Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com Slashfood http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.slashfood.com/media/feedlogo.gif Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Hasta Luego Cocktails -- LeNell it Allhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/10/08/hasta-luego-cocktails-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/10/08/hasta-luego-cocktails-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/10/08/hasta-luego-cocktails-lenell-it-all/#commentsFiled under: ,

Photo: Alamy


All the research Demian and I have poured into libation love here at Casa Cóctel has led to the launch of our own Casa blog, as well as two monthly newsletters -- one devoted to cocktails and one to whiskey. Follow our boozy blatherings by joining the email list on our website.

Yet as one thing begins, another comes to a close.This is my last post for the LeNell It All column. I've had a blast writing for Slashfood for the past year, and I'll still post news from the cocktail world front from time to time. For now, though, in the belief that there's truly a drink for every occasion, I leave you with some fun farewell cocktails.

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]]>drinkslenell smothersLeNell SmothersFri, 08 Oct 2010 17:00:00 ESTDrinking Myths -- LeNell it Allhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/10/01/drinking-myths/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/10/01/drinking-myths/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/10/01/drinking-myths/#commentsFiled under:

dark and light beersPhoto: House of Sims, Flickr


Legends, tall tales, good stories, myths...whatever you call them, the drinking world is full of them. Here are a few favorites to debunk:

MYTH: Beer before liquor, never been sicker -- liquor before beer, you're in the clear.
TRUTH: This is a cute jingle, but not reality. The percentage of alcohol in your blood (known as your blood alcohol content or BAC) is what determines how drunk you are. It doesn't matter what type of alcohol you chose to consume, alcohol is alcohol. More than your body can process can make you sick no matter what the order. A 12-ounce beer equals a 1.5 ounce shot of liquor.

MYTH: Dark beers are stronger in alcohol.
TRUTH: The color of beer has nothing to do with its alcohol content. People often mistake a beer like Guinness Irish stout for a "strong" beer when it actually has an alcohol volume of 4.2%, less than Budweiser's 5%. Many Belgian beers with a light color have alcohol content of 8% or more.

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]]>beerdrinking mythsDrinkingMythsliquormythsLeNell SmothersFri, 01 Oct 2010 17:00:00 ESTNaughty Drinkshttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/29/naughty-drinks/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/29/naughty-drinks/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/29/naughty-drinks/#commentsFiled under:

Orgasm cocktail with cherry garnishPhoto: StuartWebster, Flickr


Some drink names are meant to raise eyebrows. I'll never forget how cheeky we felt back in the early 90's walking up to a bar and having a guy friend order a round of Blow Jobs (a layered shooter made with coffee liqueur, Irish cream, and whipped cream). To make this experience even naughtier, the ritual involved putting our hands behind our back, taking the glass in our mouth, flipping it upside down to drink it, and then putting the glass back down on the bar with hands still behind the back. Silly? Yes, but so much of our socializing can be (with or without alcohol).

If a Blow Job isn't for you, perhaps an Orgasm is more up your alley: Served in an old fashioned glass with ice or in a shot glass as a shooter, this mixture of Cointreau, Bailey's Irish Cream, and Grand Marnier is garnished with, of course, a cherry.

When you swap vodka for the rum in a piña colada, the drink becomes a Chi Chi. Order that down here in Mexico where we live and you may or may not get a smile from the bartender -- Chi Chi is a slang word for a woman's breast.

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]]>naughty drinkssex on the beachLeNell SmothersWed, 29 Sep 2010 15:00:00 ESTMolecules vs Marketinghttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/28/molecules-vs-marketing/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/28/molecules-vs-marketing/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/28/molecules-vs-marketing/#commentsFiled under:

Bottles of VodkaPhoto: Guillermo Esteves, Flickr


Under the Department of Treasury in the US, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is given the authority to regulate definitions of alcohol. According to the TTB, the legal definition of vodka is:

1. A neutral spirit made from any material. This could be potatoes, grain, fruit, or whatever a producer can get to ferment and distill.
2. Distilled above 190 proof (95% alcohol by volume).
3. Treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials, leaving it without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color.

So, if vodka is without character, aroma, or taste, why do some people show preferences for one brand over another?

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]]>featuredtobacco tax and trade bureauTobaccoTaxAndTradeBureauvodkaLeNell SmothersTue, 28 Sep 2010 11:00:00 ESTHard Luck Vodka for Hard Timeshttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/24/hard-luck-vodka-for-hard-times/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/24/hard-luck-vodka-for-hard-times/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/24/hard-luck-vodka-for-hard-times/#commentsFiled under:

bottles of Hard Luck Candy Red Fish vodkaPhoto: Hard Luck Candy


Sometimes the best way to reduce stress is by reaching for something that reminds us of our carefree (or careless) youth. Big kids now have a way of enjoying old-fashioned candy favorites like red fish and root beer barrels without going to the candy store thanks to Hard Luck Candy Flavored Vodka.

The brand evolved from a popular candy and vodka infusion done at the Hard Luck Lounge in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan. The vodka took two years to develop into a commercial product, and is currently only available in Michigan, with hopes of going nationwide soon.

The base vodka is made from grain and bottled at 70 proof (35% alcohol by volume) -- a little lower than the normal 80 proof. You can try it as a little extra flavor for your BBQ sauces and marinades, but, of course, the first suggestion is to try it straight up or in a mixed drink such as the Boston Cooler found on the Hard Luck website.

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]]>hard luck candy flavored vodkavodkaLeNell SmothersFri, 24 Sep 2010 14:00:00 ESTBourbon Heritage Monthhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/21/bourbon-heritage-month/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/21/bourbon-heritage-month/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/21/bourbon-heritage-month/#commentsFiled under:

Kentucky Bourbon DrinkPhoto: flickr4jazz, Flickr


In 1964, Congress confirmed that bourbon whiskey is distinctly American, like Scotch whisky is distinctly from Scotland. Several years later on August 2, 2007, Senator Jim Bunning from Kentucky got the joy of seeing a resolution he sponsored get passed: Bourbon as "America's Native Spirit" and September declared National Bourbon Heritage Month.

Although federal regulations do not require bourbon to be made in Kentucky -- yes, 'tis true that it only has to be made in the United States -- most bourbon whiskey is produced in the Bluegrass State. The city of Bardstown, Kentucky, is hosting the Kentucky Bourbon Festival this week from September 14-19. Since 1991, the festival has been celebrating the history and art of distilling bourbon with barrel-making demonstrations, concerts, distillery tours, and classes on cooking and making cocktails with bourbon. Last year's festival attracted 55,000 people from 43 states and 13 countries.

Each year at the Bourbon Festival, Kentucky bartenders from regional restaurants, bars and distilleries compete for the honor of having their cocktail featured for the next year's festival. The following drink recipe is the winner of the official drink for this year's Kentucky Bourbon Festival.

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]]>bourbonbourbon heritage monthBourbonHeritageMonthLeNell SmothersTue, 21 Sep 2010 12:00:00 ESTWine Wipeshttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/17/wine-wipes/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/17/wine-wipes/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/17/wine-wipes/#commentsFiled under:

Wine WipesPhoto: Wine Wipes Australia

In the drinks business, tasting wine regularly gets in the way of maintaining pearly white teeth. My dentist told me that red wine likes to stain the build up on teeth, especially around the gum line, so regular dental cleaning visits can help help with that. To reduce embarrassing purple teeth at a party, you can carry a pocket-size tooth brush for quick touch ups, but now you have another option that seems to be a bit more fashionable.

A company called Borracha (Spanish for "female drunk") has launched a product called Wine Wipes. The wipes come in small, round tins with mirrors inside the lids, resembling makeup compacts -- they even come in a little velvety bag. The wipes are flavored with citrus to freshen your mouth while removing wine residue from your million dollar smile, getting you back in the party in no time.

I haven't had a chance to personally try them, but they sure seem like a fun item to further clutter my handbag.

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]]>borrachafeaturedwinewine wipesLeNell SmothersFri, 17 Sep 2010 17:00:00 ESTViva Mexicohttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/16/viva-mexico/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/16/viva-mexico/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/16/viva-mexico/#commentsFiled under:

Mexican flag shotsPhoto: krakatoa, Flickr


Many Americans wrongly think that Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican Independence Day -- it's really just a fiesta in honor of one battle that happened years later in 1862. This year marks Mexico's bicentennial celebration of the actual independence on September 16, 1810. Here at Casa Cóctel in Baja California Sur, Mexican flags are everywhere as we gear up for this massive Mexican celebration. The iconic red, white and green of the flags even translates to the cocktail we're serving: Banderita, meaning "little flag," consists of 3 shots -- tequila, lime juice, and sangrita -- lined up next to each other to resemble the colors of the Mexican flag.

If you can't make it over to the Mexican side of the California border, perhaps you can check out The Polished Palate's Spirits of Mexico Festival in San Diego this week from September 15-19. It's a huge gathering of distillers, writers, bartenders, and other industry folks to celebrate agave-based spirits such as tequila and mezcal, as well as agave beer, liqueurs, and even sotol [pronounced soh-TOLL], a less common Mexican spirit made from a plant that grows wild in the northern state of Chihuahua.

Besides the chance to taste more spirits than your body can possibly handle, the Festival will also feature seminars on spirits and cocktails and include the finals of a sangrita competition. If hopping in a plane just isn't in the cards, do some armchair travel via the list of spirits that won silver and golds in the Spirits of Mexico tasting competition.

For more information about Hispanic Heritage Month, visit AOL Celebra.

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]]>little flagmexican independence daymexicosangritaLeNell SmothersThu, 16 Sep 2010 16:00:00 ESTGreat Oyster Shooter Face Offhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/14/great-oyster-shooter-face-off/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/14/great-oyster-shooter-face-off/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/14/great-oyster-shooter-face-off/#commentsFiled under:

oysters and shootersPhoto: Charles Haynes, Flickr


New York's beautiful Grand Central Terminal is home to many restaurants and merchants. One of the most well known is the Oyster Bar -- originally opened in 1913 -- which is planning an Oyster Frenzy later this month.

General manager Jonathan Young and executive chef Sandy Ingber -- nicknamed the "Bishop of Bi-Valves" -- will host the event, which begins at noon on Saturday, September 25th, and continues throughout the day. Festivities include a "Professional Shucking Championship" with the reigning champion Luis "The Mexican Menace" Iglesius, and the fifth annual "Slurp Off," which is open to anyone who thinks he or she can eat a dozen oysters in the fastest time. Sixteen varieties of oysters - eight from both the East and West Coasts - will be on the menu during the bi-valve bonanza.

There will also be a "Great Oyster Shooter Face Off." Through September 16th, the bar is accepting entries from amateur and professional drink mixers for a martini-style cocktail that complements raw oysters -- cocktails must be iced, and served in a martini glass. The finals will be conducted at the Oyster Frenzy on the 25th. The five finalists will include one amateur and four professionals who must be in attendance at the Frenzy to compete. The prizes to the winner will include dinner for two at the Grand Central Oyster Bar, and the winner's recipe will be featured on the bar menu.

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]]>featuredgrand centralgrand central oyster bargreat oyster shooter face offoyster baroystersLeNell SmothersTue, 14 Sep 2010 12:30:00 ESTNon-Alcoholic Beer and Wine - LeNell it Allhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/10/non-alcoholic-beer-and-wine-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/10/non-alcoholic-beer-and-wine-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/10/non-alcoholic-beer-and-wine-lenell-it-all/#commentsFiled under: ,

non-alcoholic beersPhoto: plindberg, Flickr


As a bartender, I respect folks who are responsible enough to not imbibe alcohol when he or she is the designated driver. I respect folks even more who have conquered alcoholism but still want to share an evening out with friends that may be drinking. Which is why every respectable gathering should have non-alcoholic beverage options.

In order to be called "non alcoholic" under federal laws, a beverage can contain up to half a percent of alcohol by volume. Non-alcoholic beer probably tops out as the favorite non-drinkers drink. During Prohibition these "cereal beverages" became commonly known as "near beers," and they're how many local and regional breweries were able to stay in business.

Miller beer added Sharp's to its portfolio around 1989. Anheuser-Busch introduced O'Doul's in 1990. The success of O'Doul's led them to release an amber style in 1997. Soon everyone seemed to have a non-alcoholic beer in their portfolio.

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]]>non-alcoholicnon-alcoholic beernon-alcoholic wineNon-alcoholicBeerNon-alcoholicDrinksNon-alcoholicWineLeNell SmothersFri, 10 Sep 2010 17:00:00 ESTWee Whiskyhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/10/wee-whisky/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/10/wee-whisky/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/10/wee-whisky/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Photo: Laurentia Genske


The whisky world has been chattering like mad about designer and researcher James Gilpin's student project -- showcased at London's Royal College of Art's Show 2010, Design Interactions -- which turns the sugar-rich urine of diabetics into a high-end single malt whisky.

The inspiration for Gilpin Family Whisky came from his own life as a type 1 diabetic. His type 2 diabetic grandmother was his first candidate. His project states, "Old people's urine becomes an exportable whisky of high economic value." Large amounts of sugar are excreted on a daily basis by type 2 diabetic patients, especially among older people, and Gilpin thinks we should consider using that sugar creatively.

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]]>art exhibitArtExhibitdiabetesRoyal College of ArtRoyalCollegeOfArtsingle maltSingleMalttype 1 diabetestype 2 diabetesType1DiabetesType2DiabeteswhiskeywhiskyLeNell SmothersFri, 10 Sep 2010 14:30:00 ESTTiki Time -- LeNell it Allhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/01/tiki-time-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/01/tiki-time-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/01/tiki-time-lenell-it-all/#commentsFiled under:

Photo: Demián Camacho Santa Ana


With the renewed interest in classic cocktails over the past decade, it wasn't uncommon to get a little attitude from some bartenders -- whether in hip urban establishments or honky tonk bars -- if you ordered piña colada ("the blender is broken"), a Mai Tai, or any other foofy drink that traditionally comes in a funky mug with a fruit salad garnish. Not anymore. Tiki drinks and all their gewgaw are back in full swing.

In the early 30's, Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt figured out how to make some money with his interest in Polynesian culture. He named his place Don the Beachcomber (and later even changed his own name to Donn Beach), becoming quite the entertainer and host at his restaurant bar. Legend has it that he ran a water hose on top of his tin roof to mimic the sound of rain so customers would keep chatting and drinking. With over 80 drinks to his credit, he is the father of the tiki cocktail craze that lasted for decades. With copy cats galore attempting to make a profit off his concept, many of the liquor bottles at the Beachcomber bar were replaced with ones labeled with cryptic letters and numbers to keep the recipes as secret as possible.

California's Victor Bergeron built on the Beachcomber's success. His tiki entertainment empire became known as Trader Vic's. His books Trader Vic's Book of Food and Drink (1946) and the Bartender's Guide by Trader Vic (1947) are worth adding to your library.

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]]>beachcomber barBeachcomberBarblender drinksBlenderDrinksfeaturedmai taiMaiTaipina coladaPinaColadatiki barTikiBarLeNell SmothersWed, 01 Sep 2010 17:00:00 ESTStormy Weather -- LeNell it Allhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/30/stormy-weather-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/30/stormy-weather-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/30/stormy-weather-lenell-it-all/#commentsFiled under:

Photo: Demián Camacho Santa Ana


Many people dream of living in a paradise of sand, sea, and sun, sipping cold cocktails. Our bar, Casa Cóctel, is in just such a paradise in Baja California Sur, Mexico, where we get about 360 days a year of sunshine. However, we are about to head into hurricane season so we're busy preparing the arsenal of emergency lights, big jugs of water, and the fixings for stormy-weather drinks.

It's hard to beat a classic Dark and Stormy, a highball in the "mule" family of drinks. A mule (also known as a buck) is a highball made with spirit, ginger beer or ale, and citrus, such as the Moscow Mule made famous by Smirnoff vodka. Often described as the national drink of Bermuda, the Dark and Stormy is a mule with a registered trademark by Gosling's rum. We love the Dark and Stormy made simply with 1.5 ounces of Gosling's Black Seal Rum over ice and topped with ginger beer and a squeeze of lime.

One of New Orleans' famous restaurants turned traumatic storms into one of the city's most well known cocktails, the Hurricane. Pat O'Brien survived as a speakeasy owner during Prohibition with his eponymous joint. During the Second World War, wholesalers forced bars to order many cases of rum in order to get other desired spirits that were in short supply. Pat O'Brien's served a crowd-pleasing cocktail with a hefty amount of rum in a glass shaped like a hurricane lamp, thus, the name. Sadly the original recipe seems to be lost. Pat O'Brien's now serves their drink made with a commercially bottled pre-mix. Their signature glasses are one of the most sought after souvenirs by visitors. (We hear that the glasses hold about $10 in pennies if you don't serve Hurricanes at home and are trying to figure out what to do with that souvenir.)

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]]>casa coctelCasaCoctelgoslings black seal rumGoslingsBlackSealRumhurricanenew orleansNewOrleansLeNell SmothersMon, 30 Aug 2010 14:00:00 ESTWe've Got a Situation -- Devotion Vodkahttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/27/devotion-vodka/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/27/devotion-vodka/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/27/devotion-vodka/#commentsFiled under:

devotion vodkaPhoto: Devotion Vodka

We've been bombarded the last several years with every possible infusion of vodka...or so we thought. Devotion Spirits has created an 80 proof vodka infused with a casein known as PeptoPro, a pre-digested milk protein.

The vodka was developed by Devotion company President and New Jersey native Drew Adelman, who's also the guy behind the 70's and 80's themed Polly Esther's nightclubs. Adelman was so obsessed with his two loves -- nightlife and keeping lean muscle mass -- that he decided to combine his protein supplement with his vodka.

The protein that's added is supposedly good for supporting an increase in lean body mass and a decrease in body fat, but only if you include lifting weights in your fitness regimen. I haven't tasted the vodka, but Devotion claims that the protein creates a fuller mouth feel similar to Chardonnay wine.

Earlier this week, Devotion Spirits announced a partnership with reality TV Star Mike Sorrentino. Sorrentino, who is best known as "The Situation" on MTV's Jersey Shore, is the manager of a fitness center.

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]]>devotion vodkafeaturedjersey shoremike sorrentinothe situationvodkaLeNell SmothersFri, 27 Aug 2010 17:30:00 ESTMusic to Drink By -- LeNell it Allhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/25/music-to-drink-by-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/25/music-to-drink-by-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/25/music-to-drink-by-lenell-it-all/#commentsFiled under:

Photo: YouTube


It feels weird to sit in a bar with no sound. Not only do we crave the low buzz of conversation, we also want musical soundtrack with our drinking experience. Music contributes to our enjoyment of a bar just as much as color, lighting, and furniture, and has a powerful impact on our emotions.

While sitting in a pub in Ireland last year, I got to experience a bit of old-world culture when a man spontaneously broke out in song and everyone in the bar raised their mugs and sang along. Well, everyone except me because I didn't know the words, but I did raise my mug and hum along, feeling the spirit of the whole thing. Some drinking songs have no geographic boundaries: How many times, and in how many places, have you heard Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville? (And you sang along...we know you did.)

Although controversial now, college drinking songs used to be a core part of a university education. Check out this black and white video of handsome young men all dressed up in suit and tie and their smiling co-eds as they sing The Maine Stein Song and the Rambling Wreck from Georgia Tech.

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]]>LeNell SmothersWed, 25 Aug 2010 16:00:00 ESTAged Cocktails -- LeNell it Allhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/23/aged-cocktails-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/23/aged-cocktails-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/23/aged-cocktails-lenell-it-all/#commentsFiled under:

Photo: LeNell Smothers


My friend Tony Conigliaro is a pretty neat guy. Besides sporting a unibrow AND a bow tie with an air of a nutty professor, he fascinates me with his love for the science of cocktails. His intrigue has led him to be declared one of the molecular mixology masters. His London bar that has no name but is referred to by its address -- 69 Colebrooke Row -- and has the cocktail kingdom buzzing with one of his latest creations: aged cocktails.

Inspired by an old bottle of the fortified wine aperitif called Dubonnet that Tony says had aged to a point where it was "exquisite, complex beyond words," he decided to try aging some cocktails in bottles. He experimented with 20 different cocktails, but none impressed him after six months. While cleaning out the basement over a year later, he rediscovered his experiments. The aged Manhattan was "astonishing," so he offered it to his bar patrons.

Bartender and blogger Jeffrey Morgenthaler visited Tony's bar and came back to his Oregon bar base of Clyde Common and decided to give the aging cocktail notion a totally American touch by aging drinks in used barrels. He first started with an oak cask that had previously held Madeira wine. After five to six weeks, he shared his aged rye Manhattan and sold it all within a few days.

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]]>cocktailsdubonnetmolecular mixologyTony Conigliarotuthilltown spiritsLeNell SmothersMon, 23 Aug 2010 11:00:00 ESTA Dynamic Duo - LeNell It Allhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/18/a-dynamic-duo-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/18/a-dynamic-duo-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/18/a-dynamic-duo-lenell-it-all/#commentsFiled under:

Photo: Mixellany


Rarely in the drinks business do you find a couple actually working together as partners, equals behind the bar. Anistatia Miller and Jared Brown may not be working full time behind the bar as a cocktail couple, but they sure do contribute a lot to the cocktail community as writers and historians.

I first met them as founders of the Museum of the American Cocktail, in New Orleans, where drinking history is told via displays of old books, bar tools, advertisements, and educational seminars. I later spent some time with them as they painstakingly preserved thousands of bottles housed on the Ĭle de Bendor in the south of France, where in 1958 Paul Ricard of pastis fame began a grand collection (including items from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe) of drink history called the Exposition Universelle des Vins et Spiritueux (EUVS). If you can make it to Bandol, the lovely boat ride to see the amazing displays of bottles, old menus, and glassware is well worth the effort, but if that's not in the cards you should peruse the collection on the EUVS website.

To further cocktail conversation, they launched Mixologist: The Journal of the American Cocktail and then later The Journal of the European Cocktail that serve as periodicals for scholarly research and debate on the origins, history, and sociology of spirits, cocktails, and the places that serve them. The journals have included in-depth articles on everything from the chemistry behind simple syrup to the lore of the mint julep (penned by yours truly).

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]]>anistatia millercocktailsjared brownmuseum of the american cocktailsipsmith ginLeNell SmothersWed, 18 Aug 2010 17:00:00 ESTFamous Hotel Bars & Their Signature Drinks -- LeNell it Allhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/16/famous-hotel-bars-and-their-signature-drinks-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/16/famous-hotel-bars-and-their-signature-drinks-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/16/famous-hotel-bars-and-their-signature-drinks-lenell-it-all/#commentsFiled under:

The Waldorf Astoria Hotel at nightPhoto: Ed Schipul, Flickr


In the romantic lore of cocktail history, hotel bars play a starring role. Artists, writers, politicians, actors, and folks from many other walks of life have conducted business and exchanged ideas in the luxurious setting of high-end hotels. The plush furnishings and gracious décor served as an escape from the chaotic city life in many major metropolitan areas.

Speaking of metropolitan, the old Hotel Metropole that was located at 147 West 43rd Street just off New York City's Times Square served a house cocktail called the Metropolitan that was pretty much just a Manhattan with brandy instead of rye.

The Waldorf cocktail is listed in the Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book, by A.S. Crockett, as a dash of Manhattan Bitters (no longer available), 1/3 whiskey, 1/3 absinthe, and 1/3 sweet vermouth. However, this hotel was so famous for its cocktail scene it's got more than one namesake drink. The Astoria cocktail dated before Prohibition and contained 2 dashes of orange bitters, 1/3 Tom Gin, and 2/3 dry vermouth. And there's more: The Waldorf-Astoria (yes, this was back before they used an equal sign to divide the names) calls for a pony of Benedictine on ice topped with whipped cream. The original famous bar location was on the Fifth Avenue site of the Empire State Building, but today's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel is located at 301 Park Avenue in midtown.

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]]>hotel barshotel cocktailssavoy hotel cocktailsst registhe carlylethe savoywaldorf astoriaLeNell SmothersMon, 16 Aug 2010 13:30:00 ESTJustin Timberlake and 901 Silver Tequila -- Celebrity Siphttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/13/justin-timberlake-and-901-silver-tequila-celebrity-sip/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/13/justin-timberlake-and-901-silver-tequila-celebrity-sip/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/13/justin-timberlake-and-901-silver-tequila-celebrity-sip/#commentsFiled under:

901 Tequila bottlePhoto: 901

Sammy Hagar made a fortune off Cabo Wabo, a tequila brand that he built, then sold. The brand appealed to the rock 'n' roll, wild, spring-break-in-Cabo kinda crowd. Another music star now enters the tequila market: Justin Timberlake's new tequila brand 901 seems to want to grab the big city party goer who is willing to stand in line behind the velvet rope to see if a big guy at the door nods that he or she is sexy enough to play. When you head toward the events menu on the 901 website, you read "Check us out...assuming you're on the list, of course."

The website opens with a sultry woman with big doe eyes rocking slightly back and forth, making you wonder what she's going to reveal once you enter your age to gain admission. Miss Doe Eyes reappears elsewhere on the website in a short commercial, in which she instructs "how to conquer," ending with what seems to be a man, um, conquering her, or vice versa? Timberlake directs these advertising spots himself -- they're slated to run online first, then on video networks, followed by print ads in September, and then on television in the spring of 2011.

Continue reading Justin Timberlake and 901 Silver Tequila -- Celebrity Sip

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]]>901 silver tequila901 tequila901SilverTequila901TequilaJustin TimberlakeJustinTimberlaketequilaLeNell SmothersFri, 13 Aug 2010 13:00:00 ESTWhistlePig Rye -- LeNell it Allhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/12/whistlepig-rye-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/12/whistlepig-rye-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/08/12/whistlepig-rye-lenell-it-all/#commentsFiled under:

Dave Pickerell with Whistle Pig Rye bottlesPhoto: WhistlePig

Dave Pickerell left his post as the master distiller of Maker's Mark bourbon in April 2008 after about 14 years of making that signature red waxed-top whiskey. After 18 months of soul searching (or should I say warehouse searching?), he has launched a new rye label called WhistlePig. Oh, did I also mention that he was the distiller of the recently released whiskey made at the rebuilt George Washington distillery at Mount Vernon? Actually, Dave considers himself the Johnny Appleseed of American craft distilling, projecting that he will be involved in the production of more than 30 small distilleries in the next two years.

In December 8, 2009, Kentucky's Vendome Copper and Brass Works, which makes much of our country's distillery equipment, introduced Dave to an entrepreneur by the name of Raj Peter Bhakta who had bought a 500 acre farm in Shoreman, Vermont that he named WhistlePig. A few weeks later, Raj and Dave shook hands on the farm and spent three days socializing that ended in a decision to do business together.

More after the jump ...

Continue reading WhistlePig Rye -- LeNell it All

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]]>anchor steamAnchorSteamdomaine selectDomaineSelectlenell smothersLenellSmothersrye ryeRyeRyewhistlepig ryeWhistlepigRyeLeNell SmothersThu, 12 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST