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Really love this very simple and delicious drink. I was working on creating the still-unfinished "Googie" and this one just popped into my head. Very citrus-y and refreshing. SPA DAY (Can be served on the rocks or on the stem) Rocks Glass 1 1/2 oz Triple Sec 3/4 oz Ty-Ku Citrus liqueur   Pour into shaker with ice, gently stir and strain over ice Mandarin Orange wedge or wheel garnish   Cocktail Glass 2 oz Triple Sec 1 oz Ty-Ku Citrus liqueur Pour into shaker with ice Gently stir and strain into chilled cocktail glass Mandarin Orange wheel garnish

Elvis’ Fried PB and Banana Sandwich!  (A sweet treat for the rock ‘n roll elite! Hunka, hunka (lightly) burnin’ love!) 2 1/2 oz @skrewballwhiskey Peanut Butter Whiskey 1/2 oz  99 Bananas liqueur 3 drops Scrappy’s aromatic bitters Build in a rocks glass, ice optional

A friend of mine suggested the name THE BROOKLYN BUM as a possible drink, but no idea (he's a non-drinker) what it might be like. So I played around with the idea and came up with this little coffee-colored beauty. My mind went to the classic image of the bum, circa 1930s. Riding the rails and generally off the grid, as we would put it today. I figured all Brooklyn Bums (hobos) would love their  Moonshine. That led to the base liquor of Bourbon, a Kentucky corn whiskey. Secondly, we all know hobos and bums were a little Mad. So Absinthe, with its reputation for madness, was in order. Third, most bums are a little angry about something in their past. Hence three drops of bitters. And lastly, the iconic image of the scraggly bum included sitting around a campfire with a tin cup of the worst coffee imaginable. So coffee, an unusual ingredient, was required. THE BROOKLYN BUM Shot glass, lightly shaken with ice and strained 1 oz Bourbon ...

I received a survey email from a bartending newsletter, asking me some questions about my passion for mixing drinks as a career. As I was responding to his email it occurred to me that the responses go a long way towards explaining some of my thinking processes on why I ditched a long career in telecom to pursue this as a new direction in life. My thoughts (in bold) as follows: Why do you care about craft cocktails & mixology?  Originally it began as a fascination - and then obsession - with finding the best martinis on my travels. This became the concept for a book entitled CHASING MARTINIS, which is still not yet finished. But my interest peaked when I realized that to be a true authority on the martini that I ought to be a trained bartender and not just a consumer. I've since completed a hundred-hour education in Mixology, learning 200 different drinks and the necessary techniques for each one. What was originally a passion is now an avocation. - Are you t...

In restaurants the traditional margarita is served by combining the ingredients with chopped ice in a blender, then pouring what is essentially a Tequila Icee into a Margarita glass. Yeah, that cools you down during a hot Summer day, but in my opinion it's not the best way to enjoy this delicious drink. 1 1/2 oz white Tequila (I usually use Sauza) 1/2 oz Triple Sec Sweet and Sour Lime wedge Rocks glass, salted rim. Carefully filled with ice to avoid knocking the salt off. Add tequila and Triple Sec, fill with Sweet and Sour. Stir gently and serve with a lime wedge.

As you might know or will soon discover, I have a passion for martinis. Some days I'd like a gin martini, and others I'd like it vodka. Still others I might like a flavored drink, but..well, that's not really a martini. But more about that later. Purists, of course, will note that true martinis are a gin drink. The Northern California saloon in in which the martini was invented - whichever one it was - doubtless had three things for sale: whiskey, gin and beer. And maybe not a lot of that latter. Shoes life was important and until the advent of refrigeration, serving alcohol was restricted to the higher grade stuff. Gin was, of course, the choice of several navies around the world, particularly the British fleet. (More about that later.) As I've mentioned before, the origin of the martini is under continual debate, with no resolution likely in our lifetimes. But gin, not vodka, was the original constituent. Vodka arrived on the scene much later, and really ...

They say the first time you meet someone it's the only chance you have at a first impression. But in my case, you're probably already familiar with some of what has gone before. I am a writer, photographer and newly minted bartender with what could passably be described as an advanced degree in martinis. The martini is a passion of mine which has grown into a much broader affection for mixology in general. The makings of a cocktail, of wine, of the distillation process. The entirety of the age-old science of getting people intoxicated. I suppose someone has to do it, and I thought "why not me?" The title and branding of this blog is an homage to the very recently departed Anthony Bourdain. HIs second book, A COOK'S TOUR , set the tone for his travels and adventures. His was a powerful voice for many subjects, not the least of which is the art of dining with people and finding out more about them, their culture, and perhaps a bit more understanding in ...