Here's the cocktail and food menu for this great event that happened last Friday. I'll work on getting the recipes up prior to events to whet appetites for these drinks. NOTE: These recipes are for two tasting portions (i.e., one cocktail).
Peru-style Ceviche
Sawing Bunk, No. 2
2 oz. Martinique rum infused with herbs (3:1 by wt. parsley to cilantro)
1 oz. St. Germain elderflower liqueur
0.75 oz. lemon juice
0.5 oz. grapefruit juice
3 drops cilantro tincture
Shake first four ingredients and fine strain. Tincture.
Swiss Steak of Surf Clam w/ Tartar Sauce
Sundew
1.5 oz. North Shore No. 6 gin
1.5 oz. agave nectar & raspberry-infused malt vinegar (2:1 by vol. agave to vinegar)
Shake and fine strain.
Native Sweet Shrimp Mac and Cheese
Buttery Californian
2 oz. Granny Smith-Butter Spirit
1 oz. Lillet
0.5 oz. Grand Marnier
0.5 oz. lemon juice
Shake and fine strain.
Giant Scallop with Jerusalem Artichoke
Andalusia
1.75 oz. sherry, amontillado
0.5 oz. Hennessy VSOP cognac
0.5 oz. Martinique rum
3 dashes Bitters (Angostura)
1/4 oz. maple syrup (optional)
Stir and strain.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Spirited Dinner @ mk - June 10, 2008 (POST-GAME)
Here's the re-cap from this past Tuesday's dinner with Amy Smolensky (old colleague from pre-bartending days) and her friends. There were six in all. Here we go . . .
I started the ladies off with a Biter's Cocktail from "The Savoy Cocktail Book" (1930). I used Gabriel & Andreu cognac, fresh lemon sour and green Chartreuse. Dry, aperitif cocktail to get it started.
I changed the name on the menu of the next drink to Coastal Herb Cocktail because . . . well . . . Islay Herb Juice sounds like crap. I don't use a lot of herbs to infuse the vodka so that it remains subtle. 2:1 ratio of parsley and cilantro. This drink is based on a drink I did recently for starchefs.com gala in late May, Sawing Bunk, where I have the same spirit, but use lime juice instead of lemon, for a green acidity. However, with the lobster, I wanted to provide an acidity that people are familiar with when enjoying lobster. Also, rather than use some of the smoked grapefruit in the drink, I used an inland Islay malt, Caol Ila 12 yr., to provide the smoky nexus with the grapfruit.
NOTE: Of course, I've been tinkering with the drink since the dinner some more and will replace the grapefruit juice with orange juice for an even better pairing for Simmons' beautiful and tasty lobster salad.
As mentioned below, the Earthy Burg No. 4 brought me the most excitement from this week's dinner. The extraction proved better than I expected. I toned back the black tea and mushrooms because I wanted to see how the flavors worked. I bagged the drink up in my adult 'Caprisun' bags and temp'd them with the white wine.
The coolest thing about the drink for me was how the jammy strawberry flavor transitioned into the earthy mushroom. This transition plays well as mushrooms and strawberries share a number of the same aroma/odorant compounds. Also, I discovered through serendipity that my strawberry juice extraction caused a small amount of pectin to form in the spirit which ended up giving the drink a velvety smooth texture. Yum.
For the Coffee Cocktail pairing with the dessert, I used Ted Haigh's (a.k.a. Dr. Cocktail) recipe from his great book, "Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails" (2004). NOTE: if you've ever seen the movie Super Bad you've seen Haigh . . . he's the bartender who serves McLovin and the cops.
I started the ladies off with a Biter's Cocktail from "The Savoy Cocktail Book" (1930). I used Gabriel & Andreu cognac, fresh lemon sour and green Chartreuse. Dry, aperitif cocktail to get it started.
I changed the name on the menu of the next drink to Coastal Herb Cocktail because . . . well . . . Islay Herb Juice sounds like crap. I don't use a lot of herbs to infuse the vodka so that it remains subtle. 2:1 ratio of parsley and cilantro. This drink is based on a drink I did recently for starchefs.com gala in late May, Sawing Bunk, where I have the same spirit, but use lime juice instead of lemon, for a green acidity. However, with the lobster, I wanted to provide an acidity that people are familiar with when enjoying lobster. Also, rather than use some of the smoked grapefruit in the drink, I used an inland Islay malt, Caol Ila 12 yr., to provide the smoky nexus with the grapfruit.
NOTE: Of course, I've been tinkering with the drink since the dinner some more and will replace the grapefruit juice with orange juice for an even better pairing for Simmons' beautiful and tasty lobster salad.
As mentioned below, the Earthy Burg No. 4 brought me the most excitement from this week's dinner. The extraction proved better than I expected. I toned back the black tea and mushrooms because I wanted to see how the flavors worked. I bagged the drink up in my adult 'Caprisun' bags and temp'd them with the white wine.
The coolest thing about the drink for me was how the jammy strawberry flavor transitioned into the earthy mushroom. This transition plays well as mushrooms and strawberries share a number of the same aroma/odorant compounds. Also, I discovered through serendipity that my strawberry juice extraction caused a small amount of pectin to form in the spirit which ended up giving the drink a velvety smooth texture. Yum.
For the Coffee Cocktail pairing with the dessert, I used Ted Haigh's (a.k.a. Dr. Cocktail) recipe from his great book, "Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails" (2004). NOTE: if you've ever seen the movie Super Bad you've seen Haigh . . . he's the bartender who serves McLovin and the cops.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Spirited Dinner @ mk - June 10, 2008 (PRE-GAME)
Here's the menu for tonight's dinner. I'll give post-game tomorrow.
I'm really excited about this iteration of the Earthy Burg, no. 4. I'm using sous vide to extract juice from strawberries leaving behind the flesh. I'm blending that juice with my dried shiitake ratio. Tannins (black tea syrup) and aroma (strawberry-tarragon tincture) complete the drink.
No. 4 is going to be good.
aperitif
cognac, lemon sour, green chartreuse
_______
lobster
steamed and chilled maine lobster, pickled spring onions, wild watercress,
smoked grapefruit, easter egg radish, puffed rice
islay herb juice
cilantro-parsley chopin vodka, st. germain, lemon juice, grapefruit juice, caol ila 12 yr.
_______
swordfish
hardwood charcoal grilled north atlantic swordfish, braised swiss chard, roasted baby beets, whole grain mustard, beet reduction
earthy burg, no. 4
strawberry-shiitake spirit, cranberry juice, black tea syrup,
lemon juice, strawberry-tarragon tincture
_______
chocolate and cherry
bitterweet chocolate souffle cake, bing cherry sorbet, cherry-vanilla compote, anglaise
coffee cocktail
cognac, port, egg, sugar
I'm really excited about this iteration of the Earthy Burg, no. 4. I'm using sous vide to extract juice from strawberries leaving behind the flesh. I'm blending that juice with my dried shiitake ratio. Tannins (black tea syrup) and aroma (strawberry-tarragon tincture) complete the drink.
No. 4 is going to be good.
aperitif
cognac, lemon sour, green chartreuse
_______
lobster
steamed and chilled maine lobster, pickled spring onions, wild watercress,
smoked grapefruit, easter egg radish, puffed rice
islay herb juice
cilantro-parsley chopin vodka, st. germain, lemon juice, grapefruit juice, caol ila 12 yr.
_______
swordfish
hardwood charcoal grilled north atlantic swordfish, braised swiss chard, roasted baby beets, whole grain mustard, beet reduction
earthy burg, no. 4
strawberry-shiitake spirit, cranberry juice, black tea syrup,
lemon juice, strawberry-tarragon tincture
_______
chocolate and cherry
bitterweet chocolate souffle cake, bing cherry sorbet, cherry-vanilla compote, anglaise
coffee cocktail
cognac, port, egg, sugar
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Spirited Dinner @ mk - June 3, 2008
I was fortunate enough to have the compnay of five guests at the bar this week for my spirited dinner: Chris and Susie; Jane with Rebecca and Kathleen.
Here's the menu . . . my notes throughout.
aperitif
bacon whisky, sugar snap pea juice, snap syrup, lemon juice
NOTES: While not a true example of what I typically call an aperitif cocktail, this is more akin to a cocktail 'amuse'. It was the first time I got to use our house cured and smoked bacon in a drink (we have a Bradley on the roof). We used maple. 'Snap syrup' is simply the pulp from from the snap pea juice infused into a syrup. I was looking for a different medium to work my pea-cognac-whisk(e)y. See mid-course below.
________
hamachi
raw sliced yellowtail, pencil asparagus, piquillo peppers, black olive oil
oyster's last gasp
kumamoto oyster spirit, mineral water reduction, lemon juice
NOTES: As you've seen prior, I've infused oysters into everything: gin, neutral, junmai sake. My idea here was for a low alcohol neutral that is cut by a reduction of mineral water (i.e., reducing 2 L of Pellegrino down to about 240 mL). I wanted to get the texture from the TDS (total dissolved solids) and minerals to go with the 'sea life' tate of the spirit. Lemon juice is a familiar acidity for most when dealing with oysters.
I think the umami from the drink is an exciting way to set up the palate for Chef Erick Simmons' raw fish dish.
Mid-Course
snap pea bourbon sour
NOTE: I replace the snap syrup for simple and give the bourbon a green earthiness. I think it's the best I've done in showing that cognacs and whisk(e)y share many flavors. In fact, I'm looking forward to enjoying a refreshing one on a late Spring day off soon.
_______
lamb
boneless roasted rack of four story hill farm lamb, crushed fava beans, black trumpet mushrooms, baby carrots, veal reduction
earthy burg, no. 3
pomegranate-shiitake spirit, black tea syrup, lemon juice, rosemary tincture
NOTE: This is my first time using dried shiitakes and I loved the results. Much more earthiness for less (by weight) than when I use the freshies. The key is to not over do the earthiness. I left out from the spirit my typical 'black' (i.e., black peppercorns and black tea) or 'blackness' (i.e., same as before but with black trumpet mushrooms) with this style drink. I wanted to taste the shiitake unfettered.
I added cranberry and pomegranate to the black tea syrup for more tannic tartness.
________
panna cotta
lemon buttermilk panna cotta, rhubarb consomme, fresh berries, cornmeal
spring bubbles
mocato d'asti, strawberry-tarragon tincture
NOTE: Didn't want to get in the way of the subtleness of Pastry Chef Amy Sampson's dessert so I worked the nose with a spring-scented tincture.
That sounds kind of funny, doesn't it?
Finally, as a heads up: we're sold out for this upcoming Tuesday. I'm excited for the drinks as Chef's going with an entire seafood tasting menu for the next three to four weeks.
As always, at 6:30pm every Tuesday, I offer a three-course spirited dinner for $65. Max seating is eight (8) so call me (773-206-3357) to book a reservation.
Here's the menu . . . my notes throughout.
aperitif
bacon whisky, sugar snap pea juice, snap syrup, lemon juice
NOTES: While not a true example of what I typically call an aperitif cocktail, this is more akin to a cocktail 'amuse'. It was the first time I got to use our house cured and smoked bacon in a drink (we have a Bradley on the roof). We used maple. 'Snap syrup' is simply the pulp from from the snap pea juice infused into a syrup. I was looking for a different medium to work my pea-cognac-whisk(e)y. See mid-course below.
________
hamachi
raw sliced yellowtail, pencil asparagus, piquillo peppers, black olive oil
oyster's last gasp
kumamoto oyster spirit, mineral water reduction, lemon juice
NOTES: As you've seen prior, I've infused oysters into everything: gin, neutral, junmai sake. My idea here was for a low alcohol neutral that is cut by a reduction of mineral water (i.e., reducing 2 L of Pellegrino down to about 240 mL). I wanted to get the texture from the TDS (total dissolved solids) and minerals to go with the 'sea life' tate of the spirit. Lemon juice is a familiar acidity for most when dealing with oysters.
I think the umami from the drink is an exciting way to set up the palate for Chef Erick Simmons' raw fish dish.
Mid-Course
snap pea bourbon sour
NOTE: I replace the snap syrup for simple and give the bourbon a green earthiness. I think it's the best I've done in showing that cognacs and whisk(e)y share many flavors. In fact, I'm looking forward to enjoying a refreshing one on a late Spring day off soon.
_______
lamb
boneless roasted rack of four story hill farm lamb, crushed fava beans, black trumpet mushrooms, baby carrots, veal reduction
earthy burg, no. 3
pomegranate-shiitake spirit, black tea syrup, lemon juice, rosemary tincture
NOTE: This is my first time using dried shiitakes and I loved the results. Much more earthiness for less (by weight) than when I use the freshies. The key is to not over do the earthiness. I left out from the spirit my typical 'black' (i.e., black peppercorns and black tea) or 'blackness' (i.e., same as before but with black trumpet mushrooms) with this style drink. I wanted to taste the shiitake unfettered.
I added cranberry and pomegranate to the black tea syrup for more tannic tartness.
________
panna cotta
lemon buttermilk panna cotta, rhubarb consomme, fresh berries, cornmeal
spring bubbles
mocato d'asti, strawberry-tarragon tincture
NOTE: Didn't want to get in the way of the subtleness of Pastry Chef Amy Sampson's dessert so I worked the nose with a spring-scented tincture.
That sounds kind of funny, doesn't it?
Finally, as a heads up: we're sold out for this upcoming Tuesday. I'm excited for the drinks as Chef's going with an entire seafood tasting menu for the next three to four weeks.
As always, at 6:30pm every Tuesday, I offer a three-course spirited dinner for $65. Max seating is eight (8) so call me (773-206-3357) to book a reservation.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Spirited Dinner @ mk - May 13, 2008
Here's the new spirited dinner for this week. Hectic week with NRA show in town. I'm working tonight and Thursday through Sunday.
aperitif
north shore gin no. 6, lillet, orange juice, peach bitters
____________________
hamachi
raw sliced yellowtail, pencil asparagus, piquillo peppers, black olive oil
wet as an oyster
oyster-scented junmai ginjo sake, manzanilla sherry, lemon juice, agave nectar, parsley tincture
____________________
kobe
hardwood charcoal grilled kobe skirt steak, potato puree, artichokes, crispy garlic, madeira reduction
simply bored
black currant-morel-black tea spirit, lime juice, mint tincture
____________________
panna cotta
lemon buttermilk panna cotta, rhubarb consomme, fresh berries, cornmeal
tarragon zest
tarragon spirit, moscato d'asti
aperitif
north shore gin no. 6, lillet, orange juice, peach bitters
____________________
hamachi
raw sliced yellowtail, pencil asparagus, piquillo peppers, black olive oil
wet as an oyster
oyster-scented junmai ginjo sake, manzanilla sherry, lemon juice, agave nectar, parsley tincture
____________________
kobe
hardwood charcoal grilled kobe skirt steak, potato puree, artichokes, crispy garlic, madeira reduction
simply bored
black currant-morel-black tea spirit, lime juice, mint tincture
____________________
panna cotta
lemon buttermilk panna cotta, rhubarb consomme, fresh berries, cornmeal
tarragon zest
tarragon spirit, moscato d'asti
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Spirited Dinner @ mk - May 6, 2008
Here's my menu tonight. As always, one seating at 6:30 p.m. for $65 per diner. Max of eight (8) or enough to fill the bar:
aperitif
cucumber-oyster spirit, st. germain, lime juice, cilantro tincture, nam plaa
___________________
walleye
crispy skin lake erie walleye pike, pancetta, fava beans, dandelion greens and caramelized onion broth
buttery californian
granny smitth-butter spirit, lillet, grand marnier, lemon juice, olive oil
___________________
lamb
boneless roasted rack of four story hill farm lamb, crushed fava beans, black trumpet mushrooms, baby carrots, veal reduction
tannic port
cranberry-port-black spirit, black tea grenadine, tarragon spirit, lemon juice
___________________
citrus blueberry
orange blossom scented pavlova, citrus curd, blueberry sherbet
tarragon zest
tarragon spirit, moscato d'asti
aperitif
cucumber-oyster spirit, st. germain, lime juice, cilantro tincture, nam plaa
___________________
walleye
crispy skin lake erie walleye pike, pancetta, fava beans, dandelion greens and caramelized onion broth
buttery californian
granny smitth-butter spirit, lillet, grand marnier, lemon juice, olive oil
___________________
lamb
boneless roasted rack of four story hill farm lamb, crushed fava beans, black trumpet mushrooms, baby carrots, veal reduction
tannic port
cranberry-port-black spirit, black tea grenadine, tarragon spirit, lemon juice
___________________
citrus blueberry
orange blossom scented pavlova, citrus curd, blueberry sherbet
tarragon zest
tarragon spirit, moscato d'asti
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Spirited Dinner @ mk - April 29, 2008
Here's the menu for tonight's spirited dinner. As always, seating is at 6:30 p.m on Tuesday nights. $65 dollars gets you an aperitif, three courses paired with cocktails and my gesticulations.
However, if you ask nicely, I can serve these to you during the remainder of the week. Just give me a heads up and it's done.
aperitif
boneless rack of four story hill farm lamb, crushed fava beans, black trumpet mushrooms,
baby carrots, veal reduction
funky red
cranberry and blackness spirit, black tea-port-coffee bean sour, parsley tincture
***
citrus blueberry
orange blossom scented pavlova, citrus curd, blueberry sherbet
shattered bulb
fennel and orange spirit, moscato d'asti, club soda, fennel seed tincture
However, if you ask nicely, I can serve these to you during the remainder of the week. Just give me a heads up and it's done.
aperitif
cilantro vodka, st. germain, lime juice, grapefruit juice
***
walleye
crispy skin lake erie walleye pike, pancetta, fava beans, dandelion greens, carmalized onion broth
great lakes cocktail
butter and olive oil spirit, lillet, cognac, sugar, lemon juice, dandy green tincture, lavender tincture
***
lamb
***
walleye
crispy skin lake erie walleye pike, pancetta, fava beans, dandelion greens, carmalized onion broth
great lakes cocktail
butter and olive oil spirit, lillet, cognac, sugar, lemon juice, dandy green tincture, lavender tincture
***
lamb
baby carrots, veal reduction
funky red
cranberry and blackness spirit, black tea-port-coffee bean sour, parsley tincture
***
citrus blueberry
orange blossom scented pavlova, citrus curd, blueberry sherbet
shattered bulb
fennel and orange spirit, moscato d'asti, club soda, fennel seed tincture
Drinks with Sugar Snap Peas
There are those of you out there who know of my current obsession: peas. Peas are the new mint! Here's why:
I started some research last year prior to a visit to Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans on odorant compounds and Odor Activity Values (OAV) (i.e., the things that make drinks, wine and food smell and taste good) and found that peas share a lot of similar odorant compounds as whisk(e)ys and cognacs. However, since pea season ended right after making this discover, I had to sit on a number of recipes. Here's my first recipe last year with peas:
Green Kathy
1 1/2 oz. whiskey (I used Suntory Yamazaki, 12 yr. )
2 oz. sugar snap pea juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
1/4 oz. lemon juice
Shake and strain into chilled glass.
The first recipe is a drink I created for the guys at The Violet Hour. They asked if I'd like to go on a distillery tour at North Shore Distillery with the crew last Monday. I had a great time. Derek and Sonja Kassebaum were hospitable and great as always. The picture taken above was of the Violet Hour crew and me with the Kassebaum's 250L pot still.
I started some research last year prior to a visit to Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans on odorant compounds and Odor Activity Values (OAV) (i.e., the things that make drinks, wine and food smell and taste good) and found that peas share a lot of similar odorant compounds as whisk(e)ys and cognacs. However, since pea season ended right after making this discover, I had to sit on a number of recipes. Here's my first recipe last year with peas:
Green Kathy
1 1/2 oz. whiskey (I used Suntory Yamazaki, 12 yr. )
2 oz. sugar snap pea juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
1/4 oz. lemon juice
Shake and strain into chilled glass.
The first recipe is a drink I created for the guys at The Violet Hour. They asked if I'd like to go on a distillery tour at North Shore Distillery with the crew last Monday. I had a great time. Derek and Sonja Kassebaum were hospitable and great as always. The picture taken above was of the Violet Hour crew and me with the Kassebaum's 250L pot still.
Anyway, as a thank you to those at The Violet Hour, I decided to take my base pea recipe ('Green Kathy') and tweak it to make my first bacon bourbon. I made the drink (enough for 5 - 6 people), put it in a cryo-vac bag and brought to the guys last Saturday.
Twenty Beds
1 1/2 oz. bacon bourbon
2 oz. sugar snap pea juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
1/4 oz. lemon juice
Shake and strain into a chilled glass.
MOTO'S Mike Ryan was the first person in Chicago I knew of who made bacon bourbon back in 2006. And given that there are a number of people in town making bacon bourbon (e.g., Adam Seger, Peter Vestinos, et al.), I decided to stay away and do things with duck fat, et al. However, in thinking of ways to add depth to my base pea drink, I decided to throw in the towel.
I settled on Ancient Age because of it's taste and price. I added 6 oz./wt. cooked bacon to a liter of bourbon in a bag. Infused under sous vide at 173.8 F for approximately 1 1/2 hours. Strained and froze. Strained again and bottled.
The next drink was an entry to Hennessy VSOP's recent cocktail competition. This drink seeks to have the peas subtly highlight the cognac in a dry, aperitif cocktail (which was a contest stipulation). Despite timing issues during my round (none of us finished within the alloted five minutes), I think the drink turned out great.
Dismissed Pea
2 oz. Hennessy VSOP
3/4 oz. 10 Cane rum
1/2 oz. pineapple juice
1/4 oz. grapefruit juice
2 - 3 sugar snap pea pods
Muddle pea pods with pineapple and grapefruit juices. Add cognac and rum and sharply shake and strain into chilled glass. Garnish with pea tendrils.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Writing Anew; Munster Cocktail recipe
A blog spot (windycitycocktails.blogspot.com) devoted to my cocktails and food. It's been a while since I've routinely written my newsletter about cocktails and libations; I've had my head down working on cocktails and spirits that excite me. A few of you got some newsletter-ish 'updates' about what I've been doing here and there with my spirited dinners (Tuesdays @ 6:30 p.m.; aperitif and three paired courses for $65. Contact me if interested) and other fun drinks. However, after talking with family members, friends, and industry peers (local and beyond) about how many of them actually read my musings on what I quit my day job for, I thought it necessary to begin my writing anew. Also, a recent Gourmet post (see below) has more people interested in your favorite half-Thai bartender's drinks.
Besides, I'm running out of room in the journals Jamie, my wife, makes for me.
So, for those who've known my work in the past, and those whose email addresses I've collected over time, here's an quick update:
Besides, I'm running out of room in the journals Jamie, my wife, makes for me.
So, for those who've known my work in the past, and those whose email addresses I've collected over time, here's an quick update:
- Selected as 2008 "Rising Star Bar Chef" Chicago by starchefs.com. The title is currently held by Nacional 27's Adam Seger. As you may note in the picture, I had a great evening the night before eating and drinking with friends. "Who's the pale, bloated guy holding this photo shoot up?" http://www.starchefs.com/features/editors_dish/rising_stars/2008/Chicago/index.shtml#top
- Gourmet magazine likes some of the things I pour http://www.gourmet.com/winespiritsbeer/2008/04/kindercocktail
- Journalist David Tamarakin shot a video story regarding some of the taste and techniques I'm using for my spirited dinners. Here 'tis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5_E_k93p9U
Of course, I can't leave you without a recipe. This one's from some experimenting my wife and I did with cocktails and cheese.
We bought some nice Alsatian Munster cheese and a bottle of gewurztraminer to drink with it. Unfortunately, the gewurz was flabby. So, rather than drink the wine begrudgingly, I decided to combine it with some kummel (german caraway liqueur) and white wine vinegar. The vinegar gives the drink a non-citrus acidity while the kummel brings alcohol and sweetness.
It's an incredible pairing! The fruit from the wine and the kummel's caraway spice combines with the barnyard aromatics in the cheese in a great way so that you're left with this note in your mouth that makes you want to do it all over again (i.e., the vicious cycle).
Munster Cocktail
1 1/2 oz. gewurztraminer
1 1/2 oz. kummel
1 t white wine vinegar
Shake ingredients and strain into chilled cocktail glass. No garnish.
Here's to sharing thoughts about cocktails. Hope to hear from you soon.
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