Month: February 2011

  • Cocktail Snobs

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    Camper English
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    In the March issue of 7×7 Magazine, I have a story about Cocktail Snobs. Now that customers know so much more about cocktails some us are becoming fussy about them, never ordering from the menu but insisting on on-the-spot creations,  trying to stump or school the bartender with obscure drink requests, and trainspotting mixology by…

  • What’s the Difference Between Orange Curacao and Triple Sec?

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    Camper English
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    There are no legal differences between triple sec and Curacao, only a few practical and many historical differences. In summary:  Both triple sec and Curacao are orange-flavored liqueurs, and today’s triple secs are typically clear, while curacao is either clear or sold in a variety of colors, including blue. Curacao liqueur is not required to…

  • Sherry is to Tequila as Vermouth is to Whiskey

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    Camper English
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    Sherry and tequila are showing up together on more and more cocktail menus. I wrote a story about that in the Sunday, February 20th San Francisco Chronicle.  (Del Rio cocktail by Josh Harris of the Bon Vivants. Photo: Craig Lee) More drinks including Tequila and SherryCamper English, Special to The Chronicle Sherry and Tequila are…

  • Jameson Irish Whiskey Distillery Visit

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    Camper English
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    In early February I visited the Jameson Irish Whiskey distillery – actually two of them. The original Jameson distillery is in Dublin, but it is no longer made there. In 1971 it moved to the Midleton distillery in Cork. The reason is because in the late 1960's Irish Distillers was formed, a merger of Jameson,…

  • Chartreuse Secrets

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    Camper English
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    Some friends who meditate told me about the movie Into Great Silence, which follows the Carthusian monks of the Grande Chartreuse in the French Alps. As I barely stop talking you can bet they weren't telling me about its depiction of the silent lifestyle of the monks as something of interest, but because there is…

  • High-Falutin’ Boozin’

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    Camper English
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    Another magazine I write for that is not usually online is Caviar Affair, for which the tagline is, "Celebrating wordly indulgences and luxury living." That's so *me*, right? Actually it really is, except that other people indulge me in the luxury to which I've become accustomed. Anyhoo, they did put the new issue online. Unlike…

  • Flowers and Champagne

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    Camper English
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    Here's something you already know: Sparkling wine + Floral liqueur = fun drink. I hadn't realized until I started writing my latest Fine Cooking blog entry just how many new floral liqueurs have hit the market. In recent years several new floral liqueurs have been brought to market, including St. Germain (elderflower), Esprit de June…

  • Big in Germany

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    Camper English
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    I try to link to all my writing available online, but you really only see two-thirds or so of it. And even if you could see it all, most of us couldn't read it because it's in German. I am a regular contributor to Mixology magazine, based in Berlin, and for this magazine I write…

  • Which Vermouth is Which?

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    Camper English
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    In Friday's FineCooking.com blog entry, I have a little story about how I remember which vermouth is which: sweet, French, white, Italian, dry, red. I could never keep them straight until I came up with a mnemonic device. Read it here. Plus! There is also the recipe for the Bamboo cocktail.

  • Sherry, Reconsidered in the Los Angeles Times Magazine

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    Camper English
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    **Update: This story is no longer on the LA Times Magazine website, so I have pasted it here.   In yesterday's LA Times Magazine I have a huge feature on sherry. (photographs by Nigel Cox) As a wine category, sherry has practically everything going for it: a tremendous range of flavors, a rich history dating…