Martini Groove

Tony Abou-Ganim has done more to advance the art of cocktails than Tonya Harding did for sex tapes.  Vanity Fair is covering the wildly popular Manhattan Cocktail Classic and one of the writers went and hung out with Tony and got some great tips from him about making drinks as well as going out drinking. My favorite tip?  Ask for a Negroni.  If they don't know how to make it or tell you that Negroni isn't working tonight, then get a beer.  Now, not everyone likes Negroni's so maybe think of a cocktail you love and know how it's supposed to taste.  No, not Sex on the Beach.  Maybe an Aviation or a Sazerac, something with some culture. Tony's obviously biased when it comes to East Coast vs. West Coast and, though he's done work in Las Vegas, hasn't spent enough time in our West Coast cities to make a valid argument.  If you think it's San Francisco vs. New York, then you're not even close.  Check out his other tips on Vanity Fair's site. Ei...

I'll just start with saying this: You can't bruise gin. However, you don't want to shake it so much that it's filled with little ice crystals and waters it down so much you'll feel like you're in a Speakeasy. The shaking vs. stirring debate rages on and will almost always come down to personal preference. Stirring blends the ingredients (try it with different colored spirits and you'll see) while shaking it actually emulsifies it, changing the flavor. We can all get along here. Just ask the bartender what you'd prefer and they should be glad to do it. They would rather make you a drink you like over just making you a drink that you'll tolerate. You can read more about these life-changing items as well as research from around the world that is changing cocktail shaking technology so we can all have a brighter tomorrow. Martini: Shaking can bruise the gin

Though the rowdy bars and keg-standing frat parties still have their place in the world of drinking, more and more bars are turning in to suave affairs with rules and a bit of circumstance. I'm all for the sakebomb, the body shot, and Purple Hooters, but those are occasional things. As more and more flavor varieties come out in an alcoholic form, bartenders are creating taste sensations that are meant to be savored and discussed in a civilized manor. The LA Times has published an article that sums up the basics of the new rules for the new bars that are creating tasty treats for the few to enjoy, rather than the Watermelon shots for the masses. The basics? No yelling, no annoying name-dropping, introduce yourself, don't leave the bar like you just came from a bachelorette party, and introduce yourself to someone you don't know. I like the last one a lot because it beats just staring at a girl's breasts until she calls security on you. Read more at LA Times.com (Regis...

Most people that walk in to a bar know how to order their favorite drink, but the fact that they might stumble upon themselves on trying something new is often a reason that people don't branch out. Even those of us that have a pretty solid knowledge of what's going on in the bar (Yes dear, that's muddling) can be caught unawares when we get a question from the less-experienced among us. An article over at sfgate.com goes in to some of the details for those of us that are not-quite-beginners but still want to know why they light the orange rind and it flares up when ordering a Revolver. Hey, we were all ignorant at one point. Well, except me. I have a blog. Cracking the bar code

That's The Spirit.com has two great articles today that are worth mentioning. The first is on Cognac and Chocolate and how lagging sales in the brandy are being lifted thanks to the new pairing. Chocolate's flavors really go nicely with the vanilla and brandy of Cognac and the best advice in the entire article is to grab a Cognac and some fine chocolates and experiment for yourself. The other article is an interview with Bill Samuel's Jr. who is continuing his dad's tradition of making a good bourbon with Maker's Mark. Even though his dad "never really liked bourbon" he created a lasting brand that has led the way in the resurgence of bourbon and a great crossover drink thanks to it's use of wheat rather than the stiffer rye. Very good interview. Cognac and Chocolate Bill Samuel's Interview

An article appearing today in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette quotes me talking about O2 Vodka, among other things that are expected trends for 2007. This picture of me illustrates my surprise, mostly of the fact that I was sober enough to answer coherently anything the reporter asked me. Just as a point of clarification, I did tend bar, but never in San Francisco. Read the article here .