Jody Kurash • January 16, 2015

Sherry, other than being a hit song for Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, is etched in many people’s minds as a sketchy elixir, along the lines of sloe gin, crème de menthe or anything else collecting dust in your grandmother’s liquor cabinet.

The most well-known brand is Harvey’s Bristol Cream, a product that may be the all-time king of cheesy advertising. In my childhood, long before I truly understood the meaning, I remember learning about women’s liberation from a Christmas commercial that aired in 1978 (available on YouTube). In this tacky classic, a woman invites herself to a man’s apartment so she can “slip something under his tree.”

Sherry remained off my radar for the next 20 years or so, until an accidental meeting when my boyfriend, Glenn Sorvisto, and I were on a three-week Iberian road trip. Our circular route stretched from Madrid to the Basque Country, then along the Portuguese coast and into Andalucía.

It was right after we crossed back into Spain from Portugal’s Algarve when – as happened many times during the trip – we got lost, ending up in the Sherry Triangle. In this region, defined by Spanish law, I had my first adult run-in with sherry.

Sherry is a fortified wine (meaning that extra alcohol is added), primarily made from Palomino, Moscatel and Pedro Ximénez grapes. The towns of Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María are the three corners of the Sherry Triangle. Sherry can only be produced in this region, and many of the bodegas (wine cellars) welcome visitors.

The limestone-based soil provides perfect conditions for growing these types of grapes. Sherry is aged and blended using a solera system, in which wine rotates through a series of older and older barrels.

Though we didn’t go to a winery, I got a delightful lecture on sherry from the host at a tapas bar where we stopped for lunch. After spending a day in Lisbon educating myself at the Port Wine Institute (and OD’ing on sangria everywhere else on the trip), I was eager to try something new.

As we nibbled on freshly cured ham, olives and egg tortillas, we were treated to samples of different sherry varieties. I always thought of sherry as sweet. My biggest surprise was finding out that roughly 90 percent is dry. And I discovered that, like Port wine, the flavor and characteristics of different sherries can vary tremendously.

I tasted sherries from both ends of the spectrum. On one side was fino, a very dry, light-bodied sherry, strawlike in color. On the other was oloroso: dark in color, rich in flavor and served with manchego cheese. In between was a nutty-flavored amontillado. To satisfy my sweet tooth, I finished with a cloying Pedro Ximénez sherry.

If you want to experience the warm ambiance of Andalucía, you don’t need to cross the pond. Just head to 7th Street, NW. Derek Brown, the man behind the Columbia Room and Eat the Rich, and his wife Chantal Tseng, formerly of the Tabard Inn, have teamed up at Mockingbird Hill, a ham and sherry bar inspired by their visits to Spain.

Complementing a selection of Spanish-influenced dishes and local hams at Mockingbird Hill are 54 varieties of sherry. The best way to start is with a sample flight, similar to my introduction in Spain. Or – as you would expect in a bar run by D.C.’s mixology power couple – you can order a sherry cocktail.

Tseng enjoys sherry in a number of ways. She recommends the Cheribita, dry fino sherry served over ice with orange bitters and a lemon peel. Sometimes she combines sherry with other spirits: “Sherry and vermouth, sherry and gin, sherry and bourbon, sherry and scotch, sherry and aged rum, sherry and tequila.” Says Tseng, “Sherry is simply versatile.”

According to Tseng, sherry mixes well in cocktails because it shares characteristics with many ingredients. “Sherry is super-complex and can taste anywhere from oyster shells, ocean spray, apples, lemongrass, chamomile, white flowers and chalk to almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, apricots, gingerbread, baking spices, chocolate, marzipan, figs, etc.,” she says.
“Sherry mixes with something and retains its personality. It gets along with so many different ingredients but never loses itself in them. It goes from an elegant accompaniment to the rich backbone of a drink depending on how you use it.”

Her favorite cocktail on the menu is the Bamboo, a combination of fino sherry and Dolin dry vermouth with a dash of orange bitters.

So it’s time to let go of all your sherry clichés and expand your horizons. Let the helpful staff at Mockingbird Hill guide you on your sherry discovery path. ?

The Bamboo

1.5 ounces fino sherry

3 ounces Dolin dry vermouth

Dash of orange bitters

Combine ingredients and stir. Garnish with a lemon peel.

You can try a Bamboo or a sherry flight at Mockingbird Hill, 1843 7th St., NW.

Jody Kurash • November 19, 2014

I remember seeing the pictures when the Petronas Twin Towers opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in the mid-1990’s overtaking the World Trade Center for the crown the world’s tallest building. I was living in the big apple at the time and all New Yorkers were astounded that someplace else could now brag about having the world’s highest skyscraper. This was a period of great upswing for New York, it was a time when then-mayor Rudy Giuliani proudly boasted on David Letterman, “Our city can kick your city’s ass.” Suddenly, a small country on the other side of the globe had stolen a little bit of thunder from New York.

With this memory etched in my mind, the Petronas towers were at the top of my must-see list when I visited Kuala Lumpur in early August. For me, the best way to experience this architectural wonder was by enjoying a few cocktails while marveling at this architectural phenomenon.

In New York, if you wanted to glance at the twin towers while enjoying a swanky drink, you headed for the legendary rainbow room in Rockefeller Center. In Kuala Lumpur, if you want an up-close view of the Petronas Towers in style, you go to Marini’s on 57.

This upscale lounge on the cutting edge of KL’s evening scene is Malaysia’s highest rooftop bar. To arrive at Marini’s you are whisked up 57 floors in seconds by a high-speed elevator. You can choose to sit outside on one of the patios or imbibe from indoors where floor-to-ceiling windows give you an almost dizzying view.

The lounge is located in the third, shorter building of the Petronas complex. The lounge wraps its way around the building, providing visitors with 360-degree views of the city skyline and an imposing view of the towers. While sitting there, you visualize Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones, scaling across building like they did in the film “Entrapment.”

Marini’s on 57 has an impressive list of signature cocktails, concocted by mixologist Junior(one name only). I started off with a chocolate espresso martini. While I usually avoid cutesy candy-flavored faux martinis, I found this one to be a cut above. Instead of being mixed with chocolate or coffee flavored vodka, this one featured Maker’s Mark Bourbon as its base spirit, which gave it a hearty full flavor.

The next drink on my list was the Mellow Sundown cocktail, a tipple conceived by Junior to celebrate the lounge’s, sunset hour, when guests can enjoy watching the sunset between the towers. This drink had a sunny taste, which came from a mixture of fruits, including pineapple, apple, lime and predominantly passionfruit. Junior mixes this cocktail with vodka to highlight the bright fruit flavors.

My favorite of the three was the 57 Sour, Junior’s twist on the classic whiskey tipple. Like a proper whiskey sour, this one was shaken with an egg white to give it a frothy texture and sprinkled with bitters for added spice. The two main differences that make this drink stand out are the addition of grapefruit juice to the standard lemon for a more rounded tart sensation and the use of honey as a sweetener which provided a robust compliment to the semi-sweet Maker’s Mark bourbon.

When Junior heard I was a tiki drink enthusiast he whipped me up a Jungle Bird, a long-forgotten tropical drink that, according to lore, was created at the Aviary bar at the Kuala Lumpur Hilton in 1978. Junior became familiar with this lost cocktail after finding the recipe in one of Jeff “Beachbum” Berry’s tiki books. For me, this drink – a combination of 5-year-old rum, Campari, pineapple and lime juice – took the cake. Campari, a bitter Italian aperitif, may seem out-of-place in a tiki drink, but somehow this odd combo of sweet yet complex rum, tropical fruits and herbs melded perfectly together.

As the day turned to dusk, I enjoyed these lovely cocktails as I watched the changing light dance across the towers. When the moon began to rise, I headed back to my hotel, knowing I’ve visited a KL’s signature landmark the way I wanted to see it – with a drink in hand.

The Jungle Bird
(Courtesy of Jeff “Beachbum” Berry)
1/2 ounce simple syrup?
1 1/2 ounces dark aged rum (Junior uses Angostura 5-year rum)
?3/4 ounce Campari?
1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice?
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice?

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine all of the ingredients except the garnish. Shake until well chilled and strain into a glass filled with ice.

Jody Kurash •

Pumpkin, along with apples, cinnamon and cloves, is one of the classic flavors of fall. The mere mention of this orange squash invokes images of the autumn harvest, jack-o-lanterns and pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving.

The incorporation of seasonal flavors and ingredients into our food and drink has made pumpkin a shining star once the leaves begin to change. Imbibers have a wide choice of delicious pumpkin beers and themed cocktails.

Some of my favorite pumpkin ales come from Schlafly in Saint Louis and Dogfish in nearby Delaware (where they spell it ‘punkin’). My only issue is that many of these beers start appearing in stores and on menus in late August and early September.

While a pint of Weyerbacher imperial pumpkin ale is fantastic on a brisk afternoon while admiring the colorful foliage, I have trouble enjoying spiced ale during D.C.’s Indian summer days – when temperatures continue to hover in the 80s. Even though Halloween is the first pumpkin holiday of fall, it is not uncommon for some of the pumpkin beers to be sold out and replaced by winter brews.

Thankfully for those who enjoy pumpkin cocktails, the selection usually remains constant through Thanksgiving.
If you like to have your pumpkin cocktail and beer in one, the Copperwood Tavern in Arlington, Va., is offering a fall-themed version of the classic flip cocktail (a heated mixture of beer, rum, egg and sugar). Copperwood’s version is forged from Cruzan rum, egg and pumpkin syrup, topped with Port City porter.

While pumpkins are usually associated with Americana, there is no shortage of international cocktails to try. For example, Daikaya, a traditional Japanese ramen shop in Chinatown, is offering a spiced pumpkin mule cocktail made with fresh pumpkin, cinnamon, clove, ginger, turmeric, lemon and bourbon.

Spanish hotspot Estadio is serving a pumpkin slushito, a mixture of scotch, pumpkin puree, black tea, lemon and beer.
A surprising one, and the most refreshing tipple I uncovered this year, is El Centro’s pumpkin margarita. At first, the idea of altering this warm-weather favorite with pumpkin seemed a bit odd, but the key to this drink is its subtleness.

Instead of using a pumpkin puree or syrup, El Centro infuses the tequila with roasted pumpkin and spices. “We like infusing tequila,” GM Joshua Gray said. “It’s fun to play around with different flavors.”

I sampled the tequila infusion on its own, and its flavor reminded me of being enveloped in a cozy poncho on a cool night in the Sierra Madre Mountains. Bartender David Constantine shared my approval. “I’d drink it straight,” he said.

The flavored liquor is mixed with agave nectar and freshly squeezed lime, then served in a pint glass with a cinnamon-sugar rim.
The result is a light and aromatic drink. The fall spices blend with the slightly peppery reposado tequila, adding some zing to the Mexican staple. The cinnamon-sugar rim adds a perfect amount of spice/sweetness to balance the tartness of the lime.

Unlike some heavy autumn elixirs, this pumpkin drink would be refreshing year-round. I just may be making pumpkin margaritas next July!

Roasted Pumpkin Spice-Infused Tequila

1 750ml bottle Sauza Blue Reposado

1.5 stars of anise

1 teaspoon cloves

1.5 half-sticks cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/16 teaspoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 29-ounce can pumpkin puree

Crush spices together using a mortar and pestle. Fold spice mixture and sugar into pumpkin puree. Spread flat onto a sheet pan lined with wax paper. Roast at 250 degrees for 30 minutes. Place cooked mixture into cheesecloth and tie tightly. Place cheesecloth-wrapped mixture into a glass mason jar. Fill with tequila. Let sit 5-7 days, agitating daily. Strain mixture.

To make a margarita, mix tequila with agave nectar and fresh lime and serve in a glass with a cinnamon-sugar rim.

Readers may sample the pumpkin margarita at either of El Centro D.F.’s locations: 1218 Wisconsin Ave., NW, and 1819 14th St., NW.

Jody Kurash • August 20, 2014

As a cocktail writer, I am often asked what my favorite drink is. What an impossible question! A multitude of factors come into play… the weather, my mood, the food, the atmosphere, the country, the bar and even what I’m wearing. For example I have an adorable green sundress that I bought in Chiapas that just begs for margaritas every time I wear it.

While drinking a glass of Saki feels so right in in the land of the rising sun, I can’t understand the thrill the beach boys in Bali feel when their girlfriends bring them bottles from Japan so they can drink it on the steamy beach here.

Circumstance also has so much to do with it. While I have come to accept the fact that I’ll never find an imperial IPA or a small batch bourbon in Bali, I still smile when I remember finding bottles of an aged Saint James rhum agricole from Martinique in a dusty roadside shop in Burkina Faso. Or the time a bartender offered me an 18 year-old Scotch in Kathmandu.

If I had to list a go-to drink, it would have to be the Negroni. Firstly, as a person that abhors overly sweet cocktails, I just love the herbaceous unique flavor. After coming of age before the resurgence of craft cocktails, I never want to drink another premixed margarita, Slurpee-tasting frozen daiquiri or a cloying pucker-flavored tipple, like a neon-green appletini.

The Negroni (a mixture of Campari, gin and red vermouth) is the polar opposite of artificially-flavored sugary tipples. I just love its herbaceous bitter, tangy taste.
The principle ingredient, Campari, an Italian bitter aperitif, is an infusion of herbs, aromatic plants and fruit in alcohol and water. It is characterized by its dark red color.
Campari was invented in 1860 by Gaspare Campari in Novara, Italy. It was originally colored with carmine dye, derived from crushed cochineal insects, which gave the drink its distinctive red color.

While those with a sweet tooth sometimes complain about the medicinal taste of the bitters, there’s something about the way the sharp orange of the Campari melds with the botanicals of the gin and the vermouth, bringing the two together.

Secondly, despite it’s Italian origins, Campari is surpisingly available in far-flung corners if the globe. I’ve imbibed a sultry Pisco-forged Negroni in Peru and savored them in the Caribbean sun in St. Lucia. I sipped one in a country club in Nairobi and sought them out in Shanghai, Dubai and all over Europe.

It is believed that the Negroni evolved from an earlier Italian cocktail called the Milano-Torino. The name comes from the ingredients – a blend of Ciano Italian vermouth from Milan, and Campari from Turin. This tipple became popular with American tourists visiting Italy during prohibition, so it became known as the Americano.

The next part of the story, like many drinking stories, may be myth or fact. A widely reported account is that the Negroni was invented in Florence, Italy, in 1919. Count Camillo Negroni invented it by asking Fosco Scarselli, the bartender at the Hotel Baglioni in Florence, to strengthen his favorite cocktail, the Americano, by adding gin, according to a New York Times article. The bartender also added an orange garnish.

Aside from the Campari, the other key ingredients to a good Negroni are the gin and the vermouth. I prefer an American-style dry gin, one that has some citrus overtones, but one that is more complex and doesn’t have quite the juniper sharpness of a London-style dry gin. My favorite is Bluecoat gin from Philadelphia. When that is not available, Bombay sapphire will fit the bill.

Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth is probably the most well-known and widely available sweet vermouth. If I were sipping sweet vermouth alone with some club soda, I would prefer to go with the more upscale, Dolin Vermouth, with it’s jammy flavor. M&R will work in a pinch.

The Negroni idled on the backburner for many decades, but it has recently enjoyed resurgence, along with many other classic cocktails. For the past two years in June, Campari and Imbibe magazine have teamed up to present a nationwide Negroni Week. Numerous bars in D.C. can mix up a fantastic version of the cocktail. It’s always a safe bet to order at any of Washington’s cocktail-centric watering holes, like Bourbonsteak in Georgetown or the Columbia Room in Mount Vernon Square. A few other surprising places that serve a smoking Negroni are Murphy’s Irish Pub in Woodley Park and Smoke and Barrel in Adams Morgan.

The Negroni

Ingredients

1 oz Gin

1 oz Campari

1 oz sweet vermouth

Directions

Place ingredients into an ice-filled shaker. Stir well. Strain into chilled cocktail glass or an ice-filled tumbler. Garnish with an orange twist or flamed orange peel.

Jody Kurash • May 9, 2014

It seems that rum and pirates are like smoke and fire – you can’t find one without the other. From the earliest rum production in the 1600s in Barbados to Captain Jack Sparrow’s fondness for the spirit in Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” trilogy, their history is tied together.

Today, liquor-store shelves are filled with brands of rum with pirate-themed monikers, the most popular being Captain Morgan, accounting for about a third of the premium rum market in the U.S. The real Captain Henry Morgan was legendary for his ruthlessness, his exorbitant thirst for liquor and his enormous success. But few know that he died an ugly death in Jamaica at the age of 53 from alcohol-related causes.

While it may have been rum that put the final nail in Morgan’s coffin after his Jamaica retirement, during his carousing on the high seas Morgan most likely imbibed other spirits. Preferring to plunder Spanish ships and villages, the richest of the time, he probably drank brandy and Madeira wines, the spirits that Spaniards consumed, while on the job.
Another rum named for a real-life buccaneer is Admiral Nelson. A British flag officer famous for his rousing leadership and unconventional battle tactics, Nelson was wounded in combat several times, losing an arm and his sight in one eye.

The best known and most notable of his victories was the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, during which he was shot and killed.

Nelson’s love for rum was so fabulous that his body was preserved in a cask of rum before it was finally laid to rest. After this incident, rum was often referred to as “Nelson’s Blood.”
The rum drink most commonly associated with pirates is “grog,” which is a misnomer. Grog was invented after the decline of piracy as a form of rationing on ships of the British Navy. Pirates consumed their often crudely distilled and harsh tasting poison straight up.

If you’d like to act like a buccaneer and enjoy a tot of rum on its own, you’re in luck. In recent years, rum has been enjoying a renaissance. Many fine rums now on the market can rival the complexity and depth of a single malt Scotch. One of my favorite sipping rums is Ron Zacapa, produced in the highlands of Guatemala. This rum took the top honors for five years in a row at the International Rum Festival. It was retired in 2003 to give other spirits a chance at the grand prize. Ron Zacapa continues to be served to the judges at the competition as a benchmark.

Other aged rums I adore are Ron del Barrilito, a craft rum produced in Puerto Rico; Chairman’s Reserve from St. Lucia; Neisson Rhum Agricole from Martinque; and Mount Gay Extra Old from Barbados.

Even with these enchanting choices, many still prefer their rum in a cocktail. The Pirate Cocktail, which originated in the venerable Esquire Drink Book, is a lovely option. Essentially a rum Manhattan, this pleasant nip preserves the character of the rum. The sweet vermouth softens the alcohol while the bitters highlight the complexity of the aged spirit. It’s a perfect coming-out drink for spring: too hearty and sublime to be a frothy summer drink, but too sultry to stay inside after winter.

**Pirate’s Cocktail**

3 ounces full-flavored aged rum

1 ounce sweet vermouth

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into
a short glass.

Jody Kurash • January 17, 2014

Peruvians are crazy for pisco. Not only is pisco, a grape brandy produced in Peru, the country’s national liquor, there are two public holidays celebrating its virtues. National Pisco Sour Day is celebrated during the first Saturday of February and National Pisco Day on the fourth Sunday of July. So one afternoon as I wandered the touristy corridor of Cuzco between the Plaza des Armes and San Blas, I wasn’t taken by surprise when I strolled by a storefront identifying itself as the Museo de Pisco (Pisco Museum). It seemed perfectly logical in this tourist mecca for a pisco museum to exist.

With its walls filled with diagrams, graphs and maps explaining the pisco-making process, distillation equipment on display, and a vast collection of bottles behind the bar, I was ready to spend a cultural day communing with this local elixir. It didn’t take long, however, to deduce that the Museo de Pisco was actually a bar disguised as a museum. This revelation did not sour my visit in any way.

While not official guides, I quickly realized that the bartending staff here had an encyclopedic knowledge about pisco and were eager to educate a gringa about their country’s pride and joy. Not only was I given a primer on the distillation process, but barman Ruben Dario educated me about the specific grape varietals used for pisco and the difference the each grape imparts on the finished product.

The bar stocks more than 40 brands of pisco, each of them with their own unique qualities. After asking several questions about the merits of different types, another bartender, Joe Rojas Garcia, was kind enough to offer me a taste of some of his favorites. As a resident of Peru, I had been drinking pisco for nine months at this point, but I had never taken the time to explore the subtle differences in various varieties.

While I was familiar with the most popular cocktails, pisco sour, Maracuayo sour (made from a local fruit), and Te Macho, (pisco and coca tea), I was instantly intrigued by the bar’s extensive cocktail menu.

Overwhelmed by all the choices, I asked Joe what he recommended. In a flirty move, he suggested the Cusquenita Linda, literally translated, “pretty little lady from Cusco.” The cocktail is a mixture of pisco, cassis, lime and aguaymanto juice.

Aguaymanto is a fruit native to Andean region of South America, also known as the capegooseberry, golden berry or Incan berry. It has a tart, yet slightly sweet, flavor. Herbalists have used it as a folk remedy for diabetes, inflammation and asthma.
Not being a fan of sweet drinks, the fruit mixture intrigued me. The red-orange drink was presented in a martini glass with a cheery star fruit garnish. The mixture of sharp Aguaymanto with the piquant blackcurrant flavor of the cassis and sour lime proved a fitting foil for the crisp, clean and tangy flavor of pisco. The overall result was a sublime and unique tipple that was captivating and refreshing at the same time.

As I savored my cocktail, a tour group arrived, and I was able to absorb another education lecture from their guide, as well as sip on a free sample of pisco punch, mixed with lime and pineapple, offered to the group. I also watched as another bartender prepared one of the many pisco infusions made in-house, which include morado (purple corn), eucalyptus, chili pepper and ginger.

It would be easy to spend an entire afternoon or evening at the Pisco Museum, engaging with the friendly staff and sampling the many delicacies. This year, Peru’s National Pisco day falls on July 28. Wherever you may be on that day, celebrate it with a South American pisco treat.

La Cusquenita Linda
2 oz Pisco
2 oz Aquaymanto juice
¼ oz Lime juice
¼ oz sugar
1 oz crème de Cassis
Mix ingredients in a shaker with ice, then pour into a martini glass. Garnish with star fruit. [gallery ids="101372,153206,153204" nav="thumbs"]

Jody Kurash • October 10, 2013

In Korea, drinking is a social art. It is enjoyed in groups, at business dinners, family celebrations and nightclubs. When people get together they often will join in for a bottle (or two or three or seven) of soju.

Soju, a rice liquor made in Korea, is the most popular spirit in the land. It is uniquely identifiable with Korea.The clear liquid has a smooth, crisp and somewhat bitter flavor. While most soju ranges in the 20-25% alcohol content, it’s potency can vary from 10% up to 45%.

While I spent most of my time in Korea, unwinding in a Buddhist monastery in the tranquil Songnisan Mountain National Park, I set aside three nights to explore the bustling fashionable metropolis of Seoul.

Curious about soju, I ask Joon-Tae Kim, my amiable host at my guesthouse in the trendy Hongdae neighborhood, for some recommendations on the best place to try Soju. Knowing that I had arrived solo, his first question was “Where are your Korean friends? ” Unbeknownst to me soju is a social tipple. He told me it would be so sad for me to drink it on my own.

Since I didn’t have a Korean posse in place, I asked Joon-tae to give me a soju tutorial. The first thing I learned is that whenever people are gathered together, usually they are joined by soju.

Drinking soju is a way of social bonding in Korea. “If I drink with you, you are my friend,” Joon-tae tells me. “When going out soju is main ingredient for a good time,”

But soju is not just for social calls, it is also an important part of a business encounters. Whether you are meeting with a client, negotiating a deal or connecting with your colleagues after work, soju is usually included. “It’s good for business relationships,” Joon-tae tells me. “It makes for a more dynamic atmosphere.”

So what to do if you don’t like soju and you’re out with your boss? Drink it, because according to Joon-tae, drinking itis a symbol of politeness.

Korea has some strict rules for drinking soju, he informs me. Some are related to their culture of respecting their elders. Generally the younger person serves the older person.

If you are receiving a glass of soju, you hold your glass with two hands, with your left palm on the bottom and your right hand around the glass. If you are pouring a glass for others, always use two hands.

It is considered rude to drink in front of your elders. You must turn to the side, so that only your profile is seen, and cover your mouth and glass with hands.

After all this formality one would think that you might sip your tipple gracefully like a fussily preparedcup of tea. This is not the case; you are expected to down the glass in one shot. And then most likely the glass will be quickly refilled. An empty glass is considered bad thing. But you never pour your own glass and you never fill a glass unless it is completely empty.

With the younger generation of Koreans, many of these rules are relaxed. Soju is often served mixed because its bitter taste is not as palatable to the youthful crowd. A popular cocktail is a slushy blend of soju with fresh fruit such as strawberry, lemon or kiwi.

My first stop on my soju adventure is Hosi Tam Tam a barwith a bohemian French theme, where I order a bottle of Jinro, the most popular brand in Korea. We drink it straight up. The liquor is potent, but not as strong as a shot of hard liquor. It is bitter and dry. I am glad to have a palate cleanser of crackers nearby.

Next it’s off to Soju Has, achic nightspot. Plush red velvet couches fill this hip lounge. We sample soju mixed in a blender with papaya. Our pitcher looks like a juicy daiquiri from the tropics. The fresh fruit masks the bitterness of the soju, but a hint of its flavor shines through giving the drink a good balance. Plus there is little sugar added which allows it to avoid tasting like a cloying sweet cocktail one would find at an Ocean City beach bar.

As the pitcher winds down, so do I, as I have an early flight to Tokyo. I won’t be experiencing a marathon round of soju drinking, that Joon-tae tells me is fairly typical. But before I turn in for the night at the guesthouse, I say farewellto my newly-minted sojufriend. [gallery ids="101492,151735,151738" nav="thumbs"]

Jody Kurash • September 25, 2013

The Negroni is my go-to cocktail. As a person who abhors overly sweet drinks, the Negroni (a mixture of Campari, gin and red vermouth) is the polar opposite of a sugary tipple like a pina colada. I just love its herbaceous bitter, tangy taste. Campari, an Italian bitter aperitif , an infusion of herbs, aromatic plants and fruit in alcohol and water. It is characterized by its dark red color.

While those with a sweet tooth sometimes complain about the medicinal taste of the bitters, there’s something about the way the sharp orange of the Campari, melds with the botanicals of the gin with the vermouth bringing the two together in sweet harmony.

A classic cocktail, dating back to the early 1900s in Italy, variations of this cocktail abound. In Peru, I have tasted the zamboni a takeoff with pisco substituted for the gin. The spicy edge of the pisco made this satisfying variation. At New York’s Saxon & Parole I tried the Champagne Negroni, which was the traditional recipe topped with champagne. It gave the drink a lighter texture and bubbly edge similar to the standard Campari and soda. And just to be cute, it was served in old-fashioned soda bottles.

During my last visit to Bandolero, Georgetown’s temple to Mexican spirits, I was intrigued by the El-Capo, a Negroni-style drink on their menu. In their South-of-the-border rendition, mezcal was substituted for the gin in the timeless recipe.

I had to ponder a moment. the idea of tequila in a Negroni, did not sound appealing at all to me, I imagined that the piquant flavor the agave would clash with the powerful Campari. Then I gave some deep thought of the possibility of mescal, a spirit I learned to love after spending a month the Mexican states of Chiapas and Oaxaca last year.

While both are Mexican spirits distilled from the agave plant, mezcal differs because the agave is roasted in an oven before the distillation process. The cooking of the agave, must like the process of making Scotch, departs a complex smoky flavor to the spirit. This could be interesting, I thought.

Bartender Matt McHale, a mescal enthusiast, described the El Capo as one of his two favorites cocktail at the bar. (The first being the award-winning Jesus Malverde, another tipple made from mezcal) He described the El Capo, which translates from Spanish into the captain, as a “Smoky Negroni.”

McHale was eager to satisfy my curiosity. I watched as he carefully crafted the drink, and stirring it, the way a proper Negroni should be made. The results did not disappoint, the smoky edge of the mescal stood out strong but was tempered buy the herbal bouquet of the Campari. The mixture exulted in an earthy, woody taste. A dash of Laphroaig Scotch gives this drink an extra punch of smokiness.

While Campari can be overpowering in many drinks, the El Capo is a very balanced cocktail. “The Campari is there,” says McHale, “But it’s not the whole drink.”

While Bandolero has quite an extensive list of tequilas and mezcals, McHale adds that it is great place to get a well-crafted cocktail, with any spirit. “We have a little something for everyone,” he says. So whether you decide to sail with “the captain,” or imbibe on the original Negroni, both are superb options at Bandalero.

El Capo

1.5 ounces
.5 Campari1 oz Carpano Antica
Splash of Laphroaig Scotch
Pour ingredients into a glass or shaker, stir, serve in an old fashioned glass.

Jody Kurash • September 12, 2013

If you walk into most liquor stores, you’ll notice quite a large space devoted to its vodka selection. Many watering holes will have a rainbow of vodkas on display behind the bar. Vodka is one of the most well-liked spirits in the United States, especially among younger drinkers. Given the tremendous popularity of vodka today, it’s hard to believe that up until the 1950s, gin and whiskey were the preferred liquors of choice.

One of the principle cocktails that propelled vodka into the limelight was the Moscow Mule, a mixture of vodka, ginger beer and lime. This classic tipple was born out of mutual convenience between two men, John Martin and Jack Morgan, in the 1940s.
Martin was trying to introduce his new product, Smirnoff vodka, in the United States. At the time Americans were accustomed to spirits with a more pronounced flavor, making it extremely difficult for Martin to sell his vodka. It is rumored that he had problems giving it away.

One day Martin was having lunch at the Cock & Bull restaurant in Los Angeles. He started a conversation with the owner Jack Morgan, who at the time was trying to sell his Cock & Bull brand of ginger beer, a product he produced on the side.
They decided to mix the two products together, and after a bit of experimentation the Moscow mule was born. Morgan had a friend who had inherited a copper factory and she was trying to unload a huge batch of copper mugs. The two men decided to promote their new concoction by serving it in copper mugs with an image of a kicking mule embossed on it. The cocktail was said to have the kick of a mule.

The Moscow mule became the house special at the Cock and Bull on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Martin set off to market his new drink to bars across the company. He had a clever scheme, which involved taking Polaroid photos of bartenders holding the distinctive copper mug along with a bottle of Smirnoff. He would leave one copy of the photo at the bar and take another photo to competing bars to show them that their competitors were selling Moscow mules.

Between 1947 and 1950 Smirnoff case columns more than tripled, and nearly doubled again in 1951, according to CocktailAtlas.com,
The Moscow mule kicked off a long period of success for Smirnoff. According to Phil Greene, founding member of the Museum of the American Cocktail, as the brand increased in popularity, Smirnoff ran many ad campaigns featuring the Moscow Mule with celebrities such as Woody Allen. The ad campaign touted that Smirnoff vodka will “leave you breathless,” a possible reference to the idea that vodka is undetectable on your breath.

The popularity of the Moscow mule encouraged Smirnoff to promote a variety of cocktails, all of which highlighted the mixability of Smirnoff with other ingredients. As time wore on, vodka became the favored spirit of many leading up to a Renaissance of new cocktails, such as the cosmopolitan, sex on the beach and whole host of drinks served in martini glasses, such as the appletini, flirtini and French martini.

Today, the Moscow mule is a cocktail that stands the test of time, even though its birthplace, the Cock and Bull has closed it doors. The original Copper Mugs are now collector’s items.

It’s a fairly simple cocktail to mix with only three ingredients. Finding the ginger beer can be a bit challenging, but most large supermarkets and better liquor stores will have it on hand. One of the most popular brands is produced by the Black Seal rum company to promote their dark and stormy cocktail. Personally, I prefer Goya ginger beer, which is a spicier than other brands.

THE MOSCOW MULE:

2 ounces vodka

3 ounces ginger beer

1/2 oz fresh lime juice

Build in mug, fill with ice, garnish with lime wedge.

Recipe courtesy of the Museum of the American
Cocktail.

www.MuseumOfTheAmericanCocktail.org

Jody Kurash • August 15, 2013

Folk heroes exist in every culture. Their fame, or sometimes notoriety, varies.In the United States some of our mythical figures like Davey Crocket or Daniel Boone are lauded for their pioneering character. Others like Billy the Kid or Calamity Jane capture the outlaw spirit of the Wild West. In Mexico one the most infamousfigures is Jesus Malverde.

Malverde, a bandit from the northernMexican state of Sinaloa, is often compared with the British legend of Robin Hood. Known as “the Angel of the Poor,” or “The Generous Bandit” Malverde was known to steal from the rich and give to poor, making him popular among the region’s underprivileged highland residents. Due to his renegade reputation, Malverde has also been adopted as the patron saint of drug traffickers and is often dubbed the “nacre-saint.”

While Malverde is not recognized by the Catholic Church, Mexicans pray to him for help or healing. Busts, necklaces and scapulars featuring Malverde’s thick bushy mustache and trademark white shirt and black tie are seen throughout the country. In shrines in Culiacan and Mexico City, Malverde’s followers line up to give homage.

Washingtonians looking to pay their respects to Malverde have the unique opportunity to toast him with his own self-named tipple. At Bandolero, M Street’s latest hot spot, one of the best cocktails on the menu, and perhaps one of the best agave-based drinks in DC, shares it moniker with the celebrated Mexican outlaw.

The Jesus Malverde, created Bar Manager Sam Babcock., is an astonishingly refreshing mixture of mescal, lime, cilantro, agave nectar, cucumber and Pork Barrel Hellfire Bitters.

In a case of which came first, like the chicken and egg, Sam confirms that this delightful drink was born before its name came about. He was researching Mexican gangsters when his interest was piqued by the story of Malverde. And since he had already created a badasscocktail with a cool green hue, he realized that his new drinkliterally fit the Spanish translation of the surname Mal (bad) Verde (green).

Imbibing in Babcock’sluscious concoction is a multi-layered experience for your taste buds. “The smokiness from the mescal and the spice from cilantro and the bitters really play nicely with the fresh cucumber and agave, “ Sam says, “ it starts off nice and fresh and clean tasting with a little bit of sweetness and finishes with a nice little punch from the smokiness of the mescal and the heat of the bitters.”

For me sampling this cocktail is like taking off on airplane, the flavor starts rolling down the runway with the first breezy sip and then really takes off with a bracing smack from the liquor and bitters. The peppery Pork Barrel Hellfire Bitters are produced locally by DC mixologist Owen Thompson, of America Eats Tavern.

While Bandoleer’s cocktail list concentrates heavily on tequila and mescal-based drinks, Babcock would like to stress that Bandolero is an excellent spot for craft cocktails of all spirits
“It’s not just a tequila bar where you go to get shots, he says . “We do lot of craft cocktails with tequila and mescal, but I want people to know that they can come in here and my bar staff will be able to make any cocktail regardless of what spirit it is.” In fact, Sam recently updated the drink menu to include a wider variety of classic cocktails. He has also added a few new gin, rye and pisco drinks, just to switch things up a bit.

So the next time you seeking a little irreverence with your cocktail, make a toast to a Mexican desperado at Bandolero.

Jesus Malverde

1.75 oz mescal
1.25 oz. cucumber juice
.5 oz fresh limejuice
.5 oz agave nectar
2. sprigs of cilantro
4 dashes Hellfire Pork Bitters

Mix ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Double strain, pour into glass and garnish with the sprig of cilantro.
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