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Happy Hour: Hot Buttered Rum

partysugar — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:00:19 -0800

Tomorrow, Jan.17, is National Hot Buttered Rum day. To celebrate, I'm heading over to my friend H. Joseph Ehrmann's bar, Elixir, in San Francisco's Mission district. They're having a little party, and hot buttered rums are the highlight. If you don't live in SF, no worries: H has shared his recipe with us, so you can make it in the comforts of your cozy kitchen! While some variations call for a batter, this recipe is less traditional. It combines hot water with butter, whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks. The final concoction is extra-rich in spice with a creamy texture and soothing taste. According to H, it's best enjoyed "in a chilled room, around 40 degrees Fahrenheit."

Sounds like it would be the perfect cocktail after a day of skiing or traveling, so to get the recipe, read more.

Hot Buttered Rum
From H. Joseph Ehrmann

Ingredients

1 clove
1 inch of cinnamon stick (broken to fit inside a tea infuser)
1 sugar cube (recommended: demerara)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
boiling water
2 ounces spiced rum (recommended: Gosling's Black Seal Rum)
1/4 ounce St. Elizabeth's Allspice Dram

Directions

In a tea ball or other tea infuser, place the clove, cinnamon stick, sugar cube, and 2 tablespoons of the butter.
Steep the ball in 4 ounces of boiling water for 3 minutes.
Add the spiced rum and St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram.
Stir by dipping tea ball 3-4 times. Float the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter on top and serve.

Makes 1 drink.

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Happy Hour: Ruby Chai Appletini

partysugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:00:42 -0800

When I hear the word appletini, I can't help but cringe and think of a cloying, neon green cocktail. That's why, while at a recent Root Division art auction, when I saw that the specialty cocktail was an appletini, I avoided it. However, when I heard the appletini was a creation of one of San Francisco's best bartenders, H. Joseph Ehrmann, I knew I had to give it a try. Made with fresh apple cider and vodka infused with tea, this appletini is nothing like its processed counterpart. It tasted like fall in a glass with hints of vanilla and cinnamon.

It takes time to infuse the vodka and apple cider, but the process is worth it, especially if you make a large batch and serve it for Thanksgiving. Don't let Fall pass without making this refreshing, not-too-sweet cocktail, so get the recipe now and read more.

Ruby Chai Appletini
From H. Joseph Ehrmann

Ingredients

1.5 oz vodka (recommended: Square One) infused with Numi Organic Ruby Chai Tea, recipe below
1.5 oz apple cider infused with Numi Organic Ruby Chai Tea, recipe below
.5 oz agave nectar or simple syrup
1 apple (recommended: Gala)

Directions

Cut the apple in half, just of center leaving the stem on. Then slice the core out just to the other side of the stem. Reserve core slice for garnish.
Cut one quarter of the apple into pieces, removing the seeds and core. In a mixing glass, muddle into apple sauce consistency.
Add the agave nectar or simple syrup, vodka, apple cider and ice. Shake for 10 seconds and strain up into a chilled cocktail glass. Head should be frothy and creamy. Garnish with the apple core slice on the rim or floating.

Makes 1 drink.

Ruby Chai- infused Square One: In a mason jar or other glass sealable container add 750ml bottle of vodka and 6 bags of Numi Ruby Chai Tea. Let infuse for 1-2 hours. Remove the bags and squeeze back excess vodka. Pour the infused vodka back into the bottle.

Ruby Chai-infused Apple Cider: Pour cider into a sauce pan and heat (try not to boil). Turn off the heat and add 1 bag of Numi Ruby Chai Tea per 6 ounces of cider. Let steep for 3-5 minutes and remove the tea bags, squeezing back any remaining liquid. Pour spiced cider into a bottle to store.

Mixologist’s Note: I love chai and Numi’s Ruby Chai blend with Rooibos makes for a delicious infusion agent in cocktails. The warm rich spice blends superbly with the apple and by infusing we get intense flavor with no added water. The texture of the Gala apple when muddled into sauce consistency gives this drink a velvety, viscous mouthfeel with a creamy head like a pint of Guinness. If you batch prep the infusions and the apples and this drink is really easy to prepare and serve. To make this drink as a one-off at home, use 1 bag of tea per each 6 ounces of liquid, infusing the vodka cold for an hour or two and heating the cider and infusing for 3-5 minutes.

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Come Party With Me: Election Night - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:00:24 -0700

Elixir, the bar where LibertySugar and I are hosting our town-hall style election-night bash, is offering guests a selection of drinking specials for the party. With fabulous names like "Bye Bye Miss American Rye," the menu will feature only American brands like Bluecoat gin, Square One vodka, and Sam Adams brew. I plan on ordering the "Red, White, and Night" a potent, sangria-like concoction made with vodka, red wine, and lemonade. To serve up this slinger at your own election-night soirée, get the recipe and read more.

Red, White, and Night
Inspired by Elixir

Ingredients

3 ounces red wine
1 ounce simple syrup
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 ounce vodka

Directions

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice combine the wine with the simple syrup, lemon juice, and vodka.
Shake for 30-45 seconds.
Strain into another glass filled with ice and enjoy!

Makes 1 cocktail.

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Happy Hour: Blue Gin Rizz

partysugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:00:23 -0700

The other day I was at the farmers market when I noticed a sad sign saying, "last day for blueberries." I immediately purchased a pint with the intention of using them in a delectable drink. While the original recipe, from H. Joseph Ehrmann of San Francisco's Elixir, calls for kumquats, I couldn't find them, so I substituted fresh peaches.

The final concoction is refreshing, tangy, and light. The ginger liqueur stabilizes the natural bite of the gin resulting in a cocktail that is balanced and easy to drink. It would be great paired with food, but it's also lovely when sipped solo. To say cheers to the weekend with this recipe, read more.

Blue Gin Rizz
From H. Joseph Ehrmann of San Francisco's Elixir

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces gin (recommended: Bluecoat)
1/2 ounce Canton Ginger Liqueur
1/2 ounce simple syrup
3 kumquats (approx 1” in size)*
Handfull blueberries

Directions

Muddle kumquats and blueberries in a mixing glass.
Add all other ingredients, fill with ice and shake well for 10 seconds. Hawthorne strain** into a highball glass of fresh ice and top with a few blueberries and slices of kumquat.

Makes 1 cocktail.

*I used 1/4 of a ripe peach, peeled and chopped into chunks because I couldn't find kumquats.

**My strainer was missing so I didn't strain the cocktail. It was still delicious.

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Our Favorite Cocktails

partysugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:00:36 -0800

There's nothing quite like the sound of a cocktail shaker in action. As I wait for a bartender to make my drink, the noise of ice clicking against glass fills me with giddy anticipation. Why? Because a perfectly poured drink is one of life's most luxurious pleasures.

To help you truly enjoy happy hour, we regularly feature refreshing, tantalizing, delicious, and original cocktail recipes. Many I make at home, but others are expertly mixed by some of San Francisco's top bartenders, like H. Joseph Ehrmann, Aaron Smith, and Buffalo of the Alembic. To say cheers to cocktails, I've rounded my top 10 cocktail recipes of the year:

Come Party With Me: Election Night - Invite

partysugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 09:00:09 -0700

November 4th, 2008 is possibly the most important day of the year. Since it's such a significant night, no one should sit at home nervously waiting for the next president to be announced. I've joined forces with LibertySugar and together we're hosting a party at a neighborhood saloon called Elixir. Owner and master mixologist H. Joseph Ehrmann has assured me election coverage will be aired. This week I'm sharing my party plan, so you can steal my ideas and host your own political party! The big day is only a week away: invites need to be sent as soon as possible. To see how I made these email-able invites, read more.

To make a similar invite you need the following supplies:

image of the American flag
computer

To assemble the invite:

Start by creating a new document in Microsoft word. Drop and drag the American flag image into the document.
Insert a text box. Write out the details of the party. I used the font American Typewriter in size 12 to write:

VOTE
For an awesome election night party!

Official Invitation
Join PartySugar and LibertySugar
as they Barack the Vote

Tuesday, November 4, 2008
6:30 p.m.
Elixir @ 16th and Guerrero, SF

Patriotic Attire Encouraged

Since I live in San Francisco, I know the majority of my guests are Obama supporters. If you and your friends are partial to McCain change the text to say, "Join us as we Mac-attack the Vote." If your crew is a mixture of both sides, write, "Join us as we celebrate America."
Save the document as a PDF, crop it down to size, and send in an email. Alternately, save the image in an evite or pingg message, and send. For a snail-mailable version, print on thick, white cardstock and send in an envelope closed with an election sticker.