30. June 2010 by Dan.

With Independence Day coming up this weekend, I’ve been thinking about the libations enjoyed by our forebears in the late 1700s.  The popular beverages at the time were whiskey, claret, Madeira, champagne, ale, porter, and fermented ciders. I don’t think they teach this in most American History classes, but the largest commercial whiskey distillery  in eighteenth century America was owned by George Washington.  It was operated at Mount Vernon, and sold its products into the 1800s.  Whiskey in those days wasn’t aged as it is today, so it would have been clear in color and somewhat more harsh than we are used to.  I guess if they were tough enough to chase the British soldiers back across the Atlantic, they were tough enough to drink that.

The forecast for Land O’Lakes this weekend is mostly sunny, with temps in the low 80s.  Perfect weather for being on the lake, enjoying the fireworks, and spending time with your friends and family.  I hope you’ll make time to visit us for a cocktail and a relaxing meal.

Your favorite bartender,

-Dan

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25. June 2010 by Dan.

As is the case with most cocktails, the true origin of the Margarita is unclear.  A popular hypothesis is that it was invented around 1948 by Margarita Sames, an American socialite.  The story goes that she created the libation for some friends when they visited her at an Acapulco vacation home.  It later spread all over North America in many variations, and has become quite famous.

I spent about a year perfecting a Margarita that I thought did justice to the drink’s status and was on par with the best ones I’d had in Mexico.  I can make great ones with that recipe, but it’s a time consuming process that uses a lot of ingredients and is a pain to make when customers are four deep at the bar.  Now, after all that effort, I find out that you can make an awesome Margarita the first time you try it with only four ingredients.  You must use fresh squeezed juice, so there is a little prep time involved, but once that’s done you can turn these out pretty quickly for everyone at your dock party.  Here’s how…

Cut six or so fresh limes in half and squeeze the juice into a container.  Into the same container, squeeze the juice of one half of an orange.  The orange adds a little sweetness and softens the bite of the lime.  You have to prepare the juice the same day you are going to use it.  It won’t be good tomorrow.  Keep it cold.  Now combine the following into an ice filled shaker:

• 1 1/2 ounces of your juice mixture
• 1 1/2 ounces premium tequila (try Cabo Wabo or Patron)
• 1 ounce amber agave syrup (get it at your food coop or health food store)

Shake until really cold, and serve up or on the rocks.  You can salt the rim and/or garnish with lime if you like, but you really don’t need to.  It’s perfect, and the only way it could be simpler is if you come in and let us make one for you.

Hope to see you soon,

Your favorite bartender,

-Dan

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22. June 2010 by Dan.

Famous Northwoods bartender Charles (above right, enjoying a beverage on his night off) came up with a summer libation based on green tea that might appeal to you.  Green tea has been praised for its antioxidants, and their possible role in fighting cancer and heart disease, lowering cholesterol levels, burning fat, preventing stroke, and so on.***

Even if green tea in its cocktail form doesn’t qualify as a health product, this drink delivers a refreshing and slightly astringent taste that would go well in your favorite summer backyard spot. Here’s the formula…

2 ounces bottled green tea

1 1/2 ounces green tea vodka

1 ounce Grand Marnier (or Cointreau if you prefer)

Shake until ice cold, serve up or on the rocks, garnish with lemon and dust with a few crushed tea leaves from a tea bag.

Stay healthy.

Your favorite bartender,

-Dan

***As you may know, the principal antioxidant in green tea said to account for these feats is epigallocatechin-3-gallate.  If you’re interested in more scientific detail, you probably shouldn’t be looking on a supper club website.

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18. June 2010 by Dan.

Most libations have recipes that specify the ingredients and quantities to be used, as well as instructions on how to mix them, shake them, stir them, or blend them, whether to serve them up or on ice, and what glass and garnish to use.  Some recipes are pretty forgiving, and some only come out well if you’re careful.  With a little practice, you can make any of them pretty successfully.

The challenge is that individuals’ tastes vary.  A lot.  Here’s the relevant golden rule:  Life is just too short to drink cocktails you don’t like.   A cocktail is only a great cocktail when the individual who drinks it says it is.  Not a cocktail guide, and not some snooty bartender.  (If you ever order a drink made a certain way and you get attitude about it, you’re in the wrong place.  Get up and go somewhere else.**) 

This concept is not new of course.  The very first sentence in the 1887 edition of Jerry Thomas’ Bartenders Guide begins “An efficient bartender’s first aim should be to please his customers, paying particular attention to meet the individual wishes of those whose tastes and desires he has already watched and ascertained…”

Even the famous and well respected David Embury, who was certainly opinionated on mixology, wrote in 1948 in The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks that we should “play around” with a recipe until we find the proportion that suits our taste.

I’ve made my point.  If you have a preference for an ingredient or garnish, or if you want your drink sweeter or fizzier or stronger or served in an old boot, don’t be timid about saying so.  A competent bartender will appreciate your guidance, and a good one will be able to make you a drink you’ll remember.

Hope to see you soon.

Your favorite bartender,

-Dan

**I once had a customer order an Old Fashioned made with vodka, which sounds terrible to me.  The correct response here is “Do you prefer a particular brand of vodka?”

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9. June 2010 by Dan.

Every bar has at least one signature cocktail. Well, except for maybe the bars you can’t go into unarmed.  You shouldn’t be drinking anything there anyway unless it comes right out of a bottle.

One that’s popular as a summer drink contains vodka, lemonade, and whatever secret ingredients the resident bartender has come up with.  Some of these are really refreshing, and some are better used to fuel your lawnmower.

At the Bear Trap we make a version of this libation called the “Bear Trapeze”**.  What qualifies this one as first rate is that each one is made for you by hand, from scratch, using fresh lemons and cane sugar.  The reason I love making this drink is that when it’s served the first sip always generates a giant grin that makes everyone else at the bar want one too.  Mmmm…happy customers…happy bartender…no wonder it got to be a signature drink!

See you soon.

Your favorite bartender,

-Dan

** I’m not sure how it got that moniker since we don’t actually have circus equipment in our supper club, but I’ve never heard anyone complain about the name.  I’ve never heard anyone complain about the taste either.

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4. June 2010 by Dan.

You certainly can have great cocktails made from complex formulations of exotic liquors, but it’s better if this kind of drink is made for you by someone else.  You can also experience great cocktails made from basic combinations of common ingredients.  These you can easily make yourself.  Here’s a martini you can whip up with stuff you probably already have in your desk at work, and you’ll really impress your co-workers.  Your boss, maybe not so much.  The formula…

2 ounces Rockstar Roasted Mocha (or Monster Loca Mocha)

1½ ounces vodka

1 ounce Kahlua

Shake on ice until really seriously cold, strain into a chilled martini glass.  Dust with cocoa powder (like you use to make hot chocolate, it’s in your desk too).

If you’re not so adventurous, or if you don’t have chilled martini glasses where you work, you can also make this at home.

See you soon.

Your favorite bartender,

-Dan

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