Manhattan: Gentlemen's Martini

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz Rye whiskey
• 1.75 oz Sweet vermouth
• .5 oz Grand Marnier
• 3 dashes Angostura Bitters

Garnish: Lemon twist

Glass: Cocktail

Preparation

Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

FOR MORE BARTENDING RECIPES CHECK OUT: www.surfdash.com/publicsections/viewsection/2754-the-barender__2296 

Chocolate Whiskey Tart For The Fall Season

FROM Baked Elements: The Importance of Being Baked in 10 Favorite Ingredients

Simple Chocolate Whiskey Tart with Whiskey Whipped Cream

Contributed by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
INGREDIENTS:

• 8 oz Shortbread cookies
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• .5 tsp Salt
• 2 oz (half a stick) unsalted butter, melted
• .75 cup Heavy cream
• .33 cup Whole milk
• 5 oz Good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 72 percent cacao), coarsely chopped
• 4 oz Good-quality milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 Large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tbsp All-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp Good-quality whiskey
• Whiskey Whipped Cream*
• Cocoa powder

PREPARATION:
Preheat the oven to 300° F and position a rack in the center. Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a food processor, pulse the cookies into very fine crumbs. (You should have approximately 1.75 cups.) Place the crumbs into a bowl, add the sugar and salt, and stir to combine. Pour the butter over the crumbs and mix with a fork until combined. Turn the mixture out into the prepared pan and press it into the bottom and up the sides using your fingers or the bottom of a metal measuring cup. Place the pan in the freezer for about 5 minutes, then place on a baking sheet, and bake until the crust is just dry to the touch but not browned, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the cream and milk. Bring the mixture just to a low simmer (bubbles will start to form around the edge of the pan) but do not scald or boil. Remove the pan from the heat, add both types of chocolate and whisk very gently until the mixture is completely smooth. Continue stirring to release excess heat. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture is only slightly warm. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg, egg yolk, flour and whiskey. Add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture and whisk until completely blended. Pour the filling into the tart shell and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges are slightly set but the middle is still slightly jiggly. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes. Carefully remove the tart from the pan and let cool completely. Serve either at room temperature or directly from the refrigerator with a big dollop of Whiskey Whipped Cream and a dusting of cocoa powder (or a scoop of ice cream).

*Whiskey Whipped Cream
INGREDIENTS:

• 1.25 cups Heavy cream
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 1 to 2 tbsp Good-quality whiskey

PREPARATION:
Pour the cream into a chilled metal bowl and whisk vigorously for about 1 minute or until soft peaks form. Sprinkle the sugar and whiskey on top and continue whisking vigorously until stiff peaks form. Serve immediately.

(Photo courtesy Tina Rupp)

You can check out my Surf board for more Bar recipes: www.surfdash.com/publicsections/viewsection/2754-the-barender__2296

Summer Beer Cocktails: Not as gross as it sounds!

A few that have me and licking my lips:

Black Velvet - 1 part Stout, 1 part Champagne

The Snake Bite - 1 part Lager, 1 part Cider

Michelada - 6 parts Mexican Beer, 3 parts tomato juice, 1 part lime juice, 2 dashes Worcestershire, 2 dashes tobasco 

The Diesel - 1 part Lager, 1 part cider, 1 dash Blackcurrant Cordial 

A great chart by Fabio Rex.

http://www.surfdash.com/sections/viewsection/2754-the-barender

Strawberry Fields Forver (Cocktail)

Strawberries are more than just fruit—they’re a sweet, edible sign that spring has turned into summer. The juicy red berries make a dry piece of shortcake memorable and are delectable enough to eat plain or with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. They can also be used in a range of delicious and refreshing drinks. =) 

Thanks Maria Hunt! Hostess of the champagne appreciation and entertaining web site www.thebubblygirl.com and author of The Bubbly Bar: Champagne & Sparkling Wine Cocktails for Every Occasion.

So the next time you pick up some fresh strawberries, forget about making dessert and start mixing up some cocktails instead.

Balsamic Berry

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Strawberries, hulled
• 2 oz Hendrick’s Gin
• 1 tsp Strawberry jam
• 1 pinch Freshly ground black pepper
• .5 oz Fresh lime juice
• .25 oz Simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water)
• Several large dashes Balsamic vinegar
• Champagne

Garnish: Lime peel    Glass: Coupe

PREPARATION:

In a shaker, muddle the strawberries. Add the remaining ingredients except the Champagne and fill with ice. Shake until well chilled and strain into a coupe glass. Top with Champagne and garnish with a lime peel.

Ward III

INGREDIENTS:

• Large strawberry
• 2 oz Maker’s Mark Bourbon
• .75 oz Fresh lime juice
• .5 oz Simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water)
• 3 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
• 1 Egg white
• Garnish: Grated nutmeg and strawberry slice
• Glass: Rocks glass

PREPARATION:

Muddle the strawberry in a shaker. Add the other ingredients and fill with large ice cubes. Shake vigorously for at least one minute and strain into a chilled rocks glass. Garnish with grated nutmeg and a slice of strawberry.

Sbagliato Grosso

INGREDIENTS:

• Ricard
• Fresh strawberry
• 1.25 oz Hennessy VS Cognac
• .75 oz Campari
• .75 oz Carpano Antica Formula
• Garnish: Orange peel
• Glass: Rocks

PREPARATION:

Mist a rocks glass with Ricard and fill it with ice. Set it aside to chill. Muddle a strawberry in a mixing glass and add the other ingredients and ice. Stir. Dump the ice from the rocks glass and fill it with two fresh ice cubes. Strain the liquid from the mixing glass into the rocks glass and garnish with an orange peel.

 Follow more cocktail recipes here and on my surfboard @ http://www.surfdash.com/sections/viewsection/2754-the-barender

MUGGA'S MALIBU RUM JELLO SHOTS!

 

http://www.surfdash.com/sections/viewsection/2754-the-barender

I WAS AT MY FRIEND'S DAD'S 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY AND THE HIT OF THE EVENING WAS MUGGA'S MALIBU JELLO SHOTS! OF COURSE I NEEDED TO SHARE THIS WITH WORLD!!

1.) CUT UP SOME LEMON AND ORANGES FOR THE PEEL, AND USE THE FRUIT TO MAKE SOME LEMONADE!

2.) IF 1OZ = A SHOT, TO NOT BE OVER POWERING- MAKE HALF-AN-ONCE = A JELLO SHOT.
(POUR HALF THE BOTTLE LOL)  

3.) JELLO FLAVOR IS YOUR OWN PREFERENCE, BUT FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE PACKAGE. 

4.) COOLING PROCESS IS VITAL! BE PATIENT, AND KEEP REFRIGERATED UNTIL THE PARTY STARTS!! 

I'VE GOT MY OTHER ONLINE RECIPES @ http://www.surfdash.com/sections/viewsection/2754-the-barender

But DO YOU REALLY KNOW HOW TO DRINK VODKA?

I think I understand vodka quite differently than most people. I get vodka. I actually feel vodka. Or maybe it’s because I bar-back at a bar in Austin, TX that has more than 100 kinds of VODKA on it's shelf and I have to clean it up every day!



Consumers see it as a low-calorie, zero-carbohydrate spirit that’s easy to drink and blends with virtually anything, while bartenders find it an uninspiring ingredient, like tofu for a chef. However, the liquor was never created for mixing—it was intended to be a food spirit. Just as wine in southern Europe was developed to be enjoyed with meals, so were the vodkas of northern Europe, where grapes didn’t grow easily.

Each vodka will behave uniquely, since they’re made from all kinds of things. Winter wheat gives you a crisp, fresh palate presence, while potato provides a more creamy and lush mouthfeel. Rye, on the other hand, will be a touch sour, with a recognizable “needle” on the side of the tongue.

In my bartending class we had this little guide help us understand VODKA!

For fruity cocktails:

Use vodka made from 100 percent wheat or potatoes, like Absolut or Ketel One,

For savory cocktails:

Go with corn- or rye-based vodkas like Belvedere or Tito’s

For Martinis:

Vodka Martinis with spirits produced from winter wheat like Stolichnaya Gold or those that are produced from a blend of grains like the rye-, wheat- and barley-base.

Flavored vodkas:

Like Hangar One of Stoli blueberry.

The Perfect Irish Coffee!

http://www.surfdash.com/sections/viewsection/2754-the-barender

If you're looking for a mid-day warm up that gets you ready to go back out there and face the cold, nothing is easier than brewing a cup of coffee and adding your favorite dark spirit.

The Irish had the right idea when they combined robust Irish whiskey with hot, black coffee. This hot cocktail has long been a favorite in Irish pubs, with a popularity that could be said to rival Guinness (as tough as that may be). Beyond choosing the best Irish whiskey possible, using fresh whipped cream can turn the mundane Irish Coffee into something spectacular. 

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 oz strong, hot coffee
• 1 1/2 oz Irish whiskey
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 oz whipping cream

Preparation:

1. Pour the coffee, Irish whiskey and brown sugar into an Irish coffee glass or mug.
2. Stir well.
3. Float the cream on top. 

http://video.about.com/cocktails/How-to-Make-5-Coffee-Cocktails.htm