The Cosmopolitan is by far the most requested drink at the party. There are as many variations of this drink as there are martinis. As in all martinis this drink is almost all booze. Which comes as a surprise to a few folks each year who have a ‘few’ Cosmos for the first time; and later feel a bit woozy! The Cosmos at SWANK are made with the following:
Smirnoff Citrus Twist Vodka, triple distilled, 70 proof (see my notes on Vodka & Vodka Snobs below)
Roses Lime Juice
Cranberry Juice
Triple Sec
The Cosmo Kramer, a variation of the Cosmopolitan I concocted myself a few years ago one Thursday night at Jazz In The Park. In this drink the citrus vodka is substituted with orange vodka, which is sweeter, and the Triple Sec is replaced by Blue Curacao. If you’ve seen people drinking a blue martini…it’s the Cosmo Kramer!
The Sammy Davis Jr. Martini. Heard about it, maybe even had one at a local Milwaukee nightclub? I got a hold of some candy eyeballs this year and we’re going to give it a whirl and see if it becomes a SWANK regular. Basically it’s a Cosmopolitan with some Red Bull and a candy eyeball made of bubble gum!
Vodka, not my drink of choice most of the time, but it makes the best martini in my opinion. When’s the last time you saw someone order a gin martini…? I do not profess to be an expert on the subject of vodka, just a connoisseur, bargain shopper, and at one time a bartender, who will offer his opinions on the subject. What is a vodka snob? A vodka snob to me is a person who orders a cocktail based solely on a brand name. An example would be someone who orders a cocktail, usually a mixer and specifies Absolut, Stoli, Ketel One, or another well known perceived to be a premium brand. If their brand is unavailable, they will order something completely different like a Captain & Coke. “But I like the taste of Absolut, it’s the best vodka in the world, and I can tell the difference!” Can you? In some cases yes, most you cannot. Taste is subjective and there is no right or wrong, it boils down to what you prefer.
One thing I would never recommend, and I strongly discourage anyone from doing is telling a bartender you want simply a vodka tonic. What you will end up with in doing this is a hangover and potentially vomiting depending on your level of consumption. What you are typically going to get from any bar or restaurant when you order simply a vodka tonic is rail vodka such as Popov or worse. Rail liquors are the cheapest liquors the bar can get, and most often is distilled using inferior ingredients with poor filtration, which equals impurities in the vodka that results in a hangover.
Bar lingo primer:
Most liquor in a bar falls into one of four price categories; rail being the least expensive, and Extra Top or Premium being the most expensive. Ever notice the most expensive stuff in the liquor store is on the ‘top shelf’, and the least expensive is on the bottom shelf, or ‘rail’?
$$Call: Moderately priced name brand liquors, varies by bar. Examples may be Coronet brandy, Southern Comfort, Ron Rico rum.
$$$Top Shelf: Higher priced name brands, this varies by bar. Typically Absolut, Ketel One, and Stoli.
$$$$Extra Top or Premium: The highest priced liquor in a bar, these generally add about $4 per shot to your cocktail.
So what should I order when I go out?
By all means order what tastes good to you, and whatever turns your crank. I will however provide you with some suggestions and the reasons behind them. Rather than ordering a vodka tonic, ask for a Skyy vodka tonic. This drink will probably cost you a dollar more over the rail swill the bar pours, and under most circumstances will not lead to a hangover or a less severe one depending on your level of consumption. Skyy vodka is triple distilled, which means it is put through the distillation process 3 times to eliminate impurities in the vodka which is the culprit in your hangover. Is an extra dollar worth waking up the next morning with a clear head? Rule of thumb with vodka, the more times it is distilled the less chance you will feel the urge to spend Saturday or Sunday morning at George Webb or staying in bed until the start of the Packer game. Would you buy a bottle of vodka for $6.95 at the liquor store for drinking at home and serving to your guests (I am assuming you are not in college and going making a vat of Wap)? Probably not, so why would you order it out in a bar just to save a buck?
It is for this reason I serve Skyy vodka at SWANK rather than Absolut. Skyy is less expensive, better quality, and made in the USA! And also why I use Smirnoff Citrus Twist vodka in the Cosmos instead of Absolut Citron. Smirnoff Citrus Twist is distilled 3 times, less expensive, has both lemon and lime flavors, and is 70 proof vs. 80 proof. Which in some cases is a little help to the unsuspecting sipper who does not fully comprehend they have a cocktail of almost all booze, until after the third one. Smirnoff is also made in the United States.
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Nobody Knows. Drinks are invented in bars, or they were in a time before cocktail chefs and conceptualists... and people who spent a lot of time in bars forget things! They also make things up. So there are lots of folks who've received credit for this quintessential American concoction and not a lot of proof. But odds are,Jerry Thomas did not invent it in San Francisco in 1865, and neither did Julio Richelieu in Martinez California, in 1870, and Martini di Arma di Taggia definitely didn't in New York in 1915. All we know is that it was created before 1876, when it shows up in cocktail recipe books. |
Vodkas I recommend:
There are hundreds of vodkas out there, some good, some not so good, and some downright lethal. In the past couple of years there has been a flood of so called premium vodkas hitting the liquor store shelves, in all kinds of flavors and fancy looking bottles. Far too many to keep track of unless you review liquors for a living (where do I apply) and have an opinion on. So I will focus this list on the ones I enjoy, have stocked in my personal bar at home, and would recommend.
Belvedere: Quadruple distilled rye vodka, 80 proof from Poland. Not a cheap vodka at around $25 for a 750ml bottle, but my #1 pick for a straight up vodka martini. An obscure Polish brand that was reformulated and repackaged in 1996. The absolute smoothest vodka martini I have ever had, there is no strong alcohol smell or 'alcohol burn' as they call it. If made right with just a touch of vermouth, you may think you are sipping chilled ice water!
Polar Ice: Quadruple distilled grain vodka, 80 proof from Canada. Very reasonably priced and under marketed, and difficult to find vodka. Look for the bottle with a Polar Bear on the label.
Luksusowa: Triple distilled potato vodka, 80 proof from Poland. A premium vodka at a bargain price, this is an overlooked vodka in my opinion.
Skyy:
Triple distilled grain vodka, 80 proof from the United States. When Skyy first hit the market, it was advertised as a no hangover vodka. First sold retail at $9.99 a liter, which would make this a call liquor. It’s popularity has moved this vodka to the top shelf of most bars & restaurants.
Smirnoff:
Triple distilled grain vodka, 80 proof from the United States. It’s been around forever, distilled in Stamford Connecticut no longer in Moscow Russia. Your parents drank it, and if it’s good enough for 007…it’s good enough for me. And it comes in a cool solider shaped gift bottle during the holidays.
OP: From Sweden, 70 proof. This is truly exceptional vodka blended with peach, orange, and ginger. OP has a wonderful aroma with a hint of peach...not the sick sweet smell of a can of peaches but the smell a fresh ripe peach has when you bite into one. I have been a fan since first tasting it. OP is technically an Aquavit rather than true vodka. Aquavit is strong clear Scandinavian liquor distilled from potato or grain mash and flavored with caraway seed. If you have the opportunity I recommend you try an OP tonic with a twist of orange.
Charbay Blood Orange Flavored:
From Domain Charbay Distillers in California, 90 proof. This one will cost you, but is a treat and well worth the price. This vodka has a smell and taste of blood oranges that is somewhat tart and closer to grapefruit than orange. I found this vodka years ago when it was next to impossible to find unless you ordered it on the Internet and went for over $30 for a 750ml bottle. Charbay is primarily a wine producer but has a line of flavored vodkas; the blood orange flavored is by far their best effort! Charbays unflavored 96 proof vodka was named Food & Wine Magazines 2003 vodka of the year.
Smirnoff Citrus Twist:
Triple distilled grain vodka, 70 proof from the United States. Makes an excellent mixer with tonic, and is my choice of vodka for Cosmopolitans!
Absolut Kurant: Grain vodka, 80 proof from Sweden. Flavored with Black Currants, this vodka is not widely available or popular. It has a subtle sweet berry like smell and taste that is difficult to describe. I enjoy this vodka with tonic, and cranberry juice on occasion.
Absolut Peppar: Grain vodka, 80 proof from Sweden. Also not widely available or popular, most often used for Bloody Marys. I enjoy every now and then an Absolut Peppar Gibson, which almost always generates a look of surprise from the bartender. A Gibson is a straight up martini with a cocktail onion instead of an olive.
Shakers Rose:
Grain vodka made from Minnesota wheat, 65 proof from the United States. New on the shelves in 2004, this vodka is Rose flavored and is pink in color. I have only found it at one store so far (one of my favorites) the original Otto's Wine Cask in Brown Deer. About a $25 bottle of vodka, Shakers appears to only be available in 750ml bottles, this one is not cheap.
If you have ever had rose water lemonade at Abu's on Milwaukee's East-Side, you will love this vodka. I first tried it with tonic (I try all flavored vodkas with tonic), not a good choice. I then tried it with lemonade...WOW! This is one the ladies will like, www.shakersvodka.com has some recipes on their site I will have to try out in the future. I can imagine this would
make an interesting substitute to citrus vodka in a cosmopolitan. There will definitely be a bottle of this at the next SWANK. Listed on Shakers web site is 'Shakers Winter', which they describe as a Raspberry Honey Liqueur. I have not tried it or even seen it anywhere yet, but I would love to try it!
What is Zygo?
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Besides my new favorite flavored vodka...? Zygo is the first and only energy spirit (70 proof) and a fresh new concept in the vodka category. It is ultra premium vodka that is distilled from American potatoes and boosted with a blend of taurine, d-ribose, guarana and yerba mate. These functional, revitalizing ingredients give you the energy to keep you going long into the night (or morning!). Now you can turn any traditional vodka drink into a sophisticated energy cocktail.
Icon Brands president, Ron Zier, says, “The introduction of Zygo marks the first branded offering of functional ingredients within the spirits category. Now men and women have a great tasting, mixable alternative. This marks a new age of cocktail drinking.” The great taste of Zygo is a proprietary flavor blending mandarin orange, juniper, peach and vanilla. It can be consumed straight, on the rocks or is infinitely mixable. |
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Skorppio Vodka - Is the ultra premium vodka craze getting out of hand?
I just saw this in the liquor store the other day, have not tried it…but you know I’ll break down and pick up a bottle of this stuff eventually. There is a real edible scorpion in each bottle bottle; “…a delicacy in several countries.”…so their web site boasts. Produced and bottled in England distilled 5 times from 100% single grain with farm raised scorpions.
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They even have a page on their web site with recipes and instructions on how to eat the scorpion: “With the last shot of vodka, the lucky person will get the scorpion. Take the scorpion out of the bottle, cut the stinger off (the only reason for cutting the stinger off is because it is hard as a shrimp tail), fry it in butter until crispy and serve it over a cracker with cream cheese...exotic and delicious!” “Cook your favorite rice or pasta and garnished with butter fried scorpions...original and very impressive!” If one scorpion per bottle is not enough, they have jars with 50 scorpions available. Although mentioned but not shown on their US web site (http://www.skorppio-vodka.com), the jars of 50 scorpions are available on their German web site (http://www.scorppio-vodka.com/).
My favorite drinks:
Albanese's Tavern House Red Wine - 701 E. Keefe St in Riverwest...they now sell it by the bottle!
Zygo & Tonic.
Korbel Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet
Jim Beam Black & Coke
Captain Morgan Spiced Rum & Vanilla Coke
OP & Tonic
Absolut Kurant & Tonic
Belvedere Martini Straight Up
Charbay Blood Orange & Tonic
Makers Mark Mint Julep
Knob Creek Bourbon On The Rocks
Tangle Ridge Whiskey Neat
Shakers Rose Vodka & Lemonade
Hendricks Gin & Press Cucumber Cocktail soda - OMG! Try this!
