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  Ardent Spirits, is the website for Gary and Mardee Regan. These two truly ardent spirits are recognized cocktail connoisseurs, spirit experts, authors, as well as bartending and restaurant consultants. Through this site you can find out more about who they are, what they are doing now, and what amazing things they have planned for the future. |
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Ardent Spirits is a free e-mail newsletter for anyone and everyone with an interest in cocktails, bars, bartenders, distilled spirits, and beverage-related topics. If you were forwarded this letter from somebody else, then to become a subscriber, just click here to sign up. |
Volume 10, Issue 4, February 14, 2008
by Gary Regan and Mardee Haidin Regan
© 2008, Ardent Spirits
| Moonlight Over Machu Picchu | (this is gary over machu picchu) | Cheap Date this week comes to you courtesy of | |
| Here's a little drinkie that your sweetie might like tonight. And if this is all you get for your sweetie, it will be a cheap date, indeed. |
2 1/2 ounces Pisco Acholado 1/2 ounce crème de violette 1/2 ounce Luxardo maraschino 1 ounce fresh lemon juice Shake and Strain. |
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 image courtesy of the good folks at quanya |
I'm not against
the concept of singing for my supper, though if you ever heard me belt
out a bawdy number in the wee hours of the morning you'd no doubt wonder
who would feed me for such a performance. Rather than insulting the ears
of my hosts, I'm more likely to make drinks for them. I arrive at dinner
parties armed with a bottle or two of pre-mixed cocktails and a shaker,
make a few drinks for the assembled mass, then proceed to eat to my
heart's content. It's not a bad ploy. The Marketa Cocktail |
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The Marketa Cocktail happens to be pink, so
this might be an appropriate drink to serve to your sweetie tonight,
too. (And there's a certain Essex girl who might enjoy the Marketa . . . ) |
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You just gotta love friends who love to come
over to your house and cook for you, bringing all their groceries and a
pre-printed menu with cocktail pairings. My dear friend David "Cachaça
Dave" Catania is just that kinda pal. You may have met Dave in the
store or out and about as he is one of the most passionate and hard
working people I've met in this industry. He's that crazy (but
cute) guy in flip flops who comes to the store and does 12 hour long in
store caipirina demonstrations with Mae de Ouro cachaça and even treats
you to a complete Brazilian bar b que at the same time. I
love this guy.
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LeNell's Ltd: a Wine and Spirit Boutique
416 Van Brunt Street Brooklyn, New York 11231
toll free 1 877 NO SNOBS phone 718 360 0838 fax 718 874 2733
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LeNell's column brought to you this week by Averna 
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The Hurricane CocktailOne of the standards down in New Orleans, the Hurricane was one of the first entries into the rum cocktail boom which heralded the Tiki craze of the 40's and 50's. |
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The Black Feather CocktailThis is a unique little cocktail that I created a few years ago. It is an excellent way to illustrate the the valuable role that dry vermouth can play in a properly balanced drink. I've found that it is easily enjoyed by both experienced cocktail drinkers as well as those who haven't quite built up their palate for spirits. |
| This week Robert brings us a recipe from
Beachbum Berry's Grog Log. It has absolutely nothing to do with Valentine's Day. And he also shows us a masterpiece of his very own, The Black Feather. It could tickle your sweetie's fancy, perhaps? |
This Hot Links column comes to you courtesy of
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| “I’m not talking about a cup of cheap gin splashed
over an ice cube. I’m talking satin, fire & ice, Fred Astaire in a
glass, surgical cleanliness, insight & comfort, redemption & absolution.
I’m talking a martini.” |
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Who said that? That's what we'd like to know. The quote, which we happen to think is an absolute doozy, was sent to us by a certain little gremlin in Vermont who says that he saw it in a restaurant a few years ago. We've googled all hell out of this one, but can't figure out where it came from. If you know, please tell us by writing to gary@ardentspirits.com. We'll reward you with a keychain or something like that . . . |
This Potent Quotables comes to you courtesy of
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Almond Saffron Daisy Created by Claire Smith, 2007 1 1/2 oz Belvedere Cytrus 1/2 pinch saffron 1/2 oz lemon juice 1/2 oz almond syrup Dash egg white Shake with cubed ice and strain into a
coupe glass. Garnish with a strand of saffron. |
| Claire Smith is yet another bartender from the U.K. who got herself a dandy gig with a liquor company and now flits all over the world spreading the word of the cocktail. In 2001 she won the Battle of the Giants cocktail competition, worked in London with cocktail Gods such as Dick Bradsell and Henry Bessant (who is more of a Cocktail Elvis than Cocktail God, we think), and is now the Global Communication Manager for Belvedere and Chopin vodkas. Not bad, huh? |
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| "I am constantly in awe
of the amazing and exciting things that are happening today behind so
many bars. The level of skill and creativity really is thrilling and I’m
sure there are very few jobs that could offer me this amount of constant
excitement and anticipation." Claire Smith |
This Bar Code column is brought to you by
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If you haven't joined yet, you won't know about the gigs we're letting our members in on, will you?
You might want to join now so you don't miss the next issue of the Worldwide Bartender Bulletin.
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Wanna see where some of our members work? Click Here |
| June 22/23 |
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The New York Bar Show gets better every year--don't miss the 2008 version!Details Here. Register Here. |
| July 16 - July 20 |
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| Time to make plans to head on down to the Big Easy
for the biggest cocktail event in the country. Details Here |
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Wanna sponsor a feature in Ardent Spirits? Contact theguys@ardentspirits.com
 | Just Who Are The Regans Anyway? |
| (Click the Pic to Find Out) We'd love to hear your comments about Ardent Spirits: What would you like to see more of? What would you like to see less of? Just write to we@ardentspirits.com |
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Please remember to drink safely and responsibly. |
