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Happy Hour: Apple Cidercar

YumSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:00:42 -0800

After declaring I'd discovered the perfect Fall cocktail last week, I was worried I'd have nothing to look forward to. But surprisingly, my success had the opposite effect: I was inspired to go in search of other tipples that glorify the season's bounty.

Right now, it's impossible to wander the farmers market without being smitten by frosty jugs of freshly pressed apple cider. The apple cidercar - a riff on the time-honored sidecar cocktail - is a fun way to incorporate Autumn's quintessential beverage into a spirited libation. Check out the recipe when you read more.

Cognac 101: A Very Special Guide

YumSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:30:36 -0700

Ever since "Hennessey" was first name-dropped in hip-hop lyrics and Tim Meadows's Ladies Man started sipping Courvosier, I've been curious about cognac. With all the VSOPs and XOs, cognac can be intimidating. So if you're also wondering what all those letters on the labels mean, I've put together a little primer.

Cognac is a brandy, but not all brandies are cognacs. The name refers to brandies produced in the Cognac region of France, made from white wine grapes that are first fermented, and then double distilled.
From this distillation, you get a liquid called eau de vie, which is aged in oak barrels to become cognac.

All those different letters refer to how long a cognac is aged. Find out what they mean.

Happy Hour: Pisco Sour

YumSugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:00:46 -0700

The other night I found myself at Nopa, a San Francisco restaurant known for its great food and equally respectable drinks. My drink of choice was the pisco sour, the slightly sweet, tart, frothy lemon cocktail made with pisco, a regional South American brandy. This is a wonderful concoction and I'm excited to re-create it at home.If you don't own pisco, you can find it at a well-stocked liquor store or online. The pisco sour and its namesake spirit have been at the center of a centuries-old battle between Chile and Peru, with both countries claiming it their own.

Note that this recipe calls for Chilean pisco, which is sweeter, with slightly lower alcohol content than Peruvian pisco. If you substitute Peruvian pisco, increase the amount of simple syrup and lemon juice according to your taste. To get the recipe to this lovely Latin libation, read more.

Pisco Sour
From Epicurious; inspired by a cocktail consumed at Nopa

Ingredients

1 egg white
2 1/2 ounces Chilean Pisco Capel
1/2 ounce simple syrup
3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
Angostura Bitters

Directions

In cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine egg white, Pisco, simple syrup, and lemon juice.
Cover, shake vigorously for 15 seconds, and strain into six-ounce cocktail glass.
Top with a few drops of bitters.

Makes 1.

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Happy Hour: Brandy Julep

YumSugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:28:33 -0700

The weather warmed up this weekend, and a wonderfully refreshing drink was definitely a must. Looking for inspiration, I flipped through the latest issue of Imbibe magazine and came across a Brandy Julep. With a Kentucky Derby Party just around the corner, I knew I had found my drink. It's a sweet treat for a hot day, and a nice twist on a classic cocktail. To get the recipe, read more.

Note: If the day is warm enough the ice will start to melt and dilute the drink a bit. At first I was worried that it would be a problem, but soon realized that the melting ice toned down the sweetness of the drink .

Brandy Julep
From Imbibe magazine, May/June 2008

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz. brandy
1/4 oz. Jamaican (dark) rum
1 oz. simple syrup
3-4 fresh mint sprigs*
crushed ice

Directions

Fill a highball glass halfway with crushed ice.
Add ingredients and stir, bruising the mint lightly with the spoon.
Garnish with season fruits.

*Note: My mint looks dark because it is a chocolate-mint variety. It just happens to be the one that is growing rampant in my back yard, and doesn't actually have much chocolate taste at all. Any mint variety should do.

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Yummy Link: Brandied Cranberry, White Chocolate Chip Cookies

partysugar — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 05:03:33 -0800

For a grownup, gourmet version of the classic chocolate chip cookie, add brandied cranberries and white chocolate. It sounds so scrumptious! This recipe has definitely made it to my must-bake-for-the-holidays list! - Simply Recipes

Happy Hour: Domino's Side Car

YumSugar — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 13:27:18 -0700

In my early twenties, I fell in love with a drink called the Side Car. It was the perfect mix of brandy and orange liqueur, and was wonderfully tasty. However there was one small problem, every bartender I ordered from seemed to have their own version of the drink. Some contained whiskey, while others contained cognac; it was never the same thing twice. After a while I couldn't handle the inconsistency and stopped ordering it altogether. However, I couldn't handle the thought of completely cutting out such a delicious drink, so I found my own recipe. To check it out, read more

Domino's Side Car
From Domino magazine

1 1/2 oz brandy or cognac
1 oz Cointreau or Triple Sec
2 tbsp lemon juice
Lemon wedge or twist

Wet the rim of a martini glass and dip it in sugar.
Combine the brandy, Cointreau and lemon juice with ice in a cocktail shaker.
Strain into glass. Garnish with lemon.

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Definition: Pisco

partysugar — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 12:16:37 -0700

Pisco
A super potent brandy made from the distillation of Muscat grapes in Chile and Peru. Aged in special containers to prevent the liquor from absorbing either the color or flavor of the wood.

Yummy Link: Warm Chocolate Cake with Brandy Soaked Apricots

YumSugar — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:01:38 -0700

I'm not sure which part of this warm chocolate cake with brandy soaked apricots and caramel I like more. The warm chocolate or the brandy soaked apricots? Either way It's going to be delicious. - Never Bashful With Butter

Happy Hour: Strawberry Fields Forever

YumSugar — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 12:59:11 -0800

40 years ago today, The Beatles released their single Strawberry Fields Forever. Ever since then, bartenders and mixologists everywhere have come up with their own drinkable version. Although there have been several variations throughout the years, most people agree that there is only one way to mix up a Strawberry Fields Forever. To get the recipe, read more

Strawberry Fields Forever
From The Bartend

1/2 oz brandy
2 oz strawberry schnapps
carbonated water
fresh strawberries

Pour brandy and schnapps over ice in a highball glass.
Fill with carbonated water and stir.
Garnish with a strawberry and serve.

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Happy Hour: SideCar

partysugar — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 13:43:46 -0800

On Sunday night I was in the mood to test run a new cocktail. I started researching drinks but the majority were vodka-based or fancy martinis. However I felt like something classic with a non-vodka liquor as the foundation of the drink. I called my friend Emily to invite her for dinner and to ask if she had any suggestions for a different cocktail. She said she had been at the bar recently and noticed people ordering a foggy colored drink called a Sidecar. I looked it up in my cocktail book and found that it only involved three simple ingredients: brandy, triple sec, and fresh squeezed lemon juice. I had the liquor so I asked my dad to pick up some lemons on his trip to the grocery store. The Sidecar ended up being quite tasty and motivated my mom to reveal unheard, hysterically entertaining stories from her past life as a college student. If you want someone to reveal their secrets or inner most feelings, I recommend offering them one of these drinks to lower their inhibitions. To make it during your next happy hour, read more

Sidecar
From Better Homes and Garden magazine

2 ounces brandy
1/2 ounce Cointreau or Triple Sec
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 or 4 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously.
Strain into a cocktail glass. For an extra special finishing touch rim the glass with superfine sugar. To do this pour 1/2 cup of sugar onto a plate. Wet the rim of the glass with a slice of lemon and dip into sugar.

Serves 1.

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