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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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Volume 10, Issue
5, February 28, 2008
by Gary Regan and Mardee Haidin Regan
© 2008 Reganomics, Inc.
Cheap Date: Cointreau Caviar
| Cheap Date |  |
Gary's Cheap Date with Cointreau Caviar
It was a cheap date for me, but not for the good folk at Cointreau--these guys assembled a bunch of bartender types in Manhattan then gave everyone a canister of 24-k gold flakes. Are these guys crazy, or what? Paul Pacult said that it reminded him of the good old days when he was dealing faro for the Forty-Niners . . .
Here's a shot of just a few of the players who were present for the event. Jim Meehan is on the far left; next to him sits Toby Cecchini, Audrey Saunders is next in line and I'm between Audrey and Paul Pacult. Next to Paul is the one and only Fernando Castellon--his Larousse Cocktails book is now available in English from amazon uk. we're told that it's pretty much a masterpiece.
The date involved molecular mixology, and since I more more less started the whole molecular movement . . . What's that? It wasn't me? Oh.
Anyway, Cointreau has come up with an incredible way in which selected bars will be able to turn Cointreau into tiny little gelatinous caviar-sized balls, complete with flecks of real gold, and although molecular isn't usually up my alley, I have to say that these things were incredibly delicious. They added a whole extra dimension to a glass of champagne--the texture was beautiful, and the flavor, well, the flavor was Cointreau--need I say more?
After the event we were taken out to Gemma for drinkies, and while most of the crowd were ordering Sidecars, a bottle behind the bar caught my eye: Lucid. The new, legal absinthe. And I hadn't tried it yet. I was there with the good folk from Cointreau, so it was only politic that I order a drink that called for their delectable liqueur, right? But that Lucid was calling my name. What do do? Make up a drink. That's what.
I ordered a Sidecar-style cocktail that called for straight rye whiskey instead of cognac, Cointreau as a sweetening agent, fresh lemon juice to add a drop of sour, and just a couple of scant dashes of Lucid as an accent. Worked like a charm. In honor of Mr. Pacult, then, we bring you
| The Faro Dealer |
| 2 ounces straight rye whiskey 3/4 ounce Cointreau 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice 2 dashes Lucid absinthe Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. |
| This Week's Cheap Date is Brought to You by |
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| The Cocktailian NOT! |
image courtesy of the good folks at quanya
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First Published in
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We don't have a Cocktailian column to bring you this time around. Sorry. However, we got to wondering what else could we might be able to steal from the San Francisco Chronicle, and we lucked out. On February 1, the Chron honored lots of bartenders in the San Francisco area, so let's take a look at what's been going down behind the stick in Fog City, huh?
Jon Bonnč, Chronicle Wine Editor (extraordinaire), kicked off the party with this piece: Bar Stars
Jane Tunks profiled Daniel Hyatt of Alembic.
Laura Compton profiled Camber Lay of Epic Roasthouse.
Tara Duggan
Carol Ness profiled Martin Cate of Forbidden Island.
Jon Bonnč (yes, him again), profiled
Carlos Yturria and Dominic Venegas
And the Bar Stars issue was nicely rounded out with a piece by Karola Saekel about Legendary Veteran Bartenders in San Francisco.
There, now, wasn't that a whole lot more fun than one measly Cocktailian? Thought so.
| This Week's Cocktailian NOT! is Brought to You by |
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| Potent Quotables |
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Turns
out that this book,
Alcoholica Esoterica, was
probably the source of the quote we brought to you in the last issue
| “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.” |
Unfortunately the book lists the quote as being from an anonymous source, so we're none the wiser, really.
Regans' Orange Bitters T-shirts to all these guys! Thanks!
| This Week's Potent Quotables is Brought to You by |
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| Bar Code |
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Our Bar Code this week takes
the form of a peculiar letter sent to us anonymously by a certain Dave Belknap
in Redwood City. Sort of made us wonder what kinda things go down in
Redwood City . . .
Dear Dr. Regan: I'm finding that my first
bottle of Regan's Orange Bitters No. 6 is nearly finished. By my calculations,
it will only have lasted about 10 weeks. My concern is that I am overdoing it.
My taste buds say, "no," but my (weak, by any standard) left brain questions my
"excitability" and suggests that it's possible. What do you say, Doctor?
Anxious in Redwood City, Dave & The Mrs. Belknap
In our 'umble opinion, there's only one reply for the
anonymous Dave Belknap. Here's what we told him.
Dear Mister Belknap:
The question you need to ask yourself is are you putting too much bitters into
your cocktails, or are you simply drinking far too many cocktails? Answer
this question, and I believe you’ll know what to do, good sir.. Sympathies
to The Mrs. Belknap.
| This Week's Bar Code is Brought to You by |
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| Worldwide Bartender Database |
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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.
Join the Worldwide Bartender Database
Wanna see where some of our members work?
Click Here
| Ardent Events Calendar |
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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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| The biggest cocktail event in the country--don
't miss it. Details Here |
| This Week's Events Calendar is Brought to You by |
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 | Just Who Are The Regans Anyway? |
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Please remember to drink safely and responsibly. |
