Umami Mart

If you’re daydreaming of lounging in warm, faraway places with a drink in hand, we have something for you: Tippleman’s Falernum. While it won’t physically take you away, adding falernum to your rum, tequila, or even bourbon drink will at least take your mouth on a tropical vacation. Just what is falernum, you ask? It’s a sweet, thick syrup […]

According to Aztec tradition, the eagle warriors were an elite unit of the Aztec army, considered the most brave and fearsome. They mostly comprised of the bravest noble-born men of Aztec society, but commoners who displayed notable courage on the battlefield were occasionally admitted as well. Eagle warriors were recognizable because they adorned their bodies […]

Last week I wrote about the classic 20th Century cocktail, and this week we move into modern times with the 21st Century. The 21st Century is Jim Meehan’s tequila-inspired update on the 20th Century which he created when he was a bartender at Audrey Saunders’ Pegu Club. The timing is serendipitous for tequila drinkers who want […]

In this video, Ryan Fitzgerald of Beretta in San Francisco makes three different kinds of margaritas, including the famed Tommy’s version. At Beretta, Ryan is always creating dynamic cocktails with tequila and mezcal, so it came as little surprise that this classic would be his signature drink. This presentation was particularly interesting, as Ryan demonstrated […]

  Aisha Sharpe and Willy Shine, the founders of Contemporary Cocktails, created this refreshing springtime drink. The name is both a reference to the classic Manhattan area code as well as a clever play on proportions. 212 2 oz Partida Reposado Tequila 1 oz Aperol 2 oz Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice Tools: shaker, strainer Glassware: […]

  “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao-tzu And thus begins the first step. The PDT Project officially kicks off with the #8 cocktail, a boozy tequila-based delight. Created in the fall of 2008 by former PDT bartender Daniel Eun (who’s now busy studying law in California), the #8 […]

I really wanted to do a special Christmassey cocktail for you all but in the end I couldn’t really get my mental mojo into it– sorry, folks. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always enjoyed the special feeling the season invokes despite being an avowed atheist. I think I’m like most people in that sense, who […]

Thanksgiving has long been the source of mixed emotions for me. On one hand it’s a day when I can unleash my monster appetite without abandon. I love to eat, and I love to eat well. Yet on the other hand I consider myself a person of conscience, and Thanksgiving is a yearly reminder of […]

“Idle hands are the Devil’s tools.” -Some historic hotard It’s a rare thing for me to have down time these days, but after a very frenzied summer, I’ve stumbled upon a bit of unstructured time which quite frankly scares me. Naturally, I found a way to get into some trouble. Today’s cocktail, which I call […]

  Last week I wrote a post on the CKTL Jam event that took place at the Astor Center in NY, and I promised that this week I would share the recipe for the second of the two improv cocktails I created, as soon as I figured out what to call it.  I still haven’t figured out […]