Gourmet Live Blog

Category Archives: Cocktails, Wine & Beer

Carnival Cocktails

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Brie Schwartz

Photo: Gourmet.com

I’ve never celebrated Mardi Gras in style. Once, I feebly attempted to get into the Fat Tuesday spirit by stumbling into Bourbon Street, a restaurant near Times Square, and ordering a Hurricane along with every other tourist in Manhattan. It was about as inauthentic an experience as I could have had. Last February, the fine folks at Southern Comfort sent me a massive (and sticky) King Cake, along with a boa (which still lives in my desk drawer). I was getting closer. This year, I’ll be at a production of Richard 111. Again, not especially festive, but before I go, I’ll be pre-gaming with a signature (yet, lesser known than the Sazerac, pictured above) Carnival drink, the Vieux Carré. I believe Shakespeare would have wanted it that way.

This drink, named for the French Quarter in New Orleans, was created by Walter Bergeron, a bartender at the Monteleone Hotel in the 1930’s, which was incidentally the first revolving bar in New Orleans (danger!).

To make it, fill an old-fashioned glass with ice, along with 1 ounce rye, 1 ounce Cognac, 1 ounce sweet vermouth, and ½ ounce of Benedictine, along with a dash of Peychaud’s bitters. Stir them up, garnish with a lemon twist, and let the Mardi Gras madness begin.

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged bitters, cocktails, cognac, Mardi Gras, rye, sazarac | Leave a comment

Intoxicate your Valentine

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Brie Schwartz

Photo: Courvoisier

Valentine’s Day is my favorite fake holiday, stemming from kindergarten when even Jared Levine, the class heartthrob, had to give me a doily-covered cardboard. Beyond the bliss of teacher enforced equality, Valentine’s Day holds true significance for me because it’s when I drank my first cocktail (if you’d consider a cranberry-Popov a cocktail). No, I wasn’t pouring my post-break-up tears into a Solo cup, if that’s what you’re thinking. It was a tumbler.

Since that landmark occasion, I have celebrated every Valentine’s Day like most romantics do: by drinking. Whether you’re toasting your best “Gal-entines” or sharing a solo evening with your own Jared Levine, the “Rosé Kiss” created by Moses Laboy of NYC’s Red Rooster, makes a sweet start to your night of swooning.

To create it at home, muddle pineapple (canned is fine) and mint in a cocktail shaker. Then, add 2 parts Courvoisier Rosé, ½ part French dry vermouth, ½ part fresh lime juice, 3 splashes of bitters and ¼ part simple syrup (or less if you don’t want to be cursing Cupid’s hangover). Shake well and pour into a rocks glass. Garnish with a fresh pineapple chunk and gaze longingly.

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged cocktail, Mint, pineapple, valentine's day | 1 Comment

A Chocolate Manhattan for Two

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Brie Schwartz

Photo: Peter Field Peck

I tend to avoid any activity that’s catered to couples, including (but not limited to) spa services for two, sharing food, and anything in the skating, blading, or go-carting department. Keeping that in mind, when I agreed to go to a “Valentine’s Day Cooking Experience” sponsored by Godiva Spirits, I was a bit hesitant. However, given that it is the month of Amor, I figured at the very least, my fiancée would learn how to put a nice sear on a sirloin (he did), and best case scenario, I’d meet some couples with a good sense of irony.

Continue reading →

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged bourbon, chocolate, Godiva, Manhattan, valentine's day |

Mocktails Packed with Vitamin C

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Brie Schwartz

Photo: Gourmet

It seems everyone is some variation of ill around here, and as much as I swear by a nice hot toddy to make you tipsy enough to forget your sore throat, if you’re actually fevered, it’s probably best to abstain from alcohol (though I seldom take my own advice). If you’re among us sicklings, then the idea of consuming liquor makes your stomach turn.

For those of us who still have birthday dinners we have to attend, even though we desperately want to be on the couch, catching up on Oscar contenders (okay, the “Kardashians”), and non-negotiable out-of-town guests to entertain, I give you a roundup of my three favorite Vitamin C laden mocktails. They’ll put you in the festive spirit, even if you’re snotty.

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged cocktails, Lemonade, mocktails |

What Your Drink Reveals to Your Date

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Brie Schwartz

Photo: Gourmet

There’s been a deluge of less than scientific findings about what your cocktail of choice says about you, including David Wondrich’s rather fine write-up. This intel is especially important when you’re on a first date, since all it takes is one curious order at the bar to make your courtesan question you.

My 60-year-old mother recently joined the online dating scene. Her go-to is a vodka martini (which she pronounces vodk-er), straight up, and she asks the bartender to just wave the vermouth over the glass. She likes to pantomime this motion. I think her choice implies that she’s a sophisticate who likes to get buzzed efficiently. Perhaps too efficiently.

Continue reading →

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged date, Old Fashioned, whiskey | 2 Comments

Get your own Golden Globe

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Brie Schwartz

Photo: CN Digital Studio

I take the road to the Oscars quite seriously, and the Golden Globes, airing this Sunday, truly kicks off the journey (unless you count the Critics’ Choice Awards but that’s far less fun to drink during). If you’re having people over to cheer on your favorite actors (and/or critique their fashion statements), then you’ll want to have a surplus of offerings. Cocktails make any awards show more palatable (yes, even for the men out there).

This year, I’ll be serving a Golden Globe, literally. Fill a spherical ice cube mold (intended for Scotch) with grapefruit juice. When it freezes, place it in a low ball glass containing gin, and a splash of dry vermouth. The juice ball will melt gradually into the drink, infusing your cocktail with a subtle fruit flavor. You can use any other mixer you like, but in honor of the occasion, I went for something that was gilded. If you don’t have the ball mold available, you can try regular ice cubes, but they melt faster and dilute the drink. You may need the potency.

Happy awards seasons!

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged awards, gin, Golden Globes, grapefruit juice | 1 Comment

The Green Tea Retox

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Brie Schwartz

Photo: Gourmet

By now you’ve probably had your fill of unsolicited advice on how to safely purge eight pounds of Christmas cookies and gelt before the weekend. I’m boycotting dieting this year in hopes that the sizable addition to my midsection spills over into tankini season. However, if you’re planning to start fresh (I’m jealous) and shed the lingering inches that 2011 left behind, then the first thing to go is probably your favorite cocktail. While I can’t save you the basic 100 or so empty calories packed into an ounce of spirits, I can spare you the mixer bloat (say no to tonic!).

Continue reading →

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged cocktail, diet, green tea, healthy, Martini, vodka |

Gimlets to the Rescue

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Brie Schwartz

Photo: Gourmet.com

I tiptoed off the tarmac after my flight to a Floridian family vacation with some minor trepidation. I was leaving NYC during the booziest season and while I was headed to warmer climates, I’d grown accustomed to the warmth of my nightly cocktail constitutional. I was concerned that my fiancé’s family would catch the warning signs of withdrawal. Luckily, all of my fears vanished when my mother-in-law–to-be routed us from the airport to the local supermarket to buy Rose’s lime juice and cheese. She’s a gimlet gal, I learned. I was home.

Continue reading →

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged gimlet, lime, Rose's, vodka |

Five Celebratory Cocktails

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Brie Schwartz

Celebratory Cocktails

Nothing quite says “convivial” more than the sound of a champagne cork being popped, especially in a bustling room, and even better if it’s in your honor. In that night of a thousand bubbles, everything feels special (and blurry). Whether you’re swirling Spanish Cava, pouring Prosecco, savoring sparkling Shiraz, German Sekt, or the French stuff, any bit of fizz marks a celebration, or at least gives you an excuse to have one. Here’s a round-up of my top five favorite champagne cocktails, all with a stiff kick.

What do you drink when a toast is in order?

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged Champagne, cocktails, holiday, New Years Eve, prosecco, recipes | 2 Comments

Not Your Mother’s Hot Cocoa

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Brie Schwartz

Photo: L.A. Burdick

After a demanding afternoon of searching for thoughtful Christmas presents for every member of my extended family (and ending up with scarves), I was in dire need of a hot chocolate break. Serendipitously, an L.A. Burdick outpost was on route, so I stopped in for a rich dark cup, which was beautifully blended with Macallan 12 (a household favorite). I had department stores to tackle, after all.

Typically, when I’m concocting my own boozy hot cocoa, I tend to use lower quality liquor, but this was a special occasion (I was stressed). At L.A. Burdick, they mix 6 to 8 tablespoons of their shaved chocolate with 3 quarters to 1 cup of scalding hot milk and a half ounce of Scotch. If you’re making yours at home, you can sub in whatever bittersweet (60 percent cacao) or semisweet chocolate you prefer and add a good deal more alcohol. Depending on your mood, Cointreau, vanilla vodka, peppermint schnapps, Baileys, and of course any flavor of Kahlua will transform your hot chocolate to the next level of bliss. Gourmet’s Grasshopper Hot Chocolate, which uses crème de menthe, is a nice cooling option. Personally, I prefer the warming elements of a brandy or whiskey to top off my drink (they play better with chocolate than vodka or liqueurs) but no matter the spirit, this winter staple will ward off any shopping-induced temper tantrums.

What do you spike your hot chocolate with?

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged Baileys, brandy, cocoa, Hot Chocolate, whiskey | 3 Comments

Tailgating Tipples

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Brie Schwartz

Last Sunday I found myself at a tailgate in Buffalo, pre-gaming the inevitable loss of my family’s beloved football team. Come 8 a.m., a stranger sporting signature Bills apparel handed me my first Labbat Blue of the day in order to join him in a ceremonious “shot gun.” (Ed note: for those of you who didn’t go Greek in college, or haven’t spent much time drinking in parking lots, to “shot gun” a beer means to puncture a hole in the side of the can and drink it rapidly. This usually results in unsafe, immediate inebriation. Or, in my case, a very messy sweatshirt).

By noon, I had consumed more than enough beer, and was desperate for something resembling a cocktail (or water). Suddenly, out of the crowd, I spotted my shimmering Galahad, brandishing a bottle of Smirnoff. He chivalrously offered up his supply of vodka, along with a Crystal Light pink lemonade packet to mix it with. This was exactly what I needed to face kick-off: a low-calorie, bubble-free respite from all of that Canadian ale. I’m sure I’ve just lost any street cred by saying this, but Crystal Light is actually a handy tool in a pinch, especially if you’re trying to reserve your kcals for those nachos. If I haven’t lost you, a true tailgate favorite is the beer margarita. It may not be the most high-brow beverage, but it’s easy to make on the spot (just bring a large container and a ladle) and great for crowds.

What do you drink while you’re watching football?

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged beer, cocktails, Football, tailgating | 1 Comment

This Hangover Cure Is Cracked

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Megan Steintrager

Photo: CN Digital Studio

In the current issue of Gourmet Live, contributor James Rodewald shares bartenders’ hangover remedies, including one from LeNell Smothers: a Prairie Oyster. This cocktail generally contains raw egg, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, but the other ingredients vary (you can find four Prairie Oyster recipe variations on Epicurious). So we asked Smothers to share her formula. Here’s how she does it:

LeNell Smothers’ Prairie Oyster

INGREDIENTS
1 farm fresh egg
3 dashes Maggi Jugo (a Mexican “salsa inglesa” that can be substituted with whatever Worcestershire sauce you have on hand)
pinch of sea salt
1 twist of the pepper grinder
2 dashes Salsa Huichol (or Chipotle Tobasco)

DIRECTIONS
Crack the egg into a shot glass if no one volunteers a belly button. Top with all other ingredients, and take down in one gulp.

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer, News & Events | 3 Comments

Discovering Gin

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Brie Schwartz

Photo: CN Digital Studio

This is the story of how I lost my vir-GIN-ity. I had never been keen on gin. I realize this is a blasphemous comment in the cocktailing community, akin to ordering a Ketel and soda from a wool vest and skinny-tie-clad mixologist. I had a brief flirtation with gin, lasting exactly one night and involving an inexact amount of ounces masked by tonic water. The resulting punishment made me swear off the spirit. However, I am a proud new convert. It recently came to my attention that tonic was the culprit. This weekend, I gave my full trust to the man behind the bar (something about that vest) and declared that he could make me any cocktail, provided it didn’t involve gin or simple syrup. What resulted was a series of citrus-forward, still too sweet, tequila and whiskey-based drinks. To my surprise (and utter embarrassment), I was most taken by the drinks handed to my companions, which, of course, contained gin. All of this time, I had been depriving myself of complex cocktails, and especially of my happiest discovery – the Negroni.

Continue reading →

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged cocktail, gin, holidays, negroni |

Black Friday Pick-Me-Up

Posted on November 25, 2011 by Brie Schwartz

If you’re reading this, you survived Thanksgiving. All of the careful planning, the meticulous testing of the perfect pecan pie recipe, and the marathon eating is behind you for another year. Almost. If you were lucky enough to fill your home with family and assorted loved ones last night, then odds are, you’re still on host duty. Your in-laws are asleep on an air mattresses by your feet and you have nephews demanding lunch. In order to properly wean off the tryptophan cloud, and pump yourself up for a high-octane day of cleaning, entertaining, or braving the Black Friday crowds (if you’re really daring) this rich perky punch/heavenly treat is exactly what you need. Best of all, it’s made mostly of leftovers (the turkey’s not the only retiree that deserves a new life). You can serve up yesterday’s surplus coffee, and utilize the extra cream that never made it into your pie.

To make Gourmet’s Kaffeeklatch Punch, dissolve 1/4 cup each of sugar and powdered cocoa in 6 cups strong freshly brewed hot coffee. Let the mixture cool, chill it, and combine it with 6 eggs, beaten with 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup crème de cacao, and 1 quart bourbon. Chill the punch thoroughly, pour it into a chilled punch bowl, and set the bowl in another bowl half filled with crushed ice. Sprinkle the punch very lightly with cinnamon. Makes 25 to 30 servings.

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged cocktail, coffee, Punch |

Making Mulled Wine

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Brie Schwartz

Courtesy: Gourmet

I first discovered mulled wine while living in London. The chalkboards outside nearly every tavern promised that if we came in, we’d be offered a warm glass of grog and a respite from the cold. Or, at least we’d have an excuse to drink in the afternoon. That year abroad, at our ex-pat Thanksgiving, while friends contributed their grandfather’s corn pudding recipe and their mother’s mashed potatoes, I served mulled wine. Partially, because I’m not the greatest chef – I was tasked with bringing crudités this year – but mostly, because this hot and spicy medley instantly sets the convivial mood, and it’s a cinch to prepare.

Mulled wine originated in the Medieval era at a time when the drinking water was a bit unsavory. The alcohol was believed to keep people healthy. It was also popular in Victorian England, which I reminded myself each time I stopped in a pub to order it, as I imagine the Pilgrims’ ancestors did. Continue reading →

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged cocktail, mulled wine, Thanksgiving, warm, Wine | 3 Comments

Gluten-Free Cocktails

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Brie Schwartz

Photo: Gourmet.com

I’ve given up wheat. Well, for the past four days at least, and already, what I miss most is beer. When I decided to sample a gluten-free lifestyle, naturally I considered the food sacrifices: no more pizza or pasta. My lunch would devolve into turkey in a cup. What I didn’t consider is that not only do people with Celiac Disease have to think carefully about what they eat every day, but they also have to always be cognizant of what their bartenders are mixing up.

Though some believe that any distilled spirit is safe, others refrain from wheat-based liquor all together. Sure, grain-free vodkas exist (Ciroc and Chopin to name a few), but I recently found myself at a bar with an especially surly waitress that didn’t take kindly to my request to see a listing of the available corn and grape-distilled varieties. She just scowled and suggested I try tequila, which is made from agave, and rum, which comes from sugarcane. I just ordered another glass of wine.

Here’s a round-up of wintery, wheat-free drinks from our sister-site, Epicurious that you can make at home:

Dark and Stormy

Blood Orange Rum Punch

Hot Buttered Rum

Cider and Tequila Hot Toddy

Are you gluten-sensitive? What’s your go-to cocktail?

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | 5 Comments

Holiday Party Punch

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Brie Schwartz

Photo: Gourmet.com

My journey with alcohol began the way that many other girls start drinking: cranberry juice, vodka and a mission. My love affair with cocktails began on Valentine’s Day of 2003, shortly after my love affair with my college cohort ended. Before that, I had never had a sip of alcohol –no small feat for a young co-ed at a party school.

Although this gateway drink gets a bad rap in the cocktailing community because of its overt attenuation of the vodka flavors, it remains popular due to unparalleled drinkability. While this beverage may not be the most sophisticated, it’s certainly festive.

Continue reading →

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged cocktail, cranberries, holiday, Punch, Thanksgiving, vodka |

A Not-So Creepy Cocktail

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Brie Schwartz

Photo: CN Digital Studio

As a tyke, pre-packaged and store-bought Halloween costumes were banned from my home. While the coolest girls in grade 6 were clad as pink Power Rangers and off begging for candy, I was waddling between houses in a cardboard box fashioned as a TV, or tottering behind my mom’s car as an unwieldy Christmas tree (OK, that was last year). With the exception of the time in college when I was cajoled into dressing as a sexy lighthouse, Halloween has always been about fostering ingenuity.

In keeping with the Halloween tradition of invention, I called upon Jasper Soffee, the lead mixologist at NYC’s Mulberry Project, which is the “it” bar for bespoke, creative cocktails. Bartenders at the Mulberry Project use fresh, locally sourced ingredients to tailor-make drinks for each guest. Essentially, they’re the antidote to the vodka soda (with all due-respect to my gateway drink). For a Hallo-weekend beverage worthy of your bunnies and goblins, Soffee recommends the Jackalope, which combines pumpkin and tequila (yes, tequila). Suspicious? Step out of the shrink-wrapped kitty costume and sip on something a little more daring. Continue reading →

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged cocktails, halloween, tequila cocktail | 3 Comments

Savor Your Drink: The Michelada

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Brie Schwartz

Those who prefer elderflower to brine may not have acquired the taste of the savory cocktail, but salt-aholics rejoice, you’re not alone. This year, one of the biggest bar trends we’ve seen involves mixologists ditching the simple syrup in favor of less cloying alternatives. The dirty martini is a natural choice for anyone who enjoys a nice olive garnish, and of course there’s the ye olde Bloody Mary, but these aren’t the only cocktails with a kick. Bartenders are using peppers, herbs like tarragon and thyme, and even bacon (I can’t personally advocate that one) to make the transition from sweet to salty.

The Michelada, or a sexed up Mexican beer, is among the most accessible drinks in this category. It’s easy to make at home (you probably have the ingredients already, minus the Tecate). This recipe, published in Gourmet, is a good basic version of this thoroughly refreshing zinger, but if it’s too piquant for your tastes, you might want to play with the hot sauce and Worcestershire ratios. Continue reading →

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged beer, cocktails, lime, mexican, spicy | 1 Comment

Pumpkin Beer

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Brie Schwartz

Photo: Shipyard Brewery

Every October, I travel from New York City to Vermont for an annual leaf-peeping weekend. Call me an old-soul (or a total dork), but there are few things more idyllic than spending a day gazing at abandoned barns and orange leaves. It helps that my favorite seasonal beer, Shipyard’s Pumpkinhead Ale, also just to happens to be released when the foliage hits its peak. After consuming a few of these sweet and spicy ales, the leaves tend to get a lot more interesting.

Pumpkinhead is rich with cinnamon and nutmeg notes, but unlike other flavored ales, it actually tastes like beer. The natural tannin in pumpkin skin balances out the sweeter elements. It’s like drinking a refreshing, crisp pumpkin pie (with most of the sugar removed). If that description didn’t sell you, trust me, it’s delicious.

Continue reading →

Posted in Cocktails, Wine & Beer | Tagged alcohol, ale, beer, fall, pumpkin |

Gourmet Live Blog

Category Archives: Cocktails, Wine & Beer

Carnival Cocktails

Intoxicate your Valentine

A Chocolate Manhattan for Two

Mocktails Packed with Vitamin C

What Your Drink Reveals to Your Date

Get your own Golden Globe

The Green Tea Retox

Gimlets to the Rescue

Five Celebratory Cocktails

Not Your Mother’s Hot Cocoa

Tailgating Tipples

This Hangover Cure Is Cracked

Discovering Gin

Black Friday Pick-Me-Up

Making Mulled Wine

Gluten-Free Cocktails

Holiday Party Punch

A Not-So Creepy Cocktail

Savor Your Drink: The Michelada

Pumpkin Beer

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