprite. As far as perfect jungle juices go this one leaves something to be desired.

Three, a number of recipes call for substituting sloe gin for grenadine. After tasting sloe gin again after what seems like an eternity, I’m reminded why. It doesn’t really add anything to the party either in major sweetness or alcohol.

You’d be better served adding an extra shot or rum or vodka, using grenadine and not letting sloe gin waste space in your bar. Additionally, my wife thinks that her memory of Alabama Slammer cocktails are different from the official recipe probably because of the grenadine substitution.

Overall, this was a solid drink even as an imperfect one. If you’re interested in sweetness and a valid day drinking partner, we’d suggest trying out an Alabama Slammer. We’ll be interested in taking another drink of this cocktail at some point in the future.

Here’s to the Alabama – Cheers.

Alabama Slammer

By Alexander Wissel, January 16, 2013

Alabama Slammer

Alabama Slammer: The Alabama Slammer, or just ‘Bama Slammer, cocktail was widely drunk before it was popularized and renamed for Brett Farve in the 90’s. This concoction of Southern Comfort, sloe gin, amaretto and OJ is a dangerously delicious party in a glass. We’re serving up some Alabama Slammer’s in honor of the Crimson Tide victory to be perfectly drunk.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Pour and mix the Southern Comfort, Amaretto and Sloe Gin. Add a splash - or more depending upon preference - of Orange Juice. We preferred pulp free OJ.

Why we like it: If you've got a sweet tooth and/or you're looking for something to comfortably daydrink for a spell, this drink is a tasty beverage that creeps up on you.

Served: On the rocks.

What it needs: This drink needs a makeover like nobody's business. In our search for Alabama Slammer recipes we found many of them had been altered or re-imagined by astute bartenders. My wife found it to be quite different than the drink she was used to. I believe that to be the fault of the sloe gin. Most bars just use grenadine and skip the sloe gin altogether. I can't say i blame them.

If you're just looking to see the recipe go to Alabama Slammer Recipe.

January 10, 2013

Mojito Satisfaction

Mojito: A Mojito stirs up memories of lazy days in the summer or tropical locales with scantily clad bodies needing, ahem… satisfaction. We’re lusting after warm tropics filled with palm trees, cabanas, warm ocean breezes, and refreshing Mojito cocktails to be perfectly drunk.

We’re not talking about the Benny Bennassi type of “Satisfaction.” Albeit dangerously tempting to do.

No. We’re talking about liquid satisfaction…

The kind that can be rewarded with smooth light rum, some lime, and a splash of soda with a hint of sweetness. It’s summer perfection in a glass. And when you’re stumbling around in sub-arctic temperatures, anything summer is sublime.

Mojitos are a deliciously sexy simple drink.

My wife and I found it to be our preferred drink during our honeymoon in Mexico. After long sweaty days of ruins and hiking through the unforgiving jungles of the Yucatan; a cool Mojito – refreshing and invigorating – makes the prospects of a long night ahead all the more anticipated.

Satisfying, Sexy Satisfaction

And when you’re between the equator and the tropic of cancer, if it’s not the first thing on your mind it’s the second. Which makes sense considering the origins of the Mojito are on the tropical island of Cuba.

Even the supposed genesis of the name Mojito seems splashed with a double entendre cocktail. The closely related Spanish word mojadito means “a little wet.” I’m not even making this up.

Fun fact: In this week Fidel Castro ousted then Dictator Fulgencio Batista on Jan 1, 1959 to become well… another dictator. The new boss was the same as the old boss.

The drink should really be credited to the Cuban countryside that produced the cane juice, mint and light rum required, and made widely available by the British in the 1650s. The specifics of the drink were then canonized at the La Bodeguita del Medio and immortalized by one of the great drinker/writers, Ernest Hemingway.

The bar to this day still has his handwritten note:

“My mojito in La Bodeguita, My daiquiri in El Floridita”

“My mojito in La Bodeguita, My daiquiri in El Floridita”

We’ll get to the daiquiri later Champ…

For now, let’s get back into the Mojito recipe.

As many of my good friends know, I run warm and I like my drinks cold. Unless it’s a cup of life nourishing coffee or something specifically to be drunk hot, I like it cold. Like, ex-girlfriend just found out her replacement is prettier, cold. Downright frigid.

Which; almost always, means ice. I’m not entirely opposed to putting booze in a freezer, but I don’t endorse it for a typical cocktail. (We’ll talk about that some other time.) Now I’m not particular on the iced specifics, just plain good ol’ ice cold cubes or chips.

But in this case I found the ice is actually quite important in the creation of a good Mojito and more than just a means to drunkenness. But digress. We’re jumping ahead, let’s take a step back and break it down.

Mint
Good spearmint is crucial for a good Mojito. Some leaves to crush and muddle and a longer stem to plant within the drink. Its purpose is to infatuate your nasal cavities with the aroma of mint as you take a sip. Leave the straws alone for this one ladies, and press those lovely lips up against the tall glass instead.

Sugar
Some sweetness rarely goes amiss, especially when lips are involved. We considered going the simple syrup route to make this, but felt pure cane sugar would be most appropriate. Our first try we used raw sugar, but it didn’t give the sweetness we needed. So we switched to powdered sugar. We’ll investigate simple sugar syrup another time.

Limes
As a garnish, but also using the bittersweet juice and peel to muddle with the mint and sugar. Limes bring the acid which masks the remaining bite from the alcohol of the Rum.

Rum
A good light rum can be put in so many cocktails, but rarely does the alcohol get to stand by itself and be a main character instead of a supporting cast mate. Light Rum keeps this drink light but smooth.

Soda Water
Carbonated water goes by many names, but the splash of soda water here goes a long way towards bringing this drink home. It adds refreshment and lightness and nicely tricks you into having just one more…

Ice
Like the sixth sense, the sixth ingredient to a great Mojito is the ever present and unappreciated ice. But not in the way you expect. The ice isn’t about flavor here, it’s about muddle management.

Mixing a Mojito

I like muddling the sugar lime juice and limes first, then adding the mint and muddling them just enough to break and bruise them – but not enough to tear them. Then we’ll add the light rum and give it a little mix.

Next add the soda, giving another little mix and then the ice to the top. Garnish with a lime wedge or circle, mint spring and serve.

The reason for the order is drinkability and sexiness – Which goes hand in hand in this drink. You can’t have one without the other.

By pilling the ice on top you create a barrier to the muddled lime and mint leaves. This frees you to sniff mint and taste mint but avoids you having to pick mint pieces out of your mouth. It’s why you want to be careful with your mint muddling and it’s also why I can’t drink a Mojito made in a blender.

You only need to have her smile once at you with about a million little shredded pieces of mint in her mouth to know the magic is over. So keep the muddled mint leaves intact at the bottom of the glass. They’ll still add flavor and alcohol, but without the mess.

And there it is – light, refreshing and easily the best thing to hold while looking over the aqua water and palm dotted beach. Or several inches of snow. Icy, icy snow.

Either way, a sexy drink like the Mojito is all about cooling things down before they heat up again.

Cheers.

Mojito

By Alexander Wissel, January 10, 2013

Mojito

Mojito: A Mojito stirs up memories of lazy days in the summer or tropical locales with scantily clad bodies needing, ahem… satisfaction. We’re lusting after warm tropics filled with palm trees, cabanas, warm ocean breezes, and refreshing Mojito cocktails to be perfectly drunk.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

After juicing the lime, muddle the rinds with the sugar, rum and mint leaves in the bottom of a glass. Add the soda water – which should bring the glass to about 75% full – and fill the rest with ice. Garnish with a lime wedge and a long sprig of mint.

Why we like it: So much more than a summer drink, the Mojito is an experience that can be had by one and yet enjoyed by a couple. Mojitos are refreshing, day-drinking cocktails worth getting horizontal to.

Served: With the Rocks – Under Ice

What it needs: In our first take of this drink, we found there wasn't enough sweetness. The second attempt used confectioners' sugar to give us sweetness, but it might have been better served with a simple syrup.  The lime and mint flavors are tricky; you want them to be strong but be balanced with each other. Also the exact percentage of soda water to alcohol needs to be examined.

If you're looking to just see the recipe, go to Mojito Recipe.

January 9, 2013

Mojito Recipe

Mojito Recipe

By Alexander Wissel, January 9, 2013

Mojito Recipe

Mojito: A Mojito stirs up memories of lazy days in the summer or tropical locales with scantily clad bodies needing, ahem… satisfaction. We’re lusting after warm tropics filled with palm trees, cabanas, warm ocean breezes, and refreshing Mojito cocktails to be perfectly drunk.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

After juicing the lime, muddle the rinds with the sugar, rum and mint leaves in the bottom of a glass. Add the soda water – which should bring the glass to about 75% full – and fill the rest with ice. Garnish with a lime wedge and a long sprig of mint.

Why we like it: So much more than a summer drink, the Mojito is an experience that can be had by one and yet enjoyed by a couple. Mojitos are refreshing, day-drinking cocktails worth getting horizontal to.

Served: With the Rocks – Under Ice