Alco-Haul and Happy Hour Announcement!

I picked up some new bottles for the liquor larder last night and am looking forward to sharing the cocktails we're creating with them in future episodes! I'm really pleased with all of them! The Azteca Azul tequila was just under $20 and was recommended as a great bargain, which I agree that it was. And, yes, I made sure it's 100% agave, which all unadulterated tequilas are. The Clear Creek Distillery cranberry liqueur is lovely. I tried it in a margarita in place of orange and loved it! And the St. George spiced pear liqueur is heavenly. It is wonderful by itself, but you know I need to make cocktails! It will be fabulous with bourbon, brandy and more!

And I have an announcement! Our happy hour episodes, which we've been uploading every Friday morning, are moving to Thursday evening! This will give anyone planning weekend cocktails more time to prepare and shop. You don't want to rush happy hour! So look for this week's happy hour episode tomorrow evening!

Our latest alco-haul

Silo Distillery

Don't you just love sampling liquor? Our Christmas Eve was made even merrier by a visit to Silo Distillery, located in Windsor, Vermont. We dropped into their tasting room after lunch at the Harpoon Brewery, which is, conveniently, just across the parking lot, and tasted pretty much everything they had available, all of which were fabulous! I highly recommend dropping by if you're in the area. Their spirits are only available in the northeast at this point, but keep your eyes peeled if you're liquor shopping in that part of the world. You'll be glad you did!

With A Kick!

Monday I shared some non-alcoholic punches from Ocean Spray's 1971 booklet Mix Around With Cranberry Juice. Indeed, most of the recipes in the booklet are alcohol-free, a fact which didn't go unnoticed by a 1971 reviewer, who huffed that there were no recipes with hooch. (See? I RESEARCH these things!) But he was mistaken. Ocean Spray didn't forget the inebriates! Here are some of their selections, including one that's "A Ladies Day Special," and another with "All the fresh excitement of the sea." What more could you want?!

Are they implying that Tom Collins isn't likeable?

I always suspected that the fresh excitement of the sea came on a wave of rum.

Shooting Day At The Kitsch-en

Here's what the aftermath of a shooting day at the Velveteen Lounge Kitsch-en tends to look like:

Those are drinks for three Friday happy hour episodes and one Tuesday "time machine" episode. That's a lot of booze. If you're in our neck of the woods, please drop by and help us drink it! In the meantime, can I just say that I love what I do? 

You Know I'm Bad

I've noticed a disturbing trend lately, which is that some folks think our show is naughty or "adult content," since we make cocktails. I agree 100% that we shouldn't target our content to kids, which is why all of our marketing is to people over the age of 30. Kids aren't interested in us, anyway. But in case anyone hadn't noticed, Prohibition ended in 1933 and liquor is legal for those over the age of 21. We don't advocate drinking and driving, which is why we're showing how to make cocktails at home in almost all cases, and we've spoken at length about not being a jerk when you drink. Still, from some of the flagging our posts and ad buys get, you'd think we were doing porn* or showing folks how to make meth. It bothers me because we're not doing anything wrong, yet some entities treat us like we're just a little sleazy. So, just in case it wasn't clear to anyone:

• Don't drink and drive
• Don't be a jerk when you drink
• Don't serve anyone who may become a jerk when drinking
• Don't drink at work, unless it's your job

Finally, enjoy yourself! It's later than you think.

We're so subversive.

*If we were doing porn we'd be making a lot more money.

Door Knock Cocktails

Does anyone else remember the TV show Door Knock Dinners, where Gordon Elliott and a chef would show up at some unsuspecting person's home and the chef would make dinner using only ingredients that the homeowner had on hand? I loved that show! It was such an inspiration, not only for taking a second look at your pantry, but for seeing the items you already have in a whole new way. There are many lists available online for suggested pantry ingredients to keep on hand although, sadly, Door Knock Dinners is no more. Gordon Elliott and the chef du jour may not show up at your house ready to whip up a meal, but a well-stocked pantry means that you'll always be prepared to throw dinner together.

However, what about your liquor pantry? Suppose you've invited a few friends for drinks, but one requests a Martini and you have no gin? You don't need dozens of bottles of hooch to offer a wide selection of lovely libations! By keeping these items stocked you'll be prepared to make many of the classics and you can expand your collection as you discover new liquors that strike your fancy!

The Basics

Gin 

A blended whiskey

Brandy

A light or amber rum

A silver or gold tequila

Vodka

Mixers

Fresh limes

Dry vermouth 

A nice orange liqueur

Simple syrup

Club soda

With the above you can make Martinis, Sidecars, Daiquiris, Margaritas and all kinds of sours and highballs! Add wine and you'll have sangrias and spritzers in your arsenal as well, not to mention the many variations on the French 75 if you have champagne! And, the more juices you keep on hand, the more you can play! As you add new liquors and liqueurs to your collection you'll find that your choices grow exponentially! But, with just these items available, you'll have plenty of choices to please just about any visitor to your home and keep yourself in lovely libations for quite a while! Bottoms up!

The world of liquor is your oyster!

Don't Obsess, Just Drink!

My friend Jennifer shared a great article by wine expert Ryan Opaz (click here to read it), the gist of which is that wine should be enjoyed, not a source of shame for imbibers who aren't sure whether or not they're drinking the right wine or a wine that's "good enough." All I can say is "Amen!" I've been privy to a depressing number of discussions on liquor, beer, food and the like which seem to devolve into arguments about whether or not a particular product is worthy and become, rather than a chance to share information on new products or something that someone tried and particularly liked, more of a competition over who has the most educated palate and is therefore more of an "expert" on cocktails (or beer or coffee or artisanal bread). It reminds me of teenagers raging that any band that isn't among their favorites "sucks." However, what's cute, if asinine, in a kid is just mean and sad in an adult. By all means, folks should drink whatever makes them happy! But if someone likes Yellow Tail wine or Myers's rum, they should be able to drink it in peace, without shaming from the peanut gallery. It's so refreshing to see an expert who agrees. Thank you, Ryan Opaz!

Liquor Heaven

We've just returned from Liquor Heaven, better known as Mid Valley Wine & Liquor, Newburgh, New York's fabulous destination for all things hooch! We shot a lot of video for next Tuesday's episode, sampled some wonderful products, picked up LOTS of liquor and generally had a great morning! They could not have been more hospitable and accommodating and we're so grateful. Be sure to drop in when passing through on I-84 for great stuff at great prices!

Coming Tuesday from the Kitsch-en: liquor shopping!