Brooklyn, I'm Trying

What I’m Drinking | Get Your Holiday Spirit On

Liz Norment — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 21:37:16 +0000

I get it. We’re all standing around wondering where the hell November went and also trying to figure out how to start and finish our holiday shopping all in one day trip to Manhattan. And getting into the holiday spirit? Well, that’s something that will help smooth all of this over. Trust me. And if you don’t know how to get into it, I can help guide you. Consider me your spiritual shaman, for the moment. Read on and raise a glass to the holiday spirit, and let yourself feel present, or at least, presently tipsy, for the rest of it.

Searching for that holiday spirit in North Brooklyn led us unsurprisingly into Duke’s Liquor Box, on Franklin Street. This un-pretentious boutique spirits and wine shop will help guide you through their shelves of mostly unexpected bottles to find something to talk about at your upcoming holiday parties, or an expressive mainstay on your liquour cart. We were inspired by a few bold bottles, and the cocktails they could become.

These two, dreamt up by my in-house cocktailero and good-spirits sheriff Zachary. He’ll take it from here.

The Christmas/Chanukah Connection

Winter doldrums already gnawing at your soul? Wishing you were still sunning yourself on Rockaway beach? Well, here are two cocktails sure to warm you up and keep your holiday spirits high.The first of our delicious cocktails is called the “Christmas/Chanukah Connection”. With our two base spirits being cognac and a delicious apéritive like Aperol but spicier, we add a bit of honey syrup and a combination of orange and traditional Angostura bitters. Stirred and served up with a star of anise or a flamed orange zest, this cocktail will be a perfect complement to warm you by the fire this season.

1.25 oz cognac

1.25 oz Forthave

.25 oz honey syrup

2 dashes orange bitters

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Stirred with ice. Strain into a coup glass

The Feliz Navi-Dazed

The second holiday cocktail we present here is intended to transport you back to the beach. Dubbed, “Feliz Navi-Dazed” this boozy mezcal or tequila based beverage is sure to help you endure the cold for the next few months. Combining grapefruit and lime juice, mezcal or tequila, and…. rosé (what? yes!), this beverage is a version of a citrusy Paloma but with less sugar in order to give you more room for all the sweets you can eat. It’s easy to make and is sure to be a crowd pleaser this season!

2 oz mezcal or tequila

1 oz rosé

75 oz lime juice

5 oz grapefruit juice

Shake with ice. Dirty pour into salted rocks glass

Top up with soda

Want something a little softer? Hey, I’m not judging you. (I am judging you). Here are my favorite bottles of the season, from Duke’s and one from Spirit Animal, in Williamsburg.

Primal!! By David Bowler

A wine from an ex-rocker should have a bit of grip to it. This former member of Half-Japanese, a raucous, art punk band from Maryland circa 1975 found his next-calling making what some consider to be the epitome of raw wine. Free of bullshit, negligent of boundaries, and wholly expressive of the land, the grapes, the moment. This 100% tempranillo has a high acidity and tartness, but is almost immediately balanced with semi-sweet cherries and strawberry rhubarb. Pair it with the stronger dishes on the table, or with the stronger personalities in your friend group.

Barrika Basque Cider

I suppose it’s very pase to discuss politics at a holiday party and certainly something you want to avoid around the family dinner table, but personally, I think it’s totally acceptable to bring up the political situations in other countries. Why? Because it doesn’t really mean anything to take sides and also it makes us all feel like our current situation is quite juvenile. Case in point, the Basque country, that culture with the prehistoric-looking alphabet that has not-so-silently been fighting for independence from Spain for nearly 70 years now. But beyond that, they’ve been making some of the world’s best cider for centuries. It will get people talking, and drinking, and trying to do some of the wild tricks they do with the same spirit over in the Iberian peninsula. Bring some Barrika to the table and make things feel better, for now, or for always.

Forthave Aperitivo

The world of digestifs are often lost on us. The end of a meal or an event should be punctuated, time-stamped, sniffed, sipped, and swallowed. It should be put to rest. And there have been people seeking to capture the spirits of such a transition in the evening for centuries. So let’s dive into this world of digestifs. Let’s start with this locally-made spirit from Forthave. If you haven’t yet familiarized yourself with the spicy, seductive world of Amaros, let this be your first foray. This spooky little spirit from Forthave in Bed-Stuy is based on the secret recipe of four medieval thieves. These thieves were caught stealing from plague victims in Marseille, and in exchange for clemency, they revealed their secret concoction. With notes of cinnamon, eucalyptus, and honey, it’s a smooth digestif that doesn’t need to wait for food, or thankfully, another plague, to be appreciated.

Cheers, Brooklyn.

What I’m Drinking | Summer Mezcal Cocktails

Liz Norment — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 18:25:13 +0000

Remember when tequila felt dangerous? Meet mezcal, tequila’s reckless cousin. You know the one. The one who you hear started smoking at the age of 7. The one who has been tempting you to drink on school nights. A night out with him feels like the best drug trip you’ve ever been on; it comes on slow and smooth and eases you into a state of pure, ecstatic celebration, leaving you with nothing more in the morning but a slight sense of disbelief. If tequila makes her clothes fall off, mezcal undresses her with his eyes, stripping away her inhibitions and making her beg for more, harder, faster, longer, now.

So why should you get to know mezcal? Because it feels good being bad.

Allow me to introduce yourself, in three ways and with the help of my in-house mezcalero Zach-o. Which is Mexican for Zach. He gives it to you straight, and shaken, and stirred with four approachable introductions to this smokey spirit.

Learning how to drink mezcal can seem a little intimidating at first. But once you’re armed with a few, basic ideas there’s a whole new world of flavor that opens up before you.

First off, the difference between tequila and mezcal is that tequila is derived solely from the blue agave plant, whereas the species, and ways of cooking mezcal, are much more varied. Some plants that yield mezcal take 5 years to mature, others can take up to 14 years or longer. In addition, the ways to cook mezcal, whether in clay, stone, or brick ovens, can also have an intense impact on the flavor of the final product.

Some mezcaleros choose to bake in certain fruits, herbs and (yes!) meats to give their liquor its unique flavor.

Without going off the deep end, dip your toes into the mezcal pool and don’t be afraid to broaden your palate. You’ll find that the world of mezcal is much more exotic than you could have possibly imagined.

Start, here. With our Summer Mezcal Cocktails.

Mezcal Mule

2 oz. Montelobos Mezcal

.5 oz fresh lime juice

.5 simple syrup

.5 fresh pressed

Shake and serve over fresh ice with a mint leaf garnish.

Blood Orange Mezcalarita

2 oz Montelobos Mezcal

.75 blood orange juice

.75 lime juice

.75 agave

Shake and hard pour into salted rim glass with lime garnish.

Mezcal Negroni

1.5 oz Montelobos Mezcal

1 oz Campari

1 oz Sweet Vermouth

Stir and strain over fresh ice. Garnish with orange zest.

Mezcal Neat

Pour 2 oz Montelobos Mezcal over ice. Garnish with orange zest.

What I’m Drinking | The Negroni

Liz Norment — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 18:38:44 +0000

Behold the Negroni. It’s sweet, bitter, bright, and seductive; exactly the way you should be describing your summer as you reflect upon it here in the last few days. The magic of the negroni lies in the way it’s built, combining three bold, dynamic spirits that on their own, have nothing to do with each other that somehow, with a bit of ice and some stirring, become kindred.

Here I show you how to embrace the beauty of this classic cocktail and a few ways to put your own spin on it. Build it up, stir it around, pour it out, shake it down, tear it up, make it yours.

The Classic Negroni

For the drinker with an elevated palate or the desire to get there. The magic of the Negroni lies in its balance of bitter and sweet, citrus and aromatic. It achieves this with a balanced combination of Campari, a bitter grapefruit liqueur from Italy with a bold color and exact recipe that has been kept a secret for hundreds of years. The slightly citrus and wholly bitter taste pairs perfectly with a bright, florally gin. We love Dorothy Parker or Perry’s Tot. One named after sharp, witty, New York wordsmith, Dorothy Parker gin is as complex as the woman behind the name. The other, their stronger, Navy-strength gin is named after for Matthew Calbraith Perry who served as Commandant of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a legendary figure known for his infectious spirit and impenetrable resilience. Plus, both of these spirits are distilled just down the street. Finally, we add Dolin Sweet Vermouth, a sophisticated, herbaceous and very French spirit that pulls it all together.

1oz Dorothy Parker or Perry’s Tot Gin

1oz Campari

1oz Dolin Sweet Vermouth

Add ice and stir. Pour over one big cube and garnish with a slightly burnt orange peel.

The Thorny Negroni

The negroni’s sexier, more seductive cousin, this version substitutes Cynar for Campari, an Italian liqueur made from artichokes. The result is a smoother, sexier cocktail and the audible substitution across the bar will turn just the right heads. Your response? A barely-perceptible grin, slight eyebrow raise and sip in their direction. Trust me, the rest will fall into place as your spirit slowly dissipates.

1oz Hendrick’s Gin

1 oz Cynar

1 oz Sweet Vermouth

Add ice and stir. Pour over one big ice cube and garnish with an orange peel.

OR get one made from the hands of yours truly, at Le Fanfare in Greenpoint.

The Mezcal Negroni

It’s smokey, it’s dangerous, it’s that person you turn into as soon as you leave the office on a Friday. Full of secrets and thirsty for mischief, this cocktail is the perfect pairing.

1 oz Montelobos Mezcal

1 oz Campari

1 oz Sweet Vermouth

Add ice and stir. Pour over one big ice cube and garnish with a burnt orange peel.

The Boulevardier

For the bourbon drinker. This variation of the negroni has a little age on it. It’s wiser and bolder and will make you feel as such.

2 oz 4 Roses Bourbon

3/4 oz Campari

3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth

Add ice and stir. Pour over one big ice cube and garnish with an orange peel.