Cocktail creations by Umami Mart: shaken, stirred, and remixed.
Happy Hour
May 6, 2009
Happy Hour: La Rosita
It’s seis de Mayo, and if you aren’t recovering from a tequila hangover, or have already completed your recovery and are ready for more, then I have another tequila cocktail for you. In fact, I’m flirting with the idea of keeping it tequila for the entire month of May, as my way of paying tribute […]
April 29, 2009
Happy Hour: The Mint Julep
The first Saturday in May is a special time of year for many Americans, especially those south of the Mason-Dixon. The month of May is to fans of horse racing what March is to college hoops fans, because it means it’s time for the annual “Run for the Roses,” better known as the Kentucky Derby. […]
April 22, 2009
Happy Hour: Jalapeno-Pear Caipiroska
For Happy Hour this week I’ve created another cocktail for you that’ll help you get your spring on! I call it the Jalapeno-Pear Caipiroska. The Jalaheehowhatyousay? Is that Russian you ask? Well, yes and no. Read on my friends. If you’ve ever had a Caipirinha then you’re halfway there. If you haven’t then you need […]
April 15, 2009
Happy Hour: Chocolate Chipotle Chicanery
This week we’re going to have a little fun during Happy Hour as we set aside the history lessons and cocktail lore, along with all notions of cocktail purism and snobbery, to indulge in a little cocktail hedonism. For those who gave up chocolate for Lent, you can take pride in your perseverance, for this […]
April 8, 2009
Happy Hour: Clover Club Cocktail (The Remixes)
During a picnic this past Sunday, a friend of mine asked me to recommend “the best cocktail I probably haven’t heard of.” Not being able to give it too much thought (as I was operating under the duress of trying to resuscitate the charcoals on the grill), I hastily recommended a Corpse Reviver or Corpse […]
April 1, 2009
Happy Hour: Chinatown Express
I recently had a conversation with a friend in which said friend mentioned to me that he’s not a big fan of “fancy cocktails,” but instead preferred the simplicity of two ingredient drinks, with his go-to choice being the grapefruit and vodka tag-team known as the Greyhound. Implicit in his tone was the notion that […]
March 27, 2009
Fridgin’ Out: Liquor Cabinet Edition
Consider it a testament to Kayoko’s power of persuasion that I’m doing a Fridgin’ Out post. You wouldn’t otherwise know this, but for some time now I’ve been averse to the idea. The notion that strangers would open their refrigerators so other strangers can peer into them for no purpose beyond plain curiosity is a […]
March 25, 2009
Happy Hour: Mamon Chino
You can tell from the cocktails featured over the past few weeks that I have had it with the nippy weather, mixing and imbibing as if summer were already in full swing–even if Mother Nature is still having trouble letting go. It’s my way of willing the warm weather into existence. I figure if I […]
March 18, 2009
That’s Why They Call it Simple Syrup, Part II
After another late Tuesday night filled with drunken cocktail tinkering for today’s Happy Hour column, I’m back with the 2nd installment of the two-part primer on simple syrups. In case you missed last week, you can check out Part I here. Last week I showed you how to infuse simple syrups with fresh herbs and […]
March 11, 2009
Happy Hour: That’s Why They Call it Simple Syrup, Part I
Back atcha this week to talk about an ingredient that is essential for so many cocktails, yet is usually given a mere cursory glance: simple syrup. I suppose the reason for this is, well, as the name indicates, it’s a simple ingredient; so simple to prepare and it so exponentially simplifies the preparation of many […]