tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77182819523456472842024-03-04T20:57:36.667-08:00LUPEC SeattleDismantling the Patriarchy…one drink at a time!
Ladies for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails, Seattle Edition!Wendy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00129398892508107446noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-56023040511876751122013-05-13T13:52:00.000-07:002014-04-01T11:02:44.479-07:00LUPEC does Eat.Run.Hope (and drink)<style>
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On April 14<sup>th</sup> the ladies of LUPEC and several of
their spouses participated in Eat Run Hope. This event supports fetal health
and is presented by Ethan Stowell Restaurants and Eastside Maternal Fetal
Medicine. Team LUPEC raised over 500 dollars for the cause. In addition to the
usual suspects we had Ben Perri of Zig Zag fame on team LUPEC. The majority of
Team LUPEC participated in the 5k with Ben Perri crushing it and winning the
whole entire run! Way to go Ben Perri he finished his 5k in 19minutes and 53
seconds!
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Several of the LUPECers before the 5k!</div>
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We made sure to imbibe plenty too. Rocky Yeh was making delicious Bloody Marys.
Mimosas, champagne and beer were available as well. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to our imbibing, a very important
aspect to any LUPEC event we also noshed on awesome food. One of the LUPEC
favorites was Tom Douglas’ grilled adobo pork belly super nachos! Some other
highlights were roasted pig with salsa verde from Dots Delicatessen, Fideos
from Il Corvo and ice cream from Poppy Basil Cinnamon with strawberry sauce and
almond streusel was delicious but it was hard to say if it was better than the
banana ice cream with fudge sauce coconut and mango marshmallow. </div>
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Everyone had a great time and went home with full bellies.
Next year Eat Hope Run should have a few extra cases of champagne to keep up
with the ladies of LUPEC! </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Thanks to Danielle Fague for eating, running, hoping, and blogging! This event really was so much fun besides raising funds for such a good cause. And speaking of that- if you didn't get a chance to donate, feel free to do that <a href="https://www.runningguru.com/DonateTeam.asp?tID=LUPECSeattle">now!</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I hope that even more of the ladies will participate next year!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">~Wendy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846975158949722820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-77040237182152106862013-04-04T11:56:00.001-07:002013-04-05T09:48:55.863-07:00Romancing the Rum Era at Rumba<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI56fQv0tPpdQZFiTBNLlMHxqOHqvrA4l5RF0QfBjrxpEq4z2X67bAdmoPitVeQG_tY8lQJWlyb87coAWzL7kuzg3i1xrP885ZoAWKfPOpUiNCcV6raOT3_DBoxWsoRLBnXIoHaBFvgKU/s1600/Rumba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI56fQv0tPpdQZFiTBNLlMHxqOHqvrA4l5RF0QfBjrxpEq4z2X67bAdmoPitVeQG_tY8lQJWlyb87coAWzL7kuzg3i1xrP885ZoAWKfPOpUiNCcV6raOT3_DBoxWsoRLBnXIoHaBFvgKU/s320/Rumba.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
March is not always an altogether beautiful weather month in Seattle, so LUPEC took their mouths on a rum-soaked mental journey to the sunshine and good times of pre-Castro Cuba.<br />
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With the guidance of Rumba's bar manager, Connor O'Brien, we were transported to front row seats, next to Ernest Hemingway at the El Floridita bar in old Havana.<br />
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The Daquiri #2 started us out, using (as all the night's drinks did) [name of rum deleted to protect the innocent] rum, allowing the LUPEC ladies a chance to sip a special spirit, one that we would not have been able to find had we just stayed here in Seattle. Any good journey requires a few snacks to keep everyone happy, so Rumba supplied us with plantain chips and guacamole.<br />
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"Rum is an underdog" Connor told us, comparing its place in the drinking world to where tequila was ten years ago. He launched from there into a history lesson, giving context to all of us on where rum comes from and why it's important--especially the [name of rum deleted to protect the innocent] rum, which we then were invited to taste a flight of: the 3 year and the 7 year. </div>
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Manager Kate Perry was a blur, getting all the glasses out for the flight--two per person in a matter of seconds. As we delved further into prohibition era laws in the US and the growth of the rum industry and bar scene in Cuba, we were served a third drink, the Presidente.</div>
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When Connor's very in-depth presentation was finished, the spirit of Cuba and the journey into terrific rums continued with discounts on rum drinks for the rest of the evening.</div>
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In case you missed out (or just want to relive the awesome mini-vacation at home), here are the recipes for the two cocktails we had:</div>
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<b>Daquiri #2</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>1 jigger rum (Havana Club Añejo Blanco suggested)</li>
<li>Juice of half a lime</li>
<li>1/4 oz Curaçao</li>
<li>1/4 oz sugar</li>
</ul>
Place all ingredients in glass.<br />
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Shake, strain in a chilled cocktail shell.</div>
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<b>Presidente</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>1 jigger rum (Havana Club 2 años suggested)</li>
<li>1/2 oz blanc vermouth</li>
<li>1 t dry curaçao</li>
<li>2 dashes grenadine</li>
</ul>
Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail shell.<br />
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Garnish with a flat orange twist.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Many thanks to this month's guest blogger Naomi Bishop whose own blog <a href="http://www.thegastrognome.com/" target="_blank">The Gastro Gnome </a>is
a mouth watering feast of all that is delicious. And of course muchas
gracias to the whole Rumba crew, especially Connor and Kate for doing
everything besides the rumba, to make us happy! Cheers! ~Wendy</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-64462592317948666742013-03-11T20:33:00.002-07:002013-03-11T20:33:32.098-07:00Speed Rack AftermathFebruary 10. Speed Rack. The sun was shining high in the Seattle sky as I made my way down to the Century Ballroom. The day was promising to be beautiful, though much of it would be unknown to me. My day would be spent inside watching contenders shake and stir their way toward the illustrious title of Miss Speed Rack Seattle. What would begin with 19 talented bartenders, would end with one woman raising her hands in victory as the judges proclaimed her the winner. <br />
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As I arrived, the ladies were just preparing to enter the preliminaries. Some were local, but others had traveled from as far as Spokane and Portland. The Tin Tables’ wells served as the focal point. Each areas was dotted with shakers and long-handled spoons, Hawthorne strainers and julep strainers all marked with pink electric tape. As a contestant made her way behind the stick, she faced down the necessary glassware already lined up on the varnished wood. Four drinks would test them: whiskey sour, margarita, sidecar and a gin martini with orange bitters. Oh, and then there was the clock. <br />
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Meanwhile the activity continued as the Century Ballroom was reshaped to house the competitive bar event. Portable bars were set up on stage, as well as the judge's table. Numerous punches were batched by the volunteer barbacks, all talented bartenders in their own right. The punch stations were set up around the back of the room, all with excellent vantage points for the action that would engulf the room later that day. Nothing seemed to garner more attention in those hours of preparation than the arrival of the giant ice sculpture of a bottle of Green Chartreuse, from which ice luges would be poured all afternoon long. <br />
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<br />
As the day moved steadily along and the final 8 were chosen, the activity reached a frenetic pace. The host of volunteers entered and were assigned to various serving positions. Several LUPEC Seattle ladies took their post with punch ladles. With a half hour to go before the event officially opened, the line of attendees wrapped around the building. The excitement reached a fever pitch as the ladies of Tilted Thunder Roller Birds skated across the hardwood floors, raffles tickets in hand. The event was destined to be memorable. <br />
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<br />
When the doors finally opened, the thirsty public started to fill the room, checking out the various offerings. But all eyes were soon trained on stage. Shortly after the four judges, Kathy Casey, Anu Apte, Robert Hess and Audrey Saunders chose the cocktails, the action took off. The crowd cheered as their hands flew to the bottles in a mad dash to not only prepare but garnish the four beverages. In the end, the judges were tough but fair as they appraised cocktail after cocktail. Who knows how they were able to withstand the onslaught of wonderful drinks and not only remain objective but keep their palates in tune. <br />
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<br />
As the opening round came to completion, only four were left standing: Lacy Hawkins, Angel Teta, Missy Cross, and Beckaly Franks. In a surprising turn of events, the finals ended up being a rematch of last year's Speed Rack Portland--where last year's Miss Speed Rack Portland, Missy Cross, would face off against Lacy Hawkins. This year it was Lacy Hawkins who took home the title and was bathed in champagne. She will go on to compete in the Speed Rack Finals, held in New York City on May 16.<br />
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<br />
Regardless of the winners and losers, the day was incredible. From the shots to honor Anu Apte's birthday to the champagne cocktails to toast the winner, the event was filled with an air of camaraderie and celebration, and a bit of friendly but fierce competition. Of course, we should not forget that all of the proceeds were raised to support a very worthwhile cause--breast cancer research, education and prevention.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">~Thanks to our woman on the street Courtney Randall for covering all the action and reporting back. Speed Rack is an amazing event put on by some really amazing women. It was great to see a lot of you at the event. Hopefully they will return to Seattle and we can all go again! Wendy</span>Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392767394123711830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-71001393796737490552013-01-22T14:05:00.002-08:002013-01-23T12:18:42.945-08:00Cocktails and Boobs, Both Will Be Shaking!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
December 4, 2011, the morning after Repeal Day. I walked through the frozen morning toward the Jack Rose Saloon in Washington, D.C., half-rolling and half-dragging my luggage across the frost-covered sidewalk. The morning was clear and brisk, and each step reverberated through my body. Why oh why was I up this early, squinting into the bright morning sun? Of course, there was good reason to propel myself from my comfortable hotel bed, pack up my suitcase many hours before my flight, and scurry around in the sub-freezing temperatures--it was Speed Rack. <br />
<br />
Speed Rack is the brainchild of Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix, also LUPEC NYC members. The women-only competition pits regional bartenders head-to-head in a test of accuracy and speed. Shaking, stiring and building drinks selected from a list of 50 industry standards, each drink is judged by a panel of industry experts. As a competitor moves from one round to the next, she becomes that much closer to winning her regional heat and a chance to compete at the Speed Rack Finals, held in New York City. On the line are a significant amount of bragging rights, the title of Miss Speed Rack, and a trip to France. But there is a serious side to all of the fun and games--all of the proceeds from the events go toward funding breast cancer research, education and prevention. In the initial year, almost $70,000 was raised across 11 events nationwide. <br />
<br />
When I walked through the doors to the Jack Rose on that cold December morning, I found the entire place alive with excitement and activity. Contestants, many of whom had worked the Repeal Day Ball, milled around drinking coffee and chatting about the events of the night before. Though the atmostphere was full of camaraderie, but a certain amount of nervousness and competitiveness were active as well. Volunteer barbacks were busy setting up the area--clearing space and prepping ingredients. Other volunteers were creating signs and assembling the merchandise tables. Lynnette and Ivy were there, of course, assisting and overseeing the activity. <br />
<br />
The preliminary rounds were held in the upstairs bar. As the ladies took to the bar to eek out their best times, to qualify for the opportunity to perform in front of a live roaring crowd. The environment was remarkably supportive as those not on the clock cheered on their fellow contestants. Unfortunately for me, just as the event started ramping up and the crowds started arriving, I had to leave to catch my flight back home. The round robin segment, followed by the finals, were sadly to take place after my plane was already in the air. <br />
<br />
The second season of Speed Rack opened with a <i>tchk-tchk-tchk </i>of the shaker in Boston on October 3, and events are scheduled nationwide through the end of March. I am extremely excited that my city is hosting one of the regional competitions. I would finally be able to witness the action of the latter rounds live. <br />
<br />
On Sunday, February 10, 2013, Speed Rack will come to Seattle. Don't miss the excitment as some of the Northwest's finest female bartenders go head-to-head at the Century Ballroom. And if you just can't wait to get a taste of what the event is like, check out the <a href="http://www.speed-rack.com/">videos</a> that show the highlights of past competitions.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Many thanks to guest blogger <a href="http://cocktailquest.blogspot.com/">Courtney Randall</a> who will be covering Speed Rack next month for our LUPEC blog. Good luck to all the contestants and we hope to see you all at the event, which promises to be a hell of a good time while raising money for the boobs we all love and adore! Find out more and get your tickets <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/471935149536764/" target="_blank">here!</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">~WM </span>Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392767394123711830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-86709031094854945282012-12-16T12:41:00.001-08:002012-12-16T12:41:41.108-08:00MurrayAid with House Spirits & Bastille<div>
<div>
<written burch="burch" by="by" jen="jen"> </written><br />
LUPEC gathered in the near past at Bastille's back bar to
drink some House Spirits cocktails and to raise money for Murray
Stenson.</div>
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</div>
<div>
The evening started with a Swedish Finn (Punch
featuring House Spirits Distillery's Krogstad aquavit. Additional
ingredients in the punch were lemon, allspice dram, sparkling apple
cider and nutmeg. Bastille served it with the smoked salmon (Pacific
Northwest's answer to pickled herring?), arugula and chanterelles. All
the drinks that evening were enjoyable, but this was my favorite drink
of the night. The punch gave a nod to the season, and the aquavit gave
it a nice hint of anise without over powering the blend of flavors.</div>
<div>
<div>
Next we moved on to a classic Gin Rickey which was
made with House Spirits' Aviation Gin. As a brief aside, you may not
know that this gin is named with the Aviation cocktail in mind. House
Spirits' targets a gin with a clean, neutral profile and faintly spicy
finish. It's not a London Dry, it's a new American style. Bastille
served a bruchetta with shaved broccoli, cheese, tomato and house made
frommage blanc.</div>
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</div>
<div>
Finally we had a barrel aged cocktail called the
Four Saints Cocktail. This cocktail showcased House Spirits White Dog
Whiskey. byrrh, cynar and orange bitters rounded out the ingredient
list. This was paired with a pumpkin soup with a brioche bun. Like all
barrel aged cocktails the barrel aging rounds out some of the rough
edges and was a good presentation for the white dog whiskey.</div>
<div>
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<div>
The drinks, food and comradery of LUPEC may be why
we all come out, but for me the best part of this evening was raising
money for Murray Stenson. Murray who has been a great ambassador to the
cocktail community. Murray has made many of us the first vesion of a
classisc cocktail. For me, The first time I had a Liberal, it was served
to me by Murry. I am proud to say the we raised $1545 in cash, and Bastille kicked in another $1000 from our bills for a total of $2545! Much of this was due to the LUPEC Queen Bee's, (Wendy Miller)
'force of nature' personality as she asked patrons who came in during
and after LUPEC for donations. We hope that Murray is well soon.</div>
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<div>
A big thank you to House Spirits and Bastille for hosting a lovely evening.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">And a big thank you to guest blogger Jen Burch who has been in the group since the very first meeting. Also huge thanks to guest bartender and SF LUPEC lady Brooke Arthur, everyone at House Spirits and everyone at Bastille, these are a fine bunch of generous folks!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">LUPEC Seattle really appreciates all the businesses, brands and bartenders who have hosted us over the past year and have helped us when we try to give back to the community. Happy holidays and cheers to a wonderful new year! ~Wendy</span> </div>
</div>
Wendy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00129398892508107446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-5755552173690780382012-10-17T12:23:00.000-07:002012-10-17T12:23:10.269-07:00The Ladies Lunch<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love telling people:</span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">that I belong to LUPEC and the inevitable</span></li>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<li>what LUPEC is all about.
</li>
</span></ol>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
I am immediately fancier in these people's eyes...and let's face it's true: belonging to LUPEC is a +10 fancy. Since I am not a fancy person by nature (you've met me, right?), I could use those 10 points. Our October 2012 meeting at <a href="http://www.vesselseattle.com/">Vessel</a>, though? Yeah, we might have to bump that up to +50. Why?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Number One: Ice Program.</b> I know Vessel isn't the only venue with an ice program about town, however, I think it's the only one with the capacity in-house to make
300 lb blocks of beautifully clear chunks of solid water, replete with two (two!) saws - chain and band, if you must know - on hand to carve said ice into manageable
bricks, which are then parsed out to the bar for individual carving, crushing, ice picking, or what have you. The lucky ladies that attended got to see one of
these blocks lifted from the magic water freezing machine (technical term) and, after its requisite rest, carved up. As you can imagine, it was a delight. Jim Romdall
demonstrated and instructed us on the particulars of temperature and technique and the importance of timing.
</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AVP74SCxohM/UH3cq7Pd6II/AAAAAAAAASU/Bnvvgp6fWmU/s1600/ice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AVP74SCxohM/UH3cq7Pd6II/AAAAAAAAASU/Bnvvgp6fWmU/s320/ice.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Two: Lunch!</b> I struggled with making this number one or two, but I didn't want to make the ladies who couldn't take the afternoon (or day) off of work too
jealous. However, I must say, indulging in a weekday afternoon lunch with an adult beverage (or in my case three) is quite nice. Mental health day indeed. Full disclosure: I might have napped when I got home.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Three: Cameo McRoberts.</b> One doesn't expect the aroma of lamb braising when entering a cocktail establishment, but that is exactly what happened. The
delicious stylings of Ms. McRoberts, <a href="http://lupecseattle.blogspot.com/2010/10/10-qs-for-lupec-lady-cameo-mcroberts.html">beloved fellow member</a>
and chef charmed us all. And yes, I believe we tried everything on the menu from the salads to the aforementioned deliciously smelling Braised Lamb
French Dip. My favorite was the Muffulleta Sandwich, which fortunately for everyone involved, I ordered. All this tastiness was topped off with an unexpected surprise: a complimentary Old Fashioned ice cream concoction. YUM.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_RwAgg2awDI/UH3cwTUePrI/AAAAAAAAASc/OEX-AjIF8Eg/s1600/dessert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_RwAgg2awDI/UH3cwTUePrI/AAAAAAAAASc/OEX-AjIF8Eg/s1600/dessert.jpg" /></a></div>
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</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Four: Did I mention the drinks yet? Ah yes, the drinks.</b> The lunch beverage menu has non-alcoholic beverages (did anyone order one of those?) and
as befits our status of endangered cocktail saviors, four quite delicious alcoholic options:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bloody Mary - Mix made from scratch, including but not limited to fresh roasted tomatoes
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Red Snapper - As above, but with gin
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pimm's Cup - Pimm's No. 1, lemon, cucumber, ginger, mint
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Corpse Reviver #CO2 - Gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, lemon, absinthe, carbonated (pictured below)</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xHbG84l7z20/UH3cy68I7tI/AAAAAAAAASk/RRpFKOhQKu8/s1600/corpsereviver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xHbG84l7z20/UH3cy68I7tI/AAAAAAAAASk/RRpFKOhQKu8/s1600/corpsereviver.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Of course one could order off menu, but I didn't find that necessary on this visit.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Overall, with its rotating bartenders and menus (both food and drink);
fantastic back bar; and new airy space, Vessel 2.0 was a fantastic LUPEC host and is a delight any day of the week. Highly recommend! And if you see Jim, ask him about the ice!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Huge thanks to Jim, Cameo, and their
wonderful teams</span>.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">And a big thanks to guest blogger Carolyn Roper for this excellent recap of October's meeting. October is also LUPEC Seattle's 3rd birthday. And I must echo her thank you's to Cameo, Jim, Clark and our fabulous bartender for the afternoon Bryn. ~Wendy</span> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-7258557351081137042012-10-02T13:38:00.000-07:002012-10-02T13:38:20.733-07:00LUPEC Seattle teams up with Novo Fogo's Bars on Fire!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_2hl06etoNcuoeFWAqZWBI6d7REmpSX3cwD7oe7EupcrqIhw9W9GVvAnhisPAakx3dxBDqsuodqaF7kjusnGMuDAWd5IMZjvrih24aW4TQJRJt77Q7X3DO7cAjUM5iwBOU12zLA6Ibw/s1600/Poquitos1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_2hl06etoNcuoeFWAqZWBI6d7REmpSX3cwD7oe7EupcrqIhw9W9GVvAnhisPAakx3dxBDqsuodqaF7kjusnGMuDAWd5IMZjvrih24aW4TQJRJt77Q7X3DO7cAjUM5iwBOU12zLA6Ibw/s320/Poquitos1.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
For September's gathering, LUPEC Seattle participated in a convivial, combined event at <a href="http://www.vivapoquitos.com/Poquitos/VivaPoquitos.html">Poquitos</a> with Novo Fogo's established Bars on Fire series.<br />
<br />
If you haven't heard of <a href="http://www.novofogo.com/Home/Welcome">Novo Fogo</a> yet, it's time you learn about them! They produce an excellent line of cachaças, easily available in the Seattle area thanks to the tireless advocacy of one of the owners -- and LUPEC ally -- Dragos Axinte.<br />
<br />
Dragos is a welcoming host, and we were all given a special cocktail menu, developed by our two bartenders for the evening: Erik Carlson (pictured left) and Evan Martin (pictured right).<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipHIiKyFRTDHUu4nvy7wJv5Xd7990t8bnlKcQNnzX5oGPad-lGtJvefSNJcJewpBAejjn7MKI58dSLH9_92vgWF0QWfdIyom3_bPM59gn2bmK94z1QC1YIAjT2S2zHeI6sgf53wHgNFkE/s1600/NovoFogoBartenders.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipHIiKyFRTDHUu4nvy7wJv5Xd7990t8bnlKcQNnzX5oGPad-lGtJvefSNJcJewpBAejjn7MKI58dSLH9_92vgWF0QWfdIyom3_bPM59gn2bmK94z1QC1YIAjT2S2zHeI6sgf53wHgNFkE/s320/NovoFogoBartenders.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Our cocktail menu:</b><br />
<b>Nelson's Passage</b><br />
<i>Evan Martin</i><br />
Silver Cachaça, passion fruit syrup, cinnamon syrup, lime, mint, I.P.A.<br />
<br />
<b>O Melhor</b><br />
<i>Evan Martin</i><br />
Barrel-Aged Cachaça, Amontillado sherry, orgeat, Combier Pamplemousse Rose, lime, lavender bitters.<br />
<br />
<b>Gaby's Punch #2</b><br />
<i>Erik Carlson</i><br />
Silver Cachaça, pistachio orgeat, lime, absinthe, Angostura bitters.<br />
<br />
<b>Cane Chopper</b><br />
<i>Erik Carlson</i><br />
Barrel-Aged Cachaça, orange curaçao, cane syrup, mole bitters, coffee bitters.<br />
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As with any LUPEC event, there was lots of sampling and sharing, and this time with Poquitos' delicious Mexican food available to accompany our cocktails. Our fearless leader stated the O Melhor was her favorite, and another member chimed in that its sherry, orgeat, Pamplemousse Rose and lavender were perfectly-balanced. The Cane Chopper was a light, yet dynamic drink, and Gaby's Punch was punctuated by an unconventional pistachio orgeat. Another at our gathering declared that the Nelson's Passage encapsulated Summer for her --"Summer's either a mint julep or this drink!"<br />
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Finally, there was the classic, the caipirinha. These were served in mason jars for drinkers to shake before imbibing. This fun rendition of the definitive cachaça cocktail became a popular choice by night's end.<br />
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While many folks associate cachaça exclusively with caipirinhas, thanks to Dragos, Erik, and Evan, we learned again at this month's meeting that it can also be an integral ingredient in other delightful cocktails, too. Thanks to them, all those who participated for another successful LUPEC Seattle night out!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Thanks to this month's guest blogger Rachel Thibodeaux who if off to live in jolly ole London for a bit. Maybe if we are all real nice to her she'll bring us back some special gin in about 6 months! And of course HUGE thanks to Novo Fogo and Poquitos for having us! ~Wendy</span> </div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06382407544681345464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-36986462686460427012012-09-11T14:32:00.000-07:002012-09-11T14:32:11.828-07:00No Worms Were Harmed<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Many thanks to LUPEC Seattle's first member Stevi Deter for tackling the strange and wonderful world of Mezcal and chronicling our journey to Mezcaleria. If you aren't already following her blog, <a href="http://www.twoatthemost.com/" target="_blank">Two at the Most</a>, you really should! And of course thanks to everyone at Mezcaleria for hosting us! ~WM </span> <br />
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A beautiful early August evening found a steady stream of women pouring into Queen Anne, headed for <a href="http://www.mezcaleriaoaxaca.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mezcaleria Oaxaca</a> to learn about agave.
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Mezcal is a much maligned, misunderstood liquor. Many mistake it for that awful bottle of vacation rotgut with a worm in it.<br />
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But as we learned, mezcal is so much more. Mezcal is any liquor made from a species of the agave plant, so technically all Tequila is mezcal. The agave plant is trimmed, resulting in a heart called the piña, which is roasted for several days, often over a smoky fire which leaves a distinctive flavor in the final distillate.<br />
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After roasting, the piñas are crushed, traditionally by large rolling stones pulled by donkeys. The extruded juice is then introduced to yeast and the result is distilled.<br />
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Mezcal purists prefer to drink their liquor unaged, believing that aging can hide the aspects of the drink they most enjoy. We tried the Del Maguey Vida, twice distilled from espadin. Like many mezcals, Vida is distilled to proof, meaning it's bottled at the proof it comes off the still, instead of being diluted with water. This means more of the original taste of the source product remains.<br />
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The best mezcals are earthy, still hinting of the sweetness of the agave, and smoky from the roasting process. The Vida was soft, sweet, and had a nice astringency at the end.<br />
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We also tried the Pierde Almas Dobadaan, which is made from a rarer form of agave. It had lots of pepper and earthy spice to it I quite enjoyed.<br />
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While some may disapprove, aging mezcal can add a smoothness and sophistication that's very enjoyable. We tried Ilegal Reposado, also made from espadin, which had a lovely buttery flavor.<br />
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The Mezcaleria Oaxaca happily serves its mezcal in traditional copas, made of either ceramic or out of a gourd and beautifully carved. It took a lot of willpower to prevent one of those works of art from finding its way into my purse.<br />
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Speaking of works of art, the Mezcaleria features the photography of Spike Mafford, who was on hand to extoll the virtues of his favorite liquor and celebrate his birthday. As a treat, he "raffled" off a print of the airplane photograph that dominates the restaurant's bar. As he gave us all the same raffle number, he solved the problem by tearing the photo into smaller pieces and autographing each one. As a group, LUPEC Seattle now shares in a beautiful photograph.<br />
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In addition to an extensive and ever growing list of mezcals to taste, several cocktails were also on offer. I quite enjoyed the Primer Beso, which features pineapple infused mezcal, triple sec, orange juice, and a gusano salt rim. It was well balanced and still let the mezcal sing through.<br />
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Plenty of delicious bites from the kitchen, sister to La Carta de Oaxaca in Ballard, were also on offer. I can't wait to go back and have a full dinner.<br />
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A huge thanks to the owners of Mezcaleria Oaxaca for hosting us and providing us with an education on this wonderful spirit.Stevi Deterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06532323694848751057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-90547757679981158032012-08-06T16:14:00.000-07:002012-08-06T16:19:47.900-07:00LUPEC Takes on the World!<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
Kudos to last month's guest blogger Lynne Becker. Lynn writes the fabulous blog <a href="http://libationlaboratory.com/" target="_blank">Libation Laboratory</a> that you really should be reading, if you aren't already! And of course many thanks to Rocky Yeh, Wine World, Pierre Ferrand and Dante's Dogs for making our July meeting so great! ~WM</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Until June 1<sup>st</sup> of this year, the LUPEC ladies would likely not have met at Wine World and Spirits for our monthly event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, passage of Washington State Initiative 1183 changed that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the first time in 78 years, liquor sales are no longer exclusive to Washington State liquor stores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until May 31, Wine World was just that; a giant world of wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, starting on the first day of June, spirits were added to their shelves and they became Wine World and Spirits (WW&S).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if you haven’t seen their inventory, you should; it’s impressive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, July finds LUPEC in the event space at WW&S.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our special guests for the evening were the esteemed Rocky Yeh, Portfolio Ambassador for the Proof Collection and Mr. Guillaume Lamy, Vice President of Cognac Ferrand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Rocky was preparing the bar as the LUPEC members arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More than several bottles of diverse spirits lined the bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clearly, there were going to be many opportunities for tastings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dante’s Dogs had set up shop outside to provide the evening’s nourishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While LUPEC members found a seat and visited Dante’s for their dog of choice, Rocky mixed our first drink of the evening; the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seattle Southside<sup>1</sup></i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a cocktail consisting of Citadelle Gin, Mathilde Poire, lemon, and garnished with pear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was served on ice with soda water to finish and was a refreshing start to the evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Drinks and dogs acquired, Rocky provided the group with information on the recent liquor privatization initiative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Washington State has some of the highest liquor taxes in the country and even greater now with passage of I-1183.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the upside of I-1183 is a better selection of liquor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know the first time I walked into WW&S and observed the diversely stocked liquor section; I thought “this is why I-1183 passed.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rocky suggested that our goal as liquor aficionados should be maximum selection at our local liquor stores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we’ve all noticed, prices are higher, though this is not completely reflected on the sticker price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the checkout, you’ll notice liter tax as well as an additional 27% fee over the sticker price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 27% represents a 10% distributor fee and a 17% retail fee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, in 2 years the distributor fee will reduce to 5%, saving us some money on our liquid hobby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Special guest Mr. Guillaume Lamy from Cognac Ferrand spoke of their impressive portfolio of spirits, including Pierre Ferrand 1840 (which just won at TOTC - <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award winners, Best New Product<sup>2</sup>) </b>and Pierre Ferrand Ambre, Citadelle Gin, Mathilde Poire Liqueur, Plantation Grand Reserve Rum and Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, all of which were represented at the LUPEC event. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Mr. Lamy eloquently equated the art of distilling cognac to cooking or baking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the process he invited us all to Cognac to tour the distillery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m quite sure more than one LUPEC member put Cognac on their travel destination wish list after listening to Mr. Lamy speak of the distillery and the region.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, I’m ready to leave to be an apprentice at the distillery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cognac Ferrand is a relatively small operation with 25 people total, 15 of which support the distilling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Cognac region of France is essentially a huge vineyard with over 5000 grape producers and 300 distilleries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cognac is not made from Champagne, but originates from wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though Pierre Ferrand cognac is called Grand Champagne Cognac, the ‘Champagne’ refers to the region of Cognac and type of soil in which the grapes are grown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because cognac starts with wine, with a great diversity of age and taste, blending is required to produce cognac, making it a subjective art form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good cognac should taste like wine; much like espresso is to good coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Cognac Ferrand has a new cognac on the market, the Pierre Ferrand 1840.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The LUPEC group was fortunate to have the opportunity to taste this delicious product.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time of the event, there were very few bottles available in Seattle and only 3 on the shelf at WW&S.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some might have thought a girl-fight would ensue, but the LUPEC ladies are much more civilized than that, especially when Rocky assured us that he had a container landing in Seattle in the next couple of weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even more exciting is the fact that the 1840 was just awarded ‘Best New Product’ at the 2012 Tales of the Cocktail Convention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cognac Ferrand paired with historian David Wondrich to develop the 1840.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Historically, at least a third of all cocktails were made with cognac as a base spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In an effort to recreate historically accurate Cognac, many old bottles of cognac were tasted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike wine, Cognac’s high alcohol content prevents further aging upon bottling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once bottled, Cognac is considered a ‘dead bottle’ and, provided that the bottle was stored correctly, the flavor profile when bottle, even in 1840, is how it will taste today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After working their way through a number of old bottles of Cognac, the tasting team finally tried a bottle from 1840 that was exceptionally good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two centuries ago, vegetal infusions were often used in the making of cognac.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Ferrand distillers added the old cognac to new distillate to replicate the vegetal infusions and thus creating the award-winning ‘1840’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The LUPEC group had the opportunity to taste both the 1840 cognac as well as the Ambre cognac.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Continuing the collaboration with David Wondrich, Cognac Ferrand decided to rectify the dearth of quality curacaos on the market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Curacao is the original orange liqueur, and is sometimes also referred to as Triple Sec, which is a descriptive of the distillation process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, that ‘Triple Sec’ you see on the bottom shelf of many liquor stores, is not really a French orange liqueur, but rather a neutral grain spirit with flavorings made in Red Creek, WV (ok, I made up the geography part).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t buy it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cognac Ferrand resurrected a 19<sup>th</sup> century recipe for their curacao.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The method includes “three separate distillations of spices and the ‘sec’ or bitter peels of Curacao oranges blended with brandy and Ferrand Cognac<sup>3</sup>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a dry curacao with mild sweetness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rocky used the curacao very successfully in his version of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">El Presidente</i> cocktail consisting of Plantation Grand Reserve Rum, Dry Curacao, Dolin Blanc vermouth and grenadine (Rocky used his very own special recipe grenadine; a lingonberry/honey variety).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Rocky pointed out, this cocktail contains no citrus and would be an excellent candidate for aging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">The folks of Cognac Ferrand are a resourceful group, and their portfolio of spirits is representative of this character attribute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The French AOC (appellation d'origine controlee<sup>4</sup>) strictly controls the wine and other agricultural products in the French Cognac region.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the regulations allows that cognac distillation can only occur between the months of November and March, leaving the pot stills inactive for the remainder of the year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cognac Ferrand took advantage of this inactivity by using their copper pot stills to make Citadelle Gin, a London dry-style gin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Continuing the theme of efficiency, the distillery uses their cognac casks to age rum, producing Plantation Grand Reserve Rum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Our last educational opportunity of the evening was to learn about Cognac Ferrand’s line of fruit liqueurs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[I’ll be honest with you, the quality of my note-taking is inversely proportional to my number of cocktails and taste testing opportunities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And by this time in the evening, our table-top was filled with glasses.]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Specifically, Mr. Lamy discussed the Mathilde Poire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a relatively sweet (at least 100g sugar per liter as directed by European law), low alcohol content (18%) liqueur with heavy pear notes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rocky successfully used the Mathilde Poire in the Seattle Southside with which we started the evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">July found us with a unique opportunity to learn more about I-1183, a huge portfolio of interesting and tasty spirits from Cognac Ferrand and try some great cocktails made by the infamous Rocky Yeh; all in a really lovely event space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Ladies, Air France will be running big sale this fall, so book your tickets to Cognac.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll be needed at Cognac Ferrand starting in November to kick off the distilling season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1</span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Created by Allen Katz<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2</span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">http://www.alcademics.com/2011/07/tales-of-the-cocktail-award-winners-the-official-list.html<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">3</span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">http://pierreferrandcuracao.com/en/section/view/210<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">4</span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appellation_d'origine_contr%C3%B4l%C3%A9e<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>L. A. Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06220856819605279944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-84640332874537571102012-07-16T14:08:00.000-07:002012-07-16T14:13:04.457-07:00Gunning For Gin At Sun Liquor and Distillery<style>
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<a href="http://sunliquor.com/">Sun Liquor’s</a> two Capitol Hill bars are well known by the
ladies of LUPEC for their neighborhood vibe and well-crafted cocktails. June’s
meeting took us to the Sun Liquor and Distillery, located at 514 E Pine St.,
which opened in 2008. The moderately sized Pine St. location has an L-shaped
bar, blonde wood booths and a large map of the world map mural covering one
wall. If the interior reminds you of some place else, it's because owners Mark
and Michael Klebeck also own Top Pot Doughnuts. There's a collection of vintage
shakers behind the bar, Heywood-Wakefield-style booth design and large picture
windows overlooking the street. </div>
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At this LUPEC meeting, the ladies enjoyed cocktails featuring
Sun’s house-distilled spirits: Hedge Trimmer gin, Unxld vodka and Gun Club gin.
We were also treated to a tour of distillery, where Erik Chapman cranks out
about 400 bottles of day. The bar is now able to sell bottles out of this
location, which you can pick up for just $32 each.</div>
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Behind the bar, Missy mixed up drinks, while Derek worked
the tables. The five cocktails Missy created or selected for the special LUPEC
menu that evening each featured Sun Liquor's products:</div>
<ul>
<li><b>Bramble</b>: Hedge Trimmer gin, raspberry preserves and lemon
juice</li>
<li><b>Palm Beach Special</b>: Hedge Trimmer gin, grapefruit juice, and
Italian vermouth</li>
<li><b>Ford Cocktail</b>: Gun Club gin, dry vermouth, Benedictine, and
housemade orange bitters</li>
<li><b>Have a Heart</b>: Gun Club gin, Swedish Punsch, lime juice, and
housemade grenadine</li>
<li><b>Italian Bathing Suit</b>: Unxld vodka, grapefruit juice, Aperol,
and St. Germain, topped with Champagne</li>
<li><b>Peach Buck</b>: Unxld vodka, lemon juice and housemade peach
shrub, topped with ginger beer </li>
</ul>
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The Ford Cocktail--which I kept wanting to call the Tom Ford--was
a crowd favorite among our booze-loving ladies. Served up, in a martini glass,
the Ford was the type of spirits-forward drink most of us love. Missy said they’re
lucky to have a quality neutral grain spirit at their disposal at Sun Liquor for
making bitters in house, and their orange bitters added a nice depth of flavor
to the Ford. </div>
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After enjoying a round or two of drinks, ladies joined Erik
in the distillery in small groups of 8 to 10. Erik explained the 11-hour
process for creating Sun’s signature products in their 100-gallon copper still.
They distill it 3 times to remove impurities, reducing it from 100 to about 45
gallons, before adding about 30 gallons of water. </div>
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The Gun Club gin is currently Sun’s most popular product.
This so-called “naval strength” style gin is so named because gunpowder can
still ignite it. I don’t recall the exact ABV, but most naval strength gins are
upwards of 50%. Both the Gun Club gin and Sun’s London Dry style gin--Hedge
Trimmer--are distilled from organic Washington wheat and include a variety of
herbs: juniper, coriander, angelica root, cassia, ginseng, birch, fresh orange
and lemon, and sassafras. While Chapman wouldn’t divulge which herbs were used
exactly in each gin, he did say that sassafras plays a large role in the Gun
Club, and that he uses twice as much citrus as most other distillers. </div>
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In addition to the big still, Chapman also runs test batches
on a smaller 25-gallon still. They’ve been experimenting with brandies, as well
as an aged gin that is currently stored in barrels aging at a facility in
Eastern Washington. Hopefully LUPEC ladies will be sampling that very soon.</div>
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Thanks Erik, Missy & Derek. Cheers to you from LUPEC!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Many thanks to Sonja Groset, this month's volunteer blogger. Sonja gets paid to write over at the <a href="http://www.seattleweekly.com/authors/sonja-groset/" target="_blank">Seattle Weekly</a>, and also has her own blog that you can follow <a href="http://satisfythecraving.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. She's been a valuable part of LUPEC since way back when and has great taste in all things delicious! ~Wendy</span></div>Sonjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11287821410614343132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-22853150660354709622012-05-14T09:44:00.000-07:002012-05-17T10:46:01.581-07:00A is for Absinthe...Drinking Lessons at the Sorrento<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Big thanks to guest blogger Janice Wilson Vaché for covering our May meeting. This is Janice's 1 year anniversary of being in LUPEC (or close to I think)! Janice has a great blog <a href="http://iceclinkdrink.com/" target="_blank">IceClinkDrink</a> which you should all take a peek at. Thanks to Andrew, Kerri Benecke and the Sorrento for putting on our private class, I think the it was a big success and even those of us with a good knowledge of absinthe came away with some new info. ~Wendy </span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">If the adage
that “practice makes perfect” is true, then LUPEC members certainly need no
lessons in drinking – we are already very, very good at it. But we love to
learn (to get perfect-er?) and were eager students at the special </span><a href="http://www.hotelsorrento.com/social-calendar/food-and-drink/" style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Sorrento
Drinking Lessons</a><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> held just for our May 1st meeting. Not even May Day
protesters (or at least the traffic of those fleeing them) could keep us from learning
all about absinthe from Andrew Bohrer, bartender, cocktail history buff and
Spirits Portfolio Manager for Vinum </span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">distributors</span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.wormwoodsociety.org/" target="_blank">Absinthe</a> has
a rich and varied history, from toast of the town in the 1800’s to modern-day bootleg
production in dorm bathrooms. Andrew took us through the developments – such as
the use of wormwood and herbs as additives -- in spirit production that
eventually led to the creation of absinthe in 1797. By 1840 it was the most
popular non-wine spirit around, and vintage cocktail books reflect its use in
many, many cocktails. An entire drinking ritual was created for it, and while
drinks like the Moscow Mule may have their own special serving glass, absinthe
boasts a range of apparatus (take that, vodka!) like the fountain and slotted
spoon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">A victim of
misunderstanding about its ingredients, blamed for psychotic incidents and
later slandered by threatened wineries, “the Green Fairy” was banned in the
United States and elsewhere for up to 90 years. Fortunately for us, the bans have
ended and an explosion of absinthe producers gives us many choices for enjoying
the spirit and using it in cocktails. With the help of Alex mixing and Jen and
Molly serving, Andrew treated LUPEC members to three samples of absinthe and
three absinthe-laced cocktails. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">A Test for Our Tastebuds<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Our glasses
of Lucid, Trillium and Pacifique absinthes were served in the customary manner,
with a bit of sugar and a ratio of 1 part absinthe to 3-5 parts water. Andrew
explained that the cloudiness in the liquid is called the louche and results
from the water separating the essential oils locked in during the two-step
distillation and maceration process that defines absinthe production. Its green
– vert – shade comes from the chlorophyll of its ingredients. While most
absinthes use the herbs absinthium (wormwood), anise and fennel during
distillation, more variation is used among brands in flavoring the secondary
maceration and that results in a range of distinctive tastes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Could we
taste the differences among the three absinthes? Indeed we could. The LUPEC
consensus was that the Trillium (not unexpectedly discontinued) was too cloying,
especially compared to the softer, more complex Pacifique (which Wendy compared
to beloved Good & Plenty candies). The Lucid, with a beet base, showed that
the spirit can evolve and still remain true to its roots. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Comparing
their bottles, Andrew also explained some practicalities about absinthe:
because it is a very high proof spirit, it is susceptible (i.e. explosive) to
heat. Therefore, Trillium’s narrow necked bottle was a detriment as it trapped
heat; for us home bartenders, that means we must not store any absinthe near
the stove!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">While absorbed
in the nuances of each absinthe, we were also excited to sample them in
cocktails. In keeping with the theme of absinthe history, Andrew served us up
three classic cocktails (recipes below) with absinthe as a key player: the
Corpse Reviver #2, the Chrysanthemum, and the Sazerac. Andrew’s parting advice
on the last is that to make a Sazerac New-Orleans-style, you must add the
absinthe to an empty glass and then toss it in the air to provide the proper
rinse. This is better advice for the first drink of the night than the last, if
you value your glassware.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Corpse Reviver #2: gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, absinthe
– shake with ice<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Chrysanthemum: dry vermouth, Benedictine, absinthe
– stir<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Sazerac: rye whiskey, sugar cube, Peychaud’s
bitters, absinthe, steady hands for tossing glass – stir</span></li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0c-bxIHF8XU7KTFXo2ckjcGpYQNvqCHO19LDlgFI15EdTirHwtOKaCEVggb9902U8QkkIPOYsqNtzGXVGR9VVxLocyfT04XZaS0euG7O3evzf1WHjCpVdQAXWSV30Tw_rielElS3LeA06/s1600/absinthe+graduates.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0c-bxIHF8XU7KTFXo2ckjcGpYQNvqCHO19LDlgFI15EdTirHwtOKaCEVggb9902U8QkkIPOYsqNtzGXVGR9VVxLocyfT04XZaS0euG7O3evzf1WHjCpVdQAXWSV30Tw_rielElS3LeA06/s320/absinthe+graduates.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Absinthe graduates</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Class is Dismissed<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Having gained
knowledge, excellent drinks and a delicious meal provided by our hosts at the
Sorrento, we LUPEC members mingled in the plush Fireside Room. There were no
diplomas touting our expertise in the Field of Absinthe, but – even better! –
we were treated to parting favors: a
tasty “to-go cocktail” of the Clipper Ship (Voyager gin, Pur Blossom liqueur,
lime juice and Pacifique Absinthe), plus an atomizer of absinthe for our home
bars. We thank Andrew Bohrer, the
Sorrento Hotel, Alex, Molly and Jen for their great help in presenting another
informative, tasty LUPEC meeting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Cheers to you all!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Janice Wilson Vaché (iceclinkdrink.com) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">(A Necessary Diversion)</span></b><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">While
steeped in absinthe (almost literally), the opportunity to ask a distributor
about the state of liquor availability was too irresistible. Where and when
will cherished brands return to shelves? What should we stock up on before June
1? Andrew said that Voyager gin and
Pacifique Absinthe will be stocked next month at Fred Meyer and likely at
Metropolitan Market, QFC and independent stores as well. Andrew will post availability on the LUPEC
Facebook page to keep us updated. Those not wanting to run dry on smaller
Italian liqueurs should stock up; many of their producers are not prepared for
the changes in distribution. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Janice Wilson Vachéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16698053990335064358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-38260686941257307422012-04-24T16:34:00.000-07:002012-04-24T16:34:03.337-07:00Bastille: Une Soirée Très Agréable! *<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia;">
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All our LUPEC meeting venues welcome us graciously, but LUPEC ladies who walked in the door of Bastille’s Back Bar for our April meeting may have felt a little extra special. It was a delightful surprise to see three large tables decked out with black tablecloths, cloth napkins, cocktail plates, drink and dinner menus, and (the always important) water glasses. But maybe I should have expected that from a bar with a gigantic Illuminated chandelier as its central decoration.</div>
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I was immediately drawn to the two barrel aged cocktails featured on the menu: Barrel Aged Primrose Hill Cocktail (gin, dry vermouth, maraschino, fernet branca) and the Barrel Aged White Point (white dog whiskey, punt e mes, yellow chartreuse, angostura & orange bitters). I have been reading about barrel aged cocktails, even seen a few featured in online cocktail menus, but thus far, hadn’t had the chance to try one. Always a sucker for Punt e Mes and generally preferring whiskey over gin, I selected the White Point. In traditional LUPEC manner, my cocktail was passed around for tasting by the ladies at my end of the table. I am happy to report that even those that aren’t white dog fans agreed it was very tasty, and a few ordered the White Point for themselves.</div>
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By the next round of drinks large platters of cured meats, bowls of olives, crostini and mustard arrived to help sustain us through the lively evening. </div>
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Throughout the evening I had the delightful opportunity to taste several cocktails from the menu, including: Bankhead Cocktail, Saint-Marc Daiquiri, and Trinidad Buck. However, my favorite was the Pinfire Cocktail—basically a double old fashioned, but with some house coffee bitters and one of Bar Manager, Erik Carlson’s signature hand-chipped ice cubes. It was an appealing presentation, lovely flavor, and a smooth coffee finish that I didn’t expect, but was truly delightful. I was so pleased with this drink that I am determined to make some coffee bitters for my next liquor project.</div>
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Some other LUPEC members chose to let our bartenders get creative, so I got to taste some funky rhum agricole-based drinks as well. I will definitely be expanding my rum horizons and the number of rums in my liquor cabinet as a result.</div>
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This meeting reminded me why I enjoy LUPEC so much. Sometimes there is a formal educational element or structured tasting. But more often than not, I’m just socializing and learning about cocktails and ingredients from my fellow LUPEC members. Some of my favorite LUPEC things:</div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span>I can taste at least three cocktails before ordering my own.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Everyone understands eye contact with them may be sketchy until you place your first drink order.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Having a passion for trying new drinks and owning more than five types of sweet vermouth is not viewed as a “problem”.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span>I go to bars I never would have gone to and taste drinks I never would have ordered on my own.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span>The more meetings I go to, the more welcome hugs I get from the fabulous ladies I get to know better every month.</li>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">Who wouldn’t like that?</span></div>
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A big LUPEC thanks to Bar Manager, Erik Carlson, and all the delightful Bastille staff for the great service, tasty bites, and of course, the delicious cocktails. <span style="line-height: 115%;">À</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> votre santé! **</span> </div>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMAlDw4r_qRQJhucORP9dx4caxU-WnVZuEO5iWJMH8e5gyyn4b9OfzU7GohWVExN1xotA6PPAXNSDUsgq9j4SlP8QSOxD-VQ_pXkIfA7SMGhSTcfiVKNVfRwEeBjq57J41LV_kHfirYc/s1600/bottomsup.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730189191931207746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMAlDw4r_qRQJhucORP9dx4caxU-WnVZuEO5iWJMH8e5gyyn4b9OfzU7GohWVExN1xotA6PPAXNSDUsgq9j4SlP8QSOxD-VQ_pXkIfA7SMGhSTcfiVKNVfRwEeBjq57J41LV_kHfirYc/s320/bottomsup.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia;"><br />* A delightful evening</span></div>
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<span class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia;">** Cheers! (more literally "to your health")</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">April's guest blog post is brought to you by Karen Kenyon, a true enthusiast and connoisseur of fine cocktails. Thank you so much Karen for a very well</span> <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">written
account of our meetings, I couldn't agree more! And big thanks and
kudos to Bastille's bar manager Erik and his team for treating us all so
well. And of course for making such fine cocktails. ~Wendy</span><span class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></div>Karen Kenyonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08165166542646791962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-9852992519419436722012-04-14T13:10:00.001-07:002012-04-14T13:13:26.599-07:00Eat.Run.HopeAs you know, LUPEC isn't just about lovely gatherings and well made cocktails. We are also an organization that nationwide strives to help our communities by getting involved in charitable organizations and events. Sometimes we <a href="http://lupecseattle.blogspot.com/2011/03/cocktails-for-cause-success.html" target="_blank">hold</a> <a href="http://lupecseattle.blogspot.com/2011/11/boobs-booze-beignets-october.html" target="_blank">them</a> ourselves. This time we got involved in the <a href="http://ethanstowellrestaurants.com/eatrunhope/" target="_blank">Eat.Run.Hope Food and 5K</a> put on by Ethan and Angela Stowell to benefit the <a href="http://www.fetalhope.org/" target="_blank">Fetal Hope Foundation</a>.<br />
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What a great event this was! A clear and crisp morning was perfect for the 5K (we walked) around Seward Park. Good thing we worked up an appetite because there was a whole tent full of delicious food from area restaurants to be had after!<br />
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LUPEC Seattle had a <a href="http://www.runningguru.com/RunWithMyTeam.asp?tID=3881#" target="_blank">goal</a> of $500 to raise for the cause and as of today (donations have still been coming in!) we've raised <b>$1,825</b>!!!! I couldn't be more proud!<br />
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I want to thank the ladies who walked (and ran) with me: Sonja G, Danielle F, Jan L, Tracy M, Stevi D.<br />
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I also want to give a special shout out to Stevi and Tracy who went above and beyond and raised money on behalf of the cause.<br />
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And of course all of the ladies who donated to help us reach our goal: Danielle F, Jan L, Jen B, Lynn & Chelley, Carolyn R, Elisabeth K, Katarina K, Brook H, Lauren E, Sonja G, Elaine S, Leslie S, Valentina V, Leslie D, Sandra S, Julie B. <br />
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And of course thank you to those who aren't a member of LUPEC but who supported us with donations also!<br />
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We'll be doing this again next year!<br />
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Wendy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00129398892508107446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-31413769666850853062012-03-22T14:46:00.000-07:002012-03-22T14:46:14.771-07:00LUPEC Seattle Goes to Ireland<div class="MsoNormal">
Or, to Mulleady’s Irish Pub on the edge of Magnolia. But I prefer the first title. So, LUPEC Seattle Goes to Ireland, via Magnolia.</div>
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For the March 2012 LUPEC Seattle meeting we went to Mulleady’s where owner Travis Stanley-Jones created some Irish Cocktails and Beer Cocktails for us. And punch, he created a lovely punch for us. Brian Lee was on hand to make cocktails as well, and he did it very ably!</div>
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At this point in this post, I’d like to say that Irish Whiskey and I don’t have a very storied, long, or good history. I’ve only ever had one drink with it I enjoyed. So, I may have been hesitant to try the drinks that were created for the group. But, I’m one for trying things, so I had to do it! </div>
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Back to the evening’s happenings… The punch was delicious and served warm – it was made with Redbreast 12yr, Demerera Sugar and Lemon & Orange Juices. The punch was very easy to drink – perhaps too easy? It was gone very shortly after the group arrived, and no one I spoke with could find a flaw with it. For a cool night, it was a deliciously warm yet dry drink. Not too tart or tangy, but it did allow the whiskey to come through. Travis made a beautiful garnish out of the LUPEC Seattle logo – a dried orange colored with bitters – to float on the top of the dainty punch glasses.</div>
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For the cocktails, we had the choice of Lady Flannery, Brainstorm and an Irish Pal. The Lady Flannery would be a good drink for non-whiskey lovers, in that it was more on the sweet side, and gorgeous on top of it all! The Brainstorm had my favorite name and was a very well balanced drink with Redbreast 12yr, Dolin Blanc and Benedictine. It was a very smooth, spirit forward drink. The Irish Pal was a great ending drink and very mellow.</div>
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For some reason, I decided to try one of the Beer Cocktails that Travis & Brian offered to us. I went with the Beer Cassis, which consisted of Maritime Old Seattle Lager, Dubonnet Rouge and Briottet Crème de Cassis. Perhaps it’s the local girl in me (Maritime is down the street from my house) that wanted the Maritime in my cocktail. The Crème de Cassis nicely offset the Lager, and while I don’t know much about Crème de Cassis, I have it on good authority that this kind is lovely. And hey – it’s fun to say! Briottet! Dubonnet Rouge is also quite fun to say. So, all around, it was a delicious beer cocktail and had some great names in it to boot!</div>
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Travis was kind enough to offer us some great complimentary bites of Chicken Mousse on Endive, Champ Croquettes and Vegetable Crudite. If you missed out on the Champ Croquettes, you MISSED OUT. I might have to go back just for those.</div>
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Travis gave us some information about Powers 12 year single pot still Irish Whiskey, but then proceeded to tell us that it’s not available in the states – I felt like that was him being a tease. All in all, anyone want to go to Ireland to find some?</div>
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Mulleady’s offers trivia on Monday nights, and they have Trivial Pursuit cards available all the time, in case you need to add some questions to your life while you’re eating dinner. Which I think is always necessary.</div>
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If you missed March’s meeting, please go see Travis and if you ask nicely enough, I think he’d probably make you one of the drinks he made for us that evening. And if you get enough smart, cocktail-loving women with you, you can recreate the meeting! Just call me up – I’ll come down.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Many thanks to Travis, Brian and Mulleady's for hosting their 2nd LUPEC meet up! And big thanks to guest blogger and new LUPEC member Noelle Royer, Noelle just recently moved to Seattle and this was her first meeting! You can check out Noelle's blog, which has lots of fun stuff about travel, eating, diving and other fun stuff at <a href="http://eventsbynoelle.com/blog/about/" target="_blank">Events By Noelle</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">~Wendy</span></div>tallgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10441213456344368420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-73184330525439755732012-02-17T16:39:00.000-08:002012-02-17T16:43:17.171-08:00LUPEC February: Eye of the Needle<br />
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FEBRUARY 1, 2012: "Ada Coleman!" These words were uttered by the dolled-up dames of LUPEC Seattle in order to gain access to the jewel-box speakeasy Needle & Thread, which sits hidden above the main room of Tavern Law in Capitol Hill. Utter the right password into a rotary phone on the north wall, and a vintage bank safe door cracks open, allowing passage to the secret bar upstairs.<br />
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The speakeasy trend may be long over, but every time I visit Needle & Thread, I get a little thrill speaking the secret phrase into the phone and hearing the safe door buzz open (they let me in!), the anticipation building as I climb the stairs. What mysteries await? Who will be there? What will the bartender concoct for me when I request "something with gin and Chartreuse, no citrus"?<br />
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The sense that you are at an exclusive, clandestine party where anything might happen is reinforced by the bar setup at Needle & Thread. There is no menu; instead, you tell the bartender what you are looking for in your cocktail (something brown, bitter, and stirred, for example), and the bartender lets his or her creativity fly. On this occasion, the ladies behind the stick were Allison Milner and Monica Buntha. Allison and Monica rose mightily to the challenge of LUPEC broads clamoring for variations on the Manhattan involving amaros, Champagne cocktails spiked with rum, and other libations. There were even some involving flame!<br />
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A gin joint done up Prohibition-style seemed an appropriate place for LUPEC members to gather. A group of whiskey and bitters-loving females is not so earth-shaking now (though still challenging to Lemon Drop and Cosmo stereotypes and the Boys Club), but if it weren't for cultural and political changes during the early 20th century, a group of dames gathering en masse for regular cocktail-swilling at bars (and paying for their own damn drinks) would be rather scandalous. So don't forget to raise a glass to our flapper forebroads for tossing out their corsets in favor of hot jazz, Pink Ladies, and loose morals!<br />
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At the gathering, the ladies did in fact toast an important forebroad, a patron saint of LUPEC, Ada Coleman. Fittingly, party goers had to drop her name for entry (although rumor has it that a certain LUPEC member gained admission with a much naughtier phrase). Ada Coleman was certainly a pioneer in challenging the Boys Club--she was head bartender at the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel at a time when there were few women bartenders, invented the Hanky Panky, and even patented an invention for an adjustable book cover--handy for keeping books open behind the bar (US Patent 1,698,391, if you're curious). Ada was highly influential during a golden time of the cocktail, providing mentorship to other famous bartenders, and she continues to be a role model today.<br />
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After cheering for Ada, sipping drinks by Allison and Monica, and enjoying stimulating conversation with strong, interesting women, ultimately the time came to say good evening, and ladies slipped back downstairs, through the secret exit, and out into the brisk February night air. The hidden exit is yet another sexy touch at the Needle & Thread, adding to the sense of being in a magic space: regular bar patrons might see you go in, but they never see you leave. It's almost as if you were never there.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Big thanks to Anne Magoon and Monica for offering to host us and also for the great goodie bags! Don't forget to use your free brunch cocktail coupon! And of course thanks to Tracy Meeker who volunteered to write up this month's blog post, well done! </span><a href="http://www.peelatomato.com/" target="_blank"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-64030475036926086892012-01-28T16:55:00.000-08:002012-01-28T16:55:24.151-08:00Be Mine Bitter ValentineFor the second year in a row <a href="http://www.talesofthecocktail.com/" target="_blank">Tales of the Cocktail</a> is taking its show on the road and heading to Vancouver, Canada. This year it's a 3 day adventure, including one full day of nothing but tasting rooms! mmmmmm......<br />
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And of course there are lots of extracurricular activities such as parties, spirited dinners and bar crawls. Some of Seattle's LUPEC ladies are heading up for the event again and we're really looking forward to it as we had a ball <a href="http://lupecseattle.blogspot.com/2011/03/lupec-seattle-at-tales-in-vancouver.html" target="_blank">last year</a>!<br />
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One such party is the official closing party being held on Valentine's Day and sponsored by Campari. Now some people go for all that hearts and roses crap but LUPEC ladies would rather don a <span style="color: #cc0000;">hot red number</span> and get a little bitter. With a cocktail that is! The Bitter Bash is going to be a big ole love affair with <span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Campari, Aperol, Cynar, etc. Talented bartenders from near and far will be stirring and shaking up bitter concoctions. Attendees will be wearing <span style="color: #cc0000;">red</span> so it won't even matter if you spill after you've had 2 or 3! And for everyone who joins in the fun there will be bitter swag for you to cozy up with later. Be sure to join us in wearing <span style="color: #cc0000;">red</span> and you may just find yourself with a best dressed prize (one each for men and women). </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Ticket packages are still on <a href="http://www.talesofthecocktail.com/vancouver-2012/" target="_blank">sale</a>! Come join us!</span></span><br />
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<br />Wendy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00129398892508107446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-18855390864798981892011-12-13T15:00:00.000-08:002011-12-13T13:13:00.463-08:00December Meeting: Chino’s Preview Night<style>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">This months post is brought to you by LUPEC lady Jackie Moffett. Jackie writes a great blog of her own that you should check out called <a href="http://www.drinkgal.com/" target="_blank">DrinkGal</a>.</span> <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">You can also follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/drinkgal" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. Thanks so much Jackie! ~WM</span></div>
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You only need to whisper “cocktail” to get the ladies of LUPEC rallied and ready to drink. Yet sometimes our fearless leader Wendy Miller is able to not only swing us a place to imbibe, but also a new spot to nosh and preview before the rest of Seattle is granted a peek. This was the case with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chino’s, </b>a new eatery nestled in the gastronomic playground of Capitol Hill, in the former residence of the Oasis Café. With a street-food-truck-turned-stationary concept and a cocktail menu put together by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Veronika Goth </b>(formerly of Poppy), it wasn’t hard to get the ladies out on the town, despite the cold December temperatures.</div>
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Touting an intriguing mix of Taiwanese and Mexican, the menu wasn’t what we were expecting. We were served rounds of Gua Bao (pork belly buns) and Spicy Chicken Wings, and I’m fairly certain that we all ate our weight in the delicious Furikake Kettle Corn while fighting over the last of the Pickles of the Day (made fresh in house, of course). The idea behind Chino’s isn’t a high-concept fusion of the two cultures, but bits of both, served as easy comfort food one can snack on while enjoying one of their delicious cocktails. </div>
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Which is what lured us there in the first place! The gents behind the bar had kindly put together a LUPEC Mai Tai to start us off with, a tasty take on the classic with Rhum Agricole, Demerara Rum, ginger and a brilliant little 5 spice sugar cube. Made of fennel, star anise, clove, cinnamon and Szechwan peppercorn, our hosts weren’t shy to tell us what was in the delicious little cube, but the quantities? Mum’s the word.</div>
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Our delectable cocktail, as it turned out, was just the tip of the iceberg. Just like the food, the cocktail menu is divided in two: classics any seasoned drinker will know and love, and tiki drinks, the new favorite of cocktail enthusiasts. From a Ramos Gin Fizz to a Widow’s Kiss, the classics covered any liquor you might be craving. And if you are tempted by tiki there’s a plethora to choose from. Perhaps a Zombie if you are feeling too sober… or a Suffering Bastard if you’ve had too much. And our Mai Tai? One of 3 Mai Tai’s that Chino’s pours: you can sip Don the Beachcomber’s, Trader Vic’s or the seasonal concoction, whatever your rum-swilling heart desires.</div>
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A huge thanks to the owners of Chino’s <b style="font-weight: normal;">Walter Lee </b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">and </span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;">Mari Tiscareño Lee </b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">for our delicious preview, for bringing a little spicy SoCal to the chilly Northwest, and of course letting the LUPEC ladies invade for an evening of tiki and street food done right. Cheers! </span></b></div>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04295575151632123874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-66578795109162575242011-11-27T21:04:00.001-08:002011-12-12T11:43:18.432-08:00November Meeting: Piscologia at Sambar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">This month's blog post is written by long time LUPEC lady Courtney Randall. Courtney's blog <a href="http://cocktailquest.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Cocktail Quest</a> is a fantastic place to learn a bit of history and become thirsty reading about her constant stirrings and mixings. Thanks so much Courtney for doing the post! ~WM </span> <br />
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When the ladies of LUPEC assemble, each meeting must include amazing libations created by talented bartenders at prime cocktail locations. Of course, having a fabulous community of talented women to enjoy them with is just a bonus. But where would the LUPEC ladies be without the joys of a well-crafted beverage? The question is too frightening to consider. In order to keep our imaginations sparked, sometimes we must hunker down and get serious about our cocktail education. Not every meeting is a party, sometimes we incorporate some learnin'. How lucky we are then to be able to explore the world of fine quality spirits and craft cocktails with excellent guidance from many our city's most knowledgeable resources. <br />
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This month's event brought us to one of Seattle's cocktail gems, Sambar, a small craft cocktail bar nestled next to le Gourmand. There, the talented and innovative Jay Kuehner would lead us on our journey to Peru for an in-depth class on pisco and featured Piscolog<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">í</span>a, a relatively new pisco on the market. With an ample back bar full of obscure spirits and exotic housemade syrups and purees, it was obvious that this would not be an ordinary LUPEC gathering.</div>
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Upon arrival, we were each greeted with a refreshing aperitif that was akin to a Manhattan, though it was made with pisco. The aromatic Capitan cocktail combined an equal parts mixture of pisco and French sweet vermouth garnished with a thin strip of orange peel. Light and yet incredibly flavorful, this cocktail stimulated our palates as we were formally introduced to a most important, yet often underappreciated spirit. </div>
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With a history that spans over 400 years, pisco dates back at least to the sixteenth century when Spanish colonizers transported grapes across the Atlantic. The grape-based spirit first found its way into the United States through California primarily during the Gold Rushes in the late nineteenth century. By this time it was already a staple on many ships that made port in South America on their way around Cape Horn. San Francisco soon found itself awash in pisco, and it was there that the spirit gained nationwide attention, particularly via the writings of Rudyard Kipling and Mark Twain. Duncan Nicol, owner of the Bank Exchange Saloon, was primarily responsible for this widespread recognition as his Pisco Punch was lauded far and wide. And though I would love to believe that it was because of the refreshing combination of pisco, citrus, and pineapple gomme syrup (the addition of gum arabic creates a velvety texture), rumor has it that Nicol laced this already-delicious beverage with cocaine. Today, pisco is still most widely known in America for its inclusion in Nicol's Pisco Punch and another fantastic drink, the Pisco Sour.</div>
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Our second cocktail of the evening was Jay's homage to both the pisco sour and a pisco-based libation that is popular in Peru, the Chilcano. When combining the two, he played on the fact that both drinks include citrus and some form of sweetener. Beyond that the two drinks are only vaguely alike. The pisco sour follows the classic recipe for a sour, including the aforementioned citrus and syrup as well as pisco and egg whites. The Chilcano, however,would be considered a member the Buck family of drinks, where the base spirit, here pisco, is added to citrus and then topped with ginger beer. In most cases, a sweetener is usually added to balance out the tartness. Jay's cocktail combined the best elements of these drinks. He infused ginger directly into the pisco and also utilized crushed ginger to up the spicy ante. By incorporating the egg whites, he was able to preserve the velvety texture that the pisco sour is known for. Lime juice, simple syrup, and orange flower water concluded the ingredients. The drink was presented over ice, with a ginger beer top (from the Chilcano), and garnished with some grated lime zest and a wine grape. <br />
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The government of Peru strictly regulates what can be classified as pisco, in the same way that Bourbon is strictly defined here in the States. First of all, only eight grape varieties can be used. By manipulating the type and amount of the different grapes, the distiller has the freedom to create that perfect blend. The grape must, freshly fermented grape juice, is then distilled in alembic pot stills to bottling proof--watering an overproof spirit back down to bottling strength is against the regulations. Then, by law, it must be rested for at least three months in glass, stainless steel or any other vessel that won't affect the flavor before it can reach the marketplace. <br />
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Piscolog<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">í</span>a specifically combines Torontel, Italia and Quebranta grapes. The Quebranta grape is a variation of the ancestral Viceroy grapes that the Spanish brought over to Peru. This grape is responsible for providing the dry, earthy foundation for the more aromatic flavors of the Torontel and Italia grapes. Piscología is made along the coast of Peru in the Ica region. This specific acholado, as piscos made from more than one type of grape are called, is nicely aromatic--not too intense or floral, but powerful enough to stand out when mixed with other ingredients. As a result this pisco is wonderful both on its own and makes a superb base for numerous cocktails. Jay designed our next cocktail to highlight this pisco's versatility and ability to mingle fluently with disparate ingredients. He combined the pisco with lime juice, Averna, Regan's orange bitters, Concord grape puree, and cinnamon/ancho chile simple syrup. This cocktail was then garnished with a lime wheel and some grated cinnamon. The result was a refreshing cocktail that was both tart and spicy. </div>
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After Prohibition, the popularity of pisco waned, like that of so many other exotic spirits. Pisco started to make a comeback in the 1960s when restaurateur Joe Baum decided to include the pisco sour on his menus. When he reopened the Rainbow Room in 1987 with the help of Dale DeGroff, the pisco sour traveled with him. Since then, as classic cocktails have become more popular, interest in pisco has also increased. Today, it is easier than ever to find pisco in liquor stores thanks to the efforts of companies like Topa Spirits. Owned by LUPEC Seattle member Meg McFarland and Krystle Hicks, who heads up their San Diego office, Topa Spirits strives to bring quality pisco into the United States. </div>
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For our fourth cocktail, Jay gave us a variation of one of the most famous classic cocktails, the Corpse Reviver No. 2, but with a pisco twist. First appearing in 1930 in Harry Craddock's art deco masterwork, the Savoy Cocktail Book, the original recipe calls for an equal parts mixture of gin, lemon juice, Kina Lillet, and Cointreau that is then added to an absinthe-rinsed glass. In Jay's version, the pisco replaced the gin, of course, but he wasn't done there. He also substituted Cocchi Americano for the Lillet and introduced a champagne top. The result was a refreshing, slightly more rich variation of the Reviver.<br />
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Our final cocktail was a variation of another popular Peruvian pisco drink: the algarrobina. A cream-based drink that resembles a Brandy Alexander, it usually includes pisco, cream, cinnamon and algarrobina syrup-- a sweetener made from the fruit of the Black Karob tree, the algarrobo. Jay swapped out the cinnamon for nutmeg and used karob syrup in place of the hard-to-find algarrobina syrup. He served this rich drink over ice and dusted it with fresh ground nutmeg. It was the perfect way to end the evening. <br />
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With our cocktail education upgraded and our taste buds sated, it was time to say goodnight. What were the takeaway lessons? First, pisco is darn tasty and exceedingly versatile. Second, Jay Kuehner does not mess around--you say a pisco class, he hears graduate thesis. Of course, there were no complaints. Third, drink pisco. Of course, the night would not have been such a success if it weren't for the efforts of Jay Kuehner and Meg McFarland and the very kind owners of Sambar.Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392767394123711830noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-30620952669244597002011-11-02T15:56:00.000-07:002011-11-02T15:56:52.836-07:00Boobs, Booze, & Beignets! – October party/charity event<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
The header of this blog reminds readers of this fun fact about LUPEC Seattle: “Occasionally we throw a party and use our power to raise money for local charities.” This is exactly what went down at the Rob Roy in Belltown on Thursday night. It was a perfect mixture of Seattle Cocktail Week and Breast Cancer Awareness month that led the throwing of “Boobs, Booze, and Beignets,” a New Orleans themed party that stretched from the street to the very back of the bar. </div><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> But let’s start with the middle of the bar – or rather, the bar itself. Anu Apte and crew at the Rob Roy crafted a special Big Easy-themed drink menu for the evening, including four cocktails and a traditional serve Absinthe. Besides the Sazerac, also known as the official cocktail of New Orleans, the Bourbon St. Slushie was a popular choice among LUPEC members and other party-goers. Other options included a Ramos Gin Fizz and a Vieux Carre, another New Orleans classic. The miniature bottle of Angostura bitters that accompanied it may have been added incentive for this order!</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">And now onto that part about the street – what New Orleans-themed party would be complete without food? Not one, in fact. Thank goodness for the Where Ya At Matt truck being there. Party-goers braved the chilly (but dry!) October air while stepping out onto the street for everything from Jambalaya croquettes to spicy shrimp bread to po boy sliders. The hot beignets lived up to their placement in the event’s name delighting many with their doughy-deliciousness and excessive covering of very powdery sugar. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where Ya At Matt shrimp bread and spicy sauce</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span>And finally, we get to the “boobs” part of the evening. Besides enjoying excellent cocktails and delicious food, the goal for the event was to raise $500 to contribute to the National Breast Cancer Foundation during Breast Cancer awareness month. Local bars and businesses generously donated (full list of donors below) everything from gift certificates to bottles of booze to a whiskey making kit! Raffle tickets went for $5 and each purchase got an attendee a bead necklace to add a bit of Mardi Gras-like flair to the evening. Early reports had the total amount of tickets sold at over $1000! As everything from envelopes to bags to boxes was passed across the bar to winners, ticket holders swirled their drinks and hoped their number would come up next. Many of them did!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendy was handing out raffle prizes left and right!</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">A huge thank you to our raffle donors:</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Gilt Group - Totes </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Left Coast Libations/Inner Chapter Books - Autographed Copy of <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Left</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Coast</placetype></place> Libations</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Sound Spirits - Ebb & Flow Gin, Ebb & Flow Vodka</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Scrappys Bitters - Grapefruit Bitters, Cardamon Bitters, Lavender Bitters, Celery Bitters, bitters travel pack</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Woodinville Whiskey - Barrel Aging Kit with 2 Bottles of White Dog</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Estrella Salon - choice of $150 worth of Skin Treatments</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mulleady's Pub - gift Card</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Cooper & Sons - Pierre Ferand Cognac, Crop Organic Vodka</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Pur Spirits - Blood <place w:st="on">Orange</place> Liquor, Pear Williams Liquor</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Novo Fogo - Cachaca Kit with Silver & Gold Novo Fogo, Muddler & Recipe cards</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Tales of the Cocktail - Two Party Passes to the invite only Opening & Closing parties, Meet the Distillers event and 5 Tasting rooms at TOTC on tour in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Vancouver</city></place> this Feb</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Small Screen Network - A guest spot on Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen, a web based video series. You'll step behind the bar and infront of the cameras to mix up a cocktail with Kathy!</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Liberty</place></city> - gift cards (several!) </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Daniel's Broiler - dinner for two</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Poquitos - dinner for two</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Bathtub Gin - gift card</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Rabbit Hole - gift card</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">The Living Room Bar - gift Card</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Bastille - dinner for two</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Hotel 1000 - Spahhh Retreat: Two Spa Treatments & Lunch/Dinner</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Piscologia- Basket of Piscologia, Peruvian Bitters, recipe and t-shirt, leather handbag from <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Argentina</place></country-region></li>
</ul></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Thanks to everyone else who contributed to the great success that was Boobs, Booze, & Beignets. It was an excellent kick-off to the first annual Seattle Cocktail Week, indeed. More photos can be found <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ozmafan/sets/72157627881368641/" target="_blank">here</a>. Laissez les bons temps rouler! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Big thanks to my lady on the street Chelsea for taking pictures during the event and writing this great post! Also big thanks to Rob Roy, Anu Apte & Trickey who shook to donate $5 per drink from the special menu. Where Ya At Matt, who donated 100% of money from the beignet sales. All the donors for the fab prizes and of course all of you for participating. Our goal was <a href="http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise/team?ftid=3036">$500</a> and we did a total of... drumroll please... <b>$2,360.00</b>!!!! ~Wendy</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div>Chelsea Nesvighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856546774211724924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-44695992796067631362011-10-14T13:28:00.000-07:002011-12-12T11:43:40.255-08:00LUPEC October meeting Swig Well inaugural "Memories in a Glass"<style>
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Many thanks to Cameo for writing this month's blog post. And congratulations to her and her new gig as Chef of re-opening bar Vessel! -WM<br />
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Sometimes a drink is just a drink; spirits, ice, glass. Those of us who appreciate the craft, appreciate properly measured spirits, cold clear ice, and delicately etched glass expertly chosen. Sometimes all that is rubbish. </div>
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A margarita poolside under a palm palapa, an absinthe slushy on bourbon street, a glass of bubbly in Paris. Sometimes, memory is the secret ingredient. Nevermind the jigger, or the tincture the hand pressed juice, the moment is in the memory. That feeling of being lifted from your barstool and delivered back to that moment in time where your toes dangled in the water or the rain locked you indoors in a foreign place. </div>
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“Memories in a Glass”, the theme of <a href="http://www.swigwell.com/">Swig Well</a>, the newest collaboration of Seattle's top shelf bartender started by <a href="http://www.robroyseattle.com/">Rob Roy's</a> lovely owner Anu Apte along with the effervescent, Hallie McGee. Swig Well will hold classes for the cocktail curious and the cocktail elite by-weekly or so in a ‘belly up to the bar’ atmosphere at Rob Roy. </div>
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The first of many classes to come, “Memories in a glass” served as this months LUPEC meeting. The course outline is loose and comfortable, just the way it's intended. Designed to be one to two hour classes for those of us with 'short attention spans' and truth be told in the discussion of spirits how much do we really remember after a couple? </div>
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Inspired by her recent, well deserved, vacation, 'Memories in a Glass' unveiled the distinction between a recipe and a the palpable memory of flavor, and how sometimes it’s the salt air or even the exhaust from a passing bus that can change the way you remember what you eat or drink. </div>
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We started the evening with a little bubbly, what I believe is universal in capturing memories in it’s tiny bubbles only to remind us latter of how sweet life is. Next tried two versions of the sweetest, sourest, and often tragic of memory makers, the Margarita, Rob Roy’s version, and a version closest to Anu’s memory from the beach. The differences were subtle but significant, Rob Roy opts for a reposado tequila which has a little deeper flavor, perfect for a grey Seattle mental escape south of the border. The 'memory' margarita was made with Plata, tequila giving it more of a straight from the sun flavor. We experienced perfectly the idea that if you free yourselves from believing perfection is in the recipe, that something so simple as a ½ ounce of lime can differ in taste so significantly, it holds the key to a portal of time travel, where a lime is not simply a lime, and a drink is not simply a drink, that a memory is often the perfect garnish. </div>
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Swig Well’s inaugural class was a perfect introduction to the ‘feel’ of what is to come. An informal discussion over the subtleties of citrus, or the smell of scotch and leather, a well stocked bar at home or a well filled flask in the woods. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mexican version of Angostura was the magic ingredient to the Platino Fresco</td></tr>
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Thank you for the introduction and cheers to your success!!</div>
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Reporting from the field... Cameo McRoberts<br />
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All photos <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49411071@N00/sets/72157622543722502/">here </a><br />
And recipes from the evening are <a href="http://www.swigwell.com/blog/2011/10/9/lupec-ladies-event-recipes.html">here</a></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-79552578982498796662011-09-07T01:43:00.000-07:002011-09-07T01:43:02.480-07:00August Meeting: Cocktails in the Garden at Poppy*August's meeting write up is thanks to Lorraine Goldberg<span class="st"><em></em> (@voraciousgirl), you can read her articles on <a href="http://seattlest.com/">Seattlest</a></span> <br />
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This month the ladies of LUPEC had the pleasure spending time in the garden at Poppy for a more intimate meeting. <a href="http://poppyseattle.com/menu/cocktails">Poppy</a>, most well known for their use of herbs in their cooking, brings that philosophy to the bar where they make use of what is fresh and in season.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting the scene: mini-glasses for champagne and garden fresh herbs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-Garden Cocktails in the Bar at Poppy! Cheers!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The twenty lucky cocktail enthusiasts were treated to a wonderful evening filled with delicious treats compliments of Poppy, an informative talk by head bartender Veronika Groth & owner Jerry Tranfield plus plenty of garden inspired cocktails. As we gathered in the garden, the ladies ordered off of the special cocktail menu featuring herb-centric drinks just for us! Many of us started with the Bada Bing: Buffalo Trace bourbon, lemon juice, bing cherries and sage.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Listening Intently (Or Not)</td></tr>
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Veronika greeted us with mini-glasses of bubbly to demonstrate using different herbs in drinks. She selected mint, sage, green & red chiso plus anise hyssop to add to the glasses of sparkling wine. She explained that each herb needs to be treated differently to maximize the flavor. Mint & sage for example you want to slap to bring out the flavor and natural oils. While the chiso leaf should torn. We had fun playing around with the different herbs and perusing the garden for inspiration.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendy and Veronika</td></tr>
</tbody></table> The ladies continued to order the cocktails and nibble on their delicious eggplant fries, fried mussels, potato croquettes & goat cheese stuffed squash blossoms! The Block Party, also a huge hit of the night combined gin, mint, lemon, housemade cucumber water and rose-geranium infused water was a refreshing mix of the savory and sweet.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chatting in the garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwGNp09FWixJoHFwCbSOOP1i8Wj1Ptl4U0Iysko_E5sWJkIDirAZexmQMa2R-tZ03a9xQRLeGQ5iW0ZR_v3NA8KATbz3GELoaNMrSNM5qzXkRA8dcMLpY7M-8a-Jh-wwXbbbO-MqA398/s1600/IMG_2440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwGNp09FWixJoHFwCbSOOP1i8Wj1Ptl4U0Iysko_E5sWJkIDirAZexmQMa2R-tZ03a9xQRLeGQ5iW0ZR_v3NA8KATbz3GELoaNMrSNM5qzXkRA8dcMLpY7M-8a-Jh-wwXbbbO-MqA398/s320/IMG_2440.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leisurely Conversing and Enjoying the Tranquil Back Garden</td></tr>
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<br />
Soon we were lucky enough to gleam some insight from the man who makes it all possible at Poppy, Mr. Jerry Tranfield. Jerry hails from years of experience from The Herb Farm. For the past two plus years, he's created menus at Poppy centering around herbs in a more playful atmosphere. He talked about the various herbs they grow in the garden and how to use each of them for cocktails. His favorite, the lemon verbena he likes to muddle in gin or vodka based drinks. He also recommends blending the herb with sugar in a spice grinder to absorb the essential oils, which then can be stored for months in your freezer. Jerry's favorite summer pairings: lavender with cherries or plums or anise hyssop with peaches . Perhaps start your day off with a savory cocktail using sage and grapefruit or use a lovage stalk (similar to celery) which is hollow as a straw in your bloody mary! Of course rosemary and gin pair well, which you might see in other cocktail menus around town. Like the classic Pimm's Cup? Well next time try borage, which has a cucumber like flavor instead! Jerry encourage us to get creative and play more with herbs we grow in our garden which of course we all loved!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdIOkDW8dFfznrYIwpu0rngvs584maMprlHX7SjwJntqjQEu1YLPjAn6eSbeO4FqhYfHsOeZgQg8U0UpdxmqDoSkpFGMaZbZGJBTPMb9GvfJGuWJutD0z5peJz17-qeTvDrTixP2LgNs/s1600/IMG_2448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdIOkDW8dFfznrYIwpu0rngvs584maMprlHX7SjwJntqjQEu1YLPjAn6eSbeO4FqhYfHsOeZgQg8U0UpdxmqDoSkpFGMaZbZGJBTPMb9GvfJGuWJutD0z5peJz17-qeTvDrTixP2LgNs/s320/IMG_2448.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jerry explains his philosophy and favorite uses of herbs in cocktails</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgML1shRTAyZahyzsJqMtRBE5hjv3-lImDsvXkV74ol49gkkjWeUlhJacfDwFci_Fuw9Cob-5Eka9sCyxeXbvVa-zEPnQJAc6K5VLfJKKv2wKx3JSLNOBxc8oUVt7psE-Fh5WFaRRNoJUg/s1600/IMG_2447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgML1shRTAyZahyzsJqMtRBE5hjv3-lImDsvXkV74ol49gkkjWeUlhJacfDwFci_Fuw9Cob-5Eka9sCyxeXbvVa-zEPnQJAc6K5VLfJKKv2wKx3JSLNOBxc8oUVt7psE-Fh5WFaRRNoJUg/s320/IMG_2447.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Does and Don'ts of Herb Mixology according to Poppy owner Jerry Tranfield</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj09wYKgxjXcS3CCAd84mRV70sTNh1ZvCCvw1xxwAMI7BCADkhawHY_i7lD2jlAJcgjYF0fPSVBh2NV5Sxs5LFzF-rgzmg-urTxmrplMjV_0YeGFex25YrvTYpNhOT9AAOMQwroNaqvvM/s1600/IMG_2450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj09wYKgxjXcS3CCAd84mRV70sTNh1ZvCCvw1xxwAMI7BCADkhawHY_i7lD2jlAJcgjYF0fPSVBh2NV5Sxs5LFzF-rgzmg-urTxmrplMjV_0YeGFex25YrvTYpNhOT9AAOMQwroNaqvvM/s320/IMG_2450.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jerry sips his favorite the Lemon Verbena Drop (lemon vodka, lemon verbena, limoncello and lemon juice) while mingling with the LUPEC ladies.</td></tr>
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What a great way to enjoy a beautiful Seattle summer evening than the patio at Poppy. Thanks to Jerry and Veronika for hosting us and sharing the garden and their knowledge! We look forward to replicating some of the drinks at home and applying newly learned combinations. Sonja Groset, our resident cocktail writer wrote about our gathering for her weekly column I<a href="http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/voracious/2011/08/herb-infused_cocktails_inspire.php">n The Cups for Seattle Weekly</a>. Cheers!Lorraine Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02950808409892789645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-69827223119846135452011-08-13T16:27:00.000-07:002011-08-13T16:27:08.948-07:00July LUPEC- Kneehigh Stocking Co.Way back in July the ladies of LUPEC were hosted by the fine folks at Kneehigh Stocking Co. for our monthly meet up. Specifically Kevin Langmack, Nikki & Katie (with a big nod at owner Jack and bar manager Gregg for all their help in organizing) shook, stirred & served all evening as this tiny gem closed it's doors to the general public and let us take it over for 3 hours.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6186/6039915446_68ba1d4ce4_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6186/6039915446_68ba1d4ce4_b.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Upon being greeted and admitted there was a delicious serve yourself punch for the sipping. Once everyone got settled Kevin surprised us all with a little class, basically the evolution of a cocktail- in this case a classic sour, the White Lady, and how the proportions and ingredients can change slightly to create a different cocktail. We started sampling gorgeous mini White Lady's with their 1/2 1/4 1/4 ratio. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6039365361_10befe7762_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6039365361_10befe7762_b.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Next we moved on to the Pink Lady with gin & applejack, sour, sweet and egg white (and a dash of grenadine) in a 1/2, 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 ration. Delicious and one of my favorite cocktails.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6039916220_7da654cb87_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6039916220_7da654cb87_b.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
From here Kevin guided us into more modern cocktails and we sampled the Pegu Club- gin, cointreau, lime and bitters. Such a perfect balance of sweet and tart. And look at how beautiful the lime garnish was!<br />
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And finally we ended with the Jasmine which adds a potable bitter, in this case Campari, to it's booze (gin), sour (lemon), sweet (Cointreau) ratio.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6087/6039916450_4348372d21_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6087/6039916450_4348372d21_b.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
This was such a well done talk and everyone really enjoyed it. Kneehigh went above and beyond which was very appreciated. Thanks again to our hosts!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6143/6039917724_12ca4b4fef_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6143/6039917724_12ca4b4fef_b.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>What did you think of the class?Wendy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00129398892508107446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-44590601462801729342011-07-14T18:24:00.000-07:002011-07-18T16:49:12.071-07:00June LUPEC Homework Assignments<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">June's meeting was a homework assignment:</span><br />
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The mission: to pick one bar to revisit from our last 12months, one that you haven't been to since that meeting (or didn't get to join us at), and give us the scoop on what you had, what you thought, etc. of any of the following:<br />
<br />
Zig Zag <br />
Sambar <br />
Copper Gate<br />
MistralKitchen<br />
Mulleady's<br />
Naga Lounge<br />
Liberty Bar<br />
Suite 410<br />
BOKA<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://wasabiprime.blogspot.com/">Denise</a>, being the consummate professional at all things photography and writing turned hers in first:</span> </i> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b><br />
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<b>Old Cuban, Meet the New/Old Brazilian</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I sidled up to the bar at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Naga</b>, in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chantanee</b> and was glad to see <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Michael Kostin</b> at the helm, handling a busy Monday evening crowd with typical charm and humor, and of course giving me well-deserved ribbing that it had been too long since I’d visited. Someone should send me to the chalkboard to write: “I will drink at Naga more often” over a hundred times, with a chaser of a neon-pink Cosmopolitan. But seriously, if I’m at a bar that’s spirits-smart, it’s usually bartender’s choice over what he or she is feeling like shaking up. This time I had a plan: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Something Old, Something New</i>. I just told Michael I was looking to have two cocktails, something classic and something newfangled. Maybe it was the “old” part of the cocktalian riddle that caught his fancy, but he presented me with these two offerings: the classic <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Old Cuban</b>, and his latest riff, the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Old Brazilian</b>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlBelYn2YCILM6DGIJBbenRcg4TmWiG7G8U54gqU-CcGvLb3NFpVo0ZYp8V58g-wCmj8UPA8yXkMIEnS3-5LxmbU602cpm_gKXwO8sZP5UStp_fzqA-enj-9vlYpZZc7ZPWjyLfWK-Gk/s1600/Cuban_6365.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlBelYn2YCILM6DGIJBbenRcg4TmWiG7G8U54gqU-CcGvLb3NFpVo0ZYp8V58g-wCmj8UPA8yXkMIEnS3-5LxmbU602cpm_gKXwO8sZP5UStp_fzqA-enj-9vlYpZZc7ZPWjyLfWK-Gk/s320/Cuban_6365.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Old Cuban is a rum-based cocktail, originated at the Pegu Club in NYC. It’s a bit like a Mojito with the use of lime and mint, but no seltzer or crushed ice – think of the Old Cuban as the Mojito’s older, more mature sibling who just wants their drink without a fuss. That’s not to say it’s not an elegant drink -- the Old Cuban was served up in a lovely chilled cocktail glass with a delicate mint leaf floating on top. Despite the name, which makes it sound a little like something Hemingway would have asked for with a snarl, it’s quite summery, refreshingly tart with the fresh lime, and the aged rum gives it a sweet richness. Fast forward to the “new” part of the themed cocktail combo – the new/Old Brazilian. Michael swapped out the rum with cacha<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">ç</span>a, along with some behind the scenes bar magic to modify the recipe to balance it out, and the resulting drink is really smooth and sophisticated. It doesn’t have as strong of a tart citrus edge as its Old Cuban counterpart; the cacha<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">ç</span>a mellows the drink out, lending a more rounded flavor. It’s actually a great combination to enjoy in that order – the Old Cuban, to sort of wake up your palate with the tartness, and then the Old Brazilian to help one ease into the evening. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpfEhnGmw2n_VFGXYitlp3x_T0nSKQQRP4HBNrngNbvhQNKtmmppUf2CfrkjuN6ZhTxv1paHb3pkmQ74Gf6Wo8UO5DnCovcfa0ZbfQLjTthkSioSS8P4Qruoh9RaTGRvMWWN7bVBM0U8/s1600/Brazilian_6371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpfEhnGmw2n_VFGXYitlp3x_T0nSKQQRP4HBNrngNbvhQNKtmmppUf2CfrkjuN6ZhTxv1paHb3pkmQ74Gf6Wo8UO5DnCovcfa0ZbfQLjTthkSioSS8P4Qruoh9RaTGRvMWWN7bVBM0U8/s320/Brazilian_6371.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As always, letting the bartender design the cocktails for the evening is never a bad thing, and even more of a reminder that yes, I need to get out more.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<i>Well done Denise, A+ for you (and apologies if I mixed the photos up, let us know in the comments please)</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>New member <a href="http://ozmafan.livejournal.com/">Chelsea</a> took this homework on as her very first LUPEC project! </i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
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</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://ozmafan.livejournal.com/181642.html"><i style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">je vois la vie en rose</span></i><span style="color: blue;"><br />
</span></a>Since sometime last year, I've had half of a page torn out of Sunset Magazine lying somewhere in the proximity of my desk/record player stand right next to it. I think that my Dad tore it out of an issue and then showed my Mom who then passed it on to me. This torn half-page details <a href="http://www.sambarseattle.com/">Sambar</a>, a southeast Ballard bar located right next to Le Gourmand. The photo in the Sunset blurb shows two tables in a garden and the words tell of a <a href="http://www.sambarseattle.com/sambar-cocktails.html">cocktails</a> and French-tinged loveliness. We were all intrigued, but I still hadn't been. <br />
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My recent acceptance into Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails (<a href="http://www.lupec.org/index.html">LUPEC</a>) found me with a homework assignment: attend one of ten or so bars around Seattle known for well-crafted cocktails and report back. Sambar and I finally had an excuse to meet. Here is the result, illustrated by my photos. <br />
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The entrance reminds you that Sambar is closed on Sunday and Monday.<br />
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The weather was close to warm, so I took a seat in the garden, facing out to the street. Lined with roses and a variety of potted plants, you could be just about anywhere when you're ensconced there. <br />
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My favorite cocktails include rum, so I started with La Martinique, which had rhum agricole vieux (old sugar-cane based rum from Martinique), lime juice, and Clement Creole Shrubb (a rhum agricole-based orange liqueur). Served in a martini glass, it came with a large piece of orange peel, which you don't see everywhere. The drink was well-made, having that general citrus-y bite you get when you combine rum, citrus, and citrus-based liqueur. Could the glass have been a little bit more full? Hard to say, but I'd have ordered another one either way.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78k_6dJiWjvujyyUmh1Z3igTX45U_CPJkCTsLhztMKsAvIHQ5GGfBmUa9T5dThkwn2cogpGjS9OqIM5zM2N22ZvRGhsQQfMWd-A0qxeuyXplnbLuTORQ-3FCiAu1u-XV_MTbEaLWVNjM/s1600/C3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78k_6dJiWjvujyyUmh1Z3igTX45U_CPJkCTsLhztMKsAvIHQ5GGfBmUa9T5dThkwn2cogpGjS9OqIM5zM2N22ZvRGhsQQfMWd-A0qxeuyXplnbLuTORQ-3FCiAu1u-XV_MTbEaLWVNjM/s320/C3.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Oh, and I ordered the very French cheese board to accompany my cocktails which came with plenty of delicious bread. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3smlxcBOHPd3CP9XJ9tBWlYZVrDfjPufEONJR5HbByGdvJvIfGXCNVwvZ5xJnMSQlEkeFlUNuR0SxXcm1_6WDJBCpmf6LDL9pPnF15lDHHPTQq2x7Qm75L8VWgYMHcC_7sHaklckBgw/s1600/C4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3smlxcBOHPd3CP9XJ9tBWlYZVrDfjPufEONJR5HbByGdvJvIfGXCNVwvZ5xJnMSQlEkeFlUNuR0SxXcm1_6WDJBCpmf6LDL9pPnF15lDHHPTQq2x7Qm75L8VWgYMHcC_7sHaklckBgw/s320/C4.png" width="242" /></a></div><br />
I branched out for my second cocktail and tried the Freya, made of aquavit, kirsh, sour cherry, lemon, and maraschino. Aquavit on its own is not my thing (much to my aquavit-loving Father's chagrin) but I thought the other ingredients would balance it out nicely. They did! And it was nice to look at too - such a beautiful ruby color in the highball glass! The taste was fruity but not too fruity and sweet but not too sweet. A perfect refreshment for a late spring day. <br />
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I can do no comparing to past cocktails at Sambar, but these were as well-crafted as any others I've consumed around Seattle, including the Zig Zag. I'll visit Sambar again this summer and while the garden was lovely, I really enjoy watching my drinks being made, so next time I'll sit at the bar. But if Seattle ever sees a hot summer day this year, look for me back in the garden, cocktail in hand.<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sambar is located at 425 N.W. Market Street | Seattle, WA 98107</i><br />
<br />
More photos of Sambar on my <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ozmafan/">flickr page</a>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Kudos Chelsea for the great write up and photos! A+!</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Leslie sent in her report about Mulleady's after heading there with Jan one night:</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Travis was there last evening and brought over our aged negroni's. Soooo smooth & delicious! Travis said that it could be considered a Negroni for beginners as it's so smooth. That was my favorite cocktail of the evening. I don't even remember seeing it on the menu, either. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">I had high hopes for one of their 'sour's as you know I like a little egg in my drink sometimes. The waitress said she doesn't get many orders for either of the ones on the menu, but said out of the 2 she would recommend the *</span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Trinidad* -- Angostura, Lemon, Orgeat, Wild Turley 101. Neither Jan nor I cared for it as it has some kind of strange spicing to it not unlike pumpkin spicing, which neither of us care for in drinks. The waitress said that flavor could have come from the amount of angostura they use (which I normally like), or maybe their housemade Orgeat. </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">My 3rd drink was the </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">London Calling</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Plymouth Gin, Grapefruit, Juniper Syrup, Pechauds ... I was ready for something refreshing after the pumpkin spice-ish drink (which I didn't finish) and this hit the mark. It had a good grapefruit flavor, that would make it a good choice for a brunch cocktail.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">I had a taste of Jan's Manhatten...*<span style="color: black;">Peaty Burns* – Scotch, Lagavulin, Dolin Sweet Vermouth, Benedictine, Pimento Dram. It was quite strong and excellent... </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.5pt;">Out of all the food dishes we tried, the Fried Oyster Po Boy was the winner of the night... Jan also really liked the pickled fruit and veggies. I liked the curried Cauliflower dip with pita more than her. We both liked the rhubarb goat cheese tart to some extent. I want to go back to try their burger, which I've heard excellent things about and to try more cocktails! Great place!</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<i>Thanks Leslie! I'm a big fan of the London Calling and the Aged Negroni also. A only for the absence of photos :)</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><i>Jan recounted her evening at Mulleady’s also:</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">On Friday night, Leslie and I went to Mulleady’s Irish Pub to do some serious LUPEC homework. It was my second visit (the first being our LUPEC event) and Leslie’s first. We arrived around 7:00, found a good table and were welcomed warmly by our server who went over the specials. Leslie mentioned to her that we knew Wendy Miller and that she had suggested the cask-aged Negroni, so we both started off with that. In a couple of minutes, the bartender came over to welcome us, chat for a bit about LUPEC, the cask-aged Negroni and to thank us for coming in. The Negronis arrived and we thought they were delicious…a bit more round and smooth than a regular Negroni…sort of a Negroni for beginners as our server put it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">For nibbles, we ordered the Savory Rhubarb tart with goat cheese, garlic and pine nuts (light, savory and quite tasty); the Curried Cauliflower dip (fine, but not very curryish); the Pot of Pickles (Leslie found these on the sweet side, but I thought they were good and quite tart—who’s right?) and then we shared an Oyster Po’boy (crunchy, perfectly fried oysters with a slightly spicy slaw--the hit of the evening!). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">We also ordered another round of drinks. I had the Peaty Burns, made with Lagavulin Scotch, Dolin Sweet Vermouth, Benedictine, Pimento Dram and comes in an old-fashioned glass with a big, round ice ball in it. I’d had it before and it was just as good this time as the last…smokey, sweet and strong, but perfectly balanced. Leslie ordered the Trinidad Sour (Angostura, Lemon, Orgeat, Wild Turkey and an egg white) which was good but had a stronger taste of allspice than she cared for. When we asked about it, we were told that there’s quite a large amount of the Angostura in it. Last up was the London Calling: Plymouth Gin, Grapefruit, Juniper Syrup, Pechauds which was very good and we both agreed would make a lovely brunch drink. We also gave in to temptation at this point and ordered the fries with tomato jam and aioli…they were really good fries!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">I really wish Mulleady’s was closer to my neighborhood. It’s a great mix of casual and delicious pub fare, great cocktails and friendly, efficient service. Can’t wait to go back, have another Peaty Burns, a Po’ Boy and try the burger!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Jan also gets an A, should of had that camera with ya!</i><br />
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<i>Karen Ann Kenyon did double duty by posting her review in the <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/seattle-cocktail-culture/id424040887?mt=8">Seattle Cocktail Culture App</a> comments regarding Zig Zag:</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The ever charming and eminently professional Erik Hakkinen is now on Th-Su. Sad for those of us that enjoyed his endless supply of Simpsons quotes, stories from his travels, and extra attention on slower Mondays. But the Thursday crowd I witnessed last week seemed unfazed by Murray's departure and drinking some of the city's best cocktails with gusto. And I still got a couple of stories. <br />
<br />
When your proteges can carry on without faltering, you know you've done well. Bravo Zulu, Murray!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<i>Even though there are no pictures and we don't know what she drank she still gets an A cuz she plugged my App :p</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Lauren chose an outing at Rob Roy with some poor ladies not lucky enough to be in LUPEC:</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I was meeting some non-LUPEC friends for dinner at Tàvolata and they were wanting to go someplace for drinks first so, naturally, I suggested Rob Roy. We sat on one of the comfy couches up front and sampled cocktails from their Happy Hour menu. A couple of them ordered the Italian Buck and I ordered the Dark and Fernet-y. How could I resist? I loves me some Fernet. That turned out to be the girls favorite drink and they each ordered one for their second round. Me? I had my usual classic martini – which they do oh so well. I love Rob Roy.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<i>Lauren gets an A even though I know she has been to Rob Roy both during the meeting there and multiple occasions before and after that because she did not divulge all our LUPEC secrets to non LUPEC ladies!</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Our fabulous Venezuelan Valentina wrote:</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><br />
<div>June was LUPEC homework month. I'm still very shy when it comes to giving my impressions about cocktails, spirits and liqueur. So my report is going to be done within the limits of my comfort zone this time, and I'm going to tell the two things I discovered during June thanks to our assignment. The first one is that cocktails have been the ones helping me to fall in love with a flavor I did not like before: bitter. Growing up in the Caribbean area of South America, I was exposed to diverse flavors BUT despite this, bitterness has a very small space in my country's cuisine. I used to frown at it and stay away when it was present in food or beverages. Now, when I get that first kick of bitter, I let the liquid touch and linger around the roof of my mouth, then soak my taste buds to finally let it go while breathing in. I'm deeply in love with it, and that sentiment applies to food, too. One of my "bitter" but super sweet discoveries of this Summer was Cocchi Americano. Thanks to Artusi for that!</div><div><br />
</div><div>The second thing I discovered is that the more I dive into the cocktail world, the more I pace myself when going out to drink. Not that I used to get wasted before, but now I can live happily if I do two cocktails per night. I spend more time with my drink and enjoy it almost like a dinner course. Plus, I've incorporated drinking water into the dynamic which helps me not only to feel hydrate but to taste the drinks better. I'm not going to go to much into it because, as I said, I'm a novice.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Of course, I'm sharing more than words. I made some photos of my favorite drinks around Seattle and I'm passing them along. Enjoy y ¡salud!</div><div><div><br />
</div><div>Game (bourbon, Grand Marnier, Luxardo and Rachel's Ginger Beer) at La Bete in Capitol Hill. It's my favorite drink here, and one of my favorite in Seattle. After the cocktail is crafted, the bartender sprinkles it with a tiny bit of salt. The salt falls onto the bottom of the glass so the last sip is salty and delicious. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJDHNnBM2Mq2l5KPQGkTT1VasmPw9JaZcyyaMdXxtLAqLYwSg6w9lrUk_RIEoM2amQjvOfLY2Zk5nUNJooBfsNICnDER95TwDqcN4HJ3tOOoYCM6ENp-yIqtPk1xEV8-A2WcAhaY6D-00/s1600/Cocktails_LUPEC-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJDHNnBM2Mq2l5KPQGkTT1VasmPw9JaZcyyaMdXxtLAqLYwSg6w9lrUk_RIEoM2amQjvOfLY2Zk5nUNJooBfsNICnDER95TwDqcN4HJ3tOOoYCM6ENp-yIqtPk1xEV8-A2WcAhaY6D-00/s320/Cocktails_LUPEC-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div></div><div>Star Gazer (rye, Lillet Blanc, hourse orange bitters) at La Bete in Capitol Hill. My husband's favorite (yes, he came along most of the times I was doing homework!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQjLcW800WreVE8TwsEnuUZTTG4zcGaw-yMA5Hc19_WoqZRHnuOVB-ACm8QaCK2aOO981DeJZlUmUfFmdCFa5BREGQFJxpt7y-zzBIBbefaf2tyXwt-SP8zxr5Dnk7BjWUKx3lD73b8g/s1600/Cocktails_LUPEC-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQjLcW800WreVE8TwsEnuUZTTG4zcGaw-yMA5Hc19_WoqZRHnuOVB-ACm8QaCK2aOO981DeJZlUmUfFmdCFa5BREGQFJxpt7y-zzBIBbefaf2tyXwt-SP8zxr5Dnk7BjWUKx3lD73b8g/s320/Cocktails_LUPEC-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div></div><div>Hot Charlotte at Tavern Law. Yes, I cheated on Zig Zag. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCX6q2-3-WNHrIRdmdPj8bAhA0-aO0TXWQkJ2GWxvcF6cipWuGM5KJsmtNAcZMHnXLxJUsQPTod2074NxWhB70Gy_Kl2hVWchlWoa9hceEWLvAyRTIFcCNceG7oagS2TZy_5lwL6qQ0c4/s1600/Cocktails_LUPEC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCX6q2-3-WNHrIRdmdPj8bAhA0-aO0TXWQkJ2GWxvcF6cipWuGM5KJsmtNAcZMHnXLxJUsQPTod2074NxWhB70Gy_Kl2hVWchlWoa9hceEWLvAyRTIFcCNceG7oagS2TZy_5lwL6qQ0c4/s320/Cocktails_LUPEC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div></div><br />
<i>A for Valentina for although she didn't go to any of the places she was suppose to she takes amazing photos and has a way with words, even the ones that aren't natively hers!</i><br />
<div><br />
</div><div><i>And last but not lease <a href="http://cocktailquest.blogspot.com/">Courtney</a> says:</i><br />
<br />
</div><div></div><div>For the first of the month's LUPEC excursions, Tracy Meeker and I, along with several other ladies, descended upon the crew at Sambar. It seemed fitting as it was where last summer's homework took place, and also marked my one-year anniversary with the ladies who liquid lunch. To start the evening off, I ordered the Le Zefir, a combination of old Tom gin, Gran Classico and lavender bitters. The drink was a wonderful combination of bitter and sweet and the lavender petals sprinkled on top served as a sophisticated, aromatic garnish. For my second drink, I put myself in Jay's capable hands and ordered a spirit-forward pisco drink. What I received highlighted the spirit very well and was also very tasty, though I can't exactly remember what the other ingredients were. And as far as food goes, we couldn't help ourselves and ordered some of Sambar's fabulous frites. <br />
<br />
For my second outing, Tracy and I made our way to Magnolia to revisit Mulleady's Pub. My first drink was the Oaxacan Old Fashioned from their menu. It came with a sphere of ice and a lime covered in salt that was balanced over the mixture of agave nectar, mescal and mole bitters. As time passed, the salt added more depth and flavor to the cocktail. It was smoky and delicious. For my second drink I ordered the Red Hook, which is one of my favorites and it didn't disappoint. Tracy and I also ate dinner there and enjoyed a savory rhubarb tart, the homemade veggie burger, and some of Mulleady's homemade pickles that arrived at our table in their own mason jar. It was a lovely evening. </div><br />
<i>An A+ for Courtney and Tracy because even though there are no pictures they went to TWO places!!</i><br />
<br />
<i>I almost missed the note from <a href="http://www.rachelphotodiary.com/">Rachel</a>, sorry about that lady!! Here's her account of Sambar:</i><br />
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As mentioned here before, I belong to <a href="http://lupecseattle.blogspot.com/">LUPEC Seattle</a> — the local branch of Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails. Our monthly outings are masterfully organized by Wendy Miller. <br />
For June, in lieu of our traditional LUPEC gathering, she assigned homework: visit any of the bars LUPEC visited in the last year.<br />
Sambar stood out from her list, but <a href="http://www.rachelphotodiary.com/2010/07/06/sambar-the-burke-and-trivia/">led me to question whether it was really a year ago that I visited last.</a> Turns out, yes, it had been too long. So, when <a href="http://cocktailquest.blogspot.com/">Courtney</a> suggested a few of us gather for a study session, I jumped at the offer. <br />
We convened soon after our workdays, as the sun was still pretty high. I took notes:<br />
- My warm up — <b>Noir Satiné.</b> <i>Rye Whiskey, Strega, Cocchi Vermouth, Black Tea, Lemon Bitters.</i> This worked. I liked the hint of black tea and lemon. The complex combination defeated lingering negative side effects of a challenging workday. Our merry little group was rolling right along.<br />
- When it was time to order again, my eyes drifted to the food menu, despite original intentions to the contrary. I’d coveted Valentina’s <b>Croque-Monsieur</b> across the table, and ham and grilled cheese turned out to be a delicious accompaniment for the next cocktail.<br />
- <b>Clémence.</b> <i>Genever, Pineau-des-Charentes, Apricot, Créme de Pêche, Lemon, Pastis.</i> The Genever and Pastis bookends in the listing jumped out, and when the drink arrived, it was a refreshing hit with the whole table.<br />
- There was opportunity for more, but responsibility was calling my name.<br />
- Then, right after the tab was settled, I noticed several no-octane options that I would have chosen had I noticed. Ah, next time. <br />
And there will be a next time, especially with Courtney, Tracy, Valentina, Cameo, and Heather. Thank you, ladies, for the great evening!<br />
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<i>Rachel gets an A+ cuz her write up and pictures are AWESOME and she has not bitched me out for missing her entry on the first go round :) </i><br />
<br />
<i>Well done ladies, I don't know what your rep was like in school but you're all honor students here. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and hopefully encouraging others to get out there and revisit the places that sometimes drop off our radar for whatever the reason. </i><br />
<i> </i><br />
<i>Cheers!</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"></div>Wendy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00129398892508107446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-7247014991896163462011-05-13T14:56:00.000-07:002011-05-13T14:56:31.913-07:00May Meeting- Woodinville Whiskey CoWith permission from new LUPEC lady Janice Vache I'm reposting her blog entry about our meeting/class this month. Great to see everyone, learn about WWCo and raise a little money for the Red Cross. <br />
<br />
You can see her full blog at <a href="http://iceclinkdrink.com/">IceClinkDrink, </a>thanks for the post Janice and welcome to the club!<br />
<h2> </h2><h2>Not Your Pappy’s Moonshine</h2><span style="font-size: small;">Last week I got a fun treat and joined Seattle’s LUPEC (Ladies United for the Preservation of the Endangered Cocktail – <i>love that</i>!) group for a private tour of the <a href="http://www.woodinvillewhiskeyco.com/" target="_blank">Woodinville Whiskey Co.</a> Talk about a perk to this blogging stuff!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Only open to the public for a few months, the Woodinville Whiskey Co. has been busy creating a boutique whiskey distillery not far from the Red Hook Brewery, Chateau St. Michelle Winery and many other booze-forward businesses in Woodinville. Owner Orlin Sorensen took about 20 or so LUPEC women through their facilities, let us peer into vats of boiling organic corn and rye mash, and gave us several samples to sip. While I was familiar with the basics of bourbon and whiskey, the tour went way beyond. I can’t do all of the information justice (a few bullet points are at the end), but <a href="http://www.woodinvillewhiskeyco.com/contact-us/" target="_blank">tastings and tours</a> are available to the public each week. </span><br />
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_865" style="width: 512px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://iceclinkdrink.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/smaller-barrel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-865 " height="300" src="http://iceclinkdrink.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/smaller-barrel-1024x768.jpg" title="Woodinville Whiskey Co. barrel" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">These barrels are in high demand by home and commercial brewers!</span></div></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">While Boss Hogg pursued the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078607/" target="_blank">Dukes of Hazzard</a> for runnin’ moonshine, the distillery has accomodated us by launching Headlong White Dog Whiskey, an organic, unaged whiskey made with true bourbon mash but just out of the still…in other words, legal moonshine. Orlin described white dog as being to bourbon what white rum is to aged rum – rougher, sharper but still flavorful. Just for kicks, he used the white dog in a cocktail called the Green Trellis to demonstrate its mixability. You can pick up a bottle of Headlong at the distillery or at state liquor stores: How fun to tell guests at your next party that you are serving a form of moonshine!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Green Trellis </b>(created by John Ueding at Trellis Restaurant in Kirkland)</span><br />
<address style="padding-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: small;">3 slices of cucumber</span></address><address style="padding-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: small;">10-12 mint leaves </span></address><address style="padding-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 ½ oz Headlong White Dog Whiskey</span></address><address style="padding-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 oz apple cider (they used non-alcoholic, but I think hard cider would also be tasty)</span></address><address style="padding-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: small;">½ oz simple syrup</span></address><div style="padding-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Muddle the cucumber and mint in a cocktail shaker, and then add ice and other ingredients. Shake well, strain and serve up in a chilled cocktail glass.</i></span></div><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Orlin gave us a sneak peek, or rather sip, of their first batch of micro-barrel (5 to 7 gallons) aged bourbon. Very tasty. Plans are to release a new micro-batch of organic bourbon each quarter, so it will be interesting to see what more refined palates have to say about the releases. </span><br />
<div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_874" style="width: 310px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://iceclinkdrink.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/whiskey-kit.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-874" height="191" src="http://iceclinkdrink.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/whiskey-kit-300x191.jpg" title="whiskey kit" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cutest cask ever (don't mention that to Dad).</span></div></div><br />
Can’t wait to taste their results? The distillery is also selling its “Age Your Own Whiskey” kit, complete with a wee cask. The company says that the small cask size means the aging process is greatly accelerated, producing a properly aged whiskey in just 3-6 months. Too late for Mother’s Day, this kit could make a great Father’s Day gift for the whiskey lover in your family.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">And although bourbon is clearly their passion, the distillery’s owners also produce an organic vodka to pay the bills while the bourbon ages. Most vodka is pretty tasteless, but the Peabody Jones Vodka tasted almost creamy, with hints of vanilla. A pleasant way to add interest to your vodka drinks.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div><span style="font-size: small;">In addition to the sipping and sampling, LUPEC also raised about $400 for the Red Cross’s tornado relief efforts – fitting given that the recent tornados have devastated areas around and in the South’s bourbon region. Cocktails and a cause, the perfect combo.</span></div><blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Bonus: Random Bourbon Factoids</b></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-size: small;">Bourbon is America’s only native spirit and must contain at least 51% corn mash. But it does not have to be made in Bourbon County, Kentucky, to be called bourbon.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Bourbon barrels are made from new white oak by professional called coopers (at a cooperage, naturally). </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">The insides of the barrels are charred to distillery preference, depending on the flavor profile the distillery seeks. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">After the barrels are used just once for bourbon, they are used by other distilleries for beer, Scotch or Irish whisky, rum and tequila.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">The alcohol lost to absorption in the cask is called the angels’ share.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">The Woodinville Whiskey Co. already has a long list of home beer brewers and commercial brewers waiting for those used bourbon barrels to free up!</span></li>
</ul></blockquote><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cheers, ICE</span></div>Wendy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00129398892508107446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718281952345647284.post-55434506784974752402011-04-25T13:44:00.000-07:002011-04-25T13:44:13.282-07:00April Meeting- BOKA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>April's meeting was at BOKA, the restaurant and bar connected to the Hotel 1000. Recently BOKA hired Mi Suk Ahn (formally of Brasa, The Living Room and Licorous) as their bar manager.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5029/5654611695_5737d916ba_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5029/5654611695_5737d916ba_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Mi Suk was kind enough to create a special cocktail menu for the evening complete with space to write tasting notes on. Drinks were presented from lightest to heaviest and suggested in the following order:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5061/5654610027_8092dc5a26_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5061/5654610027_8092dc5a26_b.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Le LUPEC- Beefeater, Moscato Grappa, Creme de Violette, champagne float. This was a perfect way to start the night! Dry with just a hint of floral. Bubbles are always a choice.<br />
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#11 plus- Meyer lemon & Bay leaf infused gin, St Germain, Campari, orange twist. My notes on this are "Perfect!" Such a great balance of bitter, citrus and gin. yummmm.<br />
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LUPEC Manhattan- Basil Hayden, Luxardo, sweet vermouth, cherry bitters. I didn't have this one but heard many rave reviews and saw many many Manhattans being served.<br />
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Old Girl's Club- Scotch, Cynar, dry vermouth, caperberry garnish. Another that I missed (not being a Scotch girl) so if one of you had this please comment about it!<br />
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Bishop- Cardinal Mendoza Brandy, Fino Sherry, lemon juice, champagne float, cherry garnish. Another very good cocktail, this one a bit on the tart side.<br />
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All these delicious drinks were served along side mountains of truffle fries, pretzel sausage dots, tuna tartare, chicken wings and beef skewers. The food was all equally delicious!<br />
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Big thanks to Mi Suk and Tawny Paperd of BOKA for being such awesome hosts! BOKA also has complimentary valet parking for customers. If you haven't been lately to try out Mi Suk's new menu get there soon!Wendy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00129398892508107446noreply@blogger.com1