November 2011
21 posts
Skoal!
In preparation for our next LARC meeting, I am doing some research into Akvavit/aquavit as a cocktail ingredient. I stumbled on this great photo series of chefs, celebrities, bartenders and restaurant industry movers and shakers doing akvavit snaps. Given that the spirit has a very distinct taste of caraway and other herbs, as well as high alcohol volume (about 40%), some of the expressions are quite priceless.
(that is indeed Merle Haggard)
/LARC - Tanya
Bartender Profile: Misty Kalkofen →
diffordsguide.com
I’m a fan of female bartenders and was really excited to see yet another profile piece of Boston bartender Misty Kalkofen. She’s gotten a ton of press in the past few years, helped along by the success of Boston watering hole Drink.
It’s awesome to know she is in the Boston chapter of LUPEC, from whence we took our original inspiration.
Several additional stories about Misty can be found at DrinkBoston, ThirdCoastCocktails, and Bon Apetit. Her advice in that article about using cookbooks for inspiration is so true! Here’s a photo from that final article.
/LARC - Carla
London's Second Smallest Museum is Dedicated to Gin! →
foodepedia.co.uk
The second smallest museum in London is the Ginstitute, dedicated to recreating a Victorian era gin palace. While there you create a bespoke gin, depending on which botanicals you favor.
For more information on the barkeep behind this, here’s an interview with Jake Burger.
Sounds like a spot to visit in the UK!
/LARC - Carla
Beautiful Bar Menu Winner →
diffordsguide.com
I’ve just discovered this British magazine, Class, which is all about cocktail culture. It’s quite global in nature, and has a weekly email newsletter. This week featured a story about the Blythswood Square Hotel bar menu. I love what this has to say about the importance of design and creating experiences that ensure the menu contents and the menu presentation align. I SO want to try everything on this menu, too. Check out the cocktail for the dandy inside: The Chevalier Rose!
Here are photos of the man behind the book - Mal Spence from the Blythswood website.
/LARC - Carla
50 Best Bars in the the World →
drinksint.com
From Drinks International, a ranking of the top 50 bars in the world. This will now become a bit of a checklist for me, but shows I need to amp up my international travel.
So far I’ve hit #1, #4, #8 (from where we took inspiration for a creation we call the Silver Mermaid featuring Creme Yvette), #15, #19, #30, #40. Clearly I have some NY and LA work cut out for me.
Additional coverage here: SF Gate, Alcademics.
Clearly the LARC ladies need a fieldtrip!
/LARC-Carla
Ever Wondered What Music Goes with That Drink? →
drinkify.org
Winner of Music Hack Day in SF, this website allows you to put in a band or artist and see what you should be drinking. Personally, it almost seems as if it should be the other way around.
I put in one of my recent faves, Quiet Company, and was told to quaff a 4 oz. beer. Putting in Django Reinhardt I got 1 Corona. Billie Holiday yields one bottle Merlot. I didn’t get any hard booze as of yet, but let me know what you find.
/LARC - Carla
