Tag Archives: amari

Dec21

BCS: Do You Speak Amari?

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lots and lots of amari

lots and lots of amari

At Boston Cocktail Summit, one of the seminars I knew I couldn’t miss was the Do You Speak Amari with Francesco LaFranconi seminar. We ended up tasting 15+ amari (and it is amari, not amaros) “early” in the morning (it was before noon). For a full description of the various amari, check out Treasure MA’s post. I’m going to go through some highlights as most of these amari are familiar in the LA Cocktails scene such as the ever wonderful Fernet-Branca.

 

Francesco LaFranconi

Francesco LaFranconi

Francesco LaFranconi representing Italia with his white jacket, red kerchief and green socks (not shown).

I have always heard the Italians learned the art of making amari based on French monks making liqueurs like Chartreuse and Benedictine. But then Francesco casually said it was the French who learned from the Italians. Now that is one turf war I don’t want to get into. I love Chartreuse and Benedictine as well as amari and the non-Italian amari-like liqueurs such as Becherovka.

sib

Amaro Sibilla

 

I had previously tasted Amaro Sibilla in L.A. at Baco Mercat. Bar Manager Allan Katz of Cana describes this as “cat piss.” At the seminar, I later learned the honey notes in this amaro sometimes is confusingly similar to urine. Hm, I guess I don’t love every amaro. I did wonder what this would be like in a hot toddy for the honey aspect.

Amaro

Amaro Dell’Erborista

For a much better honeyed amaro, try the Amaro Dell’Erborista. This one was much more pleasant and not ranging into the urine smell (thank goodness).

Braulio

Braulio

 

But my “new” favorite was the Braulio which I had actually tasted before in Seattle at Zig Zag. At the time, they just smuggled (I’m using the term loosely, of course) it in from Italy. But Braulio is now being imported to the States.

I still love Cynar, Meletti, Zucca and Averna but it was really nice to try Nardini, D’Abano and Nonino Quintessentia.

Now do you speak Amari?

 

Boston Cocktail Summit

© The Minty // LA Cocktails  2012

 

 

 

Nov5

The Bartender’s Handshake: Fernet Branca

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Branca minis – Menta & Fernet

 

While I was at Boston Cocktail Summit, I attended Francesco Lafranconi’s “Do You Speak Amari.” Amari is the plura of amaro, Italian liqueurs that are generally bitter and used as digestives. In the last few years, bartenders have been using amari in cocktails and I’m not talking about Fernet Branca and coca-cola.

We tasted about 15 amari ending with Fernet-Branca. Francesco casually mentioned Fratelli Branca, the company that produces the bitter minty liqueur, was not the first to make fernet which is a type of amari but they were the ones that popularized it. So much so that most people when they say fernet mean Fernet-Branca.

Fernet-Branca, even animals love it

 

Fernet Last Word – “Fernetaboutit”

 

Like any good enthusiast, I developed a taste for Fernet-Branca and I particularly like it in cocktails. Memorable ones I’ve had include a Fernet Julep I had Art Beyond the Glass earlier this year. But I tend to go back to Hanky Pankys or I might as for a Fernet Last Word. This cocktail or “Fernetaboutit” is 15 Romolo’s variation on a Last Word. Traditionally made with gin, you replace it with Fernet-Branca. I’ve had it with other fernets and it’s not the same. Also, note although I do like other maraschinos, this cocktail is best with Luxardo Maraschino. Interesting enough, Francesco  had mentioned it was the Luxardo company that first developed fernet but I need to research this more as I can’t find further information on this. I may have to go to Italy.

  • .75 oz Fernet-Branca
  • .75 oz Luxardo Maraschino
  • .75 Green Chartreuse
  • .75 lime juice

Fill a cocktail shaker with all ingredients, shake approximately half a minute like a madman than strain and serve up.

Fernet-Branca bikes

ooh, Minty Fernet-Branca bikes!

 

Lately I have discovered that the West Coast makes a mean Hanky Panky. We like our Fernet-Branca and it shows up beautifully in this cocktail. While in Boston, I had a Hanky Panky that I couldn’t figure out what it was at first. The recipe traditionally calls for a barspoon of Fernet-Branca and this bar was apparently a stickler to the recipe. It jogged my memory of the time Eric Alperin, owner of the Best American Cocktail Bar, the Varnish once asked me- how did I make make my Hanky Panky. I had confusedly answered wasn’t it gin and fernet? And he clarified if I did a barspoon or was it equal parts? And considering how perfect his was, I decided my version would be just like his- a lot of fernet!

Hanky Panky

 

  • 1.5 oz gin
  • 1.5 oz sweet vermouth
  • .75 Fernet Branca

Stir rapidly until shaker (or mixing glass) is icy cold and you can’t stand to touch it anymore. Strain and serve with an orange peel (though I used lemon in the picture as I didn’t have a handy orange around).

I’m going to tell you right now that the recipe usually calls for 2 dashes of fernet (or about .25 oz/ a barspoon). Every time I’ve had it this way, I want more. So, I upped it to .75 oz but I bet it’d be okay with 1 oz. Think of it as a Fernet Negroni (equal parts).

What is this? Americano Fernet Menta?

 

One day, I was shopping and spotted Americano Fernet Menta. First I decried the imposter but really, as we know by now, this must be a type of Fernet. I actually wouldn’t call it a variation of Branca Menta since wouldn’t they just drop the fernet from the label? Or were they talking about how minty fernet is? And it is.

Branca Menta

 

I was sent Branca Menta and Fernet-Branca since I sadly couldn’t attend the Fernet-Branca breakfast at Tales of the Cocktail.  I remember the first time I had seen Branca Menta was at the Vesper at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas. Bartender George was going to make me his Hanky Panky variation and accidentally grabbed Menta instead of Fernet-Branca. He didn’t actually use Menta but I kept an eye out for future cocktails made with Menta. I’ll be doing some cocktail R&D soon.

Fernet-Branca flashlight

 

My favorite swag from Boston Cocktail Summit. A Fernet-Branca logo flashlight! I’m using it like a bat signal at bars.

In the meantime, I really hope I get a California Fernet-Branca challenge coin soon. Do they even have them in LA?

Fernet-Branca

Fratelli Branca

© The Minty // LA Cocktails  2012

 

Mar20

Arizona Cocktail Week: Cocktail Culture & Trends

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Cocktail Culture & Trends: The US and Beyond

 

Moderated by Angus Winchester (Tanqueray Gin), the panel on Cocktail Culture and Trends: The US and the Beyond at Arizona Cocktail Week a few weeks back included panelists Andy Seymour (BAR Founder), Danny Valdez (Ron Zacapa), Todd Richman (Sidney Frank Importing), Marcos Tello (Bols Genever), Duggan McDonnell (Encanto Pisco), Aidan Demerast (Neat Bar), Sarah Mitchell (Juniper Society) and Danny Ronen (FAIR Spirits).

Angus caught us up on cocktail history. He explained America invented the cocktail in the 1800s and there was a golden age until Prohibition. Bartenders fled and people essentially forgot how to make drinks until about the 50s. That was the silver age of bartending. He’s calling our current times the bronze age. However, with the internet, this age seems to be about trends that come and go very quickly. What he’s seeing now are:

Fresh cocktails-

Even national chain restaurants like TGIFridays are doing fresh juice programs. They’re a bit of leaders with trends, having the cornerstone of flair bartending back in the 90s.

Twisted classics -

It seems every bartender is putting their own stamp on classics.

Angus asked how could we tell if it’s a genuine trend versus fashion. For instance, is it a trend if 100 bartenders are doing it or you can go to your local bar and get that “trendy” cocktail.

Andy Seymour mentioned he thought sherry and mezcal would be trendy years ago. A cocktail with mezcal, sherry, agave and Angostura bitters is very appealing now.

Sarah Mitchell explained how her Juniper Society came about. At her bar in London, she had a weekly tasting and discounted drinks. Pretty soon other bars followed suit with their own rum and agave (tequila) clubs.

The panel started discussing how vodka is not going away any time soon. It has a specific role to play.

Someone mentioned there were probably blog posts already about cocktail trends. As it so happens, I do have a post!

This distracted the panel as they started talking about how there should be a panel on “I Hate Bloggers/ I Love Bloggers.” But it did steer them to talking about how are trends being media driven. Bone Luge comes to mind. The panel seemed to agree that trends like cocktails on tap, carbonated drinks, barrel-aged cocktails were interesting but most people don’t care. Only the writers and cocktail geeks are into the trends.

And yet, we can’t help but be fascinated by cocktails from the 1880s, Madmen style cocktails, tiki, ice, bitters, punches, agave and what Angus calls bartender voodoo- resurrected old cocktails.

Todd Richman brought everything back to perspective by talking about what should matter- hospitality and how customer service comes first. The interaction between the bartender and guests is important.

 

There were a few noteworthy questions from the audience including a woman who wanted to discuss skinny cocktails as a trend. Clearly the panel was uncomfortable with this idea. They maintained as a group that spirits alone aren’t as high in calories. She insisted that she sells a ton of “vodka and fresca” which is practically calorie-free. But where is the joy of that?

We ended with Duggan instructing us to have the juice of the lemons he brought from San Francisco, reminding us what was really important — not just fresh juice was to a bar program but that we are alive and able to discuss such things.

 

Arizona Cocktail Week

Mar1

10 Signs You Might Be a Cocktailian

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Picca's Flight of the Concords

 

  • The bartender knows your favorite drink.
  • The bartender sees you walk in and immediately starts making something “interesting” and wants your opinion.
  • The bartender wants to know your specs for the cocktail you  just ordered. He knows it but wants to know how you make it.
  • You know everyone at the bar. Even if it’s the first time you’ve been there.
  • It’s not the first time a bartender has told you to put that liquor bottle in your purse.* Who needs a flask?
  • Social Networking sites like Twitter and Facebook seem to suggest only bartenders as people you know.
  • You’ve already booked your trip to Tales. [of the Cocktail, of course]
  • You think you speak the same cocktailian language. And in fact, you are. Inside jokes are common. Bone Luge is a real thing.
  • You’re really amaro right now. As you were 3 years ago. Bitters too even if it’s really more of a tincture. Or is it an infusion?
  • Shots. Tequila. Jameson. Fernet. Yes, always.

 

 

* or your man bag

 

Feb2

Kosher Amaro

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Kosher Amaro

 

When Sotto opened on Pico in West LA, they got Kosher Amaro anticipating the neighborhood would like it. As it turned out, no one has ever asked for it. But maybe they just didn’t know it’s available. A quick Google search actually turned up several amari that are considered kosher including Averna.

label is in Hebrew & Italian

This Kosher Amaro (or Liquore Amaro) is from Domenis, Cividale del Friuli, Italia. It looks like they make a few different kosher spirits including grappa, sliwovitz (plum brandy) and Sambuca.

heavy on the anise

 

I thought it was very heavy on the anise. It was nice as a shot and I would love to taste it in a cocktail. Time to head back to Sotto.

“Filed under ‘I’m really into Amaro right now.’”

 

Sotto

9575 W Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90035 – (310) 277-0210
 
Other Sotto stories
 
 
Back at Sotto – Dec 2011
 
Sotto – June 2011
 

 

Dec23

2012 Cocktail Trends

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Queen's Park Swizzle from Black Market Liquor Bar

When I was applying for my press pass for Portland Cocktail Week, I was asked what I wanted to cover. I was particularly interested in cocktail trends. Here’s what I see happening now and will continue to be strong in 2012:

  • It’s a given new restaurants will open with a custom cocktail program, venerable restaurants will revamp cocktail lists to thoughtful cocktail programs. They will at least start with a list of classic cocktails and grow from there.
  • Bartenders who follow a “farm to glass” philosophy- using fresh ingredients they buy from farmers’ markets, working more with chefs and utilizing cooking techniques, spices and unexpected flavors
  • Bartenders who make their own bitters, tinctures, infusions
  • Non-spirit based cocktails (beer cocktails, wine cocktails– like sherry and port cocktails)
  • “New” spirits like pisco, cachaca, aguardiente, baijiiu, grappa, arrack will be discovered
  • Amaros – Americans falling in love with bitter flavors versus going for sticky sweet “martinis”
  • Small-batch, independent distilling

 

I’m looking for more fine drinking in the new year! I’m hoping to get to Manhattan Cocktail Classic and Tales of the Cocktail in 2012. Also, I would love to see a cocktail week in Los Angeles. Maybe Santa will bring that for everyone next year. For more food and restaurant trends, check out this article on The Minty.

 

Happy Holidays from the Minty and LA Cocktails!