Getting Published

     Let’s say you’re a bartender. 
     You spend a vast majority of your time thinking and talking about cocktails and their relative ingredients.  Your passion has caused a number of life problems from failed relationships to chronically disastrous kitchens.  How do you nurture this insane passion into a career?  One great way is to become published.  Writing skills are not necessarily um… necessary (have you read some of my other posts?  It’s like 4th grade English…) Pictures, presentation and the most important ingredient, great cocktail recipes are much more important.  From some research I’ve been doing into the world of publishing, people are buying novels less and graphic, fun, special-interest books more.  I am working on a cocktail book that I am hoping will be wrapping up by 2010 and wanted to share one of the best resources I have come across for amateur cocktail book writers.  It’s called “How to Write the Perfect Book Proposal,” this how-to by Jeff Herman flew under the radar but has everything you need to move forward with a book idea.

     It’s hard to find in stores, in fact the closest Barnes and Noble to carry it in Seattle, Washington was one in Austin, Texas.  So fire up the search engine and check online, I got mine for about 7 bucks.
     The publishing industry isn’t being bailed out by the government but it’s not the thriving money maker it once was.  A lot of publishers are moving forward with non-print alternatives and more authors are self publishing (Gary Regan.)  Like a good cook, a good bartender accumulates recipes and techniques over time and a book is a good way to show the world what you know and open a few doors for yourself as well.  Good luck and I’ll post about my cocktail book when it’s completed.

By: Mark Sexauer

How to Turn Fruits and Vegetables into Powder

   No magic words or tricks for this one, just basic cooking skills and a little time.  When using certain fruits and vegetables as ingredients for drinks sometimes the flavor is covered up or lost completely.  Using a fruit or vegetable dust is a different way to add that flavor component by rimming, mixing with sugar/salt or even sprinkling on the top of the drink.
   For example I love carrots; cooking and trying to make drinks using them. But sometimes I’m looking for much more concentration of flavor, so I’ll dig out the ol’ cookie sheet and make carrot dust.

       Carrot Dust
       3 cups (about 4 medium whole carrots), peeled clean and julienned (a cheese grater works great)
       Cookie sheet
       Parchment paper
       Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place parchment paper in a cookie sheet and spread around the julienned carrots evenly.  Place in the oven for about 4 hours, checking periodically to make sure they don’t burn.  Put dried carrots into a mortar and pastel or for even better results, a cleaned out coffee grinder and turn it into a fine dust.  You may want to sift the resulting dust, I get about 3 tablespoons worth from the above recipe of creamy and distinctly carrot tasting powder.

   Of course not everything is going to dehydrate well.  Avocados have a high fat content and will only become pliable and weird.  You can also grind up other herbs and spices with your fruit or vegetable dust for added complexity.  With carrots try a little dried ginger, pink peppercorn and lemon zest, grind all of it together and rim a cocktail glass, Salud!

By: Mark Sexauer

Snobby Bartenders

   I had a friend tell me the other day that there is quite a bit of snobbery surrounding the cocktail world. 

   I, for one, was blown away! 

   Not really, I’m guilty of going through a phase of cocktail snobbery myself and I’m guessing it’s the norm.  First of all, before I go any further it should be noted that my friend is a prospecting sommelier (wine expert).  You could destroy entire forests writing about the snobbery in the wine world so trust me, I wasn’t offended, but it did bring up a good point.  Like being a sommelier, a bartender has to have an ability to explain the product behind the bar and make suggestions.  One of the side effects of being an “expert” in these fields is that the amount of product knowledge is overwhelming to the average guest.  I know sommeliers and bartenders whose knowledge is disgustingly vast but the social aspect of relating that knowledge into a short, informative suggestion is horrible and sometimes even embarrassing.  A good bartender will always have a way of walking the guest (quickly) through some drink suggestions, and preferably pushing them in a direction that pleases everybody.
   I’ve heard bartenders tell guests that their drink order is a tasteless waste of money (Grey Goose Vodka, chilled, up). While I agree to a point, it is also the most unprofessional and rude statement to come out of a bartenders mouth.  It puts the guest on the defensive and they are likely to (at the very least) talk bad about you after getting their drink and worst of all, most likely will never return.  Here’s the bigger point; being a cocktail snob turns people away and hurts this exciting movement we are all a part of.

   This happens to me on a daily basis, almost.

   “Hey man, I’ll take a Lemon Drop please.” says the guest.

   The cocktail snob in me is thinking “This guy sucks!  What a d-bag!  Our cocktail menu is world-class, not one wine is from America and you have 60 Tequilas and 7 Mezcals staring you in the face…”

   What I really say, “I’ll make you a great Lemon Drop, how’s Hanger One sound?”

   “Fine…. Sounds good” says the guest.

   Then you go and make the best damn lemon drop you can possibly make and win these guys over to either come back again and again or in the best case, get to the point you can work some “cocktail dork magic” on them and make them think twice about habitually ordering the lemon drop.
   As in any field that you have a passion for, you want things to be perfect and right.  The bar environment is so many things to so many people but feeling like your stupid when you order a drink should not be part of that experience.
   Cheers, let the countdown begins to December 5th….

By: Mark Sexauer

Moving on up… Again!

   So another change in venue for me?  I am moving on from the fine dining environment at Chandlers and entering another phase in my bartending career.  On to the east side of Seattle, a place called Barrio, in Bellevue.  If you live on the eastside and don’t want to make the drive to Seattle for a good drink, come on down.  Barrio Bellevue will be home to the fourth Kold-Draft machine in Washington State.  Located in brand the new Bellevue Towers  (go to this website…) building on the ground level and has an incredible interior.  The bar manager Casey Robinson is well known in bartender circles and extremely talented.  He is the author of the bar menu which is fresh, ever evolving and offering as many as thirteen new signature cocktails including the flagship Margarita using orange Muscat.  Some classics include the corpse reviver #2 and pisco sours… I’m losing sleep thinking about getting behind this damn bar.  Pictures to follow and many more posts as summer comes to an end.

 

By: Mark Sexauer

O Hops!

   I love making, drinking, talking and imagining cocktails but my interests in the world of alcohol move into the realm of beer and wine quiet often.  I just got done picking this year’s first batch of Cascade hops and plan to clear the vine in the coming weeks.  In the works will be a hops tincture for sure but the main focus is a batch of homemade I.P.A.  If you have not made beer at home before, now maybe the perfect time because hops are in season and are readily available along with everything else you need being fairly cheap and easy to get at any beer and wine supply shop.  There are a number of resources online to get you started as well as countless books and magazines devoted to the craft.  I’m starting this first batch of hops as a tincture then I’ll move on to beer, stay tuned.
   My hops tincture will consist of two mason jars and aged about three days or to taste.
   
       Hops tincture #1
       1 cup lightly packed hops
       11/2 cup gin

       Hops tincture #2
       1 cup lightly packed hops
       11/2 cup everclear

   As far as the beer goes, who knows, I’ll post when I make the batch.  Hopefully it turns out better then my buddy’s Dave’s Ass Ale?

By: Mark Sexauer

Fig Sangria

   I have been extremely busy the last month and haven’t been able to post.  A cocktail book I am authoring is taking shape though and I am very excited about it, more details to come…
   Sangria’s are tough to nail down perfectly because there is no perfect sangria!  There is so much room for experimenting which makes them so much fun to make and can be the staple of a party, bbq or any get- together.  Sangria’s originated the same way most wine based drinks originated early in history by adding herbs and fruits into low quality wine or wine going bad to make it drinkable.  The word sangria means bloody in both Spanish and Portuguese (the regions where the base recipe originates) and has now evolved into countless recipes and techniques (typing sangria into Google returns over 3.5 million results).
   I have put together a fig sangria for a Spanish themed party I bartended with fantastic results.  The wines I like to use for any red sangria are a Tempranillo, Grenache or a blend of the two.  Give this a try and then move on to your own experimenting.  Sangrias are fast sellers behind the bar and perfect for parties, cheers.

       Fig Sangria
       1 bottle Spanish wine (I used a Granacha)
       1/2 cup simple syrup
       1/2 cup brandy (I used Christian Brothers)
       2 cups (or so) Fig Puree
       1 lime sliced into very thin wheels
       1 lemon sliced into very thin wheels
       1 orange sliced into very thin wheels
       Add all into a bowl and very gently press down on the fruit wheels with a muddler to release just a little of the citrus juices.  Refrigerate over night to let all the flavors infuse into the wine.

       Fig Puree
       10 mission figs cut in half
       1 1/2 cup water
       Put figs and water in together then bring to a boil.  Once boiling, cover and turn heat down to a simmer.  Simmer for 15 or 20 minutes then remove from heat.  Dump all into a food processor leave on for a couple minutes until it is one uniform puree.

   Ice is key in a punch or sangria.  We need to keep this cold but diluting it too much can ruin all your hard work.  A great way to solve this is to add 2 cups of water into a pot.  Bring to a boil and then let cool.  Pour the water into a freezer safe bowl that won’t crack and then freeze.  When frozen, put the bowl in hot water for a minute, remove the mini ice berg and add to your sangria.  The large ice cube will keep the sangria cold but its density will keep it from melting to fast.  If you want to be really cool you can let this freeze a little then add some more figs (or any fruit) into the water and freeze them into your huge ice cube.

By: Mark Sexauer

The Pese

   I received a bottle in the mail the other day with a very nice surprise… Ron Abuelo Anejo 7 year.  Hailing from the Varela Hermanos distillery in Panama, this is one of the better aged rums I’ve tried in a while.  I’ll be honest; I have yet to fully dive into rum and everything it has to offer.  I love the spirit but it is not really a “go-to” for me, although these sorts of products are changing my mind, and quickly.
   Giving myself some time I sat down and opened the bottle to taste test this Panamanian gem.  Pouring an ounce into a snifter and smelling it lends itself a sweet, alcohol and spice scent.  The first sip was surprisingly soft; the nose presents you with vanilla, fruitiness, molasses and spice.  It rounds home plate with the familiar oak elements and a spicy mellow finish.
   Poking around online to find information on the rum and its producer I found a quote that said it was too “refined” to use in a cocktail… it was on, and I love this new cocktail which is perfect for the spring/summer thing we have going on here in Seattle (we’re having an awesome spring).

       The Pese
       11/2 oz Ron Abuelo 7 year Rum
       1/2 oz Simple Syrup
       1/4 oz Amaretto
       1/4 oz Lime juice
       1/4 oz Orange Juice
       1/8 teaspoon Whole Fennel Seed
       5 (or so) Toasted Almonds
       2 dashes Peychauds Bitters
       Combine the toasted almonds, fennel seed and simple syrup together and muddle hard until all is broken up and mashed.  Add the rest of the ingredients with ice and shake hard.  Double strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with an orange zest length.
       To toast almonds add sliced raw almonds into a pan and heat to med-high.  Stir frequently and toast to taste but watch out because once these start toasting it happens fast, Cheers.

I couldn't get a picture with the glass full... weird:-)

 By: Mark Sexauer

Grand Marnier Mixology Summit 2009

   Day 1
   The plane ride to Vail Colorado was not as bad as I thought it was going to be.  I seem to always get sat next to the stinky guy or the talk too much guy, but this trip was quick and pleasant.  Quiet and uneventful are all you can hope for while flying.  Seattle to Denver took just over two hours and then another 2 hours in a shuttle bus to Vail which was still cramped but at least very scenic.  I knew I was in the right place when I over-heard someone in the back saying “my test had three questions about aquavit…. Who the hell knows three detailed things about aquavit?”
   Arriving at the hotel was jaw dropping, it was huge and beautiful.  Everyone involved with the Mixology Summit was nice and accommodating.  Your only obligation for the three days is to do a short “consulting lab” that consists of explaining your drinks while you make them.  It is very low key and I have to admit I was a little nervous but that went away as I settled into my surroundings.  Some notable people participating in this year’s event were: Bridget Albert, author of Market Fresh Mixology, she made a lemon sorbet tequila champagne drink.  Jeffery Morgenthaler, Leo DeGroff, Chris Hannah, Lance Mayhew and Danny Valdez along with some local buddies, Michael McSorley, Zane Harris and Jim Romdall were there to name a few.
   Evening came quick, with most of us at the hotel bar slowly filtering out onto a shuttle that took us to the “welcome reception” (aka, party).  The bartenders behind the bar where top notch and so was the crowd.  It was a Great night and before I had one too many I stumbled back to my hotel room to pass out.  Something about traveling is so insanely tiring and I don’t know why.  I didn’t do anything more then sit for four hours and it’s exhausting? 

   Day 2
   The schedule for the day is skiing or intertubing but I wasn’t into either.  I know it’s Vail and this is what you have to do but I didn’t want to rent gear and the whole thing, so after breakfast I went into downtown Vail.  Now Vail is a resort town and beautiful to the point where you have to stop to take it all in.  Galleries, boutiques and small restaurants are plenty with ski and snowboard shops sprinkled in between.  Walking down some of the short brick streets full of metal animal and historical figure statues will lead you right into ski lifts.  After eating lunch with Hanna Feldman, an editor with Imbibe magazine I went back to my hotel room to wait on my wife Amy who was supposed to be in Vail by 3pm.  After taking a quick nap, Amy showed up just in time for the Gala Dinner that Grand Marnier was hosting for the evening.

   The Gala dinner was a four course food cocktail pairing which started out with praises and info about the event as well as thanking everybody who made the event possible.  We also found out that all of our cocktails will be made into an iphone app that you can download along with our pictures.  After the dinner we were treated to an after party including craps tables, blackjack, and three bars serving up a drink menu using Grand Marnier and Navan.  After a couple shots of Don Julio 1942 tequila and countless beers and cocktails, Amy and I made our way back into the room to call it a night.  (By the way, drinking at seven thousand feet is extra fun…)

   Day 3
   With a two hour drive back to the airport, dealing with the airport, then flying for another two hours we left early afternoon from Vail to make sure we wouldn’t be too late into Seattle.  The shuttle into Denver had a handful of San Francisco bartenders on board which made the two hours go by pretty quick, and I found out what a “cat in a bathtub” is… (check out urbandictionary.com if you really want to know, thanks Sierra…).

   The flight back to Seattle was also pretty laid back and at about 6pm the whole thing was over.  For those of you who are interested, make an effort to go next year.  It is a great networking event as well as a great paid vacation and the best hosted mixology event I’ve been to yet, Prost!

By: Mark Sexauer

WSBG Vermouth Tasting!

   The Washington State Bartenders Guild hosted a vermouth tasting this last weekend. It was a great opportunity to focus on vermouth and its importance in cocktails.  I have an affinity for vermouth and brought my homemade dry and sweet versions to see how they stacked up.  Vermouth has lost some market value in the last decades but is seeing a much anticipated return with brands like Vya and Dolin.  We were lucky enough to have Paul Clarke bring a bottle of Noilly Ambre which is not available in this country and scored on some Carpano Antica along with all the usual vermouth suspects.
   Without getting into every brand that was there (I think 25 or so) I’ll share what vermouths made me want to run out of the room with the bottle it was so good!

   Dolin, a vermouth imported by the famous Eric Seed from Haus Alpenz was a show stealer.  I loved the Blanc out of the three which would be perfect just on its own.  I’m going to be searching for cocktails using the Blanc so I can showcase this when it’s available for purchase in a month or so.
   Vya, what can I say, Vya is a great vermouth to show what vermouth can be.  The sweet is amazing on the rocks and is a “bold-forward” vermouth great for “bold-forward” cocktails.  Like finding the right gin to use in a Negroni, experimenting with vermouth is essential to a world-class cocktail.

   Noilly Ambre, this vermouth is only available in Marseillan, France.  This is the pinnacle of balance, subtle flavors and I almost would not mix this vermouth because it is perfect on its own (okay, I would).
   Carpano Antica, this was the first commercial vermouth and its creator, Antonio Carpano is credited with starting the vermouth phenomenon in the late 1700’s.  This has a definite wormwood taste on the nose, turning into a bright spicy herbiness and ending with a complex wormwood backend.  The Carpano made me realize how little wormwood came out in most other vermouths which is ironic because the word vermouth comes from the German word, Wermut, which means wormwood.
   All in all it was nice to taste a full array of vermouths and have a better understanding of which ones I’d like to use in a certain drink.  We also had access to Zane’s bar that we used to experiment with the Martini and the Manhattan using different vermouths.  If you can get your hands on Dolin, get it, it will be available in Washington, through Vinum Distributing by late April 09.  It’s exciting to see bars offering three, four, five or more different vermouths and that the same amount of energy goes into picking the right vermouth bottle as it does picking the right spirit.  Prost!

By: Mark Sexauer

How to Make Ginger Beer!

   Like flowering trees and longer days ginger beer is a sure sign that spring has arrived.  I love the taste; I love making it, and most of all I enjoy the wide range of cocktails and drinks that ginger beer mingles so well with.
   The origin of ginger dates back thousands of years and the health benefits range from healing a sore throat to recently discovered, lowering cholesterol.  Between being healthy for you and ginger itself being so readily available it has been a staple of the human diet for as long as we have been keeping track of history.
   I have been making ginger beer for years and every time it seems I make it slightly different but always a reflection of a recipe I stumbled across some time ago in a book simply called, “The Home Cook Book.” It was first published in 1877 using home recipes from the Chicago area and features a straight forward recipe for ginger beer typical of its time. 

   It took a little playing around with because there are no exact measurements of everything used.  For example how many ounces are in “one bottle essence of lemon?”  Either way it doesn’t take much time to figure everything out and once you do you are flexible to add and tweak, making your own unique version of ginger beer.
       
       Mark Sexauer’s Throwback Ginger Beer Recipe

       1 gallon tap water (4 quarts)
       3 cups light brown sugar
       Zest and Juice of four lemons
       Zest and Juice of two limes
       70 grams of fresh ginger or to taste chopped finely (if you don’t have one, buy a scale, they’re twenty bucks…)
       3/4 teaspoon tartaric acid (aid in a sour flavor profile)
       1/4 teaspoon crème of tartar (preservative, mouth feel)

       In a large, repeat, large pot, bring the water to a boil.  Once at a boil reduce to med-low and add all ingredients into the water.  Stir everything together then take off of heat and let cool down for about 4 hours covered to infuse.  Strain the mixture into a container and discard all the ingredients.

Add into 16 ounce EZ Cap bottles and than carbonate with yeast.

This will last a couple weeks in a fridge before it dies and is excellent on its own.  In the near future I will be posting some drinks using ginger beer but in the mean time enjoy it on the rocks, it’s excellent.

By: Mark Sexauer