Daddy-O's Martinis Blog: The waning of wine in Los Angeles

Daddy-O's Martinis Blog: The waning of wine in Los Angeles: As more adults are enjoying such libations as side cars, juleps, and the carefully crafted drinks of local known mixologists, such as Tyler ...

The waning of wine in Los Angeles

As more adults are enjoying such libations as side cars, juleps, and the carefully crafted drinks of local known mixologists, such as Tyler Dow, Greg Bryson and Audrey Saunders wine sales continue to decrease in Los Angeles.  I see lots of wine bars but not filled with that many patrons. On the other hand, if I go to places such as Drago Centro, Historia Del Piccalo or Neat bar it's usually filled to capacity with customers desiring a great cocktail with several ingredients can be recreated,Wine however can not be reduplicated because of complexity of grape, region and temperature.

The trend for pre and prohibition style cocktails is steadily gaining momentum that wine sommeliers are going to have to make some changes at their own venues and add cocktails or fall to the wayside. Being a wine snob is no longer in vogue just like a vodka snob over 10 years ago. Make way, the rise of craft cocktail is not just a trend but like so many top chef style establishments, liquid cooking is here to stay.

Cheers and God bless,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com

Champagne Julep

When the clock strikes midnight and the glasses are raised to bring in the new year, what drink will you have to be toasting with?  Rather than than plain champagne, why not have the bartender make you a champagne julep.

The drink is a cousin of the traditional mint julep but with a bit of the bubbly to add flavor and make it more of a celebratory cocktail for new years and other occasions. Like with cooking, the quality of ingredients used can either make or break a drink. I strongly recommend using better grades of bourbon, such as Buffalo Trace, Wood ford reserve or Bullet along with champagne such as Moet or Veuve Clicquot.

This drink is a winner and I wish you and yours a very happy and prosperous new year.

God bless and cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com

Chamagne Julep


1 1/2 - 2 oz of Bourbon
1/2 oz simple syrup
5 - 7 mint leaves
Champagne ( dry)
mint sprig for garnish

Muddle mint leaves with simple syrup at the bottom of a julep cup or Collins glass.  Add bourbon, crushed ice and top off with champagne. Swizzle until glass or cup is frosted and garnish with a mint sprig.

Sassafras Bar now open

I had the pleasure of going to a soft opening of Sassafras bar in Hollywood. As I walked in, it reminded me of being in New Orleans, very southern themed with sitting parlors, lamps with fringe, a taxidermist bear, worn walls and above the bar is a dry cleaning rack with barrel aged cocktails that rotates. I tried several of the house cocktails and if your a bourbon lover like me I do recommend the Sassafras Royal, Peppercorn Cobbler and the Toasted Pecan Julep for starters. 

Sassafras was started by the 1933 Group which also brought about Oldfields liquor room, Bigfoot lodge, Thirsty Crow to name a few. If your taste is for a good cocktail, without having to instruct a bartender how to make it this is the place for you and some friends to check out. If your not sure what to order, they have a menu you can choose from or they have build a buck which you choose your choice of spirit along with their housemade ginger beer. If you're hungry,  they have food such as jambalaya, Cajun cheese medallions with grilled jalapenos, and short-rib sliders marinated in coke.  If you're looking to get out and try someplace new, stop by Sassafras bar and bring someone with you. 


God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
John@daddyosmartinis.com 

Manhattan Cocktail vs. the Manhattan

The Manhattan Cocktail that is being served today is quite a different recipe from its former glory days in the latter half of the nineteenth century.  The cocktail in it's original first appeared in books such as how to mix drinks as well as Harry Johnson's 1882 Bartenders Manual.  The forgotten recipe has a higher ratio of sweet vermouth than we know today along with orange Curacao, Boker's bitters and served straight up with a lemon twist.  Cherry's in Manhattans came much later as our cultural drinking habits changed.  

I've tried this version and prefer it much more than the contemporary Manhattan.  I've met others that said they've ordered Manhattans and thought they didn't like the drink but had they tried this cocktail they would have added it to their black book of favorite drinks.  I stress to use quality ingredients as opposed to what's less expensive otherwise you'll end up with drink that's not palatable. 

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com 


Manhattan Cocktail 

1 1/2 Rittenhouse 100-proof rye
1 3/4 oz Carpano Antica sweet vermouth 
1/2 oz  Orange Curacao 
Dash of Boker's bitters
Lemon Peel for Garnish

Place ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously and serve in a chilled cocktail glass with a lemon peal for garnish. 

Charles Dickens was right when it comes to Punch!

Punches have made a big come back in the last few years within the craft cocktail movement.  These punches are not like the ones you may have saw your father and mother put together pouring various liquors in a punch bowl with some fruit and having guests flinch at every sip until they had so much of it didn't matter after a while.   

A lot of recipes can be found in the Book Punch by David Wondrich which I mentioned in an earlier article. I recently went on a punch crawl in Hollywood last Monday and visited four bars that had some great tasting concoctions made up by skilled bartenders. If your not sure about where to get some great tasting punches I suggest starting with the book Punch by David Wondrich and try the Charles Dickens punch which is a warm punch and is actually lit on fire at one point in order to caramelize the lemons.   

Dickens is a noted writer as well as connoisseur of punches and even mentions them in his books, especially in The Pickwick Papers. One of his recipes was later named after him in a letter he wrote to a Mrs. F ( Ameilia F. Austin Fillonau) in 1847.  I tried this when I had a cold and it really helped me to feel better.  

John Apodaca

john@daddyosmartinis.com 

Charles Dickens Punch 

Recipe for 8 cups of punch:

Rinds of 3 lemons cut very thin (as little of the white pith on them as possible)

Juice of 3 lemons (the ones you took the rinds off of)

6 oz sugar (demerara preferable, but any will do)

16 oz medium bodied rum

10 oz cognac

40 oz boiling water

Add the lemon rinds, sugar, rum and cognac to a medium size pot.  Place pot on the stove and heat the mixture over low heat until warm, then turn off the burner.  Take a tablespoon full of the alcohol from the pot and light it.  If the alcohol is warm enough this should be easy, if too cool then it will take a few tries.  Once the spoon is lit, transfer it to the pot setting the mixture on fire.  This may take a few tries (it did for me).  Don't worry, the mixture won't explode - it should burn with a low blueish flame.  Leave the mixture lit for at least 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure it heats evenly.  Extinguish the flame by putting the lid on the pot.  Pour in the lemon juice and boiling water and stir well.  Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.  Stir again before serving.  If the punch is still not sweet enough to your liking, add more sugar slowly so as not to over sweeten.  Keep the mixture warm throughout the evening over a low flame.  If planning on letting it simmer for a few hours, as during a dinner party, then remove half the lemon rinds before letting it simmer.  The rinds will start to make the punch bitter over time.  The remaining punch (if there is any) may be stored in the refrigerator and served over ice.   

French 75 is a great way to ring in the New Year!

New years is just a few days away and many are wondering what types of drinks to serve.  Besides the usual glass of plain champagne why not put a new twist on it by serving the French 75 that will leave your guests craving for more.

The cocktail was named after the French 75 millimeter field gun of 1897 which became the main heavy artillery of world war I.  This recipe is  the more memorable of two different drinks using the same name and will be a hit at your New years eve party.

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca

john@daddyosmartinis.com 

 French 75

2 oz of Gin 

1 oz of fresh lemon juice

2 tsp of powdered sugar

Shake all ingredients except the champagne in a cocktail shaker with ice and pour into a flute glass top with champagne and and stir gently. Garnish with a thin spiral of lemon peel.

Punches anyone?

Throughout the 1600's up until the end of the end of the nineteenth century punches were served at parties and taverns throughout Europe and the Americas.  Punches were usually made up with a few base spirits such as rum, whiskey or brandy along with other local ingredients for flavor.  A lot of times the quality of the spirits varied from either poor to very good so make the drink more palatable, various fruits or herbs were added that were in season. Punches had fallen out of favor with the rise of cocktails and by the twentieth had became a thing of the past.

Punches are back in fashion and are a great communal drink for friends, family, customers and are relatively easy to put together with just a few base spirits along fruits and can be served either hot or cold. A few punches that I enjoy are a French 75 punch, Cinnamon warmer and Fish house Punch and the later dates back to 1732 from the province of Schuylkill, which is now Pennsylvania.

During the reminder of this year and throughout 2012 I recommend reading the book Punches by David Wondrich. It gives you a helping hand with ideas for creating a drink for your guests and takes the work out of bartending and more time for socializing with your company.

God Bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com

How to have a successful Retro Cocktail Party

During the holidays most of us will undoubtedly be attending a party or two maybe even three. For Labor Day this year I had hosted a Mad Men cocktail party with food, drink, music and dress from 1960. It was a hit for everyone who attended and one of the highlights was a woman who came dressed as pregnant housewife, with a cigarette holder and a cocktail in her hand! Regardless of  what era or style you choose, themed parties always have a better feel, for not only the person hosting it but also the guests.

The first thing to start out with is a menu of light H'ors doeurves and cocktails that will not stress you out to prepare. Some suggestions are deviled eggs, turkey or chicken empanadas, Swedish or Italian meatballs with dipping sauces, bowls of nuts, sliced cheeses and don't forget desserts such as Harvey Wallbanger cake or your favorite cookies.

Next is the cocktail menu, this is not hard and I have an extensive list of drinks from my website to use.  One traditional Christmas drink would be a Tom and Jerry that's made with egg whites, sugar and the yolks a shot of rum and brandy topped off with hot water. This is an easy drink to make and since it's like a punch it can be served with a ladle in small punch cups.  Another drink that will add to the Christmas aroma is the Cinnamon Warmer  which is made with fresh pressed apple cider, calvados, apple brandy or Apple Jack, fresh lemon juice, fresh ginger, honey, cloves and one cinnamon stick, and sits on large pot on the stove under a low flame.  One more favorite that will be a hit is a Brandy Alexander with brandy, brown creme de cacao, heavy cream and fresh grated nutmeg and it's like dessert.

Now for the music, you can use some free resources such as Pandora and create your own artists but it tends to start moving in different directions at times.  Napster is a great and you can make your own play lists unless you already have an mp3 player with you own play lists. Some music suggestions would be the Rat Pack Christmas, Ultra Lounge Christmas, Mistletoe's and Martinis.

Now the final thing, the clothing guide!  Don't make it mandatory but the more guests that participate in dressing up in period style, will create a fun atmosphere. If for instance, the era you are going for is the 1950s there's a lot of clothing and style guides such as Everyday Fashions of the 1950s  that are from old Sears and Roebucks catalogs.  Another place to look for that swanky retro cocktail party look is Banana Republic which launched the Mad Men collection back in August 2011. The last place to check is you're local thrift or vintage stores and depending on the area and condition of the clothes can vary in price.

I hope these suggestions help make you're holiday parties a success and a real treat for everyone. May you have a blessed Christmas and Hanukkah.

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com

Cold Whiskey Punch a new American tradition

When I was growing up, when someone would mention punch, the first thing that came to mind was the Hawaiian punch concentrate with water and ice that my mother would serve at a party.  This is far cry from the punches of the nineteenth century that were all the rage at any party or bar of choice. Once again it is back in fashion and popular at several drinking establishments.  

One such of these delicious libations is the cold whiskey punch and was called an iced monongahela punch by a journalist of the Brooklyn Eagle informed his readers in the New Orleans in 1852. The ingredients when mixed together sounds so scrumptious, even the most finicky of drinkers may ask for a second drink.

Cold Whiskey Punch

One teaspoon of powdered white sugar
Juice of half a lemon or lime
3 oz of Rye Whiskey such as Rittenhouse
Two dashes of Jamaican Rum
One glass of shaved ice


Shake all ingredients together and pour into a stem punch glass with ice, garnish with two slices of lemon or other seasonal fruit and serve with a straw.


God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com

Oldfield's Liquor Room

Being part of an association of craft cocktail bartenders in Los Angeles called the Sporting Life, I have the opportunity to attend openings of new bars and tastings of spirits sponsored by various liquor companies.  

Recently I went to the opening of Oldfields Liquor Room in West Los Angeles next to Culver City and they know what they are doing when it comes to cocktails and appetizers.  Me and two other friends tried several of their cocktails they had on the menu and such as the Duantless and my favorite the Oakshade.  

I had a chance to sit down and speak with the manager Jared Mort who hand picked the bartenders that have excellent skill in crafting cocktails to your liking as and are not afraid to try new recipes out on their audience of thirsty pallets. Jared mentioned that they have their own herb garden and use only fresh ingredients and most of the staff arrive a few hours early to prepare for the evening by squeezing fresh fruit juices and infusing some of the spirits for the nights drinks.  

When you arrive you will see how the staff overhauled the former sinner and saints by installing a beautiful wood bar along with the pedestal style stools around it and the vintage style hexagon flooring and retro light fixtures that catch my eye. Other things I appreciate about it is there's no big screen TVs so one can actually socialize with friends or the friendly cocktail artisans.  If you're starting to plan for you weekend, take a drive and visit Oldfields Liquor Room at 10899 Venice Blvd Los Angeles, CA, tell them I recommended it.  

Cheers & God bless,

John Apodaca

john@daddosmartinis.com 

Using Eggs in Cocktails

Being involved in the craft cocktail movement and knowing a few things about mixology there's been some question about the use of eggs or egg whites in cocktails from the last few centuries as well as present day drinks.

Eggs have been an integral ingredient in cocktails for at least the last two hundred years.  They add a silky frothiness, and body that a cocktail wouldn’t have otherwise.  The reason the egg was removed from many cocktails in the last few decades was from some bad publicity.  At some point in time it was stated that “eating raw eggs could lead to serious illness from salmonella.”

The FDA states that only 1 in 20,000 eggs has the salmonella bacteria. Nowhere does the National Safety Council's data state that raw eggs are a common risk; however, death from choking on food is rated at 1 in 5000 odds.  The odds of getting salmonella from an egg are extremely remote and you have a better chance of dying from accidental drowning (1 in 1,000), a storm related accident (1 in 3,000) or slipping (1 in 6,500).

Some drinks that include egg or egg whites are the following:  The Los Angeles cocktail, Tom and Jerry, whiskey sour, pisco sour and my own Angels Flight.  Try a few of these and you'll be a hit at your upcoming parties for the holidays.

Cheers & God bless,

John Apodaca

john@daddyosmartinis.com 

Fall Cocktails and Savory Appetizers

Daddy-O's Martinis in conjunction with Culinary Enterprises is hosting an upcoming vintage cocktails and savory appetizers workshop in Signal Hill, CA Friday November 11th.  The class runs from 7:00 - 9:00 PM and the cost is $40.00 per person. 


You will be able to sample everything that's made as well as participate in the process.  You will receive menus with all the cocktail and appetizer recipes for you to use at your upcoming Thanksgiving celebrations. 


Please sign up ahead of time in order for us to prepare the quantities of food and drinks.  You can register at www.foodiscool.com or call Monica Morgan at 562-243-3099.  Culinary Enterprises is located at 937 E. 27th street in Signal Hill, CA 90755. I look forward to seeing you there. 


God bless and cheers,


John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com  

Three Dots and a Dash ...-V

Now that Summer is upon us, many are contemplating having or will be attending backyard parties and barbecues. Food is one thing to think about but knowing what cocktails that could work well are aren't to difficult to make is the question!

One of my favorite Tiki cocktails that makes my mouth jump for joy is Three Dots and a Dash ...-V.  It' was created by Don Beach of Don the Beachcombers during world war II and is Morse code for "Victory".  I've had this drink several times at Caña rum bar in Downtown Los Angeles or at home sweet home and the problem with this tasty concoction is that you'll want another because it's so well balanced with flavor. Give it a try and one word of advise don't skimp on the ingredients, quality is always best.    

John Apodaca

john@daddyosmartinis.com

Three Dots and a Dash (...-V)


1/2 oz of fresh lime juice
1/2 oz of fresh orange juice
1/2 oz of honey mix (see below)
1 1/2 oz of amber Martinique rum
1/2 oz of Demerara rum
Dash of Angostura bitters
1/4 oz falernum (fee brothers)
1/4 oz pimento liqueur (allspice dram)
6 oz of crushed ice.
Pineapple slice cut rectangular and marasca cherries for garnish.

Place all ingredients in a large cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds and serve in a Collins glass with crushed ice and a straw. Garnish with a piece of pineapple cut rectangular and three marasca cherries.

Brandy Egg Nogg

During the holidays, if you don't plan on having large parties with several guests but rather enjoy small intimate gatherings that don't require a lot of food or large bowls of holiday punches why not try the brandy egg nogg. The recipe calls for one serving but you can alway make a few at a time for your guests and they'll love it.

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com


Brandy Egg Nogg

1 egg
2 tsp powdered sugar
2 oz brandy
6 oz of milk
Nutmeg

Place ingredients except the nutmeg in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously for about 20 - 30 seconds and pour into a Collins glass garnish with grated nutmeg.

Christmas Bowl of Bishop

In the Charles Dickens Novel A Christmas Carol, Ebinezer Scrooge had spent the night with three ghosts and finally comes to repentence of his ways. On Christmas day he visits his nephew and dips the laddle in the bowl of Bishops punch to enjoy.
Punches were very popular in the nineteenth century and are a communal drink not to be mesured per cup but to have a generous amount for all guests. This Christmas show your generosity and serve up a bowl of Bishop for all your guests.

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com


Christmas Bowl of Bishop

2 lemons
1/2 pint of water
Whole mulling spices
1 bottle ruby port
1/4 cup sugar, more or less to taste.

Stude two lemons with half a dozen cloves each. Roast the lemons in the oven for half an hour more or less at 350 degrees.  Cut the roasted lemons in half and put them into a saucepan with a half pint of water and whole mulling spices, such as cinnamon, allspice, ginger, mace, and star anise.  Don't use powdered spices which will make the drink sludgy.  Boil off a little of the water before adding the port, and then sugar to taste. Be sure not to boil the wine, but let it steep just below a simmer for an hour.  If the punch is too strong, add a little more water.  Serve steaming in punch cups or mugs.

It's Wassail Time

If you're not familiar with Wassail, it refers to ancient southern English tradition, of people wassailing or hopes that the apple trees would yield a good crop of apples for cider.

It's also a hot mulled punch often associated with yuletide season and is traditionally made with mulled cider, Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg along with wine, port or other spirits. When made, it's great to have it sit on the stove with a low flame, it creates a wonderful aroma that makes the whole house smell wonderful and it's also great to pour into a mug for your guest at Christmas.

God bless and Cheers,


John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com


Wassail


12 Eggs
4 Bottles of Sherry or Madeira
2 pounds of Sugar
1 tsp powdered Nutmeg
2 tsp of Ginger
6 Whole Coves
1/2 tsp of Mace
6 whole Allspice
1 tsp Cinnamon

Mix the the dry ingredients in 1/2 pint of water.  Add the wine and let the mixture simmer over a very low flame.  Beat the egg yolks and whites separately and add these to the hot brew.  Before serving, add several baked apples and lace the mixture well with brandy.  Makes approximately 25 - 30 cups.

Time for Bishops Cooler

Tis the season to get beyond the traditional carton of eggnog one purchases at his local grocery store and pour some whiskey and brandy into it and serve it up for expectant guests for a Christmas or Hanukkah party.  The host may wonder why there's so much left over at end of the night.

Why not go a step further and go back to old traditional drink that was served up in the nineteenth and first half of the twentieth centuries called the Bishops Cooler. It's the protestant bishop mentioned in barman Jerry Thomas's 1862 Bartenders guide also in "Trader Vic" Bergeron's 1947 bar book along with two other recipes but this one is of the best and easy to make.

God bless and cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com


Bishop's Cooler


Juice of 1/2 lemon (approx 1/2 oz)
Juice of half an orange (approx 1 oz)
1 tsp sugar
3 oz of Burgundy (wine)
1/2 oz of Jamaican rum (Appleton Estates)

Squeeze lemon and orange juice over cracked ice in a 10 oz glass, add sugar and stir.  Add burgundy and stir, float the rum.    

National Repeal Day

Hello Friends and family,

December 5 is special day to commemorate the repeal of the eighteenth amendment or if you're not familiar, the abolishment of prohibition. It was thought of as a good idea by the woman's Christian Temperance movement during the early party of the 20th century that alcohol was the cause of many social ills. One of the most famous was Carrie Nation who would go into bars with a hatchet in hand and start destroying the bar and get arrested for publicity. 

The the Volstead act ( eighteenth amendment ) was in tact from 1919 until  December 5th 1933. The law prohibited the production, sale and transport of intoxicating liquors but didn't define "intoxicating liquors" or provide penalties.  America's thirst for Alcohol increased along with organized crime and the growth of many speakeasies. This proved to be a failed attempt at trying to govern the moral fiber of the nation.

This is not a widely celebrated event but it commemorates Americans right to drink as they please. So Celebrate today by stopping by your favorite tavern, winery, pub or bring home your favorite spirit and raise a glass in honor of it and enjoy. For more information check out www.repealday.org or the Ken Burns documentary Prohibition .

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca

john@daddyosmartinis.com 

TOM AND JERRY is not just a cartoon!

At one time was as much a part of American holiday celebrations as mistletoe and roasting chestnuts. In 1880’s Manhattan fashionable bars would place an ornate punchbowl in the middle of the bar containing the Tom and Jerry “batter”. The Brass Rail bar in Port Huron, Michigan, has kept the Tom and Jerry tradition alive since it’s opening in 1937.  They start serving it the week before Thanksgiving and continue until New Year’s Eve.

The drink derives its name from the two rambunctious protagonists of the hugely popular English novel  “Life in London” (1821), and not from Jerry Thomas, as he would have everyone believe.  The book inspired a number items named after the characters, but mostly Tom and Jerry was used to describe things drink related.  This a delicious hot drink that deserves to be served not only during winter holidays, but throughout the entire fall and winter seasons.

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca

john@daddyosmartinis.com 

½ cup batter (see below)
1oz brandy
1oz rum
Hot water

Ladle batter into a heated mug.  Pour in liquor and then fill with boiling hot water.  Top with grated nutmeg.  Let cool enough to be drinkable, and serve with a spoon for stirring. Tom and Jerry Batter (serves 8)

4 eggs, separated
Cream of Tartar
¾ cup powdered sugar

Whip egg whites with a sprinkle of cream of tartar until they are stiff.  Fold in ¾ cup powdered sugar and the egg yolks.  Mix until the batter is light and frothy.