cocktail


February 19, 2015

Kuishinbo: The Smiler Cocktail

by Yuki HD

As a Japanese person, I love to drink. The first time I traveled to the U.S. with my sister, the two of us would always order a bottle of wine during lunch, and then again for dinner. The servers were always amazed; we were usually the only customers to order a full bottle. I thought […]

December 8, 2014

Meet Louis Anderman of Miracle Mile Bitters Co.

by Kayoko Akabori

Louis Anderman is a scientist. Born from a true passion for bitters, Miracle Mile Bitters Co. started out as a hobby (just like us!), as Louis concocted potions from days of yore, right in his kitchen. Miracle Mile now leads the west coast bitters revolution with his small batch recreations of classic formulas and top […]

November 20, 2014

Happy Hour: Yuzu Liqueur

by Kayoko Akabori

The Food Republic recently declared yuzu as America’s next big THING. Well, duhhhh! Umami Mart readers, writers and shoppers have been privy to this whimsical citrus for a long while now so we’re not lifting any eyebrows at these sort of dramatic announcements. That said, I don’t use yuzu that often in my cooking. Yuzu […]

September 29, 2014

Happy Hour: Tokyo Mule

by Kayoko Akabori

Heyyyy, Happy Hour is BACK! I spent all weekend trying to come up with a clever column name for this post, which would also be used for future articles about cocktails that I make at home (Bar Umami Mart? Kayoko Bar? Bar Kayo?). But I had an A-HA moment this morning in the shower… Happy […]

September 25, 2014

Event Recap: Shochu 101, From Kagoshima to California

by Yoko Kumano

Alchemy Bottle Shop opened this year in March on Grand Avenue in Oakland. Owners Tova and Peter’s selection is second-to-none, featuring everything from single malts (including a great selection from Japan) to hard-to-find amaros. Kayoko and I get lost in la-la land whenever we enter Alchemy. Our admiration for Alchemy Bottle Shop led to collaborating […]

June 23, 2014

Umami Mart Map: The Chronicles of Nagoya

by Yoko Kumano

Instead of reaching there via a Wardrobe route, Nagoya is about a two-hour bullet train ride from Tokyo. It is the third most populous city in Japan, with 2.3 million people living within 11 square miles. Car geeks may know Nagoya as Toyota HQ. Gamblers may take note that it is where pachinko was born. […]

March 3, 2014

Ask a Bartender: The Chrysanthemum

by Kayoko Akabori

My alcohol tolerance is not what it used to be, sadly. The morning after a night of drinking just gets tougher and tougher. Hideko says, “You are no longer young.” WHAT?!?!? To curb this issue, I often order low-alcohol cocktails these days, like Vermouth or Sherry variations. They’re all the rage — the book Art […]

December 20, 2013

Happy Hour: Mezcal Winter Cocktails

by Fredo Ceraso

Once you are through slurping down mugs of Tom & Jerry bowls and hot buttered rum then please consider a few winter cocktails with a smoky twist, mezcal. The two drinks we feature in Happy Hour this month are nothing alike but leave you with that campfire warmth from palette to pinky toe. One cocktail […]

November 8, 2013

Casa de Kei: The Irish Mule

by Keisuke Akabori

2 oz Irish whisky (Jameson, Bushmills, etc.) 1/2 lime, squeezed A few dashes of Peychuad’s Bitters Shake it up with ice and add it to your copper mug from Umami Mart Pour in 3 oz ginger beer Garnish with a lime wedge Kanpai! *Kid Skwid is a sous chef at Spago restaurant in Beverly Hills. […]

October 11, 2013

Happy Hour: The Affinity, Your New Fall Cocktail

by Fredo Ceraso

Affinity: a liking for or an attraction to something. I discovered this long-lost cocktail one cold October day, thanks to my friend and barman Maxwell Britten during his tenure manning Freeman’s backroom bar in New York City. The leaves were swirling on this windy, chilly afternoon, and I was downtown. I sauntered down the namesake […]