Recent Blog Posts

TASTING PANEL BLOGTAILS: Strawberry Coquette

Paige McCune — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:37:00 GMT

The farmers market was full of fresh strawberries this past weekend. This cocktail with muddled strawberries paired with Bushmills Irish Honey and gorgeous, warm weather made me one happy girl!

1.25 oz Bushmills Irish Honey

3/4 oz Aperol

1/2 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino

2 fresh strawberries

2 dashes rhubarb bitters

Cut a strawberry into fourths and muddle it in a beaker and add the other ingredients and ice. Stir. Fine strain the cocktail from the mixing glass into the rocks glass over ice and garnish with a strawberry.

Paige McCune is a Northern California-based cocktail writer whose blog, A Round or Two, can be found here.

TASTING PANEL BLOGTAILS: French Affair

Paige McCune — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:11:00 GMT

Don't be fooled: This lively cocktail with cherry, berry, dried apple and ginger spiced toffee notes is a love affair all by itself.

1.5 oz. Bulleit Bourbon

2 oz. NV Cordon Brut Rosado

.5 oz. Cherry Heering

.5 oz. Ginger Citrus Blossom Syrup

2 dashes Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well, fine strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with brandied cherries.

Ginger Citrus Blossom Syrup

½ cup of Branches Citrus Blossom Honey

¼ cup water

¼ teaspoon freshly chopped ginger

Combine all ingredients into a saucepan. Let simmer for ten minutes. Allow syrup to cool and fine strain it into an airtight container.

Paige McCune is a Northern California-based cocktail writer whose blog, A Round or Two, can be found here.

PHOTO BY PAIGE MCCUNE

TASTING PANEL BLOGTAILS: Natural Selection

Paige McCune — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 20:16:00 GMT

This cocktail isn't a choice, it's a "Natural Selection."

PHOTO: PAIGE MCCUNE

Hakushika Saké is light and fruity, with soft kiwi, pear and apple notes. I infused it with ripe peaches to give it a lush, bright note bursting with fresh taste. Don Julio Añejo adds a wonderfully complex expression of wild honey, vanilla, and oaky butterscotch. Domaine de Canton and Campari play off each other with vengeance adding a level of spice and bitter sweetness. Just in time for fresh grapefruit juice to show its true intentions with bold citrus allowing each tasting note to settle down into its rightful place.

1 oz. Don Julio Anejo

1 oz. peach-infused Hakushika Saké

.25 oz. Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur

.25 oz. Campari

.5 oz. fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice

.25 oz. fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Shake well. Fine strain over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with a grapefruit twist and a lime wedge.

Peach-Infused Hakushika Saké

2 ripe juicy clingstone yellow peaches
1 720-ml. bottle of Hakushika Saké

Cut peaches into eighths removing the pits but not the skins. Place them into a large glass pitches. Pour bottle of Hakushika Saké over the top of them and let sit for 24 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain out peaches with a cheese cloth and sake into another airtight container. The infused saké will keep for seven days in the refrigerator.

Paige McCune is a Northern California-based cocktail writer whose blog, A Round or Two, can be found here.

Pairing Chocolate and Tea

Breanne DeMore — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:41:00 GMT

With each season comes another amazing Park Hyatt Masters of Food & Wine event. A tour of the world and all of its amazing culinary and beverage experiences, these events offer so much to the culinary inclined: a chance to interact with world-class chefs, sommeliers and experts, and an opportunity to try exclusive new flavors and intriguing pairings.

On January 20^th, I was able to attend the Tea Tasting & Chocolate Pairing at the Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, California. The experience was a collaboration between San Diego Tea Master Chas Kroll and the Executive Pastry Chef of Park Hyatt Aviara Franck Riffaud.

As a Certified Tea Master, Kroll knows his leaves. Picking not only his favorites, but some of the most rare and remarkable teas from around the world, Kroll, with his associate Joy Walsh, educated us all on the growing process of the leaves, the correct way to steep and how to use traditional Chinese tasting cups.

The chocolate was prepared with a paint brush to increase the amount of surface area to reach the taste buds and enhance the pairing. When asked how he paired the chocolate to the teas, Chef Riffaud explained, "I listened to [Kroll] give him full explanation of the teas flavors and tell the story behind each tea. Then, as I tasted them, I tried to match them to a chocolate in my head. It was a very fun process."

A fascinating combination, the pairings were as follows:

Barry Lactee(France- 35% cocoa) paired with Imperial Gyokuro (Japan)

Guayaquil (Equador - 56% cocoa) paired with oriental Beauty (Taiwan)

Manjari (Venezuela - 64% cocoa) paired with Superior Earl Grey (Sri Lanka)

Jivara Lactee (40% cocoa) paired wit hPu-erh with Chrysanthemum (Hong Kong)

Valrhona Caramélia (36% cocoa) paired with Hu Kwa Lapsang Souchong (Taiwan)

TASTING PANEL BLOGTAILS: Luxedo

Paige McCune — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 18:51:00 GMT

On a recent trip to Manhattan I had dinner reservations at one of my favorite restaurants, Balthazar. I often use recipes from the Balthazar cookbook at home. I take every chance I can get to have dinner at Balthazar so that I can compare my presentation with the actual dish.

This may sound funny but I have a before-Balthazar ritual. I get off the subway on Prince Street and make an a-line to Prada. The Prada in Soho is my version of a New York museum. I love to take half an hour to admire the handbags and shoes.

I then find my way to Dean & DeLuca where everything always looks absolutely fresh. Each apple seems to have a the most bright shade of green imaginable and each peach has the most perfect, soft fuzz. I could spend an hour in their browsing though the unique jams, teas, and cheese. This particular evening, I came across Plum Smoked Tea Compote. It sounded so interesting that I had to purchase a jar.

After I strolled though Dean & DeLuca, I realized that all of my senses were open and I was hungry. I walked like a proper New Yorker; on a mission, head down, brisk, not letting anything or anyone get in the way of me and my lovely date with Balthazar.

PHOTO: PAIGE MCCUNE

"Luxedo" takes your taste buds on a velvety voyage with Black Bush's racy notes of dark caramel, toffee and bitter-sweet chocolate. The journey continues with subtle nuttiness in Amaro Nonino, Firelit's rich coffee bean, followed by juicy plum with a lingering hint of smoke.

1.5 oz Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey

.5 oz Amaro Nonino

.5 oz Firelit Coffee Liqueur

1 barspoon Plum Smoked Tea Compote*

2 dashes Regan's Orange Bitters

brandied cherries

Add all ingredients to a beaker with ice. Stir well. Fine strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with brandied cherries. Cheers.

*Plum Smoked Tea Compote can be found here.

Paige McCune is a Northern California-based cocktail writer whose blog, A Round or Two, can be found here.

TASTING PANEL BLOGTAILS: Empire State

Paige McCune — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 22:56:00 GMT

I recently discovered Black-Sesame Orange gelato and fell in love. I can't think of the right words to describe it: It's the Empire State Building, the Frank Sinatra, the Tiffany's of desserts.

There was a taste that I have never experienced before, black sesame. I needed to re-create the taste so I made a black-sesame orange syrup. I can't express how well it pairs with Encanto Pisco, it might just be the Carnegie Hall of cocktails. 'Empire State' is a perfectly paired harmony with Encanto Pisco's rich, velvety mouthfeel of jasmine, chocolate, and pepper. Hints of Cocchi Americano wine flavors the pisco with cinchona bark, spices and exotic botanicals, layered with black-sesame orange syrup that is nutty, vanilla-like with suggestions of candied orange. With this 'Empire State' my heart melts the same way Carrie Bradshaw's did in a pair of Manolo Blahnik stilettos.

Empire State

2 oz Encanto Pisco

.5 oz Cocchi Americano

.5 oz black-sesame orange syrup

.5 oz white grapefruit juice

Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake well. Fine strain into a chilled glass and garnish with an orange peel.

Black-Sesame Orange Syrup

1/4 cup agave nectar

1/4 cup spoons brown organic cane sugar

one table-spoon black sesame seeds

one table-spoon fresh squeezed orange juice

one cup of water

Place one heaping tablespoon black sesame seeds in the bottom of a small saucepan. Turn on heat to low and let seeds brown until black and shiny. Add all other ingredients. Let simmer for ten minutes. Let cool. Place in a blender and blend until smooth. Fine strain into an airtight container.

Paige McCune is a Northern California-based cocktail writer whose blog, A Round or Two, can be found here.

TASTING PANEL BLOGTAILS: Some Like It Hot, a Creole Bloody Mary

Paige McCune — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 23:57:00 GMT

I created a Creole Bloody Mary just in time for the Super Bowl to honor New Orleans. I have spent a lot of time below the Mason-Dixon line. My great-grandfather started the athletic department at UNC and I still have family in North Carolina. I have some close friends in Alabama and love spending time on the beach in the gulf. These experiences have made me a natural Southern cook.

The Creole Relish in this Bloody Mary adds a spicy sweet yet a little bit tart element. It is also a phenomenal addition to a homemade pizza, a burger, on grilled chicken or even with added cheese to dip your French fries in. I combine Southern flavors with classic south-of-the-border flavors to make amazing huevos rancheros using spicy chorizo served with a side of Creole Relish. It adds a sweet, tangy crunch to the eggs. I keep homemade relish and hot sauce it in the refrigerator at all times. If you do spend the time to make each, I guarantee you won't just use them in this drink. Once you make your own fresh sauces you will be just as spoiled as I am and always have some on hand.

PHOTO: PAIGE MCCUNE

Some Like It Hot

2 oz. Bulleit Rye

pinch white pepper

dash Worcestershire sauce

one heaping spoonful of Creole Relish (see recipe below)

Two dashes homemade hot sauce or Cholula Hot Sauce

one heaping spoon pickled peperoncini juice

5 oz. tomato juice

squeeze of lemon

Slap Ya'Mama Seasoning

Using a lemon wedge round the top of a pint glass. Turn the glass over and roll it in Slap Ya' Mama seasoning. Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Add ice. Shake just until combined. Pour Creole Bloody Mary into a pint glass. Garnish with pickled carrots, pickled radishes, cucumbers and a spring of Italian parsley. Enjoy.

Creole Relish

One large red onion

1 tbsp. whole-grain mustard

1 tbsp. fresh horseradish

1 teaspoon lemon curd

1 juice from one lemon

¼ teaspoon dill weed

¼ teaspoon garlic salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 teaspoon sorghum syrup

Prepare charcoal grill. Cut tops off of onion and peel. Cut onion into eighths. Brush with olive oil and then season with salt and pepper. Grill until onions are caramelized and just starting to brown. Alternatively, roast onions in a 400-degree oven on a baking sheet.

Combine all other ingredients in a food processor. Using a spatula transfer relish into a bowl. Put onions into the same food processor until finely chopped. Fold red onions into relish mixture. Let sit in the refrigerator at least over night or up to two weeks.

A & P Hot Sauce

2 habanero chili peppers

10 red jalapeño, halved

one red bell pepper, quartered

½ cup white wine vinegar

½ cup water

1 tbsp. granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon Old Bay

tablespoon grape seed oil

In a blender blend all ingredients except salt, Old Bay and grape seed oil. Heat the grape seed oil in a large saucepan. Add the pepper mixture. Let simmer and whisk slowly until thickened. Fine-strain mixture into an airtight container. Place in refrigerator.

Pickled Radishes with Chiles and Ginger

One bunch of radishes

½ cup white vinegar

½ cup sugar

1 tbsp. salt

1½ cups water

1 Thai chili

2 garlic cloves

1 tablespoons ginger, peeled and chopped

Wash radishes and cut ends leaving half and inch stem. Cut each radish into fourths. Place radishes in a small bowl or quart sized Mason jar with a lid. Combine vinegar, sugar, salt and water in a saucepan. Bring mixture up to a boil. Cook only for a minute just until the sugar and salt dissolves. Let cool. Add chilies, garlic and ginger to the radishes. Pour the mixture over radishes. Add water if necessary to completely over radishes. Place the lid on top of the jar or plastic wrap over the bowl. Refrigerate for two days or up to two weeks stirring once a day, every day.

Pickled Carrots with Fennel

1 cup cold water

3 tbsp. salt

8 black peppercorns

2 heads of garlic

one pound of carrots

one small head of fennel

Peel the outer skin off a pound of carrots. Using a sharp paring knife, cut carrots lengthwise into quarters. Take off outer layer of a fennel bulb and wash throughly. Cut fennel into ¼ inch rounds. Arrange carrots and fennel into a small Pyrex dish. In a small saucepan bring two cups water to a boil. Remove from heat and add salt, peppercorns, and garlic. Stir well, making sure salt dissolves completely and let cool. Add mixture to carrots. Add enough water so that the carrots and fennel are fully submerged. Cover Pyrex with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least two days or up to two weeks.

Paige McCune is a Northern California-based cocktail writer whose blog, A Round or Two, can be found here.

A Wine with a Story for Valentine's Day

The Tasting Panel Editors — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:57:00 GMT

Kevin Boyer, Tom Steffanci and Roma Obracaj (soon to be Steffanci) are the trio behind Napa Valley wine labels BOYANCI and InSpire. The team has just released its inaugural (2010) 100% Napa Valley Cabernet Franc, sourced from the Stagecoach Vineyard and made by celebrated winemaker Mia Klein.

The wine is called InSpire ROMAnce -- and you can bet there's a romantic story behind it. Tom created this wine because Cabernet Franc is Roma's favorite varietal . . . . and he used it to propose to her last March. "After a few glasses, she accepted," says Tom. The wedding is scheduled for (when else?) this June.

Mia Klein characterizes the wine as "weighty on the palate, with initial flavors of blackberry giving way to savory stew and toasted vanilla." Klein adds that ROMAnce "pairs best with someone sweet." But Tom already knew that . . .

Only 70 cases were made. Suggested retail price is $60. To order in time for Valentine's Day, to to www.boyanciwine.com.

TASTING PANEL BLOGTAILS: Llevarte al Cielo

Paige McCune — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 18:52:00 GMT

This is the first in a new series of Tasting Panel "Blogtails" by Paige McCune.

PHOTO: PAIGE MCCUNE

Llevarte al Cielo is a perfect balance of exciting, rich butterscotch Fortaleza Reposado that leads to undertones of malted vanilla then rounds out your palate through hints of herbal orange spice.

1.5 oz Fortaleza Reposado Tequila

.5 oz amber simple syrup

.5 oz Bénédictine Liqueur

2 dashes Fever-Tree Orange Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a beaker with ice. Stir well. Fine-strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

Amber Syrup

makes one cup

For every bottle of Dos Equis Amber Ale add 1/3 cup brown demerara sugar, a vanilla bean and a pinch of nutmeg. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring up to a boil for one minute. Turn heat down and let simmer for ten minutes. Fine strain into an airtight container.

Paige McCune is a Northern California-based cocktail writer whose blog, A Round or Two, can be found here.

Introducing Our New Cocktail Blogger

Tasting Panel Editors — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 00:39:00 GMT

Beginning next week, Paige McCune will be guest cocktail blogger for THE TASTING PANEL.

Here's how Paige puts her take on cocktails:

I am having a blast coming up with new recipes and experimenting with different flavor profiles. Although the cocktail world is booming right now, mixologists seem to be stuck in a very safe mode. Most drinks are variations of cocktail classics, or are made with vodka plus a sweetener. My goal is to create something to challenge the norm. I want to think outside of the box.

My mentor has always told me not to compromise a spirit just because it's in a cocktail. The object is not to mask the flavors but to be a master of the craft you are able to understand the integrity of the spirit and to bring those flavors forward. This blog is dedicated to just that; simple cocktails, only using three or four ingredients, specifically picked to push forward every individual taste each spirit has. In a sense less is more, sophistication lies in simply elevating your senses based on what each spirit has to offer.

We look forward to her creative concoctions!

Champagne-Infused Creations for New Year's Eve

The Tasting Panel Editors — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 21:24:00 GMT

What bon-vivant doesn't get tired of plain old champagne on New Year's? NYC luxury catering company Canard, Inc. is proposing something more.

Check out their elegant champagne-infused creations, including the Cactus-Pear Tequila Martini and Champagne Pear & Aspic Desserts, as fun and exciting ways to ditch the usual bubbly dictated by tradition and ring in 2013 with a twist.

According to Canard's Event Director, Kelven Book, "Another truly customized option for celebrating New Year's is to create a signature champagne cocktail of your own. It's an easy way to add a special touch, and lesser-priced sparking wines can be used without affecting the cocktail. For example, Courvoisier, Grand Marnier, bitters, a bit of simple syrup and sparking wine, served up."

Cactus Pear Tequila Martini

1 oz. cactus pear-infused tequila
0.25 oz. fresh lemon juice
0.25 oz. simple syrup

Shake the ingredients together, pour into a Martini glass amd top with champagne. Garnish lemon wheel.

Champagne Aspic

2 sheets gelatin (available in specialty stores)
or 2 oz. powdered gelatin
1 quart simple syrup
1 bottle champagne
Thinly sliced fruit for garnish, such as seedless grapes, berries of all kinds and mango

Soften gelatin sheets in cool water. Heat sugar syrup until warm to the touch. Add gelatin sheets and whisk to dissolve. (If using powdered gelatin, dissolve in liquid per instructions.) Add champagne.

Fill glass dishes with the liquid and transfer to the refrigerator until the mixture sets and becomes firm; at least 2 hours. To serve, garnish with sliced fruit and fresh mint.

*Note: Use clear glass dishes-old-fashioned champagne coupes or other footed glasses are particularly attractive-for serving to accentuate the delicate color. Do not use fruits high in acid, such as pineapple, for the garnish or the aspic will begin to dissolve on contact.

Canard, Inc., one of the leading caterers and event planners in NYC, offers menu and cocktail creations ranging from thematic to seasonally inspired.
Go to www.canardinc.com for more info.

A NEAT Night

Ariela Kozin — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 23:54:00 GMT

Leave it to owner Aidan Demarest to finish off NEAT's first year of business with a bang. To celebrate the major feat, Demarest invited some of the industry's finest to enjoy a live band (The Bastards of Belleville), bbq and endless cocktails provided by the night's sponsor, Sailor Jerry Rum. The bar put away its clean spirits menu for the night and welcomed NEAT's original bartenders, including Arash Pakzad, Erick Castro, John Lermayer, Rich Andreoli and Mia Sarazen, to mix up some one-of-a-kind cocktails. Or if party-goers preferred, they had the option of sipping Sailor Jerry Rum straight from the barrel.

The high voltage bash was a reflection of the relief Demarest felt following NEAT's first year. "It's said that 90% of bars close in their first year . We're the exception and I'm proud of that," Demarest enthuses.

"Even though I've opened bars for other people , this is the first bar opening of my own," Demarest says, "I still had to learn a lot and I have a lot more to learn, but tonight I party."

A Man of Many Spirits

Not only does Aidan own and operate one of the coolest bars in Glendale, he also acts as a Brand Ambassador for Elit by Stolichnaya. Stoli Elit, a member of the William Grant and Sons portfolio, is a premium vodka with a smoother taste that makes for an excellent cocktail. "Opening a spirits bar and then representing a vodka only seemed natural," Demarest explains.

With a bar that honors spirits served neat alongside juice or ginger, Demarest would only accept a vodka worthy of sitting on the NEAT bar: "I wanted only the best vodka and it is the best because it can stand alone or with stronger drinks," Demarest says. The bar owner and Brand Ambassador shows just how versatile Stoli Elit is by creating a barrel-aged vesper with the velvety spirit:

The Barrel-Aged Vesper:

2 oz Elit by Stolichnaya.

1 oz Hendricks

1/2 oz Lillet Blanc

Aged in Oak Barrel for 30 days.

Bottling Matters

Ariela Kozin — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 17:36:00 GMT

It's no secret that there's been a steep rise in craft and artisan spirits. With a flurry of craft distilleries and craft brewers popping up, Owens-Illinois has come up with one solution to solve the high-cost demands that come with custom bottling.

"O-I has a premium stock catalog that can help start-up distilleries distinguish their brand without having to create a custom mold," says Nicole Sickmann Pohl, Senior Marketing Manager, Spirits & Specialty, O-I North America.

Owens-Illinois' new Imperial bottle is a boon to craft distillers.

San Francisco mixologist H. Joseph Ehrmann is currently using Owens-Illinois' newest bottle from the stock catalog, the Imperial bottle." It's an exciting time where there is so much going on that you can't keep up with it. It will lead to a lot of innovation," says Ehrmann.

The Imperial bottle arouses such experimentation in Ehrmann as he utilizes it in various ways behind his own bar such as to hold syrups, create and infusions and barrel-age new cocktail ideas: "It also looks great sitting on the bar, and without a label, customers ask 'What is that?'"

Camp Runamok: Where Bartenders Play

Ariela Kozin — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 21:23:00 GMT

Ah, summer camp: Memories of frog-catching, s'mores by the fire and seeing the sun rise, and then set, while drinking bourbon. For a group of hand-selected bartenders from across the country, this version of summer camp became a reality at Camp Runamok, the first-ever bartender summer camp dedicated solely to whiskey.

With distillery visits during the day and good old fashioned fun during the evenings, it was a memorable experience: "Being given the chance to learn more and see hands-on was the ultimate for me," explains Duane Fernandez Jr., an NYC-based cocktail consultant. "It was a true bartender's vacation!"

We've gathered a few of the most memorable experiences from two of the attendees, but don't worry if you missed out on the fun this time around because THE TASTING PANEL will keep you posted about Camp Runamok in 2013!

Here are their stories:

Dear Camp Runamok,

There are no words I can express about the emotions, created friendships, unity and a love for Bourbon you've awaken in me.

For myself, Camp Runamok helped check off some of my bucket list: 1. Camping 2. Smores by the camp fire 3. Camp fire sing-a-longs just to name a few. What more can a city boy like myself can ask for? Being in the middle of the woods smelling fresh air drinking Bourbon, seeing the sunrise over the moutains drinking Bourbon, watching the sunset while drinking Bourbon-it all felt like a dream.

Bourbon is my number #1 spirit, so given the chance to learn more and see hands-on was the ultimate for me. The visits to the distilleries solidified my love for the Old American Whiskey. The craftmanship and passion that these brands give to their products was unlike anything I had imagined. The stories and history about these brands put me back in time and left me with a clear message from our gracious host: We are a brotherhood and we take care of each other. That's when the aha moment hit and I finally understood the real reason why we were here!!

I was honored just to be selected and at such a cool camp experience was amazing. I have gotten the chance to actually get to know many people I had come to admire over the years and opened myself up so they could learn a little more about me. Camp Runamok was intimate and personal; a true bartender's vacation. I have formed lifelong friendships and secured bonds I had never had before Camp Runamok.

Lush Life has created something special that I hope many get to experience in years to come. I know I want to continue to be a part of the project as I am a part of Camp Runamok's First Champions!

Cheers,

Duane Fernandez Jr
Bartender at ACME in New York, NY
www.twitter.com/Urbancocktail

Camp Runamok-

While there are a plethora of memories from my time at Camp Runamok, the greatest has to be all of the moments when I was able to personally connect to the brands and products. The ability to transform these brands from liquors I use in a cocktail to a personalized experience is a truly incredible opportunity: from touching the kernels of corn at Buffalo Trace, tasting the 2-day-old mash in the vats at Four Roses, barrel tasting 11-year-old Bourbon in the Heaven Hill Rickhouse, and getting a guided tasting of Bulleit from Hollis herself. Every time I pick up one of those bottles, I will remember everything I learned at each of the distilleries and be able to take my knowledge and passion and pass it onto my customers and colleagues.

Sincerely,

Pamela Wiznitzer,
Bartender at L'oubli in New York, New York
www.liquidencouragementblog.com

Camp Runamok's first campers:

Top Row: Carol Donovan, Rhachel Shaw, Rob Crabtree, Junior Ryan, Joseph Ambrose; Second Row: Nicole Battle, Lainey Collum, Danielle Crouch, Jabriel Donohue, Josh Durr; Third Row: Pam Pritchard, Alba Huerta, Hollis Bulliet, Travis Tober, Erin Harris, Rocky Yeh, Erica Ordonez, Anu Apte; Bottom Row: Scott Douglas Baird, Chris Elford, Laura Clifton Byrne, Steve Schneider, Keith Waldbauer, Liz Pearce, Erica, Chris Hannah

A Little Piece of Ireland

Ariela Kozin — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 17:23:00 GMT

       Among the flock of bars that open and close every year in Los Angeles, Tom Bergin's Old Horseshoe and Thoroughbred Club has prospered for over 60 years. Despite a recent make-over that forced the bar to close, today, Tom Bergin's still maintains a "no hassle" drinking mentality. "Even though we wanted more Duvel, our crowd is not overly fussy or fancy," said Kat Wittenburgh, Director of Operations.
    And what is the signature drink at an Irish tavern? None other than the Irish coffee. While the drink may appear simple to patrons it has been in the making for longer than Tom Bergin's itself. The cocktail menu sites the drink's origins spanning as long ago as 1942, when the drink was served to warm up travelers before transatlantic trips. The secret to the sweet and comforting drink can be found in the cream. "Before re-opening we went through 80 options of cream until we landed on this local, organic farm cream," Wittenburgh says.
    Success in four different dining establishments throughout LA, including Little Dom's, Dominik's, and 101 Café, all have the same running theme for Kat Wittenburgh and owners, Warner Ebbink and Brandon Boudet. "Changes are in the walls and the kitchen, but it essentially looks the same as it did in 1948," Wittenburgh muses,"The key is to never forget what the customer wants and they want history. We never forget that."