Another great question from Quora: What is a solid drink to order from an understocked bar?
Vodka cranberry, splash of soda (or Cape Codder, splash soda if they have fresh-looking limes). Here's why:
-Every bar has all three ingredients.
-The quality of ingredients will be very consistent from bar to bar: vodka varies the least of all liquors from brand to brand, soda water is soda water, and 90 percent or more of all bars use Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail.
-This is one of the most popular drinks out there, so chances are even the least experienced bartenders have had practice making a good number of them and gotten feedback on at least some.
-The most common mistake most bartenders make with a highball is mixing it too strong, but since this drink has two mixers they're likely to use a little more mixer overall and thus actually make the drink correctly.
-It's a good drink!
If you're a dark-liquor drinker and want to mix it up a bit (pardon the pun), try Bourbon and cranberry with a splash of soda instead -- fantastic.
Showing posts with label cocktails. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cocktails. Show all posts
Monday, May 23, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Question from the AOTD Facebook Page
Q: Great videos man. I am going through Bartending School right now and I'm in the third day of a 1 week course. I don't drink (never have) so I don't know a lot about the different alcohols or the different tastes of liqueurs, etc. I have learned a lot from your videos in the last 2 weeks that I've been watching them (started before starting School) and I feel like I've learned more from your vids than I have in school.
What I'm wondering is, in school they give recipes for drinks but it seems every one of them is different with all the drinks. For instance a GODFATHER is 1-1/2 oz of Scotch, 1/2 oz amaretto in the manual, but I see you did one with Bourbon and it was 3 oz to 1 oz amaretto. Stronger drink? Bigger glass?
A: Drink recipes are just like food recipes: there are a million different ways to make meatloaf, and there are the same number of ways to make a Godfather. What you want to focus on is the defining characteristics of each recipe and then make the cocktail the way your guest likes it best -- which it's an extremely important part of your job to determine, btw.
The same way meatloaf has to have some type of ground meat (beef is traditional), a binder, and spices that are usually baked and sliced for presentation, a Godfather has to have some type of whiskey (Scotch is traditional) and amaretto that's usually stirred and presented on the rocks. After that, it's all up to the bartender. We've all seen meatloaf made with pork instead of beef, some chefs prefer tomato-based sauces, some like brown sauces -- hell, my grandmother used to put a hard-boiled egg in the middle of hers and my mom made hers with no meat!
I like my Godfathers shaken using about 3 parts Bourbon to 1 part amaretto, while you may prefer yours stirred with half Scotch and half amaretto. Don't ever let anyone tell you your way is wrong -- it may vary from more common recipes, but if you're making conscious choices (as opposed to just not knowing any better) then that's your recipe. It's one thing to be asked for a Godfather and serve up vodka and cranberry -- which would in fact be wrong because that's a different drink (Cape Codder) -- but it's quite another to offer a single malt and amaretto up in a martini glass, which is a perfectly acceptable variation as long as you let your guest know that's your presentation.
Again focus on the defining characteristics of each drink and why the ingredients work together, then feel free to riff on a theme. Newer bartenders often spend lots of time pointing disdainfully at other bartenders and crying, "Wrong!" though most people who've been behind the plank for a while will tell you that's the sure sign of a rookie trying to show how much they think they know. However, always be sure to defer to house recipes -- first and foremost it's your job to make drinks the way your restaurant/bar specifies.
What I'm wondering is, in school they give recipes for drinks but it seems every one of them is different with all the drinks. For instance a GODFATHER is 1-1/2 oz of Scotch, 1/2 oz amaretto in the manual, but I see you did one with Bourbon and it was 3 oz to 1 oz amaretto. Stronger drink? Bigger glass?
A: Drink recipes are just like food recipes: there are a million different ways to make meatloaf, and there are the same number of ways to make a Godfather. What you want to focus on is the defining characteristics of each recipe and then make the cocktail the way your guest likes it best -- which it's an extremely important part of your job to determine, btw.
The same way meatloaf has to have some type of ground meat (beef is traditional), a binder, and spices that are usually baked and sliced for presentation, a Godfather has to have some type of whiskey (Scotch is traditional) and amaretto that's usually stirred and presented on the rocks. After that, it's all up to the bartender. We've all seen meatloaf made with pork instead of beef, some chefs prefer tomato-based sauces, some like brown sauces -- hell, my grandmother used to put a hard-boiled egg in the middle of hers and my mom made hers with no meat!
I like my Godfathers shaken using about 3 parts Bourbon to 1 part amaretto, while you may prefer yours stirred with half Scotch and half amaretto. Don't ever let anyone tell you your way is wrong -- it may vary from more common recipes, but if you're making conscious choices (as opposed to just not knowing any better) then that's your recipe. It's one thing to be asked for a Godfather and serve up vodka and cranberry -- which would in fact be wrong because that's a different drink (Cape Codder) -- but it's quite another to offer a single malt and amaretto up in a martini glass, which is a perfectly acceptable variation as long as you let your guest know that's your presentation.
Again focus on the defining characteristics of each drink and why the ingredients work together, then feel free to riff on a theme. Newer bartenders often spend lots of time pointing disdainfully at other bartenders and crying, "Wrong!" though most people who've been behind the plank for a while will tell you that's the sure sign of a rookie trying to show how much they think they know. However, always be sure to defer to house recipes -- first and foremost it's your job to make drinks the way your restaurant/bar specifies.
Friday, April 02, 2010
Anthony Returns To WPIX-TV!
If you missed it live, here's Anthony on the WPIX-TV Morning Show in New York making no-sugar-added drinks with Truvia for the holidays!
If you enjoy Art of the Drink, please look us up on iTunes and write a review -- thanks!
Right click and "Save As" to download Video.
If you enjoy Art of the Drink, please look us up on iTunes and write a review -- thanks!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Thursday, December 17, 2009
AOTD on NY WPIX-TV Morning News
This morning I made my third appearance on New York's WPIX-TV Morning Show, making no sugar added cocktails for the holidays!
Monday, April 02, 2007
Episode 42: Espresso Martini
Anthony visits Bean Traders in search of the perfect espresso and transforms it into a martini.
Right click and "Save As" to download Video | Phone Format | PSP
If you enjoy Art of the Drink, please look us up on iTunes and write a review -- thanks!
Right click and "Save As" to download Video | Phone Format | PSP
If you enjoy Art of the Drink, please look us up on iTunes and write a review -- thanks!
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Episode 41: Master Bourbon Tasting Class
Join Anthony in a Bourbon Tasting Class hosted by Master Distiller David Pickerell!
Right click and "Save As" to download Video | Phone Format | PSP
Download the full tasting class!
If you enjoy Art of the Drink, please look us up on iTunes and write a review -- thanks!
Right click and "Save As" to download Video | Phone Format | PSP
Download the full tasting class!
If you enjoy Art of the Drink, please look us up on iTunes and write a review -- thanks!
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