I wish I tried that cocktail when we went to The Girl & The Fig in Sonoma last January. Next time! In the meantime, I could ask my husband to fine tune our own Ginger Basiltini based on the recipe adapted by the LA Times. If we improve it, I will share it with you.

+ photo by Glenn Koenig for Los Angeles Times

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Let’s revisit my favorite cocktails for summer besides the mojitos. I love Campari on a summer day. I often served Campari to my first friends because it is unexpected and simple to make.

I typically go for tall drink recipes. You save time this way and the alcohol level is typically lower.

A simple way to greet your friends before a BBQ is to prepare a pitcher Campari Orange.

• In a tall glass (juice glass) filled with ice cubes, pour 1 part Campari
• 3 parts of orange juice
• Garnish with an orange slice.

Campari Grapefruit is done the same way. The recipe is 1 part Campari for 3 parts of grapefruit juice. Also garnish with an orange slice.

Negroni Recipe Adaptations

When I do not mind something stronger, I sip a Negroni in an old-fashioned glass.

• Pour on the rocks,
• 1 part of gin, you can use Bombay Sapphire or Plymouth gin
• 1 part of Campari
• 1 part of sweet vermouth (red vermouth)
• Garnish with an orange slice.

If you opt for the Negroni as your signature drink, make sure you get some soda water next by to please everyone. In fact, I usually pour a tiny bit of soda water on my Negroni (not to be mistaken with an Americano, which has no gin). The tall Negroni is less bitter and more refreshing.

Even that may be too much bitter from some people. For them, you could substitute the Campari by a Punt e Mes, an Italian vermouth made by Fratelli Branca with a less bitter component. Use 1/3 gin, 1/3 Punt e Mess and 1/3 red vermouth.

Negroni Sbagliato is another more delicate Negroni version that is supposed to be popular in Italy. You make it with

• 1 part Campari
• 1 part red vermouth
• 1 part Spumante brut (or Pinot Chardonnay sparkling wine)
• Garnish with a slice of orange.

If you wish to create a more bitter version, replace the red vermouth by the Punt e Mes (1 part gin, 1 part Campari, 1 part Punt e Mess). Personally, I would not try that more intensely bitter version.

MORE:
+ 24 cocktail recipes made with Campari

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I could not wait so I am publishing the first cocktail recipe. This is the most complicated cocktail recipe that was demonstrated at the Bombay Sapphire event. The difficulty comes from its garnish. It is easy to do once you know how. This bartender’s trick will put your guests in awe for sure. It infuses the room with an exquisite aroma. You first gently hold the orange zest. you can heat a little the zest, without squeezing the zest. Then you squeeze the orange at the last minute as you lit your lighter. Voilà!

Watch the video where Merlin Griffiths explains the technique. The flamed orange zest is the ultimate garnish for the Cosmopolitan.

Merlin shows us his ultimate gin Cosmopolitan who goes lighter on the cranberry juice.

Recipe of the Sapphire Cosmopolitan

Merlin’s recipe provides a dry, tart and juicy Cosmopolitan. It is different than the drink that we are accustomed to. I will give it a try.

1. Chill your martini glass by filling it with ice cubes and soda water
2. In a mixing glass, pour a large measure of  your favorite gin – about 50 ml
3. A dash of Triple sec or Cointreau – no more than 25 ml
4. Either squeeze the juice of 3 wedges plus put the wedges in the mixing glass to get the lime oil or squeeze 1/2 a lime
5. A splash of cranberry juice, put just enough to make the drink blush. The cranberry is there to add color and a little tartness. If you crave for more cranberry, do not go over a large measure
6. Shake vigorously all the ingredients with ice
7. Throw the ice from your chilled martini glass
8. Double strain (use a bar strainer plus a small mesh strainer) to avoid watering your Cosmopolitan
9. Garnish with a flamed orange peel that you twist.

Watch the video of Sapphire Cosmopolitan here.

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+ Taverne Crescent, a Montreal eatery invites patrons to ‘pay what they want’. There is no catch, no minimum to pay or drink to buy. The restaurant co-owner said that he wants to bring joy in this difficult time. Taverne Crescent is open weekdays during lunch hour. Via CTV Montreal

+ Style Me Pretty announced the start of the DIY: The Perfect Wedding Favor contest. The winning entry will receive $500, with three runners-up receiving $100 each. Hurry up since all entries must be received by midnight on Sunday, March 15th 2009 via email.

+ Get inspired by Kathleen of Twig and Thistle. She demonstrated how to make these charming DIY Lunch Bag Favors. They are totally awesome.

+ Talking about Style ME Pretty, this superb paper menu announces the color of a stunning wedding. With the wedding season approaching, many of you will want to see the wedding pictures on Style Me Pretty.

+ No more second guess on party bites and drink for your next cocktail party with the food and beverage calculator by Real Simple. I will write a more detailed guide on that subject next week. In the meantime, check my must-have bar tools to make sure you have everything on hand.

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Fairmont’s Very Sexy Cocktail Recipe

• 1 ½ oz – Belvedere Cytrus ½ oz
• Crème de Cassis 1 ½ oz
• Fresh Sour Mix Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass.
• Add in marinated wild berries (raspberries and blackberries marinated in simple syrup).
• Top with Moët & Chandon champagne (or your favorite Champagne)

Fairmont’s Million Dollar Legs Martini Recipe

• 1 1/2 oz Malibu Rum
• 1/2 oz Chambord
• 1 oz Pineapple Juice
• Place all in a shaker & shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds.
• Strain into frozen martini glass. Garnish with raspberry & blackberry skewer.

I found these 2 recipes following Fairmont Hotels on Twitter.

A Pretty Good Travel Blog

If you like luxury travel, I encourage you to read the My Hotel Geek, a blog by my friend Isabelle in Montreal. She works in sales at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts but My Hotel Geek is her personal blog. Isabelle talks about the best of the crop in high-end hospitality. Go visit her site even if it is simply to pass a dreamy moment.

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+ I published the tastiest Asparagus risotto recipe plus the wine that we drank with it. We basically did the asparagus, mint and lemon recipe from Cook with Jamie

+ I shared my 9 Tips to Throw a Stress-Free Buffet Party for 30 to 40 Guests plus how I set up my bar station. I also tell you how to welcome your guests with icy cold sake

+ Another great idea from Martha Stewart is her Handmade Package for A Cake Slice To Go. It is cute and simple to make. You could recycle this presentation to prepare in advance your dessert servings at a big bash.

+ I had the honor to be a guest blogger on Hostess with the Mostess. I develop a Modern Apple Harvest party theme for her blog. Thanks Jennifer.

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When I saw this bottle on NOTCOT, I wished for a bottle like that at my party. I still have to taste it to form an opinion about its taste.

But one thing is for sure, you can always invent signature cocktails that will enhance the very slight creamy sweetness of the Crystal Head Vodka.

The Crystal Head Bottle

I am in awe with the glass skull bottle designed by John Alexander made by a leading European glassmaker Bruni Glass.

If you are hosting a Mad Scientists Halloween party or a pirate party, this is a must! It makes me proud to be Canadian. I did not see this amazing bottle at the SAQ yet, so I will have to investigate.

The Canadian actor Dan Aykroyd is one the owners of the distillery that produces Crystal Head Vodka, Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Ltd. You can watch Dan talk about the legend of the 13 crystal heads. Seven of the 13 heads have been found. A few heads are exhibited in museums across the globe. For the whole story, watch the video.

Simple Ideas To Enhance the Party Mood

Create a vignette next to the bar station with a few bags of plastic skulls. And make sure to stock plenty of skull and crossbones ice cubes.

SOURCING:
+ Crystal Head Vodka
+ Fred Bone Chillers Ice Cube Tray – $6 USD
+ Bag of Small Skulls – $11.95 USD
+ via NOTCOT

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Since it is Saturday night, I will share a few of my travel pictures. I told before that I enjoy staying at the Gold Floor of The Fairmont Copley Plaza when I visit Boston. I love boutique hotels but I also enjoy the pleasures and attention to details from the old luxury hotels.

Even if I am a modernist, I love history and value the treasures of classical architecture. The Oak Bar décor is reminiscent of a British Officer’s Club in the Orient. The Oak Bar at The Copley is a must for martini lovers. They cater Boston’s largest martini menus. One martini order counts for two drinks.

I enjoy the way they serve their drinks. If you order a martini, your order comes in a mini pitcher served on your own ice bucket. This is what I called entertaining in style.

Casual Chic Clothing

There is an evening dress code. I suggest observing the dress code all day. When you travel, your best bet is to wear casual chic clothing all the times. This way, you can act on impulse and be presentable for any time of bars and restaurants.

Next to the Oak Bar, you get the Oak Room, their formal dining room. The overall look of your outfit should look dressy if you wish to eat at the Oak Room in jeans. It is good to know that you can eat anything on the Oak Room menu in the Oak Bar.

The Oak Bar
p 617.267.5301 – 138 Saint James Ave, Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02116

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These fabulous tablescapes were designed by a group of event planners for their association conference. They look too great that I could not resist showing you.

The party theme was Alice in Wonderland. The results are stunning.

My Favorite Elements

The inside of the huge drum shape fixture features drawings inspired by Alice in Wonderland. The Perfect Petal created these fantastic tabletops.

The cutlery planted on the gold tumbler glass adds an unconventional touch. The plates were gorgeous.

The metallic bird with the artificial rose is so pretty. Your guests feel important when every guest has its own flower. Doing it this way serves a double  and even a triple duty. If you do something like that, you could tell your guests that this is their party favor.

Dramatic Events designed the playful garden under the umbrellas. You could recycle this concept for a graduation party, a baby shower and a girl birthday party.

Serving a drink on a jar with the cute “Drink Me” tag qualifies as making a signature drink.

A Wedding Party Blog

I came across those fabulous pictures on Sparkliatti, a three-month old blog from event planner Sasha Souza from Napa, California. I discovered her blog through Twitter.

Frances Marron photographed the event. Check the ISES in Wonderland slideshow she made for more inspirations.

>>> Sourcing:
Photo credits: Frances Marron Photography – rights reserved
Via: When The Events Industry Shows Off… [Sparkliatti]

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On each half-hour episode he’d complete an oil painting – usually a landscape with lots of “happy trees”. He made it looks so easy! Suddenly I had a great idea for a party.

Tag Team Painting with Bob

Why not host a painting party? Fine art is so refined, right? Not in this case, because in order for this party to be truly fun, alcohol is a must. Best of all, no artistic talent is needed. I call this party Tag Team Painting With Bob (Drinks on the Side).

Basically, your guests are divided into groups of two or more. The show begins and painter number one paints along with Bob. After five minutes, the next person takes over while the first imbibes. And around they go until the show is over.

The team with the best painting is declared Master Pieces and wins a prize. Caution: your guests will want to paint another one, so have supplies ready.

Party Preparations

First, rent or buy a copy of The Joy of Oil Painting. All the TV seasons are available in DVD on Bob Ross’ Web site. Skim through the episodes until you find one or two you like. Then, make a list of the paint colors and brushes ‘ole Bob uses.

You don’t need to spend lots of money and you don’t have to use oil paints. Acrylic paints in large bottles and cheap brushes are perfect. The same thing goes for canvases. They can be expensive, so substitute with large sheets of watercolor paper or poster board. Michaels is a good place to shop. And they often have coupons. A good prize is a frame for the big winner.

You need easels. I borrowed mine from a private school via a friend. You can buy tabletop easels made of foam core. Or, have your guests pull double duty as both artist and easel.

Party Time

Be sure to serve the Pisco Sours, or your favorite adult beverages, as your guests arrive. The dip and other nibbles can be set out, too. I recommend serving the dinner in between painting sets. Don’t skip on the prizes! A frame for the winner is nice – you know they’ll want to hang it over their mantle. Or, have a trophy made up. They’re very inexpensive and lots of fun.
Peace, love and painting, dude!

Menu

Feel free to go wild with this menu. The idea is munchy food to go along with our mellow, hippy artist scene. Groovy.

• Shooters, or Pisco Sours
• Cheese and Bean Dip (sounds gross but it’s awesome)
• Sliders
• Homemade Frites served in cups or the Classic Beer Batter Fish and Chips (about 3 bites per fish piece)
• Fruit (if you must)
• Rice Krispies Treats
• Chocolate cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting [Barefoot Contessa]
• All your favorite nibbles

Recipes by Jennifer Mitchell

Pisco Sours Recipe

• 3 parts Pisco (a Chilean brandy that packs a punch)
• 1 1/2 parts lemon juice
• 1 -2 tablespoons fine sugar

Cheese and Bean Dip Recipe

• One 8-ounce package cream cheese, sliced in thin slices
• One can Hormel Chili – no beans
• One package of shredded cheddar cheese
• One bunch of green onions – chopped (just the green part)
• Two bags of tortilla chips

Layer the ingredients in a baking dish in the order given – excluding the chips. Bake in a medium oven for about a half hour. Or, nuke in the microwave for about 5 minutes until melted. Serve with chips.

Sliders Recipe

Makes 12 mini hamburgers a la White Castle

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 1 package cheddar cheese slices
• One package Parker House rolls, or other type of dinner roll.

Mix the hamburger with salt and pepper. Make 12 little meatballs and flatten to form patties. Sauté the onions and set them aside. Cook up the burgers and add cheese, if desired. Place burgers on rolls, along with the onion.

>>> Sourcing:
Buy in stores: The Bob Ross Travel Easel at Micheals
Find: Store Locator of Micheals
Recipe: Classic Fish And Chips by Man-Made Food on FoodTV.ca
Recipe: Kellogg Original Rice Krispies Treats
Photo credits: Omer de Serres – art supplies pictures except the easel
Photo credit: Pisco Sour en casa by Capienzzo on Flickr – Some rights reserved
Photo credit: Cupcakes photographed by Quentin Bacon – Rights reserved picture
Guest Blogger: Jennifer Mitchell [Design Hole]

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Now that genuine Absinthe is back to the United States, the stylish entertainers have to learn how to serve this herbal alcohol concoction.

My husband’s cousin told me about a bar in Boston where they served Absinthe by dripping iced water with a stylish Absinthe Fountain. It intrigued me since I only saw and tasted the unfashionable sugar on fire method before (a no-no). So I was glad to grab an issue of Imbibe this week that made it clear to me.

Now that I am in the know, I will give you the scoop on how to properly serve absinthe to your guests. The few required tools bring back the art of formal entertaining, a decorum that is missing today. Do not be intimidated by this more elaborate service. Instead, think about it as producing a show, living an adventure for you and your guests.

What is Absinthe?

Absinthe, like pastis, is served as an aperitif. Both drinks have a strong anise (licorice) flavor.

The difference between absinthe and pastis is mostly in the alcohol level – absinthe has lots more – and the used herbal compositions. Pastis is also sweeter. Anise, fennel, lemon balm, hyssop and grande wormwood gives absinthe its distinctive taste. The fresh herbs macerate first and then are distilled.

The alcohol level ranges from 53 to 72%. Contrary to the myth, absinthe produces no hallucinating effects.

The Art of Serving Absinthe

In the old days, the service ritual contributes to the appeal of absinthe. Basically, you dissolve and dilute the absinthe in the glass using a sugared water. Several techniques can be used for slowly dripping iced water on a sugar cube positioned on a perforated spoon.

As you add the water, the pale emerald Absinthe will louche into a clouded opalescent liquid. The sugar is totally a matter of taste. The louche effect is created by the water, not the sugar. I encourage you to taste both ways. In fact, the need for sugar varies per brand. If you try a new brand, try it without sugar first or ask the waiter for advice. Use your Absinthe spoon to dissolve any remaining sugar.

The Tools

The typical recipe calls for three parts water per part of absinthe. You serve one part of absinthe in heavy glassware, often a short stem glass. Specialty stores sell absinthe glasses but any glasses by French maker La Rochere can do. The glasses have a very French country. Arthur Quentin in Montreal carries a large selection of La Rochere glassware.

You can find beautifully crafted perforated spoons that are reproductions of the early 20th century classic spoons. My favorite ones are the Feuille No. 2 Absinthe Spoon and the Toulouse-Lautrec Absinthe Spoon available at Absinthe Devils.

For a fancier look, go for the Art Deco sugar jar. Otherwise, it is time to display your silverware. Grab the silver sugar bowl with sugar tongs from your formal English tea set.

Two gracious techniques

Like I said, they are several service techniques. The most sophisticated look is definitely the Absinthe Fountain. You can buy one with two or four spigots; four is best for parties. Stock one absinthe spoon per guest plus a few extra. Place the perforated spoons in a jar until ready to serve.

Many stores sell replicas of period fountains online. Ask questions regarding the materials and dimensions before you buy because they used the same names but they are all necessary made by the same manufacturers.

Another method is the brouilleur. It is cute but can be noisy. The mechanical aspect will appeal to men. You would not need the perforated spoon if you prefer the brouilleur. Many models were designed from the simplest to the complex. A very charming option is the famous Auto Verseur originally made for Cusenier with its small see-saw to control the dripping water. Silver-plated replicas are available online. I found one at a store named Absinthe Spoon.

If you are not ready to commit yet, there is a low cost solution called the Glass in a Glass method. Basically, you place a shot glass inside an empty Absinthe glass. Fill a small carafe with iced cold water. Then let drip the fresh water, drop by drop, on the absinthe. You can still use the

What brands to taste?

Beware of imitations. Made sure you buy a genuine absinthe. If you never taste it before Lucid, Absinthe Supérieure, a brand sold in the United States, is a good choice for beginners.

The Swiss made Kübler Absinthe Superieure, comes from the Val-de-Travers where absinthe was invented in the late 19th century. First produced in 1863, Kübler Absinthe Superieure contains coriander, mint, anise and fennel among other herbs and botanicals.

If you wish to encourage a Canadian brand that produces genuine Absinthe from an old fruit-based spirits and top-quality herbs, try Tabou Absinthe (not too confused with Tabu) from Okanagan Spirits.

Setting up an Absinthe Station

At your next dinner party, I suggest you serve Absinthe for the apéro. Prepare in advance a station in your lounging area with everything you need. Pay attention to how you organize the tools. Before your give them their drinks, take the time to explain how it works to your guests. Capture their attention and start the mingling.

Sourcing:
Learn more: Lucid Absinthe Supérieure
Buy online: Absinthe Sugar Cube Holder
Buy online: Silver-plated Cusenier “See Saw” Brouilleur Replica – price: 39 £
Buy online: Toulouse-Lautrec Absinthe Spoon – price: $10.95 USD
Buy online: Absinthe Fountain Chat IV – price: $149.95 USD
Buy online: Absinthe Fountain Chat IV (little bit smaller with plastic spigots) – price: $110 USD
Via: Imbibe magazine – January / February 2008 issue

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