Hells & Chocolate

<%alc.
>2,3oz.
 

Automne 2078, j’étais à l’aeroport, attendant qu’un avion passe me prendre.
J’avais dépensé le reste de mes sous dans ce billet à destination inconnue.
Deux heures durant, j’avais épluché les articles d’un journal local sans trouver satisfaction à mon impatience. C’était un ramassis de paragraphes futiles et grotesques comme savaient si bien le faire bon nombre de journalistes. J’entendis enfin un vrombissement dans le ciel.
C’était un engin costaux, à hélices de peut être cinquante pieds de long. Sa carapace me laissa perplexe quant à ma sécurité. Apres tout, je m’en foutais. Il atterrit et s’approcha. Le pilote ouvrit le hublot, et d’une voix tonitruante, perça le bordel sonore : “Monte tout de suite, on ne s’arrête pas”.
Sans plus attendre, je me ruai vers le petit mastodon. Une minuscule porte s’ouvrit avec peine pour m’accueillir. Sans examiner ce qu’il y avait à l’intérieur, je plongeai mon corps d’un trait. Elle se referma aussitôt.

Il faisait sombre et humide. Les petits hublots peinaient à faire entrer la lumière. Les parois intérieures étaient recouvertes de terre et de boue. Je tâtais au hasard pour trouver un siège vacant tant disque l’avion redécollait. Il n’y avait que deux rangées de siège. Je pris place rapidement. Ma vision s’adapta à l’obscurité : je percevais à présent une demi douzaine de passagers dont les silhouettes m’étaient étrangères. Je me demandais dans quel merdier j’avais bien pu foutre les pieds.

Apres une heure d’attente, une ombre svelte et féminine sortit du cockpit. Elle nous proposa, dans un anglais aux accents douteux, quelques collationsTant d’efforts pour un choix si limité : un unique cocktail, probablement concocté à base d’alcool frelaté et d’ingrédients non identifiés.
Chic, tout ce dont j’avais besoin pour calmer mon excès d’imagination dans l’obscurité environnante. Ainsi elle sortit un chariot sculpté dans une unique pierre massive et noire aux reflets mattes et striés. Des infrabasses en émanaient tel des litanies orientales. L’espace d’un instant je me suis demandé à quel type de cirque ou rituel sectaire j’aurai droit, mais ce fut tout autre : Arrivée à ma hauteur et sans même daigner m’interroger du regard, elle sortit un énorme gobelet où elle y versa cinq ou six ingrédients dont j’ignorais l’origine. Elle y ajouta quatre petits blocs de givre fumant et se mit à mélanger à l’aide d’une longue tige qui avait plus d’un sceptre que d’une cuillère. Elle versa le breuvage dans un calice de cristal qu’elle me tendit. J’entrevis un visage lisse, sans reflet. Incrédule, je pris le verre. J’hésitais entre un rire nerveux ou fataliste. Au diable la raison!

Je posais mes lèvres sur le bord de la coupe quand une violente turbulence secoua l’avion. Par les saints esprits, pas une goutte n’avait débordé de ma coupette. Et tant mieux! Je repris une gorgée. Un inquiétant bruit retentit de l’autre côté de l’avion. Par un coup d’oeil à travers la minuscule fenêtre j’aperçus une hélice en flamme. Prit d’une sépulcrale panique, je bus mon breuvage d’un trait et c’est à cet instant que la deuxième hélice s’enflamma : l’avion piquât droit au sol. Un sentiment inconnus me serrait les entrailles… et à cela s’ajoutait le cocktail qui exigeait de refaire surface.

Le plus étrange dans tout ça, c’est que le silence régnait autour de moi : le pilote avait éteint les machines et les passagers restaient silencieux (en fait je ne les avais pas entendus depuis le début). Quelle idée d’avoir acheté un billet sans connaitre la destination et d’entrer dans un avion en tôle dorée… Plongé dans mes reproches, Je perdis connaissance.

Une chaleur insoutenable et un léger fumet de cacao torréfié me firent reprendre esprit. L’avion avait été déchiqueté et je me trouvais toujours dans mon fauteuil.  Je me levais difficilement pour faire un tour des lieux. Il ne restait plus personne. Tout le monde avait disparus. En sortant de l’engin je découvris un monde désolé ou flammes et montagnes de chocolat m’entourraient.

Finalement, je ne regrettais pas tant ma douteuse destination…

Come to the Daemon bar to taste my trip to Hell : 

  • 40ml. Mescal
  • 10ml. Tempus Fugit L’Avion d’Or
  • 10ml. White Vermouth del Professore
  • 10ml. Amaro Averna
  • 1 Dash : Chocolate Bitter
  • 1 Dash : Angostura Bitter
  • Garnish : Orange Zest
  • Stir all ingredients
  • Strain into a cocktail glass
  • Garnish
Filed in Mescal, short drink | Comment Now

… of Composition : おせち料理 : Osechi

2013…
And still alive. Unfortunately We did not have the exculsive chance to gaze the end of the world !
I am saddened. But as soon as we passed the new year eve, I could find my consolation in the first meal I had for this year : Osechi.

Today I am not going to tell you about a cocktail creation but about composition in a cocktail.
It can have different aspects within a drink, within it’s preparation : the coherence of the tastes, the storyline you want to make feel to your guest (smell, attack, sustain, final. As in music : attack, sustain, release), the visual composition, your performance.
Apart from the social aspect, the whole care of those factors make the drink good, very good and sometimes stunning.
I’ve been working in music, doing photography/videos and it’s all about the same thing. I would almost be sure that it is also for cuisine, painting and all form of arts.

This is the case on the 1st of january in Japan.
Every household celebrate the new year by a morning meal called Osechi. Former times, in Shinto culture it was forbidden to cook for 3 days. You were only able to drink a soup called Ozôni (which is one of the dishes of the nowadays Osechi). I am not sure but I guess this ritual was a symbol of purifying oneself. Across ages it changed and have become Osechi.
It is mainly sweet and sour because sugar and vinegar could keep food for few days, at least those 3 days.

Osechi is a meal full of symbols. It is strongly based on it’s composition : Visual and aesthetic composition as the symbolic union of foods, words and wishes.
As instance : you will always find a red shrimp in it to reflect the curved image of an old person : It is a wish for longevity.
Another example is the 田作り (Tazukuri) : it is dried small sardines simmered in miring, sugar and soy sauce. The name Tazukuri has no meaning with the dish itself. It means : “building a rice field”. The reason is simple : long time ago small fishes were used to fertilise rice paddies. Therefore, Tazukuri wish you an abundant harvest.
My last example is about Konbu (昆布), seaweed. You can find it in different forms but especially tied. It is associated with the japanese word “yoroKOBU“, meaning “enjoying”.

All those words to explain you that you can create in different sensual and intellectual ways, but you can also combine them in order to illustrate your concept.

明けましておめでとう

Filed in 5. Cooking | Comment Now

Sassia

<29%alc.
>3oz.

I’ve been reading the whole collection of a manga called Bartender for the first time.
And know what, it was a real lesson for myself as I’m japanese, and I used to work over there without understanding an ounce of the culture.
Why? because even if the cocktails are not very interesting (taste wise) it really shows another way to perceive drinks (thru the service) but further more : the way to make them.
Check my Nikka Perfect Serve Contest for further informations.

I got inspired by one of the drinks introduced in those manga. I think it was called : No Name, created by Johann Burgos.
I liked the idea to put spice in the shaker (it is a very old slightly hot spice from Asia. It is very well known but don’t confuse with Ceylan Cinnamon. You can even find it in Moses’ incense recipe in the Bible). I never tried it before but I thought Cassia was strong enough to be used as it is, without crushing it.
Obviously I led myself to gasoline-ish and spicy ron.
Some Velvet Falernum to add (more!) spice. And Saffron : I was convinced that it could melt well.
Next time, I will tell you a story and unknown properties about this very expensive spice (even more than caviar…) and potentially very dangerous !

So far, there is all the ingredients required for a Punch (I remind people that you read it : “PANCH” -meaning number 5 in hindi- and it requires 5 ingredients) : spirit, sweetener, sour agent, water (ice dilution) and spice !
Saffron-Cassia… Sassia !

Apki Lambi Umar Ke Liye !

  • 1 stick of Cassia Bark (Cinnamomum aromaticum)
  • 2 Safron threads
  • 2oz. Jamaican Ron
  • 0,5oz. Velvet Falernum
  • 0,5oz. Lime
  • 0,6ml. (1/8tsp.) Saffron Tincture
  • Garnish : Cassia Bark
  • Shake all ingredients
  • Fine strain into a tumbler
  • Garnish
Filed in punch, short drink, sour | 1 Comment

Syrinx

<20%alc.
>3oz.
 
I know, I know, I have been into a deep silence for long and I am doing my best to get back to my blog again.
Lately I ve been very busy : I am now working in a new bar (which is also a restaurant and a separated speakeasy bar) in Paris 3rd district. Le Beaucoup. I will introduce it to you later once pictures’ll be ready.

For now, let me introduce you a new drink I made for the upper bar of Beaucoup.
The menu has a wide range of spirits and 4 cocktails I have made for advanced afficionados…
Well, I should say 3 of them. The last one is more common and girly type so everybody can be happy.

It is called Syrinx.
Let me tell you her story…
I guess you heard about Pan, the son of Hermes.
At his birth, her mother ran away scarred by his ugliness. Fortunately his father bring him to Olympus where he was warmly welcomed.
One of the famous legend of him is about Syrinx, a nymph. One day, as she was returning from the hunt, Pan met her. To escape from him, she ran away and didn’t stop to hear his compliments. He pursued her until she got to her sisters who immediately changed her into a reed.  When the air blew through the reeds, it produced a plaintive melody.  Pan, still infatuated, took some of the reeds and cut seven pieces, joined them side by side in gradually decreasing lengths, and made his consoling flute. We call that flute : Syrinx. As the nymph.

Back to the drink,
I was seeking something girly, related to a demon (or should I say a pagan god, as Christianity had turned them into demons or saints to expand their realm). The drink is originally served into a champagne flute. Obviously I like the dark and musical idea of Pan’s flute. And so the drink has become.

Taste wise, it is light and girly.
Colour is red as Passion and thru sweet and sourness you can taste Pan’s bitterness.
A dash of champagne to bring a veil of sparkle.

The drink can also suit to infatuated gentlemen…
You can taste it at the bar I am now working. Just ask for Flo and I will take care of you.

  • Homemade Fresh Raspberries Pureée
  • Pisco
  • Vokka
  • Aperol
  • Lemon
  • top : Champagne
  • Garnish : Long Snake Lemon Zest
  • Skake all ingredients but champagne
  • Strain into a flute
  • top with champagne
  • Garnish
Filed in Pisco, short drink, Vokka | Comment Now

Iceball (Icepick) : 丸氷 : Sphère de Glace

Tonight I introduce you how to make an iceball using an icepick.
Recommend you to activate the HD quality at the bottom right of the video
HD, Sous-titré en Francais (en bas a droite de la vidéo)
I guess japanese subtitles would be useless as bartenders already know about it.

Next time I might introduce you how to make crystal clear blocks of ice at home, using japanese and occidental knives.

Filed in 1. Videos | Comment Now

Uzume : 天宇受売命

<23%alc.
>3oz.


Today, I gonna tell you an old story… A very old story from ancient writings.
It is a legend from the Japanese Shinto, dealing with Amaterasu, the calm and shining Sun godess.
One day, her brother Susano-O (Impetuous god of Storm and Chaos) came to visit her in her Realm before having a long journey in the dark and scary Yomi (underworld). He expected to meet her and bask her light and wisdom.
Thus, in haste and storm he traversed her lands and mountains spreading disorder.
Amaterasu, suspicious and armed of bow and arrows, came to welcome him and asked proofs of his good intention. Susano-O then proposed to create offsprings, which she agreed.
She took his sword, broke into 3 pieces and started to chew them for days and nights. A bright fog came out of her mouth and then appeared the 3 most beautiful goddesses that had ever existed (after Amaterasu).
Likewise, Susano-O took 5 jewels Amaterasu was wearing and start to chew them. A mist of light came out to his mouth and gave birth to the 5 strongest gods that had ever existed (after Susano-O).
Pride of his progenies and holier-than-thou, he started to jump around. Amaterasu then reminded him that they were made from HER jewels. Hearing this, Susano-O became furious and out of control.
Thru rains and storms, he started to destroy Amaterasu’s garden and to spread mud and excrements all over her temples.
That was the behaviour Amaterasu was suspicious about before meeting him. Full of pity, thinking that this behaviour belong to his Nature and reminding herself the tough journey he will endure in the Yomi underworld, She forgave him. But this made him even more mad !
Thus, one day, Susano-O flayed her horse and threw it into a hole dug into the roof of her sewing room. This probably symbolises the revelation of a subtle idea behind the skin.
It scared her Court and even caused death. Frightened, she ran far away into a cave.
And so the night became : the world was left in a deep darkness. Also, Susano-O started alone his journey to Hell (Yomi).
Outside the cavern, the world became darker than Night. The 8 million gods gathered to find out a solution. After several vain attempts, one of them, Uzume (goddess of Mirth and Dawn), stepped forward with a new idea of her own : She undressed herself, dress up with plants, climbed on a tub upon the cave and started to dance. Drumming with her feet in ecstasy, every gods started to laugh. Such a roar started to intrigate Amaterasu. She finally could not resist to have a look outside and found out that everyone was having so much fun without her.
Thus she came out of the cave and everyone became happy !

Back to the drink ! In my dark time, I was seeking comfort in creation.
The last alcohol a friend offered to me was a thin bottle of lebanese Arak (a 3-4 times distilled grape alcohol aromatised with anis. much fresher and sharp to me than all the occidental versions : Ouzo, Pastis, Sambucca, …). I wanted to make another drink with it. Something fresh, long sour and herbal.
Thus, I took another bottle that I don’t often use, Old Genever (an old version of Gin, taste to me like paper, somehow pure).
Arak is something pretty difficult to blend into a cocktail I think. It is strong, therefore one should use it in small quantities. Also, taste wise I think it melts pretty well with spirits as Tequila or Genever.
At final I added a touch of Fernet Branch on top, to symbolise upon that white and bright drink the darkness and the bitterness outside the cave (or on the other way round, you can even imagine the 8 million gods laughing in the white part of the drink and the bitterness of Amaterasu in the dark float)
This drink should have been called Amaterasu I guess, but it sounded more suitable to me to call it Uzume, as she was the one who brang her back to our world.
I use cherry as a garnish to symbolise Uzume as the dawn goddess.

Shall the light stay out of that cave !

  • 50ml. Old Genever
  • 20ml. Lemon
  • 0,5oz. Simple Syrup
  • 5ml. Lebanese Arak
  • float Fernet Branca
  • Garnish : Marascino Cherry
  • Add all ingredients but Fernet Branca into a shaker. Skake
  • Strain into a highball glass
  • float the Fernet Branca
  • Garnish
Filed in Anise, Gin & Genever, long drink, sour | Comment Now

Laïlac

<24%alc.
>3oz.

 

There is something that called me out the other night when I was siping a glass of Nikka Pure White. I almost discovered all this range of product thru my nose. And it deeply reminded me the japanese fruits flavours (such as plum, peach) veiled by a strong peat. Furthermore, I think I could find some floral violet notes.

I was surprised and I though I can make a drink based on this : Pure White and Crême de Violette.
I use Elixir Vegetal de Chartreuse to enhance the floral agent. And not to complicate the final result, I kept it very basic.

Why Laïlac?
Simple. I was seeking a purple flower name : obviously violet, iris, lilac and so on.
I could name it “Lilac“, but I guess there is already thousand of cocktails like that.
The name Leila sounded close to Lilac, so I checked out Mister Wiki to find out the concept behind it (YES, a big bunch of people still ignore the meaning behind their own name…).
Guess what. Leila is a pre-islamic name, coming from the middle East.
It aparently means : The Longest Night.
I knew it was the perfect concept for my drink.
A floral and feminine but peaty and deep as a long night. Lilac, LeilaLaïlac.

Shall the night become !

  • 50ml. Nikka Pure White Japanese Whisky
  • 20ml. Lemon
  • 0,5oz. Simple Syrup
  • 0,5tsp. Crême de Violette
  • 0,5tsp. Elixir Vegetal de la Grande Chartreuse
  • Garnish : Purple Flower
  • Skake all ingredients
  • Strain into a highball glass
  • Garnish
Filed in sour, Whisky & Whiskey | Comment Now

Oak Ward

<26%alc.
>3oz.

Last Word, Final Ward, Pete’s Word et surtout Naked & Famous
Une ribambelle de cocktail sweet & sour que je pourrai boir par litre.
Ils ont la surprenante particularité d’être dosés à part égale (spiritueux, citrus , chartreuse et liqueur de marasquin/ ou Aperol). En théorie, j’aurai mis ma main à couper qu’une telle chose serait déséquilibrée : bien trop sucrée, herbale et “marascinale”.
Et bien, que nenni ! Certes ce drink est sucré, mais je ne trouve pas cela dérangeant.
Une vraie recette magique !
Je vous les recommende vivement.

Donc pour revenir à ma créa, las de boire toujours les mêmes recettes, je me suis mis à chercher de nouvelles version tout en restant simple dans les dosages. Je vous envoie un premier jet avec mon Oak Ward.
Une version nippone du Final Ward, simplement axée sur du whisky japonais vieillis en fût de bourbon : où j’aime partager le dosage initial des liqueurs en trois : liqueur de marasquin, Strega (que j’ai recement découvert et qui remplace efficacement la Chartreuse) et Aperol qui donne amertume et orange au résultat final.

Cheers !

  • 0,75oz. Nikka From the Barrel Japanese Whisky
  • 0,75oz. Lime
  • 0,5oz. Strega (or Chartreuse)
  • 0,5oz. Marascino Liqueur
  • 0,5oz. Aperol
  • Garnish : Marascino Cherry
  • Add all ingredients into a shaker. Skake
  • Strain
  • Garnish
Filed in short drink, sour, Whisky & Whiskey | Comment Now

脾臓 : Spleen

<xxx%alc.
>2,5oz.


Y aurait-il parmis vous des amateurs de musique lourde, dissonantes et sombre?
Non? Eh bien je vous emmène cette fois-ci dans un autre univers avec une créa réalisée à partir d’un morceau qui me tenait à coeur. C’est le deuxième que je concocte de cette manière et il ne manquera pas de vous faire découvrir les abîmes de cette chanson. Elle s’intitule “Lady Babylon” et fut écrite par un groupe finlandais tombé dans l’Oublie, Unholy.
(vous pouvez écouter ça juste en dessous de ce paragraphe).

Amateur de gouts élégants, amers et fumés, ce drink est pour toi !
Un cocktail pour les sombres moments de mélancolie et de dépression.
Un spleen. Une dissonante amertume qui entrainera ton âme peinée dans les longs hivers du Passé.
Une entrée sur un zest d’agrume amer.
Elegant par sa puissante fumée et féminin par sa légère touche sucrée.
Mais lourd ! Non pas écoeurant, mais épais.
Et dans ce moment d’agonie… une échappée exotique sur une finale de café et de cacao.

  • 50ml. Mescal
  • 0,5oz. Bonal
  • 2tsp. Cynar Amaro
  • 1 Dash : Cocoa Bitter
  • 1 Dash : Coffee Bitter
  • Garnish : Wilted Flower
  • Add all ingredients in a mixing glass. Stir
  • Strain in a cocktail glass
  • Garnish
Filed in 2. Music, Mescal, short drink | Comment Now

Garance

<22%alc.
>2,5oz.

 

 

Après un long silence je reviens au front avec un long drink léger, élégant, fruité et frais.
Un breuvage idéal vu la température caniculaire qui pèse sur la capitale.
Ainsi, je voulais réaliser une création pour une personne proche répondant au nom de Garance :
Un drink axé sur des fruits rouges, frais, pas trop fort.
Garance est initialement le nom d’une fleur qui sert à la création d’une teinture rouge, vif et élégante. C’est aussi le nom de la dite couleur qui fut jadis utilisée sur les pantalons de l’armée française pendant la première guerre mondiale.
C’est de là que je suis parti : Trouver une recette se rapprochant de cette teinte.
Créer un long drink aux notes fruitées et fleuries de mûre, de fleur de sureau et de Pisco (je tiens impérativement à préciser que la qualité du pisco créer une vraie différence. En l’occurence, j’utilise du Waqar)
A cela j’ajoute une pointe d’élégance, de tourbe à travers un trait de whisky islay.

Mes damoiselles, je ne doute pas que ce breuvage vous siéra à merveille.
Santé ! 

  • 1oz. Pisco Waqar
  • 1oz. Elderflower Liqueur
  • 2tsp. Cynar
  • 0,5oz. Lime
  • 1 Dash : Islay Whisky
  • 3 Blackberries
  • Top : Soda
  • Garnish : Blackberries, Redcurrant, Lime Wedge
  • Muddle the blackberries
  • Add all of the ingredients, Shake
  • Strain into a highball glass
  • Top with soda water
  • Garnish
Filed in long drink, Pisco | 1 Comment

Japanese Summertime

<28%alc.
>3,25oz.
 

Enfin, et malheuresement, la chaleur est arrivée sur Paris. Aoutour des 25°c de soleil et de pollution. Et je me demande encore ce que je fais ici. Je devrais plutôt être en train de courir entre des bars et des plages japonaises à Tokyo.
Il me fallait donc quelque chose pour échapper à ce cauchemar. Ainsi, je vous présente le drink pour lequel je me tuerai cet été, un long drink typiquement japonais : frais, léger, déshydratant et épicé (non, pas un punch). Je paierai cher pour me trouver sur une plage en bonne compagnie, sirotant un barile de ce breuvage.
Oubliez les tendances lassantes de la menthe et du concombre, je vous apporte là du Shiso (une herbe japonaise, cousine de la menthe mais qui ne s’en rapproche en rien outre sa fraicheur) et du Yuzu pour apporter une touche d’agrume poivré.
Vous n’aurez aucun mal à trouver ces ingrédients dans une épicerie asiatique.

PS : N’hésitez pas à le faire en fix, sur de la glace pilée
乾杯!

  • 1,5oz. Gin
  • 25ml Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao
  • 1tsp. Simple Syrup
  • 0,5oz. Lime
  • 1tsp. Yuzu Juice
  • 1 Shiso Leave
  • Fill : Soda Water
  • Garnish : Shiso Leave
  • Slap and tear the shiso leave
  • Shake all ingredients but Soda
  • Strain into a highball glass
  • Fill with soda water
  • Garnish
Filed in long drink | Comment Now

郷愁 : Kyoushuu (Nikka Perfect Serve 2012)

<33%alc.
>2,5oz.

Few weeks ago, at the Cocktail Spirits (Paris), I’ve been invited to assist at the Nikka Perfect Serve Contest. Thus, curious about malted spirits and what would be said concerning the japanese ‘omakase” service, I subscribed on the website for watching only. Know what… I got a call from Nikka, telling me I was subscribed to participate to the contest.

However, at first, I totally refused : my knowledge in japanese/malt whiskies were none and those spirits sounded to me complexe enough not to be used as ingredients in cocktails (except maybe few brands, smooth enough). After all, why not participate.

Thereby I investigated on the brand and bought my first bottle 5 days before The Day : Nikka’s Pure Malt Black. To be honnest, I was surprised at first it : as soon as I opened it and smelled the cork I could feel the deepness of the peat melted to a sweet veil of japanese peach and plum. This fruity odour really reminded me Japan, furthermore : Hanami (花見 : which is a festival at the end of march/begining of april where friends gather with few bottles of alcohol to gaze the cherry blossom). Instantly, I knew the kind of cocktail I woud make. I’ll explain it later in this post.

Anyways, I got to that contest knowing only 2 bottles of the Nikka’s series and only one cocktail recipe to present (the rule asked for a short drink, a long drink and a whisky serving).
The speech mainly dealt with the ‘ichigo ichie‘ and ‘omakase‘ japanese way of serving drinks.
To make it short, Omakase (おまかせ) in japanese means : ‘I leave it to you’. It’s long to explain but to make it short, it is when a customer give you all permission to make a cocktail. It’s a way to create or adapt a drink to the state of mind and the present condition of the drinker, to make the best custom cocktail.
Ichigo Ichie (一期一会) means : ‘one chance in one lifetime‘. You have only one chance to make the best for your customer, you have only one life and do the best as to never regret it.
An awesome concept and way to serve, but needs a lifetime practice I guess and sounds still difficult to apply in occidental countries, unfortunately.
In fact, I was working in an speakeasy Omakase bar in Tokyo (called Gokai : 誤解). Since then I really changed my point of view on cocktails and I guess that’s the reason why I kinda left music and got into it now.
I was glad to see that few french bartenders were interested in it.

Back to the contest : The rules asked for 2 ‘omakase‘ cocktails (long and short) and an ‘omakase” whisky serving. I came with one short drink and I got really pissed off : I though it would be alright but I actually had to improvise my long drink ‘live’ right on the counter and that made me terribly nervous. Some would ask me why had I not prepared the drink before… Because, as many of us, I did not really understand the rules in details and I though we would just present our cocktails and concept to everyone. However, it was a really nice day even if I end up like a zombie cause of my lack of rest… I’ll do much better next time anyways.

About the drink,
This short cocktail is based on the Nikka Pure Black Whisky (a single malts blend). It’s for me a way to introduce the japanese side of that spirit by enhancing the plum flavors, that’s the reason why I use Umesh (a wine in which are infused japanese plums, in addition of sugar). I added some amaro to give a light bitter taste and some cocoa bitter to bring up a spicy color to the final release of the taste.
At final, I spread the oil of a Yuzu (japanese citrus) zest on top of it.
In Europe, fresh Yuzu is almost impossible to get : I searched everywhere and I could find only one producer in the south of France, as well as in Portugal (furthermore the selling season is very short). Guess what, they mostly sell that to biggest hotels and best japanese restaurants, so no way for me to get some. Fortunately, I got some from japan, few months ago, and made a tincture/bitter with (the only way to keep it for long). Therefore, that’s what I used by washing my glass with and by spreading a mist on top.
In fact you can anyways substitute it by an orange zest.

To me, this drink introduce the japanese caractere of the Nikka Pure Black. Coherent,  it enhances sweetness and fruitiness ; and keeps the deepness and power of the peat.
I called it 郷愁 (Kyoushuu : Homesickness) in memories of the good time I spent during the Hanamis
To all Nikka connoisseur, please let me know what do you think about it.
乾杯!

  • 50ml Nikka Pure Malt Black Whisky (ニッカ ピュアモルト ブラック)
  • 20ml Nigori Umeshu Liqueur (にごり梅酒)
  • 1tsp. Cynar Amaro (Cynar アマロ)
  • Dash : Scrappy Chocolate Bitter
  • Garnish : Yuzu Zest (柚子の皮)
  • Add all ingredients in a mixing glass, Stir
  • Strain into a cocktial glass (wash it before with Yuzu bitter if needed)
  • Spread the oil of the Yuzu Zest (or Splash with Yuzu bitter, using a mister) on top. You can substitute it by an Orange Zest
Filed in short drink, Whisky & Whiskey | 2 Comments

Formol

<28%alc.
>3,25oz.


2 weeks ago, I went to the Cocktail Spirit Festival in Paris to meet friends and new people. While siping a great cocktail made by Sam from Candelaria (called “after hours” I think, an epicurean cocktail based on brandy, amaro, vermouth and bitters… barrel rested), I was seeking out some japanese faces to train my deplorable skills. And then I met the Choya representative, a congenial man who provided me few mini-jars containing samples of the Extra Choya products. I promised I will make some recipes with it.
Umesh’ is a beverage made by infusing japanese plums (Ume) into a low proof distilled spirit called Shouchu. We usually drink it on the rock or filled with soda water.
I particularly liked the red shiso infused Umesh‘ he gave me, reminding me some tastes I really miss since I left Tokyo. It’s fresher than the regular Umesh, deeper in taste and brings a touch of sour. Right away I though that’d melt well with jasmine into a bittersweet cocktail.
For the concept and the picture, I kept the mini-jar as it was given, containing a plum (which, into the red liqueur, looked like a foetus brain kept in formol).
This drink does not taste like formol, the aftereffects are not similar to the bath-salt and it does not turn you into a zombie. This drink is safe !
PS : you can add a shiso leave into your mixing glass to enhance the flavor.
乾杯!

  • 1,5oz. Jasmine infused Gin
  • 1oz. Choya Extra Shiso Umeshu Plum Wine (チョーヤ エキストラ シソ梅酒)
  • 0,75oz. Campari
  • Garnish : Shiso Leave. Sake infused japanese Plum
  • Add all ingredients in a mixing glass filled with ice, Stir
  • Strain into a jar
  • Garnish with a shiso leave or with an infused sake infused japanese plum
Filed in classic twists, negroni, short drink | Comment Now

Remorse : 後悔

<20%alc.
>3oz.
Why Remorse? A bittersweet taste of remorse… A green touch of renewal.

So far, I’ve made just a few classic bourbon cocktails, such as Old Fashions and Manhattan. But yet twists exclusively. I wanted to make a kind of strong ‘classic’ drink, which I’d love to have back home. For those who know, the kinda ‘Mountain Man‘ cocktail you can have at Candelaria (Paris), or ‘Billy Holiday‘ at Curio Parlor (Paris), or even a smoky ‘Chesterfield‘ at ECC Paris… but more bitter.
So I did mine with the large choice of ingredients I have at home.
For a 1st trial, I liked the idea of starting my drink  based on the Candelaria’sMountain Man‘, an elegant, simple, round, succulent and hedonist (“gourmand” in french) drink that you’d love to drink single sipped (but as u have a brain you don’t).
I decided to use that Bourbon/Bonal (sweet vermouth from France) combination but with a different ratio : the ECC’sChesterfield” sounded more suitable to me according to the next elements I’ll add.
Herbal notes, that’s what I was looking for. I tried few different ratios with Chartreuse but this ingredients was way too strong and sweet to me, and way too sweet : I diminished the quantity and add a dash of Vegetal Elixir.
To that result I definitely wanted to add bitterness : not by adding Bitters, but proper Amaro (to enhance sweetness as well). Lots of amaros have orange peel notes, and to avoid that (you will get why later), I’ve chosed Cynar, the famous artichoke amaro.
Bitter and zest : even if it marries perfectly to those kind of drinks and ingredient, I have decided not to use Orange : it melts so well and enhance sweetness, which I’d like to break. I then tried out with grapefruits, and know what? That works.
Final : Griottine breaks pretty well the sweetness, and furthermore : bitterness of the drink with sour notes.
Anyways, try out that recipe and let me know what do you think about it.

PS : it’s in this kind of situation and drinks I am glad I’ve worked, long, in Music and Sound’s Harmonies.
I get back to the basic “rules” and equilibrium somehow
Santé !

  • 50ml Bourbon Whiskey
  • 20ml Bonal Sweet Vermouth
  • 0,5oz. Cynar Amaro
  • 2tsp. Chartreuse Vertes
  • Dash : Elixire Vegetal de la Grande Chartreuse
  • 2 Dashes : Grapefruit Bitter
  • Garnish : Grapefruit Zest, Griottine
  • Add all ingredients in a mixing glass filled with ice, Stir
  • Strain into a cocktail glass
  • Zest the Grapefruit and garnish
Filed in classic twists, manhattan, short drink, Whisky & Whiskey | Comment Now

Amazon : アマゾン

<22%alc.
>3,5oz.

 

My first trial with Cachaça !
I think it melts pretty well with ginger and orgeat : Orgeat well maries to the cachaca sweetness, and ginger add spice, but not enough to me. However, I think that combination needs more complexity, that’s the reason why I wanted to add a smoky and herbal dimension to it.
Friends keep telling me not to be too complexe but I just can’t stop following my nature.
So, however, I wanted to get the same spirit/sourness/sweetness balance as final ward/Pete’s word/naked&famous cocktails (a bit less sweet tho) . So with all those ingredients, I’d to change all doses : substituting part of cachaca for mescal. Same for orgeat and chartreuse : Chartreuse and orgeat syrup are powerful enough to express themselves at equal part. Same for cachaca : it’s pretty powerful, even more to me than mescal smokiness (I might taste that with islay scotch next time, it might be interesting).
Last point : spices. I decided to add 4 drops of BBQ bitters to enhance ginger’s spiciness
And do not forget the Griottine garnish to symbolise the heart hunted by amazons.
Enjoy, galls and boys. A sia saide !

  • 1oz. Mescal
  • 0,5oz. Cachaça
  • 0,5oz. Chartreuse Verte
  • 0,75oz. Lime
  • 0,5oz. Orgeat Syrup
  • 4 Drops : Bitterend BBQ Bitter
  • Thick slice : Ginger 
  • Garnish : Marascino Cherry
  • Crush the Ginger in a shaker.
  • Add all of the ingredients and shake with ice.
  • Strain and serve in a cocktail glass
  • Garnish with the marascino cherry and ginger candy
Filed in Mescal, Ron & Cachaça, short drink, sour | Comment Now

Estate : 夏

<25%alc.
>3oz.

Summer, Summer, Summer… Estate in italian…
While listening to the brilliant Joao Gilberto’s playing of “Estate” (a tune originally composed in 1960 by Bruno Martino and written by Bruno Brighetti), I was looking for a fresh and exotic cocktail recipe. Naturally I got back to a classic called “Bossa Nova“. It somehow fitted to what I expected but I wanted it to be based on smoke (mescal), bitter freshness (anis), exotism (pine) and unctious (eggwhite).
I switched most of the ingredient so I had to make some change in the doses.
Please, listen to this classic jazz song while drinking and feel free to post your comments !


Music : Bruno Martino
Lyrics : Bruno Brighetti
Performance : João Gilberto

Notes about the song :
As I said, the song title means “Summer” in italian.
Originally called “Odio l’estate” (“I hate summer”), it deals with a lost love during summer and the it’s bitter memories.
Salute !

  • 1oz. Del Maguey Mescal
  • 0,75oz. Galliano
  • 1oz. Pineapple
  • 0,25oz. Lime
  • 2 Dashes : Peyschaud
  • Eggwhite (卵白)
  • Garnish : Griottine
  • Dry shake the eggwhite in a large boston shaker
  • Add all ingredients in the shaker and shake longer with ice
  • Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
  • Garnish with Peyschaud drops on the top and add a Griottine
Filed in Anise, classic twists, Mescal, short drink | Comment Now

Molled Fashioned

<38%alc.
>2,5oz.

 

I love the simpleness of the old fashioned. This basic structure is fantastic to get inspired or to arrange. I that case I stick to the old fashioned I published at the end of 2011 with some little change within the drink. The big challenge, this time, was to brig smokiness to the drink. Not within but before, as a perfume. The drink is way too complexe and I did not want to crush that balance with smoke. So the only solution was to wash the glass with smoke. It’s very simple at the end. No need smoke gun or any machines, just a torch !
The hard point is to get a well balanced perfume to the drink, and yet I need more experiments. Try many dried ingredients, combine them and judge your the result. In that case I used a mix of Ceylon cinnamon and chinese cinchona bark : I wanted to add spiciness to the sweet Ceylon cinnamon. Nutmeg or mace would of course work with an old fashioned. Try herbs as well. Just remember using a sniffer style glass to keep the smoke and the washed perfume, even if it is not the best glass for an old fashioned. In this case I used a Bordeau wine glass : I felt it’s large enough to aerate the perfume within the glass.
A Last word about the name. For those who ignore, a “Moll” is an old fashioned word meaning a “gangster chick”. Guns, Smoke, Sex and Rock’n Roll (.. and old fashioned cocktail of course) !
Cheers !

  • 1,5oz. Bourbon Whiskey
  • 0,75oz. Spiced Ron
  • 0,5tsp. Maple Syrup
  • Dash : Choco/Cocoa Bitter
  • Dash : Bittercube Cherry Barks, Vanilla Bitter
  • Garnish : Orange Zest
  • Pinch : Cinchona Bark
  • Stick : Ceylan Cinnamon
  • Press and place the Orange Zest in a mixing glass. Pour the maple syrup. Mix
  • Add spirits and bitters
  • Place the dried spices or herbs on a plate and burn with a torch. Immediately place you glass on top of it and let it smoke
  • Stir the mixing glass
  • Strain into the glass
Filed in classic twists, old fashioned, Ron & Cachaça, short drink, Whisky & Whiskey | Comment Now

Alex : アレックス

<22%alc.
>4oz.

Brandy Alexander cocktail,
creamy, sweet and unctous, some people says that it was made for some various celebrity like A. Woollcott, Alexander II of Russia, Alexandra of Denmark (Queen Consort to Edward VII), etc…
It uses originally uses cream and crêmes, as Grasshopper cocktail, therefore requiring longer hard shake.

My twist does not change much from the original recipe : way to thick, I use less cream.
Perfect as a  digestif or a dessert, you can make different variations by adding or substituting chocolate and coffee taste to nutmeg, chestnut, nuts, dates etc…
Excellent for winter, I like using my Alex recipe instead of my eggnog one. Much simpler to make and lighter !
Skål !

  • 2oz. Cognac
  • 1oz. Dark Chocolate Liqueur
  • 0,5oz. Cream (クリーム)
  • Drop : Mozart Choco Bitter
  • Dash : Dr Adam Aphrodite Bitter
  • Eggwhite (卵白)
  • Garnish : Grated Black Chocolate
  • Dry shake the eggwhite and cream or use a handmixer to foam
  • Add all of the other ingredients and shake with ice
  • Strain, garnish and serve
Filed in Brandy, Cognac, Armagnac, classic twists, short drink | Comment Now

New Brooklyn

<30%alc.
>4oz.
 

AH ! Just came back from NYC and have finished my detox week (yes, NYC broke me, 2 weeks of constant cocktail exploration, observation and fun. not even a day of rest. NYC, I love You !).
Time to get back on one’s feet !
I took a week to explore new ingredients, seed some new amazing plants, talk with people and read few recipe books.
And I came to an amazing recipe called New York.
This cocktail is pretty interesting but way to unballanced and lack of richness to me.
So at the end, here is what I came with, another version of the drink, way less sour, sweeter with a pinch of Marascino (love that old fashioned taste, used as a dash) and some bitters to reinforce scents.
Finally, New Brooklyn sounded to me fitted as a way to see the New NYC

Cheers !

  • 2oz. Bourbon Whiskey
  • 0,5oz. Lime
  • 0,5oz. Homemade Spicy Grenadine (スパイシーグレネーディン)
  • 0,5 tsp. Marascino Liqueur
  • Wash : Absinthe
  • Garnish : Orange Zest, Griottine, Flamed Absinthe

  • Add all ingredients in a shaker and shake shake ‘til you wake up Brooklyn’s Earthquake
  • Wash your chilled cocktail glass with Absinthe and strain
  • Perfume it with an orange zest
  • Add Garnish
  • Flame (caramelize) it with absinthe
Filed in classic twists, short drink, Whisky & Whiskey | 1 Comment

The Figaro recipe on Hendrick’s blog

Yesterday, I was just surfing on the net, looking at some new ideas and recipes.
For those who don’t know, you should have a check at Hendrick’s gin’s blog.
there is several recipes with some amazing and unusual ingredients.
So, I was pretty surprised yesterday when I looked it over : I found out one of my recipe, the Figaro !
Actually, at the end, it made sense : the ingredients are typical british colonial and very closed to Hendrick’s marketing (but the photography) : cucumbers, gingers, etc…

http://unusualtimes.net/introducing-the-hendricks-gin-figaro/

Filed in Gin & Genever, short drink | Comment Now