Vintage is always in fashion

What is the most overlooked part of crafting a cocktail... The vessel. The glassware plays an integral part not only is presentation, but also helps with dilution, or to emphasize sensory aspects.

Yeah, there's plenty of new stuff on the market that has laser engraved ____ points. But a vintage piece of glassware can generally accomplish the same statement, while still looking timeless. As for shopping for glassware, it's not easy and takes time. In Chicago, Brimfield and Urban mischief in the Andersonville neighbourhood are two of the best places I've found to procure my wares. Brimfield has an enormous selection of vintage glassware and trinkets in smaller quantities. While Urban Mischief on the other hand has a very large vintage playboy/burlesque selection of cocktail sets (shakers, glassware & stemware) while not being offensive; perfect for the entertainer... No pun intended!

Should you need any awesome
Barware in the future. Check out either place. I have yet to find any place with better options.

Happy Hunting!!!

Cocktail of the Week #16

Gearing up for the fall menu at Elixir. I've been mixing up some drinks using samples of Perfect Purée's Beverage Artistry Series that I obtained from
a new friend I made. I've worked with some of the mixes before, so I'm pretty comfortable with the amazing quality and the variety of ways to use the product.

Paradise Found
2 oz. Plantation 5 yr. Barbados Rum
3/4 oz. Perfect Purée, El Corazon
1/2 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 oz. fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 oz. Luxardo Maraschino
2 dashes Rhubarb Bitters

Build in shaker glass, add ice, shake, strain into a coupe. Garnish with a swath of lemon oil.

Bartending videos

So apparently my rise to mixology fame is putting me on TV to mix drinks for the world. This past weekend I made a his & hers cocktail for local wedding show "Bridal Wave." Where I blended up some charisma and created a Peach Julep and a blended Country Thyme Lemonade featuring a new Kenmore Elite Blender.

I also have a mixology shoot for a local magazine called RedEye. Making some delicious drinks.

Links and photos coming soon.

Taste of the Nation

One word... Awesome! I can't wait to do it next year.

Appropriate Barware

So just a shout out. I don't give a lot of credit to companies. The people at Chefwear started a line for bartenders called Barware. Not only is their customer service amazing, but great product too.

I ordered 2 jackets on a Wednesday, they had them embroidered and to me in 4 business days. Got them on a Monday. Usually say it takes 4 weeks to do a project like this. They really raised the bar on customer service. keep it up! They certainly have my patronage going forward.

Secret Menu...!?

Once in a while, I'll take a fun ingredient to work at Elixir and opt to make a secret menu. Often checking in on Foursquare, Twitter, and Facebook. With the small note of a secret menu for the day.

I usually get a few people come in asking for it, albeit friends. But the feedback is great. My point about this concept is, you can develop a different more adventurous customer base from it. It can also lead to some feedback on prospective menu items. Furthermore, it makes a guest feel like they are special, or trendsetters if you will.

Cocktail of the Week #15

On August 8th, I will be a participating mixologist in Taste of the Nation, a huge charity fundraiser for the No Kid Hungry Campaign. Well after a few weeks of deliberation, we were all assigned a base spirit to work with;of which I received Bulleit Rye. I was pretty excited, in fact, I keep a bottle in my bar at home. Oh, And we keep a bottle at work too...Cake. Well the catch is we have exactly 1 week to come up with an original recipe, tweak it to perfection using a limited amount of secondary spirits and fresh seasonal ingredients and calculate the beverage in order to serve 400+ guests a 1.5 oz. serving.

Easier said than done when you're indecisive like me. Like a kid at a candy store with too many options and favourites. After careful deliberation, and the idea I wanted to go a somewhat masculine direction with my cocktail. I developed "Lost in the Woods". But to keep you in suspense, I will be adding the recipe at the beginning of next week.

***update***

Here's the Recipe

Lost in the Woods
1 1/2 oz. Bulleit Rye
1/2 oz. cold infused rosemary syrup
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1/2 oz. Cynar
2 dashes Fee Bros. Black Walnut Bitters
fresh sage leaf garnish

Build in shaker glass, shake and strain into coupette. Garnish with disciplined sage leaf for aromatics and texture.