Alcademics

Category: camper_clips

  • The Martini Does Not Exist

    The word 'Martini' has very little meaning.

    Two versions of the cocktail may have completely different ingredients and be served in different formats: A bone-dry-and-dirty Grey Goose Martini on the rocks with extra olives has nothing in common with a Fifty-Fifty gin Martini with orange bitters and a twist. They're not even close to the same drink – in ingredients, in format, or in purpose.

    Martinilatimes

    More than that, the Martini no longer exists even as a drink concept. It means different things to different people: strength, dryness, elegance, simplicity, an aperitif, glassware, crispness, an era in time, an intellectual challenge, etc.. Some of its concepts are mutually exclusive.

    This conundrum surfaced when in New Zealand last year for the 42Below Vodka Cocktail World Cup, in which they had a Modern Martini challenge. The problem was that nobody agreed on what the Martini was, so everyone updated it in a different way.  Most of those ways differed from the judges' concept of the drink.

    The Martini is as amorphous a concept as morality.

    In this Sunday's Los Angeles Times Magazine, I wrote a story about how the Martini Does Not Exist, except in the mind of the individual.

    I'm pretty happy with how it came out. After going through the issues involved with the concept of the drink (and revealing how that cocktail contest turned out), the story lists the Martini recipe as a moving target throughout the years.

    Please give it a read.

  • Cheers to Rudolph, Not the Reindeer

    Blood_and_sand_med

    (Image courtesy of Cherry Heering.)

    In my latest blog post at FineCooking.com, I introduce the Blood and Sand. The cocktail was almost certainly created in honor of the  1922 silent movie of the same name, staring Rudolph Valentino.

    I've also written a long story about all the different ways bartenders are changing this drink, but that's going in an upcoming issue of Mixology Magazine so unless you read German you're out of luck on that one.     

    I will say, though, that should you decide to watch the movie on which the drink is based, the 1941 version with Rita Hayworth and Tyrone Power is much more entertaining than the original. Unless you want to watch Rudolph on a silent night. 

    The blog post is here. 

     

  • Bits and Pieces from Winter Drinking Guide in 7×7 Magazine

    My San Francisco winter drinking guide in 7×7 Magazine is coming online in bits and pieces.

    Whiskey

    Here are some:

  • Hot Buttered Fun

    Hot_buttered_anejo_med_lg Hot Buttered Fun would be a good party band name, right? 

    My latest post on FineCooking.com is up. It's a recipe for the Hot Buttered Anejo, which is a hot buttered tequila that I had one night when the brand Avion was pouring drinks at Elixir. 

    Check it out here. 

  • Chartreuse + Chocolate = Delicious

    The week before Paul Clarke wrote about the same topic to make it look like I ripped him off, I wrote my next blog entry for FineCooking.com, about the magical mystery combination of Chartreuse liqueur and chocolate. 

    While Paul was creative and found four drinks that combine the two ingredients, I went to Jamie Boudreau and asked if I could borrow a single recipe he blogged about in 2007. I'd like to think that this just makes me efficient.  

    Hot chocolate med res
    (Verte Chaud by Jamie Bodreau. Photo also by Jamie Boudreau.)

    Read the story on FineCooking.com here.

    And remember, your comments at Fine Cooking make me love you more. 

  • Winter Drinking Guide in 7×7 Magazine

    Oh hello, giant sexy four-page spread in the December issue of 7×7 Magazine written by Camper English!

    7x7december2010

    Run screaming to your local newsstand to pick up the latest issue with a guide to winter drinking. In it you'll learn:

    • Where to get your fancy on in a hotel bar
    • The best hot drinks in SF
    • Bars with rooms for rent
    • The bar with 1200 Santa Claus dolls on display
    • How I worked the phrase "plaid-slathered" into a bar review
    • Gift ideas from local liquor stores
    • The best bar for hungover bartender spotting 

  • Turkey Cocktail

    OldFashionedMedRes_lg In my latest post on FineCooking.com, I tell the tale of a recent Thanksgiving tradition: drinking Wild Turkey. 

    I also link to my experiments with Wild Tofurkey and share a new-fangled Old Fashioned recipe from the brand.

    Check it out here.

     

  • Beer in the Penthouse

    Penthouse Magazine December 2010 Beer Story Finally, I'm appearing in the pages of Penthouse magazine. Oddly, they didn't ask me to model. That's not me on the cover. 

    In the December issue of Penthouse magazine,  I have a two-page spread on "Advanced Level Beer Gear," including some gift items like a homebrew kit, kegerator, and a dog collar that holds a bottle opener. 

    So now you bartenders have an excuse to buy Penthouse and write it off as a work expense.

    You're welcome.

  • Cognac Cocktails in the Los Angeles Times Magazine

    My first story for the LA Times Magazine is now online. It is in the Sunday, December 7, 2010 print edition. 

    Cognac cocktails la times(Photo by Bartholomew Cooke)

    The story is a brief airing of a pet peeve: Why are there so few cognac cocktails being served when we're supposedly in the midst of a classic cocktail renaissance? 

    The article also includes four recipes from Damian Windsor of the Roger Room. 

    Read and enjoy!

  • Welcome Back, Harvey Wallbanger

    With the new formula of Galliano and a renewed interest in the fern bar, the Harvey Wallbanger is about due for a comeback. 

    Wallbanger_outdoors_tn_lg
    In my latest post for Fine Cooking, I investigate the cocktail. Have a look, and remember that comments make me happy and keep me employed.