Cocktail creations by Umami Mart: shaken, stirred, and remixed.
Happy Hour
March 4, 2009
Happy Hour: L’Amant (The Lover)
Another Wednesday is upon us, which means another opportunity for midweek tippling! The subject of today’s Happy Hour is one that’s been rolling–or rather mixing–around in my mind for a couple weeks now, as I’ve been working on something to contribute to the upcoming Mixology Monday session, or MxMo, as it’s called, where each month […]
February 25, 2009
Happy Hour: Mary’s Makeover
From time to time I like to go back to the drawing board with certain cocktails and see if I can work in another twist while still maintaining the integrity of the original. The Bloody Mary is one of my favorite candidates for this, as it is a drink that lends herself to virtually infinite […]
February 18, 2009
Happy Hour: Irish Coffee
Some of my friends think of me as the guy who likes fancy-schmancy cocktails. It’s true, I like a lot of fancy-schmancy things. I really like the word fancy-schmancy. It is also true that on occasion I can be a pain in the ass for some unsuspecting and unprepared bartender when I’m lecturing him about […]
February 11, 2009
Happy Hour: I Love Lucy
When I committed to making the Happy Hour column a regular Wednesday thing, I realized that either I’d have it pre-written and ready to be posted at the designated time (ideal scenario) or that I’d write it on the day of and post it immediately. What I didn’t take into account is that I’m sort […]
February 5, 2009
Happy Hour: The Piña Colada
It’s still winter in Brooklyn, and it’s colder than ever. Last I checked weather.com said it was 20 degrees with a windchill that makes it feel like 4 degrees (I wish I had the degree symbol on my keyboard so didn’t have to constantly type out the word “degree”). If you read my previous post, […]
January 30, 2009
Happy Hour: Holiday Eggnog Redux
It’s still cold as hell (or would that be heaven, since it’s the opposite of hell?) here in NY, and spring’s still a distant dream. So I figured while I can’t speed up time, I can at least travel back to when the winter was bearable, and when the possibility of receiving free things was […]
January 28, 2009
Happy Hour: Homemade Strawberry Liqueur
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I figured I’d have some strawberry liqueur on hand to toss in some cocktails, or if I’m feeling lazy, in some bubbly. And there’s no way better to do it than to make it yourself at home. Although I’m a little late on the planning of this, as I […]
December 16, 2008
Happy Hour: Gingerbread Cocktail
I’m a big fan of eggnog during the holidays (homemade, not store bought), but when the vibe calls for something a bit lighter and more refreshing without losing the flavors essential to the season, make a Gingerbread Cocktail instead. Here’s the recipe:Gingerbread Cocktail1 part vodka1 part Domaine de Canton3 parts apple ciderSplash of fresh lemon […]
November 9, 2008
Happy Hour: Juan McCain & Baroque Obama
Election day has come and gone, but the celebration parties are still going strong. So whether you’re celebrating the history-making inauguration of our first African-American prez, or you just want to drown your sorrows in booze after the electoral thumping of Mr. McCain, I present you with a couple of candidate-inspired cocktails that should be […]
August 5, 2008
Happy Hour: Spicy Bloody Mary
Here’s a Bloody Mary that’ll not only help your hangover but kick your ass in the process. I made a Bloody Mary as you normally would except I replaced the standard vodka with the Chile Pepper Infused Vodka I wrote about in an earlier post, and added a chile and chopped cilantro for garnish.