Tickled Pink Over Yellow Tail Bubbly

Like many cool Australian things we’ve embraced (Nicole Kidman, Men at Work, the blooming onion at Outback) the family of [Yellow Tail] wines has been giving us ‘cheap thrills’ for about a decade.

We can't turn on the radio, TV or Internet without hearing words like "economy," "crisis" and "recession" ... which is kind of a 'buzz kill' when you fork over anywhere from $12 – 18 for a single sparkling cocktail. Therefore, join me in jumping for joy over the newly launched Yellow Tail Sparkling Rosé. A whole bottle runs barely over $10 - and it tastes quite yummy.

I first noted rose petals tickling the tip of my tongue, followed by a tinge of grapefruit. This sparkling rosé is sweet enough to be served after dinner or at a girly brunch (such as a bridal shower). However, it is not sickly sweet. It is dry enough to be palatable. Being affordable is merely a pleasant side effect.

As for those sparkling cocktails, here's suggestion from The Liquid Muse Mixology: Rim the champagne flute with granulated suger, add a dash of peach bitters to the chilled rosé and garnish with a wild hibiscus flower in syrup. Its thrify and nifty and the crowd will love it.

Daily Recap Webisode #1: Welcome to Tales!

Sponsored by Martin Miller's gin

In this episode:

- Ann Rogers Tunnerman gives the Tales of the Cocktail history
- Kevin Brauch of The Thirsty Traveler flashes his pecs
- Sexy Beefeater gin girls pose for the camera
- Andrea Thornton gives a little Hotel Monteleone history
- Martin Miller's gin co-founder, David Bromige, tells us about his brand

Also meet:

- Diego Loret de Mola from Barsol Pisco
- Robert Hess of DrinkBoy.com and the Cocktail Spirit Show with the Small Screen Network
- Michael Silvers of Uber Bar Tools

The First Ever, Soon-to-be Annual Swag Off!!!

Ok, this was totally under the radar, and you had to kinda hear about it by chance... so don't be offended if you weren't there...

My pal - both online AND now in person, thanks to Tales '08 - the dynamic Mr. Jeffrey Morgenthaler had the brilliant idea to create a cocktail competition using only what was found in his Swag Bag.

He enlisted his other pal, Oregon-based writer Lizzie Caston to report on the event. And, of course, I made sure to get it as a feature presentation in my "Daily Recap Webisodes." There are even three all-star judges from around the country... (two belong to the lovely and talented "Ladies of Lupec Boston."

Read Lizzie's article on Jeff's blog, and catch the video on mine, click on Episode 4.

(Photo is courtesy of Lizzie Caston and Jeffrey Morgenthaler)

Another Lady Cocktail Blogger Hits the Airwaves...

Martini Talk has joined us online. It is a pleasure to sip alongside yet another well-written, female-inspired drinking blog.

So, raise a 'tini' drink with me and welcome Christa Vagnozzi to the blogosphere!

Try the Nolita Heat at the Cocktail Hour

Give your liver a break and try my non-alcoholic cocktail today at Tales of the Cocktail!

NOLitA Heat
(Property of The Liquid Muse Virgin Mixology®)

3-4 jalapeno slices
1/2 ounce limejuice
1/3 ounce Prickly Pear syrup
2 ounces mango juice
Fre alcohol-removed Brut sparkling wine
1 skewered whole jalapeño or Thai chili
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Rim chilled champagne flute with sugar, set aside. Muddle jalapeno slices, limejuice and a pinch of sugar in a mixing glass. Add ice and mango juice, shake vigorously, and strain into the champagne flute. Slowly pour in Prickly Pear syrup, allowing it to settle on the bottom of the glass. Gently top with Fre Brut, and garnish with a skewered jalapeño or Thai chili on the side of the glass.

All On the Same Page

Green is the new black – and the new brown, and mauve, etc. We’ve known this for a while, now. And, with all the new organic / sustainable / green products on the market, it seems that we are all gravitating toward the same ones!

For example, as seen in this post about The Liquid Muse Sustainable Sips cocktail classes, I feature:

- Bonterra wine
- Square One organic vodka
- Bluecoat gin
- Veev Acai Liqueur
- 4 Copas organic tequila

Each of the above (except for Bonterra) - and only the above - were highlighted at The Green Tasting Room last night at Tales of the Cocktail. Obviously, I’m a fan of each so I’m certainly not complaining – give me more of my favorite eco-friendly booze!

But it got me wondering - are these “the” greenies to be using? Does anyone have other green / sustainable liquors to recommend?

Star Struck!

Hollywood has the Oscars for A-List celebrity sightings, and we have Tales of the Cocktail.

Nearly every industry leader is here and it is just a thrill, an honor and a hoot to rub shoulders with the most respected names in our field. Dave Wondrich described this as our “prom,” which is a great analogy. I’d add an ounce of Academy Awards, garnish it with “summer camp,” and wash it down with a “spring break” chaser. This year seems more glamorous than ever - Cherry Herring even had designer dresses paired with cocktails!

Come on down, next year, and you’ll see what I mean. Just don’t forget your sunglasses and telescopic lens.

Eat, Drink and Raise Money for a fellow Bartender in Crisis!

Bastille Day Becomes "BalshStille Day" to Help A Friend In Need

Join Foodie and Cocktail-Loving Angelenos opening their hearts and wallets this Monday, July 14 at The Foundry on Melrose in honor of Willy Balsh.

Balsh, a recent culinary school graduate, dreamed of one day becoming a restaurateur. Upon proving his skills during an externship at Craft, he was offered a position at the famed eatery, and worked as a waiter at night in another Westwood restaurant to keep on top of his bills.

In late May, while riding his Vespa along busy Olympic Boulevard, he was struck by a car making a left hand turn and immediately rushed to Cedar-Sinai Hospital’s ICU. He suffered swelling of the brain, leg lacerations and a collapsed lung. A piece of his skull had to be removed and after 3 weeks of recovery, he woke up. By sheer force of inner strength, he is recovering and awaiting the next round of surgeries.

Like many of our brothers and sisters working in the restaurant industry, Willy does not have health insurance. Not only will his physical recovery be a long one but the road to fiscal healing is going to be tough.

I am proud to say that the troops out here in LA-LA-land have rallied and invite you to take part in their dining and drinking fundraiser in honor of their friend. It is going to be a great night filled with our top mixologists, bartenders and chefs. I will have already left for Tales of the Cocktail that morning but I encourage you to please go – especially if you work in this field. Any one of us could wind up in the same situation in the blink of an eye.

Where: The Foundry on Melrose
When: Monday, July 14, 2008
Time: 7-11
Cost: $40.00

Chefs:
Eric Greenspan-Owner and Executive Chef of The Foundry on Melrose
Ray England-Sous Chef at Craft Los Angeles
Lisa Vega- Pastry at Providence Restaurant

Bartenders:
Eric Alperin- The Doheny (formerly of Little Branch NYC & Osteria Mozza)
Christine D'Abrosca- Beverage Manager at Malo Restaurant
Chris Ojeda- Osteria Mozza & For Medicinal Purposes Consulting
Marcos Tello- Comme Ca & The Edison
Damian Windsor- Gordon Ramsey at The London

There will be a handful cocktail extraordinaires coming from NYC and San Francisco to help out!!!

Entertainment Provided by DJ Spider

The event is sure to be packed so get there a bit early to buy your tickets. $40 is a pittance for the best cocktails and food LA has to offer: cooked, baked, shaken and stirred with love. (Be sure to say I sent you!)

Summer Sangrias

A couple of my sangria recipes were recently featured in Simply Wine Magazine and paired with delectable edibles from ZuZu Restaurant of Napa, California.

Why not give these a whirl for your next summer dinner party?

Ask The Liquid Muse...

Larry from Dallas wrote:

I enjoyed your segment on Tom Leykis last night and have a question. I have an outdoor bar/kitchen here in the Dallas area and wonder if the heat and/or direct sunlight can have damaging effects on the liquor I keep out there?

Hi Larry,

Thank you for listening to the show, last night, and thanks for this great question!

While hard liquor will probably be ok (vodka, etc.) I would still suggest keeping your booze in a temperature controlled climate. If your outdoor bar receives a lot of direct sunlight, the garage might be a bit cooler, for example. I would also be inclined to keep “mixers” such as pre-mixed sweet-n-sour out of the heat, too, especially after they’ve been opened. (As you know, I would prefer that you throw pre-mixers away and use fresh fruit juice… but that’s another topic…!)

However, under no circumstances should you keep any wine in a warm environment. Even red wine should be stored in a cooler place. Around 55 degrees Fahrenheit is considered ok for red wine and about 8 degrees less than that for white … no warmer or it will get ruined.

I hope that helps – and thank you for reading The Liquid Muse!

The Sazerac Becomes the Official Cocktail of the Big Easy!

Thanks to the tireless efforts of Ann Rogers Tunnerman, founder of Tales of the Cocktail, the Sazerac has finally been awarded its deserved title of "Official Cocktail of New Orleans!"

If you are headed to Tales, this year, I look forward to clinking (Sazerac) glasses with you. If you are not going, check in on the Tales of the Cocktail Website and The Liquid Muse homepage to see my Daily Recap Webisodes... and cry in your rye whiskey over the fun you wish you were having...

Also, don't forget to check out the TalesBlog. It is a forum where several of us cocktail bloggers are simultaneously keeping you up-to-date with the biggest cocktail convention in the world!

Sazerac Cocktail recipe:

1/2 ounce absinthe
2 ounces rye whiskey
1 sugar cube
healthy dash Peychaud's bitters
lemon peel
big ice cubes (optional)

Pour the absinthe into a rocks glass and swirl it around, coating it well. Pour out remaining liquid. (I keep a tiny bit in...) Place sugar cube in the bottom of the glass, then douse it with Peychaud's bitters. Muddle. Add rye whiskey and garnish with a lemon peel twirl. While most "manly men" tend to prefer this drink 'up,' I like it with big, slow-melting ice cubes.

Tune In Today for Live Radio Show!

I'm heading back in the radio studio, this afternoon, to be a guest on the Tom Leykis show. Adam the Wine Guy and Dan Dunn, a spirits writer, will also be guests and we will be fielding calls from listeners. How totally fun - and slightly nerve-wracking considering there are (literally) millions of them!

The show airs around the country but in LA can be heard on 97.1 at 6 pm (PST). I'll be making a couple of cocktails on the air and hanging out in the boys' club house for a few hours. Care to join me?

Gearing Up For New Orleans

It's less than a week away - are you coming to New Orleans? I hope to see you at Tales of the Cocktail!

Happy 4th of July with the Yankee Doodle Candy Cocktail!

Una Copa Para Espana!
Our Swan Song in Spain

We're wrapping up our summer vacation in Mallorca. And, we couldn't have planned it better. In addition to visiting dear friends and attending a milestone birthday party, we're staying atop a mountain in the incredible Castillo Son Vida Hotel (a 13th Century castle-turned-luxury resort).

How else would we spend our last night here than holed up in our room, ordering room service and watching the European Cup on TV?!

I am happy to report that only moments ago Spain became the European Cup Champions. It has been more than 44 years since Spain held this honor, and the whole country is alive with cheers and hollers. We can hear street parties in the town, below, and fireworks are exploding over the Mediterranean. After living in Spain for 2 1/2 years - and falling madly in love with it - I couldn't be more thrilled for Spanish soccer than if I were born on this soil.

Bravo, Espana! Tomo una copa (de vino Espanol) para ti.

Alcohol Free Cocktails

No, It's Not an Oxymoron...

Want to bring a little non-boozy fun into your summer party repertoire? Watch my latest "how to" video demonstrating how you can be a Thoughtful Entertainer and include everyone in the fun - even guests who are pregnant, on medication or have a long drive home...

Gone Fishing...

Ok, not really. I'm going on vacation to Europe. Seeing my sister in Paris, my dad in Nice, cousins in Beaulieu and Marseilles, dear friends in La Costa Brava (Spain) and another friend's birthday celebration Mallorca.

I may post along the way - but no promises. However, be sure to check in when I get back in July as I will have some cool surprises!! I actually have something very exciting up my sleeve to share with you when I return - but I don't want to spill the beans just yet. Just be assured that you will want to know all about it!

Think: French, think: vintage, think: imbibable... think: a souvenir waaaay better than a T-shirt.

Small Batch Bourbon: A Tale with a Moral for Impressionable Young Ladies

For this month's MxMo, hosted by Scofflaw's Den, I've decided to share a word of warning drawn from personal experience rather than post a recipe. Let it be known that I like bourbon, and have developed a healthy respect for it!

My first extended exposure to bourbon was at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2007. It was quite exciting to tour the distillery with Fred Noe, the 7th generation Master Distiller in the Jim Beam family and quintessential Good Ole Boy.

I also had the honor of touring the Maker’s Mark Master Distiller with David Pickerell (whom I believe has since left MM). I felt like a kid in a candy store cuz I even got to dip my very own signature bottle in red wax! I have to admit that meandering around the barrels with these guys was kind of like landing backstage passes at a rock concert - and having the lead singers show you their dressing room. Yeah, I was a groupie. And here are a few basics I learned:

In order for bourbon to be authentic, it must:

• Be made from at least 51% corn
• Be aged a minimum of 2 years
• Be aged only in new, charred, American white oak barrels

So, all cocky from my newfound knowledge, dipping skills and "buddies" in the bourbon biz, later that night I found myself in the “media room” at the hotel. There were tables set up, junk food in bowls and bottles of bourbon lined up for our enjoyment. One group was sitting around a table playing poker, and others were in little clusters talking shop. I’m more of a craps girl, myself, and limit my gambling to Vegas.

I poured myself a Bookers on the rocks (named for the late Frederick Booker Noe, another relative of Jim Beam) and sat down at a table where 3 guys were chatting amongst themselves. They said they were in radio and lived in Los Angeles. No wonder I was drawn to them - we are probably some of the only people in LA who actually still drink – diet be damned and rehab-free!

I asked what kind of radio show they did and one guy replied, “The kind that pisses of a lot of people.” Without missing a beat I joked, “Oh, like that Tom Leykis guy?” to which they busted up laughing and looked at me sideways.

“I am Tom Leykis,” said the larger of the three. “Yeah, right,” I laughed. “No, really, I am,” he said. And then I recognized his voice. Luckily they found my ignorance a mark of “I’m think I’m so important that I don’t know who you are” rather than pure cluelessness. (In LA, the former invokes more respect.)

Now, many a woman would like to harpoon ole Tom because on one of his talk shows, he encourages men to figure out ways to get laid without spending money on an expensive date first. Personally, I believe that a sister has to set her standards so guys like that can’t take advantage! Personal responsibility and all... His other show - and the reason he was at the Bourbon Festival - is called The Tasting Room with Tom Leykis and focuses on wine and spirits. We continued to share a few laughs, and I continued sipping on Booker’s.

Now, here’s the thing about drinking 125+ proof bourbon when you don't realize it… the stuff is so strong, you just kinda stop tasting it after the first one. I think it makes your tastebuds drunk before the rest of you.

Suddenly and all-at-once, I realized I was shooting my mouth off a little too much and – although I had them laughing (at my own expense, of course) – I’d probably live to regret it. So, I excused myself and made my way down the hall and into my room. That’s about all I remember of that.

The next thing I know is that my phone was ringing. My fellow travelers were on the bus and waiting for me. I had slept through the wake up call!! Feeling like death warmed over, I ran the toothbrush across my teeth, stuck my hair in a ponytail, threw on some jeans and ran out to the bus.

I managed to sit by a window so I could inhale extra oxygen and prayed that we wouldn’t have to taste, smell or be near any bourbon for at least 2 1/2 hours. Which was a futile wish, of course. We were at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival!

Luckily, my liver bounced back relatively quickly and by lunch I was ready to try my hand at a myriad of BBQ and bourbon pairings. And, at the Bourbon Ball the next night, I sampled sips from a myriad of bourbons in the sampling room. I even indulged in Bookers once again, only this time it was mixed with juice and I proceeded with caution.

The moral of the story: When trying a new bourbon which one is not familiar, tread lightly. Drink a little water. And, read the bottle. Or you may just end up feeling like a Boozy Floosie rather the mildly elegant and occasionally sophisticated Muse you’d like to portray yourself to be…

Planning to Get Pregnant?

Well, then be prepared to keep on enjoying your cocktails with Preggatinis!

You can already pre-order "Preggatinis: Mixology for the Mom-To-Be" on Amazon.

My baby (the book) is due in December!

South of the Border in SoHo

Papatzul Serves Up Regional Mexican Specialties With A Side of Hospitality

Back in 1990, when I was a student at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Manhattan had a different vibe. For one, I carried a “stun gun” a Puerto Rican acquaintance secured for me. (No questions asked, if you catch my drift...) I lugged that thing around in my pocket – cuz – truth be told, the city felt a bit menacing back then to a relatively wholesome kid from Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Needless to say, I was also on a budget. During that summer, I ate hot dogs from the street vendors, tried my first knish from a Jewish deli, and discovered that Queens was not the regal neighborhood I had envisioned. I also made friends with a local who took me to eat the worst “Mexican” food I’d had in my life. Soggy, saucy and insipidly NOT Mexican, I cringed to think that this was what the Big Apple had to offer when I longed for what I considered “comfort food.”

Fast forward 18 years… and not only is Manhattan transformed into a wonderland of safe streets packed with shiny, happy people and (mostly) friendly taxi drivers but there are actually some decent Mexican digs.

When I first saw Papatzul around the corner from the swanky SoHo Grand, where I recently spent a couple of weeks, I had my doubts. Mexican… in New York? Did I really want to take a risk when there are so many places I’d be guaranteed a good meal?

Well, it was HOT outside. And, nothing sounded quite as refreshing as a margarita. So, up the steps and into the bar I bellied.

The first thing I noted was the vast array of tequilas. I mean, this wasn’t one of those “we have 300 tequilas!” type of places. Nor do I need a place to offer that many. (I can only make it through about 3 drinks in a sitting, myself.) Still, it had a decent array of the tequilas I enjoy: Partida, Herradura, Milagro and the like. I also happened to have a bottle of certified organic 4 Copas in my bag (I was teaching The Liquid Muse Sustainable Sips earlier that night) and I gave the bartenders a taste. (I’m always happy to introduce people to a “greener” way of drinking, after all…).

The atmosphere at Papatzul is great because the staff is so friendly. Ashley, the bartendress, was a doll – and makes mean tamarind as well as hibiscus margaritas (pictured here). She also recommended that I try a specialty of the house …. Which are scrambled quail egg enchiladas in a nutty sort of sauce. It is a dish typical of a region near Mexico City, where the owner Thierry grew up.

Now, I know what you’re thinking – Thierry? Is this some froggy transplant passing himself off as “Latino?” No, Thierry Amezcua is from Mexico, though his mother is from France. My dad is from France, so we chattered away in French for a while, too. (Another surprise in this tiny corner of Manhattan.)

Some guy, sitting with two models at the bar, kept asking when Thierry was getting a DJ for Sunday afternoons. It seemed as if Thierry has put a lot of thought into this, and although it could be a good idea (Felix, kitty-corner from Papatzul serves French bistro fare while blasting Brazilian samba on the weekends as patrons spill onto the street, Caipirinhas in hand), I couldn’t help but think about Anthony Bourdain’s description of NYC restaurant owners desperately grabbing at any gimmick to lure the customers to their corner of the sidewalk. I hoped that wasn’t the case with Thierry – but, as we all know, the restaurant business is “perro eat perro.”

I went to many fancy and wonderful places during my two weeks in New York but I can assure you that Papatzul is the ONLY place where the owner of the joint sat down at the bar next to me, pulled up a chair and talked shop in between cooking customers’ orders. (Thierry is also the Executive Chef.) If I had the means to live at the SoHo Grand, or in SoHo for that matter, Papatzul would be my neighborhood hangout. The people are nice. The food is good. The margaritas are delicious. And, yeah, the neighborhood ain’t too shabby. Which is important because that stun-gun would never get through security at the airport these days…

Diet Be Damned!

In addition to teaching The Liquid Muse Sustainable Sips® cocktail classes in NYC, I also did a few media appearances related to Fre (alcohol-removed wine) for whom I’m the spokesperson and mixologist. One of the drinks I created for our summer media tour is called Tokyo Dreams, and inspired by Asian ingredients.

The recipe for Tokyo Dreams calls for fresh ginger, mandarin juice and canned lychees. Lychees are an Asian fruit easily found in Los Angeles but, I learned on our cross-country promotional tour (Seattle, 3 cities in Wisconsin, Rochester and NYC) they are rather challenging to secure in other parts of the country. (So much for creativity!)

Just before taping a cocktail segment on a radio show with Mike Calameco on WOR710 AM (which will be broadcast on June 15 in 60+ cities!), I was on a mad dash to find lychee so I could make Tokyo Dreams on the air. After poking my head into 4 markets surrounding my hotel in SoHo, I decided to just hop a cab down to Chinatown, where I’d surely find what I was looking for.

And, I did. At the very first store I entered. “Well, that was easy,” I thought. And, now I had time to kill. Hmm… the dumpling shop was just across the street…

“How often am I in New York’s famous Chinatown?,” I rationalized inside my own brain. Never mind that we have a Chinatown in L.A., replete with delectable Chinese fare. Who wants to ruin one’s own fun when a plateful of steaming pork dumplings is only moments away? I doused them with chili oil and gobbled them down. Ah. Delight.

Next, I figured I’d wander the streets – burning calories and taking in sights. Next thing you know, the Chinese lettering on the historic buildings turned to words like Lombardi’s and Italian sausages hung in the windows. Damn! “I just ate the dumplings,” I thought. I wasn’t really hungry anymore.

Then, a word entered my head and I knew I had to do indulge. Cannoli. I was in Little Italy. Diet be damned. Who cares if I had the dumplings only minutes earlier. I had to find a Cannoli. When in Rome… as they say.

It wasn’t difficult to fulfill my desire. Around the next corner, in an old brick building with a wooden bar inside, I found a case full of cannolis. I ordered one laden with chocolate chips tucked into the marscapone filling. It was sprinkled with powdered sugar and the lady handed it to me wrapped in a piece of wax paper. It felt authentic. It tasted authentic. Although, by the time I finished it and tossed the wax paper in the trash, I realized I don’t really like cannolis all that much, really. Still, I didn’t regret a thing.

Ultimately, I’m what I refer to as a “tongue traveler.” My voyages are not complete without tasting the local fare – both edible and drinkable. This is why I can refer to myself as a ‘gourmande of all things deliciously decadent.’ It isn’t an exaggeration. When I’m in an exotic locale (and nearly anywhere can be exotic to me), knowing each and every city becomes a finger-licking good experience.

Astor Center: The Imbiber’s Paradise

The Met. Broadway. Buggy rides in Central Park. New York has some cool must-do’s for the average tourist. However, for those of us impassioned by wine, spirits, food and what to do with them – the Astor Center is our Mecca.

Arrive at 399 Lafayette Street, and take the stairs down to enter a wonderland of wine and spirits. Bottles and brands abound – I even saw some labels I’d never heard of in the vodka aisle. (And, I thought I was pretty on top of things!) Sample wines at the sample station, peruse the shelves of organic wine and spirits and journey the world one sip at a time by filling your cart with a plethora of imported vintages. It makes me wish drinking didn’t make me intoxicated, only so I could sample more at one sitting!

But… what really blows the mind is upstairs.

The Study is built for tastings. It has flush sinks at each station and large plasma TV’s above the instructors station for a bird’s eye view of close-ups.

The Kitchen is a marvel of stainless steel built for hands-on training. (The CIA uses this 1100 square foot space, as well, I might add...)

The Gallery is an event space used for everything from wine education to private events. The brick-and-beam space lined with large widows looking onto the street below rivals that of any swanky SoHo hotspot.

This Saturday, New Yorkers have the opportunity to take Mixology classes at Astor Center with Jonathan Pogash – someone I both like and respect in the world of cocktails. A few days ago, I tried one of Jonathan’s newest inventions (not yet named!) when I swung by World Bar to say hello. It was a delicious concoction of Square One cucumber, St. Germain, Sage and… something else… but I had two so I don’t entirely recall… Only let me tell you that is was both tasty and inspired.

Register for his Crafting Summer Cocktails which takes place Saturday, June 7. Or, try Elements of Mixology on June 21. Pogash has grown up in the liquor industry, and knows a thing or two about a great drink. He is also a cocktail consultant, Gary Reagan’s right-hand man at Ardent Spirits and a hellova nice guy to boot!

Oh – and be sure to welcome Jonathan to the worldwide web. His site is Cocktail Guru, and he has recently caught the “blogging bug” as well.

The Astor Center is also the new home for the B.A.R. training, which I hope to undertake this Fall! In addition to putting another feather into my mixology cap, it is a great excuse to get to hang out at the Astor Center and use their state-of-the-art facilities. That’s a pilgrimage I can get behind!

"She's Not A Bartender ... But She Plays One on TV"

So... those of us women who have worked in the entertainment industry in Hollywood have regularly complained about the way women are perceived and treated... particularly those women who are knowledgeable rather than merely beautiful. It is difficult for a gal to get the respect she deserves.

Well, call me naive, but I was quite shocked to get an invitation to a bar guide launch / cocktail-related event which hired model-slash-actress Molly Simms to host, alongside Dale DeGroff.

Now, we all know that Dale is the King of Cocktails. If anyone deserves to headline an event such as this, it is he. But, wtf does an actress/model have to do with it?

When I posed this question to the organizers of this event, the response was basically that although Ms. Simms is in no way actually working in the liquor / bar industry, she plays a bartender on the mediocre nighttime soap opera show, Las Vegas. That seems to be all the requirements for the female host.

Why would anyone who actually knows a thing or two about the cocktail industry look to Molly Simms for advice on where to drink, what to order or what a quality cocktail actually is?

You can read the exchange for yourselves… but good grief! This is a slap in the face to all of the respected female mixologists / bartenders / brand ambassadors out there.

My question: “Just curious, though --- why is Molly Simms involved with this event? There are many mixologists (such as Dale DeGroff) male and female who are actually involved with the liquor industry. I don't get what an "actress / model" has to do with our industry?? Love clarification on that so I can present it fairly on The Liquid Muse Blog... I certainly have my own opinions about hiring a model when a female mixologist would be much more appropriate for this kind of event...”

The response: “Molly Sims, an A-List celebrity and bartender on the former NBC series Las Vegas, is very familiar with how the entertainment industry affects Americans’ perceptions of entertaining and cocktail culture (i.e. Sex and the City and the revival of the cosmopolitan). She has gained a deep understanding of how one’s decisions when placing an order or recommending a restaurant can greatly affect someone’s perception of you. Molly is also a seasoned traveler and will be sharing her experiences on the difficulties of finding establishments that best fit your mood, wallet and tastebuds.”

Huh? I respectfully disagree. Whether we’re talking Audrey Saunders, Charlotte Voissey (the list goes on and on) or any other woman who is actually involved in our industry and has the chops for this kind of thing (and yes, likely travels, too, I might add), it is particularly sad that even the big liquor conglomerates (yes, there is one involved with this event) is so incredibly misguided in this kind of decision.

Is the liquor industry in line to become the next big sell out? If actress-slash-models are guiding what we should drink and where, NOBODY will “drink well.”

Photo borrowed from this article.

San Francisco Cocktail Week Saves the Sazerac!

Did you miss SF Cocktail Week? Do you love a good, old fashioned Sazerac cocktail? Are you a fan of New Orleans and Tales of the Cocktail? Then, this video is for you...

In The Mix with The Family Groove

For those among you who have recently become parents, who are thinking of becoming parents or are long-time parents... you may like some delicious summer cocktail suggestions to fit your parenting style.

This month, my article on that very topic appears on The Family Groove. Happy sipping!

Drink and Drive SAFELY this summer!

If you are throwing a party or attending someone else's, why not bring along some alcohol-removed champagne and wine to add a festive sparkle without any risk of DWI?

During my coast-to-coast promotion of non-alcoholic cocktails with Fre by Sutter Home, I appeared on morning shows in Seattle and Rochester singing the praises of non-alcoholic cocktails. In Rochester, Holly and Evan (the dynamic duo on 13 WHAM TV) tied the story to drunk driving around holidays, and I did two segments showing their viewers how to make "safer" drinks for the summer. Watch the segments on their website to see how to make the cocktails and hear more about being a "Thoughtful Entertainer," (the new-and-improved "Hostess With the Mostess!")

And, if you're tempted to whip up intoxicatingly fun non-alcoholic libations for your summer celebrations, here are those recipes:

The Liquid Muse Signature Cocktails
Designed for Fre by Sutter Home, Summer 2008
(all rights reserved by The Liquid Muse, LLC)

Tokyo Dreams (Martini Glass)

1 chopped lychee
1/4 ounce lime juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 1/2 ounces mandarin orange juice
3 ounces Fre Alcohol-Removed Premium White
Garnish: 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, 1 whole lychee on a cocktail skewer

Rim a martini glass with powdered sugar. Muddle lychee, lime juice, sugar and ginger in the bottom of a mixing glass or cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, add wine. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass. Place the cocktail skewer across the rim of the glass.

Tropical Tease (White Wine Glass)

1 heaping tablespoon diced fresh mango
3 torn mint leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 ounce lime juice
3 ounces Fre Alcohol-Removed White Zinfandel
Garnish: 1 lime wheel

Muddle mango, mint, sugar and lime juice in the bottom of a mixing glass or cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, add wine. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled champagne flute. Place the lime wheel on the rim of the glass.

Sparkling Sangria Cooler (Collins Glass)

1 tablespoon Marinated Summer Fruit
4 ounces Fre Alcohol-Removed Brut
Garnish: Sprig of fresh mint and colorful straw

Prepare Marinated Summer Fruit at least 2 hours before a party (serves 10): Dice 8 strawberries, 2 large (peeled) peaches and 3(peeled) kiwis into a large bowl. Sprinkle fruit with 2 tablespoons raw brown sugar, and pour in1 cup of peach juice, Refrigerate.

When ready to serve, spoon 1 tablespoon of Marinated Summer Fruit mixture into each glass, along with at least 1 tablespoon of the liquid from the bowl. Fill glass with ice and top with Fre Brut. Garnish each glass with a sprig of fresh mint and a colorful straw.

Yankee Doodle Candy Cocktail (Champagne Flute)

1 package pop rocks
1 ounce mango juice
1 ounce pineapple juice
1/2 ounce lime juice
1/2 ounce grenadine
2 ounces Fre Alcohol-Removed Spumante or Brut

Rub the rim of a champagne flute with a lime, then dip the rim onto a small plate sprinkled with pop rocks, set aside. Pour juices into an ice-filled cocktail shaker, shake vigorously, then gently strain into the champagne flute. Slowly add the Fre sparkling wine, then the grenadine. Let the fireworks begin!

Tart Trend - The Meyer Lemon

I've been singing the praises of Asian ingredients in The Liquid Muse Mixology summer cocktails... and wouldn't ya know... I'm not alone. The Meyer Lemon (native of China) is making a sweet splash on cocktail menus around the country, in time for sipping along with the Olympics!

Blue Velvet (Los Angeles, CA) - serves the Meyer Lemon Martini with Saffron, which is made with saffron, and lemon skin that is blanched with simple syrup 3 times. It is then pureed and mixed with citron vodka and freshly squeezed lemon juice

Bacar (San Francisco, CA) – Mixologist Carlos Yturria uses Meyer Lemons for his specialty cocktails by soaking them in simple syrup and deep-frying them to create interesting garnishes. The cocktail list highlights locally produced spirits, such as 209 Gin from San Francisco and Hangar One vodka from Alameda, CA

Restaurant Kelly Liken (Vail, CO) – features a Meyer Lemon Margarita made with freshly squeezed Meyer Lemon Juice, Sauza “Hornitos” Tequila, Cointreau, shaken and served tall with a Pink Sea Salt rim

Napa Valley Grille (Westwood, CA) - Chef Joseph Gillard serves the Chef Jospeh Hard Lemonade, which is made with Lemon Verbena, Lemon Balm, Ginger, Lemon Grass, Meyer Lemons and Vodka

Tristan (Charleston, SC) – serves a White Lady at the bar with Meyer Lemon Juice, Gin and Cointreau served up with a twist of the lemo

CYRUS (Healdsburg, CA) – features The Waverly Place Echo made with Hangar One Mandarin Orange Blossom Vodka, Kaffir Lime Leaf, Chinese Five Spice Honey, Bruce's Satsuma Mandarins, Meyer Lemons and Seltzer and the Gin Kim Chi made with Sarticious Gin, Shiso, Galangal, Kim Chi of Ginger and Daikon, Bruce's Meyer Lemon Juice and Ginger Beer