The Bijou Cocktail: Chartreuse, Gin, Vermouth, Orange Bitters

I recently acquired the PDT Cocktail Book, the excellent guide by the barmen at the famous New York speakeasy. I was perusing it when I came across the Bijou Cocktail. When I saw the ingredients, I had to make it. I am glad I did.

Bijou Cocktail

To make one, combine with ice:

• 1 oz gin
• 1 oz green Chartreuse
• 1 oz sweet vermouth
• 1 dash orange bitters

and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lemon peel and a cherry.

As I was pouring the ingredients into my mixing glass, I kept thinking, "Oh gin, how I love you." (Yes, I really do talk to my liquor bottles. Well, only when they're good to me.) "Oh Chartreuse, how I love you, too." "Oh, sweet vermouth, you and me are best buds." And then I wondered, "Why have I not combined these before?"

It makes perfect sense, after all. Combine the three best ingredients out there, and you should have a good cocktail, right? Of course! Man, those PDT guys know what they're doing!

The drink is balanced, but all of the ingredients are there, quite distinct, in fact. There is a hint of orange, the cloves and cinnamon of the vermouth, and the crazy herbessence of the Chartreuse. Three of my favorite ingredients make a damn fine cocktail indeed.

The Trader Vic Variation of the Bijou

But then I saw from the PDT note that the original recipe was from 1895, so I went searching through all of my other cocktail books, and there it was in my Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide from 1965. Except that one was different. Here, Trader Vic combines equal parts gin, curacao, and French vermouth with a dash of orange bitters. French or dry vermouth is not the same as sweet, to be sure. In fact, I hardly consider them in the same family. Why they are both called vermouth is beyond me. And orange curacao and Chartreuse are nowhere near the same, either. How are these drinks even related?
 
But then Trader Vic includes the note, "Variation: Use green chartreuse instead of curacao; increase gin to 1 1/4 oz."  Ah, there's the Chartreuse. And you increase the gin because Chartreuse is so potent. After trying this version, I knew Chartreuse really was a quality mixing ingredient.

Exceptional recipes for Chartreuse aren't that prevalent. Hell, I keep it around mainly to make Last Words, which is a damn fine cocktail. But both the PDT version with equal parts gin, Chartreuse, and sweet vermouth and the Trader Vic version with 1 1/2 oz gin and 1/2 oz Chartreuse, and 1/2 oz dry vermouth are fine cocktails.

The Trader Vic version is less potent, less herbal, and more subtle, with floral hints and a cleansing finish. The PDT version is upfront and pounds on the imbiber with its honey and spices.

The Bijou Cocktail: a damn fine drink.

Modernista Cocktail: Scotch, Rum, Swedish Punsch, Herbsaint

The Modernista Cocktail comes from Ted Haigh's book Vintage Cocktails and Forgotten Spirits. To make one, combine with ice:

• 2 oz scotch
• 1/2 oz dark Jamaican rum
• 1/2 oz Swedish Punsch
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1 tsp Herbsaint
• 2 dashes orange bitters

shake well, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

It's a complex cocktail that uses no sugar, just what comes from the rum and Swedish Punsch, so be warned: it isn't a sour. It's a stout drink that is surprisingly balanced with a slightly bitter finish. While it isn't my favorite cocktail, it's an interesting additional use for Swedish Punsch, a difficult cocktail ingredient. Haigh calls it a "challenging, yet sophisticated cocktail," which is right.

For a different take, try it without the orange bitters, or only put one dash. The two dashes make it a bit too bitter, so I tried it with one dash, and it was just right. Without the bitters at all, it's too simple, and nothing comes to the front, neither the Punsch nor the bitterness.

Spirit Review: Grey Goose La Poire Vodka

I went to a party a couple of weeks ago, and my friend asked me to come to his kitchen and help him. Seems that someone else who was helping with the party had given him a case of Grey Goose La Poire Vodka to serve at the party, and my friend didn't know what to do with it. He made a punch with St. Germain, La Poire, and lemon, but it didn't taste right.

So we made a simple syrup, added more lemon, and got a tolerable punch together. Everyone loved it, in fact. To thank me for his trouble, he gave me a bottle of the stuff to take home. Heck he had three more bottles left.

So I finally got around to opening it this weekend, and decided to see how it worked in a few different drinks. First, we tried a Cosmopolitan with it, and the Cosmo was excellent. The pear added a distinctive fruit smell different from the common citrus vodka. It was delicious.

Last night, we made Cape Cods. They were good, too. Man, this stuff was turning out to be great in traditional vodka cocktails. It adds a new note that changes the flavor of everything you put it in. Basically, it adds a smell. It's still vodka--flavorless and odorless--and the La Poire Vodka adds a little of both, especially the odor part.

So tonight, I went for it on the rocks. The first sip burned and tasted like medicine. After a long day of work, a straight glass of vodka was not what I needed. But after that first sip, it mellowed, I mellowed, and I began to taste the vodka.

At first, it smells like pears. Striking, I know, but it's true. And then it begins to smell like dried bananas. Even the taste is like a cross between pears and dried bananas with a little bit of bread thrown in. It doesn't have the medicinal taste that I expect from flavored vodkas, so I recommend it as an addition to regular vodka cocktails. Even straight, it's not bad.

Drinking Houston: The Flat on Commonwealth Bar Review

I went to visit a friend the other night, and we hung out at his place on Haddon. After finishing the six pack of Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefewiezen I brought over, he suggested we walk to his neighborhood bar. I replied, "Oh, isn't Rudyard's near here?"

"Yeah, but this place is even closer. It's called The Lounge, I think."

It was closer. It was two blocks, in fact, a nice walk on a beautiful February evening in Houston. I didn't even see it at first. There is an apartment complex on Commonwealth, but directly in front of it is a small, one-story, flat-roof brick building. It looks like nothing. But there's a low sign in front that says, "The Flat."

"Is this it?"

He laughed.

Two guys were walking their shih tzu / poodle mix, and they said, "Hey, you guys ever been in here?" He tripped on the sidewalk, and muttered, "Excuse me: I'm a little drunk."

"My friend comes here. Never even seen the place myself."

"Oh, because we live in that apartment complex, and we've never been in there. We see the porch from our apartment, though."

"And you've still never been in there? Why?"

"Oh, well, I don't know. It's not really our crowd."

I didn't know what they meant. They were two young guys who both play baseball in the minor leagues who live with their girlfriends. It seemed like it could totally be their crowd.

"I've heard the frozen mojito is good, though."

And with that, I went in and met the bartender Mariah. My friend had already ordered a frozen mojito, and he told me that was what they were known for. I told him that I had heard that, so I ordered one. Mariah asked me if I wanted a floater on top, and I told her, sure. When she asked me what liquor I wanted, I was stumped. I asked about their rum selection, and all they had was their well rum, Malibu rum, and something else that I couldn't really see, but I think was Meyer's. So it's not a spirits place. Don't go in there looking for some interesting spirit or anything like that. Do like I did: order the frozen mojito and get the well rum floater. It's 6 bucks with the floater or $4 without it. The floater is worth it.

It's damn good, actually. It's like an adult slushie. It tastes nothing like a mojito, really just a mix of rum and sweet and sour. But the mint and lime garnish is a nice touch, and the thing goes down really easy. I was ready for a second one in about 15 minutes.

I didn't even ask about their beer selection, but I assume it's pretty standard. This is your typical neighborhood bar, the place where you go to get a highball or a Bud Light or a frozen mojito. They do what they do well, but they don't branch out in the beer or cocktail realm. But damn, the frozen mojito is good.

But let's talk about the space of the place, which is awesome! The inside is small, but it's tasteful, if a bit dark. The hip hop music was rather loud, and I heard that the DJ goes crazy on Monday nights, and the place gets packed. There are couches set up in little seating areas, and everything is classy, from the light fixtures to the glass panel separating the bathroom area. Really a nice touch.

The patio is great, too. It's pretty big, and had plenty of seating with a covered area, some beautiful wood, and a nice mid-century modern touch.

I am not sure, however, why the place segregated itself. All of the black people were inside while the white people were outside. That was definitely odd.

But this is a place I will go back to. I almost wish I lived in that apartment complex just so I could go drink frozen mojitos every night. Worth it.

Drinking Houston: Mongoose Versus Cobra Bar Review

One of Houston's newest cocktail bars, Mongoose Versus Cobra also has one of the best bar names in history, bar none. They also have a great draught beer program and some amazing cocktails. I went there last night for the first time, and I will definitely be back. The cocktails rival any of the best bars out there.

The building itself is part of the fun. It's an old one, a grocery store dating back to 1915, but Mongoose Versus Cobra has transformed the space into a work of art. They have recovered the brick work on the interior and used wood to highlight the brick and metals featured throughout. The huge fan, and I do mean huge, covers the entire ceiling, making it look like the ceiling is undulating.

Then there is the bar. Lots of liquors, sure, but there is also a glass case where you see some kind of experiment going on in glass vials. Not really: it's part of their draft beer selection, but it looks cool, and it highlights the unusual space itself. Frankenstein could be in development back there.

I love beer, but on this night, we went for the cocktails. On another night, I will try several of their draught beer selections, but first, I had to try the liquors. I asked what they were known for or what they could make me that was boozy and distinctive, and the guy told me that they infuse their own whiskey for their take on the Manhattan.

So I tried it, of course. It's a Chamomile Manhattan with Rittenhouse 100 Rye whiskey that has been infused with chamomile tea. They use just the perfect amount of vermouth and bitters to make a Manhattan that is truly just right. The chamomile tea doesn't really come through, but somehow it is smoother than a typical Manhattan, even though it uses the Rittenhouse 100. It must be the chamomile. And they serve it over a large block of ice with a lemon peel, which added the right finishing touches.

My friend had the Gin Rikki, which was good, too. They used Old Tom Gin and added lemon and soda to make a surprisingly balanced Rickey. The extra sweetness from the Old Tom Gin worked well.

Then I went for the Roy Orbison, a mixture of bitters, lemon, sugar, and egg white. They dry shake the egg white and then add ice separately. I love bitters, and this drink was spot on. Similar to the Bitters Bitters from Grand Prize Bar in Houston, the Roy Orbison highlights the bitters even more because it doesn't add any additional liquors. Top notch.

My friend tried the Mexican Penicillin, an up-drink with smoky Vida Mezcal and Xtabentun, a Mexican liqueur I had never heard of. It's a sweet liqueur made with honey with some anise, as well, and the touch of it in the drink gave it a complexity that mixed well with the smokiness of the Mezcal.

Overall, Mongoose Versus Cobra is one of the best cocktail bars in town. The number of amazing beers on the wall was impressive, too. And don't forget that they have Fernet Branca on tap. So if you eat a bit too much and want to settle your stomach, order a cool glass. That stuff never disappoints.

Mixology Monday: The Flipped Manhattan

I have not participated in Mixology Monday because I am not that much of a mixologist. I am still learning the craft, so I tend to follow recipes instead of making up my own. This time, I decided to join the fray.

It's sponsored by Putney Farm, a blog that specializes in food and cocktails, even incorporating all members of the family, which is awesome. I can't wait until my kids get into cocktails. Well, maybe I can wait. But food, by all means!

The challenge this Monday is inversion, to flip some cocktail on its head. There are lots of ways to do this, as Putney Farm points out. I decided to go for a classic cocktail and invert or flip the proportions.

Ta da! The Flipped Manhattan. To make one, combine with ice:

• 1 1/2 oz sweet vermouth
• 3/4 oz Angostura bitters
• 3/4 oz high proof rye or bourbon whiskey

Stir well, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Then garnish with a cherry, preferably a homemade bourbon one.

The result is a sweet vermouth drink with lots of spiciness balanced by the high proof whiskey. If you don't like sweet vermouth, you won't like this version of the Manhattan, but for those of us who use a lot of sweet vermouth in our Manhattans, it works well. Just increase the bitters to the maximum, and you have a drink to impress your Manhattan or whiskey loving friends.

The Flipped Manhattan. Cheers, Putney Farm and Mixology Monday!

Spirit Review: Tanteo Jalapeno Tequila

In general, I don't drink tequila straight. I will take the occasional shot at a party when someone hands me a lime and a glass, but I don't generally drink straight tequila. Like most of us, I grew up on Jose Cuervo or even the lesser brands.

But I have come to appreciate agave spirits, especially after having been introduced to mezcal and sotol. Still, I haven't found a great tequila to drink straight. I can drink Patron, but it doesn't have the range of flavors of whiskeys or rums that I enjoy neat or on a large piece of ice. (Please, send me recommendations or bottles. I'm always open.) So tequila has always remained a mixing spirit for me. And I love drinks with tequila, don't get me wrong.

Tanteo 100% de Agave Jalapeno Tequila is changing my perception. It's a blanco tequila, but it has been infused with real jalapenos. They take fresh jalapenos, chop them up, and put them in the tequila. Start with a good blanco tequila, and you have the ability to make greatness.

And they have. Even my dad, who has not touched tequila in all of my adult life, in general won't touch any spirit besides a  bourbon or scotch, was willing to try it, and he wanted more. This is a man who drank too much tequila in his Air Force days and claims to hate the stuff. He loved the Tanteo Jalapeno version.

Me, too. It smells like jalapenos, but not so strong that it makes you gag or anything. And then the taste is bright and sugary, but spicy and citrus-filled, as well. It's like a grapefruit and a jalapeno copulated, and there was Tanteo. Maybe that's not such a nice image, but oh well. 

I recommend it for tequila drinkers looking for something different, but also for those who claim not to like tequila. It may change their mind.

Don't discount it as a mixer, though. The Tanteo Texas Paloma substituting Tanteo Jalapeno for the regular tequila is so tasty that even my wife liked it. See her review of Absolut Peppar to find out what she normally thinks of spicy liquors.

For the Tanteo Texas Paloma recipe and more, see our video here. Oh, and if you looked at the picture above really carefully, the answer is yes, Tanteo goes very well with Jane Austen novels.